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Home Assistant is the best way to build your own smart home experience, and the Android app is one way to check your devices and update settings. The Home Assistant team has announced a few upcoming updates for the Android app, but those updates will also end support for some ancient devices.

SAVE $15.70: As of July 23, get the Anker 622 magnetic battery for $32.29, down from $47.99, and save 33%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker 622 Magnetic Battery $32.29 at Amazon
$47.99 Save $15.70 Get Deal

I am the queen of letting my phone die while traveling. On a recent trip to New York, after I'd arrived in the city mid-afternoon with a phone already on low battery mode, I realized enough is enough — I needed a travel charger. My pick? The Anker 622 magnetic battery. And did I mention it's on sale right now?

The Anker 622 magnetic battery is a MagSafe charger that clings to phones and powers them up. As of July 23, it's on sale at Amazon for $32.29, down from $47.99. That save you $15.70 for 33% off.

SEE ALSO: The ultra-portable Anker Solix C300 portable power station is on sale at Amazon for under $220

What appealed to me about the Anker 622 wireless charger is the fact that it's cord-free. I wanted a portable charger that I could attach to my phone and keep in my bag while on the go, and the Anker 622 is just that, attaching to my phone inconspicuously while juicing it up. In terms of power banks, this does work more slowly than others I've tried, but it's ideal if you want something super compact.

The 622 holds a little over one charge in the device and can be recharged through a USB-C port. The only issue I've ever run into with the 622 is that it gets pretty warm as it charges. This was never an issue until I went to use it in blazing Dallas heat, and the charger and phone got so overheated it had to pause charging. Otherwise, the 622 is a super portable and easy-to-use charger for those on the go.

Grab the Anker 622 at Amazon now for just $32.29 and save $15.70.

Best tech deals

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $79.98 (List Price $99.00)

• Apple 2025 MacBook Air 13-inch Laptop — $849.00 (List Price $999.00)

• Apple AirPods Pro 2 ANC Earbuds With USB-C Charging Case — $169.00 (List Price $249.00)

iOS 26 may be just around the corner, but Apple is already shifting attention to iOS 27 — and its long-rumored foldable iPhone.

According to Mark Gurman’s Power On newsletter, Apple is prioritizing iOS 27 development with a focus on features tailored to the upcoming foldable device, which is reportedly set to debut next year. Despite the shift in priorities, Gurman says users shouldn’t worry about a lack of user interface innovation in iOS 27.

SEE ALSO: Foldable iPhone leaks tease new details on camera, specs, display

The foldable iPhone is expected to be a high-end product with a rumored $2,000 price tag, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. It will reportedly skip Face ID in favor of Touch ID to save space and will feature a book-style fold, as opposed to Samsung’s flip-style design.

Gurman notes Apple’s design direction is influenced by preferences in the Chinese market, where book-style foldables are more popular.

Wednesday Addams (Jenna Ortega) may be full of woe, but Wednesday fans should be full of joy, because Netflix has renewed the series for a third season. The announcement (made on a Wednesday, naturally) comes two weeks before Wednesday Season 2's Aug. 6 premiere, proving Netflix's confidence in the series.

In its first season, Wednesday cemented itself as a smash hit, becoming Netflix's most-streamed English language show of all time. Overall, it's Netflix's second-most streamed series of all time, behind Squid Game.

SEE ALSO: Get this spooky Wednesday Addams Lego set ahead of the season 2 premiere

"It's been a dark delight to watch Wednesday cast her spell over audiences across the globe — one deadpan quip at a time," Wednesday creators Alfred Gough and Miles Millar said in a press statement. "We're beyond thrilled she'll be returning to stalk the halls of Nevermore in Season 3. This time, she'll unearth more of the school’s sinister secrets — and descend even deeper into the Addams family crypt. Or, as Wednesday would say: 'Nothing brings a family together like a good exhumation.'"

In a statement, Netflix Chief Content Officer Bela Bajaria added, "The undeniable impact of Wednesday resonated immediately with fans worldwide, driving it to the top of our charts as our most popular English language TV show, and sparking cultural trends. We are so proud of Al Gough, Miles Millar, Tim Burton, Jenna Ortega, and the entire Wednesday cast and crew for everything they've accomplished. On the heels of its highly anticipated Season 2 return, we are thrilled to renew the iconic series for a third and to deliver more of what the fans love."

The news of a third season of Wednesday is exciting, but what can viewers expect from Season 2? According to the upcoming season's trailer, Wednesday gets a premonition that her bestie Enid Sinclair (Emma Myers) will die — and that Wednesday herself is to blame. Can Wednesday save Enid before it's too late?

Season 2 also promises new guest stars, including Steve Buscemi as Nevermore's new principal, and Lady Gaga as legendary Nevermore teacher Rosaline Rotwood. Bring on the mayhem.

Wednesday Season 2 Part 1 premieres Aug. 6 on Netflix, with Part 2 premiering Sept. 3.

SAVE $120: As of July 23, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (64GB, WiFi) is down to just $209.99, down from $329.99, at Amazon. That's 36% off, and even cheaper than it was on Prime Day.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite (64GB, WiFi) $209.99 at Amazon
$329.99 Save $120 Get Deal

If a basic tablet is what you're after, the Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite is a solid option that won't break the bank — especially since it's on sale for 36% off.

As of July 23, you can pick up the Galaxy Tab S6 Lite with 64GB of storage and WiFi connectivity for only $209.99, down from $329.99, at Amazon. That's $120 in savings and cheaper than the tablet was two weeks ago on Prime Day.

SEE ALSO: Score $500 off an unlocked Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra at Best Buy

The Amazon-exclusive tablet launched in 2024 as a reboot of the 2020 tablet of the same name. It's essentially the same tablet, but with an upgraded Exynos processor and Android 14 operating system straight out of the box. We named its predecessor one of our favorite tablets for kids in 2023, and that holds true with the new and improved model. It features an expansive 10.4-inch display with an impressive 2000 x 1200 pixel resolution, weighs just over a pound, and can last for up to 14 hours per charge. It also gives you the ability to switch from kids mode to parents mode with a quick PIN.

While RAM is limited to just 4GB and the processor isn't going to wow you with its speed, it'll still tackle basic tasks with ease. Plus, it's the cheapest way for you to get Samsung's S Pen, making it a more compelling buy. For comparison’s sake, the Apple Pencil costs $79 on its own — you can get the S Pen and the S6 Lite tablet for just $209.99.

Best tech deals

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $79.98 (List Price $99.00)

• Apple 2025 MacBook Air 13-inch Laptop — $849.00 (List Price $999.00)

• Apple AirPods Pro 2 ANC Earbuds With USB-C Charging Case — $169.00 (List Price $249.00)

Updated on Thursday, July 24 at 3:40 p.m. ET — Well, it's now official: you can now sign up for the iOS 26 beta. Apple officially opened the beta program for the upcoming version of iOS, set to release this fall. You can read our original article about this topic below.

iOS 26 has the potential to be a pretty cool upgrade, complete with a Liquid Glass design, live translations, and updates to CarPlay and Messages, which we heard about in early June at WWDC 2025. It looks like we're finally about to get access to it.

Apple said iOS 26 public beta would be available in July, according to MacRumors, and Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman posted last week that it would likely be released around today — on Wednesday, July 23. And today, in his Power On newsletter, Gurman said that "iOS 26 should go into the public beta phase this coming week."

It makes sense that we'd get iOS 26 soon. After all, previous iOS upgrades were also released in late June or July — iOS 18 was released on July 15, iOS 17 was released on July 12, iOS 16 was released on July 11, iOS 15 was released on June 30, and iOS 14 was released on July 9, according to MacRumors.

SEE ALSO: The 7 iOS 26 features only available for newer iPhones

MacRumors reported that the first public betas released at once will include the iOS 26 public beta and iPadOS 26, macOS 26, tvOS 26, watchOS 26, HomePod software 26, and the AirPods firmware update.

In order to access the update, you'll need to be a member of the Apple Beta Software Program. The program is free and anyone can become a member. Keep in mind, these features will be in beta — meaning they might be a bit buggy. As a member of the Apple Beta Software Program, users can provide feedback to Apple about those bugs.

As a reminder, iOS 26 isn't available for all iPhones. You'll need to have the iPhone SE (second generation and beyond only), the iPhone 11, Pro, and Pro Max, the iPhone 12, Mini, Pro, and Pro Max, the iPhone 13, Mini, Pro, and Pro Max, the iPhone 14, Plus, Pro, and Pro Max, the iPhone 15, Plus, Pro, and Pro Max, the iPhone 16, Plus, Pro, and Pro Max, or the iPhone 16e.

If you're a developer, these features are already available for you. As Mashable previously reported, Apple has a free tier of its Developer Program, which allows some users to access those beta features even earlier.

SAVE 85%: As of July 23, you can get your hands on the Ecovacs Deebot X2 Omni robot vacuum and mop for just $229.99, down from $1,499.99. That's an 85% discount for $1,270 in savings.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ecovacs Ecovacs Deebot X2 Omni robot vacuum and mop $229.99 at Woot
$1,499.99 Save $1,270 Get Deal

We found a deal we never thought we'd see on an advanced robot vacuum and mop.

As of July 23, the oh-so-expensive Ecovacs Deebot X2 Omni robot vacuum and mop, which typically sells for $1,499.99, is available at Woot for just $229.99. That's $1,270 off for a whopping discount of 85% — and the lowest price we've ever tracked. This deal is only available for about a month or until it sells out, so you'll want to act fast.

When this robot vacuum first came out in September 2023, we were floored by its futuristic OMNI station that offers a completely automated, hands-free cleaning experience. After cleaning, the robot returns to the station to auto-empty its dustbin into a bag that holds up to 90 days of debris. The station then washes the mop pads with hot water (131 degrees Fahrenheit), dries them with hot air to prevent odors, and refills the robot’s onboard water tank.

SEE ALSO: Is this the most advanced robot vacuum in the world? Meet the X2 Omni from Ecovacs

The vacuum's square shape gives it an advantage in cleaning edges and corners, and its performance backs it up. It packs a powerful 8,000Pa of suction and features an extra-long rubber brush that’s ideal for picking up pet hair and crumbs. It uses a combination of dual-laser LiDAR and AI-powered learning to avoid obstacles. Plus, when the robot senses it's on a carpet or rug, it automatically lifts its mop pads by 15mm to avoid getting them wet.

It's rare to find a robot vacuum with this level of power, automation, and intelligence, and it's practically unheard of to find it at this price point.

Best home and kitchen deals

• Skylight Frame 10-inch Digital Picture Frame — $139.99

• Ninja Crispi Air Fryer — $159.95 (List Price $179.99)

• Birdfy AI Smart Solar Powered Bird Feeder with Camera — $159.99 (List Price $249.99)

• KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt Head Stand Mixer — $379.95 (List Price $499.99)

• Eufy Omni C20 Robot Vacuum and Mop With Self-Emptying Base — $419.99 (List Price $699.99)

On Wednesday morning, President Donald Trump unveiled the highly-anticipated AI Action Plan.

The report outlining federal AI policy actions focuses on three major areas, or pillars designed to ensure U.S. AI dominance and promote economic progress domestically.

As expected, it pulls back on regulations targeting tech companies described as "onerous" and "bureaucratic red tape," includes many provisions on expanding AI infrastructure within the country, and lays out a case for establishing U.S. AI technology as the global standard for "like-minded nations" over adversarial countries like China.

The lengthy and broad-sweeping document will be the subject of in-depth analysis for days to come, but there a several key policies that immediately stand out.

Trump wants "anti-woke" AI and control over state AI regulation

Within the document, the Trump Administration recommends federal agencies to work with companies developing frontier large language models (LLMs) that "ensure that their systems are objective and free from top-down ideological bias," which is the formal way of addressing the AI models deemed too liberal-augmented or "woke." The announcement mandates, "AI systems must be free from ideological bias and be designed to pursue objective truth rather than social engineering agendas when users seek factual information or analysis."

As part of accelerating AI development, the plan recommends the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to restrict federal funding for states whose regulations "may hinder the effectiveness of that funding or award."

Data centers could be built on public land

The action plan also focuses AI infrastructure and boosting AI manufacturing in the U.S. This includes building data centers, enabling easier access for permits by deregulating certain environmental standards, and upskilling relevant workforces like electricians and HVAC technicians.

This section also includes an alarming recommendation about using federal lands available for manufacturing data centers.

Trump wants to tighten access to American AI tech

A major pillar of the plan focuses on promoting American AI technology abroad. "The United States must meet global demand for AI by exporting its full AI technology stack—hardware, models, software, applications, and standards—to all countries willing to join America’s AI alliance. The report also recommends the Department of Commerce (DOC), the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), and the National Security Council (NSC) to strengthen exports control of valuable chips to make sure they don't wind up in "countries of concern."

SEE ALSO: AI-generated songs are showing up under deceased artists on Spotify

Elsewhere, the plan recommends federal agencies focused on domestic labor and economics, to "study AI’s impact on the labor market," and build programs for retraining of workers impacted by AI job replacement.

Little discussed in the policy world until now, announcements addresses the sometime subjective and insufficient evaluations of AI models. Rigorous evaluations can be a critical tool in defining and measuring AI reliability and performance in regulated industries," the report said. "Over time, regulators should explore the use of evaluations in their application of existing law to AI systems."

There's lots to unpack here and even more to assess how theses mandates play out. Stay tuned for more of our coverage on what this means for the AI industry and its broader impact on our world.

As large language models (LLMs) become foundational to modern AI systems, the ability to run them at scale—efficiently, reliably, and in near real-time—is no longer a nice-to-have. It’s essential. The Semantic Telemetry project tackles this challenge by applying LLM-based classifiers to hundreds of millions of sampled, anonymized Bing Chat conversations each week. These classifiers extract signals like user expertise, primary topic, and satisfaction, enabling deeper insight into human-AI interactions and driving continuous system improvement.

But building a pipeline that can handle this volume isn’t just about plugging into an API. It requires a high-throughput, high-performance architecture that can orchestrate distributed processing, manage token and prompt complexity, and gracefully handle the unpredictability of remote LLM endpoints.

In this latest post in our series on Semantic Telemetry, we’ll walk through the engineering behind that system—how we designed for scale from the start, the trade-offs we made, and the lessons we learned along the way. From batching strategies and token optimization and orchestration, we’ll share what it takes to build a real-time LLM classification pipeline.

For additional project background: Semantic Telemetry: Understanding how users interact with AI systems and Engagement, user expertise, and satisfaction: Key insights from the Semantic Telemetry Project.

Blog Semantic Telemetry: Understanding how users interact with AI systems  Blog Engagement, user expertise, and satisfaction: Key insights from the Semantic Telemetry Project  System architecture highlights

The Semantic Telemetry pipeline (opens in new tab) is a highly-scalable, highly-configurable, data transformation pipeline. While it follows a familiar ETL structure, several architectural innovations make it uniquely suited for high-throughput LLM integration:

• Hybrid compute engine
  The pipeline combines the distributed power of PySpark with the speed and simplicity of Polars, enabling it to scale across large datasets or run lightweight jobs in Spark-less environments—without code changes.
• LLM-centric transformation layer
  At the core of the pipeline is a multi-stage transformation process tailored for running across multiple LLM endpoints such that:
  • Runs model agnostic. Provides a generic interface for LLMs and adopts model specific interfaces built from a generic interface.
  • Prompt templates are defined using the Prompty language specification for consistency and reuse, with options for users to include custom prompts.
  • Parsing and cleaning logic ensures structured, schema-aligned outputs, even when LLM responses are imperfect such as removing extra characters in output, resolving not-exact label matches (i.e. “create” versus “created”) and relabeling invalid classifications.

Figure 1. Architecture diagram

The pipeline supports multiple classification tasks (e.g., user expertise, topic, satisfaction) through modular prompt templates and configurable execution paths—making it easy to adapt to new use cases or environments.

Engineering challenges & solutions

Building a high-throughput, LLM-powered classification pipeline at scale introduced a range of engineering challenges—from managing latency and token limits to ensuring system resilience. Below are the key hurdles we encountered and how we addressed them.

LLM endpoint latency & variability

Challenge: LLM endpoints, especially those hosted remotely (e.g., Azure OpenAI), introduce unpredictable latency due to model load, prompt complexity, and network variability. This made it difficult to maintain consistent throughput across the pipeline.

Solution: We implemented a combination of:

• Multiple Azure OpenAI endpoints in rotation to increase throughput and distribute workload. We can analyze throughput and redistribute as needed.
• Saving output in intervals to write data asynchronously in case of network errors.
• Utilizing models with higher tokens per minute (TPM) such as OpenAI’s GPT-4o mini. GPT-4o mini had a 2M TPM limit which is a 25x throughput increase from GPT-4 (80K TPM -> 2M TPM)
• Timeouts and retries with exponential backoff.

Evolving LLM models & prompt alignment

Challenge: Each new LLM release—such as Phi, Mistral, DeepSeek, and successive generations of GPT (e.g., GPT-3.5, GPT-4, GPT-4 Turbo, GPT-4o)—brings improvements, but also subtle behavioral shifts. These changes can affect classification consistency, output formatting, and even the interpretation of prompts. Maintaining alignment with baseline expectations across models became a moving target.

Solution: We developed a model evaluation workflow to test prompt alignment across LLM versions:

• Small-sample testing: We ran the pipeline on a representative sample using the new model and compared the output distribution to a known baseline.
• Distribution analysis: If the new model’s output aligned closely, we scaled up testing. If not, we iteratively tuned the prompts and re-ran comparisons.
• Interpretation flexibility: We also recognized that a shift in distribution isn’t always a regression. Sometimes it reflects a more accurate or nuanced classification, especially as models improve.

To support this process, we used tools like Sammo (opens in new tab), which allowed us to compare outputs across multiple models and prompt variants. This helped us quantify the impact of prompt changes and model upgrades and make informed decisions about when to adopt a new model or adjust our classification schema.

Dynamic concurrency scaling for LLM calls

Challenge: LLM endpoints frequently encounter rate limits and inconsistent response times under heavy usage. The models’ speeds can also vary, complicating the selection of optimal concurrency levels. Furthermore, users may choose suboptimal settings due to lack of familiarity, and default concurrency configurations are rarely ideal for every situation. Dynamic adjustments based on throughput, measured in various ways, can assist in determining optimal concurrency levels.

Solution: We implemented a dynamic concurrency control mechanism that proactively adjusts the number of parallel LLM calls based on real-time system behavior:

• External task awareness: The system monitors the number of parallel tasks running across the pipeline (e.g., Spark executors or async workers) and uses this to inform the initial concurrency level.
• Success/failure rate monitoring: The system tracks the rolling success and failure rates of LLM calls. A spike in failures triggers a temporary reduction in concurrency, while sustained success allows for gradual ramp-up.
• Latency-based feedback loop: Instead of waiting for rate-limit errors, measure the response time of LLM calls. If latency increases, reduce concurrency; if latency decreases and success rates remain high, cautiously scale up.

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Listen now Opens in a new tab Optimization experiments

To further improve throughput and efficiency, we ran a series of optimization experiments. Each approach came with trade-offs that we carefully measured.

Batch endpoints (Azure/OpenAI)

Batch endpoints are a cost-effective, moderately high-throughput way of executing LLM requests. Batch endpoints process large lists of LLM prompts over a 24-hour period, recording responses in a file. They are about 50% cheaper than non-batch endpoints and have separate token limits, enabling increased throughput when used alongside regular endpoints. However, they require at least 24 hours to complete requests and provide lower overall throughput compared to non-batch endpoints, making them unsuitable for situations needing quick results.

Conversation batching in prompts during pipeline runtime

Batching multiple conversations for classification at once can significantly increase throughput and reduce token usage, but it may impact the accuracy of results. In our experiment with a domain classifier, classifying 10 conversations simultaneously led to an average of 15-20% of domain assignments changing between repeated runs of the same prompt. To address this, one mitigation approach is to use a grader LLM prompt: first classify the batch, then have the LLM identify any incorrectly classified conversations, and finally re-classify those as needed. While batching offers efficiency gains, it is important to monitor for potential drops in classification quality.

Combining classifiers in a single prompt

Combining multiple classifiers into a single prompt increases throughput by allowing one call to the LLM instead of multiple calls. This not only multiplies the overall throughput by the number of classifiers processed but also reduces the total number of tokens used, since the conversation text is only passed in once. However, this approach may compromise classification accuracy, so results should be closely monitored.

Classification using text embeddings

An alternative approach is to train custom neural network models for each classifier using only the text embeddings of conversations. This method delivers both cost and time savings by avoiding making multiple LLM requests for every classifier and conversation—instead, the system only needs to request conversation text embeddings once and can reuse these embeddings across all classifier models.

For example, starting with a set of conversations to validate and test the new model, run these conversations through the original prompt-based classifier to generate a set of golden classifications, then obtain text embeddings (using a tool like text-embedding-3-large) for each conversation. These embeddings and their corresponding classifications are used to train a model such as a multi-layer perceptron. In production, the workflow involves retrieving the text embedding for each conversation and passing it through the trained model; if there is a model for each classifier, a single embedding retrieval per conversation suffices for all classifiers.

The benefits of this approach include significantly increased throughput and cost savings—since it’s not necessary to call the LLM for every classifier and conversation. However, this setup can require GPU compute which can increase costs and infrastructure complexity, and the resulting models may not achieve the same accuracy as prompt-based classification methods.

Prompt compression

Compressing prompts by eliminating unnecessary tokens or by using a tool such as LLMLingua (opens in new tab) to automate prompt compression can optimize classification prompts either ahead of time or in real-time. This approach increases overall throughput and results in cost savings due to a reduced number of tokens, but there are risks: changes to the classifier prompt or conversation text may impact classification accuracy, and depending on the compression technique, it could even decrease throughput if the compression process takes longer than simply sending uncompressed text to the LLM.

Text truncation

Truncating conversations to a specific length limits the overall number of tokens sent through an endpoint, offering cost savings and increased throughput like prompt compression. By reducing the number of tokens per request, throughput rises because more requests can be made before reaching the endpoint’s tokens-per-minute (TPM) limit, and costs decrease due to fewer tokens being processed. However, the ideal truncation length depends on both the classifiers and the conversation content, so it’s important to assess how truncation affects output quality before implementation. While this approach brings clear efficiency benefits, it also poses a risk: long conversations may have their most important content cut off, which can reduce classification accuracy.

Conclusion

Building a scalable, high-throughput pipeline for LLM-based classification is far from trivial. It requires navigating a constantly shifting landscape of model capabilities, prompt behaviors, and infrastructure constraints. As LLMs become faster, cheaper, and more capable, they’re unlocking new possibilities for real-time understanding of human-AI interactions at scale. The techniques we’ve shared represent a snapshot of what’s working today. But more importantly, they offer a foundation for what’s possible tomorrow.

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The post Technical approach for classifying human-AI interactions at scale appeared first on Microsoft Research.

If your TikTok FYP is full of people doing an impressive pose — one that also looks wildly uncomfortable — you can blame that trend on pop star Nicki Minaj. If you've not seen this trend, imagine the weird 2010s planking fad, but instead of lying flat, people are posing in nearly impossible ways.

The trend can actually be traced back to the 2013 Minaj track "High School." In the music video for the song, she poses poolside, one leg over the other, carefully balanced in high heels.

Credit: Screenshot: YouTube / Nick Minaj

People on TikTok somehow resurfaced this pose and have taken it to new degrees. In fact, the top comments on the YouTube video for the song are about the new trend.

As TikTok trends typically go, people have played with the pose and, frankly, made it even more difficult. People have done it with just one leg on the ground, or balanced on weights, or on a beer can. Seriously: People are balancing, in that pose, on a platform as tiny as a beer can. How?! Users have even compiled some of the most impressive poses into highlight reels of sorts.

The trend goes to show that anything can be found and repurposed online, even a dozen years later. It also goes to show that some folks possess balance I cannot even dream of obtaining.

SAVE $65: The Ember Mug 2 (10 ounces, white) is on sale for $64.99 at Woot during the Back to School sale with code SCHOOLTEN, marked down from the list price of $129.99. That's a 50% discount and a lower price than we've ever spotted at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ember Ember Mug 2 (10 ounces, white) $64.99 at Woot
$129.99 Save $65.00 with code SCHOOLTEN Get Deal

While the temps continue to climb during summer, eventually the fall chill will arrive, and we'll be back to craving hot coffee. If you tend to forget about your coffee, tea, or hot chocolate and wind up chugging your mug that's now filled with a room-temperature beverage, check out this great Woot deal today.

As of July 23, the Ember Mug 2 (10 ounces, white) is just $64.99 at Woot with code SCHOOLTEN. That's a 50% discount compared to the list price of $129.99, and a lower price than we've ever spotted at Amazon. In total, you'll save $65.

The Ember Mug 2 is your new best friend if you're over drinking lukewarm coffee. Ember gifted us with a self-heating, battery-powered mug that ensures we never have to groan about cold coffee again.

The Ember Mug 2 can keep your drink at your desired temperature for up to 1.5 hours, and you can select that perfect temperature from a range of 120 to 145 degrees. The included charging coaster gives you unlimited hours of temperature-controlled beverage, which means this is perfect to use at home, the office, or in your dorm room.

SEE ALSO: Walmart is having a huge sale on live plants and planters

The Ember Mug 2 can also sense when it's empty, and will automatically go into sleep mode. It also does this after two hours of inactivity, and will wake up once it senses liquid being added or movement.

Since this is a record-low price, consider grabbing one for the teacher in your life, or even checking off some people on your holiday purchase list.

Woot deals tend to sell out in a flash, and since this is a huge 50% off, we don't expect it to last long. If you're no longer accepting tepid coffee, grab the Ember Mug 2 for just $64.99 at Woot while it's still in stock.

The best home and kitchen deals to shop this week

• Skylight Frame 10-inch Digital Picture Frame — $139.99

• Ninja Crispi Air Fryer — $159.95 (List Price $179.99)

• Birdfy AI Smart Solar Powered Bird Feeder with Camera — $159.99 (List Price $249.99)

• KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt Head Stand Mixer — $379.95 (List Price $499.99)

• Eufy Omni C20 Robot Vacuum and Mop With Self-Emptying Base — $419.99 (List Price $699.99)

SAVE $29.59: As of July 23, the Bissell Little Green Machine is down to $94 at Amazon, saving you 24%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bissell Bissell Little Green Machine, 1400B $94 at Amazon
$123.59 Save $29.59 Get Deal

When I first moved in with my partner and their cat, the first purchase we made was the Bissell Little Green Machine. Our precious cat, Toby, is the love of our lives, but like any pet, he creates plenty of messes for us to clean-up. If we want to decorate our home with rugs, then the Bissell Little Green Machine is crucial. And right now, it's on sale for $94.

As of July 23, the Bissell Little Green Machine is down to $94, down from $123.59, at Amazon. That saves you $29.59 for 24% off.

SEE ALSO: I'm constantly testing Roombas at home. Here are the ones worth buying in 2025.

This carpet and upholstery cleaner is simple and effective. You fill one tank with cleaning solution, which dispenses through the nozzle head. Then, the motor suctions up the cleaning solution and targeted stains. Once you're done cleaning, just dump out the dirty water, which collects in the opposite water tank. It's best used to spot clean, as the small brush head can't cover large surface areas.

The Bissell Little Green Machine keeps our carpets looking fresh, even when our cat is committed to keeping them dirty. Right now, grab this Bissell carpet cleaner for just $94.

Best home and kitchen deals

• Skylight Frame 10-inch Digital Picture Frame — $139.99

• Ninja Crispi Air Fryer — $159.95 (List Price $179.99)

• Birdfy AI Smart Solar Powered Bird Feeder with Camera — $159.99 (List Price $249.99)

• KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-Quart Tilt Head Stand Mixer — $379.95 (List Price $499.99)

• Eufy Omni C20 Robot Vacuum and Mop With Self-Emptying Base — $419.99 (List Price $699.99)

SAVE $104: As of July 23, get the Apple iPad (10th Gen, 256GB, WiFi) at Amazon for $395, down from its usual price of $499. That's a discount of 21%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Apple iPad (10th Gen, 256GB, WiFi) $395 at Amazon
$499 Save $104 Get Deal

Ready to lock in a new tablet? An iPad is always a great idea, and the 10th gen iPad (released in 2022) is one of the best models you can get at an affordable price at the moment. If you're looking to bring one home, look no further than Amazon, where you can get one for lower than its Prime Day price.

As of July 23, get the Apple iPad (10th Gen, 256GB, WiFi) at Amazon for $395, down from its usual price of $499. That's $104 off and a discount of 21%. This price only applies to the blue colorway, but if you don't like that hue, you can always add a case so that shade is out of sight, out of mind.

SEE ALSO: The best tablets in 2025

This iPad has a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display and is powered by the A14 Bionic chip. That means it's great for handling a range of tasks, from streaming your favorite shows and movies to browsing or working on the go. Its all-day battery life is married to a camera array with a 12MP Ultra Wide front camera and a 12MP back camera, with 4K video capabilities.

Most importantly, it's affordable and reliable, giving you options to break into the iOS ecosystem, especially if you already have a MacBook or iPhone and want to have an extension of those devices at your fingertips. It likely won't last long at this price, and only one hue is on sale, so be sure to grab yours while you can.

Best tech deals

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $79.98 (List Price $99.00)

• Apple 2025 MacBook Air 13-inch Laptop — $849.00 (List Price $999.00)

• Apple AirPods Pro 2 ANC Earbuds With USB-C Charging Case — $169.00 (List Price $249.00)

Keanu Reeves gets an angelic makeover in the upcoming comedy Good Fortune.

Written and directed by Aziz Ansari (Parks and Recreation, Master of None) in his directorial debut, the film stars Reeves as Gabriel, a guardian angel. (Not to be confused with the angel Gabriel.) While you might think of these custodians as performing great deeds of life-changing kindness, Gabriel is more of a "budget guardian angel." He mostly just steps in to save people from texting and driving.

However, Gabriel finds an opportunity to make a meaningful impact when he crosses paths with lost soul Arj (Ansari), a down-on-his-luck gig worker. Arj spends much of his time in the service of wealthy jerks like tech bro Jeff (Seth Rogen), and as much as he hates them, he also yearns to live their lavish lifestyle.

Gabriel, sensing a chance to change Arj's life for the better, decides that in order to get Arj to appreciate his own existence, he should show him that Jeff's life isn't all it's cracked up to be. He swaps Jeff and Arj's places to teach his ward that money won't solve all his problems. There's just one issue: Arj quickly realizes that living like Jeff does, in fact, solve all his problems. Who could have seen that coming? Certainly not Gabriel.

To watch angel Keanu in action and see the Jeff-Arj switcheroo in all its glory, check out the full trailer above.

In addition to Reeves, Ansari, and Rogen, Good Fortune also stars Sandra Oh and Keke Palmer.

Good Fortune hits theaters Oct. 17.

SAVE $111.01: As of July 23, get the Apple Watch SE (2nd gen) for $137.99 at Walmart. That's the smartwatch's lowest price ever, giving you 45% off.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch SE (2nd gen, GPS, 40mm) $137.99 at Walmart
$249 Save $111.01 Get Deal

As deal hunters, spotting a product's new lowest price ever is just part of the job, but that still doesn't diminish the excitement. The latest device to reach its lowest price ever is the Apple Watch SE (2nd gen), which just dropped to $137.99 at Walmart.

Normally $249, the Apple Watch SE's sale price of $137.99 saves you $111.01 for nearly 45% off. The previous all-time low price was in November 2024, when the watch dropped to $149.

SEE ALSO: Attention: Apple AirPods 4 are back under $100 at Amazon

We usually spot the best deals at Amazon, who's known to match the lowest prices at other retailers. However, Amazon has yet to match this $137.99 price tag, so the best place to buy an Apple Watch right now is Walmart.

The Apple Watch SE is Apple's budget smartwatch, but that doesn't mean it skimps on features. With GPS, it helps track your distance and routes during workouts. It's the ideal fitness companion, offering insights into your workouts and safety features like irregular heart rhythm and fall detection. Plus, it offers convenient communication, allowing you to take a call, send a text, and play music — all from your wrist.

Best tech deals

• Apple AirTag (4-Pack) — $79.98 (List Price $99.00)

• Apple 2025 MacBook Air 13-inch Laptop — $849.00 (List Price $999.00)

• Apple AirPods Pro 2 ANC Earbuds With USB-C Charging Case — $169.00 (List Price $249.00)

With The Fantastic Four: First Steps starring Pedro Pascal, Vanessa Kirby, Ebon Moss-Bachrach, and Joseph Quinn about to hit cinemas, you might be remembering it's not the first time the First Family of the MCU has hit the big screen in their bodysuits. But where can you stream the previous Fantastic Four movies to get hyped for the new one?

Here's a guide for you, but we're not saying all of these movies are actually fantastic.

SEE ALSO: ‘The Fantastic Four: First Steps’ review: One of the best MCU films in years 1994's Fantastic Four animated series

Before we get into the not-so-fantastic movies, the 1994 Fantastic Four animated series is streaming on Disney+. Written by Ron Friedman and Glenn Leopold and based on Stan Lee and Jack Kirby's Marvel comics, the series will clue you into how Reed Richards (Mr. Fantastic), Sue Storm (Invisible Woman), Ben Grimm (The Thing), and Johnny Storm (Human Torch) got their powers and includes episodes where they take on the mighty Silver Surfer and Galactus — the villains at the heart of The Fantastic Four: First Steps.

How to watch: Fantastic Four (1994) is now streaming on Disney+.

Roger Corman's 1994 live action film The Fantastic Four has become infamous for never being released in cinemas or on TV, so however you find that is up to you.

The mid-2000s Fantastic Four movies Chris Evans, Ioan Gruffudd, Jessica Alba, and Michael Chiklis made two 'Fantastic Four' movies. Credit: Moviestore / Shutterstock

Back in the mid-2000s, Hornblower fans were treated to Ioan Gruffudd as Reed Richards, alongside Sin City/Honey era Jessica Alba as Sue Storm. The Shield's Michael Chiklis took on a forlorn Ben Grimm and a pre-Captain America Chris Evans is a wise-cracking Johnny Storm — Evans made a cameo in last year's Deadpool and Wolverine in his original bratty MCU role.

This talented cast starred in two bodysuit-forward 20th Century Fox movies directed by Tim Story: 2005's Fantastic Four (with the late Julian McMahon as brooding businessman Victor Von Doom/Doctor Doom; and 2007's Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer (with Laurence Fishburne voicing the pearly villain played by Doug Jones). And yes, Stan Lee makes a cameo in both. Unfortunately, both movies were critically panned, but have built a loyal audience of defenders online. I definitely saw both at the cinema and may have owned them on DVD for the narrative.

How to watch: Fantastic Four and Fantastic Four: Rise of the Silver Surfer are both streaming on Disney+.

Featured Video For You Marvel's 'Agatha All Along' and SNL star Sasheer Zamata plays 'Slash or Pass: Witches Edition' The 2015 Fantastic Four reboot Jamie Bell, Michael B. Jordan, Miles Teller, and Kate Mara led the reboot. Credit: 20th Century Fox / Marvel / Kobal / Shutterstock

Then, in 2015, Fantastic Four saw the First Family completely recast and aged down in another critically panned movie. It was an undeniably superstar cast, with future Black Panther supervillain Michael B. Jordan as Johnny Storm, Kate Mara as Sue Storm, Miles Teller as Reed Richards, and Jamie Bell as Ben Grimm, taking on Servant's Toby Kebbell as Dr. Doom. Unfortunately, it was even more critically panned than the 2000s versions. Equally as bodysuit-forward though.

How to watch: Fantastic Four is streaming on Disney+.

And never forget, you can catch John Krasinski as Mr. Fantastic in a cameo from Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, now streaming on Disney+.

The best Disney+ deals and bundles Best Bundle Deal Disney+, Hulu, HBO Max Bundle $16.99/month with ads, $29.99/month ad-free Get Deal Best Basic Bundle Deal Disney+, Hulu Bundle Basic Disney+ and Hulu with ads for $10.99 per month Get Deal

SAVE $250: The JBL PartyBox 710 is on sale for $599.95 at Amazon, down from the usual price of $849.95. That's a 29% discount and a better price than we saw during Prime Day.

Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL PartyBox 710 $599.95 at Amazon
$849.95 Save $250 Get Deal

What's a party without tunes? Summer weekends are dwindling quickly and if you have parties on the agenda, Amazon has a must-have gathering essential on a deep discount today.

As of July 23, the JBL PartyBox 710 is on sale for $599.95 at Amazon, marked down from the standard price of $849.95. That works out to a savings of $250 from a 29% discount. Today's sale price is significantly better than what we saw during Prime Day earlier in July.

The JBL PartyBox 710 is designed to be the center of the party. With massive sound, deep base, and built-in lights, this party speaker will earn you an invite to all the best gatherings. JBL added some portability features like wheels and a handle to help get this speaker to every party. Plus, it comes with an IPX4 rating, so you won't have any issue with splashes from the pool party.

SEE ALSO: Get this spooky Wednesday Addams Lego set ahead of the season 2 premiere

The JBL comes with 800 watts of sound, dual 2.75-inch tweeters, and eight-inch woofers. With the JBL app, sync the lights to your music for the ultimate party experience.

There's still plenty of party time this summer to get tons of use out of the JBL PartyBox 710. And consider what it could add to your Halloween display or December's holiday gatherings. Thanks to Amazon's 29% discount, you can snag the life of the party, the JBL PartyBox 710, for under $600.

Pedro Pascal has been feverishly promoting The Fantastic Four: First Steps recently, but the reason we're seeing his smiley face in so many places is that he's also promoting Eddington.

In the clip above he joins co-star Joaquin Phoenix for a trip down movie memory lane, with A24 bringing up images from each other's old movies for them to comment on and tell stories about.

The biggest takeaway? Pascal once wrote a play called Flaca Loves Bone, based on some graffiti he saw, about "a trans heroine" and the "young man that falls in love with her."

SAVE $30: As of July 23, the Apple AirPods 4 without ANC are back down to $99 from $129. That's $30 off for a 23% discount, and just $10 away from their best-ever price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods 4 $99 at Amazon
$129 Save $30 Get Deal

It's been a crazy month for Apple AirPods 4. They dropped to a record-low price on Prime Day — just $89 — then shot right back up to full price. Now, two weeks post-Prime Day, they're back on sale for under $100.

As of July 23, you can grab a pair of AirPods 4 (without ANC) for only $99 at Amazon. That's $30 off the regular price of $129 for a 23% discount — and just $10 away from their best price on record.

SEE ALSO: The best Apple deals this week: MacBooks, AirPods, and more

Apple's fourth-generation standard AirPods are a force to be reckoned with for the price. They feature personalized spatial audio, Siri interactions, voice isolation, a snug and comfortable fit, improved bass, mids, and highs, and a more compact charging case (that's also easier to find). They don't have active noise cancellation (that will cost you an extra $69.99), but as our reviewer noted, "They sound like honey."

Our friends at PCMag (also owned by publisher Ziff Davis) spent some time with the AirPods 4 without ANC and wrote that while they lack some of the advanced features of the ones with noise cancellation, they share an essential trait: "The AirPods 4 deliver excellent audio performance that's capable of reproducing sub-bass." Basically, if you don't care about noise cancellation, the standard earbuds sound just as good and will cost you a significant amount less.

Snag a pair for under $100 while you can.

Best audio deals

• Soundcore by Anker P20i True Wireless Earbuds — $24.99 (List Price $39.99)

• JBL Flip 6 Portable Bluetooth Speaker — $99.00 (List Price $129.95)

• Bose SoundLink Flex Portable Speaker — $99.00 (List Price $149.00)

• Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones — $278.00 (List Price $349.99)

• JBL Bar 300 5.0ch Compact Soundbar — $449.95

• Sony WH-CH520 Wireless Headphones   — $38.00 (List Price $59.99)

AppleCare, Apple's warranty and support plan, has just gotten bigger.

On Wednesday, the company introduced AppleCare One, a subscription plan that covers multiple Apple products. It starts at $19.99 per month, and covers up to three Apple products, with the option to add more devices to the plan for an additional $5.99 per month.

This is different from AppleCare+, which still exists and covers a single Apple product.

SEE ALSO: Apple's new iPad Pro might solve an old camera issue with the simplest solution ever

The pricing is the same regardless of which three Apple devices you choose, and you can add any recently purchased product (or product currently covered by AppleCare+) to the plan. There are some caveats here, though; the devices you already own must be in good condition and four years old or newer (the single exception are headphones which must be under one year old).

Furthermore, the AppleCare One plan cannot be extended to all of your family's devices; only the devices that are on the same Apple Account as the subscriber can be added.

Featured Video For You How 28 Years Later Was Shot on an iPhone What's included in AppleCare One?

So what do you get for your money? Besides all the benefits that come with AppleCare+ (unlimited repairs for accidents like drop and spills, 24/7 support, Apple-certified service, and battery coverage), the AppleCare One plan also expands theft and loss protection to cover not just the iPhone, but also the iPad and Apple Watch.

The new AppleCare One plan will be available on Thursday, July 24, in the U.S. Customers can sign up directly on their iPhone, iPad, or Mac, or at a physical Apple Store.