Feed aggregator

NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for August 23

Mashable - Thu, 08/22/2024 - 21:00

Connections is the latest New York Times word game that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for August 23's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

Tweet may have been deleted

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer. If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

Tweet may have been deleted

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for August 22 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hit about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

  • Yellow: UI/UX

  • Green: Burlesque outfit

  • Blue: Generic whiteish colors

  • Purple: Sounds like a language

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

  • Yellow: Visual Interface

  • Green: Burlesque Wear

  • Blue: Beige Shades

  • Purple: Language Homophones

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #439 is...

What is the answer to Connections today
  • Visual Interface: DISPLAY, MONITOR, SCREEN, TERMINAL

  • Burlesque Wear: BOA, CORSET, FAN, GLOVES

  • Beige Shades: BUFF, CREAM, FAWN, TAN

  • Language Homophones: BASK, CHECK, FINISH, TIE

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

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

Nepal Lifts Ban on TikTok, in a Likely Overture to China

NYT Technology - Thu, 08/22/2024 - 19:56
The move signaled that Nepal’s new prime minister, who has cultivated ties with China, would continue on that path.

Donald Trump is launching some kind of cryptocurrency thing

Mashable - Thu, 08/22/2024 - 19:04

Donald Trump has put his name on a cryptocurrency platform.

The former United States president and current U.S. presidential hopeful announced in a post on Truth Social that he has launched a crypto business called The DeFiant Ones, as reported by The Verge. The Truth Social posts acknowledges that "the average American has been squeezed by the big banks and financial elites," but offers zero other details on what The DeFiant Ones is, how it works, and how it will help average Americans.

SEE ALSO: The Trump campaign's take on Tim Walz's coaching days proves they don't know football

It could be anything from a full-on cryptocurrency to a trading market or even just a website about crypto. It's impossible to say at this point, but as The Verge noted, Trump's son Eric recently told the New York Post that DeFiant could exist to help those who are "unbanked," or lacking any kind of savings or checking account at a bank or credit union. According to the FDIC, 5.9 million Americans were unbanked as of 2021.

While that could be a noble purpose for DeFiant, there's a long and sordid history of Donald Trump not being especially honest or responsible with money. Those who choose to invest in DeFiant, if that is indeed something you can do, might be taking a risk.

'The Crow' review: Repulsive and abysmal

Mashable - Thu, 08/22/2024 - 19:00

It doesn't matter how low your expectations are for Rupert Sanders' The Crow, because this callous and clumsy remake will still fail to exceed them. But this shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone. 

Director Alex Proyas' 1994 The Crow was a hit at the box office, but its fandom truly exploded in the following years; this was due, in part, to the electrifying performance of its late leading man Brandon Lee, who was fatally injured in the movie's making. Three sequels followed, boasting stars like Kirsten Dunst, Iggy Pop, and Edward Furlong, but none could recapture the magic of Proyas and Lee's collaboration. That didn't stop folks from trying. A relaunch of The Crow has been threatened for over a decade. Now, 30 years after the first adaptation of James O'Barr's dark and deeply personal comic books arrived on the big screen — with a game-changing soundtrack to match — The Crow returns, like the revenant at its center. But unlike poor Eric Draven, there's no heart at the center of this grim and gruesome reboot. 

SEE ALSO: 'The Crow' soundtrack turns 30: Looking back on the album that defined an era The Crow's plot has been changed for the worse and the WTF.  Credit: Larry Horricks / Lionsgate

It's Bill Skarsgård and British singer/songwriter FKA twigs star as doomed lovers Eric Draven and Shelly Webster. This time around, however, they won't be swiftly slaughtered in the first act by a vicious gang led by a nefarious and chicly goth kingpin. Instead, screenwriters Zach Baylin and William Josef Schneider construct a convoluted and yet ambiguous urban hellscape run by Roeg (a smarmy Danny Huston). This villain may look like your average wealthy and powerful white man who treats everyone like pawns in his twisted game, but also, he's an actual demon, collecting souls to extend his life on Earth. 

This change from the 1994 movie means Eric isn't just unleashing violence on a Detroit drug ring in the name of love and vengeance. It means he's looking to save Shelly's soul from the grips of hell itself. And this time he is not the cackling dark clown, swaggering shirt-off and bare hips out, swinging from broken window frames and relishing the kill. A grim and pretentious opening sequence involving a hurt horse and a mucky rural landscape establishes this Eric as a country boy with vague but damning childhood trauma. Shelly can relate. She's got a hard history too, which is briefly alluded to when the two of them meet in rehab. 

FKA twigs and Bill Skarsgård can't save The Crow.  Credit: Larry Horricks / Lionsgate

Where the first film began with the lovers as an established couple on the brink of marriage, this Crow chucks Eric and Shelly into a whirlwind romance that plays as if the screenwriters saw the trailer for American Honey. Once. 

Drug-loving free spirits with wounded souls, they bond over cafeteria trays before escaping rehab to a series of inexplicable montages. The self-proclaimed "degenerates" wander into the swanky apartment of an unknown friend, allowing for a fashion show in designer clothes and lovemaking on silk sheets. Then they tumble into a day out with friends (whose are unclear) — which is odd as Shelly is on the run from Roeg. 

SEE ALSO: As 'The Crow' flies — the bumpy road to 2024's reboot

While Proyas' The Crow established a cast of supporting characters who showed Eric and Shelly as a part of a community, this version takes such associations for granted. Across The Crow, characters aren't even introduced as much as they shuffle on-screen to provide a plot point, then either disappear or die. Likewise, Shelly and Eric's lives beyond their days-old romance are illustrated via flimsy quick cuts to flashbacks. These two are less characters and more a Pinterest board for a grungy, romantic aesthetic. Thought they have a certain chemistry, Skarsgård and twigs can't elevate the cringeworthy dialogue. The love story — which takes up the first 40 minutes of the film — is a tedious trudge to its inevitable tragedy. 

Rupert Sanders' The Crow is a familiar husk stuffed with grisly, greasy nothing.  Credit: Larry Horricks / Lionsgate

Sanders, the director behind the largely forgotten fantasy-actioner Snow White and the Huntsman and the actively underwhelming live-action remake of The Ghost in the Shell, brings a sickly green/gray palette that recalls DCEU drudgery. Gone is the high-contrast face paint of Lee's sad clown, replaced with Skarsgård smearing tattoo ink across his eyes and high cheekbones for a look that reads more Jared Leto's Joker than The Crow. (That's in no small part to the barrage of trashy tattoos that litter Skarsgård's pale skin.) 

To Sanders' credit, this palette does make the hard reds and blacks of blood and bile all the more putrid on-screen. The director seemingly relishes in the movie's R-rating, creating an ultra-violent spectacle that is at times hard to stomach, much less watch. Eric spends the first two-thirds of the film not only horrified by the violence inflicted on his own body — which is shot, stabbed, and run over — but also mortified to cause violence, gawping in shock when he takes a life with a gunshot through the chest. But he'll conveniently get over this in time for a finale that is overflowing with nameless goons who are ripped to pieces with a ruthless abandon. 

Credit: Larry Horricks / Lionsgate

I consider myself to have a pretty high tolerance for gore and violence on-screen, as I am an avid horror-lover. But frankly, I was aghast at the graphic violence of this Crow. Part of it is that the villains — outside of Roeg — are barely established. There's little individual flare, much less the evocative nicknames like Tin Tin, Funboy, and Skank, so these malicious minions become a row of blood-gushing dominoes to be knocked down on the way to the big bad. This kind of move might work in a sequel, where you trust in the hero and so follow him into moral gray areas readily. (See John Wick 2 through 4.) But this is not the Eric Draven that Crow fans know and love. He's an inferior imitation that lacks the haunting charm of Lee. Despite his efforts, Skarsgård's is more a pose than a protagonist. 

In the end, 2024's The Crow is only an echo of an echo of the original, sometimes literally repeating the 1994 film's best lines, but in a new context that makes them more cringe than compelling. Sanders didn't even manage to create a soundtrack that scratches at the distinctiveness or greatness of the original. Ugly, incoherent, and ultimately cynical, The Crow evokes the words of wisdom from another horror movie about resurrected corpses on a rampage: Sometimes dead is better. 

The Crow opens in theaters Aug. 23. 

Crypto Lobbyist Charged With Breaking Campaign Finance Rules

NYT Technology - Thu, 08/22/2024 - 18:02
The charges against Michelle Bond, the former head of a crypto industry trade group, are part of the continuing legal fallout from the collapse of the FTX crypto exchange.

'The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim' trailer teases an epic battle for the fate of Rohan

Mashable - Thu, 08/22/2024 - 15:31
Anime film "The Lord of the Rings: The War of the Rohirrim" tells the story of Rohan's King Helm Hammerhand and his daughter Héra.

The best MacBooks: Which Apple laptop should you buy in 2024?

Mashable - Thu, 08/22/2024 - 14:20

Any time you shop for a new laptop, a lot of people are going to tell you the same thing: Get a MacBook.

We don't blame them. The best MacBooks are fantastic laptops, and while they don't afford you the freedom of customization that other brands offer, that's not something everyone will care about. Most of us just want a high-quality laptop that'll get us through work, school, and play with minimal fuss.

SEE ALSO: The best laptop deals this week, from MacBooks, to Chromebooks, and everything in between

Although MacBooks can get a bit pricey — with some reaching into truly frightening territory — they justify the price with Apple's signature design, user-friendly OS, and zippy M-series processors. Plus, you can often find MacBook Air and Pro models on sale (with the cheapest ones priced around $850 to $999).

After testing out Apple's lineup of laptops, we're here to help you narrow down the choices and take home the Apple machine of your dreams. So, let's start shopping.

Your first big decision: MacBook Pro vs Air

With today's current lineup of MacBooks, you really only have two options: The MacBook Pro or the MacBook Air. So, which is right for you?

If you're a creative who regularly pushes their laptop to the limit with demanding video and photo editing applications, you'll want to aim for the Pro. The name of the game with the Pro line is processing power, and the latest iteration is the speediest and most performance-driven yet.

Testing the M1 MacBook Air after its 2020 release. Credit: Zlata Ivleva / Mashable Testing the super-powered M3 MacBook Pro. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

If convenience and portability are your top priorities, then the Air will be most suited to you. It's thin and light, and it even comes in a 13-inch option if you'll be be lugging it around wherever you go. Plus, ever since the debut of Apple's M Series chips, the MacBook Air has become a pint-sized powerhouse. The most current model utilizes the M3 chip, so you won't be sacrificing all that much in terms of power.

Which generation MacBook is the best?

This will come down to what you're willing to give up in performance, and in some cases, quality. But, whatever you do deem worthy of sacrificing, you'll be paid back in savings. For example, the 2022 model M2 MacBook Air won't come with the latest chip, but you'll still be scoring an impressive laptop that frequently goes on sale for just $849.99. That's compared to the $1,249 price tag of the most recent Air, and the $1,599 asking price of the latest Pro.

A photo from Mashable's test of the M1 MacBook Air. Credit: Zlata Ivleva / Mashable Testing the M2 MacBook Air. Credit: Molly Flores / Mashable

So, if you've got a lighter budget, don't fret — you can still get a MacBook at an affordable price. Older MacBooks are still very much worthy of your consideration, and they won't cost you nearly as much.

SEE ALSO: If you're waiting for a touchscreen MacBook, we've got bad news What are the best MacBooks?

After testing out the latest Apple laptops, we think there are four MacBooks worth buying in 2024. Check out our top picks below, their pros and cons, as well as who we think would like each model best.

I wiped the dust off my Rabbit R1: 5 new things it can do since I last used it

Mashable - Thu, 08/22/2024 - 13:57

The Rabbit R1 has been collecting dust on my shelf since I grew disappointed with the device not meeting my initial expectations. It's been two months since I used it. Jesse Lyu, the CEO behind Rabbit R1, overpromised and underdelivered with the Rabbit R1.

Admittedly, some features like Vision, which shows off how the Rabbit R1 can identify objects by “looking" at them before explaining what it "sees," aren’t half bad. I also loved that it could identify foreign languages, like on a menu for example, and spit it back out in English. (These features are already available on my phone via apps like ChatGPT Plus, however.)

Rabbit R1 Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Plus, some of the marquee features, like ordering Uber and DoorDash via Rabbit R1, or invoking the AI to launch a Spotify song, did not work well.

And not to mention that Rabbit R1 has been suffering from a critical security flaw, according to the The Verge, that further threatened its viability in the market.

Rabbit R1 Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

To be fair, this isn't just a Rabbit R1 issue. This whole "we'll promise stuff now, but deliver after you give us money" tactic has been running rampant across the tech world. But the likes of the Rabbit R1 and the Humane Ai Pin, which is reportedly suffering from more returns than it can can sell, shows how this strategy can backfire.

But Rabbit hasn't given up yet. In a press email to Mashable, Rabbit said that it has issued extensive updates to the R1 device, goading me to give it a try. The team warned that these new features, dubbed "beta rabbit mode," are still rough around the edges, but that I should experiment with them. So I did.

'Beta rabbit mode' on Rabbit R1: What is it?

According to Rabbit, beta mode enhances R1's capabilities with more thoughtful, comprehensive responses to complex questions that require deep reasoning and multi-step research. It can also be used with Vision. In other words, based on what Rabbit R1 is looking at via the camera, it should be able to deliver advanced responses to questions.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Beta rabbit supposedly makes Rabbit R1 more conversational and intelligent.

I put 'beta rabbit mode' to the test

To access beta rabbit mode, all I needed to do was say, "beta rabbit." Just as I was about to give this beta rabbit mode a bash, an update suddenly occurred, preventing me from using the device for about three minutes.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

And it must be connected to a USB-C charging cable to successfully complete the update. It took about 30 long minutes from start to finish due to Wi-Fi connectivity issues (that weren't on my end).

Rabbit gave me the following commands for testing beta rabbit mode:

  1. "Beta rabbit, can you suggest three books similar to The Power of Now? Include page length, year of release, and ratings. And save that as a note titled 'Reading list.' Also, include pictures of the authors." To show contextual capability, Rabbit suggested following up with, "Beta Rabbit, can you also get me summaries for those three books?"

  2. "Beta Rabbit, can you give me a two-day itinerary for San Francisco? I want to go to one historical site, a museum, eat Japanese food, and try a cocktail bar. Can you also give me photos of each location?

  3. Beta Rabbit, can you find me the best deals for the Dyson V8 vacuum? I want to get the cheapest price and the purchase links.

  4. Point at the nutrition chart of a Japanese snack, or any snack in a foreign language, and ask, "Beta Rabbit, what are the nutritional facts for this snack? Is it healthy?"

I tweaked these a bit so that it suited my personal life. For example, for number one, I asked for film recommendations in lieu of book suggestions. (Plus, I don't want to follow a Rabbit-curated list; I want to challenge it.)

For number two, I swapped San Francisco for Greece because I'm headed there in two months. For three, I'm in the market for the Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer, so I plugged that in. And lastly, I don't have a Japanese snack, but I do have a cup of Ramen Noodles, so i'll ask "beta rabbit" how healthy it is.

1. Film and book recommendations

Initially, when I tested beta rabbit mode on Aug. 8, it worked well.

Rabbit R1 populates film recommendations for similar movies to "The Wolf of Wall Street." Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

I asked, "Beta Rabbit, can you suggest three films similar to The Wolf of Wall Street? Include movie length, year of release, and ratings. Also, include pictures of the directors." It suggested The Big Short, American Hustle, and The Social Network, alongside the requested information. Since my two-month break from the Rabbit R1, one thing that caught my eye is that the device finally supports pictures in its response, delivering photos of each director as requested.

I also followed Rabbit's suggestion to ask for book recommendations. I said, " Beta Rabbit, can you suggest three books similar to Killers of the Flower Moon by David Grann. Include page length, year of release, and ratings. Include pictures of the authors, too." Again, it surfaced exactly what I asked for, including The Devil in the White City by Erik Larson, with pictures in tow.

Rabbit R1 showing book recommendations Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

However, a week later, I retested these queries and discovered that the photo-filled responses have been replaced with a rough, rudimentary, raw reply, with some backend coding exposed. I no longer saw photos.

As of Aug. 22, however, the Rabbit R1 is back in working order after a final retest. (In Rabbit's defense, it's a beta mode.)

2. Travel itinerary

I plan on visiting Greece later this year, so I asked the Rabbit R1 to curate a travel plan for me: "Beta Rabbit, can you give me a two-day itinerary for Athens? I want to go to the nearest beach, a historical site, eat greek food from a highly rated restaurant, and go to the best rooftop bar. Also, can you give me photos of each location?"'

A Rabbit R1-curated travel itinerary for greece Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

To my surprise, the Rabbit R1 actually put together a useful Athens-based itinerary. Now, I'll have to actually check out Rabbit R1's suggested places to determine if the AI device can double as a beneficial travel assistant. But based on what Rabbit R1 has produced, I could see myself using it for moments when I just don't have the time to do the research to put together a fleshed out itinerary.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

The only downside is that there doesn't seem to be a way to retrieve a history of responses on the actual Rabbit R1 device, so you'd have to be careful not to accidentally press a button that makes the two-day itinerary disappear from the screen.

3. Deals hunting

As mentioned, I'm in the market for a new air fryer (i.e., the Instant Vortex Plus Air Fryer).

Rabbit R1 goes hunting for the best air fryer deal Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

As such, I asked the Rabbit R1 to surface the best deals for it. The Rabbit R1 pointed to a $131 Amazon "deal." However, I did a little research myself and discovered at it was not the cheapest online offering at the time. The best discount for the air fryer was via Williams Sonoma, which had the same fryer for about $99.

(Interestingly, two weeks later after testing, that $131 Amazon deal has dropped down to $99 as of this writing.)

4. Nutrition label analysis

I pulled out a cup of Ramen Noodles. Using the Rabbit R1's "Vision" feature, I pointed the camera at the back of the Ramen Noodles, which sports the nutrition facts label. I asked, "Beta Rabbit, what are the nutritional facts for this cup of Ramen? Is it healthy?"

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

When I mentioned "cup of Ramen," the Rabbit R1 gaslit me and told me that I was not holding a cup of Ramen. I re-asked the question, but this time, I simply said, "Beta Rabbit, what are the nutritional facts for this food? Is it healthy?"

In response, it told me that the Ramen Noodles are too high in salt and saturated fats, which may impact cardiovascular health. Rabbit R1 continued to say that the product "lacks essential vitamins and minerals."

Rabbit R1 concluded that Ramen Noodles are not healthy and suggested that I avoid eating them.

5. Timers and alarms

Surprisingly, at launch, users couldn't set timers nor alarms with the Rabbit R1. Now, you can use the cute little orange gadget to wake you up or remind you that your cookies are almost done.

Does the Rabbit R1 has a chance for revival?

Unfortunately, the Rabbit R1's chance to captivate the masses has come and gone. I believe Rabbit would have had a glimmer of hope if it were transparent about the device's half-baked feature set from the start. To be fair, there were some utilities that did operate smoothly day one. For example, the translation and Vision features worked better than expected, as well as the sound recording capabilities and the relatively fast, Perplexity-based AI assistant (though its contextual abilities are limited). On the other hand, the team promised a slew of other perks, including UberEats and DoorDash ordering, seamless integration with Spotify, and more. But these features struggled to operate properly.

Plus, people kept wondering the one question Rabbit likely hates hearing, "Why can't this just be an app? Why do I have to spend $200 on a device that already does things my daily driver phone can do?" (This investigation led to a number of explosive reports, including the revelation that the term "RabbitOS" is a bit disingenuous because it's really just an app running on a cheap Android handset.)

And in Rabbit's defense, would people really give a monkey's behind about the R1 if it rolled out to the Google Play Store as a $20-a-month app?

The Rabbit R1, despite offering the same features that are available on your phone, could have gotten away with being a success just from being a bright-orange, nostalgia-inducing device with funky, fidgety controls that taps into one's inner child. But again, the Rabbit R1 is simply too disgraced to experience a revival. However, the Rabbit R1 was such a hyped piece of tech in recent pop culture, I wouldn't be surprised if the Rabbit R2, if Lyu dared to give it a second shot, landed in the spotlight again. Its popularity would likely stem from people wondering if the R2 will be another unfinished gadget.

I suspect that consumers are at their wits end with overpromise-and-underdeliver tech. At the very least, consumers want something as close to perfection as possible (as opposed to the deliberate and exploitative launch of half-baked product releases to secure a return on investment). One can only hope that the wave of negative reviews that the Rabbit R1 and Humane Ai pin have suffered lights a fire under the tech industry's butt to quit the sloppy practices.

The Trump campaign's take on Tim Walz's coaching days proves they don't know football

Mashable - Thu, 08/22/2024 - 13:41

There are few things as shameful, in my mind, as pretending to Know Ball and yet Not Knowing Ball.

To be indifferent to Ball is fine enough. To be indifferent to Ball is to be a potential Ball-Knower lain dormant. But to act like you Know Ball and to not Know Ball? That is a moral failing. Even further, it is a black stain on your character — to thieve at Ball-Knowing is to steal valor from the Ball-Knowers who are right with God. You claim to Know Ball but don't remember Correll Buckhalter? How rich. Describe to me the merits and rise of, if you will, the read option among the pro ranks in the 2010s. Thoughts on Chris Borland?

I am, of course, talking about the 2024 presidential election.

The Trump campaign and other Republicans, in a distasteful fit of Not Knowing Ball, have called into question the football bona fides of Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, the Democratic Vice President nominee and former high school football coach. Some rightwing Non-Ball-Knowers have posted and pontificated about the merits of Walz's football career because he was a defensive coordinator. They wonder how he can claim to be a football coach if he was an assistant coach.

Here is, for instance, a post about it from an official Trump campaign account. The replies feature many people agreeing.

Tweet may have been deleted

I take no pleasure in reporting that all these people do not Know Ball. There is perhaps no more Football Job in the world than defensive coordinator. It is the purest form of Ball. A head coach is basically a CEO figurehead for the team. Fine enough, but it's akin to a celebrity chef who hasn't worked the line in years. An offensive coordinator is all sizzle, no steak. They're all 35, good-looking, and working for their next job — a politician, basically. Special teams coordinators work closely with kickers.

To be a defensive coordinator is to live with honor. It is the American version of being a chivalrous knight. It is not to expect glory but to live with purpose because it is right to live a purpose-driven life. You must admit there will always be points scored, yet you will always fight against that current. Perhaps the only more honorable job is strength coach.

Walz was a defensive coordinator who took a cellar-dwelling team to a state championship. The Republican Party and Trump's campaign are telling voters in the Rust Belt, SEC country, and elsewhere that defense doesn't matter. As if it doesn't win championships? That is a horrific display of Not Knowing Ball. People online let them know it.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

Any politics aside, this was a stunning, official display of the Trump campaign Not Knowing Ball. To slander a defensive coordinator is to slander the game itself. To wonder aloud the merits of leading a group of young men to glory in the 4-4 alignment? That is an affront to all this nation holds dear.

Not every American needs to Know Ball. But we must hold sacred the values of those who do and protect against those who wish to muddy the waters with a lack of Ball knowledge.

The Hisense CanvasTV is the ultimate space-saver with a touch of art

Mashable - Thu, 08/22/2024 - 12:49

As a New Yorker who has lived in small apartments for the past 15 years, I gravitate toward solutions that can help me maximize my space from both a design and practicality perspective. When you’ve only got a 600 square foot home, every inch counts! 

During the work week, my living room also functions as my home office, so keeping my space presentable for video calls is just as important as having a comfortable home entertainment setup. So when I got the chance to try out the new Hisense CanvasTV (available for $1,299.99 at Best Buy) — a TV that doubles as fine art — I was all in. 

Credit: Josh Steinbauer A high-tech blend of form and function

Over the years, TVs have gotten slimmer, but the newly released CanvasTV is one of the first in the market to fundamentally rethink its form, transforming it from a black box into a stylish design element for your home.

The CanvasTV includes all the tech specs that you want in your watch box, including 4K QLED that captures over a billion shades and a 144Hz refresh rate that guarantees you’ll be streaming your favorite shows with zero lag. Its surround sound audio makes movie nights feel like you're in a theater. 

But these tech specs come to life in a whole new way once you switch the TV to Art Mode and choose from one of the included 120 famous paintings to display on your wall. Capturing all the hues of a Monet painting is no easy feat, but with quantum dot technology, this TV renders a wider range of more accurate hues — something LED alone can't achieve. Plus, it enhances the immersive experience, making every viewing feel truly spectacular in either mode. 

The CanvasTV also has a hi-matte display which showcases artwork more realistically by removing any glare or distortion from ambient light. This thoughtful detail makes the experience as enjoyable as viewing actual artwork, with the added benefit of being lit up by QLED.

Credit: Josh Steinbauer Credit: Josh Steinbauer Thoughtful attention to detail

With all these features, the CanvasTV works impressively in both function and form equally, avoiding any cheesy gimmicks you might worry about. I can confirm: the CanvasTV is much more than a fun party trick! 

Adding to its impressive design, the ultra-slim wall mount included with the CanvasTV is both sleek and sturdy. The two-part mounting system is easy to install with another person's help (shoutout to George from Best Buy!). 

As my first wall-mounted TV, my space instantly felt more open and airy, with my media console freed up to hold other objects. Flush against the wall, this device extends just a few inches outward — complementing the look and feel of the rest of the artwork adorning your walls and enhancing the feng shui of the room. 

The teak frame is also a standout feature. Nothing would’ve ruined the art vibe faster or screamed TV louder than a shiny black plastic frame. The inclusion of a magnetic teak frame that easily snaps into place and has the Hisense logo displayed discreetly on the side rather than the front, ties the dual functionality of this product together in a really intentional way. 

It helps that the teak effortlessly matched my acorn-finish media console and my parquet floors, blending mid-century modern vibes with cutting-edge tech.

Curate your own gallery experience

Your taste in art is your own, and who better to be the director of your new at-home art gallery than you? Art Mode comes preloaded with 120 famous paintings, ranging from iconic portraits like the Mona Lisa to modern abstract works from Klimt and van Gogh.  

Personalize your picks to display your favorite work, or cycle through a slideshow that you can curate to set a specific vibe. A handy button on the remote overlays a description with the title, artist, and a brief description of the piece — so you’ll brush up on your art history, too. And if you want to add a personal touch, you can easily upload your own photos using the Art Mode app. 

During my workday, I like to pair an upbeat music playlist with a modern or abstract masterpiece. When it’s time to unwind at night, I switch to Google TV’s intuitive layout of streaming apps and smart recommendations. A prominent Rotten Tomatoes rating helps me choose without searching for reviews on another device. 

Here’s the takeaway: If you’re looking for a new TV or want to elevate the design appeal of your living space, the Hisense CanvasTV is a fantastic dual-function product that flexes on form and function. Turns out, a 65-inch Hisense CanvasTV (available for $1,298.00 at Walmart) can transform a small cozy Brooklyn apartment into a space with some grandeur. It’s also available in a 55-inch (available for $999.99 at Best Buy) version, so you can select the size that works best for you.

Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense 65-Inch CanvasTV $1,299.99 at Amazon
Ultra-slim design with anti-glare panel Shop Now

Wake up with 31% off the smart alarm-enabled Amazon Echo Spot today

Mashable - Thu, 08/22/2024 - 12:48

SAVE $25: As of August 22, get the Amazon Echo Spot for just $54.99, down from its normal price of $79.99. That's a 31% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Spot $54.99 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $25.00 Get Deal

Still having trouble rolling out of bed in the morning? You aren't alone. It can be a struggle to wake up when you're snuggled in bed all warm and cozy. Make it a little easier with one of Amazon's most useful devices that can double as a smart alarm clock – and one that can help you out even long after you're finished snoozing.

As of August 22, the Amazon Echo Spot is on sale for just $54.99, which is marked down from its standard price of $79.99. That's a 31% discount and savings of $25.

This Echo device is small enough to place on a bedside table or a nightstand, and it has plenty of awesome features that can help with a variety of life's little tasks. It's a smart speaker, so you can listen to all your favorite music and podcasts, assign tasks via Alexa to control your smart home, and rise in the morning with the onboard smart alarm.

The Echo Spot can play your favorite sound or tune at the volume you set it to, with Alexa taking over to ensure you wake up at at the right time. You can also link it with other Alexa-enabled devices to help wake you in the morning, like a light to give you some soft, gentle light instead of just a noise ringing in your ears. It can display a calendar as well so you know what's going on for the day, too.

If you want some help rising each day and a new companion you can rely on as soon as you open your eyes, this is one deal you won't want to pass up.

Nintendo is shutting down 'Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp' — but you'll still be able to keep playing

Mashable - Thu, 08/22/2024 - 12:23

One of Nintendo's flagship phone games is shutting down, but it isn't going away completely.

As announced on the official website for the iOS and Android version of Animal Crossing, service for Pocket Camp will end on Nov. 28 of this year. The game will continue to work, and there will even be seasonal events and other activities until that date. But after Nov. 28, Animal Crossing: Pocket Camp as you know it will end, as have many online service-based games over the years, including Nintendo's own Dragalia Lost in 2022.

SEE ALSO: Nintendo Switch 2: It might not come out in early 2025 after all

But it's not completely over. A single-player, offline version of Pocket Camp, which you can buy with a one-time payment (the original game is free-to-play with microtransactions) that gets you access to the game's "included features," per a vaguely worded FAQ page on the website. Yes, you will be able to transfer your save data to this new version of the game, so you can keep going.

There are some asterisks to this — both good and bad. Unfortunately, since this new app is offline, you won't be able to use any network features, like the ability to visit your friends' camps. On the plus side, there will be no microtransactions nor subscriptions in the game anymore; you simply buy it once and that's that.

Considering so many online games (such as Dragalia Lost) shut down unceremoniously with no way to keep playing, this approach to Animal Crossing's end-of-life process is a pivot for Nintendo. Maybe other companies will start thinking about doing similar things in the future.

Our favorite 2-in-1 Chromebook is now under $500 at Best Buy

Mashable - Thu, 08/22/2024 - 12:18

SAVE 29%: Shop our favorite 2-in-1 Chromebook, the HP Chromebook Plus x360, which is now $499, saving you $200 for 29% off.

Opens in a new window Credit: HP HP Chromebook Plus x360 2-in-1 laptop, 14-inch (Intel Core i3, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $499.00 at Best Buy
$699.00 Save $200.00 Get Deal

Laptops don't need to break the bank. We've spent plenty of time rounding up the best cheap laptops that are under $1,000 but still get the job done. Chromebooks are the go-to affordable laptop option, however, the downside is they don't offer a ton of special features and are usually made with cheap materials.

Normally $699, the HP Chromebook Plus x360 2-in-1 laptop is down to $499. That knocks $200 off the price for 29% savings. This deal is available during the Best Buy Tech Fest, and My Best Plus members get an even better deal. With the purchase of $250 or more, you'll get a $25 bonus reward. Those extra savings can go toward a stylus that will work alongside your new 2-in-1 Chromebook.

SEE ALSO: Lenovo's 2-in-1 Yoga laptop provides a flexible workstation — and it's up to 35% off

Through our research, we tested the HP Chromebook Plus x360 2-in-1 laptop and discovered all it had to offer. Not only is it made from sleek aluminum, it includes a touchscreen for a flexible 2-in-1 design. It's best for those with a light work load who primarily need to access the Google Suite of apps or do some light streaming. If you're headed off to college or need a laptop for high school, this will certainly do the job. It doesn't have the best displays and the webcam is weak, but for $499, it's still a great value.

Hurry to get the Apple Pencil (1st Gen) at its lowest price ever

Mashable - Thu, 08/22/2024 - 12:14

SAVE $30: The Apple Pencil (1st Gen) is on sale at Amazon for just $69, down from the list price of $99. That's a 30% discount and the lowest price we've ever seen at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Pencil (1st Gen) $69.00 at Amazon
$99.00 Save $30.00 Get Deal

It's not everyday that we see a major discount on an Apple product, but today is no ordinary day. If you rely on your iPad for checking off work or school tasks, listen up to this great deal.

As of Aug. 22, the Apple Pencil (1st Gen) is just $69 at Amazon, marked down from the normal price of $99. That's a 30% discount or a savings of $30. It's also the lowest price we've ever seen at Amazon on this model.

An iPad can be one of the greatest tools when it comes to productivity, but add in the Apple Pencil, and you're on a whole new level. The Apple Pencil is compatible with the following devices:

  • iPad (6th, 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th Gen)

  • iPad Air (3rd Gen)

  • iPad mini (5th Gen)

  • iPad Pro (12.9-inch, 1st and 2nd Gen)

  • iPad Pro (10.5-inch and 9.7-inch)

If you're using one of these models, the Apple Pencil has the ability to turn your tablet experience into one full of note-taking in the margins, sketching an inspiring scene, or writing yourself a to-do list.

SEE ALSO: Apple Watch 10: Everything we know so far, including blood pressure monitor rumor

Apple mentions the precision of the Pencil gets down to individual pixels, and both tilt and pressure sensitivity make using the Pencil easier. Thanks to this feature, you can draw lines of varying weights and get a better result when shading, making it an attractive option for artists who create on an iPad. You're also looking at a lag-free writing and drawing with the Apple Pencil, just like you would expect from a good-old No. 2 pencil.

Included with the Apple Pencil deal the device itself, a lightning adapter for charging, an extra tip, and a USB-C to Apple Pencil Adapter, which is necessary to charge and pair with a 10th Gen iPad.

The perfect accessory for an iPad, the Apple Pencil (1st Gen) is currently at the lowest price we've ever seen at Amazon at just $69. Whether you're heading back into the classroom and could benefit from taking notes or you're an artist drawing up a new project, the Apple Pencil brings a whole new level of creativity to using a tablet.

Why we persist in calling modern photos 'Renaissance paintings' online

Mashable - Thu, 08/22/2024 - 11:59

A group of Olympians who've collapsed while crossing the finish line. Pop stars dancing in ecstasy. The array of films, seen from another row of seats, watched on an airplane. On X, these photos are all dubbed "Renaissance paintings" due to their varying degrees of resemblance to the work of 15th century Italian masters like Leonardo da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo. 

Tweet may have been deleted

The European cultural movement first became shorthand online a decade ago, when images of a physical fight in the Ukranian parliament, a somewhat common occurrence, circulated. One of the images bore a striking adherence to the Ancient Greek mathematical art theory further developed in the Renaissance by da Vinci and mathematician Luca Pacioli, which used the "Golden ratio" and "Fibonacci spiral" to create the most satisfying composition. Users dubbed it "accidental Renaissance," and the phrase stuck in our meme-y vocabulary, changing the way we understood images online. 

SEE ALSO: Sam Soar just wanted free books. So she became an influencer.

On Reddit, over a million people belong to r/AccidentalRenaissance, a community devoted to sharing images that they feel have a resemblance to the paintings of the period. 

Matthias Wivel, head of research at the Ny Carlsberg Glyptotek art museum in Copenhagen, Denmark, and previously the National Museum's curator of 16th-century Italian paintings, described the Ukrainian parliament image as "remarkable" and "quite perfect." He notes, however, that it's more akin to a Roman Baroque painting, the period directly following the Renaissance, due to its complex, interlocking postures and incidental mastery of visual language developed during the former period — specifically, the value placed on rich symbolism and continuous narrative across multiple figures within the frame.

As with most internet trends, "accidental Renaissance" is no longer used to describe photographs that are decisively similar to the movement's work. Once something is part of the online vernacular, its use resonates and gains traction despite its meaning changing throughout the repetitive process. Now, seemingly any image featuring multiple figures could receive the title.

"People use 'Renaissance painting' as kind of a shorthand for an image capturing a group of people who are compositionally interesting."

When a pop culture aggregate account captioned an image of Charli XCX dancing with Lorde at the brat singer's birthday party, "this is like a modern renaissance painting," James Webster, a 31-year-old web marketing assistant at Seven Stories Press in Texas, shot back with a meme. He manipulated a dril post to read, "(me after seeing 3+ people in any context whatsoever) Well well well if isnt the Renaissance painting." The post received 83,000 likes, 20,000 more than the photo. 

The post and the popularity of its retort signaled the meme's ubiquity and perceived distance from what defined Renaissance paintings. It suggests the Renaissance becoming a meme outside of the historical cultural movement.

"It clicked in my mind that people use 'Renaissance painting' as kind of a shorthand for an image capturing a group of people who are compositionally interesting," Webster told Mashable. 

Tweet may have been deleted

However, Wivel understands why people still use the term. "Most people don't know much about art history, but they've heard of the Renaissance and know it's an era of classical painting," he said. 

It's also a pivotal moment in art history and the history of Western culture that's reiterated in history classes and at museums around the world. Da Vinci's The Mona Lisa gets 10 million visitors a year in the Louvre, making it the most visited painting in the world. Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel ceiling panel The Creation of Adam has been spoofed in popular culture a hundred times over. Thousands cram themselves in front of Raphael's The School of Athens every day in the Vatican.

Many of the characteristics of the Renaissance that these images hint at, like the rational organization of figures in space and psychological realism, were developed during the period. Given that that's when the characteristics emerged, Wivel argues, the descriptor makes sense.

These developments are most notably articulated in da Vinci's The Last Supper, which is likely the central reference point for posters as one of the most famous images of all time. "You have Christ in the middle with the apostles around him. It's just as he announces that one of them is going to betray him, you see his words reverberating in all they all respond to it," explains Wivel. "So there's a psychological intertwinement of all the figures in that image. Leonardo's great goal is to show not just the physical presence of humans, but also the mental presence."

Jerry Brotton, professor of Renaissance Studies at Queen Mary University of London and author of Four Points of the Compass: The Unexpected History of Direction, also cited The Last Supper as a demonstration of the emotions we associate with the Renaissance. 

"Revelation, calmness, thoughtfulness, guilt, terror, horror, it's all laid out there at a dinner table," he told Mashable. "Those images that are captured now through social media are doing something similar. They are trying to capture a certain composition or moment which is about pain, ecstasy, joy, and/or horror."

With the range of emotions and sculpted bodies on display — another defining aspect of the Renaissance — at the 2024 Paris Olympics, many so-called Renaissance paintings circulated on social media. 

The image of the four-by-400-meter relay race that got the descriptor displayed members of Team Great Britain. One lies on his back, another bent over him. Beside him is another runner with a face of shock and hands almost held in prayer, and the final member of the team keeps his hands over his head. In a Renaissance painting, these emotions would be assumed as driven by religious beliefs — and despair featured heavily. Wivel likened the image to a painting of a lamentation over the dead body of Christ, a popular scene for artists known as the Pietà, rendered by masters from Michelangelo to Pietro Perugino and Giovanni Bellini.

Tweet may have been deleted

Emma Turner, a 24-year-old working in sports media in Brisbane, Australia, posted a photo of her TV displaying the men's triathlon finish line with the caption, "obsessed with the finish line in the men’s triathlon, it’s like a renaissance piece" to X. The photo showed one athlete lying on his back and another on his hands and knees. 

Tweet may have been deleted

The response to the meme and its recirculation on Facebook and Instagram surprised her. She received comments like, "People are just calling anything a Renaissance painting these days."

"With modern phrases and pop culture, it's just become a shorthand for people to say this is beautiful or this is something that came together in a way that is appealing to the human eye, in the way that classical art is," she told Mashable.

Despite the loosening of what "Renaissance painting" means in reference to viral images, it's no accident that, again and again, we find ourselves attracted to these images of extreme emotion and beautiful bodies. We may no longer be living in the time of da Vinci, Raphael, and Michelangelo, but we're still appreciators of art, whether that be murals or memes.

Lenovo's 2-in-1 Yoga laptop provides a flexible workstation — and it's up to 35% off

Mashable - Thu, 08/22/2024 - 11:58

SAVE 35%: Shop Lenovo Yoga laptops during the Best Buy Tech Fest sale. Get the Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 laptop for $679.99, saving you $370 for 35% off.

Best Lenovo Yoga 2-in-1 deals Best Lenovo Yoga laptop deal Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 laptop, 16-inch (Intel Core Ultra 7, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $679.99 at Best Buy (Save $370) Get Deal Best Lenovo Yoga Book deal Lenovo Yoga Book 9i 2-in-1, 13.3-inch (Intel Core Ultra 7, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,799.99 at Best Buy (Save $200) Get Deal

The Best Buy Tech Fest savings event is here, running through August 25. Just in time for back-to-school season, this sales event dropped savings across the tech gamut. Need a high-tech refrigerator? Check! What about a free keyboard on the new Microsoft Surface Pro 11? They've got that, too. Plus, My Best Buy Plus and Total members get a $25 bonus reward with any purchase over $250.

We've been most impressed by the savings on laptops offered during the Best Buy Tech Fest. You'll find savings of up to $500 on MacBooks, including the M3 MacBook Pro. However, if you're not an Apple user, that's not the most thrilling news. The good news? There are PC deals galore.

One of our favorite deals comes on Lenovo's Yoga line, which includes the 7i and 9i laptops, as well as the 9i Yoga Book. Having spent plenty of time with the full collection, we're big fans, even awarding the Lenovo Yoga 9i 2-in-1 laptop a Mashable Choice award.

Here are the best deals on Lenovo Yoga 2-in-1 laptops to shop during the Best Buy Tech Fest.

Best Lenovo Yoga laptop deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lenovo Or pick: Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 laptop, 16-inch (Intel Core Ultra 7, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $679.99 at Best Buy
$1,049.99 Save $370.00 Get Deal

Having tested the full range of Lenovo Yoga laptops, we're familiar with the ins and outs of each model. The Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 laptop may have scored the lower than the 9i laptop and Yoga Book in our testing, however, it's an unbeatable value, especially on sale.

The Yoga 7i 2-in-1 laptop is a fully loaded 2-in-1 laptop with a touchscreen display so it doubles as a tablet. It has sweet processing speeds thanks to its Intel Core Ultra 5 processor and with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of SSD, it won't falter when it comes to streaming or gaming.

Where the Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 laptop falls short is graphics, so if that's a dealbreaker, go for the 9i 2-in-1, which is also on sale. If you want something a little more flashy, look to the one sale Lenovo Yoga Book 9i, which comes with two touchscreens to truly maximize your on-the-go workspace.

Otherwise, most people, especially those on a budget, will be pleased with the Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 laptop, which is on sale at a fantastic value. Shop it at Best Buy now for $679.99 to save $370 for 35% off.

More Lenovo Yoga Deals

Amazon deal of the day: The Fire HD 8 Plus tablet is 46% off as a back-to-school deal

Mashable - Thu, 08/22/2024 - 11:41

Check out the best Amazon deals of the day as of Aug. 22:

Amazon deals of the day at a glance: OUR TOP PICK Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus tablet $64.99 at Amazon (save $55) Get Deal RUNNER-UP TABLET DEAL Google Pixel Table with Charging Speaker Dock $349 at Amazon (save $250) Get Deal BEST LAPTOP DEAL Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M3, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $1,049.99 at Amazon (save $249.01 with on-page coupon) Get Deal BEST HEADPHONES DEAL Amazon Echo Buds $34.99 at Amazon (save $15) Get Deal BEST SPEAKER DEAL Bose TV Speaker and Soundbar $199 at Amazon (save $80) Get Deal

Whether you're prepping for back-to-school chaos or just feel like treating yourself to a good deal, there are plenty of discounts hanging around on Aug. 22. We've searched up and down the deals pages at Amazon to hand-pick a few that we think are worth adding to your cart — including some top brands like Apple, Google, Bose, and Amazon's own devices.

Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day for Aug. 22. If none of these deals jump out at you, be sure to take a peek at our picks from Aug. 20 and Aug. 21. Many of those savings are still live — including a sub-$100 Kindle Kids and the very first discount on the Sonos Ace headphones.

Our top pick Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus tablet $64.99 at Amazon
$119.99 Save $55.00 Get Deal

In the market for a basic tablet that won't break the bank? It's hard to beat the Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus, especially now that it's down to a record-low $64.99 (46% off its usual cost). As our buddies at PCMag (which is owned by Mashable's publisher, Ziff Davis) wrote in their review of the tablet, "It won't wow you, but it doesn't need to." It'll last you up to 13 hours on one charge, offers USB-C charging support, and features a strengthened aluminosilicate glass display and hexa-core processor that's 30% faster than the previous model. The Plus model also packs an extra gigabyte of RAM, revs up its rear camera from 2 to 5MP, and supports wireless charging. Its limited app store selection and overall speed keep it from being great, but as far as basic tablets go, you can't go wrong.

Read our full review of the Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus.

Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Pixel Tablet with Charging Speaker Dock $349.00 at Amazon
$599.00 Save $250.00 Get Deal

On the other end of the spectrum, the Google Pixel Tablet with the charging speaker dock will run you upwards of $599 at regular price. However, as of Aug. 22, it's on sale for a new record-low of just $349, making us much more likely to recommend it. The tablet itself is just OK on its own, but the charging speaker dock can turn it into a smart display or a desktop TV when plugged in.

"It just…works, especially if you’re like me and don’t want two or three big-ass monitors on your desk," Mashable tech reporter Alex Perry wrote in his review. The specs aren't going to blow you away; it packs a Google Tensor G2 chip with 8GB of RAM under its hood and 8MP cameras on the front and back. But its usefulness as more than just a tablet makes it worth it — especially at 42% off.

Read our full review of the Google Pixel tablet.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M3, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $1,049.99 at Amazon
$1,299.00 Save $249.01 with on-page coupon Get Deal

The 15-inch M3 MacBook Air hit a record-low of $1,049 on Prime Day. And thanks to a competing sale at Best Buy, Amazon has dropped the price to just 99 cents shy of that record-low on Aug. 22. You'll just have to click the on-page coupon for the price drop. The M3 MacBook Air packs a major punch, including a zippy M3 chip that's 60 percent faster than the M1 and about 15 percent faster than the M2, plus WiFi 6E and support for up to two 5K, 60Hz external displays. Mashable's reviewer was highly impressed with its performance, writing, "The 15-inch M3 MacBook Air continues to blur the line of the Air and Pro models, providing ample “oomph” for creatives, professionals, and students who need robust performance that can handle their multifaceted workflows."

Read our full review of the 15-inch M3 MacBook Air.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Buds $34.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $15.00 Get Deal

Totally different than the second-generation Echo Buds we featured yesterday, the 2023 release offer a more budget-friendly AirPods alternative. While they could use a few tweaks in the fit department, the new Echo Buds are overall a solid pair of wireless earbuds. They sound great, last up to 20 hours with the charging case, are simple to use, and seamlessly pair with other Alexa gadgets. Not to mention, they're super affordable at just $34.99 on sale.

Read our full review of the Amazon Echo Buds.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose TV speaker and soundbar $199.00 at Amazon
$279.00 Save $80.00 Get Deal

Built-in TV speakers aren't usually anything to write home about, which can make watching your favorite shows and movies kind of a bummer. Give it a boost into something more substantial with the Bose speaker and soundbar. While it adds some serious sound, it doesn't add any serious bulk to your entertainment space. It only measures about two inches in height and two feet in width. Plus, it's super simple to set up. As of Aug. 22, snag it on sale for only $199 — that's 29% in savings.

None of these deals catching your eye? Check out Amazon's daily deals for even more savings.

Grab a smart air purifier for under $200 at Amazon just in time for allergy season

Mashable - Thu, 08/22/2024 - 11:37

SAVE $73.06: As of August 22, get the Coway Airmega AP-1512HH air purifier for just $145.98, which is 26% off its normal price of $210.04. Make sure to click the on-page coupon to get the full discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Coway Airmega AP-1512HH air purifier $145.98 at Amazon
$210.04 Save $64.06 Get Deal

Fall is almost here, which means allergy season is looming. It's time to get your home dust- and dander-free now that the seasons are about to change. One easy way to do that is with an air purifier — and it's even easier when it's on sale.

As of August 22, get the Coway Airmega AP-1512HH air purifier for $145.98 at Amazon. That's $73.06 off its normal price of $210.04 thanks to a 26% discount, and a $10 on-page coupon.

SEE ALSO: The best Shark deals this week save you up to $100 on home cleaning tech

This compact air purifier is small enough to fit just about anywhere in your home, and its surprisingly modern design means it'll probably look good there, too. It can clean up to 361 square feet in just 13 minutes, and areas up to 874 square feet in just 30 minutes, so you can have a clean apartment or small space within an hour. That's all thanks to its HEPA filter, which takes about 99.999% of 0.01-micron particles out of the air. It can also handle pollen and other allergens.

You can choose between three different cleaning speed options, and watch in real time as the unit clears out the air in your home thanks to its color-coded LEDs. The air quality indicator can let you know when you might want to run the machine in short bursts as well.

If you need an easy, simple air purifier that gets the job done, you can't go wrong with this one — especially since it's under $200.

Don’t type these 4 characters into your iPhone — it will crash

Mashable - Thu, 08/22/2024 - 11:09

In an era of expensive devices or services falling prey to security problems and whatnot, it's always nice to hear about a genuinely funny and seemingly harmless iPhone bug.

Spotted by a security researcher named Konstantin on Mastodon (and corroborated by TechCrunch), typing the characters "":: (that is, two quotation marks followed by two colons) into some iPhone text entry fields can cause the phone to temporarily crash. TechCrunch confirmed that it works if you do it while searching in the Settings app or searching through your app library; I won’t be testing this myself and wouldn’t recommend anyone else try it either.

SEE ALSO: Google Pixel 9 Pro XL review: 3 ways it beats the iPhone 15 Pro Max

To be fair, however, it doesn't appear that this is a security issue — and it doesn't seem like it should cause long-term issues for any phones that do suffer this specific kind of crash. It's also easy enough to avoid, as that particular string of characters is more akin to something a toddler (or very groggy adult who just woke up) would type into their phone.

We reached out to Apple and will update this piece if we get a response.

Outfit your wrist with a refurbished Apple Watch Series 8 for nearly $200 off its normal price

Mashable - Thu, 08/22/2024 - 11:00

SAVE $194.01: As of August 22, get a refurbished Apple Watch Series 8 (45mm, GPS + Cellular) for just $234.99 at Woot!. That's a discount of 48%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Woot! Refurbished Apple Watch Series 8 (45mm, GPS + Cellular) $234.99 at Woot!
$429.00 Save $194.01 Get Deal

The Apple Watch Series 8 may be a few generations behind now, but that hasn't stopped it from remaining an excellent smartwatch. It can be expensive to keep up with everything Apple has to offer, so if you're looking to grab one of the company's watches but don't want to shell out for the latest and greatest, this deal is for you.

As of August 22, get the refurbished Apple Watch Series 8 45mm, (GPS + Cellular) at Woot! for just $234.99. That's $194.01 off its normal price of $429 and a discount of 48%. The watch is considered Grade A refurbished, which means there's minimal cosmetic damage. It also comes with a 1-year warranty and you can choose from several colorways.

The Series 8 may not come with some of the Series 9's niceties (like the latest processor), and it won't be equipped with some of the features you may be looking for, like Double Tap. But it's an excellent entry into Apple's smartwatch collection that still comes with a wide variety of features: track your sleep, fitness, menstrual cycle, and just about everything else, too. Plus, use it for your favorite apps, to call and text, and tell time (wow!).

Kidding aside, just because it's cheaper, that doesn't make it less functional. It's an excellent price that still comes equipped with everything you should need in a smartwatch. You're just going to have to act quickly if you want yours though, as this deal is only available for six more days or until the watches are sold out.

Pages

Subscribe to Page Integrity, Inc. aggregator