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Have you noticed how cluttered and obnoxious the web is at times? For example, cookie banners and blinding white themes are a constant barrage of annoyance and distraction. Thankfully, modern web extensions solve many of those problems, but there are a few essentials that I can't live without.

UPDATE: Aug. 3, 2025, 8:28 a.m. This article has been updated to correct inaccuracies about the total amount Tesla was ordered to pay in the court ruling.

A Florida jury has found Tesla partially liable in a fatal crash involving its Autopilot system, ordering the Elon Musk-owned company to pay over $240 million in damages. The verdict marks a major legal blow for Tesla and a significant moment in the broader debate over the safety of autonomous driving technology.

A federal judge in Miami has ordered Tesla to pay $42.5 million — roughly 33 percent of the $129 million in compensatory damages — along with an additional $200 million in punitive damages to the estate of Naibel Benavides Leon and her former partner, Dillon Angulo. In a statement emailed to Mashable, Tesla said it plans to appeal the ruling.

“Today’s verdict is wrong,” the company said. “It only serves to set back automotive safety and jeopardizes not just Tesla’s efforts, but the entire industry’s work to develop life-saving technology. We plan to appeal due to substantial legal errors and irregularities during the trial.”

Tesla also argued that, under Florida law governing product liability cases, punitive damages should be capped at three times the compensatory award (In this case, Tesla would pay 127.5 million instead of $200 million). That would reduce Tesla’s maximum payout to $170 million, not the $243 million currently on the table. The company said it’s confident “the punitive damage award at a minimum, and likely this whole verdict, will be overturned by the appellate court.”

According to the Associated Press, the plaintiffs argue that the punitive damages were calculated based on a multiple of the total compensatory damages, not just Tesla’s share. As a result, they maintain that the full amount awarded by the jury is valid and enforceable.

This is the first case in which Tesla has been held responsible for a wrongful death as a result of its Autopilot technology, according to a Reuters expert. That said, Tesla’s driver-assist software has been linked to hundreds of crashes, enough to warrant its own Wikipedia page.

The lawsuit stemmed from a 2019 incident in which a Tesla Model S driver, reportedly not paying attention while Autopilot was engaged, blew through a stop sign and red light before slamming into a parked Chevrolet Tahoe. Naibel Benavides Leon was standing next to the SUV at the time and was killed. Her former boyfriend, Dillon Angulo, survived with injuries.

"Today’s verdict represents justice for Naibel’s tragic death and Dillon’s lifelong injuries," Brett Schreiber, a lawyer for the plaintiffs, said in a statement to the Wall Street Journal. "Tesla designed Autopilot only for controlled-access highways yet deliberately chose not to restrict drivers from using it elsewhere, alongside Elon Musk telling the world Autopilot drove better than humans."

The ruling is a significant blow to Musk and Tesla, coming at a time when the billionaire is aggressively pushing to expand the company’s robotaxi initiative. As Musk works to convince investors and the public that Tesla can lead the future of autonomous driving, a $329 million verdict tied to its Autopilot system raises serious questions about the safety and legal risk of that vision and could open the company up to more Autopilot-related lawsuits in the future.

When Valve released the Steam Deck gaming handheld, the comparisons to the Nintendo Switch were unavoidable, and the release of the Nintendo Switch 2 has reignited those discussions. I’m here to tell you that the Steam Deck is not a better Switch or Switch 2, because they aren’t really doing the same thing.

In a segment dominated by European and Japanese brands, one American luxury SUV quietly delivers style, comfort, and technology that rivals the best. Often overlooked, it’s a hidden gem for buyers seeking upscale refinement without the usual luxury price tag.

Another week in the Android world is behind us, and this one was just as eventful as any other. Both Chrome and Firefox for Android received some privacy-focused updates, it's looking like the Pixel 10 is finally going to get a highly-requested feature, and One UI 8 continues to roll out.

We navigate most modern phones entirely by swiping our fingers across their displays—but in Android’s early days, all phones came with buttons under the screen. One of these once prominent keys has utterly disappeared, its role no longer a core part of how we navigate our phones.

Before streaming, entertainment was all about finding the right thing to watch on TV. And nothing brought the entire family together like a sitcom with great characters and lighthearted humor.

Looking forward to the second season of a particularly famous Netflix show, or craving something new and fresh? Netflix will have you spoiled with its new and upcoming releases for August. Whether you're a thriller fan or a laid-back sitcom lover, there's something for everyone this month.

Are you confused by the hundreds of Linux distributions out there? Do you want to know how they compare to and differ from one another so you can make a better decision? Well, I just tested 10 of the most popular Linux distros, and here's my personal ranking of all of them!

As a long-time iPad user, who's been covering Apple for several years, I've had a growing suspicion: iPads are basically just laptops now.

In 2024, when Apple launched the iPad Pro with M4 chip — before they'd even put that chip in a MacBook — alongside the iPad Air with M2 chip (and then the M3 version just a few months later), all signs showed my inclination was right. Apple wants its tablets to be as powerful as its laptops.

But the final piece of evidence to prove my hypothesis came at Apple's 2025 WWDC, when the brand announced the newest feature coming to iPads called "Windows." The feature allows users to resize the app windows within the screen to view multiple applications at once. While this feature is new to iPads, it's been a standard feature of laptops for most of their existence.

If the math is mathing the way I think it is, Apple's iPads are basically just laptops now. Here's how Apple is turning its tablets into laptops, and why they might be the more affordable option.

iPads and MacBooks have the same powerful processor

Apple's M series chips now power the brand's computers. It's one of the most powerful processors we've tested, expanding Apple products' speed and efficiency. The first time we saw the M4 chip wasn't in a laptop but Apple's iPad Pro, which scored 14,586 on Geekbench 6, better than most laptops we'd tested at the time.

Half of Apple's iPads now have the M series of chips. The iPad Pro includes the M4, while the iPad Air has the M3 chip. Meanwhile, the other half of the iPad lineup features Apple's A series chips, which are usually found in iPhones. Based on processors alone, it appears that half of Apple's iPad models are quite literally built to compute as laptops. However, that line could soon blur.

Rumors are swirling that Apple's next MacBook may be an affordable model that features an A series chip, which would truly mean you can't judge a laptop or tablet based on its processor alone.

The screen sizes are closing in on each other The 11-inch iPad screen is significantly smaller than the 13-inch MacBook Pro. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

And to be clear, not every iPad is basically a laptop. The iPad mini's screen is just way too small to compete — that being said, it is a great e-reader alternative. But the standard iPad, iPad Air, and iPad Pro all have 11-inch screens, two inches shy of the smallest 13-inch MacBook. However, the iPad Air and iPad Pro fully close that gap with their 13-inch models.

iPads can transform into work stations — especially for creatives Add a Magic Keyboard and, voilà, your iPad is laptop. Credit: Samantha Mangino / Mashable

OK, but even if they have the same size screen as a laptop, they're still only half a laptop, right? Sort of. While iPads are technically just a touchscreen, Magic Keyboards turn them into workstations. These keyboards, now available to purchase alongside an iPad, seamlessly connect to the tablets (à la AirPods and iPhones) and allow you to type on any actual keyboard rather than a screen. They even include a laptop-style trackpad.

The keyboards range from folios for the basic iPad to the more advanced keyboard stands for the iPad Air and Pro, which make the iPad look just like a laptop. In fact, an iPad and Magic Keyboard set-up more closely resembles a 2-in-1 laptop, like the Microsoft Surface.

With the addition of an Apple Pencil to the iPad and Magic Keyboard pairing, the iPad becomes the ideal Mac for artists too. While interviewing graphic designers about the best laptops for their line of work, many remarked that an iPad was actually their preferred device over a laptop.

However, where iPads and laptops veer from each other is their ports. iPads offer a single USB-C port while laptops typically have multiple ports, including USB-A, USB-C, and HDMI ports. That being said, Apple's port options are dwindling, with some MacBooks just offering three USB-C ports. However, both the iPad and MacBook can work around this with the assistance of a dongle that plugs in and offers port variety.

Apple USB-C Digital AV Multiport Adapter $65 at Amazon
$69 Save $4 Shop Now The iPad and MacBook interfaces With 'Windows' on iPadOS, you can view multiple apps at once. Credit: Apple

Even though an iPad looks like a laptop, it doesn't mean that it can function like one. With a laptop you have the ability to organize file storage and navigate through multiple windows. And on an iPad you now... have the ability to organize file storage and navigate through multiple windows.

Both iPads and iPhones now feature file storage apps that essentially work like Finder on the portable devices. And with the introduction of "Windows" coming to the next iteration of iPadOS, users can view multiple apps at once for a better workflow.

So, in terms of functionality, the iPad and laptop Venn diagram is basically a circle.

iPads are just competitively priced MacBooks

iPads don't overlap with laptops, specifically MacBooks, on one particular front: price. And that actually works in the tablets' favor. The basic iPad and iPad Air are priced hundreds of dollars less than Apple's most affordable laptop, the MacBook Air.

I liken the price differences between iPads and MacBooks to that of Chromebooks and standard Windows computers; they're a more affordable option, with some decreased functionality. But in the case of iPads, which are typically more expensive than Chromebooks anyway, they also have far more functionality than Chromebooks.

The most affordable iPad starts at $349, while the most affordable MacBook is the 13-inch MacBook Air, which starts at $999. Even if you upgrade to the iPad Air, which has the M3 chip just like that starter MacBook Air, it starts at just $599. And if you were to add on the $269 Magic Keyboard, that comes out to $868, still saving you over $100 compared to the MacBook Air.

However, the more advanced the iPad model you shop, the more it starts to be priced like a laptop. But, even the 13-inch iPad Pro is $300 cheaper than the 14-inch MacBook Pro — and both come with the M4 chip.

Is this all to say that you should be buying an iPad over a MacBook these days? Not at all. But it is to offer up a more affordable alternative in the iPad, which can go head-to-head with many laptops, especially MacBooks.

Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M3 chip, 128 GB, WiFi) $499 at Amazon
$599 Save $100 Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad Pro, 13-inch (M4 chip, 256 GB, WiFi) $1,179 at Amazon
$1,299 Save $120 Shop Now

If you worked in tech in the early 2000s, The IT Crowd was one of those shows that really captured the nostalgia of both the era and what life was like before Slack and the interconnected workplace we live in today.

If you own a home, power outages, occasional or otherwise, are a way of life. The Anker SOLIX F3000 Portable Power Station provides a home backup for short-term power outages, but is versatile enough, and just portable enough, for so much more.

These days, every new TV on the market is a smart TV. This means they come with a built-in interface to access all your favorite streaming services. But I have a hot take: most smart TVs make for terrible streaming devices. Sure, you can technically access most of your favorite streamers, but so often these built-in smart TV platforms are clunky, slow, and not very user-friendly. Plus, some older smart TVs can't handle new streaming apps like Peacock or Apple TV+, which means you'll never know what happens on Severance. Even if you do invest in a new TV, the best streaming devices can give it an instant upgrade.

The streaming device market is pretty crowded; there are various boxes and sticks that promise 4K picture and easy navigation. Unfortunately, tech brands are really good at making claims they can't live up to. (We're looking at you, Google Home.) And having spent months testing streaming devices, I can say with certainty that not all streamers are created equal. While some bring swift, theater-quality picture, others get bogged down by slow, ad-laden UX.

So, I tested the best contenders — including Apple TV, Roku, and Google TV — to find the best streaming device for your TV.

Roku vs. Apple TV — which is better?

The two most popular names in streaming are Apple and Roku. So it begs the question of is a Roku or Apple TV better? The answer isn't so straightforward and depends on what you're looking for. Apple only makes one streaming device, the Apple TV, while Roku makes dozens of devices and TVs.

An Apple TV is an extremely straightforward device that is fast, easy to navigate, delivers stunning picture, and best of all, a totally ad-free home page. The remote features built in voice controls and all of the apps can sync with your TV so all the shows you're currently watching, across streamers, consolidate in one place on the home page. For a long time, it was the priciest streamer on this list, but now the Amazon Fire TV Cube has dethroned it.

While we do prefer the Apple TV to Roku devices, they aren't without their merits. Roku matches Apple's processing speed and delivers, clear, crisp visuals that don't require any buffering time. Roku has a slightly more cluttered landing page than the Apple TV, but it's easily customizable, if you're particular about how it's organized.

And where Roku has the leg up on the Apple TV is in its affordability. A Roku 4K streaming stick costs $49.99, less than half of an Apple TV and even their high end Roku Ultra is just $99.99, $30 less than an Apple TV. If price is your priority, a Roku will serve you well. But if you want the best streaming experience possible, go for an Apple TV.

SAVE $10: Grab the Iris Woozoo globe fan for $39.97 at Walmart.

Opens in a new window Credit: Iris Iris Woozoo Oscillating 3-Speed Fan $39.97 at Walmart
$49.99 Save $10.02 Get Deal

I've already written about how the Iris Woozoo fan helped save my sheets during this summer's relentless heat waves. And now that we've entered back-to-school shopping season, I wanted to give this fan another shoutout, as it's on sale at Walmart (and Best Buy).

You can find a ton of dorm room essentials, fun decor, and just plain fun products on sale right now. For more recommendations, check out our back-to-school guide for college students. If you're putting together a shopping list, then I highly recommend adding the Woozoo fan.

I got this globe fan as a birthday gift, and it's helped me survive a particularly hot and humid summer in Brooklyn, New York. My dad picked this up after hearing my college-aged cousins rave about it, and Reddit is full of testimonials from college students (and college parents) who are equally enthusiastic. Why do I love this fan?

The compact fan fits neatly in small dorm rooms. Credit: Iris

It's surprisingly strong, quiet, and compact, and I can see why it would be so useful in a dorm room. It's got some cool additional features, such as a sleep timer, a remote control, and a natural breeze setting, which I haven't seen before. The globe shape helps it fit into small spaces, and the oscillation and adjustable speeds let you quickly cool off a small space like a dorm, bedroom, or home office.

You can currently find the best price on the Woozoo fan at Walmart, where it's listed for $39.97, a $10 discount from the usual retail price. Best Buy also has this fan on sale, though for a whopping 2 cents higher price. Amazon also has other Woozoo fans on sale, but none of its deals beat this Walmart Rollback.

Deals on the Woozoo fan The best deal Iris Woozoo Oscillating 3-Speed Fan $39.97 (save $10.02 at Walmart) Get Deal Back-up option Iris Woozoo Oscillating 3-Speed Fan $39.99 (save $10 at Best Buy) Get Deal For Prime shoppers Iris Woozoo Oscillating 5-Speed Fan $59.99 (save $15 at Amazon) Get Deal

The wars in the stars never end. But sometimes they fade away.

That's what happened to the Star Wars franchise after an exhausted George Lucas wrapped the original trilogy with Return of the Jedi in 1983. Decades later, fans still refer to the subsequent 10-year famine of Star Wars entertainment as the Dark Times. It happened again when Lucas wrapped up the prequel trilogy with Revenge of the Sith in 2005, urging fans to "grow up" and leave their moisture farms. It would be another decade before we'd see Star Wars live action on the big screen again.

And it's happening once more in 2025. Lucas himself, of course, is happily divorced from his baby — in his first San Diego Comic-Con appearance ever, the creator was disinterested in Star Wars and focused on his new narrative art museum. But the mouse-eared stewards of his franchise, intentionally or otherwise, are following his lead and letting it lie fallow.

There are just two Star Wars movies and two Disney+ TV shows that are definitely arriving in the next few years. And they skew toward safety, toward a certain kind of built-in Star Wars fandom. More casual fans, or those looking for live-action originality, may be out of luck.

If the messy Mandalorian season 3 finale left you cold, if you're not a fan of the self-referential work of Lucasfilm Chief Creative Officer Dave Filoni (Clone Wars, Rebels, Ahsoka), there's arguably nothing in your wheelhouse with an official release date. There's volume 3 of Visions, an artsy series of Star Wars aperitifs, coming in October — but no meaty meal for which these bite-size cartoons can whet our appetite.

The Star Wars we're not getting

The critically acclaimed Andor had its series finale, wrapping up Star Wars 2025 on a high note. Despite burning questions that remained, despite the revelation (spoiler alert for the season 2 finale) of an Andor junior, there are no plans to revive Tony Gilroy's thoughtful, uncompromising takes on what the Star Wars galaxy looks like at ground level.

The radar shows no signs of a season 2 for the other critical Star Wars hit of the last 12 months, Skeleton Crew. The High Republic series of books and comics, an attempt to create a brand new pre-Stormtrooper area of Star Wars canon, is wrapping up this summer too, with no ambitious book plans to take its place — just a whole lot of reprints.

The High Republic yielded only one on-screen connection, The Acolyte, canceled at its most interesting moment. Love The Acolyte (we did) or hate it, that dangling Darth Plagueis thread at the end meant the show deserved more than it got this year (fans can order a Visual Guide to the series).

SEE ALSO: 'The Acolyte's cancellation is a huge mistake for Star Wars

Perhaps the most successful attempt to keep that whole pre-prequel wing of Star Wars open is Bioware's Old Republic MMO, still going strong after 14 years. (And even that money-minting mini-franchise appears to have ended its line of expansions; the last was in 2022.)

So, what is on the docket for Star Wars' future, and when can we expect it? Here's a brief guide to all upcoming Star Wars live-action entertainment on the big and small screens that actually has a title:

The Mandalorian and Grogu (2026)

Finally, 49 years after it first hit the big screen, Star Wars returns to cinemas on May 22, 2026. But what we're getting is essentially The Mandalorian season 4, which Lucasfilm decided to convert to the big screen in the wake of the Hollywood writers' strike. Helmed by Jon Favreau, it promises to be a standalone story that doesn't require audiences to be familiar with the first three seasons, in theory.

Pedro Pascal, Jon Favreau, and Grogu. Credit: Christopher Jue / Getty Images for Disney

Yet it still relies on characters from elsewhere in the canon — hands up: who's excited to see the return of Rotta the Hutt from the 2008 Clone Wars movie? — and the "reset button" problem from season 3 continues: Mando gets a new version of his previously destroyed Razor Crest ship.

If we're lucky, we may get more of the much-loved villain Grand Admiral Thrawn — not that his first live-action appearance was much to write home about.

Maul — Shadow Lord (2026)

Dave Filoni's next animated Disney+ TV series sees the return of sliced and spurned Sith Lord Darth Maul. We get to see what he did during the reign of his former master, Emperor Palpatine, aka Darth Sidious. This is essentially fulfilling a promise made by Maul's cameo in Solo: A Star Wars Story (2018), where we learned he was running a crime syndicate during Imperial times.

No exact release date has been set, nor do we know if Maul will take Star Wars into significant new territory.

Star Wars: Starfighter (2027) Shawn Levy, Ryan Gosiling, Dave Filoni, and Kathleen Kennedy on stage at a Star Wars Day celebration earlier this year. Credit: Christopher Jue / Getty Images for Disney

The only other slated movie is directed by Shawn Levy (Deadpool and Wolverine) and stars Ryan Gosling. Maybe that information alone is Ken-ough for you to get excited, or maybe you're thrilled about the fact that it's set 5 years after The Rise of Skywalker (2019), finally pushing the franchise's main tale forward into the post-First Order future.

Either way, you'll have to wait until May 2027 to find out if it's any good.

Ahsoka Season 2 (TBD)

The only other TV series we're likely to see around 2027 is Dave Filoni's continuation of his first solo-helmed live-action series, Ahsoka. The eight episodes of Season 2 pick up where Season 1 left off, teasing a continuation of the Mortis arc from Clone Wars. And if that lore-heavy information leaves you scratching your head, you're not alone.

Filoni has teased a larger role for Anakin Skywalker (Hayden Christensen), last seen dueling Ahsoka (yet again) in the mysterious "world between worlds". The result could be a satisfying explanation for why Anakin was named The Chosen One in the first place. Or it could reveal this franchise as being entirely dependent on a single narrative, the tragedy of Darth Vader, more than 50 years after it began.

Even the well-teased tragedy of Darth Plagueis is not a story Disney+ will tell us.

SEE ALSO: 'Ahsoka': A Star Wars Easter egg hunt finds no character growth The future of Star Wars: Is there new hope?

The bulk of Star Wars plans going forward live under the heading of "untitled." Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy of Ms. Marvel fame is directing the only other movie in pre-production; this is the one featuring the return of Rey (Daisy Ridley), so it presumably ties in to the Starfighter era of the galaxy far, far away.

Beyond that, here are the slim threads of new hope for the rest of the 2020s: untitled Dave Filoni film, untitled James Mangold film, untitled Taika Waititi film, and Simon Kinberg's untitled trilogy set in a brand new Star Wars era with brand new characters. Hopefully, that effort will have more luck than the untitled Rian Johnson trilogy, which reportedly had the same aim.

And you can at least set your reminders for one more cinematic release in 2027. Star Wars Episode IV: A New Hope is heading back to theaters on April 30, 2027, in time for the franchise's 50th birthday. Expect breathless anticipation about we're going to see the 1977 original, or the latest George Lucas "Macklunkey!" version, which you can already watch on Disney+; maybe Lucas himself could be persuaded to tweak his creation yet one more time.

The Force of nostalgia will be with Star Wars, always. But the Force of creative originality? That's still TBD.

The Nothing Headphones (1) are officially here and can be purchased for the relatively attainable price of $299. There hasn’t been this much hype around a headphone design since, well, the AirPods Max, which speaks to their popularity right now.

The UK brand's signature translucent aesthetic has been one of the biggest trends in the wireless audio sector, inspiring rival brands (e.g., Beats, Sony) to copy this fashion for select true wireless releases. Their debut headphones are the company’s boldest launch to date and pay homage to vintage audio products, like FM radio headsets and the Sony Walkman. 

Opens in a new window Credit: Nothing Nothing Headphone (1) $299
Buy now at Amazon Shop Now

Reviews for the Headphones (1) have been generally positive (I scored them 4.4 out of 5 for my Mashable review). I was impressed with their adaptive active noise cancellation, hi-res sound, and lengthy playtimes, but was disappointed in their wireless performance and appearance. (What can I say, the aesthetic is love it or hate it.)

If you’re seriously considering the Headphones (1) as your next over-ear upgrade, then you’ll want to know how they compare to the best headphones of the year. In particular, the Big Three: the AirPods Max, Bose QuietComfort Ultra, and Sony WH-1000XM6. You may also be interested in how they fare against other newcomers. I've got you covered.

Here’s a breakdown of the Nothing Headphones (1) versus the field — it's all or Nothing.

Nothing Headphones (1) vs. Sony XM6 headphones Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

The $449 Sony WH-1000XM6 are much more expensive than the Headphones (1). They are considered the best sound-first headphones by many and an improvement over the critically acclaimed WH-1000XM5. Do the Headphones (1) stand a chance?

Battery life: The Headphones (1) last longer on a single charge. Expect up to 35 hours of noise cancellation and up to 80 hours of playback when disabling the feature. That’s 5 hours more in ANC mode and double the listening time with ANC off than Sony offers. Quick charging goes to the WH-1000XM6: a 3-minute charge generates 3 hours of playtime. This requires a USB-PD (power delivery) compatible charge. Nothing’s quick charging isn’t too far behind with a 5-minute charge netting you 5 hours of use.

Noise cancellation: The WH-1000xM6 have superior noise cancellation. These headphones eliminate close to 90 percent of noise and suppress high-frequency sounds at a high level. Sony’s 20-level transparency mode also does a remarkable job of increasing ambient awareness. Nothing’s real-time ANC effectively optimizes noise neutralization for all environments. I was shocked by how well the Headphones (1) silenced most low- and mid-frequency sounds. Their transparency mode was just as rewarding, though some noises sounded tinny. 

Sound performance: Only a handful of companies can compete with Sony’s wireless audio. Nothing isn’t one of them. Despite having KEF-engineered drivers, the Headphones (1) lack the WH-1000xM6’s dynamic range and personalization. Sony’s headphones feature a more balanced soundstage, stabler bass, and various proprietary technologies that enhance audio. These include DSEE upscaling, Equalizer with numerous preprogrammed presets, and smooth-streaming LDAC codec support. You have to tinker with the Headphones (1)’s EQ and enable LDAC to get the best audio possible. Otherwise, songs sound compressed with limited detail. Nothing’s spatial is OK. Sony’s 360 Reality Audio platform is more convincing. Lossless playback is equally satisfying over USB-C connection.

Usability: You’re looking at two of the best multiplatform headphones around. They have companion apps (iOS/Android) and support popular Android features like one-tap Google Fast Pair. Connectivity goes to Sony. Multipoint technology (pair to two devices simultaneously) is more reliable on the XM6 and doesn’t cause stuttering like the Headphones (1). Controls also go to Sony. The XM6 have meticulous motion detection, physical/touch inputs, and voice assistance. I love the Headphones (1)’s unique controls, specifically the multifunctional roller for seamless volume adjustment and paddle for track management. However, their iffy voice assistance and terrible wear detection leave much to be desired.

Should you buy Nothing Headphone (1) or Sony XM6 Headphones?

The Nothing Headphones (1) might get you more for your dollar, but the Sony WH-1000XM6 win out with class-leading performance. However, if you can't afford the $450 price of entry for flagship headphones, then the $299 Nothing cans are a more than worthy alternative.

Nothing Headphone (1) vs. Apple AirPods Max Credit: Alex Bracetti / Mashable

These two smartphone makers are now duking it out in the over-ear headphone market. Apple recently updated its flagship headphones with lossless audio, USB-C charging, and... not much else. The Headphones (1) should have this in the bag. Right?

Battery life: This is the one category where Nothing destroys Apple. The AirPods Max receive a measly 20 hours per charge, whereas the Headphones (1) get between 35 to 80 hours of playtime, depending how you use them. Quick charging is stronger on the Headphones (1). You’ll earn 5 hours on a 5-minute charge versus the AirPods Max’s 1.5 hours in the same charging time.

Noise cancellation: Nothing’s ANC is up there with Bose and Sony, at least based on Mashable's testing so far. Apple’s is not. I've worn the Headphones (1) in multiple environments and have rarely been caught off guard by the fracas around me. Not everything goes unnoticed (i.e., my crying baby). Still, the Headphone (1) minimize high-frequency sounds better than the AirPods Max. It’s hard to judge between the two transparency modes. Both are solid. I'm leaning toward Apple’s version since it makes ambient noise sound more natural.

Sound performance: The Headphones (1) are more suitable for standard listening, and the AirPods Max are ideal for 3D audio. Nothing offers more hi-res playback options via lossless audio over Bluetooth and USB-C connector. The AirPods Max only provide the latter, and the results are great. Bluetooth playback is where the AirPods Max stumble; the standard AAC codec lacks the clarity and nuance delivered by LDAC on the Headphones (1). Apple’s spatial audio creates immersive stereo sound that places you in the middle of live performances. The Headphones (1) have decent spatial audio with raised acoustics. That’s about it.

Usability: Apple’s intuitive ecosystem allows for flawless interconnectivity with all compatible brand devices. The Headphones (1) don’t operate as intuitively as the AirPods Max do on iOS/macOS, but they perform fine. They’re also more Android friendly (e.g., Google Fast Pair) and can pair to two audio sources at the same time, granted the technology isn’t as polished as it is on other headphones. Several features on the AirPods Max are disabled when using an Android phone, like Siri voice assistance. The Nothing brand makes most features available on both platforms via companion app. The AirPods Max have a more versatile control scheme, highlighted by the Digital Crown (aka the multifunctional dial) and unbeatable “Hey Siri” voice activation. As previously stated, the Headphones (1)’s roller and paddle controls are efficient, but their spotty voice assistance and wear detection diminish functionality. 

Should I buy Nothing Headphone (1) or AirPods Max?

As convenient and high-performance as the AirPods Max are for iOS/macOS users, the Headphones (1) beat their foe in most categories, and do so at nearly half the price. There's a reason the AirPods Max are conspicuously missing from our guide to the best headphones.

Nothing Headphone (1) vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra Credit: Alex Bracetti / Mashable

The Bose QuietComfort Ultra currently stand as the best noise-canceling headphones overall. This a steep hill for any newcomer to climb, and Nothing puts its best foot forward, even if the outcome isn’t favorable. But there’s more to this battle than just noise cancellation.  

Battery life: Nothing pulls off the trifecta and beats the Big Three in playtimes. Up to 80 hours of listening time (35 hours with ANC on) is sufficient for several weeks of moderate use. Battery life remains Bose’s kryptonite. Not only do the QC Ultra max out at 24 hours, but their quick charging is weaker: 2.5 hours on a 15-minute charge versus 5 hours on a 5-minute charge. 

Noise cancellation: The QC Ultra prove why Bose is the King of ANC. Adaptive algorithms and more strategically placed mics produce elite noise reduction. It takes incredibly loud commotions to disrupt the soundstage, especially when ANC is set to level 10. Whatever breaks through will sound like background effects on songs. Bose’s Aware Mode accurately picks up ambient noise. The Headphones (1) have superb noise-canceling and transparency modes, but they don’t block out or capture as much ambient noise as the QC Ultra.

Sound performance: Bose gets the nod solely on spatial audio. Its universal Immersive Audio mode works with all stereo content, meaning you can use the feature with practically any media device and take in exceptional 360-degree sound. The QC Ultra also utilize proprietary CustomTune technology to personalize audio based on the unique properties of your ear and ear canal. It works surprisingly well and produces well-balanced frequencies. Then there’s aptX Adaptive codec support for detailed, hi-res playback with minimal latency. The Headphones (1) come with more lossless playback options (LDAC and USB-C), both of which deliver clear, dynamic sound. It’s the restrictive soundstage and so-so spatial audio that prevent Nothing’s wireless cans for making a bigger sonic splash.

Usability: Operating the Headphones (1) is much more fun, thanks to the paddle and roller on the right earcup for track management and volume, respectively. If only their digital assistance and wear detection were on point. The QC Ultra’s physical button scheme, voice activation, and wear detection all work well. Connectivity is stronger on Bose’s headphones. Range extends up to 40 feet when in multipoint mode before stutter occurs. Stepping past the 20-foot mark causes some dropout on the Headphones (1). Both models pair instantly to iOS/macOS and Android devices and have serviceable companion apps.

Which is the better investment? This is another scenario where the Headphones (1) get you more bang for your buck. However, the QC Ultra present the absolute-best noise cancellation and spatial audio money can buy. They're also the most comfortable headphones Mashable has ever tested, and perfect for long flights. Not to mention these headphones are occasionally on sale (I've seen them go for as low as $299), making them just as affordable as the Headphones (1) during annual shopping events like Amazon Prime Day. 

How do the Nothing Headphones compare to other top contenders? Credit: Alex Bracetti / Mashable

The $449 JBL Tour One M3 come to mind. These are feature-rich headphones with robust ANC and a remote controller that doubles as a transmitter to connect to any audio source. The higher MSRP translates to more features and stronger audio performance. Some consumers may find the Headphones (1)’s ease of use and striking ANC more appealing for the price. Another model worth considering is the $399 Sonos Ace, which have engaging sound and fantastic ecosystem integration for Sonos soundbar owners. App support, noise cancellation, and playtimes are greater on the Headphones (1), however.

Curious how the Nothing Headphones (1) compare to mid-range gems like the $199 Sony ULT Wear or some of the best headphones under $100? Give us your feedback and we may put together another comparison piece in the future.

So, should you buy the Nothing Headphone (1)?

I reviewed the Nothing headphones for Mashable, and overall, it was a very positive review. While these lose out on a technical level to some elite flagships, I actually like them better than the Apple AirPods Max, which cost a lot more. And if you're a fan of Nothing's retro-futuristic aesthetic, then I think you'll be very pleased with these cans.

Here's the bottom line: If you want the best headphones money can buy, I have to give it up to the XM6 or Bose QuietComfort Ultra over the Nothing Headphone (1). However, that $299 price tag is hard to resist, and this is the only pair of over-ears that lets you get true flagship quality for under $300.

Products featured in this review: Nothing Headphone (1) $299 at Amazon Shop Now Sony ULT Wear Headphones $199 at Walmart Shop Now Bose QuietComfort Ultra Bluetooth Headphones $449 at Amazon Shop Now Sony WH-1000XM6 Noise-Cancelling Headphones $449.99 at Amazon Shop Now Apple AirPods Max $449.99 (save $99.01 at Amazon) Get Deal JBL Tour One M3 Smart Tx Wireless Headphones $449.95 at Amazon Shop Now

A James Webb Space Telescope study is setting the record straight on the ages of some known ancient galaxies, which have turned out to be much older and farther away in space than previously thought. 

Webb, a joint observatory of NASA and its European and Canadian counterparts, took a fresh look at a piece of the sky made famous by the Hubble Space Telescope's ultra-deep field view more than 20 years ago. At that time, Hubble's long-exposure image was extremely ambitious: Scientists pointed the telescope at a seemingly starless area, unsure what photons they'd collect. 

In the end, that ultra-deep field image was "found to be anything but blank," Webb researchers said, "containing thousands of distant galaxies." 

Now with Webb, this patch of sky is revealing more about the universe — even shuffling the cosmic timeline. Known as the MIRI Deep Imaging Survey, the project involved the Webb telescope's mid-infrared instrument, which detects light wavelengths invisible to the naked eye. The new findings from the survey are published in the journal Astronomy & Astrophysics.

SEE ALSO: New telescope captures interstellar comet speeding through space in video

With Webb, astronomers are able to observe the faint infrared glow from ancient stars and the structures they formed. The telescope trained on the Hubble Ultra Deep Field area for 100 hours, according to the research, including 41 hours with one particular filter. The resulting image picked up dim signals from galaxies when the universe was barely a few hundred million years old — a mere whippersnapper.

To understand a deep field space image, think of it as you would a core sample taken from the ground, collecting older rocks and soil the farther down you go: The image is a tiny-but-distant slice of space, revealing cosmic history by cutting across billions of light-years, each deeper layer revealing an earlier time. 

"To our knowledge, this constitutes the longest single-filter exposure obtained with (Webb) of an extragalactic field as of yet," the authors wrote. 

The project, dubbed MIDIS for short, found nearly 2,500 light sources, most of them distant galaxies. About 1,000 now have revised distance estimates, based on how their light has shifted.

Webb was built to observe an early period known as "cosmic dawn," between 100 million to 1 billion years after the Big Bang, detecting light at invisible infrared wavelengths. In short, light gets stretched — or "redshifted" — over time and distance by the expansion of the universe. Those infrared waves can also pierce through the prevalent gas and dust in space that could otherwise obscure far and naturally weaker light sources. 

The James Webb Space Telescope used its mid-infrared instrument to look at the region captured in Hubble's famous Ultra Deep Field Image. Credit: NASA GSFC / CIL / Adriana Manrique Gutierrez illustration

In one case, the project found that a galaxy previously believed to be 11.8 billion years old was closer to 13.3 billion — pushing its origins back to when the universe was perhaps just 450 million years old. That puts the galaxy squarely in the first wave of galaxies formed.

Other objects in the MIDIS image reveal a different story: hundreds of red galaxies, some of which got their color because they’re dusty or contain mature, cooler stars. Either way, the results show Webb's MIRI instrument can be a powerful tool for uncovering missed or misidentified ancient galaxies. Not even NASA's Spitzer, a now-retired infrared space telescope, saw with this level of clarity. 

That bodes well for researchers looking into how the universe evolved from birthing the first galaxies to a time when star and supermassive black hole formation seemed to peak. 

"MIDIS surpasses preflight expectations," the authors wrote. "Deep MIRI imaging has great potential to characterise the galaxy population from cosmic noon to dawn."

TL;DR: The DJI Mini 4K drone is on sale for $249 at Amazon (Prime member discount). Not a member? You can still score this drone for under $300.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon DJI Mini 4K Drone $249 at Amazon
$299 Save $50 Get Deal

DJI is one of the biggest names in drones, with a strong reputation for creating incredible aerial shots. The DJI product range is the top choice of TikTokers, YouTubers, and filmmakers. That being said, we were surprised to see the DJI Mini 4K drone so near the top of the charts of best-sellers over Prime Day. We knew these drones were popular, but surely not as popular as AirPods?

Then the real reason hit us like a drone to the head.

President Donald Trump has signed two executive orders aimed at helping the U.S. drone industry and shoring up protections against malicious drone activity. The measures don't actually order a full ban on Chinese-made drones (yet), but talk of a ban on DJI drones has been doing the rounds for a while now. That uncertainty is clearly causing an uptick in sales.

SEE ALSO: The DJI Power 2000 portable power station means business, and it’s great for DJI drone owners

The good news for anyone hoping to buy before a potential ban is that you can still find the DJI Mini 4K drone on Amazon. In fact, it's on sale for $249 at Amazon for Prime members. It's being shipped and sold by AeroTech Hubs. We don't generally recommend third-party sellers, but AeroTech Hubs has an excellent track record and times are tough right now. With stock running low, we'll take what we can get.

The DJI Mini 4K is full of helpful features for beginners and advanced users alike. It has one-tap takeoff options and a return to home function. But perhaps most importantly for content creators is the three-axis gimbal and 4K quality, as well as advanced wind resistance and extended battery life. It's a step up from the DJI Neo Mini 4K that we think creators will appreciate.

Prime members can get the DJI Mini 4K drone for under $250 at Amazon. Everyone else can still get their hands on this drone for under $300.

Director Akiva Schaffer's Naked Gun reboot is chock-full of deliriously stupid gags, celebrity cameos, and deadpan goodness — in short, all the things that made the original Leslie Nielsen classic so beloved.

SEE ALSO: 'The Naked Gun' review: Liam Neeson is a comedy genius in this brilliantly stupid reboot

But in a film full of comedic highlights, the standout sequence has to be the ridiculous romantic montage between Frank Drebin Jr. (Liam Neeson) and Beth Davenport (Pamela Anderson), in which they head to a romantic snowy cabin getaway, summon a magic snowman, have a threesome with said snowman, make the snowman jealous, and then flee for their lives from the killer snowman. It's Naked Gun meets Jack Frost, and it had me going from "no way they're doing this" to "please, I never want this to end" in the span of mere minutes.

Given that the snowman romance-turned-slasher is such a fever dream, it only makes since that it came to Schaffer in the wee hours of the morning.

"One night, at four in the morning, I woke up to go to the bathroom, and I just saw the entire thing," Schaffer told Mashable in a Zoom interview.

Schaffer, along with co-writers Dan Gregor and Doug Mand, had always wanted to include a love montage in the film. It would serve as one of the reboot's many tributes to the original Naked Gun, which throws Nielsen and Priscilla Presley into a gloriously cheesy parody of other '80s movie montages. But Schaffer, Gregor, and Mand knew that they couldn't just recreate that beat for beat: They'd have to do something different enough to make it stand out.

SEE ALSO: What's new to streaming this week? (Aug. 1, 2025)

Enter Schaffer's early morning vision of the killer snowman, which he wrote up "in about 10 minutes" and sent to Gregor and Mand straight away.

"[What I wrote] is almost beat for beat what's in the movie," Schaffer said. "It barely changed."

Once the love montage was written, the focus turned on how to bring the snowman itself to life.

"The VFX department flagged a million dollars for a VFX snowman, and then, very quickly, everyone's like, 'Well, you can't do that sequence, it's too expensive,'" Schaffer recalled. "We had to keep being like, 'It's not going to be CG. It needs to be a puppet, a mascot costume.' So we got the Jim Henson Company involved."

"They came in late to the process," added producer Erica Huggins. "They knew exactly what the assignment was, and they worked very closely with Akiva to make sure that [the snowman] wasn't too slick."

"It was basically like Jabba the Hutt," Schaffer joked.

The puppet's lack of slick visual realism is why the snowman sequence works so well. There's an endearing, nostalgic quality to the puppeteering — especially the simple yet expressive eyebrows. When the montage takes its turn into slasher territory, that endearing quality takes the comedy to the next level. After all, who goes into a Naked Gun movie expecting to see a Frosty the Snowman Muppet try to kill Liam Neeson?

Even Neeson was astounded by the sequence, telling Mashable: "I remember reading it in the script and thinking, 'No, this is too crazy. It's too outrageous.' But it seems to work."

The Naked Gun is now in theaters.

SAVE $200: The Apple MacBook Air M4 is on sale for $799 at Amazon, down from the list price of $999. That's the lowest-ever price on Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air M4 $799 at Amazon
$999 Save $200 Get Deal

We've spotted some standout deals on Apple over the last few months, peaking over Prime Day. But there's one deal that hasn't just stuck around post Prime Day. It has got even better.

As of Aug. 2, the Apple MacBook Air M4 is on sale for just $799 at Amazon. That's down from the list price of $999, and the lowest-ever price on Amazon. This really is one of the best deals we've come across in 2025 (if not the best). In Mashable's comparison of the best MacBooks, the Air gets the nod as the best overall, and it also happens to be the most affordable. What's not to love?

SEE ALSO: Hurry! Apple AirPods 4 are back under $100 on Amazon.

Mashable Senior Editor Stan Schroeder reviewed the M4 MacBook Air and wrote, "The new MacBook Air is great. It's powerful, silent, and comes with a couple of much-needed upgrades. It's also cheaper than before, making it the best-buy Apple laptop, period."

Get the best-ever price on the MacBook Air M4 at Amazon.