After her game was banned from sale on Steam in a baffling decision with no appeal option, solo developer Cara Cadaver has made VILE: Exhumed available as shareware under a Creative Commons license. The project can be downloaded for free, but players can opt to donate in support of the solo developer's work. Both Cara and publisher DreadXP will pay forward those donations, with 50 percent of the game's profits being given to the Toronto-based charity Red Door Family Shelter. The group aids families, refugees and women who are escaping violence.

Both Steam and Itch.io have recently adopted sweeping and vague policies regarding their approach to projects with adult content due to pressure from payment processors. Itch.io has begun re-indexing some projects, but only free ones.

These changes have disproportionately impacted projects by underrepresented and queer creators, according to a statement from the International Game Developers Association that condemned the broad delisting of adult games. In her post announcing the new distribution plan for VILE: Exhumed, Cara summed up the situation pretty aptly: "What this actually results in is taking power and storytelling away from women, other marginalized artists, and ultimately, from everyone."

Sonos is having overheating issues with a "very low" number of its Roam speakers. Bloomberg reports that some users' portable Bluetooth speakers are overheating around the device's USB-C port. The company has not recalled any products as a result but it aware of the issue happening.

"We’ve closely tracked a limited number of reports involving the USB-C charging connection on some first-generation Sonos Roam speakers," Sonos said in a statement shared with Engadget. "While the overall incidence rate is very low, and environmental conditions appear to play a role, we’ve taken several proactive steps to even further reduce the likelihood of this issue, including software updates and accessory improvements."

The issue appears to be centered on the original model of the Sonos Roam that debuted in 2021; the Sonos Roam 2 offered some upgrades over that version when it rolled out last spring.

Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has sued multiple pornography platforms on allegations that they fall afoul of age verification laws. The state passed HB 3 in March 2024 and the law took effect in January 2025. HB 3 placed new requirements on services to confirm the ages of their users if they contain "material harmful to minors" and to ensure nobody younger than 18 accesses their content.

The lawsuit today targets the companies behind several porn sites, including XVideos, XNXX, BangBros and Girls Gone Wild, as well as adult advertising network Traffic Factory. "We are taking legal action against these online pornographers who are willfully preying on the innocence of children for their financial gain," Uthmeier said.

Although today's lawsuit focuses on pornography providers, many of the provisions in HB 3 also center on teen use of social media. In June, a judge temporarily blocked the law after NetChoice and the Computer and Communications Industry Association — groups representing several social media platforms — sought a preliminary injunction. Uthmeier has appealed that injunction to the Eleventh Circuit.

Yahoo, the parent company of Engadget, is a member of NetChoice. 

WhatsApp has shared a new update about how it prevents scams, as well as unveiling a new feature aimed at protecting users from possible swindles. People will now receive alerts when they are added to a new WhatsApp group by someone not in their contacts.

This safety overview will include key details about the group chat, such as the number of members, whether any other members are contacts and the chat's start date. It also offers some common sense reminders of how to avoid scams. Users can exit the group from that alert without ever looking at the chat if they choose, or can look at the chat to double-check whether it is a group they wish to participate in.

WhatsApp said it will "continue to test new approaches" for delivering similar alerts on individual direct messages within its service. These tools seem to still be in development, but the company indicated it is working on ways to catch scammers who initiate contact on a different platform before moving a conversation to WhatsApp.

In addition to the in-app tools, WhatsApp said that it has also identified and blocked many accounts used to perpetrate scams. During the first half of 2025, the company said it detected and banned more than 6.8 million accounts linked to scam centers. 

The Federal Trade Commission has published multiple reports over the years about the prevalence of scams on social media platforms.

The Lunar Trailblazer mission to the moon officially ended on July 31, but it wasn't a complete journey. NASA said today that its teams lost contact with the satellite shortly after its launch several months prior.

The NASA satellite was part of the IM-2 mission by Intuitive Machines, which took off from a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Kennedy Space Center on February 26 at 7:16PM ET. The Lunar Trailblazer successfully separated from the rocket as planned about 48 minutes after launch. Operators in Pasadena, CA established communication with the satellite at 8:13PM ET, but two-way communication was lost the next day and the team was unable to recover the connection. From the limited data ground teams received before the satellite went dark, the craft's solar arrays were not correctly positioned toward the sun, which caused its batteries to drain.

"While it was not the outcome we had hoped for, mission experiences like Lunar Trailblazer help us to learn and reduce the risk for future, low-cost small satellites to do innovative science as we prepare for a sustained human presence on the Moon," said Nicky Fox, associate administrator at NASA Headquarters' Science Mission Directorate. "Thank you to the Lunar Trailblazer team for their dedication in working on and learning from this mission through to the end."

The Lunar Trailblazer mission was one of several commercial spaceflights planned for travel to the moon during 2025. Its goal was to create high-resolution maps of any water on the moon's surface, as well as assessing how much water was present, in what forms and how it may have changed over time. Fingers crossed the remaining missions have better success.

• Linda Yaccarino stepped down as the CEO of X in July, after two years in the role.
• In August, she took a job as CEO of eMed Population Health, a telehealth company.
• Yaccarino has had a long career in advertising, from her early days as an intern at NBCU.

Linda Yaccarino made waves when she announced she was stepping down as the CEO of X on July 9, 2025, but her career didn't start in the tech space.

From decades at Turner Broadcasting, to climbing the ladder at NBCUniversal, to becoming chief executive of X, to leading a telehealth company, Yaccarino has climbed the advertising ladder.

Here's a quick breakdown on her path to — and now away from — X.

Yaccarino is a graduate of Pennsylvania State University.

According to her LinkedIn, Yaccarino was a liberal arts student who studied telecommunications between 1981 and 1985.

She had an early internship at NBCU, where she eventually worked decades later.

Yaccarino told Salesforce in an interview that she arrived on her first day as a "bright cheery new intern," but soon learned that the company didn't have a record of her in its system and she ended up on the media planning team.

"That's where the love affair was born," Yaccarino said of her interest in working in the media industry.

Yaccarino spent nearly 20 years at Turner Broadcasting System.

She spent nearly 20 years at Turner, formerly known as Turner Broadcasting System, eventually rising up to the role of executive vice president/chief operating officer of advertising sales, marketing and acquisitions.

Yaccarino worked there until late 2011.

Yaccarino worked at NBCU for 11 years.

An NBCU "boomerang" return hire, Yaccarino once again worked at NBCU after leaving Turner.

She began her second chapter at the company as its president of cable entertainment and digital advertising sales.

She eventually became the company's advertising chief.

Throughout her time at NBCU, Yaccarino rose to become the company's chairperson of global advertising and partnerships. She oversaw around 2,000 employees who produced more than $100 billion in ad sales, according to her old company profile page.

At NBCU, Yaccarino was key to the company's push into digital streaming.

Yaccarino was a strong advocate for NBCU's foray into streaming television through the service Peacock.

She also worked to keep NBCU competitive with Big Tech companies like Meta and Google.

In May 2023, Yaccarino announced that she had resigned from NBCU "effective immediately."

In a statement at the time, Yaccarino said that "it has been an absolute honor to be part of Comcast NBCUniversal and lead the most incredible team."

Elon Musk announced Yaccarino's role at Twitter the same day she announced her resignation.

Musk made the announcement on what was still Twitter at the time: "@LindaYacc will focus primarily on business operations, while I focus on product design & new technology."

He called her "smart, fair and reasonable" in a separate post after some conservatives on Twitter had criticized her ties to the World Economic Forum, an annual event for executives and influential figures in Davos, Switzerland.

Yaccarino also worked with President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden's administrations.

She served on a sports fitness and nutrition council for two years after Trump appointed her to the role in 2018.

In 2021, she worked with the Biden administration on an educational COVID-19 ad campaign.

She was CEO of X during a chaotic two years.

Musk renamed Twitter to X one month into Yaccarino's tenure, and she led the company during a tumultuous time.

She oversaw the platform during an advertiser exodus, working to convince advertisers to return. Advertisers began to return under her leadership, but Musk's changes to X — including loosening content moderation — continue to pose potential challenges.

Yaccarino announced she's stepping down as CEO of X on July 9, 2025.

Yaccarino made the announcement in a post on X: "I'm incredibly proud of the X team - the historic business turn around we have accomplished together has been nothing short of remarkable."

She has a new job in the weight-loss industry.

Yaccarino said on August 5 that she's becoming the CEO of eMed Population Health, a telehealth company that focuses on weight-loss drugs called GLP-1s. A press release from the Miami-based company called Yaccarino's hiring a "game changing moment" and said that she "turned around one of the most complex digital platforms in the world."

Yaccarino announced the news on her X account, too, saying that she is "energized by the opportunity to help lead what could become the most impactful health initiative of our time."

Grace Kay contributed to reporting.

• Linda Yaccarino was named CEO of EMed, a telehealth company, a month after leaving X.
• Yaccarino's tenure at X was turbulent and involved doing a lot of damage control for Elon Musk.
• The new role could help her bolster her CEO chops in a company outside the media world.

It didn't take Linda Yaccarino long to get a new job after leaving Elon Musk's X, where she was CEO.

On Tuesday, just a month after exiting her high-profile job, she was named CEO of EMed, a telehealth startup that sells weight-loss drugs.

It might seem like a right turn for an executive who's made her name selling advertising for big-name companies. Before X, Yaccarino was the head of ad sales for NBCUniversal.

But if you look closely, it's not that surprising. Yaccarino told confidants for years before taking the X job that she wanted to be CEO of a company. And despite Yaccarino being X's CEO, Musk continued to manage major parts of the company, including product design and technology. She hadn't yet gotten a full shot.

After X, landing atop a media company might have been an uphill climb after a turbulent tenure that included the social-media company suing several prominent advertisers, including Nestlé, Colgate, and Shell.

EMed, on the other hand, gives her a chance to establish her CEO bona fides outside the blast radius of Musk.

"She finally gets to be a true CEO that I don't think Elon let her be. It's an opportunity to rehabilitate her reputation," said Lou Paskalis, a longtime ad industry figure who's been close to Yaccarino.

For EMed, it's a chance for a little-known company to leverage Yaccarino's connections with business leaders and CEOs as it looks to expand.

"They're capitalizing on those relationships," Paskalis said.

EMed cited Yaccarino's time at X as an asset in announcing her hire, calling her a "hands-on visionary" whose experience will help it expand to develop employer and government partnerships.

"Her ability to forge game-changing partnerships and navigate complex markets will position the company to become the definitive global leader in population health solutions," the company said in a statement.

Yaccarino, for her part, said in the statement that she saw an "opportunity to combine technology, lifestyle, and data in a new powerful way through the digital channels that impact consumers directly in ways that have never been done before."

When Musk hired Yaccarino at X, many in the industry had high hopes for her success, given her strong relationships with the ad community. Instead, she had to spend a lot of time doing damage control for Musk, as Business Insider previously reported.

The EMed role might just be Yaccarino's chance to get what she wanted all along.

• Microsoft may require employees to return to the office more often.
• The new policy could kick in at Microsoft's headquarters as soon as January.
• The shift aligns with increased performance demands at Microsoft and in the tech industry broadly.

Microsoft is considering a stricter policy on office attendance, and the software giant could implement this as soon as January for some employees, according to people with knowledge of the plans.

Implementation dates could vary across Microsoft's offices, but the company is considering requiring employees at its Redmond, Washington, headquarters to work from the office more often starting in January, the people told Business Insider.

The company is still finalizing the details and had been planning to make an announcement as soon as September, the people added. They asked not to be identified discussing private matters.

Microsoft has had a flexible work policy since late 2020, letting most employees work remotely for as much as 50% of the time without approval. In practice, this policy has been much more flexible, allowing most employees to work remotely most of the time.

Now, the company is considering a new policy that requires most employees to work in the office at least three days a week, the people with knowledge of the plans told BI.

Microsoft spokesperson Frank Shaw confirmed the company is considering updating its flexible work guidelines. He said no decisions have been finalized.

Getting in line on RTO

Such a move would bring Microsoft more in line with other Big Tech companies, which have been rolling out tougher RTO policies this year.

Amazon, Microsoft's crosstown rival, mandated a rigid RTO policy earlier this year that required employees to work in-person five days a week. AT&T introduced a similar policy late last year and CEO John Stankey recently told staff to get on board or get out.

The policy Microsoft is considering would be similar to those at Meta and Google, which generally require most employees to work from offices three days a week. Some Microsoft teams, such as the Corporate, External, and Legal Affairs (CELA) group, already work in the office more than three days a week.

More pressure on employees

Cracking down on remote work is part of a broader trend in the tech industry that includes increased employee-performance pressure at Microsoft and other companies.

Microsoft's cloud and AI boss Scott Guthrie told employees in an internal meeting last September that the company would not consider changing its flexible work policy unless there was a noticeable drop in productivity.

It's unclear whether that's happened, but what is clear is that Microsoft's approach to employee performance has changed since then. The company fired thousands of employees deemed low performers this year and introduced a new performance improvement plan meant to exit low performers more quickly.

Microsoft's top finance executive Amy Hood last week told employees in an internal memo that the upcoming year will require "intensity," building on an earlier memo from CEO Satya Nadella asking employees for "dedication, drive, and hard work."

Microsoft sells software that enables remote work, and has pitched hybrid work as a way to reduce costs, retain employees, and increase their productivity.

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So far, 2025 has been a great year for watching new, must-see TV shows and movies on subscription services. But if you, like many of us, have more concurrent subscriptions than you care to admit, you’ll agree that keeping up with the latest stuff every month can get expensive. They may not cost as much as most of the tech we cover, but it adds up.

If you’re trying to cut down on your expenses, you might be able to do so while holding onto your precious subscriptions. Attempting to cancel your service is a good way to see if you’ll be offered a cheaper monthly rate to stick around. Outside of that, several services offer promos at different times throughout the year, some of which are even available to new and returning subscribers alike. Below, we’ve curated some of the best deals going on right now, so you can enjoy streaming your favorite show or movie for less than it would typically cost you.

Note: keep an eye out for free trials and student discounts

Most streaming services offer free trials that typically last from a week to a month, whether you sign up for an annual membership or just a monthly subscription. However, you will likely have to provide your credit card information in advance, and you will be charged once your trial is over, so make a note in your calendar if you don’t want to be charged.

Some streaming platforms offer student discounts. These include Hulu, Paramount Plus, YouTube TV, Amazon Prime, and more. You’ll have to prove your student eligibility through a sign-up form and typically be enrolled in an accredited Title IV college or university to take advantage of these deals.

The best Peacock deals

Peacock Premium (annual subscription)

Where to Buy:

• $7.99 at Peacock (monthly, with ads)

Peacock is NBCUniversal’s streaming service, one that offers next-day programming from NBC (and Bravo). The platform also provides access to live sports programming, including Sunday Night Football and WWE, as well as movies and shows like The Wild Robot, Conclave, Wicked, Oppenheimer, Yellowstone, Teacup, The Office, Saturday Night Live, Rian Johnson’s Poker Face, and the The Office spinoff, The Paper, which debuts on September 4th.

The platform currently offers two plans: an ad-supported Peacock Premium tier for $10.99 a month (or $109.99 a year) or the ad-free Peacock Premium Plus tier for $16.99 a month (or $169.99 a year). Only the latter lets you download content for offline viewing. These new prices went into effect in late July for new subscribers, and current subscribers will continue paying the previous rate until August 22nd.

In terms of deals, things are pretty dry right now. You can grab a complimentary subscription when you sign up for a year of Instacart Plus ($99 annually or $9.99 a month). You can also get free access if you’re an Xfinity Internet customer with gigabit speeds or a Diamond or Platinum Rewards member. If you’re a first responder or a medical professional (and are alright with your credentials being verified by SheerID), you can get Peacock’s monthly plan for $3.99 per month, which is a nice perk.

The best Disney Plus deals

Disney Plus, Hulu Bundle Basic

This bundle comes with ads and grants access to all of the shows and movies available in Hulu’s and Disney Plus’ library.

Where to Buy:

• $10.99 at Disney (monthly, with ads)

With Disney Plus, you can stream a wide range of shows and movies, including Star Wars: Skeleton Crew, Deadpool & Wolverine, Andor, X-Men ‘97, Your Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man, and Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour film. A monthly subscription currently costs $9.99 a month with ads or $15.99 a month without (or $159.99 annually). The $15.99 per month service includes Dolby Atmos sound in content that supports it, as well as the ability to download TV shows and movies on up to 10 devices.

For just a dollar more, Disney offers an ad-supported, $10.99-a-month Duo Basic subscription that brings together Disney Plus and Hulu. To enjoy an ad-free experience across both services, the cost is $19.99 per month.

There’s also the $16.99-a-month Disney Bundle Trio Basic bundle, which includes the ad-supported Hulu and ESPN Plus (paying $26.99 a month nets you the ad-free version of Hulu and Disney Plus, though ESPN will still have ads). That’s cheaper than subscribing to all three streaming services individually, and is the wisest route to take if you want all three.

That being said, there are other ways to save, particularly with carrier promos. Those currently on one of Verizon’s Unlimited plans, for instance, can get Disney Plus Trio Basic with ads for $10 a month instead of $16.99. If you already subscribe to Verizon’s existing Legacy bundle, you can also continue to enjoy ad-free Disney Plus, as well as ad-supported ESPN Plus and Hulu, for $15 per month ($6 off).

The best Hulu deals

Hulu and Disney Plus (with ads)

Hulu grants access to originals like The Handmaid’s Tale, as well as non-Hulu content like Shogun, The Bear, Futurama, Say Nothing, and Alien: Romulus. T-Mobile also offering complementary access to the Hulu-ad supported plan when you maintain a qualifying Go5G Next line.

Where to Buy:

• $9.99 at Hulu

Hulu offers both ad-supported and ad-free plans. No matter which you buy, you’ll be able to access all of Hulu’s TV shows and movies on multiple devices, including originals like The Handmaid’s Tale and Sand Land, as well as other content, like Shogun, The Bear, Futurama, and The Veil. It’s also where you’ll be able to watch the King of the Hill revival when it lands on August 4th. The service also allows two people to stream simultaneously, and you can have up to six user profiles. However, subscribing to the ad-free plan means you won’t have to deal with commercials; You’ll also be able to watch downloads offline.

The ad-supported plan currently costs $9.99 per month, while the ad-free plan costs $18.99 a month. Hulu also sells ad-free and ad-supported bundles that include Disney Plus and / or ESPN Plus, which are cheaper than subscribing to each service individually. With the Hulu with Live TV, Disney Plus, and ESPN Plus bundle, you’ll be able to access more than 90 live sports, news, and entertainment channels, as well as content from each of the streaming services. You’ll also be able to record live shows with unlimited DVR storage and take advantage of the same features the standard, ad-free, and ad-supported Hulu plans offer. The ad-supported Hulu with Live TV subscription is $82.99 a month, while the ad-free tier is $95.99 a month (though, it’s worth noting that, of the three services included, ESPN Plus will still have ads, even at this tier). Complicated, right?

However, if you just want Hulu and don’t need the live TV version, you can subscribe to the ad-supported Disney Bundle Duo Basic, which includes Disney Plus, for $10.99 a month. You can also add ESPN Plus for $16.99 per month, or get rid of ads and add live sports for $26.99 a month.

In terms of deals, students can subscribe to the ad-supported version for $1.99 a month or a bundle that combines Spotify Premium, Showtime, and ad-supported Hulu for $5.99 a month. Some wireless carriers are also offering customers discounts when they buy premium phone plans. As mentioned previously, those currently on one of Verizon’s Unlimited plans can get the Disney Plus Trio Basic with ads for $10 per month instead of $16.99. If you already subscribe to Verizon’s Legacy bundle, you can also continue to stream ad-free Disney Plus and ad-supported ESPN Plus / Hulu for $15 a month ($6 off). T-Mobile, meanwhile, offers complimentary access to Hulu’s ad-supported tier when you maintain a qualifying Go5G Next line. 

The best Sling TV deals

Sling TV (one-month subscription)

Sling TV is a live TV streaming service featuring live and on-demand TV channels like CNN, Fox, NBC, Comedy Central, Cartoon Network, and more. It’s half off for your first month, if you aren’t already a subscriber.

Where to Buy:

• $45.99 $23 at Sling (Sling Orange)
• $50.99 $25.5 at Sling (Sling Blue)
• $65.99 $33 at Sling (Sling Orange and Blue)

Sling TV is a streaming service that functions as a more affordable alternative to YouTube TV and Hulu with Live TV. With it, you can watch a range of streaming services as well as live and on-demand channels — including ESPN, CNN, Fox, NBC, Comedy Central, and Cartoon Network — on multiple devices.

Sling offers an ad-supported free tier — Sling Freestream — which provides access to more than 500 live channels as well as more than 40,000 on-demand movies and TV shows. The platform also offers three paid plans, all of which come with 50 hours of DVR storage: Sling Blue ($50.99 a month); Sling Orange ($45.99 a month); and Sling Orange and Blue ($65.99 a month). Sling also lets you subscribe to HBO Max as a Blue-tier add-on for a discount (totaling $57.97 per month), or you can buy an ad-free subscription to HBO Max as a standalone service for $16.99 a month. For a limited time, Sling is including a one-month trial to AMC Plus with subscriptions — perfect if you’ve never seen Halt and Catch Fire.

If you’re into sports, you may want to opt for Sling Orange over Blue as it grants access to ESPN channels — but only on one device. Sling Blue, however, offers a number of channels Sling Orange lacks, including Fox News, MSNBC, E!, Discovery, Bravo, and local NBC or Fox affiliates. You can also subscribe to a bundle that includes both Sling Orange and Sling Blue, which offers all the channels featured in the first two plans.

Sling is currently offering new customers a 50 percent discount on their first month of Sling Orange, meaning you’ll pay $23 instead of $45.99. The promo also applies to Sling Blue, although it’s slightly more expensive at $25.50, down from $50.99. You can also get one month of Sling Orange and Sling Blue combined for $33 per month instead of $65.99. In addition to 50 percent off your first month, Sling is also offering free unlimited DVR during that period, along with a $5 discount on Paramount Plus with Showtime, AMC Plus, or Starz. After your first month of savings, you’ll be charged the regular amount for your selected plan.

The best Apple TV Plus deals

Apple TV Plus

Apple’s streaming service has a variety of original programming, including live MLB games and standouts like Severance, Ted Lasso, Silo, and Coda. A subscription normally runs $9.99 per month with a seven-day free trial.

Where to Buy:

• $9.99 at Apple

Apple TV Plus is a service operated by Apple that offers original shows and movies in 4K HDR, including Ted Lasso, The Studio, The Morning Show, Silo, Severance, Finch, Coda, For All Mankind, and Napoleon. The platform is also the streaming home to Major League Soccer, and currently costs $9.99 a month. There are no ads whatsoever on Apple TV Plus, except some skippable pre-roll advertisements for other Apple TV Plus content.

There are a couple of promos to make note of when it comes to Apple TV Plus. The service currently offers a weeklong free trial for new subscribers, after which you’ll be charged $9.99 a month. You can also get a free three-month subscription when you buy an Apple device, though you’ll have to redeem the offer within 90 days of purchase.

Apple TV Plus is also included in the larger Apple One suite of apps. The all-in-one service lets you bundle four other Apple services for a single monthly subscription starting at $19.95 a month. New subscribers will get a free month of Apple TV Plus if they include it as part of their Apple One membership. In addition, eligible individuals who sign up for the student Apple Music subscription, which starts at $5.99 per month, can get Apple Music for 50 percent off with a free Apple TV Plus subscription.

As far as carrier deals go, T-Mobile offers discounts on Apple TV Plus, as well as other streaming services. For instance, the wireless carrier is currently offering customers in the US complimentary access to Apple TV Plus when they subscribe to a qualifying Go5G Next line. For Verizon Unlimited customers, the option exists to get Apple One (which includes Apple TV Plus) for $10 per month ($9.95 off) for an individual plan, or $20 for a family plan ($5.95 off).

The best HBO Max deals

Max (annual subscription)

HBO Max provides access to shows like Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Dune: Prophecy, The Last of Us, The Penguin, — as well as films like Barbie and Dune — starting at $9.99 a month. AT&T offers complimentary access to the ad-free tier when you subscribe to a select AT&T Unlimited Choice or Plus plan, which starts at $60 per month.

Where to Buy:

• $16.99 at HBO Max (monthly, no ads)
• $99.99 at HBO Max (annual, ad supported)
• $169.99 at HBO Max (annual, ad-free)

HBO Max is home to Game of Thrones and its spinoff, House of the Dragon, along with shows and movies like Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Dune: Prophecy, The Last of Us, Wonka, Euphoria, Sinners, Mountainhead, Righteous Gemstones, Hacks, Scavenger’s Reign, The Batman, Succession, and even content from Discovery Plus.

The platform offers an ad-supported tier that costs $9.99 a month and two ad-free plans that start at $16.99 a month. Unlike the ad-supported plan, the standard ad-free tier also lets you download 30 shows or movies for offline viewing. HBO Max also offers a $20.99-a-month Premium plan, which allows you to stream in 4K and supports Dolby Atmos with select content. The latter plan also lets you stream on four devices simultaneously and download a maximum of 100 shows or movies to watch on the go.

HBO Max offers an annual subscription and various bundles, both of which are cheaper than subscribing on a monthly basis. The ad-supported plan normally costs $99.99 a year, saving you a modest $19 over the course of 12 months, while subscribing to the annual ad-free base plan for $169.99 saves you $33. You can also save about $41 by subscribing to the annual 4K Premium ad-free plan for $209.99. Lastly, you can opt for the ad-supported bundle — which includes HBO Max, Disney Plus, and Hulu — for $16.99 a month, or pay $13 extra to go ad-free. The total cost is cheaper than subscribing to each of the three individually, saving you money in the long run. A basic plan exists, with ads, for $9.99 per month.

Multiple wireless carriers are offering deals. You can, for instance, get a year of Netflix and HBO Max when you purchase a 5G Home Plus, LTE Home Plus, Fios 1 Gig, or the Fios 2 Gig Verizon Home Internet (VHI) plan. Alternatively, Verizon is offering those with an Unlimited plan the ability to get Netflix and HBO Max (with ads) for $10 a month (about $7 off).

AT&T also includes complimentary access to ad-free HBO Max when you subscribe to select AT&T Unlimited Choice or Plus plans, which start at $60 a month. If you opt for Cricket’s Unlimited Plus 15GB Mobile Hotspot phone plan, which starts at $60 a month, you’ll also be able to get the ad-supported version of HBO Max for free. Finally, you can get two months of HBO Max free with DirectTV Stream or Satellite TV services.

The best Netflix deals

Netflix (monthly, with ads)

The well-known streaming service offers individual subscriptions starting at $7.99 a month as well as more premium tiers that allow for 4K resolution and additional users. T-Mobile is offering the ad-supported plan for free those on qualifying Go5G Next, Go5G Plus, and Magenta Max lines. This deal is also available to those on two or more qualifying Go56 and Magenta lines.

Where to Buy:

• $7.99 at Netflix

A Netflix subscription grants you access to thousands of movies and TV shows, as well as a limited number of mobile games. Notable shows and movies include Squid Game, Dan Da Dan, Baby Reindeer, K-Pop Demon Hunters, The Witcher: Sirens of the Deep, Cobra Kai, Stranger Things, The Killer, and Arcane, among countless others.

The well-known streaming service currently offers three plans: Standard with ads ($7.99 per month), Standard without ads ($17.99 per month), and Premium ($24.99 per month). The premium tier allows for higher resolution, lets multiple users watch content on four devices at the same time as opposed to just two, and lets you download on six devices at a time as opposed to just two. It’s also the only plan that supports 4K HDR content, as well as spatial audio.

Netflix isn’t currently offering a discount, but T-Mobile is offering the ad-supported plan for free to those on qualifying Go5G Next and Go5G Plus lines. This deal is also available to those on qualifying Magenta Max lines, or for those who sign up to two or more Go56 and Magenta lines. As mentioned previously, you can also get a year of both Netflix and HBO Max when you purchase one of the following Verizon Home internet plans: a 5G Home Plus, LTE Home Plus, Fios 1 Gig, or the Fios 2 Gig Verizon Home Internet (VHI) plan. Alternatively, Verizon is offering those with an Unlimited plan the ability to get Netflix and HBO Max (with ads) for $10 per month ($6.98 off).

The best YouTube TV deals

YouTube TV (monthly)

YouTube TV offers access to more than 100 major channels covering live sports, news, entertainment, and more. It also includes unlimited recording for up to six accounts. Now through August 31st, new subscribers can pay $49.99 ($33 off) a month for the first three months when they sign up for the YouTube TV Base Plan.

Where to Buy:

• $82.99 $49.99 at YouTube

YouTube TV grants subscribers access to live sports and a number of major news and entertainment channels, including PBS, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon, NBC, ABC, Fox, CNN, and more. It also comes with unlimited recording for a maximum of six accounts, all for $82.99 per month. You can buy optional add-ons as well, which range between $2 and $65 a month and include access to services like HBO Max, Starz, and NBA League Pass. The service also offers a separate Spanish-only plan.

Now through August 31st, new subscribers can sign up for the YouTube TV Base Plan for $49.99 ($33 off) a month for the first three months. It’ll be free for 21 days as a trial.

The best Paramount Plus and Showtime deals

Paramount Plus Essential (monthly)

The ad-supported Paramount Plus Essential plan provides access to a wide variety of shows and films. Walmart Plus members can currently get it for free as a part of their plan.

Where to Buy:

• $7.99 at Paramount Plus

Paramount Plus and Showtime provides access to live sports and 24/7 live news with CBS News. It also grants access to the entire Paramount Plus catalog, including shows like Tales of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and Yellowstone spinoff 1923, as well as films like Gladiator II and Top Gun: Maverick. You’ll also get access to Showtime’s library, which includes originals like Billions, Dexter: Resurrection, and Yellowjackets, as well as movies like Talk To Me and Past Lives.

If you want to subscribe to both Paramount Plus and Showtime, you can sign up for the ad-supported or ad-free Paramount Plus with Showtime package for $12.99 a month. Alternatively, if you’re willing to pay for a year upfront, you can save about $36 compared to paying monthly when you subscribe to the annual plan for $119.99.

Alternatively, you can subscribe to Paramount Plus as a standalone service when you pay for Paramount Plus’ ad-supported Essential plan, which costs $7.99 per month. The annual plan, meanwhile, costs $59.99 per year, saving you $36 over the course of 12 months if you’re willing to pay upfront. Just bear in mind this plan offers fewer live sporting events than the Paramount Plus with Showtime package, and won’t let you download content for offline viewing.

In terms of deals, Walmart Plus subscribers can currently get the Essential plan for free as part of their subscription. College students can also subscribe to the Essential plan for $5.99 ($2 off) a month, while seniors with an AARP membership can get a 10 percent discount on the Essential plan or Paramount Plus with Showtime plan. Lastly, military members can get a 50 percent discount on a year of the Essential or Paramount Plus with Showtime plans.

The best Starz deals

Starz (six months, ad-free)

With Starz, you can stream movies like Asteroid City and Jurassic Park, as well as original shows like Outlander. Currently, the platform only offers one ad-free plan, which typically costs $10.99 a month.

Where to Buy:

• $69.99 $35.99 at Starz (yearly, prepaid)

With Starz, you can stream a variety of shows and movies, including John Wick: Chapter 4, M3GAN, and Asteroid City, as well as originals like Outlander and Sweetpea. The platform offers a single ad-free plan for $10.99 per month, which allows you to stream on up to four devices simultaneously and download content for offline viewing. Right now, however, new subscribers can get three months of Starz for $4.99 per month. Alternatively, you can sign up for a one-year plan for $35.99, a savings of $35.

The best Amazon Prime Video deals

Amazon Prime Video (monthly, with ads)

Amazon Prime members can take advantage of faster delivery as well as an assortment of other benefits. This includes Amazon Prime Video, which encompasses a wide range of movies, some live content, and shows like The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power. Customers of Metro By T-Mobile’s unlimited plan can get a free Amazon Prime membership, which provides access to Prime Video for free.

Where to Buy:

• $8.99 at Amazon

Amazon Prime Video is an on-demand streaming service owned by Amazon. Its library includes a range of movies, some live content, and shows like Fallout, The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power, The Boys, The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and more. Through the service, you can watch certain titles in 4K and take advantage of deals on rentals and purchases not included in the subscription. There’s also an option to add extra channels with Prime Video channels, or go ad-free for an additional $2.99 a month.

Amazon Prime Video is included with an Amazon Prime membership, though you can sign up for the service without a membership for $8.99 a month with ads or $11.98 without. Right now, customers of Metro By T-Mobile’s unlimited plan can also get a free Amazon Prime membership, which provides access to Prime Video and other benefits, for free.

Update, August 5th: Adjusted relevant pricing details, most notably Peacock, which is $3 more for new subscribers to either its ad-supported or ad-free plans. The price hikes go into effect for current subscribers on August 22nd.

Key Points

• C3.ai's business has benefited from organizations rushing to adopt AI solutions, such as the U.S. Air Force.

• The company reached record revenue in its fiscal fourth quarter, and forecasts more sales growth ahead.

• C3.ai is not profitable, and a change in CEO is on the horizon.

• 10 stocks we like better than C3.ai ›

Artificial intelligence (AI) stocks have been hot, and many experienced strong growth in 2025 alone. For example, this year, AI luminaries Nvidia and Broadcom saw shares soar more than 30% and 26%, respectively, through July 28.

But one lackluster AI stock has been C3.ai (NYSE: AI). Its shares are down about 25% this year through July 28. Could the price drop signal an opportunity to scoop up shares at a discount? After all, the global AI market is forecast to expand from $244 billion in 2025 to $1 trillion by 2031, providing a tailwind for C3.ai's business.

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »

The reality is that evaluating whether to purchase its stock requires digging into the company. Let's delve into C3.ai to help assess if it's a sound investment for the long run.

Image source: Getty Images.

A look at C3.ai's business

C3.ai is an enterprise AI applications business servicing the needs of corporate and government organizations. Its customers include the U.S. Department of Defense, Dow Inc., and ExxonMobil.

The company built a network of partnerships to assist in selling its solutions, which includes Microsoft and energy giant Baker Hughes. These alliances resulted in partners closing 73% of the customer agreements signed in C3.ai's 2025 fiscal year, ended April 30.

C3.ai's business model translated into record revenue of $108.7 million, a 26% year-over-year increase, in its fiscal fourth quarter. For the full year, sales grew 25% year over year to $389.1 million.

The company's offerings have proven popular with customers. In May, the U.S. Air Force expanded its contract with C3.ai from $100 million to $450 million to supply predictive analytics that proactively identify aircraft maintenance needs.

In June, Univation Technologies, a Dow subsidiary, adopted C3.ai's predictive maintenance capabilities to deliver to its petrochemical industry customers.

C3.ai's pros and cons

The company's customer wins this year suggest more revenue expansion to come. In fact, C3.ai forecasts fiscal 2026 sales to reach between $447.5 million and $484.5 million, another solid year of growth over fiscal 2025's $389.1 million.

Despite rising sales, C3.ai's business isn't profitable. It ended fiscal 2025 with an operating loss of $324.4 million, deepening from a $318.3 million loss in the prior year. Costs increased from adding employees to support its business growth.

On top of that, a health issue struck CEO Tom Siebel this year, and the company is now searching for a successor. This is unfortunate news, and it contributed to the decline in C3.ai's share price. The stock price drop is understandable, since a leadership change risks disrupting the company's future success.

However, C3.ai is striving to cut costs and strengthen its finances. Management expects to be free-cash-flow (FCF) positive by next year. It ended fiscal 2025 with negative FCF of $44.4 million, which is an improvement over the previous year's $90.4 million in negative FCF.

Its balance sheet shows C3.ai is well capitalized with total assets of $1 billion, $742.7 million of which represent cash, cash equivalents, and short-term investments. Total liabilities were $187.6 million.

Deciding whether to buy C3.ai stock

Although C3.ai isn't profitable, its strategy to prioritize business expansion over immediate profit follows a typical approach adopted by many companies in the technology sector. As long as year-over-year revenue growth remains strong and it continues to improve its financials, such as reaching positive FCF, C3.ai's operating loss isn't a major concern.

The impending departure of its CEO is regrettable, but Siebel intends to continue shepherding the company as executive chairman. This positions C3.ai for a smooth leadership transition.

With plenty of positives in its favor, does this mean now is the time to buy C3.ai's shares? To answer that, here's a look at its stock's price-to-sales (P/S) ratio with a comparison to Microsoft's, given Microsoft sells C3.ai's offerings, and is a prominent AI business in its own right.

Data by YCharts.

The chart reveals C3.ai's valuation has significantly improved, as evidenced by the substantial drop in its P/S multiple from its late 2024 peak. This multiple is now considerably lower than Microsoft's, further highlighting C3.ai's attractive valuation.

This, combined with growing sales, a robust balance sheet, and strengthening free cash flow, makes C3.ai stock a compelling investment opportunity.

Should you invest $1,000 in C3.ai right now?

Before you buy stock in C3.ai, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and C3.ai wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $624,823!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,064,820!*

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*Stock Advisor returns as of July 29, 2025

Robert Izquierdo has positions in Broadcom, C3.ai, Microsoft, and Nvidia. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Microsoft and Nvidia. The Motley Fool recommends Broadcom and C3.ai and recommends the following options: long January 2026 $395 calls on Microsoft and short January 2026 $405 calls on Microsoft. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Novo Nordisk (NYSE: NVO) is struggling with competition from both compounders and larger rivals.

*Stock prices used were the afternoon prices of July 29, 2025. The video was published on July 31, 2025.

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Learn More »

Should you invest $1,000 in Novo Nordisk right now?

Before you buy stock in Novo Nordisk, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Novo Nordisk wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $624,823!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,064,820!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,019% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 178% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.

See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of July 29, 2025

Parkev Tatevosian, CFA has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Novo Nordisk. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. Parkev Tatevosian is an affiliate of The Motley Fool and may be compensated for promoting its services. If you choose to subscribe through his link, he will earn some extra money that supports his channel. His opinions remain his own and are unaffected by The Motley Fool.

Key Points

• Realty Income is a giant real estate investment trust and a bellwether in the net lease sector.

• The REIT is so large relative to its peers that it is likely to be a laggard on the growth front.

• However, it is working to ensure that it remains a reliable foundation for dividend portfolios.

• 10 stocks we like better than Realty Income ›

Realty Income (NYSE: O) is offering investors a 5.6% dividend yield today. That's well above both the market's 1.2% yield and the average real estate investment trust's (REIT's) yield of roughly 3.9%.

If you're a long-term dividend investor, it probably makes sense to consider adding Realty Income to your portfolio, since it has increased its dividend annually for three decades and counting. But make sure you understand these three things before you buy it.

Where to invest $1,000 right now? Our analyst team just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks to buy right now. Continue »

1. Realty Income is a giant

With a market capitalization of roughly $50 billion, Realty Income is multiple times larger than its next closest peers in the net lease niche of the REIT sector. This is both good and bad.

Image source: Getty Images.

On the negative side, Realty Income is so large that it takes a huge amount of new property acquisitions to move the needle on the top and bottom lines. This means that relatively slow growth is likely to be the norm here in the future. But being so large isn't all bad.

On the positive side, Realty Income has the wherewithal to take on deals that its peers couldn't manage. It likely sees all of the material deals that are in the market (allowing it to cherry-pick to some degree), it can act as an industry consolidator, and its size gives it easier access to Wall Street. So while slow growth is probably going to be the norm, steady growth is also highly likely, with contractual rent bumps in its leases augmented by its ability to keep buying new properties.

2. Realty Income is looking to increase its growth opportunities

Realty Income isn't ignoring the size limitations it faces. In fact, it is embracing its scale. For example, a few years ago it began expanding into Europe, a market that is still only just starting to use the net lease approach. That materially expands the opportunity set the company has as it looks to buy new properties.

Realty Income has also been working to increase the number of property markets in which it competes. Historically, retail and industrial has been the core here. But management has been venturing into new spaces, like casinos and data centers, as it looks to find new levers for growth.

More recently, Realty Income has started to make loans and to offer asset management services to institutional investors. Overall, this giant REIT is using its scale to reach out into new areas that will, hopefully, help to sustain its growth over the long term.

3. Realty Income knows what it is

The last issue that really matters here is that Realty Income isn't trying to be something it's not. Management understands that it is a giant company and that investors buy it because of its large and reliable dividend. In fact, the company trademarked the nickname, "The Monthly Dividend Company" to highlight the commitment it has to being a reliable dividend stock.

O data by YCharts.

This is so important because it means that the board and the CEO aren't building castles in the sand that will get washed away when the tide comes in. They are building a REIT that can keep paying dividends reliably through thick and thin. That means that long-term investors can use Realty Income as a foundational investment atop which they can comfortably buy more aggressive dividend stocks.

What really matters with Realty Income is both obvious and subtle

Every company has nuances to consider, and that's true of Realty Income, too. The two most obvious stories are the company's vast size and what it is doing with the scale it has achieved. In the background, however, is perhaps the most notable issue. Realty Income knows what its shareholders expect, and it's working every day to meet those expectations by providing investors with a reliable and growing dividend.

Should you invest $1,000 in Realty Income right now?

Before you buy stock in Realty Income, consider this:

The Motley Fool Stock Advisor analyst team just identified what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy now… and Realty Income wasn’t one of them. The 10 stocks that made the cut could produce monster returns in the coming years.

Consider when Netflix made this list on December 17, 2004... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $625,254!* Or when Nvidia made this list on April 15, 2005... if you invested $1,000 at the time of our recommendation, you’d have $1,090,257!*

Now, it’s worth noting Stock Advisor’s total average return is 1,036% — a market-crushing outperformance compared to 181% for the S&P 500. Don’t miss out on the latest top 10 list, available when you join Stock Advisor.

See the 10 stocks »

*Stock Advisor returns as of July 29, 2025

Reuben Gregg Brewer has positions in Realty Income. The Motley Fool has positions in and recommends Realty Income. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.