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FREE $15 GIFTCARD: As of August 2, spend $50 on select cleaning supplies at Target and get a free $15 Target GiftCard.

Opens in a new window Credit: Target Free $15 Target GiftCard with $50 of Select Cleaning Supplies Get Deal

Fall is just about here. Why not take some time to tidy up your home? It's a great time to do so, especially since there are deals like Target's that practically reward you for picking up some paper towels and cleaning that bathroom or for tackling that sink full of dishes you've been neglecting. And if you're the type of person who needs a reward in order to handle tasks like that, we've got just the deal for you.

As of August 2, you can get a free $15 Target GiftCard when you spend $50 on select cleaning supplies. This deal is for those with a Target Circle membership and you must activate it by heading to the deal page. You can use the coupon once per Target Circle account, and the discount will be automatically applied at checkout.

You can choose from a wide variety of goodies you'll need to tackle just about every cleaning need, from Target's up&up brand paper towels to Clorox Disinfecting Wipes and everything in between. There are also sandwich storage bags, Tide Pens, Scrub Mommy sponges, plastic forks, toilet paper, and other home goods to choose from. All you need to do is buy at least $50 of it and add it all to your cart, then check out with the deal activated.

This deal is only available for a limited time, and it's only good for one use. Make it count and get ready to fall into some serious savings on things you're probably going to be buying for your home anyway. Now you just get a treat for doing so that you can put back into, you guessed it, buying more of the things you need.

SAVE $23.53: As of August 2, get the Samsung 15W Wireless Charger for just $36.46 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $59.99. That's a discount of 39%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Samsung 15W Wireless Charger $36.46 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $23.53 Get Deal

Tired of dealing with a jumble of charging cables for each one of your mobile devices? Remove your Samsung smartphone from the equation and grab a charging pad that can boost your Galaxy phones and devices back up to 100%. You won't ever have to worry about fiddling with a cord, plugging it in, or finding the right cable. And right now, you can get the charger for a great price.

As of August 2, you can get the Samsung 15W Wireless Charger for just $36.46 at Amazon. That's a 39% discount and $23.53 off the normal price of $59.99.

SEE ALSO: Get a 1TB Samsung T7 portable SSD for just $100

This proprietary Samsung charging pad is a convenient option for making sure all your devices are powered up when you need them. Just drop your phone or other device on this fast charger and go. It's compatible with a litany of models from Samsung's Galaxy lineup, including Flip and Fold phones. Just put your phone on the charging pad and thanks to USB PD and Samsung's Adaptive Fast Charging features, you'll be back up to speed in no time.

The charging pad has a built-in cooling system with a fan as well to keep it from overheating. And you don't have to check your actual device to see where you are in terms of a full battery. It has an LED light that gives you the charging status with green, red, and yellow lights that give you an idea of progress. Plus it's small, compact, and easy to use.

If you're looking for an easier, quicker charging solution, be sure and snag this one while it's still in stock.

Intel has announced a substantial reduction in its global workforce.

The computing giant will lay off somewhere between 15,000 and 19,000 employees, according to The Verge. Intel hopes to implement $10 billion in cost savings for 2025, and will reduce marketing and research spending substantially over the next couple of years. It will also strive to stop "non-essential" work, but didn't elaborate on what that meant.

SEE ALSO: It’s not just PlayStation: 6 other gnarly gaming layoffs in 2024 so far

Intel reported losses of $1.6 billion for the previous fiscal quarter. There are many factors contributing to this, but companies like Apple and Microsoft abandoning Intel in favor of chips created either in-house or by Qualcomm hasn't helped. Intel has also failed to make significant in-roads on AI development compared to some of its contemporaries.

Tens of thousands of tech workers have already been laid off before the end of summer 2024. Major companies like Microsoft, Google, Riot Games, and others join Intel in having recently slashed jobs. The wave has hit several sectors, from computing to gaming and others.

Fingers crossed this is the last story like this that we see for a while.

Hey, do you want to have to pay even more money for yet another streaming service? Boy, are you in luck: Venu — the joint sports streaming offering from Disney (ESPN), Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery — has officially set its price-tag and outlined when it plans to launch.

It'll cost $42.99 per month and launch in the fall, with no exact date set just yet. At least on it's surface value, that's a tough ask, considering it's much more expensive than pretty much any other streaming service. But sports, and live broadcast rights, are big business and one of the few remaining things on TV that are appointment viewing. In short: sports, typically speaking, get folks to pay-up.

It seems the goal from Venu — which by the way, is pronounced like the word Venue, which is just wrong — is to get younger customers who loves sports but don't want to pay for a cable package.

"We're building Venu from the ground up for fans who want seamless access to watch the sports they love, and we will launch at a compelling price point that will appeal to the cord cutter and cord never fans currently not served by existing pay TV packages," Venu CEO Pete Distad said in a statement.

So, what'll be on Venu? You get all the sports offerings on ESPN, ESPN2, ESPNU, SECN, ACCN, ESPNEWS, ABC, FOX, FS1, FS2, BTN, TNT, TBS, truTV, and ESPN+. The press release, and pretty much every write up of the news, notes the service will include the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, WNBA, NASCAR as well as college sports, golf, tennis, and soccer offerings.

The big question here, however, is the NFL because, well, it is by far the most popular thing on TV in the U.S. With ESPN and Fox onboard, you have a decent amount of the NFL offerings on Venu. But, if you're an NFL completist, as most American sports fans are, Venu won't be enough. NBC, CBS, Amazon, and the NFL Network and also air a fair number of NFL games, meaning you'll need to pony up for other streaming services or a YouTube TV/cable subscription if you want to watch every game.

So, no matter what decision you make, watching sports is going to continue to cost a lot of money.

GET $300 OFF: As of August 2, the OmniBook X is $899.99, down from $1,199.99 at Best Buy. That's a $300 discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: HP Our pick: 14-inch HP OmniBookX Copilot+ PC (Snapdragon X Elite, 16GB, 1TB SDD) $899.99 at Best Buy
$1,199.99 Save $300.00 Get Deal

It’s back-to-school season, and retailers are celebrating the new semester with discounts on Echo devices, laptops, and more. Best Buy, in particular, is having a 48-hour flash sale where you can save hundreds on your favorite games, electronics, and small home appliances.

SEE ALSO: 60+ best back-to-school deals for students on a budget

One of the best deals we’ve found is on the OmniBook X, a powerful laptop that rivals the MacBook in performance and battery life. According to Mashable’s Kimberly Gedeon, this laptop “will have Apple shaking in its boots.”

And as of August 2, you can get it for $899.99 — $300 off the original price and $100 less than it was during Best Buy’s July sale.

The OmniBook X is a Copilot+ PC, which means it features on-device AI capabilities and an enhanced security system to protect your data. It has a 14-inch display, 16GB of RAM, 1TB SSD, and a Snapdragon X Elite processor with a Qualcomm Hexagon neural processing unit (NPU). With a fast-charge battery that powers up 50% in just 30 minutes, you can take this laptop to class, the office, or anywhere on the go without worrying about running out of juice.

Bonus: The OmniBook X comes with one month of Xbox Game Pass Ultimate, so you can stream hundreds of games at no extra cost during the trial period.

Best gaming deals today Our top pick 'Horizon Call of the Mountain' PSVR2 bundle $399.99 (save $200) Get Deal Best subscription deal EA Play (one-month membership) $0.99 (save $5) Get Deal Best Xbox deal Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (three-month membership) $44.99 (save $5) Get Deal

Amazon Prime Day might be long gone, but great deals are still bountiful after the massive shopping event, especially in the gaming category. Luckily, you won't have to go looking far for those savings, because we've already put together a list of the best gaming deals you can get today. Check out our top picks below, including a great PSVR 2 bundle deal that expires in just a few days (Aug. 4).

SEE ALSO: 'Star Wars Outlaws' preview: Fine but forgettable Our top pick Opens in a new window Credit: PlayStation Our pick: 'Horizon Call of the Mountain' PSVR2 bundle $399.99 at Best Buy
$599.99 Save $200.00 Get Deal Why we like it

While PlayStation VR 2 didn't really blow up in the way that many of us expected it to, Sony's attempt at creating a smash-hit headset is still a worthwhile investment for VR diehards, if you ask us — especially when you can snag one for $200 off. This PSVR 2 deal not only comes with the VR rig itself, but also with a copy of Horizon Call of the Mountain, which is definitely a must-play PSVR 2 title. The deeply immersive experience throws you into the world of Horizon as you've never seen it before. You'll climb treacherous mountains, go head-to-head with dangerous machine enemies, and bask in the gorgeous environments that the game has to offer. If you've enjoyed the other Horizon games and want to connect with the franchise even deeper, this is your best bet. This deal ends on Aug. 4, so be sure to grab one quickly if you're considering it.

Best subscription deal Opens in a new window Credit: EA Our pick: EA Play (one-month membership) $0.99 at EA
$5.99 Save $5.00 Get Deal Why we like it

If you're passionate about EA's expansive library of sports titles and beyond, picking up an EA Play membership will be more than worth it for you. As of the time of this writing, EA is offering your first month of the service for just $0.99 to celebrate EA Play's ten-year anniversary (after the first month, your membership will convert to $5.99 per month or $39.99 per year if you don't cancel). Member benefits of EA Play include unlimited access to an assortment of EA titles, including Madden 23, The Sims 4, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and many more. You'll also get in-game rewards as you play, the ability to test out new games using the game trials feature, and a 10% discount on other EA digital content like season passes and DLC for select titles.

Best Xbox deal Opens in a new window Credit: Xbox Our pick: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (three-month membership) $44.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $5.00 Get Deal Why we like it

We've already told you approximately one million times before, but it always bears repeating: Xbox Game Pass Ultimate is one of the best deals in gaming, and if you have an Xbox console, a necessity. Game Pass offers subscribers access to a massive library of games to download from and play whenever they want, which spans from Xbox classics to day-one new releases. At the Ultimate tier, you'll also be able to play online with friends, get exclusive discounts in the Microsoft Store, unlock access to PC Game Pass, and many other perks. Pick up a three-month membership at Amazon and save yourself $5, just $44.99.

Somewhere along the way, M. Night Shyamalan went from a classy, "elevated horror" auteur — "The Next Spielberg," Newsweek called him in 2002 — to a purveyor of cheap thrills. It was the best thing that ever happened to him. Trap follows in the footsteps of the schlockier work he's made in the last decade, beginning with the self-funded found footage thriller The Visit. The film's story is tightly wound around a dopey premise, but it's also buoyed by incredible heart and soul, and seldom slows down while twisting every possible screw. In short, it’s an absolute blast.

Set largely at a pop concert, and featuring narrative zig-zags that stretch incredulity, it's easy to see how Trap might lose viewers eager to nitpick plot holes and logistics. However, that would be missing the forest for the trees. At the movie’s core is a surprisingly layered story of parenthood, which is entirely in service of the kind of thrilling goofiness Shyamalan brought to 2021's Old — a movie whose visual and narrative framing is similarly (and intentionally) off-kilter while remaining utterly committed to sincere melodrama.

SEE ALSO: Josh Hartnett compares his new role in 'Trap' to his character Zeke from 'The Faculty'

Trap is wonderfully good. It might even be great. And if it's not attuned to your sensibilities, chances are, you'll have a hoot of a time regardless.

What is Trap about? Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Man, what isn't Trap about? 

In the broadest possible strokes: it's about a well-to-do Philadelphia firefighter, Cooper (Josh Hartnett), who takes his teenage daughter Riley (Ariel Donoghue) to a show by her favorite popstar, only to discover that the concert is also a trap to capture him — as it turns out, he's secretly a notorious serial killer known as The Butcher.

That's all you really need to know going in, though the film is surprisingly spoiler-proof. Long gone are the days when even Shyamalan's most prestigious works hinged on major reveals — such has been his reputation, even though it's only really happened in three or four of his 16 features — because he's proven much more adept at telling stories with numerous, cascading twists and turns. But perhaps the biggest twist in Trap is that it's a thoughtful father-daughter story at its core. 

Trap is a film about 'girl dads' Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

As much as its plot concerns Cooper discovering the scale of this police operation, and wriggling through whatever cracks he can find, the reason it feels urgent — and why he can't simply go on the run — is that he truly, deeply cares about Riley. She's been having a tough time at school with bullies and seeing the spark in her eye as she sings and dances means the universe to him. As much as Cooper might want to find a way out of the labyrinthine concert venue, he doesn't want to arouse her suspicions, and he needs to make sure she has a good time too.

Which is to say: if the premise didn't seem loopy enough from the trailers, it's also a girl-dad movie in saccharine, sentimental ways. After all, the pop singer at its center, Lady Raven, happens to be played by R&B artist Saleka (Shyamalan's daughter), who features heavily on screen (not to be confused with his other daughter, Ishana, who directed The Watchers this year). Trap is practically an ode to his daughters and their teenage years, though it also wrestles with some of the darker implications of fatherhood. It plays, at times, like a confrontation of what it means for a daughter to challenge a man's view of the world, and of himself.

Featured Video For You Josh Hartnett compares his new role in 'The Trap' to his character Zeke from 'The Faculty'

During Trap, it's fun to see the uncommon sight of a western pop star of South Asian origin (quite fitting for brat summer, the doing of British Asian sensation Charli XCX), but the inclusion of Saleka is more than just a gimmick. Sure, Shyamalan attempts to highlight her musical talents, but the young singer-songwriter proves a surprisingly key (and radiant) presence, a bastion of aspirational goodness who vitally contrasts with Cooper. Shyamalan casts his daughter as a symbol of absolution, who suggests that her fans hold up their phone flashlights in the name of forgiveness and acceptance — traits Cooper doesn't adhere to when the movie occasionally delves into his backstory. It's a moving meta-text, made all the more tragic by the fact that Cooper is constantly trying to escape Lady Raven's orbit, and willing to make innocent bystanders his pawns.

There is perhaps no more fitting a venue in which to wrestle with casual misogyny than a pop concert aimed at teenage girls, and the film incorporates this idea with surprising subtlety. Cooper is quick to put several young women and girls at the concert in harm's way to create distractions, and he doesn't appear to take Lady Raven very seriously (his ultimate folly, Shyamalan, you old softie). Protecting Riley from bullies may be just as important to him as evading the cops, but he also has a casually violent misogynistic streak. One gets the sense that Cooper might trot out a defense like "as the father of a daughter…" as though it were a get-out-of-jail-free card. 

Trap is a cat-and-mouse game where the mouse has a head start Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

However, Trap isn't a film of learning moments. It's far too mischievous for something so didactic. Rather, it uses Cooper's relationship to Riley as a kind of rubber band. He often leaves her to enjoy the show while scouting the venue for exits, like some kind of serial killer 007 — it's hard not to root for him each time he pulls off a small heist to slip past security guards. But his role as a chaperone means he constantly finds himself back with Riley no matter how much progress he makes.

The more Cooper's suspicions are aroused by the increased police presence, the more he tries to sleuth out their strategy. It's a cat-and-mouse game where the mouse has a head start (the police don't know what he looks like). Minor characters are surprisingly forthcoming with what they share — in part because he can turn on the charm, but also for plot convenience — and new opportunities to slip out unnoticed seem to arise as soon as existing ones are thwarted. Some of these exit strategies are ludicrous, from Cooper trying to score a backstage pass, to a featured artist inexplicably appearing through an illogically placed trap door (heh).

But Shyamalan has a secret weapon amid all this: the talents of Josh Harnett. 

Josh Hartnett's fine-tuned, operatic performance keeps Trap on track

Trap does for Harnett what Shyamalan's Split did for James McAvoy: both films provide their actors with some truly madcap material that allows them to flex their most unexpected thespian muscles. Hartnett and McAvoy ham it up like nobody's business, but they have so much god damn fun with it.

In Harnett's case, the first layer of this fun takes the form of well-meaning dad jokes and stilted delivery that hints at a kind of pretense. Shyamalan's dialogue has never felt polished or naturalistic, but its floweriness here beats with distinct purpose. It feels robust during fleeting moments of exposition, allowing Cooper to create a detailed roadmap to his origins through implication, and paint pictures of his daily life using words alone. It also creates a sandbox for Hartnett, in which he plays with polite pleasantries and laces them with devious implications, accentuating the character's white, suburban, middle-class façade. The actor wields Cooper’s friendly front with precision, luring other characters in with his charm while winking to the audience. 

Trap is effectively about an all-American father trying, and slowly failing, to maintain a work-life balance, while keeping an addiction to bloodshed under wraps. The film isn't particularly interested in any realistic serial killer psychology, and it's also not concerned with his actual methodology, or any of the salacious tenets one might expect from Dexter or Criminal Minds — trauma, motive, trophies, what have you. However, the film is deeply invested in the mask of normalcy Cooper wears.  

The film circles the question of what fatherhood means for someone who has such horrific, secret impulses, a theme that may as well reflect the desire to create horror movies, as though Shyamalan were turning the camera on himself. However, this self-reflexivity is more of an echo than a linear conclusion. Harnett is far from an avatar for Shyamalan. Rather, he seems to represent Shyamalan's movies — his cinematic essence — which tend to wrestle with beliefs about the world, and about oneself.

Cooper, in the process, embodies the kind of spiritual war Shyamalan's movies have come to fight in the latter half of his career, with works like After Earth, Old, and Knock at the Cabin. These films ask what it would take for parents to protect their children from the world, and from themselves, and Trap is no different. But as thoughtful as it may be, the reason it works like a charm is because it's unrelenting in its use of themes of family and fatherhood as fuel for a genuinely raucous thriller.

Trap is a propulsive visual romp 

As much as Shyamalan is responsible for Trap as its writer-director, an equal degree of credit must be given to cinematographer Sayombhu Mukdeeprom, the Thai maestro behind Apichatpong Weerasethakul's Uncle Boonmee and Luca Guadagnino's Challengers. Shyamalan's thriller wouldn't be nearly as impactful without Mukdeeprom's visual trickery and his evolving use of space.

When the movie begins, it features a sense of vast, open possibility while framing Lady Raven's performance as a distant feature. Her show is always seen through Cooper's point of view, literally and metaphorically, as something far away, and something he doesn't understand (or really care to). But the film takes surprisingly intimate turns, and contorts geography until it feels like every wall is closing in on Cooper, à la non-stop concert thrillers like Grand Piano and the opera scene in Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation. Mukdeeprom employs techniques like split diopters to compress space when it feels like authorities are close, and in immediate response, awkward framing with an excess of emptiness whenever Cooper finds some kind of escape hatch. The film practically controls your breathing through its aesthetics, alternating between claustrophobia and a bizarre form of relief, where you find yourself rooting for a guy to get back to his hobby of dismembering innocent people.

Trap is also impeccable in its use of close-ups, which become tighter and more discomforting as the film progresses. Each time Harnett is in frame, Mukdeeprom lights him in ever-so-slightly eerie ways. Nothing feels overtly "wrong" with Cooper, but his eyes feel just a little too obscured by shadow. He feels a little too duplicitous, or a little too asymmetrical, in ways that your brain may only register subconsciously.

Something just feels off, much in the same way cinematographer Michael Gioulakis made each camera movement feel off in Shyamalan's Old. In this case, what's most puzzling is an inescapable stillness that's as alluring as it is uncanny. You can't look away, but you also don't want to. Trap is filled with these opposing dichotomies. At the end of the day, it's about following a serial killer as he finds his way out of a corner like a wounded animal, if only for his daughter's love — until a sly switch in POV turns it tense, tragic, and downright terrifying, both thanks to Hartnett's performance, and thanks to Shyamalan's fable-like approach to perpetuating cycles of bad parenthood.

His masterstroke, however, is that all throughout every thematic and tonal turn, and each gonzo narrative escalation, Trap  remains wildly and consistently entertaining, with laugh-out-loud dramatic ironies that collide headfirst with a sincere father-daughter story in the most fucked up packaging.

Trap is now in theaters.

SAVE $4: As of August 2, new members can sign up for their first month of EA Play for just $0.99. That's $4 off its normal price through August 15.

Opens in a new window Credit: EA First Month of EA Play $0.99 at EA
$5.99 Save $5.00 Get Deal

When it comes to gaming, you can never have too many things to play. One day you might be into a lengthy adventure game. The next, you might decide you want to jump into a co-op session with friends. Platforms like EA Play make it easy to try out tons of different games without having to break the bank. The subscription service is celebrating its 10-year anniversary, with members having played over 230 million game trial hours and 760 million rewards across its platform since its August 2014 inception. And now, EA is offering an enticing deal to count you among its members as well.

As of August 2, you can score EA Play for just 99 cents for your first month across Xbox, PlayStation, and PC from now through August 15. That's $4 off a monthly subscription fee. This offer only applies to new members, and only the basic EA Play tier, which is otherwise $39.99 a year. The EA Play Pro tier is not included in this discount.

EA Play is a great way to check out some of the best and brightest games from the company. Choose from a curated list of games like Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, The Sims 4, and It Takes Two and play them as long as you want, all for free. There are tons of different games to choose from, and you can try them out all at your leisure, just like with Xbox Game Pass. But you also get a great perk when it comes to new releases, too. EA Play allows you to try the hottest new games with 10-hour trials that don't cost you a dime. If you decide to buy, you can keep all your progress.

Additionally, there are free in-game rewards to collect as well as a 10% discount off every purchase you make from Electronic Arts, including on game downloads, season passes, DLC and more. If you play a lot of EA titles or want to see what the catalog looks like, jumping in for a dollar is a great idea. There's a lot to see, and even if you decide to stay on at the $5.99 monthly fee, it's well worth joining for the value.

Josh Hartnett, M. Night Shyamalan and Saleka Shyamalan dissect Josh's character from 'Trap' and where it overlaps with his iconic role in 'The Faculty'.

Senior Social Media Editor, Lily Kartiganer rants about her gripe that the dragons in 'House of the Dragon' are not dragons, they are actually wyverns.

"House of the Dragon" stars Bethany Antonia, Phoebe Campbell, Tom Glynn-Carney, Ewan Mitchell, and Harry Collett guess emoji names.

Google Lens is about to land on your Chrome desktop browser, a move that will add a little intuitive zest to how you search by visuals.

The company's Gemini AI-powered image recognition technology, launched in 2017, will soon be sitting in your Chrome search bar. According to Google, which announced the feature on Wednesday, the tool comes with the latest Chrome update 127.0.6533.88 and will roll out "over the next few days."

SEE ALSO: What to expect at Made by Google 2024

It's the same way Google Lens has always worked, it's just now embedded within Chrome. Using the tool within a desktop Chrome browser means you'll be able to stay in the same tab and select, search, and ask follow-up questions about elements of a page you're currently on. In a marketing clip (see below), Google uses the example of seeing a backpack you might like in a video, which you can highlight to search with Lens, which generates results in a side panel. According to Google, "Depending on your question, you might get an AI Overview response that brings together the most relevant information from across the web."

Once you've got the tool, here's how to use it.

How to use Google Lens in Chrome on desktop Total Time

• 2 min

What You Need

• Laptop or desktop computer
• Chrome browser

Step 1: Open Google Chrome on desktop.

Step 2: Select the Google Lens icon in the address bar.

It looks like a small camera.

Step 3: Click or drag over the thing you'd like to search with Google Lens.

If you right-click after selecting, Google Lens will appear as an option, or you can click the three dot menu on the right hand side of the address bar.

Step 4: Check your visual results in a side panel.

It should appear on the right hand side of the browser.

Step 5: Refine your search with details and follow-up questions if the first round doesn't quite get it.

TL;DR: Through August 4, you can save $40 on a charging station which powers five of your Apple devices at once. It's on sale for $79.97 (reg. $120).

Opens in a new window Credit: OMNIA Omnia Q5 5-in-1 Charging Station $79.97 at The Mashable Shop
$120.00 Save $40.03 Get Deal

The Apple ecosystem can be exhausting (and expensive) to navigate. If one cord per device wasn’t enough, the brand threw the final punch by switching the charging port on the new iPhones. It’s time to swap whatever cluttered mess you have on your nightstand or desk for this wireless charging station.

The Omnia Q5 charging station charges five Apple devices at once, and you can customize its layout to your liking. And it's on sale for just $79.97 (reg. $120) through August 4.

Will this be the last charger you ever buy? Probably not, but…

Have an old iPhone 8, or getting the new iPhone 16? It doesn’t matter. The 7.5W wireless charging pad works with all of them. Play around with the orientation and decide if you like it standing or flat against your table.

Then, start piling on your other devices and feel relief flood your veins. Pop your Apple Watch charger into the holder, lay your AirPods Pro onto their MagSafe charging spot, and lay your Apple Pencil 2 into its unique holder.

The Kickstarter-funded gadget doesn’t leave out your iPad. There’s a USB-C output on the base to plug in your cord and power up your largest Apple device. Sadly, yes, you’ll have to deal with one cord until Apple offers wireless iPad charging — and throws off everyone’s charging situation once again. 

Cut your ties to wires and grab the Omnia Q5 wireless charging station while it’s on sale for $79.97 (reg. $120) until August 4 at 11:59 p.m. PT. No coupon is needed.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Learn to build your own Amazon or Shopify business in three online courses with the Amazon FBA and Shopify Drop-Shipping Business Model and Strategies Bundle on sale for just $24.97. 

Opens in a new window Credit: Paul Heidiri Amazon FBA & Shopify Drop-Shipping: The Business Model and Strategies Bundle $24.97 at The Mashable Shop
$597.00 Save $572.03 Get Deal

Starting your own business might sound complicated, but it's not all brick and mortars and figuring out where people buy those huge ribbon-cutting scissors. In fact, starting your own business can be as easy as opening up an Amazon or Shopify store and sending out a few packages.

The Amazon FBA and Shopify Drop-Shipping Business Model and Strategies Bundle breaks down the practicalities of building a business on either of these super popular platforms. There's only three courses, so it's not as big a lift as getting a whole business degree, and the whole bundle is even on sale for just $24.97 (reg. $597). 

Why start drop-shipping?

There's a ton of reasons to start a business, but the reason to start drop-shipping really comes down to two things: you can make money, and you might not have to change out of your pajamas. 

Between the courses on Amazon FBA (which just stands for Fulfilled By Amazon), and Shopify Dropshipping, you have six hours of video lessons breaking down the how, what, and why of building a business on both of these platforms.

The key takeaway is that with Amazon, you have an established platform with a ton of traffic, but your little shop might get lost unless you follow the guides to stand out. Conversely, Shopify gives you more control, but then you're in charge of everything, including figuring out how to get traffic your way. 

Great for aspiring business owners

Find out how you can start your own Amazon or Shopify business. Get the Amazon FBA and Shopify Drop-Shipping Business Model and Strategies Bundle for $24.97. 

StackSocial prices subject to change. 

"The Daily Show" host Ronny Chieng took a chunk out of Donald Trump after his false rant about Kamala Harris' racial identity and his post about Mindy Kaling.

One of the first big tricks Tesla pulled from its sleeve was when it started offering over-the-air upgrades that made its cars considerably quicker. There's just something special about getting a performance upgrade for a car you already purchased. Now, Ford is following suit by offering to make the Mustang Mach-E GT a lot faster with a software upgrade.

The upgrade applies only to the owners of the 2024 Mustang Mach-E GT, but it is considerable, adding an extra 100 lb-ft of torque from the car's two electric motors, and lowering the 0-60 miles per hour time from 3.8 to 3.3 seconds. According to Ford's general manager for integrated services Chet Dhruna, a Mustang upgraded in this way can run a quarter mile in 11.8 seconds, at 114 miles per hour.

SEE ALSO: Tesla recalls 1.8 million cars over hood issue

The upgrade isn't free; it costs $995 before tax, but it still sounds like a pretty sweet deal that can turn your Mustang Mach-E GT into a proper tire destroyer.

Customers buying a new Mustang Mach-E GT can add this upgrade as an option; folks who already own the car can download it through the FordPass app (but remember, it needs to be the 2024-year model).

The Mustang Mach-E GT is the most powerful electric Mustang in Ford's roster, and this upgrade makes it one of the quickest SUVs you can get. For example, it's quicker than a Tesla Model Y Performance, which goes from 0-60 miles per hour in 3.5 seconds. It's also quicker than all of Porsche's electric Macan variants, except the Turbo Electric, which beats the Mustang at 0-60 miles per hour by 0.2 seconds.

Google's next big hardware event is fast approaching, with Made by Google 2024 scheduled to kick off on Aug. 13. It's an earlier date than usual for this annual event, which usually takes place in October. 

This doesn't automatically mean there's some exciting news that the tech giant just couldn't wait to share. Google may just be trying to get its new Pixel phones out ahead of Apple's expected iPhone 16 launch in September. But whatever the reason, it looks like we'll get our hands on Google's next devices sooner than initially anticipated.

SEE ALSO: Google Pixel 9: All the rumors we know so far

Here's what to expect from Made by Google 2024.

What is Made by Google?

Made by Google is an annual event unveiling Google's latest gadgets, with the primary focus typically going to the next generation of Pixel phones. They aren't the only devices on the agenda though, with past Made by Google events also featuring Google's Pixel Watch and Pixel Buds.

This year the in-person event will take place at Google's headquarters in Mountain View, California, though it has previously been held in New York and Brooklyn. 

What can we expect at Made by Google 2024?

Google has already dropped multiple hints regarding what we can expect at its August event, teasing its upcoming devices across social media.

Google Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro Tweet may have been deleted

August's Made by Google event is set to unveil the next generation of Pixel phones, including the Google Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro. As is tradition, a lot about these phones has already been leaked, and rumours about the lineup abound.

Google appears to be changing up its hardware design with the Pixel 9, eschewing the Pixel 8 series' rounded edges in favour of a flatter feel. The Pixel 8's rectangular back camera strip also seems to be out, replaced with a rounder, pill-shaped design.

The Pixel 9 series will of course get a spec boost to go with its new look, with reports of higher megapixel cameras and faster Tensor G4 chips across all models. The Pixel 9 Pro will reportedly have a 4GB RAM increase from the Pixel 8 Pro as well, offering 16GB of RAM to more smoothly run Google's AI chatbot Gemini.

It's likely there will be considerable focus on the Pixel 9 series' AI and Gemini functionality. Even Google's official Pixel 9 Pro and Pro 9 Fold teaser videos focused more on Gemini than the phones themselves, like a parent who makes their child's birthday party all about said kid's younger sibling. While Made by Google is first and foremost a hardware event, AI is currently the undisputed darling of the tech industry, so it isn't surprising that it would get a look in. 

Google Pixel 9 Pro XL

We know for certain that the Google Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro are coming. If rumours are to be believed, they could very well be joined by a Pixel 9 Pro XL.

The last XL variation in Google's Pixel series was the Pixel 4 XL back in 2019, which offered increased screen size and battery life over the Pixel 4. As such, it wouldn't be surprising if the rumoured Pixel 9 Pro XL offered a similar bump over the Pixel 9 Pro.

Even so, early leaks suggest the Pixel 9 Pro XL is even smaller than the Pixel 8, sporting a 6.5-inch screen compared to the latter's 6.7 inches. If true, this could mean the Pixel 9 Pro is smaller still. We'll just have to wait until Aug. 13 to find out for sure.

Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold Credit: Google

Google launched its first foldable smartphone at last year's Google I/O event, introducing the world to the Google Pixel Fold. This year the tech giant will follow it up with the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold.

This is another announcement that we know for certain is happening, with Google having already posted a teaser video saying as much. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold appears slimmer than Google's first generation foldable, with a squarer back camera module replacing its predecessor's rectangular strip. As usual, we can likely expect upgraded specs as well.

Google Pixel Watch 3 (and Pixel Watch 3 XL)

Though Google's Pixel 9 phones are undoubtedly the diamonds of this Google season, they likely won't be attending this party alone. Leaks suggest that Made by Google will launch the Google Pixel Watch 3, available in both 41- and 45-millimetre sizes. In comparison, last year's Pixel Watch 2 only comes in a 41-millimetre size. 

Some older reports suggest that the Pixel Watch 3's 45-millimetre variant will actually be called the Pixel Watch 3 XL, though the name's absence in newer leaks have cast some doubt on exactly how Google will title these devices.

Featured Video For You How to set up an automation in Google Home

The Pixel Watch 3 will reportedly have thinner bezels allowing for a larger screen, while said screen will also be twice as bright as the previous model. Google's latest watch may also introduce a new battery saver mode, stretching the Pixel Watch 3's charge to last 36 hours. The device's standard battery life with its always-on display is apparently still 24 hours, the same as the Pixel Watch 2.

Google Pixel Buds Pro 2

Google may also bring out the next generation of its wireless earbuds this August. While details about the rumoured Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 remain scant, leaks suggest that the earbuds will come in at least four different colours: pink, pale green, ivory, and grey (though they'll likely get more fanciful names).

The Pixel Buds Pro 2 case will reportedly be slightly bulkier than the Pro, while the Buds themselves seem to have larger grills. Google also appears to have brought back the Pixel Buds' stabiliser arcs, which are intended to help keep the earphones in your ear.

Google TV Streamer

New smartphones, new earphones, and a new watch would be a lot, but Google may not be stopping there. Made by Google may also introduce a follow up to 2020's Chromecast with Google TV called the Google TV Streamer.

Leaks suggest that the Google TV Streamer has abandoned its predecessor's dongle form factor, opting for hardware designed to sit on a table or entertainment unit. The wide, pill-shaped device's slanted surface makes it look similar to a magnetic phone charger.

The Google TV Streamer may have HDMI, Ethernet, and USB ports, while its remote will have a customisable shortcut button as well as ones for YouTube and Netflix.

Android 15, maybe?

Made by Google may be a hardware event, but hardware is nothing without software. Many have been expecting Google to launch Android 15 this August, bringing with it new features such as Theft Detection, a locked space to hide apps, and the ability to add photos to your Google Wallet.

However, recent reports claim that the Pixel 9 series will be launched on Android 14 rather than 15, casting doubt on whether Google's OS system is ready to debut. Android 15 is currently in its fourth and final scheduled beta, with the next update expected to be its official release.

Though even if Android 15 doesn't show up on Aug. 13, it's likely it will appear within the next few months.

How do I watch Made by Google 2024?

Made by Google will kick off on Aug. 13 at 10 a.m. PT / 1 p.m. EST. Fortunately for those of us unable to make it to California, the event will be livestreamed on the Made by Google YouTube channel.

Every presidential election has a defining technology.

It's a remarkably cool time to be Irish. Cillian Murphy has his Oscar, Paul Mescal wears his short shorts, and Sally Rooney's forthcoming novel is one of the most anticipated of the year. 

It was only a matter of time before the Irish language earned the same reputation as its people. 

SEE ALSO: Why the internet stans Ireland

In Kneecap, the semi-fictionalized origin story of the Belfast Irish-language rap group of the same name, Irish is the language of rebellion … and consuming large quantities of ketamine, cocaine, acid, and MDMA. 

Often repeated in the film is the line, "Every word of Irish spoken is a bullet for Irish freedom." The movie takes place in 2019 in West Belfast, during the height of advocacy for recognition of the Irish language in the United Kingdom. In 2022, the country's Identity and Language Act passed, granting Irish an equal status to English. It established the Irish language commissioner to develop Irish in Northern Ireland, repealed the ban of Irish in Northern Ireland courts, and allowed members of the Northern Ireland Assembly to speak Irish. The reality of the band's formation in 2017 was just as closely tied with the moment. 

In real life, Naoise Ó Cairealláin, who goes by Móglaí Bap, was out spray painting walls with the slogan "Cearta," which means "rights" in Irish, the night before an Irish Language Act march. While Bap got away, the friend who was with him got picked up by the police, refused to speak English, and spent the night in jail awaiting a translator. 

The incident inspired Bap to recruit Mo Chara, real name Liam Óg Ó Hannaidh, to join him in writing and recording "C.E.A.R.T.A," their first song. They filmed and put out a music video, but didn't plan to do any more songs. After the song was denied play on the Irish language radio station due references to drugs and cursing, a petition circulated and the track went locally viral. "We had no plan to start a band, but that demand…" Bap said to Mashable. The group has since released two albums, all in Irish with a dash of English, and they still frequently go viral, for both tongue-in-cheek republican stunts — that often turn into self-referential songs of their own — and their solidarity with Palestine.

Kneecap puts the live music in living language

The group takes a necessary alternative approach to the legal and political work around the Irish language in the UK. Having begun their band five years before the 2022 law was passed, they've worked to create energy around the language, which continues to be "endangered," according to some linguists.

"Having music is an important part of a living language, especially music that represents the language people speak on the streets and amongst each other socially," said Bap. "It's a very natural way to learn, especially with hip-hop, because hip-hop has story lines and a certain way of delivery. You're going to learn a lot of the language through the music."

The third member of the group, JJ Ó Dochartaigh / DJ Próvaí, a former Irish teacher, used to translate pop songs into Irish as a teaching tool. "Learning through music always sticks in your head more than just rote stuff," Próvaí told Mashable. 

While Chara insists that they are also "just trying to make tunes," their impact on interest in the Irish language is undeniable. When the British director of the film, Rich Peppiatt, enrolled in a night Irish class in Belfast in 2019 while doing research for the film, half the students in the class said they were there because of Kneecap. 

When interviewed about American interest in Ireland earlier this year, Eleanor O'Leary, a lecturer in media and communications at South East Technological University in Ireland, noted the new attention to the Irish language, pointing to Kneecap's online following as an example of the new energy. 

Duolingo has also seen surges in interest in Irish. During the pandemic, Irish became the most popular language in Ireland for both new and existing users, overtaking Spanish. In 2021, Irish was the fastest growing language on Duolingo, with a million people actively learning it — quite high for a language which, according to Kneecap, only 80,000 people speak. From the end of 2022 to the end of 2023, Duolingo saw a 70 percent increase in daily active learners in the Irish course. 

Now, with the film, the group is poised to reach a more global audience.

Paying homage to rap's legacy

Bap grew up speaking Irish at home, while Chara and Próvaí learned it through school. The boys are quick to cite their history, telling Mashable that Irish language primary schools didn't exist in Northern Ireland until 1972, and Irish language secondary schools didn't come into being until 1991. 

Kneecap's members are, of course, big fans of hip-hop's sound, but they were also attracted to the genre's history of giving a voice to Black Americans and its central nature of storytelling. "Irish speakers in the North never really had a voice for a long time. We thought it was a great opportunity for us to let the world know about the North, about Ireland, that the Irish language does exist, it's not just English with a funny accent," said Bap.

SEE ALSO: 'Kneecap' review: A welcome middle finger to Oscar-bait biopics

Storytelling is intrinsic to Irish culture, and knowing that not many of their listeners understand Irish, having elaborate visual stories in their music videos was of the utmost importance. The film incorporates many of their pre-established storylines — from the cross-community relationship with a Protestant girl developed in their 2019 single "Fenian Cunts," to their film rivals, the fictitious Radical Republicans Against Drugs, which they use to poke fun at the staunch anti-drug stance of republicans and which dates back to "Your All Legitimate Targets" off their mixtape. The band benefits from the medium of film pushing these storylines and viewer connection with the Irish language further through the use of subtitles when Kneecap speaks and raps.

A large portion of Kneecap is in Irish, a rarity in film, and an entirely different approach to The Quiet Girl, the 2022 primarily Irish language adaptation (which doesn't have much dialogue at all) of Claire Keegan's short story "Foster" that earned a Best International Feature Film nomination at the Oscars. While The Quiet Girl presents a quaint view of Ireland set in the 1980s, Kneecap and the band's music takes the Irish language out of the past and into the raucous semi-present. 

Irish solidarity and beyond

"Hopefully when people see Kneecap, the movie and the music, they'll see that it's possible to do stuff in your own language," said Bap. "We've met people who tell us the film makes them reflect on how they can be creative with the language, because even in Ireland for a long time, most people wouldn't sing in Irish, and even worse, they'd sing in American accents." 

Chara added that your native language can connect you to where you're from, your history, your past, and the land. "Belfast doesn't have a meaning [in itself], but it comes from Béal Feirste in Irish, which means 'the mouth of Farset River that runs underneath Belfast,'" said Chara. "The list goes on everywhere in Ireland a name originates from Irish and was translated to English a long time ago."

The group and their championing of the Irish language is ultimately a reaction to their people's history of being colonized and England's attempt at erasing Irish culture. But Kneecap isn't only concerned with the Irish cause. The film ends with a PSA noting that an Indigenous language dies every 40 days. The group made headlines when they dropped out of SXSW in solidarity with Palestine. Kneecap's attitude has earned them the respect of politically aware Gen Z fans. 

"We're very good at history and remembering stuff in Ireland, and we're very bitter and resentful, so we never, never forget. But the history repeats itself," said Bap. "We understand the importance and the impact that solidarity can have on people, and we see that now in Palestine. That's why it's important for us to make sure people feel seen, heard, and not dismissed."

Kneecap is in theaters Aug. 2.

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