Blogroll

BMW added all-wheel drive to the M2 without ruining what makes it special

How-To Geek - Fri, 06/05/2026 - 23:31

When it debuted at the 2016 Detroit Auto Show, BMW positioned the M2 as a smaller, more agile alternative to the M3 and M4. It was the M car for people who wanted a pure, connected-to-the-road driving experience without the extra weight, complexity, or cost that all-wheel drive brings.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Bitcoin drops below $60,000, despite Trumps embrace

Mashable - Fri, 06/05/2026 - 23:26

While everyone else was getting ready for the weekend, Bitcoin took a plunge.

The popular cryptocurrency was trading below $60,000 for at least part of Friday. This marked the first time since Donald Trump's reelection in late 2024 that Bitcoin had dropped below that line, per Bloomberg.

It's also more than half the value of Bitcoin's all-time peak, in October 2025.

At time of writing, Bitcoin has rebounded a little and stands slightly above $60,000. Still, it's an ominous sign at a time when the U.S. government's executive branch is highly supportive of cryptocurrency.

SEE ALSO: Was Bitcoin's creator unmasked by the New York Times? Don't bet on it.

Bitcoin reached a peak of $126,000 last October, but the decline has been steep. As to why investors are losing confidence in the cryptocurrency, Bloomberg cites geopolitical concerns such as the war in Iran. But that's not the whole story. Bitcoin has been on this trajectory for a while now, as we took note of its crashing value back in February.

One other potential reason: new advances in quantum computing have put traditional crypto mining techniques at risk, according to Google.

But if it continues declining at this rate, Bitcoin may not even be worth a future quantum computer hacker's time.

Categories: IT General, Technology

3 stunning new HBO Max documentaries worth a watch this weekend (June 5-7)

How-To Geek - Fri, 06/05/2026 - 22:00

HBO Max has been keeping the folks at Kleenex in business over the past weeks, with everyone bawling over the series finale of Hacks and divided over that controversial ending to Euphoria. A great way to recover from all those emotions is with something real and fascinating, like a good documentary, and luckily HBO Max has a library full of them.

Categories: IT General, Technology

4 awesome Galaxy Watch features I wish someone had told me about sooner

How-To Geek - Fri, 06/05/2026 - 21:30

My history with Samsung Galaxy Watches goes back to before Wear OS, but I took a break from them for a couple of years. I recently strapped a Galaxy Watch to my wrist again, and I might have done it sooner had I known about a few handy features.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Computex 2026: PCMags top picks for laptops, desktops, and much more

Mashable - Fri, 06/05/2026 - 21:20

We saw the future in Taipei. Check out the hottest laptops, desktops, gaming gear, and PC components that will shape tomorrow.

Categories: IT General, Technology

5 award-winning movies to watch on Netflix this weekend (June 5-7)

How-To Geek - Fri, 06/05/2026 - 21:15

Netflix's release slate for June packs a punch, with exciting new titles and nostalgic watches alike coming to the platform. And whether you're looking for an underdog story, a family comedy, or a historical romance, Netflix has a string of award-winning movies worth adding to your watch list.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Google wants to release millions of mosquitos into the sky. Its a good thing.

Mashable - Fri, 06/05/2026 - 20:36

Billion dollar tech company Google is embracing bugs. Literally. Not digital ones, but real, living insects that the Silicon Valley giant plans to release into the air.

It's an initiative known humorously as the "Debug Project." First announced a decade ago, the latest iteration of the project aims to introduce 64 million mosquitoes — male mosquitoes, to be clear, entirely sterilized by the miracle of a naturally occurring bacteria — across California and Florida in the near future.

SEE ALSO: Florida becomes first state to sue OpenAI over ChatGPT's alleged links to violence

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is in the midst of reviewing the proposed release, according to a new filing in the Federal Register. Google's plan is to use these selectively infected bugs to curb the spread of dangerous diseases, including dengue, which have been introduced to U.S. areas primarily by non-native mosquito populations. The hoard of non-reproductive bugs would reduce spawning rates and shrink the population over several generations, and, as Google explains, male mosquitoes cannot bite or spread disease themselves.

Google calls them the "good bugs."

"Mosquitoes kill more people than every other animal combined," the company explains on the Debug Project homepage. "One species, Aedes aegypti, carries diseases such as dengue, Zika, yellow fever, and chikungunya, which make hundreds of millions of people sick every year. And these diseases are spreading faster than ever."

Controlling the spread of mosquito-transmitted diseases has been a global goal for decades. Scientists and vector control specialists have successfully introduced male bugs sterilized by radiation in the past. Other methods to reduce mosquito populations, such as draining standing water and using pesticides, have been in place for even longer. But the bugs are outpacing human efforts.

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Google has already completed field trials of their bug army, including a 2018 Fresno, California study that resulted in a 95 percent drop in the wild female mosquito population during peak season. The company has collaborated with outside partners on the project, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), and National Environment Agency (NEA) of Singapore.

More in line with its reputation as a tech leader, Google is also designing new software and monitoring tools to aid the project, the Los Angeles Times reported, like sensors and traps to track releases and pinpoint treatment areas.

Categories: IT General, Technology

This $30,000 Mazda SUV outclasses the Honda CR-V in every way that matters

How-To Geek - Fri, 06/05/2026 - 20:31

The compact SUV segment has become one of the most competitive corners of the market, but also one of the most predictable. Many models prioritize practicality, comfort, and reliability above all else, often at the expense of design flair and driving engagement. As a result, buyers looking for something more premium or enjoyable to drive are frequently pushed toward higher-priced luxury alternatives.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Android Auto and Apple CarPlay work on Chevy and Cadillac EVs with this adapter

How-To Geek - Fri, 06/05/2026 - 20:26

GM's refusal to support Android Auto and Apple CarPlay on its EVs might be irksome, but there is a way around it if you're willing to take a chance. EV Play is selling an adapter, the $199 EV Play LT, that provides wired and wireless versions of both technologies on electric cars from Cadillac, Chevy, and GMC.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Forget the official Jellyfin app—these 5 Android clients are what you actually need

How-To Geek - Fri, 06/05/2026 - 19:45

The stock Jellyfin Android app gets the job done, but it's hard not to notice just how much more polished the Plex app feels. Frankly, it's no contest—and it’s one of the reasons so many people drift away from Jellyfin. Fortunately, Jellyfin’s open-source nature has allowed developers to build their own clients, offering far more refined ways to stream your content.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Prime Day is right around the corner: Here are 20+ early deals to start shopping now

Mashable - Fri, 06/05/2026 - 19:34
Best early Prime Day deals Best Apple Deal Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm) $299 (Save $100) Get Deal Best headphone deal Sony WH-CH720N $88.58 at Amazon (Save $91.41) Get Deal Best speaker deal Sonos Era 300 $379 at Amazon (Save $100) Get Deal Best portable power station deal Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 Portable Power Station $749 at Amazon (Save $750) Get Deal Best TV deal Hisense 55-inch U6 4K Smart TV $397.99 at Amazon (Save $150) Get Deal Best robot vacuum deal Eufy C28 Robot Vacuum and Mop $529.99 (Save $270) Get Deal Best home and kitchen deal Cuisinart 2.6-Quart Air Fryer $48.20 (Save $41.75) Get Deal Best Lego deal Lego Classic Large Creative Brick Box $39.49 (Save $20.50) Get Deal

No matter what type of shopper you are, whether you use sales to stock up on household essentials like dish soap and paper towels or as a time to splurge, the time is nigh because Prime Day is coming.

Usually taking place in early July, Amazon has decided to shake things up this year and run the sale in June. Amazon Prime Day 2026 runs from June 23 to 26, and while the timing may have changed, we're still expecting the same great savings.

Even though we still have a few weeks until the official start of Prime, the deals kicked off as soon as the sale was announced. Each day we get closer to the sale, more deals go live. Look for early savings on Amazon devices, toys and games, kitchen appliances, and gadgets from Sony, Sonos, and Apple.

So if you're eager to start saving, we rounded up the top early Prime Day deals to start shopping now.

Best early Prime Day Apple deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm) $299 at Amazon
$399 Save $100   Get Deal

Leading up to Prime Day, we're obviously hunting for the best Apple deals. Unfortunately, there aren't a ton of stellar deals yet. Right now, the best one is on the Apple Watch Series 11, which is down to $299. That's the lowest price ever on the smartwatch savings of $100. The latest Apple Watch is one of our favorite fitness trackers and is even waterproof, so you can record all your summer swims.

Don't forget: While most of the Apple deals we found are currently at record-low prices, there's still a chance prices will drop lower during Prime Day itself. The M5 MacBook Air is currently on sale for $949, but we expect it to reach $899 or lower by June 23.

More Apple deals

Apple Watch deals

AirPods deals

iPad deals

Best early Prime Day headphone deal Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-CH720N $88.58 at Amazon
$179.99 Save $91.41   Get Deal

When Prime Day actually starts, our attention will be on the big names in headphones: the Sony WH-1000XM6s and the Bose QuietComfort Ultras. But leading up to it, those big brands still have lots of savings to give. Right now, the best deal on headphones is on the Sony WH-CH720N, an affordable pair of over-ear noise-cancelling headphones. Normally $179.99, the WH-CH720N just dropped under $100 ahead of Prime Day. Snag them now for as low as $88.58 and save $91.41.

More headphone dealsMore earbud dealsBest early Prime Day speaker deal Opens in a new window Credit: Sonos Sonos Era 300 $379 at Amazon
$479 Save $100   Get Deal

Whether you're hosting summer movie nights or dinner parties, if you want to upgrade your home's audio, early Prime Day deals are coming in clutch. The advanced Sonos Era 300 is equipped with Dolby Atmos and powered by six drivers for surround sound. Right now, grab it for just $379, saving you $100 off its $479 price tag.

More speaker dealsBest early Prime Day portable power station deal Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Solix C2000 Gen 2 Portable Power Station $749 at Amazon
$1,499 Save $750   Get Deal

Ready for summer adventures? If you're gearing up to pack the car and head into nature, don't forget to invest in a portable power station to keep your campsite powered. Plus, it can serve as an at-home power backup in an emergency.

Right now, there's an outstanding deal on the Anker Solix C2000, which is 50% off. That takes it from $1,499 all the way down to $749. Ahead of Prime Day, that saves you $750.

More portable power station dealsBest early Prime Day TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense 55-inch U6 4K Smart TV $397.99 at Amazon
$547.99 Save $150   Get Deal

Getting ready for the World Cup? If you want to watch every heart-racing moment in 4K and your TV isn't up to par, then shop the early Prime Day deal on the Hisense 55-inch U6 4K Smart TV. Normally $547.99, it's down to $397.99, saving you $150. It's an exceptionally bright TV (good for summertime viewing) with Dolby Atmos sound and Alexa built in.

More TV dealsBest early Prime Day vacuum deal Opens in a new window Credit: Eufy Eufy C28 Robot Vacuum and Mop $529.99 at Amazon
$799.99 Save $270   Get Deal

Mashable in-house vacuum expert Leah Stodart named the Eufy C28 Robot Vacuum and Mop the best affordable vacuum-and-mop combo. Despite its budget price, Stodart says it's the most heavy-duty robot mop you'll find, and delivers spotless cleans. Ahead of Prime Day, get the Eufy C28 for just $529.99. That's just $30 above its lowest price ever, but still provides $270 in savings.

More robot vacuum dealsMore vacuum dealsBest early Prime Day home and kitchen deal Opens in a new window Credit: Cuisinart Cuisinart 2.6-Quart Air Fryer $48.20 at Amazon
$89.95 Save $41.75   Get Deal

Here's a summer hack to keep your house cool: Don't turn on the oven. That doesn't mean only eating cold salads all summer. What you really need is an air fryer. My air fryer has saved me countless times in the summer, letting me cook dinner without breaking a sweat. Ahead of Prime Day, grab the Cuisinart 2.6-Quart Air Fryer for just $48.20, its lowest price ever, according to Camelcamelcamel.

More home dealsMore kitchen dealsBest early Prime Day Lego deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Classic Large Creative Brick Box $39.49 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $20.50   Get Deal

While novelty Lego sets are fun, there's something special about a set that gives you full creative control. The Lego Classic Large Brick Box has 790 pieces to build the neighborhood of your dreams. Just in time for summer break when kiddos need some entertainment, this box set is on sale for 34% off. Grab it now for under $40 ahead of Prime Day.

More Lego deals
Categories: IT General, Technology

I moved my network's DNS to my NAS, and it's the most practical home lab upgrade I've made

How-To Geek - Fri, 06/05/2026 - 19:30

Most people think of a NAS as a box that stores backups, media, documents but undersells what a NAS can do when it is already sitting on your network all day.A NAS is one of the few machines in a home lab that is usually powered on, connected by Ethernet, and stable enough to trust with small infrastructure jobs. That makes it a good place to run a private DNS server.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I put an NFC tag under my nightstand to kill late-night smart home frustrations

How-To Geek - Fri, 06/05/2026 - 19:00

Automating a bedtime routine is harder than you might expect. You don't want your smart home to shut down for the night when someone is still up, or you're reading a book in bed. An NFC tag stuck under the nightstand was all it took to solve the problem.

Categories: IT General, Technology

3 epic new Paramount+ documentaries to watch this weekend (June 5-7)

How-To Geek - Fri, 06/05/2026 - 18:30

Paramount+ is having a loud start to the summer. The Taylor Sheridan machine is still purring along with Dutton Ranch, The Madison, and Marshals, Michael Fassbender's The Agency is back for a second season, and, whether you like it or not, the whole streaming platform is bracing for June 14, when the UFC descends on the White House lawn.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Ahead of Prime Day, the Igloo Kool Tunes boombox cooler is on sale for $40 off

Mashable - Fri, 06/05/2026 - 18:22

SAVE $40: The Igloo Kool Tunes (red) is on sale at Amazon for $99.99, down from the normal price of $139.99. That's a 29% discount and the lowest we've ever spotted at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Igloo Igloo Kool Tunes (red) $99.99 at Amazon
$139.99 Save $40.00   Get Deal

Summer has finally arrived. If you'll be packing up the cooler and heading out to the lake for a day outside, you'll probably be packing beverages for hydration and a portable Bluetooth speaker for vibes. Instead of packing both, consider this two-in-one option that's on a great discount ahead of Amazon Prime Day.

As of June 5, the Igloo Kool Tunes (red) is on sale at Amazon for $99.99, down from the normal price of $139.99. That's a 29% discount and the best price we've seen at Amazon.

Last summer, Mashable Senior Shopping Reporter Haley Henschel reviewed the Igloo Kool Tunes and mentioned it was one of her favorite products she reviewed in 2025. "It's not a gimmick, but a fun fusion of summer party gear that's priced mostly fairly. All the better if you can find it on sale," she wrote in the review. And since it's on sale, it's a great time to make the upgrade for summer.

SEE ALSO: The Bluetti AC70 portable power station is $100 off at Amazon ahead of Prime Day

One of the strongest pros of the cooler is that it still had ice after 24 hours of Henschel's testing. That's something we'd expect to see in an Igloo cooler since the brand excels at making insulated coolers. But how's the speaker? According to Henschel, "I really do think the KoolTunes' audio is pleasantly clear and crisp, not tinny or muffled. Music playing from it sounded balanced, while voices on podcasts were undistorted."

The Igloo Kool Tunes is a 14-quart cooler with the classic Igloo cooler design that uses a molded-in handle for the upper part of the cooler, making for easy carrying. Igloo mentions this size is capable of holding 26 cans (without ice) and says playtime reaches about 10 hours per charge. Igloo includes a three-foot USB charging cable with the cooler. Plus, its water-resistant rating of IP56 makes it beach and pool-worthy.

Snag the Igloo Kool Tunes for your own camping adventures this summer, or consider it as a thoughtful Father's Day gift that'll cost you under $100.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Meta is building AI data centers in tents

Mashable - Fri, 06/05/2026 - 18:20

Meta can't build AI data centers fast enough, so the company behind Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp has resorted to running these computing facilities inside tents.

According to data center tracker Cleanview (as reported by TechCrunch), Meta is currently running six AI data centers just outside of New Albany, Ohio in recently erected tents. 

Michael Thomas, founder of Cleanview, posted photos on X showing the construction and finished tents. Thomas said it appeared that Meta had scrapped its original plans to build out the data center buildings and instead went with "rapid deployment structures" as they're officially called.

"The AI race has officially entered its Mad Max phase," Thomas posted on X alongside the photos.

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According to Thomas, he reviewed city permits that show that Meta began building five 125,000 square foot tents between April and June. In contrast, the first five buildings that Meta built as part of its original plans in New Albany, Ohio took approximately two to three years to build out.

Thomas says Meta has also signed a decade-long deal to build off-grid power plants to power the data centers. The power plant construction started last year and is almost built.

As TechCrunch points out, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg previously told The Information that the company was going to build weatherproof tents for its data centers. Meta isn't done utilizing tents for its AI data center construction strategy either. According to Thomas, the company is building data center tents at its AI data center site in Tennessee as well.

Big Tech companies like Meta have announced massive increases in capital expenditures to build new data centers to power AI products. However, a growing backlash to data centers, combined with normal bureaucratic obstacles, has put some data center rollouts behind schedule, the Wall Street Journal recently reported.

Categories: IT General, Technology

3 free, open-source apps to cancel your subscriptions this weekend (Jun 5–7)

How-To Geek - Fri, 06/05/2026 - 18:15

You probably don’t think about your subscriptions until the moment you do—and when you finally add them up, it’s never a comfortable number. The good news is that you can replace many of these subscriptions with free, open-source software. Here are three FOSS apps that can help you save money by canceling some of the subscriptions you’re probably paying for right now. The only catch is the setup, which can take a couple of hours—but that’s exactly what weekends are for.

Categories: IT General, Technology

NASAs ISS astronauts briefly sheltered today. Heres what happened.

Mashable - Fri, 06/05/2026 - 18:14

NASA astronauts briefly sheltered in their SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule on Friday during a Russian repair attempt on a leaky transfer tunnel of the International Space Station. 

The work was later halted for further analysis, and the crew resumed their normal tasks on the space station, which orbits about 250 miles above Earth.

The cracks in the Zvezda service module's transfer tunnel, known as PrK, are the latest sign of aging infrastructure at the 26‑year‑old outpost, which has already weathered a separate coolant leak on a docked Soyuz spacecraft. These incidents have forced NASA and Russia's Roscosmos space agency to coordinate on protecting the crew and keeping the station operational.

SEE ALSO: A NASA orbiter around Mars suffered an abrupt demise

The PrK tunnel on Russia's Zvezda service module "has suffered from cracks and leaks for some time, and has been mitigated by Roscosmos as much as possible to date," NASA press secretary Bethany Stevens said in a statement on X. She said the cracks "have always been a concern that NASA watches very closely."

New leaks led Roscosmos to start a more extensive structural repair on June 5, prompting NASA to direct the four Crew‑12 astronauts — Jessica Meir, Jack Hathaway, Russia's Andrey Fedyaev, and Europe's Sophie Adenot — and NASA's Chris Williams, who flew to the space station separately in November 2025, to take shelter inside the Dragon capsule as a safety precaution. 

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In an update about one hour later, Stevens said Roscosmos had paused the repair effort to take measurements and assess the data. With hands‑on work interrupted, NASA told the crew they could go back to business as usual.

"We continue to work with our Russian counterparts, along with the rest of the international community that supports the space station, to arrive at a more permanent resolution," she said, adding that NASA intends to work with Roscosmos on a collaborative approach to address the leaks.

In a separate incident involving different hardware about 3.5 years ago, NASA and Roscosmos juggled a coolant leak on the Soyuz MS‑22 spacecraft docked to the station, which investigators attributed to a likely micrometeoroid strike on an external radiator line. Russia launched a replacement Soyuz to get the crew home. 

NASA plans to operate the space station through 2030 before deorbiting it into the Pacific Ocean, while Roscosmos has committed to the partnership until at least 2028. Both agencies plan to transition to new destinations.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Grab the Ecovacs Goat O1000 robot lawn mower while its $300 off

Mashable - Fri, 06/05/2026 - 18:11

SAVE $300: As of June 5, the Ecovacs Goat O1000 RTK robot lawn mower is on sale at Amazon for just $699.99 instead of $999.99. That's 30% off and matches its lowest price ever on record.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ecovacs Ecovacs Goat O1000 RTK $699.99 at Amazon
$999.99 Save $300   Get Deal

While Amazon Prime Day is only a few weeks away (officially running from June 23 through 26), your lawn isn't going to magically halt its growth until then. If you're already sick of mowing season, perhaps you should hand off the work to a robot lawn mower. They're not the cheapest investments, but Amazon just dropped the price of the Ecovacs Goat O1000 RTK robotic lawn mower once again to save you a big chunk of change.

As of June 5, the Ecovacs Goat O1000 RTK robot mower is on sale for just $699.99 at Amazon. That's $300 or 30% off its list price of $999.99 and its lowest price on record.

This IPX6 waterproof mower's advanced mapping system generates a layout of your yard before going to work, ensuring no spot goes unmowed. You can customize it in the app to add or remove zones, split areas, or adjust the cutting height between 1.2 and 3.1 inches. Built-in 3D obstacle detection will keep it away from your pets, their toys, and anything else that may be out in the yard. And don't worry if your lawn isn't completely flat and wide open. The Goat O1000 RTK can climb slopes of up to 24 degrees and squeeze into spaces as narrow as 2.3 feet.

The Ecovacs Goat O1000 RTK is best suited for yards up to 1/4 acre. If your yard is around that size and relatively easy to navigate with segmented zones, this is the robot lawn mower for you. And now's a great time to grab it since it's the cheapest it's ever been.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I stopped using Dropbox to share files between my devices and built something better

How-To Geek - Fri, 06/05/2026 - 18:00

Dropbox, OneDrive, Google Drive and other cloud sync services are great options if you need to collaborate with other people. However, when you're only syncing files between your own computers, those services are often more overhead than you need.

Categories: IT General, Technology
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