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Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Mini 4K   Shop Now

With the threat of a ban looming, you might not have long to invest in a DJI drone. That means now is the perfect time to consider the DJI Mini 4K, and with Black Friday fast approaching, could we see a new record-low price on this beloved drone?

Why we love the DJI Mini 4K

There are many reasons why this particular drone is so popular, but the image quality is possibly top of the list. It's equipped with a 4K Ultra HD camera and a three-axis gimbal, so it delivers incredible, steady footage, no matter the lighting. It also benefits from a clever stabilization feature that makes sure every shot is smooth and cinematic.

It even has built-in QuickShots modes like Helix, Dronie, Rocket, Circle, and Boomerang, so you can automatically take special clips without spending ages fiddling with settings. The Mini 4K can also cope well with issues while in the air. It can withstand Level 5 winds, and can keep stable flight speeds up to 38kph and taking off at altitudes up to 4,000 meters.

SEE ALSO: The DJI Power 2000 portable power station means business, and it’s great for DJI drone owners

Battery life is another selling point, and a big point of focus for drones. Depending on your chosen set, you can enjoy 31, 62, or up to 93 minutes of flight time. It also has beginner-friendly controls, including one-tap takeoff and landing, GPS Return to Home, and stable hovering to make it safe and easy to use.

When you order, you'll get the drone itself, an RC-N1C controller, and one battery, so you have everything you need to get shooting content as soon as your order arrives. And as it weighs under 249 grams, it doesn’t require FAA registration or Remote ID for recreational use, so it's the ideal choice for beginners or casual flyers.

Black Friday deal we hope to see on the DJI Mini 4K

Any deal on this product right now feels like a win, especially if you're hoping to purchase before a potential ban comes in. That being said, in recent weeks and months it has seen many impressive discounts, most recently going down to $239, its lowest-ever price. With a list price of $299, a $70 discount is perfectly acceptable, but we're hoping to see something even better over Black Friday. If you see the price creeping down towards $200, don't hesitate to buy.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Mic Mini   Shop Now

Black Friday might feel like a long time away, but it'll swing round faster than you think. Especially with many retailers kicking things off weeks early. As we approach the famed sales event, we've been thinking about the kind of deals we hope to see go live. Holy grail products and big ticket purchases like MacBooks or AirPods, but also readers' favorites like the DJI Mic Mini.

If you create content, chances are this brand is familiar to you, and we're hoping to see some great discounts on this product during Black Friday.

Why we love the DJI Mic Mini

This product is ideal for shooting content on the go, thanks to its portability. The transmitters are small, just 10 grams each, so they're not clunky to wear when you're on the move. This also means they can easily be disguised for a more subtle look on camera.

But despite its size, it captures incredible sound quality with 48kHz sampling and up to 120 dB SPL. It even has a 400-meter transmission range, so you can record content from further away and still have great, clear quality. It even has a powerful noise cancellation feature that lets you tailor performance to your environment. Choose the Basic mode for quiet indoor spaces and Strong mode for noisy locations, like busy outdoor spaces. This will filter out unnecessary background noise to keep your voice nice and clear.

SEE ALSO: DJI fights U.S. government classification as 'Chinese military company,' appeals ruling

It also has an impressive battery life, so if you spend hours shooting content, this will keep going throughout. Get up to 48 hours of use in total, supported by the charging case that lets you fully charge multiple times, both for the transmitters and the receiver.

Black Friday deal we hope to see on the DJI Mic Mini

The DJI Mic Mini has been on sale for $99 on a fairly regular basis. According to camelcamelcamel, this is its lowest-ever price. In October's Prime Day, it reached a similarly low price, but as we approach Black Friday, we can't help but ask for more. We would really like to see this popular product drop to a new record-low price over Black Friday. The time has come for something better, and that time is Black Friday.

SAVE $200: As of Oct. 30, the EF EcoFlow Delta 3 Classic is on sale for $399 at Amazon. That's a 33% saving on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ecoflow EF EcoFlow Delta 3 Classic $399 at Amazon
$599 Save $200   Get Deal

A good power station is something you'll never regret purchasing. It keeps you moving during a power cut (your freezer food will thank you), and keeps you connected during a camping trip. And if you've been looking to upgrade or finally make the jump, you'll find a great deal on a popular EcoFlow model at Amazon. As of Oct. 30, the EF EcoFlow Delta 3 Classic is on sale for $399. That's a $200 discount, and the lowest price it has ever been.

Whether you want to power your refrigerator, microwave, or just your phone and laptop, the EcoFlow Delta 3 Classic can cope. It delivers 1,800W of power with a 3,600W surge capacity using X-Boost technology and for even heavier loads, it can expand up to 2,600W. It has ultra-fast X-Stream AC charging, going from 0-80% in just 45 minutes. It also has a

SEE ALSO: The Anker Solix C800 power station has dropped to its best-ever price at Amazon — save over $200

The battery is built to last over 10 years of daily use, thanks to its durable LiFePO4 battery cell. It's all easily controlled with the EcoFlow app, too. Here you can monitor power usage, set charge schedules, and set backup modes like Storm Alert or Self-Powered Mode.

Get this power station deal from Amazon.

SAVE $270: As of Oct. 30, the Anker Solix C800 is on sale for $329 at Amazon. That's a 45% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Solix C800 $329 at Amazon
$599 Save $270   Get Deal

It's the season for storms and power cuts, and if you live in an area that experiences that sort of thing regularly, you'll know the frustration of having no power for hours, if not days. In times like these, you're always grateful for a portable power station. And if you've been looking for something to have around for such situations, this deal on the Anker Solix C800 is definitely worth checking out.

As of Oct. 30, the Anker Solix C800 has been reduced to its lowest ever price at Amazon. Right now, you can save $270 at its new price of $329. That's a 45% saving on the list price.

SEE ALSO: The Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 power station is down to its record-low price at Amazon

This power station is ideal for charging several devices at once thanks to its 10 outlets. With these, it delivers 768Wh of capacity and 1,200W of rated power, efficiently running up to 89% of household devices. It even comes with built-in storage to keep small devices safe and accessible. This is handy if you're using the power station outdoors or when camping.

And you don't need to worry about it losing power over time. This model is powered by InfiniPower technology, so its battery lasts up to 10 years, with over 3,000 cycles. For charging, choose the Anker app’s UltraFast mode for it to reach full charge in just 58 minutes. With solar input up to 300W, it recharges to 80% in only 2.3 hours.

Get this power station deal from Amazon now.

TL;DR: Live stream Dolphins vs. Ravens in the NFL for free on 7Plus. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with IPVanish.

Thursday Night Football this week is absolutely crucial for the Miami Dolphins and Baltimore Ravens. Both sides come into this midweek matchup with negative records, but there is still time to turn things around. The Ravens have struggled to cope in the absence of star QB Lamar Jackson, but he could make a return at the Hard Rock Stadium.

If you want to watch Dolphins vs. Ravens in the NFL for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Dolphins vs. Ravens?

Dolphins vs. Ravens in the NFL starts at 8:15 p.m. ET on Oct. 30. This game takes place at the Hard Rock Stadium.

How to watch Dolphins vs. Ravens for free

Dolphins vs. Ravens in the NFL is available to live stream for free on 7Plus.

7Plus is geo-restricted to Australia, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Australia, meaning you can unblock 7Plus from anywhere in the world.

SEE ALSO: How to watch the NFL online for free

Live stream Dolphins vs. Ravens for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like IPVanish)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Australia

4. Visit 7Plus

5. Live stream Dolphins vs. Ravens for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: IPVanish IPVanish (2-Year Plan) $52.56 at IPVanish (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Dolphins vs. Ravens in the NFL without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to live stream select fixtures from the NFL before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites to follow the whole season, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for unblocking streaming services is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for 7Plus?

IPVanish is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on 7Plus, for a number of reasons:

• 3,100 servers in 145+ locations including Australia

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• AES 256 encryption and operates with a zero-logs privacy policy

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Unlimited simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to IPVanish is on sale for just $52.56 — 83% off for a limited time. This plan includes advanced privacy features, threat protection, unlimited connections, 24/7 support, and the 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream Dolphins vs. Ravens in the NFL for free with IPVanish.

Editor's Note: IPVanish is owned by Ziff Davis, Mashable's parent company. Any products featured on Mashable are covered independently by our editorial team.

TL;DR: Live stream the 2025 Rugby League Ashes for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

England and Australia are battling it out over a number of sports in the coming weeks and months. The Rugby Union sides are meeting in Autumn Internationals, The Ashes is taking place over the Australian summer, and the Rugby League boys are smashing into each other in the resurrected and revitalized Rugby League Ashes. What a time to be alive.

Honestly, we recommend watching absolutely everything on offer because these bitter rivals tend to produce big moments. But if you're really looking to prioritize huge hits and spellbinding technical skill, we suggest you start with the 2025 Rugby League Ashes.

If you want to watch the 2025 Rugby League Ashes for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

What is the Rugby League Ashes?

The Rugby League Ashes is a three-Test series between Australia and England. The series was initially contested between Australia and Great Britain, with the first series taking place in 1908. After a 20-year hiatus, the Ashes series was revived in 2025, but this time between Australia and England.

When is the 2025 Rugby League Ashes?

The Rugby League Ashes takes place in October and November 2025. The full schedule is as follows:

• Test 1 (Wembley Stadium) — Oct. 25

• Test 2 (Everton Stadium) — Nov. 1

• Test 3 (Headingley Stadium) — Nov. 8

Fans can watch every fixture in this fascinating series without spending anything.

How to watch the 2025 Rugby League Ashes for free

The 2025 Rugby League Ashes is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

Access free live streams of the 2025 Rugby League Ashes by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Watch the 2025 Rugby League Ashes for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can live stream the 2025 Rugby League Ashes before recovering your investment. If you want to retain permanent access to the best free streaming sites from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream the 2025 Rugby League Ashes for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Give your PC a new set of tools with this Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows license, now for just $19.97 (reg. $229).

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows $19.97
$229 Save $209.03   Get Deal

‘Tis the season for the year-end projects to start piling up. If you could use a little help in the productivity department, look no further than a Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows license. It’s filled with seven apps geared toward helping you knock out your to-do list, and right now the entire suite can be yours for only $19.97 (reg. $229).

Don’t let all of your end-of-the-year work spoil the fun of the holiday season. This Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows license equips your computer with seven helpful apps that can help you tackle it all. And this lifetime license means you can own these tools through New Year’s Eve and beyond.

SEE ALSO: Windows 11 Pro is down to just $15 — save $184 on your upgrade

Need to create a document? Word can handle that. Have some budgets you need to finalize before 2026? That’s a job for Excel. PowerPoint is there to help craft the perfect presentation, while Outlook makes managing your communication a breeze. You’ll also have access to newer Microsoft Office additions like OneNote, Publisher, and Access.

Don’t be thrown by the 2019 year of this edition. These apps have been redesigned and include enhanced features and improved cloud connectivity for your convenience. You’ll have access to the new analysis capabilities in Excel, new presentation tools in PowerPoint, and updated email and contact management features in Outlook.

Set yourself up for a successful end of the year with this Microsoft Office Professional Plus 2019 for Windows license, now just $19.97 (reg. $229).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Turn your smartphone into a scanner with this lifetime subscription to SwiftScan VIP, now just $59.99 (reg. $199.99) for a limited time.

Opens in a new window Credit: SwiftScan SwiftScan VIP: Lifetime Subscription $59.99
$199.99 Save $140   Get Deal

It’s hard to hunt down someone who owns a printer these days, much less a scanner. That’s why it’s easier to just equip your phone with one, and SwiftScan VIP makes it easy. It eliminates the need for those clunky scanners of yesteryear, turning your smartphone or tablet into a sleek scanning machine.

Right now, you can secure a lifetime subscription to SwiftScan VIP for 70% off, as it’s just $59.99 (reg. $199.99).

SEE ALSO: Turn paper chaos into organized PDFs with iScanner’s lifetime plan for $25

It’s 2025, but we still run into a whole lot of occasions that require scanners. From filling out important documents to saving a precious handwritten note, SwiftScan VIP makes scanning on demand easy.

This app turns your smartphone or tablet into a scanner with just a few taps. All you have to do is point the camera at the page you need to scan, and SwiftScan detects the edges and crops your document for you. If you need to improve anything, there are built-in tools like color filters, blur reduction, and auto enhancements.

Need to scan multiple pages? That’s not a problem with SwiftScan. It can easily combine them into a single document. Save them as a JPG or PDF, and send them via email, fax, or upload them to your preferred cloud storage service.

SwiftScan doesn’t just turn your smartphone into a scanner — it keeps your scans organized for you, too. Organize your scans into folders, then easily search them thanks to the OCR technology. It also doubles as a PDF editor, so if you’re working with one of these file types you can easily sign, annotate, or redact information right from the PDF within the same app.

Make your phone or tablet a multitasker with this lifetime subscription to SwiftScan VIP, now just $59.99 (reg. $199.99) for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Score a free Lego Snowman at Barnes & Noble from Nov. 7-9. Call or visit your local Barnes & Noble to reserve a spot.

We absolutely love Lego (who doesn't?). But you know what we love more than Lego? Free Lego.

The opportunities to get your hands on Lego without dropping a considerable amount of cash are few and far between, so we always want to make some noise about free giveaways. We've been lucky enough to experience a number of make and take events in 2025. These are usually run in actual Lego stores, but that's not always the case.

SEE ALSO: The 24 best new Lego sets: If you love Wicked, Back to the Future, or Star Wars, prepare to geek out

Barnes & Noble is joining the party by offering a free Lego Snowman make and take event in stores on Nov. 7–9. This cute model comes complete with festive accessories to customize. The event is designed for ages 10+, but everyone is welcome to come along for free.

The really important thing to note is that you need to call or visit your local Barnes & Noble to reserve a spot. The Lego store events are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis, but you'll need to sign up for a spot in this giveaway. One free Lego kit is provided per registered child, so please don't turn up without booking your place first. We don't want any disappointment over the festive season.

As a professional robot vacuum reviewer, I've been iffy about the Roomba legacy for a while now — and further evidence just dropped to back me up. You no longer need to wonder whether Roombas are the best robot vacuums. The better question is whether you're even going to be able to buy a Roomba at all soon.

iRobot's stock dropped by over 30 percent on Monday, Oct. 27 after the company disclosed that its most recent potential buyer dipped out. There aren't any more takers left in the queue, meaning the once-iconic robot vacuum brand could be facing bankruptcy proceedings eventually, unless something drastic changes.

SEE ALSO: How long should a vacuum last? The lifespan to expect from corded, cordless, and robot vacuums.

iRobot's struggles to stay relevant aren't new. It's been an uphill battle to sell the company ever since the plans for Amazon to acquire iRobot fell through back in early 2024. Since then, iRobot's financial situation has gotten pretty dire — it was calculated that revenue had fallen by 44 percent in the last quarter of 2024 as compared to the same time in 2023. But when we reported on that in March 2025, there was still a crumb of hope left: iRobot had also just released a fleet of new Roombas that month, and it could have been the boost the company needed to get back on track.

But this wasn't your average iRobot new product release. For the past few years, iRobot typically saved major new Roomba releases for August, and major Roomba drops typically didn't involve more than a couple models at a time. So iRobot's move to overhaul its lineup with eight new Roombas announced on the same day was... interesting. It was either a quiet upswing for the company or a "Hail Mary" pass. Now, it sounds like that last-ditch effort to keep the company afloat wasn't enough to entice a buyer. It's hard to see where the Roomba legacy goes from here.

While Roombas plateau, competitors are cooking

iRobot's latest stock market woes reflect another trend: Customers aren't all that impressed by Roombas anymore. And as someone who tests robot vacuums for a living, I could have told you that months ago.

SEE ALSO: Will the laser-equipped Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai solve Dyson's robot vacuum problem?

Roombas were once the pinnacle of robotic cleaning technology. iRobot pioneered many of the staple robot vacuum features that are standard today: The self-emptying, smart mapping Roomba S9+ was a huge deal when it came out in 2019, and the Roomba j7+'s small obstacle avoidance set a new standard for robot vacuum brainpower in 2021. I hyped up both of those vacuum cleaners to everyone at the time.

But at some point in the past two or three years, iRobot's innovation plateaued. Its flagship releases started to feel less and less groundbreaking while still being some of the most expensive robot vacuums on the market. iRobot seems to forget that its vacuums don't exist in a vacuum — and with the likes of Dreame and Roborock pumping out advanced, powerful, and practically priced botvacs left and right, there are way more opportunities for Roombas to be upstaged than there were back in the day.

iRobot's proprietary auto-lifting mopping pad is cool, but doesn't scrub as well as other robot mops. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable The Roomba 105 is the first not-crappy budget Roomba in years. But it took forever to get here. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable SEE ALSO: I found the most impressive robot vacuum under $500. You've never heard of it.

It's not even like the newest Roombas are bad. They're a fine bunch of robot vacs, and I actually think that the Roomba Plus 405 Combo and Plus 505 Combo are solid bangs for your buck (especially when they were on sale for October Prime Day). But there's no wow factor with the 2025 Roombas, with most of the new models merely playing catch-up to the competition. Sure, iRobot deserves some credit for finally offering an affordable mopping Roomba with self-washing and drying mopping pads, but brands like Narwal and Eufy introduced budget-friendly models that did the same thing as much as a year earlier.

Roombas' suction power isn't hitting like it used to, either. For instance, the most powerful Roomba you can buy right now is the Roomba Max 705 Combo with 13,000 Pa of suction power. If you're not a mega robot vacuum head like I am, that number might sound impressive — but it's actually quite low for the $1,299.99 price point, and quite low compared to other flagship models. 13,000 Pa is a good bit less than the 18,000 Pa of the identically-priced Narwal Freo Z10 Ultra that came out in September, and less than half of the 30,000 Pa dished out by the impressive new Dreame Aqua10 Ultra Roller.

In its original bleak financial report from March, iRobot admitted that it could be going under for good within the next 12 months. It'll be interesting to see if the release of all of those new Roombas seven months ago provided any type of financial cushion for its parent company. But with no buyers in sight in the thick of Q4 2025, the writing might be on the wall.

This article reflects the opinion of the writer.

Ready or not, we're fast approaching the holiday shopping season. Choosing the best Christmas gifts for the ones you love is either an epic quest that you look forward to every year — or one you dread. Luckily, we spend our days testing all the latest gadgets and gear, and we know exactly what to recommend.

For 2025, our Christmas wishlist is simple: It's all of the awesome stuff we loved the most this year. That includes the newest gadgets we put to the test every week, the swoonworthy items we just had to take home and keep for ourselves, and some classic all-time favorites. With input from Mashable's own tech reporters and shopping editors, every item on our list is something we use, love, or have gifted to others ourselves.

So whether you're searching for Christmas gifts for your mom and dad, or just in need of a good stocking stuffers, this may truly be the only Christmas gift guide you'll need.

Nintendo Switch 2 Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

The new Nintendo console was beloved by reviewer Alex Perry, who wrote that the new release is "a fabulous follow-up to an all-time legend" and that he "can't stop playing" the handheld gaming device. The Nintendo Switch 2 is also a Mashable Choice product, thanks in large part to "massively improved system software" and "wonderful online social features with GameChat."

Opens in a new window Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable Nintendo Switch 2 $449.99 at Best Buy
  Shop Now Kindle Paperwhite Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

"I love mine so much, and I think it's the best thing I've ever bought," says Deputy Shopping Editor Miller Kern. The Kindle Paperwhite is well-loved across much of Mashable, in fact, and was given a coveted Mashable Choice award for "its responsive interface, quick-turning pages, and lightweight design." Read the full review of the Kindle Paperwhite.

Kindle Paperwhite $159.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Best Buy A retro-tech CD player It's almost too cool? Credit: Retradisc

The MOMA Design Store is full of almost unbelievably cool stuff. This year, we're pining for the Retradisc Bluetooth CD player. Whether you're shopping for a Gen Xer longing for the glory days of their youth or a Gen Alpha teen who loves old-school iPods, disposable cameras, and CDs, this gadget has something for everyone. While you can plug in wired headphones, it's also a Bluetooth device, so you can listen with your favorite wireless headphones, too. Plus, it just looks really, really cool.

Opens in a new window Credit: Retratech Retradisc Portable Bluetooth CD Player $99 at MOMA Design Store
  Shop Now

Mario Kart Legos Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

These Mario Kart Legos, which actually fire turtle shells, can be built quickly and are relatively cheap (compared to other Lego sets). They're also just super fun to play with, as Mashable Tech Editor Timothy Beck Werth recently discovered during a playdate with his nieces and nephews. The "turtle shell-firing mechanism" provides endless fun, no matter your age, just like the video game franchise itself.

Mario Kart Legos $28.49 at Amazon
$34.99 Save $6.50   Shop Now at Amazon Apple AirPods Pro 3 Credit: CNET

Apple finally refreshed its AirPods Pro line this year, and it was well worth the wait. The new AirPods Pro 3 have incredible ANC and a much-improved fit. Our reviewer says they're also more comfortable, and the heart-rate monitoring and other upgrades set them apart from most other wireless earbuds. We expect these new earbuds to top a lot of Christmas wishlists in 2025.

Opens in a new window Credit: apple Apple AirPods Pro 3 $249 at Amazon
  Get Deal Sony XM6 Headphones Credit: Alex Humphreys / Mashable

We loved the new flagship Sony headphones, and our appreciation has only grown since the release. "If you want best-in-class noise-cancelling headphones and pristine audio quality, the headphones deliver," our tech editor wrote in his review. With some of the best ANC in the industry and an improved folding design, we expect these cans to top many Christmas wishlists in 2025.

Sony XM6 Headphones $458 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon DJI Osmo Mobile 7P Gimbal Stabilizer Credit: DJI / Amazon

Creators, TikTokkers, and aspiring influencers will adore unwrapping this gimbal stabilizer on Christmas morning. Our tech editor calls it "the best gimbal I've tested so far." This high praise is due to the gimbal's ease of use, stability, and 10-hour battery life.

DJI Osmo Mobile 7P Gimbal Stabilizer $129 at Amazon
$145 Save $16   Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Amazon Anker Nano MagSafe power bank Credit: Anker

This ultra-thin Anker powerbank attaches to your phone magnetically. It's also Qi2-certified which means it will charger your phone faster and more efficiently. Don't overthink this one — just add it to your family's stockings.

Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Nano MagSafe Power bank $34.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $25   Get Deal

Panasonic Technics AZ100 Earbuds Credit: Timothy Beck Werth / Mashable

For audiophiles and music lovers, no other earbuds come close to matching the Panasonic Technics AZ100 wireless earbuds. Another recommendation from our tech editor, these wireless earbuds are a Mashable Choice award winner and "easily beat the likes of Sony and Bose." They pair easily with up to three devices at once, are comfortable to wear, and sound fantastic. "If you're looking for earbuds with the best possible sound quality, these are now the buds to beat," says Werth.

Technics AZ100 Earbuds $267.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $32   Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Technics Igloo KoolTunes Bluetooth Cooler Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

It's a cooler. It's a Bluetooth speaker. It's both! We love this highly giftable item for its retro design and exceptionally good sound quality. Mashable's Senior Shopping Reporter Haley Henschel owns this herself, saying, "I'm obsessed with it. I think it should go on every gift guide." Read the full review of the Igloo KoolTunes Bluetooth Cooler.

Igloo KoolTunes Bluetooth Cooler $139.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Igloo Octobuddy Suction Phone Mount Credit: Octobuddy

This is more of a stocking stuffer, but it's a great one for wannabe influencers or anyone who's dreamed of going viral. Recommended by Mashable Senior Shopping Reporter Haley Henschel, Octobuddy is simply a silicone phone case with a series of suction cups on the back. TikTok-obsessed teens will especially appreciate the simple design that makes filming GRWM videos way easier — we frequently see the Octobuddy mentioned in our In My Bag series.

Octobuddy Suction Phone Mount $14.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon

Loop Earplugs Credit: Loop

Multiple editors and writers on Mashable swear by these noise reduction earplugs, saying they've worn them to concerts, while traveling, and more as a way to cut back on excess sound without missing out on what's going on. One of our senior shopping reporters even brought them to the Beyonce Cowboy Carter tour — the ultimate test. The best Loop earplugs a great stocking stuffer, well-priced, and come in a range of styles and colors.

Loop Earplugs $38.95 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Amazon

Mesa Gas Grill Credit: Mesa

One of the more frustrating parts of cooking on a grill is that it's hard to know what's going on in there without living the cover. Of course, doing so lets out heat and can slow cook times. Enter the Monument Mesa Grill, which has a clear viewing window built into the top. Werth says that both his father-in-law and uncle are obsessed with it. So, if you're searching for the best Christmas gifts for men, dads, or any pitmasters in the family, this will make you a Christmas hero.

Opens in a new window Credit: Mesa Mesa Gas Grill with Clear View Lid $499 at Home Depot
  Shop Now

Brooklinen Towels Credit: Brooklinen

There is something so luxurious about a brand-new set of bath towels that all match and feel wonderful. It's like a warm hug each time you get out of the shower. The ones from Brooklinen are particularly loved by our staff — our tech editor says, "I firmly believe that Brooklinen's Super-Plush towels are the best towels in the world, period. They're insanely fluffy yet dry faster than you expect."

Opens in a new window Credit: Brooklinen Brooklinen Towels   Shop Now Loftie Alarm Clock Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

What's old is new again with the famous Loftie smart alarm clock, which our staff loves for allowing them to ditch the screens while in bed. Lead Shopping Reporter Bethany Allard owns this and says it's "a very pleasant alarm clock to wake up to." It's customizable, with nice-sounding alarm options and a built-in night light.

Loftie Alarm Clock $169.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Ninja Luxe Café Credit: Ninja

After testing Ninja appliances for weeks, this is the one that Shopping Reporter Sam Mangino has made her own. The 3-in-1 machine can tackle espresso, drip coffee, and cold brew, and even has a built-in bean grinder. Mangino says she really loved this one because it "streamlines the process and cuts down on the learning curve." See how the Ninja Luxe Café fared on our list of the best Ninja appliances.

Ninja Luxe Café Espresso Machine $588 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Owala FreeSip Water Bottle Credit: Owala

Hydro Flask had her moment. We have now entered the Owala era. Almost everyone on Mashable's Shopping team has the Owala FreeSip, which reporter Sam Mangino dubbed the "best water bottle ever." The 24-ounce insulated stainless steel bottle is designed to accommodate both sipping (via straw) and good, ol' fashioned gulp when tipped back. For college students, athletes, teenagers, or anyone who drinks water, we think a colorful Owala is one of the best Christmas gift ideas of the year.

Owala FreeSip $29.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon

John Boos & Co. Cutting Board Credit: John Boos & Co.

"I love it so much," says Shopping Reporter Sam Mangino, who owns this cult-favorite maple cutting board. Made in the USA, each cutting board is a thing of beauty. It's no wonder Mangino keeps hers out on the counter at all times, as if it was a piece of artwork — because it is.

John Boos RA-Board Series Rectangular Wooden Maple Cutting Board 18”x12” – 2.25” Thick, 13-lb Reversible Butcher Block with Edge-Grain & Finger Grips – Made in the USA $133.95 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Kobo Libra Colour Credit: Kobo

Our staff loved the Kobo Libra Colour during testing, saying that it makes a really great alternative to the Amazon suite of products. The e-reader allows you to interact with the text and highlight passages in color (thus the name), making things like comic books and graphic novels a bit more enjoyable. Our reviewer said the ergonomics of the color e-reader are particularly good too, especially if you like to read in bed.

Kobo Libra Colour $229.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Amazon Bose Ultra Open Earbuds Credit: RJ Andersen / Mashable

We spend a lot of time testing headphones and earbuds, and we have no shortage of recommendations when it comes to this great stocking stuffer. Our staff swears by these Bose Ultra Open earbuds, saying they're really great for working out or going on walks while remaining aware of the world around you. Read more about the best open earbuds.

Bose Ultra Open Earbuds $199 at Amazon
$299 Save $100   Shop Now at Amazon Solawave Wand Credit: RJ Andersen / Mashable

We're obsessed with this skincare wand, and after vigorous testing, have deemed it to be a Mashable Choice award winner. Our staff says that as far as beauty tools go, it's a great introduction to tech-powered skincare. It's not as effective as a red light mask and you have to be more diligent with the wand, but it will deliver that same experience at a fraction of the price. For all these reasons, we think it's one of the best Christmas gifts for women and teens in 2025.

Opens in a new window Credit: Solawave Solawave skincare wand $189 at Amazon
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Piecework Puzzles Credit: Piecework

If you only gift one puzzle this year, let it be one of these. "I'm a huge puzzle nerd, and I adore Piecework puzzles," says Deputy Shopping Editor Miller Kern. "All of the designs are super cute, and I have considered framing the ones I have." Others on the team agree. We love these puzzle for their bright photography and extra-thick pieces, which top out at 1,000.

Piecework Puzzles $40 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon KitchenAid Mixer Credit: KitchenAid

This countertop icon is a workhorse for at-home bakers and cooks. We're obsessed. I have one, and love that it takes the muscle out of things like mixing, whisking, and kneading. One of the best parts about owning a KitchenAid Mixer? All the attachments, allowing you to utilize that powerful little motor in new ways, like grinding meat and making pasta. There's a reason why it landed on our list of the best products you'll buy once and own for life.

KitchenAid Mixer $449 at Walmart
$459.99 Save $10.99   Shop Now at Walmart Shop Now at Amazon

Canon Ivy 2 Mini Printer Credit: Canon

Deputy Shopping Editor Miller Kern owns this and loves it, and after hearing her rave about it, it's now on the top of my very own Christmas wishlist. The portable printer works with any compatible iOS and Android device, allowing you to print photos on demand directly from your smartphone. The best part is the sticky photo paper, making this a great Christmas gift for anyone who likes to journal or scrapbook.

Opens in a new window Credit: Canon Canon Ivy 2 Mini Photo Printer $129.98 at Amazon
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DJI Mic Mini Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

This super small and ultralight wireless microphone would make a great Christmas gift for the creator, aspiring filmmaker, and podcast host in the family. Compatible with both iPhones and Androids (plus a host of cameras), these are the exact microphones that the Mashable social team used at VidCon. Highly recommend.

DJI Mic Mini $99 at Amazon
$169 Save $70   Shop Now at Amazon Rolling Garden Stool Credit: Pure Garden

Don't tell our moms, but at least one of them will be getting this for Christmas: a rolling garden cart with storage inside and a seat, so she can bop along weeding her garden without bending over so much. I feel pretty confident that she's gonna love it.

Rolling Garden Cart With Seat $39.95 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon

Personalized Family Member Sign Post Credit: Uncommon Goods

A member of our staff asserts that this is "probably the best gift I've ever given my mom." We can see why. For those with family members scattered all over the globe, this simple visual reminder of their whereabouts can make everyone feel just a little bit closer. Plus, personalized Christmas presents are always so thoughtful.

Opens in a new window Credit: Uncommon Goods Personalized Family Member Sign Post $200 at Uncommon Goods
  Shop Now Bird Buddy Credit: Bird Buddy

We have a feeling this might actually be the best ever Christmas gift for dads. Here's why: This bird feeder with a built-in camera takes birdwatching to a whole new level. The compatible app even includes AI-powered bird identification, a livestream, and alerts for when there's a visitor on the feeder. We're obsessed, and we have a feeling your dad will be too.

Bird Buddy Smart Feeder Pro $299 at Amazon
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Moonbuddy Meditation Device for Kids Credit: Moonbird

Anyone with kids knows that sleep can be hard to come by. We fell in love with this little gadget during testing, and now we're putting it at the top of our best Christmas gift ideas for kids. While Moonbird is designed for adults, Moonbuddy helps kids learn self-regulation, and it can be part of a calming bedtime routine and help ease stress. The secret is to have them match their breath to the handheld device.

Moonbuddy $99.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon

The Charger by Counterpart Credit: Counterpart

One of the year's best stocking stuffers, Counterpart's USB-C charger is made for anyone who juggles a lot of tech, likes to travel, or works remotely. The Charger "features a retractable cable that snakes up inside the device when it's not in use. That means no annoying cable cluttering up your desk, countertops, or bedroom. It's one of those ingenious product innovations that makes you wonder, 'Why aren't all chargers like this?'" Read our full review of The Charger.

Opens in a new window Credit: Counterpart The Charger $44 at Counterpart
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Ninja Swirl Credit: Ninja

Our reporters maintain that the Ninja Swirl is "way more fun" than the more basic Creami, thanks in large part to the inclusion of a soft serve function. When Sam Mangino reviewed the Swirl, she loved it so much that she awarded it a coveted Mashable Choice, declaring, you'll "never have to leave the house for soft serve again." Read the full review of the Ninja Swirl.

Ninja Swirl $334.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Ninja Kitchen

Belkin Nintendo Switch 2 Charging Case Credit: Belkin

Our team loves this as an add-on to the popular Nintendo Switch 2, with one reporter calling it their favorite gaming accessory. The case makes it easier to take the Switch 2 on the road, since the hard shell exterior keeps it protected in the event of a drop. The best part, though, is being able to quickly charge the device anywhere you are. Read our full take on the Belkin Nintendo Switch 2 Charging Case.

Belkin Nintendo Switch 2 Case $139.98 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Big Rock City from The Magic Puzzle Company Credit: The Magic Puzzle Company

This puzzle brand was huge on TikTok this year, thanks in large part to the hidden Easter eggs and fun puzzle piece shapes. Each 1,000-piece puzzle comes with a secret envelope full of more pieces that you open once you've finished the puzzle. "It's a super fun concept and I have two, and bought one as a gift for my dad, who is also super into puzzles," says Kern.

Big Rock City from The Magic Puzzle Company $24.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon

Brightland Olive Oil Flight Credit: Brightland

Named one of Oprah's Favorite Things, we love these infused olive oils from Brightland for their yummy flavors and the aesthetically pleasing bottle designs. Specialty food items are such a great gift for people who love to cook, because it's the kind of thing they'll never splurge on for themselves (but secretly covet.) This set includes cold-pressed olive oils infused with chili, garlic, lemon, and basil.

Opens in a new window Credit: Brightland Brightland Olive Oil $150 at Brightland
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Petlibro Polar automatic wet cat food feeder Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Such a great smart home device for cat owners — and an incredible gift for the person who has a cat and also likes to take the occasional weekend getaway. The Petlibro Polar automatic wet cat food feeder keeps three days worth of wet food chilled and fresh, rotating its serving day on a set schedule. Shopping reporter and resident cat girlie Leah Stodart sang the praises of her Petlibro, writing that the "automatic wet cat food feeder is so comforting when I'm gone overnight." It's truly the gift that keeps on giving.

Petlibro Polar $129.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Rain Drum Credit: MENGBEI

We test (and love) all the latest gadgets and tech products, but sometimes it's nice to take a step back from all of that and tune into nature. This steel drum sits in the garden and plays a series of 11 notes each time it's hit with rain. (Pro tip: You could also bring it into the shower.) It's soothing, it's unique, and it makes for a great Christmas gift.

Steel Tongue Rain Drum $19.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Apple Watch Series 11 Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

Apple always releases new products in the fall, and they always dominate guides to the best Christmas gifts of the year. This year, we're recommending the upgraded Apple Watch Series 11, which offers critical improvements to the battery life.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Series 11 $399 at Amazon
  Get Deal A Lego lunch box Credit: Lego

Sometimes, the simplest gifts are also the best gifts. If you have a Lego lover in your life, whether they're six or 36, liven up their lunchtime with this unironically cool Lego lunch box.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Lunch Box $16.78 at Amazon
$28 Save $11.22   Get Deal The Life of a Showgirl on vinyl Credit: Taylor Swift

We're guessing you have at least one Swiftie on your holiday shopping list. So, don't overthink it: Get them something to add to their Taylor Swift shrine. While we've selected The Life of a Showgirl vinyl record, you can also buy one of the many other formats or albums. What does Swift love more than her new fiancé? Merchandise. Lots and lots of merchandise.

Opens in a new window Credit: Taylor Swift The Life of a Showgirl [Sweat & Vanilla Perfume Orange Glitter Vinyl edition] $36.98 at Amazon
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You can’t talk headphones without bringing Beats into the conversation. The house that Dr. Dre and Jimmy Iovine built revolutionized the product category. Its influence on the headphones market became even stronger once Apple acquired the audio electronics staple. Their partnership has led to many acclaimed releases.

At the top of the list are the Studio Pro headphones and Fit Pro earbuds. These two selections embody the brand’s sleek craftsmanship, which is highlighted by appealing designs and elite functionality via Apple’s and Beats’ proprietary technologies. The company has also released great entry-level and mid-range models that don’t deny consumers the Beats audio experience.

The headphones and earbuds I’m referring to aren’t just terrific AirPods alternatives — they’re some of the best headphones out there. We’ve tested all of Beats’ popular entries and narrowed down the top picks to help you find the right pair.

How to choose the best Beats headphones

Beats headphones and earbuds are known for their bass response, battery life, connectivity, and, of course, style. The products we’re showcasing are all solid choices that have been thoroughly tested for high performance assurance.

If you’re someone who desires versatile sound, look for Beats headphones that come with built-in EQs and USB-C lossless audio. Those who want active noise cancellation and spatial audio can find them on headphones and earbuds at different price points. Something else to know is that most Beats models support many of the same features as the AirPods and AirPods Pro series. We’re talking everything from audio sharing to quick charging, Find My (Buds) integration to “Hey Siri” voice activation.

Beats has something for everyone. Here are our picks for the best Beats headphones of 2025, based on first-hand impressions and months of testing.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Thursday, Oct. 30, 2025:

AcrossWords on either side of "___ what ___"

• The answer is It Is.

Breathes like a dog

• The answer is Pants.

Podcast's medium

• The answer is Audio.

Test with one's nose

• The answer is Sniff.

President after Teddy Roosevelt

• The answer is Taft.

DownHoppy beers, for short

• The answer is IPAs.

Talk trash to

• The answer is Taunt.

The "I" of 1-Down

• The answer is India.

How you might feel after a long car ride

• The answer is Stiff.

Pillowy

• The answer is Soft.

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

Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of Games

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

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

Today's Connections: Sports Edition is simple if you understand basketball.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, 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 the latest 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: Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. 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.

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

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: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Refreshment

• Green: Basketball venues

• Blue: Offense stoppers

• Purple: Almost football teams

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

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

• Yellow: Obtaining talent

• Green: Elude

• Blue: Throws

• Purple: Same first name

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: Sports Edition #402 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Ways to add someone to a team - DRAFT, FREE AGENCY, TRADE, WAIVERS

• Lose a would-be tackler - BREAK, SHAKE, SHED, SLIP

• Softball pitches, with -ball - CURVE, DROP, FAST, RISE

• Nick ___ - CHUBB, MANGOLD, NURSE, SIRIANNI

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

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

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.

Even the most devoted Apple disciples should be able to admit that the best Windows laptops have some advantages over the best MacBooks.

For one thing, Windows PCs offer a wider variety of hardware and configuration options, often at cheaper prices. (They still hold the monopoly on touchscreen displays, for example.) On the software side, you're going to get broader support for specialized business apps and video games on a Windows laptop. Windows 11 also goes hard on Copilot integration, that being Microsoft's ChatGPT-like assistant, giving it appeal for AI early adopters.

I've been writing about laptops for Mashable since 2023, and in my experience, the top Windows laptops run an impressive gamut; think ultraportable Copilot+ PCs, dual-display stunners, subtle gaming stations, and approachable modular systems. Some of them even manage to beat the latest MacBooks on performance and battery life — a feat largely made possible by Qualcomm's Snapdragon X series chips.

So, what is the best Windows laptop? Microsoft's Surface Laptop 7 rocks. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Speaking of: At present, I think the best Windows laptop for most people is the 13.8-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 powered by the Snapdragon X Elite chip. It's a stylish workhorse with enough power to handle demanding workloads, a premium build, and an amazing all-day battery life (outdone by just one other model). Even the M4 MacBooks can't keep up. Beyond that, I have other picks for users with different budgets, use cases, and design preferences.

I chose my picks based on hands-on testing conducted by myself and other Mashable staff and contributors. We've reviewed dozens of PCs on the basis of performance, build quality, battery life, and value over the years, and the ones I'm recommending are the cream of recent-gen crops. Most of them scored high enough to secure a Mashable Choice Award, the highest honor we give to the gadgets we review.

What's new

As of November 2025, the Acer Swift Go 16 is our favorite big-screen Windows laptop. It's a brand-new category for this guide.

What didn't make the cut?

We've tested other good-but-not-great Windows laptops so far this year. They might meet some users' needs or have a couple of standout features, but our top picks outclass them in their respective categories.

The Acer Predator Helios 16 is a powerhouse with a stellar thermal design and a matte display, but its obnoxious, gamer-y look is a turnoff.

The Dell XPS 13 (9530) has a fantastic tandem OLED display and a slick edge-to-edge design — it's such a striking laptop, and a very portable one, too. Unfortunately, its keyboard is cramped, its touchpad is glitchy, and it's scant on ports.

The Dell 14 Plus 2-in-1 (AMD) is an impressive performer for the price, but it has poor speakers, a crude webcam, and a cheap feel to it.

The Dell 16 Plus 2-in-1 is configurable with a gorgeous mini-LED touchscreen, but it has a mediocre battery life and a creaky build.

The HP OmniBook Ultra Flip 14 is a handsome convertible with a velvety touchpad, a springy keyboard, and a rich 3K OLED touchscreen, but it underperforms for the price and has some strange port placements on its corners.

The HP OmniBook X Flip 14 is another pretty 2-in-1. Its thin, travel-friendly design features a nice 2.8K OLED touchscreen and an aluminum chassis that doesn't cling to fingerprints, but its cheap-feeling touchpad and weirdly placed speakers bothered our reviewer.

The HP Omnibook X Flip 16 is an oversized hybrid laptop with a vibrant 3K OLED touchscreen, strong hinge, and an above-average battery life. But it's weighed down by an awkward zero-lattice keyboard, middling performance for the price, and a heavy build.

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, the Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move onto the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity for how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for October 30, 2025

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible – and common – for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for October 30, 2025 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Oct. 30 Pips

Equal (4): Everything in this space must be equal to 4. The answer is 4-4, placed vertically; 4-1, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this space must be equal to 3. The answer is 1-3, placed horizontally; 3-0, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add to 0. The answer is 3-0, placed vertically; 2-0, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Oct. 30 Pips

Number (6): Everything in this space must add to 6. The answer is 2-2, placed vertically; 2-1, placed horizontally.

Equal (1): Everything in this space must be equal to 1. The answer is 1-1, placed vertically; 2-1, placed horizontally; 1-6, placed vertically; 1-4, placed horizontally.

Number (6): Everything in this space must add to 6. The answer is 1-4, placed horizontally; 2-5, placed vertically.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add to 11. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 5-3, placed horizontally.

Number (8): Everything in this space must add to 8. The answer is 5-3, placed horizontally; 2-5, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Oct. 30 Pips

Greater Than (1): Everything in this space must be greater than 1. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically.

Less Than (5): Everything in this space must be less than 5. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically..

Equal (5): Everything in this space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-6, placed vertically; 5-5, placed horizontally.

Number (17): Everything in this space must add to 17. The answer is 3-5, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically; 6-2, placed horizontally.

Number (25): Everything in this space must add to 25. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 5-6, placed vertically; 6-2, placed horizontally; 2-0, placed horizontally; 4-2, placed vertically; 5-0, placed vertically.

Number (0): Everything in this space must add to 0. The answer is 2-0, placed horizontally.

Number (2): Everything in this space must add to 2. The answer is 4-2, placed vertically.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add to 1. The answer is 5-0, placed vertically; 1-1, placed horizontally.

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

I’ll admit, I initially judged this smartwatch by its good looks. It’s sleek, modern, minimalist, boasts an OLED display, and certainly doesn’t look like a cheap smartwatch. However, I was suspicious given its $99 price, which drops to $79 when on sale. But as it turns out, Nothing's CMF Watch 3 Pro is awesome. There's a reason Mashable recently named it one of the best smartwatches of the year, alongside much more expensive wearables from Apple, Samsung, and Google Pixel.

Please, no one tell Nothing they should be charging a lot more for this watch.

We’ve come to rely on smartwatches for much more than telling the time and keeping track of our daily step count. Modern smartwatches are also supposed to be fitness trackers, sleep trackers, GPS guides, and all-around coaches, reminding us to stay hydrated or stand up from our desk and stretch. These features, and the watch’s display, also love to suck up battery power, the bane of any fancy smartwatch. But CMF has some kind of magic recipe because the battery life on the Watch 3 Pro is something else. Apple Watch users who charge every day will be envious of this watch’s power to last for almost two weeks — and even longer in my experience

Pretty slick for a $99 smartwatch. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable SEE ALSO: Apple Watch Series 11 review: The same, but better

The overall look of the CMF Watch 3 Pro is impressive, and it comes in a diverse range of colorways. I’ve been testing the orange option, but I’m also smitten with the light green. Take note that the colorways change not just the strap but the watch’s bezel.

Here’s an initial rundown of the specs of the CMF by Nothing Watch 3 Pro:

Specs

CMF is Nothing's budget brand (which will soon be spinning off into its own company), but this smartwatch's specs don't scream budget:

• Screen: 1.43-inch AMOLED glass display

• Peak brightness: 650 nits

• Resolution: 466 x 466

• Refresh rate: 60 fps

• Battery type: Lithium ion

• Battery capacity: 350 mAh

• Battery life: 13 days with typical use

• Charging time: about 100 minutes

• Weight: between 51 to 52.4 grams, depending on colorway

• Water and dust resistance: IP68

Standout features I love on the CMF by Nothing Watch 3 Pro

When Nothing launched the CMF Watch 3 Pro, one of its most noteworthy upgrades was the dual-band GPS. That’s accurate enough to track your position down to indicating which side of the road you’re on. 

It also comes with all of the basic fitness and health tracking we’ve come to expect from a smartwatch — heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen level, stress level, daily steps, and even VO2 max. After a workout, the Watch 3 Pro provides detailed metrics like total time, total calories, and a heart-rate graph. It then further breaks down the heart rate into intervals of warm-up, fat burning, aerobic, anaerobic, and maximum. For those new to a sport, those metrics are useful to stay within a reasonable range while ramping up fitness. The Watch 3 Pro also pops out an estimated recovery time so you can better plan your next workout effort.

Beyond health and fitness tracking, I’ve found a few features that I like to brag about, like the fact that the weather widget includes outdoor AQI. As someone who’s kind of obsessed with breathing in clear air, I appreciate this addition. There’s also the remote camera function that allows you to control your phone’s photo shutter via the watch, timer included. This is gonna be handy when it comes time to take the holiday card photo. I’ve also used the watch’s guided breathing as a calm-down exercise because the world is a lot right now.

Getting sporty with the CMF Watch 3 Pro

The Watch 3 Pro is all-inclusive when it comes to sports. It has over 130 sport modes, and that means it includes some outliers that we don’t always associate with traditional sports. Some of my favorites include hula hooping, kite flying, scooter riding, jet skiing, and luge. Notably, bobsledding is missing; sorry to disappoint the Jamaican team. But silliness aside, CMF went deep into fitness here to even include individual exercises like planks, push-ups, and sit-ups.

Tracking workouts is simple, and the watch can even auto-detect when you start certain workouts. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable

Runners, walkers, hikers, and cyclists will appreciate the watch’s dual-band GPS tracing, which can even tell which side of the road you're on. 

Runners and aspiring runners have a special advantage with the CMF Watch 3 Pro. There’s a custom running coach feature that asks for your target distance (such as 5k or 10k), desired completion time for said distance, and how long you have available to train. From there, the coach asks how many days per week you plan to train and when you’ll begin. Before it spits out a training plan, it asks for a trial run that needs to be at least 12 minutes long for the AI trainer to accurately give users the best training plan.

Running coach ready. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable

While this is a pretty snazzy feature, I’m not sure asking a newbie runner to head out for 12 minutes is reasonable. This feature also seems stuck in kilometers, despite my watch being set to miles. Like all AI, this feature doesn’t seem flawless, but it’s neat to have available regardless.

A battery life your friends will envy

Nothing says the watch will get about 13 days of battery life with average use. That shrinks to 17.2 hours with continuous GPS use but can go up to 60 days in power saving mode. When testing, I used the watch to receive and reply to texts, track workouts, automatically detect and track walks, and track my sleep. I kept heart-rate monitoring to check every five minutes.

To test the battery life, I charged it 100 percent, and after 13 days, when Nothing said it would probably die, it was still at 45 percent. So, I turned on more notifications and enhanced sleep tracking. With those, I started losing about 6 percent battery per day, which puts me in line for about 16 days of battery life. For reference, Mashable Senior Editor Stan Schroeder found the Apple Watch Series 11 to be a “one-and-a-half-day smartwatch."

Nothing says with heavy use, the Watch 3 Pro should last for about 10 days. Paired with my experience, that seems like an honest number.

Recharging the watch takes about an hour and a half, but that doesn’t include getting the charger connected to the watch itself, which always took me several attempts. It’s a finicky proprietary magnetic charger that basically forces you to set the watch face-side down to recharge. It’s also nearly impossible to move the watch or pick it up to look at it while it’s charging without knocking the charger off the watch. It’s a set-it-and-forget-it situation that I don’t love.

The magnetic charger on the Watch 3 Pro will detach from the watch if you simply look at it wrong. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable Sleep metrics that are similar to a $3,000+ smartbed

I tested the CMF Watch 3 Pro at the same time as I was testing the Eight Sleep Pod 5. The Pod is a bed system that consists of a mattress base, blanket, and mattress cover that tracks sleepers’ metrics and makes small temperature adjustments throughout the night to maximize sleep quality. In a queen-size, the Eight Sleep Pod 5 cover alone costs about $3,300. Adding the blanket and base brings it closer to $7,000.

I compared the sleep metrics the Eight Sleep Pod gave me each night to what the Watch 3 Pro said. To my surprise and delight, the two were nearly identical. Sure, a few minutes are different here and there, but the overall reading was similar enough that I’m left feeling like the sub-$100 CMF watch I’m wearing on my wrist is tracking my sleep in a way that rivals a $3,000+ smartbed. 

For example, the Eight Sleep Pod calculated my REM sleep at 28 percent while the Watch 3 Pro said 25 percent. The Eight Sleep Pod clocked my deep sleep at 23 percent and the Watch 3 Pro said 26 percent. The CMF Watch 3 Pro also tracks naps automatically, and that’s not something all smartwatches can brag about.

Sleep metrics go hard on the CMF by Nothing Watch 3 Pro Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable

The sleep metric readout on the Watch 3 Pro does reveal one weird quirk about using the Nothing app. I've noticed some odd language choices and small typos. When checking my sleep score, I found text that read, “Your sleep quality is very high and you are in good spirits and should be maintained at all times.” That gets the point across, but it’s not really a standard English sentence. When I set my custom running coach, the app told me to select a “later tine” when I chose a start date in the past.

Personally, I’m not mad that the CMF Watch 3 Pro has some slight lost-in-translation moments, but other people might find this to be a turnoff. Fortunately, a future update could easily fix these issues.

What I didn’t love about the Watch 3 Pro

Right off the bat, I was shocked by how large the Watch 3 Pro was on my wrist, and it’s only available in one size. I consider myself a "medium" size woman, and my wrist measures about 6.5 inches around. The 1.43-inch display pretty much covers the entire front of my wrist, leaving very little of the watch band visible. I’m not mad about this. I like the chunky size, and I’d much rather have a larger and easier-to-read display than a smaller display. It’s water-resistant, but I have to take it off after a shower to dry it off because the face is simply too large to shift around enough on my wrist to dry on its own.

The CMF Watch 3 Pro's 1.43-inch display (left) is a lot larger than my Gamin vivoactive 4S' 1.1-inch display (right). Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable

I suspect the size will disqualify this smartwatch as a good option for most kids and maybe even some teens. You might also dislike it if your wrist is much smaller than my 6.5-inch wrist, but this is all subjective. Despite its larger size, it’s lightweight and I hardly notice wearing it.

Another negative some might find to be inconvenient is the lack of NFC payment options. No, you won’t be able to pay for that Trader Joe’s snack run by tapping the CMF Watch 3 Pro to the payment terminal. I have Google Wallet on my phone, so this wasn’t a big issue for me but some might find it to be.

Bad news for ChatGPT fans

When the CMF by Nothing Watch 3 Pro launched in July of 2025, the Internet was pretty jazzed about its promise of allowing you to have access to ChatGPT on your wrist. Well, turns out that was a little bit of a bait-and-switch.

This feature is only available if you pair the Watch 3 Pro to your Nothing phone. If you don’t have a Nothing phone, you have no wrist-accessible ChatGPT, sorry to say. Maybe this’ll change in the future, but for now, this ChatGPT feature is probably worth well, nothing to most people.

No Nothing phone? No ChatGPT. Credit: Lauren Allain / Mashable Is the CMF by Nothing Watch 3 Pro worth buying?

When I first saw the CMF Watch3 Pro, I thought it looked damn good for a watch that’s under $100. Now that I’ve worn it for several weeks, I think the performance is on par with its good looks. The watch feels, looks, and functions like it costs a few hundred dollars. And its features are incredible given the price. The long battery life makes this an even better deal, and I think it’s perfect for people who are just dipping their toes in the world of smartwatches or those who value a good deal while not sacrificing quality.

In the past, I’ve been heavily on team Garmin, but my Garmin lives in a drawer now, and its battery life was nowhere near as solid as the CMF Watch 3 Pro. The functions are awesome for athletes, and I’m blown away by the sleep tracking accuracy. I think it’s well worth the $99 price tag, a ridiculous deal if you can snag it on sale for $79, and probably about a third of what it should cost.

Opens in a new window Credit: CMF by Nothing CMF by Nothing Watch 3 Pro $99 at Amazon
  Get Deal

We’ve all been there: applying a screen protector to a prized device, and that stray bubble caught below the plastic just will not move to the edge and escape. It can be so frustrating. If you recently picked up the new iPhone 17 and are hunting for the best screen protector for your new device, then one of the following options might be the right fit for you. As for the pesky stray bubble tormenting you beneath your brand-new screen protector, Johnny Kim, a technician from New York Computer Help, has a few tips. 

"When it comes to installing screen protectors on your device, quality and type of protector really make all the difference," says Kim. "By and large, most screen protectors on the market are made from glass or plastic; glass is almost always easier to install, and plastic screen protectors are the culprit behind the majority of the bubbles and wonky wrinkles."

What's the best way to install a screen protector on your phone?

Overall, Kim recommends picking up a glass screen protector to avoid the hassle of a bubbly install (especially for first-time screen protector buyers). If you have to spring for plastic, though, Kim recommends following the instructions as closely as possible or heading to your local phone repair shop and having an expert install it for a low fee. 

Kim also says the best screen protector for your phone is most likely the one made by your phone's manufacturer. “If that’s not an option, there aren’t a ton of well-known brands on the market, and it’s best to go off-screen protectors that have a significant amount of positive reviews,” he adds.

One of our editors also highly recommends the Spigen screen protector, which comes with an adorable little squeegee to help you iron out all those annoying bubbles.

Finally, don't forget about scratchgate. Because the new iPhone 17 Pro and Pro Max scratch so easily, you'll want to pair your screen protector with one of the best iPhone 17 Pro cases as well. With all that in mind, here are some of the best screen protectors for your new iPhone 17.

Magic John Opens in a new window Credit: Magic John MAGIC JOHN 2 Pack for iPhone 17 Pro Tempered Glass Screen Protector $19
  Shop Now

This screen protector from Magic John comes with an “installation frame” for applying the protector to your phone screen. Reviewers have said that it was one of the easiest installation processes they’ve ever experienced. The screen protector is made of tempered glass and claims to be auto-dust-eliminating.

Spigen Opens in a new window Credit: Spigen Spigen AluminaCore Tempered Glass Screen Protector $22.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now

This screen protector from Spigen is specifically designed to have enhanced durability. The glass of the protector is specifically enhanced with aluminium to make the surface of the protector stronger and more resistant to cracks. The tempered glass screen protector also comes with a guided installation kit and a squeegee, which makes the installation even easier.

TORRAS Opens in a new window Credit: TORRAS TORRAS OrigArmor for iPhone 17 Pro Max Screen Protector $33.22 at Amazon
$41.99 Save $8.77   Shop Now

This screen protector has a “3D curved edge” to offer you the maximum surface area coverage possible. Reviews of this protector praise this feature as it feels like they’re not losing a sliver of their screen to the edge of the screen protector. The tempered glass is anti-scratch and anti-reflection as well. 

Mkeke Opens in a new window Credit: Mkeke Mkeke Screen Protector 3 Pack Compatible with iPhone 17 Pro $9.99 at Amazon
$16.99 Save $7.00   Get Deal

This screen protector 3-pack is almost half off right now at 9.99 down from its list price of 16.99. It has 210,000 reviews on Amazon that praise its quality and installation ease. The screen protector is designed with military grade drop protection and touch sensitivity. 

Mothca Opens in a new window Credit: Mothca Mothca Matte Glass Screen Protector for iPhone 17 $8.99 at amazon
  Shop Now

For those folks that want a matte, papery, almost Kindle-like screen feel to their phone-- this protector from Mothca might just be the perfect option. The anti-glare and anti-fingerprint tempered glass protector is super smooth and reviewers rave about the texture of their new screen.

Supershieldz Opens in a new window Credit: Supershieldz screen protector Supershieldz screen protector for iPhone 17 $5.99 at Amazon
$7.99 Save $2   Get Deal

This three-pack of screens rings in at such a lower price point than some of the aforementioned cases. A true budget option, especially if you want a pack of multiple protectors. The reason for the lower cost, though, is that these protectors are made of PET, which is, in fact, plastic. The install might be a little hard to execute with precision compared to some of the above options, but that price point is hard to beat.

Ailun Opens in a new window Credit: Ailun Ailun Privacy Screen Protector for iPhone 17 $7.98 at amazon
  Shop Now

One of the best deals on this list is this pack of 3 Ailun Privacy screen protectors that cost a total of $7.99. That comes down to $2.66 per screen protector, and they are made of tempered glass. These screen protectors have a whopping 154,000 mostly positive reviews on Amazon. Some of the themes in critical reviews include that these protectors crack easily, especially on the sides. 

Astronomers in Australia have created the largest and most detailed low-frequency radio image ever made of the Milky Way, revealing Earth's galactic neighborhood in a new way. 

The colorful new picture is not an artist's acid-washed metal masterpiece but a view of the galaxy from the vantage point of the Southern Hemisphere. Because the image is based on radio waves rather than visible light, it shows otherwise hidden features of space. 

Researchers at the International Centre for Radio Astronomy Research conducted the work. Those coppery and verdigris tones in the image are color-coded for different radio wavelengths. With this record-breaking map, astronomers can study the rich nature of stellar birth, death, and transformation stretching across the southern sky.

This marks a milestone in astronomy, said Natasha Hurley-Walker, a professor at Curtin University in Australia. Parts of the image have never been seen at these frequencies before. 

"What we've done here is we've colored those low frequencies red, and so those correspond to areas in the sky where there is more emission at those low frequencies. We've colored the higher frequencies blue, and those are areas of the sky where there is more emission at the high frequencies," Hurley-Walker said in a video about the project. "These different radio colors allow astronomers like me to disentangle the complicated astrophysics in our galaxy."

SEE ALSO: Scientists uncover crucial role Jupiter played in Earth's development

Over the past century, radio telescopes have transformed how we see our own galaxy. These instruments detect invisible radio waves from space, letting scientists map the galaxy’s structure and learn what it’s made of. As technology has improved, the images have become sharper. 

The main focus of this project was the Milky Way's so-called Galactic Plane — a flat, dense zone where most of the stars and gas are concentrated. The team identified nearly 98,000 radio sources, including glowing gas clouds around stellar nurseries called H II regions, planetary nebulas, and even distant galaxies. A paper describing these results appears in the journal Publications of the Astronomical Society of Australia. 

The GLEAM-X astronomical survey has produced a high-resolution, low-frequency radio image to map the Milky Way from the southern sky. Credit: Silvia Mantovanini / GLEAM-X Team

Hurley-Walker's doctoral student Silvia Mantovanini headed up the project, building the image using high-powered supercomputers to piece together over 40,000 hours' worth of data. The observations came from two large surveys made with the Murchison Widefield Array, a radio telescope in Western Australia, far from human-made radio noise. She spent 1.5 years working on it.

"The first time I saw the image, I thought, 'Oh my God, I did it,'" Mantovanini said in the same video. 

The new image is twice as sharp, 10 times more sensitive, and covers double the area of the previous version released six years ago, according to the team. This enhancement allows researchers to study dimmer and more distant structures.

The observations came from two large surveys made with the Murchison Widefield Array, a radio telescope composed of over 4,000 spider-like antennas in Western Australia. Credit: International Centre of Radio Astronomy Research

Mantovanini’s research focuses on supernova remnants, the expanding gas clouds left behind after massive stars explode. In the new image, these appear as large red circles, while small blue blobs mark regions where new stars are being born. In a normal image, they are indistinguishable, Mantovanini said, featuring the same shapes. 

Don’t miss out on our latest stories: Add Mashable as a trusted news source in Google.

But here, thanks to the different colors they can get," she said, "we are able to make these distinctions more easily."

The new dataset also sheds light on pulsars, rapidly spinning dead star cores that send out steady beams of radio waves like lighthouses. Measuring their brightness at different frequencies reveals how these weird objects produce their signals and where they lie within the galaxy.

"I am looking forward to … what other scientists can get out of this data," she said.

Looking for something great to watch at home? Streaming subscribers are spoiled for choice between Hulu, Netflix, HBO Max, Disney+, Apple TV, Prime Video, Shudder, Paramount+, Peacock, and more. And that's before you even look at the vast libraries of movies and television programs within each streamer!

Don't be overwhelmed or waste an hour scrolling through your services to determine what to watch. We've got your back, whatever your mood. Mashable offers watch guides for all of the above, broken down by genre: comedy, thriller, horror, documentary, and animation, among others. But if you're seeking something brand-new (or just new to streaming), we've got you covered there, too.

Mashable's entertainment team has scoured the streaming services to highlight the most buzzed-about releases of the week and ranked them from worst to best — or least worth your time to most watchable. Whether you're looking for horrifying Halloween-worthy watches, twisted thrillers, wild fantasy, bonkers musical numbers, critically heralded comedy, and one of the sexiest films of the year, we've got something just for you.

11. Robin Hood, Season 1

Whether or not we need another Robin Hood moment on screen, it's happening with a new MGM+ series letting that 12th-century English arrow fly this week. But Sean Bean as the Sheriff of Nottingham?! I'M IN.

Many, many, many actors have played the Prince of Thieves, from Errol Flynn to Kevin Costner, Russell Crowe to Taron Egerton, to the tightest tights of Cary Elwes and that smokin' hot Disney fox. Now, in John Glenn and Jonathan English's Robin Hood series, young Jack Patten takes on the role of Robert of Locksley, a man motivated by revenge who gathers his band of outlaws and rises up against Norman invaders in Saxon England. He'll steal from the rich, give to the poor, and meet Marian of Huntingdon (Lauren McQueen) along the way to becoming the legendary archer Robin Hood. — Shannon Connellan, UK Editor

Starring: Jack Patten, Lauren McQueen, Sean Bean, Lydia Peckham, Steve Waddington, Connie Nielsen, Marcus Fraser, Angus Castle-Doughty, Erica Ford, Richard Lintern, Ian Pirie, Henry Rowley

How to watch: Robin Hood is streaming on MGM+ and Prime Video for users with an MGM+ subscription on Nov. 2.

10. Hazbin Hotel, Season 2

A24's animated phenomenon Hazbin Hotel returns this week, bringing with it more hellish shenanigans and bops sung by Broadway legends. 

SEE ALSO: How the incredible 'Hazbin Hotel' fandom propelled the show to stardom

Created by Vivienne Medrano, the series centers on Hell's crown princess Charlie Morningstar (voiced by Erika Henningsen) and her efforts to redeem her fellow demons so Heaven's angels won't exterminate them. She's got her work cut out for her, because after Season 1's game-changing finale, the tensions between Heaven and Hell are stronger than ever. Plus, other demons like Vox (voiced by Christian Borle) have plans to twist the hotel for their own agenda. How will Charlie get out of this one? And which Hazbin Hotel Season 2 song will wind up stuck in your head for the considerable future? — Belen Edwards, Entertainment Reporter

Starring: Erika Henningsen, Stephanie Beatriz, Keith David, Kimiko Glenn, Blake Roman, Amir Talai, Alex Brightman, Christian Borle, Jeremy Jordan, Jessica Vosk, Joel Perez, Lilli Cooper, Krystina Alabado, Patrick Stump, Darren Criss, Shoba Narayan, Patina Miller, Liz Callaway, Leslie Rodriguez Kritzer, James Monroe Iglehart, Andrew Durand, Kevin Del Aguila, Daphne Rubin-Vega, and Alex Newell

How to watch: The first two episodes of Hazbin Hotel Season 2 are now streaming on Prime Video, with new episodes every Wednesday through Nov. 19.

9. Star Wars: Visions, Volume 3

If you can't get enough of Star Wars and its ever expanding universe, you'll appreciate that Star Wars: Visions is back with its third volume.

This animated series allows filmmakers and voice talent from all over the globe to take a spin in a galaxy far, far away. Volume 3 offers nine new shorts, each from a different animation studio. Stories of smugglers, rebels, Jedi, treasure, and vengeance will be brought to life with exciting animation and an array of stars, whether you choose the Japanese dub or the English dub. Are you ready to see new sides of Star Wars? — Kristy Puchko, Entertainment Editor

Starring: Brian Tee, Anna Sawai, Freddie Highmore, Stephanie Hsu, George Takei, Kimiko Glenn, Harvey Guillén, Jodie Turner-Smith, Judith Light, Simu Liu, and Steve Buscemi

How to watch: Star Wars: Visions is now streaming on Disney+.

8. The Witcher, Season 4

If The Witcher fans have been wondering how Liam Hemsworth would pick up the gray mantle of Geralt of Rivia, they don't have to wait any longer. Season 4 of Netflix's adaptation of Andrzej Sapkowski's books is here, with Henry Cavill bowing out of the titular role last season. And folks, Hemsworth is fine. That's basically all I've got for you.

After the chaos unleashed at the fancy party known as the Conclave at the end of Season 3, our core trio of Geralt (Hemsworth), Yennefer (Anya Chalotra), and Ciri (Freya Allan) are separated once again, flung to the four corners of the Continent with various fish to fry. Ciri, in particular, has the entire Continent looking for her to take advantage of her major magical powers, so she's covertly running with a group of rogues known as the Rats, where she'll spend a large portion of the start of Season 4.

Look, if you're into The Witcher universe and want to dive back into it, it's got most of the production elements from the first three seasons and well-hewn characters beyond the titular witcher. It's undeniably weird without Cavill, but the show has gone on regardless. Plus, this season has Laurence Fishburne, so there's that! — S.C.

Starring: Liam Hemsworth, Anya Chalotra, Freya Allan, Joey Batey, Laurence Fishburne, Mahesh Jadu, Meng’er Zhang, Hugh Skinner, Graham McTavish, and Cassie Clare

How to watch: The Witcher Season 4 hits Netflix Oct. 30.

7. Down Cemetery Road

Emma Thompson and Ruth Wilson are the dynamic duo of my dreams in Apple TV's Oxford-set mystery crime thriller from Slow Horses' screenwriter Morwenna Banks. But it's not the buddy cop set-up you're thinking.

Based on Mick Herron's novel, Down Cemetery Road sees Thompson as hard-edged private investigator Zoë Boehm, whose marriage to her business partner Joe (Adam Godley) is as threadbare as their bank balance. Across town, Wilson plays Sarah Trafford, an art conservationist who is dragged into hosting a dinner party for her husband Mark's (Tom Riley) schmuck of a client. Before dessert, there's an explosion next door, leading to the disappearance of a young girl named Dinah (Ivy Quoi). The event sends Sarah into an obsessive hunt for the truth — and it leads her to Zoë and Joe's door. 

Reader, is she onto something? Considering the mysterious scenes in the first two episodes involving some very official-seeming men working in the shadows, 100 percent. And equally considering that Thompson and Wilson give characteristically exemplary performances in this show, I'm in for all eight episodes. — S.C.

Starring: Emma Thompson, Ruth Wilson, Adeel Akhtar, Tom Goodman-Hill, Fehinti Balogun, Darren Boyd, Nathan Stewart-Jarrett, Tom Riley, Adam Godley, Sinead Matthews, Ken Nwosu, and Aiysha Hart

How to watch: Down Cemetery Road debuts on Apple TV with the first two episodes on Oct. 29, followed by new episodes Wednesdays through Dec. 10.

6. Jurassic World Rebirth

Jurassic Park kicked off a movie franchise that has had its highs and lows, but finds fresh thrills and throwback fun with Jurassic World Rebirth.

Set in a world where dinosaurs have been brought back, but are dying off everywhere but an abandoned string of tropical islands, this sequel stars Scarlett Johansson and Jonathan Bailey, as a mercenary and paleontologist on a mission to recover blood samples from some deadly dinos. Along the way, they'll see the deaths of colleagues and come across a family on a cruise gone horribly wrong.

In my review, I wrote, "Jurassic World Rebirth is a rocky ride. Some bits are absolutely exhilarating, while others feel like a chore. But unlike the humans in this franchise, the humans of our world just cannot tire of these incredible beasts, happy to shell out ticket money to get as close as we might to their enormous majesty. And this film, including its hilariously calamitous opening with its requisite kill, will deliver, feeding both all our yearning for excitement and our need for escapism." — K.P.

Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Mahershala Ali, Jonathan Bailey, Rupert Friend, Manuel Garcia-Rulfo, and Ed Skrein

How to watch: Jurassic World Rebirth is now streaming on Peacock.

5. Ballad of a Small Player

Colin Farrell, Tilda Swinton, and director Edward Berger (Conclave) team up for a surreal adaptation of Lawrence Osborne's 2014 novel Ballad of a Small Player. Farrell stars as a gambler tearing it up in Macau's casinos, playing baccarat for high stakes. But when his losses pile up, he'll roll the dice on an unusual way out. Yet despite all this promise, this trippy movie is shockingly boring.

In my review out of the film's TIFF premiere, I wrote, "Ballad of a Small Player lacks the cutting humor of Conclave, and cannot compare to that film's ratcheting tension. Here, Berger has made something risky, but doubling down on inarticulate gestures toward spirituality is a gamble that doesn't pay off." — K.P.

Starring: Colin Farrell, Fala Chen, Deanie Ip, Alex Jennings, and Tilda Swinton

How to watch: Ballad of a Small Player is now streaming on Netflix.

4. I Love LA

From stealing the show in Bodies Bodies Bodies to co-writing and starring in the uproarious Bottoms, Rachel Sennott has proven herself to be a comedic force to be reckoned with. Now, she's created her own TV show, HBO's hilarious I Love LA.

SEE ALSO: 'I Love LA' review: Rachel Sennott's comedy is an influencer-focused laugh riot

Sennott stars as Maia, an assistant at a PR firm who's determined to make big moves professionally. She gets her chance when her estranged friend, influencer Tallulah (Odessa A'zion), suddenly moves to L.A. Together, the two hope to take the city — and the world — by storm. Part biting satire of the digital age, part friend group hangout comedy, I Love LA boasts all the frank messiness to be considered the Girls of this decade. Whether you love, hate, or are completely neutral on the city of L.A., prepare for this show to be your new comedy obsession. — B.E.

Starring: Rachel Sennott, Odessa A'zion, Jordan Firstman, True Whitaker, Josh Hutcherson, and Leighton Meester

How to watch: I Love LA premieres Nov. 2 at 10:30 p.m. ET on HBO and HBO Max, with new episodes every Sunday through Dec. 21.

3. Sorry, Baby

Out of its Sundance debut, critics were raving over Sorry, Baby, championing the uniquely bristling form of comedy from writer/director/leading lady Eva Victor in her debut feature.

The internet-famous comedian reinvents herself with a touching tale of a grad student named Agnes (Victor), who's struggling to cope after a bad thing happens to her. What's the bad thing? And how does it shape this challenging but charming movie? In my rave review out of Sundance 2025, I dig into all that. But what you need to know now is: "Bittersweet, brilliant, and heartwarmingly funny, Sorry, Baby is a movie that is sure to find an audience beyond Sundance. And not just because A24 is a master of marketing offbeat cinema, but because Victor has a voice that is strong, strange, and demands to be heard."* — K.P.

Starring: Eva Victor, Naomi Ackie, Louis Cancelmi, Kelly McCormack, Lucas Hedges, and John Carroll Lynch

How to watch: Sorry, Baby is now streaming on HBO Max.

2. Sew Torn

Out of Sew Torn's SXSW premiere, I wrote in my glowing review that this quirky thriller from writer/director Freddy Macdonald plays like Pushing Daisies meets Run Lola Run. Bear with me.

Set in a picturesque village high in a mountain range, Sew Torn follows an inventive seamstress whose life is forever changed when she comes across a peculiar crime scene. What choices she makes will spin out into a wild yarn. But when things go too wrong, Sew Torn takes us back to this moment, and gives her another go. This makes for a film that's enthralling and surprising. Or as I said in my review, "It has the cheeky fun of a top-notch crime comedy without losing the edge of life-or-death stakes." —K.P.

Starring: Eve Connolly, Calum Worthy, John Lynch, K Callan, Ron Cook, Thomas Douglas, Caroline Goodall, Werner Biermeier, Veronika Herren-Wenger, and Petra Wright

How to watch: Sew Torn begins streaming on Shudder on Nov. 1.

1. Hedda

Hedda Gabler has been a role actresses have been sinking their teeth into since Henrik Ibsen's scandalous play premiered in 1891. However, Nia DaCosta gives this classic a fresh and fierce reinterpretation with Hedda. Set in 1950s England, the titular antiheroine, played by Tessa Thompson, is planning a party to introduce all her bohemian friends and her professor husband's stuffy colleagues to their massive new house (that they totally can't afford). If the culture clash wasn't drama enough, also attending is Hedda's ex-lover, (gender-swapped here courtesy of Nina Hoss), and her ex's new love (Imogen Poots).

As I cheered in my review out of Hedda's TIFF premiere, "Sumptuous, hot, and challenging, this is a drama of love, sex, and regret that burns like a shot of whisky, so good you'll want to go at it again." —K.P.

Starring: Tessa Thompson, Imogen Poots, Tom Bateman, Nicholas Pinnock, and Nina Hoss

How to watch: Hedda is now streaming on Prime Video.

(*) denotes a blurb comes from a previous list.