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On Sunday afternoon in New York City's Washington Square Park, Timothée Chalamet "did the funniest thing possible" by showing up to his own lookalike competition.

SEE ALSO: What is facial contrast makeup? It's the latest TikTok trend dictating how to feel beautiful.

Over 1,000 people gathered in the park after signs advertising a Chalamet lookalike competition with a $50 cash prize appeared all over Lower Manhattan and social media. The sign directed potential Timmys and attendees to a Partiful event that boasted over Tk RSVPs.

At 1 p.m. yesterday, the event (and madness) ensued under the Washington Square Arch, which was live-streamed across news channels and social media. There were Wonka Timmys, Bob Dylan Timmys, and Dune Timmys battling it out for a giant trophy and $50 check, and the New York Police Department showed up and arrested a Timmy. But it was Chalamet's surprise appearance that caused the biggest stir online.

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A tweet with over 450,000 likes and 15 million views broke the news. It featured a photo of the real Chalamet posing with a lookalike and said, "LMAOO TIMOTHEE CHALAMET ACTUALLY SHOWED UP TO THE TIMOTHEE CHALAMET LOOKALIKE CONTEST IN WASHINGTON SQUARE PARK." The user replied with a charming video of Chalamet surprising his lookalike.

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Fans were quick to post footage from every angle of Chalamet's quick walk through the crowd and comment on their favorite part of the saga. One wrote, "the best part is him making his way through that entire crowd and no one noticing because there’s 100 other people that look like him there." Another said, "him arriving in a mask i know his dramatic ass wanted a big reveal he’s so funny."

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Chalamet's surprise arrival came after a photo of him walking next to one of the posters advertising the event while shooting his upcoming film Marty Supreme circulated on social media. One user posted that image next to a photo of Chalamet at the event, writing, " This was the greatest cultivation of events."

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The silly competition and Chalamet's appearance brought joy to New York City and fans far and near, a rarity in today's social media climate. One user wrote, "Such charm, such whimsy… the city needed this." Another said, "timothee chalamet lookalike contest is giving me the most joy i’ve felt in a hot minute."

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Google's AI Overviews are rolling out to over 100 more countries today, including Australia and New Zealand, bringing the algorithmically generated search summaries to millions more users five months after its US launch. It seems pretty safe to say the search giant considers the feature a success.

"We can actually do better than what's on your Search page," Hema Budaraju, Google's Senior Director of Product Management for Search, told Mashable.

SEE ALSO: The new Google AI Overview layout is a small win for publishers

Rather than completely replace your standard Google Search, Budaraju stated that AI Overviews are intended to be a "jumping off point" for further investigation, quickly addressing questions that are more complex, nuanced, or have no immediate answer. As such, they may not appear for more straightforward questions which are satisfactorily answered by the Search results page.

"We add AI Overviews where we believe that it has additional value," said Budaraju.

Noting that AI Overviews have been tested "extensively," Budaraju emphasised that Google focused on Search quality and safety, implementing extra precautions concerning important topics such as health information. 

"For us, quality and responsibility is very important to the system," said Budaraju. "And some of it is learning — learning very actively through our users and learning very actively through our system."

According to Google, its testing has shown that users find search results with AI Overviews more helpful, and that younger people aged 18 to 24 have higher engagement with the feature. Users are reportedly staying longer on websites when they do click through as well. Hopefully this means people are being vigilant about thoroughly double-checking any information they're served with authoritative sources.

AI Overviews will be rolling out globally in the coming weeks, and will be available in all currently supported languages regardless of the country users access the feature from. At present, Google's AI Overviews are available in English, Hindi, Indonesia, Japanese, Portuguese, and Spanish.

Credit: Google

Google initially launched AI Overviews for U.S. users in May, and was very quickly met with both jokes and criticism. Users posted screenshots of incorrect AI-generated summaries on social media (some of which were wrong to a dangerous extent), while Mashable's testing found that AI Overviews were generally "a little worse" than standard Google Searches. 

Though Google claimed that "a very large number" of screenshots were faked, the company did state that it was working to address issues with AI Overviews via improving its algorithms and removing erroneous responses.

Such improvements were apparently enough that Google felt comfortable rolling out AI Overviews to the UK, India, Japan, Indonesia, Mexico, and Brazil in August. It also updated the AI Overview interface, more prominently displaying relevant websites on the right side of the page instead of below the generated summary. With today's rollout, millions more will now have access to Google's AI-generated search summaries.

GET $100 OFF: Don't miss out on $100 off YouTube's NFL Sunday Ticket! Today's the last day to score this deal and watch every out-of-market NFL game this season.

Opens in a new window Credit: YouTube Our pick: NFL Sunday Ticket $379.00 at YouTube
$479.00 Save $100.00 Get Deal

We’re just one month into football season, and if you haven't already bought an NFL Sunday Ticket subscription, today's your last chance to take advantage of a limited-time offer that could save you $100.

As of Oct. 28, you can score $100 off YouTube’s NFL Sunday Ticket package, which gives you access to every out-of-market NFL game on Sundays. Typically, the full-season NFL Sunday Ticket package costs $479, but with this limited-time deal, you can get the full season for $379. (If you’re a student, you can get it for $199.)

SEE ALSO: So your NFL team stinks: The 2025 NFL Draft online resources you need to survive

In addition to watching every out-of-market NFL game on Sundays, the NFL Sunday Ticket package through YouTube lets you watch up to four live games on one screen in multiview. You can also get unlimited in-home streams and two streams outside your home, so you can watch games on your smartphone, tablet, or other connected devices. Plus, you can track your fantasy football players throughout the games with Fantasy View.

Want even more? This deal is also available for the NFL Sunday Ticket + NFL RedZone package, which gives you all the benefits of the NFL Sunday Ticket and up to seven hours of live football coverage with Scott Hanson, featuring up to eight games within the octobox.

Note: This subscription will auto-renew at the regular price after the season ends. If you don’t want that to happen, cancel before the renewal date.

Apple’s much-anticipated Apple Intelligence suite is finally rolling out with iOS 18.1, bringing a range of AI-driven features straight to your iPhone. The free update is live as of today, though some of the more advanced tools are slated to drop in December, per Apple’s latest announcement.

SEE ALSO: Every Apple Mac announcement so far

Leading off the announcement was Apple’s new Writing Tools—a versatile assistant designed to elevate your writing across the board. Writing Tools will let you rewrite, proofread, and summarize text directly in apps where you’re typing, from notes to messages. Apple Intelligence also includes a revamped, more conversational Siri and a new notification summary system that aggregates key updates across your emails, group chats, notes, and more.

SEE ALSO: Apple just announced the M4 Apple iMac: Here's how to pre-order it Still waiting for key Apple Intelligence features

More features are set to arrive in December with three new tools: Genmoji, Image Playground, and Image Wand.

Genmoji lets users create personalized emojis based on descriptions or photos, allowing for unique likenesses of family and friends. Image Playground enhances user-created sketches with AI, turning rough drawings into refined images. Image Wand goes a step further, generating images based on on-screen context—like creating bird illustrations while reading about birds. These tools build on the AI features in iOS 18.1, pushing Apple deeper into the generative AI space.

SEE ALSO: The real AI update: Apple launches iOS 18.2 developer beta

Apple is rolling out updates to Writing Tools, adding context-specific prompts that let users generate creative text—like transforming a dinner invite into a poem. Apple is also integrating ChatGPT’s data directly into Writing Tools and Siri, enhancing response depth and variety to better compete with popular language models.

According to Apple, the iPhone 16 lineup will also be getting a unique addition with Visual Intelligence — a feature limited to these models due to its integration with the new Camera Control button. Visual Intelligence allows users to look up information by simply pointing the camera at an object, bypassing the need to snap a photo or navigate photo app settings. It’s not revolutionary, but it streamlines searches.

Apple Intelligence won’t be available for all devices, with support limited to newer models. Only users with an iPhone 16 series (including the 16, 16 Plus, 16 Pro, and 16 Pro Max), iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max, iPads with an A17 Pro or M1 chip and later, and Macs running on M1 chips or newer will have access.

A new era of fandom has entered the villa: Netflix will now let you save and reshare your favorite scenes directly to your friend and followers. That's right. No more black screens or scrounging the timeline for ripped clips to share to your stan account, the app will do it for you.

Introduced to iOS users exclusively on the Netflix app, the new Moments feature allows users to pause their content, save a clip of what they just watched to their account (to revisit over and over again, of course), and then share to external social media platforms, group chats, you name it. Saved Moments will live under the "My Netflix" tab, and media rewatches will begin wherever you last saved a Moment. The feature will be added for Android users in the coming weeks, the company said.

SEE ALSO: What to Watch: Best scary movies

Fans at large have turned clip sharing into an economy of its own. As a popular way to evangelize your favorite shows, movies, or actors to the greater public, started by the mid-2000s GIF obsession, clip sharing has taken over apps like TikTok and Twitter on dedicated clip farming accounts that rake in millions of views. Until now, attempts to screen record or screenshot Netflix content have been fully blocked by the site, leaving most of the internet's beloved fancam makers and stan accounts at the whim of ripped illicit recordings of their favorite media.

The company will also release a celebrity video series featuring Netflix stars going over their favorite scenes. "You know that feeling when a scene, character, or line from a show or movie just sticks with you," Netflix chief marketing officer Marian Lee shared with Variety, "And you can’t help but text your friends, ‘You have to watch this, it’s so good!?' Our new campaign is all about celebrating these unforgettable moments, taking you back to the feeling you had when you first became obsessed with a great show on Netflix."

The new feature may be a calculated advertising move for Netflix itself, with viral clips often dictating public interest in both new and old media.

SEE ALSO: This is how those sexy 'Challengers' fan edits got made so quickly

But as some rejoiced, other users were quick to point out the irony of Netflix finally allowing a (monitored) version of content sharing, while at the same time cracking down on password sharing, striking its most affordable plans, and erasing digital content — including originals — from its platform.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted How to save and share a Moment Total Time

• 2 min

What You Need

• Netflix mobile app

Step 1: Download the Netflix app and log in to your account.

Step 2: Begin playing your favorite piece of media.

Step 3: When you get to your favorite part, tap on the screen and select "Moments" on the bottom left corner of the screen.

Step 4: Hit "Save" on the scene (timestamp will be included).

Step 5: You can save Moments in the app or export them to platforms like X, Instagram, or Facebook, or send them directly to your friends with a link.

SAVE UP TO 51%: Beats headphones and speakers are on sale at Amazon. Shop the Beats Studio Pro headphones for $169.99, saving $180 for 51% off.

Best Beats Deals Best Beats deal Beats Studio Pro headphones $169.99 at Amazon (Save $180) Get Deal Best earbud deal Beats Studio Buds+ $129.99 at Amazon (Save $39.96) Get Deal Best speaker deal Beats Pill $126.99 at Amazon (Save $22.96) Get Deal

We're still a month out from Black Friday, so it's a little too soon to call these early Black Friday deals. However, this week is bringing a bounty of deals across categories, including marked down MacBooks and tablets. On the headphone front, Beats are offering killer deals on their entire line-up.

Beats were Apple's first endeavor into the headphone market, and while AirPods have taken the lead in popularity, we're still big fans. The Beats Fit Pro are some of our favorite workout headphones and the Beats Studio Buds+ make for a great alternative to AirPods. And while those models are on sale, the best deal comes on the Beats Studio Pro headphones.

Best Beats deal Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Studio Pro headphones $169.99 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $180.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Noise-cancelling headphones are crucial when you need to block out noisy environments or people — we all have an office yapper. However, with models topping $200, $300, or $400, making the investment is not easy. That's why we always keep our eyes peeled for big markdowns and this week, it's all about the Beats Studio Pro.

Compatible with both Apple and Android systems, the Beats Studio Pro deliver fantastic sound and incredible battery life at 24 hours with ANC and 40 hours without. They're normally $349.99, but this week, you can find them down to $169.99. That's just four cents away from its lowest price ever. That gives you $180 off for 51% savings.

More Beats deals

• Beats Solo 4 — $99.99 $199.95 (save $99.96)

• Beats Studio Buds — $99.99 $149.95 (save $49.96)

• Beats Pill speaker — $126.99 $149.95 (save $22.96)

• Beats Studio Buds+ — $129.99 $169.95 (save $39.96)

• Beats Fit Pro — $159.99 $199.95 (save $39.96)

Where to pre-order the M4 iMac Apple Store Apple iMac (M4) Starting at $1,299 Pre-order here

Mac Week is officially here, and Apple's kicked it off with an iMac announcement.

As of Oct. 28, the M4 Apple iMac is available for preorder, starting with 16GB of unified memory, 256GB of storage, and an 8-core CPU and GPU for $1,299. So far, you can pre-order the Apple desktop from the Apple's online store, but we'll be updating this post as it becomes available from more retailers. The computer officially launches on Friday, Nov. 8.

The 24-inch iMac doesn't come with major upgrades from the M3 iMac, which was released almost one year ago to the date, after no M2 iMac was released in 2022. However, there are three major differences: the M4 chip, new colorways, and Apple Intelligence features the brand has been teasing out since June. On that last point, Apple also announced today that some of these features are already live for folks with more recent iPhones, iPads, and Macs, but even more will become available in December.

SEE ALSO: Every Apple Mac announcement so far

Like the M3 iMac, the M4 iMac supports up to 24GB of unified memory, 10-core GPU, and sports a 4.5K Retina display. As for how their speeds compare, Apple focused on the performance difference between the M4 and M1 chip (which was two generations back on the iMac). In its press release, Apple claims the M4 iMac is up to 1.7 times faster than the previous model — in the release for the M3 iMac last year, Apple wrote the "iMac with M3 is up to 2x faster than the prior generation with M1." While it's hard to glean how the two most recent models compare, one thing is clear: They're both faster than the M1 iMac.

M4 iMac users will also get a 12MP Center Stage camera, four USB-C ports, and the ability to connect up to two 6K external displays.

GET 10% OFF: Stretch your holiday budget further! As of Oct. 28, you can get 10% off when you spend $25 or more on a wide selection of toys. Shop for birthdays, holidays, or just because. This offer ends Oct. 31, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Spend $25, get 10% off Get Deal

Whether you have a big family or just a few little ones to shop for this season, a discount or two can help stretch your holiday budget.

Right now, Amazon is offering a 10% discount on $25 or more toy purchases, making it a great time to stock up on gifts for the tikes in your life. All you have to do is add the toys to your cart, and the discount will be automatically applied once you've reached the $25 threshold.

SEE ALSO: The best gifts for teenage girls, according to teenage girls

With a wide selection of toys for kids of all ages, Amazon has plenty of options to choose from. You'll find classic board games and puzzles, like Yahtzee Classic and Twister Jr. Splash, educational toys, stuffed animals, action figures, and more. There are also a ton of arts and crafts supplies on sale, including chalk sets, coloring books, and wood-building kits.

No matter what kind of gift you're looking for, odds are you can find it and save 10% in the process.

Check out the best Amazon deals of the day as of Oct. 28: OUR TOP PICK Apple 11-inch iPad Air (M2, 128GB, WiFi) $499 at Amazon (save $100) Get Deal BEST HEADPHONES DEAL Beats Studio Pro $169.99 at Amazon (save $180) Get Deal BEST SMARTHOME DEAL Amazon Echo Hub $124.99 at Amazon (save $55 with on-page coupon) Get Deal BEST KIDS DEAL Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro (32GB) $109.99 (save $80) Get Deal

We're exactly one month out from Thanksgiving, which means Black Friday season is creeping up on us. Honestly, though, there's no need to wait to start ticking off your shopping list. Amazon has already started dropping prices on its own gadgets. Not to mention, Apple is delivering plenty of exciting discounts. We've rounded up a few of the best deals we could find today to help you kick off your shopping.

Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day on Oct. 28. If you don't see anything that catches your eye, stay tuned the rest of the week as we select new deals each day.

Our top pick Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple 11-inch iPad Air (M2, 128GB, WiFi) $499.00 at Amazon
$599.00 Save $100.00 Get Deal

The M2 iPad Air saw its first price drop before it even made its official debut back in May. It's seen multiple discounts since, including on Prime Day, but none have been as big as today's $100 discount. As of Oct. 28, you can grab the 11-inch M2 iPad Air with 128GB of storage and WiFi connectivity for just $499 instead of $599. It may not be a massive design change from the previous generation, but it's definitely a welcome upgrade. As Mashable's Kim Gedeon noted in her review, "The M2 chip brings sweet energy efficiency and a performance uptick."

Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Studio Pro $169.99 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $180.00 Get Deal

Not only did Mashable reviewer Alex Perry give the Beats Studio Pro 4.5 out of 5 stars, but he also awarded them a Mashable Choice badge of honor. Between their rich, immersive sound, solid active noise cancellation, and tremendous battery life, "It's hard to find a pair of over-ear headphones with a better all-around experience than Beats Studio Pro," he writes. Typically these headphones would run you $349.99, but you can pick them up at Amazon as of Oct. 28 for only $169.99. That's over half off and just a few cents shy of their lowest price ever.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Hub $124.99 at Amazon
$179.99 Save $55.00 with on-page coupon Get Deal

Essentially the brain to your smart home, the Echo Hub offers a full-featured control panel with instant access to all of your smart gadgets — lights, switches, cameras, thermostat, doorbell, etc. Rather than keeping the control center locked inside of someone's smartphone, anyone can play music, stream videos, ask Alexa questions, dim the lights, see who's at the door, or adjust the temperature all from one central location. With a limited-time on-page coupon, you can snag it for only $124.99 instead of $179.99. That's 31% in savings and matches its record-low price from Prime Day.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro (32GB) $109.99 at Amazon
$189.99 Save $80.00 Get Deal

Designed for your 6- to 12-year-old, the Fire HD 10 Kids Pro came out last year and was marketed as Amazon's "best kids tablet yet." It features a 10.1-inch 1080p full HD display, a lightweight design, 3GB of RAM, up to 13 hours of battery life, and is 25% faster than the previous generation. Plus, of course, it includes a durable case (with a built-in kickstand) that can stand up to all of your little one's adventures (and messes). As of Oct. 28, it's back down to just $109.99 from $189.99. That's a savings of 42% and matches its all-time low from October's Prime Day.

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

Last week, Apple promised a week of new Mac announcements in the near future. Well, the future is now, and Apple has unveiled a new Mac device and released Apple Intelligence.

Let's not waste any time. Here are all of the announcements Apple made this week.

SEE ALSO: Remember the legendary iMac G4? Apple's smart display might look just like it Apple Mac week: Every announcement made

Apple isn't disappointing with its week of announcements. Here's what we know about so far.

Apple Intelligence is out now It's here. Credit: Apple

Hey, remember earlier this year when Apple announced its suite of AI features? Some of those are out now.

Apple confirmed on its Newsroom blog that the first wave of Apple Intelligence features are now available on iPhone, iPad, and Mac. If you have a device in one of those product families made within the last two years or so, you now have access to features like Rewrite and Proofread, which can help you craft the perfect email. Siri has also become more conversational, while a new Photos app feature lets you erase unwanted objects from the frame using AI.

Journalists should also take note because the Notes and Phone apps now allow users to "record, transcribe, and summarize audio," per Apple's blog post. If you want to make custom AI-powered emoji, though, you'll have to wait until the next batch of features drops.

A new M4-powered iMac Pink! Credit: Apple

Surprise! There's a new iMac, starting at $1,299. It runs on Apple's latest in-house M4 chip, which Apple claims gives it big performance boosts over the M1 iMac. No word on how it compares to the M3 model, though. Regardless, Apple claims it's up to 1.7x faster than the M1 model. It also comes in seven colors: silver, blue, purple, pink, green, yellow, and orange.

Apple also updated the included peripherals, such as the keyboard and mouse, with USB-C ports. Here are some other noteworthy specs:

• 24-inch 4.5K display

• 12MP front camera

• 16GB starting RAM, up to 32GB

• Four USB-C Thunderbolt 4 ports

• Apple Intelligence features

All of that sounds great, but the big selling point is obviously the pink model.

This article will be updated as more announcements come in.

Save $249.01: As of Oct. 28, you can save 22% on the 13-inch M3 MacBook Air with 8GB of RAM and 256GB SSD. That brings the laptop down to $849.99, instead of the usual $1,099 you'd shell out.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple 13-inch MacBook Air (M3, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $849.99 at Amazon
$1,099.00 Save $249.01 Get Deal

We may be about to get some brand new MacBooks, but if you love scoring a great deal, looking to the year-old models is never a bad idea.

As of Oct. 28, the same Monday that Apple's SVP of Marketing Greg Joswiak teased the start of "an exciting week of announcements," Amazon dropped the 13-inch M3 MacBook Air (8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) to $849.99, putting it just 99 cents away from its lowest price ever. You'll have to clip the on-page coupon, and the deal is only available on the space gray and midnight models, but you're also saving over 20% on a MacBook that dropped seven months ago.

SEE ALSO: Best cheap laptops for 2024: Every model under $1,000 that we've tested and loved

Mashable recommends the M3 Air as the best MacBook for most people, because it comes in a lightweight frame, isn't quite as much of an investment as the Pro, but still gives you plenty of processing power for everyday tasks, like browsing the web, writing, and having upwards of 15 tabs open. The M3 Air in particular allows you to connect up to two external displays, as long as the laptop itself is closed, making it a solid option for a work-from-home machine.

If you're looking for an even cheaper MacBook, you can also check out the M2 MacBook Air, which, thanks to an on-page coupon, is also on sale for its lowest price ever at $699.99.

Google is working on a AI tool that could take over your computer with a simple command. According to The Information, the tool, dubbed internally as Project Jarvis, can browse the internet and perform tasks like purchasing products and booking flights on its Chrome browser.

The tool reportedly works by taking screenshots of a computer screen and "interpreting the shots before taking actions like clicking on a button or typing into a text field," much like Microsoft's controversial Recall feature, although that is used for storing and retrieving a user's computer behavior.

SEE ALSO: OpenAI's AGI readiness team has been dissolved

A better comparison of Jarvis's capabilities is the analysis feature Anthropic launched last week for its Claude large language model (LLM), which can write and run JavaScript code. However, unlike Claude, which is tailored to programmers for operating software applications, Jarvis is reportedly browser-based, which one could imagine being marketed towards a more mainstream audience for shopping, booking flights, and various productivity tasks.

Enhancing productivity and automating certain mundane tasks is the direction Google has taken many of its AI products in search of killer use cases. Google has AI features for Workspace apps like summarizing and writing text in Gmail and Docs, but the competition has been fierce. Google has lagged behind OpenAI, which recently launched a purported reasoning model called o1 that might soon evolve to have more autonomous web-browsing capabilities.

According to the report, Project Jarvis might launch in December with the release of the latest version of its Gemini LLM.

"That Christmas" hits Netflix December 4.

SAVE UP TO 54%: This week, shop major savings on tablets at Amazon. Find deals like the Apple iPad 9th generation for $199.99, saving $129.01 for 39% off or the Amazon Fire 7 Kids for just $59.99, knocking $70 off the price for 54% savings.

Best tablet deals Best tablet deal Apple iPad, 9th generation (A13 chip, 64GB, Wi-Fi) $199.99 at Amazon (Save $129.01) Get Deal Best Amazon Fire tablet deal Amazon Fire 7 Kids tablet $59.99 at Amazon (Save $70) Get Deal Best Samsung tablet deal Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ Plus $169.99 at Amazon (Save $50) Get Deal

With Black Friday around the corner, we're hunting down the early deals to make the holiday shopping season a little bit easier. Whether you plan on shopping in-person or online, it never hurts to browse to find the best early deals.

Tablets are having a moment this week, with deals on Amazon Fire tablets, Apple iPads, and Samsung tablets all coming in real hot. Tablets are up to 39% off, and you can find deals under not just $200, but under $100, too. Here are all the best tablet deals this week.

Best tablet deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad, 9th generation (A13 chip, 64GB, Wi-Fi) $199.99 at Amazon
$329.00 Save $129.01 Get Deal Why we like it

Apple iPads have become the go-to tablet, and for good reason. Even older models, like the 9th Generation iPad, are still zippy thanks to the A13 chips that power them. Compatible with the first generation of Apple Pencil, you can use the tablet for work and play as you can illustrate, read, stream, and navigate the internet all from this 10.2-inch tablet. Plus, it's the first iPad to dip under $200. Find it now for 39% off, saving $129.01.

More iPad deals

• Apple iPad Mini (A15 chip, 64GB, WiFi) — $349.99 $499 (save $149.01)

• Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M2 chip, 128GB, WiFi + Cellular) — $649.99 $749 (save $99.01)

• Apple iPad Air, 13-inch (M2 chip, 128GB, WiFi) — $699.99 $799 (save $99.01)

Best Amazon Fire tablet deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire 7 Kids tablet $59.99 at Amazon
$129.99 Save $70.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Amazon is taking us by surprise with some stellar deals on Fire tablets. The deals are back down to their lowest price ever, including on the Amazon Fire 7 Kids tablet. This tablet is loaded with parental controls that prevents ad-free content and limits screen time. Plus, if it breaks within two years of purchase, Amazon replaces it completely free.

It's down to $59.99 ahead of Black Friday — its lowest price ever. That saves you $70 for 54% off.

More Amazon Fire tablet deals

• Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet — $74.99 $139.99 (save $65)

• Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet — $109.99 $189.99 (save $80)

• Amazon Fire Max 11 tablet — $139.99 $229.99 (save $90)

More tablet deals

• Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ Plus — $169.99 $219.99 (save $50)

• Google Pixel tablet — $319 $399 (save $80)

• Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE — $326.53 $449.99 (save $123.46)

Disclaimer: Since this is a review-in-progress, the final score is subject to change.

It’s been 12 excruciating, miserable years, but BioWare has finally made a pretty good video game again.

And if “pretty good” is all Dragon Age: The Veilguard is, then so be it. This is not a generational RPG on the same level as Baldur’s Gate 3, nor does it reach the modern BioWare heights of Mass Effect 2. But after 30 hours, I’ve settled into a largely positive rhythm with Veilguard, thanks to its mostly strong (if a little cloying) character writing, best-in-the-series combat, and a focused, dense game design philosophy that prioritizes quality over quantity in side quests.

Ah crap, I accidentally let out some evil gods Whoops! You don't look very nice. Credit: BioWare/Steam

I played 80 hours of Dragon Age: Inquisition when it came out in 2014 and came away not really understanding or caring about its big twist at the end, which directly sets up this new adventure. Veilguard does a substantially better job of establishing stakes and getting you to care in the first two minutes after hitting “new game.”

That twist was that one of Inquisition’s central party members, Solas, is actually an ancient elven god with an arcane plan to perform a magic ritual that may or may not destroy the world. Veilguard’s prologue sees new protagonist Rook (who can be anyone you want them to be thanks to a remarkable character creator) trying to stop Solas from doing all of that. 

Of course, things go awry, a couple of eldritch nightmare gods are unleashed upon the world, and it’s up to Rook and a group of six or seven diverse heroes to stop them. It may not be as strong as Mass Effect 2 killing the protagonist in a spaceship explosion 10 minutes into the game, but it’s an effective enough intro that gets players into the action relatively quickly.

Group therapy in the magical dimension I like the party in this game! Credit: BioWare/Steam

The A-plot in Veilguard is a perfectly adequate excuse to travel from place to place, removing nasty blight infestations and solving a variety of other problems for a variety of people. Of course, this is a BioWare game, so the real meat is in the characters, and Veilguard’s commitment to its party is one of its best qualities.

Like any other game from the studio, going to a hub area (in this case, a magical lighthouse that doesn’t exist in the tangible world) and talking your homies through their personal problems is a core part of the gameplay loop. Your mileage will certainly vary depending on your disposition, but I think this is a damn solid BioWare party. 

SEE ALSO: Watch 'Baldur's Gate 3' speedrunner beat game in 4 minutes 15 seconds

Unfortunately, it takes a while to see it that way. The first few hours of Veilguard are dominated by characters who, for lack of a better term, are very millennial-coded. The dwarven archer Harding, for instance, has a little bit too much of that Joss Whedon-esque snark in her dialogue that plagued Mass Effect: Andromeda. Her personal story does eventually pick up and go to some neat places, but you have to do a little digging to get there.

Later additions to the cast start out in a better spot and only improve from there. I’m particularly partial to Lucanis, a hot assassin who is possessed by an asshole demon that only he can see and hear, but pretty much everyone is worth keeping around. Others include a cynical, hard-boiled magic detective, a quirky middle-aged necromancer with an intense fear of death, and a dragon hunter with a personal journey that’s sure to resonate with a lot of players.

Having deep, personal chats with these people is easily one of Veilguard’s highlights, but it’s not without some minor problems. The total number of dialogue choices you’ll have in a given conversation is pretty low (to be fair, BioWare’s been on this path since Mass Effect 3) and conflict resolution can occasionally be a little too convenient.

To explain, I’ll just echo what a friend said to me: Everyone in this game talks like they’ve been in therapy. They’re all generally careful not to say things that could be taken the wrong way and everyone has a degree of self-awareness about their own issues that I certainly didn’t until after about five years of professional help. 

At times, especially early in the game, this can make some interactions feel unnaturally easy to work through. To BioWare’s credit, though, there are at least a couple scenes of tense interpersonal strife between party members later in the game, so again, good things come to those who wait.

Veilguard feels like a response to Inquisition’s problems Minrathous is a good example of a zone that has a lot to do, but isn't very big at all. Credit: BioWare/Steam

In the minds of many, Dragon Age: Inquisition was the last good BioWare game. I am not one of those people because it was nakedly trying to chase Skyrim with nearly 100 hours of bloated, boring side content that got in the way of solid character work. The combat was also terrible, which has generally been the case in Dragon Age games. 

Good news! Veilguard goes out of its way to make sure neither of those problems are present here. This isn’t a short game (I expect my finished save to come in at around 45-50 hours), but it’s one that feels intentional and focused in its design, which makes the pacing breezy and engaging after the opening chapter or two. 

Inquisition’s open-world ambitions have been replaced by a series of comparatively small but incredibly dense “exploration areas,” which can feature everything from random enemy encounters to optional quests, hidden areas full of treasure, and puzzles to solve. Most fascinating is the inclusion of Metroid-style progress checks in the form of character abilities. Each party member has a specific environmental puzzle-solving power that only unlocks after they join the party, so you’re encouraged to go back to old areas and explore them further after the first sojourn into them.

While the level design doesn’t come close to Dark Souls qualitatively, the philosophy is there. These exploration areas fold in and around each other with lots of optional shortcuts to open and secrets to find. Going off the beaten path is almost always rewarding in some way, as you’re usually given high quality gear with genuinely useful bonus effects for doing so. 

Stanced up. Credit: BioWare/Steam

None of this is revolutionary, of course, but it crucially gives you things to do between fights that are actually kind of fun most of the time. It doesn’t hurt that Inquisition’s bloated gear crafting system is gone, in favor of a new system in which the total amount of gear in the game is pretty small, but you gradually unlock interesting upgrades for each piece over time. 

And while the last Dragon Age overflowed with side quests that typically felt like time-wasting drudgery, Veilguard’s optional missions almost always feature some kind of bespoke elements (like unique areas or even enemies in some cases) that make them feel more robust. Most impressive is that disparate side quests in one area can actually converge into one level-specific storyline, so pursuing everything so far has been fulfilling.

Companion-specific quests also return and have been fleshed out from previous BioWare efforts. Each party member has their own personal storyline that gradually develops over the course of the entire game. Sometimes they’ll ask you to walk-and-talk with them in the woods and other times they’ll ask you to do a totally unique and optional dungeon with them, but every companion activity progresses whatever that character’s arc happens to be.

It’s a compelling reason to keep returning to the hub and talking to people as often as possible. While most of the side quests follow a familiar “run to the objective marker and do whatever it says” rhythm, they at least feel like they exist for a reason other than padding out an hour count. That’s really all I ask. Plus, it’s just nice to take a walk and chat with a friend.

Who doesn’t love fighting? Ordering your buddies around works as well as ever. Credit: BioWare/Steam

Dragon Age is a lot of things to a lot of people. For most of my friends, it’s a dating sim that has an RPG in it. That stuff is cool, for sure, but if you happen to like crunchy, satisfying action RPG combat, Veilguard has that for days.

It doesn’t have an overwhelming amount of tactical depth a la Baldur’s Gate 3, but it’s a frenetic, skillful power fantasy at its best. Fights often require situational awareness of large arenas full of enemies casting ranged magic at you while some variety of giant brute tries to kick your ass up close. Darting around the place while awesome-looking spell effects pop off every few seconds makes for really fun encounters most of the time.

A straightforwardly good class and upgrade system helps seal the deal. You’ll choose from one of three main classes (warrior, rogue, and mage) at character creation, but each class has a large skill tree that can take you towards one of three specializations. I went with a mage and worked towards the “spellblade” specialization, which involves teleporting around the battlefield while casting lightning magic at baddies and using a dagger to create magic explosions around them. It’s incredibly fun.

Mass Effect: Andromeda may be the most embarrassing game in BioWare’s catalog, but it did introduce the primer/detonator system that helps make Veilguard’s combat sing. The way this works is that combat abilities with negative status effects attached to them can act as “primers,” while other abilities can “detonate” them to create a big kaboom that can do all sorts of things to enemies depending on how you spec out your party.

Putting together a successful three-person party is all about synergizing characters who can prime with other characters who can detonate, as no character can do both on their own. The only bummer here for me is that commanding your homies to prime and detonate is about as far as the tactical depth goes on the default difficulty. You can also command allies to attack specific targets, but otherwise you’re left to focus on your own survival during fights.

Veilguard doesn't have Andromeda problems

Real quick, I'd like to shout out Veilguard's general sense of polish that didn't really exist in the last couple of BioWare games.

By that, I mean that I've encountered only minor visual bugs in my 30 hours of gameplay, and absolutely nothing in the realm of glitches that impede gameplay or progress. The worst thing that happened to me was that my character's hair disappeared after a cutscene, but it came back when I rebooted the game. Compared to Andromeda, which was infamously busted at launch, Veilguard is a massive step up.

Similarly, performance is not a problem, at least on PlayStation 5. It's got quality and performance modes like any other game, and they work as you'd expect. Quality mode targets and, as far as I could tell, hits 30 frames per second, while performance mode actually does an excellent job of consistently running at 60FPS. On top of that, it's just a handsome-looking game all around, with expressive lighting and cool environment design to go along with high quality character models.

Is Dragon Age: The Veilguard worth getting?

I am here to tell you that Dragon Age: The Veilguard is a solidly good RPG. Its character work is admirable, as are its exploration philosophy and combat acumen. Taken strictly on its merits, this is a fine game that I think will make Dragon Age fans happy.

The problem is that it’s hard to take this game strictly on its merits during a particularly active and vibrant time in the RPG genre. I don’t think Veilguard is as good as Final Fantasy VII Rebirth or Metaphor: ReFantazio, not to mention Baldur's Gate 3, which by most accounts is a generational role-playing experience. 

But what I would say specifically to people who want to compare and contrast Veilguard to Baldur’s Gate 3 is: don’t. One of them was developed with seemingly consistent leadership and a coherent creative vision to go along with fan feedback via an extended early access period, while the other was made under the Electronic Arts umbrella and faced numerous public development challenges over the course of several years. 

That Veilguard exists at all is something of a miracle, and that it’s the first good BioWare game in more than a decade feels nearly impossible. It may not be a new standard-bearer for the genre, but merely being pretty good feels like something of a triumph.

For more Mashable game reviews, check out our OpenCritic page.

GET $30 OFF: As of Oct. 28, you can get up to 43% off Madden NFL 25 at Amazon. Buy it for $39.99 now.

Opens in a new window Credit: Electronic Arts Our pick: Madden NFL 25 (PS5) $39.99 at Amazon
$69.99 Save $30.00 Get Deal

If you’re into football and have some free time on your hands, Amazon has some pretty good deals on EA Sports games right now, including College Football 25, Madden NFL 24, and Madden NFL 25.

As of Oct. 28, you can score $30 off Madden 25, bringing the price down to $39.99. This is a sweet deal on a game that came out this spring. Even if you’re not a huge football fan, this game is worth checking out at least once. (It’s available to PS4, PS5, Xbox Series X, and PC gamers.)

SEE ALSO: So your NFL team stinks: The 2025 NFL Draft online resources you need to survive

“The gameplay in this year’s Madden is a more refined experience, a culmination of previous work by EA Orlando within the Frostbite Engine,” Mashable’s General Assignments Editor, Chance Townsend, writes in his review. “When stacked against the recently released College Football 25, which emphasizes fast and flashy gameplay, Madden 25 adopts a more cerebral, methodical pace that captures the essence of the pro game,” adding, “It genuinely feels like EA Orlando has perfected their use of the Frostbite engine’s animations.”

GET 50% OFF: Walmart+ is just $49 for an annual membership! This 50% off deal lasts through Dec. 2, 2024.

Opens in a new window Credit: Walmart Walmart+ Annual Membership $49.00 at Walmart
$98.00 Save $49.00 Get 50% off through Dec. 2, 2024 Get Deal

If you’re looking for even more ways to save money this holiday season, you may want to consider signing up for Walmart+.

Through Dec. 2, 2024, new, expired, monthly, and current Walmart+ trial members can sign up for an annual Walmart+ membership for just $49 — half the regular annual membership fee.

SEE ALSO: Walmart's multi-part Black Friday plans involve new surprise deals and extra early access for members

With Walmart+, you can get early access to Black Friday deals, free shipping and delivery, gas discounts, and more. Whether you’re a frequent Walmart shopper or want to take advantage of the savings before holiday shopping kicks into high gear, this limited-time offer is definitely worth checking out.

Here’s a closer look at what Walmart+ has to offer and how the half-off annual membership deal works.

Walmart+ perks

• Early access to deals: As a Walmart+ member, you get early access to online Black Friday deals (starting Nov. 11 at noon ET). Scoop up the best savings before they sell out!

• Free delivery from your store: Get same-day delivery on groceries and more with Walmart+.

• Free shipping with no order minimum: With Walmart+, you can enjoy free shipping on every order — no more worrying about minimum purchase amounts.

• Fuel discounts: Save up to $0.10 per gallon at over 13,000 stations worldwide.

Other Walmart+ benefits include free online pet care through Pawp, 25% off at Burger King (plus a free Whopper with any purchase every three months), a free Paramount+ subscription, free tire repairs through Walmart Auto Care Centers nationwide, and more.

How to sign up for Walmart+

To get the discount on the Walmart+ annual membership, you'll need to be a new member or have an expired or monthly Walmart+ subscription.

Here's how to sign up:

1. Go to walmart.com/plus

2. Click “Claim offer now.”

3. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete your Walmart+ annual membership signup.

Remember, this deal is only good through Dec. 2, 2024, at 11:59 p.m. ET.

SAVE $20: As of Oct. 28, the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max has dropped to $39.99 at Amazon. That's a discount of 33% from its $59.99 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max $39.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $20.00 Get Deal

There are a wide variety of streaming devices to choose from, but if you're looking for a smooth, high-quality option for your TV setup, Amazon's 4K Max Fire TV Stick can deliver. And better yet, it's currently available with a nice discount on Amazon. Normally retailing for $59.99, it's down to just $39.99 for a limited time. That's a 33% discount on list price.

This Fire TV Stick usually pops up on sale during both Prime Days and Black Friday, so it's nice to see a limited-time deal appear at a point between the two sale events. It's worth the investment, as it offers smooth 4K streaming with support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and Dolby Atmos. Compared to its standard 4K counterpart, it also offers double the storage capacity at 16GB with WiFi 6E support.

SEE ALSO: Every single Stephen King movie adaptation, ranked

Alongside the vast library of streaming services to choose from, you can also utilize Xbox Game Pass with this device. With an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership you can access Game Pass's massive library via cloud gaming to play through a wide variety of different games. It's a device that's sure to keep you busy from all of your favorite sources of entertainment.

As listed on Amazon's page, this is a limited-time deal, so if you've had the Amazon 4K Max Fire TV Stick on your radar now's a great time to grab it at Amazon. If you happen to miss out on this deal, though, don't worry, Black Friday is right around the corner and this deal is sure to pop up again during that sale event.

Are some of your Instagram videos lower quality than others? There's a reason for that.

Instagram head Adam Mosseri recently spoke about video quality in an AMA, confirming that Instagram video quality is dependant, in part, on views.

SEE ALSO: Why Instagram carousels sometimes start on the second slide

"If something isn't watched for a long time because the vast majority of views are in the beginning, we will move to a lower quality video," said Mosseri. "And if it's watched again a lot we will re-render at a higher quality video."

Mosseri went on to say that if someone is watching on a slower internet connection, that will also result in videos being rendered in lower quality. "The goal is to show people the highest quality content that we can."

Instagram's video quality works at an aggregate, rather than an individual, level, Mosseri confirmed in a later post on Threads.

"We bias to higher quality (more CPU intensive encoding and more expensive storage for bigger files) for creators who drive more views. It’s not a binary threshold, but rather a sliding scale."

SAVE $220: As of Oct. 28, the pumpkin carving kit from imarku has dropped from $239.99 to $19.99, with the help of a 50% off coupon you can clip alongside its already massive 83% discount. That a $220 discount, making for some spectacularly spooky savings.

Opens in a new window Credit: imarku imarku Halloween Pumpkin Carving Kit $19.99 at Amazon
$239.99 Save $220.00 Get Deal

Halloween is coming up, and if you're still hoping to carve some pumpkins for outdoor decorations, Amazon has a limited-time deal that's worth checking out. Right now, you can pick up a pumpkin carving kit from imarku for just $19.99, $220 off its list price of $239.99. That's a discount of over 90% in total, after clipping the 50% off coupon, and a fantastic deal for a set that comes with basically everything you need to get started.

This set features 10 carving knives of various shapes and sizes, 25 stencils to work with, and comes packaged in a very cute orange case with a carved pumpkin on the front. The case is helpful for carrying around all of the equipment with you, in the event of any Halloween parties, but it's the tools that really shine from this set.

SEE ALSO: Select Halloween decorations at the Home Depot are 50% off, including the 12-foot skeleton's friends and accessories

Each one has a unique shape to help with any detailing, large or small, you want to achieve while carving. This is incredibly helpful as you can make some really fun and creative designs with your pumpkin that normal knives don't really allow for. Not to mention, with having so many tools in this pack, it works great with a group of people.

Currently, this carving set sits with a 5-star rating on Amazon. That's a very positive reception for a set like this, with many people praising the case and how well all of the tools work. If you're looking for a last-minute solution for your pumpkin carving needs, this limited-time deal is absolutely worth checking out at Amazon.