HBO Max + Ads = Good?

HBO Max's ad-supported tier is only $10/month, but it won't have same-day theater premieres.

May 21, 2021 It's May 21, 2021. It's National Memo Day and Friday! Leave a note to take it easy today, prep for the weekend, and listen to some music. Apple Music | Spotify     ⏰ Today's Big Stories... in 30 Seconds Today We Watched, Read, and Listened to (so you don't have to): 344 articles, 12 podcasts, 16 press releases, 403 tweets, and 19 YouTube videos 1. HBO Max Will Get an Ad-Supported Tier HBO Max's ad-supported tier launches in June for $10/month. Ads will supposedly be lighter than other streaming services, which is good, but it also won't have HBO's same-day theater premieres, which is a bummer. Kinda makes us wonder what the appeal is over the regular $15/month tier. 2. Apple Says Mac Malware Worse Than iOS Apple isn't thrilled about the amount of malware on Macs. Reports state Craig Federighi, Apple's Senior VP of Software Engineering, said during the Epic v. Apple trail that malware on macOS is in a much worse state than on iOS. Weird that the head of software would call out his own company's machines, right? 3. Google to Open a Retail Store This Summer Google will open its first-ever physical store this summer in the Chelsea neighborhood of NYC. The store would be "a space where customers can experience... hardware and services in a helpful way." Show of hands, who's going to try to use the store the same way they use Google Search? 🦑 Go Deeper The first public beta for Android 12 is out now, and Joshua Hawkins has the deep dive on how much the beta reveals and how much more it doesn't. Sounds like it's more of a tease than a test.     🎱 By the Numbers Aiming high Data: Motley Fool, AT&T When HBO Max was in its infancy, AT&T had high hopes for the service, expecting HBO and HBO Max to have a combined subscriber count of around 50 million by 2025. Recent plans to merge WarnerMedia (which includes HBO Max) with Discovery will likely change those plans. But will it be for the better? 🔥 Today's Hot Deal The Epic Games Store is having another Mega Sale on a bunch of video games. For each individual game you buy over $15, you get a $10 coupon to use on your next purchase. Time to play! Don't Miss This Deal 🤓 Nerd Out "Mirror, mirror on the wall..." —Molly McLaughlin, Senior Content Strategist Google wants to make magic mirror conversations a reality with Project Starline, a new way for people to be together, even when they're really far apart. And, frankly, we're impressed. (Share on Twitter) 💎 You Know You Want It  Ride the waves...quickly Image: YuJet YuJet's Surfer Electric Jetboard is a "full carbon fiber, jet-powered surfboard," aka a surfboard-jetski hybrid. It has a top speed of 24 MPH, a 16-mile range, and did we mention it doesn't need waves to move? Next time you're at the beach, you can just hop on and go. Now all you need is $10k. 🎥 Behind the Scenes What can't you do with a green screen? Zack Snyder's Army of the Dead is out today, and Digital Spy spoke with the director to learn all about the movie, including the challenge of digitally adding one actor's entire performance to the final film. Give it a read.     🗞 Extra! Extra! We've got you covered with the best in daily tech news! See the latest on our site or follow us on Google News. Did someone forward this to you? Sign up here. Have something you'd like us to write about? We're always open for suggestions, too. You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the Tech Today newsletter. If you wish to unsubscribe, please click here .   Our editors independently research, test, and recommend the best products; you can learn more about our review process here. We may receive commissions on purchases made from our chosen links. A Dotdash Brand 28 Liberty Street, 7th Floor, New York, NY 10005 2020 Dotdash • All rights reserved. Privacy Policy.   [View in Browser]