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TL;DR: During Deal Days, you can get an AcePDF Lifetime License for just $23.97. Sale ends Oct. 11.
Opens in a new window Credit: Acethinker AcePDF Converter & Editor: Lifetime License $23.97Most PDF editors ask you to pay a monthly fee. It’s a hefty investment just to use one of the most popular file formats in the world, but there are other options. AcePDF is a popular new PDF editor that doesn’t require a monthly fee, but it usually costs $99.99 for a lifetime license.
Deal Days is a new alternative to Prime Day, and that’s how you can get an AcePDF Lifetime License on sale for just $23.97. No coupon needed.
Scanned documents are the hardest case for most PDF editors. A scanner saves each page as an image, so, to your computer, the words on it are just pixels. AcePDF uses OCR to read the shapes of those letters and turn them back into text you can select, search, and edit. Your original layout and graphics stay in place, and OCR reads text in multiple languages.
From there, you can turn a PDF into a Word, Excel, PowerPoint, HTML, text, JPG, or PNG file without breaking the layout, images, or hyperlinks. Going the other direction, you can combine Word files, spreadsheets, slides, and images into one PDF in a few clicks. For a big stack of files, batch conversion processes them together instead of one at a time.
You can also edit a PDF without converting it first. AcePDF lets you change text, add or remove images, fill in existing forms, and create new ones with text fields, checkboxes, and shapes. For reviewing drafts, you can add comments, stamps, watermarks, and arrows right on the page.
You can even reorganize existing PDFs, with tools to merge, split, rotate, and compress files. One click extracts every JPG and PNG from a document, and you can add a password to a file before sharing it or remove one you know.
PDFs can be easy. Through Oct. 11 at 11:59 p.m. PT, it’s only $23.97 to get an AcePDF Lifetime License.
Check out the rest of the Deal Days Collection before it ends.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
TL;DR: ChatPlayground AI Unlimited is $59.97 for life through Oct. 11, bringing 20+ AI models into one interface for side-by-side comparisons, unlimited messages, file chats, and AI image generation.
Opens in a new window Credit: ChatPlayground AI ChatPlayground AI: Lifetime Subscription (Unlimited Plan) $59.97If you’ve ever copied the same prompt into three different AI tools just to see which one gives the best answer, you’re not alone. Different models excel at different things — but juggling tabs and subscriptions gets old fast. ChatPlayground AI puts the top AI models in one place, so you can compare responses side by side without the back-and-forth.
Through Oct. 11, a lifetime subscription is on sale for $59.97 (reg. $619) during this Deal Days sale, an alternative to Prime Day.
GPT-4o, Claude Sonnet, Gemini, DeepSeek, Llama, Perplexity, and more — all in one clean interface. It’s built for people who iterate fast, test variations, and actually care about optimizing results.
Beyond comparisons, ChatPlayground AI includes prompt engineering tools to refine outputs, image and PDF chat for context-aware responses, saved chat history for ongoing projects, and AI image generation powered by leading models. There’s even a Chrome extension to integrate it directly into your browsing workflow.
The Unlimited Plan means unlimited messages per month, making it ideal for startups, product teams, marketers, and prompt engineers who run experiments nonstop. You also get priority support and early access to new features and future models.
If you’re already paying for multiple AI tools — or constantly switching between them — this consolidates everything into one streamlined platform.
Grab lifetime access to ChatPlayground AI Unlimited for $59.97 through Oct. 11 for Deal Days and stop juggling models for good.
Click here to view more of the Deal Days collection.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Girl meets boy. Girl falls for boy's impeccable taste in music. Boy turns out to be a girl. That's the irresistible premise of The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't a Guy at All, the fan-favorite yuri manga making its anime debut in 2027.
At New York Comic Con on Thursday, Crunchyroll unveiled the adaptation's world premiere trailer, giving fans their first look at Aya and Mitsuki's budding romance.
Based on the manga by Sumiko Arai, The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't a Guy at All — affectionately called Green Yuri by its fans because of its neon color palette — follows Aya Osawa (voiced by Akari Kitō), a popular high schooler who develops a crush on the mysterious, effortlessly cool employee at her local CD shop. With his dark clothes, piercings, and encyclopedic knowledge of rock music, he's basically her dream guy. There's just one problem: He's not a guy at all.
The employee is actually Mitsuki Koga (voiced by Mariya Ise), Aya's quiet, unassuming classmate, whom she barely notices at school. Outside the classroom, however, Mitsuki has an entirely different look. And while Aya remains blissfully unaware of her crush's true identity, the two begin to bond over their shared love of music.
SEE ALSO: How social media changed what it means to be an anime fanWhat starts as a case of mistaken identity gradually blossoms into something much sweeter, as Aya and Mitsuki navigate friendship, attraction, and the complicated business of figuring out their feelings.
The manga has become a favorite among romance fans, thanks in part to Arai's striking black-and-green artwork and its deep affection for rock music. Music isn't merely background noise in this story. It's the language through which Aya and Mitsuki first connect, with their shared tastes providing the foundation for a relationship neither quite knows how to define.
And fittingly for a love story built around a shared obsession with rock music, the anime has some serious grunge credentials. Nirvana's 1991 track "Breed" will serve as the opening theme, a collaboration that even has Dave Grohl's stamp of approval. In a special interview with Arai, the former Nirvana drummer and Foo Fighters frontman said he believed Kurt Cobain would have loved the series, citing its message, aesthetic, and overall vibe. After all, Cobain was never one for rigid gender norms.
Now, the question is how that distinctive visual and musical identity will translate to animation. For fans who have spent years imagining what Aya and Mitsuki's world might look and sound like in motion, the first trailer offers an exciting glimpse.
The Guy She Was Interested in Wasn't a Guy at All is slated to premiere on January 8, 2027.
Just when you thought Apple was done with big events for the year after the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Duo announcement last month, the company has announced another special fête for later this month.
Apple Senior VP of Worldwide Marketing Greg Joswiak posted a video on his X account on Thursday which teased an upcoming Oct. 13 event. The video shows two women cross-stitching a rainbow Apple logo with the words "Welcome home" and the event date below it.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.What products could Apple possibly be teasing for the event next week? It seems fairly clear that "welcome home" is referring to its Home products line.
Some long-rumored products that will likely be unveiled at the event include the HomePad, which is an entirely new product from Apple. HomePad isn't the official name for the product, so Apple could change it. However, the product is largely called that when referring to Apple's upcoming smart display device. It's meant to act as a smart home hub, like the HomePod, but with a display. Siri AI will be a major feature on the device as well.
Apple is also expected to launch a new HomePod mini 2, its smart speaker with AI assistant features, as well as a new Apple TV 4K. There hasn't been a new HomePod device since 2023. The Apple TV streaming device line was last refreshed in 2022. So, obviously, both lines are in need of an update.
There's also a good chance that Apple will also unveil the smart home product line it has partnered with LG on.
One interesting aspect about the video Joswiak posted is the design choice for the Apple logo. The rainbow Apple logo certainly looks like a call back to the old Macintosh era. Are we looking into this too much? Or does Apple have something retro up its sleeve that it's planning to unveil too?
We'll find out on Tuesday, Oct. 13.
Since August, someone (or perhaps a group of people) called Cyberleek has been very busy sharing various gameplay clips of Grand Theft Auto 6. On Aug. 20, Take-Two Interactive, the parent company of GTA-maker Rockstar Games, filed subpoenas against Microsoft and Discord to try to unmask the leaker, followed soon after by subpoenas against Google and X Corp. Those filings specifically cited "stolen content," seemingly confirming that at least some of the Cyberleek videos are legitimate.
Prior to the August "Extended Look" on Netflix, the GTA 6 leaks represented the first real glimpse of gameplay from the hotly anticipated title. After the Netflix trailer, Cyberleek stopped for more than a month, before suddenly reappearing in October with a 24-minute gameplay video. We're not going to embed or link to any of these clips; however, they're easy enough to find on X or Reddit if you look hard enough.
SEE ALSO: What is Cyberleek? Everything we know about the alleged GTA 6 leakers. Every GTA 6 leak from Cyberleek so farAt the time of publication, more than a dozen gameplay clips and map screenshots have been posted by Cyberleek that show different aspects of GTA 6, including glimpses of cutscenes. The leaker did post some minor story spoilers in the most recent release, so be careful if you want to avoid them.
Here are the GTA 6 leaks Cyberleek has shared so far:
Map sneak peek 1: A small, cropped portion of the in-game world map, showing a location called Dalton Island.
Map sneak peek 2: Another cropped portion of the map showing locations called Tequesta Retreat, Gloriana Key, and Catalan Key.
Basketball video: A clip of protagonist Jason Duval throwing a basketball into a hoop in a mini-game.
Full map: An alleged view of the entire in-game map.
Random video 1: A clip of Jason driving around for a little bit before beating up a truck driver.
Taser video: A clip of Jason driving at night, stealing a security guard's taser, and using it on him. Jason then repeatedly kicks the guard while he is on the ground.
Junkies video: A clip that appears to show a healing drug called Zombix. A tooltip indicates that Zombix's effects will weaken over time if the player uses it too much.
Plane video: A clip of Jason flying a plane over Vice City, with much of the game world visible below. At the end, whoever is playing the game in the clip shoots the word "LEEK" into a wall with bullets, suggesting the leaker has a playable build of the game.
Hypercar part 1: A clip of Jason driving a high-end sports car around Vice City.
Hypercar part 2: A clip of Jason driving the sports car some more, before committing armed robbery.
Strip club: Jason wanders around a strip club, then a short clip of an in-game cutscene is shown.
Gas station: Jason causes trouble at a gas station, steals a truck with a bed full of gasoline, and crashes and dies; more of the previous cutscene is shown.
Plane video 2: Jason flies a plane over Vice City at night.
Nudist colony: Jason explores a nudist hangout spot (where the NPCs are, obviously, nude) and attacks NPCs.
Nightclub: A pretty uneventful video of Jason walking around the interior of a nightclub.
Beach cycling: Jason riding a bicycle on a beach full of NPCs.
Video game store: Jason walking around a video game store with shelves full of fake video game boxes.
How does Cyberleek drive?: Jason steals a hotrod and evades the police; the clip ends with a cutscene showing Lucia Caminos, the game's second playable character, for the first time. Caminos talks about someone who "drives like a bitch."
Lucia prologue: A four-and-a-half-minute video of a prologue introducing Caminos; the clip includes minor story spoilers.
24-minute extended leak: A long video featuring multiple vehicular races, car customization, first-person gameplay, and both protagonists rendered in the nude.
The latest Cyberleek video ended with an allusion to some sort of long-term "project," the likes of which we know nothing about. It's not clear if more leaks are coming or not, but given the October dump, it's possible we'll see more from Cyberleek before the game launches in November.
You can see the game officially nowSpeaking of the Netflix trailer, it's now on YouTube in all of its 26-minute glory. There were plenty of little details that Cyberleek never showed, such as gameplay footage of Lucia, among many other things. If you want a real idea of how GTA 6 works, you're probably better off watching the Netflix video than anything Cyberleek posted at this point.
Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.
Updated on Friday, Aug. 28 at 1:30 p.m. ET — We've updated this story with additional details.
Updated on Wednesday, Aug. 26 at 3:20 p.m. ET — We've updated this story with details on Rockstar's statement and additional GTA 6 leaks.
Updated on Tuesday, Aug. 25 at 11:40 a.m. ET — We've updated this story to reflect the latest Cyberleek videos.
Updated on Monday, Aug. 24 at 1:30 p.m. ET — We've updated this story to reflect the latest Cyberleek leaks.
Updated on Friday, Aug. 21 at 3:00 p.m. ET — Take-Two Interactive Software Inc., the parent company of Grand Theft Auto-maker Rockstar Games, has filed two subpoenas naming Microsoft and Discord as it hunts the leaker known as Cyberleek. The legal filings specifically cite "stolen content," seemingly confirming that the leaks are legitimate. Take-Two is also requesting the removal of leaked material that violates its copyrights, as well as information that could unmask the leakers. Read more about the Microsoft and Discord subpoenas.
Updated on Thursday, Oct. 8 at 2:15 p.m. ET — We've updated the story to reflect the latest Cyberleek leaks.
Save 50%: As of Oct. 8, the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones are on sale for $198 at Amazon, knocking $201.99 off their $399.99 list price.
Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-1000XM5 $198 at AmazonJust one month ago, Sony launched a pair of mid-tier headphones targeted toward the more budget conscious consumer who didn't want to sacrifice quality. Who knew that 30 days later, Sony would be offering a deal on its former flagship headphones that offered an even better value?
As of Oct. 8, the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones are on sale for $198, bringing them down to their lowest price ever, and slashing $201.99 off their total price of $399.99. At first glance, this already looks like a pretty great deal. The context behind it, however, makes it even better.
Let's start with how these headphones compare to the current flagship model, the WH-1000XM6 headphones. While the XM6s come with some minor upgrades, including improvements in sound and folding ear cups, in my head-to-head comparison, I didn't find any wild discrepancies between the two headphones. They're visually very similar and have the same exact battery life. While the XM6's eke out as a slightly better pair overall, they also retail for $459.99 at full price (and are currently on sale for $378). In other words, even on sale they're $180 more — expensive enough that you could nearly buy the XM5s on sale twice over.
SEE ALSO: The 13 best headphones of 2026: We tested the top contenders from Sony, Apple, Bose, and BeatsThat's not all. The new WH-1000XM4C from Sony were designed for people who didn't need the best of the best, but still wanted a solid-performing pair of headphones that could stand the test of time. Being a newer pair, they didn't go on sale for October Prime Day and are currently available for their list price of $299.99. Considering they're still over $100 more expensive than the XM5s, the choice seems a no-brainer, unless you're really committed to the look of the XM4Cs or having folding ear cups (which the XM5s do not).
Amazon's flagged the pink XM5s as a "deal selling fast," and the only other color available, on sale, and still in stock is the midnight blue, so if you're interested, you'll want to act sooner rather than later.
When I read on NPR this week that people are turning to ChatGPT to tell them how to vote, I shook my head. Here we go again, I thought: another search for the easy way out. Voting is too serious of a right to turn over the thought process to AI.
Then I ran the experiment myself, and while I still stand by my old-world views of doing the homework yourself, I must admit that, barring just voting blindly, AI might be better than doing nothing at all.
Politics has been my obsession for as long as I can remember. In college, one of my top goals was to become a press secretary on Capitol Hill. I got there at 23, the youngest press secretary on the Hill at the time, and spent seven years there before moving into a career in public relations.
Now, in a bit of a full-circle moment, I'm an opinion columnist writing about politics for several sites. That’s why I have always taken the right to vote very seriously, and for most of my life, I prided myself on voting for the best person, not the party.
That self-imposed rule came undone in recent years. I won't pretend otherwise.
But my politics are beside the point here. Because of who I am, and my encyclopedic knowledge of politics, my friends, neighbors and family from all over the country reach out to ask who they should vote for in their districts and states.
SEE ALSO: Who are we expecting to save us from AI?Until a few years ago, I never would have offered a name or a party. I'd tell them to pick the issues they care about most, go to each candidate's website, see where they stand, and decide who has the best point of view or gets the most done. I tried to be impartial.
So, to see if they, too, could be impartial, I asked ChatGPT and Claude, "Who should I vote for?"
Both gave me essentially the answer I give my friends. Neither gave recommendations. Both pointed me toward finding my ballot, choosing my issues and checking the candidates' records. When I listed the issues, both laid out a side-by-side comparison of where the candidates stand.
That is a shortcut, but it's a shortcut to the research, not around it. So, before I proceed, I won’t be using AI to help me cast my ballot, but if all else fails for you, then maybe it’s not such a bad idea.
I say this with a hint of reservation, and with consideration for how most voters get their information, and that’s through the impartiality of political ads. They begin running ad nauseam the Tuesday after Labor Day and repeat over and over and over again until Election Day.
When you mouth the words coming out of the candidate’s mouth as their ad runs, you know you’ve seen it one too many times.
That’s intentional. Drumming messaging into the heads of voters is a time-honored tradition. And those ads have an implicit call to action. They are built to make you angry or to make you cheer, to vow to vote with or against someone. They can also be misleading and downright mean-spirited.
For many Americans juggling jobs, kids, extracurriculars and managing budgets, those 30-second spots are the only contact they might have with the people asking for their vote. Relying on those ads is not the best way to determine who to vote for, but sometimes it’s the only option available.
Compared with that, an AI assistant that helps you map out a strategy and gives you a quick, organized take on where candidates stand looks like a step up.
I'm not suggesting this replaces the real work. It's still best to read the candidates' own platforms, do your own research and dig into the records. And sure, reach out to friends or acquaintances who might know a little more than you.
I may be old-fashioned, but I still believe in carefully weighing every candidate. However, for those short on time, getting a little help from an AI tool is far better than being swayed by attack ads, guessing blindly, or closing your eyes and picking a name at random.
There is one condition, and it matters more than anything else. If you take the time to ask the question and figure out where the candidates stand, you must take the time to act on it. Vote. Whether you drop your ballot in the mail or step into a booth, nothing beats the pride of knowing you did your civic duty, and that you took the time to prepare and do it right.
Someday, as AI spreads into every corner of our lives, you may be able to tell an assistant who you want to vote for and it will handle the rest. Don’t laugh, because snail-mail ballots might be the last vestige of doing things the old-fashioned way.
Stranger things have happened. But if it ever comes to that, I'll do it the tried and true way, just as I prefer to research my candidates on my own.
This article represents the opinions of its writer.
John Casey is a columnist at Raw Story, the Advocate, Daily Beast, and Outsports. He's also the author of Love: The Heroic Stories of Marriage Equality.
If you haven't been able to get your hands on Nintendo's special-edition Legend of Zelda Switch 2 console yet, plan on camping out at your local Best Buy next month.
In a press release Thursday, the electronics chain confirmed that some of its stores will have the Zelda 40th Anniversary Switch 2 available in limited quantities on Nov. 5, at its late-night launch events for The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time. The system's matching Pro Controller will also be up for grabs while supplies last.
These launch events will kick off at 12 a.m. ET on Nov. 5 or the local equivalent. Best Buy stores in the Central Time Zone will open at 11 p.m., West Coast stores will open at 9 p.m., and so on. You can find participating stores near you using Best Buy's store locator tool.
Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo Nintendo Switch 2 "The Legend of Zelda" 40th Anniversary Edition $519.99 at Best BuyGamers who preorder a physical copy of Ocarina of Time from Best Buy will be able to pick it up in person during the festivities. If you already opted to have a preorder delivered, you can change it to store pickup on the Purchase History page of your My Best Buy account.
Featuring gold Triforce accents and green Joy-Con 2 controllers, the Zelda Switch 2 system has been extremely difficult to buy since it first went up for preorder on Sept. 8. (It's set for release on Oct. 29.) GameSpot reported that it sold out "immediately" and spotted reseller listings on eBay with 50% markups. Nintendo has randomly dropped restocks over the past few weeks, but they go fast. At the time of writing, it was out of stock everywhere.
The Zelda Switch 2 costs $519.99, or $30 more than the standard version of the console (which got a $50 price hike this fall amid "RAMageddon"). Of note, it does not include a copy of Nintendo's Ocarina of Time remake — you have to buy the game separately. The Zelda 40th Anniversary Pro Controller costs $99.99, and it's also sold out everywhere.
A physical copy of Ocarina of Time will set you back $69.99, though preorders have been discounted for the last few weeks at Amazon and Walmart (which both promise free release-day delivery). The digital version of the game costs $59.99 and can be pre-loaded on your Switch 2 console so you can play it as soon as it's out.
"The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time" (Nintendo Switch 2) $59.88 at WalmartSave 53%: As of Oct. 8, the Bose QuietComfort headphones are still down at their record-low Prime Big Deal Days price of $169 at Amazon. At full price, these headphones cost $359, saving you $190.
Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose QuietComfort headphones (1st gen) $169 at AmazonPrime Big Deal Days may be over, but one of the best deals of the sale is very much still live.
The first-generation Bose QuietComfort headphones may not be the latest from the brand, but they dropped to an impressive record low of of $169 during the sale, slashing 53% off their $359 list price. As of Oct. 8, the deal is still available in six different colorways. In addition to Amazon, you can also find it live at Bose's website and Best Buy.
My colleague and fellow audio tester, Samantha Mangino, wrote earlier this year about how these headphones are her go-tos: they're comfortable enough to easily wear all day (with earrings and glasses on), sound great, offer excellent active noise cancellation, and have intuitive tactile controls on the ear cups. The battery life is OK at 24 hours, and the multipoint pairing can be less than consistent at times (a common problem with Bose), but for the most part, these headphones punch far above what I'd expect from a $170 price point.
SEE ALSO: We tested every pair of Bose headphones and earbuds. We found 5 we love, and 1 to buy on sale.Though I'm a big fan of the recently released second-generation QuietComfort headphones, which come with a slightly different design and immersive audio, on sale those headphones are still $319. For getting the most bang for your buck, the original QuietComforts are still the way to go. And they have removable ear cushions, which helps for future-proofing. All in all, at this price point, these headphones offer an excellent value.
It doesn't always feel like Microsoft and Apple are heated rivals in the laptop space these days, but now and then, we get a glimpse of what used to be.
In this case, Microsoft just debuted its own take on Apple's MagSafe mechanism for charging laptops. It's a magnetic USB-C port on the newly announced Microsoft Surface Laptop Ultra, and it works exactly as it sounds: once you get the connector close enough, it snaps right on with the power of magnets.
SEE ALSO: Microsoft's Surface Laptop Ultra is an AI supercomputer dressed as a laptop This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Microsoft is calling it "Magnetic Connect" and is touting it as the first built-in magnetic USB-C port on a laptop. There are similar options from third-party vendors, but they aren't built in. Meanwhile, Apple's MagSafe mechanism uses magnets, but it's not USB-C, so it seems like Microsoft's claim holds some water here.
Probably the most important detail here is that you can still plug any old USB-C connector into the port, which gives it a leg up over MagSafe. Apple's version of this uses a proprietary connector that isn't really useful for anything other than its intended use.
The biggest problem is that the Surface Laptop Ultra starts at a staggering $2,599. Maybe you can live without a magnetic USB-C connector, in that case.
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SAVE $1,302: The 100-inch Hisense E7 Cinema Series QLED TV is on sale for $1,697.99, down from the normal price of $2,999.99. That's a 43% discount.
Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense 100-inch Hisense E7 Cinema Series QLED TV $1,697.99October Prime Day is over according to the official dates, but that doesn't mean the deals are dry. If you forgot about the sale or got stuck in a purchase indecision loop, no sweat, because there's a TV deal in store at Amazon that is well worth some attention.
As of Oct. 8, the 100-inch Hisense E7 Cinema Series QLED TV is on sale for $1,697.99, down from the normal price of $2,999.99. That's a 43% discount that shaves a major $1,302 off the price and marks the best price we've ever spotted at Amazon.
A 100-inch TV is a real treat. Unless you want an art TV, going with a giant model is a great way to turn streaming sessions into an optimal experience. The 100-inch Hisense will be awesome for watching fall's best sporting events and streaming shows.
SEE ALSO: The 15+ best Prime Day tech deals still live: Last chance deals on MacBooks, TVs, headphones, and moreIn addition to the QLED display, the TV hits a native refresh rate of 144Hz, which means you'll be able to game all winter on this model. Hisense also used AI Smooth Motion with this model, so your action movies will look better than ever.
Before this lingering Prime Day deal expires, snag the 100-inch Hisense E7 Cinema Series QLED TV while saving over $1,300.
In the aftermath of Prime Big Deal Days, Amazon quietly dropped a new line of tablets now powered by Android with access to the Google Play Store. The lineup includes three new tablets, all with an aluminum unibody construction, similar to the design of the new Kindles.
As you might guess from the name, Alexa Tablets are built to run on Alexa+, Amazon's most advanced voice assistant. This also marks the retailer's transition away from Fire Tablets, likely to be phased out in favor of the new Alexa Tablets.
Here's what we know about the new Amazon Alexa tablets.
Meet the new Amazon Alexa TabletsThe new Amazon Alexa tablets are available in three sizes: 12 inches, 11 inches, and 8.7 inches. The 12-inch unit, the Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro, is Amazon's most advanced tablet yet while the 11 and 8, offer mid- and budget-range options.
All of the new tablets run on Android, an upgrade from the Fire Tablets, which ran on Amazon's native system. This means that the tablets finally have the Google Play Store, making millions of apps now available on Amazon's tablets.
Plus, Amazon has made the Alexa Tablets more functional for the tasks you do the most. Now, they have a built-in Kindle sanctuary on the devices. When you open the Kindle app, the tablet goes distraction-free by silencing notifications, reducing blue light, and stretching battery life.
Here's a breakdown of the tablet models and prices:
Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro (available in standard or Nanomatte) — $499.99 to $679.99
Amazon Alexa Tablet 11 (64GB or 128GB) — $329.99 to $379.99
Amazon Alexa Tablet 8 (64GB or 128GB) — $229.99 to $279.99
As Apple's iPad Pro features two different screen types, Amazon did something similar with the design of the Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro. The new premium tablet comes in a standard display or Nanomatte, a new precision-etched anti-glare technology. Amazon partnered with Corning to craft the process that makes the nearly undetectable textured glass. It allows you to read in any angle or light without glare.
Designed for the Alexa Tablet 12 Pro are two new accessories, the Alexa Tablet Pro Pen and Alexa Tablet Pro Keyboard. Both turn the tablet into a full work setup for a laptop-like experience.
It starts at $499.99 and is available for preorder now, shipping as soon as Oct. 14.
Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Alexa Tablet 12 Pro $499.99 at AmazonIn addition to the 12 Pro, Amazon has released the Alexa Tablet 11 and 8.
The Amazon Alexa Tablet 11 is an 11-inch tablet with a 16:10 aspect ratio. It comes with 8GB of RAM and dual Dolby Atmos speakers. Its new aluminum casing comes in matcha, amethyst, and graphite. It starts at $329.99.
For a more budget-friendly option, there's the Amazon Alexa Tablet 8. It's the best size for readers who want to log hours on the Kindle app. It weighs just 329g and is 7.95mm thin. It has 4GB of RAM and an 8-core processor. It comes in graphite, rosette, and teal. It starts at $229.99.
Both tablets are available for preorder now, to be released Oct. 14.
Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Alexa Tablet 11 $329.99 at AmazonYou can't scroll through TikTok without seeing someone using a pocket mic in their videos. These little gadgets have become a staple for content creators, and the UGC mic market continues to expand.
Our favorite brands are DJI and Rode, but a hot new bombshell has entered the scene. On Oct. 8, Sony introduced the ECM-AX10 spatial audio microphone.
Sony ECM-AX10 price and specsSony's new spatial audio microphone retails for $249.99 and is available for preorder now.
The ECM-AX10 comes with a wind screen to cut down outdoor noises. Credit: SonyThis is the first Eclipsa Audio-certified microphone for smartphones, and it features the following:
Four omnidirectional microphone capsules
USB-C connection
Three recording modes: Ambisonics, binaural, stereo
Weight: 24 grams
Selfie mode for front and rear alignment
3.5mm headphone output
Noise cut filter
Included accessories: Wind screen, extension USB-C cable, cold-shoe microphone holder
Unlike most pocket mics, the Sony ECM-AX10 attaches directly to your phone — there aren't separate receivers or microphones. So, you don't have to hold anything or clip anything to your clothes.
It's designed to capture spatial audio, not just voice pickup. It's ideal for recording live concerts and shows, sporting events, travel, and city walks — any type of content where the background noise is part of the ambiance.
Capture the full sonic scene of a live music session with the ECM-AX10 mic. Credit: SonyThe ECM-AX10 houses four omnidirectional microphone capsules and has three recording formats. Ambisonics recording uses four mic capsules to capture spatial audio for immersive and Eclipsa Audio production, binaural recording captures audio best for two-channel headphone listening, and stereo recording is your standard two-channel audio for broad speaker compatibility. Sony has a dedicated Spatial Audio Video Tool app where you can edit the footage and sound that you capture.
The microphone has a built-in accelerometer that automatically detects the mic's tilt angle, so your audio is aligned with your video, no matter your phone's orientation. On the mic itself, you'll find a peak-level meter, a spatial/stereo mode switch, an ATT switch (loud-sound protection), a Noise Cut filter, a selfie mode switch, and a 3.5-millimeter headphone jack.
If you mostly make talking head content in your home, you're probably better off with a cheaper DJI Mic Mini or Rode Micro. But the Sony ECM-AX10 would be an awesome investment for creators whose content focuses on immersive, atmospheric, or spatial experiences, or those who just want rich, full sound in their videos.
Your iPad already has your inbox, shopping tabs, and unfinished to-do list. Now Meta wants to put an AI agent in charge of making some progress on them.
Meta’s Muse is now available on iPad, as announced in an Oct. 7 Threads post, following its Sept. 8 mobile debut. The free app’s latest update adds iPad support alongside more connections to the services people use for work and everyday tasks.
If you’ve missed Muse’s arrival, the pitch is an agentic AI assistant that can help you complete a variety of everyday tasks, such as booking reservations, ordering groceries, managing appointments, and making purchases. Users choose which accounts to connect, giving the agent access to particular parts of their digital lives.
There’s already considerable interest. Muse has surpassed an estimated 6.6 million installs.
SEE ALSO: 10 ways to use Meta's Muse AI app, from flight credits to outfit ideas An AI assistant with business ambitionsThe update also makes Meta’s small-business ambitions pretty clear. Its App Store release notes list connectors for Asana, Canva, Dropbox, Figma, QuickBooks, GitHub, Klaviyo, Zoom, and Meta ad accounts, plus Granola and Notion.
Meta says users can give Muse a business goal and have it plan marketing content, build client pitches, and create product pages, with their approval. The company announced its small-business push on Sept. 29. That’s a fairly ambitious job description for an app that’s barely a month old.
Shopping is another part of the push. Meta announced more retail partners at Connect, including Best Buy, Gap, Sephora, Walmart, and Wayfair, expanding the places Muse can shop on users' behalf.
There’s a catch, though: Websites can mistake an AI assistant for an unwanted bot and block it. Meta says it’s working with industry partners on an open standard that would let personal agents identify themselves to businesses, but Amazon has already taken steps to block Muse altogether.
Handing an AI agent the keys to your digital life has already raised concerns.
As Mashable reported, one user said Muse shared his home address and arranged a Facebook Marketplace pickup without checking with him first. Separately, columnist Jason Aten alleged Muse accessed private messages he hadn’t authorized it to read. And on Oct. 3 Wired reportedly found instructions for Muse to compile profiles of users' friends, family, and colleagues. As Muse expands to more devices and services, Meta will have to make its boundaries as clear as its ambitions.
SEE ALSO: Big banks are worried AI agents could increase the risk of scams and fraudWant to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.
With just over a month until Grand Theft Auto VI launches and America experiences an unprecedented flood of PTO requests, Rockstar has given us another taste of the game's musical identity.
The GTA VI developer posted an entry on its official website detailing several of the game's in-game radio stations, giving us an idea of what to expect both in terms of music and their interstitial talking bits. The six stations detailed in the blog post are as follows:
Cocoteo FM: A Latin radio station for all your reggaeton and merengue needs.
Back Country Radio: A country radio station with hosts including Morgan Wallen, Lana Del Rey, and Jeremy Dufrene.
AfroBank FM: A station devoted to African music from across the decades, up until now.
The Chamber 106.6: The requisite '80s-and-beyond metal station, with hosts Tom Araya and Kerry King of Slayer.
Flash FM: A pop station that seems to be the only holdover from GTA: Vice City so far, hosted by Robyn and model Alex Consani.
Dirty South Classics: A Southern rap station, naturally, hosted by Trick Daddy and Trina.
Interestingly, you can sample each of these stations on a separate page on Rockstar's website. People on social media have also already started compiling every song that's been confirmed on the radio so far. That's on top of what we've heard on the official soundtrack album and what we heard in the Netflix trailer that aired in August.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Rockstar's blog post did not go into much detail about this, but there are apparently also on-demand in-game podcasts for Jason and Lucia to listen to. Both podcasts and radio stations can be listened to either while driving or walking around, the latter being justified by earbuds that connect to the protagonists' smartphones.
Only about five weeks left to wait, folks.
We thought we were done with notorious Grand Theft Auto VI leaker known only as Cyberleek, but we were proven wrong on Thursday with a fresh GTA 6 leak.
The still-anonymous leaker (or group of leakers) posted their first update since late August, in the form of a nearly 25-minute-long video that's easy enough to find on social media. It's our most detailed look yet at the hotly anticipated game from Rockstar, at least outside of the official "Extended Look" that aired on Netflix in August.
If you manage to find the video, be warned: Major portions of it are strictly not safe for work. It includes a lot of footage of Jason, the male protagonist, walking around completely nude, and everything is modeled in full detail. It's unclear if this is something you can actually do in the final game, or if Cyberleek used some kind of developer tools to pull it off. There are a couple of bits of evidence pointing to the latter; NPCs do not react at all to Jason's nudity, and at one point, the person playing the leaked build spawns a tank out of thin air, suggesting capabilities beyond what normal players will be able to do.
SEE ALSO: Jason from 'GTA 6' feuds with Link from 'The Legend of Zelda' on 'SNL's Weekend UpdateThere is also a very brief clip of Lucia, the game's other protagonist, who is seen mostly nude at the very end of the video. There was some speculation earlier in the week that nudity would be part of the game, and it seems like it's at least partially confirmed now.
Beyond the NSFW bits, nothing in the video is all that surprising. We see a couple of different vehicular races, both of which are pre-empted by cutscenes introducing the characters in charge of racing in the countryside and on city streets. These cutscenes aren't especially spoiler-heavy, but if you're really precious about not seeing them ahead of release, you should probably avoid Cyberleek's latest GTA 6 leaks.
We also get a brief look at vehicle customization, which includes the ability to upgrade the engine, transmission, and other aspects of cars. There's also some footage of the game being played in first-person, both while driving and walking around. This was a popular feature Rockstar added to GTA 5 years after release (and incorporated into Red Dead Redemption II), but it hasn't been shown in GTA 6 yet.
As a reminder, GTA 6 is out on Nov. 19 and is available for preorder now for Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5.
SAVE $215: As of Oct. 8, the ASUS ROG Strix 27-inch Glossy OLED monitor (XG27AQDMGR) is on sale for just $384 at Amazon instead of its usual $599. That's 36% in post-Prime Day savings.
Opens in a new window Credit: ASUS ASUS ROG Strix 27-inch OLED Monitor (XG27AQDMGR) $384 at AmazonIf you have the post-Prime Day blues, this gaming monitor deal might cheer you up. For those looking to switch to an OLED setup, the ASUS ROG Strix XG27AQDMGR is now the cheapest it's ever been.
As of Oct. 8, the ASUS ROG Strix 27-inch Glossy OLED monitor is down to just $384 at Amazon. It's usually $599 and recently dropped to $399 during Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days event. Miraculously, after the sale concluded, it dropped to its lowest price ever. That's 36% in total savings.
The XG27AQDMGR packs a 27-inch 1440p TrueBlack Glossy WOLED panel with a buttery smooth 240Hz refresh rate, 0.03ms response time, and peak brightness of 1,300 nits. Other features include AMD FreeSync Premium Pro technology and NVIDIA G-SYNC compatibility, VESA DisplayHDR 400 True Black compliance, and a 99% DCI-P3 gamut. If all the tech mumbo jumbo is foreign to you, that essentially means its colors are vibrant, it's plenty bright for most setups, and it's designed for efficient gaming and beyond.
If the risk of burn-in is what's keeping you from upgrading to an OLED monitor, ASUS monitors have a built-in Neo Proximity Sensor that detects when you step away and switches your screen to black to protect it. ASUS OLED Care Pro also provides a full suite of customizable settings to protect your panel and ensure its longevity. It's not foolproof, but it's certainly nice to have.
Who cares if you missed October Prime Day? At over $200 off its list price, this is the perfect excuse to grab a big-ticket OLED monitor for less.
SAVE $150: Amazon still has the brand-new Apple Mac mini on sale following its Prime Big Deal Days event. Some of the M6 and M5 Pro variants are down to all-time low prices.
Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Mac mini (M6, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $949.99 at AmazonICYMI, Mashable's shopping team spotted over 20 Apple devices and accessories that were on sale for record-low prices during Prime Big Deal Days, Amazon's "October Prime Day" sale on Oct. 6 and 7. Surprisingly, most of those deals are still live even though the sale is over — even a $150 discount on the brand-new Mac mini.
Right now, three variants of Apple's latest mini PC with the M6 and M5 Pro chips are still up for grabs at their lowest prices yet, starting from just $949.99. That translates to up to 14% in savings, which is a pretty decent discount for a fresh Apple product that's less than a month old. Plus, you don't have to be a Prime member in order to be eligible for the deals.
Remember: The new Mac minis launched at much higher prices than their predecessors due to the ongoing memory shortage, so buying them on sale is a great call. Take your pick from the following configurations:
Apple Mac mini (M6, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $949.99 $1,099.99 (save $149.01)
Apple Mac mini (M6, 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,149.99 $1,299.99 (save $149.01)
Apple Mac mini (M5 Pro, 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,549 $1,699 (save $150)
The base Mac mini with an M6 chip, 16GB of memory, and 256GB of storage is currently on sale, too, but at $779.99 (normally $899), it's $10 away from its all-time low.
The Mac mini is Apple's most compact desktop computer. Credit: AppleThe Mac mini is a popular choice for AI enthusiasts, and Apple says its new chips offer up four times faster AI performance (plus up to twice as fast graphics and storage). They also have the latest wireless connectivity options, WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 6.0, and can drive up to three displays at once. The M6 model has two USB-C ports, an HDMI port, an Ethernet port, and three Thunderbolt 4 ports, which the M5 Pro one swaps for faster Thunderbolt 5 ports.
After testing the M6 Mac mini, our sister site, PCMag, named it an Editor's Choice winner and deemed it "a good-value powerhouse for most everything you’ll want to do on a Mac." The version with an M5 Pro chip is much more powerful in demanding multi-core workloads and better-suited for professional creatives and AI developers.
Now, the question is: Should you buy a Mac mini now or wait to see if they get even cheaper in a couple weeks on Black Friday? According to our previous coverage, the base model of the older M4 Mac mini was $120 off over the holidays last year, while an upgraded M4 Pro model was $200 off. You might score some additional savings down the road, though you also run the risk of certain configurations selling out.
TL;DR: Krispy Kreme launched a limited-edition Halloween lineup featuring Bugs Bunny, Lola Bunny, Taz, Tweety, and Sylvester. You can grab four brand-new flavored doughnuts in custom specialty dozens, or score a free Original Glazed doughnut just by wearing a costume on Oct. 30-31.
Halloween season just got a whole lot more exciting. Krispy Kreme is officially teaming up with Warner Bros. Discovery to drop a nostalgia-heavy Looney Tunes Halloween Collection, bringing classic Saturday-morning cartoon icons straight into the doughnut case.
The new limited-time lineup features four custom treats starring Bugs Bunny, Lola Bunny, Taz, and the ultimate chaos duo, Tweety and Sylvester — each decked out in their own spooky costume.
The drop comes right on the heels of the new Looney Tunes movie Coyote vs. Acme, finally hitting theaters, so the timing couldn't be better for a cartoon throwback. Here's what you're actually eating in this four-doughnut lineup:
Bugs Bunny Doughnut — An unglazed shell packed with chocolate dulce Kreme filling, dipped in glossy red dulce icing, and finished off with chocolate drizzles, black bat-shaped sprinkles, and a sugar piece of Bugs dressed as a vampire.
Taz Doughnut — Made for total cookie lovers, this unglazed shell is stuffed with Oreo Cookies & Kreme, dipped in chocolate icing, rolled in crushed Oreo pieces, and wrapped up with neon green icing drizzles and a Taz Mummy sugar piece.
Lola Bunny Doughnut — Built for original glazed purists, this one takes Krispy Kreme's signature ring base and dresses it up with a purple buttercreme-flavored swirl, sparkling gold star sprinkles, and a Lola Bunny Witch sugar piece.
Tweety & Sylvester Doughnut — Leaning into classic Halloween vibes, an Original Glazed ring gets dipped in candy corn-flavored icing, covered in yellow, white, and orange confetti sprinkles, and topped with a sugar piece showing Sylvester poking out of a jack-o'-lantern with Tweety sitting right on his head.
You can pick up the Looney Tunes lineup individually, as part of a custom Looney Tunes Halloween Specialty Dozen, or bundled up with a second box of Original Glazed rings for party catering. If you don't live near an official shop, Krispy Kreme is also shipping fresh 6-packs directly to select grocery chains and retailers like Publix and Kroger throughout the month.
Krispy Kreme is also running its annual Halloween freebie promo along with the drop. If you walk into any participating location wearing a full Halloween costume on Friday, Oct. 30, or Saturday, Oct. 31, you get a free Original Glazed or classic ring doughnut with zero purchase required.
Head over to your nearest shop or check the app to order a dozen before the limited run wraps up after Halloween night.
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