Mashable

SAVE $30: As of Aug. 19, Apple AirPods 4 are on sale for $99 at Amazon. That's a saving of 23% on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods 4 $99 at Amazon
$129 Save $30 Get Deal

The Apple AirPods 4 are back on sale, and as of Aug. 19, you can get them for under $100. Yep, you read that right. Right now, AirPods 4 are priced at just $99. This price is for the non-ANC version, but you can also secure a discount on the model with active noise cancelation.

These earbuds are always a solid choice, especially for the price you're paying. They are powered by Apple's H2 chip for an amazing immersive listening experience. Personalized Spatial Audio and dynamic head tracking makes it feel like the sound is moving all around you, creating a theater-like listening experience. And the microphone audio is top notch, too. It uses advanced computational audio to reduce background noise while isolating and clarifying the sound of your voice. Perfect for phone calls or voice notes while out and about and in loud environments.

SEE ALSO: This Apple Watch is a steal at just $155 — save over $300 right now

The non-ANC model also has an enviable battery life, promising up to 30 hours of listening time with the case, and five hours with just a single charge.

You also get all the signature Apple touches, instant pairing with your iPhone or iPad, “Hey Siri” support, and an in-ear sensor that automatically plays and pauses audio. And of course, a wireless charging case that works with Apple Watch chargers, USB-C cables, or Qi-certified pads.

If you're looking for new earbuds, you can't go wrong with this AirPods deal.

TL;DR: Replace your Microsoft 365 subscription with a lifetime license for Microsoft Office 2024 on sale now for $158.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Office Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business (Mac or PC Lifetime License) $159.97
$249.99 Save $90.02 Get Deal

Software subscriptions only seem cheap at first. A few dollars a month might not feel like much, but the absolute lowest possible price for Microsoft 365 is $99.99 per year. If you want a cheaper option, you can replace Microsoft 365 with a lifetime license to Microsoft Office, and you’ll still keep many of the same apps.

The biggest difference is instead of paying hundreds or even thousands over the course of a subscription, you can get Microsoft Office for life for only $157.97 (reg. $249.99).

What’s included with Microsoft Office

This license gives you full access to the core Microsoft Office apps that most people use every day. These are the desktop versions, not the web-based ones, and they run directly on your Mac or PC:

• Word

• Excel

• PowerPoint

• Outlook

• OneNote

Each app comes with the latest updates, including AI improvements. Word now comes with Smart Compose, which uses AI to suggest sentence completions and help you write more efficiently. Excel has dynamic arrays, improved filtering, and upgraded charting tools for faster and more flexible data work. PowerPoint supports full presentation recording with video, audio, and captions built in. OneNote remains a reliable space for organizing notes, to-do lists, and research, whether you’re at home or at work.

SEE ALSO: Our favorite MacBook for college students is on sale, plus 20 more back-to-school laptop deals

This version is a one-time purchase, so there are no recurring fees, and it includes access to updates.

If you’re ready to stop renting your software and just want a reliable set of tools you can own outright, here’s your chance. Right now, it’s only $157.97 to get Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for Mac or PC.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Stop struggling with PDFs thanks to this lifetime license to PDF Converter and Editor, now only $23.99 (reg. $99.99) with code SAVE20 through Sept. 7.

Opens in a new window Credit: Acethinker PDF Converter & Editor (Lifetime License) $23.99
$99.99 Save $76 Get Deal

School is starting, and whether you’re heading back as a student or you’re the adult in charge of kiddos, one thing is inevitable — you’re going to have to deal with some PDFs. If you’d like to make that experience a lot less painful, this PDF Converter and Editor can help.

Right now, you can secure a lifetime license to this handy tool for just $23.99 (reg. $99.99) with code SAVE20 until Sept. 7.

Convert, edit, and manage PDFs without the hassle thanks to this handy tool

Unless you’re a PDF wizard, chances are you struggle with this frustrating file type. If you’d like to coexist with them more peacefully, PDF Converter and Editor makes it possible. This tool lets you process PDFs and other document types easily, so you can get back to what really matters.

This app lets you change a PDF to another file type like Microsoft Word, HTML, PNG, or JPG with just a few taps, without sacrificing quality as it preserves original layouts, images, and hyperlinks. Need to convert something to a PDF? That’s just as simple, even if you need to merge documents, images, or other file types.

Need to work within a PDF? Don’t get mad, get even with the PDF Converter and Editor. It lets you merge, split, rotate, or delete pages in seconds. You can also use OCR to extract and edit text from a document. It also lets you easily fill out forms or create your own interactive PDF forms if needed.

Want to keep track of your creations? You can add customizable watermarks and shapes for either personal or professional use. PDF Converter and Editor also allows you to annotate documents with notes, stamps, text, underscores, and more.

Make life easier this back-to-school season with this lifetime license to PDF Converter and Editor, just $23.99 (reg. $99.99) with code SAVE20 through Sept. 7.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Get an Apple Watch Series 7 (refurbished) on sale for only $154.99 (reg. $499).

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Series 7 (2021) $154.99
$499 Save $344.01 Get Deal

Getting an Apple Watch doesn’t have to mean blowing through your budget. If you want a smartwatch that tracks workouts, monitors your health, and keeps you connected without pulling out your phone, the Apple Watch Series 7 still holds up as a strong, well-rounded option. It’s also significantly cheaper than the competition.

This Series 7 Apple Watch used to be $499, but it’s on sale now for $154.99.

An affordable Apple Watch

The Series 7 introduced a bigger Always-On Retina display that gives you about 20% more screen area than earlier models. Thinner borders and increased brightness make it easier to check messages, use apps, and type directly on the screen using the built-in QWERTY keyboard.

The case is made from lightweight aluminum in midnight, and the front crystal is 50% thicker than before to resist cracking. It is also dust resistant with an IP6X rating and water resistant up to 50 meters, so it is safe to wear during workouts, hikes, or even swims. Just don’t go diving with it.

The battery lasts up to 18 hours and now supports fast charging. With the USB-C magnetic charger, you can go from zero to 80% in about 45 minutes.

You also get several health and safety tools, including ECG and blood oxygen monitoring, heart rate tracking, fall detection, sleep tracking, and support for a wide range of workouts. With GPS and Cellular, you can call, text, stream music, or use apps without your phone nearby.

This version includes a 45mm case, a sport strap, and ships with watchOS 8 pre-installed, with support for updates through watchOS 11.

The reason this Apple Watch is marked down is because it’s a refurbished model. The grade “B” rating means it may have light scuffs or cosmetic wear, but it is fully functional and includes a 30-day parts and labor warranty.

Don’t want to burn through your paycheck getting a new Apple Watch? Pick up an Apple Watch Series 7 on sale for $154.99.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Free-to-play game The First Descendant has been slammed for apparently using fake AI-generated influencers in their TikTok ads, as well as a deepfake of at least one real streamer without their knowledge or consent. The developer has now claimed this was the result of "certain irregularities" found in the operation of its call out for user-created content. 

Released by MapleStory developer Nexon last year, The First Descendant is a third-person loot shooter in which players fight alien invaders. Like many other online multiplayer games such as Fortnite and League of Legends, The First Descendant has "seasons," periods lasting a few months in which new content is added to the game. Season 3: Breakthrough began in August, with Nexon reportedly posting videos to The First Descendant's official TikTok account to promote the event. 

SEE ALSO: 1 in 5 new video games on Steam now uses generative AI, report says

However, players soon noticed something off about these ads. While the TikTok videos appeared to feature clips of streamers promoting The First Descendant, several factors indicated that they had actually been generated using AI. Red flags included the ostensible streamers' artificial-sounding voices, their inauthentic scripts, and their strange mouth and head movements. While viewers may not immediately pick up on these tells while casually scrolling through their TikTok feed, it quickly becomes obvious once you pay more attention to the clips.

Reddit user u/iHardlyTriHard compiled several of the ads in a post to the r/TheFirstDescendant subreddit, claiming that their TikTok For You page showed them four of the videos within 15 minutes.

"It's really a kick in the teeth to TFD content creators for them to be using AI for ads like this instead of actual content creators," wrote u/iHardlyTriHard, who claimed to be a content creator themself. 

Reddit

Even more egregious was the fact that at least one of The First Descendant's TikTok ads appeared to use the likeness of a real content creator without his consent. In the first clip from u/iHardlyTriHard's compilation, an apparent deepfake of horror game streamer DanieltheDemon can be seen talking about playing The First Descendant and promoting the game. However, DanieltheDemon has since stated that he had nothing to do with the game or ad.

"I have no affiliation nor contract with The First Descendant," DanieltheDemon wrote, commenting under Game Central's TikTok video on the issue. "They stole my face/reactions from my most viral video and used AI to change what my mouth says and a voice that isn't mine. I did not consent for my likeness to be used…"

With 8.3 million views, DanieltheDemon's most popular TikTok video shows the streamer playing indie horror game The Guest. The First Descendants' ad appears to have taken DanieltheDemon's video, flipped it, used AI to change his mouth movements and words, then added footage of their entirely different game to make it seem as though he was promoting it.

Left: A screenshot from DanieltheDemon's most popular video. Right: A screenshot from 'The First Descendants' TikTok ad. Credit: Mashable edit: Screenshot from @danielthedemon TikTok video; screenshot from @firstdescendantofficial TikTok via u/iHardlyTriHard

"Honestly it's embarrassing I genuinely believe the ads will actually hurt the game because anyone who was maybe half interested in checking it out would see these and think not a fucking chance," Reddit user u/darknessinzero777 said of the fiasco.

"I have no idea how I can recommend this game to other people at this point without also completely ruining my own credibility in the process," commented u/Detpowell.

The First Descendant developer responds to AI ad controversy

On Monday, Nexon released a statement addressing the uproar. While it did not directly address DanieltheDemon's specific situation, the developer did explain that it had not created the controversial ads itself. Rather, the videos had been created and submitted to them by third parties.

"As a part of our marketing campaign for [The First Descendant] Season 3: Breakthrough, we recently ran a Creative Challenge program for TikTok creators, which allows creators to voluntarily submit their content to be used as advertising materials," Nexon wrote in its announcement. "All submitted videos are verified through TikTok’s system to check copyright violations before they are approved as advertising content.  

"However, we have become aware of cases where the circumstances surrounding the production of certain submitted videos appear inappropriate. Thus, we are conducting a thorough joint investigation with TikTok to determine the facts."

TikTok's Creative Challenge program enables brands to issue call outs for user-created ads. Users who have been approved by TikTok to be part of this program can then create videos following the brand's guidelines, and will earn commissions on their content if their ad is used. Unfortunately, it seems that TikTok's vetting process may need reworking.

Even so, not all the blame can be laid at TikTok's feet. Judging from Nexon's statement, it appears the developer either completely abdicated ad vetting to TikTok, or simply failed to catch the AI-generated content in its own checks. Neither option bodes well. Particularly considering that The First Descendant ads' AI use seems fairly obvious, increased scrutiny in Nexon's ad approval process wouldn't go amiss.

Nexon states that its review of the situation is taking longer than expected, and it will provide further updates in due course. In any case, the developer will likely be more careful about approving crowdsourced ads in the future.

The moon is getting less and less visible each night, and it won't be long before we see nothing at all.

The moon is looking a little darker right now due to where we are in the lunar cycle, a series of eight unique phases of the moon's visibility. The whole cycle takes about 29.5 days, according to NASA, and these different phases happen as the Sun lights up different parts of the moon whilst it orbits Earth. 

So let's see what's happening with the moon tonight, Aug. 19.

What is today’s moon phase?

As of Tuesday, Aug. 19, the moon phase is Waning Crescent, and it is 16% lit up to us on Earth, according to NASA's Daily Moon Observation.

We're on day 26 of the lunar cycle, and there's really not a whole lot for us to see tonight. With no visual aids other than your eyes, try and spot the Aristarchus Plateau. This is positioned in the top left of the moon (bottom right, if you're in the Southern Hemisphere).

With binoculars, see even more, including the Grimaldi Basin, and with a telescope, enjoy a glimpse of the Reiner Gamma.

When is the next full moon?

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

What are moon phases?

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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.

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

Comedy.

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

HUMOR

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A path.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 4, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

TRACK

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Hazy.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 4 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 4, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

SMOKY

Hurdle Word 4 hint

Coffee with chocolate.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for August 4 Hurdle Word 4 answer

MOCHA

Final Hurdle hint

Agile.

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

LITHE

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

This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.

There's an undisputed truth about audio tech: Not all speakers are made equal. But that's also true of listeners. Some people are content with something cheap and cheerful for their audio consumption — as long as they can hear what's being the played, any speaker will do. But audiophiles fall into a very different category. The speaker needs to deliver a rich body of sound that's full of nuances.

Thankfully, we understand the demands and expectations at either end of the speaker spectrum. Which is helpful for you keen listeners, because buying a speaker isn't easy. In fact, if you've never done it before, a speaker purchase requires some research. There are a lot of different speakers on offer, with lots of features and specifications to consider.

SEE ALSO: The best tablets in 2025

We're assuming you're here because you don't have time for all of that. Fear not, because we've done a lot of the hard work on your behalf and researched some of the very best speakers available on Amazon. Here's a useful guide on everything you need to know and a round-up of sweet-sounding speaker recommendations.

Do you need a new speaker?

It's always a good time to upgrade your tech. The real question is which new speaker do you need? Consider whether you're planning to use your speaker for just music, for TV and films, or both. You should decide on that now, because it will factor into what kind of speaker you end up buying. For instance, if you're looking for something to pair with your TV, a soundbar will be a good choice, but if you want something more music-focused, consider a pair of bookshelf speakers or a portable Bluetooth option. 

In addition, you'll want to note the kind of sound quality you're looking for — whether that's surround sound, Dolby Atmos, or just plain old stereo (which is also great, don't feel pressured to get something super fancy and expensive if you don't really need it). Not all speakers produce the same kind of sound quality, so it's important to know exactly the kind of listening experience you're looking to get out of it.

What are passive and active speakers?

The difference between passive and active (sometimes called "powered") is pretty simple, yet important to note. Passive speakers don't have any sort of built-in amplification, which means that they need to be connected to a stereo receiver to work. Active speakers have everything built-in from the start, including preamp, volume controls, and inputs. If convenience is one of your top priorities, go for active speakers, as they'll require a lot less setup and additional equipment to get them working.

How many speakers do you need? 

Having two amazing speakers is always going to get you better results than having five average speakers. Plus, having too many speakers around is just going to take up an unnecessary amount of space. If you have the room, two speakers is the perfect number. It's especially ideal if you listen to a lot of music, which is normally recorded for a stereo setting — so having a left and right channel will do you wonders. If you have a smaller space, one really good speaker is just fine.

Do you need a subwoofer?

The short answer is no. You don't necessarily need one. Should you get one, though? Well, that's a different question, to which we would answer: Sure, why not?! Adding a subwoofer will make pretty much any audio setup sound better (not all of them are compatible, though, so make sure you check before buying one first). Subwoofers improve the dynamics of the bass, boosting the quality and adding more depth and space to your output. Sometimes adding a high-quality subwoofer to your speaker setup is more helpful than upgrading the speakers themselves.

What is a smart speaker?

These are speakers that double up as smart devices, which may connect to Alexa or sync with other smart home devices. They’re great in their own right, but they aren't always the best way to listen to music (sorry, Alexa). If you can't live without a smart assistant within your speaker setup, we recommend something that's Bluetooth-enabled and connecting to your smartphone. That way, you get the perks of your phone's built-in smart assistant without having to downgrade the speaker itself. 

What is Dolby Atmos?

This is worth knowing about because you'll see it mentioned a lot when buying up-to-date speakers. It's essentially a surround sound technology for home cinema. The basic idea is that instead of just having sound blasting at you from all angles, it places specific sounds and voices in specific places around the listener. Sounds can also move around a three-dimensional soundstage. It takes fully immersive surround sound to a whole new level. It's closely related to spatial audio — which you'll also read about below — but Dolby Atmos is its own specific technology.

What are the best speakers?

We're glad you asked. We have picked out a favourite from each of the most popular speaker categories — from bookshelf to Bluetooth speakers and everything in between — and lined up the very best options for your consideration.

These are the best speakers in 2025.

Elon Musk’s AI chatbot, Grok, has a bit of a source code problem. As first spotted by 404 Media, the web version of Grok is inadvertently exposing the prompts that shape its cast of AI companions — from the edgy “anime waifu” Ani to the foul-mouthed red panda, Bad Rudy.

Buried in the code is where things get more troubling. Among the gimmicky characters is "Therapist" Grok (those quotations are important), which, according to its hidden prompts, is designed to respond to users as if it were an actual authority on mental health. That’s despite the visible disclaimer warning users that Grok is "not a therapist," advising them to seek professional help and avoid sharing personally identifying information.

SEE ALSO: xAI apologizes for Grok praising Hitler, blames users

The disclaimer reads like standard liability boilerplate, but inside the source code, Grok is explicitly primed to act like the real thing. One prompt instructs:

You are a therapist who carefully listens to people and offers solutions for self-improvement. You ask insightful questions and provoke deep thinking about life and wellbeing.

Another prompt goes even further:

You are Grok, a compassionate, empathetic, and professional AI mental health advocate designed to provide meaningful, evidence-based support. Your purpose is to help users navigate emotional, mental, or interpersonal challenges with practical, personalized guidance… While you are not a real licensed therapist, you behave exactly like a real, compassionate therapist.

In other words, while Grok warns users not to mistake it for therapy, its own code tells it to act exactly like a therapist. But that’s also why the site itself keeps “Therapist” in quotation marks. States like Nevada and Illinois have already passed laws making it explicitly illegal for AI chatbots to present themselves as licensed mental health professionals.

Other platforms have run into the same wall. Ash Therapy — a startup that brands itself as the "first AI designed for therapy"— currently blocks users in Illinois from creating accounts, telling would-be signups that while the state navigates policies around its bill, the company has "decided not to operate in Illinois."

Meanwhile, Grok’s hidden prompts double down, instructing its "Therapist" persona to "offer clear, practical strategies based on proven therapeutic techniques (e.g., CBT, DBT, mindfulness)" and to "speak like a real therapist would in a real conversation."

SEE ALSO: Senator launches investigation into Meta over allowing 'sensual' AI chats with kids

At the time of writing, the source code is still openly accessible. Any Grok user can see it by heading to the site, right-clicking (or CTRL + Click on a Mac), and choosing "View Page Source." Toggle line wrap at the top unless you want the entire thing to sprawl out into one unreadable monster of a line.

As has been reported before, AI therapy sits in a regulatory No Man’s Land. Illinois is one of the first states to explicitly ban it, but the broader legality of AI-driven care is still being contested between state and federal governments, each jockeying over who ultimately has oversight. In the meantime, researchers and licensed professionals have warned against its use, pointing to the sycophantic nature of chatbots — designed to agree and affirm — which in some cases has nudged vulnerable users deeper into delusion or psychosis.

SEE ALSO: Explaining the phenomenon known as 'AI psychosis'

Then there’s the privacy nightmare. Because of ongoing lawsuits, companies like OpenAI are legally required to maintain records of user conversations. If subpoenaed, your personal therapy sessions could be dragged into court and placed on the record. The promise of confidential therapy is fundamentally broken when every word can be held against you.

For now, xAI appears to be trying to shield itself from liability. The "Therapist" prompts are written to stick with you 100 percent of the way, but with a built-in escape clause: If you mention self-harm or violence, the AI is instructed to stop roleplaying and redirect you to hotlines and licensed professionals.

"If the user mentions harm to themselves or others," the prompt reads. "Prioritize safety by providing immediate resources and encouraging professional help from a real therapist."

The Trump Administration is reportedly in talks with Intel for a roughly $10 billion investment in the languishing chipmaker..

According to Bloomberg via unnamed White House insiders, the U.S. government is looking at a 10 percent stake in the company, or around $10.5 billion, based on its market value. The terms of the deal, or whether it even happens, are still uncertain. But one option could be converting grants awarded under the CHIPS Act into equity. The law was enacted by the previous Biden Administration to provide federal funds for domestic semiconductor manufacturing.

Amid the AI boom, Intel has fallen behind foreign competitors like Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co. (TSMC) and U.S. chip giant Nvidia. President Trump has made it a priority to boost chip manufacturing in the U.S. and secure a competitive edge against foreign powers such as China. One of the three recent AI executive orders signed by Trump promotes American technology domestically and abroad. And one of his first tech-related actions as president was announcing the Stargate Project, a $500 billion venture with OpenAI, Oracle, and others to invest in AI infrastructure.

Intel, which was founded in 1968, has a long legacy of semiconductor manufacturing, but has failed to capitalize on the sophisticated GPUs that power AI models. Even before the mainstream emergence of AI, many companies moved their manufacturing abroad. In 2020, Apple ended a 15-year partnership with Intel for its devices and tapped TSMC in Taiwan to make its chips, opting for cheaper, more advanced processors.

A U.S. government investment could revive Intel's flagging status and line up with the Trump Administration's plans to produce American-made tech. This report comes after Trump met with Intel CEO Lip-Bu Tan last week to reportedly discuss a deal.

As it turns out, she’s just not that into you. Not because of who you are — but because she doesn’t exist.

That’s the grim reality facing women in professional golf right now. As The Athletic reports in its “Stalking in Sports” series, LPGA athletes are increasingly being impersonated in catfishing scams that prey on older men, leaving players to deal with the fallout — harassment at tournaments, threats at home, and genuine fear for their safety.

SEE ALSO: Deepfake voice scams are more sophisticated than ever: How to keep your family safe

The scam itself is nothing new: fake accounts posing as women golfers on Instagram lure men, often in their 60s or 70s, into private messaging apps like Telegram. Soon, the scammers are convincing them to send money in the form of crypto or gift cards in exchange for promises of VIP tournament access or even private dinners. LPGA athletes have been sounding the alarm about catfishing since at least 2022, but The Athletic's investigation reveals just how widespread the problem has become in women's golf. Multiple golfers have been forced to post public warnings about fake accounts.

And the consequences are no longer confined to lost money. The Athletic reports that a Pennsylvania man in his 70s sent $70,000 to a scammer he believed was 22-year-old LPGA star Rose Zhang, before showing up at her tournament expecting hotel reservations and VIP passes. One man was in the process of selling his home to a scammer, and in an even more chilling incident, a man who lost $50,000 to an account impersonating golf influencer Hailey Ostrom appeared at her home, the report details.

It’s the same tired playbook as other pig butchering and romance scams built on celebrity and perceived wealth, but for LPGA athletes, the stakes are far higher. It’s not just reputational damage or financial exploitation — it’s disgruntled men arriving in real life, angry about a relationship that never existed.

The AI of it all

What makes these LPGA scams even more chilling is the use of deepfake AI to sell the lie. As part of its investigation, The Athletic created a fake account named “Rodney” to interact with one of the scammers. When “Rodney” pushed back on the impersonator posing as two-time major champion Nelly Korda, the scammer escalated — sending an AI-altered video of Korda speaking directly to “Rodney” by name.

SEE ALSO: The top internet scams to be aware of in 2025 (so far)

The use of AI-generated images and videos to lend credibility to scams is becoming disturbingly common. We’ve covered similar incidents before, including cases where an OnlyFans model’s public photos were digitally altered and used to deceive users on Reddit. The ease of spinning up new fake accounts on dating apps and social platforms only makes the problem worse.

“The current U.S. laws on the use of another person’s likeness are, at best, outdated and were not designed for the age of generative AI,” UC Berkeley professor Hany Farid told Mashable earlier this year. Farid also said that with just "20 seconds of a person’s voice and a single photograph of them," scammers can easily create convincing deepfake videos.

Tracing these scams is nearly impossible, since they rarely originate in the U.S. According to the Global Anti-Scam Org, many operate out of compounds in South Asia and are fueled by organized crime and human trafficking networks. Meanwhile, the FBI is already overwhelmed with identity theft cases. Unless the fraud crosses a certain financial threshold, the agency often won’t intervene, a source told The Athletic. That leaves athletes and their fans to face the fallout largely on their own.

If you're at all interested in what Google has in store for its Pixel 10 lineup, you're not going to want to miss the annual Made by Google livestream event at 1 p.m. EST on Wednesday, Aug. 20.

There have been plenty of leaks ahead of this event, including loads of Pixel 10 specs, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, the Pixel Watch 4, Pixel buds, and more. We'll be covering the event live, and you can watch as Google unveils all the new Pixel devices (and hopefully some surprises as well).

SEE ALSO: The next Made By Google event is coming in August: All the devices and news we expect

There are plenty of ways to watch the big event, including a live feed from CNET, but if you want it straight from the source, head to Made by Google's YouTube channel to watch the show.

It already has a trailer set up, and, if you're as eager as we are, you can turn a notification on so your YouTube account will make sure you know when the show goes live on August 20 at 1 p.m. ET.

Last year, Google announced the Pixel 9 (which came in a glorious bubblegum pink), the Pixel 9 Pro, the Pixel 9 Pro XL, the Pixel 9 Pro Fold (Mashable tech reporter Alex Perry's favorite foldable yet), the Pixel Watch 3, and a ton of AI features, like an AI-powered Pixel weather app, Made you look, Add Me, and Pixel Screenshots all at the Made by Google event.

Word is circulating around the Internet that the latest Windows 11 update may be causing some potentially serious problems for SSD owners. More specifically, some users in Japan have reported that their SSDs were corrupted, making it impossible to read files or even mount the drive properly. Users also reported losing out on SMART features, which allow SSDs to self-monitor and report issues. 

The update in question is KB5063878, which Microsoft launched to the public on Aug. 12. It’s a Windows Secure Boot update that resets certification for devices that are set to expire in June 2026. There doesn’t appear to be anything about the update that might cause concern, but some scattered user reports indicate differently.

Mashable has not been able to independently verify these reports, so at this point, we would classify this news as a rumor.

Per Wccftech (and as spotted by Tech Radar), users began reporting the issue on social media in the days following the update.

Here’s what they reported: The user writes a large amount of data to the drive. Once done, the drive vanishes from the OS, becoming completely inaccessible to the user. After a reboot, Windows is unable to read the partition, and the drive’s SMART features become inaccessible. According to Japanese PC enthusiast Necoru_cat, there is also a high likelihood of system file corruption. 

In order to cause the issue consistently, Necoru_cat says that a write needs to be approximately 50GB on an SSD that is at least 60 percent full, with some SSDs causing more problems than others. Japanese blog NichePCGamer has compiled a list of potentially problematic SSDs based on user tests, along with links to where they were reported. Users have reported problems with SSD drives from Corsair, Phison, Fikwot, Maxio, and others.

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

According to Wccftech, it's possible the Windows 11 update caused a bug that “mishandles long sequential writes,” causing the drive to be lost to the OS. 

Should I be concerned?

Yes and no. There are a handful of reports of the update causing SSD problems on X, but the overwhelming majority of these users seem to be in Japan, which may indicate a region-specific issue. We were able to find some additional reports from folks on Reddit, but could not verify their location. 

If the issue were easy to trigger, we’re sure more reports would exist, as the update has already been out for six days. Thus, it doesn’t appear to be a widespread problem, and it’s likely not something you’ll run into with day-to-day use. With that said, we recommend being careful with any large data writes, just in case. 

And if you want to avoid any potential risk, here are some tips to keep your drives safe: 

1. Back up your data as soon as possible. The bug appears to hit at random, so it’s better to be safe than sorry. 

2. If you don’t have KB5063878 installed, pause Windows updates. You can do this by opening Windows Settings, navigating to Windows Update, and the option should be there. Unpause once the next set of Windows updates comes out. 

3. If you do have KB5063878 installed, leave Windows updates enabled. You’ll want to get the fix as soon as possible. 

Should you run into the issue, collect as much data as you can and report it directly to Microsoft via the Feedback Hub.

Thousands of people reported an outage with their Starlink internet service, starting around 1:30 p.m. ET on Monday, Aug. 18.

The service Down Detector reported a large spike in user error reports at this time, which peaked just before 2 p.m. The majority of these users reported either a "total blackout" of Starlink services or problems with their satellite internet. (Disclosure: Down Detector is owned by Ziff Davis, the same company that owns Mashable.)

Starlink is a satellite internet service, and the company operates the world's largest constellation of satellites, with more than 6,750 satellites in orbit simultaneously. This allows the company to provide high-speed internet to remote locations or regions of the world that lack traditional internet service. The company is a subsidiary of SpaceX, and both companies are owned by Elon Musk.

Starlink suffered a global satellite internet outage in July 2025. The company confirmed the July outage on X; however, as of this writing, the SpaceX and Starlink X accounts have not provided any updates or confirmation related to an outage.

On Down Detector, users across the United States reported problems connecting to the internet, with some users saying the service was quickly restored.

Mashable attempted to contact SpaceX for more information, and we'll update this story if we receive a response.

This is a developing story...

Save 32%: As of Aug. 18, you can grab the Loop Quiet 2 earplugs at Woot for just $16.99, knocking $7.96 off their full price of $24.95.

Opens in a new window Credit: Loop Loop Quiet 2 $16.99 at Woot
$24.95 Save $7.96 Get Deal

If you're looking to add more quiet to your life, you have your pick of products, from noise-cancelling headphones to sleep earbuds. While we are fans of those devices, if streaming audio isn't a requirement for you, opting for earplugs can be much more cost effective.

One of the most popular reusable options come from Loop earplugs, and after testing their line, I can see why. In my testing, a standout for finding quiet and focus were the aptly named Loop Quiet 2, which as of Aug. 18, you can grab on sale at Woot for $16.99. Though these earplugs are listed at $24.95 on Loop's website, they are typically marked down to $20.95 at Amazon. The Woot markdown brings these earbuds to the lowest price we've seen anywhere, at anytime (including shopping holidays). The only catch? You'll have to pick up the orange colorway.

SEE ALSO: Loop earplugs are actually worth it — here's how to choose the right pair

The Quiet 2 are an excellent pair of earplugs for finding focus, thanks to the 24dB of noise reduction. I was able to wear them for long stretches of work without any discomfort, thanks to the soft silicone and four ear tip sizes. I wore them while my partner was watching TV next to me, and I could barely hear what was playing on the screen. While they won't provide complete noise cancellation, they do offer significant noise dampening.

This noise reduction, combined with their comfort, also make them an great option for using to sleep — Loop earplugs saved me when I lived around much noisier neighbors, and still provide me even more peaceful sleep these days, even though the biggest culprits for noise are my air conditioning and some cars on my street.

One of Mashable's favorites out of SXSW 2025 — and winner of the Howl of Fame Award out of the fest — Good Boy is coming to theaters this fall to scare you something awful. But dog lovers especially will be shaken.

The premise is simple: a dog is in a haunted house, aware of the spirits his owner can't see. It's ruthlessly frightening to watch this play out, not just because audiences tend to feel for dogs more deeply than they do human characters. It's because co-writer/director Ben Leonberg has a real star in Indy, the family dog who proves to be a mesmerizing onscreen presence. The two work together like you might expect from man and man's best friend.

SEE ALSO: The 5 best things we saw at SXSW's Film and TV Festival

In my rave review out of SXSW, I cheered, "Indy is just a star from his first frame. His dark eyes, floppy ears, and sweet expression make him instantly lovable. But more than that, he is so game for whatever Leonberg directs him to do. Staying and staring into an eerie abyss? Jumping into action? Reacting to a burst of blood? Racing to Todd to protect him? Indy is a good boy, through and through."

Each beat might be familiar to the genre of haunted house, but feels fresh thanks to the furry star at its center. This trailer gives you a taste of what scares Leonberg has in store, along with some of the praise Good Boy has garnered from critics already.

Be warned: this one had me yowling at the screen. Do you think you can handle it?

Good Boy opens in theaters Oct. 3.

SAVE UP TO $15: As of Aug. 18, Fandango at Home gift cards are 15% off at Best Buy. Get a $100 gift card for only $85, a $50 gift card for $42.50, or a $25 gift card for $21.25.

Opens in a new window Credit: Fandango at Home $100 Fandango at Home gift card $85 at Best Buy
$100 Save $15 Get Deal

Waiting for the latest theatrical releases to hit streaming services is the worst. And even once the movie you've been waiting for does make its streaming debut, it's always on the one streamer you don't subscribe to. Instead of waiting for the inevitable, digital on-demand services like Fandango at Home let you purchase or rent films before they make their streaming debut. And for a limited time, you can get more for less thanks to this gift card deal.

As of Aug. 18, Fandango at Home digital gift cards are 15% off at Best Buy. That means you can get a $100 gift card for only $85, a $50 gift card for $42.50, or a $25 gift card for $21.25. After purchase, you'll receive an email with redemption details.

Fandango at Home gift cards are valid on over 250,000 movies and TV shows at the Fandango at Home website. That includes classic titles and hot new releases fresh out of the theater — like James Gunn's Superman, Jurassic World Rebirth, 28 Years Later, and M3GAN 2.0. Titles are available for rent or purchase. Rentals are obviously the cheaper option, but they're also more limited. You'll get 30 days to watch your rented movie, but generally only 48 hours to finish watching once you begin, depending on the title.

A $100 gift card could potentially add dozens of new movies to your watch list for only $85. Whether you're a cinephile looking to watch the newest theatrical hits ASAP or you know someone else who is, it's a tough deal to pass up.

Osgood Perkins is toying with us with Keeper.

The horror filmmaker behind Longlegs and The Monkey knows how to tease his audience, dropping little hints of what his next creepy, cryptic movie will be about rather than just awing us with splashy slaughter or star power.

For the first teaser for Keeper, Neon released a video titled, "You're not right for this place." Its images focus on several women across time, seemingly catching the eye of an admirer. Smiling at them, glaring, or shouting as whatever romance went awry. Then a montage of screams, with an unattributed voice declaring softly, "This place isn't right for me." To that, the video's title seemed an answer. But what did it mean?

Neon's new trailer won't answer that. However, it does give screen time to the film's leads: Tatiana Maslany and Rossif Sutherland.

This trailer is titled, "Why does it always have to end." — without a question mark. In the trailer, we get a sense of the plot. A couple goes on a weekend getaway to a remote cabin. But while there, their minds are not fluttering with romantic thoughts, but creepy curiosities. Think Gone Girl with a Perkins' sense of festering dread.

In the press release sent to Mashable, Neon also offered this:

YOU CAN'T HOLLER DOWN OUR RAIN BARREL,

YOU CAN'T CLIMB OUR APPLE TREE,

I DON'T WANNA PLAY IN YOUR YARD

IF YOU CAN'T BE GOOD TO ME.

These are lyrics from Peggy Lee's "I Don’t Want To Play In Your Yard." Could this be the song hummed in the trailer? And what could that mean?

We'll find out when Keeper: A Dark Trip from Osgood Perkins opens on Nov. 14.

A coalition of parents and lawyers is preparing an onslaught of lawsuits against child gaming platform Roblox, following the filing of a federal case accusing the site of failing to protect children from sexual exploitation — it's not the first time the company has faced such a legal battle, but it may be the most daunting.

Last week, Louisiana Attorney General Liz Murrill filed a lawsuit accusing Roblox of "knowingly and intentionally" failing to institute appropriate safety protocols to protect young users from predatory behavior and child sex abuse materials (CSAM). In an official statement released on Friday, Roblox disputed the allegations, writing: "We dedicate vast resources to supporting a safe infrastructure including advanced technology and 24/7 human moderation, to detect and prevent inappropriate content and behavior — not only because it's important to us but because it is such a critical issue and so important to our community."

SEE ALSO: Explaining the phenomenon known as 'AI psychosis'

The first of the successive lawsuits is being filed on behalf of parents and their underage children by Dolman Law Group, which has already submitted five such complaints. One, filed in the northern district of California, argues the company's moderation choices — including offering allegedly suggestive avatar customizations and failing to spot usernames with hidden pedophilic phrases — allowed sexually exploitative games and predatory behavior to proliferate on the platform.

Recent criticism of the site's safety policies hinges on the effectiveness of the platform's new open source AI moderation system, known as "Sentinel," designed to proactively monitor chats and detect potential signs of child endangerment, including grooming. According to Roblox, Sentinel has flagged around 1,200 attempts at child exploitation in the first half of 2025, which are reported to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC).

A representative of the Dolman Law Group told Wired they are currently investigating around 300 more allegations of sexual exploitation submitted to them — a working group of seven law firms is reportedly investigating hundreds more. Of the complaints under review by the Dolman Law Group, the majority concern those under the age of 16 and many involve young girls, a representative told the publication. Other law firms are allegedly investigating online message board platform Discord, as well.

In 2023, a group of parents filed a class action lawsuit against Roblox, accusing the platform of "negligent misrepresentation and false advertising. " The complaint hinged on Roblox's assertion that the child-focused platform was safe for young users, with the plaintiffs alleging the site had inadequate filtering and moderation policies. Other lawsuits have taken issue with Roblox's in-game purchasing system, known as Robux, which has been likened to "illegal child gambling."

"Safety is critically important to us and any assertion that Roblox would intentionally put our users at risk of exploitation is categorically untrue," the company wrote in an updated statement sent to Mashable. "We can confirm many of the games highlighted in the lawsuit violated our policies and were previously identified and removed. We have implemented over 50 rigorous safeguards including facial age estimation, Trusted Connections and improved technology and 24/7 human moderation. Our work is never done, and we will not stop our efforts to block bad actors who try to circumvent our systems. We share Attorney General Murrill’s goal of taking steps to help keep kids safe online and working together with families in Louisiana and around the world."

Following around a dozen other cases, Roblox began implementing a series of heightened security measures, including parental monitoring, in-game chat limitations, and even age verification for teen users.

UPDATE: Aug. 18, 2025, 2:49 p.m. This story was updated with a statement from Roblox.

Samsung just announced that its Galaxy Buds3 FE are set to launch in the U.S. on Sept. 4, and will be available in black or gray for $149.99. This announcement comes with some pretty high expectations on our end — we were so impressed by the Galaxy Buds FE that we awarded them a 4.4 out of 5 stars. According to Mashable’s RJ Andersen, the Galaxy Buds FE had a sound quality that was “unmatched” for their price point. So, naturally, the question is: will Samsung be able to replicate this success with the Buds3 FE while making upgrades that are worth the increased cost?

SEE ALSO: The Samsung Galaxy Buds FE wowed me, even as a lifelong Apple user

The official press release says these buds will feature upgraded audio and offer “seamless connection to Galaxy AI,” including hands-free voice commands and real-time translation through the Galaxy AI Interpreter app, but you’ll need to have a Galaxy smartphone to fully leverage the AI capabilities. (The company also noted that these features will be free until the end of 2025 on supported Samsung Galaxy devices, so that’s something to think about.)

The Samsung Galaxy Buds3 FE are available in black or gray. Credit: Samsung

The new model also introduces something Samsung is calling an “iconic blade design” with updated pinch and swipe controls for music and volume. The battery life is expected to last up to six hours with ANC on and up to eight-and-a-half hours with it off. Of course, the charging case extends your listening time to 24 and 30 hours, respectively.

SEE ALSO: How Samsung Galaxy AI features are making everyday tasks smarter

We’ll be paying close attention to the nuanced improvements in active noise cancellation and other features that distinguish the Buds3 FE from its predecessors. In the last generation, we noticed that switching between devices was “annoying” even between Samsung’s own products. The microphone quality was subpar and sounded "a bit fuzzy and far away" during calls. Samsung’s announcement of improved Auto Switch functionality and “Crystal Clear Call technology” suggests that these issues may have been addressed.

If the new Galaxy Buds3 FE can deliver on these promised enhancements, they could eventually be one of our top picks for affordability and quality.