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If Amazon gets its way, your next emergency phone-charger order may not arrive in a van, but buzz into your yard from the sky before you have time to forget you ordered it.

That possibility is about to become real for many more people. On Wednesday, Amazon announced that Prime Air will expand to nearly 500 cities and towns across the United States by the end of 2026. That would represent a sixfold increase from the drone service’s current footprint.

For now, Prime Air operates from just 11 sites spanning 10 metropolitan areas in Arizona, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Nebraska, and Texas. Amazon plans to launch next in the Chicago, Syracuse, Cleveland, Atlanta, and Boise metro areas, with more communities expected to follow later this year.

Does that mean Amazon is building 500 new drone facilities? Not quite.

The company is counting every city and town reached by the service, rather than individual launch sites. Each existing Prime Air site covers an area of roughly 175 square miles, allowing one facility to serve multiple communities. Even then, not every address within a listed ZIP code will necessarily qualify, and Amazon has not yet published a full list of the nearly 500 places included in its plans.

SEE ALSO: Amazon just made its first legit delivery via drone

If your address does make the cut, drone delivery will appear as an option while shopping and at checkout. Most products weighing 5 pounds or less and fitting inside a large shoebox are eligible, which Amazon says encompasses more than 60 percent of the items its customers purchase most frequently.

That leaves room for more than just a forgotten tube of toothpaste. Groceries, cosmetics, medications, electronics, and even products like iPhones, AirPods, Samsung Galaxy phones, and Ring doorbells can all potentially make the trip by drone.

Amazon says those orders can arrive in as little as 30 minutes, although most take closer to an hour. Prime members receive free drone delivery on orders of at least $50 and pay $2.99 for smaller orders. Non-Prime customers pay $4.99.

The sudden push to reach hundreds of communities has been a long time coming. Jeff Bezos first demonstrated Amazon’s drone delivery concept in 2013, and Prime Air began making deliveries to customers in 2022. Amazon now says the service has completed hundreds of thousands of deliveries this year and is making thousands more each day.

Part of what changed is how far Amazon is allowed to fly. The company holds the Federal Aviation Administration’s Part 135 air carrier certification, which is required for operators transporting other people’s property by drone beyond a pilot’s direct line of sight. In 2024, the FAA also gave Amazon additional permission to conduct those longer-range flights using its onboard detect-and-avoid technology.

Amazon says its drones independently monitor their surroundings using cameras and sensors. When a drone reaches its destination, it checks that the delivery area is clear of people, pets, and vehicles before releasing the package. The company says the cameras are used for navigation and obstacle detection, rather than tracking people, and that no employee watches a live feed.

Of course, sending autonomous aircraft over people’s homes presents more complicated risks than misplacing a package on the wrong porch. Prime Air’s path to expansion has already included several reminders of that.

Two Amazon drones collided with a crane in Tolleson, Arizona, in October 2025, prompting federal investigations and a temporary pause in local service. The following month, the FAA opened another investigation after a drone struck and severed an internet cable in Waco, Texas. No injuries were reported in either incident.

Amazon will not have the skies to itself, either. Its expansion comes as seemingly every major delivery platform tries to determine where drones fit into its network.

On July 29, DoorDash launched DoorDash Air after becoming the eighth drone operator to receive Part 135 certification. The company is developing its own aircraft and plans to place drones inside the same network that already assigns orders to human Dashers, ground robots, and autonomous delivery partners.

SEE ALSO: DoorDash launches in-house drone unit — "cleared for takeoff"

Alphabet-owned Wing, meanwhile, has completed more than 1 million commercial drone deliveries and is working with Walmart to build a network of more than 270 locations reaching more than 40 million Americans by 2027. Uber also partnered with Zipline on Aug. 17, which has completed more than 2 million deliveries globally, to bring drone delivery to Uber Eats.

The competition is intensifying just as the federal government makes it more expensive to source some of the technology from overseas. DoorDash has emphasized that its aircraft was designed in the United States and uses mostly American-made components. That distinction could become more valuable after President Donald Trump imposed new tariffs on foreign-made drones and components, including a 100 percent tariff on drones considered particularly sensitive to national security concerns.

For more than a decade, drone delivery has been a futuristic demonstration in search of an everyday use. If Amazon and its rivals hit their targets, the next phase will be much less theoretical: finding out whether people really need their toiletries badly enough to summon them from the sky.

The new Pixel 11 series is here, and while there's a lot to appreciate, it's easy to understand why some fans feel like not enough has changed. While it's a familiar affair on the outside, with camera upgrades, a faster processor, and Gemini intelligence throughout, the Pixel 11 is actually quite impressive. That's especially true when it comes to cameras, and here are 5 features that make it stand out.

Last year, the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold was technically in competition with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7, but in reality, it was no contest. Google's phone was just too bulky to really be a true peer of Samsung's excellent foldable.

This year, while one might arrive at the same ultimate conclusion, it is more of a real competition. The $1,899 Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold is a clear, marked improvement over its predecessor, thanks largely to a remarkably thinner and lighter form factor. While there are some software improvements to chew on, the fact that the new Pixel foldable is so much more comfortable in the hands than the 2025 model is enough to make it feel more on par with the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 8 Ultra.

Even so, a noticeable price increase year-over-year and Samsung's continued excellence in the space still mean that you're probably better off with a Z Fold. But the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is a very nice phone in its own right, and there are some good reasons to get one if you're in the market for a premium foldable.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold review: A $400 price increase hits hard It's a lot thinner this time. Credit: René Ramos / Mashable

Speaking of price increases, the Pixel 10 Pro Fold launched at $1,499, and the 11 Pro Fold is launching at $1,899. There are noteworthy improvements from one device to the next, as I'll cover extensively in the rest of this review, but not to the tune of an extra $400. You can blame RAMageddon and the rapid spread of AI data centers for that.

Still, even with a valid economic justification, a price hike is a price hike. It's not good, and I don't want to normalize that sort of thing, no matter how normal it is in 2026.

Easily the biggest change Google made between the Pixel 10 Pro Fold and this model is in the physical design of the device itself. Last year's Pixel foldable was notably thicker and bulkier than the Z Fold 7, to the point where I couldn't earnestly recommend it to anyone, even though it was a perfectly OK device in its own right. Google trimmed the Pixel 11 Pro Fold down substantially, bringing it down to 10.1mm of thickness when folded and 5.0mm when unfolded.

That's compared to 10.8mm and 5.2mm last year, respectively. Google also pared the weight down from around 258g to 239g. All of that is to say that the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is significantly better from an ergonomic and design standpoint than its predecessor. As soon as I picked it up for the first time, I was immediately impressed by how much more svelte it is. The only problem is that the Z Fold 8 Ultra is an even tinier 4.1mm when unfolded, so Samsung still wins in that regard.

Still, Google is closing the gap.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold: Design, specs, and price Boring colors this year. Credit: René Ramos / Mashable

The new Pixel 11 Pro Fold also only comes in two very drab and boring colors: Olive and Obsidian. Blegh. Here are the rest of the basic specs for the device:

• Exterior display: 6.5-inches with 1080x2342 resolution, 1-120Hz refresh rate, and 3,600 nits peak brightness

• Interior display: 8-inches with 2076x2152 resolution, 1-120Hz refresh rate, and 3,600 nits peak brightness

• Processor: Google Tensor G6

• RAM: 16GB

• Storage: 256/512GB, 1TB

• Battery: 4,806mAh

• Rear cameras: 48MP wide, 10.5MP ultra-wide, 10.8MP telephoto with 5x optical zoom

• Selfie cameras: 10MP outer and inner cameras

We'll get to camera and battery changes shortly, but one upgrade worth mentioning here is that both displays have seen their peak brightness rise from 3,000 nits on Pixel 10 Pro Fold to 3,600 nits on this device. When you're using the foldable outdoors on a sunny day, the brightness is definitely noticeable. In general, the displays look great, but to my eyes they don't look all that different from last year's model outside of the brightness change.

I will say, though, that the crease in the inner display is fairly visible. It's not a big deal, but Samsung wins that competition this year.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold: Performance

As usual, Google has included a new in-house Tensor processor with the Pixel 11 Pro Fold. The Tensor G6 chip makes everyday activities, from web browsing to photography and social media, extremely breezy. I have absolutely zero complaints about the performance profile here, though I should mention that I didn't really have any last year, either. It'd be a big story if a nearly $2,000 phone didn't perform well.

Unfortunately, the Geekbench 7 benchmarking software that we use to put a number on performance does not have Pixel 11 Pro Fold support just yet. Take my word for it, though: Performance is fine on this phone.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold: AI features and HiLight That little white circle is where HiLight happens. Credit: René Ramos / Mashable

As always, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is fully Gemini-powered out of the box. It comes with six months of the Google AI Pro subscription and otherwise has some contextual Gemini-based actions that can occur, usually within the realm of text messages. For example, if someone texts you about a lunch date, Gemini might surface a little visual card with information about the restaurant in question sourced from the internet.

This sort of thing isn't terribly new or exciting (it's also somewhat difficult to test), but I suppose it can help save a little bit of time here and there. The most standout new AI feature actually involves photography. It's called Magic Capture, and the way it works is that you open the Camera app, swipe to a new Magic Capture tab the same way you would swipe between the photo and video modes, and start filming anything that's moving or otherwise dynamic and difficult to capture in still image form.

After you're done filming, the phone will take a few seconds to process a sort of "ideal" photographic still from the video you just took. It can also optionally crop and unblur these photos without your input. Fast-moving animals like New York's lovely pigeons or dogs at a dog park made for decent test subjects; even with the maximum zoom distance of 4x and twitchy, unpredictable subjects, the stills actually came out looking pretty nice.

This came from a video. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable So was this. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

I am broadly speaking not a fan of the AI creep that's been happening with smartphones in recent years. That said, Magic Capture is genuinely pretty neat and I could see it being very useful for people with kids and/or pets.

One other aspect worth talking about is HiLight, the only real new hardware feature in the Pixel 11 Pro series. It's a little multi-colored light that lives in the rear camera bar, and it lights up either when Gemini is active or when someone calls you. Those are the only two use cases right now. It's neat that you can set custom colors for different contacts, but I really don't understand why Google prioritized phone calls over text messages for HiLight at launch.

As it is, HiLight doesn't add much to the experience.. Maybe it'll get better over time.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold: Battery life

As with all devices that Mashable reviews, I tested the Pixel 11 Pro Fold's battery life by looping an HD video on its display until the phone died.

Google rates the Pixel 11 Pro Fold as having more than 24 hours of battery life, but using our testing method, I was only able to get about 24 hours of juice out of the phone's battery, which is smaller than the Pixel 10 Pro Fold's cell. I'm certain you could wring a bit more life out of it by sticking to normal everyday activities like scrolling social media, so this isn't a big deal. It's also about the same result I got out of the Z Fold 8 Ultra, so even though I like Samsung's device a bit more, it doesn't outright win on battery life.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold: Cameras Credit: René Ramos / Mashable

I mentioned earlier that there are arguments to be made for the Pixel 11 Pro Fold over the Z Fold 8 Ultra. The biggest one is definitely the cameras.

That's interesting because Samsung's rear camera array wins heavily on megapixel counts. You only get a 48MP main shooter here, versus a 200MP lens on the Z Fold 8 Ultra. Megapixels usually don't tell the full story, though, and whatever Google is doing behind the scenes with the Pixel 11 Pro Fold's software produces much better-looking shots in certain conditions.

As an example, both phones can digital zoom up to 30x. On the Z Fold 8 Ultra, everything taken at that zoom level looks terrible. It's a bunch of AI-corrected mush that no one should ever substitute for a real photo. On the Pixel 11 Pro Fold, though, 30x zoom images are fairly clear and nice-looking.

1x zoom. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable 30x zoom. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

The ultra-wide lens also produces vibrant, colorful shots.

Only a month or two before the leaves start falling. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

Macro photography is always nice to have, as well.

Macro-licious. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

And portrait mode does what you want it to do.

Sorry, I don't like including my own selfies in these reviews. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

Between all of that and the usefulness of Magic Capture, I would probably recommend the Pixel 11 Pro Fold over the Z Fold 8 Ultra purely on the merits of its cameras. However, you'd be better off getting a traditional flagship phone like a Pixel 11 Pro if photography is really your passion.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold: My final verdict

Google has made great strides towards catching up with Samsung in the tablet-style foldable space in the past 12 months.

Simply put, the Pixel 11 Pro Fold is a massive improvement over the Pixel 10 Pro Fold, if only because it's a lot more comfortable to hold. It's still not anywhere near as thin as Samsung's Z Fold 8 Ultra, but it's hard to imagine anything on the market topping that soon.

Even so, its performance is rock solid. I actually think it's better at taking photos than the Z Fold 8 Ultra, and it's generally a very nice phone to use. Maybe next year Google can win the fight.

Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold (Obsidian) $1,899 at Amazon
$2,249 Save $350   See It at Amazon See It at T-Mobile See It at Google Store

Google has some new phones coming out, and we've been busy testing them all. Let's talk about them.

As part of its annual Made by Google event earlier this month, Google lifted the veil off the entire Pixel 11 series. While we don't quite have full reviews ready for each phone just yet, we wanted to share our first impressions of the Pixel 11, Pixel 11 Pro, and Pixel 11 Pro XL. (You can read our full review of the Pixel 11 Pro Fold.)

In general, this is another year of incremental improvements for the Pixel family, but there are some noteworthy changes to talk about. Let's dig in.

The base Pixel 11 camera bar is much thinner Slimmed down. Credit: Rene Ramos / Mashable

One thing that becomes very apparent right away when putting your hands on the base model Pixel 11 is that its physical profile has been trimmed down to an extent. However, Google didn't do that by changing the phone's dimensions; those are exactly the same as last year.

So, what did Google do to achieve a thinner silhouette (while shaving 0.3 oz off the weight) for its cheapest Pixel 11? It noticeably reduced the size of the camera bar this time around. It's not quite the same as what Google did to the Pixel 10a, which basically doesn't have a camera bar at all, allowing the phone to lie completely flat on a table. But the end result is close enough, as this is, as far as I can tell, the thinnest camera bar Google has put on a Pixel in a long, long time.

It's barely noticeable when viewed from the side, and the phone is close enough to being flat on any given surface that it's functionally pretty similar to the Pixel 10a in design. You can also basically make the phone completely flat on its backside by putting a case on the Pixel 11.

This isn't a monumental change or anything, and it only applies to the base model, but still, it's pretty nice.

HiLight is a swing and a miss so far It's not much to look at. Credit: Rene Ramos / Mashable

With the Galaxy S26 Ultra, Samsung introduced a major hardware upgrade: Privacy Display. Unfortunately, Google's big hardware innovation is pretty underwhelming.

We're talking about HiLight, a small, multi-colored light module that lives in the camera bar of the Pro models. Yes, you read that right: Base Pixel 11 phones can't use HiLight.

You might think, based on that fact, that HiLight is some highly advanced technological feat. Based on early impressions, that's not really the case. HiLight can pretty much do two things at the moment: light up when Gemini is active, or light up when someone calls you on the phone. The idea is to notify you that things are happening when you have the phone flipped face down, but I feel pretty strongly that Google should have prioritized text messages instead of phone calls for the initial HiLight rollout.

If HiLight worked with texts (and I expect that it will eventually), it would at least be pretty neat that you can set custom colors for different contacts. But as it is, in a world where I pretty much only get phone calls from people who are trying to drain my bank account, it's not particularly useful.

And again, it really should be available on all four Pixel 11 phones.

Magic Capture is a pleasant surprise The Google Pixel 11 series. Credit: René Ramos / Mashable

In terms of software additions, the most impressive one I've seen in my time with the Pixel 11 series has been Magic Capture. This, fortunately, is available on all four Pixel 11 devices, and it's worth trying once you have your new phone all set up and ready to go.

Magic Capture is available as a new mode in the Camera app; just choose it from the same little section where you'd choose either photo or video mode and you're good to go. The way it works is that you film anything you want, ideally an object or living thing in motion, and Magic Capture will automatically process the video and choose several still frames from it that would work as standalone photos.

Kinda neat! Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable Pigeons are cool. Credit: Alex Perry/Mashable

This processing happens on-device and works without a cellular or internet connection, which is great. There's also an option to let Magic Capture automatically crop and unblur these images. In practice, I found Magic Capture surprisingly capable of picking out neat still frames from videos. I filmed a train speeding by me and it found a frame where I'm clearly visible as a reflection in the train's window, which I thought was pretty cool. I was also able to catch a pigeon mid-take-off.

Magic Capture seems eminently useful for things like filming sports or other dynamic events full of moving subjects. Even as an AI skeptic (to put it mildly), this is one AI feature I actually sort of dig.

SAVE $400: As of Aug. 19, the Apple MacBook Pro with the M5 Pro chip (18-core CPU and 20-core GPU), 24GB of RAM, and 2TB of storage is on sale for $2,799 at Amazon and Best Buy. That's 13% off its usual sticker price of $3,199.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5 Pro with 18-core CPU and 20-core GPU, 24GB RAM, 2TB SSD) $2,799 at Amazon
$3,199 Save $400   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5 Pro with 18-core CPU and 20-core GPU, 24GB RAM, 2TB SSD) $2,799 at Best Buy
$3,199 Save $400 Deal of the Day (only available Aug. 19). Get Deal

Apple jacked up its MacBook prices this June amid RAMageddon, making it all the more crucial to shop smart and look for deals before you buy a new model. Lately, Amazon has been the place to go for those. Following some discounts on the M5 MacBook Air and MacBook Pro earlier this month, the retail giant is selling another MacBook Pro variant for $400 off this week. It's actually cheaper now than it was prior to Apple's price hike.

The model in question has an upgraded M5 Pro chip with an 18-core CPU and 20-core GPU, plus 24GB of memory and two terabytes of storage. It typically retails for $3,199 these days — up from $2,899 before June — but right now, it's marked down to just $2,799 on Amazon. That's an impressive $400 savings. (Best Buy is matching Amazon's pricing as an Aug. 19 Deal of the Day, meaning it won't linger there past midnight tonight.)

Choose from two colors: silver or space black. Credit: Apple

This is the MacBook I'd recommend to any creative professional who wants an ultra-powerful, long-lasting, and well future-proofed machine that's easy to take on the go. Apple also makes a 16-inch MacBook Pro with the same specs, which is nice if you want a bigger screen, but at 4.7 pounds, it's very heavy.

The M5 Pro-powered MacBook Pro offers several upgrades over the base M5 model (beyond a beefier processor), including faster Thunderbolt 5 ports, a newer wireless networking chip, and support for a third external monitor. It's too much laptop for the average person, but if you're editing huge video files or on a regular basis, for instance, it's up to the task.

More than once, I've thought a USB port on my PC was broken. It only turned out to be true once, but when it was, I was actually able to fix it.

SAVE $300: As of Aug. 19, the Samsung 32-inch Odyssey OLED G8 gaming monitor is down to just $999 instead of $1,299 at Amazon. That's 23% off and matches its lowest price on record.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 32-inch Odyssey OLED G8 gaming monitor $999 at Amazon
$1,299 Save $300   Get Deal

If you're going to spend hours upon hours gaming in front of a screen, you might as well invest in something that looks good. It won't be cheap, but if you're strategic, you can lock in a pretty solid discount on a high-quality gaming monitor. For instance, the 2026 Samsung 32-inch Odyssey OLED G8 gaming monitor is currently on sale for its best price ever.

Typically $1,299, you can pick up the Odyssey OLED G8 for just $999 as of Aug. 19. That's $300 or 23% in savings and matches its lowest cost on record from Prime Day. 

Released in May, the Odyssey OLED G80SH sports a stunning 32-inch 4K display that uses OLED Glare Free technology, which means it's less glossy than other monitors. This makes it more appealing to anyone who games in bright rooms or gets distracted by reflections. It's also VESA DisplayHDR True Black 500 certified, which ensures deep blacks and vibrant colors.

Specs-wise, the monitor has a speedy 240Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms response time paired with features like FreeSync Premium Pro and VRR. So you can expect a smooth, responsive, and lag-free gaming experience.

If you've been staring at the same dull screen for long enough and are ready to make the leap to a premium setup, now's a great time. Snag the Samsung 32-inch Odyssey OLED G8 while it's the cheapest it's ever been.

It's no secret that I'm a big fan of Ryobi and its endless selection of capable cordless power tools. I've been buying them for over 20 years, but the brand doesn't offer everything I need. I do a lot of automotive repairs and maintenance, which led me to buy the Milwaukee M12 angled impact wrench. It's such a game-changer that I'm now slowly collecting Milwaukee tools.

SAVE $122: As of August 19, get the DJI Mic 3 (1 TX + 1 RX + Charging Case) for $207 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $329. That's a discount of 37%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon DJI Mic 3 (2 TX + 1 RX + Charging Case) $207 at Amazon
$329 Save $122   Get Deal

Content creators or anyone looking to take a few videos here and there can benefit from a great mic. DJI boasts a variety of excellent options when it comes to audio equipment, though the company is primarily known for its drones. If you want to add a little oomph to your audio recordings to go along with your videos, it's a good idea to pick up a DJI mic whenever it's discounted, and now is one of those times.

As of August 19, get the DJI Mic 3 (1 TX + 1 RX + Charging Case) for $207 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $329. That's $122 off and a discount of 37%.

SEE ALSO: Snap photos everywhere you go with 10% off the DJI Osmo Nano On-the-Go Combo

This mic set, with a charging kit to keep everything juiced up while on the go, is a great option for capturing audio no matter what kind of situation you're in. Use it for recording interviews, adding voiceover, or just to enhance the audio you have in a video in general. This bundle nets you a transmitter, a receiver, a charging case, and everything else you need to record audio right out of the box.

The mic itself is tiny and unobtrusive, which makes it perfect for adding to a lapel, putting in a bag to transport, or even hold if you prefer. Pair it with up to four transmitters and a receiver to sync audio, and you've got a great way to ensure your videos always sound great. It also has plenty of features to tweak your audio should you need.

If you're thinking about making videos or just want to level up your audio, this is a no-brainer of a buy, especially while it's discounted.

Are you tired of your Plex streams always stuttering but don't have the money for a brand-new media server? Here are three simple things that you can change to help make your streaming experience smoother on the hardware you already own.

It turns out, drinking water is one of the best things we can do when it comes to health. That's good news considering water is one of the most affordable beverages out there. But when we think about the invisible things in our tap water that might not be so great to drink, we run into problems.

Instead of buying endless plastic bottles of water, Ninja has a solution. The new Ninja HydraSense is a sleek and slim countertop water purification system that's a great addition to the lineup of Ninja kitchen appliances we've come to love.

Features of the Ninja HydraSense

The Ninja HydraSense sits on your countertop, plugged in to wall for access to filtered water on-demand. The reservoir can hold 96 ounces of water for less frequent refills, and the touchscreen gives you access to metrics like remaining filter life.

SEE ALSO: Owala Tattoos add a new layer of customization to our favorite emotional support FreeSip bottle

From the touchscreen, you can select your desired ounces, which will send water through the Ninja purifier that'll rid it of up to 99% of contaminates like chlorine, heavy metals, microplastics, and pharmaceuticals. However, Ninja says the filter leaves natural minerals and electrolytes. If you're curious, Ninja has a performance data sheet available to show filtration results from third-party testing.

Each Ninja HydraSense comes with one filter, which is designed to clean 120 gallons of water. Ninja says this can last for up to six months of use. Replacement filers come with a price of $39.99 for a single or $69.99 for a two-pack.

How to buy the Ninja HydraSense

The Ninja HydraSense is already available to buy at both Amazon and Ninja's online storefront. If you like the look of the white or blue, Amazon is a good bet. If you'd prefer the Rosewater Pink or Black HydraSense, they're available at Ninja. If you like freebies, Ninja is tossing in a free 24-ounce Ninja Thirsti Travel Bottle with purchase of HydraSense.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Ninja HydraSense (Dove White or Midnight Blue) $199.99 at Amazon
  Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Ninja HydraSense + free Ninja Thirsti 24-ounce Travel Bottle $199.99 at Ninja
  Get Deal

Regardless of how you personally feel about it, it seems the AI coding assistants are here to stay. Although there are plenty of problems when it comes to AI slop code, vibe coding by people who don't understand the code itself, or the illusions of productivity destroyed by excessive quality control, coders are not letting this one go.

SAVE 10%: As of Aug. 19, you can get the DJI Mini 4K for $269, down from $299, at Amazon. That's a 10% discount, or $30 in savings.

DJI Mini 4K 3-Axis Gimbal Camera Drone (Under 249 Grams) $269 at Amazon
$299 Save $30   Get Deal at Amazon

If you've been wanting to take your photography to the skies without dropping a grand (or dealing with FAA registration), the DJI Mini 4K is an affordable entry-level option.

As of Aug. 19, you can get the DJI Mini 4K for $269, down from $299, at Amazon. That's a 10% discount, or $30 in savings.

SEE ALSO: DoorDash launches in-house drone unit — "cleared for takeoff"

The DJI Mini 4K weighs less than 249 grams, so you can bypass the FAA registration and Remote ID sign-up process as long as you're using it recreationally. You'll also get a crystal-clear 4K UHD video stabilized by a 3-axis gimbal, Level 5 wind resistance, up to 10km of HD video transmission, and 31 minutes of flight time.

Bonus: It offers convenient features for newbie pilots, like GPS Return to Home, one-tap takeoff and landing, and automated "QuickShots" (like Helix, Dronie, and Boomerang) that capture cinematic aerial footage with just a couple of taps.

In 1980, roughly a third of new cars sold in the United States came with a manual transmission. By 2021, that number had fallen below 1% and has stayed there since, according to the EPA's Automotive Trends report. Stick shifts have become rare enough that when an automaker drops one from a lineup, most drivers barely notice.

SAVE $100: Through Sept. 7, Fox One is offering new subscribers a year of streaming for only $99. That's 50% off your first year of streaming or $100 in savings, just in time for football season.

Opens in a new window Credit: Fox One Fox One annual subscription $99
$199 Save $100 *for your first year* Get Deal

It's the most wonderful time of the year for football fans. College football kicks off next week and a new NFL season opens on Sept. 9, which means it's time to get your streaming lineup in order.

While there are numerous streaming services you'll need to watch football this season, Fox One has become a main pillar. It gives cable-less fans live access to Sunday afternoon NFL games in network, as well as Big Ten college football matchups and plenty of national broadcasts. Typically, it costs a pretty penny at $199 for the year. Through Sept. 7, however, new subscribers can lock in an entire year of Fox One for just $99. That's $100 or 50% off.

Just a couple of years ago, the only way to watch live Fox channels without cable was through a cable replacement service like YouTube TV or Fubo, which cost upwards of $90 per month. Thankfully, Fox finally launched its own streaming service last year. It serves as a one-stop shop for the entire Fox TV portfolio, meaning you can tune into live local Fox stations, Fox Sports, FS1, FS2, Big Ten Network, Fox News, and beyond. You'll also get on-demand access to content from Fox Entertainment, including movies, TV shows, and ad-supported channels like LiveNOW, TMZ, and Fox podcasts.

One notable difference about Fox One compared to other mainstream streamers is that it currently doesn't offer any original content. Instead, it's mainly focused on giving cord cutters access to live sports, events, and news. Still, for less than $100 for the whole year — which breaks down to only $8.25 per month — that's an excellent value (particularly for football fans). Just be sure to cancel before the year is up if you want to avoid being automatically charged full price for the following year.

I believe that coffee is more than a way of getting caffeine into your body, and the explosion in the popularity of specialty coffee means I’m not alone. An estimated two-thirds of the US population drinks coffee every day, and too many are settling for sub-par beverages.

TL;DR: HoverAir's new Versa — a handheld gimbal camera that converts into a drone with an optional Flight Kit — just became the first consumer quadcopter to clear the FCC's foreign drone ban. The Flight Kit itself contains no RF transmitters, so it doesn't need its own FCC certification, even though it turns the camera into a flying drone. The Indiegogo campaign is live now, with pricing starting at $449.

Opens in a new window Credit: HoverAir HoverAir Versa $449 at Indiegogo
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HoverAir says it's pulled off something no other Chinese drone maker has managed since the FCC's foreign drone ban took effect: getting a flying camera cleared for U.S. sale. The company's new Versa has launched on Indiegogo, and, according to HoverAir, its modular design is what lets it slip past FCC restrictions that have kept competitors grounded.

The Versa is a compact camera built for solo creators and vloggers. It records stabilized video up to 4K at 60fps, uses a fairly large Type 1/1.3 image sensor, and includes an OLED touchscreen. HoverAir also claims up to 17.5 stops of dynamic range, which would put it ahead of every other vlogging camera on the market, including DJI's newer Osmo Pocket 4P.

Once the Flight Kit is attached, the entire setup weighs 230 grams, which is light enough to remain under the FAA's 250-gram registration threshold. That means recreational pilots won't need to register the Versa or attach a Remote ID transmitter to fly it. Commercial pilots, however, will still need an external Remote ID transmitter, sold separately.

How the Versa gets around the ban

Since December 2025, the FCC has blocked new equipment authorizations for foreign-made drones — a rule that already cost HoverAir once. Its Aqua drone launched last year but never reached American buyers because of the ban.

SEE ALSO: The FCC banned foreign routers, drones, robots: What it means for you

The Versa is built differently. On its own, it's a handheld, gimbal-stabilized vlogging camera, similar in shape to DJI's Osmo Pocket 3. What turns it into a drone is a separate accessory called the Flight Kit, a set of propellers that snaps onto the camera magnetically.

A HoverAir representative told our sister site PCMag why: the Flight Kit doesn't contain any RF transmitters, so it doesn't need its own FCC ID or listing, even though attaching it lets the camera fly. That means the camera and its remote control show up in the FCC database, while the Flight Kit doesn't — it just connects to the camera through magnets and small pogo pins for data and power, without triggering the same scrutiny drones typically face.

None of this is settled, though. The FCC has pulled approvals from devices shortly after granting them in recent weeks, so there's no guarantee this one sticks. But if it holds, the Versa would become the first consumer drone to reach the U.S. market since the ban on foreign drones took effect.

The Versa is live on Indiegogo now, which means you're funding the product before it ships, not buying a finished item outright. The camera alone is $449 through Aug. 20, then $499.

Most of us give little thought to USB ports, beyond finding some of them kind of confusing, because what do you mean they're color-coded? But a handy USB port on the right device can actually be transformative. One such device is your router.

The best streaming deals to watch NFL games in the 2026-2027 season: BEST PRIME VIDEO DEAL Prime Video (No Prime Membership) $8.99 per month (save $6 per month) Get Deal BEST PARAMOUNT+ DEAL Paramount+ Essential Annual Subscription $89.99 per year (save $17.89) Get Deal BEST YOUTUBE TV DEAL YouTube TV Sports Free 10-day trial, then $54.99 per month for your first year (save $10 per month) Get Deal BEST FUBO DEAL Fubo TV Sports $54.99 for your first month (save $10) Get Deal BEST PEACOCK DEAL Peacock Premium Annual Subscription $109.99 per year (save $21.89) Get Deal BUNDLE DEAL ESPN Unlimited and Fox One $39.99 per month (save $19.98 per month) Get Deal Bundle deal ESPN Unlimited and NFL+ Premium $39.99 per month (save $4.99 per month) Get Deal Best Fox One deal Fox One Annual Plan $99.99 per year (save $100 through Sept. 7) Get Deal

It's finally that time again: a new NFL season is upon us. That means it's also time to get all of your streaming services in order. Sorry in advance.

Notorious gatekeepers of their broadcasts, the NFL has made watching NFL games a tangled web of subscriptions. Even if you still have cable, you'll need a couple of extra subscriptions to watch every game. We've done our best to sort out all the complicated details for you.

If you want to watch your favorite teams battle it out this season with or without cable, here's everything you need to know — including the cheapest possible way to do so (legally).

When does the 2026 NFL season start?

The season kicks off on Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026, with a Super Bowl LX rematch between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks.

How to watch NFL games during the 2026–2027 season

Since no single network owns the rights to every game, watching your favorite teams isn't as cut and dry in the NFL as it is with some other sports. And now with streaming services throwing hats in the ring, even cable TV subscribers will need a few extras to catch every game.

Here's the general weekly schedule for the 2026–2027 season, along with which channel or streaming service you'll need.

Thursday Night Football

• Thursday Night Football kicks off the week exclusively on Prime Video (starting week two).

Sunday afternoon games

• Sunday afternoon games air on local CBS stations for AFC teams.

• Sunday afternoon games air on local Fox stations for NFC teams.

• The local AFC games in your network will stream on Paramount+.

• The local NFC games in your network will stream on Fox One.

Sunday Night Football

• Sunday Night Football games air nationally on NBC.

• Don't have cable? Sunday Night Football will also stream on Peacock for subscribers.

Monday Night Football

• Monday Night Football games air on ESPN, with select games simulcast on ABC.

• You can stream all ESPN and ABC games live with ESPN Unlimited.

Other exclusive games

• NFL Network will also broadcast seven different games throughout the season, including five international matchups.

• Netflix expanded its broadcast partnership with the NFL to five games this season, up from two, starting in Week 1.

Noteworthy info

• It's ESPN's "Year of the Super Bowl," which means it has its largest NFL portfolio ever, airing a total of 29 games between ESPN, ABC, ESPN Unlimited, and NFL Network.

• The season kicks off on a Wednesday on NBC at 8:20 p.m. ET.

• There are nine international games this season — the most ever.

If you don't have cable, you have plenty of options to watch games live. If you're a casual fan, you can simply invest in a digital TV antenna to catch local games and national broadcasts live on ABC, NBC, CBS, and FOX. Beyond football, a digital antenna will also grant you free access to local news, nationally broadcast events like the Grammys or Oscars, and other network programming. If you're reasonably close to your local TV stations, you should be able to pick up at least the four main networks. Unfortunately, you probably won't be able to access ESPN or NFL Network.

You can also sign up for a cable alternative like YouTube TV or Fubo to get access to local networks, plus a ton of other channels. Live TV streaming services can be pretty pricey, but you do get a lot of bang for your buck. This option will get you ABC, NBC, CBS, FOX, ESPN, and NFL Network in most markets. No need to be close to your local TV stations.

With either option you choose, you'll still have to sign up for Prime Video if you want to watch Thursday Night Football games and Netflix for its five exclusive games this season. You can also utilize streaming apps like Peacock, Paramount+, Fox One, and ESPN Unlimited to watch many in-market regular-season games. It's all up to you and how many games you want access to (and how much money you're willing to spend). Below, we've rounded up the best streaming deals for each streaming service required to watch football games this season to help you out.

Something to consider: In-market vs. out-of-market games

Before you pull the trigger on any paid TV provider or streaming service, you need to decide whether you want access to local in-market games or out-of-market games (or both). This is where watching sports gets really confusing and frustrating.

If you're a fan of your local sports team and strictly want to watch their season unfold, a digital antenna or live TV streaming service will get the job done. You will generally only get access to in-market games, which include the teams geographically closest to you.

If your favorite teams are not geographically close to you, they will likely be blacked out unless they are national broadcasts. In this case, the only legal way you can watch out-of-market games is via NFL Sunday Ticket. A costly streaming service, NFL Sunday Ticket exclusively streams out-of-market, regular-season, Sunday football games. There are two ways to subscribe: as an add-on to a YouTube TV base plan or as an individual primetime channel on YouTube. It costs $378 as a YouTube TV add-on and $480 as a standalone service, although there are typically deals around the start of the season (more on that below).

So if you’re a Baltimore Ravens fan living in Nashville, you can watch all of the Sunday Ravens games that aren’t shown on NBC, CBS, or FOX in your area with NFL Sunday Ticket. If you're a Ravens fan living in or near Baltimore, however, you'll want to grab a digital antenna or sign up for a streaming service like Paramount+ or YouTube TV.

The best football streaming deals for the 2026–2027 NFL seasonThe best Prime Video deals

For Thursday Night Football and Black Friday

In addition to Thursday Night Football games, Prime Video is also set to stream an exclusive Black Friday game and a playoff game again this season during Wildcard weekend. Prime members get access to Prime Video included in their subscription, which costs $14.99 per month. If you're new to Prime, you can even score a free 30-day trial before you owe a monthly fee. Here are a few other ways you can save some money.

• Best for long-term viewing: Save 22% by signing up for an Annual Prime subscription and paying $139 upfront for the whole year. That drops the cost of Prime down to just $11.59 per month instead of $14.99

• Most affordable: Ditch the Prime perks and simply subscribe to Prime Video as a standalone streaming service for just $8.99 per month — $6 cheaper than a full Prime membership.

• Best for those under 24: Prime for Young Adults, designed for those between the ages of 18 and 24, as well as college students of any age, can score a free six-month trial to Prime. After the trial, it'll cost just $7.49 per month — a savings of 50%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Prime Annual $139 per year (save $40.88) Learn More Opens in a new window Credit: Prime Video Prime Video only $8.99 per month Learn More Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Prime for Young Adults Free 6-month trial, then $7.49 per month Learn More The best live TV streaming deals

For local NFL Sunday afternoon games

Sunday afternoon games are broadcast on either CBS (for AFC teams) or FOX (for NFC teams). CBS is available without cable through Paramount+, while Fox is now available through a new streaming service called Fox One (see the bundle deal under Monday Night Football). Meanwhile, live TV streaming services like Fubo, YouTube TV, or Hulu + Live TV will give you access to both CBS and FOX, although they are much more expensive. Whichever route you choose, we've found a few different deals currently live for the start of the NFL season. Here are our top picks.

• Best for AFC games only: Paramount+ Essential monthly subscriptions cost $8.99, but drop to $7.50 per month with an annual subscription (save 17%).

• Best for students (AFC games only): Students can get 50% off any Paramount+ plan by proving their student status through SheerID.

• Best for NFC games only: Fox One costs you $19.99 per month, but if you subscribe for the whole year, it's just $199. That breaks down to just $16.59 monthly. If you sign up by Sept. 7, you can even save 50% on your first year (just $99 instead of $199).

Opens in a new window Credit: Paramount+ Paramount+ annual subscription $89.99 per year (save 17%) Learn More Opens in a new window Credit: Paramount+ Paramount+ for students $4.49 per month for 12 months (save 50%) Learn More Opens in a new window Credit: Fox One Fox One annual subscription $199 per year (save $40) Learn More

• Best live TV streaming service deal overall: YouTube TV has a new Sports plan that's just $54.99 per month for your first year. It includes both networks you'll need to watch Sunday afternoon games, plus ESPN, NFL Network, NBC, and more.

• Most bang for your buck: Hulu's live TV streaming service costs $89.99 per month, which includes access to 100+ channels, plus Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Unlimited.

• Another live TV streaming option: Take $10 off your first month of Fubo Sports plan, knocking it down to just $54.99. It includes access to CBS, Fox, and ESPN Unlimited.

Opens in a new window Credit: YouTube YouTube TV Sports plan $54.99/month for 12 months (save $120) Learn More Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu + Live TV (with Disney+ and ESPN+) $82.99 per month Learn More Opens in a new window Credit: Fubo Fubo TV Sports plan $54.99 for your first month, then $64.99 per month Learn More The best Peacock deals

for Sunday Night Football

If you don't have access to local networks via a live TV streaming service or a digital antenna, you can still tune into Sunday Night Football on NBC by signing up for Peacock. The network (and streamer) will also host the first game of the season on Wednesday, Sept. 9, a Thanksgiving Night game, as well as a Week 17 Peacock exclusive game. Subscriptions now start at $10.99 per month, but we've rounded up a few ways you can save.

• Best for long-term viewing: Sign up for a Peacock Premium yearly subscription for $109.99 and save 17% versus a monthly subscription, which adds up to $131.88 per year.

• Best for students: Students can sign up for Peacock Premium for just $5.99 per month for a whole year by proving their student status through SheerID.

• Best for first responders, teachers, and military: With annual verification for first responders, teachers, and military, you can get Peacock Premium for $6.99 per month and save $4 per month.

• Best Peacock third-party deal: You can get Peacock Premium for free when you sign up for Instacart+ for $99 per year.

Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium yearly subscription $109.99 per year (save 17%) Learn More Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium for Students $5.99 per month for one year (save $5 per month) Learn More Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium for First Responders $6.99/month (save $4/month) Learn More Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock for Military Personnel $6.99 per month (save $4/month) Learn More Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium for Teachers $6.99/month (save $4/month) Learn More Opens in a new window Credit: Instacart / Peacock Free Peacock Premium with Instacart+ subscription (save $10.99 per month) Learn More The best ESPN deals

for Monday Night Football and the Super Bowl

With a total of 29 games between ESPN, ABC, ESPN Unlimited, and NFL Network, ESPN Unlimited is a must-have streamer if you don't already have cable or a cable alternative. Since ESPN acquired the rights to NFL Network and RedZone, you can also stream these channels on the updated ESPN app with a bundle deal. ESPN Unlimited costs $29.99 per month on its own, but there are a few options that let you save a little cash or get more bang for your buck.

• Best for long-term viewing: Go all in on an ESPN Unlimited annual subscription for $299.99 and save 17% ($60) compared to paying monthly.

• Best bundle deal: Pay an extra $10 per month and get unlimited access to both ESPN and NFL+ with the $39.99/month ESPN Unlimited and NFL+ Premium bundle.

• Another great bundle option: Bundle ESPN Unlimited and Fox One for just $39.99 per month and save $10 per month.

Opens in a new window Credit: ESPN ESPN Unlimited annual plan $299/year (save Learn More Opens in a new window Credit: ESPN / NFL+ ESPN Unlimited and NFL+ Premium bundle $39.99 per month (save $4.99/month) Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: ESPN / Fox One ESPN Unlimited + Fox One $39.99/month (save $9.98/month) Learn More What's the cheapest way to watch NFL games this season?

Good question. If you want to watch mainly in-market and nationally broadcast games, the cheapest way to do so is to sign up for the new YouTube TV Sports plan and Prime Video. The YouTube TV Sports plan is just $54.99 per month for your first year, and Prime Video on its own costs $8.99. That's a grand total of $63.98 per month. You'll also have to add Netflix into the mix for a couple of months to access those exclusive games, which will increase the total to $72.97 for those months.

You could also choose to go the à la carte route and sign up for individual services like ESPN Unlimited, Fox One, Peacock, Paramount+, and Prime Video. Here's what the price breakdown looks like at a glance.

YouTube TV Sports option

• $54.99 per month for your first year of YouTube TV Sports — includes ABC, ESPN, FOX, NBC, CBS, NFL Network

• $8.99 per month for Prime Video — Thursday Night Football

• $8.99 per month for Netflix — five exclusive games

Grant total: $63.98 per month without Netflix, $72.97 per month with Netflix

A la carte option

• $39.99 per month for ESPN Unlimited and Fox One — NFC games on Sunday afternoons and Monday Night Football games on ABC, ESPN, and ESPN+

• $10.99 per month for Peacock — Sunday Night Football games on NBC, plus Peacock-exclusive game

• $8.99 per month for Paramount+  — AFC games on Sunday afternoons

• $8.99 per month for Prime Video — Thursday Night Football

• $8.99 per month for Netflix — five exclusive games

Grant total: $68.96 per month without Netflix, $77.95 with Netflix

If you mainly want to watch out-of-market games, things look a little bit different. NFL Sunday Ticket is one of the only ways you can watch out-of-market games throughout the season. If you run and sign up before the season begins, new subscribers can score NFL Sunday Ticket for $30 per month, or $240 total for the regular season. For returning users, it'll cost you $47.25 per month, or $378 total, with a YouTube TV subscription, or $60 per month, or $480 total, without. Check out our guide to out-of-market games for more information.

Another option for out-of-market games is to sign up for a VPN and try using a different location with any of the live TV streaming services above. For more information about VPNs and how to watch the 2026–2027 NFL season from other countries (or pretend to), check out our guide to bypassing geo-restrictions.

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