Technology

Nicolas Cage's Spider-Noir hits Prime Video tonight—and critics are calling it 'Cage at his best'

How-To Geek - 2 hours 16 min ago

Nicolas Cage, one of the most eccentric movie stars in Hollywood, heads to television to play a different version of Spider-Man in Spider-Noir. All eight episodes of the superhero show premiere on Prime Video on Wednesday, May 27, at 12 a.m. PT/3 a.m. ET in the U.S.

Categories: IT General, Technology

4 brilliantly unique HBO Max shows to watch this week (May 26-31)

How-To Geek - 2 hours 32 min ago

HBO Max gets most of its prestige reputation from the tentpoles it continuously delivers—House of the Dragon, Euphoria, The White Lotus among them—that dominate the charts and social media for weeks and then disappear for a year. But between those behemoths, though, HBO Max's catalog is full of unique shows that do a ton of heavy lifting, like award-winning documentaries, oddball superhero spinoffs, and cult-hit animated series.

Categories: IT General, Technology

This tiny desktop miner gives you a shot at Bitcoin block rewards for life for under $50

Mashable - 2 hours 32 min ago

TL;DR: The Bitcoin Ticket Miner gives you a chance to passively win block rewards, and it’s only $40.

Opens in a new window Credit: Rochas Divine Mart BitCoin Ticket Miner $39.99
$99.99 Save $60.00   Get Deal

Most people who are curious about Bitcoin mining assume it requires serious hardware, a technical background, and an electricity bill that makes the whole thing pointless. Bitcoin Ticket Miner is a compact desktop miner that sidesteps all of that. It plugs into any outlet, connects to Wi-Fi, and starts generating solo-mining tickets for a chance at a Bitcoin block reward, with no PC and no complicated setup. It’s on sale for $39.99 (reg. $99.99) right now, too.

Instead of competing in a standard mining pool, it uses a solo-mining approach where the device continuously generates and submits tickets for a chance at a block reward, which the Bitcoin network awards approximately every 10 minutes. Running at 1,000 KH/s through a BM1370 ASIC chip, it submits tickets up to 18 times faster than traditional ticket miners, which compounds your odds over time. There’s no guaranteed payout, and odds shift as network difficulty changes. Think of it less like an investment and more like a lottery ticket that runs itself in the background.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

Day to day, it barely makes its presence known. Power consumption sits at around 18 watts, less than a standard light bulb, and the silent cooling fan keeps temperatures in check without adding any noise. The 2.8-inch display shows hashrate, mining status, temperature, and power usage at a glance, so there’s nothing to log into or monitor remotely. Pool mining, solo mining, and lottery mining modes are all supported, giving you options depending on how you want to approach it. Lifetime firmware updates keep the software improving after purchase, and universal voltage support means it works anywhere.

At 3.3 by 2.2 by 0.3 inches and under 2 ounces, it fits on any desk without taking up meaningful space. A USB-C power cable and a one-year manufacturer’s warranty are included.

Right now, it’s only $40 to get a Bitcoin Ticket Miner.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Adobe Acrobat’s replacement is only $24 for life

Mashable - 2 hours 32 min ago

TL;DR: Instead of paying monthly for Adobe Acrobat, get a lifetime license to AcePDF Editor on sale for $24 with code PDF20.

Opens in a new window Credit: Acethinker AcePDF Converter & Editor: Lifetime License $23.99
$99.99 Save $76   Get Deal

Adobe Acrobat costs around $15 a month. If you’re using it to convert the occasional PDF or merge a few documents, that math stops making sense pretty quickly. AcePDF Converter and Editor handles converting, editing, merging, splitting, and protecting PDF files on both Windows and Mac, and a lifetime license is on sale now for $23.99 (reg. $99.99).

AcePDF makes working with PDFs quick and painless. If you need to switch between file formats, you can convert a PDF to Word, turn a spreadsheet or presentation into a PDF for sharing, or pull text out of a scanned document using the built-in OCR, which preserves the original formatting rather than spitting out a garbled mess. Conversions work both ways between PDF and Word, Excel, PowerPoint, HTML, and image formats, and everything processes fast enough that you’re not sitting around waiting.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

Editing is just as complete. Merge multiple PDFs into one, split out specific pages, rotate or delete pages, add watermarks, annotate with comments and stamps, or build fillable forms from scratch. Need to shrink a file before emailing it? Compression is built in, along with password protection and unlocking, so you’re not bouncing between apps to get one thing done.

For anyone dealing with high document volume, batch processing is worth calling out specifically. Instead of converting files one at a time, you can run multiple PDFs through in a single pass, which makes a real difference if you manage contracts, invoices, or client files on a regular basis.

You don’t have to pay for your PDF editor every month anymore.

Use code PDF20 to get an AcdePDF Lifetime License on sale for $23.99. Sale ends May 31 at 11:59 p.m. PT.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Categories: IT General, Technology

NASAs new moon base plan bets big on moon trucks and hopping drones

Mashable - Tue, 05/26/2026 - 23:45

NASA has started locking in the first missions it says will turn the moon's south pole into a place where astronauts can actually stay and work.

The U.S. space agency announced Tuesday that three initial moon base-building missions this year will send cargo and vehicles for moving crews across the surface to the lunar south pole. The work builds on the recent Artemis II crewed flight around the moon and sets up a busier end to this decade, when astronauts start spending more time on the lunar surface.

The accelerated plan unfolds amid a broader rivalry with China, which has mounted a series of lunar missions and sketched out a long‑term research station for its own astronauts, known as taikonauts. Both countries now see the moon as the next stage for human exploration and a race for leadership in deep space.

China has its first human landing in its crosshairs and could beat NASA back to the surface of the moon. The United States' last crewed landing occurred in 1972, and no other nation has ever put boots on the lunar ground. Right now, NASA is targeting a landing of its Artemis IV mission in late 2028. 

"What we are embarking upon is extremely challenging, and we know so little from what is a combined 80 hours of lunar astronaut EVA time across the Apollo missions, and that was more than a half-century ago. So we are not jumping right into the glass-dome moon base," said NASA administrator Jared Isaacman in Washington during a news briefing. "We are leveraging the NASA playbook from the 1960s, figuring out what works and what doesn't, in this epic science of survival."

SEE ALSO: NASA may use a one-legged robot to explore a Saturn moon. Watch it hop.

The moon base's construction at the south pole is split into three phases. First, it focuses on making landings reliable, trying out ways to survive the brutal polar environment, and delivering an initial trickle of cargo. Next, NASA and its partners add bigger power systems, more cargo runs, and, eventually, places where astronauts can live and work for longer stretches.

In the final phase, heavy cargo versions of commercial landers haul larger hardware — habitats, bigger power plants, more capable rovers, and science instruments — so astronauts can assemble the base over dozens of flights.

The moon base push comes as a clear pivot from NASA's earlier plan. Until recently, the agency's roadmap leaned heavily on Gateway, a small space station proposal that would have orbited the moon rather than established an outpost on the ground. Leaders now say they will shift their funding and workforce toward the base effort and look for ways to reuse some Gateway components.

The south pole sits at the center of the new strategy. Craters there stay in permanent shadow and likely hold frozen water. Nearby ridges can get sunlight for most of the lunar day. Water could supply drinking water, oxygen, and even rocket fuel. Steady light makes solar power easier. NASA wants to learn how to run a base in this region before it sends people on months‑long trips to Mars.

"The moon base is as beautiful as it is hostile," Isaacman said. "We go for the technology we will pioneer to get there, the science, and all that we will learn that will make life better here on Earth."

"The moon base is as beautiful as it is hostile."

The first big step is Moon Base I, which will fly Blue Origin’s Blue Moon Mark 1 Endurance lander to a spot NASA calls Shackleton Connecting Ridge near the rim of Shackleton crater. The mission, targeted for launch no earlier than fall 2026, will carry NASA instruments, including stereo cameras to watch how rocket exhaust throws lunar dust and rocks and a laser reflector that helps orbiting spacecraft pinpoint their exact location using bounced laser light. NASA says this flight will cut risk for crewed Artemis landings.

Two more missions follow. Moon Base II, planned for launch later this year, will ride on Astrobotic's Griffin lander and deliver more than 1,100 pounds of cargo, including Astrolab's FLIP rover, to shake out early mobility systems. Moon Base III, also targeted for this year, will fly on Intuitive Machines' Nova‑C Trinity lander and carry the Lunar Vertex science package to study strange bright "swirl" markings on the surface, along with instruments from the European Space Agency and South Korea's astronomy institute.

NASA has begun to stage missions intended to deliver hardware and vehicles to the lunar south pole for the construction of a moon base. Credit: NASA illustration

To help crews and robots get around, NASA picked two companies to build lunar terrain vehicles — essentially moon‑ready utility trucks. The agency awarded about $219 million to Astrolab and $220 million to Lunar Outpost for the first phase of these rovers, which it wants operating by 2028. Astrolab's CLV‑1 rover weighs about 2,000 pounds in its stowed form, carries two astronauts plus cargo, and can top 6 mph on flat ground. Lunar Outpost's Pegasus rover can drive for up to a year, run under manual, remote, or autonomous control, and reach more than 9 mph.

NASA also plans a hopping‑drone mission, called Moonfall. In 2028, a Moonfall flight will send four small drones that make short hops across the south pole, then settle in and keep working for several months through the harsh lunar night. They will scout rough terrain, search for signs of buried ice, and beam back sharp images that help later landers avoid hazards. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California leads the drone design, and Firefly Aerospace will build the spacecraft that ferries them from Earth orbit to the Moon.

All of this plugs into the broader Artemis program, which aims to return astronauts to the surface and then push on to Mars. Artemis III, targeted for mid‑2027, will test more of the pieces the moon base needs, including docking with commercial landers

NASA officials say they do not know yet exactly where a long‑term base will sit or what it will look like. For now, they want many landers, rovers, and drones to explore different ridges and craters, then gradually build up something more like a small lunar neighborhood spread across a wide area, said Carlos García-Galán, the program executive for the moon base.

"With crews coming to the surface twice a year, we can expand the time that they can expend there before they come back home," said García-Galán. "Eventually, when we've matched the assets, habitation modules, with the logistics and all the things to move the logistics around, then we'll be able to say, 'Hey, we're permanently here, and we're not giving it up.'"

Categories: IT General, Technology

Forget luxury rivals—this Toyota sedan makes them feel overpriced

How-To Geek - Tue, 05/26/2026 - 23:30

Luxury cars used to feel attainable if you were willing to stretch your budget a little. These days, even entry-level premium models are creeping into price territory that would’ve bought you something seriously high-end a decade ago.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Scammers and hackers target GTA 6 fans as pre-order hype begins

Mashable - Tue, 05/26/2026 - 23:11

Be careful, Grand Theft Auto fans. Cybercriminals are already weaponizing your excitement for GTA 6 to hack your devices and scam you out of money.

According to a new report from NordVPN’s Threat Intelligence research unit, multiple malware and scam campaigns have rolled out recently, looking to capitalize on the impending release of perhaps the most anticipated video game of all time, Grand Theft Auto IV.

Developer Rockstar Games finally announced a release date of Nov. 19, 2026 for GTA 6, which means it'll be 13 years between its release and its predecessor, GTA 5. Bad actors know GTA 6 fans can hardly wait a few more months and are itching to purchase a pre-order or download a beta release. And those cybercriminals are looking to take advantage of that.

SEE ALSO: 'Grand Theft Auto VI' gets a surprise second trailer after being delayed

"GTA VI is one of the most anticipated releases in gaming history, and that level of public excitement is exactly what criminals look for," says NordVPN CTO Marijus Briedis. "When people are desperate to get early access to something, their guard comes down. That's the window attackers exploit."

Fake GTA 6 beta websites

According to NordVPN, its researchers have uncovered fake GTA 6 beta websites. These fake GTA sites claim to offer beta keys for PS5 and Xbox Series consoles. Users are asked to fill out a form, go through a verification process, and then asked to pay for a subscription service or download an unknown application.

Fake GTA 6 beta site Credit: NordVPN

Rockstar Games have yet to announce any sort of public GTA 6 beta. These fake websites don't actually have beta keys to offer. Instead, they're looking to charge a user for a service they don't want or, even worse, steal their information or install malware on their device.

Fake piracy websites

Malicious actors are even faking "legitimate" piracy websites in order to scam GTA 6 fans. 

NordVPN has uncovered fake clones of gaming piracy websites that are being used to spread malware to Grand Theft Auto fans. While downloading pirated or cracked games inherently has their own risks, gamers have come to trust certain well-known sites like FitGirl, DODI, and ElAmigos.

According to NordVPN, in one instance detected earlier this month, a "malicious package" on one of these clones "presented itself as a legitimate game installer." However, once downloaded, a trojanized malicious file hides under the disguise of a NVIDIA graphics driver component.

Operating undetected, this malware modifies a computer's memory, downloads other malware, and connects to external servers where cybercriminals can send instructions to the malicious file.

Fake GTA 6 Android apps

NordVPN has already uncovered at least one Android app masquerading as a GTA 6 beta application.

The fake GTA 6 app has branding and an intro video that makes it look officially connected to Rockstar Games. However, there's no actual game in this app. Instead, the app tricks users into believing that they just need to download additional data to run the app.

Fake GTA 6 beta Android app Credit: NordVPN

A prompt sends users to full-screen ads and external page redirects that pressures the user to subscribe to a paid service or to download malware. The report says that the bad actors even disguised the actions they want users to take as steps in a fake human verification process.

According to NordVPN, researchers discovered that the app was connected to a domain with a "documented history of distributing infostealers, banking trojans, adware, and ransomware on both Android and Windows."

Rockstar Social Club phishing campaigns

GTA fans who have an account on the Rockstar Social Club platform are specifically being targeted as well, according to NordVPN.

Researchers have already tracked "hundreds of amateur phishing pages targeting Rockstar Social Club credentials through fake login forms." 

NordVPN says that scammers often weaponize trusted platforms like GitHub and Vercel as hosts for these fake pages in order to perpetuate their phishing schemes. 

Once a bad actor compromises a user's Rockstar Social Club account, they often try to sell the account on the dark web or utilize the account for in-game fraud.

GTA 6 fans should be extra careful in the coming months as hackers are likely to ramp up their campaigns as the game's release date gets closer. The notorious hacking collective ShinyHunters breached Rockstar Games just last month, so it appears no one is safe from GTA inspired schemes.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The 10 most satisfying car brands to own in 2026, according to consumer reports

How-To Geek - Tue, 05/26/2026 - 22:30

Customer satisfaction says a lot about how well an automaker is really serving its buyers. According to Consumer Reports’ latest owner satisfaction study, these are the brands that owners are most likely to buy from again in 2026, based on how happy they are with their vehicles overall.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Did WWE star Danhausen help the New York Knicks reach the NBA Finals?

Mashable - Tue, 05/26/2026 - 22:11

The New York Knicks are going to the NBA Finals, thanks to some help from a pro wrestling ghoul.

That's not a bit. That's just what happened. The Knicks are heading to their first Finals since the Clinton administration, and a meaningful portion of the internet is crediting Danhausen — a vampire-gremlin-ghoul character from the world of professional wrestling who makes a habit of cursing people who irritate him — with nearly derailing the whole thing.

SEE ALSO: The Knicks have taken over New York City — and the internet

We say 'derail' because Danhausen initially cursed the Knicks ahead of their first-round series against the Atlanta Hawks. During his appearance on ESPN's First Take, Stephen A. Smith, who has never been accused of being easy to deal with, apparently rubbed Danhausen the wrong way. Danhausen then cursed the Knicks, and the New York team went down 2-1 to a Hawks team they were heavily favored to beat.

He then uncursed the New York Knicks after a pro wrestling podcaster paid him on Cameo to do so. "Alright, I guess I've been paid, so the New York Knicks, I guess you can be uncursed."

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

The uncursing happened the morning of Game 6. The Knicks won by 51 points, the sixth-largest margin of victory in NBA playoff history. They then won their next eight games without losing, finishing the postseason on a 10-0 run — the fifth-longest playoff winning streak in NBA history, one game shy of the 11-game runs by the 1989 and 2003 Lakers.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

The collision between the NBA and pro wrestling is not rare. Dennis Rodman famously appeared on an episode of WCW Nitro in the middle of the 1998 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz. Shaquille O'Neal has made multiple WWE appearances and got speared through a table in the early days of All Elite Wrestling. That iconic meme of a young LeBron James taking a picture with his flip phone is from a 2003 episode of Monday Night Raw. More recently, in 2024, Knicks star Jalen Brunson got in the ring with Pacers star Tyrese Haliburton on a June episode of Smackdown — just weeks after Haliburton knocked New York out of the Eastern Conference Finals.

So a vampiric wrestling gremlin getting paid on Cameo to uncurse the Knicks is, to anyone who has watched pro wrestling, probably the least surprising thing on this list. For everyone else, it's admittedly pretty weird.

Danhausen, for his part, is having a blast with it. He's already selling t-shirts commemorating the uncursing. He debuted for WWE this past February and got off to a rocky start, but has since become the company's second-highest merchandise seller despite having wrestled exactly two matches since his debut.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

So, did a wrestling ghoul's Cameo alter the trajectory of a professional basketball team? Probably not. Jalen Brunson is very good at basketball. Karl-Anthony Towns is a seven-footer who can shoot threes and run the offense. These things matter more than curses. However, they did win a playoff game by 51 points, the same morning Danhausen got paid to nonchalantly uncurse them. They're going to the NBA Finals for the first time in 27 years.

Probably a coincidence. Almost certainly a coincidence. The kind of coincidence, though, that Knicks fans are going to be telling their kids about.

Categories: IT General, Technology

American Air inks deal with Starlink for fastest Wi-Fi in the sky

Mashable - Tue, 05/26/2026 - 22:09

American Air inked a deal with Starlink to equip 500 of the airline’s planes with the satellite internet provider’s WiFi.

In an announcement made today, American described Starlink "as the world’s most advanced satellite constellation" and touted its ability to deliver powerful broadband internet via its thousands of satellites flying in low Earth orbit.

Starlink will connect to American’s narrow body planes — smaller aircraft that typically fly shorter routes — starting in the early months of 2027. Starlink, part of Elon Musk’s SpaceX, will connect to the planes via its Aero Terminal, which can support up to 1 Gbps of data per antenna.

American promises that Starlink WiFi will enable fliers to not just smoothly access their email, but stream entertainment, conduct on-camera work meetings, and play online games.

Are you an Apple superfan? Enter Mashable’s Big Guessing Game to win prizes.

SEE ALSO: An exploded Starlink satellite is orbiting Earth right now

"American is committed to elevating every aspect of our customers’ travel journeys, which in the air means keeping them connected and comfortable with the assurance they won’t have to download documents ahead of a flight or worry about lag time," American Airlines Chief Customer Officer Heather Garboden said in a statement. "Starlink’s high speed and low latency make the Wi-Fi more reliable, which matters when customers are trying to load pages, join real-time collaboration tools or stay connected consistently throughout a flight."

American, the largest airline in the world, uses Viasat or Intelsat for WiFi on its larger, wide-body planes. It was just in January that the company announced it would start offering free AT&T WiFi for nearly all of its AAdvantage rewards members.

Starlink is already working with a number of other major airlines, including United and Lufthansa. However, Starlink is also facing competition for control of the internet at 30,000 feet. Amazon Leo, the satellite internet service from Amazon, will support WiFi on Delta planes starting in 2028.

Categories: IT General, Technology

4 newly-added Paramount+ movies to watch this week (May 25-31)

How-To Geek - Tue, 05/26/2026 - 22:00

Paramount+ has well-stocked shelves of movies spanning every conceivable genre and going back decades. Between the steady drip of Taylor Sheridan dramas, the latest Star Trek installments, and a deep back catalog of MTV and CBS classics, there's already plenty pulling at your attention this spring. Throw in a fresh wave of films landing over the last few weeks, and the "what should we watch tonight?" debate just got more chaotic.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to watch Crystal Palace vs. Rayo Vallecano online for free

Mashable - Tue, 05/26/2026 - 22:00

TL;DR: Live stream Crystal Palace vs. Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final for free on SRF or TRT1. Access these free streaming platforms from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Aston Villa secured an impressive victory in the Europa League final last week, and now the attention turns to the Conference League final. OK, most neutrals are probably looking further ahead to the resolution of the Champions League, but try telling that to fans of Crystal Palace and Rayo Vallecano. For this dedicated bunch, this is the one that matters.

It's really difficult to pick a winner from this contest. Crystal Palace haven't enjoyed the most fruitful domestic campaign, but they've saved their best for this competition. Ray Vallecano finished in the top half of La Liga, and beat a strong Starsbourg team to make it to this showpiece event. It's going to be a real battle at the Red Bull Arena.

If you want to watch Crystal Palace vs. Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Crystal Palace vs. Rayo Vallecano?

Crystal Palace vs. Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on May 27. This fixture takes place at the Red Bull Arena.

How to watch Crystal Palace vs. Rayo Vallecano for free

Crystal Palace vs. Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final is available to live stream for free on SRF or TRT1.

SRF and TRT1 are geo-restricted to Switzerland and Turkey respectively, but anyone can access these free streaming platforms with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Switzerland or Turkey, meaning you can unblock SRF and TRT1 to stream the Conference League for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Crystal Palace vs. Rayo Vallecano for free by following these simple steps:

  1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

  2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

  3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Switzerland or Turkey

  4. Visit SRF or TRT1

  5. Watch Crystal Palace vs. Rayo Vallecano for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the Conference League final without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Crystal Palace vs. Rayo Vallecano before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for sport?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on SRF and TRT1, for a number of reasons:

  • Servers in 105 countries including Switzerland and Turkey

  • Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

  • Fast connection speeds free from throttling

  • Up to 10 simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Crystal Palace vs. Rayo Vallecano in the Conference League final for free with ExpressVPN.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I found 11 surprise Memorial Day Apple deals that are still live: Grab M5 MacBook Airs for $899, AirPods for $99

Mashable - Tue, 05/26/2026 - 21:38
Top Memorial Day Apple Deals that are still live: Best Overall M5 MacBook Air, 13 inches (M5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $899 (save $200 at Amazon) Get Deal Best AirPods Deal Apple AirPods 4 $99 (save $30 at Walmart) Get Deal Best Past-Gen Deal Apple iPad Air, 11 inches (A16, 128GB) $299 (save $50 at Amazon) Get Deal Best Deal at Best Buy Apple iPad Air, 11 inches (M4, 1TB) $899 (save $200 at Best Buy) Get Deal Best Apple Watch Deal Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm) $299 (save $100 at Amazon) Get Deal Best Beats Deal Beats Studio Pro Noise-Cancelling Headphones $249.95 (save $100.04 at Amazon) Get Deal Best MagSafe Accessory deal Anker Nano MagSafe Portable Charger $45.99 (save $9 at Amazon) Get Deal

I'm Mashable's Tech Editor, and I drew the short straw as the editor on call for Memorial Day. But I'm kind of glad I did, because we spotted an unexpected price drop on the new M5 MacBook Air. While the long weekend is technically over, almost all of these deals are still live.

In my review of the latest MacBook Air, I said that this is a pretty much perfect laptop, though I wasn't in love with the price. So, with the new record-low price of just $899 at Amazon, the MacBook Air just erased my one and only gripe. In the days of RAM-ageddon, this is a phenomenal price — and it's not the only Apple product on sale today.

At Best Buy, you can pick up previous-gen iPad Airs starting at $499, or save $200 on the M5 iPad Airs with 1TB of memory. At Woot, you can score a 4-pack of the original AirTags for only $59.99. And at Amazon, Prime Members can save $50 on iPads and AirPods.

Get your clicking and scrolling fingers ready as we break down the best Memorial Day Apple deals that are still kickin', with big savings on Apple AirPods, MacBooks, AirTags, iPads, and Beats headphones.

SEE ALSO: The best Memorial Day tech deals you can shop this weekend — save on headphones, laptops, and more Best Apple Deal: M5 MacBook Air Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 13 inches (M5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $899.99 at Amazon
$1,099.99 Save $200   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 15 inches (M5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,099.99 at Amazon
$1,299.99 Save $200   Get Deal Why we like it

As we mentioned above, we weren't expecting this one. We were excited when the newest MacBook Air dropped to $949, but here we are after MDW, and this sleek Apple laptop is still at its lowest-ever price: $899. With the lightning-fast M5 chip, Apple's famous Liquid Retina display, powerful and well-balanced speakers, and a svelte form factor, I think this is the best laptop in the world for the money, full stop.

With a worldwide memory shortage causing tons of price hikes in the laptop space, I highly recommend jumping on this price while you still can!

More Memorial Day deals on Apple products:Apple accessories deals
Categories: IT General, Technology

This $30,000 Mazda is more fun than six-figure sports cars, and here's why

How-To Geek - Tue, 05/26/2026 - 21:30

Modern sports cars are increasingly defined by big horsepower figures, aggressive styling, and eye-watering price tags, but that formula often misses what actually makes a car enjoyable to drive. While many buyers assume real performance starts at six figures, the reality is that some of the most rewarding driving experiences come from far more accessible machines that prioritize balance, feedback, and lightness over raw output.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Strava was logging my home address without asking—here's the open-source app I switched to

How-To Geek - Tue, 05/26/2026 - 21:01

The running season is in full swing across the Northern Hemisphere. The mild spring weather right before the summer heat has brought a lot of runners back outside for the first time in months, or in my case, years. Unsurprisingly, fitness apps that track your workouts have risen in popularity as well. Strava, in particular, has taken social media by storm, with many people sharing their personal records on Instagram.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The new version of my favorite stick vacuum for carpet is $150 off: Get the Shark PowerDetect Speed for $350

Mashable - Tue, 05/26/2026 - 20:21

SAVE $150: As of May 26, the Shark PowerDetect Speed stick vacuum with Clean & Empty System is on sale for $349.99 at Amazon and Best Buy. That's 30% off of its usual $499.99.

Shark PowerDetect Speed Clean & Empty $349.99 at Best Buy
$499.99 Save $150   Get Deal at Best Buy Get Deal at Amazon

There's a new best Shark stick vacuum in town, but you don't even have to pay close to full price to bring it home. Less than two months after launching in April, the Shark PowerDetect Speed and its self-empty dock are on sale for just $349.99 at Amazon and Best Buy — a massive 30% discount that's surprising to see on a vacuum so new. In my humble opinion as Mashable's resident vacuum reviewer, this is one of the absolute best Memorial Day deals on a vacuum, beating Dyson.

The PowerDetect Speed is the chicer version of my favorite cordless vacuum for pet hair on carpet, the original Shark PowerDetect. The suction power hasn't changed much — it's still wickedly powerful, and you'll literally be able to feel the TurboPro brush roll digging into rug or carpet fibers to untether fur or crumbs. Since this stick vac empties itself whenever it's hung up to charge, the transparent dustbin starts with a clean slate every time. You'll be able to see exactly how much debris was embedded in the current room you're cleaning. And trust me: There's way more gray fluff embedded in your floors than you think.

SEE ALSO: The Shark BlastBoss uses blasts of air to clean spots a vacuum can't. I keep finding new ways to use it.

The Speed model's cleaning head looks a little different from the original PowerDetect, and not just because it's orange. This one is a little more compact and shoots out a blue LED light to illuminate debris that you may not see with the naked eye. The PowerDetect Speed just has a more slender build overall, too. It barely weighs over seven pounds, shaving more than two pounds off the bulky OG PowerDetect.

Despite the smaller design (and presumably smaller battery), the PowerDetect Speed can still clean for up to an hour on one charge.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Knicks have taken over New York City — and the internet

Mashable - Tue, 05/26/2026 - 20:11

The New York Knicks are headed back to the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999, and that sentence still doesn't feel real.

Think about the timeline: A kid born the last time the Knicks played for a championship is now 27 years old. An entire generation of Knicks fans, including Oscar nominee Timothée Chalamet, reached adulthood having never once watched their team play meaningful basketball in June.

Now here they are. Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns, Josh Hart, Mikal Bridges, and OG Anunoby are four wins away from a championship. Four wins from ending a 53-year title drought. Four wins from becoming the first New York men's team in one of the Big Four sports to win it all since 2011, with the New York Liberty championship banner in 2024 still very much acknowledged and respected.

The strangest part of it all is the vibe. Knicks fans are known for their "passionate" feelings toward their team and other teams around the league (ex. Trae Young). As one X post bluntly states, if the Knicks win it all, "the city might actually become ungovernable."

For right now, at least, New York City just seems happy. Genuinely, quietly, almost disbelievingly happy. Like an immense weight has been lifted off everyone's shoulders, and the city that never sleeps is legitimately just relaxing right now.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

After sweeping the Cavaliers, Knicks fans filled the streets of New York, which was fair enough. While the Thunder and Spurs are legit going to war out West, there's no anxiety in New York. Just fans who are genuinely enjoying being fans of their team for maybe the first time in their lives.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

Even the city's politics have gotten swept up in it. The city's recently elected mayor, Zohran Mamdani, was seen at Game 2 last week in the nosebleeds at Madison Square Garden, rooting for the Knicks.

After the Game 4 win, Mamdani tweeted NYC Sanitation to report a sweep. It's the kind of corny, earnest post that makes you like a politician more. It also helps that he's been a lifelong fan of England's Arsenal football team, which also just recently broke a championship drought after years of choking allegations.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

It's the exact right energy. Meanwhile, former mayor Eric Adams, never one to miss a moment, marked the occasion by posting what appeared to be an AI-generated video of dancing brooms, which somehow perfectly summarizes where his relationship with the city stands right now.

There's a decent comparison to be made with Detroit over the last few years. The Lions finally got good after decades as one of the NFL's favorite punching bags, and something shifted in the city alongside them. Detroit's violent crime dropped to its lowest levels in 60 years in 2023 — the same season the Lions went 12–5 and won their first playoff game since 1991.

Now, criminologists will tell you causation is complicated, and sure, they're right. But there's a kind of magic in an entire city having a team worth believing in again.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Forget the CR-V Hybrid—this 3-row SUV gives you more for the same money

How-To Geek - Tue, 05/26/2026 - 20:00

Over the last five years, hybrid SUVs in the U.S. have gone from a niche option to something you see everywhere on the road. Automakers have flooded the market with new models, turning what used to be a small corner of the industry into a full-blown mainstream segment.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Motorola phones are reportedly injecting affiliate codes into the Amazon app

Mashable - Tue, 05/26/2026 - 19:34

A few years ago, a massive affiliate code hijacking scheme rocked the internet. YouTubers and other influencers discovered that PayPal's money-saving Chrome extension, Honey, was sneakily inserting its own e-commerce affiliate codes — sometimes even replacing creators' affiliate codes — in order to take credit for the sale and profit from the commission. 

The whole ordeal resulted in lawsuits and even Google getting involved, changing its Chrome extensions policy and how the company handles affiliate links.

Now, a Reddit user and 9to5Google have uncovered yet another over-the-top instance of affiliate hijacking that's reportedly affecting Motorola smartphone users.

Over the weekend, a Reddit user noticed that their Motorola Razr Ultra was behaving oddly when trying to shop on Amazon. 

"When I tried to open the Amazon app, it would instead open the browser and send me to some sketchy looking url, which then redirects to amazon.com with an affiliate code," Reddit user u/Trypocopris said.

The user found that his device was making requests to "devicenative.com," a service that claims to offer "personalized, on-device mobile ad serving without sharing user data."

9to5Google was able to replicate the issue. The outlet found the issue on a Razr Fold with the latest Smart Feed v2.03.0070. However, 9to5Google was unable to replicate the behavior on the latest Razr running the older Smart Feed v2.03.0056. While some Motorola phones on the latest version would not replicate the issue, 9to5Google believes the issue is related to Smart Feed v2.03.0070.

The affiliate hijacking only appears to occur when a user opens the Amazon app from the app drawer. Opening Amazon from the home screen does not cause the issue. (Mashable was also redirected when opening the Amazon shopping app from the Smart Feed, but not when opening the app from the home screen.) When selecting Amazon from the app drawer, the user's mobile web browser briefly opens up before quickly directing the user to the Amazon app.

Interestingly, 9to5Google found that users are briefly redirected to a website containing the term “kira-abboud,” an apparent reference to fashion influencer @kirasfashionfinds. However, as the outlet discovered, neither this URL nor the Amazon affiliate code being injected matches anything publicly shared by the influencer herself. 

So, did a bad actor find a way to inject their affiliate code into certain Motorola smartphones? Did a rogue employee insert their own? Mashable reached out to Motorola for comment, and we'll update this story if they provide more information.

However, users can stop the behavior by turning the Smart Feed feature off. Simply go to Settings, followed by Apps, then search for Smart Feed and choose the Disable option. 9to5Google reports that doing this immediately stopped the redirect.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Stop rebooting your router manually, set it and forget it instead

How-To Geek - Tue, 05/26/2026 - 19:25

Most of us rarely think about routers until they stop working, and that isn't necessarily a bad thing. Routers are designed to quietly handle your internet traffic 24/7 for months without a single break. However, just because they can do that, it doesn't mean that they should. Like many other devices, they can benefit from a simple restart, and fortunately, it's easy to set up an automatic schedule that can do just that.

Categories: IT General, Technology
Syndicate content

eXTReMe Tracker