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Functions are the driving force of any Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, generating a single value or an array of results based on certain arguments you input. However, combining—or nesting—functions allows you to take advantage of more than one function's capabilities at the same time.

As someone who prefers smaller phones, it’s always been a bummer that Google reserves certain cameras for the bigger Pixel “Pro” models. That’s finally changing with the Pixel 10, and I’m very excited.

Internet search engines used to be purely about what's best for you and me, and giving us what we're looking for. Now, search engines don't want to guide you to information on the internet. Instead, they want to be the "source" of that information, and that's not an incentive for a good experience.

SpaceX is again battling states over internet funding, as the company pushes a satellite-first agenda amid a growing need for direct internet connections.

In a filing submitted to the Louisiana Office of Broadband Development and Connectivity on August 15, the company accused the state of wasting taxpayer money and succumbing to pressure from so-called "fiber lobbyists" by dedicating $400 million to state fiber installations and only $$7.7 million to Starlink deployment. SpaceX argues that it can connect "virtually all" in-need households for less than $100 million. Last week, SpaceX levied the same accusations against a Virginia funding proposal, which only gave $3.2 million to the telecom company.

SEE ALSO: OpenAI's Sam Altman warns of AI bubble

Satellite internet companies like Elon Musk's Starlink have pushed for more dedicated funding to Low Earth Orbit satellites (LEOs) and fixed wireless broadband, arguing that it is a more cost-effective option for mass internet deployment than dedicated fiber connections. The Trump administration has penned deals with Starlink, as well as an unsanctioned deployment of Starlink WiFi at the White House, and the company has pushed for greater federal support from agencies like the FCC.

But rural internet advocates don't agree that satellite internet is a cure-all for disconnected Americans. While great options for areas encumbered by geographic hurdles and in emergency communications, satellite connections pose a scalability issue for universal coverage, and do little to solve an increasing gap between high-speed and low-speed areas. Additionally, advocates have posed concerns about satellite network capacity and access to necessary spectrum bandwidth. LEOs are significantly less reliable than fiber, too, and they can't offer the faster, gigabit speeds that fiber projects will enable.

Trump vs. broadband access

SpaceX's stance reflects a shift in priorities for the new administration and FCC. Earlier this month, the Trump administration adjusted state internet grant requirements overseen by the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). Spotted in a revised FAQ for grant proposals, states can now be shut out of federal broadband funding if they attempt to govern the base price of high-speed internet plans offered to low-income households. Such programs are mandated under the funding process for Broadband Equity, Access, and Deployment (BEAD) grants, which require ISPs to offer low-cost broadband service options for eligible subscribers if they get federal BEAD money to build out internet access — some states have stepped in to ensure those "lower" cost plans are actually affordable.

The NTIA has also restricted setting standards for what are known as "community anchor institutions," a previously flexible designation that allows states to secure funds for institutions and organizations that provide community support — like libraries, hospitals, colleges, and other services that aren't necessarily state-operated.

The Biden administration announced the $42 million BEAD program in 2023, following the history-making Tribal Connectivity Program (launched under the Affordability Connectivity Program) that sought to address a growing digital divide — it wasn't just about access to the internet, but access to reliable, high-speed internet most often achieved through fiber connections. BEAD's Middle Mile program dedicated funding to connecting rural, disconnected communities to high-speed broadband internet with new fiber infrastructure (a "Fiber First" stipulation). Broadband speed goals were then redefined by the FCC in 2024, considered a win among internet-for-all advocates.

But fiber deployment projects funded under BEAD have been torpedoed by the new administration under new "technology neutral" guidelines. Trump's FCC chair, Brendan Carr, has scaled back previous broadband speed goals to make room for telecom and media allies in his fight to limit free speech protections.

The Google Pixel 10 series is officially out and, to no one's surprise, numerous AI features are packed into the new phones.

The event took a very different approach from previous keynotes, by bringing on a whole lot of star power to explain how people can use AI features on their Pixel devices in everyday life. Usefulness was definitely the theme of this year's Made By Google event.

Rick Osterloh, senior VP of devices and services, described today's offerings as "personal intelligence," referring to the ways Google's various AI features cater to users' individual lives. Osterloh also mentioned an "agentic universal AI assistant" coming later this year, so stay tuned for news on AI features designed to be more proactive and do tasks on your behalf.

With the help of Jimmy Fallon, podcast mogul Alex Cooper, YouTube star Karen Polinesia, and others, Google showed off some sleek demos of the Pixel 10 series' AI features. Here's a roundup of the major features announced today.

Voice translate

One of the more exciting live demos was the Google Pixel 10's new Voice Translate feature, which translates conversations in real-time. Fallon and Polinesia held a live conversation where Fallon spoke in English and Polinesia spoke in Spanish, and the Pixel 10 translated the conversation, matching their voices and tones.

Voice Translate also shows a live transcript of the translated conversation. Credit: Screenshot: Mashable / Google

This is similar to a live translation in the Meet feature Google launched at I/O last spring. However, while that feature required a Google AI Premium subscription, Voice Translate is freely available on Pixel 10 phones thanks to a combination of AI models powered by the Tensor G5 chip. This also means translations are processed on device, keeping your conversations private.

Magic Cue

Think of Magic Cue as an AI assistant that proactively finds information you might need to look up. It works across apps like Gmail, Calendar, Screenshots, and Messages to suggest relevant information. The live demo showed how a question about where to meet for dinner pulled up information about a preexisting dinner reservation in Fallon's calendar and recommended the message to send. This also worked with flight info and photos.

Magic Cue preemptively suggests a response based on info it finds on your Pixel 10. Credit: Screenshot: Mashable / Google

We anticipate that some users might find these "helpful" suggestions a little too invasive, so Google says you can turn Magic Cue off and control what apps it has access to.

AI features for the Google Pixel 10 camera

For those who strive to be more creative, why not outsource all the creativity to your phone? That was definitely the message Google sent when demo-ing new AI features for the Pixel 10 series camera.

Ask Gemini for photo editing help: With Cooper's help, Google showed how you can edit photos by typing directions in Gemini, like fix the lighting or the framing and voila, a perfect photo every time.

All of your photos can be perfected by AI now. Credit: Screenshot: Mashable / Google

Camera Coach: If you're trying to take the perfect shot, but don't know where to start, Google also introduced something called Camera Coach. You could experiment with different angles, lighting, and frames yourself to develop your own personal photography style, or you could let Camera Coach tell you what to do. With this setting, Camera Coach guides you with different shot options and then gives you step-by-step instructions on how to achieve that shot.

Let Camera Coach do all the creative work. Credit: Screenshot: Mashable / Google Pixel Journal

This one wasn't announced during the live event, but it's sure to be polarizing. Pixel Journal is a journaling app, like the one Apple introduced a few years ago, but with an AI boost. The app uses "on-device AI to give you writing prompts that help you process your thoughts, and it offers insights into your patterns and progress over time," said the announcement. So if you're struggling to share your thoughts, just ask AI to write them for you.

Would you let AI read your journal? Credit: Google

We can imagine how this could be helpful for people trying to get started with journaling, but it also seems a little dystopian to have AI do it on your behalf. Isn't the point of journaling about learning to articulate your feelings? It's unclear exactly how involved Google's AI gets in your journaling practice, so we're definitely keeping an eye on this one.

Ask AI to take a Message

Google has continued to build on call screening features for the Pixel, and now that comes with asking AI to take a message. The feature, aptly named Take a Message, will transcribe any voicemails from missed calls and provide any next steps from the message.

Ask AI to take a message for your when you're busy — or don't want to answer. Credit: Google Google AI Pro subscription

If you buy a Pixel 10 Pro, Pro XL, or 10 Pro Fold, Google will give you a full year of its AI subscription, Google AI Pro. Google's lower tier subscription normally costs $20 a month and gets you more premium access to Google's various AI tools. This includes access to more advanced Gemini models, Google's AI filmmaking tool Flow, its podcast-style teaching tool Notebook LM, Gemini Gmail, Docs, other Google apps, and more.

Google's big Pixel 10 reveal event is finally (some might say mercifully) over, so let's talk about what actually matters: the cool stuff the new Pixel 10 phones can do.

The latest upgrades to the Pixel lineup are more iterative than not, promising improvements like brighter displays and bigger batteries to go with newer processors. But there are some standout new software and hardware features that are sure to appeal to plenty of people.

Of course, there are more new features than just these (check out everything we learned at Made by Google), but these are the features I'm most excited to try out for myself.

Live translation This will probably prevent some headaches. Credit: Screenshot: Google

AI features can be hit-or-miss in terms of how useful they actually are, but arguably the most significant one Google is adding with Pixel 10 is live language translation during phone calls.

It works about how you'd expect; two people speaking different languages can speak to each other, with AI doing translation on the fly. It will spit out what the other person is saying to you in your language of choice, so you can theoretically have phone chats with people from different parts of the world now. It will even maintain your unique voice, so the other person isn't just hearing a robotic translation. Plus, thanks to the new Tensor 5 chip, this translation happens on your device, offering a level of privacy.

We'll have to wait and see how well this actually works, but for now, it's a big deal.

A telephoto lens on the base model Notice anything different in the camera module? Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

For years, the standard for flagship smartphones (at least for Google and Apple) has been thus: Base models have two camera lenses, while more expensive "Pro" models have three. Google threw a wrench into that on Wednesday.

The base Pixel 10 now has a third, telephoto lens on the back. That means you can take high-quality zoom shots without buying the more expensive phone. It does come at the expense of the other two lenses, which have lower megapixel counts than before. But good software can make up for those deficiencies, and having a real zoom lens on the base model Pixel will be a game-changer for some people.

We should note that if you want the 100x zoom, you'll need to opt for the Pixel 10 Pro over the base model.

Qi2 charging Jimmy Fallon not included. Credit: Screenshot: Google

Last but not least, all of the new Pixel phones now support Qi2 wireless charging. Of course, that means the new Pixels are capable of fast wireless charging using a wide variety of supported chargers, but that's not the only significant development here.

Google is taking advantage of the new Qi2 standard with Pixelsnap, a new line of magnetic attachments (including but not limited to wireless chargers) that work natively with Pixel 10. In other words, Google made its own version of MagSafe. Not much more needs to be said about this because it's fairly self-explanatory, but having a magnet on your phone that can work with fast wireless chargers and other accessories will definitely come in handy.

Google held a celeb-studded Made By Google event on Wednesday and there was lots of news. But one new line of products could change how you charge your Pixel phone forever.

Alongside the Pixel 10 smartphones and Pixel Watch 4, Google dropped its new Pixelsnap products, which incorporate magnets to hold and prop up your phone. The line represents Google's answer to Apple's popular MagSafe charging. That means you can just slap your phone on a charger and feel confident it'll stay upright and charging. Speaking from MagSafe experience, it can prove to be a game-changer, especially for watching videos or making video calls without a stand.

The Pixelsnap accessories made their debut at the Made by Google 2025 event. Credit: Google / YouTube All the devices and accessories that debuted at Made by Google 2025. Credit: Google / YouTube

Google isn't just copying MagSafe, however. The new Pixel 10 smartphones incorporate magnets into their design to make them compatible with the new Qi2 wireless charging standard, which uses magnets to properly align phones and wireless chargers.

During the Made by Google event, Google launched a Pixelsnap charger, a charger/stand bundle, and PopSocket-esque ring stand. All three are available for pre-order and will be released on Aug. 28.

Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Pixelsnap Phone Charger $39.99 at Amazon
Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Pixelsnap Phone Charger with Stand $69.99 at Amazon
Shop Now Opens in a new window Credit: Google Pixelsnap Ring Stand $29.99 at Amazon
Shop Now

A world of possibilities just opened for Pixel users everywhere. Keep an eye out for all the new magnet-based accessories coming your way.

If you own a Windows PC or laptop, you’ve probably been told to avoid BIOS updates unless something is wrong, likely to prevent a catastrophic issue like bricking your motherboard. However, with security, performance, and compatibility all at stake, I think they're essential for all machines.

Frisbee, Seth Meyers' beloved dog and the unlikely nemesis of comedian Andy Samberg, passed away this week at the age of 14. RIP to a legend. But even in death, Frisbee managed to earn the last laugh — and possibly exact one final revenge.

First, her passing coincided with Samberg's birthday, completely stealing his thunder. Then, Meyers delivered a perfect parting shot on behalf of his pup. In a post mourning Frisbee, he reminded everyone of Samberg’s long-standing dislike of the dog — and added: "She also disliked him, [for what it’s worth]."

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The beef between Samberg and Frisbee is long and storied. We've covered it regularly at Mashable, and pretty much every time Samberg appeared on Meyers' show, it'd devolve into roasting his Italian Greyhound. It was irrational, silly, a bit contrived, of course, but ultimately hilarious. Who hates an itty bitty pup like Frisbee? Andy Samberg, apparently.

His reaction to an Xmas card featuring Frisbee, for instance?

"You might as well have sent me anthrax," Samberg yelled. "LOOK AT THIS PIECE OF SH*T! I had to hire a cleaning crew 'cuz of all the barf in my house."

Or there's the time he called Frisbee "a nightmare-inducing hell-spawn" and a "rat-foreskin hybrid."

People online couldn't get enough of Samberg's hilarious beef with Frisbee — and many fired off jokes about Frisbee's ghost continuing to torment the actor from beyond the grave. The internet overwhelming sided with Frisbee...again giving her the last laugh.

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RIP to Frisbee. And we can only imagine that somewhere out there, Samberg is looking over his shoulder for dog ghosts.

Maybe to avoid the jargon-heavy format of last year, Google decided to flip the script at its annual Made by Google showcase.

Instead of the usual California stage presentation with slides and specs, this year’s event went full late-night. Hosted in New York, it played out like a special, offbeat episode of The Tonight Show, with Jimmy Fallon chatting alongside celebrities and Google execs about the new Pixel lineup and smart devices. Think less keynote, more variety show — though the hardware news was still the real star of the night.

SEE ALSO: The Pixel Watch 3 is $100 off at Amazon ahead of the Made by Google event

It wasn’t all hardware either. Google spent just as much time hyping up its Gemini AI integrations, which now thread across every new Pixel device. From smarter camera tools to real-time translation and live call assistance, AI is still at the forefront of Google's smartphone ambitions.

So whether you’re here for the new phones, curious about Google’s foldable ambitions, or wondering if the Watch 4 is worth upgrading, we’ve pulled together everything announced at the event.

Pixel 10 Lineup announced Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

The standard Pixel 10 is the most approachable entry in Google’s 2025 lineup, but don’t mistake it for a stripped-down device. It’s powered by the new Tensor G5 chip, giving it the same AI-first smarts as its bigger siblings, including Gemini Live and enhanced on-device translation.

The 6.3-inch display is brighter and smoother than last year’s Pixel 9, and the upgraded dual-camera system now comes with better low-light performance and smarter computational photography powered by Google’s machine learning.

Pixel 10 Pro unveiled, including specs, price

The Pixel 10 Pro steps things up with a brighter 6.3-inch OLED display, upgraded materials, and Google’s best-in-class triple-lens camera system. You’re getting the wide, ultra-wide, and a new 5x telephoto lens that makes the Pro stand out as Google’s photography champ.

SEE ALSO: On Pixel's big day, Samsung is offering $300 off the Galaxy Z Fold 7 foldable phone

Powered by the same Tensor G5, it heavily leverages Google’s new AI integrations, from Gemini Live to context-aware camera suggestions that can instantly edit or enhance your shots. It’s not just about photos; the Pro is optimized for multitasking, AI-driven productivity, and more advanced gaming thanks to the boosted GPU performance.

If the Pixel 10 is the everyday phone, the Pixel 10 Pro is the all-rounder for those who want Google’s AI vision in its best form without going foldable.

Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable Pixel 10 Pro XL packs an impressive display

Sitting at the very top of the lineup, the Pixel 10 Pro XL is the most “no compromise” Pixel Google has ever built. Its massive 6.8-inch QHD+ display is the brightest and sharpest in the series, making it perfect for streaming, gaming, and multitasking.

It packs the same Tensor G5 and AI-first experience as the rest of the lineup but with more RAM, bigger battery life, and exclusive camera features like higher-resolution zoom and advanced video stabilization. Google is clearly pitching the Pro XL at power users who want the absolute best Pixel experience without stepping into foldable territory.

The Pixel 10 Pro starts at $999, and the Pixel 10 Pro XL, now with 256 GB base storage, starts at $1199. They’re available on Aug. 28 in Obsidian, Moonstone, Porcelain, and Jade.

Pixel 10 Pro Fold specs, price, release date revealed

Google’s foldable flagship is back in the spotlight with the new Pixel Pro Fold, which doubles down on durability and versatility. The device packs the same Tensor G5 chip as the rest of the Pixel 10 lineup, giving it the power for multitasking and on-device AI smarts that really take advantage of the foldable form factor. Unfold the Pro Fold, and you’re greeted by an 8-inch OLED inner display designed for fluid split-screen app use, while the 6.4-inch cover display now matches the Pro line’s silky 120Hz refresh rate. Google also says its the first foldable with a waterproof rating.

Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

On the camera side, the Fold inherits the Pixel 10 Pro’s triple-lens setup with a 5x telephoto, a rarity among foldables. This ensures it isn’t just a productivity powerhouse but a mobile photography champ, too. Starting at $1,799, it’s Google’s most ambitious hardware yet.

Unlike the others, though, this one launches on Oct. 9.

Pixel Watch 4 is bigger, brighter, and faster Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

Google officially unveiled the Pixel Watch 4, the company's latest entry in its steadily refined smartwatch line. The new model doesn’t reinvent the wheel, but it does polish nearly every corner: a 10 percent larger, practically edgeless display that’s now 50 percent brighter (peaking at 3,000 nits) and running on a livelier Android 16 UI, faster charging that hits 50 percent in just 15 minutes, and longer battery life.

On the health and fitness side, Google has integrated deeper AI-powered insights with Fitbit, more accurate heart rate monitoring, improved sleep tracking, and, notably, upgraded GPS precision for runners and cyclists. While the hardware refinements are welcome, some of the fun is purely cosmetic: the Watch 4 also arrives in fresh new colorways, making it a more stylish companion for both workouts and everyday wear.

Pixel Buds 2a aims to be feature-rich and affordable Credit: Joe Maldonado/Mashable

Google’s A-series Pixel Buds have long been the go-to for anyone wanting quality earbuds without breaking the bank, and now the Pixel Buds 2a are here to raise the bar. The new buds pack in all the essentials — lightweight comfort, upgraded Active Noise Cancellation, crisp and balanced audio, and all-day battery life with a charging case.

Inside, the new Tensor A1 chip powers it all, delivering audio that’s crisper, richer, and more detailed while making calls sound clearer than ever. Google says it processes sound 90 times faster than the speed of audio itself, adapting in real-time to your environment to cancel out unwanted noise. If you’re into hands-free smarts, there’s also Gemini Live baked right in for instant voice assistance.

At $129.99, the Pixel Buds 2a are still in the sweet spot for affordability, and you’ll be able to snag them in two stylish finishes: Hazel or Iris.

Gemini AI integration continues expansion

Google spent a good chunk of stage time pushing its real moonshot: turning Gemini into a truly agentic, universal AI assistant. The company says it wants Gemini to not just answer questions but anticipate needs, pulling info from your calendar, messages, and apps to act more like a digital co-pilot than a chatbot.

Senior Vice President, Platforms & Devices, Rick Osterloh, said that the plan is to release Agentic Gemini later this year. For now, though, those who buy a Pixel 10 Pro or XL can get a full year of Google AI Plus on the house.

Magic Cue seeks to streamline daily life

One of the interesting agentic upgrades to Gemini on Pixel is Magic Cue, a Gemini-powered feature that promises to do the digital legwork for you. Instead of digging through your apps, Magic Cue figures out what you’re trying to do and pulls the right info straight to the surface. Ask a friend when their flight lands, and your Pixel can quietly grab the booking details from your calendar; try to remember a photo, and it can surface it without the endless scrolling.

It all runs on-device for privacy, and Google promotes it as being for mundane stuff — like serving up the phone number for that restaurant you need to call without making you dive into Google Search.

Camera Coach will help you get the best photo

Google is also baking more AI directly into the camera app with a new Camera Coach feature. Think of it as a Gemini-powered photo assistant: you can ask it to tweak a shot after the fact — like fixing the lighting with a simple prompt — or use it in the moment to actually guide your hand.

Credit: Mashable Screenshot

Camera Coach can walk you through step-by-step instructions inside the camera app to help you line up the best possible photo and train your partner or friends to take that perfect Instagram photo.

Today, you can grab a WD Black 2TB SSD for a surprisingly low price of just $130 on Amazon. This is a massive 32% discount from its normal list price of $190, making it an excellent value for anyone looking to upgrade their PC.

There's a TikTok trend where creators show the photo before they yelled at the photographer (bad) and after they yelled at the photographer (good). It looks like Google made a new feature for that.

At Google's Made by Google event on Wednesday, the company introduced a new feature for the Pixel 10 phones called Camera Coach, with help from Call Her Daddy host Alex Cooper.

SEE ALSO: Google's Pixel 10 Pro & Pro XL are here with 100x zoom and live translation

"The goal is always to catch the perfect shot," Cooper said, before introducing Camera Coach. Then she made the event's host, Jimmy Fallon, get on a couch and "give [a] sexy model pose."

She clicks the Camera Coach button at the top of the camera app, chooses the pose she wants to execute with Fallon, and then follows the instructions from the AI-generated coach.

Alex Cooper using Camera Coach for Pixel 10 at the Made by Google event Credit: Made by Google screenshot Alex Cooper using Camera Coach for Pixel 10 at the Made by Google event with Jimmy Fallon Credit: Made by Google screenshot Alex Cooper using Camera Coach for Pixel 10 at the Made by Google event with Jimmy Fallon Credit: Made by Google screenshot

"Money, baby, money!" Cooper said.

Camera Coach uses Google’s Gemini AI to guide the photographer in real-time, offering ideas and step-by-step direction on things like lighting, composition, and positioning. According to a Google blog post, it doesn’t just help capture better photos — it also teaches "foundational photography skills" so users can level up their shots permanently.

As Cooper put it: "What I will say, though, to all the girls that are watching: I personally know how hard it is to train your boyfriend or your husband to get that perfect shot, and now Camera Coach can just train all the boys for us."

Earlier today, Google announced the Pixel 10 series and the Pixel 10 Pro Fold. However, a Pixel phone is more about software than hardware, and this year, Google is introducing a new app. It's called the Pixel Journal, and it wants to be your digital diary (with the help of AI, of course).

It’s time for another edition of Windows Wednesday, where we round up all the new features and changes that Microsoft is testing across Windows 10 and 11 PCs. Here’s everything Microsoft rolled out in Windows this week.

The PlayStation 5 is getting more expensive. On August 21st, the PS5's suggested retail pricing will leap to $550—a full $50 increase over the original launch price. Digital and Pro versions of the PS5 will also receive a $50 price hike.

Shopping for your first car in can feel like scrolling through a never-ending menu—everything looks tempting, but you have no idea what’s actually good. SUVs dominate the lots, EVs are dropping in price (but not exactly “budget-friendly”), and the used market still hasn’t fully recovered from its wild ride.

The Alien franchise doesn't have the best track record with relying on synths, from Ian Holm's Ash to Michael Fassbender's David. David Jonsson's Andy brought a little ethical nuance in Alien: Romulus. And in Noah Hawley's FX series, Alien: Earth, Timothy Olyphant finds a complex character in Kirsh.

Prodigy's chief scientist at the Neverland research facility and the overseer of The Lost Boys, the company's hybrid group of androids with human consciousness, Kirsh is tasked with protecting and guiding these literally childlike minds as they're deployed into disaster zones and begin to study alien life. As Mashable's Belen Edwards writes in her review, "His monitoring of the Lost Boys doesn't just read as very, very detached parenting, it also reads as him shepherding the next generation of tech that will make him obsolete. Tough gig."

SEE ALSO: 'Alien: Earth' episode 3: Inside the big Xenomorph fight

So, how does Olyphant himself see Kirsh?

"It appears to me that perhaps he sees in these Lost Boys a better humanity, a better world," Olyphant told Mashable. "I think he feels that he is above and beyond everyone around him and and these kids represent something even better than him. I think there's a part of him that is trying to get across to them that they can they can go beyond what I've been able to go beyond, what I've been able to do."

As we've seen in the first three episodes of Alien: Earth, Kirsh is a stoic synth who seems to hold a distinct opinion about humanity — that life inevitably ends in death, and attachment is folly. "All we can do is watch and take names," he says in episode 1.

We get a glimpse of Kirsh's frank thoughts about the plight of humans in his monologue to Marcy/Wendy (Sydney Chandler) in episode 1, in which he tells her frankly that her brother, Joe (Alex Lawther) will eventually die. "Used to be food, you know. Humanity," he says. "Your lives were short and filled with fear. Then your brains grew. You built tools and used them to conquer nature. You built impossible machines and went to space. You stopped being food. Or, I should say, you told yourself you weren't food anymore."

Adarsh Gourav, Timothy Olyphant, and Jonathan Ajayi in "Alien: Earth." Credit: Patrick Brown / FX

Notably, there's a frankly hilarious scene in Alien: Earth episode 3, in which Olyphant shows Kirsh's lack of understanding of the need for human connection with one sweeping motion. Kirsh, accompanied by hybrids Slightly (Adarsh Gourav) and Smee (Jonathan Ajayi), first encounters Weyland-Yutani vessel head of security Morrow (Babou Ceesay) aboard the crashed USCSS Maginot.

During this tense discussion, somehow the concept of friendship comes up amidst this alien-invested crash site. Standing defiantly behind Kirsh, Slightly proclaims in the most earnest way possible, "Everyone needs friends." Reader, when I tell you the slow-turn that Olyphant delivers as Kirsh in the most pained expression, filled with almost second-hand embarrassment (a rarity for a synth), is one of the best things you'll see on TV this year, I'm not kidding. "I have to admit, I don't remember doing that," says Olyphant.

But there's a side of Kirsh we haven't seen yet, which Olyphant only alludes to: "I think it's tricky to trust what he's really thinking."

Alien: Earth episodes drop weekly on Hulu and FX at 8pm E.T. on Tuesdays.

SAVE 25%: As of Aug. 20, you can get the Samsung Galaxy Ring for $299.99, down from $399.99, at Amazon. That's a 25% discount, or $100 off.

Samsung Galaxy Ring $299.99 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $100 Get Deal

If smartwatches aren’t your style, but you’re interested in tracking your steps, heart rate, and more, you’ve got another option: smart rings. They’re slim, stylish, and ideal for anyone who isn’t worried about answering phone calls or texts from their wrist.

Right now, a Mashable Choice Award winner, the Samsung Galaxy Ring, is on sale for its lowest price ever. As of Aug. 20, you can get it at Amazon for just $299.99. That’s a 25% discount and a $100 savings from its usual $399.99 price. While the price is the same for all sizes, it may vary depending on the color you choose.

SEE ALSO: We tested the top fitness trackers of 2025: See our favorite wearables and smart rings

According to Mashable’s former East Coast Tech Editor, Kimberly Gedeon, the Samsung Galaxy Ring outperformed her Apple Watch Series 9. “If I had to choose one over the other, I'd opt for Samsung's new darling device,” Gedeon writes in her review.

The ring is packed with health-tracking features and, as Gedeon notes, has a better battery life than the Apple Watch. It offers:

• Sleep and menstrual cycle tracking

• Heart rate and stress monitoring

• Blood oxygen level tracking

“The stress detector on the Galaxy Ring is the best feature on this wearable,” writes Gedeon.

The only major downside is that it’s not compatible with iOS. But if you have a Samsung Galaxy device, Gedeon says you’d be doing yourself a “disservice” by not making this purchase.

SAVE $20: As of Aug. 20, the JBL Charge 6 is on sale for $179.95 at Amazon and JBL's website. That's 10% off its suggested retail price of $199.95 and its best deal since launch.

Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Charge 6 $179.95 at Amazon
$199.95 Save $20 Get Deal

Out of all the Bluetooth speakers we've tried here at Mashable — and we've tried a lot over the years — we think the JBL Charge 6 is currently the best option for most people. It's "big enough to produce sound that will fill an outdoor party, yet still small enough to live on your bookshelf," our reviewer writes. "Plus, it can charge other devices with a USB-C connection."

One of the only things we don't love about the Charge 6 is its price. At $199.95, it's $20 more expensive than its predecessor, the Charge 5, and $50 pricier than JBL's popular Flip speakers. We think the Charge 6 still worth buying at its usual MSRP given its excellent sound quality and versatility, but it's even easier to recommend now that it's on sale: As of Aug. 20, Amazon and JBL have it listed for $179.95, or 10% off.

According to the Amazon price-tracking site CamelCamelCamel, this is the Charge 6's lowest price since launching in April. It also marks the first time its blue, pink, purple, red, white, and squad colorways have ever gone on sale.

The Charge 6 was also on sale at Best Buy at the time of writing, but it was four cents more.

SAVE $14: As of Aug. 20, get the Anker Prime charging station for $55.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $69.99. That's a 20% discount and its lowest price yet.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Anker Prime Charging Station $55.99 at Amazon
$69.99 Save $14.00 Get Deal

Do you always manage to run your phone or laptop out of battery and find yourself scrambling for a charger? We've all been there. Make a change by choosing a charger that can handle all your important devices at once, and keep everything you need in one place. Change up your charging life with a great discount on an Anker gadget that can make staying powered up much, much simpler.

As of Aug. 20, get the Anker Prime charging station for $55.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $69.99. That's $14 off for a discount of 20%. It's also the lowest price we've seen.

SEE ALSO: Anker's latest portable power station charges to 100% in less than an hour: Preorder now

This 6-port, 200W charger can power six devices at once, with each USB-C port supporting 100W max. When you use two at the same time, they can output that much with no sweat, meaning you can charge something like a 14-inch MacBook Pro back to max capacity in about a half hour. Beyond that, you've got slots for your phone, tablet, Kindle, or whatever you need to power back up to 100% in a flash.

This charging station uses Anker's MultiProtect and ActiveShield 3.0 system to keep it from burning up or otherwise malfunctioning while it manages fast charging, so you don't have to worry about leaving it alone to do its thing. Just plug in your favorite gadgets that you've drained and come back to fully-charged goodness.

If you're tired of fumbling around with multiple bricks and cables, this is for you. Grab one while it's down to its lowest price yet.