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Prime Day might be just around the corner, but if your shopping list has things like mattresses, outdoor furniture, or home appliances, you might be better off shopping during the Memorial Day sale. Lucky for you, the early sales are in full swing, even though Memorial Day isn't until May 25. These retailers have some of the best early deals so far.

Amazon's Memorial Day Sale has discounts going up to 40% off

Unsurprisingly, Amazon is one of the first retailers to start its Memorial Day sale early. They have many categories on sale, including: home and kitchen, garden and outdoors, home improvement, electronics, and more. Here are some deals that stood out to me:

Wayfair is having deals of up to 70% off

Wayfair, the furniture store that recently opened its doors for customers to physically go to their in-person stores (I went to the Atlanta one, and it was great to try their products in person), is joining the early Memorial Day sale with discounts of up to 70% off on their website. You can shop for living room seating, area rugs, bathroom vanities, mattresses, kitchen and dining furniture, bedroom furniture, outdoor furniture, home appliances, and more. You can receive an extra 10% off if you sign up for their alerts (you should get a pop-up window when you open their website). Here are some deals worth highlighting:

Woot is having a big outdoor lighting sale

Woot is very underrated, in my opinion, as a shopping editor. Many of their deals beat even the lowest prices that Amazon has ever listed them for, and you get free shipping if you have Amazon Prime. Right now, they have a big sale on outdoor lighting, making it a great opportunity to bring that aesthetic look to your front yard, porch, deck, or backyard. Check out their deals and take advantage of them.

Best deals on mattresses, bed frames, and pillows

I am an Airbnb host, so I've had to buy multiple mattresses, bed frames, pillows, etc. I did a lot of research to get quality products, and I tested all of them to make sure my guests will get good sleep. I must've done a great job because all of my guests rave about their quality sleep. Some of these products have big discounts right now for Memorial Day, so take advantage of these tested products that my guests and I have loved so much:

  • Kana Japanese Joinery Bed (Oak), $809.97 (originally $979.98). This has been the easiest bed frame I've ever set up. I didn't need any tools and it took less than five minutes. It also fit perfectly with the Japanese theme I had for that room. The material is of quality, and it looks incredible.

  • Sapira Chill Hybrid Mattress, $1,679 (originally $2,399). I paired the Kana bed frame with this Leesa mattress. It's extremely comfortable and keeps you cool with its cooling top.

  • Helix Midnight Elite, $3,278 (originally $4,370.66). For my own bed, I wanted to splurge and went with this Helix mattress. When I feel recharged every morning, I don't care how much I spent on my mattress. But luckily for you, it's 25% off right now.

  • Dream Max, $1,815 (originally $2,595). Another one of my Airbnb beds has this mattress, and it has my guests' and my own stamp of approval.

  • Eli & Elm Side Sleeper Pillow, $107.99 (originally $134.99). As a side sleeper, I know how crucial it is to have a side-sleeping pillow. This one from Eli & Elm is very comfortable, and I love that I can adjust the firmness of it easily by removing materials from inside the pillow.


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XReal and ASUS Republic of Gamers announced this morning that pre-orders are open for the ROG XREAL R1, a pair of augmented reality smart glasses designed for high-frame-rate gaming paired with a ROG control dock. First shown at CES 2026, the R1s are a wearable monitor that projects a virtual 171-inch monitor with a 0.01ms response time and 240Hz refresh rate—the fastest available in AR glasses. XReal R1s are bundled with the ROG Control Dock, and are selling for $849 at Best Buy, with a release on the XReal store to follow on May 17.

The R1 is built on the architecture of XReal One glasses (see my full XReal One review here) and is powered by the same X1 chip for three degrees of freedom (3DoF) tracking. That means you can pin your gaming display anywhere in augmented reality and it won't move when you turn your head.

The ROG Control Dock lets you connect these smart glasses to consoles (Xbox, PS5) and PCs with the dock's HDMI 2.0 and DisplayPort 1.4 inputs, but they are being positioned as the ultimate companion for the ROG Ally handheld gaming PC. With these glasses, the Ally doesn't need a separate monitor to deliver a high-end PC gaming experience. The R1 and ROG Ally together are aimed at delivering a high-end PC gaming experience that's also fully portable and viewable in high definition through a pair of sunglasses.


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I'm always a little surprised any time I hit a dead zone. It's 2026; we've had cell phones since the '80s; modern 5G connections can rival home internet speeds; and yet, there are still way too many parts of this country that aren't covered by cellular networks. While those cellular networks might not necessarily expand to cover the entire country any time soon, it is possible that, in the near future, you'll be hard-pressed to find a part of the U.S. where you can't make a phone call.

These carriers are working to end dead zones in America

On Thursday, Verizon published a press release featuring a pretty significant announcement: The big three cellular networks (AT&T, T-Mobile, and Verizon) are pooling their resources to try to end dead zones in America. The idea is to expand satellite communications across all three networks to directly address coverage gaps across the country, especially in "unserved and underserved communities." That's particularly important for remote areas of the States where there is little to no traditional cell service.

While the press release shies away from saying the joint venture will end dead zones entirely, it does stress that the plan is to "nearly eliminate" them in the U.S. But the goal goes beyond coverage gaps, too. By increasing satellite communications and, therefore, increasing redundancy in coverage, the networks believe they'll improve reliability in emergencies: When everyone is trying to call and text across cell networks at once, they slow down or stop working entirely. By rolling out a more robust satellite network, there will be another means of communication during these high-demand situations. According to the press release, the networks will also work with rural mobile network operators to expand services to their customer bases.

Satellite communications are all the rage right now. Cellular networks, as well as smartphone manufacturers, have been rolling out expanded support in recent years. Apple, for example, now lets iPhone users text their contacts over satellite when they have no cell service, while T-Mobile offers similar services for its customers via Starlink. Of course, satellite service isn't necessarily the same as cellular service: Because the signal needs to travel all the way up to a satellite orbiting the Earth, it takes a lot longer than your standard cell signal. As such, I'm not sure that somebody tapping into satellite coverage in a rural area of the U.S. is going to have as reliable an experience as another user connecting through 4G or 5G networks.

Still, satellite communications have literally saved lives in situations where cell service was not available. If the networks want to band together to create a dedicated network of satellite communications, I'm certainly not opposed.


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When you share your location data with an app or service, you may assume you're sharing your exact coordinates. But that's not necessarily the case. While "precise location" sharing does indeed broadcast your literal whereabouts, "approximate location" sharing only submits your general position. It's the difference between an app knowing your home address versus seeing the neighborhood you're in, or perhaps even the town or city itself. It's a great way to balance privacy and utility: Apps that don't need all that extra location information to function simply won't get it.

Back in January, Apple introduced a new privacy setting for iPhone: Limit Precise Location. While that might sound like the existing option detailed above, this new setting lets you hide this location information from your cell carriers, too. That way, you can totally control how you share your location data from your iPhone: Apps that need precise coordinates, like your navigation app, can have it, while apps that may only need your approximate location can have that instead—including, now, your carrier.

Unfortunately, at the time of launch, support for Limit Precise Location was extremely limited. Apple only opened this option to iPhones that have its proprietary C1 or C1X chip, including the iPhone Air, iPhone 16e, and the cellular model of the M5 iPad Pro. What's more, only Boost Mobile users had access in the U.S., meaning a very small fraction of iPhone users in the States have been able to take advantage of this new privacy measure.

Apple expanded Limit Precise Location support with iOS 26.5

That changed with iOS 26.5, which Apple released this week. While the feature still only works for Boost Mobile customers in the U.S., Apple added the iPhone 17e to the list of supported devices. If you don't live in the U.S., however, the expansion is a little more generous. Apple is including another handful of carriers here, expanding the list to the following:

  • Austria: A1

  • Denmark: YouSee

  • Germany: Telekom

  • Ireland: Sky

  • Thailand: AIS and True

  • United Kingdom: EE, BT, and Sky

  • United States: Boost Mobile

Limit Precise Location is enabled by default for all supported iPhones with these carriers. If you live in the EU or UK, however, and you have one of these iPhones, you likely have the feature—even if your carrier isn't listed here. Apple says that with a SIM from an EU or UK carrier, you have the option to turn this feature on. Rumor has it that Apple is planning on rolling out its next-gen cellular modem, the C2, to the iPhone 18 Pro and iPhone Ultra. By the end of this year, the list of iPhones that support this feature should be a bit larger.

How to manage Limit Precise Location

If you have the right combination of iPhone and cellular carrier, this feature is enabled by default. However, you'll find the option in Settings > Cellular > Cellular Data Options > Limit Precise Location.


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When Google announced AirDrop support for Pixel devices last year, it was a bit of a bombshell. For years, file sharing was just one of those things that didn't mix well between iPhone and Android. Email, texting, agreeing on a third-party app; none of the options were convenient, especially when each platform had its own easy-to-use solution: AirDrop or Quick Share. But opening up AirDrop support for Android phones bridges the gap in a meaningful way: Now, you can send a friend with an iPhone a picture, video, or file from your Pixel, and vice versa—as quickly and efficiently as if you both had the same type of smartphone.

Unfortunately, in the six months since Google's original announcement, the rollout has been quite slow. At launch, only the Pixel 10 line supported AirDrop. Since then, Google opened up AirDrop support for the Pixel 9 series as well as the Pixel 8a. Then, in March, Samsung announced support for the Galaxy S26 series. Oppo also launched compatibility for the Find X9 series and Find N6, while Vivo rolled out support for the Vivo X300 Ultra. If you have a different Android phone than what's listed here, however, it sadly doesn't support AirDrop—at least, not yet.

AirDrop support is on the way for these devices

During The Android Show: I/O Edition on Tuesday, Google announced that more Android devices would soon have AirDrop support, democratizing file sharing for more users. At this time, the following devices are on track to receive support later this year:

  • Samsung Galaxy S25 series

  • Samsung Galaxy S24 series

  • Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7

  • Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 7

  • Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6

  • Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6

  • Samsung Galaxy Z Trifold

  • Oppo Find X8 series

  • OnePlus 15

  • Honor Magic V6

  • Honor Magic8 Pro

Google is also expanding support for certain Xiaomi phones this year, but it's not yet clear which devices will receive support. In addition, it's not clear whether the Galaxy S25 FE and Galaxy S24 FE also fall into the above list.

Your Android phone can still support easy file sharing without AirDrop

If you have an Android phone that isn't listed here, you aren't entirely cut out of the AirDrop equation. In fact, Google is rolling out a feature for Android devices that let them tap into easy file sharing, but via a QR code. It's a new option you'll find in the Quick Share menu: By using a QR code, your file moves to the cloud—from here, have your iPhone friends scan the QR code to retrieve the file. There's not a ton of info about this functionality just yet, but I'd imagine there are some privacy implications here. AirDrop and Quick Share send files directly from one device to another: Getting the cloud involved opens up the risk for other parties (Google included) to access your data. But, at the same time, at least there's another option on the way for users to share files without having to resort to email.


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Just renewed for a second season, Margo's Got Money Troubles stars Elle Fanning as the title's Margo, an 20-year-old aspiring writer who becomes pregnant following a brief an affair with her married English professor. Her mom, Shyanne (Michelle Pfeiffer), is supportive but pretty negative about Margo's future prospects, while her estranged father, Jinx (Nick Offerman), is willing to pitch in and help out now that he's out of rehab. Still, she needs money if she's going to manage it all, and so takes to OnlyFans (and, at this point, who amongst us hasn't?). Stream Margo's Got Money Troubles on Apple TV, and then check out these other shows following women who make bold choices in the face of upheaval.

Sex Education (2019 – 2023)

There’s a fair bit of sex on TV (having migrated from the now largely sexless big screen), but that’s not the same thing as sex positivity. In this British comedy-drama, Asa Butterfield and Gillian Anderson star as an insecure, shy teenager named Otis and his mother, Jean, a frank and sometimes painfully honest sex therapist. When a school bully needs some sex advice, Otis dispenses some of the wisdom he’s picked up from mom, eventually making a name for himself around school by selling his knowledge as expertise. It’s a funny and charmingly raunchy show, treating sex with humor and positivity, and it features a great will-they-or-won't they couple in awkward Otis and the more fearless Maeve (Emma Mackey). The tone is similar to that of Margo, as is the sense that sex is simultaneously funny and fine. Stream Sex Education on Netflix.


Single Drunk Female (2022 – 2023)

Samantha Fink (Sofia Black-D’Elia) is a 28-year-old alcoholic who hits absolute rock bottom in the form of an embarrassing public meltdown. Committing to sobriety, she moves back to Boston with her strict and controlling mother (Ally Sheedy) and reconnects with her best friend, Brit (Sasha Compère). Of course, for all of that sounding like a good idea, it also puts her right back in the environment that contributed to her drinking in the first place. Funny and humane, this is another show about a messy, complicated young woman trying to get a fresh start following a life-changing event. Stream Single Drunk Female on Tubi.


Weeds (2005 – 2012)

A classic of the crime-in-the-suburbs genre, Weeds finds a single mom making herself a success in a business that the broader society might frown upon. Mary-Louise Parker stars as Nancy Botwin, a recently widowed mom who's desperate to maintain the upper-middle-class lifestyle once provided by her husband. She can't really handle the idea of giving up the conspicuous consumption to which she's become accustomed, so she decides to make some bank for herself. And what better way to do that, particularly in the LA 'burbs, than by selling weed? (Obviously, the show was made and is set before the drug was legalized for recreational use in 2016.) Like Jon Hamm's Coop, Nancy is just not ready for her family to give up on nice things. Stream Weeds on Prime Video.


Fleabag (2016 – 2019)


This critical favorite stars Phoebe Waller-Bridge as the title character (she's only ever referred to as "Fleabag") in a comedy-drama about a free-spirited, deeply angry single young woman living in London and sharing her romantic ups and downs via confessional asides to us, the audience. She falls, rather reluctantly, for "The Priest" (Andrew Scott)—she's a confirmed atheist and he's, obviously, not, so the relationship is appropriately messy. Like Margo, Fleabag definitely has money troubles, going from art theft to running a struggling (you won't be surprised to learn) Guinea pig-themed café. Waller-Bridge won separate Emmys as the star, creator, and writer of the series. Stream Fleabag on Prime Video.


The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (2017 – 2023)

Mrs. Maisel was one of Prime’s first and buzziest original series, a comedy-drama from Amy Sherman-Palladino (Gilmore Girls) about the title’s Midge Maisel (Rachel Brosnahan), a New York housewife of the late 1950s who discovers a talent for stand-up comedy. Inspired by the real-life careers of comedians like Totie Fields and Joan Rivers, the show is both warm and funny, with great performances and dialogue; it also achieves something rare in being a show about comedy that’s actually funny. Mrs. Maisel and her milieu are obviously far different from that of Margo, but there are similar themes involving funny, complicated women saying "fuck it" to life and career expectations. Stream The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Prime Video.


A Virtuous Business (2024)

This charming South Korean comedy-drama show takes us to a rural village in the impossibly long-ago 1990s, where four women from different backgrounds decide to make a go of selling sex toys and other adult-type products door-to-door. None of the women is in a particularly desperate situation, which, here, makes things even more interesting: They're all engaged in an entirely taboo (certainly at the time) industry to make a few extra dollars, or for a bit of fun on the side—a solid reminder that sex-adjacent work isn't only for those in dire straits. Stream A Virtuous Business on Netflix.


P-Valley (2020 – )

A soap opera in southern-gothic style set at a strip club in a Mississippi backwater? In terms of tone, this drama is leagues away from Margo. And yet, there's connective tissue in the stories of women who have strayed well outside the confines of polite society, and don't much care if you like it or not. P-Valley follows the lives (and dramas) of the people working at the titular strip club in the Mississippi Delta, the secret ingredient being creator and Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Katori Hall, who very deftly blends juicy soap opera elements with an appreciation for the talents of these dancers, as well as deft commentary on the struggles of poor and Black Americans in the South. A long-awaited third season is coming later this year. Stream P-Valley on Prime Video and Starz.


Vida (2018 – 2020)

Two very different Mexican-American sisters move back to their childhood home in the Boyle Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles following the death of their mother (the "Vida" of the title)—who they soon discover had been married to a woman. Mom left the daughters controlling shares of the bar she owned, but also a big chunk to her wife, forcing Lyn and Emma (Melissa Melissa Barrera and Mishel Prada) to make nice with a woman they didn't know existed. The comedy-drama explores the intersections of queer and Latinx identities from the perspective of women, with a not-disproportionate emphasis on the importance of sexuality (the show is as horny as it is smart). Stream Vida on Hulu and Prime Video.


I May Destroy You (2020)

Series creator/writer/co-director and star Michaela Cole plays a social media influencer turned novelist struggling to reclaim and rebuild her life after she is raped. It’s a meaningful, but frequently very funny comedy-drama about the darkness that threatens to overwhelm a woman’s life, and the long road back. Stream I May Destroy You on HBO Max.


Casual (2015 – 2018)

Valerie Meyers (Michaela Watkins) is recently divorced, so she takes her daughter and moves in with her single brother, Alex (Tommy Dewey). Reconnecting with family is always fun so, ya know...definitely uncomplicated. He's the founder of a dating site, and helps her get back into the dating scene while she helps him find some meaning in his relatively untethered life. Like Margo, Valerie is picking up her life after a significant upheaval and figuring out what she wants from life. Stream Casual on Disney+, Hulu, Prime Video, and Tubi.


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Instagram has a habit of stealing other apps' features and, in the process, making them mainstream. When Snapchat rolled out stories, Instagram did the same, and, arguably, better. When TikTok took over the world, Instagram launched "Reels," and managed to get millions (if not billions) of users addicted to short-form video. Now, Instagram is targeting Snapchat once again, taking "inspiration" from the app's most iconic feature: disappearing photos.

Instagram's Instants are a bit dangerous

instagram instants
Credit: Instagram

On Wednesday, Instagram announced Instants, which the company calls "a new way to share in the moment." Instants are photos you can share with your friends that disappear after you open them. (Sounds familiar.) While your friends won't be able to save them, they can react and reply to your Instants, both of which go to your DMs. Any Instants you share don't disappear from your account, however: Instagram says your captures remain in an archive for up to one year, which you can reshare to your stories if you wish.

None of this is groundbreaking, of course. Anyone who has used Snapchat is familiar with the process here. What is unique about Instagram's approach, however, is who you send Instants to. Rather than choose individual contacts and groups to share these ephemeral images with, Instagram presents two options: Close Friends (the list of Instagram users you have designated as such), and mutuals (followers you follow back). The latter is simply called "Friends" in the app, and is the first choice Instagram presents when inviting you to send an Instant—which means it's way too easy to accidentally send an Instant to literally everyone you follow that also follows you back.

If you're a public, outgoing Instagram user, this might not sound like a bad thing. But I imagine the rest of us out there don't necessarily want to blast each and every one of our mutuals with a casual Snap-like photo. (I know I don't.) As such, if you're going to try Instants, make sure you know where your pics are going before you hit send.

How to try Instants on Instagram

Instants live in your DMs, but in an awkward spot. You'll find it in the bottom right corner, in a tab that pops out from the screen. When you tap it, you'll be able to see any Instants that were sent to you. If you don't have any, you'll simply launch the Instants camera interface. The most important element here is at the bottom: By default, you'll see "Friends," which means your Instant will go out to all your mutuals. If you want to switch to Close Friends, tap "Friends," then tap "Close Friends." Instagram gives you the option to quickly edit your Close Friends list here if you want to make any changes, including clearing the whole list, but note that any changes you make here are immediate. I accidentally cleared my entire Close Friends list because I thought I was deselecting the contacts that were suggested.

Taking the photo itself is pretty straightforward, but dangerous: You can choose whether to use the front or back camera, or whether or not to use flash. If you want to add a caption, tap the viewfinder to pull up the keyboard. (You add captions before taking the photo here.) You'll also find the Archive in the top right if you want to review any previous Instants you've taken. Once you capture the photo, however, you only have a few seconds to hit "Undo" before it sends to whichever friends list you have selected, so be careful. If you'd prefer a dedicated Instants experience, Instagram actually made an app for the feature for both iOS and Android.

How to dismiss Instants

You can't get rid of Instagram Instants, but you can "snooze" it. Back in the DMs window, you can swipe on the Instants UI to push it back into the side of the screen. It'll disappear, but you can bring it back at any time by swiping left on that edge of the display.


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