Mashable

Subscribe to Mashable feed
Mashable is a leading source for news, information & resources for the Connected Generation. Mashable reports on the importance of digital innovation and how it empowers and inspires people around the world. Mashable's 25 million monthly unique visitors and 10 million social media followers have become one of the most engaged online news communities. Founded in 2005, Mashable is headquartered in New York City with an office in San Francisco.
URL: https://mashable.com
Updated: 9 min 57 sec ago

Prime Day ends soon: We found the 150+ best deals on Apple, Kindle, DJI, and Lego favorites

1 hour 43 min ago
The best Prime Day deals at a glance: Best Apple deal Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm) $279 at Amazon (save $120) Get Deal Best headphones deal Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise-Cancelling Headphones $198 at Amazon (save $201.99) Get Deal Best earbuds deal Apple AirPods Pro 3 $179 at Amazon (save $70) Get Deal Best Kindle Deal Amazon Kindle Paperwhite $124.99 at Amazon (save $35) Get Deal Best vacuum deal Bissell Furguard Cordless Stick Vacuum $179.99 at Amazon (save $120) Get Deal Best power station deal Bluetti Elite 30 V2 Portable Power Station $199 at Amazon (save $100) Get Deal Best DJI deal DJI Mini 3 $269 at Amazon (save $150) Get Deal Best TV deal Samsung 65-inch S90F OLED 4K Smart TV $1,197.99 at Amazon (save $500) Get Deal Best Lego deal Lego Star Wars Imperial Star Destroyer Set $111.99 at Amazon (save $48) Get Deal Best Deal Under $25 Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select $9.99 with code FTVSELECT (save $30) Get Deal

Prime Day 2026 is more than halfway done, and on day three of the four-day mega sale, popular deals on DJI drones, Ninja appliances, and Yeti coolers have already come and gone. However, new deals are also going online, so you still have time to shop. If you're a Prime member, this is your opportunity to save on almost anything, from boring household essentials like dish soap to big-ticket splurges like a new 65-inch OLED TV. And if you're not sure where to start, we've vetted the best Prime Day deals for you, scouring thousands of offers to find the top discounts on the Apple Watch, Sony headphones, and Kindles.

Prime Day usually takes place in July, but this year, Amazon decided to shake things up and run the sale in June. So, don't forget: Amazon Prime Day 2026 runs through Friday, June 26, and until then, you can enjoy record-low prices on products from Apple, Bose, DJI, Dyson, Lego, Pokémon, and Samsung.

SEE ALSO: The top 30+ Prime Day tech deals, hand-picked by a tech editor on a budget

Mashable shopping experts are closely monitoring the latest discounts and collecting all of the top Amazon Prime Day deals into this one-stop shopping guide, so keep checking back for the latest price drops. We're also tracking prices at alternative Prime Day sales from Best Buy, Target, Walmart, and beyond, so we'll be sure to point you toward the lowest possible price. And follow along with our live blog for the most up-to-date price drops, news, and stock alerts.

Deals marked with a ✅ are Mashable editor favorites. Deals marked with a strikethrough are no longer available. Deals marked with a 🔥 are at an all-time low price.

Best Prime Day Apple deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm) ✅ 🔥 $279 at Amazon
$399 Save $120   Get Deal

We're obviously hunting for the best Apple deals during Prime Day, and right now, the entire Apple Watch lineup is at record-low prices. That means you can save over $100 on the Apple Watch Series 11, a Mashable Choice product. In his review, Mashable's Stan Schroeder said, "the Apple Watch Series 11 isn't all that different from last year's model, but it has a significantly longer battery life, and that's a huge deal."

AirPods dealsiPad dealsMacBook dealsBest Prime Day headphones deal Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise-Cancelling Headphones ✅ 🔥 $198 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $201.99   Get Deal

The best deal on headphones goes to the Sony WH-1000XM5s, an older pair of flagship cans that we still love and recommend. "They [have] unbeatable ANC and sound for the money, and even in 2026, they sound shockingly good," writes Bethany Allard, our resident headphones expert. Normally $399.99, they're marked down to just $198 for Prime Day — a 50% savings and their lowest price ever.

More headphones dealsMore earbuds dealsBest Prime Day Amazon device deals Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Spot $44.99 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $35.00   Get Deal

Amazon's latest Echo devices, the Echo Dot Max and Echo Studio, have both hit new, all-time low prices this Prime Day. But the biggest discount is going to the Echo Spot, its smart alarm clock. This tiny speaker sits compactly on nightstands but provides everything you need to start your morning, including a weather report and tunes to get you out of bed.

You can now get the Amazon Echo Spot for just $44.99. That saves you $35 off its $79.99 price tag for a 44% discount.

More Echo dealsMore Amazon device dealsBest Prime Day Kindle deals Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Kindle Paperwhite ✅ 🔥 $124.99 at Amazon
$159.99 Save $35.00   Get Deal

Our resident e-reader expert, Samantha Mangino, counts the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition as her daily driver, but for most shoppers, we have to recommend the excellent Kindle Paperwhite, which has proven to be one of the most popular Prime Day deals among Mashable readers this year. Compared to the regular Kindle, the Paperwhite has a larger display, better battery life, a waterproof rating, and an adjustable warm light.

More Kindle dealsBest Prime Day laptop deal Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Surface Laptop 7, 15-inch (Snapdragon X Elite, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) ✅ $1,229.99 at Amazon
$2,099.99 Save $870.00   Get Deal

Read Mashable's full review of the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7.

Senior Shopping Reporter Haley Henschel says, "We loved the Surface Laptop 7 back when it launched in 2024. While its CPU isn't the freshest anymore, it still impresses as a whole: It features a 23-hour battery life, a microSDXC card slot, and a 2.5K touchscreen that's brighter and smoother than a 15-inch MacBook Air's screen.

Amazon's amazing Prime Day deal on this 15-inch model comes just a week after Microsoft announced the very similar Surface Laptop 8 (which isn't on sale just yet). It's currently listed for just $1,229.99 — a whopping 44% off its regular retail price of $2,099.99. I wouldn't be surprised if it disappears long before Prime Day ends, considering the exact same model sold out at Best Buy after dropping to $1,699.99 there."

More Prime Day laptop deals

For discounts on MacBooks, scroll back up to the Apple section in this story or check out our dedicated Prime Day MacBook deals guide.

Best Prime Day DJI deal Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Mini 3 🔥 $269 at Amazon
$419 Save $150   Get Deal

DJI's entire fleet of gadgets is on sale this Prime Day, and this deal on its DJI Mini 3 is a standout. Amazon has it discounted to $269, or 36% off — its lowest price ever. (It was $30 more expensive during Amazon's Big Spring Sale in March.) This lightweight entry-level drone can shoot 4K video and fly for almost 40 minutes on a single charge.

Keep in mind that, thanks to the U.S. drone ban and DJI's problems with the FCC, the company's drones and new releases are sold through third-party sellers on Amazon. Not only that, but now that we're halfway through Prime Day, many DJI drones are already out of stock.

More DJI drone dealsDJI camera dealsDJI creator tools on saleBest Prime Day home and kitchen deal Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Ninja Creami Ice Cream Maker $169.99 at Amazon
$219.99 Save $50   Get Deal

The Ninja Creami ice cream maker is a cult favorite, and also a personal favorite of our shopping team. Mashable reporter Samantha Mangino called this appliance a lot of fun in her review, and a sweltering hot summer is exactly the right time to try it. Grab one while it's on sale and discover why TikTok is still obsessed with this device.

We should note that the Creami's sibling, the Ninja Slushi, quickly sold out at Amazon during Prime Day, so don't procrastinate if you have your eye on this Ninja ice cream maker!

More kitchen dealsHome dealsBest Prime Day speaker deal Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose Soundlink Flex Bluetooth Speaker 🔥 $99 at Amazon
$149 Save $50   Get Deal

So far, Bose has some of the best Prime Day deals of 2026, with 50% off select headphones and 34% off Bluetooth speakers, like the Soundlink Flex. Mashable has reviewed the new Soundlink lineup, and the Flex is a highly portable and waterproof speaker with clear, loud sound that's ideal for summer get-togethers.

More speaker dealsBest Prime Day power station deals Opens in a new window Credit: Bluetti Bluetti Elite 30 V2 Portable Power Station, 600W ✅ $199 at Amazon
$299 Save $100   Get Deal

Ready for summer adventures? If you're gearing up to pack the car and head into nature, don't forget to invest in a portable power station to keep your campsite powered. Plus, it can serve as an at-home power backup in an emergency.

Prime Day and Black Friday are the best times of year to buy these popular devices, and one of our favorite Bluetti power stations is at its lowest price of the year. The Bluetti Elite is a good entry point if you've never owned a power station before. Weighing less than 10 pounds, it's a lightweight device built for weekend excursions.

More portable power station dealsBest Prime Day TV deals Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 65-inch S90F OLED 4K TV 🔥 $1,197.99 at Amazon
$1,697.99 Save $500   Get Deal

Enjoying the World Cup? If you want to watch every heart-racing moment in 4K and your TV isn't up to par, then look for Prime Day deals on award-winning OLED and Micro RGB TVs. Case in point: the Samsung 65-inch S90F OLED 4K Smart TV, on sale now. According to our tech editor, this is the best TV available right now, especially at this all-time low price.

More TV dealsBest Prime Day robot vacuum deal Opens in a new window Credit: Eufy Eufy C28 Robot Vacuum and Mop 🔥 $449.99 at Amazon
$799.99 Save $350   Get Deal

Mashable's resident vacuum guru, Leah Stodart, named the Eufy C28 Robot Vacuum and Mop the best affordable vacuum-and-mop combo. Despite its budget price, Stodart says it's the most heavy-duty robot mop you'll find, delivering spotless cleans. Get the Eufy C28 for just $449.99 during Prime Day. That's the vacuum's lowest price ever, offering $350 in savings.

More robot vacuum dealsMore vacuum dealsUpholstery cleaner dealsBest Prime Day Lego deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Star Wars Imperial Star Destroyer Set 🔥 $111.99 at Amazon
$159.99 Save $48.00   Get Deal

No guide to the best Prime Day deals would be complete without some great Lego offers. And according to our biggest Lego nerds, this is the top discount of the sale so far.

We love Star Wars Lego sets, and this epic Star Destroyer is down to its best-ever price at Amazon. If you're a Prime member and a Star Wars fan, you can pick up this 1,555-piece set for $111.99, a 30% discount. And if you're looking for more Lego sets, check out our complete guide to the best Prime Day Lego deals.

More Lego dealsBest Prime Day outdoor deal Opens in a new window Credit: Yeti Yeti Hopper M Series Portable Soft Coolers ✅ $262.50 at Amazon
$350 Save $87.50   Get Deal

Amazon just dropped a bunch of new Prime Day camping deals, part of its daily deal drops. The standout is definitely this portable soft cooler from Yeti, which our tech editor Timothy Werth has tested on multiple beach days, even though it's not actually a tech product. Hey, sometimes you need to unplug. Yeti's coolers are famous for their durability, and they rarely go on sale outside of Prime Day and Black Friday.

More outdoor and camping dealsBest Prime Day fitness tracker deal Oura Ring 4 ✅ 🔥 $214 at Amazon
$349 Save $135   Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Best Buy Get Deal at Target

Multiple Mashable team members have tested (and loved) the Oura Ring 4. While it's recently been replaced by the slightly thinner Oura Ring 5, we're big fans of this smart ring. One of our reporters even wore this ring while training for and then running the New York City marathon. While prices vary based on the ring size, the Oura Ring 4 is starting at just $214 for Prime Day, a price we've never seen before and a big discount from the $349 list price.

More fitness tracker deals

Note: For Apple Watch deals, scroll back to the Apple section of this story.

Best Prime Day streaming deal Opens in a new window Credit: HBO HBO Max save 40% on annual subscriptions Get Deal

If you've been feeling left out of the House of the Dragon or Hacks hype, this is easily the best week of the year to sign up for HBO Max — it even beats Black Friday, in terms of how many tiers get the discount. The HBO Max Prime Day deal makes annual subscriptions 40% cheaper than usual. Pay $78.99 for a year of the Basic With Ads tier, $132.99 for a year of the Standard tier, or $164.99 for a year of the Premium tier.

More streaming dealsBest Prime Day gaming deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 34-inch Odyssey G5 Ultra-Wide Curved Gaming Monitor ✅ $265.04 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $134.95 New release Get Deal

If you procrastinated on your Prime Day shopping, then you missed out on the chance to score a 47% discount on the Samsung G8 OLED 4K Gaming Monitor, one of the best Prime Day deals of the sale so far. (It's now marked down to $799, which is still a good discount for a new release.) On day three of Prime Day, the best gaming deal of the moment is this 34% markdown on the Samsung 34-inch Odyssey G5 Ultra-Wide Curved Gaming Monitor. While it's not an OLED, it has a fast refresh rate, a 1-millisecond response time, and HDR10+ support.

More Prime Day gaming dealsBest Prime Day deals under $50Best Prime Day beauty and personal care deals

Still haven't found what you're looking for? Check out our Prime Day 2026 live blog, where we're providing real-time updates on the latest deals, inventory changes, and competitor sales.

Mashable at VidCon sweepstakes 2026 entry rules

2 hours 11 min ago

OFFICIAL SWEEPSTAKES RULES

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. The Mashable @ VidCon 2026 Sweepstakes (the “Promotion”) is governed by these official rules (the “Sweepstakes Rules”).

The Promotion consists of three (3) separate and independent daily sweepstakes (each, a “Daily Sweepstakes”): the Day 1 Sweepstakes, the Day 2 Sweepstakes, and the Day 3 Sweepstakes. Each Daily Sweepstakes has its own Entry Period, its own prize, and its own random drawing, as set forth below. An entry is valid only for the Daily Sweepstakes corresponding to the calendar day (Pacific Time) on which it is submitted; entries do not carry over, and prizes are not transferable, between Daily Sweepstakes.

The entry period for each Daily Sweepstakes (each, an “Entry Period”; collectively, the “Sweepstakes Period”) is as follows:

  • Day 1 Sweepstakes: June 25, 2026, from 4:00 PM PT to 11:59 PM PT.

  • Day 2 Sweepstakes: June 26, 2026, from 12:01 AM PT to 11:59 PM PT.

  • Day 3 Sweepstakes: June 27, 2026, from 12:01 AM PT to 11:59 PM PT.

SPONSOR: Ziff Davis, LLC, with an address of 360 Park Avenue South, 17th Floor, New York, New York 10010 (the “Sponsor”).

ELIGIBILITY: This Promotion is open to individuals who are eighteen (18) years of age or older at the time of entry who are legal residents of the United States (excluding Tennessee), the District of Columbia, Austria, the United Kingdom, Canada (excluding Quebec), Finland, Norway, Iceland, and Sweden. By entering a Daily Sweepstakes as described in these Sweepstakes Rules, entrants represent and warrant that they are complying with these Sweepstakes Rules (including, without limitation, all eligibility requirements), and that they agree to abide by and be bound by all the rules and terms and conditions stated herein and all decisions of Sponsor, which shall be final and binding.

All previous winners of any sweepstakes sponsored by Sponsor during the nine (9) month period prior to the Selection Date are not eligible to enter. Any individuals (including, but not limited to, employees, consultants, independent contractors and interns) who have, within the past six (6) months, held employment with or performed services for Sponsor or any organizations affiliated with the sponsorship, fulfillment, administration, prize support, advertisement or promotion of the Promotion (“Employees”) are not eligible to enter or win. Immediate Family Members and Household Members are also not eligible to enter or win. “Immediate Family Members” means parents, step-parents, legal guardians, children, step-children, siblings, step-siblings, or spouses of an Employee. “Household Members” means those individuals who share the same residence with an Employee at least three (3) months a year.

HOW TO ENTER: To enter a Daily Sweepstakes, you must complete the following steps during that Daily Sweepstakes’s Entry Period:

  • Follow the official Mashable account on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mashable/.

  • Locate the designated entry post for that Daily Sweepstakes by scanning the QR code at the Mashable VidCon booth or by finding the post directly on Instagram.

  • ‘Like’ the designated entry post for that Daily Sweepstakes.

  • ‘Comment’ on the designated entry post for that Daily Sweepstakes.

Subsequent attempts made by the same individual to submit multiple entries by using multiple accounts or otherwise may result in disqualification of the entrant. Limit one (1) entry per person, per Daily Sweepstakes.

Only entries submitted during the applicable Entry Period will be eligible for entry into that Daily Sweepstakes. No other methods of entry will be accepted. All entries become the property of Sponsor and will not be returned. Entries are limited to individuals only; commercial enterprises and business entities are not eligible. Use of a false account will disqualify an entry. Sponsor is not responsible for entries not received due to difficulty accessing the internet, service outage or delays, computer difficulties and other technological problems.

Entries are subject to any applicable restrictions or eligibility requirements listed herein. Should a dispute arise regarding the identity of an entrant, the entry will be deemed to have been made by the Authorized Account Holder of the Instagram account used to enter at the time of entry. “Authorized Account Holder” is defined as the natural person who is assigned the Instagram account, or the e-mail address or mobile phone number subsequently provided for prize fulfillment, by the applicable service provider or organization responsible for assigning such accounts, addresses, or numbers. Proof of submission of an entry shall not be deemed proof of receipt by Sponsor. When applicable, Sponsor’s computer will be deemed the official time-keeping device for the Promotion. Entries will be disqualified if found to be incomplete and/or if Sponsor determines, in its sole discretion, that multiple entries were submitted by the same entrant in violation of the Sweepstakes Rules.

WINNER SELECTION AND NOTIFICATION: On or about July 9, 2026 (the “Selection Date”), Sponsor will conduct three (3) separate random drawings—one for each Daily Sweepstakes—and will select one (1) prize winner per Daily Sweepstakes (each, a “Winner”) from among all eligible entries received during that Daily Sweepstakes’s Entry Period. Each Winner will be notified via direct message to the Instagram account used to enter the applicable Daily Sweepstakes. Notification of a Winner shall be deemed to have occurred immediately upon sending of the notification by Sponsor. Each selected Winner will be required to respond (as directed) to the notification within three (3) business days of attempted notification. The only entries that will be considered eligible entries are entries received by Sponsor within the applicable Entry Period. The odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received for the applicable Daily Sweepstakes. For each Daily Sweepstakes, Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to select up to two (2) alternate Winners in the event that a selected Winner has been disqualified, fails to respond timely to the notification, or is deemed ineligible for any reason. In the event the alternate Winners are also disqualified, fail to respond timely to the notification, or are deemed ineligible for any reason, Sponsor shall not be obligated to select any further alternate Winners for that Daily Sweepstakes and the applicable prize shall remain un-awarded.

PRIZE(S): The prize for each Daily Sweepstakes is set forth in the tables below (each, a “Prize” and collectively, the “Prizes”). One (1) Prize will be awarded for each Daily Sweepstakes.

DAY 1:

DAY 2:

DAY 3:

No more than the stated number of Prizes will be awarded, and all Prizes listed above will be awarded. Actual retail value of a Prize may vary due to market conditions. The difference in value of a Prize as stated above and value at time of notification of the Winner, if any, will not be awarded. No cash or prize substitution is permitted, except at the discretion of Sponsor. The Prizes are non-transferrable. If a Prize cannot be awarded due to circumstances beyond the control of Sponsor, a substitute Prize and/or cash value of equal or greater retail value will be awarded; provided, however, that if a Prize is awarded but remains unclaimed or is forfeited by the Winner, the Prize may not be re-awarded, in Sponsor’s sole discretion. In the event that more than the stated number of Prizes becomes available for any reason, Sponsor reserves the right to award only the stated number of Prizes by a random drawing among all legitimate, un-awarded, eligible prize claims.

ACCEPTANCE AND DELIVERY OF THE PRIZE: Each Winner will be required to verify his or her address and may be required to execute the following document(s) before a notary public and return them within seventy-two (72) hours (or a shorter time if required by exigencies) of receipt of such documents: an affidavit of eligibility, a liability release, and (where imposing such condition is legal) a publicity release covering eligibility, liability, advertising, publicity and media appearance issues (collectively, the “Prize Claim Documents”). If an entrant is unable to verify the information submitted with their entry, the entrant will automatically be disqualified and their Prize, if any, will be forfeited. A Prize will not be awarded until all such properly executed and notarized Prize Claim Documents are returned to Sponsor. A Prize won by an eligible entrant who is a minor in his or her state of residence will be awarded to the minor’s parent or legal guardian, who must sign and return all required Prize Claim Documents. In the event the Prize Claim Documents are not returned within the specified period, an alternate Winner may be selected by Sponsor for such Prize. A Prize will be shipped to the Winner within six (6) weeks of Sponsor’s receipt of a signed affidavit and release from the Winner. The Winner is responsible for all taxes and fees related to the Prize received, if any.

OTHER RULES: THIS PROMOTION IS SUBJECT TO ALL APPLICABLE LAWS AND IS VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. ALL SUBMISSIONS BY ENTRANTS IN CONNECTION WITH THE PROMOTION BECOME THE SOLE PROPERTY OF THE SPONSOR AND WILL NOT BE ACKNOWLEDGED OR RETURNED. EACH WINNER ASSUMES ALL LIABILITY FOR ANY INJURIES OR DAMAGE CAUSED OR CLAIMED TO BE CAUSED BY PARTICIPATION IN THIS PROMOTION OR BY THE USE OR MISUSE OF ANY PRIZE.

BY ENTERING A DAILY SWEEPSTAKES, EACH WINNER GRANTS THE SPONSOR PERMISSION TO USE HIS OR HER NAME, CITY, STATE/PROVINCE, E-MAIL ADDRESS AND, TO THE EXTENT SUBMITTED AS PART OF THE ENTRY, HIS OR HER PHOTOGRAPH, VOICE, AND/OR LIKENESS FOR ADVERTISING, PUBLICITY OR OTHER PURPOSES OR ON A WINNER’S LIST, IF APPLICABLE, IN ANY AND ALL MEDIA WHETHER NOW KNOWN OR HEREINAFTER DEVELOPED, WORLDWIDE, WITHOUT ADDITIONAL CONSENT OR COMPENSATION, EXCEPT WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. By submitting an entry, entrants also grant the Sponsor a perpetual, fully-paid, irrevocable, non-exclusive license to reproduce, prepare derivative works of, distribute, display, exhibit, transmit, broadcast, televise, digitize, perform and otherwise use and permit others to use, throughout the world, their entry materials in any manner, form, or format now known or hereinafter created, including on the internet, and for any purpose, including, but not limited to, advertising or promotion of the Promotion, the Sponsor and/or its products and services, without further consent from or compensation to the entrant. By entering a Daily Sweepstakes, entrants consent to receive notification of future promotions, advertisements or solicitations by or from Sponsor and/or Sponsor’s parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries and business partners, via email or other means of communication.

If, in the Sponsor’s opinion, there is any suspected or actual evidence of fraud, electronic or non-electronic tampering or unauthorized intervention with any portion of this Promotion, or if fraud or technical difficulties of any sort (e.g., computer viruses, bugs) compromise the integrity of the Promotion, the Sponsor reserves the right to void suspect entries and/or terminate the affected Daily Sweepstakes and award the applicable Prize in its sole discretion. Any attempt to deliberately damage the Sponsor’s website(s) or undermine the legitimate operation of the Promotion may be in violation of U.S. criminal and civil laws and will result in disqualification from participation in the Promotion. Should such an attempt be made, the Sponsor reserves the right to seek remedies and damages (including attorney’s fees) to the fullest extent of the law, including pursuing criminal prosecution.

DISCLAIMER: EXCLUDING ONLY APPLICABLE MANUFACTURERS’ WARRANTIES, EACH PRIZE IS PROVIDED TO THE WINNER ON AN “AS IS” BASIS, WITHOUT FURTHER WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. SPONSOR HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL FURTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE WITH RESPECT TO THE PRIZE.

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: BY ENTERING A DAILY SWEEPSTAKES, ENTRANTS, ON BEHALF OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR HEIRS, EXECUTORS, ASSIGNS AND REPRESENTATIVES, RELEASE AND HOLD THE SPONSOR, ITS PARENT COMPANIES, SUBSIDIARIES, AFFILIATED COMPANIES, UNITS AND DIVISIONS, AND THE CURRENT AND FORMER OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, SHAREHOLDERS, AGENTS, SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS OF EACH OF THE FOREGOING, AND ALL THOSE ACTING UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF THE FOREGOING, OR ANY OF THEM (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ADVERTISING AND PROMOTIONAL AGENCIES AND PRIZE SUPPLIERS) (EACH A “RELEASED PARTY”), HARMLESS FROM AND AGAINST ANY AND ALL CLAIMS, ACTIONS, INJURY, LOSS, DAMAGES, LIABILITIES AND OBLIGATIONS OF ANY KIND WHATSOEVER (COLLECTIVELY, THE “CLAIMS”) WHETHER KNOWN OR UNKNOWN, SUSPECTED OR UNSUSPECTED, WHICH ENTRANT EVER HAD, NOW HAS, OR HEREAFTER CAN, SHALL OR MAY HAVE, AGAINST THE RELEASED PARTIES (OR ANY OF THEM), INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, CLAIMS ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO THE PROMOTION OR ENTRANT’S PARTICIPATION IN THE PROMOTION (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, CLAIMS FOR LIBEL, DEFAMATION, INVASION OF PRIVACY, VIOLATION OF THE RIGHT OF PUBLICITY, COMMERCIAL APPROPRIATION OF NAME AND LIKENESS, INFRINGEMENT OF COPYRIGHT OR VIOLATION OF ANY OTHER PERSONAL OR PROPRIETARY RIGHT), AND THE RECEIPT, OWNERSHIP, USE, MISUSE, TRANSFER, SALE OR OTHER DISPOSITION OF THE PRIZE (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, CLAIMS FOR PERSONAL INJURY, DEATH, AND/OR PROPERTY DAMAGE). All matters relating to the interpretation and application of these Sweepstakes Rules shall be decided by Sponsor in its sole discretion.

DISPUTES: If, for any reason (including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes beyond the control of the Sponsor which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Promotion), a Daily Sweepstakes is not capable of being conducted as described in these Sweepstakes Rules, Sponsor shall have the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry process, and/or to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the affected Daily Sweepstakes. The Sponsor assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of, entries. The Sponsor is not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer online systems, servers, providers, computer equipment, software, or failure of any e-mail or entry to be received by Sponsor on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any website, or any combination thereof, including, without limitation, any injury or damage to any entrant’s or any other person’s computer related to or resulting from participating or downloading any materials in this Promotion. Because of the unique nature and scope of the Promotion, Sponsor reserves the right, in addition to those other rights reserved herein, to modify any date(s) or deadline(s) set forth in these Sweepstakes Rules or otherwise governing the Promotion, and any such changes will be posted here in the Sweepstakes Rules. Any attempt by any person to deliberately undermine the legitimate operation of the Promotion may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages to the fullest extent permitted by law. Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these Sweepstakes Rules shall not constitute a waiver of any provision.

As a condition of participating in the Promotion, entrant agrees that any and all disputes that cannot be resolved between entrant and Sponsor, and causes of action arising out of or connected with the Promotion or these Sweepstakes Rules, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, exclusively before a court of competent jurisdiction located in San Francisco, California, and entrant irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of the federal and state courts located in San Francisco, California with respect to any such dispute, cause of action, or other matter. All disputes will be governed and controlled by the laws of the State of California (without regard for its conflicts-of-laws principles). Further, in any such dispute, under no circumstances will entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and hereby irrevocably waives all rights to claim, punitive, incidental, or consequential damages, or any other damages, including attorneys’ fees, other than entrant’s actual out-of-pocket expenses (i.e., costs incurred directly in connection with entrant’s participation in the Promotion), and entrant further irrevocably waives all rights to have damages multiplied or increased, if any. EACH PARTY EXPRESSLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY. All federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply.

PRIVACY: Information collected from entrants in connection with the Promotion is subject to Sponsor’s privacy policy, which may be found here. You understand that when you access or submit information to or via the Instagram platform, such submissions are also subject to the privacy policy of Instagram and its parent company, Meta Platforms, Inc.

SOCIAL MEDIA PROMOTION: Although the Promotion may be featured on Instagram and/or other social media platforms, the Promotion is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or associated with Instagram, Meta Platforms, Inc., or any other social media platform, and you agree that Instagram, Meta Platforms, Inc., and all other social media platforms are not liable in any way for any claims, damages or losses associated with the Promotion.

WINNER(S) LIST: For a list of the name(s) of the prize winner(s), after the Selection Date, please send a stamped, self-addressed No. 10 / standard business envelope to Ziff Davis, LLC, Attn: Legal Department, 360 Park Avenue South, 17th Floor, New York, New York 10010 (VT residents may omit return postage).

BY ENTERING, YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE READ AND AGREE TO ALL OF THESE SWEEPSTAKES RULES.

Prime Day deals on small TVs: The Hisense DécoTV that changed the vibe of my bedroom is under $200

3 hours 32 min ago
A quick look at the best Prime Day deals on small TVs Best 32-inch TV deal Hisense S5 DécoTV $199.99 at Amazon (save $50) Get Deal Best budget 43-inch TV deal Insignia 43-inch F50 Series 4K Fire TV $119.99 at Amazon (save $80) Get Deal Best 43-inch QLED TV deal Amazon 43-inch Omni QLED 4K Fire TV $359.99 at Amazon (save $200) Get Deal Best budget 50-inch TV deal Insignia 50-inch F50 4K Fire TV $159.99 at Amazon (save $150) Get Deal Best 50-inch QLED TV deal TCL 50-inch QM5K Mini LED QLED 4K TV $329.99 at Best Buy (save $320) Get Deal

Lists of Prime Day TV deals often focus on massive discounts on massive TVs. Most of us would find a four-digit discount on an 85-inch TV thrilling for a few seconds — and then many of us would remember that our home requires a TV of a more practical size.

As someone whose life was recently changed by a 32-inch bedroom TV upgrade, it only felt right that I compile a list of good deals on small TVs this Prime Day. The dollar discounts aren't as large as the ones on the 65-inch+ TVs, but the percentages off are just as intense: You can get up to 50% off TVs from 32 to 50 inches at Amazon and Best Buy.

SEE ALSO: The best streaming deals during Prime Day: 10+ subscriptions for less than $1

Be sure to check back throughout the end of Prime Day on June 26 and follow along with all other categories in Mashable's Prime Day hub.

Best bedroom TV deal for Prime Day Hisense 32-inch S5 DécoTV $199.99 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $50   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

Just released earlier this year, the Hisense DécoTV is the antithesis of the throwaway bedroom TV. It's all white with rounded edges and a sculpture-like base that doesn't require attaching any legs. I replaced my 15-year-old clunker (that was literally too old to handle a Fire TV Stick) with the 32-inch Déco a few months ago and couldn't be happier. It blends in with my room's white and gold decor perfectly — why aren't more small TVs this chic?

The difference between LED and QLED is extremely noticeable when I'm watching TV in the daytime, and the contrast is a million times better for horror movies at night.

Note that the 32-inch Hisense DécoTV is FHD, not 4K. I don't think that's a huge deal for such a small screen, but Hisense did release a 43-inch 4K version of the DécoTV in mid-June. It's also on sale for Prime Day.

Deals on 32-inch TVsDeals on 40 to 43-inch TVsDeals on 50-inch TVs

Steam Summer Sale 2026 arrives: 10 deals to know

4 hours 2 min ago

If you have a gaming PC, a Steam Deck, or even a brand new Steam Machine, you can currently get a whole lot of great video games for almost no money right now.

That's because the annual Steam Summer Sale kicked off on Thursday, with offers lasting until July 9. That means you have a couple of weeks to get as much as 80 percent off on some of the best games ever made. But if you don't feel like combing through the entire Steam interface to find deals, I've curated 10 of them that I think are definitely worth checking out. These range from mainstream hits to smaller indie games across a variety of genres, but one constant is that I've played and adore all of them.

Here are 10 of the best deals in the Steam Summer Sale.

SEE ALSO: 'Star Fox' for Nintendo Switch 2 is a magnificent Hollywood take on a classic The Witcher III: Wild Hunt - Complete Edition Geralt is a cool guy. Credit: CD Projekt Red/Steam

  • List Price: $49.99

  • Sale Price: $9.99

There's a decent chance you already own The Witcher III, given that it's sold 65 million units since its launch in 2015. But if you don't, there really is no better time than now to hop on the bandwagon.

This is, without sugarcoating it, one of the best RPGs ever made, and you can enjoy it just fine even if you never played its two predecessors or read any of the Polish fantasy novels on which the game series is based. It combines some of the best open-world quest design ever with an emotional, mature story that's more about being a good father than saving the world (though there's some of that, too). The Complete Edition comes with both existing expansion packs, which are 100 percent worth playing, and there's actually a third expansion coming out in 2027 to look forward to, as well.

Star Wars Jedi: Survivor Cal Kestis is also a cool dude. Credit: Respawn/Steam

  • List Price: $69.99

  • Sale Price: $13.99

There is a litany of Star Wars games available in the Steam sale, but Jedi: Survivor is probably the best deal here, for my money. The sequel to 2019's Jedi: Fallen Order follows surprisingly endearing protagonist Cal Kestis and friends as they search for safe haven from the evil Galactic Empire. It's got great combat, compelling level design, and honestly one of the best stories in any Disney-era Star Wars production. For $13.99, this is a must-buy, as far as I'm concerned.

Titanfall 2 One of the best shooter campaigns ever. Credit: Respawn/Steam

  • List Price: $29.99

  • Sale Price: $4.49

Titanfall 2 has been one of the most perpetually dirt-cheap games on digital storefronts for the past decade, but somehow, there are still people who have never played it. Don't be one of them.

Put simply, this is one of the greatest first-person shooter single-player campaigns ever made. Every moment of it oozes with creativity and excitement, making the best out of extremely fun shooting and traversal mechanics in every mission. You should seriously just block out an entire Saturday afternoon and play it in one sitting.

Burnout Paradise Remastered Racing games don't get much better than this. Credit: Criterion/Steam

  • List Price: $19.99

  • Sale Price: $3.99

Burnout Paradise has a real argument as being one of the four or five best games of the entire Xbox 360/PS3 era, and it's held up beautifully. The remastered version includes all online modes, as well as all of the DLC that was made for the original game. Paradise redefined what an open-world racing game could be, years before games like Forza Horizon carried the torch for the genre. It's simply a lot of fun and very easy to pick up and play in short bursts or long sessions.

Risk of Rain 2 One of the best co-op roguelikes out there. Credit: Hopoo/Steam

  • List Price: $24.99

  • Sale Price: $8.24

Risk of Rain 2 is a shooter roguelike that can be enjoyed solo, but is best played with up to three friends in co-op fashion. You choose from one of several characters and run around procedurally generated levels killing enemies and collecting a wide variety of stacking upgrades, all while contending with a mechanic that increases enemy difficulty the more time elapses. It can get extremely challenging, but also very rewarding, especially if you manage to make a super broken build that basically plays the game by itself.

Stardew Valley Cozy. Credit: ConcernedApe/Steam

  • List Price: $14.99

  • Sale Price: $8.99

One of the biggest breakout indie hits of the last decade, Stardew Valley is still maybe the very best farming/life sim game in a market full of them. Filled to the brim with charming characters, great music, and a large variety of ways to spend your precious time (be it in solo play or multiplayer), it's shockingly easy to lose dozens of hours to this game without even thinking about it. It's also got a vibrant mod scene on PC, if you're into that sort of thing.

Trails in the Sky: 1st Chapter Some of the best RPG combat around. Credit: Falcom/Steam

  • List Price: $59.99

  • Sale Price: $29.99

Trails in the Sky: 1st Chapter made it onto Mashable's best games of 2025 list because I made sure it did, and I'm going to evangelize it here, too, especially now that it's half off. It's a spiffy new remake of the first game in the long and storied Trails series of Japanese RPGs. There are 13 games in total, with more to come, and all of them are part of a big, sprawling, interconnected story with hundreds of characters spread across a huge, lore-rich continent.

But you don't need to worry too much about that with this game, since it's the first one. It eases you into the setting beautifully and will leave you very excited for the remake of the second game in the series, due out this September. The combat is also incredibly fun. One word of warning, though: You need a healthy tolerance for anime to enjoy this series.

Ys VIII: Lacrimosa of Dana I can hear this screenshot. Credit: Falcom/Steam

  • List Price: $39.99

  • Sale Price: $19.99

Ignore the roman numerals in title for this game. Yes, it's the eighth entry in the long-running Ys series, but it's also a perfect entry point for newcomers with minimal narrative connection to any other entries.

Do you like running around a vibrant, colorful world while hitting monsters with a sword and listening to some of the most energetic, catchy music in video game history? Do you like RPGs where you don't spend a lot of time in menus and every system fits together cleanly to produce a super satisfying experience? Even if you don't think you like those things, this is really one of the most newcomer-friendly (and also best) RPGs ever made.

Hotline Miami I can also hear this screenshot. Credit: Dennaton/Steam

  • List Price: $9.99

  • Sale Price: $0.99

Once a pillar of trendy indie game success, Hotline Miami's zeitgeist nonetheless ended many years ago. Still, for less than a dollar, you really have no choice but to at least try it out, especially if you missed it in 2012. Hotline Miami is a super fast and twitchy top-down action game filled with pixelated hyper-violence and one of the best video game soundtracks ever. It's like playing through a drug-fueled murder haze, but, you know, a fun one. It's really good, I swear.

American Truck Simulator Sometimes this country is beautiful. Credit: SCS Software/Steam

  • List Price: $19.99

  • Sale Price: $4.99

American Truck Simulator is, indeed, an in-depth simulation of long-haul trucking in the United States. If you want to customize every part of your rig, you can do that. But if you just want to vibe out and listen to internet radio country music stations while driving across Kansas (do not drive across Kansas, it's so boring), you can also do that. It's best played on a racing wheel accessory, but a controller or even keyboard and mouse will do the job, too.

As a bonus, developer SCS Software has developed literally dozens of expansions to add new states to the game over the years. You can get just the base game for $4.99, but if you want to spend as much as $43.85, you can get a bundle that includes everything.

I vetted the 9 best projector deals at Amazon Prime Day — get record-low discounts on Hisense, XGIMI, and Anker

4 hours 17 min ago
Best Prime Day projector deals at a glance Best overall deal Hisense M2 Pro 4K projector $949.99 (save $350) Get Deal Best portable projector deal Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser $509.99 (save $240) Get Deal Best backyard bundle deal XGIMI MoGo 4 Laser Projector Outdoor Collection $629 (save $270) Get Deal

Movies are a serious topic at my house. As part of our attempt to not wither away while mindlessly scrolling social media, we've implemented movie nights, and the phones are not invited. Since going to the movie theater takes effort, wearing outside clothes, and a good chunk of money, we've done our best to recreate a movie-theater environment at home. A huge elements of this is using a projector instead of a standard TV.

SEE ALSO: Rare Prime Day camping deals are live now : Shop Yeti and Coleman gear on sale

Watching your favorite movies or shows on a 200-inch projector brings on an entirely different experience compared to a 65-inch TV. It's an immersive feeling that makes everything that much more enjoyable. If you're feeling like your home movie setup could use an upgrade, Amazon Prime Day has some excellent options on projectors.

I've scrolled the sale and compiled the best Prime Day projector deals that'll make summer movie nights the best yet.

Best overall projector deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense M2 Pro 4K Projector $949.99 at Amazon
$1,299.99 Save $350   Get Deal Why we like it

Read Mashable's full review of the Hisense M2 Pro Projector.

Some people have an emotional support water bottle. I do, too, but I also have an emotional support projector, which I didn't know was possible until I tested the Hisense M2 Pro. Now I feel lost if I'm away from it for too long.

The Hisense M2 Pro is a 4K laser triple-laser projector with up to 1,300 ANSI lumens. Not only does that brightness mean you can watch a movie in daylight, it's a great option for gaming. The Hisense has a 240Hz refresh rate and low lag input. Plus, it can adjust between 65 and 200 inches. The Amazon Prime Day price of $949.99 is the lowest we've seen in 2026.

Best portable projector deal Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Nebula Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser $509.99 at Amazon
$749.99 Save $240   Get Deal Why we like it

Read Mashable's full review of the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser Projector.

If you love to travel, take road trips, visit friends, and still have epic movie nights, the Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser is travel-ready. I've packed it along to Japan and Europe, and it also comes with me during Christmas break because watching holiday movies is highly important to my family.

The Nebula Capsule 3 Laser weighs about two pounds and is a bit bigger than a 16-ounce can. During Prime Day, snag it on sale for $509.99, down from the normal price of $749.99 for a 32% discount.

Best backyard bundle deal Opens in a new window Credit: XGIMI XGIMI MoGo 4 Laser Projector Outdoor Collection $629 at Amazon
$899 Save $270   Get Deal Why we like it

If your idea of summer fun is hanging out in the backyard until bedtime, you've probably considered how to make outdoor movie nights happen. Amazon Prime Day has the perfect bundle in store with the XGIMI MoGo 4 Laser Projector Outdoor Collection. The bundle includes the XGIMI MoGo 4 laser projector, a powerbase stand, a 70-inch screen, four filters, and a carrying case.

That all comes from the sale price of $629, down from the list price at XGIMI of $899 for a savings of $270. If the weather's not suitable for an outdoor movie, set up the included screen inside or forgo the screen and watch a movie on the ceiling from a cozy couch. The XGIMI MoGo 4 has a 360-degree pivoting function, so you can project onto the ceiling.

More Prime Day projector deals

Lessons learned from visiting an AI-powered store

4 hours 36 min ago

A broken mug sits on a desk in the Division of Digital Psychiatry at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center. Printed across the surviving ceramic shard are the words: "This was made by AI." Our team thinks that the story of this mug neatly captures the hype, hope, and even harm surrounding artificial intelligence. 

At the Division of Digital Psychiatry, we spend our days studying how digital technologies are shaping mental healthcare. Through our research, clinical work, and MindBench.ai — a collaboration with the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) — we examine how AI systems respond when people seek mental health information, support, and guidance. The project brings together researchers, clinicians, and NAMI's nationwide community of people with lived experience, families, advocates, and volunteers to better understand where AI tools are helpful, where they fall short, and how they can be evaluated safely and transparently.

So, we were naturally curious when we heard chatter in the news about Andon Market, the first retail store run entirely by an AI agent named Luna. As AI systems take on increasingly autonomous roles, the questions raised by an AI-run storefront are not entirely different from those emerging in mental healthcare. Where should these systems be trusted? When should humans remain in the loop? And what happens when things go wrong?

The project comes from Andon Labs, whose website describes its mission as building "autonomous organizations without humans in the loop," an endeavor that may have implications for mental health in the near future. But after our experience, we think Luna could have used a few more humans in that loop of hers. 

According to Andon Labs, Luna was given a bank account with $100,000, a lease, and broad responsibility for operating a profitable business in San Francisco. Luna handles staffing decisions, inventory management, marketing materials, and all things in between. The goal is to see how much of a real-world organization can be delegated to an AI system and what questions arise when they try.

SEE ALSO: 4 reasons not to turn ChatGPT into your therapist

It is an experiment that raises many of the same questions now emerging in mental healthcare. As AI systems become more capable, where should they be trusted? When should they be supervised? Where do they fail? And what infrastructure do we need to evaluate and understand the risks of using these tools in places where the stakes are much higher than shopping? 

In her few months of "life," Luna has made some, dare we say, creative choices. She ordered 1,000 toilet bowl covers for the employee bathroom. Naturally, she stocked the store with the extra 999. She also tried to hire a painter for the store, which showed initiative, except the painter was based in Afghanistan. Drop-down menus on Yelp are hard for an LLM to get past the letter "A," it seems.

Still, the hype around the project left us with high expectations when we decided to try the shopping experience for ourselves. What an autonomous storefront looks like now may offer some glimpse into how close we are to AI autonomy in more sensitive spaces.

We decided to buy two mugs that featured Luna's subtle smiley-face logo. If Luna were real, what happened next would not leave her smiling.

Purchasing these two mugs was more difficult than selecting them from the far end of the metal shelf. Customers place orders by picking up a wired blue telephone and speaking directly to Luna. We tried to make our purchase, but the AI system was down, and the order could not be completed. This was our first failure point. It was akin to arriving at a mental health clinic and finding it devoid of any clinicians, leaving the patient completely helpless.

The human employee (yes we live in an era where we need to make that clear) tried to reset the internet and even Luna. But she was offline or off somewhere. We offered to pay by cash, credit card, PayPal, or Venmo, but the human employee was not authorized to accept any of them.

Determined to get the mugs, we followed up by email. What should have been a straightforward customer service interaction (one of the tasks AI is destined to revolutionize) turned into roughly two weeks of back-and-forth. Payment links failed, instructions became confused, and at various points, Luna had forgotten to respond entirely. If this were Dr. Luna and we were the patient, this would again be a critical point of failure. Regardless, it was perhaps a test of sheer perseverance.

Eventually, persistence prevailed. The order was processed, the mugs were shipped, and it appeared that the experiment had reached its happy ending — until the box arrived. Picking up the box made a song of broken pieces, foreshadowing bad news.

The mugs were wrapped in two sheets of tissue paper, then placed together in a brown bag, which was taped shut and placed in a larger cardboard box. Inside was a pile of broken mugs. A mug is a fragile thing to pack, but we are well aware that mental healthcare and the well-being of patients are even more fragile. Even Luna was no longer subtly smiling on one of the mugs; the reality of the real world and shipping had chipped off her subtle grin.

Luna's stakes were mugs, and she still managed to fumble every step of the process. The thing is, if you had asked us to design a perfect illustration of what it looks like when an AI system fails someone in mental health, this would fit pretty close to it: the unreachable first contact, the broken intake, the contradictory guidance, the forgotten silences, and an outcome that left patients who entered without help and even perhaps some harm.

We went to Andon Market to see what AI running a store looked like, and left with a memorable saga and eventually two broken mugs. Luna does not claim to be a therapist, but the parallels are potent. Much of the conversation around AI swings between extremes, but the reality is more nuanced as these systems are remarkably capable in some contexts and surprisingly fragile in others.

Within digital mental health, AI offers enormous potential to expand access to information, services, and mental health support, but their failures can scale just as quickly. Rather than relying on what we are told about AI, we need to put it to the test and see what happens. Luna did not cause us harm, and rather amused us, but it's easy to imagine people soon turning to AI-managed systems for mental health, where the idea is fantastic but the reality is also chipped and broken.

For us, the broken mug has become an unexpectedly useful reminder of why our work in the Division of Digital Psychiatry is important. It sits in the lab as a small artifact of failure from an ambitious AI autonomy experiment. It is also a reminder that capability and reliability are not the same thing.

As AI tools are already being used in mental healthcare, and we look towards a future of increasingly autonomous systems, we must develop ways to safely evaluate them before they also set up storefronts and take on expanded duties. We don’t plan to ask Luna for new mugs and will be keeping the fragments as relics of the early days of AI autonomy and a tangible parable of hype, hope, and real-world considerations for deploying AI.

Dr. John Torous, MD, MBI and Jill Noorily, BA are part of the Division of Digital Psychiatry, a collaborative research group at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, a Harvard Medical School affiliate in Boston.

This article reflects the opinions of the authors.

Nothing Phone (4b) announcement incoming — but theres a caveat

5 hours 14 min ago

A new Nothing Phone is on the way and you won't have to wait too long to find out more.

On Thursday, the British design firm posted a video that ostensibly showcases some teaser images of their upcoming smartphone, Phone (4b). The post, published on X, mentions July 7, all but announcing that's when the official unveiling will take place.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Wondering what the difference is between this Nothing Phone (4b) and the Nothing Phone (4a), currently on sale? Essentially the Phone (4b) will be a more affordable model of the Phone (4a) — just as Google makes the Pixel 10 and the lower-priced Pixel 10a model.

The video that Nothing posted does show some design differences between the Nothing Phone (4b) and the Nothing Phone (4a).

"Phone (4b) blends a unibody design and clear camera bump of Phone (4a) Pro with the Glyph Bar from Phone (4a) to create a minimal rear design that feels distinctly Nothing and smooth in your hands," Nothing wrote on the community forum on its website.

Notably, the Phone (4b) teased in the video comes in a blue color option.

Mashable previously reviewed the Nothing Phone (4a) Pro and lauded the features the company managed to pack into a $499 smartphone. It'll be interesting to see how much lower Nothing goes with its cheaper phone model.

Bad news for Nothing Phone fans in the U.S., however. According to 9to5Google, Nothing does not plan to sell the Phone (4b) in North America.


FCC ID mandate plans could kill anonymous burner phones

5 hours 58 min ago

A proposed change to FCC rules may make anonymous burner phones a thing of the past.

That's because the federal regulatory agency is introducing plans that would require the collection of names, addresses, and government identification numbers for nearly every U.S. cellphone user in a bid to curb escalating robocalls and scams.

The proposal mandates phone companies connect identifying information to numbers originating on their networks, including pre-paid phones, and flag suspicious activity associated with devices, such as cryptocurrency payments and phone numbers not listed to residential addresses. That information would then be officially verified and stored for up to four years if the number is deemed suspicious.

SEE ALSO: Climate.gov staff relaunch site after Trump killed it

Initial public comment on the proposal closes today. The FCC will then open up a reply period, with a deadline of July 27, before making its final decision. There's no timeline yet for implementing the new rules should the agency proceed.

The proposal was first introduced in May and stoked immediate concerns among consumer privacy advocates. In the month since, other civil society advocates have warned that expanding Know-Your-Consumer rules could spell disaster for a wide range of privacy seekers in the digital age.

Domestic violence resource groups, for example, have filed statements to the FCC arguing that data privacy and the use of anonymous devices is an essential safety tool for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. According to the National Network to End Domestic Violence, the FCC's proposed red flags "implicate practices that survivors routinely use to protect themselves from being monitored or harmed by abusive actors.”

In addition, the new rules could effectively disconnect millions of Americans who do not have government-issued identification, including undocumented residents.

"For decades, civil libertarians have looked overseas at authoritarian countries where the government requires people to register to get a mobile phone to ensure they can be tracked. We never thought that would happen here," Jay Stanley, ACLU senior policy analyst, told CNET.

Featured Video For You

Squirt is bringing back its face-to-face video chat feature

6 hours 20 min ago

Grindr's been peeving off its customers, and other dating apps are starting to take note. Since its "AI era" announcement and the introduction of an astronomically priced premium tier, Grindr's competitors have stepped up to the plate to give people what they want: hookups, now.

Squirt, a cruising site that's been around since 1999 BG (Before Grindr), launched its first iOS app (SQ Dating) in April, and now it's adding new features to encourage you to download the app and check out the site, including a revamped "Video Chat" experience and a "New Guys" grid.

SEE ALSO: The best gay dating apps of 2026: Grindr is still king (even if we sometimes wish it wasn't)

According to a press release shared with Mashable, "Video Chat" has been rebuilt for a "smoother, faster, and more reliable 1:1 experience." It's easier to jump between the web and mobile app; you can also switch between your front and rear cameras and receive incoming call notifications (no matter what page you're on) across both platforms.

"Bringing back Video Chat gives members a more immediate way to flirt, tease, verify chemistry, and decide what happens next," Andrew Nolan, Head of Dating Businesses at Squirt's parent company, Pink Triangle Press, said in a statement. "Whether they're browsing on the website or using the app, we want the experience to feel direct, easy, and hot.”

To make it even easier to see who's brand-new to the app, the company launched a "New Guys" grid. This is essentially a grid of guys who've joined in the last 30 days or who've been online "recently" and explicitly flag that they want to meet up right now — which helps if you're tired of seeing the same local faces over and over again.

Squirt's new user layout interface. Credit: Squirt

Squirt also says it's planning to add an integrated "Map" feature later this summer (taking a page from Sniffies' book, I see) to give you another way to connect with nearby profiles. You'll find it under "Dating" on the app and "Cruising Listings" on desktop, where you can check into locations and browse nearby activity.

Amazon brought back the Black Friday $10 Fire TV Stick deal for Prime Day

6 hours 42 min ago

SAVE $30: As of June 25, the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select is only $9.99 for select customers this Prime Day with the on-page coupon code FTVSELECT. That's 75% off its list price and matches its lowest price ever from Black Friday.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select $9.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $30 with on-page coupon code FTVSELECT Get Deal

One of Mashable readers' favorite deals from Black Friday is back for round two on Prime Day 2026. The newest Amazon Fire TV Stick with 4K quality is 75% off for select customers, and it's a deal worth shouting about.

As of June 25, the Fire TV Stick 4K Select is just $9.99 with the on-page coupon code FTVSELECT. That's $30 off its list price of $39.99 and matches its best price ever. That's also cheaper than the Fire TV Stick HD (which does not offer 4K quality). Just be sure to hit "redeem" next to the code on the product page before you add it to your cart.

It's easily the best streaming stick deal overall, but it's only available for select customers. Unfortunately, there's a chance you may not see the on-page coupon. We don't know the rhyme or reason why Amazon does this. If you do see the extra savings beneath the Prime logo, you're one of the lucky ones.

While the 4K Select is the newest Fire TV Stick in Amazon's lineup that offers 4K quality with HDR10+ support, it's important to note that it's also the first to feature the new Linux-based Vega operating system. That's a good thing and a bad thing. It's great if you found the old operating system a bit laggy like we did. But if you're someone who likes to sideload apps, this streaming stick blocks that option; you'll need one of the older models, like the 4K Plus or 4K Max for that.

Otherwise, it still offers the plug-and-play design you know and love, plus support for Amazon Luna, Xbox Game Pass, NordVPN, IPVanish, Alexa+, and Amazon Kids+.

Apple price increases arrive: How much MacBooks and iPads will cost you now

6 hours 59 min ago

Apple isn't immune to RAMageddon, either.

Reuters reported something on Thursday that many in the tech world had been expecting for weeks: Apple is raising prices on many of its devices. So far, iPhones and AirPods are exempt from this policy, but MacBooks, Macs, and iPads (among others) have all been affected. Here is the full list of price increases, as far as we are aware:

  • Entry-level iPad: $449 (increase of $100)

  • iPad Mini: $599 (increase of $100)

  • 11-inch iPad Air: $749 (increase of $150)

  • 13-inch iPad Air: $949 (increase of $200)

  • 11-inch iPad Pro: $1,199 (increase of $200)

  • 13-inch iPad Pro: $1,499 (increase of $200)

  • MacBook Neo: $699 (increase of $100)

  • 13-inch MacBook Air: $1,299 (increase of $200)

  • 15-inch MacBook Air: $1,499 (increase of $200)

  • iMac: $1,499 (increase of $200)

  • M5 MacBook Pro: $1,999 (increase of $300)

  • M5 Max MacBook Pro: $4,099 (increase of $500

  • M5 Pro MacBook Pro: $2,499 (increase of $300)

  • M4 Max Mac Studio: $2,499 (increase of $500)

  • M3 Ultra Mac Studio: $5,299 (increase of $1,300)

  • Apple TV 4K: $199 (increase of $70)

  • HomePod: $349 (increase of $50)

  • Apple Vision Pro headset: $3,699 (increase of $200)

SEE ALSO: MacBooks and iPads just got more expensive. Lock in these Prime Day Apple deals before it's too late.

This obviously isn't great if you're a fan of Apple hardware or of relatively affordable electronics in general. As with all other recent tech price increases, you can blame it on the rapid expansion of data centers for AI, which has put a premium on memory components and made it harder to manufacture basically every electronic device.

The MacBook Neo is getting a price bump just months after its launch, when it was heralded as finally bringing us an affordable MacBook.

Last chance: Get the MacBook Neo for $589 at Amazon before prices go up for good

7 hours 30 sec ago

We'll cut to the chase: As of Thursday, June 25, Apple is officially raising prices on its new budget laptop, the MacBook Neo. At the online Apple store, prices on the MacBook Neo have increased by $100.

However, for a little while longer, you can still order this laptop at its original price at Amazon, while supplies last.

Apple MacBook Neo (A18 Pro, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $589.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Apple MacBook Neo (A18 Pro, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $689.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon

This colorful starter laptop launched in March with a starting price of $599, and Amazon quickly undercut the competition (and Apple itself) by selling the computer for $589.99. (A version with extra storage and Touch ID costs $699.99, or $689.99 at Amazon.)

The MacBook Neo was a shot across the bow of the Windows laptop market, and there's truly nothing else like it at its price point. However, the $599 MacBook Neo was apparently too good for this world.

Last week, Apple CEO Tim Cook warned of impending price increases caused by the global memory shortage, aka RAMageddon. As the AI industry buys up memory components, manufacturers have been raising prices on tech products across the board in 2026. Apple held out longer than most of its rivals, but as of this morning, the company has implemented price increases on MacBooks, Mac devices, and iPads. Price increases on iPhones could follow shortly.

SEE ALSO: Thank the AI industry for tech price increases: See the full list

However, as I mentioned, it will take some time before the new prices are reflected at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy.

So, once again, this is almost certainly your last chance to get the MacBook Neo at its original launch price.

Do not pass go. Do not waste $100. Head to Amazon and add the Neo to your cart while you still can.

Acer at VidCon sweepstakes entry rules

7 hours 14 min ago

OFFICIAL SWEEPSTAKES RULES

NO PURCHASE NECESSARY TO ENTER OR WIN. A PURCHASE WILL NOT INCREASE YOUR CHANCES OF WINNING. VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. Acer @ VidCon 2026 Sweepstakes (the “Sweepstakes”) is governed by these official rules (the “Sweepstakes Rules”). The Sweepstakes begins on June 25th, 2026 at 9:00AM PST and ends on June 27, 2026 at 6:00PM PST (the “Sweepstakes Period”).

SPONSOR: Ziff Davis, LLC, with an address of 360 Park Avenue South, 17th Floor, New York, New York 10010 (the “Sponsor”). Acer America Corporation. is acting solely as a prize provider and co-promotional partner for this promotion (“Acer”).

ELIGIBILITY: This Sweepstakes is open to individuals who are eighteen (18) years of age or older at the time of entry who are legal residents of the United States (excluding Tennessee) and the District of Columbia. By entering the Sweepstakes as described in these Sweepstakes Rules, entrants represent and warrant that they are complying with these Sweepstakes Rules (including, without limitation, all eligibility requirements), and that they agree to abide by and be bound by all the rules and terms and conditions stated herein and all decisions of Sponsor, which shall be final and binding. 

All previous winners of any sweepstakes sponsored by Sponsor during the nine (9) month period prior to the Selection Date are not eligible to enter. Any individuals (including, but not limited to, employees, consultants, independent contractors and interns) who have, within the past six (6) months, held employment with or performed services for Sponsor, Acer or any organizations affiliated with the sponsorship, fulfillment, administration, prize support, advertisement or promotion of the Sweepstakes (“Employees”) are not eligible to enter or win. Immediate Family Members and Household Members are also not eligible to enter or win. “Immediate Family Members” means parents, step-parents, legal guardians, children, step-children, siblings, step-siblings, or spouses of an Employee. “Household Members” means those individuals who share the same residence with an Employee at least three (3) months a year.  

HOW TO ENTER: To enter the Sweepstakes, you must complete the following steps during the Sweepstakes Period:

  • Follow the official Mashable and Acer accounts on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mashable and https://www.instagram.com/Acer_America

  • Locate the designated entry post by scanning the QR code at the Mashable VidCon booth or by finding the post directly on Instagram.

  • ‘Like’ the designated entry post.

  • ‘Comment’ on the designated entry post, including the hashtag #VidCon2026.

Limit one (1) entry per person, regardless of method of entry. Subsequent attempts made by the same individual to submit multiple entries by using multiple accounts or otherwise may result in disqualification of the entrant.

Only contributions submitted during the Sweepstakes Period will be eligible for entry into the Sweepstakes. No other methods of entry will be accepted. All entries become the property of Sponsor and will not be returned. Entries are limited to individuals only; commercial enterprises and business entities are not eligible. Use of a false account will disqualify an entry. Sponsor is not responsible for entries not received due to difficulty accessing the internet, service outage or delays, computer difficulties and other technological problems.

Entries are subject to any applicable restrictions or eligibility requirements listed herein. Entries will be deemed to have been made by the authorized account holder of the email or telephone phone number submitted at the time of entry and qualification. Multiple participants are not permitted to share the same email address. Should multiple users of the same e-mail account or mobile phone number, as applicable, enter the Sweepstakes and a dispute thereafter arises regarding the identity of the entrant, the Authorized Account Holder of said e-mail account or mobile phone account at the time of entry will be considered the entrant. “Authorized Account Holder” is defined as the natural person who is assigned an e-mail address or mobile phone number by an Internet access provider, on-line service provider, telephone service provider or other organization which is responsible for assigned e-mail addresses, phone numbers or the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address. Proof of submission of an entry shall not be deemed proof of receipt by the website administrator for online entries. When applicable, the website administrator’s computer will be deemed the official time keeping device for the Sweepstakes promotion. Entries will be disqualified if found to be incomplete and/or if Sponsor determines, in its sole discretion, that multiple entries were submitted by the same entrant in violation of the Sweepstakes Rules. 

WINNER SELECTION AND NOTIFICATION: Sponsor shall select the prize winner(s) (collectively, the “Winner”) on or about July 3, 2026 (“Selection Date”) by random drawing or other randomized process from among all eligible entries. The Winner will be notified via direct message or reply through the Instagram account used to enter, and will be required to provide a valid email address and mailing address in order to claim the Prize. Notification of the Winner shall be deemed to have occurred immediately upon sending of the notification by Sponsor. Selected winner(s) will be required to respond (as directed) to the notification within 3 business days of attempted notification. The only entries that will be considered eligible entries are entries received by Sponsor within the Sweepstakes Period. Sponsor’s database computer is the official time-keeping device for the Sweepstakes. The odds of winning depend on the number of eligible entries received. The Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to choose only two (2) alternative winners in the event that that a possible winner has been disqualified, fails to respond timely to the notification, or is deemed ineligible for any reason. In the case the alternate winners are also disqualified, fail to respond timely to the notification, or are deemed ineligible for any reason, Ziff Davis shall not be obligated to pick any further alternate winners for the Sweepstakes and the prize(s) shall remain un-awarded.

PRIZE: One (1) Prize Winner will receive the following prize (collectively, the “Prize”):

  • An Acer Swift 16 AI, valued at approximately one thousand two hundred and fifty dollars ($1,250 USD).

No more than the stated number of prize(s) will be awarded, and all prize(s) listed above will be awarded. Actual retail value of the Prize may vary due to market conditions. The difference in value of the Prize as stated above and value at time of notification of the Winner, if any, will not be awarded. No cash or prize substitution is permitted, except at the discretion of Sponsor. The Prize is non-transferrable. If the Prize cannot be awarded due to circumstances beyond the control of Sponsor, a substitute Prize and/or cash value of equal or greater retail value will be awarded; provided, however, that if a Prize is awarded but remains unclaimed or is forfeited by the Winner, the Prize may not be re-awarded, in Sponsor’s sole discretion. In the event that more than the stated number of prize(s) becomes available for any reason, Sponsor reserves the right to award only the stated number of prize(s) by a random drawing among all legitimate, un-awarded, eligible prize claims. 

ACCEPTANCE AND DELIVERY OF THE PRIZE: The Winner will be required to verify his or her address and may be required to execute the following document(s) before a notary public and return them within 72 hours (3) days (or a shorter time if required by exigencies) of receipt of such documents: an affidavit of eligibility, a liability release, and (where imposing such condition is legal) a publicity release covering eligibility, liability, advertising, publicity and media appearance issues (collectively, the “Prize Claim Documents”). If an entrant is unable to verify the information submitted with their entry, the entrant will automatically be disqualified and their prize, if any, will be forfeited. The Prize will not be awarded until all such properly executed and notarized Prize Claim Documents are returned to Sponsor. Prize(s) won by an eligible entrant who is a minor in his or her state of residence will be awarded to minor’s parent or legal guardian, who must sign and return all required Prize Claim Documents. In the event the Prize Claim Documents are not returned within the specified period, an alternate Winner may be selected by Sponsor for such Prize. The Prize will be shipped to the Winner within 6 weeks of Sponsor’s receipt of a signed Affidavit and Release from the Winner. The Winner is responsible for all taxes and fees related to the Prize received, if any. 

OTHER RULES: THIS SWEEPSTAKES IS SUBJECT TO ALL APPLICABLE LAWS AND IS VOID WHERE PROHIBITED. ALL SUBMISSIONS BY ENTRANTS IN CONNECTION WITH THE SWEEPSTAKES BECOME THE SOLE PROPERTY OF THE SPONSOR AND WILL NOT BE ACKNOWLEDGED OR RETURNED. WINNER ASSUMES ALL LIABILITY FOR ANY INJURIES OR DAMAGE CAUSED OR CLAIMED TO BE CAUSED BY PARTICIPATION IN THIS SWEEPSTAKES OR BY THE USE OR MISUSE OF ANY PRIZE. 

BY ENTERING THE SWEEPSTAKES, EACH WINNER GRANTS THE SPONSOR PERMISSION TO USE HIS OR HER NAME, CITY, STATE/PROVINCE, E-MAIL ADDRESS AND, TO THE EXTENT SUBMITTED AS PART OF THE SWEEPSTAKES ENTRY, HIS OR HER PHOTOGRAPH, VOICE, AND/OR LIKENESS FOR ADVERTISING, PUBLICITY OR OTHER PURPOSES OR ON A WINNER’S LIST, IF APPLICABLE, IN ANY AND ALL MEDIA WHETHER NOW KNOWN OR HEREINAFTER DEVELOPED, WORLDWIDE, WITHOUT ADDITIONAL CONSENT OR COMPENSATION, EXCEPT WHERE PROHIBITED BY LAW. By submitting an entry, entrants also grant the Sponsor a perpetual, fully-paid, irrevocable, non-exclusive license to reproduce, prepare derivative works of, distribute, display, exhibit, transmit, broadcast, televise, digitize, perform and otherwise use and permit others to use, and throughout the world, their entry materials in any manner, form, or format now known or hereinafter created, including on the internet, and for any purpose, including, but not limited to, advertising or promotion of the Sweepstakes, the Sponsor and/or its products and services, without further consent from or compensation to the entrant. By entering the Sweepstakes, entrants consent to receive notification of future promotions, advertisements or solicitations by or from Sponsor and/or Sponsor’s parent companies, affiliates, subsidiaries and business partners, via email or other means of communication. 

If, in the Sponsor’s opinion, there is any suspected or actual evidence of fraud, electronic or non-electronic tampering or unauthorized intervention with any portion of this Sweepstakes, or if fraud or technical difficulties of any sort (e.g., computer viruses, bugs) compromise the integrity of the Sweepstakes, the Sponsor reserves the right to void suspect entries and/or terminate the Sweepstakes and award the Prize in its sole discretion. Any attempt to deliberately damage the Sponsor’s website(s) or undermine the legitimate operation of the Sweepstakes may be in violation of U.S. criminal and civil laws and will result in disqualification from participation in the Sweepstakes. Should such an attempt be made, the Sponsor reserves the right to seek remedies and damages (including attorney’s fees) to the fullest extent of the law, including pursuing criminal prosecution.

DISCLAIMER: EXCLUDING ONLY APPLICABLE MANUFACTURERS’ WARRANTIES, THE PRIZE IS PROVIDED TO THE WINNER ON AN “AS IS” BASIS, WITHOUT FURTHER WARRANTY OF ANY KIND. SPONSOR HEREBY DISCLAIMS ALL FURTHER WARRANTIES, EXPRESS, IMPLIED, OR STATUTORY INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE WITH RESPECT TO THE PRIZE. THIS PROMOTION IS IN NO WAY SPONSORED, ENDORSED, ADMINISTERED BY, OR ASSOCIATED WITH INSTAGRAM. BY PARTICIPATING IN THIS SWEEPSTAKES, YOU UNDERSTAND THAT YOU ARE PROVIDING YOUR INFORMATION TO ZIFF DAVIS, LLC AND NOT TO INSTAGRAM, AND YOU HEREBY RELEASE INSTAGRAM FROM ANY AND ALL LIABILITY RELATED TO THIS PROMOTION.

LIMITATION OF LIABILITY: BY ENTERING THE SWEEPSTAKES, ENTRANTS, ON BEHALF OF THEMSELVES AND THEIR HEIRS, EXECUTORS, ASSIGNS AND REPRESENTATIVES, RELEASE AND HOLD THE SPONSOR AND ACER AND THEIR RESPECTIVE PARENT COMPANIES, SUBSIDIARIES, AFFILIATED COMPANIES, UNITS AND DIVISIONS, AND THE CURRENT AND FORMER OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, SHAREHOLDERS, AGENTS, SUCCESSORS AND ASSIGNS OF EACH OF THE FOREGOING, AND ALL THOSE ACTING UNDER THE AUTHORITY FO THE FOREGOING, OR ANY OF THEM (INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, ADVERTISING AND PROMOTIONAL AGENCIES AND PRIZE SUPPLIERS) (EACH A “RELEASED PARTY”), HARMLESS FROM AND AGAINST ANY AND ALL CLAIMS, ACTIONS, INJURY, LOSS, DAMAGES, LIABILTIES AND OBLIGATIONS OF ANY KIND WHATSOEVER (COLLECTIVELY, THE “CLAIMS”) WHETHER KNOWN OR UNKNOWN, SUSPECTED OR UNSUSPECTED, WHICH ENTRANT EVER HAD, NOW HAVE, OR HEREAFTER CAN, SHALL OR MAY HAVE, AGAINST THE RELEASED PARTIES (OR ANY OF THEM), INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, CLAIMS ARISING FROM OR RELATED TO THE SWEEPSTAKES OR ENTRANT’S PARTICIPATION IN THE SWEEPSTAKES (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, CLAIMS FOR LIBEL, DEFAMATION, INVASION OF PRIVACY, VIOLATION OF THE RIGHT OF PUBLICITY, COMMERCIAL APPROPRIATION OF NAME AND LIKENESS, INFRINGEMENT OF COPYRIGHT OR VIOLATION OF ANY OTHER PERSONAL OR PROPRIETARY RIGHT), AND THE RECEIPT, OWNERSHIP, USE, MISUSE, TRANSFER, SALE OR OTHER DISPOSITION OF THE PRIZE (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, CLAIMS FOR PERSONAL INJURY, DEATH, AND/OR PROPERTY DAMAGE). All matters relating to the interpretation and application of these Sweepstakes Rules shall be decided by Sponsor in its sole discretion.  

DISPUTES: If, for any reason (including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes beyond the control of the Sponsor which corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Sweepstakes), the Sweepstakes is not capable of being conducted as described in these Sweepstakes Rules, Sponsor  shall have the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry process, and/or to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Sweepstakes. The Sponsor assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of, entries. The Sponsor is not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone network or lines, computer online systems, servers, providers, computer equipment, software, or failure of any e-mail or entry to be received by Sponsor on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any website, or any combination thereof, including, without limitation, any injury or damage to any entrant’s or any other person’s computer related to or resulting from participating or downloading any materials in this Sweepstakes. Because of the unique nature and scope of the Sweepstakes, Sponsor reserves the right, in addition to those other rights reserved herein, to modify any date(s) or deadline(s) set forth in these Sweepstakes Rules or otherwise governing the Sweepstakes, and any such changes will be posted here in the Sweepstakes Rules. Any attempt by any person to deliberately undermine the legitimate operation of the Sweepstakes may be a violation of criminal and civil law, and, should such an attempt be made, Sponsor reserves the right to seek damages to the fullest extent permitted by law. Sponsor’s failure to enforce any term of these Sweepstakes Rules shall not constitute a waiver of any provision.

As a condition of participating in the Sweepstakes, entrant agrees that any and all disputes that cannot be resolved between entrant and Sponsor, and causes of action arising out of or connected with the Sweepstakes or these Sweepstakes Rules, shall be resolved individually, without resort to any form of class action, exclusively before a court of competent jurisdiction located in San Francisco, California, and entrant irrevocably consents to the jurisdiction of the federal and state courts located in San Francisco, California with respect to any such dispute, cause of action, or other matter. All disputes will be governed and controlled by the laws of the State of California (without regard for its conflicts-of-laws principles). Further, in any such dispute, under no circumstances will entrant be permitted to obtain awards for, and hereby irrevocably waives all rights to claim, punitive, incidental, or consequential damages, or any other damages, including attorneys’ fees, other than entrant’s actual out-of-pocket expenses (i.e., costs incurred directly in connection with entrant’s participation in the Sweepstakes), and entrant further irrevocably waives all rights to have damages multiplied or increased, if any. EACH PARTY EXPRESSLY WAIVES ANY RIGHT TO A TRIAL BY JURY. All federal, state, and local laws and regulations apply.

PRIVACY: Information collected from entrants in connection with the Sweepstakes is subject to Sponsor’s privacy policy, which may be found here. You understand that when you register on Instagram or submit information to or via Instagram, such submissions are also subject to Instagram’s privacy policy. 

SOCIAL MEDIA PROMOTION: Although the Sweepstakes may be featured on Instagram and/or other social media platforms, the Sweepstakes is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by, or association with Instagram and/or such other social media platforms and you agree that Instagram and all other social media platforms are not liable in any way for any claims, damages or losses associated with the Sweepstakes.  

WINNER(S) LIST: For a list of name(s) of prize winner(s), after the Selection Date, please send a stamped, self-addressed No. 10/standard  business envelope to Ziff Davis, LLC, Attn: Legal Department, 360 Park Avenue South, 17th Floor New York, New York 10010 (VT residents may omit return postage).

BY ENTERING, YOU AGREE THAT YOU HAVE READ AND AGREE TO ALL OF THESE SWEEPSTAKES RULES.

GTA VI Online release date: What we know so far

8 hours 7 min ago

Grand Theft Auto VI pre-orders started on Thursday, with lots of folks presumably eager to spend as much as $100 on the hotly anticipated game before its November release. But one major question remains: What's happening with the online mode?

The GTA Online component of Grand Theft Auto V has kept that 13-year-old game relevant across three console generations, with a recent leak suggesting Rockstar makes as much as $500 million annually from microtransactions alone. One would think that means GTA VI will have a similar online offering available at launch, but that isn't the case. Per a Rockstar statement given to IGN, as well as all available marketing language on digital storefronts, GTA VI is a "single-player experience."

That means there will be no online component at launch, nor has Rockstar announced any intention of adding one after launch. Sadly, that is all the concrete information anyone can provide right now.

SEE ALSO: 'GTA VI' preorders are live for PS5 and Xbox, starting at $80 with a $100 Ultimate Edition

However, that doesn't mean all hope is lost. It's worth remembering that both GTA V and Red Dead Redemption 2 launched as solo experiences and got online modes later, though it was only a matter of months in both cases. Given that Rockstar hasn't even said if there will be a new GTA Online experience for VI, it's probably safe to assume the wait will be longer this time.

The fact that the existing GTA Online is so wildly successful (with no signs of slowing down) means Rockstar isn't necessarily incentivized to make a new one right away. It also means Rockstar has to decide if it wants to keep two different GTA Online experiences running at the same time, should GTA VI ever get one. As IGN noted, Grand Theft Auto publisher Take-Two currently supports two different NBA 2K Online games in the Asian market; the first launched in 2012 and its sequel in 2017, but they're both popular enough to coexist to this day.

Unfortunately, we don't have a definitive answer on when we'll get a new GTA Online mode tied to the new game, but hey, single-player games aren't so bad. I'm sure there will be plenty of hours of entertainment to be had in GTA VI as it is.

The Bear reheats The Pitts nachos in a baffling Season 5: Review

8 hours 20 min ago

The stakes going into The Bear Season 5 are enormous.

Within the show, Sydney (Ayo Edebiri), Richie (Ebon Moss-Bachrach), and Natalie (Abby Elliott) are reeling from Carmy's (Jeremy Allen White) shocking Season 4 decision to quit the industry. Outside the world of the show, The Bear is hoping to end on a high note, especially after two frustratingly self-indulgent seasons that ran in circles. So, how does The Bear go big for its final season? What spectacular trick is it hiding up its chef's jacket sleeves?

SEE ALSO: 'The Bear's 'Gary' cliffhanger explained: What just happened to Richie?

Simple. It reheats The Pitt's nachos — then artfully re-plates them and drizzles them with Michelin-worthy garnishes — by setting the season over the course of one day.

The Bear Season 5 feels an awful lot like The Pitt. Ayo Edebiri and Jeremy Allen White in "The Bear." Credit: FX

That day is the one directly following Season 4's conclusion, when the clock officially ran out for the Bear. Now, Uncle Jimmy (Oliver Platt) plans to sell the building, while Sydney, Richie, and Natalie try to get through one last service with their staff. Hopefully, this will be the one that earns them a Michelin star — that is, if a gargantuan storm doesn't interfere with their plans.

SEE ALSO: The best TV shows of 2026 (so far), and where to stream them

The first seven episodes of the season that were sent to critics (there are eight in total) unfold almost in real time, beginning with the staff's journeys to the Bear, then moving through prep and service. In a post-Pitt world, The Bear's choice to set its final season over one day is a confusing one, even if it ties into the show's oft-repeated mantra that "every second counts." Obviously, The Pitt isn't the only TV show set in real time. There's 24, the godfather of the genre, as well as recent additions like Hijack. Yet The Bear's thematic focus on stressful work environments, mental health, and work-life balance makes the comparison to The Pitt near-impossible to ignore. Given that The Bear felt like a breath of fresh air in its first season, it's a shame that the core conceit of its last outing is so inseparable from another acclaimed series.

The Bear Season 5 reminds us the show is at its best in the kitchen. Ayo Edebiri in "The Bear." Credit: FX

However, the single-day structure does offer The Bear a chance to go back to the basics of what made it tick so well in the first place. For starters, you won't find any standalone character- or event-focused episodes this season. While some of these kinds of episodes, like Season 2's "Forks" and "Fishes," remain series highs, later examples, like Season 4's "Bears," became the clearest proof of The Bear's overindulgence (especially its distracting reliance on stunt casting).

Instead, Season 5 hones in on this last service with a concentration that mirrors its characters' near-obsession with getting the night right. That tighter focus whips up a stressful pressure cooker that recalls Season 1's most harrowing, scream-filled moments, and you can always count on The Bear to alleviate some of that stress with a heaping dash of competency porn from its team. But the real winner here is The Bear's food scenes. In Season 3 and especially Season 4, The Bear spent more time outside the kitchen, and therefore away from cooking. By spending most of Season 5 in the restaurant proper, The Bear zeroes back in on food, delivering mouth-watering sequences rooted in character and story. Each dish has deep ties to the person who made it, sometimes recalling moments from all the way back in Season 1. The ever-evolving menu and the loving way the food is shot are perhaps the best sendoffs The Bear could ask for.

SEE ALSO: 2026 Summer TV preview: Every TV show you need to know about now

Unfortunately, The Bear takes its final season as a chance to throw everything at the wall, and its sound and fury often overpower the simpler joys of the season. The storm is the largest culprit here, a too on-the-nose plot device that externalizes the restaurant's inner turmoil to an exhausting degree. Every episode begins with the rumble of thunder to remind us of the chaos raging within the Bear. Trust us, we know!

Elsewhere, a side plot where Uncle Jimmy scrambles around Chicago to sell the restaurant is an unwelcome departure from the kitchen, and the Fak brothers continue their reign of unfunny terror. (We'll never have to see them again after this season, but that's still not reward enough for having to suffer through their antics for five seasons straight.)

Most frustrating of all is the melodrama between staffers. When they're not yelling at one another, they sound like therapists spelling out The Bear's themes in the simplest of terms, and the season's condensed timeline means that most personal growth comes on far too suddenly.

Carmy's return in The Bear Season 5 undermines the show's most interesting choice. Jeremy Allen White in "The Bear." Credit: FX

Speaking of growth, let's talk about Carmy. By the end of Season 4, he made the bold but healthy choice to step away from the Bear for a bit. In Season 5, though, he's right back in the kitchen, albeit ceding control to Sydney like he said he would.

I understand that you can't do a full season of The Bear — especially not the last season — without Carmy. But to have him return the literal day after his game-changing decision totally undermines Season 4's ending, which is the most interesting move the show had made in two seasons. Here was a chance to see Carmy without the kitchen, and the Bear's kitchen without Carmy. How would that environment look? How would each character adapt to his choice? The Bear doesn't give anyone the chance to find out, reverting to an uneasy equilibrium far too quickly. (The show stresses he'll be leaving the restaurant after this service, but that's an empty promise in a final season.)

The Bear's semi-backtrack on Carmy's decision loops back around to Season 5's single-day structure. Carmy actually leaving is something that would take a greater time span to explore in depth, whereas the "last service" angle is a flashier conceit guaranteed to pull at the heartstrings as the show says goodbye. The two ideas fundamentally chafe against one another. In the end, the latter wins out, turning The Bear's final course into a lackluster serving of confusing choices and wasted potential.

The Bear Season 5 premieres in its entirety June 25 at 9 p.m. ET on Hulu. The first two episodes air at 9 p.m. ET on FX, with a new episode airing every Thursday at 9 p.m. ET.

The World Cup is causing a spike in Tinder activity

8 hours 35 min ago

The 2026 FIFA World Cup is underway, and international tourists are obsessed with mundane American things. It seems like they're also interested in another American export: Tinder.

Compared to the same time last year, the dating app has seen increases in Swipes, Likes, and matches across World Cup host cities. The U.S. is seeing over a 15 percent increase in users, around a 25 percent increase in Swipe activity, and nearly a 60 percent increase in matches compared to June 2025.

SEE ALSO: The World Cup’s latest viral trend is surprisingly wholesome

Mexico and Canada are feeling the love, too, with increases across the board.

The app saw an average 47 percent increase among international users in game host cities, according to internal data from June 11 to 16. This is across host cities and match days, and is after accounting for ordinary summer travel. Some of the strongest activity jumps include +80 percent in Monterrey around the Sweden vs. Tunisia game, +74 percent in Guadalajara around Korea Republic vs. Czechia, and +47 percent in Boston around Iraq vs. Norway.

Domestic users are apparently feeling like driving a goal, too, with a 22 percent increase.

Featured Video For You My awkward first date with an AI companion

Tinder is also seeing increases in Passport Mode use, which lets users swipe in other locations than where they're currently based. The New York/New Jersey area, Los Angeles, and Miami are the top host metros for Passport inflow, according to Tinder. The top origin countries — excluding host countries — include Great Britain, Brazil, Thailand, and Nigeria.

It's not surprising that sports invigorates the desire for a date (or a hookup). During the Olympics, Tinder users often try to virtually enter the Olympic Village with Passport Mode.

TCL TV deals are winning Prime Day — score huge savings on TVs of all sizes

10 hours 20 min ago
The best Prime Day TCL TV deals: Best 55-inch TV deal TCL 55-inch Class QM7K Series $498 (Save $151.99) Get Deal Best 65-inch TV deal TCL Amazon Exclusive 65-inch Class QM64L Series $529.99 (Save $270) Get Deal Best 85-inch TV deal TCL 85-inch Class NXTVISION Series $1482.99 (Save $515) Get Deal

Looking for a new TV? There couldn't be a better time than Amazon's Prime Day.

Right now, you can find hundreds of deals across lots of models and sizes. But there's one brand that has really gone hard on discounts: TCL. TVs of all kinds and specs are seeing huge discounts, so you have plenty of choice for your next at movie night or screening of the World Cup.

Here are the best TCL TV deals at Amazon right now.

Best 55-inch TCL TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: TCL TCL 55-inch Class QM7K Series $498 at Amazon
$650 Save $152   Get Deal Why we like it

This TCL TV uses QD-Mini LED technology to deliver a mix of QLED brightness and near-OLED precision, giving you sharper contrast and more detailed picture quality. It features an advanced halo control system and up to 2,500 local dimming zones, creating a more cinematic image.

Normally priced at $649.99, it's now down to $498 for Amazon Prime Day.

Best 65-inch TCL TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: TCL TCL Amazon Exclusive 65-inch Class QM64L Series $529.99 at Amazon
$799.99 Save $270   Get Deal Why we like it

With this TV you'll get 4K Ultra HD resolution for sharp detail, enhanced QLED for rich, accurate colours, and TCL’s Halo Control System to reduce bleed. On the inside, you'll get Fire TV, which makes streaming and gaming nice and easy. It also gives you access to Alexa voice control.

Best 85-inch TCL TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: TCL TCL 85-inch Class NXTVISION Series $1,482.99 at Amazon
$1,997.99 Save $515   Get Deal Why we like it

This TV isn't just a TV, it's a work of art. It includes an Art Library, so when you’re not watching, it can display curated artwork. You can also switch between different matte-style display options and use a personal photo gallery mode, so it can show your own images as part of the artwork setup. Choose between swappable light wood frame and off-white bezel to match your décor, and enjoy access to Google TV for streaming and live TV.

We tested the most popular Ninja appliances, and now theyre all on sale for Prime Day

10 hours 50 min ago

The popularity of Ninja and Shark appliances is undeniable. The brand touches nearly every room in your home. It makes vacuums to keep your floors clean, air purifiers to refresh the air, hair stylers for at-home blowouts, and an appliance for every step of the cooking process. But with such an expansive catalog, it can be hard to sort through the best of the brand.

We wanted to test our way through the best Ninja had to offer in kitchen appliances. We brought the most popular products from the brand into our kitchens to see how the Creami, Slushi, and Foodi stacked up.

And if you like what you see, we recommend buying during Prime Day, which runs from June 23 to 26. The best Prime Day deals always include savings of 30% or more on Ninja appliances, including the Foodi, Crispi, and Luxe Café.

Why buy Ninja?

There are plenty of kitchen appliance brands out there, so why Ninja? Generally, we find its products to be some of the best value products. They tend to be the most affordable options on the market that still deliver excellent performance.

Plus, Ninja products are really beginner-friendly devices that are easy to use with minimal setup required. The appliances bring ease with delicious end products. The Creami is a perfect example of this. Traditional ice cream making requires a bit of skill, knowing how to cook custards to the right temperature with hours of churning. But the Creami simplifies ice cream making with a user-friendly product that still delivers a fantastic end result.

Just because they're beginner-friendly devices doesn't mean they're only for beginners. They're convenient devices with professional-level performance that help develop a more efficient kitchen.

Other products we tested

Having rounded up the best Ninja kitchen appliances means we tested a lot of products and not all of them made it to the list, two notable exceptions being the Ninja Creami Deluxe and Foodi Grill and Air Fryer.

The Ninja Deluxe was my introduction to the Creami lineup, and it is great. It spun up creamy frozen confections and even featured a frozen drink setting. However, compared to the Swirl, it required several re-spins to get the right texture.

Meanwhile, the Foodi Grill was another great multicooker from Ninja. The indoor grill made delicious, juicy chicken breasts with actual char marks. Plus, its air-frying capabilities were a little too good. It got things crispy fast, but often felt like it dried out food in the process. Plus, it was just so large that it didn't feel like a practical device for most people.

That being said, these devices are good, but not in our all-star line-up.

I tried the best smart rings of 2026 — yes, theres more than just Oura

11 hours 1 min ago

Smart rings monitor your health in a tiny, inconspicuous package. At first glance, they look like any other piece of jewelry, a simple gold or silver ring. But with tiny sensors, these rings track biometrics through your finger. Yes, they'll track your step count and calories burned, but more advanced technology allows them to track sleep and stress levels, all detected through heart rate and variability.

If you're looking to gain deeper insights into your health, a smart ring will help you do that, and we've vetted the most popular models on the market through weeks of testing to find the best smart ring. Looking to buy soon? Now is the best time with Prime Day running June 23 to 26. The Oura Ring 4 has dropped to an all-time low of $214 for Prime Day 2026, and it's easily one of the best Prime Day deals of the sale so far.

SEE ALSO: I ran the NYC Marathon wearing 7 fitness trackers and they all watched me throw up

The latest smart ring news

As of May 2026, Oura dropped its latest smart ring. The Oura Ring 5 dropped and is 40% smaller than previous models but with all the same tech. We've yet to test Oura's latest innovation but will update this guide once we've vetted the ring. In the meantime, the Oura Ring 4 is still included on this list and widely available.

The Evie Ring is still available, however, it's currently out of stock. You are able to sign-up for their restock list so you can get an email when it's back-in-stock.

What's the best smart ring?

The smart ring market is ever-growing, with new models debuting each year. Samsung just launched a smart ring in 2024, and while Apple doesn't have a smart ring on the market yet, we're sure it will be here in a matter of time. But smart rings are synonymous with the Oura Ring, a leader in the field, and for good reason. After spending weeks with the device, testing its hype, and comparing it to other devices, we can confidently say Oura makes the best smart ring in 2026.

Oura offers the most expansive biometric tracking, monitoring your health around the clock. It focuses on daily and long-term health goals more holistically than other rings.

However, the Oura Ring has downsides, like a monthly subscription fee. If you're not down for a monthly fee, we tested some popular alternatives to Oura rings.

Why should you buy a smart ring? So you think you want a smart ring? Here's what you need to know about the latest tech wearable. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

Smart rings are not just another fitness tracker. Yes, they do track your activity, steps, and calories burned. However, they're really meant to offer a more holistic view of your health so you can gain deeper insights into your sleep habits, cardiovascular health, and more.

You're a good candidate for a smart ring if you hate the look of a smartwatch or fitness tracker with LED screens, which are categorically not cool. Smart rings are posed as a discreet option, looking like a regular piece of jewelry. However, to be frank, they don't blend in that well. In my weeks of testing, while wearing the rings during hangouts, someone would inevitably ask me, "What's that?"

Since a smart ring doesn't have a screen, you have to pull out your phone and open an app whenever you want to track activity. That's certainly not the end of the world, but if you convert from a smartwatch, you'll miss the convenience of tapping your wrist. That being said, I actually find a smart ring most useful when paired with a smartwatch. I ran all my testing while simultaneously wearing an Apple Watch, and I appreciated the smart rings that were compatible with my watch so I could receive push notifications.

The 4 best laptops of 2026 (so far) offer exceptional value despite RAMageddon

11 hours 8 min ago

Here at Mashable, we're always looking for the best laptops, and we score every laptop we review on the basis of performance, battery life, design/build quality, and value. This year, the latter criterion has become more important than ever.

The laptop world is facing an unprecedented challenge in 2026: a global RAM shortage known as "RAMageddon." The shortage has caused most PC makers to raise the prices of their laptops by anywhere from $50 to $680, putting a damper on many otherwise exciting releases. Devices that could have been smart buys or splurge-worthy investments no longer feel worth it. If you were planning on retiring an older laptop soon, you might have to hold onto it until eventual clearance sales make an upgrade feasible — or take advantage of Prime Day laptop deals.

SEE ALSO: Prime Day isn't over yet: We found the 110+ best deals on Apple, Sony, Kindle, and Lego favorites

But it's not all doom and gloom. Out of the nearly 20 laptops we've tested so far this year, including two MacBooks and 17 Windows PCs, four models have emerged as RAMageddon resisters, so to speak. They stand out as the best laptops of 2026 (so far) because of their especially strong value propositions: Not only are they great devices, but they're great devices that are priced fairly for all they offer.

Read on to find out which laptops made the list. I've also thrown in a pair of honorable mentions that deserve recognition for their record-breaking battery lives.

1. Apple MacBook Neo: The budget bombshell Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Apple's first budget laptop arrived this March in the form of the $599 MacBook Neo, and it's nothing short of a game-changer. Whereas most cheap Windows laptops and Chromebooks have clunky plastic builds, the Neo has the same premium, all-aluminum design as any other MacBook — complete with a Liquid Retina display, Dolby Atmos speakers, and a snappy Magic Keyboard. It comes in a bunch of fun colors to boot.

The Neo is the first MacBook to run on an iPhone chip (specifically the A18 Pro), and it's a formidable performer for the money. It's faster than most Windows laptops in simple single-core workloads like web browsing, and in our testing, it was able to handle some basic video edits in Final Cut Pro. It doesn't last as long as other MacBooks, but its 15-hour battery life is excellent for its sub-$1,000 price point.

SEE ALSO: MacBook Neo review: 3 months later, I love this laptop even more

I still consider the MacBook Air to be the best MacBook for most people, but among budget laptops, the Neo is the leading choice. It has almost no competition — for now. PC makers like Dell and Acer announced MacBook Neo alternatives this spring, putting us on the cusp of a new era of cheap but premium-feeling laptops. Exciting! (And blessedly, they're at the least risk of RAM-related price hikes because they only have 8GB of memory.)

Apple MacBook Neo (A18 Pro, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $589.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Best Buy Shop Now at Apple.com 2. Apple MacBook Air (M5): The mid-range gold standard Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Apple's thin-and-light notebook got a faster M5 chip, newer wireless technology, and more starting storage this spring. While those updates don't make for an especially exciting gen-over-gen refresh, they've made the MacBook Air faster, more future-proofed, and a better value than ever.

I'd love an OLED screen the next time Apple revisits the MacBook Air, but it's not like this thing really needs a design overhaul. What other laptop gets you a haptic touchpad, industry-leading speakers, a 2.5K display, a genuinely good webcam, and a slender fanless design for just over $1,000 (but usually less, since it's almost always on sale)? Let me know when you find out. Until then, this is the laptop I find myself comparing to virtually every other model that comes across my desk.

Sadly, the MacBook Air is at risk of a price increase, so I'd scoop it up sooner rather than later if you've been thinking about buying it.

Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,149.99 at Amazon
$1,299 Save $149.01   Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Best Buy Shop Now at Apple.com 3. Asus Zenbook A16: The featherweight big-screened speedster Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

The all-new Asus Zenbook A16 zoomed to the top of our performance rankings when I tested it this spring. Powered by Qualcomm's screaming Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme chip, it's one of the only PCs that can match or beat M5 MacBooks in both single- and multi-core scenarios. I've tried some other Windows laptops that can compete on the multi-core front, but they're all gaming models that cost upwards of $3,000. Meanwhile, the Zenbook A16 goes for $1,699.99. Pshhh.

SEE ALSO: I tested the best MacBook alternatives and found 7 worthy rivals

I certainly wouldn't call it a cheap laptop, but it's very reasonably priced when you consider the rest of its spec sheet. Highlights include an ultra-bright 2.8K OLED touchscreen with a 120Hz refresh rate; a nice mix of ports, including an SD card slot; and a metric boatload of RAM — 48 whole gigabytes. (In this economy!) Moreover, the Zenbook A16 is the lightest 16-inch laptop we've ever tested at just 2.87 pounds. It's barely heavier than a MacBook Neo or a 13-inch MacBook Air, but it still feels rigid and sturdy. It's a lean, mean, ultra-competitive machine.

Asus also updated the 14-inch Zenbook A14 with a Snapdragon X2 Elite chip for 2026, and it's another great buy at $1,349.99. (Go for that one if you're prioritizing portability and battery life: It lasted over 27 hours in our video rundown test.) Both Zenbooks were originally supposed to be even cheaper, so I'm thinking — hoping — they'll be immune to any more price adjustments this year.

Asus Zenbook A16 (Snapdragon X2 Elite Extreme, 48GB RAM, $1,699.99 at Best Buy
  Shop Now at Best Buy Asus Zenbook A14 (Snapdragon X2 Elite, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,349.99 at Best Buy
  Shop Now at Best Buy 4. MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+: The too-good-to-be-true convertible Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

The redesigned MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ was the very first laptop I tested this year, and it was an immediate "best of 2026" frontrunner. Its Intel Core Ultra Series 3 ("Panther Lake") chip offered MacBook-level multi-core performance. It had an integrated GPU that could run AAA games at low settings with the help of some AI-powered upscaling technology. It lasted 25.5 hours per charge. It had a pretty OLED screen, and its speakers, mic, and keyboard were all adequate. Plus, it came with 32GB of RAM, a terabyte of storage, and a garaged stylus — all for just $1,299.99. (For reference, a 13-inch MacBook Air with 32GB of RAM costs $1,499.)

Alas, nothing gold can stay: Devastatingly, MSI has already discontinued the Prestige 14 Flip AI+. However, you'll soon be able to buy two limited-edition variants with designs inspired by van Gogh paintings. They'll probably be more expensive than the original vanilla model, though MSI hasn't shared any pricing or availability info yet.

Honorable mentions: Some new battery life champs Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

Two of the laptops we've tested since January have set new records for battery life. One is the HP OmniBook 3 16, which was able to loop a video for 40 hours and 14 minutes before dying. That is, in a word, nuts. It's officially the longest-lasting laptop we've ever tried in our 10-plus years of reviewing them, beating the previous winner (another HP OmniBook) by nearly eight hours.

If you're looking for a gaming laptop with impressive stamina — not something that category is known for! — then the 2026 MSI Stealth 16 AI+ is an overachiever. It lasted 11 hours and 38 minutes on a single charge, surpassing its predecessor, the prior titleholder, by over half an hour. For reference, our current median for gaming PCs is only four measly hours.

HP OmniBook 3 16-bz000 (Snapdragon X, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $899.95 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at HP Opens in a new window Credit: MSI MSI Stealth 16 AI+ (Intel Core Ultra 9 386H, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5080, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD) $3,999.99 at Best Buy
  Shop Now

Pages