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SAVE $35: If your mornings need a boost, now is the perfect time to upgrade your wake-up routine with the Amazon Echo Spot. With this early Prime Day deal, it's nearly half off, bringing all the smart functionality of Alexa to your bedside for just a fraction of the price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Spot $44.99 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $35.00 Get Deal

It's more than just a smart alarm. Sure, it’ll wake you up with your favorite tunes or a custom alarm, but it also lets you control your smart home, check your calendar, or stream music — all hands-free. You can even sync it with other Alexa devices for a whole-home wake-up routine, like having your bedroom lights gradually brighten while Alexa kicks off your morning playlist.

This compact, stylish smart clock is 44% off right now — making it the ideal time to grab one and make mornings a little easier (and smarter). Don’t snooze on this deal — it’s the perfect excuse to refresh your routine before Prime Day.

SAVE $55: The Kindle Paperwhite Kids is on sale just in time for a Fall birthday present for the young reader in your life. Grab one as of Oct. 7 for $114.99, down from $169.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids $114.99
$169.99 Save $55.00 Get Deal

The Paperwhite Kids is an e-reader designed with children in mind, so it's durable, water resistant, and has a glare-free screen. Additionally, the screen lights up, so it can be used at night. It also comes with one year of Amazon Kids+ (which normally costs $2.99/month). Amazon Kids+ gives you access to thousands of kid-friendly books and a tool called Vocabulary Builder that's essentially a dictionary.

Regularly priced at $169.99 it's marked down to $114.99 for October Prime Day, which is 32 percent off. While it's not an all-time low price, it's the lowest price since last October Prime Day.

SEE ALSO: October Prime Day is just one day away — here are all the best deals to shop so far

Keep in mind, though, that this is just an e-reader; all you can use the device for is reading. It offers no games or internet browsing.

The e-reader also comes with a two-year warranty.

The viral "Natalie Nunn! Baddies! Pose for me!" tune has been blaring across countless TikTok videos, with a trending seated dance alongside it.

This isn’t the first time Nunn’s name appeared in a trending TikTok song. In "Endless Fashion," rapper Nicki Minaj said, "Ayo, even if my name was Natalie Nunn, these [expletive] still couldn't chin-check me."

But the question is, "Who is Natalie Nunn?"

TikToker asking, "Ok, but does anyone actually know who Natalie Nunn is?" Credit: @itskc_10 Who is Natalie Nunn?

Nunn is an alumni of Bad Girls Club, a long-running show that kicked off its first season in 2006. It's basically like The Real World, but with self-proclaimed "bad girls" who try to "out alpha" each other inside a swanky mansion.

The show is now cancelled, but it had a good run with 17 seasons under its belt.

Despite giving nearly 300 women a platform between 2006 and 2017, Nunn is one of the few who stood out from all the cast members.

The promo image for the 14th season of "Bad Girls Club." Credit: Tim Brown/Oxygen Media/NBCU Photo Bank/NBCUniversal via Getty Images

Tanisha Thomas, from Bad Girls Club Season 2, set the tone for the show, becoming viral for a memeable in a scene in which she slammed pots and pans together to vengefully get back at her castmates for not letting her sleep. "I didn't get no sleep 'cause of y'all! Y'all not gonna get no sleep 'cause of me!"

But it's Nunn, I'd argue, who rocketed the show to success.

Natalie Nunn attends a TV premiere in Houston. Credit: Arnold Turner/Getty Images for The ZEUS Network

First introduced to us in December 2009 via Bad Girls Club season 4, Nunn's unique personality caught users' attention. She developed a reputation of being "the most controversial bad girl" in the show's history.

"My roommates need to know that it's about me! Me, me, me, me, me!" she shouted before walking into the Bad Girls Club mansion. "And the minute I get into this house, I'm going to do what I'm going to do, and there are no rules 'cause I make up the rules."

And well, for better or worse, Nunn stood by her word. She did what she wanted to do, said what she wanted to say, and fought when she wanted to fight. Often seen as loud and obnoxious, she regularly shouted, "I run LA!", which is still one of her catchphrases to this day. Beyond her bold behavior, she also made headlines when she claimed to have a relationship with singer-songwriter Chris Brown.

Nunn's season was the most watched in Bad Girls Club history.

To put it succinctly, while some people gain fame from adoration, Nunn launched her career by being controversial, playing the villain, and sparking conversations around her rebellious behavior.

Nunn became the girl you love to hate, and although 15 years have passed since she first graced our TV screen, she's been popping up regularly with new gigs and pop culture moments.

How did Natalie Nunn extend her '15 minutes' of fame?

Nunn is a niche pop culture icon for wild reality TV lovers. She's not quite as well known as figures from The Kardashians nor Jersey Shore, but true consumers of 2000s reality TV know Nunn, as well as the likes of Tiffany Pollard from VH1's Flavor of Love, Nene Leakes from Real Housewives of Atlanta, and Spencer Pratt from The Hills.

Natalie Nunn in 'Celebrity Big Brother' final Credit: Stuart C. Wilson/Getty Images

This isn't to say that Nunn is on the same level as these aforementioned stars who have a hint of mischievousness. The point is that they've all been memorialized in some of the most popular memes and GIFs of our time, showcasing how they've left a mark on viewers and captivated audiences.

Since Nunn's season 4 appearance on Bad Girls Club, she has been casted in numerous Bad Girls Club spin-offs, as well as shows like Bridezillas (which documented her wedding planning woes with Arizona Rattlers football star Jacob Payne), Marriage Bootcamp: Reality Stars 2, and Celebrity Big Brother 22.

Nunn with husband Jacob Payne. Credit: Jason LaVeris/FilmMagic

Across all these shows, Nunn maintained her "bad girl" image, playing the villain in many instances. She's the girl you'd expect to be casted in a show like House of Villains, which featured fiery characters like Anfisa Arkhipchenko from 90 Day Fiance and Omarosa Manigault Newman from The Apprentice. (Perhaps she'll be casted for House of Villains 2, if it gets a second season.)

While many former Bad Girls Club contestants shied away from the cameras, hoping to shed their "bad girl" image, Nunn leaned into it, even partnering with the Zeus Network for a new-ish franchise called "Baddies."

Baddies! Pose for me!

So this is where the word "Baddies" in the TikTok song comes from.

In fact, it's Nunn herself who is rapping the viral TikTok snippet. Nunn is promoting Baddies, the franchise she’s currently executive producing, which premiered in 2021, starting with Baddies ATL. It's similar to Bad Girls Club, but I'd argue it's far more intense, with more physical and verbal altercations than ever. Baddies received a similar critical response to Bad Girls Club, in that some people believe it's "problematic" and "exploitative."

But even if you've never heard about Baddies, nor Nunn, the snappy 11-second tune has been climbing in popularity in recent weeks. The trend originated with @lyssa and it took off, with TikTok users of all ages participating in it. The video below, for example, has nine million views.

The elements of the seated dance trend are simple: pretend you're stroking your hair, pose for the camera, swoop your head from right to left across the camera, and show off your "slim thick" figure.

Even Nunn herself eventually hopped on the trend.

View this post on Instagram

In another video, she applied a filter that made her chin more prominent, leaning into critics who poke fun at her distinct profile. (As mentioned at the outset, even Nicki Minaj referenced it in "Endless Fashion.")

View this post on Instagram

The tune comes from a two-minute song called "Pose for Me" ft. Natalie Nunn by John Mackk. On Instagram, Nunn released the song to her 2.7 million followers in late August.

Love her or hate her, Natalie Nunn has managed to stay in the limelight, proving that some personalities are simply unforgettable.

SAVE $250: If you're in the market for an ultra-portable laptop, now might be the perfect time to grab Apple's M2 MacBook Air at its lowest price ever at $749 — down 25% from its original price. Known for its sleek design and top-notch performance, this laptop is a dream for anyone looking to upgrade from an older MacBook.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple M2 Macbook Air $749.00 at Amazon
$999.00 Save $250.00 Get Deal

This early Prime Day deal marks the first time the Apple M2 MacBook Air hit its lowest price on Amazon. The last time we saw this price was over Labor Day weekend, but it was exclusive to Best Buy and required a paid "My Best Buy" membership to access.

In our review of the M2 MacBook Air, we wrote that the device offers impressive speed, and fantastic battery life thanks to Apple's M2 chip, along with a crisp 13.6-inch display, all while staying remarkably lightweight. Per Alex Perry's review:

“If you’ve been waiting four or five years to upgrade your MacBook Air, go ahead and do it now. That’s because the 2022 MacBook Air, powered by Apple’s in-house M2 silicon, is just about the ideal work-from-home (or work-from-wherever, really) companion.”​

Though it could use more ports and a higher refresh rate, the overall package makes it a must-buy—especially at this discounted price. Whether you're working from home or on the go, this machine's excellent keyboard and nearly silent operation make it a standout.

Don't wait too long; deals like this don’t last forever.

Another powerful hurricane is barreling towards Florida directly on the heels of the devastation wrought across multiple states by Hurricane Helene. Hurricane Milton has strengthened into a Category 5 storm that is all but certain to make landfall in Florida as soon as Wednesday.

Mashable has the info on the latest projections for where and when the storm might hit via forecasting spaghetti models. But the long and short of it is that a major hurricane is once again heading for the state.

"Milton can bring a variety of life-threatening dangers, including an extreme storm surge of 10-15 feet along and near the coast, including in the Tampa Bay area, destructive winds and major flooding to one of the most densely populated parts of Florida, the I-4 corridor, especially from Tampa toward Orlando," said AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jon Porter. 

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But, because the internet is the internet, there has been loads of fake information circulating about the dangerous storm. While Floridians should expect another damaging hurricane, they can also expect to see more misinformation about Milton.

Milton is not a HAARP 'weather weapon' that 'they' can control

This shouldn't be something that we need to explain but, no, neither the government nor some nefarious "they" are able to generate a storm to unleash on its own citizens. But that is something that's circulating online ahead of Milton's landfall. Typically speaking, these sorts of conspiracy theories are coming from rightwing accounts that specialize in trafficking that kind of misinformation. Here are a couple of examples of the whole weather weapon thing, which, to X's credit, have inspired lengthy Community Notes fact-checks.

The conspiracy theorists have latched onto the "High-frequency Active Auroral Research Program (HAARP") as a buzz-phrase to explain how Democrats or some other "they" created Helene, Milton, or other storms. The HAARP program cannot control the weather, as the AFP news service broke down in detail.

"HAARP had absolutely no connection to the formation of Hurricane Helene, the formation of any other hurricane, or the genesis of any other natural weather event for that matter," Howard Diamond, director of the Atmospheric Sciences and Modeling Division at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Air Resources Laboratory, told AFP.

HAARP has even feIt the need to address the idea of weather manipulation on its site. It wrote on its FAQ page: "The HAARP system is basically a large radio transmitter. Radio waves interact with electrical charges and currents, and do not significantly interact with the troposphere." That's the lower atmosphere where weather exists.

HAARP added: "Radio waves in the frequency ranges that HAARP transmits are not absorbed in either the troposphere or the stratosphere—the two levels of the atmosphere that produce Earth’s weather. Since there is no interaction, there is no way to control the weather."

The false idea that the government, or some other shadowy force, is somehow manipulating the weather has been pushed by some folks in positions of prominence in Republican politics. Folks like Alex Jones have been pushing it for years and now Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene — the rightwing congresswoman from Georgia — openly spread the conspiracy theory. She even used the ominous phrasing of "they," which is commonly understood to be anti-Semitic.

"Yes they can control the weather," Greene wrote on X during Hurricane Helene. "It’s ridiculous for anyone to lie and say it can’t be done."

So it's no surprise the conspiracy theories continue apace as Milton nears landfall. Just know they are baseless.

What's going on with FEMA?

There have also been lots of rumors and headlines regarding FEMA in the wake of Helene and before Milton.

"We are meeting the immediate needs with the money that we have. We are expecting another hurricane hitting," Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas said last week. "FEMA does not have the funds to make it through the season."

This quote, in part, helped feed into the idea that the government wouldn't be able to help folks recover from Helene or Milton. But, in truth, it just means FEMA might have to spend against the president's budget in response to natural disasters.

Sparked by baseless claims from former President Donald Trump, the idea began to circulate that President Joe Biden's administration had spent disaster relief funds on migrants. The Washington Post published a piece noting that Biden had not redirected disaster money to migrant programs, but Trump's administration had.

FEMA even has a page devoted to debunking the false rumors going around. It reads, in part.

"The funding for communities to support migrants is appropriated by Congress to Customs and Border Patrol – it has nothing to do with FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund. FEMA’s Disaster Relief Fund has enough funding to support Hurricane Helene efforts and FEMA has what it needs for immediate response and recovery efforts. As FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell has said, she has the full authority to spend against the President’s budget, but we’re not out of hurricane season yet so we need to keep a close eye on it."

So, no, money that might be needed to help folks recover from Milton has not been redirected.

What to expect with Hurricane Milton?

Unfortunately, it seems that Milton is yet another disaster. NASA has noted that worse hurricanes could be a product of climate change.

The agency wrote in 2022:

"Due to global warming, global climate models predict hurricanes will likely cause more intense rainfall and have an increased coastal flood risk due to higher storm surge caused by rising seas. Additionally, the global frequency of storms may decrease or remain unchanged, but hurricanes that form are more likely to become intense."

After rapidly intensifying, Milton is expected to hit Florida on Wednesday as a powerful hurricane.

Another storm has rapidly intensified. This time, it's Hurricane Milton.

The now Category 5 hurricane, packing over 160 mph winds, is projected to make landfall on the west coast of the Florida peninsula on Wednesday, and is tracking towards the well-populated Tampa Bay region. The hurricane jumped from a Category 1 to 5 in under a day.

For those in the Tampa area or interested in the storm's impacts there, you can watch on the webcams below.

This hurricane will undoubtedly be life-threatening. "Prepare for MAJOR impacts from storm surge, hurricane winds, & flooding rainfall far from the center," the National Weather Service's Tampa Bay office posted online. Watch for guidance from local National Weather Service offices and other relevant agencies for updates and evacuation information.

SEE ALSO: Why it's impossible to forecast the weather too far into the future

Though a number of factors influence the formation of strong hurricanes (opposing winds that can break apart storms, moist or dry air, etc.), a vital influence is warm sea surface temperatures of over 80 degrees Fahrenheit (27 degrees Celsius). Warm oceans act as jet fuel for hurricanes, storm scientists explain. That's because warmer oceans fuel tropical storms as more water naturally evaporates into the air, giving storms energy and moisture to intensify. Crucially, the oceans, which absorb most of the heat created by burning fossil fuels, are relentlessly warming.

Today, Atlantic hurricanes are already twice as likely to develop from a milder storm into a major hurricane.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tampa Bay Riverfront webcam Siesta Key Beach

(You may to click the video to watch it on YouTube.)

Clearwater Beach Hilton Clearwater Beach Cam Tweet may have been deleted

And remember, as you're watching the slightly shifting track updates of Hurricane Milton, the track forecast cone is not an impacts cone. Other regions will see extreme deluges of rain, surge, and flooding.

SAVE $15: Skullcandy's already inexpensive EcoBuds are at an even lower price ahead of October Prime Day.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Skullcandy Ecobuds $24.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $15.00 Get Deal

Looking for a budget-friendly pair of earbuds? As of Oct. 7, the Skullcandy EcoBuds are on sale for $24.88 — 62 percent off their MSRP of $39.99.

The earbuds come in a fun blue tie dye color, "Glacier," and perform similarly to other inexpensive earbuds. The EcoBud's commitment to sustainability sets it apart from other budget earbuds. To cut down the earbuds' carbon footprint, Skullcandy uses mostly recycled post-consumer plastic that typically ends up in landfills or the ocean and these buds don't feature a battery in the storage case to limit the use of lithium. Skullcandy claims that this cuts the carbon footprint of the EcoBuds by 50 percent compared to similar models.

SEE ALSO: October Prime Day is just one day away — here are all the best deals to shop so far

However, the EcoBud's commitment to sustainability do make them different from similar models. The case doesn't shut, instead, the EcoBuds are kept in place via magnets and Mashable's Leah Stodart writes that it doesn't take much to accidentally jostle them out. Additionally, the case does not charge the earbuds, but they do have an eight hour battery life.

If you're choosing to stock up on a pair of cheaper earbuds, perhaps pick the one that limits e-waste.

SAVE $22: As of October 7, get Madden NFL 25 for just $47.99, down from $69.99, on PlayStation and Xbox at Amazon. That's a discount of 31%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon 'Madden NFL 25' $47.99 at Amazon
$69.99 Save $22.00 Get Deal

It's finally football season again. If you're the type of person who loves to invite friends and family over and catch the game over dinner, you might also be interested in playing your own version on your favorite console. The Madden series is a great way to do that, and with a new iteration each year, you can have all your favorite teams and players at your fingertips. Didn't buy the latest game yet? You can do so right now with this early Prime Day deal.

As of Oct. 7, get Madden NFL 25 for PlayStation 5 or Xbox for just $47.99. That's $22 off its normal price of $69.99 and a discount of 31%. Both versions are physical editions, so you'll have to wait for the game to be shipped to you.

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

Mashable Assistant Editor Chance Townsend called this year's Madden "good, not great" in his review, noting that you'll love the game "if you haven't played Madden anytime in the last 10 years." However, he praised its "fluid gameplay, improved visual fidelity, and better player customization." While it's much of the same from last year's version, if you value having the most up-to-date faces and teams at your disposal, it's still worth picking up at a discount.

Don't forget the option to grab this game for friends or family as a gift. The holidays are right around the corner, and this is a popular one for playing online with the squad.

AI is demanding more and more energy for its immense processing needs, and while many of it's leaders are addressing the climate concerns, others are letting artificial intelligence lead the way.

Ex-Google CEO Eric Schmidt is among the latter, for one. Appearing at a recent Washington AI summit, Schmidt argued that current climate goals should be abandoned in favor of a no-bars-held approach to AI investment. "All of that will be swamped by the enormous needs of this new technology," said Schmidt, referring to recent efforts to make AI more environmentally friendly. "We may make mistakes with respect to how it's used, but I can assure you that we're not going to get there through conservation."

Schmidt has his own AI investments, including the defense company White Stork, which is testing a new legion of AI-powered military drones. "We're not going to hit the climate goals anyway because we're not organized to do it," Schmidt continued. "I'd rather bet on AI solving the problem, than constraining it and having the problem."

SEE ALSO: Bill Nye will only take a selfie with you if you're voting pro-climate

The former executive served as the company's lead from 2001 to 2011, during which time the company became "carbon neutral" for the first time. Since then, the tech giant has invested even more in its image as a climate-conscious company, eliminating its carbon legacy and planning to invest in the clean energy economy.

But Google has admitted its own climate goals (including net zero emissions by the year 2030) are farther off than they would like. The company's 2024 sustainability report showed a 48 percent increase in total greenhouse gas emissions between 2019 and 2023, with the majority tied to larger processing demands beginning in 2022.

Last month, a report from the Guardian revealed that Big Tech's emission stats are still likely off the mark, with true emission numbers obfuscated by what the industry refers to as "market-based" figures achieved by clever renewable energy certificate accounting. In the adjusted report, Amazon was an exponentially worse offender than any other company, with more than double the amount of emissions than the next player on the list. Google and Microsoft (which also saw a rise in emissions since 2020) stood out among the offenders for pledging to phase out the opaque system from its reporting process.

As many AI executives, like OpenAI's Sam Altman, race toward sustainable energy options for AI, others are doubling back to fossil fuels to meet the present demand. Meanwhile some, including several of tech's biggest names and Microsoft itself, are exploring the potential of nuclear energy to match both the speed of AI investment and its demands on the energy grid.

Porn performers differ in their views on Project 2025, the right-wing plan to — among other measures — outlaw pornography and imprison its creators. As Mashable reported last month, some think it's merely a scare tactic used by Democrats. Others, however, see it as an existential threat to their livelihoods.

Nearly 20 performers in the latter camp are part of a new digital ad campaign announced today called Hands Off My Porn. The $100,000 campaign will appear on adult content websites in swing states — Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, North Carolina, Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada — and warn viewers about the potential outcomes of Project 2025, according to a press release sent to Mashable. Pornhub is currently blocked in North Carolina due to age-verification laws, which require proof of age to view sites that primarily host adult content. The announcement also stated that the ads will soon appear in more states, too.

SEE ALSO: Top 5 digital security tips from sex workers

The ads will link to the Hands Off My Porn site, where viewers can watch safe-for-work video testimonials from performers like Siri Dahl about the dangers of Project 2025. The site also provides links to register to vote and donate to the political action committee Artists United for Change.

"In my 12 years since I started my career in the adult film industry, I've seen a lot of political attacks on our industry," said Siri Dahl in the press release. "But Project 2025's plan to make pornography illegal and throw all the pornographers in jail is really the worst example yet. This plan of Project 2025's is an egregious attack on your right to privacy, and not to mention it's just purely unconstitutional."

These performers are certainly not alone in their fears: nearly 89 percent of adult content creators are concerned about cultural and political attacks on the adult industry, according to research firm SWR Data. Concern among trans performers (93 percent), creators of color (94 percent), and gay and lesbian creators (100 percent) were the highest, in data sent to Mashable.

"I'm deeply concerned about how Project 2025 could impact not just our personal freedoms but also the rights of sex workers and the adult film industry as a whole,” said performer Cherie Deville in the Hands Off My Porn announcement. (DeVille has written for Mashable.) "These policies have the potential to undermine our work, our rights, and our ability to create content safely and freely. This is about protecting our livelihoods and ensuring that sex workers aren't pushed further into the margins."

SAVE $46.99: The Amazon Echo Pop is back at its all-time low price with the added bonus of a TP-Link Smart Color Bulb. Grab the bundle for $17.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Pop with TP-Link Tapo Smart Color Bulb $17.99 at Amazon
$64.98 Save $46.99 Get Deal

The Echo Pop debuted in 2023 and is Amazon's simplest and least expensive smart home device. It can play music and podcasts and works with Alexa apps. While it lacks the Echo Dot's motion detection and temperature sensing capabilities, it otherwise performs similarly, comes in more fun colors, and is more compact. The TP-Link Smart Color Bulb allows you to control your lights and their colors via Bluetooth.

The Echo Pop regularly returns to this low price on shopping holidays. Normally priced at $39.99, the Echo Pop is on sale ahead of Prime Big Deals Days on Oct. 8 and Oct. 9 for $17.99, saving you 45% on the list price. The charcoal, glacier white, lavender bloom, and midnight teal models are all on sale and come with the TP-Link Smart Color Bulb.

Everyone is currently awaiting the new line of M4 Apple computers. New MacBooks, Mac Minis, and more are all expected — based on Apple's previous annual launch schedule. 

Apple has been fairly predictable when it comes to new product releases. Software announcements come in June at WWDC, followed by new hardware. For example, new iPhone announcements have long been slated for Apple's September event, followed by new MacBook launches later in the fall.

However, that dependable annual release schedule from Apple appears to be coming to an end. According to Bloomberg's Apple insider, Mark Gurman, Apple has been "slowly" moving away from this annual release strategy.

SEE ALSO: Apple's new M4 MacBook Pro is coming soon, but it may have already leaked Apple changes up it's annual product release cycle

For many years, Apple users have come to expect new Apple hardware releases to come on a fairly consistent schedule. 

According to Gurman, this was done for a few reasons. It provided employees with a deadline to work towards. It helped investors know what to expect. And it provided Apple's marketing team with the post-summer timeframe to go all out with its press and marketing push.

However, as Gurman explains, this has become more challenging as Apple expands well beyond just smartphones and computers. Some products, like certain AirPods or Apple Watch models, don't need a yearly hardware update.

In addition, certain Apple teams have been spread thin in order to work within these scheduled launch dates. Gurman shares that Apple's audio team needs to work on every device – from Macs and iPhones to the Apple Watch and AirPods.

Software updates have also made things more challenging, as Apple now deals with a range of operating systems from iOS to Apple Vision Pro's visionOS. Every time new hardware is announced, the work has to be done to make sure everything is compatible with the software too. 

Unfortunately, the timeframe to get both hardware and software out the door doesn't always line up. For example, Apple has heavily promoted its new iPhone 16 as being built specifically for Apple's AI, Apple Intelligence. However, Apple Intelligence hasn't even yet been launched even though the iPhone 16 launched last month and has been in customers' hands for weeks.

Gurman does expect iPhone's annual update and September announcement event to continue. However, Apple's experiment to ditch the annual announcements for certain products has already begun to roll out. In the past few years, there have been more random Apple releases for new Macs in January and in June. Apple launched new iPads in May, which is not a regularly scheduled Apple launch time period.

But, fear not Apple fans. Gurman says that Apple's decision to change up strategy will likely result in "more frequent releases and fewer jarring delays." When a product is ready to go, Apple will plan its roll out accordingly instead of trying to work within the predetermined Apple event schedule.

Wondering how to factory reset a PS4? Sony's PlayStation 4 has been a trusty sidekick for over a decade (yeah, it’s really been that long), but with the PlayStation 5 Pro hitting shelves soon, you may be opting to sell the console.

Or maybe your PS4’s cluttered with years of digital baggage — and you're ready for a clean slate.

SEE ALSO: Sony finally announces the PS5 Pro, including release date and preorder details

Whatever your reason — whether you’re passing it on, trading it in, or just craving that new console feeling — we’ve got you covered.

How to factory reset a PS4

Here’s how to factory reset your PS4 and give it a proper send-off, no matter the occasion. Let's get into it.

1. Deactivate your PS4 account

Simply factory resetting your PS4 won’t cut it if you’re prepping to sell it or pass it on. If you skip a crucial step — deactivating your PS4 as the primary console — you could run into headaches when trying to sign in on new devices later. Plus, leaving your account linked could give the next owner access to your digital content. So, here’s what you need to do first:

1. Fire up your PS4 and head to the Settings menu.

2. Scroll down and select Account Management.

3. Next, choose Activate as Your Primary PS4.

4. On the following screen, hit Deactivate. (Don’t worry if the "Activate" button is grayed out—that just means your account is already active on this system.)

5. Confirm by selecting Yes, and you’re all set.

Once your PS4 is deactivated, you can safely proceed to the factory reset.

2. It's reset time

Now for the main event: the factory reset. Thankfully, it’s a straightforward process — just follow the steps below, and your PS4 will be as clean as a whistle, with all your personal info, downloaded games, and save data gone for good. (Quick tip: If you want to hold onto your save data, back it up first using a USB or via PSN's cloud storage if you’ve got a subscription.)

Here’s how to do it:

1. Go to the Settings menu on your PS4.

2. Scroll down and select Initialization.

3. Choose Initialize PS4 to see options on how much you want to clear.

4. For a full reset, select Full—this will completely wipe the console, leaving only the operating system intact.

Once you've done this, your PS4 will be wiped clean and ready for its next adventure.

Google is stepping up its device security game for Android users, with long-promised theft protection tools that are beginning to make their way to select devices this week.

Spotted by Android journalist Mishaal Rahman on X (formerly Twitter), the rollout introduces three major features: Theft Detection Lock, Offline Device Lock, and Remote Lock. Initially spotted on devices like the Xiaomi 14T Pro and some Pixel models, these tools aim to give users more control when their phones are stolen, offering quick lockdown options even when the device is offline.

SEE ALSO: Google Search is testing blue checkmark feature that helps users spot genuine websites

The new features are designed to be straightforward. Theft Detection Lock leverages Google’s AI to sense when your phone is physically snatched from your hands, locking the device instantly. If the thief cuts off internet access, Offline Device Lock kicks in, keeping your phone secured even when it’s not connected.

Then there's Remote Lock, which simplifies locking your phone from a distance. While you can already do this with Google’s Find My Device, Remote Lock eliminates the hassle of logging into your Google account. Instead, you just enter your phone number and pass a quick security check to lock things down.

According to Rahman, these features are being rolled out globally and will be available on all phones running Android 10 or higher.

TikTok parent company ByteDance is amassing huge volumes of web data way faster than the other major web crawlers

ByteDance may be planning to release its own LLM, and is aggressively using its web crawler, "Bytespider," to scrape up data to train its models, Fortune reported.

Bytespider showed up on the scene in April, and since then, its rate of consumption puts web scrapers from OpenAI, Google, Meta, and Anthropic to shame.

SEE ALSO: Texas adds to TikTok's legal woes over children's safety concerns

Sam Crowther, CEO of Kasada, a company that specializes in bot management, told the outlet that Bytespider's scraping rate is 25 times more than OpenAI's GPTbot and 3,000 times the rate of ClaudeBot, which is Anthropic's web crawler for its Claude LLM. Crowther also said that Kasada's data has seen "huge spikes in scraping activity" from Bytespider in the last six weeks.

As Bytespider voraciously consumes the web, the U.S. government is trying to inhibit potential access of American user data to the Chinese government. In April, President Biden signed a bill forcing the ban of TikTok unless it was sold by ByteDance within the year. Given ByteDance's ticking clock for selling TikTok, the sense of urgency fits the massive rate of its web crawling activity — whether for an LLM, a better algorithm, or something else, we don't know.

What ByteDance plans to do with all of its newly-mined data remains to be seen. But TikTok has launched several AI-powered features for the platform. In May, it announced a suite of tools for advertisers to create AI-generated ads, and AI-generated avatars for brands and creators. TikTok is also rumored to be working on an internal search engine, with results powered by AI — possibly using ChatGPT.

SAVE $20: As of Oct. 7, get the Ninja Single-Serve Pods & Grounds Specialty Coffee Maker for just $79.99. That's a 20% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Ninja Single-Serve Pods & Grounds Specialty Coffee Maker $79.99 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $20.00 Get Deal

Some mornings, there's nothing more revitalizing than a delicious cup of coffee. But if you're tired of a boring old cheapie coffee maker that does little more than brew you a single cup from whatever brand you grab off the shelf, you might be ready for something new. Something stronger, more powerful. Because as the weather gets cooler, you're probably going to start relying on that bean elixir even more. What better way to do that than with a discounted coffee maker ahead of Prime Day?

As of Oct. 7, you can get the Ninja Single-Serve Pods & Grounds Specialty Coffee Maker at Amazon for just $79.99. That's $20 off its normal price of $99.99 and a 20% discount.

This coffee maker, as it says in the name, can use both grounds and pods to brew your morning java. It can whip you up a single-serve cup with four different brew styles: classic, rich, over ice, or specialty, no matter whether you use grounds or pods. It also has a variety of brew sizes from 6 to 12 ounces.

Though it comes with a slew of different options, it only requires a small footprint. Its compact design means it won't take up too much space on your countertop, and you can store your brew basket or pod adapter in its storage drawer to save even more space. It even comes with a hot or cold milk frother that you can fold away to save additional space.

Don't spend all your cash at Starbucks this fall. Make all your fave coffee drinks at home exactly how you like them and save some money up for the holidays.

SAVE $220: As of Oct. 7, the Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones are on sale for $129.99 at Amazon. That's a saving of 63% on its list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Headphones $129.99 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $220.00 Get Deal

October Prime Day has not kicked off yet, but we would be seriously surprised if any headphones deal during this shopping event can top the offer on Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones. These award-winning headphones are available for a record-low price on Amazon, so save yourself the stress of checking out hundreds of deals and shop early this year.

The Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones are on sale for $129.99 at Amazon, saving you 63% on list price. You can secure this same low price on both the Black and Silver models.

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

These headphones are tough to beat. They come equipped with premium noise canceling with Dual Noise Sensor technology, a battery life of up to 30 hours with quick charging, and helpful touch sensor controls. They are also super comfortable for wearing all day, every day.

Don’t miss the Sony WH-1000XM4 wireless headphones at their lowest-ever price ahead of October Prime Day.

SAVE 50%: As of October 7, Amazon Prime members can save up to 50% off Prime Video movies and TV shows.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon 50% off Prime Video movies and TV shows Get Deal

Prime Day is nearly here, but you don't have to wait around to find the best deals possible on a variety of categories. You can already shop some of the biggest discounts of the event, but there are also perks beyond that of the more obvious deals to be had. For instance, Prime members get access to even more than just discounted physical goods. If you've been looking to stock up on your digital media collection, you won't want to miss this deal.

As of October 7, Prime members can save up to 50% off select Prime Video movies and TV shows. This discount is available on both titles you want to buy or rent. Buying a title means it'll be added to your library and you can watch it whenever you want. Rentals include 30 days for you to start watching your content, and 48 hours to finish once you begin.

Eligible titles include the newly-released Harold and the Purple Crayon for $8.99 and the original Joker movie for $6.99. Other options include Fall Guy, If, and Borderlands. While they aren't all winners, this is a great perk if you're looking to find something to watch alone or with friends and family and you don't want to shell out for a streaming service for a glimpse at a new movie or show.

This is one lesser-known perk that's well worth taking advantage of, especially if you're someone who needs to catch up on some of the newer movies and TV that released in the last few months, and it's always good to own instead of rent when you can. Grab the content you're interested in before Prime Day officially kicks off.

A new update on iPhone allows users to add new text effects to their entire messages — or just specific words. You can make words big, small, bold, italicized, underlined, or struck through. But you can also make the words shake, nod, explode, ripple, bloom, and jitter. This is going to revolutionize the way I thank door dash delivery drivers.

It's pretty easy once you get the hang of it, but the first step is imperative: you've got to update your phone and download iOS 18. As a reminder, you can do that by navigating to settings, clicking "general," and tapping "software update." This will tell you if you already have iOS 18 or if you need to update your software. These tools are only available on iPhone's iMessages, furthering the debate between green Android message and blue Apple message supremacy.

Here's a step-by-step guide to adding text effects to your iMessages.

Total Time

• 1 min

What You Need

• iPhone
• iMessage app
• verve

Step 1: Open a message

When you open a message, you'll see an A above the "P" in the keyboard and next to where you typically see recommended text.

Credit: Screenshot / Mashable

Step 2: Click the A

Once you click the A, your entire message will be highlighted. You'll be able to choose between four stagnant effects — bold, italic, underlined, and struck through — and eight effects with movement — big, small, shake, nod, explode, ripple, bloom, and jitter.

Credit: Screenshot / Mashable

Step 3: Choose your fighter

Now, simply click which effect you want to use and iMessage will give you a preview of how it'll look. For instance, if you click "ripple," the message will ripple for you.

Credit: Screenshot / Mashable

Step 4: Specify which part of the message you want to add an effect

If you want to specialize your message even further, you can choose to just add the effect to one specific word. For instance, if you want to really make the "yeah" in "hell yeah brother" pop, you can highlight that word and click "big" or "bold" or "explode."

Credit: Screenshot / Mashable

Of course, you can still add the other special effects to your iMessages, like confetti when you text "congrats" or fireworks when you text "Happy New Year." And, as always, if you long press on the send button, you can still add bubble effects like slam, loud, gentle, and invisible ink and screen effects like sending with echo.

Disclaimer: This is a review-in-progress, as I haven't finished this game yet. As such, the score is subject to change.

I’ve spent nearly a decade aggressively trying to like Persona 5 as much as everyone else I know, but it turns out the trick was just to wait until the chief creatives behind it made a different game instead.

Metaphor: ReFantazio is, in its own way, the game of my dreams. That’s because it takes everything good about Persona, including the effervescent sense of style, fun turn-based combat, and engaging calendar-based structure, and recontextualizes it into a substantially more interesting experience. By ditching the trappings of modern Japanese high schools and embracing a unique, colorful fantasy world with a fun road trip conceit, Metaphor rises above the limitations of its spiritual predecessor.

Persona series director Katsura Hashino (with character artist Shigenori Soejima and composer Shoji Meguro, among others) has put his name on something special, provided the game doesn’t completely fall apart in the third act. After about 40 hours, though, I’m in love. 

SEE ALSO: 'The Legend of Zelda: Echoes of Wisdom' review: Princess Zelda shines in her protagonist debut I just can’t wait to be king  Our hero for this journey. Credit: Sega/Atlus

Fair warning: I haven’t seen the end of Metaphor’s story yet, so I can’t pass full judgment right now. But so far, so good.

Rather unlike the Persona series, which has traditionally melded a real-world setting with supernatural nonsense, Metaphor cuts out the middleman and is a full-on fantasy adventure. The United Kingdom of Euchronia’s king has been assassinated and, thanks to a series of simultaneously wacky and very cool magical shenanigans, a new contest for the throne has been declared. Anyone can sign up and whoever gains the trust of the people (as judged by magic) through a series of kingly challenges around the world is declared king at the end.

Naturally, our protagonist joins the fray, accompanied by a diverse, constantly growing group of friends along the way. As one might expect, the contest for the throne is made exponentially more complicated by the circumstances around it. The true heir is either missing or dead, depending on who you ask. There’s an unwritten but widely accepted racial hierarchy that favors some tribes over others, and the state church is trying to rig the game so its chosen candidate will win.

That’s all exciting and intriguing in its own right, but a lingering mystery about the nature of this world keeps driving the plot at crucial moments. I’ll just hint that the giant, terrifying monsters threatening the kingdom’s safety are called “Humans,” so there’s definitely something strange going on.

This is what Humans look like in 'Metaphor.' Credit: Sega/Atlus

Metaphor’s narrative is hard to fully judge without having finished it, but after 40 hours, it’s got me hooked. One of the reasons why I didn’t vibe with Persona 5 was the central cast of characters; a few of them were simply very annoying to me — and I never grew attached to them. That isn’t the case here, at least partially because the story is about people who scan as adults rather than high school kids with problems that I don’t care about.

Here, we get to pal around with a talking rodent who is also a master assassin and the fantasy equivalent of Taylor Swift instead. These are fascinating people with backstories that I want to discover and problems that I want to help them solve. It’s really all I ask for from any RPG party, and Metaphor delivers on that front handily.

I’m a little less sure about Metaphor’s overarching themes. Racism is a major part of this world, as the kingdom is made up of several tribes with varying levels of political power. However, where I’m at in the game, it feels like a story where racism happens rather than a story about racism. It’s very nice that each member of the central party is from a different tribe, but characters repeatedly saying “it’s bad to be racist” feels a bit simplistic without much examination of how the culture got to this point or how to fix it. 

Of course, I could feel totally differently about that by the time the credits roll. Time will tell.

Metaphor is giving me what Final Fantasy couldn’t

The crown contest involves traveling from place to place and solving various local problems to win the support of the populace.

Who doesn't love cooking with the homies? Credit: Sega/Atlus

However, regular carriages are too slow and not grotesque enough, so you and your buddies travel the world in a fantastical tour bus called a Gauntlet Runner, which looks like a boat with two enormous, disgusting monster legs. I love it.

In this way, Metaphor quietly became the version of Final Fantasy XV I always wanted, but never got. Yes, I’m going to complain about a game that came out in 2016 for a second. Bear with me.

FFXV’s entire selling point was that it was about a group of close friends on a road trip together. When I played the game at launch, huge amounts of backstory and character development had been off-loaded to a movie and a five-episode anime miniseries. In addition to that, the main cast of dudes almost never spoke to each other in the game itself. I spent like 80 hours driving around the world with those boys and learned almost nothing about them. It was a broken, fractured story that didn’t fulfill its most basic promise at all.

Talking to your friends is very important in 'Metaphor.' Credit: Sega/Atlus

A cavalcade of post-launch DLC eventually “fixed” FFXV, but if you want a road trip JRPG, just play Metaphor instead. It adapts the calendar-based structure from Persona, in which you have to carefully think about how to spend time each day because there are hard deadlines for finishing major story dungeons. Even in a Gauntlet Runner, traveling takes time, so you wind up spending a lot of Metaphor just kind of screwing around with your buddies on your tour bus.

You can read books by your lonesome to develop the protagonist’s personality traits like courage, tolerance, and eloquence, which, in turn, unlock other gameplay opportunities around the world. If you’d rather cook meals with beneficial status effects in the Gauntlet Runner’s kitchen, you can call a friend over and do that with them. And, like Persona, each character has a corresponding social level that goes up the more you spend time with them.

This can be accomplished on the Gauntlet Runner while traveling, which is great and heightens the feeling that this is a real road trip that’s having real effects on these people’s lives.

A very accommodating road trip

None of the above would be very compelling if there weren’t also an excellent turn-based RPG under the hood. 

You gotta beat up enemies in real-time before you get to beat them up in turns. Credit: Sega/Atlus

Metaphor takes the basics of Persona and tweaks them in additive and smart ways. This is still, at its core, a turn-based RPG about carefully enduring long dungeons that can’t be completed in a single in-game day because there intentionally aren’t enough magic potions to go around. Eventually, you have to turn back and go to sleep to recharge. That’s also how real life works if you think about it. 

There are some key differences that elevate the experience, though. For instance, hitting enemies with their elemental weaknesses doesn’t automatically stun and knock them down like it does in Persona. Rather, it does extra damage and gives you an extra turn before the enemies act again. Fights feel less like puzzles where the goal is to knock everyone down at the same time and more like, you know, actual fights because of this change.

There’s also a formation system wherein each active party member can switch between standing in the front or back row at any time. Being closer to enemies means your melee attacks do more damage, but you’ll take more, in turn. Step back, and both the damage you deal and damage you take go down. This isn’t particularly complicated, but it gives you more to think about during fights, which I appreciate.

A real-time action element enhances things further. You can simply start turn-based combat as soon as you see an enemy, but if you’re feeling brave, you can bang out quick melee combos against them in the overworld to drain a stun meter. If you drain it and then go into turn-based mode, you’ll start with stunned, half-dead enemies instead of fully healthy, pissed off ones.

Oh, and if an enemy hits you in the overworld, the opposite happens. They get a big advantage over you, and your best bet at that point might be to run away. Encounters against even weak, basic enemies can quickly go haywire if you aren’t careful. 

Mapping out trips is vital. Credit: Sega/Atlus

Problematically, the camera can be a bit uncooperative when fighting in real-time. There were more than a few instances where I was hit by an enemy I couldn’t see and nearly hit a game over screen because of it. Still, I find the real-time bits to be an overwhelmingly positive addition to the game. It keeps the player on their toes and adds a layer of challenge that wasn’t in this crew’s previous games.

Archetypes are the cherry on top of the combat cake in Metaphor. These are magical alter-egos you unlock through making friends with people outside of combat that basically act as equippable classes for each party member. Every character can equip every Archetype, and Archetypes level up independently. Max out an Archetype’s level, and eventually you can evolve it into a more powerful one.

This is an incomprehensibly huge upgrade over Persona, which had a similar system wherein the protagonist could switch between combat roles at will, but each party member was stuck doing whatever they were designed to do. In Metaphor, tinkering with party composition and planning out your long-term upgrade path are both vitally important and extremely fun. Each Archetype has a different weapon associated with it, and these weapons behave differently in real-time combat, so that has to enter the equation, too. I’m just a sucker for a class system in any RPG and this is a really, really good one.

All of this is wrapped in a level of difficulty that I would describe as accommodating and fair. After 40 hours of gameplay, I haven’t hit any frustrating roadblocks, likely because Metaphor is generous with optional hints about which party members to bring to each dungeon and offers items that allow you to quickly level up Archetypes you’re not actively using. If you’re a couple dozen hours into the game, and you suddenly find yourself in need of strong fire magic, you won’t need to do any grinding to get it.

Even armed with the knowledge of what to expect and the tools to deal with it, Metaphor still requires just the right amount of tactical awareness and planning to feel challenging without being excessively hard.

Everything looks awesome in Metaphor

There’s no reason to dance around this: Metaphor looks amazing.

Dude, even the menus look sick. Credit: Sega/Atlus

It’s largely due to art direction, too. The kingdom’s capital city of Grand Trad looms large in the distance, thanks to a giant inverted pyramid that looks rad as hell. Humans (the enemies, not people) are nasty freaks who often defy description. And perhaps most importantly, the fashion is out of this world. Nearly every character is absolutely rocking whatever outfit they’re wearing, especially the nasty fella you’ll meet fairly early on who rolls around in a purple cheetah print robe.

The only criticism I can offer is that, at least on Xbox Series X, Metaphor doesn’t run very well. It targets 60 frames per second and is able to hit that when indoors or fighting enemies. Go outside or run around a bustling city, however, and everything tanks a bit. This almost exclusively affects non-combat situations and doesn’t inhibit playability at all, but it’s very noticeable.

Metaphor is full of earworms

Metaphor’s soundtrack is similarly dazzling, though not without some small imperfections. Composer Shoji Meguro brings the heat when it matters, as the main combat themes are serious toe-tappers with a male opera vocalist who kind of sounds like he’s rapping in gibberish. I’ve had the music that plays when you have an advantage in combat stuck in my head for several weeks.

Environmental and story tracks stand out less to me, but they’re all nice enough to listen to that I can’t complain. Meguro’s score is mostly made up of orchestras and choirs, as is befitting the setting, but I can’t help but yearn for the more rock or funk-inspired tracks he wrote for Persona at times. Pursuant to that thought, the boss fight music isn’t hype enough for me.

I’m willing to change my mind on that depending on what happens later in the game, of course. I’ll also say the English voice acting is excellent across the board.

Is Metaphor: ReFantazio worth getting?

In a year almost dangerously packed with exciting RPGs like Final Fantasy VII: Rebirth and Like a Dragon: Infinite Wealth, Metaphor: ReFantazio is almost certainly, if nothing else, on the medal stand for that particular genre in 2024.

Granted, I need to wrap up the game before rendering my final verdict on it, but my 40 hours with Metaphor have been consistently delightful. Its endearing cast of characters populate a fascinating fantasy world with fictional layers that I just want to peel back until I see everything there is to see. Enhanced turn-based combat with real-time elements, combined with wholesome friendship mechanics and great road trip vibes, all work to seal the deal for me.

So, yeah, you should probably get Metaphor: ReFantazio.