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Mashable is a leading source for news, information & resources for the Connected Generation. Mashable reports on the importance of digital innovation and how it empowers and inspires people around the world. Mashable's 25 million monthly unique visitors and 10 million social media followers have become one of the most engaged online news communities. Founded in 2005, Mashable is headquartered in New York City with an office in San Francisco.
Updated: 1 hour 1 min ago

Magic: The Gatherings Secrets of Strixhaven Draft Night Box has never been cheaper on Amazon — save over $10

7 hours 52 min ago

TL;DR: The Magic: The Gathering Secrets of Strixhaven Draft Night Box is on sale for $80.97 at Amazon, down from its $94.99 typical price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Magic: The Gathering Magic: The Gathering Secrets of Strixhaven Draft Night Box $80.97 at Amazon
$94.99 Save $14.02 Get Deal

Secrets of Strixhaven’s dedicated game-night box already puts an entire four-player draft into one compact package, and Amazon has now dropped it low enough to beat the prices currently listed at TCGplayer. 

As of July 22, the Magic: The Gathering Secrets of Strixhaven Draft Night Box is available at Amazon for $80.97. Compared with its typical $94.99 price, that works out to a 15% discount and a $14.02 saving on the full set. Confirmed when checking our go-to price tracker camelcamelcamel, this is the lowest price we’ve seen for Strixhaven’s Draft Night Box. This lowest-priced Amazon listing is sold and shipped by third-party seller SSA Cards, with free delivery currently showing for July 29. 

For just an extra cent, there is also an $80.98 option sold by Double Infinity Gaming and shipped directly by Amazon, which can arrive slightly sooner by July 27 — or July 23 for Prime members at the time of writing. That listing is marked as a final sale, which means it cannot be returned. 

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Open a pack, choose two cards, and pass the rest. Once all 12 packs have been drafted, everyone builds a 40-card deck using their selections and the included pool of 90 Basic Lands.

The box also includes 10 double-sided token cards and one Collector Booster, which is intended as the prize for the final winner. Every Play Booster contains 14 cards and guarantees a Mystical Archive instant or sorcery with special art and a showcase frame. The Collector Booster contains 15 cards, including five rares or higher and three to four Mystical Archive cards.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Pokémon TCG Perfect Order Booster Bundles are back under $50 on Amazon — save over $10

7 hours 59 min ago

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Booster Bundle is available at $47.45 at Amazon, down from its $59.99 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Booster Bundle $47.45 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $12.54   Get Deal

Perfect Order has spent much of the summer around the $50 mark at Amazon, but another marketplace price drop has made its six-pack Booster Bundle comfortably one of the most affordable options in the modern Pokémon TCG. 

As of July 22, the Pokémon TCG’s Perfect Order Booster Bundle is available at Amazon for $47.45. That's a $12.54 cut from its $59.99 list price.

The cheapest listing is sold by third-party seller IOTSide and shipped by Amazon, with free delivery currently estimated for Aug. 6-8. A second $47.45 option, sold by Collectors Expedition and also fulfilled by Amazon, shows delivery from Aug. 1-7. Both versions are covered by Amazon’s standard 30-day refund or replacement window. 

At this price, each of the six boosters works out to roughly $7.91 before tax. While this is not the lowest per-pack cost available online, it is still much lower than the Perfect Order Booster Bundle price we saw back in March.

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Walmart currently undercuts it at $42.68, which comes to around $7.11 per pack. TCGplayer goes lower still, with unopened listings starting from $39.99 including shipping, which is only 30 cents above its market price of $39.69. 

The Perfect Order Booster Bundle includes six packs from the Mega Evolution expansion. Each contains 10 trading cards, one Basic Energy, and one Pokémon TCG Live code card. 

As for the valuable cards you can get from this expansion, or buy individually from TCGplayer, Perfect Order still has some nice, pricey chase cards — including MHR Mega Zygarde ex, SIR Mega Meowth ex, SIR Mega Zygarde ex, and SIR Mega Clefable ex. 

Categories: IT General, Technology

What to look for when buying a TV, as told through this uncomplicated TV specs guide

8 hours 5 min ago

Recommendations for the best TVs to buy in 2026 are at the bottom of this guide, thanks to intel from CNET's Ty Pendlebury and PCMag's Will Greenwald. (CNET, PCMag, and Mashable are all owned by publisher Ziff Davis.) Use the table of contents to skip down to a specific category.

Buying a new television can break your brain more than it breaks your budget. If you're not a picky cinephile or longtime hardcore gamer, TV specs are one of those Michael Scott "Explain it to me like I'm five" things. Laptop specs are in the same club.

Wordy product titles on Amazon TVs definitely aren't helping the confusion. The clusters of nebulous descriptors like "Omni Mini-LED, QLED 4K UHD, Dolby Vision IQ, 144hz, Ambient Experience" aren't exactly accessible to the average person — they're just pure chaos.

Familiarizing yourself with all of this technical stuff doesn't require a lab or any prior knowledge at all. It might just take a straightforward TV buyers guide, broken down by someone who's used to feeling overwhelmed by tech jargon. So, here's your brain workout for the day: Let's translate all of these TV acronyms and buzzwords so that you know exactly what to look for when buying a new TV.

SEE ALSO: What is the slimmest TV you can buy? I compared numbers to find the thinnest OLED, QLED, and RGB TVs. Backlight explained: LED vs. QLED vs. OLED vs. RGB

The main thing to know: 4K and LED are not talking about the same thing. 4K refers to resolution, and terms containing -LED refer to the panel lighting the TV.

Contrary to the TV-related queries that fill Google's "People also asked" section, you don't have to choose between, say, 4K or QLED. For example, a TV can have 4K resolution with LED, QLED, or OLED lighting. My beloved bedroom TV, the artsy Hisense DécoTV, is QLED (more colorful than LED) but not 4K (a lower pixel count).

The order listed above also reflects their escalating price points: LED TVs are the most affordable of the types of TV lighting, QLED TVs can be entry-level and affordable or high-end and expensive, and OLED TVs are the most expensive type of TV because their lighting system is the most advanced. You're much more likely to find cheap QLED TVs than you are to find cheap OLED TVs.

What is QLED?

Technical translation: QLED stands for Quantum Dot Light-Emitting Diode.

Quantum dots are tiny nanocrystals that can convert the basic spectrum of light into billions of vibrant colors. Measuring no more than 10 nanometers in size, a quantum dot beside even a single piece of human hair would look as small as Earth looks beside massive stars in those 'scale of the universe' videos. Existential dread incoming.

Because they're so small, millions (sometimes billions) of quantum dots can be packed into a quantum dot display. Each has the ability to receive and reflect the light coming from the backlight panel layered behind them. The color of the light reflected depends on the size of each particle.

The color of the light reflected in a quantum dot depends on the size of each particle. Credit: Samsung

The more quantum dots that can be packed into a display, the more vibrant the range of colors and brightness the TV can produce. Color gamut is the official term you'll see denoting the range of colors a TV can produce. A wide color gamut simply means more saturated colors, regardless of where they fall on the rainbow.

Brightness, simply the amount of light that the TV screen produces, is measured in nits. Peak brightness increases as the TVs get fancier: A mini LED TV on the more affordable side in 2026 might hit around 3,000 nits, while the brightest TVs of 2026 settle between 4,000 and 5,000 nits. The brightest of them all reaches up to 10,000 nits.

SEE ALSO: Best movies of 2026, and where to watch them now What is mini LED?

Technical translation: Mini LED is a type of TV lighting that uses more, tinier-than-usual LED bulbs in a TV's LCD panel.

QLED is not synonymous with mini LED — QLED has to do with the nanocrystals that reflect light from bulbs in the panel, while mini LED has to do with the bulbs themselves.

Smaller, more jam-packed LED bulbs across the screen allow for more precise brightness control within small zones (called dimming zones) of the screen. These clusters of bulbs can be dimmed or turned off together to achieve more detailed contrast without muddying things up for the parts of the scene that need to be bright and colorful.

The more local dimming zones a screen has, the more opportunities to fine-tune color and contrast across each inch of each scene, ultimately leading to a sharper, more realistic image on the screen. Budget-friendly mini LED TVs probably won't have more than 200 dimming zones, while solid mid-range picks might up the count to 500. The best mini LED TVs have 1,000+ dimming zones and will get the closest to the OLED experience in terms of contrast (more on that later).

SEE ALSO: TCL QM6K mini LED review: An impressive TV between the super cheap and super expensive

When QLED does its best work: The main advantage of QLED is brightness, which is inherently better at handling glare and reflections in bright rooms. QLED TVs are ideal for people whose TV usage happens mostly in the daytime, especially watching sports. Less than 1,000 nits of brightness, like the low numbers produced by a more basic LED TV, just isn't bright enough for comfortable visibility when it's competing with direct sunlight.

Ideally, QLED technology will be paired with mini LED technology to create the most well-rounded picture — this is what Samsung's Neo QLED TVs do.

When QLED isn't great: The main disadvantage of QLED TVs is dulled contrast, especially when it comes to black levels. QLEDs simply have a hard time reaching as deep of a black tone as OLED pixels do. The combination of these muted black levels with the brightness of light colors can sometimes backfire with what's commonly called blooming or haloing: a ring-shaped glow around bright objects on the screen. The halo effect can mess with the legibility of details on the screen, like captions written in white letters.

What is OLED?

Technical translation: OLED stands for Organic Light Emitting Diode.

The one-letter shift between QLED and OLED doesn't accurately represent how starkly different these two lighting technologies are. While QLED pixels are merely casting light coming from behind them (but making it juicier), OLED pixels emit their own light. These self-lighting pixels can individually turn themselves on and off, which is how light/dark scenes show up.

The OLED TV on the right has one less layer — no backlight. Credit: Samsung Display

When OLED does its best work: The main advantages of OLED TVs are contrast and deep black levels. OLED TVs are ideal for people who do most of their TV watching or gaming in the dark, or watch a lot of dimly-lit content that gets muddied on more basic TVs.

The main disadvantage of OLED is the eventual likelihood of "burn-in," or permanently dimmed OLED pixels that show up as little black dots on the screen. OLED burn-in happens over a span of several years — not quickly enough that it stops many TV experts from generally preferring OLED TVs over QLED, anyway. Most newer OLED screens have built-in protective features that can prolong burn-in, like pixel refresh to shake up a static screen. You can also mitigate burn-in by simply not leaving your TV on all day, every day.

SEE ALSO: Wait, what are Amazon Ember TVs? The Amazon Fire TV rebrand, explained. What is RGB?

Technical translation: In TV terms, RGB stands for red, green, and blue LEDs lighting a TV's screen.

Traditional LED or QLED TVs get their color from white or blue LED bulbs reflecting light through the pixels on the LCD screen in front of them. Nothing is tinted blue to the naked eye or anything, and no everyday colors that we're used to seeing are blatantly missing. But only RGB TVs have the capacity to achieve 100 percent coverage of the color gamut, or the full possible spectrum of colors visible to humans.

RGB TVs replace each white or blue LED with a cluster of true red, green, and blue LEDs, heavily widening the range of colors able to shine through the display. RGB leads to more vibrant, accurate hues, deeper blacks, and boosted brightness while limiting the possibility of blooming around light objects.

Credit: Samsung

Where RGB does its best work: Any room in any lighting, ideally. RGB TVs generally get brighter than traditional mini LED TVs, making them a stellar choice for watching in the daytime. RGB TVs also have the skills to maintain stark contrast and shadowy details in dark rooms, which was strictly an OLED thing before.

The main disadvantage of RGB TVs is their cost. RGB just had its mainstream explosion at CES 2026 in January, so the technology is still extremely new and therefore expensive to the average consumer. They're also a big investment in the literal sense — most RGB TVs start at 65 or 75 inches.

Resolution explained: FHD vs. 4K vs. 8K

Technical translation: Resolution refers to the number of pixels(p) that make up the picture on the screen.

The TV resolutions to know in 2026 are FHD, 4K, and 8K. Resolution technically measures the pixel count horizontally and vertically, but is sometimes shortened to just the vertical number. (For example, FHD is 1920x1080p, but is often represented as just "1080p".) A higher pixel count allows for more details, leading to clearer picture quality.

4K is overwhelmingly the most common screen resolution nowadays, and it's a much more self-explanatory term than you may think: 4K is literally just four times the resolution of FHD.

(4K measures 3840 x 2160, which is double the horizontal and double the vertical resolution of FHD's 1920 x 1080.) For most consumer buying purposes, 4K and UHD are essentially interchangeable.

For most intents and purposes, 4K and UHD are interchangeable. Credit: LG

The math gets more intense with the switch to 8K: At 7680 x 4320, 8K is four times the resolution of 4K and 16 times the resolution of FHD. But honestly, you probably don't have to worry about 8K right now. While it's the sharpest TV resolution one can get on paper, there's not enough content that can even be watched in 8K right now to make buying an 8K TV worthwhile.

HDR explained

Technical translation: HDR stands for high-dynamic range.

In the most lucid sense, HDR allows certain content to get brighter and more contrasted — as close to seeing the image IRL as possible. HDR is a technology that has the capacity to "understand" color and contrast data about what was originally shot through the camera lens that more basic technology, like SDR (standard dynamic range), just can't translate.

HDR "understands" color and contrast data better than SDR. Credit: LG

Not all TVs can get bright enough to fully take advantage of HDR's brightening capabilities, even if they claim to technically support the technology. Remember that conversation about brightness and nits we had earlier? Any TV toeing 1,000 nits probably won't be able to give you the optimal HDR experience.

On the flip side, a really good TV can't magically turn everything into HDR content — the movie, show, or video game has to be HDR compatible in the first place. For example, Hulu supports HDR for some titles and devices, but not others. Depending on your TV, calibrating HDR could be relatively simple or a pain in the ass, and is often trickier to nail with video games and monitors than with streamed content on a TV.

There are a few main types of HDR formats: HDR10 (the most common "generic" one), Dolby Vision (the next most common one), and HDR10+ (Samsung's own version of HDR10). Most streaming services support at least the first two. The main difference between the HDR formats involves some heavy jargon that the average TV buyer probably doesn't need to dissect — but if you're really interested in the comparison between HDR10's use of static metadata versus Dolby Vision and HDR10+'s use of dynamic metadata, CNET breaks down the HDR formats well.

Refresh rate explained

Technical translation: Measured in hertz (Hz), refresh rate refers to the number of times a display refreshes its image per second.

The higher the refresh rate, the smoother and more lifelike the motion on the screen will be. But if your TV watching doesn't really exceed casual streaming service perusing, don't focus too much on refresh rate in your shopping. You'll probably be perfectly fine with 60Hz, which is what's found on most budget 4K TVs, like Amazon's Ember 4-Series Fire TV.

SEE ALSO: PlayStation disks are done. Fans feel betrayed. Here's why.

Serious film watchers might find 60Hz too laggy, though, and might consider upping the ante to 120Hz. If you want to play the Switch 2 in all of its glory, a TV that supports at least 120Hz is crucial. The Hisense UR9 is a rare option with a 180Hz native refresh rate, thanks to DisplayPort making an appearance along with the HDMIs.

Refresh rate plays the most influential role in video games, especially games that rely heavily on on-screen responsiveness. For gamers, anything under 144Hz will probably be frustrating. This is the number that separates the good TVs from the best gaming TVs. For instance, LG's B6 OLED is a solid midrange OLED option that would work for just about anyone. That is, unless you're a graphics-heavy gamer who wants to play at 144 fps — in that case, you'd need to upgrade to a more premium LG OLED TV that supports 144Hz, like the LG C5 or LG C6.

Final thoughts: How to choose a TV

It can still be tricky to picture the differences between TV screens based solely on descriptions and definitions. I thought my 2019 4K LED looked fine until I upgraded to a mini LED in my apartment on the same wall in the same bright living room. Then I understood the hype.

So if you can, go to a store that has a TV aisle and see for yourself in person. Ideally, the TVs lined up in your local Best Buy or Target will be playing the same thing for easy side-by-side comparison of big features like picture quality, brightness, and color accuracy that can't quite be explained.

If you need a starting point for the TVs to hunt down IRL, check out some recommendations for the best televisions of 2026 below. You have budget-friendly TV options, high-end TV options, and several in between, spanning all types of backlighting for whatever room needs a new screen. There's a high chance that a few of them will be on sale whenever you're reading this — most of them were at the time this story was written.

Our top TV recommendations for 2026 Hisense S5 Déco TV Between $249.99 (32-inch) and $349.99 (43-inch) Shop Now TCL QM6K Mini LED QLED TV Between $599.99 (50-inch) and $1,999.99 (98-inch) Shop Now TCK QM6L SQD QLED 4K TV Between $2,499.99 (65-inch) and $5,999.99 (98-inch) Shop Now Hisense UR9 RGB 4K TV Between $2,199.99 (65-inch) and $9,999.99 (100-inch) Shop Now Samsung S95H OLED 4K TV Between $2,499.99 (55-inch) and $6,499.99 (83-inch) Shop Now LG S95B Micro RGB 4K TV Between $4,999.99 (75-inch) and $7,999.99 (100-inch) Shop Now
Categories: IT General, Technology

How to watch the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked livestream: See the new phones debut live

8 hours 7 min ago

The next Samsung Galaxy Unpacked is finally here. The launch event will be held in London on Wednesday, July 22 at 9 a.m. ET, and Samsung will almost certainly unveil a slew of new products. Samsung has already confirmed that new details on its next generation of foldable smartphones will be announced. The tagline for this year's event is "A new shape unfolds," which isn't exactly subtle, and we're fully expecting to see the Galaxy Z Flip 8 and Galaxy Z Fold 8 take center stage.

Will Samsung's new Fold and Flip smartphones cost more, as the leaks have pointed to? Is the highly anticipated Galaxy Z Fold Ultra going to be worth the premium price tag? Most importantly, does Samsung have any surprises up its sleeve? We might be too optimistic, but a tease of the unreleased Galaxy Glasses isn't out of the question.

Here's how you can watch the event live.

Watch Galaxy Unpacked live on YouTube

Samsung Galaxy Unpacked will livestream right on the company's website and on YouTube.

Don't forget: Because the event takes place in the United Kingdom, we're getting an early start time this year for viewers in the United States. The event will kick off at 9 a.m. ET (6 a.m. PT).

And, of course, Mashable will be providing real-time coverage and analysis before, during, and immediately after the event. We also have reporters attending the London launch event, so keep checking back for more live updates and previews of all the new devices, including the Galaxy Z Flip 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Watch 9, and the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 (if the rumors are true, that is).

Categories: IT General, Technology

The best HBO Max deals and bundles in July 2026

8 hours 7 min ago
The best HBO Max deals and bundles in July 2026: Best Disney+ Bundle Deal Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle $19.99/month with ads, $32.99/month ad-free Get Deal Best Hulu Bundle Deal Hulu and HBO Max Bundle Add HBO Max from $10.99/month Get Deal Best Student Deal HBO Max Student Save 50% on HBO Max Basic With Ads Get Deal

Looking for some exciting new films or shows to watch this summer? HBO Max is the place to find them. With a brand new season of House of the Dragon dropping and major movies like Backrooms streaming sometime soon, there's plenty to watch.

If these have caught your eye, the good news is that HBO Max has a few different bundles available at the moment that are worth checking out, including a popular bundle with Disney+ and Hulu.

We've broken down that offer and other bundles below, so you can find the best option for you. With streaming prices on the rise, offers like these are a great way to save some cash while accessing your favorite services.

SEE ALSO: The 'Heated Rivalry' Fleece is finally here, and it costs $257 USD

Alongside bundles, we've also broken down HBO Max's standard plans in case you're interested in its service on its own.

Best Disney+ bundle deal Opens in a new window Credit: HBO Max Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max Bundle $19.99/month with ads, $32.99/month ad-free Get Deal Why we like it

The HBO Max, Disney+, and Hulu bundle is a top-tier choice for those looking to have access to some of the biggest streaming services around. Starting at $19.99 per month, this bundle grants you access to Hulu, Disney+, and HBO Max's streaming services for a much lower price than what you'd pay for them on their own. If you've already got Disney+ and Hulu subscriptions, this bundle is worth every cent. If you're interested, there are two plan options to choose from:

Best Hulu bundle deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu and HBO Max Bundle Add HBO Max to your Hulu base plan from $10.99 per month Get Deal Why we like it

If you're not interested in the Disney+, Hulu, and HBO Max mega bundle, you can just get Hulu and HBO Max together if you already have a Hulu base plan, which starts at $11.99 per month. HBO Max Basic with Ads can be added onto your plan for $10.99 per month, or you can splash out on the HBO Max Standard plan for $18.49 per month.

Best student deal Opens in a new window Credit: HBO Max HBO Max Student Discount Students save 50% on HBO Max Basic With Ads Get Deal Why we like it

It's always nice when streaming services have a deal for students, and HBO Max's offer is definitely worth taking advantage of. Students who can verify their status with UNiDAYS are eligible to get the HBO Max Basic With Ads plan for just $5.49 per month. That's a 50% discount off its $10.99 monthly price. After verifying your status, you'll receive a unique code to redeem the discounted plan on HBO Max.

HBO Max's monthly plans

HBO Max offers several subscription plans. If you don't mind having to sit through ads, HBO Max's Basic With Ads plan starts at $10.99 per month, or the annual plan runs for $109.99 per year. If you can't stand ads and don't mind spending a bit more, the Standard plan costs $18.49 per month or $184.99 per year. If you really want to go big on an HBO Max plan, you can spring for the fancy Premium plan, which costs $22.99 per month or $229.99 per year.

Below, we've broken down what comes with each of these plans, per HBO Max's website, so you can know a bit more before you buy.

Basic With Ads — $10.99 per month, $109.99 per year

  • Stream on two devices at once

  • Full HD 1080p resolution

Standard (Ad-free) — $18.49 per month, $184.99 per year

  • Stream on two devices at once

  • Full HD 1080p resolution

  • 30 downloads to watch on the go

Premium (Ad-free) — $22.99 per month, $229.99 per year

  • Stream on four devices at once

  • 4K Ultra HD video quality (as available)

  • Dolby Atmos immersive audio (as available)

  • 100 downloads to watch on the go

If you're wondering where to start once you've set yourself up with an HBO Max subscription, we've got an excellent selection of recommendations to point you in the right direction. Looking for a great TV show to kickstart your next binge-watching session? Have a look through our roundup of the 20 best TV shows streaming on HBO Max. Or if you prefer movies, we narrowed down the 25 best movies on HBO Max to make your next movie night a spectacular one.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Build new skills with over 1,000 online courses for $20

8 hours 7 min ago

TL;DR: Get lifetime access to more than 1,000 online courses with StackSkills Unlimited for $19.97 (reg. $600) through July 26 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

Opens in a new window Credit: StackSkills EDU Unlimited by StackSkills: Lifetime Access $19.97
$600 Save $580.03   Get Deal

Career goals have a habit of changing. So do hobbies, side hustles, and the skills employers are looking for. StackSkills Unlimited gives you lifetime access to more than 1,000 online courses for $19.97 (reg. $600) through July 26 at 11:59 p.m. PT, making it easy to come back whenever you’re ready to learn something new — no coupon required.

Instead of paying separately for every new skill you want to learn, StackSkills Unlimited puts a wide variety of subjects in a single membership. The library spans IT, software development, graphic design, finance, business, marketing, and other in-demand fields, with courses for everyone from beginners to more experienced learners. New courses are also added each month, so the catalog continues to grow after you sign up.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

The platform is designed to fit around your schedule rather than the other way around. Whether you’re squeezing in lessons after work, between classes, or on weekends, you can resume where you left off on your desktop or mobile device. Plus, the built-in progress tracking makes it easy to keep moving through a course without losing your place.

More than 350 industry professionals contribute to the platform, sharing practical lessons based on real-world experience. Lifetime members also receive course completion certificates, premium customer support, and quarterly Q&A webinars with instructors.

Flexibility makes the subscription useful for different kinds of learners. A student can explore topics that aren’t offered in school, someone returning to the workforce can learn new skills, and professionals can revisit the library whenever they want to expand into a different field. Since access never expires, there’s no pressure to finish within a certain time frame.

If you’ve been looking for an affordable way to keep learning without paying for individual courses one by one, StackSkills Unlimited is available for $19.97 (reg. $600) through July 26 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Categories: IT General, Technology

This $10 Windows upgrade could save you from buying a new laptop

8 hours 7 min ago

TL;DR: Give an old PC a nice upgrade with this Microsoft Windows 11 Pro license, now for only $9.97 (reg. $199) through July 26.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Windows 11 Pro $9.97
$199 Save $189.03   Get Deal

Your computer should help you get things done, not slow you down and make life harder. If you’re in the market to give your device a serious productivity boost, it may be time to upgrade to Windows 11 Pro. A new operating system can make an old computer feel brand new again, and right now you can grab this one for $9.97 until July 26.

If you’re in the market for a new laptop, don’t totally count your old one out. This Windows 11 Pro license can help bring older PCs up to speed by offering new tools, features, and enhanced cybersecurity — all for less than the cost of lunch.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

This simple upgrade lets you take advantage of an operating system made with today’s professional in mind. From a seamless, easy-to-use interface to a more powerful search experience, easy redocking, and snap layouts, the new features can help improve your workflow and save you time.

Windows 11 Pro includes Copilot, Microsoft’s AI-powered assistant that lives right on your desktop. It can help answer questions, tackle tasks, and even change settings, summarize web pages, and open apps.

This OS also includes access to Microsoft Teams, so you can stay in touch with family, friends, and coworkers. And your cybersecurity will get a boost thanks to biometric logins, encrypted authentication, and enhanced antivirus protection.

Lock in savings with this Microsoft Windows 11 Pro license, now only $9.97 until July 26.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Categories: IT General, Technology

What happened on the JoJo Siwa Cruise? Fans describe the weekend at sea

8 hours 7 min ago

For three days in June, JoJo Siwa fans could do more than watch her perform. They could go on vacation with her.

The JoJo Siwa Cruise departed from Port Canaveral, Florida, on June 12 for a three-night sailing aboard Royal Caribbean's Utopia of the Seas, where a regular cruise itinerary became a floating fan weekend: rhinestone bow decorating, a dance class, nightly parties hosted by Siwa, a cabana beach day, and a concert at sea.

Siwa, the singer, dancer, internet personality, and former Dance Moms star, first became famous as a child performer known for her oversized bows, high-energy music, and brightly colored brand. In the years since, she has grown up in public, moving from children's entertainment into a more adult pop era that has included new music, reality TV appearances, and a fanbase that now includes both younger viewers and adults who have followed her for years.

The cruise reflected that broad fanbase. A group of fans who self-identify on Instagram as "The Divas" says the people in their group who attended range in age from 9 to 49. They became bigger fans of Siwa through Celebrity Big Brother and saw the cruise promoted on her social media.

"There were so many events and activities," the group tells Mashable, listing bow decorating, dance class, hibachi dinner, a cabana beach day, nightly parties, and the concert. "The concert show she performed too, which was just phenomenal."

"She'd worked on new choreography especially for the weekend, so it was really exciting to experience that," Alice, a 32-year-old fan who runs the Joelle Fans UK account, says.

View this post on Instagram

Fares for the cruise were advertised as starting at $1,300 per person, with some activities included and other experiences offered as paid add-ons. Those extras included dinner with Siwa for $150 and a movie-and-pizza night in her suite for $1,250.

These weren't the only prices that raised eyebrows on social media — the "swag bag" distributed at the end of the trip reportedly cost $52.75 and included branded items like a passport-style activity booklet, stickers, lip balm, hand sanitizer, and other small accessories. Merchandise was also available for purchase, including a $22 limited-edition bow, a $52 hoodie, and a $42 tank top. Commenters flooded the posts, accusing the artwork on the merchandise of being AI-generated.

But fans who spoke with Mashable emphasized the experience more than the price. Kelly Anne, a 28-year-old fan, says she originally won a trip to Los Angeles but, because of scheduling, was offered the cruise instead. Her favorite part of the weekend was the day at CocoCay, Royal Caribbean's private island in the Bahamas.

"We got a [private] pool and cabana on the island, and it was so nice to connect with other JoJo fans," Kelly says. "JoJo also came over to say hi, and it was a core memory to say the least."

For "The Divas," the highlight was the hibachi dinner, one of the paid extras, because it felt "really small and intimate."

"JoJo was so lovely, she was so easy to talk to," the group says. "She made sure she spoke to all of us, and she even filmed some TikToks with a few of us, which was just amazing."

Kelly first discovered Siwa through Dance Moms and has "been a fan ever since." She says she has enjoyed watching the Siwa family grow their careers, but became especially drawn to JoJo after her appearance on Celebrity Big Brother.

Alice tells Mashable she had known who Siwa was for years and "always had a lot of respect for her," but became more involved in the fandom over the past year.

"She's someone who encourages people to be authentic, kind, and proud of who they are, and I think that's why so many people of all ages connect with her," Alice says. "She creates a space where people feel accepted and can just be themselves, and I’ve made some incredible friendships through the community."

View this post on Instagram

That community became one of the main themes of the trip. Alice adds that people had traveled from different places, but the group quickly felt connected.

"Everyone was so kind and welcoming," she says. "People had traveled from all over, but it felt like one big family brought together by a shared love for JoJo."

The schedule also leaned into the references fans know well. Guests decorated one of Siwa's new Joelle bows with rhinestones, a nod to the accessory that has been central to her image since her early career. They attended dance-focused programming, including a class and performances tied to Siwa's current music.

Credit: @joellefansuk/via Instagram

The cruise points to how celebrity fan experiences are becoming more immersive. A concert ticket or meet-and-greet is no longer always the ceiling for access. The package can now look like a full itinerary, with meals, activities, merch, performances, and several days of shared space between fans and the person they came to see.

"Honestly, the worst part was having to leave," Alice says. "I could easily have stayed for another week."

"Finding such an incredible community through JoJo has been amazing," she adds. "It genuinely felt like a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and I came home with memories that will last forever."

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to delete your AdultFriendFinder account

8 hours 7 min ago

There are so many reasons to delete an online dating profile. It might be because you've found that special somebody already and you want to show commitment by officially leaving the dating landscape. Perhaps you're just happy to remain as a singleton. Or maybe you just want a break from all swipes, matches, and "heys." Thankfully, AdultFriendFinder is one of the hookup platforms that make it super easy to delete your account and permanently scrub your profile data.

First, understand that deleting your account is different from canceling your Gold membership. If you want to continue using AdultFriendFinder for free, or just want to stop your monthly payments, you can just cancel the subscription without deleting your entire account. Actual account deletion is a more permanent action: you’ll lose all of your profile info, all of your chat history, and all of your settings. So, be sure before you go ahead — consider whether you 100 percent want to wipe all that information. Particularly if you're a longtime user with a lot of history on the site.

SEE ALSO: The best sexting apps for discreet NSFW chats

If you do want to go ahead, you can choose whether to delete your account via a web browser or on your phone. The steps are different, but the end result is the same.

Opens in a new window Credit: AdultFriendFinder AdultFriendFinder   Learn More How to cancel your AdultFriendFinder Gold subscription

If you have a Gold subscription, make sure you cancel that membership before you undergo the steps necessary to delete your account:

Total Time
  • 2 minutes
What You Need
  • AdultFriendFinder account

Step 1: Log in to your account as usual, using your username and password credentials

Step 2: Navigate to the "My Account" section in the top right and select "Settings"

Step 3: If you are a Gold member, you will see a "Billing History & Credit Card" info section

Step 4: Turn the auto-renew switch to "Off"

Step 5: Verify that your subscription was cancelled by checking your email for confirmation

How to delete your AdultFriendFinder account on the web

If you primarily use AdultFriendFinder on a web browser, these are the steps you’ll need to follow:

Total Time
  • 2 minutes
What You Need
  • Web browser

Step 1: Log in to your account as usual, using your username and password credentials

Step 2: Navigate to the "My Account" section in the top right and select "Settings"

Step 3: Under the "Manage My Account" heading, select "Close Account"

Step 4: You’ll be prompted with a confirmation message offering alternatives to account deletion, including hiding your profile or turning off email notifications

Step 5: Select "Please Delete My Account"

Step 6: You’ll be prompted to enter your password one last time, to confirm your identity and intention

How to delete your AdultFriendFinder account on your phone

AFF doesn’t have an official app in either the Apple App Store or Google Play Store, owing to its NSFW content, but lots of AFF users still use phone-based workarounds for AdultFriendFinder, often via a web-based shortcut on their home screens. 

Simply deleting your AFF app icon will not delete your account or the data and history associated with it. You need to go deeper than that and delete your actual account. To delete your account via your phone, follow these steps:

Total Time
  • 2 minutes
What You Need
  • Smartphone

Step 1: Log in to your account as usual, using your username and password credentials

Step 2: Navigate to the "My Account" section in the top right and select "Settings"

Step 3: Under the "Manage My Account" heading, select "Close Account"

Step 4: You’ll be prompted with a confirmation message offering alternatives to account deletion, including hiding your profile or turning off email notifications

Step 5: Select "Please Delete My Account"

Step 6: You’ll be prompted to enter your password one last time, to confirm your identity and intention

Account deletion is final and irrevocable. So be sure you’re prepared to permanently lose all your contacts, chat history, and profile information before you click to confirm deletion. You can always open a new account, of course, if you want to return to the platform. But you won't be able to pick up where you left off. You'll have to totally start over with your AFF profile.

If, for any reason, the above steps haven’t worked for you, you can always visit the AFF Help Center, where you'll find FAQs and visual guides for on-site activities, including account deletion.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The DJI Flip is a beginner-friendly drone for content creators, and its down to a record-low price at Amazon

8 hours 8 min ago

SAVE $90: As of July 22, the DJI Flip (RC-N3) is on sale for $349 at Amazon. That's a 21% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Flip (RC-N3) $349 at Amazon
$439 Save $90   Get Deal

DJI is one of the best-known names in drones, with a reputation for making reliable and easy-to-use models. And despite recent restrictions impacting future DJI imports in the U.S., shoppers can still buy models already available on Amazon, including the DJI Flip (RC-N3).

Normally priced at $439, this popular drone is on sale for $349. That's a $90 saving and the lowest-ever price for this model.

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This drone is a lightweight option with a 4K camera. It weighs under 249g, so it's compact and easy to carry, making it the perfect companion for travel footage.

It's equipped with a 1/1.3-inch CMOS sensor, so the drone captures more light for clearer images with detailed colors, making it suitable for landscapes and portraits. It can record 4K HDR video at up to 60FPS, capturing detailed footage across a range of lighting conditions, including sunrise and sunset scenes. It also benefits from subject tracking, a feature that keeps your selected subjects in focus.

With the DJI Flip drone, you'll also get a DJI RC-N3 remote controller, one Intelligent Flight Battery, and additional accessories. All this is available at Amazon right now.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The 75-inch Samsung Frame TV is down to its lowest-ever price at Amazon — save $200 right now

8 hours 13 min ago

SAVE $200: As of July 22, the 75-inch Samsung Frame TV is on sale for $1,797.99 at Amazon. That's a 10% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 75-Inch Class The Frame LS03HE Series $1,797.99 at Amazon
$1,997.99 Save $200   Get Deal

Samsung Unpacked is taking place on July 22, but you don’t need to wait for the latest launches to score a Samsung upgrade.

The Samsung The Frame TV is currently on sale on Amazon, with a $200 discount on the 75-inch model. Normally priced at $1,997.99, right now it is down to $1,797.99. According to camelcamelcamel, this is the best-ever price for this TV.

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The Frame TV is impressive in many ways, but its main selling point is its ability to combine entertainment with a gallery-style display that transforms into a work of art when not in use. To create this effect, it uses Glare Free QLED technology and a slim, picture-frame-inspired design that sits close to the wall when mounted, helping it blend seamlessly into home décor. Art Mode then displays artwork from more than 5,000 pieces available through the Art Store.

It also includes Samsung’s smart TV platform, which gives you access to lots of streaming options, including Samsung TV Plus channels and apps like Netflix and Prime Video. For gaming and sports, it supports DLG 240Hz performance and 144Hz Variable Refresh Rate technology for smoother play and reduced stutter.

This Samsung TV deal is available to buy at Amazon now.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Beat RAMageddon by saving over $200 on the Samsung 870 EVO SATA III at Amazon

8 hours 17 min ago

SAVE $270: As of July 22, the Samsung 870 EVO SATA III is on sale for $249.99 at Amazon. That's a 52% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 870 EVO SATA III $249.99 at Amazon
$519.99 Save $270   Get Deal

While Samsung Unpacked is introducing the brand's newest tech today, there are also savings on some of its existing products.

The Samsung 870 EVO SATA III is currently on sale, giving you an affordable way to add extra storage and improve your computer's performance. As of July 22, this device is down from $519.99 to $249.99, saving you $270. This price is for the 1TB storage option, but if you need more space, there are deals on all storage capacities, even up to a whopping 8TB.

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This internal SSD is designed to deliver fast, reliable storage for all kinds of computers, including desktops and laptops. It offers sequential read and write speeds of up to 560MB/s and 530MB/s respectively. A larger variable buffer is designed to maintain consistent performance, even under demanding workloads, so it's a great choice for gaming, content creation, and everyday use.

It's reliable and built to last, with the drive rated for up to 600TBW. You'll also get a five-year limited warranty.

Pick up this Samsung SSD deal at Amazon now.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide: Release date, price, leaks, more

8 hours 18 min ago

Apple is likely to join the foldable market this year — but Samsung is gearing up to have a competitor in place before the iPhone Ultra even launches.

Samsung is set to show off its latest wares at a Galaxy Unpacked event in London on July 22, and it's widely expected that the company will announce a third foldable to add onto the Fold and Flip form factors it has already been selling for years now.

This new foldable will reportedly be a shorter, wider device, similar in shape to the still-unannounced iPhone Ultra.

Here's everything you need to know about the wide Samsung foldable before its likely launch later this month.

SEE ALSO: Samsung finally confirms Galaxy Unpacked for July 22 Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide: When is it coming?

As previously mentioned, Samsung's next Galaxy Unpacked event is on July 22. The phone will likely not hit shelves that day, but it should be available within a few weeks, if precedent holds.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide: What is it called?

This is where things get confusing. While we expect that the new wide foldable will be called Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, it is not a true successor to the Z Fold 7 (launched in 2025), at least not in terms of design.

There will be a successor to the Z Fold 7 launched alongside the new wide foldable, but it's reportedly called the Z Fold 8 Ultra. Hopefully Samsung will clear up the confusion on why that should be.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide: Design and specs

Samsung hasn't officially announced the Z Fold 8, but we have a decent idea of what to expect based on various leaks over the past several months.

For example, prominent leaker Sonny Dickson posted images on X back in April purporting to show dummy cases for the new batch of foldables.

Two of them look familiar to fans of Samsung phones, but one of them is clearly more squat and more wide than anything the company has made yet. We are pretty sure that's the Z Fold 8.

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

There are now official details yet, but leaker Tarun Vats recently posted specs on X. They include:

  • 5.5-inch cover display with 120Hz refresh rate

  • 7.6-inch inner display with 120Hz refresh rate

  • Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset

  • 12GB RAM

  • 256GB/512GB/1TB storage

  • 4,800mAh battery

Based on the dummy units seen above, those display dimensions sound about right. The idea, evidently, is to have a roughly 4:3 aspect ratio in the inner display, which is what Apple is reportedly going to do with its foldable.

This was recently corroborated even more by Android Authority, which found alleged images of the phone in One UI 9 files.

Yeah, that's not a regular Samsung foldable. Credit: Android Authority

As for the other specs offered by Tarun Vats, there are no real surprises here. The RAM and storage counts are pretty normal for what will likely be an expensive phone, while the Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for Galaxy chipset has been used in other recent Samsung devices.

All that should keep the phone performing smoothly. A 4,800mAh battery is also roughly what we would expect from a device like this. Hopefully, it'll be able to keep a charge for at least 24 hours.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide: Cameras

This is one area where it seems like Samsung is making compromises. In the render above from Android Authority, there are only two rear cameras on the Z Fold 8. That's not ideal: the Z Fold 7 had three, and we expect the same of the Z Fold 8 Ultra.

Tarun Vats' specs list suggests they won't be the most powerful lenses in the world, either. A 50MP wide and 50MP ultrawide lens, with two 10MP selfie cameras, may sound impressive — but it's a far cry from the 200MP main lens we got on the Z Fold 7.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Wide: Price

It's impossible to say what this phone will cost prior to its announcement. RAMageddon is very real, and foldables were already in the neighborhood of $2,000 before memory became impossible to come by.

Do not be shocked if this phone, even with its weaker cameras, is out of your price range.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Ninja Hot and Iced coffee machine is $20 off at Amazon — buy now for $139.99

8 hours 20 min ago

SAVE $20: As of July 22, the Ninja Hot & Iced coffee machine is on sale for $139.99 at Amazon. That's a 13% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Ninja Hot & Iced Coffee Machine $139.99 at Amazon
$159.99 Save $20   Get Deal

If you’re tired of spending money on takeaway coffees, a machine that can handle both hot and iced drinks is a smart upgrade. The Ninja Hot & Iced coffee machine lets you make café-style drinks at home, and it’s currently on sale at Amazon. As of July 22, it's now down to $139.99 for the larger, 12-cup machine.

It offers four brew styles, including Classic, Rich, Over Ice, and Cold Brew, allowing you to customize your coffee. Its Over Ice setting is designed to create iced coffee without dilution, while the Cold Brew function can prepare smooth cold brew coffee in as little as 10 minutes.

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With eight brew sizes available, this Ninja machine can make everything from a small cup to XL travel sizes, as well as quarter, half, or full carafes. The removable water reservoir features auto-metering technology that detects water level and simplifies the brewing process without manual measurement. Plus, the Thermal Flavor Extraction system uses even saturation and precise temperature control to help maximize the coffee flavor during brewing.

Find this Ninja coffee machine deal at Amazon now.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Galaxy Z Flip 8 rumors: Release date, colors, specs, more

8 hours 23 min ago

Samsung's next clamshell foldable is close enough to touch.

Samsung has released a new Galaxy Z Flip phone every year since debuting the line in 2020, and the pattern looks set to continue. The company has scheduled an Unpacked event for July 22, 2026, where the Galaxy Z Flip 8 is expected to launch alongside the Galaxy Z Fold 8, Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, Galaxy Watch 9, and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2.

With the announcement just weeks away, leaks covering the phone's design, colors, and internals have been piling up. Here's a roundup of the most notable ones.

Z Flip 8 Release Date

Samsung has already confirmed the timing: its Unpacked event lands on July 22, 2026. That's where the Z Flip 8 is expected to debut alongside the rest of the summer foldable lineup.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. Z Flip 8 Design

Multiple leaks, including CAD-style renders and official-looking product images obtained by Android Headlines and republished by PhoneArena and Engadget, point to a Z Flip 8 that looks very close to its predecessor. The main internal display, the hole-punch selfie camera, the side-mounted power and volume buttons, and the horizontally arranged rear cameras wrapped by the external cover screen all appear to carry over largely unchanged.

Engadget noted that the biggest recent design leap for the line came last year, when the cover screen grew to wrap edge-to-edge around the main cameras. Sourcing rumors about a redesigned hinge and a lighter chassis, Engadget cautioned that a major hardware overhaul is unlikely this generation, tying that partly to industry-wide memory chip shortages.

SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: Everything we know so far

PhoneArena's Mariyan Slavov, reviewing the leaked renders, described the design similarities to the Z Flip 7 as unsurprising given earlier CAD leaks, and characterized recent updates to the line as incremental — new chipsets, new AI features, and new colors rather than structural changes.

Z Flip 8 Colors

Leaked renders obtained by Android Headlines show the Galaxy Z Flip 8 in three main colorways. The leak identified them as Cream, Graphite, and Pink, noting that the pink shade is lighter and more pastel than last year's Coral Red option. Engadget's description of the same leaked images referred to the trio as white, gray, and pink.

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

PhoneArena also reported that a fourth color, Mint, is expected to return as a Samsung.com-exclusive shade, following the same pattern as the previous generation.

Z Flip 8 Specs

Leaks about the Z Flip 8's internals have been fairly consistent across outlets. Citing rumors, PhoneArena, SamMobile, and Engadget all point to two chipset variants: Samsung's own Exynos 2600 for global markets and Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 for the U.S. version — mirroring last year's regional split.

PhoneArena laid out a fuller rumored spec sheet:

  • Chipset: Exynos 2600 (2nm) or Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5

  • RAM: 12GB

  • Display: 6.9-inch foldable Dynamic LTPO AMOLED 2X main panel at 120Hz; 4.1-inch external cover screen, also 120Hz

  • Battery: 4,300mAh with 25W wired charging and wireless support

  • Storage: 256GB or 512GB

  • Cameras: 50MP main, 12MP ultrawide, 10MP selfie

PhoneArena noted the rear camera setup is expected to be carried over from the previous generation rather than upgraded.

Is this the last Galaxy Z Flip?

Perhaps the most striking rumor doesn't concern hardware at all. SamMobile reported that a second leak, from X account @fireuniverse8, claims the Galaxy Z Flip 8 could be the final phone in the Z Flip line, with Samsung allegedly planning to discontinue the clamshell series to focus on the Galaxy Z Fold family instead.

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

SamMobile noted this echoes an earlier, similarly unconfirmed report, and that if accurate, the Z Flip would become the second major Samsung smartphone lineup to be discontinued, after the Galaxy Note series.

It's worth stressing that this claim comes from an unverified social media source, and Samsung has not commented on its product roadmap beyond the July 22 event. PhoneArena's coverage, by contrast, treated the Z Flip 8 as a continuation of an ongoing yearly cadence rather than a farewell entry, while pointing out that market data shows consumers currently favor book-style foldables like the Z Fold over flip phones — a dynamic Engadget's reporting also touched on indirectly when discussing Samsung's marketing push around the Z Fold 8.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: Everything we know

8 hours 24 min ago

Last year, I said the ultra-thin Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 was the best foldable we've ever tested. That means the rumored successor device has big shoes to fill.

After months of speculation, Samsung finally confirmed that it will hold a Galaxy Unpacked event in London on July 22, where it will presumably announce its newest batch of foldable devices, among other things. While this means we haven't yet seen the follow-up to the Z Fold 7 in an official capacity, there's been enough reporting online to build a decent profile of the phone before its unveiling.

Here's everything we know about the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra so far.

SEE ALSO: Samsung Health app gets big refresh ahead of Galaxy Watch 9 release Latest Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra rumors: Price and release date

As mentioned previously, everyone expects Samsung to show off the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra in London on July 22. That means the phone will most likely launch shortly after that, as per usual. As for its price, last year Samsung charged $1,999 for the Z Fold 7, which was itself a $100 price increase over the previous model.

There haven't been any concrete reports about the price of the new Z Fold just yet, but based on the way things are going in the tech world, thanks to RAMageddon, it might be reasonable to expect an even higher price this year. If we're lucky, it might "only" be another $100 price hike. It's just hard to see it staying the same considering the market conditions right now.

Galaxy Z Fold 8, Fold Wide, or Fold Ultra: Will the name change?

This is where things start getting a little confusing regarding the Z Fold series.

Multiple reports have suggested that the device will be called the Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra, with the regular Z Fold 8 name going instead to a rumored third foldable that Samsung is allegedly going to announce at the show. More on that in a bit. Given that there have now been multiple official certifications referring to the device as "Z Fold 8 Ultra," we're going to stick with that name for the duration of this article, even though Samsung hasn't confirmed it yet.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: Design This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

There have been a bevy of leaks all but confirming the existence of the new "Wide Fold" phone, alongside the Z Fold 8 Ultra and the Z Flip 8. Prominent leaker Sonny Dickson, for example, posted photos of some dummy units that very clearly show a new device that looks a lot like the Z Fold 7 next to one that looks like the Z Flip 7, and one that doesn't look like any Samsung foldable we've seen before.

Last year, the Z Fold 7 had a 6.5-inch outer display and an 8-inch unfolded inner display, and all signs point to Samsung maintaining a size profile similar to that for the Z Fold 8. What differentiates it from the "Wide Fold" phone is that the latter would have a smaller 5.4-inch outer display alongside a 7.6-inch inner display with a 4:3 aspect ratio.

You might wonder why Samsung is doing that. Well, that would be because Apple is reportedly working on an iPhone Fold to launch late this year with a wider design than book-style foldables like the Z Fold 7 and Pixel 10 Pro Fold. Thus, Samsung's "Wide Fold" device is clearly gearing up to compete with Apple's handset. There have been leaked images of an iPhone Fold dummy case, and it does look a lot like the wide phone in the earlier Samsung dummy image.

So, expect a head-to-head battle between the Z Fold 8 Wide and the iPhone Fold Ultra later this year.

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.

The Z Fold 7 was impressive last year because of its incredibly svelte size for a foldable; it measured in at just 8.9mm when folded and merely 4.2mm when unfolded, with a light weight of 215g. We don't yet know how much smaller the Z Fold 8 Ultra will be, if at all, but one Korean news report suggested it could be even lighter, coming in at 200g. That would be very exciting, as the thinness of last year's model was a huge reason it stood (and continues to stand) above most of the competition.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: Specs

We don't yet know a lot about what will be inside the Z Fold 8 Ultra, unfortunately. But there is a little bit of info we can chew on for now.

Namely, the same Korean news report with the weight information also suggested Samsung could upgrade the battery cell from 4,400mAh to 5,000mAh. The battery life in the Z Fold 7 was really the only disappointing aspect of the device, so this would be a hugely welcome change. It could work in tandem with a new chipset, most likely a Snapdragon chip like the powerful ones seen in the Galaxy S26 line earlier this year.

That increased battery size might also come with up to 45W charging speeds, which would be lovely. Other than that, we don't know what to expect from the Z Fold 8 Ultra in terms of everyday performance. That said, the Z Fold 7 was quite a nice phone to use, so Samsung doesn't need to fix what isn't broken in that regard.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra: Cameras The camera array on the Z Fold 7. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Lastly, an intriguing update from Dutch outlet Galaxy Club suggested that Samsung could somewhat dramatically improve the rear camera array on the Z Fold 8 Ultra. For reference, the Z Fold 7 had a 200MP main shooter to go with a 12MP ultrawide lens and a 10MP telephoto lens.

If this report is to be believed, Samsung is keeping the 200MP lens, but upping the ultrawide lens from 12MP to 50MP, and the telephoto from 10MP to 12MP. It's hard to say without doing any testing how much of an effect that will have, but these new lenses should produce sharper images, at least in theory. You can probably also expect at least a few new AI image editing tricks this year, to go along with better hardware.

The reveal of the Z Fold 8 Ultra is still a couple of weeks away, but at least now we have a basic idea of what to expect from the phone, even if its name is confusing.

Categories: IT General, Technology

iPhone 18 news, leaks, and rumors: Release date, iPhone 18 Pro details, more info

8 hours 52 min ago

Apple's flagship smartphone hasn't taken a year off from its updates since 2007, and barring a massive surprise, 2026 won't be different – but there will be a twist.

The Cupertino-based tech giant is widely expected to launch a new lineup of iPhones later this year, including the iPhone 18 Pro, 18 Pro Max and the rumored iPhone Ultra, the company's first-ever foldable. The regular iPhone 18, the 18e, and the new iPhone Air are likely to arrive early next year.

Our big Guessing Game is back! Enter now for a chance to win an Apple Watch.

As we await the iPhone 18 — and its updated operating system, iOS 27 — tidbits of news and rumors continue to trickle out. The pace of leaks on the iPhone 18 Pro in particular is likely to increase after a massive hack exposed thousands of Apple's internal documents, reportedly including iPhone 18 Pro suppliers and tests.

We won't see any of the new Apple phones in the wild for months — but we can bring you the most substantiated and most likely updates in one place.

SEE ALSO: Apple reportedly working on anti-phone snatching security feature iPhone 18 lineup pricing

If you're in the market for a new iPhone, you should circle September in your calendar. That has been the month for Apple's big showcase event for a very long time, and there's no reason to believe Apple will change that in 2026.

Expect to see new Apple CEO John Ternus take the stage to introduce it; his term of office officially begins Sept. 1.

What he'll be introducing, alas, may put more of a dent in your wallet. Thanks to the ongoing RAM shortage caused by the AI industry (also known as RAMageddon), tons of smartphones, laptops, and gaming consoles are seeing huge price hikes. Experts who've spoken to Mashable say that trend isn't going to stop anytime soon.

As the world's number one smartphone maker, Apple has some advantages over its rivals, but a price increase is definitely coming. We had hoped otherwise — Apple raised prices on its new MacBooks earlier this year, while also introducing a low-cost $599 laptop that put big pressure on its Windows rivals.

But then outgoing Apple CEO Tim Cook took the unusual step of preparing us for a pricier iPhone. "Price increases are unavoidable," Cook told the Wall Street Journal in an interview. The Journal quoted an analysis showing that the memory chip components in the iPhone 18 Pro will cost Apple $150 more than those in the iPhone 17 Pro.

So should you expect the phones to cost just $150 more than their predecessors (see the iPhone 17 prices here)? You wish. There's the pesky fact that Apple is a for-profit company, and the iPhone is the #1 smartphone in the world for a reason, even though it's already pricier than Samsung's.

How much of an increase will Apple fans bear? We may be about to find out, but the Journal estimated $1,299 for the iPhone 18 Pro ($200 more than last year).

iPhone 18, 18 Pro, and 18 Ultra launch dates

Barring a huge turn under Ternus, Apple will release the iPhone 18 Pro, the iPhone 18 Pro Max, and the foldable iPhone Ultra in early September. Obviously Apple's first foldable iPhone is the biggest headline here, but the Pro models will bring numerous improvements too.

The iPhone 18, however, alongside the cheaper iPhone 18e, and the next-gen iPhone Air, are rumored to come next year, likely in March 2027.

iPhone 18 and iPhone 18 Pro design

Again, Apple has not released any official teasers or other imagery for the iPhone 18 lineup yet, so anything reported to date could be wrong. Still, from the sum total of all reports, it sounds like Apple isn't really reinventing the wheel, design-wise. But Ternus, a hardware guy, is reportedly bringing the company's industrial design group into the center of the Apple fold.

Looking further into the future, the iPhone 20 is said to bring big changes, including a curved waterfall display.

Per our friends at CNET (Mashable and CNET are both owned by Ziff Davis), the display sizes will be roughly the same as last year:

  • iPhone 18: 6.3 inches

  • iPhone 18 Pro: 6.3 inches

  • iPhone 18 Pro Max: 6.9 inches

However, the display quality might be a little different this year. Prominent leaker Instant Digital shared on Chinese social media that Apple's brightness demands are unusually high this year, so it would be reasonable to expect much brighter displays than in previous years.

Some iPhone 18 models could also have a smaller camera bump compared to previous models. There are reports of a slightly redesigned Dynamic Island on the screen itself, with the pill-shaped notification hub potentially being made smaller in the iPhone 18 Pro models. One alleged leaked image purports to show an iPhone 18 Pro with a downsized Dynamic Island cutout.

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Wondering about the iPhone 18 color options? For the iPhone 18 Pro, at least, it seems the color options have already leaked. Previous rumors indicated Apple was experimenting with a "deep red" color for the iPhone 18 Pro, and a new report from MacWorld backs that up. According to their reporting, the color lineup for the iPhone 18 Pro will be silver, gray, light blue, and a color called "dark cherry" — likely the deep red previously reported.

Sadly, we think fans of black iPhones are out of luck again.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. iPhone 18: rumored hardware features

So we know the software the iPhone 18 will run: iOS 27, introduced at WWDC 2026. Time to start talking about some of the internal hardware changes Apple is reportedly making to the iPhone 18 lineup.

For starters, it sounds like the lineup will have a standardized 12GB RAM count across the board. In previous years, the Pro models had 12GB of RAM, while the base model had only 8GB. According to Korean outlet The Bell, Apple will be upgrading the base model so that it matches the Pro models in that regard. It's also widely expected that Apple will adopt new A20 and A20 Pro chips for the base and Pro models, respectively.

It's also expected that the new iPhones will have a new C2 modem for improved cellular connectivity, and they may also have 5G satellite support. Also reported: a new N2 chip for better WiFi performance.

Latest iPhone 18 Pro rumors

For the iPhone 18 Pro, the current expectation is that Apple will improve the battery size in the premium iPhone 18 models this year.

Leaker Digital Chat Station on Weibo reported that the batteries could exceed 5,000mAh, which would be an improvement over the iPhone 17 Pro.

Instant Digital posted in a separate Weibo leak that the back glass of the iPhone 18 Pro has been altered, resulting in a new unified look, as opposed to the two-tone look of the iPhone 17 Pro. Whether that change will affect durability (or if it's just an aesthetic difference) remains to be seen.

Other differences include Apple's new A20 Pro chip inside, improved LTPO+ display, Apple's new C2 modem, 5G via satellite connectivity, and the improved N2 chip which should improve hotspot and AirDrop reliability.

What about the iPhone 18 Pro Max?

Several reports out of China say the iPhone 18 Pro Max will have a much larger battery — and be a bit of a chunky boy as a result.

We're not talking about a huge increase in weight and width: a quarter of a millimeter thickness and 7 grams more respectively. Still, every gram counts on the heftiest iPhone model you can get — so iPhone 17 Pro Max upgraders may want to check that their pocket linings can bear the larger bulk of the iPhone 18 Pro Max.

The iPhone 17 Pro has helped Apple break sales records in 2026. Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

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iPhone 18 camera rumors

Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, a source of many spot-on iPhone reports, says the iPhone 18 Pro, in particular, will have "some of the biggest camera hardware upgrades in the lineup's history."

Why? First, the telephoto camera has a larger aperture. But more important is the variable aperture.

First reported by Digital Chat Station on Weibo, variable aperture is a huge deal. It would let the iPhone 18 Pro camera capture different amounts of light for different situations — potentially leading to a huge leap in photo quality, if you know what you're doing.

For instance, the bokeh effect famously associated with portrait mode on iPhones would be possible in-camera rather than through software processing, resulting in more natural and generally better-looking shots.

What about AI Siri?

Of course, one of the first things many users will want to know about the iPhone 18 when they get their hands on one: what is the new, revamped, AI-upgraded Siri experience like?

If you're feeling adventurous, you can try it yourself by installing the iOS 27 beta.

The new features include Siri becoming an actual chatbot with its own app. It's also able to understand what's on your screen, and it can help you write, create images, and edit photos.

For an overview of some of the best features Siri AI has to offer, go here. And for the best new features in Apple's iOS 27 public beta, check our roundup here.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Substack adds tool that detects AI-generated content

9 hours 17 min ago

Substack is introducing a new tool to help readers figure out whether content was written by a human or generated by AI. Announced in a blog post on Tuesday, the self-publishing platform's new feature is powered by AI detection tool Pangram, and is available on Substack posts, notes, replies, and comments.

SEE ALSO: Substack gives creators control of the conversation with new Reply Rules

"Not everything made with AI is slop, and not all slop is made with AI," wrote Substack co-founder and CEO Chris Best. "The problem is when there is a mismatch between a reader’s expectation and reality, especially when they unwittingly invest their attention in something with no human thought on the other end."

Substack's AI detection tool is available now on web and in the iOS app, with Android to follow. To scan Substack content for AI contributions, simply click or tap on the "..." meatball menu, then select "Scan for AI text." A popup will then appear stating what percentage of the text Pangram has determined is AI-generated, AI-assisted, or human.

Substack's new AI detection feature does have some restrictions. Specifically, it will only work on Substack text passages longer than 100 words, and only those published after 8:30 a.m. PT / 11:30 a.m. on July 21. Attempting to scan Substack content published prior to this results in a popup stating that it's ineligible for AI detection. 

Trying to check passages that are shorter than 100 words also surfaces a popup explaining that there isn't enough text for accurate AI detection. The popup on Best's own posts also offers an additional message: "I'm still figuring all of this out. (In the meantime these words are mine, for better or worse.)"

Pengram will only scan text for any AI authorship if the reader requests it. As such, it's up to users to take the initiative and investigate the provenance of what they're reading to the best of their ability. Best notes that the tool cannot detect if, for example, a human used AI to do research before writing a post.

Substack's AI-detection tool adds some new features for authors as well. Writers are now able to add a statement explaining how they wrote content, which will appear when readers use the AI detection tool on their posts. Authors can run Pengram's AI detection tool on their drafts and submit a report if they believe it has classified their content incorrectly. Interestingly, writers can also remove the flag themselves by completely disabling AI detection on their content, regardless of whether or not Pengram's detection was correct.

Credit: Substack

Pangram itself uses AI to detect AI-generated text. However, rather than generative AI, it deploys a classifier neural network model trained to recognise and distinguish between human and AI-generated text. The company states that its algorithm's dataset of human authored text was gathered from sources published prior to 2021, before generative AI was widely used on the internet, to ensure no AI-generated text snuck its way in.

Best stated that Substack is looking into adding more AI-focused features in the future, depending upon user interest and feedback. This includes allowing users to set preferences for the content Substack recommends to them, suggesting that we may eventually see the option to filter out AI-generated content altogether.

A recent study by digital marketing firm Graphite found that the number of online articles that are primarily AI-generated is now equal to the number written by humans. Multiple publications have been called out for using AI to generate articles over the last few years, several of which were laden with errors. In some instances, these AI-generated articles were attributed to fake, AI-generated authors or the publication's "staff."

Categories: IT General, Technology

Hurdle hints and answers for July 22, 2026

13 hours 7 min ago

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.

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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

Possessive.

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

WHOSE

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A small, round fruit.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for July 22, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

GRAPE

Mashable 101 Fan Fave: Nominate your favorite creators today

Hurdle Word 3 hint

To intrigue.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for July 22 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for July 21, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

PIQUE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

To follow.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

ABIDE

Final Hurdle hint

To yearn for.

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

COVET

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

Categories: IT General, Technology

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