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Erin Brockovich reveals crowdsourced AI data center map

Mashable - Wed, 05/27/2026 - 17:00

Environmental activist Erin Brockovich has set her sights on a new target: AI data centers.

The activist and consumer advocate has just recently launched the Brockovich AI Data Center Reporting website, which tracks AI data centers being built across the country. The project maps quite a few data centers that are already in operation and under construction. Users can submit AI data centers that are being built or proposed in their community as well.

"The RACE to build AI infrastructures is unfolding town by town across America," reads a statement by Brockovich on the website. "In some places, data centers are welcomed. In others, they are delayed, contested or abandoned altogether. This MAP captures the real-world footprint of that race — revealing patterns of growth, conflict and uncertainty."

Data center construction has become a flashpoint in state and local politics, with some communities organizing to stop new construction. Environmental groups and the NAACP have also joined the fight.

Brockovich taking on AI data centers is significant.

In the 90s, while working as a legal clerk, Brockovich discovered major corporate malfeasance from Pacific Gas & Electric (PG&E). Brockovich uncovered that the company was covering up the contamination of the water in Hinkley, California. The legal battle that ensued resulted in PG&E paying out a historic $333 million settlement, which at the time was the largest direct-action lawsuit settlement in U.S. history.

Brockovich's story was turned into a movie, titled Erin Brockovich, with Julia Roberts portraying the activist. The film, which was released in 2000, was both a commercial and critical success. Roberts would go on to win an Oscar for her portrayal of Brockovich.

The current map detailing AI data center locations. Credit: Brockovich AI Data Center Reporting

The Brockovich AI Data Center Reporting website currently lists 33 operational data centers, 44 locations under construction, and 27 proposed facilities. There are also 2,716 data center locations submitted by users across the country.

The vast majority of AI data center reports are in Texas, with 612 reports. Sulfur Springs, TX, alone has 297 data center reports.

Users who submitted reports shared that the biggest concerns regarding AI data centers in their city involved water, electricity, and the overall health of the people in their community. 

According to the Environmental and Energy Study Institute, large AI data centers can consume as much as 5 million gallons of water per day, or the equivalent of what a town with 10,000 to 50,000 people uses. Another report from the UK found that AI data centers "could emit nearly one million more tons of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than previously estimated."

The website also provides interesting events on its Community Impact page, showing how people can actually make a difference. According to the Brockovich AI Data Center Reporting website, more than 15 moratoria or pauses on AI data centers have been passed due to community backlash. In Festus, MO, four city council members were removed from office after an AI data center vote.

Categories: IT General, Technology

You're setting up custom DNS wrong—and it's breaking your network troubleshooting

How-To Geek - Wed, 05/27/2026 - 16:59

DNS is one of those things where many people aren't aware that it is something you can adjust. Those who are, may end up overdoing it in the other direction. Tweaking custom DNS settings across every phone, laptop, console, TV, and whatever else lives inside your house may sound tempting if you belong in that second camp, but hold up a second.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Samsungs 98-inch 4K Smart TV just dropped to its best price yet

Mashable - Wed, 05/27/2026 - 16:51

SAVE 40%: As of May 27, you can get the Samsung 98-inch Class Neo QLED 4K Smart TV for $8,997.99 at Amazon, down from $14,997.99. That's a 40% discount or $6,000 savings.

Samsung 98-inch Class Neo QLED 4K Smart TV $8,997.99 at Amazon
$14,997.99 Save $6,000   Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Best Buy

If you've been looking for a TV that'll impress your guests and do your favorite films the justice they deserve (or you just want a screen that takes up your entire wall), the Samsung 98-Inch Class Neo QLED 4K QN90F Smart TV (2025) is on sale for its best price yet.

As of May 27, you can get the Samsung 98-inch Class Neo QLED 4K Smart TV for $8,997.99 at Amazon, down from $14,997.99. Yes, $9K is still an astronomical amount of money to spend on a TV, but that's a 40% discount — or $6,000 in savings.

SEE ALSO: Most of the best Memorial Day sales are still live: We found the top discounts on TVs, mattresses, MacBooks, and Ninja appliances

The 2025 QN90F runs on Samsung's NQ4 AI Gen2 processor, which uses 128 neural networks to automatically upscale older, non-4K content. (So you can watch the goodies like The Golden Girls, The Nanny, and whatever other nostalgic TV shows you like in HD.) The screen also has a glare-free coating designed to block out reflections from nearby windows and lamps.

And if you plan to hook up a console, the TV has you covered there, too. It supports tear-free VRR gaming at up to 4K 165Hz.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I solved my smart doorbell's constant notification spam with one automation

How-To Geek - Wed, 05/27/2026 - 16:45

Smart video doorbells are one of the best examples of a dumb device that has been improved enormously by adding smart features. You can use one to see who is at the door even if you're on the other side of the world, you can talk to visitors through the doorbell, and you can get notifications when someone is detected on the doorbell's camera.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Memorial Day sales are over but the DJI Mic Mini is still sitting at a record-low price

Mashable - Wed, 05/27/2026 - 16:37

SAVE $20: The DJI Mic Mini (2 transceivers, one receiver) is on sale at Amazon for $79, down from $99. That's a 20% discount that matches the record low price at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Mic Mini (2 transceivers, 1 receiver) $79 at Amazon
$99 Save $20   Get Deal

The calendar for summer content creation is getting full. If you've been managing with recording audio on your phone, it might be time for an upgrade. Before you start your next recording session, check out this deal.

As of May 27, the DJI Mic Mini (2 transmitters, one receiver) is on sale at Amazon for $79, marked down from the standard price of $99. That's a 20% discount that saves $20 on the recording bundle. This sale price also matches the record low at Amazon.

Spend just a few minutes on YouTube, TikTok, or even Instagram, and you'll spot the DJI Mic Mini. It looks like almost every creator is using the DJI Mic Mini, and there's good reason. Mashable Lead Shopping Reporter Bethany Allard reviewed the DJI Mic Mini and mentioned it's one of the best upgrades a content creator can buy.

When testing near a busy street on a windy day, Allard found the Mic Mini to have impressive performance. "With and without the noise-cancelling feature, the mic picked up my voice while barely picking up the sound of wind — birds and car engines were lost in many cases," she wrote. Mashable also used the DJI during VidCon when conducting interviews in a loud setting. The DJI had no issues recording crisp and clear audio.

SEE ALSO: We found Sony XM6 headphones at a new all-time low price at Amazon — save over $60

For today's sale price of $79, you get an entire mic bundle that includes one DJI receiver, two transmitters, the DJI Mic Mini charging case, four windscreens, two magnetic mic clips, a carrying pouch, and more.

If you have content creation plans this summer and need a mic upgrade, consider the record-low price on the DJI Mic Mini. For under $80, you'll be able to upgrade to an industry favorite that excels in performance and ease of use.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Take your music on the go with $30 off a pair of Apple AirPods 4

Mashable - Wed, 05/27/2026 - 16:32

SAVE $30: As of May 27, get the Apple AirPods 4 for $99 at Amazon, down from their usual price of $129. That's a discount of 23%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Apple AirPods 4 $99 at Amazon
$129 Save $30   Get Deal

If you're spending time out and about ahead of summer and listening to your favorite songs, a new pair of earbuds may be in order. There are plenty of options out there, thankfully. You just need to pick a pair that's right for you. We'd like to suggest going with Apple AirPods, which aren't just comfortable and great-sounding: you can also save $30 on them right now if you go with the AirPods 4 right now at Amazon.

As of May 27, get the Apple AirPods 4 for $99 at Amazon, down from their usual price of $129. That's $30 off and a discount of 23%.

SEE ALSO: I've tested dozens of earbuds. I like these 3 AirPods alternatives.

The AirPods 4 are all about great sound and comfort while listening. They've been revamped from their prior iteration, and they're perfect for long listening sessions, calls, or just catching up on podcasts. With the Apple H2 chip, they're great with audio, but also excellent for sound as well thanks to voice isolation, spatial audio with head tracking, and advanced computational audio that isolates your voice while cutting background noise.

They're also compatible with Siri on iOS, and work in an interesting way: just nod your head yes or shake your head no to reply to Siri and interact with the voice assistant. They'll also pair just with you putting your AirPods 4 near your phone. With up to 5 hours of listening time and 30 hours total thanks to their battery case, you get plenty of time to jam out as well.

If you're ready to choose a new pair of earbuds and save some cash while you're at it, this is definitely a model you can go with right now. Just be sure to get them before they sell out.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I stopped using VS Code after trying this less popular IDE (and it isn't Antigravity)

How-To Geek - Wed, 05/27/2026 - 16:30

If you have spent years working with editors built on Electron, you already know how heavy they feel, and VS Code is no exception. If your project is big enough, the interface starts to stutter. It is a performance tax that we have come to accept as the cost of doing business in modern development. Zed changes that by stripping away the web stack entirely. Now, I think VS Code is too slow compared to Zed.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The 15-inch M5 MacBook Air, the best MacBook for most people, is the cheapest its ever been

Mashable - Wed, 05/27/2026 - 16:25

SAVE $200: As of May 27, the 15-inch Apple MacBook Air (M5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) is on sale at Amazon for just $1,099.99. That's 15% or $200 off its list price and its lowest price on record.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,099.99 at Amazon
$1,299.99 Save $200   Get Deal

The 13-inch Apple M5 MacBook Air dipped below $900 for the first time for Memorial Day (and is still holding strong). While I highly recommend grabbing that deal while it's still around, there's one reason you might want to pass: the 15-inch model is on sale for just $1,099.99. They're both nearly perfect machines, but "most folks will make good use of the larger screen on the 15-inch M5 MacBook Air," writes Mashable's resident laptop expert Haley Henschel.

As of May 27, you can grab the 15-inch MacBook Air with the M5 chip, 16GB RAM, and 512GB of solid-state storage for only $1,099.99. That's 15% or $200 off its list price and — just like the 13-inch model — its lowest price to date.

Mashable named the larger M5 Air the "best MacBook for most people." Besides a couple of extra inches of screen real estate, it also packs two more speakers and two more GPU cores than the 13-inch option. Otherwise, they're exactly the same, with the M5 chip's wildly impressive performance and speed, sizable base storage, and support for WiFi 7 and Bluetooth 6 technology.

If you're rocking an M3 or M4 MacBook Air, the M5 might be a hard sell. It's not all that different from the M4 Air, with the same vivid Liquid Retina display, 12MP Center Stage webcam, dual Thunderbolt 4 ports, 18-hour battery life, sleek all-aluminum build, and spectacular speakers. "By boosting its performance even further...the Air is now too powerful for its own good," writes Mashable Tech Editor Tim Werth.

The one complaint about the M5 Air in Werth's review was that he wishes it was $200 cheaper. Well, wish granted. Grab the 15-inch MacBook Air while it's down to $1,099.99 post-Memorial Day.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma trailer: Hannah Einbinder and Gillian Andersons meta slasher is coming

Mashable - Wed, 05/27/2026 - 16:24

Writer/director Jane Schoenbrun has been shaking up horror with such critically heralded indies as We're All Going to the World's Fair and I Saw The TV Glow. Now MUBI, the distributor that brought The Substance to the U.S., has teamed with Schoenbrun for their next offering, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma.

After scoring rave reviews out of its Cannes Film Festival debut, Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma reveals its first trailer, giving audiences a taste of what had critics giddy.

SEE ALSO: 2026 Summer movie preview: Every film you need to know about now

Hacks' Hannah Einbinder stars as Kris, a queer filmmaker determined to relaunch the long and maligned slasher franchise, Camp Miasma. To get it right, Kris believes she must get the film series' original Final Girl (Gillian Anderson) on board. But little could she know how meeting this hero would go. From the looks of this trailer, their meeting of the minds not only resurrects the movie's possibilities but also its slasher, known as Little Death.

Opposite Einbinder and Anderson is a cast that includes Amanda Fix, Arthur Conti, Eva Victor, Zach Cherry, Sarah Sherman, Patrick Fischler, Dylan Baker, Jasmin Savoy Brown, Quintessa Swindell, Kevin McDonald, and Jack Haven.

Teenage Sex and Death at Camp Miasma will open in theaters on Aug. 7.

Categories: IT General, Technology

5 little-known Makita tools that’ll save you hours of work

How-To Geek - Wed, 05/27/2026 - 16:15

Makita fans know the company makes all sorts of products, from battery-powered coffee machines to capable 18V LXT power tools. And while most of you own the basics, like an impact driver, drills, and saws, there are several lesser-known Makita tools you'll want to check out.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I used the wrong cable for my soundbar for years, and I didn’t realize what I was missing

How-To Geek - Wed, 05/27/2026 - 16:00

I've been using optical audio for over a decade, but I had no idea what I was missing out on. I intentionally avoided using HDMI ARC because of issues that I had early on with it, but it seems like eARC fixed all the gripes that I originally had with ARC.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Google Home is gradually getting worse—here's what I'm using instead

How-To Geek - Wed, 05/27/2026 - 15:45

Smart homes are increasingly becoming a crucial part of a functioning modern household, so I've decided to take the plunge and create my own smart home.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Why is this Logitech mouse on every tech person's desk?

How-To Geek - Wed, 05/27/2026 - 15:42

Logitech's MX Master series of mice has become a common sight in YouTube videos or photographs of tech-savvy people's desk setups, but what makes this now-iconic mouse so special?

Categories: IT General, Technology

Windows God Mode is hiding from you—Super God Mode unlocks everything in seconds

How-To Geek - Wed, 05/27/2026 - 15:31

You've probably heard of God Mode—the folder trick that's supposed to put every Windows setting in one place. It sounds exactly like what a power user would want, which is why it's so disappointing when you realize that it no longer includes every setting in one place—at least not on modern Windows devices.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I mounted my laptop, mini PC, and keyboard to my monitor arm—and suddenly my desk made sense

How-To Geek - Wed, 05/27/2026 - 15:00

Most monitors and TVs have a set of mounting holes on the back that follow the VESA standard. This is the mounting system that allows you to wall-mount your TV or put your monitors on special monitor arms.

Categories: IT General, Technology

A24s Primetime trailer teases Phoebe Bridgers acting debut

Mashable - Wed, 05/27/2026 - 15:00

It's a blink-and-you-miss-it moment but Pheobe Bridgers' feature film acting debut is teased in the trailer for Primetime. Honestly, you can't stop multi-talented musicians making their way into Hollywood.

In the latest A24 unsettler, the Grammy-winning artist joins a talented cast including Robert Pattinson, Merritt Wever, and Skyler Gisondo. Pattinson plays investigative journalist and TV presenter Chris Hansen, who famously hosted the controversial Dateline series To Catch a Predator in the mid-2000s.

Directed by Lance Oppenheim, Primetime draws inspiration from Hansen's mission to make the notorious NBC show, which has a complicated legacy — Jimmy Kimmel once referred to it as "Punk'd for pedophiles." Hansen's team deployed hidden surveillance and undercover reporting to expose — and assist in arresting — men soliciting sex with minors in online chatrooms. It was true crime on primetime TV, with Hansen's decoy actors and production team working with police and online watchdog group Perverted Justice to confront accused sexual predators as the cameras rolled. And the ratings were through the roof.

It's not clear who Bridgers will play yet, however, with the talent of this cast and the complex notoriety of the show it's channelling combined, we're absolutely in.

Primetime will hit cinemas autumn 2026.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I finally ditched the Plex-or-Jellyfin debate and ran both together

How-To Geek - Wed, 05/27/2026 - 14:46

My son is a big Plex fan. I was on the fence about it. I had some concerns about certain features being paywalled, among other things. I ended up quite liking Jellyfin for some of my media, so I switched over to it. I'm still going to try Emby at some point and see how it integrates into my setup as well, but Jellyfin has been my daily driver for a while now.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Enola Holmes 3 trailer sees Millie Bobby Brown back on the case

Mashable - Wed, 05/27/2026 - 14:42

Sherlock Holmes' clever sister Enola (Stranger Things' Millie Bobby Brown) is back with a new mystery to solve, and Netflix has an overtly romantic teaser trailer for you.

Following the cases of the missing mum and sister, Enola Holmes 3 will see the young sleuth leave Victorian England behind for Malta with the love of her life, Lord Tewkesbury (Louis Partridge). As the trailer shows, marriage is afoot! But what's a wedding without a kidnapping interruption and a spot of gunfire?

SEE ALSO: 2026 Summer movie preview: Every film you need to know about now

Henry Cavill returns as world famous detective Sherlock, as does Helena Bonham Carter as their mother, Eudoria, Himesh Patel as Dr. John Watson, and Sharon Duncan-Brewster as Moriarty/Mira Troy.

Enola Holmes 3 debuts on Netflix July 1.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I highly recommend Sonys new PS-LX3BT turntable for beginners — its on sale for its lowest-ever price

Mashable - Wed, 05/27/2026 - 14:32

SAVE $51.99: As of May 27, the new Sony PS-LX3BT Bluetooth turntable is on sale for $348 at Amazon (normally $399.99). That's a 13% savings and its best price ever.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony PS-LX3BT Full Auto Playback Turntable with Bluetooth Connectivity $348 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $51.99   Get Deal

After testing Sony's updated PS-LX3BT turntable earlier this spring, I can confirm it's still one of the best record players for beginners.

It sounds great, it's super easy to set up, and its Bluetooth connectivity and automatic operation are both very convenient. To quote my review: Having come from a regular manual turntable, "It made me feel so spoiled that I was genuinely bummed to ship it back at the end of my testing period."

The PS-LX3BT also has a USB-B port that lets you rip vinyl tracks onto a laptop — a pretty nifty feature. (If you managed to snag the new Charli xcx singles on vinyl, you can use it to digitize those exclusive B-sides.)

One of the only things I didn't love about the PS-LX3BT was its price. It retails for $399.99, which is significantly more than the competition, so I'd try to find it on sale for less. Right now, it happens to be on sale for its lowest price ever: Amazon has it marked down to $348, or roughly $52 off. Best Buy and Sony also have it on sale with free shipping, but for a buck or two more.

The Sony PS-LX3BT is a fully automatic belt-driven turntable. Just press its green "Start" button to start listening to a record. Credit: Haley Henschel / Mashable

The only other thing I dinged the PS-LX3BT for was having a heavy tracking force of 3.5 grams. You generally want it to be between one to three grams to minimize wear and tear on your records. If that concerns you, Sony's higher-end PS-LX5BT turntable has a removable cartridge with a tracking force of just two grams.

The PS-LX5BT is even more expensive, but it's also on sale right now. Amazon's discounted price of $473 (or about $27 off) also beats competing deals at Best Buy and Sony by a teensy bit.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Google’s office apps are free, but I still pay for Microsoft 365 for these 4 reasons

How-To Geek - Wed, 05/27/2026 - 14:30

The debate between Microsoft and Google is an old (and divisive) one. For many, it might look like there's an obvious winner, based on their preferences, but when it comes to productivity, the answer may be a bit more complicated.

Categories: IT General, Technology
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