Technology

SAVE 13%: As of Aug. 19, you can get the Narwal Flow 2 robot vacuum-and-mop combo for $1,299.98, down from $1,499.99, at Amazon. That's a 13% discount, or $200.01 in savings.

Narwal Flow 2 $1,299.98 at Amazon
$1,499.99 Save $200.01   Get Deal at Amazon

If you've ever owned a budget robot mop, you've probably realized that most of them just drag a damp, dirty cloth around your home until the run is finished. Not only that, but the water tank is usually gross afterward, too (especially if you have fur babies).

SEE ALSO: The best robot vacuums of 2026 so far: I've tested 10+ new models since January, but these 4 stood out

But that doesn't mean there aren't quality robot vacuum mop combos out there; you just gotta know where to look. Right now, you can get the Narwal Flow 2 robot vacuum-and-mop combo for $1,299.98, down from $1,499.99, at Amazon. That's a 13% discount, or $200.01 in savings.

I'll admit $1,300 is definitely an investment, but with 300+ reviews, a 4-star average rating, and a Mashable Choice Award, the Flow 2 is worth considering. Its FlowWash system continuously washes its track mop with 140°F hot water in real time while scraping dirty water into a separate sealed tank — meaning only fresh water touches your floors.

On the vacuuming side, it delivers 31,000Pa suction power and has a certified zero-tangle dual-brush system that pet parents will definitely appreciate. Throw in dual-camera AI vision for navigating around shoes, cords, and pet bowls, plus a smart status light bar right on the unit, and it's built to run totally hands-off.

Best TV deals at Best Buy: Best overall 65-inch LG Class C6 Series OLED evo AI 4K Smart webOS TV (2026 $1,799.99 (save $900) Get Deal Best budget TV 85-inch Hisense Class QD50 Hi-QLED Series 4K UHD Smart Roku TV (2026) $189.99 (save $120) Get Deal Best gaming TV deal 55-inch LG Class B6E Series OLED AI 4K Smart webOS TV (2026) $799.99 (save $500) Get Deal

Buying a new TV is one of those purchases that starts out exciting but usually ends in decision paralysis and an empty wallet. Between trying to figure out what all the specs mean, sticking to a budget, and finding a size everyone can agree on, it's honestly easier to just keep whatever's been sitting in your living room for the last five years.

SEE ALSO: What's the best time to buy a TV? Not just Black Friday. Shop strategically during these 4 windows.

But Best Buy is currently throwing its 60th Anniversary Sale, and after doing a little digging, I found some price drops worth snagging. Here are the best TV deals you can shop at Best Buy right now.

Best TV deal overall Opens in a new window Credit: LG 65-inch LG Class C6 Series OLED evo AI 4K Smart webOS TV (2026 $1,799.99 at Best Buy
$2,699.99 Save $900.00   Get Deal Why we like it

I always tell people that if you're going to invest in a TV, OLED is the way to go. LG makes some of the best OLEDs on the market, and saving $900 on a current-year 65-inch model is basically unheard of before Black Friday. Sure, $1,799 is still pricey, but it's worth every penny for this specific screen.

Best budget TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense 85-inch Hisense Class QD50 Hi-QLED Series 4K UHD Smart Roku TV (2026) $189.99 at Best Buy
$399.99 Save $210   Get Deal Why we like it

You don't have to spend a fortune to get a capable TV. Finding a 58-inch 4K TV under $200 with a QLED display is a legitimate steal. It's not going to rival the LG OLED above, but the QLED tech gives you much better color and brightness than a standard cheap screen. Plus, it has Roku built-in, so you don't have to buy an extra streaming stick.

Best gaming TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: LG 55-inch LG Class B6E Series OLED AI 4K Smart webOS TV (2026) $799.99 at Best Buy
$1,299.99 Save $500   Get Deal Why we like it

If you want those incredible OLED black levels and contrast but don't want to drop C6-level cash, the B-series offers a middle-ground option. It's built to make your PS5 or Xbox games look gorgeous without any screen tearing, and at under $800, it gives you a pretty good excuse to upgrade your setup.

Need a different size or brand? If you want to browse more options, take a look at the rest of Best Buy's current TV deals.

Grand Theft Auto VI has become one of the most anticipated video game releases of all time, and Rockstar Games is finally set to pull back the curtain with an "extended look" event on Netflix later this month. But a major leak is keeping the studio from controlling the narrative.

According to IGN, a group calling itself Cyberleek has claimed responsibility for two leaked gameplay videos and a map image. Cyberleek says the leak is tied to a broader protest against digital pre-orders, "fake" single-player DLC, Sony's killing of physical disks, and a demand for offline fallback modes in games. The purported leaked content spread rapidly across social media this week, adding yet another chapter to a launch run already haunted by past security breaches.

Grand Theft Auto VI Cyberleek incident: What leaked? An official screenshot previously released by Rockstar Games. Credit: Rockstar Games

Two gameplay clips surfaced online recently: one showing the protagonist, Jason, shooting hoops outside his waterfront home, and another showing a road-rage confrontation with a delivery driver that escalates into a violent encounter with police in pursuit.

In addition, an image reportedly showing the game's full map, covering the Florida-inspired state of Leonida, also circulated. Rockstar has not confirmed the material is genuine, though outlets covering the leak, like PC Gamer, described the clips as looking authentic, noting they resemble the kind of mundane test footage a QA tester might capture.

Reporters combing through this footage flagged several gameplay systems not previously confirmed. A six-star wanted system appears to return, alongside a new police awareness indicator that tracks what officers know about a suspect's clothing, appearance, and vehicle.

SEE ALSO: An AI startup founder is trying to vibe code his own 'Grand Theft Auto' game

A stamina meter seems tied to melee combat, which outlets compared to the fistfighting in Red Dead Redemption 2, and a small on-screen icon suggests some form of morality or karma system reacting to violent actions.

Cars appear to track fuel and engine condition for the first time in the series, and a basketball mini-game seems to raise a "Focus" stat. The map leak reportedly shows both playable characters' locations simultaneously, along with race tracks and a small airstrip near the Keys that some speculated could be a military base.

The genuine leak has also opened the door to a wave of misinformation.

According to Kotaku, AI-generated clips and screenshots have been circulating alongside the real footage, with some users passing them off as part of the new leak. Old footage from GTA VI's 2022 breach has reportedly been recirculated and mislabeled as new material, making it harder for fans to distinguish authentic clips from fabricated AI slop or recycled videos.

Kotaku noted that the footage in this latest leak, if genuine, appears to come from a build considerably further along in development than the one that leaked in 2022, though the exact age of the footage remains unknown.

The Cyberleek group reportedly has a manifesto that lists several demands for Rockstar and other publishers, threatening further leaks if the demands aren't met. A second leak followed within a day of the first, this time showing taser gameplay and a cutscene, along with an unrelated promotion for a cryptocurrency token.

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The leak arrives just ahead of Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look, a Netflix-exclusive gameplay reveal scheduled for Aug. 27. GTA VI is due out on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on Nov. 19, 2026.

'Grand Theft Auto VI' for PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X $79.99 at Amazon
  See It at Amazon See It at Best Buy See It at GameStop 'Grand Theft Auto VI' Ultimate Edition: PS5 or Xbox $99.99 at PlayStation Store
  See It at PlayStation Store See It at Xbox See It at Rockstar Games

SAVE $350: As of Aug. 19, the Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop combo is on sale at Amazon for only $349.99. That's half off its typical list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 robot vacuum mop combo $349.99 at Amazon
$699.99 Save $350   Get Deal

Mashable's robot vacuum expert Leah Stodart has tested over 35 different models and only recommends a few specific models from Shark, one being the Matrix Plus 2-in-1. But only if it's on sale. Lucky for you, the budget-friendly robot vacuum and mop combo model is currently half off its list price.

As of Aug. 19, you can pick up the Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop combo for just $349.99 instead of its usual $699.99. That's 50% or $350 in savings.

Stodart says she recommends the Matrix Plus 2-in-1 to "budget shoppers who don't want their new vacuum to be a huge investment." Some hybrids can cost well over $1,000, so a few hundred bucks is a whole lot more appealing to most shoppers. Of course, you won't get a boat load of fancy AI features and all that jazz, but you'll get a reliable and simplistic robot vacuum that has impressive spot cleaning abilities.

Make note that while the Matrix Plus can empty and charge itself, you'll have to do some heavy lifting in the mopping department. The self-emptying dock doesn't wash its own mopping pads or refill its water tank like more expensive models, which means it requires manual maintenance from you multiple times per week.

It may not be the most advanced robot vacuum on the market, but if you want something cheap, reliable, and from a reputable brand, the Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 is a solid grab at only $349.99.

Would you let AI handle your emails?

If the masochist in you says "yes," well, I guess you're now in luck!

Anthropic has just updated its Claude connector for Google Workspace to allow full Gmail inbox management. This notably includes the ability for the AI assistant to send and reply to emails without additional user input or approval.

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Claude Connectors are integrations that connect Anthropic's AI assistant Claude to external apps. As 9to5Google points out, a Claude Connector for Google Workspace has already existed for a while. Along with Google Calendar and Google Drive, this Claude Connector included some access to Gmail.

However, this week, Anthropic added a new capability to the connector: Claude can now send and reply to emails without even checking with the user. Claude can also forward emails now without asking for approval too.

Claude still needs a human user to ask the AI assistant to draft or reply to an email. But, once Claude writes up the response, it no longer needs to check with the user before sending it.

According to Anthropic, users can still control when Claude checks for approval before sending an email. Anthropic also says Claude asks for approval by default. So, Claude users need to change their settings to give the AI permission to hit "send' without asking first.

One caveat for free Claude users: If you'd like Claude to send emails on your behalf, you will need to subscribe to a paid Claude plan.

SAVE $50.01: As of August 19, get the DJI Power 1000 V2 Portable Power Station for $399.98 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $449.99. That's a discount of 11%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon DJI Power 1000 V2 Portable Power Station $399.98 at Amazon
$449.99 Save $50.01   Get Deal

Summer may be ending soon, but that doesn't mean the power outages will go away forever. If you're looking for an affordable and easy way to ensure you've got a backup when you lose electricity in a storm or just need a way to charge up while off-grid, a portable power station is your best bet, and this deal is well worth snapping up.

As of August 19, get the DJI Power 1000 V2 Portable Power Station for $399.98 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $449.99. That's $50.01 off and a discount of 11%.

SEE ALSO: The 8 best portable power stations to stay charged up at home and on the go

This particular model is great for traveling or just having a backup at home. Mashable's Lauren Allain took it for a spin and awarded it a 4.4 out of 5 score in her review, calling it a "a great model for content creators, those who prioritize a super-quiet power station, or anyone looking for exceptional value in portable power." She especially appreciated its quiet operation, given that so many models from competitors can be loud and disruptive.

You can recharge this power station in just under an hour to reach 100% battery, so even if you deplete it quickly, you won't be left waiting to be able to charge a phone or device, or other mission-critical items when you need them the most. It has a 1,024Wh LFP battery with a 10-year lifespan as well, so you know it'll stay running over the years when you need to be able to rely on it the most.

Whether you just want a quick and easy way to stay powered up or need an off-grid solution, this model is an excellent pick.

I mostly mess with 3D printers as a hobby, but since 3D printing is an expensive hobby, I also sell 3D printed models at a local market, which helps pay for filament, and also gives my friend who runs the stall every week more stuff to sell at no cost to them.

A new luxury SUV gives you the latest model, but it also comes with one big financial downside: depreciation. The 2023 Acura MDX has already absorbed much of that initial hit, while still offering the refinement, performance, space, and features that make it a compelling premium SUV.

The general consensus on the Pixel 11 series is that not much sets it apart from last year’s models. One of the few highlights is the “HiLight” LED panel on the camera bar. It’s a cool idea in theory, but painfully underwhelming in reality—and it makes me worry about Google.

If Amazon gets its way, your next emergency phone-charger order may not arrive in a van, but buzz into your yard from the sky before you have time to forget you ordered it.

That possibility is about to become real for many more people. On Wednesday, Amazon announced that Prime Air will expand to nearly 500 cities and towns across the United States by the end of 2026. That would represent a sixfold increase from the drone service’s current footprint.

For now, Prime Air operates from just 11 sites spanning 10 metropolitan areas in Arizona, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, and Texas. Amazon plans to launch next in the Chicago, Syracuse, Cleveland, Atlanta, and Boise metro areas, with more communities expected to follow later this year.

Does that mean Amazon is building 500 new drone facilities? Not quite.

The company is counting every city and town reached by the service, rather than individual launch sites. Each existing Prime Air site covers an area of roughly 175 square miles, allowing one facility to serve multiple communities. Even then, not every address within a listed ZIP code will necessarily qualify, and Amazon has not yet published a full list of the nearly 500 places included in its plans.

SEE ALSO: Amazon just made its first legit delivery via drone

If your address does make the cut, drone delivery will appear as an option while shopping and at checkout. Most products weighing 5 pounds or less and fitting inside a large shoebox are eligible, which Amazon says encompasses more than 60 percent of the items its customers purchase most frequently.

That leaves room for more than just a forgotten tube of toothpaste. Groceries, cosmetics, medications, electronics, and even products like iPhones, AirPods, Samsung Galaxy phones, and Ring doorbells can all potentially make the trip by drone.

Amazon says those orders can arrive in as little as 30 minutes, although most take closer to an hour. Prime members receive free drone delivery on orders of at least $50 and pay $2.99 for smaller orders. Non-Prime customers pay $4.99.

The sudden push to reach hundreds of communities has been a long time coming. Jeff Bezos first demonstrated Amazon’s drone delivery concept in 2013, and Prime Air began making deliveries to customers in 2022. Amazon now says the service has completed hundreds of thousands of deliveries this year and is making thousands more each day.

Part of what changed is how far Amazon is allowed to fly. The company holds the Federal Aviation Administration’s Part 135 air carrier certification, which is required for operators transporting other people’s property by drone beyond a pilot’s direct line of sight. In 2024, the FAA also gave Amazon additional permission to conduct those longer-range flights using its onboard detect-and-avoid technology.

Amazon says its drones independently monitor their surroundings using cameras and sensors. When a drone reaches its destination, it checks that the delivery area is clear of people, pets, and vehicles before releasing the package. The company says the cameras are used for navigation and obstacle detection, rather than tracking people, and that no employee watches a live feed.

Of course, sending autonomous aircraft over people’s homes presents more complicated risks than misplacing a package on the wrong porch. Prime Air’s path to expansion has already included several reminders of that.

Two Amazon drones collided with a crane in Tolleson, Arizona, in October 2025, prompting federal investigations and a temporary pause in local service. The following month, the FAA opened another investigation after a drone struck and severed an internet cable in Waco, Texas. No injuries were reported in either incident.

Amazon will not have the skies to itself, either. Its expansion comes as seemingly every major delivery platform tries to determine where drones fit into its network.

On July 29, DoorDash launched DoorDash Air after becoming the eighth drone operator to receive Part 135 certification. The company is developing its own aircraft and plans to place drones inside the same network that already assigns orders to human Dashers, ground robots, and autonomous delivery partners.

SEE ALSO: DoorDash launches in-house drone unit — "cleared for takeoff"

Alphabet-owned Wing, meanwhile, has completed more than 1 million commercial drone deliveries and is working with Walmart to build a network of more than 270 locations reaching more than 40 million Americans by 2027. Uber also partnered with Zipline on Aug. 17, which has completed more than 2 million deliveries globally, to bring drone delivery to Uber Eats.

The competition is intensifying just as the federal government makes it more expensive to source some of the technology from overseas. DoorDash has emphasized that its aircraft was designed in the United States and uses mostly American-made components. That distinction could become more valuable after President Donald Trump imposed new tariffs on foreign-made drones and components, including a 100 percent tariff on drones considered particularly sensitive to national security concerns.

For more than a decade, drone delivery has been a futuristic demonstration in search of an everyday use. If Amazon and its rivals hit their targets, the next phase will be much less theoretical: finding out whether people really need their toiletries badly enough to summon them from the sky.

The new Pixel 11 series is here, and while there's a lot to appreciate, it's easy to understand why some fans feel like not enough has changed. While it's a familiar affair on the outside, with camera upgrades, a faster processor, and Gemini intelligence throughout, the Pixel 11 is actually quite impressive. That's especially true when it comes to cameras, and here are 5 features that make it stand out.

Last year, the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold was technically in competition with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, but in reality, it was no contest. Google's phone was just too bulky to really be a true peer of Samsung's excellent foldable.

This year, while one might arrive at the same ultimate conclusion, it is more of a real competition. The $1,899 Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold is a clear, marked improvement over its predecessor, thanks largely to a remarkably thinner and lighter form factor. While there are some software improvements to chew on, the fact that the new Pixel foldable is so much more comfortable in the hands than the 2025 model is enough to make it feel more on par with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.

Even so, a noticeable price increase year-over-year and Samsung's continued excellence in the space still mean that you're probably better off with a Z Fold. But the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is a very nice phone in its own right, and there are some good reasons to get one if you're in the market for a premium foldable.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold review: A $400 price increase hits hard It's a lot thinner this time. Credit: René Ramos / Mashable

Speaking of price increases, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold launched at $1,499, and the 11 Pro Fold is launching at $1,899. There are noteworthy improvements from one device to the next, as I'll cover extensively in the rest of this review, but not to the tune of an extra $400. You can blame RAMageddon and the rapid spread of AI data centers for that.

Still, even with a valid economic justification, a price hike is a price hike. It's not good, and I don't want to normalize that sort of thing, no matter how normal it is in 2026.

Easily the biggest change Google made between the Pixel 10 Pro Fold and this model is in the physical design of the device itself. Last year's Pixel foldable was notably thicker and bulkier than the Z Fold 7, to the point where I couldn't earnestly recommend it to anyone, even though it was a perfectly OK device in its own right. Google trimmed the Pixel 11 Pro Fold down substantially, bringing it down to 10.1mm of thickness when folded and 5.0mm when unfolded.

That's compared to 10.8mm and 5.2mm last year, respectively. Google also pared the weight down from around 258g to 239g. All of that is to say that the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is significantly better from an ergonomic and design standpoint than its predecessor. As soon as I picked it up for the first time, I was immediately impressed by how much more svelte it is. The only problem is that the Z Fold 8 Ultra is an even tinier 4.1mm when unfolded, so Samsung still wins in that regard.

Still, Google is closing the gap.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold: Design, specs, and price Boring colors this year. Credit: René Ramos / Mashable

The new Pixel 11 Pro Fold also only comes in two very drab and boring colors: Olive and Obsidian. Blegh. Here are the rest of the basic specs for the device:

• Exterior display: 6.5-inches with 1080x2342 resolution, 1-120Hz refresh rate, and 3,600 nits peak brightness

• Interior display: 8-inches with 2076x2152 resolution, 1-120Hz refresh rate, and 3,600 nits peak brightness

• Processor: Google Tensor G6

• RAM: 16GB

• Storage: 256/512GB, 1TB

• Battery: 4,806mAh

• Rear cameras: 48MP wide, 10.5MP ultra-wide, 10.8MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom

• Selfie cameras: 10MP outer and inner cameras

We'll get to camera and battery changes shortly, but one upgrade worth mentioning here is that both displays have seen their peak brightness rise from 3,000 nits on Pixel 10 Pro Fold to 3,600 nits on this device. When you're using the foldable outdoors on a sunny day, the brightness is definitely noticeable. In general, the displays look great, but to my eyes they don't look all that different from last year's model outside of the brightness change.

I will say, though, that the crease in the inner display is fairly visible. It's not a big deal, but Samsung wins that competition this year.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold: Performance

As usual, Google has included a new in-house Tensor processor with the Pixel 11 Pro Fold. The Tensor G6 chip makes everyday activities, from web browsing to photography and social media, extremely breezy. I have absolutely zero complaints about the performance profile here, though I should mention that I didn't really have any last year, either. It'd be a big story if a nearly $2,000 phone didn't perform well.

Unfortunately, the Geekbench 7 benchmarking software that we use to put a number on performance does not have Pixel 11 Pro Fold support just yet. Take my word for it, though: Performance is fine on this phone.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold: AI features and HiLight That little white circle is where HiLight happens. Credit: René Ramos / Mashable

As always, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is fully Gemini-powered out of the box. It comes with six months of the Google AI Pro subscription and otherwise has some contextual Gemini-based actions that can occur, usually within the realm of text messages. For example, if someone texts you about a lunch date, Gemini might surface a little visual card with information about the restaurant in question sourced from the internet.

This sort of thing isn't terribly new or exciting (it's also somewhat difficult to test), but I suppose it can help save a little bit of time here and there. The most standout new AI feature actually involves photography. It's called Magic Capture, and the way it works is that you open the Camera app, swipe to a new Magic Capture tab the same way you would swipe between the photo and video modes, and start filming anything that's moving or otherwise dynamic and difficult to capture in still image form.

After you're done filming, the phone will take a few seconds to process a sort of "ideal" photographic still from the video you just took. It can also optionally crop and unblur these photos without your input. Fast-moving animals like New York's lovely pigeons or dogs at a dog park made for decent test subjects; even with the maximum zoom distance of 4x and twitchy, unpredictable subjects, the stills actually came out looking pretty nice.

This came from a video. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable So was this. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

I am broadly speaking not a fan of the AI creep that's been happening with smartphones in recent years. That said, Magic Capture is genuinely pretty neat and I could see it being very useful for people with kids and/or pets.

One other aspect worth talking about is HiLight, the only real new hardware feature in the Pixel 11 Pro series. It's a little multi-colored light that lives in the rear camera bar, and it lights up either when Gemini is active or when someone calls you. Those are the only two use cases right now. It's neat that you can set custom colors for different contacts, but I really don't understand why Google prioritized phone calls over text messages for HiLight at launch.

As it is, HiLight doesn't add much to the experience.. Maybe it'll get better over time.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold: Battery life

As with all devices that Mashable reviews, I tested the Pixel 11 Pro Fold's battery life by looping an HD video on its display until the phone died.

Google rates the Pixel 11 Pro Fold as having more than 24 hours of battery life, but using our testing method, I was only able to get about 24 hours of juice out of the phone's battery, which is smaller than the Pixel 10 Pro Fold's cell. I'm certain you could wring a bit more life out of it by sticking to normal everyday activities like scrolling social media, so this isn't a big deal. It's also about the same result I got out of the Z Fold 8 Ultra, so even though I like Samsung's device a bit more, it doesn't outright win on battery life.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold: Cameras Credit: René Ramos / Mashable

I mentioned earlier that there are arguments to be made for the Pixel 11 Pro Fold over the Z Fold 8 Ultra. The biggest one is definitely the cameras.

That's interesting because Samsung's rear camera array wins heavily on megapixel counts. You only get a 48MP main shooter here, versus a 200MP lens on the Z Fold 8 Ultra. Megapixels usually don't tell the full story, though, and whatever Google is doing behind the scenes with the Pixel 11 Pro Fold's software produces much better-looking shots in certain conditions.

As an example, both phones can digital zoom up to 30x. On the Z Fold 8 Ultra, everything taken at that zoom level looks terrible. It's a bunch of AI-corrected mush that no one should ever substitute for a real photo. On the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, though, 30x zoom images are fairly clear and nice-looking.

1x zoom. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable 30x zoom. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

The ultra-wide lens also produces vibrant, colorful shots.

Only a month or two before the leaves start falling. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

Macro photography is always nice to have, as well.

Macro-licious. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

And portrait mode does what you want it to do.

Sorry, I don't like including my own selfies in these reviews. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

Between all of that and the usefulness of Magic Capture, I would probably recommend the Pixel 11 Pro Fold over the Z Fold 8 Ultra purely on the merits of its cameras. However, you'd be better off getting a traditional flagship phone like a Pixel 11 Pro if photography is really your passion.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold: My final verdict

Google has made great strides towards catching up with Samsung in the tablet-style foldable space in the past 12 months.

Simply put, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is a massive improvement over the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, if only because it's a lot more comfortable to hold. It's still not anywhere near as thin as Samsung's Z Fold 8 Ultra, but it's hard to imagine anything on the market topping that soon.

Even so, its performance is rock solid. I actually think it's better at taking photos than the Z Fold 8 Ultra, and it's generally a very nice phone to use. Maybe next year Google can win the fight.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold (Obsidian) $1,899 at Amazon
$2,249 Save $350   See It at Amazon See It at T-Mobile See It at Google Store

Google has some new phones coming out, and we've been busy testing them all. Let's talk about them.

As part of its annual Made by Google event earlier this month, Google lifted the veil off the entire Pixel 11 series. While we don't quite have full reviews ready for each phone just yet, we wanted to share our first impressions of the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, and Pixel 11 Pro XL. (You can read our full review of the Pixel 11 Pro Fold.)

In general, this is another year of incremental improvements for the Pixel family, but there are some noteworthy changes to talk about. Let's dig in.

The base Pixel 11 camera bar is much thinner Slimmed down. Credit: Rene Ramos / Mashable

One thing that becomes very apparent right away when putting your hands on the base model Pixel 11 is that its physical profile has been trimmed down to an extent. However, Google didn't do that by changing the phone's dimensions; those are exactly the same as last year.

So, what did Google do to achieve a thinner silhouette (while shaving 0.3 oz off the weight) for its cheapest Pixel 11? It noticeably reduced the size of the camera bar this time around. It's not quite the same as what Google did to the Pixel 10a, which basically doesn't have a camera bar at all, allowing the phone to lie completely flat on a table. But the end result is close enough, as this is, as far as I can tell, the thinnest camera bar Google has put on a Pixel in a long, long time.

It's barely noticeable when viewed from the side, and the phone is close enough to being flat on any given surface that it's functionally pretty similar to the Pixel 10a in design. You can also basically make the phone completely flat on its backside by putting a case on the Pixel 11.

This isn't a monumental change or anything, and it only applies to the base model, but still, it's pretty nice.

HiLight is a swing and a miss so far It's not much to look at. Credit: Rene Ramos / Mashable

With the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Samsung introduced a major hardware upgrade: Privacy Display. Unfortunately, Google's big hardware innovation is pretty underwhelming.

We're talking about HiLight, a small, multi-colored light module that lives in the camera bar of the Pro models. Yes, you read that right: Base Pixel 11 phones can't use HiLight.

You might think, based on that fact, that HiLight is some highly advanced technological feat. Based on early impressions, that's not really the case. HiLight can pretty much do two things at the moment: light up when Gemini is active, or light up when someone calls you on the phone. The idea is to notify you that things are happening when you have the phone flipped face down, but I feel pretty strongly that Google should have prioritized text messages instead of phone calls for the initial HiLight rollout.

If HiLight worked with texts (and I expect that it will eventually), it would at least be pretty neat that you can set custom colors for different contacts. But as it is, in a world where I pretty much only get phone calls from people who are trying to drain my bank account, it's not particularly useful.

And again, it really should be available on all four Pixel 11 phones.

Magic Capture is a pleasant surprise The Google Pixel 11 series. Credit: René Ramos / Mashable

In terms of software additions, the most impressive one I've seen in my time with the Pixel 11 series has been Magic Capture. This, fortunately, is available on all four Pixel 11 devices, and it's worth trying once you have your new phone all set up and ready to go.

Magic Capture is available as a new mode in the Camera app; just choose it from the same little section where you'd choose either photo or video mode and you're good to go. The way it works is that you film anything you want, ideally an object or living thing in motion, and Magic Capture will automatically process the video and choose several still frames from it that would work as standalone photos.

Kinda neat! Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable Pigeons are cool. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

This processing happens on-device and works without a cellular or internet connection, which is great. There's also an option to let Magic Capture automatically crop and unblur these images. In practice, I found Magic Capture surprisingly capable of picking out neat still frames from videos. I filmed a train speeding by me and it found a frame where I'm clearly visible as a reflection in the train's window, which I thought was pretty cool. I was also able to catch a pigeon mid-take-off.

Magic Capture seems eminently useful for things like filming sports or other dynamic events full of moving subjects. Even as an AI skeptic (to put it mildly), this is one AI feature I actually sort of dig.

SAVE $400: As of Aug. 19, the Apple MacBook Pro with the M5 Pro chip (18-core CPU and 20-core GPU), 24GB of RAM, and 2TB of storage is on sale for $2,799 at Amazon and Best Buy. That's 13% off its usual sticker price of $3,199.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5 Pro with 18-core CPU and 20-core GPU, 24GB RAM, 2TB SSD) $2,799 at Amazon
$3,199 Save $400   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5 Pro with 18-core CPU and 20-core GPU, 24GB RAM, 2TB SSD) $2,799 at Best Buy
$3,199 Save $400 Deal of the Day (only available Aug. 19). Get Deal

Apple jacked up its MacBook prices this June amid RAMageddon, making it all the more crucial to shop smart and look for deals before you buy a new model. Lately, Amazon has been the place to go for those. Following some discounts on the M5 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro earlier this month, the retail giant is selling another MacBook Pro variant for $400 off this week. It's actually cheaper now than it was prior to Apple's price hike.

The model in question has an upgraded M5 Pro chip with an 18-core CPU and 20-core GPU, plus 24GB of memory and two terabytes of storage. It typically retails for $3,199 these days — up from $2,899 before June — but right now, it's marked down to just $2,799 on Amazon. That's an impressive $400 savings. (Best Buy is matching Amazon's pricing as an Aug. 19 Deal of the Day, meaning it won't linger there past midnight tonight.)

Choose from two colors: silver or space black. Credit: Apple

This is the MacBook I'd recommend to any creative professional who wants an ultra-powerful, long-lasting, and well future-proofed machine that's easy to take on the go. Apple also makes a 16-inch MacBook Pro with the same specs, which is nice if you want a bigger screen, but at 4.7 pounds, it's very heavy.

The M5 Pro-powered MacBook Pro offers several upgrades over the base M5 model (beyond a beefier processor), including faster Thunderbolt 5 ports, a newer wireless networking chip, and support for a third external monitor. It's too much laptop for the average person, but if you're editing huge video files or on a regular basis, for instance, it's up to the task.

More than once, I've thought a USB port on my PC was broken. It only turned out to be true once, but when it was, I was actually able to fix it.

SAVE $300: As of Aug. 19, the Samsung 32-inch Odyssey OLED G8 gaming monitor is down to just $999 instead of $1,299 at Amazon. That's 23% off and matches its lowest price on record.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 32-inch Odyssey OLED G8 gaming monitor $999 at Amazon
$1,299 Save $300   Get Deal

If you're going to spend hours upon hours gaming in front of a screen, you might as well invest in something that looks good. It won't be cheap, but if you're strategic, you can lock in a pretty solid discount on a high-quality gaming monitor. For instance, the 2026 Samsung 32-inch Odyssey OLED G8 gaming monitor is currently on sale for its best price ever.

Typically $1,299, you can pick up the Odyssey OLED G8 for just $999 as of Aug. 19. That's $300 or 23% in savings and matches its lowest cost on record from Prime Day. 

Released in May, the Odyssey OLED G80SH sports a stunning 32-inch 4K display that uses OLED Glare Free technology, which means it's less glossy than other monitors. This makes it more appealing to anyone who games in bright rooms or gets distracted by reflections. It's also VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 certified, which ensures deep blacks and vibrant colors.

Specs-wise, the monitor has a speedy 240Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms response time paired with features like FreeSync Premium Pro and VRR. So you can expect a smooth, responsive, and lag-free gaming experience.

If you've been staring at the same dull screen for long enough and are ready to make the leap to a premium setup, now's a great time. Snag the Samsung 32-inch Odyssey OLED G8 while it's the cheapest it's ever been.

It's no secret that I'm a big fan of Ryobi and its endless selection of capable cordless power tools. I've been buying them for over 20 years, but the brand doesn't offer everything I need. I do a lot of automotive repairs and maintenance, which led me to buy the Milwaukee M12 angled impact wrench. It's such a game-changer that I'm now slowly collecting Milwaukee tools.

SAVE $122: As of August 19, get the DJI Mic 3 (1 TX + 1 RX + Charging Case) for $207 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $329. That's a discount of 37%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon DJI Mic 3 (2 TX + 1 RX + Charging Case) $207 at Amazon
$329 Save $122   Get Deal

Content creators or anyone looking to take a few videos here and there can benefit from a great mic. DJI boasts a variety of excellent options when it comes to audio equipment, though the company is primarily known for its drones. If you want to add a little oomph to your audio recordings to go along with your videos, it's a good idea to pick up a DJI mic whenever it's discounted, and now is one of those times.

As of August 19, get the DJI Mic 3 (1 TX + 1 RX + Charging Case) for $207 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $329. That's $122 off and a discount of 37%.

SEE ALSO: Snap photos everywhere you go with 10% off the DJI Osmo Nano On-the-Go Combo

This mic set, with a charging kit to keep everything juiced up while on the go, is a great option for capturing audio no matter what kind of situation you're in. Use it for recording interviews, adding voiceover, or just to enhance the audio you have in a video in general. This bundle nets you a transmitter, a receiver, a charging case, and everything else you need to record audio right out of the box.

The mic itself is tiny and unobtrusive, which makes it perfect for adding to a lapel, putting in a bag to transport, or even hold if you prefer. Pair it with up to four transmitters and a receiver to sync audio, and you've got a great way to ensure your videos always sound great. It also has plenty of features to tweak your audio should you need.

If you're thinking about making videos or just want to level up your audio, this is a no-brainer of a buy, especially while it's discounted.

Are you tired of your Plex streams always stuttering but don't have the money for a brand-new media server? Here are three simple things that you can change to help make your streaming experience smoother on the hardware you already own.

Regardless of how you personally feel about it, it seems the AI coding assistants are here to stay. Although there are plenty of problems when it comes to AI slop code, vibe coding by people who don't understand the code itself, or the illusions of productivity destroyed by excessive quality control, coders are not letting this one go.