IT General

Right now, everyone watching Netflix is likely still reeling over The Boroughs or letting The Crashdocuseries sink in, but if you're quite ready to move on from those buzzy hits, a new month has brought a fresh roster of newly-added movies to the service for U.S. subscribers. And I'm here to help you sift through them with a few highlights.

Most drivers have experienced this unfortunate scenario at least once. You’re driving down the highway, minding your own business, when suddenly you find yourself behind a dump truck. Normally, this wouldn’t be a cause for concern, but this truck has just left the quarry and is filled to the brim with gravel. As it rumbles down the road, bits of gravel begin to pelt your car at 70 mph. You can hear the tiny stones bouncing off your paintwork.

Meta — the parent company of Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp — continues to integrate AI across its platform. Unfortunately, it appears the company overlooked a major flaw: Meta's AI support chatbot could apparently be tricked into providing unauthorized users with login access to any Instagram account.

Over the past few days, a number of highly followed Instagram accounts were hacked. The Obama White House Instagram account, with 2.4 million followers, was compromised and posted a caption on Sunday that stated: "The White House is under Shiites' control." Other accounts, such as the official Instagram account belonging to the Chief Master Sergeant of Space Force, were also hacked.

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Soon after, sleuths on social media began sharing the news of these hacked accounts along with screen captures showcasing the alleged method used to take them over. 

The hackers say they weaponized an exploit that tricked Meta's AI support chatbot into simply handing over account access. The bad actor would simply tell the AI chatbot that it needed to reset a targeted Instagram account's password. However, the hacker would also inform the chatbot that they needed the password reset email, which includes the verification code to change the password, sent to a new email address. 

The email address, of course, belonged to the hackers, not the true account holder. The chatbot would apparently oblige the hacker's request and provide them with the password reset page for the account.

In effect, the hackers were using a widely known social engineering tactic against an AI chatbot.

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Some of the screen captures walking through the process were pulled from Telegram channels where hackers sell their exploits on black markets. Other screen captures were taken by users who say they replicated the hack.

This vulnerability is especially concerning because there's nothing that the targeted Instagram account holders could do to prevent it. The AI chatbot was seemingly bypassing two-factor authentication measures to abide by the hacker's requests.

Since news of the hacked accounts went public on social media, Meta appears to have acknowledged and fixed the vulnerability.

Mashable contacted Meta with questions about this incident, and we will update this story if we receive more information. However, on social media, Meta VP of Communications Andy Stone acknowledged the Meta AI support exploit.

"This issue has been resolved and we are securing impacted accounts," Stone said in a reply to a user on X.

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It's unclear how many accounts were impacted by this exploit.

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders announced today that he will introduce legislation to give the American public a direct ownership stake in the country's largest artificial intelligence companies.

Writing in the New York Times, Sanders laid out the case for the American AI Sovereign Wealth Fund Act — a bill that would create a federally managed fund created not with cash, but with stock. Specifically, Sanders proposes a one-time transfer of 50 percent of equity from companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and xAI to the government. The idea: since AI is built on the accumulated knowledge, creativity, conversations, and labor of the American people — typically without permission or payment — the American people deserve a cut of the profits.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. SEE ALSO: Elon Musk found the cheat code for capitalism. The SpaceX IPO proves it.

Here's what Sanders is proposing.

What the American AI Sovereign Wealth Fund Act would accomplish

The fund would acquire half the stock of the largest AI companies in the country through a mandated equity transfer — Sanders is explicit that this is not a profits tax. The government would then hold voting shares and receive equal board representation at each company, giving it formal power to block decisions deemed harmful to the public.

Revenue generated by the fund would flow directly to Americans as cash payments, with Sanders indicating that, as the fund grows, proceeds would eventually support broader public goods, including healthcare, education, and housing. He points to Norway's sovereign wealth fund and Alaska's Permanent Fund Dividend as working models of the concept.

Sanders' core argument is that AI models were built on the writing, art, journalism, code, and research produced by millions of people without their consent or compensation. Sanders argues that because the technology is derived from collective human output, the wealth it generates should be shared collectively. As Sanders prepares his legislation, AI industry leaders are prepping for a massive payday when Anthropic, OpenAI, and SpaceX (which recently merged with xAI) go public this year.

Sanders notes that versions of this idea have come from the AI industry itself. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has proposed a public wealth fund tied to AI-driven economic growth. Anthropic has called for national sovereign wealth funds holding AI equity stakes. Musk has advocated for a "universal high income" to offset AI-related job displacement.

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Sanders frames these industry positions as validation — though notably, endorsing a concept in the abstract and accepting a 50 percent equity transfer are very different things.

What's still unresolved

Sanders acknowledges the legislation is still being written. Several significant questions still lack answers.

Profitability is one. OpenAI is notoriously not profitable and has operated at a loss for most of its existence. A sovereign wealth fund built on equity in companies that aren't profitable doesn't generate dividends, and Sanders hasn't addressed what the fund looks like if the AI sector's financial trajectory doesn't match analyst projections.

Scope is another. Sanders says applying government ownership to companies where AI is only part of the business is "complicated," without explaining how that would be handled in practice. Microsoft, Google, and Amazon all have major AI operations — it's unclear whether or how they'd fall under the legislation.

Environmental impact gets no mention. AI infrastructure — data centers, energy consumption, water use — carries real costs that fall on communities that don't always benefit from generative AI, and the proposal offers no specific mechanism beyond the general promise of government oversight to address them.

SEE ALSO: The NAACP is fighting back against AI data centers

However, a well-structured sovereign wealth fund could distribute some AI wealth downward, in theory. Government board representation could also create some accountability for a powerful and fast-growing new industry. The populist proposal is far bolder than anything else in the current policy conversation.

Until the senator drops the actual legislation, what we have is a premise that's hard to argue with and a plan that's still very much a sketch.

It's the first of the month, which means Netflix has added a substantial number of new movies and shows. Some of the highlights include the Creed movies, Friday Night Lights, The Karate Kid franchise, and the first five seasons of Hawaii Five-0. Keep an eye on the new movies coming later this month, including Office Romance and Little Brother.

Summer vacation season is upon us. As you're packing your swimsuit and sunscreen, don't forget to pack your e-reader with plenty of summer reads. Luckily, Amazon just dropped its June First Reads lineup.

Prime members who also happen to be bookworms can maximize their monthly reading with the Amazon First Reads program. Similar to Book of the Month, every month, Amazon First Reads drops a new collection of discounted titles. However, unlike Book of the Month, these books are totally free for Prime Members. Here's everything you need to know about Amazon First Reads.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon First Reads   Learn More What is Amazon First Reads?

Amazon First Reads is a monthly program in which eight editor-selected books are offered free to Prime members. Members are allowed to choose one book per month, which is then added to their library. Non-Prime members can still join in on the fun, but they have to pay $1.99 per book.

Featured Amazon First Reads books are totally free at checkout for Prime members. Credit: Screenshot: Amazon / Mashable composite

Some months, like Prime Day's July (or June) and Black Friday's November, offer two free books. And in others, you can select a free short story with your one free e-book.

To select your book, visit the Amazon First Reads home page to browse the options. As a Prime Member, you'll see the option to "read now for free " when you go to purchase the titles. Once you make your selection, it'll automatically be added to your Kindle library.

Which books are featured in Amazon First Reads?

Among the eight to ten books selected each month, the book editors at Amazon provide a variety of genres for every reader. The books are typically new or soon-to-be-released books — many of the books are published under one of Amazon's publishing imprints, so they're exclusive to Amazon's shelves.

In addition to the eight full-length books offered each month, there's typically a short story available, too, exclusive to read through the Kindle Store. You'll find familiar names in the First Reads collections. Past authors include Abby Jimenez, Rebecca Yarros, Lee Child, Fredrik Backman, Alice Hoffman, and Dean Koontz.

Kindle Unlimited members are able to read most of the previous First Reads picks for free, so if there are multiple each month that you want to add to your digital bookshelf, consider a Kindle Unlimited membership.

June 2026 Amazon First Reads books The June First Reads deals include a short story from Lisa Unger and 'A Single Captive Flame,' the first book in a new fantasy series. Credit: Screenshot / Amazon

June's First Reads lineup is fairly extensive — Amazon must know everyone is putting together their summer reads. The June deals feature eight novels, one novella, and one short read. Plus, Amazon is letting readers pick not one but TWO books this month — all totally free.

This month's short read, The Same Room, comes from New York Times bestselling author Lisa Unger. The suspenseful short story details private investigator Rae Donovan, who, after a long estrangement from her father, discovers he may have had a secret life. In the wake of her father's death, Rae sets out to find answers, no matter what it costs.

But there are plenty more books to choose from, including a rare fantasy pick, A Single Captive Flame, which is the first book in the Rise of the Firebird series.

Here are all of the First Reads deals for June 2026:

• The Same Room by Lisa Unger

• The Sky Beneath Her by Mary Ellen Taylor

• A Voice in the Dark by Barbara Nickless

• The Tomorrow Tree by Carolyn Brown

• The Museum of Second Chances by Jo Leevers

• The Date by T.H. Murdock

• The Delivery: A Novella by Gregg Hurwitz

• Happier Here With You by Amy Gail Hansen

• What Remains of You by Kimberly Hensle Lowrance

• A Single Captive Spark by Emberly Ash

Do you need a Kindle for Amazon First Reads?

All of the books selected are technically purchased through the Kindle Store. But does that mean you need a Kindle to read them?

Nope! No Kindle e-reader is necessary to read books collected through First Reads. All books purchased through the Kindle Store are available in the Kindle app, which can be read on a smartphone, tablet, or computer.

However, if you're asking if you should get a Kindle, that's a different question. While a Kindle is not required to enjoy the bounty of the Kindle store, it is our favorite e-reader brand if you're in the market.

Kindle Paperwhite $159.99 at Amazon
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Using Android Auto wirelessly is very convenient and cuts down on cable clutter, but it isn't perfect. The biggest issue is how heavy it can be on the battery. Obviously, it will never be able to match a wired connection that charges your phone as you go, but by tweaking a few settings, you can really reduce the battery drain.

You might think that hosting your own local photo server is a great way to save money instead of just paying for Google Photos. However, you'd be wrong. By the time you buy a NAS, storage, and pay for cloud backups, you'll be spending far more than Google charges you.

The AI giant Anthropic has submitted its draft S-1 registration with the Securities and Exchange Commission Monday morning, setting the stage for an initial public offering later this year.

Anthropic made headlines when it reached a near-trillion-dollar valuation, surpassing OpenAI as the largest privately held AI company. Anthropic raised $65 billion from Altimeter Capital, Greenoaks, Dragoneer, and Sequoia Capital. This came after it reached a peak influx of a million new users a day, the company said in March.

Once the SEC completes a review of Anthropic's confidential filing, the company will be able to go public. Anthropic said the timing "will depend on market conditions and other factors."

SEE ALSO: Elon Musk found the cheat code for capitalism. The SpaceX IPO proves it.

Anthropic revealed the news via a short announcement on its website, noting that the share price has not yet been set.

It isn't the only tech giant prepping for an IPO this year. Elon Musk's SpaceX, after its merger with xAI, filed its own IPO paperwork in May. ChatGPT-maker OpenAI is expected to move forward with its own IPO as early as this month.

These IPOs could break records and create unprecedented wealth. If the SpaceX IPO goes as planned, Musk is widely expected to become the world's first trillionaire.

Anthropic founder and CEO Dario Amoedi, who only owns 1% of the company, will not enter the Musk stratosphere of wealth — but he could be worth tens of billions of dollars when Anthropic hits the market.

Want to learn more about getting the best out of your tech? Sign up for Mashable's Top Stories and Deals newsletters today.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April 2025 filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

SAVE $350: As of June 1, you can get the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 at Best Buy for $549.99, down from $899.99. That's a 38% discount or $350 savings.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lenovo Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 $549.99 at Best Buy
$899.99 Save $350   Get Deal

If you're thinking about grabbing the new MacBook Neo, you should probably check Best Buy's daily deals first. Right now, you can get the 15.3-inch Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 for $549.99 (that's a $350 price drop) — but the deal ends tonight.

SEE ALSO: MacBook Neo review: I think Apple's going to sell millions of these

The Neo is a solid starter laptop, but the base model (now only $589.99) comes with a 13-inch screen, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. For $40 less, this Lenovo comes with an AMD Ryzen 7 processor, 16GB of memory, and 512GB of solid-state storage. That's double the RAM and double the storage for less money.

You'll also get a 15.3-inch 2K touchscreen, which is a nice practical upgrade over Apple's smaller, non-touch 13-inch display. If you don't care about labels (e.g., having the Apple logo on the back of your laptop) or don't need to sync your iPhone to your computer, getting better hardware at a lower price is a pretty easy choice.

SAVE $600.99: Preorder the new Anker Solix S2000 get the portable power station for just $599 instead of the normal MSRP of $1,199.99. That's a 50% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Solix Anker Solix S2000 $599 at Anker
$1,199.99 Save $600.99   Pre-order Here

The thought of a power cut is never anyone's idea of a fun time. We have to deal with dwindling phone battery, dead earbuds, a laptop with low power, and maybe worst of all, food spoiling in the fridge. Plenty of portable power stations are designed for a weekend of camping but not all can handle the task of keeping the refrigerator cooling. Anker Solix takes aim at this issue with its latest model — the S2000 and preorders are in for a massive savings. But you only have a few hours left to score the saving.

Preorder the Anker Solix S2000 before its launch on June 2 to score the portable power station for only $599, down from the list price of $1,199.99. That's a major savings of $600.99 or a 50% discount. To get the discount, sign up with your email address. On June 2, you'll get an early access discount code in your inbox which is valid through June 8. You'll also get access to priority shipping. From June 2 onward, the price shifts to $679.99.

Anker Solix designed the S2000 to excel when the power cuts at home. Its 2,010Wh capacity is rating for 1,500W output and peak at 3,000W. Anker claims it's capable of offering 35 hours of fridge backup. The brand is putting that claim to the test starting at 5 p.m. PT June 2 with a live YouTube stream.

Building on the idea the S2000 is ideal for home backup, Anker placed AC ports on both the front and the back of the unit. Plug the fridge into the back and you still have access to three AC ports for other items like the coffee pot or a lamp. It also comes with dual UBS-C ports and a USB-A.

Anker also focused on a compact, portable design with this model. It weighs just a bit over 35 pounds and is impressively small for packing in over 2,000Wh of battery capacity. Plus, the built-in handles make for easy carrying. When it comes time to recharge the S2000, the ultrafast recharging option brings it back to 80% capacity in 1.2 hours with standard wall AC recharging. If you can offer 400W of solar input, you're looking at 80% capacity in 4.5 hours.

Before the $599 preorder deal expires tonight, upgrade to the new Anker Solix S2000. It'll give you reassurance a power outage won't spoil the entire contents of your refrigerator. Plus, getting a power station that offers over 2,000Wh for under $600 is an incredible deal.

SAVE 40%: As of June 1, you can get the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus for $29.99 at Amazon, down from $49.99. That's a 40% discount or $20 savings.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus $29.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $20.00   Get Deal at Amazon

Summer's finally here, which means you'll probably (hopefully) be traveling quite a bit for vacation or family events. If you're visiting family, it's likely you'll be in a cabin, an older hotel, or staying in your childhood bedroom without a smart TV.

SEE ALSO: The 30 best comedies streaming on Netflix right now

Instead of watching basic cable, just pack a streaming stick. Right now, you can get the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus for $29.99 at Amazon, down from $49.99. That's a 40% discount or $20 savings. But you'd better hurry — this deal ends in about 15 hours.

This specific model supports Wi-Fi 6, which helps keep your 4K movies from buffering when you're sharing a spotty connection. You can also stream games like Call of Duty directly through the stick via Xbox Game Pass — just remember you'll need a subscription and a Bluetooth controller to actually play. On top of that, it comes with Amazon's new Alexa+ AI, which lets you search for a movie by describing the plot or by reciting a quote into the remote.

The only catch is that full access to Alexa+ features is free only if you already have an Amazon Prime account. If you don't, the AI assistant will cost you an extra $19.99 a month.

SAVE $80: The Xreal 1S AR glasses are on sale at Amazon for $449, down from the list price of $529. That's a 15% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Xreal Xreal S1 AR/XR glasses $449 at Amazon
$529 Save $80   Get Deal

If you've been watching the evolution of smart glasses but haven't felt like it was the right time to invest in a pair, the tide might be shifting. We now have smart glasses that come with excellent sound, 3D capabilities, and some can pair with your handheld gaming console. A model that does all of this is on sale at Amazon today.

As of June 1, the Xreal 1S AR glasses are on sale at Amazon for $449, marked down from the list price of $529. That's a 15% discount that takes $80 off the price.

Xreal is coming in hot with advancements in smart glasses, and the Xreal 1S have some great features. For one, the sound is powered by Bose for immersive audio with 3.0 Spatial Sound Field. This model, like all in the One Series, features real 3D. Paired with the ability to display up to 200 inches, we're talking a whole new experience when viewing movies.

SEE ALSO: This 32-inch LG UltraGear 4K OLED monitor is $500 cheaper at Amazon today

Xreal also snagged TÜV Rheinland certification for this model which means you're in for a more eye-friendly display with a flick-free full viewing area and low blue light. Xreal also made it easy to connect devices with a simple USB-C port. You won't need to mess around with any app connectivity or setup to connect your phone or gaming consoles.

Other noteworthy specs include 1,200P HD resolution, 700 nits of peak brightness, and up to 120Hz global refresh rate. Today's deal includes the Xreal 1S AR glasses, three sizes of nose pads, a cleaning cloth, a protective case, and more.

Before the sale price vanishes, hop on the Xreal 1S AR glasses. They're on sale for $449 at Amazon and come with tons of latest-tech features.

Welcome to June. It's a new month, which means the major streaming services will be adding a significant number of movies this week. In case you missed some of last week's top movies, be sure to check out two HBO Max movies: The Moment with Charli XCX and Miss You, Love You with Allison Janney and Andrew Rannells.

Google's first speaker in nearly six years should finally make its way to stores before the end of the month.

According to a leaked product page on Best Buy's Canadian website, the Google Home Speaker will officially launch on June 25.

The product page, as first noticed by 9to5Google, lists the speaker at a price point of $139.99 Canadian dollars. This appears to back up Google's announced U.S. launch price point for the speaker at $99.99.

In addition, Best Buy only lists the Hazel and Porcelain color options, whereas Google's U.S. product page shows that the smart speaker will also come in Berry and Jade colors as well. In design, the new Google Home Speaker looks like a cross between an Echo Dot and an Apple HomePod.

The upcoming Google Home Speaker with Gemini. Credit: Google

Google previously announced the Google Home Speaker last summer. It will be powered by Gemini instead of the traditional Google Assistant, which has been the subject of numerous complains in recent months. While the speaker comes with Google Gemini, users will have to sign up for a monthly subscription to access additional AI features such as Gemini Live.

SEE ALSO: Is Google Home another victim of ensh*ttification? Redditors discuss, Google responds.

According to Google, the launch date for the Google Home Speaker was originally targeted for Spring 2026. However, the company delayed its release so it could focus on rolling out Gemini for Home. A June 25 rollout would only put the release a few days outside Google's originally targeted launch window.

The Google Home Speaker will be Google's first since 2020. It also marks a shift from the company, as the Google Home Speaker doesn't have the Nest branding that many Google smart home products used to carry. The Google Home Speaker will feature Gemini processing, 360-degree audio, multi-room support, and the ability to pair multiple Speakers with the Google TV Streamer for stereo surround sound.

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I always treated secondary DNS as a pretty inconsequential setting. You either leave it alone entirely or fill it once and then forget about it for the rest of time. You pick a primary server, pick a backup, and then move on.

SAVE $40: As of June 1, the Apple AirPods Max 2 are on sale at Amazon for $509 instead of $549. That's $40 cheaper than usual and matches their best price on record.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Max 2 $509 at Amazon
$549 Save $40   Get Deal

If you already have the original AirPods Max headphones, you should definitely not spend $500+ on the AirPods Max 2. But if you're shopping for over-the-ear headphones for the first time and you've had your eye on the undeniably stylish Apple headset, you should at least grab them while they're on sale.

As of June 1, the AirPods Max 2 are $509 instead of $549. Sure, $40 off isn't the biggest discount, but it does knock these noise-cancelling headphones back down to their best price on record. And that's something.

The first proper upgrade to Apple's first and only set of over-the-ear headphones, which took six years, isn't a major one. The AirPods Max 2 look the same as the AirPods Max, come with the same case, have the same battery life, come in the same color options, and cost the same amount. It's what lies inside that's actually different. The new generation headphones come with Apple's H2 chip inside (the same as the AirPods Pro 3), which means they have better active noise cancellation and a few new smart features.

Mashable reviewer Stan Schroeder can vouch for this. He notes that the noise cancellation has been audibly improved compared to the old model. "Not only did the new AirPods Max 2 block more noise, but they were also better at reducing noise depending on where I turned or how I moved my head," he writes.

Another new thing to note is the ability to toggle on/off features like adaptive audio, live translation, loud sound reduction, conversation awareness, and Siri interactions however and whenever you desire.

While they're not a groundbreaking upgrade over the older model, the AirPods Max 2 are still pretty great. And if you're an avid Apple fan and have been saving up, we recommend grabbing them while they're down to their best price.

When XPENG invited me to China for a four-day press trip spanning Guangzhou and Beijing, I'll admit my expectations were mixed. Bold claims about self-driving tech from a Chinese EV brand—that I'd heard before. A flying car was something else entirely.

Google's yet-to-be-announced Pixel Watch 5 has turned up somewhere the company almost certainly didn't intend — on the ocean floor near the Caribbean island of St. Martin.

The source of the leak is Gearbox Software founder Randy Pitchford, who posted two images on X showing what appears to be an unreleased Pixel Watch 5 in his possession. A bizarre sentence for sure, but the former studio head wrote that a friend had discovered the smartwatch while scuba diving, and it was still partially functional despite its time underwater. It was only able to display the correct time on what appeared to be a reserve charge.

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In the age of AI, it's hard to trust photographs entirely, but Pitchford's photos seem legit. "Pixel Watch 5" is clearly visible around the rim, and Pitchford's own face is reflected in the screen as he takes the shot. Beyond that, there's not a ton to learn from it — the ocean stay did a number on the battery, so hands-on impressions are limited to "it exists."

On the specs side, don't expect a dramatic leap from the Pixel Watch 4, which launched last fall. Android Central reported back in August 2025 that blood pressure monitoring and arterial stiffness tracking could be on the way, along with a proprietary Google Tensor chip for the watch codenamed "NPT."

Pitchford later confirmed on X that the watch's owner had been found and that a return was in the works. Mashable reached out to Google for comment, but did not receive a response before publication time.

If Google sticks to last year's launch schedule, the Pixel Watch 5 should be released in August.

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Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang took the stage at Computex to unveil the new Vera Rubin AI computing platform, the Vera CPU, a new collaboration with Microsoft that promises to “reinvent” the PC and its new open source AI models.