Mashable

Pressing play on a Conner O'Malley video is a disorienting experience.

Could it be a continuation of a previous character or universe? Could it be another installation of Truth Hunters host Mark Seevers, O'Malley's creation for the 2016 election that resembled Alex Jones if he were locked in a Wisconsin basement for two years, subsisting only on hot dog relish and stale buns? Sure. Could it be another video featuring the version of O'Malley hosting a late-night show on a bike, cruising through the streets of New York City while also in a blood feud with Greg Kinnear? Of course.

But the video could also be a one-off bit of brilliance, like "Endorphin Port," a perfect and bizarre send-up of tech's strange obsession with VR.

SEE ALSO: Conner O'Malley is the internet's unlikely oracle. And its most deranged comedian.

So when I saw O'Malley was dropping a stand-up special on his YouTube channel — an increasingly common move for comics — I had no clue what to expect. It was far from your average comedy special.

If you're unfamiliar with the background and lore of O'Malley's work, I've covered it for Mashable in the past. In general, his work is interested in the absurdity of the modern world. He often makes comedy centered on tech. But, instead of lampooning the companies or billionaires at the helm, he usually portrays a deranged everyman completely besotted by technocrats' promises. Frequently, these characters intersect with the weird, rightwing manosphere that exists online, the folks who cosplay being in the military, eat far too much meat, and treat capitalism as some sort of religion.

"Imagine Joe Rogan without the money," O'Malley's character says in his latest work, which was a surprise moment of crowd-work clarity.

SEE ALSO: Conner O'Malley is the internet's unlikely oracle. And its most deranged comedian.

In the traditional sense, Stand Up Solutions is hardly a stand-up special, even if it was filmed in front of a live Brooklyn audience. O'Malley plays a character named Richard Eagleton, who gives a presentation on a 5G-powered AI avatar he created to do stand-up. If that sounds boring, I promise it is anything but.

I cannot begin to explain the avenues this video takes. There are lamentations on the Toyota Rav-4, background info on Des Plaines, Illinois, and so much about McDonald's. There are some of the most vulgar images imaginable and a weird, somewhat touching backstory for why Eagleton embarked on his AI quest. There are moments of cultural criticism that somehow arise naturally from this deranged man onstage.

During the hour, O'Malley does a gonzo performance of stand-up, and there are moments where you feel like you're actually watching a small-time AI evangelist do a real investor pitch. And, as someone who writes about the internet and tech, there are moments where things sound a hell of a lot like, say, a two-hour presentation from a tech giant promising how great AI will be for everyone.

There is a pitch-perfect reveal of what O'Malley's character believes his AI tech could ultimately do — effectively force-feeding Americans AI politicians — and what it will do, which is help create prisons. And yes, again, I promise this special is funny as shit. It may also be the crassest you have ever watched.

Anyway, enough from me. I'll embed the special at the bottom of this post. But if you've looked at all the AI headlines lately and felt a bit skeptical, this special is for you.

There's a perfect little moment that totally sold me. O'Malley's character is talking to the crowd, asking them to guess a problem with the AI he created. "Nobody wants it," an audience member yells out.

O'Malley doesn't break from his evangelist character. "Well, you have a negative attitude," he answers. He then immediately goes on to eulogize a pair of Croatia's leading vaping artists. It's all nonsensical and exactly like the world we live in.

A bombastic wasteland folktale, George Miller's Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga is an ingenious, eye-popping prequel to his near-perfect action romp Mad Max: Fury Road. While it revisits several characters and locations we've already seen, it's also a wildly different beast, one that replaces its predecessor's mile-a-minute chase structure with a years-spanning story that elevates the series' operatic imagery to the level of biblical myth.

Furiosa is vicious and pulsating despite taking its time. Like the four prior Mad Max movies, it isn't concerned with the confines of continuity, though it still makes for a satisfying coda to Fury Road. The nuances Charlize Theron brought to her angel of vengeance are enhanced by the prequel's story beats, and complemented by the two different actresses playing the character, much the way Tom Hardy took over the part of Max from Mel Gibson. Alyla Browne and Anya Taylor-Joy embody her as an adolescent and a young adult, respectively, while telling the macabre tale of how she was separated from her tribe, and how she lost her arm.

Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

Across the movie's nearly two and a half hours, the character builds herself anew in a world of metallic mayhem and surreal desert madness. The result is major: an emotionally raw, physically tactile Hollywood picture with veins pumped full of adrenaline and gasoline. It's one of the best, most complete, and most affecting Hollywood action films in several years — probably since Fury Road itself. In short: Mad Miller has done it again.

What is Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga about?

Miller delivers an audacious mission statement by opening in the fabled "Green Place," a paradise mentioned in Fury Road but never seen. He presents a lush, inviting refuge from the desert wasteland that's almost immediately defiled by a gang of skull-masked scavengers, in an action scene rife with under-cranked push-ins, imbuing the frame with hyperactive jitters reminiscent of Silent-era classics. Miller's vision is clear from the get-go: Furiosa is a new perspective on a familiar story, told with uncontainable energy.  

A precocious young Furiosa (Browne) tries to protect her home, but is swiftly kidnapped by these savage bikers, who hope to use her as living proof of this place of abundance when reporting back to their rulers. Browne plays Furiosa for nearly the first hour of the movie, and deserves as much credit as Taylor-Joy — who takes over as our heroine in the second half — for her resilient performance at the tender age of 12. However, the star of the movie's initial act is arguably Charlee Fraser as Mary Jabassa, Furiosa's mother, though it never answers the question of whether she's Furiosa's biological or even adopted mother, or whether "mother" is simply an honorific used by their clan, the matriarchal Vuvalini. They were, of course, referred to as "The Many Mothers" in Fury Road, so the real answer is that it doesn't matter. They share a bond of love, embodied by Mary's tireless bike chase across the unforgiving desert to retrieve Furiosa.

SEE ALSO: Summer Movie Preview: Every film you oughta know

Where Fury Road felt like one long chase with occasional lulls, Furiosa immediately takes a different approach. Its introductory chase scene stops and starts at regular intervals, so that Mary can pause to gather equipment and exchange bike parts using the scraps left over by fallen scavengers. Each beat involves a moment of calculation — of taking something while leaving something else behind, micro-decisions that slowly inform the sequence as a whole. If Fury Road began with Furiosa having already made the most choice decision of her life — betraying the Immortan Joe by rescuing his captive wives — Furiosa is about the many decisions that led up to this moment, made by Furiosa herself, and by the small handful of people she came to trust.

Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

The heroic Mary is outnumbered and outgunned by the bikers, who eventually kill her and take Furiosa to their warlord: the Great Dementus (a nasally Chris Hemsworth, firing on all cylinders). Given the tragedies he's faced, it turns out the ambitious bandit leader has a soft spot for Furiosa, so he makes her his ward, though he forces her to bear witness to his cruelty. His foes and followers alike are thrust into brutal war games — his own little open-air Thunderdomes, which usually end in dismemberment — further enhancing the idea that surviving the wasteland is a matter of cunning calculus.

Eventually, Dementus passes through the Citadel from Fury Road, where Furiosa ends up in hiding as one of the Immortan's cultist War Boys — at which point a fierce and unwavering Taylor-Joy takes the character's reins, fleshing her out through stern, determined silence (Furiosa has no more than a few dozen lines). Stuck between a rock and a hard place, she's left with little choice but to serve the Immortan (played by Lachy Hulme, who replaces the late Hugh Keays-Byrne) in order to keep her long-term promise of returning home without anyone learning about the Green Place. All the while, she also plots her reprisal against Dementus, who enters into an uneasy business proposition with the Immortan. Her objectives of revenge and return occasionally align, but they eventually clash in ways that force her to make even more difficult decisions.

Much of the aforementioned plot can be gleaned from the trailers — that Furiosa is a prequel means she will inevitably end up the Immortan's right hand, his "Imperator" — but the movie's bygone conclusions never rob it of its ferocity. Instead, Miller enters into a sadistic game of expectations by playing with narrative point of view.

Furiosa is a fable narrated from the future.

Like the tribal children's "Tells" in Beyond Thunderdome, and the Feral Kid revealing himself to be narrator of Mad Max 2, Furiosa follows the series' adherence to oral tradition in the form of an elderly shaman (George Shevtsov) imprisoned by Dementus. Tattooed head to toe with stories, this "History Man" — a concept mentioned in Fury Road and detailed in its tie-in comics — is charged with recording and retelling events he witnesses firsthand, including Furiosa's arrival as a young girl, and her eventual revenge quest against her captors.

That the film is composed of the History Man's recollections leads to a number of intriguing narrative developments. It feels especially unpredictable despite its prequel status, since Furiosa doesn't have the same in-world "storyteller" as Fury Road, which was narrated by Max himself. One brief cameo in particular jumbles the timelines enough to magnify this discrepancy. The story of Furiosa is the visual embodiment of whispers and oral legends — likely told and retold until details become foggy — resulting in numerous narrative possibilities. 

Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

For instance: The map to the Green Place is tattooed on Furiosa's left arm, and given her strict instructions to never let anyone know of its location, it's hard not to wonder what (if any) part this might play in her eventual maiming before she dons her iconic claw prosthetic. Her mother’s sacrifice, in this way, ripples throughout the film in the form of a question: What is Furiosa willing to leave behind? Several action scenes and character beats place her arm in the path of danger, teasing the "how" and "why" of her dismemberment until they become disconcerting probabilities looming over the story. It's a masterstroke on par with the Final Destination series, with a pre-ordained outcome designed to keep viewers wincing in their seats.

Just as nerve-racking is the movie's most surprising development: Furiosa's romantic camaraderie with the Immortan's trusted "Praetorian" Jack (Tom Burke), a quietly magnetic war rig driver — the position Furiosa would eventually hold. There's a palpable chemistry between the star-crossed duo, forged amid propulsive action and buoyed by their mutual recognition of loneliness. Jack is the only person in whom she confides, and in return, he promises to teach her the skills she needs to return home safely, while asking nothing in return. In a film where the villain, Dementus, demands a frigid nihilism from his acolytes, the warmth Furiosa finds in the darkest of circumstances feels especially precious.

SEE ALSO: The 20 best action movies on Netflix right now

This secret romance — told through glances and held breaths, and set against sprawling landscapes — is beautiful to witness. It's also beautifully tragic. That there's no mention of her companion in Fury Road makes their romance doomed to fail for one reason or another, whether by death or betrayal. Given how deftly Miller endears us to Jack's principled stoicism, it's hard to say which outcome would be more painful.

However, the biggest reason these narrative developments strike such a major chord is that they also lay the groundwork for spectacular action filmmaking that rivals anything in the series.

George Miller's directing is as impeccable as ever.

Furiosa isn't the ceaseless action climax Fury Road was, nor does it try to be. Some of the latter's visual techniques became mainstream talking points in ways editing and framing rarely do — the much-discussed aesthetic approach of center-framing to ensure viewers can track the action during quick cuts, for example — but Miller, cinematographer Simon Duggan, and editors Eliot Knapman and Margaret Sixel shoot and assemble Furiosa in service of an entirely different action mindset.

The film is much more deliberately paced than its predecessor, with more breathing room during and between its action scenes, which allows a riveting intensity to seep through the corners of the frame. While part of a larger whole, each set piece also feels like a desperate final grasp. Furiosa uses the entirety of its widescreen, 2.39:1 aspect ratio to create remarkable dioramas, be it static or in motion, and whether the frame is littered with hundreds of extras or just a handful of characters. Compared to its predecessor, this fluidity of composition is permitted by shots that are framed wider and hold longer, as they build to nail-biting crescendos.  

SEE ALSO: 'Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga' trailer: Anya Taylor-Joy and Chris Hemsworth face off

In the movie's quieter, darker moments, this aesthetic approach yields a number of jaw-dropping tableaus reminiscent of religious iconography — from crucifixions and witch trials to demonic imagery (not to mention, a mother named Mary) — alongside character portraits enveloped by sand, fog, and flame. The result is an expressionistic hellscape that embraces Miller’s digital facade. It's as epic as the fiery sandstorm in Fury Road, but with a stunning degree of visual and emotional intimacy — the kind even a filmmaker like Miller has seldom accomplished. This is especially true when the movie reaches its darkly introspective denouement, which wrestles between the futility and catharsis of retribution. It can be argued that Furiosa is Miller's most well-rounded work to date, even before one takes his signature into account: inventive, madcap action that feels dangerous to watch, as limbs and bodies fly across the screen, and War Boys continue to sacrifice themselves in incendiary fashion.

Credit: Warner Bros. Pictures

One chase scene in particular is shockingly effective, despite its unfortunate resemblance to recent real-world events. It involves a brand-new war rig — a silver, tank-like truck whose painstaking construction we see — in an action sequence so audaciously conceived that its spectacle unfolds not just laterally, but vertically, in a manner best left unspoiled. It's hard not to feel like you're levitating once it begins, but things only get crazier once the vehicle's full destructive potential is unveiled. It's one of a few times the movie fully satiates the desire for more Fury Road-esque action, seamlessly switching gears over an extended period between wide-screen spectacle and anxiety-inducing drama filmed up-close. 

Fury Road was a straight shot back and forth, but Furiosa diverges from its linear path as much as possible, with chases up and down sharp mountainsides and around the curved edges of enormous canyons. All the while, Miller draws on the grandiose Technicolor works of William Wyler — Ben Hur in particular. Not only does Dementus ride a chariot led by a trio of bikes, but like Wyler's approach to his famous horse race, Furiosa's soundscape uses a combination of Tom Holkenborg's blaring score, monstrous revving engines, and a rocky, earthy ambience to create a seat-shattering experience.

SEE ALSO: Things you (probably) didn't know about 'Mad Max: Fury Road'

The film has no shortage of typically Mad Max concepts: villains with ridiculous names like "Toe Jam," "Scrotus,” and "The Octoboss" adorned with everything from horned helmets to swimming goggles, riding rusted scrap vehicles that feel like mad science experiments. But what makes it especially reminiscent of Miller's filmography is how adroitly he outdoes himself in nearly every department. It's the reason he's so adept at crafting sequels, from Babe to Mad Max and even Happy Feet, and his first prequel is no exception. It not only rivals Fury Road but surpasses it in several ways, especially as a soul-stirring character drama steeped in loss and anger, a potency it translates into motion and momentum.

An explosive revenge epic rife with turns both poetic and surprising, Furiosa is a magnificent, pulse-pounding achievement unlike anything you'll see this year.

If staring at your phone in a moving vehicle is a puke-worthy or vertigo-inducing experience, Apple's new Vehicle Motion Cues might be a solution.

Announced along with a series of other new accessibility features, Vehicle Motion Cues turn built-in motion sensors in iPhone and iPads into anti-sickness aids.

SEE ALSO: Apple adds new accessibility features across the senses, including eye tracking

"Research shows that motion sickness is commonly caused by a sensory conflict between what a person sees and what they feel, which can prevent some users from comfortably using iPhone or iPad while riding in a moving vehicle," explained Apple.

Credit: Apple

When the new setting is turned on, a user's phone starts displaying animated black dots on the edges of the screen. The dots move along with the motion of the phone or vehicle to reduce the aforementioned sensory conflict, shifting across the screen as a vehicle turns right or left or suddenly stops, "without interfering with the main content."

As Meta continues its pivot to AI and the Metaverse, there will inevitably be countless products and features that the company sunsets as a result.

Meta has now confirmed one of those products that it is shutting down: Workplace, a private social network platform for companies. TechCrunch first reported the news on Tuesday and Meta has since confirmed it.

“We are discontinuing Workplace from Meta so we can focus on building AI and metaverse technologies that we believe will fundamentally reshape the way we work,” a Meta spokesperson said in a statement. “Over the next two years, we will provide our Workplace customers the option to transition to Zoom’s Workvivo product, Meta’s only preferred migration partner.”

SEE ALSO: Slack's new AI 'Recap' feature will send you a daily digest of important convos What is Workplace?

Workplace is a Slack or Microsoft Teams competitor, so there are other similar options out there for companies looking to use a compatible service. Workplace, however, basically imitated the Facebook feel and provided companies with a private social network-like platform to interact, something that those alternatives don't quite provide.

According to Meta, Workplace will continue to run as is until August 2025. At that point, Meta will move Workplace into a read-only mode where users can still access what has already been posted. At the end of May 2026, nearly two years from now, Workplace will be completely shuttered and all content will be removed.

When Workplace shuts down, it will mark a 10-year run for the product. The product launched in 2016 and was originally called Facebook at Work. In 2021, Meta announced that Workplace had seven million paying users. However, TechCrunch reports that Workplace struggled in recent years as the product no longer fit the AI and Metaverse-focused direction the company was headed in. 

Companies that have used Workplace for years likely have substantial data stored on the platform, which they may want to preserve. This seems to be why Meta is announcing the shutdown two years in advance.

People have had a fascination with famous people for eons — and in the age of the internet, it's only increased. Influencers, often online content creators, have made both the definition of "celebrity" and our relationships with them fuzzy. 

While it may seem like influencers are followers' friends due to how they interact with them online, this more than likely isn't the case. Instead, these relationships are parasocial — one-sided. But what are parasocial relationships exactly, and are they healthy?

SEE ALSO: Influencers aren't going anywhere. So what does that mean for today's teens? What is a parasocial relationship?

Parasocial relationships are one-sided relationships, typically with an everyday individual and a celebrity or fictional character, said assistant professor of communication studies at Colorado State University, Natalie Pennington. 

According to chief strategy officer at media tech company IMGN Media Noah Mallin, parasocial relationships are an assumed intimacy audience members feel even though they don't have an actual relationship with that person.

These relationships existed long before the internet — thousands of years ago. Researchers say ancient people had parasocial relationships with pharaohs and deities, for example. 

In the 20th century, early research on parasocial relationships dissected those of people and soap opera characters and other fictional TV characters. "People would watch TV shows and become really invested in, and feel like they had a relationship with…some of the leads on the shows," said Pennington. "So even though they may never meet, they were like, 'This person is my friend. I know them.'"

"Even though they may never meet, they were like, 'This person is my friend. I know them.'"

As media and technology has evolved, so have parasocial relationships. With the rise of the internet and social media in the past few decades, celebrities have disclosed more information about themselves online, allowing fans more insight. This previously-impossible-to-know knowledge has made these relationships seem real, as fans are learning more about the celebrity. It's still one-sided, however, as the celebrity may have no idea who the fan is. 

Examples of parasocial relationships

In a study on fan-celebrity interaction on Twitter Pennington published in 2016 with professor Jeffrey A. Hall and researcher Alex Hutchinson, the authors discussed the "illusion of closeness" social media interaction gives to fans when it comes to celebrity interaction. A celebrity "like" or retweet can not only boost one's own social status, but it's a perceived level of intimacy with the celeb.

Even the definition of "celebrity" is fuzzy these days due to the rise of social media and particularly influencers, who've blurred the parasocial lines even more because of increased interaction and the perception that an influencer is just a "normal person" like yourself. 

Because of engagement, social media blurs the line of parasocial relationships. Since that study, it's only increased — especially with TikTok, Pennington noted. Referring to the stitch feature of combining videos, she said, "TikTok with stitching, for example…it blurs the line on parasocial because someone may actually respond to you and then you can feel even more connected."

SEE ALSO: Is Instagram shadowbanning LGBTQ and sex ed accounts?

The rise of YouTube vlogging had a hand in modern parasocial relationships, said Mallin. Vloggers speak directly to camera (something not often done in previous forms of media) about specific personal issues they're dealing with, as if they're speaking to a friend. Now it's typical for an influencer to look directly at you during a video. There's a perceived level of authenticity there, even if a lot of work went into a video behind the scenes. 

Not only are influencers looking at you, but they're also interacting — sometimes in real time. "It feels like you've got more ability to access and interact," said Mallin. "A good creator will read the comments, and comment back."

Commenting back and forth can feel like you're having a conversation with an influencer (even if it's their team and not them responding). This helps foster the sense of "this is a real person," said Mallin, "but that can also foster the sense of, 'not only is this a real person, but we actually have a relationship with each other,'" even though you don't. 

"Again, [this is] still not a two sided relationship in most cases," Pennington said. "But because there's that extra level of interaction or potential for [interaction], it can strengthen that tie for someone."

How do parasocial relationships form and end?

Parasocial relationships are born out of parasocial interaction, or PSI. PSI is the process of engaging with a celebrity or influencer. You watch their content, perhaps even reach out to them. It's likely you relate to them in some way; maybe their identity aligns with yours, or maybe you share similar attitudes. 

Just as possible as it is for parasocial relationships to form, it's also possible for them to end. The most morbid of cases is when the public figure dies, but that's not the only way. 

One way is, as Mallin said, "the bubble has burst." This is especially the case of influencers when they reach a certain level of notoriety where they don't "feel real" anymore. Perhaps their follow count is in the millions, and they've entered the mainstream. "Once you get the sense that they're not really talking to just you anymore…it can start to feel like less of a relationship," said Mallin.

This can also be the case if an influencer starts doing too many sponsorships that feel misaligned with who they are (or, at least, who the fan believe them to be). "It starts to feel less authentic," said Mallin.

Or, maybe the influencer started in one niche that resonated with you and then they evolved and moved on. In that way, the end of a parasocial relationship can feel like a friendship that drifted apart. 

This doesn't happen with all fans, but parasocial relationships can fizzle when the illusion of intimacy is somehow broken. 

Are parasocial relationships healthy?

The simple answer is yes — but like most things, it's best in moderation. 

In the United States, people are pretty lonely, and the pandemic worsened the "loneliness epidemic." People have fewer close friends now than they did decades ago. At the same time, Pennington said, there's an innate human need to belong and thus a need for connection, and when we don't have that we'll seek it out. Humans evolved these needs over millions of years, because we needed to be part of groups in order to survive. While this isn't necessarily the case anymore, we're still social creatures who thrive with others.

So, it makes sense that people seek connection online and through celebrities and influencers. As long as they're not the only relationships in your life, parasocial relationships can be totally fine. You may get a "boost" of good-connection feelings — a hit of the feel-good chemical dopamine — when you engage with your favorite online personality, and that's a positive.

But if that's the only way you're connecting — or if you think your parasocial relationship is actually two-sided — that's when they can get problematic.

"We need people in our life that we actively talk to," Pennington said, "to help our wellbeing, whether that be loneliness, self esteem, belonging, connection, all that stuff."

Pennington continued, "There's nothing wrong with enjoying the content of a creator in any capacity and appreciating the work they do with the in-the-moment joy that that brings you." It's not a good idea to set expectations with the celebrity, however. "It's okay to reach out to tweet at and say 'hi,' but not anticipate or expect a response," Pennington said. 

Further, Mallin said, parasocial relationships can cross the line into being toxic, especially if the influencer/celebrity is of a marginalized identity. "Parasocial relationships can feel fairly benign," he said, "but for some groups that sometimes can be a little bit more sinister." 

During the worst of the pandemic, for example, influencers spoke out about increased harassment. Abuse can escalate from online to offline, such as Twitch "fans" stalking streamers. In these ways, the blurred line of interaction can be detrimental. 

When interacting with an influencer/celebrity, it's important to remember the relationship is indeed one-sided. It's okay to love a famous person — but keep your emotional and physical distance.

This article was first published in 2022 and republished in 2024.

This week, King Charles unveiled a new portrait of himself by the acclaimed painter Jonathan Yeo at Buckingham Palace.

Reactions to the very red, very raw-looking piece have been mixed. Many on social media note that the portrait is both intriguing and unflattering. Here's what people are saying about the art online.

SEE ALSO: Media agencies pulled a 'manipulated' photo of Kate Middleton. Here's what happened. Portrait of a colonizer

The British monarchy gained and retained power by colonizing indigenous nations for centuries. As a benefactor of that legacy and the modern representative of the monarchy's oppressive past, King Charles has been criticized for his inability to make appropriate reparations (or even apologize) for the pain the institution has caused around the world.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Echoes of "Tampongate"

In 1993, Charles made international news when tabloids published transcripts of phone calls he had made to now-wife Camilla Bowles while they were both married to other people.

The scandal became known as "Tampongate" because the transcripts included an exchange in which the duo discussed Charles' hope to be reincarnated as one of Camilla's tampons. Some online observers have noted that the portrait's color and texture resemble a used feminine hygiene product, leading to comparisons.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Is the painting very bad, excellent, or both?

A critic at The Guardian panned Yeo's painting as a "superficially observed and carelessly executed bland banality," and the artist himself acknowledged that viewers "might not agree with how I've done [the piece]." One thing is for sure: like all art, its appeal is subjective.

Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted Tweet may have been deleted

ChatGPT, OpenAI's blockbuster generative AI application, has recently received a significant upgrade with the introduction of the new GPT-4o model unveiled at OpenAI's "Spring Update" event. GPT-4o is a multi-modal model, advertised as able to use logic not just in the generation of text, but with audio inputs and outputs, and by receiving live video — all in real time. And while the reveal wasn't a search engine as was rumored in the weeks leading up to the announcement, the GPT-4o-powered voice assistant mode demoed during the Spring Update was nothing to scoff at.

SEE ALSO: When will OpenAI's GPT-4o be available to try? How to get GPT-4o with ChatGPT's free tier This is what it looks like to select GPT-4o with a paid account. Credit: Mashable Screenshot / OpenAI

The exciting news for ChatGPT users is that the GPT-4o model is being made available to everyone, including those on the free tier — at least for generating text. To try and access GPT-4o, simply log into your ChatGPT account via a web browser. In the top left-hand corner, check the drop-down menu for the GPT-4o option, labeled as OpenAI's "newest and most advanced model."

SEE ALSO: OpenAI chief scientist Ilya Sutskever is leaving. But what did he see?

For now, the rollout is progressing slowly in the browser version, and for desktop and mobile apps. Users may not yet see GPT-4o on iOS or Android, and the new Mac desktop app is still being released. OpenAI plans to make the desktop app more broadly available in the coming weeks, while a Windows version is expected later this year.

Although the voice and vision capabilities of GPT-4o seen in the personal assistant mode demo are not yet widely available, developers can access these capabilities through the API. However, while OpenAI intends to release the voice features to ChatGPT Plus subscribers soon, there's no word on when — or if — that eye-popping assistant mode will be made available for free.

SCORE 57% OFF: As of May 15, the Kindle edition of Gabrielle Zevin's "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow: A Novel" is available for just $5.99 at Amazon, down from $13.99. That's a 57% discount or $8 off.

Opens in a new window Credit: Knopf Tomorrow, Tomorrow, and Tomorrow: A Novel $5.99 at Amazon
$13.99 Save $8.00 Get Deal

Amazon's throwing a massive book sale right now, and it's not one to miss. Through May 20, you can score major deals on everything from hardcover bestsellers to Fire Tablets (up to 40% off) and huge discounts on Kindle ebooks, including some of BookTok’s most popular titles.

Speaking of BookTok, one title that’s been making the rounds online since it was released is Gabrielle Zevin’s “Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow: A Novel." This New York Times best-seller (and award-winner) is a love story unlike any other. Even John Green says it’s “utterly brilliant.”

SEE ALSO: We tried every Amazon Kindle to find the best e-reader for every bibliophile

As of May 15, you can get the Kindle edition of "Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow" for just $5.99. That’s 57% off the listing price. Or, if you prefer hardcover books, you can get it for $14.71 (47% off).

The story follows Sam and Sadie, two friends who meet as kids in a hospital video game room. Years later, they reunite at a train station, and their shared passion for video games leads them to create a wildly successful company. Although the plot is seemingly simple, this book tests the boundaries of friendship, love, and the creative process.

With more than 93,000 ratings on Amazon and 877,352 on Goodreads, this book has definitely made an impact since its release in July 2022. Some say it’s “enthralling,” while other readers (hardcore gamers) have issues with the mechanics and outdated gaming jargon. Either way, it’s a title that's got everyone talking on BookTok (with the hashtag #tomorrow3).

Google I/O 2024 was Android 15's time to shine.

The latest grand software update for Android devices got plenty of time in the spotlight at Google's annual developer showcase on Wednesday. It may not be the most sweeping Android revision of all time, but between a couple of cool privacy features and a neat addition to Google Wallet, there's still something to anticipate with the big Android update.

Here are the 3 best Android 15 features Google announced at I/O, per Google's blog post about it.

Theft Detection

Two of the three biggest additions to Android 15 have to do with privacy, but not necessarily in the "hackers are trying to steal your credit card information" kind of way. The new Theft Detection feature is instead meant to combat real-life brigands and ne'er-do-wells who would try to physically steal your phone from you.

Google didn't go into detail explaining exactly how Theft Detection works, but it apparently uses AI (what doesn't?) to determine if a "theft motion" (such as snatching a phone out of someone's hand and running away) has occurred. At that point, the phone will be totally locked down and theoretically unusable by the thief.

Of course, whether or not this works will depend heavily on Google's AI being able to properly detect a "theft motion" instead of locking the phone down every time the owner goes on a run.

Private space

The other new privacy addition should also help if someone other than you has access to your phone.

According to Google's blog post, private space allows you to hide entire apps behind some kind of authentication mechanism (like a fingerprint scan) before they can be accessed. You would ideally do this with things like banking apps that could contain important personal financial information.

Personally, my banking app already scans for my fingerprint when I open it, so this feature would make me do that twice just to check my balance. But hey, more security is always a good thing, and this is optional.

Add things to Google Wallet via photos

Lastly, Google Wallet is about to get a lot more convenient.

While smartphone wallets are generally useful for things with QR codes on them, Google Wallet will now let you add text-only documents to the app by taking photos of them. Google's examples included library cards and gym memberships as things you could potentially scan into your Google Wallet.

Android 15 is expected to start rolling out during Q3 of 2024.

SAVE 40%: The Heartstopper box set (books one through four) by Alice Oseman is just $36.24 during the Amazon Book Sale, marked down from the usual price of $59.96. That's a savings of $23.72.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Heartstopper box set by Alice Oseman (paperback, books 1-4) $36.24 at Amazon
$59.96 Save $23.72 Get Deal

Summer reading list looking a bit slim? Plump it up by adding a four-book illustrated novel series that's also a massive hit on Netflix. Thanks to the Amazon Book Sale, you'll be getting a great deal on the series that's sure to make summer reading thoroughly enjoyable.

As of May 15, the Heartstopper paperback box set (books one through four) by Alice Oseman is just $36.24, marked down from the typical price of $59.96. That's a 40% discount or a savings of $23.72.

What originally started as a webcomic on Tumblr has grown exponentially in recent years. A queer must-watch on Netflix, Heartstopper by Alice Oseman follows the life and relationship of Charlie Spring and Nick Nelson. Both attending Truham Grammar School, the two kindle a relationship that weaves through their experiences in high school, as well as their close-knit group of friends.

Oseman is both the author and illustrator for the Heartstopper books, which first released in 2018. The adaptation into the popular Netflix series has also been a hit, with Mashable editor Shannon Connellan praising both season one and season two in her reviews.

Add some endearing books to your summer reading collection during the Amazon Book Sale by snagging the four-book box set of Heartstopper by Alice Oseman.

HBO has released a first look at The Last of Us Season 2. The two new photos (below) show how Joel (Pedro Pascal) and Ellie (Bella Ramsey) have adjusted to life in the aftermath of the Season 1 finale.

The first season of the celebrated zombie-centered series ended with Joel bringing Ellie to the Fireflies in hopes that her immunity to the Cordyceps fungus could help make a cure. However, he learned that creating a cure would require Ellie's death. Not willing to sacrifice his surrogate daughter, Joel killed the remaining Fireflies fled back to Jackson, Wyoming, with an unconscious Ellie in tow. He told her that the Fireflies died in a raid, and that the two of them barely made it out alive. It's a lie Ellie seems to accept, albeit hesitantly.

Season 2, which will premiere in 2025, picks up with Ellie and Joel living in the Jackson community along with Joel's brother Tommy (Gabriel Luna) and his wife Maria (Rutina Wesley). The first look at Ellie shows her hunting through a building with a flashlight and rifle.

Bella Ramsey as Ellie in "The Last of Us." Credit: Courtesy of HBO

And here's Joel, stoic as ever, with his hair grown out.

Pedro Pascal as Joel in "The Last of Us." Credit: Courtesy of HBO

While Pascal and Ramsey are both returning to The Last of Us, Season 2 will also introduce a handful of new faces.

Kaitlyn Dever (Booksmart) is stepping into the key role of Abby, a survivor with a link to the Fireflies. Isabela Merced (Turtles All the Way Down) will play Dina, Ellie's girlfriend, and Young Mazino (Beef) will play Jackson patrol leader Jesse. Schitt's Creek's Catherine O'Hara has also joined the cast, in an as-yet undisclosed role.

The Last of Us Season 1 is now streaming on Max. Season 2 premieres on HBO and Max in 2025.

Amazon deals of the day at a glance: OUR TOP PICK Google Pixel 8a (128GB) $499 at Amazon + free $100 Amazon gift card Get Deal BEST KINDLE DEAL Kindle Scribe Essentials Bundle $339.97 at Amazon (save $150) Get Deal BEST IPAD DEAL Apple 11-inch M4 iPad Pro (256GB, WiFi) $949.99 at Amazon (save $49.01) Get Deal BEST TV DEAL Amazon 32-inch 2-Series Fire TV $99.99 with code PRIME32 (save $100) Get Deal

We're midway through the week and the month of May and what better way to celebrate than with deals on some of your favorite brands? We've been scouring the deal pages at Amazon and a few standouts have caught our eye on May 15. We're seeing particularly good deals on top brands like Google, Apple, Kindle, and Amazon's own Fire TVs.

Here are the best Amazon deals of the day. Be sure to check back at our deals from May 13 and May 14 as well — most of those deals are still live.

Our top pick Opens in a new window Credit: Google Amazon deal of the day: Google Pixel 8a (128GB) at Amazon
free $100 gift card with purchase Get Deal Why we like it

Just released on May 14, the Google Pixel 8a is already a deal with its low $499 price tag. But it's even more tempting of a purchase as of May 15 because it comes with a free $100 Amazon gift card. This deal is similar to the pre-order deal offered at the Google Store. Essentially a lite version of the Pixel 8, the 8a shares many of the same specs, including the Tensor G3 chip, over 24-hour battery life, Magic Editor and Magic Take camera tools, 128 and 256GB storage options, 8GB RAM, and up to 120Hz refresh rate (up from 90Hz on Pixel 7a). Where it mainly differs is the size (it's just 0.1 inches taller and wider with a slightly smaller display) audio (no spatial audio, one less microphone), and camera. Basically, the Pixel 8a gets you a very similar product to the Pixel 8, but for $200 less — plus a free gift card. Mashable's Alex Perry called it "the best deal in Android-land."

Read our full review of the Google Pixel 8a.

Best iPad deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple 11-inch M4 iPad Pro (256GB, WiFi) $949.99 at Amazon
$999.00 Save $49.01 Get Deal Why we like it

The brand-new M4 iPad Pro just came out today, May 15, and it's already temporarily out of stock. But that shouldn't stop you from snagging it on sale. You can still purchase the 11-inch base model (256GB, WiFi) for just $949.99 (reg. $999) and save $49.01, but you'll have to wait just a little longer for delivery. Amazon will shoot you an email when it ships (once they get more in stock). As the first iPad Pro refresh since 2022, the M4 iPad Pro "blew us away with its power efficiency, striking display, and breakneck performance." It's just 0.21 inches thick and weighs just under a pound, making it sleeker and lighter than any previous version. Plus, it's the first Apple product to carry the M4 chip, bypassing the M3 generation that powers current Mac and MacBook lineups.

Read our full review of the M4 iPad Pro.

Best Kindle deal Opens in a new window Credit: Kindle Kindle Scribe Essentials Bundle $339.97 at Amazon
$489.97 Save $150.00 includes Kindle Scribe (32GB), premium pen, black leather folio cover, and power adapter Get Deal Why we like it

As part of Amazon's Book Sale, the Kindle Scribe Essentials Bundle is on sale for just $339.97 — that's a savings of $150 or 30% and just $6 away from its lowest price on record (from Black Friday). The bundle includes the Kindle Scribe (32GB), premium pen, a black leather folio cover, and a power adapter. As Mashable's Alex Perry noted in his review, the Kindle Scribe is not a perfect device. However, it does manage to bridge the gap between traditional reading and e-reading by including a stylus to mark up books to your heart's content. The premium pen includes a virtual eraser on the back and a customizable shortcut button on the side to make scribbling notes, doodling, or marking up books a breeze.

Read our full review of the Kindle Scribe.

Best TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon 32-inch 2-Series Fire TV $99.99 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $100.00 with code PRIME32 Get Deal Why we like it

If you're looking for a no-frills smart TV on a tight budget, this 32-inch 2-Series Fire TV should fit the bill. After sitting at $119.99 for months — down from its usual $199.99 — it's now on sale for just $99.99 with an on-page coupon as of May 15. That drops its price to its lowest on record. There's just one catch: you have to be a Prime member to get the deal. While this TV doesn't support 4K resolution (check out the 4-Series for that feature), it does offer all of the smart capabilities from the Fire TV experience, hands-free control via on-board Alexa, and support for HDR 10, HLG, and Dolby Digital Audio.

None of these deals catching your eye? Check out Amazon's daily deals for even more savings.

Glinda the Good Witch (Ariana Grande) and Elphaba (Cynthia Erivo) belt it out in the "Wicked" trailer. Watch.

SAVE $16.24: As of May 15, get the physical Special Collector's Edition of Colleen Hoover's It Ends with Us for $12.76, down from its normal price of $29. That's a discount of 56%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon "It Ends with Us" Special Collector's Edition $12.76 at Amazon
$29.00 Save $16.24 Get Deal

Romance buffs love Colleen Hoover. BookTok loves Colleen Hoover. Hollywood loves Colleen Hoover too, as her 2016 novel It Ends with Us is headed to theaters this summer with a movie adaptation starring Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni. And now you can see what all the fuss is about for less, thanks to the Amazon Book Sale.

As of May 15, get the physical hardcover Special Collector's Edition of It Ends with Us for just $12.76 at Amazon. That's $16.24 off its regular price of $29 and a discount of 56%. This edition comes with a Q&A between Hoover and her mother, a special foil cover, and new endpaper designs. Alternatively, you can get the standard paperback version for just $8.49, which is 50% off its normal price of $16.99 right now.

SEE ALSO: Dive into the works of BookTok darling Sarah J. Maas with this affordable bundle

This tumultuous romance follows a college student named Lily Bloom with dreams of opening her own flower shop. She carries the weight of resentment for her parents on her shoulders as she moves to Boston from Maine and starts a new life. She's waiting for her childhood love Atlas Corrigan to return to her, but things get muddy when she meets neurosurgeon Ryle Kincaid. What starts as a fleeting casual relationship soon turns into something more, but there's far more than a fairytale ending at stake in what Hoover calls "the hardest book I've ever written."

This BookTok favorite has been the subject of several videos from fans falling for Ryle as well as the tearful reactions from those who have completed the book and weathered its rocky, emotional plot points. In fact, it has over a billion tags on the platform, with oodles of videos and a thriving community to this day. It's a twisty romance that you can experience before the movie hits theaters on June 21st, so if you're ready to join BookTok in collectively screaming about this novel, grab it while it's on sale now.

Apple's accessibility offerings continue to expand, as new features like device eye tracking, touch enhanced music listening, and settings for those with atypical speech come to on-the-go devices.

Announced in the midst of a month-long recognition of Global Accessibility Awareness Day (May 16), the lineup of customizability options to help users with physical disabilities better control and interact with their iPad or iPhone.

SEE ALSO: Google I/O: Google announces new safety framework for responsible AI

"These new features will make an impact in the lives of a wide range of users, providing new ways to communicate, control their devices, and move through the world," wrote Sarah Herrlinger, Apple’s senior director of Global Accessibility Policy and Initiatives.

Eye Tracking capitalizes on machine learning

Apple's new eye tracking controls are, unsurprisingly, powered by AI, which turns the device's front-facing camera into a calibrating device to scan and track facial movements. "With Eye Tracking, users can navigate through the elements of an app and use Dwell Control to activate each element, accessing additional functions such as physical buttons, swipes, and other gestures solely with their eyes," Apple explains.

While eye-tracking systems for computers are a long established technology, mobile devices are slowly catching up. Apple — and other tech companies cashing in on quickly evolving AI technologies — capitalizes on the integrated nature of internal machine learning to process facial movements and migrate the tech into a hardware and accessory-free offering.

Music Haptics adds touch to songs

A feature that feels long overdue for the technically advanced Apple Music streaming service, Music Haptics allow for users who are Deaf or hard of hearing to experience music on their device via touch, by turning the iPhone's Taptic Engine into a conveyer of beats and vibrations. When turned on, the setting adds "taps, textures, and refined vibrations" to the music.

The feature will only be available on Apple Music's catalogue of songs, for now.

Featured Video For You Apple Vision Pro has an app that can help manage anxiety Vocal Shortcuts allows more people to simplify their life

Acknowledging a range of varied speech ability and atypical speech patterns among people with disabilities, Vocal Shortcuts allow users to assign actions to custom utterances, not just phrases. The setting is paired with the new Listen for Atypical Speech setting, which uses on-device machine learning to recognize a user's unique speech, targeted to those with conditions that affect speech, such as cerebral palsy, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), or stroke, Apple explains.

VisionOS, CarPlay, and more get upgrades

Apple also introduced improvements to its range of accessibility tools, including a Reader Mode for the app's vision assistant Magnifier, a new option of Hover Typing for those with low vision, a Virtual Trackpad for those using AssistiveTouch with limited range, and new customizations for VoiceOver and VoiceControl.

The company will be adding systemwide Live Captions to VisionOS, as well tools like Reduce Transparency, Smart Invert, and Dim Flashing Lights "for users who have low vision, or those who want to avoid bright lights and frequent flashing."

And, rounding out the additions, CarPlay users can now access Voice Control, Color Filters, and Sound Recognition, helping individuals access controls with just their voice, view color blind friendly screens, and be alerted to outside sounds.

SAVE $49.01: The new 11-inch Apple iPad Pro (256GB, WiFi) is on sale at Amazon for $949.99, down from the list price of $999. That's a 5% discount on the tablet.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad Pro (11 inch, 256GB, WiFi) $949.99 at Amazon
$999.00 Save $49.01 Get Deal

Now that pre-orders are over and you can finally get your hands on the latest Apple iPad, Amazon has gone ahead and impressed us. Since a discounted price on new Apple products isn't the norm, today's deal is worth cashing in on.

As of May 15, the 11-inch Apple iPad Pro (256GB, WiFi) is $949.99 at Amazon, down from the list price of $999. At the time of writing, the tablet is currently listed as out of stock, but you can still order at the sale price and Amazon will notify you of the estimated delivery date. You also won't be charged until the tablet ships.

SEE ALSO: Apple iPad Air 2024 (13-inch) review: More space for the 'I use it as a laptop' folks

Apple's latest and most advanced iPad is finally here. Last week, we saw Best Buy offering a preorder deal to grab the iPad Pro for just $949, but the deal required a paid My Best Buy Plus membership, which costs $49.99 per year. This means today's sale price at Amazon is the first true discount we've seen on the 11-inch model of the Apple iPad Pro.

Apple designed the iPad Pro to be a powerhouse of a tablet while also being built for portability. With a slim profile, the iPad Pro's lightweight design means it's travel-ready, whether you're traveling to your living room, the office, or on a European summer vacation.

The Ultra Retina XDR display paired with OLED technology spells exceptional contrast which can be great for your streaming or work activities. There's also the Apple M4 chip, the latest and strongest CPU from Apple, making for a speedy and reliable iPad experience.

If you've been waiting for the latest iPad release, the wait is over — kind of. Order the iPad Pro (256GB, WiFi) from Amazon at the discounted price of $949.99 and Amazon will ship it over to your doorstep as soon as the model is back in stock. Amazon will email you with a heads-up of an estimated delivery date so you won't be left hanging.

Set 10,000 years before Paul Atreides was born, 'Dune: Prophecy' follows the two Harkonnen sisters who found the Bene Gesserit order. The 'Dune' prequel is coming soon.

GET A $100 AMAZON GIFT CARD: As of May 15, you can snag the Google Pixel 8a for only $499 at Amazon (normally $599) and receive a bonus $100 Amazon gift card with your purchase.

Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Pixel 8a + $100 Amazon gift card $499.00 at Amazon
$599.00 Save $100.00 Receive a bonus $100 Amazon gift card with your purchase. Get Deal

Looking to upgrade your phone? The all-new Google Pixel 8a is finally available for purchase, and Amazon is offering a $100 gift card to sweeten the deal.

As of May 15, you can get the Google Pixel 8a (128 GB) for just $499, down from $599, at Amazon and a $100 Amazon gift card. (Need more space? The 256 GB model is also available for $559 with the same gift card offer). That's basically like getting the phone for $200 off since you get $100 back to spend at Amazon on whatever essentials (or nonessentials) you'd like.

SEE ALSO: Google Pixel 8a vs. Pixel 7a: What are the differences?

The Google Pixel 8a is an interesting mid-range smartphone that packs a punch with its Google Tensor G3 chip and impressive camera capabilities. This phone isn't just about specs, though. Thanks to Google's AI magic, your photos and videos will be Insta-ready with features like Magic Editor and Magic Take.

But that’s not all the AI can do. Need a quick summary of a long email? Want to brainstorm ideas without switching apps? The Pixel 8a's got you covered. With a durable build, long-lasting battery, and top-notch security, it's designed to handle whatever life throws your way. Plus, it's an unlocked phone, so you can choose the carrier and plan that fits your budget.

Just a heads up: If you decide the Pixel 8a isn't for you and return it, you'll be responsible for the cost of the $100 gift card. So make sure you're confident in your purchase before checking out.

Amazon dishes out thousands of doorbusters every year during its flagship summer Prime Day sale — but as it turns out, not every "deal" is actually a deal. And not every deal is actually worth your money. (Shocker, I know.)

It can be difficult to decipher what's worth your hard-earned cash and what's better to pass on. So we've rounded up a list of what not to buy on Prime Day to help you shop wisely.

Avoid products sold and shipped by third parties

It's safest to stick to stuff that's sold and shipped by Amazon, rather than an obscure third-party seller. While many third-party sellers are legitimate, you put yourself at risk buying from an unverified seller or a merchant with little to no history.

You can check the seller by navigating to the product page and scrolling just below the "add to cart" button. If it's sold and shipped by Amazon, you're good to go — these are backed by Amazon's policies, making them a safe bet.

SEE ALSO: Prime Day 2024: When it's happening and everything else we know so far

If a product is sold by a third-party seller, but fulfilled by Amazon, you may want to check the reviews of the seller before purchasing. While these "fulfilled by Amazon" merchants go through a more rigorous vetting process, some can slip through the cracks, so just be cautious.

If a product is sold and shipped by a third-party seller, it may be best to avoid it altogether. Amazon doesn't oversee third-party products, so consumers may be out of luck if something goes wrong with an order.

Here's an example of a laptop sold and shipped by Amazon. Credit: Amazon Here's an example of a laptop sold by a third-party seller, but fulfilled by Amazon. Credit: Amazon Stay away from Ring deals

We always see a monstrous collection of Ring deals on and leading up to Prime Day, but we don't recommend buying any of the Amazon-owned brand's home security equipment if you like your privacy and your neighbors. The company's recent history is mottled with security and data handling issues, including sketchy law enforcement partnerships. (It finally shut down the tool that let police publicly request footage without a warrant earlier this year, but we're still skeptical.) To quote the great Randy Jackson, "It's a no from me, dawg."

Anything that seems too good to be true...probably is

Prime Day always generates some great deals — particularly on Amazon-branded products and services — but if you see a deal that appears too good to be true, chances are it is.

How can you tell if a deal is legitimate? Compare prices on other retail sites like Walmart, Best Buy, and Target. Aside from Amazon-specific products, you'll likely be able to find most products on other sites and get an idea of what the regular retail price is.

SEE ALSO: Amazon Prime Days is just around the corner — here's how to find the best deals

You can also cross-check prices of Amazon listings by plugging their URL into the price-tracking site camelcamelcamel. You'll be able to see the product's going rate over the past weeks/months/years and get a good idea of whether or not a discount you see is actually as impressive as it seems.

Take this Rockland Melbourne luggage set for example. In the lead-up to Prime Day 2023, it was listed at $105.91 with a $340 MSRP, making it appear to be on sale at a 69% discount.

At first glance, a 69% discount seems like a total steal. Credit: Amazon

However, when we entered the luggage set's URL into camelcamelcamel at the time, we saw that the MSRP was inflated and that the sale price wasn't actually as good as it seemed. In fact, in the months leading up to Prime Day 2023, the price generally hovered around the $100 to $150 point and dropped all the way down to $69.24. That put more perspective on the $105.91 price tag.

This is what an inflated MSRP will look like when you plug the URL into camelcamelcamel. Credit: camelcamelcamel

Aside from inflated MSRPs, some deals may seem like stellar discounts but have actually been hovering at the same price point for weeks — months, even.

Check out this discounted iPad mini, for example. At $399.99 with an on-page coupon (regularly $499), it seems like a great deal, right?

Note the coupon. Credit: Amazon

While that is a pretty good buy, camelcamelcamel tells us that it's regularly discounted to this price, so there's no need to jump the gun. In fact, it's probably worth waiting a few more weeks to see if it returns to its all-time low from Prime Day 2023.

$399.99 is a nice price, but it's nothing we technically haven't seen before. If you can wait, wait. Credit: camelcamelcamel Beware of impulse buys

Just because something is on sale doesn't mean you need to buy it. Seriously. Yes, those dirt-cheap Echo Dots are pretty dang tempting, but do you really need another Alexa-enabled speaker?

Sure, FOMO is real, but so is buyer's remorse. In fact, nine out of 10 say they experience buyer's remorse from impulse purchases, according to this Google survey from May — while 42 percent say they've bought something because it was on sale, then later regretted it. Be careful out there, folks.

SAVE $17.11: As of May 15, get the Sarah J. Maas starter bundle — including the Kindle Editions of A Court of Thorns and Roses, House of Earth and Blood, and Throne of Glass — at Amazon for $28.49. That's a discount of 38%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon The Sarah J. Maas starter bundle $28.49 at Amazon
$45.60 Save $17.11 Get Deal

If you've been thinking about reading some of the BookTok-favorite fantasy novels from author Sarah J. Maas, now is officially the time to dive in. Or, as you might have seen in the comment section, it's ACOTAR go time, baby.

The Amazon Book Sale officially kicked off today, May 15th, and runs through May 20th, with a wide variety of deals on physical books, e-books, audiobooks, Kindles, and much more. There are plenty of great deals to scoop up, including book bundles with titles you'll want to revisit again and again.

Case in point: the Sarah J. Maas starter bundle. As of May 15, get this three-book Kindle Edition collection of A Court of Thorns and Roses, House of Earth and Blood, and Throne of Glass for just $28.49. That's $17.11 off its normal price of $45.60, and a discount of 38%.

SEE ALSO: The Amazon Book Sale is now live with great deals on Kindles and books for all readers

Each book in this e-book bundle is the first of each of the author's popular series. A Court of Thorns and Roses kicks off the series of the same name, which explores the world of the Fae with Feyre Archeron. House of Earth and Blood introduced Bryce Quinlan, who sets off on a journey to solve her best friend's murder in the Crescent City series. Finally, Celaena Sardothien is an assassin who's out to change an entire kingdom in Throne of Glass, which begins the series of the same name.

If you've been waiting for the perfect time to start these series, now's the time to pounce. Grab this bundle and you can start reading on your Kindle or other device immediately.