GoKawiil
Tech News
Google has raised the price of its Google TV Streamer by 50%, from $100 to $150, on its own store and at retailers like Best Buy, according to 9to5Google. The company has not stated a reason, though the device is still listed at $100 on Amazon for now. The streamer, which replaced Chromecast in 2024, includes 32GB storage, 4GB RAM, and support for 4K60 HDR formats and Dolby Atmos.
Multiple mattress brands are running Labor Day promotions, with discounts extending to models that WIRED's reviewers have personally tested and recommended. One standout deal uses a checkout code to lower the price on what testers call the best all-around mattress from their evaluations, which features individually wrapped springs and six cushioning layers. Additional deals cover bedding accessories like sheets, pillows, and blankets, with more offers expected to be added as the holiday approaches.
According to CBS News sources, the FBI has quietly relaxed vetting standards for new hires, now permitting candidates with a history of paying for sex up to three times and even those with juvenile incidents of bestiality or animal cruelty, provided they occurred before age 18. The bureau says such allowances are limited to narrow cases, including childhood sexual abuse involving animals, but sources say no distinction is made between willing and coerced acts.
ZDNET has published a roundup of discounts on streaming hardware ahead of Labor Day 2026, highlighting a Fire TV Stick priced at $20 alongside other markdowns on streaming devices. The list is compiled from vendor and retailer listings plus independent testing and customer feedback rather than a single retailer's sale event.
Audio guidance clarifies that most subwoofers are nearly omnidirectional because bass frequencies spread as long, powerful waves rather than beaming like tweeters or midrange speakers. As a result, which way a subwoofer physically faces has little effect on sound quality compared to where it sits in the room. The main exception is ported subwoofers, which need clear space around their vents to perform properly.
Apple streamed a live MLB game between the Red Sox and Yankees as an Apple Immersive experience on Vision Pro, using 3D 8K footage with a 180-degree field of view for Friday Night Baseball. Reviewers from Macworld, Daring Fireball, and Six Colors all praised the broadcast, comparing it favorably to actually sitting in the stadium. Commentators also noted Apple's choice to stick with a single fixed camera per half-inning, rather than cutting between many angles, made the experience feel more natural and immersive.
Companies are increasingly turning to subject-matter expert creators to shape brand perception, moving beyond the traditional binary of pitching journalists for earned media or buying advertising for guaranteed reach. This shift challenges the long-standing assumption that institutional newsrooms alone control audience trust.
Sony has cut the price of its WH-1000XM5 over-ear headphones to $198 at both Amazon and Best Buy as part of week-long Labor Day discounts. That price matches the lowest they hit during Prime Day in late June, but this time shoppers don't need a Prime membership to access it. The headphones normally retail near $250 and launched in 2022 at $399.99.
An Android Authority writer tested two third-party Android weather apps, Gradient Weather and Breezy Weather, after years of relying on Samsung Weather, Pixel Weather and AccuWeather. Both apps offered strong customization and usability, but the reviewer ultimately favored one over the other after weighing their strengths and drawbacks.
WIRED's ongoing testing of MagSafe phone grips now includes the Spigen OM104, Casely's MagRing and MagRing+, and the Smartish Wallflower. Each offers a different approach, from a nylon finger strap to a swiveling silicone ring to suction-cup wall mounting, with trade-offs in comfort, flatness, and durability noted for each.
A new guide highlights that consumers can drop off old laptops, desktops and printers at major retailers such as Best Buy and Staples for free recycling, regardless of where the device was originally purchased. Some retailers even offer trade-in credit or discounts on new purchases as an incentive. The process is straightforward, but users are advised to fully wipe personal data via a factory reset or dedicated drive-scrubbing tool before handing over devices.
After years of volatile pricing and shortages, GPU prices have largely normalized, with standouts like Intel's Arc B580 at $250, AMD's 16GB Radeon RX 9060 XT at $350, and the RX 9070 XT at $600. The 9070 XT now undercuts Nvidia's RTX 4070 Ti Super by a small margin despite offering similar 16GB VRAM specs, marking roughly a 25% price drop from that card's 2024 launch price.