IT General

Saturday Night Live Season 51 started with a bang.

The first cold open of the season featured Colin Jost as the former Fox News anchor and current U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth, who is now called the Secretary of War. The skit was a take on Hegseth's decision to gather military officers in Virginia for a pretty unusual meeting last week.

"Earlier this week, Secretary of War Pete Hegseth had the brilliant idea to gather all of our nation's top generals in one place at one time. And to throw our enemies off the scent, he told them exactly where and when it would happen," an announcement said at the top of the cold open. "We take you to this meeting now."

Enter: Jost as Hegseth, walking in with an absurd bravado and rock music blaring on stage. "Cut the track," he said before going on to call the military "gay" and "fat" and encouraging all members to begin emulating President Donald Trump: "6'6", buck 75, A-cups, perky, with a dump truck in the back you wouldn't even believe."

Trump, played by James Austin Johnson, interrupted Hegseth's speech to make sure SNL doesn't "do anything too mean about me," referencing his role in Jimmy Kimmel Live's recent suspension.

"Remember: Daddy's watching," Johnson's Trump said. "And live from New York, it's Saturday night!"

The cold, harsh winter months are quickly approaching, and snow is on the way, which means it's time to get out or upgrade your winter tools. There's no need to manually shovel snow from the driveway when it's freezing, especially when cordless options exist. With that in mind, here are a few cordless winter tools you should buy before winter.

The best early October Prime Day speaker deals at a glance: Best Anker Soundcore deal Anker Soundcore Boom 3i $99.99 (save $40) Get Deal Best Amazon speaker deal Amazon Echo Spot $44.99 (save $30) Get Deal Best JBL deal JBL Go 4 $39.95 (save $10) Get Deal Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 $75.99 (Save $24) Get Deal

Whether your fall schedule consists of hosting parties, heading out on camping trips, or solo nights in, a quality speaker makes a great companion. Not to mention, they make excellent gifts — practically everyone listens to music, right? No matter the reason, if you're in the market for a Bluetooth speaker of any shape or size, Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days is a great time to score one for a sweet price.

The shopping event informally known as October Prime Day doesn't kick off until Oct. 7, but Amazon is dropping plenty of early deals. You can start your shopping early with speaker deals from brands like Sony, JBL, Anker Soundcore, and Amazon itself. However, if you're looking for more heavy hitters like Bose, Sonos, or Ultimate Ears, you'll have to hold off. These brands seem to be waiting until the actual event begins to lower their prices.

We'll be tracking the best speaker deals as we get closer to the Prime Big Deal Days kickoff and updating this page with the latest and greatest prices. Stay tuned.

Best early October Prime Day Bluetooth speaker deal Opens in a new window Credit: Ultimate Ears Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 $75.99
$99.99 Save $24 Get Deal Why we like it

The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 Bluetooth speaker brings big sound in a small, rugged shell, now also packing an early Prime Day price of $75.99 from $99.99. Don’t be fooled by its compact size; this portable speaker delivers impressively rich 360-degree audio with strong, punchy bass that fills outdoor spaces with ease, which is what earned this model a spot on our list of best Bluetooth speakers.

It’s built to handle just about anything: waterproof, dustproof, and even floatable, making it perfect for pool parties, hikes, or beach trips. With up to 14 hours of battery life and a 131-foot Bluetooth range, it’s designed for all-day listening wherever adventure takes you. Plus, it supports recycled materials and a minimalist aesthetic that looks as good as it sounds. Simply put, the Wonderboom 4 is the kind of speaker that proves small can be seriously mighty.

More speaker deals

• Anker Soundcore Select 4 Go — $24.99 $34.99 (save $10)

• Amazon Echo Pop — $24.99 $39.99 (save $15)

• Anker Soundcore 2 — $29.44 $44.99 (save $15.55)

• Amazon Echo Dot — $34.99 $49.99 (save $15)

• JBL Go 4 — $39.95 $49.95 (save $10)

• Sony SRS-XB100 — $48 $59.99 (save $11.99)

• Amazon Echo Spot — $44.99 $79.99 (save $35)

• Sony ULT Field 1 — $95.95 $129.99 (save $34.04)

• JBL Flip 6 — $99.95 $129.95 (save $30)

• Anker Soundcore Boom 3i — $99.99 $139.99 (save $40)

• Anker Soundcore Boom 2 — $119.99 $139.99 (save $20)

• Sony ULT Field 3 — $133 $199.99 (save $66.99)

• Marshall Acton III — $199.99 $299.99 (save $100)

• JBL FLIP 5 - $89.95 $99.95 (save $10)

• Beats Pill - $129 $149.95 (save $20.95)

Saturday Night Live brought two of the internet's biggest obsessions into one of their skits this week: KPop Demon Hunters and Bad Bunny.

The skit featured Mikey Day, Sarah Sherman, Chloe Fineman, and Bad Bunny as friends catching up over brunch. They're chatting about what they're excited to watch — Paul Thomas Anderson's One Battle After Another and Guillermo del Toro’s Frankenstein — when Bad Bunny says he's been watching KPop Demon Hunters.

SEE ALSO: How 'KPop Demon Hunters' became a love letter to K-pop and its fandom

The other three ask if he's watching with his kids, and Bad Bunny's character admits he doesn't have kids and says the movie is "actually not for kids" but "for smart adults." Each time the other three try to talk about something else — the Epstein files or Sydney Sweeney’s American Eagle ad — he brings it back to KPop Demon Hunters. They don't take him seriously until Bowen Yang shows up dressed like a demon from the movie. Then, Ejae, Audrey Nuna and Rei Ami from KPop Demon Hunters join them on stage to perform one of the movie's songs, "Golden."

Windows always has a ton of background processes running, and if you're trying to clear up some CPU space and increase your performance, it's hard to know what you can and can't afford to disable. Here are some Windows processes you can turn off without a care in the world in the Services app.

SAVE $70: As of Oct. 5, the Beats Studio Buds are on sale at Amazon for just $79.95. That's nearly 50% off their list price of $149.95 and close to their best-ever price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Studio Buds $79.95 at Amazon
$149.95 Save $70.00 Get Deal

Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days event kicks off on Tuesday, but deals are flooding our feeds already. If noise-cancelling earbuds are on your shopping list, check out this early deal on the Beats Studio Buds.

As of Oct. 5, the Beats Studio Buds are on sale for only $79.95 at Amazon in red, black, and white colorways. That's nearly a 50% discount from their usual list price of $149.95 and just $8 or so shy of their very best price on record.

The Studio Buds hit the market in 2021 and have since been "replaced" by the upgraded Studio Buds+. But you can still find the regular Studio Buds on shelves, which means they're still relevant in 2025. Mashable's tech reporter Alex Perry called them "Apple's new go-to entry-level earbuds" when they first came out, claiming they put the basic AirPods to shame. They pack powerful bass, decent active noise cancellation, transparency mode, spatial audio, and can last 24 hours with the help of the charging case. And even though Beats is owned by Apple, the earbuds are device agnostic and will work seamlessly with just about any phone.

If you want a pair of earbuds that will actually sound good, cancel noise, and be friendly on your wallet, the Studio Buds make a great pick — particularly when they're on sale for basically half price.

If you've ever looked into buying a smart TV, you've probably noticed that some models are advertised as being AI-enhanced. This label isn't just a marketing gimmick; recent AI-enhanced smart TVs have multiple advantages over ordinary screens, but there are some things you should know before you decide to buy one.

Bad Bunny hosted SNL this weekend for its first week back on air and his monologue didn't disappoint.

He started off talking about his 30-show, three-month residency in San Juan, Puerto Rico featuring his incredible dance moves and Jon Hamm aka Juan Jamón, who was in the audience. Then, he brought up the fact that he'll be headlining the Super Bowl 60 halftime show.

"I am very happy. I am very happy and I think everyone is happy about it," he joked, nodding towards the mixed responses some people had online. Some fans were ecstatic to see him on the main stage; other people complained it might be hypocritical of him to play the show after refusing to add U.S. dates to his upcoming world tour; and other people were upset that the show would likely be predominately in Spanish.

SEE ALSO: Bad Bunny is headlining the Super Bowl halftime show, but not everyone's cheering

He added a few sentences in Spanish to convey how excited he was to play the Super Bowl halftime show for all the Latinos and Latinas in the U.S. and around the world.

"And if you didn't understand what I just said," he joked, "you have four months to learn."

Annabelle has nothing on the murderous doll Chucky. Debuting in the late 1980s, the serial killer possessing a toy has become as much of a slasher icon as Freddy Krueger or Jason Vorhees. He might be small, but he’s got a filthy mouth, maniacal laugh, and brutal methods of taking out people three times his size.

Sometimes, choosing the exemplary streaming service has less to do with taste than budget. There are so many options for streaming movies and television, even the abundance of selection isn’t a factor. Of course, plenty of free streaming services exist, but sometimes you want to splurge for something a little without ads.

SAVE $20: As of Oct. 5, the Fitbit Inspire 3 is on sale for just $79.95 instead of $99.95 as an early October Prime Day deal. That's a savings of 20%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Fitbit Fitbit Inspire 3 $79.95 at Amazon
$99.95 Save $20 Get Deal

Looking to gain some insights into your health and wellness routine without breaking the bank? Skip the Apple Watch and go with the simple, yet intuitive Fitbit Inspire 3. It's our favorite fitness tracker under $100, and you can get it for even cheaper than usual ahead of Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days event.

As of Oct. 5, the Fitbit Inspire 3 is on sale for just $79.95 at Amazon in all three color varieties (pink, yellow, and black). That's $20 or 20% off its list price of $99.95. We've seen it drop to $69.95 in the past, but with the latest tech price hikes across the board, we'd be surprised if the budget-friendly fitness tracker hits that all-time low price on October Prime Day. FWIW, on Prime Day proper in July, it only dropped an extra $5 to $74.95. There's a chance you could save a few more bucks if you wait, but you're still getting a good deal if you shop now.

We're big fans of the Fitbit Inspire 3's intuitive design, impressive app suite, workout insights, and sleek and slim aesthetic. It offers a comprehensive suite of tracking features — from sleep and steps to stress levels and blood oxygen — and a decent battery that'll last you a week or more. "For anyone new to fitness or any dedicated gym rat, the Fitbit Inspire 3 gets you more than you pay for," our reviewer writes, giving it the Mashable Choice award honor.

It seems hyperbolic to say that nobody answers the phone anymore, but with spam calls reaching unprecedented levels and younger generations who prefer to communicate by text and audio messages, it’s not exactly a false statement.

GEEKOM's IT15 is one of the most powerful mini PCs available today. Packed with an Intel Core Ultra 9 285H processor and priced at $1,200, it should be an absolute winner, but I don't think it makes sense beyond some specific professional or hobbyist use cases.

We're now several weeks into the 2025-26 NFL season, and it's been nothing short of electric. Watching from regular TV stations is still possible, but things are changing. The NFL recently cut the cord and gave YouTube the Sunday Ticket, and several upcoming games will air exclusively on streaming platforms. It's a mess.

Monster movies are entertaining, but there are times when those old monstrosities look a little basic. While it’s essential to pay respect to such classics as Boris Karloff’s Frankenstein’s monster and Bela Lugosi’s Dracula, not all of their scary nature has stood the test of time. Some padded makeup and stuck-on appendages might’ve been enough to scare audiences of the 1930s, but times change, and you need a little more.

Python’s open function should be your first port of call when you’re looking to read the contents of a file. Give it a filename and you’ll get back a versatile object, letting you read and write data, both in plain text and binary formats.

CarPlay lets you control your iPhone using your car’s dashboard or entertainment unit, but did you know you can also use it to control your smart home?

Amazon's October Prime Day (aka Prime Big Deal Days) event is here to unleash massive savings as we head into the holiday shopping season. Officially kicking off on Oct. 7, the shopping event promises millions of deals across categories. There will be plenty of hefty discounts floating around — many of which are already live — but the savings won't last forever. If you're looking to score the deepest of discounts, then you need to mark your calendars now.

We've got what you need to know on how long you have to shop as well as a few deals to get you started on your way. Plus, you can check out our Prime Day hub for in-depth coverage on what products are worth grabbing and which ones are worth passing on.

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

Amazon Prime Big Deal Days will officially come to a close at 11:59 p.m. PT on Wednesday, Oct. 8, which means around 3 a.m. on Oct. 9 for people living on the East Coast. Of course, just as deals pop up weeks ahead of the main event, many are also likely to linger past that deadline.

Best early Prime Big Deal Days deals to shop

As most Prime-centric events go, Amazon's already dishing out deals left and right ahead of the main event. The best early Prime Day deals are mostly on Amazon's own devices and services, books, earbuds, and TVs — including up to 65% off books, three free months of Kindle Unlimited, and the first discount on the Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds (2nd gen).

Here are the best early October Prime Day deals you can shop before the big day(s).

Early Prime Day book deals

• The Perfect Divorce by Jeneva Rose — $1.69 $9.99 (save $8.30)

• Notes on an Execution by Danya Kukafka — $1.99 $18.99 (save $17)

• Think Twice by Harlan Coben — $2.99 $19.99 (save $17)

• Anxious People by Fredrik Backman — $3.99 $19.99 (save $16)

• Count My Lies by Sophie Stava — $3.99 $28.99 (save $25)

• People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry — $7.04 $16 (save $8.96)

• The Crash by Freida McFadden — $7.10 $17.99 (save $10.89)

• Local Woman Missing by Mary Kubica — $7.18 $16.99 (save $9.81)

• Deep End by Ali Hazelwood — $8.09 $20 (save $11.91)

• One Golden Summer by Carley Fortune — $9.48 $19 (save $9.52)

• Say You'll Remember Me by Abby Jimenez — $10.98 $28 (save $17.02)

• Remarkably Bright Creatures by Shelby Van Pelt — $11.38 $29.99 (save $18.61)

• Matriarch by Tina Knowles — $12.62 $35 (save $22.38)

• Witchcraft for Wayward Girls by Grady Hendrix — $12.92 $30 (save $17.08)

• The Names by Florence Knapp — $14.11 $30 (save $15.89)

Early Prime Day Amazon device deals

• Echo Buds with ANC — $34.99 $119.99 (save $85)

• Blink Outdoor 4 — $34.99 $79.99 (save $45)

• Blink Wired Floodlight Camera — $49.99 $99.98 (save $50)

• Amazon Fire HD 10 (32GB) — $69.99 $139.99 (save $70)

• Amazon Fire HD 10 (64GB) — $79.99 $179.99 (save $100)

• Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids (32GB) — $84.99 $159.99 (save $75)

• Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids (32GB) — $104.99 $189.99 (save $85)

• Echo Hub — $119.99 $179.99 (save $60)

• Echo Frames — $119.99 $299.99 (save $180)

• Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus — $149.99 $249.99 (save $100)

• Amazon 50-inch 4-Series 4K Fire TV — $259.99 $399.99 (save $140)

• Amazon 55-inch 4-Series 4K Fire TV — $339.99 $519.99 (save $120)

Early Prime Day headphones and earbuds deals

• JLab JBuds Lux ANC — $48.99 $79.99 (save $31)

• EarFun Free Pro 3 — $49.97 $79.99 (save $30.03)

• EarFun Air Pro 4 — $55.99 $79.99 (save $24)

• EarFun Wave Pro — $55.99 $79.99 (save $24)

• Shokz OpenRun Pro — $124.95 $179.95 (save $55)

• Sennheiser Accentum — $129.95 $189.95 (save $60)

• Beats Studio Pro — $199.95 $349.99 (save $150.04)

• Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds (2nd gen) — $279 $299 (save $20)

• Sennheiser Momentum 4 — $299 $449.95 (save $150.95)

Early Prime Day Apple deals

• Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS + cellular, 42mm) — $329 $499 (save $170)

• Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm) — $389 $399 (save $10)

• Apple iPad, 10.9-inch (A14 Bionic, WiFi + cellular, 256GB) — $499 $649 (save $150)

• Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M4, 16GB, 512GB SSD) — $1,199 $1,399 (save $200)

Amazon is also doling out some extra perks for Team Prime ahead of Prime Day. Members can get a free three-month trial of Amazon Music Unlimited; get Audible Premium Plus for three months for $0.99/month; and get three free months of Kindle Unlimited.

The NYT Connections puzzle today shouldn't be hard to solve if you're an '80s pop fan.

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

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

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for September 2, 2025 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Needed for greenery to flourish

• Green: To astonish

• Blue: Like a Virgin

• Purple: Automobiles

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

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

• Yellow: Used to grow a houseplant

• Green: Flabbergast

• Blue: Madonna songs

• Purple: ___ Car

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #848 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Used to grow a houseplant: POT, SEED, SOIL, WATER

• Flabbergast: FLOOR, ROCK, SHAKE, SHOCK

• Madonna songs: CHERISH, FROZEN, HOLIDAY, MUSIC

• ___ Car: BUMPER, CLOWN, GETAWAY, SPORTS

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for September 29, 2025

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

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

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

Today's NYT Strands hints are a bit of a misdirect.

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

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

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

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

Today's NYT Strands puzzle should be easy to solve, provided that you're a trickster.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 29, 2025 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for September 29, 2025 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Don't take the bait

The words are related to lying.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe conning someone.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Its a Trap.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for October 5

• Deception

• Trick

• Its A Trap

• Stratagem

• Decoy

• Ruse

• Lure

• Ploy

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

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

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