Blogroll

Your old Echo speaker is too good to throw away—here's what it can really do

How-To Geek - Sat, 09/19/2026 - 22:00

Amazon's Echo smart speakers have been incredibly popular, with sales in the tens of millions at their peak. If you have old Echo smart speakers lying around, don't throw them away just yet; there are plenty of ways to put them to good use.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to set up a perfect “rescue USB” that can save any PC

How-To Geek - Sat, 09/19/2026 - 21:30

When your PC's operating system gets corrupted, or if an update fails, or a drive gets damaged, you need to be ready—or be prepared to spend a lot of time trying to get it back up running. Thankfully, it's just as simple as grabbing a thumb drive and getting it up and running as a rescue drive.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Trump announces plans to create an "AI Force"

Mashable - Sat, 09/19/2026 - 21:07

President Donald Trump announced Saturday that he is forming an "AI Force," modeled after the Space Force branch he established during his first term, and said he'll soon name a new AI "czar" to oversee the effort.

The announcement came in a lengthy Truth Social post in which Trump dismissed growing concern over AI risk as the latest in a string of what he called manufactured "hoaxes," while also promising the new body would go after "BAD" actors in the industry using the existing legal system.

"We will not in any way hinder or stifle the Growth of this incredible Industry," Trump wrote, adding that the administration would instead "cherish it, help it, and watch over it, as it grows." He said only "High I.Q. individuals" should apply for the czar role, and separately floated renaming AI something more flattering, alternately suggesting "supreme," "superior," or "extreme" intelligence, according to reporting on the post.

The comparison to Space Force is notable given what that branch actually does day to day. Rather than operating as a traditional combat force, Space Force has largely focused on consolidating and coordinating satellite operations, missile warning systems, and space-based communications that were previously split among the Air Force, Army, and Navy.

SEE ALSO: Tetris hits back at Trump over knockoff game, warns White House about copyright infringement

If the AI Force follows a similar model, it would likely function less as a new fighting force and more as a way to centralize the military's sprawling AI programs under one roof.

Trump's announcement may also revive a position that's been sitting empty for months. Venture capitalist David Sacks served as Trump's AI and cryptocurrency czar until he stepped down in March. Sacks moved to an advisory role within the White House after his term as a special government employee had ended.

Broadly, Trump's calls for a "US AI Force" come amid a series of high-profile failures in the Defense Department's use of AI. Pentagon investigators have been examining whether an "overreliance on AI" played a role in a February strike that killed dozens at a girls' school in Iran.

More recently, CNN reported that an AI-generated report from a US military analyst falsely claimed a Chinese ship was transporting nuclear weapons components. According to that report, armed US service members were preparing to board the vessel before officials discovered the intelligence had been generated by an AI chatbot and pulled the operation at the last minute.

One source described the false, AI-generated claim to CNN as having "almost started a war" with China.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I tested 3 paper-like Android tablets, and the winner isn't e-ink

How-To Geek - Sat, 09/19/2026 - 21:00

As much as I enjoy digital books and comics, there is nothing quite like reading on paper—but I have neither the budget nor the space to amass physical copies of my digital library. This is why I've kept tabs on the state of paper-like Android tablets over the years. After comparing three devices that each take a different approach, here's what I would buy.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I ditched my gaming PC for work after trying this low-power mini PC

How-To Geek - Sat, 09/19/2026 - 21:00

I built a capable gaming PC because I wanted a powerful machine that could run all the latest games in 1440p and 4K. The problem is that I spend most of my day writing, browsing, and doing other miscellaneous tasks rather than gaming.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Trump opens poll to rename AI. Options include Extreme and Supreme Intelligence.

Mashable - Sat, 09/19/2026 - 20:42

On Saturday, Sept. 19, President Trump opened a poll on X and on his own platform, Truth Social, calling for a name change to "Artificial Intelligence."

"Many people think that the words 'Artificial Intelligence' are inaccurate, and very ineloquent, relative to AI, or Artificial Intelligence," Trump shared on social media. "A far more elegant and accurate description of this new phenomena [sic] would be Superior Intelligence (SI) or, Extreme Intelligence (EI) or, Supreme Intelligence (SI)."

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

Trump then opened a poll on the platforms, with options to vote on the "best name for this ever growing 'Revolution.'" As of this writing, "Superior Intelligence" was in the lead on X with around 39 percent of the vote.

The poll comes shortly after the president called the fears around AI a "hoax" on social media this week. He also said he won't hinder the growth of the AI industry, which aligns with his administration's enthusiastic adoption of the technology.

Trump wants to meet with AI executives next week, the New York Times reported, though a White House official told the Times on Thursday that no meeting was on the calendar. Both Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently agreed that the industry should slow AI development, following the resignation of an Anthropic researcher who said AI could "kill us all" by the end of the decade.

Other lawmakers in the U.S. seek to regulate AI. On Friday, California Gov. Gavin Newsom issued an executive order to create a panel to strengthen the state's AI safety laws.

Just this week, reports surfaced that a U.S. military analyst generated a false report using AI that "almost started a war" with China.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I stopped paying for Philo and Hulu after buying this used $15 antenna

How-To Geek - Sat, 09/19/2026 - 20:30

I've been a cord-cutter for years, so over-the-air TV isn't new to me. I've used an antenna during hurricane outages and for the occasional football game when I wanted a local broadcast without worrying about which streaming service carried it. It was always useful, but it never became a big part of how I watched TV.

Categories: IT General, Technology

4 Google Maps tasks that are easier on a PC

How-To Geek - Sat, 09/19/2026 - 20:00

I’m perfectly happy doing plenty of things on my phone, but Google Maps isn’t always one of them. Ask me why, and I could probably give you 50 reasons. The biggest one? Maps feel far less cramped on my PC. I get a much bigger view of the map, more room to move around, and the freedom to use my mouse and keyboard instead of constantly pinching and dragging on my phone. After using Maps this way, I’ve realized that some tasks are simply more enjoyable — and much less fiddly on a bigger screen.

Categories: IT General, Technology

After 7 years of foldables, the iPhone Duo proves Samsung is still missing crucial features

How-To Geek - Sat, 09/19/2026 - 19:30

The iPhone Duo comes a whopping seven years after the original Galaxy Fold. With that much time to prepare, you’d hope Apple would have some fresh, new ideas — and it did. Samsung may have all the foldable experience, but it could still learn a thing or two.

Categories: IT General, Technology

FBI warned ICE agents of fake tradwife dating profiles

Mashable - Sat, 09/19/2026 - 19:14

The FBI sent an internal memo warning ICE agents of women pretending to be "tradwives" in order to publicize their private information, The Guardian reported.

In Feb., the FBI in Chicago sent the memo to law enforcement officials across the country, stating, "as of late Jan. 2026, a small group of women allegedly were creating fictitious online dating profiles with the purpose of attracting and then doxxing law enforcement participating in immigration enforcement."

SEE ALSO: The impact of tradwife content on U.S. singles, according to Match

Over the last few years, tradwives — or women who supposedly uphold traditional gender roles and conservative values — gained virality online. But despite all the talk of tradwives online, Match recently found in its Singles in America report that while some survey participants saw an uptick in such content, only 21 percent said it influenced their preferences regarding gender roles in relationships. A participant's age and past experiences were more impactful on this front.

"These profiles were incorporating imagery of a 'traditional wife' aesthetic and listing specific interests in an attempt to appeal to … individuals in law enforcement," the memo continued, according to The Guardian. "The objective was to lure affiliated law enforcement personnel into an online or in-person interaction under the guise of a date, after which the individuals would be publicly exposed and doxed online. The tactic is intended to generate public embarrassment and deter immigration enforcement activity."

No specific dating apps were mentioned. The memo was sent after viral TikToks circulated, saying women should dox ICE agents they came across on dating apps — and the FBI noted that the report was "not finally evaluated intelligence."

A spokesperson for the FBI told The Guardian that, "The FBI regularly shares information with our law enforcement partners to assist in protecting the communities they serve as well as protecting those who serve and protect communities. The FBI is committed to ensuring that law enforcement officers are safe from threats or violence while performing their duties."

The document was obtained by the government-transparency nonprofit Property of the People through a public records request. In a statement, its executive director, Ryan Shapiro, told The Guardian, "It's absurd the FBI issued a thinly-sourced security alert about ICE agents' online dating troubles."

"It's equally ludicrous the FBI is spending taxpayer dollars to protect ICE agents from possible 'embarrassment' at the hands of a supposed 'small group of women' who might name and ridicule them online," Shapiro continued.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The hidden Windows feature quietly filling up your SSD—and how to rein it in

How-To Geek - Sat, 09/19/2026 - 19:00

A few months ago, Microsoft released a new Windows 11 feature that provides a modern alternative to the good old System Restore. The feature is called point-in-time restore, and it should have already landed on your PC with a recent Windows update. Point-in-time restore can be useful because it creates a snapshot of your system every 24 hours, allowing easy recovery to a recent restore point.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Any broken laptop can become a mini PC with these simple 3D printing projects

How-To Geek - Sat, 09/19/2026 - 18:30

What is a laptop if not a mini PC stuck in a folding prison? There may be a bit more to it than that, but when a laptop fails at its primary task of being a portable computer, it’s good to know that you can still get some life out of it as a static one.

Categories: IT General, Technology

These 4 under-the-radar HBO shows will give you a reason to rush home from work

How-To Geek - Sat, 09/19/2026 - 18:15

HBO Max has no shortage of shows that everyone is into, but some of its best series are not exactly the household names that dominate every streaming conversation. Dig a little deeper into the platform's catalog, and you will find plenty of shows that deserve more attention than they get.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I ditched my NAS OS for Ubuntu Desktop, and I’m never going back

How-To Geek - Sat, 09/19/2026 - 18:00

Your NAS is, at its core, kind of another PC. It has PC specs, and it runs a full operating system, but the way it's put together means it's optimized to do certain things betther than your PC.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to watch Sevilla vs. Barcelona online for free

Mashable - Sat, 09/19/2026 - 18:00

TL;DR: Watch Sevilla vs. Barcelona in La Liga for free on CazéTV. Access this free livestream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

It's been an incredible start to the new La Liga season for Barcelona. They've won six games in six and scored an incredible 7-2 win over Racing Club earlier this week. They currently hold a three-point lead over their closest rivals, Real Madrid.

But Barcelona faces tough competition when they play Sevilla this weekend. Sevilla haven't displayed quite the same form, but they're still one of the league's most formidable teams. They've lost just one of their first six fixtures. Is this the game that breaks Barcelona's perfect run?

If you're interested in watching Sevilla vs. Barcelona in La Liga from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

When is Sevilla vs. Barcelona?

Sevilla vs. Barcelona in La Liga kicks off at 3 p.m. ET on Sept. 19. This fixture takes place at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan Stadium.

How to watch Sevilla vs. Barcelona for free

Sevilla vs. Barcelona in La Liga is available to live stream for free on CazéTV.

CazéTV is geo-restricted to Brazil, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Brazil, meaning you can live stream Sevilla vs. Barcelona for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Sevilla vs. Barcelona for free by following these simple steps:

  1. Sign up for a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

  2. Download the app to your device of choice

  3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Brazil

  4. Visit CazéTV

  5. Watch Sevilla vs. Barcelona for free from anywhere in the world

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The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer generous money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Sevilla vs. Barcelona without committing your cash. This is obviously not a long-term strategy, but it gives you enough time to stream this fixture (plus more La Liga action) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for La Liga?

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

  • Servers in 105 countries, including Brazil

  • 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 usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream Sevilla vs. Barcelona for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Judge allows most of Reddits lawsuit against Anthropic to proceed

Mashable - Sat, 09/19/2026 - 17:59

Reddit's lawsuit accusing Anthropic of illegally scraping user comments to train its Claude chatbot has cleared another hurdle. A San Francisco County Superior Court judge has allowed three of the platform's five claims to proceed while trimming back two others.

In an order dated Sept. 17 and filed the following day, Judge Harold Kahn overruled Anthropic's demurrer, a legal challenge arguing that even if Reddit's allegations are true, they don't amount to a valid claim. The judge will allow three of Reddit's claims against Anthropic to move forward: breach of contract, interference with contract, and violation of California's unfair competition law. Two other claims, unjust enrichment and trespass to chattels, were tossed out, but the judge will give Reddit a chance to fix and refile them by Oct. 16.

SEE ALSO: Anthropic's CEO urges the industry to slow down, and Sam Altman agrees

The case originated from a complaint Reddit filed in June 2025, when the company accused Anthropic of using automated bots to access its platform's content without permission and training Claude on the personal data of Reddit users without their consent.

At the time, Reddit's chief legal officer Ben Lee said AI companies should not be allowed to scrape people's information and content without clear limitations on how that data can be used, according to the Associated Press. Reddit noted it had separately struck licensing deals in 2024 with companies including Google and OpenAI that it said would allow it to enforce protections such as users' right to delete their content.

Kahn also rejected Anthropic's argument that Reddit's User Agreement was an unenforceable "browsewrap" agreement. The AI company tried to argue that Reddit's terms of service don't constitute a binding contract because users never explicitly click "I agree." The judge pointed to Reddit's allegations that Anthropic kept scraping the site more than 100,000 times even after Reddit's CEO publicly called out the behavior — evidence, he said, that Anthropic knew exactly what it was doing.

As stated earlier, Kahn dismissed Reddit's unjust enrichment and trespass claims, finding them too vague as written, but allowed the company to refile with more specificity.

A Reddit spokesperson said in a statement:

"This ruling sends a strong message – AI companies don't get a free pass to ignore the law. AI companies cannot scrape data without a license in violation of basic contract law, user privacy commitments and fair business practices. As we look ahead to the next phase of this lawsuit, Reddit remains committed to holding unauthorized scrapers accountable and to protecting the trust of Reddit users."

Anthropic did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Categories: IT General, Technology

This NVMe SSD mistake leaves performance on the table before Windows even starts

How-To Geek - Sat, 09/19/2026 - 17:30

Everyone is a PC newbie at some point, and there are so many mistakes to be made. One of the most annoying I've come across is installing your NVMe SSD in the wrong M.2 slot. Any beginner could do it, and if you don't know what kind of performance to expect from your machine, you might not even notice something's wrong.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Flock offers workers voluntary buyouts amid backlash

Mashable - Sat, 09/19/2026 - 17:08

Flock Safety offered employees voluntary buyouts on Friday, WIRED reported. According to an internal email seen by WIRED, the surveillance company has announced a "generous" severance package for workers who want to leave, and will grant it to the majority of those who apply.

SEE ALSO: Hackers dismantle Flock camera to see what makes it tick

This comes amid backlash against Flock cameras, with civilians damaging them and state officials blocking funding for Flock and ordering their removal.

Flock reportedly stated in its email that the program "treats employees with transparency, respect, and choice," WIRED reported, and gives employees "greater agency." Without the buyouts, those familiar with the situation suspect the company would have to lay off some of its 1,500 employees.

Some packages include months of healthcare coverage, tens of thousands of dollars, and the ability to exercise stock options within two years of leaving the company, according to WIRED. Workers have until Oct. 2 to apply for the buyout, and they're expected to learn whether they're accepted by Oct. 9. Those who have accepted the buyout are expected to depart the company by Oct. 29.

Flock didn't immediately respond to WIRED's requests for comment.

Categories: IT General, Technology

5 classic shows that look better today than when they first aired

How-To Geek - Sat, 09/19/2026 - 17:00

While watching the endless episodes of Star Trek: The Next Generation and The X-Files that I consumed on the old CRT of my youth, at the time I don’t recall ever thinking that it looked terrible. Compared to the pristine digital that the vast majority of today’s television is produced on, though, the difference is stark—it was softer, grainier, and there was way less detail. But that was never what the cameras actually saw.

Categories: IT General, Technology

6 self-hosted apps that are better with Tailscale

How-To Geek - Sat, 09/19/2026 - 16:30

By default, many self-hosted apps are only accessible over your home network. There are plenty of ways to provide remote access, and Tailscale is a popular option. It creates a secure private connection between your devices, even when they're on different networks, and plenty of self-hosted apps can benefit from remote access using Tailscale.

Categories: IT General, Technology
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