Technology

Microsoft has tested Bluetooth shared audio in Windows 11 for a while, allowing multiple people to listen to a PC with their own pairs of Bluetooth headphones. The feature is now rolling out more widely, but there are still some catches.

The weekend is here, so why not take a few hours and spin up a new Raspberry Pi project? This weekend is full of fun DIY projects from 3D printing servers to home-built security cameras, and even getting a backup server up and running.

Google Drive is one of the most popular services in the world. It has billions of users across almost every country in the world. However, I've decided to replace it with something that is more privacy-focused.

eReaders are particularly great gadgets because they tend to stay perfectly usable for a long time. However, there will eventually come a time when you want to upgrade. So what should you do with the old one? We have some ideas for you.

One thing I love about streaming entertainment is that, unlike the seasons, it never winds down. Our favorite platforms are here to make sure of that.

Social media feels like a core part of life these days, but there was a time when it was still a fresh idea that people were excited about. Smartphone companies were searching for the "next big thing," and for a brief period, one of the biggest social networks on the planet decided it needed its own phone.

Samsung TV owners are about to be very happy, as the South Korean electronics giant announced yesterday that Samsung TVs will be the first to add support for HDR10+ on Disney+ and Hulu titles.

OpenAI just opened a new revenue stream.

Specifically, people who like generating AI videos via the Sora tool for free can now pay extra to get more generations per day than the free tier usually allows. The news and an explanation come from Bill Peebles, OpenAI's head of Sora, on X. Peebles called the current economics of Sora "completely unsustainable," as a justification for the move.

SEE ALSO: OpenAI is coming for your MacBook with latest acquisition This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Currently, users get 30 free generations per day on Sora. According to The Verge, with this new system, users can now pay $4 for 10 extra generations per day. As part of this announcement, Peebles also mentioned that OpenAI will eventually need to pare down the number of free generations people get per day, so if 30 already wasn't enough for you, get prepared to start paying money on a regular basis for Sora.

Peebles also mentioned a desire to eventually let companies charge extra for cameos of popular characters in Sora videos. We'll, uh, see if that ever happens.

Every Halloween, the internet hosts its own chaotic fashion week — led by celebrities who know how to work a feed. Instagram's the red carpet, TikTok's the after-party, and the dress code is simple: "whatever will break the algorithm."

This year was no exception. Celebs traded couture for cosplay, turning Halloween into a high-production content drop. The members of KATSEYE embodied different Mariah Carey eras in a stylish red-carpet spoof featuring Bowen Yang. Demi Lovato leaned into memehood by resurrecting her infamous alter ego, Poot Lovato. And Kim Kardashian dressed up as a TikTokker, a reminder of just how much influence these social media stars now hold.

What’s striking now is how few of these costumes ever leave the set.

Halloween has become less a party than a photo shoot, a chance to drop cinematic edits, editorial-grade stills, and glossy carousels that rack up millions of likes.

Whether they're recreating pop culture icons or reviving viral memes, stars aren't just dressing up for the night; they're staging a feed takeover.

Here are the viral celebrity costumes that owned Halloween 2025.

Demi Lovato as Poot Lovato View this post on Instagram

In 2015, an unflattering red carpet photo of Demi Lovato spawned one of the internet's strangest legends: Poot Lovato, her supposed basement-dwelling twin.

A decade later, Lovato leaned in — literally — recreating the meme with uncanny precision, fluorescent lighting and all. It's camp, it's catharsis, and it's proof that no one can reclaim a meme quite like its originator.

Lisa as Jibaro from Love, Death & Robots View this post on Instagram

Leave it to BLACKPINK superstar Lisa to pull off one of the most visually striking looks of the season.

Channeling the siren from the Emmy-winning Love, Death & Robots episode "Jibaro," she swapped glitter for full-body gold and jangly jewels, transforming the animated nightmare into haute couture. It's part performance art, part pop-idol spectacle — and easily the most gilded Halloween looks to hit Instagram this year.

Megan Thee Stallion as Choso from Jujutsu Kaisen View this post on Instagram

Otaku Hot Girl meets cursed energy. Megan Thee Stallion went full anime again this year, cosplaying Choso from Jujutsu Kaisen, down to the character’s distinctive blood-manipulation markings and stoic stare.

With the Culling Game arc set to kick off in Jujutsu Kaisen Season 3 this January — and Choso stepping more into the spotlight — Meg's timing was immaculate.

Kim Kardashian as TikTokker Jay Guapõ Credit: TikTok / @kimandnorth

Halloween has always been about transformation, but Kim Kardashian's choice this year said something about where fame lives now.

By dressing up as TikTok creator Jay Guapõ — best known for his signature style and shitposting humor — she blurred the line between influencer and influenced. When even a Kardashian is cosplaying TikTokkers, you know the creator economy has fully eclipsed Hollywood.

Benito Skinner and Mary Beth Barone as Nick and Judy from Zootopia

No one commits to a bit like Benito Skinner and Mary Beth Barone.

The Overcompensating comedy duo stepped into the world of Zootopia as Nick Wilde and Judy Hopps, complete with prosthetic noses, cop gear, and raunchy chemistry. Equal parts furry fantasy and sketch-comedy commitment, it’s the kind of costume that proves Halloween works best when it's funny and unsettling.

Bretman Rock and Cleo as Glinda and Elphaba from Wicked View this post on Instagram

Bretman Rock knows how to make a statement — this time, sharing the spotlight with his niece Cleo in full Broadway glam.

The pair embodied Glinda and Elphaba from Wicked, perfectly balancing bubblegum pink and emerald green. It was sweet, theatrical, and pure Bretman: camp with heart.

KATSEYE as Mariah Carey eras

KATSEYE turned Halloween into a Mariah multiverse — and a full-circle internet moment.

Earlier this year, the Gen Z girl group went viral after fumbling a red-carpet question about Mariah Carey's music videos. For Halloween, they clapped back with a wink, each member embodying a different Carey era in a red-carpet parody video featuring Bowen Yang.

Manon wore the "We Belong Together" wedding gown, Sophia channeled "Honey," Lara slipped into "Obsessed" snakeskin, Megan revived low-rise "Heartbreaker" denim, Daniela rolled through "Fantasy," and Yoonchae topped it off in "All I Want for Christmas Is You" red.

It's self-aware, stan-coded, and proof that this group understands exactly how to turn a viral joke into pop mythology. Oh, and it's totally Mariah-approved.

Janelle Monáe as The Cat in the Hat View this post on Instagram

Janelle Monáe's Halloween transformations have become their own annual event.

This year, she turned The Cat in the Hat into a latex-clad fever dream — part Dr. Seuss, part cabaret. For Monáe, Halloween is more than a costume contest. It's an act of world-building.

The compact luxury SUV world is packed with crossovers that look great but feel like appliances. Then there’s the Acura RDX, a refreshing reminder that driving can still be a blast even when practicality is part of the package.

Are you looking for new homelab projects to try out this weekend? I absolutely love my homelab and trying out new projects myself. This weekend, you should focus on getting the bare essentials up and running in your homelab.

Microsoft Outlook has never supported Apple iCloud synchronization all that well, but that's finally changing. There's now better support for iCloud Mail, Calendar, and Contacts across most Outlook apps… with one exception.

We live our entire lives connected to the web, signed up for dozens of services using accounts. Many of those accounts are so critical, that it's no exaggeration to say having them compromised could ruin your life, or at the very least be an expensive and inconvenient disaster.

I recently got back into programming by building Android apps. If you’ve been considering doing the same, then learn from these five mistakes that I made so you don’t have to experience them too.

SAVE $900: As of Oct. 31, the Bluetti Elite 200 V2 portable power station is down to just $799 (reg. $1,699) at Amazon as a Lightning Deal. That means you can save over 50% if you act fast.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bluetti Bluetti Elite 200 V2 portable power station $799 at Amazon
$1,699 Save $900   Get Deal

Portable power stations can be a real lifesaver — whether you're off the grid on a camping trip or dealing with a power outage at home. But, as you can probably guess, they don't always come cheap. So when you find a good deal — like this Bluetti Elite 200 V2 Lightning Deal at Amazon — it's best to jump on it ASAP.

As of Oct. 31, the Bluetti Elite 200 V2 portable power station is on sale for only $799 as a Lightning Deal at Amazon. That means you can save 54% or a massive $900, but you have to act fast. Lightning Deals disappear once all units have been claimed or the deal timer runs out — whichever comes first. At the time of writing, the deal timer has just 7.5 hours to go, so you'll want to add it to your cart ASAP if you want to get the deal.

The Elite 200 V2 features a 2,073Wh-capacity battery that supports a peak 5,200W. Meanwhile, it weighs in at just over 50 pounds and is the size of a small cooler. In other words, it's relatively small, but mighty enough to power nine devices at once via four AC outlets, two 15W USB-A ports, two 100W USB-C ports, ad a 120W car port. You'll have plenty of options when it comes to keeping your essentials up and running.

With a 17-year lifespan, the Bluetti Elite 200 is a smart long-term investment for both off-grid adventures and unexpected power outages alike. Plus, knowing it will last that long makes the sticker shock sting a bit less. It's usually over $1,600, but if you take advantage of the Lightning offer, you can get it for less than half of that.

I watch countless movies and shows on Netflix, hunting for the next best thing. Sometimes I get hooked and end up binge-watching multiple episodes of a show, while other times I ditch a film partway through. I used to feel like I had to see everything to the end, no matter how awful it was, but life's too short.

One of the downsides of owning smart home tech is the possibility that it can become useless. It’s always a risk with devices that rely on cloud services. That's exactly what's happening to the first and second-generation Nest Thermostats—at least partially.

The compact SUV market is fiercely competitive, and while Japanese models like the Toyota RAV4 often dominate reliability rankings, one American contender is quietly challenging that reputation. Offering impressive build quality, long-term dependability, and lower-than-expected ownership costs, it’s proving that American engineering can rival, and even surpass, its global counterparts.

Hope you've caught your breath after mid-October's Prime Day sales. For the first time ever, Best Buy has dropped some early Black Friday deals on Halloween.

"We know it’s early, but Halloween has been knocking on our holiday door for a while now and we’re ready to let it join the party," the company said in an Oct. 20 press release. "This year, we’re putting the creep in 'holiday creep.'"

Shop the best early Black Friday deals at Best Buy: Best TV deal TCL 40-inch Q35F Series 1080P QLED Fire TV $99.99 (save $130) Get Deal Best laptop deal Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M2, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $649 (save $150) Get Deal Best headphone/earbud deal JLab Jbuds Open Sport Air Conduction Earbuds $19.99 (save $60) Get Deal Best gaming deal Samsung 49-inch Odyssey OLED G950 240Hz Curved Smart Gaming Monitor $849.99 (save $950) Get Deal Best vacuum deal Dyson V9 Motorbar $269.99 (save $330) Get Deal

Like last year, Best Buy is supplementing its early Black Friday deals with limited-time doorbusters that involve "some of the best deals on the hottest tech." (Best Buy has an apt name for the Halloween batch: DoorBOOsters.) They'll be live online, on the Best Buy app, and in stores every Friday through Sunday during the holiday season.

Best Buy will continue to release early Black Friday deals throughout November in the lead-up to its official Black Friday sale, which begins more than a week ahead of time on Thursday, Nov. 20. (Black Friday 2025 technically falls on Nov. 28.) The 10-day sale will run through Saturday, Nov. 29 and feature "deeper savings on categories like computing, gaming, home theater, wearables, and more," the company said.

The question now becomes: Should you buy something on your wishlist now or wait? As someone who's covered Best Buy's Black Friday sale religiously since 2019, I vote now. A holiday FAQ page on Best Buy's website notes that its early Black Friday deals are available in limited quantities (with no rainchecks), and when those deals sell out, "they may be sold out through Black Friday."

SEE ALSO: Walmart will host two extended Black Friday sales that start in mid-November

Best Buy's holiday price match and extended returns policies have you covered in case an item you buy soon-ish goes on sale for a better price later in the season. I'm of the opinion that really good deals on items you really want are worth the hassle in the off-chance that happens, and this time of year is when most stuff hits year-round lows.

Below, I've rounded up the early Black Friday deals and doorbusters at Best Buy that I'd consider adding to my cart already. I've cross-checked them with prices at competing retailers to make sure no one's offering better prices. (Amazon managed to beat one of Best Buy's early Black Friday deals on a JBL gaming headset by four cents, so it didn't make my list.) Anything I've marked with a 🚪 is a current doorbuster that won't stick around past Sunday, Nov. 2.

The best early Black Friday deals at Best BuyTV deals

• TCL 40-inch Q35F Series 1080P QLED Fire TV — $99.99 $229.99 (save $130) 🚪

• LG 48-inch B5 Series OLED AI 4K TV — $529.99 $1,299.99 (save $770) 🚪

• Samsung 75-inch Q6F Series QLED 4K TV — $599.99 $899.99 (save $300)

Laptop deals

• Lenovo IdeaPad 1i, 15-inch (Intel Core i5-1335U, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $299.99 $599.99 (save $300) 🚪

• Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M2, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $649 $799 (save $150)

• Lenovo LOQ 15 (Intel Core i5-13450HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5050, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $649.99 $1,099.99 (save $450)

• HP OmniBook X Flip 16 (Intel Core Ultra 7 256V, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $679.99 $1,099.99 (save $420)

Headphone and earbud deals

• JLab Jbuds Open Sport Air Conduction Earbuds — $19.99 $79.99 (save $60) 🚪

• Bose QuietComfort Earbuds — $129 $179 (save $50)

• Bose QuietComfort Headphones — $199 $359 (save $150)

• Bose Ultra Open Earbuds — $229 $299 (save $70)

Gaming deals

• Split Fiction (PS5, Xbox, Switch) — $39.99 $49.99 (save $10)

• Logitech G535 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Headset (PS5, PC) — $59.99 $99.99 (save $40)

• Razer BlackShark V2 Pro Wireless Gaming Headset (Xbox) — $129.99 $199.99 (save $70)

• JBL Quantum 910X Wireless Gaming Headset (PS5, Xbox, Switch, PC) — $229.99 $329.99 (save $100)

• Samsung 49-inch Odyssey OLED G950 240Hz Curved Smart Gaming Monitor — $849.99 $1,799.99 (save $950) 🚪

More tech deals

• JBL Clip 4 — $49.99 $64.99 (save $15)

• Dyson V9 Motorbar — $269.99 $599.99 (save $330) 🚪

Are you tired of Windows but feeling nervous about making the switch to Linux? Wondering if Linux is as good (or bad) as everyone says it is? Well, I’ve been dual-booting Linux and Windows for a decade now, and here are the main pros and cons you need to know about making the switch.