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mardi 11 août 2026

You Can Get These Nothing Over-Ear Headphones for 27% Off Right Now

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The Nothing Headphone (1) is currently down to $219 from its $299 list price, giving you an $80 discount on Nothing’s first pair of over-ear headphones. In line with the company’s design language, they feature transparent elements and bold, geometric detailing that make them stand out from typical matte-black pairs. But the appeal goes beyond the look. These IP52-rated headphones use 40mm drivers, hybrid ANC, and both USB-C and 3.5mm connectivity. They also support high-res audio via LDAC, while Nothing’s companion app gives you basic and advanced EQ controls for adjusting the sound. Battery life is impressive, too, stretching to 35 hours with ANC on and up to 80 hours with it switched off.

But the hardware alone doesn’t define the experience—Nothing’s control scheme is what makes these wireless headphones stand out. Instead of touch panels or clunky buttons, you get a satisfying volume scroll wheel (they call it the Roller), a multi-function Paddle for track navigation, and a customizable button that can switch EQ profiles or noise modes. The tactile design takes a minute to learn, but once you do, it’s intuitive and genuinely useful. You also get spatial audio and multipoint Bluetooth support, which work well across Android and iOS.

That said, comfort may vary. The earcups aren’t the softest for long sessions, and while they’re padded, the shape might not suit everyone. Performance-wise, the ANC handles low-end noise well (think airplane engines and AC hum) but struggles with sharper, unexpected sounds like clanging dishes or chatter nearby. The sound profile is punchy, especially with a bit of EQ tweaking in the app, but you’ll need to put in some effort if you want the best results, notes this PCMag review.


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Watch Out for These Fake Fraud Alerts From Apple and Amazon

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If you get a security pop-up while you're browsing online alerting you to an unauthorized charge attached to one of your accounts, don't panic, and don't act impulsively. Scammers are currently using these alerts to impersonate Apple and Amazon support (and possibly others) to convince people that their accounts have been compromised and need to be verified to prevent further fraudulent activity. Naturally, this is just a ruse designed to gain access to your device or accounts, which will do far more damage than the fake alert itself.

How the unauthorized charge scam works

This campaign, described by Malwarebytes Labs, starts with a browser pop-up that appears on top of Apple's or Amazon's website. The alerts are designed to look like legitimate notifications and state that the user's Apple ID or Amazon account was recently used to make a $149.99 purchase. Targets are urged to call the support number listed—the same on both pop-ups—immediately to prevent further unauthorized activity. The scammer on the other end of the line may try to convince you to download a tool that provides remote access to your device, hand over credentials, or even pay a fee to protect your account.

If you Google the number listed in this specific campaign, you'll find a fake Amazon support website ("amazonhelp[dot]support") set up by fraudsters to make the scheme look more legitimate—of course, the real Amazon customer service site is hosted on amazon.com. Other scam hallmarks present here include manufactured urgency, technical jargon, and a dollar amount that's just enough to get your attention but not so high that it seems like an obvious fake.

Know how to identify a real fraudulent charge notification

First things first: no legitimate company will send you security alerts via browser pop-up. If there's an issue with your account, you may receive an in-app notification or an email, though you should always be wary of the latter, as it's also a common vector for scams. To confirm whether these alerts are real, log into your account by going directly to the website or app and check your message history or activity log.

It's also worth noting that you won't dispute fraudulent charges with customer support over the phone. In fact, you're far more likely to deal with your bank or credit card issuer directly for this, and you may actually get a fraud notification from a financial institution first in the event of a suspicious purchase. Calling a number from a browser pop-up is not the way. Do not give out account information to anyone over the phone unless you have verified the number, such as by clicking through the company's app, and initiated the call yourself.

Finally, these fake pop-ups may be the result of malicious ads, browser redirects, or compromised sites, all of which are used in phishing campaigns. If you're served one, exit the tab immediately and do not click or engage with it further.



lundi 10 août 2026

The Best Apps to Use After Gmail's 'Send As' Feature Goes Away

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If you've been using Gmail to manage multiple email accounts, including third-party addresses, you'll soon have to find an alternative. Google is ending support for the "Send as" feature that allows users to send emails from external services like Hotmail, Yahoo, and Outlook as well as custom domains using their primary Gmail account.

According to Google's support document, "Send as" will be discontinued in January 2027 for Gmail's web and mobile app interfaces. You'll still be able to add third-party accounts on mobile, meaning you can check your email on iOS or Android, but not send messages from those aliases. (Third-party accounts won't sync at all on the web.) Google is also eliminating "Gmailify," which allows you to add Gmail features like spam protection and inbox organization to third-party email accounts, as well as POP fetching on the web. Current users can continue to access these features until January 2027, but new users can no longer add them.

This change does not affect "Send as" for other Gmail or Google Workspace accounts, nor does it impact Gmail access through third-party email clients like Outlook, Thunderbird, and Apple Mail if you already have these set up through IMAP or POP. You can also continue to forward messages from third-party providers to Gmail.

One workaround is to send emails directly from the service provider's dedicated website or app. Obviously, managing multiple emails within Gmail is a way to streamline and consolidate disparate addresses into one interface, so this isn't the most convenient option if you have accounts across Outlook, Yahoo, and Google. Google also cautions against third-party tools and browser extensions that promise "Send as" functionality, as these require access to your credentials and may introduce security risks.

Switch to a desktop mail client instead

If consolidation is your goal, your best bet is likely to switch to a desktop mail client and connect your third-party accounts via IMAP/SMTP. There are a handful of options that support multi-account setups, including Gmail addresses, and have "Send as" features. Our friends over at PCMag recommend the following email clients for most users:

  • Apple Mail: For those in the Apple ecosystem, Apple Mail supports any email address and has solid privacy features.

  • Microsoft Outlook: If you're already a Microsoft 365 subscriber and use Outlook, this is an obvious choice. Outlook is also available for free as a standalone app. It works especially well for users who want the ability to separate messages into a Focused inbox.

  • Mozilla Thunderbird: This is a free and open source platform from Mozilla, makers of Firefox. It works with all major email services, but there's currently no iOS app.

These clients also have mobile apps (again, with the exception of Thunderbird on iOS) so you can keep the experience consistent across devices.



This Is Google Play's First Third-Party App Store

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If you have an Android device, you officially have a new app store to try out—the first of likely many to come. Unless you've dabbled in sideloading before, all of the apps on your smartphone or tablet probably came from the Play Store, Google's own app marketplace, or the official app store of your device's manufacturer, e.g., the Samsung Galaxy store. Starting today, however, you can download this new third-party app store from the Google Play Store.

Aptoide Games is Google Play's first third-party app store

As reported by The Verge, starting today, Aug. 10, you can download the "Aptoide Games" app marketplace on your Android directly through the Play Store. Aptoide isn't necessarily new: The company has operated an unofficial app store that you could sideload on your Android before this change, helpful for accessing apps you couldn't find on Google's official store. But now, you're able to install it on your smartphone like any other app from the Play Store.

While today is newsworthy, this development could have happened any time over the past two and a half weeks. Google has actually allowed developers to create and distribute third-party app stores on the Play Store since July 22. That decision wasn't really Google's, however, as the company would likely prefer keeping the Play Store as the only official app marketplace available to most Android users. Instead, the change in policy is the result of an agreement between Google and Epic Games, following years of litigation. Epic Games, maker of Fortnite, has long fought both Google and Apple in court, claiming the companies had unfair controls over app marketplaces.

While not all of Epic Games' suits have been fruitful, the company has certainly succeeded: A judge found Google had an illegal monopoly over Android applications and needed to open up its platform to third-party options. Google fought the ruling, then tried to compromise with Epic Games to allow for third-party app stores—just not through the Play Store. The company rather abruptly changed course, however, and agreed to host third-party app stores on the Play Store.

While app marketplaces like Aptoide Games are now allowed on the Play Store, they have to operate under some specific rules set out by Google, especially as it pertains to security, privacy, and user safety. They can distribute their own apps, as well as apps found on the Play Store, but they must pay Google certain fees to maintain the overall integrity of the platform.

Aptoide might be the first, but it won't be the last. Expect Epic Games to launch its own app store imminently, seeing as it was the company leading this charge in the first place. But more app marketplaces will likely follow suit.



The Feature-Packed Pixel Buds 2a Are $30 Off Right Now

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Google’s Pixel Buds line has long appealed to Android users who want the convenience of AirPods without paying flagship-earbud prices, and the Google Pixel Buds 2a continue that approach with several meaningful upgrades over the older Pixel Buds A-Series. Right now, they are down to $99 from $129 on Amazon—their lowest price so far, according to price trackers. That discount makes them much easier to recommend for anyone looking for everyday earbuds with “almost pro-level specs but for much less,” as our writer put it in her review.

Part of the reason the Pixel Buds 2a stand out is that Google did not treat them like stripped-down budget earbuds. PCMag even called them the best earphones for Android users, and the hardware helps explain why. Google added active noise cancellation to the A lineup for the first time, improved the battery life, and redesigned the fit so the earbuds sit deeper in the ear canal and twist into place more securely, much like the more expensive Pixel Buds Pro 2. They also use the same Tensor A1 chip found in the Pro model, which means features like Gemini voice access, adaptive audio processing, and the customizable five-band EQ are just as good.

Sound-wise, the 11mm drivers deliver balanced sound that works especially well for podcasts, pop, hip-hop, and casual streaming, even if these are not earbuds aimed at audiophiles chasing the most detailed sound possible. Comfort is another strong point, especially since Google includes four silicone tip sizes, and getting the seal right noticeably improves both fit and noise cancellation. Speaking of, the ANC handles airplane engines, subway rumble, and traffic noise fairly well, although voices still come through more clearly than they do on premium earbuds from Sony or Bose. As for battery life, it’s respectable at up to seven hours with ANC enabled and around 20 total hours with the charging case.

There are still a few compromises, including the lack of wireless charging and the absence of a charging cable in the box. You also lose some extra sensors and a microphone compared to the Pro model, so call quality and fitness tracking are slightly less advanced.


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vendredi 7 août 2026

Free ChatGPT Users Will Get a Huge Upgrade Next Week

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There are 8.3 billion people on this planet, and roughly an eighth of them use ChatGPT. OpenAI confirmed that its infamous AI chatbot now has over one billion weekly active users, a staggering number given that ChatGPT is only three and a half years old. (For reference, that's on par with global Windows users.) Love it or hate it, there's no denying that ChatGPT—and generative AI as a whole—is firmly a part of modern life.

While there are surely many paying ChatGPT customers, the vast majority are using it for free. Though it may be exciting for paid users to try out the company's latest and greatest models, the biggest impact happens whenever OpenAI makes features available free of charge. As it happens, next week, free users are getting perhaps the biggest ChatGPT update in years.

Free ChatGPT users are getting unlimited text chats

Starting next week, you'll no longer hit a wall when simply texting with ChatGPT. OpenAI says that both free and Go users now have unlimited text chats, which should mean you can send as many text-based messages as you want without running into cooldown periods. Of course, the emphasis here is on "texts." There are absolutely still limits on other ChatGPT features, including messages with files and images, as well as Voice mode and image generation. But for users who primarily use ChatGPT with text-based messages, this update should be more than welcome.

In addition, OpenAI is switching free and Go users to the company's new GPT-5.6 Luna model, which is designed for "cost-sensitive, high-volume workloads." As such, this model likely won't be as capable as OpenAI's more powerful models available to Pro users, but free users aren't totally left in the lurch: OpenAI says there's a new "Think" button that lets you push Luna further for more complex requests. The experience is much changed from the days when users could jump between different models for free, but perhaps the unlimited text chats will make up for it for most users.

ChatGPT Pro users are getting some new perks too

OpenAI says that Plus and Pro users are also getting some updates. The company says that its GPT-5.6 Sol model now delivers "more focused" responses, and may issue corrections instead of simply agreeing with the user when they're wrong. It also does away with some of the formatting we've come to expect from AI: Your answer may be more succinct in paragraph form, rather than expansive with bullet points. OpenAI says that Sol makes "fewer mistakes" too, but remember: all AI models hallucinate.

There's also a new slider to push the model from "Instant" to higher effort. The idea is to give users a sliding scale of power, rather than have them switch from distinct models. The more intense you push the model, the longer the responses may take, so OpenAI positions the slider as an option for users to tailor the model to their needs: If you need a quick answer, keep the slider towards the less intense side.



This Blink Wireless 2K Floodlight Camera Is 40% Off Right Now

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The Blink Outdoor 2K+ Wireless Floodlight Camera is down to $77.99 from $129.99 on Amazon, and price trackers show that this is its lowest price so far. For that, you're getting a battery-powered outdoor camera with a motion-activated floodlight in one package without having to run wiring through an exterior wall. The camera records at up to 2K resolution and covers a 135-degree field of view, while the floodlight adds 700 lumens when motion is detected. That combination should work well over a driveway, side entrance, or backyard where you want both visibility and a recording of whoever triggered the light. Blink also includes the Sync Module Core, two AA lithium batteries for the camera, four D-cell batteries for the floodlight, and the mounting hardware, so the basic setup is covered out of the box.

In everyday use, the Outdoor 2K+ handles the basics you would expect from an outdoor security camera, including motion alerts, night vision, two-way audio, and Alexa support. Its sharper 2K resolution also gives you a better chance of making out a face, package, or license plate than Blink’s older 1080p cameras, and because the setup is wire-free, you are not limited to spots near an outlet. That said, while it works with Alexa and IFTTT, Apple HomeKit or Google Assistant ecosystems are not supported, which makes it a less natural fit outside an Alexa-based smart home. Blink advertises the battery life of this floodlight camera at up to two years, though your actual results will depend on how often it records and how you use it.

Beyond basic motion alerts, the camera can identify people and vehicles and generate AI descriptions of motion events, but some of those features require a paid plan—the purchase includes a free 30-day trial, after which Blink’s Basic plan costs $3.99 per month or $39.99 per year for one device. You can skip the subscription and save footage locally, but the included Sync Module Core does not support local storage. That means buying a Sync Module XR ($73.53) and microSD card ($29.99), so it's worth factoring that extra cost in before deciding whether this $78 deal works for you.


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