Lifehacker

The B6 is LG’s entry-level OLED for 2026, but “entry-level” doesn’t mean basic. The TV has a 4K, self-lit OLED panel for the deep blacks and strong contrast that make it a compelling choice for movie nights. It also supports Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, Filmmaker Mode, and LG’s webOS platform. Compared to its predecessor, the B5, the B6 is brighter, giving viewers stronger contrast and crisper textures.

Its color performance and gaming credentials are also particularly strong for the price thanks to four HDMI 2.1 ports, 4K gaming at up to 120Hz, VRR, Nvidia G-Sync, AMD FreeSync Premium, and a Game Optimizer mode. That makes it a good pick for anyone with a PS5, Xbox Series X, or gaming PC rather than just a streaming-TV upgrade.

There are trade-offs. The B6 is not as bright as LG’s pricier C6 OLED, so it is best suited to a room where you can control glare and ambient light. Its built-in speakers are also just mediocre; if you want a truly cinematic experience, you may want to pair it with an external soundbar. Still, reviewers found its color, contrast, responsiveness, and overall feature set hard to beat at the right price, making the LG 65-inch B6 OLED TV one of the best 2026 Amazon Labor Day deals.

If you’ve been comparing the best budget OLED TVs, this is a compelling chance to move up to a current-generation 65-inch model with a bevy of appealing features for gamers. It is also worth considering alongside Lifehacker’s picks for the best 65-inch TVs.

For more of our editors’ top picks, see the Best Tech Deals From Amazon’s Early Labor Day Sale.

Is Labor Day a good time to buy appliances?

Yes. Labor Day is traditionally one of the strongest sale periods for major appliances, with retailers often discounting outgoing models to make room for fall inventory. Compare prices across retailers and factor in delivery, installation, and haul-away fees before buying.

Do Labor Day deals get better closer to the holiday?

Sometimes, but not always. Retailers may add short-term discounts or price-match competitors over the holiday weekend, but popular sizes and colors can sell out. If a price is a record low—or close to one—it is usually safer to buy rather than wait.

When does Amazon’s Labor Day sale start?

Early Labor Day sales have already started, with additional offers often appearing in the days closer to Labor Day. More retailers are likely to start their own sales leading up to the holiday on Monday, Sept. 7. Amazon does not follow one fixed public start date for a single Labor Day sale.

Best Labor Day Deals

New Apple MacBook Air with Apple M1 Chip (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD Storage) - Silver (Latest Model) — $749.99 (List Price $999.00)

Acer Predator Orion 5000 (Intel Core i7 12th Gen, RTX 3080, 1TB SSD, 16GB RAM) — $1,099.99 (List Price $2,199.99)

HP Victus 15L (Intel Core i7 13th Gen, RTX 3060, Dual Storage, 16GB RAM) — $799.99 (List Price $1,399.99)

2021 Apple 10.2-inch iPad (Wi-Fi, 64GB) - Space Gray — $199.99 (List Price $329.00)

SanDisk Extreme Pro 1TB Portable SSD — $188.79 (List Price $188.79)

Sony LinkBuds S — $159.99 (List Price $159.99)

Apple AirPods Wireless Earbuds (2nd Generation) — $84.99 (List Price $159.00)

Apple Watch SE (GPS, 40mm, Silver Case, Blue Band) — $85.00 (List Price $85.00)

Shark RV1000AE IQ Home Mapping Self-Empty Robot Vacuum — $288.00 (List Price $479.99)

LG Ultragear 32GBN600-B 32" 2560x1440 165Hz HDR Monitor — $279.00 (List Price $349.00)

Dyson V10 Absolute — $599.99 (List Price $599.99)

Dyson Big Ball Turbinehead Canister Vacuum — $499.99 (List Price $599.99)

TP-Link Deco S4 Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi System (2-Pack) — $79.98 (List Price $99.99)

75" TCL Class S4 4K Smart TV — $105.99 (List Price $529.99)

65" Amazon Omni Series 4K HDR Smart Fire TV — $449.99 (List Price $669.99)

GoPro Hero11 Black — $299.99 (List Price $299.99)

Dell XPS 13 9315 (Intel Core i7 12th Gen, 512GB SSD, 16GB RAM) — $799.00 (List Price $1,099.00)

Dell XPS 15 9530 (Intel Core i7 13th Gen, RTX 4050, 1TB SSD, 16GB RAM) — $1,499.00 (List Price $1,999.00)

Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 Tablet (32GB, Dark Gray) — $224.99 (List Price $224.99)

Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise-Cancelling Over-the-Ear Headphones (Black) — (List Price $349.99)

Blink Mini Compact Indoor Plug-in Smart Security Camera — $9.99 (List Price $29.99)

All-new Blink Outdoor (3-Camera Kit) — $249.99 (List Price $249.99)

Deals are selected by our commerce team

These Signature Sony Headphones Are on Sale for Under $200 for Amazon's Early Labor Day Sale

Daniel Oropeza — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 19:30:00 +0000

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

The Sony WH-1000XM6 headphones are the most recent entry in Sony's 1000X series, which has been around since 2016. They're the best over-ear headphones in terms of audio quality currently on the market—but not everyone can (or needs to) drop nearly half a grand on headphones.

The WH-1000XM5 are a generation older and were at the top of their class until they were supplanted by the XM6. On the plus side, by virtue of being older, they're currently discounted to $198 (down from the original $399.99). That 50% off brings it down to the lowest price they've ever reached, according to price-tracking tools, a good deal for premium headphones that still sound incredible, even in 2026.

I have been a loyal customer of the 1000X line for many years; they're my go-to headphones for most activities. The WH-1000XM5 received an "outstanding" review from PCMag for their top-notch audio quality and exceptional audio when using the best-in-class active noise cancellation. The headphones are also well-designed to be comfortable for long listening sessions. The ear controls use tapping and swiping, which isn't my favorite, but it's what all modern headphones are moving toward. There's a companion app that lets you adjust your EQ settings to your liking, including what the swiping and tapping functions do.

These headphones also have a stereo 3.5mm connection, which is perfect for those who want to use a cable and not worry about battery life. And speaking of battery life, Sony says you can expect about 30 hours, but it will vary depending on your use of ANC. They are compatible with AAC, LDAC, and SBC codecs and have multipoint connection, meaning you can pair them with more than one device at the same time.

When will Labor Day sales start?

Early Labor Day sales have already started. More retailers are likely to start their own sales leading up to the holiday on Monday, Sept. 7.

Are Labor Day sales worth it?

Labor Day has traditionally been a good time to find deals in many categories, but whether they're worth it or not depends entirely on what you're looking for. Compared to sales like Black Friday or Prime Day, Labor Day falls short on volume and quality of discounts, but you might still find a good price on tech or kitchen appliances that will match those holiday prices—or even beat them. (We use price-tracking tools to let you know if a deal is worth it or not.)

What other stores have Labor Day sales?

So far, Home Depot, Amazon, and Wayfair have started their early Labor Day sales. Target, Walmart, and Best Buy are likely to follow. (Lifehacker will be rounding up deals for all of these sales.)

Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now

Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $225.00 (List Price $249.00)

Apple iPad 11" A16 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Silver, 2025) — $399.99 (List Price $449.00)

Sony WH-1000XM5 — $198.00 (List Price $399.99)

Google Pixel 11 Pro 256GB Unlocked Phone With $200 Amazon Gift Card (Obsidian) — $1,299.00 (List Price $1,299.00)

Google Pixel Watch 5 (41mm, Wi-Fi, Obsidian) — $399.99 (List Price $399.99)

Deals are selected by our commerce team

Microsoft Outlook Is Down

Jake Peterson — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 19:00:00 +0000

If you're trying to check your inbox or send an email in Microsoft Outlook, only to find the app uncooperative, you're not alone. Outlook is currently down for many users as of Monday afternoon. That's apparent to anyone who can't get the app to work: Downdetector, which highlights user reports for app outages, shows tens of thousands of reports as of 3:00 p.m. ET, and while the rate of reports does seem to be decreasing, thousands of reports keep coming in with every refresh.

As CNET reports, Microsoft has officially confirmed the outage itself. The company posted on its Microsoft 365 Status X account, stating: “We’ve identified an issue with an authentication component which is contributing to impact. To address this, we’ve developed a remediation strategy, and we’re applying it to a portion of infrastructure to test its efficacy. Once we’ve confirmed this resolves impact, we’ll apply the solution more broadly. For more information, please see EX1464935 in the admin center.”

As such, the company should be rolling out a fix in due time, though it's difficult to say how long that may be. Recent outages have been fixed in a matter of hours, while others have stretched into the following day. At the time of writing, Downdetector shows that 38% of users are reporting issues receiving messages in Outlook, while 24% report issues with the app, and 21% with logging in.

As it happens, Outlook isn't the only Microsoft product facing issues: Users report that Microsoft Teams, Microsoft Store, Microsoft Azur and Microsoft 365 in general are experiencing issues. In addition, OpenAI users are reporting issues with ChatGPT.

These 65-Inch TVs Are up to $1,200 Off During Amazon's Early Labor Day Sale

Pradershika Sharma — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 18:30:01 +0000

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

Amazon has already started cutting prices on 65-inch TVs for its early Labor Day 2026 sales, with plenty of options from LG, Samsung, TCL, Hisense, and Sony marked down. The discounts range from $150 to $1,200, and several of the models included in the sale are 2026 models now at their lowest prices ever, according to price trackers. (For more editor-vetted tech deals and the latest discounts across the holiday weekend, check out the rest of our Labor Day coverage).

For many living rooms, 65 inches is an impressive step up without going overboard. You get a noticeably bigger screen for movies, sports, and games, but without sacrificing the kind of wall space that a 75- or 85-inch TV demands. There’s a strong mix of options depending on what you value most, including OLED models from LG and Samsung that are well suited to movie watching and gaming, and mini-LED QLED TVs from TCL and Hisense that can perform especially well in brighter rooms.

The best deals on 65-inch TVs

LG C6 OLED $1,499.99 (originally $2,699.99) — Its biggest discount and at its lowest price yet
Samsung S90H OLED $1,597.99 (originally $2,697.99) — The best OLED deal on the list, and at its lowest price yet
TCL QM7L $897.99 (originally $1,499.99) — The best Mini-LED deal under $1,000
Hisense U6 Pro $598.99 (originally $1,099.99) — The best deal for a TV under $650
Hisense S7 CanvasTV $997.99 (originally $1,999.99) — The best art TV deal

These LG OLEDs are up to 44% off

LG 65-Inch Evo C6

LG 65-Inch B6 OLED TV

LG’s 65-inch B6 and Evo C6 are both at their lowest prices yet, with the B6 down to $1,399.99 (from $1,999.99) and the C6 at $1,499.99 (down from $2,699.99). The B6 is the more affordable of the two and still provides the biggest benefits of an OLED screen: deep blacks, strong contrast, and better control over dark scenes than you typically get from a backlit TV. The C6 is the one I’d pick, though, especially with only a $100 gap between them. PCMag also gave it an “excellent" rating and named it the best value OLED, praising its accurate colors, strong contrast, streaming features, and gaming support, including variable refresh rates up to 165Hz.

Save up to $800 on these Sony TVs

65-inch Sony Bravia 8 II

$2,498.00 at Amazon

$3,299.99 Save $801.99

$2,498.00 at Amazon

$3,299.99 Save $801.99

65-inch Sony Bravia 7

$1,298.00 at Amazon

$1,598.00 Save $300.00

$1,298.00 at Amazon

$1,598.00 Save $300.00

Sony’s 65-inch Bravia 8 II is down to $2,498 from $3,299.99, making it a pricier but more premium option of the two Sony TVs on this list. It uses an OLED panel, so it’s better suited to movie watching in rooms where you can control the light, while Dolby Vision and 4K gaming at up to 120Hz give it some appeal for both streaming and consoles. PCMag also reviewed the Bravia 8 II, highlighting it as one of Sony’s higher-end OLED options.

At $1,298, down from $1,598, the Bravia 7 takes a different approach—instead of OLED, it uses mini-LED backlighting, which makes it a more practical choice for brighter living rooms. It also brings the price down by a substantial $1,200 compared with the Bravia 8 II.

These TCL Mini-LEDs are up to 44% off

65-inch TCL QM8L TV

$2,499.99 Save $1,102.00

$2,499.99 Save $1,102.00

65-inch TCL QM7L TV

TCL’s biggest discount is on the 2026 QM8L, now $1,397.99 (from $2,499.99), which is its lowest price yet. It’s the higher-end model of the three on this list, and the one to consider if brightness is a priority. PCMag called the QM8L an “outstanding” TV and gave it its first-ever Lab Award for luminance after measuring it as the brightest sub-100-inch TV the publication had tested. It also earned an Editors’ Choice nod for mini-LED TVs.

The 2026 QM7L is the more affordable option I’d look at for most people, though. It’s down to $897.99 from $1,499.99, also its lowest price yet, and still gives you a 144Hz mini-LED panel with variable refresh rate for gaming while keeping the price below $1,000. At the bottom of the range is the QM6K at $647.99, down from $799.99. It’s an older model, but still a capable lower-cost mini-LED option. PCMag gave it an “excellent” rating, pointing to its strong contrast, accurate colors, and low input lag for gaming, although it also noted that brightness isn’t one of its many strengths.

Save up to $1,100 on these 2026 Samsung TVs

65-inch Samsung S90H

65-inch Samsung S85H

64-inch Samsung QN70H

$1,197.99 Save $200.00

65-inch Samsung The Frame Pro

$1,197.99 Save $200.00

$1,997.99 Save $300.00

65-inch Hisense S7 CanvasTV

$1,997.99 Save $300.00

The S90H is the best of the bunch if you want the strongest mix of picture quality and gaming features. It’s down to $1,597.99 from $2,697.99, marking its lowest price yet, and its OLED panel, glare reduction, and support for variable refresh rates up to 165Hz make it a strong fit for movies, streaming, and gaming. The S85H is the more affordable OLED option at $1,397.99, down from $1,997.99.

The QN70H comes next for value at $997.99, down from $1,197.99. It uses Samsung’s Neo QLED Mini-LED technology instead of OLED, so it makes more sense in a brighter room and keeps the price below $1,000—while the Frame Pro is more specialized at $1,697.99, down from $1,997.99 and its lowest price yet. It costs more than both OLED models here, so I wouldn’t choose it for picture quality alone, but its matte display and art-focused design make it worth considering if you specifically want a TV that blends into the room when it’s not in use.

For the budget option, you have the M80H at $647.99, down from $797.99. It doesn’t compete directly with Samsung’s OLED or Neo QLED models on picture quality, but it’s by far the cheapest way into a 65-inch Samsung in this sale.

These 2026 Hisense TVs are up to 50% off

65-inch Hisense U7 TV

$1,131.99 at Amazon

$1,499.99 Save $368.00

$1,131.99 at Amazon

$1,499.99 Save $368.00

65-inch Hisense U6 Pro

$598.99 at Amazon

$1,099.99 Save $501.00

$598.99 at Amazon

$1,099.99 Save $501.00

$1,999.99 Save $1,002.00

65-inch Hisense E7 Fire TV

$1,999.99 Save $1,002.00

The Hisense U7 is the one I’d look at if you want the best balance of picture quality, features, and price. It’s down to $847.99 from $1,499.99, which is its lowest price yet according to price trackers, and it gives you a step up from Hisense’s cheaper Mini-LED models without pushing past the $1,000 price point. CNET also reviewed the 2026 U7SG favorably, highlighting its strong brightness, contrast, and gaming performance for the price.

That said, the U6 Pro is the better value at $598.99 (originally $1,099.99), while still giving you Mini-LED backlighting, making it an appealing option for everyday streaming, sports, and gaming without paying for the U7’s higher-end performance. Meanwhile, the S7 CanvasTV, at $997.99, down from $1,999.99, is aimed more at people who care about how a TV looks in the room when it isn’t being used. Its art-style presentation makes it a lower-cost alternative to Samsung’s Frame lineup. Also discounted is the E7—another affordable 2026 Hisense option at $599.99, down from $999.99.

Amazon Labor Day Deals FAQs

When do Labor Day sales start?

Early Labor Day sales have already started. More retailers are likely to start their own sales leading up to the holiday on Monday, Sept. 7.

Are Labor Day sales worth it?

Labor Day has traditionally been a good time to find deals in many categories, but whether they're worth it or not depends entirely on what you're looking for. Compared to sales like Black Friday or Prime Day, Labor Day falls short on volume and quality of discounts, but you might still find a good price on tech or kitchen appliances that will match those holiday prices—or even beat them. (We use price tracking tools to let you know if a deal is worth it or not.)

What other stores have Labor Day sales?

So far, Home Depot, Amazon, and Wayfair have started their early Labor Day sales. Target, Walmart, and Best Buy are likely to follow. (Lifehacker will be rounding up deals for all of these sales.)

Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now

Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $225.00 (List Price $249.00)

Apple iPad 11" A16 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Silver, 2025) — $399.99 (List Price $449.00)

Sony WH-1000XM5 — $198.00 (List Price $399.99)

Google Pixel 11 Pro 256GB Unlocked Phone With $200 Amazon Gift Card (Obsidian) — $1,299.00 (List Price $1,299.00)

Google Pixel Watch 5 (41mm, Wi-Fi, Obsidian) — $399.99 (List Price $399.99)

Deals are selected by our commerce team

The Best Fitness Deals Under $100 From Amazon's Early Labor Day Sale

Meredith Dietz — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 18:30:00 +0000

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

Amazon has launched its early Labor Day sale, which will run through Monday, Sept. 7. Already, you can find sweet deals on appliances, tech, and my favorite: fitness equipment. I've spent a few hours sifting through the fitness-related deals specifically under $100, and below are the best I've found so far.

The best workout headphones deals during Amazon's early Labor Day sale

The JBL Endurance Peak 4 headphones are on sale for $99 (normally $125.99). The built-in Smart Ambient transparency mode is top notch. They're also very secure on your ears thanks to a hook design.
I'm a big fan of the Baseus Bowie MC2 open ear clip-on earbuds, currently available for $49.99 (normally $79.99). The open-ear clip-on style is trendy right now, and in terms of both sound quality and comfort, these are some of my favorites that I've tested.
If you're eyeing Sony noise-canceling headphones that won't put you out hundreds of dollars, the Sony WH-CH720N are available for $97 (originally $179.99) right now—but only in the light pink color option.

JBL Endurance Peak 4 True Wireless ANC Sport Earbuds (Black/Grey)

The best home gym equipment deals during Amazon's early Labor Day sale

While most high-quality cardio and strength equipment will still cost several hundred dollars (even with the heavy discounts I've found), here are solid deals under the $100 mark:

These Feierdun adjustable dumbbells are $76.49 for the 50-pound set, down from $89.99. I'm especially drawn to how this system can configure the weights as fixed barbells, kettlebells, traditional dumbbells, or individual weight plates. Incorporating kettlebell swings and goblet squats without purchasing separate equipment? That's a steal.
This walking pad is $69.98, normally $106.80. This is a simple, straightforward option if you've been looking to get your steps in while working at a standing desk.
These resistance bands are now $19.99, from $24.99. A solid pair of resistance bands like these will be the perfect addition to your home gym, and great for travel workouts, whether in the poolside gym or your hotel rooms.
This PLKOW storage and weight rack is $89.99, down from $119.99.

Feierdun adjustable dumbbells

The best muscle recovery deals during Amazon's early Labor Day sale

Recovery gear is the most underrated category of fitness shopping, if you ask me. Right now, the Bob and Brad Q2 Ultra Mini Massage Gun is $84.98, down from $99.99. The real selling point of this massage gun—which I reviewed in-depth here—is how great the heat therapy feels. Plus, its compact size makes it perfect for travel or bringing to the gym—something I never considered with my full-sized TheraGun Therabody.

Some more deals in this realm:

5 in 1 Foam Roller Set, $32.99, down from $39.95.
TriggerPoint Grid 1.0 Foam Roller, $28.99, down from $39.99.

BOB AND BRAD Q2 Ultra Mini Massage Gun with Red Light Infrared Heating Head, Pocket-Sized Deep Tissue Massager for Muscle Therapy, HSA Portable Percussion Massage Gun for Pain Relief FSA Eligible

Amazon Labor Day deals FAQs

When do Labor Day sales start?

Early Labor Day sales have already begun. More retailers are likely to start their own sales leading up to the holiday on Monday, Sept. 7.

Are Labor Day sales worth it?

Labor Day has traditionally been a good time to find deals in many categories, but whether they're worth it or not depends entirely on what you're looking for. Compared to sales like Black Friday or Prime Day, Labor Day falls short on volume and quality of discounts, but you might still find a good price on tech or kitchen appliances that will match those holiday prices—or even beat them. (We use price tracking tools to let you know if a deal is worth it or not.)

What other stores have Labor Day sales?

So far, Home Depot, Amazon, and Wayfair have started their early Labor Day sales. Target, Walmart, and Best Buy are likely to follow. (Lifehacker will be rounding up deals for all of these sales.)

For more, check out the best early Labor Day tech deals we've found so far.

Best Labor Day Deals

New Apple MacBook Air with Apple M1 Chip (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD Storage) - Silver (Latest Model) — $749.99 (List Price $999.00)

Acer Predator Orion 5000 (Intel Core i7 12th Gen, RTX 3080, 1TB SSD, 16GB RAM) — $1,099.99 (List Price $2,199.99)

HP Victus 15L (Intel Core i7 13th Gen, RTX 3060, Dual Storage, 16GB RAM) — $799.99 (List Price $1,399.99)

2021 Apple 10.2-inch iPad (Wi-Fi, 64GB) - Space Gray — $199.99 (List Price $329.00)

SanDisk Extreme Pro 1TB Portable SSD — $188.79 (List Price $188.79)

Sony LinkBuds S — $159.99 (List Price $159.99)

Apple AirPods Wireless Earbuds (2nd Generation) — $84.99 (List Price $159.00)

Apple Watch SE (GPS, 40mm, Silver Case, Blue Band) — $85.00 (List Price $85.00)

Shark RV1000AE IQ Home Mapping Self-Empty Robot Vacuum — $288.00 (List Price $479.99)

LG Ultragear 32GBN600-B 32" 2560x1440 165Hz HDR Monitor — $279.00 (List Price $349.00)

Dyson V10 Absolute — $599.99 (List Price $599.99)

Dyson Big Ball Turbinehead Canister Vacuum — $499.99 (List Price $599.99)

TP-Link Deco S4 Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi System (2-Pack) — $79.98 (List Price $99.99)

75" TCL Class S4 4K Smart TV — $105.99 (List Price $529.99)

65" Amazon Omni Series 4K HDR Smart Fire TV — $449.99 (List Price $669.99)

GoPro Hero11 Black — $299.99 (List Price $299.99)

Dell XPS 13 9315 (Intel Core i7 12th Gen, 512GB SSD, 16GB RAM) — $799.00 (List Price $1,099.00)

Dell XPS 15 9530 (Intel Core i7 13th Gen, RTX 4050, 1TB SSD, 16GB RAM) — $1,499.00 (List Price $1,999.00)

Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 Tablet (32GB, Dark Gray) — $224.99 (List Price $224.99)

Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise-Cancelling Over-the-Ear Headphones (Black) — (List Price $349.99)

Blink Mini Compact Indoor Plug-in Smart Security Camera — $9.99 (List Price $29.99)

All-new Blink Outdoor (3-Camera Kit) — $249.99 (List Price $249.99)

Deals are selected by our commerce team

This Blink Doorbell Bundle Is 45% Off During Amazon's Early Labor Day Sale

Pradershika Sharma — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 17:30:30 +0000

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

The Blink Battery Doorbell 2K+ and Blink Chime bundle is currently $59.99, down from $109.98 as part of Amazon’s early Labor Day sale. That works out to a 45% discount and brings the bundle to its lowest price yet, according to price trackers. For someone who wants to keep an eye on the front door without running new wiring or spending much upfront, this is a fairly simple setup: The doorbell can run on batteries, the included Chime lets you hear visitors inside the house without checking your phone, and the Sync Module Core ties everything together.

Blink Battery Doorbell 2K+

with Blink Chime (newest model)

The 2K camera also gives you a head-to-toe view, which is more useful in practice than another long list of camera specs. You can see who’s standing at the door while still keeping packages near the ground in frame, and two-way audio lets you speak to a delivery driver when you’re upstairs or away from home. PCMag’s review of the Blink Battery Doorbell 2K+ highlighted the sharper video and wider framing, although battery life will depend heavily on how busy your doorway is and how often the camera records.

The bigger consideration is Blink’s subscription model. You can still use live view and get basic motion notifications without paying every month, but cloud recording and more specific person or vehicle alerts require a paid plan (starting at $3.99 per month). That makes the ongoing cost worth factoring in, especially if you want to keep a history of what happened at your door instead of just checking it in real time. For someone who mainly wants an inexpensive way to see and speak to visitors, though, the basic features may be enough.

When do Labor Day sales start?

Early Labor Day sales have already started. More retailers are likely to start their own sales leading up to the holiday on Monday, Sept. 7.

Are Labor Day sales worth it?

What other stores have Labor Day sales?

So far, Home Depot, Amazon, and Wayfair have started their early Labor Day sales. Target, Walmart, and Best Buy are likely to follow. (Lifehacker will be rounding up deals for all of these sales.)

Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now

Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $225.00 (List Price $249.00)

Apple iPad 11" A16 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Silver, 2025) — $399.99 (List Price $449.00)

Sony WH-1000XM5 — $198.00 (List Price $399.99)

Google Pixel 11 Pro 256GB Unlocked Phone With $200 Amazon Gift Card (Obsidian) — $1,299.00 (List Price $1,299.00)

Google Pixel Watch 5 (41mm, Wi-Fi, Obsidian) — $399.99 (List Price $399.99)

Deals are selected by our commerce team

If You Loved 'Modern Family,' There's One Movie You Need to Watch

Jeff Somers — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 17:00:00 +0000

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

From its debut in 2009 to its series finale in 2020, Modern Family delivered something remarkable: A consistently funny comedy with a subtle-but-deep emotional core. Its “mockumentary” structure was the perfect choice, because it allowed us to watch the extended Pritchett Family as both a fly on the wall and via direct interviews—and as any fan of The Office knows, that structure allows for some very specific joke-telling you can’t manage in a more traditional format. If you’ve watched all 11 seasons (and checked out all the similar series out there), then it’s time to branch out to movies with the same comedic sensibility. That movie definitely should be Real Life, which was co-written and directed by Albert Brooks.

Real Life (1979)

Real Life, released in 1979, isn’t as well-known as it should be. The film basically invented the mockumentary—we probably wouldn’t have The Office or Modern Family without it. At the time, it was satirizing a television series called An American Family that aired on PBS (itself regarded as the first example of what would come to be known as reality TV). An American Family followed the lives of a real family in California, and was a cultural sensation in the early 1970s. Albert Brooks saw an opportunity to have some fun with the concept—but Real Life is a lot more than just a satire of a TV show.

Brooks plays a version of himself in Real Life: a young comedian who aspires to make documentary films (and who could have been a “scientist or a doctor of some kind” if he’d been “graded more fairly” in school). He presents the project as a chance to not only document and observe a real American family, but also the filmmakers and crew.

What follows is a hilarious send-up of everyone involved. The family being documented begins to crumble under the pressure almost immediately, quickly descending into chaos and nervous breakdowns. The production team begins to fracture as Brooks engages in a series of ethically murky moves to try to goose up drama and keep the family involved despite their spiraling psyches. And Brooks repeatedly reveals himself to be an insincere and slimly talented man with an ego the size of a planet. At one point he shows up dressed as a clown to try to cheer up the kids, not realizing they’re not home, and winds up forced to have a deeply serious interview with the parents ... while dressed as a clown.

Real Life is certainly less sweet than Modern Family, but it basically invented the genre, and is deeply, deeply funny. Rent Real Life on Prime Video.

Real Life (1979)

More movies to watch if you love Modern Family

Need more funny family films? No problem—here are a few more hilarious family-focused comedies that fans of Modern Family will love.

Parenthood (1989)

Parenthood is funny because, like Modern Family, it’s grounded in reality. Director Ron Howard, producer Brian Grazer, and screenwriters Lowell Ganz and Babaloo Mandel all had kids at various stages of life, and they based much of the film on their own experiences raising families in the modern era, translating it into a story about the sprawling, chaotic Buckman family. It follows a huge number of storylines as it gives each family member some attention, with Steve Martin on hand to provide plenty of belly laughs along the way. Stream Parenthood on Netflix or rent it on Prime Video.

Parenthood (1989)

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

Little Miss Sunshine (2006)

Every comedy lives and dies by its characters—you have to care about them in order to laugh at (or with) them. Little Miss Sunshine offers up the Hoovers, a perfectly imperfect family. When the youngest daughter, Olive (Abigail Breslin), qualifies for a beauty pageant located nearly 1,000 miles away, the Hoovers pile into their van. Crammed in together, the family's dysfunction, insecurity, rage, and love come pouring out, usually in pretty funny ways. It all leads to one of the most heartwarming (and famous) climaxes in modern cinema, capping off a film that will delight anyone looking for the sort of warm comedy Modern Family specializes in. Rent Little Miss Sunshine on Prime Video.

The Family Stone (2005)

The engine that drives family comedies is the tension everyone feels with their relatives. We love and hate them in equal measure, sometimes, and quirks that might seem delightful to others become excruciating to us. That’s where The Family Stone lives, telling the story of high-strung, nervous Meredith (Sarah Jessica Parker) meeting her boyfriend’s super-cool, tight-knit family for the first time—and on Christmas, no less. Awkward hilarity ensues as Meredith’s increasingly sweaty efforts to win over the family just make things worse, pushing everyone to a series of emotional revelations and confessions. Rent The Family Stone on Prime Video.

The Family Stone (2005)

Cheaper by the Dozen (2003)

Cheaper by the Dozen (2003)

Based on the semi-autobiographical novel by Frank B. Gilbreth Jr. and Ernestine Gilbreth Carey (who grew up with 10 siblings), Cheaper by the Dozen is gently hilarious. When his wife embarks on a book tour, Tom Baker (Steve Martin) insists he can handle a household filled with raucous, chaotic children—but, of course, he’s hilariously outmatched. Like Modern Family, Cheaper by the Dozen finds plenty of real emotion as it ruminates on the bonds formed between siblings and parents, and how we all come to miss the chaos when we leave our families behind. Stream Cheaper by the Dozen on Hulu or rent it on Prime Video.

Home for the Holidays (1995)

Home for the Holidays (1995)

What Modern Family understands is that family is complicated. Our families can be funny, loving, exasperating, and sustaining all at once. Home for the Holidays, directed by Jodie Foster and starring Holly Hunter at the peak of her powers, knows this perfectly well. When Claudia (Hunter) returns home for Thanksgiving, she’s at her lowest point in life. At first, the squabbling chaos and ominous signs of incipient tragedy are alarming and triggering—but, ultimately, she finds that there’s no place else she’d rather be. Stream Home for the Holidays on Kanopy, YouTube, or Hoopla, or rent it on Prime Video.

Sonos Ace Noise Cancelling Bluetooth Over-Ear Headphones

Why You Might Need to Roll Back Windows' Latest Update

Jake Peterson — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 16:30:00 +0000

If you're the kind of person who installs Windows updates as soon as they hit your PC, you're likely running version KB5120998 of Windows 11 right now. Microsoft released it on Thursday, and while it's an optional update, it isn't locked behind its Windows Insider program. As such, anyone who has manually checked for new updates since then will have seen it, and could have installed it. Unfortunately, that might have been a mistake.

As reported by Windows Insider, the latest Windows 11 update is a big one. It includes some major updates to Windows customization, including changes that Microsoft has been testing for months. For example, the update lets you move and resize the taskbar however you like, and there are other changes that improve Windows Search for the better. These updates have previouly been exclusive to Insiders, but are now officially part of Windows 11. But it's not all good news.

Windows 11's latest update is buggy

In addition to these new features, it seems Microsoft inadvertently shipped some bugs with this update. Perhaps the most impactful of them, and the one most users will notice right away, is an issue where the cursor doesn't appear onscreen—or, when it does, it appears too big or too small. Some users report their cursors are enormous, while others find them annoyingly small. Unless you use your keyboard to control everything on your PC, losing access to your cursor isn't really an option, and even inconsistent UI experiences aren't really acceptable in 2026, considering Windows has had a cursor since 1985.

Luckily, Microsoft has a fix in the works. The company formally addressed the bug on a support page, stating, "Microsoft has received reports indicating that mouse cursor personalization settings are being changed or reverted to certain standard settings. This occurs following installation of Windows updates released August 27 2026 (KB5120998) and later."

It's not just the cursor causing issues, though. Following this update, Windows may forget your wallpaper settings, so your desktop appears black. You can bring your wallpaper back, but this glitch may occur every time you restart your PC. There are also reports that some fonts appear blurry, which would be particularly annoying on high-resolution displays.

How to roll back the latest Windows update

If you're experiencing any or all of these bugs, the only solution at this time appears to be rolling back the update. As Windows Latest highlights, users did see their cursors return to normal following the rollback, and those specific wallpaper glitches were only reported with this latest version.

Luckily, it isn't too difficult to uninstall a recent Windows update. To do so, head to Settings > Windows Update > Update History > Uninstall. Here, find the update (KB5120998), then choose "Uninstall." Windows Latest notes that because this update was optional, you won't lose any security patches this way. Hopefully, Windows' next update is a bit more stable than this one.

10 Video Downloading Hacks Every YouTube User Should Know

Pranay Parab — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 14:30:00 +0000

There are multiple ways to download YouTube videos, but the only official method is paying for YouTube Premium. If you're not inclined to do that, you're not out of luck. Instead, you can use one of many YouTube download hacks to watch videos offline, download video transcripts, or even extract audio from YouTube videos. Be aware, however, that YouTube constantly changes its website and apps, so these methods may not always work, but I've tested all of them and confirmed they are working at the time of writing.

It's also important to note that downloading YouTube videos outside of the app's official channels is against the company's terms of service. That said, if you're only downloading videos for personal use, you'll likely be fine, but if you plan to reupload that content to your own YouTube channels, or attempt to monetize the content you've downloaded, that's another story. Please download responsibly.

Use Apple's Shortcuts app to download YouTube videos on iPhone

Downloading YouTube videos without Premium is a fairly complex task on the iPhone, but thanks to the power of automation and scripting apps on the App Store, it can be done. I recommend using the YouTube Download shortcut to save videos for offline viewing on your iPhone.

During this process, the automation routine will frequently present you with permission prompts. This is normal because iOS doesn't allow apps to access data from various sources without confirmation. While YouTube Download is one of the most popular shortcuts for iOS, make sure you install it from the RoutineHub link above. This ensures that you always have the latest version of the shortcut, which is important for two reasons: Apple's iCloud links don't always automatically update, and YouTube's code changes frequently. Follow these steps to download YouTube videos on your iPhone:

You'll need three apps: a-Shell mini, Scriptable, and Apple's Shortcuts (this one's installed by default).
Go to the YouTube Download page, and tap Get Shortcut. You can skip the registration prompt, and tap Add Shortcut to add it to your library.
Once the shortcut is installed, open any YouTube video (in Safari or the YouTube app), and tap the Share button.
If you're on the YouTube app, tap the More button in the share sheet. Skip this step if you're using YouTube via Safari.
Scroll down the share sheet until you see a list of shortcuts. Select YouTube Download. This is where the automation kicks in, and starts throwing a bunch of prompts your way. Permit it to access various YouTube URLs, a-Shell mini, and Scriptable, all of which are necessary for the shortcut to do its job.
Once the permission prompts are done, the shortcut will ask you which video quality you want, where you'd like to save the video (Files or Photos), and if you'd like to download subtitles, thumbnails, and so on. Pick the options you desire, and the shortcut will start downloading the video.
Once the download is complete, you'll find the video saved in the location you specified.

Use "Downie" to download YouTube videos on a Mac

Credit: Pranay Parab

Downie ($20) is the Swiss Army knife of video downloaders, since it supports saving videos from a lot of sites, including YouTube. Once you install the app, copy a YouTube video URL, and click the + button in the bottom-left corner of Downie's home page. The app may take a minute to start downloading the video, but it gets the job done. Downie is also available as part of the Setapp subscription, which offers a way to get the app (along with many others) at a lower price.

Check out Stacher to download YouTube videos on Windows or Linux

It's safe to say that yt-dlp is the gold standard for YouTube downloaders on desktop. As good as it is, installing and running it is a bit complex since it's a command-line utility. That's where apps like Stacher come in, since they provide a user-friendly frontend for yt-dlp. You can install Stacher on Windows or Linux, paste the YouTube URL, and the app will handle the rest for you. I should warn you that antivirus software often falsely flags trusted YouTube downloaders, which means that even if you download the setup file from the official website, your Windows PC probably won't let you run the installer.

Instead, you can get the app from Winget, a hidden package manager for Windows. Open the Start menu on your PC, search for "Terminal," and open the app. Paste the following command to install Stacher:

winget install -e --id Stacher.Stacher

Alternatively, you can go to Stacher's page on Winstall, and install the app from there. When you're ready, run Stacher, and accept its prompts to install yt-dlp and ffmpeg. Now you can paste any YouTube video URL in the app, and click the "Highes" button. Use the "Download Format" drop-down menu to select your preferred video quality, and then click the Download button to get started. The default download location is the Downloads folder on your PC, but you can change it using the folder path button in Stacher.

Sideload NewPipe to download YouTube videos on your Android phone

If you want an app that will download YouTube videos on your Android phone, you probably won't find good options on the Play Store. Most people are better off using web-based YouTube video downloaders, but if you absolutely want to use an app, try NewPipe. You will have to sideload this onto your phone, which is becoming increasingly difficult as Google continues to lock down the Android ecosystem.

Once you download the apk file from NewPipe's website, run it on your phone to install the app. You may have to dismiss some warning prompts before you can complete the installation. When you have NewPipe running, the app shows a download button below each YouTube video. Tap it to complete the task. If you want a more aesthetically pleasing alternative to NewPipe, you can check out LibreTube.

Use Cobalt to download YouTube videos on the web

A simple website that downloads YouTube videos is probably the best option for most people. If that's what you need, you can visit Cobalt to save videos for offline viewing. The website periodically goes down or disables downloading due to rising costs or changes from YouTube's end. If you face these troubles, you can look for mirrors such as this one. When you find a working mirror, just paste the YouTube video URL, and click the download button. The website will show a download progress bar, and save the file to your device when it's done.

Try NeoDLP to download YouTube videos without sponsored segments

NeoDLP is another useful frontend for yt-dlp, which has a few tricks up its sleeve. It supports downloading YouTube playlists, embedding chapters and other metadata, and most importantly, removing sponsored segments from downloaded videos. You can install the app either via its Winstall page, or use the following winget command:

winget install -e --id neosubhamoy.neodlp

When you have NeoDLP running, click the Settings button in the bottom-left corner, and go to Sponsorblock to set up sponsor removal. You can choose which categories to remove, such as sponsored segments, subscription reminders, hooks, fillers, etc. Once done, click the Downloader button in the left pane, paste the YouTube video URL, and click Search. The app takes a short while to find the video. Once it does, select the Combine button next to "Download Options." You can now select if you want subtitles, the correct audio stream, and the video quality you wish to download. Then, click Start Download.

Use this website to download YouTube video transcripts for free

Credit: Pranay Parab

If all you want is a searchable video transcript of a YouTube video, then you don't need a video downloader. Instead, head over to this YouTube Transcript website, paste the video URL, and click Extract transcript. You can either copy the transcript or download it in formats such as pdf, txt, srt, etc.

Try Downsub to extract subtitles from YouTube videos

You may discover that a downloaded video doesn't have the best audio quality, and that you'll need subtitles to follow what the host is saying. In these cases, you don't need to redownload the video with subtitles. You can just use Downsub to extract subtitles from the video. Just paste the video URL in the text box on Downsub's homepage, and click Download. You'll see that you can download subtitles in srt, txt, vtt, and other formats. The site also allows you to choose subtitles in different languages. Be aware that this feature doesn't work reliably when trying to download YouTube's auto-generated subtitles.

Use 4K YouTube to MP3 to extract audio from your favorite videos

For those who want an app just to extract audio files from YouTube videos, 4K YouTube to MP3 is a decent app for the job. It's simple enough: You can copy a YouTube video URL, click the Paste Link button in 4K YouTube to MP3, and the app handles the rest. It'll extract audio from the video, convert it to the mp3 format, and save it to your computer's Downloads folder. The free tier limits you to five downloads per day, which is good enough for casual use. If you want to get more audio files for free, you may consider using other YouTube downloaders mentioned in this guide.

Use "ClipsCutter" to download short clips from YouTube videos

If you want a short clip from a YouTube video, you don't have to download the entire video and then trim it using an editing app. Instead, you can use ClipsCutter, an online video trimming service. You can paste the YouTube link on the site, select the start and end times for your clip, select the format and resolution, and click Create. The site will create your clip and allow you to download it quickly. The free tier allows you to download clips up to 10 minutes long and restricts the resolution to 360p, but you can pay $6 per month to remove those restrictions.

These Google Maps Alternatives Still Call It ‘Lake Ontario’ (for Now)

Jake Peterson — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Last week, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order renaming Lake Ontario to "Lake America." The move was retaliation against Canada for walking away from contentious trade talks and in spite of the fact that Lake Ontario's name has nothing to do with the Canadian province. Regardless, tech companies are now dealing with the consequences.

Why did Google Maps change Lake Ontario's name?

If you live in the U.S., you may have opened Google Maps this weekend to see that the app had already changed Lake Ontario's name. Even if you don't live in the U.S., you may see the name change: As it happens, there are now three different naming schemes for the lake in Google's navigation app. If you use the app in the U.S., you'll see "Lake America." If you use it in Canada, you'll see "Lake Ontario." If you use it anywhere else in the world, you'll see "Lake Ontario (Lake America)." Thanks, Google.

Credit: Google

Google did the same when Trump "changed" the name of the Gulf of Mexico to "Gulf of America." While Google explains in a blog post that its policy is to follow the naming conventions of the U.S. Geographic Names Information System, it's also arguable that the company doesn't want to get into hot water with the Trump Administration, lest it be punished with future policies that could hurt its trillion-dollar business.

Whether you consider it basic bureaucratic compliance or corporate cowardice, Google Maps now calls the lake by its "new" name. It doesn't affect how the app works (maybe unless you're looking for directions to, or information about, Lake Ontario), but if the change rankles you, you have other options: As it stands, there are several Google Maps alternatives that still label it "Lake Ontario."

Which maps apps still call it Lake Ontario?

As of this writing, most of the navigation apps available to download call Lake Ontario by its official/"former" name. Whether that will remain true as the week goes on remains a question, but for now, the following apps are still reflecting the global consensus:

Apple Maps
MapQuest
Organic Maps

Technically, Waze also still calls it Lake Ontario on its map, and the name pops up when you start to search for it. But once you tap the result, the app then swaps the name to Lake America. That's to be expected, given Google owns Waze, but the app initially tricked me into thinking it had maintained the previous status quo.

Will other apps change Lake Ontario's name?

Will all these other apps maintain the Lake Ontario name over the long term? Like Google, Apple ultimately changed the Gulf of Mexico's name, so it will likely do the same with the lake. However, MapQuest and Organic Maps still call the Gulf of Mexico by its correct name, so chances are good they'll keep Lake Ontario on their maps for the foreseeable future.

These DeWalt Tools Are up to 50% Off for the Lowe's Early Labor Day Sale

Becca Lewis — Mon, 31 Aug 2026 13:30:37 +0000

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

Lots of DIYers are inspired to take on projects over the Labor Day long weekend, and big box stores will often time their sales to coincide with holiday weekends. This makes Labor Day one of the best times of year to buy tools. DeWalt tools are known for being durable and reliable, and they’re on sale right now at Lowe’s for Labor Day. Here are some of the best deals I've found.

Best deals on cutting and shaping tools

Cordless cutting tools can be better than their corded counterparts for getting into tight spaces—and they’re more portable, too. Here are a couple of the best deals on DeWalt cutting and shaping tools on sale at Lowe’s for Labor Day.

The DeWalt 12-volt oscillating multitool is on sale for $99, 50% off its regular price. This tool comes with a wood-cutting blade, a multimaterial blade, and a sanding adapter. It doesn’t come with a battery or a charger, so you’ll need a DeWalt 12-volt battery and charger to use it. This tool can cut wood, metal, PVC, drywall, and tile and you can use the adapter to use it as a sander that will work in tight spaces.

The DeWalt 12-volt, 5 ⅜-inch circular saw is on sale for $99, 41% off its usual price. This is a tool-only deal, so you’ll need a DeWalt 12-volt battery and charger to use it. This saw is a miniature version of the circular saw that you might use to cut plywood. You can use a circular saw to cut light to medium-weight material for DIY projects like installing wainscoting.

Best deals on DeWalt drivers

Drivers are a cornerstone of a DIY tool set because these are the tools you’ll use to turn screws and nuts to attach all your DIY pieces together. A powered driver can make assembling shelves or taking apart your HVAC panel much easier. Here are a couple of the best Labor Day deals on DeWalt powered drivers at Lowe’s.

The DeWalt ⅜-inch cordless powered ratchet is on sale for $99, 50% off its typical price. This is a tool-only deal, so you’ll need a DeWalt 12-volt battery and charger to use it. A powered ratchet can be used for automotive and HVAC repair projects, but take care to use a hand-powered wrench for rusted hardware or when installing delicate parts like sinks or toilets.

The DeWalt 12-volt cordless ½-inch impact wrench is on sale for $99, 41% off its regular price. This is a tool-only deal, so you’ll need a DeWalt 12-volt battery and charger to use it. You can use an impact wrench to drive larger-sized nuts and bolts.

Best deals on DeWalt batteries

Batteries are the part of most cordless tool sets that wear out first because even the best-made ones will eventually take a smaller and smaller charge until they barely charge at all. DeWalt makes some of the best batteries for cordless tools, but if you need replacements for your tool set or if you want to use your tools continuously without waiting for a fresh battery, here are some Labor Day deals on spares from Lowe’s.

A two-pack of DeWalt 20-volt, 4-amp-hour batteries is on sale for $129, 41% off its usual price. These batteries are sold on their own, so you’ll need a charger to use them.

A two-pack of 20-volt, 2-amp-hour batteries is on sale for $99, 41% off its typical price. These batteries are also sold on their own, so you’ll need a charger to use them.

There’s Not Much Time Left to Win a New Apple Watch From Lifehacker

Jake Peterson — Sat, 29 Aug 2026 14:00:00 +0000

Congratulations! You have made it to the third and final round of our Big Guessing Game! This year, Lifehacker, along with the other CNET Group sites (CNET, ZDNet, Mashable, and PCMag), has been giving readers a chance to win the latest Apple Watch by making predictions about Apple's big 2026 announcements—including Apple's upcoming iPhone event. There are only three days left to get your guesses in, so make sure you play the game now for your chance to win the latest Apple Watch.

If you've played Lifehacker's or CNET Group's Big Guessing Game in the previous two rounds, you'll know the gist. But for any new guessers, here's a summary. The Big Guessing Game is made up of three rounds:

Round 1, which ended on June 2. This round was focused on Apple's software announcements (iOS, iPadOS, macOS, watchOS, visionOS, etc.). You can see the results of this round here.
Round 2, which ended July 21. This round had questions about Apple hardware (iPhones, iPads, Macs, Apple Watches, Vision Pro, etc.). You can see the results of this round here.
Round 3, which started Aug. 18, runs through Sept. 1. This round focuses on Apple's fall event, which should feature the iPhone 18 Pro and foldable iPhone Ultra. (You're here now.)

Each round features five questions about what Apple might announce during various keynotes and presentations. As such, we won't know the answers for sure until Apple confirms them—but once we do know, each correct prediction will earn you one entry into CNET Group's grand-prize drawing. This drawing will commence at the end of the third round, and, if you win, you'll walk away with the latest version of Apple's smartwatch.

To be eligible, you must be at least 18 years old and a resident of one of the 50 U.S. states or Washington, D.C. As alluded to above, you aren't limited to Lifehacker's guessing game, either: All CNET Group sites are hosting their own games, each with their own questions, which means there are 75 possible guesses across all three rounds. You can answer any or all of the questions each round, but note that you can only possibly win once, even if you play across multiple sites. Each of the five sites will announce the winner of its contest shortly after Apple's fall event.

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY to enter or win the "CNET Group Big Guessing Game" Giveaway. Open to legal U.S. residents in the 50 U.S. & D.C., 18+ yrs of age. Other restrictions apply. Begins May 19, 2026 at 12:01 p.m. ET and ends Sept. 1, 2026 at 11:59 p.m. ET. Void where prohibited. Subject to Official Rules. Sponsor: Ziff Davis, LLC.

Apple is not a sponsor of, affiliated with, or endorser of this sweepstakes. Apple Watch is a trademark of Apple Inc.

Lifehacker Deals Live Blog: The Best Tech Sales, All in One Place

Daniel Oropeza — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 21:58:50 +0000

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

With this live blog, you can keep up with the best deals the Lifehacker team finds every day—all in one place. Bookmark this page to keep an eye on what we're finding. As always, we use price-tracking tools to suss out the deals that are actually worth paying attention to, not just hype designed to instill a false sense of urgency.

The Best Tech Deals From Amazon's Early Labor Day Sale

Daniel Oropeza — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 21:30:00 +0000

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

Amazon has launched its early Labor Day sale, just a day after Wayfair and Home Depot kicked off their own. The sale will run through Monday, Sept. 7, and features deals on appliances, tech, sporting goods, and more. I've already spent a few hours sifting through the deals on offer, and below I've collected the best I've found so far.

The best headphone deals during Amazon's early Labor Day sale

Looking for a pair of premium headphones at a less-than-premium price? These Sonos Ace over-ear headphones are a good choice, especially if you're already in the Sonos ecosystem. Even if you're not, they are great headphones for Android and Apple users alike. You can get them for $100 off right now (originally $399). Read more about them in PCMag's "excellent" review.

Other headphone deals:

Bose QuietComfort Headphones $199 (originally $359)
Sennheiser Momentum 4 $229.95 (originally $299)
Sony WH-1000XM5 $248 (originally $278)
Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 $169.99 (originally $239.99)
Skullcandy Crusher 540 $119 (originally $209.99)

The best TV deals during Amazon's early Labor Day sale

65" LG C6 Series OLED Evo AI 4K Smart TV (2026 Model)

Samsung 57" Odyssey Neo G9 (G95NC)

OLEDs are among the best quality TVs around right now, and if you're able to splurge a little, the LG C6 65-inch OLED is currently $1,200 off. Now $1,499.99, this is its lowest price ever. Even better: Amazon will automatically drop a $150 credit into your account after your purchase. (You have to wait up to 30 days for the credit, and the credit will expire 120 days after you get it.)

Other TV deals:

Insignia 50" Class F50 Series Smart Fire TV $159 (originally $299.99)
Samsung 65-Inch Class S90H Series OLED TV $1,497.99 (originally $2,697.99)
Hisense 55" E6 Cinema Series Hi-QLED Fire TV $297.97 ($429.99)
Amazon Fire TV 55" Omni QLED Fire TV $309.99 (originally $499.99)
TCL 65 Inch Class QM7L Series QLED TV $897.99 (originally $1,499.99)
Hisense 55" U6 Pro Series Fire TV $499.99 (originally $849.99)

The best gaming deals during Amazon's early Labor Day sale

Dual 4K UHD 1000R Curved Gaming Monitor

$1,449.99 at Amazon

$2,099.99 Save $650.00

$1,449.99 at Amazon

$2,099.99 Save $650.00

An ultra-wide curved gaming monitor with ridiculous specs is every gamer's dream, but they (usually) don't come cheap. But the 57-inch Samsung Odyssey Neo G9, one of the best ultra-wide gaming monitors on the market, is currently on sale for $1,449.99 ($2,499.99 at launch). That's its second-best discount, according to price-checking tools—and when you consider the fact that you'll also get a $120 Amazon gift card when you buy it, it looks even better.

Other monitor deals:

LG 27GX700A-B 27-inch Ultragear OLED Gaming Monitor $499.99 (originally $599.99)
LG ‎27GS93QE 27-inch Ultragear OLED Gaming Monitor $551.82 (originally $899.99)
Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G9 $879.99 (originally $999.99)

The best soundbar deals during Amazon's early Labor Day sale

Sonos Beam Gen 2 5.0ch Dolby Atmos Smart Soundbar (Black)

The Sonos Beam Gen 2 is a compact soundbar perfect for those who don't have a lot of space but don't want to sacrifice booming sound. It's going for $399 right now, which is a $100 discount. It offers Atmos compatibility, eARC and NFC connectivity, and a better processor when compared to the Gen 1, according to CNET's review, and after the release of the more powerful Sonos Arc Ultra, the Beam Gen 2 is no longer Sonos' flagship soundbar, which means it's a good time to get one for less.

Other audio deals:

Sonos Arc Ultra Soundbar $899 (originally $1,099)
JBL Bar 800-5.1.2-Channel soundbar with Detachable Surround Speakers $599.99 (originally $849.95)
Bose Smart Ultra Dolby Atmos Soundbar $679.99 (originally $999.99)
Samsung HW-B650F 3.1ch Soundbar with Wireless Subwoofer $269.99 (originally $299.99)

The best Amazon's early Labor Day deals on household appliances

DREO Bedroom Ceiling Fan with Lights, Quiet DC Motor, 22db,Quick-Install, Powerful Airflow, 6 Speeds with Remote, Reversible, 6-Level Dimmable, 5CCT, Black,42" Indoor/Outdoor

Labor Day is also a good time to upgrade your home decor and appliances. I own four of these Dreo ceiling fans myself, and I've been very pleased by how well they perform for such affordable, design-forward devices. You can change their light temperature, control the direction of the blades to push or pull air, and the light is dimmable with the controller. They are $20 off right now, bringing them down to around $70.

Other home and appliance deals:

Upstreman 7.1 Cu.Ft Refrigerator $339.99 (originally $399.99)
Aeocky 5500 Sq.Ft Dehumidifier $229.99 (originally $299.99)
Roborock Qrevo S Pro Robot Vacuum and Mop $429.99 (originally $699.99)
Ninja DZ201 Foodi 2-Basket Air Fryer $159.94 (originally $199.99)
Govee Torchiere Floor Lamp $79.99 (originally $149.99)

Amazon Labor Day Deals FAQs

When do Labor Day sales start?

Early Labor Day sales have already started. More retailers are likely to start their own sales leading up to the holiday on Monday, Sept. 7.

Are Labor Day sales worth it?

Labor Day has traditionally been a good time to find deals in many categories, but whether they're worth it or not depends entirely on what you're looking for. Compared to sales like Black Friday or Prime Day, Labor Day falls short on volume and quality of discounts, but you might still find a good price on tech or kitchen appliances that will match those holiday prices—or even beat them. (We use price tracking tools to let you know if a deal is worth it or not.)

What other stores have Labor Day sales?

So far, Home Depot, Amazon, and Wayfair have started their early Labor Day sales. Target, Walmart, and Best Buy are likely to follow. (Lifehacker will be rounding up deals for all of these sales.)

Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now

Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $225.00 (List Price $249.00)

Apple iPad 11" A16 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Silver, 2025) — $399.99 (List Price $449.00)

Sony WH-1000XM5 — $198.00 (List Price $399.99)

Google Pixel 11 Pro 256GB Unlocked Phone With $200 Amazon Gift Card (Obsidian) — $1,299.00 (List Price $1,299.00)

Google Pixel Watch 5 (41mm, Wi-Fi, Obsidian) — $399.99 (List Price $399.99)

Deals are selected by our commerce team

These Are the Best Early Labor Day Deals on VPNs

Ritoban Mukherjee — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 21:00:13 +0000

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

Back-to-school month is the busiest time of the year for VPN providers who rely on students for a substantial chunk of their annual subscriptions. Labor Day coincides with this time perfectly, making it a great opportunity to grab low-priced deals from almost every major provider.

Once you sign up with a Labor Day promotion, your discounted prices stay locked in for the entire subscription period. That means you can get a two- or three-year VPN subscription for as much as 80% off the usual price—a substantial savings boost for new customers.

I put together a list of the best early deals on VPN platforms for this Labor Day. Surfshark, Express VPN, and Nord have some of the most lucrative offers, followed closely by competitors who aren’t ready to be outdone.

ExpressVPN is offering 80% off on a two-year contract

If you subscribe to a two-year plan with ExpressVPN right now, you’ll pay just $83.72 for the first two years and even get another four months extra on the Basic plan. You’ll pay slightly more during renewal at $99.95 a month for the next two years, still lower than their usual monthly subscription at $14.99/month.

That said, you don’t need to commit to a long-term subscription right away if you don’t want to. ExpressVPN is also offering 66% off on its annual subscription, with an additional three months extra. Discounts also apply to all other ExpressVPN plans, including the Advanced plan and Express Pro.

I’ve tested a lot of VPNs throughout my career, and ExpressVPN is my personal preference for bypassing streaming site restrictions when traveling. It’s consistent in its ability to avoid detection by maintaining a lot of server locations in different parts of the world. VPN bypassing is legal in most North American and European nations, but you may want to consult local laws if you’re in a region known for state censorship.

You can get 87% off on Surfshark One

Surfshark generally offers some of the best VPN deals in the industry, so it’s unsurprising to see them offer a $67.23 deal on the first 27 months of Surfshark Starter. That said, I’d actually recommend going one tier up for Surfshark One, which is also offering a 27-month subscription for the exact same price of $67.23.

It doesn’t cost you anything extra to go for the middle tier, but the catch is that their renewal prices are much higher at $284.25 a year for Surfshark One. In this case, I’d actually recommend getting the 27-month deal on Surfshark One—but disable auto-renewal so you can wait for another promotion or switch providers at renewal.

Surfshark’s biggest differentiator is that your subscription is good for unlimited devices with no restrictions on concurrent usage. You also get premium features like split tunneling, rotating IPs, and VPN MultiHop without paying anything extra. Surshark One even lets you generate alternate IDs with masked emails for identity theft protection.

You can get NordVPN Complete for $4.39 per month

NordVPN has three tiers: Basic, Complete, and Complete Max. Right now, all NordVPN plans are discounted across the board at 69-75% off their usual 2-year price. NordVPN Complete, which sits right in the middle, gets the most value among the three with 75% off for two years at $118.53, plus an additional three months extra.

NordVPN also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee, but you’re unlikely to need it since their service is considered industry-leading. Along with multiple VPN servers across the world, you also get antimalware protection for your browser, SSN monitoring, and 1 TB of free cloud storage on the Complete plan.

Like ExpressVPN, Nord is known for high speeds and strong privacy protection that evades most VPN detectors that online platforms use. Another great feature is Nord’s Dark Web Monitoring tool, which is included with all plans and lets you monitor up to five emails for dark web leaks.

IPVanish has a two-year subscription for less than $60

IPVanish keeps things simple with only two subscription tiers, both of which come with zero restrictions on the number of connections or devices. There’s Essential, which has all your standard VPN features with 3GB of eSIM data, available at $59.76 for the first two-year period. Then there’s the Advanced tier, which throws in 5GB of eSIM data, a secure browser, and 1TB of cloud backups at $86.16 for the first two years.

Like with Surfshark, IPVanish places no restrictions on the number of devices or concurrent connections you can have, making it a good buy for individuals and businesses. Unlike Surfshark, IPVanish does not raise prices as sharply on renewal. They also have native support for a wide range of devices and operating systems, including Android, iOS, ChromeOS, visionOS, AppleTV, Fire TV, and Linux. You can even buy an IPVanish-enabled router from the store to have VPN features configured at the router level.

Personally, I like IPVanish for the value it offers, even if it isn’t as polished an experience as ExpressVPN on Nord products. As someone who needs to flick between their Android phone, iPad, Macbook, and Windows desktop constantly during work, it also helps to have router-level configuration options to avoid dropping the VPN every time I switch devices.

Norton VPN Standard is 50% off for the first year

Compared to other VPNs on this list, and especially the aggressive offers from Surfshark or Nord VPN, Norton’s promotional offer feels pretty conservative. You can get 50-54% off on VPN plans depending on the tier you choose, with support for no more than ten devices per subscription.

Norton also includes things like kill switch protection, rotating IPs, ad blocking, and 10-50 GB cloud backup space depending on your plan. I’d say that Norton VPN Plus offers the most value of the three tiers, with 10 GB of cloud storage and AI-powered scam protection added to your VPN plan at $49.99 for the first year. At renewal, your price goes up to $109.99, which is comparable to a provider like IPVanish.

Norton has a strong reputation in the cybersecurity world thanks to its antivirus tools, but as a VPN, it doesn’t benefit from the same popularity. But I’d consider it an easy upgrade if I were already using Norton products, which is probably why Norton 360 Deluxe has the same first-year offer price as the VPN but also includes antivirus, malware, and ransomware protection. Even at renewal, the Deluxe plan only sets you back $124.99 a year, which is a much better deal considering the value.

10 Hacks Every Intel Mac User Should Know

Jake Peterson — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 20:30:00 +0000

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When macOS 27 drops next month, Apple will officially say goodbye to its Intel-based Macs. The only Macs that will be able to update to macOS Golden Gate next month will be the ones with an Apple-made chip (including the A18 Pro on the MacBook Neo). Yet while Apple hasn't sold an Intel Mac in quite some time, there are still plenty of them in existence. You might even still use an Intel Mac as your daily driver.

While I can't say enough good things about Apple silicon, I also strongly believe in using your tech as long as it keeps working for you. As such, if you're rocking one of Apple's older Macs, whether that's a MacBook, a Mac mini, or an iMac, you should check out these hacks and tips to get the most out of your machine—and, hopefully, put off having to upgrade it for quite some time.

Use OpenCore Legacy Patcher to update to the latest possible OS

Your Intel Mac may support Apple's latest software version as of this writing, which is macOS 26. But if you've had it a while, it likely doesn't—in fact, it may not natively support the last two or three macOS versions prior to that. That's where OpenCore Legacy Patcher comes in. This project bypasses Apple's restrictions to install macOS versions on devices the company no longer officially supports. The idea isn't to force an aging Mac to struggle to run a newer version of macOS, either: Many machines are perfectly capable of running macOS versions that Apple doesn't officially support, so users may be pleasantly surprised by their performance.

Unfortunately, OpenCore Legacy Patcher is itself becoming a legacy product. Now that Apple has dropped Intel, it might not be possible for a system like OpenCore to hack macOS 27 onto your Mac. At this time, macOS Sequoia is the latest version OpenCore supports, so you can't upgrade to macOS 26 Tahoe or macOS 27 Golden Gate. Still, you can use the platform to get your Mac running something a bit more recent, which may increase both third-party software support as well as your security. Your experience will depend on your specific Mac model, so follow OpenCore's instructions to get started.

The good news is, even if you can't run the latest version of macOS on your machine, you may still be able to run the latest versions of the apps that really matter: Apple is still updating the Safari app for older versions of macOS, as are many third-party app developers. What's more, Apple still releases security patches for some older macOS versions, so even if your Intel Mac doesn't have all the latest features, it may still be protected against the latest vulnerabilities.

Clean your fans to improve thermal performance

If your Intel Mac has fans, and if you've never cleaned them, fix that. Your Mac's fans are designed to keep its internal components cool by pushing hot air away from your machine. The longer it can keep components from heating up too much, the longer you can push your Mac without running into performance throttling—or, in other words, the longer your Mac can run at peak performance. Over time, dust works its way inside your fans, reducing their ability to move air properly. After years, your fans might not be able to move hot air efficiently. Luckily, this isn't hard to fix.

To clean your Mac's fans, you'll need to open up your machine to access them. How you do this will depend on your specific Mac model. (iMacs can be particularly difficult to open, as you need to remove the display entirely.) To find instructions for your model, look up your specific device on iFixit, as the site will likely have both walkthroughs as well as the tools you'll need to perform the operation.

Use Macs Fan Control to push your fans to their limits

Once they're clean, make sure your fans are cooling your Mac to its fullest. While macOS sets fan speeds on its own based on how you use your Mac, you can install a program like Macs Fan Control to unlock direct control of your Mac's fans. You can push them to their limits if you want maximum cooling, or simply monitor your Mac's overall temperatures. I used to use this program all the time to maintain high performance on my Intel MacBook: Without it, I noticed my Mac slowing down during more intense sessions. With it, I was able to push it much harder.

Upgrade the RAM and SSD to give your Mac a new lease on life

If your Mac is very old, you might actually be able to "hack" it to make it work better. For the past 14 years or so, Apple has had an obsession with gluing and soldering all its components together, making it impossible to upgrade any of them individually. But older machines used to come with modular parts that users could upgrade themselves. Notably, that included the RAM and the hard drive. If you install extra memory, your Mac may be able to run more programs and processes at once without slowing things down; if your Mac has a physical hard drive, adding an SSD will massively boost startup and loading times. Of course, prices for those components may have increased beyond financial viability thanks to the global memory crisis.

Still, if your MacBook or iMac falls into this category, you should definitely look into upgrading it. The newest MacBook that supports upgradable RAM is from 2012, but the latest iMac is only from 2020. You'll find Apple's official instructions at both of those links. The company doesn't appear to have support guides for replacing Mac hard drives these days, but Google your Mac model, and, if one exists, you should find replacement guides from sources like iFixit.

Replace your battery to extend the lifespan of your MacBook

If you're rocking an Intel-based MacBook and you've never replaced its battery, it's likely time for an update. Lithium-ion batteries don't last forever, and as they degrade, their overall capacity diminishes. Let's say your battery currently has a maximum capacity of 75%. That means once you charge it up to 100%, it's like you only charged it to 75% relative to when it was new. By replacing your battery, you're giving your MacBook its life back—at least, its battery life.

Now, how easy your battery replacement is will depend on your MacBook's model. Again, very old MacBooks are much easier to work on, so your biggest challenge may just be finding a replacement battery. If your old MacBook is on the newer side, you might find a battery more easily, but replacing it may be more difficult. As such, it might make sense to take it to a repair shop—assuming the cost of repair isn't comparable to the cost of a new MacBook. For this hack, search the web for your specific MacBook model and battery replacement—a site like iFixit almost assuredly has a guide, including parts you can purchase.

Use TurboBoostSwitcher to save on battery life

Installing a new battery isn't the only way to keep your old Mac up and running for longer. Even if your Mac doesn't support an official Low Power Mode, you can download TurboBoostSwitcher to save on power. Here's how it works: Intel chips have what's called "Turbo Boost," which kicks in when the system thinks you need more power than usual. That's great for performance, but bad for your battery life—especially if you prioritize your battery over power. In addition, too much Turbo Boost can cause your Mac to run hot, which may cause the system to throttle performance to cool things down—defeating Turbo Boost's purpose entirely.

TurboBoostSwitcher gives you a manual switch to disable Turbo Boost when you want to save on power. When you do, the chip never pushes itself in times of stress—so while you may notice things running a bit more slowly, you should also notice your battery lasting a bit longer. This was my go-to back when my Intel MacBook was my main machine, and I'm happy to see it's still available.

Install Windows via Boot Camp for dual OS access

If you need access to Windows for work or personal use but only have an Intel Mac lying around, you don't need to go out and buy a new PC. Because your Mac has an Intel chip, you can actually install and run Windows natively on your machine, through an official Mac process called Boot Camp. With Boot Camp, you "partition" a selection of your Mac's hard drive for Windows: Perhaps you give it 100GB, enough to install the OS as well as store files on the system itself. Whatever you choose, when you boot up your Mac, you'll be able to select either macOS or Windows, and boot into it. While Apple hasn't sold an Intel Mac for years, it still has an official Boot Camp guide you can follow to get started.

Use BetterTouchTool to customize your Touch Bar

I'll always have a soft spot for the Touch Bar. While I admit the company could have made some better choices with it—including adding a row of physical function keys below it—I always like the Touch Bar, and I enjoyed using it to adjust controls. The few apps that actually took advantage of the Touch Bar's functionality were useful too, but for the most part, the feature felt underbaked or even counterintuitive.

Still, if your MacBook has a Touch Bar, there are ways to "hack" it to your advantage. There are system settings to adjust, but you can go further than Apple's own settings (which the company has long moved on from). Using an app called BetterTouchTool, you can customize how your Touch Bar looks and works, and add functions like widgets and gestures. The app lets you customize a host of things on your Mac beyond the Touch Bar, but I was originally introduced to it for the purposes of Touch Bar hacking. If your Mac has a Touch Bar, give it a shot.

Use your Mac as an external drive

Storage is a precious commodity. Hard drives are more expensive than ever, so taking advantage of any available storage should be a priority. As such, if you don't need to use your old Mac for much these days, treat it like an external drive. Depending on your Mac model, you may have as much storage as you'd buy with a dedicated drive. My old Touch Bar MacBook, for example, has a 512GB drive, so I use it as a backup for some of my important files—especially videos. Sure, you could recycle your old Mac to save on clutter, but if you need an external drive anyway, you may already have one in your machine.

Use Plex to turn your old Mac into a media server

If you don't intend to use your Mac as intended any longer, don't give it away. Instead, you can use it passively to power a home media server. These servers effectively let you customize your own Netflix: You add the digital media you own (movies, shows, music, photos, etc.), then set up the server on your Mac. Done properly, you'll be able to access your content from any device, from anywhere you have an internet connection. You can watch shows on your TV streamed from your Mac, or listen to music while on a trip, remotely connecting back to your machine at home. To get started, you can use a service like Plex. However, Plex is just one of many such platforms; others include Emby, Jellyfin, and Kodi.

10 Spotlight Search Hacks Every Mac User Should Know

Pranay Parab — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 20:00:00 +0000

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Spotlight search is one of the most useful features in macOS. You can access it by pressing Command-Space, and it allows you to find anything on your Mac. And there's so much more Spotlight search can do than you might realize. From performing currency conversions to running complex automation routines, here are 10 Spotlight search hacks that you'll find useful.

Enable clipboard history to keep track of everything you copy

Since the release of macOS 26 Tahoe, Spotlight search has been able to store your clipboard history. This means that Spotlight keeps a record of every item you copy on your Mac. This feature is disabled by default. You can enable it by clicking the Apple logo in the top-left corner of your Mac's screen, and going to System Settings > Spotlight. Scroll down, and enable Results from Clipboard. You can use the drop-down menu below this option to set an auto-delete timer for clipboard history, and your choices are 30 minutes, 8 hours, or 7 days.

To access clipboard history, press Command-Space to open Spotlight search, and then, press Command-4.

Use the built-in converter for instant currency and unit conversions

Credit: Pranay Parab

I stopped using online searches for currency and unit conversions ever since I discovered this Spotlight feature. To convert currency in Spotlight search, you can type "USD 100 to INR." The result appears in Spotlight, which is a lot faster than opening a browser and performing a web search. Feel free to replace the currency abbreviations with the ones you need, as Spotlight search supports almost all countries' currencies (but not cryptocurrencies). You can use similar syntax to convert units. For example, try something like: "100lbs to kg," or "3L to oz."

You should also try Spotlight's built-in calculator, which can handle arithmetic quite well. Ask it to add, subtract, divide, or multiply numbers, and Spotlight will show you the results instantly.

Once you have the search bar open, you can type any file name or app name, and Spotlight will search your Mac to locate it—that part is pretty clear. The fun begins when you start using search filters for advanced queries. You can ask Spotlight to restrict search results to PDF files by typing "/pdf" ahead of your query. This works for other file types such as jpeg, png, and tiff. To use it correctly, you'll have to select the filter from the search results. When you type "/pdf," the first search result will be "PDF" with the word Kind written under it. Select this, and type your query to restrict queries to that file type.

You can also use this format to search specific folders, such as "/downloads" to look for files in the Downloads folder in your Mac.

Send messages to any contact directly from Spotlight

Credit: Pranay Parab

Whenever I open any chat app with the intention of messaging someone, I get distracted by other unread messages. To avoid this on my Mac, I've started messaging people directly from Spotlight, which lets me avoid looking at unrelated messages. To use this feature, open Spotlight, and type "Send Message." You can select the Send Message action from the results to start composing the text. You can then pick a recipient and hit the Return key to send the message.

Use Spotlight's built-in timer to bypass the Clock app

Your Mac's built-in Clock app lets you set alarms, timers, or use a stopwatch. This works fine, but when I'm setting timers, I usually want to do it fast. That's where Spotlight comes in. Type "Start Timer" and select the action in Spotlight. You can then add a duration for the timer, and it'll alert you when time's up.

Use this Spotlight shortcut to open files in Finder

When I see search results in Spotlight, sometimes I want to open the file or app, but more often than not, I want to open the folder that contains those results. I recently discovered a keyboard shortcut that opens the folder containing any search result directly from Spotlight. To use it, look for something in Spotlight search, and use the arrow keys to reach the correct result. Then press Command-Enter to open the file or app in Finder.

Translate languages directly from Spotlight

Credit: Pranay Parab

I had no idea that Spotlight could also be your personal translator, until Lifehacker's Senior Technology Editor Jake Peterson told me about it. Now that I've used the feature, I don't think I'll be opening Google Translate by default when I need translations. To set up this feature on your Mac, go to System Settings > Language & Region, and select Translation Languages. Download the languages you need to translate, and enable On-Device Mode on the same page if you want offline translations. Click Done when all downloads are complete.

Once this is done, type "Translate" in Spotlight, and select the Translate Text action from the results. Type or paste some text into the "Text" field, and Spotlight will show you the translation shortly.

Use Spotlight to locate and open hidden system settings

Ever since macOS switched away from the old System Preferences menu, I've had trouble locating many settings on my MacBook. The new System Settings menu is less confusing for iOS users, but that doesn't help those of us who were used to the old layout. To get around this, I've started using Spotlight search to find system settings. You can type the name of the settings page, or even specific features such as Reduce Motion. Spotlight's results will show you two types of results: One where you can open the System Settings app, and the other where you can toggle the preference directly from search results. The latter is especially handy for features you want to toggle more than once, such as Bluetooth.

Assign dedicated keyboard shortcuts to your favorite actions

Now that Spotlight search lets you run actions such as creating notes, calendar events, and sending messages, it's worth considering ways to speed up this process. Typing the full name of each action isn't a good solution for actions you use frequently, which is why it's a good idea to assign keyboard shortcuts to your favorite actions. Instead of typing "Send Message" each time, you could trigger the action by typing "sm." To set this up, open Spotlight and press Command-3. This will load the list of actions supported by all installed apps on your Mac, and you can click the "Add quick keys" button next to any action to assign a keyboard shortcut.

Change Spotlight settings to exclude certain apps from search results

If you don't want to see results from certain apps in Spotlight search, you can exclude those apps easily. On your Mac, go to System Settings > Spotlight, and scroll down to the "Results from Apps" section. You can click the button next to any app to remove it from Spotlight results. Scroll down further till you reach the "Results from System" section. Here, you can click the i button next to "Files" and exclude certain folders from Spotlight search results.

Strava Is Now Forcing Premium Users to See Its AI Workout Summaries (Whether They Want to or Not)

Beth Skwarecki — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 19:44:12 +0000

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You can’t turn off Strava’s AI summaries anymore. Sometime in July or August, the feature, called “Athlete Intelligence,” became a built-in part of premium subscriptions. If you have a free account, you still won’t see it, but if you subscribe to Strava Premium, you’ll now have the summaries stuck onto all of your workouts.

What is Strava's "Athlete Intelligence"?

Athlete Intelligence, conveniently abbreviated AI, is a Strava feature that gives text responses to your workouts. It’s only available for premium subscribers. Strava refers to “insights” in these responses, but as far as I can tell, they just seem to regurgitate the information from the workout description, sometimes with added errors.

I used the feature briefly, around the time it launched (I was a premium subscriber then), but quickly turned it off when I realized it wasn’t telling me anything interesting. I asked my colleague Meredith Dietz, who has a premium subscription, whether she had seen anything useful in her Athlete Intelligence. She said, “They’re usually positive, so that’s nice. But ultimately: useless.”

Meredith has written more about why AI fitness summaries are mostly useless, and Strava’s AI checks every box: it doesn’t use enough context to understand what’s going on, it presents generic advice as if it were personal, and it’s overconfident in its incomplete data. She showed me a recent Athlete Intelligence summary that said a run was both a “recovery run” and included her “fastest pace in two weeks.” Those are simply not compatible statements. Another message complimented her “solid half-marathon effort” on a run that Meredith says was “not even close to a half-marathon effort.”

What happened behind the scenes?

You used to be able to turn off the AI. When Strava launched Athlete Intelligence in October 2024, it was a “beta” feature available to premium users only. Since then—as far as I can remember—Strava’s support page had instructions for opting out of Athlete Intelligence.

But that changed recently. The last Wayback Machine snapshot that included those instructions is from June 30, 2026. A snapshot from Aug. 4 removed both the question and answer about opting out. On Aug. 26, I noticed a Reddit thread where users were wondering where the opt-out feature went. The support page currently says, “There isn’t an option to opt out of Athlete Intelligence.”

I asked what happened, and received an answer from a Strava spokesperson: “As was standard practice for experimental features, Athlete Intelligence launched with a "turn off" mechanism scoped to its initial beta period. Given the feature’s formal exit from beta, that mechanism is no longer available. We invite all subscribers to tap Give Feedback to help us improve the insights they see.”

Athlete Intelligence officially left beta in February of last year. If the support page was kept up to date over the subsequent year and a half, then it seems the opt-out was removed much later. (The instructions used to say to click “leave beta” and then changed to “leave Athlete Intelligence” sometime before June 21 this year.) I asked Strava for clarification on the timeline, and got the answer: “Thanks for the follow up, we're not able to provide additional information.”

Why “Athlete Intelligence” has been such a disappointment

Strava claimed in its February 2025 announcement that over 80% of users found Athlete Intelligence useful. That seems hard to believe, given the weaknesses that both Meredith and I noticed in our own AI summaries. For all my browsing of Strava user forums, I’ve often seen people complaining about the AI’s tone or pointing out its mistakes; I’m really not seeing anyone praising it for being insightful or for helping to analyze or plan training.

Meredith finds the summaries easy to ignore. I found they annoyed me, so I hid them while it was still possible to do so. So far I’m not seeing anybody who opted out complaining that the summaries are back; it’s possible they will remain hidden. But the option to turn them off is no longer available. You can still “leave feedback” on a given response, but there used to be an option to leave Athlete Intelligence altogether. That option is no longer there, and given Strava’s statement, it doesn’t seem likely it will come back.

The Best Fitness Deals From Amazon's Early Labor Day Sale so Far

Meredith Dietz — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 18:00:00 +0000

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

If, like me, you let some of your fitness goals fall by the wayside this summer, Labor Day is the perfect time to build out your home gym and revitalize your exercise routine. And you don't even have to wait for the long weekend to start seeking out some excellent Labor Day deals, because Amazon's sale has already started. Below, I've collected my favorite fitness deals so far from Amazon's early Labor Day sale—and I'll keep adding more as the holiday weekend gets closer.

The best early Labor Day sales on cardio equipment

All of the NordicTrack T Series is all on sale, with the T10 in particular catching my eye: Normally $1,299, it's currently discounted to $999. For cardio, your options get trickier in an apartment setting or a home without a ton of extra space, but foldable equipment like this is a nice solution.
The YOSUDA Friction 1.0 bike is $178.99, down from $249.99.
This MERACH exercise bike is $399.98, down from $599.99.
This walking pad is $79.98, normally $106.80. This is a simple, straightforward option if you've been looking to get your steps in while working at a standing desk.
If you're looking for more than just a bare-bones option, this fancier walking pad reaches speeds of up to 6.2 mph and a 5% incline, and it's also foldable for storage. It's currently on sale for $119.98 (normally $199.99).

(A word of caution: When you're browsing walking pads, remember you really cannot trust those product pictures.)

NordicTrack T10 Treadmill

$999.00 at Amazon

$1,299.00 Save $300.00

$999.00 at Amazon

$1,299.00 Save $300.00

The best early Labor Day sales on dumbbells

This CAP ADJUSTABELL adjustable dumbbell set is $249.99, normally $299.99. These can adjust from 10 to 55 pounds in 5-pound increments with a simple twist of the handle (no knobs, pins, or levers are involved).
This CAP rubber-coated dumbbell weight set is $159.99, normally $189.99. While I'm a big proponent of adjustable dumbbells, you can't go wrong with a traditional vertical rack like this. It includes a pair of 5-pound, 10-pound, 15-pound, 20-pound, and 25-pound rubber hex dumbbells with a vertical dumbbell rack.
These Feierdun adjustable dumbbells are $161.98 for the 90-pound set, down from $219.99. I'm especially drawn to how this system can configure the weights as fixed barbells, kettlebells, traditional dumbbells, or individual weight plates. Incorporating kettlebell swings and goblet squats without purchasing separate equipment? That's a steal.

CAP ADJUSTABELL set (55 lbs)

The best early Labor Day sales on other home gym staples

These resistance bands are $18.99, normally $24.99. A solid pair of resistance bands like these will be the perfect addition to your home gym, and great for travel workouts, whether in the poolside gym or your hotel rooms.
This FLYBIRD adjustable weight bench is $125.99, normally $139.99.
This Yes4All kettlebell is $69.16 for the 45-pound option, normally $91.35. It's got a wide-grip handle and neoprene coating over the cast iron to reduce noise and protect your flooring.

FLYBIRD WB3 Adjustable Weight Bench

This 65-Inch LG OLED TV Is $1,200 Off and Comes With a $150 Amazon Credit

Amanda Chatel — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 17:30:00 +0000

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

If you’re looking to upgrade your smart TV, this LG 65-inch OLED model is currently $1,200 off. Now $1,499.99, this is its lowest price ever, according to price-tracking tools. Even better: Amazon will automatically drop $150 credit into your account after your purchase. (With a few caveats: You have to wait up to 30 days for the credit, and the credit will expire 120 days after you get it.)

This OLED has 4K resolution, 120 Hz refresh rate, and is compatible with Alexa. Amazon will deliver the TV to your preferred room and unpack it for you for free, though if you want to have your old TV hauled away, that will cost you $69.99.

LG 65-Inch OLED AI 4K Smart TV (With $150 Amazon Credit)

LG 65-Inch OLED AI 4K Smart TV

Samsung’s 65-inch S90H OLED

With over 8.3 million self-lit smart pixels and OLED technology, this set should perform very well in terms of color contrast and black levels, even in brightly lit rooms. If you use the display for gaming, its NVIDIA G-Sync technology and the 165 Hz refresh rate and 0.1ms response time will prevent stuttering and tearing. You'll immediately get access to over 400 free channels and apps like Netflix, YouTube, and Apple TV via LG's webOS 2026 Smart TV platform. Around the back, you'll find ports for Ethernet, HDMI, and USB 2.0, and it comes with a one-year warranty.

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Apple iPad 11" A16 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Silver, 2025) — $399.99 (List Price $449.00)

Sony WH-1000XM5 — $198.00 (List Price $399.99)

Google Pixel 11 Pro 256GB Unlocked Phone With $200 Amazon Gift Card (Obsidian) — $1,299.00 (List Price $1,299.00)

Google Pixel Watch 5 (41mm, Wi-Fi, Obsidian) — $399.99 (List Price $399.99)

Deals are selected by our commerce team

These Samsung OLED TVs Are Up to $1,300 Off Right Now

Pradershika Sharma — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 14:30:00 +0000

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

Samsung’s entire S90H lineup is discounted right now, from the 42-inch model all the way up to the 83-inch version, with savings reaching as much as $1,300 on the largest screen—the 65-inch version is the one I would look at first, though. It is down to $1,597.99 from $2,697.99, a $1,100 discount and its lowest price so far, according to price trackers. It also costs just $200 more than the 55-inch model, which is currently $1,397.99, so the extra screen size is much easier to justify—and for most living rooms, 65 inches is also large enough to feel like a real upgrade without demanding the wall space of the 77- or 83-inch models. Amazon is also including room-of-choice delivery with the deal, a service that normally costs $19.99, although the delivery team will only carry the boxed TV into the room you select and will not unpack, install, remove packaging, or haul away your old set.

Samsung’s 83-inch S90H OLED

$3,997.99 at Amazon

$5,297.99 Save $1,300.00

$3,997.99 at Amazon

$5,297.99 Save $1,300.00

Samsung’s 55-inch S90H OLED

Samsung’s 77-inch S90H OLED

$3,697.99 Save $1,200.00

Samsung's 48-inch S90H OLED

$3,697.99 Save $1,200.00

$1,197.99 at Amazon

$1,597.99 Save $400.00

$1,197.99 at Amazon

$1,597.99 Save $400.00

Samsung's 42-inch S90H OLED

$1,097.99 at Amazon

$1,397.99 Save $300.00

$1,097.99 at Amazon

$1,397.99 Save $300.00

The S90H is easiest to recommend for a living room where sunlight, lamps, or overhead lighting often reflect across the TV—its matte screen softens those reflections, so dark movies and daytime sports remain easier to see without closing the curtains. You still get the deep blacks, vibrant colors, and clean contrast expected from an OLED screen, with no obvious glow around subtitles or bright objects. The picture also holds up well from the side, which helps when your seating is spread across the room. The tradeoff is that the matte coating can make the image look slightly softer than it would on a glossy OLED.

Gaming gives the S90H another reason to consider it. All four HDMI 2.1 ports support 4K at up to 165Hz, variable refresh rate, and low input lag, so you can connect a gaming PC, multiple consoles, and a soundbar without constantly moving cables around. Its fast response also keeps quick camera movements and sports looking clear, while the wide viewing angle works well for local multiplayer games. The S90H is therefore best suited to someone who needs one TV for daytime viewing, movies, sports, and gaming. Buyers who care more about Dolby Vision and home-theater performance may prefer LG’s competing C6.

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Sony WH-1000XM5 — $198.00 (List Price $399.99)

Google Pixel 11 Pro 256GB Unlocked Phone With $200 Amazon Gift Card (Obsidian) — $1,299.00 (List Price $1,299.00)

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Deals are selected by our commerce team

These Milwaukee Tools Are up to 65% Off for Home Depot's Early Labor Day Sale

Becca Lewis — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 14:00:00 +0000

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

Long weekends tend to be the time for DIY projects, and luckily, you don't have to wait for Labor Day to seek out excellent deals on the tools you might need. Milwaukee tools are a solid choice—they’re known for having long-lasting batteries and being durable. Home Depot has some worthwhile deals on Milwaukee tools right now; they can help you build your DIY tool set while keeping your budget under control.

M12 12-Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless 3/8 in. Crown Stapler with M12 Compact 2.0 Ah Battery (2-Pack) Starter Kit and Charger

$119.00 at Home Depot

$339.00 Save $220.00

$119.00 at Home Depot

$339.00 Save $220.00

M12 FUEL 12V Lithium-Ion Cordless Oscillating Multi-Tool with M12 XC 5.0 Ah Battery (2-Pack) Starter Kit and Charger

$449.00 Save $260.00

M12 FUEL 12V Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless 3 in. Cut Off Saw w/M12 XC 5.0 Ah Battery (2-Pack) Starter Kit and Charger

$449.00 Save $260.00

$439.00 Save $250.00

M12 12V Lithium-Ion 3/8 in. Cordless Ratchet with M12 5.0 Ah Battery (2-Pack) Starter Kit

$439.00 Save $250.00

$459.00 Save $270.00

Ryobi ONE+ HP 18V Brushless Cordless 7-1/4 in. Circular Saw with ONE+ 18V 4.0 Ah High Performance Battery

$459.00 Save $270.00

Milwaukee cordless electric stapler

You can use a cordless electric stapler for anything from upholstery to making trellises for your garden. An electric stapler can save your hands if you have a lot of stapling to do because it doesn’t require as much grip strength to operate.

The Milwaukee 12-volt cordless electric stapler is now $119, 65% off its regular price. It comes with two 2-amp-hour batteries and a charger. This is a good tool for beginner DIY upholstery projects or for securing weather stripping or attaching underlayment for carpeting.

Milwaukee 12-volt oscillating multitool

An oscillating multitool can be used for cutting a variety of materials including wood, metal, PVC, plaster, and drywall. With an attachment, you can also convert it to a sander for finishing projects. The Milwaukee 12-volt oscillating multitool is on sale for $189, 58% off its typical price. It comes with two 12-volt, 2-amp-hour batteries, a charger, a sanding attachment, a multimaterial blade, and five sanding pads.

This smaller version of an oscillating multitool can be used for cutting drywall to make a repair or for other home maintenance chores. I like to use the smaller oscillating multitool for getting paint marks off of cabinet hardware and for making flush-cuts on dowel joints for furniture.

Milwaukee cutoff tool

A cutoff tool can be used for DIY projects like trimming off a rusted-out bolt or trimming PVC drain parts to fit for a DIY plumbing project. Make sure to wear a face shield when you’re operating a cutoff tool to avoid injury in the event that the cutting disc shatters or the material you’re cutting splinters. The Milwaukee 12-volt cutoff tool is on sale for $189, 57% off its usual price. It comes with two 2-amp-hour batteries and a charger.

This is a good tool for small projects where you need to cut metal, PVC, or tile. Because of its smaller size, it can be a little easier to use this tool in tight spaces like under a sink. A cut-off tool can be deceptively powerful and because of its small size, slipping and cutting nearby objects is a hazard.

Milwaukee cordless electric ratchet

An electric ratchet can give you torque without needing space to turn your wrench. It can be handy working on cars or doing your own maintenance on appliances, like taking the cover off of a vent in an awkward spot. The Milwaukee 12-volt cordless electric ⅜-inch ratchet is now $189, 59% off its regular price. It comes with two 2-amp-hour batteries and a charger.

The trigger on this tool will change the amount of force you’re applying depending on how hard you squeeze it; it can get up to about 35 foot-pounds of torque. Because it can be hard to judge how hard an electric ratchet is turning a nut, if your hardware is rusted or if you’re working with more delicate materials like porcelain, you should use a hand wrench at the beginning and end to avoid causing damage.

Best Labor Day Deals

New Apple MacBook Air with Apple M1 Chip (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD Storage) - Silver (Latest Model) — $749.99 (List Price $999.00)

Acer Predator Orion 5000 (Intel Core i7 12th Gen, RTX 3080, 1TB SSD, 16GB RAM) — $1,099.99 (List Price $2,199.99)

HP Victus 15L (Intel Core i7 13th Gen, RTX 3060, Dual Storage, 16GB RAM) — $799.99 (List Price $1,399.99)

2021 Apple 10.2-inch iPad (Wi-Fi, 64GB) - Space Gray — $199.99 (List Price $329.00)

SanDisk Extreme Pro 1TB Portable SSD — $188.79 (List Price $188.79)

Sony LinkBuds S — $159.99 (List Price $159.99)

Apple AirPods Wireless Earbuds (2nd Generation) — $84.99 (List Price $159.00)

Apple Watch SE (GPS, 40mm, Silver Case, Blue Band) — $85.00 (List Price $85.00)

Shark RV1000AE IQ Home Mapping Self-Empty Robot Vacuum — $288.00 (List Price $479.99)

LG Ultragear 32GBN600-B 32" 2560x1440 165Hz HDR Monitor — $279.00 (List Price $349.00)

Dyson V10 Absolute — $599.99 (List Price $599.99)

Dyson Big Ball Turbinehead Canister Vacuum — $499.99 (List Price $599.99)

TP-Link Deco S4 Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi System (2-Pack) — $79.98 (List Price $99.99)

75" TCL Class S4 4K Smart TV — $105.99 (List Price $529.99)

65" Amazon Omni Series 4K HDR Smart Fire TV — $449.99 (List Price $669.99)

GoPro Hero11 Black — $299.99 (List Price $299.99)

Dell XPS 13 9315 (Intel Core i7 12th Gen, 512GB SSD, 16GB RAM) — $799.00 (List Price $1,099.00)

Dell XPS 15 9530 (Intel Core i7 13th Gen, RTX 4050, 1TB SSD, 16GB RAM) — $1,499.00 (List Price $1,999.00)

Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 Tablet (32GB, Dark Gray) — $224.99 (List Price $224.99)

Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise-Cancelling Over-the-Ear Headphones (Black) — (List Price $349.99)

Blink Mini Compact Indoor Plug-in Smart Security Camera — $9.99 (List Price $29.99)

All-new Blink Outdoor (3-Camera Kit) — $249.99 (List Price $249.99)

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Samsung’s M Series TVs Just Dropped to Their Best Prices Yet

Pradershika Sharma — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 13:30:34 +0000

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

Samsung’s 65-inch M80H is down to $647.99 from $797.99 on Amazon, while the larger 75-inch M70H is $549.99 from $597.99, with price trackers showing both at their lowest prices so far. The choice really comes down to whether you care more about gaming features or getting the biggest screen for your money. The M80H is the more capable option on paper, with HDMI 2.1 bandwidth and a 144Hz refresh rate, so it makes more sense if you plan to connect a newer console or gaming PC. Even then, I would not buy it just for the 144Hz label, because its slower pixel response can still make fast motion look blurry.

65-inch Samsung M80H TV

75-inch Samsung M70H TV

The 75-inch M70H is easier to understand as a size-first buy. At $549.99, it gives you a lot of screen for a family room where most of the time will be spent streaming shows, watching sports, or putting on movies rather than chasing high frame rates. Neither TV is especially strong in a dark room, though, since both lack true local dimming and their lower contrast can make black scenes look more gray than black. They also struggle more with glare in brighter rooms, so placement matters if your living room gets a lot of daylight. The M80H at least has good out-of-box color accuracy for standard content, while Samsung’s smart TV platform means both sets can handle the usual streaming apps without needing another device.

That is also why I would treat these as value buys rather than obvious upgrades. The M70H makes sense if your priority is simply getting a 75-inch TV for around $550, while the M80H is the better fit if you specifically want HDMI 2.1 and a higher refresh rate. Anyone more focused on HDR, black levels, or gaming performance should also look at alternatives like the TCL QM6K or Hisense U65QF, since both add local dimming and stronger overall picture performance, making either a better fit for someone prioritizing picture quality over the Samsung name.

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These Ryobi Cordless Tools Are up to 69% Off for Home Depot's Early Labor Day Sale

Becca Lewis — Fri, 28 Aug 2026 13:00:00 +0000

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

If you have any fall home maintenance or DIY projects to tackle, Labor Day sales are an excellent time to shop for tools. Ryobi is a solid DIY brand because their 18-volt batteries are compatible with over 300 cordless tools and the batteries last a long time before needing to be replaced. Here are some worthwhile Labor Day deals on Ryobi cordless tools at Home Depot.

$139.00 at Home Depot

$268.00 Save $129.00

$139.00 at Home Depot

$268.00 Save $129.00

ONE+ HP 18V Brushless Cordless 4-1/2 in. Angle Grinder with 4.0 Ah High Performance Battery

ONE+ HP 18V Brushless Cordless Oscillating Multi-Tool with 4.0 Ah High Performance Battery

ONE+ 18V Cordless 1/4 in. Hex Screwdriver Kit with Compact Battery and Charger

This Ryobi cordless circular saw is 48% off

A circular saw is a necessary tool for most DIY woodworking and repair projects. You can use it to cut materials like plywood and two by fours. Having a portable circular saw is especially useful if you don’t have a table saw because you can use it to make long, straight cuts.

The Ryobi 18-volt 7 ¼-inch circular saw is on sale for $139, 48% off its regular price. The saw comes with an 18-volt, 4-amp-hour battery. This saw has an attachment port for a shop vac or dust collection system, which can be used to control dust for safety as well as an easier cleanup.

This Ryobi angle grinder is 60% off

An angle grinder can be used for cutting or grinding metal for DIY projects; you can use it to shape hardware or to cut off the ends of screws or nails that stick through your material. For any DIY projects that involve metalworking, an angle grinder is an essential tool.

The Ryobi 18-volt angle grinder is now $99, 60% off its regular price. It comes with an 18-volt, 4-amp-hour battery. This grinder can make up to 210 cuts per charge on one battery so you’ll be able to get a lot done on a single charge. I use an angle grinder to nip off the ends of screws if they go too far through my joints and poke out.

This Ryobi oscillating multitool is 60% off

An oscillating multitool is the most versatile tool in your cordless tool set; you can use it for cutting wood, PVC, metal, drywall, and more. You can get a variety of blades for cutting different materials and you can also swap out attachments for sanding and polishing.

The Ryobi 18-volt oscillating multitool is currently $99, 60% off its usual price. It comes with an 18-volt, 4-amp-hour battery, a plunge-cut blade, a flush-cut blade, and a sanding attachment. You can adjust the speed of the oscillating tool for the specific project you’re working on. I like to use the sanding attachment when I’m refinishing furniture—it can get into tight spaces more easily than a larger tool.

This Ryobi driver set is 69% off

A good quality cordless driver is an essential component of a DIY kit—you’ll need it for driving screws or drilling holes. For anything from fence repair to hanging a flat screen TV, a driver will be indispensable.

The Ryobi 18-volt ¼-inch driver tool is on sale for $49.97, 69% off its typical price. This tool comes with an 18-volt battery and a charger. This is a good tool for a beginner DIY kit or for a home maintenance tool set. Because of its light weight design, it isn’t as powerful as an impact driver, so it isn’t recommended for heavier and denser materials like hardwoods or plaster.

New Apple MacBook Air with Apple M1 Chip (13-inch, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD Storage) - Silver (Latest Model) — $749.99 (List Price $999.00)

Acer Predator Orion 5000 (Intel Core i7 12th Gen, RTX 3080, 1TB SSD, 16GB RAM) — $1,099.99 (List Price $2,199.99)

HP Victus 15L (Intel Core i7 13th Gen, RTX 3060, Dual Storage, 16GB RAM) — $799.99 (List Price $1,399.99)

2021 Apple 10.2-inch iPad (Wi-Fi, 64GB) - Space Gray — $199.99 (List Price $329.00)

SanDisk Extreme Pro 1TB Portable SSD — $188.79 (List Price $188.79)

Sony LinkBuds S — $159.99 (List Price $159.99)

Apple AirPods Wireless Earbuds (2nd Generation) — $84.99 (List Price $159.00)

Apple Watch SE (GPS, 40mm, Silver Case, Blue Band) — $85.00 (List Price $85.00)

Shark RV1000AE IQ Home Mapping Self-Empty Robot Vacuum — $288.00 (List Price $479.99)

LG Ultragear 32GBN600-B 32" 2560x1440 165Hz HDR Monitor — $279.00 (List Price $349.00)

Dyson V10 Absolute — $599.99 (List Price $599.99)

Dyson Big Ball Turbinehead Canister Vacuum — $499.99 (List Price $599.99)

TP-Link Deco S4 Whole Home Mesh Wi-Fi System (2-Pack) — $79.98 (List Price $99.99)

75" TCL Class S4 4K Smart TV — $105.99 (List Price $529.99)

65" Amazon Omni Series 4K HDR Smart Fire TV — $449.99 (List Price $669.99)

GoPro Hero11 Black — $299.99 (List Price $299.99)

Dell XPS 13 9315 (Intel Core i7 12th Gen, 512GB SSD, 16GB RAM) — $799.00 (List Price $1,099.00)

Dell XPS 15 9530 (Intel Core i7 13th Gen, RTX 4050, 1TB SSD, 16GB RAM) — $1,499.00 (List Price $1,999.00)

Samsung Galaxy Tab A8 Tablet (32GB, Dark Gray) — $224.99 (List Price $224.99)

Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise-Cancelling Over-the-Ear Headphones (Black) — (List Price $349.99)

Blink Mini Compact Indoor Plug-in Smart Security Camera — $9.99 (List Price $29.99)

All-new Blink Outdoor (3-Camera Kit) — $249.99 (List Price $249.99)

Deals are selected by our commerce team

Twitch Is Down

Joel Cunningham — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 21:08:54 +0000

Update: As of 5 p.m. EDT, the problem seems to have largely been resolved, as reports on Downdetector have dropped from a high of around 10,000 to under 500. Twitch still has not commented on the issue beyond its initial status message.

If you're having some trouble logging into Twitch for a gaming session right now, it's not just you: According to Downdetector, thousands of users are reporting issues with the online gaming platform.

It looks like the problems began around 2:30 p.m. EDT, when reports of access issues started to trickle in. By around 4 p.m., those numbers spiked to almost 10,000 and remain elevated as of this writing. Twitch has yet to reveal what might be causing the problem or offer a timeframe for a fix, with its status page merely sharing the following:

Service Negatively Impacted: We have received reports of impacted services. This could manifest in chat not working, login difficulties, search impaired, etc. We're looking into the issue.

No additional updates have been shared on the company's social media profiles, including X. According to Twitch, the platform experienced its last major outage two years ago, in August 2024.

This 65-Inch TCL QLED TV Is 40% Off Right Now

Daniel Oropeza — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 19:30:00 +0000

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

I've been recommending TCL QLED TVs as a great value ever since I tested the QM7 last year. With time, TCL has been pushing what consumers can get for their money even further. I covered the great deal on the more premium QM8L last week, and now the midrange version, the QM7L, is getting its turn in the deal spotlight.

Right now, the 65-inch version is $897.99 (originally $1,499.99), after a 40% discount. That's the lowest price this 2026 mini-LED TV has yet reached, according to price tracking tools. Other sizes are also seeing great discounts right now, and you can save an additional $50 or $100 if you pair the purchase with a TCL sound system.

TCL 55 Inch Class QM7L Series

TCL 65 Inch Class QM7L Series

TCL 85 Inch Class QM7L Series

$2,499.99 Save $802.00

TCL 98 Inch Class QM7L Series

$2,499.99 Save $802.00

$3,999.99 Save $1,502.00

$3,999.99 Save $1,502.00

The QM7L sits between the more budget QM6K and the more premium QM8L. It is available from 55 inches up to 98 inches. All sizes will have a different number of dimming zones; the 65-inch version has 1,152, offering strong contrast and deep black levels, even when scenes have bright areas (especially noticeable around subtitles).

This TV advertises a maximum brightness of 3,000 nits, but reviews suggest it's actually higher, up to 3,500. Its glossy display could help lessen reflections from sunlight, but you'll notice rainbow smearing if you have a direct light in front of the TV. The biggest con of the QM7L is the color accuracy. Reviews like this find the image will look warmer out of the box than intended, and that HDR content will have a blue tint. However, the TV can always be calibrated.

The biggest selling point of the QM7L is the value it offers for the price. Coming in at over $600 less than the QM8L for the 65-inch version, it is a smart pick for those who want premium features and specs without breaking the bank. If you're looking for a great deal on a midrange mini-LED QLED from 2026, you can't go wrong with this one.

Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now

Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $225.00 (List Price $249.00)

Apple iPad 11" A16 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Silver, 2025) — $399.99 (List Price $449.00)

Sony WH-1000XM5 — $198.00 (List Price $399.99)

Google Pixel 11 Pro 256GB Unlocked Phone With $200 Amazon Gift Card (Obsidian) — $1,299.00 (List Price $1,299.00)

Google Pixel Watch 5 (41mm, Wi-Fi, Obsidian) — $399.99 (List Price $399.99)

Deals are selected by our commerce team

You Can Get a Free Motorola Razr+ From T-Mobile Right Now

Naima Karp — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 19:00:00 +0000

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

Back in 2004, I was cool enough to own a Motorola Razr when it was the trendiest phone around, so I’m excited to see it making a comeback more than 20 years later, even if I’m now an iPhone user. The release of the Motorola Razr+ taps into the nostalgia boom, reviving its iconic flip-phone design with a larger outer display and plenty of modern features, and right now, T-Mobile is offering a brand new device for free (no trade-in required) when you activate a new line on an eligible Experience Beyond plan.

In this case, “free” means getting the phone’s cost back in the form of monthly bill credits. The Razr+ normally costs $999.99, and this T-Mobile deal spreads that value across 36 monthly bill credits. Essentially, you’ll pay for the phone through your financing agreement and receive offsetting credits over three years. You’ll still have to pay sales tax on the pre-discount price at checkout, as well as T-Mobile’s $35 device connection charge.

To qualify for the deal, new and existing customers can activate a new line on an Experience Beyond 2.0 account. (Existing customers who are still on the older Experience Beyond or Go5G Next plans may qualify as well.) The plan starts at $100 a month with AutoPay, before taxes and fees. The major perk here of this offer that there’s no trade-in requirement, making the deal more straightforward than many flagship phone promotions, especially if you don’t have another device to hand over.

There are a couple of caveats to consider: The promotional line needs to stay active and in good standing if you want to keep getting those monthly credits. If you cancel the line or the whole account, those credits will stop, and you’ll need to pay the remaining phone balance. Additionally, if you pay the phone off early, the bill credits will end, too. According to T-Mobile, credits can take up to two billing cycles to appear, and customers who canceled their lines within the past three months might need to reactivate them before qualifying. You can get up to four discounted devices per account, but this deal can’t be combined with other promotions.

The Razr+ runs on the Qualcomm Snapdragon 8s Gen 3 processor and has a 4-inch external display that can run full apps, letting you respond to messages, navigate maps, and listen to music without opening the foldable. Ultimately, if you’ve been craving that flip phone nostalgia and are already committed to T-Mobile’s premium Experience Beyond plan, this is a great way to get your hands on a Motorola Razr+ without a trade-in. For other folks, the required plan cost and 36-month commitment are worth considering before you sign up.

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Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $225.00 (List Price $249.00)

Apple iPad 11" A16 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Silver, 2025) — $399.99 (List Price $449.00)

Sony WH-1000XM5 — $198.00 (List Price $399.99)

Google Pixel 11 Pro 256GB Unlocked Phone With $200 Amazon Gift Card (Obsidian) — $1,299.00 (List Price $1,299.00)

Google Pixel Watch 5 (41mm, Wi-Fi, Obsidian) — $399.99 (List Price $399.99)

Deals are selected by our commerce team

If You Loved 'Lost,' There's One Movie You Need to Watch Next

Jeff Somers — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 17:30:00 +0000

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

It’s been more than 15 years since Lost went off the air, ending a legendary run on broadcast television. Though the show could be frustratingly slow to reveal its secrets, it remains one of the best TV shows of the modern era—and one of the most influential, with a host of other series playing off a similar “mystery box” premise and shuffled timeline.

Fans of the show have never stopped looking for a viewing experience that matches it in terms of surprise and heartfelt, emotionally rich storytelling (if that describes you, you’ve probably already watched all of these streamalikes offering similar vibes), so allow me to suggest the one movie that fits the bill perfectly: Jacob’s Ladder, a 1990 psychological thriller starring Tim Robbins.

Why Jacob's Ladder has Lost vibes

On the surface, Jacob’s Ladder might not seem like an immediate match for the heady sci-fi-tinged, character-based storytelling of Lost—but once you dig deeper, the narrative and tonal parallels become clear. In the film, Jacob Singer (Robbins) is a struggling Vietnam Veteran living in Brooklyn in 1975, four years after a disturbing incident with his unit that ended with Jacob being stabbed by a bayonet. Haunted by his dead son and his wartime experiences, Jacob’s descends into a living nightmare, filled with hallucinations of monstrous figures. But something most mysterious is happening, and while the ending is a clear antecedent to Lost’s infamous finale, there are many visual echoes as well.

Jacob’s Ladder is arguably a horror movie, and is certainly more frightening and disturbing than Lost, which was more philosophical and even optimistic in its approach. But the way Jacob’s reality is plagued by a mounting sense of mystery and dread will remind you a lot of the early seasons of Lost, when the Others and the Hatch were ominous mirages hiding in the shadows of that mysterious island. And the film's ultimate payoff—and its message that sometimes, the devils we perceive to be attacking us are actually angels trying to save us—will resonate with anyone who was all-in on Jack Shephard’s inner struggles (and Lost’s overarching themes of atonement and redemption).

Finally, there’s the non-linear way Jacob’s Ladder deals with time, which echoes the flashbacks, flash-forwards, and flash-sideways moments in Lost. As Jacob’s life dissolves into an increasingly hellish chaos, his experience of time becomes shuffled and blurred, with the past (and alternate futures) intruding on the present in disorienting ways. Just like in the show, these flashes of Jacob’s life slowly paint a picture of his true present, and his ultimate fate. It’s an intense and often frightening film, but fans of Lost will love it. Stream Jacob’s Ladder on Fubo or rent it on Prime Video.

Jacob’s Ladder (1990)

$4.99 at Prime Video

More movies to watch if you love Lost

Need more mysterious islands, heavy sci-fi concepts, and stories of survival against supernatural forces? Here are a few more movies for Lost fans.

Sweetheart (2019)

Deserted island? Check. Mysterious monster? Check. Flawed people hiding secrets? Check. When her boat sinks, Jenn (Kiersey Clemons) washes ashore on an island where the only sign of humanity is a set of old graves. At night, she’s attacked by a terrifying sea monster. When some of her friends wash up on the beach, having also survived the disaster, they don’t believe Jenn's warnings—and shebegins to wonder if she can trust them. If you loved the survival aspect of Lost’s story combined with the complex (and often hidden) relationships between the characters, Sweetheart will go down easy. Rent Sweetheart on Prime Video.

Sweetheart (2019)

The Maze Runner (2014)

If you want more stories about a group of strangers who find themselves in an isolated and ominous wilderness, with a puzzle box mystery that has to be pieced together, this 2014 adaptation of the novel by James Dashner is the ticket. Waking up without any memory, teenage Thomas finds himself in the Glade, where the only possible escape is through a dense maze surrounding it. The maze is patrolled by dangerous biomechanical creatures called Grievers. Determined to escape, Thomas and a group of other imprisoned teens must acquire clues to the maze’s operation and eventually learn what’s really going on. Like on Lost, it involves a mysterious organization, seemingly abandoned facilities, and a mounting series of twists. Rent The Maze Runner on Prime Video.

The Maze Runner (2014)

https://www.amazon.com/Beach-Leonardo-DiCaprio/dp/B000I9X6BS

The Beach (2000)

Part of what hooked people on Lost was just the basic premise—a group of strangers crash-land on an island and have to figure out how to survive. The Beach isn’t a mystery, but it leans into those very human dynamics as a group of young travelers (led by a baby Leonardo DiCaprio) find their way to a pristine, isolated beach where a group of people has established an ersatz community focused on keeping the idyllic place a secret. The "Others" here are the drug dealers who tolerate the group near their farms—for now—while the biggest risk may be the slow breakdown of order among the islanders themselves. If your favorite parts of Lost involved the factions forming among the survivors, the Tailies, and the Others, watch this movie. Rent The Beach on Prime Video.

The Beach (2000)

Primer (2004)

Lost probably sucked you in with the hints of mystery amid the human drama generated by a group of plane crash survivors with a lot of secrets, but it slowly evolved into a sci-fi show involving time travel and a lot of other speculative stuff. If you want to break your brain with a complex time travel story that pivots off of flawed humanity and emotionally-driven bad decisions, watch Primer: When two engineers stumble upon a limited way to travel backward in time, they begin experimenting—but when, exactly, the experiments started, and which version of the character you’re watching at any given time, soon becomes a complex puzzle (seriously, there are charts online trying to figure it all out). Rent Primer on Prime Video.

The Village (2004)

The Village got some hate when it was released, but if you love the eerie atmosphere and shocking reveals of Lost, this M. Night Shyamalan joint is a great match. In an isolated 19th-century village, residents keep strict watch for unnamed monsters that lurk in the surrounding woods. When one of the villagers is grievously wounded, blind Ivy (Bryce Dallas Howard) enters the woods on a quest to travel to the wicked, forbidden “towns” to retrieve medicine. A series of reveals lets the audience in on the secrets of the insular community in classic Shyamalan fashion, and the origins of the settlement echo the founding of the DHARMA Initiative in ways that Lost fans will appreciate. Rent The Village on Prime Video.

The Village (2004)

10 Shows Like 'Ride or Die' You Should Watch Next

Ross Johnson — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 17:00:45 +0000

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

Octavia Spencer and Hannah Waddingham make for an unbeatable pairing in the Prime Video series Ride or Die, which sees Spencer as Debbie, the American wife of a British MP and Waddingham as Judith, her bestie who, it turns out, is also an elite and highly trained assassin. Good thing, too, as Debbie's marriage puts her in mortal danger pretty much from the outset. It's a rather impressively funny action thriller, and, though not all of these shows hit the same comedic beats, they all involve women who find themselves in way over their heads.

Good Girls (2018 – 2021)

Beth, Ruby, and Annie (Christina Hendricks, Retta, and Mae Whitman, respectively) are three moms in suburban Michigan, and they are all having serious money troubles. They're not exactly criminal masterminds, so they concoct a scheme to rob the local grocery store to solve them—a store that just happens to serve as a front for a money-laundering operation. They make off with $500,000—but the gang leader whose money they unknowingly stole wants it back. Oh, and the store manager spotted one of their distinctive tattoos and is threatening blackmail. It's definitely not a sitcom, but it's a solid comedy-drama with a talented cast of characters who keep finding themselves in deeper and deeper trouble over the course of four seasons. Stream Good Girls on Netflix.

Good Girls (2018 – 2021)

How to Get to Heaven From Belfast (2026 – )

How to Get to Heaven From Belfast (2026 – )

How to Get to Heaven From Belfast comes from Irish playwright and Derry Girls creator Lisa McGee, though that earlier and justifiably beloved show will only moderately prepare you for the latest. Three high school friends from Belfast reunite after learning that their fourth bestie has died unexpectedly—except that maybe she didn't, a mixed blessing given that they all have life-ruining secrets that they were hoping to bury. Now they're off to investigate the mystery of the maybe-murder, and find themselves in way over their heads and in a complex web of secrets and old vendettas, with murder and some impressive amounts of mayhem going on. The tone is all over the place in a way that somehow works, and the show has a beating heart beneath the absolute chaos. Stream How to Get to Heaven From Belfast on Netflix.

Furious (2026 – )

This crime thriller is based on the 1987 Debra Winger/Theresa Russell movie Black Widow; where that film was a stylish but fairly by-the-numbers neo-noir, the show adds depth and layers to both women at the its core: Emmy Rossum is FBI Agent Alice Black and Lola Pettigrew is foil and serial killer Catherine Grace. In this version, Catherine is sicker, more sly, and also more interesting, especially once her motivations are made known. The two leads have earned some rave reviews, and, while far less comedic than Ride or Die, it offers up some similar thriller beats, albeit from a darker place. Stream Furious on Hulu.

Furious (2026 – )

Killing Eve (2018 – 2022)

Nikita (2010 – 2013)

If it's a lady assassin you're in the market for, Nikita is one of pop culture's finest: This is just the most recent riff on Luc Besson's 1990 film La Femme Nikita, having inspired three movies and two TV shows (the earlier Canadian series is also pretty good). This one stars Maggie Q as the title's Nikita—she was brought up, Black Widow-style, to be a perfect killing machine working on behalf of a mysterious U.S. government black ops "Division"—but she fell in love with a guy who the Division then executed, and now she's out for revenge. She's going to bring down her former masters, and she's got some help from an agent of her own: Alex (Lyndsy Fonseca), a young woman who Nikita rescued and who now serves as a very handy mole. Stream Nikita on Tubi.

Nikita (2010 – 2013)

at Tubi

Killing Eve (2018 – 2022)

Sandra Oh and Jodie Comer star as the two halves of television's great cat-and-mouse narratives with Oh as Eve Polastri, a bored MI5 analyst who becomes obsessed with hunting down the brutal, notorious assassin known only as Villanelle. It starts as a professional compulsion before it gets personal, and it soon becomes clear that the fascination goes both ways. This is a spy thriller more than an action comedy, but there's a light touch when it comes to the central, and completely entrancing, relationship. Stream Killing Eve on Paramount+.

Dead to Me (2019 – 2022)

Christina Applegate and Linda Cardellini make for another all-time great TV pairing in this dark comedy about a couple of women who become united in tragedy and lies. Applegate is Jen Harding, a realtor whose husband was killed in a hit-and-run incident; she's not dealing very well, and takes a bit of inspiration from Cardellini's Judy, who has maintained a cheery disposition following her fiancé Steve's death from a heart attack—easier to do given that Steve's actually alive. And then we discover that Judy has a storage unit with a car that looks suspiciously like the one that killed Jen's husband. That's all part of the first episode, and the show only gets wilder from there. Stream Dead to Me on Netflix.

Dead to Me (2019 – 2022)

Kleo (2022 – )

With this German import, we have a Cold War-era spy thriller punctuated by moments of very dark (but very funny) comedy. Jella Haase stars as Kleo Straub, a ruthless East German Stasi assassin who was framed for treason a couple of years before the series kicks off in 1989, and who's now free to pursue brutal revenge. Sven Petzold (Dimitrij Schaad), meanwhile, is the hapless police officer who's linked Kleo to a murder he'd been investigating, and pursues her before discovering that he's in way over his head. Stream Kleo on Netflix.

Kleo (2022 – )

Black Doves (2024 – )

This genre-bender has been something of a hit for Netflix—enough to have earned a second-season renewal. Keira Knightley stars as Helen Webb, wife of the Secretary of State for Defence of the UK, and a secret spy in the employ of the mercenary spy organization of the title. She learns from her handler (Sarah Lancashire) that her lover has been killed, thus potentially blowing her cover, but luckily, she has a hitman bestie (Ben Whislaw) to help her out. It's all deliberately pulpy, with a tongue-in-cheek self-awareness that lightens the tone. Stream Black Doves on Netflix.

Black Doves (2024 – )

Down Cemetery Road (2025 – )

Down Cemetery Road (2025 – )

This one is more spy-adjacent, starring Emma Thompson as hard-living, hard-drinking private investigator Zoë Boehm. She's hired by Ruth Wilson's Sarah Trafford, a married art restorer who nobody takes very seriously (including and especially her husband), even when she becomes invested in the fate of a young girl whose family is killed in a gas explosion (allegedly) down the street. The girl, whose parents were killed, disappears into the system, and no one really seems to care until Sarah hires Zoë and her husband to look into it. Turns out both women are in way over their heads, as the missing girl points to a much broader conspiracy. The show's villains are a bit cartoonishly distracting, but Thompson and Wilson are brilliantly paired, and their performances are more than worth the price of admission. Stream Down Cemetery Road on Apple TV.

at Apple TV

The Flight Attendant (2020 – 2022)

Messy flight attendant Cassie Bowden (Kaley Cuoco) drinks too much, and isn't terribly particular about the men she sleeps with—both of which come to bite her when she wakes up in a Bangkok hotel room with a dead body, the guy's neck having been slashed. Clumsily attempting to conceal her part in whatever happened (she can't quite remember), she's quickly drawn into a larger conspiracy that goes well beyond just the one dead man. Her best friend Annie (Zosia Mamet) is a lawyer doing her best to help, but Cassie doesn't make it easy. Stream The Flight Attendant on HBO Max.

The Flight Attendant (2020 – 2022)

at HBO Max

The Best Deals on Tools and Appliances From Home Depot's Early Labor Day Sale

Daniel Oropeza — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 16:30:00 +0000

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

Home Depot is one of the first major retailers to start its early Labor Day sale, and if you're looking for deals on major appliances, tools, or gardening equipment, it's the place to look. The discounts are already in effect, and the sale will continue until Sept. 9, though some choice bargains may disappear sooner.

Below, I've rounded up some of the best deals on tools and appliances I've found so far. (And I've used price-tracking tools to make sure these "sales" are actually a bargain.)

The best deals on appliances during Home Depot's early Labor Day sale

LG 30 in. 6.3 cu. ft. Smart Oven

5-Burner Gas Range in Stainless Steel with ProBake Convection, Instaview, Air Fry

$1,499.00 at Home Depot

$2,499.00 Save $1,000.00

$1,499.00 at Home Depot

$2,499.00 Save $1,000.00

Right now, Home Depot also has an extra discount on top of its Labor Day deals. For select appliances (refrigerators, washers and dryers, freezers, ranges, wall ovens, cooktops, dishwashers, and over-the-range microwaves), you can get an additional $50 off when you spend $698; $100 off when you spend $998; $150 off when you spend $1,298; and $250 off when you spend $1,498 or more. You'll know the appliance is eligible when you see the "Buy More, Save More" banner under the price. Here are some of the best ways to score this double discount:

A stainless steel over-range microwave: Right now, the Whirlpool 1.7 cu. ft. Over-the-Range Microwave is $229 (originally $410) after a 44% discount. This microwave has two fans that help mask the odor of whatever you're cooking.
An LG gas range: If you're in the market for a new gas range, the LG 30 in. 6.3 cu. ft. Smart Oven is now $1,425 (originally $2,499), a 40% discount. (This early deal expires at 3 a.m. ET on Friday, Aug. 28.)
A Whirlpool French door refrigerator: The best deal on a 33-inch fridge at Home Depot right now is the Whirlpool 22 cu. ft. French Door Refrigerator, currently going for $1,799 (originally $2,599). This is the cheapest this fridge has been in months.
This oversized Bespoke fridge: For those who need a bigger fridge, the 36-inch Bespoke Refrigerator is also $1,799 (originally $3,199) after a 44% discount. It holds 29 cu. ft. inside with a four-door French-door design.

The best grill deals during Home Depot's early Labor Day sale

Traeger Pro Series 22 Wood Pellet Grill

Fueled by hardwood pellets

$389.99 at Home Depot

$549.99 Save $160.00

$389.99 at Home Depot

$549.99 Save $160.00

Wood pellet grills can produce a lighter wood-fire taste that charcoal or gas grills can't match. This Traeger Pro Wood Pellet Grill can fit about four chickens, five rib racks, or about 28 burger patties with its 27 inches of depth. You can get it for $389.99 (originally $549.99) right now.

Other grill deals to consider

Z Grills 697 sq. in. Pellet Grill $509.99 (originally $609)
KingChii 456 sq. in. Wood Pellet Grill $299.95 (originally $399.95)
Pit Boss 850 Navigator Series Wood Pellet Grill $699.99 (originally $799.99)

The best leaf blower deals during Home Depot's early Labor Day sale

Milwaukee M18 Brushless Cordless Handheld Blower

FUEL 120 MPH 500 CFM 18V Lithium-Ion

$149.00 at Home Depot

$199.00 Save $50.00

$149.00 at Home Depot

$199.00 Save $50.00

Fall is around the corner, and if you're looking for a leaf blower to help you manage your yard, you can get this Milwaukee M18 FUEL cordless handheld blower for $149 (originally $199).

Other leaf blower deals to consider

Ryobi 40V HP Brushless Whisper Series 180 MPH 850 CFM Cordless Battery Backpack Leaf Blower with 8.0 Ah Battery and Charger $499 (originally $629)
Ryobi 40V HP Brushless Whisper Series 180 MPH 800 CFM Cordless Battery Leaf Blower with 8.0 Ah Battery and Charger $279 (originally $349)
Homelite 12V Lithium 90 MPH 160 CFM Cordless Battery Blower with Internal 2.5 Ah Battery and Charger $39 (originally $79)

The best tool deal during Home Depot's early Labor Day sale

Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless 5-Tool Combo Kit

With (2) 2 Ah Batteries and ONE+ Charger

$179.00 at Home Depot

$466.88 Save $287.88

$179.00 at Home Depot

$466.88 Save $287.88

This Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless 5-Tool Combo Kit is perfect for those who need a solid foundation of tools to get started with DIY projects. This set comes with a drill, a reciprocating saw, a circular saw, a multi-tool, a hand vacuum, batteries, a charger, and a bag. It's selling for $179 (originally $466.88) after a 62% discount.

Other tool deals

Milwaukee M18 Fuel 18V Cordless Mid Torque 1/2 in. Impact Wrench w/ M12 FUEL 3/8 in. Ratchet & Battery/Charger Combo Kit $399 (originally $549)
Milwaukee M18 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Combo Kit (8-Tool) with (2) Batteries Charger $649 (originally $1,298)
Ryobi ONE+18V Cordless 12-Tool Combo Kit with (3) Batteries and Charger $679 ($829)

The best security camera deal during Home Depot's early Labor Day sale

This Ring Outdoor Floodlight Security Cam Plus is a wired camera with 2000 lumens—bright enough to light up most backyards—and it has a 105dB alarm that will wake you up (and probably your neighbors, too). You can get it for $119.99 (originally $199.99).

Other security camera deals to consider

Blink Mini 2K+ Indoor/Outdoor Security Cam $21.99 (originally $39.99)
Wyze Bulb Cam Plug-In $39.98 (originally $49.98)
Smart Home Security System (7 pc.) $99.99 (originally $229.99)
Defender AI Powered Guard Pro $69.98 (originally $119.99)

Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now

Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $225.00 (List Price $249.00)

Apple iPad 11" A16 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Silver, 2025) — $399.99 (List Price $449.00)

Sony WH-1000XM5 — $198.00 (List Price $399.99)

Google Pixel 11 Pro 256GB Unlocked Phone With $200 Amazon Gift Card (Obsidian) — $1,299.00 (List Price $1,299.00)

Google Pixel Watch 5 (41mm, Wi-Fi, Obsidian) — $399.99 (List Price $399.99)

Deals are selected by our commerce team

How to Completely Remove Your Data From These Online Dating Platforms

Ritoban Mukherjee — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 14:30:00 +0000

Your dating profile contains a huge amount of sensitive information about you. It has details about your gender identity, sexual preferences, geolocation, photos, political and religious views, as well as biometric data from your profile verifications. In any other context, you would think it insane to hand over this amount of sensitive information to a digital platform without a clear understanding of their data handling policies.

But we’ve been used to dating apps for a while now. They’re easy to download and set up, and accessible to anyone with a smartphone. And we’ve become complacent to any risks—so much so that most people have already forgotten how a data breach at the parent company Match Group compromised an undisclosed number of Tinder, Hinge, and OKCupid profiles just this January.

Simply deleting the app from your smartphone doesn’t do anything; even deleting your profile through the in-app account settings only goes so far. If you want to fully erase your dating profile and usage activity, you need to submit a formal data erasure request with the app’s customer support team right after you delete your profile.

It helps if you live somewhere with strong privacy laws like the GDPR or CCPA, but even if you don’t, most dating apps will honor an erasure request and having that email on the record also protects you legally in case of future data breaches.

I’ll walk you through the exact steps on how to delete your profile and data on five popular dating apps. We’ll cover account deletion, data removal, and the few things that still remain out there once disclosed.

Why closing your account isn’t enough

Most dating apps draw a clear line between uninstalling the app, deleting your profile, and permanently erasing your data from their systems.

When you delete your account on a dating site, the platform stops displaying it to other people. But they might hold on to a backup of it in their servers in case you decide to come back. This can be anywhere from 28 days to six months, or in some cases even longer.

Even when a dating profile has deleted your account and erased its backup from their servers, they still hold on to certain types of data for safety and compliance reasons. Things like payment information, fraud and safety logs, or other legally important data are kept in their records permanently, in case they need it to honor legal requests or recover due payments.

When a breach happens, though, attackers typically grab whatever information they can get their hands on, including anything pertaining to deleted profiles like your payment methods from past subscriptions. That’s why security experts always recommend submitting a data erasure request after deleting any online account that contains sensitive or private information.

Regional privacy legislation like the EU GDPR, California’s CCPA, and the Delaware Personal Data Privacy Act make it compulsory for online platforms to honor data erasure requests. Even if you don’t reside in a place with strong consumer privacy legislation, companies will usually honor data erasure requests just to be out of the way of legal action.

Removing your data from dating apps step-by-step

For this guide, I’ll be walking you through the step-by-step process of deleting your account, along with all your stored and backed-up data, from Tinder, Bumble, Hinge, OKCupid, and Facebook Dating.

You can also refer to the online documentation or usage guide of your specific dating app for up-to-date instructions on account deletion. Also, their privacy policy or terms of service pages usually contain the email you need to submit a data erasure request.

How to delete your Tinder account

You can delete your Tinder profile by tapping Delete Account from the app settings screen. Credit: Match Group

Open the app on your phone or visit Tinder.com.
Tap the profile icon, then tap the settings icon that looks like a gear.
Scroll down to the bottom and tap Delete Account.
Confirm your choice when asked. At this point, Tinder may ask why you are leaving. You can skip this if you’d rather not answer.
Deleting your Tinder profile disables and hides your profile, matches, and conversations. But a lot of your data is still retained by Tinder's parent company, Match Group. To request a full data wipe, contact them using Tinder’s Privacy Request Form.

How to delete your Bumble account

Delete your Bumble profile by tapping Delete Account from the settings screen. Credit: Bumble

On the Bumble app, tap your profile picture.
Navigate to Settings.
Scroll all the way down. Tap Delete Account.
Confirm your request if prompted to do so.
Bumble keeps a backup of your dating profile for up to 28 days. Some data, like payment methods and safety information, are retained even after that. You can reach Bumble using the built-in chat option or email DPO@bumble.com to submit a data erasure request.

How to delete your Hinge account

To delete your Hinge profile, tap on the gear icon and scroll down until you see Delete or Pause Account. Credit: Match Group

Open the app and tap the profile icon.
Tap the settings gear icon.
Scroll down till you see Delete or Pause Account. Tap that.
Select Delete Account. If Hinge offers to set you up with a Fresh Start by erasing all your dating history, you can just ignore that option and delete the account.
You can submit a data erasure request by visiting Hinge’s help center contact form.

How to delete your OKCupid account

Delete your OKCupid account by navigating to Settings > Account > Delete Account in the mobile app. Credit: Match Group

Launch the OKCupid app on your phone.
Tap the gear icon, then tap Account.
Tap Delete Account and follow the on-screen confirmation prompts from OKCupid.
You can submit a data removal request with OKCupid by raising a ticket through their help desk.

How to delete your Facebook Dating account

Open the Facebook app and navigate to Dating > General > Delete Profile after tapping the gear icon. Credit: Meta

Open the Facebook app or website.
Tap the hamburger icon (☰), then select Dating.
Tap the gear icon on the Dating screen. Then switch to the General tab.
Scroll down to the bottom and tap Delete Profile.
Confirm your choice when asked.
If you’d like to request Facebook to delete specific information pertaining to your Dating account, you can raise a request using the Create a case option from Meta Help Center.

How to write a data erasure request for dating sites

When submitting a request for removing your data, you need to be explicit about exercising your legal rights without giving away any unnecessary information that the dating platform doesn’t need to have. Here are a few tips for drafting a good data removal request:

Send the request from your registered email address for that dating profile. Switching to a different email address may create verification hurdles that slow down the process.
Do not include any sensitive information like your account passwords in the message body.
If the platform is required to honor your request based on a specific privacy law in your region, be explicit about that. For example, you can cite GDPR Article 17 for EU/UK residents and CCPA, CPA, CTDPA, etc. for different US States.
Ask for a written confirmation once your data has been fully deleted from the platform.
Don’t include any unnecessary details about why you’re leaving the platform or give away any information that isn’t directly needed to honor your request.

Here’s a simple data erasure request template that you can follow:

Subject: Data Erasure Request for [Account Username or Registered Email]

To Whom It May Concern,

I am writing to formally request the deletion of all personal data associated with my account on [Platform Name] under the registered email address of [Your Account Email].

I am exercising my right to erasure under [Insert Applicable Privacy Legislation].

I ask that you delete all my personal information, including but not limited to profile information, photos, messages, location data, and any inferred or derived data used for matching or advertising purposes.

Please confirm in writing once the request has been fully processed.

Thank you,

[Your Name]

You can trim the legal section if the platform isn’t required to honor your request under a specific regional or state privacy law. Most dating platforms will honor a plain-language data removal request even if they are not legally required to at the time of the request. That said, citing an applicable privacy law may help expedite the timelines in your favor.

What's New on Netflix in September 2026

Emily Long — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 13:30:00 +0000

Netflix's September slate is heavy on documentaries. The newest installments of sports doc series Untold tell the story of Australian Olympic breakdancer Raygun (Untold Raygun: Breaking Badly, Sept. 1) and pro wrestler—and 80s icon—Mr. T (Untold Mr. T: I Pity The Fool, Sept. 8). The Turning Point series, which has covered geopolitical conflicts like the War on Terror, the Cold War, and the Vietnam War, returns with Turning Point: Generation 9/11 (Sept. 2), examining the impact of 9/11 on children who lost parents, journalists, and those who experienced the Afghanistan War. On the docudrama side, UNABOMBER (Sept. 25), inspired by the true story of Ted Kaczynski, stars Russell Crowe, Jacob Tremblay, and Shailene Woodley.

The second installment of Hot Ones: Extra Heat—which first premiered in July—drops on Sept. 14 at 10 p.m. ET. Host Sean Evans will be bringing spicy wings to WWE Raw. Netflix will also be hosting a live NFL matchup, played in Melbourne, Australia, between the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Rams. The game kicks off at 8:35 p.m. ET on Sept. 10.

New reality TV options include Earle Meets World (Sept. 4), an unscripted series following TikTok star Alix Earle, and Wonka's The Golden Ticket (Sept. 23), a competition set in a recreation of Willy Wonka's chocolate factory. Finally, there are new comedy specials from Jared Freid (The Family Plan, Sept. 1), Stavros Halkias (Uncle Stav, Sept. 8), and Jo Koy (Blue in the Face, Sept. 15).

Here's everything else coming to Netflix in September, and everything that's leaving.

What's coming to Netflix in September 2026

Available soon

The Great British Baking Show: Collection 14—Netflix Series
Medusa: Season 2—Netflix Series

Available September 1

Jared Freid: The Family Plan—Netflix Comedy Special
Untold Raygun: Breaking Badly—Netflix Film
17 Again
About Time
Alien
Aliens
Antz
Battleship
Big Daddy
The Blues Brothers
The Boy Next Door
Conan the Barbarian
Cruel Intentions
Dragnet
The Flintstones
Gothika
Greta
Heartland: Season 19
Jarhead
Jaws
Jaws 2
Jaws 3
Jaws: The Revenge
Kick-Ass 2
Knocked Up
Liar Liar
Neighbors
Phantom Thread
Ready or Not
Resident Evil: Afterlife
Resident Evil: Extinction
Resident Evil: Retribution
The Rite
Scarface
Shark Tale
Sleepless in Seattle
Straight Outta Compton
T2 Trainspotting
The Texas Chainsaw Massacre
Uncle Buck
Unfriended

Available September 2

Driven: Seasons 1-3
Lovesick—Netflix Series
Resident Evil: Damnation
Resident Evil: Death Island
Resident Evil: Vendetta
Turning Point: Generation 9/11—Netflix Documentary

Available September 3

Fito Páez: The World Within a Song—Netflix Documentary
Folktales
The Gentlemen: Season 2—Netflix Series
Major Crimes: Seasons 1-6
Smile 2

Available September 4

Earle Meets World—Netflix Series
Teenage Wasteland—Netflix Documentary

Available September 5

Emeril Tailgates: Season 1

Available September 8

DANG!—Netflix Series
Fauda: Season 5—Netflix Series
Stavros Halkias: Uncle Stav—Netflix Comedy Special
Untold Mr. T: I Pity The Fool—Netflix Film

Available September 9

Prom Night
Tyler Perry’s Why Did I Get Married Again?—Netflix Film

Available September 10

Call My Agent! The Movie—Netflix Film
Crew Girl—Netflix Series
NFL Melbourne Game—Netflix Live Event
The Perfect Lie—Netflix Series
We Don't Live Here Anymore

Available September 11

Go Team!—Netflix Film
Physical 100: Italy: Season 1: Batch 1—Netflix Series
Stolen Heartbeats—Netflix Series
Tribeca 25

Available September 13

Dog Man

Available September 14

Gabby's Dollhouse: Season 14—Netflix Family
Hot Ones: Extra Heat: Episode 2—Netflix Special
When Hope Calls: Seasons 1-2

Available September 15

The AI Doc: Or How I Became an Apocaloptimist
I Survived a Serial Killer: Season 1
Jo Koy: Blue in the Face—Netflix Comedy Special

Available September 16

The Doll—Netflix Series

Available September 17

The Fixers—Netflix Series
Monster: The Lizzie Borden Story—Netflix Series
Not a Stranger—Netflix Series
Plastic Beauty—Netflix Series
Stranger Things: Tales From '85: Season 2—Netflix Series

Available September 18

Best of the Best—Netflix Film
Pokémon Horizons: Season 3—Rising Hope Part 4—Netflix Family

Available September 20

Stop! That! Train!

Available September 22

Doc: Season 2
Minerva Academy—Netflix Series
Party Down: Seasons 1-3
Doc: Season 2
Party Down: Seasons 1-3

Available September 23

Habeas Corpus—Netflix Series
Lifehack
Wonka's The Golden Ticket—Netflix Series

Available September 24

A Different World—Netflix Series
Delusion—Netflix Series
House at the End of the Street
My Sad Dead—Netflix Series
Oculus

Available September 25

The Final Problem—Netflix Series
Law & Order: Season 25
STEEL BALL RUN JoJo’s Bizarre Adventure: 2nd-3rd STAGE—Netflix Series
UNABOMBER—Netflix Film

Available September 29

LEGO ONE PIECE
Mononoke The Movie: Chapter Ⅲ - The Curse of the Serpent—Netflix Film
Murder in a Small Town: Seasons 1-2

Available September 30

Ancient Aliens: Season 13
The Arena—Netflix Series
Hoarders: Season 16
What's Your Number?
The Widower: 'Til Death Do Us Part—Netflix Documentary

What's leaving Netflix in September 2026

Leaving September 1

Black Lightning: Seasons 1-4
Creed
Creed II
Creed III
Desperado
The Fault in Our Stars
The Girl on the Train
Goosebumps
The Hand that Rocks the Cradle
Hotel Mumbai
Legion
Matilda
Miracle
Muriel's Wedding
Orphan Black: Seasons 1-5
Passengers
Paul Blart: Mall Cop 2
Rocky
Rocky Balboa
Rocky II
Rocky III
Rocky IV
Rocky V
Rookie of the Year
Rudy
Scooby-Doo
Scooby-Doo 2: Monsters Unleashed
Zombieland

Leaving September 7

Poor Things
Redeeming Love

Leaving September 10

Bombshell

Leaving September 11

Girlfriends: Seasons 1-8

Leaving September 15

Four Weddings and a Funeral
Nashville: Seasons 1-6
Spartacus: Blood and Sand
Spartacus: Gods of the Arena
Spartacus: Vengeance
Spartacus: War of the Damned

Leaving September 18

Lopez vs. Lopez: Seasons 1-2

Leaving September 23

Anatomy of a Fall

This Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Bundle Is $125 Off Right Now

Pradershika Sharma — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 13:00:00 +0000

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

Amazon’s Fire TV Soundbar Plus with Subwoofer is down to $249.99 from $374.99, and price trackers show that this is its lowest price so far. The soundbar by itself normally costs about $250, even though it is currently discounted to $149.99, so the extra $100 here is largely paying for the wireless subwoofer. That addition should make movies, sports, and games feel fuller, since the 3.1-channel soundbar already gives dialogue its own center channel while the subwoofer handles the deeper low end that a standalone soundbar cannot reproduce as convincingly. You also avoid adding rear speakers around the room, although Amazon does have the fuller 5.1-channel version with rear speakers on sale for $399.99, down from $489.99.

Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus with subwoofer

Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus

With subwoofer and surround sound speakers

Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus

The hardware is fairly easy to work into a typical living room setup: The soundbar measures 24 inches across, so it takes up a decent amount of space under a TV, but wall-mounting hardware is included if you'd rather keep the stand clear. The included HDMI cable is the connection you will want to use for Dolby Atmos and DTS:X, and HDMI ARC or eARC also lets your regular TV remote handle the soundbar’s volume. As for the subwoofer, it pairs wirelessly with the bar, which gives you more freedom to place it where the bass sounds best, though it still needs to be near a power outlet.

Amazon keeps things simple elsewhere, though, since there is no wifi or companion app and most adjustments are handled through the included remote. It is also worth knowing that this is strictly an audio product: It is not Alexa-enabled, does not support Alexa Home Theater, and has no Fire TV streaming built in, so you will still need a separate Fire TV device or compatible smart TV for that experience, notes this PCMag review. Those omissions may not bother someone who simply wants better dialogue, stronger bass, and Dolby Atmos support without moving to a full surround system, and at $249.99, that is where this bundle makes the most sense.

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Apple iPad 11" A16 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Silver, 2025) — $399.99 (List Price $449.00)

Sony WH-1000XM5 — $198.00 (List Price $399.99)

Google Pixel 11 Pro 256GB Unlocked Phone With $200 Amazon Gift Card (Obsidian) — $1,299.00 (List Price $1,299.00)

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Deals are selected by our commerce team

This Kobo Clara Colour E-Reader Is $40 Cheaper Than a Kindle Paperwhite Right Now

Pradershika Sharma — Thu, 27 Aug 2026 12:30:13 +0000

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

The Kobo Clara Colour is down to $159 from $179 on Amazon, and at that price, it looks even better next to the Kindle Paperwhite, which recently jumped from $159.99 to $199.99. The biggest difference is that Kobo gives you color without pushing you into tablet territory. Book covers, illustrations, comics, and highlights get some extra life from the 6-inch E Ink Kaleido 3 screen (though the color side is softer at 150 ppi), while regular black-and-white text still looks sharp at 300 pixels per inch. Plus, its 16GB of storage should give you plenty of room for a large ebook collection, and you also get Bluetooth support if you want to switch over to Kobo audiobooks.

Kobo Clara Color

$179.99 at Amazon

With Lockscreen Ads

Kindle Paperwhite 16GB

$199.99 at Amazon

Kobo’s built-in OverDrive integration is another reason the Clara Colour works well for frequent readers, since you can connect a library card and borrow supported ebooks directly on the device instead of paying for every title you want to read. Once those books are loaded, it is also easy to carry around for long stretches—at 6.1 ounces, it stays comfortable in one hand, while the IPX8 waterproof rating means you can read by the pool or in the bath without worrying too much about splashes. Its recessed screen also handles outdoor glare well, and its battery life can stretch for weeks depending on your brightness and wireless settings.

On the downside, loading your own books can be more inconvenient—unlike a Kindle, where you can email files or use Send to Kindle, the Clara Colour generally requires you to connect it to a computer, notes this PCMag review. You also miss out on physical page-turn buttons, which Kobo reserves for the more expensive Libra Colour. One thing Kobo does better than most ereader makers, though, is repairability. Its partnership with iFixit means you can buy official replacement parts for components such as the battery or display instead of automatically replacing the entire device if something breaks. All said, the Clara Colour is easier to recommend, especially now that it gives you color, built-in library access, and waterproofing for $40 less than the Kindle Paperwhite.

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Apple iPad 11" A16 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Silver, 2025) — $399.99 (List Price $449.00)

Sony WH-1000XM5 — $198.00 (List Price $399.99)

Google Pixel 11 Pro 256GB Unlocked Phone With $200 Amazon Gift Card (Obsidian) — $1,299.00 (List Price $1,299.00)

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Deals are selected by our commerce team

10 Hacks Every Google Wallet User Should Know

Emily Long — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 21:00:00 +0000

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

For Android users, Google Wallet is an obvious way to carry digital payment cards and passes for everything from tap-to-pay to boarding flights. But there's a lot more to the app than storing cards and making transactions. Here are the hacks you need to know to get the most out of Google Wallet.

Enable location permissions so Google Wallet can automatically pull up the card or pass you need

If you have loyalty cards, gym passes, or other location-specific items saved in your Google Wallet, you can set up permissions that allow the app to suggest them to you as soon as you're in proximity. This time-saving shortcut means you don't have to go searching for the relevant card or pass when it's needed. You'll need to ensure Google Wallet has access to your device location via Settings > Apps > Google Wallet > Permissions. Then select the card in Google Wallet, tap the three-dot menu, and toggle on Get notifications for this card.

Digitize passes that don’t automatically integrate with Google Wallet

If your pass or ticket is already digital, you can simply tap "Add to Google Wallet" to store it. But for those that aren't—library cards, gym passes, parking passes, etc.—Google can digitize them for you as long as there's a barcode or QR code on the card. All you have to do is take a photo of the pass with your Android device, then tap Add to Google Wallet > Photo, select the image of your pass, add a name and description, and hit Add. From there, you can use the digital version the same way as the hard copy.

Turn on Gmail integration to automatically import passes from your email

If you buy a plane or concert ticket and receive an email confirmation to your Gmail account, Google Wallet can automatically pull those passes in and organize them so you don't have to search for them later or add them manually. Smart features must be enabled for Gmail for this to work. In Google Wallet, tap your profile icon, go to Settings > Add passes from Gmail, and select your email account. On the next screen, ensure Smart features is checked.

Link Google Wallet and Google Maps to integrate your transit pass information into route planning

Google Wallet also plays nice with Google Maps: If you have a transit card saved in your Wallet, Maps will recognize your pass and show you which legs of your trip are covered. For certain transit systems, it'll check your balance against route fare and prompt you to reload if needed. You'll need to enable pass sharing permissions in Google Wallet by tapping your profile photo > Your data in Wallet > Manage pass data. Toggle on Use passes across Google. You'll also need to ensure NFC is enabled in your device settings and that Google Wallet is the default contactless payment option.

Set up supervised wallets to manage your kids' payment cards and pass use

Google Family Link allows parents to set up supervised Google Wallets for their kids, which gives them access to tap-to-pay on their own Android device wherever Google Pay or contactless payments are accepted. This allows them to pay for certain purchases without you present or without having to carry a physical card. Note that kids must be the cardholder or authorized users on any card added to their Google Wallet. Supervised wallets also support loyalty passes, gift cards, boarding passes, and event tickets (but not keys, IDs, transit cards, or health records), as well as "secure balances," which are similar to a digital allowance.

Add your passport to Google Wallet for expedited security screening

A recent update to Google Wallet is Touchless ID access for travelers enrolled in TSA PreCheck. If you add your passport to Google Wallet and go through the verification process, you'll be able to access expedited TSA security screening at a long list of airports and across dozens of airlines. Previously, Touchless ID was only available to travelers flying on a handful of airlines who opted in via that airline-specific profile. Tap Add to Google Wallet > ID > ID Pass > Continue and follow the prompts.

If you buy airline, concert, or event tickets for multiple travelers or attendees on a single transaction, you can share a scannable version of the pass directly to another user's Google Wallet, allowing them to gain entry even if you're not together. If your item is shareable, you'll see a Share icon above the pass details. Quick Share lets you send the pass or card to a nearby device. Note that not all passes are shareable for security reasons, and once you share with a recipient, you can't unsend it, and they can forward it to anyone.

Enable passes for use across Google to autofill saved Wallet items in Chrome

You may already have your passport, driver's license, and other types of IDs (considered "private passes") in Google Wallet, and you can use that information to autofill forms in Google Chrome—similar to password manager functionality. Open the pass in Google Wallet, tap the three vertical dots, and toggle on Use private pass across Google. If that information isn't already in Google Wallet, Chrome will ask if you want to save it there the first time you enter it in your browser.

Connect to Gmail to track online orders in Google Wallet

Google Wallet recently added detailed order tracking built on an integration with Gmail, so you can see itemized receipts, tracking numbers, and shipping status all within the Google Wallet app. You'll need to enable Smart features and package tracking in Gmail for this integration to work. In the Gmail app, go to Menu > Settings > General > Manage Workspace Smart features settings and turn on Smart features in other Google products. In the same section, check the box next to Package tracking. Back in Google Wallet, you'll see orders arriving soon on the home screen—tap View more > View more transactions to open a more detailed view.

Use Google Takeout to export Google Wallet transactions for record-keeping

Google Wallet makes it easy to track transactions made with payment methods and linked accounts in the app, but you may want these data in a different format for household budgeting or record-keeping. You can't export directly from the Google Wallet app, but Google Takeout allows you to download your transaction history as a JSON, which can be converted into a CSV or Excel file. On your computer, go to takeout.google.com and select Google Wallet. Click All Google Wallet data included to change the type of data, click Next step, select the type, frequency, and duration, and click Create export.

The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro Smartwatch Is $250 Off Right Now

Naima Karp — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 20:00:00 +0000

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

Garmin just unveiled its new Fenix 9, which means that the equally impressive 51mm Garmin Fenix 8 Pro is now 19% off at $1,049.99 (originally $1,299.99). The smaller 47mm version is 21% off at $949.99 (originally $1,199.99). CNET calls it a “watch full of firsts,” and while it’s pricier than many sports watches, it’s a niche must-have for adventurers and athletes who want pro-level performance and potentially lifesaving features.

Garmin Fenix 8 Pro

$1,199.99 Save $250.00

VITURE Beast XR/AR Glasses

$1,199.99 Save $250.00

Unlike the Google Pixel Watch 4, which includes emergency-only satellite messaging, the Fenix 8 Pro takes things further with two-way satellite communications, allowing you to check in with friends and family off the grid. Its inReach technology provides two-way satellite and LTE connectivity, though it requires an active subscription. Plans cost $8 to $49.99 per month and include a free 30-day trial.

Another major benefit is the ability to trigger an interactive SOS message for 24/7 assistance from Garmin’s global response center. The 1.4-inch AMOLED display is bright and durable, with a scratch-resistant sapphire lens, and LTE lets you access key communication features without relying on your phone. Battery life lasts up to 27 days in smartwatch mode.

The aesthetic is familiar, with Garmin’s signature rugged look, a sapphire crystal display, titanium bezel, and easy-to-navigate action buttons, even if you’re wearing gloves or have sweaty hands. It has a built-in speaker and mic and is water-resistant up to 100 meters, making it suitable for dives, while its built-in flashlight is a useful extra for low-light adventures. The watch has the usual sensors, including a pulse oximeter and barometer, plus ECG support and advanced insights such as endurance and hill score. It also suggests daily workouts for runners.

If you’ll get solid use out of the upgraded cellular and satellite connectivity (and don’t mind investing in a subscription to activate those features), the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro is a smart investment for outdoorsy people and athletes. If you don’t need the connectivity, the standard Garmin Fenix 8 may suffice, and it is also seeing price drops following the release of the Fenix 9.

Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now

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Sony WH-1000XM5 — $198.00 (List Price $399.99)

Google Pixel 11 Pro 256GB Unlocked Phone With $200 Amazon Gift Card (Obsidian) — $1,299.00 (List Price $1,299.00)

Google Pixel Watch 5 (41mm, Wi-Fi, Obsidian) — $399.99 (List Price $399.99)

Deals are selected by our commerce team

These Nothing ANC Headphones Are $80 Off Right Now

Naima Karp — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 19:00:00 +0000

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

Nothing over-ear headphones have been quietly taking over the audio game since launching in 2025, with a unique industrial aesthetic, impressive battery life, and ANC that rivals top brands like JBL and Sony. Launched in 2026, the Nothing Headphone (a) are a more affordable alternative to the flagship Nothing Headphone (1)—and still retain many of the same premium features and overall vibe. Right now, a pair is 40% off, bringing the price down to a record-low $119 (originally $199).

These wireless ANC headphones, which earned a PCMag Editors' Choice Award, feature class-leading battery life, excellent sound, and effective noise cancellation. They last up to 135 hours with ANC and AAC codec off, and 75 hours with ANC on. A quick five-minute charge gives you up to eight minutes of playback, and the headphones completely recharge in two hours. The app lets you switch listening modes, adjust how much high- and low-frequency noise gets filtered out, and enable Transparency mode.

PCMag describes the sound as “rich, bright, and bass-heavy.” The bass-boosted sound is courtesy of the More Bass EQ preset, and unlike some headphone brands, the bass is pronounced but doesn’t overpower the mids and highs, remaining fairly balanced. They have 40mm dynamic drivers and a 20-40kHz frequency response, earning them Hi-Res Audio certification.

The headphones use four HD mics to capture voices clearly, and they do a good job of blocking out ambient noise. While this is a small step down from the six mics on the Headphone (1), they’re not a stripped-down budget version. They share many of the same features, including ANC, spatial audio with head tracking, LDAC high-res codec support, and USB-C lossless audio. The main trade-offs are in material, appearance, and subtle differences in sound tuning. While still plush and comfy, the earcups aren’t quite as supple as those on the flagship pair.

That said, you might actually prefer the Nothing Headphone (a) if you want a more low-key look. They also have better battery life, and the lighter materials make them more comfortable and compact. If you’re looking for a long-lasting, feature-rich pair of over-ear ANC headphones that back up the aesthetics with genuinely strong sound, the Nothing Headphone (a) is a solid option.

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Google Pixel 11 Pro 256GB Unlocked Phone With $200 Amazon Gift Card (Obsidian) — $1,299.00 (List Price $1,299.00)

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These Viture XR/AR Smart Glasses Are $140 Off Right Now

Amanda Chatel — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 18:30:40 +0000

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

If you’re looking for XR glasses, the Viture Beast XR/AR glasses are now 20% off, making them $548.98, down from $689. These glasses feature a micro-OLED display with 1920 X 1200 resolution and a brightness of 1,250 nits, making the display easier to see on bright days. The screen has an auto transparency feature, tweaking the opacity of the display based on what sort of content you're looking at. These glasses also have a larger-than-usual virtual display at 174 inches, as well as a 58-degree field of view, and a refresh rate of 120 Hz.

VITURE Beast XR/AR Glasses deal

The Viture Beast glasses also feature built-in software that converts 2D content (like games and movies) to 3D in real time. They have an Android operating system, but are also compatible with iOS, Android, macOS, and Windows.

They also come in two sizes: regular, which goes to 70 iPDs (the measurement in millimeters between the centers of your pupils) and large, which is up to 74 iPDs, and are made of aluminum-magnesium alloy, making them extremely light weight—3.1 ounces, to be exact. These glasses include adjustable arms and comfortable nose pads, for long-time wear, and are prescription ready. The Viture Beast XR/AR glasses come with a one-year warranty.

10 Hacks Every Google Pixel 11 User Should Know

David Nield — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 18:00:00 +0000

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Part of the fun of upgrading your phone is digging into all the new features and functions it offers, and it's no different with Google's recently unveiled Pixel 11 series. While there are hardware bumps in these phones, many of the most notable selling points are on the software side, with a bunch of upgrades related to AI and Android 17.

Google Pixel 11 Pro XL

$1,299.00 at Amazon

If you've invested in a Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, or Pixel 11 Pro Fold, then these are the best tricks to try out first. All of these hacks are exclusive to the 2026 flagships, though we might see some of them trickle down to older handsets over time (for now, Google isn't saying one way or the other).

Install this app to take full control of HiLight

HiLight is new to the Pixel 11, and uses a rear LED light to alert you to incoming calls from the most important people in your life—the idea being that it helps you cut out the rest of the noise associated with owning a smartphone in 2026.

You can configure HiLight from Settings by choosing System > HiLight, but there's not actually much configuring to do. It only works for Gemini chats and calls from contacts marked as favorites, with a simple toggle switch in both instances. You can choose different colors for different contacts, but that's about it.

To do more with HiLight, though, you can install HiLight Studio. This third-party tool unlocks HiLight for use with more apps on your phone, and gives you full control over the colors displayed, making HiLight much more useful.

Use Camera Looks filters to add imperfections to your photos

One of the Pixel 11 exclusives in the Camera app is what Google is calling Camera Looks. They work like subtle filters, similar to the Photographic Styles on iOS, with gentle adjustments to contrast and colors that give your images a different feel (and can remove the ultra-clean, over-processed vibe of Pixel photos in general).

Open the Camera and tap the controls button (lower right), then Looks. This gives you access to the four different options you can apply by default when snapping images: Original (the usual Pixel processing), Natural (for "relaxed details"), Shadows (for "deeper contrast"), and Vanilla (for "a warm, golden glow").

There are four Camera Looks to choose from. Credit: Lifehacker

Limit zooming to avoid AI-generated imagery

Here's a tip about not using a Pixel 11 feature. If you have the Pixel 11 and Pixel 11 Pro Fold you can go up to 30x with Super Zoom, while on the Pixel 11 Pro and the Pixel 11 Pro XL there's Pro Zoom up to an incredible 120x.

The Pro Zoom levels get you closer to the action, sure, but they also use generative AI to enhance what's in the photo. It's not just sharpening and enhancing; it's actually inventing new details based on the pixels that are already there (which is why you have to download a generative AI model the first time you use Pro Zoom).

The 30x Super Zoom uses AI too, but of a different type: Rather than generating details, it's combining photo frames and analyzing colors to sharpen up an image, like a traditional image editor filter. This applies up to a 30x zoom level, Google says, so you know where to stop if you don't want any AI elements being added in.

With Pro Zoom shots, Google Photos will save both the AI-enhanced version and the raw digital zoom version—you can switch between them in the app and choose the one you like best.

Use Magic Capture to automatically take photos while recording videos

It's the perennial problem of the modern age: How do you make sure you've got photo memories of an event while still staying present in the moment? Of course you'd like snaps of your kid's birthday party, but you don't want to spend the whole time glued to your phone.

This is where Magic Capture comes in: You can enable it from the Camera app by tapping the icon to the left of the photo icon, just under the main shutter button. You then tap the shutter button to start a video capture, and then let it record. You can focus on what's happening rather than looking at the Camera app and taking individual photos.

When you stop the recording, AI swings into action to pick out still images that look like highlights from the footage—so presumably someone blowing their candles out, raising a toast, or reaching the crest of a wave, depending on the scenario.

Use Pause Point to block distractions on your pixel

Every phone maker has come up with multiple ways to try and keep us from getting too addicted to our devices, and the latest digital well-being idea from Google is the Pause Point feature for the Pixel 11 phones.

It's pretty simple, which means it just might work: For the apps you specify, you get a mindfulness prompt every time you open them up. Those few seconds of thought and self-reflection could help you realize that no, you don't actually need to open up Instagram or X again today.

To set this up, go to Settings, tap Digital Wellbeing, and then Pause Point to pick the apps you'd like it to apply to. This doesn't seem to be live yet, however, despite Google announcing it and including it in its official support documentation. Keep an eye out for it appearing in updates over the next few weeks.

The Pixel 11 lets you set specific vibrations for specific contacts. Credit: Lifehacker

Set custom vibration patterns to identify specific contacts

Another way to reduce screen time is to create unique alerts for each contact, so you know who's getting in touch with you just from the way your phone pings or buzzes. The Pixel 11 phones help with this by letting you customize vibrations in a couple of handy ways.

First, you can set specific vibrations for specific contacts, as well as specific audible ringtones (which has long been an option). From the Contacts app, tap on a name, then Contact ringtone, and you can choose a vibration pattern as well as a sound.

You can also change the default vibration patterns for calls and notifications, which you couldn't before—though not on a per-app or per-contact basis. From Settings, pick Sound and vibration, then Ringtone or Notification.

Use the built-in teleprompter to create content directly on your pixel

Attention, content creators! If you're using your Pixel 11 to record video for public consumption, you can make use of a built-in teleprompter to read your scripts—no third-party app required.

From the Camera app, tap the video icon (to the right of the photo icon, under the shutter button), then tap the settings button up in the top left corner. If you switch to the Creator tab, you'll see there's a Teleprompter toggle switch you can turn on.

Once it's enabled, tap the Teleprompter icon on the capture window to enter your text (you can of course paste it in from somewhere else if you want). When the video recording starts, as you begin to talk through the script, it'll automatically advance for you.

Use the Pixel search bar to find your stuff faster

This is one of the more well-hidden new features on the Pixel 11 phones. Pixel Search is designed to make it easier to find stuff on your phone (like messages and files) from a single search bar, but it's not the search bar on the home screen.

Instead, it's the one above the app grid. Swipe up on the home screen to get to the app grid, then tap in the search box at the top. The first time you do this on your Pixel 11, you'll see an introduction to the feature, together with a Go to Settings link.

Follow that link, then Apps in search results, and you can choose the content that Pixel Search will dive into—across Google Calendar, Google Drive, Gmail, Google Photos, and Settings, for example.

You can choose which apps are included in Pixel Search. Credit: Lifehacker

Ask Rambler to edit dictated text

There's an exclusive Gboard add-on for Pixel 11 devices called Rambler, which Google has positioned as a super-smart upgrade on voice dictation. Phones have been able to turn speech into text for a long while now, but Rambler is better at dealing with natural speech rhythms, filler words, and pauses.

It's also better at editing. If you say "the meeting at 2pm... or rather 3pm" in your ramble, the "3pm" will make the finished transcript. If you're reviewing text Rambler has transcribed, you can launch Rambler again to make edits to it with natural prompts, too—something like "change the day from Friday to Saturday."

Load up Gboard on your Pixel 11 (any text input box will do), tap the microphone button, then read through the Rambler introduction and tap Get started. Once it's set up, it can be launched at any time through the microphone button.

You can go back to the standard voice dictation at any point, if you prefer it: From Gboard tap the menu button (the four squares on the left), then pick Settings > Voice typing.

Use this screensaver to turn your Pixel 11 into a bedside clock

You can use StandBy mode to turn an iPhone into a bedside clock, and the Pixel 11 handsets have something similar—sort of. From Settings, choose Display and touch > Screen saver, and you'll see there's a new Charge option there.

This displays a progress bar showing charge status, and a clock. Enable it, and if you hook your Pixel up to a magnetic wireless charger overnight, you've got a decent, minimal bedside display that works in portrait or landscape orientations.

If You Loved 'Sugar,' There's One Movie You Need to Watch Next

Jeff Somers — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 17:30:00 +0000

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Sugar on Apple TV is remarkable in a lot of ways. One part old-school throwback to classic noir (complete with literal flashes of classic films), one part unexpected sci-fi twister, and one part Colin Farrell’s charisma, it’s a show that defies easy categorization while being very easy to simply enjoy.

The big twist was divisive, but worked exceptionally well because it wasn’t just a twist for shock value—it recontextualized the story and John Sugar’s character in exciting ways that honored its noir roots. If you want more stories of deadpan detectives navigating a grimy world of secrets, mysteries, and violence (with a few surprises thrown in), there are plenty of shows to check out. If you’ve been there and done that, there’s one movie that all fans of Sugar should probably watch: 1955’s Kiss Me Deadly.

Why fans of Sugar will enjoy Kiss Me Deadly (1955)

You might recognize this film even if you’ve never seen it: It’s one of the old movies cut into Sugar to show John’s inner monologue and the films he’s watched to understand human nature. It shows up twice in season one, and the reasons why are clear: The main character, detective Mike Hammer (Ralph Meeker) drives around L.A. in a cool Corvette just like John Sugar; the story is a perfect tonal match for Sugar; and there’s a big-swing, wild twist at the end that sets it apart from most other classic noirs from the middle of the 20^th century.

Kiss Me Deadly was adapted from Mickey Spillane's novel of the same title, and is one of the most influential noir films ever produced. Mike Hammer is the quintessential hard-nosed private detective who has a deep sense of ethics. Cynical and happy to solve his problems with violence, he can’t resist pursuing true justice, so when a woman named Christina (Cloris Leachman) wanders in front of his car while wearing nothing but a coat, he offers her a ride. And when they’re assaulted by goons and Christina is violently murdered, he wakes up in the hospital determined to find out what’s behind her death.

Hammer is explicitly the precise type of detective that John Sugar wants to emulate, and Kiss Me Deadly is a story that straddles both the noir and sci-fi genres, just like the show (it’s actually got an entry in The Encyclopedia of Science Fiction). The visual style and bleak tone in the film have been referenced, repurposed, and outright stolen in hundreds of films since. If you love the noir atmosphere and shocking reveal in Sugar, Kiss Me Deadly is the perfect film to watch. It’s actually kind of the perfect film to watch in general. Stream Kiss Me Deadly on JustWatch or at The Internet Archive (Note: This is a colorized version).

Kiss Me Deadly (1955)

at Justwatch.com

More movies like Sugar

Need more noir? More twists? More aliens? We got you. Whether you love the hard-boiled mystery, the unexpected twists, or gorgeous visual sense of the series, here are some other films fans of Sugar will love.

L.A. Confidential (1997)

Based on James Ellroy’s novel, L.A. Confidential is a perfect choice if you want more stylized, modern noir like Sugar. While it doesn’t have the genre bending of the series, the story is dark and twisty enough to keep your brain occupied throughout its running time. Set in early 1950s Los Angeles, it’s a story of a fading dream as a few cops try to navigate a corrupt police department and city government with their souls intact, and only partially succeed. Rent L.A. Confidential on Prime Video.

L.A. Confidential (1997)

The Third Man (1949)

One of the greatest films ever made (and another movie referenced directly in the series), The Third Man is set far away from 1950s L.A., instead telling a story set in post-World War II Vienna. An American author, Holly Martins, arrives after receiving a job offer from old friend Harry Lime, only to learn that Lime was killed in a car accident. While Martins is no John Sugar—he’s not the sharpest investigator in the world—he stumbles into a complex mystery involving a (you guessed it) mysterious third man spotted at the scene of Lime’s death. If you love the vibe of ominous mystery that suffuses Sugar, you owe it to yourself to watch this. Stream The Third Man on Kanopy, Plex, or Tubi, or rent it on Prime Video.

The Third Man (1949)

The Long Goodbye (1973)

Director Robert Altman and screenwriter Leigh Brackett’s adaptation of Raymond Chandler’s novel is set in the early 1970s, but gumshoe Philip Marlowe (Elliot Gould in a triumph of unexpected casting) seems trapped in an earlier era, driving a classic car and chain smoking his way through the twisty story, making his detective as much a fish out of water in L.A. as John Sugar. The story is an unpredictable masterpiece of misdirection, and the vibe is spot-on for fans of the show. Stream The Long Goodbye on Hoopla or Tubi, or rent it on Prime Video.

The Long Goodbye (1973)

Brick (2006)

If you love how Sugar reimagines the tropes of noir mysteries, check out Rian Johnson’s debut film, Brick, which applies those same tropes to a story set in a suburban high school. When teenager Brendan (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) gets a worrying call from his ex-girlfriend shortly before her death, he launches a classic investigation that uncovers a swamp of crime, corruption, and betrayal. Marked by tight, crime novel-flavored dialogue and a compelling mystery, Brick is the unexpected noir treat fans of Sugar will love. Rent Brick on Prime Video.

Brick (2006)

Angel Heart (1987)

If you’re craving a story about a classic noir detective character that has a speculative twist like John Sugar’s secret, check out Angel Heart. In New York City in 1955, private investigator Harry Angel (Mickey Rourke) is hired by the mysterious Louis Cyphre (Robert De Niro) to locate a missing man named Johnny Favorite. Harry reluctantly sinks into a quagmire of lies, violence, and self-loathing as he traces Johnny’s movements—and where it all leads is both a shock and a genre twist, with a powerful final shot you won’t soon forget. Stream Angel Heart on Kanopy, Hoopla, or YouTube, or rent it on Prime Video.

Angel Heart (1987)

$5.99 at Prime Video

This Is the Best Ad-Free Alternative to Apple Maps

Jake Peterson — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 17:00:00 +0000

This week, Apple Maps officially launched ads in search. It's not necessarily a surprise, mind you: We learned back in October that Apple planned to roll out ads at some point. But it's still a bit jarring to see Apple actually commit to the plan. Now, most of the mainstream navigation apps come with ads, which makes getting around without dealing with ads difficult—but not impossible.

How Apple Maps' ads work

Once ads hit your app, you'll start seeing them when you search for new destinations. That includes both in the new "Suggested Places" section, as well as within search results as well. Like other platforms that float sponsored items to the top of search results, you'll likely want to be a bit more scrupulous, since the top pick might not actually be the most relevant to your query.

What's more, there's no way to actually disable these ads. There are ad blockers for iPhone, but they're limited, and won't block Apple's own ads. As such, it just doesn't feel very "Apple" to deal with ads on the company's own navigation app—especially if you're already giving Apple money every month. While Apple Maps doesn't have a paid subscription, Apple offers plenty of services at a cost. As YouTuber Quinn Nelson notes, some users are paying $50 per month for Apple One, and still having to deal with ads on Apple Maps. Of course, it's the same story for Google Maps: Google's famous navigation app also has mandatory ads, whether you subscribe to one of Google's services or not. In Apple's view, its approach is better than competitors like Google, as the company is adamant its ads preserve your privacy. But even if that's the case, I'm not sure it's going to sell users on the new approach.

'Organic Maps' is an ad-free alternative to Apple Maps and Google Maps

It's tough to find a good navigation alternative to Apple Maps or Google Maps. That includes Waze, which is also owned by Google and also has ads. However, there is one solid—albeit rather underground—choice for anyone whose top priority is a lack of ads.

Organic Maps is a free and open-source app that prioritizes privacy for navigation. According to the developer, the app works entirely offline, and does not track people as they use it. (How refreshing.) As such, you could download your maps, disable cellular services, and still have the ability to navigate—of course, you can use it while connected, as well. The app supports a number of features that you'll find on other more mainstream platforms, including cycling and hiking routes, turn-by-turn directions, public transit maps, and dark mode.

Organic Maps uses OpenStreetMap to provide its navigation data. While the benefit of OpenStreetMap is that it's also open-source, so users all over the globe can add their own data points, it likely isn't as robust as Apple's map data, not to mention Google's decades of data. Still, users have generally positive reviews on the iOS App Store, suggesting that OpenStreetMap's data offers an adequate alternative to Apple Maps. Now, if you're used to scrolling through restaurant reviews or checking out Street View, you'll miss that here. While Organic Maps does have a search function, it's lacking compared to other platforms. This is definitely a navigation-first app, rather than a full Apple Maps or Google Maps replacement. Still, if you're looking for an ad-free alternative, there are few better options out there at this time.

We Now Know When Apple's Big iPhone Event Will Happen

Jake Peterson — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 16:30:00 +0000

You don't need to follow leaks and rumors to know that Apple will announce the iPhone 18 next month. The company has revealed new iPhones once a year every year since its first smartphone launch back in 2007. The real unknown, of course, is what day exactly Apple will make these announcements. As of Wednesday, we know for sure.

Ahead of the event, make sure to enter Lifehacker's Big Guessing Game. The quiz is now in its third round, and each correct guess gets you the chance to win the latest Apple Watch.

Apple just announced its next big iPhone event

Apple has set an official time and date for its iPhone 18 announcement. The company is scheduled to kick off its keynote on Wednesday, Sept. 9 at 10 a.m. PT. While Apple is inviting some media members to attend in person, anyone can watch the presentation live online. Apple's senior vice president of Worldwide Marketing, Greg Joswiak, confirmed the keynote in a post on X:

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

What will Apple announce at its iPhone event?

We don't know for sure what Apple will reveal on Sept. 9, but leaks and rumors give us some good guesses. The math tells us that Apple will go from the iPhone 17 to the iPhone 18 this year, while the leaks suggest that we'll see the iPhone 18 Pro, iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the foldable "iPhone Ultra."(Apple may delay the standard iPhone 18 to 2027, per rumors.)

The iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone 18 Pro Max will likely be standard upgrades from the iPhone 17 Pro series: Expect better cameras, bigger batteries, new colors (including the new "light blue" and "dark cherry"), the new A20 chip, and higher price tags. The star of the show will be Apple's first foldable iPhone, which will come with many of the same internals as the iPhone 18 Pros, but may ship with Touch ID instead of Face ID, and, of course, with two display types: a smaller outer display, which opens up to reveal a larger inner display. This might be Apple's most expensive iPhone yet, fetching over $2,000, but we'll have to wait and see once Apple officially announces its price tag.

This Four-Camera Eufy Security Kit Is $400 Off Right Now

Pradershika Sharma — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 16:00:00 +0000

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

The Eufy Security EufyCam S4 four-camera kit is down to $999.99 from $1,399.99 on Amazon; price trackers show that this is its lowest price so far. Each camera gives you a wide 4K view for keeping an eye on the whole scene, while a separate 2K pan-and-tilt lens can follow someone moving through it and zoom in when you need a closer look. That could mean watching the entire driveway while still following someone walking toward the garage, or keeping a broad view of the backyard without losing detail when something moves near the fence.

Four-camera kit

EufyCam S4

$999.99 at Amazon

$1,399.99 Save $400.00

$999.99 at Amazon

$1,399.99 Save $400.00

Also, since each camera comes with its own 5.5W solar panel—and Eufy says about one hour of direct sunlight per day is enough to keep the battery topped up, under typical conditions—you can mount a camera on a detached garage, shed, fence line, or far side of the house without planning the installation around a nearby outlet. The system is also wire-free, so moving a camera later is much easier than relocating a hardwired setup. You also get color night vision, which should make it easier to see what is happening around the property after dark, while radar and passive infrared sensors help make those recordings more useful by narrowing down motion alerts.

That coverage is also easier to manage because you're not relying on a cloud subscription to keep your footage. The included HomeBase S380 stores recordings locally on 16GB of built-in storage and can be expanded with a 2.5-inch drive for up to 16TB more, so you can keep a much larger archive without adding a monthly fee. It also handles facial recognition and cross-camera tracking locally, which means someone moving from the driveway toward the backyard can be followed across multiple cameras as one continuous event (as opposed to a series of unrelated clips). The main tradeoff is the high upfront cost, and a four-camera system is excessive for a small apartment or single-entry setup. For a smaller setup, Amazon also has a two-camera bundle on sale right now.

Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now

Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $225.00 (List Price $249.00)

Apple iPad 11" A16 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Silver, 2025) — $399.99 (List Price $449.00)

Sony WH-1000XM5 — $198.00 (List Price $399.99)

Google Pixel 11 Pro 256GB Unlocked Phone With $200 Amazon Gift Card (Obsidian) — $1,299.00 (List Price $1,299.00)

Google Pixel Watch 5 (41mm, Wi-Fi, Obsidian) — $399.99 (List Price $399.99)

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This Insta360 Phone Gimbal Bundle Is 30% Off Right Now

Pradershika Sharma — Wed, 26 Aug 2026 15:30:00 +0000

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

Amazon currently has the Insta360 Flow 2 Pro Ultimate AI Tracker Bundle for $159.99, down from $227.99, and price trackers show that as its lowest price so far. The main reason to consider a phone gimbal like this is not just smoother footage, but having a setup that can keep you in frame even when there's nobody behind the camera—its three-axis stabilization helps take the shake out of walking shots and handheld clips, while the built-in tripod and selfie stick make it easy to set the phone down for a vlog, workout, livestream, or travel video without carrying separate accessories.

On the iPhone, Apple DockKit support allows subject tracking across more than 200 compatible apps, while the included AI Tracker brings similar hands-free tracking to Android and iPhone users across supported apps. That tracking is where this bundle earns its higher price over a basic gimbal—it can rotate continuously through 360 degrees, so you can move around without repeatedly walking back to reposition the phone, and its multi-person mode can keep a group framed instead of locking onto one face. The AI Tracker can also follow subjects while zoomed in, with the Flow 2 Pro supporting tracking from 1x to 15x.

Its built-in fill light also helps when the lighting is poor, while its Free Tilt Mode gives you more freedom to move the camera up or down while keeping the shot stable. None of those tools will make your phone camera better by themselves, but they can make it much easier to get usable footage without repeatedly reshooting a clip. It's not waterproof, so rain, poolside filming, or other wet environments require more care than an action camera would. And some of its smarter tracking features also depend on the phone, app, and shooting mode you're using, so the experience isn't identical across every device. Still, for solo travelers, vloggers, sports parents, or creators who regularly move around while filming themselves, this $160 bundle gives you a lot more control without needing a second person behind the camera.

Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now

Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $225.00 (List Price $249.00)

Apple iPad 11" A16 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Silver, 2025) — $399.99 (List Price $449.00)

Sony WH-1000XM5 — $198.00 (List Price $399.99)

Google Pixel 11 Pro 256GB Unlocked Phone With $200 Amazon Gift Card (Obsidian) — $1,299.00 (List Price $1,299.00)

Google Pixel Watch 5 (41mm, Wi-Fi, Obsidian) — $399.99 (List Price $399.99)

Deals are selected by our commerce team

10 Hacks Every Apple Wallet User Should Know

Emily Long — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 22:30:00 +0000

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For those in the Apple ecosystem, Apple Wallet is a powerful hub for making digital payments, storing tickets and passes, and transferring cash. There are also a handful of hidden features that ensure you have quick and easy access to your cards and can customize how they're used on your iPhone and Apple Watch. Here are the hacks you need to know to get the most out of Wallet.

Add cards to Express Mode to use them even when your phone is dead

Express Mode in Apple Wallet allows you to use transit cards (and payment cards specifically for transit), keys, student IDs, and other compatible passes without waking your device or authenticating with Face ID, Touch ID, or your passcode. These passes are also available on a battery reserve, so you can still use them even if your iPhone is dead. This means you can still get home on public transit or unlock your door without needing to charge your device first. Select the card, pass, or key in Apple Wallet, tap the three dots > Card Details > Express Transit Settings or Express Mode.

It's worth noting that Express Mode would allow anyone with physical access to your device to use your passes since authentication isn't required. You may want to keep keys secured with biometrics and reserve Express Mode for transit cards, which you're more likely to need to tap and go.

Generate a virtual card number to use Apple Cash where Apple Pay isn't available

Apple Pay is increasingly accepted as a payment option online, in apps, and at brick-and-mortar merchants, but there are still plenty of places that won't accept a direct Apple Pay transaction. If you're shopping online or making a payment over the phone, you can generate a virtual card number for Apple Cash, which allows you to spend those funds directly and also keeps your real card information hidden. When you select your Apple Cash card in Wallet, tap the card icon at the top of the screen and authenticate to get the number. The three-digit security code will change each time you use AutoFill or access your card in Wallet.

Use Shortcuts to automatically select a card based on location

If you use different payment cards for different transaction types—one card offers better rewards on groceries while another is good for gas, for example—Apple Wallet can automatically suggest the correct one based on your location so you don't have to remember which is which or manually select a card each time you check out. (This is also handy for pulling up digital loyalty cards or membership passes as soon as you walk in the door.) This relies on a custom automation through Shortcuts. In the Library tab, tap the "+" button, type "Card" into the search bar, and select Open Card. Then go to Automation, tap "+," select Arrive and add the Location. You can select when to run the automation, then hit Next. For the Action, select Open Card in Wallet, select the pass or card, and confirm.

Use Tap to Cash to split bills instantly without needing contact information

Many methods of peer-to-peer payment require you to obtain some type of contact information—such as a username, email, or phone number—from the person you're sending money to or receiving money from. If they're your friend or you pay them often using a service like Venmo or Cash App, this probably isn't a hassle. But you could use Apple Wallet's built-in Tap to Cash, which transfers money instantly between two iPhones or Apple Watches without sharing private contact information. You simply need to have Apple Cash set up in advance. When you're ready to send or receive funds, open Wallet, tap your Apple Cash card, and select Send or Request > Tap to Cash. Enter the amount, tap Next, double-click your iPhone side button to confirm, and hold your device up to the other person's.

Apple Wallet can securely store a few different types of digital keys: home, apartment/condo, hotel room, car, and scooter. Your device will automatically pull up the correct key when you're in range of the lock, and you can also enable Express Mode so you don't need to authenticate with Face ID or your passcode. Car and scooter keys can then be shared, so other drivers can lock, unlock, and start your vehicle without needing a physical key. You can also set custom permissions, such as restricting the recipient's ability to reshare and, depending on the car manufacturer, setting limits on things like speed and radio volume.

When you select your car key in Wallet and tap Share, set the available permissions, add an optional activation code, and choose your recipient. You can share via Messages, Mail, WhatsApp, and AirDrop, to name a few.

Enable Apple Pay and Mail order tracking to see all of your shipments in Wallet

In addition to showing you recent transactions on each of your cards, Wallet serves as a hub for tracking orders on purchases made with Apple Pay. You just have to enable this in Settings > Wallet & Apple Pay > Order Tracking. (Also in beta is an Apple Intelligence and Siri feature that can update orders in Wallet with information pulled from Mail—this is a separate toggle in Settings.) Back in Wallet, tap the three dots > Orders.

Add your driver’s license to Wallet to verify your identity with your iPhone

Apple has continued to expand its digital ID options within Wallet so you can add your driver's license and/or state ID as well as your passport to the app and use your iPhone—instead of the physical documents—to verify your identity. Practically speaking, this is most useful when flying, as digital IDs are accepted at TSA checkpoints. (It's worth noting that only a small subset of states have compatibility with Apple Wallet.) You may also be able to use your ID from Wallet at some entertainment venues, as well for in-app verifications. Tap the "+" sign in Wallet, select Driver's License and ID Cards, choose the ID you want to add, and follow the prompts.

Enable payments on Mac to authenticate Apple Pay from your iPhone

While Apple Pay is relatively seamless for online purchases if you're using a Mac and Safari, there are other cases where you can't authenticate payment simply by using Touch ID—for example, you have your laptop docked and closed or you're using an older device without built-in biometrics. On a non-Safari browser, you also have to scan a generated code with your iPhone to complete an Apple Pay purchase. While you can't get around the latter, you can enable Allow Payments on Mac for the former, which then lets you authenticate from your iPhone or Apple Watch if it's not possible to do on desktop. Go to Settings > Wallet & Apple Pay > Allow Payments on Mac.

Convert physical cards into Apple Wallet passes

While many types of passes—library cards, event tickets, membership passes, etc.—already integrate seamlessly with Apple Wallet, some businesses may still hand out physical cards. If you want to digitize, you can use a third-party app like MakePass or Pass2U Wallet to scan and add unsupported cards to Apple Wallet. iOS 27 is coming out with a Create a Pass feature that will do this natively via Apple Intelligence.

Audit your connected merchants to remove unused subscriptions

If you use Apple Pay for recurring charges, such as subscriptions and monthly bills, you can view a list of merchants right in Wallet. Tap the three dots in the upper right corner and select Preauthorized Payments. You can also revoke payment tokens, though Apple notes that this won't cancel your subscription and associated payment—rather, it'll simply communicate to the merchant not to charge the Apple Pay method again. To actually cancel or change your payment method, you'll have to go directly to the merchant.

10 Hacks Every iOS 27 User Should Know

Pranay Parab — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 22:00:00 +0000

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If you have an iPhone 11 or newer (including the second-gen iPhone SE), you can look forward to installing iOS 27 in the fall. Apple's next big update is heavy on the AI and stability upgrades, and will likely drop sometime in September. However, iOS 27 has also been available in beta all summer. I've been running the update on my primary iPhone for nearly three months now, and during that time, I've discovered a bunch of hacks I think every iOS 27 user should know. Whether you're installing the update today or next month, you should definitely try out these useful hacks for your iPhone.

Use this new feature to customize Liquid Glass

Apple introduced Liquid Glass with iOS 26, and didn't hold back with its design choices. While some liked the changes, others have criticized Liquid Glass for focusing more on style over substance. In response, cApple introduced new ways to adjust and customize the design's transparency effects. That only continues with iOS 27. There's now a new slider that lets you reduce or almost eliminate the Liquid Glass effect. You can find it under Settings > Appearance > Liquid Glass in iOS 27. Move the slider towards the right to improve readability.

Remove the audio message button to prevent accidental voice notes

I've lost count of the number of times I've accidentally sent incomprehensible voice notes to people on iMessage. In my case, the culprit was the audio message button to the right of the text box in the Messages app. Luckily, in iOS 27, you can either change that button to dictation, or remove it altogether. To change it up, head over to Settings > Apps > Messages, and select Show in Text Field. You can pick one of these three choices: Record Audio, Start Dictation, and None. The last one (None) removes the audio message button from the text box. Note that you can still access the "Audio" option from the (+) menu, while dictation will appear in your keyboard.

Use this setting to silence alerts while keeping alarms loud

Credit: Pranay Parab

With iOS 27, Apple is making it possible to set different volume levels for ringtones, alerts, and alarms. If you want to silence app notifications and texts, but still hear your ringtones and alarms, this one's for you. To set it up, go to Settings > Sounds & Haptics, and turn off Match Ringtone Volume under "Alarms and Timers." You can now use the slider to set a different volume level for those two features. Similarly, you can turn off Match Ringtone Volume under "Alerts and System Sounds," and move the slider according to your needs.

Use this new feature to set timers directly from the lock screen

iOS 27 introduces a convenient new slider that lets you set timers from the Dynamic Island on your iPhone. To use it directly from the Lock Screen, however, you'll have to remove one of the two controls already present. Pick up your iPhone, and allow Face ID to unlock the device without leaving the Lock Screen. Now, tap and hold the screen, then tap Customize near the base of the display. Tap the "-" button next to the two controls near the bottom-right and bottom-left corners of the display. By default, these two controls are for the flashlight and camera, respectively. After deleting one control, press the + button that appears in its place, and select Timer from the list of controls. Tap the Done button in the top-right corner. Now, when you tap this button, you'll see a slider appear from the Dynamic Island up top. Move the slider to set a timer, and tap Start Timer to get it going.

Use Dual Capture to start livestreams from FaceTime

With iOS 27, you can essentially start a livestream from FaceTime for the people you're calling. A new feature called "Dual Capture" allows you to record and stream video from both the front camera and the rear camera simultaneously. This means that you can show your face and the things around you during a FaceTime call, so you don't have to pick one or the other at any given moment.

To use this feature, start a FaceTime video call with another person, and tap the "Flip" button that appears in your selfie video frame. This will start a Dual Capture session. You can stop streaming both cameras by tapping the Flip button in the bottom-left corner of the screen, which returns you to a regular selfie video. In addition, you can turn off the front camera feed in a FaceTime call. When in Dual Capture mode, tap the button that appears in the top-left corner of your front camera feed, the icon with a crossed-out person. This turns off the front camera stream, and lets you show just the feed off the rear camera. Note that Dual Capture is limited to iPhone Air, iPhone 17 series, and newer devices.

Use GymKit to connect your iPhone directly to treadmills and other cardio machines

If you or your gym has GymKit-compatible equipment, you can connect your Apple Watch to the machines to track your workouts. I use this feature all the time, but, of course, if I forget to wear my Apple Watch, or if it runs out of charge, then my workouts don't get logged. Apple is fixing this problem by bringing GymKit compatibility to iPhones. With iOS 27, you'll be able to connect your iPhone directly to compatible treadmills, elliptical machines, indoor bikes, and other cardio equipment. Whether you don't have an Apple Watch, or don't have access to it, you can continue tracking your workouts with greater levels of accuracy.

Setup is easy: As explained by 9to5Mac, you can tap your iPhone against a GymKit-enabled machine, like a treadmill, then follow the on-screen instructions to set up and track a workout, such as "Indoor Run" or "Indoor Walk." All data is removed from the machine at the end of the session, and stored directly on your iPhone. Note that this feature won't necessarily track your heart rate. However, if you have a pair of AirPods Pro 3, you can use the built-in heart rate sensor to track your workout.

Use dictation preview to reduce transcription errors

If you're tired of typos when you're dictating something to your iPhone, use iOS 27's "Advanced Dictation Preview." The new feature uses Siri AI to upgrade dictation's accuracy, and polishes text automatically—similar to Google's Rambler feature. Apple says Siri AI's dictation is now capable of "automatically handling capitalization, punctuation, and formatting" as speak, though you need to enable it manually. Advanced Dictation Preview is only available to iPhones that support Siri AI's most powerful features, including the iPhone 17 Pro series and iPhone Air. You can enable it by going to Settings > General > Keyboard > Advanced Dictation Preview.

Use the hidden recovery mode to diagnose and fix iPhone software issues

Credit: Apple

iOS 27 has a hidden macOS-like recovery mode, which allows you to diagnose and fix software problems without using a computer. Once you're running iOS 27 on your iPhone, you can access it with the following key presses:

Hit Volume Up and release it.
Press Volume Down and release it.
Hold the Side Button (power button) till you see "Loading recovery options…" on the screen.

Note that recovery mode should be a last resort to fix your iPhone, and you should not try it without understanding the risks. More than one option in recovery mode directly formats your iPhone and erases all your data, so proceed with extreme caution.

iOS 27 introduces extra-large widgets, which take up almost all of the available screen space on your device. This allows you to view all of your calendar events in a single widget. (Finally.) To try this in iOS 27, hold an empty part of the Home Screen on your iPhone, and tap the paintbrush icon in the top-right corner. Search for "Calendar," and swipe right till you see the biggest widgets. At the time of writing, Calendar offers two of these extra-large widgets: "Up Next," and "List." Hit Add Widget to drop it to your Home Screen. You can also try other extra-large widgets such as Smart Stack, Music, and other apps that support this iOS 27 feature.

Use this feature to temporarily hide your location from others in Find My

Find My allows you to share your location with your loved ones, but it can sometimes feel a bit invasive. To temporarily stop sharing your location, you could turn off your phone's GPS, but that affects all other apps which rely on location sharing features. iOS 27 has a more elegant solution, which allows you to temporarily stop sharing your location with others. To use it, open Find My, go to the People tab, and tap the three dots next to a contact's name. Under "My Location," select Hide Location, which will turn off location sharing for a day.

Is the Oura Ring Really Just Guessing at Your Sleep Score?

Beth Skwarecki — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 21:40:08 +0000

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Oura is currently being sued over its claims that the ring measures your sleep. Both the law firm bringing the class action suit and Oura itself have released statements giving their opinion on the matter, and I’ll dig into those today. I also want to talk about the underlying issue here—how much can we trust our wearables when it comes to sleep data?

Oura Ring 5

$499.00 at Amazon

What is happening with the lawsuit against Oura?

So, first, the lawsuit. It’s a class action suit being brought by Clarkson Law Firm out of California on behalf of Madison Surber, a person who bought an Oura ring. The suit states: “At the time of purchase, Plaintiff did not know that the Challenged Representations were false—i.e., that the Product could not accurately and definitively measure sleep stages.” You can read the full text here.

A press release from the law firm summarizes the problem like so: “The product cannot measure any of the physiological signals required to determine sleep quality or sleep stages. Instead, it delivers only AI-generated guesses that, according to the Complaint, are no more reliable than a coin flip.”

After the suit was filed, Oura published a blog post called “Standing Behind Our Science,” which you can read here. Oura writes: “A recent baseless, opportunistic legal allegation seeks to discredit how consumer wearables—including Oura Ring—track and estimate sleep stages. We dispute these allegations and stand firmly behind our research and accuracy.”

Beyond the suit being filed and both sides stating their position, nothing has officially happened yet, and it may be a while before we hear anything else. The case has not gone to trial, there has been no judgment, and Oura rings are still on the shelves for the foreseeable future.

It’s also worth remembering that plenty of lawsuits never even make it to trial; the two sides often end up coming to an agreement privately, and we may or may not hear what the terms of that settlement even are. It sometimes happens that a lawsuit is announced with sensational claims even if the suing party does not expect to win in the end. I’m no legal scholar, and I’m not qualified to judge who is likely to win this case or why it was brought. What I can talk about, though, is whether it’s reasonable to expect wearables to properly track our sleep.

Why you shouldn't read too much into your sleep data

As I write about fitness tech, I keep coming up against a fundamental problem: Companies make their devices report numbers, and device users want to know if those numbers are “accurate.” I do my best to judge the answer to that question, but it’s often impossible to answer.

Here’s why. First of all, only a measurement can be accurate: something like “how many beats per minute is my heartbeat?” (which I am actually able to test when I write about devices, as you may have noticed). If this measurement matches a gold-standard reference (ideally on multiple tests over time and with different people), we can judge how accurate it seems to be.

But most things a wearable reports are not, strictly speaking, measurements. They may be calculated from other data. The amount of time you were asleep is calculated from start and end times, and an algorithm had to “decide” when those start and end events happened. Similarly, even for something simple like counting steps, the device has to “know” what movement of the device should count as a step. That’s why we can get different step counts from different devices. And since a watch only has access to movement data from your wrist, it doesn’t know what your feet are doing. Indoor running mileage is also an estimate for those same reasons.

One step further removed from those stats are scores and interpretations. Some are obviously made up: A “79” sleep score doesn’t correspond to anything a scientist could measure in a lab. But sleep stages are also in this category. When Oura tells me I had 51 minutes of REM sleep last night, it doesn’t know this; it’s just putting together the data it has and making its best estimation. I’ve often told you guys not to read too much into sleep stages, but instead to take note of how long you’re sleeping in total, and to pay attention to real-world things like whether you feel tired during the day. My colleague Meredith Dietz came to a similar conclusion after interviewing sleep scientists for this look into why sleep scores are a lot less useful than you would think.

What does an Oura ring (or any wearable) actually know about your sleep?

Let’s take this back to the basics. What is happening on the ring itself? An Oura ring can shine red and green (and infrared) LEDs on your skin, and its sensors pick up reflections of that light to get a decently good sense of your heart rate and an estimate of your blood oxygen. The ring has motion sensors, so it can tell when you (or at least your finger) are moving around. There is also a temperature sensor for skin temperature.

That’s it, as far as measurements in a strict sense. From the fluctuations in the rhythm of your heartbeat, Oura can calculate your respiration rate and HRV. From accelerometer data, it can calculate the times it thinks you are lying perfectly still. Oura has written here about what it measures and what it calculates or infers from those measurements. That blog post is about the Oura Ring 4 (which is also the device named in the lawsuit), but you can expect most smart rings and other wearables to work similarly.

So, the lawsuit is technically correct in saying that Oura doesn’t actually know your sleep stages. But Oura may be able to successfully argue that it’s as correct as you can expect a wearable to be.

We will probably never know how accurate a wearable’s sleep data is

I found one of the lawsuit’s claims interesting: “Plaintiff does not personally know the mechanism or science behind the Products’ promised sleep tracking features. ... Plaintiff had and still has no way of determining whether the Challenged Representations on the Products were and are true.”

Companies that make wearables don’t share their algorithms publicly. (Maybe there’s an exception to this rule, but I can’t think of any.) Both the device itself, and the software that interprets its readings aren’t subject to any thorough, public accuracy or validity testing before a device makes it to market.

That’s why tech writers like me have to make do with “N=1” tests: I, as one person, go for a few runs and report the data I got. I, as one person, sleep a few nights comparing the readings from multiple devices. I can’t rent a sleep lab for every device review, and if I could, I’d ideally bring a few hundred friends and a lot of research funding for a team of scientists to pore over the results. That’s just not in the Lifehacker budget. Ironically, tech reporters like me are the first—and in some cases, the only—people to do in-depth independent testing on wearable devices.

Sometimes scientists do proper studies, especially on devices that are popular or that might have uses in the clinic or for research. I’m glad for these studies, but they just don’t happen on a schedule that makes them useful to regular folks who want to know if a new device does what it says it does. By the time a paper comes out telling us how the Garmin Fenix 6 did at measuring heart rate during sleep, Garmin is already selling the Fenix 8. By the time you hear about it—perhaps today?—we're already on to the Fenix 9.

The best and worst points from the lawsuit that I think are worth thinking about

In a press release from the law firm, several of the lawyers stressed that customers make choices in their daily lives based on information they get from their wearables. This is true of all wearables, not just Oura, and I think it’s a fair point. We probably rely too much on data that we shouldn’t actually trust.

Something that doesn’t ring true to me is the claim from the lawsuit that “sleep happens in the brain, not on one’s finger. It is defined by brain electrical activity, eye movements, muscle tone, and other signals...” That quote almost had me in the first half, but sleep isn’t defined by EEG readings and such. It’s measured that way in the lab.

A scientist doing a sleep study is trying to eavesdrop on what your body is doing, and toward that end, scientists have described stages of sleep based on those signals. But sleep itself is still something of a mystery to science. Professional-grade equipment probably has a better handle on what’s going on than a consumer-grade ring, but both are just describing outward signs of an inscrutable internal process.

Oura points out in their “Standing Behind Our Science” blog that several scientific and medical teams have published peer-reviewed papers on Oura’s sleep data. I commend Oura for encouraging teams to study its devices. That said, lots of familiar problems crop up when you start looking at the studies.

The most recent, for example, is this 2024 study that compares the Gen 3 Oura ring (two models back) to the Fitbit Sense 2 and the Apple Watch Series 8—all pretty out-of-date models at this point. One of the authors is a consultant for Oura and serves on its Medical Advisory board. And I don’t find the results particularly impressive; it reports a sensitivity of 75% or better on detecting sleep stages, which may be slightly better than the other devices, but still supports my longstanding opinion that we should not put too much stock in any wearable’s claims about the stages or “quality” of your sleep.

And that's where I find myself after reading both sides' claims: A smart ring (or watch) is a tool that can report its measurements, estimations, and inferences. Some of these may be useful. But none of them are ever guaranteed to be accurate. Perhaps we should all forget about chasing accuracy and pay more attention to old-fashioned things like making sure you have a good bedtime routine.

Six Quintessential Movies to Watch in Honor of Dolly Parton

Ross Johnson — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 20:34:27 +0000

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There are so few people on whom we can all agree, and that list has gotten smaller with the passing of Dolly Parton. While she'd suggested health struggles for some time, the death of Dolly always seemed impossible—or maybe just too cruel an outcome in a world with enough heartbreak already. But here we are, and even though there are going to be a lot of tears, there's a lot to celebrate.

It's her music, of course, that will live on, but her persona wasn't entirely built on songs. A larger-than-life personality with an outsized look (very much by design), her film presence is indelible, in spite of a relatively brief filmography. Her roles in two of the best films of the 1980s are so important to our cultural memories of that decade—and are so darn good—that it's hard to remember that she made that impact in just a handful of films (and a few more cameos) over the course of her career. Dolly may well have thrived in character parts and cameos, but she won and broke our hearts in movies like 9 to 5 and Steel Magnolias. It's easy to wish she'd acted more, but instead, we'll just be grateful for the absolute gems she left us.

9 to 5 (1980)

The title song nearly overtakes the film in cultural currency, but the film itself opened the 1980s on a high note, ultimately promising a better decade than we actually got. The generational team-up of Dolly, Jane Fonda, and Lily Tomlin—three women with wildly different screen personas who played off of each other marvelously—grounds the uneven silliness of the movie with real heart and soul. The three office workers inadvertently poison their sexist, egotistical, lying, hypocritical bigot of a boss (a very game Dabney Coleman) and, in the process, bring down the office patriarchy and usher in a female-driven workers' paradise. Dolly as sexy secretary Doralee Rhodes is seen by the other women, initially, as a bimbo sleeping with the boss to get her way before they discover that she's just as smart, capable, and pissed off as they are, boobs and big hair notwithstanding. The related album is just as interesting, a rare case of Dolly tipping her political hand and offering up songs about workers' rights and immigration. This is where Dolly's film career began, and it's a doozy. Stream 9 to 5 on Prime Video.

9 to 5 (1980)

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982)

The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas (1982)

This doesn't sound like a movie to win awards, and it didn't, but Dolly did pick up her second Golden Globe nomination for Best Actress. The movie, a musical with Dolly as the proprietor of a Texas brothel, finds her in a relationship with the local Sheriff (Burt Reynolds, who else?) while a local news personality (played by Dom DeLuise) plans an expose that will bring the Miss Mona's Chicken Ranch down. Dolly largely plays to type here, but it's all in good fun and not entirely devoid of substance: The hypocritical and puritanical reporter presages the increasingly loud and puritanical style of reporting that was soon to take over the news. Rent The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas from Prime Video.

Steel Magnolias (1989)

Nearly a decade after 9 to 5, Dolly joined another all-time great ensemble of women, this time with Sally Field, Shirley MacLaine, Daryl Hannah, Olympia Dukakis, and Julia Roberts. Hannah's mousy Annelle Dupuy, new in town, introduces us to Chinquapin Parish in Louisiana, and the daily lives of some of its residents. Dolly plays hairdresser (sorry: glamour technician) Truvy Jones, and there's a rather brilliant contrast between her physical performance (this is very much the extravagantly big-haired Dolly we know and love) and her character, who's very much the calm center of the film's various storms. She's the exuberant town gossip, but she's also everyone's rock during hard times. Stream Steel Magnolias on Paramount+.

Steel Magnolias (1989)

Straight Talk (1992)

As a rom-com, Straight Talk is...perfectly fine, though the pairing of Dolly and James Woods is hardly one for the ages. But the movie shines when we're not dealing with any of that and are focusing on Dolly as a plain-spoken radio host who is, as one of the songs on the memorable soundtrack reminds us, Livin' a Lie. She's dance instructor Shirlee Kenyon, divorced and fired from her job for running her mouth when she ought to be teaching. On her first day at her new job as a receptionist, she wanders into the studio and is mistaken for the clinical doctor who's meant to be giving advice—which she winds up doing on an increasingly popular talk show, even though her credentials are entirely fake (Woods is the reporter trying to expose her who later becomes a love interest). Dolly offering up plainspoken advice is such an appealing proposition that it's hard to fault the movie even where it doesn't work. Rent Straight Talk from Prime Video.

Straight Talk (1992)

Joyful Noise (2012)

Two women battle, and ultimately join together, to save a small-town church choir in Pacashau, Ga. Dolly plays G. G. Sparrow, widow of longtime choir director Bernard (Kris Kristofferson), who believes herself to be his natural successor—at least until she's pushed aside by Vi Rose Hill (Queen Latifah). But, when the choir is pushed out of the annual "Joyful Noise" competition, funding begins to dry up, and the two have to put aside their differences and blend their styles to save the day. The movie rides almost entirely on its music and the chemistry of its central pairing—but, when we're talking about Dolly Parton and Queen Latifah (alongside Keke Palmer and Jeremy Jordan), that's very nearly enough. Rent Joyful Noise from Prime Video.

Joyful Noise (2012)

Christmas on the Square (2020)

Christmas on the Square (2020)

Dolly has a key, if entirely supporting, role in this Christmas confection. It’s the holidays, and Regina Fuller (Christine Baranski) is on her way home to evict a bunch of people so she can sell the land they live on to a mall developer. Naturally, she’s got some seasonal learning to do, with help from erstwhile bestie Margeline (Jenifer Lewis) and Dolly herself, playing to type as an all-singing angel. Dolly wrote all the musical numbers, Debbie Allen did the choreography, and the results are pretty darn delightful, especially during the chilly holiday months. Stream Christmas on the Square.

Samsung 57" Odyssey Neo G9 Series (With $120 Amazon Gift Card)

This Ultra-Wide Samsung Gaming Monitor Is $650 Off (and Comes With a $120 Amazon Gift Card)

Daniel Oropeza — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 20:30:00 +0000

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An ultra-wide curved gaming monitor with ridiculous specs is every gamer's dream, but they (usually) don't come cheap. The 57-inch Samsung Odyssey Neo G9, one of the best ultra-wide gaming monitors on the market, is currently on sale for $1,449.99 (originally $2,499.99 at launch)—that's its second-best discount, according to price-checking tools, but when you take the $120 Amazon gift card that it currently comes with, it makes it the best time to snatch this premium gaming monitor.

Dual 4K UHD 1000R Curved Gaming Monitor, 240Hz, 1ms with DisplayPort 2.1, Quantum Mini-LED.

$1,699.99 at Amazon

$2,099.99 Save $400.00

$1,699.99 at Amazon

$2,099.99 Save $400.00

The Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 Series is not a regular ultra-wide gaming monitor. It has impressive specs, but you'll need a top-notch gaming computer with specific outputs to take full advantage of its 240Hz refresh rate potential.

This monitor came out in 2023 with an "excellent" review from PCMag, mainly due to its impressive 7,680 by 2,160 4K native resolution, the ridiculous 57-inch screen size, its great color range and accuracy, the 240Hz refresh rate, and its design. The VA panel also means you get a bright 1,000-nit screen. To make full use of its powerful 240Hz refresh rate, you'll need to use a DisplayPort 2.1, or you'll be limited to 120Hz. You'll also need a powerful modern graphics card that is able to push the frames at a native resolution to max out the monitor's potential.

Although it is pricey, this monitor is a great value for the right gamer. You'll need plenty of space to fit a 57-inch screen, as well as a powerful computer to justify using the monitor—if you're not a competitive gamer with a powerful computer, it's probably not worth the price tag. Instead, consider this Asus gaming monitor going for $449.99 (originally $499) right now.

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Apple Changed Its Mind on That Awful 'Hide My Email' Update

Jake Peterson — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 20:00:00 +0000

I use Apple's "Hide My Email" feature virtually every time an app asks me for an email address. I almost never share my actual email, unless I really trust the company or service asking for it or know it'll make my life easier in the long run. (If you've ever tried confirming a Hide My Email alias with a customer service rep, you know what I mean.)

If you're like me, you might have noticed some headlines earlier this summer about Apple's plans to reduce Hide My Email's efficacy. This was true, and, as designed, Apple's changes would have made it more likely that users would share their real email addresses whenever they signed up for services. But luckily, Apple is now cancelling those plans.

What is Hide My Email?

If you aren't familiar with this privacy tool, here's the gist: If you have an iCloud+ subscription, Hide My Email generates email "aliases" that forward messages to your real email address. You can use these aliases anywhere you would normally use your actual email, retaining some anonymity without sacrificing the convenience of using a single inbox.

Let's say you're signing up for a new account somewhere. Rather than use your real email address when asked, you can use Hide My Email to generate a unique, random address—something like "guppies_trick_2i@icloud.com" (seriously, they really look like this). As silly as the aliases can be, they're invaluable for preserving your privacy: Any messages sent to these aliases will forward to your actual inbox. You'll receive the email as if someone sent it to your real address, without ever actually exposing your address to the contact. What's more, if that alias is ever compromised, you can shut it down without affecting your actual email address. Win-win.

How Apple planned to make Hide My Email worse

This system has been working for years without issue. So, naturally, Apple planned on making things worse. Back in June, we learned the company had prepped to unify its "Hide My Email" alias domains with "Sign in with Apple" domains. If you've ever used Sign in with Apple—the feature that lets you sign up for services with your Apple Account—you may know the feature generates privaterelay.appleid.com domains for your account address. Per Apple, both Sign in with Apple and Hide My Email would use private.icloud.com domains. In the example above, your email alias would be "guppies_trick_2i@private.icloud.com" instead of "guppies_trick_2i@icloud.com."

From Apple's perspective, this would simplify its processes, keeping both of its privacy login features tied to the same domain. But for the rest of us, it would break Hide My Email a bit. The original design ensures that your Hide My Email alias cannot be distinguished from a standard iCloud email. While a human might see guppies_trick_2i@icloud.com and know something's odd, a system will only know that the email address is a valid @icloud.com address. As such, it treats the alias as any other iCloud email, and lets you through. The new domain, however, signals to anyone (or any system) that your email address is actually an alias. Companies could potentially block @private.icloud.com domains from signing up for services, defeating the purpose of Hide My Email entirely.

Apple had said existing Hide My Email domains would continue to operate normally, so your old aliases would carry on fine. But once the planned changes were supposed to take effect, new aliases would run the risk of failure. I would begrudgingly continue using the feature if most companies and services didn't end up treating @private.icloud.com addresses any differently from a typical domain. But if it becomes commonplace to block these Hide My Email aliases, that would change things.

Hide My Email will continue to work as designed

Fortunately, we don't need to worry about this anymore. On Monday, Apple issued an update, informing users that Hide My Email will remain on the iCloud.com domain. The update was brief, but Apple did say that the reversal came after "further consideration and reviewing community feedback," suggesting that the public outcry had an impact on this decision.

Unfortunately for Apple, this wasn't the only Hide My Email controversy to land this summer. In July, we learned that Hide My Email had a security flaw that could leak your actual email address to bad actors—defeating the purpose of the feature entirely. A security researcher reported the flaw to Apple back in June of 2025, and while the company said it was working to fix it, the flaw persisted through this year. 404 Media initially broke the story, and, about three weeks later, Apple implemented a fix. As it stands, the feature should be secure, and should now continue to work as usual, but it's been a tough summer for Hide My Email.

Email alias alternatives you can use instead

It isn't an issue now that Hide My Email isn't changing, but if you've decided you've had it with Apple, there are email alias alternatives out there you can try. Proton Mail, for example, has its own version of the feature, and while it requires a paid subscription for unlimited aliases, you can generate 10 for free. DuckDuckGo has its own version too, called Email Protection, which generates aliases using the domain @duck.com. Mozilla has an option in Firefox Relay, which also works with phone numbers.

Five Hacks Every Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro User Should Know

Meredith Dietz — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 19:30:00 +0000

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Amazfit's T-Rex 3 Pro has a lot of great headline features: A titanium bezel, a sapphire display, multi-week battery life, and on-device route planning for its “pro” version. And at $399.99, it's still on the budget end compared to similarly feature-rich rugged sports watches. Turns out, you can get even more out of this watch with some Amazfit-specific hacks. Here are five features in the Amazfit T-Rex Pro that go a bit beyond the manual.

Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro

$399.99 at Amazon

Unlock a secret developer mode in your Amazfit watch

In the Zepp app, go to Profile > Settings > About, then tap the Zepp logo seven times. Voilà: You've just unlocked developer mode. It's a fun rabbit hole if you like poking around under the hood, and it can occasionally be useful for troubleshooting sync issues or checking firmware details that the standard interface hides from you.

Developer mode also lets you install custom watch faces, rather than relying on the existing native watch face library and upload a custom face on your computer, scan a generated QR code, and install it directly onto your watch.

Let the flashlight do more than light your way

Most users know their T-Rex 3 Pro has a built-in flashlight, activated with a long press of the UP button, and the Pro version specifically pairs a white LED with a red one. The red light is the real hidden gem: it preserves your night vision, which matters if you're checking a map at a campsite or trying not to wake someone up while moving around a dark room. The flashlight also doubles as an SOS strobe, so in an actual emergency you can trigger a flashing distress signal without fumbling for your phone. If you've only ever used the white beam, it's worth knowing that red mode and SOS strobe exist a tap away. After turning the flashlight on, here's how to use different modes:

Tap the flashlight icon on the screen, or quickly press the UP or DOWN buttons to cycle through normal white intensities and the low-interference red light mode.
Press the UP and DOWN buttons simultaneously to activate an ultra-bright beam. This mode lasts for up to 30 seconds and requires a brief cooldown period before you can use it again.
Pull down the watch screen to open the Control Center and tap SOS to start emergency signaling.
Go to Settings > Assistant (or Workout) > Safety Light to enable automatic flashing patterns while running or cycling in the dark.

Ask the watch to plan your way home for you

The offline mapping system on the T-Rex 3 Pro goes further than your standard "record only" breadcrumb trail. Beyond simple point-to-point navigation, it supports round-trip routing, meaning you can tell the watch how far you want to go and it will generate a loop that brings you back to your starting point, no destination required. Pair that with auto-rerouting, which recalculates automatically if you wander off the planned path, and you get a level of route planning that used to be reserved for far pricier GPS watches. It's a great way to explore an unfamiliar trail network without any real risk of getting stuck trying to retrace your steps.

Here's how to use Amazfit's automatic round-trip route planning:

Open the map, wait for positioning, press SEL > Navigation > Create Round-Trip Route.
Choose workout type, direction, and target distance. The watch will generate a round-trip route automatically.
Tap Start Workout to begin, or Save Route to use later under My Route.

If you deviate more than 500 meters from the route during the workout, the watch will automatically trigger the route recalculation function.

Track walks with your dog as their own category

Scroll past Running and Walking, select More Workouts, and you'll find Dog Walking mode. This way, you can keep a real history of outings with your pet separate from your personal training log. Because it's tucked a couple of menu levels deep, most owners never stumble across it and end up logging dog walks as generic walking sessions instead, losing that dedicated record.

Silence everything except the apps that actually matter

If you have a T-Rex 3 Pro, you're probably who values getting out into nature, far away from screens and nonstop notifications. Still, you might want important alerts from your watch if you're heading out on a hike alone.

Head into your watch's settings and toggle individual watch app alerts on or off separately, so critical alarms and low-battery warnings still function even when everything else is muted. For app-specific control, the path is Notifications and Reminders, then App Notifications, then App Alerts, where you can enable only the handful of apps you actually care about, such as messages from a specific person, while keeping the rest of your wrist quiet during an outing. It's a small setup investment that pays off every time you're biking through the trails and don't want your wrist buzzing over a promotional email.

Bonus hack: Clear water out of your watch quickly and easily

I'd like to leave you with a bonus hack, since I assume you're not afraid of inclement weather: Amazfit has a built-in water ejection feature. Water can linger in your watch's microphone and speaker ports, muffling sound or triggering false touches. Here's what to do: Swipe down from the main screen to open the Control Center, tap the Droplet icon, and hold your watch with the speaker facing downward. The watch will vibrate at specific frequencies designed to physically push moisture out of the ports. Like all the hacks above, this is one of those features it's good to know about now, so you're ready for the moment you really need it.

This Ultra-Thin QLED TV Is 46% Off Right Now

Daniel Oropeza — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 19:00:00 +0000

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

QLEDs are a great mid-tier TV option, sandwiched firmly between cheaper LEDs and premium OLEDs—but there's a wide range within that QLED category, too. The Hisense E7SF QLED is in the low to mid-range of that category, but with its 46% discount, the price is much lower. Amazon currently has the 75-inch Hisense E7SF QLED for $699.99 (originally $1,299) and the 65-inch E7SF QLED for $599.99 (originally $999.99), which is especially notable given this model came out in April of 2026. The 75-inch one is at a new record-low price, according to price tracking tools.

Native 144Hz, AI Picture, Dolby Vision IQ · Atmos, FALD, HDR10+ Adaptive, MEMC, Alexa+

65" Hisense E7 Series 4K Hi-QLED Mini-LED Smart Fire TV (2026 Model)

Hisense 75" E7 Cinema Series Hi-QLED Mini-LED 4K Smart Fire TV

$699.99 at Amazon

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$699.99 at Amazon

$1,299.00 Save $599.01

The first thing you'll notice about the Hisense E7 is how thin and lightweight it is. It comes with four HDMI connections, one of which is an eARC connection so you can plug in a soundbar, and two with a native 144Hz refresh rate in game mode. Like most new TVs these days, it'll be 4K and have AI modes that improve picture quality. This will be most noticeable when watching sports; the TV will recognize the content and automatically switch the picture settings to sports mode. Because this is a Fire TV, it'll come with built-in Alexa+, which is a nice touch for those already in the Alexa ecosystem. You can also install Kodi to watch virtually anything for free.

Another standout feature is the support for Dolby Vision IQ and Dolby Atmos, which can make your streaming much more immersive, making your TV adapt its picture in real time to its environment and giving you a 3D surround sound experience if you have a sound system. For its price, this is an excellent choice for someone looking to upgrade their TV to a new 2026 QLED without breaking the bank.

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10 Shows Like 'Modern Family' You Should Watch Next

Ross Johnson — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 17:30:00 +0000

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The family sitcom, once a staple, has become a bit more rare over the past decade or so—but when one hits, as Modern Family did over the course of its eleven seasons, it hits big. Gone but not forgotten, the show continues to remind us that, hey—families DO come in all shapes and sizes, and that's not just fine—it's great actually. In that spirit, here are some other shows that invite us into the lives of big ol' families living the American and/or Canadian dream.

Life in Pieces (2015–2019)

Like Modern Family, Life in Pieces follows a large extended family (in California, no less) through trials both relatable and zany. Joan (Dianne Wiest) and John (James Brolin) head a family that includes Colin Hanks, Betsy Brandt, and Thomas Sadoski, with the clever conceit that each episode includes four distinct stories looking in on different members of the family; the stories often (but don't always) dovetail, but the format allows us to follow a huge cast of characters without a need for people to constantly be showing up at each other's houses. Clever. Stream Life in Pieces on Hulu.

Life in Pieces (2015–2019)

Black-ish (2014–2022)

One of our most recent great family sitcoms, focuses on a slightly smaller ensemble than that of Modern Family while still dealing with the challenges of a large intergenerational family—it also follows a similar format in that dad Dre (Anthony Anderson) narrates episodes in not-quite mockumentary style. Anderson is joined by Tracee Ellis Ross, playing a pair of successful Black parents at the head of a family dealing with typical stuff while also trying to reconcile staying true to cultural identities while living in the rich white suburbs. Kids Yara Shahidi and Marcus Scribner later split the spin-off Mixed-ish, while Dre's outspoken mother Ruby (the brilliant Jenifer Lewis) steals every scene. Stream Black-ish on Hulu and Netflix.

Black-ish (2014–2022)

One Day at a Time (2017–2020)

One Day at a Time (2017–2020)

This comedy, inspired by Norman Lear’s beloved 1975 sitcom of the same name, quickly became one of the streamer’s most critically acclaimed shows, telling the story of a Latinx family lead by Justina Machado as Lupe Alvarez, an Army Nurse Corps veteran struggling with her return to civilian life and single motherhood (she’s joined by the scene-stealing Rita Moreno as her delightfully plainspoken mother). Aside from that solid Latinx representation, the funny and big-hearted show spotlighted Justina’s lesbian daughter, Elena, and her non-binary love interest, Syd—making for a wonderfully and appropriately modern family. Stream One Day at a Time on Netflix.

Abbott Elementary (2021–)

Abbott Elementary (2021–)

Quickly establishing itself as one of the great workplace mockumentaries, and ABC's immediate successor to Modern Family in ratings success, Quinta Brunson's Abbott Elementary portrays its cast of (mostly) well-meaning characters running up against an American educational system that doesn't always reward good intentions. Set at work rather than home, the themes are different but the tone is similar, with the staff at Abbott functioning as a goofy tight-knit family, sharing their dreams, frustrations, and sassy commentary with the camera. The 2022 Emmy win for the great Sheryl Lee Ralph became a viral moment, if only because it was so well-deserved for an actress representing an incredibly talented, brilliantly funny cast. Stream Abbott Elementary on Hulu and HBO Max.

Malcolm in the Middle (2000–2006)

Malcolm in the Middle (2000–2006)

A bit of a spiritual successor to Roseanne as one of our great working-class sitcoms, Malcolm in the Middle represented the economic reality that had firmly taken hold in the real world—the fact that an office job, once seen as a big a step up, is no longer a symbol of prosperity. It's also a show about how a thoroughly zany and dysfunctional family can love with the same excess that they approach everything else with. The recent follow-up miniseries, Life's Still Unfair, is the rare revival that hits the mark. Stream Malcolm in the Middle on Hulu.

Kim’s Convenience (2016–2021)

Kim’s Convenience (2016–2021)

The Kims are a Korean-Canadian family running the title convenience store in Toronto, with Paul Sun-Hyung Lee and Jean Yoon leading the cast as the traditionally minded parents, along with a pre-Marvel Simu Liu as son Jung and Andrea Bang as daughter Janet. The show walks a deft line, bitingly dealing with issues facing immigrant families, in particular, but rarely if ever never at the expense of the comedy—mining plenty of laughs from the generation gap between Umma and Appa and the kids. Stream Kim's Convenience on Peacock.

at Peacock

The Middle (2009–2018)

Though never exactly buzzy, The Middle ran for an impressive (and remarkably consistent) nine seasons without relying on any particular storytelling gimmick or high concept: just the story of the Heck family, living in the fictional Orson, Indiana. Frankie (Patricia Heaton) begins the show as a salesperson at a used-car dealership before becoming a dental assistant, while husband Mike (Neil Flynn) manages a quarry. The show blends a bit of Malcolm in the Middle-style portrait of a sometimes chaotic family (barely) balancing work and kids with Modern Family's more sentimental leanings. Stream The Middle on Peacock and Prime Video.

The Middle (2009–2018)

at Peacock

Parenthood (2010–2015)

Lauren Graham (Gilmore Girls) plays single mother Sarah, at the head of a large ensemble cast playing members of the extended Braverman family in Berkeley, California. Not a comedy, but not (usually) a heavy-heavy drama, either, involving typical family trials across six seasons. Craig T. Nelson plays the family patriarch with Graham, Peter Krause, Dax Shepard, and Erika Christensen as the four kids, each with families of their own—providing story opportunities that the show mines ably. Stream Parenthood on Paramount+.

Parenthood (2010 – 2015)

This Is Us (2016–2022)

Where Parenthood is more of a comedy-drama, this is very much a drama-drama, and legendarily one of the most tear-jerking shows of the last decade or so—do not, I beg you, go into this expecting a lot of chuckles. Dan Fogelman's primetime drama was one of the buzziest shows of the late aughts, following the lives of the Pearson family over several decades. Introducing us to siblings Randall, Kate, and Kevin (Sterling K. Brown, Chrissy Metz, and Justin Hartley) in the present, episodes then takes us back to their early lives and those of their parents, Jack (Milo Ventimiglia) and Rebecca (Mandy Moore). Though it's not a match in tone, it's thematically surprisingly similar to Modern Family in that it's a big-hearted family show at its core, with lots of hugging and crying, and one that follows a large intergenerational family through good times and bad. Stream This is Us on Hulu and Tubi.

This Is Us (2016–2022)

Schitt's Creek (2015–2020)

Schitt's Creek (2015–2020)

With a cast this impressive—the late, great Catherine O'Hara; Eugene and Daniel Levy; Annie Murphy; Emily Hampshire; etc. etc.—the story here could be entirely incidental but, of course, this who's who of Canadian comedy talent is given plenty to work with. Having been defrauded by a business manager, the once-wealthy Rose family is forced to relocate to the title town and trying to rebuild their lives, living and working in a run-down hotel. Though the Rose family no longer has any reason for snobbery, old habits die hard, and there's comedy gold to be mined from their efforts to fit in. Stream Schitt's Creek on Hulu and HBO Max.

Garmin fēnix® 9, 47mm, Titanium, Pebble Gray

Apple Just Made Its First Product Announcements of the Season

Jake Peterson — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 17:00:12 +0000

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Anyone who follows Apple news knows the company has some big announcements on the horizon. While we don't know the exact date yet, Apple typically hosts a big fall keynote in September to announce brand new products—including the latest generation of iPhones. This year should prove especially monumental, as the world expects Apple to reveal its first foldable iPhone, the iPhone Ultra.

But while I expected to wait until next month to learn about Apple's newest devices, I was surprised to find Mac news on my feed Tuesday morning. Apple being Apple, the company made a few new announcements well ahead of its expected keynote, signaling both its enthusiasm for the Mac in this age of AI, but also that its fall event is likely going to be focused squarely on the iPhone. Here's what's new.

If you like making predictions about what products and services Apple will announce this year, make sure to check out Lifehacker's Big Guessing Game, which is currently in its third round. The winner will win the latest Apple Watch.

Apple's new Mac mini is more powerful (and expensive) than ever

The star of the show today might just be the new Mac mini. Apple's tiny Mac has been all the rage lately, with users buying them up to power AI agents like OpenClaw. While the previous generation of Mac mini was getting harder to find, Apple's refreshed models might make them more accessible—so long as you're willing to pay the inflated price tag.

At first glance, the new Mac mini looks the same as the previous Mac mini. Of course, the core upgrade is internal: Now, the Mac mini comes with one of two of Apple's M-series chips: the brand-new M6 and the existing, more powerful, M5 Pro. The M6 chip has a 12-core GPU (two more cores than the previous generation) with a 16-core NPU. Apple says that M6 has up to four times the AI performance as the M4 Mac mini, double the storage speeds and graphics, and up to 40% faster CPU gains. (Apple seems keenly aware that its core market for the mini is now AI users.) The M5 Pro, on the other hand, can ship with a CPU up to 18 cores and GPU up to 20 cores. You can upgrade the M5 Pro with up to 64GB of RAM, double the maximum memory of the M6.

Whichever Mac mini model you get, Apple says the machine comes with Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6, and 2.5Gb Ethernet—though you have the option to upgrade to 10Gb Ethernet, as well. You get two USB-C ports in the front with a headphone jack, as well as genlock support via USB-C for better sync between the display and your camera.

The new Mac mini is available to pre-order today. The M6 model starts at $899, while the M5 Pro model starts at $1,699. Both models are now $100 more than their previous-generation counterparts, which isn't surprising, seeing as the global memory crisis is pushing companies to raise prices across the board. Apple itself had already raised prices ahead of this release.

Apple's new Mac Studio comes with the new M5 Ultra

Apple's offer for users who want more power out of their Macs is the new Mac Studio. Again, this model looks similar to the previous one, but it's what's inside that's different.

The new Mac Studio comes with either Apple's M5 Max or its brand-new M5 Ultra chip. Apple says M5 Max offers 3.9 times faster AI performance than the previous generation, with an 18-core CPU and up to a 40-core GPU. The company claims the new Neural Accelerators are now 50% faster than the last Mac Studio, and you can configure it with up to 128GB of RAM.

Apple says M5 Ultra offers 4.3 times the "peak AI compute performance of M3 Ultra." If you're coming from M1 Ultra, Apple says you can expect up to 9.8 times more performance. You can configure a Mac Studio with M5 Ultra with a CPU with up to 36 cores, and a GPU with up to 80 cores, which Apple says is its most powerful graphics processor ever. At launch, you can configure the M5 Ultra with up to 256GB of RAM, but Apple says you'll soon be able to upgrade to 512GB.

The Studio has a full array of I/O components, including four Thunderbolt 5 ports, Ethernet, two USB-A ports, HDMI, and a headphone jack. You can connect it with up to eight displays, or up to four Studio Display XDRs.

You can pre-order Mac Studios today, starting at $2,499 for the M5 Max model, or $5,499 for the M5 Ultra model. (Though you can certainly pay a lot more if you upgrade the components.) The M5 Max price is technically unchanged, but it is the price Apple increased the Studio line to back in June. The M5 Ultra is now $200 more than it was before.

Apple quietly upgraded other products today, too

While Apple's official announcements were focused on its two new Mac models and M-series chips, it quietly updated some other products, as well. If you go to buy a new Magic Keyboard from Apple today, you'll notice some of the keys are different, replacing the text with glyphs (e.g., an arrow icon instead of "caps lock" text). While the keyboards are functionally the same, these small updates bring the design in line with Apple's latest laptops.

Apple's much-memed "Polishing Cloth" is also changed today, but for the better. While the product itself is the same, it now costs $9, rather than $19. It feels a bit more reasonable to drop it in your cart now, even if it is just a cloth with the Apple logo embossed in the corner.

Garmin Just Launched Two New Rugged Sport Watches

Meredith Dietz — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 16:30:10 +0000

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Garmin has just unveiled two new premium adventure smartwatches: the Fenix 9 and the Fenix 9 Pro. The product announcement came earlier today in a YouTube live event called "Play Harder"—clearly taking a page out of the Google or Apple playbook for product launches.

The Garmin Fenix 9 starts at $999.99 and costs up to $1,149.99 depending on size and color combinations. The Fenix 9 Pro and Pro Solar start at $1,099.99 and go up to $1,249.99, depending on size and color. Both watches are already listed on Garmin's site, and orders officially open on Aug. 28. Here's what we know so far about these latest additions to the Garmin lineup.

$999.99 at Garmin

Garmin fēnix® 9 Pro, 47mm, Titanium, Autumn Orange

$1,099.99 at Garmin

Garmin fēnix® 9 Pro Solar, Titanium, Pebble Gray

$1,099.99 at Garmin

Garmin fēnix® 8, Sapphire, 47mm, Titanium, Spark Orange/Graphite

$849.99 at Amazon

$849.99 at Amazon

What we know about the new Garmin Fenix 9 and Fenix 9 Pro

Marketed as Garmin's "most advanced training, mapping, and connectivity experience yet," here are the most notable features we learned from today's livestream about the Fenix 9 and 9 Pro. Starting with design and style:

A brighter AMOLED display reaching up to 3,000 nits (for context, the Fenix 8 AMOLED is 1,000 nits).
A new 1.5-inch display option on the 51 mm Pro model (larger than Fenix 8 Pro's 1.4 inches).
The Fenix 9 Pro is the first Fenix smartwatch to feature a titanium watch case.
New ComfortFit accessory bands with a stretchy fabric design.

Here are the software updates that caught my eye:

Garmin Epic (not to be confused with its Epix line) is a new feature in Garmin Connect that lets you group multiple activities and training blocks into a single, shareable story.
New stamina tracking features—including stamina zones and stamina curve—show athletes how their endurance changes over time.
Additional indoor rowing insights and expanded rucking features (a nod to the growing rucking and hybrid-training crowd).
With 64 GB of memory, you can download twice as many maps as the Fenix 8, and store up to 7,000 songs.
Built-in routable maps that Garmin claims are "smoother and more intuitive than ever before." With 50% more RAM than the Fenix 8, map panning will allegedly get up to 30% faster.
For the first time, connectivity with inReach (Garmin's satellite communicators) is available on all Fenix 9 Pro size options.
The Fenix 9 Pro also offers the option for solar-charging displays.

Notably, the optical heart rate sensor hasn't changed—it's still the Elevate Gen 5 sensor from the last generation, so anyone hoping for a sensor bump will have to wait for a future release.

What this means for Garmin fans

As is no surprise these days, the steep pricing here suggests Garmin is positioning this as an evolutionary release for its most dedicated users, rather than a reasonable way for casual Fenix 8 owners to immediately upgrade.

The 16% thinner titanium case could be a big draw for existing Fenix fans. That said, as with any product launch, the marketing demos and spec sheets only tell part of the story. Things like real-world battery life, fit and comfort, and software stability tend to reveal themselves over weeks of actual use, so stay tuned for my full review after I get the chance to put this watch through its paces.

There's also a silver lining here: The Fenix 9's arrival has already pushed Fenix 8 prices down from $1,099.99 to $849.99. If you don't need titanium or the latest mapping engine, last year's model could be today's savvy value buy.

The Garmin Fēnix 8 Smartwatch Is $250 Off Right Now

Amanda Chatel — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 14:30:00 +0000

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If you’re looking to upgrade your smartwatch, the Garmin Fēnix® 8 in titanium with a gray band is now 23% off, making it $849.99, down from $1099.99. Its 1.4-inch AMOLED display has a brightness of 1000 nits and its lens is scratch resistant. With its wide range of built-in sports apps, this Garmin tracks your endurance, stamina, resistance to injury, and other workout-related performance metrics. It also monitors sleep quality, heart rate, and respiration.

Garmin Fēnix® 8

$849.99

$849.99

Anker Prime 250W Desktop Charging Station

When fully charged, you can get up to 16 days of use in smartwatch mode and 47 hours in GPS mode. It is compatible with both Android and iOS systems, as well as laptops, tablets, and PCs. The Garmin Fēnix® 8 features off-grid voice command technology, so you can still control your smartphone even if you don’t have connection. It also includes a gyroscope and barometric altimeter, so you always know your location and what the weather has in store for you. Finally, it’s waterproof, with a 40-meter (130-foot) dive rating, and comes with a one-year warranty.

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This 250W Anker Charging Station Is 37% Off Right Now

Pradershika Sharma — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 14:00:00 +0000

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The Anker Prime 250W Desktop Charging Station is one of those products that makes more sense the more devices you own. If your desk usually has a laptop charger, a phone charger, a tablet charger, and a few USB cables scattered around, consolidating everything into a single charging hub can be genuinely useful—and right now, it is on sale for $94.99, down from its regular $149.99 price.

This charging station has six ports in total, including four USB-C and two USB-A ports, with up to 250W of combined output. That's enough power to charge a laptop, phone, tablet, earbuds, and a few other accessories at the same time without much compromise. Anker has also added a small display that shows how much power each connected device is drawing. It's a feature you probably don't think you need until you can actually see whether your laptop is charging at full speed or your phone is getting priority. Speaking of which, the charger lets you control how power is distributed. If your phone is nearly dead and you're heading out soon, you can prioritize that device while still charging everything else.

There are additional modes for charging two laptops at once, handling low-power accessories, or automatically managing power allocation without any manual adjustments. Through the Anker app, you can monitor charging activity, schedule when the station turns on or off, adjust display settings, and even add a clock screensaver to the built-in screen. None of that is essential, but it does make the charger feel more integrated into a workspace rather than just sitting there as another accessory.

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Google Pixel 11 Pro 256GB Unlocked Phone With $200 Amazon Gift Card (Obsidian) — $1,299.00 (List Price $1,299.00)

Google Pixel Watch 5 (41mm, Wi-Fi, Obsidian) — $399.99 (List Price $399.99)

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This Samsung 27-Inch OLED Gaming Monitor Is $150 Off Right Now

Pradershika Sharma — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 13:30:06 +0000

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Amazon currently has the 27-inch Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 (G80SH) for $949.99, down from $1,099.99, and price trackers show that this is its lowest price so far. This is the newer 4K OLED model, not Samsung’s similarly named G80HS, which is a 6K IPS variant, and it makes the most sense for someone who wants one screen for both high-end gaming and everyday desktop use without moving to a larger ultrawide.

27-inch Samsung Odyssey OLED G8 (G80SH)

$1,099.99 Save $150.00

32" Samsung Odyssey G8 (G80HS) Gaming Monitor

$1,099.99 Save $150.00

$1,299.99 at Amazon

$1,599.99 Save $300.00

$1,299.99 at Amazon

$1,599.99 Save $300.00

Its 4K QD-OLED panel runs at 240Hz, which gives the G80SH enough speed for competitive shooters and racing games while still keeping slower, more cinematic games looking sharp. You will need a powerful PC to get anywhere close to 4K at 240Hz, but the monitor is at least equipped for newer graphics hardware with DisplayPort 2.1 and HDMI 2.1. It also has USB-C with up to 98W of power delivery, so if this monitor doubles as a work setup, a compatible laptop can send video and charge over the same cable instead of adding another wire to your desk. FreeSync Premium Pro and G-SYNC compatibility should also help keep tearing under control, though OLED monitors can still show visible VRR flicker in darker scenes when frame pacing is inconsistent.

The bigger visual difference, though, shows up in darker games and HDR content, where blacks stay properly black and bright effects stand out without the blooming you often see on LCD monitors. That said, QD-OLED does have its own drawbacks, since blacks can take on a purplish tint in a brightly lit room, while burn-in remains a long-term concern—though Samsung does include active cooling and several screen-protection features to reduce uneven wear and says burn-in from normal use is covered under warranty. If you mostly play at lower frame rates or do not care much about OLED contrast, this is probably more monitor than you need, but for someone with the graphics hardware to take advantage of 4K at 240Hz, this discount makes the G80SH much easier to justify.

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Sony WH-1000XM5 — $198.00 (List Price $399.99)

Google Pixel 11 Pro 256GB Unlocked Phone With $200 Amazon Gift Card (Obsidian) — $1,299.00 (List Price $1,299.00)

Google Pixel Watch 5 (41mm, Wi-Fi, Obsidian) — $399.99 (List Price $399.99)

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The Out-of-Touch Adults' Guide to Kid Culture: What Is 'Gucci Morty'?

Stephen Johnson — Tue, 25 Aug 2026 13:00:00 +0000

This week's crop of things-that-only-matter-to-young people includes Gucci Morty and Chanty Beluga, two unrelated but incredibly popular meme characters, stolen source code for the biggest video game in the world, and a viral YouTube video that cost more than your house. So get ready to learn what's what and who's who among the younger generations.

What is "Gucci Morty" and why is it taking over?

Denizens of the internet create countless hundreds of thousands of memes every day, but only a tiny percentage ever gain any traction, and only one in a million really takes off. Gucci Morty is that meme this week. The image is of Morty from Rick and Morty wearing a black Gucci shirt and looking nonchalant ... and that's it. That's the whole thing.

I wouldn't have looked twice, but millions of younger people connected with the meme. Since he showed up about a week ago, Gucci Morty spread as fast as smallpox, from Instagram to TikTok to X to everywhere young people spread memes. Variations and tributes appeared, accompanied by part of "Lot of Me" by the rapper Lil Tecca, the song that gave Gucci Morty his catch phrase, "I can see you wanna vibe with me." Here's an example:

People started dressing as Gucci Morty:

It became a whole thing, with anyone under a certain age knowing Gucci Morty. But what does it mean? Why this meme? It's mostly ironic, with commenters noting Gucci Morty's endless aura, and memers putting him in "cool" situations. But the viral spread of Gucci Morty has become part of the joke, which has created a meme feedback loop, where people are posting Gucci Morty because there are so many memes of him, or posting videos where they comment on his all-of-a-sudden-everywhere nature:

Commenters seem to agree that Gucci Morty will vanish as quickly as he appeared, so get your fill now, before he becomes a "remember that one meme ..." in a few weeks.

Who is Chanty Beluga?

Gucci Morty isn't the only inexplicable viral star this week. There's also Chanty Beluga. A character created by comedian Courtney O'Donnell, Chanty Beluga is a friendly woman who likes to say "Hi, I'm Chanty Beluga" while she's doing things like ordering food, getting a coffee, or making a doctor's appointment. The videos are generally about five seconds long and get millions of views. Her popularity seems to come from a couple sources: 1) "Chanty Beluga" is a funny name. 2) The brief interactions include suggestions of a larger, stranger life for Chanty, which is never explored. Chanty Beluga buys a portable cryo-chamber on Facebook Marketplace. She's served with legal papers. She's "reading for the part of Crypt Keeper." It's not much to account for all the views, but some things just hit for people and you gotta shrug.

All about that Grand Theft Auto VI leak

There is no more eagerly awaited video game than Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto VI. Scheduled for release on November 19, 2026, Grand Theft Auto VI is is a game just about every gamer wants to play—but a few people are actually doing it. Mysterious hacker group Cyberleek has somehow gotten hold of a playable build of the game and has uploaded at least 10 gameplay videos to a Telegram Channel and a website. From there, they quickly spread everywhere, giving everyone an illicit peak of what to expect when this hits the market. But this is no viral marketing gimmick. Rockstar Games and its parent company Take-Two Interactive are furiously issuing subpoenas to Discord, Microsoft, and hosting providers to pull IP addresses and accounts linked to Cyberleek, nuking the videos when they appear. Right now, Cyberleek's site and Telegram are down, but I wouldn't be surprised if that does not stop them from posting more videos in the coming day. Cyberleek's drops are often couched in a message decrying digital-only game releases, but the real motivation isn't altruism, it's a crypto-currency scheme. Cyberleek has published a poll on its website where people can vote on what to show next through purchasing "CyberLeek" memecoin. As yet, there's no information on how, exactly, this group got its hands on GTA VI source code, leading to theories that a disgruntled employee made off with the code, or that some kind of phishing or other attack was wildly successful. The leaks are not expected to delay or alter "Grand Theft Auto 6: An Extended Look," a special streaming on Netflix beginning on August 27, nor should it affect the release date.

What is a Misery Girl?

"Misery girl" is slang for a young women with piercings, a penchant for the darkly dramatic, and highly stylized makeup that makes them appear to have a skinny, pointy nose and huge eyes and lips. Here's the kind of look a Misery Girl sports:

And here's a makeup tutorial if you want to try the look yourself:

The Misery Girl gets her name from the fact that she supposedly likes the song "Misery" by Pupsies, which you can listen to below (if you dare).

Memes about Misery Girls frequently include the phrase "Dada, play that Misery," a reference to ageplay, which misery girls are supposed to be into. They often include pictures of X user @himonkeyhamie, who I'm sure deserves none of this. Misery Girl is not a self-selected nomenclature like "goth" or "emo," and there don't seem to be a ton of people rocking the look or lifestyle. Ultimately, it's a term used almost exclusively as a slur; as many have pointed out, it's all basically an excuse weirdos use to bully altgirls.

Viral video of the week: Escape 100 Cops, Win $500,000

Back in 2017, unknown YouTuber Jimmy "MrBeast" Donaldson went viral for the first time by sitting in his room counting 100,000. That no-budget webcam stunt was enough to get millions of views on YouTube back then. This week's viral video from MrBeast has nearly 45 million views after only three days online, and it proves that you really have to up the production if you expect to go viral with a stunt video in 2026. Escape 100 Cops, Win $500,000 is among the most elaborate video ever shot for YouTube. MrBeast hired 100 off-duty Indiana State Police troopers to try to catch him and four of his friends as they hid out in a simulated town rigged with tunnels, explosives, secret rooms and more. Anyone who avoids capture for 12 hours gets a $100,000. The police department gets $500,000 if everyone is apprehended. The video required a huge production crew, legal department for the permits, explosive experts, post production department, and more. Judging from what MrBeast has said in the past about his more elaborate videos, the budget was comfortably in the multimillion dollar range.

This Luna Controller and Fire TV Stick Bundle Is 46% Off Right Now

Daniel Oropeza — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 20:30:04 +0000

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

The days of needing to commit to Nintendo, Sony's PlayStation, or Microsoft's Xbox to play AAA games are quickly becoming a thing of the past. Cloud-streaming games are becoming more popular, making jumping into a gaming session much more seamless and affordable. One of the big players leading this new movement is Amazon's Luna, which, if you didn't know, is one of the many benefits included with your Prime membership. Amazon currently has a deal on this Fire TV Stick 4k Select + Luna Controller bundle for $64.98 (originally $119.98) after a 46% discount, its lowest price ever according to price-tracking tools.

Fire TV Stick 4k Select + Luna Controller | Game streaming bundle

Prime Members already have access to a large catalog of games that you can check on the Luna website if you're curious. Here's a quick list:

Indiana Jones and the Great Circle
Hogwarts Legacy
Alan Wake 2
EA Sports FC 26
Assassin's Creed Mirage & Assassin's Creed Valhalla
Fallout Series (including Fallout 3, New Vegas, and Fallout 4)
Star Wars Jedi series

You can play them directly on a computer or your TV if you have a Fire TV Edition. Some newer Samsung Smart TVs and LG Smart TVs are also compatible with Luna. If you don't have one of these TVs, there's still hope. You can use a Fire TV Stick that can run Fire OS 5, Vega OS 1.1, or a newer software version, like the Fire TV Stick 4k Select in this bundle. The Luna Controller in the bundle connects via Bluetooth to your TV, computer, or phone, and feels like a classic Xbox remote.

If you have other PlayStation or Xbox controllers around, you can use Bluetooth to connect those to the cloud gaming, as well. There are many multiplayer games that also allow you to use phones, like Taboo or Draw & Guess; or, if you're playing on your computer, you can also use your mouse and keyboard to play.

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Google Pixel 11 Pro 256GB Unlocked Phone With $200 Amazon Gift Card (Obsidian) — $1,299.00 (List Price $1,299.00)

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Five Hacks Every Suunto Race 2 User Should Know

Beth Skwarecki — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 20:00:00 +0000

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The Suunto Race 2 is an impressive watch, delivering many of the same features of pricier Garmins at a cheaper price. It’s the bigger brother of the Suunto Run, with some capabilities its predecessor doesn't have, such as the ability to access the SuuntoPlus store. There, you can download apps and integrations so your watch can do more than just the default features.

Suunto Race 2 GPS Sports Watch

$499.00 at Amazon

There are some real hidden gems in the SuuntoPlus store, and I’ll share my favorite uses for them below. (Suunto Race 2 users should also check out the Suunto Run hacks since most of them relate to features shared by both watches. )

Download offline maps while you’re at home

Credit: Beth Skwarecki

The Suunto Race 2 can display maps right on the watch, but you need to download those maps before you head out for your adventure. You’ll want to do this at home, on a wifi connection. If you wait until you're at the trailhead to think of it, it will take forever (that is, if you can get the maps to download at all).

To download maps, tap the watch icon at the upper left of the screen, and scroll down to Offline maps. Rather than downloading a specific area, you’ll need to choose one of the available selections. In the U.S., the selections seem to go state-by-state; for example, I can download a Pennsylvania map and a West Virginia map separately, but I can’t download an area that includes bits of both.

Once you have the maps on your watch, you can leave your phone and home and either select Map from your widget list (to see the map without starting an activity), or view the map while navigating during a run.

Learn to use the SuuntoPlus store

Credit: Beth Skwarecki

Even though I knew SuuntoPlus was a big, uh, plus of Suunto’s higher-end sports watches, it took me a long time to realize just what a treasure trove it was. It’s not super clear how to actually use it or what it’s for, so here are the basics.

First, you have to find the SuuntoPlus apps you want. Tap on your watch icon, as you did above, and scroll down to My SuuntoPlus sports apps. If you know the name of the app you want, search for it here; otherwise, browse around.

To use a sports app, you’ll need to select an activity, like a run. Before starting the activity, scroll down and you’ll see a menu called SuuntoPlus. From here, you can select up to three sports apps to run during your activity. Each app will have its own screen in the carousel of data screens. (To move between these screens during the activity, press the dial.)

The SuuntoPlus store also allows you to sync workouts from TrainingPeaks or intervals.icu, or to connect with other devices like the Core 2 temperature sensor. If you’re already a user of one of those services or devices, check out their instructions. I’ll focus here on some of the lesser-known uses of the regular SuuntoPlus sports apps.

Set more accurate zones with a threshold test

Credit: Beth Skwarecki

If you’ve ever thought your heart rate zones might be incorrect (and they probably are), there’s a SuuntoPlus app that can help. Search for the one called Anaerobic Threshold, and follow the instructions. But be warned: they will lead you through a tough workout. After a warmup, you’ll be asked to run as fast as you can for 30 minutes. At the end, the app will tell you the heart rate that seems to correspond with your lactate threshold.

Now here’s the cool part: on your watch, go into Settings, then Training, then Intensity zones. Choose either the Default HR zones for all sports (what I’d recommend if you aren’t sure) or choose a sport under the advanced setting. Here, you can set the boundaries between your zones. The boundary at the bottom of zone 5 (and thus the top of zone 4) should be set to the number you got from the threshold test. If you’d like to tweak the other zones, Suunto has more information on how to calculate numbers for the other zone boundaries. Unfortunately they are not set automatically.

Use the cadence coach to work on your running form

Credit: Beth Skwarecki

Cadence is one of the easiest aspects of running form to change on purpose. Cadence means how many steps you take per minute (either per leg, or total). The quicker your steps, the shorter your stride, and the easier it is to keep your landing leg underneath you rather than overstriding. I’ve heard tons of running coaches say that quickening your cadence tends to fix a lot of form problems.

A SuuntoPlus app called Cadence Coach gives you a handy way to work on this, and you may find it useful for your warmups. Install the app, and make sure it’s enabled for your run.

By default, the app sets a target of 80 to 90 strides per minute. (That’s 160 to 180 total footsteps per minute.) It will beep at you if you’re running faster or slower than this, so you can use this screen to drill your form.

What if that’s not the right cadence for you, at least at this moment? Press the bottom button and the watch will pay attention to your cadence for one minute. Whatever cadence you used in that minute, that is now your target. You can use this feature to give yourself an easier target if you find the recommendation hard to follow, or select a cadence that is appropriate to the workout or terrain that you happen to be doing today.

Use the sprint app to automatically record your strides

This lap triggered automatically, and I did my best to take a picture while I was running. Credit: Beth Skwarecki

This is my favorite hack, by far. Stride workouts are a great way to add some speedwork into your routine without needing to measure anything specific, but there’s no easy way to review a stride session after the fact. At least, there isn’t on most watches! The Sprint app on SuuntoPlus gives us a great tool for this exact purpose.

The Sprint app starts by giving you a 10-minute warmup. Whatever pace you run (or walk) during these 10 minutes, the app will assume this is your non-sprinting pace. After this point, just run or walk normally. Anytime you speed up to a sprint (25% or more faster than your warmup pace), the watch will recognize the speed change and mark a new lap for you. It will mark a lap again when you slow down.

There’s a short lag, between five and 10 seconds, each time—so you won’t get surgical precision, but you will get a record of how many strides you did, how long each one was, and approximately how fast you were going during each stride and during the time in between them. The only way I know how to do this on other watches is to either pre-program your strides, or manually press the lap button every time. But this app lets you play them by ear, fartlek-style.

These Skullcandy Over-Ear Headphones Are $90 Off Right Now

Amanda Chatel — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 19:33:32 +0000

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A downside to earbuds is finding a pair that actually fits your ears well—but an over-ear pair like the Skullcandy Crusher 540 headphones tends to offer more comfort for more types of people—and they are currently on sale for $119.99, down from $209.99.

The Skullcandy Crusher Headphones

The ear cushions boast a breathable design that is also made to withstand sweat. (They're actually water resistant, too, so you can give them a good wipe down after an intense workout.) You might want to note that these headphones are noise-isolating rather than noise-canceling. As CNET explains, "The fundamental difference is that noise canceling is an active, electronic process. Noise isolating is, basically, passive—something to wedge in your ears to block out sound. They’re basically earplugs, except they can pipe in your Spotify."

When fully charged, these headphones will give you up to 40 hours of battery life. If you need a quick boost of power, the 10-minute "rapid charge" feature will give you up to four hours of listening time. The Skullcandy Crusher headphones are compatible with lots of devices, including laptops, Smartphones, tablets, gaming consoles, smart watches, and more. They come with a one-year manufacturer's warranty.

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What Is This 'Android Pulse' App Appearing on Everybody's Phones?

Jake Peterson — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 19:00:22 +0000

If you keep tabs on your Android app updates in the Play Store, you might have noticed something odd: You have an app called "Android Pulse" on your phone. Most of us have way too many apps on our phones, and it's easy to forget that we downloaded some of them—especially when we install them once and never use them again. But I'd wager that not only do you have no recollection of downloading Android Pulse, but you have no idea what Android Pulse even is.

I had certainly never heard of Android Pulse before Monday morning, though I admit I spend far more time on iOS than on Android. Luckily, I don't think any level of Android knowledge or use would prime one to know about the app, as it appears Android Pulse is only three days old. As reported by 9to5Google, Android Pulse started appearing in Play Store updates as early as Saturday morning. In fact, its Play Store listing shows that it was released on August 21 of this year by none other than Google itself. And yet, after only three days on the Play Store, Android Pulse has over 10 million downloads.

Android Pulse has been working in the background on your phone

As it turns out, Google didn't silently install a random app on tens of millions of Android users' devices. Rather, it's the Play Store listing itself that's new, not Android Pulse. According to its Play Store description, Android Pulse "facilitates rule distribution for anomaly detection in critical system resource consumption by the Android operating system and installed applications."

In layman's terms? Android Pulse keeps a virtual eye out for any suspicious processes that consume excessive system resources in both Android and your phone's apps. There are many possibilities there: It may be that Android Pulse looks for apps that put an unnecessary strain on the CPU or GPU, or system processes that drain your battery more than usual. Whatever the case, Android Pulse monitors for unusual activity affecting your phone and how it functions. And despite its new "app," there isn't much you can do with it. It isn't even clear if Android Pulse helps Android OS fix itself, or if Google simply receives the reports to help with future stability updates.

Interestingly, while the Play Store says the app is three days old, APKMirror says its first iteration dropped in March. Whatever the case, Android Pulse only made itself known this weekend, so it's news to most—if not all—of us.

What should I do about Android Pulse?

The short answer? Nothing. Android Pulse appears to be a background system resource that just so happens to appear in app form. In fact, based on screenshots from Android Authority, it doesn't even appear that you can uninstall it. You might be able to disable or force stop Pulse, but I'm not sure you'd want to. The "app" is designed to root out system hogs; I suspect it won't become one itself.

This Four-Pack of Apple's 2nd Generation AirTags Is Just $80 Right Now

Pradershika Sharma — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 18:30:00 +0000

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Amazon has a four-pack of Apple’s second-generation AirTag for $79.99 (down from $99)— its lowest price so far, according to price trackers. That brings the cost down to $20 per tracker, which is a better deal than buying them individually—a single AirTag is currently listed on Amazon for $24.

Apple AirTag (2nd Gen, 4-Pack)

The biggest upgrade you’ll find over the first-generation AirTag is Apple’s newer Ultra Wideband chip, which the company says gives Precision Finding up to 50% more range than before. That means your iPhone can start pointing you toward a nearby AirTag from farther away, using on-screen arrows, haptic feedback, and sound as you get closer. Apple has also made the built-in speaker 50% louder, which can be especially helpful once Precision Finding has guided you into the right area—a stronger sound makes the AirTag easier to pinpoint when it is buried under clothes, tucked inside a bag, or wedged between couch cushions.

Apple Watch owners get a nice upgrade too, as Precision Finding now works with the Apple Watch Series 9 and newer and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and newer, allowing you to track down a nearby AirTag directly from your wrist without reaching for your iPhone. Once your trackers are set up, you can get even more out of them with a few lesser-known tricks, which we cover in our AirTag hacks guide.

That said, the rest of the experience is largely unchanged—it still uses a replaceable CR2032 battery, carries the same IP67 water- and dust-resistance rating, and keeps the same dimensions, so holders and keychains should continue to fit. Owners of the original AirTag probably will not find enough here to justify an upgrade, but for first-time buyers, this $79.99 four-pack is an affordable way to get the newer model without spending much more than older AirTag multipacks have typically cost.

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If You Love 'Black Mirror,' There's One Movie You Need to Watch Next

Jeff Somers — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 17:00:36 +0000

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Fans of bad vibes and cynicism found their perfect series in Black Mirror, Charlie Brooker’s modern take on the Twilight Zone. The show’s focus on technology and all the ways it can ruin and terrify (and, very occasionally, save and sustain) us has shown us the darkest sides of social media, memory retention, virtual worlds, and dating algorithms, usually to chilling effect. If the show’s long breaks between its short seasons have you craving more dystopia and tech-fueled psychological horror (and you've watched all the similar series out there) maybe what you need is more long-form desolation. If that’s you, there’s one movie that fits the Black Mirror vibe perfectly: Moon, starring Sam Rockwell.

Why Moon is the perfect companion to Black Mirror

This mind-bending sci-fi movie starts off grim and just gets grimmer, pivoting off the same paranoia and distrust of technology as Black Mirror. Sam Bell (Sam Rockwell) is the sole inhabitant of a largely automated helium-3 mining facility on the dark side of the Moon. With only the AI named GERTY (played by Kevin Spacey) for company, Sam believes he’s nearing the end of a three-year contract and will soon return to his family on Earth. When he discovers his own badly-injured body at a crashed rover site outside the facility, however, his reality starts dissolving as he realizes the truth: He’s ultimately just an asset owned by a corporation, and he’s never going home.

What makes Moon the perfect film for Black Mirror fans is the way it both explores the dark side of a scientific breakthrough (easy, robust cloning) and also just plain messes with your head. Sam’s initial contentment gives way to puzzlement, and then to angry horror as he figures out what’s going on. The story exposes how technology that should improve our lives can be leveraged against us to rob us of agency and exploit us in ways we can’t currently imagine.

At the same time, like the best Black Mirror episodes (“San Junipero,” for example), Moon ultimately pivots to an ending that simultaneously surprises and reinforces how resilient and unstoppable the human spirit really is. Technology, the film argues, might be nightmarish when misused, but being human means we will always find a way to wriggle free of its grasp and find something close to justice. Add in a typically amazing performance from Rockwell, and you’ve got the perfect movie to watch after you’ve exhausted your supply of Black Mirror episodes. You can stream Moon on Pluto TV or rent it on Prime Video.

Moon (2009)

More movies like Black Mirror

If you’re not totally depressed yet, maybe you just need more tech-adverse, brain-twisting movies. We got you—here are a few more films that fans of Black Mirror will love.

The Lobster (2015)

From the delightfully demented Yorgos Lanthimos (and co-writer Efthimis Filippou), The Lobster’s logline reads like a Black Mirror episode summary: After his wife leaves him, a man named David (Colin Farrell) has 45 days to find a new romantic partner or he will be transformed into the animal of his choice. David knows full well how it works, because his own brother, Bob, accompanies him in his new form as a dog. Believe it or not, it gets weirder (and wayyyyy more violent) after that. It definitely feels like a Black Mirror episode exploring the social constructs around relationships and dating. Rent The Lobster on Prime Video.

The Lobster (2015)

Vivarium (2019)

A young couple (Jesse Eisenberg and Imogen Poots) drive to a housing development called Yonder where all the houses are eerily similar, and find themselves trapped—no matter how hard they try, their attempts to leave always lead them back to “their” house. They’re soon ordered to raise an infant boy in order to earn their release. It’s a sci-fi/horror hybrid that’s as bleak and terrifying as any Black Mirror episode, and it shares the show’s general antipathy toward happy endings. Stream Vivarium on Kanopy or rent it on Prime Video.

Vivarium (2019)

The One I Love (2014)

If your favorite Black Mirror episodes are the ones that explore modern relationships through the dark lens of sci-fi technology (like season four’s “Hang the DJ”), check out The One I Love. A struggling couple (Elizabeth Moss and Mark Duplass) go to a remote estate in an attempt to reconnect—and discover that duplicates are living in the guest cottage. The duplicates are initially better at being their partner than the originals, and the couple attempts to set up “rules” allowing them to spend time with their doppelgängers—but, of course, there’s a darker twist lingering under the surface. Stream The One I Love on Kanopy on or rent it on Prime Video.

The One I Love (2014)

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

Swan Song (2021)

Black Mirror often delves into existential questions around the true nature of the bonds between us—for example, in the episode “Be Right Back,” when a young woman played by Hayley Atwell brings her dead boyfriend back as an AI android that uses videos and social media posts to reconstruct his personality. Swan Song plays with similar themes from the other direction: When Cameron (Mahershala Ali) is diagnosed with a terminal illness, he’s offered the option of having a clone seamlessly replace him, sparing his family the grief of his passing. It’s a kinder, gentler sort of story than Black Mirror typically offers, but it’s just as devastating. Stream Swan Song on Apple TV.

Swan Song (2021)

at Apple TV

Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind (2004)

There might not be a film premise that’s more Black Mirror-ish—a service that erases bad memories, with all the unintended consequences a viewer could hope for (echoing the “grain” technology the show features in episodes like “The Entire History of You”). When Joel (Jim Carrey) learns that his ex-girlfriend, Clementine (Kate Winslet), has had her memories of him erased, he decides to do the same. But as he undergoes the procedure and dreams through his memories of her, he changes his mind and attempts to “hide” Clementine in his other memories, leading to some truly haunting and terrific set pieces directed by Michel Gondry. Rent Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind on Prime Video.

JBL Grip Bluetooth Speaker

Here's When GrapheneOS Is Coming to Motorola Phones

Jake Peterson — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 16:30:00 +0000

Many of us don't think twice about the OS our smartphones are running. On the surface, it really seems like there are only two options: iOS, for those of us with iPhones, and Android, for all other phones. But the conversation is much more nuanced than that: Many non-Apple smartphone manufacturers have their own takes on Android that make for a slightly different experience. Samsung has One UI, OnePlus (RIP) has OxygenOS, and Nothing has Nothing OS, for example. (Pixel ships with stock Android, as Google makes both the hardware and the software.)

However, the mobile OS rabbit hole goes even deeper. If you're particularly technical (and you don't have an iPhone) you can install a new OS on your smartphone to give you added control or features you won't find on Android. GrapheneOS just so happens to be one of those custom OSes, and its list of supported devices is about to grow.

What is GrapheneOS?

GrapheneOS is an open-source mobile OS designed with privacy and security in mind. While the OS is built on the Android Open Source Project, it employs a number of privacy and security features to both thwart common security vulnerabilities and block invasive trackers from scraping your data. Because it's built on Android, it supports Android apps, but won't include Google apps or services by default. It won't block Google Play outright, however: Users can choose to install Google Play in a "sandbox," which limits the elements of your phone Google's apps and services can access.

Crucially, GrapheneOS has a long list of requirements manufacturers must meet before it decides to support new devices. Some of those key prerequisites include the ability to run alternate OSes with full hardware security access, commitments for at least five years of updates, secure element integration, and hardware memory tagging, among many others. If you want to run this custom OS that prioritizes privacy and security, you either need to pick your new smartphone carefully, or hope your preferred manufacturer creates a device in the future that meets these specifications.

GrapheneOS is coming to Motorola phones next year

As of this article, only Google's Pixel phones currently support GrapheneOS—though GrapheneOS doesn't necessarily recommend using all supported Pixels at this time. The OS will run on Pixel 6 and newer (minus Pixel 11) but GrapheneOS recommends at least Pixel 8 or newer, because of Google's minimum seven years support, and Pixel 8's hardware memory tagging.

However, Pixels won't be the exclusive choice for GrapheneOS for long. The OS maker has been working with Motorola to bring support to its phones. And, as reported by The Verge, GrapheneOS recently announced some key updates on this front. Of note, Motorola's 2027 lineup of "slab" phones (non-folding, in other words) are currently planned to be the first to support GrapheneOS, which should support Qualcomm's upcoming Snapdragon 8 Elite chips. GrapheneOS explained its thought process in a Mastodon thread: It says that Motorola's current-generation phones, including the Motorola Signature, Razr Fold, and Razr Ultra, "are very close" to meeting its aforementioned security requirements, but are missing some crucial features coming to Motorola's 2027 lineup, including adequate secure element integration.

GrapheneOS also emphasizes its enthusiasm for Snapdragon chips, which it says provide better CPU and GPU performance as well as isolated components (such as cellular, wifi, Bluetooth), over Google's proprietary Tensor chip. GrapheneOS says that Tensor has been a "sidegrade or downgrade" from Snapdragon in many ways, but came with security advantages that Snapdragon hasn't caught up to yet—though that now appears to be changing. While GrapheneOS has found it harder to work with Pixel in recent years, the company says that Motorola has done much of the work in bringing GrapheneOS to its devices, which is encouraging: My guess is users who choose to install GrapheneOS should find it well-optimized.

GrapheneOS says it plans to support Motorola's foldable and flippable phones as well. The company says that it already supports the Pixel Fold, Pixel 9 Pro Fold, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold, so the foldable form factor is nothing new. However, a "flip" phone is a new design for the company. In addition, GrapheneOS is working on support for the 11th-generation Pixel devices.

I Gave ChatGPT Access to My iMessage Conversations, and It Was More Useful Than I Expected

David Nield — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 14:30:00 +0000

Installing the ChatGPT desktop app gives you a few extras that aren't available through the web portal, including the ability to run prompts that query your local files, emails, and screenshots. Now, with the macOS client, those additional features extend to your iMessages, too: There's now an Apple Messages plug-in available.

The idea of giving ChatGPT access to your chats is something a lot of users aren't ever going to countenance—"good luck with that spy software" is one typical response on Reddit—but we know that plenty of users are already asking AI for help in composing and interpreting messages. This just makes that process more streamlined. (Claude has an Apple Messages plug-in too, for what it's worth.)

As OpenAI confirmed to TechCrunch, the plug-in does all its processing on your Mac, and doesn't send anything about your chats back to servers in the cloud—these Messages conversations won't appear in your ChatGPT apps on the web or on mobile. In addition, the ChatGPT desktop app doesn't build a full index of your text messages.

This is something that's available for all ChatGPT users who have a Mac: To get started, download and install the desktop app for macOS, then open the Plugins tab, search for "messages," and click Install next to the Apple Messages entry. You can then use natural language in your prompts to invoke the plug-in ("send a message to..."), use the @Messages mention, or select Messages from the plug-in list in the prompt box (click the + icon to find it).

You'll need to give the plug-in specific permission to operate. Credit: Lifehacker

Once you've set it up, ChatGPT can then do just about anything you can imagine with your messages, starting with the basics: It'll send messages for you, for example, and even compose them if you're stuck for inspiration. You just have to name the contact, so something like "message Steve telling him I'm sorry I can't come to his dinner party in a polite way" will do exactly that.

When I tried this, ChatGPT whipped up a suitably friendly message, with the right blend of thank yous, sorrys, and hopes for a lovely evening. When sending messages, you get the option to review what's being sent and approve it before it goes out—you can approve messages each time, or have them sent automatically in the conversations you select.

Then there's everything the AI is able to do with your message history. You can use prompts like "who's messaged me the most this week?" or "is there anything I need to follow up on in my conversations?" and have ChatGPT take a look.

I tried getting ChatGPT to dig back into my message history for details of event arrangements and deliveries, and it picked out the right information each time. I also got it to look back over text messages from my phone carrier to see if my bill had gone up over time, which it had: The AI gave me the exact increase, and the percentage increase, together with the relevant dates.

ChatGPT can send messages to your contacts, with your approval. Credit: Lifehacker

Conversations can continue based on whatever you find as well, so if you discover there's a chat thread with an invite that you haven't responded to, ChatGPT can sort that for you—and may even draft a suitable reply you can approve with a couple of clicks, depending on the context.

It's in this message history retrieval and analysis where the ChatGPT plug-in seems most useful to me. I'm reluctant to start farming out message composing and sending duties to AI—it seems rude, first and foremost, not to mention bad for my brain—but searching through reams of text is something that AI does well, and could genuinely end up saving me some time.

If you're prepared to trust ChatGPT with access to your Apple Messages chat list (and that's a big "if") then it's another database for the AI to mine and analyze. As with a lot of these other plug-ins, like Claude and Gmail, it's a question of where you're going to draw the line between privacy and convenience.

And there are certainly risks to watch out for: I can see this being yet another way that people become over-reliant on AI and its "thoughts." If you want ChatGPT to assess someone's mood over time based on their chat history, or compose a message that gives you the best chance of rekindling a relationship, or write a text getting you out of work based on a fake excuse that sounds genuine, ChatGPT will do it. That's where the tech veers beyond the useful and straight into the uncomfortable.

RayNeo Is Launching Two New Lines of Smart Glasses

Stephen Johnson — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 13:30:38 +0000

Smart glass company RayNeo announced two new lines of smart glasses today: the minimal-display, AI-focused RayNeo iO, and the RayNeo GT and the GT Max, which are portable monitor glasses. They will all be available on Sept. 4 through RayNeo's site and on Amazon, but no prices were announced.

The company is aiming at two distinct segments of the smart glasses market with these models. The IO is productivity-minded, with a minimal monocular display, audio capability, and AI integration, where the GT series are tethered display glasses mainly for entertainment.

What to know about RayNeo's IO productivity glasses

RayNeo's IO glasses are a definite change for the company. Its last display glasses, RayNeo X3 Pros, are built around a full-color, high-definition display. I found them technically impressive, but not especially practical. These new glasses, though, seem like they will be a lot more useful. Here's what they bring to the table:

Lightweight frame designed for comfort. These glasses weigh only 33 grams, as light as an average pair of non-display glasses.
A minimal, monochrome waveguide display that's only visible to the wearer.
Integrated Ambient AI. Powered by Gemini's AI, RayNeo says their "Life Log" operates in the background and can "capture schedules and conversation contexts." It will extract action items and schedule calendar updates after meetings too.
Translation and teleprompter features: There's no audio, so translations and audio are all handled in the display.
Long battery life: The company promises two days of typical usage per charge.

Overall, the IO glasses sound a lot like Even Realities' excellent G2 smart glasses. The main negative for these and any glasses with a waveguide display is that the lenses have to be totally flat, so they're generally small, or else they look very strange.

What to know about the RayNeo's GT Series

The GT series from RayNeo are designed to stream content and provide a second monitor, as opposed to being worn all day. They are basically an improved version of RayNeo's "wearable monitor" style glasses like the RayNeo Air 4. Here's what the GT series bring to the table:

59° field of view. This is a big improvement over the 47° FOV of the Air 4 and puts it in the same league as the industry-leading display glasses, XReal's One Pro.
Peacock optical engine 3.0 Max and a 5.5th-gen tandem MicroOLED display that's the equivalent of a 307" monitor.
Dolby Vision support: Paired with the RayNeo Pocket TV Pro, the GT Series supports native Dolby Vision playback alongside real-time AI SDR-to-HDR conversion.
Bang & Olufsen spatial audio: A quad-speaker system supports head-tracked spatial audio and directional sound transmission.
The GT Max comes in three physical Interpupillary Distance (IPD) sizes for better clarity across different face shapes and sizes.

Maybe the most notable thing about these glasses is what they lack: Neither has a camera, even though RayNeo's last generation of display-style glasses did. Huge tech companies like Meta and Snap have bet bigs on people wanting face-cameras, but with the IO, RayNeo seems to be taking the stance that discretion and a low-key utility are a stronger position.

This 500Hz Acer OLED Gaming Monitor Is $300 Off Right Now

Pradershika Sharma — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 13:00:00 +0000

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

A good OLED gaming monitor still costs more than most mid-range GPUs, which is why this Acer Predator X27U F5 deal stands out—at $499, down from $799, this is the lowest price the monitor has hit so far, according to price trackers. That's a meaningful cut for a 500Hz OLED gaming monitor, but there's also a cheaper option worth considering: the 240Hz Predator X27U W1, which is down to $349.99 from $549.99. The W1 makes more sense if you don't need the F5’s 500Hz refresh rate, while the extra money for the F5 also gets you 65W USB-C power delivery and HDR500 support, giving it an edge for laptop use and HDR content in addition to the faster panel.

Acer Predator X27U F5

Acer Predator X27U W1

For gaming, both versions keep the same core appeal, so the decision comes down to how much speed you need. The F5’s 500Hz refresh rate gives competitive shooters and racing games more headroom, while the W1’s 240Hz panel is already fast enough to feel noticeably smoother than a standard 144Hz LCD. Both pair that speed with a 0.03ms response time and FreeSync Premium support, which helps keep motion clear and reduces tearing when frame rates fluctuate. Their 1440p resolution also strikes a practical balance, offering a sharper image than 1080p without demanding the same graphics power as 4K.

The adjustable stand is another useful touch, especially if the monitor will double as an everyday desktop display, since you can fine-tune the height, tilt, swivel, and pivot instead of working around a fixed position. Beyond ergonomics, the OLED panel is what gives both monitors an advantage besides refresh rate, especially in games where contrast does more for the image than raw speed—dark scenes stay properly black, while highlights stand out more clearly and colors have more depth, so horror games, space titles, and anything with a lot of nighttime environments tend to look noticeably better than they do on a typical IPS panel. Burn-in is still the main concern with OLED, but Acer covers that under a three-year warranty, which makes the risk easier to live with.

Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now

Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $225.00 (List Price $249.00)

Apple iPad 11" A16 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Silver, 2025) — $399.99 (List Price $449.00)

Sony WH-1000XM5 — $198.00 (List Price $399.99)

Google Pixel 11 Pro 256GB Unlocked Phone With $200 Amazon Gift Card (Obsidian) — $1,299.00 (List Price $1,299.00)

Google Pixel Watch 5 (41mm, Wi-Fi, Obsidian) — $399.99 (List Price $399.99)

Deals are selected by our commerce team

This Outdoor-Ready JBL Bluetooth Speaker Is 35% Off Right Now

Pradershika Sharma — Mon, 24 Aug 2026 12:30:00 +0000

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

Portable Bluetooth speakers usually force a trade-off—the smallest ones are easy to carry but sound thin, while the bigger ones sound better but take up more space in a bag. The JBL Grip Bluetooth Speaker, currently $64.95 on Amazon (down from $99.95), sits right in the middle. Price trackers show this is its lowest recorded price so far. Amazon is also bundling 90 days of Amazon Music with the purchase.

It is small enough to slide into a backpack pocket where a water bottle would normally sit, and a nylon loop on the back lets you clip it to a carabiner or hang it from a hook. Plus, it carries an IP68 rating, so it can deal with dust and even survive being submerged in nearly five feet of water for about 30 minutes. JBL also says it can take a three-foot drop onto concrete, so tossing it into a backpack or beach bag isn’t likely to hurt it.

Inside is a 43mm by 80mm full-range driver that covers frequencies from 70Hz to 20kHz, connected through Bluetooth 5.4. It’s a mono speaker, so it doesn’t produce stereo sound on its own, but you can pair it with another JBL speaker if you want that wider effect. In practice, it handles podcasts, playlists, and casual listening well. Voices come through clearly and the midrange stays balanced, though the bass lacks the deeper rumble you would get from a larger speaker like the JBL Flip series, and the high-end detail can sound slightly subdued, notes this PCMag review. Still, the sound has enough body for a speaker this size.

JBL also includes a few ways to adjust the audio through the JBL Portable app, including four EQ presets and a simple seven-band equalizer. The controls on the speaker itself are straightforward, with power, Bluetooth, and Auracast buttons on top and volume and playback controls on the front. There’s also a small LED light strip on the back that cycles through lighting effects and can act as a soft light source in a dark room or tent. As for its battery life, it's rated for up to 14 hours at moderate volume, which should get through a full day outdoors without needing a recharge. When it does run out, the speaker charges through a USB-C port and takes about three hours to reach full power. Keep in mind that JBL doesn’t include the USB-C cable, so you’ll need to use one you already have.

Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now

Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $225.00 (List Price $249.00)

Apple iPad 11" A16 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Silver, 2025) — $399.99 (List Price $449.00)

Sony WH-1000XM5 — $198.00 (List Price $399.99)

Google Pixel 11 Pro 256GB Unlocked Phone With $200 Amazon Gift Card (Obsidian) — $1,299.00 (List Price $1,299.00)

Google Pixel Watch 5 (41mm, Wi-Fi, Obsidian) — $399.99 (List Price $399.99)

Deals are selected by our commerce team

I’m a Deals Writer, and These Are My Top 10 Tech Deals This Week

Daniel Oropeza — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 21:30:00 +0000

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

As Lifehacker's deals writer, I'm always looking for the best bargains on TVs, speakers, laptops, and other tech. Now that it's Friday, I've gathered together this week's sales highlights, all of which I've vetted using my favorite price-tracking tools to make sure they are actually good deals.

This week, you can find bargains on OLED TVs, gaming monitors, new Samsung Galaxy devices, and more, partly due to Best Buy's 60th Anniversary Sale.

MiniLED QLED UHD 4K HDR Glare-Free Smart Google TV with Gemini (2026)

Hisense 65" Class U7

Premium Fitness Smartwatch, 41mm, Pebble Gray

77" Samsung S85F Series 4K OLED Smart TV (2025 Model)

$1,399.95 at Amazon

$1,797.99 Save $398.04

$1,399.95 at Amazon

$1,797.99 Save $398.04

Samsung 65-Inch Class S90H Series

Acer Predator Gaming Monitor

Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 16 FHD+ Ryzen 7 7735HS 16GB DDR5 512GB SSD Laptop

$999.95 at Amazon

Neomow X SE Robot Lawn Mower

$1,799.00 at Amazon

Active Noise Cancellation, Adaptive Audio, Personalized Spatial Audio, Live Translation, Bluetooth Headphones for iPhone – Midnight

Apple AirPods Max 2 Headphones

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra2 47mm LTE Smartphone (Titanium Silver) + $100 Gift Card

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold8 Unlocked Cell Phone + $350 Gift Card, 256GB Graphite

$1,899.99 at Amazon

The Hisense U7 is $600 off

The 65-inch Hisense U7SG QLED TV is selling for $899.99, $600 off the original $1,499.99 list price. This discount is especially impressive considering the TV just came out in March 2026. It has 4K resolution, Dolby Vision compatibility (including HDR10+, HDR10, and HDR10+ Adaptive), Dolby Vision IQ support, and full-array local dimming. This TV was originally announced at CES 2024, but a new version came out in March 2026 that includes the Fire TV OS. It's suitable for gaming, with 120Hz or 144Hz refresh rates, including FreeSync Premium Pro and Dolby Vision gaming.

Garmin Venu 3S Premium Fitness smartwatch is now $150 off

If you’re looking for a fitness watch that’s reasonably priced, right now the Garmin Venu 35 Premium fitness smartwatch in pebble gray is $299.99 (originally $449.99). This watch has a bright display, making it easy to read at all times, and has a battery life of up to 10 days. It includes over 30 built-in sports apps, so you can keep track of your performance in a variety of physical activities. You can find more Garmin deals here.

A budget OLED TV with an $800 discount

This price cut on the Samsung S85F is one of the best deals on an OLED TV I've seen in 2026—and this entry-level model was already on the low end of the price spectrum before the discount. Right now, you can get the 77-inch model for $1,397.99 (originally $2,197.99), which is a surprising price point for a Samsung OLED of this size. It's also the lowest price this TV has ever hit. The 55-inch and 65-inch sizes are also discounted, down to $897.99 (originally $1,397.99) and $1,197.99 (originally $1,797.99), respectively.

A premium OLED TV with a $700 discount

If you're looking for a premium model, Samsung’s 65-inch S90H OLED TV is down to $1,997.99 from $2,697.99, saving you $700. The sale price is easier to justify when you consider that this is a new 2026 model. If the 65-inch model does not suit your space, Samsung also sells the S90H in 42-, 48-, 55-, 77-, and 83-inch versions, and the other sizes are discounted as well.

An Acer OLED gaming monitor for 43% off

The Acer Predator X27U is a premium gaming monitor that gets most things right—the 240Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms response time make fast shooters and racing games feel incredibly smooth, especially if you are coming from a standard 144Hz LCD panel. Motion blur is minimal, and its FreeSync Premium compatibility helps reduce tearing without much setup hassle. The 1440p resolution also feels like a good balance for most people. You get sharper visuals than 1080p without needing the kind of graphics card power that 4K gaming still demands. Plus, its stand adjusts for height, tilt, swivel, and pivot, which sounds minor until you spend eight hours staring at a screen positioned slightly wrong.

A powerful workhorse PC laptop for 41% off

If you’ve been shopping around for a new laptop, the Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 is a workhorse for both office and personal needs. It’s more affordable than a MacBook and more powerful than a Chromebook, with a larger display and a comfortable keyboard. And right now, the Lenovo ThinkPad E16 Gen 2 laptop is 41% off at an all-time low price of $999.96 (originally $1,699).

This robot mower is $400 off

Right now, the Neomow X SE Robot Lawn Mower is $400 off with an on-page coupon, bringing the price down to $1,099 (originally $1,499). The Neomow X SE has a wire-free setup that makes installation faster than many similar models on the market. Like a robot vacuum, it uses 3D LiDAR and AI vision for accurate mapping and obstacle avoidance, allowing it to navigate complex landscaping, shaded areas, and even mow at night. Front-wheel drive and all-terrain wheels let it climb over obstacles up to 1.6 inches high, and it supports 4G, wifi, and Bluetooth connectivity. It also features GPS anti-theft tracking and an IPX5 waterproof rating, making it safe for sprinkler exposure and rainy days.

The best Apple headphones are $120 off

The new AirPods Max 2 have a rare discount, currently $429.99 (originally $549.99), their second-lowest price yet. The biggest upgrades to the AirPods Max 2 include the new "dynamic range" amplifier, live translation, and Apple's H2 chip. But there are many other upgrades that are also worth noting.

The new Samsung Galaxy Watches get you up to a $100 gift card

Samsung announced a ton of new products at its July Unpacked event, and among them is the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, which comes with a $100 gift card, and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9, which comes with a $50 gift card. The Ultra has a 5,000-nit AMOLED display (up from 3,000 nits) for superior brightness and is powered by Qualcomm’s Snapdragon Wear Elite chip, built for AI workloads. The design is also lighter and more comfortable than the previous iteration; despite the bigger battery, it’s now 12% thinner with a lighter strap, but still equally rugged with its titanium case. Compared to the Galaxy Watch 9, the Ultra 2 is more durable and has a pretty major battery advantage.

The new Samsung Galaxy Z Phones include a $350 gift card

Also available with an Amazon gift card are the new flagship smartphones: the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Fold 8 Ultra, and Z Flip 8. You can get an Amazon gift card up to $350, while Samsung is offering a max of $200 in Samsung credits. And if you're looking to switch to T-Mobile, you can get a Galaxy Z Fold 8 from them. You can read more details on that deal here.

Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $225.00 (List Price $249.00)

Apple iPad 11" A16 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Silver, 2025) — $399.99 (List Price $449.00)

Sony WH-1000XM5 — $198.00 (List Price $399.99)

Google Pixel 11 Pro 256GB Unlocked Phone With $200 Amazon Gift Card (Obsidian) — $1,299.00 (List Price $1,299.00)

Google Pixel Watch 5 (41mm, Wi-Fi, Obsidian) — $399.99 (List Price $399.99)

Deals are selected by our commerce team

10 Hacks Every Facebook Marketplace Buyer and Seller Should Know

Stephen Johnson — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 20:00:51 +0000

Through its focus on local selling, Facebook Marketplace has become the world's biggest digital garage sale, but without tables to browse and friendly small talk. Getting what you want, whether it's finding those low-priced gems or getting a good price for your old blender, comes down to understanding how both the platform and its users work. You can't treat it like an old-school classifieds page and hope for the best; you need tactics. Here are 10 strategic hacks to navigate the chaos, outsmart the feed, and get the best deals on both sides of the transaction.

Download Google Lens, the most important app for both buyers and sellers

Whether you're a buyer or a seller, you should download and use Google Lens. This scans a photograph, identifies the item pictured, and spits out all kinds of info about it, including prices from new and second-hand sales. It's an instant price-check that lets sellers know if their asking amount is in line with other sales, and it lets sellers know whether they're getting a good deal or not.

Here's a short step-by-step guide for using Google Lens on mobile:

Tap the Marketplace listing photo to open it full screen.
Take a screenshot or save the photo to your camera roll.
Open the Google app on your phone and tap the Camera/Lens icon located on the right side of the search bar.
Select your screenshot from your photos.
Lens will scan the item and pop up the exact product name, reviews, online retail pages, eBay sold listings, and more, so you know its real value before making an offer.

Other apps that might be useful for sellers include Facebook's own Seller, an inventory management tool that organizes your listings and fully separates your Marketplace activity from your Facebook activity, and Crosslist, an app that lets you create one ad that can be posted on 11 different sites, from eBay to Poshmark.

Change your location on Facebook Marketplace to find items for sale in more desirable areas

Marketplace's focus on location-based sales makes it a mosaic of micro-economies instead of a unified market. Supply, demand, and seller desperation fluctuate wildly based on demographic and geographical lines, so expand your search beyond your zip code and target micro-markets. Here are some ideas:

Wealthy suburbs: If you want high-end furniture, power tools, and designer clothing, target sellers in affluent neighborhoods who might value cleaning out their garage more than wringing every dollar out of a listing.
College towns: The area around a university at the end of a semester can be a goldmine if you're looking for standing desks, computer monitors, and other student-y items. Kids with a hard move-out date and a plane ticket home will often sell their mini-fridges for almost nothing.
City centers: Apartment dwellers moving between small spaces face strict lease dates and lack storage space, so urban cores are prime hunting grounds for lower-priced furniture, kitchen gadgets, and TV mounts.

How to set up a targeted search:

On desktop or mobile, click the Location filter at the top of your Marketplace feed (e.g., "Los Angeles, CA · Within 40 mi").
Enter the specific ZIP code or town name of your target micro-market, rather than your home address.
Shrink the radius slider down to 5 or 10 miles to isolate listings exclusively within that neighborhood.

Include one honest flaw in your Marketplace product descriptions

It seems almost counterintuitive, but when you're writing a product description, mentioning a flaw with a product you're selling on Marketplace can actually make it more desirable to buyers than saying it's pristine. Everyone is looking for an honest seller, and mentioning a missing knob on a stereo or a small scratch on a bookcase proves you're not trying to hide anything, and it makes people more prone to believe the good things you say about the product. It's a reassuring way of answering the unspoken question everyone has when buying: "What's wrong with it?"

Game the Facebook Marketplace algorithm with a simple video

I'm shocked by how many people don't do this, but if you're a seller, you should include a video with every listing, even for things like sunglasses. First, because Marketplace's algorithm will place items with videos into more people's feeds. Secondly, it's "proof of life" and a reassurance that you're legit. Film the drawers sliding smoothly, the blender motor running, or a quick 360-degree walkaround in daylight and you've proven that the item exists, works, and matches your photos. Instant legitimacy.

Use the "list in more places" feature to target niche groups

After you post a listing, tap the three dots on it and select "List in more places." Facebook will surface relevant Buy/Sell groups based on your item and location. A lot of sellers skip this step, but listing in these groups connects you with more people and a more informed community than a general ad. It doesn't cost anything, and it doesn't take long, so add your listing to every suggested group that's a reasonable fit.

One thing to watch, though: Match your tone to the group. A post that reads fine as a standalone Marketplace listing can feel generic or spammy when dropped into a tight-knit local group.

Know when to "re-list" vs. "renew" an ad

If the ad you've posted doesn't sell and the views have slowed to a trickle, you have two options: renew or re-list. To deal with dead ads, Marketplace gives sellers a "renew" option for ads that have been up for seven days. The specifics of Marketplace's algorithm are secret, but insiders say that renewing only gives a brief, small boost to a listing. Deleting the ad entirely and putting up an identical one makes the item new again, but it should be done with caution. Facebook doesn't seem to like when users remove an item and replace it too often; it can even result in having your account flagged for suspicious activity. It also results in anyone looking at your profile seeing the same item listed and delisted, which is a red flag to many buyers. So you have to be patient. According to insiders, if you take down an ad and wait two months to re-list, it should show up as clean, but I can't say for sure, because the algorithm is mysterious.

Follow this simple rule for Marketplace price negotiations

I can't stand haggling, but I've grown to accept that it must be done on Marketplace. A seller who states their price is firm will still be low-balled, and a buyer paying the sticker price is usually paying too much. You can get deep into the weeds when it comes to price negotiations, but for buying a second-hand sofa or something, it's easier to follow the 15% rule: If you're selling, tack on an extra 15% to be haggled away. If you're buying, offer 15% less than the listed price.

Do this to be the first one to see new listings of items you really want

This hack isn't for one-timers or occasional buyers and sellers, but if you're a hobbyist or collector, it's gold: When you've successfully purchased a Pokémon card or something from a seller you vibe with, give them your number and a friendly, "If you're selling any more Pikachus, send me a text. I'm always in the market." This can also work for parents of young kids who are buying hand-me-down clothing, toys, or electronics from other parents with older kids...those kids are going to keep outgrowing this year's jeans, and you can be the first one to put dibs on them.

Dealing with a solid buyer saves sellers a lot of time weeding out flakes and low-ballers. As a buyer, getting a first look at coveted items gives you an advantage over the competition. And for sellers, it's easier dealing with someone you've already done business with before (and know they're going to show up to get the item when they say they will).

Filter for $1 to find potential steals

If you're new to Marketplace, you may be confused by the number of items listed for $1. People generally list for $1 for two reasons: to game the "sort by lowest price" algorithm to get their ad to the top of searches, or because they're selling multiple items with one ad. This is generally a bad strategy for sellers but can be great for buyers. I ignore the "gaming search results" group entirely—it feels dishonest, and the lack of a listed price gives you no starting point for a negotiation—but people listing a lot of things in one ad can lead to some great deals. Whether it's an estate sale, a yard sale, or a recording studio shutting down, some sellers post a single wide shot of a room full of stuff, set the price to $1, and spell out the specific contents and individual prices in the ad's description. Taking the time to click on these lot listings and reading through the inventory cuts out a ton of competition from would-be buyers who only search by keywords.

Use the two-hour test window to hack the algorithm

Always be around to answer questions for the first couple hours after you make a post on Marketplace. Marketplace shows new listings to a small test audience to see how many people click, save, or message, so the algorithm can determine how widely to push it. A lot more goes into how widely your ad is flung (price, desirability, etc.), but if you're there right after posting to provide engagement, it helps your ad be seen by a wider audience later on.

Speaking of timing, there's a variety of opinions on when is the best time to post a listing, but there's no consensus. Some swear by 6–9 p.m., especially Thursday through Sunday, when people are off work and scrolling from the couch. Others point to weekday mornings, when there's a burst of activity as people ease into the workday.

What you'll find for sale on Facebook Marketplace

No hack in the world is going to help you sell something no one wants to buy, so I've put together a general hierarchy of what sells on Marketplace and what doesn't, in order of cheapest to most expensive.

Furniture and heirlooms at bargain prices

The greatest bargains on Marketplace are in heavy things with specific purposes. Above-ground pools, hot-tubs, pianos, and heavy china cabinets sell for fractions of their original price, and they're often marked down to "haul it away and you can have it" prices. Some unwanted items are amazing, too. A flagship console organ with double keyboards and foot pedals might have retailed for $20,000 in the 70s, but you can routinely find these 300-pound behemoths listed for $0 on Marketplace. If I had a barn, I'd get like seven of them and throw an amazing party.

Here are other things sellers will struggle with but buyers can have for a song:

Outdated, general interest technology: 720p LCD TVs, old wifi routers, and non-4K computer monitors are tough sales. New technology is just too inexpensive for many to want to step backwards.
Particle board furniture: IKEA flatpack bookcases and couches aren't really meant to be transported and sold.
Formal heirlooms: To our parents and grandparents, fine china, crystal stemware, silver-plated flatware, and porcelain figurines like Precious Moments or Hummel seemed like investments in the future, but it turns out the future doesn't host too many formal dinner parties, and your parents and grandparents probably didn't have good enough taste to collect rare, mid-century patterns that remain desirable.

Hobby and sports items at low prices

The next tier is the junkyard of failed hobbies, where sellers unload their old marching band saxophones, hand-me-down skateboards, entry-level bicycles, and rowing machines for "I just want this out of my garage" prices. So many bargains to be found for starting a new hobby.

Mid-tier products for users who are trading up to the next level

There are some categories that have a huge middle ground. Things like bicycles, audio equipment, and camera gear tend to have a large, dedicated core of users always trading up, so there's a lot of churn in the middle. Sellers tend to know what these things are worth, so you're more likely to find modest deals, but they're definitely cheaper than new.

What you're unlikely to find: high-end, specialized gear

High-end, specialized gear—commercial embroidery machines, boutique espresso set-ups, high-end woodworking machinery, etc—is rarely sold on Marketplace. These are often "keep until you're gone" items. Sellers tend to use non-local platforms to sell these, as the buyers are niche and know exactly what they want and what they want to pay.

Seven Emergency Features You Should Enable on Your Google Pixel

Emily Long — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 19:30:29 +0000

If you're ever in an emergency situation, your can use your Google Pixel to get more information about what's going on and receive the help you need. While some emergency features are enabled by default, you do have to set most of them up before a crisis actually occurs.

It's worth noting that emergency settings aren't consistent across all Android devices. Many of Android's emergency features live within the Personal Safety app, which is automatically installed on all Pixel phones (4a and later). A version of this app is available to other Android users through the Google Play Store, though it may be labeled just "Safety" in your app list once downloaded and have different functionality across non-Pixel devices.

Schedule a Safety Check on your Google Pixel

If you're ever out alone and want to ensure that someone knows where you are, Safety Check can prompt you to confirm that you're OK and notify your emergency contacts (with a link to your location) if you don't. This is especially useful during activities that present some risk, such as running at night, going to a party, or taking a ride share.

In Personal Safety, go to Safety Check, select the reason and duration for your check-in, and hit Next. Choose the contacts you want notified in case of emergency, and hit Start. You can notify your emergency contacts upfront—they'll receive a text with your name as well as Safety Check reason and duration. When you get the Safety Check prompt, choose from I'm OK. Don't Share, Start sharing now, or Call 911.

Add emergency contacts and medical information to Personal Safety

The Personal Safety app is also the hub for any information first responders might need in an emergency. Tap Your info > Medical information to add allergies, medications, blood type, and other health data, and Your info > Emergency contacts > Add contact to pull from your existing contact list. Then tap Emergency info access > Show when locked to make this information available from your Pixel lock screen. All someone has to do is swipe up on your lock screen and tap Emergency > View emergency info.

If you want to be able to send your location to emergency contacts, you must turn on Emergency Sharing in the Personal Safety app and select which individuals you want to notify. Note that your location is shared automatically through Android Emergency Location Service (ELS) when you call 911 unless you disable this feature in Settings > Location > Location services > Emergency Location Service or Google Emergency Location Service.

Turn on Emergency SOS on Google Pixel

Emergency SOS is actually a collection of features that you can activate in an emergency, such as calling emergency services, sharing your location with your emergency contacts, and recording video. In Settings, go to Safety & emergency > Emergency SOS > Start setup. From here, you can add an emergency services number, turn on assisted calling, select contacts to share information with, and enable emergency video recording. Tap Done when you're finished. You can also select the activation method: either Touch & hold to start actions or Start actions automatically. (In an emergency, these options are activated after you press the power button quickly five times or more.)

Set up emergency alerts on Google Pixel

Android has several settings for emergency alerts, which push a notification to your device in the event of severe weather, a natural disaster, or other local crisis. Government-issued emergency broadcasts also include AMBER alerts. You can manage how you want to receive these under Settings > Notifications > Wireless emergency alerts. Crisis alerts, meanwhile, provide localized information with links to Google Search results about the emergency. These are on by default, but you can adjust them under Settings > Safety & emergency > Crisis alerts. Finally, Android can provide earthquake alerts in certain areas (California, Oregon, and Washington in the U.S.) if you enable them under Settings > Safety & emergency > Earthquake alerts.

Enable Car Crash Detection on Google Pixel

Pixel devices can detect severe car crashes—using data like your phone's location, motion sensors, and nearby sounds—and call emergency services for help. You do have to grant several permissions in order for detection to work, and it's not available in every country. To turn it on, open Personal Safety and go to Features > Car Crash Detection > Set up. You'll need to allow location sharing when the app is in use and allow microphone and physical activity sharing at all times. If your device does detect a crash, it'll send a prompt asking if you need help and automatically call emergency services if you don't respond.

Put a message on your Pixel's lock screen

In addition to making your medical information and contacts available when your phone is locked, you can add a lock screen message, which is visible to anyone who has access to your device. This can be useful for sharing a secondary contact in case your phone gets lost, but you can also put critical health alerts here, such as severe allergies or medical conditions that someone assisting you in an emergency might need to know without having to navigate any further.

Access Satellite SOS when you're out of service

Like on iOS, Android allows you to connect to emergency services via satellite if you don't have cellular data or wifi. This is available on Pixel 9 and later (except Pixel 9a) and works only with Google Messages as the default messaging app. When you attempt to dial 911 (or the emergency number in your area) when you're out of service, you'll see a Satellite SOS button. Tap and select Use Satellite SOS > Start. Follow the prompts to answer questions about your situation, notify emergency contacts, connect to a satellite, and open a text conversation with first responders.

Google Will Soon Let You Tell It What Stories You Want to See in Your Discovery Feed

Jake Peterson — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 19:00:02 +0000

I don't know what the far future of tech looks like, but I know what's in store for the near future: AI. Specifically, AI that responds to natural language prompts. It's already the reality for many platforms, apps, and services: Rather than doing things yourself, you tell the AI what you want done, and it follows suit. Natural language commands are popping up everywhere, from coding platforms to playlist generators. Now, apparently, they're coming to your news app too.

Natural language commands are coming to the Google app's Discovery feed

Credit: Google

Google announced a handful of changes coming to its self-named app on Friday. Perhaps most notably among the developments is the new ability to "tune" and "tailor" your Discovery feed to your liking—not by giving feedback for specific articles or sources, but by simply telling Google what news you want to see, and what you don't.

Here's how it works, according to Google: Once the feature is live in your Google app, you can tap any three-dot menu in the feed to tell Google how you want to change your feed. When you do, you'll pull up a new window that reads "What do you want to see." Here, you'll find sample prompts ("Show me content from...," I want videos about..." etc.) and a text field to enter them in. As an example, Google says you can enter a query like "show me kitchen renovation tips and ideas." Gemini will then show you a list of the types of stories it thinks you'll want to see (e.g., "Modern layout ideas and floor plans," "Budget-friendly cabinet and countertop refreshes," etc.). If that looks good, you can hit "Refresh your feed."

If you aren't happy with Gemini's first interpretation of your instruction, you can refine it before refreshing your feed. You can send another prompt (e.g., "can you focus on eco-friendly and sustainable upgrades?") and see how Gemini responds. You can repeat this process until you're happy with the direction Gemini is taking, then hit "Refresh your feed" to see what it came up with. (Of course, you can tap a three-dot menu again to continue changing the experience.) Google says these updates will roll out "in the coming days."

Other changes coming to the Google app

In addition to this natural language feature, Google also announced two new changes for its app. First, Google is making it easier to customize the audio briefings you might receive in Google News on Android. Now, you'll be able to choose specific topics you want to hear, including between main topics and subtopics. For example, you could say you want to hear science and technology news, but only about neuroscience and space, not environment, gaming, or virtual reality. There are a lot of curation possibilities here.

In addition, Google says it's rolling out a new "Preferred Sources" button for publishers to use. You may have seen the first iteration of this button on Lifehacker articles. While it isn't clear what's new with the latest version, this button lets you tell Google that you want to see more articles from a particular publisher for topics going forward. If you add Lifehacker as a preferred source, for example, you may see our articles for topics like AI, Apple, and security when they appear in your feed.

The Best Tech Deals From Best Buy's 60th Anniversary Sale

Daniel Oropeza — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 17:30:46 +0000

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

Back in 1966, a store named Sound of Music first opened its doors. All these years later, that same store—long since renamed "Best Buy"— is celebrating its 60th anniversary with a big sale. And some of the deals can only be found in person.

How long will Best Buy's "60th Anniversary Sale" last?

Best Buy's 60th Anniversary Sale will run from Monday, Aug. 17 through Sunday, Aug. 23. The sale will be both in-store and online, with fresh deals on the weekend from Aug. 21-23.

Do you need to be a member to shop Best Buy's sale?

You don't need to be any kind of member to shop Best Buy's 60th Anniversary Sale; however, it is free to sign up for a My Best Buy membership, which will get you free shipping. If you join one of their paid subscriptions (My Best Buy Plus for $49.99 per year or My Best Buy Total for $179.99 per year), you'll get faster free shipping, exclusive prices and deals, an extended 60-day return window on most products, and early access to select sales. Paid members will also earn extra rewards from both the current sale and the upcoming sales.

What deals can I expect during Best Buy's 60th Anniversary Sale?

You can find deals on TVs, laptops, headphones, video games, electric bikes, and other tech products like back-to-school deals, headphones, and laptops. On Saturday, Aug. 22, Best Buy will have six in-person exclusive deals, including a deal on gift cards, that will be limited while supplies last.

The best deals during Best Buy's 60th Anniversary Sale (so far)

Here are some of the best deals I've found so far during the sale. I'll update this list as new deals come in every day:

Intel Core Ultra 7 256V 2024 - 16GB Memory - 1TB SSD - Copilot+ PC

HP - OmniBook X Flip 2-in-1 - 16" 2K Touchscreen Laptop

$749.99 at Best Buy

$1,199.99 Save $450.00

$749.99 at Best Buy

$1,199.99 Save $450.00

Acer - Refurbished (Excellent)

15.6" IPS FHD FreeSync Portable Monitor (DisplayPort, HDMI)

180Hz 1ms AMD FreeSync Gaming Monitor with HDR10 (DisplayPort, HDMI)

Samsung - 32" Odyssey G51F QHD

Hi-QLED Series 4K UHD Smart Roku TV (2026)

Hisense - 58" Class QD50 TV

4K UHD QLED Mini-LED Smart TV with Fire TV

Insignia 55" Class F70 Series TV

True RGB 4K HDR Google TV with Gemini

Sony - 65" Class BRAVIA 7 II TV

$1,799.99 at Best Buy

$2,599.99 Save $800.00

$1,799.99 at Best Buy

$2,599.99 Save $800.00

20W Magnetic Wireless Qi/Qi2.0/MagSafe PowerBank, Portable Charger, 2 Outputs, LED Display, & USB-C

Energizer - 10,000mAh SLIM METAL Power Bank

Wireless Active Noise Cancelling Earbuds with Heart Rate Sensing Feature - White

Apple - AirPods Pro 3

Snapdragon X2 Elite 2026 - 16GB Memory - 512GB Storage - Copilot+ PC - Zabriskie Beige

ASUS - Zenbook A14 14” OLED 2K Display

Bass / Treble / Volume Controls and 3.5 mm Auxiliary / RCA Inputs - Black

Marshall - Stanmore III Bluetooth Home Speaker

Best Apple deals

Apple - AirPods Max 2 (USB-C) - Blue

Apple's premium headphones, the AirPods Max 2, are marked down to $429 (originally $549), the second-lowest price they've ever dropped to and the best Bluetooth headphones an Apple user can buy. The biggest upgrades on the AirPods Max 2 are the new "dynamic range" amplifier and Apple's H2 chip (no longer the H1). But there are many other upgrades that are also worth noting. One of the most exciting features is the addition of Live Translation, which is exactly as it sounds—you can hear real-time translation of what someone is saying in another language right through your headphones.

AirPods

AirPods 4 without ANC — $99.99 (originally $129.99)
AirPods 4 with ANC — $149.99 (originally $179.99)
AirPods Pro 3 — $189.99 (originally $249.99)
AirPods Max 2 — $429 (originally $549)

Airtags

Apple AirTag, 4-pack (2nd gen) — $89 (originally $99)

iPads

Apple A16 iPad, 11-inch (WiFi, 128GB) — $399 (originally $449)
Apple M4 iPad Air, 11-inch (WiFi, 256GB) — $749 (originally $849)
Apple M5 iPad Pro, 13-inch (WiFi, 512GB) — $1,599 (originally $1,699)

iPhones

Apple iPhone 16e (128GB, unlocked) — $489.99 (originally $599.99)
Apple iPhone Air (512GB, unlocked) — $1,039.99 (originally $1,199.99)
Apple iPhone Air (1TB, unlocked) — $1,239.99 (originally $1,399.99)

MacBooks

Get a free $25 Starbucks gift card with purchase of Apple MacBook Neo — starting at $699
Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,499 (originally $1,599)
Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,849 (originally $1,999)
Apple MacBook Pro, 16-inch (M4 Pro, 48GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $2,499 (originally $2,899)
Apple MacBook Pro, 16-inch (M4 Max, 36GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $2,999 (originally $3,399)
Apple MacBook Pro, 16-inch (M4 Max, 48GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $3,399 (originally $3,899)

Best TV deal

Hisense 65" Class U7

MiniLED QLED UHD 4K HDR Glare-Free Smart Google TV with Gemini (2026)

ASUS Zenbook A14 (Snapdragon X2 Elite, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD)

More deals for TVs under 60 inches

Hisense 58-inch QD50 Hi-QLED 4K TV — $189.99 (originally $399.99)
Insignia 55-inch F50 LED 4K TV — $199.99 (originally $349.99)
Hisense 43-inch QD6 QLED 4K Fire TV — $209.99 (originally $299.99)
Samsung 55-inch M70H Mini LED 4K TV — $349.99 (originally $449.99)
LG 55-inch 75B QNED 4K TV — $379.99 (originally $599.99)
Hisense 55-inch S7 Canvas QLED 4K Art TV — $799.99 (originally $1,499.99)
Hisense 55-inch UR8 RGB Mini LED 4K TV — $999.99 (originally $1,499.99)
Sony 55-inch Bravia 7 II RGB 4K TV — $1,499.99 (originally $2,099.99)

Deals on 65-inch TVs

LG 65-inch 75B QNED 4K TV — $479.99 (originally $699.99)
TCL 65-inch QM6K QD-Mini LED 4K TV — $699.99 (originally $999.99)
Hisense 65-inch S7N Canvas QLED 4K Art TV — $899.99 (originally $1,299.99)
Hisense 65-inch U7 Mini LED QLED 4K TV — $899.99 (originally $1,499.99)
LG 65-inch B6 OLED 4K TV — $1,199.99 (originally $1,999.99)
Samsung 65-inch S90F OLED 4K TV — $1,399.99 (originally $2,499.99)
TCL 65-inch QM8L SQD-Mini LED 4K TV — $1,399.99 (originally $2,499.99)
Hisense 65-inch UR8 RGB Mini LED 4K TV — $1,499.99 (originally $1,999.99)
LG 65-inch C5 OLED 4K TV — $1,499.99 (originally $2,699.99)
Samsung 65-inch S85H OLED 4K TV — $1,699.99 (originally $1,999.99)
LG 65-inch C6 OLED 4K TV — $1,699.99 (originally $2,699.99)
Sony 65-inch Bravia 7 II RGB 4K TV — $1,799.99 (originally $2,599.99)

Deals on 75-inch TVs and bigger

LG 75-inch 75B QNED 4K TV — $649.99 (originally $999.99)
Hisense 75-inch U7 Mini LED 4K TV — $1,199.99 (originally $1,999.99)
TCL 75-inch QM7L SQD-Mini LED 4K TV — $1,299.99 (originally $1,999.99)
LG 77-inch B5 OLED 4K TV — $1,399.99 (originally $2,999.99)
Hisense 75-inch UR8 RGB Mini LED 4K TV — $1,899.99 (originally $2,499.99)
Samsung 77-inch S90F OLED 4K TV — $1,999.99 (originally $3,499.99)
Samsung 75-inch R85H Micro RGB 4K TV — $1,999.99 (originally $2,799.99)
Insignia 85-inch Class F50 Series 4K Fire TV — $599.99 (originally $899.99)
Insignia 85-inch QF QLED 4K TV — $659.99 (originally $1,099.99)
Hisense 85-inch UR9 RGB Mini LED 4K TV — $3,999.99 (originally $4,499.99)

Best laptop deal

Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop

The biggest con in our review of the ASUS Zenbook A14 was its price. Trying to compete with MacBook Airs in design and premium features is cool, but not when it's pricier. But with its current discount that brings it to $999.99 (originally $1,349.99) for the 16GB RAM and Snapdragon X2 Elite processor, it makes it much more competitive.

More laptop deals

HP 14-inch Laptop (Intel N150, 4GB RAM, 128GB UFS) — $199.99 (originally $349.99)
HP Omnibook 3 16 (AMD Ryzen 5 40, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $399.99 (originally $779.99)
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i (Intel Core i5-1335U, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $499.99 (originally $899.99)
HP OmniBook X Flip 2-in-1 (Intel Core Ultra 7 256V, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $749.99 (originally $1,199.99)
Microsoft Surface Pro, 12-inch (Snapdragon X Plus, 8GB RAM, 256GB UFS) — $749.99 (originally $849.99)
Acer Swift Go 16 (Intel Core Ultra 7 355, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,199.99 (originally $1,549.99)
Microsoft Surface Laptop 13 (Snapdragon X2 Elite, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,599.99 (originally $1,999.99)
ASUS ROG Flow Z13 (AMD Ryzen AI Max+, 64GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $2,099.99 (originally $2,999.99)

Best robot vacuum deal

Robot vacuums have come a long way from the days when Roombas used to be the only reputable brand name. Now companies like Shark are offering robot vacuums like the Matrix Plus for $349.99 (originally $699.99) that can do everything you'd expect from a vacuum and mop robot.

More robot vacuum deals

Roborock Q10 Series — $299.99 (originally $399.99)
Ecovacs DEEBOT T80S Omni — $479.99 (originally $649.99)
Roborock Qrevo Series — $499.99 (originally $629.99)
Dreame X40 — $499.99 (originally $799.99)
Shark PowerDetect — $749.99 (originally $1,199.99)
Roborock Saros Z70 — $999.99 (originally $1,999.99)

Best earbuds deal

Beats Powerbeats Pro 2

You can get Beats' Powerbeats Pro 2 for $169.95 (originally $249.99), the lowest they've been. These are great workout earbuds, according to Lifehacker senior health editor Beth Skwarecki's review. The new ear hooks are smaller and are made out of nickel titanium alloy, making them flexible and durable. There are four sizes of eartips so you can get a tight seal to take advantage of the active noise-cancelling (ANC) and audio quality. You can also hear your surroundings with its transparency mode, a critical feature for running outdoors. The media pauses automatically when you take the earbuds out, and it has a heart rate monitor (that underperforms) on each earbud.

More earbud deals

JBL Tune 245NC — $49.95 (originally $109.95)
JBL Tune Flex 2 — $69.95 (originally $109.95)
Sony WF-C710N— $89.99 (originally $129.99)
Beats Powerbeats — $169.99 (originally $199.99)
Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 — $189 (originally $229)

Best headphones deal

Beats headphones are well-known for their style and seamless compatibility with Apple devices. Right now, the brand's flagship headphones, the Beats Studio Pro, are on sale for $169.95 (originally $349.99), the second-lowest price they have been. The Beats Studio Pro came out in 2023; this "good" review from PCMag praised their sculpted sound, comfort, premium accessories, and spatial audio with head tracking for an immersive experience.

More headphone deals

Sony WH-CH520 — $39.99 (originally $68)
Marshall Major V — $89.99 (originally $159.99)
Beats Solo 4— $129.99 (originally $199.99)
Sony WH-1000XM6— $399.99 (originally $458)

Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now

Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $225.00 (List Price $249.00)

Apple iPad 11" A16 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Silver, 2025) — $399.99 (List Price $449.00)

Sony WH-1000XM5 — $198.00 (List Price $399.99)

Google Pixel 11 Pro 256GB Unlocked Phone With $200 Amazon Gift Card (Obsidian) — $1,299.00 (List Price $1,299.00)

Google Pixel Watch 5 (41mm, Wi-Fi, Obsidian) — $399.99 (List Price $399.99)

Deals are selected by our commerce team

If You Loved 'Lanterns,' There's One Movie You Need to Watch Next

Jeff Somers — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 16:33:06 +0000

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

You’re not alone: Everyone loves HBO’s Lanterns. The rebooted D.C. universe has gotten off to a wobbly start, but the new series about Green Lantern Hal Jordan (Kyle Chandler) breaking in his eventual replacement, John Stewart (Aaron Pierre), is terrific fun, somehow finding the perfect balance of superhero insanity and True Detective-ish buddy cop banter. Chandler and Pierre’s chemistry is off the charts, and the story is legitimately great. It’s a show that both fans of superhero narratives and folks who’ve never watched a single D.C. or Marvel movie can love. If you need more of that (and you’ve already burned through the other series that swim in the same waters), there’s one perfect movie for you: The original Men in Black.

Why fans of Lanterns should watch Men in Black

Agents K (Tommy Lee Jones) and J (Will Smith) aren’t superheroes, but with their access to alien technology and the bottomless resources of the Men in Black (MIB) organization, they might as well be. If you especially love the bickering, adversarial relationship between jaded, burned-out veteran Hal Jordan and his impatient, younger mentee, John Stewart, in Lanterns, you’ll love the chemistry between Smith and Jones as they investigate a dangerous, unregistered alien on Earth that is seeking an artifact with unimaginable power. It’s pitched at a slightly sillier level, but this movie will scratch that Lanterns itch. Stream Men in Black on Hulu or rent it on Prime Video.

Men in Black (1997)

More movies to watch after Lanterns

If you’re looking to stock your own private film festival to tide you over until the next season of Lanterns, here are a few more movies that deliver similar character dynamics and sci-fi mysteries to solve.

Watchmen (2009)

If you love the way Lanterns presents superhero characters as complex human beings in a relatively realistic setting, Zack Snyder’s 2009 adaptation of Alan Moore’s legendary comic is a great choice. Set in a universe where masked vigilantes rose to prominence in an increasingly dystopian America, the film is a little bit less grounded in its depiction of the world, but no less gritty, and the mystery elements and character interactions will be right up your alley if you loved Lanterns. Rent Watchmen on Prime Video.

Watchmen (2009)

$4.99 at Prime Video

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

If it’s the investigation and pulpy noir elements of Lanterns that hooked you, the sequel to 1982’s Blade Runner is perfect—especially once Harrison Ford’s grizzled Rick Deckard and Ryan Gosling’s tortured replicant K meet. Structured as a mystery, Blade Runner 2049 also builds a solid, believable future world that feels terrifyingly real, and the interaction between K and Deckard makes it a great match for fans of the show. Stream Blade Runner 2049 on Paramount+ or Fubo, or rent it on Prime Video.

Blade Runner 2049 (2017)

$5.99 at Prime Video

The Nice Guys (2016)

The chemistry and charisma between Stewart and Jordan on Lanterns is stellar, and a big reason for the show’s success. Russell Crowe and Ryan Gosling offer a similar vibe in The Nice Guys, a severely underrated movie. As a down-on-his-luck private eye and a criminal enforcer who team up to find a young woman in trouble, the two actors are terrifically entertaining, and have a similar dynamic to Jordan and Stewart, with Crowe playing the rough, cynical senior partner and Gosling playing the junior who chafes at Crowe’s more experienced vibe (though Gosling’s Holand March is a lot less intimidating and capable than Aaron Pierre’s John Stewart). Rent The Nice Guys on Prime Video.

The Nice Guys (2016)

Alien Nation (1988)

While the writing here isn’t at the same level as Lanterns, Alien Nation is here because it’s a unique take on the buddy-cop relationship. In a world where a ship filled with alien slaves crashes on Earth and the aliens are integrated into society, James Caan plays a grizzled police detective who hates the “Newcomers.” When he’s partnered with an alien recruit (Mandy Patinkin) to investigate a pair of murders, he must get over his prejudice and learn to get along with the Newcomers. If you’re looking for more speculative cop stories, check this one out. Rent Alien Nation on Prime Video.

Alien Nation (1988)

The Hidden (1987)

In Los Angeles, a series of law-abiding, normal citizens go on violent rampages. Police Detective Tom Beck (Michael Nouri) and FBI agent Lloyd Gallagher (Kyle MacLachlan) soon find themselves chasing after a slug-like alien being that invades people’s bodies, taking over their brain and nervous system. Beck has to play catch-up, fast—especially when he discovers that Gallagher isn’t at all what he seems. It’s a forgotten gem of horror-sci-fi that fans of Lanterns will enjoy. Rent The Hidden on Prime Video.

The Hidden (1987)

Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus

Here's When Walmart Will Finally Start Allowing Tap to Pay

Jake Peterson — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 16:02:49 +0000

Any time I go to Walmart, I always forget that the store doesn't have Tap to Pay. That really shouldn't be that big of a deal, except almost every business I frequent these days does support the feature. As such, muscle memory has me pulling out my iPhone at self-checkout, only to look like a moron trying to tap to pay a NFC-free card reader. Without fail, each time I reluctantly take out my credit card and physically scan or insert it in the POS, I wonder to myself why Walmart doesn't have Tap to Pay. (I've even left my credit card stuck in the card reader, since I'm so used to not using it these days.)

As it happens, those days are (thankfully) numbered. On Friday, Walmart announced that Tap to Pay is coming to its stores, as well as Sam's Club. In addition to using your credit or debit card to pay with whatever contactless method you prefer, Walmart says you'll be able to add your Walmart, Sam's Club, or OnePay cards to your digital wallet. While you can, of course, continue to pay for your items with cash, credit cards, or Walmart Pay, anyone who wants to use Tap to Pay should be able to do so without issue. It's pretty big news, even if it means Walmart is simply catching up to virtually every other store—at least the ones I typically go to.

When is Tap to Pay coming to Walmart?

According to Walmart's press release, Tap to Pay is rolling out Aug. 24 to select Walmart stores and Sam's Club locations. Starting on Monday, your local store may let you pay with your smartphone, smartwatch, contactless credit card, or any other method that supports Tap to Pay. If not, Walmart says all U.S. stores will support it by the end of this year, while all gas stations will support it by mid-2027.

This Pool-Friendly Soundcore Speaker Is 35% Off Right Now

Pradershika Sharma — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 13:00:00 +0000

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

The Soundcore Rave Neo 2 is down to $84.99 at Woot, while the same speaker is currently around $119 on Amazon. Prime members get free standard shipping, while everyone else pays $6, and the sale is expected to run for the next ten days unless it sells out sooner.

Its built-in handle makes it easy to move from the patio to the garage or pool, while the IPX7 rating means you do not have to panic over splashes or even a brief dunk in the water—it can float too, which makes it a much easier speaker to bring around the pool. Battery life should also be enough for most days out, with Soundcore estimating up to 18 hours of playback, though I would expect the real number to depend on your volume and whether you keep the RGB lights running. Still, it should comfortably get through an afternoon and evening without needing a recharge.

It also has enough volume for a small outdoor gathering, and the extra bass gives dance tracks and pop more weight than you would get from a smaller portable speaker—with the companion app giving you access to EQ controls if you want to adjust the tuning. That said, the bass reportedly starts to compress as you push the speaker toward maximum volume, so cranking it all the way up can make the sound less controlled. Its front-facing design also means the audio is strongest when you are sitting in front of it rather than spreading evenly around a group, and while its IPX7 rating covers water, it has no protection against dust, so it is not the most reassuring choice for sandy beach trips. The app also requires an account to access its full set of features, notes this PCMag review.

Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now

Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $225.00 (List Price $249.00)

Apple iPad 11" A16 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Silver, 2025) — $399.99 (List Price $449.00)

Sony WH-1000XM5 — $198.00 (List Price $399.99)

Google Pixel 11 Pro 256GB Unlocked Phone With $200 Amazon Gift Card (Obsidian) — $1,299.00 (List Price $1,299.00)

Google Pixel Watch 5 (41mm, Wi-Fi, Obsidian) — $399.99 (List Price $399.99)

Deals are selected by our commerce team

The Newest Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus Is $160 Off Right Now

Pradershika Sharma — Fri, 21 Aug 2026 12:30:00 +0000

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

Finding a decent soundbar under $100 is rare, especially from a brand like Amazon. But right now, the Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus in Open Box condition is $89.99 at Woot, compared to its usual $249.99 price on Amazon. The previous low that price trackers tracked was $149, so this deal drops it by another $60. Prime members get free standard shipping, while non-Prime buyers pay a $6 shipping fee. Woot does not ship this product to Alaska, Hawaii, APO addresses, or P.O. Boxes.

This is a 3.1-channel system with three forward-facing drivers and tweeter pairs and two built-in woofers. It’s 37 inches long, which gives it a more substantial presence under a TV. For connectivity, it includes HDMI eARC, optical audio input, USB-A, and a standard power port. You also get Bluetooth for streaming music from your phone, but no wifi, multi-room support, or built-in voice assistant. Despite the name, it does not run the Fire TV smart TV platform. It’s simply a soundbar, and it works with any TV that supports HDMI ARC or optical output, notes this PCMag review. The included remote lets you switch between a few preset EQ modes, adjust bass and treble, and control volume.

In everyday use, it’s a clear upgrade over standard TV speakers. Dialogue sounds crisp and easy to follow, and music has decent detail in the mids and highs, and it can get loud without distortion. The main limitation is bass. On its own, it doesn’t deliver deep low-end impact, so action scenes and bass-heavy tracks won’t feel especially full. Amazon does offer bundles with a wireless subwoofer for $249.99 or a 5.1 setup with surrounds for $399.99, if you want to add more weight and immersion. Also, while the bar supports Dolby Atmos, without height channels, the effect is limited.

Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now

Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $225.00 (List Price $249.00)

Apple iPad 11" A16 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Silver, 2025) — $399.99 (List Price $449.00)

Sony WH-1000XM5 — $198.00 (List Price $399.99)

Google Pixel 11 Pro 256GB Unlocked Phone With $200 Amazon Gift Card (Obsidian) — $1,299.00 (List Price $1,299.00)

Google Pixel Watch 5 (41mm, Wi-Fi, Obsidian) — $399.99 (List Price $399.99)

Deals are selected by our commerce team

Hundreds of Fake VPNs Are Flooding the Chrome Web Store

Ritoban Mukherjee — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 21:00:00 +0000

I often tell people to think of VPNs like kitchen funnels. Instead of pouring your network traffic directly into the web and spilling your metadata everywhere, you push it down a narrow tube of encryption. You point your connection exactly where it needs to go without leaking all over the place. Of course, the assumption in such an arrangement is that you trust your VPN, which controls the flow of traffic from your device to the web. But if the VPN itself is a honeypot for attackers to pry away your data, you’ve just traded several possible security risks for one guaranteed security breach.

According to the team at Socket, that’s what’s been happening with over seven hundred fake VPN apps listed on the Chrome Web Store. Many of these extensions are free, some are paid, and some even pretend to be from trusted cybersecurity providers to lure users into handing over unrestricted access to their network and browser. This weekend, I dug through Socket’s report to find out exactly what was going on with these apps and how they managed to clear Web Store moderation without getting flagged by Google. I’ll share what I found and offer some tips to help you avoid these fake VPNs.

What Socket found when it analyzed hundreds of suspicious Chrome extensions

In short, Socket’s threat research team analyzed 737 suspicious Chrome extensions that claim to offer VPN and SOCKS5 proxy servers to protect your online privacy. They uncovered paid apps selling access to VPN servers that do not exist, extensions that hijack your proxy to track online activity, and several attempts to impersonate trusted VPN service providers like NordVPN and Surfshark.

Socket is a cybersecurity platform with its own GitHub extension, firewall, and CLI to help developers analyze AI-written code for malicious behavior. When they looked into these Chrome extensions, they found that they were all published by a total of 40 developer accounts and had racked up 75,486 installs from users on the Chrome Web Store.

Of the 737 suspicious extensions they analyzed, Socket’s team performed a detailed analysis of the code in 525 of them. In total, these extensions amounted to 58,318 active Chrome installs at the time. As for the other 212, they were already taken off the Web Store before Socket could take a look at them. But the researchers found a number of issues right away in the extensions they did analyze, including:

274 out of 525 extensions plagiarised the branding and logo of one among 66 reputed VPN platforms, including Proton VPN, Surfshark, NordVPN, ExpressVPN, CyberGhost, and TunnelBear.
Two extensions specifically impersonated AmneziaVPN and AntiZapret, which are often used to get around internet censorship and surveillance.
Each extension pointed to a fixed SOCKS5 proxy without split tunneling or per-site controls, meaning that all your online activity would get routed through the same server once the extension was installed.
104 extensions using documented DNS-over-HTTPS evasion techniques to get around Chrome’s blocklists by spoofing their DNS record.
Many of these VPNs advertise a paid tier with private VPN servers in Japan, Singapore, Canada, Australia, and Turkey. But these servers do not exist, because their hostnames did not resolve when Socket ran a DNS lookup against them.
With the premium VPN subscriptions, there was no license verification happening internally to detect if the user had actually paid for a subscription. This is not normal for any web-based app or platform that offers a paid tier.
One of these extensions, Burёnka VPN, does not route traffic through any servers at all. It’s just a fake UI pretending to be a real app.
Another extension contains a file with a plaintext comment that simply reads, “If Chrome Web Store rejects this because of automatically opening links, we can replace it with a notification offering to go to the Telegram bot.” This shows that the developers know that their app violates Web Store policy, but intend to evade reviews instead of fixing the issue.

How fake VPNs got past Chrome’s review process

I’ve repeatedly found that the best laid cyber attacks aren’t necessarily the most sophisticated.

Just so, none of these extensions are particularly difficult to flag in a thorough code review. They got past Chrome’s defenses because they spent a lot of time studying Web Store review processes, possibly learning to evade rejections through repeated trial and error. Many of these developers have already had their other extensions removed by Chrome following a similar report from Palo Alto Networks in June, but they immediately went on to publish new extensions using the same playbook.

Even on the occasion that a developer’s account gets pulled from the store, opening a new developer account on the Chrome Web Store costs $5. Between the 40 developer accounts mentioned in the report, it barely cost $200 to publish over 700 fake extensions that reached an audience of tens of thousands.

It also helped that most of these VPNs were angled toward Russian citizens trying to bypass regional censorship regulations, so any resulting incidents would not have been widely reported outside that specific target demographic. Perhaps even more unsettlingly, in the few occasions that store moderators did flag an extension for further review, they all shared exactly identical “privacy justifications” that were little more than false reassurances to get their extensions back up.

It’s easy to dismiss these fake VPNs as a regional threat aimed at Russian internet users only, but you’d be wrong. Chrome’s Web Store policies paint a troubling pattern of lax security reviews, and the same fake VPN playbook could be adapted to target citizens in the U.S., UK, EU, or anywhere else in the world. In fact, Google itself issued a critical warning in 2025, speaking of similar fake VPN activity on the Play Store for Android users.

How to spot a fake VPN browser extension

Since you can’t rely on app store review processes alone, you need some way to spot fake extensions before they embed spyware into your browser. You can’t be expected to reverse engineer every extension’s manifest files like Socket did, but thankfully, you don’t have to because there are easier ways to tell if something might be amiss.

Install extensions by following a link directly from the VPN provider’s official website, not the search bar on Web Store or Google Play.
Always read reviews before installing a new browser extension. If too many people are complaining about security concerns, avoid it.
Before you install a Chrome Web Store extension, look past the app listing and user reviews to the developer account tied to that app as well. Check if the account is officially associated with the VPN provider and see if Web Store reviews flag security concerns on their other apps too.
Use a tool like WhatIsMyIPAddress.com to check your currently visible IP address. Confirm that it matches the IP address displayed in your VPN extension’s UI.
Run a DNS leak check while your VPN is on to make sure that it’s working properly, not merely concealing your IP address but also encrypting your DNS queries. If either your IP address, general location, or internet service provider (ISP) shows up in the test results, that’s a red flag.

The Best Sales on Headphones and Earbuds Right Now

Daniel Oropeza — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 20:30:00 +0000

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

Finding a pair of headphones or earbuds that precisely meet your needs—whether you’re using them at the gym, while working from home, or even when showering—doesn’t have to mean shelling out a ton of money. The best of them can be really expensive, yes, but if you're a patient shopper, you can usually find a good deal on just about any pair of headphones.

With that said, here are the best deals, discounts, and sales you can find on earbuds and headphones right now. I'll be regularly updating this list as offers come and go, so check back in as needed—but given these prices can change at any time, I would advise you not to wait if you spot a pair that fits your needs and budget.

ANC Wireless Bluetooth Headphones (Grade A Refurbished)

Beats Studio Pro (Factory Reconditioned)

True Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds - Apple H1 Headphone Chip, Compatible with Apple & Android, Class 1 Bluetooth, Built-in Microphone, 6 Hours of Listening Time

Beats Fit Pro Earbuds

HD NC Processor QN3, 12 Microphones, Adaptive NC Optimizer, Mastered by Engineers

Sony WH-1000XM6 The Best Noise Canceling Wireless Headphones

The Best Truly Wireless Noise Cancelling Earbuds (2026 Model), Bluetooth in-Ear Headphones, with Studio-Quality Sound, Up to 24 Hours of Battery Life, Black

Sony WF-1000XM6 Earbuds

Wireless Industry Leading Noise Canceling Bluetooth Headphones (Renewed)

Sony WH-1000XM5 (Refurbished)

CMF by Nothing Headphone Pro Active Noise Canceling Wireless Headphones Bluetooth 5.4 Over The Ear Headset, 50H ANC Playtime, Bass&Treble Slider, Custom EQ&Spatial Audio, Hi-Res LDAC, Light Green

Nothing Headphone (1) Hybrid ANC Wireless Over-Ear Headphone (Black)

Nothing Ear (a) Wireless Earbuds

Over-the-Ear Noise Canceling Wireless Bluetooth Headphones - Black/Tan

Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 Headphones

Wireless Bluetooth Earbuds with Active Noise Cancellation and Transparency Mode - Lightweight, Comfortable Fit - 20-Hour Battery - Water Resistant - Built for Gemini - Berry

The Beats Studio Pro headphones are $220 off

Right now, you can grab a "grade A" refurbished pair of Beats Studio Pro over-ear headphones for $139.99 from Woot. That's $220 off the original $349.99 price and $20 less than you'll pay for a renewed pair on Amazon. These durable, comfortable headphones are a great choice if you're an Apple user, as Apple owns Beats, but they work well with Android devices too.

The Beats Fit Pro earbuds are $70 off

The Beats Fit Pro (1st Gen) earbuds aren’t the newest exercise earbuds on the market (or even on the Beats line; that would be the Powerbeats Pro 2), but they’re a classic option with ANC and a comfortable fit, making them a sportier version of AirPods Pro, with a slight edge when it comes to battery life. You can get a pair in white or pink for $124.99 (originally $199.95), the lowest price ever.

The Sony 1000XM6 headphones are $60 off

The Sony WH-1000XM6 came out in 2025 and are the best over-ear headphones I tested last year (or ever, really). These headphones go with a companion app that's packed with a lot more features that you can nerd out on. The audio quality is second to none, with the fully customizable EQ giving you plenty of options to get the sound how you like it. Right now, you can get the WH-1000XM6 headphones for $398 (originally $459.99), $20 off their lowest price ever.

The Sony 1000XM6 earbuds get their first major discount

The earbuds version of the WF-1000XM6 are also discounted for the first time. They're $298 (originally $329.99), the lowest price since the recent release. Whenever Sony releases a new version of its flagship earbuds, you can generally trust that they will be the best your money can buy until the next iteration rolls around, and these are no exception.

The older and refurbished Sony 1000XM5 are just $160

If you don't need the latest XM6 headphones and are good with the older XM5 version, which are still incredible headphones, a refurbished pair is $159.99 on Amazon. A new pair will run you $248, which is still a pretty good deal compared to the $399.99 launch price.

The CMF Nothing Headphone Pros are just $69

Nothing is an upstart tech brand from the UK that makes tech products with unique features and designs, and the prices are very competitive. Right now, Nothing's latest budget over-ear headphones, which were released in October, the CMF Headphone Pros, are just $69 (originally $99), the product's lowest price ever. This is a great option for anyone looking to get budget over-the-ear headphones with 100 hours of battery life that punch above their weight.

The Nothing Headphones (1) are $80 off

If you prefer premium over-ear headphones, you can get the Nothing Headphones (1) for $219 (originally $299), the lowest price yet. Yes, they're considerably more expensive, but they offer all of the same features plus 35 hours with ANC on, up to 80 without, 3.5mm AUX connectivity, a multi-function volume scroll wheel (they call it the Roller) that works for track navigation and other features, and spatial audio.

The Nothing Earbuds are $59

Nothing keeps impressing with its value. The Nothing Ear (a) earbuds come with a companion app that lets you customize the sound with presets or adjust the bass, mids, and highs individually. It supports AAC, SBC, and LDAC codecs, Bluetooth 5.3, plus multipoint for two devices at once, ANC, and a 9.5-hour battery life. If you have a Nothing phone, you can use a pinch-to-speak ChatGPT feature. Get them for $59 (originally $109).

The powerful Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 are $150

I've tried many headphones with strong bass, but none have taken it to the rumbling lows of the Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2, with convenient hands-on controls and active noise-canceling (ANC) features. The Skullcandy Crusher ANC 2 is $149.99 (originally $239.99). What makes them stand out is the "Crusher" feature. It is a bass enhancer that boosts the bass to make a unique sound signature that makes me feel like I'm experiencing the music live. The headphones also have a convenient wheel that you can turn to increase or decrease the bass.

The new Google Pixel Buds 2a are just $99

Google's "a" series is their budget versions of the "Pro" series, but as our review explains, they are “almost pro-level specs but for much less.” These Pixel Buds 2a are $99 (originally $129), the latest version with ANC, offering great value for the price, especially if you're in the Google ecosystem.

Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now

Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $225.00 (List Price $249.00)

Apple iPad 11" A16 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Silver, 2025) — $399.99 (List Price $449.00)

Sony WH-1000XM5 — $198.00 (List Price $399.99)

Google Pixel 11 Pro 256GB Unlocked Phone With $200 Amazon Gift Card (Obsidian) — $1,299.00 (List Price $1,299.00)

Google Pixel Watch 5 (41mm, Wi-Fi, Obsidian) — $399.99 (List Price $399.99)

Deals are selected by our commerce team

Why Everyday Athletes Are Testing Their Sweat (and Why It's MostlyPointless)

Meredith Dietz — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 20:00:38 +0000

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TrainingPeaks—the training-log app plenty of serious runners, cyclists, and triathletes live in—recently rolled out a direct integration with hDrop, a reusable wearable sweat sensor. The idea is that athletes wear it on their arm, and sweat loss and sodium loss data get logged alongside their workout notes, right next to heart rate and power. The integration lets hDrop users sync hydration metrics like sweat loss, sodium loss, and hydration behavior directly into TrainingPeaks, becoming part of the same decision-making metrics as heart rate or pace.

At charging $249.99 for its wearable hydration sensor, hDrop isn't alone. Two other big names in wearable sweat sensors are Nix (around $189) and FlowBio (around $340). On the budget end, Gatorade sells single-use sweat tests for around $25. The goal of all these sweat testing wearables is to tell you exactly how much fluid and sodium you're losing on a run or ride.

As a marathon runner myself, it's easy to see the appeal of these products. After all, in an actual lab, sweat testing can be used to guide personalized fluid and electrolyte replacement recommendations for serious athletes. These consumer sweat sensors are chasing the same promise, just without the lab settings. Unfortunately, as multiple studies have pointed out, it's tough to achieve lab-level accuracy out in the field. Let's take a look at why you most likely do not need to waste your time and money on another wearable just for sweat.

How accurate are sweat testing wearables?

Researchers note that most sweat-sensing devices haven't been rigorously tested in the messy, high-heat, high-humidity conditions athletes actually train in, and that few devices have accuracy data from large field studies rather than controlled labs. A 2026 study testing sweat sodium composition and sweat loss estimation through wearable sensors concluded that measurements from these consumer devices "should currently be interpreted with caution and not considered equivalent to laboratory-grade analyses."

For our purposes here, as a curious runner or cyclist, the major hurdle for consumer-level sweat tests is that your sweat is a moving target. Your sweat sodium concentration changes from one day to the next with heat acclimation, fitness, and diet. You also have to consider the one small patch of skin being sampled. A patch on your forearm or upper arm doesn't factor in the sweat coming off your back, scalp, or torso, all of which behave differently. Trying to extrapolate one patch's reading into a whole-body sweat or sodium loss number introduces a lot of room for error.

Even hDrop, Nix, and FlowBio—which all claim to be the most accurate sweat sensors on the market—have to include in their troubleshooting guidance that poor skin contact produces bad readings, as does interference from water or any other fluid but sweat. Ultimately, these devices are sensitive to moisture, temperature, and positioning—in other words, all obstacles sure to come up during the exact sweaty workout you'd want to be testing in the first place.

What this means for you

Don't get me wrong—I'm all for proper sweat testing if the opportunity to get into a lab comes up. In the meantime, I'd opt for free, generic hydration tracking over a new wearable. Even if it's not lab-perfect, tracking your hydration can still surface useful patterns. Maybe you sweat noticeably more in humidity, or you're consistently a "salty sweater," or your losses spike late in long efforts. Logging all of that in an app like TrainingPeaks can help you spot patterns and adjust your hydration and fueling strategy from there.

But the leap people make—from "my patch says I lost 900mg of sodium" to treating that as an actionable, precise number the way you'd treat heart rate or pace—isn't supported by the current accuracy of consumer sweat tech. These devices are not yet a substitute for a real lab sweat test. If you're interested in finding out for yourself, go crazy. Personally, I'd rather save the money on hydration testing and instead spend it on the hydration and fueling itself.

This App Will Make You Want to Use the Pixel 11 Pro's 'HiLight' Feature

Jake Peterson — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 19:30:00 +0000

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When Google announced the Pixel 11 series last week, it showed off a new "upgrade" for its Pro devices—including the Pixel 11 Pro, Pixel 11 Pro XL, and Pixel 11 Pro Fold. "HiLight" is a small light circle that rests on the camera bar of these Pro Pixels, and is designed to passively clue users into alerts while their phones are face down. If HiLight glows red, perhaps you have an incoming call from your friend; if it glows blue, perhaps Gemini is processing your request. The color that glows is up to you, but the core idea is the same: If HiLight is glowing, it's because someone is calling you, or Gemini is working.

Unfortunately, there's nothing else HiLight can do out of the box, which seems like a big missed opportunity for a brand-new hardware feature. Google wants customers to spend more for a Pro device, only to give them two things to do with this Pixel 11 Pro exclusive. And while there's certainly some utility in assigning contacts different colors, to silently know who's calling without needing to pick up your Pixel, there are so many other possibilities for HiLight that the current iteration feels way underbaked.

Pixel 11 Pro (256GB)

$1,099.00 at Amazon

'HiLight Studio' makes the Pixel 11 Pro's LED useful

Enter: HiLight Studio, a new app from developer DhananjayBhosale. DhanajayBhosale's announcement appeared on my X feed, and it immediately caught my attention. The developer designed the app to take full advantage of Google's new hardware, even if Google isn't taking advantage itself. With HiLight Studio, you can assign colors and effects for notifications from any app on your Pixel, not just contacts. Chrome alerts can be blue, WhatsApp alerts can be green, and so on. In addition, you can effectively choose any shade of any color that Android allows, down to saturation and intensity levels.

There are also five lighting effects you can choose from: "Rainbow," "Comet," "Pulse," "Breathe," and "Wave," plus "Random" if you want to be surprised. These effects go beyond choosing a solid color: An alert could light up HiLight rainbow, or pulse in red. You can choose how long the colors and effects stay on for after each notification, and when to prevent HiLight from activating (e.g. while the screen is off, during Do Not Disturb, or when the battery hits a percentage you designate). You can save your presets and export them to other apps, and you can access your settings through a Quick Settings tile.

To be clear, this is not an app you can download from the Play Store. Instead, you need to install the APK from GitHub, which in turn needs shell-level access to your Pixel's lights service. That involves either setting up through Shizuku or ADB. DhanajayBhosale has instructions for each method, but keep in mind that this is a more technical approach than a simple app download. Luckily, there's no need to root your Pixel for this to work.

What Garmin's 'Recovery Time' Estimate Actually Means

Beth Skwarecki — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 19:00:24 +0000

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Garmin's fitness watches often give you a "recovery time" after a workout. For example, after one easy run, it told me that I need 21 hours before I'll fully recover. I've come to expect long recovery estimates from Garmin, but they don't mean what you might think. For example, you're not expected to fully rest during that recovery time. Here's what you need to know.

What is Garmin's recovery time feature, and where can you see it?

You’ll see your recovery time in the end-of-workout summary that you get right after you finish a workout on many Garmin watches. It’s also available from the Training Status glance on your watch, or the Training Readiness tile in the Garmin Connect app if you have that. On my Forerunner 570, I can even set it as one of the little complications on my main watch face. The recovery time feature is available on most Enduro, Epix, Fenix, Forerunner, Instinct, Venu, and Vivoactive watches, among others (Garmin has a full list here).

Garmin defines recovery time as “an estimate on how long it will take for you to fully recover and be ready for your next workout of the same intensity.” Note that phrase, fully recover. No athlete is fully recovered at the start of every training session; it's normal to carry a little fatigue from one session to the next. This number is just giving you a sense of how long you’ll be feeling the effects of this workout.

Garmin Forerunner 570 42mm Advanced GPS Smartwatch (Slate)

$549.99 at Amazon

Do you have to wait until the recovery time hits zero before working out again?

No! This is probably the biggest misconception about the feature (and it explains why the recovery times can be so long—up to four days). The idea isn’t that you have to rot in bed until the timer is up. It’s just that between now and when the timer hits zero, you’ll be operating with at least a little more fatigue than usual. You can read Garmin’s explanation here. They say: “When your timer hits zero, it means you are ready to gain the maximum benefit from your next hard fitness-improving (i.e., training effect: 3.0+) type workout.”

So if I get a 38-hour recovery time after a hard workout, that’s just a signal that I won’t be in tip-top shape tomorrow. If I were planning the hardest workout of my week for tomorrow, I might want to consider delaying that workout so I can do it later on fresh legs. But if I’m planning on going for a recovery run instead, there’s no need to change my plans.

Should you ignore Garmin’s recovery time?

I mean, there’s an argument for ignoring any metric a watch gives you, at least some of the time. You don’t need to let Garmin’s recovery time run your life. If you still want to get your workout in, and you feel up to it, feel free to ignore the recovery numbers.

That said, I do find the recovery time useful as a gut check. If I get a long recovery time, that’s a reminder that I did actually work pretty hard, and I should make sure my efforts are balanced over time with easy and hard days. Any good training program will keep that in mind anyway—with or without a watch putting a number on it.

Why does my recovery time keep changing?

Garmin is constantly updating its estimate of how far away you are from full recovery. If you do another workout before the timer hits zero, the number will go up again because you’ve given yourself more work to recover from.

On the flip side, if you got a good night’s sleep, you may find that the number shrank more than expected during the night. Again, you don’t want to read too much into this number; it’s just an estimate, after all. But it’s a good sign if you find you’re recovering quickly from your hard workouts.

Seven Earbuds Models That Actually Let You Replace the Batteries

Jake Peterson — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 17:30:00 +0000

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Look, I love my AirPods. I wouldn't really opt for a different pair of earbuds, considering how entrenched I am in the Apple ecosystem. While the audio quality and feature set keep me hooked, there is one enormous flaw lurking under the surface: once the batteries go, the AirPods go, too.

AirPods are far from alone here. Many wireless earbuds do not give users the option to replace the batteries. That includes whether you want to replace the batteries yourself, or have a repair shop handle the task. The way these devices are designed, battery replacement borders on simply impossible, since companies often solder batteries in place. And seeing as all lithium-ion batteries degrade over time, eventually, your earbuds won't be able to hold a usable charge. Once that day comes, you'll likely buy a new pair, spending potentially hundreds of dollars once again, and adding another device to the e-waste pile.

It doesn't have to be this way. Earbud manufacturers are choosing to design their products without serviceable batteries. We know this because some companies out there actually sell earbuds that let you replace the batteries. While this should serve as a lesson to all manufacturers, it also presents an opportunity for buyers interested in the longevity of their products: If you're looking for earbuds that won't be useless after two or three years, these seven options are worth considering:

Fairphone Fairbuds

$99.00 at Amazon

Fairphone's whole shtick is repairability. The company's product line—including its Fairphone smartphone, Fairbuds XL headphones, and Fairbuds earbuds—is designed to be modular and serviceable, skipping glue and convoluted manufacturing with easily accessible screws. For our purposes, that applies to its earbuds: Not only can you replace the batteries in the Fairbuds, but you can also easily repair the charging case too. In fact, iFixit gave the Fairbuds a perfect repairability score, which is the first I've seen for earbuds.

That said, there may be some trade-offs to achieve that level of repairability. User reviews on Amazon are mixed, to say the least. While the earbuds do come with modern features, like active noise cancelling, apps for both iOS and Android, and the ability to connect to multiple devices at once, critics on Amazon complain about the fit, reliability, and lag in controls. Still, others had positive reviews as well, praising the repairability, but also the sound quality and overall experience. Without having used them myself, it seems the Fairbuds might not be the choice for users looking for the best possible wireless earbuds, but are worth considering if repairability is especially important to you.

Sony WF-1000XM3 or WF1000XM4

Sony WF-1000XM4

$278.00 at Amazon

Sony is known for its headphones and earbuds, but the conversation usually focuses on its sound and build quality. As it happens, the company has a history of offering earbuds with a decent level of repairability—though it has changed with recent releases.

Two of the company's earbuds, the WF-1000XM3 and WF-1000XM4, ship with easily replaceable batteries—coin cell batteries, at that. iFixit notes that the MX3s are particularly repairable, and while the MX4s aren't as easy to open up, the batteries are still fairly replaceable. But with the XM5s, Sony made the experience much harder, and trying to replace the batteries yourself runs a far greater risk of damaging the earbuds permanently. The XM6 is a similar story, and its battery may even be custom, which would make user repairability quite difficult.

The good news is, you can still find the older XM3 and XM4 earbuds on the market, assuming you don't mind going back a few generations for your earbuds. At least you'll know you can continue using your earbuds long after the included battery wears down.

Samsung Galaxy Buds Live

Galaxy Buds Live (ANC)

$238.99 at Amazon

Most of the earbuds Samsung has produced this decade are not very repairable, but rewind to 2020, and it was a different story. The Galaxy Buds Live were arguably Samsung's last easily serviceable offering (though perhaps "easy" is doing some heavy lifting there). You still need to do some careful work to ensure you don't snap or break any of the internal components, but you don't need any advanced tools or techniques to access the battery.

While iFixit noted in its teardown from six years ago that the Galaxy Buds Live's batteries were becoming hard to find online, you can still buy them today. You can order a two-pack of the CP1254 batteries on Amazon for $19.99. Not a bad price to keep your earbuds running. Perhaps that's why renewed Galaxy Buds Live from 2020 are still fetching modern earbuds prices. I can't say I'd recommend picking up a pair given their age, but if you're a Samsung fan that wants to keep these buds for the long haul, it's an option.

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Eleven

Bang & Olufsen Beoplay Eleven Premium ANC Wireless Earbuds (Natural Aluminum)

$599.00 at Amazon

Bang & Olufsen's extremely expensive ($599) Beoplay Eleven earbuds do come with replaceable batteries, but there's a catch: You can't replace them yourself. Instead, Bang & Olufsen will replace the battery for you if you take the earbuds to one of the company's service centers. That's hardly what one expects from "replaceable battery." Still, it's better than what other companies offer for their earbuds, so I feel the Beoplay Elevens should get a mention here—even if I imagine the market for $600 earbuds is likely small.

Sennheiser Momentum 5 earbuds (coming soon)

Sennheiser's Momentum 5 earbuds aren't quite out yet—but they're the reason I put together this list. The buds, announced on Thursday, come with user-replaceable batteries in both the earbuds and the charging case, which means you'll be able to keep using both as long as you keep replacing the batteries yourself. Like some of the other items on this list, these earbuds are designed with screws instead of glue, which should make servicing much more straightforward.

Sennhesier says these earbuds will be available starting Sept. 3, and will cost $299.95. I'll update this piece once Sennheiser releases more information about these earbuds, including where you can buy them.

Microsoft Surface Earbuds (discontinued)

Microsoft's Surface Earbuds are reportedly very easy to replace, as they take a standard coin cell battery. Unfortunately, these earbuds were discontinued, and they aren't likely easy to find. Still, if you do find a pair, or you happen to own them, know that you can swap out the batteries without much difficulty.

More earbuds with replaceable batteries are likely on the way

While this list is certainly lacking today, it will probably continue to grow over time. That's not because companies are seeing the light, or even because there's a profit to be made from including replaceable batteries in their earbuds. Instead, new regulations (particularly from the EU) are forcing companies to make their devices less consumable. In this case, devices will likely start shipping with more readily replaceable batteries, so that the entire product doesn't need to go once the batteries die.

These Garmin Watches Are Up to 40% Off Right Now

Amanda Chatel — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 16:00:39 +0000

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

If you’re looking to score yourself a new Garmin watch, Amazon is having a big sale on a variety of them right now. Some watches are up to 40% off, with others clocking in as low as under $200—but all these Garmin watches are currently at their lowest prices ever, according to price-tracking tools.

Garmin Instinct Solar Hybrid

Garmin Venu 3S Premium Fitness

Garmin Instinct smartwatch with AMOLED display

Garmin Vívoactive 5 Health and Fitness smartwatch

Garmin Venu 3S Premium Fitness smartwatch

Garmin Vívoactive 5 Health & Fitness GPS smartwatch

Garmin Instinct Solar Hybrid smartwatch is now 40% off

The Garmin Instinct Solar Hybrid smartwatch in graphite is currently 40% off, making it $269.95 (originally $449.99). With the solar charge, you can more easily retain your watch’s power, and its battery life can last up to 70 days. It has an Android operating system and GPS, and the display has a high resolution (176 x 176), making it easy to see in all environments. It's also sweatproof and waterproof.

Garmin Venu 3S Premium Fitness smartwatch is now $150 off

Garmin Instinct smartwatch with AMOLED display is now less than $350

At 30% off, this Garmin Instinct smartwatch with AMOLED display is now $349.99, down from $499.99. The AMOLED offers a vibrant display and it holds a charge for up to 24 days. It includes a built-in LED flashlight, and its strobes make it easier to navigate dark terrain. This watch features a monitoring system for your heart rate and sleep cycles. It also includes contactless payments, so you can leave your wallet at home.

Garmin Vívoactive 5 Health and Fitness smartwatch is now more than $100 off

If you prefer a watch that is less aggressive looking, the Garmin Vívoactive 5 Health and Fitness smartwatch in orchid is now 37% off, making it $189.99 (originally $299.99). This watch has a sleek, modern design, but it still has the features you expect to find in a fitness watch: It monitors your heart rate, stress levels, menstrual cycle, and sleep quality. It includes over 30 built-in apps and GPS. Its AMOLED display is bright and clear, and it has a battery life of 11 days. You can download all your favorite songs to this watch, then pair it with headphones.

Garmin Venu 3S Premium Fitness smartwatch is now over $150 off

Right now, the Garmin Venu 3S Premium Fitness smartwatch in French gray is $294, down from $449.99. With its modern design, this watch offers a bright display that has a battery life of 10 days. This watch is compatible with iPhone and Android smartphones, so you can easily make calls and send texts from your phone. It also includes wheelchair mode, so it can track pushes instead of steps.

Garmin Vívoactive 5 Health & Fitness GPS smartwatch is now less than $200

Another Garmin watch with a sleek and modern design is the Garmin Vívoactive 5 Health & Fitness GPS smartwatch that’s currently $186.97 (originally $299.99). It has a colorful AMOLED display and over 30 built-in apps; when fully charged, this watch gives you 11 days of use (or five days, if you have the display on 24/7).

Our Best Editor-Vetted Tech Deals Right Now

Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $225.00 (List Price $249.00)

Apple iPad 11" A16 128GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Silver, 2025) — $399.99 (List Price $449.00)

Sony WH-1000XM5 — $198.00 (List Price $399.99)

Google Pixel 11 Pro 256GB Unlocked Phone With $200 Amazon Gift Card (Obsidian) — $1,299.00 (List Price $1,299.00)

Google Pixel Watch 5 (41mm, Wi-Fi, Obsidian) — $399.99 (List Price $399.99)

Deals are selected by our commerce team

10 Shows Like 'Lost' You Should Watch Next

Ross Johnson — Thu, 20 Aug 2026 15:30:00 +0000

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Lost featured complex, intertwined narratives; more characters than one can reasonably expected to keep up with; and boxes full of secrets. The show, which kicked off with flashbacks that peeled back the layers of the various crash survivors before diving headfirst into surrealism, was an uncommonly smart network offering that rewarded careful viewing. Whether it all wound up being deeply profound or a load of nonsense was always in the eye of the beholder—but it remains one of the most discussed and debated shows in modern TV history.

Fringe (2008 – 2013)

We don't talk nearly enough about Fringe, a smart sci-fi/crime procedural that served as a true successor to the X-Files (and that wrapped more satisfyingly than that show ever did, even given multiple tries), as well as to the weirder aspects of Lost, all while anticipating multiversal storytelling before it got annoying. Starting out as a kind of weird-mystery-of-the-week thing, it soon becomes clear that the odd occurrences the characters have been investigating are all linked to potentially universe-ending incursions across time and space. Stream Fringe on Hulu.

Fringe (2008 – 2013)

The Leftovers (2014 – 2017)

The Leftovers (2014 – 2017)

The premise of The Leftovers is brilliantly subdued: Around two percent of the world's population disappears without explanation, and it's enough to upend just about everything. Politics have adapted to the new normal, religions have collapsed and reformed, and families have had to make peace with the inexplicable loss of loved ones. The first season revolves around the Garvey family, led by Kevin (Justin Theroux), a sheriff whose wife (Amy Brenneman) left him to join a cult, while subsequent seasons broaden the scope to bring in other characters in other locations. Showrunner Damon Lindelof also co-created Lost, and the two series share some similarities (including a relatively grim tone), but where Lost (arguably) spun out of control, The Leftovers recognized that complex plotting and the search for answers is the point. Stream The Leftovers on HBO Max.

at HBO Max

Yellowjackets (2021 – )

This time-hopping survival drama is about a group of teenage girls who are stranded in the wilderness in 1996 and do terrible things to survive—the extent of which we only learn about via flashbacks from the present day, where the events of 19 months spent in the wild continue to resonate. There are ambiguous teases of the supernatural here, but there's plenty of human-level horror as well. The show plays in some of the same territory as Lost in its explorations of the morally ambiguous choices we make when in survival mode, while also cynically (but accurately) positing that there's a huge difference between the version of the past we talk about and the one that really happened. Stream Yellowjackets on Paramount+.

Yellowjackets (2021 – )

Dark (2017 – 2020)

Dark began as a mystery involving a missing child and evolved, over its three seasons, into a wildly complex narrative: a time travel-driven story that explores dark family secrets over the course of several generations. The German import has a striking look and atmospheric feel, with an ensemble cast of teens and adults whose narratives are deftly intertwined. You'd be right to assume that the tone here is darker even than that of Lost, but the shows share loves of complex mysteries, time shifts, and strange holes. Stream Dark on Netflix.

Dark (2017 – 2020)

Alice in Borderland (2020 – )

From (2022 – )

Travel to The Town, a place from which no one can ever leave. The residents and visitors are trapped as surely as if they were stranded on an island—and are beset by creatures that come from the woods that kill anyone found outside after dark. The Matthews family learn all about this firsthand when they roll into the place in their RV and soon find themselves trapped alongside the local sheriff (Lost alum Harold Perrineau) just as it's getting dark. The monsters here aren't just mindlessly hungry—they're cunning and sadistic, and more than capable of killing residents in gory ways. It's a supernatural spin on the "small towns ain't what they seem" vibe. Stream From on MGM+.

From (2022 – )

at MGM+

Alice in Borderland (2020 – )

For the plane-crash survivors of Lost, the island serves as a purgatory, a world that might be alternately paradise and hell for the largely middle-aged castaways. An analog for modern teenagers might look something like Alice in Borderland, where kids find themselves in a world of mysteries—one that feels like an escape until it doesn't. Videogame-obsessed Arisu gets his wish, after a fashion, when he finds himself, along with a couple of friends, transported to an alternate, eerily abandoned version of Tokyo—the title’s Borderland—vividly brought to life via some clever green screen work. The three are directed to an arena and given the instructions for the game, which they’ll be playing whether they want to or not. The first competition involves a locked-room-style puzzle; if they fail, the room goes up in flames with them in it—think Ready Player One, with deadlier stakes. There are games each night, though the rules allow for winners to get time off. There are a lot of rules, actually, but the games are cleverly and sadistically constructed. Stream Alice in Borderland on Netflix.

Battlestar Galactica (2003 – 2009)

Battlestar Galactica (2003 – 2009)

While the original Battlestar Galactica was a fun, middling blend of sci-fi and dated kitsch, the aughts reboot from (Star Trek vet and For All Mankind head) Ronald D. Moore and company brought science fiction fully into the prestige TV era. Created to be humanity's robot slaves, the Cylons rebel and launch a sneak attack on the human colonies, leading to an exodus into space. The only hope for humanity is to reach the mythical world of Earth. The monotheistic Cylons see their crusade as a nearly holy one, while the more rationalistic human refugees struggle to survive and find common purpose in an order that's crumbling day by day. Edward James Olmos and Mary McDonnell lead an impressive cast. Stream Battlestar Galactica on Paramount+.

The 100 (2014 – 2020)

The 100 tells the story of the descendants of refugees of nuclear devastation who return to Earth from their habitat in space to encounter the remnants of humanity who have survived on Earth. Naturally, the first people sent to scope things out are the juvenile delinquents (better them than me), and they discover that three civilizations have risen up in the aftermath of the apocalypse, and they are all pretty scary (including one populated by cannibals, naturally). More humane, perhaps, than Lord of the Flies, even as it explores similar themes, this show builds an impressive mythology over the course of its run, leading to a conclusion that’s borderline metaphysical. Buy The 100 from Prime Video.

The 100 (2014 – 2020)

Missing 9 (2017)

About as close an analog as you're likely to find to Lost is this bonkers South Korean drama. A plane crash leaves a bunch of celebrities (mostly) stranded on a mysterious island—initially, we're getting much of the story via flashbacks from an amnesiac stylist. Things get complicated as the stories of other survivors come to light, and no two people's versions of events quite match. The fame angle adds an extra layer of mystery, as the government investigators are willing to do a little obfuscating to minimize public outcry. We come to learn that five people who never made it off the island had survived the crash, and at least one of the others knows why. Stream Missing 9 on Kocowa via Prime Video.

Missing 9 (2017)