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Anthropic released Claude Fable 5.1 and a more restricted sibling, Claude Mythos 5.1, this week, positioning the pair as its most capable models yet for coding and knowledge work. Notably, the announcement arrives just weeks after fresh reports of AI agents behaving badly in security tests.

The two models are technically identical, Anthropic says in its blog post, but come with different guardrails. Fable 5.1 is broadly available, while Mythos 5.1 is reserved for vetted partners working in cybersecurity and the life sciences through the company's trusted-access programs.

SEE ALSO: What Claude's AI text watermark actually does

Anthropic also says it's cutting prices. According to the company, typical workloads will cost around 25 percent less than they did with Fable 5, with savings of roughly 45 percent for heavily agentic tasks, largely due to cheaper cache-read pricing. At the time of writing, Claude customers are accusing the AI firm of deceptive pricing and marketing for its Claude Max subscription.

On the safety side, Anthropic touts more precise filters. The company says its updated biology safeguards now fire far less often on benign medical questions, and that cybersecurity safeguards produce about 60 percent fewer false interventions in Claude Code sessions than before, in part because Fable 5.1 is now allowed to help identify software vulnerabilities — though not build exploits for them.

That framing lands amid a rockier moment for AI agents and the cybersecurity industry at large. In early August, multiple outlets reported that AI agents from both Anthropic and OpenAI had been caught taking unsanctioned actions during red-team testing. The UK's AI Security Institute, which ran the tests, said agents from the two companies took unauthorized actions a combined 19 times across 122 test runs, with the bulk of the incidents attributed to an earlier Anthropic model, Mythos 5. Anthropic responded at the time by noting that the tests were run under what it called deliberately permissive conditions that don't reflect how its production models actually operate.

The company says Mythos 5.1's cyber capabilities are the strongest it has released yet, but the model still falls in the lower-risk tier under its internal framework — and Anthropic found no evidence of a critical-severity jailbreak in testing.

If you've spent any time on gaming social media this week, you'll see a lot of comparison screenshots of video games. The most common ones you'll see are split-screen comparisons between an OG shot of the game and one that's slightly more detailed, with a promise that this will be the "future" of gaming.

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That's DLSS 5, NVIDIA's latest and most ambitious version of its AI upscaling technology, officially launching Sept. 3. It's exclusive to the company's RTX 50-series graphics cards and arrives with just one game: NBA 2K27.

It's also become one of the more divisive pieces of gaming tech in recent memory, centered around whether AI should be allowed to redraw what a game looks like at all.

Our Big Guessing Game is Back! This is your final chance to enter to win a new Apple Watch.

What is DLSS?

DLSS has existed for years as a way to boost frame rates by having an AI model fill in detail rather than rendering every pixel natively. The new version goes further.

As we reported when it was first announced, DLSS 5 aims to use AI to add more realistic lighting and materials to a scene in real-time. That means it can actively repaint lighting, textures, and even character faces on the fly. When NVIDIA first unveiled the tech back in March, the company called it a landmark moment, framed as its biggest graphics breakthrough since real-time ray tracing debuted in 2018.

NVIDIA also claims that the system hands creative control back to developers, who get sliders to dial in exactly how aggressive the AI's changes are, down to leaving character faces untouched or enhancing only background details.

The DLSS 5 controversy on social media

Backlash towards DLSS 5 has been around since it was first revealed in a tech demo for Resident Evil: Requiem. The AI-enhanced version of the protagonist, Grace Ashcroft, looked so different from the original that it sparked its own meme cycle online, with critics describing the change as a "yassification" of the character.

DLSS 5 believers see a legitimate leap in both performance and visual fidelity, especially for sports and photorealistic titles, where the tech seems to deliver on its promises. Proponents say that DLSS 5 looks as good as you make it, and that the "bad" images of the tech are aggressively pushing the sliders and not using it properly.

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Critics argue that letting an AI model reinterpret a character's face or a room's lighting overrides decisions the actual artists made — without much visible input from the games' creators. For a lot of gamers, nobody asked the AI to redesign the art direction. However, does it actually look bad? In some instances, yes. Very much so.

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Performance-wise, it's not free, either.

NVIDIA itself estimates DLSS 5 costs 50 to 60 percent of your performance, offset by aggressive frame generation. NVIDIA further claims that even a mid-range RTX 5060 can run NBA 2K27 at 1080p with ray tracing and DLSS 5 maxed out, but only with a top-tier CPU and 6x frame generation enabled, meaning the GPU is inventing five out of every six frames you see rather than rendering them directly.

That's fine, if you ignore the ongoing memory crisis that's been squeezing the consumer PC market for the last few years. The RTX 5090 that NVIDIA's original DLSS 5 demos leaned on can be bought brand-new for $2,000, but it's also reselling for two to three times that on the secondary market, per market trackers following the shortage. That's most people's monthly rent for just one graphics card, and NVIDIA's demo used two.

Even the lower-end RTX 5060 is a victim of price creep, with some of the cheaper ones out there still priced over $400. So while NVIDIA's pitch is that DLSS 5 makes ray-traced, high-frame-rate gaming reachable on mid-range cards, the mid-range itself has gotten much less affordable — meaning the fully loaded version of this "future of graphics" pitch is, for now, mostly a luxury good.

Whether DLSS 5 becomes standard across PC gaming or ends up a niche feature for realism-focused titles will depend on whether NVIDIA can get more developers on board, and whether those developers use the granular controls to keep the AI from overriding their own art direction.

For now, the only way to actually judge it yourself is to boot up NBA 2K27 on Sept. 3 and toggle the setting. Or you can experience the elderitch horros being created on social media right now.

Navigation companies face a new dilemma after President Trump ordered Lake Ontario to be renamed Lake America.

As the new Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope heads for deep space, the public can follow its three‑month trip in near-real time with NASA's online tracker.

The spacecraft launched on Sunday, Aug. 30, from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy rocket. It's now cruising on its own toward its final orbit about 1 million miles away from Earth. 

Roman is flying to a point called the second sun–Earth Lagrange Point, or L2, a gravitational parking spot beyond the moon's orbit that gives the telescope a wide, steady view of the sky without Earth's atmosphere getting in the way.

During this long flight, the team runs a checkout phase, called commissioning. (For more detail on the process, read Mashable's telescope commissioning explainer.) Engineers and scientists turn on systems step by step, tune settings, and calibrate instruments before Roman starts full science operations. Though NASA has a schedule for this process, the timeline is dependent on how the spacecraft behaves.

SEE ALSO: Roman telescope's data deluge will change who gets to do big astronomy

Mission controllers already carried out the first "mid‑course correction burn," a three‑minute engine firing that nudged Roman onto a sharper trajectory, on Monday. Flight planners built in two of these opportunities early in the journey. The less the team has to use those burns, the better. More fuel reserves directly translate into more years of science. After Roman settles into its looping orbit around L2, controllers fire thrusters about every 28 days to keep the spacecraft on station. 

You can watch Roman's progress using NASA's online tracking tool. The tracker view below shows Roman's changing position in the inner solar system through a graphic visualization as it cruises outward toward L2.

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From L2, Roman will use a wide‑field camera to capture an area of sky about 100 times larger than a typical Hubble image while maintaining Hubble‑like sharpness. That reach lets Roman map billions of galaxies, tens of thousands of planets, and thousands of supernova explosions.

Mission leaders say Roman will return about 1.4 terabytes of data every day. Over its planned five‑year prime mission, the observatory sends down a constant stream of images and measurements. NASA plans to release those data sets without delay. 

NASA expects to share the first detailed space images around December and begin its surveys in January 2027.

The best Apple Labor Day deals at a glance: Best iPad deal Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M4, WiFi, 128GB) $649 (save $100) Get Deal Best iPhone deal Apple iPhone Air (256GB, unlocked) $849.99 (save $150) Get Deal Best AirPods deal Apple AirPods Max 2 $449 (save $100) Get Deal Best Apple accessory deal Apple AirTags (2nd gen, 4-pack) $79.99 (save $19.01) Get Deal Best MacBook deal Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5 Pro, 24GB RAM, 2TB SSD) $2,699 (save $300) Get Deal

It's no secret that tech prices are getting out of control, thanks to RAMageddon. Apple has jacked up the costs of most of its popular gadgets (with more to come), so any excuse to save some money is welcomed. Enter Labor Day.

Labor Day sales at Amazon, Best Buy, and other major retailers are in full swing, which means deals are popping up left and right on Apple gear. Notably, iPads and iPhones are up to $150 off, while MacBooks are as much as $500 off.

We're hoping to see even bigger discounts as the weekend nears (wishful thinking), but we've already spotted some pretty solid Apple deals we think are worth checking out. Below, we've rounded up all of our top picks.

Best iPad deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M4, WiFi, 128GB) $649 at Amazon
$749 Save $100   Get Deal Why we like it

If you're looking to buy a new iPad, the M4 Air is our top pick for most people. It's not all that different from its predecessor, but that's not a bad thing (we loved the M3 iPad Air, too). The latest version packs an insanely powerful M4 chip, a thin and lightweight build, a brilliant Liquid Retina display, and Apple's N1 and C1X connectivity chips. It's honestly almost too powerful for most users, with enough oomph to handle memory-intensive programs like Final Cut Pro. Yet, its price tag isn't quite as stunning as the iPad Pro. For Labor Day, the base model with WiFi connectivity and 128GB of storage is down to just $649.

Read our full review of the M4 iPad Air.

More iPad deals

• Apple iPad, 11-inch (A16, WiFi, 128GB) — $399 $449 (save $50)

• Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M4, WiFi, 256GB) — $749 $849 (save $100)

• Apple iPad Air, 13-inch (M4, WiFi, 128GB) — $849.99 $949 (save $99.01)

• Apple iPad Air, 13-inch (M4, WiFi, 256GB) — $949 $1,049 (save $100)

• Apple iPad Pro, 13-inch (M5, WiFi, 512GB) — $1,549 $1,699 (Save $150)

• Apple iPad Pro, 11-inch (M5, WiFi, 512GB) — $1,299 $1,399 (save $100)

• Apple iPad Pro, 13-inch (M5, WiFi, 256GB) — $1,399.99 $1,499 (save $99.01)

• Apple iPad Pro, 11-inch (M5, WiFi, 1TB) — $1,649.99 $1,799 (save $149.01)

Best iPhone deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPhone Air (256GB, unlocked) $849.99 at Best Buy
$999.99 Save $150   Get Deal Why we like it

While we regularly see solid deals on unlocked Android phones, unlocked iPhone deals are few and far between. So finding the iPhone Air at Best Buy for $150 off (with any storage capacity) is a big deal. Mashable's reviewer dubbed the iPhone Air Apple's "sexiest iPhone" to date. It's thinner than you can fathom, yet packs a gorgeous OLED display and a surprisingly good camera. With the inevitable iPhone price hikes coming, snagging the iPhone Air for less could be an even better value than you realize.

Read our full review of the iPhone Air.

More iPhone deals

• Apple iPhone 16e (128GB, unlocked) — $499.99 $599.99 (save $100)

• Apple iPhone Air (512GB, unlocked) — $1,049.99 $1,199.99 (save $150)

• Apple iPhone Air (1TB, unlocked) — $1,249.99 $1,399.99 (save $150)

Best MacBook deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5 Pro, 24GB RAM, 2TB SSD) $2,699 at Best Buy
$2,999 Save $300   Get Deal Why we like it

The M5 Pro MacBook Pro jumped $300 earlier this summer, so this discount at Best Buy essentially erases that price hike. Granted, the MacBook Pro with an M5 Pro chip is definitely overkill for most users — especially this model with boosted specs (24GB RAM and 2TB storage). Still, it's a great pick for graphic designers, editors, or programmers with heavy workloads. Besides the powerful M5 Pro chip, specs include Apple's N1 wireless chip, a brilliant 3K mini LED display, a 120Hz refresh rate, and three USB-C Thunderbolt 5 ports.

Read our full review of the M5 MacBook Pro.

More MacBook deals

• Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,499 $1,599 (save $100)

• Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M5, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,699 $1,799 (save $100)

• Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,699 $1,799 (save $100)

• Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,849 $1,999 (save $150)

• Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5 Pro, 24GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $2,699 $2,999 (save $300)

• Apple MacBook Pro, 16-inch (M4 Max, 36GB, 1TB SSD) — $2,999 $3,399 (save $400)

• Apple MacBook Pro, 16-inch (M4 Max, 48GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $3,399 $3,899 (save $500)

Best AirPods deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Max 2 $449 at Amazon
$549 Save $100   Get Deal Why we like it

The second generation of the AirPods Max arrived earlier this year and our reviewer recommended only buying them on sale. Well, if you've been patiently waiting, your time has come. This is the first proper upgrade to Apple's only over-the-ear headphones and was six years in the making. That being said, it's not a huge upgrade. They look the same as the previous version, have the same battery life, and cost the same amount. The major differences are the new H2 chip inside for better noise cancellation and a few new smart features. Save $100 while you can in the sleek blue shade or around $70 in other colorways.

Read our full review of the AirPods Max 2.

More AirPods deals

• Apple AirPods 4 (without ANC) — $99 $129 (save $30)

• Apple AirPods 4 (with ANC) — $148.99 $179 (save $30.01)

• Apple AirPods Pro 3 — $225 $249 (save $24)

Best accessory deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirTags (2nd gen, 4-pack) $79.99 at Amazon
$99 Save $19.01   Get Deal Why we like it

Once again, Apple's newest generation of AirTags didn't bring a whole lot of changes, but why fix what isn't broken? The second-gen AirTags have improved range, slightly louder notifications, and the same affordable price tag. If you're a frequent traveler or tend to lose things often, they're a must-have. And at under $80 for a four-pack, they're a total steal right now.

Read our full review of the AirTags 2nd gen.

More Apple accessory deals

• Apple AirTag (2nd gen) — $24 $29 (save $5)

• Apple Pencil Pro — $97 $129 (save $32)

• Apple Magic Keyboard Folio for iPad (A16) — $175 $249 (save $74)

The best Best Buy Labor Day deals at a glance Best Apple Deal 2025 Apple MacBook Air M5 $1,699 (Save $100) Get Deal Best Amazon Device Deal Amazon Fire TV Stick HD 2nd Gen $17.99 (Save $22) Get Deal Best Laptop Deal Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 2K Touchscreen Laptop $749.99 (Save $370) Get Deal Best Headphone Deal Bose QuietComfort Headphones $229 (Save $130) Get Deal

The last long weekend of summer is here, and so is the impulse to squeeze in one more cookout and one more round of shopping with some great discounts before fall truly sets in. Best Buy has already kicked off its Labor Day sale with several picks that you can shop right now through midnight on September 7.

This year, a global memory shortage has pushed prices up across laptops, tablets, and streaming devices, so markdowns are going much further than they did a few months ago. If you're looking to pick up some sale-priced laptops, headphones, or even streaming devices, Best Buy has you covered with some great prices you won't want to miss out on.

Don't want to wait until Labor Day weekend proper? We've gathered some of our favorite discounts you can shop right now below. We're expecting to see additional deals pop up as we reach Labor Day weekend, but here are some of the best deals we've already seen go live at Best Buy so far.

Best Apple deal Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy 2025 Apple MacBook Air M5 $1,699 at Best Buy
$1,799 Save $100   Get Deal Why we like it

The 13-inch MacBook Air with M5 is a great choice for most users when it comes to Apple laptops. The configuration Best Buy has discounted comes loaded with a powerful setup to handle just about any task. You get a 10-core CPU and 10-core GPU, 24GB of unified memory, and a 1TB SSD, which is plenty of power for editing video or just keeping a few dozen browser tabs open. Plus, you'll get up to 18 hours of battery life per charge.

More Apple deals

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $89 $99 (save $10)

• Apple Pencil Pro — $99 $129 (save $29.01)

• Apple iPad 11-inch (A16 chip) — $399 $449 (save $50)

Best Amazon device deal Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy Amazon Fire TV Stick HD 2nd Gen $17.99 at Best Buy
$39.99 Save $22.00   Get Deal Why we like it

This streaming stick plugs into any open HDMI port to put the current Fire TV interface on your TV so you can stream your favorite shows and movies anytime. It offers AI-powered search to help you figure out what to watch without scrolling endlessly through all your apps, and you get 8GB of storage plus free live TV channels alongside Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney+. Most importantly, you can take your streaming apps with you just about wherever you go with this stick.

Best laptop deal Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy Lenovo Yoga 7i 2-in-1 2K Touchscreen Laptop $749.99 at Best Buy
$1,199.99 Save $450   Get Deal Why we like it

This 16-inch 2K touchscreen laptop has plenty of real estate and power to help you be more productive or just spend time browsing online in comfort. It boasts an Intel Core Ultra 7 256V processor, 16GB of memory, and a 512GB SSD. The hinge also folds all the way back, so you can use it as a laptop, prop it up for watching something, or flatten it down straight for use as a tablet. It's a versatile piece of tech that you can legitimately take with you wherever you go since it can convert to the format you need most.

More laptop deals

• HP 14 Chromebook — $179 $399 (save $220)

• Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 Chromebook — $399 $529 (save $130)

Best headphone deal Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy Bose QuietComfort Headphones $229 at Best Buy
$359 Save $130   Get Deal Why we like it

If you're looking for great audio as well as overall comfort, these headphones are more than easy to recommend. Comfort is in their name, after all. They excel at noise canceling as well, with both Quiet and Aware modes for switching between full noise cancellation and keeping aware of your surroundings. They also offer 24 hours of battery life and enough earcup padding to stay comfortable through a long flight or lengthy listening sessions. When you're done with them, they fold down into the included case, so they're easy to pack as well.

More headphone deals

• Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones — $198 $398 (save $200)

• Beats Studio Pro — $249.99 $349.99 (save $100)

• Apple AirPods Max 2 — $479 $549 (save $70)

Of all the characters you might expect to trigger school closures and police investigations, the Cat in the Hat probably would not be high on the list. Yet a creepy internet reinvention of the Dr. Seuss character is now causing very real disruptions across the United States.

Over the past several weeks, AI-generated and manipulated images have purported to show a life-sized version of the Cat lurking outside homes, staring through windows, and roaming dark streets. The videos often borrow the unsettling appearance of Mike Myers' character in the much-memed 2003 movie adaptation, then present the footage as a local "sighting."

At first, the posts mostly played like internet horror fiction. But as the trend spread, some copycat accounts began naming specific students, schools, and communities alongside phrases such as "you’re next," "don’t leave your window open," and "coming for you." Those messages have now prompted police investigations, increased security, canceled activities, and at least one juvenile arrest.

What is the 'Cat in the Hat' trend?

Like many unsettling internet trends, this one started with a joke that kept getting darker. The trend can be traced back to a meme posted in late June that paired a clip of Myers' Cat dancing with an eerie soundtrack and a grim caption. The now-deleted TikTok reportedly received more than 4 million views in a week, inspiring users to rework footage from the movie into increasingly disturbing memes.

The timing also gave creators some unusually creepy source material. The original costume from the 2003 film recently went up for auction, supplying the internet with images of a hollow-eyed Cat suit that looked considerably more sinister outside the movie.

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From there, users built a loose horror story around a supposed "Cat in the Hat serial killer" stalking communities in the UK and Ireland.

Soon, AI-generated "sightings" began placing the character in driveways, outside windows, and in footage designed to resemble doorbell camera recordings. Other posts falsely claimed the Cat had chased or attacked people. The more local and familiar the setting looked, the easier it became for the fiction to feel real.

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Eventually, police had to step in and explain that the supposed sightings were not real. Authorities in the UK and Ireland repeatedly reassured residents that the images and videos were fake, with Wexford Garda describing them as AI-generated content that placed the character in recognizable locations.

In that sense, the trend resembles the killer clown panic of 2016. This time, however, users do not need to put on a costume to create a local scare; they can generate one from behind a screen.

View this post on Instagram

Unfortunately, the trend being fake doesn't mean the meme hasn't produced consequences offline. Once the trend reached the United States, some accounts began tailoring the scare to local audiences. Instead of vaguely claiming the Cat had appeared in a town, posts began naming specific schools, communities, and students.

In Kentucky, posts circulating on TikTok and Snapchat included lists of people’s first names and specific locations.

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That was enough to disrupt the school day. Assumption High School in Louisville moved classes online and canceled after-school activities on Monday. Officials told parents that although many posts appeared to be part of the wider trend, some accounts had used threatening language and identified real students and schools, meaning every report still had to be taken seriously.

Other Kentucky districts soon found themselves dealing with similar concerns. Oldham County Schools issued a warning to parents after students received unsettling Snapchat messages. In Bullitt County, a student who encountered one of the posts reported it to their principal, allowing officials to investigate it quickly.

So far, Louisville Metro Police said it had not found information indicating a credible threat. Still, the department's Homeland Security Unit was reviewing the posts and working with school administrators to determine their origin. In Allen County, a juvenile was arrested and is facing charges related to messages tied to the trend.

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And the disruption is not limited to Kentucky. School districts in Texas increased police patrols after videos named students and warned that the character was "coming" to particular communities. A Michigan high school entered a precautionary perimeter lockdown after an account directed a specific threat at students. Officials in Oklahoma ordered a sweep of one high school and increased police presence following a concerning Snapchat post.

The Tennessee Office of Homeland Security's Threat Assessment Center is also tracking posts targeting schools and students in the state and has asked people to report concerning content to authorities.

That is why police are warning users not to treat the trend as an invitation to make their own version. Even if someone thinks they are participating in a joke, posting a threat can lead to school discipline, a police investigation, or criminal charges.

So the Cat in the Hat may not really be hiding outside anyone's window. But once a student's name or school is attached to a threatening message, there is not much room left for fun.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

Want more tech and digital culture news delivered to your inbox daily or sent straight to your device? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

Leg bone.

Hurdle Word 1 answer

TIBIA

Hurdle Word 2 hint

To inform.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for September 1, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

TEACH

Hurdle Word 3 hint

To cling to.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for September 1, 2026 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Meanings for each word for Sept. 1, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

LATCH

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Influence.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

CLOUT

Final Hurdle hint

To say hello.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

GREET

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

A popular Reddit post in r/Anthropic titled "More Drama" has drawn significant attention this week, amplifying claims that Anthropic has been misleading customers about how much usage they actually get with its higher-priced Claude subscription plans.

The post shares a viral X thread, which argues that Anthropic advertises its $200-per-month plan as offering "20x" the usage of its base Pro tier, and its $100-per-month plan as offering "5x." In practice, according to the thread, actual usage only scales up by around 1.7 times — meaning subscribers pay twice as much for a fraction of the usage boost the marketing implies.

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The thread points to usage figures Anthropic reportedly published in July 2025, which listed 140–280 Sonnet hours for the 5x plan and 240–480 hours for the 20x plan. The core issue, according to the post, is that the multiplier only applies to Anthropic's daily five-hour session window rather than total weekly usage. Disgruntled users on X and Reddit say that after factoring in weekly caps, users on the 20x plan can end up paying more per hour of actual usage than those on the cheaper 5x plan.

Last chance: Guess what Apple will release in September in our Big Guessing Game: Apple edition. Enter now for a chance to win an Apple Watch!

Reddit users piled into the discussion with similar complaints.

One commenter wrote that upon signing up, they believed the multiplier reflected weekly usage rather than a limiter tied to session windows, only learning otherwise from a Reddit post. The author continued, saying that Anthropic's "Save 50%" marketing on the 20x plan doesn't add up, since paying double the price for what functions as, at best, double the usage means no actual savings — technically making two separate 5x subscriptions more cost-effective than one 20x plan.

SEE ALSO: Anthropic’s Claude can now send Gmail emails without asking first

Some commenters referenced an active lawsuit, Kahn v. Anthropic PBC, as evidence that the complaints extend beyond social media grumbling. Others in the thread said the pricing structure had already pushed them to cancel their subscriptions in favor of alternatives, including OpenAI's Codex plans and open-source models such as Qwen and DeepSeek, with several users citing the value and performance of those options as a more cost-effective alternative given the confusion around Anthropic's usage limits.

Mashable reached out to Anthropic for comment but received no response at the time of publication.

Sony first introduced its ULT line in 2024 as an answer for major bass lovers. We've included both ULT Field and ULT Tower speakers in our guides to the best Bluetooth speakers and the best party speakers. And now, Sony is expanding the party with three new additions: ULT Tower Max, ULT Tower 7, and ULT Tower 5.

Take your party from loud to loudest. Credit: Sony

All three are party speakers with loud, room-filling sound. They were designed with DJs in mind, with XLR, RCA, USB-A, and USB-C connections, plus a built-in woofer, so DJs don't need to lug around separate equipment. Each speaker also features color-changing lights to help set the vibe. The Party Chain button featured on the ULT Tower speakers lets you easily pair multiple speakers together for expanded sound.

SEE ALSO: The 9 best waterproof Bluetooth speakers, tested poolside

If you've used a Sony ULT speaker before, you're familiar with the ULT button, which switches between bass levels. The button has been upgraded and can now be customized with new configurations. You can switch between ULT1, ULT2, Live, and Flat. Flat is the standard true-to-source setting, ULT1 punches the bass up a notch, ULT2 punches it up even more, and Live recreates the spacious sound of a live performance. You can set the ULT button to cycle through whichever of these you choose. So, if you don't think you'll ever use Live mode, you can leave it out of the rotation.

ULT Tower Max features, price, specs The ULT Tower Max is an all-in-one traveling DJ machine. Credit: Sony

The ULT Tower Max replaces 2024's ULT Tower 10. It retails for $1,499.99, which is a price increase over the Tower 10's $1,199.99 MSRP. It features three 280-millimeter woofers (front and rear), two midrange drivers, and four tweeters (front and rear).

Specs and features:

• Dimensions: 528 x 1056 x 470 millimeters

• Weight: 121 pounds

• Four handles and wheels

• Splash-proof top panel

• 360 Party Sound

• 10-band equalizer

• RCA, XLR, Party Chain

ULT Tower 7 features, price, specs Tower 7 is the mid-sized speaker that packs a huge punch. Credit: Sony

Replacing the SRS-XV800, the ULT Tower 7 retails for $649, the same price as its predecessor. It features a 280-millimeter woofer, two midrange drivers, and four tweeters (front and rear).

Specs and features:

• Dimensions: 280 x 704 x 345 millimeters

• Weight: 50 pounds

• Four handles and wheels

• IPX4 water resistance

• 360 Party Sound

• 10-band equalizer

• RCA, XLR, Party Chain

ULT Tower 5 features price specs The Tower 5 is more targeted toward smaller parties where you still want loud, genuine room-filling sound. Credit: Sony

The ULT Tower 5 supersedes the SRS-XV500 and retails for $449, a $50 increase over the XV500's $399 price tag. It houses a 230-millimeter woofer, two midrange drivers, and two tweeters.

Specs and features:

• Dimensions: 352 x 528 x 275 millimeters

• Weight: 29 pounds

• Four handles

• IPX4 water resistance

• 360 Party Sound

• 10-band equalizer

• RCA, XLR, Party Chain

Where to buy

All three ULT Tower speakers are available now at Sony, Amazon, Best Buy, and other authorized retailers.

Sony ULT Tower 5 $449.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Best Buy Shop Now at Sony Sony ULT Tower 7 $649.99 at Best Buy
  Shop Now at Best Buy Shop Now at Sony Shop Now at Amazon Sony ULT Tower Max $1,499.99 at Best Buy
  Shop Now at Best Buy Shop Now at Sony Shop Now at Amazon

Apple's lawsuit against OpenAI and two of its former employees over alleged stolen trade secrets is heating up.

In a new filing, Apple says it has found "shocking evidence" and is asking the court for expedited discovery. Apple claims the limited information it found after a former employee's work laptop was returned to the company shows that "its trade secrets are being used and evidence is being destroyed.”

Apple filed a lawsuit in July against OpenAI, its hardware company, io Products, and two Apple employees who now work at OpenAI. Apple claims that former iPhone engineer Chang Liu and OpenAI Chief Hardware Officer Tang Yew Tan utilized Apple's trade secrets to develop hardware products for the AI company. The latter previously worked at Apple for 24 years.

Last chance: Guess what Apple will release in September in our Big Guessing Game: Apple edition. Enter now for a chance to win an Apple Watch!

While the evidence is redacted from the public in the filing, Apple says that “initial forensic analysis” of Chang Liu's MacBook revealed that the former engineer used a downloaded confidential Apple circuit schematic in his work at OpenAI. Liu also used a tool with the same name as an internal Apple engineering application in his work for OpenAI. 

Apple further claims it has evidence that other employees at OpenAI were aware of Liu's unauthorized access to Apple's third-party cloud storage. In addition, Apple says Liu sent instructions to destroy evidence to another OpenAI employee after discovering that Apple was conducting an internal investigation of him, and that the other OpenAI employee confirmed that she would comply.

According to Apple, Liu used an AI agent on the Apple circuit schematic, which "may create irreversible and continually propagating uses of the trade secret" as the AI model could utilize Apple's data for model training.

Liu's MacBook from his time at Apple also synced with a Mac mini, which was used to run the schematic, so Apple is now requesting that the desktop computer be provided as evidence as well.

Earlier this month, OpenAI went public with a response denying any wrongdoing. OpenAI also provided text messages, which it says refute some of Apple's claims.

Apple previously sent legal preservation letters to roughly 40 other OpenAI employees who used to work at Apple. In its lawsuit, Apple said that it believes the initial evidence was "just the tip of the iceberg" when it comes to OpenAI's use of its trade secrets. More than 400 former Apple employees now work at OpenAI, according to Apple.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

Some of us are trying to spend less time staring at screens. We're Bricking our phones to work on jigsaw puzzles, spend time outside, or read. But there's nothing wrong with sitting down in front of the TV for a movie night with family. Or consider the educational gains that come from watching a Sir David Attenborough documentary. A TV can still fit into a digital detox lifestyle, and for those who want an OLED model with excellent contrast, there's good news.

Roku just announced two new budget TVs and both come with an OELD display, and prices start at $999.99. Here's everything to know about the new Roku TV models.

Opens in a new window Credit: Roku 55-inch Roku Pro Series OLED TV $999.99 at Amazon
  Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Roku 65-inch Roku Pro Series OLED TV $1,199.99 at Amazon
  Get Deal Roku Pro Series OLED

Already available at Amazon, the Roku Pro Series OLED comes in at $999.99 for a 55-inch display and $1,199.99 for a 65-inch display. Chris Larson, Vice President for Retail Strategy at Roku, is quoted in a press release as saying, "OLED technology has been locked behind premium price tags, forcing many customers to choose between the display they want or a price that works for them." Roku's new OLED models aim to remove the cost-prohibitive element of owning an OLED.

The Pro Series brings an ultra-wide viewing experience and a modern design with an ultra-thin metal bezel. Roku had the customer in mind when they designed the included stand since it requires zero tools for assembly.

Slim and sleek for a modern design. Credit: Roku

Bluetooth pairing to headphones is perfect for nights when the household is asleep but you simply must watch one more episode before bed. The remote control with backlit buttons is also a major plus when watching TV into the dark hours.

The Roku Pro Series OLED TV has a native refresh rate of 120Hz and 4K resolution.

Roku Pro Series LX OLED TV

Launching in the beginning of October 2026, the Roku Pro Series LX OLED will be the brand's most advanced model. Roku says it will have a brighter display with an even wider range of colors compared to the Roku Pro Series OLED, and a more advanced polarizer to help reduce reflections. In addition, it has a 144Hz refresh rate, making this an ideal model for gaming.

Roku hasn't announced sizes of this model, but we know it will come with a list price of $1,299 once it launches.

How to buy the Roku Pro Series OLED TV

You can already purchase the base Roku Pro Series OLED at Amazon. The 55-inch model has a price of $999.99 and the larger 65-inch comes in at $1,199.99. We'll keep this page updated once we have sizing information and a launch date for the Roku Pro Series LX OLED TV.

TL:DR: Shop WNBA All-Star Olivia Miles exclusive capsule collection with GlassesUSA.com and get a free pair of glasses with code BOGOFREE.

The only thing more iconic than Minnesota Lynx star Olivia Miles's rookie season is her look. Both on and off the court, Miles wears bold glasses that have become her signature look. Fans of the 2026 second overall draft pick have even taken to showing up to games sporting her sports-goggles. So it's no surprise that the WNBA All-Star has collaborated with GlassesUSA.com on a capsule collection of her favorite eyewear. And right now, you can shop the collection and get a pair of glasses totally free.

Even fans of Olivia Miles come out to games, matching her iconic look. Credit: David Sherman / NBAE via Getty Images

The Olivia Miles x GlassesUSA.com collection, which is curated by Miles herself, features frames made for the game and everyday. It features frames like the bold Muse x Transitions Toppin with lenses that transition from light to dark. For athletes, the Progear EG-M1021 goggles have the highest-level of protection and are anti-fog eligible to ensure that nothing gets in the way of your game. If like Miles, you need a pair of glasses for the court and pair for off, GlassesUSA.com is running a BOGO deal that gives you a pair of glasses totally free.

Right now, get a complimentary second pair of glasses with your purchase. To redeem, add two pairs of frames to your cart on GlassesUSA.com and enter code BOGOFREE at checkout. The discount applies to the lower-priced pair of glasses in your cart and the deal can include up to one frame marked 'Premium' or 'Sale'. The deal does not apply to UNICA eyewear, AI glasses and 'Luxury' tagged items. Plus, you have plenty of time to shop the sale as it runs through Aug. 1, 2027.

So as Miles gears up for her playoff run, gear up with her and shop her exclusive collection with GlassesUSA.com and get your second pair for free.

Opens in a new window Credit: GlassesUSA.com Shop the Olivia Miles x GlassesUSA.com collection Use code 'BOGOFREE' at checkout to score your complimentary second pair. Get Deal

As of Tuesday morning, Apple has a new CEO — John Ternus, former Senior Vice President of Hardware Engineering, is the new big boss. And it only took a matter of hours for the old CEO's internal farewell message to leak onto the wider internet.

Ternus officially took over as CEO on Sept. 1, with Tim Cook vacating the position he took over from Steve Jobs. Cook, as outgoing executives are wont to do, sent a long-ish farewell memo to Apple employees, and 9to5Mac obtained it for our prying eyes.

Guess what Apple will release in September in our Big Guessing Game: Apple edition. Enter now for a chance to win an Apple Watch!

The five-paragraph memo is fairly standard stuff, filled with positive messages about Cook's time working as Apple CEO. At one point, Cook discusses the importance of Apple's company culture.

Per 9to5Mac, the outgoing CEO wrote:

There is something truly special about Apple. I am most proud of what an annual report could never capture. This place is proof that culture triumphs over everything. We share a belief that what we build matters, and that we have both the opportunity and the responsibility to leave the world better than we found it. That purpose is part of what makes this place extraordinary. Apple helps nurture it, but I believe it lived within each of you long before you arrived here.

Cook's memo also included a quote from Jobs. Cook reportedly said, "We have made it possible to leave our 'dent in the universe,' as Steve once described it, because of who we are and what we believe, because of what we value and how we see the world. How fortunate we are. How fortunate I am."

Cook isn't leaving Apple entirely, and he's now the Executive Chairman of Apple's Board of Directors. In the memo obtained by 9to5Mac, Cook also took some time to lay out why Ternus will be a good replacement:

I will miss leading you and being with you for every step, even as I take enormous comfort in handing the helm to someone as brilliant and wonderful and capable as John. Few people understand what it takes to build products that change the world the way John does and I could not be more excited for his leadership. 

In many ways, the memo reads like a longer, more expansive version of the emotional message Cook shared on social media yesterday.

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

We'll get our first real look at the Ternus era at Apple next week when the company announces the iPhone 18 lineup.

You can read the entire memo at 9to5Mac.

SAVE $160: As of Sep. 1, get the Bose QuietComfort Headphones for $199 at Amazon, down from their usual price of $359. That's a discount of 45%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Bose QuietComfort Headphones $199 at Amazon
$359 Save $160   Get Deal

Looking for a new pair of headphones? As far as comfort and quality goes, the Bose QuietComfort Headphones are a fantastic option. Not only do they feel great for long-term wear, but they offer excellent audio as well. And right now, you can get a pair for an excellent price at Amazon.

As of Sep. 1, get the Bose QuietComfort Headphones for $199 at Amazon, down from their usual price of $359. That's $160 off and a discount of 45%.

SEE ALSO: I expected the new Bose QuietComfort headphones to be great. They're my new favorites from the brand.

These noise-cancelling headphones offer great sound with a variety of passive features that can help you block out distractions from the outside world while zeroing in on the music or podcasts (or calls) that matter most. They offer both Quiet and Aware modes that you can toggle between for full-on noise cancellation or full awareness of your surroundings so you can hear exactly what's happening around you.

Beyond that, they offer plush, over-ear cushions that feel pillowy soft on your ears with a padded band that make them great for listening for lengthy sessions. They have an all-day battery life with 24 hours of juice from a single charge. You can keep them on the charger for 15 minutes as well for a 2.5-hour boost of playtime.

If you're ready to move on from earbuds and want something over-the-ear for improved comfort and quality, this is one model you won't want to skip out on. Be sure to grab yours while they're on sale, since they won't be at this price for long.

Waymo is expanding again, and this time it's adding a new U.S. state – Colorado – to the list of places where it offers its driverless taxis.

On Tuesday, Waymo announced it is launching in three new U.S. cities: Denver, Colorado, San Diego, California, and Tampa, Florida.

The service will roll out to users over time. Credit: Waymo

The expansion, which will roll out to users gradually, brings the number of cities where Waymo operates to 14. It will start with "dozens" of vehicles, gradually scaling up to "hundreds" over time.

The service will start with dozens of vehicles, but the number should grow to hundreds over time. Credit: Waymo

According to the company, this will be the first time the 6th gen Waymo Driver (that's how Waymo calls its self-driving system) is deployed at scale. In total, the expansion will add roughly 150 square miles of service territory to Waymo's coverage map.

The Ojai has been built to be a robotaxi from the ground up. Credit: Waymo

Prospective riders should know that in Denver and San Diego, the rides will only be offered via the Waymo Ojai, a new, van-like electric robotaxi built for Waymo by the Chinese company Zeekr. The Ojai is designed to be a robotaxi from the ground up, and it has a spacious cabin with sliding doors and two large LED displays for riders in the back.

Can technology make you a better tennis player? Wes Ott tests over $5,000 worth of smart tennis gadgets, from a "smart" ball machine and a radar gun to court cameras and a training racquet. Which ones are worth your money, and which ones should you skip?

Amy Poehler and Kenan Thompson have walked a similar comedy path, as the latest episode of Good Hang will attest. The Saturday Night Live stars reconnected for Poehler's podcast released Tuesday, with Thompson being the longest-tenured cast member in SNL history — over 22 seasons and counting.

The longtime friends unpacked the art of timing in comedy and life, Thompson's pre-SNL career (including the Mighty Ducks franchise), auditioning for SNL at 23, getting his own writing on SNL with the recurring "Scared Straight" sketch, ice skating on the Rink at Rockefeller Center at 1 a.m. after filming SNL Christmas specials, fanning out over American figure skater Alysa Liu, and more.

And as always, there's a special guest question from Thompson and Poehler's fellow SNL star Maya Rudolph.

Want more of the latest entertainment news, reviews, trailers, and interviews? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter.

Aardman Animations' wonderfully quirky duo, Wallace and Gromit, are getting their Lego debut this year. The company recently announced a 1,038-piece set of the beloved buddies as part of its Ideas line, scheduled for release on Oct. 1.

What's even better is that there's no need to wait until then to buy. Preorders are already live on Lego, priced at $99.99, so you can secure this awesome set ahead of time. One important element to keep in mind is that while Wallace and Gromit are a perfect pair for every age on-screen, this set is actually recommended for adults ages 18 and up.

If you know someone younger who really wants it, just make sure an older person is around to help them with the trickier parts.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Wallace and Gromit (21371) $99.99 at Lego
  Pre-order Here

As a big fan of Wallace and Gromit, I'm eager to get my hands on this build. Its 1,038 pieces depict both Wallace and Gromit riding in their motorbike and sidecar, an image plucked straight from A Close Shave. There are fun little accessories that you can throw in the motorbike's seat hatch as well, including crackers (of course), a yarn ball for Gromit, and a diamond that you might recognize from The Wrong Trousers.

Credit: Lego

What's particularly enjoyable about this set is that both Wallace and Gromit are posable. Gromit, in particular, comes with goggles and can be posed with his ears flying back in the wind. It's a fun touch.

Credit: Lego

This Lego Ideas set was brought to life by Sébastien Esnault, who originally submitted it to the Lego Ideas “90s Throwback — The Next Chapter” challenge.

As part of an interview with the Lego Ideas blog, Esnault explained why he chose this particular scene, noting that "Beyond the characters themselves, this scene perfectly captures the spirit of Wallace & Gromit. It brings together everything that defines them: inventiveness, humor, friendship, and a sense of adventure."

Credit: Lego

There's not long to go until this set's release on Oct. 1, so get your preorder in today on Lego. Maybe throw on The Curse of the Were-Rabbit while you're piecing it together to really get into the spooky season spirit.

Talk about the end of an era: Tim Cook is no longer the CEO of Apple.

In his place, as announced in April 2026, comes John Ternus, a long-time Apple executive and engineer. The change went into effect today, on Sept. 1, and is now reflected on Apple's official leadership page.

SEE ALSO: Tim Cook shares emotional farewell on final day as Apple CEO

If you've watched Apple's events over the past two decades, Ternus' face should be familiar; he's been with the company since 2001, most recently serving as senior vice president of hardware engineering.

To find more about Ternus and why he was chosen as Cook's replacement, check out Mashable's overview.

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As for Cook, he's definitely carved himself into an incredibly important part of Apple's history. He took the helm at Apple after founder Steve Jobs resigned in 2011, and he turned the already successful company into a multi-trillion-dollar powerhouse and one of the largest companies in the world. He remains on Apple's Board of Directors as executive chair.

In a memo sent to employees on his last day of tenure, Cook thanked the entire team and called his time at Apple "truly special."

"I am most proud of what an annual report could never capture. This place is proof that culture triumphs over everything. We share a belief that what we build matters, and that we have both the opportunity and the responsibility to leave the world better than we found it," he wrote.

Cook also thanked his team via a message on social media.

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For Ternus, the first most important date at his new job is Sept. 9, when the company is scheduled to launch new iPhones, Apple Watch devices, and more.

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