Technology

Operating systems have to strike a balance between supporting older technologies, and avoiding unnecessary bloat from accumulated components over the decades. Which is why developers like Microsoft or Apple may eventually dump support for legacy hardware, since hardly anyone uses it.

Unreal Engine 5 is an absolute marvel—for developers. With tools like Nanite and Lumen, studios can create stunning visuals faster than ever before, using assets with unprecedented fidelity.

If you're an experienced online shopper, then you know what it's like to question a site's legitimacy. It's common to come across something cool — or something you've been searching for far and wide, like, say, a Labubu — only to be unsure if the site is a scam.

Google Chrome is rolling out a new tool aimed at helping you see if a website is legit. While Google already provides details on product reviews in its search results, you'll now be able to see reviews of the store itself before you buy anything, built right into Chrome.

Wrote Google in a blog post on the new tool:

"This feature uses data from Google Shopping and other popular review websites to provide people with helpful insights when shopping on e-commerce sites.

Just click the icon to the left of the web address and you can access an AI-generated summary of reviews. The description will cover topics like customer service, product quality, shipping, pricing and returns, helping you understand what to expect from your shopping experience at a glance."

Here's what a store review will look like.

Credit: Google

So now when you find something you really like online, you've got another tool to be certain your order is legit.

Are you using KDE Plasma but still working the same way you did on Windows? Do you wonder if you're getting the most out of your KDE Plasma setup? Well, here are five game-changing features that completely transformed how I use and interact with my PC!

TL;DR: Youbooks is a unique AI tool that combines AI models to write your book how you want it, and it’s only A$75 for life.

Opens in a new window Credit: Youbooks Youbooks - AI Non-Fiction Book Generator: Lifetime Subscription AU$75
AU$827 Save AU$752 Get Deal

If you’ve ever thought about writing a book but got stuck on where to start, Youbooks can help get you over that hurdle.

This AI-powered platform helps transform your ideas into professional-quality nonfiction books, and right now, you can get a lifetime subscription for just A$75 (reg. A$827).

AI can write your book

What makes Youbooks stand from other AI tools is its use of multiple AI models, including ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, and Llama, to craft well-rounded and coherent content. You can create massive manuscripts of up to 300,000 words, so whether you’re a content creator, educator, or entrepreneur, Youbooks gives you a solid way to bring your ideas to life.

You can even upload your own research, documents, or notes to steer the AI in the right direction and make sure the final product reflects your voice and expertise. Plus, Youbooks taps into real-time web research to pull in current facts and stats, keeping your book accurate and up to date.

You also have a lot of flexibility when it comes to style. You can set the tone and writing style you want, and once your book is ready, you own it completely. You’re free to publish, sell, or share it however you like.

With 150,000 monthly credits included (and the option to stack codes for more), there’s plenty of room to create.

It’s now only A$75 to get a Youbooks lifetime subscription, but it won’t stay that way.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Splitting expenses for things like group trips with friends can be hard. But it doesn't have to be. Cash App just rolled out a really solid money pool feature, and the most important part is that you don't need all your friends to sign up for Cash App.

There's a new AI agent on the block for people who spend their waking hours inside spreadsheets.

Navigate to Shortcut AI's website, and you'll find a page that looks almost exactly like an empty Microsoft Excel spreadsheet. The main difference is a sidebar chatbot that can be tasked with taking on the tedious legwork of building, say, complex financial models or competitive analyses.

Because Shortcut is agentic, meaning it can handle multi-step tasks on the user's behalf, the tool can do more than just generate Excel formulas or analyze spreadsheet data. In a demo on X, Nico Christie, founder and CEO of the Shortcut AI agent, showed how the tool swapped out the data from a Microsoft distributed cash flow analysis (DCF) for Google data by looking up Google's SEC filings and populating the data in the same template.

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Shortcut launched on Monday with a rather ominous tagline: "Try Shortcut (before your boss does)." Christie also said on X that the Shortcut Excel agent "one-shots most knowledge work tasks on Excel."

In the launch video, Christie said that the company tested Shortcut's skills in private equity, banking, consulting, and product management tasks against first-year analysts from McKinsey, Goldman Sachs, and other firms.

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When scored by managers from the same firm, he said Shortcut "won" against the analysts 89.1 percent of the time, although details about how this "win rate" was scored is unspecified. Christie also claimed Shortcut beat ChatGPT Agent 90 percent of the time. Mashable cannot independently verify these claims, however.

The advent of agentic work tools like Shortcut calls to mind Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei's prediction that AI could wipe out half of entry-level white collar jobs. Disruptive tech throughout history has often targeted manual labor and blue-collar jobs through automation and robotics. But today's advanced AI models promise to automate desk job grunt work and even complex office tasks. A recent study from SignalFire found a decrease in hiring for entry-level tech jobs, suggesting AI's impact on the job market is already in effect.

The optimistic view is that tools like Shortcut will work for workers by automating time-consuming tasks, and thus freeing up space for more creative and strategic work that AI isn't as a good at. The outcome may vary from company to company, but agentic AI already shaping the way employees approach their jobs.

Indeed, the Shortcut AI agent is marketed as a secret weapon for finance bros, consultants, and the like. You can edit existing Excel files in Shortcut and export it back to Excel. "No one would ever know that it was made in Shortcut," Christie said in the launch video.

And heavy spreadsheet users are already paying attention. "Looks like a massive part of finance workflow got automated by AI," said finance creator and writer @HighYieldHarry on X.

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"This is a really big moment for the Finance industry! Exciting times we're in," posted Michael Yuan, cofounder of fintech company Waverly AI.

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Yuan also pointed out some of Shortcuts current limitations: it's slow and has formatting issues. Christie himself also shared that it's "not perfect" and needs to be easier for users to review.

How to try Shortcut AI

Shortcut offers two plans: Shortcut Pro for $40 a month or Shortcut Max for $200 a month, which gets power users everything in the Pro subscription plus unlimited access to its more advanced model and other perks. There's also a 7-day free trial for either option.

You can learn more at tryshortcut.ai.

Note: The Shortcut AI Excel agent is unrelated to the iOS Shortcuts app, which Apple said would be getting an AI makeover during WWDC 2025. There is also an unrelated agentic AI company called Shortcut.

You’ve seen Labubu all over your social media feeds, but now it’s Crybaby’s time to shine. One of Pop Mart's cult-favorite characters, Crybaby is everything its name suggests: soft, sensitive, and unafraid to show it. With juicy teardrops streaming down its face and an aura of quiet vulnerability, Crybaby wears its emotions proudly.

It's tearfully chic. Just ask its celebrity fans: BLACKPINK’s Lisa, who was spotted toting the Love You Cherry Much plush on her Louis Vuitton bag, internet personality Bretman Rock, and (G)I-DLE's Minnie.

SEE ALSO: The cult and community of Labubu

Now, the character is taking a sparkly, tutu-clad turn with the new Crybaby Shiny Shiny Series, a limited collection of plush accessories and collectibles that channels full balletcore energy. There are plush bag charms dressed in white tulle skirts and ballet buns, fuzzy dolls with pearl necklaces and floppy bunny ears, and glittering phone cases and cardholders that let you carry a little catharsis everywhere you go.

The collection dropped on July 24 in stores and online. And while some of the online stock quickly sold out, you don't want to miss out on future Crybaby drops.

Crybaby Shiny Shiny Plush Pendant Blister Pack ($24.99)

A ballet bag charm with a tear-streaked face and a tutu.

Wear your emotions on your bag. Credit: POP MART Crybaby Shiny Shiny Plush Doll ($43.99)

Ultra-textured and dreamy, with bunny ears and soft pastel details.

Your emotional support doll is draped in pearls and emotionally available. Credit: POP MART Crybaby Shiny Shiny Earphone Case ($20.99)

A sculptural pouch for your AirPods that’s equal parts cute and functional.

Even your earbuds deserve a safe space to cry. Credit: POP MART Crybaby Shiny Shiny Phone Case ($25.99)

Available for iPhone 15 and 16 Pro Max.

Text your ex with grace and glitter. Credit: POP MART Crybaby Shiny Shiny Card Holder Blind Box ($19.99)

There are six surprise designs (plus one secret edition).

A surprise with every tear. Credit: POP MART

Created by Thai artist Molly Yllom (Mod-Nisa Srikhumdee) after the death of her dog Somchun, Crybaby isn’t meant to be a person or even a baby, but a vessel for emotion. "Crying is a normal thing, is a normal feeling,” Yllom said in a Pop Mart video from 2024. "Maybe sometimes we feel like there should be someone telling me that it is OK to cry."

View this post on Instagram

That’s the core of Crybaby: not just a toy, but a tender little reminder that it’s OK to fall apart sometimes. And it’s resonated deeply. While the character first debuted in 2017, it became part of Pop Mart's official lineup in 2022 and quickly cultivated a global fandom.

SEE ALSO: Where can you buy Labubu online?

With the Shiny Shiny collection, Crybaby is stepping into its most glamorous form yet — still vulnerable, still tearful, but sparkling with new confidence. It’s not just cute; it's a wearable mood. And now your tech can be too.

Have you ever had an incredibly stupid conversation with someone on a dating app before?

TikTok creator Luke Holloway takes those conversations and turns them into very, very catchy little songs. You've probably heard some of the tunes before, as part of his series "Day X of turning terrible TINDER conversations into songs," but none more than the now-viral "I have one daughter" video. It goes like this:

Holloway, dressed in a white cable-knit sweater: "You have any kids?"

Holloway, dressed in a green blouse and a white wig: "Yes, I have one daughter. How about you?"

Holloway in the sweater: "How many baby daddies do you have? If you don't mind me asking."

Holloway in the wig: "... I have one daughter."

Holloway in the sweater: "I understand that, is she by the same father?"

Holloway in the wig: "I don't understand."

You get the gist. It's a goofy conversation in which one person does not comprehend a fairly easy-to-comprehend issue. Unless you're the plot of Mamma Mia, chances are if you have one baby, you also have one baby daddy.

But Holloway's song is devastatingly catchy. I've been singing it for weeks. "I have one daughter," I sing as I float around my apartment doing the dishes or cooking dinner. Because of its catchiness, the video has 1.2 million likes and over 14 million views. The audio itself has been used over 65,500 times on the app, with users putting text over it to describe frustrating conversations about selling books, having vitiligo, and being a parent.

Holloway didn't immediately respond to Mashable's request for an interview, but the trend doesn't seem to be slowing — likely because, as one user said in the comment section of his video, "This is beyond catchy."

Microsoft is killing off the password functionality in its popular Microsoft Authenticator app as the company moves toward a "password-less" future. That means your passwords will be deleted on Aug. 1 — this Friday — unless you act quickly.

We've covered the ongoing Microsoft password saga in detail, but now the key deadline is approaching. The long and short of it: Microsoft is migrating to using passkeys — a more secure credential that effectively rolls passwords and two-factor authentication (2FA) into one step — which means removing passwords from Authenticator. You can still store passkeys with the app.

In lieu of traditional passwords, users will need to set up passkeys with Microsoft, which isn't too difficult. That's option one. Option two involves saving your existing passwords with Microsoft Edge.

So, if you've been procrastinating on migrating your passwords or setting up a passkey, you're almost out of time.

How to set up a passkey with Microsoft

It's easy to set up passkeys because, after all, Microsoft has planned for this change. In fact, if you use Microsoft Authenticator, then it should prompt you to switch to passkeys. From there, Microsoft should detect and determine the best method for you to set up a passkey — facial recognition, fingerprint, PIN, etc. — and then walk you through the steps.

You can also look for a "set up a passkey" button in the Authenticator app, which will allow you to... set up a passkey.

SEE ALSO: Don't forget: Microsoft is killing passwords. How to set up a Microsoft passkey before August deadline. How to save your passwords before Microsoft deletes them

Now, let's say you don't want to migrate to using passkeys. Well, first, your passwords have migrated to Microsoft Edge, the company's web browser. If you're using Edge on desktop, iOS, or Android, you can turn on the "autofill" function in settings to have your passwords automatically load.

If you're not an Edge user, you can also export your passwords and load them into a different password manager before Friday's deadline. You can find an "Export Passwords" tool in the settings of the Microsoft Authenticator app. From there, you can import that file into pretty much any new password manager tool. Should you wish to go that route, we can recommend a few password managers.

So, yes, you may lose your passwords in a few days — but it's pretty easy to prevent it.

OpenAI wants ChatGPT to be a pocket companion, friend, and now teacher, as the company launches Study Mode, a ChatGPT mode that turns the all-answers bot into a personal tutor.

In Study Mode, ChatGPT no longer provides direct answers to user queries. Instead, when toggled on, users are prompted to explain their goals and knowledge level before any information is given — for example, if you are new to the topic or if you already have a grasp of the material and just need a refresher — and the chatbot provides a personalized lesson in response.

SEE ALSO: Deepfake voice scams are more sophisticated than ever: How to keep your family safe

If a user, say a college freshman, needs help with a difficult physics problem, ChatGPT will skip over the introductory stuff and move right into a lesson module. If another only vaguely recalls learning a topic but they now need to answer a specific question, ChatGPT will backtrack. "Let’s learn by doing," ChatGPT responds. "Let’s work through this together.”

Credit: OpenAI

Earlier this month, users theorized that OpenAI was set to release a tutor bot after ChatGPT users spotted a new "Study Together" option in the product's settings, which allowed them to problem solve with the chatbot in a kind of Socratic dialogue. The move wasn't surprising to most, as OpenAI has made an aggressive push for AI applications in education, including offering free ChatGPT services to college students nationwide. With Study Mode, company has since confirmed that's exactly what's going on.

"We all know that learning requires friction, it takes effort, curiosity, and grappling with ideas," said Open AI head of education Leah Belsky in a call with press. "So the question on our minds as we built this product was, how can we guide students towards using AI in ways that encourage true, deeper learning?"

Credit: OpenAI

As OpenAI explained, the new mode is built on custom system instructions that prompt ChatGPT to mimic an educator, informed by input from pedagogy experts, teachers, and scientists. These include the aforementioned Socratic questioning method, as well as concepts like scaffolded responses and built-in knowledge checks to gauge a users' understanding. The hope is the feature will engage college students, in particular.

"We believe AI will transform the way the world learns," Belsky said.

Belsky explained that OpenAI's additional motivation to design a teacher-like bot was to address a growing problem with the tool's "average" user, who may find it difficult to fine-tune OpenAI's model into something manageable and intuitive to learning. "This is critical, because early research shows that how ChatGPT is used in learning makes a difference in the learning outcomes that it drives. When ChatGPT is prompted to teach or tutor, it can significantly improve academic performance. But when it's just used as an answer machine, it can hinder learning," she said.

OpenAI also announced it's exploring future updates to Study Mode that may include more advanced visualizations, goal-setting and progress tracking, and personalization based on skill and grade.

How to use ChatGPT's Study Mode

Users interested in trying out the chatbot's new Socratic-style can simply toggle on "in ChatGPT's "Tools" setting, located below the prompt window. Study Mode can also be turned on and off during a conversation.

Important to note: the feature is built only on new system instructions and not its own main model, which, the company explains, can result in inconsistent behavior and mistakes across conversations.

The feature is available on Free, Plus, Pro, and Team accounts, and will launch to ChatGPT Edu accounts in the coming weeks.

TL;DR: Take control of your documents with PDF Converter and Editor. Easily convert, edit, and manage PDFs with this lifetime license, now just A$36 with code SAVE20 through September 7.

Tired of the daily PDF struggle? With PDF Converter and Editor, you can easily switch between formats, edit text, and organize your documents like a pro. And right now, you can secure a lifetime subscription for only A$36 (reg. A$153) with code SAVE20 before September 7.

Conquer PDFs once and for all with this app

Stop jumping through hoops when it comes to PDFs. PDF Converter and Editor lets you tackle this pesky file format easily on one handy platform. Convert PDFs to Word, Excel, JPG, and more files — or turn other formats into PDFs with just a few clicks.

PDF Converter offers lightning-fast conversions without sacrificing quality. You'll enjoy high-quality output, so you can confidently convert files for any purpose. 

This app does more than convert PDFs — it’s packed with extra tools to make working with PDFs a breeze. Built-in OCR technology can extract text from image-based files. And merging, splitting, or compressing documents is equally straightforward. 

Need to fill out an existing PDF? It's easy to fill out forms with text, check boxes, shapes, and annotations all on PDF Converter. Want to just grab the images off a PDF file? That's just as simple — you can extract all JPGs and PNGs from a PDF with just one click. 

If you're dealing with sensitive data, PDF Converter lets you lock or unlock your files, add password protection, and even encrypt sensitive information for peace of mind.

Need to enhance your PDF? This app makes it easy to add customizable watermarks and shapes as needed. 

Manage, edit, and convert PDFs with PDF Converter and Editor for just A$36 using code SAVE20 through September 7.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Acethinker PDF Converter & Editor: Lifetime License AU$36
AU$153 Save AU$117 Get Deal

SAVE $70: As of July 29, the Lenovo Idea Tab Pro is down to its lowest price ever of $209.99 at Amazon. That's just shy of 20% in savings.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lenovo Lenovo Idea Tab Pro (with folio case and Lenovo Tab Pen Plus) $209.99 at Amazon
$279.99 Save $70 Get Deal

In a world flooded with iPads and Galaxy tablets, it's easy to forget there are other options. But Lenovo's Idea Tab Pro is definitely a worthy contender. Our pals at PCMag (also owned by Mashable's publisher, Ziff Davis), write that it "stands out by offering a bevy of high-end features at a midrange price."

As of July 29, the Lenovo Idea Tab Pro (128GB) is on sale for only $209.99 instead of its usual $279.99 at Amazon. That's nearly 20% in savings and its best price to date. Similar to the higher-end Galaxy tablets, the Lenovo Idea Tab Pro includes a professional stylus — the Lenovo Tab Pen Plus — instead of charging extra like the Apple Pencil. The low $209.99 price tag also includes a folio case.

Its minimalist design combines a spacious 12.7-inch display with solid specs and strong performance without a ton of extras. It doesn't have the brightest display or best cameras on the market, but that's not its main selling point. Instead, its biggest perks are its impressively smooth performance, expandable storage, speedy WiFi, and solid battery life (up to 11 hours). Its built for everyday use and productivity alike, making it a particularly great choice for students.

As far as affordable Android tablets go, the Lenovo Idea Tab Pro is at the top of the list. Slash $70 off for a limited time with this back to school deal at Amazon.

India is now the top exporter of smartphones to the U.S., overtaking China in the race, according to research firm Canalys.

The number of smartphones assembled in India and imported to the U.S. skyrocketed this year, accounting for 44 percent of phones imported to the U.S. in the second quarter of 2025. The total volume of smartphones made in India increased by 240 percent from last year.

Meanwhile, China's smartphone exports to the U.S. shrank from 61 percent last year to just 25 percent of total U.S. imports by June. This is lower than that of Vietnam, which is now responsible for 30 percent of phone imports to the country.

China's exports to the U.S. are slipping amid tariff concerns and "accelerated supply chain reorientation" after uncertain negotiations between the two countries, according to Canalys. Tech giants like Apple largely shifted their supply chain to India, while "still dependent on established manufacturing bases in China," said Canalys analyst Sanyam Chaurasia. Companies including Motorola and Samsung have also increased their share of U.S. supplies from India.

Exports from China have been under increasing threat since the U.S. imposed high tariffs on the country (tariffs that were heightened, paused in May, and generally left global markets in a state of uncertainty). The two countries have resumed trade talks in Stockholm this week. Meanwhile, a tariff simulator has just predicted that China-made exports to the U.S. could fall by $485 billion between now and 2027.

SEE ALSO: What to buy before tariffs take effect: Experts say laptops, smartphones, and even Christmas lights could soon cost more

President Donald Trump has been pushing tech companies to move manufacturing to the U.S., as his tariffs have swept through the global economy in recent months. In May, the President took to Truth Social to inform Apple's Tim Cook that he expects iPhones to be manufactured and built in the United States – "not India, or anyplace else."

SAVE $150: As of July 29, get the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus for $599.99 at Best Buy. That's a discount of 20% and the lowest price we've seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus $599.99 at Best Buy
$749.99 Save $150 Get Deal

If you're the type of person who likes to get work done on the go, you should consider picking up a new laptop. And if you like no-muss, no-fuss tech, a Chromebook laptop is even better. That's why you shouldn't miss this Samsung Chromebook, now down to the lowest price we've seen, at Best Buy.

As of July 29, get the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus for $599.99, down from $749.99, at Best Buy. That's a discount of 20% and $150 off. It's also the lowest price we've seen.

SEE ALSO: The 3 best laptops of 2025 (so far)

This iteration of Samsung's Galaxy Chromebook line comes with an Intel Core 3 processor, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and a gorgeous Neptune Blue chassis. Samsung boasts that it's the thinnest, lightest Chromebook Plus ever as well, so it's made to tote around wherever you need to get things done. It also comes with 12 months of Google One AI Premium so you can put Google Gemini Advanced and Gemini to use throughout apps like Docs, Gmail, and more with 2TB of cloud storage.

The AMOLED display is super bright, and the 15.6-inch screen is large enough to give you more real estate to work with. It gives you 13 hours of battery per charge as well, with super-charging able to your Chromebook back up to speed in no time. And, if you need to, you can connect to your phone straight from your computer to make additional tasks (or catching up) a cinch.

If it's time you upgraded, consider grabbing one of these models before they go out of stock at this price.

A new lawsuit filed by two companies in the adult film industry claims that Meta has torrented copyrighted adult film content for years in order to train its AI models.

Strike 3 Holdings, a pornographic film holding company, along with Counterlife Media, filed the lawsuit in a US Court District in California on Friday, alleging that Meta "willfully and intentionally" infringed at least 2,396 copyrighted movies since 2018. The company is the most active copyright litigant in the U.S., according to TorrentFreak, and regularly targets BitTorrent pirates.

SEE ALSO: Judge in 'Kadrey v. Meta' AI copyright case rules for Meta, against authors

According to the suit, Meta downloaded adult film content "for purposes of acquiring content to train its Meta Movie Gen, Large Language Model ('LLaMA'), as well as various other Meta AI Models that rely on video training content." Meta is accused of downloading copyrighted works without permission and with the purpose of distribution "in order to accelerate its downloads of vast amounts of other content."

Popular torrenting networks don't just allow users to download media files. Torrenting is a form of peer-to-peer file sharing, in which users download pieces of files from other users. The suit alleges that not only did Meta download copyrighted adult works, but that it made these files available to others, and benefited from doing so. Mashable has reached out to Meta for comment.

Strike 3 Holdings, which says its sites attract over 25 million monthly visitors, is now seeking extensive damages that could amount to $359 million. And, according to Ars Technica, the company is also asking for an injunction to permanently ban Meta from using its content again.

Meta has previously been sued over its AI model training, with a major copyright and fair use case filed against the tech giant by authors including Richard Kadrey, Sarah Silverman, Ta-Nehisi Coates, and Junot Diaz. Recently, Meta won a ruling against these authors, who claimed the company used their copyrighted works without permission. As Mashable's Cecily Mauran reported, "At the heart of these fights is a battle of values: the rights and livelihoods of artists versus technological innovation at all costs."

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 22%: The 55-inch Amazon Fire TV 4-Series is on sale at Amazon for $359.99, down from the list price of $459.99. That's a savings of $100.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon 55-inch Amazon Fire TV 4-Series $359.99 at Amazon
$459.99 Save $100 Get Deal

We're almost into fall TV season which means we have tons to look forward to. Plus, it happens to be getting close to major sports kickoffs. If you've been considering upgrading your TV, now is a great time. Amazon thinks so, too, and they're offering a sweet sale price on a solid model.

As of July 29, the 55-inch Amazon Fire TV 4-Series is just $359.99 at Amazon, marked down from the standard price of $459.99. That works out to a savings of $100 thanks to a 22% discount. It also matches the low we saw during Prime Day earlier this month.

Did you know season five of Only Murders in the Building is coming on Sept. 9? Now you do. We also have a new season of Wednesday dropping on Aug. 6, and plenty more that's worth tuning into. If you've been watching previous seasons of these shows on your tiny cellphone screen, consider today's sale your sign to upgrade.

SEE ALSO: Get this spooky Wednesday Addams Lego set ahead of the season 2 premiere

The 55-inch Fire TV 4-Series is a UHD TV that released in 2024. It's a great mix of quality with affordability, coming with a clear and crisp display. Plus, you get four HDMI ports to connect all your gaming and sound-system accessories.

The 55-inch size is perfect for a bedroom, a kids' room, or the garage. Like most Amazon TVs, this comes with the power of a Fire Streaming Stick already built in, so you won't need to add a streaming stick to your shopping cart.

In case you missed scoring a new TV during Prime Day, Amazon is here to save the day by offering the 55-inch Fire TV 4-Series for the same sale price of $359.99. Today's deal will put you in great shape for upcoming fall favorites.

SAVE $22: As of July 29, get the Nothing CMF Buds Pro 2 at Amazon for $47, down from their usual price of $69. That's a discount of 32%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Nothing CMF Buds Pro 2 $47 at Amazon
$69 Save $22 Get Deal

Looking for a new pair of earbuds? The many budget earbuds available might make your head spin, but there's one brand you may not have considered while shopping: Nothing. And you can get a pair of the company's CMF Buds Pro 2 for a pittance while they're back at their Prime Day price.

As of July 29, get the Nothing CMF Buds Pro 2 at Amazon for $22 off. That brings them down to $47 from the usual price of $69 for a discount of 32%.

SEE ALSO: The best wireless earbuds for every situation

These buds offer up to 50 dB of active noise cancellation with an expansive frequency range of up to 5000 Hz. They also boast a large 60 mAh battery so you can get 10 hours of music on each charge with 43 hours of additional playback thanks to the charging case. They also let you tweak their audio and EQ settings in the Nothing X app, where you can change everything from mid and high tones to bass and everything in between.

Beyond that, they offer spatial audio with 360-degree cinematic sound for Bluetooth connectivity, so no matter what you're doing in real life, you can be surrounded by sound. They include a customizable Smart Dial on the buds themselves to help you control them while on the go as well.

If you're ready to grab an advanced pair of earbuds, but don't want to spend too much cash, these make a great alternative to the many other options on the market.

SAVE $5: Heading to the cinema? Take $5 off any movie ticket on Wednesdays when you purchase through Fandango using Apple Pay. Just enter the code APPLEPAYWED at checkout.

Opens in a new window Credit: Fandango Fandango movie tickets Save $5 on Wednesdays using Apple Pay (code: APPLEPAYWED) Get Deal

Movie theaters are still struggling to return to their pre-pandemic glory, thanks in part to rising prices. If you're looking to spend more time at the cinema and less cash, Fandango is making things a little easier on wallets everywhere with Apple Pay Wednesdays.

When you purchase movie tickets on Wednesdays on the Fandango website or app using Apple Pay, you can get $5 off your ticket. This deal is valid for any movie on any day of the week — you just have to make the actual purchase on a Wednesday using Apple Pay with the code APPLEPAYWED.

There is a catch, of course. Only a limited quantity of code redemptions are allowed each Wednesday. So you'll want act quickly to secure your discounted ticket. If the code is showing up as invalid when you try to pay with Apple Pay (and it is, in fact, a Wednesday), it has probably already reached its maximum capacity. Pro tip: the earlier on Wednesday you can make your purchase, the better.

Be a part of the cinematic experience again while spending a little less on your tickets (we highly recommend starting with The Fantastic Four: First Steps or Oh, Hi!, which are both currently in theaters). It could be the first small step in the theater revival.

Google Nest users have a widespread complaint: that the verbal command "turn off the lights" isn't working.

A writer for Android Authority pointed out that the device didn't work for her, and several users on Reddit have reported the same issue. Some Google Home users say they can still control individual lights, but not groups of lights; others report individual bulbs won't turn on or off; and other times, the Google devices can't understand the difference between lights in separate bedrooms.

The issue seems to be contained to using Assistant voice commands, with most users saying that the controls work as they normally should within the Google Home app.

SEE ALSO: Is Google Home another victim of ensh*ttification? Redditors discuss, Google responds.

Google responded to several posts on r/googlehome, acknowledging the problem: "Hey all, We're aware of an issue with using voice commands to control some lights. We’ll share an update as soon as possible, thanks for your patience."

This onslaught of complaints follows criticism from Google Home users over the "enshittification" of Google Home smart speakers and hubs. Redditors have been complaining about glitches, delayed responses, and the deterioration of several basic features.

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Anish Kattukaran, Chief Product Officer of Google Home and Nest, responded to these complaints earlier in July, reassuring users that Google is "actively working on major improvements" and that the team would have more to share in coming months.

The crisis over Google Home gadgets may be getting worse. According to Tech Radar, US law firm Kaplan Gore has begun investigating a possible class action against Google for "failing to remedy increasing problems with its Google Home 'smart home' service." The law firm is asking Google users to share complaints over failing features, such as "unrecognized voice commands, automations and routines not functioning."