Hello again and welcome back to Fast Company ’s Plugged In . Contrary to conventional wisdom , Steve Jobs didn’t reject the possibility of Apple adding touch input to Macs. I remember that only because he told me so himself, when I squeezed in the last question during a post-keynote Q&A at Apple’s headquarters on October 14, 2008. As far as I know, there’s no video of our brief exchange. But here’…
Hello again and welcome back to Fast Company ’s Plugged In . If you owned a smartphone a decade and an half ago and were into cool new apps, there’s a more-than-decent chance you tried one called Foursquare . The best known of a then-new breed of location-based social networks, it let you check into places you visited in the physical world, and see where your friends were checking in. One Foursqua…
Hello again and welcome back to Fast Company’s Plugged In . Once a year, Google holds a conference on its campus called Research@. Scientific researchers from inside and outside the company pack an on-campus auditorium for a highly compressed look at what its 26-year-old Google Research lab has been up to. This year’s edition emphasized AI —surprise!—and covered a vast amount of ground, from predi…
Hello again, and welcome back to Fast Company ’s Plugged In . In recent years, being gobsmacked by AI’s ever-expanding capabilities has become my new normal. More importantly, I’ve found the technology increasingly essential to my own productivity . What AI never did until last week was save my bacon. That changed when I gave OpenAI’s new Dots agent access to my calendar and email. Shortly thereaf…
Hello again, and welcome once again to Fast Company ’s Plugged In . “What we are building is your second brain, your aide, your consigliere, your reliable chief of staff in your pocket.” That was Microsoft AI CEO Mustafa Suleyman telling me what he was working on way back in early 2025—a lifetime ago in AI years. The consumer version of the company’s Copilot assistant, he said, would “have its own…
You can do a whole lot more than tap to pay with Google’s Wallet app.
Due October 13, the $80 Surface mouse packs an impressive array of features. I want one.
In response to the emerging threat of rogue and shadow AI agents, here’s how the newly formed Blueprint Alliance seeks to help businesses secure their systems against anomalous AI activity.
Some owners, including me, have reported sudden shutdowns while adjusting Apple Watch settings.
A bug in the Windows Sept patch Tuesday update may stop File History from working. But a new optional update fixes it.
ZDNET Exclusive: A new Workera report shows businesses and employees aren’t on the same page about AI upskilling. Here’s what organizations need to know.
Best early Walmart Fall Days deals: Best Apple deal Apple AirPods 4 $99 (save $30.99) Get Deal Best headphones deal Beats Studio Pro Wireless Headphones $149 (save $20.95) Get Deal Best TV deal onn. 65-inch 4K UHD Smart TV (65S4V4) $258 (save $20) Get Deal Amazon's October Prime Day event is right around the corner, which means every other major retailer is currently scrambling to steal your atten…
TL;DR : Eight Sleep just launched the Pod 6 , featuring a completely redesigned Hub that fits under most bed frames, 18 biometric sensors, and new single-sleeper Solo sizes. Prices start at $1,999 for Solo and $2,699 for Standard sizes. Opens in a new window Credit: Eight Sleep Eight Sleep Pod 6 Shop Now When we reviewed the Eight Sleep Pod 5 , we called it a spendy miracle for hot sleepers. Havin…
TL;DR: As of Sept. 23, the LifeStraw personal water filter is available for $14.99 at Amazon. That's a saving of 16% on the list price of $17.95. Opens in a new window Credit: LifeStraw LifeStraw Personal Water Filter $14.99 at Amazon $17.95 Save $2.96 Get Deal It's almost time for Amazon's October Prime Day , which runs for two days over Oct. 6-7, and that start means deals are popping up already…
The best early Prime Day deals on gaming monitors: Best Ultra-Budget 1080p Monitor Acer 27-Inch KB272 G0bi $99.99 (save $50) Get Deal Best speed for FPS games MSI 27-Inch MAG 274CF X24 $129.99 (save $10) Get Deal Best High-Refresh 1440p Monitor Alienware 27-Inch AW2726DL $199.99 (save $30) Get Deal Best immersive monitor Samsung 32-Inch Odyssey G5 G50F $199.99 (save $150) Get Deal Best curved gami…
SAVE $60: As of Sept. 22, the Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 portable power station is down to $499 at Amazon. That's an 11% discount, bringing this upgraded 1070Wh generator under the $500 mark. Opens in a new window Credit: Jackery Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 Portable Power Station $499 at Amazon $559 Save $60 Get Deal When it comes to portable power stations, Jackery is pretty much the brand everyone re…
The best Prime Day robot vacuum deals at a glance: Best Robot Vacuum Deal Eufy E25 Robot Vacuum and Mop $599.98 (Save $400.01) Get Deal Best Premium Robot Vacuum Deal Roborock Qrevo CurvX Robot Vacuum and Mop $949 (Save $550.99) Get Deal Best Budget Robot Vacuum Deal Roborock Q10 S5+ Robot Vacuum $329.99 (Save $220) Get Deal Prime Big Deal Days , Amazon's two-day sale for Prime members, kicks off…
Anthropic’s newest Claude model aims to make frontier AI cheaper, faster, and safer, while giving subscribers more breathing room before those frustrating usage limits kick in.
Amazon's Prime Air delivery drone service is still in the early stages of rolling out across the United States, but residents of one test community have already had enough. The New York Times reported on residents of Richardson, Texas, a suburb of Dallas where Amazon has been testing drone deliveries throughout 2026. According to several Richardson residents interviewed by the Times, Amazon's Prim…
SAVE $20: Beats 360 headphones launch on Sept. 24. You can now preorder Beats 360 headphones for $329 at Walmart , saving $20 on the $349.99 list price. Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats 360 $329 at Amazon $349.99 Save $20.99 Pre-order Here Apple literally just unveiled the customizable, gym-ready Beats 360, and Walmart is already cutting the price ahead of launch day. Apple hardware rarel…
Best early Prime Day deals under $50, at a glance: Best Amazon Device Deal Amazon Echo Glow (2-Pack) $47.98 (Save $12) Get Deal Best Earbud Deal JBL Vibe Beam 2 Noise-Canceling Earbuds $39.94 (Save $25.01) Get Deal Best Kitchen Deal Chefman Everything Maker & Pizza Oven $49.99 (Save $15) Get Deal Best Home Security Deal Blink Battery Doorbell 2K+ $43.99 (Save $75.99) Get Deal Best Outdoor Deal Goo…
TL;DR: As of Sept. 22, the DJI Avata 360 8K drone (including backpack and landing pad) is available for $719 at Amazon. That's a $98.95 saving on the list price of $817.95. Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Avata 360 8K Drone $719 at Amazon $817.95 Save $98.95 Get Deal Top-flight drones don't come cheap, which is why we're always watching the skies. You never know when a significant price drop…
SAVE $400: As of Sept. 22, the Bluetti Elite 100 V2 Portable Power Station is down to $499 at Amazon, marked down from its original $899 list price. That's a 44% discount and a match for its lowest price to date. Opens in a new window Credit: Bluetti Bluetti Elite 100 V2 $499 at Amazon $899 Save $400 Get Deal Having solid backup power is one of those things you don't think about — until the…
The brand's latest headphones feature an IPX4 water-resistant design and swappable earcup and headband cushions, along with impressive sound, strong noise canceling and top-notch voice-calling performance. Are they worth $350? CNET's audio expert, David Carnoy, gives you the full skinny on what may be Beats' best headphones to date, though they are missing a couple of features found on other premi…
The best early Prime Day Pokémon deals at a glance: Best TCG deal Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Elite Trainer Box $89.99 (save vs. market price) Get Deal Best Lego deal Lego Pokémon Eevee (72151) $47.95 (save $12.05) Get Deal Best video game deal Pokémon Legends: Z-A (Nintendo Switch 2) $44.99 (save $25) Get Deal Best book deal Pokémon Deluxe Character Guide (Poke…
Given how many iPhones , Macs and other gadgets it sells, it's sometimes easy to forget that Apple is also a content company. To promote its many digital content platforms like Apple Music and Apple TV , the company produces TV shows, movies, and hosts exclusive live concerts which you can find on Apple Music. Now, the company has a very fancy place to hosts those concerts. Apple Music Hall is a n…
The rising cost of living has impacted singles for years now, and a new report from payment service Zelle shares new insights on just how much their bank accounts influence how (and if) they find love. Zelle's Economics of Dating Report found that the vast majority (84 percent) of Gen Z and millennial daters say rising cost has affected their dating lives (according to an Aug. 2026 national survey…
TL;DR: The Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Sylveon ex Tin is now available for $58.98 at Walmart , down from $67.99. Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Sylveon ex Tin $58.98 at Amazon $67.99 Save $9.01 Pre-order Here Amazon has been the go-to for the Pokémon TCG’s 30th Celebration ETB , but the retailer has been a bit slow…
When you play as many video games as I do, only a select few really stick in your mind for years after you finish them. Control , a 2019 action-adventure game, was one of those. Mashable gave Control its Game of the Year award that year, and for good reason: It's a mind-bending and totally sick shooter that can be cleanly summarized as "you play as a Jedi with a gun in a haunted office building."…
TL;DR: As of Sept. 22, the Apple iPad Pro (M4) 11-inch is available for $1,899 at Amazon. That's a $200 saving on the regular list price of $2,099. Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad Pro (M4) 11-inch $1,899 at Amazon $2,099 Save $200 Get Deal The Apple M6 chip was recently announced as the latest in Apple's line of powerful processors. But don't sleep on the M4-powered devices that are…
The best early October Prime Day deals on power stations: Best Jackery deal Jackery Explorer 1000 v2 $499 (save $60) Get Deal Best Ecoflow deal Ecoflow Delta 3 Classic with 220W Solar Panel $699 (save $400) Get Deal Best Bluetti deal Bluetti Elite 100 V2 $499 (save $400) Get Deal Best Anker deal Anker Solix C1000 $449.98 (save $150.01) Get Deal Portable power stations are useful for everything fro…
The best early Prime Day MicroSD, portable SSD, and internal SSD deals: Best SSD deal Samsung SSD 990 PRO 2TB PCIe 4.0 $389.99 (save $250) Get Deal Best MicroSD deal SanDisk 512GB microSD Express Card $129.99 (save $19.01) Get Deal Best Rugged SSD deal SanDisk 1TB Extreme Portable SSD $265.99 (save $34) Get Deal Best Internal SSD deal Samsung Internal SSD 990 2TB NVMe $369.99 (save $160) Get Deal…
TL;DR: Preorders for the first-ever Google Books are live ahead of the Oct. 4 launch. If you preorder any model through Best Buy, a free pair of Google Pixel Buds 2a (a $129 value) will automatically get added to your cart at checkout. Opens in a new window Credit: Asus Googlebooks at Best Buy Get free Pixel Buds 2a ($129 value) with preorders. Shop Now If you’ve been waiting to get your han…
Anyone who's a longtime AdultFriendFinder user will already know the benefits of the site's “Premium Gold Plan”. But for those who are only just getting started with the long-running hookup site, there's lots to learn. And just because it regularly prompts users to sign up for the plan, don't feel obliged to immediately input your credit card details. There are definitely benefits to a…
What are the most comfortable headphones? Credit: Alex Bracetti / Mashable The most comfortable earbuds and headphones shouldn't cause ear fatigue or pain, even after hours of listening to music or podcasts. After extensive testing, we selected the five most comfortable headphones based on price, performance, and purpose. However, one product in particular stood out, and it's the one with "Comfort…
The best early AirPods deals ahead of Prime Big Deal Days: Best overall deal Apple AirPods 4 $99 (save $30) Get Deal Best AirPods Pro deal Apple AirPods Pro 3 $199 (save $50) Get Deal Best airpods max deal Apple AirPods Max 2 $479 (save $70) Get Deal The first day of fall is nigh, and you know what that means — October Prime Day is nearly here. The sale, officially dubbed Prime Big Deal Days…
TL;DR: The Motorola Razr+ is available for free with T-Mobile . To qualify for this deal, activate a new line on an Experience Beyond plan. Opens in a new window Credit: Motorola T-Mobile: Motorola Razr+ for free Shop Now Apple literally just launched new iPhones , Apple Watches, and AirPods , so why on earth are we talking about Motorola? We know there's a lot of excitement around Apple, but Moto…
Remember making elephant toothpaste in science class? You’d combine water, yeast, soap, hydrogen peroxide, and food coloring, and watch a tower of colorful foam erupt from a beaker. Not long after, the foam would subside, leaving nothing but soapy water and the fond memories of a brief foray into the world of chemistry. Watching The Love Hypothesis is a lot like that. Adapted from Ali Hazelw…
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…
Game Changer Season 8 ended with — not a bang — but buzzers! In "Last Talent Standing," Dropout collided a talent show competition with Squid Game, where each axed contender means prize money is added to a hovering piggy bank. Host (and Mashable 101 honoree) Sam Reich not only welcomed 23 contestants on stage to compete, but also three celebrity judges, made up of celebrated stand-up c…