Mashable

OpenAI's advanced reasoning model has arrived.

SEE ALSO: OpenAI clarifies: No, "GPT Next" isn't a new model.

Initially dubbed "Project Strawberry," the model was released to the public as "o1" on Thursday. As expected, o1 is able to "think" (process) before answering a prompt, which differs from previous large language models that use predictive text to form their responses. "We've developed a new series of AI models designed to spend more time thinking before they respond," said OpenAI in the announcement.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

In a demo shared on the OpenAI site, the video shows a user asking o1 in ChatGPT to "write a grammatictlly [sic] correct sentence without using any letters more than once." The model then uses its new reasoning skills to weigh options and evaluate the sentence. According to the demo, after 39 seconds, o1's cheeky response to the query is "go fix my bed."

Another video features Research Lead Jerry Tworek asking o1 to solve a logic puzzle about the ages of a prince and princess. The model is shown decoding the problem, by understanding the different variables and determining which equations are needed to solve the problem, and goes step by step answering the age equation.

As demonstrated from the demos, o1 works best for solving complex math problems in the realm of science, physics, and coding. "o1 can be used by healthcare researchers to annotate cell sequencing data, by physicists to generate complicated mathematical formulas needed for quantum optics, and by developers in all fields to build and execute multi-step workflows," said the announcement.

That also means the o1 preview comes with certain limitations. It can't browse the web or take in uploaded files and images. For tasks like those, OpenAI says, GPT-4o is still the best model to use.

In a section about safety, OpenAI said the U.S. and UK Safety Institutes were granted early access to testing o1, per the previous mandates from President Biden's AI executive order.

OpenAI's o1 model is available through the developer AI and ChatGPT Plus users in preview. When you go to the ChatGPT app, you can select o1 in the dropdown menu.

Apple's newly announced hearing aid capability is officially the first over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aid software to be approved by the FDA. And it should be available on devices soon.

The federal agency formally ushered in the tech giant's new "Hearing Aid Feature" (or HAF, as the agency refers to it) mere days after the company's keynote "Glowtime" event, which unveiled a series of new health features. The HAF allows AirPods Pro users to conduct a personalized Hearing Test on their device, which is then used to customize audio settings in the hearing assistance software, effectively turning the in-ears into a form of hearing aid.

SEE ALSO: This state is allowing AI to help rule on its unemployment claims

Apple announced the Hearing Aid mode on Sept. 10, noting the company anticipated federal approval to come "soon," but the FDA moved quicker than expected.

"Today’s marketing authorization of an over-the-counter hearing aid software on a widely used consumer audio product is another step that advances the availability, accessibility and acceptability of hearing support for adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss," wrote Michelle Tarver, FDA director of the Center for Devices and Radiological Health.

The FDA's approval also provided more information on the feature's clinical testing. Apple's HAF was evaluated in a study featuring "118 subjects with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss, at multiple U.S. sites," the FDA explained. "The results demonstrated that subjects who used the HAF self-fitting strategy achieved similar perceived benefit as subjects who received professional fitting of the same device. Results also showed comparable performance for tests measuring levels of amplification in the ear canal, as well as a measure of speech understanding in noise. No adverse events related to the device were observed in this study."

SEE ALSO: I demoed the new AirPods Pro 2 hearing test — and here's how it went

The feature's consumer approval bolsters the agency's recent new OTC hearing aid regulations in 2022, which allowed consumers with "perceived mild to moderate hearing impairment" to purchase hearing aids without first obtaining a medical exam, prescription, or audiologist approval.

Hearing Aid capabilities will be available for compatible AirPods Pro devices in a future software update.

Given the presidential debate this week, you probably heard plenty of misinformation and conspiracy theories. 

Indeed, reporters and fact checkers were working overtime to specifically determine whether Haitian immigrants in Ohio were eating domestic pets, as grotesquely alleged by Republican presidential contender Donald Trump, and his vice presidential running mate, Ohio Senator J.D. Vance. Neither has produced evidence proving their claim, and local officials say it's untrue. Still, the false allegation is all over the internet.

Experts have long worried about how rapidly conspiracy theories can spread, and some research suggests that people can't be persuaded by facts that contradict those beliefs.

But a new study published today in Science offers hope that many people can and will abandon conspiracy theories under the right circumstances. 

SEE ALSO: Jon Stewart breaks down the biggest Harris-Trump debate moments in live monologue

In this case, researchers tested whether conversations with a chatbot powered by generative artificial intelligence could successfully engage with people who believed popular conspiracy theories, like that the Sept. 11 attacks were orchestrated by the American government and that the COVID-19 virus was a man-made attempt by "global elites" to "control the masses." 

The study's 2,190 participants had tailored back-and-forth conversations about a single conspiracy theory of their choice with OpenAI's GPT-4 Turbo. The model had been trained on a large amount of data from the internet and licensed sources.

After the participants' discussions, the researchers found a 20 percent reduction in conspiracy belief. Put another way, a quarter of participants had stopped adhering to the conspiracy theory they'd discussed. That decrease persisted two months after their interaction with the chatbot. 

David Rand, a co-author of the study, said the findings indicate people's minds can be changed with facts, despite pessimism about that prospect.

"Facts and evidence do matter to a substantial degree to a lot of people." - David Rand, MIT professor

"Evidence isn't dead," Rand told Mashable. "Facts and evidence do matter to a substantial degree to a lot of people."  

Rand, who is a professor of management science and brain and cognitive sciences at MIT, and his co-authors didn't test whether the study participants were more likely to change their minds after talking to a chatbot versus someone they know in real life, like a best friend or sibling. But they suspect the chatbot's success has to do with how quickly it can marshal accurate facts and evidence in response. 

In a sample conversation included in the study, a participant who thinks that the Sept. 11 attacks were staged receives an exhaustive scientific explanation from the chatbot about how the Twin Towers collapsed without the aid of explosive detonations, among other popular related conspiracy claims. At the outset, the participant felt 100 percent confident in the conspiracy theory; by the end, their confidence dropped to 40 percent.  

For anyone who's ever tried to discuss a conspiracy theory with someone who believes it, they may have experienced rapid-fire exchanges filled with what Rand described as "weird esoteric facts and links" that are incredibly difficult to disprove. A generative AI chatbot, however, doesn't have that problem, because it can instantaneously respond with fact-based information.

Nor is an AI chatbot hampered by personal relationship dynamics, such as whether a long-running sibling rivalry or dysfunctional friendship shapes how a conspiracy theorist views the person offering counter information. In general, the chatbot was trained to be polite to participants, building a rapport with them by validating their curiosity or confusion. 

The researchers also asked participants about their trust in artificial intelligence. They found that the more a participant trusted AI, the more likely they were to suspend their conspiracy theory belief in response to the conversation. But even those skeptical of AI were capable of changing their minds. 

Importantly, the researchers hired a professional fact-checker to evaluate the claims made by the chatbot, to ensure it wasn't sharing false information, or making things up. The fact-checker rated nearly all of them as true and none of them as false. 

For now, people who are curious about the researchers' work can try it out for themselves by using their DebunkBot, which allows users to test their beliefs against an AI. 

Rand and his co-authors imagine a future in which a chatbot might be connected to social media accounts as a way to counter conspiracy theories circulating on a platform. Or people might find a chatbot when they search online for information about viral rumors or hoaxes thanks to keyword ads tied to certain conspiracy search terms.

Rand said the study's success, which he and his co-authors have replicated, offers an example of how AI can be used for good. 

Still, he's not naive about the potential for bad actors to use the technology to build a chatbot that confirms certain conspiracy theories. Imagine, for example, a chatbot that's been trained on social media posts that contain false claims.

"It remains to be seen, essentially, how all of this shakes out," Rand said. "If people are mostly using these foundation models from companies that are putting a lot of effort into really trying to make them accurate, we have a reasonable shot at this becoming a tool that's widely useful and trusted."

You can't escape advertising on the internet…even AI chatbots are starting to send ads your way.

In an update provided to its advertisers, ecommerce giant Amazon has shared that it will start serving ads via its AI-powered shopping assistant chatbot called Rufus.

SEE ALSO: New evidence claims Google, Microsoft, Meta, and Amazon could be listening to you on your devices

"To help customers discover more products in Amazon’s generative AI-powered shopping assistant, referred to as Rufus, your ads may appear in Rufus-related placements," reads Amazon's September update to its Amazon Ads platform. "Rufus may generate accompanying text based on the context of the conversation."

The Amazon update was first noticed by AdWeek.

According to Amazon, Rufus will serve ads based on the information users provide. Ads will be tailored to what the user is looking for based on their search terms, and the conversation they're having with the chatbot.

Rufus was first launched earlier this year and rolled out across Amazon to all users in July. The AI chatbot helps provide more information on products, recommendations, and comparisons in a conversational format. Rufus uses the information available on Amazon's product pages for its knowledge base.

As TechCrunch points out, this is not the first time an AI chatbot has been used to serve advertising. Last year, Microsoft started testing out ads in its own AI chatbot Copilot.

Adult video site Clips4Sale is celebrating its 20 year anniversary in 2024, and it's looking back on the last two decades of fetish content.

According to the site, some fetishes are timeless — like foot fetishes, which thrived on Clips4Sale (C4S) since the very beginning. But so much has changed in terms of how we watch porn in the last 20 years. In 2004, porn was dominated by studio productions, and people accessed porn by buying DVDs or downloading videos. In the time since, streamable content made tube sites like Pornhub exploded with content and viewership. With sites like C4S as well as OnlyFans and the like, independent creators were able to create and distribute content by themselves. As C4S says in its blog post, this "allowed them to carve out ever more specific niches."

SEE ALSO: Most adult creators use AI in their work, new data says

C4S identified some fetishes that only began to emerge in our intensely-online era. One is ASMR, which can be non-sexual but is also beloved by NSFW audiences. C4S also identified digital submission (being surveilled by a dom via webcam, AirTag, or other tech) and gooning (masturbating and edging for hours) as being digital-bred fetishes.

Based on the site's data, here are the ten fetishes that define two decades of online kink, according to C4S data:

1. Feet: C4S started as a feet pics and clips website, and it continues to be one of the most top-desired fetishes.

2. Bondage: BDSM content was actually difficult to sell years ago according to C4S, but since the site's launch creators have been more vocal about consent and safety practices.

3. Taboo: Porn featuring "step" family members is popular. As C4S states in its blog, it's less to do with family and more about how taboo it is.

4. Ass worship: The rise of the BBL has also led to the rise of ass worship.

5. Superheroines: The MCU is to blame for this one.

6. Cuckolding: The act of watching your partner with someone else (and getting turned on by it).

7. Pegging: The act of penetrating someone (usually a cis man) with a dildo (and a cis woman doing the penetrating), and C4S's 2023 fetish of the year

8. Findom, aka financial domination: The internet has made it easy to pay your favorite creators

9. JOI, aka jerk-off instructions: Adult creators tell viewers how to masturbate.

10. Giantess: This one is growing (no pun intended) in popularity, so much so that C4S named it its 2024 fetish of the year.

Surprise: Fitbit wearers will now get a feature previously reserved for Premium subscribers.

As 9to5Google noted, the fitness company has rolled out its readiness score for free to its trackers and watchers. This update was in conjunction with the launch of the Pixel Watch 3 this summer. (For the unaware, Google owns Fitbit.)

So...what is a readiness score? In short, it's exactly what it sounds like. It's a number that tells you how prepared you are for the day. It takes your activity levels, sleep, and heart rate data to calculate your readiness score.

SEE ALSO: The Google Pixel Watch 3 has arrived — here's how to snag one

As Fitbit describes, "Daily Readiness Score uses your Fitbit data to assess whether you're ready to work out or should prioritize recovery. Over time, it will help you understand how your activity levels, sleep patterns, and heart rate variability from previous days contribute to how energized you feel today."

Basically, Fitbit will spit out a score between zero and 100, corresponding to low, moderate, or high amounts of readiness. So long as your Fitbit app is updated, the readiness score should be available to any watch or tracker, including the Luxe, Charge 5/6, Inspire 2/3, Sense, Sense 2, and Versa 2/3/4.

For the first time in history, a private citizen has left the confines of a spaceship while flying through space — an exercise that before now was only performed by trained astronauts. 

The unprecedented commercial spacewalk was part of SpaceX's Polaris Dawn mission, which sent four civilians into orbit to test the company's new spacesuits. Tech magnate Jared Isaacman, who funded the spaceflight, was the first to conduct a spacewalk. 

"From here, it sure looks like a perfect world," he said during a livestream on X, formerly called Twitter, that captured the whole event. 

SEE ALSO: Yes, NASA astronauts will still pee in their new spacesuits Polaris Dawn Commander Jared Isaacman exits the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule during a spacewalk on Sept. 12, 2024. Credit: SpaceX / X screenshot

Around 6 a.m. ET on Sept. 12, the crew depressurized the cabin and proceeded to open the capsule's forward hatch. Isaacman then popped out of the hole into the vacuum of space like a prairie dog, about 450 miles above Earth. The bright blue marble backlit Isaacman as he clung to guardrails mounted outside the ship with one hand. His other arm was strangely posed as if it were inside a sock puppet.

Despite having "walk" in the term, a spacewalk doesn't necessarily involve walking, but merely the act of going outside a spacecraft in flight. At the International Space Station, astronauts routinely leave the orbiting lab, dangling on a tether, to perform maintenance tasks.

Wearing a helmet camera, Polaris Dawn commander Jared Isaacman emerges from the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule. Credit: SpaceX / X screenshot

The five-day Polaris Dawn mission has so far accomplished its goals on the Crew Dragon capsule. The main purpose of the flight is to test the fit and mobility of the spacesuits.

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The X post above was the livestream of the Polaris Dawn spacewalk on Sept. 12, 2024.

The crew is composed of regular people — that is, if you consider a billionaire, two SpaceX engineers, and a retired U.S. Air Force combat pilot to be "regular." They include Isaacman, who founded the Shift4 credit card-processing company, pilot Scott "Kidd" Poteet, mission specialist Sarah Gillis, and medical officer Anna Menon.

Mission specialist Sarah Gillis performs a spacewalk to test the flexibility of her spacesuit on Sept. 12, 2024. Credit: SpaceX / X screenshot

Menon actually beat her husband, new NASA astronaut Anil Menon, to space. Prior to his recruitment for astronaut training in 2021, Dr. Menon was SpaceX's medical director. Anna Menon, however, did not leave her seat during the spacewalk, nor did Poteet. 

Following Isaacman, Gillis exited the spacecraft for a similar test, flexing her arms but never letting go of the bars outside the hatch for a free float. 

Mission specialist Sarah Gillis exits the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule for a spacewalk on Sept. 12, 2024. Credit: SpaceX / X screenshot

NASA administrator Bill Nelson congratulated SpaceX in a post on X, the social platform owned by SpaceX founder Elon Musk. 

"Today’s success represents a giant leap forward for the commercial space industry and @NASA's long-term goal to build a vibrant U.S. space economy," he said.

Nevada will become the first state to pilot a generative AI system designed to make unemployment claim decisions, marketed as a way to speed up appeals and tackle the nation's overwhelming backlog of cases. It's a risky, first-time experiment at integrating AI into higher-level decision making.

Google is behind the program's tech, which runs transcripts of unemployment appeals hearings through Google's AI servers, analyzing the data in order to provide claim decisions and benefit recommendations to "human referees," Gizmodo reported. Nevada's Board of Examiners approved the contract on behalf of its Department of Employment, Training and Rehabilitation (DETR) in July, despite broader legal and political pushback against integrating AI into bureaucracy.

SEE ALSO: Facebook flagged and removed emergency wildfire information as 'spam'

Christopher Sewell, director of DETR, told Gizmodo that humans will still be be heavily involved in unemployment decision making. "There’s no AI [written decisions] that are going out without having human interaction and that human review. We can get decisions out quicker so that it actually helps the claimant," said Sewell.

But Nevada legal groups and scholars have argued that any time saved by gen AI would be cancelled out by the time it would take to conduct a thorough human review of the claim decision. Many have also noted concerns about the possibility of private, personal information (including tax information and social security numbers) leaking through Google's Vertex AI studio, even with safeguards. Some have hesitancies surrounding the type of AI itself, known as retrieval-augmented generation (RAG), which has been found to produce incomplete or misleading answers to prompts.

Across the country, AI-based tools have been quietly rolled out or tested across various social services agencies, with gen AI integrating itself further into the administrative ecosystem. In February, the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) ruled against using AI (including generative AI or algorithms) as a decision maker in determining patient care or coverage. This followed a lawsuit from two patients who alleged their insurance provider used a "fraudulent" and "harmful" AI model (known as nH Predict) that overrode physician recommendations.

Axon, a police technology and weapons manufacturer, introduced its first-of-its-kind Draft One — a generative large language model (LLM) that assists law enforcement in writing "faster, higher quality" reports — earlier this year. Still in a trial period, the technology has already sounded alarms, prompting concerns about the AI's ability to parse the nuance of tense police interactions and potentially adding to a lack of transparency in policing.

SAVE 37%: The Sony SRSXB13 portable Bluetooth speaker is on sale for just $38 at Amazon, marked down from the list price of $59.99. That's a savings of $21.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony SRSXB13 portable Bluetooth speaker $38.00 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $21.99 Get Deal

A portable Bluetooth speaker can make any gathering better. Think beach tunes as the sun sets behind the waves, or just getting into the right frame of mind when you're cleaning out the garage. Nice, right? If you're in need of a small speaker that can go anywhere, Amazon has a sweet deal in store today.

As of Sept. 12, the Sony SRSXB13 portable Bluetooth speaker is on sale for $38 at Amazon, marked down from the normal price of $59.99. That's a savings of $21.99, or a 37% discount.

Designed with extra bass, the Sony SRSXB13 aims to achieve the perfect balance of portability with ideal sound quality. Plus, the speaker can get up to 16 hours of battery life, so you'll be set for the weekend of camping or while you're folding clothes in the laundry room. It also has a built-in mic and paired with its Bluetooth connectivity, you can use the speaker for taking a hands-free call.

SEE ALSO: We tested the best Bose headphones of 2024

Plus, it's waterproof and dustproof, so you'll have the freedom to take it along on any adventure. The speaker comes with a multiway strap which makes it easy to attach it to your backpack, tote bag, or bicycle.

If you're looking to jazz up an event with some portable music, take advantage of Amazon's sale price on the Sony SRSXB13 and rock out for less.

SAVE UP TO $120: This week, explore deals on a variety of headphones including Beats Fit Pro for $159 for $40.95 off and 20% savings. Plus find AirPods Max starting at $429, giving you $120 in savings for 22% off.

Best headphone deals Best earbud deal Beats Fit Pro $159 at Amazon (Save $40.95) Get Deal Best headphone deal Beats Studio Pro x Kim Kardashian with two years of AppleCare+ $269.99 at Amazon (Save $108.96) Get Deal Best AirPod deal Apple AirPods Max From $429 at Amazon (Save $120) Get Deal Best deal on a budget JBL Vibe Beam $29.95 at Amazon (Save $20) Get Deal

This week kicked off with big news in the headphone world. AirPods are finally getting an upgrade, and pre-orders are now open on the AirPods 4 and upgraded AirPod Max and AirPod Pro headphones. While we're looking forward to the new drops on some of our favorite tech, new releases typically mean that current models take a dip in price. Early in the week we saw deals on AirPods, but there's a bigger world than just Apple's flagship headphones.

Beyond AirPods, we found markdowns on headphones and earbuds from Beats and JBL. The savings are plentiful, taking up to 40% off headphones and earbuds. Whether you're looking for a pair of headphones that are as stylish as they are functional, or a new set of earbuds for your workouts, discover what's on sale this week.

Best earbud deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Beats Fit Pro $159.00 at Amazon
$199.95 Save $40.95 Get Deal Why we like it

In his review of the Beats Fit Pro, Mashable's Alex Perry boldly says, "Apple may not put its name directly on any Beats products, but the Beats Fit Pro are so much better than the new AirPods that maybe they should start doing that."

Loaded with active noise cancellation and water- and sweat-resistance, these earbuds are built for workouts of all kinds. Plus, iPhone users will enjoy the same benefits of easy connectivity that you find in AirPods. At $199.95, they're already more affordable than a pair of AirPods Pro.

However, the Beats Fit Pro are currently down to $159, saving $40.95 for 20% off. Even with AirPods Pro current discount, the Beats Fit Pro are cheaper.

Best headphone deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Beats Studio Pro x Kim Kardashian with two years of AppleCare+ $269.99 at Amazon
$378.95 Save $108.96 Get Deal Why we like it

Say what you will about Kim K, but she's a certified style icon, whether it be through her red carpet looks or Skims shapewear. In a maybe unexpected turn, she's bringing her knack of style to headphones through a Beats collaboration. Kim K has brought her favorite neutral tones to Beats Studio Pros through the shades of Dune, Moon, and Earth, for some utterly chic headphones.

While this Beats Studio Pro x Kim K collab is rather new, an early deal has arrived, giving you two free years of AppleCare+. Now, for the price of just the headphones, $269.99, you'll also receive AppleCare+. That's $108.96 in savings for 28% off.

More headphone deals

• JBL Vibe Beam — $29.95 $49.95 (save $20)

• JBL Tune 510BT — $29.95 $39.95 (save $10)

• Soundcore P30i by Anker earbuds — $29.99 $49.99 (save $20)

• Soundcore Anker Life Q20 headphones — $39.90 $59.99 (save $20.09)

• Soundcore by Anker Space A40 earbuds — $47.99 $79.99 (save $32)

• JBL Tune Flex — $49.99 $99.99 (save $50)

• JBL Live 660NC — $139.96 $199.95 (save $60)

• Apple AirPods Pro — $189.99 $249 (save $59.01)

• Beats Studio Pro — $249.99 $349.99 (save $100)

• Sennheiser Momentum 4 headphones — $249.99 $399.99 (save $150)

• Apple AirPods Max — $429 $549 (save $120)

Check out the best Amazon deals of the day as of Sept. 12: OUR TOP PICK Roborock S8 Pro Ultra $949.99 at Amazon (save $650) Get Deal BEST HEADPHONES DEAL Beats Fit Pro $159 at Amazon (save $40.95) Get Deal BEST SOUNDBAR DEAL JBL Bar 9.1 soundbar $584 at Amazon (save $615.95) Get Deal BEST SMART HOME DEAL Amazon Echo (4th gen) + Sengled smart color bulb $64.99 at Amazon (save $54.99) Get Deal BEST BLUETOOTH SPEAKER DEAL Anker Soundcore 2 Bluetooth speaker $27.99 at Amazon (save $12) Get Deal

Looking for some sweet deals to close out your week? We've got you covered. Brands like Roborock, Amazon, Anker, and Beats are major standouts on today's lengthy list of daily deals at Amazon. We've already sorted out the noise and rounded up the best gadgets worth adding to your cart on Sept. 12.

Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day. If none of these jump out at you, be sure to take a look back at our top picks from Tuesday, Sept 10 and Wednesday, Sept. 11. Many of those are still live, including a record-low Amazon Fire HD 8 tablet and a sub-$300 Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic.

Our top pick Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock S8 Pro Ultra $949.99 at Amazon
$1,599.99 Save $650.00 Get Deal

Unveiled in April 2023, the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra — on paper — is one of the fanciest robot vacuum and mop combos you can buy. It features self-washing and self-drying mopping pads, above average suction power, reactive 3D obstacle avoidance, floor type customization, and liftable brushes and mop that adapt to different tasks. Former Mashable intern Stacia Datskovska tested it out and found that while it may be loaded with perks, they don't justify the outrageous price of $1,599.99. Fortunately, though, it regularly goes on sale. As of Sept. 12, it's down to just $949.99 — that's 41% in savings and its lowest price on record.

Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Fit Pro $159.00 at Amazon
$199.95 Save $40.95 Get Deal

Though they're a few years old, the Beats Fit Pro still stand up to the latest earbuds on the market. Mashable's Alex Perry reviewed them and noted they "offer excellent active noise cancellation, magnificent audio output, elite comfort, and a long-lasting battery," putting them lightyears ahead of the third-generation AirPods. Typically just under $200, you can pick up a pair on sale for just $159 as of Sept. 12. That's 95 cents cheaper than the sale price they've been chilling at for months — a 20% savings overall.

Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Bar 9.1 soundbar $584.00 at Amazon
$1,199.95 Save $615.95 Get Deal

Upgrade your game day viewing experience by pairing a worthy soundbar with your big screen. The JBL Bar 9.1 is on sale for just $584 as of Sept. 12 — that's 51% off its usual cost — and offers a cinematic 9.1-channel surround sound experience. The two ends of the soundbar detach to become separate speakers you can place behind you to hear every agonizing call this NFL season. The soundbar packs Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and four upfiring speakers that bounce sound up to the ceiling and back down to you. Plus, the 300W, 10-inch wireless subwoofer gives you deep bass that really brings the action to life.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon / Sengled Amazon Echo (4th gen) with Sengled smart color bulb $64.99 at Amazon
$119.98 Save $54.99 Get Deal

While we just featured the $64.99 fourth-generation Amazon Echo earlier this week, today's deal brings you a free Sengled smart color bulb on top of it. That means that not only are you saving $35 on the Echo itself, but also an extra $19.99 on a smart color bulb to pair with it. One of the best ways to introduce Alexa's smart home capabilities into your home, the Echo serves as a sleek, simple speaker that responds to your voice commands, plays your tunes, and so much more. Add the Sengled bulb in your favorite room and ask Alexa to turn it off and on at certain times a day, change the color, or dim the lights for ambiance.

Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Soundcore 2 Bluetooth speaker $27.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $12.00 Get Deal

Small, yet mighty, the Anker Soundcore 2 Bluetooth speaker is tough to beat in terms of value. It offers impressive stereo sound, a durable design with IPX7 protection against rain, dust, spills, and more, and a 24-hour battery life to keep your tunes coming all day and night. For those specs, the price tag is pretty insane at just $27.99 on sale. That's 30% off its usual price as of Sept. 12.

None of these deals catching your eye? Check out Amazon's daily deals for even more savings.

One of the reasons iPhones cost as much as they do is Apple knows most people aren't paying full price for them. You're almost always trading in an old device or getting some kind of carrier discount, right? Well, if you're doing the former, you may want to keep your old iPhone in good shape.

MacWorld executive editor Michael Simon wrote a cautionary tale purporting that Apple would not accept a 256GB variant of the iPhone 15 Pro Max (which should have nearly the highest trade-in value of any existing iPhone) for trade-in because the back of the phone was cracked from a drop. As Simon pointed out, the cost of repairing this blemish would be only $29, but rather than deduct $29 from the trade-in value, Apple instead decided his iPhone was worthless during the trade-in process.

SEE ALSO: All of Apple's new iPhone 16 phones are capable of faster wired charging

The big lesson here is to just pay the $29 (or whatever your repair fee happens to cost) if there's any kind of imperfection with your iPhone before trading it in for an iPhone 16. It's not ideal, but perhaps Apple is banking on people not wanting to go through the effort. Don't let Apple win.

Until you give the company several hundred dollars for a new phone, anyway.

SAVE 58%: Get the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic (47 mm) for just $199.99 at Amazon, marked down from its normal price of $479.99. That's a discount of $280 and the lowest price we've seen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic $199.99 at Amazon
$479.99 Save $280.00 Get Deal

When it comes to buying a new smartwatch, there are tons to choose from, including the newly-announced Apple Watch Series 10. But if you don't want to overspend, or you're an Android user, that upgrade may not be on the table for you. If that's the case, you can save big on an excellent watch right now with a host of great features that can go toe-to-toe with what Apple is offering. Best of all, you can get it for just under $200, which you can't say for most of Apple's product lineup.

As of Sept. 12, you can get the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic (47 mm) for just $199.99, down from its usual price of $479.99. That's a discount of $280, or 58% off. This sale only applies to the Silver colorway right now, so if you want something else, you'll have to pony up a bit more cash. This is the lowest price we've seen for this particular model — a full $70 lower.

SEE ALSO: It's a great week to shop for a new smartwatch from Apple, Samsung, and Garmin

This smartwatch doesn't take cues from the rest of the competition that tries a little too hard to be techy. Instead, it looks much more like a regular timepiece with smart features. It offers heart rate, heart rhythm, sleep, and fitness tracking as well as sync options with other Samsung Galaxy devices you may already have. It looks slick on the wrist, it's sturdy, and it has plenty of customization options so you can make it your own.

For anyone using the Android ecosystem, it's well worth investing in, especially at this price. You won't want to pass it up for $199.99, but it'll likely go quickly while it's on sale. The holidays are just around the corner, so lock it in while you can.

Looking for some peace of mind when it comes to keeping tabs on your home? We've spotted some steep discounts on home security systems and cameras that are sure to help, regardless of your budget. Here are some top picks:

Best home security deals Best overall deal SimpliSafe wireless home security system (8 piece) $143.99 at Amazon (save $96) Get Deal Best video doorbell deal eufy Security smart Wi-Fi video doorbell $99.99 at Best Buy (save $80) Get Deal Best indoor camera deal Kasa Indoor Pan/Tilt smart security camera $22.99 at Amazon (save $7) Get Deal

Your home should be a haven — a favorite place to spend time with family, relax, and feel at peace. Unfortunately, our modern society sometimes removes the peace aspect. If you're looking into a home security system to help ease some worry about the safety of your home, this is shaping up to be a great week.

Modern home security systems seamlessly link to your smartphone, giving you instant notifications of anyone or anything at your doorstep. You can also grab an indoor camera to keep an eye on the interior of your home which is especially great if you're expecting kids to come home for school at a certain time or want to check in on pets.

Here are some of the best deal we've found during the week of Sept. 12 if you're shopping for a home security system.

Best overall deal Opens in a new window Credit: SimpliSafe Our pick: SimpliSafe wireless home security system (8 piece) $143.99 at Amazon
$239.99 Save $96.00 Get Deal Why we like it

SimpliSafe is one of our favorite brands when it comes to home security systems, serving over 4 million people nationwide. If you're looking for a comprehensive system, the eight-piece SimpliSafe wireless home security system is on sale at Amazon for just $143.99, marked down from the usual price of $239.99. That's a 40% discount.

SimpliSafe says this bundle is ideal for homes with two or three bedroom since it includes a base station, four entry-point sensors, a panic button, a motion sensor, and a keypad to control arming and disarming. The entry-point sensors are designed to attach to windows, doors, or cabinets and will automatically alert you when it's opened.

The included motion sensor detects movement within 35 feet with a 90 degree vision field. When placed in the corner, you'll get a full view of the room. Another great benefit of the SimpliSafe system is the 24-hour battery life in the base which'll keep the system monitoring even if you lose power or WiFi.

Best video doorbell deal Opens in a new window Credit: eufy Security Our pick: eufy Security smart Wi-Fi video doorbell $99.99 at Best Buy
$179.99 Save $80.00 Get Deal Why we like it

A video doorbell can be a great addition to home security and today the eufy Security smart Wi-Fi video doorbell is on sale at Best Buy for just $99.99, down from the list price of $179.99. That means you'll be scoring a 45% discount.

With the eufy video doorbell, you can choose between a wired connection or battery powered to get clear, 2K resolution. You'll be able to chat with anyone who comes to the door via two-way mic, and you'll automatically get alerted on your smartphone when someone comes to the porch.

The weatherproof material means it'll have no trouble through autumn storms and it can withstand a temperature range between 4 and 122 degrees F. The internal storage on the video doorbell with store recordings of happenings within the last 90 days, so you can always go back and review if you actually got that package delivery.

Best indoor camera deal Opens in a new window Credit: Kasa Our pick: Kasa Indoor Pan/Tilt smart security camera $22.99 at Amazon
$29.99 Save $7.00 Get Deal Why we like it

An indoor security camera can be great if you're wondering what your pets are up to or if you'd like get a view of the inner happenings of your home while you're away (think reassurance for knowing you turned off the oven). Thanks to today's sale price at Amazon, the Kasa Indoor Pan/Tilt smart security camera is at the low price of $22.99, which works out to a 23% discount off the usual price of $27.99.

With 1080p full HD video, you're in good hands with the Kasa indoor camera. You'll be able to get peace of mind when you're away from home, check in pets while you're at work, or use it as a baby monitor. The camera detects both motion and sound, sending an alert to your smartphone. During the dark of night, the camera will still be able to detect motion so long as its within 30 feet of the camera. With the camera's pan and tilt functions, you'll be able to get a 360 degree horizontal view and a 133 degree vertical area of coverage.

More home security deals

• WYZE outdoor wireless security camera — $19.98 $29.98 (save $10)

• eufy Security 5-piece home alarm kit — $99 $159.99 (save $60.99)

• eufy security eufyCam 2C Pro 3-cam kit — $259.99 $389.99 (save $130)

In 2000, my long-suffering mother took my brother and his friends to the local theater for a showing of Pokémon the Movie 2000. The boys were six or seven and had happily been swept up in the burgeoning cultural phenomenon dubbed "Pokémania." My mother, perplexed by the whole affair, read a book in the back row as the boys gaped at fantastical creatures on screen, their legs not yet long enough to reach the floor.

Less than a year before, the Pokémon franchise had cracked open the gaping maw of the United States gaming market by feeding it the same properties that were already enormously successful in its native Japan. Like many other kids his age, my brother collected Pokémon cards and captured the creatures on his Game Boy. We watched the Pokémon TV series together and tossed a life-sized Pokéball around the house. 

The main lawn at Pokémon GO Fest 2024, which took place on Randall's Island in July. Credit: Joe Maldonado Credit: Joe Maldonado

Today, new generations are discovering the franchise as older ones embrace its nostalgia. Nowhere was that clearer than this summer's Pokémon GO Fest, a three-day in-person event celebrating the franchise's mobile game in New York City. There, families in matching outfits bent over their phones together as if saying grace at the dining room table. Babes in strollers clutched stuffed Pokémon toys as their parents discussed capturing new creatures.

Offline, the Pokemon trading card game — which littered early-aughts pavements at recess and became such a distraction that it was banned in some schools — has seen a resurgence. As recently as 2021, a Reddit user shared a photo of a "Pokémon Agreement" hung in their child's classroom, which included rules like "No stealing Pokémon cards!" and "Make fair trades!! [sic]."

Credit: Joe Maldonado Credit: Joe Maldonado

Over the past two years, Pokémon cards have also evolved into a top collecting category for adults. Leading authenticator PSA, which has graded more than 70 million items since 1991, says baseball cards were the most popular item until early 2022, when Pokémon cards became its biggest category by volume. Between 2022 and 2023, PSA saw a 50 percent growth in authentication and grading submissions of Pokémon cards, compared to just a 16 percent increase in baseball cards over the same period. 

"We've seen a major surge in the collectibles industry, specifically Pokémon, due to the rising trend of nostalgia-driven primarily by Millennials and Gen Z," Ryan Hoge, president of PSA, told Mashable. "As the first generation of Pokémon collectors have grown up and had kids, they’ve gravitated back to the nostalgic pieces of their childhood and have resurrected the demand for Pokémon trading cards."

Amy, 37, cosplays as Vaporean, her favorite evolution of the Pokémon Eevee. On her wrist is a homemade bracelet given to her by a stranger at the event. Credit: Joe Maldonado A man who goes by "Uncle Bob" plays Pokémon GO on a split screen on a Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra. Credit: Joe Maldonado

PSA has graded only three subjects more than one million times: Michael Jordan and Pokémon characters Charizard and Pikachu. "Charizard and Pikachu have now had 30-year careers spanning multiple generations," a spokesperson for the company noted.

The same nostalgia fueling Pokémon card collecting is also enlivening a dedicated faction of players of the franchise's Pokémon GO mobile game.

The game became a sensation virtually overnight when it was first released in the U.S. in 2016, capturing the hearts of fans and non-fans alike. It used augmented reality to overlay Pokémon in real-world environments, transforming the player into a Pokémon trainer tasked with collecting as many creatures as possible. A key element of the game was that it required the player to walk outside to find new Pokémon in the wild.

Rossdinelly Figueroa and her family travel to Pokémon GO Fests around the world from their native Puerto Rico. Credit: Joe Maldonado

At the time, a New York Times writer captured the phenomenon and its ubiquity, explaining, "I saw people catching Pokémon while ahead of me in line for coffee, pointing their smartphone cameras at their barista, who happened to have a Charmander on her face."

Interest in the game amongst the general public quickly petered out. The craze's metaphorical death knell clanged at a 2016 Virginia rally for then-Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton where, in an attempt to connect with young voters, she told the crowd to "Pokémon GO to the polls." The phrase was swiftly memed and mocked, most notably by then-Republican nominee Donald Trump who posted a Facebook video of a Pokémon GO parody game titled "Crookéd Hillary NO." 

Credit: Joe Maldonado Credit: Joe Maldonado

But devout players never left; by 2019, more than 1 billion people had downloaded the app. During the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, many more returned to the game to escape quarantine restlessness. Today, some estimates put the number of monthly active players at more than 90 million.

Over three stifling days in July, more than 70,000 of those players descended on New York City for Pokémon GO Fest. Neither the 90-degree temperatures nor dew point of 72 — a level the National Weather Service considers "oppressive" — could deter them from capturing the geo-exclusive Pokémon on offer at Randall's Island, a dollop of land in the East River.

Credit: Joe Maldonado Credit: Joe Maldonado

Many saw their journey to GO Fest as a kind of pilgrimage. For Rossdinelly Figueroa, 36, GO Fest has become a family tradition. She has traveled from Puerto Rico to attend Pokémon GO Fests in Seattle, London, and Las Vegas with her husband, parents, and two children. The family's youngest member, 7-year-old Jade, is dressed as Pokémon trainer Misty and was not yet born when her mother began playing Pokémon GO in 2016.

About a 10-minute walk away, on a large lawn, an Illinois man who goes by "Uncle Bob" stands on an oval of astroturf across from a teen named Theo. They stare at their phones, battling each other digitally in the app. Uncle Bob has attended every GO Fest since the first iteration of the event was held in Chicago in 2017. Theo is far from home and reveling in a thrilling change of pace. "There are not as many players in my hometown [of Wiener Neustadt, Austria]," he tells Mashable. Back in Austria, he usually has to pay to join group gaming activities called "remote raids" in cities with more players.

Alex, 32, and Courtney, 31, began dating in 2020, and usually play Pokémon GO together while walking their dogs. Credit: Joe Maldonado

A couple nearby, Amy, 37, and Gary, 38, use the game to stay connected in their long-distance relationship. "He lives about four hours away from me," Amy says, dressed in a blue body suit, cosplaying as Vaporean, her favorite evolution of the Pokémon Eevee. "And there's a feature in the game where you can send each other postcards. So I have a lot of fun sending him postcards when we're away from each other." 

Pokémon GO appears to be a popular pillar of romantic relationships. Niantic, the app's developer, helped organize five marriage proposals during this year's GO Fest. One of the couples, Alex, 32, and Courtney, 31, began dating in 2020 and play Pokémon GO together while walking their dogs. They came down from New Hampshire to attend Pokémon GO Fest last year, even though Courtney was recovering from foot surgery in a walking boot. "We look back at it like, 'That was so much fun.'" says Courtney. "We were showing [people] pictures of it from last year, and we got some of our friends at work to start playing it as well."

Two players battle each other on the Pokémon GO app. Credit: Joe Maldonado

"It's a silly game, but it really does bring people together, as cheesy as that sounds," says Alex, moments after getting down on one knee to propose to Courtney. "It's a great way to just go out and hang out with a friend."

Four friends dressed as Eeveelutions described a more casual relationship to the app. "I love playing. I'm looking at my phone anyway," says Thomas, 32. "It keeps me distracted, it keeps me off Grindr. It gets me out of the house… I was here by myself on Christmas. So I open up Pokémon GO, and I'm like, 'Oh, there's stuff going on.' I was walking all around downtown. I went to Washington Square Park and saw the tree while playing Pokémon GO. It was cute. I wouldn't have seen the tree otherwise."

Credit: Joe Maldonado Credit: Joe Maldonado

Another member of the group, Braden, 29, notes how much the franchise has expanded since establishing its reputation as a children's game of the early aughts. "My mom is like level whatever; she is intense," he says. "She's better at it than I am." He points at his friends standing nearby. "They'll be like, 'Oh yeah, I raided with your mom.'"

Canadian sisters Tania, 49, and Shelley, 53, are two of the oldest attendees Mashable interviewed at the event. When Pokémon GO first dropped in 2016, Shelley says she "didn't want to be one of those old people that just assume that because I don't understand it, it's not cool." So she asked a young person she worked with to explain it to her. "I don't know anything about Pokémon. I didn't play the game. I didn't grow up with it," says Shelley. "But I downloaded it and was like, 'This is fucking fun.'" Two weeks later, on a family vacation, she got Tania hooked on the game, too.

It seems that the core of Pokémon brand's legacy — what has made it the highest-grossing media franchise on earth and an enduring cultural phenomenon for 25 years — is its ability to bring people together to have a good time.

The sisters point to their bright yellow paper Pikachu hats, which organizers distributed for free to attendees earlier in the day. "We had to get the hat. We were asking little kids, 'Where'd you get your visor?'" Tania laughs. "It's ridiculous, and we love it. You've gotta lean into the fun."

Who is afraid of little old Taylor Swift? After Tuesday night, Republicans should be.

After the presidential debate between Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump on Sept. 10, Swift took to Instagram to publicly endorse Harris. But she didn't stop there. The popstar also added a custom voter registration link to her Instagram story. As of 2 p.m. ET Wednesday, 337,826 people visited that link, the General Services Administration told NBC News.

SEE ALSO: Swifties for Kamala: How Taylor Swift fans are creating a new blueprint for political organizing

The URL takes people to vote.gov, a website with information on how to register to vote and update voter registration. It also details voting rights and answers frequently asked questions.

In her endorsement post Swift wrote, "I will be casting my vote for Kamala Harris and Tim Walz in the 2024 Presidential Election. I’m voting for @kamalaharris because she fights for the rights and causes I believe need a warrior to champion them." Then she encouraged her 284 million followers to do their own research and vote for whoever they'd like to. "Remember that in order to vote, you have to be registered! I also find it’s much easier to vote early. I’ll link where to register and find early voting dates and info in my story," concluded her post which now has over 10 million likes.

She signed off as a "childless cat lady," a reference to Trump's running mate J.D. Vance's disparaging comments about women who choose not to have children. Swift's numbers prove childless cat ladies hold a lot of power in this election.

TL;DR: Enjoy 5 years of privacy, security, and ad-free browsing with AdGuard VPN for $34.97 through September 29.

Opens in a new window Credit: AdGuard AdGuard VPN $34.97
$359.40 Save $324.43 5-year subscription Get Deal

Navigating the internet without protection is like leaving your front door wide open. But with AdGuard VPN, you can lock it up tight, keeping your data safe and your browsing private. Whether you’re a tech-savvy user or just someone who wants to avoid the constant barrage of online ads, AdGuard VPN is designed to give you control over your online experience.

Enjoy secure, ad-free browsing for five years with AdGuard VPN for just $34.97 through September 29.

AdGuard VPN stands out by offering a global server network that spans over 50 countries, ensuring you can browse anonymously and access content from anywhere in the world. Whether you’re traveling or simply want to enjoy content restricted to another region, AdGuard VPN has you covered.

But what really makes AdGuard VPN a must-have is its built-in ad blocker. Unlike other VPNs, AdGuard doesn’t just protect your data — it also eliminates the annoying ads and pop-ups that slow down your browsing. This means you get faster, cleaner, and more secure internet sessions, free from the distractions and risks of unwanted ads.

Privacy is a top priority with AdGuard VPN. With a strict no-logging policy, you can trust that your browsing history stays private and confidential. Your online activities are for your eyes only, giving you peace of mind every time you connect.

AdGuard VPN is simple to set up and use on your computer, tablet, or smartphone. Just a few clicks, and you’re connected to a secure server, enjoying uninterrupted and private browsing to stream, shop, or just surf the web across all your devices.

For just $34.97 until September 29, you get 5 years of powerful protection with AdGuard VPN to make sure your online presence is safe, private, and free from annoying ads.

Browse more security and privacy deals here.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

SAVE $150: As of September 12, get a refurbished pair of Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones at Bose.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones (Refurbished) $279.00 at Bose
$429.00 Save $150.00 Get Deal

Time for a new pair of headphones? You've got tons of options. But if you don't mind spending a bit out of your typical price range, there's one pair that we often come back to recommending time and time again from Bose, because it's a brand that knows what it's doing. And right now, you can get one of our favorite pairs of headphones from Bose at an excellent price.

As of Sep. 12, you can get a pair of refurbished Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones for $279. That's $150 off their normal price of $429. Choose from three colors: Black, Sandstone, and White Smoke. These are Certified Refurbished from Bose itself, which means they've been returned to the company, inspected, tested, and serviced before being sold at a discount. They come with a warranty and are only available in small numbers for a limited time.

According to Mashable's Sam Mangino, Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones are "extremely comfortable" and boast "all-day battery life" even when you choose to leave noise-cancellation on all day. They offer "solid" sound quality with three different noise-canceling modes meant to help you block out the rest of the world or help you remain aware of what's going on around you.

This is an opportunity to save a significant amount of cash on these headphones, so be sure to grab yours before they're out of stock.

SAVE UP TO $24: For a limited time, subscribe to Disney+ Basic with ads for just $1.99 a month for three months. That's $8 off the regular price of $9.99 per month, or $24 in total savings.

Opens in a new window Credit: Disney Disney+ Basic $1.99 at Disney+
$9.99 Save $8.00 Get Disney+ Basic for $1.99 a month for three months Get Deal

Every few months, it seems like there's a new streaming service to subscribe to. And then every other month, an existing streamer is raising its prices. Right now, that streaming service is Disney+ — they announced in August that they're raising their prices in October, bringing the with-ads plan to $9.99 (up from $7.99), and the ad-free plan to $15.99 (up from $13.99). Luckily, Disney+ has a deal to help you avoid that price hike for a few months.

For a limited time, enjoy Disney+ with ads for $1.99 a month for three months. That's $5.97 for three months rather than $29.97, saving over 80%.

SEE ALSO: Disney+ and Hulu have just gotten pricier. Yes, even with ads.

For new subscribers, this is major savings coming at just the right time. The long awaited follow-up to Wandavision, Agatha All Along, is coming to the streamer on September 18. Plus, the highest grossing movie of 2024, Inside Out 2, is expected to hit the streamer at the end of the month.

It's safe to say this Disney+ deal couldn't have come at a better time. Sign up by September 27 and you'll get Disney+ for two bucks a month through the holidays.

Microsoft users reported lots of issues and outages on Thursday. The issue appeared to lie with its 365 subscription, which can feature popular and necessary services like Outlook, PowerPoint, Word, Excel, and more.

"We're investigating an issue where users may be unable to access multiple Microsoft 365 services," the company posted on X. "Please look for MO888473 in the admin center for more details and further updates."

It appeared there might be issues with the cloud service that provides the 365 services to consumers. A status page from Microsoft noted there was "service degradation" that might prohibit access to one or more 365 services.

The company wrote on X: "We're reviewing network telemetry and recent changes to our networking infrastructure. Additionally, we're working with a third-party ISP to understand the underlying cause."

Reports of problems with Microsoft 365 around 9 a.m. eastern time on on Down Detector, which, full disclosure, is owned by the same parent company as Mashable. The issues appeared to be declining by about 10 a.m. eastern.

This problem comes nearly two months after the massive outages from CrowdStrike and Microsoft that disrupted pretty much the entire world.