If you’re in the market for a highly portable tablet, Apple’s smallest tablet has fallen to its lowest price to date at multiple retailers. Right now, the latest iPad Mini is on sale at Amazon and Best Buy with Wi-Fi and 128GB of storage starting at $399 ($100 off). If you need more storage, you can also buy the step-up model with 256GB of storage for $499 ($100 off) or the 512GB variant for $699 ($100 off).

With its 8.3-inch screen and lightweight design, the latest iPad Mini is closer in size to the iPhone than any other tablet in Apple’s lineup. As a result, it’s easier to carry on the go and hold with one hand, making it an excellent option if you read a lot on your tablet. Its small size doesn’t come at the expense of performance, though. In fact, the onboard A17 Pro chip is snappier than the A14 Bionic chip found in the entry-level iPad, even if it’s not as speedy as the processors in the M4-powered iPad Pro or M2-powered Air.

Unlike the base iPad, the seventh-gen Mini supports Apple Intelligence, so you can take advantage of a host of AI-based features — such as AI-assisted summaries, Genmoji, ChatGPT, and the ability to erase unwanted objects in photos. It also supports the newer Apple Pencil Pro, along with Wi-Fi 6E and faster USB-C performance. They’re pretty iterative updates overall; however, they’re also a lot more appealing at $399 than they are at the tablet’s typical retail price of $499.

Digital junk piles up faster than clutter in real life. There are files you don’t need, all those random screenshots, apps you downloaded and used once, and blurry photos clogging up your camera roll.

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It all adds up, slowing your devices down and making everything feel messy. The good news? Cleaning it up is easier than you think. Let’s do a quick declutter that will make you say, “Ahhh, that feels better.”

Step 1: Update your devices

HOW TO (KINDLY) ASK PEOPLE NOT TO POST YOUR KIDS’ PHOTOS ON SOCIAL MEDIA

There are too many dangerous bugs out there to skip security patches.

• On a Windows PC, head to Settings > Windows Update. 
• On a Mac, go to General > Software Update. 
• On an Android, tap Settings > System > Software. 
• On an iPhone, tap Settings > General > Software Update.

Start with your phone

1. Apps are space hogs

Scroll through your app list and delete any you’re not using anymore. If it’s been months, you’re not going to use it. Trust me. And even if you do want it later, great, download it again. 

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While you’re at it, move the apps you want to spend less time using (Instagram for me) off your phone’s home screen. You can hide the app or just move it to another page or folder.

On iPhone: 

• Swipe left to get past all your app screens and open the App Library.
• To delete, touch and hold an app icon > Delete App > Delete to confirm.

(Photo by Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

On Android: 

• Open the Google Play Store app, and tap your Profile icon.
• Tap Manage apps & devices > Manage.
• Select the name of the app you want to delete, then tap Uninstall.

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1. There’s time for a quick photo cleanup

On iPhone or iPad, the Photos app makes this a breeze. 

• Open your Photos app and select Albums.
• Scroll down and choose Duplicates. (Last time I checked, I had 2,933 duplicate photos and 49 videos!)
• Hit Select > Select all, then tap the Trash icon to delete them. You can also select Merge to combine your dupes into one great shot.

On an Android, open the Files by Google app, select Clean, then:

(SeongJoon Cho/Bloomberg via Getty Images)

• Tap Confirm and free up > See junk files and select what you want to clear.
• When you’re ready, tap Clear > Clear. That’s all it takes to remove screenshots, memes, duplicates and other junk mixed in with your important photos.

Onto your computer

1. Start with the desktop

Here’s the quick and dirty way. Create a new folder, then drag all the random files, screenshots and whatever else into it. 

Pro tip: Sensitive documents have no place on your desktop. If you do insist on saving private docs locally, at least give a snoop a more challenging time by naming the folder something off-base like “Vacation Photos.” Be sure your computer automatically locks when you’re away and requires a password on startup, too.

Quick lock: For Windows, hit the Windows key + L. On a Mac, use Ctrl + Cmd + Q.

1. Kick out programs you don’t need or use 

They take up a decent amount of space, so regularly clear out anything you’re not using. Beyond that, outdated apps could put you at risk. By keeping old programs on your computer, you’re potentially leaving a door wide open for cybercriminals to slip in.

On a Windows PC:

• Click the Start button and look for the app or program. Press and hold (or right-click) the app and select Uninstall.

On a Mac:

• Click the Finder icon in the Dock, then Applications.
• If an app is in a folder, open it to look for an Uninstaller. Double-click it, then follow the onscreen instructions.
• If an app isn’t in a folder or doesn’t have an Uninstaller, drag it from the Applications folder to the Trash.

Don’t forget the outside

We’re aiming for quick, so let’s tackle those fingerprint-covered screens.

On your phone, remove the case and accessories. You want to reach every nook and cranny. For a computer monitor, dust the back top, sides and any ledges that collect dirt before you start cleaning.

A microfiber cloth works, but I prefer screen-cleaning wipes. They’re just so easy. Skip paper towels. They’re too rough for delicate jobs like this.

I always come back to this 210-pack of screen cleaning wipes. Use them on smartphones, tablets, monitors, TVs, remote controls and even glasses. They’re scratch-free and made with anti-static tissue that cleans without leaving behind streaks or lint.

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Meta announced last week that it would be ditching fact-checkers in favor of X-like Community Notes, and self-described “leaker” Alessandro Paluzzi shared screenshots on Monday showing what the feature might look like in Threads.

Based on the screenshots, it appears you’ll be able to start the process of writing a Community Note from the three-dots menu on a post, which is where you can already access features like muting an account or reporting a post. Another screenshot shows that when you write a Community Note, your note will be anonymous.

A third screenshot appears to show an Instagram help center page about Community Notes that has a button to join a waitlist for the program. However, the layout of the page looks different from other live help center pages I can see right now.

Meta didn’t immediately reply to a request for comment.

Meta said last week that it plans to “phase in Community Notes in the US first over the next couple of months” and then “improve it over the course of the year,” but it hasn’t specified exactly when the feature might be available on Threads. My colleague Alex Heath reported Sunday that Community Notes “was not on the product roadmap before this week.”

In addition to the move to Community Notes, Meta said it’s also getting rid of “a number of restrictions” on topics like immigration and gender, and phasing “civil content” back into Facebook, Instagram, and Threads. Instagram boss Adam Mosseri published a video today showing how to set the amount of political content you see on Threads.