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Are you thinking of switching to Linux? Have you struggled to pick a suitable distro? Perhaps you're a veteran, and you've got strong opinions about which distros a beginner should use. Whatever your situation is, I have three reasons why Ubuntu is still king for beginners.

Are you ready for another lineup of fun Raspberry Pi projects to tackle this weekend? I'm taking the ride with you and building my own E-Ink calendar display, as well as showing you Open Voice OS and how to build your own Raspberry Pi-powered dash camera!

Tesla is working on a new car, and it's going to be exactly what many are hoping for: a smaller, cheaper electric SUV.

This is according to Reuters, which spoke with four people familiar with the matter. According to the report, the new car will be an entirely new model, and not a variant of the Model 3 or Model Y (Tesla recently discontinued its larger sedan and SUV, the Model S and the Model X).

The new Tesla SUV would be about 14 feet long, making it considerably shorter than the Model Y, which is 15.7 feet long. It would also be "substantially" cheaper than the Model 3, which is currently the most affordable Tesla you can get, starting at $37,000 in the U.S.

SEE ALSO: End of an era: Tesla discontinues Model S and Model X

The new SUV, which Tesla plans to manufacture in China, might also be offered with a smaller battery and just a single motor instead of two (both the Tesla Model 3 and Model Y can come with either with one or two motors). This would make the car lighter than other Tesla models, but the smaller battery might also mean it'll have less range than existing models.

There are no details on when Tesla plans to launch the new car, and the report says that the project is still in an "early development stage," meaning it might not happen at all.

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The fact that Tesla is working on something isn't a secret; just a few weeks ago the company CEO Elon Musk tweeted that Tesla is working on something "way cooler than a minivan."

Figuring out exactly what Tesla's exact plans are is another matter. The company is working on an autonomous vehicle called the Cybercab (or the Robovan; the name doesn't seem to be set in stone yet). And Tesla was reportedly working on a cheaper model for years before scrapping it, seemingly in favor of offering cheaper variants of existing models.

Notably, when Reuters reported on Tesla giving up on launching a cheaper model in 2024, Musk tweeted that the news agency was "lying". The fact is, the company never did launch a cheaper model; we'll see if things turn out differently this time.

Homelabs might not be as intricate as actual server racks, but for your personal projects or setups, it's probably good enough. Yet, with a homelab doing all the stuff it does, you're probably missing an important detail—a UPS holding everything together.

Tax Day is nearly here, and with it comes tax scams. The U.S. Congressional Joint Economic Committee has issued a scam alert, with less than a week to go until the tax filing deadline. The warning is, unfortunately, needed, given that nearly one in four Americans have reported being victimized by tax season scams, according to March 2026 research by McAfee.

The alert, seen by Mashable, has other alarming findings: During fiscal year 2025, the IRS reported more than 600 social media impersonators of the agency. Spam blocker app Nomorobo found a 400 percent increase in fraudulent calls claiming to be from the IRS between Jan. and Feb. this year. Fake tax websites are also on the rise, with McAfee identifying 43 new ones every day between Sept. 2025 and Feb. 2026.

"Criminal enterprises are exploiting tax season to target Americans, including seniors," said Joint Economic Committee Chairman and Arizona Rep. David Schweikert in a press release shared with Mashable. Adults 70 years old and older lost more money to fraud than younger adults, according to the median of data collected by the Federal Trade Commission in 2024: $1,650 for seniors 80 and older and $1,000 for 70-79 year-olds, compared to $189-691 for younger groups.

Schweikert is issuing the alert, along with Ranking Member New Hampshire Sen. Maggie Hassan, Vice Chairman Missouri Sen. Eric Schmitt, and Senior House Democrat Virginia Rep. Don Beyer.

SEE ALSO: Why you shouldn't use ChatGPT to do your taxes

"As Americans file their taxes this month, scammers are deploying an onslaught of attacks — often enhanced by artificial intelligence — designed to steal people's money," Hassan stated in the release. "I encourage all taxpayers to review the tips in this bipartisan scams alert so that they can stay vigilant and protect their identities and accounts."

Here are tips the Joint Economic Committee lays out to avoid common IRS impersonation scams:

• Be wary of phone calls, emails, or social media outreach. The IRS will never message you on social media! The agency will almost always initiate contact by mail, according to the committee.

• Watch out for urgent requests or threats. The IRS will never threaten to call law enforcement or request to see your driver's license. On that note, the agency will never ask for payment via nontraditional methods such as gift cards.

• You can verify any communications with the IRS directly on the official IRS.gov website.

• You can share an IRS-issued identity protection PIN instead of your Social Security Number.

The committee also urges precaution when dealing with third-party tax services. Here are some tips for identifying non-IRS tax scams:

• Research firms by searching them on sites like the Better Business Bureau. If an offer seems too good to be true, it often is.

• Go to IRS.gov and verify the service's Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN). If the service doesn't provide this, avoid it.

• Scammers may pretend to be legitimate third-party tax preparation companies or employees. Verify the provider by visiting the official website and calling the listed phone number.

If you believe you're a victim of a tax scam, you can report it at ReportFraud.ftc.gov.

Have a story to share about a scam or security breach that impacted you? Tell us about it. Email submissions@mashable.com with the subject line "Safety Net" or use this form. Someone from Mashable will get in touch.

It’s reasonable to expect your smart home to work even without an internet connection. This is especially true if you’re using a truly local platform like Home Assistant, but it’s not always possible since not all smart home devices support local control.

Dyson announced its first portable handheld fan on Wednesday, and it's now available for purchase.

The new HushJet Mini Cool retails for $99, which makes it pricey for a portable fan but more accessible than Dyson's other luxe gadgets. Perhaps most impressively, the HushJet is much cheaper than the Shark ChillPill, a new portable fan released earlier this spring by one of Dyson's biggest rivals.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson HushJet Mini Cool $99 at Dyson.com
  Shop Now

The HushJet Mini Cool weighs only 7.5 ounces, or just under half a pound, and measures 38 millimeters (1.5 inches) in diameter — making it just as big around as Dyson's skinny Supersonic hair dryer and PencilVac stick vacuum. The fan offers five airflow speeds and a "Boost" mode for an extra blast of air. It lasts up to six hours on the lowest speed setting and charges to full battery in about three hours.

SEE ALSO: The rise of portable fans is cute, convenient, and a bit of a bummer

The HushJet Mini Cool's brushless DC motor spins at up to 65,000 revolutions per minute (RPM), producing airflow speeds of up to a whopping 80 feet per second or 55 miles per hour. For reference, other portable fans vetted by Mashable staff peak at 3,000 to 7,500 RPM. The HushJet is compact yet super powerful.

The Dyson HushJet Mini Cool is compact yet powerful. Credit: Dyson

In its press release about the HushJet Mini Cool, Dyson stated that "Acoustics are as important as power." The company said it designed the fan's nozzle so that it doesn't whine or make a high-pitched whir. Its spec sheet notes that it runs at 52dBA (A-weighted decibels) on the first speed setting, or about as loud as the hum of a fridge. It maxes out at 72.5dBA in Boost mode, or slightly quieter than the 77dBA Supersonic hair dryer.

SEE ALSO: I found 5 Dyson Supersonic dupes that are almost as good as the real thing

Chief Engineer Jake Dyson said the company has been "obsessed with airflow" since 2009, the year it launched its first bladeless fan. "The HushJet Mini Cool fan is the culmination of that journey," he explained in a statement: "powerful airflow, engineered for life on the move by bringing elite cooling technology from every home to your hand."

The Dyson HushJet Mini Cool comes with a lanyard. Credit: Dyson

The HushJet Mini Cool also tees up a new chapter in the Dyson vs. Shark rivalry. Shark's stick vacuums and hair tools are regarded as some of the best affordable alternatives to Dyson's expensive counterparts.

Shark launched a 3-in-1 bladeless portable fan called the ChillPill in March. It's 64 percent heavier than the HushJet and can only move up to 25 feet of airflow per second, but it has a longer battery life, 10 speed settings, and interchangeable heads with misting and cooling functions. It's priced at $149.99.

The Dyson HushJet Mini Cool will be available in stone/blush (right) at launch. Carnelian/sky (left) and ink/colbalt (middle) finishes are coming soon. Credit: Dyson

For its part, the $99 HushJet Mini Cool will come with a charging stand, a USB-C charging cable, a travel pouch, and a lanyard for wearing around one's neck. Dyson said it will drop additional sold-separately accessories this summer, including a universal mount that attaches the fan to strollers and other items.

The HushJet Mini Cool is available in one mother-of-pearl-inspired stone/blush finish at launch this week. Additional carnelian/sky and ink/cobalt colorways will arrive in May and June, respectively, just in time for the start of wedding and music festival season.

For some strange reason, the internet seems to be obsessed with running the 1993 classic shooter DOOM on everything with a display or chip inside. This begs the question: is there anything that can't run DOOM?

A lot of people assume that if their files are synced, they're safe. It feels like a backup. Your documents are in the cloud, they show up on every device you use, and everything just kind of works. So if something goes wrong on one machine, you figure you can just grab a clean copy from somewhere else.

TL;DR: Live stream the NBA for free with a 30-day free trial of Amazon Prime. Live stream the NBA for free from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The NBA is a unique sport. There's nothing else in which incredibly tall athletes can be made to look absolutely tiny by aliens who can dunk without leaving the ground. And almost all of these shockingly tall athletes display a skillset that mere mortals can't even fathom.

The NBA could make a legitimate argument that it hosts the very best athletes in the world. Sure, the NFL might disagree. And rugby definitely attracts some special specimens. But the NBA has a bunch of seven footers dunking on each other. That's tough to beat.

If you are interested in watching the NBA for free from anywhere in the world, we've got all the information you need.

What is the NBA?

The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America made up of 30 teams (29 from the United States and one from Canada). The defending champions are the Oklahoma City Thunder.

When is the NBA?

The 2025–26 NBA season is the 80th edition of the competition. The regular season runs from Oct. 21 to April 12. The play-in tournament is scheduled to be played on April 14-17, followed by the playoffs on the next day, and concluding with the NBA Finals from June 4 to June 21.

The in-season NBA Cup will take place from Oct. 31 to Dec. 16.

How to watch the NBA for free

Select NBA games are available to live stream for free with a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime.

86 regular-season games, the Emirates Cup Championship, the play-in tournament, one third of first and second round games of the Playoffs, a Conference Finals series, and the NBA Finals are available to Prime members in the UK. The full schedule can be found here.

These free live streams are geo-restricted to the UK, but anyone can secure access with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK, meaning you can access free live streams of the NBA from anywhere in the world.

Live stream the NBA for free by following these simple steps:

1. Sign up for a 30-day trial of Amazon Prime (if you're not already a member)

2. Subscribe to a VPN (like ExpressVPN)

3. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

4. Open up the app and connect to a server in the UK

5. Watch the NBA from anywhere in the world on Prime Video

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but they do tend to offer money-back guarantees or free trials. By leveraging these offers, you can watch NBA live streams without actually spending anything. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does mean you can watch select NBA games before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites from around the world, you'll need a subscription. Fortunately, the best VPN for streaming live sport is on sale for a limited time.

What is the best VPN for Prime Video?

ExpressVPN is the best service for accessing live streams on platforms like Prime Video, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries including the U.S. and UK

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Watch the NBA for free with ExpressVPN.

I’ve had my Unraid server for the past several years, and it’s had an SSD cache drive for almost that entire time. However, at the beginning, my cache drive was definitely an unexpected bottleneck in my system. Here’s what happened and how I fixed it.

Wi-Fi is all around us, but it’s obviously not something we can see with our eyes. That makes it easy to miss Wi-Fi dead zones in your home, which is exactly what happened to me. Thankfully, Samsung Galaxy phones have a super handy Wi-Fi mapping tool built in.

Apple's first "e" model iPhone, the iPhone 16e, wasn't just a review unit for me; I actually lived with it as my main phone for over six months. And while I still stand by what I wrote in my review last year — it was surprisingly powerful for a "cheap" phone, with excellent battery life — the one thing I couldn't stand was its camera.

On paper, the camera was the same as the main camera on the iPhone 16. In reality, it was similar, but it produced way worse photos in low light. Photos of my kids dancing in the living room in the evening, or friends chatting over dinner, or a band playing in a small club? Most of those turned out pretty bad.

With the iPhone 17e, which came out in March, Apple fixed most of the other annoyances that plagued the original model. The camera is a little better, but is it enough?

Same look, but now with MagSafe

Focusing on said previous grievances, the iPhone 17e supports MagSafe, Apple's magnetic, wireless charging tech that makes it easy to slap various accessories onto the phone.

MagSafe support means MagSafe cases are available for the iPhone 17e, too. Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

Apple sent me an iPhone 17e unit for review, and I was happily able to use my Apple Wallet and magnetic chargers with it. Apple also sent me a Clear Case with MagSafe, and while it may not be my favorite case in terms of design, it was a relief to be able to charge the phone magnetically without removing the case.

The ability to use MagSafe chargers and accessories is just about the only physical difference between the iPhone 17e and 16e, though. The iPhone 17e looks exactly the same as its predecessor, with the only difference being the new color, Soft Pink. The unit Apple sent me was in this color, and I can tell you that it is a very nice, but indeed a very soft pink.

SEE ALSO: Apple iPhone 17e hands-on: New chip, more storage memory, and yes, MagSafe

On the front, there's still no Dynamic Island; the Face ID sensors and the selfie camera are still hidden inside a notch on the top of the display. The dimensions have remained exactly the same (your old iPhone 16e case will work), and the weight is virtually the same (169 grams for the new model, 167 grams for the old one).

The display, unfortunately, still only goes up to 60Hz. Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

The display is still a 6.1-inch OLED that maxes out at 60Hz, and that's very apparent if you switch from a 120Hz phone; the transitions and animations aren't nearly as smooth on the iPhone 17e.

New chip, more storage

The biggest improvements on the iPhone 17e are inside the phone. It has a new chip, Apple's powerful A19, which can power the latest AI shenanigans. Apple's C1X modem has replaced the old C1 modem, though it's hard to tell what sort of improvements this has brought.

Perhaps most importantly, the iPhone 17e starts at 256GB, compared to the iPhone 16e's 128GB starting storage. Given that the iPhone 17e's starting price remains unchanged at $599, this is a pretty big deal. You can also configure the iPhone 17e with 512GB of storage, but that takes the price to $799.

The Soft Pink color is the softest pink imaginable. Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

The combination of having Apple's latest chip and a decent amount of storage means this phone will be relevant for at least four to five years. In fact, this makes it extremely similar to the $799 iPhone 17, though the A19 chip on the iPhone 17e has one less GPU core, meaning it'll be slightly worse for gaming. If you don't care about having the flashiest phone, and just need something that gets the work done, the iPhone 17e is a compelling choice.

When I reviewed the iPhone 16e, I was pleased with battery life and how powerful it was. But having used the phone over several months, I came away disappointed with the camera. The phone has a singular, 48-megapixel rear camera with similar specs to the iPhone 16's. But it just wasn't the same; it was alright in daytime, but night shots, or even shots taken in the relative dimness of my living room, just weren't good enough.

About that camera

The bad news is that the iPhone 17e has the same camera specs as the iPhone 16e. And yes, that means no dedicated telephoto or ultra-wide camera; just a single, 48-megapixel main camera on the back. Apple says that the new A19 chips will unlock better shots, and some new camera features are indeed here, including next-gen portraits with Focus and Depth Control. But is it better where it truly matters, which is low light shots?

Here's why insist on low light camera performance. New iPhones, especially those from the Pro line, as well as top Android phones, have spoiled the heck out of me (and probably most of you, dear readers).

One of the new camera features on the iPhone 17e is support for Apple's next-gen portraits. I managed to capture some beautiful shots, but the iPhone 17e's camera still seemed to struggle with focus and depth. Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

It's easy to forget just how hard it was to get a decent low light shot on a smartphone just a few years ago. These days, however, I'm used to being able of taking a photo in a dim pub, or during an evening stroll, and have the phone automagically increase brightness and exposure while accommodating for the movements of my shaky hand. It's hard to go back to a phone that doesn't do that well.

So yeah, the iPhone 17e takes decent photos in broad daylight. All modern phones do. Selfies are alright, too, though nothing to write home about.

The selfie camera is still the old, 12-megapixel one. The other series 17 iPhones all have a better, 18-megapixel camera. Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

If you want to zoom in with the iPhone 17e, you can do that, but it's purely digital: You'll simply get a smaller cutout of what the camera sensor has captured, and while the shot quality will remain the same, the resolution will be lower.

Left: The zoomed imag is just a digital cutout, but it can yield decent results. Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable Right: Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

Indoors, and in the evening, is where the camera's weaknesses show. Sometimes, Apple's Night Mode will kick in and save the day, producing a decent shot (while still not as good as the main camera on my iPhone 17 Pro Max). But sometimes you'll just get a smudgy, blurry shot, or the tones will be overly yellow.

The photo on the left was taken with the iPhone 17e, the one on the right with the iPhone 17 Pro Max. Left: Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable Right: Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable

The good news is that it does seem that the iPhone 17e's camera is a little better than the one on the iPhone 16e when it comes to low-light shots.

The biggest issue, perhaps, lies in expectations. Check Apple's official tech specs for the iPhone 17 Pro, iPhone 17, and iPhone 17e, and they're all listed as having a "48MP Fusion Main" camera, which might lead you to believe they cameras are the same. They're not, so just have that in mind when you're shopping for a new iPhone.

A pretty good entry-level iPhone It's improved, it's affordable, but the iPhone 17 may be a better option if you need a good camera. Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

All things considered, the iPhone 17e is a decent upgrade over its predecessor, and a good choice if you want the cheapest new iPhone you can get. It's got MagSafe, more storage, and Apple's powerful A19 cheap. But if you need a better, more versatile camera, the iPhone 17 is a better choice.

This text is an expanded version of the hands-on iPhone 17e article which you can read on Mashable.

It might not be apparent if you browse through my article history over the past half-decade, but I actually don't like writing bad news about Microsoft Windows. I'm tired of having to complain about the world's most popular desktop operating system, developed by one of the largest and most valuable tech companies in existence.

When Tesla first unveiled the Cybertruck, the conversation centered around its apocalypse-proof demeanor and a design meant to survive the end of the world. But as the popular truck has integrated into the daily lives of its owners, the narrative has shifted from surviving a zombie onslaught or alien invasion to powering everyday life, be it for work or pleasure.

At this year's Galaxy Unpacked, I was more excited about the Galaxy Buds 4 than any of Samsung's new phones. But as cool as these new buds are, there's one thing about them that I wish Samsung would do differently—something that harkens back to the originals.

Using an API can be a tricky challenge, with issues like authentication, rate limiting, different data formats, and various HTTP verbs to master. But some APIs can be simple, requiring little more than a browser or the curl command-line tool.

TL;DR: TCGplayer has the Magic: The Gathering Lorwyn Eclipsed Play Booster Display listed from $109.49 with shipping included. That puts it $1.63 below TCGplayer’s current $111.12 market price, while also undercutting Amazon’s $119.95 listing.

Where to buy the Magic: The Gathering Lorwyn Eclipsed Play Booster Box Best TCGplayer deal Magic: The Gathering Lorwyn Eclipsed Play Booster Box $109.49 at TCGplayer Shop Now Best Amazon deal Magic: The Gathering Lorwyn Eclipsed Play Booster Box $119.95 at Amazon Shop Now

Booster box prices for newer Magic: The Gathering sets can slide around after launch, and Lorwyn Eclipsed has now dipped to one of its most tempting prices since release.

As of April 9, TCGplayer has the Magic: The Gathering Lorwyn Eclipsed Play Booster Display listed from $109.49 shipped. TCGplayer’s own current market price sits at $111.12, while its listed median is still far higher at $144.99. Amazon, meanwhile, has the same box priced at $119.95, so TCGplayer is currently the better buy by a pretty comfortable margin. 

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This display box includes 30 Lorwyn Eclipsed Play Boosters, with each pack containing 14 Magic trading cards. Every booster includes one traditional foil card, plus 1 to 4 cards of rare or higher rarity, alongside uncommons, commons, and a land. That makes this box a strong fit whether you’re buying for Limited nights, cracking packs for collection value, or just trying to get into the set without paying inflated early pricing.

Lorwyn Eclipsed is also a fairly easy sell for longtime fans. The set heads back to the split worlds of Lorwyn and Shadowmoor, bringing back creature types like Kithkin, boggarts, merrow, and Elves while leaning into the contrast between eternal day and perpetual night.

Among the other newer MTG expansions, the Magic: The Gathering Edge of Eternities Play Booster Box is also still available for around $140. Meanwhile, you can grab the MTG Avatar The Last Airbender Play Booster Box for under $125.

Ring is a name that’s become synonymous with doorbell cameras, swallowing up a huge chunk of the market. On the surface, these cameras are easy to use and offer reasonable protection against would-be intruders and porch pirates.