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Its easier to ride a sandworm than to buy Dune: Part Three IMAX 70mm tickets

Mashable - Wed, 08/19/2026 - 20:23

Tickets for IMAX 70mm screenings of Dune: Part Three, including early showings, went on sale on Aug. 18. What followed was chaos.

SEE ALSO: 'The Odyssey' has made IMAX 70mm a status symbol

On social media, fans scrambling to buy tickets online lamented that sites like Fandango and AMC were crashing. If you were actually able to make it onto a site, chances are you were met with a virtual queue with a long wait time, as if you were waiting to snag Taylor Swift concert tickets on Ticketmaster instead of plan a night at the movies.

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In a statement on X, AMC Theatres CEO Adam Aron addressed the "crushing volume" that caused AMC's online ticketing systems to glitch, saying that ticketing traffic "reached levels approximately three times higher than what we experienced during the Spider-Man: Brand New Day ticket launch, which itself followed strong advance sales for The Odyssey ticket launch before that."

Dune: Part Three ticket pandemonium wasn't just online. At New York City's Lincoln Square AMC location, home to one of the largest IMAX screens in the U.S., a line to buy IMAX 70mm Dune: Part Three tickets wrapped around the block, with people camping out beforehand. According to social media users, someone in line even bought 80 tickets.

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On resale sites, scalpers are now listing tickets for hundreds of dollars. AMC terms and conditions prohibit the resale of any ticket for over face value. AMC did not immediately respond to a request for comment about how it enforces this rule.

This fervor doesn't just stem from excitement about Dune: Part Three, although that is certainly high. It also comes down to the exclusivity of the IMAX 70mm format, which became a major talking point in the lead-up to The Odyssey's release. Only 41 theaters in the world are capable to showing movies in this format, 25 of which are in the U.S.

Despite the scarcity of theaters that can actually show films in IMAX 70mm, the format has become tied to the marketing of two of the year's buzziest films. In The Odyssey's case, director Christopher Nolan has long been a champion of the IMAX 70mm format. In 2023, he said it the "best possible" way to see Oppenheimer. That goes double for The Odyssey, which is the first movie to be shot entirely with IMAX film cameras, meaning if you see it in any other format, you lose a sizable amount of the frame.

Dune: Part Three is taking a similar approach to The Odyssey with its emphasis on seeing the film in premium formats. In April, tickets for opening weekend IMAX 70mm screenings sold out in minutes. In July, IMAX theaters hosted fan screenings of the trailer and footage. Said footage screened before The Odyssey, but only before IMAX 70mm screenings.

A press release from IMAX tied to yesterday's ticket release states that "Dune was, in director Denis Villeneuve’s own words, 'dreamed, designed, and shot' for the format, making IMAX the definitive way to experience the film as he intended."

Both campaigns aren't just telling audiences to see these movies. They're saying that they need to see them in the way that best matches the director's vision, which just so happens to be the most exclusive fashion. That emphasis on IMAX 70mm stokes the high demand that inevitably leads to site crashes, scalpers, and FOMO for people who aren't close to a theater. Because nowadays, just seeing an event movie like The Odyssey or Dune: Part Three isn't good enough. How you see it is just as important.

Dune: Part Three hits theaters Dec. 18.

Categories: IT General, Technology

What parents should know about ChatGPT for Teens

Mashable - Wed, 08/19/2026 - 20:22

This week's launch of ChatGPT for Teens may be welcome news to parents concerned about the role of artificial intelligence in their child's life.

OpenAI positioned its new product as a learning partner for students. The company said ChatGPT for Teens limits the emotional and intimate exchanges between young people and AI that have driven concerns about well-being and mental health.

In some tragic cases, that dynamic has allegedly led teens and young adults to attempt or die by suicide after heavy engagement with ChatGPT, according to lawsuits filed against OpenAI.

SEE ALSO: What to do when your teen replaces you with a chatbot

So parents who know their teen is using ChatGPT, or who want their child to safely access AI, may see OpenAI's teen product as the answer.

Yet experts who spoke to Mashable about ChatGPT for Teens urge parents to remain cautious. They say more independent testing is needed before concluding that ChatGPT is an effective study aid, and that its safeguards against emotional dependence hold up under everyday teen use.

"I think that like OpenAI's teen experience makes some really important safety commitments," Robbie Torney, head of AI and digital assessments at the Youth AI Safety Institute at Common Sense Media, told Mashable. "What we really need now is evidence that they work, and we need this evidence, including our testing and the testing of others, before anyone, including parents, puts real trust in ChatGPT for Teens."

What should parents know about ChatGPT for Teens?

Importantly, Torney said parents shouldn't assume their child is using ChatGPT for Teens. While OpenAI uses age estimation to place users in the age-appropriate version of ChatGPT, it can still mistake a user as older.

Why you still need parental controls

Parents can be sure their child is using the teen version by linking their ChatGPT account to their child's and implementing OpenAI's parental control features. If a teen has previously lied about their age — and plenty do — they may continue to access the adult version of ChatGPT.

Parental controls allow caregivers to limit sensitive content and turn on Study Mode and Quiet Hours. The former restricts ChatGPT to learning content, while the latter shuts down ChatGPT altogether.

Torney said caregivers must enact parental controls to receive notifications from OpenAI should their teen discuss suicide, self-harm, or acts of violence in immediate or dangerous ways.

Even then, Torney said notifications may not reach parents immediately or quickly. Previous research conducted by the Youth AI Safety Institute at Common Sense Media designed to test notifications for self-harm and suicidal content found that such messages arrived a day or two after the exchange, or not at all.

An OpenAI spokesperson said every notification is reviewed by a trained human before it's sent. The company strives to review notifications in under one hour.

"You can view these features as backup, but they're not a replacement for your continued involvement in how your child is using the product, because we don't have confirmation or independent verification that they work," Torney said.

Teens still may turn to ChatGPT instead of humans first

Given the growing concern over teens replacing human relationships with AI chatbots, it's unsurprising that OpenAI launched ChatGPT for Teens as a product it claims supports real-world connections.

"Supporting children’s cognitive development in the age of AI will require asking not only whether a product can be made safer for young people, but what role we want AI to play in their development in the first place," Camille Carlton, senior director of strategy and impact at the Center for Humane Technology, said in a statement. "Some of the most critical capacities children develop are not learned by interacting with a machine, but by spending time without one."

Lauren Jonas, head of youth and families at OpenAI, told Mashable that ChatGPT for Teens would redirect personal or emotional conversations back toward task-oriented discussions.

"If they are not engaging in learning-focused content, the goal is to continue to bolster the age-appropriate experience and the safeguards," she said.

However, Torney said Youth AI Safety Institute researchers conducting preliminary testing of ChatGPT for Teens were still able to have "personal support conversations" unrelated to learning.

He said parents should watch for exchanges that feel more like companionship or mimicking of human connection, even if OpenAI believes ChatGPT for Teens shouldn't behave in that manner.

Can ChatGPT really help with learning and studying?

Though OpenAI said ChatGPT for Teens will stick to learning, the tool's ability to foster that is still up in the air, according to experts.

The company's first attempt to turn ChatGPT into a homework helper was "fairly weak," explained Dr. Hamsa Bastani. Bastani is an associate professor of Operations, Information, and Decisions at the Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, and a leading researcher into AI's potential learning gains. 

OpenAI launched Study Mode for ChatGPT over a year ago, amid a major push to get the company's AI tools in the hands of students around the country. In Mashable's own testing, ChatGPT Study Mode still provided answers to homework questions when prompted and failed to generate appropriate study tools.  

Bastani reviewed Mashable's tests at the time, as well as our comparisons with competitors Google and Claude. She noted that many AI learning tools were repackaged Large Language Models (LLMs) with additional backend prompts to curb cheating. Bastani and her team had yet to find an effective AI tutor on the market as of last year.

Bastani and her colleagues published their first, genuinely positive AI learning result just five months ago, long after Study Mode's launch. Bastani has not yet tested the upgraded version for teens, which now includes additional notifications to complete homework "responsibly." Jonas told Mashable that OpenAI is conducting randomized, controlled trials of Study Mode in a number of countries.

Trusting teens to keep themselves on track

The increasingly personalized, frictionless assistance provided by universal chatbots is counter to the principles of learning, some experts say.

"This is especially important for teens, who may over-rely on general-purpose AI tools for tasks that should help them build their own skills," said Dylan Arena, chief data science and AI officer at education solutions company McGraw Hill. "It also matters in social contexts, where teens are still developing the skills and confidence to navigate real-world interactions. To be built for learning, [chatbots] must be dependable, repeatable, and safe."

Arena agreed that an AI learning tool that attempts to form a relationship with the student is a red flag.

The best educational tools — designed with limited use cases, safety guardrails, and measurable learning outcomes — often come with their own crash courses on how to actually use them effectively. Learners, in turn, have to be committed to sticking to those recommendations. That's a tall order for a teen just trying to get a bit of help with their schoolwork.

"It seems like OpenAI is trying to put responsibility on teens to have agency and say, 'This is how I want to learn,'" said Torney. "Putting that responsibility on a still-developing brain that may be frustrated or stuck may lead to different outcomes that undermine learning."

Bastani recently co-authored a study that explored this concept of "self regulation," which has become a key component in the AI in education debate. Researchers compared learning outcomes from chess academy students who received automatic, pre-programmed hints from AI versus students who could request help from AI at any time.

"Poor self-regulation caused students to increasingly over-rely on AI assistance even when they expressed that they were worried it would harm learning," she said of the findings.  

A recent Common Sense Media report on teen AI use for schoolwork found another noteworthy pattern: A majority of students still lean on AI for answers, even those who use chatbots in appropriate, recommended ways.   

Torney said a number of questions remain unanswered about learning and ChatGPT for Teens, including the efficacy of its step-by-step guidance and responsible homework reminders.

"How much does this prevent kids from taking shortcuts when we know that those shortcuts undermine learning?" Torney asked.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Best Buys 60th Anniversary Sale is live: We found the top deals on TVs, iPhones, Pokémon TCG, and more

Mashable - Wed, 08/19/2026 - 20:20
Shop the best deals of Best Buy's 60th Anniversary Sale: Best Apple deal Apple iPhone Air (256GB, Unlocked) $839.99 (save $160) Get Deal Best TV deal Hisense 65-inch U6 Pro Mini LED QLED 4K TV $598.99 (save $501) Get Deal Best Windows laptop deal Asus Zenbook A14 (Snapdragon X2 Elite, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $999.99 (save $350) Get Deal Best robot vacuum Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum & Mop $349.99 (save $350) Get Deal Best earbuds deal Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 $199.99 (save $50) Get Deal Best headphones deal Beats Studio Pro $159.99 (save $190) Get Deal Best Lego deal Lego Animal Crossing Blathers’ Museum Collection $55.99 (save $24) Get Deal Best Pokémon TCG deal Pokémon TCG Scarlet & Violet Destined Rivals Elite Trainer Box $112.50 (save $207.50) Get Deal

Best Buy's 60th Anniversary Sale is happening this week, which is great news for anyone who's missed out on the loads of tech deals we've seen so far this summer. (It's probably the biggest sale we'll get until Labor Day.) The event runs through Sunday, Aug. 23, and My Best Buy Plus and Total members earn 10% back in rewards on most purchases.

While the sale is live both online and in stores, it would behoove you to visit your nearest brick-and-mortar Best Buy this Saturday, Aug. 22. That day, in-person shoppers will be able to score $100 Best Buy gift cards for only $60 (while supplies last), among other exclusive deals. We can see people camping out for that one.

As things currently stand, the sale involves some pretty great deals on RGB and OLED TVs, Apple gadgets, Windows laptops, headphones, and even collectibles like Lego sets and Pokémon cards. We've done a little digging and rounded up a list of our favorite deals below. Make sure you check back later this week: Best Buy is planning on dropping another round of discounts on Friday, Aug. 21.

Best Apple deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPhone Air (256GB, Unlocked) $839.99 at Best Buy
$999.99 Save $160   Get Deal Why we like it

It's not every day that you can score a discount on an iPhone with no strings attached. But during Best Buy's 60th Anniversary Sale, you can nab an unlocked iPhone Air with any storage capacity for $160 off. That means you can bring it to any provider without having to navigate a trade-in. Mashable's reviewer called the iPhone Air the "sexiest iPhone" he's ever tested. It's incredibly thin and light, has a gorgeous OLED display, and its camera performs better than you'd expect. It may not be the phone for everyone, but it's the iPhone with the best value.

More Apple deals

AirPods

AirTags

iPads

iPhones

MacBooks

Best TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense 65-inch U6 Pro Mini LED QLED 4K TV $598.99 at Best Buy
$1,099.99 Save $501   Get Deal Why we like it

We can't stop raving about the Hisense U6 Pro. We named it our favorite budget TV of 2026, as it lands perfectly in the sweet spot of performance and value. And during Best Buy's Anniversary Sale, it's even more of a steal; the 65-inch model is down to a record-low $598.99. That's cheaper than it was on Prime Day. While it's not an OLED display, it does offer an impressive full-array local dimming setup, vibrant quantum-dot color, and deep black levels, an anti-glare coating for minimal reflections, and a peak brightness of 1,200 nits. It also packs a native 144Hz refresh rate, AMD FreeSync Premium Pro, and two HDMI 2.1 ports for gamers. Every size is currently discounted, but the 65-inch model is what we'd recommend for most people.

More TV deals

60-inch and under

65-inch TVs

75-inch to 77-inch TVs

85-inch TVs

Best Windows laptop deal Opens in a new window Credit: ASUS Asus Zenbook A14 (Snapdragon X2 Elite, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $999.99 at Best Buy
$1,349.99 Save $350   Get Deal Why we like it

Mashable's laptop expert named the Asus Zenbook A14 the "best Windows laptop for most people" in 2026 for a few reasons. It's ultraportable, packs an amazing battery life of over 27 hours (!), a stunning OLED display, a lightweight build, and impressive performance that rivals the MacBook Air. While the 2026 version got a price bump, this discount at Best Buy knocks it back down below $1,000.

More Windows laptop dealsBest robot vacuum deal Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum and Mop $349.99 at Best Buy
$699.99 Save $350   Get Deal Why we like it

This robot vacuum combines powerful vacuuming with sonic mopping, so it can clean carpets and hard floors in a single run. Its Matrix Clean technology makes multiple passes over dirt and debris, and the CleanEdge Detect targets dust and hair around corners and edges. It also features a self-cleaning brushroll, HEPA filtration, and a bagless self-emptying base that can hold up to 60 days of dirt. And right now at Best Buy, it's $350 off — an impressive 50% savings.

More robot vacuum dealsBest earbuds deal Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 $199.99 at Best Buy
$249.99 Save $50   Get Deal Why we like it

For working out, these are some of the best earbuds available. With a secure hook fit and built-in heart rate monitoring, workout earbuds can't get any better than this. In fact, when given the full review treatment, they were described as "ideal for all workouts, especially running."

More earbud dealsBest headphones deal Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Studio Pro $159.99 at Best Buy
$349.99 Save $190   Get Deal Why we like it

These headphones have Personalized Spatial Audio and dynamic head tracking for a 360-degree listening experience. They also have impressive noise cancellation that helps block out distractions, with different modes to keep you aware of your surroundings. They offer up to 40 hours of battery life, USB-C, Bluetooth, and 3.5mm connectivity, plus compatibility with both Apple and Android devices. This week, the Black/Gold pair is a whopping 54% off at Best Buy. They're only $159.99; the other colors cost $10 extra.

More headphone dealsBest Lego deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Animal Crossing Blathers’ Museum Collection $55.99 at Best Buy
$79.99 Save $24.00   Get Deal Why we like it

This Animal Crossing-themed Lego set builds into a brickified replica of Blathers’ Museum, where players complete exhibits by donating fish, fossils, and art. It's geared toward ages seven and up, and contains 543 pieces — including minifigures of Blathers himself and Lily, a frog villager. Best Buy's Anniversary Sale deal takes 30% off its list price, leaving you to pay just $55.99. FYI: It sold out at Target at the same price.

More Lego dealsBest Pokémon TCG deal Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG Scarlet & Violet Destined Rivals Elite Trainer Box $112.50 at Best Buy
$320 Save $207.50   Get Deal Why we like it

This Elite Trainer Box contains nine Destined Rivals booster packs, 45 energy cards, foil promo art of Team Rocket's Wobbuffet, six damage-counter dice, and other accessories. Best Buy has it marked down to $112.50 during its 60th Anniversary Sale — a whopping 65% off its regular price there — which is only a couple bucks above its current market price. For comparison's sake, it's currently going for around $130 at Amazon and Walmart.

More Pokémon TCG deals
Categories: IT General, Technology

Wattpad’s alleged smut ban sends fan-fiction readers running to AO3

Mashable - Wed, 08/19/2026 - 20:12

Wattpad readers, cancel the emergency evacuation. Your mafia bosses, K-pop idols, vampires, and emotionally unavailable fictional boyfriends are safe for now.

Despite the panic spreading across TikTok, X, and Reddit, Wattpad says it has not banned smut. The storytelling platform updated the language in its Content Guidelines on Aug. 10, prompting users to fear that sexually explicit stories were about to disappear and begin plotting a move to Archive of Our Own, better known as AO3.

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According to Wattpad, however, the rules themselves have not changed.

"We recently updated some of the language in our Content Guidelines to make our policies clearer and easier to understand, adding more specificity about what has always been allowed and not allowed on our platform," a Wattpad spokesperson told Fast Company on Aug. 18, following the backlash. "Our policies, content categories, and how we moderate haven't changed."

The company also tried to extinguish the rumor in a post to users, writing that Wattpad remains a home for stories that are "steamy, complicated, romantic, weird, emotional, and everything in between."

"This isn’t changing," Wattpad said.

Under Wattpad’s clarified guidelines, stories may contain explicit sexual content when the people involved are at least 18 years old and the content supports a larger story rather than serving as its primary purpose. Those stories must be marked Mature.

Wattpad prohibits pornography or material created primarily for sexual arousal, sexual content involving anyone under 18, sexual solicitation and roleplay, illegal sexual acts, and sexual exploitation, coercion, or nonconsensual behavior that is glorified. Stories involving intense violence, self-harm, and other sensitive subjects may also require a Mature rating.

That means Wattpad is not banning every story that contains sex. Its rules do, however, draw a line between sexual content that is part of a broader narrative and content that exists mainly to be erotic.

The update may affect "porn without plot" (PWP) — a long-established fanfiction category where the explicit encounter is very much the point — as well as dark romance and other genres involving coercion, power imbalances, or taboo scenarios. Wattpad maintains that these boundaries existed before the update and that any recently removed stories would have already violated its policies.

With a global community of 94 million users, it appears even policy changes can become an enormous game of telephone, and through the grapevine, users heard the words "smut ban" and ran with it. "BEING SOLD TO ONE DIRECTION IS NOW AGAINST THE TERMS OF SERVICE ON WATTPAD??? this is the start of the end," one X user wrote. A reply warned, "We’re about to lose the ancient texts." Another user argued that Wattpad "would be NOTHING without one direction smut," while someone else compared the supposed ban to "the forest banning trees."

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To understand the level of alarm, it helps to remember what Wattpad has meant to a generation of young internet users, including me. (Writing One Direction fanfiction there helped inspire me to become a professional writer, after all.)

Since launching in 2006, Wattpad has allowed aspiring authors to publish stories chapter by chapter, hear directly from readers, and build audiences without first securing an agent or publisher. Some of those stories eventually became major screen adaptations, including After, The Kissing Booth, Through My Window, and My Life With the Walter Boys.

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The exchange between writers and readers can also function as an informal writing workshop: A 2016 study of online fanfiction communities identified a process called "distributed mentoring," where authors received encouragement, corrections, and suggestions from numerous community members instead of a single teacher or editor. The authors interviewed believed this process helped them become better writers.

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Continuing interest in websites like Wattpad is especially relevant as concerns about youth literacy grow. Average U.S. reading scores for fourth- and eighth-graders fell again in 2024 and remained below 2019 levels. Though fanfiction writing can't solve that problem alone, a platform that motivates young people to spend hours reading long-form stories, writing their own, and responding to one another shouldn't be dismissed.

Why are Wattpad users really fleeing to AO3?

Archive of Our Own has emerged as an escape route for Wattpad users online. TikToks with instructions for Wattpad users preparing to move their stories have emerged, along with guides explaining everything from AO3’s search filters to its fandom etiquette.

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Unlike Wattpad, AO3 is a nonprofit, noncommercial archive operated by the fan-run Organization for Transformative Works. It has no advertising, paid tier, or algorithmic recommendation feed; readers find stories by searching fandoms, relationships, characters, and tags.

That search system supports the organization’s commitment to "maximum inclusiveness of fanwork content," even when a story may be offensive or disturbing. Rather than removing fiction based on its subject, AO3 expects authors to label their work and gives readers filters for avoiding material they do not want to see.

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That difference became the focus of the migration discourse. TikTok users posted tutorials telling Wattpad arrivals to read tags before opening a story. Others explained the "Dead Dove: Do Not Eat" tag, which warns readers that the disturbing or taboo material listed in a story’s description will appear exactly as advertised.

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Some users joked that AO3 was experiencing its annual season of welcoming people who had fled another platform, except this group was arriving shortly before Kinktober, a fandom tradition built around publishing kinky stories throughout October. The resulting culture shock, the post predicted, would be "Olympic-level."

And since this is the internet, not everyone is welcoming.

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"They’re trying to gentrify AO3," one commenter wrote on the subreddit r/AO3 with 366,000 weekly visitors. Another responded, "This is our ecosystem, not yours. Adapt or perish." Some complained that an influx of fan-fictions were being reported on AO3 since the announcement.

Why is everyone talking about fanfiction again?

The scramble, and attention, comes at a particularly buzzy moment for fanfiction. AO3 passed 18 million fanworks in July, only a few months after the archive officially exited beta following 17 years of operation.

In August, model and actor Kaia Gerber revealed on Jake Shane’s Therapuss podcast that she privately writes fanfiction for fun. (Hint: The main character is "not a human.") Gerber isn't alone; fans now openly trade recommendations for Dramione, Reylo, Marauders, BTS, Supernatural, Marvel, and anime stories across TikTok and other social platforms.

Fanfiction is only one part of the current enthusiasm around reading. TikTok reported that more than 80 million posts used #BookTok as of June 1. Meanwhile, U.S. print romance sales rose 3.9 percent in 2025 to nearly 44 million copies. Earlier Circana data identified romance as the print market’s leading growth category, with especially fast gains for romantasy, sports romance, and darker stories.

SEE ALSO: 'Adults' creators Rebecca Shaw and Ben Kronengold react to fan fiction about the show

All of that means there are more public conversations about tropes, ships, spice levels, and formerly niche fandom terminology on social media — at least in Gerber's timeline. For the moment, though, Wattpad readers do not need to flee anywhere. The platform says its smut rules remain the same as before; there are just a few more boundaries.

And anyone who still decides to visit AO3 is welcome to browse its 18 million works. Just read the tags carefully.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Mazda SUV that makes a BMW X5 look hard to justify

How-To Geek - Wed, 08/19/2026 - 20:01

BMW's X5 has the badge, the reputation, and the luxury-car credentials, but you don't necessarily have to spend BMW money to get a family SUV that feels genuinely upscale. The Mazda CX-90 takes a different approach, pairing a premium-looking cabin with strong driving dynamics and the practicality of three rows.

Categories: IT General, Technology

This default Windows setting is making your SSD slower than it should be

How-To Geek - Wed, 08/19/2026 - 19:46

SSDs are fast, but even they can be slowed down over time. If you live for speed and feel like your SSD starts to get just a little slower sometimes, especially near the end of a week, there is one setting you might want to check out called TRIM.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Your Samsung Galaxy has 2 features that are begging for NFC tags instead of buttons

How-To Geek - Wed, 08/19/2026 - 19:30

The Quick Settings swipe-down menu makes it easy to access some of the best Samsung Galaxy features. However, while tapping a toggle or button is simple enough, nothing beats performing a single action without touching your phone’s screen. This is what I’ve done with NFC tags, and it has been a game changer for the tools I use most.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Level up your gaming battlestation with $650 off the massive 57-inch Samsung Odyssey Neo G9 gaming monitor

Mashable - Wed, 08/19/2026 - 19:20

SAVE $650: As of August 19, get the Samsung 57" Odyssey Neo G9 Curved Gaming Monitor for $1,449.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $2,099.99. That's a discount of 31%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Samsung 57" Odyssey Neo G9 Curved Gaming Monitor $1,449.99 at Amazon
$2,099.99 Save $650.00   Get Deal

If you're a hardcore gamer, you no doubt enjoy feeling like you're in the middle of your favorite titles. A great gaming monitor can do all that and more for you, though they can be a bit pricey if you want the best of the best. That's why you shouldn't skip out on this Samsung deal while it's available.

As of August 19, get the Samsung 57" Odyssey Neo G9 Curved Gaming Monitor for $1,449.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $2,099.99. That's $650 off and a discount of 31%.

SEE ALSO: The best monitors in 2025

This massive, 57-inch monitor boasts an impressive 1000R curve and excellent specs, like a 240Hz refresh rate and a 1ms GTG. That translates to deep immersion and a fantastic picture, even when you're playing games that require insanely fast reflexes. It also has a 2.1 HDMI and 2.1 DP port for quick connectivity and flexibility with your other devices.

This is a dual UHD monitor as well, which means you can use it as two displays in one, with two 32-inch UHD displays each, with 3840 x 2160 resolution. It has a 1,000 nit peak brightness and a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio as well, so you'll be enjoying a crisp, bright picture.

If you're ready to add a large and in-charge monitor to your setup, this is the model you should absolutely snap up while it's discounted. Your favorite games will thank you, and so will your eyes.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Get the Narwal Flow 2 robot vacuum for $200 less at Amazon

Mashable - Wed, 08/19/2026 - 19:15

SAVE 13%: As of Aug. 19, you can get the Narwal Flow 2 robot vacuum-and-mop combo for $1,299.98, down from $1,499.99, at Amazon. That's a 13% discount, or $200.01 in savings.

Narwal Flow 2 $1,299.98 at Amazon
$1,499.99 Save $200.01   Get Deal at Amazon

If you've ever owned a budget robot mop, you've probably realized that most of them just drag a damp, dirty cloth around your home until the run is finished. Not only that, but the water tank is usually gross afterward, too (especially if you have fur babies).

SEE ALSO: The best robot vacuums of 2026 so far: I've tested 10+ new models since January, but these 4 stood out

But that doesn't mean there aren't quality robot vacuum mop combos out there; you just gotta know where to look. Right now, you can get the Narwal Flow 2 robot vacuum-and-mop combo for $1,299.98, down from $1,499.99, at Amazon. That's a 13% discount, or $200.01 in savings.

I'll admit $1,300 is definitely an investment, but with 300+ reviews, a 4-star average rating, and a Mashable Choice Award, the Flow 2 is worth considering. Its FlowWash system continuously washes its track mop with 140°F hot water in real time while scraping dirty water into a separate sealed tank — meaning only fresh water touches your floors.

On the vacuuming side, it delivers 31,000Pa suction power and has a certified zero-tangle dual-brush system that pet parents will definitely appreciate. Throw in dual-camera AI vision for navigating around shoes, cords, and pet bowls, plus a smart status light bar right on the unit, and it's built to run totally hands-off.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Shop TVs during Best Buys 60th Anniversary Sale — save on LG OLEDs, Hisense, and Samsung

Mashable - Wed, 08/19/2026 - 19:02
Best TV deals at Best Buy: Best overall 65-inch LG Class C6 Series OLED evo AI 4K Smart webOS TV (2026 $1,799.99 (save $900) Get Deal Best budget TV 85-inch Hisense Class QD50 Hi-QLED Series 4K UHD Smart Roku TV (2026) $189.99 (save $120) Get Deal Best gaming TV deal 55-inch LG Class B6E Series OLED AI 4K Smart webOS TV (2026) $799.99 (save $500) Get Deal

Buying a new TV is one of those purchases that starts out exciting but usually ends in decision paralysis and an empty wallet. Between trying to figure out what all the specs mean, sticking to a budget, and finding a size everyone can agree on, it's honestly easier to just keep whatever's been sitting in your living room for the last five years.

SEE ALSO: What's the best time to buy a TV? Not just Black Friday. Shop strategically during these 4 windows.

But Best Buy is currently throwing its 60th Anniversary Sale, and after doing a little digging, I found some price drops worth snagging. Here are the best TV deals you can shop at Best Buy right now.

Best TV deal overall Opens in a new window Credit: LG 65-inch LG Class C6 Series OLED evo AI 4K Smart webOS TV (2026 $1,799.99 at Best Buy
$2,699.99 Save $900.00   Get Deal Why we like it

I always tell people that if you're going to invest in a TV, OLED is the way to go. LG makes some of the best OLEDs on the market, and saving $900 on a current-year 65-inch model is basically unheard of before Black Friday. Sure, $1,799 is still pricey, but it's worth every penny for this specific screen.

Best budget TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense 85-inch Hisense Class QD50 Hi-QLED Series 4K UHD Smart Roku TV (2026) $189.99 at Best Buy
$399.99 Save $210   Get Deal Why we like it

You don't have to spend a fortune to get a capable TV. Finding a 58-inch 4K TV under $200 with a QLED display is a legitimate steal. It's not going to rival the LG OLED above, but the QLED tech gives you much better color and brightness than a standard cheap screen. Plus, it has Roku built-in, so you don't have to buy an extra streaming stick.

Best gaming TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: LG 55-inch LG Class B6E Series OLED AI 4K Smart webOS TV (2026) $799.99 at Best Buy
$1,299.99 Save $500   Get Deal Why we like it

If you want those incredible OLED black levels and contrast but don't want to drop C6-level cash, the B-series offers a middle-ground option. It's built to make your PS5 or Xbox games look gorgeous without any screen tearing, and at under $800, it gives you a pretty good excuse to upgrade your setup.

Need a different size or brand? If you want to browse more options, take a look at the rest of Best Buy's current TV deals.

Categories: IT General, Technology

GTA 6 leaks: Map and gameplay potentially revealed

Mashable - Wed, 08/19/2026 - 18:58

Grand Theft Auto VI has become one of the most anticipated video game releases of all time, and Rockstar Games is finally set to pull back the curtain with an "extended look" event on Netflix later this month. But a major leak is keeping the studio from controlling the narrative.

According to IGN, a group calling itself Cyberleek has claimed responsibility for two leaked gameplay videos and a map image. Cyberleek says the leak is tied to a broader protest against digital pre-orders, "fake" single-player DLC, Sony's killing of physical disks, and a demand for offline fallback modes in games. The purported leaked content spread rapidly across social media this week, adding yet another chapter to a launch run already haunted by past security breaches.

Grand Theft Auto VI Cyberleek incident: What leaked? An official screenshot previously released by Rockstar Games. Credit: Rockstar Games

Two gameplay clips surfaced online recently: one showing the protagonist, Jason, shooting hoops outside his waterfront home, and another showing a road-rage confrontation with a delivery driver that escalates into a violent encounter with police in pursuit.

In addition, an image reportedly showing the game's full map, covering the Florida-inspired state of Leonida, also circulated. Rockstar has not confirmed the material is genuine, though outlets covering the leak, like PC Gamer, described the clips as looking authentic, noting they resemble the kind of mundane test footage a QA tester might capture.

Reporters combing through this footage flagged several gameplay systems not previously confirmed. A six-star wanted system appears to return, alongside a new police awareness indicator that tracks what officers know about a suspect's clothing, appearance, and vehicle.

SEE ALSO: An AI startup founder is trying to vibe code his own 'Grand Theft Auto' game

A stamina meter seems tied to melee combat, which outlets compared to the fistfighting in Red Dead Redemption 2, and a small on-screen icon suggests some form of morality or karma system reacting to violent actions.

Cars appear to track fuel and engine condition for the first time in the series, and a basketball mini-game seems to raise a "Focus" stat. The map leak reportedly shows both playable characters' locations simultaneously, along with race tracks and a small airstrip near the Keys that some speculated could be a military base.

The genuine leak has also opened the door to a wave of misinformation.

According to Kotaku, AI-generated clips and screenshots have been circulating alongside the real footage, with some users passing them off as part of the new leak. Old footage from GTA VI's 2022 breach has reportedly been recirculated and mislabeled as new material, making it harder for fans to distinguish authentic clips from fabricated AI slop or recycled videos.

Kotaku noted that the footage in this latest leak, if genuine, appears to come from a build considerably further along in development than the one that leaked in 2022, though the exact age of the footage remains unknown.

The Cyberleek group reportedly has a manifesto that lists several demands for Rockstar and other publishers, threatening further leaks if the demands aren't met. A second leak followed within a day of the first, this time showing taser gameplay and a cutscene, along with an unrelated promotion for a cryptocurrency token.

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The leak arrives just ahead of Grand Theft Auto VI: An Extended Look, a Netflix-exclusive gameplay reveal scheduled for Aug. 27. GTA VI is due out on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC on Nov. 19, 2026.

'Grand Theft Auto VI' for PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X $79.99 at Amazon
  See It at Amazon See It at Best Buy See It at GameStop 'Grand Theft Auto VI' Ultimate Edition: PS5 or Xbox $99.99 at PlayStation Store
  See It at PlayStation Store See It at Xbox See It at Rockstar Games
Categories: IT General, Technology

Want a cheap robot vacuum that mops? Snag the Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 for 50% off.

Mashable - Wed, 08/19/2026 - 18:47

SAVE $350: As of Aug. 19, the Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop combo is on sale at Amazon for only $349.99. That's half off its typical list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 robot vacuum mop combo $349.99 at Amazon
$699.99 Save $350   Get Deal

Mashable's robot vacuum expert Leah Stodart has tested over 35 different models and only recommends a few specific models from Shark, one being the Matrix Plus 2-in-1. But only if it's on sale. Lucky for you, the budget-friendly robot vacuum and mop combo model is currently half off its list price.

As of Aug. 19, you can pick up the Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop combo for just $349.99 instead of its usual $699.99. That's 50% or $350 in savings.

Stodart says she recommends the Matrix Plus 2-in-1 to "budget shoppers who don't want their new vacuum to be a huge investment." Some hybrids can cost well over $1,000, so a few hundred bucks is a whole lot more appealing to most shoppers. Of course, you won't get a boat load of fancy AI features and all that jazz, but you'll get a reliable and simplistic robot vacuum that has impressive spot cleaning abilities.

Make note that while the Matrix Plus can empty and charge itself, you'll have to do some heavy lifting in the mopping department. The self-emptying dock doesn't wash its own mopping pads or refill its water tank like more expensive models, which means it requires manual maintenance from you multiple times per week.

It may not be the most advanced robot vacuum on the market, but if you want something cheap, reliable, and from a reputable brand, the Shark Matrix Plus 2-in-1 is a solid grab at only $349.99.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Anthropic’s Claude can now send Gmail emails without asking first

Mashable - Wed, 08/19/2026 - 18:34

Would you let AI handle your emails?

If the masochist in you says "yes," well, I guess you're now in luck!

Anthropic has just updated its Claude connector for Google Workspace to allow full Gmail inbox management. This notably includes the ability for the AI assistant to send and reply to emails without additional user input or approval.

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Claude Connectors are integrations that connect Anthropic's AI assistant Claude to external apps. As 9to5Google points out, a Claude Connector for Google Workspace has already existed for a while. Along with Google Calendar and Google Drive, this Claude Connector included some access to Gmail.

However, this week, Anthropic added a new capability to the connector: Claude can now send and reply to emails without even checking with the user. Claude can also forward emails now without asking for approval too.

Claude still needs a human user to ask the AI assistant to draft or reply to an email. But, once Claude writes up the response, it no longer needs to check with the user before sending it.

According to Anthropic, users can still control when Claude checks for approval before sending an email. Anthropic also says Claude asks for approval by default. So, Claude users need to change their settings to give the AI permission to hit "send' without asking first.

One caveat for free Claude users: If you'd like Claude to send emails on your behalf, you will need to subscribe to a paid Claude plan.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Stay charged up in any situation with $50 off the DJI Power 1000 V2 Portable Power Station

Mashable - Wed, 08/19/2026 - 18:30

SAVE $50.01: As of August 19, get the DJI Power 1000 V2 Portable Power Station for $399.98 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $449.99. That's a discount of 11%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon DJI Power 1000 V2 Portable Power Station $399.98 at Amazon
$449.99 Save $50.01   Get Deal

Summer may be ending soon, but that doesn't mean the power outages will go away forever. If you're looking for an affordable and easy way to ensure you've got a backup when you lose electricity in a storm or just need a way to charge up while off-grid, a portable power station is your best bet, and this deal is well worth snapping up.

As of August 19, get the DJI Power 1000 V2 Portable Power Station for $399.98 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $449.99. That's $50.01 off and a discount of 11%.

SEE ALSO: The 8 best portable power stations to stay charged up at home and on the go

This particular model is great for traveling or just having a backup at home. Mashable's Lauren Allain took it for a spin and awarded it a 4.4 out of 5 score in her review, calling it a "a great model for content creators, those who prioritize a super-quiet power station, or anyone looking for exceptional value in portable power." She especially appreciated its quiet operation, given that so many models from competitors can be loud and disruptive.

You can recharge this power station in just under an hour to reach 100% battery, so even if you deplete it quickly, you won't be left waiting to be able to charge a phone or device, or other mission-critical items when you need them the most. It has a 1,024Wh LFP battery with a 10-year lifespan as well, so you know it'll stay running over the years when you need to be able to rely on it the most.

Whether you just want a quick and easy way to stay powered up or need an off-grid solution, this model is an excellent pick.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How I watermark my 3D prints (and why I do it)

How-To Geek - Wed, 08/19/2026 - 18:30

I mostly mess with 3D printers as a hobby, but since 3D printing is an expensive hobby, I also sell 3D printed models at a local market, which helps pay for filament, and also gives my friend who runs the stall every week more stuff to sell at no cost to them.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Why this 3-year-old Japanese luxury SUV makes more sense than buying new

How-To Geek - Wed, 08/19/2026 - 18:15

A new luxury SUV gives you the latest model, but it also comes with one big financial downside: depreciation. The 2023 Acura MDX has already absorbed much of that initial hit, while still offering the refinement, performance, space, and features that make it a compelling premium SUV.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Pixel 11’s flashiest new feature makes me worry about Google

How-To Geek - Wed, 08/19/2026 - 18:03

The general consensus on the Pixel 11 series is that not much sets it apart from last year’s models. One of the few highlights is the “HiLight” LED panel on the camera bar. It’s a cool idea in theory, but painfully underwhelming in reality—and it makes me worry about Google.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Amazon’s delivery drones are flying to 500 more cities

Mashable - Wed, 08/19/2026 - 18:02

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.

Categories: IT General, Technology

These 5 camera features on Pixel 11 Pro make it worth the upgrade

How-To Geek - Wed, 08/19/2026 - 18:01

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.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Review: The Google Pixel 11 Pro Fold finally gives Samsung a real fight

Mashable - Wed, 08/19/2026 - 18:00

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
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