Blogroll

Popular AI chatbots such as Claude, Gemini, and ChatGPT can analyze data from spreadsheets and other uploaded files. You can upload spreadsheets and ask them to create summaries, find patterns, and more. I wanted to use ChatGPT to analyze my spending to see if it could find ways to save money, but I didn't want to upload my personal information to the cloud. Using a PII-detection tool and a local LLM, I was able to strip away the personal information before I uploaded my files.

Google Maps is an easy part of our routines, and over time, it builds a collection of our favorite places and travel plans. Saving locations is one of its most useful features, but this also means the app may reveal more about you than you realize when someone else uses your phone.

Yesterday, Hinge founder Justin McLeod shared more details about his next venture, an AI matchmaking service called Overtone.

McLeod announced his departure from Hinge back in Dec. 2025 to focus on Overtone, which he plans to launch later this year in select locations. (You can put yourself on the waitlist if you're interested.)

SEE ALSO: Your friends can now add to your Hinge profile

"Overtone is not a dating app," McLeod wrote in the latest blog post. "By that I mean it's not a social platform with profiles that reduce people to stats, quotes and photos. There are no opaque, algorithmic feeds trained on split-second impulses. And there’s no juggling likes, matches and chats across many people at once."

Rather, the post goes on, Overtone is a service. McLeod promises Overtone will make only introductions "worth making" and will explain why someone is a match. He wants to bring back matchmaking, a longtime practice. These days, it's pretty limited to those who can spend thousands of dollars on a personal matchmaker, like in the movie Materialists.

"But this time with the reach and diversity of modern networks, the collective wisdom of relationship science, and the conviction that when it comes to options, all you need is less™," he wrote (yes, including the trademark).

Details of what Overtone will look like are scarce, but McLeod also announced the company has raised $18 million from FirstMark Capital, Pace Capital, and Match Group. The latter is the dating app conglomerate that owns Hinge.

Additionally, Match Group and Tinder CEO Spencer Rascoff has joined the board, as have executive leadership adviser and founder of The Signal Institute, Diana Chapman, and famed relationship psychotherapist Esther Perel (who partnered with Hinge last year).

Overtone will come at a time when some daters are skeptical about using AI to find them a match. When Bumble founder and CEO Whitney Wolfe Herd announced earlier this year that Bumble is killing the swipe and ushering in an AI matchmaker, the reaction online was largely negative. But there are budding AI matchmakers out there, such as Sitch Matchmaking and Ditto AI.

There's no shortage of aging desktop CPUs on the used market. If you're thinking about buying one—or already have one in your system—and keep hearing that it's no longer worth using, it can be hard to know whether that's actually true.

Asus will sell a standalone version of its upcoming OLED Xbox Ally X20, according to a report from The Verge, walking back earlier plans that would have required buyers to purchase the handheld bundled with a pair of Xreal AR glasses.

An Asus spokesperson confirmed the change to The Verge, saying, "We are actively discussing the release schedule for a standalone version of the new Ally. Please stay tuned for upcoming announcements."

Our big Guessing Game is back! Enter now for a chance to win an Apple Watch.

SEE ALSO: Microsoft cuts 3,200 Xbox jobs, spins off four studios in major layoffs Credit: Asus

The Verge's Sean Hollister, who spent two hours testing the device at Asus's California offices, wrote that the OLED Ally could prove competitive with the recently released MSI Claw 8 EX AI Plus. The review also highlighted ergonomic upgrades over last year's Xbox Ally X, including new rubberized grips, quieter face buttons, and a reworked cooling system. Hollister singled out a "transforming" D-pad that can rotate between eight-way and four-way configurations, saying it made a noticeable difference in games like Hollow Knight: Silksong.

The Verge did not report specific pricing or a release date for the standalone OLED Ally, though Hollister noted the device will likely cost more than the current $1,000 Xbox Ally X. The bundle with the ROG Xreal R1 Gaming Glasses could cost up to $2,000, though no price or launch date has been confirmed yet.

Internet, meet the nine brand new emoji that will be coming to your keyboards.

The Emoji Standard and Research Working Group at the Unicode Consortium will soon introduce nine new emoji, and these additions are now being revealed ahead of World Emoji Day on July 17. (Why is July 17 known as World Emoji Day? If you check the calendar emoji, you'll see the 17th date of the month is displayed.)

Our big Guessing Game is back! Enter now for a chance to win an Apple Watch.

The new emoji class of 2026 includes:

• Lighthouse

• Eraser

• Leftwards Thumb Sign

• Rightwards Thumb Sign

• The Cracked Smiling Face

• Net with Handle

• The Meteor

• The Pickle

• The Monarch Butterfly

Here are the nine new emoji coming to your keyboard by next Spring. Credit: Did Someone Say Emoji? Substack

A sneak peek at the designs was shared by Unicode Emoji Subcommittee-Chair Jennifer Daniel on her Substack newsletter, "Did Someone Say Emoji?" Daniel says they should arrive on your keyboard by next spring.

Some of these new emoji additions are interesting. For example, it's hard to believe that there wasn't already a Lighthouse or Eraser emoji. Pro wrestling fans will likely get some use out of the leftwards and rightwards thumb signs, as they are perfect for Rob Van Dam's infamous signature pose when used in tandem. The phallic Pickle is sure to be popular for sexting.

However, the Cracked Smiling Face will surely run away as the true crowd-pleaser of the bunch, just like Hairy Creature (aka Bigfoot) was a fan favorite in the new 2025 emoji. Cracked Smiling Face looks like the perfect emoji to sum up 2026. Yes, the emoji won't come out until next year. But that'll be perfect timing for the emoji to sum up 2027, 2028, and then every year beyond that as well. Interestingly, the Cracked Smiling Face is the absolute newest even among its debuting peers. When these nine new emoji were proposed by Unicode earlier this year, the Cracked Smiling Face was originally a completely different emoji known as Smiley Face with Squinting Eyes.

Variations of the Smiley Face with Squinting Eyes from the Unicode Consortium's proposal for the emoji. Credit: Unicode Consortium

Some of these new additions might look familiar. You may be checking your keyboard for the Pickle, Monarch Butterfly, and Meteor emoji. You won't find them. But you will find a Cucumber, a Morpho Butterfly, and a Comet emoji.

As Daniel writes in her Substack, these are all very different emoji, and some changes will be made to the existing emoji to make them all much more visually distinct. For example, the Morpho Butterfly is just a blue butterfly, whereas the Monarch Butterfly will actually look like the majestic orange-and-black butterfly. The Comet emoji and Meteor emoji will also be distinct, with the former showing as a blue streak rocketing through the sky and the latter looking like a flaming meatball.

SAVE $501.99: As of July 15, get the Ecovacs Goat A2000 Robotic Lawn Mower for $1,498 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $1,999.99. That's a discount of 25%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Ecovacs Goat A2000 Robotic Lawn Mower $1,498 at Amazon
$1,999.99 Save $501.99   Get Deal

It's summer, the grass is growing higher than your kneecaps, and you don't have the energy to deal with it. If you want a great-looking lawn without all the muss and fuss, it's time to outsource your grass-cutting needs to a robot lawn mower. It's the same great strategy as using a robot to vacuum your floors, only this time it's happening outside with your grass.

As of July 15, get the Ecovacs Goat A2000 Robotic Lawn Mower for $1,498 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $1,999.99. That's $501.99 and a discount of 25%.

SEE ALSO: The best robot lawn mowers in 2025

This wire-free robot lawn mower is all about getting things done, and it has a wide range of features to ensure you aren't the one doing them. Just set it up and let it go on its own, as its HoloScope 360-degree Dual-LiDAR system can automatically map your yard and figure the rest out. It uses 2 cm positioning to figure out where it should and shouldn't be as it makes its way through your yard.

It has built-in edge trimming for clean borders as well as a high-power 32V platform to cut through even thicker grasses that less powerful robot lawn mowers can't. Whether it's uneven terrain, thick grass, or other challenges, this model can handle just about everything and then some. Plus, it charges up quickly back to 100% in about 50 minutes, so you aren't left waiting for it to be usable again.

This machine can truly handle it all, and you won't have to lift a finger to have great grass. Be sure and snatch yours up while it's still affordable, since it's one of the higher-end models out there.

The Toyota Corolla dates back to 1966 and the era of the Space Race, when the compact cruiser debuted in Japan before reaching American dealerships two years later. Toyota describes the Corolla as a car that has evolved to meet changing times, guided by the principles of quality and value. It’s a formula that has worked for the automaker, since the Corolla has been one of the best-selling cars in history, with cumulative global sales now surpassing 57 million units.

TL;DR: Live stream England vs. Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free on BBC iPlayer. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN, an Official Supporter of the FIFA World Cup 2026.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has delivered some absolutely huge moments, and we're expecting more of the same from the second semi-final matchup between old rivals England and Argentina. Both sides made it through tough quarter-final contests after extra-time, and now they're set to battle it out at the Atlanta Stadium.

England are being carried by the brilliance of Jude Bellingham, but they've not yet faced a team as tough as Argentina. The defending champions haven't looked at their best, but any team with Lionel Messi, Julián Alvarez, and Enzo Fernández can pull through and overcome adversity. It's going to be a real scrap for a spot in the showpiece event at the weekend.

Want to watch this fascinating contest without spending anything? We can help. If you want to watch England vs. Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is England vs. Argentina?

England vs. Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on July 15. This fixture takes place at the Atlanta Stadium.

How to watch England vs. Argentina for free

England vs. Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup is available to live stream for free on BBC iPlayer.

BBC iPlayer is geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can unblock BBC iPlayer to live stream the 2026 World Cup for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream England vs. Argentina for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

4. Visit BBC iPlayer

5. Watch England vs. Argentina for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the 2026 World Cup without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream England vs. Argentina (plus more World Cup fixtures) before recovering your investment.

ExpressVPN's regular 30-day money-back guarantee is not available for any subscriptions purchased during the Summer Tech Sweepstakes promotional period (July 11 to Aug. 11), but you do have a chance of winning an iPhone 17 Pro. ExpressVPN remains our top pick for sport, but you will need to pay the monthly rate. Alternatively, Proton VPN still offers that all-important money-back guarantee.

What is the best VPN for BBC iPlayer?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on BBC iPlayer, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99. That covers you for the duration of the World Cup.

Live stream England vs. Argentina in the 2026 FIFA World Cup for free.

The latest reason to side-eye the salad aisle is microscopic.

Cases of an intestinal illness that can leave people sick for weeks are rising across the United States, and health officials still do not know exactly what people are eating or drinking that is causing the infections. So far, the investigation has produced thousands of cases, several possible leads, and one deeply unhelpful answer for anyone standing in the produce section: The culprit is still unclear.

Since May 1, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has received reports of 1,645 confirmed domestically acquired cases of cyclosporiasis across 34 states. The agency is also reviewing more than 5,100 additional cases that may be connected. At least 141 people have been hospitalized, and no deaths have been reported.

The official count may represent only a fraction of the illnesses. The confirmed total is already significantly higher than it was at the same point last year, when 249 cases had been reported nationally. People with milder symptoms may never seek medical care, cyclosporiasis requires a specific laboratory test, and several weeks can pass before illnesses appear in federal data.

Michigan has emerged as the center of the surge. The state reported 3,762 cases as of July 15, a remarkable increase for a state that typically records only 40 to 50 cases during an entire year.

Health officials believe more than 400 infections across Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia may be part of one connected multistate outbreak. Other clusters are being investigated separately, meaning several contaminated foods or sources may be circulating all at the same time.

The outbreak appears to be spreading through produce, while uncertainty—and memes—spread just as quickly across the internet.

What is cyclosporiasis?

Cyclosporiasis is an intestinal illness caused by Cyclospora cayetanensis, a microscopic parasite. People generally become infected after consuming food or water contaminated with the parasite, which has frequently been associated with raw fruits, vegetables, and herbs.

The parasite is tiny, but the illness it causes can be anything but brief. Its hallmark symptom is prolonged watery diarrhea, but people may also experience stomach cramps, bloating, nausea, fatigue, gas, loss of appetite, and weight loss. Some people develop body aches, vomiting, or a low fever, according to the CDC.

Symptoms usually begin about one week after exposure but can appear anywhere from two days to two weeks later, making it particularly easy to mistake for a stomach bug that has finally packed its bags. Without treatment, they can continue for several weeks or more than a month, making cyclosporiasis considerably more persistent than the average short-lived stomach bug.

The parasite does not usually pass directly from one person to another. After leaving an infected person’s body, Cyclospora must remain in the environment before it becomes infectious, so health officials are focusing on contaminated food and water rather than casual contact with sick people.

Lettuce and other produce are under scrutiny

Investigators have not identified a specific food, farm, processor, supplier, restaurant, or grocery store responsible for the increase. In Michigan, however, early interviews with people who became sick have repeatedly pointed investigators toward lettuce and salad greens.

The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has completed more than 1,000 interviews with people who tested positive. Lettuce regularly appeared in their recent food histories, although officials have stressed that other foods remain possible and that no particular variety, grower, or supplier has been identified.

Tracing the source is complicated by the parasite’s incubation period. Someone may not develop symptoms until two weeks after eating a contaminated product and may not get tested until even later. By the time an investigator asks what that person ate, they may be trying to recall an unremarkable salad or sandwich from nearly a month earlier.

Produce distribution adds another hurdle. The same lettuce may be sent to restaurants, grocery stores, cafeterias, and other businesses across several states, exposing people with no obvious connection to the same product.

The Food and Drug Administration currently lists several active Cyclospora investigations involving products not yet identified. The agency has begun tracing products through their supply chains, but it has not announced a recall or issued a nationwide warning against a specific item connected to the broader spike.

Previous U.S. outbreaks have been tied to raspberries, basil, cilantro, snow peas, lettuce, bagged salad mixes, and other fresh produce. In 2018, McDonald’s pulled salads from thousands of restaurants during an outbreak eventually traced to a salad supplier.

State, federal health officials probe possible Taco Bell link

Taco Bell entered the story before health officials publicly named any restaurant. Last week, customers began sharing photos of notices posted at locations around Metro Detroit saying the restaurants were unable to serve lettuce, cilantro-onion blends, pico de gallo, and guacamole because of a “nationwide recall.” The signs quickly circulated on Reddit and through local news reports, even though the FDA had not announced a nationwide recall involving those ingredients.

That discrepancy immediately raised questions. The company did not initially identify which locations were affected, where the ingredients had come from, or why the action appeared concentrated in Michigan, the state at the center of the outbreak.

The local speculation became a national story on July 14, when The Washington Post reported that federal and state health officials were investigating whether Taco Bell restaurants played a role in at least part of the outbreak. The report cited two people familiar with the ongoing investigation, one of whom said some patients had told investigators they ate at Taco Bell before becoming sick. Others had not, indicating that the chain could not account for the broader surge even if investigators eventually establish a connection.

The Taco Bell lead also lined up with what Michigan investigators were finding elsewhere. After interviewing more than 1,000 people who tested positive, state officials said lettuce or salad greens repeatedly appeared in their food histories. That does not identify Taco Bell’s lettuce, or any specific lettuce, as the source, but it does explain why they “voluntarily and temporarily removed limited ingredients at select restaurants” as a precaution.

Still, the combination of a recognizable fast-food chain, mysterious “recall” signs, and a reported federal investigation was enough to send Crunch Wrap Supreme-fans into a frenzy. Shares of parent company Yum Brands fell as much as 4.5 percent after the Post report.

Can washing produce remove Cyclospora?

Health officials are not advising everyone in the country to stop eating fresh produce. Instead, they recommend extra care, particularly for lettuce and salad greens, in areas with high case numbers.

The CDC recommends washing fruits and vegetables under clean running water before eating or preparing them, including produce labeled prewashed. Firm items such as cucumbers, melons, and potatoes can be rubbed by hand or scrubbed with a clean produce brush.

Washing may reduce contamination, but it cannot guarantee that Cyclospora has been removed, particularly from leafy greens, herbs, and delicate berries. Soap, bleach, detergent, and household cleaning products should not be used on food, and the parasite can resist some chemical sanitizers.

Michigan officials recommend purchasing whole heads of lettuce rather than precut lettuce, bagged mixes, or salad kits. Consumers can remove the outer two or three layers and wash the remaining inner leaves under running water.

Cooking offers more protection. Heating food to at least 158 degrees Fahrenheit (70 degrees Celsius) kills Cyclospora, making cooked vegetables a lower-risk choice than raw produce. Peeling fruits and vegetables after washing them can also help remove potentially contaminated outer surfaces.

What to do if you develop symptoms

People who experience persistent or recurring watery diarrhea should contact a healthcare provider, especially if they are also dealing with dehydration, severe fatigue, nausea, appetite loss, or weight loss.

Patients may need to mention cyclosporiasis specifically. Standard tests for diarrhea do not always include Cyclospora, and the parasite can be difficult to detect in a single stool sample. The CDC has asked clinicians to request Cyclospora testing when they suspect an infection, particularly for patients with prolonged or relapsing symptoms during the spring and summer.

The recommended treatment is a seven- to 10-day course of trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole, an antibiotic combination commonly sold under the brand names Bactrim and Septra. Staying hydrated is also important because frequent diarrhea can lead to dehydration.

Officials expect case numbers to continue rising while investigators work backward through weeks of meals and complex supply chains for produce. Until they identify the source, washing a salad is still worthwhile, but cooking dinner may offer a little more peace of mind.

Where to find the latest case numbers

The CDC’s cyclosporiasis surveillance page provides the latest national case count and the number of states reporting infections, while its outbreak page tracks the cluster currently linked to cases in Michigan, Ohio, Kentucky, and West Virginia. Because federal numbers can lag behind state reporting, readers should also check their state or local health department’s website for more recent regional totals.

The FDA’s active outbreak-investigation table is the best place to check whether officials have identified a food, launched a traceback investigation, or announced a recall.

Yeti deals at Amazon Best overall deal Yeti Hopper M Backpack $260 at Amazon (save $65) Get Deal Best Yeti daypack deal Yeti Ranchero Backpack (18 liters) $160 at Amazon (save $40) Get Deal Best personal Yeti cooler deal Yeti Hopper Flip 12 (firefly yellow) $200 at Amazon (save $50) Get Deal

With summer heat taking over, it's time to cool down. Get out of the house and into a shady forest, sit next to the lake-side breeze, or take to the local pool for some cooling relief. In addition to the cool air, pack the chilled beverages along in a Yeti cooler.

One of the top outdoor brands makes a worthwhile range of coolers, and Amazon has a handful of models on sale for 20% off. Snag one of these before your next outing and you'll have cool drinks and snacks ready to go. Check out some of our favorite deals.

Best overall Yeti deal Opens in a new window Credit: Yeti Yeti Hopper M Backpack $260 at Amazon
$325 Save $65   Get Deal Why we like it

A fan favorite, the Yeti Hopper M backpack is packed with functional design elements. The closed-cell foam keeps items chill while the external kangaroo pocket is perfect for keys, wallet, or a phone. Plus, the soft backpack straps make it comfortable for carrying around in the heat.

Best Yeti backpack deal Opens in a new window Credit: Yeti Yeti Ranchero Backpack (18 liters) $160 at Amazon
$200 Save $40   Get Deal Why we like it

While it's on sale for $40 off, upgrade to the Yeti Ranchero Backpack. The 18-liter model is on sale for $160, down from the normal price of $200. It has quick-access zippers to everything you packed along for the day, and it can stand up on it's own. Keep in mind, this model isn't designed to keep items cold, but instead is a well-designed backpack.

Best Yeti personal cooler deal Opens in a new window Credit: Yeti Yeti Hopper Flip 12 $200 at Amazon
$250 Save $50   Get Deal Why we like it

Designed to hold up to 12 cans plus ice, the Hopper Flip is great for keeping drinks cool for a day spent outside. The leak-proof HydroLok zipper means a drip-free experience. Plus, the high-density fabric is UV-resistant and can handle punctures.

Fire TV remotes are pretty good. They're stripped back and easy to use, and they put all the most common features right at your fingertips. But the lack of extra buttons makes the remote look quite limited. In fact, a series of long presses and button combos unlocks a host of shortcuts that many people never discover. Here are the best of them.

MicroSD card slots were once ubiquitous on Android phones. Now they’ve all but disappeared—at least from the more premium models. Why are the best phones seemingly making us do with less?

GET $40.99 OFF: Right now, you can get the Namii 2 clitoral suction stimulator and vibrator for $119, down from $159.99, at biird and Hello Nancy.

Opens in a new window Credit: biird Namii 2 $119 at biird
$159.99 Save $40.99   Get Deal

If you're not a sex toy nerd (like I am), you probably didn't notice that around seven-ish months ago, one of biird's most popular products (the Namii) disappeared from its website. I was devastated, of course. The Namii has always been one of my favorite clitoral suction toys, so when it was no longer available on the site — or anywhere else for that matter — I reached out to their PR team but couldn't get a concrete answer.

Now, nearly a year after its release, the Namii 2 (the upgraded version of the Namii) is available on both the biird site and Hello Nancy (also the makers of one of my other favorite clit suckers), and it's on sale for $119. That's a $40.99 price cut, and a damn good deal for a toy that you will literally never get tired of.

SEE ALSO: I've tested 100+ sex toys. Here are the 15 most mind-blowing toys I've ever owned.

I kid you not, this toy has permanent residence on my nightstand. Not only is its mood light charger super cute, but its performance is well beyond that of other toys I've tested. It's ideal for foreplay (especially if you struggle with getting warmed up), edging, having an all-day solo sesh, pleasuring yourself while you give your partner head... the list goes on.

There are seven suction intensities and six vibration modes, and with its wider mouth, it covers every inch of your clit in the best way possible. It also comes with a travel charger (you WILL need that; I accidentally broke my first mood light charger while traveling with it), a storage pouch, and the cutest packaging you'll ever see a sex toy come in.

SAVE UP TO $180.04: As of July 15, two pairs of Beats headphones worn by World Cup star Erling Haaland are on sale for up to 51% off. His Beats Studio 4 are marked down to $149.95 (typically $199.99), while his Beats Studio Pro are as low as $169.95 (normally $349.99).

Beats Solo 4 $149.95 at Amazon
$199.95 Save $50   Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Walmart Get Deal at Best Buy Beats Studio Pro $169.95 at Walmart
$332.01 Save $162.06   Get Deal at Walmart Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Best Buy

Norwegian striker Erling Haaland may not have gone home from the FIFA World Cup with the Golden Boot, but he did score a legion of new fans (... and a taxidermy raccoon). The 25-year-old footballer was the breakout star of this year's tournament, juxtaposing an intimidating on-pitch presence with off-duty charm and goofiness — not to mention, some major style moments. If you're coveting Haaland's Birkin collection, you've got some serious saving to do. But if you want to own his go-to headphones, you only need around $150.

Haaland is a Beats by Dre ambassador who's been seen wearing the brand's Solo 4 and Studio Pro headphones. At the time of writing, both pairs happened to be on sale for up to 51% off, depending on the color and retailer.

SEE ALSO: FIFA World Cup schedule today: Games, kickoff times, livestream info for July 15

Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart have the Solo 4s marked down to just $149.95, or 25% off their usual price of $199.99. Each retailer has at least three colors in stock at that discount; for his part, Haaland seems to be partial to the Matte Black ones.

Meanwhile, the Matte White Studio Pros that Haaland donned before a game last spring were going for just $169.95 at Walmart. (That's over half off their regular sticker price of $349.99.) The Navy, Black, Brown, and Sandstone pairs were down to $199.95 at Amazon and Best Buy — a 43% savings.

View this post on Instagram

The Solo 4s are our favorite Beats headphones for shoppers on a budget and those who value long battery life: At up to 50 hours of listening time per charge, they have the most stamina of any Beats cans. Mashable contributor Alex Bracetti liked their "sleek" on-ear design and thought they "[delivered] a prominent midrange that extends vocals on instrumental-heavy recordings."

Reporter Alex Perry reviewed the over-ear Beats Studio Pro a couple years ago and rated them an excellent 4.5/5 for their "fantastic" sound quality and "tremendous" noise cancellation. They're winners of our coveted Mashable Choice Award, the honor we dole out to the absolute best products we test.

Perry was especially impressed by the Studio Pros' almost-perfect parity across iOS and Android. In other words, you don't miss out on any features if you don't have an iPhone. (Beats is owned by Apple, hence Perry's surprise.) "It's hard to find a pair of over-ear headphones with a better all-around experience than Beats Studio Pro," he wrote.

For what it's worth, Haaland curated an official Apple Music playlist of all the classical tunes he listens to during workouts. But might I also suggest Solomun's 2015 Boiler Room set?

Firehouse Subs just became the Official Sub of Major League Baseball, which means two things. First, you'll likely start seeing more Firehouse Subs logos while you're watching baseball games and, more importantly, you can score free subs.

To celebrate the brands' first national sports league deal in its 31-year history, as well as the start of the back half of baseball season, Firehouse Subs is launching a season-long "Extra Innings, Extra Subs" promotion. Starting Friday, July 17, fans can buy a medium sub and get another medium sub for free any time an MLB game goes into extra innings on a Friday, Saturday, or Sunday. The freebie is redeemable the following Monday through Wednesday through the app or website using the promo code EXTRA.

Chief Marketing Officer Carolina Berti calls the promotion "a way for us to share more of our delicious subs back to the communities that show up for us all season long" in a press release.

Credit: Firehouse Subs / MLB

Beyond the free sub promotion, Firehouse Subs will also serve as Official Partner of the MLB PLAY BALL initiative and Presenting Partner of MLB Pitch, Hit & Run. "Through MLB's youth programs – PLAY BALL and Pitch, Hit & Run – we get to invest in the next generation of fans across the U.S. and Canada," Berti adds.

By getting more eyes on Firehouse Subs every week via baseball games, more subs will be sold, which means more money will be put towards the Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation. A portion of every purchase goes into supplying lifesaving equipment and resources to public safety organizations.

I, for one, will be taking advantage of this deal as much as possible. That sweet and spicy meatball sub is calling my name.

SAVE $50.25: As of July 15, get the Anker Prime Foldable MagSafe Charger for $99.74 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $149.99. That's a discount of 34%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Anker Prime Foldable MagSafe Charger $99.74 at Amazon
$149.99 Save $50.25   Get Deal

If you've got multiple devices to charge, you know the unique annoyance that is looking for an outlet for each one. In 2026, it's all about thinking smarter, not harder, so you can either stay at home or travel with everything you need to make charging a breeze, even if you use multiple Apple products at once. We've found just the product to help you accomplish all of that.

As of July 15, get the Anker Prime Foldable MagSafe Charger for $99.74 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $149.99. That's $50.25 off and a discount of 34%.

SEE ALSO: The best portable chargers and power banks in 2025

This folding charger is perfect for travel, but it's also great for anyone with a cluttered nightstand. It's a 3-in-1 charging station that can juice up your iPhone, Apple Watch, and AirPods all at once, all around the size of an iPhone 17 Pro Max. Set it up in your bedroom with a permanent spot or pack it in your bag for your next outing, and you'll be good to go.

It uses special AirCool temperature control to keep all of your devices charging at once, and remains very quiet. It offers up to 25W of magnetic wireless charginig with Qi2.2 technology so it can juice up your phone to 50% in just 26 minutes, and that's up to 5 tims faster than usual 5W chargers. All you have to do is drop everything on the pad, and your tech will be back to usable charges in no time.

If you're ready to simplify a multi-item charging situation, pick up this gadget while it's heavily discounted. You'll be glad you did.

I use local LLMs for multiple purposes, including stripping personal information from documents before I upload them to Claude or ChatGPT and generating a daily RSS digest for my Kindle. Despite the slow performance of even the smaller LLMs on my hardware, I use them for a number of things in my smart home.

TL;DR: Owala is giving shoppers a free water bottle with any Sun-Day Tote purchase from July 15-22.

Opens in a new window Credit: Owala Sun-Day Tote $89.99 at Owala
Comes with free Owala bottle. Get Deal

If your summer plans involve beach days, farmers' markets, road trips, or simply carrying way too much stuff around, Owala has a new reason to grab a tote.

The brand is launching a limited-time offer that bundles its new Sun-Day Tote with a free Owala bottle, giving shoppers a chance to score one of its popular hydration essentials at no extra cost.

Owala’s FreeSip bottles have gained a loyal following for their unique dual-drinking design, which lets users sip through a straw or drink from a wide-mouth opening.

Credit: Owala How to get Owala bottle for free

Getting the freebie is pretty simple: from July 15-22, shoppers who purchase any Sun-Day Tote will receive a free Owala bottle with their order. The offer is available exclusively through Owala’s website, so you’ll need to shop directly to claim the bonus.

Consider the Sun-Day Tote as the bag you grab when you’re not sure what the day has planned. Owala designed it as an all-purpose carry-all that can hold up to 40 pounds and has enough room for up to six beach towels, three bags of groceries, three outfits, or two yoga mats.

The tote is made with durable, water-friendly materials that make cleanup easier after sandy beach days or accidental spills. A removable splash-resistant pouch helps keep smaller essentials like your phone, wallet, and keys organized, while soft-touch handles and an adjustable shoulder strap make it easier to carry when the bag is packed.

Summer carry upgrade unlocked: Grab the Sun-Day Tote and claim your free Owala bottle.

Christopher Nolan is an exceptional genre-hopper.

The filmmaker has dabbled in everything from science fiction (Interstellar) to biographical dramas (Oppenheimer), superhero stories (The Dark Knight trilogy) to thrillers (Memento). At each step, he manages to make a genre undeniably his own, infusing it with his trademark sleekness and dedication to scale. Even his period pieces — The Prestige, Dunkirk, and Oppenheimer — feel cut from the same cloth as his more future-leaning works.

SEE ALSO: 'The Odyssey' trailer gives us our best look yet at Zendaya's Athena

But with The Odyssey, Nolan lands upon his greatest genre challenge yet: a fantasy epic that's arguably the most influential story of all time. Homer's Odyssey comes with the baggage of thousands of years of scholarship, myriad translations, and a legion of anyone who's ever had a Greek mythology phase having very strong opinions about how each of the poem's iconic moments should play out. And that's all before we get to the meat of The Odyssey itself, with its monsters and sorceresses and battles.

So, how does Nolan approach his first foray into epic fantasy? How does he fare when turning his lens to antiquity and one of its foundational myths?

The answer, in a word, is spectacularly. Nolan eschews the sleek modernity that's come to define his filmography. Instead, he gives himself up to a grimy, haunting take on The Odyssey that weaves myth and history into a devastating, unforgettable reckoning for Odysseus (Matt Damon) himself.

How does Christopher Nolan adapt The Odyssey? Credit: Melinda Sue Gordon / Universal Pictures

Nolan's signature non-linear storytelling fits perfectly with the structure of Homer's Odyssey, which sees multiple narrators take over the epic with their own recollections. The film focuses on two primary storylines, from which Nolan flashes back liberally.

In the first, Ithaca's Queen Penelope (Anne Hathaway) and her son Telemachus (Tom Holland) wait for King Odysseus' return, all while weathering a storm of unwanted suitors, including walking slimeball Antinous (Robert Pattinson). They've been hounding Penelope's halls for years, taking advantage of her hospitality in the name of Zeus' law, a tenet that reminds hosts to respect and provide for their guests, as any of them could be a god in disguise. Naturally, the suitors abuse this mandatory hospitality with their constant drinking, feasting, and harassing of the locals, leaving Penelope and Telemachus in an impossible situation. Do they continue to accept these indignities? Or do they push back and risk angering the gods?

SEE ALSO: 'The Odyssey' sails into rave reviews and online backlash

As Penelope and Telemachus wait out their eternal nightmare, they, along with Odysseus's loyal swineherd Eumaeus (John Leguizamo), recall the king who has been missing for almost 20 years. This is how we first meet Odysseus: not as a cunning warrior, but as a family man and an honorable mentor to Ithaca's youth. Later, when Telemachus visits King Menelaus (Jon Bernthal) in Sparta, he'll hear stories about his father's Trojan Horse scheme, and how he ended the Trojan War.

These are the bits and pieces we get of Odysseus, meted out bit by bit by Nolan and deft editing from Jennifer Lame. But what of the man himself? Who is the reality behind the myth?

By the time we meet the true Odysseus, not someone filtered through memory or oral storytelling, he's an aimless man. He's stranded on the island Ogygia with the nymph Calypso (Charlize Theron), with little memory of what came before. He's restless, though, and as Calypso prompts him to recount his journey, out spill the most iconic events of The Odyssey: cyclopes, sirens, and more.

The Odyssey's fantasy is both extremely Nolan and extremely grotesque. Matt Damon in "The Odyssey." Credit: Melinda Sue Gordon / Universal Pictures

The challenges Odysseus' faces on his journey have become familiar cultural touchstones, across thousands of years in art, film, TV, literature, video games, theatre, and more. Yet Nolan, in 2026, still manages to put his own twist on them.

In Inception, the dreams Nolan conjured up never shifted too far from our reality, instead warping familiar landscapes. The same goes for The Odyssey's understated fantasy elements, which blend into the film's rocky crags and vibrant shrubbery. (Seriously, this is Nolan's lushest film, brought to life by cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema.) Sirens are glimpsed from afar. The monster Scylla's true form appears in fragments. The Earth-feared gods appear only as natural phenomena — claps of thunder, raging storms — leaving viewers to wonder whether these are truly acts of providence or not. The exception here is Zendaya's goddess Athena, who counsels Odysseus, but even she isn't carrying out acts of divine intervention willy-nilly.

While this more grounded approach to fantasy is pure Nolan, what really sets his Odyssey apart, especially in his own filmography, is his willingness to lean in to the grotesque absurdity of the myth.

You heard me right: Nolan gets grotesque. Once, I would have found this unthinkable. For the most part, Nolan's films shine with a clean composure. Men in sharp suits. Glossy tech. Even the soldiers in Dunkirk aren't overly bloodied, and Interstellar's dust storms don't stick to the protagonists for long.

SEE ALSO: 'Moana' review: Disney transforms a cinematic masterpiece to kids' stuff

Yet The Odyssey revels in the muck and oddity of its mythic Bronze Age. The Trojan Horse wait leaves soldiers silently trapped in filthy water and their own waste. During a trip to Hades, shades rise from dark sands and drink sacrificial blood, delivering hard truths with dirtied faces. The Goya-inspired cyclops Polyphemus' (Bill Irwin) twisted face and disconcerting movements turn him into a creature not just to be feared, but to be fascinated by, even empathized with.

However, this willingness to get weird and gross elevates The Odyssey's fantastic elements. Look no further than Odysseus' crew's standout encounter with Circe (Samantha Morton), a sorceress who turns unwelcome visitors into animals. Circe wields no wand here. Instead, she transforms through sculpting, kneading, and molding men's flesh like clay. The sequence is visceral body horror, unlike anything Nolan has done before.

Does The Odyssey fix Christopher Nolan's woman problem? Mia Goth and Anne Hathaway in "The Odyssey." Credit: Melinda Sue Gordon / Universal Pictures

The meeting with Circe, while brief, also proves that Nolan has comes leaps and bounds when it comes to the role of women in his films, a weak point across his work. (Granted, he's drawing from source material that features several complicated women. He's also using a translation by Emily Wilson, who reckoned with women's role in The Odyssey.) Here, Nolan makes sure to emphasize the women of The Odyssey's complexities, as opposed to letting them linger on the sidelines or in dead wife montages. Most importantly, he lets them be angry.

Morton is extraordinary as Circe, simmering with magic and a rage that suggests deeper wounds, all without Nolan feeling the need to graphically spell out her trauma. Elsewhere, Lupita Nyong'o burns in her twin roles of Helen of Troy and Clytemnestra, two queens who have been grievously wronged, and Hathaway is magnificent as Penelope. Forced to remain polite to her suitors, Penelope simmers with a quiet fury, and her moment of catharsis, when it comes, is show-stopping.

The characters of Athena and Calypso are outliers here. The latter role is fairly underwritten, while the former's quiet presence doesn't truly coalesce until the end. But both Zendaya and Theron bring a deep gravity to these roles, worthy of each character's otherworldliness.

Matt Damon is tremendous, as is the rest of The Odyssey's cast. Matt Damon in "The Odyssey." Credit: Melinda Sue Gordon / Universal Pictures

Rounding out his already starry ensemble, Nolan has assembled the most "who's-who" of casts since the powers combined of Barbenheimer. None of his stars rest on their laurels or their A-list status. All deliver.

Holland's boyishness is the perfect fit for Telemachus' princely woes, and a nice foil for Pattinson's scummy turn as the craven Antinous. Himesh Patel is an astounding, grounding force as Odysseus' second-in-command Eurylochus, and Leguizamo gives a heartbreaking performance as the ever-loyal Eumaeus.

But The Odyssey, of course, belongs to Odysseus. And what an Odysseus Damon is. He plays all shades of Odysseus: the king, the myth, the broken man. Often, he shifts between these aspects in the blink of an eye, one change in posture carrying years' worth of history. At once mesmerizing and human, it's a performance worthy of such a legendary character.

Featured Video For You What It Was Like Shooting One of Oppenheimer’s Most Remarkable Moments

Notably, both Nolan and Damon refrain from lionizing Odysseus as an almighty hero. They brilliantly pick at his pride, his errors, his guilt over leaving his family and the steady loss of his crew mates. This remorse compounds over the course of the film, building to a shattering moral reckoning that turns The Odyssey on its head.

The Odyssey's magnificent conclusion would not work if Nolan didn't hold audiences close to the action every step of the way. Yes, the film is a glorious spectacle, boasting vast ocean vistas, armies of giants, and even the occasional sea monster. But Nolan doesn't just want The Odyssey to be epic. He wants it to be human, too. There's been so much pre-release discourse about Telemachus calling Odysseus "Dad," and the film's language not being archaic or formal enough. (Again, likely influenced by Wilson's straight-shooting translation.) But this familiar language is more symbolic of Nolan's broader mission. He has no desire to mystify an already deified text with overly formal language. Instead, he takes us right into the heart of The Odyssey, fantasy, muck, and all. The result is nothing short of masterful.

The Odyssey hits theaters July 17.