Technology

Ever since routers became commonplace, people have been experimenting with weird DIY tricks that promise to boost their Wi-Fi signal. Many of them involve common household objects, like aluminum foil and mixing bowls. After trying a few of those ideas myself, I decided it was finally time to see whether the classic soda can trick actually works.

SAVE $8: Through July 1, you can sign up for MGM+ as a Prime Video add-on subscription for only $3.99 per month for two months. That's $4 off the usual $7.99 per month, for a grand total of $8 in savings.

Opens in a new window Credit: MGM+ MGM+ (Prime Video add-on) $3.99/month for 2 months (save $4/month) Get Deal

Amazon Prime Day showcased some pretty awesome streaming deals, with popular and niche streaming services offering 99-cent subscriptions. Unfortunately, those deals have evaporated, as to be expected. If you're kicking yourself for missing your opportunity to save on your summer streaming slate, Amazon's giving you a second chance.

Through July 1, you can sign up for MGM+ as a Prime Video add-on subscription for only $3.99 per month for two months. Usually $7.99 per month, that's about $8 total in savings. Sure, it's not as impressive as the 99-cent deal, but beggars can't be choosers.

The catch is that you have to subscribe through Prime Video, which requires a Prime membership. The MGM+ streaming library will then live inside of your Prime Video app as a premium add-on channel and you'll be billed directly through Amazon for convenience.

Wondering if MGM+ is worth it? Well, as Amazon's niche streaming service, it's surprisingly robust with TV and movie options. As of now, it's the only place you can stream Project Hail Mary (which will expand to Prime Video on July 3), one of the biggest movies of the year. It's also where you'll find The Martian (another Andy Weir novel adaptation), the small town mystery MGM+ Original Series From, Nickel Boys (one of our favorite movies of 2024), and most likely Is God Is when it makes its streaming debut later this summer.

If you're looking to expand your streaming horizons this summer, this is one of the cheapest ways you can do so. It certainly beats rewatching the same shows over and over again on Netflix.

If you have an old phone lying around or like to experiment on your current devices, Termux is probably my favorite app. I decided to use an old Samsung phone, specifically my wife's old Samsung phone, to build a pocket Linux server. My plan is to use the server as a home for my Syncthing drive that's more convenient and portable for my purposes.

Apple has a new iOS update for everyone, but don't get too excited.

The Cupertino-based iPhone manufacturer released its latest software update for its flagship mobile device this week. It's called iOS 26.5.2, and according to the official release notes that appear when you try to download it, it only installs security updates on your phone. No new features, UI changes, or bug fixes are included in this update. If you hate Liquid Glass, it's not changing at all with this update, sorry to say.

SEE ALSO: Apple iPhone 18 Pro leaks are about to get a lot more intense

That said, you should definitely still install iOS 26.5.2 because security updates are important. You don't want your iPhone to be compromised in any way. Here's how you do it, in case you've forgotten:

1. Open the Settings app

2. Go to General, then Software Update

3. Hit the install button

The update is north of 10GB, so you may need to do some storage management to make it fit.

A major vulnerability has been discovered in one of the core privacy features that Apple offers its customers. And according to the cybersecurity researchers who discovered the exploit, this issue appears to have been ongoing for more than a year.

Apple's "Hide My Email" is a privacy feature that obscures a user's email address by generating a unique iCloud email address, which then forwards emails to the user's main email address. The feature allows users to receive emails without revealing their personal email address.

According to a new report from 404 Media, a vulnerability allows anyone to discover the email address behind the "Hide My Email" address Apple creates.

The vulnerability, which the outlet isn't revealing because it is still exploitable, was discovered by online privacy company EasyOptOuts. 404 Media has also independently confirmed that the exploit exists.

SEE ALSO: Apple iPhone 18 Pro leaks are about to get a lot more intense

Typically, before an exploit is revealed to the public, researchers report their discovery to the company and give the company a reasonable amount of time to fix the vulnerability. According to EasyOptOut, they informed Apple more than a year ago, yet the vulnerability still exists.

”Apple Hide My Email is leaking email addresses that are supposed to be hidden," said EasyOptOuts cofounder Tyler Murphy. "We reported the issue and replication instructions to Apple over a year ago. We don't know why it hasn't been fixed, but we don't feel comfortable waiting any longer. Hide My Email users deserve to know that it may be possible for attackers to discover their hidden email addresses."

Murphy told 404 Media that the issue was reported to Apple in June 2025. The company said it "addresses" the issue in March 2026. However, Murphy discovered the vulnerability still existed.

“We don't know the full scope of the issue, but in our limited tests with volunteers, 100% of Hide My Email addresses were exploitable,” Murphy told 404 Media.

Apple last told Murphy that it was "still investigating this issue" in May.

SEE ALSO: Apple price increases arrive: How much MacBooks and iPads will cost you now

Hide My Email is a feature available to paying iCloud+ subscribers. It has several use cases. For example, users may use a Hide My Email-generated email address to sign up for mailing lists so they don't get spammed at their real email address. Or they may sign up for a website using a Hide My Email address if they don't want their main address linked to that site.

In June, TechCrunch reported that Apple was planning to make changes to the Hide My Email feature that could render it useless for users. Currently, the generated anonymous Hide My Email address utilizes the "iCloud.com" domain, which is also used by people who use their iCloud.com username as their main email address. In a recent note to developers, Apple announced it would move Hide My Email addresses to the "private.icloud.com" domain. This domain would be reserved for Hide My Email addresses, meaning that platforms and services could block email addresses with that domain name outright.

iCloud+ users who rely on Hide My Email may want to explore other email privacy options as Apple sorts out the feature.

When I first tried Claude after using ChatGPT for some time, I was shocked the first time I hit my rate limit. Having to wait a couple of hours before I could pick up where I left off was really frustrating. Claude's projects can help; aside from being a useful organizational tool, using projects can help you use your quota more efficiently and make it go further.

A giant planet somehow heated back up billions of years after its star died, giving astronomers insight into the wildly unexpected afterlife of solar systems. 

Using NASA's James Webb Space Telescope, researchers recorded the first detailed atmosphere measurements of a planet orbiting a white dwarf, the husk of a sun-like star that has long since fizzled out. The exoplanet, WD 1856 b, is about 80 light-years away from Earth in space.

These findings, published on Wednesday in Nature, could reveal a possible fate for our own planetary neighborhood. Though Earth and other close planets are unlikely to survive the sun's bloated red giant phase, which comes before a medium-size star withers into a white dwarf, the new study suggests at least some of the outermost planets could — and even reshuffle their orbits, setting the stage for a second act long afterward.  

"We're used to looking back in time when we use telescopes, but this is the first time we have been able to look forward to what might happen," said Ryan J. MacDonald, an astronomy lecturer at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, in a statement. "It's like using a time machine to peer into the distant future of our solar system."

SEE ALSO: Watch NASA's next-generation moon rover crush an obstacle course

Astronomers say WD 1856 b probably didn't settle into its present orbit right after the star collapsed. It likely wandered closer to it, over billions of years, after its star collapsed. As the world tightened its orbit, the white dwarf's gravity squeezed and flexed the planet as it approached, generating internal heat that caused its global temperature to rise.

Before this, scientists knew these worlds around white dwarfs could exist, but they had almost no direct data on what they actually looked like or how they changed over time.

This one, WD 1856 b, has an atmosphere chock-full of methane with a veil of haze, though scientists still can't say exactly what that layer of particles is made of. 

The planet is also a heavyweight — about four to 11 times the mass of Jupiter. That's an odd role reversal, given its host star is now closer to Earth's size. The exoplanet's radius is about eight times larger than the dead star, said Christopher O'Connor, a co-author and astrophysicist based at Northwestern University, and it's so close to its host that its version of a year lasts less than two days. 

"This is one of the most bizarre planetary systems we know of," O'Connor said in a statement. 

The most surprising twist for the researchers is the exoplanet's scalding temperature. Based on the faint heat from its white dwarf, the planet should be freezing cold. Instead, it sits at roughly 250 degrees Fahrenheit. Let's just say that's warm enough to demand an explanation.

When a sun-like star nears the end of its life, it expands into a red giant, 100 to 1,000 times its original size, enveloping nearby planets. Credit: ESA / Hubble / NASA / H. Olofsson

Computer models indicate the planet received that extra heat after its orbit changed. The researchers ruled out a scenario in which the planet moved close to the star while it was still a red giant, because the planet would have cooled by now. 

Despite popular belief, not all stars die in a grandiose supernova explosion. The nuclear fuel of medium-size stars like our sun simply peters out. As these stars near the end, they swell from 100 to 1,000 times their original size, in what's known as the red giant phase. The red giant eventually expands around the nearest planets. In our own solar system, astronomers think the victims will include Mercury, Venus, and, yes, even Earth.  

As of now, the most plausible explanation for the case of WD 1856 b is that its inward migration happened roughly 3 billion to 5.5 billion years after the star became a white dwarf. Because the dead star is part of a triple star system, it's possible the remaining two stars' gravity could have had something to do with the changes to WD 1856 b's orbit, O'Connor said.  

The takeaway: If planets can survive the death of a star, that greatly widens the scope of where — and when — habitable worlds could be lurking in the universe. To learn more, the researchers plan to continue looking for other exoplanets orbiting white dwarfs with the Webb telescope. 

"Our results show that stellar death is not the end," MacDonald said. "Some planets experience a vibrant and lively future after the death of their star."

For three days, Mashable was on the ground at VidCon 2026, talking to the creators, executives, and industry leaders shaping the future of the internet.

From our booth on the convention floor, we sat down with some of today's biggest creators, moderated conversations about the creator economy, and explored the ideas driving the next generation of online entertainment. Along the way, we discussed everything from AI and creator burnout to community building, platform shifts, and what it takes to build a lasting career online.

This highlight reel brings together some of our favorite moments — and some of the best advice we heard all weekend. From candid interviews and behind-the-scenes footage to packed panels and creator insights, it's a snapshot of the conversations shaping the future of online creativity.

Watch the highlights above, then explore Mashable's full VidCon coverage for more interviews, features, and reporting from the convention floor.

TL;DR: Live stream England vs. DR Congo in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN, an Official Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The last day of 2026 FIFA World Cup action saw France and Mexico cruise to the next round. Norway also advanced thanks to a late winner from Erling Haaland. That was special, but there's more to come from the next instalment of top games.

England are one of the favorites to win this tournament but struggled to break down Ghana and Panama in the group stage. DR Congo are likely to employ a similar defensive strategy as England look to score a statement win and put themselves in the conversation with the likes of France. The winner will face Mexico in the next round at the Estadio Azteca.

If you want to watch England vs. DR Congo in the 2026 FIFA World Cup from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is England vs. DR Congo?

England vs. DR Congo in the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off at 12 p.m. ET on July 1. This fixture takes place at the Atlanta Stadium.

How to watch England vs. DR Congo for free

England vs. DR Congo in the 2026 FIFA World Cup is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock BBC iPlayer to live stream the 2026 World Cup for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream England vs. DR Congo for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Watch England vs. DR Congo for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the 2026 World Cup without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream England vs. DR Congo (plus more World Cup fixtures) before recovering your investment.

ExpressVPN's regular 30-day money-back guarantee is not available for any subscriptions purchased during the FIFA World Cup between June 10 and July 11. ExpressVPN remains our top pick for sport, but you will need to pay the monthly rate. Alternatively, Proton VPN still offers that all-important money-back guarantee.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99. That covers you for the duration of the World Cup.

Live stream England vs. DR Congo in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free.

Mesh Wi-Fi networks can make using Wi-Fi in your home better, especially if you have a lot of devices that are a long way from the router. Your Wi-Fi devices can connect to the nearest mesh node instead of having to communicate directly with the router. If you have the right mesh network, you can even use your Echo smart speakers to extend your Wi-Fi.

There’s almost certainly a good open-source alternative for most apps and services you depend on. Not all of them are comparable to paid software, and some require significant setup or technical knowledge, but all are worth considering.

Changing your sudo implementation is about as interesting as changing your underpants, but switching to an entirely new operating system is far more exciting. While people debate the intricacies of sudo and setuid, one vendor leaves the door open to attackers—but it's not what you think.

Don't look now, but as of July 1, Walmart still has the Apple MacBook Neo in stock at its original launch price. Get the 256GB base model for $599 or the 512GB model with Touch ID for $699.

Once both configurations sell out at those prices, they'll be $100 more expensive in accordance with Apple's recent price hikes. At the time of writing, they were already out of stock in indigo and blush, respectively.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Neo (A18 Pro, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $599 at Walmart
$699 Save $100   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Neo (A18 Pro, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $699 at Walmart
$799 Save $100   Get Deal

ICYMI, Apple raised its prices on all MacBooks by at least $100 last week because of the global RAM shortage. ("RAMageddon" is making laptops and other consumer tech way more expensive to manufacture right now.) The changes first went into effect in the Apple Store on June 25, and third-party retailers followed suit in the days after.

At the time of writing, the Neo's newly higher prices were in effect at Best Buy, Target, B&H Photo, and Micro Center. It's sold out for the time being at Amazon and Costco, which were both selling it at a slight discount when news of the price increase broke.

SEE ALSO: Thank the AI industry for tech price increases: See the full list

Going forward, the Neo will only be able to college students, their parents, and teachers for $599 (via the Apple Store's education discount). Its new starting price of $699 is still very tempting, to be sure, but it's less of a steal than before. And it turns budget Windows laptops like the $699 Dell XPS 13 into tougher competition.

This is all to say that if flagging good laptop deals wasn't part of my job description, I'd be gatekeeping Walmart's $599 holdout Neo pricing.

Here's a quick rundown of the Neo's specs:

• CPU: Apple A18 Pro chip

• Memory: 8GB RAM

• Storage: 256GB or 512GB SSD (the latter adds Touch ID)

• Display: 13-inch Liquid Retina IPS display with 60Hz refresh rate and 500 nits of brightness

• Webcam: 1080p FaceTime HD camera

• Ports: Two USB-C ports and a headphone jack

• Wireless connectivity: WiFi 6E and Bluetooth 6

• Magic Keyboard (no backlighting) and mechanical touchpad

SAVE $120: The Marshall Acton III speaker is on sale for $179.99 at Amazon, down from the list price of $299.99. That's a 40% discount and the lowest we've seen at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Marshall Marshall Acton III $179.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $120   Get Deal

Now that we're in July, it's time to make the playlist of summer. Get the feel-good sunny vibes going by compiling your favorites that you can listen to everyday. What better way to tune into your playlist than via a speaker that not only sounds great, but looks great, too? If that's appealing, check out this Amazon deal.

As of July 1, the Marshall Acton III speaker is on sale at Amazon for $179.99, marked down from the normal price of $299.99. That's a 40% discount that takes $120 off. It's also the lowest we've seen at Amazon.

We have plenty of options when it comes to earbuds, headphones, and portable Bluetooth speakers for taking music on the go, but what about a home speaker that looks nice enough to have on display?

SEE ALSO: The Bose SoundLink Flex speaker is $50 off right now — get it for under $100 at Amazon

The Marshall Acton III Bluetooth speaker allow you to listen to your favorites via the 3.5mm input or through Bluetooth. Marshall says this particular speaker is great for those looking for sound that fills the room with an immersive feel.

On-speaker dial controls give you access to the volume, bass, and treble level. That's great news for those who don't feel like opening an app to make adjustments. There's also a power switch, source button, and the ability to play/pause, and skip tracks. However, you can use the Marshall app for controls if desired.

Going with a Marshall gives you reassurance your home speaker is coming from a reputable brand that cares about quality of sound and manufacturing. Plus, the speaker itself looks sleek.

While it's sitting at a new record-low, go with the Marshall Acton III speaker from Amazon for $179.99. It'll be the perfect home upgrade for summer.

Happy The Odyssey month! Christopher Nolan's highly-anticipated adaptation of Homer's epic poem hits theaters in just two weeks, and to celebrate, its latest trailer gives audiences their best look yet at Zendaya as the Greek goddess of wisdom and war, Athena.

In the trailer, Athena comes to Odysseus (Matt Damon) while he lays, shipwrecked, bearded, and starving, on a rocky beach. She asks him what he recalls of his voyages, prompting flashbacks to the fiery sack of Troy and the storms he and his crew weathered in their attempts to return home to Ithaca. Spoiler alert: They were unsuccessful.

SEE ALSO: Christopher Nolan's 'The Odyssey' trailer is absolute cinema

As Odysseus languishes at sea, fighting against monsters and vindictive gods, his family struggles back in Ithaca. Odysseus's wife Penelope (Anne Hathaway) faces a horde of suitors, including the slimy Antinous (Robert Pattinson). He clashes with Odysseus and Penelope's son Telemachus (Tom Holland), who still believes his father will come home after over a decade away.

The rest of the trailer showcases The Odyssey's stacked cast, including John Leguizamo as Odysseus' friend Eumaeus, Lupita Nyong'o as Helen of Troy and her twin sister Clytemnestra, and Elliot Page as Greek warrior Sinon. It all comes back to Zendaya's Athena, walking alongside Odysseus and reminding him of the gods' power. Odysseus's response? He'll defy the gods. Knowing Greek mythology, that'll never turn out well, but it could turn out to be an incredible Nolan movie.

The Odyssey also stars Charlize Theron, Jon Bernthal, Benny Safdie, Himesh Patel, Mia Goth, Will Yun Lee, Jimmy Gonzalez, and more.

The Odyssey hits theaters July 17.

SAVE OVER $100: As of July 1, get the Shark Rocket Ultra-Light Corded Stick Vacuum for $99 at Amazon. That's down from its usual price of $199.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Shark Rocket Ultra-Light Corded Stick Vacuum $99 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $100.99   Get Deal

Looking for a quick and easy way to clean your home?

A stick vacuum is fast, reliable, and easy to tote around. We love robot vacuums for automating a cleaning schedule, but if you want to hoover up a mess immediately or just need some heavier suction, one of these models can do the trick just fine. And though we're past Prime Day now, we've found a great option that can save you some serious cash on sale now.

As of July 1, get the Shark Rocket Ultra-Light Corded Stick Vacuum for $99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $199.99. That's $100.99 off and a discount of 50%.

SEE ALSO: Shark PowerDetect Speed Luxe review: My favorite stick vacuum for cat hair comes in pretty colors now

This 2-in-1 stick and handheld vacuum is an all-purpose option that you can whip out for larger-scale cleaning jobs or smaller issues. It can be used in its full stick form or convert to a handheld vacuum whenever you need something lightweight and easy to maneuver.

It's perfect for both carpets and hard floors, with powerful suction that can go from deep pile carpeting to rugs and then to bare floors without any mess or fuss. Plus, it's just under 9 lbs, and it's built to tear through pet hair no matter where it may be hiding. Paired with advanced swivel steering and a low profile build, it's a great option to keep on hand no matter what kind of mess you're battling.

If you're ready to pick up a new corded vacuum without breaking the bank, this is one option you'll be thrilled with in terms of both cost and performance. Be sure to grab it before it goes out of stock.

The Mercedes-Benz GLC might wear a luxury badge, but for most owners, life looks a lot more like school runs, Costco trips, and weekends away than carving up a racetrack. Chances are it's carried more golf clubs and strollers than racing helmets.

SAVE 17%: The LG gram 15-inch Copilot+ (AMD Ryzen AI 7 350, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) is on sale for $1,199.99 at Amazon. That's down from $1,449.99.

LG gram 15-inch Copilot+ (AMD Ryzen AI 7 350, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,099.99 at Amazon
$1,449.99 Save $350   Get Deal at Amazon

If your laptop is struggling to keep up, it might be time for an upgrade.

LG released the 15-inch Copilot+ gram laptop in 2025 (it made its big debut at CES), and it's built for portability. So, if you're someone who jumps from coffee shop to coffee shop (hi, it's me), this could be a good option to check out.

Right now, you can get the LG gram 15-inch Copilot+ (AMD Ryzen AI 7 350, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) for $1,199.99 at Amazon, down from $1,449.99. That's a 17% discount or $250 savings; it's also just $100 more than its lowest price tracked to date. (Note: You may or may not be able to get this item shipped, depending on where you live. It's currently blocking shipments to my Carolina Beach address for no apparent reason, so you might have to play around with your delivery location.)

SEE ALSO: The best laptops of CES 2026

Assuming Amazon actually lets you buy it, the hardware is exactly what you need for working on the go.

The gram runs on Windows 11 Home and definitely lives up to its name, weighing just 2.84 pounds. It's super thin (0.67 inches), but it somehow passed seven military-grade durability standards — so it can handle being shoved in your favorite tote bag. You'll also get a 15.6-inch anti-glare touchscreen and a 72Wh battery that promises up to 22 hours of video playback.

TL;DR key takeaways:

• The 200-megapixel main sensor and F1.4 aperture capture sharper, brighter shots in the low-light conditions most phones struggle with after sunset. 

• The 50-megapixel telephoto features 5x optical and 10x optical-quality zoom, so performers stay in frame and in focus from anywhere in the crowd. 

• Super Steady[1] with Horizontal Lock keeps video stable and level even when you're being jostled in a packed pit. 

• Galaxy AI[2] tools like Photo Assist[3] and Creative Studio[4] let you clean up shots and turn them into shareable content straight from your device.

You're at a festival you’ve been eagerly anticipating for months; the lights are dramatic and the crowd is abuzz. You snap both photos and videos, hoping to chronicle this once-in-a-lifetime experience, but nothing adequately captures the energy of the scene. Before you know it, you’ve missed three of the headliner’s hits just trying to get a single usable clip.

If you’re in the market for a device upgrade, the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra is built to perform, so you can get back to the performance. The device pairs a 200-megapixel main sensor and wider F1.4 aperture with a stack of AI tools that handle the technicalities so you can stay present the whole weekend.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra Upgrade your social media photos with this powerhouse smartphone camera Shop Now

Here's how the Galaxy S26 Ultra upstages the competition.

1. Steady your crowd-level clips with Super Steady and Horizontal Lock

On your old device, handheld footage from the thick of the crowd used to come out jittery when you were being nudged from every direction.

That’s not the case, however, with the Galaxy S26 Ultra. Features like Super Steady rely on the phone's internal gyroscope and accelerometer to counter movement in real time, and Horizontal Lock keeps the horizon line consistent even when your phone tilts to dodge a stranger's arm in the air.

To turn on Super Steady, launch the Camera app and swipe over to Video mode. The Super Steady control (a body-in-motion icon) sits in the top row of shortcuts next to the flash; tap it to select the feature from the middle menu, or opt for Horizontal Lock, one icon to the right.

2. Shoot after dark with Nightography and the F1.4 aperture

Tented raves or sunset sets are where most phone cameras just can’t hang. Nightography uses Galaxy AI to reduce noise and balance exposure, and on the Galaxy S26 Ultra it pairs with a wider F1.4 aperture that pulls in more light than the standard found on most flagships. That means when the fireworks go off over the main stage or the pyrotechnics kick in when the beat drops, you'll actually catch all the color and detail with vivid realism.

To use Nightography in Photo mode, find the yellow moon icon that appears automatically in low light. A simple tap pulls up exposure options. You can then manually select the number of seconds you’d like, or leave it on Auto to let the camera choose. In Video mode, Nightography runs automatically in low-light conditions as soon as you start recording.

3. Zoom from the back of the crowd with the 50-megapixel telephoto lens

Unless you’re willing to arrive hours before showtime to stake out a spot by the barrier, you’re probably not as close to the action on stage as you’d like to be. The Galaxy S26 Ultra's 50-megapixel telephoto offers 5x true optical zoom, 10x optical-quality zoom, and up to 100x Space Zoom for still photos. Tight shots of the lead singer mid-chorus will stay sharp even from somewhere near the sound desk.

4. Capture the full scene with the 200-megapixel wide camera

The main camera is what you'll shoot most of the weekend on. The Galaxy S26 Ultra's 200-megapixel sensor combined with the F1.4 aperture leaves plenty of room to crop, so a wide group shot from a few rows back can become a tight portrait of whoever's most photogenic once you're back at the tent.

5. Clean up your shots with Photo Assist

Festival photos rarely come out ready to post. Maybe the tall bloke in front of you is blocking the stage, or the stranger next to you used a flash that blew out the lighting. Photo Assist, the AI editing tool in Gallery, lets you remove elements, add new ones, or shift the time of day using text or voice prompts. Edits save as copies, so the originals stay intact.

To play around with the feature, open the Gallery app and select the photo you want to edit, then tap the Galaxy AI icon (a sparkle-style starburst) in the bottom toolbar. From there, you can circle, scribble over, or tap an object to select it — the phone identifies the edges automatically. Drag the selection to reposition it, pinch to resize, or tap Erase to remove it entirely and let the AI fill in the background. For prompt-based edits (say, adding a different sky or shifting a daytime shot to look like dusk), tap the prompt bar and type or dictate what you want. Edits render in just a few seconds.

6. Build shareable recap content with Creative Studio

Creative Studio, accessed via the Edge panel, turns your shots into custom stickers or invitations so you can keep the weekend vibes going a little longer.

To get started, pick a photo, describe what you want to create, choose a style, and hit Generate. You can use the results as a sticker pack for the group chat or an invite to the post-festival recovery brunch.

7. Scan tickets, maps, and schedules with Document Scan

For paper-based festival essentials like tickets, stage schedules posted by the entrance, or laminated campsite maps distributed by the responsible planner in your crew, the Galaxy S26 Ultra’s Document Scan feature can save you a scramble if you lose the originals. The feature (which is built into the Camera app and appears automatically when you frame up a document) captures and digitises such materials. This means you never waste time wayfinding around the grounds (and can easily add maps or setlists to your social media story or festival recap video).

Galaxy S26 camera features for your next festival

The Galaxy S26 line-up spans three phones, with the Ultra taking the headline slot on camera hardware. Here’s how the different devices compare.

The Galaxy S26 Ultra is designed to perform when the lights drop and the action moves faster than you can focus, so your post-festival camera roll is full of brilliant memories instead of blurry messes.

Ready to pick up the only accessory you really need to prepare for festival season? See the full Galaxy S26 line-up at samsung.com.

[1] Super Steady results may vary depending on editing method and/or shooting conditions.
[2] Samsung account login is required for certain AI features. Galaxy AI features are provided for free. Future releases may include additional advanced features that are offered as part of a paid subscription plan. Different terms may apply for AI features provided by third parties.
[3] Requires network connection and Samsung account login. A visible watermark is overlaid on the saved image to indicate it was generated by Galaxy AI. Accuracy of output not guaranteed.
[4] Requires network connection and Samsung account login. Accuracy of output not guaranteed.

USB ports are pretty confusing by default, in the sense that they all look the same, but they are very far from the same. I already knew that, and yet, testing the ports on my PC case definitely gave me pause.