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Welcome to “Best Summer Ever,” your guide to getting the most out of the sunny season. Whether your idea of a perfect summer is embarking on epic adventures or blissfully doing as little as possible, we’ve got you covered. Because the best summer doesn’t just happen—you have to make it happen.

There’s a moment on some lazy summer evenings that practically demands a movie. It’s too dark to keep playing corn hole, but too early to call it, and someone says, “We should watch something.” Suddenly, you’re wishing drive-ins were still around, because a movie under the stars sounds perfect. 

Luckily, you can recreate that nighttime movie vibe in your backyard, and do it better than your grandparents did it in 1967. Whether you’re hosting the whole block or just hanging with the family, below is everything you need to turn your lawn into a legit backyard theater that will make you the envy of the cul-de-sac.

Choosing a projector for a backyard movie theater

The most obvious solution to screening movies outside is to haul your TV to the backyard and set it up, but what are you, a caveman? You can avoid the logistical problems of extension cords, finding stable surfaces, and the risk of ruining your gear with either a dedicated outdoor TV or a projector.

If you plan to watch TV outside a lot, a set like the Samsung Terrace receives excellent reviews. But it’s several thousand dollars, so a projector is a better option for us mere mortals. Not only is it less expensive than a high-end set, there’s an authenticity that comes with projecting onto an actual screen. What better way is there to watch Jaws?

Our top overall top pick for outdoor projector: The XGIMI MoGo Pro. If you’re a get-to-the-point kind of person, Lifehacker’s resident AV expert, Daniel Oropeza, has been testing a ton of outdoor projectors, and his top choice is the XGIMI MoGo Pro. It’s definitely worth it to add the stand/powerbase to make it totally cordless.

There are a lot of choices out there, though, and some projectors are better than others for some situations and preferences. Here are some things to think about when choosing the right one for you:

• Resolution: If you’re a true cinephile, and you need high resolution, even on casual movie night, consider this Anker Nebula Cosmos 4K SE. It delivers full 4K resolution, just like it says on the tin.  

• Brightness: The bigger the screen, the brighter the projector needs to be. You also need to take the ambient light into account—the more ambient light, the more brightness you need. Luckily, even a budget-friendly projector like this BenQ GV30 projector will do a decent enough job for movie night, and they’re extremely light and portable, too.

• Tight space: If you don’t have a huge backyard, but you still want to project a big image, you can take a look at projectors with short throw lens, like this Optoma GT780.

• Cords: You can avoid the hassle of running extension cords outside with a cordless projector, like this Anker Nebula Capsule 3 Laser projector.

Our sister site PCMag recently took a deep dive into outdoor projectors and named the Epson EpiqVision Mini EF12 as the best overall, so that’s an excellent place to start (or end) your research.

Choosing the right screen for your backyard theater

Throwing video onto the wall of your house or garage might work, but only if the wall is white and not textured. Any imperfection will throw distracting shadows. Stucco is a definite no-go. A hung-up bedsheet could work in a pinch, if it’s wrinkle-free and there’s no breeze to ripple your movie. But a better solution is a dedicated screen. Here are a couple suggestions:

• The go-big option: This 16-foot diagonal inflatable screen is a hit among Amazon’s users, and it’s absolutely huge.

• A more modest pick: Lifehacker’s Daniel Oropeza swears by the 120-inch Manual Pull Down Projector Screen: “It’s cheap and it works great in Atlanta’s humidity,” he told me. (We talk about movie screens a lot.)

Choosing a media player for your outdoor theater

Most projectors designed for home use, even on the budget side, are smart devices that stream out-of-the-box, so you won’t have to drag your Blu-ray player outside. But if your projector doesn’t do that, plug in a USB-based streamer like a Roku Streaming Stick or an Amazon Fire TV Stick. Boom: problem solved.

Choosing a sound system for your outdoor movie theater

Many projectors feature onboard speakers, but these are often tinny and sad. Since sound is half of the experience of watching a movie, you’ll probably want something better. Most people will want to go the Bluetooth speaker route. I’ve already written a guide to great outdoor speaker setups, and the same rules apply to movies as music.  But if you want to get more serious, something like this Sonance Patio Series 4.1 Speaker System can live in your yard permanently and provide background music all year, as well as full surround sound for movie night.

Outdoor movie theater extras that you might not have thought of

Extension cords: The amount of cords that will need to run into your backyard depends entirely on how your yard is wired and what gear you’re using, but it can’t hurt to stock up on a long extension cord or two so you won’t be running to Staples on movie night.

Cord cover mat: Speaking of cords, consider a cord cover mat to make sure any wiring is covered so guests don’t trip.

Wifi extender: Before movie night, check if your wifi actually reaches your backyard. If not, consider a wifi extender.

Blankets: Remember to keep a supply of blankets on hand in case things get chilly.

What movies should you show at your outdoor movie night?

The movie you choose is really the most important thing about your outdoor movie night. Conventional wisdom says to go for classics with good vibes: Back to the Future, The Goonies, Raiders of the Lost Ark. But it’s your movie night, so screen some Bergman if you want. For a ton of great movie ideas, check out Lifehacker cinephile Ross Johnson’s list of the hottest movies ever for summer.

Ideas for making your home movie night extra special

There are lots of ways you can make your best-summer-ever movie night an occasion instead of just “watching movies outside.” Here are a few ideas:

• Themed night: Pick a lane and stick to it: 1980s flicks, superhero night, rom-com marathon—whatever suits your crowd. 

• Create a program: Take some inspiration from the way movie houses did it in the past and show some related trailers, drive-in movie interstitials, or even a newsreel before the main feature. You can find compilations of all of these on YouTube.

• Trivia: Everyone likes a trivia contest. You can make your own group trivia contests at Kahoot that can be shown on your backyard screen, so make one related to the genre you’re showing.

With just a few pieces of gear and a little planning, you can bring back the magic of the drive-in—without leaving your yard.

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Welcome to “Best Summer Ever,” your guide to getting the most out of the sunny season. Whether your idea of a perfect summer is embarking on epic adventures or blissfully doing as little as possible, we’ve got you covered. Because the best summer doesn’t just happen—you have to make it happen.

If your idea of “going camping” involves a solo trek far off the beaten path to get in touch with primal survival, I’ll see you when you get home. My camping vibe is the opposite of “roughing it.” (Life is rough enough.) I love the outdoors, but I don’t like to suffer, so I’ve put together this gear guide to making your next camping trip as comfortable as possible.

I recently took a comfort-focused camping trip and tested all the products recommended below, and it was a game-changer: I’m usually over camping after a couple of days, but with this gear, I could happily spend much more time in the woods.

The most essential camping gear

How to choose the right tent for your camping trip

God bless backpackers and adventurers, but I have no interest in spending any time in survival-style tents like this OneTigris Backwoods Bushcraft Shelter. I like my tents as large as possible, and after testing out a 12′ Teton Sports Canvas tent, I’m never going back to cramped nylon. This thing is like a portable hotel room—it sleeps 10 people. A tent this size is obviously too heavy for backpacking, but if you’re loading it in the car, or going to a festival or something, I highly recommend it.

While it’s not hard to set up a large tent like the Teton, it’s fairly time consuming—there are a lot of pegs to hammer into the ground. If you want ease-of-construction, check out this Gazelle T4. We timed the set-up, and it took 90 seconds to go from bag to finished tent, and another five minutes to hammer in a few pegs. It’s a tall tent, too, so no hunching over.

Another excellent choice: this Skydome Tent from Coleman (the portable stove people). It sets up easily, is six feet tall at its highest point, and is $250 right now. And it’s designed to block out 90% of light, so you can sleep in or take a nap in the middle of the day.

The best pads, cots, and air mattresses for camping

I hate being uncomfortable when I sleep. I hate air mattresses. I need a frame and some support, so I was psyched to test out this Teton cot. Paired with a foam sleeping pad, it’s nearly as comfortable as my actual bed, and the coldness from the ground doesn’t seep into your bones like it would with an air mattress. No notes. My camping companion, David, swears by the Exped MegaMat. It’s pricey, but according to David, it’s ridiculously comfortable, even when laid directly on the floor of your tent.

The best sleeping bag for camping

… is no sleeping bag. For car-camping, since and weight and space don’t matter, I say forget the sleeping bag altogether. They’re constricting, claustrophobic, and often too hot for summertime camping, so I just bring some old blankets from home. I’d rather have layers of blankets so I can control the temperature and avoid feeling locked in.

The best cooking gear for camping

The idea of cooking over a fire pales in comparison to actually doing it, so pack a camp stove. This UCO Flatpack Smokeless Firepit and Grill is a very nice one. I have a battered old Coleman campstove like this one that suits all my needs, but I tested out this Jetboil Flash Camping Stove, and the thing boils water in less than two minutes. Amazing.

The best bug repellents for camping

Throw away your citronella candles and those horrible coil things. All you need for full mosquito protection is a Thermacell diffuser. It’s the final word on keeping mosquitos away. As for personal bug protection, if you want a DEET-based insect spray alternative, try the Tongo brand insect repellent—I tested it and highly recommend it. Not only did it keep all bugs off my skin, the scents of green tea-mint and citrus-sandalwood both smell great.

Absolute camping must-have: a first aid kit

Make sure you bring a first aid kit. You don’t need anything fancy; this one, for instance, is very lightweight, waterproof, and features hospital-grade first aid treatments for cuts, scrapes, fractures, headaches, and more.

Almost essential camping gear: trail shoes, cleansing spray, and more

The above tents, stoves, and beds are all you need for basic survival, but who wants to settle for basic? The below “extras” can be omitted from your trip, but only if you’re a bare-bones kind of person.

• Body cleansing spray: Just because you’re camping, doesn’t mean you have to be gross. I really like Pristine’s body cleansing spray. It feels amazing going on, and the Oakmoss and Aloe scent is tops. The company also makes toilet paper spray, which also works great—even if the sharks on Shark Tank didn’t see it that way.

• Trail shoes: An old pair of Converse are perfectly acceptable for car-camping, but if you’re doing any hiking, consider trail shoes, like these from Hoka, aim for the sweet spot between heavy hiking boots and running shoes. They’re a great solution for more casual hiking.

• An e-bike: If you have a rack, throw a Lectric Peak X 2 e-bike on the back of the SUV so you can get around the campground in style, or even do a little all-terrain riding. Read my full review here.

Non-essential, ridiculously luxurious camping gear

So you’ve straightened out the basic survival, and you’ve got a way to clean and feed yourself. But is that enough? Don’t you want to take your camping trip to a new level of comfort? If so, the gear below will turn your camping trip into a glamping trip.

• Camping espresso maker: Just because you’re outside, doesn’t mean your coffee should suck. We tested out a Nanopresso Portable Espresso Maker, and waking up to high-end coffee is seriously the best. Maybe this should be listed under “essential gear.”

• An air conditioner/heater: Being able to control the temperature inside your tent is game-changing. This Ecoflow Wave 3 air conditioner/heater, paired with the add-on battery, kept my tent chilly during the day, and comfy warm at night, and my tent is huge.

• Karaoke machine: If you want camping entertainment, you can’t do better than camping karaoke! The Ikarao Break X2 karaoke machine is portable, with enough battery power to keep campers caterwauling into the campground’s quiet hours. Check out my full review here.

• Bass guitar and drum machines: Breaking out an acoustic guitar and singing “Kumbaya” is for hippies. Instead, turn your local KOA into Burning Man by plugging a Roland AIRA T-8 Beat Machine, a Yamaha FGDP-50 finger drums, and a Fender bass into your karaoke machine, and make 1990s techno. (Seriously, do this. It was the most fun I’ve ever had on a camping trip.)

Camping gear you might not have even thought of

• Fire-starting gear: My wife once gave me a Bear Grylls Fire Starter with a ferrocerium rod, SOS instruction, and a built-in emergency whistle. The thought was nice, but it’s useless. Just bring a lighter.

• Welding gloves: A pair of welding gloves are an essential part of my camping pack, because being able to manually rearrange hot logs leads to optimal campfires.

• Flashlight gloves: What can I say? I like gloves. These LED-powered gloves are better than a flashlight, because you don’t have to hold them. You’ll find them useful at home too, for all kinds of low-light, detail-oriented work. 

• Headlamp: Like LED gloves, headlamps are better than flashlights because they let you keep your hands free.

• Booze: It’s a taste thing, but my favorite camping tipple is Hochstadter’s Slow & Low Rock & Rye, a delicious mix of rye whiskey, rock candy, oranges, and honey that’s strong enough to matter but mellow too.

• Toilet paper tablets: These individually packaged, compact little “pills” contain disposable personal towels for all your business; throw some in the glovebox in case they didn’t refill the TP at the campground. 

• Guyline cord adjusters: Throw some cord adjusters in with the tent stakes. Whether you’re setting up a tent or a hammock, cord adjusters will take the place of knots. They’re the kind of thing you never knew you always needed.  

So this summer, if you see someone rolling up to the campsite on an e-bike, with espresso in hand, blaring techno, come say hi. I’ll be the one sleeping like a baby in a climate-controlled circus tent.

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Welcome to “Cookbook of the Week.” This is a series where I highlight cookbooks that are unique, easy to use, or just special to me. While finding a particular recipe online serves a quick purpose, flipping through a truly excellent cookbook has a magic all its own. 

You’ve mastered roast chicken, crushed barbecue pork, perfected your homemade biscuits, and your grandma’s recipe for tortellini is immaculate. Some folks think a good main dish is the ticket to a perfect meal, but they’re not seeing the big picture. One of the most crucial components to a stellar meal is none other than using the right sauce—but sauce from scratch is a skill set unto itself. 

Sauce making takes a keen palate for balancing flavor, consideration for texture, sometimes careful emulsification, and awareness for proportions. It’s no wonder we often reach into the condiment shelf of our fridge door, no one wants to screw up a sauce. I think having a helpful sidekick with reliable sauce recipes might be just what we need. That’s why I chose Saucy for cookbook of the week. 

A bit about the book

Written by Ashley Boyd, Saucy is a tantalizing book of a wide variety of sauce recipes—herby, tangy, sweet, and umami. This cookbook is made to complement, not take over your diet. Even the petite dimensions of the book signal that it’s a team player; the backup dancer that elevates your main book of recipes.

The chapters are organized by flavor profile, texture, and sometimes by ingredient, like creamy or tomato-based. One of my favorite features of this cookbook is the section in the front that gives you sauce pairings based on what your main dish is. When I set out to make lunch or cook dinner, I’m thinking of my main meal first. Am I eating dumplings tonight or salad? How should I finish off that roast chicken? Once I have that all figured out, I can flip through this cookbook and mosey over to the Chicken and Fish section of pairings and decide which of the 15 suggested sauces sounds good to me.

After you get through the multiple chapters of flavor-packed sauces and drizzles, Boyd goes a step further and supplies you with a few classic recipes in case you don’t actually have that main dish part figured out. There are recipes for pancakes, bread pudding, roast chicken, steak, and a few others. 

The sauce (and dish) I made this week

I fully believe a well-matched sauce can take a meal to the next level. However, I rarely make them from scratch. (Unless it’s gravy for mashed potatoes, obviously.) So that leaves me chronically buying sauces and tending to my library of condiments in the fridge. I’ll be honest, homemade sauce always tastes better but I settle for the bottled stuff for ease. 

I took this cookbook review as an opportunity to break out of my comfort zone and make myself some fresh sauce. It wasn’t easy to start; I was interested in almost every sauce I saw in this book. I had leftover rotisserie chicken to eat so I decided a sandwich would be nice. I landed on the Lebanese Garlic Sauce, and thought of all the delicious wraps and pitas I’ve had with that sort of punchy garlic sauce. Lunch was decided.

Part of the deciding factor was that this garlic sauce only required four ingredients—garlic cloves, salt, canola oil, and lemon juice—and I already had them all. To make life even easier, I used my Vitamix Ascent X5 to take care of all that finicky emulsification business. This sauce is a true aioli and meant to be bright white, thick, and spreadable like mayo, but a vampire’s nightmare. An aioli can take patience lest it break, like all emulsions. If you don’t have a high-powered blender, I recommend using an immersion blender to make life easier.

I tossed all of the garlic cloves into the blender along with the salt and pulsed it together until it was finely minced. Then I started the process of drizzling in oil and alternating with lemon juice, scraping the sides, and repeating as the cookbook directions indicated. 

I may not have picked the funnest nor the fastest sauce, but I do believe I picked the most complementary sauce for my rotisserie chicken wrap. Alone, this garlic sauce is way too strong. It’s almost harsh with raw garlic. A bad recipe? No, friends. This is exactly why sauce-making is an art. Sauce is meant to support the main dish. It needs to be strong in small doses. You wouldn’t eat hot sauce as a bowl of soup. I hope.

I smeared thin swipes of the creamy garlic sauce along one side of my Lebanese pita bread and piled chicken, tomato, lettuce, pickles, yogurt, and harissa onto the other. I was a little worried the garlic would be too sharp, too raw, and ruin my lunch, but instead every bite was a victory lap. It’s the best version of that pita that I could have made. The Lebanese Garlic Sauce saved my lunch from being just OK. The only reason I don’t have post-lunch-sadness right now is because that recipe made about 12 ounces of sauce and I can’t wait to use it again.

A great cookbook to elevate everything you make

Saucy is a great cookbook for any home cook that’s ever had the feeling like something’s missing. That feeling that your burger, chicken wing, or salad is on the brink of perfection but it’s falling flat for indescribable reasons. You need a sauce. 

The recipes in this book are largely straightforward with four to 10 ingredients and most of them are easy to find in major grocery stores. Each one gives you short procedural steps, followed by instructions on how to store that particular sauce. Sauces are powerful, so you often only need a little bit. The rest of the recipe can be sealed up in a jar to live in the fridge for at least five days and some for up to three months. 

If you see yourself becoming a sauce maven, I suggest saving some jam jars so you can keep your collection organized in the fridge. Actually, a nice jarred sauce might make a great gift for Father’s Day. And why not throw in a copy of Saucy too?

How to buy it

Saucy is available as an ebook, but I insist on grabbing the hardcover if you can. It’s wonderfully compact with some really mesmerizing photography. If you have a bookstore nearby, leave the computer behind and see if they have Saucy in the cookbook section. If not, maybe they can order it for you.

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In 2023, I decided to update my Apple Watch after consistently failing to wear my Series 4 for a number of years. I sold that one on Poshmark and began looking at newer models to find one with enough features to convince me to actually wear it. I opted to get a Series 8, although the Series 9 had just been released, as I was buying two: one for my mom and one for myself. As it turns out, that was a great decision.

If you’re searching for a new wearable or considering upgrading yours, you might also be wondering which of the older Apple Watch models is still useful today. My Series 8 is holding up beautifully three years after it was introduced, so I’m a big proponent of using older devices as long as possible. But not all Apple Watches will work as well as the Series 8 does in 2025.

Don’t buy a watch Apple doesn’t support anymore

We have to draw the line somewhere: Seven of Apple’s watches are no longer supported, meaning they won’t receive any software or security updates anymore. In addition, you run the risk that the watch will no longer be compatible with your iPhone or certain apps. In short, you shouldn’t buy a watch that Apple doesn’t support. That includes the following:

• Apple Watch Series 0

• Apple Watch Series 1

• Apple Watch Series 2

• Apple Watch Series 3

• Apple Watch Series 4

• Apple Watch Series 5

• Apple Watch SE (first-gen)

While the company does currently support the Series 6, it is next in line to join this list. It’s not clear when that will happen, but you can be sure it will. We’ll see next week—when Apple reveals watchOS 26—whether the watch will be supported another year. If not, it’ll be stuck on watchOS 11 for good.

Performance and other generational Watch improvements

There are considerations for older Apple Watch models that extend beyond their ability to simply run the latest operating system. With each generation, improvements are made in some form or another. For instance, the Series 4 introduced the ECG sensor, while the Series 6 introduced the blood oxygen sensor (though Apple had to disable the feature for the Series 9 and Ultra 2 in the U.S. due to a lawsuit). The Series 7 charges faster than its predecessors, and Apple has included fast charging on most watch models since (sorry, Apple Watch SE users).

In general, each Apple Watch is faster than the last. Apple tends to put its newest S-Chip—the Apple Watch’s processor—in its latest watch series. Simply put, a newer S-chip gives you a faster, more productive product. The Series 6 has an S6 chip, Series 7 has S7, and so on until you hit the Ultras. (The first-generation Ultra has an S8 chip like the Series 8, while the Ultra 2 has an S9 chip like the Series 9.)

While there are some core features all currently supported watches share—like workout and swim tracking, sleep tracking, Apple Pay, ECG scanning, and the ability to read and respond to messages—newer models also each have some of their own special advancements and upgrades. Here’s a brief list:

• The Series 7 introduced faster charging, a larger display, and more durable screen.

• The Series 8 brought temperature sensing, crash detection, and a low-power mode for conserving battery (as did the second-gen Apple Watch SE).

• The Series 9 debuted new gesture controls, on-device Siri access, more precise location tracking in Find My, and a display with double the brightness of the Series 8.

• The first-gen Apple Watch Ultra introduced a more durable titanium casing, custom shortcuts to apps and modes via the Action button, a depth gauge and water temperature sensor, more accurate GPS, a 36-hour battery life, and an emergency siren.

• The Apple Watch Ultra 2 introduced a display with a maximum brightness of 3,000 nits and on-device media playback.

• The Series 10 introduced the largest display available on a standard Apple Watch and faster charging.

If you see a feature you absolutely need in a particular watch model, you’ll have to spring for it. But if you just want something for core Apple Watch tasks, you can start to consider older options. Apple’s watch comparison site can be a helpful tool for identifying different features among models.

Battery degradation

All tech degrades to some extent and the Apple Watch is no different—particularly when it comes to the battery. While there are ways to mitigate the problem, over time, the lithium-ion battery powering your wrist computer won’t last as long as it used to. That might be a bigger issue than your watch’s ability to download and support a new operating system. Apple’s warranty doesn’t cover batteries that wear down from normal use, and charges $99 for the repair, which you could instead put towards the purchase of a new watch. There is one exception: Battery service is free if you have AppleCare+ and your watch’s battery holds less than 80% of its original capacity. You need to take your watch in to an Apple Store or service provider to have it tested.

My watch was pre-owned, and while I have no way of knowing if it has its original battery, my battery life has not declined substantially in the two years I’ve been using it daily. I primarily use mine to track my workouts, vitals, and sleep, which means it’s always running. I charge it while I’m in the shower and occasionally for a few minutes before bed, and that’s about it. On an average day of constant notifications, mine lasts me a bit longer than the advertised 18-hour mark. Because I have little interest in the small improvements offered by the Series 9 and Series 10—like extra brightness, larger screen size, performance bumps, and advanced cycle tracking—the battery life is what would (or will) compel me to upgrade in the future, but for now, I have not noticed any problems. I asked my mom if she’s noticed any battery degradation on hers, since I bought it at the same time and place as mine, and she said no. She uses hers to track walking workouts, talk on the phone, and monitor her sleep and vitals, too.

Stick with the Series 7 or newer

Thoroughly consider which of the features on newer models are actually important to you before making any buying decision and, if you can, stay above a Series 7. The Series 6 is still functional, but, again, it’s a matter of time until the company stops acknowledging that one completely.

For now, I have been pleasantly surprised by how well my Series 8 has held up for two years. Its touchscreen has never faltered, the external buttons function perfectly, it syncs to all of my apps and devices with no problem, and it does exactly what I need it to do—which is to tell me how many steps I’m taking and how hard I’m exerting myself at the gym. If you’re in the market for a smart watch, I see no reason that an older version shouldn’t be considered, as long as it still runs the latest operating system. You can save a chunk of change by sourcing an older model from the resale or refurbished markets and put that money away for when Apple drops something super revolutionary in the wearable space.

Apple doesn’t sell anything below a Series 10 or SE directly anymore, so if you want a 6, 7, 8, or 9, you’ll have to check the resale and refurbished markets. You’ll definitely save some money that way (a new Series 10 starts at $399, though it can be found on sale, and the refurbished Series 8 I got is selling right now for $219).

I don’t expect Meta to respect my data or my privacy, but the company continues to surprise me with how low they’re willing to go in the name of data collection. The latest such story comes to us from a report titled “Disclosure: Covert Web-to-App Tracking via Localhost on Android.” In short, Meta and Yandex (a Russian technology company) have been tracking potentially billions of Android users by abusing a security loophole in Android. That loophole allows the companies to access identifying browsing data from your web browser as long as you have their Android apps installed.

How does this tracking work?

As the report explains, Android allows any installed app with internet permissions to access the “loopback address” or localhost, an address a device uses to communicate with itself. As it happens, your web browser also has access to the localhost, which allows JavaScripts embedded on certain websites to connect to Android apps and share browsing data and identifiers.

What are those JavaScripts, you might ask? In this case, that’s Meta Pixel and Yandex Metrica, scripts that let companies track users on their sites. Trackers are an unfortunate part of the modern internet, but Meta Pixel is only supposed to be able to follow you while you browse the web. This loop lets Meta Pixel scripts send your browsing data, cookies, and identifiers back to installed Meta apps like Facebook and Instagram. The same goes for Yandex with its apps like Maps and Browser.

You certainly didn’t sign up for that when you installed Instagram on your Android device. But once you logged in, the next time you visited a website that embedded Meta Pixel, the script beamed your information back to the app. All of a sudden, Meta had identifying browsing data from your web activity, not via the browsing itself, but from the “unrelated” Instagram app.

Chrome, Firefox, and Edge were all affected in these findings. DuckDuckGo blocked some but not all of the domains here, so it was “minimally affected.” Brave does block requests to the localhost if you don’t consent to it, so it did successfully protect users from this tracking.

Researchers say Yandex has been doing this since February of 2017 on HTTP sites, and May of 2018 on HTTPS sites. Meta Pixel, on the other hand, hasn’t been tracking this way for long: It only started September of 2024 for HTTP, and ended that practice in October. It started via Websocket and WebRTC STUN in November, and WebRTC TURN in May.

Website owners apparently complained to Meta starting in September, asking why Meta Pixel communicates with the localhost. As far as researchers could find, Meta never responded.

Researchers make it clear that the type of tracking is possible on iOS, as developers can establish localhost connections and apps can “listen in” too. However, they found no evidence of this tracking on iOS devices, and hypothesize that it has to do with how iOS restricts native apps running in the background.

Meta has officially stopped this tracking

The good news is, as of June 3, researchers say they have not observed Meta Pixel communicating with the localhost. They didn’t say the same for Yandex Metrika, though Yandex told Ars Technica it was “discontinuing the practice.” Ars Technica also reports that Google has opened an investigation into these actions that “blatantly violate our security and privacy principles.”

However, even if Meta has stopped this tracking following the report, the damage could be widespread. As highlighted in the report, estimates put Meta Pixel adoption anywhere from 2.4 million to 5.8 million sites. From here, researchers found that just over 17,000 Meta Pixel sites in the U.S. attempt to connect to the localhost, and over 78% of those do so without any user consent needed, including sites like AP News, Buzzfeed, and The Verge. That’s a lot of websites that could have been sending your data back to your Facebook and Instagram apps. The report features a tool that you can use to look for affected sites, but notes the list is not exhaustive, and absence doesn’t mean the site is safe.

Meta sent me the following statement in response to my request for comment: “We are in discussions with Google to address a potential miscommunication regarding the application of their policies. Upon becoming aware of the concerns, we decided to pause the feature while we work with Google to resolve the issue.”

The Switch 2 is finally out this week, if you were lucky enough to secure a preorder, anyway. If you’re upgrading, you might want to sell your older Switch, if only to offset the higher price tag this time around (to say nothing of tariff impacts). Before you pop your trusty console on eBay, you should make sure to clean it out properly.

Factory resetting any device you sell is good practice—it ensures the buyer doesn’t get access to your accounts, payment info, or other personal information that you might not want a stranger to have. On a device like the Switch, though, there’s a bit more to it. If you have any game save data, screenshots, or video clips you want to keep, you’ll need to take care to preserve those.

Use the System Transfer tool for simple upgrades

If you’re upgrading from a Switch to the Switch 2, then the System Transfer tool will walk you through transferring all your games, save files, screenshots, and clips from your old console to the new one. It’s the most straightforward process for moving into your new console, and it’s the path that’s likely to work for most people.

However, it’s worth noting a couple caveats to this process. First, you need both consoles in hand to start the process. If you’re planning to sell your Switch to help pay for your Switch 2, you might want to try the methods outlined below to back up your data before you have the new console in hand.

Second, the transfer tool is designed to work with a single Nintendo account on a personal console. If you share your Switch with your family or friends—and especially if they’re not part of a Switch Online family plan—then you might need to download or transfer some of their data manually using the processes below.

No matter what method you use for transferring data, you’ll always still need to factory reset your device before selling it. More on that below.

Backup (or transfer) your game save data

Most of your data is stored locally on the Switch, which is convenient for a portable console that might not always have internet access. It’s also a bit of a pain for backing up before you reset your device. To make matters slightly more annoying, Nintendo only supports backing up save data to the cloud if you have a Nintendo Switch Online subscription (fortunately, there are ways to get a free trial).

If you’re already a Switch Online subscriber, you’re (mostly) good to go. Cloud saves are automatically enabled for any games that support it. You can double check if a particular game supports cloud saves, and whether the data is backed up, by highlighting the game on your Home screen, pressing the + button, and selecting Save Data Cloud. Choose the user whose data you want to save and you’ll see when it was most recently backed up.

What about people without a Switch Online membership? Well, you still have an option, it just doesn’t involve the cloud. Head to System Settings from the Home screen, and scroll to Data Management. Here, you can choose Transfer Your Save Data.

This option will only work if your old and new console are in the same place, so if you’re upgrading, you’re better off just using the System Transfer tool mentioned above. For profiles besides the main account holder, though, this can be a helpful tool to make sure no one loses their saves.

Transfer or store your screenshots and clips

If you want to keep the copious amounts of screenshots and 30-second video clips you’ve snagged on your Switch over the years, you have a few options. The System Transfer tool moves them over to your new console, but you can also manually decide where and how to back them up.

Head to System Settings and scroll to Data Management. Here, select Manage Screenshots and Videos, and you’ll find a few useful options. The first is changing the location screenshots and videos are saved to—if you have a microSD card, I recommend changing this to the default save location. The Switch 2 has 256GB of internal space, and the original Switch only has a meager 32GB (or 64GB for the OLED model). Save that space for your games, and put your extra media on the card.

If you’ve done this in the past, your work here might already be done. You can choose to transfer your screenshots and videos from the system memory to the microSD card from this menu, either in total, or by selecting only the ones you want.

Finally, you can choose to connect your Switch to a computer and transfer via USB. This is a handy way to offload media if you don’t have a microSD card sitting around. Once you’ve moved your media to something other than the Switch’s internal memory, you’re finally ready for a reset.

Factory reset your Switch

Once you’ve made sure that all your data is backed up and stored safely outside the console, you can factory reset your console. Note: If you didn’t use the System Transfer tool, it’s up to you to make sure all your data is safely backed up. Being thorough is a virtue here.

When you’re ready, head to System Settings and scroll all the way to the bottom to find System. Then scroll all the way to the bottom of that menu to find Formatting Options. Then, you guessed it, scroll to the bottom of this section to Initialize Console. Nintendo really doesn’t want you hitting this button by accident, and even after burying it, you’ll see a little icon with an exclamation mark inside a diamond, so you know it’s important.

When you select this option, you’ll have to jump through a couple more warnings asking if you’re absolutely sure you’re ready to erase everything on the system memory. Double check that you’ve gotten everything you need—and connect your system to a power outlet while you’re at it—and confirm that you’re ready to go. The process will take a few minutes, and when it’s done it should restart as though it’s brand new.

Don’t forget to grab your cartridges and microSD cards!

After all that work to back up your data, it would be really embarrassing to sell your console with a game cartridge or the microSD card holding all your data still inside. Fortunately, now that you’ve read this, you won’t forget. Right? OK, good.

If you have a cartridge in the slot, make sure that the game is closed and you’re back on the Home screen before removing it. Nintendo advises this to make sure you don’t accidentally mess up any save data or cause other issues.

The microSD card is easier to miss, because on most Switch models, it’s tucked underneath the kickstand. Flip up the kickstand, gently press on the card, and it should pop right out. Once again, make sure that nothing is using the card when you do this. That can include any games that were installed on the card, or if you happen to be viewing any clips stored on it. If you’re not sure, the safest option is to turn the console all the way off.

Once you’ve followed all these steps, you’re ready to give away or sell your old console. If you backed up your data before getting your hands on a new console, then make sure to keep your microSD card in a safe place, and keep that Switch Online subscription handy for when you move in to your new device.

ChatGPT introduced its Memory feature more than a year ago now. This feature lets users save particular details about their life or work in the ChatGPT memory bank, so they don’t need to repeat them with each new prompt. But using the Memory feature as it launched frequently required manually checking which information was saved and managing it yourself, which meant it was pretty easy to let it fall behind.

OpenAI’s solution was to let ChatGPT remember way more about you. The Memory feature now builds a long-term memory bank based on all your saved ChatGPT conversations, rather than just key details. You can still save those key details, but you don’t have to rely only on them anymore. Until now, conversation memory was limited to paid users, meaning those with a ChatGPT Plus plan and higher.

Now, though, OpenAI is rolling out a limited version of this feature for all free and logged-in users. If you use ChatGPT multiple times a day, this might help reduce some back and forth in your conversations with it.

ChatGPT will now remember your recent conversations

Now, in addition to being able to remember key details about you, which was already available to free users, ChatGPT can reference your chat history, even if you don’t pay for it. However, chat history for free users will be limited to recent conversations, whereas paid users can have the AI remember all of their conversation history.

When this feature is enabled, ChatGPT will use your past conversations to automatically recall useful information about you that you’ve shared with it before. It will use this to learn about your interests, hobbies, or topics you frequently ask about, in order to make chats more personalized and relevant.

How far back the feature’s memory can pull from for free users isn’t exactly clear. OpenAI says the free version of this feature is “lightweight” and focuses on “short term continuity,” so don’t expect it to pull back from conversations that are a few years, or possibly even months, old.

There is an unscientific way to test what ChatGPT knows about you, though. In addition to checking your saved memories (I’ll get to that in a second), you could ask the bot to describe you based on your chat history with it. ChatGPT will list what it knows about you based on the previous conversations available in its memory.

How to stop ChatGPT from remembering your recent conversations

I can see this feature being useful to people who use ChatGPT all the time. If you use ChatGPT to plan out workouts and meals based on specific information you’ve already given it about you, for instance, I can see how accessing information shared in a chat from a week ago can be helpful. Just be careful not to trust its advice too much.

On the flipside, there will be times when you either won’t want ChatGPT to remember something, or you’d rather it not check your conversation history when finding an answer.

To temporarily avoid the memory feature upgrade, you can try using ChatGPT’s Temporary Chat feature, which is like ChatGPT’s Incognito mode. The things you say here won’t be saved by ChatGPT history or by this new Memory feature. When you start a new chat, use the dotted Chat icon in the top-right corner to turn it into a Temporary chat.

A more permanent option is to turn off the feature altogether. This is good if you’d rather ChatGPT not remember any of your conversations. To do this, click your Profile icon in ChatGPT and choose Settings. Go to Personalization, and find the Memory section.

Now, disable the Reference chat history option. This will prevent the AI from remembering what you’ve said to it before. You can also disable Reference saved memories here, which both turns off chat history and keeps ChatGPT from remembering key details about you. Alternatively, click Manage memories to see a specific list of key details that ChatGPT knows about you, and delete them if you wish.

When I think of Nothing (the phone company), I think of value. The Nothing Phone 3a, for example, is $379, but it doesn’t feel like it: It looks cool, it performs well, and checks many of the boxes you’d expect from a phone that costs twice as much, if not more.

These phones aren’t perfect, of course, and are missing some features that the best iPhones, Pixels, and Galaxies might have. But that’s kind of the point: The company cuts features that most users don’t want or need at this price point, while offering features that many “budget” phones often omit. In a world of expensive flagships, it’s cool to see a company continue to prioritize a premium smartphone experience while keeping the price in check.

Even the Phone 2, which was not considered a “budget” phone, launched at $599—more expensive than the 3a for sure, but not quite premium iPhone pricing. That’s why I find the Nothing Phone 3 to be a bit confusing. The company officially announced on Wednesday that its newest phone will arrive in July of 2025:

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Nothing hasn’t revealed too many details about the new phone yet, other than what CEO Carl Pei shared at Google I/O. Back in May, Pei said that Nothing Phone 3 would be the company’s “first true flagship smartphone,” and will include “premium materials, major performance upgrades, and software that really levels things up.”

That all sounds good. I mean, who doesn’t want those three elements in their smartphone of choice? Unfortunately, it appears that trifecta comes at a cost. Pei followed up that vague announcement with the Phone 3’s price tag: £800, or roughly $1,085 when converted to USD. Essentially, the Nothing Phone 3 will directly compete with the iPhone 16 Pro, Pixel 9 Pro, and Galaxy S25+.

Now, it’s possible the U.S. pricing could differ: As spotted by 9to5Google, leaker MysteryLupin posted on X that Phone 3 will cost $799, with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, while the 16GB RAM variant with 512GB of storage costs $899. That $200 could make a difference, and would make the Phone 3 cheaper than the iPhone 16, and in the same arena as the Galaxy S25 and Pixel 9. Leaks and rumors should always be taken with a grain of salt, but Nothing only disclosed the U.K. pricing, so we’re not necessarily locked into that £800 price.

We also don’t know enough to say whether that $800 to $1,000 MSRP would be worth it, and we likely won’t until reviewers get their hands on the Phone 3, but I have to admit some skepticism at this early stage. Maybe the Phone 3 will be the phone to beat this year, but to me, Nothing’s strength is in its simplicity: I like that the company makes a phone that looks, well, nothing like the competition, while also finding a way to keep an exceptional price. Sure, extra features and performance are always welcome, but for potentially an additional $700, I’m not sure they’re that welcome.

Reddit is giving users more control to choose which activity other users can see on their public profiles. A new “curate my profile” feature allows users to selectively show or hide posting and commenting activity, as well as follower counts and NSFW content and communities.

What’s changed with Reddit profile settings

With new “Content and activity” settings, Reddit users can choose to hide all public posts and comments or selectively display activity from some subreddits on their profiles while keeping others hidden. Users can also hide follower counts as well as NSFW content and communities from their profiles.

Previously, all posts and comments were visible on a user’s public profile, which remains the default. While users are largely anonymous, anyone could see their activity, such as posting history and which communities they’d participated in. As Engadget notes, this allowed the broader community to hold users accountable for bad behavior, and some users are concerned that the ability to hide activity from a public profile will make said behavior more difficult to see.

On the flip side, TechCrunch points out that the option to limit public post visibility may encourage more participation. Users who wanted to engage in communities on sensitive topics may have created throwaway accounts to avoid having that activity appear on their profile—or chosen not to participate at all.

Note that hiding activity on your profile won’t hide your username on posts and comments in the community itself. You also cannot hide individual posts or comments from your profile—you can only show or hide all activity from an entire community. Moderators may still have access to your history even if you’ve changed your visibility settings.

How to change your Reddit profile visibility

According to Reddit’s announcement, the feature began rolling out on June 3. However, it may not be available to all users immediately—I don’t have it yet—so be sure to update your app to the latest version and keep an eye out for the new Curate your profile menu, which will appear just under View profile when you open your profile pane in the app.

When you select Curate your profile, you’ll see options to toggle NSFW content and follower count on and off. You can also tap Content and activity, which will give you a pop-up to show all, hide all, or customize what’s visible on your profile. If you choose Customize, you can select or deselect specific subs to show or hide activity from those communities.