Blogroll

Eric Wei didn't break into the creator space from in front of the camera.

In fact, the 32-year-old followed a much more traditional career route: He went to Harvard, then got into investment banking and consulting. But once he started to work closer with creators thanks to a product management job at Instagram, Wei knew he wanted to follow his childhood dreams and pursue a more creative path.

" I said, 'Wow, here's a whole group of people who found a way to support themselves doing what they love.' I want to be a part of that world," Wei told Mashable. "I don't know if I can make content, so let me support them with their finances because I used to work in finance." That was the idea that led to Karat Financial, a tech company that helps creators with their banking and finances.

Credit: Credit: Mashable Composite: Zooey Liao/ Image Credit: Getty Images/ Karat Financial

After building a client roster alongside the Karat team, Wei decided to launch a podcast through the company — the aptly named Karat Podcast, which features interviews with creators like Alex Hormozi, Swell Entertainment, and OfflineTV's creative director Brodin Plett. Beyond Karat, Wei also co-hosts the podcast The Joy of Missing Out alongside creator Chloe Shih.

I caught up with Wei at VidCon to learn about his experiences building up Karat, finding clients, and venturing out on his own content creation journey.

Mashable: What made you want to start a podcast through Karat?

Eric Wei:  Having spent so much time around [creators], a couple of years ago, I said, "I have so many cool friends and clients, why don't we shoot some podcasts? Why don't we get to know each other a little bit?" I started with Nas Daily, a friend of mine I've known for over 10 years from school. And now it's been over two years, I've recorded over a hundred interviews with some of the biggest creators and streamers out there, like LaurDIY, Alex Hormozi, Alex Botez...and it's become so personally fulfilling now to share their stories. It's this very circular motion: I want to be creative, I started a company to work with creatives, and I've gotten to do it myself as well.

When you started the company, how did you build up that relationship of trust with creators?  How was it not like, "I'm just some guy who wants to help you"?

 In the beginning, 100 percent, I was just some guy, and it's because of that nobody wanted to work with us. I remember distinctly in 2020, the government had this program called PPP, which is free stimulus money for creators and businesses in general, and I went to creators and said, "Hey, I can get you access to this." And nobody was interested because they're like, you're just a random guy off the street.

 In the beginning, 100 percent, I was just some guy, and it's because of that nobody wanted to work with us.

The next step was to go out and meet every single possible person connected to the space and try to build a genuine friendship.  I would introduce myself: "Hey, I'm Eric. I have a lot of context experience to add from the tech and finance side. Is there something I can help you with that can become the beginning of a relationship?"

One of the first creators we worked with was Graham Stephan, who is a finance and real estate YouTuber. I saw that I had a mutual [connection] with him through Y Combinator, the incubator we went through, so I asked him to connect us. When I spoke with Graham, Graham had heard of us from another creator that I spent months cold networking to try and reach out to, so he was open to it. I actually flew out to hand-deliver the first Karat business credit card to him. It was literally only for 10 minutes, but showing that I cared and meeting him on the street in Santa Monica helped build an initial relationship — now he's one of my greatest friends and mentors, a client of care, and an investor as well. So you take that and you repeat it 500 times to build that initial set of relationships with creators because everything in this ecosystem is about trust.

Tell me more about that networking process. At a certain point, is it feasible to fly out to all 500 people? How did you develop it to scale?

So it's actually a three-step process. Step one is to go out and make the relationships yourself, and it's really hand-to-hand combat — you need to be everywhere, following every single lead.

Step two is then you think about how do I add value and build a relationship where they see that I care about them, and we can help each other?

Step three is then you host events where they meet each other. For example, every Saturday, I host creator pickleball  with many of the biggest YouTubers in the world coming and playing. Then once they start to mingle and meet with each other and build friendships, you've now built a community that can operate and scale even without you necessarily being there.  It's to the point where people know about me and about Karat because I'm how they met, and they go share with others, "Oh, here's the story of how we first got introduced to each other," and it grows. Then people come to you to join your community.

Have you found that making content yourself has also helped bridge that gap?

So much. Everything I just said helps scale relationships in the real world. But then you amplify it with content. If people meet each other at an event and make content about it, it becomes incredibly more powerful.

In many ways, the podcast is so helpful from a business perspective because it demonstrates to people watching that Eric and Karat have a relationship with Dr. K and ConnorEatsPants because they've made the time to sit down and do an interview together.

SEE ALSO: How this Harvard-trained psychiatrist used Twitch and YouTube to bring mental health education to the masses

And those clips go viral. Then, whenever people meet you, they already say, "I actually know who you are, and what you've done, and you know my friends."

Did you have a moment where you were trying to build a relationship with someone, and you thought you maybe needed to back off? How do you make that call?

 One hundred percent. What people get wrong in building relationships, and quote-unquote networking, is trying to push.  I very much try and share everything I'm doing across different spheres of my life to see if there's something that may pique their interest,  where we can genuinely bond over, or I can be helpful.

As a great example, LaurDIY is one of my closest friends. I met her initially because we were introduced to each other, and we spoke over the phone. She was interested in Karat but, at the time, actually declined. But I met her at an event years later, sharing everything I was up to. I mentioned I was going to a pickleball creator tournament a week later, and she actually loves pickleball.

SEE ALSO: LaurDIY shares her secrets to YouTube success

And we built a friendship.  We've played multiple times a week at this point for a year.  So you share what you're doing in case there's something of interest, you ask what they do to see if there are thoughts you have, and ultimately, if there isn't something that they're intrigued by, you can't push. Another great example:  Karat helps creators with their finances. I'll mention what I do, but if it's not something they need at the time, I leave it there because I know if they do need help, they will come to me.

You let it progress naturally.

Exactly. And I'll say this:  not only do people sometimes push too hard, sometimes, people are afraid to bring any aspect of, "here's something I'd like to do with you together" to a friend.  What I always frame it as is that you can do business with friends.  And it's OK to also make asks as well, because sometimes when you do it in the right way, and you know there's interest, it actually builds the relationship and friendship in itself

 I want to talk more about your podcast and the content that you make yourself. Do you remember your first viral moment?

It's impossible to do good content that's not aligned with yourself as a person. So many companies try and start podcasts that never go anywhere because they're always pushing the product. The first viral moment on that first episode I ever did on the Karat podcast with my friend Nas Daily was actually about relationships.

 I had just gone through a breakup at the time, and I was sharing what I was going through. We talked a lot about attachment styles and how that then changes how you engage in relationships with other people. And Nas Daily was going through a public change in a relationship as well, so we were just talking human to human. That clip on TikTok literally got over 7 million views. While it wasn't aligned necessarily to carry the business, it helped me understand that if you want to develop good content, you have to be true to yourself. You don't have to try and stuff everything into one segment.

Have you found that you have audience members coming to you solely as podcast fans without knowing about Karat Financial?

 Absolutely. The number one thing that matters when helping someone with their finances is whether they have heard of you before and whether they trust the brand name.

I don't expect everybody to know exactly what we do because it's a journey over time. For us, the podcast is successful not only from the personal POV of building these relationships but also from the business POV of helping people say, "Oh, I've heard of you before."

Do you consider yourself a content creator as well as a cofounder?

 Absolutely,  I do both. I have a business. I make content that supports the business, and sometimes, I even make content that's not directly tied to Karat because it is spiritually and personally enjoyable. And I don't think you're able to focus on what you want to do if you don't feel good about the life you've constructed for yourself.

Is that why you started your podcast with Chloe [Shih]?

 Yes! I actually have a second podcast called The Joy of Missing Out with my very good friend, Chloe Shih.  Every week, we sit on a couch and we just yap. We talk about how each of us in our 20s spent so much time working for others, and in our 30s decided to do something different on our own.  And it's so beneficial personally because I found content to be the best possible occasion to just go spend time with friends and hang out.

Doing this has strengthened my friendship with Chloe. And yes, it also feeds back into the business because you build credibility with creators when they see you know how to make content yourself.

Speaking of making content yourself, are there certain platforms you favor?

 Each one of them is really different.  Instagram, because it started as a social network, is the most valuable for building relationships.

TikTok is really good for just trying things out, putting stuff into the ether, and seeing what the algorithm picks up. You get a signal of what people like and want from me. YouTube is great for developing essentially your own little media company. I probably spend the most time on Instagram because it's not just about producing the content, it's about following up and building friendships.

To talk a bit about the business side of being a content creator, do you have any advice for navigating brand deals?

 One of the hardest things for a creator is the classic game of "What's your budget?" You ask them, and they turn back and say, "What's your rate?" It's just two sides staring at each other to see who blinks first. And there are only a couple of ways to resolve this.

First is who wants it more, which, when you're an early-stage creator, it's hard not to want. Second is to get information. Today, this is done through whisper networks, where creators will just hit each other up and say, "Hey, actually, what did you get for this?"

SEE ALSO: How ZoeUnlimited went from accountant to YouTuber with over 3.4 million subscribers

That's one of the things Karat's building out. When we work with creators, they agree to share financial information with us, and we anonymize it with their consent. We're building ways to actually build a database of what you can expect to monetize based on your social stats. We want to give you, when you're in that weird little social standoff, to have just a little bit more information.

Since you're someone who's constantly looking to connect with new creators, I'm curious — which creators do you think are slept on? 

 My number one area of study is creators who are figuring out how to build a business simultaneously. Historically, a lot of early-stage creators really focused on the media side. For example, they would develop really good content first and then build in the business pieces later.

 I did a podcast with this entrepreneur, Alex Hormozi, where he says creators tend to focus 100 percent on the thumbnail and the title, but not enough on how do you actually monetize beyond just brand deals and assets.

So, a slept-on creator, who's actually a Karat client — one of the very first clients on our latest product, Karat Business Banking — his name is Mino Lee. He's about 21 years old and an entrepreneur. A lot of his content is literally like, "I am dropping out of school to try and support myself as a creator."

I remember finding him when he had like 3,000 followers and being like, who is this dude? Just producing these very candid shots of him being like, don't know how to do this, but my goal is to make $5,000 a day. And then to see him a couple of years later, now his goal is like, I want to make a million dollars. I think it's such a great example of a genuine way to do content while building your business, and the two feed and support each other. Now he's also developing businesses around helping other people do the same thing.

So I think that's a new mode: It's the creator as entrepreneur and the entrepreneur who figures out how to lead into content from the very start.

SAVE $300: Pre-order the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold and get a $300 Amazon gift card for free. This item will be released on Aug. 28, 2025.

Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold + $300 Amazon Gift Card Get Deal

At the Made By Google event, four new smartphones were announced. The Google Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold have now all been announced, and the Fold is already making waves.

If you pre-order the Google Pixel 10 Pro Fold from Amazon, you'll get a free $300 gift card to spend on whatever you like. The phone comes in two colors: jade and moonstone, and both are available as part of this promotion.

SEE ALSO: Picking up the new Google Pixel Pro XL? Score a free $200 Amazon gift card with this preorder deal.

The Pixel 10 runs on Pixel’s most powerful chip, the Google Tensor G5. It comes with an incredible camera, and has advanced AI with Gemini built in. It’s an unlocked Android phone, so you can pick your carrier and plan. Google Fi, Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, and other major networks are on offer.

The folding screen is the big selling point. Enjoy a tablet-sized 8-inch screen when opened and a handy 6.4-inch display on the outside for quick use. Both screens are super smooth with a 120Hz refresh rate and bright enough to see clearly even in sunlight. The camera system includes a 48 MP wide and a 10.5 MP ultrawide lens. It also supports 23W wired and 15W wireless charging.

Pick up the new Google Pixel Pro 10 Fold at Amazon now.

SAVE $200: The Google Pixel Pro XL comes with a free $200 Amazon gift card. This item releases on Aug. 28, 2025.

Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Pixel Pro XL + $200 Amazon Gift Card Get Deal

Google is the star of the show right now with the announcement of not one, not two, not three, but four new smartphones. The Google Pixel 10, Pixel 10 Pro, Pixel 10 Pro XL, and Pixel 10 Pro Fold have all been released — and there's discounts available already.

If you preorder the Google Pixel 10 Pro XL from Amazon, you'll get a free $200 gift card thrown in as a treat. The phone comes in four colors: jade, moonstone, porcelain, and obsidian, and all are available as part of this special preorder deal.

SEE ALSO: Looking to buy the brand-new Google Pixel 10? Get a free $100 Amazon gift card as a bonus.

The Pixel 10 runs on Google Tensor G5, Pixel’s most powerful chip yet. It also comes with an incredible camera and has advanced AI with Gemini built in. You're getting an unlocked Android phone, so you can pick your carrier and plan. It works with Google Fi, Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, and other major networks, so the choice is all yours.

It has a 6.3-inch Super Actua OLED display, a brighter and tougher design, and big camera upgrades, including a 450 MP wide and a 48 MP ultrawide lens.

Get this great preorder deal from Amazon right away.

SAVE $100: Pre-order the Google Pixel 10 and get a $100 Amazon gift card for free. This item will be released on Aug. 28, 2025.

Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Pixel 10 + $100 Amazon Gift Card Get Deal

The Google Pixel 10 is finally here, and would you believe that we have a discount already? The long-awaited addition from Google was finally revealed on Aug. 20, and as of Aug. 21, you can get a free $100 Amazon gift card with your purchase.

The Google Pixel 10 alone costs $799, but this special preorder deal throws in a $100 gift card for absolutely nothing. The phone comes in four colors: frost, indigo, lemongrass, and obsidian, and all are available as part of this promotion.

SEE ALSO: Google brings live translation for phone calls and tons more AI to Pixel 10 series

The Pixel 10 runs on Google Tensor G5 (Pixel’s most powerful chip yet), and comes with an incredible camera and advanced AI with Gemini built in. It’s an unlocked Android phone, so you can pick your carrier and plan, and it works with Google Fi, Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, and other major networks.

It has a 6.3-inch Actua OLED display, a brighter and tougher design, and big camera upgrades, including a 48MP wide, 13MP ultrawide, and 10.8MP telephoto lens.

Get this great preorder deal from Amazon right now.

When the data runs out—or becomes overwhelming—your next move often depends on something harder to quantify: intuition. It’s not guesswork. It’s a skill built from experience, reflection, and pattern recognition. If you want to trust your gut more confidently as a leader, you need to train it.  Start with the “calm test.” Before acting on […]

257257

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

A type of diving.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

SCUBA

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A young horse.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for August 4, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

FILLY

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Foolish.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for August 4 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for August 4, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

INANE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

To hold down.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for August 4 Hurdle Word 4 answer

PRESS

Final Hurdle hint

Neither here nor ___.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

THERE

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Stop us if you've heard this one before: A major video game console maker announced that it's raising prices here in the United States due to "a challenging economic environment."

On August 20 — just hours before the tech world dialed into the Made by Google Pixel 10 launch — Sony announced that it's raising the recommended prices for PS5 consoles by $50 for U.S. retailers. The new prices will likely take effect starting Thursday, August 21, though retailers may implement the new prices at different times.

The news was shared on the PlayStation website in a short statement by Isabelle Tomatis, Vice President of Global Marketing at Sony Interactive Entertainment.

"Similar to many global businesses, we continue to navigate a challenging economic environment. As a result, we’ve made the difficult decision to increase the recommended retail price for PlayStation 5 consoles in the U.S. starting on August 21...The recommended retail prices for PlayStation 5 accessories remain unchanged, and we have no other price changes to announce for additional markets."

Effective tomorrow, the new recommended retail prices for PS5 consoles will be:

• PlayStation 5 – $549.99

• PlayStation 5 Digital Edition – $499.99

• PlayStation 5 Pro – $749.99

Sony didn't announce price changes for shoppers in any other countries, and the statement didn't reveal whether PS5 bundles would be impacted, though this seems likely.

While the statement doesn't mention tariffs specifically, the phrase "challenging economic environment" is a common euphemism for tech companies raising prices because of President Trump's tariffs.

When Nintendo announced that it was raising prices on the original Switch consoles beginning August 3, the company cited "market conditions" as the reason. And when Microsoft announced price increases on Xbox consoles back in April, it also cited "market conditions."

As Mashable has previously reported, the latest round of tariffs from the White House (both threatened and actual) could have an outsized impact on video game consoles and gaming accessories.

"[A] lot of the big electronic brands may have avoided some tariffs by stockpiling inventories earlier in the year, before tariffs were announced," said Rick Kowalski, Senior Director of Business Intelligence at the Consumer Technology Association, in a previous interview with Mashable regarding tariffs. "Those stockpiles will only last a few months at most, so eventually, importers will need to restock, and they'll import more products at the higher tariff rates."

Offers on PS5 consoles PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (slim) $499 ($499) Shop Now Playstation5 Digital Edition – Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Bundle $519.99 Shop Now PlayStation 5 Pro Console $699.99 Shop Now

You might be asking yourself, “How old of a graphics card should I buy?” The answer is actually pretty clear, and NVIDIA helps us out a lot by telling us when driver support will end for various graphics cards.

SAVE $20: As of Aug. 20, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max is on sale for $39.99 at Amazon. This is $20 off its list price of $59.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (newest model) $39.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $20 Get Deal

If you've been looking to upgrade your streaming setup to enjoy all of the new shows and films dropping on streaming services in high-quality 4K, Amazon is here to make your day. The retailer is offering discounts on all its streaming sticks right now, including the Fire TV Stick 4K Max, which is down to $39.99.

This is 33% off its list price of $59.99, offering a nice $20 discount. This Fire TV Stick 4K Max offer is currently marked as a limited-time deal, so it's a good idea to jump on it now before the discount disappears.

SEE ALSO: The Echo Show 5 is back at its lowest price this year — save $25 right now

The Fire TV Stick 4K Max offers twice the storage of its standard 4K counterpart with 16GB instead of 8GB. It also supports 4K Ultra HD resolution alongside support for Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and Dolby Atmos audio as an extra treat for your eyes and ears. On top of that, it's also the first-ever streaming stick to have the Fire TV Ambient Experience, which allows you to display art and photography when you're not watching something.

There's no better time than now to grab the Fire TV Stick 4K Max. Or alternatively, get the Fire TV Stick 4K on sale right now at Amazon.

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]."

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

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.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

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.