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The Top 10 TV Series Right Now, According to Streaming Data

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2 October 2026 at 22:00
By: Stephen Johnson

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Streaming in September was eclectic. The top 10 most popular TV shows of the month, according to data from JustWatch, include opposite takes on international espionage—Lioness's "everything is at stake" blockbuster vibe versus Slow Horses' darkly funny, morally ambiguous style.

Other series burning up the charts: spy-adjacent action show Reacher, a couple of sports comedies named after their main characters (Ted Lasso and Chad Powers), a dystopian sci-fi drama (Silo), a superhero show (Lanterns), and stories of criminals and cops (Furious and The Gentlemen). There's even a horror comedy (Widow's Bay). You could say there's something for everyone.

Lanterns

Topping the streaming charts this month is DC's TV revamp of Green Lantern, in which experienced Lantern Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) trains the new guy, John Stewart (Aaron Pierre), on how to wield the mysterious and powerful Green Lantern Ring. It's a reserved, neo-noir style take on the comic mythos, as the heroes investigate a series of murders tied to an extraterrestrial threat. Lanterns is pulling in a 92% fresh ratings from Rotten Tomatoes, so it's definitely worth a stream. Stream Lanterns on HBO Max.

Ted Lasso

Season four of Ted Lasso sees the title character, played by Jason Sudeikis, returning to the UK to take on a new challenge: coaching the Lady Greyhounds, AFC Richmond's second-division women's football team. This multiple Emmy Award-winning series still has all the heart, humor, and positivity of the original run. Stream Ted Lasso on Apple TV+.

Reacher

Reacher actor Alan Ritchson is a great action star. Dude's the size of a house, but he uses his brains as much as his fists, and his "independent ass-kicker" lifestyle makes for great TV. Season four sees our morally uncompromising, giant-sized hero witnessing a supposed suicide, then finding out it's tied to a conspiracy so huge that world governments are involved. If you like your TV action-packed, you're probably already watching Reacher, but if you're not, get on it! Stream Reacher on Prime Video.

Lioness

If you like action, international espionage, and incredible performances, Lioness mashes them all up into a must-watch series. This cast is without lightweights, including Oscar winner Zoe Saldaña, Oscar winner Morgan Freeman, Emmy nominee Michael Kelly, and executive producer and Oscar winner Nicole Kidman. Season 3 dives into a hidden network of dangerous foreign operatives, personal betrayals, and a high-stakes war that could define everyone's lives. Stream Lioness on Paramount+.

Slow Horses

Apple TV's Slow Horses delivers a more realistic, nuanced take on espionage by detailing the lives of the losers of British Intelligence. Instead of chiseled good guys and gals saving the world, the agents of Slough House are a team of dysfunctional, troubled souls trying to do the right thing (usually) in a morally gray world. Just like real agents. Their leader, gruff, obnoxious Jackson Lamb, is played to perfection by Gary Oldman. Slow Horses has an almost perfect Rotten Tomatoes score over its first five seasons, and season 6 is setting new records. Stream Slow Horses on Apple TV+.

Furious

In Furious, Emmy Rossum plays Alice Black, an FBI agent and former NYPD homicide detective investigating a series of murders that point to a female serial killer bent on offing the wealthy assholes who victimized her when she was a sex trafficked. If that's not a killer premise for a TV show, I don't know what is. Critics agree: Furious has a 99% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Stream Furious on Hulu.

The Gentlemen

Director Guy Ritchie's series is set at the point where the remnants of the British aristocracy meet the nation's gangsters and lowlifes. Theo James plays Eddie Horniman, aka the Duke, whose inherited family estate is barely paid for by profits from a drug-dealing operation. If you like hard-edged action, British wit, and a stylish gangster vibe, this is the show for you. Stream The Gentlemen on Netflix.

Widow's Bay

This series from Apple TV has won unanimous praise from both critics and audiences. It's a rare horror-comedy that manages to be genuinely scary and really funny. In the island town of Widow's Bay, literally everything seems to be haunted, cursed, or otherwise beset with unspeakable evil, but Mayor Tom Loftis (Matthew Rhys) wants to bring tourism to the island anyway, so he ignores the sea hags, fog monsters, and serial killer ghosts surrounding him in an effort to drum up new business. The great Stephen Root plays Wyck, an old-timer who's always there to remind everyone that time is short and everyone is doomed. Stream Widow's Bay on Apple TV+.

Chad Powers

Chad Powers is a sports comedy that's actually funny. Glen Powell stars as Russ Holliday, a former college football phenom who nuked his own career before he even got to the NFL. Instead of giving up, he dons a disguise, adopts the name "Chad Powers, and tries out for a failing college team. It works, but leads to outrageous complications as the jock tries to hide his deceit. Stream Chad Powers on Hulu.

Silo

Apple TV's Silo continues to track the downward spiral of the dregs of humanity, who are all living together underground in a cavernous edifice that goes all the way down. If you've been wondering how things got so bad, this season goes back in time to reveal the source of humanity's near-demise. (Unsurprisingly, humans are to blame.) You can stream Silo on Apple TV.

Apple Wants to Make It Harder to Run Agentic AI on Your Mac

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2 October 2026 at 20:30
By: Jake Peterson

It appears agentic AI is all the rage: OpenAI's new agents, "Dots," rolled out this week, while Meta's Muse just passed five million downloads. Rather than just chatting with or using them to generate images, AI companies want users to start asking their bots to do things on their behalf, from managing their inboxes to ordering dinner.

But agents aren't just the next logical step for AI as a technology. When implemented poorly, they can be wildly dangerous. AI agents are designed to run on their own, and, in order to do that, they often need near-total access to your devices and their data. Some people are now giving agents full use of their computers, including all of their messages, files, passwords, and accounts. That's a lot of trust, especially when it's not that difficult to "hack" one of these agents for malicious purposes with a poisoned prompt hidden on a website, which could lead your AI agent to hand hackers the keys to your bank accounts. That's no good.

Apple is making it much more difficult for you to put yourself in this situation

How does Apple feel about this? The company is famously behind on the software side of AI—it only rolled out its AI-powered version of Siri in September—but its AI hardware business is booming. When the AI agent craze first took off with projects like Moltbot, customers bought Mac minis in droves in order to run those programs. Now, Apple advertises its various Macs with AI at the forefront: It doesn't offer its own models like OpenAI or Anthropic, but it's making plenty of money selling you the hardware to run those models.

Perhaps that's why Apple seems quite concerned about the AI agent trend, particularly when it comes to the data users are exposing to run these programs. Apple is all about privacy and security, and as such, I can only imagine the company watching in horror as so many users willingly hand their Macs (and all of their data) over to automated AI bots.

Against that backdrop, the company posted an update on its developer forum entitled "Updates to Full Disk Access in macOS." In it, the company highlights the dangers of developers asking users to grant "Full Disk Access" permissions to an app. Apple says this function has been traditionally reserved for backup apps that need to access the entire disk to function. (After all, if your backup app can't access your entire Mac, how can it back up your entire Mac?) But now, Apple says developers are asking users to expose everything on their Macs, including messages, mail, browsing history, and more, without those users fully understanding the consequences. Apple even argues the privacy implications extend beyond the user, as communication apps that demand Full Disk Access compromise the people the user is chatting with, too.

And Apple appears to be doing something about it: While details are slim, the company says it will introduce "additional controls to ensure that users who genuinely wish to grant an app this extraordinary level of access can only do so with very explicit user action." I'm guessing this means that in the future, once you download an agent to your Mac, you'll have to click through a series of warnings and settings to "prove" to macOS that you really want to expose your entire Mac to the app and its AI. The company says it's doing this now, as the threat will only grow as AI agents improve and become more autonomous.

The risks of AI are increasing across the board

I'm all for additional safeguards when it comes to AI. In the past, you needed some level of technical expertise to install an AI agent on your Mac. As such, you likely understood the risks involved, or willfully ignored all the warnings in order to do so. Now that running agents is as easy as installing Muse on your Mac, the barrier to entry is minimal. Anyone can do it, even if they don't fully understand what they are actually doing. As the AI industry reckons with the risks its technology poses to humanity, companies like Apple should indeed be figuring out how to protect their users from AI's current dangers—even if users can still choose to ignore those warnings.

Changing This Setting May Extend Your Battery Life on iOS 27

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2 October 2026 at 19:30
By: Jake Peterson

If you've updated your iPhone to iOS 27, you might have already put Siri AI to the test or tried out some of Apple's AI-powered photo editing features. But you may have also noticed something else: Your iPhone's battery isn't lasting as long between charges. While I can't say this is a universal experience (I'm don't believe my iPhone is dying faster on iOS 27 than it did on iOS 26), some users are adamant the update has had a detrimental effect on their battery life. And while there are many possible factors here, some think they have found the culprit: a feature called Connectivity Assist.

What is Connectivity Assist?

Connectivity Assist's mission is noble. The feature is designed to tap into cellular data any time your wifi connection grows too weak. In theory, it should be particularly useful when you're leaving an area with wifi; rather than deal with the slow loading times a weak wifi connection forces you to endure before it disconnects outright, your cellular network would kick in to maintain your speed. (Once you've left wifi range, you'd be back on cellular completely either way, of course.)

Technically, this feature isn't new. Before iOS 27, Apple called it "Wi-Fi Assist," but it worked a bit differently. In iOS 26, Wi-Fi Assist simply switches over to cellular when your wifi signal is too weak. With iOS 27's Connectivity Assist, it seems your iPhone can tap into both networks at the same time. If so, that may play some role in why this rejiggered feature seems to be dragging down people's batteries more than it used to.

There's another new addition with Connectivity Assist that could also be part of the problem: Unlike Wi-Fi Assist, Connectivity Assist sends DNS requests over cellular data, which can bypass the rules that ad blockers put in place to stop pop-ups from making their way into your iPhone. As such, even Apple recommends that you disable Connectivity Assist if you use an ad blocker. So, if your iPhone is constantly sending out DNS requests while on cellular data, bypassing your active ad blockers, that could be putting extra strain on your battery, too.

How to disable Connectivity Assist in iOS 27

Reddit user ZoteTheMitey shared their experience on the r/iPhone subreddit, claiming that their iPhone 15 Pro Max, with 89% battery health, was only lasting for three to four hours following the switch to iOS 27. Once they disabled Connectivity Assistant, they claim their battery usage time jumped to seven hours. Some users in the thread shared similar experiences, and one even claimed disabling the feature fixed an issue with their device overheating.

If you want to try the potential solution yourself, here are two ways to disable Connectivity Assist: First, you can disable it on a per-network basis. To do so, head to Settings > Wi-Fi, then tap the (i) next to your network name. Here, scroll down, and make sure the toggle next to "Use Connectivity Assist" is turned off. That was, you can make sure your battery isn't experiencing faster drain when you're away from a charger—say, at a cafe you frequent.

If you'd rather disable the feature globally for your iPhone, head back to the Wi-Fi settings page and ensure the toggle next to "Connectivity Assist" is set to off. Note: if this feature was previously enabled, you'll be able to see the amount of cellular data the feature has used to date, which will give you an idea of how often it has been active on your device. More data could mean more potential battery drain.

Why I Think the Apple Watch Series 12 Is Worth the Upgrade

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2 October 2026 at 18:00
By: Beth Skwarecki

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When Apple releases a new watch, it’s not always worth upgrading. Last year’s Series 11 only had a few barely noticeable features to recommend it over the 10, and we said it’s probably one to skip if you’re happy with your current watch. But the Series 12 is different, and this one is worth the upgrade no matter which Apple Watch you’re coming from.

One of the biggest reasons to upgrade is that the Series 12's new processor (called, confusingly, the S11 chip) can support some features older Apple Watches can't. That's why only the new models are getting step counts, for example; Apple chose to implement those in a way that only the new hardware can calculate. Whenever there's a break in software compatibility, it makes sense to get the newer model. I'd expect more features are coming in future years that will be back-compatible with the 12 but not earlier models.

The heart rate sensor is a big upgrade

Apple upgraded the hardware on the back of the watch that optically reads your heartbeats. (This new sensor is in both the Series 12 and the Ultra 4.) I’ve tested its accuracy, and found it’s substantially better than the sensors in previous Apple Watches like the Series 10 and 11. If you train by heart rate during workous, or if you use heart rate data after the fact to evaluate and plan your training, the upgrade is worth it.

Apple claims it provides the most accurate heart rate of any wearable. I tested that claim and can partially agree: It’s as good as Garmin’s top-of-the-line sensor. I wouldn’t say it’s better than Garmin’s, but the two are tied in my book for the best wrist-worn sensor. (Chest straps are better than any wrist-based system, of course.) 

Steps on the watch face are a nice plus

I wouldn’t buy a new Apple Watch just for the step count, but it’s a nice upgrade and one I deeply appreciate. I can add a step count complication to my watch face (I have it in a corner of the Modular face right now) and I have step count pinned to my Smart Stack. 

If you don’t upgrade, you use use a third-party step counter to provide a complication for your watch face. But it’s nice that Apple finally has this feature built in. Apple says its step counts are the most accurate; I’ll be testing that claim soon.

Readiness and recovery HRV are another nice extra

The Apple Watch was always capable of measuring HRV, but until the Series 12 (and Ultra 4), it didn’t use the RMSSD version, which is most useful for gauging how stressed or recovered you are. (Instead, it used the SDNN version that can provide some information about cardiac health; the newer Apple Watches can do both.)

This means you can now get an overnight HRV reading that matches the kind of data you can get from the Oura ring or Whoop. I find HRV useful in monitoring how stressed or fatigued I am, so if you already wear an Apple Watch, it’s nice to be able to get that data from the watch instead of needing a second device. Apple has added a readiness score that uses HRV to tell you how “ready” you are for the day. 

What I’m less excited about in the Series 12

Besides the features above, Apple has announced a few things that it’s using as selling points for the Series 12, but I wouldn’t put too much weight on these. Some are software features, like a small upgrade to Workout Buddy and a big upgrade to the Health app on the phone; you don’t need a new watch for these. Others are actually tied to the watch, but they wouldn’t be a reason to upgrade, at least for me personally. They include: 

Siri AI

There’s a new AI-based version of Siri, and it’s available on the watch. It can do a few things better than the old Siri, like searching your messages and emails, but it seems to have gotten worse in some respects. I wrote about my experience trying Siri AI on the watch; I got plenty of delays and errors that negated any small benefit of the new algorithm. I suppose it will get better over time, but right now, it's not very good.

Rewind and recaps

Apple touted two features on the new watches that feel a little more creepy than useful to me: Live Rewind, which gives you a text transcription of whatever audio it heard in the last 15 seconds; and Siri Recaps, which summarize meetings. Despite Apple’s assurances about privacy, it’s still a feature that's always listening to you and to bystanders who didn’t consent to be rewound or recapped. This feature isn’t live yet on my watch, so I can’t comment on what it’s like to use—but I’m not exactly thrilled about the idea.



October Prime Day 2026 Live Blog: The Best Deals on Headphones, TVs, Fitness Tech, and More

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2 October 2026 at 17:30
By: Daniel Oropeza

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

No, you're not having déjà vu: Amazon did just have a big sale in July. This time, though, it's their fall sale—Prime Big Deal Days, better known as October Prime Day. The sale is officially underway from Oct. 6-7, but there have been an abundance of early sales, and we're all over it. Remember to check price tracking tools so you can trust that the sales we're talking about are actually good deals, and not just hype.

Remember, you need to be a Prime Member to have access to all of Amazon's Prime Day deals and to get free shipping. Prime membership starts at $14.99 per month ($139 per year) and comes with more benefits than people think. It's easy to figure out if a yearly Prime membership is worth it for you, but remember, you can always cancel your Prime membership once the sale is over, as Amazon offers free 30-day trials. In theory, you can shop the whole event and still have time to cancel before you get charged.

For a glimpse at the best deals as we find them, check out our live blog of the event below, which features the Lifehacker team's coverage of Prime Day. We'll continue highlighting new deals as we find them. Our sister brands have live blogs worth checking out too, including CNET, PCMag, ZDNET, and Mashable.

Four Major Issues Are Plaguing the iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max

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2 October 2026 at 16:30
By: Jake Peterson

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On paper, the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max are Apple's best smartphones yet. They run the new A20 chip, feature cameras that use a revolutionary variable aperture, and, according to Apple, have the longest battery life of any iPhone ever. And yet, the iPhone 18 Pro's launch has been a rocky one, beset by glitches and hardware issues that range in severity. Some have been fixed by simple software updates, while others remain unresolved.

None of this is to encourage you to return your iPhone 18 Pro or discourage you from buying one if you have your sights set on Apple's newest Pro phones. However, it's important to note that this has hardly been a drama-free rollout. As of this article, these are the four major problems I've seen with the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max.

iPhone 18 Pros were randomly rebooting

The first iPhone 18 Pro issue that I saw was random reboots. Users complained that, after a failed Face ID attempt, their iPhones would freeze up and, after a short period of time, reboot. Curiously, Apple's newest Apple Watches, the Series 12 and Ultra 4, had similar reboot issues. While annoying, this was clearly just a glitch with Apple's newest iPhones running iOS 27 and Apple Watches running watchOS 27. The company quickly released patches for all devices in iOS 27.0.1 and watchOS 27.0.1, each of which only mentioned this singular patch in the release notes.

iPhone 18 Pro Max might not be able to dial 911

While Apple says iOS 27.0.1 only patches this reboot glitch, AT&T says otherwise. The company sent alerts to iPhone 18 Pro Max users this week urging them to update to this latest version of iOS, warning that iPhone 18 Pro users might not be able to text, call, or connect to data at times, including when dialing 911. The full message reads: "Hi, it's AT&T. Action needed: An important Apple software update for your iPhone 18 Pro Max is available. Some phones may be unable to complete calls/text/data, including to 911. Update to iOS 27.0.1 immediately — Settings > General > Software Update. Please contact AT&T or Apple if you have questions."

As it happens, iPhone 18 Pro users are not included in this alert. As MacRumors speculates, it might have something to do with the iPhone 18 Pro Max's modem. This is the only new iPhone this year to ship with a Qualcomm modem rather than Apple's own C2 modem. As MacRumors notes, affected iPhone 18 Pro Max users can lose service, forcing their phones to drop into SOS mode.

Some iPhone 18 Pros have a cracking or popping noise

Some iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max users are reporting strange "cracking" or "popping" noises coming from their new smartphones' speakers. This Redditor shared that the sound comes intermittently from the upper speaker, and sounds like someone pulling an aux cable out of a headphone jack. Users in the thread concurred: One user complained of a light buzzing when the volume is set to 100%, while another said their iPhone has a crackling sound when on calls with "mono speaker." According to one Redditor, updating to iOS 27.0.1 didn't fix the issue.

While the thread is full of users complaining of similar issues, not everyone has the same experience. Some Redditors say they haven't heard the sounds on their iPhone 18 Pros, including multiple Mashable reporters. Another user noted that they're experiencing the issue on their iPhone 16 Pro Max since they updated to iOS 27.

Some iPhone 18 Pros are already losing their color

As Mashable highlights, some iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max users are noticing that the finish on their devices is starting to wear away, particularly around the camera lens. It seems the majority of the complaints, if not all of them, are from users with burgundy and black iPhone 18 Pro and 18 Pro Max devices, and it's not clear how widespread the issue is. Some users have claimed that cleaning the affected area with a Q-tip is enough to fix the issue, while others say the finish itself has worn away.

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15 Hacks Every Opera Browser User Should Know

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2 October 2026 at 15:00
By: Pranay Parab

The Opera you're using today is obviously a very different browser from the one it was decades ago. Perhaps the most significant change is that it's now a Chromium-based browser, which means you can install Chrome extensions to fill any features you may be missing. That said, the browser still retains its core philosophy of shipping useful integrated features—even if those options aren't always obvious. From bypassing unskippable YouTube ads to using a built-in volume booster for every tab, here are the best Opera hacks you should know about:

Use "Early Bird" to try experimental features before release

If you live on the bleeding edge of tech, you can use Opera's "Early Bird" to try all kinds of experimental features. To do so, click the three-line menu in Opera's toolbar, scroll to the bottom, then select Go to full browser settings. Now, enable Early Bird, go through the list of features on the page, and enable the ones you wish to try. At the time of writing, these features include Browser Connector, which connects the browser to ChatGPT or Claude, and Sharing Point, which adds a button to share an Opera download link with your contacts. Note that these features can change or be removed at any time.

Use the sidebar to replace social media and chat apps on your computer

Opera has a sidebar that lets you install "apps" within your browser. It supports ChatGPT, Gemini, Gmail, Google Calendar, Google Translate, WhatsApp, Telegram, Instagram, Bluesky, music streaming services, and a few more apps. These services are pinned to the left pane, and function as their corresponding apps do. You can think of these as pinned tabs in your browser, which are all neatly stacked in the left pane. I've used the sidebar to run Apple Music, a few messenger apps, and Gmail, which is easier to track than the same services in different apps.

Of course, the sidebar versions of these services may not always have all the features that proper desktop apps do (e.g., music downloads on Spotify), but the overall implementation is quite good. Sidebar apps appear in a floating window in Opera, and you can pin that window to the screen if you wish to. You can configure the Opera sidebar by clicking the three-dots button in the bottom-left corner of the screen.

Use Split Screen mode for multitasking between tabs

You can open two tabs side by side in Opera for improved multitasking. To start, right-click an inactive tab in the tab bar and select Create split screen. This will place that tab, as well as the active tab, in a split-screen view. I find this helpful for research: For example, you can open a lecture in the main tab, and a search engine, AI service, or a notes app in the second tab. In split-screen view, you can continue reading or watching content on the main tab, while using the secondary tab to quickly look up information or to take notes.

Use "Video Skip" to zip past unskippable ads

The video ad skip button in Opera browser.
Credit: Pranay Parab

Opera supports bypassing unskippable video ads on various sites, including YouTube. When you watch a video in Opera, and an ad starts playing, you'll see a tiny forward button at the top of the video. When you click it, the browser will instantly take you to the end of the ad, though you may still have to press YouTube's "Skip" button. If you're on the ad-free tier of your streaming services, you can stop the Video Skip button from appearing on videos by going to Opera settings > Video. From here, disable Show Video Skip button on all supported videos.

Make PiP windows translucent to multitask while watching videos

I often watch videos in picture-in-picture (PiP) mode when I'm browsing the web or working, but I get annoyed when I have to keep moving the window around to avoid obscuring text on my screen. Opera has a useful feature to sidestep this issue: It lets you adjust the opacity of PiP windows, and you can make them translucent enough to avoid disturbing your workflow. To enable this for all PiP videos, go to Opera settings > Video, and enable Make pop out transparent. If you'd rather do this manually for each video, start playing the video, then click the pop-out button at the top of the video to send it to PiP mode. Finally, click the Transparency button in the top-left corner of the PiP mode video.

Disable unwanted AI features to streamline your browser

Like most tech companies these days, Opera has a bunch of AI features in its browser. Luckily, you can easily disable most of them. Go to Opera settings > Opera AI, then disable Opera AI and ChatGPT in the sidebar. This also removes the AI button from the browser's toolbar. Finally, you can click the three dots in the bottom-left corner of Opera's window and uncheck ChatGPT and Gemini.

Use Volume Booster for granular volume controls

Opera ships with a way to control the volume levels on each tab, a feature that requires an extension on most other browsers. When you're playing media in any tab in Opera, hover your mouse over the corresponding tab, and you'll see a floating menu with a volume slider. This lets you set the volume from 0 all the way to 500%, which can be great for audio sources with low volume levels. You can also use this feature to play music at a lower volume while listening to a lecture or a podcast.

Enable a hidden enhanced privacy mode

A hidden privacy mode in Opera.
Credit: Pranay Parab

Opera has a hidden enhanced privacy mode, which blocks trackers while you're browsing the web. You can enable this via Chrome Flags: Type opera://flags in the address bar and open the page. Then, use the search bar to look for Enhanced privacy settings section. Use the drop-down menu next to the feature, and select Enabled. Restart Opera, then go to Opera settings > Privacy & security. Scroll to the bottom and enable Enhanced privacy protection. Note that this may break the functionality of some websites, but I've been using it for a few days without any noticeable negative effects.

Set up advanced keyboard shortcuts

Opera has a few hidden keyboard shortcuts that tie actions to a single button, instead of the usual two or three key combinations. You can go to Opera settings > Features > Shortcuts, and turn on Enable advanced keyboard shortcuts to use the following keyboard shortcuts:

  • Press 1 to cycle left through the list of tabs.

  • Press 2 to cycle right through the list of tabs.

  • Press / to use the "find on page" feature.

  • Press Z to go back.

  • Press X to go forward.

  • Press 0 (zero) on Windows/Linux or + on Mac to zoom in.

  • Press 8 to zoom in more (in increments of 100%).

  • Press 9 on Windows/Linux or - on Mac to zoom out.

  • Press 7 to zoom out more (in increments of 100%).

  • Press 6 to return to 100% zoom.

  • Press Ctrl-` (the tilde button) to go to the previous tab you'd clicked.

Use Opera's screenshot tool to save and share webpages

Opera has a powerful Snapshot tool you can use to take a screenshot of the visible page, the entire webpage, or save the page as a PDF. I typically ignore all browser screenshot tools in favor of OS options or third-party apps, but Opera's screenshot tool is solid. After capturing a screenshot, the app opens a preview window where you can make basic edits and annotations. To use this tool, click the camera button in the toolbar, then select one of the available options. You can choose Capture visible page to take a snap of the webpage visible on the screen, Capture full page to take a screenshot of the full site without scrolling, or Save page as PDF to save the screenshot as a PDF. You can also take a cropped screenshot as well, if you only want to capture a specific section of the page.

Use "rocker gestures" to go back or forward quickly

Keyboard shortcuts and mouse gestures are useful, but Opera goes one step further with its "rocker gestures." Rocker gestures let you press the mouse buttons in a particular sequence to go back or forward on any webpage. You can try this by holding the left mouse button, clicking the right mouse button, releasing the left button, then releasing the right button. You can rock from the right button to the left to go back, and from left to right to go forward. To enable rocker gestures, go to Opera settings > Features, and scroll down to the "Shortcuts" section. Here, click the switch next to Enable rocker gestures.

Use "eSIM with Opera" for 3GB of free data the next time you travel abroad

Opera for Android now has an eSIM feature that lets you hop on a cheaper international roaming plan at certain times. If you're unhappy with your provider's roaming plans, you can check out Opera's offering. At the time of writing, Opera offers 3GB of free data for three days. The free data offer is available for people in the U.S., the U.K., Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Sweden, and the UAE. The roaming plan is currently supported in 47 destinations.

To use this feature, download Opera for Android on a phone running Android 10 or newer. Tap the profile icon in the bottom-right of the browser's home screen, scroll down, and select "eSIM." Hit the "Claim now" button, pick the destination you're visiting, review the plan summary, and tap "Confirm." This will activate the free trial. Opera says you can buy more data once the free plan expires, and that the data plan won't activate until you reach the destination you've selected.

Automatically enable Opera VPN on public wifi networks to protect your browsing

Automatically enable Opera VPN on public wifi.
Credit: Opera

Opera has had a built-in VPN for a few years, but there's now a way to automatically activate the feature when you connect to public wifi networks. That way, you can protect your browsing even if someone takes a peek at the public wifi connections. To use it, go to Opera settings > VPN, and enable "Always use VPN on public Wi-Fi." This feature is currently available in France and the U.S., but Opera says it'll add more regions in the future.

Change the default converted currency to one you prefer

When you select a currency on any webpage in Opera that doesn't match your local medium of exchange, the browser will display the converted currency in a pop-up. However, you don't have to stick with Opera's default currency. If you're traveling abroad, for example, you can change the setting to match the local currency, so you can quickly covert to the currency you'll be paying in. To set this up, go to Opera settings > Search engine, and go to the "Search Pop-up" section. Select the drop-down menu next to "Currencies to", and choose your preferred currency.

Automatically skip translations for languages you speak

Opera also has a built-in webpage translator. The moment you open a webpage in a foreign language, it'll offer to translate the webpage to English. If you speak multiple languages, this can be quite annoying, but it doesn't have to be. You can ask Opera to skip translations for websites in languages you also understand. Go to Opera settings > Languages, and in the "Opera Translate" section, click the Add languages button. You can add multiple languages to this list, and it'll skip translations for all.

These DeWalt Cordless Power Tools Are up to 40% Off at Lowe's Right Now

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2 October 2026 at 14:00
By: Becca Lewis

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

If you've been eyeing new power tools to tackle your DIY projects this fall, you might have noticed that quality cordless tools can be expensive. Paradoxically, choosing higher quality tools with long battery life will save you money in the long run, but keeping your budget in check right now can be tough. Thankfully, with Amazon's October Prime Day event coming up, Lowe's has launched its own competing sale, offering major discounts on trustworthy options from DeWalt. These are the best deals I'm seeing right now.

The best DeWalt drill and driver set deal

A good drill and driver are the foundation of a cordless tool set because they allow you to drive screws and bolts and create holes for basic DIY projects, from hanging shelves to fixing door hinges. DeWalt makes a drill and driver set known for its good battery life and durability. It’s the set I use every day in my professional shop, and it holds up to high intensity daily use.

  • That DeWalt 20-volt drill and driver set is on sale for $179, 25% off its regular price. It comes with a 20-volt drill, an impact driver, two 1.5-amp-hour batteries, a charger, and a tool bag.

The best deals on DeWalt cordless miter saws

DeWalt is known for inventing the radial arm saw, a precursor to today's miter saws, often used for cutting molding and trim. DeWalt’s modern miter saws are recognized as high quality, accurate, and simple to use, and it now makes a cordless version that is more practical than its predecessors, as it employs technology that captures the energy from braking to help recharge the battery. A few DeWalt cordless miter saws are seeing good discounts right now.

  • The DeWalt 20-volt, 12-inch double bevel compound miter saw is on sale for $678, 25% off its usual price. The saw comes with an 8-amp-hour battery, but you’ll need a DeWalt 20-volt charger to use it.

  • If you already have a battery set, you can get the 12-inch cordless saw on its own for $499, 25% off its typical price.

  • If you want to grab some extra saw blades, there’s also a buy-one, get-one deal on 40-tooth and 80-tooth 12-inch saw blades. Add the saw to your cart and you should see the free saw blades there as well.

The best deals on DeWalt powered ratchets and wrenches

Driving nuts and bolts is much easier with a powered tool, and ratchets and wrenches are essential for vehicle maintenance and home appliance repair. Here are some deals on powered wrenches and ratchets from DeWalt.

  • This DeWalt 12-volt powered ratchet is on sale for $99, 50% off its regular price. This is a tool-only deal, so you’ll need a DeWalt 12-volt battery and charger to use it. The advantage of a powered ratchet, aside from delivering battery-powered torque, is that you can use it in tight spaces where you don’t have room to rotate the handle manually.

  • This DeWalt 12-volt cordless ¼-inch drive impact wrench is on sale for $99, 50% off its regular price. This is a tool-only deal as well, so you’ll need a DeWalt 12-volt battery and charger to use it.

The best deals on DeWalt batteries and chargers

Batteries can be one of the most expensive parts of a cordless tool set, so a deal on quality batteries can save you a significant amount of money. Here are some deals on batteries and chargers, so you'll always have a fresh battery ready to go.

October Prime Day FAQs

When is Prime Day in October?

October Prime Day is a two-day event that starts Oct. 6 and ends on Oct. 7.

What happens on Amazon Prime Day?

On Oct. 6 and Oct. 7, Amazon will have a big online sale for Prime Members with many products going for their lowest price of the year.

What goes on sale on Prime Day?

Since Prime Big Deal Days happens in the fall, you're likely to see more deals on gaming and indoor gym equipment. Amazon has already announced some of the 35 categories that will be on sale, including beauty, tech, kitchen, fashion, and home. Some brands Amazon has already mentioned are: Shark, Princess Polly, Soundcore by Anker, UGG, Nest New York, Sony, Tarte, Adidas, and Barefoot Dreams.

Our Best Editor-Vetted Early Prime Day Deals Right Now
Deals are selected by our commerce team

The Top 10 Movies Right Now, According to Streaming Data

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2 October 2026 at 13:30
By: Stephen Johnson

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

The most-streamed movies in September, according to JustWatch, include a couple of early Halloween treats: low-budget, high-scare horror flicks Backrooms and Obsession both made the top 10. If you like more gentle supernatural stories, 1990s classic Practical Magic made the charts too. You could also check out best-actor-ever favorites Robert De Niro in The Whisper Man and Dustin Hoffman in Tuner. So there's something for everyone.

Backrooms (2026)

Director Kane Parsons' analog horror breakthrough is proof that atmosphere, mood, and a fascinating story is scarier than CGI monsters every time. Based on the viral YouTube series of the same name, Backrooms tells the story of Clark (Chiwetel Ejiofor), a store owner who discovers a labyrinthian liminal space in his furniture shop's basement. Renate Reinsve plays his therapist, who thinks it's a delusion, until she goes downstairs for a visit. A hit with critics—Backrooms is sitting at 87% fresh on Rotten Tomatoes—and audiences, Backrooms is a delicious early Halloween treat for horror fans. Stream Backrooms on HBO Max.

Practical Magic (1998)

Released to streaming to coincide with the sequel's release in theaters, Practical Magic is a beloved supernatural rom-com finding a new audience in 2026. Sandra Bullock and Nicole Kidman play Sally and Gilly, sister-witches cursed with losing any man they ever love. Sally's romantic interest appears in the form of Aidan Quinn playing a detective investigating the disappearance of Gilly's abusive boyfriend. Can love, magic, and the power of sisterhood break the family curse? With a little help from '90s nostalgia, you bet they can. Stream Practical Magic on HBO Max.

Obsession (2026)

Director Curry Barker is still in his 20s, but his debut theatrical feature is the kind of horror film that changes the entire genre. Obsession is a classic "be careful what you wish for" story that feels fresh thanks to its talented young cast, unpredictable plot, and careful pace. Michael Johnston plays a young man too scared to tell his crush how he feels, so he wishes she'd fall in love with him instead. The result is a nightmare embodied by Inde Navarrette, whose portrayal of the villain/victim is at once harrowing, terrifying, and heartbreaking. Obsession is the best horror movie I've seen in years. Stream Obsession on Peacock.

Mayday (2026)

Ryan Reynolds and Kenneth Branagh play Cold War enemies brought together when Reynolds' plane crashes in the Russian wilderness. Branagh is ex-KGB, but he's always been a secret fan of America, so he helps Reynolds escape the USSR. Like the best bro-coms, Mayday is powered by the charisma of its stars, and you won't find any actors alive with more rizz than these two. If you like 1980s-style buddy action/comedies, Mayday is the right stream for you. Stream Mayday on Apple TV+.

Project Hail Mary (2026)

In this crowd-pleasing sci-fi flick, Ryan Gosling stars as Ryland Grace, a middle school science teacher who is blasted into the firmament in a last-ditch effort to save the world. Grace is the only person on Earth who might know how to protect the sun from a cosmic infection that threatens all life, but he's definitely not an astronaut and doesn't see himself as a hero either. Will he rise to the occasion and learn something about his inner strength and resilience while saving us all from death? My money is on, "yeah, probably." Stream Project Hail Mary on Prime Video and Fubo.

Supergirl (2026)

You shouldn't mess with a superhero's dog. Milly Alcock plays Kara Zor-el, AKA Supergirl, who traverses the galaxy hunting for Krem of the Yellow Hills (played by Matthias Schoenaerts). He shot Krypto the superdog with a poison dart, and justice must be administered. If you want a grittier take on the super-people of Krypton with some deep-lore DC universe building, look no further than Supergirl. Stream Supergirl on HBO Max.

The Whisper Man (2026)

Based on the novel by Alex North, The Whisper Man stars Robert De Niro as Peter Willis, a retired detective who returns to the game to solve a grisly cold case. A copycat is mimicking the crimes of the notorious Whisper Man, a serial killer Willis captured years before. This intense thriller is built around De Niro's powerful performance and a twisty plot that will keep you on the edge of your couch. Stream The Whisper Man on Netflix.

Tuner (2026)

You wouldn't think the life of a piano tuner would be exciting until you see Tuner. Leo Woodall plays Niki White, whose quiet life is turned to 11 when he learns he can use his ears for cracking safes as easily as tuning Steinways. Desperate for cash, White joins up with hardened criminals, and things go haywire. The excellent cast of this smart, tense thriller includes Dustin Hoffman and Havana Rose Liu. If you like suspense in the style of Hitchcock, check out The Tuner. Stream Tuner on Paramount+.

The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026)

Directed by Jon Favreau, The Mandalorian and Grogu sees Din Djarin (Pedro Pascal) and his adorable baby Yoda pal pitted against Imperial warlords and the Hutt Twins. It's classic Star Wars: a lone hero and his companion doing heroic things while facing impossible odds. Packed with cliff-hanger action and colorful characters, The Mandalorian and Grogu is pure fun in movie form. Stream The Mandalorian and Grogu on Disney+.

Toy Story 5 (2026)

Pixar is so good at what it does, it can even make the fifth movie in a series about ratty old toys into art—not just art for kids, but art that's palatable for parents, too. In Toy Story 5, Woody, Buzz, Jessie and the gang face a toy's most terrifying enemy: technology. Toy Story 5 asks if there's a place for action figures and Mr. Potato Head in a world where screens are the only thing kids care about. Stream Toy Story 5 on Disney+.

These Are the Best Bluetooth Speaker Deals for October Prime Day

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2 October 2026 at 13:00
By: Pradershika Sharma

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days, the October edition of Prime Day, runs Oct. 6 and 7, but Bluetooth speaker discounts from Soundcore, Ultimate Ears, JBL, and Marshall are already live. Prices range from $22.99 for the Select 4 Go to $249.99 for the Marshall Stanmore III, with plenty of options in between, whether you want something small enough to throw in a backpack or a larger speaker with enough volume for a backyard gathering. For more discounts and the latest offers, check out our extensive Prime Day 2026 coverage.

Save up to $70 on these Anker Soundcore speakers

The Soundcore Select 4 Go is $22.99, down from $34.99, and its IP67 rating, floating design, and carrying strap make it easy to take to the beach or clip to a backpack—while the Soundcore 2 is $29.99, down from $44.99, and is better suited to a desk or kitchen, with 12W of output and up to 24 hours of playback.

For outdoor use, the Soundcore Boom Go 3i is $59.99, down from $79.99, and pairs an IP68 rating with 24 hours of playback and a battery that can charge a phone. The Soundcore Boom 2 is $99.99, down from $129.99, and steps up to a built-in subwoofer, up to 80W of output, and a floating body for a backyard or pool, which this in-depth review by PCMag breaks down further.

The Soundcore Motion X600 is $159.99, down from $199.99, and uses five drivers, including one that fires upward, to create spatial audio for listening at home. This PCMag review looks at it more closely. The Soundcore Boom 2 Plus is $179.99, down from $249.99, the largest discount in this group, and its 140W output, 20-hour battery, and floating design suit larger outdoor gatherings, as PCMag's review covers in more detail.

These Ultimate Ears speakers start at $60

All four Ultimate Ears speakers here are IP67-rated for dust and water, starting with the Ultimate Ears Miniroll at $59.99, down from $79.99. It's a flat, palm-sized speaker with a silicone strap for handlebars or a bag and 12 hours of battery life, though it doesn't work with the Ultimate Ears app for EQ adjustments—this PCMag review gives a closer look at how it performs for its size. The Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 is $79.99, down from $99.99, and adds 360-degree sound, a floating body, 14 hours of playback, and an Outdoor Boost mode for open spaces.

The Ultimate Ears Boom 4 is $119.57, down from $149.99, and keeps the cylindrical shape of earlier Boom models while switching to USB-C charging, with 360-degree sound, a floating design, and 15 hours of battery life. The Ultimate Ears Everboom is $149.99, down from $178.99, and is the most outdoor-focused of the four, with 20 hours of playback, a Bluetooth range of up to 55 meters, an Outdoor Boost button, and a carabiner for clipping it to a bag or tent.

These JBL speakers are up to 30% off

The JBL Go 5 is $39.95 (regularly $54.95) and has an IP68 rating, up to 10 hours of playback with Playtime Boost, and AirTouch, which pairs two Go 5s for stereo when you tap them together. The JBL Clip 5 is $59.95, down from $79.95, and builds in a wide carabiner for hooking onto a bag or belt, along with an IP67 rating, up to 15 hours of playback with Playtime Boost, and EQ controls in the JBL Portable app.

The JBL Grip costs $69.95, down from $99.95, and adds an IP68 rating, Auracast, and AI Sound Boost to limit distortion at high volume. PCMag's review gives a closer look at how it sounds for its size—while the JBL Flip 5, an older model from 2019 with 20W of output, an IPX7 rating, and 12 hours of battery life is currently is $89.95, down from $99.95. This PCMag review covers it in more detail. 

The JBL Charge 6 is $149.95, down from $199.95, and is the largest JBL speaker here. It's rated for 24 hours of playback plus four more with Playtime Boost, and it has an IP68 rating, a removable strap, and a built-in power bank for charging a phone. It also supports lossless audio over USB-C. For a detailed breakdown of its performance, check out this PCMag review.

Save up to $150 on these Marshall speakers

The Marshall Emberton III is $99.99 (down from $179.99), pairing Marshall's amp-inspired styling with two 10W drivers, an IP67 rating, and a battery rated for more than 32 hours. There's also a built-in microphone for calls and multipoint Bluetooth support. If you like Marshall's design but don't want a speaker permanently tethered to an outlet, the Emberton III is the obvious place to start.

The Marshall Acton III and Marshall Stanmore III are home speakers that plug into the wall. The Acton III is $189.99, down from $299.99, and is the smallest model in Marshall's home lineup. It has 60W of amplification, Bluetooth and 3.5mm inputs, and analog bass and treble knobs on top—this PCMag's review covers in it more detail. The Stanmore III is $249.99, down from $399.99, and steps up to 80W while adding an RCA input, which makes it a straightforward match for a turntable with a built-in preamp. PCMag's review gives a closer look at its sound and setup.

October Prime Day FAQs

When is Prime Day?

October Prime Day is Oct. 6 and runs through Oct. 7. It happens every year during October.

When does Prime Day end?

October Prime Day ends on Oct. 7, 2026. It’s a two-day online sale.

What is Amazon Prime Day?

October Prime Day is the fall version of Prime Day, which is the biggest sale Amazon hosts during the spring, summer, and fall. You can find deals on many categories during the sale, including tech, tools, appliances, apparel, and more.

Our Best Editor-Vetted Early Prime Day Deals Right Now
Deals are selected by our commerce team

This TP-Link Wi-Fi 7 Router Is 32% Off for October Prime Day

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2 October 2026 at 12:30
By: Pradershika Sharma

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

Early October Prime Day deals are making Wi-Fi 7 upgrades considerably less expensive, with the TP-Link Archer BE550 dropping to $169.99 from $249.99 on Amazon. For more on this year's sale, check out our extensive Prime Day 2026 coverage.

This tri-band router spreads traffic across 2.4GHz, 5GHz, and 6GHz bands, with support for newer Wi-Fi 7 features including Multi-Link Operation and 320MHz channels. Plus, all five of its ports (one WAN port and four LAN ports) run at 2.5Gbps, meaning a desktop, a gaming console, and a NAS can each pull multi-gigabit speeds at the same time. You also get a USB 3.0 port for plugging in an external drive, with the whole thing managed through TP-Link's Tether app or a web interface.

As for its performance, it reportedly delivers excellent top speeds, and its range performance holds up well across a multi-level house, so you should still have enough bandwidth for large downloads, 4K streaming, and other demanding tasks happening simultaneously in different parts of the home. Its EasyMesh support also means you can pair it with another certified router or extender later. That said, while the BE550 has very good range for a standalone router, it’s not a mesh system, so speeds naturally decline as you move farther away or between floors, and you may need that second EasyMesh unit after all. Also, its WAN port tops out at 2.5Gbps, so peak speeds fall short of what a router like the eero Max 7 can hit, though that only becomes a problem if your internet plan is faster than 2.5Gbps.

October Prime Day FAQs

When is Prime Day?

October Prime Day is Oct. 6 and runs through Oct. 7. It happens every year during October.

Is Prime Day a scam?

No. Prime Day is a legitimate online sale from arguably the biggest and most reputable online retailer in the world.

What goes on sale on Prime Day?

Since Prime Big Deal Days happens in the fall, you're likely to see more deals on gaming and indoor gym equipment. Amazon has already announced some of the 35 categories that will be on sale, including beauty, tech, kitchen, fashion, and home. Some brands Amazon has already mentioned are: Shark, Princess Polly, Soundcore by Anker, UGG, Nest New York, Sony, Tarte, Adidas, and Barefoot Dreams.

Our Best Editor-Vetted Early Prime Day Deals Right Now
Deals are selected by our commerce team

The Best Deals on Anker Tech During the October Prime Day Sale

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1 October 2026 at 21:30
By: Daniel Oropeza

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

Anker has really made a name for itself outside of their batteries, expanding to headphones, speakers, projectors, and other tech products. Their power stations are still one of the most recognized in the industry, but their other products are climbing up their respective ladders as well. There are many Anker products on sale right now during the early October Prime Day sale, and I've rounded up the best power banks, headphones, and power stations I could find. I'll keep updating this list as more Anker products go on sale throughout the sale.

The best Anker power station deals during the early October Prime Day sale

The best deal on a power station is the Anker SOLIX S2000, which is 43% off right now, landing at $679.99 (originally $1,199). I own an Anker power station that is slightly bigger than this one, and I can vouch for their quality and practicality. The S200 is great for anyone who lives in a house that is prone to losing power during a storm or anyone looking for a compact but powerful portable power station they can take to a backyard or camping. It can power an average fridge for 35 hours, according to Anker, which gives you an idea of how powerful the S200 is. The best time to buy a power bank is when they're massively discounted, not when the food in your fridge is spoiling from a power outage.

Other Anker power station deals

The best power bank deals during the early October Prime Day sale

There is something about having a charging station for all of your devices that gives me a sense of peace. Maybe it's practicality or organization, but I love it. The Anker Qi2.2 Foldable MagSafe Charger can do that for your phone, smartwatch, and earbuds all at once. It also props your phone up as a stand. Right now, it's $119.99 (originally $149.99), after a 20% discount.

Other power bank deals

The best Anker headphone deals during the early October Prime Day sale

The world might have you convinced that you need to spend upwards of $100 to get good headphones, but the Anker Soundcore Q20i headphones break that notion with a $39.99 (originally $69.99) pair. These headphones have most of the features you'd expect from a flagship headphone, like ANC, High-Res audio, long battery life of up to 40 hours with ANC on, and an incredible app. You really don't need to spend big to get good headphones in 2026.

Other Anker headphone deals

Amazon October Prime Day FAQs

How long is Prime Day?

October Prime Day is a two-day event that starts Oct. 6 and ends on Oct. 7.

What time does Prime Day start?

October Prime Day starts Tuesday, October 6, 2026, at 12:00 a.m. PT / 3:00 a.m. ET.

Is Anker a reliable brand?

Yes, Anker is one of the best brands when it comes to batteries and power banks. They've also been making great projectors and headphones over the last few years.

Our Best Editor-Vetted Early Prime Day Deals Right Now
Deals are selected by our commerce team

These Are the Best Laptop Deals From the October Prime Day Sale

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1 October 2026 at 21:04
By: Jake Peterson

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

There's good news and bad news when it comes to laptop deals ahead of Amazon's October Prime Day sale. The good news: You'll find no shortage of discounts on these devices right now. The bad news? Most of those deals aren't worth your time. While you might see some massive price cuts on laptops, either the brand isn't reputable, or the machine is actually pretty old. Sure, it may technically be 40% off the original price, but that doesn't mean much when the original retail price is from five years ago.

As such, I've been searching for deals that are actually worth your money; even on sale, a laptop is a big purchase, so I don't want you to buy something that will fail you shortly after it arrives. Here's what I've found so far, including some smaller discounts on MacBooks and significant savings on specific MacBook Air and MacBook Pro models. There are also some good deals on Windows laptops, for basic users and gamers alike.

M5 MacBook Air

If you're in the market for a new MacBook Air, you can save a bit by buying through Amazon—particularly on the 15-inch model. While Apple wants you to spend $1,499 on the 15-inch M5 MacBook Air, Amazon will take $100 off that price. You can save $150 if you opt for the model with 24GB RAM, but the 15-inch MacBook Air's base model will be plenty of computer for most people. With it, you get Apple's M5 chip, a 15.3-inch display, 512GB of storage, and 16GB of RAM.

M5 MacBook Pro

If you're looking for a more "premium" MacBook without spending upwards of than $2,000, the M5 MacBook Pro might be the move. It uses the same M5 chip as the MacBook Air, but comes with the hardware perks of the Pro line, including a 14.2-inch mini-LED display, built-in fans, an HDMI port, and an SD card reader. It offers the best of both MacBook worlds, but at a better price than the Pros: Right now, Amazon will sell you one with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage for $1,839, $160 off the retail price of $1,999.

M5 Pro MacBook Pro

If you need more power, you'll find decent deals on Apple's Pro MacBooks as well. The cheapest option right now is the M5 Pro with 24GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, which Amazon currently sells for $2,351.99, but multiple M5 Pro models have been discounted. That includes the upgraded M5 Pro with an 18-core CPU and 20-core GPU, which Amazon is selling for $2,699, or $500 off its retail price. If you're looking for a larger display, the 16-inch model is currently $2,816, or $183 off, while the upgraded model with 48GB of RAM, an 18-core CPU, and a 20-core GPU is $232 off at $3,367.

M5 Max MacBook Pro

If you want the best Apple has to offer, there's M5 Max. These laptops are anything but cheap, even with their pre-October Prime Day discounts, but if you're already looking at these models, any deal will be appreciated. This 14-inch M5 Max MacBook Pro, with 36GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD, is 15% off at $3,499, down $600. That's the best deal in this category. Looking at the larger models, this 16-inch M5 Max MacBook Pro is $4,117, down $282, for 36GB of RAM and 2TB of storage. If you upgrade to the 48GB RAM model, which adds two extra GPU cores to the mix, you'll spend $4,499, $500 off the list price.

Dell 15.6-inch Touchscreen Laptop

If you need a Windows laptop with a large screen that can churn through basic tasks like email, web browsing, and office work, this option from Dell might be worth your time. This machine comes with a 15.6-inch 1080p display with 8GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and an Intel 13th Generation Core i5 chip. Its retail price of $849.99 is a bit steep for what you get, but right now, Best Buy has the laptop $370 off. For $479.99, this is a great choice for most computing needs—though if you know you'll have more demanding work, this likely isn't the machine for you.

Gigabyte Gaming A18

This gaming laptop from Gigabyte is a great pickup. In fact, it's PCMag's choice for the best midrange gaming laptop of 2026. The outlet praises the performance you get for the money, especially with an 18-inch display at 165Hz. It even ekes out some solid battery life, though you typically get the most out of a gaming laptop when it's plugged into power. While this Gigabyte laptop retails for $1,999.99, Amazon currently has it for $150 off that price.

Acer Swift Go 16 AI

The Acer Swift Go 16 AI has a mouthful of a name, but that doesn't mean it's not a great laptop. This is Wirecutter's favorite big Windows laptop, with a sharp 16-inch 1200p OLED touchscreen display, an Intel Core Ultra 5 Series 3 2026 chip, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage. This machine typically retails for a solid $999.99, but Best Buy currently has it $300 off. If you need a larger Windows laptop with more power than the Dell listed above, this is a great choice for $699.99.

October Prime Day FAQ

When is Prime Day in October?

Amazon Prime Day is an annual event held in June or July. Amazon's October Prime Day event, known as Prime Big Deal Days, is a two-day sale that starts Oct. 6 and ends on Oct. 7.

What goes on sale during October Prime Day?

Since Prime Big Deal Days happens in the fall, you're likely to see more deals on gaming and indoor gym equipment. Amazon has already announced some of the 35 categories that will be on sale, including beauty, tech, kitchen, fashion, and home. Some brands Amazon has already mentioned are: Shark, Princess Polly, Soundcore by Anker, UGG, Nest New York, Sony, Tarte, Adidas, and Barefoot Dreams.

Is Prime Day once a year?

Prime Day happens every summer. Prime Big Deal Days (or October Prime Day) happens every October. Amazon's Big Spring Sale happens every spring.

10 Apple 'Photos' Hacks Every iPhone User Should Know

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1 October 2026 at 20:30
By: Khamosh Pathak

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Apple's Photos app is more than a simple camera roll that eats up all your iCloud storage space. Contrary to popular belief, you can customize the app to make it easier to find the pictures and videos you're looking for, while hidden features help you clean up your storage and keep your media collection organized. If you have an iPhone, these 10 hacks are a must.

Use Reorder to customize what’s shown in the Collections screen

Collections in Apple Photos.
Credit: Khamosh Pathak

The Collections tab in the Photos app arranges itself automatically, showing you suggested photos, memories, and highlight reels at the top. Unfortunately, the way Apple orders things is a bit of a mess. The thing is, Photos has plenty of useful categories and shortcuts for accessing media quickly, such as for screenshots, custom albums, and utilities like Hidden Folder. As such, you should reorder the Collections tab to make it work better for you. Tap the Menu button at the top of the Collections tab and choose Reorder. My advice is to bring the Utilities and Media Types collections to the top, as they serve as useful shortcuts.

Use "Captured By Me" to hide screenshots and saved photos

If you're like me, your camera roll is filled with too many screenshots, saved photos, memes, GIFs, and videos. They all have their place, but the clutter gets in the way when you want to see or show photos you’ve actually clicked with your iPhone’s camera. As it happens, iOS 27 adds a new feature called "Captured By Me" that only filters photos and videos you’ve shot yourself. If you go to the Collections tab, you’ll find a new Captured By Me section in Utilities. You can also activate this when browsing photos in Library using the Filter button.

Hide photos of an ex from showing up in Memories

Remove person from memories and suggestions in Apple Photos.
Credit: Khamosh Pathak

Apple’s Photos suggestions are so good, I let the app handle the images that show up on my iPhone and Apple Watch's wallpaper, along with a widget on my iPhone's Home Screen. But suggestions are only as good as your curation. The last thing you want is to see a photo of your ex (or an ex-friend) when you’re trying to get through emails in the morning. If you don’t want to see a person too often, open their photo, tap the Menu button and choose Don’t Feature a Person. You have two choices here. You can either choose Feature This Person Less or Never Feature This Person. The latter option, of course, is best for exes, while the former works better for anyone you don't want to cut out entirely, but would like to see a little bit less of.

Hide the Hidden folder to truly protect your sensitive photos

Locking the Hidden Folder on iPhone.
Credit: Khamosh Pathak

The Photos app's Hidden folder is an excellent tool for locking away pictures and videos from your main library. The issue is, the folder might still be accessable by anyone who gets their hands on your iPhone. As such, make sure to lock the Hidden folder behind a Face ID lock to truly protect your sensitive pics. To do so, go to Settings > Apps > Photos > Albums and enable Face ID to automatically enable the hidden folder lock.

Make sure to completely delete photos from the Trash

Deleted photos aren’t actually deleted—at least, not right away. Apple actually stores deleted photos for 30 days, helpful when you accidentally delete a photo or have second-thoughts, but it’s a double-edged sword. Someone in the know could snoop through your deleted album and retrieve images you assumed were gone forever. These photos and videos are also taking up storage you likely assumed you got back by "deleting" them. As such, make sure to empty the Trash as well. Go to Photos > Utilities > Recently Deleted and tap the Delete All button.

Use the Identity Documents collection to quickly find photos of your IDs

While it’s not the most secure option, keeping some identification documents, passes, or tickets as photos can help in a pinch. It seems like Apple knows that this is a common use case. In iOS 27, if you go to the Collections tab, you’ll find a new Identity Documents section under the Utilities dropdown. When you open it, you’ll find an automatically curated grid of all the photos that contain IDs. If you like this feature, I highly recommend using the first hack in this list to reorder the Collections screen, putting the Identity Documents section right at the top.

Use this hidden feature to force Photos to sync immediately to iCloud

iCloud can be a huge help for managing your ever-growing Photos library. As long as you have available cloud storage, photos and videos are uploaded in the background automatically, and if you’re low on storage on your iPhone, "Optimize Storage" automatically offloads the files to the cloud.

Unfortunately, sometimes it doesn’t work when you really want to. Perhaps you want to add photos in a shared album, or you want to see photos on your Mac. But your iPhone is low on battery, or on a spotty connection, so the photos never seem to sync. Now, if you’re running iOS 27, you can use a hidden setting to force iCloud sync. Go to Settings > Photos > Sync Immediately and enable For Today.

Use Clean Up's "High-Quality" mode to remove objects from your photos

Clean Up feature in Apple Photos app.
Credit: Khamosh Pathak

When it launched, Apple’s Clean Up tool left something to be desired. It would remove objects, but leave weird shadows or blobs behind. With the release of Apple’s new Siri AI, Clean Up gets a big upgrade—but only if you use Apple’s iCloud servers. (Apple says its service, Private Cloud Compute, secures your data.) As such, Clean Up is now a reliable option to quickly remove objects from your photos. Open an image, tap on Edit, choose the Tools option, and select the Clean Up tool. From the top, make sure to switch to the High-Quality option to use Apple’s servers. Highlight parts to remove, and tap Clean Up. If it’s a heavier edit, you might need to wait for a minute or two. In my experience, the result will be worth it.

Use "Paste Edits" to copy and paste edits from one photo to multiple photos

Apple Photos copy and paste edits.
Credit: Khamosh Pathak

It can get tedious to apply the same edits across multiple photos. Luckily, you don't need to waste time fiddling with the same sliders on each image: Photos lets you copy all edits from one image and paste them to multiple photos. To do so, choose your edited photo or video, tap the Menu button, and choose Copy Edits. Then, review and disable any edits you don’t want, and choose Copy. Now, go back to your Library, tap Select, and choose all the photos or videos where you want to apply the same edit. Tap the Menu button and choose Paste Edits to add the same edit settings to all images.

Use Live Text to pull text from images

iPhone Photos Live Text.
Credit: Apple

Apple’s Live Text feature turns any text digital. Snap a photo of a menu, and you can copy it. Scan a page, and you can paste it in Notes. But it’s not just limited to the camera or screenshots: It’s integrated directly into the Photos app as well, and arguably, it’s the easiest place to use this feature. When you are viewing an image with text in it, you will see the Live Text icon in the bottom right. Tap on it, and iOS will highlight the text in the image. You can tap and hold to take action on text, and you can easily copy things from here as well.

Why You Shouldn't Expect a Tiny Kindle Any Time Soon

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1 October 2026 at 19:54
By: Joel Cunningham

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Earlier this week, I commented that the recent boom in tiny e-readers—I'm talking about those credit card-sized, Chinese-made e-ink devices that have become all the rage on BookTok and Reddit—was the most interesting thing to happen to the market in years. From the Xteink X4 Pro to the forthcoming Boox Picco, these wee little guys, which are small enough to slip into any pocket, have gathered a cult following of readers who prize ultra-portability above all else.

Today's announcement of a redesigned line of Kindles didn't do anything to change that opinion. Setting aside the additional reveal of long-requested accessories like a Bluetooth page-turn remote and a charging dock, these new Kindles mostly deliver the same familiar Amazon e-reader experience in a slightly more refined package. And if you were hoping Amazon might hop on the bandwagon with a tiny e-reader of its own—or even a phone-shaped e-reader like the Boox Palma— well, I wouldn't hold your breath.

Yesterday, Amazon invited other journalists and me to the company's New York City headquarters to check out the new Kindles, and during our talk with Kevin Keith, vice president of the Kindle team, we asked him if the company has been monitoring the pocket e-reader trend, and if it would ever make a Kindle with a screen smaller than the standard six inches. His response didn't surprise me at all.

"Our answer to that is, I think [the basic Kindle]—when you're at 140 grams, and you're this lightweight, you can carry it almost anywhere. I carry these in my pocket. In your bag, you're not even going to know it's there," Keith said. "I think that's first and foremost what I'd say." That is, Amazon already thinks the six-inch device is plenty small enough for most readers, and as a company, Amazon is generally targeting most readers. The tiny e-reader audience is "a very vocal group of people," he added, "but I don't know how big that group of people is."

While it's monitoring the chatter around devices like the Palma or even smaller options like the X4 Pro, for Amazon, the existing entry-level Kindle is "a really good format," Keith said. "Getting to four or five inches, I think there's just a lot of compromises there that you have to make. The core answer is just making a better entry device."

Chris Green, Kindle's vice president of design, a veteran who has worked on every Kindle device save the first-generation model (which was released just as he joined the company), agreed, while leaving the door open just a crack wider: "I think they're fascinating," Green said of smaller alternative e-readers, while admitting they weren't for him (he prefers to read on a massive Kindle Scribe). "Are we going to do one? I don't know. Are we looking into them? Yes."

What does "looking into them" mean? Well, "we look into everything," he said, noting Amazon has previously investigated both foldable and rollable e-readers. "But those things are fascinating," he added. "I don't know if [they're] going to be successful, but [they're] definitely worth watching."

The Best Deals on Fitness Equipment From the October Prime Day Sale

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1 October 2026 at 19:00
By: Meredith Dietz

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

Amazon's October Prime Day event is still a week away, but you need not wait to start taking advantage of deals on all your home gym needs. Below are my favorite fitness deals from Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days sale so far. I'll keep updating this article until the sales event officially ends on Oct. 7.

The best October Prime Day deals on cardio equipment

  • This Sunny Health treadmill is $569.86, normally $899.99. This treadmill comes fully assembled, goes up to 10 mph and a 15% incline, and folds up for storage.

  • This YOSUDA PRO magnetic exercise bike is $279.98, normally $329.99. With magnetic resistance, you can count on the bike to be quiet enough for a home gym setup.

  • This Merach walking pad is on sale for $296.99, down from $329.99. I've personally tested it, and I can attest it truly is quiet enough that it won't bother your neighbors (or in my case, a very sleepy roommate). Plus, the 12% incline should appeal to anyone looking to squeeze a high-incline walking workout into their workday.

The best October Prime Day deals on adjustable weights

  • These UNNMIIY adjustable dumbbells are $159.98 for the 90-pound set, normally $259.99. These can adjust from 2 to 45 pounds per dumbbell, and they have a 5-in-1 design so you can use them as dumbbells, barbells, kettlebells, and even push-up stands.

  • These FEIERDUN adjustable dumbbells are $269.99 for the 110-pound set, normally $349.99. These have my favorite type of adjustment mechanism: a one-hand rotating dial.

  • This cast iron adjustable kettlebell is $47.99, normally $59.99. This kettlebell starts with a 15-pound weighted handle with four non-weighted removable spacer disks, a five-pound bottom plate, and a center pin to support additional weight plates up to 50 pounds.

The best October Prime Day deals on home gym staples

  • These resistance bands are $17.98, normally $24.99. A solid pair of resistance bands like these is the perfect addition to home gyms, travel workouts, or hotel rooms.

  • This 5-in-1 foam roller set is $32.99, normally $39.95. You'll get a muscle roller stick, foam roller, resistance band, massage ball, and storage bag.

  • This weight bench is $69.99, normally $89.99. If you've got dumbbells, a bench is a natural next step to level up your home gym.

  • This 12-pound weighted vest from Zelus is $36.99, normally $49.99. Other weights are available for various prices, most discounted.

October Prime Day FAQ

When is Prime Day in October?

Amazon Prime Day is an annual event held in June or July. Amazon's October Prime Day event, known as Prime Big Deal Days, is a two-day sale that starts Oct. 6 and ends on Oct. 7.

What goes on sale during October Prime Day?

Since Prime Big Deal Days happens in the fall, you're likely to see more deals on gaming and indoor gym equipment. Amazon has already announced some of the 35 categories that will be on sale, including beauty, tech, kitchen, fashion, and home. Some brands Amazon has already mentioned are: Shark, Princess Polly, Soundcore by Anker, UGG, Nest New York, Sony, Tarte, Adidas, and Barefoot Dreams.

Is Prime Day once a year?

Prime Day happens every summer. Prime Big Deal Days (or October Prime Day) happens every October. Amazon's Big Spring Sale happens every spring.

The Best Outdoor Home Maintenance Tools on Sale for October Prime Day

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1 October 2026 at 18:00
By: Jeff Somers

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October Prime Day is just around the corner—it kicks off on Tuesday, Oct. 6—but early Prime Prime Day sales are already here, and it's time to get some outdoor power equipment. Mowing, weeding, cleaning, and trimming manually using old-timey tools might get the job done, but at the cost of your back and pretty much your entire weekend. Here are the October Prime Day deals that will let you outfit your shed or garage with everything you need.

This Greenworks 48V push lawn mower is 31% off

Lawns require a shocking amount of care if you want them to look like a sane, responsible person lives there, which makes a solid lawn mower an essential piece of outdoor equipment. The Greenworks 48V 20-inch model is incredibly quiet, so you won’t annoy the neighbors even if you like mowing in the morning before it gets hot, the dual batteries will get through moderately-sized yards on a single charge, and it starts with a push of a button. At 31% off, it’s a win-win—and if you have a smaller yard, you can spend even less on the 17-inch version, which is 32% off.

This Greenworks electric leaf blower is 34% off right now

If you have even a single tree on (or near) your property, you’ve likely been amazed at the sheer volume of leaves it can leave on the ground. Even if you don’t like to bag and toss leaves, you probably need to clean them up a bit—and that’s where this Greenworks leaf blower comes in. At 34% off, it’s a bargain that offers comparable power to gas models (without the fumes) and can handle up to one acre of yard on a single charge.

This power leaf blower/vacuum/mulcher is 27% off

Leaves make excellent mulch, and excellent mulch makes for excellent yards. This power leaf blower/vacuum/mulcher from Dumos is a terrific buy because it compacts your leaves into mulch at a 15-to-1 ratio, making it fast and easy to transform those leaves into something useful. It’s corded, but that has some advantages—namely never running out of juice or having to breathe in exhaust fumes.

This EGO Power+ 24" electric snow blower is almost $200 off

If you live in an area that gets any snow at all, a snow blower is an absolute must (unless you like an aching back and entire afternoons lost to shoveling). Grab this excellent model from EGO while it’s on sale—two powerful batteries throw even wet, heavy snow up to 50 feet, and have enough juice to handle almost any size driveway on a single charge. Plus, the handles are warmed and it sports bright LED headlights so you can see what you’re doing in the early morning or evenings.

The Greenworks cordless string trimmer is 40% off

Some people will tell you that you need a gas-powered or corded weed whacker to handle dense weeds or thick stems, but this string trimmer from Greenworks proves them wrong. Its dual-string design slices through just about anything short of a small tree, and it does it while being really light and easy to carry and offering automatic line advance so you don’t have to constantly adjust. It’s also very quiet and manages most yards on a single charge.

This cordless hedge trimmer from Greenworks is almost 30% off

Hedges are awesome for privacy and are a lot nicer than rusting, sagging fences—but they need constant maintenance. Consider this Greenworks power hedge trimmer; it cuts through branches up to one inch thick with ease, but what really sets it apart is the rotating handle, which can flip 180 degrees to make angling the trimmer around tight spots a breeze.

The Greenworks 24V mini chainsaw is $60 off right now

Everyone with an outdoor space should own a mini chainsaw. This 24V model from Greenworks is almost 40% off right now, and it’s surprisingly powerful for such a small tool. It’s light—just 3.4 pounds with battery—so you can truly use it one-handed, and it chews through thick (four- to six-inch) branches with ease. Whether you’re pruning trees, cutting firewood, or some other outdoor project, you’ll be glad you’ve got a mini chainsaw in your shed.

This pole saw comes with a battery and charger and is 31% off

Working with a ladder makes any project instantly more dangerous—especially if there’s a blade of some kind involved. That’s why this Greenworks 24V pole saw is a good idea—you can trim trees and other high vegetation without needing to risk your life by climbing on a ladder. With a nine-foot extension, you can reach most branches comfortably from the safety of the ground, and it weighs under 10 pounds even with the battery, so it doesn’t require strength training to use.

This Greenworks pressure washer is 30% off

Your tidy outdoor space can make your house look kind of dirty in comparison. To balance things out, you’ll need a pressure washer to get your siding, sidewalks, and driveway areas sparkling—and at 30% off, this 3000 PSI model from Greenworks is a great choice. It needs almost no maintenance, and with a two-gallon-per-minute (GPM) flow and “JetFlow” technology, it’ll reach your second and third floors without a problem, and clean them faster, too.

October Prime Day FAQs

When is Prime Day in October?

October Prime Day is a two-day event that starts Oct. 6 and ends on Oct. 7.

What happens on Amazon Prime Day?

On Oct. 6 and Oct. 7, Amazon will have a big online sale for Prime Members with many products going for their lowest price of the year.

What goes on sale on Prime Day?

Since Prime Big Deal Days happens in the fall, you're likely to see more deals on gaming and indoor gym equipment. Amazon has already announced some of the 35 categories that will be on sale, including beauty, tech, kitchen, fashion, and home. Some brands Amazon has already mentioned are: Shark, Princess Polly, Soundcore by Anker, UGG, Nest New York, Sony, Tarte, Adidas, and Barefoot Dreams.

I Tried the Pixel Watch's New 'Health Guardian,' and I'm Not Convinced It's Useful

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1 October 2026 at 17:30
By: Beth Skwarecki

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Google’s “Health Guardian” feature set has rolled out to Pixel Watches 3, 4, and 5 this week and will be coming to Fitbit Air users “later this year.” Google says the new features include reports on your blood pressure trends and on insulin resistance, which is a big claim for a wearable. Here’s what we know about Health Guardian, including how to set it up and what to expect. 

Can you really measure insulin resistance with a wearable? 

screenshots from setting up insulin resistance tracking with Google Health
Credit: Beth Skwarecki

Insulin resistance is associated with type 2 diabetes, and can be an early sign that you are heading toward pre-diabetes or diabetes. When your body’s insulin receptors stop responding as strongly to insulin, you’re more likely to have higher blood glucose. 

Insulin resistance is normally measured with bloodwork. For example, your fasting glucose levels and fasting insulin are combined into a score called HOMA-IR. If you’re concerned about insulin resistance or pre-diabetes, it’s best to talk to an actual healthcare professional to find out what tests they recommend, and what to do with the results. 

The insulin resistance feature coming to Google Health is, Google notes, “not intended for medical purposes” and “not a pre-screener for diabetes.” 

Google published a paper describing some of the testing that went into developing its insulin resistance algorithm. In the study, the researchers had people use their own Fitbits or Pixel Watches to record a variety of metrics, including heart rate, HRV, and activity. It’s not clear from this paper exactly how the algorithm works or whether it’s likely to be useful in a general population, but apparently Google is betting on it being an interesting factor to track in your Google Health app.

Can you really measure blood pressure with a wearable?

screenshots from setting up the blood pressure trends feature
Credit: Beth Skwarecki

Google also published a paper on a blood pressure algorithm, although it is not peer-reviewed. Instead of explaining how the algorithm works, it describes how the researchers tried to figure out what their AI-based model might be looking at. According to this paper, Google's model works about as well as clinical blood pressure measurements, but it's not clear how useful it would be in the real world. For example, the study excluded people with heart disease, but I'd imagine plenty of people with heart disease would be interested in their blood pressure scores.

Is Health Guardian free? 

Google said in a press release that Health Guardian, which includes insulin resistance and blood pressure trends, is available for free for people who use a Pixel Watch 3, 4, or 5. Fitbit Air users will get blood pressure and insulin resistance trends “with a Google Health Premium subscription later this year.” So it’s free if you have a Pixel Watch, but not if you only have the Fitbit Air. Google Health Premium is $9.99/month. 

It’s unclear what happens if you own both devices; presumably, having a Pixel Watch will get you free access. In any case, other devices, including older Fitbits, do not seem to be included. For the moment, I'll note that a mix of Pixel Watch and Fitbit Air data wasn't enough to get my insulin resistance report; Google Health seems to require data from the Pixel Watch specifically.

How to get Health Guardian’s blood pressure trends and insulin resistance estimates

The new features are built into the 5.09 release of the Google Health app for Android, which is rolling out this week. (It seems iOS will be getting the features later. This makes sense, since iOS users wouldn’t have a Pixel Watch paired, anyway.) 

You can set up your blood pressure and insulin resistance tracking as soon as you get the new version of the Google Health app. I was able to set up insulin tracking by going to the health tab and then tapping Metabolic, and I set up blood pressure under Heart. If you go to Respiratory, you can also set up sleep-breathing quality. (Some European users will get a feature that can call for help in a "breathing emergency," but that is not available in the U.S.)

Google said that the insulin and blood pressure features will give you a monthly report on the first of each month, with the first report coming Oct. 1, if you have given the watch enough data in the previous month. Here is what the app requires:

  • For blood pressure reports: You need to wear the watch for five consecutive days in the previous month. You don't have to wear the watch at night.

  • For insulin resistance: You need to wear the watch for seven days and nights in the previous month, but they don't need to be consecutive.

How well does Health Guardian work? We don't know.

I set up both features as soon as I got the update last week, but that timeline didn't give me a full seven days and nights. That means I don't have an insulin resistance result. I do have my blood pressure trend result: "Not High." As a reminder, a watch cannot know your actual blood pressure, so the watch is making estimates based on data that may not correspond with your actual blood pressure. That said, my blood pressure tends to read in the normal range at doctors' visits, so at least this wasn't surprising.

What's more confusing is what you're actually supposed to do about the results. If your watch says your blood pressure or insulin are fine, would you delay seeking care or abandon a treatment or lifestyle change that was supposed to help you? If your watch says something is wrong, would you believe that and maybe spend unnecessary time and money getting checked out? Pixel Watch users are discussing their results online, with a variety of reactions. One redditor says: "I awoke to find out that my blood pressure is too high and apparently the insulin in my body does nothing. This despite that my most recent doctor's visit and blood work were all perfectly normal." Another said: "I got this high insulin result this morning. I have really changed my diet the last 4 months and I have been going to the gym regularly. I have lost about 40 pounds this year. It's a bummer to see this. I just wonder if it's accurate." I wonder that, too.

10 Shows Like 'Crew Girl' You Should Watch Next

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1 October 2026 at 16:30
By: Ross Johnson

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Sports, romance, and the drama of starting over: Netflix's Crew Girl has it all, or at least everything you could ask for in a coming-of-age YA drama. Miku Martineau (Bet, The Miniature Wife) stars as Teagan Tao, a champion rower who flees a family scandal with her mother and ends up at a private school—but the school has no girls' rowing program, so, despite a lack of experience, she signs on as a coxswain on the boys' team, intending to show 'em all how it's done (while also managing a teen love triangle for the ages). If you're looking for more angsty teen dramas—some also with a sporty edge—try these other shows.

Finding Her Edge (2026 – )

Another coming-of-age sports drama, this one shares with Crew Girl not just a Canadian origin but an executive producer in Jeff Norton. Oh, and also a love triangle—this time involving ice dancing partners. Madelyn Keys is Adriana Russo, scion of a family of competitive ice skaters fallen on hard times. Adriana and her sister hope to reclaim past glory, but things are complicated by her developing feelings for her new skating partner, Brayden, as well as reawakening feelings for her ex-boyfriend, now a competitor. Stream Finding Her Edge on Netflix.

The Summer I Turned Pretty (2022 – 2025)

Less about sports, but nevertheless one of streaming's most compelling teen love triangles. And it takes place near water, so I'm counting it. Adapted from the trilogy of YA bestsellers by Jenny Han, this series focuses on the coming-of-age of teenager Belly Conklin (Lola Tung), who is 16 as the series starts. Belly and her family spend every summer at Cousins Beach with the Fisher family, a tradition that's all well and good until she starts to develop a romantic attraction for first one Fisher brother (Christopher Briney), and then the other (Gavin Casalegno), planting the seeds for a love triangle that unfolds over the course of several summers, and which sees Belly grow into young adulthood to a soundtrack made up largely of Taylor Swift tunes. The three-season run is over, but there's a continuation movie on the way. Stream The Summer I Turned Pretty on Prime Video.

Gossip Girl (2007 – 2012)

Crew Girl co-star Thomas Cadrot (Coach Hayden) described the show as "Gossip Girl and Friday Night Lights on a boat," so our next couple of entries will follow that train. Teen drama at its finest and most bitchy, Gossip Girl follows the many, many scandals of a group of young Upper East Side socialites and hangers-on. The tangled teenage lives of Serena van der Woodsen (Blake Lively), her best frenemy Blair Waldorf (Leighton Meester), scholarship kid Dan Humphrey (Penn Badgley), and plenty more pretty young boys and girls are chronicled in meticulous detail by the title's mysterious, omnipresent Gossip Girl (voiced by Kristen Bell). The short(-er)-lived 2021 follow-up is also available on HBO Max. Stream Gossip Girl on HBO Max and Netflix.

Friday Night Lights (2006 – 2011)

Speaking of: A show that survived on viewer affection and critical acclaim more than ratings (at a time when such a thing was still possible), Friday Night Lights ran for five seasons without ever being a particularly big hit, but it's had an impressive afterlife. A drama about small-town high school football rather than a comedy, the show nonetheless stays positive and inspirational, even as it captures the highs and (often heartbreaking) lows of life for the kids, coaches, and families around tiny Dillon, Texas. It's one of TV's most successful sports dramas, expanding the tragedy and triumph of the original movie into a long-form narrative. A reboot is in the works. Stream Friday Night Lights on Prime Video and Paramount+.

Bet (2025 – )

Not so much with the athletics here, unless we're going to count underground gambling at a private school, which, why the hell not? Our biggest link to Crew Girl is in series leads: both star (the very busy) Miku Martineau, here playing Japanese transfer student Yumeko Kamamoto. Based on a manga series, this one's a bit less grounded, but it's an awful lot of fun: St. Dominic's is an exclusive prep school where the social hierarchy is dictated by success or failure in its highly organized secret betting pools. Luckily, Yumeko is a pretty good gambler, which is no coincidence: Her parents were murdered by a member of the school's board of governors, and her motivation is to climb the ranks, figure out who the killer is, and get revenge. It's returning for a second season. Stream Bet on Netflix.

Off Campus (2026 – )

More mature (meaning only that there's a bit more sex) than Crew Girl, Off Campus plays in the Heated Rivalry/horny hockey sandbox. The show stars Ella Bright as Hannah Wells, a music student who has a meet-cute with Boston Bruin-in-waiting Garrett Graham (Belmont Cameli) when she accidentally walks in on him naked in the gym showers. He needs a tutor; she needs to make the guy she has a crush on jealous...you get the picture. Stream Off Campus on Prime Video.

All American (2018 – 2026)

Lots of romantic entanglements over the course of this show's eight seasons, but the heart of All American (for most of its run) is Spencer James (Daniel Ezra), based on real-life NFL linebacker Spencer Paysinger. A star player for his high school team in Crenshaw, he's recruited by the coach (Taye Diggs) of a team in Beverly Hills to come and play for them, forcing Spencer to navigate two very different worlds while trying to build a life and potential career. Stream All American on Netflix.

My Life with the Walter Boys (2023 – )

Not much of a sports angle here, but the premise and vibe are similar nonetheless. Nikki Rodriguez is Jackie Howard, a 15-year-old NYC kid whose parents and sister have recently died in a car accident. With nowhere else to go, she's invited to live with her mom's best friend and family on a ranch in Colorado—a very different world. Starting over almost from scratch at a young age, Jackie has to adapt to her new environment while grieving her loss; though, of course, there's some comfort to be found in hot brothers Alex and Cole, each of whom takes an interest in Jackie. Stream My Life with the Walter Boys on Netflix.

Forever (2025 – )

Who does teen coming-of-age drama better than Judy Blume? This adaptation of her widely censored 1975 novel updates the setting to current-day Los Angeles and expands the novel's exploration of the complexities of teen love and sex to include the challenges of being young, exceptional, and Black in 2020s America. Keisha Clark (Lovie Simone) attends a predominantly Black private school and is working toward a track scholarship at Howard, while Justin Edwards (Michael Cooper Jr.) goes to school with white kids and is on his parents' track to go to Northeastern, ideally on a basketball scholarship. The smart show follows their budding romance in a way that feels real and compelling. Stream Forever on Netflix.

Twenty-Five Twenty-One (2022)

The setting is very different both in time and place, but all that only serves to remind us that some experiences are universal. Told in flashbacks via a rediscovered diary, we revisit 1998, when Na Hee-do (Kim Tae-ri) was a champion fencer at her high school, until the IMF crisis that devastated the Southeast Asian economy forced the team to disband. Transferring to a new school, she meets Baek Yi-jin (Nam Joo-hyuk), heir to a chaebol family that went bankrupt during the crisis, who's readjusting to a life with no financial means to speak of. Career and romantic complications intersect with history over the following several years as we follow Hee-do's life into the (nearly) present day. Stream Twenty-Five Twenty-One on Netflix.

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