My Favorite Amazon Deal of the Day: This Samsung OLED Gaming Monitor

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It's not very often a gaming monitor comes onto the market and utterly dominates it the way the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 gaming monitor did in 2023. It was the first 49-inch OLED gaming monitor, boasting incredible specs and delivering great performance. But it had a big problem: a staggering list price of $2,199.

A year later, the list price of the G95SC has dropped to $1,799.99, but you can pick one up from Amazon right now for much less than that—$899.99. This is $8 off its lowest price ever, according to price-checking tools.

G95SC Samsung Gaming Monitor

$899.99 at Amazon

$1,799.99 Save $900.00

$899.99 at Amazon

$1,799.99 Save $900.00

The Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 is an ultrawide gaming monitor that is so powerful, it's honestly overkill for most gamers—but if you can afford it, better specs never hurt anyone. It has a native resolution of 5,120 by 1,440 pixels, a 240Hz refresh rate, a rated 0.03ms response time, and a OLED panel with a 1,000,000:1 contrast ratio. The "true blacks" from the OLED panel and 4K resolution bring a beautiful image on its 49-inch screen and 32:9 aspect ratio. The main downside is that it only offers two USB ports, according to PCMag's "outstanding" review.

A cool feature of the monitor is the Samsung gaming and media hub, an all-in-one streaming platform that lets you stream your games (think Xbox Game Pass) or media (like Netflix) on the monitor. If you're a serious gamer looking to get one of the best OLED gaming monitors at a great price, it'll be hard to beat this deal, even at nearly $1,000.

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What People Are Getting Wrong This Week: Did ‘The Simpsons’ Predict the Coldplay Kiss-Cam Scandal?

The excitement over the recent Coldplay kiss-cam capture of Astronomer CEO Andy Byron just will not die. The newest wrinkle: According to posts going viral on X, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and probably Friendster, The Simpsons predicted this exact event back in 2015.

According to a post from Megan Strickland on Instagram, The Simpsons Season 26, Episode 10, titled “The Man Who Came to Be Dinner" featured this image:

Credit: Megan Strickland/Instagram

Sorry, everyone, but The Simpsons did not predict the kiss-cam video. Season 26, Episode 10, is entitled “The Man Who Came to Be Dinner," but it's about aliens Kang and Kodos kidnapping the Simpsons to eat them. There is no kiss cam, or anything like it, and the the image that has gone viral was generated by AI.

It's become an internet tradition to claim The Simpsons predicted something when it didn't, and these kinds of predictions would be easy to dismiss if it weren't for the number of times the show actually did predict future events.

The Simpsons predicting the future

There are dozens, maybe hundreds, of examples of The Simpsons actually having predicted the future. Here are only a few:

• The Trump presidency: 16 years before the first Trump presidential election, The Simpson's called it. Season 11, Episode 17, “Bart to the Future," is a flash-forward episode in which Lisa has become president. At one point she remarks, "We inherited quite the budget crunch from President Trump.”

• Oceangate submersible accident: While Season 17's "Homer’s Paternity Coot” episode didn't exactly predict the implosion of Oceangate's Titan submersible in 2006, you have to admit the crafts look eerily similar to the real thing:

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• Siegfried and Roy tiger Attack: Back in 1994, The Simpsons episode "$pringfield" features German tiger trainers "Gunter and Ernst" performing in Mr. Burns' casino. The act ends in tragedy when a white tiger attacks the pair. This was 10 years before Roy of Siegfried and Roy was really attacked by one of his tigers.

• The U.S. winning a gold medal in curling: In 2010's episode "Boy Meets Curl" the U.S. curling teams wins a gold in the Olympics, eight years before the actual U.S. team took home the gold in the Pyeongchang games.

• The Higgs-Boson particle: A throwaway visual gag in season 10 episode shows Homer having scribbled a complicated equation on a chalkboard. Fourteen years later, the Higgs Boson particle was discovered and Homer's equation was remarkably close to the actual mass of the particle.

• Cypress Hill performs with the London Symphony orchestra: In 1996 episode in which Homer goes on tour with Lollapalooza, a joke is made about hip-hop group Cypress Hill performing their hit "Insane in the Membrane" with The London Symphony Orchestra. In 2024, it actually happened.

Are The Simpsons' writers psychic?

No. But the recurring illusion of The Simpsons as a prophetic text is a fascinating case study in how and why predictions of the future can seem so real. Logically, people can't see the future because it hasn't happened yet, but belief in sooth-saying is nearly universal for a reason, and these Simpsons predictions-come-true illustrate why people believe in all kinds of predictions and prophecies.

• A broken clock is right twice a day: There have been 790 episodes of The Simpsons. Each is 22 minutes long and features roughly 10 jokes per minute. That's 173,800 jokes and counting. The law of averages is enough to conclude that some of those jokes are going to happen. When you consider that The Simpsons is a parody of society, which imagines outlandish outcomes that are funny because they're so plausible, something like the show correctly predicting the Trump presidency, a U.S. curling gold medal, or a tiger attacking its trainers is inevitable.

• People lying: People say The Simpsons predicts things like the Coldplay debacle all the time, for fun or profit, just as people have always lied to the rubes to separate them from their money.

• We want to believe: In the 1555s, French astrologer Nostradamus published The Prophecies, a book of verse that has been said to have predicted World War II, the Great Fire of London, the moon landing, the Kennedy assassination, and just about every other historical event. Nostradamus verses are intentionally obtuse, but once word got out that he was predicting things, people started applying his words to everything. Just like The Simpsons submersible episode: Homer's sub looks a little like the Oceangate submarine, but if no one believed The Simpsons could predict the future in the first place, no one would’ve made the connection. The Higgs Boson prediction, too: I don’t know enough physics to verify the math, so I’m just taking someone else’s word for it.

• The self-fulfilling prophecy: Cypress Hill played with the London Symphony orchestra because it was a joke on The Simpsons. Life imitating art.

Bottom line: The Simpsons is the Nostradamus of animated sitcoms. It didn’t predict the Coldplay kiss-cam moment, just like it didn’t predict every major event in world history. Still, it used to be pretty funny.

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My Favorite Amazon Deal of the Day: The Sonos Ace Headphones

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You've probably heard of Sonos smart speakers and soundbars, which offer some of the best audio quality in the market. What you may not know, however, is that Sonos also makes the excellent Sonos Ace headphones, which were released last summer. Right now, they're on sale for $295 (originally $449), the lowest price they've ever been, according to price tracking tools.

Sonos Ace

$299.00 at Amazon

$449.00 Save $150.00

$299.00 at Amazon

$449.00 Save $150.00

The Sonos Ace are soft, comfortable, and adaptable to different head sizes, thanks to their plastic design. You get actual buttons to control the headphones (as opposed to touch controls), which I personally consider a huge plus. The battery life is impressive, with about 30 hours with either the Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) or Aware Mode settings active, or about 40 hours with both of those off. The Bluetooth multipoint connectivity means you can connect up to two devices at once and switch seamlessly between them.

The headphones perform well, according to PCMag's "excellent" review. The sound is balanced with an EQ adjuster in the app, and the ANC and Aware Mode are top-tier, competing with the best headphones on the market. Unfortunately, the Sonos Ace aren't wifi-enabled, meaning you can't stream media into them like you can with Sonos speakers, but then again, not many headphones are. However, you can connect to Sonos speakers through Bluetooth and listen to your media that way (if you own Sonos speakers).

At their current price, the Sonos Ace are competitive with the best headphones for Apple users, the AirPods Max, and the best headphones for Android users, Sony's WH-1000XM6, and arguably, offer a better value since they're much cheaper. If you care about transparency mode or have Sonos speakers at home, the Sonos Ace headphones are your best choice.

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This Solar-Powered Security Camera Is $40 Right Now

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If you’ve been meaning to set up an outdoor security camera but can’t be bothered with rewiring or climbing up to recharge batteries every few weeks, this TP-Link Tapo SolarCam C402 Kit might be worth a look. It’s $39.99 on Amazon right now, down from $49.99, which is the lowest it’s ever been according to price trackers.

TP-Link Tapo SolarCam C402 Kit

$39.99 at Amazon

$49.99 Save $10.00

$39.99 at Amazon

$49.99 Save $10.00

The camera records in 1080p, comes bundled with a solar panel, and doesn’t ask for much after setup. No wiring. No scheduled charging. Just 45 minutes of direct sunlight a day is enough to keep it running indefinitely.

The camera itself is built to survive the outdoors, with an IP65 rating, a decent 125-degree field of view, and support for both color and infrared night vision. There’s a slot for a microSD card (up to 512GB), but you’ll need to buy that separately. If you don’t want to bother with that, there’s a cloud plan for $3.49 a month (that gives remote access to your clips and extra features like smart sorting and 30-day video history) after a free 30-day trial. But what’s really nice is that some smart features, like motion detection for people, pets, and vehicles, work even without a subscription. Plus, it works with Alexa, Google Assistant, and IFTTT routines (though it skips Apple HomeKit support).

The Tapo app is where you’ll do most of your tweaking—turning spotlights on, adjusting spotlight brightness, viewing battery life, customizing alerts, setting privacy zones, and more. There’s also a built-in siren and two-way audio. If there’s a tradeoff, it’s that video tops out at 15fps, so things might not look buttery smooth. And color night footage can be a little muted unless there’s enough ambient light, notes this PCMag review. But for $40, this is one of the few wire-free home security cameras that keeps itself charged, doesn’t lock all its features behind a paywall, and, once it’s mounted, just works.

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How I Roll Out Perfect Pie Dough Every Time

Every time I feel a new season roll in, I think to myself, “It’s pie season!” Summer? Yes. Winter? Yes. Spring? Let’s have pie! Now that summer is going strong, we’ll start seeing plenty of strawberries, blueberries, apricots, and cherries grace our grocery store shelves and farmer’s markets. All of these gorgeous offerings can benefit from a flaky, buttery crust—which is often the only thing stopping us from our goals.

Maybe you already have your favorite pie dough recipe memorized, but it’s when we get to rolling out the crust that we meet a host of problems—it keeps springing back, the dough breaks apart, the middle is completely stuck to the counter, it’s paper-thin on one side—it’s enough to make you scrape everything into a ball and roll it out again (a move worthy of the pie crust hall of shame). But if you execute a few of these strategies, you’ll nail a successful crust roll-out.

Let it rest—but not too long

Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

Many crust recipes instruct you to wrap up your freshly mixed pie dough and put it into the fridge for anywhere from 45 minutes to hours. This is a great idea if you make your pie dough in advance and need somewhere to keep it for a few days, but if you’re making pie that same day, ditch the cold for long periods of time. The fridge temperature solidifies the fat and makes the crust mixture more likely to crack and break if it gets too chilly. This could be important for slack dough in the summer or you have a hot kitchen, but 20 to 30 minutes will likely be plenty of time to firm up the dough. Keep in mind that the other important takeaway from all that resting-in-the-fridge hype is not the fridge part—it’s the rest time.

Your goal is to take this two-by-four-inch disc of butter and flour and convince the gluten to willingly stretch out to three times its original area. The gluten needs rest. Without it, it gets cranky and will keep pulling back despite your best moves. Once you’ve mixed your dough, wrap it and let it sit on the counter or fridge for 20-30 minutes. Then, roll away. The dough will be less likely to crack or crumble, and the gluten should be sufficiently relaxed.

Flour the dough, and the counter, and the pin

Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

And your hands. You know what? Do it again for good luck. Dusting with an adequate amount of flour is the one move that will make every other step easier. It is definitely better to use too much flour than too little. Many of us have experienced rolling out a perfect circle of dough, only to lift the edge and find the entire center has merged cells with the counter. A substantial dusting of flour under your pastry will ensure there is no chance of sticking.

The same goes for the top: Flour the surface of the crust and your pin to create a barrier while you roll. With every turn of the pin, the outer surface gets pushed out and a little more of the buttery inside becomes exposed. Those parts will either meet more flour or find a surface to stick to. It’s likely you’ll need to apply additional flour two or three times to both the top and bottom of the pie crust before you reach the desired diameter and thickness. Don’t be shy; it’s almost impossible to over-flour. Just keep a pastry brush handy so you can dust away the excess before you transfer the dough to the pie plate.

Roll out from the thick parts

Credit: Allie Chanthorn Reinmann

If you’re facing a mound of pie dough for the first time, it’s a natural response to start flattening out the edges. After all, they’re the most malleable and exposed. Resist! Rolling out from the thinnest parts (edges) will almost surely lead to ultra-thin areas or sticky, melted butter edges. Instead, roll from the thickest parts outward. In the beginning, this will always be the center. Think of it as a delicious pie dough reservoir to draw from. As you roll out from the center, try not to roll off the edge of the dough. Stop just shy of the end and go back to the center to roll out in a different direction. If you crush the edges down, you’ll notice your dough becoming extremely thin in those areas and starting to stick.

After your dough is about 90% rolled out and the center is no longer the thickest point, you can look around for thick spots and do some precision rolling to even everything out.

Rotate your dough

Sometimes you don’t know you’re doing extra work until someone asks you why you’re doing it. I’ll be her. Why are you twisting around your body when you roll out pie dough instead of twisting the dough? My theory is that, until pie crust confidence is gained, we’re all a little bit scared of pastry—scared of ripping it, wrinkling it, ruining it. Instead of handling crust with conviction and risking a tear, we’d rather just work around it. The hard truth is, the less you command the dough, the more likely you are to tear it. So let’s build up your pie crust confidence.

Roll the dough out by placing the rolling pin in the center and pushing forward, away from your body. Put down your pin, grab the disc of dough with both hands and give it a quarter turn. Now a thick part is in front of you and you have seamlessly spread a little more flour around underneath. Pick up your pin, roll from the center out, and twist the dough a quarter turn again. Repeat, adjusting the turns to accommodate thick dough spots. Aside from making the rolling action easier on your spine, lifting and turning the dough allows you to regularly check for any sticky areas, gives you the opportunity to add additional flour underneath, and allows you to feel the dough for uneven thickness.

The next time you stroll into the produce section of your grocery store, allow yourself to be inspired by the juicy berries and fruits tumbling in—don’t hesitate to buy a few pints and show off your big pie dough energy.

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Here’s a Sneak Peek at the Next Batch of Emoji Coming to Your Device

What's up, besties? It's World Emoji Day, which means it's time to look at some new emoji (or is that emojis?). In a post on its blog today, the Unicode Consortium, the nonprofit behind the standardized set of emoji across you see across all your various devices and apps, previewed its next set of icons and expressions. The group says there's still "a lot of paperwork" to do on these, so they might not hit your phones and tablets until sometime around 2026, according to an email Unicode's Erik Thompson sent to The Verge.

But what a batch it is: We've got a musical instrument. We've got treasure. We've got one of those old-school cartoon fight clouds. And of course, we've got a cryptid. While new emoji have proven surprisingly political in the past, this update seems more focused on crowd-pleasers, and I'd say it's doing a good job of it.

The list below isn't everything from the final Unicode 17.0 release, but this is what we know of so far:

• Trombone

• Treasure Chest

• Distorted Face

• Hairy Creature

• Fight Cloud

• Apple Core

• Orca

• Ballet Dancers

Credit: The Unicode Consortium

Personally, my favorite is probably the orca (I love a cetacean), but I want to give special attention to "Distorted Face." It kinda looks like an extreme .5 selfie, but if you watch any amount of anime, there's a good chance you've seen it before—it looks a lot like that one downward angle, fish eye close up shot that a lot of directors use to show a character in the middle of a mental breakdown. So, you know, use it when the fast food place forgets your curly fries or whatever.

I should also probably say what we're all thinking: Yes, "Hairy Creature" is Bigfoot, right down to the pose. I'm not sure what if there are copyright concerns for a character like that (it should be public domain, but "Bigfoot" is also a brand name), but it's not the first time the Unicode Consortium has been purposefully vague when making a deliberate reference. The Goblin emoji, for instance, actually depicts a Tengu mask, a real-life part of Japanese culture that itself represents a being from Japanese folklore.

Then there are the "Ballet Dancers." We only see one in the preview, but given how emoji have depicted different jobs and hobbies in the past, we're likely to get a few iterations of this basic design at launch.

In the meantime, the Unicode Consortium is actually encouraging you to send in your own proposals for emoji. Just know that it may take a while for an idea to get approved, and that you'll need to go through your own mountain of paperwork first.

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Sign Up for Nintendo's Secretive Online Playtest Before It's Too Late

Nintendo is re-opening playtests for what is likely a Minecraft-style MMO, and you'll need to act fast to get a chance to try it out. The company is taking 40,000 total applicants this time around, up from 10,000 in the last playtest session, but based on how quickly spots filled up last time, I still wouldn't expect them to last for more than just a few seconds.

The playtest will begin on July 28 and last through Aug. 10, and will work on both the original Nintendo Switch and the Nintendo Switch 2. While Nintendo is being secretive about the playtest, and asking players to do the same, the company did say that this test will be of the same software "for which we performed a test in October of 2024."

Technically, players were bound to secrecy during that test as well, but that didn't stop leaks from hitting the internet. Nintendo has used copyright strikes to attempt to put the genie back in the bottle, but searching Reddit still shows footage for the software in question. While it seems pretty rudimentary at this point, it appears to be an MMO in the vein of Minecraft, with multiple players able to team up to move blocks around a digital world.

Supposedly, according to datamining performed by a Bluesky user named Sky, the game is being developed by the same team that made the Nintendo Labo, and the final version is set to include minigames, mechs, a character creator, and PvP.

If that sounds like something you'd like to try out, you might want to rearrange your schedule for this evening. Applications for the playtest open tonight, July 18, at 6 pm ET and 3 pm PT. Technically, you're able to submit an application up through Monday at 7:59 am PT, but since Nintendo says "applicants will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis," don't expect slots to be there for you if you dawdle.

To submit an application, visit Nintendo's form and click the "Advance to Application Creation" button at the bottom of the screen once the gates open. You'll need to have had an active Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack membership as of yesterday, July 17, as well as have been at least 18 years of age by the same deadline. Your account must also be registered to one of the following countries:

• Japan

• United

• United Kingdom

• France

• Germany

• Italy

• Spain

• Canada

• Brazil

• Mexico

That's pretty strict, but if you're planning to play with friends, Nintendo is throwing at least one bone your way: Instead of everyone filing an application individually, you're able to apply as a group. You'll need to elect a representative, then have that person create an application and send an invitation URL to everyone in your group, where they can then log in to complete the process. Everyone will need to belong to the same region, but it's one potential way to get around trying to load what is sure to be a busy website later tonight.

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Eight Settings I Changed to Have a ’Dumb Phone Summer’ With My iPhone

I am often inundated with articles and videos trying to convince me that switching to a dumbphone is the key to living a balanced, fruitful life—so much so that I really considered getting one. You might have seen these articles, too: It is a "dumbphone summer," after all: It seems many of us want a digital detox, and these simple devices seem like the way to do it.

As I've thought about the matter, though, I've come to the conclusion that a dumbphone solves a few problems while introducing many more.

Switching might free me from endlessly scrolling my social media accounts, but I'd lose access to a high-quality camera that's always with me. I wouldn't need to deal with notifications from apps that only care about maximizing my screen time, but I'd also lose my personal GPS. And I'd still be able to call and text, but I'd miss tools like iMessage and FaceTime that are critical for staying connected. I'm not ready to give all that up.

It's true that the dumbphone market is adapting to take care of some of these weaknesses, offering devices with features like cameras, navigation apps, note-taking apps, and more. But why bother dropping a considerable amount of money for a device like that when I already have a device I can make adjustments to instead?

So, that's what I did—I took my very smart, very addicting iPhone, and made it dumber. Here are the steps I took, plus some extra tips you can try yourself (while the instructions may vary, these tips will apply to Android phones as well).

I deleted as many apps as possible

Apps accumulate on my phone like cables in a junk drawer. I only use a handful of them, but after testing apps on my phone for years, they've added up. Making my phone dumber provided an opportunity to clean house.

My advice is to be as brutal as possible here. The first app on my list, AdGuard, stays: I need an ad blocker to make the modern internet usable. (Yes, I want a working internet on my dumb iPhone, and one that blocks predatory apps to boot.) But Amazon? Bye. Bluesky? Adios. ChatGPT? Lol.

The priority is to eliminate apps that distract you or suck you in for hours of meaningless activity. Social media is a prime target, but even that gets dicey. Can you really ditch all social media on your smartphone? Some can, but others will find that extreme, or borderline impossible. (More on that in the next section.)

Here's a helpful tip: If you can access a social media site in a web browser, do that instead, and delete the app. Don't keep Facebook's predatory app on your iPhone, and if you must visit Meta's flagship platform, do so on Safari. That way, you'll have better privacy protections against Meta's tracking, and you'll have a worse experience, since the Facebook web app is terrible. Good—that means you'll spend less time on it.

I set Screen Time limits for any apps I can't delete

As much as it wastes my time, I can't delete Instagram. While 90% of my use involves mindless scrolling, the other 10% is legitimate socializing that I would very much miss should I ditch the app entirely. There are other apps on my iPhone I feel similarly about, and it's been a daily battle to use them responsibly.

If you have a similar crop of apps you can't part with, I highly recommend setting up Screen Time limits. It's easy to do, and lets you choose the amount of time you can use an app each day. For example, I have Instagram set to 35 minutes of daily use, but I could choose to give myself more time on weekends, or any day that I feel like. You can also enable this feature for websites, so if you are accessing Instagram via Safari instead of the app, you can set limits for there too.

With this App Limit set, Instagram will run like it usually does until that 35th minute. Once the time limit is up, the app is replaced by a blank screen, letting me know that I've used my time allotment for the day. Hopefully, I then decide to do something else with my time (maybe put away my phone?), but I don't have to: The feature gives you the option to extend the time limit by one or 15 minutes, or disable it for the rest of the day. It's not the best solution for anyone lacking willpower, and I've definitely been guilty of extending my time limits again and again. But more often than not, the lock-out screen gets me to leave Instagram for the day. If I only burn 35 minutes watching reels instead of two hours, that's fine by me.

You can get started setting Screen Time limits via Settings > Screen Time > App Limits.

I disabled notifications for everything

Smartphone notifications are out of control. These alerts should tell me whether I have a new message or when some critical update needs my attention. If you use system notifications to let me know your app has an amazing sale going on, I'm instantly deleting it.

But even when notifications are appropriate, they're too much. Likely part of what you hate about your iPhone are the constant distractions and disruptions from system alerts—not only are the unnecessary ones annoying, the legitimate ones steal your attention, too. Before you know it, you've wasted another hour scrolling on Instagram just because someone replied to a message with a thumbs-up.

You don't need a dumbphone to eliminate these distractions, though: just disable as many notifications as you can. Any time you download a new app—which you should do sparingly on your new dumb iPhone—don't allow any notifications. For apps already on your phone, go to Settings > Notifications and disable notifications en masse. You can also attack them as the notifications come in: Swipe left on alerts in Notification Center, tap "Options," then choose "Turn Off All Notifications."

This too is challenging. I keep notifications on for my chat apps, since I don't want to miss important (or funny) updates from friends and family. I did manage to disable Instagram notifications, which has its pros and cons. I'm not sucked into each and every alert I get, but I frequently miss DMs from friends. There are always tradeoffs when prioritizing your time.

I made my Lock Screen uninviting

Apple has made it easy to make your Lock Screen look awesome. The consequence, however, is that your iPhone looks a bit too inviting each time you pick it up. There's an easy solution to that: Make it look boring AF.

I set my Lock Screen wallpaper to black—no graphics or colors catch my eye. I allowed myself to add some Weather widgets, including current conditions, UV index, and sunrise/sunset, as I figure having the weather on my Lock Screen means one less reason to unlock my iPhone. (I used to have a News widget there instead, but it often caused me to open my phone in reaction to crazy headlines, which are in no short supply in 2025.)

My Home Screen is dead simple, too

Following suit, my Home Screen is also as bland as possible. I use the same black wallpaper, and I've abstained from widgets. As much as I like the aesthetics of the calendar and clock widgets, I don't want to spend any more time on this page than I have to.

As such, I've strategically placed the apps I use most (and which, notably, aren't brain-rot traps) on the Home Screen. I could keep this page totally blank, but why not keep the boring, useful apps at easy reach? That way, my brain doesn't have extra time to think, "Wait, maybe we should just open YouTube instead" as I swipe to the App Library.

In my dock live my Phone, Messages, Camera, and Music apps. In two layers above it live Notes, Reminders, Maps, and Libby. (My hope is that keeping Libby in sight at all time will encourage me to read more, rather than scroll, scroll, scroll.) For all other apps, I rely on the App Library, which is only a swipe away.

You can get creative with this. Through different apps or hacks, you can emulate the experience of dumbphones like the Light Phone, which simply shows you a list of app titles to choose from instead of wowing you with graphics and animations. Dumb Phone is one such app: After installing it, you select a group of apps you want to see on your Home Screen, and Dumb Phone lists those in a widget one-by-one. Change the color of your wallpaper to match the widget, adjust a few settings, and presto—you own faux Light Phone.

This isn't really my cup of tea—I still enjoy a traditional home screen/app icons experience—but if you think you'd prefer the look, give it a try. (Just make sure to hit the "X" in the top right corner during setup if you don't want to pay for the subscription.)

Go grayscale, baby

If there's one tip to take away from this piece, it's that you should turn your phone to grayscale. This color filter makes everything on your smartphone, well, gray—wiping away all of the bright, fun colors that make it engaging and welcoming to use.

This has been common advice for combating smartphone addiction for years, and while it's certainly not a cure-all, it helps. Scrolling on Instagram isn't nearly as addicting when everything looks washed out, and it certainly doesn't make me want to spend time watching shows or movies on my phone. If you've eliminated notifications entirely, you won't notice the benefit in how a gray notification badge is far less intriguing than its bright red counterpart—but then, you've won that battle already.

As always, a caveat: I like my dumb iPhone, but I don't want to punish myself. If someone sends me a video, or if I see something cool online that deserves to be seen in color, I'll switch off grayscale temporarily. Does that defeat the purpose of my dumb iPhone? Possibly, but I'm making my own rules here.

Set a greyscale shortcut

The best compromise I've found is to assign the grayscale filter to the power button's accessibility shortcut. You'll find this under Settings > Accessibility > Accessibility Shortcut. Choose "Color Filters," then triple-click the power button any time you want to toggle grayscale on or off.

Other ways to make your iPhone dumber and less fun to use

The above is what I've done to make my iPhone less addicting, and, overall, it's helped. I'm not sure if it's the changes themselves, or how the changes constantly remind me to use my device with intention, but, either way, I've been reducing my screen time, and making what remains more productive. That's a win-win.

There are other ways you can make your iPhone less appealing to use, and, thus, reclaim your screen time as well. Here are some suggestions:

• Use a matte screen protector: These screen protectors cut down on glare, but also emulate the experience of an e-ink screen. That might help any other Libby users out there who want a more soothing reading experience.

• Disable Face ID/Touch ID: Remember the days of punching in your passcode each and every time you unlocked your iPhone? It sucked. Force yourself to do it again. Knowing that you'll need to enter your passcode any time you want to check your phone might break the habit of mindless pickups. (Better yet, set an alphanumeric password. That'll show you.)

• Keep Low Battery Mode on at all times: If you have a Pro iPhone, your display has a buttery-smooth 120Hz refresh rate. Turning on Low Power Mode drops it down to 60Hz, which, while standard for many iPhone users, looks choppy after you're used to 120Hz.

Will I keep my iPhone dumb forever?

Am I committed to my new dumber iPhone lifestyle? I'm not sure. If I could wager a guess, I think what's going to happen is this: I'll eventually switch off grayscale, add a nice Lock Screen and a well-curated Home Screen, but keep my minimal notifications and limited app selection. I like the idea of maintaining a "normal" iPhone experience, but without many of the things that make it a distraction—even if that means ditching some of the more extreme dumb-phone-like measures.

Knowing that, I'm thus far happy I did not spend hundreds of dollars on a dedicated dumb phone. Something tells me that I would be itching to switch back to my iPhone in a heartbeat.

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I Recommend This Craftsman Tool Kit for Basic Home Maintenance, and It’s 30% Off Right Now

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While I’m obviously a tool enthusiast, I realize that not everyone needs an array of power tools, saws, drills, and drivers. However, everyone should have a decent quality, basic tool kit for incidental maintenance and repairs. Even if you live in an apartment and you have no ambitions to become a DIY expert, you might eventually need to open a light fixture to change a bulb, or hang a picture yourself, and if you’re in that camp, there’s a one-and-done, simple Craftsman toolkit you should have.

CRAFTSMAN 57 Piece Mechanics Tool Set

$38.23 at Amazon

$54.98 Save $16.75

$38.23 at Amazon

$54.98 Save $16.75

This Craftsman 57-piece mechanics home tool set is a good tool kit for anyone who thinks they don’t need a set of tools, but might have discovered that they need a screwdriver to remove a vent cover to clean it. If you realized too late that the “no tools required” label on your child’s assemble-it-yourself toy was a lie, and you actually need a hammer and a hex wrench to get the job done, this is the tool kit you need. It’s the perfect size for apartment living, and it’s on sale for $38.23, 30% off its usual price.

If acquiring this tool set sparks a desire to learn more DIY skills, you've got a good foundation to build a larger kit on. The ratchet, sockets, and bits are a standard size, so they’re compatible with other bits and attachments. These tools can be used on more advanced projects, like putting up shelves or swapping out a light fixture, they will be useful for that as well. I use a lot of these tools every day in the shop. If you want to start trying some slightly more advanced projects to test your interest and skills, this kit is a good jumping-off point.

What’s included

The Craftsman 57-piece mechanics home tool set includes a set of screwdrivers, including a changeable driver handle with multiple bits. This part of the set will allow you to drive almost any standard screw type. While most screws tend to be Phillips or flathead, sometimes you’ll encounter a star drive or a square head.

It also comes with a ¼-inch ratchet with a range of socket sizes for turning nuts and bolts. It's got a set of Allen keys that—among other things—will come in handy when you’re disassembling the flat-pack bed you bought five years ago and lost the hardware for.

Other basic tools included are a tape measure, a hammer, a pair of pliers, a utility knife, and a tool box. The box is small enough to fit in a closet or cabinet—you won’t need your own home shop for this set—and the compartments will help you keep all your bits and sockets organized so you’ll be able to find them when you need them.

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My Favorite Amazon Deal of the Day: This Like-New Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

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It's not often I find sales on the Kindle Paperwhite, especially the newest version—but right now, the 12th Gen, 2024 "like-New" 16GB Kindle Paperwhite is $106.99 (originally $143.99). That's the lowest price this device has ever been, according to price-tracking tools. These deals on used Kindles usually sell out fast, so get one sooner rather than later if you're interested.

Like-New Amazon Kindle Paperwhite (16 GB)

7" glare-free display and weeks of battery life

$106.99 at Amazon

$143.99 Save $37.00

$106.99 at Amazon

$143.99 Save $37.00

The Kindle Paperwhite is the most popular reading tablet from Amazon, and it's the best for most people, according to PCMag's "outstanding" review. It offers many improvements over the 11th-generation version from 2021—mainly a larger 7-inch display and a much faster boost in performance. It still retains all of the great attributes that made the previous version great, like a fully waterproof design with an IPX8 rating, enough storage to hold more than 10,000 books (not that anyone can read that many), and unlimited cloud storage.

If you're not sure if this is the right Kindle for you, you can see if the Colorsoft version is a better fit for you. It offers color, so it can make reading manga or comics more lively. We also have a breakdown of every kind of Kindle to help you make a good decision. If you already own the 11th generation, there might not be enough here to warrant an upgrade, unless you really just want the latest Amazon has to offer. However, any devices older than that may be worth an upgrade for features like Bluetooth compatibility, which is great for audiobooks.

The screen features a 300 ppi (pixels per inch) display with 16 levels of background lighting, and optional warm lighting as well. I use this feature a lot to read before bed and not strain my (or my partner's) eyes. I also love the absurdly long battery life. This one is estimated at up to 12 weeks on a single charge, depending on your use and brightness settings.

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These Cars Will Soon Support Apple Wallet's Digital Car Keys

If using your iPhone as your car's key seems like the future, you haven't been living in the present. There are a number of car brands that support digital keys in general, some of which have included the option on all models released since 2020. Apple's Wallet app supports the feature, and has for about five years now, but adoption has been relatively slow—although it's soon to pick up.

How Apple Wallet's car keys work

If your car supports car keys through the Wallet app on iPhone or Apple Watch, you'll be able to control your vehicle in three different ways—depending on the model. Some cars let you lock, unlock, and start your car with "passive entry": As you approach your car with your device, it will lock; once inside, you can start it; and as you leave your car with your device, it locks.

Other cars support a "proximity" version of this feature instead. In that case, you hold up your device to a sensor on the door to lock or unlock it. Then, you hold your device to a key reader to start the car.

Finally, there's the remote option, which lets you lock, unlock, or start your car from the Wallet app itself.

You can learn more about how to set up the feature from our guide here.

Cars that already support car keys in Apple Wallet

Apple doesn't make it easy to find official stats on the cars that support Wallet's car key feature at this time. Where you'll find that info is in Apple's list of CarPlay-compatible cars. Apple says there are "more than 800 models to choose from," but that's just as far as CarPlay is concerned. Cars that support Wallet's car keys have a key icon next to their name, which requires you to scroll through the entire list of 800+ cars to identify them all. From my scrolling, that includes the following:

BMW

• 2021 - 2024 1 Series

• 2021 - 2024 2 Series

• 2021 - 2024 3 Series

• 2021 - 2024 4 Series

• 2021 - 2024 5 Series

• 2021 - 2024 6 Series

• 2021 - 2024 8 Series

• 2021 - 2024 X5

• 2021 - 2024 X6

• 2021 - 2024 X7

• 2021 - 2024 X5 M

• 2021 - 2024 X6 M

• 2021 - 2024 Z4

• 2022 - 2024 i4

• 2022 - 2024 iX

• 2022 - 2024 iX1

• 2022 - 2024 iX3

• 2023 i3

• 2023 - 2024 i7

• 2024 i5

BYD

• 2022 - 2024 HAN

Genesis

• 2023 - 2024 GV60

• 2023 - 2024 G90

• 2024 G70

Hyundai

• 2023 - 2024 Palisade

• 2023 - 2024 IONIQ 6

Kia

• 2023 - 2024 Telluride

• 2023 - 2024 Niro

• 2024 Seltos

• 2024 EV9

Lotus

• 2024 Eletre

• 2024 Emeya

Mercedes-Benz

• 2024 E‑Class

RAM

• 2025 RAM 1500

Vehicles that will support Apple Wallet car keys "soon"

Apple lists a number of new vehicle brands that will adopt this digital key feature "soon." Unfortunately, there isn't a set timeline here, but at least we know which brands are coming next. In all, there are 13:

• Acura

• Cadillac

• Chery

• Chevrolet

• GMC

• Hongqi

• Lucid

• Porsche

• Rivian

• Smart

• Tata

• Voyah

• WEY

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This 2nd Gen Google Nest Cam Just Dropped $50 on Amazon

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The 2nd Gen Google Nest Cam is a versatile smart security solution for indoor and outdoor use, and right now, it’s 28% off on Amazon. This battery-powered camera is ideal for people already in the Google ecosystem who are seeking dual functionality. Here’s what you should know if you’re considering taking advantage of this deal.

2nd Gen Google Nest Cam

$129.99 at Amazon

$179.99 Save $50.00

$129.99 at Amazon

$179.99 Save $50.00

With built-in intelligence features that distinguish between people, animals, and vehicles—sending accurate notifications via the Google Home app—this indoor/outdoor cam is weatherproof and can function in temperatures from –4°F to 104°F. It installs with a magnetic mount, making it a hassle-free alternative to wired cams (though if you want to wire it, you can purchase a weatherproof cable separately). It also comes with a wall plate so you can mount it to a brick wall, if desired.

The video quality is 1080 HDR with night vision capabilities, though unless you have a paid subscription, it only saves three hours of event video history. While a subscription isn’t required, this time frame can be extended with a Nest Aware subscription. If you lose your Wi-Fi connection or there’s a a power outage, the device stores up to an hour of recorded footage. 

To use a Nest Cam, you’ll need the Google Home app and a free Google account, as it isn’t compatible with the Nest app or site, which may be problematic if you use the Nest app for your other cameras and devices. Additionally, while most users are happy with the battery life, some say it needs recharging every few days, and others report that the continuous recording function can be glitchy, and motion alerts are occasionally missed.

If you need long-term video history and don't want to pay for a subscription, consider Eufy or Ring cameras, which offer better battery life and more reliable recording. Still, at $50 off, the 2nd Gen Google Nest Cam is a flexible smart security option.

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The Public Beta for iOS 26 Might Drop Next Week

Apple has been beta testing iOS 26 since announcing the update at WWDC, so the tech world has had plenty of chances to see what changes the company is cooking up for the fall. The thing is, this beta is only supposedly to be for iOS developers—though that hasn't stopped the general public from installing the update. While I've strongly discouraged non-developers from running these betas, I have good news: The public beta is nearly here.

According to Bloomberg's Mark Gurman, who has a track record for accurate Apple reporting, Apple is planning iOS 26's public beta "around the 23rd" of July. That would put it sometime next week, if you're reading this piece at the time of publication. That isn't surprising, seeing as Apple previously announced the public beta would drop in July—the company's usual month for public beta releases. iOS 18's public beta dropped in mid-July last year, as did iOS 17's, so iOS 26's public beta would actually be a bit late if it drops next week.

Public betas vs. developer betas

While betas can be a fun way to try out new features before the general public, I always advise that users exercise caution before installing them on their main devices. This is prerelease software that Apple is putting through its paces, which means there could be bugs and glitches that wouldn't be present on an official release.

If you are dead-set on beta testing iOS 26, however, I'd recommend waiting for this public beta. Apple's developer betas are particularly prone to instability, since they are still in the earliest stages of testing. They're designed for developers to see how their apps respond to the software. By the time the company releases a public beta, they've sorted through most of the worst bugs and glitches, which makes it safer for individuals to try it out if interested.

Those following the beta journey thus far will know how much things can change. Just look at Liquid Glass, Apple's big redesign. The company continues to adjust how transparent that glassy effect really is—to the point where, with the third developer beta, it hardly looks like the original design. Who knows what Liquid Glass will look like once the public beta drops?

Signing up for the public betas

iOS 26 won't be the only software with a public beta, either. Next week, you should also be able to install the public betas iPadOS 26, macOS 26, watchOS 26, and tvOS 26, HomePod software 26, and AirPods Firmware, if you wish. To do so, you'll need to enroll your Apple ID with the Apple Beta Software Program.

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I Used My Merach Steppers During a Movie to See How Quiet They Really Are

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When I first unboxed my Merach mini stepper and the Merach stair climber (the latter still on sale post-Prime Day), the manufacturer's claims about "whisper-quiet operation" seemed too good to be true. As someone who lives in a small apartment with thin walls and equally thin patience from my neighbors, the noise level of any exercise equipment is a make-or-break factor for me. So I wanted to do a proper test: I would use these two steppers during an entire movie to see just how quiet they really are.

Merach mini stepper

$44.99 at Amazon

$44.99 at Amazon

Merach Stair Climber

$95.99 at Amazon

$149.99 Save $54.00

$95.99 at Amazon

$149.99 Save $54.00

The setup

My original plan was to test these machines while my partner was sleeping, but then I realized that he's such a deep sleeper my findings would be inconclusive. Instead, I chose a Monday night for my experiment, settling in to watch "The Grand Budapest Hotel." I wanted something with enough dialogue and quiet moments to make any exercise equipment noise glaringly obvious. My living room setup is fairly typical: hardwood floors, a couch positioned about six feet from my TV, and walls that seem to amplify every footstep from the apartment upstairs.

I tested both devices, since they're pretty exchangeable in my eyes, as I explain in my reviews here and here. Both fall under the category of "steppers." One is mini and focuses more on your calves, while one is more of a climber and targets your glutes. Neither are "serious" pieces of exercise equipment, but they beat sitting on the couch doing nothing.

I started with the stair climber, placing it in front of my couch, keeping the TV volume at my usual level (around 30% on my sound bar). After about 30 minutes, I switched machines.

I promise I did watch a movie and did not stare at a blank screen. Credit: Meredith Dietz

As the opening credits rolled, I took a second to get the stepping motion smooth and controlled. At this point, the most prominent sound was actually my own breathing. The stair climber itself produced only a subtle mechanical sound—comparable to an office chair swiveling back and forth. On that note...

Real-world noise assessment

To put the noise level in perspective, I compared it to other household sounds throughout the evening. The steppers are on par with:

• My refrigerator's compressor cycling on

• The dishwasher running in the kitchen

• Rain pattering against the windows

• My upstairs neighbor's normal walking around

The only time I became hyperaware of the stepper's mechanical sounds was during the movie's most silent moments—those dramatic pauses where even the film's background music faded to nothing.

The most impressive aspect for me wasn't just the minimal noise, but the lack of vibration transfer to the floor. Despite my apartment's creaky hardwood floors, there were no additional squeaks or vibrations that would travel to neighboring units. The stepper's rubberized base effectively isolated any movement from the floor beneath.

Any sort of rapid stepping, however, naturally produced more noise. With the mini stepper in particular, the hydraulic system produces a whooshing sound that does not go well with a quiet movie.

The verdict

After nearly two hours of continuous use, I can confidently say the Merach mini stepper and stair climber live up to its quiet operation claims. These devices successfully passed what I now consider the ultimate apartment-friendly test: the ability to exercise during a dialogue-heavy film without missing a single witty exchange. Plus, after an hour of stepping (some mini, some climbing), I can safely say I got a surprisingly good low-impact workout.

So, will the Merach mini stepper and stair climber transform your body? No. But will they disrupt your movie? Also no. And for anyone living in close quarters with neighbors, thin walls, or simply wanting to exercise while watching TV without disturbing others in the house, that absence of noise is definitely a feature worth celebrating.

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