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Get the GoPro Hero11 bundle for $130 off this Prime Day

Mashable - Mon, 07/15/2024 - 12:47

SAVE $130: As of July 15, you can get a GoPro Hero11 Black Bundle for $249.99 at Amazon. That's a discount of 34%.

Opens in a new window Credit: GoPro GoPro Hero11 Black Bundle $249.99 at Amazon
$379.99 Save $130.00 Get Deal

Amazon Prime Day is almost here, and that means we're about to see some serious discounts on high-ticket products. If you've been looking to get a new GoPro for your summer travels, we've got great news for you.

As of July 15, you can grab a GoPro Hero11 Black bundle for just $249.99 at Amazon. That's $130 off, or a discount of 34%. This bundle includes the Hero11 camera, but also throws in a lot of essential accessories that you don't have to purchase separately. You get a head strap, two rechargeable batteries, a curved adhesive mount, a mounting buckle with a thumb screw, a USB-C cable, a head strap, and a carrying case. Note that this deal is an Amazon Prime exclusive, so you'll need to sign up for Amazon Prime to be able to check out with this bundle with this discount.

SEE ALSO: Walmart vs. Amazon: Which retail giant has the best deals?

The GoPro Hero11 Black is capable of filming 5.3K resolution video, making it one of the most hi-res action cameras on the market, second to only the newer GoPro Hero12 Black. The Hero11 has a 27-megapixel sensor that captures high-quality videos at up to 60 frames per second. It can also pull 24.7-megapixel stills from any video you capture.

Additionally, the GoPro Hero11 can capture 2.7K240 video that you can play back in 8x slo-mo. If you're taking this little powerhouse adventuring, this is a nifty feature to capture every passing detail. This GoPro also boasts HyperSmooth 5.0 stabilization that helps ensure your video will be smooth viewing no matter what wild activity you're up to.

The Gen Z boss meme, explained

Mashable - Mon, 07/15/2024 - 12:37

Critics of Gen Z women in the workplace found a new target: a playful video posted by tbh skincare on Instagram and TikTok.

SEE ALSO: Internet Princess Rayne Fisher-Quann left TikTok in search of something beyond the algorithm

The video is a part of the "Boots and a slicked back bun" trend — started by @maisieisobel on June 29 — where a group of people film themselves in a circle chanting two qualities about themselves twice with simple corresponding dance moves. Several female employees at tbh skincare participated in the trend calling out, "Gen Z boss and a mini" followed by "itty bitty titties and a bob" and "5'3 and an attitude."

According to Know Your Meme, the video garnered around 2 million views on Instagram within the first two days after posting it. It now has nearly 5.5 million views on Instagram and over 3.5 million views on TikTok. While the video appears to have resonated with its target audience, once it escaped to the wider internet people began to poke fun.

The comments on TikTok included messages like, "they should make marketing degrees more expensive," "this is so millenial core," and "The HR department after laying off most the engineering team."

The video got reposted on X where sexism runs rampant. One user posted it with the caption, "Is this the longhouse," a reference to the concept of a woke, matriarchal society popularized in alt-right spaces.

People are quick to attack videos of young women having anything to do with the workplace. Last year, there was the harsh conversation around the Gen Z woman who complained about working a 9 to 5 and even before that was the project managers working from the pool.

Get a free $10 Amazon gift card with a $25+ Grubhub order before midnight

Mashable - Mon, 07/15/2024 - 12:19

GET A $10 GIFT CARD: On July 15, Prime members can get a free $10 Amazon gift card when they make a $25+ Grubhub order using the code GRUBPRIME before 11:59 PT.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon $10 Amazon gift card Free with $25+ Grubhub order using the code GRUBPRIME Get Deal

In May, Amazon announced that Prime members could get food delivered right to their door via Grubhub+ with $0 delivery on orders of $12+, lower service fees, and other perks.

Now, Grubhub and Amazon are offering a special early Prime Day deal to members who spend $25+ on Grubhub by midnight: a free $10 Amazon gift card. Just use the code GRUBPRIME at checkout.

That’s right, you can get $10 off your next Amazon purchase by indulging in a Grubhub order tonight. But you have to order by 11:59 p.m. PT on July 15 and spend at least $25 to get the free gift card.

SEE ALSO: Amazon Prime members can order Grubhub delivery right from the app. Here's how it works.

If you’re not already a Prime member, you can sign up for a 30-day free trial and take advantage of this offer while it lasts. Just be sure to cancel before the trial ends if you don’t want to pay the $14.99 per month fee.

Xbox Series X is $50 off at Best Buy in early Prime Day deal

Mashable - Mon, 07/15/2024 - 12:19

SAVE $50: The Xbox Series X is on sale at Best Buy, priced at $449.99, down from its normal $499.99. That's a 10% discount during Best Buy's Black Friday in July sale.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Xbox Series X 1TB Console $449.99 at Best Buy
$499.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal

You can grab the Xbox Series X from Best Buy for the relatively low price of $449.99. The Series X is the most premium offering from Microsoft's Xbox family, equipped with more storage and faster speeds.

This might not be the best deal you'll ever see on a Series X — the price dropped to $350 last Christmas — but 50 bucks off isn't bad. Retailers worldwide are ramping up deals this week in anticipation of Amazon's Prime Day on Tuesday. Best Buy kicked off its Black Friday in July event on July 15, the day before Prime Day's official launch.

There's a compelling reason you might want a new Xbox, especially this week. EA Sports' long-awaited College Football '25 is set to return this week after a decade-long hiatus. For folks who grew up on the franchise, but drifted away from gaming, they might need to upgrade their console since the game is available only on the Series X or Series S and the PS5.

Whatever the reason, now might be the time to grab a Series X.

Amazon beats an all-time low on the M3 Macbook Air by a groundbreaking $1

Mashable - Mon, 07/15/2024 - 11:57

GET $200 OFF: As of July 15, Prime members can get the 13.6-inch Apple MacBook Air (M3, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) for $898.99, down from $1,099. This 18% discount saves you $200.01 and beats the previous all-time low price by $1.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Our pick: 13.6-inch Apple MacBook Air (M3, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $898.99 at Amazon
$1,099.00 Save $200.01 Get Deal

We’re all for discounts and deals, but this one is a bit of an eye-roll. To compete with (itself?), Amazon has dropped the price of the M3 MacBook Air to a whopping $1 below the all-time low. Yes, you read that right — a single dollar.

As of July 15, the 13.6-inch Apple MacBook Air (M3, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) is on sale for $898.99, down from $1,099. This is the lowest price we’ve seen since June 10, when it dipped to $899. Ridiculous as it is, you can’t find this deal anywhere else — it’s still listed at $1,099 on the Apple website and the old all-time low of $899 at Best Buy and other retailers.

SEE ALSO: Prime Day laptop deals: Apple MacBooks and LG grams are the stars of the show

So, I guess Amazon is competing with the rest of the market by offering an almost comically lower price, undercutting even its own previous record-setting discount.

Pettiness aside, the M3 MacBook Air is still a pretty impressive machine. Its M3 chip offers solid (and fast) performance, is lightweight, less than one-half-inch thin, and has up to 18 hours of battery life. While the $1 discount may not be enough to sway everyone, it's hard to deny that this is an unprecedented deal you won't find anywhere else.

If you need a larger screen, the 15.3-inch Apple MacBook Air (M3, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) is on sale for $1,099, down from $1,299 — the lowest price we’ve seen on this model. You can also get the 16.2-inch Apple MacBook Pro (M3, 18GB RAM, 512GB SSD) for $1,999, down from $2,499. That’s a $500 price cut!

Get three months of Wondery+ free with Prime

Mashable - Mon, 07/15/2024 - 11:39

THREE MONTHS FREE: As of July 15, Prime members can get a three-month free trial of Wondery+. After the trial, the subscription will automatically renew at $5.99/month or $44.99/year, plus tax, depending on the plan.

Opens in a new window Credit: Wondery Our pick: Wondery+ Get three months free with Prime Get Deal

Even though Prime Day hasn't started just yet, Amazon is handing out early Prime Day deals like candy, including free trials for streaming services like Audible, Kindle Unlimited, and Amazon Music.

As of July 15, Prime members can get three months of Wondery+, a podcast subscription service with exclusive shows and early access to popular series, for free — a pretty substantial discount considering the $5.99 per month (or $44.99 per year) regular price tag.

SEE ALSO: The 10 best podcasts of 2024 (so far) 

Wondery+ is the premium subscription tier of Wondery. It gives you ad-free listening, early access to new episodes, exclusive behind-the-scenes content, and access to Wondery's full library of original podcasts, including faves like Even the Rich and American Scandal. Wondery+ members can also snag a 15% discount on Wondery merch via the Wondery Shop.

This Wondery+ deal is only available to new Wondery+ subscribers. Once the free trial period ends, your subscription will auto-renew at the regular $5.99 per month/$44.99 per year price unless you cancel.

Note: You'll need to be an Amazon Prime member to take advantage of this offer. If you're not already a Prime member, you can sign up for a 30-day free trial to get the Wondery+ deal.

Amazon deal of the day: Score the noise-cancelling Echo Buds for a ridiculous 71% off pre-Prime Day

Mashable - Mon, 07/15/2024 - 11:23
Amazon deals of the day at a glance: OUR TOP PICK Echo Buds with ANC (2nd gen) $34.99 at Amazon (save $85 with Prime) Get Deal BEST LAPTOP DEAL MacBook Air 13-inch (M3 chip, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) 898.99 at Amazon (save $200.01) Get Deal BEST CAMPING DEAL Yeti Tundra Haul portable wheeled cooler $297.50 at Amazon (save $127.50 with Prime) Get Deal BEST HOME DEAL Blink Mini 2 $19.99 at Amazon (save $20 with Prime) Get Deal BEST BEAUTY TECH DEAL Dyson Airwrap Amazon exclusive bundle $549.99 at Amazon (save $125 with Prime) Get Deal

The countdown is on. We're merely hours away from Prime Day proper, but the deals are already hella impressive. There's really no point in waiting if you see something you want — we're seeing record-low prices on top brands like Apple, Dyson, and Amazon's own Echo and Blink devices. We've rounded up some of the best deals you can add to your cart on July 15 to help you out on your shopping excursion.

Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day. And if you want to keep tabs on all of the best deals this Prime Day, follow along with our shopping coverage.

Our top pick Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Buds with ANC (2nd gen) $34.99 at Amazon
$119.99 Save $85.00 with Prime Get Deal

While the first rendition of the noise-cancelling Echo Buds was kind of a dud, Amazon redeemed themselves with the second generation. "If you've been looking for a device-agnostic pair of wireless earbuds that will drown out the world around you, look no further," Alex Perry writes in his review. Originally released in 2021, these buds offer effective noise cancellation, solid sound quality, and a pretty comfortable design. The battery life isn't anything to write home about, but for budget earbuds with ANC, they're basically a no brainer — especially when you take the early Prime Day price drop into consideration. Snag a pair for a record-low $34.99 with Prime and save a whopping 71%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple MacBook Air 13-inch (M3 chip, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $898.99 at Amazon
$1,099.00 Save $200.01 Get Deal

With a 15% faster processor (compared to the M2), WiFi 6E, and support for up to two 5K, 60Hz external displays, the M3 MacBook Air is truly a beast of a laptop. We haven't had a chance to test the 13-inch model, but we did review its larger sibling and were blown away. Mashable reviewer Kimberly Gedeon writes that it "continues to blur the line of the Air and Pro models, providing ample “oomph” for creatives, professionals, and students who need robust performance that can handle their multifaceted workflows." The day before Prime Day, you can grab the base model M3 Air (with 8GB RAM and 256GB SSD) for a record-low $898.99. That's a savings of 18%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Yeti Yeti Tundra Haul portable wheeled cooler $297.50 at Amazon
$425.00 Save $127.50 with Prime Get Deal

If you're looking for a cooler that's practically indestructible and can keep ice for days, the Yeti Tundra is the one to beat. And if you want to bring that legendary insulation and toughness on the go, you'll want the Tundra Haul — which is the first-ever Yeti on wheels. Don't worry; the wheels are a single-piece, puncture-resistant material, so you'll never have to worry about changing them or getting a flat. Prime members can score the ultimate Yeti cooler on sale ahead of Prime Day for just $297.50 — that's not only a rare 30% in savings, but a record-low price. The only catch is that the deal is limited to one colorway: cosmic lilac.

Opens in a new window Credit: Blink Blink Mini 2 $19.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $20.00 with Prime Get Deal

Released earlier this year, the Blink Mini 2 offers better performance in low light settings, a wider field of view, a built-in LED Spotlight for night view in color, and just an overall enhanced image quality. Plus, with the purchase of the Blink weather resistant power adapter, it can now be used both indoors and outdoors. Ahead of the big day, you can get the Blink Mini 2 for only $19.99 with Prime. That's 50% in savings and its lowest price to date.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson Airwrap $549.99 at Amazon
$674.99 Save $125.00 Amazon exclusive bundle Get Deal

An official early Prime Day deal, the Dyson Airwrap Amazon exclusive bundle is on sale for just $549.99. That's nearly a 20% price drop for Prime members looking to snag the versatile hair tool. In addition to the Airwrap itself, the bundle includes a storage case, travel case, detangling comb, filter cleaning brush, and six attachments: two long barrels, two smoothing brush attachments, Coanda smoothing dryer, and round volumizing brush. That's plenty to achieve tons of different hairstyles with a single tool. As for whether the discounted price is worth it, we'll leave it to personal preference. If luxury in your beauty routine is something you crave, we say go for it.

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

'Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess' review: Unique blend of genres makes this Japanese folklore exciting

Mashable - Mon, 07/15/2024 - 11:00

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is one of the most unique games of 2024, blending various different gameplay genres into a cohesive package.

The real-time action, real-time strategy, and tower-defense mechanics work surprisingly well together. With its gorgeous classic Japanese folklore aesthetic, it’s just as pleasing to look at as it is fun to play.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess plot

The game follows two characters: Soh, the warrior, and Yoshiro, the Maiden of Mt. Kafuku. One day, monsters called "The Seethe" take over the top of Mt. Kafuku and overpower both of them, prompting them to have to make their way down the mountain and purify areas along the way.

Path of the Goddess is relatively light on story aspects and feels more like background in order to focus on the gameplay. In fact, there’s absolutely no spoken dialogue whatsoever, and any story bits are told through synopsis. It’s a nice change of pace to not be bogged down with dialogue and just let Soh and Yoshiro’s body language do the talking.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess characters

Soh and Yoshiro are really the only characters that have any sort of personality at all, with Soh protecting her as she makes her way down the mountain. Both of them don’t really go through any character development, and the villagers that they rescue are literally faceless minions.

Credit: Capcom

However, the absence of characterization didn’t bother me in the long run due to the game’s unique gameplay loop. The Japanese yokai inspired bosses are a big highlight, too. What they lack in personality, they make up for grand spectacle and artistic design.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess mechanics

In Path of the Goddess, gameplay is split into two day time and nighttime parts. During the day, Soh prepares for battle by rescuing villagers and turning them into their own soldiers. Along the way, you find crystals that help Yoshiro forge a path for her to slowly walk to the end of the map and purify the exit. 

Credit: Capcom

Even the preparation has an air of tension because Soh is on a clock, and you have to prioritize whether you want to find all of the villagers first or purify different side areas of the stage first. More villagers means more allies to fight with, but unlocking side areas leads to finding more equipment and items. It’s a great way to keep players on their toes throughout the entire time — not just the battles.

The villagers can be changed into different roles, such as healer or marksman, by spending crystals found throughout the stage. The roles you pick are crucial to your success at night when the monsters come out. The process is fun because you can switch their roles on the fly and experiment.

At night, Soh’s goal is to guard Yoshiro and fight off the monsters until sunrise. What makes Path of the Goddess different from other tower defense games is that Soh isn’t a passive observer. While the villagers auto-attack incoming enemies, Soh is free to run around and join in the fights. He can also give commands to villagers to either gather around Yoshiro to protect her or individually place them throughout the stage. All of these different mechanics kept me engaged in every single stage in a way that similar games haven’t. I was actively playing a role rather than just sitting back and letting the auto-attacks do all the work for me.

Credit: Capcom

After purifying a stage, Soh can visit them in person and rebuild the village in that area to earn rewards such as more Musabi, which are skill points. It’s a great way to slow down and reset the game’s pacing in between battles. I also appreciate how simple the progression is. You can use skill points you’ve earned to upgrade roles, such as giving your Sumo more attack power — or even have Soh learn new moves, including the ability to use a bow and arrow to hit flying enemies. It’s an incredibly straightforward system that keeps Path of the Goddess fun to play without unnecessarily complex mechanics

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess graphics

Path of the Goddess has gorgeous art direction inspired by Japanese folklore. The monster and boss designs are memorable, with plenty of variety to boot. You fight everything from ghosts to giant frogs, and the distinct Japanese folklore style makes Path of the Goddess distinct.

Credit: Capcom

However, some of the game’s environmental graphical textures have low quality and resolution. They aren’t very detailed and it looks like I was playing a Nintendo Switch game rather than a PS5 title.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess soundtrack and audio

Since Path of the Goddess features no spoken dialogue, it’s up to the game’s audio and music to do a lot of heavy lifting. Thankfully, the soundtrack sounds great with its emphasis on flutes and drums. This can be heard most prominently during the battle theme, where the drums go into overdrive, making me feel like I’m commanding an army.

Credit: Capcom

The soundtrack also strays away from modern day instruments, like electric guitars, in order to keep the authentic Japanese folklore aesthetic. My personal favorite track is the one that plays while Soh is attending to bases in between missions and rebuilding them. It's incredibly stripped back and bare with simple piano melodies, and it really stands out amongst the rest of the tracks that feature heavy instrumentation.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess challenge and difficulty

Path of the Goddess isn’t particularly difficult as long as you prepare for the upcoming night.

Credit: Capcom

Whether you succeed is all dependent on where you position your villagers to fight back against the monsters. If you’re having trouble, sometimes just picking the right class might make the difference between winning and losing.

Some of the optional objectives in stages can be difficult to achieve during your first time playing them, but you can always come back with stronger units later on and complete them.

Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess performance

Path of the Goddess runs well with very little performance issues. The loading screens take a bit more time to load up then I’d like (around 9-10 seconds), but it’s not really worth worrying about too much.

Is Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess worth getting?

For the main story, you’re looking at around 10 to 15 hours to reach the end. A $50 price tag may sound hefty, but Path of the Goddess has plenty of replay value as you can go back to previous stages to complete optional objectives. There’s also a New Game Plus when you finish the game for the first time, and there are rewards that can only be unlocked when replaying it.


There are a few tech issues here and there, but with its great art direction and strong gameplay loop, Kunitsu-Gami: Path of the Goddess is a standout title in 2024.

Amazon adds 3 big free Prime Day video games, including 'Suicide Squad.' How to claim them.

Mashable - Mon, 07/15/2024 - 10:46

Amazon Prime Day isn't just about buying physical products. You can also get PC games for free, too.

That part isn't new, as Amazon has offered a bundle of free video games leading up to Prime Day through its Prime Gaming promotion since late June. With the exact dates of Prime Day coming up this week, though, Amazon is expanding the list with three popular or otherwise noteworthy video games:

  • Suicide Squad: Kill the Justice League

  • Chivalry 2

  • Rise of the Tomb Raider

SEE ALSO: Prime Day 2024 is almost here: 150+ of the best early deals you can shop right now

Amazon Prime subscribers will have 48 hours to claim these three games, starting July 16 at 3 a.m. ET. To claim them, arm yourself with an Amazon Prime login, take it to the Prime Gaming website, log in, and follow the on-screen instructions.

While it isn't horribly surprising to see Rise of the Tomb Raider (which launched in 2015) or Chivalry 2 (which was recently free on Epic Games Store) on this list, Suicide Squad stands out. It's a very recently released big-budget game with a big-name license behind it. Kill the Justice League has notably been a financial failure for Warner Bros., but to see it hit the proverbial bargain bin this soon is astonishing.

But hey, anything is worth trying for the price of free.

Snag $125 off the Dyson Airwrap bundle ahead of Prime Day

Mashable - Mon, 07/15/2024 - 10:44

GET $125 OFF: As of July 15, the Dyson Airwrap bundle is $549.99, down from $674.99 at Amazon. That's a 19% discount of $125.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Our pick: Dyson Airwrap bundle $549.99 at Amazon
$674.99 Save $125.00 Get Deal

Prime Day doesn’t officially start until tomorrow, but Amazon is already pulling out all the stops with early Prime Day deals that have us wondering if we'll have anything left to shop for once the main event rolls around. Even the coveted Dyson Airwrap is getting a massive discount.

As of July 15, you can score the Dyson Airwrap bundle (this includes the Airwrap, two long barrels, two smoothing brush attachments, a Coanda smoothing dryer, a round volumizing brush, a detangling comb, a storage case, and a storage bag) for $549.99 — $125 off the listing price.

SEE ALSO: The Dyson Airwrap is an impressive multi-styler that's by no means essential

This deal is an Amazon exclusive, and you’ll need to be a Prime member to get it, but the price tag is well worth it if you consider the additional attachments and bonus storage included in the bundle.

The Dyson Airwrap multi-styler is designed to curl, wave, smooth, and dry hair without intense heat, keeping locks safe and healthy while getting a salon-worthy look. And, if you’re unsure how to get the look on your own (I definitely wouldn’t know what to do with this thing), the Dyson website offers tutorials to guide you through mermaid waves, voluminous curls, and more.

This service will beat your dating fatigue in 2024

Mashable - Mon, 07/15/2024 - 10:00

We get it: Dating in 2024 is no joke. As more and more folks try to find their one and only, the rise of exploring new relationship dynamics, inevitably casual dating, and more, the dating game can be a lot. But what if it didn’t have to be? Enter: Tawkify.

What could be categorized as an anti-dating app, Tawkify helps folks date while removing apps from the equation entirely. Instead of being an app, the brand offers a dating service meant to help folks by prioritizing human connection and the luxury of matchmaking and aiming to make dating truly fun again. 

Here’s why we think Tawkify could be the right dating app alternative for you (or a friend).

1. Ditching the burnout of the dating game

In a recent Forbes study, participants were asked if they have ever felt emotionally, mentally, or physically exhausted by dating apps — 78 percent said they had. That, folks, is called dating burnout. 

Regardless of generation, it has also taken its toll across the age spectrum. A high 80 percent of Millennials, 79 percent of Gen Z, 78 percent of Gen X, and even 70 percent of Baby Boomers report having dating burnout.

To combat it, Tawkify matches every client with a matchmaker who aims to take the headache out of dating. Comparable to having a personal assistant, head hunter, and life coach, the service finds high-potential matches, plans first dates, and does post-date debriefs to refine your approach so you can focus on what matters most: finding your match.

2. Sick of swiping on the apps? Us, too  

Instead of relying on apps, though, Tawkify uses technology to build a pool of high-potential matches based on what clients have provided or conversations they have had with their own personal matchmakers.

“No swiping, no small talk, no unwanted messages,” they explain to Mashable, “You go right to the date, which we’ve planned for you, without ever having had to lift a finger. This also represents a swiping and chatting time savings of 40+ hours per month vs. app dating.”

3. Making dating feel human again

Tawkify is also on a mission to make dating feel human again. Through their matchmakers, members don’t just interact with algorithms; instead, they have human conversations that can lead to more effective matches.

To get started on finding your perfect match, visit Tawkify now and explore the possibilities.

Disclaimer: Services are only available in the contiguous US.

TikTok's viral Ninja Creami ice cream maker is $50 off for Prime Day

Mashable - Mon, 07/15/2024 - 09:54

GET $50 OFF: As of July 15, the Ninja Creami ice cream maker is available at Amazon for $149.99, down from $199.99. That's a 25% discount of $50.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Our pick: Ninja Creami ice cream maker $149.99 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal

If you haven’t been on TikTok (honestly, good on you), the Ninja Creami ice cream maker might have slipped under your radar.

This compact countertop appliance has influencers and actual chefs raving about its ability to create restaurant-quality ice cream, sorbet, and gelato right at home. (A pretty good sell, if you ask us.) And, as of July 15, you can get this trendy kitchen gadget for just $149.99 at Amazon, down from $199.99. That’s a 25% discount of $50 and an early Prime Day deal.

SEE ALSO: TikTok's newest obsession is coming — meet the Ninja Slushi

The Ninja Creami ice cream maker can turn any ingredient into creamy frozen treats. Just load up the 16-ounce pint container with your base (think: dairy, dairy-free, or fruit purees), then let the machine work its magic. It’s ideal for anyone on a low-sugar, keto, or dairy-free diet since you can control exactly what goes into whatever you’re making (unlike the chemical-ridden stuff in the grocery store).

It has seven one-touch programs for ice cream, sorbet, gelato, milkshakes, smoothie bowls, and more, taking all the guesswork out of getting the perfect consistency. The machine also comes with a pint container, a lid, a storage lid, and a recipe book to help you get started.

Hey, insomniacs: Get the award-winning Hatch smart alarm at a record-low price

Mashable - Mon, 07/15/2024 - 09:11

TL;DR: In this early Prime Day deal, you can get the Hatch Restore 2 sunrise alarm clock at the record-low price of $144.95, a 28% discount. As a Prime Day deal, it's exclusive to Prime members.

Opens in a new window Credit: Hatch Hatch Restore 2 sunrise alarm clock $144.99 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $55.00 Get Deal

Are you still using your phone as your alarm clock? You know it's terrible for your sleep cycle, but it's just so darn easy to set alarms (and inevitably hit the snooze button) on your smartphone. We get it, and we're not judging. But there is a better way to go to sleep at night and wake up in the morning.

The Hatch Restore 2 is an award-winning piece of sleep tech. This smart sunrise alarm clock doesn't just wake you up in the morning with gentle alarm tones and warm light. It also works as a white-noise machine. This alarm clock comes pre-loaded with nature sounds, white noise, pink noise, and other natural soundscapes that can make it easier to fall and stay asleep. And when it's time to wake up, you can create a gentle wakeup routine that's fully customizable in the Hatch app.

As mentioned above, this smart alarm has never been this affordable—for Prime members. It's even more affordable at Amazon than at the official Hatch online store. Use your Prime membership to save $55 on this sleep system. And if the price is turning you off, check out the new smart alarm clock from Amazon — the new Echo Spot alarm — also on sale for just $45.

This sunrise alarm doubles as a white noise machine. Credit: Hatch

The Hatch Restore 2 displays the time, but this clock dims at night. With all of its powers combined, this smart alarm clock promises to support your body's natural circadian rhythms. It's also easy to turn your alarms on and off, and soon you might be so well rested that you don't want to use a "snooze" button ever again.

Finally, you can also use the Hatch Restore 2 and companion Hatch app as a meditation buddy. While a Hatch+ membership isn't free, a low-cost membership gives you access to additional features, guided meditation, and soothing sleep stories. However, you can access all the core features of this smart sunrise alarm clock without a paid membership, so don't worry.

Featuring WiFi and Bluetooth connectivity, this innovative piece of sleep tech could be your key to a better night's sleep. As of this writing, it's one of Amazon's best early Prime Day deals.

'House of the Dragon' brought back a little legend for Season 2, episode 5

Mashable - Mon, 07/15/2024 - 07:56

This week, House of the Dragon brought back a teeny, tiny cameo from who fans are calling "the only loyal character in the entire show." Yep, it's the dog.

In Season 2, episode 5, "Regent," the HBO series took at least one shot to champion the mistreated canine from episode 1. The dog was kicked by his owner, the ratcatcher (Mark Stobbart), during the abhorrent assassination on the child heir to the Iron Throne, Jaehaerys Targaryen. The moment had viewers irate, spewing vitriol against the doomed ratter for abusing his loyal pooch.

SEE ALSO: 'House of the Dragon' Season 2, episode 4: Pay attention to the dogs at Harrenhal

In episode 2, we saw the dog nobly sitting at the foot of his now-dead master, hung by his neck on the walls of King's Landing among the city's other ratcatchers by order of King Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney). It's a grisly scene, and terrible PR for the Red Keep.

So, in episode 5, when the newly appointed Prince Regent Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) takes his spot at the head of the small council, one of his first orders is to "cut down the fucking ratcatchers." While the King's Hand Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) sees the job done, you can see the same dog sitting under a cart, presumably having been sitting there for the last four episodes.

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How long has the dog been there, really? Between then and now there's been the attempted assassination at Dragonstone, the Battle of the Burning Mill, the Battle at Rook's Rest, and more, so it's been a while. This dog is basically the Hachiko of King's Landing.

As the bodies drop into a wagon, pulled away by the Kingsguard, the dog gets up, whines, and follows the cart. This level of loyalty in the snake-filled House of the Dragon is rare, and didn't escape fans.

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Even George R.R. Martin himself has praised the dog, a character not in Fire and Blood the author said he wished he'd thought of:

"I am… ahem… not usually a fan of screenwriters adding characters to the source material when adapting a story. Especially not when the source material is mine. But that dog was brilliant," Martin wrote on his blog after episode 2.

"I was prepared to hate Cheese, but I hated him even more when he kicked that dog. And later, when the dog say at his feet, gazing up… that damn near broke my heart. Such a little thing… such a little dog… but his presence, the few short moments he was on screen, gave the ratcatcher so much humanity. Human beings are such complex creatures. The silent presence of that dog reminded us that even the worst of men, the vile and the venal, can love and be loved.

"I wish I’d thought of that dog. I didn’t, but someone else did. I am glad of that."

Westerosi dogs forever.

New episodes of House of the Dragon air Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.

'House of the Dragon' Season 2, episode 5: The moment Alicent *knows* what happened to Aegon

Mashable - Mon, 07/15/2024 - 07:21

Oh Alicent, with sons like these who needs Dragonstone-based enemies?

The fallout from the events of House of the Dragon Season 2, episode 4 make up the bulk of episode 5, following the near-fatal unsaddling of Aegon II Targaryen (Tom Glynn-Carney) by his brother Prince Aemond (Ewan Mitchell) on dragonback.

Now we know Aegon isn't quite dead, just extremely injured, enough to require Aemond's instalment as prince regent. But did the prince mean to kill his own brother? What exactly happened at Rook's Rest is at the forefront of their mother Alicent's (Olivia Cooke) mind in episode 5, and there's one particular moment in episode 5, "Regent," where we know she knows.

SEE ALSO: How 'House of the Dragon' Season 2 is different from George R.R. Martin's 'Fire and Blood' What happened at the end of episode 4?

During the brutal battle at Rook's Rest, Aegon and his dragon Sunfyre take on Rhaenys (Eve Best) riding Meleys, and the drunken king gets his ass served to him by the Queen Who Never Was. Aemond intercepts them on the colossal Vhagar. Problem is, when he gives Vhagar the order "dracarys" at the two fighting dragons, he does so knowing full well Aegon is also in the firing line.

While we can brush off Vhagar's chomping of Lucerys in the Season 1 finale as a rogue dragon act, this time it's Aemond's direct order.

Featured Video For You House of the Dragon Season 1: Everything you need to remember about Season 1 in 60 seconds

When we see Ser Criston Cole (Fabien Frankel) staggering about at the end of the battle, once Aegon and Sunfyre have fallen, he searches for the king and finds Aemond with him, holding his sword aloft, possibly poised to end his brother. When Aemond hears Cole call out as if to stop him, he sheathes the blade, and picks up Aegon's Valyrian steel catspaw dagger — previously owned by King Viserys (Paddy Considine). Nothing is said, Cole looks devastated, and Aemond walks off.

How does Alicent know what Aemond did?

At the start of episode 5, when Aegon's (still alive!) body is being semi-covertly brought through the streets of King's Landing, trailing after Meleys' unceremoniously severed head, Alicent and Aemond are watching from the Red Keep's walls. Alicent glances down trepidatiously at Aemond's belt, where Aegon's dagger sits prominently. Alicent knows this dagger well — it's the same one she came at Rhaenyra with in Season 1, episode 7, when she was gaslighting a continent about her heirs. It's also the same one Viserys had treasured, inscribed with King Aegon I's "Song of Ice and Fire" prophecy that speaks of "The Prince That Was Promised".

Oh "someone" has to rule, huh? Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO

Oh, Alicent knows what Aemond is capable of after Lucerys, and she's seen Aegon's blatant bullying of Aemond over the years. But would he actually fell his own brother, her son? Nothing is said between them, but Aemond hasn't exactly made his yearning for the Iron Throne a secret. Later standing over Aegon's bed as he's being treated, Aemond knowingly declares to a nearby Alicent, "Someone will have to rule in his stead."

Later, Alicent tries to get the truth of Aemond's part out of Cole, previously her lover, and he lies to her face. Then, at the small council, Alicent is publicly betrayed by Cole, who supports Aemond's claim to prince regent while Aegon lies incapacitated. It seems Cole saw the opportunity for jumping ship as soon as he realised he'd failed to protect the king.

Didn't see what happened in the gigantic dragon battle in the sky, huh? Credit: Ollie Upton / HBO

Between her constant undermining of the small council, this realisation of her son's true nature, and the truth bombs dropped by Rhaenyra (Emma D'Arcy) in episode 3 during their stealth meeting, Alicent must by now know she should hotfoot it out of there and join the Dragonstone crew.

Heleana also knows what's up

Nothing gets past Heleana (Phia Saban), who also realises what hand her brother had in her brother-husband's plight straight away. At the end of the episode, Aemond is standing unsubtly in front of the Iron Throne late at night, admiring its many swords, when the queen appears behind him.

"Was it worth the price?" Heleana asks her brother. Oh, she knows too.

However, Aemond's time as prince regent might not be as secure as he thought it was. In the last few moments of the episode, we hear Aegon's rasping voice say the word "mummy" as Alicent is leaving his room, though she doesn't hear it. If Aegon can talk, there's one other, particularly treasonous word he'll want to report to the small council, the one Aemond ordered toward him before he plunged to the forest below: "Dracarys."

New episodes of House of the Dragon air Sundays at 9 p.m. ET on HBO and Max.

'House of the Dragon' Season 2, episode 6 trailer faces a legendary dragon

Mashable - Mon, 07/15/2024 - 05:24
In the new teaser for "House of the Dragon" Season 2, episode 6, Rhaenyra Targaryen faces the legendary dragon Vermithor.

AT&T reportedly paid hacker $370,000 to delete stolen customer data

Mashable - Mon, 07/15/2024 - 05:00

AT&T reportedly paid a hacker over $370,000 to delete stolen customer data. In an unusual twist of events, the ransom may not have gone to those who actually conducted the breach.

Last Friday, AT&T revealed that an April data breach had exposed the call and text records of "nearly all" its customers, including phone numbers and the number of calls made. In its filing to the U.S. Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), AT&T stated that it has since beefed up its cybersecurity measures, and was working with law enforcement in investigating the incident.

SEE ALSO: New AT&T data breach impacts 'nearly all' customers

It now seems as though that isn't the only action AT&T has taken in connection with the hack. Wired reports that AT&T paid a ransom of 5.7 bitcoin to a member of hacking group ShinyHunters in mid May, equivalent to a little over $373,000 at the time of the transaction. In exchange for this payment, the hacker reportedly erased the stolen data from the cloud server where it had been stored, as well as provided video proof that this had been done.

There's no guarantee that the millions of people impacted by the recent massive AT&T hack are completely out of the woods though, as digital data can easily be copied. The security researcher who facilitated negotiations between AT&T and the hacker told Wired they believe the only complete copy of the stolen dataset was deleted. However, incomplete fragments may still be at large. 

Who is responsible for the AT&T hack?

There's also the lingering issue regarding exactly who was responsible for the initial breach. Speaking to Wired, the individual who obtained the ransom pointed the finger at known hacker John Binns, who was arrested in Turkey earlier this year due to his alleged involvement in the 2021 T-Mobile hack

Binns' alleged connection to the AT&T hack has not been officially confirmed, but the company's SEC filing stated that at least one individual involved had been arrested. 404 Media further reports that Binns has been linked to the AT&T breach.

The hacker claimed that Binns distributed samples of the data to other hackers, and that they would have attempted to extort a ransom from him rather than AT&T had he not been apprehended. Having initially demanded $1 million, they eventually accepted a lesser amount and had it transferred into their nominated cryptocurrency wallet. The hacker was reportedly able to access the cloud server on which Binns stored the hacked data, and deleted it from there.

While questions remain regarding whether the hacker who obtained the ransom was directly involved in the AT&T breach, their hacker group ShinyHunters has been behind some high profile hacks as of late. ShinyHunters recently demanded an $8 million ransom after conducting an enormous Ticketmaster hack earlier this year, which it stated includes the data of around 440,000 ticket holders for Taylor Swift's Eras Tour. Though ShinyHunters claimed that Ticketmaster's parent company Live Nation initially offered to pay $1 million in ransom, the company has denied offering the hackers any money at all.

The Ticketmaster and AT&T hacks have both been linked to a breach of third-party cloud storage provider Snowflake, of which the companies were clients. 

Even so, it seems as though AT&T has been having a tough time keeping its data secure even without Snowflake's help. An unrelated leak in March exposed data belonging to approximately 73 million current and former AT&T customers, including Social Security numbers and encrypted passwords.

Amazon Music Unlimited vs. Spotify Premium: A comparison

Mashable - Mon, 07/15/2024 - 05:00
Amazon Music Unlimited and Spotify Premium are at similar price points

Amazon Music and Spotify both have a free ad-supported and subscription listening tier.

For Prime members, Amazon Music Unlimited costs $9.99/month or $99 annually. Non-Prime members pay $10.99 monthly, and Spotify Premium costs $11.99 monthly. Both music services also have family plans. The Amazon Music Unlimited family plan allows for up to six people and costs $14.99 per month or $149 annually. Spotify offers a family plan for up to six people for $19.99 a month, in addition to a $5.99 student subscription and a $16.99 duo subscription.

Spotify raised its prices twice in the past year, from $9.99 in 2023 to its present price.

Amazon offers five months of Amazon Music Unlimited for free in conjunction with Prime Day.

SEE ALSO: Amazon just announced the exact dates of Prime Day 2024 Amazon Music Unlimited boasts higher sound quality

Amazon Music Unlimited's main advantage over Spotify Premium is its sound quality. While both music services feature compressed music for their free tier of subscribers, Amazon Music Unlimited listeners can listen to songs in SD, HD, Ultra HD, Dolby Atmos, or 360 reality audio when available. Meanwhile, Spotify has teased HiFi lossless audio since 2021 without ever releasing it.

While the differences between lossless and compressed audio quality might not be noticeable to the casual listener, Amazon Music Unlimited wins over Spotify for those looking for a listening experience akin to CD-quality.

Spotify's interface is more intuitive

Amazon Music and Spotify have similar app user interfaces, but Spotify's desktop version is miles ahead of Amazon Music's basic design. Spotify's desktop version is a feast for the eyes and features nearly identical usability to its app; you can even download music offline.

Spotify's personalization and social functions take the cake

Spotify has an unparalleled recommendations algorithm that allows users to follow other users and make collaborative playlists. While Amazon Music also features recommendations, they aren't as on the nose, and the music service lacks any of the social components that define Spotify's listening experience.

The verdict

Depending on your listening priorities, either could work for you. Spotify is the right fit if you prioritize music discovery and swapping playlists with friends. But if you're a diehard music-head who wants top-tier sound quality above all else, Amazon Music is for you.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 review: 23 hours of battery life? MacBooks are in trouble

Mashable - Mon, 07/15/2024 - 05:00

My jaw is still on the floor. You won't believe the battery life we recorded for the Surface Laptop 7, which is a part of Microsoft's "Surface" family that features a wide variety of devices, from tablets to convertibles. And quite frankly, I was never the biggest fan of Surface machines.

They all seem to be missing that je ne sais quoi — that X factor — that makes 'em stand out in the world of MacBooks, Lenovo ThinkPads, and Dell XPS series laptops. The competition was always quite stiff for the Surface family, with rivals offering more performance for the price.

The biggest hindrance to the Surface family's success was, sorry to say it, Intel. (Even when Microsoft decided to pack AMD chips inside their laptops, they performed significantly better than their Intel-based variants.)

"It's me! Hi! I'm the problem it's me," is what Intel should be saying, quoting Taylor Swift.

Now Microsoft has made the smart decision to ditch Intel for the Surface Laptop 7, which features a star chipset called Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite. Long story short, Qualcomm said the Snapdragon X Elite crushes MacBooks, particularly the models with the M3 chips — and it didn't tell a lie.

Did it make our best laptops list? Read on to find out.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 price and specs

The Surface Laptop 7 I tested for this review costs $1,999 via Amazon and comes with the following specs:

  • Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite CPU

  • Qualcomm Adreno GPU

  • 32GB of RAM

  • 1TB of SSD storage

  • 13.8-inch, 2496 x 1664-pixel resolution touchscreen with a 120Hz refresh rate

  • Windows 11 Home

If that's too much, Amazon is also selling a Microsoft Surface Laptop for just $1,199, but it comes with some downgrades, including 16GB of RAM, 512GB of SSD storage, and a Snapdragon X Plus chipset.

Opens in a new window Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 $1,999.99 at Amazon
Get Deal Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 design

The Surface Laptop 7 oozes sophistication and polished refinement. Personified, this Microsoft laptop would be the smooth-talking Wall Street banker, dressed in an all black suit, who says, "I'd like a whiskey neat, please."

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

The build quality is mint. The chassis, partially made from recycled aluminum, is sturdy with little to no give on the lid and deck. As a cherry on top, it doesn't collect too many fingerprints.

The review unit I have sports the Black colorway, looking as if it was draped in ink. There are three other color options, including Sapphire, Dune, and Platinum. Overall, the Surface Laptop 7 has a minimalist, subdued look, with the only eye-catching element being the slightly lustrous Microsoft logo on the lid.

The Surface Laptop 7 is light, too, coming in at 2.96 pounds. Its dimensions are 11.85 x 8.67 x 0.69 inches.

  • Surface Laptop 7 - 2.96 pounds

  • 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro - 3.4 pounds

  • 15-inch M3 MacBook Air - 3.3 pounds

For comparison, the 14-inch M3 MacBook Pro is heavier and thinner at 3.4 pounds and 0.61 inches thick. The 15-inch M3 MacBook Air is also heavier at 3.3 pounds, but significantly thinner (0.45 inches thick).

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 display

The Surface Laptop 7 comes in two sizes: 13-inch and 15-inch variants. I have the former, which sports a 13.8-inch panel (a step up from its predecessor's 13.5-inch screen).

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Plus, the bezels have slimmed down, too, for a more modern look. (Because, come on, large bezels are so passé.) The LCD display features a 2,304 x 1,536-pixel display with a dynamic 120Hz refresh rate. In other words, depending on your task, it can climb up to 120Hz (e.g., light gaming and other frenetic activities) while dropping down to 60Hz for less demanding activities.

The Surface Laptop 7 also features a 3:2 aspect ratio, which means the screen is more tall than it is wide. Emanating about 600 nits of brightness, the Surface Laptop 7 passed my "sunny day" test. Yes, its display can be seen in bright environments, but the screen is quite reflective. (You could somewhat see yourself while using the screen, even with the panel cranked up to max brightness.) As such, the Surface Laptop 7 could benefit from an antireflective coating on the display.

I watched the Gladiator 2 trailer on YouTube, and the Surface Laptop 7 delivers rich, pungent colors. But compared to my 15-inch M3 MacBook Air, it could stand to be a tinge sharper and more crisp. For example, Denzel Washington, playing as Macrinus, is draped in a Roman grab with vivid red, gold, and purple hues, but the leopard print portion of his getup appeared to be more detailed and sharper on my MacBook.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 ports

The Surface Laptop 7 is a bit selfish with its ports, but my MacBook Air is worse; it doesn't even have legacy ports like USB Type-A.

The Surface Connector on the Surface Laptop 7 Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

So perhaps the Microsoft's offerings aren't too bad.

On the left side:

  • USB Type-A port (3.2 Gen 1)

  • Two USB4 Type-C ports

  • 3.5mm headphone jack

On the right side:

  • Microsoft's proprietary Surface Connect port

Like the MagSafe 3 connector for MacBooks, the Surface Connect port is proprietary. It lets you charge the Surface Laptop 7, freeing up the other ports for displays, peripherals, and more. This model doesn't have a microSDXC card slot, but you can find one on the 15-inch model.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 audio

The Surface Laptop 7 has MacBook-beating performance and power efficiency, but it cannot match the stunning sound quality you get on an Apple laptop.

I fired up "Not Like Us" by Kendrick Lamar via Spotify, and while the audio can get pretty loud at max volume, the diss track didn't sound very impactful on the Surface Laptop 7's speaker set up. The tune lacked bass and that rich depth you get from a MacBook Air or MacBook Pro.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 keyboard and trackpad

If I could rate the Surface Laptop 7's keyboard, I'd give it a — well — 7. The keyboard's key travel is a bit shallow as you'd imagine for a thin-and-slim laptop, but there is still enough snappiness and tactile feedback to gracefully launch my fingers from one keycap to another.

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

The touchpad, compared to the last iteration, now has precision haptic capabilities. This means you'll receive reliable click feedback across the entire surface. It felt a bit stiff out of the box, as if I needed to exert more effort than usual to move the cursor around the screen. However, this can be remedied by going to Settings > Bluetooth & devices > Touchpad > Cursor speed.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 benchmarks and performance

The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 comes equipped with the showstopping Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite chip. As mentioned at the outset, Qualcomm has been boasting that it can beat the M3 MacBooks. We ran Geekbench 6, which stress tests the CPU, to validate Qualcomm's claims.

Surface Laptop 7 - 11,875

M3 MacBook Pro - 11,998

M3 MacBook Air - 12,170

You can squeeze more performance out of the Surface Laptop 7 by switching the power mode to "best performance," which eked out an incredible multi-core score of 14,586.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 battery life

I couldn't believe my eyes. The Surface Laptop 7, on our 1080p video rundown test, lasted 22 hours and 50 minutes on a charge. That's nearly 23 hours.

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

As of this writing, this is the longest battery life we've ever recorded for a Windows laptop in recent years.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 webcam

The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 has a 1080p camera located on the top bezel, which also has an IR sensor for Windows Hello facial authentication.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

The webcam is a bit of potato. It's giving watercolor vibes; it's a bit fuzzy and lacks crispness. On the plus side, it renders color relatively well, accurately picking up my complexion and the bright colors on my shirt.

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 compatibility issues

I tried to download the Apple Music app from the Microsoft Store, but it doesn't surface (no pun intended) in search results. As it turns out, the Apple Music app doesn't support the Surface Laptop 7 (though it supports other non-Windows-on-ARM PCs I've tested). For the uninitiated, the Surface Laptop 7 has an ARM chip (hence why it's called Windows-on-ARM), and in order for software to run its smoothest on PC, developers must create ARM64 native apps.

For example, apps like Photoshop, Dropbox, Zoom, Prime, Spotify, Hulu, and Chrome all have native apps on Windows-on-ARM PCs. Apps that don't have native support require emulation with Microsoft's Prism (a translation framework). However, Apple Music isn't available on the Surface Laptop 7 whatsoever, so my guess is that Apple simply hasn't allowed support for it just yet. (According to Reddit, you can sideload it to your PC, though.)

I haven't spotted any other compatibility issues during my normal workflow, but one website claims that some games like Fortnite and Dirt 5 are not playable on Window-on-ARM PCs. However, this doesn't faze me much; the Surface Laptop 7 isn't a gaming laptop. (But if you like to bend the rules, you can definitely get away with some light gaming, as long as the titles are compatible).

Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 AI features

The Snapdragon X Elite chip is a power-efficiency champ and a performance beast, and on top of that, it boosts the Surface Laptop 7's AI capabilities with an NPU, a dedicated processor designed to shoulder all the AI-related tasks.

This makes the Surface Laptop 7 a Copilot+ PC, allowing users to play around with fun features like Cocreator on Paint.

For example, I was able to draw a rough sketch of a pink flamingo with heels on Paint, only for the new-and-improved AI-powered app to recognize my drawing and fix it into a more sophisticated masterpiece of a fancy, rose-colored bird.

Using Cocreator on the Surface Pro 11 Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Basically, Cocreator is the let-me-turn-your-ugly-doodle-into-something-pretty AI feature.

I tried the "Renaissance" art style on my selfie via the new AI-powered Photos app. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

In the Photos app, you can transform your images into a number of different art styles, from anime to watercolor. However, I noticed many of the styles would only apply the style to the background of my selfie due to a high risk of distortion.

I tried the "Papercraft" art style on my selfie via the new AI-powered Photos app. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

You can even make an image from scratch with the Image Creator feature. Check out what it spat out with a prompt that said, "A beautiful bride celebrating her wedding on roller skates in a bowling alley."

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Faces are definitely distorted, but it got the gist of what I wanted to convey visually.

The controversial Recall utility, a feature I like to call the "CTRL + H" of your entire digital life, has been delayed. Once it does get released, it will only be available in Preview for Windows Insiders.

Is the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 worth it?

With nearly 23 hours of battery life and MacBook-beating performance, of course this Microsoft laptop is worth it. The Surface Laptop 7 is the longest-lasting Windows laptop we've tested in 2024, blowing my expectations out of the water.

The Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 combines a sleek design, a powerful Snapdragon X Elite chipset, and the longest battery life for ultimate productivity and AI-powered creativity. Apple must be sweating through its armpits with the launch of the Surface Laptop 7 because — holy cow — this is one hell of a laptop.

Its power and energy efficiency is serious, but its AI-boosted apps makes Windows fun again. For the first time in a long time, the preinstalled apps on a Windows PC are offering attention-stealing entertainment. It makes me feel like a kid again.

Starting at just $999, if you're OS agnostic and have no allegiance to macOS, I can't believe I'm saying this, but the Surface Laptop 7 is the better choice over M3 MacBooks.

To answer my question at the outset, yes, the Surface Laptop 7 has earned a spot on our best laptops list.

Opens in a new window Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 $1,999.99 at Amazon
Get Deal

Charge all your Apple devices at the same time on a portable dock for just $15

Mashable - Mon, 07/15/2024 - 05:00

TL;DR: Charge multiple Apple devices at once with a Waloo portable charging dock on sale for $14.99 (reg. $24.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: Waloo Waloo Portable & Foldable Charging Dock $14.99 at The Mashable Shop
$24.99 Save $10.00 Get Deal

If you're sick of all the wires needed to power your devices, this portable charging hub is a sleek, all-in-one solution that keeps your devices organized and charged without the mess of tangled cables. 

You can get the Waloo portable, foldable charging dock for Apple devices on sale for only $14.99 (reg. $24.99) for a limited time.

No more hunting for multiple chargers to get your devices to 100%. The Waloo dock supports charging for your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods all at once, making it ideal for those who value convenience and efficiency. It easily folds for portability, ensuring you stay powered up wherever you are — perfect for your morning commute or vacation. 

Setting up your charging station is a breeze. Just unfold the dock, plug it in, and place your devices on it. No complicated instructions, no hassle — just functionality. 

It's important to note that this dock only works with iPhones and AirPods that charge with Lightning cables, and is not compatible with devices that use USB-C.

Normally $24.99, you can get the Waloo portable and folding charging dock on sale for only $14.99 for a limited time.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

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