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The Shark FlexStyle is our favorite Dyson Airwrap dupe, and its $160 off at Amazon right now

Mashable - Fri, 04/03/2026 - 18:02

SAVE 42%: As of April 3, you can get the Shark FlexStyle Air Styling & Drying System in the Blossom Bliss colorway (with a storage bag) for $219.99, down from $379.99, at Amazon. That's a 42% discount or a $160 price cut.

Shark FlexStyle Air Styling & Drying System in the Blossom Bliss colorway (with a storage bag) $219.99 at Amazon
$379.99 Save $160   Get Deal at Amazon

I honestly hate doing my hair, which is exactly why I rely on my Drybar brush to get me out the door in under 10 minutes. But if you're someone who wants a little more versatility to do real curls and bouncy blowouts without spending an hour in the bathroom, you might want to check out the Shark FlexStyle.

Right now, you can get the Shark FlexStyle Air Styling & Drying System in the limited-edition Blossom Bliss colorway for just $219.99 at Amazon. That's 42% off the list price and a new record-low price as of March 29.

SEE ALSO: I tested the best Dyson Airwrap dupes under $300: The Shark FlexStyle isn't your only option

The FlexStyle goes from a traditional hair dryer to a styler in seconds and comes with auto-wrap curlers that basically do the work for you, plus a concentrator and a storage bag, so you aren't leaving attachments all over the bathroom sink.

But you don't just have to take my word for it: Mashable's Lead Shopping Reporter and beauty tech expert, Bethany Allard, officially named it the "best Dyson Airwrap dupe." She gave it a Mashable Choice Award because the performance is "nearly indistinguishable" from the $600 Dyson, but pointed out that the Shark's unique twisting base and travel-friendly design make it "the superior hair tool."

Categories: IT General, Technology

Apple releases iOS 26.5 beta without any sign of AI Siri

Mashable - Fri, 04/03/2026 - 17:50

Earlier this week, Apple released the iOS 26.5 beta for developers, and now we know what changes are included in the release.

Most of the changes are pretty minor, but here's everything Apple's early adopters have spotted so far.

iOS 26.5 beta: A notable absence

As Apple readies the long-awaited AI version of Siri (which will be powered by Google Gemini), developers and journalists are keeping a very close eye on every new iOS update.

However, there's no sign of the new Gemini-powered Siri in this particular beta.

In all likelihood, Apple will debut the new and hopefully improved Siri with iOS 27.

iOS 26.5 beta: What's new

So, what is new with this release?

The most notable changes is visible within Apple Maps. As we reported previously, rumor has it that advertisements will soon be coming to Apple Maps, and Apple appears to be laying the groundwork for these ads in the iOS 26.5 beta.

Within Apple Maps searches, you'll now see a Suggested Places tab (as spotted by MacRumors). Presumably, this is where the future Apple Maps ads will live.

Other changes include:

  • You can more eaily pair "Magic" Apple accessories with your iPhone (as reported by our colleagues at Lifehacker)

  • MacRumors reports that Apple brought back end-to-end encryption for RCS messages between iOS and Android devices

  • Updates to StoreKit for developers

  • EU-specific changes for third-party wearables and accessories (read more at 9to5mac)

  • Wallpaper bug fixes

How to try iOS 26.5 beta

To try iOS 26.5 beta (and the iPadOS 26.5 beta), you'll need to sign up for the Apple beta software program. This will allow you to try out pre-release versions of upcoming iOS updates. As a best practice, always back up your device before installing a beta version of a new OS update.

You can also review the iOS 26.5 beta release notes.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The first thing I change on any new phone is the DNS—here's why it matters

How-To Geek - Fri, 04/03/2026 - 17:45

There are lots of steps to complete when setting up a new phone. You add your accounts, install apps, change the sounds and colors, and so on. For me, there's one more step that I always do. I change the DNS settings. And it's one of the most important steps of all.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Run to grab a pair of Beats Flex earbuds while theyre only $40

Mashable - Fri, 04/03/2026 - 17:33

SAVE $29:54: As of April 3, the Beats Flex earbuds are on sale for only $40.41 at Amazon. That's 42% off their list price of $69.95 and only a dollar away from their best-ever price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Flex wireless earbuds $40.41 at Amazon
$69.95 Save $29.54   Get Deal

While true wireless earbuds have dominated the market for years now, there's still a case to be made for the neckband-style earbuds connected by a wire. They're much harder to lose. You can leave them dangling around your neck like a pendant. You can just slip them out of your ears without worrying about finding a place to put them. And you can find them for pretty dang cheap.

The Beats Flex offer this convenient neckband style and as of April 3, they're on sale for only $40.41 at Amazon. That's 42% off the list price of $69.95 and only about a dollar away from their lowest price to date.

Now quite a few years old, the Beats Flex don't have all the bells and whistles you might expect from brand-new AirPods. But some folks don't care for all of those added features anyway. If you want some earbuds that'll remain in your ears, are comfortable and lightweight, sound good, and are hard to lose, these should do the trick.

They magnetically clasp together when you're not using them and automatically unpause your music when you pull them apart. You'll get about 12 hours of battery life per charge and a quick 10-minute USB-C charging session will give you an extra 1.5 hours of playback. While the Flex have Apple's W1 chip for easy pairing with Apple gadgets, they're also surprisingly Android-friendly, making them a great choice for just about anyone looking for cheap earbuds with the Beats logo.

Categories: IT General, Technology

PowerShell does 3 things Windows Settings simply can't, no matter how hard you try

How-To Geek - Fri, 04/03/2026 - 17:30

I used to avoid the command line as much as possible. PowerShell, especially, felt like one of those things you only touched if something had gone very wrong. It looks outdated, it’s not exactly welcoming, and at first glance it feels like you need to memorize a bunch of cryptic commands just to get anything done. But after spending some time with it, I realized it's not nearly as complicated as it seems. Once you get past the interface, PowerShell is just a faster, more direct way to interact with Windows, and in some cases, it gives you access to things the normal interface simply doesn't.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Amazons sister site is having a one-day sale, and this Bissell TurboClean deal is too good to skip

Mashable - Fri, 04/03/2026 - 17:29

GET 25% OFF: Today only, add one or more Main Woot and/or Category Daily Deals to your cart to score 25% off your order subtotal.

Opens in a new window Credit: Woot Get 25% off at Woot Use code 25OFF at checkout Shop Now

If you haven't heard of Woot yet, I highly recommend checking it out. The website isn't as sleek or user-friendly as its parent company (which is Amazon, BTW), but if you're willing to do a little digging, you'll find tons of deals on things Amazon hasn't even discounted yet.

SEE ALSO: Dyson's double-laser, ultra-light PencilVac just hit a record-low price at Amazon

Today only, you can get 25% off your order subtotal just by adding one or more Main Woot and/or Category Daily Deals to your cart. All you have to do is enter the promo code 25OFF on the final checkout screen right before you hit the "Place order" button. It's super easy, but you have to act fast because the promotion ends tonight, April 3, 2026, at 11:58 p.m. CT.

Whether you're looking to upgrade your home or just stock up on everyday essentials, the eligible categories have a little bit of everything, including Amazon Kindles, DeWalt flashlights, and the "Grocery and Beauty Palooza."

But my favorite find is on the Bissell TurboClean Cordless Wet/Dry Vac (which is basically a must-have if you have messy pets). Right now, you can get it at Amazon for $281.72, but Woot has it listed as a daily deal for $93.99. When you apply the 25OFF promo code, the price drops to around $70. That's an unbeatable steal for a cordless vacuum with a 30-minute run time and a self-cleaning cycle.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Google's $3 USB stick turns your old PC into a ChromeOS machine

How-To Geek - Fri, 04/03/2026 - 17:22

Google has long offered ChromeOS Flex to turn your ancient PC or Intel Mac into an up-to-date computer, but the process hasn't been intuitive for newcomers. Thankfully, it just got easier: Google has teamed up with refurbished electronics store Back Market to sell a $3 ChromeOS Flex USB Kit.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The best smartwatch youve never heard of is on sale for less than $50

Mashable - Fri, 04/03/2026 - 17:20

SAVE $54: As of April 3, the Nothing CMF Watch 3 Pro is on sale at Woot! (an Amazon company) for only $44.99. That's $54.01 or 55% off its list price of $99 and the cheapest we've ever seen it.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nothing Nothing CMF Watch 3 Pro $44.99 at Woot
$99 Save $54.01   Get Deal

In a world of expensive Apple watches, the CMF Watch 3 Pro is a delightfully affordable and surprisingly fantastic alternative. It was one of Mashable's favorite smartwatches of 2025 and earned a near-perfect rating in our testing. It's an excellent value at full price (just $99), but on sale for under $50, it's an absolute steal.

As of April 3, you can grab the Nothing CMF Watch 3 Pro at Woot! (an Amazon company) for only $44.99 instead of $99. That's 55% in savings and its best price ever. Just last week, we saw the smartwatch drop to $69 in Amazon's Big Spring Sale. This beats that sale price by an extra $24. The only catch? You'll have to go with the light green colorway. Though, honestly, I think that's the best choice anyway.

Mashable Contributor Lauren Allain tested the watch last fall and still wears it every day. She writes that it "looks, feels, and functions like a smartwatch that costs hundreds more." It offers loads of features like stress tracking, blood oxygen monitoring, precise heart-rate monitoring, dual-band GPS tracing, and in-depth sleep tracking, but where it truly outshines the competition is in battery power. As Allain puts it, "it just would not die." She had to turn on extra features to wear this thing down; it finally died after 16 days. That blows Apple's single day of battery life out of the water.

If you're in the market for a new smartwatch, fitness tracker, or sleep tracker, the CMF Watch 3 Pro does all three beautifully — and for less than $50 if you act fast.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Age-verification is hurting sex educators and sex workers, studies suggest

Mashable - Fri, 04/03/2026 - 17:20

Experts have warned about how age verification laws will impact people's work and bank accounts — and now preliminary research suggests that they're right.

Age verification laws vary by state and country, but usually require submitting proof of age, be it a facial scan or uploading a government ID, to view potentially adult content. Since 2022, these laws have been enacted in different U.S. states. Other countries, such as the UK, have also instituted age verification via the Online Safety Act.

SEE ALSO: How to unblock Pornhub for free

Sexual freedom nonprofit, the Woodhull Freedom Foundation, found that around one in five sex educators (18 percent) say these laws have already impacted their work. For sex educators working in states with age verification mandates, one in three (33 percent) report this. 

Approximately 60 respondents completed the survey last month, so this isn't a wide sample, but it hints at the trickle-down effects of age verification. 

"Age-verification laws are already impacting sex education in the U.S.," says Woodhull president and CEO, Ricci Joy Levy, in a press release. 

The majority of sex educators surveyed, 73 percent, are concerned that these laws will impact their work, while 76 percent fear they could be used to restrict access to sex education and related resources. As it is, only 37 percent of U.S. states require school sex education to be medically accurate, according to Boston University.

"Again and again, we were told this was only about keeping minors from accessing porn," Levy's statement continues. "Woodhull warned these vague and overly broad policies would also result in censorship of vital, non-explicit information about sex and gender, and the data bear this out. The current age-verification protocols are ripe for abuse, and educators are right to be scared."

Separate research from adult industry research firm SWR Data hints at a similar story when it comes to adult creators. Nearly half (45.2 percent) of the 500 surveyed last fall reported that their income from adult work decreased in the past year, with two-thirds (63 percent) saying it got harder to earn money in the past year as well.

There are several possible reasons for this trend, including overall socioeconomic uncertainty, but a staggering 98 percent of creators who reported lower income said they've experienced difficulties related to the "War on Porn." 

The so-called War on Porn can refer to age verification as well as other attempts to remove adult content from the internet. Project 2025, the blueprint for President Trump's second term, calls for an outright ban on pornography and imprisoning its creators. In 2024, one of the co-writers of Project 2025, Russell Vought (now the director of the Office of Management and Budget), reportedly called age verification the "back door" to a porn ban. 

The majority of surveyed adult creators who lost income also reported increased social media censorship and increased restrictions on what they can sell, and even fans are having trouble accessing their content.

The latter point — trouble with access — especially affected adult creators in U.S. and UK markets, according to SWR Data. They're also dealing with piracy, showing that viewers are finding ways to work around age verification. 

Two separate studies last year suggested that age verification laws don't work to keep children off of porn sites. Reasons include VPN usage and going to non-compliant websites. But it appears that age-verification is working to hurt sex workers and sex educators. 

Categories: IT General, Technology

3 beautiful weekend 3D printing projects you’ll want to show off (Apr 2 - 4)

How-To Geek - Fri, 04/03/2026 - 17:15

Looking for some decorative 3D-printed pieces to hang on the wall or display on your coffee table? That’s exactly what this weekend’s projects are all about.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Reddit r/all takes another step into the grave

Mashable - Fri, 04/03/2026 - 17:10

Reddit has finally (mostly) killed r/all.

The internet's home page confirmed in a site update changelog that all links to the r/all feed now redirect to the main Reddit home feed.

"As part of ongoing efforts to simplify Reddit and improve Home feed personalization, the final steps to deprecate r/all are being implemented. All links to r/all will now redirect to the Home feed, following the prior removal of r/all entry points. Trending content remains available via r/popular," the changelog reads.

For those who don't know, for years, r/all has been a way for users to see a "less filtered" list of the most popular posts on the site than the r/popular feed, per Reddit itself. On r/all, sexually explicit posts would be filtered out, but other NSFW content would make it in, and users had the ability to filter out communities they didn't want to see from the feed.

SEE ALSO: Reddit addresses bot problems, ID verification

In order to simplify things, Reddit decided to end r/all and have users focus on their home feeds instead, which is personalized for each user. This algorithm-based, curated feed will be the new homepage for the homepage of the internet.

This may end up being a sore spot for longtime Redditors, but there is good news for holdouts: r/all continues to exist on Old Reddit, the officially supported old-school version of the site that works like it did prior to all the big recent redesigns.

On ye olde Reddit, you can still experience r/all as you always did. Reddit hasn't taken that away...yet.

Of course, that doesn't help users of the mobile app, so maybe r/all will have to be a home-computer-only experience.

This is a big sea change for Reddit, but it's not entirely a surprise if you've been following the news. Reddit announced its intentions to deprecate r/all back in December. The only strange thing is that, last year, Reddit's CEO also said r/popular would be going away, per The Verge. Something must have changed, though, as r/popular remains while r/all is mostly dead.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Dysons double-laser, ultra-light PencilVac just hit a record-low price at Amazon

Mashable - Fri, 04/03/2026 - 16:36

SAVE 25%: As of April 3, you can get the Dyson PencilVac for $449.99, down from $599.99. That's a 25% discount or $150 savings.

Dyson PencilVac Fluffycones Cordless Vacuum $449.99 at Dyson
$599.99 Save $150   Get Deal at Dyson Get Deal at Amazon

If you've been looking for a vacuum that takes the term "stick vacuum" literally, the ultra-slim and aptly named Dyson PencilVac features a 1.5-inch handle that fits right into the palm of your hand.

SEE ALSO: The best vacuums we've tested at home, from robots to Dyson stick vacs

Right now, you can get the Dyson PencilVac at Amazon for $449.99, down from $599.99. That's a 25% discount or a $150 price cut. It's also the lowest price we've seen this model go for, according to our trusty price-tracking tool CamelCamelCamel. (Prime members can also take advantage of free returns and fast delivery.)

Mashable's Senior Shopping Reporter and vacuum expert, Leah Stodart, says the Dyson PencilVac "is a stick vacuum in the most literal sense of the term." It's super lightweight (less than four pounds), and the motor, battery, and dustbin are built completely flush into the wand. It also features these cool "Fluffycones" that actively strip long hair from the brush roll so it doesn't get tangled — though it doesn't come with a mini motorized pet tool. However, it more than makes up for it with its dual-laser action that lights up hidden dust and crumbs on your hard floors.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Static site generators still beat LLMs for one critical reason: scalability

How-To Geek - Fri, 04/03/2026 - 16:31

If you've just started programming, you may get excited by the powerful tools available in 2026 that help to skip all the legwork. But what if I told you that despite the marvel of LLMs, they're not the best-in-class tools for generating a static website?

Categories: IT General, Technology

PSA: Your Google Photos storage situation is worse than you think

How-To Geek - Fri, 04/03/2026 - 16:16

Back when I got my first Android smartphone in 2013 and learned about Google Photos, I thought it was the best thing ever. 15GB of free cloud backups for all my memories? Yes, please. However, over time, my favorite app turned into a nightmare, and that brings me to where I am now.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The complete 2026 Honda CR-V trim guide: From base to best buy

How-To Geek - Fri, 04/03/2026 - 16:15

The Honda CR-V remains one of the most popular compact SUVs on sale, thanks to its blend of practicality, efficiency, and long-term reliability. But with multiple trims available for 2026, choosing the right version can quickly become confusing. From budget-friendly entry models to better-equipped hybrid variants, each trim brings its own mix of features, value, and appeal.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Stop blaming your old graphics card—4 everyday mistakes secretly ruining its performance

How-To Geek - Fri, 04/03/2026 - 16:00

There's a common misconception in the PC gaming space that GPUs somehow, as if by magic, get worse with age. And sure, any piece of hardware gets worse with age, that's true. If you use any part of your computer excessively for years, it'll have some wear-and-tear—but it won't be borderline obsolete, which is what some people think of aging graphics cards.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Why a Raspberry Pi is actually a terrible choice for a Plex server (and what you should use instead)

How-To Geek - Fri, 04/03/2026 - 15:45

When you're setting up a Plex server, you might think that a cheap Raspberry Pi is a good way to save money. Thing is, while a Raspberry Pi is good for a lot of things, it's poorly suited to being a Plex server.

Categories: IT General, Technology

I've used Linux for 6 years—this is the simplest way to run virtual machines

How-To Geek - Fri, 04/03/2026 - 15:30

Before moving to Linux, I mostly just used VirtualBox on Windows to run virtual machines. It's available on Linux too, so I kept using it until I found out QEMU/KVM gives you much better performance. Setting QEMU up, though, was a confusing nightmare as a beginner because it's an advanced command-line tool. This is what I should have done instead.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Intel is finally having its Ryzen moment—and it couldn't have happened at a worse time

How-To Geek - Fri, 04/03/2026 - 15:00

Back in the mid-2010s, Intel was the undisputed king of the consumer CPU market. It offered the best gaming and productivity CPUs, with its closest rival, AMD, struggling to deliver a competitive product ever since the debut of its infamous Bulldozer microarchitecture.

Categories: IT General, Technology

From Dropout to Saturday Night Live with Jeremy Culhane and Kurt Maloney

Mashable - Fri, 04/03/2026 - 14:51

If you're watching comedy on YouTube, Instagram, or TikTok these days, chances are you've at least seen clips from Dropout. Whether it's Sam Reich pushing contestants to the brink of madness on Game Changer or Vic Michaelis interviewing comedians disguised in wild and extravagant costumes on Very Important People, Dropout is pushing the boundaries of improvised comedy on the internet.

No doubt, if you are familiar with Dropout, you've seen these two comedians grace their myriad of shows: Jeremy Culhane and Kurt Maloney. You might also know Jeremy Culhane from the latest season of Saturday Night Live.

This year, the Dropout crew descended on SXSW, where they performed shows ranging from Lily Du and Grant O'Brien's Dirty Laundry to Jacquis Neal's Crowd Control to good old-fashioned long-form improv.

Before their big improv SXSW show at Austin City Limits Live, Culhane and Maloney came by Mashable's SXSW Say More studio to talk comedy, Jeremy's journey to Saturday Night Live, and how Dropout continues to change the game not only in comedy but in how comedy is consumed online. Be sure to check out the full episode on YouTube.

And for more on any of their shows and improv tour dates, check out Dropout.

Categories: IT General, Technology
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