Technology

As some movie franchises evolve, the creators behind them decide to fill out the story in a nonlinear way. Newer movies might be prequels, and sometimes you get movies like Rogue One which isn't meant to be a mainline Star Wars film, but slots neatly into the continuity anyway.

Steam is the most popular and well-regarded game launcher in the world, though we were all pretty skeptical when it first arrives. Up to that point, each game would have its own individual "launcher" or simply start up from its shortcut icon. Steam unified the store and game library into one seamless experience.

SAVE $150: As of Aug. 21, you can grab the Sony XM4 headphones for just $199.99 at Best Buy. That's down from the regular $349.99 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony XM4 Wireless Headphones $199.99 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $150 Get Deal

Everyone waiting to finally grab a pair of Sony’s XM4 headphones at an affordable price can celebrate at least.

As of Aug. 21, Best Buy has slashed the price of the Sony XM4 headphones to just $199.99. That’s a massive $150 saving on the usual $349.99 list price, and one of the sharpest deals we’ve seen on Sony’s old favorites.

SEE ALSO: We put the top 10 headphones of 2025 to the test

The XM4s are renowned for their class-leading noise cancelation, powered by Dual Noise Sensor technology that adapts to your surroundings and shuts out distractions. Coupled with 30 hours of battery life (plus a quick charge mode that gives you five hours of playback from a 10-minute top-up), these headphones are built for travellers, commuters, and marathon work sessions alike.

Sony hasn’t just focused on silence, though; the sound profile is equally impressive. Thanks to DSEE Extreme upscaling (co-developed with Sony Music Studios Tokyo), compressed tracks are lifted closer to studio quality in real time. Touch sensor controls on the earcups let you skip tracks, adjust volume, or summon Alexa or Google Assistant with a tap.

A raft of clever extras adds to the appeal. Speak-to-Chat pauses playback automatically when you start talking. Adaptive Sound Control adjusts noise-cancelling depending on whether you’re walking, waiting, or flying. A wearing detection sensor pauses audio when you take the headphones off, while multipoint Bluetooth means you can stay connected to two devices simultaneously.

Designed for comfort as well as performance, the XM4s come with a slim carry case, USB-C charging cable, wired connection lead, and even an in-flight adapter. What’s more, these are built to last as well. 

I’ve owned my own Sony XM4s for almost four years now, and they’ve not only remained my go-to headphones for walks, travelling, and the gym, but have stood the test of time; including knocks, bumps, and a handful of drops; and still work perfectly.

At just under $200, these headphones tick the boxes for anyone after superb audio, intuitive smart features, and all-day comfort — without paying full price.

If you want to keep shopping around before pulling the trigger, be sure to also check out the top 10 headphones of 2025 we personally put to the test. For the ideal soundware just for blocking out external noise, we’ve also put together a list of the best noise-cancelling headphones we use and love from brands like Bose, Sony, and Apple.

The wait is over. We now know everything we need to know about the Google Pixel 10, which means it's time to do some comparin'.

Google bared all during its Made by Google event, giving us a look at specs and features for its latest batch of flagship smartphones. Of course, this comes several months after Samsung did the same thing with the Galaxy S25 line. I bet you know what's coming next.

SEE ALSO: Google brings live translation for phone calls and tons more AI to Pixel 10 series

That's right — we're putting these base models head to head. Keep in mind we've just begun testing the new Pixel 10 series, so we'll have more insights to share soon.

How do these two Android titans stack up to one another?

Opens in a new window Credit: Google/Amazon Google Pixel 10 $799 at Amazon
Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Google/Amazon Samsung Galaxy S25 $799 at Amazon
Get Deal Pixel 10 vs. Galaxy S25: Price

Our first category is probably going to be the shortest and easiest one to litigate. Both of these phones start at $799.

See? That was easy. Let's move on.

Design Pixel 10 has a more distinctive look, I think. Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

As far as design is concerned, both of these phones...basically just look like smartphones. However, Google and Samsung do have somewhat distinct visual languages for their phones, and both the Pixel 10 and Galaxy S25 carry forward what each brand had been doing in years prior.

In other words, their rear camera arrays look different. Samsung's is vertically oriented, with all three lenses stacked on top of one another, free from any kind of boxed in camera bump. Google's is the total opposite; three lenses housed in a horizontally oriented camera bar that prevents the phone from sitting flush on a flat surface. This is ultimately a matter of personal preference, though admittedly the Google camera bar looks more futuristic, if that's your thing.

The more generic Galaxy S25. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

As for colors, Samsung has more options than Google. The Galaxy S25 comes in seven colors: Navy, Mint, Icy Blue, Silver Shadow, Blueblack, Coralred, and Pinkgold. It should be noted that the latter three options are online exclusives. As for Pixel 10, you just get four choices: Indigo, Frost, Lemongrass, and Obsidian.

Specs The base S25 is the one on the left. Credit: Michaela Vatcheva/Bloomberg via Getty Images

Here are how the basic specs for the Google Pixel 10 look:

• 6.3-inch display with 1080x2424 resolution and adaptive 60-120Hz refresh rate

• Google Tensor G5 chip

• 4,970mAh battery promising 30+ hours of life

• 12GB RAM

• 128GB/256GB storage

And here are the equivalent specs on Galaxy S25:

• 6.2-inch display with 1080x2340 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate

• Snapdragon 8 Elite chip

• 4,000mAh battery

• 12GB RAM

• 128GB/256GB/512GB storage

To put that into layman's terms, both phones come with very similar displays and the same amount of RAM. However, things diverge from there. The two phones use entirely different processors, but until the Pixel 10 is actually out there in public (we've just begun our internal testing process), it's hard to say which one is better right now, both in terms of everyday performance and benchmark scores. In the past, Snapdragon chips have had better benchmarks than Tensor, but the actual day-to-day usability has been similar enough to more or less negate that.

Samsung's phone also has a 512GB storage option if you're willing to spend more money. Google does not offer that much storage on Pixel 10, though Google has its own cloud storage service. Battery life is also going to be something to watch as the Pixel 10 rolls out publicly, as Google's phone has a significantly larger cell inside of it than Samsung's handset. Whether or not that translates into substantially better battery life is unclear at this point, but it's definitely worth keeping an eye on.

AI features Both phones can do live translation during calls. Credit: Screenshot: Google

It would take forever to outline every single little AI feature that both of these phones have, but put simply, Google's newest handset did a lot to catch up to Samsung.

For starters, Samsung already had live language translation during phone calls, as well as a personalized daily hub featuring your schedule, any tasks you need to complete during that day, the weather forecast, and news you can use. Pixel 10 introduced very similar (or basically exactly the same) features, but with different names. Both phones are also compatible with Gemini Live, if you like talking to your phone as if it's a person. We should note that Google's live translation feature samples your voice, something other mobile translation tools can't yet do.

There are also suites of photo editing and image generation software to mess around with on both devices. For what it's worth, Google's seem a bit more comprehensive. Both phones have the ability to generatively edit photos by highlighting objects and moving them around to the user's liking, or even adding things that didn't exist to the photos. You can tune out unwanted audio in videos on both devices, too.

Pixel 10 introduces text-based photo editing, in case your ability to describe what you want is better than your ability to actually make the edits yourself. Pixel 10's Camera Coach also uses AI to help users compose better photographs, though it remains to be seen how well this works. As far as I can tell, Samsung's phone doesn't have equivalent features to these just yet.

On balance, Google gets the edge in terms of AI, which shouldn't be a surprise, as Google has its own AI models. If you opt for the Pixel 10 Pro, Pro XL, or Pro Fold, you'll also get a free year of Google's AI Pro plan, which is not available with the base Pixel 10. So, if you really care about AI, you may be happier with the Pixel 10 Pro anyway.

Cameras Sorry, no camera testing on Pixel 10 just yet. Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

As for cameras, this is an area where Samsung would've had a big advantage, had Google not made one major change to the base Pixel 10 this year. Here are the Pixel 10's camera specs:

• Rear cameras: 48MP wide, 13MP ultrawide, 10.8MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom and Super Res Zoom up to 20x

• Front camera: 10.5MP

And here's how the Galaxy S25 compares:

• Rear cameras: 50MP wide, 10MP ultrawide, 12MP telephoto with 3x optical zoom and digital zoom up to 30x

• Front camera: 12MP

The camera array on the Galaxy S25. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

While there are minor differences to consider in terms of megapixel counts, these are two pretty similar camera arrays on the surface. The big advantage Samsung would have had prior to this year is the presence of a third telephoto lens on the back. Unfortunately for Samsung, Google added one this year and its optical zoom is better on paper. In the past, I've had much better luck with zoom lenses on Pixel phones than Samsung phones, for whatever that's worth.

Pixel phones in general tend to be excellent for photography, in my experience. Or, at least the kind of photography that people like me who aren't good at taking photos like to do, such as snapping pics of random cats I meet on the street.

Top offers on these smartphones Samsung Galaxy S25, 256GB, Unlocked $849.99 at Amazon ($779.99) Get Deal Google Pixel 10 - Indigo - 128 GB with $100 Amazon Gift Card $799.00 at Amazon Get Deal

We've all shared a password on a post, or in a text chain, but that can seriously compromise your security. Here's a safer way to do it.

Google Search's AI Mode can now help you book restaurant reservations, or at least get you to the booking page.

On Thursday, the tech giant announced that its AI Mode has new "new agentic capabilities," including helping users book restaurant reservations, with more to come. AI mode is already available in the U.S., the UK, and India, and Google said it's now expanding to more than 180 countries and territories, though only in English, for now.

While some outlets have reported that "Google Search’s new AI Mode can now book reservations for you," that's not quite true yet.

When you're in AI Mode on Google Search, you can describe the kind of dinner reservation you're looking for, including party size, dietary restrictions, date, time, cuisine, etc., and Google's underlying AI models will fan out across the internet and create a list of restaurants with available reservations that fit your criteria. When you've found a reservation that works, AI Mode will take you to the booking page.

SEE ALSO: Welcome to Google AI Mode! Everything is fine.

The ability to streamline reservations in AI Mode soft-launched in Labs, Google's testing ground for new AI features, and it's only available to AI Ultra subscribers in the U.S. However, it's a sign that Google is working on launching more widespread agentic features soon. The announcement said users will soon be able to book event tickets and make local service appointments. Google is working with partners like OpenTable, Resy, Tock, Ticketmaster, StubHub, SeatGeek, and Booksy to help curate these recommendations.

AI Mode does the work of finding you restaurant reservations based on specific criteria. Credit: Google

The agentic part of this new feature, meaning the part of the feature that uses advanced AI models to take action on your behalf, is the research element. The feature still won't do the actual booking for you. Users will have to manually confirm the booking in a third-party tool like Resy.

Of course, you could just go to Resy or OpenTable and search for reservations that way, but this feature searches across all different platforms and the entire web, and pulls up the reservation times.

The advent of the agentic web promises to automate tedious tasks and research, offloading it to our personalized AI assistants. If AI tools can deliver on this promise, the technology could restructure how we interact with the internet. This is an early glimmer of how agentic AI is taking shape online.

If you're a Google AI Ultra subscriber for $250 a month, you can try agentic reservation booking in Search Labs by clicking on "Agentic capabilities in AI Mode."

Do you have an old iPhone, Pixel, or Galaxy phone lying around? If you do, Google may have a considerable offer to get you to buy a new Pixel 10. While some of the offers are better than others, they're pretty telling about who Google is trying to win over.

Nothing lasts forever. Can that be said for the Ford F-Series' reign? Or is this just a blip on the radar, and that regular programming will resume shortly? For nearly 50 years, the Ford F-Series has remained the top choice of American Motorists, and for the first time, in 2024, an SUV has knocked it off its perch. Nothing is ever as cut and dry as it seems, but you can't knock down the growth and might of the SUV movement and what it means for motoring. At the forefront of that movement is Toyota's RAV4.

Figuring out how to watch the entire NFL season in 2025 is complicated. But it gets really frustrating when you live in a different region than your favorite team. Watching out-of-market games for any sport is no walk in the park, but for the NFL, it's an excruciating battle — particularly for your wallet.

Before you pull the trigger on any pay TV provider or streaming service, you may want to check to see what games are considered in-market and out-of-market for your region. You don't want to drop $60 on an annual Paramount+ plan or splurge on the new $199 Fox One streaming platform only to find out the games you want to watch are blacked out.

What are in-market vs. out-of-market NFL games?

In-market games are basically your home team broadcasts, or the games geographically closest to you. These are the games you'll regularly find on CBS and Fox on Sunday afternoons. Out-of-market games are those only available outside of the designated broadcast region you are in. These games are blacked out (unless they are national broadcasts) in favor of in-market games. For instance, I am a Baltimore Ravens fan living in Nashville, Tenn. The Tennessee Titans are my local team, which means their games are in-market for me on Sundays. If both the Titans and Ravens are playing in the 1:00 p.m. time slot on Sunday, I will only be able to watch the Titans. The Ravens will be blacked out, as they are considered out-of-market.

To find out which games are in your local market each week, check out 506sports.com.

How to watch out-of-market NFL games

So, you live in a different region than the team(s) you want to watch. That means the usual streaming services that broadcast NFL games — ESPN, Paramount+, YouTube TV, etc. — aren't going to work for you. With those, you'll only be able to watch in-market teams and national broadcasts. Womp womp.

In this case, the only legal way you can watch out-of-market games is via NFL Sunday Ticket. Sure, there are plenty of bootleg broadcasts floating around the internet, but we can't in good conscience recommend those. NFL Sunday Ticket is the league's own premium sports package that broadcasts NFL regular season games that are unavailable on your local channels. It carries regional Sunday afternoon games on Fox and CBS, specifically. You can get NFL Sunday Ticket as an individual channel on YouTube or as an add-on to YouTube TV.

How much does NFL Sunday Ticket cost?

I won't sugarcoat it for you: NFL Sunday ticket is outrageously expensive unless you're brand new to the service. Through Aug. 31, newbies can score NFL Sunday Ticket as an individual channel on YouTube or as a YouTube TV add-on for $276 total for the regular season (8 payments of $34.50 per month). For returning customers, it'll cost $480 total as an individual channel (8 payments of $60 per month) or $378 total as a YouTube TV add-on (8 payments of $47.25 per month). Students, military personnel, first responders, medical professionals, and teachers can all get discounted rates (see below).

Starting in September, there will also be month-to-month plans available. For new users, it'll cost $85 per month on the monthly plan, while returning customers will pay $115 per month for the YouTube TV add-on and $145 per month for the individual channel.

Here's a breakdown for you:

Season pass (8-month subscription)

• $276 for new users ($34.50/month)

• $376 for returning users bundled with YouTube TV

• $480 for returning users without YouTube TV

• $119 for students who can verify their eligibility

• $198 for Military & Veterans, First Responders, Medical Community, and Teachers 

Month-to-month

• $85 per month for new users

• $115 per month for returning users bundled with YouTube TV

• $145 per month for returning users without YouTube TV

How to sign up for NFL Sunday Ticket

To get NFL Sunday Ticket, head over to YouTube.com/NFL and a prompt will pop up with the details to sign up. If you don't see the prompt, just click on "get NFL Sunday Ticket" to the right of the NFL logo. You'll see options to sign up for both YouTube TV and NFL Sunday Ticket, NFL Sunday Ticket only, or the Student Plan. If you want to sign up for the military, first responder, medical professional, or teacher rate, you'll have to go through id.me.

If at any time in the past thirty years you've explored the world of Linux, you've likely at least heard mention of something called openSUSE. Maybe you even recognize its iconic green reptilian mascot. Let's take a look at this unique Linux distribution.

The best Home Depot Labor Day deals at a glance: Best grill deal Weber Genesis E-315 $799 (save $100) Get Deal Best power tool deal DeWalt 20-Volt MAX Lithium-Ion Cordless 7-Tool Combo Kit $599 (save $350) Get Deal Best outdoor deal Milwaukee M18 Fuel Hatchet Pruning Saw Kit $249 (save $250) Get Deal

Labor Day is still a couple of weekends away, but some sales just couldn't wait. Home Depot's Labor Day sale is already live, offering up to 40% off select power tools, grills, outdoor equipment, appliances, and even Halloween decorations. Whether you want to clean up your yard for fall festivities or try your hands at a home improvement project, the goods you need are likely discounted.

The sale lasts until Sept. 4, but some of these deals are only offered for a limited time. In other words, if you see something you want, grab it ASAP. We've rounded up some of the best deals we've spotted during the Home Depot Labor Day sale below, highlighting grills and tools in particular.

Best Home Depot grill deal Opens in a new window Credit: Weber Weber Genesis E-315 3-Burner Gas Grill $799 at Home Depot
$899 Save $100 Get Deal Why we like it

When it comes to grills, it's hard to beat a Weber. Their high quality builds can get pretty expensive, but for Labor Day, several models — including the Genesis collection, the brand's premium gas grills — have price drops up to $100. The Genesis E-315 is usually $899, but you can grab it for $799 during the sale. It features a 513 square-inch cooking space, PureBlu burners, and a 12-year warranty.

More grill deals

• Weber Spirit E-210 2-Burner Propane Gas Grill — $399 $449 (save $50)

• Weber Traveler Portable Propane Gas Grill — $399 $449 (save $50)

• Traeger Pro Series 22-Pellet Grill and Smoker — $449 $549 (save $100)

• Weber Spirit E-325 3-Burner Propane Gas Grill — $499 $549 (save $50)

• Traeger Pro Series 34-Pellet Grill and Smoker — $599 $729.99 (save $130.99)

• Weber Spirit SB-E-425 4-Burner Propane Gas Grill — $629 $699 (save $70)

• Traeger Woodridge Wi-Fi Pellet Grill and Smoker — $799 $899 (save $100)

• Weber Genesis E-315 3-Burner Liquid Propane Gas Grill — $799 $899 (save $100)

• Weber Genesis E-325 3-Burner Liquid Propane Gas Grill — $849 $949 (save $100)

Best Home Depot power tool deal Opens in a new window Credit: DeWalt DeWalt 20-Volt MAX Lithium-Ion Cordless 7-Tool Combo Kit $599 at Home Depot
$949 Save $350 Get Deal Why we like it

This seven-tool DeWalt kit is one of the best values we've found during the Home Depot Labor Day sale. It includes one 1/2-inch drill/driver, 1/4-inch impact driver, oscillating multi-tool, one-handed reciprocating saw, 6.5-inch circular saw, LED work light, one 20V Max 5Ah battery, one 20V Max 2Ah compact battery, a charger, and a contractor bag. The sheer amount of stuff in this kit adds up to nearly a $1,000 value, but you can save 37% ahead of Labor Day and grab it for just $599.

More power tool deals

• RYOBI ONE+ 18V Lithium-Ion Starter Kit — $79 $205 (save $126)

• DeWalt 20V MAX Cordless Drill/Impact 2 Tool Combo Kit — $179 $239 (save $60)

• Milwaukee M12 FUEL 12-Volt Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless Hammer Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit — $199 $369 (save $170)

• DeWalt 20V MAX XR Hammer Drill and ATOMIC Impact Driver 2 Tool Cordless Combo Kit — $259 $349 (save $90)

• Milwaukee M18 18-Volt Lithium-Ion REDLITHIUM FORGE Starter Kit — $279 $299 (save $20) + get free battery

• Milwaukee M18 FUEL 18- V Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless Hammer Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit — $399 $558 (save $159)

• DeWalt 15 Amp Corded 12 in. Double Bevel Sliding Compound Miter Saw — $499 $868 (save $369)

• DeWalt 20-Volt MAX Lithium-Ion Cordless 7-Tool Combo Kit — $599 $949 (save $350)

• Milwaukee M18 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Cordless Combo Kit — $599 $1,099 (save $500)

• RYOBI ONE+ 18V Cordless 12-Tool Combo Kit — $649 $799 (save $150)

Best Home Depot outdoor deal Opens in a new window Credit: Milwaukee Milwaukee M18 Fuel Hatchet Pruning Saw Kit $249 at Home Depot
$499 Save $250 Get Deal Why we like it

The Milwaukee M18 Fuel Hatchet is a compact, lightweight pruning saw that can get into those hard-to-reach spots and still deliver enough power to cut through hardwoods. It's also relatively quiet, easy to maneuver, and requires no fuel. Instead, it comes with the M18 RedLithium high-output XC6.0 battery pack and the multi-voltage charger. The battery is compatible with other M18 tools as well. During the Labor Day sale, the kit is down to only $249. That's less than half the cost of buying all three pieces separately.

More outdoor deals

• RYOBI Expand-It Brush-Cutter Trimmer Attachment — $79 $99 (save $20)

• Milwaukee M18 FUEL Cordless Handheld Blower — $149 $199 (save $50)

• DeWalt 20V MAX 22 in. Cordless Battery Powered Hedge Trimmer — $149 $179 (save $30)

• RYOBI Cordless Electric Chainsaw — $159 $199 (save $40)

• RYOBI Whisper Series Cordless Leaf Blower with 2 batteries — $199 $329 (save $130)

• DeWalt Cold Water Electric Pressure Washer — $229 $399 (save $170)

• RYOBI Cordless Battery Walk Behind Push Lawn Mower — $299 $329 (save $30)

Apple TV+ is getting a price hike, and it's a pretty big one. The monthly subscription for Apple's streaming service is now $12.99, a $3 jump from its previous price of $9.99. The price increase is effective immediately for all new customers.

In the mood for a visual treat to brighten your day? Then look no further than the teaser trailer for the upcoming animated film Arco, from French director Ugo Bienvenu and distributor Neon.

The teaser is just one minute long, but it's packed with lush forests, towering sci-fi landscapes, and surreal space imagery, not to mention its fair share of dazzling rainbows.

That's because rainbows are key to Arco. The film's 10-year-old protagonist Arco uses one to accidentally time travel from his peaceful, distant future to the year 2075. There, he discovers a world in peril, but he also meets a young girl named Iris. The two form a fast friendship and, with the help of Iris' robot caretaker Mikki, they set out on a quest to save the world and get Arco home.

Arco is set to play at the 2025 Toronto International Film Festival, but it's already had a busy festival year. It had its world premiere at the 2025 Cannes Film Festival, then went on to win the Cristal for Best Feature Film at the 2025 Annecy International Animation Film Festival. Could we be looking at a contender for the Oscar for Best Animated Feature?

The film is originally in French, with a voice cast including Little Women's Louis Garrel and Anatomy of a Fall's Swann Arlaud. The English dub features a strong voice cast in its own right, including Will Ferrell, America Ferrera, Flea, Natalie Portman, Mark Ruffalo, and Andy Samberg. Portman also produced the film.

Arco hits select theaters Nov. 14.

Do you have two computers at your desk like I do? I always found it a pain to switch between the two, so I rarely did it. Or, I would simply have multiple sets of keyboards and mice on my desk. When I got a monitor with a built-in KVM, though, everything changed.

SAVE UP TO $760 + GET A FREE GIFT CARD: As of Aug. 21, buy a new Google Pixel 10 or other eligible new Pixel device and save up to $760 with eligible trade-in and preorder at Best Buy. Plus, get a free gift card worth up to $350 with purchase.

Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy Buy a Google Pixel 10 device and save up to $760 with trade-in Plus, get up to a $350 gift card for free Get Deal

It's official: the Google Pixel 10 is finally here. Unveiled during Aug. 20's Made by Google event alongside the Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold, Google's newest flagship smartphone is up for grabs now. And even though this is a brand-new phone we're talking about, there's already a way you can save a significant amount of money if it's time for a smartphone upgrade.

Best Buy is currently offering a deal that can save you some serious cash when you have a qualifying trade-in phone and pre-order (the official release date is Aug. 28) a phone from the new Pixel 10 lineup. This promotion can save you up to $600 on the Pixel 10 ($799), Pixel 10 Pro ($999), or Pixel 10 Pro XL ($1,199), and up to $760 off the Pixel 10 Pro Fold ($1,799).

SEE ALSO: Here's how to get a free Google Pixel 10 Pro from Verizon

From today through Sep. 4, you can claim this deal by heading to Best Buy and selecting which Google Pixel device you'd like to purchase. You'll need to opt in for a trade-in offer, which is only available if you have a phone that's still in good condition, without cracks. It also needs to come with a power source. You can only trade in phones that you own as well, so if you're still paying on one, that isn't an option for this deal.

You can get up to $760 in maximum trade-in savings based on the value of the device you turn over, and Best Buy's offer for the Pixel 9 Pro XL or Pixel 9 Pro Fold will be based on what's available. Once you trade the device in, Best Buy will give you the value of your device toward your Pixel 10 phone (any of the aforementioned models). Look for the "Trade in and save" option beneath the device's price in bold on the right side of the screen. You'll also see the amount of the gift card you'll receive with purchase right above it.

When you complete the purchase, you'll be provided with a eGift Card from Best Buy worth $100 to $350, depending on the value of your trade-in.

If you've been thinking about giving a new phone a shot but needed a push to do so, this is a great deal that's still going to be running for a while, so you've got time to say your goodbyes to the old one. If you're already using a carrier or just want something new, this might be the best way of bringing home the new Pixel hotness, though.

First came poaching, then restructuring and downsizing, now Meta has implemented a hiring freeze for its AI research team.

A new report from the Wall Street Journal, following an earlier report this week from The New York Times, added new speculation about Meta's whiplash changes to its AI research efforts.

According to the Times report on Tuesday, Meta is overhauling its newly formed Superintelligence Lab, by breaking it up into four smaller teams. The teams will reportedly focus on AI research, developing superintelligence (a form of AI more advanced than human intelligence), AI products, and AI infrastructure such as data centers, the Times said.

The Times report said that in addition to restructuring its AI lab, Meta is downsizing the overall team, which is reportedly in the thousands. This lines up with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg's newfound belief that superintelligence research should be done in small teams. "You really want the smallest group that can hold the whole thing in their head," said Zuckerberg on Meta's latest earnings call. This was in response to how his perspective on developing AI has changed in the past 12 months.

On Thursday, Meta confirmed to the Journal that it has paused hiring for its AI team.

Just in the past two months, things have changed drastically at Meta. Zuckerberg, disappointed by the Llama 4 launch, kickstarted an aggressive recruiting effort, where he reportedly personally reached out to top AI researchers and executives for his superintelligence team. Meta poached more than 50 AI professionals from its competitors like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google, enticing them with signing bonuses and salaries worth millions of dollars. That included recruiting former Scale AI CEO Alexandr Wang to lead its superintelligence research team, internally dubbed "TBD lab."

The fast-paced changes could signify the kind of swift action that comes from clarity of direction or concerns of a looming bubble. Meta told the Journal that the hiring freeze was a result of "bringing people on board and undertaking yearly budgeting and planning exercises." The sudden hiring of dozens of AI researchers and equally sudden freeze could mean Meta has the right team assembled after spending its seemingly massive hiring budget.

However, some investors and analysts warn of a looming AI bubble after this week's market volatility, where major U.S. tech stocks dropped several points. The selloff came after an MIT study found 95 percent of companies implementing AI found no returns on investment.

I carry around a two-thousand-dollar phone. Except here’s the thing—I didn’t pay that much for it. And even if I did, it’s neither an extravagant nor luxurious purchase. But we’ll get to that. Let's start at the beginning.

Season 27 of South Park continues its run of satirizing President Donald Trump, with its third episode packing in more jokes about his relationship with Satan and his penis size.

SEE ALSO: 'South Park' roasts ICE officers and Kristi Noem in savage new episode

However, Trump wasn't South Park's only target this week. The episode's main focus was on tech bros and AI, with Randy Marsh becoming hooked on both ChatGPT and ketamine in order to found his own AI-powered weed company.

South Park tackles ChatGPT and Trump's alliances with tech CEOs.

South Park's latest episode, titled "Sickofancy," brings AI into the fold in a big way, with everyone from Randy to Satan asking ChatGPT for advice on their problems. These range from Satan's desire to escape the White House to Randy raiding an ICE detention center for "one Mexican" employee.

In all cases, South Park portrays ChatGPT as the ultimate yes-man, validating all its users' concerns and suggesting all their plans are good ones. And while Randy claims he can feel ChatGPT making him and his business partner Towelie smarter, the reality is that they're regurgitating buzzwords and affirmations that ChatGPT has churned out for them.

SEE ALSO: 'South Park's anti-Trump episode was its biggest season premiere in years

As Randy and Towelie grow their weed business, they decide the only way they can make billions from it is if Trump reclassifies weed. So Towelie heads to Washington, D.C., to petition Trump.

To get an audience with Trump, Towelie has to wait in line with other politicians and tech figures. Each brings Trump a present, along with the affirmation, "You do not have a small penis."

One of the people in line is Apple CEO Tim Cook, who gifts Trump a plaque on a gold stand — something which did actually happen in real life. (Trump goes on to call him "some dipshit tech CEO.") Later in the episode, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg also makes an appearance to give Trump a gold, jewel-encrusted VR headset.

South Park spoofs Trump's federal takeover of D.C. police.

The biggest laugh of the "Mr. Towelie Goes to Washington" section of "Sickofancy" comes when Towelie first arrives in the city. He takes in the sights of the nation's capital, from the Washington Monument and Lincoln Memorial to the Supreme Court and U.S. Capitol.

However, instead of being crowded with tourists and D.C. citizens, all these locations are overrun by military troops and tanks. The visual gag references Trump's federal takeover of the D.C. police and activation of the National Guard in the city. Trump claimed this was part of an effort to curb crime in D.C. Notably, after a spike in 2023, violent crime has dropped in D.C. over the course of 2024 and 2025.

By its end, "Sickofancy" takes an exceptionally dark turn, trapping Towelie in the White House alongside Satan. He begs for help in getting out, but as a resigned Satan says, "There is no escape from this place."

Even if there were, it's clear South Park creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone have no intentions of leaving the White House any time soon. Who's up next on their satirical chopping block?

South Park is now streaming on Paramount+. New episodes air every other Wednesday at 10 p.m. ET on Comedy Central, and stream next day on Paramount+.

SAVE $239: Pre-order the new Google Pixel 10 Pro, Google Pixel 10 XL, or Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold from Google and get a free year of access to Google AI Pro which ordinarily comes with a $239 price tag.

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Google just announced the new Pixel 10 lineup, and if you're looking for a new Android phone, this could be just the news you've been waiting for. You have plenty of options for pre-ordering the new models, but there's a special deal at Google if you're interested in the brand's AI assistance.

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SEE ALSO: College students can get Google AI Pro for free, as company launches new guided learning mode

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AirGradient has officially joined the "Works with Home Assistant" program, and will bring its lineup of indoor and outdoor air quality monitors to the platform. This is a huge deal because AirGradient is the very first partner in the program to focus specifically on advanced air quality monitors.