Category: 4. Technology

Watch out, there’s a goblin over there! Have you dispatched him with a deceased Blade’s rusty blade? Good, we can now keep trekking through the revamped Imperial sewers dungeon that unofficial Oblivion remake Skyblivion’s devs have just shown off.

The massive Skyrim mod’s getting ever closer to the release its creators have pencilled in for later this year. Despite that looming, they’ve not opted to skip what’s become an annual cameo at fan-run Skyrim modding showcase Creation Mod Con, alongside a bunch of other in-the-works Elder Scrolls remake projects and add-ons.

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If you’ve shopped for an Apple product—be it an iPad, MacBook or AirPods—you know that Apple rarely, if ever, has sales. Labor Day weekend, however, is one of the best times to find an array of deals on Apple gear. As the head of the consumer tech and electronics team at Forbes Vetted, I rounded up the 16 best Apple Labor Day sales, which include Apple’s new AirPods 4, currently priced at just $90 (close to its lowest price ever). Other great deals include 25% off the 7th generation, 11-inch iPad Air, coming in at $449—that’s the lowest price we’ve ever seen for this iPad.

Whatever Apple gear you need, Labor Day weekend is an excellent time to save. Keep checking back, too: As the holiday shopping weekend progresses, our tech team is scouring retailers to bring new deals as they go live. Read on to see the very best Apple Labor Day sales you can take advantage of right now.

Best Apple Labor Day Sales At A Glance

Best Apple Labor Day Sales: AirPods

Best Apple Labor Day Sales: iPads

• Apple iPad Air 11-Inch (7th Gen, M3): Now: $449, Was $599 (25% Off)
• Apple iPad Air 13-Inch (6th Gen, M2): Now $629, Was $799 (21% Off)
• Apple iPad Mini 8.3-Inch (7th Gen): Now $499, Was $599 (17% Off)
• Apple iPad Pro 13-Inch (7th Gen, M4): Now $1,099, Was $1,299 (15% Off)
• Apple iPad Air 11-Inch (7th Gen, M3): Now $549, Was $699 (22% Off)

Best Apple Labor Day Sales: Apple Watches

Best Apple Labor Day Sales: MacBook And iMac Computers

• MacBook Air 13-Inch (2025): Now $799, Was $999 (20% Off)
• MacBook Pro 14-Inch (2024): Now $1,299, Was $1,599 (19% Off)
• MacBook Air 15-Inch (2025): Now $1,199, Was $1,399 (14% Off)
• iMac All-in-One 24-Inch (2024): Now $1,149, Was $1,299 (12% Off)
• Mac Studio (M4 Max, 512GB) (2025): Now $1,799, Was $1,999 (10% Off)

Best Apple Labor Day Sales: Accessories

In “Hold for Me,” when a Pixel user is put on hold, he doesn’t have to monitor the call, awaiting the return of the other party. Instead, the Google Duplex AI technology monitors the connection, and when the other party returns to the call, the Pixel user receives an alert. This alert tells the Pixel user to pick up the phone and return to the call. In iOS 26, iPhone users will have a feature called Hold Assist that does the same thing.

Enabling Take a Message on a Pixel phone. | Image credit-PhoneArena

Many assumed that “Take a Message” would be exclusive to the Pixel 10 line. However, it is available on the Pixel 4 and later. To enable the feature on your compatible Pixel handset, open the Phone app on your Pixel and tap the three-line hamburger icon in the search bar. It’s at the top of the screen and on the left side of the search bar. Tap on Settings, then Take a Message, and toggle on the feature. 

Even if you decline a call, you can still answer it quickly if you read something in the transcript that you want to ask the caller about before the call ends. When you miss a call or decline to answer it, the caller will hear the following message: “The person you have called is not available. Please leave a message.” When a message is left, you’ll see a transcript in Call history, and a play button. Tap the play button to hear a recording of the message.

“Iconic Phones” is coming this Fall!

Good news everyone! Over the past year we’ve been working on an exciting passion project of ours and we’re thrilled to announce it will be ready to release in just a few short months.

For years, marketers have asked for better visibility into how individual channels contribute to Performance Max results.

Google has released a tutorial walking advertisers through its new Performance Max channel reporting. This reporting feature offers more transparency into how campaigns perform across Search, YouTube, Display, Gmail, Discover, and Maps.

With this new report, you can now dig deeper into performance by channel and format, making it easier to analyze results and troubleshoot.

Here’s a look at how to find the report and what you can do with it.

Where to Find Channel Performance Reporting

To find and access the channel reporting, head to your Google Ads account.

From there, navigate to: Campaign >> Insights & Reports >> Channel Performance

Once you’re there, you’ll see these items:

• A performance summary overview
• A channel-to-goals visualization
• Channel distribution table.

These items provide more than just a static view of performance. You’re able to click on specific channels to drill down into related reports, like placements on the Google Display Network, or Search Terms from the Search channel.

Exploring the Reports and Visualizations

The channel performance page isn’t just a high-level dashboard. It provides several views and reports that give you more context on how your ads are performing across Google’s network. Here’s a closer look at the most useful areas:

Ad Format Views

Not every ad performs the same across channels, which is why Google lets you break results down by ad format.

For example, you can see how video ads perform on YouTube compared to product ads shown on Search. This helps you spot whether one creative type is pulling more weight and whether you need to adjust your creative mix or budgets to support higher-performing formats.

Product-Driven Insights

If you’re running Shopping or retail campaigns, this section shows how ads tied to product data perform across channels.

You can see Shopping ads on Search as well as dynamic remarketing ads on Display. This gives ecommerce advertisers a clearer picture of how product feeds contribute to results beyond just one channel.

Channel Distribution Table

This table is one of the most detailed reports in the new view. It includes impressions, clicks, interactions, conversions, conversion value, and cost, all broken down by channel.

You can customize the table to highlight the metrics that matter most to your goals, such as ROAS or CPA, and even segment results by ad format (like video versus product ads).

Since the table is downloadable, you can also share it with teams or clients for transparent reporting.

Status Column and Diagnostics

The status column acts as a built-in troubleshooting tool. It surfaces issues or recommendations related to specific channels or formats, such as diagnostic warnings if ads aren’t serving as expected.

By reviewing these, you can quickly identify where performance may be limited and take action to resolve issues before they affect results at scale.

Reviewing Single-Channel vs. Cross-Channel CPA

One important takeaway from Google’s tutorial is that looking at average CPA or ROAS for a single channel doesn’t tell the full story.

Performance Max uses marginal ROI optimization, bidding in real time for the most cost-efficient conversions across all channels.

Since users don’t interact with just one channel, this cross-channel view helps advertisers see the broader picture of how campaigns drive results.

That means when evaluating effectiveness, Google recommends to prioritize your goals and audiences over individual channel performance.

How Advertisers Can Benefit From Performance Max Channel Reporting

The new reporting doesn’t change how Performance Max works behind the scenes, but it does help you:

• Understand which channels support your goals most effectively
• Identify areas where specific ad formats or channels may need creative or budget adjustments
• Communicate results more clearly with stakeholders by showing cross-channel contributions

With Search Partner Network reporting coming in the future, Google is signaling a continued investment in giving advertisers deeper visibility.

Performance Max remains a cross-channel campaign type, but channel reporting is a welcome step toward transparency. By digging into these reports, advertisers can better understand how ads perform across Google properties and make smarter optimization decisions.

In the rapidly evolving world of artificial intelligence-driven search, a stark divide has emerged between tech giants Google and OpenAI. Recent data reveals that Google’s AI Overviews and AI Mode frequently clash with ChatGPT on brand recommendations, disagreeing nearly two-thirds of the time across a wide array of queries. This discrepancy isn’t just a quirk of algorithms; it underscores fundamental differences in how these systems process and prioritize information, potentially reshaping how brands position themselves in the digital marketplace.

The analysis, drawn from thousands of shopping-related queries, shows that when users seek product recommendations—say, the best running shoes or wireless earbuds—Google’s tools tend to cast a wider net, mentioning 2.5 times more brands than ChatGPT. While Google often cites sources extensively, ChatGPT leans toward brevity, sometimes omitting citations altogether, which raises questions about transparency and reliability in AI responses.

Contrasting Strategies in AI Recommendations

This divergence stems from inherent design philosophies. Google’s AI, integrated deeply with its vast search index, emphasizes comprehensiveness, pulling from a broad spectrum of web data to offer diverse options. In contrast, ChatGPT, powered by OpenAI’s models, prioritizes concise, conversational answers, which can lead to narrower selections. According to a report from Search Engine Land, these differences result in a 61.9% disagreement rate on top brand picks, highlighting how AI systems might inadvertently favor certain brands based on training data and algorithmic biases.

For industry insiders, this means rethinking optimization strategies. Brands that rank highly in traditional Google search may not automatically gain visibility in ChatGPT’s responses, and vice versa. The data suggests that Google’s approach, with its heavier reliance on citations, could benefit from established SEO tactics, while ChatGPT’s outputs might require more narrative-driven content to influence mentions.

Implications for Brand Visibility and Marketing

Delving deeper, the study by analytics firm BrightEdge, as detailed in BrightEdge’s insights, examined over 1,000 queries and found Google AI Mode providing citations in 85% of cases, compared to ChatGPT’s mere 15%. This citation gap not only affects user trust but also signals to marketers the need for generative engine optimization (GEO)—a nascent field focused on tailoring content for AI recommendation engines.

Such disparities could amplify market inequalities. Smaller brands might struggle in ChatGPT’s succinct responses, where only a handful of names dominate, whereas Google’s expansive lists offer more entry points. Executives at companies like Nike or Apple, often cited across platforms, may find their dominance reinforced, but emerging players face an uphill battle in this bifurcated AI ecosystem.

The Broader AI Search Dynamics

Interestingly, underlying dependencies add another layer of complexity. Reports indicate that ChatGPT has been tapping into Google’s search results via third-party services like SerpApi for real-time data, as noted in Search Engine Land’s coverage of OpenAI’s practices. This ironic reliance underscores Google’s enduring infrastructure advantage, even as competitors like ChatGPT aim to disrupt it.

For marketers and tech strategists, these findings demand proactive adaptation. Monitoring brand mentions in AI responses—through tools highlighted in resources like Irene Chan’s guide on platforms for tracking ChatGPT outputs—becomes essential. As AI search matures, bridging these recommendation gaps could involve hybrid strategies that optimize for both breadth and depth.

Looking Ahead: Convergence or Continued Divide?

Industry observers predict that as models evolve, some convergence might occur, especially with Google’s rising share in generative AI traffic, per data from Search Engine Land. Yet, the current 62% disagreement rate serves as a wake-up call: brands ignoring these AI nuances risk invisibility in an era where queries increasingly bypass traditional search engines.

Ultimately, this tension between Google and ChatGPT isn’t merely technical—it’s a battle for user mindshare. With AI handling more consumer decisions, from shopping to research, the stakes for accurate, unbiased recommendations have never been higher. Forward-thinking companies will invest in GEO now, ensuring their brands resonate across all AI platforms, lest they be left out of the conversation entirely.

Navigating legal documents has always felt like trying to read a foreign language. The dense paragraphs and endless legalese can make even a simple contract feel complex. For years, I have approached them with my trusty highlighter to navigate key clauses and responsibilities. It’s a tedious, time-consuming process that often leaves me feeling more confused than when I started.

For a long time, I just accepted this as part of the process. That is, until I stumbled upon NotebookLM. By leveraging this powerful AI assistant, I have discovered a robust way to cut through the jargon and get straight to the heart of any legal document.

NotebookLM supports a range of file types

PDF, Markdown, Docs, and more

One of the first things that impressed me about NotebookLM was its fantastic flexibility with file types. I didn’t want to deal with a tool that required me to convert all my documents into a specific format, and thankfully, I didn’t have to.

I had no issues at all uploading my files. I have thrown everything at it, from a complex PDF of a legal document to a simple text file with my notes and a Google Doc with a lengthy contract draft. The process was seamless, and it accepted every file type without breaking a sweat.

This versatility is crucial because it allows me to use NotebookLM for a huge range of real-world documents. I can upload non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) and the lengthy terms and conditions for my home, car, and business loans. It’s not just for formal legal documents.

I have also used it for personal legal papers and even detailed user agreements for software. The fact that I can just grab a file, regardless of its type, and instantly turn it into a source is what makes this tool so useful and a core part of my process.

Using NotebookLM for useful insights

Here’s where it shines

When I was signing up for a new financial service, the company’s research analyst sent over a massive, text-heavy Terms and Conditions document. It was a multi-page beast, filled with dense paragraphs.

My first instinct was to just skim it and click ‘I agree.’ But I knew that was a terrible idea. Instead, I uploaded the entire document to NotebookLM. Within moments, the AI had processed it. I didn’t have to waste time scrolling or searching for keywords.

I just started asking questions to get to the core of the agreement.

• What are the key disclaimers and risk factors for clients using JMFL’s research?
• What is the annual fee?
• What are the fees associated with this service?
• What is the policy for account termination?
• What is the refund policy?
• Are there any penalties for early withdrawal of funds?

This process gave me a clear, high-level understanding of what I was agreeing to, without getting lost.

In another instance, I needed to review my home loan documents from the bank. It’s a stack of papers you never want to read, filled with terms that can have a huge impact on your financial future.

I uploaded the entire document into NotebookLM and, just like before, it was ready to go in seconds. I was able to ask very specific, targeted questions to get the exact information I needed.

• What is the fixed interest rate and for how long?
• Are there any prepayment penalties, and if so, what are they?
• What are the charges for late payments?
• Are there any fees for loan statement copies?

Being able to get these precise answers in an instant not only saved me hours of reading but also gave me the confidence that I fully understand the most critical aspects of the agreement.

NotebookLM also displays the source beside the answers so that I can always click on it and refer to the exact paragraph in a document.

Sharing my NotebookLM notebook

The collaboration experience is smooth

After I have done all the heavy lifting of analyzing a complex legal document with NotebookLM, the next logical step is to share my findings. My partner and I often need to review important documents together, like a new lease or a car loan agreement.

NotebookLM offers a brilliant collaboration feature. I can share the entire notebook with a few clicks and grant my better half access to everything I have already done. I can even add a welcome note and guide them through. There are also several permissions to restrict their access.

Fly through legal document analysis

Overall, NotebookLM has turned a once-passive, frustrating chore into an insightful process. By uploading a document, I can ask NotebookLM to do the heavy lifting. This productivity hack has shifted how I engage with and process complex information. It’s the closest thing I have found to having a personal legal assistant by my side.

Aside from being a legal assistant, NotebookLM can also serve as the financial expert in your workflow. Check out our dedicated post to learn more.

For a brief moment, I thought I had lost access to one of the most powerful extensions I use in Microsoft Edge. This evening when I sat down at my desk, I was met with more ads than usual. Much to my surprise, uBlock Origin has completely stopped working within Microsoft Edge.

Clicking on the uBlock Origin extension icon did nothing and I was unable to block any content on any website. The folks over in the Microsoft Edge subreddit figured out what was going on and gathered together some information.

The Google Chrome interface has remained remarkably consistent over the years, and the Android browser is now getting Material 3 Expressive tweaks to match other first-party apps.

The primary browsing interface that is the Omnibox remains the same except for the loading indicator. Chrome is taking advantage of the split/segmented progress indicator component with rounded “corners.” 

You see more Material 3 Expressive upon opening the three-dot overflow menu. Chrome has placed the go forward, bookmark star, download, site info, and refresh buttons at the top in circular containers. This does help those actions stand out a great deal more against the ever-growing list of options.

On the Tab Grid page, the new tab ‘plus’ has been placed in a rounded square, while the tab, Incognito, and Groups switcher is also placed in a container. 

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Meanwhile, Chrome is theming unselected Tab Groups based on the page.

Over the years, Chrome has been visually refreshed to align with the company’s various design updates. As seen with this Material 3 Expressive, they rarely change the browser’s interface in significant ways. 

If anything, the design language is made to fit within Chrome’s established interface. In placing various components in containers today, buttons don’t see any size increases. (The small new tab button looks strange.) List views, including Settings, do not see any changes. 

We’re seeing the Material 3 Expressive tweaks with Chrome 139 on the Pixel 10, as well as Android 16 QPR2 Beta 1. The refresh is not fully available yet, with this rollout unexpectedly happening over the weekend.  

More on Material 3 Expressive:

Thanks Armaan