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After hours of uncertainty, officials from the Houston company said there are clues that the spacecraft is on its side, which could limit the mission’s scientific accomplishments.

A 15-foot-tall spacecraft had an imperfect landing on the moon.

The NASA-funded mission to the moon, operated by the Houston space exploration company Intuitive Machines, touched down on March 6, but engineers are still uncertain about its orientation and overall condition. Is the spacecraft, for example, lying on its side?

Though the robotic craft, called Athena, performed excellently on its flight to and around the moon, this landing mishap comes a year after Intuitive Machines' first government-supported attempt resulted in the spacecraft landing hard, breaking a leg, and settling on its side.

"I think we can agree, particularly today, that landing on the moon is extremely hard," Nicola Fox, who leads NASA's Science Mission Directorate, said at an agency news conference on March 6. 

SEE ALSO: Why landing a spaceship on the moon is still so challenging

Athena fired thrusters to brake at speeds of some 4,000 mph during its final descent. Intuitive Machines is confident the craft landed on the towering Mons Mouton, a lunar mountain near the moon's south pole rising 20,000 feet above the surrounding terrain. It's unclear, however, how far Athena may be from its intended landing site within Mons Mouton. This southern region is rich in water ice, and is relatively close to where NASA intends to bring astronauts in mid-2027.

Athena is currently charging on the lunar surface — meaning some sunlight is reaching the craft. It's communicating with Intuitive Machine's engineers, too. But much of the mission now remains in limbo. 

"We think we've been very successful to this point," Steve Altemus, the chief executive officer of Intuitive Machines, said at the press conference. "But we don't think we're in the correct attitude on the surface of the moon again."

This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed. An artist's conception of an Intuitive Machines' spacecraft landing upright on the moon. Credit: Intuitive Machines

Crucially, the lander is equipped with a NASA drill, called PRIME-1, to investigate south pole resources in anticipation of astronauts returning to the moon. The instrument is designed to drill some three feet below the lunar surface, and another instrument, called a spectrometer, looks for water and other materials. It remains unknown if the drill will be able to function in a non-optimal orientation, but NASA and Intuitive Machines will discern that capability in the coming weeks. 

The drill is important. Harvesting water ice, the space agency has emphasized, is crucial for making drinkable water, oxygen, and fuel for rockets. Over eons, comets and meteors striking the moon could have transported bounties of water to the moon's surface. Other sources could be water vapor that naturally seeped out of the lunar underground, or chemical reactions between oxygen in the lunar soil and the relentless solar wind.

But without finding and mining this ice, the U.S. cannot establish a permanent presence on the moon, a pivotal part of its Artemis program.

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

In a sign of burgeoning commerical space exploration in the 21st century, Athena (however impaired) joins the Blue Ghost lander, built by Texas-based Firefly Aerospace, which successfully touched down on the moon's near side on March 2. That craft is also part of NASA's Commercial Lunar Payload Services program, which consists of robotic technical and science endeavors that support looming crewed lunar missions.

"The risk will always be there."

Landing on the moon remains daunting, largely because it's a world with virtually no atmosphere to slow spacecraft down. A craft must plummet to the surface perfectly, as thrusters fire to slow its descent onto a surface teeming with pits and craters. Although Chinese and Indian craft have had recent landing successes, the Intuitive Machines' spacecraft Odysseus sustained damage while landing awkwardly in 2024. The same year, a Japanese craft landed upside down, on its head.

Athena also carried both a small rover and hopper, designed to test moon exploration technologies in a crater-blanketed world. We'll soon find out if these machines can depart Athena, and bound over the lunar surface.

Such robotic landing missions are high-risk and high-reward endeavors, NASA's Fox emphasized.

"The risk will always be there," she said.

The ticket reselling site joins the social chat app Discord and the artificial intelligence company CoreWeave in pursuing a public offering.

SAVE 25%: The Ninja Woodfire 8-in-1 Outdoor Oven is on sale for $299.99, down from the usual price of $399.99. That's a savings of $100.

Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Ninja Woodfire 8-in-1 Outdoor Oven $299.99 at Ninja
$399.99 Save $100 Get Deal

We're just days away from pushing the clocks ahead an hour. While that means we'll all lose an hour of sleep, it also means we're in for later sunsets. With that comes the allure of evenings spent in the backyard and soon summer barbecues. If your outdoor cooking setup could use an upgrade, check out this sweet deal.

As of March 6, the Ninja Woodfire 8-in-1 Outdoor Oven is on sale for $299.99, marked down from the standard price of $399.99. That's a 25% discount and a savings of $100.

Instead of heating up the kitchen this summer by turning on the oven, take your cooking outside thanks to the Ninja Woodfire Outdoor Oven. This model comes with extra versatility thanks to the eight cooking functions that include bake, broil, warm, dehydrate, pizza, max roast, specialty roast, and smoker.

SEE ALSO: Snag a refurbished Ninja Slushi machine for $240 and stay cool all summer

Overall, the oven temperature can range from 105 to 700 degrees Fahrenheit, which you can control manually with the temperature dial. The high temperatures are designed to replicate what you'd get from a brick oven, like a great char, caramelization, and blistering on pizza crust.

The capacity of the Ninja Woodfire is perfect for summer hangs, and the brand mentions this model can hold a 12 pound turkey, a 12 pound rib-eye with vegetables, or a nine-pound pork shoulder.

With a special pizza setting and an included pizza stone, this can be the summer of perfect patio pizzas. The pizza setting gets even more precise since it offers you the option of Neapolitan, thin crust, pan pizza, New York, and frozen. Some of these bake up the perfect pizza in just three minutes.

The Woodfire is also capable of smoking meats, thanks to its woodfire technology. With just half a cup of pellets, the outdoor oven will perfectly cook meats low and slow while infusing with that perfect smoked flavor. Keep in mind the power source is electric which means this model won't require heaps of pellets. Ninja says the oven can smoke two racks of ribs at once or an eight pound chicken.

Get a head start on summer cooking and grab the Ninja Woodfire 8-in-1 Outdoor Oven on sale for just $299.99. Not only will you be keeping your home cooler by not turning on the oven, this model is perfect for those who aren't allowed to have charcoal-fueled barbecues in their apartment or condo complex.

Like it or not, Google is doubling down on AI-generated search.

On Wednesday, the tech giant announced that it's expanding AI overviews to more Google Search queries, starting with advanced math, coding, and multimodal searches. That's made possible due to Google's more advanced model, Gemini 2.0,, which now powers AI overviews.

AI Overviews is also expanding access to more users outside of the U.S. by allowing people who aren't logged in to see the AI-generated summaries, including teens. 

Last but not least, Google is experimenting with a dedicated AI search chatbot, akin to ChatGPT search mode and Perplexity. It's like Gemini but combines Google's real-time search capabilities for the most up-to-date responses. The new feature, AI Mode, is currently available in Google's testing ground called Labs. But it's an indication that Google Search might soon have only AI-generated search results. 

AI Mode is an experiment that uses Gemini for AI-generated search results. Credit: Google

Recommendations to put glue on pizza and eat rocks be damned, Google has signaled that injecting AI into all of its apps and services is the driving force of its business strategy. In the announcement, Google's VP of Search Robby Stein said, "People are using Google Search more than ever as they get help with new and more complex questions." But that obscures the fact that AI Overviews can't be turned off and it doesn't address the hallucinations that still plague the model and might never go away. 

Former Mashable editor Mike Pearl did an audit on the first six months of AI Overviews and found that while it's fine for simple queries, it still hallucinates on more "uncommon queries" by misinterpreting what's found on the web. It also erroneously builds on faulty queries like using baking soda to thicken soup (which you definitely shouldn't do.) 

"If the basis for a search is wrong or flawed, and the AI Overview doesn't catch the problem, then it stands to reason the user won't notice it either," said Pearl. That's to say, at best, it could weaken Google's reliability as a search engine, and at worst, it could reinforce misinformation. 

Despite persistent inaccuracies that have become something of a running joke (seriously, just Google "Google AI search fails"), the company is barreling ahead with new experiments. 

we should give this $100 trillion more dollars!

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— Themperor Kennedy🐸🏳️‍🌈 (@kennedytcooper.bsky.social) March 4, 2025 at 1:32 PM

AI Mode is clearly an effort to compete with AI-powered search engines like Perplexity and ChatGPT search mode. These tools have capitalized on users leaning more into chatbots as a source of information, which threatens Google's core product. 

In Labs, screenshots display AI Mode as a tab at the top of the Google Search app next to prominent filters like All, Places, Maps, and Images. According to the description page, the underlying model is Gemini 2.0, which has reasoning capabilities, meaning it breaks down queries into step-by-step instructions to search and verify. 

This approach purportedly reduces hallucinations since it allows the model to check its work rather than spewing out the probabilistic next word. 

Google One AI Premium subscribers who pay $20 a month get access first, and those enrolled in Labs can sign up for the waitlist.

SAVE $26.50: As of March 6, get the Anker Prime Charging Station for $59.49 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $85.99. That's a discount of 31%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Anker Prime Charging Station $59.49 at Amazon
$85.99 Save $26.50 Get Deal

Are you the type of person who lets your tech gadgets languish and then forgets to charge them? It can be frustrating to have to find the right charger, the right cable, and then plug everything in after finding an outlet. Anker has a ton of different options to help mitigate these problems, and there's one on sale today that should work fantastically the next time you find yourself in this situation.

As of March 6, get the Anker Prime Charging Station for $59.49 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $85.99. That's a 31% discount.

This 200W charger has six USB ports so you can charge six devices all at the same time. That includes two MacBook Pros that you can juice back up to 50% in 28 minutes, which is admittedly a very fast charge. Each USB-C port gives you up to 100W max, and when you use them at the same time, they can still offer that massive boost in power.

Plus, Anker's MultiProtect and ActiveShield systems monitor charging temperatures so if things get too hot, you don't have to worry about damaging your phones, laptops, tablets, or other components. This charger also comes with a 5 ft power cord so you don't have to worry about providing that like with some devices.

If you're in need of a new charger, you can't go wrong with one that offers this kind of convenience, so better snag it while you can at a discount.

A new immigration policy could mandate prospective citizens give up their social media profiles for review, adding to President Donald Trump's push for stronger border policy and a bottleneck on legal migrant entry.

U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has opened a 60-day comment period on the proposed change, which would add a request for social media handles to immigration benefit applications for those already residing in the U.S. The requirement would affect those applying for green cards and naturalization, asylum-seekers, refugees, and the relatives of people who have been granted asylum or refugee status, the Verge reported. According to the USCIS, the change would affect approximately 3.5 million people.

SEE ALSO: Report: Thousands of harmful AI chatbots threaten minor safety

The State Department already has a policy in place that requires the disclosure of five years of social media history for foreign nationals applying for visas before they enter the U.S., but the new policy would apply to current U.S. residents who are only seeking to update or change their status.

"These are people who could have been residing in the U.S. for 30, 40 years, as a Green Card holder who are seeking citizenship, or people who are residing on other types of visas who are seeking a Green Card," Saira Hussain, senior staff attorney at the Electronic Frontier Foundation, told Newsweek. "It really creates a massive chilling effect about people who could be vetted for their online speech, who have every right to be here in this country and could be chilled from sharing their opinions because they are concerned they are going to be vetted and denied immigration benefits such as naturalization."

The federal agency argues the collection of such data would support more "rigorous" vetting of citizen applicants and modernize the immigration system: "In a review of information collected for admission and benefit decisions, USCIS identified the need to collect social media identifiers ('handles') and associated social media platform names from applicants to enable and help inform identity verification, national security and public safety screening, and vetting, and related inspections," the policy filing reads.

SEE ALSO: Immigration red cards: The internet rallies to protect undocumented community

The proposal also invokes a recent Trump administration Executive Order titled, "Protecting the United States from Foreign Terrorists and Other National Security and Public Safety Threats" — a mandate to amp up scrutiny (and rejections) during the visa-issuance process. At large, the administration has committed to an overhaul of U.S. immigration policy, including mass deportations, an expedited ban on asylum entries at the southern border, and the disempowering of sanctuary cities.

The proposed USCIS policy change will remain open for public comment until May 5. Comments can be submitted on the Federal eRulemaking Portal website, and can be found by inputting the e-Docket ID number: USCIS-2025-0003

The newly appointed deputy director of the F.B.I. has a long history of criticizing the bureau and its leadership. He has promised “dramatic change.”

SAVE UP TO $50: As of March 6, preorder the new iPad 11th generation and iPad Air with M3 chip at Walmart and save up to $50. You can get the iPad Air with M3 chip with 512GB for just $849, saving $50, or the iPad 11th generation with 512GB for $614, saving $35.

iPad preorder deals Best iPad deal Apple iPad, 11th generation (A16 chip, WiFi, 128GB) $329 at Walmart (Save $20) Get Deal Best iPad Air deal Apple iPad, 11-inch (M3 chip, WiFi, 128GB) $559 at Walmart (Save $40) Get Deal

Less than a year after the debut of the iPad Air with M2 chip, Apple is revamping the tablet. As announced on March 4, a new iPad Air is coming this month, and it's loaded with the M3 chip. It's upgraded to support Apple Intelligence, preloaded with access to ChatGPT that can be pulled up within apps rather than in a separate window.

Plus, the base iPad model is finally getting an upgrade after three years. The Apple iPad 11th generation now comes with the A16 chip, and is the most affordable model in the line-up.

Both new iPads are available for preorder now and will ship out on March 12. However, Walmart is offering the best preorder deal that we've seen on these new iPad models.

Right now, the latest tablets from Apple are up to $50 off. The 11th generation iPad, which starts at $349 for the 128GB model, is listed for $329 at Walmart. That saves you $20 for about 6% off. However if you upgrade to the 512GB model, the dollar savings get even bigger. Normally $649, the 512GB model is $35 off, down to $614.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad, 11th generation (A16 chip, WiFi, 128GB) $329.00 at Walmart
$349.00 Save $20.00 Get Deal

The savings on the iPad Air are a little bit sweeter. The 11-inch and 128GB model is usually priced at $599, but at Walmart it's $40 off, bringing it down to $559. That provides savings of a little less than 7%. If you want to splurge on the 512GB model of the iPad Air, you can save $50. Normally $899, it's down to $849 for about 6% off.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad, 11-inch (M3 chip, WiFi, 128GB) $559.00 at Walmart
$599.00 Save $40.00 Get Deal

Shop both models at Walmart now and get the latest iPads from Apple when they ship out on March 12.

Gambling content is seemingly everywhere on the internet today. Even viral videos completely unrelated to betting or casinos now sport advertisements for gambling websites. YouTube is now cracking down on some of that gambling content.

In an update to YouTube policies this week, the video giant announced that it is "strengthening our existing policies related to online gambling content" in order to "protect viewers from potentially harmful content."

The biggest change to YouTube's policies regarding gambling includes a new age restriction. YouTube's new policy states that online gambling content will not be viewable by signed-out viewers or signed-in users under the age of 18. YouTube has carved out two exceptions to this rule, stating that online sports betting content and content depicting in-person gambling will not be subject to the policy.

SEE ALSO: Legal gambling has kind of ruined sports

Gambling videos on the platform were already unable to promote gambling websites or apps unless those third-party gambling sites had been certified by Google. Online gambling platforms that are certified by Google have been required to meet local legal requirements to ensure that they comply with the law. 

According to YouTube, that rule is now being expanded to ban creators from sending viewers to gambling-related "URLs, links embedded in images or text, visual displays (incl. logos) or verbal references" unless they have been certified by Google.

Additionally, any gambling content that promises viewers "guaranteed returns" may be removed by the company, even if the gambling platform being promoted has been certified by Google.

As online gambling continues to grow, so does online gambling content from creators looking to cash in on sponsorships and affiliate programs. With these new updated rules, YouTube appears to be trying to force creators and itself to be at least a little bit more responsible with what they promote to their viewers.

These new gambling content rules go into effect on YouTube as of March 19.

Facing the looming threat of A.I. as a competitor, some publishers are considering an alternative to the internet’s all-powerful algorithms.

SAVE $50: As of March 6, get $50 off the Apple MacBook Air (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) at Best Buy as a paid My Best Buy Member. Both Plus and Total members are eligible for this discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Best Buy Apple MacBook Air (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,149.00 at Best Buy
$1,199.00 Save $50.00 Get Deal

If you're ready to upgrade to the new M4 MacBook Air that's set to debut next week, you're going to want to shop at Best Buy. You can save some cash on the model that isn't even out yet, which isn't something you want to pass up on when the laptop is already quite pricey in its own right. And if you're a part of a paid My Best Buy rewards program, you're entitled to the discount before the Macs even hit store shelves.

As of March 6, get $50 off the Apple MacBook Air (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) at Best Buy. You must be a My Best Buy Plus or Total member to get this discount. That brings the price down from $1,199 to $1,149 after your $50 in savings. To use this discount, just make sure you're logged in to your account and add the MacBook to your cart, as it will automatically be applied.

SEE ALSO: Here's what you need to know about preordering the new M4 Apple MacBook Air

This new M4 MacBook Air is a significantly zippier option than its predecessors, with 16GB of RAM under the hood and a 512GB SSD to make sure you've got plenty of space for your files and everything else. Plus, it's brand spanking new, and it comes in four different colors: Sky Blue, Silver, Starlight, and Midnight.

If you've been planning on grabbing the new MacBook, this is a great excuse to go ahead and lock in your preorder.

SAVE $110.04: As of March 6, get the Ninja Foodi Indoor Grill for $169.95 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $279.99. That's a discount of 39%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Ninja Foodi Smart XL Grill $169.95 at Amazon
$279.99 Save $110.04 Get Deal

If you spend a lot of time in the kitchen, you're likely more than aware of how much prep work you might have to do for a particular dish. And beyond that, how many gadgets you have to use to make it a reality. Space is at a premium for many of us when it comes to the kitchen as it is, so having an all-in-one option that can handle everything you need at once can be super useful.

As of March 6, get the Ninja Foodi Smart XL Grill for $169.95 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $279.99. That's a discount of 39%.

This 6-in-1 grill lets you air fry, roast, bake, broil, and dehydrate. It also comes with a special temperature probe so you can make sure everything is cooked to your specifications and that any meats you're heating up get to a safe temperature. It has 4 protein settings and 9 doneness levels you can set so it doesn't matter if you like your burgers medium rare or cooked to a crisp, you can enjoy a tasty meal.

The grill also has a smoke control system, grill grate, splatter shield, and a ceramic-coated exterior that you can remove for easier cleaning. It's all conducive to making cooking easier and quicker, and at this price, it's a no-brainer if you enjoy making homemade meals.

SAVE $160: The Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 Bluetooth speaker is on sale for just $139.99, down from the usual price of $299.99. That's a 53% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bang & Olufsen Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 Bluetooth speaker $139.99 at Woot
$299.99 Save $160.00 Get Deal

We have an overwhelming number of options when it comes to choosing a portable Bluetooth speaker. For most of us, we're shopping for a speaker that offers solid sound quality, doesn't come with an eye-watering price tag, and won't quit working if it gets splashed at the pool. If you're in this camp too, check out this impressive deal.

As of March 6, the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 Bluetooth speaker is on sale at Woot for just $139.99, marked down from the usual price of $299.99. That means you'll save $160 with the 53% discount.

SEE ALSO: Listen up! Grab Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds for $80 off at Amazon.

It's a rare sight to see a 53% discount on a premium Bang & Olufsen product. The brand designed the portable Beosound A1 with the Bang & Olufsen signature sound but in a compact Bluetooth speaker that's ready for any adventure.

It's waterproof and dust-resistant, which means the Beosound is prepared to head to the pool, beach, the lake, or the shower. With a full charge, the speaker can get up to 18 hours of playtime, making it extra friendly for adventures.

In the Bang & Olufsen app, you'll be able to have full control of the sound by customizing your preferences with Beosonic Tuning.

Before spring and summer weather lead us outside, snag a worthy Bluetooth speaker at Woot thanks to this awesome deal. At 53% off, the Bang & Olufsen Beosound A1 can be your summer bestie, keeping you entertained with the best playlists, audiobooks, and podcasts. Since Woot sales tend to sell out, it's worth jumping on this one quickly.

Check out the best Amazon deals of the day as of March 6: OUR TOP PICK Apple iPad, 10th (64GB, WiFi) $269 (save $80) Get Deal BEST SOUNDBAR DEAL Bose TV Speaker $219 (save $60) Get Deal BEST BEAUTY TECH DEAL Shark FlexStyle $249.99 (save $70) Get Deal BEST MONITOR DEAL Samsung 32-inch M8 smart monitor $399.99 (save $300) Get Deal

It may just be a random Thursday in March, but that doesn't mean you can't find good deals. You just have to do a little bit more digging. On March 6, we've got our eyes on a few standout deals from Apple, Bose, Shark, and Samsung.

If you're looking to do a little bit of sale shopping, here are our picks for the best Amazon deals of the day. If none of these are your cup of tea, be sure to check out our picks from March 4 and March 5. Many of those are still live, including an Apple M4 iPad Pro at its best price ever and an Anker Zolo power bank for half price.

Our top pick: Apple iPad (10th gen) Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad, 10th generation (64GB, WiFi) $269.00 at Amazon
$349.00 Save $80.00 Get Deal

Now that a brand-new iPad has dropped (available for preorder), it's no surprise we're seeing deals on the previous 10th generation model. As of March 6, the 64GB, WiFi version is down to just $269 at Amazon after chilling at $279 for a couple weeks. While not its lowest price ever, that's 23% in savings and the lowest price so far this year. Still a great entry-level iPad, it packs the A14 Bionic chip, a 10.9-inch Liquid Retina display, a landscape camera layout that makes video calls look better, and upgraded stereo speakers for sound quality improvement. Mashable Shopping Reporter Sam Mangino writes, "It's perfect for someone who wants a portable screen for streaming, playing games, and reading. It's also a nice choice if you're interested in using your tablet as a laptop but don't want to spend a ton of money."

Bose TV Speaker Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose TV Speaker $219.00 at Amazon
$279.00 Save $60.00 Get Deal

Built-in TV speakers are hardly something to write home about. If you're looking to make your sound match your picture quality, we highly recommend adding a soundbar. The Bose TV Speaker is a great introductory option that adds serious sound in a small, but mighty package. It delivers a balanced and natural-sounding spatial audio experience while enhancing dialogue for clarity. Better yet, you can get it set up in minutes with a simple plug-and-play design. Usually $279, it's on sale at Amazon for just $219 as of March 6. That's 22% in savings.

Shark FlexStyle Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark FlexStyle $249.99 at Amazon
$319.99 Save $70.00 Get Deal

The Shark FlexStyle isn't just our favorite Dyson Airwrap dupe; we actually prefer it to the outrageously expensive hot air multistyler. As of March 6, you can get the FlexStyle for all hair types for just $249.99 instead of $319.99. That's 22% in savings. It includes six attachments: two auto-wrap curlers, oval brush, paddle brush, curl-defining diffuser, and styling concentrator. If you're looking for the best damage-free drying and styling system on the market, the FlexStyle is the way to go — especially while it's on sale.

Samsung 32-inch M8 smart monitor Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 32-inch M8 smart monitor $399.99 at Amazon
$699.99 Save $300.00 Get Deal

So long as you have a sturdy internet connection, Samsung's M8 smart monitor can work double duty as a brilliant 32-inch TV. It features built-in streaming apps like Netflix and YouTube, allows you to browse the internet sans computer, and even work on documents. The M8 is a step up from the M7, which we tested and loved, boasting a brighter screen, optimized text clarity, and a removable webcam. We don't love its retail price of $699.99, but as of March 6, it's down to just $399.99. That's 43% in savings and just $20 shy of its best price ever.

None of these deals catching your eye? Check out Amazon's daily deals for even more savings.

GET A FREE YETI YONDER WATER BOTTLE WITH $100 PURCHASE: To celebrate Member Month, REI is offering members a free 25-ounce Yeti Yonder water bottle ($25 value) to those who spend $100 or more in-store on Sunday, March 9, while supplies last.

Opens in a new window Credit: Yeti Yeti Yonder water bottle (25 ounces) at REI
Free for REI members when spending $100+ in-store on March 9 Get Deal

We have plenty of memberships these days. There's Amazon Prime, Netflix, HBO Max, Instacart, the gym, and an overwhelming number of others. These all come with a monthly or yearly fee, and those prices seem to rise far too often. However, one membership we like comes with a single fee that gets you a lifelong membership, and it comes with plenty of perks. Below is a solid case in point of why it pays to be part of the REI Co-op.

REI is gearing up to celebrate Member Month and on offer is a free 25-ounce Yeti Yonder water bottle to all members who spend $100 or more in-store on Sunday, March 9. The Yeti water bottle typically costs $25, but it'll be free while supplies last. Of course, you'll need to be an REI Co-op member to cash in on this deal, which costs $30 for a lifetime membership.

Hydration is a key to success, but keeping up with water consumption can seem like a never-ending task. Yeti makes it a bit more fun, and the Yonder bottle comes with a nice 25-ounce capacity. The shatter-resistant Tritan plastic means this puppy is durable and won't mind getting dropped. Of course, it's a BPA-free material. The lid is also leakproof, so this water bottle is a great option for tossing in your carry-on bag, the gym bag, or a tote for the office.

SEE ALSO: Take up to 40% off on bicycles at REI and prep for summer rides

Since the REI membership costs $30 and the Yeti Yonder water bottle comes in at $25, signing up for a membership now and cashing in on the free bottle makes the membership close to free. Of course, you'll need to spend $100 in-store on Sunday to get this deal, but we don't think that'll be an issue once you step inside the outdoor-adventure wonderland that is REI.

Rearrange your weekend plans to include a trip to REI on Sunday, March 9 when members can snag a free Yeti Yonder water bottle when spending $100 or more on an in-store purchase. Supplies could run out, so this might be best as a Sunday morning adventure.

Love playing armchair detective and theorizing about TV shows? Then brace yourself for the upcoming interactive series Dreamcrusher, which will give one viewer a $100,000 reward for solving the show's central mystery.

SEE ALSO: 2025 TV preview: All the TV shows you need to know, and where to stream them

Created and directed by Gavin Michael Booth (Blumhouse short Fifteen, Last Call), Dreamcrusher invites viewers into the final hours of rising pop star Gwyn (Brittany Charlotte Smith), who's about to release her latest album, Dreamcrusher. But what should be a major career milestone takes a bloody turn when Gwyn is found dead on the day of Dreamcrusher's release. Now, it's up to detectives — and that includes the viewers! — to solve the murder and get justice for Gwyn. For the audience, that means pairing clues hidden within each episode with bonus clues planted in the real world. If you crack the case, you'll be entered for a chance to win the $100,000 reward.

Dreamcrusher is the first scripted series on free streaming service Reveel. It is also the first in the Reward anthology, which promises viewers prizes for solving on-screen mysteries. Viewers can sign up to be investigators on the Reward website.

"As someone who loves murder mystery series and true crime podcasts, it was a thrill to build the world of Dreamcrusher," Booth told Mashable in a statement. "Creating Reward meant constantly thinking outside of the box, which is where I feel most alive as a storyteller, and I believe our cast and crew have created something truly unique for a streaming audience. I'm equally thrilled that the series' release is finally around the corner and we get to share Dreamcrusher with the world!"

Check out the trailer above to learn more about what to expect from Dreamcrusher.

Dreamcrusher premieres March 18 on Reveel.

For many a movie lover, the promise of the ever-elegant Cate Blanchett and the ruthlessly debonair Michael Fassbender co-starring as spies should be enough to cough up ticket money. That's a powerful pairing of performers who are very well-suited to the sleek and sexy subgenre of espionage thriller. But props to director Steven Soderbergh and screenwriter David Koepp for subverting expectations with the distinctly exciting Black Bag. 

As they have with the psychological thriller Kimi and the mysterious haunted house movie Presence, this terrific pairing of writer and director has cherry-picked elements of a genre, without submitting to its expectations.

In this case, Black Bag will satisfy spy fans who demand a cast of suave rogues, sexual allure, intense interrogations, exotic globe-trekking, dubious allies, and a powerful MacGuffin that must be kept out of dangerous hands. However, what makes Black Bag a sensational standout is the husband and wife at the heart of it. 

Black Bag is a sexy, smart, and cool movie about marriage. Seriously.  Credit: Claudette Barius / Focus Features

In movies and TV, marriage is often painted as the death of excitement. Romance-centered comedies frequently end in marriage, suggesting the story of the young lovers is essentially over as soon as they settle down. In dramas or thrillers, marriage is usually only of interest if it is under threat by infidelity, divorce, or murder. But Koepp finds a unique way to explore the thrills of marriage through the spy angle. 

Fassbender and Blanchett star as George and Kathryn Woodhouse, a married couple who are not only spies but also a subject of envy and awe in their circle of colleagues because of their "flagrant monogamy."

From their first shared scene together, Fassbender and Blanchett capture this almost egregiously functional marriage by displaying an easy intimacy — but not a dull one. Their hunger for each other is apparent in the steady but intense way George watches her undress; she smiles at his continued attention as she drops her silky clothing to the floor. Where he is stiff and buttoned-up, she is fluid and unbound. They are an odd couple that really clicks, not by chance but by mutual appreciation for each other's quirks. So when a secret mission threatens to come between them, the tension comes less from the potentially catastrophic loss of life and more from the possible ruination of this successful marriage, riddled with steaminess, shared history, and secrets. 

Black Bag is a spy movie for grown-ups.   Credit: Claudette Barius / Focus Features

Unlike the movie Mr. & Mrs. Smith, this married couple knows each other are spies, and as such, that each carries secrets that must be kept from the other. Their code word for "I can't talk about that" is simply "black bag." But how do you build a romantic relationship of trust when lies are part of your business? 

This is the crux of Black Bag, as George is assigned to investigate Kathryn, and whether or not she has turned traitor by stealing the aforementioned deadly doodad. In an unconventional move that plays perfectly to Koepp and Soderbergh's strengths as storytellers, George's first move in his mission is to invite Kathryn and the other four suspects over for a dinner party. Their guests just happen to be a pair of young, hot-blooded couples who all met at the agency. While the main plot is George tracking down the traitor, the subplot focuses on these three romantic relationships, and how each copes with the pressures of each other's secrets. 

Explosions, chases, and subterfuge will all play a part in Black Bag, satisfying some genre expectations. But the biggest thrills come from George, in his even-handed, almost monotone delivery, slyly pushing his guests' buttons to see who will blow up. This becomes not just one deliciously manipulative dinner scene but a trio of sequences set across tables, each amping up the stakes and suspense as George toys with his prey.

A crackling supporting cast adds to Black Bag's shine. 

As one might expect. Blanchett is a vision as a sophisticated spy who can wear a silk gown with the same grace she can curse out a workplace antagonist. Fassbender is her perfect scene partner, playing a foil to her slinking certainty with a firm but not wooden resolve. Though outwardly austere, he projects an intensity of thought so rigorous, you can practically hear the gears churning in his mind. 

To this dynamic, the supporting ensemble of Marisa Abela, Tom Burke, Naomie Harris, and Regé-Jean Page are sublime additions. Playing peers and rivals, Burke carries a world-weary swagger as an agent battling his demons, while Page has a dashing carriage and a sharp tongue. Harris, who portrays the agency's in-house therapist, oozes with intellect but appears weighed down by the burden of dealing with clients trained to lie expertly. Then there's Abela. 

The youngest and greenest of this spy group, her character is a technician who still finds the spy game a romantic thrill, even when the realities hit her like a knife to the heart. She's the sharpest contrast to the others, as they all have varying degrees of a cool facade. She's a gorgeous nerd who craves a life of excitement and love, and she looks desperately to George for guidance on how to achieve both. But how that plays out is not by the book. 

A terrifically in-tune cast brings together Koepp's rigorous dialogue with a vicious veracity and vulnerability. Soderbergh smartly embraces an almost chilly visual aesthetic, similar to Kimi's, which reflects the atmosphere at an agency where lovers are pitted against each other. The cool color palette and static camera angles make the sizzling performances practically explode off the screen, whether characters are fighting, flirting, or going in for the kill — metaphorical or literal.

In the end, Black Bag comes together cleanly and compellingly, offering an engaging spy thriller that's about much more than global dynamics or stealthy stunt scenes. At its core, it's a story of two people who are still madly in love and fighting for each other. That gives Black Bag an edge. Koepp and Soderbergh have built a rare movie marriage that's exciting because its spouses still excite each other, and yeah, they're also spies.

As soon as Black Bag was over, I felt that dizzying high one gets from a proper spy thriller, the rush of vicarious adrenaline from the case cracked and the day saved. But I also had the deep urge to see this movie again immediately. Because as generous as the filmmaker and stars are with slathering this story in George and Kathryn's mutual attraction, I couldn't get enough. I wanted to go back to feel the thrill of their love for each other all over again. 

Black Bag opens in theaters nationwide on March 14.

While most existing 'flying cars' resemble helicopters, U.S. company Alef Aeronautics’ flying prototype is designed to look like a real car. It's an electric vertical takeoff and landing (eVTOL) vehicle, which means that, similarly to a drone or a helicopter, the car can launch vertically using electric power, as opposed to an airplane, which needs a long runway to take off.

The company claims that the vehicle, whose current model only fits one passenger, can fly in all directions. The car has undergone a number of tests so far, one of which was witnessed by NBC News, though the news outlet notes that those present didn’t see a driver enter or exit the vehicle. The flying car can also be driven on roads, though it is classified as a Low Speed Vehicle (LSV) and it only goes as fast as 25 miles per hour.

According to Alef, there have been over 3,200 preorders of the $299,999 car so far,  and the company expects to enter mass production within the next year. We’re yet to see if Alef will manage to turn science fiction into reality, and what flying car regulations will look like in the near future.

SAVE $100: As of March 6, the Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro, WiFi, 128GB) is on sale at Best Buy for $399. That's 20% off its list price of $499.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro Chip) $399.00 at Best Buy
$499.00 Save $100.00 Get Deal

A new iPad and iPad Air may be coming down the pipeline later this year, but if you've had your eyes set on the iPad mini, we've got good news. The tiny but mighty tablet is on sale right now at Best Buy, so you can scoop it up for $100 off its list price.

This has dropped the price of the Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro, WiFi, 128GB) from $499 to $399. On top of that nice little discount, your purchase also comes with bonus offers to kickstart your journey with this new tablet: Apple Fitness+ for free for three months if you're a new subscriber, up to three months of Apple Music for free if you're a new or returning subscriber, up to three months of Apple Arcade for free if you're a new or returning subscriber, and Apple TV+ for free for two months if you're a new or qualified returning subscriber.

SEE ALSO: Here's what you need to know about preordering the new M4 Apple MacBook Air

Alongside its smaller 8.3-inch size that's perfect for taking on the go, the iPad mini boasts a vibrant Liquid Retina display and powerful performance with the A17 Pro chip. In our review, Mashable's Stan Schroeder says that, "If you're new to the iPad, and you want the most compact one around (or any compact tablet), the new iPad mini 7 is the best choice."

We also consider it the best iPad for reading in our roundup of the best iPads, noting "The iPad Mini got a 2024 upgrade, and is now equipped with the A17 chip but with the same 5-core GPU and 6-core CPU. Along with the chip upgrade comes Apple Intelligence, an especially helpful feature if you plan to use it for reading as it can summarize articles."

This deal is worth taking advantage of while it's still live. Don't miss out on $100 off the Apple iPad mini (A17 Pro, WiFi, 128GB) at Best Buy.

There are a few more Apple deals floating around right now that are also worth a look. The Apple Magic Keyboard is currently enjoying over $80 off at Amazon and the AirPods Pro 2 are $50 off there as well.