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Marques Brownlee, also known as MKBHD, is a tech-focused content creator with nearly 20 million YouTube subscribers, renowned for his reviews of the latest gadgets.

He has dunked on the likes of the Humane Ai Pin and the Rabbit R1 with titles like "The Worst Product I've Ever Reviewed" and "Barely Reviewable," but praised the Apple Vision Pro (despite calling it flawed), OnePlus 12, and other products.

However, the seasoned, and arguably respected, tech reviewer recently released a new wallpaper app called Panels. And if X (formerly Twitter) is anything to go by (and the Apple App Store reviews), the reception for the app has been poor.

Even Jesse Lyu, the CEO behind Rabbit R1, appeared to display some schadenfreude over the wave of criticism Brownlee has faced online, sharing the following meme with his followers.

Tweet may have been deleted

The meme depicts Brownlee as the grim reaper, poking fun at how some critics perceive the YouTuber as a "startup killer" with his candid reviews. (When Brownlee reviewed the Humane Ai Pin, for example, there was chatter about whether his harshness thwarts the growth of small-time gadget makers.)

The meme shows Humane Ai Pin co-founder Imran Chaudhri, Lyu, and Apple CEO Tim Cook being victims of Brownlee's sharp tongue. Interestingly, the last person of the lineup is Brownlee himself, implying that the YouTuber's latest venture should be subjected to his own brutal critiques.

MKBHD's new Panels app gets poor reviews

It's not just Lyu, however, who has been trolling Brownlee. The Panels app, revealed in Brownlee's new iPhone 16 review video, is designed to offer a curated collection of high-res wallpapers from artists.

Credit: Apple

"I'm so pumped to be launching this app!" Brownlee said in a Sept. 23 X post. "People have asked where I get wallpapers FOREVER, so this is the answer, now and forever: PANELS!"

However, the replies underneath Brownlee's post don't appear to match his enthusiasm.

"Pretty disappointed in this," Ian Zelbo said. "Doesn’t have the polish / design I’d expect. Seems like something that’s been on the App Store already that you slapped your name on. Ads everywhere and it just all feels like a cash grab to me"

"The app is trash, you can get better, high-res wallpapers for free right here and many other accounts on X," Corbin Williams said.

"This damages your brand," said Alex Kehr. "It's crazy that the #1 tech reviewer known for advocating for quality and usefulness would release a cash-grab subscription app with terrible UI design, filled with ads, and offering mediocre wallpapers."

"Delete this garbage and pretend it was a joke," bl0rq suggested.

Based on the replies, as The Verge pointed out, it appears that users are unhappy that the iOS version of Panels asks whether it can track users' activity. One of the data points that it reportedly monitors is location. (Though, as you'll read later, Brownlee refutes this claim.)

On top of that, the app requires users to sign up for a $49.99 annual subscription or an $11.99-per-month membership. There are some wallpapers you can access for free, but only a few — and they're in standard definition (not high-res). But first, to access them, users have to watch two advertisements.

"$50/yr for WALLPAPERS?! And not a single high-res wallpaper downloadable for free with ads? Love team MKBHD and all, but that’s crazy," Nevan said.

"Half of your reviews are like 'uh it’s expensive and it doesn’t really do anything' lol you should review yourself," cometcalls said.

MKBHD responds to feedback

As a result of the feedback, Brownlee posted a tweet on Sept. 24 that, in part, said, "I hear you!"

In response to privacy concerns, Brownlee said the following: "First thing we're doing is fixing the excessive data disclosures, as people rightfully brought up. For transparency, we'd never actually ask for your location, internet history, etc. The data disclosures (that everyone is screenshotting) is likely too broad, and largely driven by what the ad networks suggest."

In regards to pricing, Brownlee said that delivering value for the premium version is a personal challenge — and he plans to dial back ad frequency for the free experience, with more updates to come.

The Panels app isn't MKBHD's first foray into an entrepreneurial venture. For example, Brownlee has collaborated with Atoms for a sneaker line as well as accessories maker Ridge.

The road ahead for Brownlee’s Panels app seems uncertain, but with a dedicated following and a promise of improvements, there’s still hope for redemption.

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

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for September 26's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

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

Tweet may have been deleted

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for September 26 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Decorations on the seams of something

• Green: Addition

• Blue: Ways a drink can be prepared

• Purple: Types of strings

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

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

• Yellow: Decorative Edge

• Green: Increase, In A Way

• Blue: Specifications for a Bartender

• Purple: String___

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #473 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Decorative Edge: BORDER, FRILL, FRINGE, TRIM

• Increase, In A Way: GROW, MOUNT, SWELL, WAX

• Specifications for a Bartender: DRY, NEAT, STRAIGHT, VIRGIN

• String___: BEAN, BIKINI, CHEESE, THEORY

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

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

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

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

One of OpenAI’s highest profile executives, she’s among a series of longtime managers and researchers to leave the start-up in recent months.

Coming soon to Google Earth: Time travel.

According to Google, some new updates on the way to the company's satellite imagery platform Google Earth, will allow users to "travel back in time" and view satellite and aerial images that go as far back as 80 years ago.

Google Earth lets you explore more of the past

In its update announcement, Google says some cities, including London, Berlin, Warsaw and Paris, will have imagery dating back to the 1930s. As of right now, most locations on Google Earth go no further back than just a few decades ago. The new changes will double the time frame for even those locations.

San Francisco in 1938 Credit: Google San Francisco in 2024 Credit: Google

Google Earth users will be able to go back in time and compare those historical photos with current ones too. Google gives an example of comparing the San Francisco of 1938 with 2024 and seeing how much the geography of the region changed. In the sample photos provided by Google, one can see how in the 1938 photo, ports in San Francisco were used mainly for shipping. The same location in more recent photos are filled with restaurants and cruise ships.

The historical imagery will be available for Google Earth users on both web and mobile.

Google's developer blog says that these updates should be rolled out in the "upcoming weeks" In addition to the historical satellite and aerial imagery, Google also announced it was expanding Street View on Google Maps in almost 80 countries. The company will also improve image quality by sharpening imagery on Google Earth and Google Maps using new AI models.

The Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses are entering a new market, as the company announces a new collaboration with accessibility service provider Be My Eyes that will help wearers get the assistance they need.

Be My Eyes provides free human and AI support for users who are blind or have low vision, pairing them with sighted volunteer helpers who can describe a visual field or object, read text, navigate a space, or answer questions in real time.

With a brand new integration of the accessibility app and the tech giant's wearable, Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses owners can now use the Be My Eyes “Call a Volunteer” experience entirely using voice commands. All they need to do is say out loud, “Hey Meta, Call a Volunteer on Be My Eyes” to be paired with multilingual audio or video support.

Users can toggle between their glasses and smartphone cameras, as well, allowing volunteer and user to communicate in a variety of ways.

SEE ALSO: Everything announced at Meta Connect 2024

The Meta and Be My Eyes collaboration is a big first for the company, as it's tech wasn't previously compatible with smart glasses or other hands-free devices.

"Our collaboration with Meta launches an experience that addresses something that our community of blind and low-vision users has been requesting for a long time, namely hands-free access to our services." wrote Be My Eyes CEO Mike Buckley. "The Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses have enabled that, and with our integration we have now opened a gateway to unprecedented levels of accessibility, unlocking new opportunities for those navigating their daily lives. And this is just the beginning."

In the past, Be My Eyes has partnered with companies like Google and Microsoft to expand their reach, and have grown in popularity over the last several years — the app now has more than 7 million volunteers. In 2023, the company announced an entirely new venture to support the demand: generative AI. In partnership with OpenAI and ChatGPT, Be My Eyes launched its AI-powered virtual volunteer to provide instant chat-based support.

Meta is sprucing up its Ray-Ban smart glasses in other ways, too, including a complete suite of new AI features and collaborations. Users will be able to ask the Meta AI what they're looking at in more detail, ask for help finding where their car is parked, send messages, and translate speech in real-time. And those who get their music or audiobook fixes on Spotify, Amazon Music, Audible, and iHeart can more easily find and play their favorite content.

"Call a Volunteer" on Ray-Ban glasses will be available soon, rolling out first to users in the U.S., Canada, UK, Ireland, and Australia.

In the race to make truly useful AI for a mass audience, Meta just jumped forward a few key steps — including AI's ability to "see" objects and provide live, lip-synched translations.

At the Meta Connect developers' conference, CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled the latest version of Llama. That's the open-source Large Language Model (LLM) powering the AI chatbot in the company's main services: Facebook, WhatsApp, Messenger, and Instagram.

Given that reach, Zuckerberg described Meta AI as "the most-used AI assistant in the world, probably," with about 500 million active users. The service won't be available in the European Union yet, given that Meta hasn't joined the EU's AI pact, but Zuckerberg said he remains "eternally optimistic that we can figure that out."

SEE ALSO: Where to preorder the Meta Quest 3S

He's also optimistic that the open-source Llama — a contrast to Google's Gemini and OpenAI's GPT, both proprietary closed systems — will become the industry standard. "Open source is the most cost-effective and the most customizable," Zuckerberg said. Llama is "sort of the Linux of AI."

Meta AI edits photos by text

But what can you do with it? "It can understand images as well as text," Zuckerberg added — showing how a photo could be manipulated simply by asking the Llama chatbot to make edits. "My family now spends a lot of time taking photos and making them more ridiculous."

Voice chat is now rolling out to all versions of Meta AI, including voices from celebrities such as Judi Dench, John Cena and Awkafina. Another user-friendly update: When using Meta AI's voice assistant with its glasses, you no longer have to use the words "hey Meta" or "look and tell me."

SEE ALSO: Meta Connect 2024: Meta’s Orion AR glasses unveiled

Zuckerberg and his executives also demonstrated a number of use cases. For example, a user can set up Meta AI to provide pre-recorded responses to frequently asked questions over video. You can use it to remember where you parked. Or you can ask it to suggest items in your room that might help to accessorize a dress.

The most notable, and possibly most useful feature: live translation. Currently available in Spanish, French, Italian and English, the AI will automatically repeat what the other person said in your chosen language. Zuckerberg, who admitted that he doesn't really know Spanish, demonstrated this feature by having an awkward conversation live on stage with UFC fighter Brandon Moreno.

Slightly more impressive was the live translation option on Reels, and other Meta videos. The AI will synchronize the speakers' lips so they look like they're actually speaking the language you're hearing. Nothing creepy about that at all.

If you do a quick online search for Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses right now, you'll find that the wearable is mostly marketed for its quick photo capturing and livestreaming capabilities.

However, at the Meta Connect 2024 event on Wednesday, Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg didn't have too much to say about photos and videos during the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses section of the presentation.

SEE ALSO: Everything announced at Meta Connect 2024

In fact, Zuckerberg introduced the Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses primarily as an AI device.

"Glasses are a new AI device category," Zuckerberg said, noting that his company has just caught up with the consumer demand for Meta smart glasses after sales took off faster than he said he expected.

Aside from a new limited edition Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses device with clear transparent frames, there weren't any new smart glasses hardware announcements from Meta. 

Credit: Meta

However, Zuckerberg did share several new features that he said were coming to the Meta smart glasses in a set of updates releasing over the next couple of months — all of them AI related.

Meta AI is already integrated into Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses in much the same way other companies' voice assistant's are integrated into their devices. But, according to Zuckerberg, new updates will make these interactions "more natural and conversational."

"Hey Meta" instead of "Look and tell me."

For example, currently, users have to prompt their Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses with the phrase "look and tell me" when they have a question. Zuckerberg's demo showcased how users will no longer have to do that. Users will just need to activate the feature with the "Hey Meta" prompt and then ask their question. Meta AI will automatically know the question is in regards to whatever the user is looking at through the glasses.

Furthermore, after the initial "Hey Meta," Meta AI will no longer require that users start each prompt with that phrase. Meta AI will be able to continue interacting with users.

Live Translation on Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses 

The latter feature is similar to what's been seen in other smart glasses when it comes to translations. A user can access live real-time audio translations of another language through the glasses when conversing with another person. The demo seemed to work nearly perfectly at Meta Connect when translating from Spanish to English and English to Spanish.

Credit: Meta Multimodal AI prompts

Zuckerberg explained the multimodal video AI feature through a demo showing a user trying on outfits to wear. Through this feature, Meta AI was able to offer fashion advice and suggestions based on the user's outfit and their specific question about it.

Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses will also soon be able to automatically remember things for users. The example showcased at Meta Connect involved Meta AI recalling the parking space number where the user parked their car. The user did not have to prompt Meta AI to do that. It naturally appeared to remember the number because the user viewed it through the glasses.

Credit: Meta

Adding on to that feature is a similar Meta AI capability where Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses users will soon be able to look at a flier or advertisement and ask the smart glasses to call the phone number or scan the relevant QR code. The glasses can also automatically remember those things as well if a user wants to go back to what they previously viewed through the glasses at a later time.

Other updates coming to Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses include the ability to voice control Spotify and Amazon Music through the device as well as new integrations with apps like Audible and iHeartRadio.

Partnership with Be My Eyes for blind and low vision users Credit: Meta

Meta also announced a partnership with Be My Eyes, a mobile app that connects blind and low-vision people with volunteers via live video to talk through what's in front of them. The app will work directly through Ray-Ban Meta Smart Glasses and volunteers will be able to see through the user's glasses in order to provide assistance.

Google and Roblox are teaming up to combine the worlds of play and internet safety, as the companies announce a brand new gaming experience teaching young Roblox players how to better navigate the internet.

Be Internet Awesome World, a new initiative of Google's Be Internet Awesome program, invites young users into a colorful, magical world full of "Internauts" who help players work through real-world scenarios and online risks. It's a reimagining of the tech company's current safety curriculum, developed alongside organizations like the Family Online Safety Institute, the Internet KeepSafe Coalition, and Connect Safely.

"Roblox is one of the most popular online gaming platforms, with over 79.5 million daily active users," wrote Google. "Working with Roblox helps Google to reach kids where they’re already spending time to teach them the basics of online safety."

SEE ALSO: X just released its first transparency report in years. Here's what they aren't saying.

As they play through the various in-world games — which see avatars flying through forests and navigating desert castles — players will learn important safety tips and critical thinking skills related to a variety of internet safety topics, including how to identify phishing attempts and opportunities to practice how to be a kind and thoughtful digital citizen, explained the company.

Google's learning-through-gaming strategy joins other efforts to address continued threats to young people online. The company announced a $10 million Teen Mental Health Initiative in August, and has previously launched tailored AI literacy resources for teens and beyond. These efforts come in response to growing concern about the negative impact of both bad actors and digital technologies on children's wellbeing.

Meta's big event, called Meta Connect, took place on Wednesday and with it came lots of news.

While it might not draw the same excitement as an Apple Event, it certainly wasn't without headlines and developments. Chief among them: the Meta Quest 3S and the Orion glasses.

Mashable covered all the big news in detail. Here's everything that was announced as well as links to further coverage and more in-depth analysis.

Meet the Meta Quest 3S

Meta announced its new headset that promised good performance at a reduced price. The Quest 3S starts at $299.99, which is hundreds of bucks cheaper than Meta's other headsets. You should be still be able to do all the main attractions of an AR-headset, however, like play games and watch movies.

The Meta Quest 3S is available to preorder now.

Meta's AI gets the celeb treatment

Didn't you always want an AI assistant with a celebrity voice? Well, even if you didn't, it's here. Meta AI will now be able to answer questions out loud in the voice of a number of famous folks like John Cena, Awkwafina, Dame Judi Dench, Keegan-Michael Key, and Kristen Bell.

Mashable's Christianna Silva has all the details.

Meta's Ray-Ban glasses get AI updates

Meta announced a number of improvements to their Ray-Ban glasses. The glasses already featured cameras for taking photos and videos, as well as the capability to listen to audio. But now the AI features should be able to help with things like remembering where you parked your car, record or send messages, and translate speech in real-time.

Story is developing and will be updated.

At Meta Connect, Mark Zuckerberg introduced Orion, Meta’s cutting-edge AR glasses that the company hopes might reshape the future of computing. Unlike traditional AR headsets, the Orion glasses are purportedly lightweight at less than 100 grams, and feature a wide field-of-view holographic display.

Orion lets users interact with virtual objects overlaid on the real world, all without isolating them from their surroundings.

SEE ALSO: Meta Quest 3S announced, adds cheaper headset to Meta line

Orion’s display architecture uses tiny projectors in the arms of the glasses to beam light into waveguide lenses, creating holograms at various depths and sizes. One of early testers shown during the presentation called it "the craziest technology" they’ve ever experienced. Other reactions shown during a montage Zuckerberg shared during his keynote were similarly ecstatic.

The glasses are designed to keep users connected to the physical world while interacting with digital content, allowing for everything from viewing messages to playing holographic games.

Credit: Meta

The glasses, currently codenamed Orion, will initially serve as a developer kit for internal use and select partners. Zuckerberg says Meta aims to refine its software and build diverse content before launching a consumer-ready version. With features like eye and hand-tracking, voice control, and a "neural interface" controlled by a wrist device, Orion offers a seamless, hands-free way to interact with the digital world.

Meta seems to be focused on perfecting the technology for a mainstream audience, rather than releasing a retail product. The current iteration won’t be made available to consumers, but Zuckerberg said future versions will be more fashionable and affordable.

"Orion is a time machine," Zuckerberg said. "These glasses exist. They are awesome. And they are a glimpse of a future that I think is going to be pretty exciting."

One of the best early (or early-ish) VR headsets is dead.

Meta has discontinued the Quest 2 and Quest Pro headsets, as reported by TechCrunch. The news came shortly after the reveal of the new Quest 3S, which starts at $299 and more or less negates the Quests 2 and Pro with its inclusion of full-color passthrough and mixed reality features.

SEE ALSO: Meta Quest 3S announced, adds cheaper headset to Meta line

While the Quest 2 wasn't the first VR headset to work without a powerful gaming PC (obviously, there was a Quest 1), its sub-$500 price tag (which included controllers) at launch in 2019 made it an incredibly appealing option for the VR-curious. For many, the Quest 2 may have provided their first VR experience. The Quest Pro never seemed to catch on quite as much, most likely due to its $1,499 price tag, but its full-color passthrough and AR features felt ahead of their time.

SEE ALSO: Where to preorder the Meta Quest 3S

But the Quest 3S seems, on paper, better than both without being overwhelmingly expensive. At least there's that.

The Federal Trade Commission announced Tuesday a new law enforcement effort called Operation AI Comply. As part of the sweep, it took action against multiple companies that used artificial intelligence to "supercharge" deceptive products and services.

The cases involved AI-generated fake reviews, "the world's first robot lawyer," and online storefront schemes.

The FTC said in a statement that consumers lost tens of millions of dollars, lured by the promise that AI-enabled problem-solving and automation would save them time, money, and, in the e-commerce cases, lead to increased earnings.

Ultimately, the companies didn't deliver on their claims, and knew they were deceiving customers.

"Using AI tools to trick, mislead, or defraud people is illegal," said Lina M. Khan, the agency's chair. "The FTC's enforcement actions make clear that there is no AI exemption from the laws on the books."

SEE ALSO: Could an AI chatbot talk you out of believing a conspiracy theory?

The FTC's complaint against Rytr, the company that offered the AI writing service, describes how subscribers could generate effectively fake reviews that had no basis in their user's input. The FTC said that, in many cases, the AI-generated reviews included false information that would deceive consumers interested in purchasing a certain product. Some of Rytr's subscribers created thousands of reviews that potentially featured inaccuracies.

The FTC argued that Rytr offered a service capable of disseminating a "glut of fake reviews that would harm both consumers and honest competitors." The FTC has proposed barring Rytr from advertising, promoting, marketing, or selling a service related to generating consumer reviews or testimonials in the future. The agency banned AI-generated and fake reviews in August.

As part of Operation AI Comply, the FTC took action against DoNotPay, a company that told consumers its AI robot could help them "sue for assault without a lawyer" and "generate perfectly valid legal documents in no time." While the company billed the service as "the world's first robot lawyer," it didn't conduct testing to compare its AI chatbot to a human lawyer. Nor did it have attorneys on staff.

Instead, the company told customers that it could check a small business's website for violations of federal and state law, a feature that was not effective.

The FTC also filed complaints against three companies that preyed on people looking to open online storefronts, including on TikTok, Walmart, Amazon, and Etsy. These business typically charged a significant fee to start an online store powered by proprietary software and AI that could boost their earnings. Some customers were required to purchase inventory that didn't sell.

One company, FBA Machine, promised customers they could operate a "7-figure business" that would be "risk-free." It falsely guaranteed refunds to customers who fell short of recouping their initial investment, which the FTC said ranged from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars. In total, customers lost nearly $16 million to the scheme.

Another company, Ascend Ecom, told customers that they could start stores that would eventually produce a five-figure monthly income, thanks to its "cutting edge" AI tools. The FTC estimated that the scheme defrauded customers of at least $25 million.

Meta is launching a new entry-level version of its flagship virtual reality headset ahead of the holidays, and preorders begin today (Sept. 25).

Unveiled at the company's Connect developer conference Wednesday, the upcoming Meta Quest 3S is nearly identical to the Meta Quest 3, save for a couple of small downgrades — and a $200 cheaper price tag.

• The Quest 3S has a 1832 x 1920 resolution display with 773 pixels per inch (ppi) and 20 pixels per degree (ppd), as opposed to the 2064 x 2208 resolution display with 1218ppi and 25ppd on the Quest 3.

• The Quest 3S uses Fresnel lenses instead of pancake lenses.

• The Quest 3S has a smaller field of view (FOV) of 96 degrees horizontal/90 degrees vertical instead of 110 degrees horizontal/96 degrees vertical.

The Quest 3S is available for preorder on Meta's website ahead of its formal launch on Tuesday, Oct. 15. It starts at $299.99 for 128GB of storage — you can bump that to 256GB for $399.99 — and it comes bundled with two freebies: a three-month trial of Meta Quest+ and a copy of Batman: Arkham Shadow.

Opens in a new window Credit: Meta Meta Quest 3S (128GB) $299.99 at Meta.com
Pre-Order Here

"Quest 3S is the best headset for those new to mixed reality and immersive experiences, or who might have been waiting for a low-cost upgrade from Quest and Quest 2," Meta said in a press release.

Meta also announced a price adjustment for the standard Quest 3 as part of its presentation. The 512GB model now starts at $499.99, down $150 from its original launch price. (The 128GB base configuration was no longer available on the Meta website at the time of writing.)

The arrival of the Quest 3S also marks the discontinuation of Meta's Quest 2 from 2020 and Quest Pro from 2022, TechCrunch reported.

This story is developing.

You can finally ask a question and get the answer in John Cena's voice.

Mark Zuckerberg announced at the Meta Connect 2024 developer conference that Meta's AI assistant, Meta AI, can respond back to questions you ask out loud on Instagram, Messenger, WhatsApp, and Facebook.

These voice responses, Zuckerberg said, will be "one of if not the most frequent ways we interact with AI." And it'll answer in AI clones of celebrities including John Cena, Awkwafina, Dame Judi Dench, Keegan-Michael Key, and Kristen Bell.

According to The Wall Street Journal, it's been a pretty expensive endeavor, costing Meta millions to use the likenesses of these celebrities. This comes just a few months after Meta axed its Meta AI celebrity avatars, those odd characters "embodied by celebrities" like Kendall Jenner, Snoop Dogg, and Tom Brady.

Meta debuted its new, cheaper headset during its Connect event on Wednesday. Dubbed the Meta Quest 3S, the company promised it has great performance despite the lower price.

Mark Zuckerberg himself announced the Quest 3S at the Meta Connect event. It costs $299.99, which is a steep discount on the newly reduced-price $499.99 Meta Quest 3 or $999.99 Meta Quest Pro.

SEE ALSO: Meta discontinues the Quest 2 and Quest Pro after revealing Quest 3S

Meta said the headset could do pretty much anything most folks want to use a headset for, such as watch a movie, immerse yourself in a concert, or play games.

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Meta has a detailed page on the different specs of its headset line. Here are the basic specs of the Quest 3S:

• Snapdragon XR2 Gen2 chip

• 8GB RAM

• 128GB or 256GB storage

• 1832x1920 screen resolution

• 90Hz or 120Hz refresh rate

• 96 degrees by 90 degrees field of view

• Fresnel lenses

You're probably wondering how that differs from the Quest 3. The chipset and RAM are the same across both devices, but everything else is a little different. There is no 512GB storage option as there is with Quest 3. In addition, the displays are worse across the board; their resolutions and fields of view are lower, while the refresh rate isn't quite as variable. It also uses Fresnel lenses rather than pancake lenses.

SEE ALSO: Where to preorder the Meta Quest 3S

"Quest 3S is a big step in making mixed reality more accessible, and we hope you’re as excited as we are about the future of this technology," the company said in a statement.

With the discontinuation of the Quest 2 and Quest Pro, it seems like the Quest 3S is your new affordable VR headset of choice.

SAVE $60: Through Sept. 28, the Keurig K-Classic coffee maker is on sale for just $79.99 at Target for Target Circle members (membership is free). That's a savings of 43% and beats other competing retailers.

Opens in a new window Credit: Keurig Keurig K-Classic coffee maker $79.99 at Target
$139.99 Save $60.00 with free Target Circle membership Get Deal

Sometimes, you don't have time for that fancy Chemex or French Press. That's where Keurig coffee makers truly shine. For the busy bees looking to save some time during their morning routine, Keurig machines let you press a button and get a cup of joe in less than a minute.

The Keurig K-Classic is on sale for just $79.99 at Target for Circle members (membership is free) through Sept. 28. That's about 43% off its current retail price of $139.99, and the cheapest you'll find it across all the major retailers. It's currently full price at Amazon, on sale for $99.99 at Keurig's own website, out of stock at Best Buy, and only sold by sketchy third-party sellers at Walmart.

SEE ALSO: Yes, another Prime Day is coming. Here are the early deals to shop now.

Like all Keurig machines, the K-Classic features simple button controls to get brewing instantly. Just fill up the reservoir, insert a K-Cup (or use the reusable filter with your own grounds), and select your cup size. In less than 60 seconds, you'll have a piping hot cup of coffee at the ready. The reservoir can fit 48 ounces of water, which lets you brew six or more cups before having to refill it. There's also an auto-off feature than will shut down the machine to save energy.

If you're not a Target Circle member already and want to get in on the exclusive savings, it's super easy to sign up. All you have to do is enter your name, email, and other basic information to become a member. Unlike other retailer memberships (Amazon Prime, Walmart+, My Best Buy Plus, etc.), Target Circle is 100 percent free. Once you're officially a member and sign into your account, you'll see the savings automatically applied to your cart. With your new account, you'll also be able to shop the deals during Target Circle Week next month.

The best AirPods deals are already pouring in ahead of Prime Big Deal Days. Check out our top picks:

Best AirPods deals ahead of Prime Day 2 Best noise-cancelling AirPods deal Apple AirPods Pro 2 $189.99 at Amazon (Save $59.01) Get Deal Best AirPods under $100 AirPods (2nd generation) $89 at Amazon (Save $40) Get Deal Best over-ear deal Apple AirPods Max (Lightning) $429 at Amazon (Save $120) Get Deal

Apple's AirPods are notoriously expensive — but they're popular for a reason. If you want to see what all the fuss is about without (completely) breaking the bank, shopping events like Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days can be a great time to pick up a pair of the headphones.

Though the October Prime-member exclusive sale doesn't officially kick off until Tuesday, Oct. 8, the AirPod deals are already rolling in — even on the newly released AirPods 4.

SEE ALSO: Everything you need to know about Amazon's October Prime Day sale: Official dates, the competition, and more

Older models are also getting some pretty decent deals — the AirPods Pro are down to $189.99, while the AirPods Max with a Lightning charger are down to $429. Neither are at their record-low prices, but both discounts are still significant, and not likely to induce too much buyers' remorse if their prices drop down even further.

Below, you'll find our complete list of the best AirPod deals ahead of Prime Day. For folks who aren't married to the fruit brand, you'll also find plenty of more deals on headphones ahead of Prime Day here.

Best AirPods deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Pro 2 $189.99 at Amazon
$249.00 Save $59.01 Get Deal Why we like it

Check out our full review of the AirPods Pro.

The AirPods Pro may no longer be the only Apple earbuds with active noise cancellation, but we still think they're the best from the line. At $189.99, they're just a little over $20 more than the AirPods 4 with noise cancellation, but offer the seal of an in-canal fit (and interchangeable ear tips), which helps with both getting the most out of noise cancellation and the sound quality. "Sealed-off ear canals make for better audio balance and bass response, period," writes Tim Gideon at our sister site PCMag (also owned by publisher Ziff Davis). Plus, the Pros offer more battery life per charge.

More early AirPods deals

• AirPods (2nd Generation) — $89 $129 (save $40)

• Apple AirPods 4 — $119 $129 (save $10)

• Apple AirPods (3rd Generation) — $129.99 $169 (save $39.01)

• Apple AirPods 4 with ANC — $169 $179 (save $10)

• Apple AirPods Pro 2 — $189.99 $249 (save $59.01)

• Apple AirPods Max (with Lightning) — $429 $549 (save $120)

At an event in Silicon Valley, Meta exhibited a range of products meant to blend the real world and virtual reality, with a healthy dose of A.I.

A new router or a mesh WiFi system can be a solution if you deal with an unreliable internet connection, or you've noticed areas of your home that don't get solid coverage. If you're in the market for an upgrade, here are some deals already live before the official kickoff of Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days.

Best routers and mesh WiFi deals at Amazon Best router deal Google Nest WiFi Pro (Fog) $134.99 at Amazon (save $65) Get Deal Best mesh WiFi system for performance Netgear Orbi Whole Home Tri-Band Mesh WiFi System (WiFi 6, 2-pack) $397 at Amazon (save $227.99) Get Deal Best mesh WiFi system under $100 TP-Link Deco X15 Mesh WiFi System $99.99 at Amazon (save $20) Get Deal

Amazon's third major sale of the year, Prime Big Deal Days, is set for Oct. 8 and 9. We're expecting to see some nice deals on Amazon devices, headphones, Kindles, and more — but it's unlikely that you'll need to wait until the official date to get some serious savings.

If you're shopping for a mesh WiFi system or need an updated router that supports quicker speeds, we've spotted a few deals that are worth checking out even before the big sale kicks off.

Best router deal Opens in a new window Credit: Google Our pick: Google Nest WiFi Pro (Fog) $134.99 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $65.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The Fog colorway of the Google Nest WiFi Pro router is on sale at Amazon for just $134.99, which works out to a 33% discount off the usual price of $199.99. As long as you don't mind the pale blue tone, you're in for a great savings.

The Google Nest WiFi Pro is a tri-band router that provides coverage over an area of up to 2,200 square feet. The router is designed to automatically adjust performance and speed to give priority to important tasks like video calls. Plus, it can support speedy 6E coverage.

With help from the free Google Home app, setting up the router should be a simple process. You can also run speed tests through the app or monitor connected devices while you're not at home.

Best mesh WiFi system for performance Opens in a new window Credit: Netgear Our pick: Netgear Orbi Whole Home Tri-Band Mesh WiFi System (WiFi 6, 2-pack) $397.00 at Amazon
$624.99 Save $227.99 Get Deal Why we like it

Mashable's roundup of the best mesh WiFi systems notes performance doesn't get any better than with the Netgear Orbi Whole Home Tri-Band Mesh WiFi system. Mashable clocked speeds of nearly 900 Mbps in close range and 666 Mbps while 75 feet away.

The two-pack system comes with one satellite extender and can cover an area of up to 5,000 square feet and 100 devices. Netgear mentions that set-up take just minutes, connecting to your existing modem.

This system usually sells for $624.99, but thanks to this early October Prime Day sale, it's just $399.

Best mesh WiFi system under $100 Opens in a new window Credit: TP-Link Our pick: TP-Link Deco X15 Mesh WiFi System $99.99 at Amazon
$119.99 Save $20.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Need a better connection while staying within the budget? Check out the TP-Link Deco X15 Mesh WiFi system which is on sale for just $99.99 for a 17% discount off the normal price of $119.99. For that sale price, you'll get coverage that can extend up to 3,900 square feet on 5 GHz or 2.4 GHz. The system comes with two Deco X15 gigabit ports, supporting up to 120 devices in total. Plus each port contains two Ethernet connections, so you'll have flexibility with the mesh system should you prefer to plug in your PC or gaming console.