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Mashable is a leading source for news, information & resources for the Connected Generation. Mashable reports on the importance of digital innovation and how it empowers and inspires people around the world. Mashable's 25 million monthly unique visitors and 10 million social media followers have become one of the most engaged online news communities. Founded in 2005, Mashable is headquartered in New York City with an office in San Francisco.
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The Hisense 85-inch Class U8 Mini-LED ULED 4K TV hits record-low price at Amazon — save $700 right now

Wed, 04/01/2026 - 12:25

SAVE OVER $700: As of April 1, the Hisense 85-inch Class U8 Mini-LED ULED 4K TV has dropped to its lowest-ever price of $1,499.96 at Amazon.

Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense 85-Inch Class U8 Mini-LED ULED 4K UHD Google Smart TV $1,499.96 at Amazon
$2,297.99 Save $798.03   Get Deal

Sale events, like Amazon's recent Big Spring Sale, are a great opportunity to upgrade your TV. But just because that sale event is over doesn't mean every great discount has disappeared. There's still quite a few offers worth taking advantage of right now, including this excellent offer on the massive Hisense 85-inch Class U8 Mini-LED ULED 4K TV.

As of April 1, the Hisense 85-inch Class U8 Mini-LED ULED 4K TV has dropped to its lowest-ever price of $1,499.96 at Amazon. This deal saves you $798.03 off its list price of $2,297.99. This limited-time deal will not stick around for long, so act fast if you're interested in buying.

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With some exciting movies and shows available to stream right now, and plenty coming out in the months ahead, a huge 85-inch screen is a great way to watch everything in the pipeline. It's not just the big screen size that makes this Hisense TV worth the splurge. It also boasts excellent picture quality thanks to 4K resolution, QLED Color, and Mini-LED Pro technology that provides sharp, bright, and colorful images.

Picture quality comes through smoothly thanks to its 165Hz Native Refresh Rate, and the Anti-Glare Low Reflection Pro panel makes sure light doesn't get in the way of what you're watching. Plus, it supports Dolby Atmos audio, so you can feel completely absorbed in what you're watching by hearing every sound on screen clearly.

Since it's a limited-time deal, it may not be live for long. If the Hisense 85-inch Class U8 Mini-LED ULED 4K TV has caught your eye, act fast to grab it at this price.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Pokémon TCG Perfect Order Elite Trainer Box is now $88 at Walmart — save vs. Amazon and TCGplayer

Wed, 04/01/2026 - 12:10

TL;DR: Walmart has the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Elite Trainer Box listed for $87.75, while Amazon has it at $91.99. TCGplayer’s current listings start at $95.96.

Where to buy the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Elite Trainer Box: Best Walmart Deal Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Elite Trainer Box $87.75 at Walmart Shop Now Best Amazon Deal Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Elite Trainer Box $99.48 at Amazon (save $9.96) Shop Now Best TCGplayer deal Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Elite Trainer Box $95.96 at TCGplayer Shop Now

With Perfect Order ETB pricing continuing to cool off in the volatile Pokémon TCG market, Walmart has now knocked down the price even further and pulled ahead of both Amazon and TCGplayer for value. With more attention turning to the less-available Ascended Heroes expansion, now’s the perfect time to jump in before prices climb again. 

As of April 1, Walmart has the Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Perfect Order Elite Trainer Box listed online for $87.75. Amazon is higher at $91.99, while TCGplayer’s current listings begin at $95.96 before shipping. To get closest to TCGplayer’s market price of $78.18, Walmart is your ideal choice right now.

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All Perfect Order ETBs will contain everything you’d expect of the box centered around the Pokémon Legends: Z-A-themed expansion: nine Perfect Order booster packs (each with 10 trading cards), a full-art foil promo card featuring Tyrunt, 65 card sleeves, 40 Energy cards, a player’s guide to the expansion, dice, a plastic coin, a collector’s box with dividers, and a code card for Pokémon Trading Card Game Live.

Among those packs, you’ll have the chance to pull valuable SIR chase cards from the 120-card expansion — including Mega Zygarde ex, Mega Clefable ex, Mega Starmie ex, Rosa’s Encouragement, Meowth ex, and the mega valuable Mega Hyper Rare Mega Zygarde ex.

To get even more Pokémon TCG packs for your money, you can also score the Perfect Evolution Booster Box for as low as $210.90 at Walmart. If you're looking for a booster bundle, Pokémon’s Perfect Order is selling for only around $43 at Walmart

Categories: IT General, Technology

NYT Mini crossword answers, hints for April 1, 2026

Wed, 04/01/2026 - 12:02

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 Wednesday, April 1, 2026:

AcrossY Y Y Y Y Y Y
  • The answer is Wise.

Back half of an old cassette tape
  • The answer is Side B.

Perform lines that aren't in the script
  • The answer is Ad lib.

G G G G G G G
  • The answer is Geez.

Butt, to Brits
  • The answer is Arse.

DownOpposite of narrower
  • The answer is Wider.

Keeps the engine on while parked
  • The answer is Idles.

C C C C C C C
  • The answer is Seize.

___ and flow (tidal opposites)
  • The answer is Ebb.

Long, epic tale
  • The answer is Saga.

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 today's Mini Crossword.

Categories: IT General, Technology

YouTube AI slop is a generational threat, child safety experts warn in new petition

Wed, 04/01/2026 - 12:00

Kids are consuming a lot of AI slop.

And child safety advocates are getting worried. In a letter sent to Google CEO Sundar Pichai and YouTube CEO Neil Mohan, a coalition of national organizations and child development experts is demanding a change to YouTube policies to cut down on AI slop, including an outright ban on "Made for Kids" content generated by AI.

"Given the absence of evidence that AI slop is safe for children and the potential for these videos to mesmerize and harm kids, Google must take swift action to protect children on its platforms," the letter reads. Two weeks ago, YouTube announced a partnership with generative AI studio Animaj, which specializes in AI children's content and boasts billions of views across several YouTube channels aimed at infants and babies.

SEE ALSO: We didn't grow up on social media. We grew up on digital nicotine.

The letter, led by child safety nonprofit Fairplay, is signed by organizations like the American Federation of Teachers, the National Black Child Development Association, and Mothers Against Media Addiction (MAMA), as well as experts like Jonathan Haidt, author of the highly cited book The Anxious Generation. The group cites growing concern that exposure to AI content can distort children's perception of reality, cause cognitive overload, and displace real world activities necessary for development.

"First YouTube introduced Shorts with Made For Kids content without wondering what impact it would have on young viewers, and then — no surprise — AI slop started competing for kids’ attention on those very feeds. It’s time for platforms to start respecting the attention and minds of young children, not just treat them as a resource to be extracted," said Jenny Radesky, a developmental behavioral pediatrician and media researcher who also signed onto the letter.

The group also announced a public petition demanding YouTube implement several new safety policies addressing the proliferation of AI slop directed toward children, including:

  • Clearly labeling all AI-generated content on YouTube

  • Barring AI-generated content from YouTube Kids

  • Prohibiting child-focused videos (“Made for Kids”) on YouTube that are AI-generated

  • Prohibiting algorithmic recommendations of AI-generated content to users under age 18

  • Implementing a toggle switch in parental controls so that parents can turn off AI-generated content even if children search for it

  • Stopping all investment in the creation of AI-generated videos for children

In response, a YouTube spokesperson told Mashable, "We have high standards for the content in YouTube Kids, including limiting AI-generated content in the app to a small set of high-quality channels. We also provide parents the option to block channels. Across YouTube, we prioritize transparency when it comes to AI content, labeling content from our own AI tools, and requiring creators to disclose realistic AI content. We’re always evolving our approach to stay current as the ecosystem evolves."

The letter comes one week after a precedent-defining verdict in a recent case against Meta and YouTube parent company Google, which sided in favor of a 19-year-old user who claimed the companies knew their platforms could be "dangerously addictive" and ignored warnings about user mental health. The Los Angeles jury found that both Meta and YouTube were negligent in addressing internal safety warnings and went forward with platform features that exacerbated expert concerns.

"In some cases, seemingly benign animations can turn out to be sexual or violent in nature," said Sebastian Mahal, co-chair of youth-led lobby coalition Design It For Us. "Young people don’t want to be targeted with this type of experience by YouTube’s algorithm. After a California jury found YouTube liable for failing to protect young people on its platform, one would think YouTube would finally take its responsibility to its young users seriously."

In addition to claims that Instagram's algorithms exacerbated the youth mental health crisis, particularly among teen girls, child safety advocates have long warned that YouTube is a dangerous site for young children.

Rachel Franz, director of Fairplay’s Young Children Thrive Offline program, told Mashable in a March interview: "If 'managing AI slop' was really YouTube's top priority this year, they would have already taken down the millions of AI-generated 'Made for Kids' videos that are designed to entrance young children, leading to more screen time and displacing the activities they need to thrive offline."

YouTube is the most popular video platform for young child viewers, especially among low-income households. Despite efforts to address AI-generated content, YouTube has yet to fully rein in the problem, and AI-generated content aimed at children has become a lucrative business. Mohan has previously stated that managing AI slop is a "top priority" for the company. YouTube also says it has limited the YouTube Kids app to only surface AI-generated content from "high quality" channels.

A New York Times report found thousands of low-quality AI videos in YouTube's algorithm, including ones that violated child safety policies. Currently, animated videos generated by AI do not require AI labels, and AI labels do not appear consistently on YouTube Kids. YouTube only requires labeling for synthetic media made to mimic "realistic" settings or people.

In response to the new letter, Franz added, "YouTube’s algorithm makes it impossible for kids to avoid AI slop. YouTube must stop shoving AI slop onto children now, before it further damages an entire generation of kids.”

UPDATE: Apr. 1, 2026, 3:06 p.m. EDT This article was updated with an official statement from YouTube.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The Shark AI Ultra robot vacuum is still on sale after Amazons Big Spring Sale — save over $250

Wed, 04/01/2026 - 11:46

SAVE OVER $250: As of April 1, the Shark AV2501S AI Ultra robot vacuum has dropped to $269.99 at Amazon. This deal saves you $280 off its list price of $549.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark AV2501S AI Ultra Robot Vacuum $269.99 at Amazon
$549.99 Save $280   Get Deal

The Big Spring Sale at Amazon may officially be over, but lucky shoppers can still find some nice discounts hanging around. For those who were hoping to grab a robot vacuum at a steep discount, the Shark AV2501S AI Ultra robot vacuum is on sale for over 50% off.

As of April 1, the Shark AV2501S AI Ultra robot vacuum is marked down to $269.99 at Amazon. Usually it's listed for $549.99, so this saves you 51% overall, or a whopping $280. That's a very nice deal to take advantage of after the Big Spring Sale, and one that may not last much longer since it's marked as a limited time deal. Be quick to grab it at this low price.

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If you're just looking for a regular robot vacuum to help you with cleaning this spring — rather than one of the fancier mop/vacuum combo models — the Shark AV2501S AI Ultra offers powerful suction and Matrix Clean Navigation to get the job done. The latter pushes the vacuum to move in a matrix grid that cleans in multiple passes over your floors to make sure every little bit of dust, debris, crumbs, and more that's scattered on your floor gets cleaned up.

That's not all, though. It can also map out your home and avoid obstacles with the help of 360° LiDAR vision, so there's no need to worry about it bumping into anything. It even features a bagless, self-emptying base that can be filled up over the course of 30 days. That means you don't even have to think about it while it cleans for a whole month.

Again, it's currently marked as a limited-time deal, so act fast to save on the Shark AV2501S AI Ultra robot vacuum at Amazon.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The 11-inch Apple iPad has dropped to its best-ever price at Amazon — save over $100

Wed, 04/01/2026 - 11:41

SAVE OVER $130: As of April 1, the Apple iPad 11-inch (A16) is on sale for $466.60 at Amazon. That's a 22% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad 11-inch (A16) $466.60 at Amazon
$599 Save $132.40   Get Deal

Amazon's Big Spring Sale came to an end after March 31, but that doesn't mean all the discounts did.

Apple products saw incredible deals over the week-long sale, and as of April 1, the Apple iPad 11-inch (A16) is still on sale for $466.60. The 256GB device in the color blue is not only reduced by over $130, but according to camelcamelcamel, it has dropped to its lowest-ever price.

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The 11-inch iPad benefits from the A16 chip, which makes it fast and better at doing tasks like streaming, gaming, and editing. For the display, you’ll get a Liquid Retina screen with True Tone. This helps the it feel more comfortable on your eyes, especially in different lighting.

It runs on iPadOS, so it makes multitasking fast and easy, as well as having support for accessories including the Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard. For cameras, it has a 12MP front-facing camera with Center Stage for video calls, and a 12MP rear camera for photos and video. This camera can also be used to scan documents.

You can find this iPad deal at Amazon right now. It's listed as a limited-time offer, so you might need to act fast to save.

Categories: IT General, Technology

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