The spacecraft are the online giant’s entry into beaming wireless service from space, but the company has much to do before it can compete with SpaceX’s Starlink.

Macworld Apple is one of the world’s most valuable and powerful companies, offering some of the world’s most popular products. And yet, with the stroke of a sharpie, a raft of U.S. tariffs threatens its entire business. Life comes at you quick. Speculation says that the prices of Apple products are headed up. Apple Stores are crowded with buyers who are trying to beat the anticipated price increases. But while prices are probably going up, that’s only one of the many levers Apple can pull in order to deal with the tariff situation. Here’s a look at what the company might do to mitigate the tariff issue as much as possible. Eat into profit margins Here’s something Apple could do to deal with tariffs: hold prices steady and let all the added costs eat into its profit margins. It will never, ever do that because no company prizes its profit margins more than Apple, but it’s certainly an option. At the very least, there’s a short-term option for Apple to mitigate some of the tariff expenses by reducing product profit margins, at least temporarily. Let’s put this in perspective: Apple’s reported products gross margin last quarter was 39.3 percent, the highest it’s been in recent memory. Obviously, margin varies by product, but Apple is one of the world’s most profitable companies because it has enormous profit margins. (That’s why they call it money!) One way Apple could (but won’t) respond to the tariff situation is to take in lower profits from iPhone and other sales.Connor Jewiss / Foundry Every time I read about a billionaire sports team owner refusing to pay players, I am reminded that rich folks didn’t get rich by spending all their money. Similarly, Apple didn’t get where it is by cultivating a culture of acceptable hits to its profit margin. Any proposal to allow those margins to drop is going to be fought off like a body rejecting a virus. And yet… it’s a tool in Apple’s arsenal. As I wrote above, it’s a short-term option, and taking less profit to smooth out pricing is definitely an option, but in the long term, Apple is going to want its profits. Play a shell game Apple doesn’t just make products in China. It makes iPhones in India and Brazil and has been moving more production of various products to Malaysia, Thailand, and Vietnam. Different countries have different tariff levels, so Apple can redirect its production to minimize tariffs in the U.S. As the Wall Street Journal reported, Apple is planning to send the U.S. more iPhones from India (26 percent tariff) rather than China (54 percent). Apple also makes a small number of phones in Brazil (10 percent tariff), but might be tempted to ramp up production there. For all products that are manufactured in more than one location, Apple will be able to change the flow of those products to optimize its profits. If it’s cheaper overall to send the entire factory output from Brazil to the United States and then import phones into Brazil, it could choose to do so. The problem, of course, is that getting these plants up and running takes time, and it’s really only been since the pandemic that Apple has stepped up efforts to diversify its manufacturing and assembly operations beyond China. Apple can play a shell game with product shipments, sending those over there while these others come over here, but it can’t make new assembly plants spring up overnight. Raise prices For a company that makes huge profits, Apple actually hates changing the prices of its products. The iMac has almost always cost $1,299. The last time there was a major iPhone price hike, it was cloaked behind the splitting of the line between the more expensive iPhone X and the iPhone 8. (That split is basically the split between the iPhone 16 and iPhone 16 Pro today.) Or take the MacBook Air, which Apple really wants to start at $999. When the M2 Air arrived, it carried so much new tech inside that the company had to price it at $1,199–and so it kept older models around for years until, with the M4 Air, it could finally get the new model’s base price down to $999. Yes, Apple reaps huge profits from its products, especially from all the add-on options that elevate products above their base configurations, but it sees enormous value in price floor stability. That’s what the impact of tariffs is threatening to dislodge. Apple hasn’t raised the price of products like the iMac in some time.Foundry Thanks to inflation, though, the net result of Apple’s solid pricing floors is that its products have actually cost less over time. As pointed out by Ben Thompson, the real-price cost of a new iPhone has gone from $799 in 2020 dollars to $657 as of last fall. If Apple were to simply re-price its products to reclaim all the value lost to inflation since 2020, the iPhone 16 would start at $980, and the MacBook Air would start at $1,226. That’s probably asking too much of consumers, but it would be very easy for Apple to raise everything by 10 to 20 percent and reclaim some of the tariff cost. However, I’d be surprised if Apple re-prices its existing products while they’re on store shelves. In other markets, Apple has tried hard to keep its prices from floating based on the vagaries of foreign exchange rates. Yes, repricing has happened from time to time, but it always feels more like the exception that proves the rule. It’s more likely that as Apple introduces new versions of existing products, it’ll do so at higher starting prices. So this fall, the rumored M5 MacBook Pro and iPad Pro would start a bit higher than they do today. Another option Apple has used to cloak price increases is to eliminate old base configurations so that the new base has a higher price with a larger margin built in. This is what happened with the iPhone 15 Pro Max, which eliminated the prior year’s $1,099 Pro Max option with 128GB of storage, making the $1,199 model with 256GB of storage the base. An extra 128GB of storage doesn’t cost anywhere near $100, so that change instantly boosted the minimum profit Apple made from any iPhone Pro Max sold. Over the next year, as Apple adjusts to tariffs and inflation, expect some combination of regular price increases and the removal of low-spec options. Work the refs Apple’s top strategy goal during this process isn’t about pricing or manufacturing; it’s about politics. During the first Trump administration, Tim Cook worked hard to ensure that the White House knew about Apple’s issues with international trade policy, and it worked pretty well for Apple. This administration sure seems different, but Cook is going to earn his money trying to argue for conditions that are more favorable to Apple. And while everything happening right now seems really chaotic and unpredictable, I will say that it’s generally quite hard for a President of the United States to be perceived as harming great American businesses that dominate across the globe, especially if it favors foreign companies (like Samsung) that manufacture their products in more favorable tariff environments. TIm Cook might have to work extra hard with President Trump to come up with a way to handle the tariffs.Apple Part of that negotiation will involve Apple doing what it’s already been doing since 2016, demonstrating its commitment to American industry and building campuses and manufacturing facilities and the like, and probably offering photo ops where Trump can claim victory and show that his policies are making a difference. Is that cynical? Well, yeah, but that’s politics. None of us can predict where this is all going, but I’d expect at least some relaxation of these policies in areas where the administration can declare victory. Apple’s political goal will be to provide those opportunities so that it can get out from under the most onerous of the tariffs. Play the longest game Tim Cook has built Apple into a tech giant by optimizing the supply chain and manufacturing, relying primarily on China. It’s all gone well so far, but if the international economy changes so much that its largest market is no longer accessible from that supply chain, changes are going to have to be made. Hovering over all of this is also the fact that Apple’s chip supplier is in Taiwan, and any war over Taiwan would be ruinous for both Taiwan and U.S.-China relations. There’s no way to predict the future, and sure, this might all blow over–but would you bet on that if you were Tim Cook? While Cook will likely be prompted to make some showy gestures to get what he wants out of the U.S. administration, he’s also got to make some tough and expensive decisions that have real long-term consequences. If Apple has the will, it’s one of the few companies that could make a real impact in terms of American production capacity, as well as building up capacity in other countries in order to reduce its reliance on a single market. It can’t mitigate all its risk, but it could spend a lot of money to reduce it at least somewhat. This is the long game, though. It’ll likely be measured in decades. But Apple is not a company known for thinking bigger and more long-term than a lot of its competitors. Tim Cook’s final legacy as Apple CEO may be how he starts to unravel the efficient, China-focused manufacturing machine he spent two decades building.

watchOS 12 could see some visionOS-inspired design changes according to a new rumor, but the unreliable source also shares the unlikely possibility that Apple Intelligence will also come to the platform.A new rumor claims the Apple Watch will gain support for Apple Intelligence, along with a visionOS-inspired design.For well over a year, we've heard all sorts of rumors saying the iPhone operating system would take stylistic cues from visionOS. Though multiple less-than-credible sources believed this would happen with iOS 18, it never did. Recently, however, other leakers have said a visionOS-style redesign would instead debut with iOS 19 and macOS 16.Now, a report publication The Verifier, spotted by MacRumors, claims that watchOS 12 will receive the same visual treatment. The Apple Watch will reportedly contain user interface elements heavily inspired by the Apple Vision Pro operating system, with semi-transparent and revamped menus, icons, and more. Rumor Score: 🤯 Likely Continue Reading on AppleInsider | Discuss on our Forums

Sony has released a new firmware update for the PlayStation Portal. With the update, Sony is bringing in improvements to the system’s Cloud Streaming Beta technology, as well as other, more general user experience improvements across the board. One of the bigger new features is the ability for players to sort the games in their Cloud Streaming catalogue screen. Among the sorting methods available are “Recently Added to PS Plus”, Release Date, and Alphabetical. The update will now also allow PlayStation Portal users to capture gameplay during a Cloud Streaming session. Much like the PS5, the gameplay capture options on the PlayStation Portal make use of the device’s Share button. Pressing it once opens up the create menu. Pressing and holding takes a screenshot, while pressing it twice starts or finishes recording a video clip. Any screenshots and videos captured through this will automatically be uploaded to the cloud server, which can then be accessed through the PlayStation App. Captures are stored for 14 days. If PlayStation’s cloud streaming servers are full, the PlayStation Portal now allows players to join a waiting list. This also lets the player know what the estimated waiting time will be, and the waiting list will automatically start the game when it becomes available. Cloud Streaming users can now also pause their game during a session. This is done by opening up the PS Portal quick menu by hitting the PS button. A game can also be suspended by putting the PS Portal into rest mode. However, a streaming session will be disconnected if the PS Portal is in rest mode for more than 15 seconds with a game suspended. In order to further help players manage their time during Cloud Streaming, the PS Portal will also display a notification in case the player has been inactive in the game for long enough that the session is close to being ended automatically. Ultimately, there is also a new feedback screen where PS Portal users trying out the Cloud Streaming beta can submit their feedback for Sony. “Thanks to the support and feedback from our player as we continue to add new features to further enhance the PS Portal experience, including support for select public Wi-Fi networks, which we launched last year,” wrote Sony Interactive Entertainment’s VP of Product Management Shuzo Kikuchi on the PlayStation Blog. “We hope you enjoy the new beta features – your feedback is essential for us to evolve the streaming game experience even further, and we look forward to hearing what you think!” The PlayStation Portal kicked off its Cloud Streaming Beta back in November 2024. The beta, available specifically to PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers, features a library of more than 120 PS5 games from across the PlayStation Plus catalogue. This includes major releases like Monster Hunter Rise, Ratchet and Clank: Rift Apart, and Ghost of Tsushima. The device is currently capable of streaming games at up to 1080p and 60 frames per seconds. It is also capable of making use of all DualSense features of the PlayStation Portal even when streaming games.

The gatekeeper (Pyronia tithonus) is a species of butterfly in the family Nymphalidae. Found across Europe, it is typically orange with two large brown spots on its wings and a brown pattern on the edge of its wings, although a large number of aberrant forms are known. The eyespots on the fore wings most likely reduce bird attacks; the gatekeeper is therefore often seen resting with its wings open. Colonies vary in size depending on the available habitat, and can range from a few dozen to several thousand butterflies. This male gatekeeper was photographed in Bernwood Forest in Buckinghamshire, England. The photograph was focus-stacked from 15 separate images. Photograph credit: Charles J. Sharp Recently featured: Florence Price Blue-ice area Buff-tailed coronet Archive More featured pictures

April 10 First-edition cover of The Great Gatsby 1809 – Napoleonic Wars: The War of the Fifth Coalition began with the Austrian invasion of Bavaria, then a client state of France. 1815 – Mount Tambora in Indonesia began the most powerful volcanic eruption in recorded history, killing at least 71,000 people and affecting temperatures worldwide. 1925 – The Great Gatsby (cover pictured), a novel by American author F. Scott Fitzgerald, was first published by Scribner's. 1970 – In the midst of business disagreements with his bandmates, Paul McCartney announced his departure from the Beatles. 2019 – Scientists from the Event Horizon Telescope project released the first image of the black hole at the center of the galaxy M87. Michael Tarchaniota Marullus (d. 1500)Samuel Hahnemann (b. 1755)Kishori Amonkar (b. 1932) More anniversaries: April 9 April 10 April 11 Archive By email List of days of the year About

Here’s the Secret to Making the Perfect Cup of Pour-Over Coffee, According to Physicists By adjusting the pouring technique and height, the new method could use 10 percent fewer coffee grounds without compromising on strength or flavor A cup of pour-over coffee is prepared by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania. Ernest Park Physicists say they’ve found the best way to make pour-over coffee, and it’s surprisingly simple. With coffee prices rising over the last few years and climate change affecting crops, a new technique can help make the most of your increasingly precious coffee grounds, researchers say. The new method was published in the journal Physics of Fluids on Tuesday. “Coffee is getting harder to grow, and so, because of that, prices for coffee will likely increase in coming years,” says Arnold Mathijssen, a physicist at the University of Pennsylvania and study co-author, to Matthew Sparkes at New Scientist. “The idea for this research was really to see if we could help do something by reducing the amount of coffee beans that are needed while still keeping the same amount of extraction, so that you get the same strength of coffee.” Mathijssen tells Elizabeth Weise at USA Today that the inspiration for this study started with Ernest Park, one of his PhD students. Park tested different ways of making pour-over coffee—when water is poured atop coffee grounds in a cone-shaped filter—and wrote the results in a logbook. “Initially he was just trying out different things, pouring coffee from different heights and such. Then he said: ‘Wait. This tastes good, but we need to do the actual experiments,’” says Mathijssen to USA Today. So, the researchers conducted a series of tests, shifting the pour height and rate of water flow. First, they put silica gel particles in a glass cone as a substitute for ground coffee and used a high-resolution camera to capture the dynamics between the gel and the water. Then, they tested different pouring techniques with real coffee. They found that a slow pour was best, to maximize extraction from the coffee grounds. At low heights, though, the water’s velocity was too slow to effectively move through the coffee bed. At higher heights, the water mixed with the particles more, creating a stronger brew. A steady flow created an “avalanche” effect, which both penetrated the coffee bed and recirculated the displaced grounds at the bottom of the funnel. “The increased height compensates for the slow pouring. You only get the avalanche if there is enough energy available,” Mathijssen says to the Guardian’s Nicola Davis. Pour-Over Coffee Silica Gel Experiment Watch on This process is also efficient—the research team estimates that you can use around 10 percent less ground coffee by employing their technique, without losing any flavor. To back this up with data, they measured the dissolved solids in cups of coffee made with various pouring methods. They found that their new technique did not compromise the coffee’s strength. You don’t need anything too fancy for your morning cup of joe: Just slowly and steadily add water from a goose-neck kettle while increasing the pour height to about 11 inches, the researchers advise. But be careful not to disrupt the stream. “If you pour too slowly, or if you go too high, then the jet tends to break up into these smaller droplets, and that’s what you want to avoid as well,” Mathijssen explains to the Guardian. If you get a thin stream of droplets rather than a steady water flow, “that means the jet cannot mix the coffee grounds effectively,” study co-author Margot Young, also a physicist at the University of Pennsylvania, says in a statement. Put simply, “be reasonable,” Mathijssen adds to New Scientist. “First, try to be slow. Then lift [the kettle] up and go as slow as you can, but don’t let [the flow of water] break up,” he adds. “That’s the strategy that I would follow.” Now, when you wake up tomorrow morning, you can make a scientifically perfect pour-over with your scientifically perfect boiled egg, and have a delicious breakfast. Get the latest stories in your inbox every weekday. More about: Coffee New Research Physics Water

The Nintendo Switch 2’s high price point came as a surprise, and not a pleasant one, when it was revealed after the console’s Direct. The console itself is going to cost $450 at launch, $500 if it comes bundled with launch title Mario Kart World. It also revealed that World will cost $80. This seemed like a huge jump up in price from Nintendo’s previous titles, and potentially one that players couldn’t afford. Is this going to be the norm going forward? In an interview with The Washington Post, Nintendo of America president Doug Bowser said that this is part of the company’s “variable pricing” approach to games. “We’ll look at each game, really look at the development that’s gone into the game, the breadth and depth of the gameplay, if you will, the durability over time and the repeatability of gameplay experiences.” He added that the company hadn’t set a benchmark, so players don’t need to expect every game to cost $80 at launch. On the surface of it, this price doesn’t necessarily seem that terrible. After all, the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5 with disc drive both cost $500 at launch and those consoles are practically geriatric at this point. However, in this as in all things, Nintendo marches to the beat of a different drummer than its flashier cousins. The original Switch launched with a $300 price tag, the same as its Wii U predecessor, and that seemed like a reasonable price for what was essentially a juiced-up handheld. The price is right — but can we pay it? Even if one doesn’t take into account things like the U.S.A.’s tariffs, which might have played a role in the boosted console price, if not the games, there’s one big problem with Bowser’s remark about variable pricing: Doesn’t it mean that we could potentially pay more for some games in the future? Saying, “Yes, this is the new normal, get used to it,” would be one thing, but at least then we’d have a concrete idea of what to expect. Even if we take the most generous interpretation of his words to mean that they charged a princely sum for Mario Kart World because it has replayability; deep, rich gameplay; and a lengthy development cycle, it’s still not exactly reassuring. First, because Mario Kart titles often get new tracks post-launch that cost even more money — see for example, Mario Kart 8’s Booster Course Pass. Second, because this is the title that Nintendo wants to use to sell its new console. That’s the price that’s meant to appeal to hungry consumers. Gaming has been getting, and will continue to get, more expensive by the year. I don’t necessarily blame Nintendo for asking us to pay more for their titles. But telling us that this might not be the limit is not exactly the reassurance that Bowser and Nintendo were probably hoping it would be. GB Daily Stay in the know! Get the latest news in your inbox daily Read our Privacy Policy Thanks for subscribing. Check out more VB newsletters here. An error occured.

OpenAI filed a countersuit against Elon Musk on Wednesday, saying on X that “Elon’s nonstop actions against us are just bad-faith tactics to slow down OpenAI and seize control of the leading AI innovations for his personal benefit.” In the lawsuit, OpenAI’s lawyers argue that “Musk’s continued attacks on OpenAI, culminating most recently in the fake takeover bid designed to disrupt OpenAI’s future, must cease. Musk should be enjoined from further unlawful and unfair action, and held responsible for the damage he has already caused.” Musk, who was part of the initial founding team at OpenAI, initially sued last spring,  saying he wanted to force the company to “return to its mission to develop AGI for the benefit of humanity” instead of pursuing profits. (The Verge’s editor-in-chief, Nilay Patel, found Musk’s legal case against OpenAI “hilariously bad.”) Musk dropped that lawsuit in June but sued OpenAI again in August. In December, OpenAI published a blog post with the headline “Elon Musk wanted an OpenAI for-profit,” with receipts. The case is scheduled to go to trial in the spring of 2026. Earlier this year, Musk also offered $97.4 billion to buy OpenAI, saying in a statement that “it’s time for OpenAI to return to the open-source, safety-focused force for good it once was.” OpenAI’s board of directors unanimously rejected the offer, which today’s filing called a “sham bid.”  Disclosure: The Verge’s parent company, Vox Media, partners with OpenAI.

Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet – Surging Sparks Booster Bundle is back in stock at Amazon for $45.02, offering a rare discount on a high-demand set. That’s still above the official MSRP of $26.94 — but compared to the inflated prices on secondary markets, this is the best mainstream option available right now, especially since it ships directly from Amazon (not a third-party seller). The bundle includes six booster packs from the latest Surging Sparks expansion, which has been tough to keep on digital shelves thanks to new chase cards and high collector demand. If you’re building out your set or just looking for a reliable sealed product drop, this is one of the most secure ways to snag it without overpaying.Pokémon TCG Surging Sparks Booster Bundle DiscountedPokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet - Surging Sparks Booster BundleINIU 140W Power BankFallout - Lucys Vault 33 - Backpack$199.99 at IGN StoreINIU Power Bank, 20000mAh 65WHumble Heroines Game BundleINIU Portable Charger 22.5WINIU Power Bank 100WINIU Portable Charger, Slim 45WMainGear North RTX 5070$2,095.00 at MainGearPokemon TCG: Azure Legends Tin - 5 Packs$29.99 at AmazonHumble Bundle: Earth Defense Force CollectionSanDisk 256GB microSD Express microSD CardPokémon TCG: Shining Fates Collection Pikachu V Box$58.99 at AmazonThe Elder Scrolls Skyrim - Dragonborn Helmet - Replica$119.99 at IGN Store Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet Shrouded Fable Elite Trainer Box$57.98 at AmazonASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless Gaming HeadphonesASUS ROG Harpe Gaming Wireless MouseVampire Hunter D Book BundleASUS ROG Spatha X Wireless Gaming MouseStreet Fighter Trading Cards$20.00 at IGN StoreASUS ROG Falchion NX 65% Wireless RGB Gaming Mechanical KeyboardASUS ROG Strix Scope RX TKL Wireless DeluxeMeanwhile, INIU’s 140W Power Bank is on sale for $74.56 — a solid 25% off its usual $99.99 price. Designed for power users, this 27,000mAh beast can fast-charge everything from a MacBook Pro to an iPhone 15 Pro Max, thanks to its PD 3.1 140W USB-C output and smart digital display. It also features three total ports, letting you charge multiple devices at once, and its compact, airline-approved design makes it ideal for remote work, travel, or gaming on the go. Backed by a three-year warranty and lifetime tech support, this is a reliable investment for anyone tired of running on 5% battery.Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet - Surging Sparks Booster BundlePokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet - Surging Sparks Booster BundleI’ve been tracking the Pokémon TCG: Scarlet & Violet – Surging Sparks Booster Bundle for weeks, and while this $45.02 price on Amazon is still above the original MSRP of $26.94, it’s the most reasonable listing I’ve seen that doesn’t involve a sketchy seller or a mystery warehouse. You get six booster packs from the latest set, which is hard enough to find in stores, and I appreciate not having to overpay a reseller just to get in on the new pulls. For anyone trying to keep up with the expansion, this is as straightforward as it gets.INIU 140W Power BankINIU 140W Power BankI think the INIU 140W 27,000mAh Power Bank is the backup battery I actually trust when I know I’ll be away from an outlet for more than a few hours. It’s currently $74.56, which isn’t exactly pocket change, but for something that can charge a MacBook Pro or a Steam Deck without breaking a sweat, I’d say it’s well-priced. The digital display is genuinely useful, and having three ports (two USB-C and one USB-A) makes it easy to keep everything charged without doing the cable shuffle.Fallout - Lucys Vault 33 - BackpackFallout - Lucys Vault 33 - Backpack$199.99 at IGN StoreI don’t usually get excited about merch, but the Fallout – Lucy’s Vault 33 Backpack from the IGN Store actually feels like something I’d use. It’s $199.99, which sounds steep until you realize it’s a legit replica built from the same patterns used on the show. This isn’t a cheap cosplay throw-in, it’s got a full 20L capacity, a 16-inch laptop pocket, and more compartments than I know what to do with. Plus, it comes with that massive yellow fleece blanket for the full Fallout-core vibe. I’m not planning on trekking across a wasteland anytime soon, but it’s good to know the bag is ready just in case.INIU Power Bank, 20000mAh 65WINIU Power Bank, 20000mAh 65WUse on-site coupon for full discountINIU 65W 20,000mAh Power Bank is the one I reach for when I need power without the bulk. It's $39.99 and still strong enough to fast-charge my laptop, but compact enough to throw in a backpack without thinking about it. The extra port flexibility is nice, and the built-in phone stand is one of those small features I didn’t think I’d care about until I started using it constantly. It just does its job well without getting in the way.Humble Heroines Game BundleHumble Heroines Game BundlePay less to get fewer items, or pay extra to give more to publishers, Humble, and charities Girls Who Code and Girl Make Game Scholarship Fund.Humble Heroines: Rebels, Curses, and Mystery bundle is exactly the kind of thing I buy and then spend the next six months working through. For $12, you get seven games including Control: Ultimate Edition, Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous, Darksiders III, and a few smaller indie gems that deserve the attention. The lineup is solid, the value is obvious, and part of the money goes to Girls Who Code and Girls Make Games, so I don’t even have to justify it to myself. It’s a good excuse to grab some character-driven games that don’t all feel like the same recycled formula.INIU Power Bank 100WINIU Power Bank 100WI picked up the INIU 100W 25,000mAh Power Bank because I wanted one charger that could handle everything without fuss. For $53.98, I get enough power to charge two larger devices at once, thanks to dual USB-C outputs, and it still recharges fast when it’s drained. It’s well-balanced in size and performance, and I haven’t run into overheating or throttling issues even during heavy use. That’s more than I can say for a few others I’ve retired.INIU Portable Charger, Slim 45WINIU Portable Charger, Slim 45WThen there’s the INIU Slim 45W 10,000mAh Power Bank with Built-In USB-C Cable It's currently $22.49, but the real win here is the integrated cable. It charges both the power bank and my phone, which is ideal when I want to carry as little as possible. The compact build doesn’t compromise on speed, and I like that I can toss it in a jacket pocket without it feeling like dead weight. It’s simple, efficient, and takes up no mental space.ASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless Gaming HeadphonesASUS ROG Cetra True Wireless Gaming HeadphonesI’ve tried more wireless earbuds than I care to admit, but the Cetra lineup actually gets it right for gaming. I want latency low enough that my killshots sync with the sound of glory, not a second later. These deliver that, with the added bonus of active noise cancelation that’s good enough to block out my neighbor’s saxophone practice. The 27-hour battery life doesn’t hurt either, especially for marathon gaming sessions — or, let’s be honest, Netflix binges. Wireless charging is just the lazy cherry on top.ASUS ROG Harpe Gaming Wireless MouseASUS ROG Harpe Gaming Wireless MouseThis thing weighs 54 grams. Fifty-four. I’ve had granola bars that were heavier. I think it’s illegal to call something this light a “mouse” without an asterisk. The Harpe’s low-latency tri-mode connection and snappy AimPoint sensor make it feel like an extension of my brain. If you’re the type to tweak DPI mid-match just because you can, this one’s built for you. Also, shout out to ASUS for not naming it something ridiculous like “ShadowFang X69 Ultra.”Vampire Hunter D Book BundleVampire Hunter D Book BundlePay less to get fewer items, or pay extra to give more to publishers, Humble, and charity World Central KitchenHere’s the deal: for less than the price of a mediocre pizza, you get 29 volumes of vampire-fighting, post-apocalyptic drama illustrated by Yoshitaka Amano. I want this bundle just so I can say I finally read the source material instead of quoting the anime like a poser. And since it supports World Central Kitchen, I've checked off my good deed for the day whilst reading about bloodthirsty aristocrats. Win-win.ASUS ROG Spatha X Wireless Gaming MouseASUS ROG Spatha X Wireless Gaming MouseIf the Harpe is the Ferrari of gaming mice, the Spatha is a tank with RGB. I mean, 12 programmable buttons, a magnetic charging stand, and enough battery life to outlast the apocalypse? I think this one’s for the MMO players and spreadsheet warriors who want their macros locked and loaded. The hot-swappable switches are a nice bonus for anyone who treats mice like seasonal accessories.Street Fighter Trading CardsStreet Fighter Trading CardsFrom $20, with the Warriors Dreams Master Case retailing at $960$20.00 at IGN StoreI grew up spamming Hadoukens, and now I can channel that energy into shiny cardboard form. I want the Collector Box because ripping open packs and chasing rare inserts scratches an itch I didn’t know I had. But if you’re a “go big or go home” kind of collector, the Inner Case ($240) or Master Case ($960) options are basically loot crates for adults — minus the digital regret.ASUS ROG Falchion NX 65% Wireless RGB Gaming Mechanical KeyboardASUS ROG Falchion NX 65% Wireless RGB Gaming Mechanical KeyboardI don’t always want a full keyboard taking up half my desk. The Falchion understands that. It's compact, mechanical, and still manages to squeeze in arrow keys and a weirdly satisfying touch panel for volume and macros. I love that it’s wireless but still offers USB-C when I’m feeling traditional. Bonus points for the cover case—it makes me feel like I’m carrying a fancy typewriter to a LAN party.ASUS ROG Strix Scope RX TKL Wireless DeluxeASUS ROG Strix Scope RX TKL Wireless DeluxeThis one’s a mouthful in name and a handful in features. I think this keyboard is perfect for anyone who wants their setup to scream “I game and I have taste.” The wrist rest is plush, the switches are fast and precise, and the tri-mode connection lets me hop from work laptop to gaming rig like some sort of digital nomad. It’s absurdly overbuilt, and I kind of respect that.MainGear North RTX 5070MainGear North RTX 5070$2,095.00 at MainGearI think this is one of the smartest ways to get your hands on an RTX 5070 without building from scratch or skimping on quality. MAINGEAR’s setup skips all the common bottlenecks — no mismatched parts, no airflow nightmares, no “good enough” corners cut. For $2,095, you’re getting a clean combo of a Ryzen 5 7600X CPU, 16GB of DDR5 RGB RAM, and a 1TB NVMe SSD, all assembled by people who care about things like cable management. It’s future-ready, quiet, and fast enough to leave your current rig feeling like a potato in comparison.Pokemon TCG: Azure Legends Tin - 5 PacksPokemon TCG: Azure Legends Tin - 5 Packs$29.99 at AmazonThis tin is pure Pokémon chaos in the best way. You get one random promo card—Kyogre ex, Xerneas ex, or Dialga ex—and five booster packs; 2 x Surging Sparks, 1 x Stellar Crown, 1 x Temporal Forces and 1 x Obsidian Flames. It’s a fun, low-stakes gamble for collectors or casual players who want a shot at good pulls without needing to take out a second mortgage.Humble Bundle: Earth Defense Force CollectionHumble Bundle: Earth Defense Force CollectionPay less to get fewer items, or pay extra to give more to publishers, Humble, and charity Oceana.EDF is the kind of game where logic goes out the window and fun takes over, and this $25 Humble Bundle gives you the best of it — EDF 5, EDF 4, World Brothers 2, plus a ton of downloadable content. I think this is worth it just for the laugh-out-loud co-op mayhem alone, and it doesn’t hurt that part of the proceeds go to charity while you blast oversized bugs into space.SanDisk 256GB microSD Express microSD CardSanDisk 256GB microSD Express microSD CardIf your current microSD card loads like it's on a coffee break, or if you need to expand your Nintendo Switch 2 storage on launch day, this one’s a serious upgrade. I want this SanDisk Express card purely for the ridiculous transfer speeds — up to 880MB/s read and 650MB/s write. It’s built for 4K video, gaming, and surviving every possible disaster short of lava, and it’ll likely outlive every other accessory in your bag.Pokémon TCG: Shining Fates Collection Pikachu V BoxPokémon TCG: Shining Fates Collection Pikachu V Box$58.99 at AmazonThe Shining Fates Pikachu V Box is a great grab if you’re chasing shiny cards or just really into oversized electric rodents. You get a Pikachu V promo, a jumbo card version for display, and four Shining Fates booster packs. It's pricey, but Shining Fates is out of print.The Elder Scrolls Skyrim - Dragonborn Helmet - ReplicaThe Elder Scrolls Skyrim - Dragonborn Helmet - ReplicaPre-order for September release$119.99 at IGN StoreThis Skyrim Dragonborn helmet replica isn’t going to protect you in battle, but it will absolutely level up your desk setup. At just under six inches tall, it’s small enough to display but detailed enough to show off. I think it’s a solid collectible if you’re still emotionally tethered to Skyrim and have no shame in displaying that fact proudly. Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet Shrouded Fable Elite Trainer Box Pokémon TCG: Scarlet and Violet Shrouded Fable Elite Trainer Box$57.98 at AmazonThis Shrouded Fable ETB is the kind of set that makes you feel like you’ve got your TCG life together. It comes with nine booster packs, a Pecharunt promo, energy cards, dice, and a nice little collector’s box to keep your chaos organized. Shrouded Fable is a slept on set, perfect for trainers who are sick of chasing Journey Together and Prismatic Evolutions stock.Why Should You Trust IGN's Deals Team?IGN's deals team has a combined 30+ years of experience finding the best discounts in gaming, tech, and just about every other category. We don't try to trick our readers into buying things they don't need at prices that aren't worth buying something at. Our ultimate goal is to surface the best possible deals from brands we trust and our editorial team has personal experience with. You can check out our deals standards here for more information on our process, or keep up with the latest deals we find on IGN's Deals account on Twitter.Christian Wait is a contributing freelancer for IGN covering everything collectable and deals. Christian has over 7 years of experience in the Gaming and Tech industry with bylines at Mashable and Pocket-Tactics. Christian also makes hand-painted collectibles for Saber Miniatures. Christian is also the author of "Pokemon Ultimate Unofficial Gaming Guide by GamesWarrior". Find Christian on X @ChrisReggieWait.