Tech Boys

Local pro-environment groups in all 50 states delivered a blunt message to the U.S. Congress: Put a moratorium on new power-hungry AI data centers, or face the wrath of voters everywhere. "The harms of data center growth are increasingly well-established, and they are massive," read the letter , signed by more than 350 nonprofit groups, from Alabama Climate Reality to West Virginia Citizen Action Group. That includes the swing state of Michigan, where the OpenAI-led Stargate project is already running into local opposition on a $7 billion data center built on farmland. Focusing on kitchen-table issues as much as the use of fossil fuels (which power an estimated 56 percent of U.S. data center electricity ), the letter noted that electricity bills have shot up by more than 21 percent since 2021 — "driven largely by the rapid build-out of data centers." If nothing is done to stop a proposed tripling of data centers in the next five years, these vast server farms w...

Google and Apple have long existed as polar opposites, each ruling over their tech kingdoms with little interest in cooperation. But the latest build of Android's Canary operating system hints at an unusual instance of collaboration between the brands, with a new feature that seems aimed at making data transfer simpler between Android and iOS mobile device during the setup phase. It is expected to also be available in a future developer beta of iOS 26.  A representative for Google confirmed that the report from 9to5Google on this development is accurate, but didn't provide any additional details on how the transfer will work. Each brand already has their own dedicated Switch to Android and Switch to iOS apps for making the swap between ecosystems, but making the transition easier at the operating system level and adding support for moving more types of data certainly sounds promising. That said, features can go through a fair bit of iteration between the dev betas and the fin...

The European Commission just recently slapped Elon Musk's X with a historic $140 million fine.  But, it turns out that Europe hit X with a double whammy here. According to X, the European Commission, the executive branch of the EU that enforces its laws, took advantage of a flaw in its advertising platform which helped further spread the reach of the EU's announcement that it was fining X. As a result, X's head of product Nikita Bier is escalating the company's feud with the EU, saying that X has terminated the European Commissions' advertising account with X. What happened? On Friday, the European Commission's official account shared a post on X announcing the fine, which is the very first penalty issued as a result of the EU's Digital Services Act. The fine was issued against X, formerly Twitter, due to a number of changes the platform implemented after Musk acquired the company. The European Commission announcement says it doled out the penalty a...

IT: Welcome to Derry only has one episode left, and things seem to be going from bad to worse. Because as well as a Pennywise origin story and a re-creation of one of the book's most disturbing historical chapters , episode 7 also ends with a twist that spells trouble for not just the main characters, but potentially the entire United States. So what exactly happened, and what could it mean? SEE ALSO: 'IT: Welcome to Derry': All the Stephen King Easter eggs so far What happens at the end of IT: Welcome to Derry , episode 7? After a horrific arson attack brings an apparent end to the creature's current killing cycle, the military — following the lead of Dick Hallorann (Chris Chalk) — tracks down one of the ancient pillars that essentially acts as a cage to keep the monster in Derry. Major Hanlon (Jovan Adepo) thinks they'll be using this pillar to trap and kill the creature, but soon discovers the military actually intends to destroy it. During a tens...

One does not simply spend more than 11 hours watching The Lord of the Rings trilogy in a single weekend at home when the opportunity to do so in theaters arises. As The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring turns 25, Fathom Entertainment and Warner Bros. announced theatrical screenings of the Peter Jackson trilogy in their extended editions, according to an exclusive report from Variety . The re-releases will be available in DBOX presentations from January 16 to 19, complete with movements and vibrations to make you feel like you're making the journey to Mordor with Frodo and his entourage. If you prefer a traditional experience, the trilogy will be available in standard format from January 23 to 25. Fathom Entertainment Fathom Entertainment For the collectors out there, the screenings will also feature limited-edition themed concession items. Fans can purchase popcorn buckets that showcase maps of Middle-earth at AMC locations, while Regal venues and other local...

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're an instrumentalist. 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, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for December 7, 2025 Where did Wordle come from? Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble , music identification game Heardle , and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once .  Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New ...

TL;DR : Upgrade a PC with this Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows lifetime license for just $34.97 (reg. $219.99). Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License $34.97 $219.99 Save $185.02   Get Deal In need of a little fall pick-me-up? Give your PC a little productivity boost with this Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows lifetime license . This suite of eight helpful apps can give your device a total refresh, and right now it’s only $34.97 (reg. $219.99) — making the apps cost less than $5 each. These days, purchasing a lifetime subscription to an app sets you back quite a bit. So this deal on Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows is a massive bargain — delivering eight quality Microsoft apps for under $5 each. Boost your productivity with Microsoft Office Professional 2021 Whether you’ve got a 9-to-5 or you’re still in school, the Microsoft Office apps are here t...

A federal judge has expanded on the remedies decided for the Department of Justice's antitrust case against Google, ruling in favor of putting a one-year limit on the contracts that make Google's search and AI services the default on devices, Bloomberg reports. Judge Amit Mehta's ruling on Friday means Google will have to renegotiate these contacts every year, which would create a fairer playing field for its competitors. The new details come after Mehta ruled in September that Google would not have to sell off Chrome, as the DOJ proposed at the end of 2024.  This all follows the ruling last fall that Google illegally maintained an internet search monopoly through actions including paying companies such as Apple to make its search engine the default on their devices and making exclusive deals around the distribution of services such as Search, Chrome and Gemini. Mehta's September ruling put an end to these exclusive agreements and stipulates that Google will have t...

SAVE $40: As of Dec. 6th, the Ninja Crispi air fryer and portable cooking system is $139, which is $40 off its list price of $179.  Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Ninja | Air Fryer | Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Cooking System | 4QT & 6 Cup Glass Containers $139 at Amazon $179 Save $40   Get Deal Black Friday has come and gone, and with it, most of the wallet-saving deals have retreated into the ether. That is almost all of those deals, but one: Ninja has its Black Friday deal on the Ninja Crispi air fryer. The Ninja Crispi is $40 off this weekend , for who knows how much longer. This air fryer features two glass bottoms in 4-quart and 6-cup capacities. This portable cooking system is an air fryer, in addition to baking, reheating, and something Ninja refers to as "Max Crisp," which is likely closely related to broiling. The two different sizes offer unique capabilities for cooking different quantities of food at various speeds. For example, the 6...