Technology

What is the best laptop for 2026?

My answer ultimately boils down to your operating system preference: Windows or macOS?

As of February 2026, I think the 15-inch Apple MacBook Air (M4) is the best MacBook for most people. It's a sleek-as-ever notebook featuring impressive performance, open-lid support for two external displays, a great 12MP Center Stage camera, and an extremely reasonable starting price of $1,199 (though it's often on sale for much less).

The best Windows laptop for most people is the 13.8-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 with the Snapdragon X Elite chip, a sophisticated and snappy Copilot+ PC boasting a stellar battery life of nearly 23 hours. Note that Microsoft makes an Intel version that may appeal to users wary of Windows on ARM for app compatibility reasons, but it's significantly pricier.

SEE ALSO: The best laptops of CES 2026

Need something different? I've selected ten other options that are ideal for strict budgets, ultra-basic workloads, frequent travelers, content creation, PC gaming, and beyond.

A quick note before we get into the full list: Five of my picks received next-gen updates at CES 2026, and while most of their successors don't have official release dates or prices yet, the ongoing memory shortage is expected to make most new laptops more expensive later this year. Because of this, I'd strongly consider buying a last-gen model and springing for a RAM or SSD upgrade if possible. (More on this below.)

If you'd rather roll the dice and see how the latest laptops fare in testing, stay tuned. We'll be putting them through our extensive review process as soon as they start trickling out.

What's new

As of February 2026, I've added one new pick based on my latest round of testing. The MSI Prestige 14 Flip AI+ is now our top work laptop, a new category for this guide.

A note about laptop prices

Over the past 12 months, laptop prices have remained largely reasonable and stable despite a tumultuous economic climate. Last spring's tariff-related price increases wound up being minimal, and we saw affected models go on sale frequently throughout the year. In one impressive anomaly, Apple managed to release faster-than-ever MacBook Airs that were $100 cheaper than their 2024 predecessors, and ever since they turned five months old, they've enjoyed regular $200 discounts at major retailers.

Unfortunately, 2026 is probably going to look a lot different. As Mashable's Alex Perry reported, the global surge of AI data centers has created huge demand for DDR5 RAM and SSDs. Laptop manufacturers who put those same components in their PCs are now facing a shortage, and experts say this could lead to significant laptop price hikes or more limited configuration options. (Read: We might be going back to the days of 8GB RAM in mid-range laptops. It's so over.)

Since most manufacturers have yet to confirm price and availability details for the 2026 models they unveiled at CES, we have yet to see exactly how this RAM famine shakes out in reality. For their part, Windows laptops might be fine in the short term. Intel told Tom's Guide that PC makers have “about nine to 12 months of inventory" in stock as a buffer from the shortage. But what happens if it lasts beyond a year, as one Micron exec predicts?

This is all to say that if you're currently in the market for a new laptop, I'd buy one soon and equip it with as much storage and memory as you can afford. For what it's worth, the last-gen models I currently recommend won't feel outdated for years, and they've all held steady at their current prices so far.

A new Hubble Space Telescope image peels back layers of dust around the Egg Nebula, an astronomical tragedy of a star nearing death, foreshadowing the final act for our own sun.

The Egg Nebula lies about 1,000 light-years away in space in the constellation Cygnus, the Swan. At its center sits a dying star, completely hidden in a thick cocoon of dust. Only narrow beams of light escape through gaps near the poles, casting long shadows and bright streaks that give the nebula its striking, symmetrical look.

The scene stands out because it is the youngest and closest known example of a pre-planetary nebula. This short-lived phase comes just before a star turns into a full planetary nebula, the death throes of a sun-like star. Because this precursor lasts only a few thousand years, astronomers rarely get a nearby example they can examine in detail.

"At this early phase, the nebula shines by reflecting light from its central star, which escapes through a polar 'eye' in the surrounding dust," NASA said. "This light emerges from a dusty disk expelled from the star's surface just a few hundred years ago."

Hubble keeps returning to the Egg Nebula because it changes in ways astronomers can actually track over years and decades. By comparing images taken at different times, scientists can see dust shift, jets stretch, and structures subtly change shapes, helping them test ideas about how stars shed material as they die.

SEE ALSO: NASA's Curiosity rover is doing an incredibly rare experiment on Mars

Unlike giant stars that die in one violent explosion, a medium star like the sun is expected to just keep on burning until it exhausts its nuclear fuel. This event forms a so-called "planetary nebula," a confusing misnomer because it's not about planets. 

As a sun-like star nears the end, it puffs out into a red giant — up to 1,000 times its original size — eventually engulfing the space around it, including any nearby worlds. As the star eventually releases its outer layers, it withers to its core in what's known as a white dwarf star. At that point, it'll be about the size of Earth.

The Egg Nebula, aka CRL 2688, is not there yet. Unlike many planetary nebulas, it does not glow because its gas has heated up and become energized. Instead, it acts sort of like a cosmic mirror. 

Hubble's sharp vision shows what that light reveals. Fast streams of material race away from the star along its poles, carving long lobes through a slower-moving, older shell of shed dust. That outer shell appears as a series of evenly spaced ripples expanding outward in space. The neatness of these rings rules out a single supernova.

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"The arcs, lobes, and central dust cloud likely stem from a coordinated series of poorly understood sputtering events in the carbon-enriched core of the dying star," NASA said. 

The shapes also hint that the star may not be alone. One or more unseen companion stars could orbit within the dusty disk, using gravity to steer the flow of gas and dust into the patterns Hubble sees today.

Early Hubble images of the Egg Nebula mapped its basic shape. Later observations in different wavelengths probed deeper into the dust and revealed expanding arcs and jets. The latest image combines older and newer data to deliver the clearest view yet.

TL;DR: Live stream Slovakia vs. Finland in men's ice hockey for free on CBC Gem. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The women's ice hockey has been entertaining fans for the last week, and now the men are joining the party.

The group stage of the men's draw is organized into three groups of four teams, with Group B kicking everything off with two huge matchups. Slovakia vs. Finland is the first game on the schedule, quickly followed by Sweden vs. Italy. We're expecting plenty of big moments from these opening fixtures, and you can track all the action without spending anything.

If you want to watch Slovakia vs. Finland in men's ice hockey for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Slovakia vs. Finland?

Slovakia vs. Finland in men's ice hockey takes place at 10:40 a.m. ET on Feb. 11. This fixture takes place at the Milano Santagiulia Ice Hockey Arena.

How to watch Slovakia vs. Finland for free

Slovakia vs. Finland in men's ice hockey is available to live stream for free on CBC Gem.

CBC Gem is geo-restricted to Canada, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Canada, meaning you can access free live streams of the 2026 winter sports ice hockey from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Slovakia vs. Finland in men's ice hockey 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 Canada

4. Visit CBC Gem

5. Watch Slovakia vs. Finland for free from anywhere in the world

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch the ice hockey before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for CBC Gem?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including Canada

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• 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 Slovakia vs. Finland in men's ice hockey for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: A refurbished HP EliteBook 840 G8 with 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and Windows 11 Pro is available for $279.99 (reg. $899.98).

Opens in a new window Credit: HP HP EliteBook 840 G8 2021 (Refurbished) $279.99
$899.98 Save $619.99   Get Deal

Shopping for a work-ready laptop and hoping to skip full retail sticker shock? Refurbished laptops are a smart shortcut, and the HP EliteBook 840 G8 stands out in that crowd. Built for professionals, this model is now available refurbished for $279.99, 69% off its original price.

This laptop is powered by an Intel Core i5-1145G7 processor, 16GB of DDR4 memory, and a speedy 512GB PCIe NVMe SSD. That’s more than enough muscle for everyday multitasking — browser hopping, video calls, spreadsheets, and document work — without taking up too much time. Intel Iris Xe Graphics step up for presentations, streaming, and light creative projects on the crisp 14-inch Full HD screen.

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Windows 11 Pro is preinstalled, bringing business essentials like advanced security and productivity tools right out of the box. The backlit keyboard is a plus for late-night or low-light sessions, while USB-C, Wi-Fi 6, and Bluetooth 5.0 cover modern connectivity needs. Battery life is rated up to 15.75 hours, so you can spend more time working and less searching for an outlet or charger.

As with any refurbished device, condition counts. This EliteBook has a Grade A+ rating, meaning it should arrive in near-pristine shape with minimal, if any, cosmetic wear. Refurbs aren’t for everyone, but for buyers who value reliability and savings over factory-fresh packaging, they’re a practical pick.

The EliteBook 840 G8 is a good fit for professionals, students, or remote workers who need a dependable Windows laptop for daily tasks. At $279.99 (reg. $899.98), this refurbished model offers a lower-cost way to get business-class specs without overcommitting on budget, making it worth a look if you are already in the market for a work-ready machine.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Live stream the 2026 winter sports snowboarding for free on streaming platforms like 9Now, CBC Gem, and BBC iPlayer. Access these free streaming services from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

There's a lot of top-level winter sports taking place right now. We get to see some of the best athletes in the world compete in events like alpine skiing, ice hockey, curling, and more. There's a lot to watch, so some difficult decisions will need to be made. You can try and watch everything, but that's probably not good for your health.

Check out the busy schedule and pick your priorities. We're not going to tell you what to watch, but we are going to suggest you find some time to watch the snowboarding.

It's tough to compare anything else to the range of snowboarding competitions on display over the next couple of weeks. If you like seeing gravity-defying athletes doing things that no human should be able to do, snowboarding is for you. Frankly, they shouldn't be allowed to do some of the things they do. But anything goes in the quest for medals.

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If you want to watch the 2026 winter sports snowboarding for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is the 2026 winter sports snowboarding?

The snowboarding schedule is busy right now. Here's the schedule for all the finals coming up:

• Men's Snowboard Big Air Final — 1:30 p.m. ET on Feb. 7

• Women's Parallel Giant Slalom Finals — 8:26 a.m. ET on Feb. 8

• Men's Parallel Giant Slalom Finals — 8:36 a.m. ET on Feb. 8

• Women's Snowboard Big Air Final — 1:30 p.m. ET ET on Feb. 9

• Men's Snowboard Cross Finals — 8:56 a.m. ET on Feb. 12

• Women's Snowboard Halfpipe Final — 1:30 p.m. ET on Feb. 12

• Women's Snowboard Cross Finals — 8:41 a.m. ET on Feb. 13

• Men's Snowboard Halfpipe Final — 1:30 p.m. ET on Feb. 13

• Mixed Team Snowboard Cross Finals — 8:35 a.m. ET on Feb. 15

• Women's Snowboard Slopestyle Final — 7 a.m. ET on Feb. 17

• Men's Snowboard Slopestyle Final — 6:30 a.m. ET on Feb. 18

Snowboarding fans can follow all events live without spending anything.

How to watch 2026 winter sports snowboarding for free

The 2026 winter sports snowboarding is available to live stream for free on a number of services:

• Australia — 9Now

• Austria — ORF

• Canada — CBC Gem

• France — France TV

• Germany — ARD

• Ireland — RTÉ Player

• Italy — RAI

• Spain — RTVE

• UK — BBC iPlayer

These free live streams are geo-restricted, but anyone can bypass these restrictions with a VPN. These handy tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in another location, meaning you can access free live streams of the snowboarding from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the 2026 winter sports snowboarding 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 a location with free access

4. Watch the 2026 winter sports snowboarding for free from anywhere in the world

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch snowboarding before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for live sport?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• 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 the 2026 winter sports snowboarding for free with ExpressVPN.

SAVE $500: As of Feb. 11, the DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo is on sale for $1,099 at Amazon. That's a 31% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo $1,099 at Amazon
$1,599 Save $500   Get Deal

Even with the recent restrictions on DJI products in the U.S., buyers can still purchase and use drones that are already available through normal retailers. The current rules target future imports rather than devices already in stock. So, if you’ve spotted the latest Amazon deal on the DJI Mini 5 Pro Fly More Combo, you’ve still got time to make it yours.

As of Feb. 11, this stacked drone bundle is down to $1,099 from $1,599. According to camelcamelcamel, that’s its best-ever price at Amazon.

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The bundle includes the Mini 5 Pro drone, DJI RC 2 controller, three batteries, spare propellers, a charging hub, and ND filter; everything you need to fly and shoot incredible content. The drone offers a compact and foldable design, both easy to carry and simple to use. It has a palm-sized body and 42GB of built-in storage, so it may be small but performance is impressive.

It features a 1-inch CMOS sensor capable of recording sharp 4K video at 60fps with HDR, delivering clear, vibrant footage. A flexible gimbal also supports true vertical filming and up to 225° rotation. And to make flying safer, it includes nightscape omnidirectional obstacle sensing with LiDAR and vision sensors to help detect objects. And for battery life, you’ll get up to 52 minutes of flight time.

Get this DJI deal at Amazon now.

SAVE $40: As of Feb. 11, Apple AirPods Pro 3 are on sale for $209.99 at Amazon. That's a 16% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Pro 3 $209.99 at Amazon
$249 Save $39.01   Get Deal

If you’ve been waiting for the perfect excuse to upgrade your earbuds, you'll be pleased to hear that the Apple AirPods Pro 3 are on sale at Amazon. As of Feb. 11, the price is down to $209.99, a $40 discount. If you want impressive noise cancellation, clear audio, and smart features, these are the earbuds for you.

The AirPods Pro 3 are next level when it comes to noise cancellation, removing twice as much background noise as the previous generation. The sound is also improved with a redesigned acoustic system that improves bass, clarity, and overall detail, creating more immersive sound.

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These earbuds also have built-in heart rate monitoring that lets you track workouts and calories directly through your iPhone (no, we're not talking about a fitness tracker). It works by using very small, invisible light pulses to measure blood flow in your ear. While you’re wearing them during a workout, the earbuds can record your heart rate continuously and send that data to your iPhone or Apple Health app.

Battery life has also been improved, giving you up to eight hours of listening with noise cancellation or up to 10 hours in transparency mode with the Hearing Aid feature.

Get this Apple deal at Amazon now.

TL;DR: The ASUS ROG Strix XG27UCG 27-inch 4K HDR gaming monitor is currently on sale for $337.99 at Amazon, down from its usual $449 price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Asus LG 27-inch Ultragear QHD Gaming Monitor $337.99 at Amazon
$449 Save $111.01 Get Deal

High-end gaming monitors don’t always see deep discounts, which makes this latest drop on ASUS’s ROG Strix a strong contender for the next upgrade in your setup. 

As of Feb. 11, the 27-inch ASUS ROG Strix gaming monitor has dipped to $337.99 at Amazon, cutting $111 off its regular price and pushing it into a much more accessible range for gamers wanting to make the jump to 4K. After checking price tracker camelcamelcamel, we’ve confirmed that this is the best-ever price for this model.

In terms of specs, what really sets this monitor apart is its dual-mode design. You can run it at a sharp 4K resolution with a 160Hz refresh rate for cinematic single-player titles — like Red Dead Redemption 2, Detroit: Become Human, or The Last of Us series — or switch to Full HD at a blistering 320Hz for competitive play in Fortnite and Overwatch, all with a simple hotkey toggle.

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Combined with ASUS’s Fast IPS panel and a 1ms response time, it aims to deliver smooth motion without sacrificing clarity.

Visual quality is another highlight. That’s because the display supports HDR and covers roughly 95% of the DCI-P3 color gamut, which helps colors look vibrant while maintaining sharp detail during fast gameplay. Technologies like Extreme Low Motion Blur Sync and G-SYNC compatibility are also onboard to reduce tearing and ghosting, making it a strong pick for shooters and esports titles

Connectivity is flexible with USB-C, HDMI, and DisplayPort options that make it easy to hook up gaming PCs, laptops, or consoles. If you’ve been eyeing a premium 4K gaming monitor but waiting for the right price, we wouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger as Amazon has marked this as a limited-time deal.

You can also snag monitor deals on Amazon that are a little more budget-friendly. For instance, the 27-inch QHD LG UltraGear monitor is also on sale for 50% off. For those shopping with an even bigger budget, the 49-inch Samsung Odyssey G9 curved gaming monitor has had a $500 price cut at Amazon.

TL;DR: The Logitech G435 Lightspeed wireless gaming headset is currently on sale for $39.99 at Amazon, down from its usual $79.99 price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Logitech Logitech G435 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Headset $39.99 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $40.00 Get Deal

Logitech’s G435 has long been a go-to pick for gamers who want something affordable without sacrificing wireless freedom, and this latest Amazon price cut makes it all the more tempting. As of Feb. 11, the headset has fallen to just $39.99, slashing its list price of $79.99 in half and putting it firmly in budget-friendly territory for casual and competitive players alike.

It's the lowest price this model hasbeen in 2026, as confirmed with price tracker camelcamelcamel.

The G435 combines Logitech’s Lightspeed wireless connection (connected via USB dongle) with low-latency Bluetooth, meaning it can jump between PC, PlayStation consoles, Nintendo Switch, and mobile devices without much hassle. It’s a handy option if you regularly swap between gaming setups or want a single headset for both gaming sessions and everyday listening.

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You can easily stay connected to your PS5 to play Fortnite via the Lightspeed USB, and then your phone through Bluetooth — so you can toggle back and forth to the latter to listen to Instagram reels between matches with ease.

Design-wise, Logitech heavily leans into comfort. Weighing just 165 grams, the headset feels noticeably lighter than many traditional over-ear models, which makes long play sessions far easier on your neck and ears. Dual beamforming microphones are built directly into the earcups, helping reduce background noise while keeping your voice clear. That’s all without the usual boom mic getting in the way.

Battery life is solid, with up to 18 hours of use per charge. Meanwhile, the 40mm drivers and support for Dolby Atmos and Windows Sonic help deliver more immersive positional audio across games and media. Whether you’re diving into Nioh 3 or enjoying a few movies on Netflix, you should be all set.

In case you’ve got a bit more in your budget, the Razer's BlackShark V2 Pro wireless gaming headset is on sale at Amazon for $99.99 — its lowest price yet. If you’re just after some high-quality Bluetooth headphones for mobile and Nintendo Switch, you can also save $100 on the Sony XM5 headphones.

TL;DR: Live stream Australia vs. Ireland in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 for free on ICC.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 T20 World Cup is up and running, but Australia have had to remain patient during the first round of games.

Australia will finally get their campaign underway against Ireland, a game they'll be expected to win without too much hassle. That being said, we've already come close to a number of shock results. Anything can happen in this form of the game. Could Ireland do the impossible and beat Australia?

If you want to watch Australia vs. Ireland in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Australia vs. Ireland?

Australia vs. Ireland in the 2026 T20 World Cup starts at 4:30 a.m. ET on Feb. 11. This game takes place at the R. Premadasa Cricket Stadium.

How to watch Australia vs. Ireland for free

Australia vs. Ireland in the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup is available to live stream for free on ICC.TV.

This free live stream on ICC.TV is only available in select regions (see full list of territories here), but anyone can live stream the T20 Cricket World Cup for free with a VPN. These helpful tools can hide your IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with free access. This simple process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can live stream on ICC.TV from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Australia vs. Ireland in the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup 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 a location with access

4. Visit ICC.TV

5. Watch the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch every game from the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup (plus the Winter Olympics) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for ICC.TV?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on ICC.TV, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• 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).

Watch the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup 2026 for free with ExpressVPN.

Did you catch the Dunkin' ad during the Big Game? Dunkin' reimagined Good Will Hunting as a sitcom, including cameos from the likes of Jennifer Aniston, Matt LeBlanc, Jason Alexander, Ted Danson, Alfonso Ribeiro, Jaleel White, and Jasmine Guy. It was a welcome hit of '90s nostalgia.

During the commercial, Dunkin' announced that it would be giving away 1.995 million free iced coffees of any size to customers who use the code GOODWILLDUNKIN in the Dunkin’ app. Simply download the Dunkin' app to your smartphone (it's free) and use the code at the checkout. It's that easy.

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It's worth noting that this promo code is valid until the code limit is reached, so you might need to act fast to secure your free coffee. You are limited to a single redemption per person, but that feels fair. This isn't an unlimited free coffee hack.

Dunkin’ has also dropped a collection of authentic vintage and ’90s-inspired clothing that very much fits the vibe of the commercial. This exclusive drop features vintage windbreakers, denim jackets, workout sets, and much more. The entire collection is available to shop now but items are selling out fast.

Last month, Verizon's massive network outage prevented thousands of customers from making calls or using their mobile data for over 10 hours. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) is now asking the public to share how this outage impacted them, inviting comments as part of its investigation into the incident.

SEE ALSO: Verizon outage may have impacted 911 calls

Seeking information from individuals and businesses alike, the FCC's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau has requested information from the public about their personal experiences of the Jan. 14 Verizon outage. This includes whether Verizon customers were able to send or receive messages and calls, how long service was disrupted, and whether people on other networks were able to contact them.

In particular, the FCC is interested to know if anyone experienced issues calling 911 during the Verizon outage. In theory, emergency calls should be able to connect to any mobile tower during a network outage, ensuring that calls for help still go through. In practice, this may not have happened. 

As Mashable reported at the time (cited in the FCC's public notice), multiple official emergency services advised that 911 calls might not connect while Verizon's outage was ongoing, advising people to seek help via alternate means. Some social media users further claimed that they had attempted to call emergency services during the outage, but were unable to connect.

As such, the FCC would like to hear of anyone who was unable to contact 911 due to Verizon's outage, and if any harm or injury resulted due to this. It is also seeking input from those on the other end of the line, asking first responders and governments about the impact of Verizon's outage on services and public safety.

If you want to submit a comment, you can do so online via the FCC's electronic comment filing system or by directly emailing a description of your Verizon outage experience to VerizonOutage2026@fcc.gov. The FCC is accepting submissions until March 16.

Verizon's January outage has been labelled one of the U.S.' worst in the 2020s thus far. The only other comparable outage was AT&T's in Feb. 2024, which lasted for at least 12 hours and caused approximately 25,000 emergency calls to fail.

Australia also experienced a similar issue last September, when a massive outage of major telecommunications company Optus rendered customers unable to call emergency services. Over 600 emergency calls failed to connect during Optus' 13-hour outage, with at least four people confirmed to have died after attempts to contact help did not go through.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

To transition.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

SEGUE

Hurdle Word 2 hint

Vintage.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for February 11, 2026 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

RETRO

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Limited.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for February 11 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for February 11, 2026 Hurdle Word 3 answer

SCANT

Hurdle Word 4 hint

A tale.

Hurdle Word 4 answer

FABLE

Final Hurdle hint

More knowledgeable.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

WISER

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Welcome to your guide to Pips, the latest game in the New York Times catalogue.

Released in August 2025, the Pips puts a unique spin on dominoes, creating a fun single-player experience that could become your next daily gaming habit.

Currently, if you're stuck, the game only offers to reveal the entire puzzle, forcing you to move onto the next difficulty level and start over. However, we have you covered! Below are piecemeal answers that will serve as hints so that you can find your way through each difficulty level.

How to play Pips

If you've ever played dominoes, you'll have a passing familiarity for how Pips is played. As we've shared in our previous hints stories for Pips, the tiles, like dominoes, are placed vertically or horizontally and connect with each other. The main difference between a traditional game of dominoes and Pips is the color-coded conditions you have to address. The touching tiles don't necessarily have to match.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for February 11, 2026

The conditions you have to meet are specific to the color-coded spaces. For example, if it provides a single number, every side of a tile in that space must add up to the number provided. It is possible – and common – for only half a tile to be within a color-coded space.

Here are common examples you'll run into across the difficulty levels:

• Number: All the pips in this space must add up to the number.

• Equal: Every domino half in this space must be the same number of pips.

• Not Equal: Every domino half in this space must have a completely different number of pips.

• Less than: Every domino half in this space must add up to less than the number.

• Greater than: Every domino half in this space must add up to more than the number.

If an area does not have any color coding, it means there are no conditions on the portions of dominoes within those spaces.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for February 11, 2026 Easy difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 11 Pips

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-0, placed vertically; 0-5, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 2-1, placed vertically; 2-6, placed vertically.

Number (11): Everything in this space must add up to 11. The answer is 2-6, placed vertically; 0-5, placed horizontally.

Greater Than (3): Everything in this space must be greater than 3. The answer is 2-4, placed vertically.

Medium difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 11 Pips

Greater Than (2): Everything in this space must be greater than 2. The answer is 3-1, placed horizontally.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 6-6, placed horizontally.

Less Than (2): Everything in this green space must be less than 2. The answer is 0-1, placed vertically.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 3-1, placed horizontally; 2-0, placed vertically; 0-1, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this red space must be equal to 3. The answer is 5-3, placed vertically; 3-3, placed vertically.

Number (5): Everything in this space must add up to 5. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 4-6, placed vertically.

Equal (6): Everything in this space must be equal to 6. The answer is 1-6, placed vertically; 4-6, placed vertically.

Hard difficulty hints, answers for Feb. 11 Pips

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 3-4, placed horizontally.

Equal (3): Everything in this red space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-4, placed horizontally; 3-2, placed horizontally; 0-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (2): Everything in this orange space must be equal to 2. The answer is 3-2, placed horizontally; 2-2, placed vertically.

Number (1): Everything in this space must add up to 1. The answer is 0-1, placed horizontally.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 0-1, placed horizontally; 0-3, placed horizontally.

Number (4): Everything in this space must add up to 4. The answer is 4-6, placed vertically.

Equal (3): Everything in this light blue space must be equal to 3. The answer is 3-3, placed horizontally.

Equal (6): Everything in this green space must be equal to 6. The answer is 4-6, placed vertically; 6-6, placed vertically; 1-6, placed horizontally; 6-0, placed vertically.

Equal (5): Everything in this orange space must be equal to 5. The answer is 5-5, placed vertically; 5-0, placed vertically.

Equal (0): Everything in this space must be equal to 0. The answer is 6-0, placed vertically; 5-0, placed vertically.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Today's Connections: Sports Edition is easy if you like baseball.

As we've shared in previous hints stories, this is a version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier — so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections: Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake — players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. Here's a hint for today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow: Characters in a baseball play

• Green: In the Big 12

• Blue: Roberts, informally

• Purple: Amazing goal

Here are today's Connections: Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Involved in an At-Bat

• Green: A Big 12 Athlete

• Blue: Bobs

• Purple: Soccer Slang

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections: Sports Edition #506 is...

What is the answer to Connections: Sports Edition today?

• Involved in an At-Bat - CATCHER, HITTER, PITCHER, UMPIRE

• A Big 12 Athlete - CYCLONE, JAYHAWK, SUN DEVIL, UTE

• Bobs - BEAMON, COSTAS, FELLER, UECKER

• Soccer Slang - HOWLER, SCREAMER, SITTER, WORLDIE

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new sports Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to today's Connections.

TL;DR: Live stream South Africa vs. Afghanistan in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 for free on ICC.TV. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 T20 World Cup is starting to take shape. South Africa comfortably won their first game of the competition against Canada, but now they face a much tougher test against Afghanistan. Group D is difficult to predict, but a victory here would put South Africa in a very strong position to qualify for the next round.

If you want to watch South Africa vs. Afghanistan in the ICC T20 World Cup 2026 for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is South Africa vs. Afghanistan?

South Africa vs. Afghanistan in the 2026 T20 World Cup starts at 12:30 a.m. ET on Feb. 11. This game takes place at the Narendra Modi Stadium.

How to watch South Africa vs. Afghanistan for free

South Africa vs. Afghanistan in the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup is available to live stream for free on ICC.TV.

This free live stream on ICC.TV is only available in select regions (see full list of territories here), but anyone can live stream the T20 Cricket World Cup for free with a VPN. These helpful tools can hide your IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in a location with free access. This simple process bypasses geo-restrictions so you can live stream on ICC.TV from anywhere in the world.

Live stream South Africa vs. Afghanistan in the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup 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 a location with access

4. Visit ICC.TV

5. Watch the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but leading VPNs do tend to offer free-trial periods or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can gain access to free live streams without committing with your cash. This is obviously not a long-term solution, but it does give you time to watch every game from the 2026 T20 Cricket World Cup (plus the Winter Olympics) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for ICC.TV?

ExpressVPN is the best service for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on ICC.TV, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is always secure

• Fast connection speeds

• 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).

Watch the ICC T20 Cricket World Cup 2026 for free with ExpressVPN.

Lessons learned from the 2026 Super Bowl ad lineup: Online gambling is super cool, just ask Kendall Jenner, and Coinbase is actually fun — are you sure you didn't like the Rickroll-esque karaoke spot? Beloved '90s celebs, de-aged to look like 20-somethings again, just absolutely love Dunkin' Donuts coffee, so you should drink it, too. Oh, also, being fat makes you want to kill yourself. 

It was a stark black-and-white ad, dramatically framed to center the tattooed face of former boxing titan Mike Tyson. Tyson kicks off the ad by telling us that his sister Denise "died of obesity" at just 25 years old. It was a heart attack, he adds. Dramatic cut to his clasped hands. "I was so fat and nasty," Tyson tells the camera, his sister's story just teeing up his own message. "I would eat anything. I was like 345 pounds." The music swells. "I had so much self-hate when I was like that. I just wanted to kill myself." He bites into a carrot, then an apple. He tells Americans, likely half-listening as they enjoy some decadent dips and spicy wings with their loved ones, that we are still a bunch of obese, "fudgy" people despite being the most powerful country in the world. 

SEE ALSO: Bad Bunny's halftime show sparked emotional reactions across the Americas. See the heartwarming videos now.

Did you know powerful people are all fit and skinny, and that our physical appearance makes our country's actions morally defensible? Wait, is that not the point? What is the point? "Process food kills," the screen reads. Oh.

We, viewers already inundated with incessant ads for GLP-1 medications peddled by former body positivity icons like Serena Williams, take a bite of our burgers and a sip of our beers, which are also being sold to us ad nauseam during the live broadcast. This PSA makes those other ads look exceedingly compassionate.

The ad was helmed by Brett Ratner — the Hollywood creative recently under fire for directing Melania Trump's Amazon-funded documentary, as well as his connection to the Epstein files — and appears to ignore the fact that the former heavyweight is a convicted rapist and abuser. It was funded by the Make American Healthy Again initiative, the brainchild of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS). Kennedy is a man known for having found a worm in his brain and spewing dumbfounding medical claims, including the notion that Tylenol "causes" autism and that COVID-19 was a bioweapon designed to target specific races. 

View this post on Instagram It is not new for fat people to collectively be attacked by the U.S. government. - Tigress Osborn, NAAFA

The administration has its own ties to billionaire techies, many of whom have invested heavily in the wellness space and influencers who peddle alternative science and fad diets. MAHA Center chief Tony Lyons said they solicited an undisclosed amount of billionaires to fund the PSA. If you go to the official RealFood.gov website — linked at the end of the PSA and now rebranded with scary black and white text and the image of Tyson — you'll encounter an AI chatbot not too far down. It's designed to help Americans learn about "real food."

MAHA claims it is tackling the "childhood chronic disease crisis" and nationwide health concerns with what medical experts have noted is unfounded, conspiracy-based "science." Under Kennedy, MAHA's strategy has been to eschew decades of medical research, diminish vaccine infrastructure, reduce the country's health agencies, and even redesign the standard food pyramid. It has also decided that fat people are a national scourge. 

Credit: Mashable screenshot / HHS / realfood.gov

It has chosen to invest instead in the ideals of the manosphere, promoting hypermasculine, fitness-based solutions to mental and physical health. It's thus notable that MAHA would choose the boxer, of all people, to be the face of the "real foods" movement, says Jessica Wilson, clinical dietician, MAHA critic, and host of the Making It Awkward podcast. Wilson points to statements by both Kennedy and Secretary of War Pete Hegseth, equating fatness with a lack of military preparedness.

Online, the MAHA crowd rallied for the spot, writing that it was "declaring WAR on obesity." But professionals know this is not the way to promote healthy eating, if that's even what MAHA's goals were. 

"A Department of Health & Human Services–sponsored Super Bowl ad used unframed suicide ideation, weight-shaming language, and moralized food rhetoric, then HHS Secretary RFK Jr’s official government X account amplified it with an AI-generated image and a vague slogan," wrote Dr. Zachary Rubin, an allergist and online creator known for debunking viral medical myths and advice. "This isn’t just 'edgy' messaging. It’s a failure of public-health ethics."

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Tyson is well known for his unconventional diet, but one that involves the appendages of his sparring opponents, not "a pint of ice cream every hour" as the ad implies. Users were confused why the athlete was the face of the PSA — when was Tyson ever known for being quintessentially overweight? And what is he actually asking us all to do? There is no call to action, no acknowledgement of the corporate interests that have siloed access to processed rather than whole foods. It doesn't highlight federal food programs or address the health and economic disparities that lead to widespread nutrition gaps for Americans. It also ignores that weight is not the sole determinant of health, and reinforces the idea that fatness is inherently deadly. It is not.

"Nothing about that advertisement was about making people healthier. It was about conforming to a certain body type," says Tigress Osborn, executive director of the National Association to Advance Fat Acceptance (NAAFA). "People deserve meaningful healthcare in whatever body they are in — mental and physical healthcare. Instead, this is utilizing anti-fatness to fan the flames of emotion."

In effect, a hate message for fat people that cost millions. 

"The requirement of conformity to a particular aesthetic and a particular acceptable body type goes along with fascism and nationalism," says Osborn. "We see those tactics employed across the government and public policy. It is not new for fat people to collectively be attacked by the U.S. government." 

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Treating people with larger bodies as a monolith, rather than individuals with individual health journeys, the ad takes advantage of a precarious online media moment, one in which users are facing a barrage of fatphobic content and pro-weight loss advertising that is using celebrities to sell products. 

"If they cared about the health of Americans," says Wilson, "they wouldn't put a sex offender as the face of their Super Bowl ad and their official website. It is absolutely inconsistent with wanting to increase or improve the health of Americans and children. As clinical dietitians and health professionals know, trauma, including sexual violence, will lead to unhealthier kids." 

The message of the Mike Tyson PSA lays it all out on the table, served up next to the processed foods we're pushed to eat on Super Bowl Sunday: You must be skinny, and if you're not, shame on you.

SEE ALSO: Body neutrality is one way to reject diet culture. Here's what that means.

If you feel like you’d like to talk to someone about your eating behavior, text "NEDA" to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 to be connected with a trained volunteer or visit the National Eating Disorder Association website for more information.

If you're feeling suicidal or experiencing a mental health crisis, please talk to somebody. You can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, or chat at988lifeline.org. You can reach the Trans Lifeline by calling 877-565-8860 or the Trevor Project at 866-488-7386. Text "START" to Crisis Text Line at 741-741. Contact the NAMI HelpLine at 1-800-950-NAMI, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. ET, or email info@nami.org. If you don't like the phone, consider using the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Chat. Here is a list of international resources.

xAI’s notorious data centers near Memphis, Tenn., are appropriately named Colossus 1 and Colossus 2. The supercomputers that power the Grok chatbot are indeed enormous — they’re also environmental menaces, according to the NAACP.

The civil rights organization filed an intention to sue Elon Musk's xAI last year over Colossus’ numerous methane gas turbines, saying the company used a legal loophole to install them without permits and, in doing so, threatened the health of the nearby Black-majority community of Boxtown. Somewhat shockingly, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) agreed with the NAACP, ruling in January 2026 that Colossus’ turbines were not exempt from air quality permit requirements. Curtailing the turbines, which emit nitrogen oxide into a community already dealing with high levels of pollution, was a victory for the NAACP and Abre’ Conner, director of the organization's Center for Environmental and Climate Justice.

Just this month, Conner and the NAACP were buoyed when New York state introduced a three-year moratorium on data center construction, potentially giving legislators time to enact regulations for the energy-sucking facilities. Conner, a lawyer and longtime environmental justice leader, spoke with Mashable about her mission and how the data center build-out is reminiscent of the destructive highway construction of the last century.

Tell us why the NAACP is making data centers a priority.

Conner: A lot of the time, people will attribute the AI bubble that may pop up on their search screen to something that lives in the cloud, but it doesn’t. It uses physical infrastructure to power these AI requests.

The reason we’re so interested and concerned about this is that for decades, the NAACP has understood that environmental and climate justice issues are racial justice issues. A lot of the technology and promises, as it relates to energy, have shown up in Black communities and frontline communities in the past, from fracking to crypto mining.

SEE ALSO: Data center investments reached $61 billion in 2025, report finds

A lot of this industrial build-out tends to be concentrated in particular places, and we saw that very pointedly last year when Elon Musk and xAI decided to build a data center near Boxtown, which is in south Memphis, and that’s a historically Black community. What was even more concerning was that there was a typical process you went through to get a permit, and then, at that point, it would be decided whether you could operate and what that operation should look like. And that data center was operating with unregulated methane gas turbines.

So we had concerns about whether we would see more of these operations now that you have tech billionaires [showing interest] in other communities. Of course, we did start to see the AI boom [manifest] throughout the year in different ways; different nondisclosure agreements being signed, backroom deals, and more pollution that was starting to be more concentrated in communities that have been fighting back against environmental and climate justice concerns for years.

[B]ecause it’s people in the tech space, they’re promising that somehow [the data centers are] different. Even though they’re using the same industrial build-out — the same types of diesel generator backups, methane gas — somehow that’s going to be less harmful to people’s health when it was done in the past. What have these tech companies been telling community members?

[That's] if they even show up and talk to the community members at all. A lot of times, they’re not talking to community members; they might be talking to one or two elected officials. They might talk to someone at an agency level, maybe. But there aren’t a lot of conversations actually happening with the people most impacted. That’s part of the problem — there’s not a lot of transparency. By the time people find out about it, the zoning is being redone, and construction may already be happening. In the case of xAI, they’re already operating, and then they want to go and have a conversation with the community after they’re already in it.

Because [the tech companies are] going into places where there’s been disinvestment over decades and decades, we're seeing the same playbook used, like promising a community fair or investment in a school. That has nothing to do with the pollution they’re actually bringing into the communities, or the hundreds of millions of gallons of water they’re utilizing in order to run the data center, or the noise concerns. We’re seeing some of the same plays we saw in the coal-fired power plant boom, from fracking and crypto mining.

But what’s interesting and different is that because it’s people in the tech space, they’re promising that somehow [the data centers are] different. Even though they’re using the same industrial build-out — the same types of diesel generator backups, methane gas — somehow that’s going to be less harmful to people’s health when it was done in the past.

Abre’ Conner at an NAACP event in Los Angeles. Credit: Photo by Leon Bennett/Getty Images For NAACP It seems reminiscent of the construction of the U.S. highway system in the 20th century, when Black and minority neighborhoods were leveled for the expressways. Are there parallels?

Absolutely. Redlining, the idea of NIMBYism, all that kind of framing is what we’re seeing now. There’s also this promise of a better future, but when people working at these companies are asked, “Would you want that data center in your backyard?” They’re like, “Well, let’s take a pause.”

When we look at redlining to highways to trains, there was a systemic racism component to it. If the [tech companies are] getting advised to, for example, build in places where there is already existing infrastructure, that is just going to deepen the environmental and climate concerns from people who don’t want more pollution in [their] communities.

I imagine the reaction from governments to data centers is very different depending on where they are. Tennessee, for example, is not a hotbed of environmental activism, while a state like New York is considering moratoriums on data centers. How does that geographic inconsistency affect your efforts?

For me, as someone who’s been doing environment and climate justice work for a decade and a half, what’s extremely hopeful for me is where seeing people across political lines, in urban and rural communities, all asking questions. They're saying, “Do we have enough answers in order to move forward with a data center in our community?” That is something that’s really different than what we’ve seen in other industrial build-outs in the past.

People are asking, “Why are you signing a nondisclosure agreement about our public resources? Shouldn’t we be able to see what you’re all talking about if we’re paying taxes in this community? Shouldn’t we be part of that conversation?"

Because people are seeing their utility bills go up, they’re seeing the impacts of data centers even before one shows up. That’s changed the landscape of the conversation. That’s why we’re seeing places like New York, saying, “Do we have enough information to move forward?” In [the NAACP's] playbook for 2026, that was something we shared. If there’s not enough information, call for a moratorium until you have the information needed to move forward in a way that feels responsible to the community that will feel those impacts.

Questions are being asked [of the tech companies, like], “OK, you’re saying jobs. How many?” The highest we’re seeing is in the dozens; a lot of them are temporary. Are the tech companies trying to sell the idea of job creation with these data centers?

It’s absolutely the same playbook of, “There’s going to be jobs. It’s going to be good for the local economy. This is something we’re going to do in the cleanest way possible.” Questions are being asked [of the tech companies, like], “OK, you’re saying jobs. How many?” The highest we’re seeing is in the dozens; a lot of them are temporary, a lot of them are on the construction side, a lot of them are going to deepen the same concerns that we see when it comes to working on sites when you’re going to be exposed to a bunch of pollution non-stop.

In our frontline framework that we released last year, over 100 organizations, allies, and coalition partners came together to say that jobs cannot be more important than the health of the community members who live there.

What is it like working in environmental justice in 2026, when the federal government is so pro-AI and has expressed very little concern about the environment and minority communities?

When we saw Project 2025, we knew what that was going to look like. We knew there wasn’t going to be a rollback of our environment and climate protections. We knew that was coming.

For the NAACP, at our roots, it’s always been about people power. It’s been about highlighting what we could do with or without government support on the federal level.

Back in North Carolina, in Warren County, when you had a Black community saying, “We don’t want dumping in our community,” there wasn’t any federal government support per se at that time. The state was even saying, “Well, we’re not really sure we want to be involved in that.”

It was the people on the ground who mobilized and said, “We will not take this anymore.” They created the audience that was needed on the national level, and that’s what we’re seeing now. Even though we don’t have an administration at the federal level that is helpful, hopefully people are understanding just what this means. We’re in a midterm year; we have an opportunity to have people in office who represent our perspectives. The mobilization, the organizing, the work on the ground will always be there, and as long as we’re there with the communities willing to push back, I think we still have a fighting chance regardless of who’s in office.

Read more about the NAACP's environmental work here.

The winter doldrums are almost behind us, and that means new Android phones are on the horizon. Samsung has announced the date for the first Galaxy Unpacked event of 2026, which is when the Galaxy S26 series will be officially shown off. The company has also shared information about pre-order promotions.

Home Assistant is incredibly powerful, but there are so many features that navigating your way through all the menus can be a chore. You can do things much faster if you stick to using your keyboard.