Technology

Last month, Frankie Muniz, Bryan Cranston, and Jane Kaczmarek reprised their beloved roles from Malcolm in the Middle for the revival series, Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair. For any revival, the biggest determining factor for their existence is viewership. Will audiences tune in for more episodes? In Malcolm in the Middle: Life's Still Unfair, the answer was yes, as the revival scored Hulu and Disney+'s most-viewed season premiere of 2026.

How many times do we have to go through this?

Yes, Mortal Kombat has been a massively popular video game franchise since its spawning in 1992. Yes, its over-the-top kills and thrillingly scornful catchphrases make the fighting games incredibly fun. But despite several attempts including 1995's Mortal Kombat, 1997's Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, and the 2021 reboot, also titled Mortal Kombat, not a single good live-action movie has been made from this IP.

Yet here we are again with another ugly, nonsensical mess, this time called Mortal Kombat II.

SEE ALSO: 'The Super Mario Galaxy Movie' review: Death is coming for us all

Mortal Kombat, the last film in this much-flubbed franchise, centered on Cole Young (Lewis Tan), a descendant of Sub-Zero (Joe Taslim), who's a fish out of water in the titular fighting tournament world. This time, he's relegated to a tertiary character, so the sequel can pivot to a new fish out of water, Johnny Cage (Karl Urban), a washed-up '90s action star who'd rather crush a beer than a spine. However, when a malevolent conqueror named Shao Kahn (Martyn Ford) threatens Earthrealm, it's up to Cage and a coterie of super-powered fighters to win a Mortal Kombat tournament to save their world.

Wisely, Warner Bros. led with Cage in their early promos, releasing teasers that showed a cheeky self-awareness of the Western martial arts movie while suggesting Mortal Kombat II would be funnier than its predecessor. Frustratingly, this is another example of good trailer, bad movie. And a big part of why is that Cage feels like he's been wedged in, rather than centered on, for a new perspective.

Mortal Kombat II is a befuddling eyesore with sub-zero emotional depth. Adeline Rudolph as Kitana. Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Mortal Kombat (2021) director Simon McQuoid is back with muddy CGI settings, rubbery CGI fighters, and much of his movie's cast reprising their roles. Along with Tan and Taslim, Jessica McNamee is back as Sonya Blade, Josh Lawson as Kano, Mehcad Brooks as Jax, Ludi Lin as Liu Kang, Tadanobu Asano as Raiden, and Hiroyuki Sanada as Hanzo Hasashi / Scorpion.

Joining the fighter line-up opposite Cage are fan-wielding Kitana (Adeline Rudolph), staff-armed Jade (Tati Gabrielle), the many-fanged Baraka (CJ Bloomfield), and Ford as brutish conqueror Shao Kahn.

Now, you might think that's too many characters to create meaningful story arcs over the course of a 116-minute runtime. And you'd be right!

Sure, screenwriter Jeremy Slater could have narrowed the focus to Cage's experience to better create a moving narrative, while still folding in the requisite fighting, brawlers, and game allusions. But hey, why not split the story focus between Cage, whose gruff has-been attitude pitches Mortal Kombat II toward a promising Galaxy Quest vibe, and Kitana, whose rebellious warrior princess thread is reminiscent of Guardians of the Galaxy's Gamora as she battled Thanos and her "sister" Nebula. But here, Thanos is Shao Kahn, who murders Kitana's dad in the film's glacially paced opening sequence. And Nebula is Jade, Kitana's bestie/guard since she became Shao Kahn's prisoner as a girl. (If you want more backstory, fret not, there's plenty.)

Tati Gabrielle as Jade. Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Cage won't even show up for the first 14 minutes of Mortal Kombat II. In that time, the sequel plunges into the same grim and self-serious atmosphere that made McQuoid's first Mortal Kombat a bore. Sure, the fight scenes are really violent and bloody, befitting the film's R-rating. But the fights feel disconnected from the storytelling. Worse yet, these battles are shot with very little visual logic, meaning some big blows just don't hit.

And yep, there sure are recreations of memorable characters, their costumes, weapons, and catchphrases. But the major important distinction between this rebooted movie franchise and the games is, the games were fun.

The most fun Mortal Kombat and Mortal Kombat II can offer is Kano, the only character who resolutely refuses to take things seriously.

Karl Urban shines, but Josh Lawson is Mortal Kombat II's MVP. Karl Urban as Johnny Cage, Hiroyuki Sanada as Scorpion, and Josh Lawson as Kano. Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

As Cage, Urban brings with him an American arrogance that shakes up the seriousness of the Earthrealm battlers. He's snarky where they're stern, creating a feisty dynamic that borders on amusing. But as Cage's clichéd plot line demands he become a selfless, brave hero, he becomes more grave and less giggle-inducing. Thank the gods for Lawson's Kano.

This crusty criminal and unrepentant asshole died in the last movie, but like other MK fighters, he's resurrected for this sequel. Thankfully, rather than being brought back as another humorless revenant, Kano is as chaotically insulting as ever, slinging barbs with reckless abandon. When he mocks necromancer Quan Chi (Damon Herriman) for his "eyeliner," I howled with laughter. And for a brief moment I thought that between Cage and Kano, this movie might actually begin to get fun!

Alas, my hopes were squashed like a skull under a warhammer. Kano and Cage get to be comic relief, while Kitana broods and a new quest kicks off to heist a magical gem from Shao Kahn, which he effectively uses as an immortality cheat code. Again, life-or-death battles and a heist into the heart of a tyrant's castle? This should be exciting and entertaining!

Inexplicably, McQuoid bleeds any tension from these sequences with a mangled visual language that makes fights hard to follow and the quest feel like an afterthought. Suspense cannot build because in every other scene, Slater's script delivers another exposition drop to explain the tournament, the realms, the revenants — on and on! Video games are a visual medium. Movies are a visual medium. Yet much of this movie feels like I got locked into a tedious podcast.

In the end, Mortal Kombat II feels like the wretched compromise of two movie pitches. One is a sequel that closely follows the saga and dolesome tone of the last movie. The other is an action-comedy in the vein of Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves. Whether it's Kano reading other fighters to filth, or a sequence where Cage is chased around a village by a rampaging Baraka, there are moments where Mortal Kombat II flirts with not taking this IP deadly seriously. But then McQuoid pivots back to a tone that's less Shogun and more Iron Fist. And as sloppy and artless as this adaptation is, it probably won't matter.

Gamers need to demand more of video game movies. CJ Bloomfield as Baraka. Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

It's long been a cliché that video game movies are traditionally bad. I was recently disappointed by the Until Dawn movie and moved to consider my own mortality over the vacuousness of The Super Mario Galaxy Movie. And yet, studios keep plugging along with these movies "for the fans."

Don't be fooled. That's a cynical sales pitch that assumes gamers love the source IP so much that studios don't need to bring skilled filmmakers or spend the money on top-notch fight choreography, stunts, or visual effects. They believe the fans will come regardless of what they actually put on screen. And maybe they're right! After all, critics warned that The Super Mario Galaxy Movie was a soulless sequel with more allusions than entertainment. But it's nearing a billion dollars for worldwide box office. So, why should studios change strategy?

Warner Bros hired a commercial director to make his feature directorial film debut with Mortal Kombat, and now he's back with a muddled vision that's an ugly and lifeless slog. But if fans go to the theater or stream this exhaustively on HBO Max, like they presumably did its predecessor, then the bar is in hell, and it won't be raised.

At least we have more Last of Us to look forward to, right?

Mortal Kombat II opens in theaters on May 8.

SAVE $700: As of May 6, get the Bosch Fully Automatic Coffee and Espresso Machine for $1,799 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $2,499. That's a discount of 28%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Bosch Fully Automatic Coffee and Espresso Machine $1,799 at Amazon
$2,499 Save $700   Get Deal

Tired of having to make a run to Starbucks or your local coffee shop every time you want a caffeine hit? Start making it at home with a machine that can handle whatever drink it is that you want to make. We found a heavily discounted coffee and espresso machine that can give you the real thing for less, and it's on sale right now.

As of May 6, get the Bosch Fully Automatic Coffee and Espresso Machine for $1,799 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $2,499. That's $700 off and a discount of 28%.

SEE ALSO: Upgrading your coffee machine? The De'Longhi Eletta Explore espresso machine is $500 off at Amazon.

This machine can whip up a whopping 36 drinks at the touch of a button: coffee, latte, cappuccino, espresso, and more. Just choose the drink you want via the touchscreen and it'll go from there. Control the size, strength, and milk ratio, all down to the type of aroma you want and your drink will be made in just minutes. No fiddling around with recipes or annoying settings.

You can brew two drinks at the same time or a double serving in one cup, or preschedule cups to be made while you're asleep so you can wake up to delicious coffee. And you don't even have to be at home to start things brewing. You can set up a coffee drink to get started via the Home Connect app so you can come home to a steaming hot java when you get through the door.

If you're tired of spending all your extra cash on drinks while out, spend the extra now and have all of your drinks at home. It'll save you some serious money in the long run, and offers plenty of convenience at that.

For a long time, Synology was the NAS brand. If someone asked what NAS to buy, you’d say Synology and move on. Their hardware was always decent but DiskStation Manager was genuinely exceptional—nothing else in the consumer space came close to the software experience. You were paying a premium, but it made sense.

SAVE $100: As of May 6, the Acer Nitro V 15 laptop (Intel Core i5-13420H, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) is on sale for just $699.99. That's 13% off its list price of $799.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Acer Acer Nitro V 15 (Intel Core i5-13420H, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $699.99 at Amazon
$799.99 Save $100   Get Deal

Whether you're just getting your feet wet in the gaming world or you're looking for a budget-friendly on-the-go setup, the Acer Nitro V 15 laptop is a solid pick — especially when it's on sale.

As of May 6, the 2025 Acer Nitro V 15 laptop with 8GB RAM and 512GB of storage is on sale for just $699.99 at Amazon. That's $100 cheaper than usual or 13% in savings. It also includes a free month of Xbox Game Pass for new users.

The Nitro V 15 isn't a top-of-the-line gaming laptop, but it does tackle the basics well for a good price. It has a 15.6-inch FHD IPS display with a speedy 165Hz refresh rate and 16:9 ratio. Inside, there's an Intel Core i5-13420H processor, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050 graphics card, 8GB of DDR5 RAM, and 512GB of solid-state storage. There's also WiFi 6 compatibility and plenty of ports for all of your gaming peripherals, including HDMI 2.1, USB-C Thunderbolt 4, USB 3.2, and Ethernet E2600.

Acer calls the Nitro V 15 a "gateway to an adrenaline-charged journey," and that's a pretty accurate description. While it's not going to wow advanced gamers, it's a beginner- and budget-friendly gateway drug to an even better future setup.

If you're seeking a solid gaming laptop that performs well for less than $1,000, scoop up the Acer Nitro V 15 while it's $100 less.

Setting aside some time to write nowadays, in a distraction-free environment, isn’t the easiest thing to do. With so many distractions out there, it’s a miracle anyone gets any writing done at all.

On May 5, the dating app Bumble posted a cryptic message on Instagram: "Dear swiping, it's over. - Bumble."

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The post prompted comments filled with suspicious eye emoji, confusion, and guesses as to what this means. It was also shared the same day as Bumble's Q1 2026 earnings report, which stated that Bumble's total revenue decreased 14.1 percent year over year compared to Q1 2025, and that total paying users decreased 21.1 percent in the same period.

SEE ALSO: A new, AI-powered version of Bumble is coming

While total average revenue per paying user and net earnings both increased (8.9 percent and 165.4 percent year-over-year, respectively), Bumble has made it known that it'll be trying something different.

But does that mean that Bumble is getting rid of the swipe, an integral part of its app (as well as its rival, Tinder), since its inception?

It's difficult to say. A Bumble spokesperson told Mashable, "We have shared that Bumble is entering an exciting new chapter, with meaningful product innovations on the horizon. Our focus remains on bringing our members together in real life, in intentional ways, and that begins with how they connect on Bumble."

The "new chapter" is likely what Bumble founder and CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd called "Bumble 2.0" in the previous earnings call in March. Wolfe Herd said then, "We are rearchitecting the entire Bumble experience from start to finish," and that the team is focused on product and technology innovation. This includes a new tech stack for the app's backend, as well as an AI-powered experience called, simply, Dates.

Wolfe Herd continued to discuss this reimagining of Bumble in yesterday's earnings call. The new tech platform is apparently launching in the coming weeks, she said, and the new platform experience as a whole (including a new interaction model and profile system) is rolling out throughout 2026.

It also seems that Bumble is investing more in IRL events, likely due to the explosion of offline dating events in recent years. The app is hosting events in both the U.S. and Europe, with Bumble "taking over" a host of New York City bars this summer, and partnering with local dating events in London.

It's clear that many dating app users are frustrated, so it makes sense that Bumble is trying to switch it up. Will it pay off?

Robot lawn mowers on sale at Amazon at a glance: Best robot lawn mower deal for larger yards Dreame A3 AWD Pro Robot Lawn Mower + free replacement blades $2,699.99 (save $500) Get Deal Most affordable robot lawn mower Ecovacs Goat O1000 RTK Robot Lawn Mower $699.99 (save $300) Get Deal Best robot lawn mower deal for smaller yards Eufy Robot Lawn Mower E15 $999.99 (save $800) Get Deal

Welcome to spring. It's a time of the year when everything comes back to life. Flowers bloom, bunnies appear in the yard, and we begin to think about summer plans. While plenty of elements that come along with spring are joyful, there's one particular yard-maintenance task that's less exciting — mowing the lawn. Sure, some people enjoy heading out into the yard to turn their sneakers a new shade of green, but if you're not in that camp, we have robot lawn mowers.

Similar to how we rely on robot vacuums to clean our floors inside, a robot lawn mower will take care of the chore for you. After creating a map of your yard, you can set a mowing scheudle in the app to make sure the lawn always looks freshly manicured. Most models also let you set the desired length and create no-go areas. They also come with the intelligence to avoid obstacles like lawn chairs or the volleyball net.

If you're looking for a way to shortcut yard tasks from here on out, check out these sale prices on robot lawn mowers we spotted at Amazon. Snag one soon and you might have already completed your final manual lawn mowing session.

Best robot lawn mower deal for larger yard Opens in a new window Credit: Dreame Dreame A3 AWD Pro Robot Lawn Mower $2,699.99 at Amazon
$3,199.99 Save $500 get free replacement blades worth $699 Get Deal Why we like it

With all-terrain wheels and quiet operation, the Dreame A3 AWD Pro robot lawn mower can cover up over acre of lawn in a single day. Not only can you set a mowing schedule, you can choose from five mowing modes. Set the desired grass height between 1.2 and 3.9 inches, and the Dreame A3 will use it's wide 15.8-inch dual-disc path to mow quickly.

This model also comes with the intelligence of obstacle avoidance for over 300 items. Plus, it has a low-speed safety mode and settings for animal activity zones. Dreame says this model is so quiet that you can scheudle it to mow overnight and not worry about disturbing your sleep or that of the neighbors.

In addition to this model being on sale for $2,699.99, Amazon is throwing in a free Dreame Replacement Blades kit which ordinarily sell for $699.

Best budget-friendly robot lawn mower deal Opens in a new window Credit: Ecovacs Ecovacs Goat O1000 RTK Robot Lawn Mower $699.99 at Amazon
$999.99 Save $300   Get Deal Why we like it

On sale for $699.99, the Ecovacs Goat 01000 RTK robot lawn mower is designed to care for yards with a quarter of an acre of grass. Ecovacs mentions this model only takes 15 minutes to get set up. Its smaller body design allows it to mow narrow areas that measure as little as 2.3 feet wide.

Since it comes with an IXP6 waterproof design, you won't have to worry about a summer shower, and it's capable of climbing hills that include a slope of up to 45%. It'll take about 100 minutes to completely recharge the Goat 01000. After that, it's ready to tackle up to 2,100 square feet of lawn mowing. Ecovacs says this model is particularly ideal for compact lawns or yards with segmented grass areas.

Best robot lawn mower deal for smaller yards Opens in a new window Credit: Eufy Eufy Robot Lawn Mower E15 $999.99 at Amazon
$1,799.99 Save $800   Get Deal Why we like it

If your lawn is less than a quarter of an acre, the Eufy E15 could be the ideal robot lawn mower. Unlike older models of robot lawn mowers, the Eufy does not require you to bury a boundary wire. Instead, it uses Eufy's Pure Vision Navigation to map and then navigate the yard on its own.

From the app, you'll be able to schedule mowing sessions with the reassurance the mower won't miss any spots. It cuts in parallel lines for a clean look and it operates at about 56 decibels. Eufy compares this with the over 100 decibels that's common with traditional gas-powered or even electric mowers. The anti-theft system and GPS tracking are more benefits from this Eufy model.

If your Excel workbook shows everything at once, it's harder to use than it needs to be. The fix is simple: only surface what the user actually needs to see and hide the rest. Let me introduce you to the 10% rule.

A couple of major TV brands are now at the center of a class-action lawsuit.

A plaintiff named Terri Else proposed a class-action suit in California against TCL and Roku, per CNET. The specific accusation here is that Roku and TCL push software updates to their TVs that make the devices defective without any kind of a fix.

Roku has denied the claims in Else's complaint.

While Roku is primarily known as a manufacturer of streaming devices, it does manufacture its own TVs under the Roku Select and Roku Plus names, while also providing the underlying smart TV operating system for several models of TCL TVs. This lawsuit calls out Roku Select, Roku Plus, and any TCL TV in the 3, 4, 5, or 6 series running Roku OS.

SEE ALSO: 2026 Summer TV preview: Every TV show you need to know about now

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Else accused TCL of selling her a TV that became defective a few years after purchase in 2018, before it eventually stopped working entirely in 2023. According to Else, TCL would not cover whatever was happening to the TV under its warranty. What's worse, Else says, is that the next TV she bought also allegedly stopped working within a year.

The complaint claims that "Roku's software updates are repetitively defective, materially impairing the functionality of Roku Products, rendering many consumers' televisions either entirely unusable ("bricked"), blacked out, or otherwise substantially degraded in terms of device performance." The complaint specifically accuses Roku software updates of causing "screen black outs, loss of video, [and] the screen flashing on and off," among other problems.

Roku is a very popular brand in the U.S., and you don't have to look far on places like Reddit to find complaints about TVs from either Roku or TCL being bricked after software updates.

That said, a Roku spokesperson said to CNET that these claims are "meritless." Given that this is still just a proposed class-action lawsuit, there's still a chance that this complaint doesn't go anywhere.

From the day I ditched my old LG phone, I've been a regular user of Samsung phones. This year, I made the switch to Linux Mint as a daily driver on my PC, and that gave me the idea to try running a few of my favorite Linux apps on my Galaxy Z Fold.

If you've upgraded to a new router, you don't have to get rid of the old one. Instead, you can turn it into an access point or Wi-Fi repeater, or even use it as a secondary network node if you've got two routers from the same brand that both support the same proprietary mesh software.

SAVE $352: As of May 6, the Hisense 55-inch Canvas S7N QLED 4K TV is on sale for $647.99 at Amazon. That's a savings of 35% or over $350.

Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense 55-inch Canvas S7N QLED 4K TV $647.99 at Amazon
$999.99 Save $352   Get Deal

Top brands are emptying out their 2025 TV reserves to make room for the latest and greatest models, which means it's the perfect time to score a great TV deal. And if you're specifically seeking a TV with Art Mode, your search ends here. The Hisense Canvas TV — Samsung The Frame's arch nemesis — is on sale for over $350 off.

As of May 6, the 55-inch version of the Hisense Canvas S7N QLED 4K TV is down to just $647.99 at Amazon for a savings of 35%. That's its second-best price ever and only $48 away from its all-time low. Best Buy also has the same TV on sale for just $2 more for anyone who prefers not to shop at Amazon.

Like Samsung The Frame, Hisense's Canvas TV is a QLED display treated with an anti-glare, hi-matte finish to display curated artwork (or your own pictures). It comes with a teak wood magnetic frame (more options sold separately) and an ultra-slim wall mount that lies flush to make the TV itself look as close as possible to framed artwork.

"Despite often being minimized to a Frame dupe, the Hisense Canvas is actually a better value than The Frame in a lot of ways," Mashable TV expert Leah Stodart writes, noting its higher refresh rate (144Hz versus 120Hz) and two HDMI 2.1 ports (versus one). It features Google TV's interface, which is much more intuitive and responsive than the Samsung interface. Not to mention, Samsung charges a monthly fee to access artwork, whereas Hisense's digital art library is free.

If an art TV is on your wishlist, this is the one to buy. While the 55-inch model offers the biggest discount, other sizes are also on sale to suit your space.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

A hole in the ground.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

DITCH

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Immense sadness.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 6, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

GRIEF

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Found in tile.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for May 6 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for May 6, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

GROUT

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Cooked in oil.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

FRIED

Final Hurdle hint

Turn.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

TWIST

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

SAVE $100: As of May 6, get the 55-inch Samsung M80H Mini LED TV for $597.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $697.99. That's a discount of 14% and the lowest price we've seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Samsung M80H Mini LED TV $597.99 at Amazon
$697.99 Save $100   Get Deal

Looking to give your living room entertainment setup an upgrade? Or maybe you're just ready to add a new TV to another room, but don't want to break the bank. Either way, we've got you covered with a TV deal that you won't want to miss out on, especially if you want built-in streaming and a high-quality picture.

As of May 6, get the 55-inch Samsung M80H Mini LED TV for $597.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $697.99. That's $100 off and a discount of 14%. It's also the lowest price we've seen.

SEE ALSO: Take over $500 off the 55-inch Samsung Neo QLED 4K TV at Amazon

This mini LED TV is powered by AI so it can offer the best picture possible, with intelligent processing to give you a better, more dynamic picture as AI analyzes and enhances each scene. Its Pure Spectrum Color features over one billion colors for bright hues and deeper shades of black to give you realism and scenes that pop. AI will take old shows and movies and make them look like new, essentially.

Plus, its variable refresh rate with 144Hz to work with is perfect for smoother sports and gaming, working to eliminate screen tearing.

If it's streaming content you want, this model also gives you plenty of free channels with a free Samsung account so you can browse hundreds of pieces of content and live streaming stations with all your favorite shows and movies on tap whenever you like, all for the low price of zero.

If you're ready for a new TV that won't cost you an entire paycheck, be sure to grab this model while it's still discounted.

There are some smart home sensors that you only truly appreciate when the worst happens. I had a water leak sensor in my home and assumed that it was keeping me protected. I found out the hard way how wrong I was.

SAVE 9%: As of May 6, you can get the Asus ROG Strix 32-inch 4K OLED gaming monitor for $996.25 at Amazon, down from $1,099. That's a 9% discount, or $102.75 in savings.

Asus ROG Strix 32-inch 4K OLED gaming monitor $996.25 at Amazon
$1,099 Save $102.75   Get Deal at Amazon

If you're a gamer, like a serious gamer, then you're probably well aware that *real* gaming equipment comes with a hefty price tag. The good news? Amazon randomly discounts monitors, keyboards, and other accessories almost every day. The hard part is finding the good stuff, which is exactly why I'm here.

SEE ALSO: Asus ProArt P16 laptop review: a dialed-in beast for creators

As of May 6, you can get the Asus ROG Strix 32-inch 4K OLED gaming monitor for $996.25 at Amazon, down from $1,099. That's a 9% discount, or $102.75 in savings. And while a measly 9% doesn't sound like much, that's still a Benjamin back in your pocket. Also, to put things in perspective, the all-time low for this monitor is $909, which it hit just two weeks ago.

It has a 32-inch TrueBlack Glossy WOLED display, which is basically two monitors in one thanks to a dual-mode feature that lets you switch between 4K at 240Hz and FHD at 480Hz. It also features a 0.03ms response time, G-SYNC compatibility for smooth gameplay, and a built-in OLED Care Pro system with a proximity sensor that auto-dims the screen when you step away to prevent burn-in.

Most Linux users never think twice about the kernel running under their system. It just works. But for those who want stronger security guarantees, there's an alternative worth knowing about—and living with it taught me more than I expected.

Tinder's revenue and paying users have been trending down in recent years, but the most recent earnings report suggests that it could be making a comeback.

Tinder's parent company, Match Group, released its Q1 2026 earnings report yesterday, and for the first time in several quarters, there's good news for the dating app — kinda. Monthly average user trends were down seven percent year-over-year, which doesn't sound stellar, but it was the slowest rate of decline in 31 months, according to Match Group's press release.

SEE ALSO: Tinder responds to viral video about tricking facial scan

The supplemental materials also show that Tinder's direct revenue is up in Q1 2026 compared to Q1 2025, but it's down compared to the rest of 2025.

New user registrations returned to year-over-year growth for Tinder, which may be due to the app's push for something new. In March, Tinder rolled out a host of new features, including AI matchmaking service Chemistry, and Astrology and Music Modes.

"Tinder works better today than it did before. Our product changes are resonating with Gen Z and driving improvements in leading indicators, which is a clear signal that Tinder's ecosystem is strengthening," Match Group and Tinder CEO Spencer Rascoff said in the press release.

SEE ALSO: The best dating apps of 2026

Last month, Rascoff told the Financial Times that Tinder wants more women on the app, which is currently skewed male. He's also more interested in increasing the total number of people on the app, rather than just paid users.

Hinge, meanwhile, continues to make money for Match Group, with a 28 percent increase in year-over-year direct revenue growth. Paying users are also up 15 percent compared to this time last year. Looking at the supplemental materials of Match Group's earnings, Hinge is only trending upward.

"Hinge delivered another strong quarter and launched category-first features for highly intentioned daters that are improving outcomes," said Rascoff.

The earnings report comes a week after Match announced a $100 million investment in Sniffies, a gay hookup app, signaling Match's interest in diversifying its offerings while dominating the dating app space.

AV receivers can be finicky or hard to understand at first, so it's easy to mess a thing up or two during setup. Here are some settings to check if you're having any audio problems in your home theater.