Mashable

Surprise: Fitbit wearers will now get a feature previously reserved for Premium subscribers.

As 9to5Google noted, the fitness company has rolled out its readiness score for free to its trackers and watchers. This update was in conjunction with the launch of the Pixel Watch 3 this summer. (For the unaware, Google owns Fitbit.)

So...what is a readiness score? In short, it's exactly what it sounds like. It's a number that tells you how prepared you are for the day. It takes your activity levels, sleep, and heart rate data to calculate your readiness score.

SEE ALSO: The Google Pixel Watch 3 has arrived — here's how to snag one

As Fitbit describes, "Daily Readiness Score uses your Fitbit data to assess whether you're ready to work out or should prioritize recovery. Over time, it will help you understand how your activity levels, sleep patterns, and heart rate variability from previous days contribute to how energized you feel today."

Basically, Fitbit will spit out a score between zero and 100, corresponding to low, moderate, or high amounts of readiness. So long as your Fitbit app is updated, the readiness score should be available to any watch or tracker, including the Luxe, Charge 5/6, Inspire 2/3, Sense, Sense 2, and Versa 2/3/4.

For the first time in history, a private citizen has left the confines of a spaceship while flying through space — an exercise that before now was only performed by trained astronauts. 

The unprecedented commercial spacewalk was part of SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission, which sent four civilians into orbit to test the company's new spacesuits. Tech magnate Jared Isaacman, who funded the spaceflight, was the first to conduct a spacewalk. 

"From here, it sure looks like a perfect world," he said during a livestream on X, formerly called Twitter, that captured the whole event. 

SEE ALSO: Yes, NASA astronauts will still pee in their new spacesuits Polaris Dawn Commander Jared Isaacman exits the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule during a spacewalk on Sept. 12, 2024. Credit: SpaceX / X screenshot

Around 6 a.m. ET on Sept. 12, the crew depressurized the cabin and proceeded to open the capsule's forward hatch. Isaacman then popped out of the hole into the vacuum of space like a prairie dog, about 450 miles above Earth. The bright blue marble backlit Isaacman as he clung to guardrails mounted outside the ship with one hand. His other arm was strangely posed as if it were inside a sock puppet.

Despite having "walk" in the term, a spacewalk doesn't necessarily involve walking, but merely the act of going outside a spacecraft in flight. At the International Space Station, astronauts routinely leave the orbiting lab, dangling on a tether, to perform maintenance tasks.

Wearing a helmet camera, Polaris Dawn commander Jared Isaacman emerges from the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. Credit: SpaceX / X screenshot

The five-day Polaris Dawn mission has so far accomplished its goals on the Crew Dragon capsule. The main purpose of the flight is to test the fit and mobility of the spacesuits.

Tweet may have been deleted

The X post above was the livestream of the Polaris Dawn spacewalk on Sept. 12, 2024.

The crew is composed of regular people — that is, if you consider a billionaire, two SpaceX engineers, and a retired U.S. Air Force combat pilot to be "regular." They include Isaacman, who founded the Shift4 credit card-processing company, pilot Scott "Kidd" Poteet, mission specialist Sarah Gillis, and medical officer Anna Menon.

Mission specialist Sarah Gillis performs a spacewalk to test the flexibility of her spacesuit on Sept. 12, 2024. Credit: SpaceX / X screenshot

Menon actually beat her husband, new NASA astronaut Anil Menon, to space. Prior to his recruitment for astronaut training in 2021, Dr. Menon was SpaceX's medical director. Anna Menon, however, did not leave her seat during the spacewalk, nor did Poteet. 

Following Isaacman, Gillis exited the spacecraft for a similar test, flexing her arms but never letting go of the bars outside the hatch for a free float. 

Mission specialist Sarah Gillis exits the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule for a spacewalk on Sept. 12, 2024. Credit: SpaceX / X screenshot

NASA administrator Bill Nelson congratulated SpaceX in a post on X, the social platform owned by SpaceX founder Elon Musk. 

"Today’s success represents a giant leap forward for the commercial space industry and @NASA's long-term goal to build a vibrant U.S. space economy," he said.

Nevada will become the first state to pilot a generative AI system designed to make unemployment claim decisions, marketed as a way to speed up appeals and tackle the nation's overwhelming backlog of cases. It's a risky, first-time experiment at integrating AI into higher-level decision making.

Google is behind the program's tech, which runs transcripts of unemployment appeals hearings through Google's AI servers, analyzing the data in order to provide claim decisions and benefit recommendations to "human referees," Gizmodo reported. Nevada's Board of Examiners approved the contract on behalf of its Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) in July, despite broader legal and political pushback against integrating AI into bureaucracy.

SEE ALSO: Facebook flagged and removed emergency wildfire information as 'spam'

Christopher Sewell, director of DETR, told Gizmodo that humans will still be be heavily involved in unemployment decision making. "There’s no AI [written decisions] that are going out without having human interaction and that human review. We can get decisions out quicker so that it actually helps the claimant," said Sewell.

But Nevada legal groups and scholars have argued that any time saved by gen AI would be cancelled out by the time it would take to conduct a thorough human review of the claim decision. Many have also noted concerns about the possibility of private, personal information (including tax information and social security numbers) leaking through Google's Vertex AI studio, even with safeguards. Some have hesitancies surrounding the type of AI itself, known as retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), which has been found to produce incomplete or misleading answers to prompts.

Across the country, AI-based tools have been quietly rolled out or tested across various social services agencies, with gen AI integrating itself further into the administrative ecosystem. In February, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) ruled against using AI (including generative AI or algorithms) as a decision maker in determining patient care or coverage. This followed a lawsuit from two patients who alleged their insurance provider used a "fraudulent" and "harmful" AI model (known as nH Predict) that overrode physician recommendations.

Axon, a police technology and weapons manufacturer, introduced its first-of-its-kind Draft One — a generative large language model (LLM) that assists law enforcement in writing "faster, higher quality" reports — earlier this year. Still in a trial period, the technology has already sounded alarms, prompting concerns about the AI's ability to parse the nuance of tense police interactions and potentially adding to a lack of transparency in policing.

SAVE 37%: The Sony SRSXB13 portable Bluetooth speaker is on sale for just $38 at Amazon, marked down from the list price of $59.99. That's a savings of $21.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony SRSXB13 portable Bluetooth speaker $38.00 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $21.99 Get Deal

A portable Bluetooth speaker can make any gathering better. Think beach tunes as the sun sets behind the waves, or just getting into the right frame of mind when you're cleaning out the garage. Nice, right? If you're in need of a small speaker that can go anywhere, Amazon has a sweet deal in store today.

As of Sept. 12, the Sony SRSXB13 portable Bluetooth speaker is on sale for $38 at Amazon, marked down from the normal price of $59.99. That's a savings of $21.99, or a 37% discount.

Designed with extra bass, the Sony SRSXB13 aims to achieve the perfect balance of portability with ideal sound quality. Plus, the speaker can get up to 16 hours of battery life, so you'll be set for the weekend of camping or while you're folding clothes in the laundry room. It also has a built-in mic and paired with its Bluetooth connectivity, you can use the speaker for taking a hands-free call.

SEE ALSO: We tested the best Bose headphones of 2024

Plus, it's waterproof and dustproof, so you'll have the freedom to take it along on any adventure. The speaker comes with a multiway strap which makes it easy to attach it to your backpack, tote bag, or bicycle.

If you're looking to jazz up an event with some portable music, take advantage of Amazon's sale price on the Sony SRSXB13 and rock out for less.

SAVE UP TO $120: This week, explore deals on a variety of headphones including Beats Fit Pro for $159 for $40.95 off and 20% savings. Plus find AirPods Max starting at $429, giving you $120 in savings for 22% off.

Best headphone deals Best earbud deal Beats Fit Pro $159 at Amazon (Save $40.95) Get Deal Best headphone deal Beats Studio Pro x Kim Kardashian with two years of AppleCare+ $269.99 at Amazon (Save $108.96) Get Deal Best AirPod deal Apple AirPods Max From $429 at Amazon (Save $120) Get Deal Best deal on a budget JBL Vibe Beam $29.95 at Amazon (Save $20) Get Deal

This week kicked off with big news in the headphone world. AirPods are finally getting an upgrade, and pre-orders are now open on the AirPods 4 and upgraded AirPod Max and AirPod Pro headphones. While we're looking forward to the new drops on some of our favorite tech, new releases typically mean that current models take a dip in price. Early in the week we saw deals on AirPods, but there's a bigger world than just Apple's flagship headphones.

Beyond AirPods, we found markdowns on headphones and earbuds from Beats and JBL. The savings are plentiful, taking up to 40% off headphones and earbuds. Whether you're looking for a pair of headphones that are as stylish as they are functional, or a new set of earbuds for your workouts, discover what's on sale this week.

Best earbud deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Beats Fit Pro $159.00 at Amazon
$199.95 Save $40.95 Get Deal Why we like it

In his review of the Beats Fit Pro, Mashable's Alex Perry boldly says, "Apple may not put its name directly on any Beats products, but the Beats Fit Pro are so much better than the new AirPods that maybe they should start doing that."

Loaded with active noise cancellation and water- and sweat-resistance, these earbuds are built for workouts of all kinds. Plus, iPhone users will enjoy the same benefits of easy connectivity that you find in AirPods. At $199.95, they're already more affordable than a pair of AirPods Pro.

However, the Beats Fit Pro are currently down to $159, saving $40.95 for 20% off. Even with AirPods Pro current discount, the Beats Fit Pro are cheaper.

Best headphone deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Beats Studio Pro x Kim Kardashian with two years of AppleCare+ $269.99 at Amazon
$378.95 Save $108.96 Get Deal Why we like it

Say what you will about Kim K, but she's a certified style icon, whether it be through her red carpet looks or Skims shapewear. In a maybe unexpected turn, she's bringing her knack of style to headphones through a Beats collaboration. Kim K has brought her favorite neutral tones to Beats Studio Pros through the shades of Dune, Moon, and Earth, for some utterly chic headphones.

While this Beats Studio Pro x Kim K collab is rather new, an early deal has arrived, giving you two free years of AppleCare+. Now, for the price of just the headphones, $269.99, you'll also receive AppleCare+. That's $108.96 in savings for 28% off.

More headphone deals

• JBL Vibe Beam — $29.95 $49.95 (save $20)

• JBL Tune 510BT — $29.95 $39.95 (save $10)

• Soundcore P30i by Anker earbuds — $29.99 $49.99 (save $20)

• Soundcore Anker Life Q20 headphones — $39.90 $59.99 (save $20.09)

• Soundcore by Anker Space A40 earbuds — $47.99 $79.99 (save $32)

• JBL Tune Flex — $49.99 $99.99 (save $50)

• JBL Live 660NC — $139.96 $199.95 (save $60)

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

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

• Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones — $249.99 $399.99 (save $150)

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

Check out the best Amazon deals of the day as of Sept. 12: OUR TOP PICK Roborock S8 Pro Ultra $949.99 at Amazon (save $650) Get Deal BEST HEADPHONES DEAL Beats Fit Pro $159 at Amazon (save $40.95) Get Deal BEST SOUNDBAR DEAL JBL Bar 9.1 soundbar $584 at Amazon (save $615.95) Get Deal BEST SMART HOME DEAL Amazon Echo (4th gen) + Sengled smart color bulb $64.99 at Amazon (save $54.99) Get Deal BEST BLUETOOTH SPEAKER DEAL Anker Soundcore 2 Bluetooth speaker $27.99 at Amazon (save $12) Get Deal

Looking for some sweet deals to close out your week? We've got you covered. Brands like Roborock, Amazon, Anker, and Beats are major standouts on today's lengthy list of daily deals at Amazon. We've already sorted out the noise and rounded up the best gadgets worth adding to your cart on Sept. 12.

Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day. If none of these jump out at you, be sure to take a look back at our top picks from Tuesday, Sept 10 and Wednesday, Sept. 11. Many of those are still live, including a record-low Amazon Fire HD 8 tablet and a sub-$300 Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic.

Our top pick Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock S8 Pro Ultra $949.99 at Amazon
$1,599.99 Save $650.00 Get Deal

Unveiled in April 2023, the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra — on paper — is one of the fanciest robot vacuum and mop combos you can buy. It features self-washing and self-drying mopping pads, above average suction power, reactive 3D obstacle avoidance, floor type customization, and liftable brushes and mop that adapt to different tasks. Former Mashable intern Stacia Datskovska tested it out and found that while it may be loaded with perks, they don't justify the outrageous price of $1,599.99. Fortunately, though, it regularly goes on sale. As of Sept. 12, it's down to just $949.99 — that's 41% in savings and its lowest price on record.

Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Fit Pro $159.00 at Amazon
$199.95 Save $40.95 Get Deal

Though they're a few years old, the Beats Fit Pro still stand up to the latest earbuds on the market. Mashable's Alex Perry reviewed them and noted they "offer excellent active noise cancellation, magnificent audio output, elite comfort, and a long-lasting battery," putting them lightyears ahead of the third-generation AirPods. Typically just under $200, you can pick up a pair on sale for just $159 as of Sept. 12. That's 95 cents cheaper than the sale price they've been chilling at for months — a 20% savings overall.

Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Bar 9.1 soundbar $584.00 at Amazon
$1,199.95 Save $615.95 Get Deal

Upgrade your game day viewing experience by pairing a worthy soundbar with your big screen. The JBL Bar 9.1 is on sale for just $584 as of Sept. 12 — that's 51% off its usual cost — and offers a cinematic 9.1-channel surround sound experience. The two ends of the soundbar detach to become separate speakers you can place behind you to hear every agonizing call this NFL season. The soundbar packs Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and four upfiring speakers that bounce sound up to the ceiling and back down to you. Plus, the 300W, 10-inch wireless subwoofer gives you deep bass that really brings the action to life.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon / Sengled Amazon Echo (4th gen) with Sengled smart color bulb $64.99 at Amazon
$119.98 Save $54.99 Get Deal

While we just featured the $64.99 fourth-generation Amazon Echo earlier this week, today's deal brings you a free Sengled smart color bulb on top of it. That means that not only are you saving $35 on the Echo itself, but also an extra $19.99 on a smart color bulb to pair with it. One of the best ways to introduce Alexa's smart home capabilities into your home, the Echo serves as a sleek, simple speaker that responds to your voice commands, plays your tunes, and so much more. Add the Sengled bulb in your favorite room and ask Alexa to turn it off and on at certain times a day, change the color, or dim the lights for ambiance.

Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Soundcore 2 Bluetooth speaker $27.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $12.00 Get Deal

Small, yet mighty, the Anker Soundcore 2 Bluetooth speaker is tough to beat in terms of value. It offers impressive stereo sound, a durable design with IPX7 protection against rain, dust, spills, and more, and a 24-hour battery life to keep your tunes coming all day and night. For those specs, the price tag is pretty insane at just $27.99 on sale. That's 30% off its usual price as of Sept. 12.

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

One of the reasons iPhones cost as much as they do is Apple knows most people aren't paying full price for them. You're almost always trading in an old device or getting some kind of carrier discount, right? Well, if you're doing the former, you may want to keep your old iPhone in good shape.

MacWorld executive editor Michael Simon wrote a cautionary tale purporting that Apple would not accept a 256GB variant of the iPhone 15 Pro Max (which should have nearly the highest trade-in value of any existing iPhone) for trade-in because the back of the phone was cracked from a drop. As Simon pointed out, the cost of repairing this blemish would be only $29, but rather than deduct $29 from the trade-in value, Apple instead decided his iPhone was worthless during the trade-in process.

SEE ALSO: All of Apple's new iPhone 16 phones are capable of faster wired charging

The big lesson here is to just pay the $29 (or whatever your repair fee happens to cost) if there's any kind of imperfection with your iPhone before trading it in for an iPhone 16. It's not ideal, but perhaps Apple is banking on people not wanting to go through the effort. Don't let Apple win.

Until you give the company several hundred dollars for a new phone, anyway.

SAVE 58%: Get the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic (47 mm) for just $199.99 at Amazon, marked down from its normal price of $479.99. That's a discount of $280 and the lowest price we've seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic $199.99 at Amazon
$479.99 Save $280.00 Get Deal

When it comes to buying a new smartwatch, there are tons to choose from, including the newly-announced Apple Watch Series 10. But if you don't want to overspend, or you're an Android user, that upgrade may not be on the table for you. If that's the case, you can save big on an excellent watch right now with a host of great features that can go toe-to-toe with what Apple is offering. Best of all, you can get it for just under $200, which you can't say for most of Apple's product lineup.

As of Sept. 12, you can get the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic (47 mm) for just $199.99, down from its usual price of $479.99. That's a discount of $280, or 58% off. This sale only applies to the Silver colorway right now, so if you want something else, you'll have to pony up a bit more cash. This is the lowest price we've seen for this particular model — a full $70 lower.

SEE ALSO: It's a great week to shop for a new smartwatch from Apple, Samsung, and Garmin

This smartwatch doesn't take cues from the rest of the competition that tries a little too hard to be techy. Instead, it looks much more like a regular timepiece with smart features. It offers heart rate, heart rhythm, sleep, and fitness tracking as well as sync options with other Samsung Galaxy devices you may already have. It looks slick on the wrist, it's sturdy, and it has plenty of customization options so you can make it your own.

For anyone using the Android ecosystem, it's well worth investing in, especially at this price. You won't want to pass it up for $199.99, but it'll likely go quickly while it's on sale. The holidays are just around the corner, so lock it in while you can.

Looking for some peace of mind when it comes to keeping tabs on your home? We've spotted some steep discounts on home security systems and cameras that are sure to help, regardless of your budget. Here are some top picks:

Best home security deals Best overall deal SimpliSafe wireless home security system (8 piece) $143.99 at Amazon (save $96) Get Deal Best video doorbell deal eufy Security smart Wi-Fi video doorbell $99.99 at Best Buy (save $80) Get Deal Best indoor camera deal Kasa Indoor Pan/Tilt smart security camera $22.99 at Amazon (save $7) Get Deal

Your home should be a haven — a favorite place to spend time with family, relax, and feel at peace. Unfortunately, our modern society sometimes removes the peace aspect. If you're looking into a home security system to help ease some worry about the safety of your home, this is shaping up to be a great week.

Modern home security systems seamlessly link to your smartphone, giving you instant notifications of anyone or anything at your doorstep. You can also grab an indoor camera to keep an eye on the interior of your home which is especially great if you're expecting kids to come home for school at a certain time or want to check in on pets.

Here are some of the best deal we've found during the week of Sept. 12 if you're shopping for a home security system.

Best overall deal Opens in a new window Credit: SimpliSafe Our pick: SimpliSafe wireless home security system (8 piece) $143.99 at Amazon
$239.99 Save $96.00 Get Deal Why we like it

SimpliSafe is one of our favorite brands when it comes to home security systems, serving over 4 million people nationwide. If you're looking for a comprehensive system, the eight-piece SimpliSafe wireless home security system is on sale at Amazon for just $143.99, marked down from the usual price of $239.99. That's a 40% discount.

SimpliSafe says this bundle is ideal for homes with two or three bedroom since it includes a base station, four entry-point sensors, a panic button, a motion sensor, and a keypad to control arming and disarming. The entry-point sensors are designed to attach to windows, doors, or cabinets and will automatically alert you when it's opened.

The included motion sensor detects movement within 35 feet with a 90 degree vision field. When placed in the corner, you'll get a full view of the room. Another great benefit of the SimpliSafe system is the 24-hour battery life in the base which'll keep the system monitoring even if you lose power or WiFi.

Best video doorbell deal Opens in a new window Credit: eufy Security Our pick: eufy Security smart Wi-Fi video doorbell $99.99 at Best Buy
$179.99 Save $80.00 Get Deal Why we like it

A video doorbell can be a great addition to home security and today the eufy Security smart Wi-Fi video doorbell is on sale at Best Buy for just $99.99, down from the list price of $179.99. That means you'll be scoring a 45% discount.

With the eufy video doorbell, you can choose between a wired connection or battery powered to get clear, 2K resolution. You'll be able to chat with anyone who comes to the door via two-way mic, and you'll automatically get alerted on your smartphone when someone comes to the porch.

The weatherproof material means it'll have no trouble through autumn storms and it can withstand a temperature range between 4 and 122 degrees F. The internal storage on the video doorbell with store recordings of happenings within the last 90 days, so you can always go back and review if you actually got that package delivery.

Best indoor camera deal Opens in a new window Credit: Kasa Our pick: Kasa Indoor Pan/Tilt smart security camera $22.99 at Amazon
$29.99 Save $7.00 Get Deal Why we like it

An indoor security camera can be great if you're wondering what your pets are up to or if you'd like get a view of the inner happenings of your home while you're away (think reassurance for knowing you turned off the oven). Thanks to today's sale price at Amazon, the Kasa Indoor Pan/Tilt smart security camera is at the low price of $22.99, which works out to a 23% discount off the usual price of $27.99.

With 1080p full HD video, you're in good hands with the Kasa indoor camera. You'll be able to get peace of mind when you're away from home, check in pets while you're at work, or use it as a baby monitor. The camera detects both motion and sound, sending an alert to your smartphone. During the dark of night, the camera will still be able to detect motion so long as its within 30 feet of the camera. With the camera's pan and tilt functions, you'll be able to get a 360 degree horizontal view and a 133 degree vertical area of coverage.

More home security deals

• WYZE outdoor wireless security camera — $19.98 $29.98 (save $10)

• eufy Security 5-piece home alarm kit — $99 $159.99 (save $60.99)

• eufy security eufyCam 2C Pro 3-cam kit — $259.99 $389.99 (save $130)

In 2000, my long-suffering mother took my brother and his friends to the local theater for a showing of Pokémon the Movie 2000. The boys were six or seven and had happily been swept up in the burgeoning cultural phenomenon dubbed "Pokémania." My mother, perplexed by the whole affair, read a book in the back row as the boys gaped at fantastical creatures on screen, their legs not yet long enough to reach the floor.

Less than a year before, the Pokémon franchise had cracked open the gaping maw of the United States gaming market by feeding it the same properties that were already enormously successful in its native Japan. Like many other kids his age, my brother collected Pokémon cards and captured the creatures on his Game Boy. We watched the Pokémon TV series together and tossed a life-sized Pokéball around the house. 

The main lawn at Pokémon GO Fest 2024, which took place on Randall's Island in July. Credit: Joe Maldonado Credit: Joe Maldonado

Today, new generations are discovering the franchise as older ones embrace its nostalgia. Nowhere was that clearer than this summer's Pokémon GO Fest, a three-day in-person event celebrating the franchise's mobile game in New York City. There, families in matching outfits bent over their phones together as if saying grace at the dining room table. Babes in strollers clutched stuffed Pokémon toys as their parents discussed capturing new creatures.

Offline, the Pokemon trading card game — which littered early-aughts pavements at recess and became such a distraction that it was banned in some schools — has seen a resurgence. As recently as 2021, a Reddit user shared a photo of a "Pokémon Agreement" hung in their child's classroom, which included rules like "No stealing Pokémon cards!" and "Make fair trades!! [sic]."

Credit: Joe Maldonado Credit: Joe Maldonado

Over the past two years, Pokémon cards have also evolved into a top collecting category for adults. Leading authenticator PSA, which has graded more than 70 million items since 1991, says baseball cards were the most popular item until early 2022, when Pokémon cards became its biggest category by volume. Between 2022 and 2023, PSA saw a 50 percent growth in authentication and grading submissions of Pokémon cards, compared to just a 16 percent increase in baseball cards over the same period. 

"We've seen a major surge in the collectibles industry, specifically Pokémon, due to the rising trend of nostalgia-driven primarily by Millennials and Gen Z," Ryan Hoge, president of PSA, told Mashable. "As the first generation of Pokémon collectors have grown up and had kids, they’ve gravitated back to the nostalgic pieces of their childhood and have resurrected the demand for Pokémon trading cards."

Amy, 37, cosplays as Vaporean, her favorite evolution of the Pokémon Eevee. On her wrist is a homemade bracelet given to her by a stranger at the event. Credit: Joe Maldonado A man who goes by "Uncle Bob" plays Pokémon GO on a split screen on a Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra. Credit: Joe Maldonado

PSA has graded only three subjects more than one million times: Michael Jordan and Pokémon characters Charizard and Pikachu. "Charizard and Pikachu have now had 30-year careers spanning multiple generations," a spokesperson for the company noted.

The same nostalgia fueling Pokémon card collecting is also enlivening a dedicated faction of players of the franchise's Pokémon GO mobile game.

The game became a sensation virtually overnight when it was first released in the U.S. in 2016, capturing the hearts of fans and non-fans alike. It used augmented reality to overlay Pokémon in real-world environments, transforming the player into a Pokémon trainer tasked with collecting as many creatures as possible. A key element of the game was that it required the player to walk outside to find new Pokémon in the wild.

Rose Dinelli-Figueroa and her family travel to Pokémon GO Fests around the world from their native Puerto Rico. Credit: Joe Maldonado

At the time, a New York Times writer captured the phenomenon and its ubiquity, explaining, "I saw people catching Pokémon while ahead of me in line for coffee, pointing their smartphone cameras at their barista, who happened to have a Charmander on her face."

Interest in the game amongst the general public quickly petered out. The craze's metaphorical death knell clanged at a 2016 Virginia rally for then-Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton where, in an attempt to connect with young voters, she told the crowd to "Pokémon GO to the polls." The phrase was swiftly memed and mocked, most notably by then-Republican nominee Donald Trump who posted a Facebook video of a Pokémon GO parody game titled "Crookéd Hillary NO." 

Credit: Joe Maldonado Credit: Joe Maldonado

But devout players never left; by 2019, more than 1 billion people had downloaded the app. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, many more returned to the game to escape quarantine restlessness. Today, some estimates put the number of monthly active players at more than 90 million.

Over three stifling days in July, more than 70,000 of those players descended on New York City for Pokémon GO Fest. Neither the 90-degree temperatures nor dew point of 72 — a level the National Weather Service considers "oppressive" — could deter them from capturing the geo-exclusive Pokémon on offer at Randall's Island, a dollop of land in the East River.

Credit: Joe Maldonado Credit: Joe Maldonado

Many saw their journey to GO Fest as a kind of pilgrimage. For Rose Dinelli-Figueroa, 36, GO Fest has become a family tradition. She has traveled from Puerto Rico to attend Pokémon GO Fests in Seattle, London, and Las Vegas with her husband, parents, and two children. The family's youngest member, 7-year-old Jade, is dressed as Pokémon trainer Misty and was not yet born when her mother began playing Pokémon GO in 2016.

About a 10-minute walk away, on a large lawn, an Illinois man who goes by "Uncle Bob" stands on an oval of astroturf across from a teen named Theo. They stare at their phones, battling each other digitally in the app. Uncle Bob has attended every GO Fest since the first iteration of the event was held in Chicago in 2017. Theo is far from home and reveling in a thrilling change of pace. "There are not as many players in my hometown [of Wiener Neustadt, Austria]," he tells Mashable. Back in Austria, he usually has to pay to join group gaming activities called "remote raids" in cities with more players.

Alex, 32, and Courtney, 31, began dating in 2020, and usually play Pokémon GO together while walking their dogs. Credit: Joe Maldonado

A couple nearby, Amy, 37, and Gary, 38, use the game to stay connected in their long-distance relationship. "He lives about four hours away from me," Amy says, dressed in a blue body suit, cosplaying as Vaporean, her favorite evolution of the Pokémon Eevee. "And there's a feature in the game where you can send each other postcards. So I have a lot of fun sending him postcards when we're away from each other." 

Pokémon GO appears to be a popular pillar of romantic relationships. Niantic, the app's developer, helped organize five marriage proposals during this year's GO Fest. One of the couples, Alex, 32, and Courtney, 31, began dating in 2020 and play Pokémon GO together while walking their dogs. They came down from New Hampshire to attend Pokémon GO Fest last year, even though Courtney was recovering from foot surgery in a walking boot. "We look back at it like, 'That was so much fun.'" says Courtney. "We were showing [people] pictures of it from last year, and we got some of our friends at work to start playing it as well."

Two players battle each other on the Pokémon GO app. Credit: Joe Maldonado

"It's a silly game, but it really does bring people together, as cheesy as that sounds," says Alex, moments after getting down on one knee to propose to Courtney. "It's a great way to just go out and hang out with a friend."

Four friends dressed as Eeveelutions described a more casual relationship to the app. "I love playing. I'm looking at my phone anyway," says Aaron, 33. "It keeps me distracted, it keeps me off Grindr. It gets me out of the house… I was here by myself on Christmas. So I open up Pokémon GO, and I'm like, 'Oh, there's stuff going on.' I was walking all around downtown. I went to Washington Square Park and saw the tree while playing Pokémon GO. It was cute. I wouldn't have seen the tree otherwise."

Credit: Joe Maldonado Credit: Joe Maldonado

Another member of the group, Brayden, 29, notes how much the franchise has expanded since establishing its reputation as a children's game of the early aughts. "My mom is like level whatever; she is intense," he says. "She's better at it than I am." He points at his friends standing nearby. "They'll be like, 'Oh yeah, I raided with your mom.'"

Canadian sisters Tania, 49, and Shelley, 53, are two of the oldest attendees Mashable interviewed at the event. When Pokémon GO first dropped in 2016, Shelley says she "didn't want to be one of those old people that just assume that because I don't understand it, it's not cool." So she asked a young person she worked with to explain it to her. "I don't know anything about Pokémon. I didn't play the game. I didn't grow up with it," says Shelley. "But I downloaded it and was like, 'This is fucking fun.'" Two weeks later, on a family vacation, she got Tania hooked on the game, too.

It seems that the core of Pokémon brand's legacy — what has made it the highest-grossing media franchise on earth and an enduring cultural phenomenon for 25 years — is its ability to bring people together to have a good time.

The sisters point to their bright yellow paper Pikachu hats, which organizers distributed for free to attendees earlier in the day. "We had to get the hat. We were asking little kids, 'Where'd you get your visor?'" Tania laughs. "It's ridiculous, and we love it. You've gotta lean into the fun."

Who is afraid of little old Taylor Swift? After Tuesday night, Republicans should be.

After the presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump on Sept. 10, Swift took to Instagram to publicly endorse Harris. But she didn't stop there. The popstar also added a custom voter registration link to her Instagram story. As of 2 p.m. ET Wednesday, 337,826 people visited that link, the General Services Administration told NBC News.

SEE ALSO: Swifties for Kamala: How Taylor Swift fans are creating a new blueprint for political organizing

The URL takes people to vote.gov, a website with information on how to register to vote and update voter registration. It also details voting rights and answers frequently asked questions.

In her endorsement post Swift wrote, "I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election. I’m voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them." Then she encouraged her 284 million followers to do their own research and vote for whoever they'd like to. "Remember that in order to vote, you have to be registered! I also find it’s much easier to vote early. I’ll link where to register and find early voting dates and info in my story," concluded her post which now has over 10 million likes.

She signed off as a "childless cat lady," a reference to Trump's running mate J.D. Vance's disparaging comments about women who choose not to have children. Swift's numbers prove childless cat ladies hold a lot of power in this election.

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Time for a new pair of headphones? You've got tons of options. But if you don't mind spending a bit out of your typical price range, there's one pair that we often come back to recommending time and time again from Bose, because it's a brand that knows what it's doing. And right now, you can get one of our favorite pairs of headphones from Bose at an excellent price.

As of Sep. 12, you can get a pair of refurbished Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones for $279. That's $150 off their normal price of $429. Choose from three colors: Black, Sandstone, and White Smoke. These are Certified Refurbished from Bose itself, which means they've been returned to the company, inspected, tested, and serviced before being sold at a discount. They come with a warranty and are only available in small numbers for a limited time.

According to Mashable's Sam Mangino, Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones are "extremely comfortable" and boast "all-day battery life" even when you choose to leave noise-cancellation on all day. They offer "solid" sound quality with three different noise-canceling modes meant to help you block out the rest of the world or help you remain aware of what's going on around you.

This is an opportunity to save a significant amount of cash on these headphones, so be sure to grab yours before they're out of stock.

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Every few months, it seems like there's a new streaming service to subscribe to. And then every other month, an existing streamer is raising its prices. Right now, that streaming service is Disney+ — they announced in August that they're raising their prices in October, bringing the with-ads plan to $9.99 (up from $7.99), and the ad-free plan to $15.99 (up from $13.99). Luckily, Disney+ has a deal to help you avoid that price hike for a few months.

For a limited time, enjoy Disney+ with ads for $1.99 a month for three months. That's $5.97 for three months rather than $29.97, saving over 80%.

SEE ALSO: Disney+ and Hulu have just gotten pricier. Yes, even with ads.

For new subscribers, this is major savings coming at just the right time. The long awaited follow-up to Wandavision, Agatha All Along, is coming to the streamer on September 18. Plus, the highest grossing movie of 2024, Inside Out 2, is expected to hit the streamer at the end of the month.

It's safe to say this Disney+ deal couldn't have come at a better time. Sign up by September 27 and you'll get Disney+ for two bucks a month through the holidays.

Microsoft users reported lots of issues and outages on Thursday. The issue appeared to lie with its 365 subscription, which can feature popular and necessary services like Outlook, PowerPoint, Word, Excel, and more.

"We're investigating an issue where users may be unable to access multiple Microsoft 365 services," the company posted on X. "Please look for MO888473 in the admin center for more details and further updates."

It appeared there might be issues with the cloud service that provides the 365 services to consumers. A status page from Microsoft noted there was "service degradation" that might prohibit access to one or more 365 services.

The company wrote on X: "We're reviewing network telemetry and recent changes to our networking infrastructure. Additionally, we're working with a third-party ISP to understand the underlying cause."

Reports of problems with Microsoft 365 around 9 a.m. eastern time on on Down Detector, which, full disclosure, is owned by the same parent company as Mashable. The issues appeared to be declining by about 10 a.m. eastern.

This problem comes nearly two months after the massive outages from CrowdStrike and Microsoft that disrupted pretty much the entire world.

Middle-earth may be crawling with orcs, Balrogs, and Dark Wizards, but the worst villain in The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power is none other than Kemen (Leon Wadham).

SEE ALSO: Tom Bombadil's introduction in 'The Rings of Power' is right out of 'Fellowship of the Ring'

Kemen was a somewhat minor presence throughout The Rings of Power Season 1, albeit an unmistakably slimy one. As a rising politician, he worked with his father Ar-Pharazôn (Trystan Gravelle) behind the scenes to turn the people of Númenor against Queen Tar-Míriel (Cynthia Addai-Robinson). He even tried his hand at some sneaky arson in order to stop the Númenorean forces going to Middle-earth.

But now that Pharazôn is king, Kemen is able to operate in the open, with all the authority of Númenor behind him. That kind of unchecked power leads to some seriously nasty, entitled behavior. In just the fifth episode of Season 2, Kemen goes on quite the evil tear, cementing himself as one of the biggest threats to Middle-earth — and the most punchable character in the series.

Kemen's reign of terror begins with a task from his father: Strip the members of the Sea Guard of their ranks. That includes Captain Elendil (Lloyd Owen), whose loyalty to Míriel and faithfulness to the Valar constitute as treason in Kemen's eyes.

SEE ALSO: Did you catch this hint at the Stranger's real name in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' Season 2?

As Elendil hands in his sword, his former sailors salute him in an "O Captain! My Captain!" moment straight out of Dead Poets Society. Of course, Kemen interrupts the proceedings with the snotty comment, "He's nobody's captain now." Shut up, man! Isn't it enough you've turned Elendil's daughter Eärien (Ema Horvath) against him? Leave the bratty remarks at home!

Leon Wadham and Trystan Gravelle in "The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power." Credit: Ross Ferguson / Prime Video

Kemen only gets worse as the episode goes on, waltzing into the oldest shrine to the Valar in Númenor and breaking up a memorial service for the soldiers who died in Middle-earth. Hey, wasn't one of the biggest reasons people hated Míriel because she let soldiers go to Middle-earth in the first place? The hypocrisy is off the charts! The least you could do is let people grieve these losses in peace before you start condemning their shrines.

But Kemen isn't into doing the least evil. He's here to do the absolute most, whether that's pettily smashing a Valar relic, poking at Elendil's strained relationship with Eärien, or smirking like there's no tomorrow. Serious props to Wadham for selling Kemen's infuriating self-satisfaction so hard. He somehow manages to make a seemingly innocuous statement like "It's in the way of the new aqueduct" the most enraging line in the entire show.

SEE ALSO: What does 'Sûza-t' mean in 'The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power' Season 2, episode 4?

Thankfully, Elendil must have heard my pleas for someone to haul back and punch Kemen in the face, because the legend smacks the living daylights out of him. Remember when Tyrion slapped Joffrey in Game of Thrones? Yeah, I felt the exact same levels of hype here.

The ensuing brawl doesn't end well for Elendil's men, but I'd be lying if I said it didn't rock to see Kemen get absolutely bodied by former Sea Guard member Valandil (Alex Tarrant), though he's ultimately too honorable to finish Kemen off. But you know who doesn't have any problem being dishonorable? That's right, Kemen. Númenor's biggest twerp stabs Valandil in the back, and just like that, I need him to get decked in the face again. Too bad Elendil's being thrown in jail; otherwise I know he'd follow through.

Kemen's rage-inducing behavior throughout this episode is not only proof of him being an all-around bad guy — it's also proof of the corruption of Númenor, and the Men who live there. No wonder this episode also focuses on Sauron's (Charlie Vickers) efforts to convince Celebrimbor (Charles Edwards) to make Rings of Power for Men. He knows that people like Kemen exist, and that they'd do anything for power.

Truly, if Kemen ever comes to Middle-earth, he's a prime candidate for one of the nine rings for Men. Lord of the Rings fans know how that would turn out: with ultimate corruption, and transformation into a Ringwraith. According to Pharazôn, Kemen's late mother did prophesy that he would come to an "ill end," and I'd say becoming a Nazgûl falls under that umbrella. (Getting punched again would also qualify, and it would be more than welcome!)

The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power Season 2 is now streaming on Prime Video, with a new episode every Thursday.

Spider One's "Little Bites" trailer has dropped, teasing a mother who feeds the monster in her basement in order to protect her daughter.

Stephen Colbert has shared his thoughts on Taylor Swift's Kamala Harris endorsement post, including some clear Easter eggs.

Apple's new iPhones can charge faster than ever — if you plug them in.

This is according to certification from the China Quality Certification Centre, as spotted by ShrimpApplePro and reported by 9to5Mac. All of Apple's new iPhones are capable of 45W charging over USB-C.

SEE ALSO: Apple 'Glowtime' event 2024: iPhone 16, Apple Watch Series 10, AirPods 4, and everything else announced

During its keynote on Monday, Apple did mention that the new iPhone 16 range of devices support faster wireless charging. The official specs sheet says so as well; according to Apple, all of the new phones (the iPhone 16, iPhone 16 Plus, iPhone 16 Pro, and iPhone 16 Pro Max) support MagSafe wireless charging up to 25W with a 30W adapter or higher, as well as Qi2 wireless charging up to 15W. Apple also says that the phones are capable of fast charging over wired; according to the specs, you can get up to "50 percent charge in around 30 minutes" with a 20W adapter or higher paired with a USB-C charging cable.

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What the spec sheet doesn't say is that last year's models could charge at a maximum of 30W, while the new ones can peak at 45W, theoretically enabling even faster charging.

For the end users, this means that they should be able to get their iPhone 16 devices to charge faster than ever if they use a compatible 45W charger. It will take some real-world testing to see which chargers work best, and whether you can get a meaningfully faster charge this way, though.

"The Daily Show" host Jordan Klepper has broken down Trump's reaction to the presidential debate.