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SAVE UP TO 37%: The week of Aug. 6, save hundreds of dollars on laptops. Score the Apple MacBook Air 15 inch for 19% off or the HP Chromebook Plus x360 14c for 37% off.
Best laptop deals Best overall deal Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch $1,049.98 at Amazon (save $249.02) Get Deal Best laptop deal under $500 HP Chromebook Plus x360 14c $489.99 at HP (save $300) Get Deal Best laptop deal under $350 Lenovo Ideapad 1i $329.99 at Best Buy (save $170) Get DealA laptop is a lifeline for many of us. Whether you work from home, own your own business, or are heading back to school, a laptop is probably necessary. Some tasks are so much easier to accomplish on a laptop like making a spreadsheet, checking financial info, or booking your next vacation.
Although Prime Day was last month and we're waiting on the announcement of the next Prime Day, you can still get a sweet deal on a new laptop.
During the week of Aug. 6, you can score some serious savings on laptops from brands like Apple, HP, Lenovo, Acer, and more. Here are some of our top picks this week.
Best overall deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Our pick: Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M3, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $1,049.98 at AmazonThe MacBook Air 15-inch is our current top overall pick for most people who are looking for a MacBook. Apple introduced several upgrades with this newest model including support for Wi-Fi 6 and support for two external monitors, but only when the lid is shut.
Thanks to today's deal, Amazon has this 15-inch model on sale for $1,049.98 which is a 19% discount off the list price of $1,299. This price also makes it the lowest we've ever seen at Amazon, so if you've been considering the MacBook Air 15-inch, today is a great time to snag it.
Read Mashable's full review of the 15-inch Apple MacBook Air.
Best laptop deal under $500 Opens in a new window Credit: HP Our pick: HP Chromebook Plus x360 14c (Intel Core i3-128GB SSD) $489.99 at HPSometimes the versatility of a Chromebook is exactly what you need, and one on a massive discount is even better. Today you can grab the HP Chromebook Plus x360 14c (Intel Core i3-128GB SSD) for 37% off, which means a sale price of $489.99 compared to the usual price of $789.99.
For starters, this HP Chromebook Plus can support Wi-Fi 6 while offering dual hinges so you can use it in tent or tablet mode. It's also travel friendly, weighing just a bit over three pounds. The white backlit keyboard can also be great for travel should you find yourself typing out a document on a plane or a dimly lit hotel room.
Read Mashable's full review of the HP Chromebook Plus x360 14c.
Best laptop deal under $350 Opens in a new window Credit: Lenovo Our pick: Lenovo Ideapad 1i (Intel Core i3-256GB SSD) $329.99 at Best BuyIf budget is a consideration, check out the sale price on the Lenovo Ideapad 1i. While this model usually costs about $500, Best Buy has it discounted to just $329.99. The full HD display is perfect if you're looking for a lower-cost laptop to stream movies. With a 15.6-inch screen, you'll be in good shape for seeing the entire spreadsheet at work without having to squint or constantly scroll.
While it's not a stunning high-end model, the affordable price of the Lenovo Ideapad 1i mixed with its decent stats could be the perfect combo.
More laptop deals this week:Lenovo Yoga 7i (Intel Core Ultra 5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $599.99 $899.99 (save $300)
Asus Zenbook 14 (Intel Core Ultra 7, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $749.99 $1,049.99 (save $300)
Dell Inspiron 16 (Intel Core Ultra 7, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $749.99 $1,149.99 (save $400)
Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M3, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $899 $1,099 (save $200); extra $50 off for paid My Best Buy members
MSI Prestige 14 H (Intel Core i9, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,099.99 $1,299.99 (save $200)
Asus TUF (Intel Core Ultra i7, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,099.99 $1,399.99 (save $300)
Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (AMD Ryzen 9, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,699.99 $1,999.99 (save $300)
While there are no big Amazon shopping events on the horizon (until October, that is), you still have plenty of opportunities to save on top products. Even on a random Tuesday in August, there a huge discounts on brands like Apple, Samsung, Shark, and more. And we've already done the digging for you — all you have to do is add them to your cart.
Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day on Aug. 6. And be sure to check back at our picks from Aug. 5 as well, since many of those are still live.
Our top pick Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (256GB, unlocked) $949.00 at AmazonOnce again, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra — aka "the best Android phone," according to Mashable Tech Editor Kim Gedeon — has hit a new record-low price. Beating out its Prime Day price, the 256GB, unlocked version is down to just $949 as of Aug. 6. That's 27% in savings. The phone was just released earlier this year and it packs a bunch of neat AI features, a durable titanium design, and a rear telephoto lens with truly insane zoom capabilities. It's also a close rival to the iPhone 15 Pro Max (and maybe even better in certain categories) if you're in the market for a new phone.
Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Max $399.99 at AmazonApple is at it again. The "stupidly comfy" AirPods Max are back on sale for just $399.99 — that's just $5 shy of their Prime Day price. While definitely overpriced on a regular day, Mashable Senior Editor Stan Schroeder insists that they "sound amazing, look good, and play nice with Apple gadgetry." With a 27% discount, we're much more likely to grab a pair.
Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark SmoothStyle + storage bag $79.99 at AmazonLaunched last summer, the Shark SmoothStyle is essentially a fancier version of the Revlon One-Step. It serves as a round hot air brush at its core, but also packs some extra features. You can use it wet or dry to style your hair in one go without frying it. And the ceramic-coated plates will prevent it from damaging your precious strands. Usually, it goes for $100, but you can get the device itself and a storage bag (a $119.99 value) for just $79.99 as of Aug. 6.
Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock Q Revo $659.99 at AmazonNeed an extra hand in the cleaning department? The Roborock Q Revo offers both vacuuming and mopping, making it one helluva companion for your home. Plus, it's back on sale for its all-time low Prime Day pricing. While it may not be the top robovac in the brand's lineup, it still packs 5500Pa extreme suction, dual spinning mops, reactive tech obstacle avoidance, smart suggestions, no-go zones, voice-commands and shortcuts, self-washing, drying, emptying, and refilling features, and more. As of Aug. 6, it's on sale for just $659.99 — that's about 27% in savings.
Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung T5 EVO portable SSD (4TB) $229.99 at AmazonWhile our friends at PCMag (which is owned by Mashable's publisher, Ziff Davis) called Samsung's T5 EVO portable SSD a "tough sell" at full price, we're much more inclined to recommend it with its current discount. "The T5 EVO is a good (though not cost-effective) upgrade to a spinning hard drive, giving users a boost in both speed and capacity," PCMag's review states, but "you may want to hold off on buying it until it goes on sale." The 4TB option is usually $424.99, but you can scoop it up for only $229.99 as of Aug. 6 — that's 46% in savings and its lowest price on record.
None of these deals catching your eye? Check out Amazon's daily deals for even more savings.
TL;DR: Live stream Brazil vs. USA at Paris 2024 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
The basketball at Paris 2024 has been fantastic, and it's set to continue as we hit the knockout stages. Next up is Brazil and the USA, after both putting on strong performances so far. With the USA team stacked with names including Lebron James and Kevin Durant, it's not a game you'll want to miss.
If you want to watch Brazil vs. USA at Paris 2024 for free from anywhere in the world, keep reading to find out all the information you need.
When is Brazil vs. USA at Paris 2024?Brazil vs. USA at Paris 2024 takes place at 3:30 p.m. ET on August 6.
How to watch Brazil vs. USA at Paris 2024 for freeBrazil vs. USA at Paris 2024 will be available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.
BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but fans from across the globe can still access this by using a VPN. A VPN is a tool that hides your real IP address (i.e. your digital location) and connects you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock free streaming sites like BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.
Unblock BBC iPlayer for free by following this simple process:
Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK
Visit BBC iPlayer
Live stream Brazil vs. USA from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are often not free, but some do tend to offer free trial periods or money-back guarantees. If you make the most of these offers, you can unblock BBC iPlayer without having to part with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it gives you time to stream select basketball games from Paris 2024 before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?ExpressVPN is the best service for streaming live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including the UK
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Live stream Brazil vs. USA at Paris 2024 for free with ExpressVPN.
TL;DR: Live stream France vs. Canada at Paris 2024 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
With so much incredible talent on display at Paris 2024, it's hard to keep track of what to watch. And basketball is not one you're going to want to miss. Next up it's host nation France and Canada going head-to-head for a spot in the semi-finals and a chance at a gold medal.
If you want to watch France vs. Canada at Paris 2024 for free from anywhere in the world, keep reading to find out all the information you need.
When is France vs. Canada at Paris 2024?France vs. Canada at Paris 2024 takes place at 12:00 p.m. ET on August 6.
How to watch France vs. Canada at Paris 2024 for freeFrance vs. Canada at Paris 2024 will be available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.
BBC iPlayer is a streaming platform that is geo-restricted to the UK, but don't worry, basketball fans from elsewhere in the world can still access this by using a VPN. A VPN is a tool that hides your real IP address (i.e. your digital location) and connects you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock free streaming sites like BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.
Unblock BBC iPlayer for free by following this simple process:
Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK
Visit BBC iPlayer
Live stream France vs. Canada from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock BBC iPlayer without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it gives you time to stream select basketball games from Paris 2024 before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?ExpressVPN is the best service for streaming live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including the UK
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Live stream France vs. Canada at Paris 2024 for free with ExpressVPN.
TL;DR: Live stream Serbia vs. Australia at Paris 2024 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
Paris 2024 keeps on delivering incredible sport, and as hundreds of the world's best athletes compete, it's hard to know what to keep track of. But basketball fans aren't going to want to miss the next few matches. Now in the knockout stages, Serbia and Australia will be the next teams to face off in the quarter-finals.
If you want to watch Serbia vs. Australia at Paris 2024 for free from anywhere in the world, keep reading to find out all the information you need.
When is Serbia vs. Australia at Paris 2024?Serbia vs. Australia at Paris 2024 takes place at 8:30 a.m. ET on August 6.
How to watch Serbia vs. Australia at Paris 2024 for freeSerbia vs. Australia at Paris 2024 will be available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.
BBC iPlayer is a streaming platform that is geo-restricted to the UK, but don't worry, basketball fans from elsewhere in the world can still access this by using a VPN. A VPN is a tool that hides your real IP address (i.e. your digital location) and connects you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock free streaming sites like BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world. Perfect for streaming all the action from Paris 2024.
Unblock BBC iPlayer for free by following this simple process:
Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK
Visit BBC iPlayer
Live stream Serbia vs. Australia from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock BBC iPlayer without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it gives you time to stream select basketball games from Paris 2024 before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?ExpressVPN is the best service for streaming live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including the UK
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Live stream Serbia vs. Australia at Paris 2024 for free with ExpressVPN.
TL;DR: Live stream Germany vs. Greece at Paris 2024 for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.
If you're one of many fans hooked on all the incredible sports at Paris 2024, you won't want to miss the basketball, especially as we approach the knockout stages. In the first quarter-final, it's Germany and Greece going head-to-head for a spot in the semi-finals.
If you want to watch Germany vs. Greece at Paris 2024 for free from anywhere in the world, don't go anywhere because we have all the information you need to know
When is Germany vs. Greece at Paris 2024?Germany vs. Greece at Paris 2024 takes place at 5 a.m. ET on August 6.
How to watch Germany vs. Greece at Paris 2024 for freeYou can watch Germany vs. Greece at Paris 2024 for free on BBC iPlayer.
BBC iPlayer is technically geo-restricted to the UK, but fans of either team from across the globe can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock free streaming sites like BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world, and watch all the basketball you want.
Unblock BBC iPlayer for free by following this simple process:
Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)
Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)
Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK
Visit BBC iPlayer
Live stream Germany vs. Greece from anywhere in the world
The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock BBC iPlayer without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it gives you time to stream select Paris 2024 events before recovering your investment.
What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?ExpressVPN is the best service for streaming live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:
Servers in 105 countries including the UK
Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more
Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure
Fast connection speeds free from throttling
Up to eight simultaneous connections
30-day money-back guarantee
A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.
Live stream Germany vs. Greece at Paris 2024 for free with ExpressVPN.
Twitch is officially adding a DJ category, following the launch of its DJ program to tackle a string of copyright hurdles for streamers, artists, and record labels.
On Thursday, the streaming platform will launch the new category, which will sit alongside Twitch's existing categories like Just Chatting, Fortnite, Counter-Strike, League of Legends, and more. Twitch already has a Music category, but DJ will be its own thing.
DJs within Twitch's DJ program have access to a catalogue of copyright-approved music to use in their livestreams — there's also a restricted artist list you can check. Plus, Twitch says it splits the cost of music rights with streaming DJs who monetise their streams (more on that below). Streamers in the DJ category will also have access to promo opportunities on the Twitch homepage as well as enabling sponsorship.
SEE ALSO: The rise of drag on TwitchTwitch will mark the addition of the new DJ category with a 24-hour livestream on Aug. 8 beginning 8 a.m. BST / 3 a.m. ET, featuring performances by Zedd, Aluna, Sofi Tukker, BAYNK, Sam Feldt, and more, which you can join through the Twitch homepage.
"Today's DJ category launch is a major moment for Twitch, the music industry, and our creators," Twitch CEO Dan Clancy said in a statement. "There is something special in the way DJs on Twitch introduce music to their listeners. It’s personal and it’s community-oriented, so we've built a stable, long-term home where they can invest in building their brand and community."
Twitch announced its DJ program in June this year as a partnership with major labels including Universal Music Group, Warner Music Group, Sony Music, and independent labels, and other rights holders. In a blog post, the company said the number of DJs on Twitch "has more than quadrupled" since 2020 and the pandemic lockdowns — drag shows also saw a rise on Twitch during this time.
Tweet may have been deletedDJs streaming their sets online, whether on Twitch or other platforms, have a tough time keeping their sets intact; they often face bans, muted streams, and takedowns for using copyrighted music. With its DJ program crafted in partnership with labels, Twitch seems to be making things more official to ensure compensation for artists, help DJs keep their sets live, and avoid a plethora of silent streams sitting on its platform.
In June, Twitch detailed how it will be managing revenue between DJs, labels and artists, and itself as the hosting company. What's not detailed is exactly how big a cut the labels will take. Here's what appears on Twitch's blog:
When DJs use music created by others, it’s important that any revenue generated on Twitch also be shared with those musicians...
To cover the cost of the music used in DJ live-streams, we will set aside a portion of earnings generated by DJ channels to be paid to musicians via music companies that represent them. These costs will vary based on how a channel monetizes.
For most streamers, Twitch will be splitting these costs 50/50 with the streamer, although initially Twitch will absorb more of the cost. Twitch is covering the costs for DJs who aren’t yet monetizing. Non monetizing streamers will not be financially impacted.
Twitch also has a one-year subsidy for DJs wanting to monetise but easing into the platform — you can read more about this on Twitch's website.
How much do DJs actually make on Twitch? It's hard to get real numbers, but Twitch streamer and YouTuber Nick Spinelli detailed a few earnings for the top earners from 2019 to 2021, drawing from the leak site TwitchPayouts — and it ranges from $70,000 to $400,000. Take that with a grain of salt, but that's quite the number.
In case you somehow haven't heard, the Olympics are in Paris this year, and it seems like everyone's using the games to level up their dating game and hopefully find a new (athletic) partner in the city of love.
Tinder's launched an ad campaign for the Olympics, encouraging users to "connect with pro athletes" via the Passport Mode feature. Apparently, the terms "Olympian" and "athlete" have seen a significant increase in mentions on the app too.
But Grindr's taking a different approach: Instead of promoting hookups with athletes, Grindr's focusing on creating a safe digital space for LGBTQ+ athletes, especially those from countries where their identity could put them at risk. This isn't new for Grindr either; they implemented similar safety measures during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics.
SEE ALSO: How to unblock GrindrFor users within the Olympic Village, Grindr is disabling location-based features like "Explore" and "Roam," and making the "show distance" feature opt-in. The company has also implemented safeguards like blocking screenshots to prevent unintentional outings.
Other privacy controls include the ability to send unlimited disappearing messages and unsend messages after they've been sent (even for free users). Grindr's also disabling private videos within the Olympic Village and sending out weekly reminders about potential risks, just to keep everyone safe and informed.
The app also noted that the only ads that will appear on Grindr within the village will be from Grindr for Equality, which promotes health and safety resources.
"You won't see third-party advertisements — only Grindr for Equality public service announcements to help keep users informed and safe," Grindr announced.
It's unfortunate that we’d even need these types of safety measures, but the reality is that in some parts of the world, LGBTQ+ individuals still face severe discrimination, persecution, and even the threat of violence. Hopefully, with Grindr taking these proactive steps, LGBTQ+ athletes can connect without fear of being outed or targeted.
House of the Dragon Season 2 may have felt a bit on the short side, but at least we know they won't be delaying the action forever.
During a post-finale press conference on Monday, showrunner Ryan Condal confirmed that the show will be finishing with Season 4 — and that Season 3 is starting up production early next year.
SEE ALSO: Why in the seven hells didn't 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 have 10 episodes?In terms of length, it also sounds as though eight-episode seasons may also be the new norm.
“I haven’t had discussions with HBO about it," said Condal, per Variety. "I would just anticipate the cadence of the show, from a dramatic storytelling perspective, will continue to be the same from Season 2 on.”
Speaking on the way Season 2 ended — basically a whole lot of setup for battles to come, and not much action — Condal said that they're trying to give the upcoming Battle of the Gullet plenty of breathing space, and that the action won't be too far away.
"We we were trying to give the Gullet, which is arguably the most anticipated — well, I would say maybe the second-most-anticipated — action event of Fire & Blood, trying to give it the time and the space that it deserves. Obviously, as anybody that’s seen the finale, we're building to that event. That event will happen very shortly in terms of the storytelling of House of the Dragon," Condal said.
"Based on what we know now, it should be the biggest thing to date that we've pulled off," he continued. "And we just wanted to have the time, the space to do that at a level that is going to excite and satisfy the fans and in the way it’s deserved."
If you're looking to switch to Safari but just need that one special feature to give you a push, we might have just the thing: Distraction Control.
It's a new feature for Safari that went live in the latest iOS 18, iPadOS 18, and macOS Sequoia developer betas (via MacRumors) — somewhat surprisingly, we might add, as Apple hasn't previously announced it.
The idea is simple: With Distraction Control, you can hide "distracting" parts of web pages. It's not an ad blocker, meaning it will not remove dynamic ads from a page. Think of it more as a way to get rid of some really annoying part of a web page that you frequent, like a login prompt. It is persistent, though; if the item you hid didn't change, it will remain hidden even if you reload the page.
SEE ALSO: Apple will upgrade every Mac model to M4To try it out, open a web page in Safari, tap on the Page Menu icon (the one in the upper left corner), and then tap on "Hide Distracting Items". You then have to manually choose the part of the page you want to hide. As you do so, Apple will warn you that "hiding distracting items will not permanently remove ads and other content that update frequently."
Tweet may have been deletedBonus: applying the feature does not only remove it from sight, but blows it away with a pretty cool animation. Well done, Apple.
Hiding parts of webpages manually might sound like a tall order, and it probably is in many cases, but I can imagine this feature being useful to someone who has a fairly small number of websites they really love, and just wants to have the best possible experience there.
Distraction Control is currently only live in the latest developer betas, which are rolling out to eligible users now; the feature is not available in the public beta yet, though I imagine it will happen pretty soon.
The Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 obliterated the need to ask that one cringey question shy travelers and content creators despise asking: "Can you take my picture?" Shudder.
"What's the big deal?" you may be thinking. "Get a backbone and ask a stranger for help."
For a shy person like me, I'd rather explain TikTok to my grandparents than face the awkwardness of interrupting strangers to indulge my self-serving needs. Plus, you often need more than one take to get the perfect shot — and I refuse to pester someone I don't know.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableSo what's a coy girl supposed to do if she wants to share her experiences on her social media — but can't fathom the thought of asking random people to take photos of her?
I've said it once before and I'll say it again. The Galaxy Z Flip series continues to be the best phone for travel enthusiasts, particularly solo globetrotters, who want to maintain as much independence as possible. Read on to find out whether the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is right for you.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 price and specsThe Galaxy Z Flip 6 I tested in this review costs $1,099 via Samsung and comes with the following specs:
Qualcomm Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chipset
256GB of storage
12GB of memory
6.7-inch, 2,640 x 1080-pixel main screen
3.4-inch, 720 x 748-pixel cover screen
There's also a 512GB model, too, that costs $1,219.99, but interestingly, as of this writing, Amazon is selling this model for $1,099.
Keep in mind that the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is $100 more than the previous-generation Galaxy Z Flip 5. And I'm not quite convinced the upgrades on this model warrant such a price hike.
Opens in a new window Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 $1,099.99 at AmazonSomeone asked me if they can slam Galaxy Z Flip 6 shut, with one hand, like an old school flip phone. The answer is no. Closing it this way is a bit awkward.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableHowever, this isn't as disappointing as you may think. The Galaxy Z Flip series has always had a tightly wound hinge to fortify its a vulnerable form factor. Stepping up its durability, Samsung boasts that it further reinforced the Galaxy Z Flip 6's hinge, making it stronger. So no, the hinge doesn't allow you to do the nostalgic and satisfying snap-shut action, but it's robust AF.
I also gotta give Samsung a pat on the back for the build quality. Constructing a sturdy foldable that meets the standards of non-foldable flagship devices isn't easy, but the Galaxy Z Flip 6 comes close, with an IP48 rating.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableNo, it doesn't quite measure up to the likes of the IP68-rated Galaxy S24 Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which are less vulnerable phones due to their non-foldable nature, but it's a step in the right direction. What's the difference between IP48 and IP68? They both have similar water tolerability (up to five feet for 30 minutes), but the latter has better dust resistance.
Admittedly, I sometimes get disappointed in the colorways that vendors send to Mashable for review, but this time around, I can't stop staring at my Galaxy Z Flip 6. The one I have sports the "yellow" colorway, which has a gold-and-black scheme — my favorite color duo.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableThe gold accents that surround the camera lenses above the cover display add a glitzy touch, too.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableThe Galaxy Z Flip 6 also comes in the following colors:
Mint
Silver Shadow
Blue
Crafted Black
Peach
White
Again, the Yellow colorway is so striking, I'm tempted to go caseless.
There is very little difference between the new Galaxy Z Flip 6 and its predecessor, but I did notice that its chassis now has a matte look compared to the last year's glossy finish. And I like it. It looks more refined — more sophisticated.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableFor anyone who is tired of giant, unwieldy phones, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is a pocketable powerhouse. Unlike the iPhone 15 Pro Max and the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, you can slip this bad boy into your jean pocket without it rearing its ugly little head because it's too big.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 inner displayIndoors, the Galaxy Z Flip 6's inner display looks decent. The 6.7-inch, 2460 x 1080-pixel display has a very zippy feel, thanks to the 120Hz adaptive refresh rate.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableFor the uninitiated, adaptive means that the Galaxy Z Flip 6 can drop the refresh rate down to 1Hz for little to no activity, helping to conserve energy. However, if you're gaming or doing some other high-intensity activity, the refresh rate can skyrocket to 120Hz.
If you're coming from a 60Hz phone like the iPhone 15 or iPhone 15 Plus, you'll definitely notice the ultra-slick and snappy response to your touches.
Although Samsung claims that the Galaxy Z Flip 6's inner display has a new peak brightness of 2,600 nits (compared to the Z Flip 5's 1750-nit screen), it was slightly difficult to see when I took it for a spin outside during overcast weather — even with the brightness maxed out.
In overcast weather, visibility is slightly compromised on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 despite its reported high peak brightness. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableI watched the new Joker: Folie à Deux trailer on the Galaxy Z Flip 6, and again, the display is alright.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableThe colors are rich. From the vivid red lips smeared across Joaquin Phoenix's face to the bright mustard yellow dress on Lady Gaga, the panel reproduces color impressively well. No, it's not intensely sharp and crisp as other popular flagship phones on the market (forgive me; I'm a bit of a display snob), but for the average Joe, it will be a visually pleasing display.
The inner display still rocks my socks as a top-of-the-line multitasking tool. I can, for example, scroll through an article on Mashable on the top half of the screen while playing music from YouTube on the bottom.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableAs for the crease, it's definitely much less noticeable on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 than the last-generation device. But to be honest — and I know this may be a hot take — I just never really cared about the crease, even when it was more prominent in earlier generations. I like having a differentiator that creates a subtle border between two apps while I'm juggling two apps or websites. Sue me!
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 cover displaySamsung didn't make any gen-over-gen changes for the 3.4-inch, 720 x 748-pixel display, but I'm OK with that. The Korea-based tech giant already made a significant leap to a larger screen when it debuted the Galaxy Z Flip 5. It was a pivotal upgrade over the Galaxy Z Flip 4, which had a yawnworthy 1.9-inch cover display.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableI don't have anything critical to say about the cover screen. It's a space where you can add your favorite widgets and interact with apps, like weather, alarms, contacts, and calendar, in a small-screen space. The best use case for me is using it to respond to my WhatsApp messages without needing to unfurl the Galaxy Z Flip 6.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashablePlus, I can use it to take photos, too. (Again, I don't need to unfold the foldable device to do so.)
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 camerasI'm not too proud to say that the Galaxy Z Flip 6's 10MP selfie camera on the inner display makes me feel insecure.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableIt picks up on imperfections and bumps that I don't even notice in the mirror. One could say that the Galaxy Z Flip 6's selfie camera is too good.
Selfie with Galaxy Z Flip 6 (natural tone) Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Selfie with Galaxy Z Flip 6 (warm tone) Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableYou don't even need to unfold the Galaxy Z Flip 6 camera to take a selfie. Because the main camera — the new 50MP camera that got upgraded from Galaxy Z Flip 5's 12MP wide lens — faces you while the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is closed.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableHowever, my favorite way to take a selfie is to place the Galaxy Z Flip 6 on any surface in clamshell mode and take hands-free selfies by simply using the high-five gesture.
I've always felt that the Galaxy Z Flip 6 was a revolutionary phone for solo travelers. As I mentioned at the outset, I despise asking strangers to take photos.
However, with the Galaxy Z Flip 6, I can prop this bad boy anywhere and take photos, sans the weird selfie arm, without enlisting the help of others. This is a big win!
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableNext, here's a shot with the new 50MP wide camera:
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableI took a picture of the same scene with the 12MP ultrawide lens:
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableFinally, here are some zoomed-in shots, with the top one at 2x and the last one at the max zoom level (i.e., 10x).
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 2x zoom Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 10x zoom Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 audioI fired up the Apple Music app on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 and played Sabrina Carpenter's "Espresso." It gets loud and impactful at max volume. There's a slight metallic edge to it, but there's plenty of clarity and it's reasonably clear.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 ports and buttonsThe Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 features a USB-C 3.2 port on the bottom.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableOn the right side, you'll find a volume rocker as well as a power button that doubles as the fingerprint sensor. (As far as biometric authentication is concerned, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 also supports facial recognition.) On the left side, you'll find a nanoSIM tray. (The Galaxy Z Flip 6 supports eSIMs, too.)
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 keyboardThe haptic keyboard on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is absolutely addicting. Typing on the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra and the iPhone 15 Pro Max, I wondered, "Why can't these phones offer the same experience?"
Feeling such tangible feedback while my fingers hit each letter and symbol makes texting on the Galaxy Z Flip 6 far more accurate the aforementioned flagship phones.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 and Galaxy AIGalaxy AI officially debuted earlier this year alongside the Samsung Galaxy S24 series. It brought a host of AI-powered features, including real-time translation during calls, transcription for audio recordings, and my favorite, Generative Edit, which lets you use AI to make complex changes to your pictures (e.g., object removal).
However, the Galaxy AI feature that I had the most fun with is the Sketch to Image feature in the Notes app. Below, you'll see my rudimentary sketch of a woman in a pointy hat that got transformed into a masterpiece.
My sketch of a woman with a pointy hat (left); Galaxy AI's interpretation (right) Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableThe same could be said for my sketch of a swan:
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableAll of the Galaxy AI Sketch to Image results come with a label that flags to people that it's an AI-created picture.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 benchmarks and performanceOn Geekbench 6, which tests the Galaxy Z Flip 6's processor performance, the Samsung foldable has a multi-core of 6,069, which is on par with the likes of the Microsoft Surface Laptop Go 3 (6,043) and the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (7,078).
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableThe former is packed with an Intel Core i5 CPU and considered to be an entry-level laptop. Meanwhile, the Galaxy S24 Ultra, the Z Flip 6's non-foldable flagship cousin, shares the same chipset, but it's a smidge more performant.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 - 6,069
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 - 6,300
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra - 7,078
The Galaxy Z Flip 6 may seem like it's in last place, but trust me, it still has quite a lot of power. While running two apps simultaneously, thanks to the 12GB of RAM, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 handled everything smoothly and seamlessly while I juggled both YouTube and Spotify.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 battery lifeThe Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 lasted 12 hours and 13 minutes on our TikTok rundown.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 - 12 hours and 13 minutes
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 - 12 hours and 44 minutes
Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra - 13 hours and 1 minute
The Galaxy Z Fold 6, the foldable Samsung phone that can open up like a book, lasts 31 minutes longer. Keep in mind that if you want an extra hour, give or take some minutes, consider the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Is the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 worth it?A better question is who is this for? Because I believe this phone is for consumers with specific use cases. The Galaxy Z Flip 6 is best for the following:
Solo travelers
Independent content creators
Multitasking app jugglers
Tiny, portable phone lovers
As aforementioned, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 is ideal for solo travelers and independent content creators who want to capture better photos and videos of themselves without relying on a companion. On top of that, it is a foldable, so it benefits from having excellent multitasking capabilities where you can place an app on the top part of the screen and another on the bottom.
And finally, the Galaxy Z Flip 6, when closed, is a super portable phone that can slip comfortably into any pocket or travel bag without adding too much clunkiness. For anyone who misses Apple's iPhone mini series, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is a decent alternative.
If you fall into any one of those categories, the Galaxy Z Flip 6 is totally worth the splurge. Otherwise, shelling out $1,099 may not give you enough bang for your buck.
Opens in a new window Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 $1,099.00When you live in tech bubble central, signs of a tech bubble become easier to spot every time. Drive to Silicon Valley on any of the Bay Area's main arteries right now, and you'll notice nearly every billboard pumping a product "driven by AI."
On the same drive five years ago, you'd see the same scene with the word "blockchain." Ten years ago: "big data." Twenty-five years ago: literally any word followed by ".com." Each one in turn, for all its promise, became a punchline.
It's not a question of whether the Silicon Valley machine was wrong on any of these technologies. Especially not the dotcom thing. Heck, the entire internet had just dropped into our laps in the 1990s; you can't blame anyone for dreaming about creating all the stuff we now take for granted. It's a question of impatience: all the investors, startup shysters and panicked CEOs that rush in when a promising new technology emerges are eager for immediate results.
Then reality dawns, as it has evidently done for AI investors this summer. Amid a general stock market downturn Monday driven by the worst one-day crash the Japanese stock market has seen in decades, AI stocks like Nvidia — which delayed its next-gen AI chips, and has reportedly been scraping "a human lifetime" of videos every day for an unreleased AI product despite internal concerns — are taking a beating. Nvidia stock has lost a trillion dollars of valuation, 30% of the total, since its 2024 high.
If history is any guide, and it usually is, there's no coming back from a tipping point like this. The next part will be really painful for a lot of people — and yet more beneficial for longterm tech progress than the bubble mentality could ever be.
How the AI bubble burstWhat accounts for the AI vibe shift?
Take your pick. Maybe it was a study revealing that consumers are so turned off by the term "AI," they are less likely to buy a product that uses it.
Maybe it was Sam Altman and his weird unforced error with Scarlett Johansson, or Elon Musk trying to sell a flawed AI chatbot while pushing AI deepfakes.
Maybe it was one of the largest and oldest hedge funds in the world telling clients that AI products are "never going to be cost-efficient, never going to actually work right, will take up too much energy, or will prove to be untrustworthy."
Or maybe it was a Goldman Sachs report on generative AI titled "Too Much Spend, Too Little Benefit?" (That minces words just about as much as one of the best-titled academic papers of 2024, an inquiry into the growing phenomenon of AI hallucination: "ChatGPT is bullshit.")
Tweet may have been deletedWhatever it was, the signs of panic are everywhere. Tech stocks are getting hammered no matter if they're planning to increase their expenditure — Mark Zuckerberg announced $5 billion in "aggressive" new AI spending on his earnings call last week, then Meta stock dropped as much as 15% the next day — or decrease it to make up for all their AI investments — as was the case with Intel, where $10 billion in cost-cutting tanked the stock 25%.
"Generative AI itself won’t disappear," wrote Gary Marcus, a noted AI skeptic, on his blog over the weekend. "But investors may well stop forking out money at the rates they have, enthusiasm may diminish, and a lot of people may lose their shirts. Companies that are currently valued at billions of dollars may fold, or stripped for parts."
Marcus had previously written that the crash would happen in 2025, but now believes it has arrived months ahead of schedule.
Rather than find revenue on their own, AI startups are suddenly keen to be gobbled up by one of the big fish. A chatbot maker called Character.AI, founded by a couple of AI enthusiasts who left Google because they were frustrated by the bureaucracy, just licensed its product to Google — who will fold the founders and main researchers back into its bureaucracy. In recent weeks, Amazon ran the same acqui-hire playbook on an AI startup called Adept, while Microsoft did it to Inflection.
Could it be any more clear that we've reached an inflection point?
AI's biggest hallucination is being solvedClearly, there is some promise in generative AI. It's just that much of that promise, as we've said before, lies in the small and boring business tasks: saving a bit of time on code development here, writing the first draft of a document there.
The vision of vast, exponential growth in AI tech, to the point where it is an imminent threat to humanity, should not trouble us much longer. Sam Altman's OpenAI has spent the last two years hyping up this threat; increasingly, Altman is seen as the boy who cried wolf. Large Language Models like ChatGPT have run out of stuff to train on, and the more they are trained on "the internet," the more the internet contains a body of work written by AI — degrading the product in question.
Our excitement about AI art has also popped like a bubble. Everyone has access to the tools — including your family members on Facebook — therefore no AI art is special anymore. Indeed, we're more alert than ever to the shady theft and energy drain involved in making this stuff. AI-generated video is even worse on both counts, and has a harder problem leaving the uncanny valley.
Back in Silicon Valley, what this means is that AI companies and products must have something special to survive the coming correction. Look at the startups that were still standing after the dotcom collapse in 2000 and you'll see some familiar names, like Google and Netflix.
Only if it happens slowly, over many years, without so much venture capital investment creating so much froth, will we finally arrive in the AI future today's startups can only dream about.
This column reflects the opinion of the author.
TL;DR: This M36 mini LED Bluetooth Speaker offers great sound and fun LED lighting for just $19.99 for a limited time.
Opens in a new window Credit: Waloo M36 Mini LED Base Bluetooth Speaker $19.99 at the Mashable ShopWhy settle for ordinary when you can jazz up your next summer gathering with the M36 mini LED Bluetooth speaker? Whether you're at the beach, camping, or just chilling at home, this speaker brings the party with its vibrant LED lights and surprisingly high-quality sound.
It's small, portable, and perfect for those who want to add a splash of color and quality to their audio experience without breaking the bank. Right now, it's on sale for only $19.99 (reg. $34.99) — a 42% discount.
This budget-friendly speaker may be mini, but it packs a punch. The larger version, in particular, is known for its impressive bass. Bluetooth connectivity makes it easy to connect to your devices, and the compact design means it fits easily in your bag or backpack, ready to go wherever you are.
Aside from its affordability and portability, the M36 mini stands out with its fun LED light feature. Sync your music with a light show that sets the mood, whether you're hosting a pool party or just relaxing solo. The long-lasting battery means the music (and the lights) won't stop until you do.
With its combination of fun features, good sound quality, and a price that won't make your wallet cry, it's a no-brainer addition to your tech collection.
Regularly $34.99, you can get the M36 Mini LED Base Bluetooth Speaker for a steal at $19.99 for a limited time.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
TL;DR: For a limited time, you can get these soft, cooling bamboo sheets on sale, with twin sets starting at $29.99.
After a long day, flopping into bed is something many of us look forward to. But in the summer, sometimes that moment of bliss is followed by uncomfortable sweating under the sheets. There's a simple solution to the summer sweats: upgrading your sheets to cooling bamboo sheets designed to regulate temperature.
During this end of summer sale, you can get cooling sheets starting at just $29.99. You can pick from a wide selection of colors (white, cream, purple, orange, raspberry, taupe, gray, blush, blue, or silver), in twin, twin XL, full, queen, king, and California King to fit your style and bed size. Starting at $29.99 for a twin, queen and king-size sheets cost just a few dollars more. In any size, this 2,000–thread count set of bamboo sheets could be a game-changer.
What's so cool about bamboo sheets?
Temperature-regulating: These sheets are designed to help keep you cool in the summer and warm in the winter.
Soft and smooth: Its high thread count offers a luxurious bedtime experience. It also claims to help protect your hair and skin from breakage.
Wrinkle-resistant: It's a natural, hypoallergenic fiber that is tightly woven to reduce wrinkling.
These particular sheets also feature a deep pocket and a snug grip that fits mattresses up to 16 inches thick, so you don't have to worry about it slipping off the corners and hitting you in the face in the middle of the night. The set comes with a fitted sheet, flat sheet, and four pillowcases in your desired size and color (twin sets only come with two pillowcases).
Drift off to sleep in comfort and style with this Bamboo 2,000-Count Sheet Set, starting at $29.99 (reg. $99) for a limited time.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Opens in a new window Credit: Bibb Home Bamboo 2000-Count 4-Piece Sheet Set with SnugGrip $29.99 at the Mashable ShopTL;DR: Grab this near-mint MacBook Pro with a Touch Bar for 61% off and get the most bang for your buck by going refurbished.
Ever wondered if the Touch Bar on the MacBook Pro could be more than just a gimmick? Here's your chance to find out. This refurbished MacBook Pro has a 3.1GHz Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a 512GB SSD, all for a 61% discount at $379.99 (reg. $979).
The Touch Bar: love it or hate it, it's undeniably handy. Whether you're customizing shortcuts for your favorite apps, scrubbing through your timeline in Final Cut Pro, selecting emojis without leaving your keyboard, or using it to quickly access other tools on your Mac, this feature adds a layer of convenience that traditional function keys just can't match.
Customization is key with the Touch Bar. It adapts to different applications, providing unique shortcuts tailored to your workflow. From browsing the web to editing photos, the Touch Bar can be configured to fit your needs perfectly. And with Apple’s support, you can make the most out of this feature with ease.
This MacBook Pro isn’t just about the Touch Bar, though. With a sleek Space Gray finish, it looks as good as it performs. The Retina display delivers stunning visuals, making it a great option for everything from graphic design to binge-watching your favorite series. Plus, with 512GB of storage, you'll have plenty of room for all your files and applications.
It was given an impressive "A" refurbished rating, which means the device has minimal to no signs of use, and has been certified to work like new.
Enhance your overall experience by taking advantage of this sale on a grade-A refurbished MacBook Pro featuring a Touch Bar for $379.99 for a limited time.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro (13-inch, 2017, Four Thunderbolt 3 Ports) MPXV2LL/A 3.1GHz i5, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD - Space Gray (Refurbished) $379.99 at The Mashable ShopTL;DR: See how much easier it is to get your security deposit back when you have your own portable carpet cleaner, like the AILLTOPD C4, which is on sale now for $89.99.
Moving apartments is the worst, but the allure of getting your security deposit back is the light at the end of a long tunnel. Except, you might not get it back if the place isn't spotless, and that includes the carpet you've been walking, spilling, and living on all this time. Hiring a professional carpet cleaner is the expensive option. The affordable way to go is to get a personal carpet cleaner like the AILLTOPD C4, and you can get $100 off yours.
Are portable carpet cleaners worth it?Some messes are unavoidable. Coffee spills, mud tracks...and pets do what pets are gonna do. It's a lot for your regular ol' vacuum to handle, but the AILLTOPD has a powerful 450W motor and multiple ways to tackle all kinds of carpet messes.
Don't let the size fool you. This carpet cleaner has a 450W motor and can power through messes left by spilled drinks, pets, dirt, and dust. It even comes with an attachable brush to help get fur and stubborn spills out of the carpet. And when you're all done cleaning, everything has its own tidy little spot to settle into. The C4 cleaner doesn't stop at the carpet. Try it out on sofas, mattresses, and even car seats.
As great as it is to have a lightweight carpet cleaner, you might not need to carry this one far. The power cord is 16.4 feet long and the long host adds an extra 3.57 feet to maneuver.
Changing your vacuum bag is a great opportunity to spill everything you just worked so hard to clean. The C4 makes cleanup easier by keeping two separate tanks: one full of clean water to power through messes and one for dirty water to pour out.
This product is a new open box item, meaning it may have been excess stock or a return. Either way, it's in brand new condition with no cosmetic or operational issues.
Get that security deposit backKeep your carpet so clean your landlord may question whether or not you ever lived there.
Get the AILLTOPD C4 Portable Carpet Cleaner on sale for $89.99.
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Opens in a new window Credit: AILLTOPD AILLTOPD C4 Portable Carpet Cleaner (New - Open Box) $89.99 at The Mashable ShopHow can you best sum up the House of the Dragon Season 2 finale? Four words: good episode, underwhelming finale.
In many ways, the Season 2 closer, titled "The Queen Who Ever Was," should be a House of the Dragon viewer's wildest dream. The show treats us to scene after scene of incredible, dialogue-driven character work, from Rhaenyra Targaryen (Emma D'Arcy) and Alicent Hightower's (Olivia Cooke) charged reunion to Alyn of Hull's (Abubakar Salim) brutally honest confrontation with his father, Corlys Velaryon (Steve Toussaint). Plus, we get several fascinating nods to the magical powers at work in Westeros, like Daemon Targaryen's (Matt Smith) weirwood vision and Helaena Targaryen's (Phia Saban) dragon dreaming prophecy.
SEE ALSO: The 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 finale, explainedBut much of that goodness loses its shine when you consider "The Queen Who Ever Was"s many missteps, and where this episode stands in the context of House of the Dragon as a whole. It's the end of the season, so why are we just now spending so much time on Tyland Lannister's (Jefferson Hall) excursion to Essos? Why does Rhaena Targaryen (Phoebe Campbell) hunt the dragon Sheepstealer for the entire episode, only for the finale to end before they truly interact? Why do the last two minutes play like a "next week on" trailer for a nonexistent ninth episode, instead of delivering a definite conclusion to Season 2?
The point is, it feels like something is missing as the finale's credits roll. And what's missing are the extra two episodes that would have taken this season from eight episodes to a much-needed 10, just like House of the Dragon's first season and much of its predecessor Game of Thrones. Two more hours of storytelling — I'd even settle for just one! — would have allowed House of the Dragon more room to expand on the many arcs that feel woefully incomplete by the end of Season 2. One in particular comes to mind: the much-teased Battle of the Gullet.
"To the Gullet on the morrow!" (But really, Season 3.) Abigail Thorn in "House of the Dragon." Credit: Ollie Upton/HBOThe House of the Dragon storyline that is perhaps most emblematic of all the disappointment towards the Season 2 finale is that of the Velaryon blockade in the stretch of ocean known as the Gullet. We've heard about the blockade since Season 2's very first episode, and it's been a constant murmur throughout the season ever since: Rhaenys (Eve Best) discusses patrolling it, Corlys plans to join it once his ship is repaired, Team Green laments the pressure it puts on King's Landing, and Rhaenyra and Mysaria (Sonoya Mizuno) eventually use it to their advantage in gaining the smallfolk to their side. Basically, House of the Dragon is telling you time and again that the blockade in the Gullet is a big deal.
SEE ALSO: How 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 is different from George R.R. Martin's 'Fire and Blood'All this emphasis on the blockade creates expectations. With every mention of the blockade, House of the Dragon sets up a narrative pattern that it wants you to pay attention to. Think of it like Chekhov's gun. When we see a loaded gun onstage, we know it must go off by the end of a play. When we hear so much about the blockade in the Gullet, of course we'll anticipate that a large-scale conflict will play out in the Gullet by the end of House of the Dragon Season 2.
Unfortunately, Chekhov's gun gets jammed here, and House of the Dragon does not go to the Gullet in Season 2. Instead, it pushes the pivotal battle off to Season 3 along with Rhaena's (likely) claiming of Sheepstealer, whatever's up with jailed Otto Hightower (Rhys Ifans), Rhaenyra and her dragonriders' attack on King's Landing, and the many forces converging upon the Riverlands. The frustration around these storylines not reaching any solid conclusions is not as simple a complaint as "we yearn for sweet, sweet dragon action!" It's actually exasperation over being promised something for an entire season, then being told to wait another few years for payoff. As it stands, "The Queen Who Ever Was" feels like an episode building up to a finale. Imagine if House of the Dragon followed it up with the Battle of the Gullet in a potential Season 2 episode 9 or 10! We would have gotten closure on one of Season 2's largest-scale conflicts — and still had more than enough to get excited about in Season 3.
Why House of the Dragon's Season 2 ending doesn't work — and why we needed the Battle of the Gullet. Steve Toussaint in "House of the Dragon." Credit: Ollie Upton/HBOThe balance between narrative satisfaction and building anticipation is a tricky line that all season finales must walk. With the exception of Rhaenyra and Alicent's sublime confrontation and Daemon finally bending the knee after six episodes of weirwood therapy, "The Queen Who Ever Was" doesn't really deal in satisfaction. It leans too far into anticipation and mistakes an unfulfilling cliffhanger for narrative momentum (something we could have used in the lull following Rook's Rest).
To understand just how unsatisfying House of the Dragon's Season 2 finale was in the grand scale of Westerosi storytelling, let's compare it to a similar season finale from a familiar show: Game of Thrones.
SEE ALSO: The new 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 intro shows the history of House Targaryen"The Winds of Winter," the Season 6 finale of Game of Thrones, shares some similar-seeming beats with "The Queen Who Ever Was." Both episodes feature game-changing visions: Bran learns that Jon is the son of Rhaegar Targaryen and Lyanna Stark, while Daemon learns of the Song of Ice and Fire. Both episodes also end with new alliances. In Game of Thrones, the Tyrells, Yara Greyjoy, and Sand Snakes ally with Daenerys Targaryen, while in House of the Dragon, Alicent and Rhaenyra hatch a plan together, and Tyland Lannister secures the Triarchy's naval support. But the biggest commonality that stood out to me was the very simple fact that these finales end with "People On Boats Sailing Towards Big Things." Game of Thrones' version of this is Daenerys finally sailing to Westeros with her fleet (and many allies). House of the Dragon, on the other hand, features Alyn and Corlys rowing out to the blockade, with Tyland and Lysene admiral Sharako Lohar (Abigail Thorn) sailing to meet it.
That's a lot of People On Boats about to do Big Things, but there's one key difference between the two. Game of Thrones spent all of Season 6 — no, the whole show — building towards Daenerys leaving for Westeros. Her departure from Essos is in itself the end of one narrative arc for her, and the start of another. It's both narratively satisfying (she's leaving, what a big step!) and also makes you want to know what she'll do when she reaches the next phase of her journey. In House of the Dragon, we're still mid-blockade arc. The show has specifically been building to the Battle of the Gullet (and Rhaena's dragon claiming, and the showdown in the Riverlands, and Daeron's arrival from Oldtown, and, and, and...) for the whole season, so stopping now is basically the equivalent of stopping Game of Thrones Season 6 before the Battle of the Bastards.
House of the Dragon is already falling into the pitfalls of shorter seasons. Freddie Fox in "House of the Dragon." Credit: Ollie Upton/HBOWhile Game of Thrones certainly stuck the landing on its Season 6 finale, its seventh and eighth seasons proved disappointments. Just like House of the Dragon Season 2, those two seasons were shorter than their predecessors, meaning the story got less breathing room. Overly rushed character development and plot points compounded on one another until we were left with an underdeveloped, unsatisfying letdown.
Similarly, House of the Dragon Season 2 is already feeling the strain of a shorter episode order. In the finale alone, there were several scenes that felt like we were missing connective tissue between "The Queen Who Ever Was" and its predecessors. How did Aemond Targaryen's (Ewan Mitchell) barbecuing of Sharp Point play out? How did Alicent act upon her return from her cleansing lake swim? Why did Gwayne Hightower (Freddie Fox) choose this episode of all episodes to suddenly confront Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) over his affair with Alicent? These are all things House of the Dragon lets us infer fairly well, but there's still enough of a disconnect between episodes that we could have used a little more time fleshing out the moments between them.
SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon's Abubakar Salim on Alyn's relationship with Corlys: 'He's haunted by him'House of the Dragon is far from the first genre show to struggle with a shorter episode order, a sacrifice likely made in order to pull off high-budget sequences like Rook's Rest and the Red Sowing. Game of Thrones, obviously, comes to mind, and as much as I love recent Star Wars offering The Acolyte, I'll be the first to admit it needed more time to truly develop its story and ideas.
However, House of the Dragon does feel like the first show whose "missing" episodes I've felt the most. At least with Game of Thrones and The Acolyte, you're getting the whole story. Watching House of the Dragon Season 2, I feel like I'm missing 20 percent of the narrative — and a crucial 20 percent at that.
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