Technology

10 beginner-friendly Linux distros that aren’t Mint (and why you might prefer them)

How-To Geek - Tue, 03/24/2026 - 13:30

Linux Mint has earned a reputation as a Linux distro that's easy to get started with, thanks to its "batteries-included" setup, including popular media codecs. If you don't want Linux Mint, there are plenty of other distros geared toward people new to Linux.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Moon phase today: What the Moon will look like on March 24

Mashable - Tue, 03/24/2026 - 13:21

The Moon is starting to appear bigger each night. This is because of where we are in the lunar cycle. The lunar cycle is a 29.5 day cycle of the Moon's orbit around Earth and includes eight unique phases. Keep reading to find out where the Moon is in that cycle today.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Tuesday, March 24, the Moon phase is Waxing Crescent. According to NASA's Daily Moon Guide, 33% of the Moon will be lit up tonight.

The Moon is slowly coming back into view, so each night there will be more to see. For example, tonight, without any visual aids, you can see the Mare Fecunditatis and the Mare Crisum. There may be other features visible too, however these will be the most distinct.

With binoculars, you'll also be able to catch a glimpse of the Endymion Crater, the Posidonius Crater, and the Mare Nectaris. And, finally, with a telescope, you'll be able to spot even more, including the Apollo 11 and 17 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

Your soundbar isn't bad, it's just missing this one component

How-To Geek - Tue, 03/24/2026 - 13:16

You can't deny soundbar tech has gotten pretty amazing. High-end units now give you impressive clarity, crisp dialogue, and a surprisingly good width from just one sleek box. Today's soundbars are packed with multiple dedicated amplifiers, custom-designed drivers, and really powerful digital signal processing, which makes you wonder why some audiophiles hate them.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Jimmy Kimmel uses a 10-year-old tweet to roast Trump

Mashable - Tue, 03/24/2026 - 13:06

Airports in the US are in disarray at the moment, with TSA agents going without pay since mid February due to a partial government shutdown. Speaking about the situation on Monday night, Jimmy Kimmel didn't have to go out of his way to mock the president's handling of the situation — a 10-year-old tweet did most of the heavy lifting for him.

"All the tumult did not stop the president from playing golf this weekend," says Kimmel, "which made me nostalgic for this classic tweet from 2016, which reads: 'While our wonderful president was out playing golf all day, the TSA is falling apart, just like our government! Airports a total disaster!'" Oh, who said that? Donald Trump said that."

The host's conclusion? "Man oh man, if Donald Trump ever met president Trump, he would hate him."

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Pokémon TCG Perfect Order Chikorita 3-Pack Blister is under market price at Amazon

Mashable - Tue, 03/24/2026 - 13:05

TL;DR: Amazon has the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order 3-Pack Blister (Chikorita) listed for $32.44, which puts it $4.32 below the current $36.76 market price. That gets you three Perfect Order booster packs plus a special foil Chikorita promo card in one sealed preorder.

Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG Mega Evolutions Perfect Order 3 Pack Blister (Chikorita) $32.44 at Amazon
  Pre-order Here

In the Pokémon TCG market, Perfect Order preorder prices have been bouncing around all month, but the Chikorita 3-Pack Blister is one of the simpler buys if you just want sealed packs without paying above market value. Although Elite Trainer Boxes and booster bundles have been getting most of the attention, this smaller blister is still a great buy for collectors and casual rippers alike.

As of March 24, the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order 3-Pack Blister (Chikorita) is listed for $32.44 at Amazon. Against the current TCGplayer market price of $36.76, that works out to a $4.32 difference. It is not the biggest discount we have seen on a Perfect Order product, but getting anything below market value is a solid result this close to the expansion’s release date of March 27.

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As the name implies, this blister comes with three sealed booster packs from the Perfect Order expansion, with each pack containing 10 additional game cards — alongside the included Chikorita foil promo card.

At the time of writing, individual Perfect Order booster packs cost $11.79 each on Amazon — totalling $35.37 if you wanted to buy three. With this blister pack, you’re not only saving $3.13 compared to buying three boosters on their own, but you’re essentially getting a free Chikorita promo card as well.  

Perfect Order leans heavily into Mega Zygarde ex, while also featuring trading cards with other Pocket Monsters that appear in the Pokémon Legends: Z-A game, like Mega Clefable ex, Mega Starmie ex, and Meowth ex. The Perfect Order expansion includes more than 120 cards, more new Mega Evolution Pokémon ex, more than 25 Trainer cards, and more than 30 Pokémon and Trainer cards with special illustrations.

To save even more on the Pokémon TCG’s new expansion, you can preorder the Perfect Order Booster Bundle for under $59 at Amazon. What’s more, the Pokémon TCG First Partner Illustration Collection Series 1 is still available to grab for under $65

Categories: IT General, Technology

Out of M.2 slots? This $20 adapter unlocks hidden storage on your motherboard

How-To Geek - Tue, 03/24/2026 - 13:00

Depending on your computer and your motherboard, you might either have a lot of options for storage or you might not. The very best motherboards come with a ton of M.2 slots, but in others, you might be lucky to get two—and sometimes, you'll just have one.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Why 3D printing and laser engraving made me switch to the metric system

How-To Geek - Tue, 03/24/2026 - 12:00

I was working in my shop one day when a cut came out slightly off, but I couldn’t tell with the naked eye. I had to break out my calipers to find out what the problem was, and it was less than 0.05 of an inch—it was a millimeter. That’s when I realized it was time to ditch the imperial measurement system for something more accurate: metric.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Jon Stewart has a brutal reaction to Punch the monkeys new girlfriend

Mashable - Tue, 03/24/2026 - 11:42

Jon Stewart has been gleefully hating on Punch, the Ichikawa City Zoo monkey who found comfort in a stuffed toy after being abandoned, ever since the poor little guy first went viral.

In the Daily Show clip above, the host reacts to the news that Punch may have found himself a girlfriend, playing footage of the little monkey frolicking with a new companion before sharing his thoughts.

"Fantastic. It's really nice. Although, um...hey listen girl, straight talk. I know what you're thinking, but girl...you can't fix him," says Stewart, before addressing Punch with a whispered aside. "Punch, seriously, if you're watching, I am happy for you, but a little advice: Pre-nup."

Categories: IT General, Technology

Pokémon TCG Perfect Order Booster Bundle preorders are under $59 at Amazon — save vs. Walmart

Mashable - Tue, 03/24/2026 - 11:39

TL;DR: Amazon has the Pokémon TCG: Mega Evolution Perfect Order Booster Bundle available for preorder at $58.95, undercutting Walmart’s current $59.88 price. That gets you six booster packs from the new Perfect Order expansion for just under $10 per pack.

Pokémon TCG: Perfect Order Booster Bundle preorders Best Amazon Deal Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Booster Bundle $58.95 at Amazon Pre-Order Here Best Walmart Deal Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Booster Bundle $59.88 at Walmart Pre-Order Here

Perfect Order preorders have been especially rocky in the Pokémon TCG space, with prices on ETBs constantly fluctuating. So it's great to see Perfect Order Booster Bundles back in stock at a low price with Amazon.

As of March 24, Amazon has the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Booster Bundle listed for $58.95, while Walmart has the same preorder at $59.88. At Amazon’s current asking price, the six-pack bundle comes out to about $9.83 per booster pack, which is a much better deal compared to the $11.79 price for individual booster packs. Each Perfect Order booster pack contains 10 cards, one Basic Energy, and one Pokémon TCG Live code card. 

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An expansion with over 120 new cards, Perfect Order is another Pokémon trading card collection honing in on the Mega Evolutions that appear in the Pokémon Legends: Z-A video game — such as Mega Zygarde ex, Mega Clefable ex, and Mega Starmie ex. 

We predict prices will shoot up and consistently stay above $60 once Perfect Order is released on March 27, so we recommend pre-ordering at this low price before the release date.

For other in-demand Pokémon TCG releases, you can also get the Pokémon TCG: First Partner Illustration Collection (Series 1) for under $65. For more Pokémon TCG Perfect Order preorders, you can still preorder the Build and Battle Box for under $50.

Categories: IT General, Technology

You've heard wrong: Pop!_OS isn't the best beginner Linux distro

How-To Geek - Tue, 03/24/2026 - 11:30

Pop!_OS keeps getting recommended as the obvious beginner Linux distro, usually based on a few convenient defaults. It installs Nvidia drivers automatically, ships with a polished tiling workflow, and comes from System76, a company that also sells Linux laptops and desktops, which creates the impression of something closer to a vertically integrated stack.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Amazons Big Spring Sale is back: The best deals already live on Apple, robot vacuums, headphones, and more

Mashable - Tue, 03/24/2026 - 11:14
The best early Amazon Big Spring Sale deals at a glance: Best Apple deal Apple AirPods Pro 3 $199.99 (save $49.01) Get Deal Best robot vacuum deal Roborock Q10 S5+ $279.99 (save $270) Get Deal Best Amazon device deal Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select $17.99 (save $22) Get Deal Best headphones deal Sony WH-CH720N $98 (save $81.99) Get Deal Best TV deal Hisense 75-inch U7 Mini LED QLED 4K TV $897.96 (save $1,102.03) Get Deal Best outdoor deal Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 portable power station $489.99 (save $309.01) Get Deal

The sun is shining past 6 p.m., flowers are beginning to bloom, and pollen is in the air. This all means spring is finally here, and Amazon is ready to celebrate in their customary fashion: with deals.

On March 16, the retailer officially announced the third annual Amazon Big Spring Sale. Deals will be live for an entire week, from March 25-31, keeping in line with the schedule from last year's sale.

Also, as in years past, the deals featured in this sale will reflect the spirit of the season: Camping and yard care supplies, cleaning items from disinfectant wipes to robot vacuums, spring fashion, and other household essentials will be the major featured deals. While that does mean less of an emphasis on tech than Amazon's other sales like Prime Day and Black Friday, we still anticipate a selection of worthwhile savings on devices. Last year's spring sale brought savings on Amazon's devices like Kindles, Apple deals on MacBooks and iPads, and markdowns on headphones and TVs.

SEE ALSO: When is Amazon's Spring Sale in 2026? Amazon just announced official dates.

Already, we're starting to see early savings roll out on those exact product categories, from Fire sticks and Sony headphones to Roborock vacuums and Ninja kitchen appliances. Most deals are available whether or not you have a Prime membership — a major benefit of the Big Spring Sale is that, unlike Amazon's other Prime member-focused sales, a majority of the deals are available for anyone to purchase. That said, those with a Prime membership will be able to "unlock exclusive savings with Prime-exclusive Best Deals featuring the 'Prime Spring Deal' badge," according to Amazon.

Once it kicks off, the sale will also feature daily deal drops on categories from spring cleaning to beauty. In the meantime, Mashable's shopping team will be keeping an eye on the best deals live in the lead-up to Amazon's Big Spring Sale. Check out the best early finds below:

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.

MacBook dealsAirPods dealsiPad dealsApple Watch dealsAirTag dealsBest robot vacuum deal Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock Q10 S5+ $279.99 at Amazon
$549.99 Save $270   Get Deal Why we like it

Mashable's robot vacuum expert, Leah Stodart, deemed the Roborock Q10 S5+ the best quiet robot vacuum on the market, and ahead of the Big Spring Sale, it's down to a record-low price.

One of the major pros of this vacuum is that it frequently drops down in price to $379.99, but this price drop to under $280 is especially impressive. Stodart points to the LiDAR smart mapping performance, effective sonic mopping, small obstacle avoidance, and five-digit suction power as the standouts of this vacuum. While the vacuum itself isn't slim and the edge mopping isn't the best, this remains a killer deal.

More robot vacuum dealsBest Amazon device deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select $17.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $22.00   Get Deal Why we like it

The newest Fire TV Stick in Amazon's lineup, the 4K Select, was one of Mashable reader's (and team's) favorite deals from Black Friday. We saw it drop to a wildly low price of $9.99 during that sale. While this current discount doesn't quite measure up to those savings, it's still a pretty epic value. Not only is this the newest Fire TV Stick, but it's also the first one with the Linux-based Vega operating system. 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 dealsEcho device dealsKindle dealsBest outdoor deal Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 portable power station $489.99 at Amazon
$799 Save $309.01   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 also can 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 dealsBest TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense 75-inch U7 Mini LED QLED 4K TV $897.96 at Amazon
$1,999.99 Save $1,102.03   Get Deal Why we like it

Hisense's 2025 U7 TV combines mini LED backlighting with a 165Hz refresh rate and Dolby Atmos to pack a major punch with a not-so-major price tag. At least, now that it's considered a last-generation model. The 2026 version of the same TV (just unveiled on March 6) will run you $1,999.99 for the 75-inch model. If you opt for last year's version instead, it'll only cost you $897.96. Not only is that over 50% off, but it's about $100 cheaper than it was just last month for President's Day.

More TV deals

43-inch TVs and under

50- to 55-inch TVs

65-inch TVs

75-inch TVs and up

Categories: IT General, Technology

Apple WWDC 2026 is official, with iOS 27 and AI advancements on the menu

Mashable - Tue, 03/24/2026 - 11:02

Apple has officially announced the dates for its Worldwide Developers Conference: June 8 to 12, starting with a special event at Apple Park on Monday, June 8.

As is customary, Apple will talk about its software platforms, which most likely includes the next version of Apple's mobile platform, iOS 27, as well as new versions of macOS, iPadOS, watchOS, visionOS, and tvOS.

In a news post accompanying the announcement, Apple said it will spotlight "incredible updates for Apple platforms, including AI advancements."

While artificial intelligence is a ubiquitous topic for tech companies these days, it's a particularly important one for Apple, which has been very slow to launch an improved version of Siri.

In particular, Apple's revamped Siri (Siri 2.0, if you will) should come with onscreen awareness, personal context, and be more deeply integrated with apps. We might also see a version of Siri that has chatbot capabilities similar to the ones in OpenAI's ChatGPT, Google's Gemini, and Anthropic's Claude.

As for the rest of WWDC, Apple says the conference will have more than 100 video sessions and interactive group labs and appointments. Developers who would like to attend the event in person can apply here until March 30. Not everyone gets to go; instead, Apple will randomly select the winning tickets and notify the winners on April 2.

For a more comprehensive list of what we expect to see at this year's WWDC, go here.

SEE ALSO: Apple WWDC 2026: Everything we know so far

For those following from home, the conference will be streamed on Apple's Developer app, the company's website, and YouTube channel.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Build apps faster with Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 for under $50

Mashable - Tue, 03/24/2026 - 10:50

TL;DR: Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 is now $42.49 (reg. $499.99) with code MARCH15 until March 29.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 $42.50
$499.99 Save $457.49   Get Deal

If you’re still working with multiple tools just to build and test your code, there’s a better way. Instead of patching together separate editors, testing tools, and deployment setups this setup keeps everything under one roof. That can mean fewer slowdowns, fewer compatibility issues, and less time spent troubleshooting.

Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 is a fully featured IDE designed to streamline development workflows across languages and platforms, and for a limited time, it’s on sale for $42.49 (reg. $499.99) with code MARCH15 until March 29.

Build, test, and ship all in one place

This 64-bit development environment is built to handle large, complex projects at full speed. You can build cross-platform mobile and desktop apps with .NET MAUI, create web interfaces using Blazor, and develop applications for Windows, Linux, and containers, all without switching tools.

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Hot reload capabilities also let you apply code changes instantly across .NET and C++ apps, so you can iterate quickly without constantly restarting your environment. For developers working on larger or more dynamic projects, that kind of real-time feedback can make a noticeable difference in day-to-day productivity.

Native integrations with Azure and GitHub keep your development and deployment workflows seamlessly connected from start to finish.

Spend less time typing, more time coding

Built-in AI tools like IntelliCode analyze your coding patterns to suggest entire lines or blocks of code, helping reduce repetitive work. You’ll also get AI-assisted refactoring and real-time suggestions that can help cut down on bugs and cleanup later.

Features like CodeLens surface insights directly in your editor, including test results, commit history, and author info, so you’re not constantly switching between tabs.

This is a lifetime license for a single user, which means you pay once and keep access to the 2026 Professional version without ongoing fees. It’s a practical option for developers who prefer owning their tools rather than paying monthly subscription fees.

If you’re looking for a more streamlined way to build, test, and collaborate on your code, you can get Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 for $42.49 (reg. $499.99) with code MARCH15 until March 29.

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

The 11-inch Apple iPad has never been cheaper at Amazon — save over $100 ahead of the Big Spring Sale

Mashable - Tue, 03/24/2026 - 10:47

SAVE OVER $140: As of March 24, the Apple iPad 11-inch (A16) is on sale for $651.20 at Amazon. That's a 18% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad 11-inch (A16) $651.20 at Amazon
$799 Save $147.80   Get Deal

The Apple iPad 11-inch (A16) has dropped to its lowest-ever price at Amazon, before the retailer's Big Spring Sale offically starts. As of March 24, this model is down from $799 to $651.20, a saving of $147.80 on list price and its best-ever price. This deal is for the 512GB model and is only available in the color yellow.

This is a great all-rounder iPad thanks to its powerful performance from the A16 chip. Whether it's gaming, streaming, photo editing, or work tasks, it'll perform fast and efficiently. And it won't run out of battery either; this model boasts an all-day battery life.

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It has a Liquid Retina display with True Tone that is designed to adjust to ambient lighting to make the viewing experience comfortable no matter the lighting. Other features include a 12MP Center Stage front camera for video calls and a 12MP rear camera with True Tone flash for 4K video and document scanning.

Connectivity includes WiFi 6 and optional 5G, along with a USB-C port for charging and accessories. It also supports Apple accessories like the Apple Pencil (USB-C) and the Magic Keyboard Folio.

Get this iPad deal at Amazon now.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Hisense 85-inch QD7 TV is heavily discounted before Amazons Big Spring Sale — save over $500

Mashable - Tue, 03/24/2026 - 10:43

SAVE OVER $500: As of March 24, the Hisense 85-inch QD7 TV is on sale for $797.99 at Amazon. That's a 39% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense 85-inch QD7 TV $797.99 at Amazon
$1,299.99 Save $502   Get Deal

Amazon's Big Spring Sale runs from March 25-31, but if you're looking for an early discount on a great TV, we've found just the deal for you.

As of March 24, the Hisense 85-inch QD7 TV is over $500 off ($502), taking the price down from $1,299.99 to $797.99. This is only three cents off its best-ever price of $797.96, so this really is a strong early deal.

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This price is for the 85-inch TV, but all sizes are heavily reduced, from 50-inch all the way to 100-inch. And with each size, you'll be getting the same impressive quality of Mini LED backlighting with up to 600 nits peak brightness. It also has full array local dimming to give you better contrast and deeper shadows, brighter highlights, and reduced halo effects.

It's a great option for gamers too, thanks to the native 144Hz panel with Motion Rate 480, 144Hz Game Mode Pro, and AMD FreeSync Premium. And on the inside, the TV runs on Fire TV. This means you'll get all your content and most used apps in one easy-to-navigate home screen. You'll also get Alexa voice control which makes searching for content much easier.

Get this impressive TV deal online at Amazon now.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Apple AirTag 4-pack has dropped to a new record-low price at Amazon — buy for under $60

Mashable - Tue, 03/24/2026 - 10:37

SAVE $39.01: As of March 24, the Apple AirTag four-pack is on sale for $59.99 at Amazon. That's a 39% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirTag 4-Pack $59.99 at Amazon
$99 Save $39.01   Get Deal

Amazon's Big Spring Sale kicks off this week, which can only mean one thing: record-low prices on Apple products. And that's exactly what we're getting with the Apple AirTag four-pack, which is heavily discounted ahead of the sale. As of March 24, these trackers are down to just $59.99. That works out at around $14.99 per AirTag, and is the lowest-ever price for this popular bundle.

AirTags are the perfect product if you're often losing items like your passport, wallet, or keys. They're a compact tracker that works with the Find My app, so you can keep track of everyday items. The setup is easy — just a simple connection to an iPhone or iPad. You can also share an AirTag with up to five people so multiple users can track the same item.

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It includes a built-in speaker to play a sound when trying to find an item that's nearby but out of sight (i.e. down the side of the couch). It also has Precision Finding with Ultra Wideband technology to help guide you directly to it on supported iPhone models.

For items further away, it uses the Find My network of Apple devices to help locate it, and Lost Mode can notify you when an item is detected again. This is ideal for luggage when flying, and it even lets you share the location with third parties such as airlines. Also, every AirTag is powered by a replaceable battery that lasts over a year. When it runs out, just replace with a CR2032 coin cell battery to keep using the tracker.

This AirTag bundle has never been priced so low, so get this deal at Amazon now.

Categories: IT General, Technology

NYT Mini crossword answers, hints for March 24, 2026

Mashable - Tue, 03/24/2026 - 10:31

The Mini is a bite-sized version of The New York Times' revered daily crossword. While the crossword is a lengthier experience that requires both knowledge and patience to complete, The Mini is an entirely different vibe.

With only a handful of clues to answer, the daily puzzle doubles as a speed-running test for many who play it.

So, when a tricky clue disrupts a player's flow, it can be frustrating! If you find yourself stumped playing The Mini — much like with Wordle and Connections — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: How to play Pips, the newest NYT game

Here are the clues and answers to NYT's The Mini for Tuesday, March 24, 2026:

AcrossApple computers
  • The answer is Macs.

Colorful parrot with a long tail
  • The answer is Macaw.

Enticing scent
  • The answer is Aroma.

___ song (dangerous lure)
  • The answer is Siren.

"Barbie" character whose job is "beach"
  • The answer is Ken.

DownSinging sister in the Osmond family
  • The answer is Marie.

Future oak tree, perhaps
  • The answer is Acorn.

Attended
  • The answer is Came.

___ song (farewell performance)
  • The answer is Swan.

Conceal
  • The answer is Mask.

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

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to the latest Mini Crossword.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The M4 MacBook Air has hit its best-ever price ahead of Amazons Big Spring Sale — save $300 right now

Mashable - Tue, 03/24/2026 - 10:29

SAVE $300: As of March 24, the 15-inch Apple MacBook Air is on sale for $1,299 at Amazon. That's $300 off the list price and the best-ever price for this model.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple 15-inch MacBook Air M4 (512GB) $1,299 at Amazon
$1,599 Save $300   Get Deal

Amazon's Big Spring Sale is still a day away, but the retailer has already dropped some impressive deals on Apple products, including the 15-inch Apple MacBook Air M4.

As of March 24, this impressive laptop has dropped to $1,299 from $1,599. Not only is that a saving of $300 on list price, but it's the best-ever price for this model. This price is specific to the 512GB model in the color sky blue. The starlight option is also heavily reduced, and costs just 97 cents more.

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We crowned this MacBook the best for most people in 2026, so trust us when we say it's a great option if you're looking for an Apple computer that can do a bit of everything. The display is one of the best, giving you a 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display that supports up to one billion colors. And it's built with the powerful M4 chip, so it will give you fast performance with every task, even if you're multitasking between heavy jobs like video editing. You'll also get up to 18 hours of battery life, no matter how heavy your workload is.

For video calls, enjoy the benefits of the 12MP Center Stage camera (a feature that keeps you centered in the frame), three microphones, and a six-speaker system with Spatial Audio support. And of course, with macOS, you'll be able to download a wide range of apps including Microsoft 365 Copilot and Adobe Creative Cloud.

Get this great MacBook deal at Amazon now.

Categories: IT General, Technology

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

Mashable - Tue, 03/24/2026 - 10:24

Pokémon Pokopia for Nintendo Switch 2 is officially the biggest game in the universe, or at least it feels like it if you look at social media. But not everyone is having a friction-free time navigating its Minecraft-inspired mechanics.

For example, some players online have gotten stuck when it comes to learning the Suck ability. This is one of the protagonist Ditto's powers it can learn over the course of the game's story, each of which is crucial to building the Pokémon island of your dreams. Progressing in Pokopia can occasionally be a little confusing, so allow us to help out. Here is how to learn Suck in Pokémon Pokopia.

SEE ALSO: 'Pokémon Pokopia' is the cozy escape the internet needed How suck up water in Pokopia

In case you aren't aware, Suck is an ability that allows Ditto to vacuum up water and displace it somewhere else. This can be useful for clearing flooded areas or creating creeks or ponds of your own, which can either be useful for aesthetic purposes or for summoning new Pokémon via habitats that require water.

If you really want to move water around but don't have Suck yet, don't fret. The solution, according to the internet, is to just keep playing through the story. Specifically, per Reddit, the first thing you need to do is progress far enough in the Rocky Ridges area to build the Pokémon center there. This will take some time, as building a Pokémon center is usually the culmination of lots of other smaller questlines in a given area.

Once that's done, you should be able to get a request from Piplup in the Bleak Beach area to create a waterfall. In order to create said waterfall, you'll need to get a Paldean Wooper to come help out. This can be done by creating a "marshy tall grass" habitat, which consists of four yellow tall grass tiles near a body of muddy water.

Put those components down, wait a bit, and eventually, Paldean Wooper should show up and kickstart the process of teaching Ditto how to use Suck.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Pokémon Pokopia: How to make paper

Mashable - Tue, 03/24/2026 - 10:15

The key to making anything happen in Pokémon Pokopia for Nintendo Switch 2 is to get a little help from your friends.

Case in point: getting paper. No, I don't mean "get that paper" in the "making money" sense. I mean, literally, getting paper as an item in your inventory so you can complete requests or use it in construction projects. This can be done somewhat easily if you get far enough in Pokopia's story, but like a lot of other things in this adorable Pokémon life sim, it's not as straightforward as you'd think.

SEE ALSO: 10 of the coolest and weirdest 'Pokémon Pokopia' builds we've seen so far How to get paper in Pokémon Pokopia

If you've played a decent chunk of Pokopia, which I assume you have if you find yourself needing paper, then you probably know that certain materials can only be created by handing a prerequisite ingredient to a Pokémon who has a certain skill that can transmute what you gave it into something else. One early-game example is giving wood to Scyther, who processes it into lumber. Paper is the result of a similar process.

Specifically, you're going to need to befriend a Pokémon with the "Recycle" ability. There are a few in the game who can do this, including Porygon and Beldum, but probably the easiest one to get is Trubbish, who you can meet pretty early in the game's story in the Bleak Beach area. His habitat consists of a Sign, a Waste Bin, and some Garbage Bags, which can all be found in Bleak Beach. You can also wait until you meet Metang later in the game's story, as that Pokémon also has Recycle.

Once you have a Trubbish on hand, the next step is finding Wastepaper, an item that's not particularly useful on its own but can be turned into Paper by giving it to a Pokémon with the Recycle ability. This is where the process can get a little tedious if you're relying on a Trubbish at Bleak Beach, as wastepaper is much more commonly found in the Sparkling Skylands area later in the story.

However, Nintendo Life has a hot tip that you can use a Dragonite Doll to travel to a dream island that should have an abundance of Wastepaper for your needs, potentially even before you've unlocked Sparkling Skylands.

Hopefully, this piece has given you at least a cursory idea of how to get Paper in Pokémon Pokopia. Whatever you do with that paper is up to you, though.

Categories: IT General, Technology
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