Movie tie-in games have largely gone extinct because the combined cost and risk of modern AAA development make them hard to justify, with licensing fees and celebrity likeness costs added on top of budgets that have risen from about $40M for Half-Life 2 (2004) to about $300M for Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 (nearly 20 years later).
Aug 25, 2026 ·
Engadget
Amazon is offering discounts of up to 60% on a range of its device deals while it has raised prices on its electronics by as much as 60%.
Aug 25, 2026 ·
CNET
Homeowners can borrow against home equity via three options—cash-out refinance, HELOC, and home equity loans—with the best fit depending mainly on whether their current mortgage rate is below or at/above today’s available rates.
Aug 25, 2026 ·
Yahoo Finance
Instagram is rolling out “First Draft,” which analyzes multi-clip Reels and trims each clip (over a minute long) to remove pauses before combining them into an editable reel.
Aug 25, 2026 ·
The Verge
Nokia’s 300 Charge includes a 3,700mAh battery and can charge other devices in 10W powerbank mode via an included 4-in-1 cable with Micro USB, USB-C, and USB-A adapters.
Aug 25, 2026 ·Engadget
Nothing OS 5.0 (Android 17-based) adds adaptive, wallpaper-driven color for app icons and widgets and introduces a new Glyph Interface app, plus expanded homescreen and lockscreen customization options.
Aug 25, 2026 ·The Verge
Microsoft revealed translucent green Xbox 25th birthday accessories spanning a Razer Basilisk V3 Pro 35K mouse, Razer BlackWidow V4 75% keyboard, Razer Hammerhead V3 X Hyperspeed earbuds, 8BitDo green charging dock, and GameSir X5 Lite mobile controller, plus the Backbone Pro and PowerA Xbox Sling Bag accessories.
Aug 25, 2026 ·Engadget
Sihoo Doro C300 Pro V2 ergonomic chair is discounted by $96, dropping to $404 for the black version and $414 for the white version with code SIHOOCN clipped on-screen.
Aug 25, 2026 ·CNET
A 50-inch Insignia Class F50 4K Fire TV is $160 at Amazon, down from $300 (47% off, saving $140).
Aug 25, 2026 ·CNET
Life360 is launching $7.99 scannable pet tags that let anyone who scans the QR code alert the family via the Life360 app and share the pet’s last known location.
Aug 25, 2026 ·
TechCrunch
The original Xbox “Duke” controller (7×5.5×2.7 inches, 14 ounces) was later streamlined and iteratively refined into today’s Xbox Wireless Controller, which weighs about 9.8 ounces and keeps core elements like the asymmetrical stick layout and colored ABXY buttons unchanged for 25 years.
Aug 25, 2026 ·Engadget
Apple AirTags 4-pack is at a record low $80 total, cutting the per-tacker price to $20 from the usual $29 each.
Aug 25, 2026 ·CNET
Several early Labor Day laptop deals cut major models by 7%–44%, including the M5 MacBook Pro at $1,849 (8% off from $1,999), the Samsung Galaxy Book6 at $1,399 (44% off from $2,499), and a Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 at $499 (save $400).
Aug 25, 2026 ·
ZDNet
Lowe’s cut its full-year outlook and now expects comparable sales to be approximately flat after Q2 organic comparable sales rose just 0.2% (vs 0.8% expected), even as total sales climbed 8.3% to $25.96B and adjusted diluted earnings hit $4.40/share.
Aug 25, 2026 ·Yahoo Finance
You can redeem Google Play Points for gift cards priced at $5 for 750 points, $10 for 1,500 points, and $20 for 3,000 points (including options like Starbucks, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, DoorDash, Uber, and Amazon).
Aug 25, 2026 ·ZDNet
Mint Mobile users on crowded networks can face data deprioritization versus higher-priority MNO customers (e.g., during a Bruno Mars show at MetLife Stadium), but you can mitigate it by forcing LTE instead of 5G or using VPN + public Wi‑Fi in public areas like bars and airports.
Aug 25, 2026 ·ZDNet
Apple says the new Mac mini will be its flagship “Made in USA” Mac with final assembly in the US in Houston this year, replacing the now-discontinued Mac Pro.
Aug 25, 2026 ·
Computerworld
FydeOS is a free, Linux-based OS that can be installed on older laptops/desktops to deliver a ChromeOS-like experience, including web, Android (claimed) and Linux app support, background updates, and fast booting (about 8 seconds).
Aug 25, 2026 ·ZDNet
Walmart’s Deals of the Day for Aug. 25 include $50 off a JBL Charge 6 Bluetooth speaker ($150, down from $200), $70 off a 27-inch Samsung Odyssey G5 gaming monitor ($179, down from $249), and $40 off+ a Chefman Air Fryer Plus multicooker (10-quart, $85, down from $130).
Aug 25, 2026 ·CNET
Nintendo’s refreshed Switch 2 bundles cost $550 with a 90-day Nintendo Switch Online membership—$50 more than the original bundle—when the Switch 2 console price rises to $500 on September 1.
Aug 25, 2026 ·Engadget
