IT General

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for September 5's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles used to be available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it. Unfortunately, it has since been taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for September 5 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Spread out.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no reoccurring letters.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter W.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

WIDEN.

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Wordle.

Connections is the latest New York Times word game that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for September 5's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

Tweet may have been deleted

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer. If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

Tweet may have been deleted

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for September 5 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hit about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: At the hair salon

• Green: Condemn

• Blue: Grab

• Purple: American football terms

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Hair Salon Offerings

• Green: Criticize

• Blue: Obtain

• Purple: Measured in Football Stats

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #452 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Hair Salon Offerings: BLOWOUT, COLOR, CUT, TRIM

• Criticize: BASH, BLAST, PAN, SLAM

• Obtain: BAG, LAND, SCORE, SNAG

• Measured in Football Stats: ATTEMPT, RECEPTION, SACK, YARD

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Thursday, September 5, 2024:

AcrossFile type for downloadable forms

• The answer is PDF.

Catherine of "Beetlejuice"

• The answer is Ohara.

Pastry with a 5-Down

• The answer is donut.

Nostalgic song

• The answer is oldie.

Left on ___ (still awaiting a text message response)

• The answer is read.

DownAnimal known as a "giant cat bear" in Chinese due to its pupil shapes (vertical slits!)

• The answer is panda.

Ancient Celtic priest

• The answer is druid.

It's written in the stars

• The answer is fate.

Funk from a dirty sock

• The answer is odor.

Feature in the middle of a 6-Across

• The answer is hole.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of Games

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Mini Crossword.

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: See hints and answers for September 5 SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Here's the answer hints for September 5 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Going underground

These words are delicious but require cleaning.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

The answers all relate to certain types of veggies.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is RootVegetables.

NYT Strands word list for September 5

• Potato

• Jicama

• Rutabaga

• Beet

• Turnip

• RootVegetables

• Taro

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Strands.

TL;DR: Through Sept. 29, you can get a £45.60 lifetime subscription to Scribbyo and use AI to generate creative content. 

Content creation isn't just one skill. Whether you're in marketing or just accidentally ended up with a really popular Instagram account, a ton of different skills go into creating quality content. You might need to write one day, find a fun picture the next, and record a podcast the week after. It's a lot for one person (or maybe even a team of people) to handle. But it's not too much for AI. 

Scribbyo is a content creation platform that uses AI tools to help save you time. Whether you're crafting an essay, an ad, a social media post, a landing page, or content of almost any kind, Scribbyo may be able to help. This versatile AI tool lets you generate content in a variety of media, including text, voice-over, images, code, and more, and you can produce content in 37 different languages.

Plus, a lifetime subscription to Scribbyo is only £45.60 for a limited time. 

Use AI to create content

AI doesn't always have to do something you can't. You may be able to listen to a video and transcribe it, but you could save time using the Scribbyo transcribe tool. That means you can easily turn videos into scripts, lectures into lecture notes, and create subtitles on the fly, but this AI doesn't just listen. You can even use Scibbyo to generate voiceover. 

Scribbyo doesn't just use one voice to read your text. You get access to 100+ accents and languages and more than 900 types of voices. Whether you're making a podcast, narrating a presentation, or recording a voiceover for a video, you can take your time finding just the right voice.

This subscription lasts for life, but there are limits on how much you can generate every month. Per month, you can generate 100,000 words (both in content writing and chatbots), 60 AI images, and 60,000 characters of voiceover. 

Your own creative team — all in one AI tool

Use AI to help you get creative and save time.

Get a lifetime subscription to Scribbyo, on sale for £45.60 (reg. £520.07). 

StackSocial prices subject to change. 

Opens in a new window Credit: Scribbyo Scribbyo: Lifetime Subscription £45.60 at the Mashable Shop
£520.07 Save £474.47 Get Deal

TL;DR: A wide range of free online courses from Harvard University are available to take on edX.

edX hosts a wide range of free online courses from some of the top educational institutions in the world, including Harvard University. That means you can become a student of this famous school without spending anything. And you don't even need to pack up your things and leave home.

Harvard University is offering free online courses on everything from AI to cybersecurity with edX. These are the best free online courses from Harvard University this month:

• American Government: Constitutional Foundations

• Ancient Masterpieces of World Literature

• Applications of TinyML

• Building Personal Resilience: Managing Anxiety and Mental Health

• CitiesX: The Past, Present and Future of Urban Life

• CS50's Computer Science for Business Professionals

• CS50's Computer Science for Lawyers

• CS50's Introduction to Artificial Intelligence with Python

• CS50's Introduction to Computer Science

• CS50's Introduction to Cybersecurity

• CS50's Introduction to Game Development

• CS50's Introduction to Programming with Python

• CS50's Introduction to Programming with R

• CS50's Introduction to Programming with Scratch

• CS50's Understanding Technology

• CS50's Web Programming with Python and JavaScript

• Data Science: Capstone

• Data Science: Inference and Modelling

• Data Science: Machine Learning

• Data Science: Productivity Tools

• Data Science: R Basics

• Data Science: Visualization

• Deploying TinyML

• Electrochemistry

• Energy and Thermodynamics

• Entrepreneurship in Emerging Economies

• Exercising Leadership: Foundational Principles

• Fat Chance: Probability from the Ground Up

• Fundamentals of Neuroscience Part 1

• Fundamentals of TinyML

• High-Dimensional Data Analysis

• Humanitarian Response to Conflict and Disaster

• Improving Your Business Through a Culture of Health

• Introduction to Data Science with Python

• Introduction to Digital Humanities

• Introduction to Probability

• Islam Through Its Scriptures

• Justice

• Leadership: Creating Public Value

• Leaders of Learning

• Machine Learning and AI with Python

• Managing Happiness

• Masterpieces of World Literature

• MLOps for Scaling TinyML

• Modern Masterpieces of World Literature

• Pyramids of Giza: Ancient Egyptian Art and Archaeology

• Remote Work Revolution for Everyone

• Rhetoric: The Art of Persuasive Writing and Public Speaking

• Shakespeare's Life and Work

• Statistics and R

• Super-Earths and Life

• Technology Entrepreneurship: Lab to Market

• The Path to Happiness: What Chinese Philosophy Teaches us about the Good Life

• Using Python for Research

Free courses don't include a certificate of completion, but don't let that hold you back. Students can still enroll at any time and start learning at their own pace, so what's stopping you?

Find the best free online courses from Harvard University with edX.

Opens in a new window Credit: Harvard University Harvard University Courses Free at edX Get Deal

TL;DR: Watch Washington Mystics vs. Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA for free with a 30-day trial of Prime Video. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Washington Mystics vs. Phoenix Mercury is next on the court in the WNBA. We're quickly approaching the playoffs, with neither team having qualified as things stand.

If you want to watch Washington Mystics vs. Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Washington Mystics vs. Phoenix Mercury?

Washington Mystics vs. Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA starts at 10 p.m. ET on Sept. 5. This fixture takes place at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona.

How to watch Washington Mystics vs. Phoenix Mercury for free

Washington Mystics vs. Phoenix Mercury is free to watch on Prime Video in the U.S. If you're not subscribed to this platform, don't worry, you can still watch this latest fixture for free with a 30-day trial of Prime Video in the U.S.

For fans not in the U.S., don't worry — to watch the WNBA, just use a VPN to stream for free on Prime Video. The process couldn't be easier, just follow the below steps:

1. Sign up for a 30-day Amazon Prime trial (if you're not already a member)

2. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

4. Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S.

5. Watch Washington Mystics vs. Phoenix Mercury for free from anywhere in the world on Prime Video

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

Unfortunately, the best VPNs for streaming are often not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By taking advantage of these offers, you can watch the WNBA on Prime Video without committing with your cash. This, of course, isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select WNBA games before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Prime Video?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on Prime Video, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the U.S.

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Stream Washington Mystics vs. Phoenix Mercury in the WNBA for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Watch Seattle Storm vs. New York Liberty in the WNBA for free with a 30-day trial of Prime Video. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Seattle Storm vs. New York Liberty is up next in the WNBA. Both teams have performed well this season, as New York Liberty have positioned themselves well with a place in the playoffs. Competition will be strong from Seattle Storm as they look to qualify.

If you want to watch Seattle Storm vs. New York Liberty in the WNBA for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Seattle Storm vs. New York Liberty?

Seattle Storm vs. New York Liberty in the WNBA starts at 7 p.m. ET on Sept. 5. This fixture takes place at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.

How to watch Seattle Storm vs. New York Liberty for free

Seattle Storm vs. New York Liberty is available to live stream on Prime Video in the U.S., but you don't need to be subscribed to watch this latest fixture. Anyone can watch the WNBA for free with a 30-day trial of Prime Video in the U.S.

For fans not in the U.S., hope is not lost. To watch the WNBA, you can use a VPN to stream for free on Prime Video. The process couldn't be more simple, just follow the below steps:

1. Sign up for a 30-day Amazon Prime trial (if you're not already a member)

2. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

4. Open up the app and connect to a server in the U.S.

5. Watch Seattle Storm vs. New York Liberty for free from anywhere in the world on Prime Video

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Year Subscription + 3 Months Free) $99.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

Unfortunately, the best VPNs for streaming are often not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By taking advantage of these offers, you can watch the WNBA on Prime Video without committing with your cash. This, of course, isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select WNBA games before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Prime Video?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on Prime Video, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the U.S.

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Stream Seattle Storm vs. New York Liberty in the WNBA for free with ExpressVPN.

Companies want to know what potential customers are searching for online. Using that information, they can target each internet user with an ad for a product or service that is relevant to what they're looking for.

But people don't always perform an online search for everything they want or need to buy. What if those companies could listen in to potential customers' everyday lives and hyper-target them with advertising based on what they're talking about?

The marketers at media giant Cox Media Group (CMG) pitched this idea to potential advertising partners, according to a report from 404 Media. The tech news outlet recently obtained a November 2023 pitch deck from CMG that detailed its "Active Listening" service and how it can target advertising based on smart devices like smartphones, smart speakers, and smart TVs.

"What would it mean for your business if you could target potential clients who are actively discussing their need for your services in their day-to-day conversations?" reads the beginning of the CMG sales pitch. "No, it's not a Black Mirror episode - it's Voice Data, and CMG has the capabilities to use it to your business advantage."

The pitch deck goes on to mention how it's legal for companies to listen in on users and collect that data.

"Creepy? Sure. Great for marketing? Definitely," the CMG sales pitch says.

Last year, 404 Media reported on CMG's promotion of Active Listening, the use of microphones in smart devices to listen in to users for the purpose of targeted advertising. The outlet just obtained the pitch deck last week.

Internet users have long speculated that Big Tech companies like Google, Microsoft, Amazon, and Facebook-owner Meta were eavesdropping on them. And now, we have evidence of CMG's marketing team promoting this type of service to advertisers. As 404 Media points out, CMG has maintained current or former partnerships with all four of those Big Tech companies.

So, what's going on here?

Big Tech responds to CMG's Active Listening

Mashable reached out to all four Big Tech companies mentioned in 404 Media's report on CMG's Active Listening pitch deck. We heard back from all of them – Meta, Amazon, Google, and Microsoft. Each company provided a statement denying working with CMG to target advertising in this way.

“Meta does not use your phone's microphone for ads and we've been public about this for years," a Meta spokesperson said in a statement provided to Mashable. "We are reaching out to CMG to get them to clarify that their program is not based on Meta data."

Meta told Mashable that it was looking into whether CMG potentially violated Facebook's terms and conditions. The company said it would take action if necessary. A spokesperson also provided Mashable with a 2016 post that Facebook published about how the company does not use users' phone's microphones for the purpose of advertising.

Amazon, Google, and Microsoft also pushed back against any involvement with CMG's Active Listening.

"Amazon Ads has never worked with CMG on this program and has no plans to do so," an Amazon spokesperson told Mashable.

“All advertisers must comply with all applicable laws and regulations as well as our Google Ads policies, and when we identify ads or advertisers that violate these policies, we will take appropriate action," a Google spokesperson said in a statement provided to Mashable.

“We are investigating and will take any necessary actions in line with our policies," a Microsoft spokesperson said.

While the companies who replied all denied taking part in the advertising program, privacy concerns regarding smart home devices will surely continue amongst consumers.

The next iPhone SE could be a big upgrade for those who prefer to have a budget iPhone.

Nikkei Asia reported that Apple has made the switch from LCD to OLED for all of its phones in 2024 and beyond, including the next generation iPhone SE.

The affordable iPhone SE is less advanced than its pricier counterparts, so Apple throwing an OLED display into the SE would make it even more enticing for those who don't want to spend $1,000 on a phone.

SEE ALSO: iPhone 16 rumors: Everything we know

Previous iPhone SE iterations have basically packed newer chipsets and features into the body of an older iPhone, specifically the iPhone 8, for the last couple of models.

Other rumors have suggested the next iPhone SE, which would be the fourth-generation model, will have an enhanced camera system, 8GB RAM, support Face ID, and feature a USB-C charging port.

As a current user of a home button-having, Lightning-port-sporting iPhone SE, that sounds fantastic.

Four years ago, the ReMarkable 2 arrived and changed my writing life.

This ultra-thin, silver-framed e-ink screen, which I still think of as a legal pad from the future, helped me kickstart a handwritten diary I've kept up nearly every day for the last two years. I use its Marker in calligraphy pen mode, which has an aesthetic appeal even the mighty iPad can't match. Plus, the older I get the more I feel the joy of e-ink, tech's most soothing alternative to all that LED screenlight blasting our faces.

So when Norwegian tablet maker ReMarkable handed me the device it's been working on ever since 2020, the Paper Pro, you can bet my peepers went wider than a side-eye emoji.

A bigger screen? A backlight? A redesigned Marker where the nib doesn't wear down as frequently? Half the lag (that milisecond-measured gap between nib touching screen and e-ink appearing) of the ReMarkable 2, where the lag was already impressively low? And a range of colors, not just black and grey? Yes, yes, yes, yes, and yes please.

The ReMarkable Paper Pro also updates the keyboard folio, an optional extra I'd been toting around with the ReMarkable 2 for the past couple of years but not actually used that much: the typing lag felt a tad too long, the text column was too narrow, the keyboard wasn't backlit. The Pro folio fixes all those problems, and it comes with a nice little wrap-around magnet that helps lock the Marker in place.

Was this, finally, the perfect distraction-free device for writers I'd dreamed of for a decade?

The Paper Pro isn't perfect

After testing the Paper Pro for a week, I'm less enthused. It has some issues, though not enough for me to stop using it. Still, I can see why ReMarkable will continue to sell the $399 ReMarkable 2 ($449 with the more sensitive Marker Plus) alongside the Paper Pro ($579; $629 with Marker Plus; add a $199 keyboard folio and you're talking serious scratch for any e-ink machine).

For many users on tighter budgets, the ReMarkable 2 will remain a superior choice.

I'm also surprised to find that the two devices don't play well together. The Markers are not swappable. You can sync documents between machines using ReMarkable's Connect service — but a document started on the Paper Pro's 11.8-inch display will spill over the sides of the ReMarkable 2's 10.8-inch screen.

Essentially, ReMarkable is creating a technology fork, asking you to choose one device or the other.

If you take the Paper Pro path after traveling with ReMarkable 2, you might hit some bumps in the transition. You won't necessarily notice the new one is heavier (by 0.17 lbs) since the weight is distributed in a larger form. You may notice it's a few hairs thicker, even though the Paper Pro's ridged sides are pleasant to touch. You will probably find that the screen-nib combination is more slippy on the Paper Pro, a little more like the smooth glass feel of writing on an iPad. I simply tap the screen harder at the end of sentences, period.

Also your mileage may vary on this one, but I felt that the basic black color you'll use for writing most of the time looks a little more washed out, from certain angles, on the Paper Pro screen. This could be the fault of the new backlight, which does the job but has an ethereal, slightly uneven glow around the edges of the screen, and which I found myself turning off as often as possible, for the sake of the battery (which, as you might expect, seems to run out a little faster on the Paper Pro.)

Or it may have to do with the fact that black isn't actually black on the Paper Pro: it's yellow, cyan and magenta all smooshed together.

Paper Pro Color: a (fun) work in progress Left: How my heart drawing looks on the screen. Right: How it looks in PDF form. Credit: Chris Taylor / Mashable

Technologically speaking, the Paper Pro is an impressive leap forward. Taking e-ink from monochrome to CMYK is no mean feat, considering the ink actually sits there in a real layer under the screen glass. Combinations of cyan, magenta, yellow and white give you a second set of options — black, red, blue, green — and by layering all those colors on top of each other, you can get thousands.

In theory, at least. In practice, you'll see several bumps on the road to color. First off, there's the fact that when you lift the Marker from the page for a second, anything you've just handwritten or drawn in color (you can't type in color yet) has to refresh. Even if you're just writing in blue pen rather than black, that bit of the screen you've just changed flashes on and off a few times, very quickly.

The flashing looks a bit weird at first, like your ink can't decide whether it's invisible or not, like your words aren't secure in their own existence. Still, I was surprised to find I stopped noticing it after a while.

There's a larger color problem, and you can see it in the screenshots above where I made my first-ever e-ink color drawing — a fanciful anatomy of a human heart — using the Marker's brush and pen settings. What you're drawing on the screen is subtle, like pastel colors. But when you send the image (you can email your ReMarkable output with or without turning your handwriting into text), the PDF will show far more intense, almost cartoonish primary colors.

In other words: yes, you can dither your way to interesting color combinations, but the Paper Pro screen won't give you the clearest image of what you're actually creating. Color e-ink is something of a work in progress, and ReMarkable will continue to tweak the software with updates every few weeks. But it's hard to see the company getting around this fundamental divide between e-ink content and a LED screen world.

Are you a Paper Pro kind of pro?

Which leads us to the question: For whom was the ReMarkable Paper Pro made? Artists and designers may enjoy playing around with it, but the color representation problem means they'd be better off using an iPad for serious work. If you just enjoy distraction-free handwriting and typing, you may be better off buying a monochrome ReMarkable 2, and keeping an extra $180 in your pocket.

The core audience for ReMarkable, if Reddit enthusiasm is anything to go by, is students and knowledge workers.

The Paper Pro is for taking and highlighting notes — ReMarkable has taken pains to ensure the highlight moves with the text it's highlighting, no matter how the rest of the page changes — and sketching out new ideas on the fly. Medical and engineering students will have uses for that color. IT departments will like the new six-digit PIN security; I liked the four-digit PIN because that's all I needed to keep prying eyes out of my diary, but I'm not the target audience here.

Then again, my casual color sketching style, where I care more about having fun than true colors, is a nice fit for the new device. I might be more inclined to reach for it, when I feel the urge to make art, than fire up Procreate on my iPad.

The ReMarkable 2 changed my writing life; perhaps the Paper Pro will change my art life.

SAVE $15: As of Sep. 4, get Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for Nintendo Switch at Woot for just $44.99, down from $59.99. That's 25% off.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon 'Super Smash Bros. Ultimate' $44.99 at Woot
$59.99 Save $15.00 Get Deal

When it comes to multiplayer games, the Smash series is an undisputed champion. From the series debut on Nintendo 64 through the latest and greatest Super Smash Bros. Ultimate on Nintendo Switch, the brawler has always been the pinnacle of entertainment when it comes to getting Nintendo characters and guests to beat the stuffing out of each other. If you haven't yet experienced one, now's the time to get into it.

As of September 4, you can get Super Smash Bros. Ultimate for Nintendo Switch for just $44.99 at Woot. That's $15 off its normal price of $59.99 and a discount of 25%. This is the physical edition, so you'll have to wait for it to be shipped to you.

SEE ALSO: The best gaming laptops of 2024, hands-on tested

Though the game debuted in 2018, it's still very much worth jumping into. It has 89 playable fighters to choose from, handpicked from some of Nintendo's biggest franchises, from Mario to Link to Kirby and everyone in between. Guest characters from third-party franchises make appearances in one form or another as well, but the most exciting thing you can do is pit your favorite characters against each other in knock-down, drag-out fights that you and your friends can participate in.

There's plenty more to do if you don't want to spend your time sending a poor little Yoshi or Pokémon into the stratosphere. You can play challenges, work to collect additional characters and bonuses, and explore a wealth of music, art, and stages.

It's a fantastic game, made even better at this price. Be sure to snatch yours up before this deal goes away.

The best Apple AirPod deals of the week at a glance: Best AirPods deal Apple AirPods (2nd Gen) $89 at Amazon and Walmart (save $40) Get Deal Best AirPods Pro deal Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen) $189.99 at Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and Walmart (save $59.01) Get Deal Best AirPods Max deal Apple AirPods Max $399 at Amazon (save $150) Get Deal

In the days leading up to Apple's fall hardware event on Monday, Sept. 9, every AirPods model is on sale — even if it's (probably) not getting replaced next week.

Word on the street is that the Cupertino tech giant will at least announce a new version of its standard wireless earbuds, if not a new entry-level and a new mid-range version. The second- and third-generation AirPods are priced accordingly, with several major retailers marking them down within $20 of their record lows.

SEE ALSO: What to expect from Apple's September event: iPhone 16, Apple Watch 10, and more

Successors to the noise-cancelling AirPods Pro are less likely to debut at the event, and the AirPods Max are almost definitely not getting updated this month (but maybe before the end of the year). Meanwhile, their current iterations are $30 and $150 off, respectively, putting them within $21 and $5 of their cheapest prices ever.

If anything, consider waiting to buy a pair of the standard AirPods until after Monday's Apple event: There's a good chance they'll get even cheaper as retailers ditch their inventory to make room for their replacements (if they do indeed launch). Otherwise, these are mostly solid buys if you need to upgrade, but care more about saving than having the latest, greatest tech. Below, we go deeper on the best AirPod deals of the week:

Best AirPods deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Our pick: Apple AirPods (2nd gen) $89.00 at Amazon and Walmart
$129.00 Save $40.00 Get Deal Why we like it:

Read Mashable's full review of the Apple AirPods (2nd Gen).

If ANC isn't a must-have, we actually prefer the second-gen AirPods from 2019 over the third-gen ones from 2021, which brought too few upgrades for too high a price. With a comfortable fit, a five-hour battery life, hands-free Siri support, and totally fine sound, these offer "the best bang for your buck" out of the current AirPods lineup, said Lead Shopping Reporter Bethany Allard — even more so at $89, or 31% off, instead of their usual $129. (That's a deal we only saw at Amazon and Walmart, by the way: They're 99 cents more at Best Buy and Target.)

More AirPods deals:

2nd generation

• Geek Squad Certified Refurbished Apple AirPods (2nd Gen) — $59.99 $129 (save $69.01)

3rd generation

• Geek Squad Certified Refurbished Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) — $89.99 $169 (save $79.01)

• Apple AirPods (3rd Gen) — $139.99 $169 (save $29.01)

Best AirPods Pro deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Our pick: Apple AirPods Pro (2nd gen) $189.99 at Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and Target
$249.00 Save $59.01 Get Deal Why we like it:

Read Mashable's full review of the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Gen).

The AirPods Pro 2 from late 2022 are the AirPods we recommend most people buy if their budget's slightly more flexible. These offer "well-rounded sound, impressive active noise cancellation, plenty of portability," and they're frequently on sale for well under their $249 MSRP, wrote Allard. They're also the only current AirPods that charge via USB-C instead of a Lightning port, so if you have an iPhone 15 (or will soon upgrade to the iPhone 16), you won't need to keep track of separate cables. At the time of writing, Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and Walmart all had them marked down to $189.99 — a 24% savings.

More AirPods Pro deals:

• Geek Squad Certified Refurbished Apple AirPods Pro (2nd gen) — $159.99 $249 (save $89.01)

Best AirPods Max deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Our pick: Apple AirPods Max (pink) $399.00 at Amazon
$549.00 Save $150.00 Get Deal Why we like it:

Read Mashable's full review of the Apple AirPods Max.

There are better noise-cancelling headphones out there, but the AirPods Max remain a popular, stylish pick even four years after their release — and they feel much more reasonable at $399 than their usual $549. (Note that this pricing only applies to the Pink variant at Amazon: The Space Gray, Blue, Green, and Silver ones were all at least $50 more there; Best Buy had them listed for $20 off; and Target was holding them at full price.)

More AirPods Max deals:

• Geek Squad Certified Refurbished Apple AirPods Max — $339.99 $549 (save $209.01)

GET UP TO 25% OFF: As of September 4, Motorola is offering up to 25% off select products as part of its extended Labor Day sale.

Our top picks: Best deal overall Motorola razr+ (2024) with Bose Quiet Comfort II earbuds $999.99 at Motorola (save $299.99) Get Deal Best runner-up deal Motorola razr+ (2023) $599.99 at Motorola (save $400) Get Deal

Labor Day is famous for its sales and discounts — you can get mattresses, major appliances, and tech at near Black Friday-level prices. If you missed out on the usual Labor Day deals, Motorola is extending its sale, offering a 25% discount on select products.

SEE ALSO: Motorola's rollable concept phone shows foldables aren't the only way forward

As of Sept. 4, you can score up to 25% off select items on the Motorola site. This includes the company's latest flagship phones and more budget-friendly options.

Here’s more info on the sale and our top picks for the best deals:

Best Motorola deal overall Opens in a new window Credit: Motorola Our pick: Motorola razr+ (2024) with Bose Quiet Comfort II earbuds $999.99 at Motorola
Get Deal Why we like it

The new Motorola razr+ (2024) is $999.99, and it comes with a free pair of Bose Quiet Comfort II wireless earbuds (a $299.99 value). All you have to do to get your free buds is add the razr+ to your cart.

The razr+ is available in four colors: spring green, midnight blue, peach fizz, and, of course, hot pink. Even without the earbuds freebie, it's a great price for an unlocked phone with 256GB of storage and a foldable display.

Best runner-up Motorola deal Opens in a new window Credit: Motorola Our pick: Motorola razr+ (2023) $599.99 at Motorola
$999.99 Save $400.00 Get Deal Why we like it

If you’re okay with owning the 2023 model, the Motorola Razr+ (2023) is on sale for $599.99. It doesn’t come in hot pink, but you can get it in infinite black, glacier blue, or viva magenta (which is kind of like hot pink). Plus, you get a $150 trade-in discount when you trade in an eligible device.

Not only is this phone compact, but the outer screen makes filming TikToks, video chatting, and checking notifications so much easier.

More Motorola deals worth mentioning

• Motorola moto g power 2024 — $249.99 $299.99 (save $50)

• Motorola razr 2023 — $399.99 $699.99 (save $300)

• Motorola edge 2024 — $449.99 $549.99 (save $100)

• Motorola edge+ 2023 — $499.99 $799.99 (save $300)

Check out the best Labor Day sales that are still going as of September 4:

A quick look at the best Labor Day deals still live Best tech deal Samsung Save up to 30% sitewide Get Deal Best home deal Dyson Save up to $200 on select vacuum cleaners and air purifiers Get Deal Best pet deal Petlibro Save up to 39% on automatic pet feeders, fountains, and more Get Deal Best outdoor deal Solo Stove Save up to $150 on fire pits and bundles Get Deal Best self-care deal Solawave Save 35% sitewide Get Deal

Labor Day may or may not have real meaning to you past a disheartening sign that summer's ending. But this new calendar page has a consolation prize built in: extended Labor Day sales.

SEE ALSO: Switch to select Verizon mobile or internet plans, get free NFL Sunday Ticket

It's more common than not for Labor Day sales to run for at least a day or two after the Monday that is officially Labor Day, with many spanning that entire first week of September. In fact, almost every single one of the best Labor Day deals we picked out last week are still live, and we're keeping tabs on them below (complete with end dates, if we have them).

Labor Day tech sales Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Our pick: Samsung Save up to 35% sitewide Get Deal Why we like it

Samsung's Labor Day sale is still live across several categories, dropping deals on devices that could appeal to a variety of shoppers. Those in the market for a new TV ahead of football season can save up to $1,300 on a new Neo QLED or The Frame TV, while those who need a shot of motivation after the summer lull at work can save up to $700 on a new curved monitor or up to $1,375 a new GalaxyBook4 Ultra all together. Large appliances and Galaxy Buds are also on sale.

More tech deals

• Amazon — save up to 40% on Kindles, Echo devices, Apple products, and more

• HP — save up to 75% on select laptops, desktops, printers, monitors, and PC accessories

• Jabra — save up to 20% on the Elite 10 earbuds

• Lenovo — save up to 68% on select laptops, desktops, monitors, tablets, and PC accessories

• Roku — save up to $15 on streaming sticks

Labor Day home, kitchen, and mattress sales Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Our pick: Dyson Save up to $200 on select vacuum cleaners and air purifiers Get Deal Why we like it

Dyson's prices are often steeper (and more intimidating) than competitors, so we'll hype any opportunity for someone to become a Dyson person at a more digestible cost than usual. Through Sept. 7, you can save a notable chunk of money — up to $200 — off of Dyson cordless vacuums and air purifying fans, including our beloved Mashable V12 Detect Slim (the cheapest Dyson vacuum with a laser) for $449.99.

More home and kitchen deals

Mattresses and bedding

• Amerisleep — save $500 on any mattress

• Avocado — save up to $1,540 on organic mattresses and up to 50% off on bedding

• Bear — save 35% sitewide and get two free pillows, sheets, and a mattress protector with every mattress purchase

• Birch — save 25% sitewide and get two free pillows with every mattress purchase using code LDW25

• Brooklyn Bedding – save 30% sitewide through Sept. 4

• Casper — save up to 35% on all mattresses and sleep accessories

• DreamCloud — save 50% on select mattresses

• Ettitude — save 30% sitewide

• Helix — save 25% sitewide and get a free bedding bundle (worth $330+) with the purchase of a Luxe or Elite mattress using code LDW25 through Sept. 5

• Layla — save up to $200 on select mattresses and get two free Layla pillows through Sept. 9

• Leesa — save 30% on select mattresses and get a free sleep bundle (worth $299) with every mattress purchase through Sept. 10 at 8 a.m. ET

• Nectar — save up to 40% on mattresses through Sept. 4

• Nolah — save up to 35% on mattresses and get free pillows with select mattresses through Sept. 9

• PlushBeds — save 25% on all bedding and up to $500 on mattresses through Sept. 5

• Purple — save up to $700 on select mattresses, up to $300 on bases, and up to 20% on pillows and bedding through Sept. 10

• Saatva — save up to $600 on mattresses through Sept. 5

• Sealy — save up to $300 on the Posturepedic Plus collection and get a free $200 Visa gift card

• Serta — save up to $900 on select mattresses and adjustable base sets

• Tuft & Needle — save up to $700 on select mattresses and 20% on select bedding

Home and kitchen

• Best Buy — save up to 50% on select major appliances and receive a free gift card worth up to $500 with qualifying items through Sept. 11

• Crate and Barrel — save up to 60% on sofas and other best-selling furniture, rugs, decor, dining tables and dinnerware, and more through Sept. 4

• CB2 — save up to 50% on best-selling furniture, lighting, decor, outdoor items, and more through Sept. 4

• Dyson — save up to $220 on select Dyson technology through Sept. 7

• Eufy — save up to 38% on the Eufy X8 Pro and L60 robot vacuums

• Hai — save 35% on the Hai Smart Showerhead

• Home Depot — save up to 50% in categories like Halloween decorations, lawn care, power tools, and more

• Hydro Flask — save 25% on select drinkware, coolers, bundles, and accessories through Sept. 3

• iRobot — save up to $300 on the Roomba j9+, i5+, and more

• Meater — save $50 on the MEATER Block

• Ninja — save up to 25% on the Ninja Creami, Woodfire, Foodi air fryers, and other select kitchen appliances

• Roborock — save up to 50% on the Roborock Qrevo, Q7, Q5, and S8+ robot vacuums

• Ruggable — save 20% sitewide using code LD24 through Sept. 4

• Shark — save up to 35% on select vacuums and air purifiers

• Stanley — save 25% on select drinkware using code GOODBYESUMMER25

• Stasher — save up to 20% on select reusable silicone food bags

• Traeger — save up to $300 on select grills

• Wayfair — save up to 50% on bedroom furniture and kitchen and dining furniture, up to 60% on living room seating, up to 70% on area rugs, up to 50% on lighting and faucets, up to 50% on mattresses, and more

Labor Day pet sales Opens in a new window Credit: Petlibro Our pick: PETLIBRO Save up to 39% on automatic pet feeders, fountains, and more Get Deal Why we like it

Automatic feeders are game-changing additions to any household with pets, and several well-reviewed models from PETLIBRO are still on sale at Amazon. Through Sept. 10, pet parents can choose from multiple dry pet feeders for cats and dogs under $60, including models with WiFi, built-in cameras, and more.

More pet deals

• Fable — save 20% sitewide with code AUTUMN20

• Litter-Robot — save $75 on the Litter-Robot 4 Kickstart Bundle

• WilderDog — save up to 40% on waterproof leashes and collars, bandanas, utility packs, and more

• Wisdom Panel — save up to 20% on DNA test kits for cats and dogs

Labor Day outdoor sales Opens in a new window Credit: Solo Stove Our pick: Solo Stove Save up to $150 on select fire pits and bundles Get Deal Why we like it

Outdoorsy people who live for chilly nights are about to be in their prime, and they know the ideal evening wouldn't be complete without a toasty bonfire. Several of Solo Stove's crowd favorite fire pit bundles are already on sale, and you can save a little extra on top of that with the extended Labor Day sale. Use code LABORDAY to get $25 off purchases of $250 or more, $75 off purchases of $450 or more, or $150 off purchases of $850 or more.

More outdoor deals

• Backcountry — save up to 50% on outdoor apparel and hiking shoes, camping tents, and more

• Oru Kayak — save 20% sitewide through Sept. 8

• Renoun — save $100 on all ski preorders

Labor Day self-care sales Opens in a new window Credit: Solawave Our pick: Solawave Save 35% on select skincare tools using code LABORDAY35 Get Deal Why we like it

If you still haven't gotten your hands on a Solawave, the brand's 35% off Labor Day sale knocks the once-viral wand and serum kit down to $122.85; it's a cheaper, more compact investment than going full face mask. As a refresher, red light therapy is the bread and butter of skincare TikTok for its ability to stimulate collagen, penetrate dark spots, reduce inflammation, and more. Mashable contributor RJ Andersen saw legit results after one use. The Wrinkle Retreat mask, 3-Minute Pimple Spot Treatment device, and skincare are also participating in the sale.

More self-care deals

• Lovehoney — save up to 70% on select items

• Peloton — save up to $500 on Peloton treadmills through Sept. 9

• Quip — save 20% sitewide

• Shark — save up to $40 on the FlexStyle, SpeedStyle, and SmoothStyle hair tools

• Therabody — save up to $400 on select massage guns and accessories through Sept. 7

Editor's note: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated that Ruggable's Labor Day discount was 25% off sitewide. It's actually 20% off.

SAVE UP TO $400: Shop Apple iPads at their lowest prices ever. Find the Apple iPad Pro, 4th generation (M2 chip, 512GB, WiFi + cellular) for $899, saving you $400 for 31% off.

Best iPad deals Best iPad deal Apple iPad, 9th gen (A13 Bionic, 64GB, WiFi) $199 at Amazon (Save $130) Get Deal Best iPad Mini deal iPad Mini, 6th gen (A15 Bionic chip, 64GB, WiFi) $379.99 (Save $119.01) Get Deal Best iPad Pro deal Apple iPad Pro, 4th gen (M2 chip, 512GB, WiFi + cellular) $899 at Best Buy (Save $400) Get Deal

Apple's September 9th event, "It's Glowtime," is heavily anticipated to debut several new products, including the iPhone 16, Apple Watch Series 10, and maybe, just maybe, a new iPad Mini. While nothing is confirmed until the event goes live on Monday, September 9th at 1 p.m. ET, we're eager to see just what the fruit brand is ready to reveal.

In the meantime, older but still fantastic models are heavily discounted. We're talking iPads at their lowest price ever, with discounts up to $400 off. If you care more about savings than the latest tech, these are deals for you.

Best iPad deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Our pick: Apple iPad, 9th gen (A13 Bionic, 64GB, WiFi) $199.00 at Amazon
$329.00 Save $130.00 Get Deal Why we like it

While it may not be the latest model, the 9th generation iPad is nonetheless a reliable, everyday tablet. With the A13 Bionic Chip, it has the right amount of power for your entertainment needs, whether you need to stream, read, or game. Plus, it's compatible with the 1st generation Apple Pencil (which we should mention is down to $69).

It's down to its lowest price ever of $199. That saves you 40% off for $130 in savings.

Best iPad Mini deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Our pick: iPad Mini, 6th gen (A15 Bionic chip, 64GB, WiFi) $379.99 at Amazon
$499.00 Save $119.01 Get Deal Why we like it

The iPad Mini is one of our favorite Apple tablets, especially when it comes to reading. At 8.6 inches, it has a frame several inches smaller than the next biggest iPad, which gives it a better hand feel when it comes to reading. While it's closer to the size of a Kindle than the usual iPad, it still has all the benefits of the latter. With the A15 chip, you get zippy performance for streaming.

It's dipped down to its lowest price ever of $379.99 — that's $119.01 in savings for 24% off.

Best iPad Pro deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad Pro, 4th gen (M2 chip, 512GB, WiFi + cellular) $899.00 at Amazon
$1,299.00 Save $400.00 Get Deal Why we like it

This year's iPad Pro drop delivered an astonishing new tablet with battery life to last for days on end. However, in its wake is the previous model, which is equipped with the M2 chip. This chip powers up Apple's tablets and MacBooks alike, and we're big fans of its performance. If you want an iPad to use for professional endeavors, too, this iPad is the one for you.

While the newest model will cost you $1,399, the 4th gen iPad Pro is down to $899 at Best Buy, saving you a hefty $400 for 31% off.

OpenAI seems to be adding new voices to ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode — and we might know what they'll sound like.

New reports have discovered eight new voices that could eventually be added to ChatGPT's current options. TestingCatalog did some reverse engineering to find the potential new voice options and engineer Tibor Blaho posted on X detailed samples of what each voice reportedly sounds like.

Check out ChatGPT's reported new voices

The alleged new voice options are: Fathom, Glimmer, Harp, Maple, Orbit, Rainbow, Reef, Ridge, and Vale.

Tweet may have been deleted

This would be added to ChatGPT's existing voices, which are Ember, Juniper, Cove, and Breeze (sorry, no more Sky after that whole Scarlett Johansson debacle.) The reportedly new voices seem to vary in gender and accents, with Fathom and Vale sounding like posh Brits and Reef sounding Australian.

OpenAI announced ChatGPT Voice Mode last May as part of its new model, GPT-4o, which integrates text, vision, and audio modalities into one model. GPT-4o's impressive capabilities were somewhat overshadowed by the demo voice's eerie comparisons to actress Scarlett Johansson and a subsequent statement from the her actress herself saying that she turned down Sam Altman's request to use her voice for the model.

Nevertheless, ChatGPT Voice Mode rolled out to a select number of ChatGPT Plus users in July and news about Voice Mode has stayed pretty quiet since then.

Interestingly, Blaho's demo has the voices reading a passage that includes dog barks and crows. The voices do their best to portray the animal sounds with varying degrees of success. Some of the voices seem to be just saying "woof" and "caw," while others attempt to actually mimic the sounds of dogs and crows. If not for these imitations, some of which sound tinny and robotic, you wouldn't know they are AI-generated voices.

ChatGPT's Voice Mode is quite new. So new, in fact, that the voice modality is still only available to a small amount of ChatGPT Plus users. Since it's uncertain when the audio capability will roll out to more users, any details about ChatGPT getting more voices is also unknown.

Check out the best Amazon deals of the day as of Sept. 4: OUR TOP PICK Hisense 58-inch U6HF Series ULED 4K Fire TV $319.99 at Amazon (save $230) Get Deal BEST SPEAKER DEAL Sony SRS-XE200 Bluetooth speaker $68.99 at Amazon (save $61) Get Deal BEST LAPTOP DEAL Acer Nitro V15 gaming laptop $649.99 at Amazon (save $130) Get Deal BEST HOME DEAL Shark Detect Pro self-empty robot vacuum $399.99 at Amazon (save $150) Get Deal

Amazon has already moved on from Labor Day already and shifted its focus to new deals not tied to any particular shopping event or sale. These are just deals simply for the sake of deals — our favorite kind. We went ahead and rounded up a few that have caught our attention on Sept. 4, with standouts from Sony, Hisense, Acer, and Shark.

Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day. If none of these spark your interest, be sure to check back at our picks from Sept. 3 — many of those are still live.

Our top pick Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense 58-inch U6HF Series ULED 4K Fire TV $319.99 at Amazon
$549.99 Save $230.00 Get Deal

If you're in the market for a new TV, it's hard to beat a 58-inch ULED option from Hisense for only $319.99 — a new record-low price. This 4K Fire TV features Hisense's version of QLED technology, which incorporates a blend of LED backlighting, local dimming, and quantum dot color enhancement for a richer visual appearance that remains budget friendly. It also features a dedicated gaming mode and smooth motion handling, a bezel-less design for extra screen real estate, lots of local dimming zones, and built-in Fire TV for a world of entertainment at your fingertips.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony SRS-XE200 Bluetooth speaker $68.99 at Amazon
$129.99 Save $61.00 Get Deal

We haven't tested the SRS-XE200 speaker ourselves, but Sony has been a leader in the audio world for decades, and we're big fans of other speakers and headphones in its lineup. This portable powerhouse includes two x-balanced speakers, a line shape diffuser, and dual passive radiators — in other words, it packs a punch in its lightweight package. It'll last you up to 16 hours on a single charge, and quick-charges to give you an extra 70 minutes of playtime in just 10 minutes. The gray option is currently on sale for only $68.99, which is not only lower than its Prime Day price, but is also its lowest price on record. That also puts it in the range of most budget-friendly speaker options.

Opens in a new window Credit: Acer Acer Nitro V15 gaming laptop (Intel Core i5-13420H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $649.99 at Amazon
$779.99 Save $130.00 Get Deal

A Mashable Choice Award winner and our favorite budget gaming laptop, Acer's Nitro V 15 (originally dubbed the Nitro 5) is "packed with delicious internals that can handle triple-A gaming," according to Mashable Tech Editor and reviewer Kimberly Gedeon. Its 13th-gen Intel Core i5-13420H processor and NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4050 graphics paired with a 15.6-inch, 1080p display with a 144Hz refresh rate make it a solid choice for gamers who don't want to spend $1,000 or more. It's certainly not a perfect pick, but it does offer "excellent gaming performance for the price." The model with 8GB RAM and 512GB SSD regularly goes for $779.99, but it's down to just $649.99 at Amazon as of Sept. 4. That's its lowest price on record. Plus, as a bonus, you'll get Assassin's Creed Shadows free with your purchase.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark Detect Pro self-empty robot vacuum $399.99 at Amazon
$549.99 Save $150.00 Get Deal

Mashable's resident robot vacuum expert tested the Shark Detect Pro and dubbed it the best Shark for carpet. Thanks to NeverStuck technology, it can seamlessly maneuver between floor types and large obstacles. Plus, it offers Matrix cleaning, which means it can conquer dirty spots by taking multiple passes from multiple angles. When it's finished tidying up, it empties itself into its bagless base, which holds up to 30 days of dirt, dust, and debris. It's regularly $549.99, but as of Sept. 4, it's back down to its record-low price of $399.99 at Amazon.

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

Google Assistant is arguably the best digital assistant compared to the likes of Siri and Alexa. However, now that Google has been pushing to replace Google Assistant with AI-powered Gemini, the former's prowess over other virtual companions is even more evident.

On my daily driver, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, my Google Assistant got swapped with the new Gemini assistant. Unfortunately, some of the things I loved to do with Google Assistant no longer works on Gemini.

For example, asking, "Hey Google, what song is playing right now?" used to prompt Google Assistant to tap into its inner Shazam and accurately identify tunes in the background. But with Gemini, this command no longer works.

Fast Company, which said that the new Pixel 9 phones are shipping with Gemini as their default assistant, claims that Gemini is a "trainwreck." The tech and business outlet, and some users on Reddit, called out Gemini for not being able to perform basic tasks that Google Assistant once did, like creating calendar events, playing music, and reading webpages.

If you've been wanting to revert back to Google Assistant, we can help you accomplish that.

SEE ALSO: Gemini vs. ChatGPT: Which one planned my wedding better? How to replace Gemini with Google Assistant

You can switch back to Google Assistant in a few simple steps.

However, keep in mind that these steps are based on navigating with the Galaxy S24 Ultra, so your journey may be slightly different, depending on your device.

Total Time

• 3 min

What You Need

• Android device and patience

Step 1: Go to Settings

Tap on "Google / Google Services."

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Step 2: Tap on "All Services"

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Step 3: Tap on "Settings for Google apps"

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Step 4: Tap on "Search, Assistant, and Voice"

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Step 5: Tap on "Google Assistant"

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Step 6: Tap on "Digital Assistants from Google"

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Step 7: Tap on the "Google Assistant" bubble

Here, you can choose which digital assistant you want. In this case, you'll want to tap on the Google Assistant bubble.

Credit: Kimberly Gedeon

Now, you have Google Assistant back as your digital assistant. If you change your mind, you can always switch back to Gemini by following the same steps.

SAVE $120: The Dyson Cool Tower Fan AM07 is on sale for just $249.99 at Best Buy, marked down from the list price of $369.99. That's a 32% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson Cool Tower Fan AM07 $249.99 at Amazon
$369.99 Save $120.00 Get Deal

Sure, pumpkin spice-flavored everything is on the store shelves, but the temperature might not give fall vibes when you step outside just yet. September can often feel like the new August, ushering in heat that not all of us enjoy. If you're struggling with lingering summer heat, Best Buy has a solution.

As of Sept. 4, the Dyson Cool Tower Fan AM07 is on sale for just $249.99, down from the normal price of $369.99. That's a 32% discount, or a savings of $120.

SEE ALSO: My Best Buy members get 20% off the new Dyson Airwrap, Airstrait, and Corrale

While Dyson does an exceptional job of making vacuums, the brand also produces some incredibly powerful fans to keep us cool. The Dyson Cool Tower Fan AM07 has 10 speed settings and uses the brand's Air Multiplier technology. This produces a high-velocity jet of air that's capable of cooling the whole room. Thanks to its 70-degree oscillation, cool air will reach your full space.

The included remote control means you'll be able to tune settings to your liking from the comfort of the couch or your bed. Speaking of sleep, you can program the fan with a sleep timer, which will automatically shut the fan off after a pre-set time.

Another major benefit of a Dyson fan is the blade-less design. Instead, the fan has a simple loop design which can also easily wipe clean.

While Dyson products tend to come with a steep price, today's sale at Best Buy brings the price of the Cool Tower Fan AM07 to just $249.99. But you'll want to snag one quickly, because this deal expires at 11:59 PT tonight.