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PRE-ORDER NOW: Set for a mid-September release, the new Lunar Lake-powered Dell XPS 13 is now up for preorder on the Dell website starting at $1,399.99.
Opens in a new window Credit: Dell Dell XPS 13 (Intel Core Ultra7 256V, Intel Arc graphics, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,399.99 at Dell.comDell's smallest XPS machine is getting upgraded with new Intel Core Ultra 200V processors, and preorders open today.
The American tech giant announced Tuesday that its new XPS 13 laptop will feature fresh "Lunar Lake" CPUs with a dedicated Neural Processing Unit (NPU) for seamlessly handling AI functions like content generation and editing. It can be configured with up to an Intel Core Ultra 9 288V processor, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of storage starting at $1,399.99 on Dell's website, with delivery as soon as Sept. 19 at the time of writing.
AI isn't new territory for the XPS 13: Dell has been selling a "CoPilot+ PC" version of the thin 13-incher with a Qualcomm Snapdragon X series CPU since mid-2024. This new model will support the same Windows AI features, but it should be slightly better at optimizing them with up to 48 Tera Operations per Second of AI performance (or TOPS) compared to the Snapdragon chip's 45 TOPs. And, more crucially for most people, it won't run into the same Arm-related app compatibility issues.
SEE ALSO: The 9 best laptops of 2024, tested by Mashable staffBeyond its CPU, the new XPS 13 is basically identical to its predecessor: Its keyboard and glass haptic touchpad both span edge to edge, and it's available in the same monochromatic Graphite and Platinum finishes. It's also still upgradable with a tandem OLED display (à la Apple's latest iPad Pro), a brighter and more power-efficient option than a traditional OLED display. This OLED model is just 0.58 inches thin and weighs 2.6 pounds, while the FHD+ and QHD+ configurations clock in at 0.6 inches and 2.7 pounds.
Dell said the XPS 13 will offer up to 26 hours of battery life with an FHD+ display, which is up from 18 hours in the previous Intel-powered model but a one-hour downgrade from the Snapdragon version — on paper, at least. (As with any laptop, that may pan out differently in testing.)
No word yet on whether Dell's other 14- and 16-inch XPS laptops will be getting the same Intel Core Ultra 200V series treatment. When asked about their fate, the company's rep told Mashable that "[it's] Dell policy to not discuss future products and roadmaps."
Nothing is truly dead in Hollywood. Franchises can be resurrected after decades of turnaround purgatory. Sequels can rise, even if their heroes have been slain. Even dead actors can reprise roles through the use of CGI. All of this has happened this very summer, for better for for worse — mostly for worse.
Which is why I approached Beetlejuice Beetlejuice with a stomach-churning blend of excitement and anxiety. I grew up with this movie, and 36 years later, I can still quote most of it by heart. Michael Keaton's ghost with the most shaped my sense of humor, while Winona Ryder's and Catherine O'Hara's chic, vaguely goth sartorial explosions shaped my personal style.
More than anything, I wanted this long talked about sequel to 1988's Beetlejuice to be good. But between a summer of cinema soured by fan-service pandering and the recent string of underwhelming, underperforming Tim Burton movies, I had some profound cynicism about this sequel going in.
Sometimes it's fun to be wrong. And Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is the most fun I've had being wrong in quite a while. This movie is outrageous in all the right ways, and even some of the wrong ones.
Burton is back, baby. Beetlejuice is back in the waiting room with some of the recently deceased. Credit: Warner Bros. Entertainment IncBeetlejuice Beetlejuice is set thirty-some years after the Deetz family moved to the quiet town of Winter River, where they collided with the recently deceased Maitlands and their eponymous bio-exorcist for hire. Now, Lydia Deetz (Ryder) is a widow, whose teen daughter Astrid (Wednesday's Jenna Ortega) regards her with precisely the level of esteem and affection that she offered her stepmother Delia (O'Hara) all those years ago. (Naturally, Delia relishes pointing out this "karma.") Mother-daughter tensions aside, when Astrid winds up trapped in the land of the dead, Lydia calls on an old frenemy for help.
Through this premise, Burton is able to bring back all kinds of Beetlejuice iconography and catchphrases without much strain. (Looking at you, Alien: Romulus!) Along with Lydia's enviably sharp baby bangs, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice brings back stop-motion sandworms, that iconic black-and-white striped suit designed by Colleen Atwood (who has also returned!), and shrunken-head ghosties. Beyond that, Burton — with the help of screenwriters/Wednesday creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar — expand the realm of the dead, offering up creepy and comical new characters as well as darkly hysterical gags.
Where films like Dark Shadows, Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children, and the live-action Dumbo felt like hollow Burton entries — channeling his aesthetic, but lacking in his subversive strangeness and feral heart — Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is alive with the best of the director's indulgences. It's not just that the movie looks like one of his sketchbooks come to vivid life. It's that the film's humor is unrepentantly oddball, treating everything from shark attacks to baby ghouls as fair game for laughs and gasps. The childlike wonder of Pee-wee's Big Adventure and the juvenile provocations of Beetlejuice are refreshed with Keaton's madcap performance, which is at full throttle every moment.
Michael Keaton, Winona Ryder, and Catherine O'Hara give audiences want they want. Jenna Ortega and Winona Ryder play mother and daughter. Credit: Warner Bros. PicturesDevotees of the original movie might quibbles over some tweaks to character and plot, like a quick line of dialogue that explains the Maitlands' absence, or a revised motivation for why Beetlejuice wants to reconnect with Lydia. But Burton and his collaborators understand that Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is also for fans of canon-breakers — like the 1989 Beetlejuice cartoon series, in which the pair were buddies, and the hit Broadway show. Over the decades, Beetlejuice has become beloved, despite being an absolute heel in the original movie. And Keaton sharply threads the needle, being both wickedly charismatic and an absolute cad.
The rightfully acclaimed actor who starred in Birdman, a film about feeling trapped by one's most iconic roles, plunges back into Beetlejuice with no apparent reservation or ego. Once more, this ghastly ghoul has a pronounced beer belly, deeply sunken eyes, and rot and moss ringing his chin. He has the swagger of Elvis and the manic patter of a cartoon. But the looseness of his physical comedy? That's all Keaton. He is gloriously goofy and totally game, and it's a pleasure to see his juice unloosed once more.
Catherine O'Hara, still a style icon. Credit: Warner Bros. PicturesO'Hara is similarly sensational as the uncompromising, egocentric artist Delia Deetz. Where she was once seen as an evil stepmother with a questionable taste for interior design, the world has caught up with Delia, embracing her passions for ghost stories, dopamine dressing, and self-obsession. This time, her eccentric artist becomes the voice of reason! Still, O'Hara and Burton find moments to revel in Delia's personal brand of audaciousness. Bless them.
Likewise, Ryder — who's been entrenched in the dark, squelching horror of Stranger Things since 2016 — relishes the return to Burton's brand of macabre levity. With her dark, bulging stare, it's easy to trace her path from isolated, suicidal goth teen to ghost-hunting TV star, whose daughter finds her tragically unhip. Though Lydia's arc is studded with loss, Ryder and Burton keep things light by embracing the absurdity of life and death. And that's mostly a great thing.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice may be too much? Maybe? Willem Dafoe plays a bad actor, and he's brilliant. Credit: Warner Bros. PicturesThere's a lot of plot to this sequel. Not only does Lydia return to unfinished business in her formative haunted home, but she's also got a producer/boyfriend (Justin Theroux, oozing sketch) pushing her to wed. Plus, Astrid experiences first love with a local boy (Arthur Conti), while Beetlejuice is ducking his vengeance-seeking ex-wife (Monica Bellucci) and a dead cop (Willem Dafoe), who was a blowhard B-movie actor that played a cop in his past life. All these threads are not so much woven together as they are chucked into a pile.
The upside to all this story is that audiences get to enjoy some truly unhinged subplots. Bellucci is viciously entertaining as a ferocious and sexy femme fatale, swanning around as if poison and red wine runs through her veins. Dafoe — who is never afraid to push himself into theatricality — is brilliant as a "bad" actor who is comically fixated on his craft more than actually solving crimes. Conti's subplot with Ortega is enchanting, bringing a swoon that recalls the chaste romance of Edward Scissorhands. Theroux's subplot, however, is predictable, veering into annoying.
Monica Bellucoi goes Corpse Bride in "Beetlejuice Beetlejuice." Credit: Warner Bros. PicturesRefashioned as a new spin on the first film's opportunistic Otho (Glenn Shadix), Theroux's character Rory lacks the silly yet smug self-satisfaction of Delia's old friend, using in its stead the kind of therapy-speak you can pick up on TikTok without ever comprehending its actual meaning. Sure, his character is meant to be a creep, but most of the con men, creeps, and critters of this world are fun. His is a bit too unsavory, perhaps because he feels the least heightened. Like, I imagine you could find a Rory on any dating app within a few swipes.
In the end, the screenplay of Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is so jam-packed with characters, threads, and set pieces, that it feels less like a movie and more like a jumble of Post-it notes for several could-be sequels combined. This make for a climax that is as confounding as it is chaotic. Like, I'm not sure the ending actually makes any sense. But I'm also at peace with that, because logic has never been what Beetlejuice was really about.
In Beetlejuice, the land of the dead was absolutely perplexing to the living and recently deceased alike; the Handbook for the Recently Deceased was repeatedly described as reading "like stereo instructions," and nothing about the afterlife was intuitive to the Maitlands. Burton and his team use this setup as license to riff and revel without the limiting constrictions of a traditional — or even coherent — plotline. I admit the third act is a mess, made up of musical numbers, stunts, dream sequences, and absolutely bonkers choices. But I can't say I am bothered, because they're an absolute blast. Do you question the logic of a rollercoaster?
Ultimately, Beetlejuice Beetlejuice is pure Burton, passionate, untethered, and indulgent. Fans of the original movie will have plenty of reason to cheer, and even more to cackle.
Beetlejuice Beetlejuice opens nationwide on September 6, also in IMAX.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is Google's second-generation iteration of its foldable line that launched in 2023 with the Google Pixel Fold.
Although the flexible and fun nature of foldables have caught my eye, I've decided against purchasing one for several reasons.
Google Pixel Fold Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableOne, they're too expensive while having inferior camera systems compared to their mono-display counterparts. Two, they're too fragile. (The jury is still out whether the Pixel 9 Pro Fold has longevity). And three, a dual-display device typically means not-so-great battery life.
As it turns out, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's long battery life has proven me wrong on that last point.
SEE ALSO: Google Pixel 9 Pro XL: The longest battery life we've ever recorded Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold battery lifeAccording to our testing, which launches a TikTok video rundown at a display brightness of 50%, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold lasted over 16 hours.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableThis is much better than the battery runtime of the Galaxy Z Fold 6, the Pixel 9 Pro's Samsung competitor, which lasted nearly 13 hours on a charge.
Take a look at the battery life runtimes of the foldables we've tested this year:
Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold - 16 hours and 6 minutes
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 - 12 hours and 44 minutes
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 - 12 hours and 13 minutes
Mashable's Alex Perry reviewed the Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold. And while he's not a fan of the AI bloat, yawn-worthy color choices, and less-impressive camera array (compared to the Pixel 9 Pro models), he gushed about the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's "fantastic" 6.3-inch internal display.
"The internal Pixel 9 Pro Fold screen is absolutely massive, moving up from 7.6-inches to 8-inches, making it ideal for reading or watching things. Everything looks crisp, smooth, and colorful. It’s just fantastic," Perry said.
The Pixel 9 Pro Fold's closest competitor is the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6. Unfortunately for Samsung, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold beat it in the battery life department. The Google foldable lasted longer on a charge by 3 hours and 22 minutes.
However, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a smidge heavier than the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 by 0.64 ounces, but the Google foldable is slimmer than the Samsung rival (0.20 inches vs. 0.22 inches in height).
The Google Pixel 9 Pro Fold starts at $1,799. The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 is $100 pricier at $1,899.
Elon Musk really wants X to compete with YouTube. Musk personally intervened to encourage MrBeast, YouTube's biggest star, to start posting full videos on the platform formerly known as Twitter. Earlier this year, X CEO Linda Yaccarino claimed that X was becoming a "video first" platform.
Now, X is taking another step in its moving image pivot: A dedicated smart TV app just for viewing videos posted on the platform.
"Beta version of X TV is out," Musk posted on X on Monday night.
X TV: Musk's pivot to videoThe first public release of the X app for TV is now available — and users can install it via the smart TV versions of Google Play, Amazon’s app store, and LG’s app store. The X TV app has not yet been released for Apple TV nor the Apple App Store for tvOS.
According to the X TV app details, users will be able to browse video uploaded to X, as well as access livestream video on the platform. Users must sign in to their X account to use the TV app.
Previously, the only way to watch X's video content on television was to cast videos through a secondary device like an iPhone or Android smartphone.
Elon Musk wants X to be a lot of things. From a social media service to a banking app, Musk and company have been persistent in its goal to make the platform formerly known as Twitter, an "everything" app.
Unlike financial services, X users do currently post videos, so X TV isn't too far off from what the main platform does. However, it seems like most users watch videos on X in passing, as they scroll through their feed. So, it will certainly be interesting to see if the X TV app successfully changes or just confirms current user behavior.
Two weeks. That's how long Concord, a seemingly high-budget first-party PlayStation game, got to live.
Sony announced on the PlayStation Blog on Tuesday that the team-based first-person shooter would shut down on Sept. 6, just a fortnight after its launch on PS5 and PC. In the blog post, game director Ryan Ellis said parts of the game landed with people — but too much of it didn't.
"However, while many qualities of the experience resonated with players, we also recognize that other aspects of the game and our initial launch didn’t land the way we’d intended," Ellis said.
As part of this, Concord is no longer for sale and anyone who bought it has been refunded.
SEE ALSO: ‘Concord’ review: Sorry to say it, but it's a flopIf you've been following along with Concord's story, this outcome is as sad as it was inevitable. First announced back in May, Concord was the result of years of work by Firewalk, a new studio formed by industry veterans. However, from minute one, fan reactions to the reveal were fairly muted — and a beta later in the summer didn't do much to ratchet up player enthusiasm.
Reviews praised the gunplay when it launched on Aug. 23, but noted the generic art style and the broad outdated-ness of an Overwatch-style game launching in the era of Fortnite. All of that, combined with a $40 price point, led to staggeringly low sales across both PlayStation and PC. And two weeks later, it was all over.
The PlayStation Blog post is vague about what's next for Concord. The most likely answer is "nothing," but the post did leave a door open for some kind of return down the line. As always, hopefully nobody loses their job over this.
In case you missed it, in Dubai, the restaurant and delivery chain Dodo Pizza added a new ChatGPT-created pizza to its menu — and it’s flying off the shelves like hot cakes, according to the BBC.
Spartak Arutyunyan, the head of menu development for the pizza franchise, leaned on ChatGPT because he wanted a recipe that would satisfy the palette of the many diverse cultures that populate Dubai.
What is in the ChatGPT-created pizza?The BBC report didn't give away the full recipe, but the ChatGPT-created pizza, in part, consists of the following:
shawarma chicken
Indian grilled paneer cheese
Middle Eastern Za'atar herbs
tahini cheese
Arutyunyan said that Dubai is made of up "Indians, Pakistanis, Filipinos, Arab people, and European guys," so he was hoping that the Open AI-produced chatbot would suggest a pizza that represented a "cultural mix."
As it turned out, as mentioned at the outset, Dodo Pizza customers are loving the new ChatGPT-created pizza.
Arutyunyan admitted that, as a chef, he'd never consider mixing ChatGPT's suggested ingredients together, but they work.
Arutyunyan added that ChatGPT conceptualized other pizza recipes that included strawberries and pasta, and another that consisted of blueberries and breakfast cereal, but they didn't make the cut for Dodo Pizza's menu.
SAVE 12%: The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition bundle is on sale at Amazon for $232.97, down from the usual price of $264.97. That's a savings of $32.
Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition bundle $232.97 at AmazonWelcome to sweater weather. Ok, maybe we're still a bit early since some areas of the country are still in the depths of sweaty summer, but it'll be here soon enough. When the leaves turn and you start stocking up on tea, you'll want to snuggle up with a good book. Amazon has a deal in store today that'll help with just that.
As of Sept. 3, the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition bundle is on sale at Amazon for $232.97, marked down from the normal price of $264.97. That's a 12% discount on the bundle that includes the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition device (32GB), leather cover, and wireless charging dock.
Since the dawn of ebooks, the Kindle device has been a frontrunner. Amazon now has a decent lineup of Kindle devices, but we have a favorite. It's the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition. In Mashable's review, senior editor Stan Schroeder explains the Signature Edition has a few noteworthy advantages over the original Paperwhite. For starters, it comes with double the storage — 32 GB to hold all your favorite titles and series. It also comes with a wireless charger which means you can prop it up in its stand while still getting a great reading experience and a full charge.
This bundle also includes a leather cover and a power adapter. But you won't need to concern yourself much with the wireless charger since Amazon says this Kindle can get up to 10 weeks of life on a single charge.
The Kindle Paperwhite is well known for its paper-like screen, giving an experience that's pretty darn close to reading a physical book. However, unlike a traditional book, the Kindle is waterproof, so if it's gets splashed by the pool or it's in your backpack during a fall rain storm, you'll be ok.
If you're looking for a fall treat, the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition bundle is the perfect purchase, providing plenty of enjoyment in the upcoming cozy season. And thanks to today's sale price, you can snag the bundle for 12% off.
I may never have the combination of deep pockets and genuine interest that'll motivate me to purchase a foldable phone. But if I ever do, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold would most likely be at the top of my list.
Google’s debut foldable, last year’s Pixel Fold, was a respectable enough effort, but its hefty form factor kept it from greatness, especially compared to the competition (i.e., the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5).
This year, however, Google may have taken the top spot with the Pixel 9 Pro Fold, a renamed successor to the Pixel Fold with better displays both inside and out, plus a killer redesign that makes it the most comfortable foldable I’ve used yet.
Sure, I’m not a huge fan of Google’s recent AI push, but if you ignore that stuff, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold might be the winner of the whole Pixel 9 family. Just as long as you can swing $1,799 — and don’t mind missing out on a few premium Pixel 9 Pro features.
Pixel 9 Pro Fold price and specs From behind. Credit: Alex Perry/MashableJust like the Pixel Fold, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold starts at $1,799. Here’s what that gets you:
8-inch interior display
6.3-inch external screen
Tensor G4 processor
16GB RAM
256GB storage
The only other option when you buy a Pixel 9 Pro Fold is 512GB storage, which balloons the price up to $1,919. It’s a little puzzling that there’s no 1TB option, considering the Pixel 9 Pro XL offers that. One key trend you’ll notice with Pixel 9 Pro Fold is that it’s the most expensive phone with “Pixel 9” in the name, but it’s missing a couple of key premium bonuses that you’d get with a Pixel 9 Pro.
Pixel 9 Pro Fold design Look at how thin that thing is. Credit: Alex Perry/MashableWhile the other three Pixel 9 phones all feel iterative in terms of hardware redesigns (sporting new flat edges and a different camera visor on the back, but changing little else), the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is a pretty substantial change from its predecessor. Here are the exact dimensions:
Folded: 6.1-inch height x 3-inch width x 0.4-inch depth
Unfolded: 6.1-inch height x 5.9-inch width x 0.2-inch depth
9.1 oz weight
When folded, the new foldable is both taller and more narrow than the old one. Aside from that, Google has made it remarkably light and thin. The weight is the most noticeable difference; Google shaved nearly an entire ounce off of this phone from year to year, going from 9.98 oz to 9.1 oz.
Even when folded, it's thin and light. Credit: Alex Perry/MashableWith a shocking 0.2-inches of depth when unfolded (and only 0.4-inches when folded), combined with the new lighter weight, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is easily the most comfortable foldable I’ve ever held. It feels fantastic to use in either configuration, notably moreso than the Pixel Fold did. Last year’s model was just a little too wide and heavy for use as a regular phone when folded, but Google totally fixed that this year.
I found myself using the Pixel 9 Pro Fold in its folded configuration most of the time, barely even noticing I was holding a foldable.
One ding against the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's design is the choice of colors. You just get Obsidian and Porcelain, or black and white, in other words. Boring!
Pixel 9 Pro Fold displays This outside screen is great, too. Credit: Alex Perry/MashableLike any foldable in this form factor, the Pixel 9 Pro XL has two displays. Here are the exact specs for each:
6.3-inch internal display with 20:9 aspect ratio, 1080 x 2424 resolution, adaptive refresh rate between 60 and 120Hz
8-inch external display with 2076 x 2152 resolution, adaptive refresh rate between 1 and 120Hz
Both of these displays top out at 2,700 nits of peak brightness, which is the same as the Pixel 9 and is remarkably nice for when you’re outside in direct sunlight. I really don’t have a bad word to say about either screen here. The internal Pixel 9 Pro Fold screen is absolutely massive, moving up from 7.6-inches to 8-inches, making it ideal for reading or watching things. Everything looks crisp, smooth, and colorful. It’s just fantastic.
The same goes for the external display. Honestly. I preferred reading articles on that to reading them on my regular iPhone. Google bumped the external display up from 5.8-inches to 6.3-inches, making it identical in screen size to the Pixel 9. This adds to the notion that you feel like you’re using a regular flagship smartphone when the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is folded, rather than using a weird bulky thing that’s a little uncomfortable whether folded or unfolded, as was the case with the original Pixel Fold.
Pixel 9 Pro Fold foldable features Made you look! Credit: Kimberly Gedeon/MashableOne of the better aspects of the Pixel Fold was its suite of useful and intuitive foldable UI features. Google didn’t reinvent nor even really change the wheel here, as far as I can tell.
When unfolded, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold still lets you swipe up from the bottom of the screen to pull up a customizable taskbar full of your most commonly used apps. You can tap an app to open it normal-style, or drag two apps up from the taskbar to have more than one open at once. The display is certainly large enough for multitasking, just as the Pixel Fold’s was. Essentially, what worked well a year ago still holds up today.
The only really unique new addition worth mentioning is “Made You Look,” a frankly adorable feature that is one of the most useful applications of the Pixel 9 Pro Fold’s outer display in photography yet. The idea is that you unfold the phone, activate the rear camera, and pick from one of a few cute little animations to play on the outer screen. The subject of your photo (ideally, a small child) will look at the animation, at which point it will do something fun and make the kid smile while looking directly at the camera.
I have to be honest: I don’t have any kids, so testing this in the real-world is challenging. But I got hands-on with it at a Google event and it works as advertised on adults, so I imagine it might work on children, too.
Pixel 9 Pro Fold AI features Pixel Screenshots (seen here on a regular Pixel 9 phone) is the best use of AI on these devices. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon/MashableUnfortunately, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold suffers from the same AI nonsense as every other Pixel 9 phone. I wrote about this at length in my Pixel 9 review, so I don’t want to repeat myself too much. I’ll keep this brief:
Google keeps leaning on generative AI features, largely having to do with photography, that I feel take the zest out of life. Having the ability to take a photo of a road and turn it into a river is cool, but it’s not as cool as just taking a photo of a river. The same goes for using the new “Add Me” feature to create group photos that never happened; a fake will never count as much as the real thing. Rinse and repeat for things like using AI to write text messages or emails for you.
The Pixel 9 family uses AI to do all of these things and more. Aside from a new Pixel Screenshots app that is a legitimately useful searchable database of all the screenshots you’ve ever snapped, these are all just party tricks with very little real-world use.
Pixel 9 Pro Fold performancePerformance-wise, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is right in line with the other Pixel 9 phones, in that daily usage feels fine, but the metrics don’t paint a super pretty picture.
Compared to the other Pixel 9 phones, the Fold is looking great. Its 4,706 Geekbench multi-core score is the highest of the bunch, as one would expect and hope from the most expensive phone in Google’s lineup this year. The only problem is that 2023’s Samsung Galaxy S23, which isn’t even the newest Samsung flagship, has a higher score at 4,977.
I don’t really know what to make of this, especially considering the Pixel 9 Pro Fold feels great to use on a practical basis. I never noticed any slowdowns; apps loaded quickly. And the phone never got hot on me, which was a problem with the Pixel Fold. I trust my gut on this; I can confidently say the Pixel 9 Pro Fold performs just fine, but the numbers aren’t particularly kind to it.
Pixel 9 Pro Fold batteryOn the surface, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold's battery life doesn't look as good as its Pixel 9 brethren, but that's not actually the case.
That’s according to our testing, anyway, which involved looping a TikTok video on the internal display at 50 percent brightness until the battery died. This took 16 hours and six minutes, which is a couple hours short of where the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9 Pro XL landed using the same testing. My only hypothesis here is that the bigger internal display uses more battery life.
Considering that this is a device with two displays and thus a lot more screen real estate to render at all times, I'd say 16 hours is actually really good.
Pixel 9 Pro Fold camerasAnother weird blip for the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is the camera array. Specs-wise, it's basically the same as last year:
48MP main lens
10.5MP ultra-wide lens
10.8MP telephoto lens
10MP selfie cameras both folded and unfolded
I think it's strange that the less expensive Pixel 9 Pro has, at least in terms of megapixel counts, a better camera array. That phone has a 50MP wide lens with 48MP ultra-wide and telephoto lenses. It's also capable of 30x zoom, while the Pixel 9 Pro Fold is only capable of 20x zoom. Both phones have access to all of the same camera algorithms and AI features, at least.
Even if the specs aren't remarkable for the price, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold does produce some good shots. Having 20x zoom is better than having no zoom.
Left: No zoom. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable Right: 20x zoom. Credit: Alex Perry/MashableThe ultra-wide lens is real nice, too.
Brooklyn at sunset is great. Credit: Alex Perry/MashableAfter sunset, Night Sight is still able to produce quality low-light shots, though I didn't notice any particular improvements over last year.
Night Sight had to do a lot of work here. Credit: Alex Perry/MashableNight Sight works with Portrait Mode, too.
Portrait Mode with Night Sight. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable Is the Pixel 9 Pro Fold worth it?I’m not a foldable guy at heart — and I likely never will be. But if that changes, Google’s Pixel 9 Pro Fold is at the top of the podium — for now.
That’s almost entirely because of how comfortable it is to hold. The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is so light and thin that you almost forget it’s a foldable. Combine that with bigger and better displays inside and out, and you get a device that looks and feels incredible to use.
Sure, I don’t love Google’s suite of AI features, but they’re easier to ignore on a phone that has a gigantic inner display that you can use for watching movies and reading books. I wish its storage and camera features were at least on par with the Pixel 9 Pro, but those couple of complaints aside, Google made a heck of a jump from year one to year two of its foldable experiment.
These are the best deals still live during the Best Buy Labor Day Sale as of September 3:
Best Buy Labor Day Sale Deals Still Live Now Best Tech Deal Apple MacBook Air, 14-inch (M2, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $799 at Best Buy (Save $200) Get Deal Best Headphones Deal Sonos Ace $399 at Best Buy (Save $50) Get Deal Best Appliance Deal Samsung Bespoke 29 Cu. Ft. 4-Door Flex French Door Refrigerator $2,049.99 at Best Buy (Save $2,050) Get DealLabor Day may have come and gone, but that doesn't mean all the deals have dried up, too. Eagle-eyed shoppers can still take advantage of plenty of sales that are still live right now. Case in point: some of the discounts that were part of the Best Buy Labor Day Sale are still available now, so you can rack up the deals while supplies last.
Though these deals were originally scheduled to disappear on Monday, September 2, it looks like many of them have been extended. We've sifted through all the discounts that are still available now, and there are still tons of different goods on sale. Essentially, if you see something, snag it while you can. There's no telling when things will disappear from virtual shelves or those prices will jump back up.
Below, find some of our favorite last-minute picks from the Best Buy Labor Day Sale that are still live. Add to your cart, no promo code required, and stack up the savings.
Best tech deal Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy Our pick: Apple MacBook Air, 14-inch (M2, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $799.00 at Best BuyIf you've been looking to pick up a MacBook without breaking the bank, this is an excellent price for an affordable model that's still more than capable of running the latest version of MacOS. It's light, ultra-thin, and portable. It comes with a 14-inch Liquid Retina display as well as 8GB of RAM, 256GB SSD and a 1080p HD webcam, which makes it great for taking classes or keeping up with friends and family on the go. This reduced price takes this laptop into a more affordable category alongside some of its competitors as well, so if you're a student, or just prefer Macs, it's worth taking the plunge.
More tech deals:2021 Apple iPad (A13 Bionic chip, 64GB SSD, WiFi) — $199.99 $329.99 (save $130)
Sony 2024 77-inch Class Bravia 8 OLED 4K UHD Smart Google TV — $2,899.99 $3,899.99 (save $1,000)
Samsung 55-inch Class S90D OLED TV — $1,399.99 $1,899.99 (save $900)
Samsung 65-inch Class DU7200 Series Crystal 4K TV — $469.99 $529.99 (save $60)
LG Gram Laptop — $1,199.99 $2,099.99 (save $900)
HP Envy 2-in-1 14-inch Laptop — $649.99 $1,049.99 (save $400)
Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE — $349.99 $449.99 (save $100)
Sonos Ace cans are a great option for heavy hitting headphones at a discounted price. Mashable Deputy Editor Miller Kern reviewed the headphones and proclaimed them worth buying for "true audiophiles" and those with a Sonos ecosystem at home. They're lightweight at just 11 ounces, offer up to 30 hours of battery life with active noise cancellation turned on, and can connect via Bluetooth or USB-C, complete with fast charging that grants three hours of playback with three minutes on the charger.
More headphone deals:Apple AirPods Max — $529.99 $549.99 (save $20)
Sony WH1000XM4 Wireless Noise-Cancelling Headphones — $249.99 $349.99 (save $100)
AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) — $189.99 $249.99 (save $60)
It's time to upgrade to a smart fridge. This Samsung model is all about keeping things convenient. It's a roomy appliance with a special Beverage Zone that can keep your drinks and desserts cooled to your choice, with customizable door panels, an auto-open door, automatic ice maker, and a UV deodorizing filter to keep things clean and sanitary. It can integrate with your Samsung SmartThings ecosystem and can assist you with lowering your monthly energy bill. There's even an automatic light that goes on as you get closer so you can get a quick view of what you have in the fridge.
More appliance deals:LG Side-by-Side Refrigerator — $1,299.99 $1721.99 (save $422)
GE 4.5 Cubic Foot High-Efficiency Top Load Washer — $559.99 $799.99 (save $240)
Samsung 31 cubic foot 3-Door French Door Smart Refrigerator — $1,699.99 $2,339.99 (save $640)
LG - 24-inch Front Control Built-In Stainless Steel Tub Dishwasher — $599.99 $899.99 (save $300)
Check out the best Labor Day sales that are still going as of September 3:
A quick look at the best Labor Day deals still live Best tech deal Samsung Save up to 30% sitewide Get Deal Best home deal Dyson Save up to $200 on select vacuum cleaners and air purifiers Get Deal Best pet deal Petlibro Save up to 39% on automatic pet feeders, fountains, and more Get Deal Best outdoor deal Solo Stove Save up to $150 on fire pits and bundles Get Deal Best self-care deal Solawave Save 35% sitewide Get DealLabor Day may or may not have real meaning to you past a disheartening sign that summer's ending. But this new calendar page has a consolation prize built in: extended Labor Day sales.
SEE ALSO: Switch to select Verizon mobile or internet plans, get free NFL Sunday TicketIt's more common than not for Labor Day sales to run for at least a day or two after the Monday that is officially Labor Day, with many spanning that entire first week of September. In fact, almost every single one of the best Labor Day deals we picked out last week are still live, and we're keeping tabs on them below (complete with end dates, if we have them).
Labor Day tech sales Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Our pick: Samsung Save up to 30% sitewide Get Deal Why we like itSamsung's Labor Day sale is still live across several categories, dropping deals on devices that could appeal to a variety of shoppers. Those in the market for a new TV ahead of football season can save up to $1,300 on a new Neo QLED or The Frame TV, while those who need a shot of motivation after the summer lull at work can save up to $600 on a new curved monitor or up to $1,375 a new GalaxyBook4 Ultra all together. Large appliances and Galaxy Buds are also on sale.
More tech dealsAmazon — save up to 40% on Kindles, Echo devices, Apple products, and more
HP — save up to 75% on select laptops, desktops, printers, monitors, and PC accessories
Jabra — save up to 25% on the Elite 8 Active and Elite 10 earbuds
Lenovo — save up to 68% on select laptops, desktops, monitors, tablets, and PC accessories
Roku — save up to $15 on streaming sticks
Dyson's prices are often steeper (and more intimidating) than competitors, so we'll hype any opportunity for someone to become a Dyson person at a more digestible cost than usual. Through Sept. 7, you can save a notable chunk of money — up to $200 — off of Dyson cordless vacuums and air purifying fans, including our beloved Mashable V12 Detect Slim (the cheapest Dyson vacuum with a laser) for $449.99.
More home and kitchen dealsMattresses and bedding
Amerisleep — save $500 on any mattress
Avocado — save up to $1,540 on organic mattresses and up to 50% off on bedding
Bear — save 35% sitewide and get two free pillows, sheets, and a mattress protector with every mattress purchase
Birch — save 25% sitewide and get two free pillows with every mattress purchase using code LDW25
Brooklinen — save 25% sitewide
Brooklyn Bedding – save 30% sitewide through Sept. 4
Casper — save up to 35% on all mattresses and sleep accessories
DreamCloud — save 50% on select mattresses
Ettitude — save 30% sitewide
Helix — save 25% sitewide and get a free bedding bundle (worth $330+) with the purchase of a Luxe or Elite mattress using code LDW25 through Sept. 5
Layla — save up to $200 on select mattresses and get two free Layla pillows through Sept. 9
Leesa — save 30% on select mattresses and get a free sleep bundle (worth $299) with every mattress purchase through Sept. 10 at 8 a.m. ET
Nectar — save up to 40% on mattresses through Sept. 4
PlushBeds — save 25% on all bedding and up to $500 on mattresses through Sept. 5
Purple — save up to $700 on select mattresses, up to $300 on bases, and up to 20% on pillows and bedding through Sept. 10
Saatva — save up to $600 on mattresses through Sept 5
Sealy — save up to $300 on the Posturepedic Plus collection and get a free $200 Visa gift card
Serta — save up to $900 on select mattresses and adjustable base sets
Tuft & Needle — save up to $700 on select mattresses and 20% on select bedding
Home and kitchen
Best Buy — save up to 50% on select major appliances and receive a free gift card worth up to $500 with qualifying items
Crate and Barrel — save up to 60% on sofas and other best-selling furniture, rugs, decor, dining tables and dinnerware, and more
CB2 — save up to 50% on best-selling furniture, lighting, decor, outdoor items, and more through Sept. 4
Dyson — save up to $220 on select Dyson technology through Sept. 7
Eufy — save up to 38% on the Eufy X8 Pro and L60 robot vacuums
Hai — save 35% on the Hai Smart Showerhead
Home Depot — save up to 50% in categories like Halloween decorations, lawn care, power tools, and more
Hydro Flask — save 25% on select drinkware, coolers, bundles, and accessories through Sept. 3
iRobot — save up to $300 on the Roomba j9+, i5+, and more
Meater — save $50 on the MEATER Block
Ninja — save up to 25% on the Ninja Creami, Woodfire, Foodi air fryers, and other select kitchen appliances
Roborock — save up to 50% on the Roborock Qrevo, Q7, Q5, and S8+ robot vacuums
Ruggable — save 25% sitewide using code LD24 through Sept. 4
Shark — save up to 35% on select vacuums and air purifiers
Stanley — save 25% on select drinkware using code GOODBYESUMMER25
Stasher — save up to 30% on select reusable silicone food bags
SimpliSafe — save 50% on any new system with Fast Protecting Monitoring and get a free outdoor camera through Sept. 3
Traeger — save up to $300 on select grills
Wayfair — save up to 50% on bedroom furniture and kitchen and dining furniture, up to 60% on living room seating, up to 70% on area rugs, up to 50% on lighting and faucets, up to 50% on mattresses, and more
Automatic feeders are game-changing additions to any household with pets, and several well-reviewed models from PETLIBRO are still on sale at Amazon. Through Sept. 10, pet parents can choose from multiple dry pet feeders for cats and dogs under $60, including models with WiFi, built-in cameras, and more.
More pet dealsFable — save 20% sitewide with code AUTUMN20
Litter-Robot — save $75 on the Litter-Robot 4 Kickstart Bundle
WilderDog — save up to 40% on waterproof leashes and collars, bandanas, utility packs, and more
Wisdom Panel — save up to 20% on DNA test kits for cats and dogs
Outdoorsy people who live for chilly nights are about to be in their prime, and they know the ideal evening wouldn't be complete without a toasty bonfire. Several of Solo Stove's crowd favorite fire pit bundles are already on sale, and you can save a little extra on top of that with the extended Labor Day sale. Use code LABORDAY to get $25 off purchases of $250 or more, $75 off purchases of $450 or more, or $150 off purchases of $850 or more.
More outdoor dealsBackcountry — save up to 50% on outdoor apparel and hiking shoes, camping tents, and more
Oru Kayak — save 20% sitewide through Sept. 8
Renoun — save $200 on all ski preorders
If you still haven't gotten your hands on a Solawave, the brand's 35% off Labor Day sale knocks the once-viral wand and serum kit down to $122.85; it's a cheaper, more compact investment than going full face mask. As a refresher, red light therapy is the bread and butter of skincare TikTok for its ability to stimulate collagen, penetrate dark spots, reduce inflammation, and more. Mashable contributor RJ Andersen saw legit results after one use. The Wrinkle Retreat mask, 3-Minute Pimple Spot Treatment device, and skincare are also participating in the sale.
More self-care dealsDrybar — save up to 30% sitewide
Lovehoney — save up to 70% on select items
Peloton — save up to $500 on Peloton treadmills through Sept. 9
Quip — save 20% sitewide
Shark — save up to $40 on the FlexStyle, SpeedStyle, and SmoothStyle hair tools
Therabody — save up to $400 on select massage guns and accessories through Sept. 7
Thinx — save up to 25% on leakproof and period underwear through Sept. 3
Missed out on shopping deals over the long weekend? Fret not, because Amazon has plenty of Labor Day sales that are still live. Here are some of our favorites.
Amazon Labor Day deals that are still live Best headphone deal Apple AirPods Max $399 at Amazon (save $150) Get Deal Best tech deal Amazon Kindle (16GB) $84.99 at Amazon (save $15) Get Deal Best kitchen deal Ninja Air Fryer Pro 4-in-1 $89.99 at Amazon (save $30) Get DealAside from shopping during Amazon Prime Day, browsing deals at the mega retailer during holidays like Labor Day, President's Day, and Memorial Day can be a smart choice if you like to save some money. However, the long weekends also mean you might be away, taking a much-deserved break from real life. If that's the case, you might not be scrolling through Amazon's sale pages until the weekend is over. If that's you, we have some exciting news. As of Sept. 3, we're still seeing tons of great Labor Day deals at Amazon.
From robot vacuums to top-of-the-line headphones, you're in luck today if you feel like scoring a great deal on a serious tech upgrade. Here are just a few of our favorite Amazon Labor Day deals that are still live.
Best headphones deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Our pick: Apple AirPods Max $399.00 at AmazonFor some folks, wearing earbuds for eight hours a day isn't ideal. If you prefer the comfort of over-the-ear headphones, check out this deal on the Apple AirPods Max.
If you're an iOS fan, you're surely familiar with the AirPods line, but the Max are the only model with an over-the-ear design. Priced at $549, other brands can seem to offer a better value. However, Amazon's lingering Labor Day sale price of $399 puts the AirPods Max in a great position. Plus, this sale price comes mighty close to the lowest we've ever seen — just $5 more. If you've been on the fence about investing in the AirPods Max, this sale price might help with your decision.
And now that pumpkin spice is on everyone's minds, we have to bring up the fact that holiday shopping is just around the corner. Paired with today's great price, means you might want to consider who's on your holiday shopping list this year, and if anyone is deserving of a pair of AirPods Max.
More headphones deals that are still liveSoundcore by Anker P20i True Wireless Earbuds — $19.99 $39.99 (save $20)
JBL Vibe Beam True Wireless Earbuds — $29.95 $49.95 (save $20)
JBL Tune Flex True Wireless Earbuds — $49.95 $99.95 (save $50)
Sonos Ace Headphones — $399 $449 (save $150)
As cooler temps arrive, thoughts of cozy weekends spent on the couch with a good book come to mind. If your bookshelves are at maximum capacity, ebooks might be the way forward. As part of Amazon's Labor Day sale, you can score the Amazon Kindle (16GB) for just $84.99, on sale from the usual price of $99.99. That means you'll be saving 15% on a lightweight Kindle.
Back in July, we were bummed to find pretty dismal sales on Kindle devices during Prime Day, so this Labor Day deal is a nice surprise. The Kindle offers 16GB of storage space, so you'll be able to download your favorite titles and enjoy them while reading at the park, on the way to work, or on your next long-weekend vacation.
More Kindle deals that are still liveKindle Kids (16GB) — $94.99 $119.99 (save $25)
Kindle Paperwhite Kids (16GB) — $134.99 $169.99 (save $35)
Kindle Paperwhite Essentials Bundle (16GB) — $198.97 $224.97 (save $26)
Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition Essentials Bundle (32GB) — $226.97 $264.97 (save $38)
Sure, the microwave was a pretty revolutionary kitchen appliance, but have you tried out an air fryer? These countertop appliances are something magnificent. If you're still non-committal, the Ninja Air Fryer Pro 4-in-1 priced at just $89.99 is truly something to consider. For starters, you're getting a 25% discount off the standard price of $119.99. Beyond that, you'll be getting four (incredibly useful) functions — air fry, roast, reheat, and dehydrate.
Within the 5-quart air fryer, you can whip a crispy batch of sweet potato fries from scratch, reheat last night's pizza, make homemade apple chips, or even bake a loaf of bread. Ninja says the capacity can handle four pounds of fries or five pounds of chicken wings. Those happen to fit perfectly into the snack menu for the upcoming football season.
More Amazon Labor Day deals that are still liveAmazon Echo Pop — $22.99 $39.99 (save $17)
Hydroflask Wide Mouth water bottle (Trillium, 24 ounces) — $29.89 $39.95 (save $10.06)
Roku Streaming Stick 4K — $34 $49.99 (save $15.99)
Amazon Echo Spot Alarm Clock — $54.99 $79.99 (save $25)
Amazon Echo Show 8 — $104.99 $149.99 (save $45)
Roborock S8 Pro Ultra robot vacuum — $899.99 $1,599.99 (save $700)
Labor Day has come and gone, but the deals are still here. In typical Amazon fashion, there are plenty of awesome deals still sticking around on Sept. 3, including some epic price drops on our favorite brands like Apple and Sony.
Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day. If none of these light your fire, be sure to check back throughout the week. We'll be making new selections each day.
Our top pick Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air (M2 chip, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $799.00 at AmazonSure, there are newer MacBook models around, but the 2022 M2 MacBook Air is still a beast and a solid choice for most users — especially those on a budget. Mashable's Alex Perry gave this laptop a 4.6/5 rating in his review, where he called it "an ideal job companion with excellent performance and one of the best keyboards around." And it's an especially great buy today, as the base model (8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) is back down to its record-low price of $799 — that's 20% in savings and matches its Prime Day price.
Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods (3rd gen) $139.99 at AmazonThe third-generation Apple AirPods offer plenty of upgrades from the previous iteration, including longer battery life, better sound quality, a sleeker design, and personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking. We really wish they offered noise cancellation, but we're more willing to forgive the design flaw when they're on sale at this price. As of Sept. 3, you can slash 17% off and grab a pair for $139.99 instead of the usual $169. That's just $20 away from their record-low from Prime Day.
Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-CH520 wireless headphones $39.99 at AmazonWhile they're not Sony's fanciest headphones, the budget-friendly Sony WH-CH520s are still a solid pick. They offer up to 50 hours of battery life, a three-minute fast charge, customizable sound quality and profiles on the app, and a lightweight, cozy fit. Just pick a preset to match the genre you're listening to, or completely create your own. Regularly $59.99, you can grab the WH-CH520 headphones on sale for only $39.99 as of Sept. 3. That's 33% in savings and just a few bucks shy of their lowest price on record.
Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Nano Power Bank (30W, built-in USB-C cable) $31.99 at AmazonSick of watching your phone battery dip into the red with nothing you can do about it? It's time to grab a portable charger like the Anker Nano Power Bank, which can take an iPhone 15 from zero to 50 percent battery life within 30 minutes. It packs 30W fast charging in both directions, as well as a convenient built-in USB-C cable to juice up your devices. There's also USB-C and USB-A charging ports to attach your own cable for non-USB-C devices. As of Sept. 3, you can pick up this power bank for only $31.99 as a Lightning deal. That's 20% in savings for a limited time.
None of these deals catching your eye? Check out Amazon's daily deals for even more savings.
Dropping one of Apple's GPS AirTags into the trash may seem like a major error, but it could be key to unlocking the false, climate-forward promises of city leaders and corporations.
Earlier this year, Brandy Deason, a Texas resident and climate justice coordinator for Air Alliance Houston, began dropping the small devices into every bag of recycling she dropped off for the city of Houston's new "all plastic accepted" program. The AirTags pinged at a nearby storage facility, nowhere close to where they were expected to be, and certainly were not superheated, chemically treated, or mechanically chopped up, as the program claimed.
A further co-investigation by CBS and Inside Climate News uncovered hundreds of thousands of pounds of yet-to-be recycled plastic waste upon visiting the waste-handling business, known as Wright Waste Management. The piles of garbage weren't just being abandoned, however, the tons of recycling are waiting for a promised overhaul of the city's recycling program, backed by ExxonMobile.
SEE ALSO: How much is AI hurting the planet? Big tech won't tell us.Houston unveiled the Houston Recycling Collaboration in 2022, in response to low recycling rates of single use and hard-to-recycle plastics, offering a "revolutionary" new way of repurposing the materials. Exxon and other Big Oil players have proposed such "advanced" or "chemical" recycling as a solution to accumulating plastic runoff, with the potential to turn plastic into fuel.
Local environmental activists were immediately wary of the universal promises made by such a recycling effort, and the potential environmental harm caused by what is essentially mass incineration of plastic material. Local environmental watchdog groups have been tracking plastics through the system ever since. City storage locations and plastic sorting plants are reportedly falling behind, failing safety inspections, or fully nonoperational, CBS reported. Wright Waste Management denied CBS's request for comment.
Despite privacy and safety concerns — and their potential appeal to police forces — users have embraced Apple's accessible live tracking tech, and this certainly isn't the first instance of AirTags being used for environmental investigations.
In 2023, several organizations and news outlets — including Reuters, ABC, and CBS local affiliates — used AirTags to fact check the recycling claims of city programs and major industry players, including petrochemical giant Dow Inc. Inside Climate News first published an exposé on Wright Waste Management and Houston's recycling failures in 2023, noting the use of electronic tracking devices by local group The Last Beach Cleanup.
Huawei, once a global smartphone powerhouse but now mostly reduced to the Asian market following a U.S. import ban, is trying something bold this year. The company is launching new phones, with the launch event scheduled mere hours after Apple's iPhone 16 event.
More precisely, Apple's event is scheduled for 10 a.m. PT, September 9, while Huawei's event starts at 2:30 p.m. China Standard Time on September 10, which translates to 11:30 p.m. PT on September 9. While that may be a little late for smartphone enthusiasts on the U.S. west coast, it's still notable that Huawei's event is taking place on the same day as Apple's "It's Glowtime" event.
Tweet may have been deletedIt's not just any phone that Huawei is launching, either. The company will unveil a tri-folding smartphone, something we've seen in concepts but never widely available, especially from a major smartphone maker such as Huawei. Details about the device are unknown, though analyst Ross Young says it will have a 10-inch display before folding, and that it will use the "most expensive smartphone panel" yet. Huawei's Executive Director teased the device on Weibo, saying it will be an "epoch-making product."
While Huawei's teaser image for the event obviously focuses on the tri-folding phone, there are reports that Huawei will also announce an electric car, as well as new smartwatches.
SEE ALSO: Xiaomi's SU7 electric car is stunning IRLShould Huawei really launch an EV, it would be following in Xiaomi's footsteps. Known primarily as a smartphone maker, Xiaomi launched a snazzy-looking, super-fast electric car early this year.
Rumors about an Apple foldable device have been surfacing (and resurfacing) for years, but nothing really materialized in the form of an actual product you can buy. Last we've heard, Apple is working on an iPad/MacBook hybrid, but we won't see it on the market before 2027.
College is the time to start figuring out your future self — but it can be a huge money suck in the now. In addition to tuition, which is no joke these days, you’ll need books, tech gear, and dorm essentials to settle in and take your academic life by the reins.
All the more reason to hit up Walmart for sweet deals on everything you need to level up your college sitch. Whether you’re a first-time freshman or moving back into the dorm, you know all too well that this smart gear will help you nail it on a student budget.
A pink laptop that’s too cool for school Opens in a new window Credit: HP HP Stream 14-inch Laptop with Intel Processor $179.00 at WalmartA fast laptop is a BTC essential, and this lightweight yet capable 14-inch model checks all the boxes and is a steal at this price. The powerful Intel processor and UHD graphics deliver speed whether you’re taking class notes, researching, or streaming in your (rare) downtime. With 11 hours of battery life, you can dart from your dorm to class to the library without juicing up, a nice perk.
Go ahead, take that 8 a.m. class Opens in a new window Credit: Keurig Keurig K-Express Essentials Single-Serve K-Cup Pod Coffee Maker $49.00 at WalmartCaffeine is another college must, and a machine that cranks it out should be on every student’s list. This space-saver is an ace pick because it’s only 6.5 inches wide and makes a fresh-brewed cup of coffee, tea, or hot cocoa at the touch of a button. Just pop in your favorite K-Cup pod, and you're done. The 36-ounce water reservoir lets you brew back-to-back cups for those all-nighters.
A mini-fridge that packs it all in Opens in a new window Credit: Arctic King Arctic King 3.2 Cu Ft Mini-Fridge with Freezer $125.00 at WalmartIf energy drinks get you through the day, keep them frosty with this slick and organized mini-fridge. The stainless finish gives your dorm room an instant bump, and its demure size still offers plenty of interior space to keep all your bevs and snacks chilled. There’s even a crisper drawer and a separate freezer for ice cream and frozen pizza.
'Shroom up your dorm Opens in a new window Credit: Cresswell Lighting 8-Inch Glass Mushroom Lamp $19.98 at WalmartDorms are notorious for their unflattering lighting, but this amber-colored mushroom-shaped light will grace your space with a soft, ambient glow. Use it as a low-light desk lamp when you’re cramming while your roommate sleeps, or pair it with a WiFi plug that enables you to tell it to turn itself off when your head hits the pillow.
Feather your most stylish nest Opens in a new window Credit: Mainstays Mainstays Retro Floral 5-Piece Reversible Bed in a Bag Comforter Set $26.96 at WalmartGive your room a homey touch with this super affordable bed-in-a-bag set. You get a comforter, matching sheet set, pillowcase, and sham, and you can pick from tons of patterns and colors to dial in your own dorm vibe. The brushed microfiber feels like a dream, and the machine-washable comforter is reversible, in case you spill on it. Mainstays offers multiple designs, some more gender-neutral than others, so take your pick.
Your go-to campus kicks Opens in a new window Credit: Crocs Crocs Unisex Baya Slide Sandals $24.95 at WalmartA cushy new pair of Crocs is a college must, and these sliders will get you around campus in top laid-back style. The signature nubs give your feet a mini-massage, the Croslite material feels like a marshmallow, and you can customize your pair with up to 12 Jibbitz charms in the shape of rainbows, paw prints, or strawberries. Add socks and walk on.
Apple’s Clean Up feature, currently available via the iOS 18.1 developer beta, is an Apple Intelligence tool that can remove unwanted objects from photos.
Keep in mind that the operative words here are "developer beta." Clean Up is still in its testing phase — and you really shouldn't download any iOS beta version without backing up your iPhone first. It's a rough-around-the-edges copy that gives some users early access to iOS 18 features before they officially drop later this year.
With that in mind, I wanted to test Apple's new Clean Up utility and pit it against other tools, including Google Magic Eraser and Samsung Galaxy AI. For this face-off, I'll be using the iPhone 15 Pro Max (Clean Up), Google Pixel 9 Pro XL (Magic Eraser), and Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra (Galaxy AI).
SEE ALSO: iOS 18.1 adds new Apple Intelligence ‘Clean Up’ tool: 3 things it can do for your photos Apple Clean Up vs. Magic Eraser vs. Galaxy AI: Test photosI decided to choose the following three photos for the test. Each one has a specific level of difficulty: easy, medium, and hard.
EasyThis first one, shot in Grenada, features a couple walking along the beach who, sorry to them (I'm sure they're nice people), needs to get removed from the picture.
A beach in grenada Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableThis should be easy for AI-powered object removal tools because there's a consistent background pattern and minimal overlap and shadows. Plus, it's got great lighting.
MediumThe red car in this photo is getting the boot.
A red car in a parking lot Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableUnfortunately for our AI tools, they've got a nasty little shadow to deal with.
HardAnd finally, the owl in this photo, shot in the Vanderbilt Museum in Long Island, will be targeted for removal.
Room in the Vanderbilt Museum Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableThe owl is inside the glass enclosure obstructs a significant part of the image, which means the AI will have to work hard to fill in the void.
Apple's Clean UpStarting with the couple walking along the coast, I fired up the Clean Up tool on the iPhone 15 Pro Max in the Photos app.
To my surprise, Clean Up auto-selected the couple and highlighted them. In other words, I didn't even have to "tell" the tool which part of the image I wanted removed.
Clean Up tool with Apple Intelligence Credit: Kimberly GI tapped on the highlighted couple — and it removed the woman. The second tap removed the man. And then, poof! They were gone.
Left: Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Right: Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableThere's not a single trace of them left behind. Well done, Apple Intelligence.
Next, let's test the car photo. Again, it pre-selected some options for removal, including the red car.
This one is a little more challenging.
Left: Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Right: Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableIf you look closely, Apple Intelligence left behind some subtle red hues on the shadow.
Finally, let's see how the iOS 18 Clean Up tool handles the owl removal.
For this one, Apple didn't pre-select anything in this photo. With my finger, I had to draw a circle around the owl. After using the Clean Up tool, here's the final image.
Left: Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Right: Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableAgain, this photo is particularly challenging because the owl blocks a significant portion of the image. As you can see, this task required Apple Intelligence to fill in too many blanks, and as a result, it had difficulty conceptualizing how to replace the void.
Google's Magic EraserNow, it's time to see how Google handles object removal.
Let's get rid of that couple. Circling and tapping on the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL was trickier than the Clean Up tool. It often required several taps and circles to ensure that the highlighted area is what I'd like to erase. However, it did a great job at removing the lovebirds from the sandy beach.
Left: Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Right: Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableAs a bonus, Magic Eraser gives you four options to choose from, so if you don't like how the first one came out, there are three other iterations created just for you.
Next, I used Magic Eraser to remove the car.
Left: Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Right: Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableIt looks like the Google tool added a sinkhole to replace the red car. I'm not a fan of this result.
Finally, selecting the owl for removal on the Google Pixel 9 Pro XL was an absolute pain. It wouldn't register my circles around the glass-enclosed bird. And when it finally did, the highlight field oddly excluded some parts of the bird, so I needed to go back and tap that area to ensure they got removed.
Magic Eraser tool on Google Pixel 9 Pro XL phone Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableBut when Magic Eraser did its thing, wow, I was incredible impressed.
Left: Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Right: Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableThere is some warping and discoloration of the obstructed area, but as you can see, Google's AI performed well in interpreting what lies behind the owl.
Samsung's Galaxy AISimilar to Apple and Google, Samsung's Galaxy AI did a bang-on job at removing the pesky couple walking down the Grenadian beach. (Thanks to the S Pen that ships with the Galaxy S24 Ultra, selecting unwanted objects was an easy task.)
Left: Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Right: Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableInterestingly, Samsung Galaxy AI added a watermark on the bottom-left of the image, letting others know that it's an AI-generated image. (I haven't seen any prominent watermark labels in the other AI-generated images.)
For the car photo, Galaxy AI replaced the red vehicle with what appears to be some sort of crate — or a bale of hay?
Left: Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Right: Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableMaybe it's a box that contains the last semblance of Galaxy AI's logic. Who knows? I'm confused and baffled by this one.
Fortunately, Samsung did a better job at handling this difficult image of a room inside the Vanderbilt Museum.
Left: Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable Right: Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / MashableThe lighting is a bit off, the door doesn't look it'd open, and the lamp is missing a leg, but it's not a bad effort from Galaxy AI considering the complexity of the image.
Apple Clean Up vs. Magic Eraser vs. Galaxy AI: WinnerUnsurprisingly, all three AI tools handled the easy image well. Interestingly, there is a noticeable drop in quality with all the AI-generated results.
The winner of this object-removal face-off goes to Google. Although I'm not a fan of how it can't seem to smartly estimate which object you're trying to remove, it did a decent job at handling the easy and complex photos. The car photo was a fail, but Google's ability to handle the difficult image made it a winner.
Apple is in second place. It nailed the first two images, but it couldn't quite get the complex image right with the owl removal. (It's worth noting that, again, iOS 18 Clean Up is currently in beta.)
Samsung's Galaxy AI is in last place. It surfaced a bale of hay I didn't ask for. But it did OK with the beach photo and the Vanderbilt museum shot.
X's ban in Brazil doesn't look like it's going anywhere anytime soon.
The country's Supreme Court voted unanimously to uphold the decision on Monday, per the BBC, meaning the site will remain banned — and any anyone attempting to access it via a VPN will still be at risk of a fine.
SEE ALSO: X finally lets you edit DMs on iOS. Here's how.The Supreme Court decision isn't necessarily the biggest surprise, given that it's one of its own justices, Alexandre de Moraes, is the ban's main driving force. Musk and de Moraes previously clashed when the justice ordered X to remove misinformation, which X described as "censorship". X's official Global Affairs account then said the company's legal representative had been threatened with arrest, which resulted in X closing down its operation in Brazil — leading directly to the ban.
In its latest post, X's Global Affairs account said it would be publishing "all of Judge de Moraes’ illegal demands and all related court filings in the interest of transparency" in the days to come.
As for Musk, it seems likely that he'll continue to share angry posts and self-owning memes until this is resolved.
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