IT General

I've used Windows for most of my life, but I've become increasingly frustrated with the way Microsoft expects me to work. Search is still unreliable, useful context-menu options are hidden behind an extra click, and Windows can use my internet connection to help distribute updates to other PCs through Delivery Optimization. Add in Microsoft's recommendations I never asked for and constant interface changes, and there's no shortage of reasons to consider leaving Windows.

In Home Alone 2, Kevin McCallister scoffs at Cedric when asked if he knows how the television works. "I'm 10 years old. TV's my life," Kevin tells Cedric before tipping him with gum. I'm much older than Kevin, but I can relate to what he said about TV. It's not my entire life, but it's certainly a crucial part, considering I write for How-To Geek's streaming vertical.

Few things are more frustrating than a phone that suddenly starts feeling sluggish. It's even worse when there's no obvious cause, like overheating or running a demanding app. That's because Android is a surprisingly complex operating system, and the real reason behind a slowdown isn't always easy to pinpoint.

Are you looking for a new laptop as school approaches? Look no further than the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i 15 Gen 11. With a 15.3-inch 16:10 120Hz display, the latest Intel Core 7 processor, and ample I/O, this laptop is sure to be the perfect mix of work and play that you've been looking for.

Anthropic's Claude will start watermarking AI-generated content in compliance with EU rules, the company announced on Tuesday.

In a Claude support document, Anthropic wrote that it has signed the EU AI Act's Article 50(2) Code of Practice on Transparency of AI-Generated Content, and explains how it plans to put those rules into practice.

SEE ALSO: Claude Code’s auto mode will be on by default, Anthropic confirms

Models launched in the EU on or after Aug. 2, 2026, wrote Anthropic, will support watermarking at launch. This includes output from all models including Claude Platform (API), Claude, Claude Code, Claude Cowork, and Claude Tag. Generated text will have embedded watermarks, while generated files will include "digitally signed provenance metadata where supported."

Notably, it won't apply only to Europe; instead, the watermarks will appear wherever Claude is offered, worldwide, though Anthropic warns that some platforms or features may not support certain watermarking types.

Featured Video For You Is ChatGPT Changing the Way We Write?

The watermarks won't be visible if you don't know what you're looking for. For text files, the watermark will be "part of the text" and it will "travel with the text when it's copied and pasted elsewhere," but Anthropic doesn't really go into the technicalities of how this will work. For files such as images, Anthropic will use the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity (C2PA) open standard. Details on how to recognize these watermarks will be shared in "forthcoming documentation," wrote Anthropic.

As for existing models that were launched before Aug. 2, 2026 (that's pretty much all of them at writing time), Anthropic says it's working to add watermarking support to those as well.

Watermarking won't be foolproof, warns Anthropic. For example, heavily edited, paraphrased, or translated text could not carry a detectable watermark, and a file's metadata could be stripped through format conversion, screenshots, or other means.

Anthropic's move follows similar commitments by AI companies including OpenAI, Google, and Meta.

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There are plenty of smart devices that are significant upgrades over their dumb equivalents. A video doorbell, for example, is much more useful than a standard doorbell. While smart locks do offer some useful features, there are plenty of reasons why replacing your current lock might not be the best idea.

USB-C cables are pretty darn awesome (although confusing in many ways), but most run pretty short. The good thing is that longer options exist, yes, including 10-foot USB-C cables. But is the extra length a good thing?

If you have even just a modicum of experience with the online dating world, chances are you know AdultFriendFinder. It's one of the OGs of online hookups. Created all the way back in 1996 — the dark ages of the internet — it had become a top 100 website in the U.S. by the late 2000s. Despite that undoubted popularity, AdultFriendFinder has never quite managed to establish itself in the mainstream like Tinder or Hinge.

There’s a very good reason for that.

AFF, as it’s known among its users, is explicitly an “adult” dating site. And trust us when we say that we do mean explicit. It's hot, steamy, and anything goes. It's a badge that AFF wears proudly, of course, but one that has also prevented it from going truly mainstream. Users aren't likely to talk about their AFF activity in the same way they talk about their Tinder hit rate. And its NSFW content means there's no dedicated app on the Apple App Store or Google Play Store.

But what if you’re curious about how AFF works and whether it would be a good fit for you? What if you’ve always wondered whether you’re missing out on the best-kept online dating secret and want to join the NSFW party? Or maybe you’re worried it’s more hype and chatbots than organic, spicy fun. There's no need to fret about AFF FOMO because we've done the work for you.

Here's a breakdown of the AdultFriendFinder experience and what you can realistically expect to get from it if you decide to dip your toe into these naughty waters.

Opens in a new window Credit: AdultFriendFinder AdultFriendFinder   Learn More AdultFriendFinder isn’t a traditional dating site

If you sign up for AdultFriendFinder for a standard online dating experience, you’ll most likely be disappointed. It’s not that AFF members aren’t interested in serious dating; it’s more that sex and sexuality are placed front and center, with everything else coming from there, so to speak.

You'll see that for the first moment to log on. Unlike mainstream dating sites, which ban nudity from profile photos, AFF allows it — encourages it, even — so that regular dating-app selfies sit side-by-side with full-on full-frontal nudity and live webcam feeds. It might be too hot for some would-be daters to handle. There is a content filter, accessible in your profile settings, but it defaults to "off," so if you would rather not see any nudity, or only see it when you deliberately choose to click on an NSFW picture, you should navigate to this setting ASAP.

For some people who aren't looking for a bare-all experience, this might sound off-putting, but to those who are looking for exactly that, it’s refreshing. (And if we're not using AFF to gawk at a little nudity, what are we even doing with our lives?) Unlike traditional dating apps, where early conversations revolve around figuring out what the other person actually wants, AFF members tend to be refreshingly upfront and direct about their intentions. Kinks and sexual preferences are the whole point. Plus, getting to the point is a welcome time-saver with online dating.

How to meet people on AdultFriendFinder

Every online dating site lives or dies by its algorithm, with new platforms constantly rolling out novel ways to connect singles. AdultFriendFinder, however, takes a maximalist approach to interacting with strangers.

You can search for members the conventional way, using specific criteria like gender, sexual orientation, age, location, and more, but you can also jump into themed chat rooms or follow other members’ live streams. Through the “Who’s Hot” tab, which highlights popular members as well as trending photo and video uploads, you can easily discover someone you might otherwise never have come across.

One thing you’ll notice quickly, however, is the presence of obviously fake profiles. When I searched for singles near me, I encountered a surprising number of stunningly beautiful women in a small rural town near my city. My excitement was quickly spoiled by their obviously airbrushed photos and vague, AI-sounding profile descriptions.

SEE ALSO: How to cancel your Tinder subscription

AFF makes it extremely easy to sign up and create a profile, requiring only a username, password, and basic personal information. The upside is that it lowers the barrier to entry; the downside is that scammers can exploit it. You'll be fine as long as you're aware of scams and stay vigilant on AFF by using good old common sense.

To help counter this, AdultFriendFinder offers a blue checkmark verification system and even incentivizes users to complete it by boosting their visibility as a reward. Verification requires a government-issued ID, which AFF uses to confirm your age, photo authenticity, location, and gender. It's an optional step, but one worth completing since it helps you signal to others that you are who you say you are.

If avoiding scammers and catfishers is a priority, looking for that blue checkmark before engaging is a smart move.

What kind of success rate can you expect from AdultFriendFinder?

So far, so good, but there is a catch. While you can browse and explore AFF for free, meaningful one-on-one interaction requires a paid Gold membership, available in one-month ($35.95/month), three-month ($26.95/month), or one-year ($19.95/month) packages, all of which renew automatically.

Understandably, most people hesitate to pay for a dating site from the outset. And because AFF places its best features behind a paywall, it requires a leap-of-faith to enter those credit card details. But in our experience, a premium AFF membership largely justifies its price.

With an AFF Gold membership, you unlock all kinds of features, including unrestricted messaging, high-resolution member videos and webcam streams, expanded profile galleries, and advanced filters that make narrowing down potential matches far easier. You'll quickly see the benefits of AFF's paid tier.

Does paying guarantee attention from everyone you message? Of course not. The usual dating-app dynamics still apply — heterosexual men, for instance, should expect to work harder for responses than heterosexual women. Being attractive, fit, or witty helps. Being all three helps even more, though we're not all so lucky when it comes to attracting the opposite sex.

SEE ALSO: A beginner's guide to sexting

What will work in your favor, regardless, is the size of the AFF community. Members span a wide range of ages, body types, orientations, and interests, all of which makes it easier — not to mention more interesting — to find someone. Especially if you’re hankering after something a little more casual and fun than serious and long-term.

Based on my personal experience of using AFF, as well as the limited statistics AFF has released, the platform skews male (roughly 60:40 in my area) and slightly older. That male/female ratio mirrors that of most dating sites, which tend to skew towards more men. The older skew can actually be an advantage if, like me, you prefer connecting with people closer to your own age.

Here's one parting piece of advice: Don’t ignore AFF’s broader community features. If you rely solely on search results and direct messages, you’ll face roughly the same odds as any other dating app. But if you explore the themed chat rooms — which can span everything from erotic fiction to body modification (whatever gets the juices flowing) — you’re more likely to find a connection that turns you on.

TL;DR: Unblock porn sites like xHamster with a VPN. The best service for unblocking porn sites is ExpressVPN.

Your access to porn sites like xHamster is not guaranteed in many locations around the world. There are obvious and legitimate reasons for online restrictions, but there is also something to be said for retaining your right to online freedom. When the time is right, you should be able to access your favorite sites without hassle.

Fortunately, it's possible to bypass content restrictions in a few simple steps. f you're looking for the best way to unblock porn sites like xHamster for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

How to unblock xHamster for free

VPNs are tools that can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure servers in other locations. This process bypasses geo-restrictions to secure access to porn sites like xHamster from anywhere in the world. It sounds complicated, but the process is actually really simple.

Unblock xHamster by following these steps:

1. Sign up for a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in a location that supports access to xHamster

4. Unblock xHamster

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for unblocking porn sites are not free, but most do offer free trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can unblock porn sites and then recover your investment at a later date. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it works well if you're traveling to a location without access to your favorite sites.

If you want to retain permanent access to free porn sites from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for bypassing online restrictions is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for porn?

ExpressVPN is the top choice when it comes to unblocking porn sites like xHamster, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy

• Fast streaming speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Unblock xHamster for free with ExpressVPN.

Just 10 years ago, thumb drives were commonplace everywhere. You probably carried one around in your keys, or you had one in your backpack. Things have changed a lot, though.

As of today, anyone can send the first message on Bumble.

It's a total rewrite for the dating app where "women make the first move." Another change is also here: Instead of having 24 hours for the message recipient to respond to that first message, they now have 72 hours.

SEE ALSO: Men will soon be able to message first on Bumble

This update is happening because of user insights and feedback, according to a press release shared with Mashable. Nearly two-thirds (66 percent) of women surveyed by the app say they actually prefer men to send the first message, according to a survey of over 2,200 women on Bumble in the U.S. in Aug. 2024. Many said it'd make dating feel less pressured.

Gen Z women said women making the first move remains "an empowering option," but also appreciate the flexibility of men starting the conversation, in research commissioned by Bumble between Feb. and March 2025, of 2,000 singles aged 18-35 who were actively using dating apps. That research also found that nearly two-thirds of both men and women say they feel more confident when they have a choice of when and how a conversation begins.

Bumble's "women make the first move" is no more

"We built Bumble around the belief that when you make dating better for women, you make it better for everyone and that remains true today. While women making the first move was a radical idea, being women-first was never about prescribing just one way to connect. It was about designing an experience with women's needs in mind to create better outcomes for everyone," founder and CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd commented in the press release.

SEE ALSO: The best dating apps for serious relationships

"Today, our community is asking for more flexibility, less pressure, and more opportunities to create real, meaningful connections and that is what this new experience provides. This evolution isn’t a departure from our founding vision, but the realization of it."

The radical change follows a trend that's been happening on Bumble for some time. Wolfe Herd founded Bumble in 2014, and a lot has changed in the 12 years since in terms of gender and dating norms. In 2022, Bumble decided that nonbinary users can message first after users expressed discomfort with not being able to on social media.

Then, in 2024, Bumble launched Opening Moves, a way for men to technically message first by responding to a prompt. The change was reportedly made due to dating app fatigue, an issue apps have been dealing with for years now.

According to initial tests of the latest change (in Canada between June and July 2026), 92 percent of women said they still felt in control of their dating experience. And more than half of the surveyed users agreed that lengthening the reply window improved their experience on the app.

More changes are coming to Bumble

Wolfe Herd announced this shift at the company's earnings call last week — and it's not the only change coming. Bumble will soon launch a standalone app called Plans for curating IRL events and matching with attendees afterward. At the same time as Bumble is leaning more into in-person events, it's also leaning more into AI, as the AI dating assistant, Bee, is also forthcoming.

Bumble made a lot of buzz earlier this year when Wolfe Herd announced that the app is killing the swipe feature, but she said last week that she's keeping what's next under wraps. This new chat initiation will remain as part of the reimagined Bumble experience, a spokesperson told Mashable.

The company's revenue and paying users have been declining year-over-year and it's reportedly considering a sale, so this is likely a push to reverse that trend. But will singles make a beeline for Bumble now that its signature feature is retired?

Google Messages is one of the most popular messaging apps for Android, especially now that the Samsung Messages app has been discontinued, which means millions more are finally using Google's option. And while Google Messages is great, there are several frustrating default settings that I always change for a better experience.

Dating app Hinge is releasing its first-ever audiobook, The Bookseller reported. It features writing and narration from Rufi Thorpe, author of Margo's Got Money Troubles, Curtis Garner, Tembe Denton-Hurst, Nicola Dinan, and Raven Smith. Each author wrote about a real-life couple that met on Hinge, and the couples contribute epilogues with their own reflections.

The audiobook expands the app's "No Ordinary Love" ad campaign of as-told-to love stories. It first launched in 2024 with six stories by writers such as Roxane Gay. No Ordinary Love continued last year with five additional stories published weekly on Substack. They were penned by five new writers, including Hunter Harris, who wrote the audiobook's foreword.

SEE ALSO: Hinge founder's AI matchmaker coming later this year

The audios are available now on Substack, Spotify, Libro.fm, Apple Audiobooks, Barnes & Noble Audiobooks, and the library app Libby. You can also read the written companions on Substack.

"Hinge continues to find inspiration in the rise of book-focused conversations on social media and how it deeply resonates with Gen Z," the company told The Bookseller. "Romance is the most popular genre read by 18 to 29-year-olds, and audiobooks are growing in popularity with readers, who listen as they go about their daily lives."

Mashable attended this year's BookCon, and it was such a success that next year's conference is set to be even bigger.

Want our dating and relationships stories and more in your inbox? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories newsletter or get Mashable push alerts today.

Hinge's chief marketing and communications officer, Tamika Young, told The Bookseller that the campaign has always celebrated the real stories behind relationships, and that this year, the team focused on the conversations that moved those relationships forward, "the moments where someone asks the question, sends the text, or finally says the hard thing out loud."

SEE ALSO: The best dating apps for serious relationships

"These stories were meant to be heard, and an audiobook gave us the opportunity to bring listeners into those moments — to hear the pauses, the hesitation, and everything that happens just before someone finally says it," Young said.

In Hinge's latest report, it found that the majority of LGBTQ daters said that consistent communication from someone they're starting to date makes them feel less anxious. Its latest feature, Friend's Take, lets a user's loved ones contribute something in writing (or audio, or an image) to their profile.

I love looking outside in my backyard to see the wildlife buzzing about. From bees to squirrels, rabbits, birds, and more, my little 0.3-acre yard always has something going on. When I found out that bees need a safe place to drink water from, I knew what I had to do—3D print a watering station just for them.

TL;DR: The LG 32-inch UltraGear OLED gaming monitor (32GX850A-B) is on sale for $754.47 at Amazon, down from its $1,299.99 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: LG LG 32-inch UltraGear 4K OLED Gaming Monitor $791.68 at Amazon
$1,299.99 Save $508.31 Get Deal

Pairing a big 32-inch OLED panel with 4K resolution usually means paying well into four figures when upgrading your gaming display, but Amazon has just knocked $500+ off one of LG’s high-spec UltraGear displays. 

As of Aug. 11, the LG 32-inch UltraGear OLED gaming monitor has been slashed to $754.47 on Amazon — a 42% discount off its base $1,299.99 price. 

Along with getting that hefty $545.52 discount, this monitor — sold and shipped directly from Amazon, rather than a third-party seller — will make it to your door as soon as Aug. 16 at the time of writing (or Aug. 12 if you’re a Prime member). Amazon is also offering free 30-day returns or replacements if you happen to have any issues. 

What makes the price especially tempting now is how much flexibility LG has packed into the panel. At its native 3840x2160 resolution, the glossy 32-inch OLED display runs at up to 165Hz, giving you the sharpness of 4K with enough speed for everything from upcoming single-player adventures like Fable or Gears of War: E-Day — alongside the usual fun multiplayer hits like Fortnite and Rocket League. 

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Alongside its cinematic look, this UltraGear unit’s 0.03ms GtG response time is built to keep fast movement crisp. That’s alongside our usual favorite features: NVIDIA G-SYNC compatibility and AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, designed to help reduce tearing and stutter when your frame rate fluctuates.

Plus, the OLED panel itself is backed by Micro Lens Array+ technology, alongside VESA DisplayHDR True Black 400, a 1.5M:1 contrast ratio, and typical 98.5% DCI-P3 coverage. 

No matter what you watch, play, or work on, you’ll be treated to deeper blacks, punchier highlights, and more convincing color all around. 

For years, I tried to organize my Gmail inbox after emails arrived. A few labels and filters changed that completely: I cleaned up old messages, automated the emails I receive every day, and now spend far less time filing things away manually.

Before Plex made personal media servers something a normal person could set up in an afternoon, a group of hackers took a game console and turned it into something Microsoft never intended it to be. That became the foundation for nearly every home media center concept. Not many people know the history of Plex and Kodi, but it's really interesting and shows that the next tech revolution may come from a random home project.

I ran the New York City Marathon wearing seven fitness trackers to see how they compare, and I left with a few favorites. I received a lot of strange looks, but if shame is the price to pay for finding the best fitness tracker for running a marathon, so be it.

While training for the race, I used 10 different trackers in total — deep breath — the new Apple Watch Ultra 3 (which replaced my Apple Watch Ultra 2, which replaced my Apple Watch SE), the Garmin Forerunner 570, the Whoop MG, the Pixel Watch 4 (as well as the older Pixel Watch 3), the Suunto Run, the Oura Ring 4, and the Fitbit Charge 6.

In the end, I ran the marathon using the seven most updated models of our top contenders. I was most impressed by the Whoop MG, Garmin Forerunner 570, and the Apple Watch Ultra 3. The more affordable Suunto Run also has a lot to offer runners.

Fitness trackers tested for this guide BEST SPLURGE Apple Watch Ultra 3 $699.99 at Amazon (Save up to $99 at Amazon) Get Deal BEST RUNNING WATCH Garmin Forerunner 570 $549.99 at Garmin Shop Now BEST FOR HEALTH TRACKING Whoop MG $359 at Amazon Shop Now BEST GARMIN ALTERNATIVE Suunto Run Sports Watch $148.99 at Amazon Shop Now ALSO CONSIDER Pixel Watch 4 $349.99 at Amazon Shop Now SMART RING PICK Oura Ring 4 $349.00 at Amazon Shop Now BUDGET OPTION Fitbit Charge 6 $134.80 at Amazon Get Deal

I also wanted to find the most reliable fitness trackers for marathon training, so during each week of my training, I focused specifically on one tracker or smartwatch. To ensure the best data collection possible, I also wore it during the day and night outside of my workouts to test its battery life and recovery data collection.

While I focused on a different tracker each week, I wore all seven models during all of my workouts during the entire 18-week training season. In total, I ran 508 miles, had 30 weightlifting sessions, rode a bike for 110 miles, and practiced yoga or Pilates about once a week. And I did all of that looking like Bucky Barnes.

Meet my marathon training partners for the past four months... Credit: Joe Maldonado

Reader: It was humiliating, and I did it all for you.

I wanted a wearable that had a comfortable design, easy-to-understand workout metrics, useful recovery metrics, a long battery life, and was worth the price. I wanted it to help me train, recover, and run the marathon. So, here's everything I learned during my 508-mile quest to find the best fitness trackers for running a marathon.

Best health tracker for marathon trainingMy pick: Whoop MG 4.0 I wore the Whoop MG for 18 weeks and 500 miles of training. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

The new Whoop MG is an incredibly comfortable, minimalist tracker designed for health and recovery rather than in-the-moment performance, and I really liked it. 

Its soft, lightweight band feels almost invisible, and because there’s no screen, you’re blissfully free from constant notifications or distractions — something I didn’t realize I needed until I had it. 

That said, the lack of display, GPS, and heart rate feedback during workouts makes it essentially useless for live training metrics, such as pace or distance. So, like with many health trackers, you'll likely need to also use a secondary fitness tracker to get real-time data on your run, including pace, heart rate, and elevation.

Still, the post-workout insights are impressive: you can literally see spikes in strain or stress — even pinpointing moments like a fall or tough interval — making it feel personal and validating. 

The recovery metrics are where Whoop truly dominates. Its journal feature is flexible, allowing you to log habits like alcohol use, weed, or even eating beans, all of which are correlated with sleep, stress, and recovery. The sleep tracking is top-tier, breaking down stages, disturbances, and recovery readiness into clear, actionable data that helps you decide when to push or rest. The battery system is genius — a slide-on charger means you never have to take it off, not even in the shower. 

While the subscription model is financially frustrating, Whoop’s depth of recovery data makes it arguably the best tool for understanding your body.

Opens in a new window Credit: Whoop Whoop MG fitness tracker $359 at Amazon
  Shop Now Also tested: Oura Ring 4 Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

The Oura Ring is probably the best-looking wearable I tried during training season. It's sleek, comfortable, and surprisingly unobtrusive, and it excels at recovery tracking. Obviously, much like the Whoop MG, this shouldn't be the only wearable you use for marathon training — there's no workout data, because there's no screen, and it has no ability to provide live training feedback like pace or heart rate. It provides almost no useful data during or immediately after workouts, making it more of a wellness tracker than a performance tool.

It never pinched or became uncomfortable — though I wouldn’t recommend wearing any rings at all while lifting weights. When it comes to workout metrics, the Oura Ring simply isn’t built for live training feedback. 

However, where it truly shines is in recovery tracking. It monitors key health indicators such as heart rate, heart rate variability, body temperature, sleep quality, and general activity, delivering consistently insightful data that helps you understand your readiness and recovery trends. 

It’s also surprisingly useful for cycle tracking (if you're into that sort of thing), offering accurate temperature-based insights. The Oura Ring 4 battery life is excellent — it can easily last several days, and I simply charge it while showering without ever running into low power issues. 

Though it’s pricey and requires a subscription, it’s HSA/FSA eligible, which helps. Overall, the Oura Ring is an exceptional sleep and recovery tracker, best paired with a dedicated fitness device for training.

Read Mashable's full review of the Oura Ring 4.

Oura Ring 4 $349 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon Shop Now at Best Buy Shop Now at Target Best lifestyle smartwatches for marathon trainingMy pick: Apple Watch Ultra 3 The Ultra 3 easily beat other smartwatches, but it's also pricey. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is one of the most advanced smartwatches yet — powerful, durable, and thoughtfully designed, though not without its quirks. 

Its massive screen and hefty build make it feel substantial on the wrist, but despite its size, it remains surprisingly comfortable, even for sleeping. It’s not the lightest watch out there, but it’s well-balanced enough for all-day wear. 

During workouts, the metrics are simple but reliable, giving you accurate readings of heart rate, pace, and time, with the option to plan structured workouts directly on the watch. You can pause your run by clicking any two buttons at once, and start a new segment by clicking the orange button. I appreciate how easily I can switch between media, segments, and workouts.

Post-run data is basic compared to dedicated running watches, but still plenty for casual runners. The recovery and health tracking features are robust — it tracks sleep, cycle phases, blood oxygen, respiration, and cardio fitness, and you can manually add data on nutrition, medication, or symptoms for a more holistic picture. 

Battery life is the best of any Apple Watch, lasting through a full marathon without dying and recharging quickly. For instance, I wore it all day and all night, during workouts and travel, but just charged it while I showered, and had no problem with the battery life. 

At $799, it’s by far the priciest watch I tested, but its massive screen proved unexpectedly useful during my marathon — I could easily read notes and spot friends on the course, and even reply to texts mid-race without missing a step. For runners who aren't training for a marathon, the new Apple Watch Series 11 also impressed our Apple expert.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 $779 at Amazon
  Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Walmart Also tested: Google Pixel Watch 4 If you're looking for an Android smartwatch for running, Mashable has been very impressed with the Pixel Watch 4. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

I really enjoyed using the Pixel Watch 4 for my training, but it had one huge flaw that moved it below the Apple Watch Ultra 3 for marathon training: it died during the marathon. I never had an issue during marathon training, including a long run that was 22 miles long. So, it's still one of the best smartwatches for running in general. But during the race itself — which includes leaving my apartment about five hours before actually starting the race, sitting in a relatively cold start village, and running the race — my Pixel Watch 4's battery died. My Apple Watch SE also died during the 2023 New York City Marathon, so I'm not unfamiliar with the pain, but it's not what you want. 

However, during training, I was pleased with the watch. It's a solid, well-rounded smartwatch that balances comfort, performance, and smart integration. It’s lightweight and easy to wear around the clock — comfortable enough to sleep in, with no irritation or bulk. During runs, it delivers all the essential workout metrics like pace, heart rate, and time, displayed on a bright, easy-to-read screen that holds up even in direct sunlight. 

The buttons feel a bit mushy, but their presence is still appreciated for sweaty workouts when touchscreens fall short. Post-run, the Fitbit app provides deeper insights such as stride length, step cadence, ground contact time, vertical ratio, and oscillation. 

While Fitbit isn’t my favorite tracking platform, its integration here is smooth and responsive, especially with the option to create custom workouts, from interval sessions to threshold runs, and even receive AI-powered daily run recommendations. 

Recovery tracking is solid, too, with accurate sleep scoring that aligns closely with health trackers like the Oura Ring and Whoop. 

The battery life (say it with me: boooooo) is supposed to last around 48 hours for regular use, which isn’t stellar for hardcore fitness users but is fine for a lifestyle watch, and charging is faster and more reliable than previous Pixel Watches.

At $350, it’s a fair value — particularly if you already own a Pixel phone.

Read my full review of the Google Pixel Watch 4.

Opens in a new window Credit: Google Pixel Pixel Watch 4 $349 at Amazon
  Shop Now Best fitness tracker for running and marathon trainingMy pick: Garmin Forerunner 570 Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

I'm not saying anything revolutionary or shocking when I say Garmin is a runner's watch.

The Garmin Forerunner 570 is one of the most advanced fitness watches on the market, and it's obvious from the second you wear it for a run. The workout metrics are nothing short of incredible. During workouts, it covers all the essentials — pace, heart rate, time — and presents them clearly on a bright, easy-to-read display. I don't love the buttons (they're a bit mushy for my taste), but they’re responsive enough.

Post-run data is where Garmin really shines: run/walk detection, training effect, power output, and running dynamics like vertical oscillation and stride length offer a level of insight few devices can match. It even provides adaptive training plans based on your data. 

On the recovery side, Garmin’s training readiness and body battery features combine sleep, stress, and HRV for actionable insights that rival Oura and Whoop.

Of course, it isn’t without its drawbacks — starting with comfort. I struggled with how it felt on my wrist; during a rainy run in the middle of my training block, the band dug into my skin and rubbed it raw, leaving it sore enough that I couldn’t wear it for the rest of the day. Other people have complained that they've gotten rashes from the Garmin, too. You can get new straps that might solve the issue, but boy was it unpleasant.

The battery life is excellent, lasting up to 11 days, and while the $550 price tag is steep, it’s easy to see why athletes swear by it.

Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin Forerunner 570 $549.99 at Garmin
  Get Deal More affordable running watch: Suunto Run Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

The Suunto Run also has so, so, so much data. What makes it slightly lower on the list than the Garmin Forerunner 570 is that it has fewer smartwatch perks than the Garmin does — it doesn't have the third-party app support, music, and contactless payments available on the Garmin and, in general, it feels kind of cheap — especially the charger.

But I did really like the Suunto Run. It delivers an impressively balanced experience for runners who want reliable data, comfort, and battery life without overcomplication. Its Velcro strap is lightweight, breathable, and secure — it doesn’t rub, slip, or shift during workouts, and it’s comfortable enough to sleep in, which makes wearing it around the clock surprisingly easy. 

During runs, the watch focuses on the essentials: pace, heart rate, and cadence, all displayed clearly on a bright, easy-to-read screen. The physical buttons feel responsive and satisfying to press, a big plus when you’re sweaty mid-run. 

After workouts, the Suunto app unlocks a deeper layer of training metrics, including training load, stress score, and normalized graded pace. While not every stat will matter to a casual marathoner, the breadth of data is impressive and well-organized. 

On the recovery side, Suunto nails clarity: it combines heart rate variability, sleep quality, and training balance into a single, easy-to-read recovery score that aligns closely with results from Oura and Whoop, though HRV readings can vary slightly. 

The battery life is excellent, lasting up to 12 days in smartwatch mode or 20 hours in performance mode, so you’ll rarely think about charging. At $249, the Suunto Run is a smart, well-priced choice for dedicated runners who don't want all the fuss of a smart watch but do want all the data of a running watch.

Opens in a new window Credit: Suunto Suunto Run sports watch $249 at Amazon
  Shop Now Also tested: Fitbit Charge 6 Good for counting steps, but not much more. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

The Fitbit Charge 6 is the least expensive option I wore, and it shows. It's lightweight, but don't let that fool you — it's a relatively uncomfortable tracker in comparison to the other trackers I tested. In fact, after two nights of sleeping with it on, my wrist was bruised. 

During workouts, it struggles to keep pace with more advanced fitness watches. The GPS accuracy is inconsistent, overestimating distance on one run and underestimating on the next, which throws off pace data — a dealbreaker for serious runners. It also doesn't track elevation gain, which is an important part of training for a particularly hilly race like the New York City Marathon. 

Mid-run readability isn’t ideal, and the connection with my phone dropped more than once, but heart rate tracking shines — responsive, accurate, and enhanced by helpful haptic alerts when you shift zones. 

Recovery tracking is surprisingly strong, offering clear sleep scores and resting heart rate data that feel well-calibrated for general wellness, even if not the most detailed. The real standout, though, is battery life, which easily lasted a full week with heavy use — truly impressive for a device at this size and price point. 

At $159, the Charge 6 delivers solid value for everyday athletes who want the very least. If you're looking for the best fitness tracker for running for beginners, this is a budget pick worth considering. For marathon training, it can't keep up. It's effectively a fancy pedometer, and you might be better off buying one of those.

Fitbit Charge 6 $134.80 at Amazon
$159.95 Save $25.15   See It at Amazon See It at Best Buy After 500 miles, what would I recommend to a friend?

So, after 18 weeks of training, 500 miles, and so, so many funny looks (that's what happens when you wear seven fitness trackers at the same time), what did I decide?

Here's what I'd recommend to a friend training for a marathon: I'd wear the Whoop MG for health tracking, particularly during training and recovery. I'd wear the Suunto Run during training, unless I had a lot of money to play with, and then I'd get a Garmin Forerunner 570. If I was specifically running the NYC Marathon and was worried about finding people, I'd keep the Apple Watch Ultra 3 on my wrist for the marathon. 

For now, I think I might go without any device for a few weeks. Free me from the data.

A Raspberry Pi 4 or 5 costs anywhere from $60 to $100 dollars before you even add a case, power supply, or storage. Meanwhile, your retired Android phone has all of that built in, including a battery that functions as an uninterruptible power supply during brief outages. With the right software, it can replace a Raspberry Pi while costing you nothing.

SAVE OVER $400: As of Aug. 11, the Sony 85-Inch Bravia 3 LED 4K TV is on sale for $1,098 at Amazon. That's $401.99 off its typical price of $1,499.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony 85 Inch Bravia 3 LED 4K HDR Smart GoogleTV $1,098 at Amazon
$1,499.99 Save $401.99   Get Deal

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As of Aug. 11, this Sony TV has been discounted to $1,098 at the retailer. Compared to its typical price of $1,499.99, that's just over $400 in savings, but you won't want to wait too long to take advantage of it. Amazon has put a "limited time deal" tag on this model's shopping page, so time is ticking to grab it at this price.

SEE ALSO: Google Pixel 11 Pro: Everything we know ahead of Aug. 12 Made By Google event

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Set yourself up with a brand new TV with this great deal on the Sony 85-Inch Bravia 3 LED 4K TV at Amazon.

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