Blogroll

Tesla sells China's Model 3 in Canada for an absurdly low price—what does it mean for EVs?

How-To Geek - Mon, 05/04/2026 - 21:25

Tesla is taking advantage of a change in Canada's policy on Chinese electric cars to sell the Model 3 at a considerably lower price in the country, and it might have an effect on the EV market as a whole, including for U.S. buyers.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Siri’s big Google upgrade: What iPhone fans are waiting for

Mashable - Mon, 05/04/2026 - 20:45

Apple’s assistant is finally getting a Google-sized brain, but is it actually what iPhone users have been asking for? CNET's Apple expert (and daily iPhone user) Bridget Carey talks all about it with Iyaz Akhtar.

Categories: IT General, Technology

This $25,000 robot looks like its right out of Star Wars

Mashable - Mon, 05/04/2026 - 20:44

The $25,000 Tron 1 from LimX Dynamics looks like a mini AT-ST from Star Wars: here's what it actually can do.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Motorola’s Razr Fold is poised to outshine Galaxy Z Fold 7

Mashable - Mon, 05/04/2026 - 20:44

Motorola’s Razr Fold positions itself as a strong competitor in the book-style foldable space. It brings a polished design and powerful performance to challenge rivals like the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7. Here’s what sets it apart.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Matter support arrives in Homebridge 2.0, opening Apple Home to more devices

How-To Geek - Mon, 05/04/2026 - 20:40

Homebridge is a popular open-source toolkit, and it was designed to add support for devices that do not function on Apple HomeKit. It basically allows you to connect such devices to Apple Home. There’s support for thousands of smart home devices so far, and if that wasn’t cool enough, there’s now support for Matter added too.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Celebrate May the 4th with these Star Wars Alexa commands

Mashable - Mon, 05/04/2026 - 20:34

It's an unofficial holiday for the Star Wars fandom. May the 4th is a time to celebrate the joy we've experienced from everything Star Wars. From Lego sets to phone cases, brands celebrate the day by offering great deals on Star Wars merch. Amazon isn't sitting out on the fun this May the 4th.

The Amazon Echo Dot smart speaker now comes with several Star Wars-themed cases, like The Mandalorian Helmet stand and the irresistible Echo Dot Grogu stand. But the Alexa-enabled fun doesn't stop at Star Wars stands.

It turns out, Alexa loves to chat with inquiring minds about Star Wars. Of course, you can ask Alexa questions about any film in the collection, but you can also use secret commands to get fun Star Wars-themed replies from Alexa.

SEE ALSO: The best Star Wars Day deals, drops, and freebies for May the 4th

Here are 12 Star Wars commands to try with Alexa to celebrate May the 4th.

"Alexa, begin my Jedi lessons."

Alexa must have a special connection to the fictional galaxy because she has nine mini Jedi lessons to share. Like a regular fitness routine, becoming a Jedi takes practice, and Alexa is happy to assist.

"Alexa, teach me a Jedi mind trick."

We all know Alexa has brains, but ask her to teach you a Jedi mind trick, and you'll be in line for using these highly intelligent tricks in everyday life here on Earth.

"Alexa, use the Force."

Can Alexa access the power of the force? Ask her to find out! Ask her again, and you might get a second fun reply.

"Alexa, do, or do not."

Ask this command to hear her finish off the Master Yoda quote we all love from The Empire Strikes Back. Alexa can also finish your other favorite quotes from the franchise when prompted.

"Alexa, talk like Yoda."

This one is self-explanatory and one of the most entertaining of them all. Somehow, hearing Alexa speak in Yoda's non-traditional syntax is enlightening. You can also ask Alexa to talk like other characters, including Darth Vader, Chewbacca, R2-D2, and more.

"Alexa, I am your father."

Is it possible that you could be Alexa's father? Ask her to find out.

"Alexa, tell me a Star Wars joke."

Alexa is full of jokes on plenty of topics, and her Star Wars joke knowledge is something impressive. Take mental note of your favorites to impress friends.

"Alexa, who shot first?"

This is one of Alexa's best Star Wars Easter eggs, taking us all the way back to the 1977 film Star Wars: A New Hope. Alexa can set the record straight for us.

"Alexa, show me Star Wars movies."

If you have a Fire Stick or a Fire-enabled TV, asking Alexa to show you a movie from the franchise will direct you to the entire selection of streaming options.

"Alexa, tell me a Baby Yoda joke."

As if things could get cuter than Baby Yoda, Alexa has a small selection of Baby Yoda-themed jokes on hand for chuckles.

"Alexa, play me the Star Wars soundtrack."

Not feeling in the mood for a Star Wars movie marathon? Or maybe you're at work and can't watch right now. No worries because Alexa can take you directly to a Star Wars soundtrack to delight your ears.

"Alexa, may the Force be with you."

It's the perfect day to wish Alexa the power of the force. She'll reward you with the same.

Categories: IT General, Technology

3 exciting Netflix thrillers to watch this week (May 4-10)

How-To Geek - Mon, 05/04/2026 - 20:00

Another week has passed, and Apex is still the top thriller on Netflix and the No. 1 movie in the streamer's current top 10. Audiences are loving the cat-and-mouse battle between Charlize Theron's rock climber and Taron Egerton's serial killer. It will be interesting to see what movie inevitably knocks it down to second place.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The 4 hidden costs eating away at your hybrid SUV's fuel savings

How-To Geek - Mon, 05/04/2026 - 19:45

If you are looking for a new vehicle for your family, hybrid SUVs are becoming increasingly popular for good reason. They offer many benefits of electrification, like enhanced power and impressive fuel efficiency, without requiring you to fully embrace the electric vehicle lifestyle or its potential drawbacks. However, before you get swept up in the hybrid hype, it’s important to consider the hidden costs that may come with owning a hybrid SUV.

Categories: IT General, Technology

5 cathartic Prime Video movies to watch this week (May 4 - May 10)

How-To Geek - Mon, 05/04/2026 - 19:30

In a world that so often encourages the suppression of emotions and the continuation of rapidly moving forward, cathartic movies remind us of the power of sitting with our own feelings. Sometimes, the most meaningful stories are the ones that break us open then gently piece us back together with hope and resilience, and that’s the focus of this week’s recommendations.

Categories: IT General, Technology

GameStop (yes, that GameStop) wants to buy eBay for $56 billion

Mashable - Mon, 05/04/2026 - 19:20

GameStop, a chain of physical video game and merchandise stores, is also well known for achieving legendary status among meme stocks. Now, the games retailer is looking to buy eBay in a surprise acquisition.

The company announced its intention to purchase the e-commerce giant at $125 per stock, a 46 percent premium to eBay's closing stock price on Feb. 4, 2026. The deal values eBay at approximately $55.5 billion, which will make everyone ask the same question: Where will GameStop, whose own market cap is roughly $11.8 billion, get that kind of money?

To understand this, we need to take a step back. Once a giant with more than 6,000 stores globally, GameStop started declining in the 2010s as folks started getting their games predominantly from the internet. This made it one of the most shorted stocks ever, with investors betting its value would plummet further as its business continues to decline.

In 2021, however, GameStop was revived by a Reddit community of traders who started buying the stock en masse, driving short sellers out and pumping GameStop's stock to new all-time highs. The stock price has since declined, and the business still faces serious headwinds, but the company pivoted to collectibles and digital assets, as well as a Bitcoin treasury strategy.

SEE ALSO: Legendary trader Roaring Kitty finally shows his hand, and it's full of GME

Now, GameStop has about $9.4 billion of cash and liquid investments on its balance sheet, as well as third-party financing that goes up to $20 billion. That should be good enough, GameStop claims, for half the offer; the other half will come from GameStop common stock. Finally, GameStop has quietly been buying eBay shares, and it already owns a 5 percent stake in the company.

GameStop plans to improve eBay's business, which has been doing better on its own lately, with a combination of cost-cutting measures. GameStop will also leverage its remaining retail locations to "give eBay a national network for authentication, intake, fulfillment, and live commerce."

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

Categories: IT General, Technology

Your funny Wi-Fi name is secretly ruining your home network

How-To Geek - Mon, 05/04/2026 - 19:01

Who doesn't like a creative Wi-Fi network name? You'll always run into someone with a network called "FBI_VAN" or a snarky message to the people in the apartment upstairs. But as much fun as it can be to make up silly Wi-Fi SSIDs (Service Set Identifiers), there are actually a few good reasons why you want to avoid it.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I turned a USB drive into a Linux app Swiss Army knife

How-To Geek - Mon, 05/04/2026 - 18:51

If you're like me, you have multiple devices running different Linux distributions, and are frequently installing new instances too. They all need software, and I've found sometimes it's easier to just have some ready to go, conveniently stored on a USB stick.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Mashable favorite Dreame FP10 air purifier is on sale at Amazon for $75 off

Mashable - Mon, 05/04/2026 - 18:36

SAVE $75: The Dreame FP10 air purifier is on sale at Amazon for $424.99, down from the list price of $499.99. That's a 15% discount and the lowest we've seen at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dreame Dreame FP10 air purifier $424.99 at Amazon
$499.99 Save $75   Get Deal

If you have pets at home, you understand the struggle of dealing with pet dander and fur. Many of us rely on air purifiers to keep indoor air as clean as possible, cutting down on odors and potential allergens. There's a new air purifier on the market that comes with excellent features for pet owners. Maybe best of all, it's already on sale.

As of May 4, the Dreame FP10 air purifier is on sale at Amazon for $424.99, marked down from the normal price of $499.99. That's a 15% discount that shaves $75 off the price. It's also the lowest we've seen at Amazon on this new Dreame model.

The design of the Dreame FP10 air purifier is unique in a few ways. For one, the built-in LED strip makes for excellent room lighting. But it also excels in performance when dealing with pets. Unlike most air purifiers that require us to manually clean outer filters from time to time, the Dreame has an automatic roller that prevents hair from building up on the rotating HEPA filter.

SEE ALSO: Amazon's newest Fire Stick just got its first price cut ever — and it's nearly 50% off

Mashable Senior Shopping Reporter Leah Stodard reviewed the Dreame FP10 air purifier in her home with cats and found its performance and overall look to be impressive, with the Furcatch roller being a major advantage over other models. Dreame also designed this model to be cat-friendly. The flat canvas top can support up to 33 pounds, and the bottom-heavy design means it won't topple over easily.

While it's sitting at a record low, upgrade your home with the Dreame FP10 air purifier. It's a new Mashable Choice Award winner for air purifiers, and it's perfect for homes with pets.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Instructure data breach: ShinyHunters says it stole data and private messages from 275 million teachers and students

Mashable - Mon, 05/04/2026 - 18:23

ShinyHunters have struck once again. This time, the hacker group says it has breached systems belonging to one of the biggest educational tech companies.

Edtech giant Instructure, the company behind the popular Learning Management System (LMS) Canvas, announced that it was experiencing a service disruption on April 30. 

The next day, on May 1, the company confirmed that it experienced a "cybersecurity incident perpetrated by a criminal threat actor." 

Instructure largely addressed the issues by May 2 and shared that it would continue to monitor its platforms and investigate how the cyberattack occurred. The company said it patched its security system, revoked certain credentials and access tokens, and rotated API keys "out of an abundance of caution."

ShinyHunters, the now-infamous hacking collective known for social engineering and ransomware, claimed responsibility and uploaded 3.65 terabytes of related stolen data to its website on May 3, as reported by SecurityWeek.

What data was stolen?

Instructure says that passwords and other private credentials were not stolen in the breach. 

However, the affected data reportedly includes users' names, email addresses, student IDs, and private messages exchanged on the platform.

According to ShinyHunters, the stolen data is associated with 275 million users at nearly 9,000 schools around the world. These users include students, teachers, and staff.

ShinyHunters also claimed that billions of private messages between users, including students and teachers, were stolen as well, according to Bleeping Computer. The group says Instructure's Salesforce instance was also breached, and related data was stolen.

ShinyHunters have been involved with several high-profile data breaches recently. Companies ranging from the bakery chain Panera Bread to the security firm ADT have all experienced data breaches tied to the group. Anime streaming service Crunchyroll and the dating app Bumble have been breached by ShinyHunters as well.

Last month, ShinyHunters were also behind the breach into Rockstar Games, the video game developer behind the GTA series, including the long-awaited Grand Theft Auto VI.

All of these ShinyHunters data breaches have occurred since the beginning of the year.

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

Categories: IT General, Technology

5 new movies to watch this week across Netflix, Hulu, and more (May 4-10)

How-To Geek - Mon, 05/04/2026 - 18:16

The first weekend in May marks the start of the summer movie season in Hollywood. Over the next few months, studios will be releasing a slew of movies that could be financial juggernauts. In other words, the blockbusters are hitting theaters—The Odyssey, Spider-Man: Brand New Day, Toy Story 5, and more.

Categories: IT General, Technology

3 things you can do with the HDMI port on your NAS

How-To Geek - Mon, 05/04/2026 - 18:00

That HDMI port on the back of your NAS has probably been sitting unused since the day you set it up. Most NAS owners ignore it—not because it’s useless, but because it’s rarely explained. Here are three things you can do with your NAS’s HDMI port, ranging from simple convenience to genuinely useful.

Categories: IT General, Technology

PS5 gamers entitled to credits in new Sony lawsuit settlement

Mashable - Mon, 05/04/2026 - 17:56

A federal judge has preliminarily approved a $7.85 million settlement resolving claims that Sony Interactive Entertainment illegally squeezed out competition in the digital PlayStation games market — and millions of affected players should soon be able to collect without doing anything.

The lawsuit, filed in 2021, alleged that Sony cut off third-party retailers from selling game-specific download vouchers starting April 1, 2019, effectively funneling consumers to the PlayStation Store and driving up prices in violation of federal antitrust law. Sony has denied any wrongdoing.

SEE ALSO: The PlayStation 6 could ditch the built-in disc drive

U.S. District Judge Araceli Martínez-Olguín granted preliminary approval to the deal on April 8, after previously rejecting two earlier versions of the settlement — first over concerns about service awards for plaintiffs who were no longer part of the class, and again over questions about whether PlayStation Store credits amounted to coupons under the law.

The settlement covers U.S. consumers who bought eligible PlayStation games through the PlayStation Store for which a retail voucher existed before April 1, 2019, and for which prices increased by at least 50 cents over a set period. More than 4.4 million people are covered under the deal.

How to collect

For most class members, getting paid requires no action at all. Those with active PlayStation Network accounts will automatically receive credits redeemable in the PlayStation Store. Players with deactivated accounts, however, must contact the settlement administrator to request a paper check — and that deadline is Aug. 27, 2026.

Anyone who wants to opt out of the settlement and preserve their right to sue separately must submit an exclusion request by July 2, 2026.

The court is scheduled to hold a final approval hearing on Oct. 15, 2026. Compensation won't be distributed until after that approval is granted and any appeals are resolved. Plaintiffs' attorneys are seeking up to one-third of the settlement fund in fees.

More information on eligible games and claim details can be found at PSNDigitalGamesSettlement.com.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The water-resistant Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra portable power station is $300 off at Amazon

Mashable - Mon, 05/04/2026 - 17:46

SAVE $300: The Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra portable power station is on sale at Amazon for $999, down from the standard price of $1,299. That's a 33% discount and the lowest price we've spotted at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Jackery Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra portable power station $999 at Amazon
$1,299 Save $300   Get Deal

Summer fun is on the horizon. If you're ready to spend the weekend at the campground or power up the projector for a backyard movie night, you might want to consider the convenience of a portable power station. You'll be able to keep everything powered up while living the good life off-grid. If that's appealing, check out this deal at Amazon.

As of May 4, the Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra portable power station is $999 at Amazon, marked down from Jackery's list price of $1,299. That works out to a savings of $300 from a 33% discount. It's also the lowest price we've spotted at Amazon on this new Jackery model.

Batteries are not typically friends with water and dust. However, that's a contradiction to taking a portable power station on a camping adventure. Sure, we can check the weather, but summer storms tend to roll in quickly. Instead of worrying about a portable power station taking damage from an unexpected sprinkle or morning dew, head out with the new Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra.

SEE ALSO: The Anker Solix C2000 power station is half off at Amazon right now — save over $700

Unlike almost all portable power stations, the Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra carries an IP65 rating, which means it's both water-resistant and dustproof. Plus, it has protective flaps to cover the outlets. Both of these elements combined give you reassurance that the Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra is truly up for adventure.

Not only will it be great for camping, but it's also ideal for using in the yard or the workshop, which could be both damp and dusty. Jackery designed this portable power station with a cooling chamber in the bottom, rather than using side vents for the fan. That eliminates one of the most common routes water and dust take to enter a portable power station.

Since this is a record-low price at Amazon, hop on today's $999 sale price of the Jackery Explorer 1500 Ultra. It's a rare model that's durable enough for every task.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I visited Hyundai's $12.6 Billion Metaplant and now I understand why Tesla should be worried

How-To Geek - Mon, 05/04/2026 - 17:45

I was recently invited to Hyundai’s inaugural Metaplant Experience media program in Savannah, Georgia. The cuisine was outstanding, the accommodations were luxurious, and the weather couldn’t have been better. Yet, all of that was eclipsed by Hyundai’s breathtaking, nearly 3,000-acre state-of-the-art U.S. smart factory, part of a $12.6 billion investment in Georgia.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Amazons newest Fire Stick just got its first price cut ever — and its nearly 50% off

Mashable - Mon, 05/04/2026 - 17:33

Save 48%: As of May 4, the Amazon Fire TV Stick HD is on sale for $17.99 when you use the code SAVEHD. This marks a $17 price reduction off its $34.99 list price, but be aware — this code might not work for everyone.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Stick HD $17.99 at Amazon
$34.99 Save $17.00 save with code 'SAVEHD' Get Deal

Sometimes, inexplicably, new tech releases go on sale just weeks after their release. It may only be a small discount, but a deal is a deal.

Amazon, however, did something even more rare. Call it the power of Star Wars Day, pure luck, or Amazon simply having the funds to spare, but as of May 4, the retailer is offering a coupon code on its new Fire TV Stick HD that brings it down to just $17.99 from its list price of $34.99. That's a 48% savings — just don't forget to put in the code SAVEHD.

We do want to note that this coupon code might not work for everyone. While it worked for the majority of Mashable's deals team this morning, there was at least one editor who couldn't get the promised savings.

If it does work for you, you'll save on the streaming stick that Amazon just put up for preorder mid-April. Compared to the previous generation of the Fire TV Stick HD, this one has a 30 percent slimmer profile and no need for a wall adapter, thanks to the USB-C to USB-A cable that can be plugged in straight to your TV. Amazon also claims the device is 30 percent faster than the previous model, meaning navigating apps and shows should be an even smoother process.

Categories: IT General, Technology
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