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Tony Hawk's Pro Skater 3 + 4 Standard And Collector's Editions Get Great Discounts
Game Updates

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Standard And Collector’s Editions Get Great Discounts

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Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 has received its first major discount since launching last month. You can pick up the remakes of the classic arcade skateboarding games for $35 (was $50) at Amazon or Walmart. Both retailers have this deal for all five console platforms: PS5, PS4, Switch, Switch 2, and Xbox. PlayStation gamers can also save big on the THPS 3 + 4 Collector’s Edition, which comes with a Birdhouse skateboard deck and a bunch of in-game content.

THPS 3 + 4 Standard Edition — $35 ($50)

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 Collector’s Edition is discounted to $104 (was $130) for PS5 at Amazon and Walmart. If you’re lucky, Amazon will offer you an additional 30% off. The coupon offer is only available in select regions, including the Midwest. If you’re eligible, you’ll see a coupon box below the price. Check the box to slash $31.20 from the sale price at checkout. With the extra coupon applied, you’ll wind up paying just $72.79 for the Collector’s Edition.

$35 (was $50) for PS5, PS4, Switch 1/2, Xbox

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 has significantly overhauled graphics, enhanced gameplay mechanics, new levels, an expanded roster of skaters, and fresh music. Just like the remakes of the first two games, the skateboarding mechanics are superb. The moment-to-moment gameplay is extremely satisfying–the excellent soundtrack helps–and the new levels are well-designed.

All that said, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 4’s original career mode is sorely missed. Developer Iron Galaxy Studios removed the free-roaming structure and replaced it with the classic two-minute runs found in the first three games. The new version of THPS 4 is good in its own right, but it’s not the game you remember.

The remake collection earned an 8/10 in GameSpot’s Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3 + 4 review.

Heads up for Nintendo players: The Switch version comes with a game card but requires a download; the Switch 2 version is a download code inside a box. Activision isn’t offering an upgrade path from Switch to Switch 2.

If Amazon and Walmart sell out of this deal, Best Buy and Target are offering $10 discounts on the standard edition.

$104 (was $130) | $72.79 for select Amazon customers

The full-size Birdhouse skate deck is limited edition and only available in the Collector’s Edition. Birdhouse is Tony Hawk’s official skateboard brand, making this a cool collectible item for fans.

You’ll also get all of the in-game DLC from the $70 Digital Deluxe Edition. Most notably, you’ll get two characters from the Doom franchise as playable skaters: Doom Slayer and Revenant. Each skater has unique secret moves. Along with the Doom characters, this edition includes Doom-themed gear for Create-a-Skater. Here’s a list of all of the in-game extras:

  • Doom Slayer playable skater
  • Revenant playable skater
  • Unmaykr Hoverboard
  • 5 Doom-themed skate decks
  • 5 Doom-themed apparel items
  • Wireframe Tony Shader
  • Additional in-game music

Only the PS5 edition is on sale at Amazon and Walmart, but you can still get the Nintendo Switch and Xbox Series X Collector’s Editions for $130.

Everything included in Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4 Collector’s Edition



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The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is $600 off ahead of the new model’s debut
Gaming Gear

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold is $600 off ahead of the new model’s debut

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Some people like to stay on the cutting edge of technology. If that’s you, you already know that Google is going to officially unveil its Pixel 10 phones (including a new Fold) during its August 20th event. But if you’re someone who prefers to use these opportunities to save on last-gen tech, you’ve been rewarded with a sweet deal on the Pixel 9 Pro Fold. The base 256GB version in obsidian (black) is down to $1,199 at Amazon and Best Buy, which is 33 percent off its original $1,799 price. It was selling for $100 more just last week.

The Pixel 9 Pro Fold was a big leap forward compared to Google’s first-gen foldable, touting a lightweight design that looks and feels like a normal phone before you unfold it. One of its main drawbacks was that, despite its high original price, you don’t get the same great cameras in the cheaper Pixel 9 Pro (which, by the way, is only $599 at Best Buy). They’re still good, mind you, but reviewer Allison Johnson said during her testing that its telephoto lens produced softer images by comparison, and low-light photos were less detailed. Drawbacks aside, she was eager to recommend the foldable phone at its original $1,800 price.

The Pixel 10 Pro Fold is nearly upon us, and it’ll likely deliver some sizeable improvements. Google itself has already shown off its design in YouTube clips, and it’s very similar to the model on sale now. However, there’s a rumor that it might have an IP68 rating, which would make it dustproof. Dust was the kryptonite for early foldable models, but the tech has apparently come a long way since then, so this would be a huge selling point in favor of the new model if it’s true.

Other Verge-approved deals for your weekend



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Tony Hawk reflects on 90s culture, celebrity and Tony Hawk's Pro Skater, the game that changed his life
Game Reviews

Tony Hawk reflects on 90s culture, celebrity and Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, the game that changed his life

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Most of us don’t decide our lifelong-career when we’re nine years old – but then again, most of us aren’t Tony Hawk. Born in San Diego, California in 1968, an elementary school age Tony was first drawn to skating while watching his 21-year-old brother. “I was nine years old and my older brother was skating in the alleyway,” Hawk recalls of the first time he saw a board, ” I asked him if I could ride it and he said, yeah, but you can only ride that board over there – and his old board became my first skateboard.”

Despite the 12 year age difference, a tiny Tony quickly became obsessed with his new hand-me-down. “I overtook [my brother] within the first year,” he tells me, with a grin. Riding his tattered board every day to school, it was love at first skate. Yet once he made his way down to the local skate park, Hawk’s battered board was no longer just a fun replacement for the school bus, it was an all-consuming passion.

“Once I got to the skate park and saw the possibilities, that’s when I was all in,” Hawk recalls,”I turned pro when I was 14, but back then, that just meant that when I filled out an entry form to a competition, instead of checking the amateur box, I checked the pro box, and I was competing for $100 first place prize money. It didn’t seem like a life career choice at the time.”

Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater 3+4, which got an excellent remake this summer.Watch on YouTube

While skateboarding was achingly cool in the 70s, by the late 80s and early 1990s, its popularity had begun to wane. With Hawk doubling down on the more niche vert skating – a skating style defined by half pipes and pulling off gravity-defying aerial feats – he tells me that he was only just scraping a living.

“I was trying to make a career as a pro skater,” Hawk recalls, “X Games was starting to rise. I was doing some exhibitions, but mostly, I was doing guest appearances at inline shows. They would have a team rollerblade exhibition, and then they would be like ‘andddd special guest star Tony Hawkkkk!’, and honestly, that paid the bills.”

Briefly appearing as a skating stunt double for the other famous Tony – Tony the Tiger – in a wonderfully 90s 1991 Kellogg’s ad, by age 23, Hawk began to wonder if his career had already peaked. “Things were getting to a point of more stability, but they were still shaky in terms of trying to make a living,” he tells me, “So, when Activision called me, I didn’t really have anything to lose. I was super excited to work on a game, so I totally immersed myself in it – the gameplay, the characters, the look, the culture, the tricks, the music – everything.”

Image credit: TonyHawk.com

Despite his career lull, Hawk shrewdly saw that with his name literally on the game, he had all the leverage. “I was never concerned about Pro Skater flopping,” Hawk explains, “In fact, I made sure [it didn’t]. I demanded that anything with my name on I have final approval over – and that was not something they were used to… not something that people generally could leverage, especially in my position. But I felt like my track record spoke for itself, and they agreed.”

In 1999, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater ollied its way into the world, becoming an instant hit. Thanks to its all-star cast of playable skaters, killer-hand-picked soundtrack and tight and endlessly compelling gameplay loop, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater didn’t just feel like a cheap tie-in, it was effortlessly cool. Racking up 350,000 sales in its first year in the US alone, by the end of 2001 Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater had sold 3.5 million units – becoming a mainstay in teenage bedrooms across the globe.

“I’m proud of everything we did there,” Hawk says, on his relationship with Activision,”there really wasn’t a time where they were trying to force something on me that I didn’t think reflected skateboarding well.”

With the popularity of touring punk rock and skate boarding events like Warped tour, skateboarding-filled TV shows like Jackass, and the massive prevalence of skateboarded-filled nu metal music videos, skating boarding was suddenly cool again. As the noughties marched on,Tony Hawk was no longer playing second fiddle to rollerbladers – he was the main event.

“The evolution of our sport and our types of music reaching into the mainstream was definitely helped by warped tour, X Games and just bands that were in the culture,” agrees Hawk, “There was a rising tide, rising all boats at the time, and then when our video game hit, I think that was the tipping point.”

With Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater spawning 19 games and generating over $1.4bn dollars in revenue, these once unassuming video games changed the face of pop culture forever. With skateboarding now an Olympic sport, the words ‘skateboarder’ and ‘Tony hawk’ are so synonymous that even your grandmother knows the birdman. It’s a legacy that Hawk is all too aware of, his immortalised polygonal avatar living longer in the memory than his real face.

Image credit: TonyHawk.com

“My name is not just about me as a person anymore, it’s synonymous with a video game,” Hawk reflects, “So, sometimes that separation is not clear. A lot of times people see me and they expect to see me at the age that they’re playing me in the game.. But, time keeps passing. It’s funny, because I can see it sometimes in their faces, where it’s like, “that’s him, but he can’t be old”… but, that’s what happens!”

It’s a reality that’s launched a hundred self deprecating tweets, with Hawk’s jokes about being half recognised in public now the stuff of internet legend. “Watch what you wish for, because I’ve shared so many of those stories that now, half the time people will say it in jest and sometimes I can’t tell, and that’s when it gets frustrating…”

Another cruelty of the passage of time is that now, Hawk’s own children are in danger of surpassing him, just like a nine year old Tony did with his older brother. “Riley Hawk has his own success in skating, but he followed a different path than I did,” Tony explains, of his eldest son, “He has his own fan base, so he deserves to be in [the new Pro Skater games]. We have four other boys – all in their 20s – that all skate as well. I love that they do – but honestly? When we all travel together, they want to skate more than I do.”

There are very few people who manage to become immortalised in the cultural pantheon, as a larger than life pop culture figure, to the extent that Tony Hawk has. Let alone extreme sports stars who earn their own branded PlayStation game. For Hawk, however, he doesn’t have the time to concern himself with matters of legacy. He just wants to keep skating. “I’m just thankful to still be able to skate at my age, so I don’t really think of it in any loftier terms than that,” he reflects. “To live in this time and space where skating has permeated so much of the world and so much of mainstream culture, and the idea that I still get to do it for a living…it’s all just beyond a dream come true, and I’m just incredibly thankful.”



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melee mang0 cloud9
Esports

Smash pro Mang0 banned on Twitch after drunken antics at Ludwig Mario Kart event

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Super Smash Bros Melee pro Joseph ‘Mang0’ Marquez has been hit with a ban from Twitch after drunkenly harassing female streamers at Ludwig’s Mario Kart event.

The punishments keep coming for Mang0 after being dropped from C9, banned from one of the year’s biggest Melee tournaments in Super Nova, and barred from future Ludwig events.

On June 21, Mang0 harassed multiple streamers, including ExtraEmily, at Ludwig’s Switch 2 Mario Kart World Cup event. The event, Beerio Kart, required competitors to finish their drinks before the end of a race or be disqualified.

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Despite a few days passing since the event, on June 25, Marquez was hit with a ban on the Amazon-owned platform.

Mang0 banned on Twitch after being dropped by Cloud 9 and huge Melee event

As of June 25, Mang0’s Twitch account has been made inaccessible.

“This channel is temporarily unavailable due to a violation of Twitch’s Community Guidelines or Terms of Service,” the page reads.

It’s not clear how long the Smash God will be banned for or what community guidelines he violated. In addition to prohibiting sexual harassment, Twitch also states that they “do not make exceptions for self-destructive behavior performed as a stunt or gag made in jest, or meant to entertain.”

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This isn’t the first time drinking has gotten Marquez banned on Twitch either. In 2021, he was briefly suspended after appearing to pass out drunk on stream.

His latest Twitch ban comes after C9, Marquez’s sponsor, dropped him following the controversy. Following this, Super Nova, formerly Super Smash Con, announced he wouldn’t be allowed to compete at the tournament. Mang0 is the reigning champion in both singles and doubles at the supermajor.

“The safety and respect of our attendees is of utmost importance to us. This decision was made in alignment with our event’s conduct expectations, as well as the standards of our partners,” they said.

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Meanwhile, Mang0 has promised to deal with his drinking problem and claims he’s begun looking into rehab options.

“After reflecting on the worst moments of my life, I see a pattern: alcohol has always been involved. I understand that my words mean nothing right now, and alcohol excuses 0 percent of my actions, but I promise I’m gonna beat this and show you that I can be a greater man without the influence of alcohol,” he commented on X.

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“My next step is to focus on real recovery. I’ve already started researching rehab and will be checking into one when I find the right fit.”

Mang0 also says he supports any further bans that come his way, adding that he’s “always wanted what is best for Melee.”



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The best iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro cases for 2025
Gaming Gear

The best iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro cases for 2025

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The iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro are sleek, powerful devices — and also serious investments. If you’re lucky enough to have one in hand, the last thing you want is a drop, scratch or scuff ruining that pristine finish. That’s where a quality case comes in. The best iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro cases offer more than just protection; they can enhance your grip, add useful features like kickstands or card slots, all while complementing your personal style.

Whether you prefer a slim, barely-there profile or something ultra-rugged for outdoor use, there’s no shortage of options to suit your needs. In this guide, we’ve rounded up the top cases available right now, from MagSafe-compatible covers to folio cases and everything in between, so you can keep your iPhone safe without sacrificing function or fashion.

Spigen

Features: MagSafe | Material: Polycarbonate, TPU | Availability: iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro cases out now

If you want a basic, protective case for your Apple iPhone that comes at an affordable price, Spigen has you covered with some of the best iPhone 16 cases. The company’s Ultra Hybrid MagFit clear cases and MagSafe cases show off the color of your iPhone and we like their raised bezels that protect the rear camera. The cases also have tactical buttons on the side that make it easy to feel around and adjust your phone’s volume without even looking at it. The overall slim profile of the polycarbonate case allows it to snap to your iPhone without adding too much bulk, and it’s MagSafe compatible as well so wireless charging is easy. Spigen offers a range of Apple cases, including iPad cases, plus screen protectors for all-around protection. Also, the Ultra Hybrid case was one of the most secure we tried – to the point where it was almost difficult to extricate the iPhone when we needed to test out a new phone cover.

$15 at Amazon

ESR

Features: MagSafe | Material: Acrylic, TPU | Availability: iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro cases out now

ESR’s Classic Pro MagSafe iPhone cases are another option similar to Spigen’s if you want a decent amount of protection in a slim, attractive and affordable package. They have reinforced corners plus raised edges to protect the screen and the iPhone’s camera bumps, and the magnetic hold is one of the strongest I’ve tried. There are a number of different colors and finishes to choose from, and you get interchangeable “easy-press” buttons that can be swapped out with the default ones on the case to give you more tactile feedback when you press the volume, power and action buttons. It’s also convenient that this pack-up includes a tempered-glass screen protector, so you don’t have to purchase that separately.

$13 at Amazon

Casetify

Features: MagSafe | Material: Synthetic leather | Availability: iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro cases out now

It doesn’t get much better than Casetify for those that care about getting their phone to match their personality as closely as possible. The brand has an impressive number of prints, patterns, graphics and designs available on its iPhone cases, including multiple influencer collaborations, so you’re likely to find something that fits even the most niche requirements. The Impact series in particular fits the bill as some of the best iPhone 16 cases — it’s a good option for everyday protection since these cases won’t add too much bulk to your iPhone, but will still protect it from drops up to 8.2 feet. With drop tests and a 4x MIL-STD-810G standard, these cases can also withstand harsh environments, so your iPhone will be protected, whatever the weather. You’ll find Impact cases for iPhone models going back to the iPhone 13, and many of them are MagSafe compatible, too.

$88 at Casetify

Smartish

Features: MagSafe, Waterproof | Material: Polycarbonate, TPU | Availability: iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro cases out now

We’ve recommended Smartish cases in the past for their artistic designs, but we particularly like the Gripmunk series as a best iPhone 16 case. These thin cases are a bit rougher around the edges than Spigen’s cases, literally – Gripmunk covers have textured edges that make them easier to grip and less likely to slip out of your hands, while the backs of the cases show off cute patterns and designs like floral arrays, cosmic scenes and more. There are a few solid-color options too, if you want to go the True Basic route (no shame), and these are all MagSafe cases as well, so they’ll be compatible with your favorite MagSafe chargers. If you’re a minimalist and don’t like to carry a lot on your person, you could ditch your billfold and spring for Smartish’s Wallet Slayer, a cardholder case that has similarly textured edges along with a sleeve on the back. This wallet case can hold up to three credit cards and a few notes of cash.

$20 at Amazon

Engadget

Features: N/A | Material: Flax shive, biopolymer | Availability: iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro cases out now

Without a doubt, our favorite eco-friendly phone cases are those made by Pela. We absolutely love their colors and designs, plus the fact that the entire line is 100 percent plant-based and compostable. The case material is called “Flaxstic,” which the company says is made from flax straw and compostable bioplastic elastomer. Importantly, it’s also free of BPA, phthalates, cadmium and lead. If you ever decide to get rid of it, you can indeed just chuck in a compost bin and it’ll be completely biodegradable.

What’s more, Pela cases are available for a wide array of handsets. They can accommodate Apple iPhones (from iPhone 5 onwards), including Pro Max cases, Samsung Galaxies (Galaxy S10 and newer), Google Pixels (from the Pixel 4a on) and even some OnePlus and Huawei models.

For iPhone users, we should note that Pela cases are not MagSafe-compatible by default, but you can purchase a $12 MagSafe module separately. Applying it to my phone was pretty straightforward, so that’s not a big concern, but it’s something to keep in mind. — Nicole Lee, Former Commerce Writer

$50+ at Pela

CYRILL

Features: MagSafe | Material: Faux leather, polycarbonate, TPU | Availability: iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro cases out now

Cyrill makes a number of sleek and elegant cases and the Kajuk Mag is no exception. It’s one of the thinnest and lightest cases we tried, but it does have four layers of protection: a soft-touch microfiber lining, a sturdy PC back, TPU bumpers and a vegan leather exterior. Since the company doesn’t boast a certain level of drop protection, this slim case is a good option for those that care more about aesthetics and case design, but also want a simple, protective layer standing between their iPhone and hard concrete. As the name suggests, you can use the Kajuk Mag with MagSafe accessories, and it even has an accessory hole built in, for those that want to attach charms, straps and other things.

$14 at Amazon

Peak Design

Features: MagSafe | Material: Recycled nylon canvas | Availability: iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro cases out now

Peak Design’s Everyday Case not only looks attractive, but it turns your phone into a bunch of different things when you pair it with any of the accessories in the company’s mobile ecosystem. We like its protective rubberized bumper and nylon shell, and its SlimLink connector sits in the middle of the case’s back, waiting for whichever gadgets you need that day. The company’s mobile tripod is one of our favorites for taking better photos with your phone, but also propping it up any which way you need. Commuters can opt for the dashboard mount to keep their phone within reach while driving, or the bike mount when you need to read directions on its screen. If you use your phone for everything and want a case that can support all of that functionality, this one is a good option.

$50 at Peak Design

Case-Mate

Features: MagSafe | Material: Polymer | Availability: iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro cases available now

If you’re looking for a bold, eye-catching case that has tons of personality, Case-Mate has a ton of great options to consider. Its iPhone 15 series has glittery cases, prismatic covers and everything in between, but the one that stuck out most to me is the Blox line. These cases have squared-off corners that give your iPhone a modern, blocky look. Combine that with their bright neon colors and you’ll likely never have to ask your friends where your phone is again – you won’t miss it. I also appreciate that the Blox cases are fingerprint-resistant, provide protection against 10-foot drops and have built-in magnetics for MagSafe accessory compatibility.

$30 at Amazon

Tizag

Features: N/A | Material: Plastic | Availability: iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro cases available now

If you’re intrigued by the display tech in ereaders and wonder what else it can do (or if you just want a cool pic on the back of your phone), Tizag’s iPhone case is worth checking out. The case back houses a credit card-sized, electrophoretic display (EPD), similar to what most ereaders use. The advantage is that no power is required to maintain an image — it only draws power when you change up the image. You can display whatever is in your photos library, including things like QR codes to get into venues or maybe a shopping list you want to keep on hand. Swapping the picture is easy through the Tizag app and watching the image “develop” on the display is fun. Black and white images look true to life, but color photos are muted and almost sepia-toned — as is the way with color e-paper — but the effect is attractive.

The case itself kept my phone safe through a month’s worth of drops and bumps, and the raised edges protected the screen and camera lenses from scratches. The only downside is that you won’t be able to use MagSafe charging or accessories, as the case blocks those connections. But for some, an updatable personalized case could be worth the trade-off. — Amy Skorheim, Reporter

$60 at Amazon

There is no one “most protective” brand of phone cases, but rather there are many that tout extra security for your handset. Some of the most protective phone cases we’ve tried come from Otterbox; most of the brand’s cases have a bit more protection than your standard phone case, even the ones that are designed to be on the slim side. Otterbox also makes a wide variety of phone cases, so there’s a good chance you’ll find one that suits your style and provides the level of protection you’re looking for. Otterbox’s Defender series is one of the best you can get if you care first and foremost about making sure your phone survives all kinds of accidents (save for a dunk in a pool).

Neither silicone nor hard cases are better than the other. Silicone cases tend to be thinner and feel soft to the touch, and they’re often easier to put on and take off of phones. Hard cases can be on the thicker side, but they provide a bit more drop protection than silicone cases. Which type of case is best for you depends on the type of experience you want from your phone. It’s also worth nothing that both silicone cases and hard cases come in a variety of colors, designs and styles, so you have plenty of choose from to match your personality on both sides.

The iPhone 16 features Apple’s tough Ceramic Shield front, which is definitely more durable than standard glass — but it’s not invincible. If you want to avoid scratches from keys, drops onto pavement or just the wear and tear of daily use, a screen protector is still a smart move. It adds an extra layer of defense without getting in the way of touch sensitivity or Face ID. So, while it’s not absolutely essential, using one is a good idea if you want to keep your screen looking flawless for the long haul.

The iPhone 16 is built to be tough, with Ceramic Shield on the front and a sturdy aluminum or titanium frame (depending on the model), but it’s not completely drop-proof. It can handle the occasional bump or short fall, especially if it lands on a flat surface — but drops on concrete or at awkward angles can still cause cracks or damage. If you’re prone to butterfingers, pairing your iPhone 16 with a durable case and maybe even a screen protector is the best way to play it safe.

Georgie Peru contributed to this report.



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AirPods Max vs. Picun F8 Pro: testing the knockoffs vs. the real thing
Product Reviews

AirPods Max vs. Picun F8 Pro: testing the knockoffs vs. the real thing

by admin


As a rule, you should never believe anything you see on social media. And you should really never believe anything someone says in a video with a TikTok Shop link, because they are nakedly trying to sell you something. From candy to headphones to supplements to power tools, TikTok has built a remarkable system: creators post videos promoting or reviewing products, TikTok blasts them onto For You pages everywhere, and when viewers click the link and buy the product, both the creators and TikTok get a cut. Everything’s for sale and everyone’s on commission.

I know all this to be true. So the first time I saw a video of an influencer hawking Picun F8 Pro headphones, which I immediately clocked as a convincing AirPods Max knockoff, I scrolled past it. But after weeks of video after video after video raving about how great these headphones are, I caved.

I kept hearing that Picun headphones were roughly as good as the AirPods Max for a fraction of the price. A few TikToks I saw argue that you’re not the problem if you buy knockoffs — you’re the problem if you’re spending $500 more just to get a brand name. Some videos purport to perform scientific noise-canceling tests; others just hold up a pair of AirPods Max and then a pair of Picuns, as if the side-by-side proves the point.

All the sales-creators made it clear that I needed to buy these headphones now. Some videos spread a rumor that Apple was suing Picun over the design, so they might be off the market soon. (This is not the case, as far as I know — Apple didn’t respond to a request for comment.) Others continuously claim that the headphones are about to be taken off the TikTok Shop; I’ve been seeing that for weeks, and they’re still for sale.

I don’t believe any of it! And yet, after a few taps I barely even remember, I’d spent $63.58 to get a pair shipped to my door. I also ran to the Apple Store and dropped $581.94 on blue AirPods Max. I had testing to do.

They look alike… until you really look. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

I’ve been using both for the past several weeks, and I’ve come to a conclusion I didn’t expect. The Picun F8 Pros sound a smidge worse than the AirPods Max, but in a few ways, I actually prefer them, and given the price I’d easily pick Picun. The bass in the F8s is a little more pronounced than I like, and can be a little muddy on extra-thumpy songs. They were crisper on the high notes in a song like “Welcome to the Black Parade,” though, and for the most part both brands sound pretty similar.

The limiting factor for headphones, I suspect, is not the headphones themselves but the context. Buy all the great gear you want, but if you’re still streaming Spotify playlists over Bluetooth, there’s only so much fidelity available. Yes, the AirPods Max now support lossless audio over a wired connection, but that’s not how most people listen to music. Most listen on loud subways, in the gym, or while walking the dog; unless you’re in a dedicated listening environment, I’d wager that good-enough sound is usually good enough. Especially for the price.

But then there’s everything else. All the little things, and a few big ones, that make headphones not just sound good but work well. And in that respect, Apple destroys Picun, and the best brands usually beat the knockoffs.

The headphones may look similar on my TikTok feed, but there’s no mistaking the two in person. The AirPods Max are more impressive the second you take them out of the box. They come with a case, which the F8s don’t have. The mesh in the Max headband is actual, breathable mesh, while the F8 is just a slightly textured (and very sweaty) fabric. Apple’s cushions pop off with a satisfying magnetic thunk, but you have to yank the F8s’ cushions off with true force. Which is ironic, because I think I could pry the F8s themselves apart with two fingernails.

Turns out there’s more to good headphones than good sound. Photo by Amelia Holowaty Krales / The Verge

I’ve never found the noise canceling in the AirPods Max to be particularly impressive (though my smarter colleagues might disagree). But it’s better than the F8s, which cut some noise, but let noticeably more through. You can hear the ongoing processing in a pretty ugly way, too: Sounds are compressed and reduced a little too slowly, so some things sound like crappy sound effects rather than real noise. Apple takes an even bigger win with Transparency mode: the AirPods Max have the best transparency of any headphones I’ve tried, while the F8s are… trash. They actually make noises louder and more annoying in transparency mode, while Apple realistically pipes external sounds through. I’d rate the mics about equal in good conditions, but the Max are far better in noisy spots.

From the F8s’ strange startup sound — a woman breathily announcing “Power on!” — to Picun’s unusable companion app, you can tell the company cares far more about manufacturing than design. The Max are far more pleasant to use. There are also uniquely Apple-y things that only first-party devices can do, such as simple cross-device pairing and hands-free Siri. This isn’t a function of price so much as company policy, but it’s still a win for the Max.

There are, to be fair, a couple of places I actually appreciate Picun taking the easy way out. The F8s are 100 grams lighter than the Max — a full Magic Mouse of weight difference! — and feel more comfortable on my head. The F8s definitely pass the “can I wear them on an entire cross-country flight” test. The F8s have an actual power button, meaning you can actually turn them off instead of dealing with Apple’s dumb guesses as to whether you’re wearing them. The battery life is ridiculous: Picun says you can get 60 hours of listening with noise cancellation on a single charge, and I’m charging my headphones once every two weeks at most. The AirPods Max only last a third as long.

Put it all together, and are the F8 Pros as good as the AirPods Max? No. They do the most important thing pretty well, but fall varying levels of short in almost everything else. The big question is, how much is all that worth? Are all the details worth nine times the price? The big brands better hope so, because now, thanks to things like the TikTok Shop, knockoffs are seemingly as accessible as the brand names. They’re available at impulse-buy prices, and at impulse-buy speed. I don’t have to go to AliExpress or hunt through Amazon or Temu. I just click a link in a video that is being shown to me every sixth scroll.

In this social future of shopping, where ads and content are utterly indistinguishable and reviews are nearly impossible to trust, it feels harder than ever to figure out what’s good and what isn’t. Given that, picking the cheaper option often seems like the safer option. And it’s not clear how big brands will compete. A few months ago, Bose announced its headphones are available on the TikTok Shop — and the sales numbers look pretty dismal. You definitely can’t buy real-thing AirPods Max on the platform, and I’m not sure I’d believe the listing if I saw one. For now, I’m happy with my F8 Pros — I returned the Max, and turned my knockoffs into my yard-working and dog-walking headphones. They’re not great, but they’re cheap. And I hear they’re going out of stock any minute now.





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Smash Bros. Pro Dropped After Beerio Kart World Cup Incident
Game Reviews

Smash Bros. Pro Dropped After Beerio Kart World Cup Incident

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Joseph “Mang0″ Marquez, a long-time Smash Bros. player and two-time Evo champion, isn’t getting invited back to the next Beerio Kart World Cup. The esports pro was banned for inappropriate behavior during the livestreamed event and subsequently dropped from his team, Cloud9. “I’m sorry everyone,” he wrote afterwards. “Wish I was better. I had it all and fucking tossed it in the trashcan.”

Disney+ Pulls The Abyss Over Controversial Rat Scene — Again

The Beerio Kart World Cup event was organized by Twitch streamer Ludwig Ahgren and, for anyone unfamilliar with the general concept, featured various online personalities competing in the recently released Mario Kart World while driving under the influence. People got more inebriated as the tournament progressed, with Marquez in particular eventually ditching his Wario costume and walking around shirtless.

A clip from the livestream at one point showed him appearing to drunkenly dry-hump behind Twitch streamer Maya Higa who was sitting next to Emily “ExtraEmily” Zhang while they talked to the livestream camera. Multiple other clips show him seemingly continue to act inappropriately toward the pair at other points during the event. The livestream shows various people calling out Mang0’s behavior during the Mario Kart tournament, though it’s not clear that any of the organizers intervened at the time.

“I reached out to anyone who I thought might have felt uncomfortable and talked to them but also, and I already told Mang0 this, no longer inviting Mang0 to Mogul Moves events,” Ludwig said in a June 22 livestream, referencing his company that organized the tournament. “It’s a privilege to go to an event, the whole point of an event is it’s a fun thing to do, to have a good ass time and if somebody appearing jeopardizes somebody else having a good time that just can’t be a thing.”

On June 23, Marquez acknowledged the incident and said he had a problem with alcohol. “Sorry to everyone I’ve let down or hurt,” he wrote on X. “I know it just looks like I’m trying to save face but I genuinely feel so awful about it.. all I’ve done is reflect on my life and realized I’m a broken human I will try and redeem myself over time as I always do Gonna stop drinking immediately and get it together.”

Later that day, however, Cloud9, the team which Marquez has been representing in Smash Bros. tournaments for over a decade, announced it was parting ways with the esports player. “Following an internal evaluation, we have made the decision to release mang0 from Cloud9,” it wrote in a statement. “Regardless of tenure or accomplishments, the behavior demonstrated is entirely unacceptable and directly conflicts with our organization’s core values. We maintain a zero-tolerance stance regarding harassment or any other form of inappropriate conduct.”

It’s unclear how the Beerio Kart World Cup incident will impact Marquez’s involvement in the Smash Bros. competitive scene moving forward. One of the next big events, Supernova 2025, takes place in August. Currently ranked third among all Melee players, Marquez suggested he might be taking a break. “C9 dropping me. Probably getting banned from tourneys. Fucking shit man,” he wrote on X. “No one to blame but myself but man. Never though I could hit this low. Probably won’t hear from me for a while I’m sorry everyone.”

.





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Eufy’s X10 Pro Omni robot vacuum has returned to its best price to date
Gaming Gear

Eufy’s X10 Pro Omni robot vacuum has returned to its best price to date

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Now that warmer weather is here, spring cleaning duties are likely falling by the wayside. But the good news is you can enjoy the outdoors and clean your home with zero effort by letting a robot vacuum do the hard work for you. For that, we recommend a versatile model like the Eufy X10 Pro Omni, which is currently on sale at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy to $549.99 ($250 off), matching its all-time low.

The X10 Pro Omni, one of our favorite midrange vacuum / mop combos, boasts an array of features to help it tackle daily messes, including oscillating dual spinning brushes capable of cleaning dried stains. An onboard water reservoir means the robot vacuum can clean for longer without having to refill its tank as often as some alternatives. Plus, when it’s finished mopping, a heated mop drying function helps prevent the base from smelling like dirty laundry. Unfortunately, however, it lacks a heated mop washing feature.

In addition to mopping, the X10 Pro Omni features 8,000Pa of suction, which enables it to perform well on both carpet and tile surfaces. It also offers excellent AI-powered object recognition, allowing it to avoid pet messes, cables, and toys. That said, we did encounter a few navigation issues during our testing, with the vacuum unable to escape from a corner. While it did get stuck a few times, its lidar-powered mapping is fast and accurate, laying out multiple rooms correctly on the first try.

To round out the Omni’s capabilities, support for the Eufy Clean app allows you to set schedules, establish no-go zones, create virtual boundaries, and more. It can also automatically empty its dust bin and refill its own water tank, so you can set it and forget it while it does its thing.



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Tech Deals cover image featuring a 3D resin-printed spaceman and a 1kg sachet of resin
Product Reviews

Less than half price! Grab 52% off 1KG of MatterHackers Pro Series resin for 3D printing

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If you’re into the resin 3D printing hobby space and need more resin for your prints, then this huge 52% saving on a large 1kg of MatterHacker’s Pro resin is just the ticket. The resin comes in various colors, but this deal is specifically on the White and Yellow variants. Resin is the best format for printing items like miniatures for tabletop gaming, thanks to its superior detailing in the prints and reduced visible markings compared to traditional filament 3D printing.

MatterHackers has this resin deal listed as a clearance item, and you can pick up both the white and yellow colors of the 1kg MatterHackers Pro Series resin for just $33. This is an amazing 52% price reduction on the usual listing price of $71, resulting in a savings of $38. A deal not to be sniffed at.

The Pro Series resins from MatterHackers let you choose from a variety of primary colors, and thanks to the design of the resin, provide a stable base if you want to mix the colors for your own individual color prints. The Pro Series resin cures within a UV wavelength of 380-405 nm. You can store the resin in a cool environment for up to two years under ideal conditions, so it’s okay to buy in bulk and store some for later use.

For more information on the Pro Series resin and its printing properties, please refer to the product page, which can be accessed using the links above. For more 3D printing products from printers, to filaments, to resins, check out matterhackers.com for everything you’d need for this fantastic hobby.

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Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro X Sound by JBL review: light up your party
Product Reviews

Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro X Sound by JBL review: light up your party

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The most surprising thing about Govee’s colorful smart lamp with a speaker built-in is that we didn’t get something like this sooner. We’ve had color-changing smart home lights that sync to music via an app, and we’ve had Bluetooth speakers with RGB lights — putting the two together feels like the natural next step.

The Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro X Sound by JBL ($179.99) combines snazzy lighting effects and decent sound into one fun, portable package. Unlike most RGB Bluetooth party speakers, it’s a functional lamp, and it also syncs with your smart home. And while it doesn’t pack enough power to rock a real rager, it’s the perfect size to add a little punch to your next gathering. It’s a smart light with party speaker aspirations.

$180

The Good

  • Vivid, colorful lighting effects
  • Can control the light with voice and automations
  • Can sync with other Govee lights
  • Speaker has strong mids and vocals
  • Built-in ambient sounds
  • Light supports Matter

The Bad

  • Limited bass
  • Indoor only
  • No AirPlay 2 support
  • No smart home support for the speaker
  • No handle

The speaker / smart lamp combo isn’t totally new; Ikea’s (now discontinued) Symfonisk Lamp had a Sonos speaker built in (though you had to put a smart bulb in it to have a smart lamp). Govee also has a floor lamp with a Bluetooth speaker. But its new table lamp is more practical, more portable (thanks to a 5,200mAh battery), and a lot more fun. Individually controllable RGB and tunable white LEDs offer both fabulous party effects and practical task lighting when needed.

The Govee Table Lamp does a nice job with tunable white light alongside fun, RGB effects.

An upgrade to Govee’s smart Table Lamp 2, the Pro was first announced at CES earlier this year and is now available to buy. It sits 10 inches tall, with a 360-degree LED array sitting on top of a 10W full-range 2.5-inch JBL speaker. The Pro’s big additions over the Lamp 2 are the speaker and the battery. It also has a larger base, a wider lamp, and a top speaker grille with buttons for power, volume, playback, and cycling through preset scenes.

The lamp features 210 LED beads that can display full color as well as tunable white light up to 600 lumens, bright enough for a reading lamp. The base includes RGB lights that sync with the main display.

The Lamp Pro 2 uses a standard barrel plug, but can also be powered by its internal battery.

The plug connects underneath, and there’s a cable channel. It also has squidgy “feet,” making it easy to set down on most surfaces.

The power button is a physical button; the rest are touch capacitive. Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge

It weighs just over 5 pounds and I could carry it comfortably in one hand. Photo by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge

The lighting effects, of which there are over 100 presets as well as 16 that sync with music, are controlled in the Govee app, over Wi-Fi or Bluetooth. There are a number of built-in sound and light scenes. My favorites include Forest, with tweety bird sounds and luminescent greens and yellows; Wave, with its ocean acoustics and wobbly blue lights; and Sprinkle, which sounds like a gentle rainstorm with a lovely aquamarine light soup.

Of course, you can also stream any music you like to the speaker via a Bluetooth connection to your phone. Sadly, there’s no option to stream over Wi-Fi or AirPlay 2 support. Unlike some party speakers, only one phone at a time can connect to its Bluetooth radio. You can have it listen for music from your phone’s speaker, but that feels rather pointless.

Specs: Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro X Sound by JBL

  • Price: $179.99
  • Power: 5,200mAh rechargeable battery, barrel plug power adapter
  • Playback time: 4.5 hours on battery
  • Speaker: 10W full-range 2.5-inch speaker, with dual passive radiators
  • Light: 600 lumens, RGBICWW, 2700 to 6500 kelvins
  • IP Rating: Indoor use only
  • Dimensions: 6.1 inches in diameter, 10.1 inches high
  • Weight: 5.3 pounds
  • Connectivity: Matter over Wi-Fi, BLE (classic), Wi-Fi (2.4 GHz)

The dynamic lighting scenes roll, pop, twirl, blob, kaleidoscope, or spiral in sync with the music, and sync remarkably well to the beat (Govee claims a 32ms response time). The colors are vivid, and the effects are a lot of fun. Like a lot of Govee’s effects, some can be a bit intense, but there are several “soft” options, too. You can also create your own scenes.

When you’re done with dance parties, ambient options, such as a crackling fireplace or a soothing sunset, are nice, although the colors are still fairly intense. Settings for reading, work, and illumination make the lamp usable as a task light, too, and sleep settings with lullabies make this a nice addition to a nursery. Still, it’s too large and bright for bedside use, even at the lowest setting.

While you can use the lamp and app just with Bluetooth, connecting it to Wi-Fi lets you control the lamp through your smart home. It works with Amazon Alexa and Google Home over Wi-Fi, or you can add it via Matter to most platforms, including Apple Home. I added it to Apple Home and was able to turn it on or off, and change single colors with automations and voice — it responded instantly to Siri voice commands. There’s not currently a way to sync Govee’s scenes through Matter, though, so you’re limited to static lighting.

Smart lamp, standard speaker

The Govee Table Lamp is a similar size and shape to Apple’s HomePod smart speaker (left), but it has a smaller speaker grille and its main body is a plastic lamp.

This is a smart lamp, not a smart speaker. There’s no voice assistant, and you can’t control the speaker via smart home apps (although you can change songs with your phone’s voice assistant while connected over Bluetooth). It’s also a fairly basic JBL Bluetooth speaker. While it gets plenty loud, it has limited bass, but delivers clear vocals and decent mids — making it ideal for podcasts or radio.

Physically, it slightly resembles a full-size HomePod, but in sound quality, it’s more like a HomePod mini. It made a great exercise companion during my morning dance workouts, with Chappell Roan’s voice coming through clear and high as she hits those Pink Pony notes. Even cranked up to 93 percent volume, there was no distortion. But as mentioned, there’s hardly any bass. I tested it with Bad Bunny against a full-size HomePod; no contest.

I tested it with Bad Bunny against a full-size HomePod; no contest

You can pair two lamps together for stereo sound, and that’s your best option if you’re looking for a party atmosphere. On its own, it’s fine for a small gathering or to add some oomph to a workout, but for some real vibes, you’ll want two. I only had one unit, so I didn’t get to test this out. You could pair two HomePod Minis or two Alexa fourth-gen speakers together and get comparable sound for less money, but without the fun lighting effects.

The lamp isn’t weatherproof, but it is portable, thanks to its built-in battery. There’s no handle, so I had to sort of cradle it like a baby, but at 5 pounds, it’s light. I took it to the patio on a dry day, and my chickens joined the dance party.

My chickens got to enjoy an al fresco dance party.

For a more permanent outdoor party solution, something like the Sonos Move ($449) is a better bet, with bigger sound, longer battery life, and an IP56 rating. Or, if lights are a must, a proper party speaker like the JBL Pulse 5 ($249), which has built-in RGB lighting, an IP67 waterproof rating, and a nice big handle — but no Wi-Fi connectivity, so no smart home control.

I set an Apple Home automation that turns on the lamp when the porch door unlocks

I ended up using the Govee lamp mostly in my screened-in porch, listening to the news with morning coffee or enjoying music with an evening tipple, safe from the elements. I set an automation in Apple Home that turns on the lamp when the porch door unlocks, so it’s ready to go when we walk out.

The lamp can also pair with other Govee lights to sync them all to the music using its Dreamview setting. I have a tunable white set of Govee’s outdoor string lights on my porch, but if I had the RGB version, I could turn my porch into a party space.

Despite its world salad of a name, the Govee Table Lamp 2 Pro X Sound by JBL is a fun, reasonably priced combo of music and lights. It’s not the best speaker out there, and it’s a shame it’s not more versatile (a handle and some weatherproofing would go a long way), but with its smart home control and impressive lighting effects, it’s a useful and entertaining gadget.

Photos by Jennifer Pattison Tuohy / The Verge





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