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Monday, May 19, 2025

Technology News and More-Monday Edition...

 Technology News and More...





SNL Cold Open mocks Trumps Middle East trip
48Mashable / 16h
The final episode of Saturday Night Live's 50th season began with a cold open featuring, what else, a sketch about Donald Trump . Cast member James Austin Johnson fired up his spot-on impression to recap Trump's recent trip to the Middle East. And the sketch hit the points you might expect. Most notably, it touched on the $400 million plane gifted by Qatar and Trump's seeming adoration of Saudi C





The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7 and tri-fold foldables are rumored to be coming with a titanium upgrade
24Latest from TechRadar US in News,opinion / 16h
Titanium is tipped for the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and tri-fold The foldable phones may launch at the same time It should mean lighter and more durable foldables We might see both the Galaxy Z Fold 7 and a new Samsung tri-fold phone this coming July, and the latest rumors from the supply chain are that both foldables might come with a titanium backplate that connects the hinge and display panels. This co





VUZ gets $12M to scale immersive video experiences across emerging markets and the U.S.
TechCrunch / 3min
VUZ, a startup known for offering immersive video experiences from red carpets and football stadiums, has raised $12 million as it doubles down on its presence in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as accelerates expansion into Africa, Asia, and the United States. The pre-Series C funding round, led by the International […]







The dual face of AI security - are you ready?
Latest from TechRadar US in News,opinion / 19min
The way security professionals and their businesses approach artificial intelligence is one of contrasts and contentions. We’re still in a state of flux as to whether AI will lead to true cyber safety, or leave us more vulnerable to increasingly sophisticated attacks. Optimists view AI as a gleaming opportunity to improve cybersecurity tools at a rate that helps us stay ahead of attackers. AI can





The Sony XM6 are an accomplished set of cans, but they’re not replacing my Sonos Ace anytime soon
Latest from TechRadar US in News,opinion / 40min
Sony recently launched one of its most-anticipated products of 2025 in the WH-1000XM6 headphones . The company’s previous efforts, namely the XM4 and XM5, have proven incredibly successful, so it’s unsurprising that Sony felt the need to continue the lineage. Those previous models have actually proven to be so popular that both will remain on sale alongside their newly upgraded sibling. I’ve been





HP is bringing Snapdragon chips to its more affordable laptops
Engadget / 1h
HP is giving a much-needed power-up to its OmniBook 5 Series laptop lineup. As part of Computex 2025, HP debuted the laptops equipped with Qualcomm's Snapdragon X and X Plus chips for better energy efficiency and performance. The 14-inch version of the new OmniBook 5 Series starts at $799, while the 16-inch variation costs at least $849. Previously, if you wanted the benefits of a Snapdragon chip





Want to learn piano? These days, AI can teach you
Mashable / 2h
TL;DR: Learn to play piano with Skoove Premium Piano Lessons , an AI-powered teacher, now offering lifetime subscriptions for $149.99 (reg. $299). Always wanted to learn piano? Nowadays, you don't need a teacher, and you certainly don't need to sit through boring classes. All it takes is a tablet, a keyboard, and your favorite robot. Skoove is an AI-powered piano tutoring app that listens while y





How to unblock Pornhub for free in Oklahoma
Mashable / 2h
TL;DR: Unblock Pornhub from Oklahoma with a VPN. The best service for unblocking porn sites is ExpressVPN . Earlier this year, a number of states introduced laws that required visitors to upload ID before accessing sites. In response, Pornhub banned visitors from these states from accessing their website. These restrictions are still in place, so a lot of potential users will be looking for a sim





How to unblock xHamster for free


Mashable / 2h
TL;DR: Unblock porn sites like xHamster with a VPN . The best service for unblocking porn sites is ExpressVPN . Your access to popular porn sites like xHamster will be restricted in many locations around the world. There are legitimate reasons for these restrictions, but we do think there is something to be said for retaining your right to online freedom. When the time is right, there is nothing





HBO’s The Last of Us S2E6 recap: Look who’s back!
Ars Technica - All content / 4h
New episodes of season 2 of The Last of Us are premiering on HBO every Sunday night, and Ars' Kyle Orland (who's played the games) and Andrew Cunningham (who hasn't) will be talking about them here after they air . While these recaps don't delve into every single plot point of the episode, there are obviously heavy spoilers contained within, so go watch the episode first if you want to go in fres





Did The Last of Us Season 2, episode 6 break your heart? Us too.
Mashable / 4h
If you thought the death of Joel (Pedro Pascal) would be the most heartbreaking part of The Last of Us Season 2, you'd be wrong. That honor falls to Season 2, episode 6, a flashback episode all about Joel and Ellie's (Bella Ramsey) years in Jackson — and why they grew apart. SEE ALSO: 'The Last of Us' Season 2: How does that big death compare to the game? The episode's heartbreak comes in waves.





The Last of Us Season 2, episode 6 reminds us what the shows been missing
Mashable / 4h
Ever since The Last of Us killed off Joel (Pedro Pascal) , my complaints with The Last of Us Season 2 have been twofold. First, the series finds itself with the unenviable task of filling the void left by the lack of Joel and Ellie's (Bella Ramsey) dynamic. As sweet as Ellie and Dina's (Isabela Merced) blossoming romance is, it simply doesn't hold a candle to Ellie and Joel's relationship. (Nor h





NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for May 19, 2025
Mashable / 4h
Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle , Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle. If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you





Wordle today: Answer, hints for May 19, 2025
Mashable / 4h
Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle . As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer. If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you. SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Su





Hurdle hints and answers for May 19, 2025
Mashable / 4h
If you like playing daily word games like Wordle , then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine. There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give





The Last of Us Season 2, episode 6: The moth symbol, explained
Mashable / 4h
The Last of Us Season 2, episode 6 packs such an emotional punch that it's difficult to see past Joel (Pedro Pascal) finally playing "Future Days" for Ellie (Bella Ramsey), or the teary scene in which he comes clean about what really happened at the Firefly hospital . But woven throughout the flashbacks that span the five years between Season 1 and Season 2 is some subtle symbolism, which may hav





The Last of Us finally answered: Who is Eugene?
Mashable / 4h
Since he was first mentioned in episode 1 by his widow, Gail (Catherine O'Hara), The Last of Us fans have been asking: Who is Eugene? In Joel's very unorthodox therapy session with Gail in the first episode of Season 2, we learned that 1) Eugene was her husband. 2) He's been dead for less than a year. And 3) He was shot to death by Joel — presumably because he'd been infected. Episode 2 revealed





The Last of Us Season 2, episode 6: Joels song has a deep-cut meaning
Mashable / 4h
Just when we thought the wound of episode 2 might be healing, The Last of Us picks at the scab with episode 6. A flashback episode shows Ellie (Bella Ramsey) and Joel (Pedro Pascal) in happier times, specifically, with a series of Ellie's birthdays in Jackson. With the two of them finally safe and settled, Joel relishes giving Ellie a home and happy memories sprinkled with cake, handmade gifts, d





How Incredible Was That Episode of ‘The Last of Us’?
51Gizmodo / 5h
'The Price,' the sixth episode of season two, gave fans so much of what they've been waiting for.





The inside story of a council held to ransom in cyber-attack
2 TTPs•
32BBC News / 5h
The BBC investigates one of the most damaging ranswomare attacks on a UK local council.





Apple boosts India's factory hopes - but a US-China deal could derail plans
62BBC News / 6h
The US-China trade "reset" could stall the manufacturing investment coming into India, say experts.





Stay at these all-inclusive resorts with water parks the kids will love
The Points Guy / 6h
The best thing about visiting an all-inclusive resort with your family (other than, you know, being on vacation) is that all of the costs are built right in. The price you see when you book your room typically includes unlimited dining and drinks, a fully stocked minibar in your room, and a plethora of activities to keep you busy during your stay. Related: Splish, splash then take a nap at these





UK driverless cars unlikely until 2027 - but Uber says it's ready now
35BBC News / 7h
The previous government had said autonomous vehicles were "set to be on the road" by 2026.





Co-op says shelves to be more fully stocked this weekend
2 TTPs•
500+BBC News / 7h
The grocery chain says it is working with its suppliers to restock shelves after a cyber-attack.





The secretive US factory that lays bare the contradiction in Trump's America First plan
90BBC News / 7h
An exclusive look inside the closely guarded factory the president wants to become a foundation stone for a US golden age.





Airbnb offers private chefs and massages as it revamps app
81BBC News / 7h
The short rental firm says it is aiming to offer a wider range of experiences for travellers.





After Asus and Dell, MSI is launching a Nvidia DGX Spark clone, but I am still skeptical about the whole 'desktop AI supercomputer' moniker
Latest from TechRadar US in News,opinion / 7h
MSI EdgeXpert sounds impressive, but calling it a supercomputer might be stretching reality Desktop AI supercomputers are a trend, but their usefulness still lacks real-world validation MSI’s EdgeXpert could be ideal for developers needing local AI power without relying on the cloud MSI is the latest entrant in the race to miniaturize AI infrastructure with its upcoming EdgeXpert MS-C931, a compa





Crypto elite increasingly worried about their personal safety
TechCrunch / 9h
Cryptocurrency executives and other investors with significant wealth from crypto holdings are getting more serious about personal security, according to stories this weekend in both the Wall Street Journal and Bloomberg. While cryptocurrencies have always created unique security risks, it seems there’s a rising threat of violent abduction due to the growing value of Bitcoin, […]





15 Popular Games You Can Surprisingly Play on Linux
How-To Geek / 9h
Gone are the days when Linux gamers had to jump through hoops to make their favorite games work on their favorite distro. Thanks to Valve and Proton, freshest releases work day one on Linux gaming machines with little to no tinkering.





Video Captures Southwest Passenger Punching Stranger After Aisle Chaos—Has To Be Restrained [Roundup]
28View from the Wing / 10h
A roundup of the most important stories of the day. I keep you up to date on the most interesting writings I find on other sites – the latest news and tips. Continue reading ...





After Switching to Linux, This App Helped Me Drop Google for Good
How-To Geek / 10h
Tired of Google's grip on your data? After switching to Linux, I found the perfect self-hosted app to replace Google Drive, Photos, Calendar, Docs, and more, all on my terms. Here's how I took back control of my privacy and my data.





Spider-Gwen’s Twisty 2025 Continues in New Comic Relaunch
Gizmodo / 10h
She's gonna be in the next 'Spider-Verse' movie, which means it's time for Spider-Gwen to star in a new comics run.





The Best Airline Ad Campaigns: Here Are My Favorites
100+One Mile at a Time / 10h
I’ve written in the past about the best airline boarding music and the best airline safety videos . Continuing with the theme of enjoying airline-related things at home, today I want to share some of my favorite airline ads that were produced in the past 25 or so years. I’m a huge fan of both airlines and marketing, so when you combine the two, I enjoy airline ads more than others. It’s hard to r





HBO Max Can’t Decide What It Wants to Be
How-To Geek / 11h
HBO Max can't decide on a name to stick with. The service changed its name to Max in 2023 and recently reverted to HBO Max. This shift is so frustrating that even Warner Bros. has poked mild fun at this strange change in their social media posts.





If you like puzzles, check out this trippy comic-style escape room game for Playdate
Engadget / 11h
Meeting an online friend in person for the first time can be pretty awkward. If only there were a way to skip the weird small talk part and get right into the flow of real conversation — like, say, getting shrunk down to the size of a chess piece and trapped in a series of board games, forcing you to communicate so you can find your way out. That's exactly the scenario in which characters Alex an





Grok says it’s ‘skeptical’ about Holocaust death toll, then blames ‘programming error’
37TechCrunch / 11h
Grok, the AI-powered chatbot created by xAI and widely deployed across its new corporate sibling X, wasn’t just obsessed with white genocide this week. As first noted in Rolling Stone, Grok also answered a question on Thursday about the number of Jews killed by the Nazis in World War II by saying that “historical records, […]





These 5 Early Phones Helped Make Android What It Is Today
How-To Geek / 11h
With billions of devices worldwide, Android is easily the biggest mobile operating system. But its journey to this point was not without its challenges. When the first Android phone hit the market, the platform was unrefined, lacking features, and still trying to earn favor with app developers.





11 Google Search Easter Egg Games You Can Try in Your Free Time
How-To Geek / 11h
I'm currently playing Black Myth: Wukong on my PC, but there are times when I prefer lighthearted browser games instead of high-graphics AAA titles. That’s when I spend my time on these 11 games that are playable directly through Google Search.





Dell Technologies World 2025 — all the latest news and updates live
Latest from TechRadar US in News,opinion / 12h
Hello and welcome to our live coverage of Dell Technologies World 2025. We're on the ground in Las Vegas for this year's event, and are all set for an event which will be sure to be packed full of news and announcements. The event starts tomorrow with a star-studded keynote from company founder and CEO Michael Dell, so check back then for all the updates as they happen. Good morning from sunny La





Netflix's Cancelation Problem Will Only Get Worse
How-To Geek / 12h
Everyone I know has had a show they love get axed by Netflix. The streamer is absolutely ruthless in that regard, but the problem is that these cancelations create a feedback loop that means we’re only going to see more of them.





Crypto-Related Abductions Are on the Rise Globally
Gizmodo / 12h
Criminals are stealing crypto through physical thefts.





‘Final Destination Bloodlines’ Kills to a Series-Best Box Office
45Gizmodo / 12h
Warner Bros. has another horror hit on its hands with critics and audiences this year thanks to 'Final Destination Bloodlines.'





Naked Woman Banged On My Hotel Door At 4:30 a.m.—Then She Yanked The Fire Alarm
View from the Wing / 12h
The biggest frustration with the stay wasn't the property's fault at all. One morning there was banging on my hotel room door at 4:30 a.m. A naked woman was demanding into my room! I got up and went to the door and saw her through the peep hole. And I figured there were only 2 possibilities. Continue reading ...





What Do Unedited Space Photos Look Like?
How-To Geek / 12h
We’ve all seen those stunning space photos in their vibrant glory, but did you know that’s not how they look straight out of the telescope? What telescopes see is a lot of invisible light and weird cosmic noise that has to be edited and translated into those iconic images we all recognize.





Netflix has figured out a way to make ads even worse using AI
Engadget / 12h
Netflix will embrace AI-generated ads, whether we like it or not. The streaming service will roll out AI-generated ads in 2026 that will play in the middle of a show or whenever users hit pause for its ad-supported plans. During Netflix's Upfront event for its