Technology

A new study suggests that teen girls use so-called nudification apps at the same rate as teen boys. The artificial intelligence-powered undressing tools allow users to create sexualized images of a person, typically by uploading a picture of them.

The results surprised Dr. Chad M.S. Steel, a digital forensics researcher at George Mason University who studies technology-facilitated crimes against children.

"Males tend to be more involved in any type of online sexual endeavors, whether it's sexting or viewing pornographic material or the like, there's usually a much stronger signal for males than females," Steel said of the findings, which were published Wednesday in the journal PLOS One.

SEE ALSO: Parents need to talk to their kids about this online danger right now

In Jan. 2025, Steel conducted an online survey of 557 English-speaking adolescents ages 13 to 17. Even a year ago, Steel found widespread use of nudification tools. Fifty-five percent of the respondents said they'd created a sexualized image, and 54 percent said they'd received one.

More than a third of teens said they'd been victims of the technology. More than a third reported that someone had made a non-consensual image of them, and a third said an image of theirs had been shared without their permission.

Roughly 1 in 6 teen girls and boys used nudification tools frequently to see how they looked. About the same share of teen girls shared such imagery "once or twice" with someone else. A slightly smaller percentage of boys reported the same behavior.

Why girls might be using nudification tools

Steel didn't ask the teens why they used nudification tools, though sexting is a common practice among adolescents. He suspects that the popularity of "try it on" clothing and makeup visualization tools among girls builds familiarity with the same type of engagement as nudification apps. Coupled with male coercion for sexually explicit imagery, teen girls may find themselves using a familiar technology to deal with the pressure, Steel explained.

Dr. Linda Charmaraman studies girls' wellbeing with an emphasis on social media and digital health but wasn't involved in the study. She reviewed the findings and told Mashable that teens are in a delicate developmental period as they form their identities and seek social connection and acceptance.

"When you combine that time of development with AI, it can bring further risks," Charmaraman, director of the Youth, Media, & Wellbeing Research Lab at Wellesley College, wrote in an email. "For example, there might be a lot of pressure for girls to create certain kinds of content in order to fit in with their peers and to possibly promote their social status."

Boys did report higher usage of generative AI than girls to create and distribute sexual imagery, both with and without the permission of the subject.

Steel said that he would like to see his results replicated among a much larger sample of teens.

"In this case, I'd love to find out that I had an extremely unusual subset," Steel said.

Charmaraman said that the survey's nationally representative sample and effective quality checks indicate it reached diverse households. Yet she wondered whether the way the survey was advertised could have attracted "technology-savvy" participants, potentially skewing the results.

Top takeaways for parents

• Nudification has become normal.
  Steel said the survey results suggest that teen use of nudification tools has become widespread, and that "we have no idea what the effects will be."

• How to talk to your teen about nudification imagery.
  Steel urges parents to consider the likelihood that their child will encounter nudification tools and imagery, and talk to them nonjudgmentally about the risks. Focusing on abstention won't work, he added, given that teens may see AI-created sexual imagery as a natural extension of exploring their sexuality.
  
  Charmaraman recommends regular conversations about what's happening in teens' digital lives. This builds a strong foundation so that if parents learn about distressing incidents like non-consensual sharing of AI-generated sexual imagery, the lines of communication are already open. Instead of immediately restricting an app or device, Charmaraman suggests learning more about a teen's intentions, such as why they wanted to create sexual imagery and whether they were coerced by strangers or peers.

• Deterring illegal imagery.
  Steel said teens often don't grasp that they're creating what's known as child sexual abuse material when they use nudification tools. It's unlikely that they'll face legal consequences when that imagery is shared consensually with an adolescent peer.

  In order to deter teens from creating and sharing images without permission, Steel recommends policymakers explore a bystander approach wherein teens are taught the value of speaking up if they learn their friends or peers are going to use AI to generate sexual imagery of a victim.

  Charmaraman has previously advocated for a "duty of care" standard that shifts safety responsibility from the user to the tech companies that design platforms.

  "Tech companies must also provide tools that allow minors and their parents to manage their digital experience, including the ability to disable certain product features and protect their personal information," she said.

• The risk of sextortion.

  Teens might not always understand that predators are highly interested in amassing collections of child sexual abuse material, including AI-generated imagery. Adult predators may ask teens for this content online, or they may use a nudification app to create that imagery based on publicly available pictures of the victim. Some predators may even try to sextort the teen using a nudified image they made on their own.

  Steel said both parents and teens should be aware of this possibility. Teens might consider using social media account protections, such as keeping their accounts private and allowing only well-known followers to access their photos.

If you have had intimate images shared without your consent, call the Cyber Civil Rights Initiative’s 24/7 hotline at 844-878-2274 for free, confidential support. The CCRI website also includes helpful information and a list of international resources.

TL;DR: Live stream Liverpool vs. Galatasaray in the Champions League for free on RTÉ Player. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Champions League is showcasing a number of huge second-leg matchups this week, including Liverpool vs. Galatasaray.

The Turkish side hold a 1-0 advantage after the first leg, so everything is still hanging in the balance. Liverpool are probably still favorites to advance into the quarter finals, but they'll need to be at their best to overcome Galatasaray. The likes of Victor Osimhen and Noa Lang will look to cause problems at Anfield. An early goal from the away side would put some serious pressure on the Premier League champions and manager Arne Slot.

If you want to watch Liverpool vs. Galatasaray in the Champions League from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Liverpool vs. Galatasaray?

Liverpool vs. Galatasaray in the Champions League kicks off at 8 p.m. GMT on March 18. This fixture takes place at Anfield Stadium.

How to watch Liverpool vs. Galatasaray for free

Liverpool vs. Galatasaray is available to live stream for free on RTÉ Player.

RTÉ 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 RTÉ Player to stream the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Liverpool vs. Galatasaray 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 RTÉ Player

5. Watch Liverpool vs. Galatasaray 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 access free live streams of the Champions League without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Liverpool vs. Galatasaray (plus more Champions League fixtures) before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to the best free streaming services 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 RTÉ Player?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on RTÉ 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).

Live stream Liverpool vs. Galatasaray in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.

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

Things have been going really badly for Spurs this season, but the 5-2 Champions League defeat to Atletico Madrid was a particularly low point. Now they face Atletico Madrid again in the second leg, looking to build on an improved performance against Liverpool at the weekend.

It would take a heroic effort from Spurs to qualify for the quarter finals, but anything is possible. The reality is that fans would take anything even remotely positive right now. They don't need a 4-0 win. They just need to see some light at the end of the tunnel. Could that come at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium tonight?

If you want to watch Tottenham vs. Atletico Madrid in the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Tottenham vs. Atletico Madrid?

Tottenham vs. Atletico Madrid in the Champions League kicks off at 8 p.m. GMT on March 18. This fixture takes place at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.

How to watch Tottenham vs. Atletico Madrid for free

Tottenham vs. Atletico Madrid 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 Tottenham vs. Atletico Madrid 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 Tottenham vs. Atletico Madrid 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 Tottenham vs. Atletico Madrid 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 Tottenham vs. Atletico Madrid in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.

Best noise-cancelling headphones deals ahead of the Big Spring Sale Best headphones deal Beats Studio Pro $169.95 (save $180.04) Get Deal Best earbuds deal Apple AirPods Pro 3 $199.99 (save $49.01) Get Deal

If spring is the season of cleaning and rebirth, why can't that include your old, half-functioning noise-cancelling headphones barely hanging on to half their original battery life?

While Black Friday and Prime Day are generally great times of year to pick up a new pair of headphones, that doesn't mean you're left high and dry in the spring, especially thanks to Amazon's Big Spring Sale.

The sitewide sale starts for its third year running on March 25 and goes all the way through March 31. Prime and non-Prime members alike can enjoy savings, and while this sale is more focused on season-appropriate savings like outdoor and cleaning supplies, historically we've also seen great deals on tech like noise-cancelling headphones.

SEE ALSO: Amazon's Big Spring Sale kicks off on March 25 this year. Here's how we're prepping for it.

Early shoppers also have more of an edge. Because the Spring Sale isn't necessarily Black Friday-level, some early deals are just as good as what you'll see live during the sale. With that in mind, we gathered up 16 of the best noise-cancelling headphones and earbuds deal live ahead of the sale:

Best noise-cancelling headphones on sale Beats Studio Pro $169.95 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $180.04   Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Best Buy Get Deal at Walmart Why we like it

As nearly three year old headphones not from Bose or Sony, the Beats Studio Pro may seem unassuming. Yet in his testing, Mashable contributor Alex Bracetti called them the better option for folks looking into buying the Apple AirPods Max, saying that Beats had a similar noise cancelling performance, and are better optimized for sound quality. Add in that they're basically just as compatible with Apple devices (with Beats being Apple-owned,) offer 24 hours of battery life to the Max's 20, and at this sale price are still about $280 cheaper than the Max's on sale — well, the choice seems clear to us.

More early noise cancelling headphones deals

• Sony WH-CH720N — $98 $179.99 (save $81.99)

• Sennheiser Accentum — $99.95 $189.95 (save $90)

• Sony ULT Wear — $139.95 $249.99 (save $110.04)

• Marshall Monitor III — $248.99 $379.99 (save $131)

• Sennheiser Momentum 4 — $249.95 $449.95 (save $200)

• Sony WH-1000XM5 — $278 $399.99 (save $121.99)

• Sony WH-1000XM6 — $398 $459.99 (save $61.99)

• Apple AirPods Max — $449.99 $549 (save $99.01)

Best noise-cancelling earbuds on sale Apple AirPods Pro 3 $199.99 at Amazon
$249 Save $49.01   Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Walmart Why we like it

The AirPods Pro 3 are not only the best earbuds Apple has ever made, but one of the best value earbuds available on the market. They have excellent noise cancellation, a great neutral sound profile (though we do miss the presence of a custom equalizer), five different eartips for finding the best fit, eight hours of battery life per charge, a built-in heart rate monitor, and live translation features. Whether you use them for work, working out, or simply for leisure, at full price they're more accessible than Bose and Sony's flagship offerings. On sale for $199.99, they're just over $15 away from their record low price, and still a far cry cheaper than their competition.

Check out our full review of the Apple AirPods Pro 3.

More early noise-cancelling earbuds deals

• Sony WF-C710N — $88 $129.99 (save $41.99)

• Bose QuietComfort earbuds — $139 $179 (save $40)

• Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 — $169 $229 (save $60)

• Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 — $199.99 $249.95 (save $49.96)

• Technics EAH-AZ100 — $247.99 $299.99 (save $52)

• Sony WF-1000XM6 — $298 $329.99 (save $31.99)

Say what you want about it, but one thing’s for sure, people can’t get enough of Taylor Sheridan. The healthy lineup of Sheridan's shows set to stream this year on Paramount+ proves his popularity.

Best boring but essential deals: Best trash bag deal Hefty Ultra Strong Tall Kitchen Trash Bags, Lavender & Sweet Vanilla Scent (80 count) $11.97 (save $4.02) Get Deal Best laundry deal Cleancult Ultra Concentrated Liquid Laundry Detergent Soap, Juniper Sandalwood Scent (192 loads) $24 (save $11.99) Get Deal Best toilet paper deal Quilted Northern Ultra Soft & Strong Toilet Paper (24 count) $25.29 (save $11) Get Deal

We all know the drill by now. Amazon announces a giant, week-long shopping event (this time it’s the Big Spring Sale running from March 25 to March 31) and suddenly everyone is trying to justify buying another air fryer or a new TV (which, I mean, fair). But if you want to outsmart the algorithm and save money where it counts, you need to refrain from your wants and focus on your needs.

Which means the absolute smartest way to shop this sale: the boring stuff.

You know, the everyday, unsexy household essentials we are literally forced to buy anyway. Why pay full price for trash bags, laundry detergent, dishwasher pods, or paper towels? You're just going to throw them in the garbage or flush them down the toilet eventually.

SEE ALSO: I'm trying the Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai at home — one minute I'm cheering it on, the next I'm cursing it out

Amazon is already dropping prices on a ton of these pantry and closet staples. Just a quick reminder: while anyone can shop the sale, Prime members are the ones who'll get those exclusive "Best Deals." So if you're borrowing an account, now's the time to log in.

Here are the best boring (but entirely essential) deals you can add to your cart right now.

Trash bags and other kitchen essentials

• Lysol Pro Kitchen Spray Cleaner and Degreaser (22 oz) — $2.97 $3.85 (save $0.88)

• Scotch-Brite Zero Scratch Scrub Sponge (6 count) — $5.97 $7.99 (save $2.02)

• Hefty Ultra Strong Tall Kitchen Trash Bags, Lavender & Sweet Vanilla Scent (80 count) — $11.97 $15.99 (save $4.02)

• Mrs. Meyer's Clean Day All-Purpose Cleaner Spray (16 oz) — $14.82 $17.97 (save $3.15)

• Cascade Platinum Dishwasher Pods (71 count) — $19.94 $22.99 (save $3.05)

• Glad Tall Kitchen Drawstring Trash Bags (110 count) — $18.89 $23.49 (save $4.60)

• Blueland 100% Plastic-Free Dishwasher Detergent Tablets (20 count) — $20.99 $23.99 (save $3)

• Seventh Generation Multi Surface Wipes (70 count) — $35.82 $23.49 (save $6.12)

Laundry sheets, detergent, and pods

• Arm & Hammer Plus OxiClean Odor Blasters Fresh Burst Liquid Laundry Detergent (128 loads) — $13.98 $15.99 (save $2.01)

• all Laundry Detergent Liquid, Free Clear for Sensitive Skin, Odor Relief, Unscented and Hypoallergenic (90 loads) — $15.99 $21.99 (save $6)

• Blueland Laundry Detergent Tablets, Spring Bloom Scent (60 count) — $22.84 $23.49 (save $1.15)

• Cleancult Ultra Concentrated Liquid Laundry Detergent Soap, Juniper Sandalwood Scent (192 loads) — $24 $35.99 (save $11.99)

• Grab Green Natural 3 in 1 Laundry Detergent Pods, Gardenia-with Essential Oils (132 loads) — $37.49 $44.57 (save $7.08)

Toilet paper

• Eco Soul Premium Bamboo Toilet Paper (12 count) — $23.48 $29.99 (save $6.51)

• Quilted Northern Ultra Soft & Strong Toilet Paper (24 count) — $25.29 $27.79 (save $11)

• Ollie & Vince Bamboo Toilet Paper (24 count) — $43.99 $54.99 (save $11)

Best early Amazon Big Spring Sale Ninja deals at a glance: Best blender deal Ninja Kitchen System $129.99 (save $90) Get Deal Best air fryer deal Ninja 4-in-1 Pro Air Fry $89.99 (save $40) Get Deal Best cooler deal Ninja FrostVault (30 quart) $149.99 (save $50) Get Deal Best countertop oven deal Ninja Double Stack XL $279.99 (save $169.96) Get Deal Best frozen treats deal Ninja Creami Scoop & Swirl $299.99 (save $50) Get Deal

Spring is finally arriving which means it's time to refresh, organize, and clean after winter's hibernation. But spring also means the schedule gets busier and there's less time to spend making dinner. The phrase "work smarter, not harder" certainly applies to making meals, and Ninja makes some of Mashable's favorite kitchen appliances that help with whipping up excellent meals with little hassle.

If your kitchen could use an upgrade, the Amazon Big Spring Sale is here to help. Officially, the sale kicks off on March 25 but like all Amazon sale events, the mega retailer is already dropping prices. Here are some of the best Ninja deals to shop ahead of the sale.

Best blender deal Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Ninja Kitchen System $129.99 at Amazon
$219.99 Save $90   Get Deal Why we like it

Serving as a blender and a food processor, the Ninja Kitchen System is a do-it-all appliance. You'll be whizzing up morning smoothies, fresh salsa for barbecues, homemade salad dressings, and even mixing doughs thanks to the powerful Ninja blender. Plus, many of the components are safe to clean in the dishwasher.

The system with blender base, food processor bowl, two serving cups, and a 72-ounce blender pitcher usually sells for $219.99, but it's on sale at Amazon today for $129.99. That matches the lowest we've ever seen at Amazon.

Best frozen treats deal Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Ninja Creami Scoop & Swirl Ice Cream Maker $299.99 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $50   Get Deal Why we like it

There's arguably no better way to celebrate warmer temps than with ice cream. The only thing that could make this better would be if you got to enjoy homemade ice cream with your own custom flavors combinations. Welcome to the wonderful world of the Ninja Creami Scoop & Swirl. This worthy countertop appliance serves up your own scoopable ice cream, soft serve, frozen custard, sorbet, gelato, and more.

In Mashable's review of the best Ninja appliances, the Scoop & Swirl earns the top spot as the best model in the Ninja Creami lineup.

More Ninja deals to shop today

• Ninja Belgian Waffle Maker Pro — $79.99 $99.99 (save $20)

• Ninja Fresh Brew Drip Coffee Maker — $99.99 $119.99 (save $20)

• Ninja NeverClog Cold Press Juicer — $129.99 $149.99 (save $20)

• Ninja Air Fryer Toaster Oven Combo — $149.99 $249.99 (save $100)

• Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Glass Air Fryer — $159.99 $179.99 (save $20)

• Ninja Foodi Smart XL Indoor Grill and Air Fryer — $199.99 $279.99 (save $80)

The market for PC components right now is very expensive. It's tempting to buy everything used and cheaper, but there are some components you just shouldn't buy used. Getting them secondhand, even at a good price, could put your system at risk and just outright waste your money.

The command line has a reputation problem on Windows. To the average user, it looks intimidating, feels outdated, and often feels like something meant for developers. In reality, a few well-chosen tools can make your experience faster and easier than clicking through menus, installing apps, and managing files.

Amazon isn't the only one with a spring sale. To compete with Amazon's Big Spring Sale, Target is launching its own sale. Target Circle Deal Days runs from March 25 to 27. While it is a members only sale, the good news is that Target's Circle membership is free.

This continues the tradition of retailers following in Amazon's footsteps. When Amazon launches a sale, retailers will quickly follow suit. So what's the deal with Target Circle Deal Days? Here's everything we know so far.

What is Target Circle Deal Days?

Target's Circle Deal Days sale runs March 25 to 27. The retailer is marking down thousands of items up to 50% off, focusing on the season's coveted items as we transition into Spring. Target Circle 360 members — aka Target's paid membership tier — gain early access to the sale on March 24.

Target's not so coincidentally timed sale runs the same time as Amazon's Big Spring Sale which spans March 25 through 31.

Do you need to be a Target Circle member to shop the sale?

Yes, to shop Target Circle Deal Days, you need to be a Target Circle member. Luckily, membership is free to join — it's basically just a loyalty program. Joining ahead of the sale costs nothing, in fact, it may save you money. Target does have a paid membership tier, Target Circle 360, which provides you with free shipping, same-day delivery and more. For Target Circle Deal Days, Circle 360 members get early access to the sale starting on March 24.

What's on sale during Target Circle Deal Days?

With the sale still a week away, Target's deals aren't quite live yet. However, Target is teasing what's to come. The focus of the sale is refreshing for the new season so expect to see savings on swimwear, activewear, home goods and toys. Here's what Target says to expect:

• 40% off select skin care items

• Up to 50% off select toys

• Up to 40% off women's clothing

• 40% off kids', toddler, and baby clothing

• 40% off swimwear for all

• 40% off sandals for all

• 40% off women's activewear

• 40% off kitchen & dining items

• 40% off floor care items

• 40% off Hydro Flask

UPDATE: Mar. 18, 2026, 12:28 p.m. EDT It appears that the brief outage of X has been resolved. DownDetector reports are slowing down and Mashable reporters have since been able to access feeds and search on the platform.

Is X down? That's the question thousands of social media users are asking on Wednesday morning, as an X outage causes problems with the app.

The platform DownDetector showed a spike of tens of thousands of user error reports beginning around 10:30 a.m. ET. As of this writing, the platform has received more than 33,000 error reports from X users. (Disclosure: DownDetector and Mashable are both owned by ZiffDavis.)

Mashable reporters were unable to access the X feed, search, and bookmark tools on the X mobile app, suggesting the outage is ongoing.

The search tool is not working. Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable A NASA livestream is no longer working. Credit: Timothy Werth

Massive internet outages have been a recurring problem over the past year, with major cloud services such as Cloudflare, Google Cloud, Amazon Web Services, and Microsoft Azure experiencing outages recently.

SEE ALSO: Why does the internet keep crashing so often? First Google Cloud, then AWS, now Cloudflare.

Mashable reached out to X for comment, and we'll update this story if we receive a response.

This is a developing story...

I converted my home into a smart home over the course of a single year. Placing a bulk order for 50 light switches all at once, because they were on sale, will do that for you. I’ve learned a lot since then—some of which I wish I knew beforehand.

Pokémon Pokopia isn't the only Pokémon game to come to Nintendo Switch 2 this month.

On Tuesday, Nintendo pushed the big red update button and gave Nintendo Switch 2 owners the ability to play 2005's Pokémon XD: Gale of Darkness, originally released on GameCube. This is, of course, very cool and good, but there is a catch: You can't just buy and download the game.

Instead, Nintendo has bundled Pokémon XD and a growing collection of other classic GameCube titles in with the Nintendo Switch Online + Expansion Pack subscription, which is $49.99/year.

SEE ALSO: 'Pokémon Pokopia': How to get the Suck ability to move water around

Having to pay for a subscription just to play old games is kind of a bummer, but the good news is you get a lot more than just GameCube games for that price. Nintendo 64, Sega Genesis, and even Virtual Boy games are also included as part of the deal. Also, crucially, this subscription lets you play new Switch and Switch 2 games online. That part matters a lot, too.

Anyway, once you get that subscription business sorted out, Pokémon XD is a cool look at a previous era of Pokémon. In 2005, mainline Pokémon RPGs were still handheld games, leaving fans to dream of what a real big boy console Pokémon game would look like years before games like Scarlet and Violet came out.

Pokémon XD and its predecessor Pokémon Coliseum (which is not available on Switch 2 yet) are interesting little experiments in that they are technically console Pokémon RPGs, but with entirely unique systems and maybe not quite as much adventurous overworld exploration as you might like.

If nothing else, you can use Pokémon XD to flex your Pokémon battling muscles in between lengthy Pokopia construction sessions.

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
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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.