Technology

Google Photos is updating its image-to-video feature with Veo 3, Google's popular generative AI video model.

In July, the tech giant introduced a way for U.S. users to turn their photos into videos within Google Photos. As of Thursday, this feature is now powered by Veo 3.

Turning images into videos using generative AI has become a popular novelty for meme-ifying static images or bringing cherished photos to life. Several AI startups like Runway, Pika, Freepik, and Kling AI were among the first to capitalize on the very social media-friendly trend. And tech heavyweights like OpenAI and xAI have gotten into the game with their Sora and Grok models. However, Veo 3 is widely considered to be the most advanced AI video model, at least, for now.

With the Google Photos feature, users select a photo they want to turn into a video in the Create tab and choose between two prompts: "Subtle movement" or "I'm feeling lucky." Image and video models are expensive to run, which might explain why users have limited options over how they want to transform the image. Other companies will let users create a video with open-ended descriptions, but require a subscription.

Google Photos users get a limited number of generations every day. But subscribers to Google AI Pro ($20 a month) and Google AI Ultra ($200 a month) get higher daily limits.

In addition to the update launched today, Google Photos has pre-existing photo editing features using generative AI. This includes remixing photos into a new style, creating and editing collages, making a video highlight reel, turning photos into 3D images with Cinematic Photos, and animating still images into a GIF. All of these features are available in the Create tab on Google Photos.

XGIMI just revealed a trio of brand-new 4K home theater projectors. All three of the new "Horizon 20" projectors are available for pre-order today with specially discounted early-bird pricing.

Anthologies let you watch a show in any order while carrying an overarching theme or genre that ties their parts together. You can build your own adventure and not worry about nail-biting cliffhangers or unsatisfying endings.

A history exhibit commissioned by President Donald Trump's White House relies on AI-generated videos of the founding fathers and other historical figures from revolutionary times. The "Road to Liberty" exhibit at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington, D.C. features dozens of AI videos that bring "America’s founding to life through cinematic storytelling." It's a bit weird and, at times, inaccurate.

Gizmodo covered the exhibit in detail, noting that the PragerU-created "Founders Museum" shows a "rather distorted view of America’s founding." (PragerU is a conservative nonprofit that makes educational content, though it has come under fire from liberals for presenting rightwing content as purely educational.) An uncanny valley, AI-generated John Adams, for instance, says "facts do not care about our feelings," which is the infamous tagline of rightwing figure Ben Shapiro. Obviously, John Adams did not actually coin that phrase, and it seems to be a deliberate troll on the part of PragerU.

At the Road to Liberty website, visitors can see 62 AI-generated videos featuring historical figures.

The White House told NPR that the goal was to use AI so that "these people, places and events come to life, making history engaging to Americans across the country." However, experts who spoke to NPR said they were worried about the portrayal of the founding fathers

"While the project to bring the founders and the signers of the Declaration of Independence into focus is one that many historians admire and would support," William G. Thomas, vice president of the research division at the American Historical Association, told NPR, "I think there's some concerns about how that's done in this case."

If nothing else, the AI founding fathers appear a bit strange — at least to this reporter. And, as Gizmodo pointed out, the John Adams video features the odd AI habit of creating people with extra or missing fingers. That's something you'd expect from AI slop posted online, but perhaps not a White House-sponsored exhibit on the nation's history.

Google has some new smart home products on the way.

That's not coming from a leaker, by the way. This time, it's straight from the mothership. Google announced on X that Gemini would be coming to Google Home, promising more information on Oct. 1. Google showed off some of Gemini's smart home capabilities at its Made by Google event last month, so it seems like now would be the time to formally announce some devices that can take advantage of those.

SEE ALSO: Google can keep Chrome and Android, judge rules in antitrust case This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

There have been some rumors and leaks about these new devices. A recent batch of leaks suggested there will be a new speaker, new indoor and outdoor cameras, and a new video doorbell. Google hasn't refreshed the Nest product lineup in a few years, so these updates might be sorely needed. Gemini will enable more naturalistic conversations with these devices, as well as multimodal features, such as the ability to talk to your device about what your security camera saw throughout the day.

We'll all find out together how true this is on Oct. 1.

FREE SMARTWATCH: As of Sept. 4, get a free OnePlus Watch 2 with the purchase of a OnePlus 13 smartphone. This deal won't last — it's over once all 700 watches have been claimed.

Opens in a new window Credit: OnePlus OnePlus Watch 2 $0 at OnePlus
$299 Save $299 Get a free OnePlus smartwatch with the purchase of a OnePlus 13. Get Deal

If you think there's no alternative to the big names in smartphones, think again. OnePlus has burst through the crowd of Apple, Google, and Samsung to bring forth a strong contender in the smartphone game. We've named the OnePlus 13 one of the best smartphones of 2025, so if you're thinking of buying one, now is a great time since you get a free smartwatch with purchase.

As of Sept. 4, get a free OnePlus Watch 2 with the purchase of a OnePlus 13 phone — just select which color watch you want before adding to checkout. This deal is on offer for a limited time and only lasts until all 700 watches have been claimed. As reported by our sibling site ZDNET, once all watches have been claimed, shoppers can use the code BACK2COLLEGE to receive $100 off a OnePlus 13.

The OnePlus Watch 2 comes with a Snapdragon W5 and BES2700 chipsets. It boasts an insane battery life of up to 100 hours and has a bright 1.43-inch AMOLED watch face. It monitors daily activity and stress monitoring, with over 100+ different sports modes. Similar to an Apple Watch, it can even autodetect activity.

Since you need to purchase a OnePlus 13 to get the free OnePlus Watch 2, you may be wondering why you should go for it. It's a great smartphone, and like the smartwatch, it boasts impressive battery life at 24 hours of playback. It jumps smoothly between apps and has a nice camera to boot. So if you're looking for an Android alternative to the Googles and Samsungs of the world, the OnePlus 13 is a nice option.

The first alpha version of Kodi 22, code-named "Piers," has just been released. The updates came with a big audio/video upgrade to FFmpeg 7, new Blu-ray support for multi-episode discs, and a redesigned Movie Versions/Extras section. There are also some major improvements for PVR.

I don’t remember the last time I manually typed text from an image on my Android phone. That’s because there are several free tools available to copy text from photos on my phone, and I’ll share with you what those options are.

For a lot of people, tablets fall in a weird spot. They’re too big to carry in your pocket, but too small for any real work. Android tablets, in particular, have struggled to find a purpose. That hasn’t stopped Samsung from trying, though. The company just dropped its latest Galaxy Tab S11 lineup, and while a lot of it seems familiar, there's one big change.

SAVE $49.01: As of Sept. 4, get the GoPro Hero 12 Black Creator Edition bundle for $349.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $399. That's a discount of 12% and the lowest price we've seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon GoPro Hero 12 Black Creator Edition Bundle $349.99 at Amazon
$399 Save $49.01 Get Deal

Summer may be over, but that doesn't mean your outdoor adventures have to end. You've still got plenty of time to enjoy hiking, camping, surfing, skateboarding, or whatever it is your heart desires before the chill of winter sets in. An action camera is a great way to capture every moment of what you're getting up to in the world. You can save big on one right now that’s built to keep up with all your adventures.

As of Sept. 4, get the GoPro Hero 12 Black Creator Edition bundle for $349.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $399. That's $49.01 off and a discount of 12%. It's also the lowest price we've seen. This bundle comes with the GoPro Hero 12 Black action camera; Volta battery grip, tripod, and remote; Media Mod; Light Mod; Enduro Battery; and a carrying case.

SEE ALSO: Insta360's new GO Ultra action camera trades tiny form for greater performance

This camera is no slouch when it comes to recording every second of your physical activity. Mashable's Timothy Beck Werth gave the camera a 4.7 in his review and labeled it "an absolute beast." He gave kudos to its intuitive controls, impressive battery life, and improved video stabilization in comparison to the Hero 11 Black model. It also has a great vertical video mode that makes creating TikTok or Instagram-ready content a snap.

This camera can track everything you're doing with precision, whether it's bike tricks or climbing a mountain. It also comes with all the accessories you need to get things done. If those things are important to you but you want to hang on to as much money as possible, you'll want to snatch this deal up quickly while it's still here.

Huge news, Bluey fans: The feature-length Bluey film, announced in Dec. 2024, finally has a release date. BBC Studios, Walt Disney Studios, and Ludo Studio announced Thursday that the movie will be arriving in theaters Aug. 6, 2027.

Bluey creator Joe Brumm is set to write and direct the film, with Bluey series director Richard Jeffery serving as co-director and Amber Naismith (Happy Feet, The Lego Movie) to produce.

SEE ALSO: A 'Bluey' kids party in Las Vegas upset a lot of children and parents

"I really enjoyed the experience of working with a longer format on [special episode] 'The Sign' in Series 3, so going even further with a feature film feels like a natural extension of that," Brumm said when the film was first announced. "I’ve always thought Bluey deserved a theatrical movie. I want this to be an experiential event for the whole family to enjoy together."

Brumm is stepping away from the Bluey series itself in order to work on the movie, making Season 3 his last with the show.

In an open letter about his departure, Brumm wrote, "I always said I wouldn’t keep making the show if I thought I couldn’t make any new season as good as the last. This would have been the case for me with a potential season four, so I’ve decided to take a break from my involvement in the TV series."

While Bluey is a 2D animated show, the film will be CG-animated. It's unclear yet whether it will retain the show's 2D visuals or opt for more of a 3D look.

However, most other elements of Bluey will remain the same in its transition from small screen to big screen. Voice actors Melanie Zanetti and David McCormack are back as Bluey's parents Chilli and Bandit, and show composer Joff Bush will be providing music for the film. You can also bet that the movie will feature many of the show's salient messages about growing up and parenting, which will no doubt leave parents sobbing in movie theaters come 2027.

Bluey is now streaming on Disney+.

After seeing it featured in an episode of Top Gear, my wife and I decided to buy a silver Daihatsu Copen. A so-called "kei" car from Japan that's smaller than you think, and also ended up being one of the best experiences of my time on the road.

SwitchBot just announced the new AI Hub at IFA 2025. This is a smart home hub that can visually interpret events to create automated triggers, all with local AI-powered hardware with no cloud required.

SAVE $10.99: As of Sept. 4, get the Roku Streaming Stick Plus for $29, down from its usual price of $39.99 at Amazon. That's a discount of 27% and the lowest price we've seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Roku Streaming Stick Plus $29 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $10.99 Get Deal

Looking for an easy way to turn your TV into a streaming hub? All you need is a streaming stick to make it possible. You don't have to pony up extra cash for a TV that already has the tech built in, not when it's so affordable to buy a device that handles all of that for you. Thanks to this deal at Amazon, you can bring home an easy-to-use option that'll get you primed and ready to enjoy the fall TV season, and then some, right from your living room.

As of Sept. 4, get the Roku Streaming Stick Plus for $29, down from its usual price of $39.99 at Amazon. That's $10.99 off and a discount of 27%. It's also the lowest price we've seen.

SEE ALSO: Streaming hack: Get a week of Peacock for free with new Prime Video add-on

This 4K streaming device plugs straight into your HDMI port and leaves you plenty of room to work with — it won't block any of your other ports and stays out of the way. It works as soon as it's plugged in as well, so you can get started watching right away.

It includes a voice-controlled remote that has dedicated buttons for some of the most popular services, such as Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, and more, and you can even integrate it with your TV remote to control your channels, volume, and other settings.

In addition to streaming from subscription services, this Roku device also allows access to hundreds of free channels with plenty of content to explore, as well as on-demand shows and movies that you don't have to pay a dime for. When you're on the go, just pop out the device and take it with you to plug into another TV.

This Roku streaming stick makes it super simple to enjoy content no matter which TV you're using. Grab it for its lowest price yet while it's on sale.

Digital Wellbeing is Android's tool for curing your smartphone addiction. It might work for some people, but it can also make the problem worse. Instead of breaking bad habits, it often replaces them with new ones, giving you more numbers to obsess over and features that create the illusion of control without changing your behavior.

SAVE $90: The Skullcandy Crusher Evo headphones are on sale for $109.99 at Amazon, down from the list price of $199.99. That's a major 45% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Skullcandy Skullcandy Crusher Evo $109.99 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $90.00 Get Deal

A solid pair of headphones can truly make a world of difference. For instance, when you're trying to concentrate and the neighbor's dog spots a squirrel and starts barking, or when you're on a plane and the loudest passengers are seated behind you. Pop on some headphones and you can tune it all out with ease. Unfortunately, good headphones that can drown out annoyances can be expensive. But not this Skullcandy deal we spotted today.

As of Sept. 4, the Skullcandy Crusher Evo headphones are $109.99 at Amazon, marked down from the standard price of $199.99. That's a 45% discount that shaves $90 off the norm.

Skullcandy launched the Crusher Evo headphones back in 2020, and Mashable Tech Reporter Alex Perry was impressed in his review. "Skullcandy's latest Crusher Evo headphones are a nice option to have for people who want over-ear headphones without spending a fortune on them," Perry wrote. "The onboard bass slider is more than just a goofy novelty, providing plenty of thump that you just don't get from the competition. It's a unique sensation to feel like you have a subwoofer on your head."

Skullcandy also knocked it out of the park with other aspects of the Crusher Evo. For one, the headphones have a built-in Bluetooth tracker. That's right — there's a Tile tracker inside the headphones, so you won't need to use one of your trackers on your headphones, and instead can attach it to your dog.

The battery life of the Skullycandy Crusher Evo headphones is also noteworthy, with the brand saying you can get up to 40 hours of listening time before needing a recharge. A 10-minute recharge will gain you an extra four hours of battery life.

SEE ALSO: The 8 best budget headphones we've tested under $100

There's also a Personal Sound function in the Skullcandy app that allows you to customize your listening experience. "Flipping Personal Sound on and off in the middle of a song highlights the effect, as more subtle instrumental elements that are tougher to notice with default settings rise up to make themselves known with Personal Sound turned on," explained Perry.

The headphones are also ideal for travel, since they're lightweight and have a foldable and collapsible design. Plus, traveling with headphones that didn't cost over $400 is always a good idea.

While they're on sale for under $110, snag the Skullcandy Crusher Evo headphones. They come with impressive sound quality and a built-in tracking device. This sale price extends to the white, grey, and black colorway options.

As we approach the Full Moon, each night the moon will appear bigger and brighter, but after the Full Moon passes, it will slowly get darker and darker until there's nothing to see. This is to do with the lunar cycle.

The lunar cycle is a series of eight unique phases of the moon's visibility. The whole cycle takes about 29.5 days, according to NASA, and these different phases happen as the Sun lights up different parts of the moon whilst it orbits Earth. 

So, let's see what's happening with the moon tonight, Sept. 4.

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Thursday, Sept. 4, the moon phase is Waxing Gibbous, and 88% will be lit up to us on Earth, according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation.

Tonight, even without any visual aids, you can spot the Mare Imbrium, Mare Serenitatis, and the Tycho Crater. With binoculars, try to catch the Alphonsus and Gassendi craters, along with the Mare Frigoris. If you have a telescope, you’ll be able to glimpse features like the Apollo 15 and Apollo 17 landing sites, as well as the Descartes Highlands.

When is the next full moon?

The next full moon will be on Sept. 7. The last full moon was on Aug. 9.

What are moon phases?

According to NASA, moon phases are caused by the 29.5-day cycle of the moon’s orbit, which changes the angles between the Sun, Moon, and Earth. Moon phases are how the moon looks from Earth as it goes around us. We always see the same side of the moon, but how much of it is lit up by the Sun changes depending on where it is in its orbit. This is how we get full moons, half moons, and moons that appear completely invisible. There are eight main moon phases, and they follow a repeating cycle:

New Moon - The moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The moon starts losing light on the right side.

Last Quarter (or Third Quarter) - Another half-moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

Linux Mint has officially released Linux Mint 22.2, codenamed Zara. This update brings a new fingerprint authentication app called Fingwit, significant improvements to the Hypnotix media player with new viewing modes, and a subtle but modern color palette refresh for the default theme.

If you've wanted to try FreeBSD, but have been put off by its supposed difficulty or lack of a standard live version, GhostBSD tries to fill that gap with a live environment with a slick interface. Should you give it a try? This article will try to answer that question.

SAVE UP TO $60: Through Sept. 18, Paramount+ annual plans are half price for your first year. New and returning subscribers can sign up for the Paramount+ Essential plan for just $29.99 (reg. $59.99) or the Paramount+ Premium plan for $59.99 (reg. $119.99). That's 50% off whichever plan you choose.

Plan pricing: Special offer Paramount+ Premium annual plan $59.99 for your first year (save $60) Get Deal Special offer Paramount+ Essential annual plan $29.99 for your first year (save $30) Get Deal

While every other streaming service seems to be raising its prices, Paramount+ is lowering theirs — at least for the next two weeks.

Through Sept. 18, new and returning subscribers can sign up for a Paramount+ annual plan for half price. That brings the Paramount+ Essential plan down to just $29.99 for your first year (reg. $59.99) and the Paramount+ Premium plan down to just $59.99 for your first year (reg. $119.99). Whichever option you choose, you'll save 50%. And for what it's worth, that breaks down to just $2.50 or $5 per month.

We recommend going with the Premium tier, as you'll get a whole lot more bang for your buck. Plus, it's currently the same price as the Essential tier is on a normal day. The Premium tier includes ad-free viewing; access to the entire Showtime library; the ability to stream CBS live and download movies and shows for offline viewing; and 4K, UHD, Dolby Vision, and HDR10 quality. You'll be able to stream in-market NFL Sunday afternoon games live on the app, as well as new episodes of Big Brother and FBI as they air in real time.

Paramount+ Premium is also where you can watch shows like Dexter: Resurrection, Yellowjackets, RuPaul's Drag Race All Stars, Criminal Minds Evolution, and South Park, as well as popular movies like Smile 2, Gladiator II, and Love Me.

Just remember that the annual cost will jump back up to full price (either $59.99 or $119.99) after your first year. As long as you cancel ahead of that deadline, you'll avoid automatic renewal charges.

Whether you're hoping to diversify your streaming lineup, watch as many NFL games as you can without spending a fortune, or just lock in a really great price, head to Paramount+ before Sept. 18 to get the deal.