IT General

I tested sleep earbuds for a few months: Here are the 3 Id buy

Mashable - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 20:03

Getting proper sleep can help improve nearly every aspect of your health, but over a third of adults in the United States don't get enough of it, according to the CDC.

If a noisy environment is what's keeping you up at night, you've likely considered foam earplugs, but those are no longer the only option available on the market — reusable earplugs and sleep earbuds offer a more convenient alternative.

SEE ALSO: Dodow review: A simple sleep gadget that's best for back sleepers

I spent a month and a half trying out earplugs and earbuds ranging from $50 to $349 to find the best of what's out on the market — and to see if getting earbuds just for sleep is actually worth it.

With October Prime Day falling on Oct. 7 and 8, there's a strong potential for our top picks to go on sale, whether you're looking for earplugs or earbuds that can stream audio. Already ahead of the sale, our top pick — the Soundcore Sleep A20 earbuds — is on sale for $43 off for Prime members. Our noise-cancelling pick, the Sleep A30 earbuds, just released in August, so they may or may not go on sale. However, Loop earplugs — which make our top earplug pick — tend to get markdowns during Amazon's sales.

Note: Following the Ozlo Sleepbuds price increase to $349, we have decided we can no longer recommend them, especially in comparison to other premium options like the Anker Soundcore Sleep A30 earbuds, which cost $229.99. If you're dead set on the Ozlo Sleepbuds, they did recently go on sale for $299, but we don't anticipate they'll drop much lower during Prime Big Deal Days, if they go on sale at all.

How are sleep earbuds different than normal earbuds?

First, a confession: I used to wear AirPods nearly every night to sleep. More accurately, I used to wear a single AirPod so I could actually sleep on my side.

After testing earbuds designed for sleeping, I can tell you that everyday earbuds don't match up to the sleep earbud experience. For starters, standard earbuds aren't designed to be worn while you're lying on your side, so they often stick out of your ears and put hard plastic in contact with your ear. Not to mention, earbuds typically cap out at six to seven hours of battery life per charge, so if you're getting at least eight hours of sleep, you run the risk of interrupting it with the sound of your earbuds powering off.

Sleep earbuds, like the Soundcore A20 ones pictured in the middle, have a much thinner profile than traditional earbuds. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

Sleep earbuds, on the other hand, can offer white noise options, better battery life, and significantly more comfort (that actually allows you to wear more than one earbud at a time). The pairs I tested came without microphones and with touch controls that worked but were less sensitive than traditional earbuds, so you can lie on your side without activating them. When I initially tested options for this guide, there weren't really any with active noise cancellation, but that has since changed thanks to the Soundcore Sleep A30 earbuds. Still, you'd be surprised at how well passive noise cancellation, a good fit, and white noise work.

SEE ALSO: The 7 best earbuds to buy in 2025 from Bose, Sony, and more Is it safe to wear earbuds to sleep every night?

First and foremost, it's important to consider that sleep earbuds aren't the only way to approach nighttime noises that might be keeping you up.

I consulted Dr. Ashley Kita, an otolaryngologist and assistant professor in the Department of Head and Neck Surgery at UCLA, to discuss any risks associated with wearing earbuds all night. While she didn't warn against using earbuds, she suggested that if what's keeping you up is a partner's snoring, you start looking for solutions there.

SEE ALSO: Bose's new earbuds are on sale, plus more of the best earbuds deals ahead of October Prime Day

"If you're doing all of this to avoid a partner who is snoring, sometimes gently encouraging that person to investigate why they're snoring is kind of an important consideration," Kita said. "Because we find that obstructive sleep apnea is really underdiagnosed, and snoring, for some people, is the only sign of it."

If, however, what's keeping you up is less in your control, then you do want to be aware of three main aspects of using earbuds all night: proper hygiene, safe noise levels, and your ear comfort.

Proper hygiene

When I started testing these earbuds, I realized I was now wearing earbuds uninterrupted for longer than I typically would in the course of a day, even as someone who tests headphones for a living. When I asked Dr. Kita how that wear time might raise someone's risk for infection, she drew a comparison to the wear time of hearing aids:

"Many individuals wear hearing aids for longer hours during the day than they sleep at night," she said. And yet, folks who wear hearing aids don't often have ear infections, though long wear times may increase their risk.

SEE ALSO: How to set up Hearing Aid mode on your AirPods

With the long wear times, Kita said the main concern she could anticipate was wax buildup since the natural path for wax to exit the ear canal would be blocked. However, she said it's not necessarily a cause for concern, as wax can typically exit the ear canal at other points during the day when you're not wearing earbuds (or blocking your ear canal in any other way).

As for any heightened infection risk, Kita shared that it can increase when there's greater wax buildup that can then trap bacteria. She recommended cleaning the buds with isopropyl alcohol and a cotton pad after each use, if possible. (One of the brands we tested, Ozlo, recommends a weekly cleaning.) With all that said, someone's risk for infection really comes down to personal susceptibility — some people are more prone to ear infections than others. If you fall into that category, being more proactive about cleaning your earbuds is a good practice.

Noise levels

Noise-induced hearing loss is the second most common type of hearing loss (behind age-related hearing loss), so it's important to be aware of the level of noise you expose yourself to. Kita pointed me in the direction of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA) chart for how long people can be exposed to certain decibel levels safely.

In its FAQ, Ozlo also cites OSHA's recommendation, as well as the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health's recommendations, which top out at 90 decibels and 85 decibels for eight hours, respectively. We reached out to a rep from Soundcore to see if its earbuds have specific upper decibel limits, and will update this guide when we hear back. In general, though, Kita said the less noise, the better, recommending that you always try to use the lowest volume possible.

SEE ALSO: Video game industry makes it easier to find accessible games for disabled players

"While I don't necessarily love the idea of extra noise when you're not even conscious to appreciate it, if it's the thing that's keeping you asleep or letting you sleep, it just comes in this category of risks and benefits," Kita said. "Just make sure that it's quiet enough, then it really isn't that much different than using a white noise machine on your nightstand."

Comfort

Earbuds fitting comfortably is important for you to be able to fall asleep, but also for your ear health.

"Everyone's ear canal is shaped differently," Kita said. "And so something that might be really comfortable for your ears might really cause my ears to ache."

In other words, giving yourself earbuds-induced earaches every night can actually impact your ear health. If one of the below recommendations really isn't sitting right, even with adjustments to the ear tip sizes, don't be afraid to return them.

The best earbuds for sleeping

Below, I pulled three of the best sleep earbuds on the market. Between the overall, upgrade, and earplug picks, there's a wide range of price points, but as with any product, the most expensive of the bunch isn't necessarily the best overall. With that in mind, I highlighted where each earbud excelled, whether that be in comfort, noise cancellation, or ease of use, to help you pick the best sleep earbud possible.

UPDATE: Aug. 18, 2025, 9:45 a.m. EDT As of April 2024, the Ozlo Sleepbuds increased in price from $299 to $349 on Ozlo's website and Amazon in the United States due to tariffs. While we initially scaled back our recommendation to only grabbing them on sale, since testing the Soundcore Sleep A30s, which offer similar feature sets for far less, we no longer recommend the Ozlo Sleepbuds as one of our top pick sleep earbuds.

Other sleep earbuds we tested

At the end of the initial testing period, the one product that didn't make the cut was the 1More Sleeping Earbuds Z30, which, at $89.99, were the least expensive earbuds I tested. While significantly cheaper than the earbuds that did make the cut, their battery life, app features, and fit didn't quite match up to the other options on my list. However, if you're looking for very barebones low-profile earbuds (and don't mind hearing them die in the early hours of the morning), these aren't a bad option under $100.

1More Sleeping Earbuds Z30 $59.99 at Amazon
Shop Now

In keeping up with my value criteria, I decided to ultimately pull the Ozlo Sleepbuds as our best upgrade pick. After their price jumped up from $299 to $349 — far outpricing our existing picks (and most premium standard ANC earbuds, for that matter) — I determined their features didn't justify their price tag. The addition of sleep tracking (which is in the works) or ANC would make these earbuds much more competitive. On that note, the newly-released Soundcore Sleep A30 took their spot, as the only sleep earbuds with ANC on the market at the time of writing.

Ozlo Sleepbuds $299 at Amazon
$349 Save $50 Shop Now
Categories: IT General, Technology

OpenAI: You can use third-party apps like Spotify and Canva in ChatGPT

Mashable - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 19:52

OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman want ChatGPT to evolve beyond a conversational tool into a full-fledged digital assistant — one that can use other apps for you. The company announced a new initiative to create a "new generation of apps in ChatGPT," allowing users to connect and interact directly with third-party services inside the chatbot.

The new feature was unveiled during OpenAI’s Dev Day, during which the company showcased several live demos highlighting how this could work in practice. In one example, ChatGPT connected to Spotify to generate a playlist based on the user’s favorite songs, created and saved automatically within the Spotify app.

SEE ALSO: Microsoft launches Copilot Mode in Edge for agentic AI browsing. How to try it.

Another demo showed an OpenAI engineer tagging Canva in the chat to design a poster for a dog-walking business. After specifying that it should look whimsical and bright with a sans-serif font, ChatGPT returned multiple poster options generated through Canva. The system prompts users for permission the first time an app is connected, but once approved, it can use that app freely in future chats.

OpenAI also demonstrated educational and real estate integrations, like creating a machine learning lesson plan via Coursera and finding homes for sale in Pittsburgh through Zillow.

Starting today, ChatGPT users can connect to apps including Spotify, Canva, Booking.com, Expedia, Coursera, Zillow, and Figma. Altman added that more integrations, such as DoorDash and Uber, are coming later this year. Additionally, developers will soon be able to submit their own apps for review and publication within ChatGPT. OpenAI also plans to launch a dedicated app directory, giving users an easier way to discover and install integrations. As for monetization, Altman says the company will share more details in the near future.

This push marks a key step in OpenAI’s broader vision of agentic AI, especially after the company recently introduced Instant Checkout, a feature that lets users make purchases directly in chat.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

Categories: IT General, Technology

This Kindle Paperwhite deal at Woot beats Amazons best-ever price

Mashable - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 19:33

SAVE $60: As of Oct. 6, you can pick up a Kindle Paperwhite at Woot for only $99.99. That's 38% off the usual list price and beats its best price ever on Amazon by $30. There's just one catch: they may have blemishes.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (16GB) $99.99 at Woot
$159.99 Save $60.00 Get Deal

With Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days event kicking off tomorrow, Oct. 7, we're expecting some of the best prices of the season on Kindle devices. But I'm fairly confident none of those deals will beat this Paperwhite deal at Amazon's daily deals site Woot (though I'm happy to be wrong).

As of Oct. 6, you can pick up a new Kindle Paperwhite (2024) at Woot for only $99.99. That's 38% or $60 off the usual list price of $159.99. The Paperwhite has only ever dropped as low as $129.99 at Amazon, so this is by far the best price we've seen on our favorite Kindle device. That's also cheaper than the most basic Kindle. But, of course, there's a slight catch.

While these Kindle Paperwhite devices are brand new, Woot writes that they "may have a slight blemish on the screen." If a tiny aesthetic imperfection is no big deal for you, then you're good to go. The device is still backed by a 90-day warranty at Woot, should any issue arise. Plus, you can always send it back if the blemish is too much of an eyesore.

As I mentioned above, the Kindle Paperwhite is our top pick for a Kindle (though I personally own the basic Kindle and also highly recommend it!). Mashable's e-reader expert Sam Mangino writes that it's "as good as an e-reader can get with its responsive interface, quick-turning pages, and lightweight design." It's also waterproof (unlike the basic Kindle), comes with adjustable screen warmth and brightness, and can last up to 12 weeks per charge.

Categories: IT General, Technology

This Tiny TP-Link Travel Router May Be Faster Than the One You Have at Home

How-To Geek - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 19:15

The TL-WR3002X AX3000 travel router is one of the fastest and most powerful models TP-Link currently offers, and it’s an easy device to recommend. If your living space is small, this, frankly, could even be the only router you need.

Categories: IT General, Technology

GIMP Photo Editor Gets More Bug Fixes Ahead of v3.2 Update

How-To Geek - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 19:09

The GIMP team has officially released the third micro-release for its stable branch, GIMP 3.0.6. While the team is hard at work on the much-anticipated GIMP 3.2, this new stable release was "really needed" because of how many bug fixes have accumulated.

Categories: IT General, Technology

AirPods deals are finally trickling in ahead of October Prime Day: Heres how to score the best deals

Mashable - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 19:01

October Prime Day is coming up quickly, but Apple AirPods deals are taking their time to trickle in.

The two-day sale, officially dubbed Prime Big Deal Days, doesn't start until Oct. 7, but we started to see early deals pop up a week in advance. There are a fair number of deals on Apple products, including AirPods — but the price cuts have been a little slower than expected.

SEE ALSO: What is Prime Big Deal Days? Everything you need to know and what deals to expect.

A day before the big sale, we're finally seeing a few significant discounts — particularly on the AirPods 4. While they haven't reached their record-low price, they're within a dollar of it. The AirPods Max have also finally dropped in price to $429.99. That's the biggest discount we've seen since Prime Day proper in July. Fingers crossed the price drops even further once the shopping event officially kicks off.

The AirPods Pro 2 are still $199 following the release of the AirPods Pro 3 — though they did very briefly fall to $169.99 for less than 24 hours. It's a little disappointing, considering the Pro 2 buds are down to $199 often enough that we consider it their standard market price. If you can, we recommend waiting until their price drops further. Historically, shopping events like Prime Day have brought the earbuds down to record-low prices.

The AirPods Pro 3, on the other hand, aren't on sale yet — though we have already seen a minor price dip following their recent release.

Below, find all the Apple AirPods deals available ahead of October Prime Day 2025.

Best AirPods deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods 4 $89.99 at Amazon
$129 Save $39.01 Get Deal Why we like it

A great value for the price, the AirPods 4 feature personalized spatial audio; voice isolation; Siri interactions; improved bass, mids, and highs; a comfortable and snug fit; and a more compact charging case that's easier to find. They come in two options: with or without active noise cancellation. Either option you choose, Mashable's reviewer noted that, "They sound like honey." Not to mention, they actually stay put in your ears when sprinting on a treadmill, which is no easy feat. Both options last up to five hours per charge (30 with the charging case), making them excellent daily drivers. If noise cancellation doesn't matter to you, the entry-level AirPods 4 are the best option for your wallet at just $89.99 ahead of October Prime Day. That's 99 cents shy of their best price on record. If you upgrade to the pair with ANC, it'll cost you an extra $50.

Read Mashable's full review of the Apple AirPods 4 with ANC.

More Apple AirPods deals
Categories: IT General, Technology

62 deals from Best Buys Techtober Sale that match or beat Amazons early Prime Day offers

Mashable - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 18:48

Amazon can never run a sale all by itself. As the retail giant gears up for its annual Prime Big Deal Days event on Oct. 7 and 8, Best Buy has kicked off a competing "Techtober Sale" that's live through Oct. 12.

A Best Buy representative tells me via email that the weeklong event includes "some of the hottest deals this fall on tech like laptops, TVs, headphones, video games, electric bikes and more." New markdowns get added to the sale every day, and all featured deals are available online, in the Best Buy mobile app, and in stores.

Best Buy's best anti-Prime Day deals at a glance: Best Apple deal Apple AirTag $19.99 (save $9.01) Get Deal Best Windows laptop deal Asus Zenbook A14 (Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $579.99 (save $420) Get Deal Best TV deal TCL 75-inch QM5K 4K QD-Mini LED TV $599.99 (save $600) Get Deal Best streaming device deal Google TV Streamer 4K $84.99 (save $15) Get Deal Best vacuum deal iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max + AutoWash Dock $599.99 (save $800) Get Deal

Amazon has been hosting a two-day fall savings event for members of its Prime program every year since 2022 — and every year since 2022, Best Buy has held its own concurrent sale. (Previously, it came in the form of a 48-Hour Flash Sale.) Best Buy also times a savings event to run alongside Amazon's big flagship Prime Day sale in July, so this sort of counter-programming is par for the course.

SEE ALSO: Amazon's October Prime Day is coming on October 7 — here are 30+ early deals to shop now

Best Buy isn't the only retailer giving Amazon a run for its money this month. Walmart is having a "Walmart Deals" event from Oct. 7 to 12, and Target is hosting one of its Circle Week sales from Oct. 5 to 11. Notably, Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days is the only event that locks its deals behind a paid membership.

I've spent several hours combing through the Techtober Sale to find the deals worth buying from Best Buy instead of Amazon this week. So far, I've identified over five dozen products that are either price-matched or cheaper at Best Buy, or only available on sale there. That's either because Amazon doesn't carry the item (see: my beloved Asus Zenbook A14, now just $580) or because it sold out on Amazon (see: the iRobot Roomba Combo 10 Max + AutoWash Dock, now just $600).

I've listed my Techtober Sale findings below, and I'm planning on refreshing them as new deals pop up throughout the week; check back soon.

Apple dealsAirPodsApple WatchesiPadsMacBooksApple accessoriesWindows laptop deals

Note: Paid My Best Buy members (Plus and Total) get a $50 bonus reward when they spend at least $499 on select Windows laptops.

2-in-1 laptopsGaming laptopsTV deals43-inch TVs50- to 58-inch TVs65-inch TVs75-inch TVs and biggerStreaming device dealsVacuum dealsRobot vacuumsStick vacuums
Categories: IT General, Technology

Corsair Void V2 Wireless Gaming Headset Is 31% Off

How-To Geek - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 18:19

You can snag the Corsair Void V2 Wireless Gaming Headset for a surprisingly low price of just $90 on Amazon right now. This is a massive 31% discount off its regular $130 price tag, which is incredible when you think about the 70 hours of battery life this headset offers.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Windows 11 25H2 Update Just Hit Another Milestone

How-To Geek - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 18:17

The long-awaited widespread availability of the Windows 11 2025 Update, officially known as version 25H2, is finally set to release. While Microsoft technically shipped the update on September 30, 2025, the rollout has taken a while, but this frustrating holding pattern will finally end.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Noise-cancelling headphones from Sony, Apple, and JLab are on sale ahead of October Prime Day

Mashable - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 18:09
Early Prime Big Deal Days noise-cancelling headphone deals Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones Deal Sony Ult Wear $249.99 (Save $101.99) Get Deal Best noise-cancelling earbuds deal Amazon Echo Buds with Active Noise Cancellation (wired case) $35 (save $85) Get Deal

Audio fans, look alive — Amazon's October Prime Day sale is about to begin. From Oct. 7 through Oct. 8, you can score discounts on just about everything the retailer has to offer. This pre-Black Friday sale is known for offering up some historically low prices on goodies from tablets to laptops and everything in between, including headphones.

SEE ALSO: What is Prime Big Deal Days? Everything you need to know and what deals to expect.

But you don't have to wait until Oct. 7 to start shopping. Amazon already has tons of deals on offer ahead of the main event on everything from MacBooks to outdoor supplies and, of course, noise-cancelling headphones. Ahead of the sale, the Apple AirPods Max headphones have dropped nearly $120 in price, while some of our budget favorites like the JLab JBuds Lux ANC and Amazon Echo Buds with ANC have also taken steep price cuts.

Below, find some of our picks for our favorite early noise-cancelling headphone October Prime Day deals.

Best noise-cancelling headphones deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Sony Ult Wear $148 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $101.99 Get Deal Why we like it

These cushy over-ear headphones are an excellent all-rounder choice if you want a good pair of noise-cancelling cans. Mashable's Miller Kern noted in her review that they "prioritize bass and provide punchy sound without sacrificing quality", and they rock 30 hours of battery life so you can listen for marathon sessions without having to charge up. Their boosted bass options, comfortable ear cups, and ability to supercharge your music, no matter what you listen to, can't be understated, and at this price, you're getting an excellent pair of headphones that can block out the world and keep you bopping too.

Check out our full review of the Sony ULT Wear headphones.

More early October Prime Day noise-cancelling headphones dealsBest noise-cancelling earbuds deal Amazon Echo Buds with Active Noise Cancellation (wired case) $34.99 at Amazon
$119.99 Save $85 Get Deal Why we like it

While these aren't the newest earbuds on the market (they came out in 2021), at $35, they do offer some of the best bang for your buck on noise-cancelling earbuds. If you can put up with a middling battery life and overly sensitive touch panels, the Echo Buds with ANC are "a steal for anyone who wants to dip their toes into the world of ANC without setting their wallet on fire," as Mashable's Alex Perry wrote in his review. This deal is exclusive to Prime members.

Check out our full review of the Amazon Echo Buds with Active Noise Cancellation.

More early October Prime Day noise-cancelling earbuds deals
Categories: IT General, Technology

The best early Prime Day deals on Dyson are already live

Mashable - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 18:07
Best October Prime Day Dyson deals Best cordless vacuum deal Dyson V11 Origin Cordless Vacuum $399.99 (save $230) Get Deal Best upright vacuum deal Dyson Ball Animal Total Clean Upright Vacuum $659.99 (save $250) Get Deal

Whether you’re a Dyson stan or not, you’d probably still agree that Dyson products have become somewhat of a “gold standard” within the industry. (I mean, that 2023 New York Times article on how Dyson’s cordless stick vacuum became a “status symbol” still lives rent-free in my head.) But premium quality usually comes with a premium price tag to match.

SEE ALSO: Amazon Prime Day vs. Black Friday: When are the deals better?

That's why we recommend waiting for a major sales event to splurge. Amazon’s October Prime Day (officially “Prime Big Deal Days”) kicks off tomorrow, Oct. 7, but a bunch of early Dyson deals are already live. We're tracking the prices across Amazon, Target, Walmart, and Dyson's own store to find the absolute best savings. Here are the top early Prime Day Dyson deals you can shop right now:

Best cordless vacuum deal Dyson V11 Origin Cordless Vacuum $399.99 at Amazon
$629.99 Save $230 Get Deal Why we like it

If you’re trying to get into the Dyson fam for less than $500, then the Dyson V11 Origin Cordless Vacuum is a solid choice. Mashable’s vacuum cleaner queen and senior shopping reporter, Leah Stodart, says the V11 line offers a decent battery life (up to 60 minutes) for the price and a pretty good suction for tackling various household cleaning tasks.

The best price on this model is currently at Amazon. As of Oct. 6, you can get it for $399.99, down from $629.99. That's a 37% discount and $230 in savings.

  • Amazon: $399.99 $629.99 (save $230)

  • Walmart: $569 $629.99 (save $60.99) Note: This is technically on sale, but not officially "on sale" on the Walmart website.

  • Dyson: $629.99 (not on sale)

  • Target: $629.99 (not on sale)

More Dyson cordless vacuum dealsBest upright vacuum deal Dyson Ball Animal Total Clean Upright Vacuum $409.99 at Amazon
$659.99 Save $250 Get Deal Why we like it

If you need the kind of deep clean that only an upright vacuum can provide, the Dyson Ball Animal Total Clean Upright Vacuum is the way to go. It's especially ideal for pet owners or anyone with a larger home, and it comes with eight different accessories to tackle any job. The vacuum features a self-adjusting cleaner head, a motorized brush bar, and whole-machine filtration to catch and destroy allergens on site. You’ll also get a five-year limited warranty and lifetime support when you register your vacuum on the MyDyson app.

The best price on this model is currently at Amazon. As of Oct. 6, you can get it for $409.99, down from $659.99. That's a 38% discount and $250 in savings.

Even more early Prime Day Dyson deals
Categories: IT General, Technology

GTA IV Just Got Its (Unofficial) Ultimate Edition, and You Have to Play It

How-To Geek - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 18:00

Despite Take Two's efforts to shut it down, the GTA modding community is still alive and kicking. Their latest effort is Fusion Fix for Grand Theft Auto IV, a massive community mod that gives the PC version of GTA IV an Ultimate Edition treatment. GTA IV on PC has never looked this good.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Sora 2 Cameos: How to keep your face from being used

Mashable - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 17:58

OpenAI's second-generation AI video model, Sora 2, is stirring up controversy, less than a week after the AI giant unveiled the highly anticipated tool and its corresponding app.

The hubbub stems from Sora 2's impressive but alarming ability to generate just about anything in precise detail. Shortly after its launch, users flooded the platform — pitched as a video-forward social media app in the likeness of TikTok or Reels — with alleged celebrity deepfakes, sensitive political content, and licensed characters.

SEE ALSO: Sora 2, Vibes, Feed: How much AI video do we need?

Sora 2's safeguards are seemingly more robust than its competitors — such as those on Grok — reported Mashable tech editor Timothy Beck Werth. Sora 2 has easy reporting mechanisms for sexual and violent content, harassment, and child endangerment. As a way to prevent deepfakes, Sora 2 is also supposed to block users from uploading content that features faces. In theory, Sora 2's face ban should prevent users from creating a deepfake of someone without their consent. But OpenAI's own solution to nonconsensual deepfakes, a feature known as Cameos, has posed its own problems.

Cameos are "reusable characters” modeled after users based on audio and video that they upload. Users have to opt-in to their own deepfake, and can then grant access to their digital likeness on four levels: Only you, people you approve, friends, or everyone. Until now, that was the extent to which Cameos could be controlled, meaning if you had your Cameo toggled to app-wide access, your likeness could be made to do just anything.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Responding to user concerns, OpenAI has since acknowledged the safety issues free access to someone's digital likeness can pose, announcing new content restrictions for the Cameos. Here's what you need to know if you're trying to make your Cameo a star.

How to protect your Cameo

In an X post by Sora head Bill Peebles, users were directed to a thread by OpenAI technical staffer Thomas Dimson, explaining that the new Cameo settings include both content preferences and restrictions.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

To lock down your Cameo, go to your profile. Select "settings" and then "edit cameo." Tap on "Cameo preferences" and choose "restrictions."

From there, users can set more precise limits on what their Cameo can do and say using text prompts, like "Don't put me in videos that involve political commentary" or "Don't let me say this word," Peebles explained. You can also ensure that your Cameo appears with specific details, such as wearing an identifying clothing item.

If you want to make sure no one but you can use your likeness, make sure you've selected "only me" in the "Cameo rules" section. And if you don't want to make a Cameo at all, users can opt-out while signing up.

Peebles added that Sora 2 is still undergoing tweaks to its model safety, and will be making the Sora 2 watermark more distinct, acknowledging that users may be frustrated with "overmoderation" on the app. "We think it's important to be conservative here while the world is still adjusting to this new technology."

Categories: IT General, Technology

OpenAI, Jony Ive AI hardware faces reported delays

Mashable - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 17:58

OpenAI’s ambitious hardware partnership with former Apple Chief Design Officer Jony Ive has reportedly hit a snag, according to sources cited by the Financial Times.

Those familiar with the project told the FT that Ive’s startup — acquired by OpenAI earlier this year — is facing both software and hardware challenges with the device. The product is envisioned as a palm-sized, screenless gadget capable of interpreting its surroundings through cameras and microphones. The goal is to create a conversational, contextually aware AI assistant similar to Humane’s Ai Pin or Friend AI, with a planned release sometime next year.

But realizing that vision appears to be proving difficult. The team is reportedly struggling to overcome key development hurdles, which could push the release back to 2027. Among the problems are issues with software architecture, infrastructure, and design integration needed to make the device viable at scale.

Privacy concerns are a major challenge, especially if the device is intended to operate as an "always-on" assistant. And then there’s cost: scaling the compute power needed for a consumer-level AI device could strain OpenAI’s already massive infrastructure budget.

A person close to Ive told the FT that OpenAI, compared to competitors like Google and Amazon, is "already struggling to get enough compute for ChatGPT, let alone an AI device." That’s hardly shocking, given that keeping ChatGPT online reportedly costs the company between $3 and $4 billion a year.

According to the report, the biggest sticking point is the "personality" of the AI itself. OpenAI reportedly wants it to feel like a friendly companion — without veering into the territory of a "weird AI girlfriend." As FT notes, devices like Friend AI have been criticized for the AI personality being "creepy" and "snarky." Many of OpenAI's ChatGPT models have also been criticized for being overly sycophantic as well. "OpenAI was looking for 'ways for it to be accessible but not intrusive,'" the FT writes.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Mashables favorite portable power stations are already 50% off ahead of October Prime Day

Mashable - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 17:49
Best early October Prime Day deals on portable power stations Best overall deal Anker Solix C1000 portable power station $429.00 at Amazon (save $360) Get Deal Best bundle deal with a solar panel EcoFlow Delta 2 portable power station with 220W solar panel $649 (save $650 + get a free 45W solar panel and a free carrying bag) Get Deal Best small portable power station deal Jackery Explorer 240 v2 $179 (save $70) Get Deal

Portable power stations are here to save the day, and that's not even an exaggeration. These puppies pack in the power to recharge your phone, laptop, keep the refrigerator cooling, and the WiFi router powered on during a storm. Portable power stations come in tons of sizes with various specialties like being great for camping or coming with enough juice to power your entire home for days should a major storm roll through.

We're just one day away from the kickoff Amazon's October Prime Day sale, but there are great deals already on offer. Some of my favorite portable power stations are already sitting at record-low prices at Amazon. Others come with freebies like solar panels and carrying cases. Whatever your portable power needs are, Amazon likely has a model in stock and on sale before Big Deals Days kicks off. Here are some highlights.

Best overall deal Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Solix C1000 portable power station $429 at Amazon
$799 Save $370 Get Deal Why we like it

Read our full review of the Anker Solix C1000 portable power station.

In my testing for the best portable power station, the Anker Solix C1000 emerged as the best overall option for most situations. It comes with a solid 1,056Wh of battery storage, it's easy to carry, is pretty lightweight, and it comes with a super useful light bar. Thanks to this Amazon pre-Prime Day sale, it's already at a record-low price of $429 which is a sweet 46% off the normal price of $799.

The Anker Solix C1000 takes just one hours to recharge and it's expandable should you decide you'd like more power. When testing, I used the Solix C1000 to use a projector for outdoor movie nights, cook dinner in the air fryer, and power up the coffee maker. The Solix C1000 comes with six AC power ports, two USB-A, and two USB-C ports, so there are plenty of options.

Best bundle deal with solar panel Opens in a new window Credit: EcoFlow EcoFlow Delta 2 portable power station with 220W solar panel $649 at Amazon
$1,299 Save $650 free 45W solar panel and carrying case included Get Deal Why we like it

One of the coolest aspects of relying on a portable power station is the ability to recharge via solar panels. If you're one for streamlining the purchase process, the EcoFlow Delta 2 is already on a major sale bundled with a 220W solar panel. In addition to that solar panel, Amazon is offering extra freebies with your purchase and you can add on a totally free 45W solar panel and a free carrying bag. That's a heck of a deal for the price of $649. On its own at full list price, the EcoFlow Delta 2 itself costs $699.

EcoFlow makes some of the best portable power stations and the Delta 2 comes with 1,024Wh of capacity and EcoFlow mentions this translates to recharging a phone almost 90 times or keeping a light on for 31 hours. So long as you have sunshine, that power can be limitless thanks to the included solar panels.

Best small portable power station deal Opens in a new window Credit: Jackery Jackery Explorer 240 v2 $179 at Amazon
$249 Save $70 Get Deal Why we like it

If you're in the market for a portable power station that will keep phones and laptops charged during a power outage that doesn't cost a bunch, the Jackery Explorer 240 v2 could be the best option during Prime Day. Instead of paying the list price of $249, it's on sale for just $179. This smaller model offers two USB-C ports, one USB-A, and one AC. There's also a light that'll assist with plugging things in should you be in the dark.

More portable power station dealsAnkerBluettiEcoFlowJackery
Categories: IT General, Technology

Your Samsung Galaxy S22 Is Getting Its Last Major Update

How-To Geek - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 17:48

We have good news and bad news for those with the Samsung Galaxy S22, S22+, or Galaxy S22 Ultra. Right on time and just as promised, Samsung is sending out the big update to One UI 8 (Android 16) for your phones. However, it's the last major update you'll be getting.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Best Buy has the AirPods Max for $120 off in every color during its Techtober Sale

Mashable - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 17:31

SAVE $120: As of Oct. 6, the first day of Best Buy's Techtober Sale, the Apple AirPods Max are on sale for $429.99 in every color. That's about 22% in savings and the lowest price we've seen since Amazon Prime Day in July.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) $429.99 at Best Buy
$549.99 Save $120 Get Deal

Best Buy's week-long Techtober Sale kicked off today as a way to compete with Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days (which officially kicks off tomorrow, Oct. 7). Different year, same old story. The retail giants typically have matching prices on major tech, but if you're looking to snag a pair of AirPods Max, I'd head to Best Buy. Here's why.

As of Oct. 6, Best Buy has the Apple AirPods Max on sale for $429.99 in every single color variety. That's about 22% off their outrageous list price and the best price we've seen since Amazon's July Prime Day sale. Amazon also has the AirPods Max on sale for the same price, but you're limited to just two colors at the time of writing: blue or starlight. If you'd rather have your pick of the bunch, Best Buy is the way to go.

The AirPods Max are stylish, sound great, offer excellent noise cancellation, easy-to-use controls, and solid battery life at 20 hours per charge. "When it comes down to it, the AirPods Max check off almost all the boxes for what makes an excellent pair of headphones," Mashable's reviewer writes. The only unchecked boxes are comfort and price. If you have a small head, they may not be the most comfortable headphones for you. And the $550 price tag is scarier than any Halloween movie on your watch list.

Honestly, I'd never recommend buying the AirPods Max unless they're on sale — which happens very sporadically. We saw the noise-cancelling Apple headphones reach their best price ever back in July (just $399). Since then, the price hasn't dipped below $479.99, making the current discount pretty significant.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Amazon Ring plans to use facial recognition scans

Mashable - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 17:26

Amazon is adding facial recognition capabilities to its Ring devices — but not everyone’s smiling about its new “familiar faces” feature.

According to an Oct. 3 report from The Washington Post, Amazon Ring is using facial recognition in its home security doorbells and video cameras so your door can recognize and identify people you might know — like a family member or neighbor — and privacy experts have some concerns.

Amazon isn't explicitly calling this tech facial recognition and is, instead, opting for "familiar faces." In a Sept. 30 news post about the update, Amazon said the tool "intelligently recognizes familiar people and empowers customers to reduce notifications triggered by familiar people's routine activities."

SEE ALSO: All the big takeaways from Amazon's fall hardware event: The Kindle Scribe is getting color

"The feature enriches Ring notifications, video events, and timeline with personalized context of who is detected, eliminating guesswork and making it effortless to find and review important moments involving specific familiar people across the Ring App experience," Amazon wrote.

The Post reported that the feature is optional for Ring device owners, but privacy advocates still aren't thrilled, since the people being recorded aren't able to consent to it. While you might already use facial recognition in some of your tech — like unlocking your phone — the Ring poses additional risks because of its history of social, privacy, and legal questions, the Post wrote. That's because the difference here is that you're choosing to use facial recognition to unlock your phone — the food delivery workers and kids playing on the street aren't making that choice with your doorbell camera.

"It’s troubling that companies are making a product that by design is taking biometric information from people who are doing the innocent act of walking onto a porch," Adam Schwartz, privacy litigation director for the consumer advocacy group Electronic Frontier Foundation told the Post.

As the New York Times' Wirecutter pointed out, Ring also has a new feature that allows users to instruct their cameras to automatically respond to specific visitors in specific ways via the Alexa+ Greetings, like calling your brother by name or telling your partner you love them or your neighbor to please leave you alone. Amazon also announced its AI-powered Search Party feature, which is intended to help find lost dogs. It's left on by default, according to The Verge.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Outdoor deals are hot ahead of October Prime Day from brands like Coleman, DJI, and Jackery

Mashable - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 17:11
Best early Prime Day outdoor deals Best tent deal Coleman Skydome Camping Tent (four person) $84.99 (save $65) Get Deal Best portable power station deal Anker Solix C1000 $429 (save $370) Get Deal Best DJI deal DJI Osmo Action 4 (standard combo) $229 (save $70) Get Deal

If your gear barely made it through the summer, Amazon's October Prime Day event has tons of early deals on offer for all your outdoor and camping essentials. You'll be able to fully gear up for cold(er) weather adventures or stock up for next spring and summer. Plus, it's an ideal time to grab holiday gifts before chaos descends during Black Friday.

A day ahead of the sale, we've spotted deals on portable power stations, coolers, Bluetooth speakers, outdoor cooking supplies, a DJI camera, and more. Coleman tents and LifeStraw water filters are mainstays of Amazon sales — so far, we've only spotted Coleman tents on sale, but we're anticipating the LifeStraw deals to drop once the sale properly begins on Oct. 7.

Below, we've listed some of the best outdoor deals before October Prime Day officially goes from Oct. 7 to 8. We'll keep this page updated with fresh deals as they drop.

Best early Prime Day outdoor deal at Amazon Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Solix C1000 portable power station $429 at Amazon
$799 Save $370 Get Deal Why we like it

Going camping with a portable power station in tow is arguably more important than the hot dogs or the firewood. A portable power station gives you the ability to keep your phones charged, the mood-setting lights on, and even power a coffee maker if you brought one along.

In our testing, the Anker Solix C1000 is the best overall portable power station, packing in a nice 1,056Wh of capacity. That's enough to keep everyone happily charged up for several days. Plus, it only takes 58 minutes of charging time to get back to full capacity on the power station.

Best cooler dealsBest portable power station dealsBest outdoor cooking dealsBest tent dealsMore outdoor deals
Categories: IT General, Technology

Bugonia trailer: Emma Stone swears shes not an alien in Yorgos Lanthimos latest

Mashable - Mon, 10/06/2025 - 17:02

Emma Stone and director Yorgos Lanthimos have cemented themselves as one of modern film's dynamic duos.

SEE ALSO: 2025 fall movie preview: Every upcoming film you ought to know about

The pair first teamed up on 2018's period piece The Favourite, which earned Stone an Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actress and Lanthimos a nomination for Best Director. They continued their collaboration with 2023's fantasy fable Poor Things, for which Stone won her second Oscar for Best Actress, and for which Lanthimos received his second nomination for Best Director. Stone and Lanthimos also re-joined forces for 2022's short film Bleat, and for 2024's anthology film Kinds of Kindness.

Now, Stone and Lanthimos return for their fourth feature together: Bugonia. Directed by Lanthimos and written by Will Tracy (The Menu), the film remakes the 2003 South Korean film Save the Green Planet! It also reunites Stone and Lanthimos with Kinds of Kindness' Jesse Plemons, who earned the Best Actor Prize at the 2024 Cannes Film Festival for his performance across the film's three dark tales.

In Bugonia, Stone stars as Michelle Fuller, the high-powered CEO of a major pharmaceutical company. Plemons plays beekeeper and conspiracy theorist Teddy, who, along with his cousin Donny (Aidan Delbis), kidnaps Michelle and locks her in his basement. There, he tries to get Michelle to confess that she's an alien and that she's been puppeteering humanity from her CEO position.

Bugonia premiered at the 2025 Venice International Film Festival, where it received mostly positive reviews for Lanthimos' nihilistic commentary on the modern moment and for Stone and Plemons' performance.

Watch the full trailer for Bugonia above to witness more of Plemons' madcap interrogation of Stone, and for snippets of Stone lip syncing her heart out to Chappell Roan's "Good Luck, Babe!"

Bugonia hits select theaters Oct. 24, then releases wide Oct. 31.

Categories: IT General, Technology
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