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Women receive no shortage of safety advice. Cover your drink. Share your location. Avoid walking at night alone. Text when you get home.

Here is one they may not hear every day: If you think someone wearing smart glasses is secretly recording you, start playing a Disney song.

The advice has begun circulating on LinkedIn, Threads, and other social channels as more people use Meta's smart glasses to covertly film women, prank service workers, and post unsuspecting strangers online. The theory, known as "copyright hacking," is that YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, or another platform will recognize the copyrighted music and prevent the resulting video from being uploaded.

"Because Disney music is more protected than women," one X user wrote. She's not completely wrong.

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It sounds like the kind of internet hack that is equal parts clever and depressing. Women are already taught to modify their behavior in response to new risks. Now, as ordinary-looking glasses make it easier to turn a private interaction into public content, they are being handed another instruction.

While this specific piece of advice may be new, the tactic itself is not.

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The theory is based on YouTube’s real copyright system.

YouTube uses an automated tool called Content ID to compare uploaded videos against audio and video submitted by copyright holders. When the system detects a match, the owner can decide whether to monetize the video, track its performance, or block it.

The important part is that not every match results in a takedown. YouTube says monetization is the most common policy applied to music claims. In those cases, the video stays online, but some or all of its advertising revenue may go to the copyright holder.

The rules are stricter for certain Shorts. YouTube says vertical videos between 1 and 3 minutes are blocked when they receive an active Content ID claim. Even then, however, an uploader could shorten the video, remove its sound, replace the audio, or use editing software to separate the speakers’ voices from the background music.

TikTok can similarly mute a sound that violates copyright restrictions without removing the video's visual content. The uploader can then replace the missing audio with another sound.

So yes, playing a Disney song could make a video harder to post or less profitable, and might even get it blocked — but that's not guaranteed.

Social media users were quick to point out the practical problems with this methodology.

"If you are being secretly recorded, how do you know to play the songs?" one user asked on a viral Facebook post by author and content creator Tova Leigh. Others noted that the person wearing the glasses could simply post the footage without sound.

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That first question gets at the larger flaw: Meta's Ray-Ban glasses are designed to look like conventional eyewear. The person being filmed may never realize a camera is pointed at them, and even if they notice the small recording light, they’d still need to recognize what it means, reach for their phone, and start playing music before the interaction ends. By that point, they may have already become the content.

Women may not know they are being filmed

The Disney advice is spreading as more women describe discovering that seemingly ordinary encounters were actually being recorded for an online audience.

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In February, CNN reported on the rise of "manfluencers" who use smart glasses to film themselves approaching women in airports, grocery stores, gyms, and other public spaces. To the woman involved, the interaction may feel like a stranger starting a conversation. For the creator, it is an opportunity to produce a video for thousands, or even millions, of viewers.

One woman, a DJ and producer who goes by Manic Muse online, said she gave her number to a man who approached her in a Texas grocery store because she believed their conversation was genuine. Her sister later suggested that his glasses might have contained a camera.

"And in that moment, my heart fell to my stomach," she told reporters.

Manic Muse said she messaged the man, asked whether he had recorded her, and told him not to post the interaction. He stopped replying and uploaded it anyway. The video eventually received more than 23 million views.

"It’s just so violating," she added. "I didn’t consent to being secretly recorded, and I definitely didn’t consent to becoming content for millions of strangers.”

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Once the footage is online, the recording itself is only the beginning. Viewers may scrutinize the woman's appearance, sexualize her, criticize how she handled the interaction, or search for personal information. What she believed was a private conversation with one stranger can be repackaged as evidence of whether his pickup technique "worked."

The technology has helped creators build entire accounts around people who never agreed to participate. As Mashable previously reported, smart-glasses users have covertly filmed attempts to get women's phone numbers in many public spaces. Other accounts have featured recordings of women’s bodies, sexually suggestive visits to massage parlors, and pranks targeting retail and restaurant employees.

Former prank creator Brad Podray, previously known online as Scumbag Dad, told us in January that women and service workers are often selected precisely because they can provide usable reactions while being less able or willing to challenge the person recording them.

"They want people who are good on camera, so they’re going to hit fast food employees, and they’re going to hit pretty girls," Podray said. "A lot of random women walking around aren’t going to want to participate in a skit if you ask them to, so they remove the agency entirely by just running the glasses."

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Meta has attempted to make the recording less discreet. Its glasses include a white LED that signals the camera is operating. But users have also found ways to interfere with it. Stickers designed to conceal the indicator have been sold online, and people in at least 30 states have offered services that physically modify it, according to the Wall Street Journal.

Though Meta has put safeguards in place to make the glasses harder to manipulate, they do not solve the broader consent problem. A person can see the light without understanding what it means. In many cases, they may not even see it.

Police have tried the Disney defense, too

This is not the first time someone has tried to turn copyright enforcement into a shield against a camera.

In April 2022, a Santa Ana, California, police officer played Disney songs while a YouTuber recorded officers investigating a stolen vehicle in his neighborhood. "You've Got a Friend in Me" from Toy Story played through a police vehicle's speakers late at night. It was followed by "We Don’t Talk About Bruno" from Encanto, "Reflection" from Mulan, and "Un Poco Loco" from Coco.

When Santa Ana City Councilmember Johnathan Ryan Hernandez asked the officer why he was playing it, the officer pointed toward the person recording.

"Because it will be copyright infringement for him," the officer said in a statement. The department also said playing music while officers were being recorded was not part of its recommended policy.

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Still, the Santa Ana incident was part of a pattern that had already appeared in several other departments.

In February 2021, Beverly Hills police officers were recorded playing songs including Sublime's "Santeria" and the Beatles' "Yesterday" during encounters with activist Sennett Devermont. Devermont had been livestreaming his attempts to obtain information and body-camera footage from the department.

The timing suggested the officers might have been attempting to activate Instagram's copyright filters, which can interrupt livestreams or limit how the resulting video gets shared. The Beverly Hills Police Department responded similarly, stating it doesn’t recommend officers play music while being filmed.

A few months later, an Alameda County sheriff’s sergeant played Taylor Swift's "Blank Space" while activists recorded him outside a courthouse in Oakland. This time, the officer explicitly explained what he was doing. "You can record all you want," he said. "I just know it can't be posted on YouTube." A department spokesperson later acknowledged that the attempt had backfired.

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The practice also surfaced in Illinois. In an incident report obtained by Motherboard later that year, an officer wrote that he had been "recently advised" to turn on music when he encountered a woman recording him. That detail suggested the tactic was no longer simply occurring to individual officers in the moment; in at least one department, someone appeared to be passing it along as advice.

Platforms are starting to act, but only after the fact

Recording someone in public is not universally illegal in the United States. Laws vary by state, and additional restrictions can apply to audio recording, sexual imagery, stalking, harassment, and the commercial use of someone's likeness. But in general, people have weaker expectations of privacy on a sidewalk, in a park, or in other public places.

Nowadays, though, recording can also violate a platform's rules. Instagram head Adam Mosseri said last week that the platform would remove smart-glasses videos showing people being exploited or harassed.

Meta confirmed that two prominent accounts posting smart-glasses pickup content had been deactivated for violating its harassment policies. Both had amassed more than 1 million followers.

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The crackdown creates a clearer consequence for some of the most abusive accounts, but it does not guarantee the removal of every video made without consent. Instagram has focused its policy on harassment and exploitation, leaving a large gray area for recordings that are invasive but do not clearly meet either definition.

More importantly, moderation generally begins after the footage has already been posted. The person recorded must first discover the video, locate the account, report the content, explain the violation, and wait for the platform to decide whether it crossed a line. By then, the video may have already accumulated millions of views or been copied to other accounts.

Government rules are beginning to adapt to technology in certain areas. Beginning July 20, New York prohibited recording-enabled glasses inside every courthouse in the state's Unified Court System. Officials said the ban was intended to prevent people from secretly recording court proceedings in violation of state law and court rules.

Outside those controlled settings, people who do not want to be recorded are still left depending on the wearer’s judgment, a small white light, inconsistent laws, and moderation systems that usually arrive after the damage has begun.

Playing Disney music might occasionally interrupt that process. It could also do absolutely nothing. But when the alternatives are so limited, an unreliable defense may still feel better than no defense at all.

Prime Video remains one of the major streaming services in today's streaming landscape. Like its competitors, Prime Video is always looking for its next critically acclaimed Emmy contender. Since 2015, Amazon has won more than 50 Emmy Awards in various categories, including some of the most prestigious comedy and drama prizes.

Your ESP32-based DIY electronics projects could soon integrate more smoothly into your smart home. Espressif's ESP32-S31 board is now available with major upgrades in performance, wireless tech, and input.

A new humanoid robot debuted this week with a sensor-laden layer of "smart skin" designed to feel exactly where and how hard it's being touched...for industrial safety, of course.

The robot, called Gene.01, comes from Generative Bionics and debuted at AMD's Advancing AI conference in San Francisco. CNET senior video producer Jesse Orrall got hands-on time with the machine, and Orrall described the texture of the smart skin as similar to a neoprene wetsuit. (Disclosure: Mashable and CNET are both owned by the same parent company, Ziff Davis.)

Around its frame, the bot is outfitted with "full-body multimodal skin" that can sense "touch, proximity, force and temperature," according to Generative Bionics.

SEE ALSO: The more I watch the new NEO robot hand video the weirder it gets

Per CNET's reporting, the skin senses touch using two kinds of sensors working together. The first are touch sensors capable of detecting contact, as well as the precise location and amount of pressure applied. Orrall wrote that squeezing the robot's arm triggered a live rendering on a nearby screen, lighting up at the exact spot being touched and darkening as more pressure was applied.

The second sensor type handles proximity rather than direct contact. These are known in the industry as time-of-flight (ToF) sensors, which work by emitting invisible light and measuring how long it takes to reflect back — effectively letting the robot sense something (or someone) before actual contact occurs. Orrall reported that waving a hand near the sensors produced a cluster of dots on the display screen that tracked with the hand movement, fading out as the hand moved away.

The practicality of the design, according to CNET, is collision avoidance. The hope is that these features will make it safer for industrial robots to work in close proximity to humans, whether on a factory floor or elsewhere. Generative Bionics reportedly views Gene.01 as an early platform, with plans to customize the amount and placement of smart skin, as well as the robot's hands, or "end effectors," depending on a client's specific use case.

As CNET noted, sensing the world is only half the equation — the harder problem still ahead is teaching the robot to act on that sensory data in real-time, something Generative Bionics says it's continuing to develop.

Phones have become such a part of our daily lives that it's important to find ways to make them easier to use. There's always one place that can make navigating cleaner, smoother, and easier: the Home Screen. But you might not realize there are some neat features available in your system launcher, like Samsung's One UI Launcher.

When the first trailer for Children of Blood and Bone debuted in Brooklyn this week, the excitement inside the room was palpable.

Director Gina Prince-Bythewood described years of research into African history and spirituality. The cast spoke about identity, ancestry, and the responsibility of bringing Orïsha to life. For fans who have spent years imagining Tomi Adeyemi's bestselling fantasy world, it was the first real glimpse of one of BookTok's most anticipated adaptations.

SEE ALSO: How 'Children of Blood and Bone' is bringing one of BookTok's biggest fantasy worlds to the big screen

Outside the theater, however, the conversation surrounding the film has been far more complicated.

Long before audiences saw a single frame of footage, the adaptation had become the subject of debates over colorism, questions about representation, and, more recently, the stunning decision by Adeyemi herself to publicly distance herself from the project she helped develop.

The casting sparked immediate debate.

When Paramount announced the cast in 2025, many readers celebrated seeing a predominantly Black ensemble led by Thuso Mbedu, Regina King, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Cynthia Erivo, Damson Idris, Lashana Lynch, and Idris Elba.

But the announcement also reignited conversations that had followed the adaptation for years.

Much of the criticism centered on the casting of Amandla Stenberg as Princess Amari. In the novel, Amari is described as having "dark copper skin" and is notably darker than the rest of her royal family, a physical difference that contributes to her feeling like an outsider long before she begins questioning the kingdom's treatment of the maji. Many readers argued that casting the lighter-skinned, biracial actor weakened a key aspect of the character's identity and reflected a broader pattern of colorism in Hollywood.

Other fans questioned why relatively few Nigerian actors had been cast in a story so deeply inspired by Nigerian history, Yoruba spirituality, and pre-colonial West African cultures. Those conversations unfolded across Reddit, X, and BookTok, where readers debated what authenticity should look like in a film adaptation of a novel so closely tied to Nigerian identity.

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At the time, Stenberg said she understood why readers felt protective of the books and noted that Adeyemi had personally encouraged her to take the role.

Tomi Adeyemi publicly stepped away from the project.

The conversation shifted dramatically earlier this month. In a TikTok (since deleted) addressing fans who had asked why she had stopped promoting the movie, Adeyemi announced she was "officially separating" herself from the adaptation.

"There is a reason I will not post anything about the adaptation of my work," she wrote. She later added that she had not seen the finished film and did not plan to watch it.

Adeyemi, who is credited as an executive producer and co-writer of the screenplay alongside Prince-Bythewood, said she had "tried everything" behind the scenes before deciding to step away, describing the experience as emotionally painful. She encouraged fans to support the film if they wished, but asked those who wanted to support her directly to purchase the books from independent bookstores.

Perhaps the most surprising part of her statement was a series of screenshots showing messages she allegedly sent to Stenberg, telling the actor not to contact her or mention her publicly, before blocking her. The message appears to be from Feb. 28, 2025, and reads: "Do not ever use my name in an interview or video again. Do not text me. Do not call me." Stenberg's previous message in the chain is partially blocked, but the words "my only hope was to reconnect as human beings" can be seen at a point.

The posts immediately reignited online speculation about what had happened behind the scenes, though Adeyemi has not publicly detailed the circumstances that led to the falling out.

Adeyemi's comments have also been viewed through the lens of previous public disputes. In 2018, she accused bestselling romance author Nora Roberts of plagiarizing the title of Roberts' novel Of Blood and Bone. After speaking with Roberts, Adeyemi retracted the allegation, saying she believed the titles had been created independently and apologized. That history has complicated the public response to her latest statements.

While many fans have expressed concern about the adaptation, others say they are hesitant to draw conclusions without more information about what actually happened to lead Adeyemi to sever ties.

What actually happened?

That's the question fans continue to ask, and one that remains largely unanswered.

Neither Paramount nor Prince-Bythewood has publicly addressed Adeyemi's comments, and the author has declined to elaborate beyond describing the experience as painful and saying she was "attacked behind the scenes." In a message dated July 18, posted under a 2025 behind-the-scenes video from set in South Africa, Adeyemi replied to a commenter, saying, "Making an impossible dream come true is a beautiful thing. Even if the dream becomes a nightmare. No one, not this film or you, will ever take away what I achieved."

That uncertainty has left fans in an unusual position. The film continues to generate excitement, buoyed by Prince-Bythewood's reputation following The Woman King, an acclaimed ensemble cast, and a trailer widely praised online. At the same time, some readers say it's difficult to separate that excitement from the knowledge that the creator of Orïsha no longer wants her name associated with the adaptation. Others argue that the work of hundreds of artists, craftspeople, and performers deserves to be judged independently of whatever happened behind closed doors.

Until someone involved chooses to explain further, both realities will likely coexist.

Children of Blood and Bone remains one of the most anticipated fantasy films of 2027. It also arrives carrying questions that no trailer, no matter how spectacular, can answer.

Children of Blood and Bone hits theaters on Jan. 15, 2027.

When Toyota rolled out its first hybrid system in the 1997 Prius, the idea was straightforward. Let a gas engine and an electric motor trade off propulsion duties, so the car could ultimately go farther on less fuel. Almost three decades later, Toyota has stretched that same idea in two different directions inside a single car.

We've all been there. Your PC is lagging, you open up task manager to see what is going on, and the graph shows you that 95% of your RAM is in use. Switching to the process tab doesn't help; the numbers don't seem to add up.

FREE LEGO SET: Through July 31, spending $65 at Lego.com gets you a free Lego Straw Topper Set. It includes four cute silicone straw toppers, four reusable straws, and a straw cleaner.

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$12.99 Save $12.99 Free with $65+ purchases Shop Now

The free Lego offers at Lego.com have refreshed again. One option for the end of July would make a great back-to-school gift (or a cute stocking stuffer idea for kids, if you're thinking that far ahead): Get a free pack of four fun Lego straw toppers plus the straws themselves and a straw cleaning brush with any order of $65 or more.

The Lego Straw Topper Set includes four precious silicone buddies: a robot, a dinosaur, a cat, and an ice cream cone. The pastel straws included are much cuter and less wasteful than getting a new plastic straw at school or the drive-thru all the time.

SEE ALSO: New Lego Pokémon sets are about to be released into the wild: Pre-order Arcanine, Munchlax, and more

Back to the gift ideas thing: Now would be a smart time to grab the Lego set you've been wanting to give someone. Your $65 purchase could be one big Lego purchase or a combination of a few less expensive sets. Remember, preorders do count as a purchase that unlocks free Legos. Our favorite new Lego sets to preorder right now include the Spongebob Squarepants: Bikini Bottom set and Donkey Kong Pinball set.

Two other free Lego deals are live through the end of July: Get a free version of The Darksaber from Lego Star Wars when you purchase the Mandalorian's N1 Starfighter or get a free Spider-Man vs. Anti-Venom Heist set when you spend $40.

Ever since its release in early 2022, Valve's Steam Deck has been touted as the best handheld PC for most people and the default recommendation for anyone looking to get into handheld PC gaming, for good reason.

Many of us rely on Google Maps (or your navigation app of choice) running through Android Auto to get from point A to point B. It makes sense—navigation is one of the most fundamental features any modern car can offer, and it's only made better by Android Auto because it ditches the clunky built-in systems in favor of something familiar.

SAVE $24: As of July 28, get the Anker Prime Charging Station for $55.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $79.99. That's a discount of 30%.

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If you're the type of person who hates wrangling cables but loves to make sure all your electronics have 100% battery, you need a charging station. You can plug in multiple devices in one central location, overnight if you prefer, and wake up to a menagerie of fully-charged tech, ready to start the day. Easy, affordable, and reliable, and we've got one that's even cheaper than usual for you today, courtesy of Amazon.

As of July 28, get the Anker Prime Charging Station for $55.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $79.99. That's $24 off and a discount of 30%.

SEE ALSO: Amazon has knocked Soundcore C50i by Anker earbuds under $40 for a limited time — save $30

This device has six ports, so you can charge multiple devices at once, with each USB-C port supporting 100W max. When using two USB-C ports at the same time, both will offer 100W of power. That means you have the capacity to charge up to two 14-inch MacBook Pros to 50% in under 30 minutes. It can handle your phones, tablets, gaming consoles, and just about anything else you need, too.

Plus, it's super small and compact. It has safety features to help continuously monitor temperature and protect your devices while they're charging. That way you can feel comfortable about leaving all your tech to juice up when you head to bed or leave all of your devices charging while away.

This is a great way to consolidate your devices to charge them at once, all while not having to spend an arm and a leg. Swap from one cable to an entire selection of charging ports and be more efficient about filling those batteries.

SAVE $150.00: The Shark PowerDetect Pet Plus Clean & Empty cordless stick vacuum is on sale at Amazon for $399.99, down from the list price of $549.99. That's a 27% discount.

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These days, we have robot vacuums and robot lawn mowers to take care of keeping underfoot areas clean and manicured. But if you prefer to vacuum on your own, we have models with excellent features that make things easier. Check out this deal at Amazon.

As of July 28, the Shark PowerDetect Pet Plus Clean & Empty cordless stick vacuum is on sale at Amazon for $399.99, down from the list price of $549.99 at Shark. That's a 27% discount.

When it comes to cordless stick vacuums, suction power matters. The Shark PowerDetect Pet Plus Clean & Empty doesn't mess around. This model is designed to tackle stubborn pet hair that loves to get stuck on carpet and furniture. Shark included a flexible crevice tool and the brand's Furfins tool to help clean pet hair in any location of your home.

Another major benefit of the Shark PowerDetect Pet Plus Clean & Empty cordless stick vacuum is the self-emptying base. Set the stick vacuum back on its charging base, and all debris from the vacuum will whisk off to the base. You'll need to empty the base every 45 days or so, but that's minimal effort compared to emptying the debris canister after each vacuum.

SEE ALSO: Dreame's Matrix10 Ultra robot vacuum and mop is $300 off at Amazon — buy now for under $1,500

Espeically great for homes with pets is the Shark odor neutralizer technology. This fragranced puck sits on the self-emptying base to provide a fresh scent. If you're not one for scents in the house, you can easily leave the cartridge out.

If you could use a vacuum upgrade, consider today's sale price on the Shark PowerDetect Pet Plus Clean & Empty cordless stick vacuum. It's a powerful model with great features for pet owners, and it's on sale for under $400.

Luxury SUVs have become increasingly expensive, with many new compact models now pushing well beyond the $50,000 mark before options. That has made the lightly used market especially appealing, where three-year-old examples can deliver virtually the same technology, comfort, and performance for thousands less than their original sticker price.

SAVE $100: As of July 28, the new Dyson V8 Cyclone cordless vacuum and Car Cleaning Kit bundle is on sale for $299.99. That's $100 off the vacuum's MSRP of $399.99.

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I test vacuums for a living and am a Dyson truther in most instances. However, I had never backed the Dyson V8 as the best budget stick vacuum — if you wanted to spend no more than $300 on a vacuum, I'd quickly tell you to buy a Shark stick vacuum that comes with a self-emptying dock instead. My mind changed when Dyson released the revamped Dyson V8 Cyclone in June. Its launch price of $399.99 was already practical, but as of July 28, you can save $100 and grab the new Dyson V8 Cyclone for just $299.99 at Dyson's website.

Funnily enough, the old Dyson V8 is also on sale for $299.99 at Amazon. So let's compare the specs while their prices are identical:

SEE ALSO: The Dyson PencilVac Fluffycones weighs nothing and fits everywhere. Don't get me started on the double lasers.

The old Dyson V8 has 115 Air Watts of suction power. The new Dyson V8 Cyclone has 150 Air Watts of suction power — the same as my favorite Dyson vacuum, the V12 Detect Slim. Dyson itself has confirmed that the Cyclone is the most powerful V8 model ever. The V8 Cyclone also has three suction modes compared to the old V8's two.

Battery life has also improved. The Dyson V8 Cyclone can clean for up to 60 minutes on one charge while the old V8 maxed out at 40 minutes. Despite a more powerful motor and more powerful battery, the V8 Cyclone only weighs 0.1 ounces more than the old V8. They both have 0.14 gallon dust bins.

As if we needed any more proof that the V8 Cyclone stretches your $299.99 further, it also comes with more attachments than the old V8 at Amazon. You'll get Dyson's stick vacuum car cleaning kit that includes a crevice tool, extension hose, stubborn dirt brush, and mini soft dusting brush. The other V8 only comes with the crevice tool. Plus, a self-emptying dock for the V8 Cyclone is coming in August.

If your Fire TV Stick keeps rebooting, freezing, or buffering and feels like it's on its way out, it might not actually be broken. Different symptoms often have different causes, so the fix for a device that's buffering won't be the same as one that's stuck in a reboot loop. So before you throw it away and buy a replacement, check whether you can get it working properly again.

Last month, Apple tragically raised the prices on many of its devices, largely thanks to the industry-wide memory shortage known as RAMageddon. This month, it's giving consumers some relief. Sort of.

Apple officially launched a new leasing program today called Apple Upgrade. If the cost of buying a new iPhone, iPad, Mac, or Apple Watch outright brings you to your knees, Apple Upgrade lets you lease a device for as low as $11.99 per month. While it doesn't actually reduce the price of Apple products, it changes the perceived cost by swapping the shock of the full price with a predictable low monthly payment. Price psychology!

This is the first time Apple is expanding its leasing options beyond just smartphones. Aside from iPhones, the new Apple Upgrade program also features a range of iPads, Apple Watches, and Macs, though not every product in Apple's lineup is included. Notably, the MacBook Neo — Apple's most affordable laptop — is not available in the program. Leasing prices start at $17.99 per month for iPhones, $11.99 per month for iPads and Apple Watches, and $24.99 per month for Mac devices. Leases run for 12 or 24 months for both iPhones and Apple Watches and 24 or 36 months for iPads and Macs.

Once your lease is up, you have a few options. You can either upgrade your device, keep it with a one-time fee, or return it to an Apple store and quit the program altogether. While Apple hasn't said how much that one-time purchase fee will be, it'll likely just amount to the full price of the phone minus your leasing payments. So, not exactly a deal.

Apple Upgrade is run by Klarna. So, similar to a credit card, you'll need approval before you can participate. Apple says applying takes mere minutes and requires a soft credit check that won't impact your credit score. Once approved, you'll be able to keep track of your lease and payment details through the Klarna app.

Here's a quick look at some of the sample prices (minus taxes):

• iPhone 17 Pro (256GB) — $1,099 $31.99/month with a 24-month lease or $45.99/month with a 12-month lease

• iPhone Air (256GB) — $999 $28.99/month with a 24-month lease or $41.99/month with a 12-month lease

• iPad Pro, 11-inch (256GB, WiFi) — $1,199 $24.99/month with a 36-month lease or $31.99/month with a 24-month lease

• iPad Air, 11-inch (128GB, WiFi) — $749 $15.99/month with a 36-month lease or $19.99/month with a 24-month lease

• MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5 chip, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,999 $38.99/month with a 36-month lease or $53.99/month with a 24-month lease

• MacBook Air, 13-inch (M5 chip, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $1,299 $24.99/month with a 36-month lease or $34.99/month with a 24-month lease

• Apple Watch Series 11 (42mm, GPS) — $399 $11.99/month with a 24-month lease or $21.99/month with a 12-month lease

In case you missed it, Apple's iPhone Upgrade Program is now dead. The Apple Upgrade program is its replacement. If you're still on the existing iPhone Upgrade program, you can choose whether or not you want to move to the Apple Upgrade program when your contract ends.

It's no secret that Apple’s ecosystem is a closed garden; most of its apps and services are only available on its own platforms. This won't be changing anytime soon, but that doesn't mean Apple has gate-kept all of its apps—some have found their way onto the Google Play Store.

SAVE $549.01: The Bluetti FridgePower portable power station is on sale at Amazon for $949.99, down from the list price of $1,499. That's a 37% discount.

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No part of a power outage is convenient, but there's an especially inconvenient aspect to losing grid power: the refrigerator is no longer cooling. That puts the refrigerator and freezer food on a timeline of how long it'll last without power before it needs to go in the trash. If keeping the refrigerator online is a priority, check out this Amazon deal.

As of July 28, the Bluetti FridgePower portable power station is on sale at Amazon for $949.99, down from the list price of $1,499. That's a 37% discount.

We've come to love portable power stations for camping and using when the power goes out, but the major brands are introducing us to a new category of convenience: refrigerator backup power. The Jackery FridgeGuard launched earlier this summer, as did the Bluetti FridgePower. The Bluetti model is larger, coming with 2,016Wh capacity which can keep your fridge cooling for almost a full 24 hours.

SEE ALSO: Jackery's American Red Cross collab "Power the Rescuers" goes live for purchase in September. Here's what we know ahead of the launch.

Using the Bluetti FridgeGuard is simple. Place the slim power station on top of your refrigerator and plug your fridge into the Bluetti. Then plug the Bluetti into grid power. The power station is designed to keep itself 100% charged and ready to take over when grid power fails. Within 10 milliseconds of detecting a loss of grid power, the Bluetti will take over cooling the fridge.

While the name suggests it should be used as fridge backup, you can also use it elsewhere in the house. Make sure the aquarium stays filtering or your workstation always has power with the Bluetti FridgeGuard.

Since it's on sale for a 37% discount, snag the Bluetti FridgePower portable power station before fall storm season arrives.

Be sure to remember your Galaxy phone's PIN or password, as the consequences might be severe the next time you forget. Samsung has revealed that Android 17-based One UI 9, preloaded with new phones like the Galaxy Z Fold 8, will force a factory reset after 13 failed unlock attempts.