IT General

As the weekend approaches, it's time to take a look at another three homelab projects you should try out! This weekend, I'm focusing on building a private GPS tracking system and some simple-but-useful homelab tools you should definitely be running.

The vinyl revival is still going strong, with a niche but loyal following of audiophiles and a new younger cohort that are just looking for a more meaningful, tactile alternative to a world where music is only accessed via streaming.

Prime Video might not have as many Emmy-winning hits as Netflix, but it still has a number of critically acclaimed shows that fans continue to revisit. One of the most successful shows in Prime Video history returns for a fourth season. It's bigger, badder, and more action-packed than ever, making it our top selection of the week.

We're living in a time when personal privacy is slowly becoming a thing of the past, or at least that's what big tech behemoths want you to believe. What's true, no matter how you look at it, is that privacy has become a sought-after commodity, and self-hosting your password manager is one way to preserve it without compromising your security. Below are three self-hosted password manager platforms you should keep an eye on in 2026.

The big word Google has been throwing around a lot for Pixel phones this year is “intelligence.” It wants your phone to genuinely be able to take control and do stuff for you. When it comes to automation, though, Pixel phones don’t seem very smart.

Shopping for a compact luxury sedan usually means starting with BMW, Mercedes-Benz, or Audi, especially now that several alternatives are disappearing from the market. But there’s still one sedan that makes a pretty strong case for looking beyond the usual German choices.

The week before a new school year starts has a way of feeling productive without actually being productive. Setting up a few self-hosted Docker containers won't fix your study habits, but it will replace a handful of tools you're already paying for or tolerating. It’s better to learn how to use Docker containers than to use regular apps, because it keeps your work together.

SAVE $40: The Lego Pokémon Pikachu and Poké Ball is Best Buy's Drop for Aug. 13. It's on sale for $159.99 (normally $199.99) in the Best Buy mobile app while supplies last.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Pokémon Pikachu and Poké Ball (72152) $159.99
$199.99 Save $40 Only available in the Best Buy mobile app. Get Deal

Lego's first-ever Pokémon sets arrived earlier this year, including one starring everyone's favorite Electric-type mouse. The 2,050-piece Pikachu and Poké Ball set retails for $199.99, making it one of the most expensive Lego Pokémon builds available. Annoyingly, it's been difficult to find on sale ever since it launched in February. But today, shoppers can score it at a lower price than ever.

The Lego Pikachu and Poké Ball set is marked down to $159.99 as Best Buy's Drop for Thursday, Aug. 13 — an unprecedented $40 savings. The deal is exclusively available in the Best Buy mobile app today while supplies last, and I wouldn't be shocked if it sells out in well under an hour.

Credit: Lego

Historical pricing data shows that this Lego set has never gone on sale on Amazon before, and it's only seen $10 to $18 markdowns at Walmart this summer. It probably won't see a discount this big until Black Friday season.

For the uninitiated, Best Buy Drops is an app-exclusive program featuring limited-time deals and restocks of viral products. (You won't find the same offers in Best Buy stores or online.) New Drops go live almost every day at 11 a.m. ET and don't get restocked once they sell out, so promptness is key.

Are you ready for this weekend's Raspberry Pi project roundup? Well, ready or not, here are three projects you can try that take anywhere from a few hours to a few days to complete, including building your very own photo booth.

SAVE $800: As of Aug. 13, the Samsung 77-inch S85F OLED 4K TV is still in stock and on sale for $1,397.99 at Amazon. That's $800 off its list price, but we recommend acting fast, as stock is running low.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 77-inch S85F OLED 4K TV $1,397.99 at Amazon
$2,197.99 Save $800.00   Get Deal

It's no longer the newest TV in Samsung's OLED lineup, but the S85F is still a stunning contender at an excellent value. As a 2025 model, stock is drying up across retailers. If you want to bring home this budget-friendly yet brilliant TV at $800 off its retail price, now's the time to act.

As of Aug. 13, Amazon still has the Samsung 77-inch S85F OLED 4K TV in stock for just $1,397.99. That's $800 off the list price. And for what it's worth, that's also $1,000 cheaper than the 2026 upgraded model, the S85H, which is only incrementally better. It's currently sold out at Samsung, Best Buy, and Walmart.

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The S85F is the entry-level OLED TV from Samsung's 2025 lineup, but it still offers great specs. Its picture quality is extremely impressive, with vivid colors and deep contrast. It features Samsung's Tizen 9.0 smart TV platform for smooth, speedy navigation; decent gaming features like a 120Hz refresh rate, HDMI 2.1, and FreeSync Premium; and, of course, AI tools like Click to Search, Live Translate, Adaptive Sound Pro, and Real Depth Enhancer to enhance your viewing experience.

If a big screen and a brilliant picture are what you're after, the 77-inch Samsung S85F OLED checks both of those boxes. And if you act pretty fast, you can lock it in for only $1,397.99 while it's still in stock.

Are you tired of installing the same dozen apps every time you set up a new machine? Are you wondering what everyone else is using and whether you're overlooking some hidden gems? Well, here are eight underrated free apps—some open source—that I always install on all of my PCs. They're an essential part of my workflow, and they're all cross-platform, so they work on both Windows and Linux.

SAVE $240: The 14-inch, M5 Pro-powered Apple MacBook Pro is on sale for $2,259.99 at Amazon. That's 10% off its regular price of $2,499.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5 Pro, 24GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $2,259.99 at Amazon
$2,499 Save $239.01   Get Deal

Great MacBook deals are getting harder to find in the wake of Apple's price increases. It's especially important to cross-check models across retailers to make sure you've found the best price.

Take the 14-inch, M5 Pro-powered MacBook Pro. It's $200 off at Best Buy this week — not bad — but if you buy it there before shopping around, you've missed out on an even bigger discount. As of Aug. 13, I'm seeing it on sale for $240 off on Amazon. It usually retails for $2,499, but you'll pay $2,559.99. The only other retailer that's price-matching it is Costco (with no membership required).

This MacBook is one of the most powerful laptops on the market, full stop. It's not geared toward the average, everyday user, but rather toward graphic designers, video editors, and other creative professionals who run highly intensive software daily. (If you're a regular-degular person looking for the best MacBook, go with the Air instead.) In the battery life department, it's rated for up to 22 hours of use per charge.

SEE ALSO: RAMageddon is reportedly causing a MacBook Air shortage

Compared to the base M5 MacBook Pro, the M5 Pro MacBook Pro has three of the latest, fastest Thunderbolt 5 ports instead of Thunderbolt 4, and it can support up to three external displays instead of two. It also packs Apple's newest wireless networking chip, the N1. Combine those features with its ample RAM and storage capacities — 24GB and 1TB, respectively — and you've got a super future-proofed machine.

The M5 Pro MacBook Pro's screen is a bright, luscious, mini-LED display with a silky 120Hz refresh rate and a crispy 3K resolution. It has a 12MP Center Stage camera, and it comes in your choice of two finishes: Silver or Space Black.

For what it's worth, Apple's back-to-school promo nets you a $100 discount on this MacBook Pro and a free $150 gift card, for a total savings of $250. However, the offer is only open to college students, their parents, and school faculty.

SAVE $499: As of Aug. 13, save $499 on the DJI Mavic 4 Pro drone at Amazon. That brings the drone-creator combo down to $3,500.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Mavic 4 Pro Drone Creator Combo $3,500 at Amazon
$3,999 Save $499   Get Deal

iPhone photos have come a long way. The cameras capture stunning, vivid detail in a way that our old flip phones simply never could. Apple even broadcast an entire MLS game that was shot entirely on an iPhone 17 Pro. But what can't an iPhone do? Fly.

For that, you'll need a drone to take off in flight, soaring in the air, all while capturing 4K video. For truly great video quality on a drone, it'll cost you a few thousand, unless you get a great deal, like this one on the DJI Mavic 4 Pro.

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As of Aug. 13, the DJI Mavic 4 Pro Drone Creator Combo is just $3,500. Yes, that seems like a steep price, but it saves you $499 off the Mavic 4 Pro's list price of $3,999 for 12% savings. It's also the record-low price, according to camelcamelcamel.

The DJI Mavic 4 Pro is the brand's flagship triple-lens camera. It has a 28mm Hasselblad camera, a 7mm medium tele camera, and a 168mm tele camera. This model also has boosted flight time, able to run for 51 minutes, and covering up to 25.5 miles.

Shop the DJI Mavic 4 Pro Drone Creator Combo at Amazon now and save $499 for a limited time.

For parents, finding a first car that keeps their teenager happy without creating a financial or safety headache can be surprisingly difficult. Most affordable cars are sensible but forgettable, while the ones that look genuinely cool often come with compromises that make them poor choices for a new driver. Fortunately, there is a Japanese hatchback that manages to strike an unusually good balance, offering sleek styling, a surprisingly upscale cabin, dependable ownership, and enough driving fun to keep an enthusiast teenager interested.

SAVE $54.60: As of Aug. 13, Amazon has the ASUS ZenScreen 15-inch portable monitor on sale for just $94.40. That's a 37% discount from its usual $149 and its lowest price on record.

Opens in a new window Credit: ASUS ASUS ZenScreen 15.6-inch Portable Monitor (MB16AHV) $94.40 at Amazon
$149 Save $54.60   Get Deal

I adore being able to work from anywhere as a writer, but I quickly found that being confined to a measly laptop screen is far from ideal. I added the ASUS ZenScreen portable monitor to my on-the-go setup a few years back, and it has dramatically improved my mobile workstation.

While it's 100% worth its $149 price tag, I encourage you to grab it while it's at its best-ever price on Amazon this week.

As of Aug. 13, the ASUS ZenScreen 15.6-inch portable monitor (MB16AHV) is down to just $94.40 at Amazon. That's a 37% or $54.60 discount and the lowest cost on record, according to price-tracking tool camelcamelcamel.

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The ZenScreen attaches to your laptop's USB-C port with the included cable, so there's no need to find an unused outlet or worry about charging it. Just plug it into both devices, and you'll instantly double your screen real estate. This particular model has a built-in kickstand as well, so you can prop it up without any extra accessories. Although it also seamlessly attaches to a stand mount if you choose to go the extra mile.

The only real concern I've had since owning the ASUS ZenScreen is how fragile it feels. It's super slim at 10.5mm and can easily fit into a backpack, but I'd recommend grabbing a separate case or sleeve for it. I purchased a 15-inch laptop bag and slipped it inside there with its included cable for extra protection, and I've never had any issues — and this thing has traveled thousands of miles with me over the last few years.

Having dual screens while working on the go is a game-changer. And it'll only set you back less than $95 if you act fast.

SAVE $28: As of Aug. 13, the Laifen Swift, our favorite Dyson Supersonic dupe, is down to $111.99 at Amazon. That's a 20% discount off its usual $139.99 price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Laifen Laifen Swift Hair Dryer $111.99 at Amazon
$139.99 Save $28.00   Get Deal

Good hair days shouldn't have to cost a fortune, and right now, the Laifen Swift — Mashable's favorite Dyson Supersonic dupe — is $28 cheaper than usual.

Amazon has it marked down to $111.99, a 20% discount off its regular $139.99 price, and it's the lowest we've seen it in three months. If you've been eyeing a salon-quality blow dryer without the salon-quality price tag, now's a solid time to grab one.

The Laifen Swift landed the top spot in our roundup of the best Dyson Supersonic dupes, and our reviewer, Bethany Allard, makes it easy to see why. It's not an exact copy of the Supersonic's ring-barrel design, but Bethany noted it "bears the closest resemblance to Dyson's design." It also comes with magnetic attachments and the same recognizable Dyson-style air sound, though extra attachments will cost you a bit more.

What actually won her over, though, wasn't the design — it was how easy it is to use. She started using it daily, and found it "compact and lightweight enough that pulling it out for just a minute or two every day didn't feel like a hassle." A year and a half later, it's held up "with no signs of aging."

The one place it falls a little short is heat customization: with only cool, warm, and hot settings, Bethany found the hot setting "gets hot," and even warm can feel intense close to the scalp — her advice is to stick with either cool or warm settings.

Blowout budget: officially sorted. Grab the Laifen Swift at Amazon.

A neatly cut lawn takes more work than it looks, and finding the time can be difficult, between work obligations, as well as recreational events and activities that all require some of your free time. Trusted by more than 750,000 families worldwide, MAMMOTION’s latest robot mowers can keep the grass maintained throughout the week without monopolizing your schedule.

I've been reviewing and writing about tech for the past decade, and during that time, other tech journalists and I have written plenty of articles busting myths and laying out best practices around PC storage, Wi-Fi, and networking. And while you do see consumer habits improve overall, there are some habits that just refuse to die. Here are four I keep seeing over and over.

Microdramas are having a moment.

The bite-sized, vertically shot shows pack soapy romances, billionaire fantasies, revenge plots, and outrageous cliffhangers, all built for the smartphone screen. Already a massive business in China, the format has taken off in the U.S. on platforms like ReelShort and DramaBox by essentially condensing the emotional highs of a soap opera into the rhythms of TikTok.

Now, WEBTOON is getting in on the action. On Aug. 17, the digital comics platform will launch Short Dramas, a slate of six live-action vertical series adapted from popular romance webcomics, including Maybe Meant to Be, Love Bites, and I'll Marry Your Brother.

SEE ALSO: The Mashable 101: The creators defining the internet in 2026

And if any entertainment company seems particularly well-suited to the format, it's WEBTOON. Long before TikTok trained us to scroll through an endless feed of vertical videos, WEBTOON was getting millions of readers accustomed to scrolling through serialized stories on their phones.

"When you look at the DNA of microdramas in terms of being episodic, in terms of the hooks and the story tropes, and also the sort of cliffhanger structures, that DNA is really similar to WEBTOON webcomics," Fred Lee, an executive at WEBTOON Entertainment who oversees the company's expansion into vertical dramas, told Mashable.

In other words, WEBTOON already taught millions of people to scroll through stories. Now it's betting they'll scroll through TV, too.

Why WEBTOON is getting into microdramas

Microdramas have exploded into a booming corner of mobile entertainment, attracting audiences with heightened emotions, familiar tropes, relentless cliffhangers, and episodes short enough to consume between TikToks. The format generated an estimated $11 billion globally in 2025 according to research firm Omdia, while the U.S. has emerged as one of its most lucrative markets.

WEBTOON has been watching. Lee said the company began paying closer attention to the format over the past year as microdrama platforms attracted increasingly large audiences and built fandoms around their shows. But he sees what's happening as bigger than the popularity of any one type of microdrama.

For much of the format's rise, microdramas have become synonymous with a particular kind of storytelling: soapy, steamy romances built around instantly recognizable fantasies and dramatic twists. Lee believes those shows are just one manifestation of a broader change in how audiences consume entertainment.

"Audience behavior is starting to shift toward vertical video as a format in and of itself," he said, describing today's dominant style of microdrama as "one subset" of what vertical storytelling could eventually become.

That gives WEBTOON an interesting opening. Unlike companies built entirely around microdramas, WEBTOON isn't dependent on vertical video becoming its primary business. Instead, Short Dramas can exist alongside the webcomics people already come to the platform to read.

"We're not solely built on microdramas," Lee said. "We already have an established ecosystem, and web comics are our core business. So we're not in the same kind of arms race."

Instead, the company can start with something many competitors have to manufacture from scratch: stories with established audiences.

"What sets us apart is that we already have these built-in fandoms, so we have proven stories," Lee said.

Of course, WEBTOON is starting with romance

If you've spent any time watching microdramas, WEBTOON's decision to make its entire first slate romance probably won't surprise you.

The genre has become foundational to the format, where marriage contracts, forbidden relationships, revenge plots, billionaires, betrayals, and seemingly impossible romantic pairings can provide an immediate hook.

For its first six adaptations, WEBTOON deliberately leaned into that appetite while trying to represent different corners of its romance catalog.

"We started with romance," Lee said. "Just seeing that romance is so big in this format, we wanted to lean into that for our initial batch as well."

The company also wanted a mix that could appeal to different age groups, from YA and new adult audiences to older romance readers. The slate includes BL romance as well, a genre Lee noted is already popular on WEBTOON.

Why does romance translate so easily to a format built around keeping viewers watching for just one more episode? Lee thinks part of it comes down to emotional efficiency.

"At the end of the day, viewers want to be moved," he said. "We're all emotionally driven. We all respond to the same kind of emotional triggers, whether they be happy or sad, and everything in between."

Romance, he added, offers a "roller coaster of emotions" particularly suited to vertical video.

And WEBTOON certainly isn't short on source material.

The 6 WEBTOON Short Dramas launching Aug. 17

The first Short Dramas slate draws from webcomics that collectively have attracted more than a billion global views, ranging from supernatural YA romance to revenge-fueled melodrama.

Love Bites Vampires, werewolves, forbidden love. What could go wrong? Credit: WEBTOON Entertainment

A shy 17-year-old vampire falls for the charming new boy at school, only to discover his crush is a werewolf — and therefore his species' sworn enemy.

The BL romance stars Tristan Bilodeaux and Marc Ciccarelli and is directed by Daniel Russell, with a script by Kaelyn Armstrong and Tiffany Zhao. Ideali Projects produces.

Love Bites is based on the WEBTOON adaptation of the Wattpad romance webnovel Bite Me, which has reached more than 146 million global views.

In other words: vampires, werewolves, forbidden romance. An irresistible combination.

Maybe Meant to Be Nothing says romance like a marriage of convenience. Credit: WEBTOON Entertainment

After years of being pressured to settle down, a struggling freelancer impulsively proposes a marriage of convenience to her childhood friend. Their fake relationship, naturally, starts feeling considerably less fake.

Molly Anderson and Zachary Rist star in the adaptation, directed by Miguel Ferrer and written by Armstrong and Zhao. A to Z Productions produces.

The original Maybe Meant to Be is the biggest webcomic represented in WEBTOON's initial slate, with more than 650 million global views.

It's also one of the slate's more straightforward romantic comedies, trading some of the heightened melodrama associated with microdramas for the familiar pleasures of childhood friends, fake marriage, and two thirtysomethings slowly realizing the obvious.

Swolemates Couples who lift together, stay together? Credit: WEBTOON Entertainment

A cocky influencer and a nerdy gamer girl begin training together, only for their unlikely friendship to push them out of their respective comfort zones — and toward romance.

Eliana Fraser and Tyler Lawrence Gray star, with Eric Schwager directing from a script by Maxwell Warchol. Knockout Shorts produces.

The comedy webcomic Swolemates is based on has amassed more than 60 million global views.

Rules for Dating Trash So much for swearing off bad boys. Credit: WEBTOON Entertainment

After a toxic ex destroys her trust, a college student returns to campus determined to stop dating altogether. Then, because this is a romance, an irresistible bad boy shows up to challenge those plans.

Halle Fletcher and Noah Andre star in the adaptation, directed by Elizabeth Jaleigh Davis and written by Evan Enderle. Apoorv Arora produces.

The original romance webcomic Rules for Dating Trash has reached more than 140 million global views.

Dirty Deeds Some workplace complications are more complicated than others. Credit: WEBTOON Entertainment

A young maid working at a mystical retreat for the wealthy has her quiet life disrupted by the brash heir to a powerful conglomerate. Their relationship forces her to confront a traumatic past while an improbable romance threatens both of their lives.

Jameson Leigh Muntz and Jordan Roy Frank star. Rhys Raiskin directs from a script by Warchol, with Vertical Romance producing.

The Dirty Deeds webcomic has attracted more than 187 million global views.

I'll Marry Your Brother Revenge is best served with a new groom. Credit: WEBTOON Entertainment

And then there's I'll Marry Your Brother, which may have the most microdrama-ready premise of them all.

After her cheating husband betrays her and steals her family's company, a wealthy heiress wakes up five years in the past — on her wedding day. Armed with knowledge of what's coming, she vows to destroy her husband at any cost, including marrying his older brother instead.

Mellisa Goodwin and Franky Cammarata star in the revenge romance, directed by Roku Long and written by Warchol. Narval Films produces.

Its source webcomic has reached more than 73 million global views.

Betrayal. Time travel. Revenge. A strategically selected brother. Sometimes a premise really does sell itself.

Turning hundreds of millions of views into a few minutes of video

Of course, having proven IP creates another problem: Those millions of readers already know these stories. Adapting a sprawling webcomic into a microdrama means deciding which characters, arcs, and moments are essential enough to survive a much more compressed format.

"It's the same with any adaptation where the IP, especially when it comes to books and web comics, there's a lot more in the story than is possible to necessarily tell in the AV adaptation," Lee said.

For each series, writers had to examine character arcs and story elements and determine what would work in vertical video. WEBTOON also contacted the original creators about adapting their work, and Lee said all six were supportive of the projects.

But the Short Dramas aren't supposed to replace the original stories. "The vertical videos are not designed to supplant web comic readership," Lee said. "It is a supplement."

Ideally, someone who already loves Maybe Meant to Be gets to see its characters brought to life, while someone encountering the story through its Short Drama might be compelled to seek out the much larger webcomic waiting behind it.

WEBTOON wants that movement to go both ways. "You come for the web comics, you stay for the video episodes, you check out the microdramas, and then you come back to check out other web comic titles," Lee said, describing it as a "virtuous cycle."

Microdramas move at a very different speed

The shows themselves may be tiny, but making them still requires something recognizable as traditional filmmaking.

Lee describes his first experience on a microdrama set as "the most chaotic ballet," with writers, actors, directors, producers, and crew working together much as they would on any other production.

"It's just making an indie movie on a really fast pace," he said.

WEBTOON partnered with six production companies for the initial slate, with the shows filmed in Los Angeles using local production crews. Lee said WEBTOON spent longer in development than may be typical for the microdrama industry, but once the shows entered pre-production, the process moved quickly: roughly three months from pre-production to delivery.

That speed is part of the format's appeal. "From development to finished product, it takes a fraction of the time to create something more long-form," Lee said.

At a moment when generative AI is increasingly being pitched as another way to make entertainment faster and cheaper, WEBTOON is drawing a line around how its first slate was made.

"All of our productions were 100 percent human-made," Lee said. "There's nothing quite like seeing human emotion on a human canvas."

Could a microdrama become the next step in Hollywood's IP pipeline?

WEBTOON's experiment gets more interesting when you look beyond these six shows. The company has a massive library of stories and an enormous amount of information about which ones have already attracted audiences. A webcomic can accumulate tens or hundreds of millions of views before WEBTOON ever puts actors in front of a camera. A microdrama gives it another potential data point.

Asked whether vertical dramas could eventually serve as a proving ground for stories that might graduate to traditional television or film, Lee said he sees the possibility.

"Especially when you look at a microdrama where the fandom is loud and loyal, I think it would make a lot of sense to then look at the possibilities for a horizontal adaptation, whether it be TV or film," he said.

That creates a potentially intriguing path for IP: A story can begin as a webcomic, find an audience, become a relatively fast and inexpensive live-action vertical series, and — if that audience follows — potentially make another jump into long-form entertainment.

But Lee doesn't necessarily see those formats as a ladder, with one inherently more valuable than another. "I think the future of content is not siloed necessarily," he said. "It's not necessarily just about web comics, just TV or film. It's about building stories that can really live on all types of formats."

Is the future of TV vertical?

Spend enough time talking to people working in digital entertainment right now, and you'll eventually hear some version of the same prediction: The future is vertical.

For an entire generation, holding a phone upright isn't an alternative way of consuming entertainment. It's the default.

"When you look at the younger generation, they are truly mobile native from the get," Lee said. "They are pretty much born with phones in their hands or phones pointed at them... I think moving forward, the future is going to be in vertical content."

The bigger bet isn't simply that audiences will watch vertically — they already do. It's that they'll embrace the format for longer, serialized stories, too.

That doesn't necessarily mean vertical dramas have to replace traditional television. The boundaries between webcomics, social video, microdramas, streaming series, and movies are already becoming increasingly porous. A story doesn't have to belong to a single format anymore, and neither does its audience.

"There's no end to really great storytelling," Lee said. "Really great stories and really great characters can live across formats."

In 2008, you might think Chris Carter, the creator of The X-Files, had full autonomy to write and direct The X-Files: I Want to Believe, a feature film based on the hit show. The X-Files was a cultural phenomenon that ran for nine seasons before 2008, so Carter certainly had more than enough evidence to show the studio that when it came to the property, he knew best.