IT General

TL;DR: Game like you used to on a Kinhank Retro Console on sale for $89.97.

Opens in a new window Credit: Kinhank Kinhank Super Console X2 Pro Retro Gaming Emulator & Streaming Console $89.97
$159.99 Save $70.02 Get Deal

More and more games are raising their prices. For gamers who just want to sit back and enjoy a quick game whenever they can, dropping $80 on a single title isn’t really practical. If you want to go back to the days when gaming was an affordable hobby, check out this new retro console.

The Kinhank Super Console X2 Pro has thousands of games preloaded, and you might recognize a few. These are retro titles like Street Fighter and Final Fantasy, and it’s only $89.97 (reg. $159.99) to get access to all of them.

70,000+ games plus a surprise

Kinhank Super Console X2 Pro gives you a single, smooth interface to play thousands of modern and old-school titles. You get dual operating systems, with Android 9.0 for streaming apps and EmuELEC 4.5 for emulation, giving you flexibility beyond gaming. You can go straight from trouncing your friend in a 1-on-1 deathmatch to marathoning your favorite show.

The included 256GB game card comes loaded with thousands of games, spanning classic systems like NES, SNES, Sega Genesis, PlayStation, and more. Plus, you can easily expand your library using a microSD card or download additional 3D games at no extra cost.

You also get two wireless controllers right out of the box, making multiplayer gaming easy. Thanks to the plug-and-play design, setup is simple. Just connect it to your TV or monitor with the included HDMI cable, power it up, and start playing. It even supports 4K HD output, so your retro games will look surprisingly crisp on modern screens.

With built-in dual-band WiFi and Bluetooth 5.0, the Kinhank Super Console X2 Pro offers stable connections for both online features and wireless accessories. And while it’s pretty stacked with games, this console is still small enough to toss in a backpack and take to a friend’s house. You know, like people used to.

If you want gaming to feel like it used to, get a Kinhank Super Console while it’s on sale for $89.97. Shipping is also free.

StackSocial prices subject to change

Not all cars depreciate at the same rate, and some brands are far better than others at holding their value over time. Whether you're buying new or planning to trade in down the line, resale value is a key factor that can save (or cost) you thousands.

TL;DR: Scan anything, anywhere, with this lifetime subscription to iScanner, now A$38 (reg. A$306) with code SCAN through 20 July.

Opens in a new window Credit: iScanner iScanner App: Lifetime Subscription AU$38
AU$306 Save AU$268 Get Deal

Raise your hand if you've ever had to rush to the library to print something. If most of us don't have the space for clunky printers, chances are we also don't keep a scanner at home. That's what iScanner is for.

This iOS app transforms your iPhone or iPad into a handy little scanner that works for basically any document type. It's also only A$38 (reg. A$306) for a lifetime subscription. 

No more wasted desk space

Even if you're one of the few with a physical scanner still in your presence, you can now clear some counter space thanks to iScanner. And while you're at it, you can throw away that dusty old filing cabinet, too. 

iScanner is the number one US-based scanning and document management tool, letting you knock items off your to-do list from anywhere. Need to save a receipt for taxes? Do you have a contract you need to digitize? You can scan any document using just the phone on your iOS device. 

Students, entrepreneurs, educators, and stay-at-home moms alike will all find endless uses for a scanner in your pocket. The AI-powered tools ensure your documents' borders are detected and automatically adjusted while also straightening scan pages and ditching curves and skews. 

Thanks to AI, you can also use iScanner to help you solve complicated math problems.  Or put its OCR technology to the test and let it help you decipher text in up to 20 languages.

Once things are scanned, the app becomes a full PDF editor and file manager. Edit your scans, including signing them, adding text, or autofilling them with custom templates. Then, use the file manager's folder via drag and drop to keep them safe and organized. 

Scanning something confidential? You can also protect files and folders by locking them with a PIN. 

Use code SCAN by 20 July at 11:59 p.m. PT to get an iScanner lifetime subscription on sale for A$38. 

StackSocial prices subject to change.

The RTX 5000 series of GPUs was just released this year, and deals on hardware packing the new cards are hard to come by. Not impossible, though. One of HP's best Omen gaming laptops is currently heavily discounted, in case you want to hop on it now.

In 2023, Ollie Forsyth, the founder of New Economies, found that 33 percent of creators used AI. This year? 80 percent of creators use AI.

The creator economy is relatively new, so predicting how it might develop and shift is tricky — but it's also expected to become a nearly $500 billion industry, making accurate forecasts fundamentally important. During Forsyth's talk "Mapping the Modern Creator Economy: Trends, Tensions, and What Comes Next" at VidCon 2025, he argued that the future of the creator economy lies almost entirely in AI.

SEE ALSO: AI adoption has reached 40% among U.S. workers

Every creator is going to have to be AI focused, Forsyth argued, because AI agents will be able to allow creators to be truly flexible and more efficient. It'll help them free up the time they spend on admin, finances, brand partnerships, marketing, and more as startups use AI to solve these problems.

Beyond the flexibility, AI also allows creators to be "global from Day One," Forsyth said. Just look at MrBeast: The creator speaks only English but, thanks to AI dubbing services, has huge audiences in Spain and India while also dubbing his most popular videos in nearly a dozen languages.

More people than ever want to be creators, and more media companies are relying on creators to get the job done — just look at all the creator-led podcasts that interviewed presidential candidates in 2024 in comparison to traditional media outlets.

"It's a great time to be a creator," Forsyth said.

SAVE $112.91: As of June 20, you can get 10 iconic films from the 1970s on digital for only $14.99 at Fandango at Home. The bundle is valued at $127.90 and includes Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, The Exorcist, Every Which Way But Loose, Deliverance, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Blazing Saddles, All the President's Men, A Clockwork Orange, Superman: The Movie, and Kelly's Heroes.

Opens in a new window Credit: Fandango at Home Best of the '70s 10-film collection $14.99 at Fandango at Home
$127.90 Save $112.91 Get Deal

Movie lovers, if you're looking to revisit the most iconic films from the 1970s, Fandango at Home has the perfect bundle for you.

No need to sign up for any more streaming services. Instead, grab the Best of the '70s film collection and enjoy 10 of the best movies from the disco era for only $14.99.

SEE ALSO: The 10 best movies of 2025 (so far), and where to watch them

Valued at $127.90, the collection includes digital versions of Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, The Exorcist, Every Which Way But Loose, Deliverance, One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Blazing Saddles, All the President's Men, A Clockwork Orange, Superman: The Movie, and Kelly's Heroes. That means once you spend the $14.99, the movies are yours to own and watch as you please. And that's quite the start to your digital library.

Most of the films in the collection have been remastered to 4K, so you can enjoy them in a whole new light. And considering most of these movies (except for The Exorcist and Superman) aren't on any streaming service currently, this is the cheapest way to watch them.

Each movie in the collection typically costs anywhere from $7.99 to $14.99, for a grand total of $127.90. So, ultimately, you'll save about $112.91 on some of the most iconic films around.

Cloud services offer a lot of convenience, but they also mean that your data leaves your home and ends up on a server you don't have control over. There's nothing to stop the brand from accessing that data, or for bad actors to get hold of it by malicious means.

TL;DR: Live stream British and Irish Lions vs. Argentina for free on TG4, S4C, or RugbyPass TV. Access these free live streams from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2025 British and Irish Lions tour only takes place every four years and brings together the best rugby players from England, Scotland, Wales, and Ireland. This year they are touring Australia, with fixtures lined up against Australia's four Super Rugby franchises, an invitational side made up of players from Australia and New Zealand, a team of players with First Nations and Pasifika origin, and a three-match Test series against Australia.

But before all of that, the British and Irish Lions take on Argentina in a crucial warm-up game before setting off Down Under.

If you want to watch British and Irish Lions vs. Argentina for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is British and Irish Lions vs. Argentina?

British and Irish Lions vs. Argentina starts at 8 p.m. BST on June 20. This fixture takes place at the Aviva Stadium.

How to watch British and Irish Lions vs. Argentina for free

British and Irish Lions vs. Argentina is available to live stream for free on the following platforms:

• Ireland — TG4

• UK — S4C

• USA — RugbyPass TV

These free live streams are geo-restricted, but anyone from around the world can access these services with a VPN. These tools can hide your digital location and connect you to a secure server in another location. This simple process bypasses geo-restrictions so that you can secure access to free live streams from anywhere in the world.

Live stream British and Irish Lions vs. Argentina from anywhere in the world by following these simple steps:

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

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

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Ireland, UK, or USA

4. Visit TG4, S4C, or RugbyPass TV

5. Stream British and Irish Lions vs. Argentina for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch British and Irish Lions vs. Argentina without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream this warm-up game before recovering your investment.

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

What is the best VPN for sport?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for streaming live sport on free services like TG4, S4C, or RugbyPass TV, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy 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. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (including money-back guarantee).

Live stream British and Irish Lions vs. Argentina for free with ExpressVPN.

Samsung hasn't officially announced its next batch of foldable devices yet, but the day is coming soon, and so are the leaks.

The freshest leaks come courtesy of Android Headlines, which in two separate articles published leaked renders of the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7. These two phones seem to have roughly the same form factors as their predecessors; the Fold is essentially a normal-sized phone that unfolds into a mini-tablet, while the Flip is a normal-sized phone that can collapse into a clamshell instead. The leaked renders show the devices in blue and black colorways, but Android Headlines says more colors will be available when these devices theoretically launch this summer.

SEE ALSO: Samsung's new flagship Z Fold 7 might come with Veo 3 and other cool AI freebies This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Aside from both devices appearing to be very thin compared to their predecessors (something Samsung actually did already confirm would be the case), the main takeaway here is that the Z Fold 7 has a hole-punch selfie camera, as opposed to an under-display camera like the Z Fold 6 had. It remains to be seen what, if any, effects this will have on photo and video quality, but at the very least, it doesn't look as elegant as what was there before. It's possible Samsung needed to make this compromise to keep the phones thin, though the leaked renders don't make it clear whether or not the Z Flip 7 also has this feature.

On a more positive note, the outside cover display on the Flip 7 seems bigger than the Flip 6's cover screen was. Rumor has it that Samsung will announce these devices sometime this summer, and we will of course keep you updated as soon as we know more.

SAVE 85%: As of June 20, you can get the OtterBox 15W MagSafe wireless charging stand, cable, and power adapter bundle for $14.95 at Woot. That's $85 in savings.

Opens in a new window Credit: OtterBox OtterBox 15W MagSafe Wireless Charging Stand, Cable, and Power Adapter Bundle $14.95 at Woot
$99.95 Save $85 Get Deal

Love it or hate it, we're all a little dependent on our phones these days, right? They're our alarm clocks, social calendars, and even our wallets. But without power, they're useless. There's never been a better time to upgrade to a MagSafe wireless charging stand for under $15.

As of June 20, you can get the OtterBox 15W MagSafe wireless charging stand, cable, and power adapter bundle for $14.95, down from $99.95, at Woot. That's $85 off for an 85% discount.

SEE ALSO: Everything you need to know about Amazon Prime Day 2025: Dates and deals

This compact charging stand features fast charging, a fingerprint-resistant finish, and includes a 20W wall charger and a 6.6-foot USB-C cable in the box. No more messy cords — just set your iPhone or other compatible device down and get a quick and easy charge. It's even small enough to take on the go.

The best tech deals to shop this week

• Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Gen With MagSafe USB-C Charging Case — $169.00 (List Price $249.00)

• Roku Ultra 4K Ultimate Streaming Player (2024 Release) — $99.00

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $74.99 (List Price $99.00)

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 (Wi-Fi, 40mm, S/M Green) — $199.99 (List Price $299.99)

SAVE $200: As of June 20, get the Lenovo Legion Go for just $499.99. That's a discount of 29%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Lenovo Legion Go $499.99 at Amazon
$699.99 Save $200 Get Deal

It's hard to find time to play games as an adult. There's always something going on, some responsibility to handle, or emergencies that you have to face. Mobile gaming is a good alternative, but sometimes you want good, tactile controls and a powerful system to handle it. A handheld gaming PC is your answer. And while you could get a Steam Deck, there are tons of alternatives that give you more leeway in terms of what you can install and play outside of the Steam architecture.

As of June 20, get the Lenovo Legion Go at Amazon for $499.99, down from its usual price of $699.99. That's $200 off and a discount of 29%.

SEE ALSO: Prime Gaming is adding 6 free games today ahead of Prime Day

Mashable's Alex Perry reviewed the Lenovo Legion Go and said it's "one of the better entryways into PC gaming you can get right now." They praised it as "pound-for-pound the best one of these handheld gaming PCs to date."

This model has a 1TB SSD and an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme processor in addition to an 8.8-inch 144Hz display with a 2560 x 1600 resolution that makes your favorite games look fantastic. It has 512GB of storage with an SSD so you can download multiple titles, and a special selection of ports that you can use to connect to external displays, add controllers, and more. Plus, it can charge up quickly to 70% in just 30 minutes thanks to its rapid charging ability.

It boasts a 10-point Gorilla Glass touchscreen to make navigating easy, as well as a 2x2W speaker system to help immerse you in your games. And it comes with a year of Legion Ultimate Support out of the box, should you need any assistance with tech support.

If you're looking for a good Steam Deck alternative or just a way to play your PC games on the go, this is an excellent place to start.

• Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Gen With MagSafe USB-C Charging Case — $169.00 (List Price $249.00)

• Roku Ultra 4K Ultimate Streaming Player (2024 Release) — $99.00

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $74.99 (List Price $99.00)

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 (Wi-Fi, 40mm, S/M Green) — $199.99 (List Price $299.99)

Relying on ChatGPT significantly affects critical thinking abilities, according to a new study.

Researchers from MIT Media Lab, Wellesley College, and Massachusetts College of Art and Design conducted a four-month study titled "Your Brain on ChatGPT" and found users of large language models (LLMs) like OpenAI's chatbot "consistently underperformed at neural, linguistic, and behavioral levels."

This included the participants' decreased brain activity, a weaker sense of authorship, and inability to remember what they wrote — which even continued when they weren't allowed to use an LLM.

SEE ALSO: I'm a college writing professor. Here's what AI still can't do

Anyone who uses ChatGPT for writing may have drawn similar conclusions; the point of using LLMs, after all, is to automate the work and outsource the critical thinking effort. But with this MIT study, there's now scientific evidence showing that relying on ChatGPT and other LLMs can impair memory and learning. It's worth noting that the study, published June 10, surveyed a small group and has not yet been peer-reviewed, but according to an interview with Time, the lead author Nataliya Kosmyna felt it was important to publish the study as is, given the rapid adoption of genAI, particularly in education.

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

"What really motivated me to put it out now before waiting for a full peer review is that I am afraid in six to eight months, there will be some policymaker who decides, 'let’s do GPT kindergarten.' I think that would be absolutely bad and detrimental," said Kosmyna. In April, President Donald Trump signed an executive order to promote "AI literacy and proficiency of K-12 students," so the urgency to understand how ChatGPT is affecting our brains is all too real.

The study divided 54 participants into three groups with the task of writing SAT essays over the course of three sessions. One group used ChatGPT ("LLM group"), another group used Google search ("search engine group", and the third group wasn't allowed any tools ("brain only.") In an additional fourth session with 18 participants, the LLM group was tasked with writing an essay without ChatGPT and the brain only group was allowed to use ChatGPT. Researchers measured the participants' brain activity while they wrote the essays using electroencephalography (EEG), analyzed the essays using Natural Language Processing (NLP), and had the essays scored by AI and human graders.

SEE ALSO: College professors don't know how to catch students cheating with AI

Among the many discoveries detailed in the length paper, researchers discovered a stark decrease in the LLM group's "alpha band connectivity" which measures the brain's cognitive abilities like memory and language processing, compared to the brain only group.

This was evident when the participants were asked to quote from the essays they had written. "LLM users significantly underperformed in this domain, with 83 percent of participants reporting difficulty quoting in Session 1, and none providing correct quotes," reads the study.

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

In the fourth session, where the group previously using ChatGPT had to write an essay without it, the participants continued to struggle with quoting anything from what they had written. "LLM group's poor recall and incorrect quoting is a possible indicator that their earlier essays were not internally integrated, likely due to outsourced cognitive processing to the LLM," the study reads.

This suggests that the participants weren't really retaining what they wrote or took from ChatGPT. In fact, by the third session, the researchers reported that most of the essays from the LLM group were mostly copied and pasted responses from ChatGPT with "minimal editing."

Another effect researchers measured was the perceived level of "ownership" or belief that they had fully conceived of the essay. Compared to the brain only group, which consistency claimed almost full ownership, the LLM group "presented a fragmented and conflicted sense of authorship," with some claiming, full, partial, or no ownership whatsoever.

While it might be tempting to offload work into LLMs like ChatGPT, as this study shows, there could be long-term cognitive consequences.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

SAVE 45%: As of June 20, you can score the Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G9 Series (G95SD) curved gaming monitor for $1,049.99, down from $1,899.99, at Woot. That's a 45% discount and a $850 savings.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G9 Series (G95SD) $1,049.99 at Woot
$1,899.99 Save $850 Get Deal

If you’re a serious gamer, you need a serious monitor. I’m talking ultra-wide, curved, and packed with features to give you the most immersive and competitive experience possible. Yes, monitors like these are expensive, but I just found an Odyssey G9 Series at Woot for $850 off. That’s more money in your pocket, which means you can spend that saved cash on games or other hardware.

As of June 20, you can score the Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G9 Series (G95SD) curved gaming monitor for $1,049.99, down from $1,899.99, at Woot. That's a 45% discount and a $850 savings.

SEE ALSO: When does Amazon Prime Day end? Here's how long you have to find the best deals.

The Samsung 49-inch Odyssey (G95SD) Series OLED curved gaming monitor has a 240Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms response time. This means you’ll see fast-paced action and quick on-screen movements clearly with less blur, judder, and ghosting. With a wide 32:9 screen in Dual QHD resolution and 110 pixels per inch, you’ll be able to spot enemies lurking in dark corners or hiding in the distance. (The purer black levels provided by OLED tech will help with that, too.)

The glare-free tech helps reduce distracting reflections, so you can stay focused during intense play, even when the lights are on. And with a Gaming Hub, you can access cloud gaming services without downloading anything or needing extra storage.

The best early Prime Day deals to shop this week

• Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Gen With MagSafe USB-C Charging Case — $169.00 (List Price $249.00)

• Roku Ultra 4K Ultimate Streaming Player (2024 Release) — $99.00

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $74.99 (List Price $99.00)

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 (Wi-Fi, 40mm, S/M Green) — $199.99 (List Price $299.99)

Final Fantasy Tactics: The Ivalice Chronicles is a remake of the original Final Fantasy Tactics. This game is a vast improvement over the original, but there are plenty of other games you will enjoy if you were interested in FFT that tend to get overlooked.

TL;DR: The Dual USB-C + USB-A 3.2 High Speed Flash Drive is pocket-sized and ready to hold 1TB of data for only $69.97 (reg. $109.99) until July 20.

Ready to clear up some space on your smartphone? If you’re trying to offload files without getting tangled up in monthly cloud storage fees, this Dual USB-C and USB-A 3.2 High Speed Flash Drive will do the trick.

This sleek and speedy flash drive can store up to 1TB of data within arm’s reach, and right now it’s on sale for $69.97 (reg. $109.99) through July 20.

This sleek flash drive makes cloud storage optional

Sure, cloud storage is great. But what if you want your precious memories saved locally? These days, you don’t have to depend on those clunky external hard drives. The Dual USB-C and USB-A 3.2 High-Speed Flash Drive lets you store 1TB of data, clearing up space on your devices without taking up room in your bag or pocket.

This flash drive weighs just 3.84 ounces and fits right in your pocket. It’s also waterproof, dustproof, and features an anti-drop design. The advanced chip technology also offers enhanced performance and reliability, so you can rest easy knowing your data is safe and secure.

The Dual USB-C + USB-A 3.2 High Speed Flash Drive is easily compatible with smartphones, tablets, and laptops alike thanks to the dual USB connectors. It also lets you transfer files speedily, thanks to lightning-fast read and write speeds of 20-30MB/s.

Clear up space on your devices and secure your data for good with this Dual USB-C + USB-A 3.2 High Speed Flash Drive, now just $69.97 (reg. $109.99) until July 20.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: StackSocial Dual USB-C + USB-A 3.2 High Speed Flash Drive (1TB) $69.97
$109.99 Save $40.02 Get Deal

Steam has added a new performance monitoring tool to its in-game overlay, giving you information about how your games are using your computer’s resources. This should help you spot potential performance problems, although it is currently in beta.

SAVE $18: As of June 20, get 'Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury' for $41.99, down from its usual price of $59.99 on Nintendo Switch.

Opens in a new window Credit: Woot 'Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury' $41.99 at Woot
$59.99 Save $18 Get Deal

The Switch 2 is finally here, and there's a ton of great games to play on it. But if you're still looking to catch up on your Switch backlog, the new system makes that fun, too. There are a ton of free updates available for older Switch titles, and you can download them to enhance games you might already have. And if you missed out on any, like one of the best platformers on the system, it's a good time to grab them now since there's additional free content to use. Case in point: Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury, which you can get on sale right now.

As of June 20, get Super Mario 3D World + Bowser's Fury for $41.99, down from its usual price of $59.99 on Nintendo Switch. That's $19 off and a discount of 30%.

SEE ALSO: All the Switch 2 games that you can buy (and actually play) right now

The free Switch 2 upgrade gets you HDR support and other graphical improvements, which is great if you're looking to experience the game for the first time or play through it again.

Mashable's Adam Rosenberg praised this adventure, which is technically two games in one, as a "reissue of an excellent game that never got the love it deserved". It's a re-release of a title that originally debuted on the Wii U with added content in the form of Bowser's Fury, an open world adventure that combines Mario action with fun, cat-themed island that you can explore as the popular plumber and his friends.

"Bowser's Fury is something truly different, and all the more special for it," Rosenberg wrote. "It's a Mario that is both immediately familiar to pick up and play but also maybe a bit unapproachable and high learning curve-y at first as you work to understand how all these new concepts weave into the familiar. And it's a full game, with all the bonuses and secrets and extras fans have come to look for."

It's a great price to snatch up the game either way right now, so grab it before it's gone.

• Apple AirPods Pro 2nd Gen With MagSafe USB-C Charging Case — $169.00 (List Price $249.00)

• Roku Ultra 4K Ultimate Streaming Player (2024 Release) — $99.00

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $74.99 (List Price $99.00)

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 (Wi-Fi, 40mm, S/M Green) — $199.99 (List Price $299.99)

SAVE $65: As of June 20, the Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus tablet is down to just $54.99 at Amazon. That's 54% off its list price of $119.99 and a new best price ever.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus tablet $54.99 at Amazon
$119.99 Save $65 Get Deal

If a basic tablet that won't break the bank is what you're after, it's hard to beat the Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus —  especially since it's on sale ahead of Prime Day.

As of June 20, the Fire HD 8 Plus with 32GB of storage is down to just $54.99 at Amazon for Prime members. That's 54% off its list price of $119.99 and a new record-low price for the tablet. Although it is possible, it's hard to imagine the device dropping any further in price for Prime Day. Not a Prime member? You can sign up for free for 30 days (if you're new or returning), which will also unlock access to most of the deals on Prime Day proper. And nothing is stopping you from taking advantage of the Prime perks for free, then cancelling before your trial is up.

SEE ALSO: Save almost $100 on the Apple AirPods Pro 2 for a limited time at Amazon

It's worth mentioning that the Fire HD 8 Plus has recently been replaced by the new Fire HD 8, but that'll cost you another $45. If money's tight, the older HD 8 Plus will still get the job done. It lasts about 13 hours per charge, packs 3GB of RAM, features an aluminosilicate glass display, has a hexa-core processor that's 30% faster than the previous model, and offers USB-C charging support. Ultimately, it's a "great introductory tablet for anyone interested in entertainment functions like streaming, social media, and reading on the go," Mashable's reviewer writes.

As far as budget-friendly tablets go, the Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus checks all the right boxes. It's not going to wow you, but for only $55, does it really need to?

The best laptop and tablet deals to shop this week

• Amazon Fire Max 11 64GB Wi-Fi Tablet (2023 Model) — $229.99

• Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ Android Tablet — $239.99 (List Price $269.99)

• Apple 2025 MacBook Air 13-inch Laptop with M4 chip — $849.00 (List Price $999.00)

• Apple MacBook Air 15-inch (2025, M4) — $1,049.00 (List Price $1199.00)

• Microsoft Surface Laptop (2024), Windows 11 Copilot+ PC, 13.8-inch — $1,149.99 (List Price $1599.99)

• Apple 2024 MacBook Pro Laptop with M4 chip — $1,468.50 (List Price $1599.00)

macOS has a wide range of quality open-source apps to choose from, and I couldn't do without some of them. They're powerful and feature-rich, and a lot of them are slicker and better designed than you might expect. These are the open-source Mac apps that I use all the time.

On Friday, Meta announced the upcoming launch of its newest smart glasses, part of a collaboration with Oakley. The Oakley Meta HSTN will be available for preorder starting July 11 and they’ll retail for $499.

A press release states, "Our first product for athletes and fans alike, Oakley Meta HSTN (pronounced HOW-stuhn), based on the HSTN style of Oakley glasses, combines bold aesthetics with cutting-edge tech."

Meta calls the new wearable AI Performance Glasses, and they have some key differences from the Meta Ray-Ban smart glasses that are already available.

Some of the key upgrades with the Meta Oakley glasses include:

• A longer battery life: Eight hours (or 19 hours on standby).

• An improved camera: The smart glasses offer Ultra HD 3K video.

• Onboard AI assistant: Users can “get answers to a range of questions.”

Credit: Meta

Like the Meta Ray-Bans, the new glasses will have an IPX4 water resistance rating and come with a charging case. Users can use the Bluetooth smart glasses to listen to music, take pictures, and record video.

We knew these glasses were coming, and Meta finally unveiled its collaboration with Oakley in a splashy video campaign on Friday. The video featured athletes such as Stephen Curry and Kylian Mbappé, as well as several surfers and skateboarders.

In the promo video, Curry says, “This is gonna change everything.”

Credit: Meta / YouTube Credit: Meta / YouTube

OK, Curry.

That’s a bold, hyperbolic claim, but in line with comments made by Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg, who is a big believer in smart glasses — the founder has even predicted this technology will one day replace mobile phones.

Zuckerberg has been the biggest booster of Meta’s smart glasses, and he often wears the glasses during panels and events. Like other leading tech companies, Meta is investing heavily in its smart glasses tech.

Samsung and Google are both working on their own smart glasses technology, both separately and together. Apple is also rumored to be exploring smart glasses.

Opens in a new window Credit: Meta Oakley Meta HSTN AI Performance Glasses $499 at Meta
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