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While some young A.I. companies have struggled to compete with the tech industry’s giants, OpenAI has been rapidly expanding.

Gov. Gavin Newsom must now decide whether to sign into law the fiercely debated legislation.

Yelp complained for more than a decade that Google tilted the search market in its favor. After its rival’s landmark legal loss, it finally decided to sue.

Expectations for the chipmaker have been through the roof because of its dominance in a key component for artificial intelligence systems.

Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski is so bullish on AI that the Swedish buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) platform plans to cut it's workforce by 50 percent in the next few years.

Speaking to the Financial Times, Siemiatkowski said that Klarna is hoping to scale its workforce down from 3,800 to 2,000 employees. The current employee count was already reduced from 5,000 after Klarna conducted mass layoffs last year. With almost half the workforce at the company, Siemiatkowski plans to shift customer service and marketing duties to AI. "Not only can we do more with less, but we can do much more with less," he said to the FT.

SEE ALSO: How does 'Buy Now, Pay Later' work?

None of this is coming out of the blue. Siemiatkowski has been vocal about the cost-saving benefits of AI. Klarna implemented a hiring freeze last December, with the end-goal of "shrinking" the company and replacing certain tasks with AI. In an archived post on X that has since been deleted, Siemiatkowski received backlash for boasting about the millions of dollars saved by automating tasks like AI image generation, implementing an AI assistant, and doing more with half the size of its marketing team.

In the short term, Klarna's approach seems to be paying off. As reported in its Tuesday Q2 earnings call, the BNPL company has greatly narrowed its net losses from $84 million to $980,000 when converted from Swedish Krona to US dollars. But betting big on AI automation is a gamble that might not pan out. Economic experts in a Goldman Sachs report see "limited US economic upside from AI," and if history tells us anything, automation of certain services like self-checkout kiosks and customer service can backfire and create new problems.

Klarna isn't the only tech company to cut its workforce in favor of investing in AI. In January Duolingo cut 10 percent of its contractors, and attributed the redundancy of workers to AI. Meta and Google have also laid off employees as they invest deeper in AI.

Pavel Durov, who was arrested near Paris over the weekend as part of a broad investigation into criminal activity on the platform, was also barred from leaving the country.

Tesla has promised its wide-ranging Supercharger network will open to other U.S. electric vehicles for more than a year. Yet, here we are in August 2024 and most non-Tesla EVs cannot charge with a Supercharger.

Why? The New York Times has a detailed report on the subject. The primary culprits are delays in software and hardware. A non-Tesla EV would need both updated software and a physical adapter to use a Supercharger. The rollouts for both those components have proven painfully slow.

SEE ALSO: Tesla considers adding a new ‘stuck detection' feature to Cybertruck. Here’s why.

Apparently some in the industry have wondered if the crawling process was purposeful.

Wrote Jack Ewing of the Times:

"The delays have fueled speculation that Mr. Musk was having second thoughts about opening up Tesla’s network, possibly because he was worried that access would help other automakers sell battery-powered models and lure customers from Tesla, which has suffered from declining sales."

The thinking is that while Tesla would make money off other EVs charging with Tesla Superchargers, perhaps Musk reconsidered the value of keeping the company's roughly 30,000 fast chargers exclusive to its drivers. Though, as the Times noted, the company has recently posted about ramping up its production of chargers, which many took as a good sign for the eventual rollout.

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Tesla making Superchargers available for other electric vehicles is a big deal because charge anxiety is often a major concern for potential EV buyers. Having a much larger network of chargers at your disposal would ease that anxiety.

It's been slow going, with carmakers across the country pushing back deadlines as they've tried to work with Tesla to update software and acquire adapters. It's also likely safe to assume it didn't help that Musk recently fired 500 people from the Supercharger team at Tesla, reportedly over a petty dispute with the team leader.

Tesla has had a rough of it lately. It's had a few separate recalls and has seen sales decline with increased competition in the EV space. The Cybertruck has been a disaster. It'll be interesting to see how the Supercharger rollout proceeds amid that backdrop.

Garmin's got a new flagship in its rugged smartwatch category, the Garmin Fenix 8.

The company's Fenix line of smartwatches has long been the golden standard for durable smartwatches for athletes, but Apple put up a pretty good fight with its Apple Watch Ultra (now on its second iteration) rugged smartwatch.

Garmin Fenix 8 Garmin Fenix 8 Garmin Fenix 8 999.99 Get Deal

The list of specs on both these watches is incredibly long and includes support for a multitude of sports and outdoor activities, but we're going to focus on the most important bits here. You see, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 has always won on Apple's massive ecosystem of apps and the ability to make standalone calls, and integration with Apple's smart assistant, Siri. On the other hand, Garmin's Fenix watches were always far ahead when it comes to battery life, but the ability to make phone calls from the watch was absent. So how does the new Fenix 8 fit into this picture?

What's with the name?

Before we start, let's just clarify on Garmin's somewhat confusing new naming scheme. The company used to divide its flagship watch category into Fenix and Epix watches. Now, Epix is gone; instead, you have the Garmin Fenix 8 Solar, which essentially means "Fenix 8, with solar power, but without an AMOLED display." And then you have the Garmin Fenix 8, which has no solar power, but has an AMOLED display, which makes it a bit easier to read in direct sunlight.

The Fenix 8 also comes in several sizes, for a total of five variants. You can get the Fenix 8 Solar with a 47mm or 51mm display, while the Fenix 8 (with the AMOLED display but no solar) comes in 43mm, 47mm, or 51mm.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 only comes in one size: 49mm, has no solar power, but it does have a very, very good OLED display.

Got all that? Great, let's continue.

Massive difference in battery life Doing a lot of very long trail runs? The Garmin Fenix 8 should be able to keep up with you. Credit: Garmin

This is Apple Watch Ultra 2's weak spot. It offers, per Apple's specs, up to 36 hours of battery life in normal use, and up to 72 hours in Low Power Mode. That's a lot better than the regular Apple Watch, but it lags far behind Garmin's best.

Garmin Fenix 8 offers a whopping 29 days of battery life, or 13 days with the always-on display option on. If you opt for the Fenix 8 Solar, this goes up to 30 days, or 48 days with solar charging (this assumes a lot of exposure to sunlight).

That's for the largest, 51mm variants of the Garmin. But even the smaller, 47mm version offers up to 16 days (7 days with always-on display on), or 21 days (28 days with solar charging). Finally, the 43mm version offers up to 10 days of battery life, (4 days with always-on display on).

This gets even more complicated when you add the various use cases and options that Garmin offers, such as Battery Saver mode, Expedition GPS mode, or Max Battery GPS mode. If you turn all satellite systems on and listen to music, for example, the battery life on the 51mm Fenix 8 goes down to 18 hours. Check out Garmin's spec sheet for all the details.

The bottom line, however, is that with the Garmin (per DC Rainmaker's incredibly thorough testing), will get you something like 6 days of regular use with some sports use thrown into the mix, while also giving you the option to extend that into weeks if needed.

Still no standalone calls The Apple Watch Ultra 2 can make phone calls even when your phone isn't with you. Credit: Apple

The Garmin Fenix 8 has another big addition: a microphone and speaker for calls, and invoking a personal assistant. You'd think that this makes it on par with the Apple Watch Ultra...but unfortunately it doesn't, because the Fenix 8, perplexingly, does not have cellular connectivity, so it relies on your phone to make calls.

Think about it: If you have a watch with a battery that lasts for days, and the ability to make calls, you'll be a little safer and more connected when you go for a long hike or other outdoorsy adventure. But if said watch relies on your phone to make calls, then you'll have to carry a phone and an additional battery with you, which sort of defeats the purpose of this feature.

As is, it's still a welcome improvement. With the new Garmin Fenix 8, you'll be able to answer that call mid-workout without reaching for your phone. But the Apple Watch Ultra 2, which has cellular connectivity, still wins in this regard.

Voice assistant, but basic

Similarly, the Garmin Fenix 8 now offers an offline Garmin voice assistant. This requires zero connectivity, which is nice, and it will let you perform basic tasks like start the timer, play some music, or start a workout. But that's pretty much as advanced as it gets.

Garmin also supports Apple's Siri, as well as Google and Samsung's voice assistant, but those work via your phone (depending on the model) aren't directly patched into Garmin's smarts, so you can't use them to control Garmin-specific features.

In contrast, Apple Watch Ultra 2 is well integrated with Apple's own voice assistant, Siri. Garmin is closing the gap a little bit here, and we haven't tested it ourselves yet, but it seems like Apple is ahead in this regard.

New diving features Hey recreational divers, Garmin's got something for you. Credit: Garmin

When Apple launched its Ultra smartwatch, it did something interesting by adding well thought out support for recreational diving features. Typically, pro divers will want to use a dedicated diving computer (Garmin sells those as well), but Apple Watch Ultra 2 has a nice set of features that will satisfy most recreational divers.

Now, Garmin Fenix 8 supports diving-related features as well -- and yes, it does seem like Garmin had its mind on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 when it designed the new Fenix.

On the hardware level, the Fenix 8 now has a depth gauge and leak-proof metal buttons (the Ultra 2 doesn't have these). But it goes further than that, essentially adding a ton of functionality from its pro-grade Descent lineup of diving watches. In short, it supports scuba and apnea dive activities, and overall matches the Apple Watch Ultra's diving features. It's very close to a tie between the Fenix 8 and the Ultra 2, though Garmin's pro-diving pedigree does give a slight nod to the Fenix 8.

About that price

We've got bad news here. Garmin Fenix 8 starts $999.99, and that's for the 43mm AMOLED model. The 47mm variant (both Solar and AMOLED) costs $1,099.99, and the largest, 51mm version costs $1,199.99.

This is pricier than the Garmin Fenix 7 at launch and, more importantly, a lot more expensive than the $799 Apple Watch Ultra 2. Apple products aren't cheap, and when you're selling a competing product at this much of a premium, it's a pretty big statement -- or a mistake.

Is the Garmin Fenix 8 better than Apple Watch Ultra? Yes and no.

Garmin had an obvious intention to catch up with the Apple Watch Ultra 2 in all areas where it lagged behind, while improving even further in the battery life department.

And yeah, at a glance, the improvement do sound like the Fenix 8's got everything the Ultra 2 has (sans Apple's app ecosystem), while also offering massively better battery life and more versatile battery management.

However, the Fenix 8 still doesn't offer cellular connectivity, which is a bit of a bummer, and its voice assistant isn't as smart as Siri. It also costs a lot more than the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Also, the Ultra 2 might very soon get replaced with a new version, so we'd advice to wait until Apple's September 9 event until deciding on either model.

The brain teaser requires some abstract thinking, but will leave you feeling super satisfied when you crack it!

It's almost new Apple Watch season, which means it's potentially almost time for you to pick out which band you'll use with your next Apple Watch.

Whether you'll be upgrading to the new Apple Watch 10 or the Apple Watch Ultra 3, there are a ton of watch band options for you.

Apple's website has a long, almost overwhelming, list of watch bands in every size and color you could imagine. Whatever you want your Apple Watch to look like is how it will look. The world is your oyster.

With that in mind, here are some of the most notable watch band types to choose from for your new Apple Watch.

SEE ALSO: Apple Watch Ultra 3 rumors: Everything we know so far Sport bands Pink is always good. Credit: Apple

If you want maximum comfort, and aren't too concerned about your Apple Watch looking like a real watch, the wide variety of sport bands on display might be for you. Made of fluoroelastomer (synthetic rubber), the sport bands come in bright colors and promise both softness and strength. If you'd like to forget your Apple Watch is even there, this might be the one to pick.

Sport bands are also just $50, and as you'll see, that's a bargain compared to some of the other options.

Apple Watch Band - Sport Band (41mm) - Abyss Blue - Regular Get Deal Sport loops Technically the Pride Edition, but also it just looks good regardless. Credit: Apple

In a similar vein, sport loops are meant for comfort and affordability more than pure aesthetics.

They're made of nylon weave and come in a bunch of different colorways, such as the Pride Edition featured here. If you want a soft texture for your watch band, and don't want to spend more than $50, this might be the way to go.

Apple Watch Band - Sport Loop (40mm) - Anchor Gray - Regular Get Deal Milanese loops Fancy. Credit: Apple

Jumping from perhaps the least fancy option to perhaps the most fancy, Milanese loops are old-school-looking watch bands made of stainless steel mesh. It's also totally magnetic, and Apple promises that means it can be adjusted exactly to your liking. If you want a Milanese loop for your Apple Watch, be warned that it starts at $100, which is $50 more than something like a sport band.

Apple Milanese Loop (Apple Watch) $92.06 at Amazon
$99.00 Save $6.94 Get Deal Buckles In case you want a big buckle. Credit: Apple

This is where things start to get expensive.

Buckle bands, like this mulberry one, start at a whopping $150. For that price, though, you get a suede-like texture and a buckle that is actually magnetic, so it's more high-tech than it looks. Still, $150 is a lot. Wouldn't it be wild if there was one that was even more expensive?

Apple Modern Buckle $99.99 at Amazon
$149.00 Save $49.01 Get Deal Link bracelets For the metal lovers. Credit: Apple

For the stainless steel lovers, Apple has fashioned a couple of different very nice looking — and also very pricey — link bracelet options for Apple Watches. The silver one starts at $350 and the black one at a staggering $450, but perhaps you get what you pay for. Apple's website claims it takes nine hours to cut a single one of these together and that there are more than 100 components to it.

If you want people to know that you spent a lot of money on your Apple Watch, here's a great choice for you.

Oittm Apple Watch Band, 42mm Stainless Steel Replacement Link Bracelet Strap Classic iWatch Wristband with Double Button Folding Clasp for Apple Watch (42mm Space Gray) Get Deal

So, you had a video go viral and it had a very specific phrase, like "Hawk Tuah on that thang" or "very demure, very mindful."

Sure, maybe a viral phrase isn't the most sophisticated form of humor, and maybe the trend doesn't promise long-term relevance or a particularly enduring appeal. But viral phrases can lead to a huge influx of brand deals and, if you're smart about it, merchandise sales.

Take Jools Lebron, the TikTok creator who popularized the viral phrase "very demure, very mindful." Because of the phrase's success, she could finance her transition. She went on Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and she made videos with Verizon and Southwest Airlines. But, a few days after the phrase took off, a Washington State man named Jefferson Bates filed to trademark it himself, despite it not actually being his phrase. According to legal documents obtained by NBC News and TMZ, he didn't even name Lebron in the application.

"I've just invested so much money and time into this," Lebron said in a TikTok video that Pop Crave posted on X before Lebron deleted it. "And I feel like I did it wrong. I feel like I didn't try hard enough. I wanted this to do so much for my family and provide for my transition, and I just feel like I dropped the ball. Like, I feel like I fucked up, and someone else has it now. I don't even know what I could've done better because I didn't have the resources."

A few hours later, Lebron dropped another video saying that she "got it handled" on "the trademark front."

"I'm gonna leave it at that," she said. "We got it handled. Mama got a team now. It's getting handled. I appreciate you guys tagging me, I appreciate all of the mentions, it's getting handled. Keep an eye out."

SEE ALSO: Why is everyone online 'very demure, very mindful' right now?

It's unclear what exactly happened with that specific trademark suit, but it's clear that if you have a phrase go viral, work on that trademark asap. Josh Gerben, LegalShield Provider Attorney and Founding Partner at Gerben Perrott PLLC told Mashable that there are "several legal grounds" that would likely leave Bates without the trademark.

"That said, this is an important lesson that filing trademark applications as early as possible can avoid the potential for costly legal battles," Gerben said.

Trademarking your phrase — which the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office describes as "a group of words that are used together in a fixed expression" — allows you a few rights: it protects your intellectual property, it gives you exclusive rights to use that phrase in commerce, it helps you build a brand around the phrase, it allows you to license it for advertising campaigns which will help you potentially earn royalties, and it gives you a legal basis to stop other people from using the phrase without your permission.

"Branding is at the core of every influencer’s success," Heidy Vaquerano, a partner at Fox Rothschild in Los Angeles, told Mashable over email.

If you want to trademark your phrase, start by searching USTPO to make sure no one else has trademarked it. Then, determine the category you want to register the phrase, like on merchandise, in advertising, as a brand name, or another category. After you've decided that, you'll want to file a trademark application with the USPTO. They'll ask a bunch of questions about the phrase and how you want to use it, and you'll probably have to pay some fees. The USPTO will review your application, which might take a few months, and then you'll be approved or denied.

"We always suggest that an influencer consult with an IP attorney with respect to their overall branding," Vaquerano said. "Jools may have become famous for the viral phase, but she should also consider looking at registering any other unique branding marks/phrases that she uses as it is important to protect her newfound popularity."

By now, you've probably seen the viral videos of the Tesla Cybertruck get stuck trying to do, well, truck things. Videos such as the one showing a Cybertruck struggle to get through a little bit of snow in an off-road setting have spread all over the internet.

But is this a Cybertruck issue? Or has the Cybertruck opened up off-road driving to a new audience who is inexperienced with what they need to do with their new truck? Perhaps it's a combination of the two.

Nevertheless, it appears Tesla realizes it's their problem to solve. 

In a post on X, Cybertruck lead engineer Wes Morrill shared that he has considered adding a "stuck detection" feature to the Cybertruck to help drivers deal with all the issues he's seen arise in these viral Cybertruck videos.

What will Cybertruck "stuck detection" do?

According to Morrill, his idea for "stuck detection" consists of a pop-up feature that appears on the Cybertruck's dashboard screen when the vehicle detects that the driver is stuck and provides tips to help them get unstuck.

Some examples of suggestions that "stuck detection" could offer drivers include "air down tires, try using trail assist, raise ride height, try sand mode, etc."

Tweet may have been deleted

"No one is an expert the first time they drive off-road but anyone can learn," Morrill said.

The Cybertruck lead engineer shared his idea in a reply to another X user who was criticizing Tucker Carlson after the right-wing talk show host posted a video testing out his Cybertruck, which got stuck in the mud.

While new truck drivers may be partially responsible for the Tesla vehicle getting stuck, this seems to be just one aspect of a broader issue.

There have been numerous instances showing that there are issues with the Cybertruck design and production. Perhaps the most notable example was the accelerator pedal getting stuck — an issue that has since been fixed and prompted a Cybertruck recall.

Mashable will continue to follow this story and provide updates if "stuck detection" for the Cybertruck goes beyond the idea stage.

X's native AI chatbot Grok is now providing users with election-related queries a Vote.gov banner and directs them to visit the site for "accurate and up-to-date information about the 2024 US Elections."

SEE ALSO: How Big Tech is approaching explicit, nonconsensual deepfakes

Earlier this month, Secretaries of State for Michigan, Minnesota, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, and Washington demanded action from X after they investigated reports that the chatbot populated incorrect election information. False responses included inaccurate information about ballot deadlines for multiple states. The group urged the company to follow in OpenAI's footsteps, which partnered with the National Association of Secretaries of State to provide election information through CanIVote.org.

While X didn't agree to such a partnership, state leaders responded positively to Grok's new update: "We appreciate X’s action to improve their platform and hope they continue to make improvements that will ensure their users have access to accurate information from trusted sources in this critical election year."

Lawmakers still want to see more movement on the spread of election misinformation and deepfakes by industry players and federal agencies, however. On Aug. 27, a coalition of Democratic lawmakers once again petitioned the Federal Election Commission (FEC) to clarify its stance on AI-generated synthetic images of candidates. The group, joining consumer rights watchdog Public Citizen, has demanded the FEC establish rules on the use of "deceptive AI" and decide if they can be classified as “fraudulent misrepresentation” in campaigning.

In a letter sent to the FEC, the lawmakers specifically called out recent images generated by Grok 2, the bot's latest version introduced with brand new image generation capabilities. "It is critical for our democracy that this be promptly addressed, noting the degree to which Grok-2 has already been used to distribute fake content regarding the 2024 presidential election," the letter reads.

"While electoral disinformation campaigns and voter suppression are not new in this country, AI has the potential to supercharge deception in an ecosystem already rife with false content," wrote Congresswoman Shontel M. Brown. "Twitter and Elon Musk have the responsibility to implement and require responsible use of its AI technology and, if not, the FEC must urgently step in to prevent further electoral fraud, especially by one of the two major candidates for president of the United States.”

An estimated 27,000 Swifties gathered last night, not for the Eras Tour, but to rally for the election of Vice President Kamala Harris.

SEE ALSO: Is it 'Kamala' or 'Harris'? The answer is complicated.

Swifties logged onto Zoom, streamed on YouTube, X / Twitter, and Instagram to hear fellow Taylor Swift fans, politicians like Senator Elizabeth Warren and Senator Ed Markey, organizers including Annie Wu Henry and Indivisible's Kim McMurray, and Carole King make Swiftian puns and encourage Swifties to mobilize. The group raised over $100,000 over the course of the two-hour call.

The fans operate independently of Swift, aiming to leverage their organizing skill set as fans for Harris. Rohan Reagan, a representative for Swifties for Kamala, told Cosmopolitan last week: "We are not waiting on Taylor to show her support for Kamala Harris. We are doing this outside of her, using the platform of Swifties as a way to get people involved in the election. Taylor did throw her support toward Joe Biden during the 2020 election, so it is possible that she’ll show her support again. But Swifties for Kamala aren’t waiting for her to do that."

While Swifties actually have mobilized for Harris, her opponent has faked that support. Former president Donald Trump recently took to Truth Social to share AI-generated images of both Swift and Swifties claiming to have their vote.

Swifties for Kamala's Zoom rally took inspiration from the record-breaking Win With Black Women call that took place the night President Joe Biden endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris for president. The weekly call saw a whopping 44,000 participants, a huge spike from their first 90 person call in 2020, and raised $1.6 million in just three hours.

Inspired by the Win With Black Women, Win With Black Men hosted their own four-hour call the following night. The coalition drew 53,000 attendees and raised $1.3 million. Three days later 164,000 women logged on for the White Women: Answer The Call! Show up for Kamala Harris Zoom call, raising over $8.4 million. White Dudes for Kamala held their own Zoom rally as well with 190,000 in attendance where they raised $4 million.

Swifties for Kamala, while providing a fun space for fans to get involved in campaigning, has yet to make the impact of other more established voting blocks. But as Senator Warren said, there's still 69 days and 144 'All Too Well' (10 Minute Versions) in a day.

This summer was Brat summer. We're approaching demure fall, which may transition into a season with longer staying power than the "demure" and "mindful" trend holds.

One trend that appears to have miraculously enduring appeal is Barbie Summer a label for June and July 2023 that has somehow maintained relevance well into 2024. So much so that HMD just dropped a Barbie-branded flip phone. According to The Verge, the phone was preannounced earlier this year at Mobile World Congress and will go on sale in October for $129.

As with all flip phones, the screen is just 2.8 inches and you'll be typing out in T9. There are "no distracting apps," encouraging users to "disconnect to reconnect," according to HMD's website. But there is a five-megapixel camera with built-in flash which will give your pics that early digital camera look.

Tweet may have been deleted

"Nothing beats spending real time together," the website reads. "That’s what the HMD Barbie Phone is all about!"

The phone comes with Barbie covers, stickers, crystals, a beaded lanyard with barbie charms, and more to personalize your flip phone experience.

"This flip phone is chic, sleek and pink – and that’s just on the outside," according to the website. "Open it up and everything on the screen feels like it’s straight out of The Barbie DreamHouse."

It’s available for preorder on September 23 on the HMD website.

SAVE 20%: The Amazon Smart Thermostat is on sale for $63.99 at Amazon, down from the normal price of $79.99. That's a savings of $16.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Smart Thermostat $63.99 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $16.00 Get Deal

The nights are getting cooler and we're almost into September. After consuming everything pumpkin spice, the weather will chill and you'll be in a thermostat battle with your other household members to find the ideal temperature for everyone (once again). Instead of constant fiddling, smooth things out with a smart thermostat that'll take control. Today's deal at Amazon features an affordable model loaded with features.

As of Aug. 28, the Amazon Smart Thermostat is on sale for $63.99, down from the list price of $79.99. That's a 20% discount, or a savings of $16.

Rather than needing to adjust the temperature when you wake up, leave, get home, and go to bed, hand over the task to the Amazon Smart Thermostat. Powered by Alexa, the thermostat can get to know your temperature preferences. But you're always in control and can manually override Alexa's chosen temp should you prefer. From the Alexa app, you can control the temperature even when you're not home. This feature means you can turn up the heat before you arrive home, or turn it down if you forgot to before leaving for vacation.

The Amazon Smart Thermostat comes with an Energy Star certification, and the EPA estimates certified thermostats save an average of $50 on power bills per year, which means it'll only take a bit over a year in energy bill savings to make up the cost of the thermostat.

SEE ALSO: Echo vs. Echo Dot: Which Amazon device should you buy?

If you already have an Amazon Echo Dot, you're in for even more functionality since the Dot can synch its temperature sensor to the smart thermostat, helping to detect any hot or cold areas in your home.

Get the Amazon Smart Thermostat for 20% off today and get ready for winter temps with a thermostat that does all the work for you.

These are the best headphones deals ahead of Labor Day:

Best Labor Day Headphone Deals Best Headphones Deal Apple AirPods Max $399 at Amazon (Save $150) Get Deal Best Noise-Cancelling Headphones Deal Bose QuietComfort Ultra $349 at Amazon (Save $80) Get Deal Best Budget Headphones Deal Beats Solo3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones $119 at Amazon (Save $80.95) Get Deal

Nothing soothes the soul like music. Or your favorite podcast. Or a call to Mom and Dad for a fun little chat when you're missing home.

If you're looking to score a pair of headphones at a great discount, Labor Day Weekend is the time to do it. We're already seeing some excellent deals on popular headphone brands, including Bose and Beats, meaning you can pick up some of your most coveted headphones at low prices that'll have you smiling all the way through the holiday.

Whether you're looking to grab a budget pair to take with you on a trip or you want to invest in long-term headphones that'll carry you through life's biggest moments, now's the time to invest with discounts you'll be excited about. But your time is precious. That's why we've put together a variety of deals you can already find on headphones ahead of Labor Day. Below, find some of our favorite picks you'll want to add to your cart immediately.

Best headphones deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Our pick: Apple AirPods Max $399.00 at Amazon
$549.00 Save $150.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Apple's premium AirPods Max over-the-ear headphones are a great buy if you're wanting some of the best audio you can get from the retailer's great lineup. Great for audiophiles and casual listeners, they boast excellent sound, lengthy battery life, simple controls, and come in multiple colors to satisfy that itch for customization. Plus, their noise-cancelling options are top-notch. If AirPods don't do it for you, and you've been looking for something over-the-ear instead, these headphones are what you're going to want to go with, especially now that you can get them for a discount ahead of Labor Day.

Best noise-cancelling headphones deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Our pick: Bose QuietComfort Ultra $349.00 at Amazon
$429.00 Save $80.00 Get Deal Why we like it

If you still haven't invested in a pair of Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones, now's a great time to do so. These excellent noise-cancelling headphones feel premium in every sense of the word. They offer three different noise-cancellation modes, comfortable, plush ear cups for long listening sessions, and spatial audio support. With their 24-hour battery life, you can take them on long trips or car rides without worrying about them missing a beat. Plus, they're stylish, which does matter, believe it or not. And if you haven't already guessed, yes, they sound fantastic. Be sure and get a pair while they're still discounted ahead of Labor Day.

Best budget headphones deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Our pick: Beats Solo3 Wireless On-Ear Headphones $119.00 at Amazon
$199.95 Save $80.95 Get Deal Why we like it

Don't want to spend hundreds on a new pair of headphones? You don't have to, and you don't have to skimp on quality, either. The Beats Solo3 use an Apple W1 chip to power their excellent audio, providing you with rich sound and great acoustics, so you get an immersive surround sound effect without having to shell out the big bucks. Though they lack some of the features their more expensive brethren have, their on-device controls make it easy to take calls and enjoy music or podcasts with when you're out and about. They also have adjustable ear cups, so lengthy listening sessions are no problem, either.

More of this week's best headphones deals:

• Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) — $199 $249 (save $50)

• Bose QuietComfort Headphones — $249 $349 (save $100)

• Sony WF-C700N Truly Wireless Noise Canceling in-Ear Bluetooth Earbud Headphones — $98 $119.99 (save $21.99)

• JBL Tune Buds — $49.95 $99.95 (save $50)

• JBL Vibe Beam — $29.95 499.95 (save $20)

• Soundcore by Anker Space A40 Adaptive Active Noise Cancelling Wireless Earbuds — $59 $79.99 (save $20.99)

• Soundcore by Anker P20i True Wireless Earbuds — $19.99 $39.99 (save $20)

• Samsung Galaxy Buds Pro 2 — $99.95 $217.17 (save $117.22)

• Sony WH-CH520 Wireless Headphones Bluetooth On-Ear Headset — $38 $59.99 (save $21.99)

• JBL Tune 510BT — $29.95 $39.95 (save $10)

• Amazon Echo Buds with Active Noise Cancellation — $44.99 $119.99 (save $75)

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Concord is Firewalk’s debut game — and it’s part of Sony’s initiative in releasing more live-service games. With the monumental success of Helldivers 2 earlier this year, it seems like Sony was on the right track.

Concord has solid gameplay mechanics, but fails when it comes to providing characters to care about and doesn’t accomplish its attempts to stand out from other hero shooters.

SEE ALSO: Mashable's best games 2023: No, 'Baldur's Gate 3' isn't No. 1 Concord plot

One of the ways that Concord tries to stand out from other hero shooters like Overwatch and Valorant is that it attempts to attach a narrative. Each week, Concord receives new vignettes (i.e., a cutscene that shows what its characters are up to). The issue is that I feel like I’m just being dumped into an existing storyline without any context. It’s difficult for me to care about any of the characters as there’s no buildup — and it feels like I’m watching an MCU movie post-credit scene. But without knowing where the overall story is going, I feel lost.

Credit: Firewalk

There’s also an encyclopedia called the Galactic Guide where all of Concord’s lore is documented. It’s actually incredibly engrossing if you take the time to sit down and read through all of it. The characters you play as are called Freerunners, and they’re up against the Guild, a governing body that controls trading routes in space. In terms of lore, the Galactic Guide provides a wealth of information on hidden trading routes for Freerunners, so they can slip by the Guild’s checkpoints.

While all of this is genuinely interesting to read, that’s the problem: I’m reading instead of playing the game. Lore in collectibles is one thing, but siphoning off the substantial world-building in a separate menu doesn’t make for engaging gameplay.

Whenever I read the guide, I feel like I’m in an enriching sci-fi universe like Mass Effect or Starfield. No matter how many matches I play or gameplay modes I participate in, Concord’s story doesn’t budge a single inch forward, making it feel completely detached. I would honestly enjoy a single-player game in Concord’s universe and it seems like it could be a Star Wars: Outlaws kind of adventure.

Concord characters

Concord’s character roster starts off with 16 unique Freerunners to choose from.

Credit: Firewalk

Due to how vignettes are dolled out, I can’t really bring myself to care about them at the moment. I’m hoping that the sentiment changes as time progresses, because the Galactic Guide contains so much interesting lore that can potentially morph Concord into a compelling space opera.

Concord mechanics

Like any other hero shooter, each character has its own unique weapons and abilities to fight with in battle. It’s fun to experiment with how each character plays to see which one fits your playstyle the best.

Credit: Firewalk

Each character is separated into six different classes: Anchor, Breacher, Haunt, Ranger, Tactician, and Warden. The Anchors are your typical tanks, being able to take a ton of damage while Tacticians have more unconventional abilities and require more strategic gameplay. This lets each character shine in their own way and makes matches memorable as they class.

The Job Board consists of daily, weekly, and seasonal challenges that grant you experience upon completion, such as dealing a certain amount of damage at short range or eliminating four opponents with critical hits. What I like about how Concord handles them in particular is that, even when I lost a match, I still felt I made progress.

Concord’s unique mechanic to help separate itself from other hero shooters is called Crew Bonus. Essentially, using a particular class gives you a passive bonus that stays with you for the entire match. For example, using a Tactician character like Teo grants you faster reload speed, while playing as a Warden like Haymar grants longer weapon range. 

What’s cool about this is that these bonuses stack and carry over, even when you die. So you can start off the match as a Tactician character, then play as a Warden to obtain both bonuses. It’s a unique incentive that encourages players to frequently switch up their characters. The issue is, however, that these bonuses feel negligible over the course of an entire game. In the heat of battle, I’ve never felt like these bonuses made a difference between life and death.

Concord has your typical gameplay modes like Team Deathmatch, where you simply eliminate the other team and area control, where you secure a spot and keep enemies away. However, it also lacks a signature gameplay mode like Overwatch’s Escort mode. This contributes to Concord’s lack of a unique identity when it comes to its competition.

Concord graphics

This is where I believe Concord stumbles the most. Many of the game's hero designs are unappealing and lack any flare. Sony’s first party games like The Last of Us and Ghost of Tsushima are known for their hyper-realistic graphics, but I think it backfires in Concord. The 3D models look too realistic to the point where it feels like an uncanny valley. Also, the color palette is too pastel-like and there isn't enough contrast. The hues just look washed out.

Credit: Firewalk

For example, the character Roka wears an astronaut-like helmet with some slimming body armor. However, her costume just consists of dull greens and browns, and I can’t make out her personality through her helmet at all. Another character, Amari, has almost the exact same monotonous color palette on her suit, and she looks like a bad Doomguy cosplay. At least, though, I can tell that she’s a tank character because of her enormous size. The character Lennox looks exactly (I’m not kidding) like the actor who plays Yondu in the Guardians of the Galaxy films.

I actually found Concord’s 2D and concept art to be much more artistically appealing, which you can see in the menus like in the Play and Freegunners sections. It reminds me of Deathloop’s 1960’s inspired artwork and it looks so much more vibrant. It just didn’t translate well to 3D models because of Sony’s push for hyper-realistic graphics, and going for a more stylistic graphical direction like in Overwatch or Valorant would’ve been better.

Concord music and audio

Concord’s soundtrack is fine for the most part, and not that much particularly sticks out as memorable or bad. The audio jingle that plays every time you level up sounds satisfying, though. I also like the swelling orchestral music that plays while going through the Galactic Guide.

Concord challenge difficulty

Given that Concord is a multiplayer game, its difficulty entirely relies on whether you’re good at the game. While I didn’t feel the impact of Crew Bonuses all that much, players who learn and take advantage of the mechanic will perform better than those who don’t.

Credit: Firewalk

Players also can’t use real-world currency to pay for stronger boosts, so Concord is an even playing field where skill matters the most.

Concord performance

I didn’t experience any performance issues nor glitches during my time playing Concord. It has reasonable loading times and very few frame drops, if any at all.

Is Concord worth getting?

Concord has plenty of replay value given that it’s a multiplayer shooter, but that all depends on the amount of players currently playing it.

Credit: Firewalk

It’s a $40 game compared to most of its contemporaries, which are free-to-play. While this lets Concord avoid aggressive monetization, it’s also a barrier to entry for a game that still has yet to find its footing.

Concord has some good foundations, but Firewalk definitely needs to build on them. The shooting and movement all feel fluid, but the story and the Freegunners themselves aren’t very memorable so far. Hopefully, Firewalk improves on those aspects by adding more Freegunners with more striking designs and color, as well as providing more context via the vignettes. Its current price tag of $40 is high, so maybe wait for a sale if you enjoy hero shooters.

The very best Android Days deals at a glance: Best unlocked phone deal Google Pixel 9 Pro XL (128GB) $1,099 at Amazon + free $200 gift card Get Deal Best tablet deal Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ (128GB) $479.99 at Amazon (save $120) Get Deal Best Chromebook deal Asus Chromebook CX1 (Intel Celeron N4500, 8GB RAM, 64GB eMMC) $189.99 at Amazon (save $60) Get Deal Best smartwatch deal Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 (Bluetooth, 40mm) $299.99 at Amazon + free $40 gift card Get Deal Best earbuds deal Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 $229 at Amazon + free $30 gift card Get Deal

September is setting up to be an iOS-centric month, but the last gasps of August are all about Android at Amazon.

Through the end of the day (Aug. 28), the retail giant is offering deals on all things Android as part of a 48-hour "Android Days" sale — think unlocked phones, tablets, accessories, and more. (This appears to be the second time Amazon has hosted such an event.) Full disclosure: It largely feels like an excuse for Amazon to plug some of its ongoing deals on Google's latest gadgets, which have been hanging around since their preorder days. But hey, savings are savings.

SEE ALSO: What to expect from Apple's September event: iPhone 16, Apple Watch 10, and more

We've combed through all 20 pages of the sale and rounded up the very best deals below:

Best unlocked phone deal Opens in a new window Credit: Google / Amazon Our pick: Google Pixel 9 Pro XL (128GB) $1,099.00 at Amazon
Includes free $200 Amazon gift card Get Deal Why we like it:

Read Mashable's full review of the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL.

The biggest smartphone in Google's new Pixel 9 lineup, the 6.8-inch Pixel 9 Pro XL is the longest-lasting smartphone we've ever tested: It clocked in at nearly 19 hours on a single charge in our TikTok rundown trial. It also has better cameras and a nicer display than last year's Apple iPhone 15 Pro Max, said Tech Editor Kim Gedeon. It's a newly crowned Mashable Choice Award winner, and all configurations of it come with a free $200 gift card at Amazon (starting at $1,099 for the 128GB version). Take your pick from four colors: Obsidian, Hazel, Porcelain, and Rose Quartz.

More unlocked phone deals:

• Motorola moto g play (32GB) — $98.10 $169.99 (save $71.89)

• Motorola moto g 5G (128GB) — $140.26 $249.99 (save $109.73)

• Samsung Galaxy A15 5G (128GB) — $174.99 $199.99 (save $25)

• OnePlus Nord N30 5G (128GB) — $229.99 $299.99 (save $70)

• Motorola moto g stylus 5G (256GB) — $229.99 $399.99 (save $170)

• Samsung Galaxy A35 5G (128GB) — $299.99 $399.99 (save $100)

• OnePlus 12R (128GB) — $399.99 $499.99 (save $100)

• Motorola razr (128GB) — $399.99 $699.99 (save $300)

• Google Pixel 8a (128GB) — $449 $499 (save $50)

• Motorola edge (256GB) — $449.99 $549.99 (save $100)

• Samsung Galaxy S23 FE (128GB) — $499.72 $599.99 (save $100.27)

• Motorola edge+ (512GB) — $499.99 $799.99 (save $300)

• Google Pixel 8 (128GB) — $549 $699 (save $150)

• Motorola razr+ (256GB) — $599.99 $999.99 (save $400)

• OnePlus 12 (256GB) — $649.99 $799.99 (save $150)

• Samsung Galaxy S24+ (256GB) — $799 $999.99 (save $200.99)

• Google Pixel 9 (256GB) — $899 + free $100 Amazon gift card

• Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 (512GB) — $1,099.99 $1,219.99 (save $120) + free $100 Amazon gift card

• Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (256GB) — $1,099.99 $1,299.99 (save $200)

• OnePlus Open (512GB) — $1,299.99 $1,699.99 (save $400 with Prime)

• Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 (512GB) — $1,899.99 $2,019.99 (save $120) + free $300 Amazon gift card

Best tablet deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Our pick: Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+ (128GB) $479.99 at Amazon
$599.99 Save $120.00 Get Deal Why we like it:

Mashable hasn't reviewed the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE+, a fall 2023 release, but our sister site PCMag (owned by Ziff Davis, Mashable's publisher) deemed it "the Android slate to beat" for its slick design, performance, long battery life, and top-tier build quality. (It's waterproof and it ships with an S Pen at no extra cost.) It earned a 4/5 rating and an Editor's Choice nod over there. Amazon's Android Days event has brought the Silver base model down to $479.99, which is a 20% savings and $10 away from its lowest price to date. The other colors are $20 more.

More tablet deals:

• Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (64GB) — $209.98 $329.99 (save $120.01)

• Google Pixel Tablet (128GB) — $349 $399 (save $50)

• OnePlus Pad (128GB) — $369.99 $479.99 (save $110)

• Google Pixel Tablet (128GB) with Charging Speaker Dock — $399 $499 (save $100)

Best Chromebook deal Opens in a new window Credit: Asus Our pick: Asus Chromebook CX1 (Intel Celeron N4500, 8GB RAM, 64GB eMMC) $189.99 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $60.00 Get Deal Why we like it:

Oddly, this is the only Chromebook featured in Android Days. (Chromebooks can run Android apps.) It's not an impressive laptop by any means, with that dinky Intel Celeron processor and 64GB of eMMC storage. But for $190, it works as a simple, frills-free laptop for schoolwork or email-sending. If it helps, this appears to be its cheapest price ever.

Best smartwatch deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung / Amazon Our pick: Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 (Bluetooth, 40mm) $299.99 at Amazon
Includes free $40 Amazon gift card Get Deal Why we like it:

Samsung's new Galaxy Watch 7 comes equipped with a built-in blood oxygen sensor, blood-pressure monitor, and a sleep apnea sensor — three features you won't find in the current-generation Apple Watch. It's the primo wearable for health-conscious users, and Amazon will give you a free $40 gift card if you buy it there. The Bluetooth-only version starts at $299.99, while the LTE model starts at $349.99.

More smartwatch deals:

• Google Pixel Watch — $179.99 $279.99 (save $100)

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 4 (Bluetooth, 40mm) — $144.72 $199.99 (save $55.27)

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 (Bluetooth, 44mm) — $216.45 $329.99 (save $113.54)

Best earbuds deal Opens in a new window Credit: Google / Amazon Our pick: Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 $229.00 at Amazon
Includes free $30 Amazon gift card Get Deal Why we like them:

In another random deal, Amazon will give you a bonus $30 gift card if you pre-order the new Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 ahead of their Sept. 26 release. (For what it's worth, this one will almost certainly stick around after Android Days formally ends.) Announced alongside the Pixel 9 series at Made By Google 2024, these are Google's first earbuds with its AI chatbot Gemini built-in. They also have a slimmer, supposedly comfier design with a new "twist-to-adjust stabilizer" that helps keep them in place.

The company will allow users of its Gemini chatbot to create images of people with artificial intelligence after disabling the feature six months ago.