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SAVE $30: As of Sept. 2, the Soundcore Anker Life Q20 headphones are on sale for $29.99 at Amazon. This is 50% off their list price of $59.99 and marks their lowest-ever price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Soundcore Soundcore Anker Life Q20 Headphones $29.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $30.00 Get Deal

The majority of Labor Day deals may be behind us, but thankfully, a few are still lingering around. Amazon has quite a few strong offers still available today, including some excellent deals on headphones. This includes the Soundcore Anker Life Q20 headphones, which are currently down to their best-ever price of $29.99.

That's a whopping 50% off their list price of $59.99, and saves you $30. This discount only applies to the black Soundcore Anker Life Q20 headphones, but for a pair that boast hybrid active noise cancellation, that's a fantastic price.

SEE ALSO: The 8 best budget headphones we've tested under $100

The Soundcore Anker Life Q20 headphones feature hybrid active noise cancellation that can reduce up to 90% of outside noise around you. 40mm dynamic drivers bring you high-quality sound, with an extra boost for bass thanks to BassUp technology. And its battery life will keep you going for up to 60 hours in standard music mode (or 40 in wireless ANC mode), making them a great travel companion for any long trips you have planned.

Keep in mind that these are listed as a limited-time deal, so grab the Soundcore Anker Life Q20 headphones at this discounted price while they're still available. And if you're looking to drop some cash on a higher-end model instead, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones are still discounted after Labor Day.

TL;DR: The JBL Charge 6 speaker offers 28 hours of playtime, a built-in power bank, and is currently on sale for only $139.99 (reg. $199.95) with free shipping.

Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Charge 6 (Open Box) $139.99
$199.95 Save $59.96 Get Deal

Are you ready to kick back and relax with some good tunes? Pack up your cooler, grab some sunscreen, and whatever you do, don’t forget this Open Box JBL Charge 6 to keep the party going. With 28-hour playtime, a built-in power bank, and a waterproof design, this could be your go-to companion for years to come, and now it’s on sale for only $139.99.

From beach trips and poolside summer barbecues to treacherous hikes and scenic campsites, this JBL speaker is adventure-ready. How? First, let’s admire its lightweight and portable design. Weighing in at only 3 pounds, that’s nothing considering it’s a powerhouse speaker and power bank. Plus, it features a built-in, detachable handling strap, making it easy to clip and carry around. 

SEE ALSO: Level up your home theater experience with a Bose TV Speaker Soundbar for its lowest price yet

Second, the Charge 6 boasts an IP68 waterproof and dust-proof rating. So, don’t fret about having rice on hand; this speaker can handle water submersion. 

Whether you’re in a crowded space or looking to add a nice ambiance after a long day, this speaker has built-in smart AI technology to enhance your listening experience. Enjoy deeper bass, clearer highs, and balanced sound with minimal distortion in real-time. For an immersive listening experience, use the JBL Portable app to connect two Charge 6 speakers or other JBL Auracast-enable speakers. 

If your phone is running low from streaming all day, its built-in power bank with USB-C connect can keep the party bumping without skipping a beat.

As an Open Box model, reap the benefits of a like-new JBL without the hefty price tag. Open Box models are often a result of excess inventory. So, while you may see a random sticker or two on the package, the item has been inspected, tested, and cleaned before rejoining the market. If you’re still hesitant, this deal comes with a 1-year warranty for added security.

This JBL Charge 6 Speaker won’t last, and for a limited time, you can get it for $139.99 with free shipping.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Outfit your computer with helpful tools for life with this Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for Mac or PC lifetime license, now just $159.97 (reg. $249.99).

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office 2024 Home & Business for Mac or PC Lifetime License $159.97
$249.99 Save $90.02 Get Deal

Sick of paying for Microsoft Office tools month after month? You don’t have to rent them, you can buy them for life with this license to Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business. It works on both Mac and PC devices, and right now you can save $90 on this suite of apps and secure this lifetime license for just $159.97 (reg. $249.99).

If you’re like most of us, you’ve been counting on Microsoft Office tools to help you with work, school, and everything in between since the ’90s. Not only are there new tools to rely on, the old staples are also still around to help you out and this Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for Mac or PC lifetime license gives you both.

SEE ALSO: Microsoft Copilot is coming to Samsung TVs and monitors

This edition includes five of Microsoft Office’s most helpful apps — Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and OneNote. They can be downloaded directly to your Mac or PC so you can create content, stay organized, tackle work projects, and more.

Though most of these names are familiar, they offer some brand new features like the ability to record presentations with voice narration and videos in PowerPoint, or the ability to access AI-powered suggestions in Word. Advanced data analysis and visualization tools are available in Excel, and there’s also an updated accessibility checker in Outlook.

Need to work with others? This license also includes new collaborative tools like co-authoring, enhanced commenting, and even deeper Microsoft Teams integration for a seamless workflow.

Take advantage of this deal on a Microsoft Office 2024 Home and Business for Mac or PC lifetime license, now for only $159.97 (reg. $249.99).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Google is breathing a big sigh of relief today.

Why? A judge has ruled that the company will not be forced to sell Chrome or Android, two suggestions that were being pushed by the U.S. Department of Justice as a result of the search giant losing a major antitrust case last August brought against it by the government.

On Tuesday, Sept. 2, District Judge Amit Mehta in Washington rejected the DOJ's push to break up Google. Instead, Judge Mehta ruled that Google can no longer take part in exclusive deals regarding its search engine, such as the one that saw Google pay billions of dollars to Apple in order to maintain its search dominance on iOS devices.

In addition, the judge ruled that Google must also share some of its search data with competitors.

SEE ALSO: Google just lost a big antitrust case for running illegal ad tech monopoly

The judge's decision marks a judgment in just one of Google's antitrust cases, which spanned from President Donald Trump's first administration into the preceding Biden administration and now into Trump's second term.

Google is currently involved in a separate antitrust case regarding digital advertising, which the company also lost in April.

Regardless of the judge's remedy, the search giant says it will appeal the decision, as Judge Mehta claimed that the company was acting like a monopoly and controlled 90 percent of the search market thanks to exclusive deals like the one the judge banned with Apple.

Nevertheless, Judge Mehta's refusal to break up Google must be welcomed news to both Google and other Silicon Valley companies undergoing antitrust lawsuits.

However, some, like OpenAI and Perplexity, may not be thrilled with the judge's decision, as these AI companies were eager to acquire the popular Chrome web browser if Google had been forced to sell it. That definitely won't be happening now.

Oura Ring has announced a partnership with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD), and many users online are not happy about it. The announcement sparked immediate backlash across social platforms, with concerns ranging from misinformation about data privacy to broader moral objections over the company's willingness to work with the U.S. military.

Some users speculated — incorrectly — that personal health data from Oura's consumer rings was being shared with the military. Others focused less on privacy and more on principle: questioning whether they want to support a company that collaborates with the Department of Defense at all.

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

To clarify, Oura's work with the U.S. military isn't new. Tom Hale, Oura's chief executive officer, called their relationship with the DoD "longstanding" in a press release last week.

"We’re proud to expand manufacturing to the United States and are committed to empowering the Department of Defense with technology that prioritizes security and promotes readiness, resilience, and effectiveness to support service members and their missions," Hale said.

According to Oura, this expanded partnership is limited to its enterprise business, which is separate from its consumer offerings — meaning none of your data is currently being used to support military projects.

In an email to Mashable, Oura said it would "never sell, rent, or share your personal data with any third party without your express consent." This announcement, Oura told its customers, is "exclusively limited to our project support for U.S. service men and women." That support includes investing in manufacturing operations in Fort Worth, Texas, working closely with active duty military "to determine factors that impact soldier effectiveness," and "advancing military readiness," according to Oura's press release.

"Unless you’re a service member who is enrolled in a Department of Defense (DoD) health or human-performance program that uses Oura Ring — AND you have consented to share your data with that program — your data will never be shared with the DoD," Oura told concerned customers.

Hale also took to TikTok to clarify that user data is safe.

Users online also worried about Oura's connection with Palantir, a software company that works with intelligence agencies and defense departments and has a significant presence in Israel and the U.S.

"Underscoring its commitment to responsible data practices, ŌURA will be available to support population-level analysis of risk and Readiness on Palantir's FedStart platform, which is authorized at IL5 — enabling deployment of the Oura Enterprise Platform in environments with heightened security and compliance needs," Oura said in a press release.

SEE ALSO: Ultrahuman sues Oura over patent infringement in the battle of the smart rings

In a clarification to concerned users, Oura said it does not have a partnership with Palantir, but rather "Palantir provides the security layer for some of the DoD’s projects with Oura, particularly projects with rigorous security requirements to operate Oura’s platform within secure environments."

Despite these clarifications, the announcement has left some customers reconsidering their relationship with the brand. While Oura's consumer data does appear safe from military use, the company’s willingness to align with defense and intelligence contractors is now part of the equation for users deciding whether to keep wearing the ring.

The question now is whether users are comfortable supporting a tech company that openly collaborates with the U.S. military, regardless of how securely their data is handled.

OpenAI is appealing directly to concerned parents as the AI giant announces plans for a new suite of parental oversight features.

The company explained in a new blog post that it is moving ahead with more robust tools for parents who hope to curb unhealthy interactions with its chatbot, as OpenAI faces its first wrongful death lawsuit after the death by suicide of a California teen.

The features — which will be released along with other mental health initiatives over the next 120 days — include account linking between parent and teen users and a tighter grip on chatbot interactions. Caregivers will be able to set how ChatGPT responds (in line with the model's "age-appropriate" setting) and disable chat history and memory.

OpenAI also plans to add parental notifications that flag when ChatGPT detects "a moment of acute distress," the company explains. The feature is still in development with OpenAI's panel of experts.

SEE ALSO: I 'dated' Character.AI's popular boyfriends, and parents should be worried

In addition to new options for parents, OpenAI said it would expand its Global Physician Network and real-time router, a feature that can instantly switch a user interaction to a new chat or reasoning model depending on the conversational context. OpenAI explains that "sensitive conversations" will now be moved over to one of the company's reasoning models, like GPT‑5-thinking, to "provide more helpful and beneficial responses, regardless of which model a person first selected."

Over the last year, AI companies have come under heightened scrutiny for failing to address safety concerns with their chatbots, which are increasingly being used as emotional companions by younger users. Safety guardrails have proven to be easily jailbroken, including limits on how chatbot's respond to dangerous or illicit user requests.

Parental controls have become a default first step for tech and social companies that have been accused of exacerbating the teen mental health crisis, enabling child sex abuse materials, and failing to address predatory actors online. But such features have their limitations, experts say, relying on the proactivity and energy of parents rather than that of companies. Other child safety alternatives, including app marketplace restrictions and online age verification, have remained controversial.

SEE ALSO: What the Supreme Court hearing about age verification could mean for you

As debate and concern flare about their efficacy, AI companies have continued rolling out additional safety guardrails. Anthropic recently announced that its chatbot Claude would now end potentially harmful and abusive interactions automatically, including sexual content involving minors — while the current chat becomes archived, users can still began another conversation. Facing growing criticism, Meta announced it was limiting its AI avatars for teen users, an interim plan that involves reducing the number of available chatbots and training them not to discuss topics like self-harm, disordered eating, and inappropriate romantic interactions.

If you're suffering from Marvel fatigue, the trailer for Marvel Zombies is here to wake you right up.

The upcoming animated show lures viewers in with a gonzo premise initially explored in Season 1, episode 5 of What If...?: What would happen if the Avengers became zombies?

SEE ALSO: All the Marvel Cinematic Universe movies, ranked worst to best

The answer: Pure, unbridled carnage.

The four-part series transports viewers to a world overrun by a zombie plague. Its victims include Avengers like Captain America, Scarlet Witch (voiced by Elizabeth Olsen), and Hawkeye, along with Marvel villains like Namor and Thanos. The virus may have taken their lives, but it did not take their powers, meaning we've got superpowered zombies on our hands. Hell yeah! I mean... oh no.

Luckily, many heroes have escaped infection and are working to save the world. They include Yelena Belova (voiced by Florence Pugh), Shang-Chi (voiced by Simu Liu), and Kamala Khan (voiced by Iman Vellani). Which team of heroes will prevail: infected or uninfected?

If the premise of zombies with superpowers didn't already sell you on Marvel Zombies, the trailer certainly will thanks to a hard rocking soundtrack and several fight scenes that made me gasp. Blade fighting Moon Knight? Spider-Man ripping a dozen zombie heads off with his web? The sheer amount of blood and guts and gore? It's a two-minute adrenaline rush.

In addition to Olsen, Pugh, Liu, and Vellani, several other MCU actors reprise their roles in Marvel Zombies. The cast includes Paul Rudd, David Harbour, Tessa Thompson, Awkwafina, Hailee Steinfeld, Wyatt Russell, Randall Park, and Dominique Thorne.

Marvel Zombies premieres Sept. 24 on Disney+.

As someone who watches TV for a living, I eat a lot of meals while checking out new shows. Sometimes that system can get a little dicey, like when I decided to accompany dinner with the many surgeries of The Pitt. (While not the best eating experience, I did do it again.)

SEE ALSO: Did 'Alien: Earth' episode 5 freak you out? Us too.

However, no show has outright killed my appetite quite like Alien: Earth, episode 5.

To be clear, I was able to handle the rest of the show just fine, pairing Xenomorph attacks with copious snack breaks, no problems in sight. But all that changed in episode 5, titled "In Space, No One..."

The episode is an extended flashback, trading Boy Kavalier's (Samuel Blenkin) Neverland research facility for the USCSS Maginot in the lead-up to its crash landing on Earth.

Featured Video For You 'Alien: Earth' episode 5 was its own 'Alien' movie. Here's how they made it.

Alien: Earth has already hinted at what happened to the crew of the Maginot in their final hours. Episode 1 revealed that a Xenomorph got loose, slaughtering crew member Zaveri (Richa Moorjani), and likely many others. Later, in episode 2, when Hermit (Alex Lawther) and his fellow soldiers investigated the wreckage, they saw several of the Maginot crew's corpses, eyes bloodied, faces terrified. They also caught a glimpse of one crew member on a medical table with his chest cut open and signs of alien bodies in his GI tract. Basically, whatever happened to them, it wasn't good! But it also wasn't enough to raise my queasiness levels to alarming rates.

Still, seeing the corpses is one thing. Seeing the horrors on the Maginot actually play out is a totally different story — one that left me shunning my snacks and even my trusty water bottle for some time after watching. No spoilers, but it is predictably grisly! Nauseating, even.

So Alien: Earth fans, heed my warning. Eat or drink before you check out episode 5, but certainly not during. Don't make this a TV dinner event, don't break out dessert, don't even think about a relaxing glass of wine. You'll regret it more than the crew of the Maginot regret setting foot on that blasted spaceship in the first place.

Episode 5 of Alien: Earth premiere tonight at 8 p.m. ET on Hulu and FX. New episodes premiere Tuesdays at 8 p.m. ET on Hulu and FX.

Leaks suggest that Jimmy Donaldson, better known as MrBeast, is planning to launch his own mobile phone service in 2026.

The scoop comes via Business Insider, which reviewed an internal pitch deck showing one of YouTube’s biggest stars eyeing a move into the telecommunications industry. It’s just one of several ambitious ideas from Donaldson and his team to expand the ever-growing MrBeast empire, alongside pitches for everything from a creator platform to financial services.

SEE ALSO: MrBeast pulls AI tool for YouTube thumbnails, issues video apology

According to Business Insider, Donaldson isn’t expected to build a phone network from scratch. Instead, the service would likely be a white-label venture — branded with MrBeast trademarks but powered by an established carrier like Verizon or T-Mobile. This setup, known as an MVNO (mobile virtual network operator), has become a popular side hustle among celebrities. Ryan Reynolds famously co-owned Mint Mobile before selling it to T-Mobile for $1.35 billion.

A leap into telecom may sound unusual, but it fits with Donaldson’s ongoing push to diversify beyond media. His brand already spans a successful chocolate line, Feastables; the packaged lunch competitor Lunchy; and the ghost kitchen chain MrBeast Burger.

For MrBeast, the phone in your pocket could be the next frontier. And if even a fraction of his more than 400 million subscribers get on board, it could mean massive profit in the future.

The world "cult classic" gets thrown around a lot these days, too often intended to mean a movie or TV show with a cult following. But before the internet gave us access to everything and anything, true cult classics meant movies that you had to be introduced to by someone already initiated. The Rocky Horror Picture Show was such a sensation, going from a London fringe play to a flopped movie to a midnight madness phenomenon that's lasted for 50 years.

Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror is a documentary that looks back on the origins of this truly iconic film, as Richard O'Brien, author of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, lays out ahead of the trailer above.

His son, documentarian Linus O’Brien, interviews a slew of the original cast members, including O'Brien, Tim Curry, Susan Sarandon, and Barry Bostwick. To get an idea of the impact this movie about kinky aliens had on pop culture, O'Brien also speaks to stars who grew up obsessed with Rocky Horror, including Tenacious D's Jack Black and RuPaul's Drag Race All-Stars champion Trixie Mattel.

Archival footage from the '70s allows audiences to do the time warp again, taking us back to the rise of the shadow casts and all the in-theater mayhem that came to be a part of the show's legacy. But beyond that, this documentary aims to explore why this "freak" show appeals to so, so, so, so many.

How to watch: Strange Journey: The Story of Rocky Horror opens in a limited theatrical run in more than 50 cities starting on Sept. 26, including the Landmark Theatres Nuart in Los Angeles, the Village East by Angelika in New York, and the Music Box Theater in Chicago.

Seeing the northern lights is one of life's little gifts. For those who have been lucky enough to catch them before, you'll know just how magical it is.

If you haven’t had the chance yet, tonight might just be your moment. A strong geomagnetic storm is set to light up the skies across parts of North America, giving hopeful stargazers the perfect opportunity to catch the northern lights tonight, according to a prediction from the Space Weather Prediction Center. So grab a blanket, find a dark spot, look north, and keep your fingers crossed.

When are the northern lights peaking?

Tonight, Sept. 2, the northern lights are expected to reach their peak visibility in North America. A geomagnetic storm classified as "strong" was forecast by the Space Weather Prediction Center.

The geomagnetic activity is measured by the planetary K index, also known as Kp. Activity is measured between 0 to 9 – the higher the activity, the more likely it is to be seen from the United States, according to the Space Weather Prediction Center. The activity is measured at a Kp of 5, which means the northern lights move even further from the poles and become bright and active, even in the north of the United States.

Where will the northern lights be visible?

According to maps from the Space Weather Prediction Center, Canada and Alaska are most likely to catch a glimpse of the phenomenon. There is a slight chance – but not a guarantee – that the aurora borealis will be visible in parts of Washington, Idaho, Montana, North Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan.

What causes the northern lights?

The northern lights, or aurora borealis, are natural light displays that appear in the night sky, usually near the poles. According to NASA, they occur when charged particles from the sun collide with Earth’s atmosphere, creating shimmering colors of green, pink, and purple that dance across the sky.

Viewing tips for the northern lights

When it comes to seeing the northern lights, so much is down to luck, but there are things you can do to help increase your chances. Firstly, head somewhere dark away from light pollution.

If you're unsure whether you're seeing the northern lights, try taking a picture of the sky with your phone, which can capture a wider wavelength of light than the human eye, according to Lifehacker. Both Mashable and Lifehacker are owned by Ziff Davis.

Since their release in 2023, Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds have been Mashable's favorite noise-cancelling earbuds. So naturally, when Bose announced its second-generation QuietComfort Ultra earbuds — which are available for preorder as of Aug. 28 — I was curious to test them out.

After spending one week with the earbuds, I can say that so far, they remain the most comfortable earbuds on the market, with some of the best noise cancellation money can buy — but they don't feel all that different from their predecessor. Given that many devices can fall victim to fixing what isn't broke in the name of producing an "upgraded" model, the lack of dramatic changes isn't necessarily a bad thing.

So are they worth the upgrade? Let's dive into my early thoughts (which I am obligated to say, are subject to change as I spend more time with the earbuds).

Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) $299 at Bose
Pre-order Here Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) specs

Below, you'll find the quick rundown of what to expect with these earbuds, with new features bolded:

• Adjustable active noise cancellation

• Immersive Audio for spatial listening experience

• Custom equalizer with four audio presets

• Three sizes of stability bands and ear tips with wax guards

• Six hours of battery life (four hours with Immersive Audio), and up to 24 hours with the case

• Wireless charging for case

• 20 minutes of quick charge for

• Toggle touch controls on/off

• Bluetooth 5.3, Google Fast Pair

• Bose SpeechClarity, an AI-powered technology to promote better voice quality on calls

• Improved adaptive ANC, especially in Aware Mode

• IPX4 water- and sweat-resistance

Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) vs. Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds

A quick glance at the spec list above will tell you that not a ton has changed between the first and second generation QC Ultra earbuds. The products themselves look nearly identical, and both started at the price point of $299 (though you can likely expect to see the first gen on sale more often as it's slowly phased out of Bose's lineup).

Without the color differences, I'd have trouble telling which is which. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

Despite the similar hardware, I did notice improved audio quality, noise cancellation, and general ease of use with the second generation earbuds.

Audio quality

Bose's marketing materials don't tout many major upgrades to these earbuds' listening experience, but a rep from the brand told me to look out for an improved bass response and clarity at higher frequencies. Even without the direction, I firmly believe I would've heard the improvements: Ebony Loren's vocals on her cover of "O Pato" sounded clearer and even louder, without sounding blown out. Chappell Roan crooning "She's got a way" on her latest song, "The Subway," somehow hit even harder on the second-gen earbuds, highlighting a robustness where the first-gen Ultras default to a flatter sound.

SEE ALSO: Review: 8 months later my Panasonic Technics AZ100 earbuds still beat all comers

As for the bass, I went to my go-to songs where I need the bass to sound good — Magdalena Bay's "Killshot" and Le Sserafim's "Crazy" — and these earbuds delivered. Both offered a nice reverberation and blend, especially with the synth and guitar lines in the former song. The balance let me appreciate the depth of the bass and the layers of each song's production. Plus, with the ANC on, I could barely hear myself typing. Even on less bass-heavy tracks like Laufey's "Tough Luck," the quality of the bass allowed me to appreciate the backbone of the song more, offering an overall better-rounded listening experience.

For anyone looking to fine-tune the sound on their earbuds, the equalizer settings between both generations of earbuds are exactly the same. On the other hand, call quality is noticeably improved: when I made my partner do a blind test by calling him on each earbud, he immediately identified the newer Ultras, saying my voice sounded significantly less muffled.

Noise cancellation

While Bose is known for having great audio quality, the brand's real standout feature is their noise-cancellation, and these earbuds offer no exception.

Bose's first claim is that on the newer earbuds, the adaptive ANC is better equipped at handling spikes in audio to prevent clipping, particularly in transparency mode. Unfortunately, I haven't been able to create the conditions for that particular feature in the course of the last week, but I have been able to use both earbuds in a shared workspace, right under an air conditioning unit, and with the TV playing nearby. In each of the above scenarios, the second-generation QC Ultras' performance bested the first gen, offering slightly more blockage.

More notably, these earbuds have a much less noticeable hiss than the first-gen earbuds, both on ANC and transparency modes. While not totally at the level of completely undetectable ANC, with these earbuds, Bose gets closer.

Comfort

With such a similar design, I didn't expect the newer earbuds to wear all that different, and spoiler alert — they didn't. Still, I appreciate the inclusion of a wax guard for easier cleaning, even if it's not a revolutionary feature.

The 2nd gen earbuds (right) have a guard to help catch dirt and ear wax, making the earbuds easier to clean and less susceptible to damage. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable

Still, there aren't many negative things I can say about the design of these earbuds. The stability bands help keep the earbuds firmly in place, without ever causing soreness or fatigue, even after a few hours of wear. The touch control is a little large, and the general design of the earbud is a tad clunky (meaning a higher likelihood to accidentally trigger those controls), but if that proves to be a real problem for you, Bose did include the option to toggle touch controls off completely with the newer generation.

Other points of difference

I was able to confirm the wireless charging on the second generation buds worked thanks to the charger built into my monitor stand from Target — in other words, you won't need anything fancy.

What stood out more than the charging to me was the ease of connection with these earbuds. I've tested my fair share of Bose headphones and earbuds, and across the board, they struggle with multipoint connection, often failing to connect or struggling to play back audio without skipping when more than one device is paired. It's never been a good look for Bose's price points, but so far, I haven't experienced these issues at all with the second-gen QC Ultra earbuds, and I've been switching between four different devices for playback (with two connected at a given time).

Who should upgrade to the second-generation Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds?

I'm going to withhold my full judgment until my (incoming) full review, but if you haven't updated your earbuds in a while, or have never invested in a pair of premium earbuds, I can't see the second-gen Bose QC Ultra earbuds disappointing you. That said, first gen owners can likely skip the upgrade this time around, and anyone looking for a cheaper option still has plenty of other choices — even within the QuietComfort line.

Where to buy Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds Second generation Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds (2nd Gen) $299 Pre-Order Here First generation Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds $229 (save $70) Get Deal

A new study has uncovered that more than 20 VPN apps on the Google Play Store share the same codebases and infrastructure, despite presenting themselves as independent services. Together, these apps account for 20 of the 100 most-downloaded VPNs on the platform, with a staggering 700 million users.

The findings raise serious questions about trust and transparency in an industry built on privacy — and highlight how poorly app stores may vet VPN providers.

The research, conducted by The Citizen Lab at the University of Toronto, traced these apps back to just three VPN families, some with ties to Russia and China. Investigators used business filings and forensic analysis of Android APKs to uncover the hidden connections.

SEE ALSO: I've tested a bunch of popular VPNs. This is the only one I recommend for streaming.

Family A was tied to Innovative Connecting, Autumn Breeze, and Lemon Clove, and included major players like Turbo VPN, VPN Proxy Master, and Snap VPN — all of which shared identical code and assets. Family B, linked to Matrix Mobile, ForeRaya Technology, and Wildlook Tech, operated XY VPN, 3X VPN, and Melon VPN, which used the same VPN addresses. Family C, made up of Fast Potato and Free Connected Limited, controlled Fast Potato VPN and X-VPN.

Beyond a lack of transparency, the study also found serious security flaws. Some apps reused login credentials for ShadowSocks, a tool for bypassing firewalls. Others relied on outdated encryption algorithms, leaving users more exposed. Most concerning of all, all three VPN families were vulnerable to blind on-path attacks — meaning hackers on the same network, such as public Wi-Fi, could intercept traffic without either party realizing it.

The researchers noted that app stores have limited ability to verify who operates a VPN or how it’s built, since their review systems are largely focused on malware detection and privacy violations. As a remedy, they suggested introducing a security audit badge for VPNs — a certification that could give users more confidence in the apps they choose.

The specifics of Google’s app review process remain unclear. According to a support page, developers must provide a privacy policy, disclose whether the app contains ads, obtain a content rating, and share the app’s privacy and security practices with Google in order to pass review.

In a statement to Mashable through email, a Google spokesperson said that the company is committed to "compliance with applicable sanctions and trade compliance laws."

"When we locate accounts that may violate these laws, our related policies or Terms of Service, we take appropriate action."

UPDATE: Sep. 2, 2025, 3:17 p.m. EDT This article has been updated to include a statement from Google.

That issue with Meta secretly scanning your camera roll continues to rear its head. Check your Facebook privacy settings to see if this feature is turned on for you — even if you didn't provide explicit consent.

Back in June, Mashable reported a notice that popped up on the Facebook app giving users the option to allow Meta to access all your photos so that Meta AI could "get creative ideas made for your from your camera roll." Allowing this setting means agreeing to Meta's AI terms, which gives Meta the right to "retain and use" any of your personal photos for AI-generated editing and curating.

In the privacy settings of the Facebook app, there are two toggles related to granting photo access: the one described above, and another setting that grants access to your camera roll for suggesting photos to post. This setting is automatically toggled on when you download the Facebook app. It doesn't have access to the content on your camera roll, only metadata like date, time, resolution, and number of photos.

When the story was first reported, Meta told TechCrunch that the feature was a test, and can be turned off at any time. It also said the Meta AI suggestions are only visible to the user. But users have continued to raise awareness about the confusing privacy settings

The pop-up in question is related to the Meta AI feature. Some users, including Mashable's CJ Silva, said they never received a pop-up alert to provide consent for AI-related photo features. Others (myself included) noticed that the setting granting camera roll access for suggested photos was automatically toggled on, but the Meta AI setting was toggled off. I didn't receive a pop-up message asking me to opt in to the new feature. But a Meta spokesperson confirmed that this feature is still a test and being previewed to a limited number of users.

"These suggestions are opt-in only and only shown to you – unless you decide to share them – and can be turned off at any time," said the spokesperson of the feature. "Camera roll media may be used to improve these suggestions, but are not used to improve AI models in this test." 

Given Meta's track record of privacy issues this angered users who felt like Meta was spying without more explicit permission. Regardless, there's no better time to see if Meta is looking at your photos. Here's how to check and how to turn it off.

1. Open the Facebook app and go to Settings & Privacy

You can find this by tapping on the Menu icon in the bottom right corner of the app.

2. Open Settings

Scroll down to find the Settings option.

3. Find the section called 'Camera roll sharing suggestions'

Open this section and you'll see the two features. One says, "get camera roll suggestions when you're browsing Facebook." The other says, "get creative ideas made for you by allowing camera roll cloud processing." The second setting is the one about using Meta AI to edit and curate their photos. But both settings, when toggled on, grant Meta access to your camera roll. The first setting is what essentially enables you to post content on Facebook.

4. Toggle the setting off

If either of these settings are toggled on, that means Meta has had access to your camera roll. You may have received a notice about this, but we wouldn't hold it against you if you didn't know what you were consenting to. Turn off these settings by tapping the toggle off.

UPDATE: Sep. 3, 2025, 1:28 p.m. EDT This story has been updated with a statement and additional clarification from Meta.

Best Samsung monitor deals Best overall Samsung monitor deal Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G9 Series DQHD curved gaming monitor (G95C) $699.99 (save $300) Get Deal Best upgraded Samsung monitor deal Samsung 49-inch Odyssey OLED Series curved gaming monitor (G93SC) $899.99 (save $600) Get Deal Best budget Samsung gaming monitor deal Samsung 32-inch Odyssey Series QHD curved gaming monitor (G55C) $219.99 (save $110) Get Deal

The laptop you use for school or work might not be your favorite model to use for gaming. In that same vein, the TV you use for streaming shows might not work well for gaming. If you prefer to game on a monitor that's specifically designed with features to enhance your experience, Samsung makes some awesome models. Lucky for us, tons of great models on a steep discount at Amazon.

Best overall Samsung gaming monitor deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 49-inch Odyssey G9 Series DQHD curved gaming monitor (G95C) $699.99 at Amazon
$999.99 Save $300 Get Deal Why we like it

With a massive 49-inch display, the Odyssey G9 Series DQHD curved gaming monitor (G95C) is on sale for under $700 at Amazon which is a record-low price. With a 240Hz refresh rate, QLED display, and 1000 nit peak brightness, you'll be in great shape for gaming through the nasty winter weather. This model also comes with an adjustable ergonomic stand and Samsung's unique Core Lighting+ system which projects on-screen colors to the back of the monitor, reflecting off walls for a more real-life experience.

Best upgraded Samsung gaming monitor Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 49-inch Odyssey OLED Series curved gaming monitor (G93SC) $899.99 at Amazon
$1,599.99 Save $700 Get Deal Why we like it

The Samsung 49-inch Odyssey OLED Series curved gaming monitor (G93SC) comes with all the fancy stats and then some. When it comes to gaming, you're in for a snappy 240Hz refresh rate and 0.03ms GtG. The included stand gives your height and tilt adjustments and the back of the monitor houses Samsung's Core Synch technology and Core Lighting+ for an epic real-world display of the colors you're already seeing on-screen. This model comes with two HDMI ports and plenty of USB ports to connect up your favorite gaming consoles.

Best budget Samsung gaming monitor deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 32-inch Odyssey Series QHD curved gaming monitor (G55C) $219.99 at Amazon
$329.99 Save $110 Get Deal Why we like it

Not looking to spend a bunch to get a top-tier gaming experience? Look no further than the Samsung 32-inch Odyssey Series QHD curved gaming monitor (G55C). Sure, it's not as large as the 49-inch models listed above, but who says bigger is better? The 32-inch curved gaming monitor comes with a 165Hz refresh rate and it'll be easier to fit on your desktop and much easier to move. Samsung also considered eye health with the Odyssey G5 and uses a screen that reduces flicker. There's also the Eye Saver Mode which minimizes blue light, and that can be super useful for longer gaming sessions.

SAVE $36.99: As of Sept. 2, the Sony WH-CH520 wireless headphones are on sale for only $33 at Amazon. That's 53% off their current list price of $69.99 and their best price on record.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-CH520 headphones $33 at Amazon
$69.99 Save $36.99 Get Deal

If you don't need all the fancy pants bells and whistles that come with top-of-the-line headphones, you can save a bunch of money by opting for something more basic like the Sony WH-CH520s. They'll still check all the essential boxes like good sound quality, multipoint connection, hands-free calling, decent battery life, and a comfortable and lightweight design, but they won't cost you as much as a car payment.

As of Sept. 2, you can pick up a pair of Sony WH-CH520 headphones (in black) for only $33 at Amazon. That's a savings of 53% or $36.99 and their lowest price ever on record. And considering these babies just got a $10 price hike, raising their list price from $59.99 to $69.99, this discount is even more impressive.

The depth of sound isn't going to match Sony's $450 WH-1000XM6 headphones, but as our reviewer noted, "The audio quality of this Sony pair certainly packed a punch. When running in them (pretty comfortable, all things considered), the sound of traffic and the wind was just barely audible — certainly way less audible than you'd expect from such a minimalistic headphone design."

Other standouts include up to 50 hours of battery life, a three-minute fast-charge feature, multipoint connectivity, customizable EQ, and a lightweight design. You can even create sound profiles in the app to match the genre you're listening to. They have a lot going for them for the price. The only downfall is that while they come in a bunch of fun colors, only the black option is sitting at the record-low $33.

If you've been using a YouTube Premium family plan to extend its benefits to people outside of your household, keep an eye on your inbox.

That's because the Google-owned video website is apparently starting a soft crackdown on that practice, per Android Police. Some folks, including a friend of the Android Police reporter and this Reddit user, have received emails from YouTube stating that their Premium service will be paused in 14 days because they were not in the same physical location as the holder of the Premium account. For reference, YouTube Premium's family plan allows someone to add up to five members to the plan for just $23/mo.

SEE ALSO: YouTube Music courts mega fans with new features

It should be noted that YouTube instituted this policy all the way back in 2023, but had not really enforced it until now. It also seems, per Android Police, that the enforcement hasn't rolled out widely yet. You may still be able to exploit the loophole for now, though I wouldn't count on it lasting forever. The app does a check every 30 days to ensure that all users are in the same location, so we may start seeing more and more reports of this happening in the coming weeks.

Again, make sure you check your email from time to time.

SAVE $30: Some shoppers are eligible to use code MAX4KTV at checkout to score the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $29.99, down from the normal price of $59.99. That’s a 50% discount and the lowest on record at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max $29.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $30.00 use discount code MAX4KTV Get Deal

Maybe the weather hasn’t gotten the memo, but we’re almost to fall and that means we have tons of new shows to look forward to. If your TV's current streaming setup tends to be laggy and takes forever to load menu screens, you deserve to upgrade. Some Amazon shoppers are in for a massive discount today on a 4K streaming stick. 

As of Sept. 2, the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is on sale for some shoppers for $29.99 with code MAX4KTV. That’s $30 off the list price of $59.99 which makes it a new record-low. Most of Mashable’s shopping team have access to this coupon, but not everyone, so check on your access before you start the celebration.

The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is the latest model from the mega retailer, and it’s loaded with top-tier features. For starters, it supports 4K streaming and the shocking quick WiFi 6E. That spells a smooth streaming experience for any 4K content. It also has a 2.0 GHz quad-core processor and it has double the storage compared to the first generation Fire Stick, clocking in at 16GB. That means there’s twice as much room for your favorite apps and streaming services.

SEE ALSO: Get ready for NFL kickoff with these deals on massive 100-inch TVs

One of the most innovative features in TV technology recently is the Samsung The Frame’s ability to double as an art piece while you’re not streaming shows or movies. Those TVs tend to cost well over $1,000, but that’s not the only way to display artwork on your TV. The Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is one and only streaming stick to come with Fire TV Ambient Experience which allows you display museum-quality art and photography from a library of over 2,000 pieces.

The included remote control comes with voice-command features with the help of Alexa and you also get four pre-programmed buttons with quick navigation to Netflix and Prime Video, in addition to two others.

While it’s down to a record-low price at Amazon for many lucky shoppers, hurry to snag the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max while it’s down to just $29.99. That’s a massive 50% discount for those who have access to use code MAX4KTV to score the discount. Happy streaming!

Windows 11 has a cool, useful feature that you may not know about.

The Microsoft software has a new tool that will allow users to link their PC clipboard to their Android phone. In other words, you can have something copied on your computer and immediately access it on your phone. This could prove super useful for sending links, images, big blocks of text, or whatever else you might discover on your PC.

The feature works from the Link to Windows app, Tech Radar noted, which means you'll have to have that installed to turn on the feature in Windows 11 settings. Windows Latest spotted the feature in a preview build, writing "the sync was instantaneous" and that it worked across different keyboard apps. Users just need to be logged in to the same Microsoft account on their PC and phone, while also allowing access to the keyboard via settings in their cellphone. Then presto, the clipboard should be right there on your phone.

The feature is only in test builds right now, but it would make sense if it eventually made its way to all users.

Windows 11, meanwhile, has been in the news recently for less than ideal reasons. Microsoft had to issue a statement denying that a recent security update was causing SSD failures. The denial came after internet rumors that the update was to blame.

SAVE $1,000: Through Sept. 4, the Roborock Saros Z70 robot vacuum with an arm is $1,000 off for Roborock's anniversary sale, bringing the cost down to $1,599.

Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock Saros Z70 $1,599 at Roborock
$2,599 Save $1,000 Get Deal

The Roborock Saros Z70 has been the last robot vacuum I've been telling people to buy since it came out in May. The allure of the arm alone (and its quirks, as I found out in testing) just couldn't justify the $2,599 price tag. But Roborock is having an anniversary sale through Sept. 4, and during it, I might judge you a little less hard for taking the plunge on the robot vacuum with an arm — because it's a whole $1,000 off.

Yes, the Saros Z70 is on sale for $1,599, which is a much more digestible amount that we're used to seeing from Roborock. $1,599 is the normal asking price for the rest of the Saros trilogy, the Saros 10 and Saros 10R, that I've been vouching for hard after testing and comparing them both. They're both $300 cheaper for the sale, now both $1,299 each. Oddly enough, the Saros Z70 is the only of the three deals that's strictly available at Roborock's website, not at Amazon.

SEE ALSO: Dreame's summer vacuum launch is the biggest vacuum drop of 2025 so far

To give credit where it's due, the Roborock Saros Z70 is actually a good robot vacuum and mop combo. (It was just overpriced, especially with erratic arm functionality.) With 22,000 Pa of suction power and hinged spinning mopping pads that scrub right up against edges and corners, it's a real cleaning powerhouse that competes with (or beats) most other premium robot vacuums on the market. Everything gets dumped into the sleek automatic self-empty dock.

The Saros Z70's mops can flex out past the circular edge of the vacuum. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable The Saros Z70 washes and dries its own mopping pads automatically. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Its smart mapping room to room is highly accurate, just as I've grown to expect from Roborock. It's the accuracy of the obstacle-dodging capabilities within those rooms that isn't so spot on. Yes, the arm can successfully pick select items up from time to time, but its consistency is a little iffy, and so is the vacuum's small obstacle avoidance tech. (Don't worry, it was spot on with fake pet waste.) Still, the livestream camera is an awesome tool for pet parents to have, even if it's not super helpful when trying to pick up a sock or pet toy claw machine style. I documented my experience at home on video, so you can see for yourself before buying.