Technology

Buick has spent the better part of a decade retooling its lineup and reputation, moving away from its dated image and toward near-luxury territory. Upscale interior materials, a more confident design language, and the addition of the range-topping Avenir trim across its lineup have all played a part in what has become an important and necessary shift for Buick.

Microsoft is acting further on its promise to fix some of Windows 11's worst annoyances. The company is rolling out changes in the Windows Insider Experimental channel that promise a less cluttered search box that largely eliminates ads, although you'll need to tweak settings to get the best results.

Netflix subscribers in the U.S. have had their hands full lately, between the thriller I Will Find You locking down the No. 1 spot on the TV side for a second straight week, the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender fighting its way up the charts, and a whole swath of new movies hitting the service that we’re still working our way through.

Waze just made it easier to warn fellow drivers of road snarls. An update to the Google-owned app on Android and iPhone uses Gemini for a host of new features, including more natural reporting for road conditions and map updates.

Paramount's bid to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery just hit a roadblock that could have a lasting impact on your choices in streaming services and content. An alliance of 12 state attorneys general has sued to block the merger over competitive concerns.

Cabo Verde’s World Cup run ended in extra time, but its tourism bump may just be getting started.

Since the African island nation (commonly called Cape Verde in English) made its World Cup debut, its national team, nicknamed the Blue Sharks after the Atlantic waters surrounding the country, became the smallest nation by population to reach the knockout stage — and picked up a global following along the way.

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The team advanced without winning a match, holding Spain scoreless and twice coming from behind against Uruguay. In the round of 32, Cabo Verde pushed defending champion Argentina into extra time before narrowly losing 3-2.

As the run unfolded, U.S. Google searches for “Cabo Verde vacation” jumped by more than 5,000 percent compared with the previous year. Expedia recorded a similar surge, with searches from American users increasing by more than 800 percent. The interest extended beyond the United States: European travel operator TUI reported that searches for the destination had doubled since June 2025, while searches from Japan rose by 110 percent.

For a country of roughly 525,000 people, the match placed Cabo Verde in front of an audience far larger than its population and prompted many viewers to ask two basic questions: Where exactly is it, and should I go there on vacation?

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Get to know Cabo Verde

Cabo Verde is an archipelago of 10 volcanic islands in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of West Africa. Nine of the islands are inhabited, and each offers its own distinct character — from the beach resorts of Sal and Boa Vista to the mountains of Santo Antão and the dramatic volcanic landscape of Fogo.

Initially uninhabited, Cabo Verde was first settled by the Portuguese in the 15th century (Portuguese is still commonly spoken there). In the intervening centuries, Portugal used the islands as a base for its shipping routes and the international slave trade, according to the Cape Verdean Museum. The nation gained independence from Portugal in 1975.

The country was already a major vacation destination before soccer fans began Googling it. In 2025 alone, its hotels welcomed nearly 1.25 million guests. During the first quarter of 2026, the country was up 16.8 percent in guest arrivals from the same period in 2025. Tourism accounts for roughly a quarter of the country’s economy, which had a GDP of about $3.1 billion in 2025.

American travelers remain a much smaller part of the industry. The United States accounted for only 1.1 percent of the country's foreign hotel guests in 2025, which makes the current search spike notable even if only a fraction of those searches turn into booked trips.

This kind of tourism boost is exactly what countries hope for when they spend lots of money to host or participate in global sporting events. Qatar invested an estimated $220 billion in stadiums, transportation, hotels, and other infrastructure for the 2022 World Cup, aiming to establish itself as an international destination. The strategy worked, at least partially — the country welcomed 4 million visitors in 2023 and is targeting more than 6 million annually by 2030.

Cabo Verde, by contrast, generated the same buzz with just four standout games and a handful of breakout stars, like goalkeeper Josimar José Évora Dias, better known as Vozinha, who gained roughly 20 million followers during the tournament.

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Cabo Verde wasn’t the only country to get a visibility boost from the World Cup. Norway’s run turned Erling Haaland into one of the tournament’s fan favorites, with Google searches for his name spiking 900 percent worldwide and over 5,000 percent in Canada.

That attention brought new fans to Norway’s team, its viral “Viking Row” celebration, and the country behind one of soccer’s biggest stars.

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Host cities benefited, too: during the tournament’s first two weeks, Boston-area hotel rooms and related tourism spending jumped 20 percent from the year before, while occupancy held steady at 87 percent.

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For Cabo Verde, the question is whether that surge of attention can extend beyond online searches and into its economy. For now, though, millions more people know the nation's name and have seen enough of its beaches, mountains, and soccer highlights to consider opening another browser tab.

Apple's iOS 27 beta brings massive changes like a smarter Siri, but there's a huge catch: You can't just uninstall it. Here is everything you need to know to safely install the beta without ruining your iPhone.

Having a pool in the summer is amazing, especially if you like to host World Cup watch parties and backyard hangs. The only downside? Keeping it clean is a chore. 

A Beatbot robotic pool cleaner is a serious summer upgrade. From AI-powered navigation and multi-surface cleaning capabilities to a handy app and a clarification system that keeps your water sparkling, Beatbot will keep your pool party-ready all summer, minus the manual labor. 

Now through July 19, you can even score up to 44% off a hard-working robot from the Beatbot lineup. Here are just a few standout devices, and find plenty more here. 

Beatbot iSkim keeps your surface sparkling 24/7 Opens in a new window Credit: Beatbot iSkim Robotic Pool Skimmer $319 at Beatbot
$499 Save $180   Get Deal

Forget about having to net out leaves 15 minutes before the World Cup halftime. The Beatbot iSkim (normally $499, now $319) floats on your pool’s surface, eating up everything from pollen particles to large debris. Edge-to-corner cleaning covers most pool shapes. The huge nine-liter basket means you can focus on browning the burgers instead of emptying the filter again and again. 

Thanks to a powerful battery backed by a 24-watt solar panel, this compact guy can skim for up to 28 hours on one charge.

Beatbot Sora 70 cleans below the surface  Opens in a new window Credit: Beatbot Sora 70 Robotic Pool Cleaner $1,149 at Beatbot
$1,499 Save $350   Get Deal

Featuring four-zone cleaning, the Sora 70 (normally $1,499, now $1,149) scrubs your pool’s floor, walls, water surface, and waterline with almost zero work required from you. It doesn’t miss anything, thanks to its AI-assisted sensors and intelligent path planning.

As an added flex, the Sora 70 can clean those unsightly tanning ledges in your pool’s shallow end, making it a solid pick for complex pools. It’s also a snap to retrieve, thanks to Smart Surface Parking. Drop it in and it goes up to seven hours per charge.

The Beatbot AquaSense 2 Ultra is the ultimate clean Opens in a new window Credit: Beatbot AquaSense 2 Ultra AI Robotic Pool Cleaner $2,199 at Beatbot
$3,150 Save $951   Get Deal

If you’re looking for Beatbot’s most advanced system, the five-zone AquaSense 2 Ultra (normally $3,150, now $2,199) is it. It slays at floor cleaning, wall scrubbing, surface skimming, and waterline scrubbing. HybridSense Pool Mapping utilizes 28 sensors—including an AI camera and ultrasonic and infrared sensors—to map your pool’s unique layout, scan for debris, and clean mercilessly.

It also features an exclusive ClearWater Clarification System that dispenses skin-friendly water. You’ll get up to 10 hours of runtime on one charge. 

Stop vacuuming your deep end and get the summer parties started. Score up to 38% off a Beatbox pool cleaner robot until July 19.

I love trying out productivity apps, but it's not often that I come across new gems. One app that has impressed me with its diverse feature set has snuck its way into being my regular task manager. It replaced Todoist, and I'm not looking back.

When it comes to Netflix, true crime documentaries are consistent wins for the streaming service. Netflix's newest July documentary, Shipwrecked: Nightmare at Sea, is currently No. 1 on the streamer's top 10 list. It's a thrilling documentary that many fans of the genre will enjoy.

At Samsung's expected July event, the company is set to show off its first Android XR glasses. It could be built around Gemini, with Gentle Monster behind the design. Will they make a splash?

Apple's time as the top smartphone maker in the world has come to an end for the time being.

According to a new report from tech market research firm Counterpoint, Samsung has reclaimed its title from Apple as the mobile industry's global leader in Q2 2026. And it seems Apple's loss is at least partially attributable to the ongoing global RAM shortage, which has led to fewer people buying phones.

"The outlook for the rest of 2026 remains challenging," Counterpoint says in its report. The research firm expects a roughly 14 percent decline in global smartphone shipments for the year, with price increases putting pressure on shoppers.

SEE ALSO: Thank the AI industry for these tech price increases: See the full list

Samsung and Apple have been neck-and-neck for years in the race as the world's most popular smartphone manufacturer. At the start of the year, Apple overcame Samsung to become the industry leader on the strength of record-breaking iPhone sales.

However, the latest data shows that Samsung has had a strong start in 2026, propelling the company back to the top. Samsung now has a 24 percent global mobile market share, the strongest of any of the top five brands in the category. Samsung’s Galaxy S26 line was the driver behind shipment growth, according to the report. Counterpoint says that the Galaxy S26 Ultra model released in March emerged as the "standout performer."

Although Apple dropped to second, the company's market share actually grew overall in Q2 2026. The Counterpoint report found that the company grew 3 percent year-over-year during the quarter and even achieved a record 20 percent global market share. The iPhone 17 remained as Apple's biggest product line and was the "top-shipped global model."

However, Apple did face some adversity due to global RAM shortage spurred by the AI boom.

Counterpoint's report says legacy iPhone models "faced softer demand, as component allocation prioritized current-generation devices amid memory-related supply constraints." The company also faced declining shipments within the Chinese market as "China remained a relative soft spot" for the company, according to Counterpoint.

As for the RAM shortage, Samsung's smartphone lines likely benefited, as the company is also a memory manufacturer itself. Still, the company did slightly raise its prices in February, and rumor has it the company could potentially raise mobile prices further in the near future (the company is expected to launch its new foldables at a July 22 event in London).

SEE ALSO: Samsung finally confirms Galaxy Unpacked for July 22

Notably, Samsung avoided price increases on its Ultra model, which did particularly well this quarter. Apple has so far managed to avoid price increases on its iPhone 17 line, despite hiking prices on its MacBooks and iPads in June.

It should also be noted that Samsung unveiled its latest Galaxy smartphone models in February of this year. The Galaxy S26 line, according to the report, was a major factor in Samsung regaining its top spot. Apple's new iPhone line, iPhone 18, isn't expected until September, and it will likely play a major role in Apple's future market share.

One of the internet's biggest food trends right now comes from a box that's been around for generations and costs less than a cup of coffee in New York City.

Cream of Wheat is suddenly all over TikTok, where users are posting recipes, taste tests, mukbangs (eating a large amount of food on camera), and carefully customized bowls of the hot cereal. Among the trend’s most visible creators is Rachel, who posts under @vintagegingerrr and has built a following of more than 112,000 with comfort-focused food content that frequently features Cream of Wheat.

SEE ALSO: GLP-1s are inescapable online. Here's why that's a problem.

She is far from the only creator giving the old-school breakfast new attention. User Queen of Wheat has been posting viral Cream of Wheat mukbangs since 2025, while other users have joined in with their own versions, debates over the best consistency, and first-time reactions to a cereal many had previously overlooked.

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For the uninitiated, Cream of Wheat is a brand of farina, a finely ground wheat cereal that is cooked with water or milk into a smooth porridge. The original version cooks on the stove in about 2.5 minutes and can be topped with butter, brown sugar, cinnamon, fruit, nuts, or whatever else is already in the kitchen.

It's also cheap. As of July 13, Walmart listed a 28-ounce box for $4.82. The brand says a box that size contains about 24 servings, putting the dry cereal at roughly 20 cents per bowl before adding milk or toppings.

That price is particularly relevant as Americans continue to feel squeezed at the grocery store. Food prices increased 2.3 percent in 2024 and 2.9 percent in 2025, and are expected to rise 3.2 percent this year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Consumer surveys reflect this pressure. In a May 2026 poll by Global Strategy Group, 63 percent of people named groceries and food as one of their biggest sources of financial strain, and 67 percent said they were paying unfair prices for groceries.

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The trend is part of a wider return to inexpensive pantry foods that can be stored for long periods and stretched across multiple meals.

Spam, which sells for just over $4 per can at most major retailers, has posted its highest sales in nine of the past ten years. Meanwhile, TikTok creators have shared recipes for Spam sandwiches, fried rice, eggs, and other meals that go far beyond simply opening the can.

Hamburger Helper has seen a similar comeback. Eagle Foods, the company behind the boxed meal, reported that year-over-year sales jumped 14.5 percent in Aug. 2025 as shoppers searched for affordable ways to stretch their ground beef. Beans, canned pasta, and other shelf-stable staples have also gained renewed attention as consumers look for groceries that won't break the bank or spoil quickly.

Cream of Wheat isn't the first overlooked grocery item that TikTok has transformed into a must-buy ingredient. Cottage cheese, once relegated to old-fashioned diet plates, has become the base for viral high-protein pasta sauces, smoothies, and ice cream. U.S. cottage cheese sales jumped 82 percent between 2022 and 2025, prompting producers to announce expansions to meet surging demand. Sardines have gotten a similar makeover through carefully arranged snack plates and claims that their omega-3 fatty acids can give you healthier-looking skin.

Most social media reactions to Cream of Wheat center on comfort, ease, and familiarity. One viewer said Rachel’s videos brought back childhood memories, while others described the cereal as nostalgic or mentioned they’d forgotten about it until it popped up on their feeds.

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At a time when even many forms of self-care come with their own price tags, a warm bowl made at home is one of the cheaper options available. I guess I know what I'm having for breakfast tomorrow.

UPDATE: Jul. 13, 2026, 1:45 p.m. EDT The launch of Tiny Vinyl's new record player and accessories appears to have been delayed. At the time of publication, none of their listings were live yet. Mashable has reached out to a company representative for more information. Our original story follows.

The miniature record maker Tiny Vinyl has announced some tiny accessories for its pocket-sized singles, including a new Tiny Vinyl Player ($49.99), crate ($19.99), and display frame ($14.99). The lineup is available exclusively at Target starting today, July 12.

Tiny Vinyl debuted last August as a new way for music lovers to enjoy some of their favorite artists' singles in physical format. (For my fellow Millennials out there, they're basically a new take on HitClips.) Each four-inch, fully functional Tiny Vinyl record has one song per side and is numbered, making them highly collectible. The current Tiny Vinyl catalog features releases from several dozen artists, including BTS, Chappell Roan, Doechii, Kid Cudi, Noah Kahan, and Zara Larsson.

In a press release, Tiny Vinyl co-founder Neil Kohler said the company's new accessories are a direct response to fan requests. Co-founder Jesse Mann added: "These new products give music fans and collectors everything they need to build out their own little Tiny Vinyl universe, a setup as fun and personal as the music they love."

Hands-on with Tiny Vinyl's new player and accessories Tiny Viny's new accessories range in price from $15 to $50. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

Tiny Vinyl records are playable on many standard turntables at 33 1/3 RPM, making the Tiny Vinyl Player an inessential novelty purchase for most adults who are already into the vinyl-collecting hobby. I think it has much more appeal as a "baby's first record player" that parents buy for their kids. My younger self would've had her American Girl Dolls DJing with it. (American Girl actually sells a toy turntable for the same price already, but it's not functional.)

The player is a manual belt-drive turntable in a box with a faux leather exterior. It's about the size of a loaf of bread. Inside, there's a small storage pocket, a simple control panel, and built-in speakers. It has Bluetooth support if you'd prefer to pair it with a nicer wireless speaker or headphones instead. You can also plug in a wired speaker on the back.

The storage pocket can comfortably fit about six Tiny Vinyl records — preferably, ones you're not precious about. When the player's lid is shut, it hits the corners of their gatefolds unless they're pushed to the back of the pocket.

They are, indeed, tiny vinyl. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

The player's control panel features a power button, an audio output selector with an LED indicator light, and a volume slider. When it's on, its silicon platter doesn't start spinning until you unlock its plastic tonearm, raise it with its cue lever, and move it over the platter. The tonearm and its lock are a little delicate; those are the only parts I'd be worried about a child accidentally breaking.

Tiny Vinyl sent me three different mini-records to test on the player. It offers the kind of audio quality you'd expect for $50: pretty tinny, muffled, and a little distorted. (I also played the records on my regular turntable for comparison's sake, and they sounded 10 times better.) On the upside, I couldn't hear the player's interior mechanisms at all when it was on — it runs really quietly.

The Tiny Vinyl Player supports Bluetooth and wired speakers. (That blue indicator light means it's paired with my JBL Charge 5.) Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

The Tiny Vinyl Player comes with a USB cord and power adapter. A company representative told me that it should only be plugged into an outlet, as hooking it up to a laptop or another device with a USB port won't give it enough juice to work.

The Tiny Vinyl Storage Crate can hold up to 30 Tiny Vinyl records. It has the same pebbled pleather finish as the player and is designed to sit beneath it. There are four indents on its surface where the player's feet are supposed to go.

The Tiny Vinyl Storage Crate can hold up to 30 mini-records. (I only had three on hand.) Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

Tiny Vinyl's new 2x2 Display Frame is meant to showcase your four favorite Tiny Vinyl covers. Its build quality is also on par for the price: It's made with MDF (medium-density fiberboard) and an acrylic pane. Right out of the box, my initial review unit was splitting in several spots and had dried adhesive on some of its corners. (Update: It was probably a pre-production fluke. Tiny Viny's rep sent over two replacements that were both in perfect condition.)

The display frame comes with four clear plastic sleeves bearing the Tiny Vinyl logo. The company rep confirmed that these are made from polypropylene, which won't damage your records with off-gassing over time like polyvinyl chloride (PVC) sleeves.

Vinyl is back in a not-tiny way Tiny Vinyl records work on many standard turntables. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

The press release noted that Tiny Vinyl's inception was motivated by two recent trends: miniature collecting and vinyl collecting. The former gained popularity amid the COVID-19 pandemic, largely thanks to videos of miniature builds on social media. They tap into viewers' desire for control, fascination with craft, and penchant for the adorable, experts told NPR last spring.

The vinyl revival, meanwhile, has been brewing for nearly two decades now. According to a report from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), U.S. vinyl sales have seen 19 years of consecutive growth. Last year, they hit $1 billion in revenue for the first time. (That's not even counting pre-owned vinyl.) Call it the Taylor Swift effect: The singer-songwriter's 12th studio album, The Life of a Showgirl, sold over 1.6 million copies on vinyl last year, per a report from Luminate, an entertainment industry analytics company. That's 5.5 times as many units as the second-bestselling vinyl release of 2025, Sabrina Carpenter's Man's Best Friend, which sold 292,000 copies.

There are several factors behind the vinyl resurgence, two being mere nostalgia and consumers' growing interest in owning physical media. Another is because popular artists like Swift (and their labels) are embracing the format alongside their fans.

In recent years, this has increasingly involved a strategy of releasing multiple vinyl variants of the same album as a means of driving sales, according to another Luminate report. These special, often limited-edition pressings boost the collectible factor and fuel fan FOMO. (For her part, Swift released 11 different vinyl variants of TLOAS, including nine webstore exclusives that were only available for a short time.) Tiny Vinyl records, which are chart-eligible with the RIAA and Billboard, are yet more variants to hunt down.

If you're an audio geek like me, one of the first things you do when your music doesn't sound quite right is reach for the equalizer. I did the same thing with Android Auto after getting a new car. To my surprise, there wasn't one, so I had to find a solution myself.

Not everyone is a flavored lube person (I have to be in the mood myself, like once a year maybe), but if you are, there's a brand-new flavor on the market that's giving major George Costanza vibes. (Seriously, go watch the "Pastrami" scene from Seinfeld and you'll see what I'm talking about).

SEE ALSO: I've tested 100+ sex toys. Here are the 15 most mind-blowing toys I've ever owned.

Earlier this month, LubeLife released a limited-edition Pickle Flavored Lubricant for $12.99. It’s a water-based, sugar-free formula that swaps out the usual fake-strawberry sweetness for a tangy, savory dill profile. (Remember the Good Head Numbing Strawberry Throat Spray at Spencers? This is the exact opposite of that.)

They sent me a mailer (with a very on-theme pickle vibrator) before it launched, and if I'm being honest, when I opened it, I felt like I was sniffing some kind of sandwich dressing. The scent is straight, unfiltered vinegar. I give them props for authenticity, but I couldn't imagine going down on someone with this in my mouth. I'd probably choke, but to each their own. (I'm not here to ick someone's yum!)

If you have a strong stomach and want to add a savory twist to your bedroom routine, LubeLife's Pickle Flavored Lubricant is water-based, non-sticky, and condom-compatible.

LubeLife Pickle Flavored Lubricant $12.99 at Amazon
  Get Deal at Amazon

While most households are still going to be fine with Gigabit Ethernet, as broadband speeds climb and local devices start needing more LAN performance, it's clear the time for faster wired networking in your home is coming sooner rather than later.

Best Apple Deals this week, at a glance Best MacBook deal Apple MacBook Pro, 16-inch (M4 Max chip, 36GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $2,999 (Save $400) Get Deal Best iPad Deal Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M3 chip, 512GB, WiFi+Cellular) $749 (Save $300) Get Deal Best AirPods Deal Apple AirPods Max $429 (Save $120) Get Deal Best Apple Watch Deal Apple Watch Series 11 (42mm, GPS) $299 (Save $100) Get Deal

With price increases in place at Apple, we're hyper-focused on finding the very best deals from the brand. Since we're in between sale events, still months away from the next Prime Day and Black Friday, we're looking for any opportunity to save.

This week, we patrolled for the best deals, and surprisingly, Best Buy had a real bounty compared to Amazon. While there are still a few gems at Amazon, the real showstoppers are at Best Buy where current and previous generation models are on sale, savings you hundreds of dollars.

So if you're looking for the best price in the sea of price increases, here are the best Apple deals as of July 13.

Best MacBook deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro, 16-inch (M4 Max chip, 36GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $2,999 at Best Buy
$3,399 Save $400   Get Deal

There are a ton of MacBooks on sale at Best Buy right now, particularly on MacBook Pro models. Unfortunately, we didn't find any savings on the affordable MacBook Neo and Air laptops, however, we did find a great deal on an M4 MacBook Pro.

Right now, grab a 16-inch MacBook Pro with M4 Pro chip for $400 off. That brings it down to $2,999 from its $3,399 list price. This model has a ton of power, too, with 36GB RAM and 1TB SSD, making it a prime laptop for both gamers and creatives.

More MacBook deals

• Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5 chip, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,849 $1,999 (save $150)

• Apple MacBook Pro, 16-inch (M4 Pro chip, 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $2,249 $2,499 (save $250)

• Apple MacBook Pro, 16-inch (M5 Max chip, 48GB RAM, 2TB SSD) — $4,499 $4,999 (save $500)

Best iPad deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M3 chip, 512GB, WiFi+Cellular) $749 at Best Buy
$1,049 Save $300   Get Deal

An iPad is a travel essential when you need a source of entertainment on the go. Unfortunately, iPads also got a price hike along with most Apple products, so if you're look to get more for your money, turn to Best Buys deals.

Right now, you can get the previous iPad Air generation that comes with an M3 chip for a discounted price. The 11-inch iPad comes with 512GB of storage and even has cellular capabilities, but it comes unlocked so you can take it to the mobile carrier of your choice. Usually $1,049, it's now $300 off, bringing it down to just $749.

More iPad deals

• Apple iPad (A16 chip, 128GB, WiFi) — $427 $449 (save $22)

• Apple iPad Air (M3 chip, 128GB, WiFi+Cellular) —$499 $599 (save $100)

• Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M3 chip, 128GB, WiFi) with Logitech keyboard — $648.99 $798.99 (save $150)

• Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M4 chip, 128GB, WiFi) — $709 $749 (save $40)

• Apple iPad Air, 13-inch (M3 chip, 256GB, WiFi) — $849 $899 (save $50)

• Apple iPad Air, 13-inch (M3 chip, 1TB, WiFi+Cellular) — $1,049 $1,449 (save $400)

Best AirPods deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Max $429 at Best Buy
$549 Save $120   Get Deal

With the AirPods Max 2 here, the previous generation is still available and even more heavily discounted. Right now, grab the Apple AirPods Max for just $429, saving you $120. Apple's over-the-ear headphones have easy connectivity to iOS devices with noise-cancellation to block out your surroundings and spend more time focusing on music. There are few differences between the AirPods Max and the second generation, so you're not missing much between generations, especially if you want to prioritize savings.

More AirPods deals

• Apple AirPods 4 without ANC — $99 $129 (save $30) 23%

• Apple AirPods 4 with ANC — $148.99 $179 (save $30.01) 17%

• Apple AirPods Pro 3 — $199 $249 (save $50) 20%

• Apple AirPods Max 2 — $497 $549 (save $52)

Best Apple Watch deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Series 11 (42mm, GPS) $299 at Amazon
$399 Save $100   Get Deal

With all the price increases, it's refreshing to see a product maintaining its price. The Apple Watch Series 11 still has a list price of $399, but luckily, it's down to $299. That saves you $100 for 20% off. Admittedly, this isn't the smartwatches lowest price ever—that would be $279, which it dipped down to during Prime Day. However, $299 is still a great value, especially as we're in between big shopping events.

More Apple Watch deals

• Apple Watch SE 3 (40mm, GPS) — $219 $249 (save $30)

• Apple Watch Series 11 (46mm, GPS) — $329 $429 (save $100)

iPhone deals

• Apple iPhone 16e (128GB, Unlocked) — $539.99 $599.99 (save $60)

• Apple iPhone Air (256GB, Unlocked) — $949.99 $999.99 (save $50)

Apple Accessory deals

• Apple MagSage Charger — $39.99 $49 (save $9.01)

• Apple Pencil USB-C — $71 $79 (save $8)

• Apple Pencil Pro — $99 $129 (save $30)

The wait is finally over: The winning couple of Love Island USA Season 8 has been revealed, and it's a pair that fans have been rooting for.

SEE ALSO: ‘Love Island USA’ reveals the final four couples competing for first place

Season 8, Episode 35 marked the season finale of Love Island USA, with the four remaining couples (Melanie and Sincere, Kayda and Zach, Aniya and Carl, and Trinity and Bryce) each enjoying a romantic date before finding out which duo would be going home with the $100,000 grand prize. The couples had a chance to reflect upon their relationships throughout Season 8, including their first meetings, their ups and downs, and their futures outside of the villa. 

Before the reveal, the Islanders also enjoyed special shoutouts from celebrities Lizzo, Demi Lovato, Alex Warren, Ciara, Jordin Sparks, Sombr, Kesha, Druski, and Kehlani, filled with plenty of french fry references to tie everything together.

Trinity and Bryce for the win

Finally, host Ariana Madix joined the Islanders to reveal the winners of this season: none other than Trinity and Bryce, also known as "Brinity" in the Love Island fandom.

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Despite having mixed opinions about the final four couples, fans seemed to be pleased that Brinity was the winning couple, with many X users saying that the pair deserved the win after their connection stood the test of challenges, dozens of bombshells, and a few days spent away from each other during Casa Amor.

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As one of the few pairs who were coupled up in Episode 1 and chose to stay loyal during a recoupling, the two had one of the longest journeys together in the villa. They said "I love you" to each other for the first time on their final date, a candlelit dinner followed by a Fijian fire dance performance, and fans were here for all of it.

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America voted for the villa's 'Princess and Prince' Aniya and Carl in second place, Melanie and Sincere in third, and Kayda and Zach in fourth place for favorite couple.

Melanie and Sincere enjoyed massages and made brick oven pizzas during their final date, while Kayda and Zach were taken on a boat ride to an outdoor luncheon (about which Reddit had thoughts). (Viewers also were reminded, during finale conversations and a memory reel, of 'Paradise Cove,' where Kayda took Zach and Bryce early in the season, leading to a spike in search interest in the term this week.)

Aniya and Carl's dinner date, in a secluded wood surrounded by flowers, candles and string lights, was a fan favorite. Production gave them a fairytale-inspired book commemorating their journey together in the villa, from their first meeting in Casa Amor to Aniya's heartbreak and Aniya and Carl's much-celebrated reunion.

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Many viewers also celebrated this season finale's Black representation. For the first time in Love Island history, all four women in the final couples were Black. 

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There was one aspect of the finale that did give viewers pause: Unlike other Love Island season finales, the winners were not given a choice between splitting the $100,000 prize evenly, or having one person keep the entire $100,000 to themselves; they were simply awarded the prize together, to be split evenly. Some viewers felt that it left out the final test of loyalty for the couple.

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We're excited to see what the future has in store for Trinity, Bryce, Aniya, Carl, Melanie, Sincere, Kayda, Zach, and all the other Islanders of Love Island USA Season 8. As for Brinity, the future is looking pretty bright, with Bryce saying that he's going to teach Trinity how to surf in Los Angeles (and possibly get her in a wetsuit). 

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. How to watch 'Love Island' Season 8 reunion

While we won't be seeing the Season 8 Islanders of Love Island USA on our TV screens every day for now, we can expect to see them together one more time during the Season 8 reunion episode — which is scheduled to air 9 p.m. ET / 6 p.m. PT Monday, August 31 on Peacock. You can sign up here to watch.

Job losses spurred by the AI boom are growing, and a group of economists is now sounding the alarm that it's going to get worse.

A new group called We Must Act Now released an open letter on Monday, warning about "AI's transformation of the economy." The open letter is signed by more than 200 economists, and signees currently include sixteen Nobel Laureates, Anthropic co-founder Jack Clark, former Google CEO Eric Schmidt, and the chief economists of both OpenAI and Anthropic.

The open letter urges tech leaders and policymakers to take urgent action and address the impacts AI will have on the economy now and in the future.

"AI may become radically more powerful over the next 10 years," reads the first bullet point of the open letter.

"This could drive an unprecedented transformation of our economy, larger than the Industrial Revolution, but unfolding over a vastly shorter time frame," the open letter continues. "It could bring risks, including large-scale job displacement, as well as opportunities such as major gains in living standards."

We Must Act Now's statement concludes with a call to action for leaders of both government bodies and the tech industry.

"Economists, policymakers and technology leaders must act now to understand the economics of transformative AI and to build the incentives, guardrails, and institutions needed to steer AI in a direction that complements humans and benefits society," reads the letter.

A report released at the end of last year found that there were 50,000 jobs lost due to AI in 2025, and this year, Amazon, Atlassian, Block, Fiverr, Meta, Pinterest, and Snap have all announced layoffs related to AI. As the technology develops, AI-related job cuts are likely to accelerate, too. A survey from May 2026 found that 99 percent of executives among the 12,000 respondents said that they expected AI "to lead to at least some headcount reduction in the next two years."

Some politicians are already working on the problem. California Governor Gavin Newsom took action shortly after Meta laid off 8,000 employees, citing its AI push. Last month, Newsom shared that the state will be tracking AI job losses and revealed California's AI-Unemployment Tracker.

However, the economists who signed on to the We Must Act Now letter would clearly like to see more.

“AI capabilities are advancing far faster than our understanding of the economic implications," said economist Erik Brynjolfsson, who organized the group alongside economists Ajay Agrawal, Tom Cunningham, and Anton Korinek. "In that gap lie the greatest opportunities of our era. We must act now to guide AI to complement humans rather than simply imitate them — and to generate prosperity for the many, not just the few."