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You look up "gaming mouse" in the dictionary, and you're liable to find a picture of the Logitech G502 X. Logitech isn't bluffing when it calls the G502 X the "world's most popular gaming mouse," but so much success understandably makes Logitech hesitant to shake up the formula. The latest G502 X Plus is here with a modest list of improvements, and it's basically guaranteed to keep selling in droves—but that doesn't mean it's still the best. I also have the brand-new Razer Basilisk V4 Pro in hand, and in lieu of a dedicated review, it's going head-to-head against the G502 X Plus to prove Logitech's competition hasn't been idly sitting by.

I wanted to build a second brain, so I installed the one app synonymous with the idea — Notion. The plan was to set up a few databases and start capturing all my notes into them, so everything would stay neatly organized and easy to find when I needed it. However, if you’ve used Notion before, you probably already know what’s coming.

The very best deals from the Sephora Savings Event: Best hair dryer/multistyler deal Shark FlexStyle 4-in-1 Air Styler & Hair Dryer $179.10 for Sephora Beauty Insiders (save $119.90 with code ALLONSALE) Get Deal Best flat iron deal Shark Silki Pro 3-in-1 Hair Straightener, Styler & Dryer $179.10 for Sephora Beauty Insiders (save $69.90 with code ALLONSALE) Get Deal Best skincare tech deal Shark CryoGlow Plus Anti-Aging LED Face Mask $341.10 for Sephora Beauty Insiders (save $37.90 with code ALLONSALE) Get Deal Best personal fan deal Dyson HushJet Mini Cool $89.10 for Sephora Beauty Insiders (save $9.90 with code ALLONSALE) Get Deal

If you missed out on Amazon's massive Holiday Beauty Event last month, fret not. Sephora is doling out similarly good deals on beauty tech during its fall Savings Event (live now through Nov. 9). It's another chance to save on very giftable hair and skincare tools ahead of the holidays.

Here's how Sephora's Savings Event works: You can get anything on sale in stores and online by using the coupon code ALLONSALE at checkout. The only catch is that you need to be a member of Sephora's Beauty Insider rewards program, which is free to join. The higher your membership tier, the more you'll save:

• All Beauty Insider members get 10% off minimum.

• Beauty Insider VIB members get 15% off during the sale. To reach VIB status, you need to have spent at least $350 at Sephora in the past year.

• Beauty Insider Rouge members who spent at least $1,000 at Sephora this year get 20% off.

Crucially, you can stack these discounts on top of other existing markdowns at Sephora. At the time of writing, it was offering double discounts on most Shark tools, including the excellent Shark FlexStyle, SilkiPro, Glam, FacialPro Glow, Depuffi, and CryoGlow, one of Mashable's favorite Christmas gifts and one of our Gift of the Year winners.

After picking through Sephora's Savings Event, I've rounded up the 25 best beauty tech deals below. (I've cross-checked all of them with other retailers' listings to make sure no one's beating them.) The prices I've listed are what you'll pay as a Beauty Insider member, but again, you'll save even more with VIB or Rouge status.

Lastly, be sure to enter the code SPEEDY at checkout. It unlocks free same-day delivery on online orders of $75 or more in certain areas.

Best hair dryer and multistyler deals Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark FlexStyle 4-in-1 Air Styler & Hair Dryer $179.10 at Sephora
$299 Save $119.90 Use code ALLONSALE. Get Deal at Sephora Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark FlexStyle NextGen: IonCurl 5-in-1 Air Styler, Curler & Hair Dryer $224.10 at Sephora
$349 Save $124.90 Use code ALLONSALE. Get Deal at Sephora

The Shark FlexStyle's unique twisting base and versatile attachments make it our all-time favorite Dyson Airwrap dupe. During the Sephora Savings Event, two versions of it are on sale for record-low prices.

The base FlexStyle includes two auto-wrap curlers, an oval styling brush, and a styling concentrator attachment; Sephora carries it in the limited-edition "winter pearl" colorway. The newer Shark FlexStyle Next-Gen: IronCurl, which launched this past July, has an extra anti-frizz attachment and wraps hair tighter around its barrels for longer-lasting curls. Read Mashable's full review of the Shark FlexStyle.

More hair dryer and multistyler deals

• Amika Blowout Babe Thermal Round Brush — $90 $100 (save $10)

• Shark Glossi 2-in-1 Blow Dryer Brush — $161.10 $179 (save $17.90)

• Dyson Airsmooth Styling Brush — $224.10 $249 (save $24.90)

• Dyson Supersonic Travel Hair Dryer — $269.99 $299.99 (save $30)

• Shark Glam 5-in-1 Multi-Styler, Air Straightener & Hair Dryer — $314.10 $449 (save $134.90)

• T3 Aire 360 Ceramic Air Styler — $314.10 $349 (save $34.90)

• Dyson Supersonic Nural Hair Dryer — $404.10 $449 (save $44.90)

• Dyson Supersonic r Hair Dryer — $494.10 $549 (save $54.90)

• Dyson Airwrap i.d. Multi-Styler and Dryer Straight+Wavy — $584.10 $649 (save $64.90)

• Dyson Airwrap i.d. Multi-Styler and Dryer Curly+Coily — $584.10 $649 (save $64.90)

• Dyson Airwrap Co-anda2x Multi-Styler and Dryer Straight+Wavy — $629.10 $699 (save $69.90)

• Dyson Airwrap Co-anda2x Multi-Styler and Dryer Curly+Coily — $629.10 $699 (save $69.90)

Best flat iron deal Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark Silki Pro 3-in-1 Hair Straightener, Styler & Dryer $179.10 at Sephora
$249 Save $69.90 Use code ALLONSALE. Get Deal at Sephora

The Silki Pro is a wet-to-dry straightener with built-in temperature sensors that prevent it from getting too hot to the point of damaging your hair, and it comes with three comb attachments. Former Mashable reporter Leah Stodart said it took a while to tame her naturally coarse, curly hair, but that she was ultimately impressed with its results. "I showed up to happy hour with SilkiPro straightened hair, and my friend immediately commented on how healthy it looked," she wrote. Read Mashable's hands-on impressions of the Shark Silki Pro.

More flat iron deals

• Dyson Corrale Coolshine Hair Straightener — $296.10 $329 (save $32.90)

• Dyson Airstrait Straightener — $449.10 $499 (save $49.90)

Best skincare tech deals Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark CryoGlow LED Face Mask $314.10 at Sephora
$349 Save $34.90 Use code ALLONSALE. Shop Now at Sephora Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark CryoGlow Plus Anti-Aging LED Face Mask $341.10 at Sephora
$379 Save $37.90 Use code ALLONSALE. Get Deal at Sephora

Mashable staffers spent a full year testing various red light masks, and the Shark CryoGlow came out on top. According to Stodart, "It offers carefully curated settings that target signs of aging and acne." It also comes with under-eye cooling pads, which are "such a treat for anyone who hates mornings," she added.

The upgraded Shark CryoGlow Plus features a longer battery life and more LED bulbs for better coverage. Fun fact: This is the first time I've ever seen it go on sale. Read Mashable's full review of the Shark CryoGlow.

More skincare tech deals

• Shark Depuffi Hot & Cold Face Sculpting Tool — $179.10 $199 (save $19.90)

• Shark FacialPro Glow At-Home Facial System — $224.10 $249 (save $24.90)

• NuFace Mini+ Starter Kit — $225 $250 (save $25)

• NuFace Trinity+ Starter Kit — $355.50 $395 (save $39.50)

• Shark FacialPro Glow & DePuffi Bundle — $359.10 $399 (save $39.90)

Best personal fan deals Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson HushJet Mini Cool $89.10 at Sephora
$99 Save $9.90 Use code ALLONSALE. Get Deal at Sephora Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark ChillPill 3-in-1 Portable Fan $134.10 at Sephora
$149 Save $14.90 Use code ALLONSALE. Get Deal at Sephora

Dyson and Shark both released powerful premium portable fans this spring. We prefer the latter's ChillPill because it comes with swappable misting and cooling attachments, but the Dyson HushJet Mini Cool is a good option if your budget is tighter. Either way, mind their noise levels if you use them indoors: They're quite loud at their upper settings. Read Mashable's full reviews of the Dyson HushJet Mini Cool and Shark ChillPill.

There’s nothing quite like free energy, both in dollars and emissions, so I’ve started powering as many devices as I can entirely with solar power — including the one I’m writing these words on. I'm not going to tell you this is practical for most people, but it's doable, and for some of us, it’s fun.

Every few months, a storage warning lands in my inbox. I've noticed that they all sound the same and ask me to pay a little more to make the storage problem go away. The number is never big, but I still hate paying it. That price is what got me staring at the dusty computer in my closet, wondering if it could do the job instead.

Since outlining its Leap 16 plans in 2024, Linux distro openSUSE has been working toward a more flexible Linux ecosystem, embracing SUSE’s Adaptable Linux Platform technology while promising to preserve traditional installations. This eventually resulted in two distinct offerings: Leap for traditional desktop and server environments, and Leap Micro for immutable systems. Leap 16.1 now combines both approaches.

If one of your fancy Milwaukee tools is broken, has stopped working, or isn't operating as it should, don't just throw it away. Most Milwaukee power tools come with a 5-year warranty, or a cheap spare part might be the difference between enjoying it for years to come and spending big bucks on a replacement.

As Democrats celebrated midterm wins in Republican strongholds like Texas and Kansas, parts of the internet began to sound a lot like the Obama years. Users shared Hamilton clips, played "We Are Young," shared jokes and memes, and celebrated the "blue tsunami." Alongside the reactions came the question: Was millennial optimism back?

The phrase had already been circulating on TikTok well before election night. Over the past year, users on social media have been sharing nostalgic photos and videos of the late 2000s and early 2010s, often set to the Middle East's song "Blood," released 2009. Think Apple Photo Booth selfies, mustache accessories, statement necklaces, flower crowns, and the Lumineers playing through wired earbuds.

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But the appeal extends beyond the accessories and playlists, though. Younger people are drawn to the hopeful outlook they associated with the era. For those who experienced those years as children, the videos offer an imagined version of young adulthood shaped by Obama-era promises of change and an internet remembered as more personal and less governed by algorithms. As one X user put it, "I think millennial optimism invokes a particularly upsetting empty sense of loss in older Gen Zs bc it was so aspirational to us… like we saw it in real time but weren’t quite old enough to Be There, but it felt like a promised future that never came."

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Together, those references give a recognizable shape to the feeling behind "millennial optimism" content that can otherwise be difficult to describe. These videos evoke the expectation that good experiences lie ahead and that there are people to share them with. For younger users who were children during that period, the trend offers an imagined version of what entering adulthood might have felt like then.

After Democrats won control of the House and Senate on Nov. 3, that nostalgia has taken on a new meaning. For some people celebrating the results, the optimism they had been looking back on suddenly feels within reach.

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"Listening to millennial optimism music and repeating 'blue wave' over and over again," wrote one user. “Waking up to a blue Texas, I’m in tears; I can feel the millennial optimism coming," wrote another.

For some, the next step was turning up the volume. X user @sassykathy666 shared a video described as a post-election club celebration in Austin, with "We Are Young" playing in the background. "Millennial optimism up 10000000%,” wrote another user while sharing the clip. They aren't completely wrong about the numbers; "millennial optimism" is a breakout search term on Google, up 5,000 percent.

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Others dusted off the Hamilton soundtrack. "We're having Lin-Manuel Miranda write a new national anthem tomorrow," joked one user. "They just downloaded the Hamilton soundtrack to everyone's iPhones," wrote another. (The musical opened on Broadway during Obama's second term.)

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Why stop there? "They're gonna bring BuzzFeed back," wrote one user. BuzzFeed joined in with a "wait, give us a sec, changing our color scheme to blue." Sharing the exchange, another user added, "I can feel the millennial optimism starting."

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Of course, the years being remembered weren't uniformly hopeful. Millennials were also navigating the aftermath of the financial crisis, student debt, and an uncertain job market.

Still, the response to the midterms suggests why that feeling is worth revisiting. For those celebrating, the results offer a reason to believe their participation can help move things forward. What comes next will depend on how that energy carries beyond election night.

SEE ALSO: Trump posted through the U.S. midterm elections, and he wasn't happy

Election Day 2026 is one for the books.

Even as results continue to pour in, early victories are already shaking up the country. Americans expressed a resounding anti-AI data center sentiment across local ballots. People took to the streets in Texas to celebrate its new Democratic governor, the first in decades, and the success of James Talarico's viral campaign for Senate. The internet, a veritable feast of memes and emotional reactions, determined "Millennial Optimism" and "Woke 2.0" were back.

SEE ALSO: Voters approved more than 40 measures to slow or ban data center growth

So without further ado, here are all of the history-making wins out of Tuesday's already unprecedented midterm elections:

Keisha Lance Bottoms in Georgia

On Tuesday evening, Georgia governor-elect Bottoms became the first Black woman governor in the entire history of the United States. Bottoms is also the first Democrat to hold the office in 25 years, following a wave of support after Stacey Abrams' widely-followed gubernatorial run in 2018.

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Haaland, former U.S. Secretary of the Interior, became the first Native American woman to be elected governor, winning more than 57 percent of the New Mexico vote. Haaland campaigned on an explicit anti-Trump campaign, saying in her victory speech, "Democrats are entrusted to fight for our home. For New Mexico. Not New America."

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As Texas shifted blue for the first time in decades, waves of Texas voters celebrated the victory of Democratic Governor-elect Gina Hinojosa. Hinojosa unseated former Gov. Greg Abbot and became the state's first Latina governor.

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Becerra, former U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services, defeated Trump-endorsed Steve Hilton to become the first Latino governor elected by California voters and the first Latino in the role in 150 years. The state's first Latino governor was Romualdo Pacheco, who was not voted into the role but succeeded the former governor in 1875.

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As Governor-elect of Ohio, Acton is the first woman elected into the role by voters. She beat controversial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to become the first Democrat in the governor's mansion in 20 years.

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Crowley is the first Black man elected Governor of Wisconsin. He defeated staunchly conservative representative Tom Tiffany as a near-unknown.

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Current Attorney General of Nevada, Ford will be the state's first Black governor after flipping the previously Republican held position. Ford is one of several state attorneys general who has led a wave of litigation against major tech companies, including Meta.

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The only Republican Governor-elect on the list, Daniels is Florida's first Black governor. Daniels is one of many incoming and reelected Black governors, including Bottoms, Crowley, Ford, and Maryland incumbent Wes Moore.

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Pappas, representing New Hampshire, became the first openly gay man elected into the U.S. Senate.

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Flanagan, current lieutenant governor of Minnesota, is the first Indigenous woman to hold a Senate position.

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In the culmination of an extremely viral campaign, El-Sayed won the Senate seat for Michigan. He is the country's first Muslim senator.

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I use ChatGPT and Gemini for all sorts of little things throughout the day. Sometimes I need help fixing a message, sometimes I want to clean up a photo, and other times I’m just curious about something I spotted on screen. But I don’t always need to open a separate AI app and type out a prompt to get these things done.

Vivid outdoor lighting is one of the best ways to kick off the holiday season. There's something about those bright lights and flashing colors that create a festive atmosphere and put a smile on people's faces. Be the first to light up the block with 42% off the Litsoul 600FT Permanent Outdoor Lights.

Whether you’ve got a budget PC build or a top-of-the-line gaming or productivity beast, your favorite machine likely has some untapped potential you can unlock by tweaking one component or another.

When compared to the likes of Samsung and LG, the typical Google TV system can hardly be called "bloated," but there are still aspects of the default Google TV or Android TV experience that could do with a trim.

Though Mars has the largest volcanoes in the solar system, many scientists have claimed they are long-extinct. No one has ever seen smoke or lava erupting from their towering summits.

But new evidence from a European spacecraft may force researchers to rethink that assumption: Maybe these volcanoes are not dead after all — just dormant.

SEE ALSO: Mars without its makeup can look a little blue. Here's why.

The shakeup comes from new research led by Alexander Trokhimovskiy, based on data from the European Space Agency's ExoMars Trace Gas Orbiter (TGO), which studies gases in the Red Planet's air from space. The orbiter detected hydrogen chloride near Alba Mons, which sits in the northern hemisphere. The chemical is a foul-smelling gas that often vents from volcanoes. Nothing in Mars' weather or air chemistry points to why the gas collects in this one area.

Two cameras, Cassis and NASA's Hirise, also spotted fresh narrow cracks — some just inches to a foot or two wide — in the ground beneath where the gas appeared.

"Our findings suggest that Mars has retained enough internal heat to support volcanic activity until recently," said Daniel Mège, co-lead author from the Space Research Centre of the Polish Academy of Sciences, in a statement, "and possibly still does." 

These observations, published in Science Advances on Wednesday, are clues that Mars may still be volcanically active, not just billions of years ago, with magma — hot, melted rock — still coursing beneath its surface. Mège has gone so far as to call the hydrogen chloride detection the "smoking gun." If true, Mars may have warm, wet pockets underground where life could survive. 

Featured Video For You How Project Hail Mary made a rock spider lovable

Despite the common belief that Mars' volcanoes are dead, scientists have spotted subtle clues over the years that they may not be. NASA's Insight lander, for example, recorded marsquakes, which could indicate magma movement is shaking the ground. Some hardened lava flows and ash eruptions in Tharsis, a huge volcanic plateau that includes Alba Mons, have been dated to only tens of millions of years ago, along with some in two other volcanic regions. Computer simulations suggest heat rising from deep inside Mars could still be melting rock under the plateau today.

What scientists haven't found is a clear sign of activity. Searches for heat or visible changes at the surface have come up empty. So has the hunt for sulfur dioxide, the gas scientists usually look for.

But the missing gas doesn't mean Mars' volcanoes are completely tapped out, the researchers say. Even on Earth, volcanoes don't always release it. After an eruption ends, a volcano often gives off little sulfur dioxide but continues leaking hydrogen chloride because the latter dissolves in the oozy melted rock below the surface. 

Martian rocks and soil also carry more chlorine compared to their water and sulfur than Earth rocks do. The research team figures that makes hydrogen chloride likely one of Mars' most common volcanic gases.

In this global map, the north pole is at the bottom and the equator is at the top. Credit: NASA / MGS / MOLA Science Team / FU Berlin infographic

The orbiter first detected the hydrogen chloride in Mars' thin air in 2020. The gas usually follows the seasons, accumulating in northern winter and dissipating by summer, rising and falling with the planet's dust and water cycles. 

One spot didn't follow that pattern. Every early northern summer the researchers checked, the gas surged in the same place — above cracks on the slopes of Alba Mons. Some of the cracks are in clusters stretching for miles, running along ridges up to about 100 feet high. The cracks cut through an icy surface layer that formed only about 630,000 years ago, which means they showed up sometime more recently. On a geological timescale, that would date them to practically yesterday.

The spacecraft measured the gas by looking through the Martian air toward the sun. The study focused on 78 of these observations over the region. The fact that the orbiter caught a handful of gas molecules from a source that may switch on only now and then surprised even the scientists. 

"These findings may prove to be TGO's greatest success yet," said Colin Wilson, the European Space Agency's project scientist for the spacecraft. 

Spacecraft first detected hydrogen chloride in Mars' thin air in 2020. Credit: NASA / MOLA Science Team

The team thinks volcanic gases spew out of the cracks, much like the vents on Earth. In winter, temperatures drop to -184 degrees Fahrenheit, allowing ice to seal the openings. When summer arrives, the ice turns straight into vapor, skipping over the liquid phase. The escaping gas may leave deposits behind, according to the research, which could explain discoloration around the cracks.

Gases like this may have been more plentiful long ago. They could have helped thicken Mars' atmosphere and warmed its climate, perhaps allowing liquid water to cover much of the planet, according to the team.

Those cracks could also lead somewhere promising: places where rising liquid rock meets underground water.

"Looking for Martian life in the seeping fissures of the Alba Mons region would make a lot of sense," Mège said. "If hydrothermal systems are active, they could contain the ingredients and energy needed for microorganisms to develop and shield microorganisms from the hostile and changing environment above the surface."

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Since the beginning of VisionQuest, the show has introduced a variety of antagonists, from mercenary Paladin (Todd Stashwick) to the returning Ultron (James Spader), this time in a human avatar. Yet the show's true big bad, the shadowy figure pulling all the strings, has remained a mystery. Known simply as the Client, he's been hunting Vision (Paul Bettany) throughout the show's run, manifesting solely as a shadowy figure watching from the sidelines.

SEE ALSO: 'VisionQuest': Your guide to every AI character in the MCU's newest show

However, by the end of VisionQuest's penultimate episode, the Client has stepped into the light. And honestly? His face reveal has left us with more questions than answers.

The Client is Ultron's doppelganger.

At the end of episode 7, the Client manages to capture both Vision and Jocasta (T'Nia Miller), the synthezoid created from scientist Josephine Carrington's (Miller) mind. Vision's capture occurs outside Horton Manor, the house that once belonged to scientist Phineas Horton (Bettany). Horton created the first synthezoid, on which Vision would eventually be modeled.

As Vision surrenders himself, the Client emerges from within Horton Manor. He's played by none other than Spader, now sporting a sick mustache and even sicker glasses. While we don't get his name off the bat, the Client appears to be the person Ultron modeled his human avatar after. (And here I thought Ultron was just a big fan of The Blacklist.)

SEE ALSO: Review: The 'Ocarina of Time' remake is gorgeous, but plays it a little too safe

The Client also appears in Jo's memories, which Jocasta accesses in the episode's final moments. He's her partner, both in business and in romance, and the pair discuss using their nanotech to become "godlike." Between his appearance and his use of the phrase "peace in our time," it's clear there's a connection to Ultron here. Yet VisionQuest will keep the exact details of that connection a secret until its finale.

Is the Client Phineas Horton's grandson?

Even though VisionQuest is still obfuscating key details about the Client — knowing his name would be nice! — Marvel fans are still theorizing about his true identity.

Fans are speculating that the Client is really Phineas Horton's grandson, which would make sense given that he apparently lives in Horton Manor. The timeline lines up, too: In 1939, we meet Phineas' young daughter, Victoria. She would be over 90 years old by the time VisionQuest takes place, but if she had a child, they would likely be within the Client's apparent mid-60s age range.

Early in episode 7, we see young Victoria stealing her father's notebook, the same one seen among Jo's collaborators. How does Jo end up with it? Perhaps by working alongside a family member of Victoria's. Now, the real question becomes what the Client's true motivations are — and why Ultron is modeled after him. Hopefully, all will be revealed come VisionQuest's Season 1 finale.

VisionQuest is now streaming on Disney+. Its Season 1 finale premieres Nov. 10 at 9 p.m. ET on Disney+.

Thanks to AI, it's never been easier for cyber criminals to scam unsuspecting internet users. From "autonomous" AI agents to voice cloning capabilities, scammers now have an array of tools at their fingertips to aid them in their grifts.

Scammers are getting extremely clever with their AI-assisted schemes, too. Case in point: a new report from BBC detailing how scammers are weaponizing AI tools to target pet owners who are searching for their missing dog or cat.

Here's how the scheme works, according to the report.

It appears that scammers are now scouring missing pet social media groups and forums in order to find targets. Using pictures a pet owner posted in hopes to find their missing furry friend, a thief will use AI to generate photos of the animal. The scammer will then reach out to the distraught pet owner and claim they have found them. The scammer will then send the AI-generated pictures as proof.

The pet owner will obviously be in a sensitive and emotional state and look to do anything to be reunited with their dog or cat. The scammer will require a reward and offer to meet up locally to make the trade.

However, as the meetup time gets closer, the scammer will suddenly renege on the deal and demand that the pet owner send them a digital gift card before making the exchange.

Anyone familiar with how online scams work can now see where this is going. Scammers prefer being paid in gift cards because the transactions are irreversible. And obviously, they don't have the lost pet in their possession.

More brazen scammers would even seek out tens of thousands of dollars via wire transfer, BBC reports.

However, according to the reports, skeptical pet owners who would further question the scammer or straight out call their bluff would be met with threats. In some cases, according to the report, desperate scammers would threaten to kill the pet if the owner didn't abide by the demands.

Losing a pet could certainly be a stressful event and scammers are looking to take advantage of the fact that these pet owners aren't thinking clearly once they're told their pet has been found.

To avoid becoming a victim, never send gift cards to strangers who demand them over the internet or text message, regardless of the scenario. It is always a scam, experts warn.

I spend a lot of time in Excel, but some of my favorite Excel workflows barely happen inside Excel at all. One spreadsheet became an interactive map. One reporting workbook now pulls in new files whenever I refresh it. Some Excel problems now get solved with a quick conversation with ChatGPT before I even open the workbook.

Results are still streaming in from what is already a history-making midterm election cycle, but there is at least one clear outcome: Americans are fed up with AI data centers.

Data centers have become a leading issue in local politics over the last year. In 2026, at least 50 local ballot measures related to data center permits, construction, or regulation were proposed in state legislatures. Forty-one of these measures were voted on during the Nov. 3 midterm election.

Voters in around 30 jurisdictions across the U.S. passed legislation to keep data centers out of their communities, the Washington Post reported based on early return data. At least another six voted to ban future construction and halt planned projects.

SEE ALSO: Trump posted through the U.S. midterm elections, and he wasn't happy

Younger generations, including Gen Z political advocacy organization Voters of Tomorrow, have rallied around the pro-climate, anti-Big Tech campaigns of many Democratic candidates.

According to an NBC exit poll, 67 percent of Democratic voters said AI data centers were a crucial factor in their down-the-ballot voting. Around 63 percent of Democrats said they would oppose construction of data centers in their communities. A national poll from Pew Research Center in September found that only 4 percent of Americans believed data centers had positive effects for their area.

What kinds of measures were on the ballot?

Ohio had 21 data center-related ballot measures, the most of any state. Thirteen municipalities approved outright bans on data centers, Forbes reported. Several voted on proposed zoning regulations and/or on the future of existing construction projects.

Other state ballots featured similar proposed legislation, ranging from multi-year moratoriums on data centers to new processes for securing citizen approval for data centers. Three towns in Kansas singled out "high impact" and "utility-intensive" data centers, while one town in Maine voted on size limitations to data center projects.

Which states banned or restricted data centers?

• California - Residents in Alhambra voted to ban data centers in the LA suburb.

• Florida - Voters in Edgewater passed a charter amendment barring new centers and limiting the expansion of existing projects.

• Illinois - A majority of voters in five townships voted "No" on measures asking if they support future data center construction and permitting. Voters in Bloomington voted "Yes" on a data center moratorium.

• Kansas - Voters in El Dorado passed a 10-year ban on "high impact" centers, which will impact facilities using more than 100,000 gallons of water per day. It's one of the strictest data center legislations passed this election cycle. Three others Kansas cities passed high impact center bans.

• Maine - At least three towns passed 180-day moratoriums on data centers. One town, Wiscasset, passed a six-month moratorium.

• New Jersey - A majority of voters in Downe Township said they don't support data center development.

• Nevada - Boulder City residents rejected data center permits in the Eldorado Valley Transfer Area.

• Ohio - At least 14 municipalities passed bans or restrictions on future data center projects. Another six rejected proposals to uphold rezoning for data centers.

• Wisconsin - Janesville residents voted "Yes" to require a public vote before approving a data center project that would cost anywhere from $450 million to $8 billion.

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The tech industry funneled hundreds of millions of dollars into midterm election campaigns, including a $474 million dollar spend from Elon Musk. Nearly half of that was spent on political advertising in Texas, which is home to around 300 operational data centers and another 173 planned construction sites. The state also serves as the base for most of Musk's transportation and space exploration empire.

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Texas' new governor-elect, Gina Hinojosa, a Democrat and the state's first Latina governor, campaigned explicitly on data center moratoriums and a state tax on data center projects. "These hyperscale data centers are having hyperscale impacts on our communities, and we’re just left unprotected," Hinojosa said in the lead up to the election.

Even outside of Texas, candidates running on anti-data center platforms — backed by a $173 million negative advertising push — seemed to come out as winners at the polls, which experts say may lead to a slow down of AI infrastructure construction across the country.

"There is no way to sugarcoat that Democrats taking control, especially over the Senate, will create some major hurdles for AI and tech legislation in the Beltway over the next 2 years," wrote Dan Ives, Wall Street technology analyst and a partner at Yorkville Ives & Co., in a note to investors on Nov. 4. Ives singled out Hinojosa's win as a particular pressure point, as Texas was predicted to generate almost a third of the nation's data center capacity with planned infrastructure projects.

Goldman Sachs economists estimate that around 45 percent of planned U.S. data center capacity expansion will be affected by the new legislation.

More immediate financial blowback can be expected, too. SpaceXSI and Tesla stock have already dipped following the "blue tsunami" of Tuesday night's results. A lull in data center spending would impact chip manufacturers, as well, according to experts. As of Nov. 4, stocks for chip manufacturers, including Micron and Nvidia, were trending down.

Bluetooth is getting a significant upgrade that could make everyday wireless devices faster and more capable. The Bluetooth SIG is adopting its new High Data Throughput (HDT) feature, which raises the top speed of Bluetooth LE from 2 Mbps to 7.5 Mbps. That’s nearly four times faster, and speed isn’t the only improvement. Bluetooth HDT is also designed to move more information while using power efficiently and keep connections reliable.

When it comes to gifting, kids can be particular. The things kids like change not just with age, but also with evolving trends from TV shows and new technology. If parents are lucky enough, their kid will write a long list of the precise items they'd like as a birthday or Christmas or Hannukkah gift and put it up on the fridge with pride. But sometimes, it can be as much of a crapshoot as coming up with a gift idea for someone else's kid. Without further ado, here are the best gifts for kids of all ages — including toy and non-toy gifts alike.