IT General

Moon phase today: What the Moon will look like on March 28

Mashable - 3 hours 40 min ago

The Moon is shining brightly tonight, with more than half of its surface lit up. Keep scrolling to find out what you could see tonight.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Saturday, March 28, the Moon phase is Waxing Gibbous. According to NASA's Daily Moon Guide, 77% of the Moon will be lit up tonight.

Tonight, without visual aids, you can spot the Tranquillitatis, Imbrium, and Vaporum Mares. With binoculars, you'll also be able to see the Mare Frigoris, Alphonsus Crater, and the Clavius Crater. A telescope can help you see even more, including the Caucasus Mountains and the Apollo 14 and 16 landing spots.

When is the next Full Moon?

In North America, the next Full Moon is predicted to take place on April 1.

What are Moon phases?

According to NASA, the Moon completes one orbit around Earth in roughly 29.5 days, cycling through eight distinct phases. While the same side of the Moon always faces us, sunlight illuminates varying portions as it travels, making it appear full, half, or a narrow crescent. These shifting appearances are known as the lunar phases, and there are eight in total:

New Moon - The Moon is between Earth and the sun, so the side we see is dark (in other words, it's invisible to the eye).

Waxing Crescent - A small sliver of light appears on the right side (Northern Hemisphere).

First Quarter - Half of the Moon is lit on the right side. It looks like a half-Moon.

Waxing Gibbous - More than half is lit up, but it’s not quite full yet.

Full Moon - The whole face of the Moon is illuminated and fully visible.

Waning Gibbous - The Moon starts losing light on the right side. (Northern Hemisphere)

Third Quarter (or Last Quarter) - Another half-Moon, but now the left side is lit.

Waning Crescent - A thin sliver of light remains on the left side before going dark again.

Categories: IT General, Technology

NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for March 28, 2026

Mashable - 5 hours 40 min ago

The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult if you're a physicist.

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 can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. 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 What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

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Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for March 28, 2026 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

  • Yellow: Get on

  • Green: Newton's law

  • Blue: School

  • Purple: Botany

Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

  • Yellow: Step onto, as a vehicle

  • Green: Quantities in mechanics

  • Blue: Textbook images

  • Purple: ___ Plant

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #1021 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

  • Step onto, as a vehicle: BOARD, EMBARK, ENTER, MOUNT

  • Quantities in mechanics: ACCELERATION, FORCE, MASS, MOMENTUM

  • Textbook images: FIGURE, ILLUSTRATION, PICTURE, PLATE

  • ___ Plant: FACE, PITCHER, POWER, ROBERT

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for March 28, 2026

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

Categories: IT General, Technology

NYT Strands hints, answers for March 28, 2026

Mashable - 5 hours 40 min ago

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you're a good communicator.

Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game, requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for March 28, 2026 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Just write

The words are related to communication.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words describe written communication.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Correspondence.

NYT Strands word list for March 28

  • Email

  • Missive

  • Correspondence

  • Text

  • Postcard

  • Letter

  • Memo

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Wordle today: Answer, hints for March 28, 2026

Mashable - 5 hours 40 min ago

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you're always in the know.

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 March 28, 2026 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 York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.

What happened to the Wordle archive?

The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.

Is Wordle getting harder?

It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for March 28, 2026 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Happening.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

The letter O appears twice.

Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...

Today's Wordle starts with the letter A.

SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...

Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

AFOOT

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints. Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Wordle.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Its prime time to buy physical media: Shop these Blu-ray, CD, and vinyl deals during the Big Spring Sale

Mashable - 7 hours 20 min ago
The best Big Spring Sale Blu-ray, CD, and vinyl deals at a glance: Best Blu-ray deal 'Sinners' (Blu-ray + Digital) $13.99 (save $8.99) Get Deal Best 4K UHD deal 'The Housemaid' (4K UHD + Blu-ray + Digital) $25.79 (save $17.20) Get Deal Best CD deal Harry Styles 'Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally.' CD $13.99 (save $3.99) Get Deal Best Vinyl deal Taylor Swift 'The Life of a Showgirl' Orange Glitter Vinyl $26.30 (save $10.68) Get Deal

Amazon's Big Spring Sale (which runs through March 31) has been surprisingly good in the streaming deals department, but they're also limited to new and returning subscribers in most cases. Plus, once the discounted subscription rate expires, you're back to spending an arm and a leg on movies and music each month. Not to mention, the movies you actually want to watch are always on the streaming service you don't have. If you're looking to dive back into the world of physical media, now's a great time to splurge.

Amazon has slapped the Big Spring Sale discount on plenty of Blu-ray and 4K UHD movies, as well as CDs and vinyl. We've rounded up some of the best deals below, but be sure to check out the sale pages for music and movies to get the full scope of the physical media deals at Amazon. There's something about holding a movie or album in your hands that streaming just can't touch. Long live physical media.

Best physical media deal at Amazon Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Movies, Music, and Books Buy 3 for the price of 2 Get Deal Why we like it

While there's plenty of individual deals on movies and music, this buy three for the price of two deal at Amazon is the best way to grab more for your money in the Big Spring Sale. Some of the individual movies, CDs, and records we've rounded up below are actually included in the deal, which means you can save even more — including Harry Styles' Kiss All The Time. Disco, Occasionally.

Best Big Spring Sale 4K Ultra HD and Blu-ray dealsBest Big Spring Sale CD dealsBest Big Spring Sale Vinyl deals
Categories: IT General, Technology

Get writing, image, and video AI tools for $85 with 1min.AI

Mashable - 8 hours 40 min ago

TL;DR: Get the 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan lifetime subscription for $85 (reg. $540) with code MARCH15 and access a range of AI tools for writing, images, documents, and multimedia in one platform.

Opens in a new window Credit: 1minAI 1min.AI Advanced Business Plan Lifetime Subscription $85
$540 Save $455   Get Deal

AI can speed up creative work — but only if your workflow stays manageable. If you’re constantly switching between tools for writing, images, and editing, the time savings start to disappear. 1min.AI aims to simplify that by bringing those tools into one platform, and a lifetime subscription to its Advanced Business Plan is on sale for $85 with code MARCH15.

Whether you’re a copywriter, designer, social media manager, podcaster, small business owner, or just someone experimenting with AI, 1min.AI covers a lot of ground. It pulls from multiple models you’ve likely heard of — ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini,  Llama, and more — so you can handle different tasks without jumping between apps.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

You can draft content, generate visuals, work with documents, and experiment with audio or video, all in one place. It’s not replacing the need for human input, of course, but it can help you move from idea to draft (or draft to something more polished) a bit faster. The platform also rolls out regular updates, adding new features and improvements over time.

How 1min.AI can simplify your workflow:

  • Create content faster: Write, edit, and optimize articles, posts, and marketing copy

  • Handle visuals in one place: Generate and edit images without separate tools

  • Work smarter with documents: Summarize, translate, and extract insights from files and PDFs

  • Produce multimedia content: Turn text into audio or video and edit both with AI support

With the lifetime plan, you get 4 million credits per month, enough for large-scale use, whether that’s generating long-form content, images, or multimedia assets. That roughly translates to 1.1 million words, nearly 6,000 SEO keywords, and over 1,100 images. You can allocate those credits however you like, share access with up to 20 team members, and store your work without limits.

If your current setup involves juggling multiple AI tools (and subscriptions), this is a more consolidated alternative.

Normally $540, grab a lifetime subscription to 1min.ai for $85 with code MARCH15.

Want to see more deals? Visit the shop and use code MARCH15 to save an extra 15% sitewide through March 29. Exclusions apply.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Categories: IT General, Technology

We keep finding new Lego deals at Amazons spring sale, like Tuxedo Cat and van Goghs The Starry Night

Mashable - 8 hours 40 min ago
The best Amazon Big Spring Sale Lego deals Best Lego art deal Lego Ideas Vincent Van Gogh The Starry Night $136 (save $33.99) Get Deal Best Lego Ideas deal Lego Ideas Tuxedo Cat $84.99 at Amazon (save $15) Get Deal Best Lego Botanicals Deal Lego Botanicals Japanese Red Maple Bonsai Tree $47.99 (save $12) Get Deal Best Lego Star Wars Deal Lego Star Wars Millennium Falcon A New Hope 25th Anniversary Collectable Model $67.99 (save $17) Get Deal Best Lego Nintendo Deal Lego Super Mario Piranha Plant $41.99 (save $18) Get Deal

Amazon's celebrating the arrival of springtime weather with the return of its Big Spring Sale. If you love finding Legos on sale sets amidst all the deals on tech and spring cleaning essentials, we have good and bad news. The bad: Some of our favorite Amazon Lego deals have already disappeared by day three of the spring sale. The good: New awesome Lego deals keep popping up.

Whether you're searching for a new Star Wars set or a spring-appropriate botanical display that doesn't need to be watered, we're tracking the best live deals on Lego sets at Amazon throughout the weekend:

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up! Best Lego Botanicals Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Botanicals Japanese Red Maple Bonsai Tree (#10348) $47.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $12   Get Deal Why we like it

Lego's Botanicals sets are always a delight to have up on display, and this Japanese Red Maple Bonsai Tree is sure to add a lovely pop of red, orange, and green to your home. At the moment, it's on sale at Amazon for $47.99, which is just pennies away from its lowest-ever price point of $47.95, according to price tracker camelcamelcamel. What better time to scoop up this 474-piece set if it's caught your eye?

Best Lego Nintendo Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Super Mario Piranha Plant (#71426) $41.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $18   Get Deal Why we like it

MAR10 Day may be behind us, but The Super Mario Galaxy Movie is on the horizon, so it's a great time in general to be a Mario fan. If you're looking for a fun new set to build ahead of the upcoming film, this 540-piece Super Mario Piranha Plant set is a very fun option to have up on display. It's currently down to $41.99 at Amazon, so you can save $18 during the Big Spring Sale.

Best Lego Star Wars Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Star Wars Millennium Falcon A New Hope 25th Anniversary Collectable Model (#75375) $67.99 at Amazon
$84.99 Save $17   Get Deal Why we like it

There are plenty of exciting Lego Star Wars sets to piece together, but this Millennium Falcon build is a must for your collection if you're a fan. This 921-piece set sees you recreating the Millennium Falcon, as seen in A New Hope, and it's currently on sale for $67.99 at Amazon. Similar to the Lego Japanese Red Maple Bonsai Tree, this set is also just pennies away from its lowest-ever price of $67.95, so this is an excellent time to pick it up and save.

More Amazon Big Spring Sale Lego deals

Lego Star Wars deals

Lego Disney deals

Other Legos on sale at Amazon

Categories: IT General, Technology

J.K. Rowling controversy explained

Mashable - Fri, 03/27/2026 - 23:46

Thirty-five years ago, British author J.K. Rowling was commuting from Manchester to London when she was struck by divine creativity: She imagined the tale of a young, orphaned wizard who was key to unraveling a magically violent authoritarian uprising. In what would become Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone (for American readers), the young mother found her pot of gold. 

The idea behind Harry Potter would scale into a 7-book and 8-movie series, a Broadway show, and amusement park franchise, and eventually a media behemoth valued at tens of billions of dollars. Its latest venture, a multi-season HBO television adaptation, is set to premiere Christmas Day 2026.

The young wizard boy would forever transform the worlds of children's publishing, entertainment, and fandom, birthing multiple generations of fervent readers and a new model for mega-franchises. Similarly, over the next two decades, the woman who was merely filling the hours of a delayed commute would become the preeminent young adult author of her time — and then, to the chagrin of many, morph into the celebrity face of an unrelenting anti-transgender campaign.

SEE ALSO: 75 best LGBTQ films to stream right now J.K. Rowling's pop culture takeover 

The first book in the Harry Potter series was released to UK markets in 1997, with a limited run of just 500 copies. As one rumor attests, Rowling's publisher, Bloomsbury, encouraged the author to change her byline from Joanne to the more gender-neutral "J.K." just before going to print as a way to appeal to young male audiences. Rowling later told the Belfast Telegraph the move was decided long before publishing, to protect against any fallout from her previous marriage.

Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone, as it was titled in Britain, won several publishing awards and garnered critical praise in the UK before being introduced to U.S. readers. With the American debut and its translation to global audiences, the book's popularity skyrocketed even further. The first Harry Potter novel occupied the number one spot on the New York Times' bestseller list for two straight years, toppling even adult fiction on the at-the-time combined list. It cumulated in more than 11 million worldwide sales by 2001 and set the record as the fastest-selling children’s book in history. The saga is considered the best-selling fantasy series of all time — the fourth book's audiobook even won a Grammy. First editions of the UK printing of Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone have been auctioned off for tens of thousands, even millions, of dollars.

Potterheads had gifted Harry Potter an eternal legacy: the largest fan-powered media conglomerate in the world.

Beyond the dollars and cents, Harry Potter also ushered in modern internet fandom. Avid fans (known as Potterheads) pioneered new digital spaces in the wake of a Y2K transformation and the dot-com bubble, generating the "Potterverse," hotbeds of fan creation and discourse that spilled Rowling's creation onto the internet.

Ten years later, the last novel in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, hit shelves, setting yet another record as the fastest-selling new release fiction book of all time. Fans lined up for midnight release parties worldwide, decked out in full costume to celebrate and mourn the end of an era (or so they believed). In reality, Potterheads had, perhaps unknowingly, gifted Harry Potter an eternal legacy: The largest fan-powered media conglomerate in the world.

Harry Potter — the entertainment tentpole, not just the children's series — was just getting started. Rowling sold the books' movie rights to Warner Bros. Entertainment, which turned the series into eight blockbuster films released between 2001 and 2011. They netted more than $7 billion, nabbing 12 Academy Award nominations and numerous BAFTA noms. She sold the theme park rights to Universal Studios, which runs several Harry Potter-themed Wizarding Worlds. 

Fans gather at King's Cross railway station in London to celebrate the 2007 release of the final Harry Potter book. Credit: Getty Images / Stringer / Getty Images Entertainment

Five years after the films ended, Rowling published the novel adaptation of Harry Potter and the Cursed Child, a theater spinoff of the Harry Potter series co-created with director John Tiffany and playwright Jack Thorne. It was fully produced for audiences on both the West End and Broadway; it's still running. Rowling then turned a series of in-universe Harry Potter textbooks into the three-part Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them film series.

And then there were the numerous Harry Potter video games, including Harry Potter: Hogwarts Mystery and the popular RPG Hogwarts: Legacy.

Rowling also published numerous books unrelated to the Harry Potter Universe, under both the J.K. Rowling name and her masculine pen name, Robert Galbraith. Books with the Galbraith moniker have consistently ranked on UK top-selling books lists since the author's true identity was revealed. Most recently, the Harry Potter franchise launched a series of celebrity-narrated audiobooks and released the first teaser for its HBO-backed Harry Potter TV series.

Rowling, the owner of a $150 million superyacht, has a current net worth of $1.2 billion.

To try to list the full amount of merchandising and licensing endeavors Rowling signed off on to garner that wealth would be impossible. Let's just say she has her own Rule 34: If it exists, there's probably a Harry Potter version of it. For most of her career, Rowling was simply the monarch of this vast magical empire.

Rowling's image sours

The beloved children's book author waded into new waters in the 2010s, dipping her toe into political commentary via her popular X (formerly Twitter) account. Her most circulated posts, shared to 14 million followers, decried racist Brexit campaigns and compared leaders like President Donald Trump to Harry Potter villain Voldemort.

Shortly after, Rowling's political stances became more complicated. She publicly donated to the Better Together campaign against Scotland's proposed independence from the UK, comparing pro-independence rhetoric to Harry Potter's Death Eaters in a remark that generated social media backlash. In 2015, she received pushback for refusing to support the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel, although she denounced Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's policies against Palestinian communities. 

Rowling and the team behind the Fantastic Beasts films faced criticism in 2018 for not depicting a romantic relationship between two male main characters, according to Business Insider, despite Rowling having confirmed that the two men were canonically in love. The series weathered several more controversies involving its star-studded cast, including the hiring of alleged abuser Johnny Depp, whose role was recast with Mads Mikkelsen for Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.

The scandals continued, but bigger, with Rowling at the center of the tempests.

In a series of X posts in 2019, Rowling attached herself to a group of highly visible and vocal political commentators who target so-called LGBTQ identity politics, specifically trans activism. Responding to criticism, Rowling denied she was part of any far-right movement.

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Rowling, in fact, describes herself as a liberal feminist. But the author has repeatedly criticized what she sees as a culture of "woke," a movement allegedly being forced on the masses by leftist leaders and activists — talking points also adopted by the far right.

Credit: Andrew Aitchison / In pictures via Getty Images

By association, Hollywood icons have become mired in Rowling's political controversy, despite her having little creative input in many of the upcoming projects. Though the Harry Potter franchise is long behind her, Hermione portrayer Emma Watson has been publicly reckoning with Rowling's comments. Celebrities that have more recently signed on to upcoming projects — like the aforementioned audiobooks and upcoming TV series — have waded in, seemingly unprepared, to the discourse.

Keira Knightley, who voices the villain Dolores Umbridge in the 2025 audiobooks, said she was unaware of any fan boycott and hoped we could all "find respect" for people with different opinions. Many fans were incensed at what they felt was her downplaying Rowling's controversial stance. The show's cast, including actor and new Dumbledore John Lithgow, have had to face the music, too.

The Potterverse wasn't prepared for its matriarch to make such a turn. Navigating half a decade of transphobia from Rowling, fans continue to grapple with the issue, including organizing various boycotts of Rowling's beloved properties. Some have divorced themselves only from things that actively generate money for Rowling, like new merchandise, games, and media. Others have rejected it all, fan-made creations included, to try and force Rowling's hand.

Rowling has not yet lost her massive online following, with nearly 14 million followers on X. The world of Harry Potter is nowhere near its end.

A full timeline of Rowling's transphobia2019 - "#IStandWithMaya"

In Dec. 2019, Rowling publicly announced her support, via Twitter, for Maya Forstater. Forstater was a critic of the UK's Gender Recognition Act — which allows trans people to legally change their listed sex via a Gender Recognition Certificate — and was let go from the Center for Global Development following a series of transphobic comments. (Forstater later sued her employer for discrimination and lost, but was later awarded £100,000.) The author said she didn't agree with forcing "women out of their jobs for stating that sex is real."

Rowling's pro-Forstater tweet gained traction after fans recalled Rowling had previously liked and unliked a post referring to trans women as "men in dresses," in addition to other offhanded reposts of transphobic language over the years. The author had also recently followed late YouTuber Magdalen Berns, co-founder of For Women Scotland, a women's rights organization that demonizes trans women.

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe issued a statement in support of trans and gender non-conforming communities in the post's aftermath. (Radcliffe later became an ardent supporter of the Trevor Project, a suicide prevention organization focused on the LGBTQ community.)

2020 - "Accusations of TERFery"

In mid-2020, Rowling doubled down on her posts with even more X tweets. She criticized an article on menstruation that used the term "people who menstruate" instead of "women." Rowling continued to reiterate her belief in an essential, biological sex in a series of replies.

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Many online called her out for repeating problematic talking points from trans-exclusionary radical feminists (TERFs). Rowling held her stance in a now infamous blog posted to her official website (coinciding with the start of Pride Month), writing that she had "followed the debate around the concept of gender identity" for years and wasn't surprised she was the latest victim of "cancel culture."

Rowling wrote that she believed trans women (but only those who medically transitioned) were vulnerable and deserved protection, but that she wasn't willing to support them at the risk of "making natal girls and women less safe." She rejected the portrayal of TERF ideology among activists, and included her reasons for supporting "gender critical" discussions and not adhering to "woke virtue-signaling."

"Gender critical" activists believe that gender identity is immutable — they often argue that acknowledging trans or nonbinary identities is a threat to women's safety. Rowling began using her support for women's rights and charitable causes, and her fears regarding medical transitioning, as justification for her comments.

While conservative leaders commended her "bravery," many more in Rowling's circles came out against her, including Watson; Bonnie Wright, who played Ginny Weasley in the Harry Potter movies; and Fantastic Beasts lead Eddie Redmayne. Other franchise stars, including Ralph Fiennes (Voldemort), Helena Bonham Carter (Bellatrix Lestrange), and Robbie Coltrane (Hagrid) spoke in her defense.

A group of employees at Rowling's publisher Hachette UK then refused to work on her new children's book, The Ickabog, forcing the publisher to respond in a statement that its clients have the "right to express their own thoughts and beliefs." Four authors then left the literary agency that also represented Rowling, citing the company's lack of action against the author.

Later that year, Rowling was criticized for transphobic plot lines in her new Robert Galbraith novel, according to the Los Angeles Times. She had previously said researching this novel had been the reason she was looking into "gender critical" spaces in the first place. More than 1,500 UK creatives signed and published a letter in support of trans rights following these events.

Rowling repeatedly shared dangerous misinformation about hormone replacement therapy (HRT), youth intervention, and gender dysphoria across her social media platforms throughout this year.

2021 - "Ignorance is Strength."

Rowling leaned further into her online crusade against trans people, specifically criticizing the way trans people are covered in the media, including the use of chosen pronouns. In one X post, for example, Rowling riffed on the political doublespeak found in George Orwell's 1984, adding a new line to mock the way she interpreted news organizations' use of gender-inclusive language.

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She accused trans activists of doxxing her personal address by posting photos outside her home with protest signs — publications, including LGBTQ site Them, reported that the addresses of her historical residences were actually listed online. Following an investigation, Scottish police found there was “no criminality” to the posts featuring her residence, Them reported.

Following continued social media pushback, Rowling repeated her views from 2020, reiterating she was empathetic to trans rights but that she believed in the "sanctity" of a biological sex.

2022 - "She never dropped her flag."

Rowling came out against a Scottish reform bill that would make it simpler for trans people to change their listed gender and obtain new legal documents in 2022, stating that it would "erode women’s sex-based rights."

She posted support of lesbian gender-critical activist Alison Bailey — who sued the UK's Stonewall organization after creating a trans-exclusionary splinter group — and other anti-trans activists.

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The author also responded to a fan boycott of the soon-to-be-released Hogwarts: Legacy game, saying that the action represented the same level of hypocrisy as historic book burnings. At this time, Rowling posted a picture of herself with leaders of the anti-trans lobbying group Get The L Out UK, writing #RespectMySex.

In response to Rowling's postings, the official Quidditch sports league, which organizes more than 600 teams across 40 countries, rebranded to Quadball.

Meanwhile, Russian president Vladimir Putin vocalized his support for Rowling's stances and compared criticism of Russian cultural leaders to those critiquing Rowling. The author tweeted her support of Ukraine in response, refusing to affiliate herself with the world leader.

Rowling then launched a new Edinburgh-based support center for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault that specifically excludes trans women, hoping to silo such support from "political agendas." 

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2023 - "I don't care about my legacy."

Rowling ushered in 2023 by alluding to trans women being "violent, duplicitous rapists."

She was quoted in an episode of The Witch Trials of J.K. Rowling podcast, saying that the modern trans rights movement is "powerful, insidious, and misogynistic" and akin to Harry Potter's Death Eater cult. The podcast was produced by anti-Free Press cofounder and current CBS News editor-in-chief Bari Weiss — herself accused of transphobia by sites like Them — and hosted by former Westboro Baptist Church member Megan Phelps-Roper.

Rowling said she doesn't care or think about her legacy, dismissing fan backlash.

Credit: Wiktor Szymanowicz / Future Publishing via Getty Images 2024 - "Out and proud cheat."

Rowling's online crusade reached new heights in 2024. 

She trained her rage upon Scotland's Hate Crime and Public Order Act, which broadened existing protections to include "age, disability, religion, sexual orientation, transgender identity, and variations in sex characteristics." In a series of X posts, the author attempted to goad Scottish authorities into prosecuting her for online hate crimes, repeatedly misgendering prominent trans figures. She then donated tens of thousands of dollars to Scottish lobbies campaigning against trans-inclusive language in discrimination law. 

She tweeted in support of those accusing Olympic athlete Imane Khelif, a cisgender woman (who would go on to sue the author) of being a biological man who enjoys punching women, according to Yahoo News. She also condemned actual trans athletes, a pattern that would continue over the next year.

She posted numerous threads on single-sex public spaces and protecting women from "predators."

In late 2024, Rowling said she didn't believe that children are born trans and said gender-affirming care for children is worse than performing lobotomies. 

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She attempted to clarify her political stances in a response to an X user who referred to her as a far-right conspiracy theorist:

"I am a left-leaning liberal who's fiercely anti-authoritarian… My values haven't changed; what's changed is the political landscape. What was once my natural home (a pragmatic centre-left party focused on dealing with economic disparity, championing social liberalism and equal rights) is now dominated by an illiberal, identity-based strain of politics I consider elitist, harmful and out of touch with the day-to-day concerns of regular people, particularly women… The reality is that there's currently an assault on women's rights unparalleled in my lifetime, and it's coming from both left and right. If ever there was a time for women across the political spectrum to come together, it is now."

The internet also turned Rowling's new X profile picture into a meme after users pointed out that the yellow wallpaper behind the author's selfie appeared to be infested with mold, which they jokingly contended could be the source of her fixation on trans issues.

"A transphobic mycelium entity corrupting her mind for the past few decades would explain everything," one user wrote.

2025 -"TERF VE Day"

Throughout 2025, Rowling shared criticism of pro-trans legislation and trans inclusivity, arguing that supporting the rights of biological women is a feminist crusade while scoffing at public disavowals of her and her work — including those from Harry Potter stars and directors. 

She celebrated a UK Supreme Court decision limiting Britain's Equality Act to biological sex definitions ("TERF VE Day," she wrote, posting a picture of her smoking a cigar). She posted support for anti-trans writer Graham Linehan after he was arrested on suspicion of inciting violence in a series of transphobic X posts, calling the action "totalitarianism."

On Oct. 30, Rowling lambasted Glamour UK's Women of the Year cover highlighting the "Protect the Dolls" slogan, a phrase advocating for the safety of trans women. "I grew up in an era when mainstream women’s magazines told girls they needed to be thinner and prettier," she wrote. "Now mainstream women’s magazines tell girls that men are better women than they are."

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The author started the J.K. Rowling Women’s Fund and said she would personally give money to women whose sex-based rights are "violated."

She said she would continue to criticize "unevidenced medical experiment on minors," eschewing evidence-based research that proves gender-affirming care saves lives — she joined others in protesting a clinical puberty blocker trial. The author spent the final months of the year debating X users about whether trans women are "real" women and posting repeatedly about campaigns for single-sex bathrooms and changing rooms, writing, "I want my daughters to live in a country where their right to single-sex spaces isn’t under attack from their own government."

On Dec. 18, she posted, "Merry Terfmas everyone 💜🤍💚" and later replied, "Personally I prefer Boxing Terfmas, when all the hard work’s done and you can put your feet up and watch re-runs of classics like 'what about clownfish?' and 'you are committing literal genocide.'"

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Calling her posts "the truth," Rowling denied that she peddles hate, even as experts cite an epidemic of violence against trans women. On the heels of the Human Rights Campaign's declaration of a "national state of emergency" for LGBTQ Americans, GLAAD tracked 2.5 incidents of anti-LGBTQ hate every day in the U.S alone. U.S. leaders have proposed more than 1,000 anti-transgender bills in 2025. UK police reported more than 3,800 transgender hate crimes that same year Globally, those numbers are larger, predominately targeting Black trans women and, increasingly, trans activists and movement leaders. Due to rampant underreporting, the numbers are likely even higher that that.

2026 - "Never give up on your dreams."

Although her posting has become less frequent in the year leading up to the new Potterverse show, Rowling has continued to reshare generally anti-trans sentiments on her public social media pages. More directly, she posted misleading statements about puberty blockers and transitioning youth, and platformed campaigns of Keira Bell, a UK-based detransition activist and gender-affirming care critic.

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Rowling celebrated the verdict of a recent medical malpractice lawsuit, which awarded $2 million to a young person who said she was pressured by therapists and doctors into a double mastectomy. Wrote Rowling in a Feb. 3 X post:

"As more and more detransitioners arrive in court, the public will learn the full extent of the harm done to kids in the name of an ideology. Clinicians performing these 'treatments' will go down in history as barbarous activists who betrayed a sacred oath: to do no harm. But we should never forget how many people outside the medical profession urged these young people on, gleefully assuring them that anyone advising caution was an evil bigot."

The author has remained consistent in platforming trans-exclusionist accounts and brands, too, like sportswear brand XX-XY Athletics. She rejoiced being blocked by India Willoughby, the country's first trans national television newsreader and co-host of Loose Women.

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For fans, Rowling's dogged efforts to demonize trans people have been harrowing. The rift between the universe's creator and its unofficial caretakers has turned into a chasm. There doesn't appear to be an end, nor a bridge, in sight.

In Rowling's second novel, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets, the wizarding world's evil is growing stronger. The villains, believers in magic-based eugenics, are getting louder. Even the titular young wizard is being enticed to agree with their bigoted beliefs by the specter of a charismatic young Voldemort.

As the serpentine words slither through his mind, Harry turns to the wise Albus Dumbledore, the master of a fantasy world he has emphatically embraced — until now. The man slips him a simple truth, one that the Harry Potter fandom clings to tightly: "It is our choices, Harry, that show what we truly are, far more than our abilities."

Categories: IT General, Technology

The best gaming deals in the Amazon Big Spring Sale: Shop PS5, Xbox, and Nintendo Switch

Mashable - Fri, 03/27/2026 - 23:00
A quick look at the best Amazon Spring Sale gaming deals: Best Console Deal ASUS ROG Xbox Ally $539.99 (save $60) Get Deal Best Video Game Deal Silent Hill f (PS5) $39.99 (save $30) Get Deal Best Gaming Monitor Deal Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 (G91SD) $799.99 (save $500) Get Deal Best Gaming Mouse Deal Logitech G305 Lightspeed Wireless Gaming Mouse $26.99 (save $23) Get Deal

We're in the middle of Amazon’s weeklong Big Spring Sale, and in the past few days, we've seen some of the best gaming deals of the year so far. And that's whether your console of choice is the PS5, Xbox, or Nintendo Switch. Whether you’re shopping for a new handheld console, a discounted game, or an upgrade for your setup, Amazon (and Woot!) is showing out with impressive price cuts.

Alongside our roundups of Lego deals, TV deals, and Pokémon deals, here are the best gaming offers you can find on-site right now.

Best gaming console deal Opens in a new window Credit: ASUS ASUS ROG Xbox Ally $539.99 at Amazon
$599.99 Save $60   Get Deal Why we like it

Handheld gaming PCs are still far from cheap, but Amazon has already shaved something off one of the newer Xbox-branded options. The ASUS ROG Xbox Ally is down to $539.99 from $599.99, which knocks $60 off the list price, and beats the price we saw heading into the sale by $10.

This is a new record-low price for the ROG Xbox Ally (confirmed by price tracker camelcamelcamel), making it an especially great deal if you're in the market for a portable system that blends Xbox branding with the flexibility of a Windows handheld. You're getting a 7-inch 1080p 120Hz touchscreen, AMD Ryzen Z2 A processor, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, and a three-month Xbox Game Pass Premium subscription bundled in.

This handheld model supports Xbox Game Pass, but you can also run games on Steam, Epic Games, and other Windows titles. That gives it a lot more versatility than a locked-down console-style device.

Best video game deal Opens in a new window Credit: Konami 'Silent Hill f' for PS5 $39.99 at Woot
$69.99 Save $30.00   Get Deal Why we like it

Sadly, our former top pick video game deal, Mario Kart World at its lowest price ever, sold out. That said, a video game deal for gamers on the opposite end of the spectrum is still available — Silent Hill f. The latest in Konami's Silent Hill franchise was released last fall, and to plenty of critical acclaim.

The reviewer at our sister site, PCMag (also owned by Ziff Davis), gave the horror survival game a 5/5 rating and the site's Editors' Choice Award. In his review, he wrote, "Silent Hill f is one of the best horror games I've played in years, and one of the best games of the year." If you've yet to pick it up, grabbing it for half off isn't a bad deal at all.

More Amazon Big Spring Sale gaming deals

Note: A selection of these deals is from Woot's video game sale, which is also on through March 31 (or until supplies last). Woot! is owned by Amazon.

PlayStation gamesNintendo Switch gamesNintendo Switch 2 gamesNintendo Switch accessoriesXbox gamesXbox accessoriesGaming miceGaming headsetsGaming keyboards Gaming monitorsMisc. gaming deals
Categories: IT General, Technology

AI photo restoration is erasing your family's real history

How-To Geek - Fri, 03/27/2026 - 23:00

My parents have discovered the wonders of ChatGPT, and have been gleefully using it for everything they can think of. I've had "the chat" with them about the reliability of LLMs, but like most people they do indulge in social media fads from time to time. Whether it's using ChatGPT to turn you into an action figure, or cartoonizing yourself, they're now well-versed in uploading photos to a chatbot as part of a prompt.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The affordable Korean SUV making luxury buyers rethink their money

How-To Geek - Fri, 03/27/2026 - 22:31

The three-row SUV world isn’t what it used to be. What started as a practical, no-frills family space has exploded into a battle of comfort, tech, and style, with features once only found in luxury rides showing up in more affordable models.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Infiniti’s new QX65 skips the third row—and that’s the point

How-To Geek - Fri, 03/27/2026 - 22:00

It sometimes feels like new SUVs are trying to be mini buses. Yet, for those who remember the disruptive spirit of the original Infiniti FX, a "bus" was never the goal—style and presence were. With the world debut of the 2027 Infiniti QX65, the automaker is returning to those roots, offering a midsize crossover that prioritizes a dramatic silhouette and personal luxury over a crowded third row.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to watch USA vs. Belgium online for free

Mashable - Fri, 03/27/2026 - 22:00

TL;DR: Live stream USA vs. Belgium in a 2026 International Friendly for free on RTL Play. Access this free streaming site from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The 2026 World Cup is looming large on the horizon. And that means top international sides from around the world will be sharpening up in the coming weeks and months.

There are a number of high-profile International Friendlies taking place this week as teams look to build momentum, including USA vs. Belgium. Mauricio Pochettino's side will need to be at their best to get anything out of a talented Belgian team.

If you want to watch USA vs. Belgium in a 2026 International Friendly for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is USA vs. Belgium?

USA vs. Belgium kicks off at 3:30 p.m. ET on March 28. This fixture takes place at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium.

How to watch USA vs. Belgium for free

USA vs. Belgium is available to live stream for free on RTL Play.

RTL Play is geo-restricted to Belgium, but anyone can access this free streaming service with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Belgium, meaning you can access free live streams on RTL Play from anywhere in the world.

Lve stream USA vs. Belgium for free by following these simple steps:

  1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

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

  3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Belgium

  4. Visit RTL Play

  5. Stream USA vs. Belgium for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch USA vs. Belgium without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select 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 RTL Play?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on RTL Play, for a number of reasons:

  • Servers in 105 countries including Belgium

  • 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 eight simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan 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).

Live stream USA vs. Belgium for free with ExpressVPN.

Categories: IT General, Technology

White House launches mobile app, includes live feeds and ICE reporting line

Mashable - Fri, 03/27/2026 - 21:59

The White House press room is going to be beamed directly into Americans' phones, as the Trump administration announces a new mobile app that includes live news updates, policies, and official media.

SEE ALSO: Melania Trump brings humanoid robots to the White House

Announced Friday following a series of cryptic posts, the first-of-its-kind app includes live feeds of the official White House accounts, a "news" feed including press releases and announcements, an affordability tab showing the current cost of common goods, and a media gallery — basically a pocket version of the White House website. In an X post announcing the app, the administration included yet another "hype reel" including footage of missile launches.

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The app also appears to be a tool to help the administration's mass deportation system, with an included Immigrations and Customs Enforcement (ICE) tip line that takes users to the ICE reporting webpage. Users can sign up for government newsletters and even "text" President Donald Trump via the app (it links to the White House's standard contact form, to be clear). Reminder: That means the administration has access to your personal contact information, including your name and number.

Whether or not the app retains more user information than the administration's other feeds is unclear — and both Android and Apple have different app privacy guidelines — but the implication of applying standard app permissions to official government apps (including location tracking and ad targeting) has already alarmed some users. Following a recent standoff between AI developers and the White House over the threat of a mass citizen surveillance program, other users raised immediate concerns about state-sanctioned spyware.

For now, Apple's App Store directs users to the White House's standard technology privacy policy page, which includes data usage policies for visitors to official White House websites, contact forms, and social media pages. Scroll to the bottom, and the only specific information listed under "White House app" is a contact email address.

Categories: IT General, Technology

NVIDIA's DLSS 5 distracted everyone from the feature that actually matters

How-To Geek - Fri, 03/27/2026 - 21:45

Nvidia's recent DLSS 5 announcement caused quite the stir in various tech and gaming spaces, and that's not necessarily a good thing. Any press is good press, one might say, but in this case, most of the conversation on social media has been centered around what DLSS 5 does to in-game assets. Most importantly, the faces of various characters.

Categories: IT General, Technology

3 feisty Apple TV shows you can binge this weekend (March 27 - 29)

How-To Geek - Fri, 03/27/2026 - 21:30

Even with Apple TV hits like Shrinking and the upcoming season of Your Friends & Neighbors (April 3) dominating the conversation, it's easy to forget just how deep the Apple TV catalog goes, if you're willing to look.

Categories: IT General, Technology

3 Prime Video historical fiction shows to watch this weekend (March 27 - March 29)

How-To Geek - Fri, 03/27/2026 - 21:01

Historical drama series have grown increasingly popular in the 21st century, thanks to their lavish set designs; immersive world-building; fictionalized narratives focused on intimate human experiences and epic events; and reinterpretations of history through a contemporary lens. They’re fascinating to watch, and we can’t get enough of them.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Amazons Big Spring Sale is surprisingly good this year: We found 150+ deals on Apple, Kindle, Sony, and Ninja

Mashable - Fri, 03/27/2026 - 20:57
The best Amazon Big Spring Sale deals: Best Apple deal Apple AirPods Pro 3 $199.00 at Amazon (save $50) Get Deal Best Amazon device deal Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select $14.99 at Amazon (save $25 with code FTV4K) Get Deal Best Kindle Deal Amazon Kindle Paperwhite $134.99 at Amazon (save $25 ) Get Deal Best Deal Under $50 Anker Nano 45W GaN Smart Charger $27.99 at Amazon (save $12) Get Deal Best TV deal Samsung 65-Inch Q8F 4K QLED Smart TV $597.99 at Amazon (save $300) Get Deal Best outdoor deal Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 portable power station $428.99 at Amazon (save $370.01) Get Deal Flagship headphones deal Sony WH-1000XM6 Noise-Cancelling Headphones $398 at Amazon (save $61.99) Get Deal Best beauty deal Dyson Supersonic Nural $349.99 at Amazon (save $200) Get Deal Best Speaker Deal JBL Flip 7 Waterproof Speaker $109.95 at Amazon (save $40) Get Deal Budget headphones deal JLab JBuds Lux ANC $41.99 at Amazon (save $38) Get Deal

The sun is rising, flowers are beginning to bloom, and pollen is in the air (so much pollen). This all means spring is finally here, and Amazon is ready to celebrate in its customary fashion: with deals across tons of categories.

Welcome to the third day of the third annual Amazon Big Spring Sale, with discounts set to run through March 31, just like last year. The Amazon Spring Sale is your best chance to save until Prime Day in June (or maybe July?), so don't miss out.

The deals featured in this sale reflect the spirit of the season: Outdoor gear and yard care supplies, spring cleaning supplies, spring fashion, and other household essentials will be the major featured deals. However, there's no shortage of savings on QLED TVs, flagship Sony headphones, Apple devices, Shark and Dyson hair tools, and of course, Amazon devices like Kindles and Echo smart speakers.

SEE ALSO: How to recycle Amazon packaging from your Big Spring Sale purchases (yes, all of it)

Each day of the Big Spring Sale will also feature daily deal drops on categories from spring cleaning to beauty. Mashable's shopping team will be keeping an eye on the best deals from before sunrise to midnight, so keep checking back to be the first to hear about the latest price drops. And be sure to check out our live blog for real-time updates.

Our editors' most recommended deals will be marked with a 🔥 emoji. Deals that are no longer available will be noted with strikethrough.

Best Apple deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Pro 3 $199.99 at Amazon
$249 Save $49.01   Get Deal Why we like it

According to our review, Apple's AirPods Pro 3 are an "easy buy" if you've been looking for a new pair of AirPods. It's easy to see why: They have excellent ANC, eight hours of listening time per charge, a built-in heart rate monitor, and live translation features. While they hit a lower price of $184 back in February, this markdown is still worth checking out.

Check out Mashable's full review of the Apple AirPods Pro 3.

AirPods deals AirTag dealsMacBook deals iPad dealsApple Watch deals Best headphones deal Opens in a new window Credit: JLab JLab JBuds Lux ANC $37.79 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $42.20 Requires on-page coupon Get Deal Why we like it

The JBuds Lux ANC are the best budget headphones we've tested in recent memory, offering decent noise cancellation, a long battery life, and balanced sound. (Just note that their fit can be hit or miss.) They're a great value at their regular price of $80, but a coupon on their Amazon product page bumps them down to just $37.79 — a 50% savings. We saw them dip to $27 at Walmart on Black Friday, but this is their lowest-ever price on Amazon. Choose from four colors: graphite, cloud white, mauve, or sage.

More headphone dealsEarbud deals Bluetooth speaker dealsBest robot vacuum deal Eufy C28 $499.99 at Amazon
$799.99 Save $300   Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Eufy Why we like it

Mashable's robot vacuum expert, Leah Stodart, tested and loved the Eufy C28 when it came out last month. At $499.99 for the Big Spring Sale, the Eufy C28 is not only the most affordable roller mop robot vacuum you'll find this season, but the best budget robot vacuum and mop combo period.

If you tried a cheap mopping robot vacuum in the past that smeared more than scrubbed, let the Eufy's self-rinsing roller mop change your mind. Its fluffy bath towel material is already more absorbent than the typical thin mopping pad — but just to ensure liquid spills aren't being smeared around, the C28's roller gets rinsed with clean water as it's mopping. Its self-emptying dock also washes and dries the mop after each cleaning.

More robot vacuum dealsCordless vacuum and wet-dry vacuum dealsBest Amazon device deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select $14.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $25   Get Deal Why we like it

The newest Fire TV Stick in Amazon's lineup, the 4K Select, was one of Mashable readers' (and editors') favorite deals from Black Friday. We saw it drop to a wildly low price of $9.99 during that sale, but right now you can grab it for $14.99 using the code FTV4K. It offers support for Alexa+, HDR10+, Amazon Kids+, Amazon Luna, Xbox Game Pass, and NordVPN, and it's already more than 50% off.

Fire TV streaming dealsEcho device deals Kindle deals SEE ALSO: The top finds from Amazon's Spend $100, Get $20 Free sale: Nespresso, Sun Bum, Hydro Flask Best outdoor deal Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 portable power station $428.99 at Amazon
$799 Save $370.01   Get Deal Why we like it

Weighing in at just under 25 pounds, Anker's Solix C1000 Gen 2 portable power station makes an excellent camping companion. The power station can keep your devices juiced up and even has enough oomph to power up some cute fairy lights or whip up a quick meal in the air fryer. It can also recharge in under 50 minutes, which can really come in handy when you're off the grid. Mashable's reviewer called it "the perfect model for taking on a weekend camping trip or keeping around the house for occasional power outages."

More outdoor dealsMore portable power station dealsBest DJI deal Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Neo Mini 4K Drone $149 at Amazon
$199 Save $50   Get Deal Why we like it

The Neo is the perfect starter drone for people just venturing into the drone hobby for the first time — and not just because of the low price. This camera offers a 4K camera for shooting gorgeous aerial videos and a 12MP camera. It can take off from the palm of your hand, and it's super portable. For creators and hobbyists, it's a great entry point.

More DJI dealsBest TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 65-Inch Q8F 4K QLED Smart TV $597.99 at Amazon
$897.99 Save $300   Get Deal Why we like it

There's a reason Samsung has been the most popular TV brand in the world for 20 years in a row: The Korean tech giant makes reliable TVs that last a long time. This QLED Samsung TV was just released in 2025, and for the Amazon Spring Sale, it just got its first big price cut. It's also got a ton of ports and a sleek design.

43-inch TVs and under50- to 55-inch TVs65-inch TVs 75-inch TVs and upBest Windows laptop deal Opens in a new window Credit: Asus Asus ROG Flow Z13 (AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $2,069.99 at Amazon
$2,399.99 Save $330 Includes free download code for "Crimson Desert" Get Deal Why we like it

If you're an on-the-go gamer, the Asus ROG Flow Z13 should make your shortlist. It has a 180Hz display (so smooth), a detachable keyboard, and an AMD Ryzen AI Max+ 395 chip that offers RTX 4060-level graphics performance. GTA V star Ned Luke he uses one when he travels, and he told us it's "an animal." The model with 32GB of RAM and a terabyte of disk space is $330 off on Amazon, and it comes with a free copy of Crimson Desert. It's never been cheaper before. (Best Buy is price-matching it, but doesn't throw in the free game code.)

More Windows laptop dealsBest kitchen deal Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Ninja Creami Ice Cream Maker $199.99 at Amazon
$229.99 Save $30 Includes free $20 Amazon credit Get Deal Why we like it

We're happy to report that the bestselling Ninja Creami is just as great as TikTok says it is. Once you fill and freeze its pints with the base of your choice, "It makes ice cream, gelato, frozen yogurt, sorbet, and smoothie bowls with just the press of a button," writes Mashable's Samantha Mangino.

This TikTok-famous appliance is marked down to $199.99 during the Big Spring Sale (or $30 off), which matches deals at Best Buy, Target, and the SharkNinja website. However, Amazon one-ups them all by throwing in a free $20 credit on top of that discount; you save $50 total there.

Check out Mashable's full review of the Ninja Creami.

More ice cream maker dealsAir fryer, countertop oven, and multicooker dealsBlender dealsCoffee and espresso machine dealsMixer dealsBest Lego deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Botanicals Japanese Red Maple Bonsai Tree (#10348) $47.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $12   Get Deal Why we like it

Lego's Botanicals sets are always a delight to have up on display, and this Japanese Red Maple Bonsai Tree is sure to add a lovely pop of red, orange, and green to your home. At the moment, it's on sale at Amazon for $47.99, which is just pennies away from its lowest-ever price point of $47.95, according to price tracker camelcamelcamel. What better time to scoop up this 474-piece set if it's caught your eye?

More Lego dealsBest beauty deal Dyson Supersonic Nural $349.99 at Amazon
$549.99 Save $200   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

The Laifen hair dryer that Mashable's hair tool expert, Bethany Allard, named as the best Dyson Supersonic dupe is on sale for the spring sale. But maybe you won't be as hard-pressed to find a good dupe when the fanciest Supersonic is at a new record-low price.

The Supersonic Nural's main flex over the regular Supersonic is a system of sensors that automatically lower heat near your head, preventing a sizzling scalp. The Nural can also remember your preferred settings just based on the attachment being used, and knows to pause airflow when you set it down.

More hair tool dealsSkincare device dealsBest home deal Blueair Blue Pure 311i Max $334.99 at Amazon
  Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

Warmer weather means open windows at home. And for the lucky folks, open windows at home mean allergy-induced sniffles. Make this the year that you finally get an air purifier for your home. This Blueair model can clean up to 1,858 square feet in an hour (a much larger reach than other purifiers under $200 in this list). The powerful HEPA filter can remove airborne particles that irritate our respiratory systems, like pollen, dust, mold spores, pet dander, and smoke, so you'll benefit from the benefits of filtered air indoors year-round.

More air purifier dealsSmart light dealsSheets, comforter, and pillow dealsStain remover tool and upholstery deep cleaner dealsBest Big Spring Sale charger deals Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Nano 45W GaN Smart Charger $27.99
$39.99 Save $12.00   Get Deal More charger dealsBest streaming dealsPrime Video add-onsRoku Channel add-onsStandalone streaming service deals
Categories: IT General, Technology

This new open-source office suite wants to replace Google Docs and Microsoft Office

How-To Geek - Fri, 03/27/2026 - 20:27

There are many open-source alternatives to Microsoft Office and Google Docs, but most of them don’t have web-based collaborative editing. The new Euro-Office project aims to fix that with a “truly open, transparent, and sovereign solution for collaborative document editing,” using OnlyOffice as a starting point.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How Im streaming for less in 2026: Score Spring Sale streaming deals on Paramount+, Spotify, Starz, and more

Mashable - Fri, 03/27/2026 - 20:27
The best Big Spring Sale streaming deals at a glance: Best streaming deal Paramount+ Premium $2.99/month for 2 months (save $22) Get Deal Best music streaming deal Spotify Premium free for 3 months (save $38.97) Get Deal Best deal for readers Kindle Unlimited $0.99 for three months (save $34.98) Get Deal Best streaming device deal Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select $17.99 (save $22) Get Deal Best Free Streaming Offer New Walmart+ members get Peacock or Paramount+ free $98/year for your first year of Walmart+ (12 months of Peacock or Paramount+) Learn More Best streaming add-on deal Starz (Roku add-on) $2.99/month for 2 months (save $16) Get Deal

The biggest story in the streaming world over the past 12 months (besides the confusing Warner Bros. situation)? Price hikes. So many price hikes. So, we could all benefit from some streaming deals right about now.

Black Friday is the best time of year to score discounts on streaming apps, but any major sale or shopping holiday tends to deliver a few discounts. And Amazon's Big Spring Sale (officially running until March 31) is holding true to that trend. While the overall number of deals is no match for Black Friday, we'll certainly take any discounts we can get.

As Mashable's go-to streaming expert, I'm keeping a close eye out for streaming deals throughout the Big Spring Sale. While things started out slow, we've got some new additions from Roku, including add-ons for popular streaming services like AMC+, MGM+, and Starz. Prime Video add-ons are also starting to ramp up (finally). I'll keep updating this list as any new streamers join the party.

SEE ALSO: Amazon Big Spring Sale 2026: Live updates on the top deals

Below, I've rounded up the best streaming offers live during the sale. I've also included deals on streaming devices like Fire TV Sticks, as well as some evergreen streaming deals I think are worth grabbing.

Best streaming deal overall Opens in a new window Credit: Paramount+ Paramount+ Premium $2.99/month for 2 months (save $22) Get Deal Why we like it

On the surface, this is the same offer as the streamer's Black Friday deal. However, because Paramount Plus hiked its prices in January, this Big Spring Sale discount actually saves you more money. It now costs $13.99 per month for the ad-free Premium plan and $8.99 per month for the ad-supported Essential plan.

Through March 31, you can lock in two months of either plan for only $2.99 per month. That saves you $22 if you choose the Premium plan (why wouldn't you?). Both new and ex-subscribers are eligible for this deal, and it's valid on Paramount+ as a standalone service or on the add-on subscriptions from Roku and Prime Video.

Psst. It's also worth mentioning that an extra discount code is floating around that could potentially knock the price down to just 99 cents per month for two months. However, it appears to work for some folks and not others. Try adding the additional promo code BG2L7M at checkout to see if you're one of the lucky ones.

Best streaming add-on deal Opens in a new window Credit: Starz Starz (Roku add-on) $2.99/month for 2 months (save $8/month) Get Deal Why we like it

I think Starz is honestly one of the most underrated streaming services out there. It's home to Lionsgate theatrical hits, so you'll be able to watch recent releases like The Housemaid (starting April 1) and Greenland 2: Migration. Plus, it has its own original series that are worth watching, like the TV adaptation of Lisa Taddeo's book Three Women and the serial killer comedy Sweetpea. For a limited time, Roku users can score a Starz subscription for only $2.99 per month for two months and get a taste of what the streamer has to offer. It usually costs $10.99 per month, so you'll save about $16 on two months of streaming.

Best music streaming deal Opens in a new window Credit: Spotify Spotify Premium free for 3 months (save $38.97) Get Deal Why we like it

If you've never tried Spotify Premium before, you can snag three free months of the music streaming service through March 31. Typically, it costs $12.99 per month, so you'll keep nearly $40 in your pocket with this deal. A Premium account unlocks ad-free listening, the ability to download music for offline listening and collaborate with friends in real time, 15 hours of audiobook time, and lossless audio. Plus, you'll get weekly listening stats and, should you choose to keep your subscription, access to the famous Wrapped stats.

Already tried Spotify Premium? Amazon Music Unlimited is also offering three free months of its streaming service through March 31. It regularly goes for $11.99/month for Prime members and $12.99/month for non-Prime members, so you can save up to $38.97 with this streaming deal. Besides unlimited music streaming, you'll also get access to one audiobook per month.

Best streaming device deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select $14.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $25 Redeem the code FTVSELECT Get Deal Why we like it

The newest Fire TV Stick, the 4K Select, is the first streaming device in Amazon's lineup to shake things up in awhile. While it still offers the same plug-and-play design you know and love, it features a brand-new operating system called Vega. Given how laggy the previous operating system could be on Fire TV Sticks, we're pretty excited about this change. It also offers support for Alexa+, Amazon Kids+, Amazon Luna, Xbox Game Pass, and NordVPN, and delivers 4K quality with HDR10+ support.

As part of the Big Spring Sale, it's now down to just $14.99 instead of $39.99. Redeem the code FTVSELECT to access this discount.

More Amazon Big Spring Sale streaming dealsPrime Video add-onsRoku Channel add-onsStandalone streaming service dealsMore Amazon Big Spring Sale streaming device dealsEvergreen streaming deals worth grabbing
Categories: IT General, Technology
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