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These are the 5 settings I change on every Galaxy Watch

How-To Geek - Thu, 05/07/2026 - 17:30

My favorite thing about Samsung Galaxy Watches is the many options and customization features. It’s a stark contrast to the Pixel Watch. However, that does mean it takes a bit of effort to get everything working just right. Here’s where I start.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I test e-readers and the Kindle I use everyday is now on sale — shop Kindle deals that arrive before Mothers Day

Mashable - Thu, 05/07/2026 - 17:28
The best Kindle deals ahead of Mother's Day: Best Kindle deal Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition $164.99 (save $35) Get Deal Best Paperwhite Deal Amazon Kindle Paperwhite $134.99 (save $25) Get Deal Best Colorsoft Deal Amazon Kindle Colorsoft $189.99 (save $60) Get Deal Best Kindle Book Deal 'Dire Bound' by Sable Sorensen $1.99 (save $20) Get Deal

As an avid reader, I think I have the best job in the world: I get to test e-readers.

That means among the many e-readers in my collection, I also have access to the full Kindle line-up. After testing through every single e-reader in Amazon's line-up, the one I still use everyday is the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition. While I still think that the Paperwhite is the best for most people, I've taken to the Signature Edition because of its plentiful 32GB of storage. I download a lot of books to my e-reader at once so I need a device to handle it and the Signature Edition fits the bill. Plus, I certainly don't mind that it's ad-free.

But is now a good time to buy a Kindle? Definitely — especially with Mother's Day this Sunday. First, all of the e-readers on sale right now will arrive in time for Mother's Day so if you're looking for a gift for mom, let this be it. And while these aren't the lowest prices ever, I do have to say, they're still pretty good. The Signature Edition is just $15 more than its lowest price ever and the standard Paperwhite is just $10 more than it's lowest price ever. So if you don't want to wait for Amazon Prime Day, which is coming this June, now is a great time to buy.

We've found three great Kindle e-reader deals to shop, plus, there are a ton of books on sale to shop, too. Here are the best Kindle deals to shop — and they'll all arrive before Mother's Day.

The best Kindle deal for Mother's Day Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition $164.99 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $35   Get Deal Why we like it

According to camelcamelcamel, the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition's lowest price ever is $149.99. That means right now at $164.99, it's only $15 off from its record low. It hasn't even been that low since last year. So leading up to Prime Day, this is the best deal to shop right now.

The Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition has lots of special features you can't get in the standard Paperwhite. It includes auto-brightness that responds to your surroundings, plus it has wireless charging capabilities. But its two best features are its plentiful storage and ad-free display. With 32GB of storage, it holds thousands and thousands of books at once. Plus, no ads feels like a nice bonus so your lock screen isn't totally inundated by Kindle promotions. If you were to upgrade to the ad-free Paperwhite, that's $154.99 on sale. So for just $10 more you get twice the storage with the Signature Edition: not too bad.

And most importantly, if you're looking to get this as a gift for mom, then it'll arrive in time for Sunday.

Read our full review of the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition.

More Kindle dealsBest Kindle book deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon 'Dire Bound' by Sable Sorensen $1.99 at Amazon
$9.99 Save $8   Get Deal Why we like it

Right now, the Kindle bestseller list is dominated by Sable Sorensen's Fury Bound, the sequel in the The Wolves of Ruin series. But if you're just playing catch up, you can grab the first book, Dire Bound, for just $1.99.

Dire Bound is described as Fourth Wing meets The Hunger Games, centering on Meryn Cooper, who has to fight to save her sister, Saela, when she's kidnapped across the border. Now as an elite warrior, bonded to a direwolf, Meryn must do whatever it takes to save her sister. It's a fan favorite book with over 160,000 reviews on Goodreads.

But there are a ton of deals you can shop now to stock your new Kindle's library.

More Kindle book deals
Categories: IT General, Technology

Fitbit Air is finally Google's answer to screenless fitness trackers like Whoop

How-To Geek - Thu, 05/07/2026 - 17:16

Google has released its first mainstream Fitbit device in three years, the Fitbit Air, and it's a not-so-subtle response to screenless fitness trackers like the Whoop series — including a partnership with basketball superstar Stephen Curry to make sure you notice.

Categories: IT General, Technology

This AI coding assistant changed how I use VS Code, and I can't go back

How-To Geek - Thu, 05/07/2026 - 17:15

VS Code is a common editor for many developers because it feels like the general-purpose editor you go to as a beginner and even as a professional. It is easy to use, and you can add features whenever you need them. Since it's a text editor instead of a full IDE, it isn't bloated with features you'll never use. That means that it can actually be a smart choice for those who want AI, and it's an extension I can't live without now.

Categories: IT General, Technology

4 ways your NVIDIA GPU can save your thousands of dollars

How-To Geek - Thu, 05/07/2026 - 17:02

Subscription costs have a way of feeling invisible. You might have a cloud storage here, an AI tool there, a transcription service you barely use anymore. All of this can add up to something substantial. But if you own a mid-range GPU, there’s a good chance you’re paying for things your hardware could handle for free.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Home Assistant projects to try this weekend that upgrade your smart home (May 8 - 10)

How-To Geek - Thu, 05/07/2026 - 16:45

The beauty of Home Assistant is that if something doesn't work quite like you want it to, there's often a way to fix it so that it does. Whether you wish your smart air quality monitor were smarter or that your smart home could show you what was going on instead of telling you, there's a project you can tackle to make it happen.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I finally tried Obsidian again and realized why so many people use Notion instead

How-To Geek - Thu, 05/07/2026 - 16:30

I want to love Obsidian, I really do. The problem with Obsidian is Obsidian itself, and, after trying it out again, I see why so many people choose to use Notion instead.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Google’s glasses game is near: What we expect from IO

Mashable - Thu, 05/07/2026 - 16:20

A whole bunch of Google glasses are on their way this year. And guess what? We’re probably going to hear a lot more about them very soon. Let’s break down what we know and what we think is coming.

Categories: IT General, Technology

4 Ace Hardware finds that make Home Depot feel like a waste of money

How-To Geek - Thu, 05/07/2026 - 16:15

I do a lot of different projects in any given week. It can be everything from home lab experiments, features, instrument building, to making comics and doing some woodworking/household projects.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Act fast — the Bluetti Elite 30 V2 portable power station is under $220 at Amazon (for a few more hours)

Mashable - Thu, 05/07/2026 - 16:03

SAVE $20.01: In select colorways, the Bluetti Elite 30 V2 is on sale at Amazon for $218.99, down from the standard price of $239. This sale price is set to expire at 8 p.m. ET on May 7.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bluetti Bluetti Elite 30 V2 $218.99 at Amazon
$239 Save $20.01   Get Deal

In a few shorts weeks, we'll unofficially be in summer camping season 2026. If you've been toying with the idea of heading to the campground with more than a small power bank to recharge your phone, you could do well with a portable power station. While not being massively heavy, they can recharge much more than a single phone. Check out this limited-time deal at Amazon on a fun Bluetti model.

Until May 7 at 8 p.m. ET, the Bluetti Elite 30 V2 is on sale in select colorways for $218.99 at Amazon, marked down from the standard price of $239 listed at Bluetti. You'll want to go with the black, purple, or green option to get this sale price.

For weekends spent camping or going on all-day beach trips, the Bluetti Elite 30 V2 is ready to come along in your backpack. Weighing under 10 pounds, it's easy to pack along on any adventure that'll take you off of grid power. Take it camping and you'll be able to utilize the 288Wh to recharge a phone 16 times or get four recharges for a laptop.

SEE ALSO: The campsite-worthy Anker Solix F2000 portable power station is on a major sale at Amazon — save over $1,100

Since it's so portable, it's also great during a power outage at home. Keep it on your bedside table to power up a lamp, recharge your phone, and have use of a CPAP machine come bedtime. The Bluetti Elite 30 V2 includes two USB-C ports, two USB-A, and two standard AC outlets.

Before this deal expires tonight, upgrade your off-grid trips with the Bluetti Elite 30 V2. It's available in fun colorways and it's on sale for under $220 at Amazon.

Categories: IT General, Technology

4 reasons a Fedora Atomic desktop is the first distro every Linux beginner should use

How-To Geek - Thu, 05/07/2026 - 16:00

Linux is more popular and accessible than ever, but anyone looking into switching from Windows or macOS is quickly going to run into an important question: Which distro should I use?

Categories: IT General, Technology

The best smart home sensors are the ones you'll never see

How-To Geek - Thu, 05/07/2026 - 15:46

Tech that looks like tech is all well and good when it’s a laptop, router, or game console. Designing a good smart home is all about making unobtrusive choices that don’t ruin your home’s decor with flashing lights and LCD screens.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The best college graduation gifts for life in the real world

Mashable - Thu, 05/07/2026 - 15:41

Graduation season means it's time to figure out what your favorite grad needs. One great idea is a practical gift that will help welcome them to post-college reality. Graduates are about to enter the often overwhelming (and sometimes terrifying) world we call adulthood, and you're tasked with giving them something to help ease the transition. The trick is to find that sweet spot between something your college grad will really need in life and something they'll actually want to use. New graduates might not even know what they need to survive post-grad life — but that's where you come in.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The best Google Photos alternative for Android is hiding in plain sight

How-To Geek - Thu, 05/07/2026 - 15:30

It's no secret that Google Photos is one of the best photo management and storage options on Android, not to mention the obvious go-to for many users. But with storage limits running out, more features turning into a subscription fee, or as a way to de-Google life a bit, many users are looking for an alternative.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Apple AI lawsuit settled: Every iPhone included in the $250 million settlement

Mashable - Thu, 05/07/2026 - 15:07

Apple has agreed to pay $250 million to settle a class-action lawsuit accusing the company of exaggerating the capabilities of Apple Intelligence and Siri.

The lawsuit claimed that Apple's 2024 and 2025 promotional campaigns for Siri and Apple Intelligence constituted false advertising and violated consumer protection laws. Apple hasn't admitted any wrongdoing in the case, however.

A judge still needs to sign off on the agreement, but tens of millions of iPhone owners could soon be eligible to receive between $25 to $95 in the settlement.

Which iPhones are included in the Apple AI lawsuit settlement?

The lawsuit covers U.S. consumers who purchased specific iPhone models in 2024 and 2025. Only iPhone models bought during a specific period and capable of running Apple Intelligence — Apple's name for its suite of AI tools — are included in the settlement.

A May 5 settlement filing states that U.S. shoppers who bought the following iPhone models between June 10, 2024 and March 29, 2025 can qualify for payment:

  • iPhone 16

  • iPhone 16e

  • iPhone 16 Plus

  • iPhone 16 Pro

  • iPhone 16 Pro Max

  • iPhone 15 Pro

  • iPhone 15 Pro Max

After a judge signs the agreement, a settlement website will be created with more information.

How much will qualifying customers receive?

We've covered a lot of class-action lawsuits recently, and typically, individual payments are less than $50. After attorneys' fees and administration costs, the $250 million will be divided among qualifying customers.

If you qualify, you will be eligible to receive $25 per device. So, if you purchased four qualifying iPhones as part of a family plan, you could receive payments for multiple devices. In addition, per-device payments "may decrease or increase up to $95 per device, depending on claim volume and other factors," according to a press release from Clarkson Law Firm, one of the firms involved in the class action suit.

What was the Apple AI lawsuit about?

When it promoted the iPhone 16 in 2024, Apple teased a smarter, more conversational Siri with advanced AI capabilities.

Yet iPhone owners are still waiting for that newer, smarter Siri to arrive. (As Mashable reported in 2024, "Apple's collection of AI features, branded as Apple Intelligence, made its debut at WWDC 2024, showcasing new AI-powered tools like a smarter Siri, notification summaries, Genmoji, and more.")

We should finally see the unveiling of an AI-powered Siri — specifically, a Siri powered by Google Gemini — at WWDC 2026 in June.

However, not everyone was content to wait, and multiple class action lawsuits were filed against Apple in the meantime. Those suits were combined into a single action, and all parties have now agreed to a settlement.

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

Categories: IT General, Technology

The $15 Raspberry Pi upgrade every Wi-Fi router needs

How-To Geek - Thu, 05/07/2026 - 15:01

Consumer Wi-Fi routers are great at providing a basic firewall, reliable Wi-Fi, and speedy Ethernet ports for your wired connections. However, they really don't offer you much control over your network.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Pixel 11 could mark the return of notification LEDs—and I’m here for it

How-To Geek - Thu, 05/07/2026 - 14:45

One of the most underrated features that nearly every flagship smartphone had over a decade ago was the humble notification LED. These tiny lights gave you just enough information, like which app or type of alert a notification came from, without pulling you into your phone. Now, with rumors of a new "Pixel Glow" feature tied to the Pixel 11, it looks like that idea might be coming back in a smarter, cooler way—and I’m excited to see it.

Categories: IT General, Technology

That idle transcoding GPU in your Plex server is perfect for running local AI

How-To Geek - Thu, 05/07/2026 - 14:31

If you’re thinking that you need two separate servers for running Plex and a local LLM, think again. Plex and local large language models have more in common than you might think, and that’s why running them on the same hardware actually makes sense.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Spotify is bringing AI DJ to more markets

Mashable - Thu, 05/07/2026 - 14:22

Look, we know that companies have to be careful when introducing new, AI-driven features, but Spotify is really taking its sweet time with AI DJ.

The company first introduced the feature in 2023. It uses AI smarts and your personal music listening history to create a mixtape, as well as add a human-like voice commentary so that the experience feels almost like listening to a real radio station.

SEE ALSO: Spotify now verifies artists that are human, not AI

The problem is, Spotify originally launched AI DJ in the U.S. and Canada, gradually expanding it to new markets over time, but some key markets, including many in Europe, were missing — until now.

On Thursday, Spotify announced the expansion of AI DJ to six European markets: Austria, France, Germany, Italy, Portugal, and Switzerland, as well as Brazil and South Korea. The company also introduced four new language options for the AI DJ: French, German, Italian, and Brazilian Portuguese.

Spotify's AI DJ is now available in more than 75 global markets, the company said.

Featured Video For You How TikTok is Changing the Music Industry

To try it out, find the DJ on your Spotify home page, or search for "DJ." You can then make a request by voice or text by tapping the DJ button; to switch between languages, tap on the three-dot menu and select the language you like.

Spotify pointed out that the feature is (still!) in beta, and that you'll need the latest version of the app to access all of its features .

Categories: IT General, Technology

5 unexpected devices you can automate in your home (and why you should)

How-To Geek - Thu, 05/07/2026 - 14:15

There are plenty of devices in your home that are obvious candidates for automation, such as smart light bulbs, thermostats, and smart locks. However, there are some devices that you may not have considered automating.

Categories: IT General, Technology
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