Technology

After months of hype, predictions, and sneaky glimpses, Nintendo has confirmed a brand new Mario Kart game: Mario Kart World.

Announced at the company's Nintendo Direct event on Wednesday, along with the Switch 2, the latest instalment of the Mario Kart franchise will launch exclusively on the console on the same day. The news comes months after Nintendo gave us a brief glimpse of the upcoming game in January's Switch teaser.

SEE ALSO: Switch 2 Nintendo Direct today: See the latest updates from the April 2 event Credit: Screenshot: Nintendo

Mario Kart World will feature 24 drivers (the most in Mario Kart history) including the cream of the crop: one of the cows from Moo Moo Farm, a track from the original Mario Kart.

In one of the best features, you'll also the option to drive off-course like the Canyonero you are, in order to explore the map and discover new areas. There's also a Knockout Tour option, in which you race non-stop from one corner of the world to another. And there'll be changing weather conditions for each course.

Credit: Screenshot: Nintendo

It's the official follow-up to 2014's Mario Kart 8. Between then and now, Nintendo released its mobile game Mario Kart Tour in 2019 and augmented reality/remote-controlled car hybrid Mario Kart Live: Home Circuit in 2020, but no proper Mario Kart sequel.

For everything Nintendo announced today, including the Switch 2, Mashable's got you covered.

Some of us have been waiting years for this. Others may have just found out about it today. Either way, we're all going to know a lot about the Nintendo Switch 2 by lunchtime on Wednesday.

After years of leaks and rumors, Nintendo is holding a Nintendo Direct livestream at 9 a.m. ET on Wednesday, April 2 to blow the doors off of Switch 2, which was initially teased in January. Nintendo has revealed few details about this livestream so far: it will focus entirely on Switch 2, and it's about 60 minutes long. If you can't sneak away from a work meeting to watch live, we have good news: We'll be live-blogging the whole thing right here.

We expect this Direct to focus on a handful of different things. For starters, Nintendo will almost assuredly reveal the console's price and release date. Beyond that, expect a battery of trailers for new games, alongside some unique new features for the console hardware itself. Buckle up, folks.

Roblox is equipping parents with more oversight power for their young players, introducing new blocking and monitoring tools to their recently revamped parental control settings.

SEE ALSO: Former White House AI chief: Here's how to protect kids from harm

The update includes new options for parents seeking to block and report specific friends on their child's friends lists, as well as individual experiences — until this update, parents could only prevent children from accessing experiences by blocking that entire maturity level. Children under the age of 13 can request to unblock a friend or experience at any time, but it must be approved by the parent.

Credit: Roblox

Parents can also find more detailed weekly insights into their children's activity, including their child's top 20 most-visited experiences over the last week. They can access additional safety resources on Roblox's updated Safety Center, as well.

In addition, the platform announced the launch of its updated open-source voice safety classifier, a large classification model designed to help detect and classify toxic voice chats. The updated version — used to moderate "millions of minutes of voice chat per day," the company explains — joins the open source child safety effort known as ROOST, founded by Roblox and other tech companies like Google, OpenAI and Discord.

Credit: Roblox

"Providing tools [like] blocking specific friends and Roblox experiences, along with visibility into how long their child is playing Roblox games, enables parents to better support their children’s safe use of the platform," said Larry Magid, CEO of ConnectSafely, a tech safety nonprofit that has partnered with Roblox. "Safety, fun, and adventure are not mutually exclusive.”

In November, Roblox announced a suite of new safety features, including ID-verified parent accounts and remote monitoring tools like screen time limits, restrictions on games based on maturity level, and access to friend lists. The platform also scrapped the ability for children under the age of 13 from directly messaging other users, as well as from messaging fellow players while in a Roblox experience.

These changes followed an outpouring of concern from parents and child safety advocates over Roblox's alleged hosting of inappropriate content, as well as predation and grooming of child users, despite advertising itself as a platform for children — in 2023, a group of parents sued the gaming site for negligent misrepresentation and false advertising.

The company later added new safety rules and features, including expanded parental controls. According to Roblox chief safety office Matt Kaufman, the platform introduced more than 40 safety updates in 2024.

If you are a child being sexually exploited online, or you know a child who is being sexually exploited online, or you witnessed exploitation of a child occur online, you can report it to the CyberTipline, which is operated by the National Center for Missing Exploited & Children.

SAVE $100: As of April 2, the iPad Mini (A17 Pro chip, WiFi, 128GB) is on sale at Best Buy for $399, 20% off its list price of $499.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple - iPad mini (A17 Pro chip) - Built for Apple Intelligence - Wi-Fi 128GB - Space Gray $399 at Best Buy
$499 Save $100 Get Deal

Most of the big springtime seasonal sale events are starting to wind down, but that doesn't mean there aren't still some great deals to jump on. If you've been looking to get some new tech, we've found quite a few deals that are worth keeping on your radar, including on Apple products. At the moment, one of our favorite deals is on the iPad Mini (A17 Pro chip, WiFi, 128GB), which has gotten a nice little discount at Best Buy.

The retailer is offering a $100 discount on the tiny tablet that comes with the A17 Pro chip, WiFi, and 128GB of storage, dropping its price from $499 to $399. That's not all, though. Your purchase comes with some nice bonuses to kickstart your iPad journey, including Apple Fitness+ for free for three months if you're a new subscriber, up to three months of Apple Music for free if you're a new or returning subscriber, Apple Arcade for free for up to three months if you're a new or returning subscriber, and Apple TV+ for free for two months if you're a new or qualified returning subscriber.

SEE ALSO: 200+ of the best deals still live after Amazon's Big Spring Sale

This iPad Mini features a smaller size that's perfect for taking on your travels, with an 8.3-inch Liquid Retina display for crisp and clear picture quality, and boasts powerful performance thanks to the A17 Pro chip. We consider it the best iPad for reading in our overall roundup of the best iPads, saying, "The iPad Mini got a 2024 upgrade, and is now equipped with the A17 chip but with the same 5-core GPU and 6-core CPU. Along with the chip upgrade comes Apple Intelligence, an especially helpful feature if you plan to use it for reading as it can summarize articles."

If you've been on the hunt for a tablet upgrade, look no further than this deal on the iPad Mini (A17 Pro chip, WiFi, 128GB) at Best Buy.

There are a few more Apple deals that are worth keeping on your radar right now. At Amazon, the Apple Watch Series 10 is still on sale after the Big Spring Sale, as is the 2024 Mac Mini with the new M4 chip.

Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.

If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for April 2 Where did Wordle come from?

Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once. 

Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.

What's the best Wordle starting word?

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

What happened to the Wordle archive?

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

Is Wordle getting harder?

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

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for April 2, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

To use a bad word.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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

Today's Wordle starts with the letter C.

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

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

Drumroll please!

The solution to today's Wordle is...

CURSE.

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 2

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

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

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

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

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

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

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for April 2 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Sudden change

• Green: Category

• Blue: They share a last name

• Purple: Heteronyms

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Caprice

• Green: Ilk

• Blue: Williamses

• Purple: Words pronounced differently as proper nouns

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #660 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Caprice: FANCY, IMPULSE, LARK, WHIM

• Ilk: KIND, LIKE, SORT, TYPE

• Williamses: HANK, ROBIN, TENNESSEE, VENUS

• Words pronounced differently as proper nouns: HERB, JOB, NICE, READING

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for April 2

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

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

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

Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

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

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

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

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

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

Here's a hint for today's Connections Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Move quickly

• Green: Where to medal

• Blue: Best football catchers

• Purple: Same second name – not simultaneously

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections Sports Edition categories

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

• Yellow: Run fast

• Green: Future Olympic host cities

• Blue: NFL's leading receivers in 2024

• Purple: Cities the Athletics have called home

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

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

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections Sports Edition #191 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Run fast - DART, DASH, SCOOT, SPRINT

• Future Olympic host cities - BRISBANE, LOS ANGELES, MILAN, SALT LAKE CITY

• NFL's leading receivers in 2024 - CHASE, JEFFERSON, LONDON, THOMAS

• Cities the Athletics have called home - KANSAS CITY, OAKLAND, PHILADELPHIA, SACRAMENTO

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

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

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

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

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for April 2 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for April 2 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Shine on

The words are related to light.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are how you might describe the shine of a star.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is StarPower.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for April 2

• Twinkle

• Shimmer

• Gleam

• Radiate

• Dazzle

• Sparkle

• StarPower

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

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

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

SAVE $207.04: As of April 2, the Sony SRS-XG300 portable speaker is on sale at Amazon for $142.95, 59% off its list price of $349.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony SRS-XG300 X-Series Wireless Portable-Bluetooth Party-Speaker $142.95 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $207.04 Get Deal

With the weather getting warmer, it's a great time to pick up a portable speaker to take on some outdoor adventures. Amazon's Big Spring Sale had quite a few portable speaker deals that caught our eye, and even though the sale event is officially over now, you can still save on a few different models. The Sony SRS-XG300 is one such speaker deal that's lasted beyond the sale event, still offering an excellent discount of 59%.

This has dropped the price of the Sony SRS-XG300 from $349.99 to $142.95. It's currently listed as a limited-time deal as well, so if it's caught your eye, you'll want to be quick to pick it up at this discounted price while it's still live.

SEE ALSO: Beats Solo 4 headphones are still at their Amazon Spring Sale

Built with a lightweight design and a helpful retractable handle, the Sony SRS-XG300 is a perfect portable Bluetooth speaker to take on any journeys you go on. It also boasts powerful sound thanks to the X-Balanced speakers and a very long battery life of up to 25 hours. Not to mention its waterproof and dustproof with an IP67 rating, so no matter if you're going to the beach or on a hike this speaker will stick with you on the adventure.

This limited time deal on the Sony SRS-XG300 at Amazon may not last for long, so grab it for under $150 while it's still discounted at Amazon.

Even though Amazon's Big Spring Sale is behind us now, there are quite a few more deals to check out alongside this one. We've found 200+ of the best deals still live after Amazon's Big Spring Sale so you can see a few more of our favorites that are still hanging around.

Zelle shut down its mobile app on Tuesday, but the eight-year-old digital payment service will remain available through many financial institutions.

Over 2,200 banks and financial institutions are part of Zelle's network, translating to only 2 percent of users sending or receiving payments through the Zelle app. As most Zelle transactions are done via a bank, Zelle began winding down its app last year.

"Today, the vast majority of people using Zelle to send money use it through their financial institution's mobile app or online banking experience, and we believe this is the best place for Zelle transactions to occur," Zelle officials stated in an October 2024 press release.

Zelle was sued in December by the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and three of the largest U.S. banks for failing to install fraud safeguards, which cost customers more than $870 million. Last month, with a new president in office who is not a fan of financial regulation, the lawsuit was dropped. Because of the prevalence of scams, Chase Bank is canceling some suspicious Zelle payments.

Other digital payment services besides Zelle include Venmo, PayPal, Apple Wallet, Revolut, and Cash App. CNET (a sister site of Mashable, both owned by Ziff Davis) warns people to be careful when using any of these services.

"Only send money to people you know and trust, and watch for red flags like an urgent message claiming to be from your bank or an online ad for concert tickets that seem impossibly cheap," writes CNET's Kelly Ernst.

The big Nintendo Switch 2 Direct presentation is almost upon us. Let's make some predictions.

On Wednesday morning at 9 a.m. ET, Nintendo is going to blow the doors off the Switch 2, most likely telling us how much it will cost and when it will come out. That stuff is cool and good to know, but what about the games? At this point, Nintendo has only sort of confirmed one Switch 2 game that we're pretty sure will be part of the console's launch lineup. Everything beyond that is pure guesswork.

But that's not going to stop me. Here are my rough predictions for what might be available when the Switch 2 launches later this year.

SEE ALSO: Switch 2 release date, price and everything else we expect from Nintendo Direct Nintendo Switch 2 launch lineup predictions

To be clear, we have almost nothing to go off of besides a few seconds of footage in the console's January reveal video and various online rumors. But who cares? Let's do this.

Mario Kart 9

When Nintendo first unveiled the Switch 2 via a short teaser video in January, it felt the need to include a few seconds of footage of exactly one new video game running on the console: a new Mario Kart. This will be, numerically speaking, the ninth one, but it's very possible Nintendo calls it something other than Mario Kart 9.

SEE ALSO: Switch 2 release date, price and everything else we expect from Nintendo Direct

And that's pretty much all we have on that. The footage shown in that video confirms that races will expand from 12 contestants to at least 24, and the one track shown looked a lot larger than they usually are in these games. Eagle-eyed viewers also noticed that Donkey Kong has a new character design, the karts themselves appear to have new fuel tanks on them, and there's a mysterious orange glowing item pickup that you can barely see in one of the shots. Is Nintendo adding a boost meter to this game? Maybe!

As for when this game will available, I would bet actual American dollars that it's a launch game.

A new 3D Super Mario adventure

That, unfortunately, is the last rock solid, almost-100-percent-certain prediction I can make about the Switch 2's launch lineup. However, I can make educated guesses from here on out.

It's been nearly eight years since the last mainline 3D Super Mario adventure, which was Odyssey in the first year of the Switch's existence. Odyssey is an incredible game, but eight years is a long time to wait for a new, proper Mario game. Based solely on the fact that it's been a lifetime (by gaming standards) since the last one, and the fact that Nintendo needs to convince people to buy the Switch 2, it would make a ton of sense for a new adventure starring the iconic Italian plumber to grace the Switch 2 early in its lifespan.

Whether it's a proper launch title or something that comes out before the end of 2025, I would bet on seeing this game on store shelves sooner rather than later.

Metroid Prime 4: Beyond

This one might be wish-casting rather than sober analysis on my part, but whatever. I want Metroid Prime 4 to be a Switch 2 launch title.

Until about five days ago, I would've bet on this happening. Strangely, though, Nintendo plopped a Metroid Prime 4 trailer into the middle of a Switch 1-focused Direct last week, notably failing to give it a specific release date other than "2025." I'm prone to overthinking these sorts of things, and that tells me Prime 4 could genuinely just be a Switch 1 game. However, Nintendo can be surprising, so maybe it gets another trailer during the Switch 2 Direct, with a real release date that happens to coincide with the console's launch. This would give the Switch 2 a more "hardcore" title to complement Mario Kart right out of the gate, especially if the aforementioned 3D Mario game is not ready yet.

At least one big third-party game

The most open-ended prediction on this list is that Nintendo will, at the very least, show off one or two flashy third-party releases during the Direct, just to show off what the Switch 2 can do on a technical level. We even have some news reporting to guide us in the direction of what those might be, too!

For starters, leaks from prominent leaker NatetheHate indicate that Metal Gear Delta: Snake Eater and Final Fantasy VII Remake and Rebirth are coming to Switch 2. Delta has an announced release date in late August, so it might not be available right away, depending on when the Switch 2 launches. As for Remake and Rebirth, these would be pretty big gets for Nintendo, as neither of those games are even available on Xbox right now.

The same leak also indicated Ubisoft might bring one or two recent Assassin's Creed games to the console, namely either Mirage, Shadows, or possibly both. If that's the case, I wouldn't be shocked to see either of those as a launch title. Ubisoft traditionally supports Nintendo consoles early and often, and those could be nice technical showpieces to demonstrate the console's horsepower.

I don't have any insider information related to this, so it's just a guess on my part, but I have this weird gut feeling that Elden Ring could make an appearance, too. That would certainly get people talking.

Possibly a Zelda remaster

It's way too early for a new The Legend of Zelda game, given that we got both Echoes of Wisdom and Tears of the Kingdom in the last two years. I wouldn't count on seeing that at all during the Switch 2 Direct.

However...news reports from a couple of years ago suggested Nintendo first started demonstrating the Switch 2 to corporate partners behind closed doors with a souped up version of Breath of the Wild, the most notable Switch 1 launch title. Nintendo loves selling people games multiple times, so don't be shocked if there's at least a remaster of Breath of the Wild (and maybe even Tears of the Kingdom, too) early in the Switch 2's lifespan.

Other dark horse candidates

Now, back to the "Alex is completely guessing" part of the presentation. There are a couple major Nintendo franchises that saw great success on Switch 1, and could use a new entry early in the Switch 2's life. That doesn't necessarily mean they'll be on store shelves right away, but I wouldn't be surprised if they showed up within a year of launch.

Namely, it's been five years since Animal Crossing: New Horizons saved all of us from pandemic-fueled despair. Those are shockingly complex games for how simplistic they seem on the surface, so a new entry may not be ready for launch, but I wouldn't be totally shocked to at least see an announcement related to Animal Crossing in the Nintendo Direct on Wednesday.

The other big Nintendo franchise I have on my mind here is Fire Emblem. The turn-based-tactics/dating sim franchise reached incredible heights with 2019's Three Houses, and while Engage only came out a couple of years ago, it was so uninspiring and dull that I'm choosing to just kinda ignore it. Whether the next Fire Emblem is a new game or a remake of one of the older Japan-only titles, I expect it to be on Switch 2, and it could theoretically be shown on Wednesday.

There's every possibility that my predictions here are totally and utterly wrong, in which case you're free to pelt me with tomatoes. But all of them at least feel reasonably realistic to me.

SAVE $299.01: As of April 2, the Shark AI Ultra Voice Control Robot Vacuum is on sale at Amazon for $299.99. Normally it's listed for $599, so you're getting a 50 percent discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark AI Ultra Voice Control Robot Vacuum $299.99 at Amazon
$599 Save $299.01 Get Deal

Some of the best deals available in Amazon's Big Spring Sale this year were on robot vacuums, and thankfully, there are still some nice deals floating around after the sale event. One of our favorites is this discount on the Shark AI Ultra Robot Vacuum, which is still 50 percent off for a limited time. If you're looking to pick up a robot vacuum to get ahead of your spring cleaning, now is your chance.

The Shark AI Ultra Robot Vacuum has received a price drop from $599 to $299.99. This is only a few dollars away from its lowest-ever price of $294.99, so there's truly no better time to add it to your virtual shopping cart. It's marked as a limited time deal right now, so keep in mind that it may not stick around for very long.

SEE ALSO: I've tested 20+ robot vacuums and these are the best for every budget in 2025

This powerful robot vacuum is built to handle any bit of dust or debris that's dropped on your floor or carpet, keeping your place looking neat and tidy. And thanks to Matrix Clean Navigation, the Shark AI Ultra will keep going over your floors in multiple passes for a much deeper clean. It's even self-emptying and can hold up to 60 days worth of stuff inside, keeping your place fresh and clean for longer.

This limited-time deal likely won't stick around for very long, so act fast to save 50 percent on the Shark AI Ultra Robot Vacuum at Amazon.

Want to see even more deals leftover after the Big Spring Sale? We've found 200+ of the best deals still live after Amazon's Big Spring Sale so you can scoop up any discounts remaining that catch your eye before the offers are gone for good.

By now, you may have heard about the massive data leak stemming from an alleged breach at Elon Musk's X, formerly known as Twitter.

The leak includes account metadata as well as email addresses for roughly 200 million accounts on X. Thankfully, the leak does not include sensitive private credentials such as account passwords.

However, that doesn't mean users who are affected by the X data leak are in the clear. Hackers and other cybercriminals may not have direct access to these accounts, but they have plenty of information that's needed to gain access to an account from a targeted individual.

Here's what hackers can do with leaked account emails and metadata from the X breach or really any future leak.

No longer anonymous

Here's a big one. The X leak includes millions of user emails. On X, this information isn't public. Accounts that were formerly anonymous may now be tied to the actual individual behind the account. 

This is bad for a few reasons. Let's say a political dissident has been actively running an anonymous account to speak out against their authoritarian government. This individual may now be outed. In some countries, this can mean imprisonment or worse. The ability to be anonymous is what gave them the ability to speak freely. Leaks may now endanger that ability and even their lives.

On a much less serious but still significant note, users who ran burner accounts may now also be outed if the email they used for the burner ties them to their real identity.

SEE ALSO: X is sold. But Musk is still in control. Phishing campaigns

The metadata provided in the leak may include a slew of publicly available information, but combined with all the other metadata and leaked email address, a bad actor has everything they need to carry out a phishing campaign via email.

X users should proceed with caution if they receive any emails purporting to be official correspondence from X. Hackers may utilize those leaked emails to send the affected accounts phishing emails, or fake emails that look like they are from X in order to trick a user into providing their private credentials, such as their account password.

More savvy users may not fall for a phishing email that just copies an official X email. However, even savvier hackers will utilize the leaked metadata to further legitimize their email and trick the targeted user. For example, the leaked X data includes information such as location data and from which app the user published their last tweet. A hacker could use this data to further disguise their phishing email and make it seem like a real email from X. 

Social engineering

A cybercriminal can take things even further with the information in the leaked data through social engineering campaigns.

Scammers and other threat actors could weaponize this metadata and trick X users into providing more sensitive data about their account. For example, a bad actor could reach out to an email address tied to an X account belonging to a company while pretending to be an X employee. An employee of the company could respond and be tricked into giving the X employee access to their account. From there, a bad actor could potentially gain access to other third-party accounts connected to the targeted company.

X users should remain diligent and proceed with caution when receiving an unsolicited email claiming to be from X.

If old, long-deleted apps are showing up on your iPhone after you've upgraded to iOS 18.4, you're not alone.

Several reports on Reddit, as well as on Apple's Community hub, talk about apps being installed on user's iPhones after the update. In many cases, these are apps that were once installed on the phone, but were since deleted. Some users, however, report that completely unknown apps are showing up on their phones.

"After updating to ios 18.4 successfully, I went to the app store to update apps. And to my surprise this Chinese game install itself automatically. How is it possible," wrote one user.

SEE ALSO: Apple iOS 18.4: See every new emoji

"I didn’t recognize the game. It’s possible that I downloaded it at one time to try it out, but that would have been quite a while ago. Very strange," wrote another.

Nearly all of the reports say that this started happening after updating to iOS 18.4. The reports indicate that this is happening on a variety of devices, including the iPhone 15 and iPhone 15 Pro Max. I've also updated my iPhone 16e to iOS 18.4, but haven't noticed any new apps, and there are other users on Reddit saying they haven't noticed any weird behavior.

SEE ALSO: Apple's iPhone 17 might come with a big selfie camera upgrade

So far, the prudent thing to do is probably to delete the zombie apps that showed up on your phone, though we'll have to wait for official word from Apple to find out more about the issue.

Apple's iOS 18.4 started rolling out to users earlier this week, bringing Apple Intelligence support to several new markets, as well as Apple News upgrades, CarPlay improvements, and new emoji.

We all have that one high school flex we just refuse to let go of. For some, it’s being the varsity MVP. For Nikki Blonsky, it’s starring as Tracy Turnblad in the 2007 remake of Hairspray — and honestly, she’s still riding that wave like it dropped yesterday.

Blonsky, who nabbed the iconic lead role at just 18, has gained newfound popularity on TikTok. And thanks to her resurgence on the app, she’s now raking it in on Cameo, recently climbing the ranks as one of the platform’s best sellers.

Blonsky’s sudden spike in popularity boils down to two things: First, the cultural nostalgia of Hairspray just hits hard for a lot of people. And second, her Cameo videos have been making the rounds on TikTok — and people are obsessed.

SEE ALSO: Ncuti Gatwa's TikTok creator obsession is our TikTok creator obsession

Blonsky’s been on Cameo since 2019, originally charging just $20 a pop. But now, throwback clips of her personalized messages are going viral — with fans hyping up everything from her quick turnaround time to the genuine effort she puts into each video. People have shared the wholesome (and sometimes heartbreaking) reasons they booked her, and she seems to take almost any request. We’re talking birthdays, New Year’s greetings, even condolences for a family loss — all set to the songs of Hairspray.

These days, she’s bumped her rate up to $100 per video. And judging by how well it’s going, business is booming.

But even with her recent resurgence, there’s a reason the now 36-year-old hasn’t landed any major film or TV roles since Hairspray.

Back in 2008, Blonsky and her father were involved in a physical altercation with America’s Next Top Model Season 9 contestant Bianca Golden and her family at an airport in Turks and Caicos — a messy incident that saw a then-19 Blonsky released on bail, according to a People report at the time. Golden claimed the fight was racially motivated, but Blonsky denied those specific allegations when she addressed the situation in 2020.

Both Blonsky and Golden have since said they want to move past the incident, but it’s definitely a strange footnote that’s followed Blonsky around ever since Hairspray. And while TikTok fame is notoriously fleeting, it’s kinda heartwarming to see that the legacy of 2007’s Hairspray is still going strong — one Cameo at a time.

TL;DR: Make spring cleaning a breeze with the Farberware Classic Corded Stick Vacuum, now $69.99 (reg. $119) with code SAVE10 now through April 27.

Spring is wonderful, but every year it signals one horrible task... spring cleaning. If you need some help tackling dirt and debris, the Farberware Classic Corded Stick Vacuum can help. And just in time for your spring refresh, this helpful tool is on sale for just $69.99 (reg. $119) with code SAVE10 until April 27. 

Tackle dirt and grime in no time

It's tidy time. Let the Farberware Classic Corded Stick Vacuum help with your home's spring refresh. It's ready to conquer messes both high and low, as it's designed not only for flooring but also upholstery, drapes, and delicate fabrics.

Take advantage of this vacuum's powerful 700W motor that offers 18,000Pa suction to clean up messes of all shapes and sizes.

A generous 15-foot power cord lets you reach from afar, preventing constant transfer from outlet to outlet. The swivel head design allows you to get under furniture easily, and the lighted motor brush gives you a better view of all the dust and dirt in your path.  

Two attachments and a telescopic wand let you reach tighter spaces and let you really customize your cleaning in every nook and cranny. And the large-capacity .8L dustbin offers hassle-free maintenance — easily empty it and then clean it thanks to its washable filter. 

When you're all done, a convenient wall mount storage lets you store your vacuum away easily. 

Get a more efficient clean with help from the Farberware Classic Corded Stick Vacuum, now just $69.99 with code SAVE10 through April 27. 

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Farberware Farberware Classic Corded Stick Vacuum $69.99
$119.99 Save $50 Get Deal

TL;DR: Enjoy peace of mind knowing your PC's data is completely destroyed with the Data Shredder Stick Secure Data Wiping Tool for Windows, on sale for $29.99 (reg. $39).

Opens in a new window Credit: Paraben Consumer Software Data Shredder Stick Secure Data Wiping Tool for Windows $29.99
$39.99 Save $10.00 Get Deal

They say the Internet never forgets, but what if you really want it to? Data on your computer doesn't have to live forever thanks to the Data Shredder Stick Secure Data Wiping Tool for Windows. And right now, it's 25% and just $29.99, the best price online.

Ditch your data for good

Have some photos you don't want to see the light of day? How about personal information you want to ensure never gets into the wrong hands? The Data Shredder Stick can make your data totally unrecoverable.

Whether you want to make something disappear or hope to sell an old device taking up room in storage, let the Data Shredder Stick securely erase your files, folders, and drives from a Windows PC. 

It's super easy to use — just plug the USB drive into your PC, run the app, and start digitally shredding your files. A drag-and-drop functionality lets you easily choose individual files or folders, so you don't need to worry about mix-ups. 

Wondering how this differs from deleting? Deleted files are placed in an unallocated space and can be recovered until they're overwritten. But once the data is "shredded," that means the space is overwritten, and it's no longer retrievable. 

You can use this Data Shredder Stick as many times as you want, on full drives or specific files as needed.

Clean up your digital footprint with the Data Shredder Stick Secure Data Wiping Tool for Windows, now $29.99 while supplies last.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Charge any Apple Watch anywhere with a wireless Apple Watch Keychain Charger on sale for $14.97 through April 27.

Opens in a new window Credit: VistaShops Apple Watch Wireless Charger Keychain $14.97
$49.95 Save $34.98 Get Deal

Apple Watches are super portable. That's practically half the appeal, but portability isn't as exciting when your battery is dead. If you want to give your Apple Watch battery some backup without lugging around a second cable, just get one of these Apple Watch Wireless keychain Chargers. They work with any Apple Watch, and you can even get one on sale for $14.97 (reg. $49). 

Charge your Apple Watch anywhere

Carrying one of these keychains means you don’t have to worry about packing an extra cable or scrambling for an outlet when your battery runs low. This pocket charger has a built-in 950mAh battery, enough to power up your Apple Watch wherever you are. Just attach it to your keychain, toss it in your bag, or keep it in your pocket. 

The wireless magnetic charging ring makes recharging simple. Just pop your Apple Watch on the charger, and strong magnetic adsorption keeps it in place while it powers up. Four LED indicator lights let you monitor the battery status at a glance, so you’ll always know when it’s good to go.

This charger also doubles as an adapter. You can charge it while you charge your watch, so all you need is a micro USB cable to power up on the go.

April 27 at 11:59 p.m. PT is the cutoff to get an Apple Watch Wireless Charger Keychain on sale for $14.97. 

StackSocial prices subject to change.

TL;DR: Live stream Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Pumas UNAM in the Concacaf Champions Cup for free on YouTube. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The quarter-final round of the Concacaf Champions Cup includes some really interesting matchups, including Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Pumas UNAM. The Whitecaps are the last remaining team not from Mexico or the USA.

If you want to watch Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Pumas UNAM in the Concacaf Champions Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Pumas UNAM?

Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Pumas UNAM in the Concacaf Champions Cup kicks off at 9:30 p.m. ET on April 2. This fixture takes place at BC Place.

How to watch Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Pumas UNAM for free

Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Pumas UNAM in the Concacaf Champions Cup is available to live stream for free on YouTube.

This free live stream is available in most locations around the world, but not in North or Central America. Fortunately, fans in these excluded territories can still access this free live stream with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK (or somewhere else with access), meaning you can unblock free live streams of the Concacaf Champions Cup from anywhere in the world.

Live streamVancouver Whitecaps vs. Pumas UNAM 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 the UK (or somewhere else with access)

4. Visit YouTube

5. Live stream Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Pumas UNAM for free

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (2-Year Subscription + 4 Months Free) $139 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 Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Pumas UNAM in the Concacaf Champions Cup without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select Concacaf Champions Cup fixtures before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to 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 YouTube?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream Vancouver Whitecaps vs. Pumas UNAM in the Concacaf Champions Cup for free with ExpressVPN.

TL;DR: Live stream LAFC vs. Inter Miami in the Concacaf Champions Cup for free on YouTube. Access this free live stream from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The quarter-final round of the Concacaf Champions Cup includes some fascinating matchups, including LAFC vs. Inter Miami. Fans will be eager to see whether the likes of Messi and Suarez can lead Inter Miami into the semi finals.

If you want to watch LAFC vs. Inter Miami in the Concacaf Champions Cup for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is LAFC vs. Inter Miami?

LAFC vs. Inter Miami in the Concacaf Champions Cup kicks off at 11:30 p.m. ET on April 2. This fixture takes place at the BMO Stadium.

How to watch LAFC vs. Inter Miami for free

LAFC vs. Inter Miami in the Concacaf Champions Cup is available to live stream for free on YouTube.

This free live stream is available in most locations around the world, but not in North or Central America. Fortunately, fans in these excluded territories can still access this free live stream with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in the UK (or somewhere else with access), meaning you can unblock free live streams of the Concacaf Champions Cup from anywhere in the world.

Live stream LAFC vs. Inter Miami 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 the UK (or somewhere else with access)

4. Visit YouTube

5. Live stream LAFC vs. Inter Miami for free

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (2-Year Subscription + 4 Months Free) $139 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 LAFC vs. Inter Miami in the Concacaf Champions Cup without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select Concacaf Champions Cup fixtures before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to 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 YouTube?

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

• Servers in 105 countries including the UK

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

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to eight simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $139 and includes an extra four months for free — 61% off for a limited time. This plan also includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee.

Live stream LAFC vs. Inter Miami in the Concacaf Champions Cup for free with ExpressVPN.