Technology

When Linux users get into arguments about init systems, the conversation usually circles back to systemd. systemd came out of a time when the Linux ecosystem was experimenting a lot, as distros searched for a better replacement for the aging SysV init system that had powered most Unix-like systems since the 1980s.

SUVs have become the backbone of the modern automotive market, and few brands offer a lineup as broad and diverse as Toyota. From compact crossovers designed for city driving to rugged body-on-frame models built for serious off-road use, Toyota’s SUV range covers nearly every need and budget. With electrification also playing a growing role, buyers now have more choices than ever before.

Not sure what to do with those odd spools of filament you have leftover? Don’t throw them away; there are plenty of ways to use them, and some are a little more obvious than others.

Marshall, purveyor of vintage-inspired headphones and speakers, is launching its second party speaker, the Bromley 450. The 450 is a lightweight and compact companion to Marshall's first party speaker, the Bromley 750. But despite its smaller stature, it has a big presence in the loudest of rooms.

“With Bromley 450, our goal was to take everything we loved about the Bromley 750 and bring it into a more compact form. It delivers the same signature sound: fast, powerful bass, clean mids, and detailed highs," says Malcolm Kennedy, Director of Audio & Acoustics at Marshall Group.

The Bromley 450 includes integrated lights inspired by '70s stages. Credit: Marshall

The Bromley 450 comes with True Stereophonic 360 sound and over 40 hours of battery life. We've come to expect long battery life in Marshall's devices, having tested the Marshall Major V headphones, which have over 100 hours of battery life. It's encased in a water-based PU leather wrap with a metal grate toting Marshall's signature logo as well as integrated lights. Hanna Wallner, Product Manager at Marshall Group, adds, "This speaker is smaller and more affordable yet still packed with impressive features including sound that hits every corner, a stage light-inspired light show, and our unique Marshall design.”

Just over 26 pounds, the Bromley 450 is easy to tote around with its built-in handle. Credit: Marshall

Unlike the Bromley 750, which can be wheeled like a suitcase, the Bromley 450 has a built-in handle, meaning you will have to carry it by hand. Luckily, it's lightweight, weighing just over 26 pounds. It's fit for gatherings both indoors and outside with an IP55 rating, making it dust and splash-proof. It includes two combo jacks so you can equip it with mics or DJ equipment.

The speaker has Bluetooth and Auracast, allowing you to connect other Auracast devices for surround sound. The Bromley 450 is now available for purchase at Marshall, Amazon, and Best Buy, retailing for $799.99.

Marshall Bromley 450 $799.99 at Amazon
  Shop Now at Amazon

With billions of users worldwide, Instagram is arguably the most popular photo sharing platform. With the ability to share posts, reels, and 24-hour stories, Instagram allows everyone and anyone to share snippets of their lives. The top accounts on the platform, primarily belonging to celebrities, show just how much we love to see the daily goings-on in lives different from our own.

Ever wondered who holds the top spot for the most followers? Here are the 10 most-followed people on Instagram, according to Social Blade.

1. Cristiano Ronaldo – 672 million followers

The most-followed person on Instagram is none other than Portuguese footballer Cristiano Ronaldo. At the time of writing, Ronaldo has amassed a whopping 667 million followers. Unsurprisingly, his posts mostly theme around football and his current team, Al Nassr. Ronaldo also holds the record for most liked Instagram comment when he wrote on Kylian Mbappé's Real Madrid announcement post "my turn (to watch)."

2. Lionel Messi – 511 million followers

Sticking with the footballer theme, the second most-followed account belongs to Inter Miami CF player, Lionel Messi. His account also features mostly football content, sharing glimpses into life on and off the pitch. His most liked post is a series of photos celebrating Argentina's 2022 FIFA World Cup win.

3. Selena Gomez – 415 million followers

Actress, musician, and founder of cosmetics brand Rare Beauty, Selena Gomez is up next on the list. She shares career highlights, Rare Beauty promotions, and glimpses into her daily life, making her one of the most-followed celebrities on the platform.

4. Kylie – 390 million followers

The first of the Jenner-Kardashian clan to feature is Kylie. As of March 30, she has amassed an unbelievable 393 million followers. Her posts regularly give us an insight into her life, her Kylie Cosmetics empire, and family life with her two adorable children. Kylie previously held the record for the most liked photo on Instagram, a picture of her newborn daughter Stormi. However, she later lost this position to a photo of an egg (yes, an egg...).

5. Dwayne Johnson – 390 million followers

If you need motivation, The Rock's Instagram is your go-to. Dwayne Johnson’s Instagram followers are given a regular insight into his fitness routine, movie projects, and personal life. He shares workout clips with the sets and reps listed out for you to try at home, if you're feeling brave.

6. Ariana Grande – 371 million followers

The star of recent Wicked fame is number 6 on our list. An incredible singer and actress, Ariana Grande also holds Instagram-follower fame. Recent content has, of course, been heavily influenced by the recent release of Wicked, with the Oscar-nominated actress sharing behind-the-scenes images with co-star Cynthia Erivo.

7. Kim Kardashian – 353 million followers

Kim Kardashian's Instagram account is as aesthetic as her. It's full of glimpses of her Skims brand, family life and various other collaborations. Fashion is definitely a strong theme of her posts, and you can expect some serious glam envy.

8. Beyoncé – 307 million followers

Another musician to make the list is Beyoncé. Hot off a successful awards season for her latest album, Cowboy Carter, Beyoncé's Instagram account is the perfect insight for fans. Posts regularly include her latest Levi's partnership, her new fragrance release, and of course, awards season success.

9. Khloé Kardashian – 299 million followers

Number nine on the most-followed list is Khloé Kardashian. Another insight into the Kardashian-Jenner family, Khloe's posts are primarily wholesome family shots.

10. Justin Bieber - 292 million followers

Justin Bieber takes the 10th spot on the most-followed people on Instagram. The musician recently surprised fans with the release of another album, entitled Swag II.

​With billions of users worldwide, Twitch is one of the world's most popular live streaming platforms, particularly beloved by gamers and creators. Launched in 2011, Twitch has evolved into a massive community where individuals share everything from gaming to general live broadcasts.

And the site's popularity is only highlighted through the follower counts, with the platform's most-followed channels boasting tens of millions, but who holds the top spot? Here are the 10 most-followed Twitch channels, according to Social Blade.

1. KaiCenat – 20.18 million followers

Kai Cenat is an American streamer known for comedic content and his month-long November 2024 "Mafiathon " subathon.

2. ibai – 19.82 million followers

Ibai Llanos is a prominent Spanish streamer and content creator. In June 2022, he set a Twitch record with a peak of over 3.3 million concurrent viewers during his "La Velada del Año II" boxing event. ​

3. Ninja – 19.26 million followers

Tyler "Ninja" Blevins is a well-known American gamer and streamer. He initially gained recognition through his exceptional skills in games like Halo 3 and later achieved immense popularity with Fortnite: Battle Royale.

4. auronplay – 16.99 million followers

Raúl Álvarez Genes, also known online as auronplay, is another Spanish streamer and YouTuber. His content focuses mostly on gaming streams and interactive content, amassing almost 17 million followers on the platform.

5. Rubius – 16.22 million followers

Rubius is a Spanish-Norwegian creator who joined Twitch in 2019 after immense success from his YouTube channel, elrubiusOMG. He has since amassed over 15 million followers for his gaming and interactive content.

6. xQc – 12.32 million followers

Félix Lengyel, better known as xQc, is a Canadian content creator and former professional esports player. His content includes a variety of games and "Just Chatting" sessions.

7. EasyLiker – 12.26 million followers

EasyLiker is a Russian-speaking Twitch streamer who gained attention for his casual Just Chatting streams.

8. TheGrefg – 12.26 million followers

Another Spanish content creator, TheGrefg is a popular content creator who primarily revolves around games like Fortnite and Minecraft, as well as interactive "Just Chatting" sessions. In January 2021, he set a Twitch record by attracting over 2 million viewers during the reveal of his personalized Fortnite skin.

9. juansguarnizo – 11.61 million followers

Juan Sebastián Guarnizo, known as juansguarnizo, is a prominent Colombian content creator and streamer. Juan's content includes a variety of types, including "Just Chatting" sessions and gameplay streams.

10. Tfue – 11.52 million followers

Turner Ellis Tenney, known online as Tfue, is an American streamer and former professional esports player. Tfue gained popularity in the gaming community through his skills in titles like Destiny, Call of Duty, and, notably, Fortnite

ARMY, this one's for you.

Netflix has released the trailer for documentary BTS: The Return, which will go behind the scenes of the K-pop icons' reformation in Los Angeles, the recording of their upcoming fifth album ARIRANG, and the pressure they're under to "return."

One of the biggest pop groups in the world, BTS announced a hiatus in June 2022 in order for members RM, Jin, SUGA, j-hope, Jimin, V, and Jung Kook to fulfil South Korea's mandatory military service (which they all completed by June 2025), as well as spending time on solo projects.

Directed by Bao Nguyen (The Greatest Night in Pop) and produced by BTS' label HYBE, Martha, and Karol G, the documentary links up with BTS ahead of the release of ARIRANG and the monster world tour they're about to embark on. It's an emotional, uplifting trailer, and fans longtime and new will delight at seeing the Bangtan Boys back together.

And it's not the only BTS-Netflix collab up ahead...

BTS: The Return is streaming on Netflix March 27.

We're getting closer to the New Moon part of the lunar cycle, which is why it appears hardly visible tonight.

What is today’s Moon phase?

As of Tuesday, March 17, the Moon phase is Waning Crescent. According to NASA's Daily Moon Guide, 4% of the Moon will be lit up tonight.

There’s barely any of the Moon lit up tonight, so you won’t be able to see any surface features.

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?

NASA says the Moon takes about 29.5 days to orbit Earth, going through eight different phases. We always see the same side, but the Sun lights up different portions as it moves, which is why it can look full, half, or just a thin sliver. These changing shapes are called 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.

Don't panic! That "lost your Excel file" moment is scary, but your work is probably still hiding somewhere. From temporary files to hidden recovery folders, Excel and Windows both have safety nets—you just need to know where to look.

A quick look at the best Amazon Spring Sale Bluetooth speaker deals: Best overall Bluetooth speaker Deal JBL Flip 7 $109.95 (save $40) Get Deal Best budget Bluetooth speaker deal Anker Soundcore Upgraded Bluetooth Speaker $24.99 (save $11) Get Deal

Amazon's Big Spring Sale is returning, and with just over a week until the official event gets underway, early deals are already going live.

From robot vacuums to TVs, now is a great time to upgrade your tech. And that range of discounted items includes Bluetooth speakers, with heavy discounts on top brands like Bose and Sonos. Here are a few of the best early deals we've spotted.

Best overall Bluetooth speaker Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Flip 7 $109.95 at Amazon
$149.95 Save $40.00   Get Deal Why we like it

The JBL Flip 7 packs some serious audio punch in a compact, rugged design. Its 35W 2-way system and AI Sound Boost make music feel bigger and clearer, while the water and dust proof design can handle drops up to 3.3 feet. And not to mention, this discount brings it down to its lowest-ever price.

Best budget Bluetooth speaker Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Soundcore Upgraded Bluetooth Speaker $24.99 at Amazon
$35.99 Save $11.00   Get Deal Why we like it

When it comes to great sound quality, you can't go wrong with Anker (especially at a price like this). For under $25, you're getting incredible sound thanks to its dual high-sensitivity drivers. It's portable and lightweight but also robust, thanks to its drop-proof materials.

More Bluetooth speaker deals

• Anker Soundcore 2 — $31.99 $44.99 (save $13)

• JBL FLIP 5 — $89.95 $99.95 (save $10)

• Bose SoundLink Flex — $129 $149 (save $20)

• Sonos Roam 2 — $139 $179 (save $40)

• Marshall Acton III — $199.95 $299.99 (save $100)

Home Assistant releases regular updates, with a major release of Home Assistant Core once a month, and Home Assistant Operating System (HAOS) every few months. While keeping Home Assistant updated is a good idea, giving you access to new features and security fixes, these days, I never update on the day of release.

The best Amazon Big Spring Sale book deals at a glance: Best overall book deal Theo of Golden $14.98 (save $5.02) Get Deal Best non-fiction book deal Everyday Genius: Hacks to Boost Your Memory, Focus, Problem-Solving, and Much More $26 (save $2.99) Get Deal Best fiction book deal Reminders of Him $8.49 (save $8.50) Get Deal

Amazon sales are a great excuse to upgrade your tech. From Prime Day to Black Friday, these discount days see everything from robot vacuums to TVs slashed in price. But it's not just big ticket items that see major savings — for bookworms it's a wonderful opportunity to add some inspiration to your home library. And with Amazon’s Big Spring Sale just around the corner, now is a good time to score early book deals.

Whether you're looking for something completely fresh or there's a new bestseller you've had your eye on, these are some of the best early book deals we've spotted on Amazon.

Best overall book deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Theo of Golden $14.98 at Amazon
$20 Save $5.02   Get Deal Why we like it

Released in October 2025, Theo of Golden by Allen Levi is a New York Times bestseller. The novel follows Theo as he purchases pencil portraits from a local coffeehouse and returns them to their rightful owners.

Best non-fiction book deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Everyday Genius: Hacks to Boost Your Memory, Focus, Problem-Solving, and Much More $26 at Amazon
$28.99 Save $2.99   Get Deal Why we like it

Despite only being released this month, this book by Nelson Dellis is already discounted at Amazon. This book helps you build practical cognitive skills, from memorising names and improving focus to faster learning and creative problem-solving. Drawing on his experience as a six-time USA Memory Champion, Dellis breaks down techniques that make sharper thinking accessible, offering methods to strengthen memory, boost concentration, and develop more effective ways of processing and using information.

More non-fiction book deals

• The Let Them Theory: A Life-Changing Tool That Millions of People Can't Stop Talking About by Mel Robbins — $15.68 $29.99 (save $14.31)

• You with the Sad Eyes: A Memoir by Christina Applegate — $22.38 $32 (save $9.62)

Best fiction book deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Reminders of Him $8.49 at Amazon
$16.99 Save $8.50   Get Deal Why we like it

This is a great opportunity to grab this book at a lower price now that the movie has hit theaters. Reminders of Him follows Kenna Rowan, a young mother returning home after five years in prison, desperate to reconnect with her four-year-old daughter.

More fiction book deals

• Gliff by Ali Smith — $14.32 $28 (save $13.68)

• It's Not Her by Mary Kubica — $20.58 $30 (save $9.42)

• A Far-Flung Life by M.L. Stedman — $21 $30 (save $9)

The Oscars wouldn't be the Oscars without the greatest annual red carpet tradition that is Guillermo — of Jimmy Kimmel Live! fame — pounding shots with various confused celebrities.

In the clip above he shares drinks with a variety of nominees, including a ping pong-shaped flask with Marty Supreme star Odessa A'zion. Then, he gifts a fan covered in Elle Fanning faces to Elle Fanning herself.

The clip has the perfect ending, too, with Guillermo offering a flask shaped like his own face for Jimmy Kimmel to take a swig from.

Have you tried building a second brain but ended up just building a pretty folder structure? Tried Zettelkasten, PARA, and every other note-taking framework—only to abandon them all? Me too. And here’s how Obsidian’s daily notes feature finally helped me build my second brain.

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 17, 2026:

AcrossOne drawing X's and O's

• The answer is Coach.

Company whose market cap (~$4 trillion) exceeds the G.D.P. of most countries

• The answer is Apple.

"Chill!"

• The answer is Relax.

Do some rhythmic tapping

• The answer is Drum.

Back talk

• The answer is Sass.

DownWhat's the deal?

• The answer is Cards.

"The Phantom of the ___"

• The answer is Opera.

Excellent grade

• The answer is A plus.

Sandpipers dig for them in the sand

• The answer is Clams.

Evil spell

• The answer is Hex.

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.

Apple's next big hit is here. The colorful new budget MacBook Neo debuted to rave reviews, and a couple configurations were already backordered weeks out the day after its March 11 launch. With a starting price of just $599 (or $499 for students), the Neo marks an exciting entry-level addition to Apple's lineup — not to mention brutal competition for cheap Windows laptops.

We've already stacked the Neo against the latest MacBook Air, which Apple just updated with a supercharged M5 chip. But how does the Neo compare to older MacBook Airs? Previous models with M1, M2, M3, and M4 chips are still somewhat readily available, mainly on the refurbished market, and they can be viable options for budget buyers, too. Let's dive right into the nitty-gritty details.

MacBook Neo vs. older MacBook Airs: Specs The MacBook Neo is Apple's smallest laptop in seven years. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

As a refresher, here's a brief M-series MacBook Air release timeline:

• M1 MacBook Air (13-inch) — November 2020

• M2 MacBook Air (13-inch) — July 2022; 15-inch version launched in June 2023

• M3 MacBook Air (13- and 15-inch) — March 2024

• M4 MacBook Air (13- and 15-inch) — March 2025

Unlike the MacBook Airs, which run on ARM-based laptop silicon, the MacBook Neo runs on an iPhone processor — the A18 Pro chip, specifically. That's not necessarily a bad thing, as you'll see later in the "Performance" section. Smartphone chips are crazy-overpowered nowadays.

The MacBook Neo's memory is fixed at 8GB. (This is probably its biggest drawback.) Most older MacBook Airs also start with 8GB of RAM, but users have the option to upgrade them. The M1 model can get bumped to 16GB of RAM, while the M2 and M3 models are configurable with up to 24GB of RAM. The M4 MacBook Air starts with 16GB of memory and maxes out with 32GB.

SEE ALSO: MacBook Neo: Great price, but you need to take a close look at those specs

With the MacBook Neo, you can take your pick from two storage options. It comes with 256GB of disk space for $599 or 512GB for $699. (The latter also adds a Touch ID sensor to its power button.) The older MacBook Airs have four storage variants: 256GB, 512GB, 1TB, or 2TB.

The MacBook Neo and the M1 MacBook Air both come in one 13-inch size, but M1 Air is technically 13.3 inches on the diagonal, while the Neo measures 13 inches exactly. (It's Apple's smallest MacBook in seven years.) The M2, M3, and M4 MacBook Airs come in 13.6-inch and 15.3-inch sizes.

MacBook Neo vs. older MacBook Airs: Pricing and availability Apple sold the M1 MacBook Air through Walmart for around $699 until early 2026. Credit: Zlata Ivleva / mashable

Again, the MacBook Neo costs $599 or $699 depending on your storage and Touch ID preferences. College students, their parents, and school staff can save $100 on either configuration with the Apple Store's clutch education discount.

The older M-series MacBook Airs originally started at $999 to $1,299, minus $100 for education buyers. Third-party retailers were still selling the M4 model in new condition as of mid-March — Apple only just discontinued it — though its availability fluctuates, and it's usually full price or close to it. (Gone are the days of the $749 M4 MacBook Air deal.)

Refurbished M4 Airs aren't dramatically cheaper yet: At present, they range from $899 to $1,199 in limited configurations. Expect to see steeper price cuts in about a year or so.

SEE ALSO: MacBook Neo's real killer feature: Its $499 education pricing

M1, M2, and M3 MacBook Airs are pretty rare to find in stock brand-new these days. (Apple no longer sells the M1 through Walmart.) So if you want one of those models, you'll have to lean on the refurbished market. They tend to be much more tempting buys at $800 or less, but they tend to sell out much faster as a result.

For reference, here's how much Best Buy was charging for new-to-you base models at the time of writing. M2 and M3 variants with double the RAM were $50 extra:

• M1 MacBook Air (8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) - Certified Refurbished — $449.99

• M2 MacBook Air, 13-inch (8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) - Geek Squad Certified Refurbished — $639.99 $749 (save $109.01)

• M3 MacBook Air, 13-inch (8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) - Geek Squad Certified Refurbished — $769.99 $849 (save $79.01)

The Neo is still cheaper than most of your refurbished options, with or without Apple's education offer. But can it handle your daily workload? That's the real question.

MacBook Neo vs. older MacBook Airs: Performance The M2 MacBook Air is roughly 14 percent faster in multi-core scenarios compared to the MacBook Neo. Credit: Molly Flores / Mashable

Here at Mashable dot com, we measure laptops' performance by having them run Primate Labs' Geekbench 6 CPU test. This industry-standard benchmark produces two kinds of scores: a single-core score, which tells us how snappy the laptop will feel in everyday tasks (like web browsing), and a multi-core score, which tells us how well it can plow through more intensive workloads (like video rendering). The higher the scores, the better.

Apple's overachieving A-series chips have been making iPhones as powerful as some laptops for years, so it's actually not that weird to see one fueling a MacBook.

The MacBook Neo offers M4-tier single-core performance and M1-level multi-core performance. Since it's geared toward users with basic needs, that single-core result is more important — and very impressive. It means the Neo will feel just as zippy as a pricier last-gen MacBook Air when you're sending emails or online shopping. It definitely punches above its budget price point in this regard.

That isn't to say the Neo won't be usable for some lighter multi-core work. (Our tech editor used one to edit a simple video in Final Cut Pro.) It just won't be nearly as good for running a bunch of heavier apps at the same time. You'll want an M3 or M4 MacBook Air for that, or possibly even a MacBook Pro.

MacBook Neo vs. older MacBook Airs: Battery life The M3 MacBook Air offers about 21.5 hours of battery life. Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable

Apple rated the MacBook Neo for up to 16 hours of video playback and all of the older MacBook Airs for up to 18 hours. We put those claims through our own video rundown test to see how they translate to real-world use.

Indeed, all of the MacBook Airs from the past six years outlast the MacBook Neo, which has an actual battery life of around 15 hours of video playback per charge. It should still get you through a full day of school or travel with some juice to spare.

For what it's worth, the Neo's 15-hour runtime beats our current battery life medians for Windows laptops and Chromebooks (14 hours and 10 hours, respectively).

MacBook Neo vs. older MacBook Airs: Design The M4 MacBook Air features an incredible 12MP Center Stage webcam. Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

The MacBook Neo has the same fully aluminum build as all of the older MacBook Airs. It's roughly the same size as the M1 MacBook Air, but its chassis is shaped more like the M2 to M4 MacBook Airs. Those three models have a flat "slab" design, while the M1 MacBook Air has a tapered "wedge" design. (Read more about the MacBook Air's 2022 makeover.)

The MacBook Neo weighs the same as a 13-inch M2, M3, or M4 MacBook Air, but it's slightly thicker. The M1 MacBook Air is both heavier and thicker than all of them.

SEE ALSO: Apple MacBook Neo is not only cheaper than other Macs, it's also easier to repair

Apple had to make some hardware sacrifices to make the MacBook Neo cheap from the jump, but it's nicer than the M1 MacBook Air in a few small ways:

• Display: The Neo's display lacks the Airs' True Tone feature for natural-looking colors, but it has the same 60Hz refresh rate and crisp Liquid Retina technology. It's just as bright as the M2 to M4 models' screens; the M1 Air is slightly dimmer.

• Keyboard: The Neo lacks keyboard backlighting and Touch ID (unless you pay $100 extra).

• Trackpad: The Neo's mechanical touchpad lacks haptic feedback.

• Webcam: The Neo's camera has same 1080p resolution as the M2 and M3 Airs' webcam. It's better than the M1 model's 720p camera but worse than the M4 model's 12MP Center Stage camera with Desk View support. It's housed in the upper bezel of the Neo's display (an M1 Air relic), not a notch.

• Speakers: The Neo has two fewer speakers than the 13-inch M2, M3, and M4 Airs. (Their 15-inch counterparts have two more speakers for a total of six.) The Neo does support Spatial Audio and Dolby Atmos like the M2 to M4 Airs, but it lacks their dynamic head tracking support with AirPods. The M1 Air has Dolby Atmos but no Spatial Audio.

• Mic array: The Neo has one fewer mic than the M-series Airs (two instead of three).

• Ports: The Neo lacks the Airs' speedy Thunderbolt ports. The M3 and M4 models can also drive an extra external display (two instead of one).

• Connectivity. The Neo has same WiFi 6E tech as the M3 and M4 Airs (the M1 and M2 models have WiFi 6). The Neo has newer Bluetooth 6 tech than all of the older Airs.

MacBook Neo vs. older MacBook Airs: Colors The MacBook Neo comes in four colors: citrus, indigo (both pictured), blush, and silver. Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

The MacBook Airs come in neutrals. (Let's not pretend that "sky blue" is anything more than a cooler gray.) The Neo, in contrast, is available in a few wilder new colors:

• M1 MacBook Air — silver, space gray, and gold

• M2 MacBook Air — silver, space gray, starlight, and midnight

• M3 MacBook Air — silver, space gray, starlight, and midnight

• M4 MacBook Air — silver, starlight, midnight, and sky blue

• MacBook Neo — silver, indigo, blush, and citrus

"Wild" is relative, by the way. My kingdom for a (PRODUCT)RED MacBook.

Final thoughts: Should you get a MacBook Neo or an older MacBook Air? Neo or nah? Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Your decision will come down to two factors: what you need your MacBook for and how much you want to spend on it.

The MacBook Neo is a basic starter PC with limited RAM and features, but an enticingly affordable price. It's technically not designed to compete with MacBook Airs, but I can see shoppers with ultra-strict budgets weighing it closely against a cheap base M1 MacBook Air. In this case, I'd go with the Neo for future-proofing and vastly better single-core performance. The fact that it's missing True Tone, backlighting, a haptic touchpad, and Thunderbolt support shouldn't be dealbreakers for students and casual users with light workloads.

SEE ALSO: MacBook Neo review: I think Apple's going to sell millions of these

If you already own an M1 MacBook Air, don't bother buying a Neo. It would be a lateral move, not an upgrade.

A MacBook Air with an M2 chip or newer is a better, more well-rounded laptop than the Neo in almost every way; I think creative professionals and multitasking-happy business users who rely on heavier apps will see plenty of merit in the price bump. Try to find a configuration with at least 16GB of RAM — and be prepared to maybe hunt around for a while, since retailers' inventories can be fickle. With the global RAM shortage driving up new laptop prices, and the M5 MacBook Air now starting at $1,099 — an excellent value, but still — I expect M2 to M4 Airs in new or good used condition to fly off shelves in the coming months.

Shop Apple MacBooks: Apple MacBook Neo (A18 Pro, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $599 Shop Now Apple MacBook Air (M1, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) - Certified Refurbished $449.99 Shop Now Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M2, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) - Geek Squad Certified Refurbished $639.99 (save $109.01) Shop Now Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M3, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) - Geek Squad Certified Refurbished $769.99 (save $79.01) Shop Now Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $899 (save $100) Shop Now

TL;DR: Score a speedy Apple iPad with a larger Retina display for just $119.99 (reg. $229.99) with this 7th Gen model.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad 2019 (Refurbished) $119.99
$229.99 Save $110.00   Get Deal

From streaming your favorite shows to hopping on a work Zoom to sketching with an Apple Pencil, you can get a lot done on an iPad. Apple’s beloved tablet usually comes with a premium price tag, but right now, this 10.2-inch model can be yours for only $119.99 (reg. $229.99).

If you’re looking for an easier way to get things done, look no further than this 7th-generation iPad. This 10.2-inch tablet lets you tackle browsing, streaming, and note-taking on the sharp Retina display. An A10 Fusion Chip also makes multitasking, casual gaming, and stable performance possible.

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

Take photos, FaceTime, or hop on video calls with the 8MP rear and 1.2MP front cameras. This iPad model also supports accessories like the Apple Pencil, which is great for taking notes and sketching, and the Smart Keyboard for comfortable, convenient typing.

A 10-hour battery life gets you through a full day, and the Touch ID feature lets you rest easy knowing you’ll enjoy secure unlocking and authentication for purchases.

Curious how you’re getting this iPad for just $120? It comes with a grade A refurbished rating, meaning it will arrive in near-mint condition with minimal to no scuffing on the case.

Get this 7th Gen Apple iPad for only $119.99 (reg. $229.99) while supplies last.

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.

TL;DR: Learn piano solo with some help from this lifetime subscription to Skoove Premium Piano Lessons, on sale now for $127.49 (reg. $299.99) with code MARCH15 until March 29.

Opens in a new window Credit: Skoove Skoove Premium Piano Lessons: Lifetime Subscription $127.49
$299.99 Save $172.50   Get Deal

Looking for a new hobby to unwind after a long day of work? Skoove Premium Piano Lessons brings the learning to your home, helping you master the piano or keyboard with an app on your smartphone, tablet, or laptop. And right now, you can lock in a lifetime of lessons for only $127.49 (reg. $299.99) with code MARCH15 through March 29.

When was the last time you learned a new skill? If mastering the piano has always been on your bucket list, it’s time to make it happen with this lifetime subscription to Skoove Premium Piano Lessons. This AI-powered app lets you pick up piano in your spare time without ever leaving your house.

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

All you need to get started with Skoove Premium Piano Lessons is a keyboard or piano and your laptop, smartphone, or tablet. The app does the rest, as it can hear you play, recognize your notes, and give you real-time feedback so you get better as you go.

Whether you’re totally new to the instrument or you have some lessons under your belt, Skoove Premium Piano Lessons offers lesson options ranging from beginner to advanced. And it’s not like the boring old piano lessons from your past; you’ll get to pick up skills by playing your favorite music — from Adele to Beethoven.

Your lifetime subscription includes permanent access to more than 400 lessons and thousands of instructional videos, and you’ll never run out of content because new ones are added every month. There’s also one-on-one support available from real music instructors when you need it.

Get this lifetime subscription to Skoove Premium Piano Lessons for just $127.49 (reg. $299.99) 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.

Do you want to build a snowman? Go to space? Construct a workforce out of 110 kinds of robot? Accelerate the entire timeline of Artificial Intelligence? If so, there was plenty of sizzle on offer from Jensen Huang, CEO of NVIDIA, at the company's two hour-long GTC keynote event in San Jose Monday.

NVIDIA, the world's leading purveyor of AI-friendly GPU chips, has 4.4 trillion reasons to dazzle us with potential futures allegedly brought to you by ever-accelerating AI technology. In other words, Huang needs to protect NVIDIA's current $4.4 trillion market cap, double what it was two years ago, by proving it isn't a bubble.

Result: Huang peppered a presentation of impenetrable charts with dazzling visions of data centers in orbit, and awkwardly extra interactions with a robot version of Olaf from Frozen.

But beneath the future sizzle, the actual steak of present-day practical announcements — for consumers, at least — was limited to an AI gaming software update that got a thumbs down from gamers, plus NVIDIA muscling in on the OpenClaw AI agent action. Here's a summary of everything Huang had to say:

Next-generation AI gaming software

Huang's first reveal: NVIDIA DLSS 5, the next iteration of the company's DLSS AI upscaling software, coming this fall. NVIDIA describes it as a "breakthrough in visual fidelity" that "infuses pixels with photorealistic lighting and materials, bridging the gap between rendering and reality." Huang showed off before and after comparisons using Resident Evil: Requiem, Hogwarts Legacy, and Starfield.

Trouble is, Resident Evil: Requiem, released two weeks ago (here's our review), has already won the hearts of gamers for its graphics — so many took to social media, furious that NVIDIA was trying to fix what wasn't broken.

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. AI is still accelerating?

So claims Huang, who showcased a chart highlighting AI developments of recent years. It began in 2023 with OpenAI's ChatGPT. It continued in 2024 with OpenAI's first reasoning model, o1, and in 2025 with Anthropic's coding assistant, Claude Code (which, Huang was proud to boast, is now used by 100% of his company). Now, in 2026, Huang sees NVIDIA and the entire AI industry reaching an "inflection point for inference."

What does that mean? Huang says the value of his chips isn't so much in training large language models any more. NVIDIA's customers have tipped over into deploying those AI models in more novel ways, growing the ecosystem for AI agents.

Speaking of which ...

NVIDIA doubles down on open-source AI agents

"Claude Code and OpenClaw have sparked the agent inflection point," Huang pronounced. (OpenClaw, formerly Clawdbot, is a popular AI assistant with some security issues.) NVIDIA adds a protective layer of security and stability that it's calling Nemo Claw; you can try it now, in a preview version.

Beyond that, it makes sense for NVIDIA to grow the entire agentic ecosystem as soon as possible, whether or not those agents are actually working reliably. So the company is offering an expansive new NVIDIA AI Agent Toolkit for companies that want to build their own models.

The company is also offering a complex reasoning AI model of its own, one with what is possibly the most grandiose sci-fi name in tech today: the Nemotron 3 omni-understanding model.

Space and the robot snowman

Huang accelerated his cosmic vision towards the end of the keynote. We're not talking NVIDIA Cosmos 3, another grandly-named AI model, but a vision of Vera Rubin Space-1 — which Huang says will be the first data center in space. There's no timeline for development, let alone launch, but NVIDIA apparently has a "lot of great engineers" working on it.

A lot of great Imagineers worked on Olaf the snowman from Frozen, too. And they could be forgiven for cringing a little when Huang closed the keynote having a conversation with Olaf the snowman robot — one of 110 AI-powered robots on display in San Jose, all from NVIDIA-partnered companies (in this case, Disney).

Olaf is pretty cool, and I wouldn't mind running into one in a Disney park in the future. But Huang repeatedly tripped over Olaf's lines, and the fact that our favorite feisty snowman didn't adjust to the conversational situation made him seem ... well, a little less than artificially intelligent.

At the two-hour mark, Huang exited to the bizarre accompaniment of AI-generated country music, apparently coming from his own avatar and a bunch of robots sitting around a campfire on screen. And the audience was left with two possible futures. In one, the AI agents NVIDIA is championing help launch the company into the stratosphere. In the other, AI agents act like a bunch of bumbling Olafs, and continue to deliver little ROI for companies — in which case NVIDIA's market position may melt like a snowman in spring.

Dyson had nowhere to go but up after its last robot vacuum. You don't even need to test the new Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai to already know that it completely dunks on the 2024 Dyson 360 Vis Nav any way you dice it.

Still, as the third Dyson robot vacuum attempt after two flop releases, there's a lot riding on the Spot+Scrub Ai's success. If it sells well, that means the 360 Vis Nav truly was just a fluke. But if the Spot+Scrub Ai can't compete with the best robot vacuums of 2026 from other brands, perhaps it's time to accept that we don't always need to force the "stick vacuum brand to robot vacuum brand" pipeline.

For the past few days, I've been trying the Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai at home against top flagship Roborock and Dreame models. My first impressions are up and down so far, taking me from cheering to cursing in the span of a few minutes. Let's discuss.

Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai $1,199.99 at Best Buy
  Shop Now at Best Buy Shop Now at Dyson What's special about the Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai? Dyson's iconic green laser makes cleaning so satisfying to watch. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

I had been manifesting a robot vacuum with a laser since trying my first Dyson stick vacuum with a laser in 2022, so the dust-illuminating green light is easily the Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai's biggest talking point. The green light works together with AI to help the Spot+Scrub Ai find hidden stains and microscopic debris, decipher between wet and dry messes, and then adjust cleaning accordingly. Unlike many other robot vacuums, which just make a set number of passes in the specified zone or room, the Spot+Scrub Ai double-checks each spot before moving on and goes back again if necessary.

The rest of the Spot+Scrub Ai's upgrades seem huge compared to the 360 Vis Nav, but were long overdue compared to the rest of the robot vacuum market. The Spot+Scrub Ai isn't just Dyson's first roller mop robot vacuum — it's the first Dyson robot vacuum that mops at all. In classic roller mop robot vacuum fashion, the roller gets rinsed in real time to ensure that every inch of floor is being scrubbed with a clean pad. It's much less common to find a robot vacuum and mop combo that actually mops with warm water for more efficient stain breakdown, but the Spot+Scrub Ai does. (Most only wash the mop with hot water, but clean with room temperature.)

It wouldn't be a Dyson without a bright color scheme. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable Must the transparent dustbin publicly showcase your home's dirt? Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The Spot+Scrub Ai also finally adds a self-emptying dock (those have been ubiquitous for half a decade), and washes and dries the roller mop. An AI-powered HD camera brings small obstacle avoidance technology to the Spot+Scrub Ai's resume, but it doesn't send or record images (so no livestream pet camera).

For general vibe and decor purposes, I can't say that I'm thrilled with the look of the dock. The three canister situation is bulky (just like the robovac itself) and unnecessarily industrial. But if you think this design is loud, just wait until you hear the self-emptying noise. FWIW, I do appreciate the built-in detergent tank and bagless dustbin.

SEE ALSO: Shark's new scrubbing-centric robot vacuum finds stains with a UV light. I tested it against other top robot mops.

Despite so many new features, Dyson surprisingly didn't hike the price from the 360 Vis Nav. The Spot+Scrub Ai costs $1,199.99, matching the debut price of the 360 Vis Nav when it came out in 2024. I'm glad that Dyson realized that the 360 Vis Nav was comically overpriced, which is probably why it's not hard to find it on sale for more than 60 percent off.

Is the Dyson Spot+Scrub Ai's cleaning really that smart?

The Spot+Scrub Ai started out by acing several of my standard litter box cleaning tests for all robot vacuums. I have an uncovered self-emptying litter box (crystal litter) in the bathroom and a Litter-Robot Evo (clumping grass seed litter) in the kitchen. Both areas get pretty covered in tracked litter after even a day, but I pour extra on the floor for the initial test. The Spot+Scrub Ai finished with about 98 percent debris and dust pickup of each litter type, spinning around to use the laser to check for lingering particles before officially marking the area as complete.

Though the Spot+Scrub Ai is round (not D-shaped like 360 Vis Nav), the roller mop doesn't shy away from wall edges. I watched it scoot right up against baseboards, the open laundry closet door, and the washing machine. It even hugged the toilet as well as I could hope for in such a tight area.

The roller mop extended to scrub closely around walls, doors, and the oven. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

The first wet spill obstacle course included splatters of chunky salsa and a red wine spill on hardwood. The Spot+Scrub Ai bodied the salsa, picking up a surprising amount on the first pass. It turned around and came back the other way to grab the few chunks that were flicked out of the way at first. Overall, the Spot+Scrub Ai+ had to have made about five passes over the same spot of hardwood floor after I assume it noticed that some salsa, a piece of dry cat food, or a speck of litter was left behind. In the app, you can follow along on the map to see where a stain has been detected. That part had me cheering out loud.

When it's thorough, it's thorough. But when it's not...

But that level of precision was missing when the botvac approached the spilled red wine. It wasn't the actual roller mop that blundered this spill, but the two spinning side brushes that are typically associated with dry debris.

The Spot+Scrub Ai's whole ethos is using artificial intelligence to clean on its toes, right? There's been so much hype surrounding the joint slay of the AI camera and green light to make tweaks to cleaning in the moment — to the point that they straight up included it in the title of the vacuum. So I feel like it's valid to assume that the Spot+Scrub Ai is smart enough to not make a mess worse. If it sees a puddle in the path ahead, wouldn't it make sense to pause the spinning dry brushes so that they don't further slosh the spill around?

The original wine puddle was pretty far away from the rug. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable The Spot+Scrub Ai+ managed to smear the wine around the rug flap (and ignore the powder). Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

Instead, I witnessed the Spot+Scrub Ai drive right over the spill with side brushes spinning full speed ahead, spattering wine in the vicinity on the floor as well as all over the underside of the vacuum. (Liquid seeping into the interior parts is a recipe for your robot vacuum to stop working.) Those side brushes, now soaked in wine and salsa, don't get washed in the dock like the actual roller mop does.

You can imagine my surprise when I heard the "cleaning complete" announcement, just to look down and see the abandoned puddle smeared to the corner of my kitchen Ruggable, plus a pile of spilled protein powder on the rug completely ignored. Dyson claims that the Spot+Scrub Ai relies on photographic evidence of mess removal before heading back to the dock. How was this missed? And what if the rug wasn't machine washable?

Other factors I'm keeping an eye on

Mopping fail aside, I have a few other concerns with the Spot+Scrub Ai. While I've accepted that roller mop robot vacuums are the tallest type of robot vacuum mop combo, the Spot+Scrub Ai is so thick and cumbersome that it limits the reach of the fancy AI cleaning features. It doesn't fit under the Litter-Robot step where a ton of litter gathers, whereas the ultra-slim Dreame X60 Max Ultra Complete smoothly slides under with several inches to give. The Spot+Scrub Ai kept getting stuck under my kitchen cabinets, battling with this drawer for a minute straight. Similarly, the Spot+Scrub Ai ended up scraping some gross brown gunk off the bottom of the dishwasher because the squeeze was that tight.

The Spot+Scrub Ai is so tall that it literally dragged this drawer open. Credit: Leah Stodart / Mashable

I'm also wondering if the Spot+Scrub's weight contributes to its struggles to lift safely over rug corners.

The Spot+Scrub Ai has displayed mediocre rug and carpet performance so far. It did a satisfactory job with cat hair in the living room, but left behind more than a few sprinkles and tortilla chip crumbs on the same rug. Its 18,000 Pa suction power is a tad low for a $1,199.99 robot vacuum. I can't help but compare it to the Roborock Qrevo Curv 2 Flow, my current favorite roller mop robot vacuum. It costs $999.99 (as low as $849.99 on sale) and has 20,000 Pa suction.

SEE ALSO: The new Eufy C28 is the most budget-friendly roller mop robot vacuum. I tried it against the top 2 in its class.

No, the Curv 2 Flow doesn't have the laser feature. If you're really sold on the laser and roller mop aspects, I have a better way for you to spend $1,199.99 on a vacuum setup: Spend $599.99 on the Eufy C28 robot vacuum (15,000 Pa) and $599.99 on the awesome Dyson PencilVac Fluffycones instead.

Dyson baked a lot of customizable settings into the Spot+Scrub Ai's app, so I'm open to the possibility of cleaning and navigation getting better as we both make adjustments over time. But for now, I'm not sure that the Spot+Scrub Ai is the comeback story that Dyson needed in this market.