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Author: rb809rb

  • Shaquille O’Neal’s ‘Dunkman’ Returns for Season 2

    Shaquille O’Neal’s ‘Dunkman’ Returns for Season 2

    Shaquille O’Neal’s professional dunk league series “Dunkman” will swish into a second season in 2027. The project hails from Authentic Brands Group and TNT Sports, which is a co-creator and equity partner in O’Neal’s league.

    “The debut of ‘Dunkman’ proved what I already knew: these athletes are superstars, and dunking is a professional sport,” O’Neal said in a statement. “Next year we’re going bigger. More cities, more countries, team battles and a junior division for the next generation. We’re building the future of the sport.”

    Running from the end of the NBA season through the start of NFL and College Football season, dunkers will compete around the world to earn their place in the professional league. This year, there will also be team competitions and a junior division for athletes 15-and-under. Dunkers must qualify in a series of open-competition events in front of a panel of professional judges before progressing to the big leagues. 

    Last year’s inaugural season saw success with nearly 6 total viewers on TNT Sports, as well as 1.5 billion video impressions on social media. Twenty-four dunkers competed across four live events before ​​Cam Hazzard was crowned the Dunkman World Champion and claimed the $500,000 grand prize. 

    “Season 1 of ‘Dunkman’ established dunking as a professional sport,” president of Authentic Studios Colin Smeeton said. “Season 2 and beyond will continue to build a global league and platform through team competitions, a junior division and a global qualifier series that puts ‘Dunkman’ in new markets year-round. We are in the early stages of what this property will become.”

    “Dunkman” and the league, according to a statement, are “designed to elevate the sport of dunking with structure, storytelling, stakes and world-class competition.”

    O’Neil, 15-time NBA All-Star-turner-rapper, is “Dunkman”’s founder and commissioner. The show is presented by Authentic Brands and TNT Sports. TNT Sports is a co-creator and equity partner in the Dunkman League. 

  • The Robinhood Chain Craze Seems to Have Benefited This Surprise Altcoin the Most

    The Robinhood Chain Craze Seems to Have Benefited This Surprise Altcoin the Most

    A strong surge in network activity on Robinhood Chain has driven daily transaction fees to record levels, significantly boosting revenue for the Arbitrum ecosystem. According to DeFiLlama data, Robinhood Chain generated approximately $3.75 million in daily fee revenue on September 1st, reaching an all-time high for the fourth consecutive time. This performance propelled Robinhood Chain to the top fee-generating blockchain network of the day.

    It is stated that 10% of Robinhood Chain’s fee revenue is shared with the Arbitrum Foundation. 80% of this share goes to the Arbitrum DAO, and the remaining 20% goes to the developer fund. Accordingly, just one day of Robinhood Chain activity generated approximately $370,000 in revenue for the Arbitrum ecosystem.

    What’s remarkable about the figures is that the revenue generated from Robinhood Chain significantly exceeded the fee revenue from Arbitrum’s own mainnet. On the same day, it was reported that the total transaction fees generated by the Arbitrum network remained below $15,000.

    DeFiling data also shows that the total value of assets locked on Robinhood Chain has reached approximately $757 million, while the stablecoin market capitalization has reached $833 million.

    As a result of these developments, the price of Arbitrum ($ARB) also increased.

    The graph shows the increase in $ARB price.

    *This is not investment advice.

  • Joel Crawford to Receive the Creative Impact in Animation Award from Variety at SCAD AnimationFest

    Joel Crawford to Receive the Creative Impact in Animation Award from Variety at SCAD AnimationFest

    Variety will honor Joel Crawford, the DreamWorks Animation filmmaker behind the Oscar-nominated “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish” and the upcoming “Forgotten Island,” with the Creative Impact in Animation Award at this year’s SCAD AnimationFest.

    The honor will be presented Sept. 25 at SCADshow in Atlanta, where Crawford’s latest feature “Forgotten Island” will screen. The festival runs Sept. 23 through 25. Past recipients of the award include Chris Miller, director of “Smurfs”; Nick Park, director of “Wallace & Gromit: Vengeance Most Fowl”; and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” directors Joaquim Dos Santos, Kemp Powers and Justin K. Thompson.

    “SCAD is honored to partner with Variety in presenting the Creative Impact Award in Animation to Joel Crawford,” says Christina Routhier, senior executive director of SCAD theaters and festivals. “Joel’s work reflects a rare balance of technical mastery and heartfelt storytelling and we’re excited to screen his latest project ‘Forgotten Island.’ For our SCAD animation students, his career is a powerful example of how bold creative risks and a deeply personal point of view can shape the future of the medium. We are thrilled to celebrate his contributions to animation at SCAD AnimationFest.”

    Crawford recently completed “Forgotten Island,” which he wrote and directed alongside longtime collaborator Januel Mercado. The film features the voices of H.E.R., Liza Soberano, Dave Franco, Jenny Slate, Manny Jacinto and Lea Salonga, and Universal Pictures releases it in theaters Sept. 25.

    The recognition caps a fast climb through the studio system. Crawford married his love of the spaghetti western with a taste for absurdist comedy on “Puss in Boots: The Last Wish,” the DreamWorks Animation and Universal hit starring Antonio Banderas and Salma Hayek Pinault that drew Oscar, BAFTA and Golden Globe nominations and amassed nearly half a billion dollars at the global box office. He made his feature directorial debut on “The Croods: A New Age,” and after serving as head of story on the 2016 musical “Trolls,” he directed the animated “Trolls Holiday” special for NBC.

    Crawford joined DreamWorks Animation in 2006 and became an integral part of its story department, contributing to “Trolls,” “Shrek Forever After,” “Rise of the Guardians,” “Bee Movie” and all three “Kung Fu Panda” films. His earlier story credits include “The SpongeBob Movie: Sponge Out of Water” and “Alvin and the Chipmunks: Chipwrecked.”

    A native of Southern California by way of Hawaii, Crawford attended the California Institute of the Arts and worked as a caricature artist at Six Flags Magic Mountain before joining Nickelodeon. He is a member of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences and ASIFA-Hollywood. The SCAD honor marks a full-circle moment. In 2023, the university awarded him an honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters for his contributions to animation.

  • ARK Invest and Glassnode Investigate: Striking Differences Emerge Between Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana!

    ARK Invest and Glassnode Investigate: Striking Differences Emerge Between Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana!

    After a sharp rise in Bitcoin and altcoins, the trend has recently turned downwards, but a new study published by ARK Invest and Glassnode reveals noteworthy data regarding the decentralization of cryptocurrency networks.

    A joint study by Ark Invest and Glassnode has revealed a remarkable picture of the decentralization of the Bitcoin, Ethereum, and Solana networks.

    According to this study, in the Bitcoin and Ethereum networks, it is sufficient for three independent actors to act in coordination to reach the level considered a critical threshold. In contrast, Solana requires 19 organizations.

    Three Bitcoin Mining Pools Exceed the 51% Threshold!

    One of the most striking findings of the study concerned the Bitcoin network. The study revealed that Bitcoin requires three organizations each to accumulate enough processing power or stakes to influence block production.

    At this point, the critical control threshold for Bitcoin is considered to be 51% of the network’s total mining power.

    Research data for 2026 shows Foundry USA with 27.27%, AntPool with 17.06%, and F2Pool with 16.96% of hash power. The combined hash power of these three mining pools is sufficient to surpass the critical 51% threshold.

    However, researchers also point out that this data does not mean that Bitcoin is controlled by three companies.

    In Ethereum, the Critical Threshold is Three Actors!

    In the case of Ethereum, the research uses a different threshold due to the structure of the Proof-of-Stake mechanism. For Ethereum, the critical threshold is considered to be 33% of the total stake amount.

    According to the study, the critical threshold on the Ethereum network can only be surpassed by the total stake controlled by the three largest staking organizations. However, this does not mean that Ethereum is directly controlled by these three companies. These staking organizations perform verification on the network by pooling ETH belonging to numerous different users.

    The Situation is Different in Solana!

    The study concluded that, unlike Bitcoin and Ethereum, Solana requires the coordination of 19 independent assets to reach the same critical threshold. At this point, Solana sacrifices decentralization in exchange for higher performance and faster coordination.

    The study concluded that even if a particular mining pool or validator constitutes a large share of the network, this does not automatically mean that the operator directly owns all of the underlying hash power or staked assets.

    *This is not investment advice.

  • Wonky church which leans more than the Tower of Pisa saved from collapse

    Wonky church which leans more than the Tower of Pisa saved from collapse

    Parishioners have managed to save the historic church of St James (Picture: Cover Images)

    An English church with a more extreme lean than the Tower of Pisa has been saved from collapse.

    St James in Dry Doddington, Lincolnshire attracts hundreds of visitors each year who flock to see its 5.1° tilt — considerably more of a lean than the 3.97° of its Italian rival.

    But the 12th-century tower has been in danger of collapse since 2015 due to stone erosion.

    A total of £100,000 was spent on restoration, but in the last few months it has deteriorated again, sparking an appeal for help by parishioners.

    St James has a tilt of 5.1° — considerably more of a lean than the famous Tower of Pisa (Picture: Cover Media)

    The church has now received a £128,106 grant from The National Lottery Heritage Fund, to the delight of church warden Richard Loynes.

    ‘This is excellent news and means that they can now place an order with the selected contractor to carry out the restoration work, which is programmed to commence in mid-October and be completed by next spring,’ he said.

    The work will include a completely new floor to the nave, minor repairs to the chancel, repairs to cracked walls, making good all internal wall plastering, upgrading the electrics and providing a new information board.

    St James church in Dry Doddington.
    The wonky tower dates from the 1300s (Picture: Cover Media)

    ‘Completion of this essential restoration will ensure that this important piece of built heritage can be preserved and used for many years to come,’ Mr Loynes added.

    ‘As the church has free-standing pews, once the work is completed it will also mean that the building can be used by the local community for a variety of events as well as traditional worship. Without it, the building would have to close in the near future as it becomes unsafe to use.”

    A tea party will be held in the village hall on Saturday September 19 to celebrate.

    St James Church was built originally as a Chapel of Ease for older residents to attend church rather than walking to neighbouring Westborough.

    It later became a parish church in its own right. The tower, which dates from the 1300s, is believed to have first been moved in the late 19th century.

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  • Bitcoin Delivers Historic August Performance, Eyes Now on $100,000! But Analyst Reveals the Must-Be-Break Level!

    Bitcoin Delivers Historic August Performance, Eyes Now on $100,000! But Analyst Reveals the Must-Be-Break Level!

    Bitcoin once again drew attention with its strong performance in August, and LMAX Group Market Strategist Joel Kruger, speaking to The Block, noted that the rise occurred despite challenging macroeconomic conditions.

    Bitcoin’s Strong August Performance!

    The leading cryptocurrency, Bitcoin, ended August with a strong gain.

    At this point, $BTC has surged approximately 25% in August, marking its strongest August performance since 2017. This rise also marks the highest monthly gain since November 2024.

    It Rose Despite Macroeconomic Pressures!

    According to Joel Kruger, Bitcoin’s August performance occurred despite challenging market conditions. During the same period, bond yields rose, the US dollar strengthened, and geopolitical risks resurfaced.

    Kruger noted that while these developments have put pressure on risky assets, it is remarkable that Bitcoin has remained strong.

    The $80,000 Level is Critical!

    Bitcoin started September at around $78,000, and according to Kruger, $BTC is holding onto most of the gains it made after the rally.

    At this point, Kruger predicts that Bitcoin may enter a period of consolidation for now. Identifying the $80,000 to $82,820 range as a significant resistance zone for the coming days, Kruger added that a sustained move above this range could revive a rise towards $100,000.

    Kruger concludes by stating that macroeconomic data from the US could be decisive in determining the direction of Bitcoin in the coming period. In particular, employment data and messages regarding the Fed’s interest rate policy will be closely watched in terms of risk appetite in the crypto market.

    *This is not investment advice.

  • Did Trump post AI photo of 6-fingered Navy sailor?

    Did Trump post AI photo of 6-fingered Navy sailor?

    Claim:

    In August 2026, U.S. President Donald Trump posted an image showing a six-fingered U.S. Navy sailor eating a burger with the caption, “OUR MILITARY EATS THE BEST! Nobody feeds our brave troops better than me. The food is AMAZING–the best military food EVER! Other countries wish they could feed their soldiers this well. TOTAL WIN!”

    Rating:

    False

    A rumor that U.S. President Donald Trump posted an image of a U.S. Navy soldier with a six-fingered right hand eating a burger with the caption, “OUR MILITARY EATS THE BEST! Nobody feeds our brave troops better than me,” spread online in August 2026. 

    For example, above the purported screenshot of Trump’s Truth Social post, an X user claimed on Aug. 30, 2026 (archived), “The troops are so well fed, they have grown extra fingers!” Although the sixth finger wasn’t visible in the artificial intelligence-generated image, there was also no thumb visible — rather, only five non-thumb fingers.

    The story spread as Navy sailors and Marines aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier prepared to land after more than 270 days at sea, receiving widespread attention for deteriorating conditions on board — including reportedly running out of food and other essential supplies. 

    The alleged post by Trump read in full:

    OUR MILITARY EATS THE BEST!

    Nobody feeds our brave troops better than me. The food is AMAZING–the best military food EVER! Other countries wish they could feed their soldiers this well.

    TOTAL WIN!

    This image shows an X post by user @torontobaddy with the caption,

    (X user @torontobaddy.)

    The purported post by Trump appeared on multiple social media platforms, including Instagram, Bluesky, Reddit, Facebook and X, where several posts received hundreds of thousands of views. Some users seemed to interpret the rumor that Trump posted an AI-generated sailor eating a burger as true. Snopes readers also contacted us to investigate its legitimacy.

    We dug into the claim, and found no evidence that Trump posted the image of the six-fingered sailor. Rather, the oldest post we found online appeared on an anonymous 4chan account on Aug. 30, 2026, at 12:25 p.m. ET (archived) with the caption, “You could eat like this EVERY DAY if you enlisted.” The image appeared on other social media pages — including satirical X account @torontobaddy — shortly after. 4chan users operate anonymously, and we were unable to reach out to the user for more information.

    Although some later posts cut off the purported Trump post’s time stamp, the 4chan post of the image showed it was supposedly published on Aug. 29, 2026, at 6:23 p.m.

    We searched an archive of Trump’s Truth Social posts, and found that on Aug. 29, Trump posted at 5:36 p.m. ET and then again at 10:35 p.m. (archived).There is no indication he posted between those two time stamps. We also searched the archive for the words, “Our military eats the best,” and also found no evidence (archived).

    In sum, there is no evidence Trump posted an image of a six-fingered general with a caption claiming that the U.S. military “eats the best.” The oldest version of the post appeared on online forum 4chan on Aug. 30, 2026, though the anonymous user did not publicly confirm whether they created the image.

    Although this particular post was AI-generated and we found no evidence that Trump posted it, we have reported on numerous AI-generated images Trump has posted. For example, he once posted an AI-generated image of himself flanked by security while walking alongside a shackled extraterrestrial being and in another instance, he posted — then deleted — an AI depiction of himself in the likeness of Jesus Christ.

  • George Clooney: US government run by ‘least qualified people’

    George Clooney: US government run by ‘least qualified people’

    US actor George Clooney has described US President Donald Trump’s administration as a ‘kakistocracy’, defining it as a government run by the ‘least qualified’ people.

    Published On 2 Sep 2026

  • Did Olivia Rodrigo donate $10M to abortion organizations? Claim omits key context

    Did Olivia Rodrigo donate $10M to abortion organizations? Claim omits key context

    Claim:

    Singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo donated $10 million to abortion organizations in summer 2026.

    Rating:

    Mixture

    What’s True

    Rodrigo announced she would donate the $10 million proceeds from her Daisy Chain Fields music festival to several organizations. One was Planned Parenthood, which provides reproductive healthcare, including abortions. Other recipients advocate for reproductive healthcare and defend it in courts, although they do not provide abortion services themselves. However …

    What’s False

    … the list of recipients also included a number of organizations that do not have any involvement with abortion. In addition, philanthropist Melinda French Gates pledged to match the proceeds, doubling the total amount to $20 million.

    What’s Undetermined

    It was unclear how much of the $20 million total was destined for organizations involved with abortion and whether the money had already reached beneficiaries. We’ve reached out to the festival’s organizers and will update this story if we learn more.

    In the summer of 2026, a rumor spread that singer-songwriter Olivia Rodrigo had donated $10 million to abortion organizations after U.S. President Donald Trump cut funding for reproductive healthcare. 

    The claim appeared on Facebook and X. One X post said that based on the alleged amount Rodrigo donated and the supposed cost of an abortion of $580, she was “responsible for the murder of 17,241 babies” (archived). (It’s worth noting that, according to Planned Parenthood, the actual average cost of all types of abortion is higher than the post claimed.) 

    The claim spread following a music festival Rodrigo hosted on Aug. 29, 2026. It’s true that the festival, which had an all-women lineup, brought in $10 million in proceeds that Rodrigo said would be donated to several organizations, one of which was Planned Parenthood, which provides reproductive healthcare, including abortions. Other beneficiaries did not directly provide reproductive healthcare, but advocated for it and defended it in courts. 

    However, the list also included organizations not involved with abortion or reproductive healthcare. In addition, philanthropist Melinda French Gates pledged to match the $10 million Rodrigo raised with the festival, bringing the total amount for donations to $20 million. For this reason, we rated this claim a mixture of true and false information.

    As of this writing, it was not clear how much of the $20 million was destined for organizations that provide abortions or advocate for abortion rights. It was also unclear whether the funds had been paid out, as of this writing. We’ve reached out to the festival’s organizers to ask for answers to these questions and will update this story if we learn more.

    The Daisy Chain Fields festival

    The singer first announced the Daisy Chain Fields festival on June 22, 2026, in an Instagram post that listed an all-women group of performers, including Generation Z favorites such as Rodrigo herself, Chappell Roan, Eli and Katseye, as well as older acts such as Sarah McLachlan, alternative rock band The Breeders, which started in 1989, and 78-year-old singer-songwriter Stevie Nicks.

    “Daisy Chain Fields features an all-women lineup and 100 percent of the net proceeds will go to charities dedicated to advancing and advocating for women and girls,” Rodrigo’s Instagram post read (archived):

    The Daisy Chain Fields festival website listed organizations that would benefit from the proceeds of the event. Planned Parenthood, known for providing reproductive healthcare including birth control, screenings and care for sexually transmitted infections, prenatal care or abortions, was one of them. 

    The Center for Reproductive Rights, also listed, does not offer healthcare. Instead, its mission is to defend reproductive rights in courts across the U.S. Meanwhile, the National Institute for Reproductive Rights is an advocacy group dedicated to creating access to reproductive healthcare at city and state level. 

    But among the organizations set to benefit, some had nothing to do with reproductive healthcare or reproductive justice. These included Baby2Baby, a charity that provides essential items to very children living in poverty — it is known, in particular, for distributing diapers, formula and clothing, but also school supplies, backpacks and hygiene items.

    Another organization poised to receive a donation from the festival was FreeFrom, which helps survivors of gender-based violence build financial independence. 

    The Domestic Workers Alliance, meanwhile, defends the rights of domestic workers.

    In other words, only a portion of the proceeds was destined to fund reproductive healthcare, including abortion. 

    French Gates gets involved

    The festival took place on Aug. 29, as scheduled. Near the end of the evening, Rodrigo called French Gates to the stage, announcing that the billionaire philanthropist had matched the amount set for donation, bringing the total to $20 million (archived):

    French Gates confirmed this through her social media accounts. The same day, she posted a photo of herself with Rodrigo, saying she would donate the money through her organization, Pivotal (archived):

    For further reading, Snopes has investigated many rumors about abortion, including the claim that Massachusetts legalized abortion “until birth.”

  • Storage Savings: Early Labor Day SSD Deals From Samsung, SanDisk, and More

    Storage Savings: Early Labor Day SSD Deals From Samsung, SanDisk, and More

    Ever notice that the storage space that comes with your computer or laptop just isn’t enough? Thankfully, there are plenty of SSDs that’ll give you extra space for all your pictures and projects. With Labor Day coming up, we’ve gathered some of the best SSD deals from brands like Lexar, Samsung, and SanDisk. The good news is that there’s quite a bit to go around. We’ll keep adding to this list as we get closer to Labor Day, so check back often!

    Samsung Early Labor Day SSD Deals

    990 Pro SSD


    Samsung 990 Pro SSD

    Samsung 990 Pro SSD

    2TB storage, 7450MB per second read speed, 6900MB per second write speed

    $389.99
    at Amazon

    $639.99
    Save $250.00


    Get Deal

    The Samsung 990 Pro internal SSD is more than 55% faster in random performance than its predecessor, the 980 Pro. With speeds up to 7,450 read and 6,900 write, you’ll be powering through work day. This results in fewer performance issues, and is a great fit for standard desktops and laptops, particularly in the fields of video editing and data analysis. It also performs well when it comes to gaming (but don’t let your boss know you’re playing them!).

    Our expert Tony Hoffman awarded it an “Excellent” rating. In our in-depth review, he said, “Samsung’s SSD 990 Pro is a zippy PCI Express 4.0 internal drive that’s a step up from its predecessor, offering excellent performance for creative tasks, if not necessarily for gaming.”

    870 EVO Internal SSD SATA


    Samsung 870 EVO Internal SSD SATA

    Samsung 870 EVO Internal SSD SATA

    2TB storage, 560MB/s read speed, 1200TB SSD endurance

    $499.99
    at Best Buy

    $879.99
    Save $380.00


    Get Deal

    This Samsung 870 EVO SATA III SSD gives you 2TB of storage, which can house plenty of your work projects. It also maximizes the SATA interface limit with 560MB/s and 530MB/s read and write speeds for high performance. This SSD is designed for intensive games as well as heavy workloads that come with high-end PCs and NAS workstations. It can handle up to 8K video computing up to 2,400 TW and comes with a five-year limited warranty so you can rest assured you’re being taken care of. With Samsung Magician software, you’ll also be able to manage the drive’s health and download updates to keep it in peak condition.

    PCMag’s senior security analyst Chris Stobing awarded it an “Outstanding” rating. In our in-depth review, he said, “The Samsung SSD 870 EVO offers the peak of Serial ATA SSD performance, and moves so fast in 4K random read and write operations you’d almost be forgiven for confusing it with PCI Express 3.0.”

    Verbatim Early Labor Day SSD Deals

    Pocket External SSD


    Verbatim Pocket 1TB External SSD

    Verbatim Pocket 1TB External SSD

    1TB storage, 1000MB/s read and write speeds, 2.5-inch form factor

    $139.99
    at Amazon

    $179.99
    Save $40.00


    Get Deal

    Despite being a pocket-sized SSD, it has enough power to satisfy creators and gamers. This Verbatim SSD offers read and write speeds of up to 1,000 MB/s, allowing you to transfer files and back up content quickly and efficiently. It’s also compatible with a wide range of devices, including laptops, tablets, smartphones, and gaming consoles, thanks to its USB-C port, so you never have to compromise on connectivity. The SSD is lightweight too, and as the name suggests, you can just slip it into your pocket for easy portability. Plus, it comes with a keyring and cable holder to attach it to your bag. Windows users will also get the Nero Backup Software, which helps protect internal files.

    SanDisk Early Labor Day SSD Deals

    Extreme Portable SSD


    Sandisk Extreme Portable SSD

    Sandisk Extreme Portable SSD

    2TB storage, 1050MB per second read speed, 1000MB per second write speed

    $329.99
    at Best Buy

    $423.99
    Save $94.00


    Get Deal

    If you’re looking for a rugged SSD to take with you outside the office building for some outdoor projects, the SanDisk Extreme Pro Portable SSD is ideal. It offers up to 1,050 MB/s read and 1,000MB/s write speeds for powerful performance, plus 2TB of storage, so you’ll feel like you have endless room for all your files. It’s rated IP65, so it’s both water- and dust-resistant, making it suitable for outdoor use. It’s just as durable on the inside as on the outside, thanks to its 256-bit AES hardware encryption, which protects your data. The built-in carabiner loop also lets you hook it to bags, making it easy to carry. There’s also a five-year warranty, so you can feel confident that the manufacturer has your back.

    Our expert Gabe Carey awarded it a “Good” rating. In his in-depth review, he said, “Resistant to water, dust, and shock, the SanDisk Extreme Portable SSD is a rough-and-ready USB external drive with on-the-mark speed. It’s ideal for outdoorsy types such as hikers and field photographers.”

    Desk Drive USB Type-C External SSD


    SanDisk Desk Drive USB Type-C External SSD

    SanDisk Desk Drive USB Type-C External SSD

    8TB storage, 1000MB/s read speed, 3-year warranty

    $899.00
    at Best Buy

    $1,919.99
    Save $1,020.99


    Get Deal

    This SanDisk Desk Drive provides a staggering 8TB of storage, which is should prove plenty of space for all of your work projects. It has read speeds of up to 1,000MB/s, letting you transfer your files faster, which is a big boon when you’re trying to finish other tasks throughout the day. It’s also incredibly easy to use as you only need to plug in an USB type-C cable to your device to get started with it. With automatic backup functionality, you can be assured that your work will stay safe in case something happens. There’s nothing worse than knowing that all your hard work is gone! It also comes with a three-year warranty for extra peace of mind.

    Our expert awarded a similar model a “Good” rating. In our in-depth review, he said, “It’s pricey per gigabyte and requires its own power source, but SanDisk’s puck-shaped Desk Drive delivers loads of fast external solid-state storage to desktop and laptop users.”

    Lexar Early Labor Day SSD Deals

    SL300 Portable SSD


    Lexar SL300 Portable SSD

    Lexar SL300 Portable SSD

    2TB storage, 1050MB per second read speed, 1000MB per second write speed

    $279.99
    at Best Buy

    $349.99
    Save $70.00


    Get Deal

    This portable SSD has read and write speeds of up to 1,050MB/1,000MB per second, respectively, and claims to have almost ten times the speed of most hard disk drives. It can also handle heavy workloads as it has internal thermal dissipation technology to keep it cool during workload transfers. This way, you won’t have to worry about whether it’s working while you’re doing so too. The SSD can withstand drops of up to two meters and the internals won’t be damaged. And for external cyber threats, it has Lexar’s DataShield, which is a 256-bit AES encryption that helps protect your files. And with Lexar Recovery Tool3, you can restore files you accidentally delete so you don’t get your bosses angry!

    Our expert awarded a similar model an “Excellent” rating. In our in-depth review, he said, “The Lexar SL500 is a slim, attractive, and highly portable external SSD with AES encryption, up to 4TB of storage, and blazing speed—the last, if you have the right port to support it.”

    WD Deals

    Black SN770M SSD Deal


    WD Black SN770M SSD

    WD Black SN770M SSD

    2TB storage, 5150MB/s read speed, 4850MB/s write speed

    $399.99
    at Best Buy

    $531.99
    Save $132.00


    Get Deal

    If you’re lucky enough to be in a city where you can commute to work via public transit, it might be a good idea to carry a gaming handheld device such as the Steam Deck and ROG Ally to keep yourself entertained on the way there. This is the perfect SSD to put into them, as you can install games quickly in its 2TB storage. Its compact form factor has deceptively fast speeds of up to 5,150MB per second, so you can get back to gaming as soon as possible! You don’t need to put it in handhelds either! If you’re working with a thin PC, it can be placed in their as well, and is compatible with Windows 10, 11, and 8.1 operating systems. This SSD comes with a five-year warranty too, so you can rest assured knowing that you’re covered.

    Recommended by Our Editors

    Our expert awarded the NVMe version an “Excellent” rating. In our in-depth review, he said, “The WD Black SN770 is a nice-priced PCIe 4.0 NVMe internal SSD that aced many of our benchmarks, especially for program loading and file copy. Our only quibbles? Hardware-based encryption and a snap-on heat spreader would complete this package.”

    PNY Deals

    CS900 Internal SSD SATA


    PNY CS900 Internal SSD SATA

    PNY CS900 Internal SSD SATA

    250GB storage, 535MB/s read speed, 500MB/s write speed

    $54.99
    at Best Buy

    $77.99
    Save $23.00


    Get Deal

    If you’re looking for an SSD while on a budget, then this PNY CS900 SATA one is right for you. Given its low price, it only comes with 250GB of storage, but that should be enough for smaller work projects. It sports reliable performance with 535MB and 500MB per second read and write speeds, respectively. Additionally, data transfer rates go up to 600MB per second, allowing you update files faster and get back to what you were doing before quicker. This SSD also supports Native Command Queuing, meaning that it optimizes the order of tasks to complete instead of doing them in sequential order. This way, it works more efficiently and reduces delays.

    Check out our reviews of other PNY SSDs, including the RP60 Portable and the XLR8 CS3150.

    Kingston Deals

    NV3 M.2 2280 NVMe SSD


    Kingston NV3 M.2 2280 NVMe SSD

    Kingston NV3 M.2 2280 NVMe SSD

    1TB storage, 6000MB/s read speed, 4000MB/s write speed

    $156.99
    at Amazon

    $215.99
    Save $59.00


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    This internal SSD is a great fit for both consoles and PCs, offering blazing speeds of up to 6,000MB per second read and 4,000MB per second write speeds. And with its Gen 4×4 NVMe PCIe performance, you can be sure that whichever device you decide to place it in will be able to handle all of your different work tasks with ease. Plus, it comes with Acronis cloning software, which makes an exact digital copy of your hard drive, letting you keep a backup just in case. The manufacturer is also offering a five-year limited warranty, so you need to know they’re confident in this SSD!

    Check out our other Kingston SSD reviews, including the XS1000 External and the Fury Renegade.

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    Be sure to check out our other early Labor Day deals including at other retailers like Walmart and Amazon.

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