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If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

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

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for October 12 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for October 12 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Toon time

These words will amuse you with their antics.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

Various Looney Tunes characters.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Characters.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for October 12

• Foghorn

• Petunia

• Daffy

• Foxy

• Granny

• Bugs

• Porky

SEE ALSO: Hurdle hints and answers for October 12 SEE ALSO: Mini crossword answers for October 12

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

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

Connections is the latest New York Times word game that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for October 12's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: Hurdle hints and answers for October 12 What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

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If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for October 12 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hit about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Stuff you literally throw on

• Green: Endure

• Blue: Types of tweet

• Purple: Tech beginnings

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Draped Accessories

• Green: Tolerate

• Blue: Bird Onomatopoeia

• Purple: Starts of Cell Phone Makers

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #489 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Draped Accessories: SCARF, SHAWL, STOLE, WRAP

• Tolerate: BEAR, STAND, SWALLOW, TAKE

• Bird Onomatopoeia: COO, GOBBLE, HONK, HOOT

• Starts of Cell Phone Makers: APP, GOO, MOTOR, SAM

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

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

SEE ALSO: Mini crossword answers for October 12

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

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

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for October 12's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for October 12 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

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Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles used to be available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately, it has since been taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for October 12 SEE ALSO: Mini crossword answers for October 12 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Spot.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no reoccurring letters.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter S.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. SEE ALSO: Hurdle hints and answers for October 12 The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

STAIN.

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

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

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

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

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

The first thing to know about Community Notes on Elon Musk's tweets: there ought to be a lot more of them.

Community Notes, the Twitter/X fact-checks formerly known as Birdwatch, are often touted as one of the few good things to have survived the first chaotic year of Musk's ownership. These notes are user-generated, usually including links to high-quality sources. Like Reddit posts they live or die on upvotes ("helpful") and downvotes ("not helpful") — enough of the latter and they disappear. Anyone can sign up to contribute, if they don't have strikes against their account. Contributors are the only ones who get to see or vote on proposed notes before they're officially stamped on tweets.

Musk will often tout Community Notes as a sign that he cares about the quality of information on a service that is crawling with deliberate disinformation. He's smart to do so: one study has found that Community Notes increase trust in social media, and so could help bring X's fleeing users back. But he doesn't even need to put his thumb on the scale of the X algorithm to avoid them himself.

With nearly 200 million people following him, if even a small percentage of his adoring fans are signed up to rate proposed Community Notes, they can swarm the system, intercept and rate any proposed note on Musk's account as "not helpful" before he gets another badge of fact-checking shame. As in this instance, where retweeting a false story about a bomb at a Trump rally was a step too far even for his fans (the original tweet Musk quotes was deleted; the Note remains).

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This helps Musk significantly. Because as any study of his tweets confirms, the bomb story isn't too much of an outlier: Musk is spreading misinformation constantly. The New York Times looked at one weeks' worth in September, and found one-third to be "false, misleading or missing vital context."

In July, the month Musk endorsed Trump, the Center for Countering Digital Hate identified 50 Musk tweets that had been debunked by independent fact-checkers. Not one of them got Community Noted, and they were viewed a total of 1.2 billion times.

As things stand on the unofficial Community Notes leaderboard, Musk is at #55, with 70 Community Notes so far. Several accounts that he frequently replies to and retweets are ranked in the top 10. The top account has more than 800 notes — but at a rate of 50 falsehoods a month, Musk would easily have outpaced them if oversight was equal.

So what can we learn from the 70 fact-checks that did actually get added to Musk's account? Here's your TL;DR.

Musk's early fibs weren't that big a deal. Tweet may have been deleted

A mere three of the 70 Community Notes on Musk tweets were before the date he brought that sink in to Twitter in October 2022. That doesn't tell us too much, since the Birdwatch service was soft-launched in January 2021 and only fully rolled out weeks before Musk arrived.

Still, we can see how minor the corrections were at first. In his first post with a Community Note, Musk claimed his Tesla Roadster was orbiting Mars; it's actually orbiting the sun somewhere out towards the asteroid belt (which is still quite a flex). The other two pre-Twitter Notes concern EV tax credits and Hyperloop tunnels, which he claims can't flood. Concerning, to use one of Musk's favorite words, but not a huge deal.

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk's X will no longer pay creators based on ads but on engagement

In Musk's first week at Twitter, he racked up four more Notes. But they're harmless, even helpful. A couple point out when Musk is joking, in case it isn't clear. He calls Community Notes "awesome"; a Note provides further information on how to join.

Then on Nov 4, 2022, Musk claimed advertisers are "trying to destroy free speech in America" by fleeing the service. Community Notes stepped in to point out that advertisers were concerned about Musk's lax approach to security and misinformation as he gutted those teams. And a new more adversarial kind of Musk note was born.

There are more Community Notes on his tech posts than his political posts.

In 2023, Musk would receive 31 Notes. It's still his most fact-checked year. May 2023 — when Musk launched Ron DeSantis' campaign on X, and incorrectly claimed DeSantis had set "an all time record for fundraising" — is still his most fact-checked month.

But that doesn't mean he's getting fact-checked on his political statements. More Community Notes appear on his claims about the tech and media world, including a number of bizarre attacks on nonprofits (see notes on his tweets about the Wikimedia Foundation, the Internet Archive, and NPR).

Musk is more vulnerable in the replies.

Of the 70 Community Notes on Musk tweets, a clear majority — 40 — are on tweets where Musk is replying to someone. That makes sense. The X algorithm artificially boosts Musk's regular posts, making sure that he shows up in your "For You" tab even if you don't follow him. But the algorithm doesn't push his replies, so falsehoods there are more likely to receive upvotes from Community Note volunteers acting in good faith.

And what falsehoods they've been! In a reply to his mother, Musk disavowed knowledge of his father's emerald mine; Community Notes simply used his own words against him, digging up a quote acknowledging that his father co-owned the mine. In a reply to a former employee, Musk claims there's no proof that plastics in the environment harm us; turns out there is. "Why would we have your home address?" he asks a verified user concerned about X potentially doxxing him to the IDF; a Note points out that verification requires ID with an address.

And he can't let well enough alone. When one supportive account posts a screenshot proudly proving that X is fair because "even Elon Musk can be Community Noted," Musk replies that the Note in the screenshot "is incorrect and the community already voted it away." That earns him another Community Note: nope, it's still there.

Musk loves Community Notes, except when he doesn't. Tweet may have been deleted

On seven out of the 70 posts, Musk invited the fact-check himself. Invariably he tags @CommunityNotes on a tweet he wanted to quote, and clearly already believed. On the stark statement he's pushing, he'll add a fig leaf by asking "is this true" or "is this accurate?" Nearly every time, the note that results provides context that Musk has missed.

Yet Musk rarely responds to the fact-check he's invited. The one time he did, he dug in his heels. "Community Notes is failing here," Musk wrote in February after claiming that it was impossible to sign into a Windows PC without a Microsoft account. No, the Note on this reply stated, you can do it — it just requires a workaround that "the average Andy" might not know about.

The implication: A tech billionaire who's been logging into Windows machines for decades is not the average Andy.

Nor does this particular tech billionaire get Community Noted like the Average Andy would, at least so far. And it doesn't seem the service will do anything whatsoever to rein in "Dark MAGA" Musk during the last month before the U.S. elections.

Why? Because, like a good Community Note, we ought to note the limit of Community Notes — using clear language and high-quality sources.

Here's a thorough debunk of Musk's repeated claim that "illegal" immigrants are voting in U.S. elections; none of his posts on this subject have been noted. (Ironically, Musk himself may have been at one time an "illegal" immigrant — you'd think the writers of sassy notes would enjoy pointing this out.)

Here's a debunk of his "you have said the actual truth" reply to an antisemitic screed last year. A tweet so infamous, advertisers fled, and yet it was not noted.

Here's a debunk of his "voter fraud in Virginia" post from the last week, also not noted.

We could go on, but you get the point. If volunteers cannot overcome the Musk downvoters to append correctives on this kind of nonsense, there's very little he can say before election day that will be fact-checked.

Noted.

Sebastian Stan, Jeremy Strong, Maria Bakalova and Ali Abbasi go into detail on the reason they made the 'The Apprentice' and how Donald Trump tried to stop it from being seen.

AI-generated images and videos about Hurricane Milton might not just be annoying clickbait. They could also be connected to scams and disinformation campaigns.

In the aftermath of the category 3 hurricane that devastated parts of Florida, social media platforms like X, TikTok, and Facebook have been inundated with AI-generated content. Some AI-generated images and videos are easier to spot than others, like the obviously played-for-laughs image of a girl hugging an alligator on a boat in the pouring rain.

Tweet may have been deleted

Others are more convincing, like AI-generated images of a flooded Disney World that initially duped many — even getting shared by a Russian propaganda outlet.

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The outcome might just be the spread of disinformation, which is bad enough, but AI-generated internet trash is also used to lure people into scams.

SEE ALSO: How to identify AI-generated images Hurricane Milton AI slop is everywhere

At this point many have seen the fake images of the Disney World walkways under water. But a quick scroll on TikTok shows AI-generated footage of Hurricane Milton wreaking havoc.

Some of the videos are labeled as AI-generated videos with hashtags or captions, but it's easy to imagine how they could be shared and exploited by someone else. Karen Panetta, IEEE fellow and professor of electrical and computer engineering at Tufts University, describes how AI-generated content can be weaponized to incite panic and confusion. "Less than 30 percent of our adult public understands what AI can do. So you can put some misinformation out to the general population with a scary headline, you're going to get a lot of people panicking," said Panetta.

To be clear, the actual damage done by Hurricane Milton is devastatingly real. But when AI-generated content comes into play, it makes users question reality. That in turn can create mistrust and fertile ground for hurricane conspiracy theories. Case in point, one X user claimed the footage from NASA astronaut Matthew Dominick was fake, and even suggested Dominick wasn't in space. The footage has since been verified as authentic.

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But to add to the confusion, some satellite images claiming to be of Hurricane Milton were debunked by Snopes as being mis-captioned or AI-generated.

Beware of scams using AI-generated images

Aside from misinformation and disinformation in the aftermath of Hurricane Milton, experts say to be vigilant about scams. The Federal Trade Commission issued a press release the day before Milton made landfall warning consumers to look out for "those looking to take advantage of natural disasters by engaging in potential fraud or price gouging."

And according to Panetta, scams like fake charities can make themselves more persuasive by using generative AI. "In any disaster there's always something that goes on where [scammers] try to set up web pages for fundraising that aren't legitimate," said Panetta. "What's happening now is that because of the easy access to AI-generated imagery, it's being used to add credibility and say, 'Look, it's not just me asking for money. Look how horrible this is.'"

The viral AI-generated image of the little girl holding a puppy and crying in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene is a perfect example of how an image can pull on the heartstrings and evoke the desire to donate, even if it's fake. While savvy internet users might realize it's fake, others may not know and those people are easy targets for scams.

Some of the AI-generated images of Hurricane Milton might seem like innocuous instances of some kid eager to show off their generative AI skills. But that's not always the case. The false sense of innocence might be part of a way of getting people to let their guard down. "It's a whole strategy. How do I bait people in? And then once I have you convinced that I'm legitimate, there's an ask in there," said Panetta.

"There's always money at the end," she added.

While natural disasters like Hurricane Milton might make people exceptionally vulnerable, it's all the more vital to apply critical thinking and think twice before reacting to anything online. The FTC says scams will often insist on payment through wire transfer, gift card, payment app, cryptocurrency or in cash, and recommends looking at its resources on how to avoid scams after a weather emergency.

A district court ruled that Sweden’s constitution prevented it from taking a side in a labor dispute between Tesla and local unions that has dragged on for 11 months.

Newly un-redacted internal documents show TikTok fostered an environment that chose its public image over effective policies to address teen mental health, struggling to prioritize safety over engagement.

The documents, part an ongoing lawsuit against TikTok featuring swaths of digitally redacted internal materials, were part of the Kentucky Attorney General's filing. Despite redactions, the documents were able to be read by Kentucky Public Radio (and later reviewed by NPR) before being resealed under court order.

TikTok is being sued by 14 attorneys general across the nation, who allege across various individually-filed lawsuits that the platform falsely advertised its addictive algorithm, endangering children.

SEE ALSO: CDC confirms link between teen social media use and mental health struggles

The lawsuits focus on several allegedly harmful aspects of the social media platform, including beauty filters, the For You Page (FYP), and TikTok Live. According to TikTok's own internal research, users only need to watch 260 videos before they could become addicted to the app. That same research found that "compulsive usage correlates with a slew of negative mental health effects like loss of analytical skills, memory formation, contextual thinking, conversational depth, empathy, and increased anxiety." It acknowledge that the algorithm had "better engagement" with young people.

Remedial measures, such as screen time alerts and limits, were implemented and promoted on the app despite internal research suggesting they would not have a measurable effect on users. The screen limit tool resulted in only a 1.5-minute drop in usage, according to the documents.

The app's negative impact on body image was well noted, too, with the platform allegedly prioritizing more conventionally attractive users in the FYP algorithm — executives ignored suggestions to add informative banners or awareness campaigns on popular videos and beauty filters. Executives were also aware that young users were often exposed to videos featuring suicidal ideation and eating disorder content as it slipped through moderation and into algorithm "bubbles."

In a statement to NPR, a TikTok spokesperson said, "Unfortunately, this complaint cherry-picks misleading quotes and takes outdated documents out of context to misrepresent our commitment to community safety. We have robust safeguards, which include proactively removing suspected underage users, and we have voluntarily launched safety features such as default screentime limits, family pairing, and privacy by default for minors under 16."

TikTok's internal memos mirror similar communications among Meta leaders, including CEO Mark Zuckerberg, who passed on suggestions to address bullying and mental health. The internal communications were unsealed in a Massachusetts lawsuit that accused Meta of being a major player in the youth mental health crisis. Meta, TikTok, and several other social media platforms have been mired in state, school, and parent-led lawsuits on behalf of young users.

Best sex toy advent calendar deals: Best overall Lovehoney 24-Day X Womanizer Couple's Sex Toy Advent Calendar 2024 $199 at Lovehoney (save $331.77) Get Deal Best premium Bellesa 12 Day Advent Calendar $269 at Bellesa (save $235) Get Deal Best male-focused TENGA advent calendar $99.99 at TENGA (save $44.01) Get Deal

Prime Day might be over, but the deals don't stop there — Black Friday and Cyber Monday are closer than you think. If you're like us and want to avoid the shipping delays and out-of-stock chaos, we recommend hitting the sales early. Whether you're crossing gifts off your list, treating yourself, or just hate Black Friday crowds, now's the time to shop and save.

And one of the best things to snag early? Advent calendars!

Advent calendars are way more fun when you can actually, you know, use them before the holiday is over. But instead of counting down the days with a measly piece of chocolate or a random trinket, how would you feel about opening up a new sex toy or lube to play with each day leading up to the holiday?

That's right — we're talking about sex toy advent calendars. And right now, you can find tons of options in all different sizes, price ranges, and themes.

Here are the best sex toy advent calendar deals we could find as of Oct. 11:

Best advent calendar deal overall Opens in a new window Credit: Lovehoney Our pick: Lovehoney 24-Day X Womanizer Couple's Sex Toy Advent Calendar 2024 $199.00 at Lovehoney
$530.77 Save $331.77 Get Deal Why we like it

Right now, Lovehoney has the best sex toy advent calendar deal. They’re offering a 24-day calendar for 63% off — that’s a $331.77 discount.

This advent calendar has full-sized toys like the Womanizer Liberty 2 and the We-Vibr Sync Lite. It also comes with a penis stroker, cock ring, and other little goodies like a mini paddle and vanilla massage oil.

Best premium advent calendar deal Opens in a new window Credit: Bellesa Our pick: Bellesa 12 Day Advent Calendar $269.00 at Bellesa
$504.00 Save $235.00 Get Deal Why we like it

ICYMI: Bellesa sells sex toys, and this year, they’ve got a spicy 12-day advent calendar that’s 100% worth the splurge. For $269, you’ll get a special premium product each day. Though we’re not entirely sure what each box holds, we do know that the toys included are luxe AF.

Most reviewers say the box is so good that they bought it for themselves (and we heard there are quite a few anal toys in here too).

“Airvibe, Finger Pro, Anal Training kit, OH MYYYYYYYYY,” one reviewer writes. “There are so many friggin good things in this calendar. This is NOT LIKE those bad ones you see on TikTok. I think it was the Chanel one that sucked? or Dior or something? Anyway, haha, this advent calendar absolutely rocks. I'm so impressed.”

Best male-focused calendar Opens in a new window Credit: TENGA Our pick: TENGA Advent Calendar $99.99 at TENGA
$144.00 Save $44.01 Pre-Order Here Why we like it

We’ve been seeing a rise in male sex toys, and I’m totally here for it. It’s about time we broke the stigma around sex toys for people with penises.

Whether you’re looking for a budget-friendly toy haul for yourself or a partner, the TENGA Advent Calendar is definitely worth the price. It’s only $99.99 (for pre-order) and includes 24 TENGA EGGs (TENGA EGGs usually go for $6 a pop), so you can crack open a little holiday magic every day leading up to the Big Day. They’re all uniquely textured for a different experience each time and come with a single-use lube packet.

Be sure to watch this space: SheSpot and Ann Summers’ advent calendars haven’t gone on sale just yet, but we’re definitely keeping our eye out.

As Brat summer faded into fall, the endless references to Charli XCX's inescapable album seemed to reach a halt. But yesterday the English pop star beckoned in Brat autumn at the viral listening party of her remix album Brat and it's completely different but also still brat. Out today, it features everyone from Ariana Grande to Caroline Polacheck to Tinashe.

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As a result of Brat's outsized cultural impact, the remix album had a lot of hype and unsurprisingly spurred conversation and jokes online. One fan wrote, "pressing play on this after months of teasing is how i imagine it felt when men looked at the pictures of their wives in their wallet while they were out at war."

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Aside from the previously released "Guess" and "Girl, so confusing" remixes featuring Billie Eilish and Lorde, respectively, Brat and it's completely different but also still brat is a true remix album. Each song is completely transformed by the featuring artists all with Charli XCX's creative vision at the helm.

However, some listeners took issue with how different the "completely different" album is spurring a classic schism between new and old fans. One X user said, "the way i love when remixes are real remixes and not just a feature but in brat's case... bring back the old songs jesus of nazareth." A fan struck back at the haters with, "Some people are completely ignoring the ‘and it’s completely different’ part of the album tittle." Another said, "at least we’re getting rid of the basic pop fans who were just there for the trend."

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So far the most talked about song off the remix album is "Sympathy is a knife featuring Ariana Grande." Before it came out people joked that Grande would get on the track and sing, "issa knife." Fans were shocked and delighted to hear she actually did. Ever social media savvy, Charli XCX posted the link to a new text generator with an image reading "issa knife" backwards.

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Since the album features so many artists, it has something for everyone. There's the people freaking out bb tricks on "Club Classics," the Julian Casablancas heads laughing that he managed to sing about his divorce on a club album, and longtime fans celebrating Charli XCX and Tinashe finally sharing the spotlight after such long careers.

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Before the remix album came out, Charli XCX hosted an exclusive listening party...at 3 p.m. on a Thursday in upstate New York. Dubbed the "unemployed people's Coachella" and the "the ultimate test of who has a fake job," images of the event rolled in. One X user wrote, "why does this look like that one movie were people get murdered in a cult in rural sweden." Another captioned a video of fans recording Charli XCX at the event, "Not a phone in sight. Just people in the moment."

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Brat winter next?

Among the more overlooked features that iOS 18 brings to the iPhone are the updates to Apple Wallet, in particular the Apple Wallet event ticket experience.

On Thursday, Ticketmaster announced that it would be the first company to take advantage of the new feature-rich Apple Wallet tickets feature. 

SEE ALSO: U.S. Justice Department moves to break up Ticketmaster and Live Nation over antitrust violations

"With the new, enhanced ticket in Apple Wallet experience, fans are closer to the action from the moment they add their pass to their iPhone," said Ticketmaster President Mark Yovich in a statement. "We’re extremely proud to work with Apple to bring this enhanced ticketing experience to fans."

Ticketmaster being the first to take advantage of this new iOS 18 Apple Wallet feature shouldn't come as too much of a surprise. Ticketmaster is a giant in the live events and entertainment industry. However, this announcement does show that the new Apple Wallet tickets feature is quickly being welcomed by the live events industry. iOS 18 launched with this new feature less than a month ago. Expect more live event and ticketing companies to adopt this new Apple Wallet feature soon too.

A look at the new Apple Wallet ticket experience on iOS 18. Credit: Ticketmaster What's new to Apple Wallet tickets

If you've never added tickets to Apple Wallet before, here's how it basically works:

When an iPhone user buys an event ticket, the company can offer that customer an option to add the ticket to Apple Wallet. If selected, the tickets appear in the user's Apple Wallet for easy access. The user can pull up their Apple Wallet when entering a venue and get scanned in via the barcode on their phone screen.

With iOS 18, Apple brings way more functionality to tickets inside Apple Wallet.

Previously, tickets just provided the basic information one might find on a printed ticket like the start time. Now, with the upgrades in iOS 18, tickets in Apple Wallet will provide a map of the venue, parking details, local weather forecasts, related merchandise links, and recommended Apple Music playlists. 

In addition, tickets will have customized designs specific to each event. The new ticket experience also includes location sharing capabilities so users can meet up with friends who are also attending.

Venues and sports teams can also further add to the Apple Wallet ticket experience by linking to their own app or website.

According to Ticketmaster, the new Apple Wallet tickets will launch with Major League Soccer (MLS) on Oct. 19 for the Los Angeles Football Club's (LAFC) home game at BMO Stadium. After that, the new Apple Wallet ticket experience will be used for the Miami HEAT's games and continue to roll out throughout next year.

Huge news for fans of the cable TV bundle from the days of yore: it's basically returning, but under the shiny, new framing of "streaming."

If you have Amazon Prime Video, you can select an add-on for Apple TV+ without having to download a separate app. It'll be available for an extra $9.99 per month for users who already have Amazon Prime Video.

"Prime Video is a first-stop entertainment destination offering a wide selection of premium programming including Amazon MGM Studios Originals, live sports, licensed movies and series, the industry’s largest catalog of titles to rent or buy, and over 100 additional streaming subscriptions," Mike Hopkins, the Senior Vice President and Head of Prime Video and Amazon MGM Studios, said in a press release. "As we continue to expand our offering and make it easy for customers to personalize their streaming experience directly in one app, we are proud to welcome Apple TV+ and its popular and critically-acclaimed shows, films and events to Prime Video."

That means you can watch "The Legend of Vox Machina," "Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power," "Severance," and "Time Bandits" all on the same tab.

Apple first dropped its first GPS AirTags in 2021, and since then, they have proven to be incredibly useful. Users put them on their keys, in their luggage, on their dogs' collars, you name it, and you no longer have to fear losing something. But, as is typical with surveillance tech, there is a more sinister side to AirTags, from a potential appeal to police forces to privacy and safety concerns and unwanted tracking.

The tech giant is aware that AirTags can be snuck into people's bags, pockets, or cars without their knowledge and used as a tool for stalking, so it created a way to detect unknown AirTags. Originally, that was only available for people who had Apple iPhones, but the company announced at Google I/O 2023 that it's working with Google to reign in unwanted tracking via Bluetooth tags like AirTags, Tile, Chipolo, Security, Pebblebee, and more on any device — Android or Apple.

If you have an iPhone, you'll get a push alert if there's an unknown AirTag nearby. The alert will read something like: "AirTag Found Moving With You."

In order to ensure you get those notifications, you'll need to update to at least iOS 14.5, the iOS from 2021.

Then go to your settings, scroll down to privacy and security, and toggle location services on. Scroll to the bottom, click system services, and activate find my iPhone.

Finally, you'll visit the "me" tab on the Find My app, tap customize tracking notifications, and make sure notifications are enabled. This is a lot of steps, but you only have to do it once. If you can't immediately find the tracker, you can use Find My to make the AirTag play a sound, and use that to find it. Then you can deactivate it by removing the battery cover.

If you have an Android, the process is a bit different. If you think you might have a tracker near you, go to settings, click safety and emergency, then unknown tracker alerts. If you have automatic unknown tracker alerts turned on, you'll receive a notification that an unknown tracker is traveling with you.

It's fairly easy to tell if there's an AirTag tracking you as long as you have those notifications turned on — and that only takes a few steps.

Check out the best Amazon deals of the day as of Oct. 11: OUR TOP PICK Beats Solo 4 $99.99 at Amazon (save $99.96) Get Deal BEST BEAUTY DEAL Shark SpeedStyle $149.99 at Amazon (save $50) Get Deal BEST SPEAKER DEAL JBL Clip 5 $59.95 at Amazon (save $20) Get Deal BEST SOUNDBAR DEAL Sonos Ray $169 at Amazon (save $110) Get Deal BEST TABLET DEAL Amazon Fire 7 tablet $49.99 at Amazon (save $30) Get Deal

Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days shopping event (aka October Prime Day) has come and gone. The deals, however, are still hanging around. It comes as no surprise, really. Amazon is notorious for making its shopping events month-long extravaganzas — unofficially, of course. If you missed out on the actual two-day Prime celebration, we've rounded up a few of the best deals you can still shop below.

Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day on Oct. 11.

Our top pick Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Solo 4 $99.99 at Amazon
$199.95 Save $99.96 Get Deal

The Beats Solo 4 have seen quite a few discounts since their release earlier this year, but none quite as big as the 50% price drop they got on Prime Day. The savings have stuck around following the shopping event, so you can still pick up a pair for their all-time low price of $99.99 at Amazon. The Solo 4s improve upon the previous generation with upgraded drivers, rebalanced acoustics, and an improved frequency response, which basically translates to more dynamic sound. They also have better battery life, clocking in at about 50 hours (10 extra hours compared to their predecessor). Their only downfall is that they lack noise-cancelling technology. Still, at under $100, we're willing to overlook it.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark SpeedStyle $149.99 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal

Another post-Prime Day deal still sticking around is this $50 discount on the Shark SpeedStyle. The Shark hair dryer offers four heat and three airflow settings, includes a handful of attachments for customization, is light as a feather, and regulates temperature 1,000 times per second. It's already made a name for itself as a potential dupe for the outrageously expensive Dyson Supersonic dryer. This particular model is designed for straight and wavy hair, meaning it includes the QuickSmooth Brush, RapidGloss Finisher, and Turbo Concentrator attachments. Grab it on sale for $149.99 and save 25%.

Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Clip 5 $59.95 at Amazon
$79.95 Save $20.00 Get Deal

The newest iteration of our favorite portable Bluetooth speaker, the JBL Clip 5 is on sale for just $59.95 instead of $79.95. That's a 25% discount (its biggest ever) post-Prime Day, but make note that it only includes the purple model. Quite literally the definition of portable, the Clip 5 can "clip" to any bag, belt loop, or keyring with its built-in carabiner, which has been redesigned with a wider opening. Don't write it off because of its size, either. It boasts up to 12 hours of battery life, a "Playtime Boost" mode that gives you an extra 3 hours of listening, an IP67 waterproof and dust-proof rating, and impressively loud and crisp sound.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sonos Sonos Ray $169.00 at Amazon
$279.00 Save $110.00 Get Deal

Read our full review of the Sonos Ray.

If your TV's sound system can't quite live up to its picture, it's time to add a soundbar. The Sonos Ray is our favorite starter soundbar and it's on sale at Amazon for its lowest price ever post-Prime Big Deal Days. Low-profile and budget friendly, the Ray "delivers on the bottom line requirement of any speaker: true, quality sound," according to Mashable reviewer Han Schneider. It may not have a ton of extra features (no Bluetooth connectivity, HDMI hookup, or smart home compatibility), but its ultra-low price tag certainly makes up for it. Regularly $279, it's just $169 as of Oct. 11.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire 7 tablet (32GB) $49.99 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $30.00 Get Deal

Read our full review of the Amazon Fire 7 tablet.

Whether you're looking for a tablet for your teen or just something you can take on your travels, the Fire 7 tablet is a solid pick on sale for just under $50. That's 38% off and the lowest price on record for the 32GB version. It's also one of the only Amazon device deals still hanging around after Prime Day. The Fire 7 isn't going to blow you away or anything. As Senior Shopping Reporter Haley Henschel put it, it's a "deeply average tablet." Still, it's hard to pass up at just $49.99.

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

GET 29% OFF: As of Oct. 11, you can score a pair of Beats Studio Buds+ for just $119.99, down from $169.95, at Amazon. That's $49.96 off the list price and the lowest price we've seen these earbuds go for since November 2023.

Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Our pick: Beats Studio Buds+ $119.99 at Amazon
$169.95 Save $49.96 Get Deal

Prime Day may be over, but Amazon’s been sneakily dropping prices (or leaving them at Prime Day levels) on several popular tech items. Sure, Kindles are back to their usual price, and we can’t seem to find a Fitbit deal worth writing about, but there are still tons of deals on noise-canceling headphones and earbuds.

As of Oct. 11, you can score a pair of Beats Studio Buds+ for just $119.99 — a record low that we’ve only seen once before, way back in November 2023. This is a 29% discount off the original price of $169.95, or $49.96 in savings.

SEE ALSO: The best noise-cancelling earbuds include the most comfortable buds I've ever tested

The Beats Studio Buds+ feature two listening modes: personalized active noise-cancelling (ANC) and transparency mode. Transparency mode lets you tune into your surroundings when you need to — think subway announcements, sirens, etc. You can switch between the two with the tap of a button.

And with 36 hours of battery life, you can power through your entire day without missing a beat (pun intended). Plus, they come with four different ear tip sizes, so you can find the perfect fit for all-day comfort.

Save 44%: As of Oct. 11, you can grab the Lego Icons Dried Flower Centerpiece for just $27.99 at Amazon. At that price, you're saving $22 off the $49.99 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Icons Dried Flower Centerpiece $27.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $22.00 Get Deal

Anyone who's ever funded a Lego habit for themselves or someone else learns one thing very quick: those bricks don't come cheap. But, they are fun to build, and the Lego Botanicals collection make for unique (and weirdly practical) house decor.

While it may be tempting to put off thinking about the holidays as long as possible, the benefit is getting in early on any deals that pop up. For example: the Lego Icons Dried Flower Centerpiece is on sale for just $27.99, down from $49.99, saving you $22 and actually bringing the Legos down to the realm of affordability.

SEE ALSO: TikTok is in love with the Ninja Creami, but am I?

The set comes with a whopping 812 pieces, making its price point even more affordable. (For comparison, two other Lego Icons holiday sets, the 608-piece Poinsettia and the 1,194-piece wreath, are currently at the full prices of $49.99 and $99.99, respectively).

The autumn design can be built solo, but if you want to work with someone else, the split design makes splitting up the job easier than with most Lego sets. Once you're done building, it can be arranged in different ways as a centerpiece, hung on the wall, or combined with our Lego Botanical sets.

If you're most interested in that last option, we've put together a list of a few other Lego Icons set on sale.

More Lego Icons deals

• Lego Icons Tiny Plants — $39.95 $49.99 (save $10.04)

• Lego Icons Bonsai Tree — $39.99 $49.99 (save $10)

• Lego Icons Orchid — $39.99 $49.99 (save $10)

• Lego Icons Succulents — $39.99 $49.99 (save $10)

• Lego Icons Flower Bouquet — $47.95 $59.99 (save $12.04)

• Lego Icons Wildflower — $47.99 $59.99 (save $12)

SAVE $400: As of Oct. 11, the Roomba Combo 10 Max robot vacuum and AutoWash dock is still on sale for $999 — the same price as this week's October Prime Day — down 29% from the usual price of $1,399. That's 29% off.

Opens in a new window Credit: iRobot iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max + AutoWash Dock $1,399.00 at Amazon
Get Deal

iRobot is making smart moves in 2024. First, it finally gave the people what they wanted — a Roomba that washes and dries its own mopping pads, damn it — in July. iRobot debuted the Roomba Combo 10 Max + AutoWash Dock at $1,399, the same debut price as last year's Roomba Combo j9+ that doesn't self-clean its mop.

Now, for the grand finale: iRobot gave the Roomba Combo 10 Max its first discount ever during October Prime Day, dropping it to a sweet $999. Somehow, that sale price is still live the day after Prime Day. $1,000 for a robot vacuum seems pricey until you realize that that's simply in line with pricing for most of the flagship robot vacs from other brands, and iRobot finally humbling itself to competitive pricing is always a treat.

SEE ALSO: As a Dyson stan, I wouldn't tell anyone to buy the Dyson 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum

Here's our hot take: If you're going to spend more than $500 on a Roomba, make it this one. That's a practical hard-stop budget when trying to decide which Roomba model is best for you. If you can spend a little extra coin, there's no reason to settle for the s9+ or j9+, which simply do a lot less than the Combo 10 Max. The AutoWash Dock's ability to deal with its own mopping pad after mopping, taking the burden off of its human to touch a soggy, mildewy pad and throw it in the washing machine. This, plus the self-emptying that we've seen on a ton of Roombas, finally creates the ultimate hands-off cleaning and maintenance experience that's becoming the standard for 2-in-1 hybrid robot vacs.

The Combo 10 Max also borrows some of iRobot's best features from the OG Roomba hybrid, the Combo j7+ that I really liked when I first tested it. These are the auto-lifting mop, which completely lifts itself over the vacuum to avoid getting carpet wet, and iRobot's PrecisionVision small obstacle avoidance, which detects and avoids small obstacles like cords, pet waste, and socks. iRobot performs both of these tasks more accurately than any other robot vacuums I've tested.

Cleaning-wise, the Combo 10 Max is also iRobot's best. It deploys a four-stage suction system compared to the three-stage approach that most cheaper Roombas use, has stronger sheer suction power and more intense scrubbing than any model but the Combo j9+ (which cleans identically), and has enhanced brainpower that pays more attention to dirtier areas.

BlueSky isn't trying to replace Twitter, all of a sudden. Instead, it's making a pitch to replace Threads, Meta's Twitter alternative.

The social media platform created an account on Threads this week and immediately began pitching itself as an alternative to the site. Threads has come under fire lately for its haphazard content moderation and a rise in posts that are clear engagement bait. BlueSky was more than happy to claim it does a better job at all that Threads gets wrong.

"heard people were talking about us ... so we created an account to share some more information!" the BlueSky account wrote on Threads, before getting into its content moderation policies and how its platform works.

Shade about Threads, on Threads. Credit: Threads / bluesky_social

BlueSky pitched the idea that its moderation is largely left into the hands of users and that posts get engagement by...being actually engaging. It also noted in a different post that it wasn't owned by someone like Mark Zuckerberg.

It wrote: "we're not like the other girls... we're not owned by a billionaire."

Threads, BlueSky, and others all popped up as Elon Musk reimagined Twitter into what we now see on X. There really hasn't been a collective migration to one site or another, but rather a gradual fracturing of the site Twitter once was.

Though for many, there really has been no alternative to Twitter — it takes time to build that user-base and familiarity — and they're sticking with the often-faulty X, for better or worse.

Breakup messages are always painful to receive. Even when the sender is trying their best to be gentle and mindful of your feelings.

Of course, not everyone is quite so adept at conveying difficult news in a damage-limitation parcel. Breakups can be messy, hurtful, and honest. Then there's the small matter of practicalities: of dividing up one's lives, our homes, possessions, keepsakes. That's not even considering when children, pets, and shared friendship groups are involved.

A new AI tool is coming, which neatly summarises breakup texts, providing you with the key points without needing to pore over every word that your heartbreaker has sent you.

When app developer Nick Spreen tried out the beta version of iOS 18.1, he experienced first hand the impact of Apple Intelligence's new features.

When Spreen received a breakup text, Apple Intelligence went ahead and provided him with an AI-generated abridged version of the message. It read: "No longer in a relationship; wants belongings from the apartment." Straight to the point.

Spreen posted a screenshot of the breakup text summary on X (formerly Twitter), followed by a tweet confirming that it is real.

Tweet may have been deleted

Tweet may have been deleted

Tweet may have been deleted

As Mashable senior editor Stan Schroeder points out, Apple Intelligence still isn't available to all users, only in public iOS beta. And Apple's iPhone 16 — which Apple says is "the first iPhone designed for Apple Intelligence" — is launching without Apple Intelligence. To get Apple Intelligence, you have to sign up for beta.apple.com — more info on how to sign up in this guide.

SEE ALSO: How to separate romantic rejection from your self-worth

Is this the future of breakups? Or, is this just another attempt to "optimise" our emotions and our love lives — something which doesn't entirely feel sustainable or realistic. According to evolutionary psychology, human beings are wired to process rejection as a threat to survival. An AI summary might soften the blow in the short-term, but ultimately, you'll probably still feel really upset about being dumped. You can't AI your way out of emotional processing! You've got to feel the feelings and move on. Look after yourselves!

And remember: you're not being rejected, the relationship is.

UP TO $130 OFF: As of Oct. 11, Target is offering up to $150 off select Apple devices. Shop discounted iPads, AirPods, and more during Target Circle Week.

Best Target Circle Week Apple deals: Best Apple Watch deal Apple Watch SE 2 (2023) $169.99 at Target with Target Circle (save $80) Get Deal Best Apple AirPods Max deal Apple AirPods Max $399 at Target with Target Circle (save $150) Get Deal Best Apple iPad deal 10.9-inch Apple iPad (10th gen, WiFi, 64GB,) $299.99 at Target with Target Circle (save $50) Get Deal

Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days has come and gone, but Target Circle Week is still in full swing (until 11:59 p.m. tonight, that is) — and if you weren’t able to get your hands on the discounts you were hoping for during Prime Day, Target’s competitive pricing might be able to help.

Now through midnight tonight, Target is offering Target Circle members up to $150 off select Apple devices, including iPads, AirPods, and other Apple accessories.

Here are our top picks from the sale:

Best Apple Watch deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch SE 2 $169.99 at Target
$249.99 Save $80.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The Apple Watch SE 2 (2023) is the only non-refurbished Apple Watch deal in Target’s Circle Week sale. This 40mm watch with sport band and GPS is only $169.99 for Target Circle members — $80 off the original list price and the cheapest deal around. (Even Best Buy and Walmart can’t match this price.)

With sleep and heart rate monitoring, GPS, and crash detection, this smartwatch has all the basic fitness and safety features you could want.

Best AirPods Max deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Max $399.00 at Target
$549.00 Save $150.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Check out our full review of the Apple AirPods Max.

The Apple AirPods Max were selling for $394.99 during October Prime Day (28% off). Now, Target has them on sale for $399 — not as good a deal, but still $150 off the original $549 MSRP.

These over-ear headphones are trendy and offer good sound quality and noise cancellation. But if you’re not ready to spend $400 or want USB-C charging, our Lead Shopping Reporter Bethany Allard recommends trying out Bose QC Ultra headphones or the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones instead.

Best Apple iPad deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple 10.9-inch Apple iPad (10th gen, WiFi, 64GB,) $299.99 at Target
$349.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The 10.9-inch iPad (10th gen) is $299.99 during Target Circle Week. Ironically, you can find it for the same price at Amazon and Best Buy. (This is also the lowest price we've seen for this particular iPad model.)

This iPad comes in tons of fun colors and has a large enough screen for reading, streaming, or browsing the web. It has 64GB of space to store photos, documents, and more. Plus, the 12MP camera makes video chatting with friends and family easy.