I Worked at a Game Store for 3 Years. Here's What to Know About Scratched Discs

Scratches on discs can feel like the end of a video game or movie. With the wear and tear of time, physical means of owning media feel as if they are going to disappear with time as technology breaks down. However, having a few (or even thousands) of scratches does not mean that a disc is completely gone. My experience working at a used video games store has taught me that physical media can stand the test of time....

August 8, 2025 · 6 min · 1229 words · Jamie Hughes

iPhone 16 vs. Google Pixel 8: Should You Switch to Apple?

Summary If you’re still rocking a Pixel 8 but are tempted to try something new, the iPhone 16, with its ultra-fast processor, new Camera Control button, and the promise of a supercharged Siri might have caught your eye. So is it time to make the switch? The iPhone 16 Is Smaller and Lighter The Pixel 8 adopted rounded corners, which gives it a distinctly iPhone-esque look. It is a bigger device, though....

August 8, 2025 · 6 min · 1223 words · Miss Angel Johnson MD

Is 2025 Finally the Right Time to Create a Smart Home?

Summary Smart home technology has grown increasingly mainstream over the years, but it can still seem like a somewhat geeky thing to do. Is 2025 finally the right time to take the plunge? Smart Home Networks Aren’t New We tend to think of smart home platforms as being relatively new, but what might be considered the first of these actually dates back to 1975! Known as X10, it provided a standard for both powering and controlling home automation devices via a wired network....

August 8, 2025 · 8 min · 1578 words · John Hill

Magic: The Gathering's Digital Double Strategy Finally Brought Me Back to the Game

Summary Magic: The Gatheringhas managed to do pretty well for itself in a world of video games and instant digital gratification. I’ve been out of the hobby for a long time, so I had no idea how smartly the company had integrated its physical card game with its digital one. It’s Been Years Since I’ve Bought an MTG Deck My wife expressed a desire to get back into MTG, having discovered that there was a local venue where people played in the town we moved to fairly recently....

August 8, 2025 · 3 min · 609 words · Melissa Walker

Marvel Rivals Proves Listening to Fans Can Be a Double-Edged Sword

Summary Free-to-play games are everywhere now and show no sign of slowing down anytime soon.Marvel Rivalsis a shining example of one that excels in large part thanks to its satisfying gameplay, but also because its developers readily incorporate fan feedback and criticism. Nonetheless, you’re able to have too much of a good thing. In this case, some aspects of the game have gotten worse, proving that striking a balance between listening and remaining resolute is crucial for both player retention and fulfilling gameplay....

August 8, 2025 · 8 min · 1558 words · Zoe Young

Mozilla VPN's New Per-Site Controls Are Too Good to Ignore

Mozilla VPN users can now set per-site preferences through an official Firefox extension. If you want to bypass your VPN on certain websites or only spoof a foreign location when visiting Netflix, the extension will help you do so. Most VPN apps are totally rigid. You turn on the VPN, and all of your web traffic is tunneled through a single remote server. This can lead to some annoying situations—you may need to completely disable your VPN just to visit Amazon, or jump to a slow server to access content that isn’t available in your region....

August 8, 2025 · 3 min · 613 words · Adam Giles

Nanoleaf's New 4D V2 Bias Lightstrip Works With More TVs

Nanoleaf has just announced the release of the Nanoleaf 4D V2, an upgraded version of its screen mirror and lightstrip kit. This new kit comes with a re-engineered lightstrip and camera system that gives a much better screen mirroring experience, and the size of the strip can be modified with ease. As announced at CESearlier this year, thenew versioncomes with a lot of improvements over the previous model, with a focus on color accuracy....

August 8, 2025 · 3 min · 511 words · Sarah Gutierrez

Save Big on Our Favorite Internal SSDs, Mice, and More

Quick Links Welcome back to another edition of our deals roundup. This week, we found some stellar discounts you have to check out, like a limited 50%-off special offer from Dashlane. We also uncovered savings on some of our reviewers' favorite products, including a fast and affordable internal SSD, feature-rich gaming mouse, and more. Save 50% on Dashlane Premium Password Manager The average user has 100 or more password-protected accounts to manage throughout their daily life, and if you’re not using a safe and reliable password manager, you could be leaving your accounts opens to hackers....

August 8, 2025 · 3 min · 427 words · Sarah Chen

Thanks to the Disney+ Merge, I Can Finally Watch Hulu Again

Summary Finally, Mickey Mouse has answered my prayers. Hulu content is now available in Disney+, meaning that I don’t need to struggle with the broken, neglected, outdated Hulu app. This is the biggest change that Hulu customers have ever experienced. And, for me, it’s a totally welcome change—I can actually watch Hulu again. The only thing that could end this bliss is a password-sharing crackdown. Oh, please don’t spoil my fun!...

August 8, 2025 · 4 min · 686 words · Margaret Greene

The 10 Best Mac Games to Play with a Touchpad (No Mouse Needed!)

Quick Links No one who games on a laptop uses a touchpad, and few games offer a good experiences with one. However, not only do MacBooks have the best touchpads in the business, there are plenty of games that play like a dream using nothing more than that clicky square. 10Baldur’s Gate 3 This smash-hit RPG won just about every award it was eligible for and took the world by storm at release, but what you might not know is thatBaldur’s Gate 3has an excellent native macOS version....

August 8, 2025 · 7 min · 1447 words · Anna King

The 6 Worst Product Placements in Hollywood Movies

WhenWayne’s Worldran with its hilarious spoofing of product placement in movies, it was almost prophetic. Today, it’s hard to look past some of the immersion-breaking product spots in major films, and there’s seemingly no end in sight. I get it—movies cost a lot of money. However, is it ever worth compromising the viewing experience to make a few dollars? There are many ways to do product placement right, but these movies are the perfect examples of how to do it very, very wrong....

August 8, 2025 · 4 min · 724 words · Christopher Cooper

The Best Under-Desk Treadmills of 2023

An under-desk treadmill is an excellent way to stay active while working from home. Rather than sitting all day, which isn’t good for your health, you can walk slowly on a treadmill while responding to emails, attending meetings, or performing other light work tasks. LifeSpan TR1000 Classic Treadmill Desk What to Look for in an Under-Desk Treadmill With remote work opportunities booming, there are countless under-desk treadmills available to choose from....

August 8, 2025 · 12 min · 2443 words · Sherry Davis

The Luxury Roadster That Surpasses the Toyota GR Supra in Comfort and Style

Luxury and performance don’t always go hand in hand, especially in the world of sports cars. While some prioritize raw speed and aggressive styling, others blend refined interiors with dynamic driving experiences. For drivers who want thrills without sacrificing comfort, one roadster rises above the rest. With its sleek design, premium materials, and attention to detail, this convertible delivers an upscale feel. Inside, you’ll find a quiet, well-appointed cabin, intuitive tech, and soft-touch surfaces that elevate the daily drive....

August 8, 2025 · 6 min · 1267 words · John Torres