Blogroll

How to Communicate with Astronauts Aboard the ISS

How-To Geek - Fri, 05/02/2025 - 22:31

Have you ever wanted to ask an astronaut a question, or just talk to one in general? Wouldn't it be cool if you could speak to an astronaut even as they were floating on the ISS in space, looking down on Earth? It's not actually difficult to do just that. All you need is ham radio.

Categories: IT General, Technology

What Does Incognito Mode Do?

How-To Geek - Fri, 05/02/2025 - 22:01

Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, or Mozilla Firefox—Incognito mode is a standard feature in most modern browsers. But what really happens when you start browsing in Incognito mode? Fun fact—it doesn’t make your browsing session completely anonymous, as you might think.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to Use AI Function in Google Sheets

How-To Geek - Fri, 05/02/2025 - 22:01

Google's AI function brings Gemini-powered language models right into your spreadsheet cells without any add-ons. With it, you can generate fresh text, summarize blocks of data, categorize entries, or even guess sentiments—all by typing a simple formula.

Categories: IT General, Technology

ASUS' New Outdoor Wi-Fi 7 Router Offers Everything but Tri-Band

How-To Geek - Fri, 05/02/2025 - 21:58

ASUS is preparing to launch the ZenWiFi BD4 Outdoor, a dual-band mesh Wi-Fi 7 router designed to extend your existing wireless internet system beyond the home. It appears to be a solid option for those who own a large property and are already invested (or are willing to invest) in the ZenWiFi ecosystem.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge: Specs and possible price leak for the newest thin smartphone

Mashable - Fri, 05/02/2025 - 20:54

Back in January, Samsung teased a new ultra-thin Galaxy phone. Samsung still hasn't fully lifted the veil off the so-called Galaxy S25 Edge, but it feels like we know everything about it already.

That's because of a steady stream of leaks, including this most recent one from Roland Quandt of WinFuture (via TechRadar). According to Quandt's reporting, the Galaxy S25 Edge will come with a titanium frame, weighing in at 163g (or 5.7 ounces) with just 5.85mm of thickness. That's similar to the rumored size of the yet-to-be-released iPhone 17 Air.

For comparison, the upcoming Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 is rumored to be between 8.2mm to 9.55mm thick (and as a foldable, it would be thinner when unfolded). Currently, the thinnest phones in the world come from the company Oppo, including the foldable Oppo Find N5, which is just 4.21mm when unfolded.

Other reported specs for the Galaxy S25 Edge include:

SEE ALSO: The iPhone 17 Air looks incredibly thin in new video leak
  • 6.7-inch AMOLED display with 1440x3120 resolution and 120Hz refresh rate

  • Snapdragon 8 Elite chipset

  • 12GB RAM

  • 256GB or 512GB storage

  • 200MP main rear lens

  • 12MP ultra-wide lens

  • 12MP front-facing lens

  • 3,900mAh battery with wireless charging

  • IP68 rating for water and dust resistance

A lot of that lines up with previous leaks on the subject, including the phone's dimensions, chipset, and the relatively small battery size. The build materials and presence of wireless charging are new to Quandt's report, though. This seems to be a "where there's smoke, there's fire" situation, in other words, as multiple leaks from entirely disparate sources are reporting the exact same information about this phone.

Quandt also reported some possible pricing information, which is where things get tricky. According to the report, the phone will start at roughly the USD equivalent of $1,400, and would go up higher if you want more storage. Samsung is expected to announce the phone at an event in May, but that hasn't been officially confirmed yet. Stay tuned for more info on all of this.

Categories: IT General, Technology

First Look at Google’s Unfinished DeX-Like Desktop Mode for Android

How-To Geek - Fri, 05/02/2025 - 20:14

For years, if you’ve wanted to plug your Android phone into a monitor and get something that felt remotely like a desktop, your only option has essentially been Samsung DeX. It offers a proper multi-window interface, a taskbar, and the ability to use your phone like a PC. Meanwhile, Android’s offering for other devices has been extremely lacking. That appears to be changing.

Categories: IT General, Technology

If you use Apple AirPlay, you need to update your device and take these steps

Mashable - Fri, 05/02/2025 - 20:12

This week, cybersecurity researchers with Oligo say they identified 23 vulnerabilities related to Apple AirPlay, leading Apple to issue over a dozen fixes.

Dubbed "AirBorne" by the researchers, the security vulnerabilities affect the Apple AirPlay network and could compromise various devices. According to an Oligo blog post, the researchers say the vulnerabilities "enable an array of attack vectors" that could allow "attackers to potentially take control of devices that support AirPlay — including both Apple devices and third-party devices that leverage the AirPlay [Software Development Kit]."

The Oligo blog outlines a number of potential attacks, including Zero-Click RCE, Man-in-the-Middle, and Denial of Service (DOS) attacks. But if you don't know what any of that means, that's OK — the solution for Apple users is fairly straightforward.

Fixing the Apple AirPlay 'AirBorne' flaws
  • Update your Apple devices to "mitigate potential security risks".
  • Disable the AirPlay receiver when not in use; restrict AirPlay access to trusted devices only.
  • In AirPlay settings, "Change the 'Allow AirPlay for' setting to 'Current User'".
Read More

Essentially, as long as you update your devices to the latest versions of macOS, iOS, and iPadOS, your devices should be safe. In addition, some cybersecurity experts recommend disabling the AirPlay feature entirely unless you're actively using it.

The "AirBorne" vulnerabilities would allow hackers to infect Apple devices with malware or seize control of the device, whether that's a MacBook or iPhone. They could then deploy malware or steal sensitive information. AirBorne also affected third-party devices connected to AirPlay, leaving smart Internet-of-things (IOT) devices at risk.

SEE ALSO: Apple sends out spyware attack notifications to targeted users

The researchers say they worked with Apple to "identify and address" the flaws, and that Apple issued 17 CVEs in response to the research.

In the cybersecurity world, CVE stands for Common Vulnerabilities and Exposures, and it refers to a specific identifying number associated with a publicly disclosed cybersecurity problem. In a national CVE database hosted by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, users can find a number of new CVEs published by Apple on April 28, 2025, such as CVE-2025-24252 and CVE-2025-24206.

The CVE description states that Apple fixed these bugs in "in macOS Sequoia 15.4, tvOS 18.4, macOS Ventura 13.7.5, iPadOS 17.7.6, macOS Sonoma 14.7.5, iOS 18.4 and iPadOS 18.4, visionOS 2.4."

Categories: IT General, Technology

Get Ready for More Tech Price Hikes as ‘De Minimis’ Loophole Closes

How-To Geek - Fri, 05/02/2025 - 20:06

I'm sure your news feed has been filled with news about tariffs and how they affect your pocket. Get ready, then, for even more increases, because tariffs just became a lot more wide-reaching.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Why I Want Email Read Receipts (and You Might Too)

How-To Geek - Fri, 05/02/2025 - 19:00

Most companies know when you open their emails, but you're left in the dark about whether they've read yours. This imbalance in email power dynamics is real, and while many advocate against tracking, I believe we should use trackers ourselves to level the playing field.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Sick of 15-character passwords? Microsoft is going password-less, starting now.

Mashable - Fri, 05/02/2025 - 18:49

Think of something you'll remember forever, something so close to your heart or brain that you wouldn't have to write it down to keep it top of mind. You'll have to type it out every day for 30 days. It has to have 15 characters, an uppercase letter, a lowercase letter, a symbol, and a number. The numbers cannot be consecutive. It cannot be similar to anything you've ever said before. You will have to recall this secret code constantly or risk being locked out of every device and subscription you need.

Of course, we're talking about your password, and it is a nightmare. Now, Microsoft wants to get rid of passwords entirely.

The company announced this week that moving forward, all new Microsoft accounts will be "passwordless by default."

SEE ALSO: A review of 19 billion passwords reveals people are still bad at them

According to a May 1 post on Microsoft's blog, the move is part of a "journey toward passwordless sign-in." Instead of using a password to sign on, Microsoft wants you to use a passkey, which could be a PIN or a biometric option such as facial recognition or a fingerprint scan. (That sounds a lot better than Sam Altman's eyeball-scanning machine, The Orb.)

"[Users] signing in with passkeys are three times more successful at getting into their account than password users (about 98% versus 32%)," the blog post reads. "When you use a passkey, you get into your account much quicker too! Passkey sign-ins are eight times faster than a password and multifactor authentication."

So not only will signing in be less annoying, but it will also be more efficient, Microsoft argues.

"As part of this simplified UX, we’re changing the default behavior for new accounts. Brand new Microsoft accounts will now be 'passwordless by default,'" Microsoft wrote in its blog post. "New users will have several passwordless options for signing into their account and they’ll never need to enroll a password. Existing users can visit their account settings to delete their password."

Microsoft isn't the only tech company moving towards passkey-friendly logins. Amazon, Google, and WhatsApp are all also working towards it.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Synology NAS Systems Are Getting More Expensive

How-To Geek - Fri, 05/02/2025 - 18:44

Synology is raising prices on some of its DiskStation NAS systems. The move is almost certainly another tariff-induced price hike, but the company has not yet confirmed that information. Either way, it’s annoying for anyone looking to get a NAS right now.

Categories: IT General, Technology

10+ gift card deals for Mothers Day, graduation, and beyond

Mashable - Fri, 05/02/2025 - 18:41
The best gift card deals BEST RIDESHARE GIFT CARD Lyft $100 gift card $85 (save $15) Get Deal BEST BEAUTY GIFT CARD Ulta Beauty $50 gift card $42.50 (save $7.50) Get Deal BEST FOOD DELIVERY GIFT CARD DoorDash $50 gift card $42.50 (save $7.50) Get Deal BEST CLOTHING GIFT CARD Fanatics gift card $60 (save $15) Get Deal

Gift cards get a bad rep. While some may see them as the easy way out when gifting, they're more practical and useful than some random trinket or gadget you know will never be used. So, if you're at a loss for gift ideas — whether for Mother's Day, graduation, or any other occasion on the horizon — we say go for the gift card. We even found a few on sale, meaning your giftee will get even more bang from your buck.

From food delivery to rideshare services to cosmetics, there's a little something for everyone.

Best gift card deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lyft Lyft $100 gift card $85 at Amazon
$100 Save $15 Get Deal Why we like it

Whether you know someone who commutes to work every day via rideshare or who likes to go to major events when fare hikes are out of control (like after a hockey game lets out, or when Sabrina Carpenter is in town), a $100 Lyft gift card can go a long way. And, even better for you, it'll only cost you $85 — and your recipient never has to know you saved 15%. Just be sure to click on the $100 option as the gift amount, then enter your recipient's email address, and the $15 savings will be reflected at checkout.

Best beauty gift card deal Opens in a new window Credit: Ulta Ulta Beauty $50 gift card $42.50 at Amazon
$50 Save $7.50 Get Deal Why we like it

Not only does Ulta sell top-notch makeup and skincare products, but it's also home to some of our favorite beauty tech, like the Shark FlexStyle and Solawave skincare wand. A $50 gift card — which you can grab for only $42.50 as of May 2 — can definitely put a dent in a major beauty tech purchase for someone in your life. Select the $50 gift amount and enter your recipient's email address or phone number, then you'll see the 15% savings reflected at checkout.

Best food delivery gift card deal Opens in a new window Credit: DoorDash DoorDash $50 gift card $42.50 at Amazon
$50 Save $7.50 Get Deal Why we like it

Sure, it's not the most glamorous gift around, but everyone's gotta eat. And a $50 DoorDash gift card — which is on sale for just $42.50 — gives your recipient endless options to choose from. Better yet, more than just food delivery, you'll be giving someone the gift of extra time. Just be sure to select the $50 option before heading to checkout to see the savings reflected automatically.

More gift card deals

For even more gift card deals, check out the Mother's Day selection at Amazon.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Tons of Echo devices are on sale at Amazon right now, including a Star Wars Echo Dot bundle

Mashable - Fri, 05/02/2025 - 18:37

SAVE UP TO 30% OFF: As of May 2, you can get up to 30% off select Echo devices at Amazon.

Best Echo deals as of May 2: Best deal overall Amazon Echo Dot $37.99 (save $12 ) Get Deal Best Echo Show deal Amazon Echo Show 5 $64.99 (save $25 ) Get Deal Best budget pick Amazon Echo Pop $27.99 (save $12 ) Get Deal

If you’re looking for a Bluetooth speaker that’s affordable and doubles as a voice assistant and smart home hub, you should probably forgo the stacks and opt for an Amazon Echo.

Right now, you can snag an Echo device for up to 30% off at Amazon. There’s even a cool Star Wars Echo Bundle available that comes with an Echo Dot and a Star Wars Tie Fighter Echo Dot stand.

Here are some of the best Echo devices that are currently on sale at Amazon.

Best deal overall Amazon Echo Dot (5th Gen, 2022 Release) $37.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $12 Get Deal Why we like it

The Amazon Echo Dot (2022) is a surprisingly good speaker, given its size. I’ve had mine for years, and still use it all the time.

The Amazon Echo Dot can do everything that a full-sized Echo can do, like playing music, answering questions, setting timers, controlling smart home devices, and making calls. It’s also small enough to fit in any room without being too obtrusive, and you can get it in multiple colors, including charcoal, deep sea blue, and glacier white.

More Echo deals
Categories: IT General, Technology

Toyota’s 2026 Camry: Now With 100% More Sass and Attitude

How-To Geek - Fri, 05/02/2025 - 18:27

Toyota’s bringing the Nightshade trim to the 2026 Camry, and it’s more than just a style play. It’s still hybrid-only, which means top-tier fuel economy without sacrificing punch.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Get a new TV before tariffs get em: this 55-inch best-seller is $360

Mashable - Fri, 05/02/2025 - 18:22

SAVE $100: As of May 2, get the 55-inch Amazon Fire 4K Smart TV for $359.99, down from its usual price of $459.99. That's a discount of 22%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire 4K Smart TV (55-inch) $359.99 at Amazon
$459.99 Save $100 Get Deal

If you've been thinking about buying a new TV, now's the time to do it. You don't want to wait until prices skyrocket due to tariffs. Not when you can score this best-selling Amazon Fire TV for a great price right now and have it set up in your living room before the Nintendo Switch 2 arrives, er, if you managed to get one.

As of May 2, get the 55-inch Amazon Fire 4K Smart TV for $359.99, down from its usual price of $459.99. That's $100 off and a discount of 22%. This is the newest model, released in 2024, so you're getting the most current option available.

This TV is part of the Amazon Fire TV 4 series, and it's an all-rounder that not only will look great in your living room, but it'll treat your favorite shows and movies right. It offers 4K Ultra HD, HDR10, and Dolby Digital Plus support, so you'll get a crisp picture with bright colors and deep contrasting shades as well.

The TV itself is nice and lightweight, with an ultra-slim bezel that looks great when mounted to your wall or standing free. It comes with an Alexa Voice Remote as well, so if you do decide to mount it on the wall, you can control it without having to get out of your seat, which might come in handy on more than one occasion.

Fire TV also means you can stream tons of content from platforms like Prime Video, Netflix, Disney+, and more, with video games and music streaming available as well. And if you want to load the TV with special Alexa skills, that's an option as well.

Snag this TV before prices get higher on account of tariffs, and you'll be feeling like entertainment royalty without having to dig deep into your savings.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Acer Nitro V Gaming Laptop Has Has a Huge Discount

How-To Geek - Fri, 05/02/2025 - 17:38

Gamers looking for a powerful and budget-friendly machine will want to check out the current 18% discount on the Acer Nitro V gaming laptop. You can get this high-end laptop for $699.99 on Amazon, which is a huge drop from $849.99.

Categories: IT General, Technology

A review of 19 billion passwords reveals people are still bad at them

Mashable - Fri, 05/02/2025 - 17:37

Your password probably stinks. At least that's what a new study shows.

Researchers at Cybernews studied more than 19 billion leaked passwords, and of those just 6 percent were identified as unique, meaning they weren't re-used or duplicated. To make matters worse, the most common passwords are way too simple. Four percent of all passwords studied by Cybernews — meaning roughly 727 million total passwords — included the phrase "1234." Phrases like "password" and "admin" were also quite common, meaning folks are still relying on pre-set passwords.

“The ‘default password’ problem remains one of the most persistent and dangerous patterns in leaked credential datasets. Entries ‘password’ (56M) and ‘admin’ (53M) reveal that users overwhelmingly rely on simple, predictable defaults,” said Neringa Macijauskaitė, information security researcher at Cybernews, in a statement. “Attackers, too, prioritize them, making these passwords among the least secure.”

The researchers also discovered lots of passwords that relied on names or, funnily enough, curse words. Sixteen million passwords included the F-bomb, for instance.

Studies have show time and again that we suck at creating passwords. As Mashable covered at the end of last year, for instance, a study from NordPass found the most common passwords are wildly simple.

Here were 2024's top 10 most-used passwords globally, according to NordPass:

  1. 123456

  2. 123456789

  3. 12345678

  4. password

  5. qwerty123

  6. qwerty1

  7. 111111

  8. 12345

  9. secret

  10. 123123

So if you read this article and it seemed...a little too familiar, perhaps it's time to update your passwords. At the very least, don't use "123456."

Categories: IT General, Technology

Baseus Recalls 55k Portable Batteries, Citing Fire Risk

How-To Geek - Fri, 05/02/2025 - 17:32

Baseus has issued a voluntary recall for its 65W 30,000mAh (BS-30KP365) power bank, citing fire hazard. Approximately 55k of these batteries are impacted by the recall. Customer who show proof of purchase and disposal will receive a replacement power bank for free.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Common Passwords You Should Never Use—These Take Less Than a Second to Crack

How-To Geek - Fri, 05/02/2025 - 17:30

Your passwords aren't just hanging about on a server waiting to be stolen—there's a whole process that goes on behind the scenes to keep them safe. Just make sure they aren't common—or they'll take mere seconds to crack.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Sign up for 3 months of Audible Premium Plus for less than $3

Mashable - Fri, 05/02/2025 - 17:26

SAVE $41.88: New (or returning) to Audible? Through May 6, you can get your first three months of Audible Premium Plus for only $0.99 per month (a grand total of $2.97). Usually $14.95 per month, that's a total of $41.88 in savings.

Opens in a new window Credit: Audible Audible Premium Plus $0.99/month for three months (save $13.96/month) Get Deal

Craving some screen-free entertainment? I highly recommend audiobooks. Listening to a book still feeds your imagination like traditional reading, but it doesn't tie you down to one place. You have the freedom to multitask as you take in the content. Just pop in some earbuds and open the Audible app to escape the mundanity of ordinary tasks like cleaning and cooking.

If you're new to the audiobook world, Audible is running its outrageous introductory offer again. Through Tuesday, May 6 at 2:59 a.m. ET, new (and eligible returning) subscribers can get three months of Audible Premium Plus for only $0.99 per month. The Premium Plus membership usually costs $14.95 per month, so you'll save about $13.96 or 93% monthly — a grand total of $41.88 in savings.

A Premium Plus membership unlocks access to hundreds of Audible Original audiobooks for free, as well as a monthly credit you can use to purchase titles in the premium collection (regardless of price) and exclusive access to members-only sales. Most recently, members could use a single credit to purchase two select titles in an exclusive BOGO sale.

If you need a break from screens, Audible's Premium Plus catalog will keep you endlessly entertained. It includes bestsellers and new releases like The Let Them Theory by Mel Robbins and Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins, as well as BookTok faves like Intermezzo by Sally Rooney and Funny Story by Emily Henry. Turn off Netflix and tune into many of the books that inspired the shows in the first place — it'll cost you less than $3.

Categories: IT General, Technology
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