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Some of Amazons early Prime Day Apple deals are already add-to-cart worthy

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The best early October Prime Day Apple deals at a glance:

Best AirPods deal

Apple AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C)

$169.99
(save $79.01)

Apple AirPods Pro 2


Best Apple Watch deal

the Apple Watch Series 10



Apple fans should circle Oct. 7 and 8 on their calendars: That's when Amazon is having its fourth annual Prime Big Deal Days sale. This "October Prime Day" event (an informal Black Friday kickoff) typically prompts record-low prices on AirPods, Apple Watches, iPads, and MacBooks, marking one of the absolute best times of year to upgrade any older Apple gadgets that just aren't cutting it.

This year, Prime Big Deal Days comes hot on the heels of Apple's "Awe Dropping" launch of new iPhones, Apple Watches, and AirPods. I doubt the new iPhone 17 series or iPhone Air will go on sale once the event starts, but I'm pretty confident we'll see some initial discounts on the new Apple Watch Series 11, SE 3, and Ultra 3, as well as the updated AirPods Pro 3.

At the time of publication in early October, the Series 11 was already $10 off (normally $399, now $389). I'd personally wait to see if it dips even lower, but if you're jonesing to have it right away post-release, this is a fine excuse to add it to your cart. An even better pre-Prime Day Apple Watch deal stars its predecessor, the Series 10, which is a whopping $170 off if you opt for cellular connectivity. That blows past its previous all-time low price.

Two other Apple gadgets that I'd go ahead and buy now without hesitation are the 10th-generation iPad with 256GB of storage and cellular connectivity, and the 15-inch M4 MacBook Air with 512GB of storage. Amazon currently has on sale for record lows of $499 and $1,199, respectively. I can't see them getting much cheaper once Prime Big Deal Days begin. (Happy to be proven wrong, though!)

If you're in the market for new AirPods, the AirPods 4 and AirPods Pro 2 are already seeing steep discounts. While neither has dropped to its best price on record, we don't see prices this low on either option very often. You could hold off until the shopping event starts, but there's no guarantee they'll get any cheaper.

Below, I've rounded up over two dozen of the best early October Prime Day Apple deals. I'll continue to monitor prices and flag record lows (marked with a 🔥) in the lead-up to the sale, so check back often.

Best AirPods deal


Apple AirPods Pro 2

Credit: Apple


Apple AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C)

$169.99
at Amazon

$249
Save $79.01



Why we like them

The second-generation AirPods Pro offer top-tier sound quality, excellent noise cancellation, and a battery life of about seven hours per charge. They're our current favorite earbuds for Apple users, though that may soon change once we finish testing the newer AirPods Pro 3, which have a different design and five swappable ear tips (up from three), even better active noise cancellation, Live Translation, and extra health features. They're a pretty significant upgrade on paper, but if price is your biggest concern, the AirPods Pro 2 are $79 cheaper. While this isn't the cheapest they've ever been, it's still a hefty discount compared to its usual $199 sale price.

Read Mashable's full review of the Apple AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C).

More AirPods deals

  • Apple AirPods 4 — $89.99 $129 (save $39.01)

  • Apple AirPods 4 with ANC — $139.99 $179 (save $39.01)

  • Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) — $519 $549 (save $30)

Best Apple Watch deal


the Apple Watch Series 10

Credit: Apple

Why we like it

While the Apple Watch Series 10 is virtually identical to its successor in terms of features and design, its battery life is worse. That's not ideal if you plan to regularly use tracking tools like Sleep Score, which get less accurate in Low Power Mode, but it's an easy sacrifice at a price like this. The rose gold Series 10 with cellular connectivity and a light blush sport band is now just $329 — a 34% savings and a new all-time low. Before this month, it never dipped below $370.

This deal is so good, I almost think it might be a fluke on Amazon's part (either that or an inventory-clearing clearance discount). The non-cellular version is on sale for the exact same price there.

Read Mashable's full review of the Apple Watch Series 10.

More Apple Watch deals

  • Apple Watch SE, 2nd Gen (GPS, 40mm) — $179 $249 (save $70)

  • Apple Watch SE, 2nd Gen (GPS, 44mm) — $199 $279 (save $80)

  • Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 42mm) — $329 $399 (save $70)

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

Best iPad deal


the 10th generation apple ipad

Credit: Apple

Why we like it

If you care more about storage capacity and cellular connectivity than processing power, this is a stellar deal on a 256GB 10th-gen iPad from late 2022. (It's a carbon copy of the 11th-gen model from early 2025, just with an older A14 Bionic chipset.) It usually retails for $649, but Amazon's dropped the silver variant down to a record-low price of $449 in the lead-up to Prime Big Deal Days. The other colors are either sold out or only available from a third-party seller.

More iPad deals

  • Apple iPad, 11-inch (A16, WiFi, 128GB) — $299 $349 (save $50)

  • Apple iPad, 11-inch (A16, WiFi + cellular, 128GB) — $449 $499 (save $50)

  • Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro, WiFi, 128GB) — $399 $499 (save $100)

  • Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M3, WiFi, 128GB) — $449 $599 (save $150) 🔥

  • Apple iPad Air, 13-inch (M3, WiFi, 128GB) — $649 $799 (save $50) 🔥

  • Apple iPad Pro, 11-inch (M4, WiFi, 256GB) — $899 $999 (save $100

  • Apple iPad Pro, 13-inch (M4, WiFi, 256GB) — $1,099.99 $1,299 (save $199.01 with on-page coupon)

Best MacBook deal


the 15-inch m4 macbook air

Credit: Apple

Why we like it

The latest MacBook Air is an absolute powerhouse, outperforming 89% of the laptops in our current testing database (many of which cost significantly more). Compared to the previous-gen M3 model, it offers a 24% speed boost along with an improved 12MP Center Stage camera and added open-lid support for two external displays. The 15-inch model with 512GB of storage (twice that of the base model) is on sale for $1,199 ahead of Prime Big Deal Days, or $200 off. It's currently the only MacBook that's sitting at an all-time low.

Read Mashable's full review of the 15-inch Apple MacBook Air (M4).

More MacBook deals

  • Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $897 $999 (save $102)

  • Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 16GB, 512GB SSD) — $999 $1,199 (save $200)

  • Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,399 $1,599 (save $200)

  • Apple MacBook Pro, 16-inch (M4 Pro, 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $2,249 $2,499 (save $250)

  • Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M4 Max, 36GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $2,869 $3,199 (save $330)

  • Apple MacBook Pro, 16-inch (M4 Max, 36GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $3,099 $3,499 (save $400)

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NYT Strands hints, answers for April 24, 2026

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A game being played on a smartphone.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're rowdy.

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

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

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

NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Hullabaloo

The words are related to sound.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe ruckus.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Lets Get Loud.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

NYT Strands word list for April 24

  • Shout

  • Holler

  • Clamor

  • Lets Get Loud

  • Bellow

  • Whoop

  • Caterwaul

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

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

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

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Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 24, 2026

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Wordle game on a smartphone

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you love a good drink.

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

Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Intoxicated.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with…

Today's Wordle starts with the letter D.

The Wordle answer today is…

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is…

DRUNK

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

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

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.

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FCC challenges gender identity themes on kids TV

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A young girl watches TV with remote in her hand.

The Federal Communications Commission is using the presence of "controversial gender identity issues" in children's television programming as a pretense for questioning how TV ratings are developed and enforced, according to a notice published Wednesday by the federal agency.

The notice generally assesses TV ratings, but specifically points out that these industry guidelines have rated shows featuring "transgender and gender non-binary programming" as appropriate for children. It argues that parents aren't provided this information, "thereby undermining the ability of parents to make informed choices for their families."

In the document, the FCC poses a series of open-ended questions about TV ratings development, including whether the board responsible for the guidelines is "sufficiently balanced" with viewpoints outside of the entertainment industry and if faith-based organizations should be represented in the body.

"What more could the board do to include family-oriented perspectives — which are not well represented in the media industry — in its ratings process?" the notice asks.

FCC Chairman Brendan Carr announced the public notice on X, explaining that "parents have raised concerns with the industry's approach." He added that these parents believe "New York & Hollywood programmers" promote objectionable content in kids programming without disclosing that to parents. Carr didn't mention gender identity in his X post.

TV parents guidelines can include both a rating as well as descriptors for content that includes crude language, sexual situations, and violence.

LGBTQ+ advocates criticized the public notice, arguing that it amounted to discrimination and censorship.

"Trump's FCC is trying to turn transgender people into a warning label," Tyler Hack, executive director of the transgender rights advocacy group Christopher Street Project, said in a statement. "It is dehumanizing, and it is part of a broader political strategy to stigmatize LGBTQ+ people in every corner of public life."

Sarah Kate Ellis, president and CEO of GLAAD, described the notice as government overreach.

"Media companies must be allowed to create and broadcast stories that reflect one-quarter of their audience without interference from a government agency with its own anti-transgender political agenda," Ellis said in a statement.

This isn't the first time Carr has been accused of censorship. Carr has claimed broadcasters air "hoaxes" and "news distortions" that also happen to be unfavorable to President Trump. Carr has suggested the licenses of such broadcasters won't be renewed.

In March, dozens of free speech experts argued in an open letter to Carr that his threats against broadcasters are "unlawful jawboning" and his vague characterization of "fake news" violates the First Amendment. The authors called on Carr to "withdraw" his threats.

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