IT General

Following the release of version 0.97 earlier in January, Microsoft continues to refine PowerToys with another incremental but meaningful update. PowerToys version 0.98 focuses on improving usability across the board. There’s a redesigned Keyboard Manager, dockable Command Palette, and enhancements to CursorWrap.

Fuel economy remains one of the biggest priorities for SUV buyers, especially as gas prices and daily driving costs continue to fluctuate. Hybrid technology has become the go-to solution, offering significantly improved efficiency without sacrificing the practicality and versatility that make SUVs so popular. In 2026, automakers are pushing the limits even further, with some hybrid SUVs delivering fuel economy figures that rival traditional compact sedans.

Even though Ryobi has manufactured power tools since 1968, the company hit it big with its global launch of the 18V ONE+ platform in 1996, and it's still going strong today. Earlier this year, the company released a new limited-edition Blackout tool for its 30-year anniversary. Ryobi's black drill is super rare, which is why you might see it on Amazon for upwards of $169 from resellers.

Are you looking for some new Docker containers to manage your home network? I've used quite a few over the past several years, and these seven are the ones I can't live without.

The best Amazon Big Spring Sale cordless tool deals at a glance: Best Amazon Big Spring Sale Cordless Tool Deal Dewalt 20V MAX Cordless Drill Driver Set $158.18 (save $20.82) Get Deal Best Amazon Big Spring Sale Cordless Wrench Deal Dewalt Atomic 20V Max Cordless Impact Wrench $87.67 (save $31.33) Get Deal Best Amazon Big Spring Sale Cordless Screwdriver Deal Hoto Rechargeable Electric Screwdriver $39.99 (save $20) Get Deal

On your mark, get ready, shop! Amazon's Big Spring Sale is back for the third year in a row. That means from March 25 through March 31, you'll be able to access a variety of discounts across just about every category the store has to offer.

But you don't have to wait until then to start perusing Amazon's deals. You can dive in now, for example, if you're looking for cordless tools to help with completing projects around the house or even giving as gifts. There are plenty to choose from right now that you won't want to miss, especially since there's no need to wait until the Big Spring Sale proper.

Which early cordless tools are worth your time? If you're ready to start racking up the deals, keep reading to see our cordless tool picks you can shop ahead of the sale.

Best Amazon Big Spring Sale cordless tool deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Dewalt 20V MAX Cordless Drill Driver Set $158.18 at Amazon
$179 Save $20.82   Get Deal Why we like it

A cordless drill is one of the most important additions to any tool kit you're either building or planning to gift. It's perfect for just about any DIY project, whether you need to mount a TV, build a table, or hang up things around the home. This compact and lightweight drill's brushless motor has tons of applications and delivers up to 300 UWO and an impact driver with up to 1,400 in-lbs of torque. It also comes with a charger, battery packs, and a bag to keep everything in.

Best Amazon Big Spring Sale cordless wrench deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Dewalt Atomic 20V Max Cordless Impact Wrench $87.67 at Amazon
$119 Save $31.33   Get Deal Why we like it

You can use an impact wrench for tons of different projects, whether you're working on assembling furniture or repairing a car in your driveway. It offers 1,700 in-lbs of torque and offers a variable speed trigger for better control and precision. It has 3 bright LEDS so you can see what you're doing in darker workspaces, and comes with a removable belt hook so you can keep it with you at all times, too.

Best Amazon Big Spring Sale cordless screwdriver deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Hoto Rechargeable Electric Screwdriver $39.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $20   Get Deal Why we like it

This electric screwdriver can save you plenty of time and effort since it can handle the tougher jobs without you having to manually turn the electric drill. It has three torque settings, a rubber grip, and it weighs just under a pound. It comes with 12 different bits for you to swap out as well, so no matter what job you end up needing to tackle, you can easily handle it without having to resort to a manual screwdriver instead. That means getting the job done faster and more efficiently.

More cordless tool deals at Amazon

• Hoto Electric Screwdriver Kit — $29.99 $49.99 (save $20)

• Hoto Laser Measuring Tool — $29.99 $49.99 (save $20)

• Hoto Cordless Brushless Drill — $79.99 $99.99 (save $20)

• Kobalt Variable Speed Brushless Cordless Hammer Drill — $88.88 $95 (save $6.12)

Is the dislike button on replies coming back to Elon Musk's social media platform X? It seems like it, according to posts from X head of product Nikita Bier.

Last night on X, Bier hinted that the dislike button on replies may be making its return and even shared a screen recording of the feature on the platform. The feature would inform the platform's algorithm of what type of content a user doesn't want to see on their feed.

SEE ALSO: Is X down? Thousands of users report outage.

"they should have a dislike button on twitter too" posted one X user on Tuesday.

"Give me 60 seconds," Bier replied.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

A few hours later, Bier posted about the spam problems on X, an issue Musk originally pledged to fix when acquiring the company in October 2022.

"The financial incentive to spam on X will decline enormously over the next 30 days and soon be negative," Bier said.

Like clockwork, a spammer sent a seemingly AI-generated reply to Bier's post. Bier responded with a screen recording showing how the dislike button will work on mobile.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

The dislike button in Bier's video appears as a thumbs-down icon. The icon is visible on a reply between the "like" and bookmark buttons. Upon pressing the dislike button, a "Reply feedback" prompt pops up asking a user for more information.

"Tell us what is wrong with this reply," the prompt states. "Your feedback is private."

The user is then given five options to choose from: Not interested in this post, incorrect or misleading, AI-generated, spam, or report post.

X's dislike button does not have a public dislike counter. The purpose of the button appears strictly to inform the platform of the type of content you'd prefer not to see.

"Are you actually shipping the dislike button it looks great," replied one user to the screen capture.

"I’m afraid that there is only one path forward," responds Bier.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.

A dislike button on X does not currently exist, but it may seem familiar. Much like Community Notes and X Premium, Musk's social media platform is taking ownership of yet another feature that was built by the old Twitter prior to Musk's acquisition of the company.

In 2017, then-Twitter rolled out a system that allowed users to tell the platform if they didn't like a tweet. Then, in 2020, Twitter first started exploring the implementation of a proper dislike or downvote system on the platform.

A version of a dislike button was previously rolled out as a global test feature in February 2022. Instead of a thumbs-down button, though, this test version utilized a downvote arrow similar to what appears on Reddit. However, the feature test was eventually discontinued, and the feature faded away. 

In July 2024, an app researcher discovered code in X's iOS app that pointed towards a potential revival of the downvote system.

It appears that X is now flirting with the idea again. Unlike last time, the company's head of product is publicly talking about it, so it seems likely some version of the dislike button will roll out eventually.

A powerful, anonymous AI model quietly appeared on the developer platform OpenRouter last week and promptly sent the tech world into a speculative frenzy that it's a stealth test run from Chinese AI startup DeepSeek.

The model, called Hunter Alpha, surfaced on March 11 with no developer attribution attached. According to Reuters, when tested directly, the chatbot described itself as a Chinese AI model with a training data cutoff of May 2025 — the same cutoff as DeepSeek's own chatbot. When asked who built it, the system declined to answer. Neither DeepSeek nor OpenRouter has claimed it, and neither responded to Reuters' request for comment.

SEE ALSO: Siri bug reportedly delays Apple's smart home lineup

The company released its latest models this past December: DeepSeek-V3.2 and DeepSeek-V3.2-Speciale, both free to use. The company positioned V3.2 as an everyday AI assistant on par with OpenAI's GPT-5, while V3.2-Speciale was aimed at more advanced reasoning tasks, with DeepSeek claiming the model posted gold-medal results on the International Math Olympiad.

The main fuel for the speculation is the model's specs. Hunter Alpha is advertised on Open Router as a one-trillion-parameter model with a context window of up to one million tokens — a combination that, according to Reuters, lines up closely with what Chinese outlets have been reporting about DeepSeek's forthcoming V4 model, expected as early as April.

"Reasoning style is hard to disguise and tends to reflect how a model was trained," AI engineer Daniel Dewhurst told Reuters, pointing to the model's chain-of-thought patterns as the strongest signal pointing toward DeepSeek.

Not everyone is convinced. Independent benchmark tester Umur Ozkul told Reuters that his analysis suggests Hunter Alpha is unlikely to be DeepSeek V4, citing architectural differences from DeepSeek's existing systems.

Whatever it is, the model has already processed more than 160 billion tokens since appearing on the platform, so anonymous or not, people are using it.

TL;DR: Live stream Barcelona vs. Newcastle United in the Champions League for free on Virgin Media Player. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Champions League is back this week with a number of huge second-leg matchups, including Barcelona vs. Newcastle United. These sides are tied 1-1 after a competitive first-leg contest. Lamine Yamal equalized from the penalty spot with almost the last kick of the game at St James' Park, and now the attention turns to the Camp Nou.

Barcelona will be favorites to advance into the quarter finals, but Newcastle United have the talent to give any side problems. We're expecting an entertaining clash between two attacking sides. The winner will face either Spurs or Atletico Madrid in the next round.

If you want to watch Barcelona vs. Newcastle United in the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Barcelona vs. Newcastle United?

Barcelona vs. Newcastle United in the Champions League kicks off at 5:45 p.m. GMT on March 18. This fixture takes place at the Camp Nou.

How to watch Barcelona vs. Newcastle United for free

Barcelona vs. Newcastle United is available to live stream for free on Virgin Media Player.

Virgin Media Player is geo-restricted to Ireland, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Ireland, meaning you can unblock Virgin Media Player to stream the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Barcelona vs. Newcastle United 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 Ireland

4. Visit Virgin Media Player

5. Watch Barcelona vs. Newcastle United for free from anywhere in the world

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

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can watch Barcelona vs. Newcastle United without committing with your cash. This isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select Champions League fixtures before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Virgin Media Player?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including Ireland

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A 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).

Watch Barcelona vs. Newcastle United in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.

Modern Mac computers have a heavily-customized ARM architecture called Apple Silicon, instead of a standard x86 PC platform, and the Asahi Linux project has spent countless hours on porting desktop Linux to that hardware. Now, the flagship Linux distribution based on Asahi’s work has just been updated with some helpful improvements.

So you’ve heard about this wonderful thing called Linux and how it’s an open-source alternative to macOS and Windows. But then someone asks you, “which distro do you want to use?” and everything becomes confusing again. What are they actually talking about, and what kinds of decisions are you going to have to make?

As much as we try to deny it, working out is apparently really, really good for overall health. That doesn't mean everyone should immediately sign up for a marathon, but it does mean that most of us would benefit from some movement, whether that's weight training, dog walking, or stepping onto the treadmill. However, if you want the most bang for your buck (results for your effort), you might want to consider a rowing machine. And as of today, there's a new kid on the block who's worthy of some attention.

Hydrow has been a leader in the rowing machine market for years now, making some of the most sophisticated and sleek-looking machines around. The brand's latest model, the Hydrow Arc Rower, is truly something to admire. Keep in mind it comes with a $2,295 price tag, but some people will find that well worth the money. Afterall, health is a pretty important part of life.

Opens in a new window Credit: Hydrow Hydrow Arc Rower $2,295 at Hyrdow
  Get Deal What's new with the Hydrow Arc Rower

The Hydrow Arc is now the newest model Hydrow makes, dethroning the Hydrow Wave Rower. The Arc comes with the largest screen (24 inches), powerful speakers, and AI features that don't make us wish AI would simply disappear. There's also fitness tracking that caters to monitoring rowing stats that'll be useful over time.

Hydrow uses electromagnetic resistance which is useful for offering a quiet workout experience. There's also the padded ergonomic seat and a comfortable handle for a slip-free workout. Here are some overview specs about the Hydrow Arc Rower:

• Dimensions: 25 inches W x 48 inches H x 86 inches L

• Weight: 147 pounds

• Weight capacity: up to 375 pounds

• Screen: 24-inch HD

A 24-inch display for taking yourself out on the water for workouts, but in the living room. Credit: Hydrow Advanced metrics for novice to Masters rowers

One of the biggest differences between the Hydrow Arc and the brand's previous models is the introduction of HydroMetrics. This encompasses three important aspects of rowing: precision, power, and endurance. After each workout, the Arc will pop out a HydroMetrics Index score which gives insight into how that workout went. It also gives tips on how to improve next time and highlights what went well during the workout.

While some people find the motion of rowing intuitive, everyone could use some guidance on nailing correct form. Not only does correct form impact power, it's so important for avoiding any injuries. HydroMetrics aims to help everyone with perfect form on each workout.

SEE ALSO: We tested the best headphones and earbuds for working out

In the brand's press release about the new Arc Rower, John Stellato, the president and CEO of Hydrow said, "The Hydrow Arc Rower introduces a smarter way to build strength. We call it Fluid Strength — full-body training, designed to meet members exactly where they are, with every movement challenging more than muscle. HydroMetrics allows us to analyze and distill a wealth of data to guide members to perform better, and delivers the feedback today’s consumer craves to measure progress and achieve results."

Personally, I've been rowing for almost 25 years and I always welcome a check on my form, so the HydroMetrics is an exciting feature to see. Not only will it be great for Masters, it's damn near essential for those new to rowing.

A gym membership, but in the comfort of your living room

All Hydrow models, including the Arc, really shine with the brand's fitness membership. This is an add-on that comes with a $44 price tag per month and gives users access to over 5,000 live and on-demand workouts. Since all Hydrows come with a screen, these workouts take you out on the water to waterways around the globe. On non-rowing days, the membership gives access to yoga, strength training, and mobility sessions. Plus, the Hydrow membership allows users to create multiple profiles per household.

Other Hydrow models worth attention

If you're not in the mood to drop $2,300 on the new Hydrow Arc Rower, the Hydrow Origin Rower is on sale at Amazon for $1,895, which is a 14% discount compared to the normal price of $2,195. You'll miss out on some of the new features found on the Arc Rower, but you'll still be in for a full-body workout at home.

Opens in a new window Credit: Hydrow Hydrow Origin Rower $1,895 at Amazon
$2,195 Save $300   Get Deal

SAVE ALMOST $50: As of March 18, Apple AirPods Pro 3 are on sale for $199.99 at Amazon. That's a 20% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Pro 3 $199.99 at Amazon
$249 Save $49.01   Get Deal

Amazon's Spring Sale isn't here just yet, but we're already seeing strong deals across a number of key categories. And yes, that includes Apple.

AirPods deals are always some of the most popular offers to drop during major shopping events, and the best Amazon Spring Sale deal on AirPods Pro 3 might already be live. As of March 18, Apple AirPods Pro 3 are on sale for $199.99 at Amazon. That's a 20% discount on the list price. This rare discount won't stick around for long.

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AirPods Pro 3 offer next-level noise cancellation, removing twice as much background noise as the previous generation of this model. The sound is reliably stellar thanks to a redesigned acoustic system that improves clarity, bass, and overall detail, creating more immersive sound for your favorite playlists and podcasts.

AirPods Pro 3 also have built-in heart rate monitoring that lets you track workouts and calories through your iPhone. Battery life has also been improved, delivering up to eight hours of juice with noise cancellation or up to 10 hours in transparency mode with the Hearing Aid feature. That's enough for even the most gruelling of commutes.

Get this great AirPods deal ahead of the Amazon Spring Sale.

If you've got a good collection of digital video files, you might want to do what everyone seems to be doing these days and set up a system like Plex to self-host that content so you can watch it on your TV.

Best Amazon Big Spring Sale sex toy deals 2026: Best overall Satisfyer Pro 2 $48.40 (save $21.55) Get Deal Best budget pick plusOne vibrating bullet $8.99 (save $6) Get Deal

It’s almost springtime (regardless of what the weather might suggest), and Amazon’s Big Spring Sale will be here before we know it. This year, it’s running from March 25 to March 31 (the same dates as last year's sale), and shoppers can expect discounts on tons of products across just about every category.

SEE ALSO: I've tested 100+ sex toys. Here are the 15 most mind-blowing toys I've ever owned.

One category you won’t see Amazon advertising, however, is sex toys. They’re literally not allowed to promote these items in their major sale pushes (I'm so done with the censorship), but that’s OK — because I know exactly where to look to find the best deals.

Wait, I thought buying sex toys on Amazon wasn’t a good idea?

OK, so you all probably already know how I feel about buying sex toys on Amazon: it’s usually a bad idea. BUT, there are ways to get legit deals on premium sex tech without compromising on product safety or quality.

Here are a few quick pointers:

• Never buy from sketchy third-party sellers (that’s where I come in!).

• Always, always check for official brand storefronts to double-check product authenticity and warranty info.

• Do NOT buy anything that’s made with “jelly” or “rubber.” Anything porous is a no-go.

• Read the reviews! If a product has zero reviews or the reviews look suspiciously generic, move on.

When in doubt, buy directly from the manufacturer’s website.

The best Amazon Big Spring Sale sex toy deals you can buy right now

To help you out, I went through hundreds of pages of products and hand-selected a list of high-quality sexual wellness items that are not only on sale but also safe for you to use.

Best overall Opens in a new window Credit: Satisfyer Satisfyer Pro 2 $48.40 at Amazon
$69.95 Save $21.55   Get Deal Why we like it

Satisfyer is famous for its suction toys and right now you can get the Satisfyer Pro 2 for just $48.40 (a 31% discount). This brand also leans into just about every holiday sale, so you’ll usually see its top vibes discounted during these promotional periods (especially Prime Day and Black Friday).

This toy looks like a face massager/cleaner, but it's actually a super-powerful suction toy designed to provide clitoral stimulation through non-contact pressure waves. (The company is pretty much known for its suction/airpulse tech.) This particular toy (which I own) has more than 61K reviews and a 3.9-star rating.

At under $50, it’s definitely worth considering if you’re into indirect clitoral stimulation. It’s also really easy to hold (which is always a plus).

Best budget pick plusOne vibrating bullet $8.99 at Amazon
$14.99 Save $6   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

As far as the best “deal” goes, you can’t go wrong with the plusOne vibrating bullet. PlusOne is a well-known (more affordable) sex toy brand that’s widely recognized for its no-frills toys. (I own a ton of plusOne toys.) They lack bells and whistles, but they’re reliable, and I haven’t had any complaints about the orgasm-inducing efficacy of their vibrators.

I chose the bullet vibe because it’s only $8.99. You’d be hard-pressed to find a better deal elsewhere. Plus, it has more than 7K reviews — one of which says, “For such a compact toy, it's surprisingly powerful and definitely worth having.” Can’t argue with that.

More Amazon Big Spring Sale sex toy deals worth considering

• Tracy's Dog OG Dual-vibe — $29.99 $39.99 (save $10)

• plusOne dual rabbit vibrator — $33.97 $39.99 (save $6.02)

• Tracy's Dog Bumpa 3-in-1 anal vibrator — $44.99 $49.99 (save $5)

• Tracy's Dog Passion Kit — $45.99 $49.99 (save $4)

Looking for lube? Check out LubeLife, Astroglide, and pjur.

We really can't remember a better time for finding free food deals.

First we got a wide range of Pi Day food deals, then came the St. Patrick's Day offers, and now we've got a load of March Madness deals to consider. These deals are live throughout the big NCAA Division I tournament, so even if your bracket is completely busted, you can at least score some free or heavily discounted food. In fact, some deals actually require a busted bracket.

We've checked out everything on offer from the likes of TGI Fridays, Buffalo Wild Wings, Grubhub, and more. Check out our favorite deals below.

March Madness 2026 food deals7-Eleven

7-Eleven is running a number of March Madness promotions:

• BOGO bone-in or boneless wings for $3

• Dunkable $35.99 meal deal — get eight-piece breaded tenders, 16-piece meaty wings, and a 16-piece order of golden potato wedges or crisp-fried onion rings served with four creamy dipping sauces for $35.99

• Buy one whole pizza, get one for 50% off via the 7NOW Delivery app.

Applebee’s

Get $0.50 boneless wings between March 17-22 and April 4-6. To qualify, order to-go or for delivery.

Buffalo Wild Wings

Score a 20 Wing Value Bundle on tournament days. This includes 20 boneless wings, large fries, four dips ranging for $17.99-19.99, or the same bundle with traditional wings for $21.99-24.99. These bundles are available for takeout or delivery online or via the Buffalo Wild Wings app.

Dave & Buster’s

Score $1 wings for orders of 10 throughout the tournament. For the first round on March 19-20, you can also get $5 Lime Time ‘Ritas and $5 drafts.

Dickey’s Barbecue Pit

Until April 6, customers can get $10 off packs when they use the code DRIBBLE online or in the mobile app.

Grubhub

Grubhub has a number of March Madness deals:

• Buffalo Wild Wings — $15 off $50+orders (March 24 to April 6)

• KFC — $5 off $15+ orders (March 26-31) and $5 off $15+ orders (April 3-7) 

• Little Caesars: — free Extra MostBestest Pizza on $50+ orders (now through April 30) 

• Taco Bell — free Chalupa Supreme on $20+ orders (March 20-21), free Chicken or Cheese Quesadilla on $22+ orders (March 27-29), free Beefy 5-Layer Burrito on $22+ orders (April 4), and free Regular Nacho Fries with purchase of any taco on $20+ orders (April 6) 

• Wendy’s — free Jr Bacon Cheeseburger Biggie Bag on $20+ orders (March 17-23) and free Dave's Single on $20+ orders (April 4-6) 

Huddle House

From March 19-22, rewards members who spend $20 will get a free Fried Waffle Wedge Basket.

Hungry Howie’s

Hungry Howie’s is offering a Large 4-Topping Pizza for just $9.99. This offer is available exclusively online using the promo code BBALLPZ from March 23 to April 6.

Insomnia Cookies

Insomnia Rewards members can score a buy-one, get-one-free warm Classic cookie with any purchase. To qualify, simply turn up in-store wearing college apparel between March 17-20.

Lazy Dog Restaurant

Until April 6, use the code MARCH with online orders of a Wings Party Pack for $5 off.

Little Caesars

Until April 5, Uber Eats customers can get a tournament bundle from Little Caesars that includes two ExtraMostBestest Pizzas and a 2-liter PepsiCo beverage for $15.

Round Table Pizza

Between March 26-29, get 16% off any Large or XL Pizza using the code RTP444. From March 28-31, use the code RTP588 for $8 off any Large or XL Pizza. From April 2-7, use the code RTP699 for $4 off a Large or XL Pizza.

Smashburger

From March 17-22 and April 4-7, get BOGO burgers and Big Dog. Between March 26-29, get any single burgers or Big Dogs for $6.

TGI Fridays

Until April 6, bring your busted March Madness bracket to get a free six-pack of wings (boneless or traditional). If you have a 100% perfect bracket on April 7, bring it to score a year of free wings (limited to a single redemption per month).

At a SXSW panel titled "Your First 90 Days as a Creator," leaders from the creator partnership teams at Instagram, Snapchat, and YouTube shared best practices for creators just starting out. They also shared common mistakes made by new creators, along with insider tips on how to get the almighty algorithm's attention.

The panel was hosted by Antonia Alakija, a creator economy strategist and Meta and TikTok alum herself, and featured advice from:

• Julia Hamilton Trost, head of creator partnerships at YouTube

• Brooke Berry, head of creator development at Snapchat

• Katie Sollenberger, head of the Scaled Partner Activation team at Meta

All the experts work with early-career creators to help them grow their following and careers.

So, based on their advice, here are the biggest mistakes creators should avoid in their first 90 days and beyond.

Chasing trends can be cringe

“I think it's understanding right out of the gate, don't hop on every trend just because it's a trend. And just because it's trending, it doesn't mean you need to make something about it,” Berry said.

“You need to identify trends that make sense for you to participate in, and that you feel confident that you can execute with a unique perspective or execute in a certain way that's different.”

Trost also urged creators to use AI and other tools to monitor the life cycle of viral trends.

SEE ALSO: The Mashable 101: The creators shaping the internet in 2025

“Where are you in the life cycle? Are you going to come in at the end and kind of be cringey because, you know, the trend is over? Does it really make sense for your audience?”

Finally, Sollenberger urged creators to follow the 70/30 rule.

"So we say [at Instagram], like 70/30. Seventy percent of your content should be original, and then roughly 30 percent [should be] trends... For the most part, you need to move fast with a trend, like, within the first 24 hours. If it's everywhere, it’s already too late.”

Not planning ahead for brand deals

You probably won't get any brand deals in your first 90 days, but it's never too early to start planning for success.

"Your public profile, for example, is your home on Snapchat," Berry said. "If a brand is looking to hire you for an opportunity, and you don't have, say, Stories, and there's nothing to showcase the consistency of the type of content or formats they can see themselves plugging into, they're going to move on to the next person.

So you want to make sure that you have content that supplies the type of opportunity you're trying to attract. - Brooke Berry, head of creator development, Snapchat

"So if you were someone who [says], ‘I want to do more travel brand deals,’ but there's no travel content on your profile, they're going to go to the next person. So you want to make sure that you have content that supplies the type of opportunity you're trying to attract."

Not knowing which metrics really matter in 2026

This is something I heard over and over again at SXSW: follower counts aren’t as important as they used to be. What really matters now? Engagement metrics. How many views does your average video or Reel get? On YouTube, how long are people watching your videos before dropping out? How do they find your content?

For Instagram and Reels, Sollenberger also had some specific advice for new creators.

“First, make sure that you switch to a professional or creator account if you haven't already. That's free, but it unlocks a range of insights at both the account and content level. And then I would say, take a look at the past month and look at your top three best- and worst-performing posts. Understand commonalities across those and then also look at when your audience is most active and make sure that you're posting then.”

All the panelists agreed that knowing how to read the data will be key to growing your audience.

Crucially, Sollenberger had some advice on influencing the Instagram algorithm.

“Send and share rate is a really good metric, because if your audience is sending your content, reposting your content, that's a signal to the algorithm to distribute it to non-followers,” Sollenberger said. “And then I also think it's good to similarly look at reach for non-followers, so you can understand how well the algorithm is distributing your content.”

On Snapchat, Berry said watch time is also a critical metric for getting the Discover feed to notice you.

“The creators and the Snap stars you see surface on that page, it's going to be heavily attributed to watch time, so that is the metric that you guys want to pay attention to as you guys are evaluating your Snap content," Berry said.

Misunderstanding consistency

"Post consistently!" This is probably the most common advice for new creators, but it means different things to different people and on different platforms.

“The algorithm rewards consistency, and so any breaks really kill momentum,” Sollenberger said about Instagram. She also shared the best advice I’ve heard yet on consistency as a creator: “​​Specifically, pick a posting cadence that you can sustain on your worst week, not your best week.”

For Snapchat, where you can post shorter, unedited clips, Berry said consistency is crucial as well. “You're not going to find success on your public stories posting one or two Snaps, and then that's kind of it. People who are getting service on the Discover feed are posting anywhere between 20, 60, 100 times a day, sometimes. But they are posting consistently.”

Berry did clarify that creators don’t need to post 20-100 Snaps a day to break through the algorithm, and that consistency will look different creator to creator. The key, she said, is to train your audience so they know when to expect your new content.

“​​Specifically, pick a posting cadence that you can sustain on your worst week, not your best week.” - Katie Sollenberger, Scaled Partner Activation, Meta

Trost echoed that advice.

“The cadence of when you post is more important than how often you're posting. So with YouTube, if you want to do it once a week, you pick that, and your audience starts to learn. ‘OK, I'm going to come on Thursdays for new content.’" She added, "That cadence is more important than having a huge volume of content.”

Not using Trial Reels and other tools

The big social platforms all have tools and features that let creators try out new content formats or poll their audiences. On Instagram, Trial Reels in particular are a good tool for testing new topics and formats.

SEE ALSO: Meta creates tool to prevent rampant Reels content theft

“So I hear consistently from newer creators that they're hesitant to experiment because they don't want their family or their friends to see certain topics or see them testing in new areas. And that's literally why we built this product. So with Trial Reels, the content goes to your non-followers first, and if you hit, you can convert it to your grid. If it doesn't work, it's just a learning," said Sollenberger.

Start with Shorts and Reels, not long-form videos

Multiple creators have told me that in today’s oversaturated creator space, beginners should start with short, vertical videos. That’s especially true of YouTube, where audiences expect long-form videos to be highly polished.

“I talked a lot of creators here this week at SXSW, who came in and said, ‘OK, Shorts is how I came into YouTube,” Trost said. “You might want to start with Shorts, and that's easier to create. Long-form takes time and more of a commitment.”

One of the biggest YouTubers of all time shared the same advice at another SXSW panel on the creator economy.

“I think that you have to have a short-form presence to begin with now,” Rhett McLaughlin, of Rhett & Link fame, said. “I mean, even we rely on discovery and rediscovery via TikTok, Instagram, YouTube Shorts…So I think that the discovery process for a lot of creators I know who have kind of started in the past couple of years is: You pop on TikTok or Reels, then figure out how to translate that into long-form. That makes a lot of sense.”

And McLaughlin’s advice echoes exactly what Mrwhosetheboss, aka Arun Maini, told me last year when I interviewed him: Start with Shorts until you see some success.

"Make [YouTube] Shorts in your spare time, and you'll realize very quickly, either this isn't for you, it's too time-consuming, you hate editing, you hate being on camera, or you've got something here, and you love the feedback cycle, and you can get better very quickly," he said.

Trying to be a general lifestyle creator We have bad news for the aspiring Alix Earles of the world. Credit: Cindy Ord/VF26/Getty Images for Vanity Fair

The era of the generalist influencer is over, Berry believes. “I cannot stress it enough,” Berry said at the panel.

"I feel like, really strongly about this. I'm actually gonna kind of yell at everybody because I feel strongly about this, but I do think the internet is oversaturated. We are. We are moving away from being a generalist creator. Even saying you're a travel creator is generalist; saying you’re a food creator is generalist. Tell me you’re a travel creator who specifically spends 24 hours in cities. So, niche wins, specificity wins. It's OK to have multiple interests, but you need to have defined lanes within those interests and developed formats within those interests.”

SEE ALSO: There's never going to be another Alix Earle, creator experts say

However, new creators may need to experiment until they identify their niche.

Sollenberger and Instagram call this the T-shaped approach. Cast a wide net at first, then narrow in on what works.

So, is all hope lost for the next aspiring Alix Earle? Not quite, Alikaja told me in an interview after her panel.

“My theory is that once you go really deep, then you can become kind of like that Alix Earle personality. But to just become a personality, I think that might be a little bit different process now," she said.

Honing in on a specific niche has other benefits, too.

“You have to start with what you love and branch from there," Berry said.

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There's never going to be another Alix Earle. That's what creator experts told Mashable at SXSW 2026.

That's not because Earle has an especially unique personality or brand. It's because discovery algorithms on apps like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube have dramatically changed. On top of that, the market is wildly oversaturated with aspiring creators, inspired by the likes of Earle, MrBeast, and streamer IShowSpeed.

And that means the next Earle will lose out as more niche creators get picked up by algorithms. That's according to creator economy expert Arthur Leopold.

SEE ALSO: How content creators are redefining Hollywood's power structure

“If you think about platform algorithms four years ago — very different from where they are today. I don't believe there will ever be another Alix Earle-type short-form creator who reaches mega, mega, mega celebrity status.

Leopold sat down with us at a diner in downtown Austin during SXSW to talk about the creator economy. Leopold co-founded Agentio, a programmatic creator advertising platform, and he works closely with big creators like Rhett & Link.

"In this diner, four years ago, five years ago, if we all picked up TikTok, probably every single person in this diner would have seen an Alix Earle-type piece of content, right? But now the algorithms have gotten so good that you look at everyone in this diner, you could all scroll TikTok and Reels and probably no one here would see anything the others see.”

Brooke Berry, head of creator development at Snapchat (and a popular creator herself), said something very similar at a panel on what new creators should do in their first 90 days.

The era of the generalist influencer is over, she believes. “I cannot stress it enough,” Berry said at the panel.

"I feel really strongly about this. I'm actually gonna kind of yell at everybody because I feel strongly about this, but I do think the internet is oversaturated. We are. We are moving away from being a generalist creator. Even saying you're a travel creator is generalist; saying you’re a food creator is generalist. Tell me you’re a travel creator that specifically spends 24 hours in cities."

In an oversaturated creator market, having a unique niche or voice is key, Berry said.

"So, niche wins, specificity wins. It's OK to have multiple interests, but you need to have defined lanes within those interests and developed formats within those interests.”

And at a SXSW panel with Rhett & Link, Leopold explained why it's not easy to shift from niche to mainstream content.

“And now the algorithms have gotten so good that it is so rich. It's like the vegan chicken nugget maker in Iowa, and she has a great community, I'm sure, but the MrBeast-ification of that, I think, is going to be very, very hard [to break through to the mainstream]," Leopold said.

SXSW 2026 ends on Wednesday, but you can still catch up on our coverage from Austin, where our reporters have been talking to Caleb Hearon on the red carpet, trying weird AI VR games, and trying out Darth Vader chambers.

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