Technology

With the iPhone 17 set to be released in early September, we're getting a steady stream of Apple rumors, news, and potential leaks — many of which aren't worth writing about. But when Bloomberg's Mark Gurman drops a new update, we pay close attention.

Case in point: The trusted Apple oracle reports today that Apple is planning a major push into the smart home market, with AI-powered smart speakers, security cameras, and, intriguingly, an Apple robot.

Before you let your imagination go too far, we should note that Gurman describes it as a "tabletop robot." Specifically, a tabletop robot that "resembles an iPad mounted on a movable limb."

The new products would come with a more conversational, AI version of Siri, which would be able to talk to users and accomplish tasks. According to multiple reports from outlets like the New York Times and Bloomberg, building an AI version of Siri has proven extremely difficult for Apple, which has so far lagged far, far behind in the artificial intelligence race.

As Google, Meta, and OpenAI develop new models and AI-based products, Apple's generative AI offerings are limited to modest Apple Intelligence features on some of its devices. For iOS 26, rather than introducing its own AI model, Apple will be working with OpenAI's new GPT-5 model.

However, as Bloomberg reports, Apple is now "plotting its artificial intelligence comeback," with the tabletop robot slash virtual companion at the center. The new AI-powered smart home devices from Apple could potentially arrive in 2027, Gurman says, citing Apple insiders.

In the smart home space, Apple has had some success with Apple TV streaming devices and its HomePod smart speakers. Still, rival tech companies like Amazon and Google have a much larger presence in this category.

However, Apple could be a formidable competitor in this space thanks to its brand loyalty, widely adopted operating systems, and signature product design. Of course, AI devices also have a rocky history with consumers, and a tabletop robot could be too little, too late in the AI arms race.

Back in February, Google added memories to Gemini that allowed it to remember past conversations. Now, Google has announced a more personalized chat function, which it calls Personal Context. With this function, Gemini will now learn your preferences over time and craft responses based on those preferences. 

"The Gemini app can now reference your past chats to learn your preferences, delivering more personalized responses the more you use it," said Gemini app senior director Michael Siliski in a blog post. 

SEE ALSO: Deep Think is available in the Google Gemini App. How to try it.

In terms of functionality, Gemini will remember if you tell it that you like. Later, when you ask it to come up with ideas for you, it’ll take those preferences into consideration. For example, Google says, if you tell Gemini about your favorite comic book, and then later ask it to help you plan a themed birthday party specific to you, it may recommend that comic book as a theme. It’ll then help come up with themed food and party game ideas. 

It seems to be an iterative improvement on the current memory functions. In the prior iteration, you had to ask Gemini to specifically reference older chats in order for it to access that information (and sometimes, it would be unable to do so). Now, Gemini continuously learns and responds without you having to ask for it directly. The longer you talk to it, the more it’ll learn about you and the better tailored its responses will be. 

The new feature keeps Gemini ahead of Anthropic, which released its own chat memory function a couple of days ago for its Claude chatbot. Claude’s new memory works the way Gemini’s used to, where you have to specifically ask Claude to reference old chats and apply that knowledge to new conversations. 

Google is rolling out Personal Context starting today and expects the full rollout to take a couple of weeks. It’ll only be available in Gemini 2.5 Pro in select countries, with plans to expand it to Gemini 2.5 Flash and other countries in the coming weeks. 

If you’ve got a busy family or an always-on-the-go lifestyle, few vehicles pull their weight like a three-row SUV. These midsize crossovers have stepped into the role minivans once played, hauling kids, pets, groceries, sports gear, and even that last-minute Craigslist sofa without looking out of place at a nice restaurant.

After a rocky hiatus, one of the most beloved sports sim franchises is making its long-awaited comeback: Sports Interactive has officially confirmed Football Manager 26.

SEE ALSO: 'Football Manager 25' canceled not long before it was supposed to come out

The announcement trailer, released Wednesday, keeps specifics close to the chest but does offer a glimpse of in-game match day visuals. This marks the series’ return after Football Manager 25 was abruptly canceled in February following repeated delays that pushed it beyond its traditional November launch window. It was the first time in more than three decades that a Football Manager or Championship Manager entry failed to make its scheduled yearly release.

Sports Interactive cited several factors behind FM25’s cancellation, chief among them the transition to Unreal Engine and the inclusion of women’s football for the first time in franchise history. Pre-cancellation, the studio shared a rough development roadmap for FM25 in blog posts, but early fan reactions to the new look were lukewarm at best.

There’s still no word on a release date for FM26 or whether the UI will stick to its pre-hiatus design. However, the trailer promises a more detailed first look at the new match day experience in the near future.

At the mid-point of Alien: Earth's first episode, the show's protagonist — an android uploaded with the consciousness of a dying child — shakily asks, "If I'm not human, what am I?" By the episode’s end, the "hybrid" known as Wendy (Sydney Chandler) confidently proclaims, "I am human."

Noah Hawley’s new FX series owes much of its style to the original 1979 Alien film, but thanks to its fascinating hybrid storyline, much of its narrative drive is more similar to Alien’s divisive prequels, Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, and the crowd-pleasing midquel, Alien: Romulus. With Wendy and her hybrid cohorts, Hawley gets to explore the malleable definition of "human" outside the constraints of a two-hour-long film.

Featured Video For You How 'Alien: Earth' pulls you into the world of 'Alien' in its opening scene

On the show, Wendy is the new version of Marcy, an 11-year-old (played by Florence Bensberg) succumbing to a terminal illness. Prodigy Corp. CEO and trillionaire Boy Kavalier (Samuel Blenkin) convinces Marcy she can live forever by uploading her brain activity into the "body" of a powerful android. After the successful transition of Marcy into Wendy (and Marcy’s off-screen death), Prodigy secretly uploads several more terminal children into androids, who are all physically designed as young adults, but think, reason, and emote as the children they once were. 

Wendy tells her new sibling hybrids that Prodigy needed young brains to create their new forms, as adult noggins wouldn’t fit inside the androids. It’s sci-fi science and narrative necessity that likely dictates this delineation between adults and children, but the attempt to turn neural activity into code isn’t far-fetched. Neuralink, founded by Elon Musk (who bears certain similarities to Kavalier), has been developing implantable brain-computer interfaces for nearly a decade, with the stated goal of helping people with disabilities regain mobility and independence via technology. Last year, Musk announced Neuralink implanted its first brain chip in a human.

SEE ALSO: Where does 'Alien: Earth' sit on the Alien franchise timeline?

"[The chip] enables control of your phone or computer, and through them almost any device, just by thinking," Musk tweeted at the time. "Initial users will be those who have lost the use of their limbs. Imagine if Stephen Hawking could communicate faster than a speed typist or auctioneer."

Neuralink's chip implantation on a quadriplegic patient yielded some successful results, but didn't go exactly as planned.

Playing God?

David Ryan Polgar is the founder and president of the nonprofit All Tech Is Human, which works with Silicon Valley companies and organizations on thorny ethical issues. Polgar draws a clear line between what Neuralink is ostensibly pursuing and what Prodigy accomplishes. 

"While there are well-known companies like Neuralink that work on brain-computer interfaces, the process of uploading human consciousness to a synthetic body is still highly speculative,” Polgar tells Mashable. “The vast technical hurdles and ethical dilemmas of uploading human consciousness haven't fully dampened the predictions of futurists, which is why the concept plays out in Alien: Earth as hybrids."

SEE ALSO: 'Alien: Earth': What are the 5 alien species onboard the ship?

Prof. Carlos Gershenson-Garcia, an empire innovation professor at the State University of New York at Binghamton, says tech companies are many years from implanting our souls into robots or computer chips. (Alien: Earth is set nearly 100 years in the future, so they have time to catch up to the show.)

"The main problem is that we still don’t understand what consciousness is, nor how it functions in us and other species," Gershenson-Garcia says. "We assume that our brains have to do something with it, but we don’t know which mechanisms are responsible for it. Is it at the neuronal level? Molecular level? Quantum level? We have no idea. So how could we aim to replicate it in robots?"

If companies like Neuralink do have ambitions to transfer human consciousness, would they collaborate with ethicists and thinkers like Polgar or Gershenson-Garcia, or do it furtively like the fictional Prodigy Corp.? Gershenson-Garcia hopes the former would be true, saying that, irregardless of whatever form they took, "building conscious machines creates moral responsibilities that we might not be ready for."

For Polgar, he is full of questions that sound very similar to ones being raised on Alien: Earth.

"The larger questions that the prospect of uploading human consciousness presents are whether the result is a continuation of the individual's life or a new, altered being, and whether striving to live forever is a worthy pursuit," he says. "Living forever is the ultimate Faustian Bargain, a desire that should never really be pursued or accepted. Paradoxically, the very beauty of life is tied to its fragility. So while uploading consciousness to live forever is the dream of many, it would lead to a dystopian future for all of us."

The uncomfortable truth about an AI chatbot is the more it knows, the more it can help—which is the whole point of these things existing. Of course, you may not always want your weird questions to be part of your digital record. Gemini is getting new features for this very reason.

Cord-cutting began before Netflix, as online piracy and streaming sites provided access to TV shows. Netflix's success paved the way for the current streaming market explosion.

If you ever wished you could view all of Grindr's original content (like Katya's comedy series Who's the Asshole? and other shows like Daddy Lessons and Host or Travel) without having to venture to the actual website, Grindr's newest feature is for you.

On August 7, Grindr launched "Grindr Presents," an in-app content hub where all of Grindr's original and uncensored content will live. Users can now see so much more than what's on the app's YouTube or Instagram, as the directors intended. Raw and unfiltered. On its blog, Grindr describes the uncensored content as "longer, sharper, and exactly how they were meant to be seen...and heard." There's even a music section where you can listen to Grindr's New Music Frigay Spotify playlist.

All you have to do is open the Grindr app, tap the side tray, enter Grinder Presents, and start browsing. 

According to Grindr, this new feature is part of a bigger shift "making Grindr not just where the gays are, but where the culture is," and, honestly, it's a pretty smart move. Not only will this keep people on the app longer, but it also gives Grindr more control over what its users, viewers, and readers consume by curating content directly within their platform rather than relying on external sites. A win for gay culture, and a win for Grindr.

Pebble is so back. Not only is the original creator back to making more modern versions of the watches, but the new company, Core Devices, also got back the Pebble trademark, so the iconic brand is also living on. Among the latest devices is a long-overdue Pebble Time 2, and now, we can have a better look at its finalized design.

Getting ready for a productive semester of study? Back-to-school season is looming, which means getting back into the study groove after a summer break. As you prepare your handy study tools and apps, you may be missing out on something important.

TL;DR: Streamline your workflow with instant access to multiple AI tools in one place with 1min.AI’s Pro Plan lifetime subscription for just A$46 (reg. A$359).

Opens in a new window Credit: 1minAI 1min.AI: Lifetime Subscription AU$46
AU$359 Save AU$313 Get Deal

Tired of juggling multiple AI tools? 1min.AI brings ChatGPT, Gemini, Midjourney, and more into one easy-to-use platform that lets you take advantage of their individual strengths without the chaos of constantly switching tabs. And right now, a lifetime subscription to 1min.AI’s Pro Plan can be yours for only A$46 (reg. A$359).

Put AI to work for you with this handy platform

Overwhelmed by AI? If you’re new to this booming technology field, keeping up with all the various platforms and their individual perks can be tough. That’s where 1min.AI really shines, consolidating them all in one convenient spot. Create images, optimize your website, or get help with text-based tasks on one platform, as 1min.AI takes advantage of platforms like Google AI, Meta AI, Gemini, Mistral, ChatGPT, and more.

This lifetime subscription to the Pro Plan is an excellent option for helping you tackle work tasks. You’ll gain unlimited access to the prompt library, brand voice options, and storage.

This plan also includes 1,000,000 monthly credits, which is enough to generate up to 805,555 words, create 161 images, upscale 241 photos, remove backgrounds from 24 images, transcribe more than 4,000 seconds of audio, and produce up to 12 videos each month.

Need help with SEO? You can research up to 1,933 SEO keywords per month with this plan. And if you need more credits, it’s easy to earn them — just visit the app, leave a review, or refer a friend.

Let AI help you take a load off with 1min.AI’s Pro Plan lifetime subscription, now only A$46 (reg. A$359).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Microsoft just announced new feature for Python in Excel that lets you analyze images in your spreadsheets. You no longer need outside tools—you can manipulate, analyze, and pull information from images directly in Microsoft Excel on Windows, Mac, and the web.

Days after Musk accused the Apple App Store of giving OpenAI preferential treatment over his own xAI products, Apple has issued a pointed response.

In a statement to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, Apple insisted the App Store "is designed to be fair and free of bias," noting that it features “thousands of apps through charts, algorithmic recommendations and curated lists selected by experts using objective criteria” to ensure safe discovery for users and opportunities for developers.

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk wants to sue Apple over Grok app store rankings as Sam Altman fires back

Musk’s original post on X claimed Apple’s practices made it "impossible for any AI company besides OpenAI to reach #1 in the App Store." Apple and OpenAI have had a partnership since 2024. However, Musk's claims were quickly undercut by X's Community Notes, which flagged the fact that several other AI apps — like DeepSeek and Perplexity — have topped the App Store charts.

The exchange spiraled into a public spat between Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, with Altman accusing Musk of gaming X’s own algorithm for personal gain. Even Grok, xAI’s chatbot, chimed in.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

For now, Musk hasn’t filed a formal antitrust complaint against Apple (nor has he provided evidence of his claims), though if this feud continues to escalate, that may just be a matter of time.

Whether you're an avowed AFOL (Adult Fan of LEGO) or just trying to buy a young person in your life a gift, you might balk at the price tags that go with some LEGO sets these days. Aren't these just meant to be cheap (and educational) plastic toys?

SAVE $40: As of Aug. 13, the Solo Stove Mesa XL tabletop fire pit is on sale for just $79.99 at Amazon. That's a savings of 33% and just a few cents away from its best-ever price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Solo Stove Solo Stove Mesa XL $79.99 at Amazon
$119.99 Save $40 Get Deal

Crisp fall air will be rolling in before you know it, which means it's almost cozy campfire season. If you don't have a backyard large enough for a dedicated fire pit, but still want to enjoy the comfort and ambiance of huddling around an open flame, the Solo Stove Mesa XL is the fire pit for you.

As of Aug. 13, the Solo Stove Mesa XL is on sale for only $79.99 instead of its usual $119.99, making it an affordable way to elevate your space’s aesthetic this fall. That's $40 off for 33% in savings, and only a few cents off from its best price ever.

At just 8.6 inches tall and 7 inches wide, the Mesa XL is designed to sit on top of a table and provide up to 3 feet of 360-degree warmth in a small setting. It's functionally the same as the regular-sized Solo Stove models, just a whole lot smaller. And because of its size, it can be tough to find hardwood chunks that fit perfectly inside it. Fortunately, though, the included adapter allows it to burn pellets as well. It also comes with a folding stand and a nylon carrying bag so you can take it with you on the go. It's the ultimate fall accessory.

One thing to note is that while the Solo Stove Mesa XL comes in several color varieties, only the gun metal option is available at Amazon for the $40 discount. Otherwise, you'll have to pay full price.

Sex toys aren’t exactly cheap (well, not the ones I recommend). But there’s a good reason for that — you’re literally putting these gadgets on your most sensitive bits, so there’s a price to pay for quality materials, safety standards, and all the bells and whistles they come with.

At a time when new tariffs are driving up the prices of many goods, the luxe wand vibrator brand Le Wand is making premium pleasure more accessible with its brand-new collection of affordable wands. To make the launch even sweeter, every purchase also comes with a free gift: a four-ounce bottle of Le Wand's Natural Intimate Lube and a four-ounce bottle of their Organic Toy Cleaner (a value of $21.98).

Here’s some more info on Le Wand’s Glow collection:

The Le Wand Flat Top Fusion G, Le Wand Thrust, Le Wand Hither, and Le Wand Lick. Credit: Le Wand Le Wand Flat Top Fusion G, $99.99 Opens in a new window Credit: Le Wand Le Wand Flat Top Fusion G + Free Gift $99.99 at Le Wand
Get Deal

The Le Wand Flat Top Fusion G (a mouthful, isn’t it?) is a double-ended wand vibrator that’s made for both clitoral and G-spot stimulation. (Dual-ended wands seem to be the sex toy du jour; both Harry Styles and LELO just released their own versions.) It has a smooth, flat head on one end, a curved ergonomic handle, and a vibrating textured tip on the other. It’s also IPX7 waterproof, rechargeable, and features a super simple three-button control.

If you like rumbly vibrations (there are five vibration speeds, five vibration patterns) and want a toy that’s essentially two-in-one, the Le Wand Flat Top Fusion G might be a good addition to your collection.

Le Wand Thrust, $99.99 Opens in a new window Credit: Le Wand Le Wand Thrust + Free Gift $99.99 at Le Wand
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If you prefer deep penetration, the Le Wand Thrust is a thrusting rabbit vibrator that’s designed for hands-free penetration and clitoral stimulation simultaneously. The shaft is curved for pinpoint G-spot stimulation, while the extendable arm vibrates and targets the clitoris. (Get ready to experience blended orgasms.)

With five vibration speeds, five vibration patterns, and five thrusting patterns, you can customize your orgasm. The motors are independent, so you can choose to turn one off while you use the other or keep them both on for a more intense climax. And, like the other vibes in this collection, it has a simple, intuitive control panel and is splashproof for some fun in the shower.

Le Wand Hither, $99.99 Opens in a new window Credit: Le Wand Le Wand Hither + Free Gift $99.99 at Le Wand
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As the name suggests, the Le Wand Hither is a rabbit vibrator that features a “come hither” motion that gives a fingering sensation right where you want it (the G-spot, A-spot, or P-spot for male users). It looks similar to the Thrust, but it’s purple and doesn’t have a thrusting function.

The external arm is designed for clitoral stimulation, and you get to play with a ton of different settings, including five vibration speeds, five vibration patterns, and five stroking intensities. Just like with the Thrust, its independent motors let you customize your pleasure experience. It's also IPX7 waterproof.

Le Wand Lick, $99.99 Opens in a new window Credit: Le Wand Le Wand Lick + Free Gift $99.99 at Le Wand
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The Le Wand Lick is a more advanced toy that’s designed to mimic oral sex. It looks a little intimidating (I have a vibe very similar to this one, and it took me a while to get used to it), and the suction setting may be a bit intense for some people, but if you’re a fan of direct clitoral stimulation, this toy is worth considering. (You can also use it on your nipples!) There’s a curved shaft for G-spot stimulation on the opposite end, but you’ll probably be so consumed by the tongue-flicking sensation that you won’t even notice it.

If you’re worried about the intensity, the suction cup is conveniently removable, so it’s easy to clean or use without the intense suction. The flexible “tongue” delivers rolling, flicking, and pulsing sensations, while a separate motor provides five distinct vibration intensities. The four-button control design is intuitive, the toy is IPX6 waterproof, and I have to give kudos for their clever copywriting: “A Mouth that only says what the user wants to hear…”

If none of these new toys are the right fit, it's still worth checking out Le Wand's site. They're also offering 30% off select wands and a "buy three, get one free" deal.

PowerToys just dropped its latest update, version 0.93, and it's full of great changes. The big improvement is that the dashboard has a redesigned Command Palette that looks so much better, but many of the tools are now faster and better than before.

SAVE $20.99: As of Aug. 13, get the Beats Solo Buds earbuds for $59 at Amazon, down from their usual price of $79.99. That's a discount of 26%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Beats Solo Buds $59 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $20.99 Get Deal

Looking for a new way to enjoy your favorite music and podcasts? Or maybe you just want a better, more reliable method of making and receiving voice calls when on the go? A new pair of earbuds is just what the doctor ordered, and you can get one for an excellent deal, thanks to this Amazon discount that knocks the Beats Solo Buds back near their Prime Day sale price.

As of Aug. 13, get the Beats Solo Buds for $59 at Amazon, down from their usual price of $79.99. That's $20.99 off and a discount of 26%.

SEE ALSO: The 8 best earbuds to buy in 2025, selected by Mashable audio experts

These Beats earbuds serve up excellent sound quality, with crisp treble and crunchy bass. They boast up to 18 hours per charge, but if you run out of battery, you can pop them on the charger for just five minutes thanks to Fast Fuel charge to get one more hour of playtime to keep the party going. These buds don't come with a charging case (or noise cancellation), which is something to keep in mind, but they balance that out with their fantastic sound and connectivity.

They're the same kind of quality and build reliability that you can expect from the rest of the Beats lineup, however, and they come in multiple fun colors to liven things up. They're every bit worth their entry price, especially at this discount. If you've been wanting to join Team Beats without breaking the bank, this is the best opportunity to do it.

SAVE $270: The Anker Solix EverFrost 2 electric cooler (40-liter) is on sale at Amazon for $629.99, down from the normal price of $899.99. That's a 30% discount and the lowest price we've ever seen at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Solix EverFrost 2 (40-liter) $629.99 at Amazon
$899.99 Save $270 Get Deal

The secret is out: Anker knows its way around keeping things charged up. The brand makes some of Mashable's favorite charging accessories, all while consistently offering some of the best prices around. The brand is now using its charging expertise to help us out while we're camping, on an extended road trip, or during a power outage. But it might not be in the way you totally expect. Check out this unique Anker offering that's on sale today.

As of Aug. 13, the Anker Solix EverFrost 2 electric cooler (40-liter) is on sale at Amazon for $629.99, down from the standard price of $899.99. That works out to a 30% discount and a major savings of $270. It's also the lowest price we've ever seen at Amazon.

The Anker Solix C1000 portable power station offers you plenty of power while you're out camping or during a power outage, but what about keeping food chilled? For that, turn to the Anker Solix EverFrost 2, an electric cooler that can keep food chilled without the soggy mess of using ice. With its one included battery, Anker says this'll keep food chilled for 52 hours. Buy an additional battery for the cooler, and you're looking at 4.3 days of cooling power. Image how that can change your next camping trip.

The 40-liter capacity has room for 63 cans, and in fast cool mode, it can go from 77 degrees down to 32 in just 15 minutes. After that, switch to Smart Mode or Eco Mode for more energy-efficient options. You can do so by using the Anker app on your smartphone, and that means you don't need to be physically near the cooler to make adjustments.

SEE ALSO: The Bluetti Apex 300 is it an all-time low at Amazon — power your whole home for less

The retractable handle and durable wheels make this electric cooler easier to roll around the campsite. Plus, the handle can serve as a small side table for drinks or food prep. Keep the Solix EverFrost charged up while at home too, and you can transfer the milk and other perishables from the fridge to the eclectic cooler in case of a power outage.

When it comes time to recharge the Anker Solix EverFrost, you can do so with solar panels, standard wall power, a car outlet, and even USB-C.

Instead of chowing down on instant ramen and oatmeal at the campsite during your next adventure, pack along the Anker Solix EverFrost 2 and keep fresh foods chilled for days with zero ice mess. The 40-liter model is on sale at Amazon for a record-low price of $629.99.

If you're a student returning to school this fall, it can be a stressful and chaotic period, with new projects, disorganized course notes, fresh deadlines, and a full inbox. However, making the most of the Microsoft 365 tools at your disposal will make getting back into the swing of things a breeze.