Tech
Samsung’s July 22 Galaxy Unpacked event will be all about foldables, here’s how you can tune in live
Samsung is heading back to London for its next Galaxy Unpacked event, and this time the spotlight is squarely on foldables. The company has sent out formal invites for a July 22 show built around the tagline “A New Shape Unfolds,” a clear signal that new additions to the Galaxy Z lineup are the main event. If you want to watch the announcement as it happens, here’s everything you need to know.
When and where to watch
Galaxy Unpacked takes place on July 22 in London. Samsung will stream the event live on Samsung.com, on Samsung Newsroom, and on its official YouTube channel, so you have several options depending on where you already spend your time online.
The show kicks off at 2 PM BST. That works out to 9 AM EDT for viewers on the East Coast, 6 AM PDT for those on the West Coast, and 3 PM CEST for those tuning in from continental Europe. Samsung is also encouraging early sign-ups through its registration page at samsung.com/unpacked, which will unlock “exclusive benefits, upcoming teasers, trailers and updates” ahead of the event.
What Samsung is teasing
The invite itself is light on specifics, as these usually are. Samsung has subtly pointed toward foldable hardware paired with “more personal and adaptive” Galaxy AI experiences, without naming a single device. Given the timing and recent leaks, the event is expected to center on the next generation of Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip series. A new wider, pocket-friendly foldable is also rumored to join the ranks this year, though Samsung has not confirmed any model names yet.
If you’ve watched an Unpacked event before, you know the format. Expect a mix of on-stage reveals, product walkthroughs, and a heavy emphasis on how Galaxy AI ties into whatever new hardware Samsung introduces. We will be covering the announcements as they land, so check back for full details once the keynote wraps up.
Tech
Vimeo Promo Codes and Discounts: Up to 40% Off This July 2026
Remember Vimeo? You probably don’t use it to browse videos the way you might with some other services. But if you landed on this page, there’s a good chance you use it to host your professional portfolio. Or assets for your business. Or your short films. Vimeo has tools other video hosting services simply don’t have, like AI editing tools, on-demand content selling, customizable embeds, and collaborative editing features. And best of all: There are no ads. WIRED has rotating Vimeo promo codes to help you save.
Get 10% Off Annual Plans With This Vimeo Promo Code
No matter what you need for your business or career, when it comes to video, Vimeo’s got multiple plans to suit. And luckily, right now, you can save with a Vimeo promo code—even on the annual plans, which already include 40% in savings. Just use the Vimeo coupon code to save 10% on your membership plan.
The Easiest Way to Save 40% on Your Vimeo Plan
Vimeo has a few different membership plans that you can save on. No matter which you go with, the easiest way to save a lot is with an annual membership, which has automatic 40% savings compared to paying monthly. And yes, you can even stack promo codes with the annual billing options.
More on Vimeo Pricing and Membership Plans
So what tier do you need? The Starter plan starts at $12 per month (billed annually) or $20 per month (billed monthly). It comes with 100 gigabytes of storage, plus boosted privacy controls, custom video players, custom URLs, and automatic closed captioning.
Boost your plan to Standard for $25 per month (billed annually) or $41 per month (billed monthly) to upgrade to 2 terabytes of storage, 5 “seats” (which are collaborative team member spots), a brand kit, a teleprompter, text-based video editing, AI script generation, and engagement and social analytics.
Finally, there’s the Advanced plan, which costs $75 per month (billed annually) or $125 per month (billed monthly). You’ll get 10 “seats”, 7 terabytes of storage, AI-generated chapters and text summaries, live chat and poll options, plus streaming and live broadcast capabilities.
Use a Vimeo Coupon Code to Get Savings on Vimeo on Demand
Vimeo on Demand is a new way to stream and download movies online. Through Vimeo on Demand, you can rent, buy and subscribe to the best original films, documentaries and series directly from your favorite small business video creators, including The Talent and Wild Magic.
Use Vimeo for Webinars
Vimeo wants to make it easier than ever for you to run your live event without hiccups. With Vimeo webinars, you’ll present live, stitching together pre-recorded videos and schedule in advance with simulive—or a mix of both. Plus, you can add your logo, custom graphics, and descriptors to make sure you’re brand-aligned throughout.
Tech
5 Tools With Deep Discounts At Lowe’s In July 2026
Collecting tools costs money, but savvy shoppers know that there are always deals to be had if you know where to look. Major retailers often offer special deals and sales that can allow you to get pricey gear at a fraction of the cost. These are constantly changing, however, so it’s always handy to stay informed about what deals are happening and where.
Right now, there are several different tools on sale at one of the biggest hardware retailers in America: Lowe’s. The big box store has a wide range of discounted products from some of the best hand and power tool brands on the market that are available for well below their usual MSRP. Several tools that received deep discounts at Lowe’s in June are still on sale today, such as the DeWalt 20V Max ½-inch Brushless Drill, but even more have been added to the sale stack since then. Thus, it’s definitely worth taking a look at some of the best deals available in July.
Craftsman Versastack 242-piece Metric and Standard Mechanics Tool Set with Hard Case
Craftsman has been considered one of the best hand tool brands on the market for decades, known for quality and reliability as well as its infamous lifetime warranty. The company hasn’t quite been the same since it became one of the thirteen tool brands owned by Stanley Black and Decker, but it’s still widely regarded as one of the better midrange options. Right now, you can get a Craftsman Versastack 242-piece Metric and Standard Mechanics Tool Set from Lowe’s at a steep discount. The set usually goes for $229.00, but it’s currently marked down to $99.00.
You get quite a lot for that price, too. It comes with a set of low-profile ¼-inch, ⅜-inch, and ½-inch drive quick-release 72-tooth ratchets; three extension bars; 95 sockets; 10 combination wrenches; two universal joints; 12 nut bits; 88 specialty bits; 28 hex keys; and a nut driver. On top of the tools themselves, you also get a hard carrying case with three removable drawers to store them in. Since it’s part of Craftsman’s Versastack line of products, this can also stack and interlock with other Versastack roll-out cases as well.
The kit has a stellar 4.8 out of 5 on the Lowe’s website from over 500 user ratings. Buyers generally seem to like the quality of the tools and the selection included in the kit. There are a few isolated complaints about ratchet failures, but these seem to be a relative minority.
DeWalt 8 ¼-inch 15 Amp Portable Jobsite Table Saw
DeWalt has a well-earned reputation for quality, and it’s often regarded as one of the better table saw brands out there. Unfortunately, the company’s saws tend to be on the more expensive side, which is why it’s always exciting if you can find one on sale. That’s exactly what Lowe’s has to offer, with the DWE7485 DeWalt 8 ¼-inch 15 Amp Portable Jobsite Table Saw available for $329.00, down from $429.00.
This saw takes an 8 ¼-inch blade and has a 15-amp motor that runs at 5,800 rpm. Of course, it has more going for it than just raw power. It has a set of rack-and-pinion telescoping fence rails giving it 24.5 inches of rip capacity, a power-loss reset feature that stops the saw from automatically restarting in the event of a power disruption, a blade brake, and a metal roll cage base for durability. The saw also comes with a micro-adjustable fence, a miter gauge, a push stick, and a modular guard system.
This one has a 4.5 out of 5 score that has been aggregated from over 400 ratings. The tool has been praised for its portability, accuracy, and performance. There are a few scattered claims of issues with bevel adjustment and dust control, but not enough to raise concern.
Metabo HPT 2-inch 18-Gauge Cordless Straight Brad Nailer
Another quality brand that you’ll find on the shelves at Lowe’s is Metabo. The company is particularly well known for its battery-powered nailers and staplers, which is why it’s so exciting that one of these models is currently on sale. Lowe’s is selling the Metabo HPT 2-inch 18-Gauge Cordless Straight Brad Nailer kit, which usually retails for $249.00, for just $169.00.
As you may have gathered from the name, this device shoots 18-Gauge straight brad nails between ⅝-inch and 2 inches in length. The nailer comes as part of a kit that includes an 18V 2.0Ah battery and a charger. In spite of the relatively low capacity, Metabo claims that the nailer can shoot up to 700 brads per charge. In addition to the usual benefits of being cordless and not needing to rely on a compressor, the nailer has no ramp-up time between brads, boasts an LED in the nose so you can see what you’re nailing, has a toolless depth drive dial, and is fairly light at just 5.5 pounds.
The Metabo HPT Brad Nailer has a 4.7 out of 5 rating on the Lowe’s site from over 300 buyer ratings. Customers like the convenience and quiet operation, and have stated that it performs very reliably. Some have found that it can jam occasionally, but this doesn’t seem to be a deal-breaker for most.
Craftsman Portable Electric 6-Gallon 150 PSI Pancake Air Compressor
Pneumatic tools are powerful and affordable, but they’ll require a good compressor as well. One you might consider is the Craftsman Portable Electric 6-Gallon 150 PSI Pancake Air Compressor. This is usually $169.00, but you can currently find it at Lowe’s for $99.00.
Most of the specs are right there in the name. It has a 6-gallon capacity and is able to generate up to 150 PSI of pressure. This puts it in the upper range of the air compressor sizes that are generally recommended for most common pneumatic tools. It does this using a single-phase 120V 12-amp motor with an oil-free pump. It has dual gauges for pressure control, two quick couplers so you can run two tools at once, a large regulator knob, and rubberized feet. This Craftsman compressor runs at 85 decibels, according to the company.
This compressor has a 4.5 out of 5 rating on the Lowe’s site from more than 700 responses. Customers generally like how compact, lightweight, and effective it is, stating that it’s strong enough for tire inflation and general work projects. Most seem generally pleased with the overall performance, and the biggest complaints appear to be primarily from people who aren’t keen on how loud it is.
Dremel Blueprint 12V Oscillating Multi-Tool
Those looking to take on bite-sized projects might really only need a small tool, and that’s where Dremel excels. The Bosch-owned company specializes in handheld rotary tools and specialized bits, focusing on precision rather than raw power. Another great deal available at Lowe’s is the Dremel Blueprint 12V Oscillating Multi-Tool – a tool that can be used for cutting, scraping, sanding, polishing, and more. This would usually run you $139.00, but you can get it now for just $79.00.
This comes in a seven-piece kit that comes with the 12V 2.0Ah battery and charger that you need to run it and 10 swappable accessories to get you started. These include scraping and cutting blades as well as several sanding pads. Don’t let the 12V battery fool you, though: This tool has variable speed settings and can generate anywhere from 5,000 to 20,000 oscillations per minute. It’s designed to make accessory swaps easy and has a backlit LED panel for added control. This panel also has a battery gauge to let you know when you’re nearly out of juice.
This one has only managed to accumulate 52 ratings so far at the time of writing, but the average score of those reviews is an impressive 4.9 out of 5. Customers generally consider it to be precise, lightweight, intuitive, and easy to use.
Tech
Final extension: Startup Battlefield Australia applications now close July 20
One last chance to apply
Due to overwhelming interest, we’ve extended applications for Startup Battlefield Australia to July 20.
If you’ve been thinking about applying, do it now. There won’t be another extension.
One application could change everything
Since the first Startup Battlefield Australia in 2017, there have been 26 alumni companies that have collectively raised over $147 million, with three successful acquisitions. They’ve been backed by some of the world’s most respected investors — including Y Combinator, Blackbird Ventures, Square Peg Capital, Khosla Ventures, Microsoft, AirTree Ventures, Startmate, Techstars, and SOSV.
It all started with one decision: They applied.
Why apply now?
If you’re building something ambitious, this is a fast track to the people who can move your startup forward.
Selected founders will pitch live to:
- Top-tier investors.
- Global media.
- Australia’s leading founders and operators.
- Potential partners, customers, and hires.
This is more than a pitch competition. It’s a chance to earn visibility, credibility, and connections that can take years to build.
What’s at stake?
On August 19, 2026, eight startups will pitch live at Stripe Tour Sydney.
The top three will receive up to $15,000 in Stripe fee credits.
The grand prize is even bigger:
Automatic entry into Startup Battlefield 200 at TechCrunch Disrupt in San Francisco this October.
No second application. No extra round. Just a direct path to one of the world’s biggest startup stages.
Who should apply?
We’re looking for early-stage startups across Australia and New Zealand that are:
- Pre-seed to Series B.
- Building a real product or showing strong traction.
- Ready to scale.
- Ready to tell their story.
You don’t need to be a household name.
We’re looking for the next one.
The deadline has moved — the opportunity hasn’t
This extension gives you more time, but not much.
Applications now close July 20.
If you’ve been waiting, this is the moment.
Submit your application before July 20.
Free to apply. No equity taken. One opportunity that could change everything.
When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.
Tech
Amazfit’s Screenless Wearable Tracks Fitness With an Added Waist Motion Sensor
People want to spend less time looking at screens, and health tech companies are taking notice with screenless wearables, including Whoop, Polar, Luna and, most recently, Google with its Fitbit Air, all of which use wrist-based sensors to monitor your health.
We haven’t yet seen a health-tracking device that integrates a second sensor location until the Helio Strap Pro from wearables brand Amazfit.
The $200 Helio Strap Pro was released on Monday and builds on Amazfit’s Helio Strap wrist-based fitness tracker, which launched last June.
Designed for hybrid athletes and those taking part in a Hyrox competition, the Helio Strap Pro includes both a clip-on waist motion sensor to track stability and movement and an upper-arm heart rate sensor. Hyrox is a global fitness race in which participants run 1 kilometer, then complete one of eight workout stations, repeating the cycle until all stations have been visited.
How the Helio Strap Pro system works
The company states in its press release that the upper-arm sensor can capture more reliable heart rate data than a wrist-based sensor because it’s closer to the heart and less likely to be affected by wrist movement or contact with fitness equipment.
The system was created to work with Amazfit’s Balance 3 ($370) or Balance Ultra ($600) smartwatches, launched last month as part of the company’s Hybrid Training System, which combines performance data tracking and guidance via the Zepp app. Amazfit is owned by Zepp Health, a health tech and wearable company. Both smartwatches provide wrist-based data and Hyrox Race and Hyrox Simulation modes.
Along with recovery, nutrition, daily habits and performance trends, those training for a Hyrox competition can view their performance for each of the eight Hyrox stations, including sled pull and push, farmer’s carry, burpee broad jump and rowing. The waist sensor can only be used for these eight movements, while the arm sensor also works with over 50 sports modes available in the Zepp app.
Altogether, the entire Helio Strap Pro system monitors your cardio effort, muscle load, movement quality and stability.
Hyrox athletes can view their performance for each of the competition’s eight movements using the Helio Strap Pro and Zepp app.
A potentially pricey downside
While the Helio Strap Pro’s tracking will continue without a Balance smartwatch, giving you a screen-free experience, the smartwatch is required to take full advantage of the Helio Strap Pro system’s waist, wrist and arm sensors. However, the smartwatches are sold separately. This brings the total cost of the system to $570 with the Balance 3 or $800 with the Balance Ultra. As a result, the Helio Strap Pro may be most appealing to those who already own these smartwatches.
In the future, Amazfit plans to add support for its other smartwatches, the company said in a statement.
From a cost perspective, what may make the Helio Strap Pro enticing is that, unlike other wearables, no monthly subscription is required to use it. By comparison, the Whoop screenless wearable requires a membership costing between $199 and $359 per year.
Between the arm, waist and wrist sensors, you can monitor your movement, cardio effort, stability and muscle load.
The sensor specs
The Helio Core Motion HR sensor for your upper arm offers up to 11 days of battery life, while the Helio Core Motion Waist sensor offers up to 40 days. The charging time for both is up to 2 hours.
The entire system is compatible with iOS 17 and later and Android 8.0 and later.
Along with the upper-arm and waist sensors, your purchase comes with a waist clip, armband, wristband and magnetic charging head. The wristband is included in case you’d like to wear the heart rate sensor in daily life outside of training and would prefer it not on your upper arm.
The Helio Strap Pro is HSA- and FSA-eligible.
Tech
Why Do Some Speed Limit Signs Have Flashing Yellow Lights?
There are speed limit signs of all shapes and sizes out there, but only some have flashing yellow lights. At first glance, that may sound counterintuitive, given that any flashing could distract the driver. However, capturing drivers’ attention is exactly the goal of these signs. Whenever a speed limit sign has flashing yellow lights, that means there’s an unexpected hazard nearby, such as road construction or heavy pedestrian traffic.
These signs temporarily override the current speed limit in the area and are usually only active during certain conditions. You’ll most likely find speed limit signs with flashing yellow lights near a school. Depending on the jurisdiction, the flashing may only be active during school hours or when children are present. However, this isn’t always the case, and the bottom line is that if the sign is flashing, you must obey the current speed limit or risk a fine. This is particularly true if you find yourself in a U.S. state where it’s easy to get a speeding ticket.
Yellow is easily noticeable
Yellow has been standardized as a universal symbol for caution even outside of speed limits, because of science. The color sits at a medium wavelength of around 580nm in the visible spectrum. This means our eyes can perceive it more easily than most other colors (which is why school buses are yellow), with red sitting at the top of the spectrum. An Iowa State University study showed that “under normal lighting conditions, the eye is most sensitive to a yellowish-green color.”
In addition, the Federal Highway Administration ran a test, showing that colorful warning signs that were colored yellow and fluorescent yellow-green were easier to spot at wider angles compared to the standard black and white signs, especially in urban areas. The same agency also published guidelines on speed limit signs with flashing yellow lights. Namely, 50 and 60 flashes per minute, and each flash should stay on for at least half to two-thirds of the full cycle.
Tech
How to Choose the Right File Recovery Software for PC?
File losses occur at the most inopportune moments. Perhaps you deleted files in the Recycle Bin too quickly, or your drive inexplicably appeared to be not formatted, or your laptop crashed in the middle of your project, and your folder was lost. But this panic is the same, whether it’s caused by the wrong, which is the next step: searching for file recovery software for PC.
The problem is that a search query like that will yield dozens of tools that everyone swears are the fastest, safest, or most powerful that they’ve ever seen. Some of them are fairly solid, and some of them allow you only just to skim over your drive. This guide helps you identify the important things to consider when comparing options, and then explains the steps to take to recover lost files using iToolab RecoverGo Windows Data Recovery.
When Do You Actually Need File Recovery Software for PC?
There are lots of situations where you will need specific recovery software, but not all hiccups require it. Some of the most popular:
- Accidental deletion: You delete files you didn’t mean to delete and discover they were important.
- Formatted drives: A USB stick or external drive is formatted, either by accident or on purpose.
- System crashes: Windows won’t start up and whatever was on that drive just seems unreachable.
- External storage problems: SD card, flash drive, or portable hard drive that won’t mount or that corrupts.
In all of these instances, your files are typically not gone in terms of what you feel they’re gone. Often the data remains on the drive until it is overwritten by another. That is why recovery software is important – and why you should choose the best software, rather than the first one you see pop up.
What to Look for When Comparing Recovery Software
Not every PC file recovery software is created equal, and the differences will become apparent when you need the program to perform. Here are some points to consider before you sign up for one:
- Recovery Capability: It can recover deleted files and formatted drives, and it can recover data as a result of a crash, or just the easy ones? It recovers deleted files, formatted drives, and data lost due to crashes — or only the easy ones?
- Compatibility: Will it work with the types of files and devices you’re using, such as a laptop hard drive, SD card or USB stick?
- Preview functionality: Do you see what’s recoverable before you commit, so you don’t recover junk files or files you don’t need?
- Ease of use and reliability: Can you follow it, and does it always work without technical knowledge?
Here are four points that make a tool trustworthy or just a time-waster. iToolab RecoverGo Windows Data Recovery easily ticks all of these boxes and makes the actual data recovery process pretty simple, especially one that’s well worth checking out..
How to Recover Lost Files with RecoverGo
iToolab RecoverGo Windows Data Recovery fits perfectly in the above criteria. It searches for missing files due to deletion, formatting, and system crashes and can search any hard drive, SSD, USB drive, SD card, or more, and allows you to preview files before trusting it to recover them. For non-technical people, the interface is also free of technical jargon, which is important as you’re already stressed out about missing files.
Let’s take a look at how it works in practice.
Step 1: Install RecoverGo to another drive
Install the software on a different drive from the one where you want to recover files from. When installed on the drive, it can potentially destroy the data you’re attempting to rescue.

Step 2: Choose the location to scan
Open RecoverGo and choose the drive or folder that contains your lost files; then click on “Search for Lost Data” to start the scanning process.

Step 3: Run the scan
RecoverGo conducts a quick scan and then an advanced scan to ensure that it detects everything that the quick scan missed. The scan time will vary depending on the size and condition of the drive – larger drives or data loss will take longer. It is best not to use the computer while running this, as it may slow the scan or the recovery rate may be less.

Step 4: Check out the results
Once the scan is finished, a list of files found by type and by file path. Before moving ahead, preview what is displayed in the preview panel to ensure it is what you want to view.

Step 5: Choose and retrieve your files
Please choose the files you want to recover, and then click “Recover. Make sure to save them to a separate drive from the one you scanned in order to not overwrite anything that hasn’t been recovered yet.

Click on the folder that you saved recovered files into, and click on “Check Recovered Data” to make sure that you recovered all of the files you were looking for.
To maximize the chance of successful recovery, refrain from using the affected drive after data loss to reduce the risk of overwriting deleted data.
Final Thoughts
Choosing file recovery software for PC comes down to a handful of practical questions: can it actually recover what you’ve lost, does it work with your device and file types, can you preview results before committing, and is it simple enough to use without extra help? Any tool lacking on any of these elements is likely to leave you with a shortfall – either in terms of files you recover, or in terms of the stress of the process.
iToolab RecoverGo does very well in all four aspects and is very easy to use without requiring any technical knowledge or skills. In the case of lost files, a formatted drive, or a crashed computer that lost its data, it’s a good place to begin to recover.
Tech
Groupon Promo Codes: 60% Off in July 2026
I will be a Groupon stan until I die. I have used their coupons for massages, haircuts, oil changes, and for experiences like a Camel ride in the Sahara while I was in Morocco and a deal on glamping in an Airstream trailer in Joshua Tree. Groupon is one of the best ways to get reduced prices on something you’ve always wanted to try, but don’t want to pay full price for. Make sure to nab a Groupon promo code for seriously reduced prices on activities and services.
Get a 20% Off Groupon Promo Code With Email Sign-Up
Whether you’re looking to save on top-tier activities (get outside and enjoy the warmer weather), beauty (schedule that overdue wax), or even just that car maintenance you’ve been putting off (remember, the check engine light doesn’t have to be a mainstay), Groupon has you covered. Get a 20% off Groupon promo code when you subscribe to the brand’s emails. Not only can members get even more savings on top offers, you’ll also be the first to know exclusive deals.
Get 80% Off this Summer at Groupon
Summertime means unwinding, planning a vacation, and for some, finding activities to keep the kiddos entertained for two-plus months. You can keep everyone entertained this summer for way less when you use Groupon promo code SUMMER for up to 80% off deals on summer activities, attractions, travel, and more. You can get heavy discounts on all-day fun like waterparks, theme parks, trampoline zones, bowling and more. So whether you’re wanting to keep it chill (literally) with AMC Yellow ticket deals, or hone a new skill at Lucky Strike Bowling, there’s a Groupon discount for every type of summer adventure.
Score an Extra 30% Off Museums and Sightseeing Tours With Groupon Coupon Code
One of the best gifts is the gift of experience, and luckily Groupon is running 50% discounts on some of their most popular sightseeing bundles. Use discount code EXPLORE for an extra 30% off museums and shows. Upgrade your movie date night for less with up to an extra 40% off movie tickets with a Groupon promo code. Some of the most popular pass options include the San Diego Explorer Pass, which gets you access to Safari Park or Zoo, USS Midway Museum, speed boat adventures, and whale watching. For cultural week, Groupon is running promos and discounts on some of their most popular museums and shows. This includes live music and concert deals, from a dueling pianos show to music festivals, and cultural experiences like admission to museums and movie tickets at vintage theaters.
Plus there are passes to some of the most popular vacation spots like sunny San Diego. Or maybe the Big Apple is more your speed, with the New York City Explorer Pass, with over 95 things to do, including tours of the Empire State Building, cruises, museums, and city tours. Maybe you’d rather test Lady Luck with the Las Vegas All-Inclusive Pass, which gives passes to over 45 things to do, including a scenic helicopter tour, Grand Canyon exploration, and tickets to popular shows.
Save up to 50% on Family Passes, Memberships, and More Groupon Coupons
Some of the best Groupon deals include family fun vacations to Great Wolf Lodge. In this hotel-water park, single-day passes are up to 30% off for online bookings. Plus, if you get together the whole family and go with a group, you can get free food, drink, and arcade credits. Speaking of family, save more when you buy more with a Sam’s Club membership. With Groupon membership packages, you can save 50%, get $25 off a one-year Club membership, and $40 off Sam’s Club Plus memberships. Believe it or not, Costco Memberships are Groupon bestsellers so you can save big on all your bulk items.
If you’re like me and are clueless about what’s happening under your car’s trunk (or tires, or engine, or the underneath entirely), you can save up to 50% on car repair and maintenance services like oil changes and tire rotations, including up to 25% off Valvoline oil changes.
Tech
Google and the FBI Target Massive Botnet That Quietly Used Home Devices to Mask Cybercrime
The FBI, in partnership with Google and other tech companies, struck a massive blow against NetNut, a public-facing residential network proxy service that secretly hosted a botnet controlling approximately 2 million Android TVs and similar smart home devices. The network was being used for password-spraying, credential attacks and other malicious activity.
Residential proxy botnets make malicious traffic appear like normal internet use, allowing everyday devices to be secretly hijacked by cybercriminals to conduct illegal activities using your home internet. Infected home devices were often preloaded with malicious software used by the botnet, which made traditional home security practices less effective at detecting and stopping the problem.
According to an FBI statement emailed to CNET, on July 2, the federal agency carried out “a court-authorized seizure of multiple domains as part of a coordinated law enforcement action with the Department of Justice and IRS Criminal Investigation targeting infrastructure associated with the NetNut residential proxy platform, its administrators, and users.”
Authorities worked in tandem with Google, Lumen Technologies and the Shadowserver Foundation to go after NetNut and its services — also known as the Popa botnet by security researchers. Google said in a blog post that the actions “caused significant degradation to NetNut’s proxy network and its business operations, reducing the available pool of devices for the proxy operator by millions.” NetNut’s website now shows an FBI takedown notice.
Google acknowledged that taking down NetNut is only the first step. Because these proxy networks frequently share and resell access to each other’s botnets, disrupting one provider often leads malicious actors to simply purchase capacity from a competitor. To create a lasting impact, Google said it must “target the infrastructure of several interconnected providers” simultaneously.
NetNut’s official website is taken down with this seizure notice in its place.
How this botnet worked
In 2024, security researchers at XLab found the Vo1d botnet, a massive collection of hacked, mostly off-brand Android TV devices. If you recall the fake AI video of Donald Trump and Elon Musk appearing on TVs at the Department of Housing and Urban Development, that was most likely caused by a malicious actor using the Vo1d botnet.
Those same researchers also found Popa, a legitimate network protocol plug-in that turned consumer devices into residential proxy nodes with the user’s consent. But the version researchers found was being installed on the hacked Android TV devices without user consent. According to the FBI, a residential proxy node is “an intermediary server between individuals and websites they visit to make their connections appear to originate elsewhere.”
Residential proxy networks are legal in the US, and businesses that use them usually sell access to enterprise customers, where they’re often used for security penetration testing, ad verification, gathering marketing data and unlocking geo-locked websites. Since residential nodes use real IP addresses from someone’s home, the company or person using the node is seen by the World Wide Web as just an ordinary user, and their true identity is hidden.
Android TV devices that were part of the Vo1d botnet and infected with Popa allowed cybercriminals to conduct attacks, scrape data from infected devices looking for sensitive information like passwords, and even hijack the device to perform malicious tasks, all while the hacker appeared to originate from the house across the street or the apartment across the hall without actually being there.
That is where NetNut comes in. NetNut is a public-facing residential proxy network operator owned by Alarum Technologies, a publicly traded company out of Israel. Per Google, it was one of the largest residential proxy network operators in the world.
On the surface, NetNut appeared to be a legitimate business and even had an official website where you could buy its services. However, late last month, multiple researchers confirmed that traffic generated by the Popa botnet was from NetNut users. This meant that NetNut was effectively selling its botnet out in the open to anyone, for both legitimate and illegitimate uses, which gave authorities enough evidence to take the company down.
Stay safe from the next attack
The good news is that making sure you don’t wind up as part of the next Android TV-powered botnet is actually pretty easy. According to Google and security researchers, the overwhelming majority of the hacked devices were no-name Android TV streamers that you can freely find on Amazon, Temu, AliExpress and other online outlets.
Many of those streaming sticks and boxes are quite cheap, but they do work. The problem is that nearly all of them run ancient versions of Android, which are easier to hack since those devices don’t have the modern protections afforded by newer versions.
Some brands sell streaming boxes that promise free streaming with no subscriptions. These are often advertised on Instagram and TikTok by fresh-faced influencers who claim to offer a no-subscription streaming TV solution. Security researchers found that many of those streamer boxes came prehacked with botnet software installed out of the box.
So, step one to avoid becoming part of a botnet is to only buy Android TV devices from reputable companies like Sony, Nvidia, Google and others. Try to buy one that runs a modern version of Android and still gets security updates. You should also avoid those “one price, no subscriptions” boxes on social media, since they definitely come with malware preinstalled.
Botnets like this aren’t unique to Android TV. Smart home devices are also consistently included in botnets, so step two to keeping yourself safe is to make sure you apply all of the above advice to your smart home products as well. You should also keep up with the latest trends, like promptware, a new kind of malware that hacks your devices by asking the onboard AI to do it on behalf of the hacker.
The incident serves as an important reminder to be wary of low-quality, cheap tech peddled by influencers — or you risk having your personal ID information stolen. The usual array of things helps as well, like making sure to have a robust password, learning how to avoid phishing emails and not revealing any personal details to suspicious characters online.
Tech
Meta Built An AI Detection Tool To ID Images And Video Created With Its New Models
Meta is working on a tool to ID images and video created with its new image generation model, Muse Image. The company showed off a preview of the web-based tool that can check for the invisible watermarks used by the new model.
This watermarking system, called Content Seal, remains in place “even when cropped, compressed, resized, or screenshotted,” Meta explains in a blog post. “We’re previewing a detection tool that lets you check whether an image carries a Content Seal watermark, providing an initial way to help you better understand if an image was made with Meta AI.”
Content Seal seems to be a somewhat new approach for Meta. The version that’s part of Muse Image is proprietary, though the company has previously released open-source versions of the tech, Meta told Engadget. Meta’s new models don’t include any visible watermarks, like some previous versions of Meta AI that added a small logo to the bottom right corner.
For now, Meta AI’s detection abilities are limited to images that are created or edited with Muse Image, though the company said it plans to expand Content Seal watermarks to AI-generated and edited videos as well. Meta is also working on a separate video generation model called Muse Video that will be “coming soon.”
I tried out the new detection feature on images I created today with Meta AI and the web-based tool was able to detect a watermark for edited images and entirely AI-made creations (like the one pictured above). It also found the watermark in screenshots of my images. “A positive result means that the image was generated or edited using the Meta AI app or meta.ai,” the company explains in an FAQ. “A negative result means it is unlikely that the image was processed using Meta AI app or meta.ai.”
Interestingly, Meta AI’s new detection abilities don’t seem to be part of the Meta AI app yet. When I asked Meta’s app-based assistant about an image the web tool had identified as AI-made, it replied that it did not have the ability to check. “I can’t tell you definitively if this specific image was made with Meta Al just by looking at it,” it said. “Meta Al doesn’t automatically watermark images, and I don’t have a tool that can detect which Al model made an existing image.”
Meta has previously faced some criticism for how it labels and identifies AI-generated material in its apps. The Oversight Board told the company earlier this year that it was “concerned” that Meta was “inconsistently implementing” digital watermarks on AI content created by its own tools.
The new feature does still seem to have some other limitations, though. Content Seal is not compatible with SynthID or C2PA Content Credentials, two established watermarking methods used by other companies. The web-based feature was unable to identify images created or edited with earlier versions of Meta’s AI models in my testing. When I added images created in older chats with Meta AI, it was unable to tell me if the image was made with its AI. The feature also appears, for some reason, to be subject to Meta’s rate limits. After uploading a handful of examples, I was alerted that I had reached my “daily limit on identification checks.”
Tech
What is the Difference Between TikTok and TikTok Lite?
TikTok has become one of the most famous social networking apps in the world, where users can enjoy short clips and share their own. To make the platform more accessible, the company also offers TikTok Lite, a smaller and lighter version of the app. It has been created with the needs of users who use older mobile phones or have low internet connectivity in mind. Despite the two apps offering a similar experience, there are differences in terms of performance, storage space, features, and safety options. In this guide, we’ll compare TikTok and TikTok Lite to help you understand which version is right for you.
TikTok vs. TikTok Lite: Key Differences
Although both applications offer a similar experience, there are quite a few differences between TikTok and TikTok Lite. TikTok Lite is considerably smaller than the former. It requires less space and fewer resources, which makes it run easily on older smartphones and devices with limited storage. The app also features a data-saving mode that helps reduce mobile data usage. It performs better on slower internet connections as well.
Both apps provide video-watching capabilities, enable uploading and downloading of videos, and allow editing, liking, commenting on, sharing posts, and sending direct messages. TikTok Lite has limited functionality compared to TikTok, lacking advanced browsing features and content management tools. The lite version has fewer safety features compared to the full version of the TikTok application. The standard version includes AI-generated content, misleading information, and harmful content, as well as enhanced comment filters and content controls. As TikTok Lite lacks many of these security tools, the complete version is superior from a safety perspective and for efficient use of the app.
Which One Should You Choose?

The TikTok Lite app would be perfect for people using older Android phones with low storage space and slower internet connections. Also, the TikTok Lite app is suited for people who do not want to use much mobile data but still want to use TikTok’s services. However, the regular TikTok app will be suitable for people using new phones, providing all features alongside increased security options.
In conclusion, your choice depends solely on the nature of your device and what you need. If you are looking for something that uses less storage space, draws less power from your battery, and uses less mobile data, then TikTok Lite is the best option.
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