TL;DR: The newest MacBook Air (256 GB model) is on sale for $1,099.99 at Amazon, a savings of 15%.
There’s no rest for the wicked, but also no rest for Apple news.
If a new model of something isn’t being released (hello, new MacBook Pro), there’s a rumor about something being released (hello, even newer MacBook Pro). It’s fun, but overwhelming for people simply trying to upgrade their device while staying frugal.
Make it easy on yourself: The newest MacBook Air also happen to be the cheapest, and you can save $199.01 on the 256 GB model at Amazon. That’s only $150 more than the sale price of the 128 GB model from 2018. (Y’all better hurry — the gold model sold out at the time of this writing.) Read more…
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After three years of bashing Apple for removing the 3.5 mm headphone jack from the iPhone, Samsung has joined its rival and killed the audio port from its new Galaxy Note 10 phones, too.
Yep, the jack is gone from Samsung’s biggest and most powerful phone of the year, and it’s likely never returning in any future Galaxy Notes.
But why is Samsung eliminating the analog audio port after holding out for so long?
SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 is a hot alternative to the Apple Watch
The answer may be obvious to engineers and designers: The jack had to go in order to make room for other components. Read more…
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The company that delights in fetishizing physical objects just got a whole lot more, well, intimate. That’s right, on Aug. 7 Apple dropped a host of ASMR videos designed to excite and titillate the internet’s senses, and the entire thing is as baffling as you’d imagine.
Described as “Apple ASMR: Season 1” — confoundingly suggesting a second season may be in the works — the four videos invite the Apple devotee to, for example, “Unwind with the whispered legend of Ghost Forest.”
Because everyone’s idea of relaxation is having one of the world’s richest companies whisper in their ears. Read more…
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The wait is over. Samsung’s Galaxy Note 10 is official and, no, it doesn’t have a headphone jack.
But before I get to why Samsung killed the classic audio port on the Note 10, I’d like to clarify that the new phone isn’t a single device, but two: a 6.3-inch Note 10 and 6.8-inch Note 10+.
Samsung’s always billed the Galaxy Note as its biggest and most cutting edge smartphone — a device for power users built with productivity in mind — and the two Note 10s are no different.
The new Android phones don’t break new ground with anything like a foldable display or camera embedded underneath the screen, but when it comes to tried-and-true innovation upgrades, there’s really little to dislike (except maybe the whole headphone jack removal, of course). Read more…
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The obsession with robot vacuums is obviously the fact that they make your life 100 times easier, but there’s a hard part to the process: picking one.
“Roomba” and “robot vacuum” are essentially interchangeable terms at this point, but the robot vacuum market ain’t what it was in 2005. Though we totally back nearly ever Roomba model, there’s a whole new world of brands that you should be considering. Read more…
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IMAGE: Amazon
BUDGET OPTION
ILIFE V3s
Hardwood floors will get two hours of powerful suction, but don’t expect much for mopping or carpets.
Run time: 120 minutes
App connected: No
Alexa and Google Assistant: No
$159.99 from Amazon
IMAGE: Amazon
BEST FOR TIGHT SPACES
Eufy RoboVac 11s
Quiet, low-clearance cleaning and suction on all floor types make this ideal for apartment dwellers.
Run time: 100 minutes
App connectivity: No
Alexa and Google Assistant: No
$269.99 from Amazon
IMAGE: Walmart
MOST AFFORDABLE CONNECTED VACUUM
Shark ION RV750
Shark makes an impressive transition from upright to robot with this affordable WiFi-connected vac.
Run time: 70 minutes
App connected: Yes
Alexa and Google Assistant: Yes
$222.99 from Walmart
IMAGE: Amazon
BEST FOR ALLERGIES
ECOVACS Deebot N79S
This internet favorite offers powerful suction, great battery life, and a HEPA filter for cheap.
Run time: 120 minutes
App connected: Yes
Alexa and Google Assistant: Yes
$299.99 from Amazon
IMAGE: Walmart
BEST MID-RANGE ROOMBA
Roomba 960
This is not your basic Roomba — a camera for navigation and Aeroforce lifting cleaning make it the bot to beat.
Price: $699
App connected: Yes
Alexa and Google Assistant: Yes
$699.99 from Walmart
IMAGE: Amazon
BEST FOR PET HAIR
Neato BotVac
Shedding overload? This ultra-connected vacuum deep cleans and keeps track of what it does — for a price.
Run time: 120 minutes
App connected: Yes
Alexa and Google Assistant: Yes
$829.99 from Amazon
IMAGE: Walmart
BEST IF YOU CAN SPLURGE
iRobot Roomba i7
It remembers floor plans, is totally self-sufficient, and can even empty its own dust bin without your help.
Run time: 90 minutes
App connected: Yes
Alexa and Google Assistant: Yes
$1,099 from Walmart
IMAGE: Amazon
BEST FOR LARGE SPACES
Roborock S5 robot vacuum and mop
Get a vacuum and a mop in one and leave the cleaning to your robot friend.
Run time: 150 minutes
App connectivity: Yes
Alexa & Google Assistant: Yes
$599.99 from Amazon
IMAGE: Amazon
BEST FOR CLEANING UNDER FURNITURE
Eufy Boost IQ 11S
At less than 3 inches tall, this super slim robot vacuum beats out bulkier models and can easily slip under furniture.
Run time: 100 minutes
App Connectivity: No
Alexa & Google Assistant: No
$229.99 from Amazon
IMAGE: Amazon
BEST FOR HOMES WITH CHILDREN
Eufy Boost 1Q Robo Vac 30C
Equipped with a larger dustbin than other models, this vacuum will easily suck up any mess your child may have left behind.
Run time: 100 minutes
App connectivity: Yes
Alexa & Google Assistant: Yes
$299.99 from Amazon
IMAGE: Amazon
BEST FOR CAT OWNERS
iRobot Roomba 980
Cleaning Time: 120 minutes
WiFi Enabled: Yes
$868 from Amazon
IMAGE: Amazon
BEST AFFORDABLE ROBOT
Eufy Robovac 11
Provides a solid clean without breaking the bank.
Cleaning Time: 100 minutes
WiFi Enabled: No
$179.99 from Amazon
IMAGE: Best Buy
BEST BANG FOR YOUR BUCK
ECOVACS DEEBOT 900/901
Offers a lot of the bells and whistles found in more expensive models.
Facebook is going after more shady app developers for abusing its platform.
The social media company filed a lawsuit against two app developers it says used malware-ridden Android apps to engage in “click injection fraud.” According to Facebook, the developer used malware embedded in its Android apps to fake clicks on ads to make money off unsuspecting users who downloaded their apps.
This lawsuit is the latest example of Facebook aggressively pursuing shady app developers who break its rules in the wake of Cambridge Analytica. But unlike Cambridge Analytica, which used ill-gotten Facebook data from a personality quiz app, it appears these developers were attempting some good old-fashioned ad fraud. Read more…
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American Crime Story returns in 2020 — with Monica Lewinsky as its producer.
On Tuesday, FX Networks confirmed the next installment of its Emmy Award-winning anthology true crime series. Titled Impeachment: American Crime Story, the series’ third season will tackle the 1998 impeachment of former President Bill Clinton, and premiere on Sept. 28 at 10 p.m. ET.
Lewinsky, a controversial figure at the center of the political scandal, will produce the series alongside executive producers Sarah Burgess, Ryan Murphy, Nina Jacobson, Brad Simpson, Brad Falchuk, Larry Karaszewski, Scott Alexander, Alexis Martin Woodall, and Sarah Paulson— as well as fellow producers Henrietta Conrad and Jemima Kahn. Read more…
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Welcome to Small Humans, an ongoing series at Mashable that looks at how to take care of – and deal with – the kids in your life. Because Dr. Spock is nice and all, but it’s 2019 and we have the entire internet to contend with.
Jam-packed with tales of talking animals, adventures of heroes in disguise, and stories of true love, Netflix has one rockin’ collection of films perfect for family movie night.
But with so much to choose from (and a million other things to worry about), parents can have a hard time sussing out what to cue up at any given moment. So, in honor of them and their small humans, we narrowed it down ahead of time. Read more…
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Disney+ is looking even more appealing thanks to the deal that Disney revealed in an earnings report on Tuesday.
The company announced a bundle that combines its upcoming streaming service Disney+ with Hulu and ESPN+, The Verge reported Tuesday. The bundle will cost $12.99 a month when it launches on Nov. 12.
On its own, Disney+ will cost $6.99 a month and $69.99 for a full year, while the standard Hulu subscription costs $5.99 a month and ESPN+ costs $4.99 a month. The bundle will save subscribers to all three services about $5 per month, which is a pretty solid deal.
Compared to other popular streaming services, the Disney+ bundle looks pretty good. Netflix’s standard subscription costs $12.99 a month and Amazon Prime Video on its own is $8.99 a month (and included in the full Amazon Prime membership at $12.99 a month). Read more…
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After facing massive backlash for deactivating a number of popular meme accounts, Instagram is trying to smooth things over by hiring a meme liaison who’s in touch with youth culture.
The company announced the position on Tuesday, the Atlantic reports, in an effort to appease users after purging 142 meme accounts in late July. The “strategic-partnerships manager” would specifically work with meme accounts and “digital publishers” — media companies like @TheShadeRoom and @Betches that primarily work through social media. The liaison would “identify important new formats and trends while also serving memers already on the platform,” according to the Atlantic, working under Instagram’s partnership division. Read more…
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