IT General
The massive 100-inch Hisense QD6 QLED 4K TV is down to its best-ever price on Amazon
SAVE OVER $800: As of Sept. 3, the Hisense 100-inch QD6 QLED 4K TV is on sale for $1,697.99 at Amazon. This is 32% off its list price of $2,499.99.
Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense 100-Inch Class QD6 Series QLED 4K UHD TV (2025) $1,697.99 at Amazon$2,499.99 Save $802.00 Get Deal
If you've been hoping to invest in a massive new TV for your home, there are thankfully still some excellent deals available after Labor Day. Amazon has been offering quite a few deals that are worth a look, including this stellar discount on the Hisense 100-inch QD6 QLED 4K TV.
Its back to its best-ever price right now, so why not upgrade ahead of NFL kickoff?
The Hisense 100-inch QD6 QLED 4K TV is usually listed for $2,499.99, you can score a whopping $802 off right now. This marks a return to its lowest-ever price, but who knows how much longer this deal will last past Labor Day. Get the Hisense 100-inch QD6 QLED 4K TV for $1697.99 at Amazon.
SEE ALSO: TCL's version of The Frame is 50% off for Labor Day — get the 65-inch NXTVISION TV for under $1,000The 100-inch size of this Hisense TV is sure to make your movie nights or TV show marathons feel like they're happening in a movie theater. They'll be made even better thanks to this TV's impressive picture quality, too. Featuring 4K resolution and QLED Color, every detail on screen will come across crisp, clear, and colorful. This is further bolstered with Dolby Vision HDR imaging on top of Dolby Atmos sound, which will truly immerse you in whatever you're watching. If you're a gamer, the Native 144Hz Panel will also provide you with a smooth experience as you play through your favorite games at high frame rates.
If this has caught your eye, now is the time to grab the Hisense 100-inch QD6 QLED 4K TV back at its lowest-ever price. And if you're looking for more TV deals post-Labor Day, or maybe a slightly smaller TV, you can still save on the Samsung 55-Inch QLED Q8F 4K TV right now at Amazon.
Unlock a lifetime of Mac secrets with this $30 app
TL;DR: Unlock over 1,200 hidden Mac features with a lifetime subscription to MacPilot, on sale for $29.97 with code MAC10 until Sept. 7.
Opens in a new window Credit: MacPilot MacPilot: Lifetime License $29.97$99 Save $69.03 Get Deal
Are you tired of having to purchase the latest MacBook to enjoy new features? What if there was a way to tap into a world of untapped Mac power? MacPilot can unlock over 1,200 features and customization options all in one simple app. No coding or Reddit research required. For a limited time, you can grab a lifetime license to MacPilot for only $29.97 with code MAC10.
With MacPilot, advanced customization options are only one app away. Utilizing Apple’s familiar Macintosh user interface, you can display hidden files, mute that loud startup chime, change screenshot file formats, and add spacers or stacks to the Dock.
SEE ALSO: The best Labor Day Apple deals: Best-ever prices on iPads, MacBooks, and AirPodsWhatever you dream up, MacPilot can turn it into reality — within reason, of course. This software makes customizing your laptop accessible. No command line tools, complicated file operations, or computer science degrees necessary.
If you’re interested in more of that tech jargon, use this software to run deep system maintenance tools and receive a thorough system profile that tells you everything you need to know about your Mac, from RAM speed to your serial number.
With a lifetime subscription, you’ll receive all future updates on up to three Mac devices, so you can continue to enjoy modern features without the hefty price tag. You can save your latest MacBook from trade-in just a little longer.
If you’re ready to tailor your digital workspace into something that’s designed for you, now’s the time to make a move.
This MacPilot Lifetime Subscription is on sale for a limited time for only $29.97 (reg. $99) with code MAC10 until Sept. 7 at 11:59 p.m. PT.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Garmin reveals a $2,000 satellite smartwatch to steal the Apple Watch Ultra 3s thunder
On Wednesday, Garmin announced its new flagship smartwatch, the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro, which arrives with some groundbreaking features, including a first-of-its-kind microLED display. Conveniently announced just days before Apple’s launch event, Garmin's latest wearable is designed for hardcore outdoor athletes, and it comes with a hardcore price tag.
The Fenix 8 Pro comes in two models. The first features an AMOLED display and comes in 47mm and 51mm sizes, priced at $1,199.99 and $1,299.99, respectively. Opt for the model with the microLED display (which comes in 51mm only) and the price goes up to $1,999.99.
The new Garmin smartwatches have 24/7 health and fitness tracking. Credit: Garmin The Fenix 8 Pro comes with features designed for serious outdoor athletes. Credit: GarminGarmin makes some of the most rugged smartwatches on the market, including some of our favorite fitness trackers, and the Fenix 8 Pro seems ready-made to compete with the soon-to-be-released Apple Watch Ultra 3. (Apple's new Ultra wearable is also rumored to have a microLED display.)
The Garmin's microLED display is pretty impressive. It’s comprised of more than 400,000 LEDs, which gives it a maximum brightness of 4,500 nits. That makes it the brightest smartwatch display on the market by a fairly wide margin. For reference, the Apple Watch Series 10 features a 2,000 nit display, and the Galaxy Watch 8 sports a 3,000 nit display. Like other Garmin smartwatches, it also sports an LED flashlight, also handy for hikers and outdoor athletes.
The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro has an on-board flashlight. Credit: GarminAmong other things, the biggest draw for the Fenix 8 Pro is its connectivity. Per Garmin, the smartwatches will feature a mix of satellite and cellular connectivity. That, combined with Garmin’s inReach technology, will allow watch owners to summon emergency services, communicate via Garmin’s Messenger app, and even send their location to other Garmin inReach users. Voice calls are also possible, although the other person has to be using a Garmin inReach-compatible device as well.
This brings smartwatch owners another step closer to being able to leave the smartphone at home while hiking. The cellular connectivity isn’t quite as good as the latest offerings from Samsung and Apple, but the inclusion of satellite connection definitely helps when out in the wilderness, where cell towers are much less abundant.
The sensors on the Fenix 8 Pro. Credit: Garmin The Fenix 8 Pro has satellite and cellular connectivity. Credit: GarminFor emergencies, the watch sends a signal to Garmin’s Response Center, which will then assist in rescue efforts. The inReach system is a subscription service that starts at $7.99 per month. The new Fenix 8 Pro watches are available on Garmin’s website and will be available starting Sept. 8, just one day before Apple’s launch event.
Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Fenix 8 Pro, 47mm, AMOLED $1,199.99 at GarminLearn More Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Fenix 8 Pro, 51mm, microLED $1,999.99 at Garmin
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Wuthering Heights trailer: Emerald Fennell pairs Emily Brontë with Charli XCX and steamy romance
Celebrate this coming Valentine's Day with Emerald Fennell's steamy adaptation of Emily Brontë's Wuthering Heights.
SEE ALSO: 'Saltburn's most WTF moments: From the bathtub to the grave to 'Murder on the Dancefloor'For her third feature, the Academy Award–winning Saltburn and Promising Young Woman writer-director joins forces with two of the most buzzworthy stars in Hollywood: Margot Robbie and Jacob Elordi. They play Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff, the passionate couple at the heart of Brontë's classic. And from the looks of the film's teaser trailer, Fennell is more than ready to embrace that passion, perhaps even upping the ante on the onscreen desire that shocked, awed, and sometimes even disgusted Saltburn viewers.
That passion is on display in a wide array of sensual imagery throughout the teaser: Cathy fixates on a shirtless Heathcliff and sticks her fingers in his mouth. Heathcliff cuts Cathy's dress off and confesses, "I can follow you like a dog to the end of the world." Plus, there's more bread kneading and runny egg yolk fondling than a horny chef TikTok. (Viewers of an early test screening described the film as "aggressively provocative," World of Reel reported. Bring it on.)
Of course, there's a darker undertone to this passion, with the film's taglines "Drive Me Mad" and "Come Undone" hinting at the tragedy to come.
The entire teaser is soundtracked by Charli XCX and Caroline Polachek's "Everything is romantic" remix from Brat and it's completely different but also still brat. The song choice hints at Charli XCX's larger involvement in Wuthering Heights, as she's written original songs for the film.
Wuthering Heights also stars Hong Chau, Shazad Latif, Alison Oliver, Martin Clunes, and Ewan Mitchell.
Wuthering Heights hits theaters Feb. 14.
Attention artists and students: Samsungs 2-in-1 Galaxy Book is at a record-low price
SAVE 21%: As of Sept. 3, you can get the 16-inch Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 Copilot+ (Intel Core 7 Ultra, 16GB RAM, 1TB HDS) for $1,349.99, down from $1,699.99. That's a 21% discount and a $350 saving on list price.
Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 Copilot+ $1,349.99 at Amazon$1,699.99 Save $350 Get Deal
The school year has started, and for many, that means upgrading outdated tech to fit the demands of whatever new academic (and creative) challenges the semester has in store. Luckily, most of Amazon’s Labor Day discounts are still available, so you can snag a new laptop, headphones, and other tech essentials at a fraction of the list price.
If you're looking for a deal on a powerful 2-in-1 laptop, this one's for you. As of Sept. 3, you can get the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 Copilot+ (Intel Core 7 Ultra, 16GB RAM, 1TB HDS) for $1,349.99, down from $1,699.99. That's a 21% discount and a $350 saving. It's also the lowest price we've tracked on this model to date.
SEE ALSO: The 6 best laptops under $500: Back-to-school editionThis AI-powered laptop is built for performance. It's stacked with a next-gen Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processor, an Intel Arc GPU, and a dedicated NPU that chew through demanding tasks without a problem. Everything pops on the Dynamic AMOLED 2X screen, thanks to its wide color gamut and super-smooth 120Hz refresh rate. It also includes the S Pen, giving you the precision to sketch out your next big idea.
Save over $300 on the Samsung Galaxy Book5 Pro 360 Copilot at Amazon.
Moon phase today: What the moon will look like on September 3, 2025
We're not far away from the Full Moon, which is the next phase of the lunar cycle.
The lunar cycle is a series of eight unique phases of the moon's visibility. The whole cycle takes about 29.5 days, according to NASA, and these different phases happen as the Sun lights up different parts of the moon whilst it orbits Earth.
So, let's see what's happening with the moon tonight, Sept. 3.
What is today’s moon phase?As of Wednesday, Sept. 3, the moon phase is Waxing Gibbous, and 80% will be lit up to us on Earth, according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation.
Tonight, even without any visual aids, you can spot the Mare Imbrium, Kepler Crater, and Mare Vaporum. With binoculars, try to catch the Clavius and Gassendi craters, along with the Mare Frigoris. If you have a telescope, you’ll be able to glimpse features like the Apollo 12 and Apollo 15 landing sites, as well as Gruithuisen Domes, two large volcanic peaks that NASA has called a "geologic mystery".
When is the next full moon?The next full moon will be on Sept. 7. The last full moon was on Aug. 9.
What are moon phases?According to NASA, moon phases are caused by the 29.5-day cycle of the moon’s orbit, which changes the angles between the Sun, Moon, and Earth. Moon phases are how the moon looks from Earth as it goes around us. We always see the same side of the moon, but how much of it is lit up by the Sun changes depending on where it is in its orbit. This is how we get full moons, half moons, and moons that appear completely invisible. There are eight main moon phases, and they follow a repeating cycle:
New Moon - The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).
Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).
First Quarter - Half of the moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-moon.
Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.
Full Moon - The whole face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible.
Waning Gibbous - The moon starts losing light on the right side.
Last Quarter (or Third Quarter) - Another half-moon, but now the left side is lit.
Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.
How to Use the GETPIVOTDATA Function in Microsoft Excel
Most people know that you can reference one or more cells, tables and their column headers, or named ranges in Excel formulas. However, fewer know that you can reference specific data points in PivotTables using the GETPIVOTDATA function. Here's how.
Instagram has come to iPad. Finally.
Instagram has, mercifully, made an iPad app some 15 years after both the tablet and social media site launched.
You can download the app now, and there are some significant differences between the iPhone and iPad experience. Most notably, the iPad app takes users directly to Reels. It makes some sense, considering you might prefer to watch video content on a bigger screen.
Other features will feel more familiar, like Stories appearing atop your screen. There's also a following tab that'll let you peruse through posts from the folks who matter most. In our initial scrolling, the app works best in a portrait orientation, as that's how Instagram content is meant to be viewed.
The new Instagram iPad app opens directly on Reels. Credit: Screenshot: Timothy Beck Werth / Instagram The Following tab. Credit: Screenshot: Timothy Beck Werth / InstagramInstagram wrote in a press release that it also optimized the iPad experience by keeping the bigger screen in mind.
It wrote:
"When designing Instagram for iPad, we wanted to take advantage of the bigger screen to give people more features with fewer taps, while keeping it simple. We’ve made it easier to catch up on your messages and notifications with layouts that display both tabs. When you watch reels, you can expand the comments while the reel stays at full size, making it easy to catch up on the best reactions without missing a moment."
Credit: MetaInstagram finally launching an iPad app is a big change-in-tune. CEO Adam Mosseri wrote on X in 2022 that an iPad app was "not a big enough group of people to be a priority" and that the company was "hoping to get to it at some point."
Acer's New Tiny PCs Run ChromeOS
There are two kinds of people when it comes to tiny PCs—those looking for the absolute best hardware, or something that just gets the job done. If you're in the latter camp, a lot of people tend to go for Chromebooks on the laptop side, and these Chromeboxes are perfect for doing the same thing on the tiny PC side.
3 Good Reasons Why You Should Learn to Code
Are you thinking about learning to code? Are you unsure if it's worth it in the age of AI? Writing software isn't just about code itself—it's more than that, and there are several key benefits that keep me coding. Here are three great reasons why you should start.
The popular sports piracy network Streameast shut down, and sports fans are not OK
With more than 1.6 billion global visits across its 80 domain names over the last year, Streameast was easily the world's most popular illegal sports streaming platform.
On Wednesday, however — just in time for the NFL season — Streameast suddenly shut down, just as the anti-piracy group Alliance for Creativity and Entertainment (ACE) announced that Streameast was no more.
“Today, ACE scored a resounding victory in its fight to detect, deter, and dismantle criminal perpetrators of digital piracy: by taking down the largest illegal live sports platform anywhere,” ACE Chairman Charles Rivki said in a statement. “With this landmark action, we have put more points on the board for sports leagues, entertainment companies, and fans worldwide—and our global alliance will stay on the field as long as it takes to identify and target the biggest piracy rings across the globe.”
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.According to ACE, the group worked in tandem with Egyptian authorities to take down the piracy network. Two men were linked to more than $6 million in illicit revenue from the illegal pirating and were arrested on related copyright infringement charges.
Streameast was a popular sports streaming network of sites that provided visitors with free streaming access to live games, which are often paywalled behind a legal subscription service. The piracy network was an especially popular destination for professional soccer matches around the world, ranging from Europe’s biggest leagues, like England’s Premier League and Spain’s La Liga, to FIFA World Cup qualifiers and UEFA club competitions.
Streameast also provided streams to popular U.S. sports leagues like the NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, MLS, and more. Pay-per-views events like boxing and MMA events were also streamed on the platform.
While Streameast is no longer running on its main domain names, mirror websites and copycats were quickly deployed, and the sports piracy network appears to be running on alternative domains for the time being.
However, Mashable readers can find out how to watch sports online (including college football and out-of-market NFL games) on legal services like ESPN and Fox One.
Meanwhile, sports fans who were counting on Streameast to stream their favorite teams' games this fall are in mourning.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.Binge-Watching Ruins TV Shows and Movies (Here's What I Do Instead)
When was the last time you binge-watched a TV show or movie series? For me, I recently watched How To Train Your Dragon (all three animated movies) over the course of three days. While I loved the series, I feel that I didn’t get the full experience from binge-watching them.
Apple Event 2025: 5 new Apple products you likely won’t see next week
Apple fans only have a few more days to wait for the Apple Event 2025, aka the official launch of the iPhone 17, which is slated for Sept. 9. Typically, Apple also uses this event to launch other products as well. For instance, last year’s event featured the iPhone 16, the Apple Watch Series 10, AirPods 4, and more. That will likely remain true this year as well, but not everything in Apple’s rumored pipeline is set to make its debut next week.
Before we get started, let’s recap the stuff we expect to see at Apple’s release event this year. That includes the iPhone 17, the Apple Watch Series 11, the Apple Watch Ultra 3, the ultra-thin iPhone 17 Air, and likely the AirPods Pro 3. For these Apple September launch events, the company typically sticks to the iPhone, AirPods, and Apple Watch, but there are a few other products expected in 2025 that could sneak their way into the event.
However, there are even more new Apple products we’re not expecting to see at the event, either because Apple will have a separate event for them later in 2025 or because they won’t be available until 2026.
The next iPhone ‘e’ modelApple replaced the iPhone SE with the iPhone ‘e’ model phones starting with the iPhone 16e. While it is nice to see Apple treating its affordable iPhone with the same deference as the main models, we don't think Apple will launch the next ‘e’ iPhone alongside the iPhone 17. There are several reasons for this, but in short, the next affordable iPhone will almost certainly be in absentia come Sept. 9.
The main reason for this is that Apple typically saves those releases for spring, and this dates back to the iPhone SE models. Apple’s first SE model was launched in March 2016, and the second and third generations were launched in April 2020 and March 2022, respectively. Apple continued this trend with the iPhone 16e, which was launched in February 2025. It seems likely that an iPhone 17e is coming next year, per Mark Gurman of Bloomberg.
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. New Mac productsApple is reportedly working on several new Mac products, including an M4 Mac Pro and, of course, Mac computers with the upcoming M5 chip that Apple is no doubt working on. Generally speaking, Apple saves its Mac announcements for a separate event that usually takes place in either October or May, depending on the product and the launch. So, if you need a new MacBook laptop, you still have some time to wait.
Those announcements may even have to wait until 2026. The upcoming MacBook Pro with an M5 chip is rumored to be delayed until 2026, along with several other products. Thus, in short, we won’t see any new Mac products at the iPhone launch next week, and we may not see some of them until 2026 at all. The M4 Mac Pro might still come out before the end of 2026, though.
New iPadsMuch like the Mac products, Apple generally saves new iPad announcements for other events, usually alongside the Mac products. In the recent past, Apple has saved iPad announcements for springtime, and we have no reason to believe Apple will stray from tradition and announce any early with the iPhone 17.
Per Gurman, Apple is definitely saving its iPad announcements for early 2026. The products may include a new low-end iPad, new iPads with M4 chips, and the aforementioned iPhone 17e as part of a “flurry of new products” landing in the first half of next year. In any case, don’t expect any iPads at the September Apple Event 2025.
New AirPods MaxThe AirPods Pro 3 are on the docket for an announcement (we think), but the AirPods Max aren’t. The first generation is already pretty old, at around five years, and it seems the next generation of the AirPods Max is still pretty far out. Apple is keeping the next generation under wraps until 2027, per MacRumors, which is very, very far away from next week.
The update will be a welcome one. Rumor suggests that the next generation will be lighter, introduce new technology like heart rate monitoring, and updated internals. Apple did refresh the AirPods Max last year, but the refresh only added new color options and a USB-C port, so they’re still widely considered a first-generation product.
Any HomePod productsApple has a couple of these in the works, including a HomePad smart home hub and the HomePod mini 2. It’s improbable that we’ll see either at the September Apple event, although not impossible. Apple is expected to release the HomePod mini and a new Apple TV 4K device by the end of 2025, and they’re small enough products that they may sneak into the iPhone event. However, it’s more likely that Apple will announce these at a separate event along with the new Macs.
The HomePod smart home hub may have to wait even longer for a launch date. Reports claim that Apple has delayed its Google Nest Hub competitor until 2026. Initially, the launch was pushed back to the end of 2025, but more recent reports indicate that Apple wants to wait until 2026 to better prepare Apple Intelligence. So, it’s unlikely that we’ll see any HomePod products on September 9.
The next Apple Vision ProRumors about the Apple Vision Pro have been ramping up in recent months as Apple aims to release a refreshed model of the Vision Pro before the end of 2025. This refresh will include the M5 chip and improved comfort. That coincides with the upcoming VisionOS 26 update, which should be released in autumn 2025. Apple is reportedly also working on the Vision Air, but we don't think that's coming until 2027 at the earliest.
It is highly unlikely that this piece of tech will launch with the iPhone lineup. Since the refresh is coming with an M5 chip, it’s much more likely that it’ll launch with the rest of the M5 products that Apple has coming down the pipeline. Since those aren’t launching with the iPhone, we’ll likely see the refreshed Vision Pro later in 2025.
Still, if we're lucky, Apple may tease some of these products next week.
The launch event is mostly about the mobile stuffApple usually keeps its products grouped up, and as we said earlier, the iPhone event usually only includes the iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods products (and this year, probably the AirTag 2). So, if it’s not in the mobile product category, chances are that you won’t see it launch next week.
007: First Light could be the best James Bond video game since Goldeneye
Frankly, the Nintendo 64's Goldeneye: 007 has spent the last three decades running cover for a long line of middling-to-bad James Bond video games.
Whether in mediocre pseudo-sequels that bore the Goldeneye name or other half-hearted offshoots, the world's favorite British special operative has starred in far more bad video games than good ones. Everything or Nothing from 2004 gets a pass because it's a pretty fun third-person action game where Willem Dafoe plays the bad guy, but that's the only exception to the rule.
Anyway, I say all of that because 007: First Light from IO Interactive (makers of Hitman) looks like the most compelling virtual vision of the famed MI6 agent since Goldeneye. I got to see about half an hour's worth of hands-off demo footage last week and came away a lot more excited about the game than I was after the initial trailer, which didn't feature nearly enough espionage for my taste.
007: First Light looks like Hitman but with sweet car chasesWhen IO announced it was making a Bond game a few years ago, the consensus reaction from basically everyone I associate with was, "Oh, hell yeah, that's perfect." That's because the Hitman series plays to Bond's strengths better than almost any other, giving players a huge amount of freedom to sneak around big, detailed levels full of NPCs whose AI you can manipulate in fun ways.
The only difference (and it's a big one) is that Hitman is about stone-cold slapstick murder, while Bond kills dudes in far more pragmatic and less Bugs Bunny-esque ways. That's why the first gameplay trailer didn't quite land with me; it just kinda looked like British Uncharted, with lots of setpieces and third-person shooting.
I'm pleased to say that the extended demo I saw (but sadly didn't play) made it clear that this is definitely a game by the people who made Hitman. The demo featured Bond sneaking into a high-class fancy-guys-in-suits party at some scenic villa (a likely place for Bond to be) using a variety of creative methods to get past guards. Bond can't don disguises with the same level of freedom as Agent 47, so instead, distraction appears to be key to success. At one point, Bond turned on a garden hose so a guard would leave his post to turn it off, picked up a lighter, and lit some hay on fire so another guard nearby would leave his post, all so Bond could climb into a window.
IO is promising a good mix of these kinds of sprawling, open-ended Hitman-esque levels interspersed with exciting Bond action stuff, which made up the other chunk of the demo. Car chases and cover-based third-person shooting seem like pretty standard fare here (though it looked like a lot of fun), but there was also a part where Bond used his fancy gadget watch to hack into a cargo plane he infiltrated mid-takeoff. At that point, Bond could actually steer the plane left or right while engaging in a shootout in the cargo hold, sending crates and enemy combatants careening around the place in a really goofy manner.
If 007: First Light actually manages to combine that Hitman freeform stealth goodness with awesome setpiece moments without either side of the game getting old, it could very well be the best Bond game in decades. The competition isn't stiff, of course, but you can only play the opponent in front of you, as they say in sports. There are other elements of the game I'm not sure about, such as the James Bond origin story premise featuring an original, younger version of the agent. It also remains to be seen if the actual driving and shooting mechanics are any good, as engaging in gunfights in Hitman was never especially fun.
But, if we have to live in a world where Amazon owns James Bond, a world that will probably include a lot of mediocre Bond movies full of ads for Prime Air, I'll take what I can get.
Windows 11 Click to Do Updates, 25H2 Around the Corner, and More: Windows Wednesday
This was another busy week for Windows 11 development, with Microsoft rolling out the 25H2 update to the Release Preview Channel, and testing a few more improvements in the other Insider channels. Here’s everything Microsoft rolled out in Windows this past week.
Corvette's Bold Gamble: Can the All-Electric CX Win Over Skeptics?
It's a tricky business when it comes to the modernization of a car brand. It's a gamble second to none, and Corvette is playing high stakes at present with its all-electric CX and Hybrid CXR Gran Turismo concepts. Jaguar, with its recent brand revamping, and that rather interesting marketing campaign, is the prime example, just to see just how sketchy it can get, especially when modernization means that you're tugging on the heartstrings of your loyal following and possibly pulling the rug completely from their feet, ditching ICE engines. So be warned: any brand considering pursuing the same approach, especially when it comes to the beloved ethos of Corvette, should think twice about going full EV.
The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is almost here: Catch up on the rumored price, specs, and features
At the time of writing, Apple’s big iPhone event is just around the corner — a week away, give or take, depending on when you’re reading this. And while most of the hype is centered on the iPhone 17 and the new Liquid Glass UI coming with iOS 26, the Apple Watch will also be a supporting player during the big show.
In fact, we're expecting to see three new smartwatches make their debut at the Apple event on Sept. 9 — the Apple Watch Series 11, the Apple Watch SE, and the Apple Watch Ultra 3.
Not to sound like a broken record, but as with the iPhone 17 (and the Series 11), we're expecting incremental upgrades, not a drastic redesign. That’s not to say we won't see anything new, but temper your expectations for the $800 smartwatch. Here’s everything we know so far, and everything we think we know.
SEE ALSO: 3 features we hope Apple brings to the iPhone 17 Apple Watch Ultra 3: PriceLet's start with the good news: As hinted above, the Ultra 3 is expected to stick to last year’s $799 starting price. That's still a steep buy-in, even for Apple’s top-tier wearable, but in the tariffs era, a lot of products are getting more expensive.
Like the Series 11 and iPhone 17, we think the Ultra 3 will be announced on Sept. 9, with preorders likely kicking off around Sept. 12. Early adopters can have it on their wrists as early as Sept. 19.
Apple Watch Ultra 3: Design and DisplayAccording to MacRumors, the Ultra 3 is expected to sport a larger display — roughly 10 percent bigger than the Ultra 2. Measuring in at 2.12 inches, the new screen may also mark a shift away from OLED, with Apple reportedly testing more energy-efficient options like microLED or wide-angle LTPO panels.
There are also rumblings of an onboard camera, a feature that popped up in our Series 11 rumor roundup as well. If it makes the cut this year, the camera would sit on the side of the case near the digital crown. Don’t expect it to replace your iPhone, though. As Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman notes, the feature would likely serve more for AI-driven visual analysis than snapping Instagram-ready photos.
Apple Watch Ultra 3: HardwareA new Ultra also means a new chip. After two years, the Ultra 3 will finally get an upgrade with Apple’s latest S11 processor. The Ultra 2 ran on the S9, while the Series 10 jumped to an S10, but this year Apple is aligning the lineup — the Series 11, Ultra 3, and the rumored SE 3 are all rumored to ship with the updated S11.
That said, don’t get your hopes up too high. While it’s technically a new processor, MacRumors reports that leaks suggest the S11 shares much of the same internal architecture as the S9 and S10. It’s still a solid chip for a smartwatch, but in terms of real-world performance, the gains are expected to be modest at best.
The Ultra 3 is also expected to feature a larger charging coil, which should help extend battery life. Combined with the new energy-efficient display, CNET reports that the watch could last up to 72 hours in low power mode — a major boost for adventurers and endurance users.
Apple Watch Ultra 3: New watchOS 26 featuresOne of the standout upgrades, according to Mark Gurman, will be satellite messaging. The Ultra 3 is tipped to be the first Apple wearable capable of dispatching emergency texts via the Globalstar satellite network. That means even if you’re completely off the grid without cell service, you could still get a lifeline out. (Garmin recently announced its own flagship smartwatch with satellite connectivity, set to be released Sept. 8, the day before the Apple event.)
There are also rumors of built-in blood pressure monitoring, a feature that could provide early warnings for users at risk of hypertension. Beyond that, expect the Ultra 3 to carry over much of what the Ultra 2 already offered — with the notable addition of 5G connectivity baked directly into the watch.
New Android Features Arrive: Gboard Writing Tools, Bluetooth Audio Sharing, and Quick Share Redesign
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Bathroom scrolling linked to higher risk of hemorrhoids, study shows
As many people know, screen time can happen in the unlikeliest of places — including the bathroom. But a new study suggests there's more risk involved in scrolling there than just a filthier phone.
The research, published Wednesday in PLOS One, found an association between smartphone use on the toilet and a higher risk of hemorrhoids. (If you're currently reading this while relieving yourself, we won't be offended if you set your device aside until you're done.)
Prior to conducting the study, the researchers had anecdotal observations that toilet scrolling might contribute to hemorrhoids but no evidence linking the two.
SEE ALSO: Stop scrolling so much. Try these rituals instead.To address the question, the researchers designed a cross-sectional survey of 125 adult colonoscopy patients ages 45 and older. More than 40 percent of those patients had hemorrhoids, according to imaging reviewed as part of their colonoscopy results. Among all the respondents, more than two-thirds used a smartphone while on the toilet.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, the people who scrolled in the bathroom reported spending significantly more time there than those who didn't — more than five minutes per visit.
When the researchers controlled for different factors that could affect the development of hemorrhoids, like age, sex, exercise, fiber intake, and straining, they found that smartphone use on the toilet was associated with a 46 percent increased risk of experiencing the painful condition.
While the study didn't establish a direct cause and effect between toilet scrolling and hemorrhoids, co-author Dr. Trisha Pasricha told Mashable that it should draw more attention to an understudied possibility. According to Pasricha, who is a physician and director of the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Institute for Gut-Brain Research, this study is the first to examine the question.
Pasricha noted that just as experts increasingly tell people not to bring their smartphone to their bedside when they're trying to sleep because it can interfere with their well-being, the same could be done for toilet scrolling.
"I think we should start pushing more strongly to say, 'Leave your smartphone outside the bathroom.'"
Why people scroll on the toilet — and how to stopMore than half of study participants said their most common scrolling activity was reading the news. Forty-four percent said they were viewing social media.
Pasricha, who treats patients with hemorrhoids, said she understands why people pick up their phones on the toilet. The habit can relax some individuals, which helps them have a bowel movement.
Reading analog texts like newspapers and books has long been a bathroom pastime, for example. But Pasricha said smartphones facilitate endless scrolling, which can lead to trouble.
"The smartphone is not the answer, because that's kind of designed to make you lose all track of time and lose focus," Pasricha said.
She added that when the body's pelvic floor is sitting over a bowl, without support for an extended period of time, it could potentially accelerate weakening of the connective tissue around the veins in the rectum. When those veins bulge, they can subsequently become hemorrhoids.
If reading in the bathroom relaxes you enough to have a bowel movement, Pasricha recommends going "old school" with paper-based reading materials, like a newspaper, magazine, or comic book.
She also urges people who think they have hemorrhoids to see a medical professional sooner than later. The condition needs to be evaluated by a physician to ensure that it's indeed a hemorrhoid, and not a skin tag or cancerous growth.
"People do suffer in silence, because it's embarrassing, there's some stigma to it," Pasricha said. "I think it's often a big shame when it's something we can treat so easily."