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Ana de Armas is on the hunt for vengeance in the John Wick franchise spin-off Ballerina. And according to the film's latest trailer, John Wick himself (Keanu Reeves) is hot on her heels.

SEE ALSO: 2025 movie preview: All the films you'll want to know about

The film, which takes place during the events of John Wick: Chapter 3 – Parabellum, introduces Eve Macarro (de Armas). She's training in the assassin traditions of the Ruska Roma in order to take down the people who killed her family. But her quest won't be without its challenges — chiefest among them, the Baba Yaga himself.

The trailer above reveals that the crime lord known as the Director (Anjelica Huston, reprising her role from Parabellum) calls on John Wick to stop Eve's rampage. The pair face off in a snowy showdown.

"She sent you here to kill me?" Eve asks.

"Or you can leave," John replies.

Eve certainly isn't leaving, so cue the gunfights! Check out the trailer above for more of Eve and John in action, as well as Eve's very liberal use of a flamethrower and the return of John Wick mainstays like Winston (Ian McShane) and Charon (the late, great Lance Reddick).

Ballerina hits theaters June 6.

Get ready for a week of sales everywhere. It's like Black Friday, but make it spring, with flowers, pastels, and great deals for the upcoming summer season.

On the heels of Amazon announcing the Big Spring Sale, which officially starts on March 25, Walmart is coming in hot with the deals too. And we also can't forget that Target is getting on the savings with Target Circle Week that also overlaps the majority of the sale dates.

Boiled down, we're all in for some great sale prices next week. If you're a Walmart fan or are shopping for great discounts this spring, here's everything to know about the Walmart Super Savings Week.

When is Walmart Super Savings Week?

Officially, the Walmart Super Savings Week spans Monday, March 24 though Tuesday, April 1. Sale prices are exclusively available online at walmart.com and in the Walmart app, which means you can leisurely scan the Walmart sale aisles from the comfort of home.

Best deals to look out for during Walmart Super Savings Week 2025

Catering to the spring and summer season, the Walmart sale promises discounts on spring cleaning items, patio furniture, barbecues, and much more. Expect to see discounts that take up to 55% off normal prices. Here's a sneak peek of some deals to expect at the Walmart Super Savings Week 2025.

• Up to 30% off TVs

• Up to 30% off patio and garden items

• Up to 50% off jewelry

• Up to 55% off Crocs (the ultimate summer footwear)

Last year's Super Savings Week brought impressive discounts on Apple products like AirPods, AirTags, and Apple Watches, and we wouldn't be surprised if this year follows suit.

We also spotted great spring cleaning deals last year, including Dyson and Bissell vacuums. Compared to last year's Amazon Big Spring Sale, Walmart's offerings served the same or even better discounts on Apple Watches, Fitbit trackers, and video games, so we'll be keeping an eye out for those this year.

Already-live deals to shop during the Walmart Super Savings Week 2025

Just like Amazon, which already has over 200 deals worth shopping ahead of the Big Spring Sale, Walmart is already dropping prices. We expect to see hundreds of deals drop at Walmart on March 24, but you don't have to wait until next week to get some nice discounts. Here are a few deals that are already live at Walmart.

• Charbroil Patio Bistro Tru-Infrared Gas Grill — $169 $199.99 (save $30.99)

• Tappio 3-Piece Patio Conversation Bistro Set — $169.99 $299.99 (save $130)

• Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 42mm) — $329 $399 (save $70)

• Vizio 75-inch Class Quantum 4K QLED HDR Smart TV — $564 $779.50 (save $215.50)

The promise of Robert De Niro playing not one but two infamous gangsters might enough to tempt fans of Goodfellas or the Godfather trilogy into seeing The Alto Knights. But be warned. While the promise of double De Niro is tempting, the movie itself is inexplicable. 

On paper, The Alto Knights sounds terrific. The real-life story of Vito Genovese and Frank Costello, two childhood friends turned rival Mob bosses, is peppered with the classic elements of gangster movies, from macho face-offs, sharp-tongued wives, vicious betrayals, a criminal conspiracy, and merciless, violent murder. Who better to draft such an adapted screenplay than Nicholas Pileggi, the author and co-screenwriter behind Martin Scorsese's Goodfellas and Casino? And who better to headline than recurring Scorsese collaborator/iconic tough guy Robert De Niro? 

However, director Barry Levinson (Sleepers, Dope Thief) makes some absolutely befuddling choices in The Alto Knights. The potential promised by its talent is squandered in a completely confounding gangster flick. 

Why is Robert De Niro playing two characters in The Alto Knights? 

From the start, Vito Genovese and Frank Costello are depicted as very different kinds of gangsters, though they share a similar origin. These Italian immigrants became friends as young men, hanging around the Alto Knights Social Club in 1910s New York City. Associates of the notorious Lucky Luciano, both made their way in the city through criminal enterprises. However, by the 1930s, it was Genovese who was chosen to run the Family — that is, until a double-homicide investigation chased him back to Italy. Before he left, Genovese handed the reigns to his trusted friend, Costello, expecting to resume control upon his return.  

However, in the intervening decades, Costello's leadership of the Mob was so successful that on top of becoming obscenely rich, he'd made enough political connections to achieve a sheen of respectability. In The Alto Knights, Frank is a suave philanthropist who attends glamorous charity balls with his wife Bobbie (Debra Messing), a chic Jewish socialite, on his arm. Meanwhile, Vito is a more Scorsese kind of gangster — close to the streets, gnawing on a cigar, spitting out threats and curse words with equal ease. His wife is a sultry Italian divorcée (Kathrine Narducci) that runs her nightclub with passion and a big mouth. 

Frank is the kind of smooth criminal De Niro has played before in films like Scorsese's Killers of the Flower Moon, where his affluence and polite veneer hide an ocean of sins. Vito is more mercurial, the kind of primed-for-eruption character De Niro played in Taxi Driver or Goodfellas. So there's a curious experiment in having the octogenarian actor attempt to straddle this range of representation that he's managed across decades, all in one film.

Masterfully applied prosthetics distinguish Frank from Vito, as do the voices De Niro uses for them. Frank is more traditionally De Niro, with a low, husky, alert but world-weary delivery. Vito is higher pitched and sharper in cadence; frankly, it feels like a Joe Pesci impersonation. But there are enough shared physicalities in both stride and facial expressions — especially in a couple of scenes where the characters face off — that this double-casting feels like a stunt that doesn't pay off. It's just obvious it's the same guy, but why is less clear.

Perhaps Levinson couldn't decide which role his Wag the Dog collaborator would be best in and so went for both. Maybe he thought this dual-casting would build a message about these mafiosos, something along the lines of how far they grew apart from their common past — sort of a "there but for the grace of God go I" kind of a thing. However, if that were the case, you'd think Levinson would do the same for the flashbacks, casting the same actor to play both Young Frank and Young Vito. Instead, Luke Stanton Eddy and Antonio Cipriano play these roles, respectively, but even calling them roles feels like a stretch considering their screen time. Astonishingly, The Alto Knights engages less with flashbacks than it does with black-and-white staged photographs intercut with archival B-roll and egregious voiceover that barrels over everything.

The Alto Knights feels like a gangster movie with zero patience for its own story. 

It is a truth universally accepted that gangster movies are allowed to be long. Goodfellas is two hours and 26 minutes. Casino is two hours and 58 minutes. The Godfather Part II is three hours and 22 minutes. Sure, some might grouse, but overall it's understood: That time is required not only to properly unravel the secretive lives and complicated criminal conspiracies of its anti-heroes, but also to allow audiences to experience the intoxicating confidence of being a mobster. For instance, the Goodfellas' long take winding through the Copacabana on Henry and Karen's first date allows us to walk in the gait of a gangster, experiencing the access, the power, and the thrill. Filmmakers need pace and time to build the intoxicating atmosphere that makes murder feel like an understandable trade-off.

By sharp contrast, The Alto Knights races through its story with a cluttered and haphazard structure that seems to predict audience restlessness, and instead causes it. For instance, the movie opens in media res, with the 1957 attempted hit on Frank Costello. Then, a voiceover from a calm Frank begins to explain what happened next and why the attempted murder happened at all. While you might be wondering if Frank is telling his story from beyond the grave, Levinson leaps to setting up who Frank and Vito are to each other through boring montages of the aforementioned B-roll and uninspired black-and-white flashbacks. It's a dizzying and dull structure that talks down to the audience instead of welcoming them in.

Voiceover can be compelling in a gangster movie, as Goodfellas proved. But here, it seems De Niro is given a third role — not so much as narrator but as a spackler trying earnestly to patch together the broken bits of this story into something sensible. Levinson's gratuitous use of voiceover papers over decades of important events and grisly homicides with little in the passing visuals to land their gravity.

Worse yet, Levinson — or perhaps Pileggi — becomes fixated on cross-cutting sequences, however unmotivated. Ideally, cutting from one situation to the other and back again would increase tension, showing how one incident will impact the other or paralleling how two characters have a shared point of impending threat. But in The Alto Knights, these crosscuts feel less about their relationships and more like the editor was told to trim 20 minutes from the film, whatever it took. So, gone are breaths, beats, and atmosphere. What's left is a gangster movie that feels forcefully sped up, causing little of its blows to land successfully. Which, considering the failed hit on Frank at the film's start, might be darkly fitting! 

To Pileggi's credit, he crafts monologues that harken back to the greatness of Goodfellas and Casino, elucidating from Frank and Vito's perspectives the self-preservation aspect of the Italian Mafia in America. Surrounded by bigotry and rejection, the Mob was built to protect their own. However, while this argument's weak points has room to be explored in his previous films, The Alto Knights gives little more lip service to these ideas, leaning hard on De Niro's performance as the movie's structure crumbles around him. He is bolstered by a strong supporting cast, including Messing as Frank's shrewd wife, Narducci as Vito's volatile lover, The Sopranos' Matt Servitto as a frustrated Mob lawyer, Death to Smoochy's Michael Rispoli as a fired-up Frank loyalist, and Shōgun's Cosmo Jarvis as an easily flustered minion of Vito's. However, these engaging performances can't save The Alto Knights from sinking under the weight of Levinson's confounding direction. 

In the long run, The Alto Knights will likely be remembered fondly as a bold risk for its central casting gambit. But considering the masterful storytellers involved here and the muddle of a Mafia movie that came from them, it's impossible to imagine The Alto Knights will be known for much more than its big swing and a bigger miss. 

The Alto Knights opens in theaters March 21. 

Akira, one of the most dangerous ransomware strains floating around the internet, just met its match — an Indonesian programmer armed with cloud computing and sheer determination.

As first reported by TechSpot, Yohanes Nugroho successfully cracked Akira, a multiplatform ransomware that has been wreaking havoc since 2023. Used by cyber criminals to target hundreds of businesses, government agencies, and industries, Akira has helped its developers earn millions.

SEE ALSO: New scam involves fake BianLian ransomware notes

While this isn’t the first time someone has found a way to break Akira’s encryption, what makes this case remarkable is that Nugroho did it alone — and in just over 10 hours. TechSpot has the full breakdown, but here’s the quick version:

Nugroho, a hobbyist programmer, built a decryptor to crack Akira ransomware using GPU power — similar to what fuels high-end gaming graphics. He discovered that Akira’s encryption keys are based on the exact moment of the attack, down to the nanosecond, making each file’s key unique.

SEE ALSO: Get ready for these scams in 2025

To make decryption even harder, the ransomware scrambles these keys through 1,500 rounds of hashing before locking them with RSA-4096 encryption. Normally, this would be nearly impossible to break, but GPUs can run millions of calculations quickly.

Nugroho got a break when a friend provided log files from an attack, helping him estimate the time needed to crack the encryption. His RTX 3060 wasn’t fast enough at 60 million guesses per second, and even an RTX 3090 didn’t cut it. So, he turned to cloud services RunPod and Vast.ai, renting 16 RTX 4090 GPUs — finishing the job in just over 10 hours.

The brute-force tool is available on GitHub, and Nugroho encourages GPU experts to refine and optimize it further.

SAVE $26: As of March 19, you can get a TP-Link WiFi extender for just $23.99 at Amazon. That's a 52% discount and a $26 price cut.

Opens in a new window Credit: TP-Link TP-Link AC1200 WiFi Extender $23.99 at Amazon
$49.99 Save $26.00 Get Deal

If there’s one thing we can’t live without, it’s a reliable internet connection. Sure, that may sound dramatic, but when our livelihood often depends on our ability to stay connected, a strong and consistent WiFi signal becomes a necessity rather than a luxury.

One way to get a better WiFi experience is by investing in a quality WiFi extender, and right now, you can get the TP-Link AC1200 for just $23.99 at Amazon. That’s a 52% discount and a $26 price cut.

SEE ALSO: The best mesh WiFi router for gamers

The TP-Link AC1200 WiFi extender can extend your WiFi coverage to 1500 square feet and connect up to 30 devices. It's capable of speeds up to 867Mbps on the 5GHz band and 300Mbps on the 2.4GHz band.

This extender also has handy features that make it a worthwhile investment, including dual-band WiFi for improved network performance and a built-in Ethernet port for fast wired connections.

Elon Musk is practically synonymous with Tesla — and that's become a problem for at least one major investor.

It's gotten so bad that one of Tesla's earliest investors has called for Musk to step down. Ross Gerber said in an interview with Sky News that Musk's role in the U.S. government — notably the (extremely) divisive Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) — and close ties to President Donald Trump have damaged Tesla.

"I think Tesla needs a new CEO and I decided today I was going to start saying it and so this is the first show that I'm saying it on," Gerber said on air with Sky News' Business Live. "It's time for somebody to run Tesla. The business has been neglected for too long."

Gerber said he though Musk needed to step down or fully devote himself to Tesla — but also noted the "company's reputation has just been destroyed by Elon Musk."

He added in the Sky News interview: "Sales are plummeting so, yeah, it's a crisis. You literally can't sell the best product in the marketplace because the CEO is so divisive".

SEE ALSO: DOGE and Musk's USAID shutdown probably violated the U.S. Constitution

Tesla has struggled mightily lately. The company saw a brief bump in share price after Election Day but that has been more than erased by Trump's actual presidency. Tesla was trading at nearly $480 per share in mid December. It was trading for around $232 per share on Wednesday.

Musk was already controversial, what with his "Roman" salute and nearly $300 million (seemingly successful) effort to sway the 2024 U.S. election. But his actual role in the government — which is vague but apparently wildly powerful — has cratered his reputation for lots of Americans. That has seriously impacted Tesla's fortunes. Clearly investors are taking notice.

SAVE $15: As of March 19, get Monster Hunter Wilds for PlayStation 5 for $54.99 at Woot. That's a discount of 21%.

Opens in a new window Credit: Woot 'Monster Hunter Wilds' (PlayStation 5) $54.99 at Woot
$69.99 Save $15.00 Get Deal

Co-op games can make for some of the best fun you'll ever have with another player. Just take Split Fiction, for example, which is an insanely fun ride through different genres with a pal. If you're looking for something a little more chaotic, the Monster Hunter series is a great option. And you can get the latest release in the series for a discount right now.

As of March 19, get Monster Hunter Wilds for PlayStation 5 for $54.99 at Woot, down from its usual price of $69.99. That's $15 off and a discount of 21%. This discount is for a physical copy of the game rather than a digital code, so you'll have to wait for it to be shipped to you.

SEE ALSO: The best gaming deals ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale — shop PlayStation, Nintendo, and more

This entry of Monster Hunter is bigger and better than ever, as you make your way to the Forbidden Lands to investigate a new frontier. You'll follow monsters across a variety of biomes with different seasons alongside your feline Palico companion and a new team at your side while you hunt new monsters and come face to face with a variety of new wildlife as well as flora and fauna.

It's the same Monster Hunter you're probably familiar with at its core, however, with challenging tracking options for your prey, new moves, equipment, abilities, and more with crossplay multiplayer available to enjoy the game with others on different platforms. You can fly solo or join up to three other players to tackle the new world together.

If you want to get your co-op on with a group in a new setting for the Monster Hunter universe, this is a great place to start, especially at a discount so soon after release.

SAVE $10: As of March 19, you can get the JBL Go 3 portable mini Bluetooth speaker for just $29.95 at Amazon. That's a 25% discount and a $10 price cut.

Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Go 3 $29.95 at Amazon
$39.95 Save $10.00 Get Deal

If you’re looking for an affordable way to bring your tunes with you this summer, the JBL Go 3 portable mini Bluetooth speaker is a solid option that won’t break the bank.

Right now, you can get this mini speaker at Amazon for just $29.95, down from $39.95. That’s a 25% discount and $10 off the list price. The last time we saw it drop this low was in November 2024, so it’s a good time to snatch this deal while you can.

SEE ALSO: The best speakers in 2025

The JBL Go 3 is a compact, lightweight, yet durable speaker that’s perfect for taking with you on the go. It can play for up to five hours on a single charge, and it's IP67 waterproof and dustproof, so you don't have to worry about getting it wet at the beach or by the pool. It also comes in multiple color options, including camouflage, pink, teal, black, blue, and more.

While it may not have the biggest sound, it’s still a JBL speaker, so you can expect decent audio quality with a surprising amount of bass for the size. At this price, it's a great secondary speaker to have around the house or toss in your bag for weekend getaways and outdoor adventures.

If you have an old(er) Samsung Galaxy device, your next big software update is just a couple of weeks away.

Samsung confirmed on its website this week that the big One UI 7 update will start rolling out to pre-Galaxy S25 generations of smart devices on April 7. One thing to note is that the U.S. rollout is set for April 10, so if you're in the States and don't get the update on April 7, you know why. The rollout will hit Galaxy S24 devices, along with Galaxy Z Fold6 and Z Flip6 to start, with older Samsung devices getting it later.

SEE ALSO: Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 7: Every rumor we've heard so far

As for what One UI 7 will actually bring to those devices, it seems like it's mostly intended to bring them up to speed with the Galaxy S25 series.

The home screen and lock screen have been streamlined a bit, but the biggest additions are in the realm of AI features. After installing it, Google Gemini will become your phone's default voice assistant, and you'll be able to ask it to perform multi-app actions, just like Galaxy S25 owners have been able to since that phone launched a couple of months ago.

Other new features include AI Select, which allows you to draw a circle around something on screen and perform context-sensitive actions, such as turning a video into a GIF. Writing Assist will clean up your text messages, Drawing Assist can create images using text prompts, and Audio Eraser can cut out annoying background noise from videos you've shot.

None of this is strictly new, but if you don't have a Galaxy S25, it'll be new to you. That counts for something.

Check out the best Amazon deals of the day as of March 19: OUR TOP PICK Google Pixel 9 Pro (256GB, Unlocked) $849 (save $250) Get Deal BEST SPEAKER DEAL Sony ULT Field 1 $98 (save $31.99) Get Deal BEST KIDS DEAL Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids $139.99 (save $50) Get Deal BEST TABLET DEAL Google Pixel tablet (128GB) $279 (save $120) Get Deal BEST STREAMING DEVICE DEAL Amazon Fire TV 4K Max $39.99 (save $20) Get Deal

The cat's out of the bag: Amazon's Big Spring Sale is set for March 25 through 31. Of course, in true Amazon fashion, plenty of deals are already popping up a week in advance. We've rounded up some of the best ones that you can shop as of March 19, including big brands like Sony, Google, and Amazon itself.

Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day if you want to get a jumpstart on saving. If none of these are your cup of tea, stick around as we select a new batch of deals tomorrow.

Our top pick: Google Pixel 9 Pro Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Pixel 9 Pro (256GB, Unlocked) $849 at Amazon
$1,099 Save $250 Get Deal

While the display is slightly bigger and thinner than the Pixel 8, most of the Pixel 9's upgrades are under the hood. It boasts a larger battery capacity with faster charging speeds, a next-gen Tensor G4 chip (which is nearly 20 percent faster), a new 48MP ultrawide camera lens, an eye-popping 30x zoom feature, a 35 percent brighter display, and a healthy dose of AI features from Google Gemini. If you're rocking an older Android phone, it's totally worth the upgrade — especially while an unlocked model with 256GB of storage is on sale for just $849. That's 23% in savings and its lowest price on record.

Read our full review of the Google Pixel 9.

Sony ULT Field 1 Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony ULT Field 1 $98 at Amazon
$129.99 Save $31.99 Get Deal

Mashable's Shopping and Reviews Editor Miller Kern took the Sony ULT Field 1 for a spin and gave the portable Bluetooth speaker a glowing 4.5 out of 5 stars. Particularly, she credited its sound quality, customizable EQs, and bass-thumping ULT setting for its high rating. The battery life could always be a bit longer, but 12 hours is still acceptable. Typically $129.99, you can grab it for less than $100 as of March 19. That's 25% in savings and just $10 away from its best price ever.

Read our full review of the Sony ULT Field 1.

Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids $139.99 at Amazon
$189.99 Save $50 Get Deal

The Fire HD 10 Kids features a 10.1-inch 1080p full HD display, 3GB of RAM, up to 13 hours of battery life, and is 25 percent faster than its predecessor. Its durable case with a built-in kickstand ensures it can handle kid-friendly adventures, while the included year of Amazon Kids+ ensures your kid will never be bored. The Kids+ subscription offers a massive library of books, games, and educational apps for little ones. Our favorite tablet for kids, it's also on sale as of March 19 for the very affordable price of $139.99. That's 26% in savings.

Google Pixel tablet (128GB) Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Pixel tablet (128GB) $279 at Amazon
$399 Save $120 Get Deal

Thankfully, Google's first tablet is much better than its first smartwatch. While the specs aren't anything to write home about, they're completely acceptable; it packs a Google Tensor G2 chip with 8GB of RAM under its hood, 8MP cameras on the front and back, and an 11-inch 2560 x 1600 display. It'll also last you up to an impressive 12 hours per charge. Where it really shines is as a useful smart display when paired with the speaker dock (sold separately). Regularly $399, it's on sale for just $279 as of March 19. That's 30% in savings and matches its best price ever.

Read our full review of the Google Pixel tablet.

Amazon Fire TV 4K Max Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max $39.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $20 Get Deal

As far as streaming devices go, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max offers the most bang for your buck. Not only is it the first and only Fire TV Stick with Ambient Experience, which turns your TV into artwork like Samsung's The Frame, but it also has the most storage of any Fire TV Stick at 16GB. It packs over 2,000 pieces of museum-quality images to choose from, features WiFi-6E, Dolby Vision, and Dolby Atmos support, and gives you the ability to play Xbox games without a console. Just $59.99 on a regular day, it's down to $39.99 as of March 19. That's 33% in savings.

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

SAVE $69.19: As of March 19, the JBL Live Beam 3 earbuds are $130.76 at Amazon, down from their usual price of $199.95. That's a 35% discount.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon JBL Live Beam 3 $130.76 at Amazon
$199.95 Save $69.19 Get Deal

A great pair of earbuds is essential if you plan on heading out into the world at any point. You can use them to listen to your favorite albums, make and take calls with them, and enjoy some great audiobooks as well. If you're ready to snag a new pair, now's the time to do it, especially since you can get an excellent pair of JBL buds for a great discount right now.

As of March 19, get the JBL Live Beam 3 earbuds for $130.76 at Amazon, down from their usual price of $199.95. That's a 35% discount and a $69.19 off. This discount only applies to the Silver colorway, as the rest of the buds are still sitting at $159.95.

SEE ALSO: The best noise-cancelling earbuds under $100 we've tested are on sale for $25 off

The JBL Live Beam 3 earbuds offer adaptive noise cancelling with custom controls that let you change how much sound you want to let in. Its four noise-sensing mics help the buds adapt to your surroundings so you don't have to lift a finger, but you can choose how best to listen to them if you want a custom experience.

Plus, they have six beamforming microphones to help reduce noise and wind sound, so you can make calls without having to worry about anyone missing every other word. Use their personal sound amplification's ambient noise levels as well to custom tune your vocals when you're out and about.

These buds offer 48 hours of playback per charge, with 12 hours of playtime and another 36 in the charging case. The case itself is smart, with a touchscreen that lets you change up your sound across any device you're connected to without needing to use the JBL App.

If you're ready to try a pair of earbuds that give you a world of customization, these are it. Be sure and grab them while they're available for this low price.

Remember Pebble? The company made cool, versatile, affordable smartwatches a decade ago, before shutting down in late 2016 and selling most of its assets to Fitbit (which itself was acquired by Google in 2021).

Now, Pebble is back — sort of. Eric Migicovsky, founder of the original Pebble, is restarting the brand with two PebbleOS watches, set to launch later this year. Given that Pebble's intellectual property was sold off, these aren't exactly Pebble watches; Migicovsky's new company is called Core Devices, and these watches are called Core, even though they run the open source PebbleOS.

SEE ALSO: Apple M4 MacBook Air review: A really good deal

First, there's the Core 2 Duo, a $149 watch which is very similar to the old Pebble 2, and has a 1.26-inch, black and white e-paper display, a polycarbonate frame that comes in white or black, water resistance (Migicovsky says he's "targeting" IPX8), step, and sleep tracking. Given that the Pebble 2 is eight years old now, you'd expect some improvements, and indeed, the Core 2 Duo has a 30-day battery life (up from 7 days), a speaker, barometer, compass, and more reliable buttons.

The $149 Core 2 Duo has a black-and-white, e-paper display. Credit: Core Devices

Then there's the Core Time 2, which has a larger, 1.5-inch e-paper touchscreen display that supports 64 colors. The frame is made out of metal, and the watch will be available in black and white, though Migicovsky says there will "likely" be a third color option as well.

Other features include water resistance (again, targeting IPX8), sleep and step tracking, microphone and speaker, and a heart rate monitor. Both watches can run existing Pebble apps and watch faces.

Pre-orders for both devices are open now over at store.rePebble.com; the Core 2 Duo ships in July, while the Core TIme 2 ships in December.

The new PebbleOS watches are platform-agnostic, but there's a bit of bad news for iPhone owners. In a blog post, Migicovsky argued that Apple "restricts Pebble from being awesome with iPhones," and listed a number of limitations Apple imposes on third-party smartwatch makers. These include the inability for a third-party smartwatch to send text messages or iMessages, or reply to notifications. He also says it's "very difficult to enable other iOS apps to work with Pebble," among other issues. Check the blog post for a full list of limitations according to Migicovsky.

The short version of it is that the new Pebble watches will work with iPhones, but fairly poorly. Android users should have a much-better experience. Sorry, Apple-lovers who also want a smartwatch with an e-paper display.

SAVE $23.97: Target Circle members (free to join) are eligible to score 3 months of free access to Peacock Premium (with ads). Peacock Premium typically costs $7.99 per month, so you'll save a total of $23.97.

Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock 3-month subscription to Peacock Premium Target Circle membership required (free) Get Deal

You have plenty of options when it comes to streaming platforms, but Peacock is one of our favorites here at Mashable. The Peacock collection is expansive, packed with Blockbuster movies and bingeworthy shows we can't get enough of. If you're not tuned into the splendors of Peacock, but you're a Target Circle member, check out this deal.

Through April 29, Target Circle members can sign up to get three free months of Peacock Premium streaming service. The service usually costs $7.99 per month, which means you'll save a total of $23.97. Keep in mind that you'll need to be a Target Circle member (which is free to join) to score this deal.

SEE ALSO: How to watch 'Wicked' at home: Ariana Grande and Cynthia Erivo are coming to streaming

You deserve streaming options that include plenty of variety from totally unserious reality TV to deeply intense movies. Peacock truly nails every category of streaming one can desire. Think movies like Nosferatu, Jurassic World Dominion, The Big Lebowski, and Conclave as a sampling of what's on offer at Peacock.

The streaming service also knocks it out of the park when it comes to great TV shows to binge. If you're new to the wonderful world of The Traitors, consider this your weekend homework assignment. But Peacock is also perfect for revisiting old favorites like The Office, 30 Rock, and Downton Abbey.

Even if you're not interested in one of the shows or movies we've mentioned, there's really no reason not to cash in on this deal since it's completely free. All you'll need to do to score three free months of Peacock is sign up for a free membership to Target Circle and redeem your offer.

TWO FOR ONE: As of March 19, Prime members can get two audiobooks free with an Audible 30-day trial.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Get two audiobooks free with trial Get Deal

With Amazon’s Big Spring Sale just a few days away, we’ve been seeing a lot of deals and discounts across the site, including on Amazon's own services like Audible.

Right now, Prime members can get two audiobooks for free with a 30-day trial of Audible. (Usually, this deal is for one free audiobook.) Once the trial period ends, you can cancel or pay $14.95 per month to continue your subscription.

SEE ALSO: How to use Spotify Audiobooks

Audible is Amazon’s premium audiobook service, where you can listen to thousands of bestsellers, new releases, and more. You’ll get one credit per month to redeem for any audiobook, with additional audiobooks available at a discounted price. Popular audiobooks include A Court of Thorns and Roses by Sarah J. Maas, Hitchhikers by Ben H. Winters, and Once Upon a Crime by Brynn Kelly.

If you’re into podcasts or looking to expand your audio library, now’s the time to hop on this deal.

Just over six months after Google launched the new Pixel 9 generation of Android smartphones, a new model has joined the lineup.

On Wednesday, Google announced the Pixel 9a. 

What is the Pixel 9a and where does it place among the other Pixel 9 devices? Let's break down everything you need to know about Google's latest Pixel phone.

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable Pixel 9a price

The Pixel 9a fits in as the most affordable of the Pixel 9 devices, which sets it up as an entry-level phone below the base Pixel 9 model.

The Pixel 9a retails at $499, which makes it $300 less than the Pixel 9, the previous lowest costing current generation Pixel device.

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable Pixel 9a specs: Everything you need to know

Don't let the price difference between the Pixel 9a and the Pixel 9 fool you. Google has packed the Pixel 9a with plenty of power.

In fact, the Pixel 9a is powered by the same Google Tensor G4 processor that you'll find inside the Pixel 9. This is the same processor that was created specifically for Google's intensive AI capabilities, so you'll find all of the Pixel 9's AI features in the Pixel 9a, including Magic Edit and Gemini AI Assistant.

The Pixel 9a has a 6.3-inch scratch-resistant Actua display with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 cover glass.

When it comes to memory, the Pixel 9a has 8GB of RAM and provides two different storage options, 128 GB or 256 GB.

Storage size isn't the only option you'll have to choose from when buying a Pixel 9a. The Pixel 9a comes in 4 different colors: Iris, Peony, Porcelain, and Obsidian.

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

With over 30 hours of battery life and 7 years of guaranteed Pixel updates, the Pixel 9a is built to last.

When it comes to the rear cameras, the Pixel 9a has a 48 MP main camera and 13 MP ultrawide camera. But, there's even more that sets Pixel 9a's cameras apart from the rest.

So long, camera bump Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

One of the most interesting features of the Google Pixel 9a isn't what it has, but what it doesn't.

The Pixel 9a has a flat back design, meaning no camera bump.

The Pixel 9a is the only Pixel phone to sport a flat back profile. In fact, the Pixel 9a doesn't have the now-classic Pixel camera bar either. Instead, the back of the device is flat with the cameras found within a rounded water droplet-like design on the upper left hand side of the Pixel 9a.

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Without the camera bump, the Pixel 9a is unique not only among other Pixel phones but other smartphones as well.

Pixel 9a release date, preorder info Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Interested in a Google Pixel 9a? Pre-orders start now, March 19th, so get your order in now if you want the new Pixel 9a on launch day.

The Google Pixel 9a will officially hit stores on March 26.

Kids with Android devices will now be able to make payments using Google Wallet.

The feature will debut over the next few weeks to young users in the U.S., U.K., Australia, Spain, and Poland, according to a Google blog post published Wednesday.

SEE ALSO: Google Family Link gets a new look, more tools

With Google Wallet, kids will be able to tap-to-pay for their purchases, as well as organize their library and gift cards and event tickets.

Dong Min Kim, director of product management for Google Wallet, said in the blog post that parents can manage their child's Google Wallet via the company's Family Link app.

Only parents can authorize the addition of payment methods, plus they'll get an email notification with each Google Wallet transactions. Through Family Link, they'll also be able to track purchases, remove payment cards, and cut off access to stored passes.

Only supervised accounts can add payment cards for Google Wallet. Additionally, a child under the age of consent in their country, which is typically 13, needs parental permission to use a Google account.

Google just introduced the Pixel 9a, the latest smartphone in the Pixel 9 family.

The Pixel 9a is the new "budget" model in the Pixel 9 generation of smartphones which already consisted of the Pixel 9, Pixel 9 Pro, and Pixel 9 Pro XL.

With the Pixel 9a being the new entry-level smartphone for the Pixel line, Mashable looked at how it stacks up against the Pixel 9 base model phone. 

Astonishingly, Google has packed a lot into the Pixel 9a, which will make it nearly indistinguishable from the Pixel 9 for a great deal of Pixel users. However, there are some key differences that could be the deciding factor when choosing which Pixel phone to buy.

Here are those key differences between the Pixel 9a and Pixel 9.

Google Pixel 9a Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable Pixel 9a vs Pixel 9: Price

The most obvious difference between the Google Pixel 9a and Pixel 9 is the price.

At $499, the Pixel 9a is the lowest priced of Google's current Pixel line of phones. In comparison, the Pixel 9 base model starts at $799.

SEE ALSO: Google Pixel 9a announced: Specs, price, release date, preorder details

That's a $300 difference between the devices. Yes, as we will get to, the Pixel 9 does have a few features and components that factor in here and give it the upper hand. However, if those specific things don't matter to you, consumers can now buy a brand new Pixel phone for less than $500 with the Pixel 9a.

Pixel 9a vs Pixel 9: Memory

When it comes to technical specs, the Pixel 9a packs a lot of power in a $499 device. In fact, the Pixel 9a is powered by the same powerful Google Tensor G4 processor that's found in the Pixel 9.

The Tensor G4 was made with AI in mind, so the Pixel 9a and Pixel 9 can both handle pretty intensive processes.

However, when it comes to memory, the Pixel 9 has 12GB of RAM and the Pixel 9a only has 8GB of RAM.

SEE ALSO: Google Pixel 9a kills the camera bump

For most basic, everyday tasks, users likely won't notice much of a difference. Especially, when you consider that both phones have the same processor. 

However, power users will very likely notice a difference. The more memory a smartphone has, the better it handles multitasking and apps running in the background. When this is factored in, users will likely experience a smoother overall performance with the Pixel 9. If you often perform other memory intensive tasks like video editing or playing games, the Pixel 9 will likely provide a noticeable performance boost over the Pixel 9a too. 

Google Pixel 9 Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable Pixel 9a vs Pixel 9: Camera

Take a lot of pictures? Camera quality is another area where the Pixel 9 will be preferable over the new Pixel 9a. The Pixel 9 provides a significant boost in image quality based on the sensors used in the device. 

The Pixel 9a has a 48 MP wide and 13 MP ultrawide camera whereas the Pixel 9 comes with a 50 MP wide and 48MP ultrawide camera. The latter will produce higher resolution images.

SEE ALSO: 200+ of the best Amazon deals live ahead of its Big Spring Sale, hand-picked by Mashable's team of experts

If photos and videos are a major factor in your purchasing decision, you'll likely want to go with the 9.

Pixel 9a vs Pixel 9: Design

There aren't just differences in the image quality between the Pixel 9a and Pixel 9. There's also a major difference in the physical camera design themselves.

The Pixel 9 phone has a camera bar on the back of the phone with a significant sized camera bump. The bump is roughly one-third as thick as the Pixel 9 itself.

The Pixel 9a, however, is unique in that it has a flat back design. There is no camera bump. The Pixel 9a can actually lay flat on its back against any flat surface.

Google Pixel 9a flat back design Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

This may or may not be a big deal for you. However, the size of the Pixel 9's camera bump was a major point of criticism for some Pixel users when the phone was launched last year. If you fall in that group, the Pixel 9a may just be the smartphone for you.

Pixel 9a vs Pixel 9: Display and Battery Charging

We've laid out the biggest differences between the Pixel 9a and Pixel 9, but there are a few other significant variations between the two devices that we should mention too.

For example, most users may not notice a difference in the display when looking at both devices. Both are built with a 6.3-inch Actua display. However, the Pixel 9's display uses Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2 cover glass, which is said to be tougher and more drop and scratch resistant than other cover glass. The Pixel 9a utilizes the older and thinner Corning Gorilla Glass 3.

Google Pixel 9 camera bump Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Another area where the Pixel 9 and Pixel 9a differ is when it comes to fast charging times. While both Pixel phones boast more than 24 hours of battery life, the Pixel 9 can charge faster than the Pixel 9a. The Pixel 9 has fast charging rates of 27 watts whereas the Pixel 9a has a rate of 23 watts when charged with a Google 45W USB-C charger plugged into a wall.

Pixel 9a vs Pixel 9: Verdict

As usual, it really comes down to your preferences.

Do you play a lot of games and perform a significant amount of video editing tasks on your smartphone? Do you multitask and often have a lot of apps running at the same time? Do you take a lot of photos? If so, the Pixel 9 is probably the best bet.

SEE ALSO: Target Circle Week is going head to head with Amazon's Big Spring Sale

But, if you're more like the average smartphone user, you can save $300 and get all the same features as the more expensive Pixel 9 models with the Pixel 9a. Oh, also if you hate camera bumps then the Pixel 9a is definitely the smartphone for you.

Google released the Pixel 9 to mostly rave reviews last summer. However, one major point of contention between Pixel fans was the Pixel 9's new camera bump.

The Pixel 9's camera bump is massive. It's roughly one-third as thick as the entire Pixel 9 itself. While some Pixel users don't mind the camera bump, the ones that do have forced Google to defend the Pixel 9's camera design. The camera bump on the base Pixel 9 model is so thick that the device is now roughly as thick as Apple's pro iPhone models.

Well, if the camera bump on the Pixel 9 was the one thing stopping you from getting the phone, we have some good news. 

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

The new Pixel 9a kills the camera bump completely.

Pixel 9a: No camera bump

Google's latest "budget" phone, the Pixel 9a, has a flat back design. The cameras are still located where you'd usually find them on other Pixel phones, but Google created the new Pixel 9a with a flat back profile with rounded corners and a water droplet-like design.

SEE ALSO: Google Pixel 9a announced: Specs, price, release date, preorder details

It's easily the first thing you'll notice about the Pixel 9a and it immediately sets the device apart from not only the rest of the Pixel phones, but other current generation smartphones from other companies as well.

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

According to Google, the company didn't set out to give the Pixel 9a the flat back design. However, while working on the device, a number of advancements made the flat back design possible.

For example, the Pixel team was able to shrink the camera module in the device. In addition to that, the display on the Pixel 9a is much thinner than the display typically used on similarly-priced smartphone models. These changes along with other improvements made the flat back design possible.

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

Google's Pixel line was already unique in its camera placement. Unlike most other smartphones which have their cameras built into a box on the upper corner of the back of the phone, Pixel phones like the Pixel 9 have a horizontal camera bar across the entire back of the device. There's still a camera bump, but it's more symmetrical along the back of Pixel phones as opposed to just one side lifting up.

SEE ALSO: 200+ of the best Amazon deals live ahead of its Big Spring Sale, hand-picked by Mashable's team of experts

With the Pixel 9a, however, there is no camera bar. That's likely due to the fact that there's no need to factor in the camera bump. The cameras are designed side-by-side in that droplet-esque indent on the upper left-side of the back of the phone.

And, yes, Mashable tested out if you can lay the camera bumpless Pixel 9a down flat on a table or other flat surface. You can!

Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

SAVE $50: As of March 19, the Garmin Forerunner 265S smartwatch is on sale at Amazon for $399.99. That's 11% off its list price of $449.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin Forerunner 265S $399.99 at Amazon
$449.99 Save $50 Get Deal

Amazon's Big Spring Sale is coming up soon, but if you simply can't wait to look through deals, we've got good news. There are still some nice discounts on Amazon ahead of the sale event to check out. If you've had your eye on a smartwatch to stay on top of your workout routines, this deal on the Garmin Forerunner 265S is worth a look, especially if you're a runner.

The Garmin Forerunner 265S has had an 11% discount at Amazon, dropping its price from $449.99 to $399.99. A number of colors are discounted, so you can pick out the option that best suits your personal preference.

SEE ALSO: Refresh your home with these early home deals ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale

The Garmin Forerunner 265S boasts a bright AMOLED display that makes every detail on the screen look crisp and clear, alongside an excellent battery life that'll last you up to 15 days when you're using it in smartwatch mode. And when it comes to fitness features, this smartwatch is ready to help you tackle your goals with personalized workouts, over 30 built-in sports apps, and a readiness score that shows how prepared you are for the day's activities.

Save some cash and stay on top of your health and fitness goals with this discount on the Garmin Forerunner 265S at Amazon.

Looking for more fitness-focused smartwatch and tracker deals? There are quite a few worth looking at right now ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale. Have a look at our roundup of the best fitness tracker deals ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale to see some that have caught our eye.

SAVE $71.99: As of March 19, the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones are on sale at Amazon for $328. That's 18% off their list price of $399.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-1000XM5 Wireless Noise Canceling Headphones $328 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $71.99 Get Deal

As we wait for Amazon's Big Spring Sale to officially kick off, there are some great deals floating around that are worth a look. For those who have been looking for new headphones, you're in luck: Amazon's offering a very nice deal at the moment on one of our favorite headphones, the Sony WH-1000XM5s.

These headphones have had an 18% price drop from their list price of $399.99 to $328. All of the available colors are on sale as well, so you can choose between the midnight blue, black, silver, and smoky pink models. We think very highly of these headphones, so they're absolutely worth picking up while discounted to a price like this.

SEE ALSO: The best deals on noise-cancelling headphones ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale

The Sony WH-1000XM5s rank on our lists of the best noise-canceling headphones and our overall list of the best headphones. In the latter, we note that this is because they, "deliver top-notch ANC and audiophile-level sound quality, with a hefty 30-hour battery life. Their design offers a less expensive alternative to the AirPods Max, for those who like their headphones to sound and look good."

Our review had plenty of praise for them as well, with Mashable's Miller Kern calling them, "an excellent pair of headphones for first-time buyers and those upgrading from old models."

If you've been looking to upgrade your headphones, look no further than Amazon at this deal on the Sony WH-1000XM5s.

With Amazon's Big Spring Sale right around the corner, there are plenty more headphone deals to check out alongside these ahead of the sale event. Have a look through our roundup of headphones and speaker deals live ahead of Amazon's Big Spring Sale to see even more of our favorite discounted picks.