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TL;DR: Live stream Italy vs. Northern Ireland in World Cup qualifiers for free on RaiPlay or BBC iPlayer. Access these free streaming sites from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

World Cup qualifiers are taking place this week. Every game at this late stage is absolutely huge with a place in this summer's showpiece event up for grabs.

Italy face off against Northern Ireland at the Stadio di Bergamo. The winner of this one-off semi final will face either Wales or Bosnia-Herzegovina. Italy are favorites to advance from this pot, but they've not been particularly impressive thus far in qualification. Northern Ireland will see this as an opportunity to upset the odds.

If you want to watch Italy vs. Northern Ireland in World Cup qualifiers for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Italy vs. Northern Ireland?

Italy vs. Northern Ireland in World Cup qualifiers kicks off at 3:45 p.m. ET on March 26. This fixture takes place at the Stadio di Bergamo.

How to watch Italy vs. Northern Ireland for free

Italy vs. Northern Ireland in World Cup qualifiers is available to live stream for free on RaiPlay or BBC iPlayer.

RaiPlay and BBC iPlayer are geo-restricted to Italy and the UK respectively, but anyone can access these free streaming services with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Italy or the UK, meaning you can access free live streams on RaiPlay or BBC iPlayer from anywhere in the world.

Lve stream Italy vs. Northern Ireland for free 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 Italy or the UK

4. Visit RaiPlay or BBC iPlayer

5. Stream Italy vs. Northern Ireland for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 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 Italy vs. Northern Ireland in World Cup qualifiers without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select World Cup qualifiers before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites 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 live sport?

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

• Servers in 105 countries

• 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 $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Italy vs. Northern Ireland in World Cup qualifiers for free with ExpressVPN.

A quick look at the best Amazon Spring Sale AirPods deals: Best AirPods 4 Deal Apple AirPods 4 $99 (save $30) Get Deal Best AirPods Pro Deal Apple AirPods Pro 3 $199 (save $50) Get Deal Best AirPods Max deal AirPods Max (1st Gen, USB-C) $449.99 (save $99.01) Get Deal

Updated on March 26 at 1:30 p.m. ET: The AirPods Max 1 headphones are going in and out of stock at Amazon. You can also find them on sale at Target and Walmart — for now.

It's official: Amazon's Big Spring Sale is back and going strong until March 31. As always with these big sale events, we've been on the case since kickoff to find the very best deals across all kinds of products. And we've spotted some absolutely stellar deals on Apple AirPods — deals that sound as good as Apple audio tech.

The AirPods Pro 3, AirPods 4 (both with and without ANC), and first-gen AirPods Max are already on sale at Amazon. Day two of the sale also delivered a surprise: The just-released AirPods Max 2 just got their first discount, if only a teensy one.

SEE ALSO: The best Apple deals to shop ahead of the Amazon Big Spring Sale — save on AirPods, iPads, and MacBooks

If you've been looking to score new earbuds or headphones to pair with your Apple tech this year, we've gathered up our favorite early AirPods deals for you into one place.

Note that no AirPods (except the just-released AirPods Max 2) have hit their lowest prices on record yet, so there's always a chance they could get cheaper. We'll be sure to update this page if new deals go live throughout the week.

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!

FYI: You don't need to be an Amazon Prime member to shop the sale, but members will receive exclusive deals on a variety of items.

Best AirPods deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods 4 $99 at Amazon
$129 Save $30   Get Deal Why we like it

If you're not looking to drop a ton of cash on new earbuds, one of our favorite deals is on the AirPods 4 without Active Noise Cancellation. These AirPods have dropped to just $99 at Amazon, saving you $30 on list price. We think these are the best budget earbuds for Apple users.

If you had your eye on the AirPods 4 with ANC, the good news is those are also on sale right now. They are currently marked down to just $148.99 at Amazon, or about $30 off their original list price of $179. So no matter which option you choose, you can save some cash right now.

Best AirPods Pro deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Pro 3 $199.99 at Amazon
$249 Save $49.01   Get Deal Why we like it

The AirPods Pro 3 are some of our favorite earbuds for Apple users, earning spots on both our lists of the best headphones and best earbuds. Our review had high praise for them, with writer Adam Doud calling them, "a remarkable upgrade in functionality over their predecessors, with better battery life and ANC, as well as a new heart rate sensor."

Boasting great sound quality and noise-cancelling features, alongside a hefty battery life that can last up to eight hours (with ANC) on a single charge, these AirPods are a nice upgrade indeed. Ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale, they're marked down to $199.

Read Mashable's full review of the Apple AirPods Pro 3.

Best AirPods Max deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Max (1st Gen, USB-C) $449.99 at Amazon
$549 Save $99.01   Get Deal Why we like it

Premium noise-canceling headphones from brands like Sony and Bose are a much better value, but AirPods Max are a popular pick nonetheless. (If nothing else, they're super stylish.) Apple announced the AirPods Max 2 with better ANC and smart features earlier this month, and now the first-gen models with USB-C charging are on sale on Amazon for $449.99. That's about $100 off their regular retail price of $549.

Read Mashable's full review of the first-generation Apple AirPods Max.

More AirPods Max deals

• Apple AirPods Max 1 — $449.99 at Walmart $549 (save $99.01)

• Apple AirPods Max 2 — $529.99 $549 (save $19.01)

People are canceling their ChatGPT subscriptions in droves and moving over to Claude. According to TechCrunch, Claude's free tier has seen a 60 percent spike since January 2026, and a 2x increase in paid users. However, I’m noticing a pattern—most folks are bringing their ChatGPT habits over to Claude, and it’s holding them back.

TL;DR: Live stream Czechia vs. Ireland in World Cup qualifiers for free on RTÉ Player. Access this free streaming site from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

Some huge World Cup qualifiers are taking place this week, including Czechia vs. Ireland. The winner of this one-off semi final will face either Denmark or North Macedonia for a place in the 2026 World Cup. The Fortuna Arena is going to be absolutely electric when these two sides come together to battle it out for a place in this summer's showpiece event.

Ireland will be looking to Troy Parrott to deliver another huge performance in front of goal. Patrik Schick is expected to lead the line for Czechia.

If you want to watch Czechia vs. Ireland in World Cup qualifiers for free from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Czechia vs. Ireland?

Czechia vs. Ireland in World Cup qualifiers kicks off at 3:45 p.m. ET on March 26. This fixture takes place at the Fortuna Arena.

How to watch Czechia vs. Ireland for free

Czechia vs. Ireland in World Cup qualifiers is available to live stream for free on RTÉ Player.

RTÉ Player is geo-restricted to Ireland, but anyone can access this free streaming service with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Ireland, meaning you can access free live streams on RTÉ Player from anywhere in the world.

Lve stream Czechia vs. Ireland for free 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 Ireland

4. Visit RTÉ Player

5. Stream Czechia vs. Ireland for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.99 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 Czechia vs. Ireland in World Cup qualifiers without actually spending anything. This clearly isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream select World Cup qualifiers before recovering your investment.

If you want to retain permanent access to free streaming sites 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 RTÉ Player?

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

• Servers in 105 countries

• 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 $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Czechia vs. Ireland in World Cup qualifiers for free with ExpressVPN.

The best Amazon Big Spring Sale Apple Watch deals: Best Apple Watch Series 11 Deal Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm) $299.00 (save $100) Get Deal Best Apple Watch SE 3 Deal Apple Watch SE 3 (GPS, 40mm) $219.00 (save $30) Get Deal Best Apple Watch Ultra Deal Apple Watch Ultra 2 (49mm) $499 (save $300) Get Deal

Amazon's Big Spring Sale is now well underway and live through March 31. For Apple users, this is a pretty exciting occasion. We're seeing discounts on everything from Apple Watches to AirPods. So, if you've been hoping to get your hands on a brand-new smartwatch but refuse to pay full price, several Apple Watch models are on sale right now, with savings of up to $300.

The Series 11 and SE 3 are the newest shining stars in Apple's lineup, but a few last-generation models are stealing the spotlight during the Big Spring Sale. If you don't mind an older model, you can pick up the Apple Watch SE 2 for just $189 (save $60), or the Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $499 (save $300).

Of course, we'll be updating this page as new deals drop, but here are the best Apple Watch deals you can shop right now. So far, Amazon has the best prices, but we're also checking Best Buy, Target, and Walmart for surprise savings.

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!

Note: You don't need to be a Prime member to shop the sale, but Prime members will receive exclusive deals on a variety of items.

Best Apple Watch Series 11 deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm) $299 at Amazon
$399 Save $100   Get Deal Why we like it

A $100 discount on the 42mm GPS Apple Watch Series 11 drops it to a record-low price, making it the perfect time to grab what our Tech Editor, Timothy Beck Werth, calls the "Best Apple Upgrade." Mashable's Stan Schroeder agrees, noting the battery life alone is worth the jump. "Even if you already have a Series 10, which has nearly all the same features, the new Apple Watch Series 11 doesn’t require you to charge it mid-day in order to keep it going through the night," he writes.

More Apple Watch deals

• Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 46mm) — $329 $429 (save $100)

• Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS + Cellular, 42mm) — $399 $499 (save $100)

• Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS + Cellular, 46mm) — $649 $799 (save $150)

Best Apple Watch SE deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch SE 3 (GPS, 40mm) $219 at Amazon
$249 Save $30   Get Deal Why we like it

If you just want a reliable smartwatch without paying for features you won't use, the Apple Watch SE 3 is the way to go. We named it the "Best for Most People" in our smartwatch guide because it packs the exact same S10 chip as the Ultra 3 and the same water resistance as the Series 11 — "all for $150 less than the Series 11."

Now that the Big Spring Sale is in full swing, the 40mm model is down to $219, saving you $30. It’s also not the only configuration on sale right now. We've rounded up a few other discounted SE 3 models below so you can pick your preferred setup and still save some cash.

More Apple Watch SE deals

• Apple Watch SE 2 (GPS, 40mm) — $189 $249 (save $60)

• Apple Watch SE 3 (GPS, 44mm) — $249 $279 (save $30)

• Apple Watch SE 3 (GPS + Cellular, 40mm) — $269 $299 (save $30)

• Apple Watch SE 3 (GPS + Cellular, 44mm) — $259 $329 (save $80)

Last-generation Apple Watch deals

• Apple Watch Series 9 (GPS + Cellular, 45mm) — $448 $828 (save $380)

• Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS + Cellular, 46mm) — $498.99 $799 (save $300.01)

• Apple Watch Ultra 2 (GPS + Cellular, 49mm) — $499 $799 (save $300)

Looking for smartwatches that don't fall under the Apple umbrella? Check out our full list of Big Spring Sale fitness tracker deals.

It's that time of the year again—not Prime Day, but for the Amazon Big Spring Sale. This seasonal event is much like Prime Day, but you don't need to wait until July to enjoy it. With thousands of items on sale, it can be overwhelming to find what are the best discounts. Don't worry, we have you covered.

Best deals under $50 during Amazon's Big Spring Sale Best Amazon device deal Amazon Echo Spot $49.99 at Amazon (save $30) Get Deal Best earbuds deal Soundcore by Anker Space A40 $49.99 at Amazon (save $30) Get Deal Best home deal Dreo TurboPoly Table Fan 315 $49.95 (save $6) Get Deal

It's a great week if you like deals. As of March 25, Amazon is hosting the first major sale event of 2026. The Amazon Big Spring Sale spans almost the entire week, ending Tuesday, March 31.

Like all Amazon sales, there is an abundance of deals to sort through, and that's especially true if you're searching for items that fall into the category of under $50. Maybe you're searching for the perfect birthday gift, thinking ahead to Mother's Day (May 10 this year, FYI), or simply don't want to spend a ton; an under-$50 budget allows for plenty of buying power.

We've compiled a list of our favorite deals under $50 to shop during Amazon's Big Spring Sale. Check back as we continue to update this article throughout the week.

Best Amazon device deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Spot $49.99 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $30.00   Get Deal Why we like it

Amazon sales are notoriously one of the best opportunities to snag Amazon devices. From Kindles to Fire TV sticks, Amazon loves to put its own products on huge discounts. If you could use a new bedroom smart speaker and clock, the Amazon Echo Spot has a sale price of $49.99, down from the standard price of $79.99. With a quick glance, you'll be able to check the time, weather, and more without having to check your phone. Plus, you can set it to play your favorite wakeup playlist each morning.

More Amazon devices on sale

• Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max — $34.99 $59.99 (save $25)

• Amazon Echo Dot Kids — $39.99 $59.99 (save $20)

• Kasa Smart Dimmer Switch (3 pack) — $46.99 $55.99 (save $9)

• Star Wars TIE Fighter Stand for Amazon Echo Dot — $49.99 $59.99 (save $10)

• Amazon Echo Pop Kids — $29.99 $49.99 (save $20)

Best earbuds deal Opens in a new window Credit: Soundcore by Anker Soundcore by Anker Space A40 (select colorways) $49.99 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $30.00   Get Deal Why we like it

The Soundcore by Anker Space A40 earbuds usually come with a price of $79.99, but as long as you're cool with navy, black, or white, they can be yours for only $49.99. The Space A40 earbuds are designed to reduce noise by up to 98 percent, and they come with a massive 50 hours of playback time with the included case. Amazon's Big Spring Sale could be the best opportunity to replace earbuds before we head into the summer.

More headphones, earbuds, and audio deals

• CMF Buds 2a — $24.65 $39 (save $14.35)

• JLab JBuds Mini Earbuds — $27.99 $39.99 (save $12)

• Soundcore P30i Earbuds — $27.99 $49.99 (save $22)

• JBL Vibe Beam Earbuds — $29.95 $49.95 (save $20)

• Anker Soundcore 2 Bluetooth speaker — $29.99 $44.99 (save $15)

• EarFun Free 2S — $31.34 $39.99 (save $8.65)

• OnePlus Nord Buds 3 Pro — $39.99 $59.99 (save $20)

• Soundcore C50i by Anker Open Ear Earbuds — $39.99 $69.99 (save $30)

• JLab JBuds Lux ANC — $41.99 $79.99 (save $38)

• Sony WF-C510 — $48 $69.99 (save $21.99)

• Sony WH-CH520 — $48 $69.99 (save $21.99)

• EarFun Clip — $48.98 $69.99 (save $20.01)

• Logitech G435 Wireless Gaming Headset — $39.99 $79.99 (save $40)

Best home deal Opens in a new window Credit: Dreo Dreo TurboPoly Table Fan 315 $49.95 at Amazon
$55.99 Save $6.04   Get Deal Why we like it

It's about to get hot. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but soon enough, we'll be back in sweltering season. This year, head into the warmth with the Dreo TurboPoly Table Fan. Not only does it look great, it has four speeds, an 8-hour timer, and big oscillation power. Dreo says the fan is powerful enough to blow air up to 60 feet, so it'll be ideal for a bedroom or office. Plus, it's a quiet 28 decibels, so there's no issue with sleeping with the fan on.

More home deals

• Levoit 160 Top-Fill Ultrasonic Cool Mist Humidifier — $27.94 $39.99 (save $12.50)

• Anker Smart Display Charger — $27.99 $39.99 (save $12)

• Lodge Seasoned Cast Iron Skillet (12 inches) — $29.49 $34.90 (save $5.41)

• Zojirushi 3 Cup Rice Cooker/Steamer — $43.99 $54.99 (save $11)

• Conair Handheld Garment Steamer — $49.97 $69.99 (save $20.02)

• Black+Decker AdvancedClean Handheld Vacuum — $49.99 $59.99 (save $10)

• Renpho Eye Massager — $49.99 $69.99 (save $20)

• LifeStraw Personal Water Filter — $13.18 $19.95 (save $6.77)

• LifeStraw Go Series Water Filter Bottle (1 liter) — $37.05 $49.95 (save $12.90)

• Amazon Smart Plug, Works with Alexa — $19.99 $24.99 (save $5)

• WOLFBOX MF50 Compressed Air Duster — $35.99 $59.99 (save $24)

Best gaming deal

Note: All of the below gaming deals are part of the Woot! video game sale that also runs through March 31 (or until supplies last). Woot! is owned by Amazon, and all the games are brand new.

Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo 'Mario Kart World' for Nintendo Switch 2 $51.99 at Woot!
$79.99 Save $28.00 Use code 'SAVETWENTY' at checkout. Get Deal Why we like it

OK, this one is not technically under $50, but it's so close and such a good deal, we couldn't pass up including it here. One of the more controversial parts of the Switch 2 release was the higher game prices, including on the first title live with the console: Mario Kart World. The good news is that if you've been waiting for the $80 game to drop in price, Spring Sale season has you covered. Thanks to this markdown at Woot!, you can pick it up for $64.99. And as of March 25, you can use the code SAVETWENTY at checkout to knock an additional $13 off the game our reviewer called "chaotic, hilarious fun."

Check out our full review of Mario Kart World.

More gaming deals

Gaming gear

• MNN Portable Monitor 15.6-inch — $49.99 $89.98 (save $39.99)

• AULA Wireless Gaming Keyboard— $27.99 $35.99(save $8)

• Logitech G305 Wireless Gaming Mouse — $26.99 $49.99 (save $23)

• Power Strip Surge Protector— $26.58 $34.99 (save $8.41)

Nintendo Switch

• Little Nightmares III (Deluxe Edition) — $21.99 $59.99 (save $38)

• Pokémon Scarlet — $44.99 $59.99 (save $15)

• Pokémon Violet — $46.99 $59.99 (save $13)

• Super Mario Bros. Wonder — $46.99 $59.99 (save $13)

• Super Mario Party Jamboree — $46.99 $59.99 (save $13)

PlayStation

• Elden Ring — $18.99 $49.99 (save $31)

• Like a Dragon: Pirate Yakuza in Hawaii — $19.99 $59.99 (save $40)

• Silent Hill f (Amazon Exclusive Day One Edition) — $39.99 $69.99 (save $30)

Using your laptop in bed is one of the best things about having a portable computer. For those of us who work from home, it makes the dream of working from a comfortable bed a reality. However, did you know that this seemingly harmless habit could be slowly killing your laptop's expensive SSD without you even realizing it?

The creators of Jmail, the viral Gmail clone that mimics Jeffrey Epstein's email inbox, are back at it again.

This time, the makers of Jmail have created JCal, a Google Calendar clone that shows you what Jeffrey Epstein's Google Calendar likely looked like. The calendar events are based on Epstein's schedule, as detailed through document releases in the Epstein Files. JCal contains 20 years of Epstein's calendar schedule.

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Epstein, a convicted sex offender who was found dead in his jail cell in 2019 after being charged with sex trafficking of minors, notoriously surrounded himself with rich, powerful, and famous figures. Meetings and other scheduled events with these well-known individuals appear alongside mundane events, like haircut appointments, giving JCal visitors a glimpse into how a connected individual like Epstein lived.

JCal looks exactly like Google Calendar, except it's populated with calendar events from Epstein's own schedule. Clicking on an event will bring up additional details, just like it does with Google Calendar. The JMail team says the notes on each calendar event were created by them to give context about each event based on the email from the Epstein Files where the event was mentioned. Each event includes a link to the source email from the Epstein Files as well.

According to the Jmail team, the JCal event listings are likely to grow as they continue to pull from other areas where Epstein likely schedule events, such as his released text message archive. The team says they are also building a search function into JCal as well.

The release of the Epstein Files, documents collected from Epstein estate through investigations, have become a major point of contention during President Donald Trump's second term, have made this project by digital creator Riley Walz and developer Luke Igel possible. 

The two originally created Jmail last November, which eventually went viral with the release of each batch of the Epstein Files. The project soon  expanded into showing clones of other Google products as seen through the eyes of Epstein. The number of people working on Jmail has also expanded since, with the Jmail team thanking software developer Matheus Mendes and others for their work on creating JCal. 

Mendes had also previously created JeffTube, a YouTube clone that mimicked what Epstein's YouTube channel would look like. The JeffTube "channel" is made up of around 140 videos from the Epstein Files that have been released by the DOJ. With Jmail's popularity growing, JeffTube was eventually integrated into Jmail's larger project and Mendes began working with the Jmail team.

JCal and JeffTube live alongside other "products" in Jmail's "suite" such as JPhotos, which contain all the photos in the Epstein Files, and JDrive, which includes documents fund in the Epstein Files.

If you’re running Home Assistant to control your smart home, there’s a good chance you’ve got some sensitive stuff in backups like device credentials, API keys, and automation routines. Home Assistant will now help you keep that data secure with an overhauled backup system, following the 2026.3 version that arrived earlier this month with new features.

Spring is here, and the weather is finally warming up. If you're planning a family getaway or road trip, a portable charger is an essential accessory, but finding one that packs a decent amount of power without taking up too much space in your bag isn’t always easy.

We geeks like plugging tech into other tech. This is one of the best things about desktop computers. Here's the thing—there's more tech than you might think out there that you can now plug into a modern phone.

Lightweight design has always been at the core of what makes a great sports car, and few models embody that philosophy better than the Mazda MX-5. At a time when most vehicles are gaining weight due to added technology and safety features, keeping a car light has become increasingly difficult. Yet Mazda appears determined to push in the opposite direction with its next-generation roadster.

Earlier this month, Apple released the MacBook Neo, a colorful new budget laptop that landed like a bomb in the laptop world. Priced at $599, the newest member of the MacBook family has been a magnet for hot takes in the tech world.

So, is the MacBook Neo on sale during the Amazon Big Spring Sale 2026? Technically, yes.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Neo, 13-inches (A18 Pro chip, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $689.99 at Amazon
$699 Save $9.01   Get Deal

The MacBook Neo comes in two configurations: a base model with 256GB of storage for $599 and an upgrade version with Touch ID and 512GB of storage for $699.

Amazon has discounted the Touch ID version to $689.99, a whopping $9.01 discount.

So, while that's technically a reduction from the retail price, it's not much of a deal, even if it's the best price on offer. However, there is another way to save. If you qualify for Apple's famous education discount — students, teachers, and other educational professionals qualify — you can take $100 off the price and pick up this laptop for $499 or $599 by shopping direct with Apple.

The Amazon Big Spring Sale has lots more Apple deals

Through March 31, Amazon is running its Big Spring Sale, which features significant discounts across almost every category. As far as tech goes, we are seeing some great deals on some of our favorite brands, including Ninja, Jackery, Bluetti, and more. As for Apple, you can find a ton of iPads, Apple Watches, and MacBooks on sale. The beloved and sparkling new AirPods Max 2 are seeing a $20 drop in price, for example.

SEE ALSO: We found the best Apple deals from Amazon's Spring Sale — save on AirPods, iPads, and MacBooks

The AirPods Max 2 and MacBook Neo are both new as of March 2026, and they're both sneakily on sale during the BSS. The discounted price doesn’t directly advertise on the page, but we can verify the 512GB version with Touch ID is $9.01 off its typical list price of $699.

We don't expect either of these products to get any more price drops, but we'll be watching them like a hawk in case they do.

Is the MacBook Neo worth it? Credit: Timothy Werth / Mashable

Even for $699, the MacBook Neo puts most Windows laptops to shame.

Mashable’s own tech editor, Timothy Werth, tested and loved the new budget laptop from Apple. “The MacBook Neo brings the premium features of a MacBook — Liquid Retina Display, the intuitive macOS, a sleek aluminum design — to an entirely new market segment: the budget laptop,” Werth said in his review. “And if you qualify for the $499 education discount, this is truly a laptop with no viable competition, full stop.”

Werth admits that professionals working with massive files, intense editing projects, or looking for horsepower should consider the MacBook Pro with an M5 chip — not the Neo. Instead, he says, “ the MacBook Neo is meant to be a baby's first laptop, and I mean that as a compliment. It's a starter laptop you might buy for a high school or college student.”

This budget laptop is meant for folks who mostly perform basic tasks like scrolling, streaming, and document editing. Still, Werth tested out the video editing software on the Neo with surprising success. Overall, it appears that 8GB of RAM in an Apple product with an A18 chip is still capable of quite a lot.

To top it all off, the colors honestly rule. You have your pick of indigo, blush, citrus, and silver; colors previously unseen for Apple laptops. 

Again, for the best possible price, folks in the education world should pursue the $100 education discount Apple offers. 

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Neo, 13-inches (A18 Pro, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $599 at Amazon
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You’ve stayed strong through the week, and now it’s time for some Raspberry Pi projects to occupy your weekend. Today, I’m showing you how to get your budget under control, document your homelab, and avoid prying eyes in your baby’s room.

Timeless movies are the certified classics that would work in any era. You know the list by now—It's a Wonderful Life, The Godfather, 2001: A Space Odyssey, Raiders of the Lost Ark, etc. These films would be revered by audiences in both 1966 and 2006. Unfortunately, not every movie ages with grace. For some films, their thematic elements and questionable characters have aged poorly. In other words, they've aged like milk.

If you have been one of the millions of flyers hit by hours-long TSA wait times, or if you're one of the thousands of TSA agents working without pay during the partial federal shutdown: I am sorry.

As of March 24, more than 2 million travelers were passing through TSA daily, experiencing up to 6-hour wait times at the busiest airports. More than 480 TSA officers have quit in the 40-days since Department of Homeland Security funding lapsed. Another 3,000 have called out of work. The agents, who make $35,000 per year on average, have now missed two full pay periods.

SEE ALSO: After killing Sora, what OpenAI does next will define it

The situation has been exacerbated by the presence of Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents at terminals across the U.S. Deployed by the Trump administration as a proposed solution to understaffing, flyers have already reported ICE agents detaining flyers at San Francisco International Airport.

Most major airports are now recommending travelers arrive around 4 hours before their flights to get through the lines with time to spare.

Can I check TSA wait times?

Short answer: Yes. There are multiple sites online that track security wait times, including trackers hosted by major terminals themselves. The Department of Homeland Security has previously encouraged flyers to download the MyTSA app to check security times, for example.

But much like the less-than-reliable amusement park apps that tell you the wait for rides is only 30 minutes (it never is), these websites are not entirely accurate. And, making everything worse, most of the federally-run trackers are no longer being managed or updated while the government is in shutdown. That's also why third-party trackers, which often pull their data from publicly available APIs, may be similarly inaccurate.

Most major airports like New York's JFK, have begun to turn off their own wait time trackers in light of inaccuracies and delays. JFK's homepage even displays an alert:

"Due to the federal funding lapse, security wait times may be significantly longer than normal. Wait times are subject to rapid change based on passenger volumes and TSA staffing. For these reasons, wait time reporting has been temporarily suspended. Please allow for significantly more time and check with your airline for the current status of your flight."

With official avenues down, your best bet may just be your fellow flyers.

Reddit users on r/delta and r/airport, for example, are sharing live updates on their waits and posting photos of current lines — subreddits in cities particularly affected by understaffing are actively updating TSA megathreads too, like r/houston and r/atlanta. Others have taken to r/TSA to try to ask for advice directly from security staffers. TikTok is flooded with people vlogging their waits — using these anecdotes as reference may help you more effectively plan.

Can I make my wait shorter?

The standard advice is to purchase TSA PreCheck, a fee-based authorization service that lets flyers skip many steps of the security process and wait in a separate line from the non-payers. There's also CLEAR, an identity verification service in which flyers can use to skip ID check lines.

Both services are intended to get travelers through airports faster, but users online have reported that even PreCheck lines are snaking through terminals, with a few viral videos showing longer wait times than standard TSA lines. Some overly strained airports have also closed their PreCheck and Clear lines, including Bush Airport in Houston, due to understaffing.

If you're flying without a RealID — which is now required to travel, at least on paper — and don't have another form of valid identification, you must pay a fee to the TSA before you enter the security line at the airport. It's known as the TSA ConfirmID Program, and it requires a more involved security check and pat down than regular TSA. However, at some airports, that check is down outside of general security lines, much like how TSA PreCheck works.

Anecdotally, a visiting friend who flew out of JFK on March 21 told me she got through TSA in about 30 minutes, skipping the lines because she was flagged for a TSA ConfirmID check (she has no passport, and no RealID).

What happens if I miss my flight?

Typically, airlines are not responsible for accommodating flyers who miss their flights because of security delays. But they also know that airports are a complete mess right now.

Allegiant Air said it is temporarily waiving cancellation and change fees for passengers affected by TSA understaffing. For now, Delta has issued a similar waiver for March 24 flyers out of Hartsfield-Jackson airport in Atlanta. United said it would rebook passengers who had flights out of Houston on March 23-24 at no cost and has eliminated "most" ticket change fees, CBS reported.

In an email to the New York Times, a Southwest spokesperson said: “If a customer is unable to make their flight due to T.S.A. wait times, we will rebook them on the next available flight with no additional charge."

Amazon's Big Spring Sale is officially here, running March 25 through 31. If you're not looking to drop a ton of cash during this seasonal sale event, we've gathered up some excellent deals under $25 that you can shop right now.

There's the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus, if you're looking to upgrade your streaming setup this year, some sweet Lego sets, including the delightful Lego Botanicals Mini Orchid, and water bottles from Hydro Flask. There's much more to explore, from beauty savings to more tech deals.

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Note: You don't need to be a Prime member to shop the sale, but Prime members will receive exclusive deals on a variety of items.

Best deal under $25 Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus $24.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $25.00   Get Deal Why we like it

2026 has started off strong when it comes to what's available to stream, and if you've been looking to upgrade your setup to enjoy it all in 4K, the Fire TV Stick 4K Plus is worth a look. At the moment, this streaming stick has returned to its lowest-ever price of $24.99 at Amazon, which is 50% off its list price of $49.99. It's a pretty excellent price to pay for what you're getting.

The Fire TV Stick 4K Plus supports 4K Ultra HD picture quality, which helps bring out the colors and crisp details in the shows and films you watch. It also supports Dolby Vision, HDR10+, and Dolby Atmos audio, which provide a little extra boost to picture and sound as well. And with support for Wi-Fi 6, you'll get to enjoy smooth streaming quality. If it sounds like the streaming package you've been searching for, this deal at Amazon is well worth jumping on.

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At a glance

• VLM-based robot planners struggle with long, complex tasks because natural-language plans can be ambiguous, especially when specifying both actions and locations.
• GroundedPlanBench evaluates whether models can plan actions and determine where they should occur across diverse, real-world robot scenarios.
• Video-to-Spatially Grounded Planning (V2GP) is a framework that converts robot demonstration videos into spatially grounded training data, enabling models to learn planning and grounding jointly.
• Grounded planning improves both task success and action accuracy, outperforming decoupled approaches in benchmark and real-world evaluations.

Vision-language models (VLMs) use images and text to plan robot actions, but they still struggle to decide what actions to take and where to take them. Most systems split these decisions into two steps: a VLM generates a plan in natural language, and a separate model translates it into executable actions. This approach often breaks down for long, complex tasks because natural-language plans can be ambiguous or even hallucinated when specifying actions and locations (Figure 1). Because planning and spatial reasoning are handled separately, errors in one stage can propagate to the next. This raises a key question: can a VLM determine both what to do and where to do it simultaneously?

Figure 1. Failures in VLM-based task planners, where ambiguous language leads to non-executable actions. Planning with spatial grounding

To address this problem, we developed GroundedPlanBench (opens in new tab). In our paper, “Spatially Grounded Long-Horizon Task Planning in the Wild,” we describe how this new benchmark evaluates whether VLMs can plan actions and determine where those actions should occur across diverse real-world environments. We also built Video-to-Spatially Grounded Planning (V2GP), a framework that converts robot demonstration videos into training data to help VLMs learn this capability.

Evaluating these with both open- and closed-source VLMs, we found that grounded planning for long, complex tasks is challenging. At the same time, V2GP improves both planning and grounding, with gains validated on our benchmark and in real-world experiments using robots.

How GroundedPlanBench works

To create realistic robot scenarios, we built our benchmark from 308 robot manipulation scenes in the Distributed Robot Interaction Dataset (DROID) (opens in new tab), a large collection of recordings of robots performing tasks. We worked with experts to review each scene and define tasks that a robot could perform. Each task was written in two styles: explicit instructions that clearly describe the actions (e.g., “put a spoon on the white plate”) and implicit instructions that describe the goal more generally (e.g., “tidy up the table”).

For each task, the plan was broken down into four basic actions—grasp, place, open, and close—each tied to a specific location in the image. Grasp, open, and close actions were linked to a box drawn around the target object, while place actions were linked to a box showing where the object should be placed.

Figure 2 illustrates medium- and long-duration tasks, along with their explicit and implicit instructions. In total, GroundedPlanBench contains 1,009 tasks, ranging from 1–4 actions (345 tasks) to 5–8 (381) and 9–26 (283).

Figure 2. Examples of tasks in GroundedPlanBench. How V2GP works

The V2GP framework first detects moments when the robot interacts with objects using the recorded gripper signals. It then generates a text description of the manipulated object with a multimodal language model. Guided by this description, the system tracks the object across the video using Meta’s advanced open-vocabulary image and video segmentation model, SAM3. The system then constructs grounded plans from the tracking results, identifying the object’s location at the moment it is grasped and where it is placed.

This process is illustrated in Figure 3. It yielded 43K grounded plans with varying lengths: 34,646 plans with 1–4 actions, 4,368 with 5–8 actions, and 4,448 with 9–26 actions.

Figure 3. The V2GP framework converts robot videos into spatially grounded plans. Evaluating decoupled versus grounded planning

To evaluate GroundedPlanBench in real-world robotic settings, we used Qwen3-VL (opens in new tab) as our base model. Qwen3-VL is a vision-language model that processes text, images, and video to support multimodal reasoning. It performs well on standard multimodal reasoning benchmarks without additional training. We first evaluated it, along with other proprietary models, on GroundedPlanBench without any task-specific training (Table 1). We then fine-tuned it on V2GP training data and compared it with a decoupled approach, in which planning and grounding are handled separately.

In this setup, a VLM first generated a plan describing what the robot should do. We used GPT-5.2 or Qwen3-VL-4B for this step. The plan was then passed to a spatial grounding model, Embodied-R1 (opens in new tab), which converted the plans into executable signals. Embodied-R1 is a large vision-language model trained for embodied reasoning and pointing, where the model identifies specific locations in the image to guide the robot’s actions. We selected it for spatial grounding because its training targets embodied spatial reasoning and point-based localization, making it well suited for grounding model outputs to specific locations in an image.

Figure 4 highlights a key limitation of this approach: ambiguity in natural language. For example, Qwen3-VL-4B generated grasp actions by referring to “napkin on the table” for all four napkins in the scene, leading Embodied-R1 to ground each action the same napkin. GPT-5.2 produced more descriptive phrases, such as “top-left napkin” or “upper-center napkin,” but these were still too imprecise for the model to reliably distinguish between them and were again grounded to the same object.

Figure 4. Decoupled vs. grounded planning, illustrating how ambiguous language causes actions to be grounded to the wrong objects.

This limitation becomes more pronounced in real-world robot manipulation, where environments are often cluttered and complex. As a result, decoupled approaches struggle to work reliably. In contrast, our approach, grounded planning, performs planning and grounding jointly within a single model and improves both planning and grounding performance.

Table 1 presents evaluation results for open- and closed-source VLMs on GroundedPlanBench. Multi-step planning and handling of implicit instructions were challenging for all models, while training Qwen3-VL-4B and Qwen3-VL-32B with V2GP led to significant improvements in grounded planning.

Table 1. Evaluation results on GroundedPlanBench. Task Success Rate (TSR) measures the percentage of tasks completed correctly, requiring all actions to be both correctly planned and spatially grounded. Action Recall Rate (ARR) measures the proportion of generated actions that match the sub-actions defined in the dataset, regardless of order. The V2GP approach improves performance on both metrics and achieves the best results (shown in bold).

video series

On Second Thought

A video series with Sinead Bovell built around the questions everyone’s asking about AI. With expert voices from across Microsoft, we break down the tension and promise of this rapidly changing technology, exploring what’s evolving and what’s possible.

Explore the series Opens in a new tab Implications and looking forward

Integrating planning and grounding within a single model offers a path to more reliable robot manipulation in real-world settings. Rather than relying on separate stages, this approach keeps decisions about what to do and where to act tightly coupled, but models still struggle with longer, multi-step tasks and implicit instructions. Models must reason over longer sequences of actions and maintain consistency across many steps and goals described indirectly, as in everyday language.

Looking ahead, a promising direction combines grounded planning with world models, which enable robots to predict the outcomes of actions before executing them. Together, these capabilities could allow robots to decide what to do, where to act, and what will happen next, bringing us closer to systems that can plan and act reliably in the real world.

Acknowledgements

This research was conducted in collaboration with Korea University, Microsoft Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison, and supported by the Institute of Information & Communications Technology Planning & Evaluation (IITP) grant (No. RS-2025-25439490) funded by the Korea government (MSIT).

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The post GroundedPlanBench: Spatially grounded long-horizon task planning for robot manipulation appeared first on Microsoft Research.

Cheap GPUs, expensive GPUs, they can all struggle and fail for any number of reasons. More often than not, one of the main problems they face is heat. If your GPU is forced to work overtime for years and the conditions are far from ideal, it'll start showing its age a lot sooner than a card that was hardly ever pushed to the limit.