📻 Talk to me on the radio, 👱‍♀️ Barbie phone, 🎮 New Razer controller, 🧑‍⚖️ Yelp sues Google, 🛍️ Samsung Back to School deals

10 tech stories in the quickest format possible

Thursday’s 10-story newsletter ends with discount codes below ⤵️
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📻 1. I’m on the radio today: Ask me your burning tech questions at 1pm ET

DJ Lord Sear of Shade 45 on SiriusXM radio and Matt Swider (Image credit: The Shortcut)

I just realized that I’ve been doing a tech segment on SiriusXM for eight years as of next week, and I’ll be back on Eminem’s channel, Shade 45 with DJ Lord Sear, today. Last time, I showed off the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6, Z Flip 6 and Watch Ultra.

⏰ Today at 1pm ET, I’m going to offer iPhone 16 predictions, demo Google Pixel 9’s cool “Add Me” mode, and finally show Sear my Apple Vision Pro.

• ☎️ Call in: 1-888-SHADE-45 with any tech questions at 1pm ET.

• I love hearing from you all!

Here’s an eight-year-old throwback pic of me and Lord Sear. An Uber driver at CES in Las Vegas once told me Sear was “the voice of hip-hop” when first started doing the show. I kept going back on air after that. That’s some nationwide street cred!

Almost eight years ago, when we were both younger

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🛍️ 2. 25% off Samsung's Back to School sale offers Black Friday-like prices

Samsung’s Back to School sale are live for the Samsung Z Fold 6 and Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra. You can save 25% on the Watch 7, Watch Ultra or Buds3/Pro when you add them to your cart and receive instant credit for several purchases.

• ♨️ Hot tip: Students can enjoy discounts of up to 25% off, making these deals even more generous.

Note: Some of these deals end on September 1.

📱 Samsung Back to School smartphone deals

• Samsung Z Fold 6 - $300 instant credit, students get an extra 15% off (save 25% on accessories deal)

• Samsung Flip 6 - Save 25% on Watch 7, Watch Ultra, Buds3/Pro

• Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra - $200 instant credit, students get an extra 15% off (save 25% on accessories deal)

• Samsung Galaxy S24+ - $200 instant credit, students get an extra 10% off, up to $600 off trade-in value (save 25% on accessories deal)

• Samsung Galaxy S24 - $80 instant credit, students get an extra 5% off, up to $500 off trade-in value (save 25% on accessories deal)

🎒 Samsung Back to School tablet deals

• Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 - $150 instant credit

• Samsung Galaxy Tab S9+ - $200/$250 instant credit

• Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 Ultra - $250/350 instant credit

• Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 FE - $100 instant credit

• Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ - $65 instant credit

💻 Samsung Back to School PC deals

• Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Ultra - $600 instant credit

• Samsung Galaxy Book 4 Pro 360 - $600 instant credit, up to $600 on GB Ultra and $500 on GB4 Pro 360/GB4 Edge trade-in value

• Samsung Galaxy Book Edge - $300/$350 instant credit

⌚️ Samsung Back to School watch deals

• Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra - up to $250 off trade-in value, (save 25% on accessories deal)

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 - up to $250 off trade-in value, save 25% on Watch7, Watch Ultra or Buds3/Pro when you purchase with Fold 6 or S24

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic - $70 instant credit (BT), $80 instant credit (LTE), up to $250 off trade-in value

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 - $200 instant credit, up to $200 off trade-in value, (save 25% on accessories deal)

• Samsung Galaxy Watch FE - $100 instant credit, (save 25% on accessories deal)

🎧 Samsung Back to School Buds deals

• Samsung Buds3 Pro - Free Buds Clip Cover Case, students get an extra 25% off, up to $100 off trade-in value, (save 25% on accessories deal)

• Samsung Buds 3 - Free Buds Clip Cover Case, students get an extra 25% off, up to $100 trade-in value, 40% off with the purchase of Fold 6

• Samsung Buds FE - 25% off w/ Galaxy Watch FE purchase

Ask Matt Swider on Twitter or Instagram for hand-picked deals from Walmart / Best Buy / Amazon / B&H / Samsung / Google / GameStop / Xbox / Microsoft Office (PC) deal / MS Office (Mac) deal

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🎮 3. Razer Wolverine V3 Pro review: this Xbox controller feels like a cheat code

🏆 Review score: 4.5 out of 5

🏅Editor’s Choice

Pros:

• ✅ ⏻ Remotely turn on/off your Xbox

• ✅ 🕹️ Drift-proof Hall Effect thumbsticks

• ✅ 🖱️ Mouse button-like backpedals

• ✅ 🔘 Clicky face buttons with a familiar rubbery bump

• ✅ 🔋 Longer battery life than your standard Xbox controller

Cons

• ❌ 🤑 $200 price feels pretty steep

• ❌ 🤡 Retreaded design

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👱‍♀️ 4. The Barbie phone is a 'digital detox device' celebrating the doll's 65th bday

• 💅 The Barbie phone is pretty in pink and out this October

• 💰 It costs around $129 and will work on all three major US wireless carriers

• 😍 The flip phone comes with various accessories like changeable covers

• 🧘‍♀️ It’s best described as a “dumb phone” and a digital detox device

Hot off the high heels of the successful Barbie movie, HMD and Mattel have teamed up to launch a Barbie phone. It’s available in October for around $129 and allows users to make calls, send texts and take pictures. However, it’s very much a “dumb phone” and is being pitched as a digital detox device.

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🧑‍⚖️ 5. Yelp sues Google, but consumers wish they could give both platforms zero stars

• ⚖️ Yelp filed an antitrust lawsuit against Google in federal court

• 🗺️ It alleges Google illegally monopolizes local search & search ads

• 🧑‍⚖️ Earlier this month, the DOJ ruled Google an illegal monopoly

• 💬 Internet commenters want to give both companies zero stars

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👀 6. PS5 Pro might have been spotted in this new photo – here's why

• 🫣 The PS5 Pro may be hidden in a new picture from Hideo Kojima

• 🎮 Kojima is using a console to test his upcoming game, Death Stranding 2

• 🙈 But the dev kit is covered up with a black material

• 🤔 This has led many to believe Kojima is hiding Sony’s PS5 Pro dev kit

We’re just weeks away from Sony revealing the PS5 Pro, but we may have had our best hint yet that it’s almost here. Legendary game designer Hideo Kojima seems to be using a PS5 Pro dev kit in this photo to test his upcoming title, Death Stranding 2: On the Beach. Wisely, he’s covered the console up, but expect Death Stranding 2 to be one of many PS5 Pro-enhanced games when it releases in 2025.

The PS5 Pro console’s design has since leaked since Kojima’s photo went live, suggesting a similar look to the PS5 Slim. A September reveal is still predicted, so sign up for notifications so you don’t miss when PS5 Pro pre-orders go live.

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⌚ 7. Apple Watch Ultra 2 deal: $100 off the best smartwatch I've tested

• ⌚ Amazon has the Apple Watch Ultra 2 on sale for $100 off

• 💲 The deal matches last year’s Black Friday pricing

• ⏳ The Ultra 2 is still an excellent watch, even a year later

Over at Amazon, you can get the Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $100 off, bringing it down to $699 and matching the sale price from Black Friday last year. The sale applies to all three band styles Apple offers, including Ocean, Alpine Loop, and Trail Loop.

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💰 8. The PS5 Pro price is now easier to predict thanks to Japan

• 💰 The PS5 Pro price just got a little easier to predict

• 👉 It’s almost definitely going to be $599.99

• 🙅‍♂️ Don’t expect a price cut on the current PS5 as Sony has raised prices once again

• 📆 The PS5 Pro is expected to be revealed in September

It sucks to be a PlayStation fan in Japan. Sony has raised the price of the PS5 and PS5 Digital Edition yet again, suggesting the PS5 Pro won’t be cheap. Expect to pay at least $599.99 for Sony’s souped-up PlayStation 5 when it releases this November as the Japanese electronics giant continues to struggle with manufacturing costs and fluctuating market conditions.

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🔋 9. New Mophie Powerstations launch in time for Apple’s iPhone 16 reveal

• 🔋 Mophie just announced three new power banks with premium designs

• ⚡ Powerstation Plus Mini (5,000mAh) $49

• ⚡⚡ Powerstation Plus (10,000mAh) is $79

• ⚡⚡🔌 Powerstation Plus Ultra (10,000mAh + built-in wall plug) $99

• 📱 Mophie’s announcement is just in time for the iPhone 16 series

The OG power bank brand, Mophie, just revealed a trio of new Powerstation batteries that are essentially refreshed versions of last year’s Powerstations with cleaner designers and faster charging. They start at $49.95, but I have my eye on the top-of-the-line version: the Powerstation Plus Ultra.

The Powerstation Plus Ultra won’t launch in September (the other two can be bought today), just in time for Apple’s iPhone 16 launch event on September 9. The actual iPhone 16 release date is likely to be September 20.

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🎮 10. Concord and Star Wars Outlaws review roundups

• 🥱 Concord has a Metacritic score of 65 from 24 critic reviews

• 😐 The game has received mixed or average reviews

• 🦸‍♀️ Concord is a 5v5 hero shooter in a similar vein to Overwatch

• 💰 The game is available on PS5 and PC for $40

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• 👍 Star Wars Outlaws has a Metacritic score of 77 from 62 critic reviews

• 🙂 The game has received generally positive reviews

• 🌍 Star Wars Outlaws is an open-world game developed by Massive Entertainment

• 💰 The game is on August 30 for PS5, Xbox Series X|S and PC

⬆️ Tap the 🌟 icon button on this page ⬆️

🔒 Bonus: $100 PS, $50 Nintendo & Xbox gift card deals; 50% off Game Pass

• 🟦 $100 PlayStation giftcard for $88

• 🍄 $50 Nintendo Gift Card for $41 (sold out for now)

• 🟩 $50 Xbox Gift Card for $44

• ❎ 50% off Xbox Game Pass for $29 (Microsoft’s MSRP is $51 and soon to be $60 for 3 months)

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