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What I want from AI is for it to take the boring and mundane jobs off my hands and free me up to do more fun stuff. Reading my emails before starting work each day is time-consuming and dull, so I decided to hand the task off to Claude.

Do you have Raspberry Pis sitting around not being used for anything? By the end of this weekend, you shouldn't! Here are three fun projects to do with your Raspberry Pis to keep them from rotting away in a drawer.

I love building things in the physical world, but when it comes to software, I have a hard time getting ideas out of my head. Coding is the big barrier—it’s just not something I’ve ever been good at. Recently, however, I’ve been using Gemini in Android Studio, and I’ve made my very first app.

TL;DR: Hulken has launched its first-ever Target-exclusive colorways: a Large Rolling Tote in Forest Green with Midnight Blue handles for $125, and a Medium Rolling Tote in Midnight Blue with Forest Green handles for $110.

Opens in a new window Credit: Hulken Medium Rolling Tote in Midnight Blue with Forest Green $110 at Target
  Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: Hulken Large Rolling Tote in Forest Green with Midnight Blue $125 at Target
  Shop Now

Hulken, the cult-favorite rolling tote brand, is rolling onto campus with its first-ever exclusive colorways for Target. The drop includes the Large Rolling Tote in Forest Green with Midnight Blue handles for $125 and the Medium Rolling Tote in Midnight Blue with Forest Green handles for $110.

These totes are made for the chaos of college life — move-in day, dorm runs, laundry hauls, and grocery trips. They fold flat and hold more than you'd expect, so you (or your kid) can stop lugging everything by hand and just roll with it instead.

SEE ALSO: Google's AI Search is a minefield for schools

Both totes are built around a patented design that keeps them stable and sturdy. They're made from durable, water-resistant polypropylene, so they can handle rain, spills, or general campus grime without falling apart.

The totes hold enough interior space (at least 3,840 cubic inches) to fit a large laundry haul or a Target run's worth of groceries. The oversized zip-secure top keeps everything contained instead of spilling out mid-roll, and side handles make it easy to lift up stairs or into a car trunk when your hands are full.

Bigger loads call for the Large Rolling Tote in Forest Green, and everyday errands can be covered by the Medium in Midnight Blue, both at Target.

TL;DR: Hulken has launched its first-ever Target-exclusive colorways: a Large Rolling Tote in Forest Green with Midnight Blue handles for $125, and a Medium Rolling Tote in Midnight Blue with Forest Green handles for $110.

Opens in a new window Credit: Hulken Medium Rolling Tote in Midnight Blue with Forest Green $110 at Target
  Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: Hulken Large Rolling Tote in Forest Green with Midnight Blue $125 at Target
  Shop Now

Hulken, the cult-favorite rolling tote brand, is rolling onto campus with its first-ever exclusive colorways for Target. The drop includes the Large Rolling Tote in Forest Green with Midnight Blue handles for $125 and the Medium Rolling Tote in Midnight Blue with Forest Green handles for $110.

These totes are made for the chaos of college life — move-in day, dorm runs, laundry hauls, and grocery trips. They fold flat and hold more than you'd expect, so you (or your kid) can stop lugging everything by hand and just roll with it instead.

SEE ALSO: Google's AI Search is a minefield for schools

Both totes are built around a patented design that keeps them stable and sturdy. They're made from durable, water-resistant polypropylene, so they can handle rain, spills, or general campus grime without falling apart.

The totes hold enough interior space (at least 3,840 cubic inches) to fit a large laundry haul or a Target run's worth of groceries. The oversized zip-secure top keeps everything contained instead of spilling out mid-roll, and side handles make it easy to lift up stairs or into a car trunk when your hands are full.

Bigger loads call for the Large Rolling Tote in Forest Green, and everyday errands can be covered by the Medium in Midnight Blue, both at Target.

One of the strongest arguments for buying physical media in a digital world is the unwritten rule that "the disc is always the true version." It's long been the case that buying DVDs or Blu-rays allows access to original edits or missing episodes that aren't available on any streaming service. However, for one of my favorite shows, streaming has now become the version that's more faithful to the original.

The Apple Store app is soon getting an AI bot to help you with your shopping decisions.

MacRumors reported the news after noticing a change in Apple's privacy policy for the Apple Store app.

SEE ALSO: Apple prepares new MacBook Neo with more RAM and color options, report says

Now, the document has a paragraph related to a "Virtual Shopping Assistant," explaining that the company "collects and stores your account information, device identifiers, carrier information, chat information, and where enabled, location data to personalize the chat experience, provide relevant responses, and if you opt in, to improve the virtual shopping assistant."

The document also says that Apple removes personal identifiers from chats before sharing it with partners, and that the data is only being used so that the bot can provide a better conversational response. While it doesn't appear you can completely opt out of this, the part in which you allow Apple to use your chats to improve the experience can be opted in or out of by going to Account > Settings and tapping Chat Improvements within the Apple Store app.

The virtual assistant doesn't appear to be live in the Apple Store app yet.

This is not the first time Apple has added an AI bot to one of its apps; the Apple Support app has one as well, though the feature also isn't live for all users.

Featured Video For You Dua Lipa's lifestyle is building an internet empire.

The Apple Store app is soon getting an AI bot to help you with your shopping decisions.

MacRumors reported the news after noticing a change in Apple's privacy policy for the Apple Store app.

SEE ALSO: Apple prepares new MacBook Neo with more RAM and color options, report says

Now, the document has a paragraph related to a "Virtual Shopping Assistant," explaining that the company "collects and stores your account information, device identifiers, carrier information, chat information, and where enabled, location data to personalize the chat experience, provide relevant responses, and if you opt in, to improve the virtual shopping assistant."

The document also says that Apple removes personal identifiers from chats before sharing it with partners, and that the data is only being used so that the bot can provide a better conversational response. While it doesn't appear you can completely opt out of this, the part in which you allow Apple to use your chats to improve the experience can be opted in or out of by going to Account > Settings and tapping Chat Improvements within the Apple Store app.

The virtual assistant doesn't appear to be live in the Apple Store app yet.

This is not the first time Apple has added an AI bot to one of its apps; the Apple Support app has one as well, though the feature also isn't live for all users.

Featured Video For You Dua Lipa's lifestyle is building an internet empire.

TL;DR: The Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G9 QD-OLED gaming monitor is on sale for $899.99 at Amazon, down from its typical $1,266 price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G93SC Series Curved Gaming Monitor $899.99 at Amazon
$1,149 Save $249.01 Get Deal

To give your gaming setup the ultimate upgrade in size, a 49-inch OLED ultrawide monitor usually costs well over $1,000. That is, until Amazon has brought one of Samsung’s most premium models down to a more budget-friendly level. 

As of July 23, the Samsung Odyssey G9 QD-OLED gaming monitor (G93SC series) is on sale for $899.99 at Amazon, after a 29% discount that cuts $249.01 off its original price of $1,149.

With 5120 x 1440 Dual QHD resolution and a 32:9 aspect ratio, this 49-inch panel essentially gives you the same display size as two 27-inch QHD monitors placed side by side, without a bezel in the way. Plus, the 1,800R curve pulls the outer edges closer around your field of vision. This type of format works especially well for racing games like Forza Horizon 5, flight simulators like Microsoft Flight Simulator, and sprawling action-adventure titles like Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced.

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What’s more, this screen size is useful for running multiple apps, as the monitor’s Picture-by-Picture feature can split the display between two sources while also adding a smaller window for a stream, guide, chat, or work task.

The G93SC is also considerably faster than its size might suggest, supporting a 240Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms GTG response time, backed by AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and G-Sync compatibility to help keep motion smooth when frame rates fluctuate. Whether you’re running and gunning across the map in Fortnite or keeping track of fast-moving enemies in Marvel Rivals, the G9 promises to have you covered. 

All the while, Samsung’s QD-OLED panel provides deep black levels, bright color, and DisplayHDR True Black 400 support for anything you’re playing or watching. Thermal modulation and static-image brightness controls are also handy add-ons to help manage heat and reduce the risk of burn-in during longer sessions — helping eliminate one of the biggest worries about OLEDs.

TL;DR: The Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G9 QD-OLED gaming monitor is on sale for $899.99 at Amazon, down from its typical $1,266 price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G93SC Series Curved Gaming Monitor $899.99 at Amazon
$1,149 Save $249.01 Get Deal

To give your gaming setup the ultimate upgrade in size, a 49-inch OLED ultrawide monitor usually costs well over $1,000. That is, until Amazon has brought one of Samsung’s most premium models down to a more budget-friendly level. 

As of July 23, the Samsung Odyssey G9 QD-OLED gaming monitor (G93SC series) is on sale for $899.99 at Amazon, after a 29% discount that cuts $249.01 off its original price of $1,149.

With 5120 x 1440 Dual QHD resolution and a 32:9 aspect ratio, this 49-inch panel essentially gives you the same display size as two 27-inch QHD monitors placed side by side, without a bezel in the way. Plus, the 1,800R curve pulls the outer edges closer around your field of vision. This type of format works especially well for racing games like Forza Horizon 5, flight simulators like Microsoft Flight Simulator, and sprawling action-adventure titles like Assassin's Creed Black Flag Resynced.

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!

What’s more, this screen size is useful for running multiple apps, as the monitor’s Picture-by-Picture feature can split the display between two sources while also adding a smaller window for a stream, guide, chat, or work task.

The G93SC is also considerably faster than its size might suggest, supporting a 240Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms GTG response time, backed by AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and G-Sync compatibility to help keep motion smooth when frame rates fluctuate. Whether you’re running and gunning across the map in Fortnite or keeping track of fast-moving enemies in Marvel Rivals, the G9 promises to have you covered. 

All the while, Samsung’s QD-OLED panel provides deep black levels, bright color, and DisplayHDR True Black 400 support for anything you’re playing or watching. Thermal modulation and static-image brightness controls are also handy add-ons to help manage heat and reduce the risk of burn-in during longer sessions — helping eliminate one of the biggest worries about OLEDs.

FREE $100 GIFT CARD: As of July 23, Amazon is offering a $100 gift card for free when you pre-order the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. This offer lasts until Aug. 6.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 + $100 Gift Card $699.99 at Amazon
$799.99 Save $100   Pre-order Here

Samsung's latest Unpacked event was full of exciting announcements, including the reveal of the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2. If you've got your eye on this smartwatch, it's worth considering pre-ordering it on Amazon.

You can get a $100 gift card for free when you pre-order the smartwatch at Amazon (priced at $699.99).

This bundle offer won't last for long. According to the Amazon store page, it's only running until Aug. 6 — a day before the watch's release on Aug. 7 — so the countdown has officially started.

SEE ALSO: How to preorder Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8, Z Flip 8: See preorder offers

In the announcement post for the Ultra 2, Mashable's Alex Perry wrote that Samsung "packed in a bunch of outdoor sports tracking features in the Ultra 2. Trail Run will track stats like terrain impact and elevation for hiking, while Nutrition Alert adds onto the old Sweat Loss tracker to tell you when to hydrate, and by how much."

If you're big into diving, the Ultra 2 is also EN13319-certified and features real-time indicators, including ascent and descent monitoring, depth limit notifications, and more. Plus, there's also a "slew of new AI health features", according to Perry's post, which will "use on-board trackers to deliver personalized insights".

If you're hoping to preorder the Ultra 2, don't miss out on this chance to get a $100 Amazon gift card for free.

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If you haven't used Excel in a while, you may be surprised by how much it has changed. Whether you switched to Google Sheets, moved to open-source software, stayed with an older version, or simply stopped following updates, Microsoft has added features that could dramatically change how you work with spreadsheets.

The Perseid meteor shower has returned to the skies this summer, giving stargazers the chance to see one of the year’s most popular celestial displays. Known for its bright streaks of light and high number of visible meteors, the Perseids are a highlight of the annual stargazing calendar.

Planning to head outside and look for shooting stars? We’ve rounded up everything you need to know, including when the meteor shower will peak and the best ways to improve your chances of seeing it.

What is the Perseid meteor shower?

There’s a reason the Perseids are one of the most anticipated meteor showers of the year. The spectacular display is created by debris from comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, which leaves behind a trail of particles as it travels through space on its long journey around the Sun, according to NASA. Earth passes through this trail every year, giving us the chance to see the fragments light up the atmosphere.

The glowing streaks we spot in the sky are created when these tiny pieces of rock and dust enter the Earth’s atmosphere at high speeds and burn up. The Perseids are also known for producing impressive fireballs, brighter, longer-lasting flashes caused by larger pieces of comet material entering the atmosphere, according to NASA.

When is the Perseid meteor shower?

The Perseid meteor shower is already underway, with the shower active from July 17 until Aug. 24.

When will the Perseid meteor shower peak?

The Perseids will be visible throughout their active period, but the peak is expected on Aug. 12–13, according to NASA.

How to see the Perseid meteor shower

NASA recommends heading out after midnight and before dawn for the best chance of spotting the Perseids. For the clearest view, choose a dark spot away from city lights and give your eyes time to adjust to the darkness.

The good news for 2026 is that the peak is around the time of the New Moon, meaning there will be minimal moonlight to compete with the meteor shower.

The Moon is still in its Waxing Gibbous phase, with more than half of its surface now lit up. This means we're getting closer to the Full Moon, which is now less than a week away.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Thursday, July 23, NASA's Daily Moon Guide tracker tells us the Moon phase is in Waxing Gibbous phase, with 58% of its surface visible.

You won't need any visual aids to be able to spot the Mares Crisium, Fecunditatis, and Tranquillitatis. Binoculars will also help you to see the Mare Nectaris, Alphonsus Crater, and the Alps Mountains. A telescope widens your view further, bringing the Apollo 17 landing spot, Caucasus Mountains, and Descartes Highlands into view.

When is the next Full Moon?

The next Full Moon will take place on July 29.

What are Moon phases?

The Moon takes roughly 29.5 days to complete its journey around Earth, passing through eight distinct phases during each lunar cycle, according to NASA. While the Moon’s same side is always visible from our planet, the portion of its surface lit by the Sun changes as it moves along its orbit. These shifting levels of illumination are what create the different appearances we see throughout the month, from a slender crescent shape to a half-lit Moon and finally a bright Full Moon, before the cycle begins once again.

The eight phases are:

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

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

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

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

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

Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

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

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

My phone is constantly bombarded with notifications. I try to limit them as much as possible, but even so, they quickly become easy to ignore. Sometimes, Home Assistant needs to alert me about something important, such as a water leak being detected, and these are notifications I really don't want to miss. There are several methods I use to make notifications almost impossible to miss.

Tinder is expanding its in-app Events feature to nine cities beyond the original test case in Los Angeles, with more coming by the end of Sept. It sounds like Partiful or Facebook Events infused in the dating app.

Tinder piloted Events in Los Angeles earlier this year as a way for singles to get off the app and meet people IRL. It coincides with an influx of offline dating events and the trend of trying to find a date anywhere but on one's phone — say, a run club.

SEE ALSO: The best hookup apps for 2026: I swiped until my thumb hurt

Now, in the U.S., Events is also available in New York City, Dallas, Denver, Kansas City, and Phoenix. In Europe, it's launching in Berlin, Munich, Zurich, and Geneva. The app plans to launch Events in 26 more cities over the next couple of months. While Tinder isn't sharing the full list, it told Mashable that San Jose and Baltimore are among them.

Those in eligible cities can access the Events tab in your Tinder app, where you can browse local events, mark yourself interested, see who else is interested in attending, RSVP, purchase tickets, and check-in and receive an "Attended" badge on your profile. You can also match with other attendees.

During the Los Angeles pilot, Events drew engagement from 66 percent of all eligible active users in the market — meaning they opened the Events tab and interacted with the experience, such as browsing events. (Only Photo Verified users can fully access Events.)

Most adoption in the test was from Gen Z users; 71 percent of 18-24 year olds engaged with Events, which was more than users 25 and older (63 percent), according to Tinder.

More than half of users (53 percent) who interacted with the Events tab returned the following week, indicating they were interested in what it had to offer. Another indication was the success of at least one event: A 60-person candlelight ceramics class sold out within a day of the event partner promoting it, according to a press release shared with Mashable.

Users also wanted to attend DJ nights, game nights, creative classes, hikes, and group runs. More than 60 events were held in Los Angeles during the pilot.

Accessing the Events tab is free on Tinder. Individual events may be free or require a ticket purchase from the event organizer, depending on the event.

The Events tab comes at a time when Tinder and another major dating app, Bumble, are capitalizing on the IRL event craze while simultaneously boosting AI. When Tinder announced the Los Angeles Events pilot in March, it also launched its AI matchmaker, Chemistry.

Bumble, meanwhile, is throwing its own events in New York City this summer. But the app upset some users when founder and CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd announced it was ditching the swipe and ushering in an AI experience.

TL;DR: De'Longhi has launched the Magnifica Duo, a $999.95 automatic espresso and coffee machine with two dedicated milk carafes for making hot and cold drinks from a single machine.

Opens in a new window Credit: De'Longhi De'Longhi Magnifica Duo Automatic Espresso Machine $999.95 at Amazon
  Shop Now

De'Longhi just launched a new coffee machine, and it's built for people who can't decide between a hot cappuccino and an iced latte.

The Magnifica Duo is the newest addition to De'Longhi's Magnifica line, and it can whip up authentic espresso, drip coffee, cold brew, and both hot and iced milk drinks, all from one machine. It's available now for $999.95 at DeLonghi and Amazon.

Magnifica Duo comes with two separate milk carafes — one for hot and one for cold. That means it can make perfectly textured hot foam for your cappuccino and cold foam for your iced latte without you having to swap anything out between drinks. It's also got three separate brewing methods built in — one for espresso, one for regular drip coffee, and one specifically for cold brew.

Making the cold brew skips the usual 12-hour steep and delivers the same smooth flavor in under three minutes, according to De'Longhi. There's also a built-in grinder with 13 different grind settings, so you're getting freshly ground beans for every cup instead of relying on pre-ground beans.

You get 20 preset recipes covering everything from cappuccinos and flat whites to iced lattes and cold brew, and it supports three different user profiles, meaning everyone in the house can save their own preferred size, strength, and temperature settings, and there's a color touchscreen that makes picking a drink pretty much a one-tap process.

Credit: De'Longhi Credit: De'Longhi

Two milk carafes, zero decisions to make — grab the Magnifica Duo for $999.95 at Amazon.

TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG First Partner Illustration Collection Series 3 is available to pre-order at Amazon for $80.86, down from its typical $84.99 price.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG First Partner Illustration Collection Series 3 $80.86 at Amazon
$84.99 Save $4.13   Pre-order Here

The Pokémon TCG’s popular Partner Collections are back with another Series, and you can already pre-order the third installment on sale.

As of July 23, the Pokémon TCG First Partner Illustration Collection Series 3 can be pre-ordered at Amazon for as low as $80.86 through third-party seller Collectors Expedition. Compared with Amazon’s usual $84.99 price, that removes $4.13 from the total and gives you a 5% discount before the box launches. 

Free delivery is currently scheduled for Aug. 11-12, several days after its official Aug. 7 release. Amazon itself is not handling the order. If you want yours a day earlier, another preorder for $80.88 through Kings Games is set to arrive by Aug. 11 at the time of writing. 

TCGplayer’s latest market price is $84.01. You can actually save even more money at TCGplayer, with the trading card selling platform offering listings for the Partner Illustration Collection Series 3 box for as low as $68.94. 

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Series 3 moves the collection’s 30th-anniversary celebration to partner Pokémon from Hoenn, Kalos, and Paldea. Treecko, Torchic, Mudkip, Chespin, Fennekin, Froakie, Sprigatito, Fuecoco, and Quaxly make up the nine possible style special illustration rare promo cards. 

Each box contains one special pack that holds three of those nine promos, so you will not receive the complete set from a single collection. Two standard Pokémon TCG booster packs are also included, with product imagery showing those packs to be Pitch Black and Chaos Rising, alongside a sticker sheet featuring first partner Pokémon. 

Samsung just unveiled its latest smartwatches at the Samsung Galaxy Unpacked event. Dive into everything you need to know about the all-new mainline Galaxy Watch 9 and the rugged, premium Galaxy Watch Ultra 2.

Lego is releasing an exciting new set that's an absolute treat for retro gaming fans: the Donkey Kong Arcade (72051).

This incredible build, which comes with 1,367 pieces, is now available to pre-order from the Lego Store for $199.99. The release date is listed for Aug. 1. Not only is it an awesome display piece that's modeled after the original arcade cabinet game, but it's also very interactive.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Super Mario Donkey Kong Arcade (72051) $199.99 at Lego
  Pre-order Here

The coolest part about this set is that you can operate it like an actual arcade game once it's fully assembled. It features a lever you can pull that releases barrels, and then you can use the joystick and button to move Jumpman and have him hop over them, just like you would in an original Donkey Kong arcade level.

Alongside Jumpman, this set also features Donkey Kong, of course, and Lady. It's also full of fun extra details that really bring everything together, like scaffolds, ladders, and hammers.

Credit: Lego

Given these more mechanical elements that need to be constructed as part of the set, it makes sense that it's recommended for adult builders ages 18 and up. But as with every Lego build age recommendation, if you know someone younger who's interested, just work on it with them.

Credit: Lego

Preorders are live right now at the Lego Store, so you can secure it for launch day (Aug. 1). There's every chance it could sell out, so it's worth making a move sooner rather than later.