Technology

August has been building up to this on HBO Max, and it's finally here. Lanterns was one of the streaming service's most anticipated new series of the year, expanding James Gunn's new DCU further, and bringing Hal Jordan to prestige TV—it's this week's top pick. American subscribers to the service now have something new to look forward to in the 9:00 p.m. time slot vacated by House of the Dragon.

Like some of its streaming rivals, Peacock is raising plan prices once more — in some cases very sharply. NBCUniversal has instituted price hikes for all tiers starting today (August 18) for new customers and from September 17 onward for existing customers.

Swapping out a default Android keyboard for an open-source alternative usually comes with a long list of compromises, but thanks to FUTO Keyboard, that has changed. Here is a private, trustworthy option with features like gesture swiping and voice-to-text that actually work. However, there is one unexpected feature that still leads me to switch back to Gboard.

Plex has decided to bring back its familiar sidebar navigation on its smart TV app. The streaming service is listening to its users who spent the last year complaining that the redesigned app's new top-bar navigation was too slow and unintuitive.

An obvious way to speed up an old PC is to upgrade it or buy a new PC. But what if you can't or don't want to? (And who can blame you, with consumer GPUs pushing beyond $1,600.)

You don't need a Mercedes badge to get the things that make a luxury SUV feel genuinely luxurious. The Genesis GV80 focuses on the details you'll actually notice from the driver's seat, including a quiet cabin, a comfortable ride, supportive seats, and a refined driving experience.

It's now easy to buy the world's most repairable phone in the U.S. — and hopefully use it for a long time. Fairphone has officially entered the American smartphone market with the release of the Fairphone Gen 6+, an upgrade to its latest eco-conscious Android device.

HTG regulars will know I do pretty much everything in Excel, but sometimes I feel like I'm spending more time maintaining, navigating, and updating spreadsheets than any sane person should. So I wondered whether I could turn my personal finance spreadsheet into a proper app without learning how to code.

Even if you don't pay a single cent to Google in the form of subscription money, your Android phone has access to the Google Drive app with a few gigabytes of free storage. You might not know that this one app sits at the center of an ecosystem that can actually replace several other simple apps that you might be using.

Having a backup on an SSD is great and all, but you're missing a key step—checking if said backup is actually good. I know it's annoying, but here's why you should be worried about not having actually tested your latest backup.

ESP32 boards are hugely popular in the smart home community because they're inexpensive, and you can use them to build a huge range of things. While there are plenty of projects that don't require any additional parts, if you combine an ESP32 with a 3D printer, you can do even more.

In the early 2000s, school computer labs were filled with kids stealthily playing games and watching videos on Newgrounds. But when Flash became obsolete, many of these nostalgic games were no longer playable—especially on phones. Thankfully, there’s an app for that.

Our favorites from the D23 2026 Disney Store Collection: Disney Railroad Train Plush $19.99 Shop Now Eeyore Plush Keychain Bag Charm $21.99 Shop Now The Fox and the Hound 45th Anniversary Mug $24.99 Shop Now Alice in Wonderland 75th Anniversary Ear Headband for Adults $36.99 Shop Now The Princess Diaries Grove High School Cardigan for Women $79.99 Shop Now The Muppets Plush Cardigan for Women $99.99 Shop Now Redd Limited Edition Doll – Pirates of the Caribbean $179.99 Shop Now Disney and Pixar's Cars with Formula 1 Lightning McQueen Varsity Jacket for Adults $600 Shop Now

If you weren't able to make it to D23 2026 in person, the Disney Store is bringing the show to you. Disney Store has pulled together an assortment from the D23 2026 show floor, the Disney Store booth, and the D23 Marketplace, and it's now live at the Disney Store online while supplies last.

The lineup spans Fanniversary Frenzy, 10 collections celebrating milestone anniversaries of beloved Disney stories, with Collector Must-Haves, Disney x Formula 1, Blooms by Disney Store, Disney Store Exclusive Plush, and more.

Here's everything worth adding to your cart.

Disney Railroad Train Plush Opens in a new window Credit: Disney Store Disney Railroad Train Plush $19.99 at Disney Store
  Shop Now Why we like it

This is a fun pick for anyone who's ridden the Disney Railroad at Walt Disney World or Disneyland and wanted a piece of it to take home. The Disney Railroad Train Plush turns the iconic train into a cuddly character, complete with an embroidered smiling face, a soft, fuzzy texture, and a stitched "Disney Railroad" patch. It's got attached arms and beans in the bottom for a bit of weight, so it sits nicely on a shelf if you're more of a display person than a snuggler.

Alice in Wonderland Ear Headband Opens in a new window Credit: Disney Store Alice in Wonderland 75th Anniversary Ear Headband $36.99 at Disney Store
  Shop Now Why we like it

Ear headbands are always a top pick in any Disney drop, and the Alice in Wonderland Ear Headband one goes all in on the details. It's built around the croquet scene from Alice in Wonderland, with a tiny hedgehog rolling into a croquet ball worked into the headband, a royal crest charm on the bow, and the film title and anniversary stitched on the back of the ears. It's made from simulated leather instead of the usual fabric, so it feels a little more special than your typical headband.

Redd Limited Edition Doll — Pirates of the Caribbean Opens in a new window Credit: Disney Store Redd Limited Edition Doll – Pirates of the Caribbean $179.99 at Disney Store
  Shop Now Why we like it

Redd is one of the more detailed collector dolls we've seen come out of the Pirates of the Caribbean line, and it shows in the little things: an embroidered satin bodice, a textured skirt with gold studs and filigree, pearled pistols, layered necklaces, and a faux suede pirate hat with feather accents. She's also fully poseable and comes with a display stand, so she's built to be displayed, not just boxed up.

Cars with F1 Lightning McQueen Varsity Jacket Opens in a new window Credit: Disney Store Cars with Formula 1 Lightning McQueen Varsity Jacket $600 at Disney Store
  Shop Now Why we like it

The Cars with Formula 1 Lightning McQueen Varsity Jacket is built like an actual varsity jacket first, Cars fan piece second. The shell is a soft blended wool with genuine contrast leather sleeves, striped rib cuffs and waistband, and a proper snap-front closure with F1-branded snaps, so it holds up as something you'd wear regardless of the Cars connection.

The details are where it earns its price, though. There's a chenille F1 patch on the chest, an embroidered Disney Pixar Cars logo, Cars patch appliqués on the sleeves, and Lightning McQueen embroidered on the back alongside "Formula 1." Even the lining gets an all-over F1 print, and you get both a welt front pocket and a hidden interior chest pocket for carrying something.

More from the D23 2026 Disney Store Collection

• Blue Pansy Plush Flower — $16.99

• Alice in Wonderland Bow Hair Clip — $16.99

• Disney Wishables Shimmer Mystery Plush Blind Pack — $17.99

• Pixar Ball, Large — $19.99

• Main Street Trash Can Plush — $19.99

• Beauty and the Beast Journal Set — $19.99

• Alice in Wonderland 75th Anniversary Mug — $24.99

• Disney Doorables ADOORBS! Doll Mystery Box — $24.99

• Alice in Wonderland 75th Anniversary Wristlet Bag Set — $29.99

• Marvel Blue Mini Spider-Bot — $39.99

• Disney and Pixar's Cars with Formula 1 Lightning McQueen Plush — $39.99

• Winnie the Pooh Plush (Disney Store Exclusive) — $44.99

• Disney and Pixar's Cars with Formula 1 Baseball Cap — $60

• The Princess Diaries Soccer Jersey — $69.99

• Alice in Wonderland 75th Anniversary Clogs by Crocs — $69.99

• Daredevil Silver Mask — $79.99

• Disney and Pixar's Cars with Formula 1 Pullover Sweatshirt — $125

• Polar Mouse Droid MSE-6 — $129.99

• Disneyland Railroad Station Light Up Figure — $179

• Esmeralda Limited Edition Doll — $179.99

• The Hunchback of Notre Dame 30th Anniversary Dooney & Bourke Tote — $298

• Disney x Formula 1 Core Race Mickey Mouse Zip Jacket and Pins Set — $350

The full D23 2026 assortment — all the anniversary collections, collectibles, and exclusives — is live now at Disney Store online. Orders of $85 or more ship free with code SHIPMAGIC.

Tesla's Cybercab is coming soon, perhaps as soon as August. But who's getting to ride in it?

On Monday, The Information published a report saying the company is preparing for a public launch of the Cybercab in Austin, possibly this month.

SEE ALSO: Tesla Model Y gets adapter for charging other gadgets

Tesla's official Robotaxi account on X seemingly confirmed the launch is coming soon, as it posted that folks who ride in a Robotaxi (which currently consists of Tesla Model Y cars) will get a chance to attend the Cybercab launch event. "More rides = better odds," posted the account, without going into detail about the event itself.

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In a subsequent tweet, Tesla Robotaxi said that winners will be announced by 9 a.m. on Aug. 25, which could also be the day when we find more about the launch event.

It's an important milestone for Tesla, whose Cybercab is the only high-volume car the company currently has in its public roadmap. But the Cybercab is not just any car; it's a robotaxi-first vehicle with two seats and no steering wheel, designed primarily to ferry passengers around autonomously.

Tesla's idea, per The Information, is to start by offering rides to its own employees on Austin's public roads, and have the Cybercabs join the public robotaxi service in the city soon thereafter. The problem is that regulators currently don't allow a commercial robotaxi service to run with cars that don't have steering wheels, though exemptions are possible; Amazon's Zoox, for example, did get to deploy a small number of autonomous taxi vehicles with no steering wheels in Las Vegas and San Francisco.

Perhaps the bigger issue is whether Tesla has actually brought its autonomous driving software to a level where Cybercabs can start operating at a larger scale. Tesla uses its Full Self-Driving suite of autonomous driving features to power its robotaxis; while pretty advanced, the suite does have flaws. The company's Robotaxi program is currently limited to some areas in Miami, Orlando, and Tampa, Florida, as well as Austin, Dallas, and Houston, Texas.

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I've been 3D printing for over half a decade and have never embedded a magnet mid-3D-print, so I figured it was time to take the plunge and do it. After my first test with a pre-made model, I even decided to create my own model, and it came out better than I expected.

I've somehow become the person everyone in my family and circle of friends calls when a PC starts acting up. A lot of the time, the problem is minor. Other times, Windows won't boot, a drive starts throwing errors, files disappear, or the computer becomes so unstable that it's hard to know where to start. Since everyone I help, including me, uses Windows, I've gotten into the habit of keeping a few free troubleshooting tools on USB drives, so I'm not starting from scratch every time something goes wrong.

Sports cars as we know them are changing. While the shift towards electrification has certainly slowed down in the last year or two, it still feels as if gasoline is on its way out. It is within this context that a coupe with a supercharged V-8 exists as a swansong for all petrolheads.

Remember when almost every Android phone came with a microSD slot and expandable memory was an expected feature? Those days are mostly long gone, especially on mid-range or high-end Samsung Galaxy phones. That said, you can still buy a Samsung phone with expandable storage in 2026, and here are a few of your options.

TL;DR: In celebration of Pokémon's 30-year anniversary, Krispy Kreme has launched six Pokémon-themed doughnuts across the U.S. This limited-edition collection features Bulbasaur, Charmander, Squirtle, Pikachu, Jigglypuff, and a Poké Ball.

For years, American Pokémon fans have suffered through severe international FOMO as Krispy Kreme locations in Australia and South Korea roll out exclusive, character-themed doughnut lineups. The painful wait is officially over: Krispy Kreme has dropped its official Pokémon collection across the U.S. on Monday, Aug. 18.

The limited-edition release brings six custom designs to the menu, covering the iconic Gen 1 starters, fan favorites, and the essential Poké Ball:

• Bulbasaur: An Original Glazed doughnut dipped in vanilla icing, finished with a leaf frosting accent and a Bulbasaur topper.

• Charmander: A chocolate and toasted marshmallow-filled shell doughnut dipped in orange caramel icing, topped with red and gold sugar "sparks" and a Charmander piece.

• Jigglypuff: An Original Glazed piped with strawberry buttercream, dusted with strawberry cookie crunch, and topped with a Jigglypuff decal.

• Pikachu: A lemon-flavored Kreme doughnut dipped in vanilla icing, decorated with yellow lightning nonpareils and a Pikachu topper.

• Poké Ball: An Original Glazed topped with vanilla icing, vibrant red sprinkles, and chocolate piping.

• Squirtle: An Original Glazed piped with cotton candy buttercream, coated in sanding sugar nonpareils, and topped with a surfing Squirtle piece.

“We had so much fun bringing the world of Pokémon to life through doughnuts in a way only Krispy Kreme can,” said Alison Holder, Chief Brand and Product Officer at Krispy Kreme. “From Pokémon-inspired creations and playful flavors to themed cups, special packaging, and fan surprises, this collection is made to be caught and shared as we celebrate 30 incredible years of Pokémon.”

Where to find the collection

In Krispy Kreme shops, you can order the doughnuts à la carte or grab a custom Pokémon dozen box, which packs all six specialty designs alongside classic Original Glazed doughnuts in limited-edition packaging. Krispy Kreme has also dropped five limited-edition Pokémon collectible cups, each filled with 10 Original Glazed Gold Dots.

Want to make sure you don't miss out? The Pokémon Doughnut Collection is now available to order:

Opens in a new window Credit: Krispy Kreme / The Pokémon Company Pokémon Doughnut Collection   Shop Now

Participating grocery retailers will also carry a dedicated six-pack featuring Charmander, Pikachu, Jigglypuff, a Poké Ball, and two Original Glazed doughnuts.

How to get a free Original Glazed doughnut

If you want to grab a free treat, mark Aug. 22 on your calendar. Anyone who visits a participating Krispy Kreme shop or drive-thru wearing any Pokémon merchandise will receive one free Original Glazed doughnut — no purchase necessary.

Maybe the invention of the remote control wasn't the best idea when it comes to our collective waistlines, but you can't beat the convenience of controlling your TV from the couch!