Feed aggregator

David Lerner, a Mr. Fix-it of Apple Computers, Dies at 72

NYT Technology - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 16:22
He and a partner founded Tekserve, a Manhattan emergency room for frozen hard drives, keyboards, screens and their confounded owners.

The best Black Friday MacBook deals live right now: Record-low prices on MacBook Air and MacBook Pro with M5 chip

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 16:02
Best Black Friday MacBook deals at a glance: Best overall MacBook deal Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $749 (save $250) Get Deal Best MacBook Pro deal Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M4 Pro, 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,749 (save $250) Get Deal Best MacBook M5 deal Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,399 (save $155) Get Deal

Black Friday is officially here, and retailers are serving up significant discounts on MacBooks. In fact, we don't expect prices to get any lower on the core 2025 models — all of which are on sale right now.

Some retailers, including Amazon and Best Buy, have already officially kicked off their Black Friday sales, and their deals on Apple laptops reflect that. Some standouts include the M4 MacBook Air down to $749 and the very latest MacBook Pro with M5 chip getting its biggest discount yet, saving you $200.

SEE ALSO: Everything to know about Black Friday 2025: Best early deals, sale dates, price matching, and more

These deals beat out what you're going to find at the Apple Store. As usual, the brand will be hosting its Black Friday gift card promo, which gives you a small sum back to use on Apple products after you've made your purchase. (Womp, womp.) But as far as discounts go, Apple will be bereft of discounts like those you can find elsewhere. Here's the good news, though. If you're looking for more Apple savings on iPads, AirPads, and more, you can check out our Apple deals recommendations and sign up to receive Mashable's Black Friday deals alert over text.

For the best Black Friday MacBook deals so far, read on!

Best Black Friday MacBook deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $749 at Amazon
$999 Save $250   Get Deal Why we like it

In Mashable's analysis of the best MacBooks, the 13-inch M4 MacBook Air earns the top spot as the best option for students. It's lightweight and thin which makes for ultimate portability. Noting it's sale price of $749, Mashable's resident laptop expert Haley Henschel wrote, "I seriously doubt it'll get any cheaper on Black Friday proper. That's a bargain."

More Black Friday MacBook deals Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M1, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $549.99 at Amazon
$649.99 Save $100   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M2, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $649 at Best Buy
$799 Save $150   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $949 at Amazon
$1,199 Save $250   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,349 at Amazon
$1,599 Save $250   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro, 16-inch (M4 Pro, 24GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $2,189 at Amazon
$2,499 Save $310   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,399 at Amazon
$1,599 Save $200   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M4 Max, 36GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $2,699 at Amazon
$3,119 Save $420   Get Deal

Black Friday 65-inch TV deals are so good this year — The Frame and TCL QM8K are 50% off (or more)

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 15:32
A quick look at the Black Friday deals on 65-inch TVs Cheapest 65-inch QLED TV deal Insignia 65-inch QF QLED 4K Fire TV $299.99 at Amazon (Save $200) Get Deal Cheapest 65-inch Mini LED TV deal TCL 65-inch QM5K QLED 4K TV $449.99 (Save $450 at Best Buy) Get Deal Best 65-inch Mini LED TV you can buy right now TCL 65-inch QM8K Mini LED QLED 4K TV $899.99 (Save $1,600 at Best Buy) Get Deal Best 65-inch OLED TV deal Samsung 65-inch S95F OLED 4K TV $2,299.99 (Save $1,000 at Best Buy plus get a free $100 gift card) Get Deal Best 65-inch art TV deal Samsung 65-inch The Frame QLED 4K TV (2024) $999.99 (Save $1,000 at Best Buy) Get Deal

If you're already set on the size of TV that you want to buy this Black Friday, there's no need to wade through the miles-long general list of all of the best Black Friday TV deals. 65 inches seems to be the sweet spot for most people — it's not so small that it looks like a monitor in your living room, but not so obnoxiously big that it barely fits on the TV stand. But typing "65-inch TVs on sale" into the search bar is the most chaotic way you could go about it — especially since I've already done the chaotic part for you.

SEE ALSO: The best Black Friday streaming bundle has arrived: Get Disney+ and Hulu for only $4.99/month

I sifted through all of the 65-inch TVs on sale across the major retailers to compile a list of the best 65-inch TV deals most worth your money. You have serious options: Every single TV named in Mashable's list of the best 65-inch TVs of 2025 is at record-low pricing. I'm also blown away by the number of ultra-affordable QLED TVs under $500 this year.

Regardless of your budget, there are a ton of opportunities to bring a 65-inch home for what you'd normally pay for a way smaller screen at another time of the year. Here are the best Black Friday 65-inch TV deals live as of Nov. 26:

Best Black Friday 65-inch QLED TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: TCL TCL 65-inch QM8K Mini LED QLED 4K TV $899.99 at Best Buy
$2,499.99 Save $1,600.00   Get Deal Why we like it

Amidst all of the fancy QLED TVs that Samsung, LG, and Sony offer, the internet pretty unanimously agrees that the TCL QM8K Mini LED TV is the best QLED TV for most people. It's incredibly bright — even brighter than last year's QM8 version, which was consistently regarded as the brightest TV of 2024.

While we can thank the quantum dot layer over the backlight for much of that brightness, it's the actual mini LED backlight itself that makes the QM8K's picture so punchy. The full-array local dimming offers much better lighting precision and stark contrast than non-Mini LED QLEDs, and TCL's anti-halo effect really works in dark scenes.

Camelcamelcamel confirms that this is indeed a new record-low for this TV, hitting more than 50% off at Best Buy and Amazon for Black Friday.

SEE ALSO: What is camelcamelcamel? Just our secret weapon for finding the lowest prices on Amazon. Best Black Friday 65-inch OLED TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 65-inch S95F OLED 4K TV $2,299.99 at Best Buy
$3,299.99 Save $1,000 Comes with a free $100 gift card Get Deal Why we like it

The LG C5 OLED being our pick for the best OLED TV you can buy in 2025 doesn't automatically mean it's the best Black Friday OLED TV deal you can buy in 2025. Yes, the $1,399.99 sale price on the 65-inch C5 is a steal — but it's not exactly a special Black Friday price, considering this model has been $1,399.99 at Amazon since October (according to camelcamelcamel's price history tracking).

We think the best authentic Black Friday-exclusive sale on a 65-inch OLED TV is the 65-inch Samsung S95F. Its wickedly good reflection handling in bright rooms makes it our runner-up pick for the best OLED TV to buy this year, and its $1,000-off discount actually does bring it to a new record-low price of $2,299. You'll also get a free $100 gift card just for buying it at Best Buy.

More 65-inch TVs on sale at Best BuyMore 65-inch TVs on sale at AmazonMore 65-inch TVs on sale at Walmart

OpenAI denies allegations in teen death lawsuit

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 15:07

OpenAI vigorously denied allegations against the company that it was responsible for the suicide death of Adam Raine, according to a new response filed in court Tuesday.

Raine died in April 2025, following heavy engagement with ChatGPT that included detailed discussions of his suicidal thinking. The 16-year-old's family sued OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman in August, alleging that ChatGPT validated his suicidal thinking and provided him explicit instructions on how he could die. It even proposed writing a suicide note for Raine, his parents claim.

In its first answer to the Raine family's allegations, OpenAI argues that ChatGPT didn't contribute to Adam's death. Instead, the company pinpoints his behavior, along with his mental health history, as the driving force in his death, which is described in the filing as a "tragedy."

SEE ALSO: Experts: AI chatbots unsafe for teen mental health

OpenAI claims that Raine's complete chat history indicated that ChatGPT directed him more than 100 times to seek help for his suicidal feelings, and that he failed to "heed warnings, obtain help, or otherwise exercise reasonable care." The company also argues that people around Raine didn't "respond to his obvious signs of distress."

Additionally, Raine allegedly told ChatGPT that a new depression medication heightened his suicidal thinking. The unnamed drug has a black box warning for increasing suicidal ideation amongst teens, according to the filing.

OpenAI alleges that Raine searched for and found detailed information about suicide elsewhere online, including from another AI platform. The company also faults Raine for talking to ChatGPT about suicide, a violation of the platform's usage policies, and for trying to circumvent guardrails to obtain information about suicide methods. OpenAI, however, does not shut down conversations about suicide.

"To the extent that any 'cause' can be attributed to this tragic event, Plaintiffs' alleged injuries and harm were caused or contributed to, directly and proximately, in whole or in part, by Adam Raine’s misuse, unauthorized use, unintended use, unforeseeable use, and/or improper use of ChatGPT."

Jay Edelson, the lead attorney in the Raines' wrongful death lawsuit, described OpenAI's response as "disturbing."

"[O]penAI tries to find fault in everyone else, including, amazingly, by arguing that Adam himself violated its terms and conditions by engaging with ChatGPT in the very way it was programmed to act," Edelson said in a statement.

He noted that the company's response doesn't address various claims in the lawsuit, including that the previous GPT-4o model, which Raine used, was allegedly released to the public "without full testing" for market competition reasons, and that the company altered its guidelines to allow ChatGPT to engage in discussions about self-harm.

The company has also admitted that it needed to improve ChatGPT's response to sensitive conversations, including those about mental health. Altman publicly acknowledged that the GPT-4o model was too "sycophantic."

Some of the safety measures OpenAI cites in its filings, including parental controls and an expert-staffed well-being advisory council, were introduced after Raine's death.

In a blog post published Tuesday, OpenAI said it aimed to respond to lawsuits involving mental health with care, transparency, and respect.

The company added that it was reviewing new legal filings, which include seven lawsuits against it alleging ChatGPT use led to wrongful death, assisted suicide, and involuntary manslaughter, among other liability and negligence claims. The complaints were filed in November by the Tech Justice Law Project and Social Media Victims Law Center.

Six of the cases involve adults. The seventh case centers on 17-year-old Amaurie Lacey, who originally used ChatGPT as a homework helper. Lacey eventually shared suicidal thoughts with the chatbot, which allegedly provided detailed information that Lacey used to kill himself.

A recent review of major AI chatbots, including ChatGPT, conducted by adolescent mental health experts found that none of them were safe enough to use for discussing mental health concerns. The experts called on the makers of those chatbots — Meta, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google — to disable the functionality for mental health support until the chatbot technology is redesigned to fix the safety problems identified by its researchers.

If you're feeling suicidal or experiencing a mental health crisis, please talk to somebody. You can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. You can reach the Trans Lifeline by calling 877-565-8860 or the Trevor Project at 866-488-7386. Text "START" to Crisis Text Line at 741-741. Contact the NAMI HelpLine at 1-800-950-NAMI, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. ET, or email info@nami.org. If you don't like the phone, consider using the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Chat. Here is a list of international resources.

Disclosure: Ziff Davis, Mashable’s parent company, in April filed a lawsuit against OpenAI, alleging it infringed Ziff Davis copyrights in training and operating its AI systems.

The best early Black Friday Samsung deals: The Frame TV, Galaxy Watch 8, Galaxy S25 Ultra, and more

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 14:53
The best October Prime Day Samsung deals at a glance: Best tablet deal Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ (256GB, WiFi) $569.99 (save $180) Get Deal Best monitor deal Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G6 OLED gaming monitor $749.99 (save $250) Get Deal Best TV deal Samsung 65-inch The Frame Pro Mini LED QLED 4K TV $1,597.99 (save $500) Get Deal Best wearable deal Samsung Galaxy Ring $249.99 (save $150) Get Deal Best phone deal Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (512GB, unlocked) $1,019.99 (save $400) Get Deal Best smartwatch deal Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 (40mm, Bluetooth) $279.99 (save $70) Get Deal

Black Friday is in full swing. While the annual shopping event doesn't technically start until Nov. 28, plenty of retailers like Amazon and Best Buy's sales kicked off the savings early in 2025 and have already delivered the lowest prices of the year. Samsung deals are particularly delivering, with all-time lows on several Galaxy phones, tablets, and watches, monitors, TVs, and more. This is hardly surprising, though, as Samsung is one of the brands we regularly see big discounts on during major shopping events.

On Black Friday proper, we're still hoping for some larger price drops on Samsung's foldables and earbuds, most categories already have standout discounts on hot ticket items. For instance, the 2025 Frame and Frame Pro TVs are at record lows, as is every iteration of the Galaxy Watch 8, Galaxy Tab S10 Lite, S10 FE, and S10 FE+, and Galaxy Tab S11.

Read on for a rundown of the best Samsung deals live ahead of Black Friday, and stay tuned as the season unfolds. We'll update this list with any new discounts that pop up

Note: Deals with a 🔥 next to them have dropped to record-low prices.

Best early Black Friday Samsung Galaxy phone deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (512GB, unlocked) $1,019.99 at Amazon
$1,419.99 Save $400 Lowest price ever 🔥 Get Deal Why we like it

One of the top dogs of the Samsung Galaxy phone lineup, the S25 Ultra with 512GB of storage, has dropped to a new best price ever for Black Friday. If you're already sporting an S24 model, you probably can skip this upgrade, but if you're rocking an older handset and want to catch up with the times, this 2025 release is a great choice. It's a bit heavy on the AI, but it's got a lot of other perks, including a nearly 27-hour battery life that keeps you from being tethered to an outlet. It features an incredibly powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, a new 50 MP ultra-wide lens, a fun "Now Brief" widget and other S25 Ultra-exclusive AI features, and new curved edges and a lighter build. Grabbing an unlocked model at Amazon saves you the trouble of coordinating a trade-in or data plan at a specific carrier. Plus, it's a lot cheaper at $1,057.91.

Best early Black Friday Samsung computing deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G6 OLED gaming monitor $749.99 at Amazon
$999.99 Save $250 Lowest price ever 🔥 Get Deal Why we like it

Samsung released the new Odyssey G6 OLED monitor over the summer — the first-ever gaming monitor with a 500Hz refresh rate. And for Black Friday, you can get it for its best price yet. Besides its wildly fast refresh rate, it also features a QHD resolution (2,560 x 1440) with a 16:9 aspect ratio, an ultra-quick 0.03ms response time, a peak brightness of 1,000 nits, support for both AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and NVIDIA G-Sync, and a QD-OLED panel that's glare-free and Pantone Validated. It also has plenty of ports for your peripherals, including two HDMI 2.1 ports, three USB ports, and a single DisplayPort 1.4 port. You can find the Black Friday deal on the 27-inch monitor (the only size it comes in) at both Amazon and Best Buy. At the time of writing, it's $50 more at Samsung's own website.

Samsung Galaxy phone dealsSamsung Galaxy tablet and laptop dealsSamsung monitor dealsSamsung TV dealsSamsung Galaxy watch dealsMore Samsung deals

Black Friday laptop deals are live — and amazing. Here are 14 models Id buy in a heartbeat.

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 14:32
The best Black Friday laptop deals at a glance: Best MacBook deal Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $749 (save $250) Get Deal Best Windows laptop deal Microsoft Surface Laptop 7, 13.8-inch (Snapdragon X Elite, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $869.99 (save $530) Get Deal Best cheap MacBook deal Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M2, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) - Geek Squad Certified Refurbished $499.99 (save $249.01) Get Deal Best cheap Windows laptop deal Acer Aspire 16 AI (Snapdragon X, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $449.99 (save $250) Get Deal Best cheap gaming laptop deal Lenovo LOQ 15 (AMD Ryzen 7 250, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5050, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $799.99 (save $390) Get Deal

I write about all things laptops here at Mashable, and after spending hours digging through tech retailers' Black Friday sales, I'm delighted by the deals I'm seeing so far. A bunch of the best laptops we've tested are now on sale at steep discounts. That includes my top picks for most people, plus some more niche options in the budget, OLED, ultraportable, gaming, and dual-screen categories. You're not just saving a ton of money on laptops this holiday season — you're saving a ton of money on some truly great laptops.

SEE ALSO: Black Friday 2025: Live updates on the latest deals from Amazon, Target, Walmart, and more

Black Friday always coaxes out some of the best laptop deals of the whole year, so no surprises here. It's partly because retailers know that people are looking for good, giftable buys ahead of the holidays, but it's also because they're trying to offload their current inventories ahead of next-gen refreshes at the start of the following year. Enter: Record-low prices on MacBooks, Windows laptops, gaming PCs, and Chromebooks. Voila: An upgrade that's normally out of your budget is suddenly affordable.

Below, I've detailed the 14 top Black Friday laptop deals I've scouted so far. I've only picked the models that I'd happily add to my own cart if I was in the market for a new PC, because they've all been tested and vetted by the Mashable team.

The M4 Apple MacBook Airs

Apple's latest MacBook Air is lightweight, quiet, and faster than 83% of the laptops in our entire testing database — it's a really impressive ultraportable. The 15-inch model is my top pick for most people, but the 13-inch model is great for college students and other users who want something a little cheaper and more portable. Both sizes were regularly on sale on Amazon for $200 off earlier this fall, and I really didn't think they'd get any cheaper at this point in their life cycles (considering they're still well under a year old). Shockingly, they're now $250 off at Amazon and Best Buy.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $749 at Amazon and Best Buy
$999 Save $250   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $949 at Amazon and Best Buy
$1,199 Save $250   Get Deal The 14-inch M5 Apple MacBook Pro

The all-new MacBook Pro is my splurge pick if you want an Apple laptop with even more power, a brighter 120Hz display, more ports for creative work, and crazy-good stamina. (At 21 hours and 17 minutes, it has the longest battery life of any MacBook we've ever tried.) It debuted in mid-October at a starting price of $1,599 to a rave review from our tech editor. Right now, the base configuration with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage is just $1,399 at Amazon and Best Buy — a whopping $200 off. That's a massive discount on a brand-spanking-new laptop.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,399 at Amazon and Best Buy
$1,599 Save $200   Get Deal A refurbished 13-inch M2 Apple MacBook Air

If you're in the market for a dirt-cheap-but-not-too-outdated MacBook, Best Buy has a refurbished 13-inch M2 MacBook Air from 2022 on sale for just $499.99. Walmart is selling the older M1 model for $549 as part of its Black Friday programming, so this is a genuine steal. It has a better 1080p FaceTime camera, a lighter design, and a bigger, brighter, display compared to its predecessor, and it runs about 15% faster. Since it only comes with 8GB of RAM, it's best suited for simple everyday tasks like web browsing and sending emails.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M2, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) - Geek Squad Certified Refurbished $499.99 at Best Buy
$749 Save $249.01   Get Deal The 13.8-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 7

Microsoft's current flagship laptop is a well-rounded machine with a virtually unrivaled 23-hour battery life, speedy everyday performance, amazing build quality, and an elegant, lightweight design. The 13.8-inch model with a Snapdragon X Elite CPU is my favorite Windows laptop for most people, and the silver model with my ideal daily driver setup (16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage) is down to an all-time low of $869.99 for Black Friday 2025. It usually sells for $1,399.99, so you're saving 38%. Meanwhile, it's $999.99 at Best Buy and on Microsoft's website.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Surface Laptop 7, 13.8-inch (Snapdragon X Elite, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $869.99 at Amazon
$1,399.99 Save $530   Get Deal The Acer Aspire 16 AI

This $699.99 Windows laptop wowed me with its 17-hour battery life, great mix of ports, relatively lightweight frame, 120Hz touchscreen, and peppy performance. (It's the fastest sub-$900 laptop we've reviewed.) Amazon has it on sale for just $449.99, or 36% off.

Opens in a new window Credit: Acer Acer Aspire 16 AI (Snapdragon X, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $449.99 at Amazon
$699.99 Save $250   Get Deal The Asus Zenbook A14

The Zenbook A14 is an awesome MacBook Air alternative with a beauteous OLED display, a 22-hour battery life, and a lightweight but sturdy design. It's actually 0.3 pounds lighter than a 13-inch MacBook Air (and it starts with double the storage for the same price). Best Buy's 45% Black Friday discount brings it down to just $549.99, which is a new all-time low.

Opens in a new window Credit: Asus Asus Zenbook A14 (Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $549.99 at Best Buy
$999.99 Save $450   Get Deal The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x

If you can shell out an extra $250, you'll get an even nicer OLED display in the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x. It has a higher 3K resolution than the Zenbook A14, a better 90Hz refresh rate, and added touchscreen capabilities. It's a teensy bit faster, too, and it doesn't sacrifice much battery life — I got almost 20 hours out of it in my testing. Best Buy currently sells the base model with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage for $ 799.99, down from its usual price of $ 1,299.99. A 1TB version is available on Lenovo's website for $929.99, or 27% off.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lenovo Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x (Snapdragon X Elite, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $799.99 at Best Buy
$1,299.99 Save $500   Get Deal The Lenovo LOQ 15

The AMD-powered Lenovo LOQ 15 is "the perfect starter gaming laptop," says Mashable tech editor Timothy Beck Werth; he's been working through his first Cyberpunk 2077 run on an RTX 5060 configuration. I can't find that one listed anywhere, but this RTX 5050 model is on sale for just $799.99 during Lenovo's Black Friday sale (or 33% off). It should be capable of running most graphically demanding AAA games at 60fps on a 1080p resolution. It features a 144Hz refresh rate and a spacious anti-ghosting backlit keyboard, plus a healthy terabyte of storage.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lenovo Lenovo LOQ 15 (AMD Ryzen 7 250, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5050, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $799.99 at Lenovo
$1,189.99 Save $390   Get Deal The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14

The ROG Zephyrus G14 is the ultimate non-gamey gaming laptop: With a 3.3-pound, 0.6-inch thin aluminum design and a beautiful 3K OLED display, it could easily be confused with a silver MacBook Pro. We tested an AMD model with RTX 4060 graphics last year, and I found the next-gen version on sale for only $1,299.99 at Best Buy. It usually retails for $1,799.99, so you pocket $500 in savings.

Opens in a new window Credit: Asus Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (AMD Ryzen 9 270, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,299.99 at Best Buy
$1,799.99 Save $500   Get Deal The Alienware 16X Aurora

The Alienware 16X Aurora is my favorite gaming laptop for most people. It's an excellent mid-ranger featuring a 2.5K 240Hz matte display, a satisfying keyboard with one-zone RGB backlighting, and an attractive, port-packed design. The $1,999.99 variant I tested has a high-end Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU, an RTX 5070 GPU, 32GB of memory, and 1TB of storage, and it's not on sale just yet. However, the same model with double the storage is only $1,699.99 at Best Buy (normally $2,099.99). That's a 19% savings.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dell Alienware 16X Aurora (Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD) $1,699.99 at Best Buy
$2,099.99 Save $400.00   Get Deal The Lenovo Yoga Book 9i (Gen 10)

If you need more screen space than a regular laptop offers but don't love the idea of hauling around a separate monitor, allow me to introduce you to the latest Lenovo Yoga Book 9i. It's a gorgeous dual-screen laptop with twin 2.8K 120Hz OLED displays, a smooth detachable keyboard, and a zippy processor. (It's actually slightly speedier than an M4 MacBook Pro.)

This laptop is usually priced at $2,079.99, but Lenovo has it on sale for just $1,559.99 — a 25% savings. It's a better value than ever, especially when you add the fact that its matching mouse, stylus, keyboard case, and protective sleeve case are all included.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lenovo Lenovo Yoga Book 9i (Intel Core Ultra 7 255H, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,559.99 at Lenovo
$2,079.99 Save $520.00   Get Deal The Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus

Lenovo's convertible Chromebook Plus is my favorite Chromebook for most buyers because of its stellar build quality, decent performance, great speakers, and nice keyboard. There are two configurations available for $599: One with an Intel Core i5-1334U processor and 256GB of storage (which we tested), and another with a less powerful Intel Core i3-1315U processor and 128GB of storage. The latter is obviously a worse value at full price, but Best Buy is currently selling it for $349 (or $250 off), making it a great option for budget shoppers with basic needs.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lenovo Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus (Intel Core i3-1315U, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD) $349 at Best Buy
$599 Save $250   Get Deal The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514

Acer's all-new Chromebook Plus Spin 514 features an unrivaled 18-hour battery life and a fast processor (relatively speaking) with an NPU that supports two exclusive AI features. I've tried the Best Buy-exclusive configuration that has 12GB of memory and a 120Hz touchscreen display, which retails for $699, and I'm kind of obsessed with it. It's overkill for most Chromebook users, sure, but it's definitely worth considering if you want a high-end, super-future-proofed model — especially now that it's $100 off for Black Friday. It's never been on sale before.

Opens in a new window Credit: Acer Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 (MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $599 at Acer
$699 Save $100   Get Deal

How to watch Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich online for free

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 14:26

TL;DR: Live stream Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich in the Champions League for free on Virgin Media Player. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

There are a number of really exciting Champions League matchups this week, including Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich. This fixture can claim to be the "game of the round." Both teams are top of their respective domestic leagues and tied at the top of the Champions League standings after winning every game. Something has got to give when they come together in London.

If you want to watch Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich in the Champions League from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich?

Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich in the Champions League kicks off at 8 p.m. GMT on Nov. 26. This fixture takes place at the Emirates Stadium.

How to watch Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich for free

Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich is available to live stream for free on Virgin Media Player.

Virgin Media Player is geo-restricted to Ireland, but anyone can access this free streaming platform with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Ireland, meaning you can unblock Virgin Media Player to stream the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich for free by following these simple steps:

  1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

  2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

  3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Ireland

  4. Visit Virgin Media Player

  5. Watch Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the Champions League without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich (plus more Champions League fixtures) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Virgin Media Player?

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

  • Servers in 105 countries including Ireland

  • Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

  • Fast connection speeds free from throttling

  • Up to eight simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.

Plex’s remote streaming will cost you money starting this week

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 14:17

Media server Plex announced in March that it would put an end to free remote streaming, but hasn't yet put the new changes into effect. That changes this week as Plex plans to pull the plug on free remote streaming from the Roku app first, with the rest of its supported platforms coming in early 2026. 

The change impacts people who use the company’s personal media servers. Until now, a person could set up a server, set it to stream remotely, and access that server from anywhere. In addition, that person could give their credentials to friends and family members and they could stream from the remote server as well. This was all free of charge. 

SEE ALSO: What's new to streaming this week? (Nov. 21, 2025)

Under the new system, people can still do all of the above, they just need to have a subscription in order to do it. Customers have two subscriptions to choose from. The first is the typical Plex Pass subscription, which just saw a price increase in April to $6.99 per month. Plex’s second option was made just for this occasion. It’s called the Remote Watch Pass, and it costs $2 per year.

For the Remote Watch Pass, each person who wants to access the remote server needs to have one. Thus, if you’re sharing your personal server with four people, each of those four people need a Remote Watch Pass. Remote streaming from within your home network is still free, so you can still set up a server on your PC and stream it to your phone from across the house. 

“This price increase will ensure that we can keep investing dedicated resources in developing new features, while supporting and growing your favorites,” Plex said in a blog post. 

The inclusion of a subscription may chase away some users who used Plex for the free personal media server. For those folks, your best bet at a replacement is Jellyfin. It’s a free, open-source media server that you can stream remotely, but it does take a little extra configuration than something like Plex. 

How to watch college football for $1 over Thanksgiving weekend: $1 day passes from Sling TV

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 14:00

PAY $1 FOR A DAY OF ESPN, FREEFORM, OTHER CHANNELS WITHOUT CABLE: For Black Friday, Sling TV has slashed the price of its Orange package day passes from $5 to $1 between Friday, Nov. 28 and Sunday, Nov. 30.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sling TV Sling TV Orange Day Pass $1
$5 Save $4   Get Deal

YouTube TV and Disney may have squashed their beef, but it's no secret that a decent number of frustrated YouTube TV subscribers ditched their subscriptions when Disney-owned channels went missing. If you're one of those people — or you just don't care to pay for many streaming services in general — we have a really cheap Black Friday streaming deal for you: Sling TV day passes are $1 instead of $5 for Friday through Sunday of Cyber Weekend.

SEE ALSO: 50+ of the best Black Friday TV deals in 2025: Score huge savings on Samsung, TCL, and Hisense

The humble Sling TV daily pass went a little viral as an affordable way to watch Monday Night Football on ESPN during the Disney blackout on YouTube TV. The $1 Sling pass isn't helpful for MNF on Dec. 1, as the deal expires on Dec. 1 at 1 a.m. MT. However, there's still some major live college football streaming and holiday movie watching to be done through the 30+ Sling TV Orange package channels like ESPN, TBS, TNT, AMC, and Freeform. The $1 Sling day pass covers all Orange channels for the full 24 hours.

College football games to watch with a $1 Sling TV day pass this weekend

  • Utah @ Kansas — 12 p.m. ET on Friday, Nov. 28, ESPN

  • Temple @ North Texas — 3:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Nov. 28, ESPN

  • Texas Tech @ West Virginia — 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 29, ESPN

  • Houston @ Baylor 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 29, TNT

  • UCF @ BYU — 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 29, ESPN2

  • Vanderbilt @ Tennessee — 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 29, ESPN

  • Florida State @ Florida — 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 29, ESPN2

  • Virginia Tech @ Virginia — 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 29, ESPN

  • SMU @ California — 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 29, ESPN2

  • Notre Dame @ Stanford — 10:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 29, ESPN

Movies to watch with a $1 Sling TV day pass this weekend

Aside from football, channels like TBS, AMC, and Freefrom have a solid lineup of classic movies slated for the weekend. Let's say you've been itching to watch Elf, but don't have an HBO Max subscription — you can pay $1 to watch it on TNT on Saturday. Here are a few upcoming holiday or generally cozy options:

  • Four Christmases — 4 p.m. ET on Friday, Nov. 28, TBS

  • The Polar Express — 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 29, TNT

  • Elf — 8 and 10 p.m. ET on Friday, Nov. 28, TBS

  • Cars, Cars 2, and Cars 3 — starting at 1 p.m. ET on Friday, Nov. 28, Freeform

  • Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas — 8:30 p.m. ET on Friday. Nov 28, Freeform

  • A Christmas Story — 6 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 29, TNT

  • Wonka — 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 29, TBS

  • Finding Nemo — 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 29, Freeform

  • National Lampoon Christmas Vacation — 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 29, TNT

  • Christmas with the Kranks — 5, 7, and 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 30, AMC

  • Coco — 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 30, Freeform

Thanksgiving air travel: Track flight statuses, delays, and cancellation trends online

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 13:39

Well, folks, it's that time of year. Holiday cheer, a big ol' bird on the table, walking the tightrope of polite conversation, and, most horrifyingly, praying to high heavens that your Thanksgiving air travel plans go off without a hitch.

If you're one of the projected 82 million Americans traveling domestically this week, you're in luck. So far, according to USA Today, flight cancellations are low this week, despite general fears that the recent government shutdown would lead to travel woes. This comes a few weeks after the U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy ordered a 10 percent cut in flights at 40 U.S. airports due to the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. Thousands of air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration agents went to work without pay for over a month, Reuters reported at the time. But thankfully, after 43 long days, the shutdown ended just in time for Thanksgiving travel.

But the government shutdown isn't the only thing that might cause a bump in your holiday travel. The FAA expects this to be the busiest Thanksgiving travel week in 15 years, and typical weather and mechanical issues are sure to arise, particularly with winter storms moving into the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes region — sorry, Chicago travelers.

How to check your flight status online

This is something you should absolutely do before you leave for the airport. There's not much worse than zipping up your suitcase, locking up your house, making the trek to the airport, and finding your way through security and to your gate only to find out you could have stayed in pajamas the whole time. Before you head to the airport, always check the airport website or your airline's website.

We also recommend downloading your airline's app, which makes it easy to check for updates on the fly. Finally, to check on a specific flight or route, you can use sites like Flight Aware and Flight Tracker. If the plane you're taking to Wichita is delayed on its way into Atlanta, these tools can help you anticipate likely delays.

Thanksgiving flight cancellation trends so far

Overall, flight cancellations are on the low side this year, according to a CNN report, but that can change fast.

Flight Tracker has a tool called the Misery Map, which shows which airports are experiencing the most delays and cancellations. As of Wednesday, Nov. 26, Chicago O'Hare International Airport has far more issues than any other airport, per Flight Tracker. The airports with the most delays and cancellations so far include:

  • Chicago O'Hare (ORD)

  • Dallas Fort Worth (DFW)

  • Los Angeles (LAX)

  • Minneapolis–Saint Paul (MSP)

  • Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)

  • Denver (DEN)

  • La Guardia New York City (LGA)

  • Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX)

  • George Bush Intercontinental Airport Houston (IAH)

  • Boston Logan (BOS)

So, your flight was canceled. Now what?

If your flight is canceled, congratulations: You now have the perfect complaint to make over Thanksgiving dinner. Everyone will agree with you when you say something like, "Traveling during the holidays, am I right?"

Now you need to get to work. If you're still at home when you find out your flight is canceled, head to the airport website or your airline's website. Check if you're owed a refund or other types of compensation. Fortunately, the U.S. Department of Transportation has a dashboard that shows you exactly what airlines owe you in the event of a cancellation. Check the DOT's Airline Cancellation and Delay Dashboard to make sure you get everything you're entitled to.

Next, you've got to figure out your next move. Can you take a train to your destination, or rent a car? Is there another airline you can switch to? Or are you going to take your refund, head back home, and order dinner in lieu of navigating travel? Move quickly in situations like this, as rental cars and other flights can fill up quickly.

As always, no matter what travel issue ails you this holiday season, be nice to the people airline workers trying to get you across the country. And you just might want to show up at the airport a bit earlier than usual to wade your way through the inevitable lines.

Computer components like RAM are surging in price

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 13:32

Being a consumer has been challenging over the past few years. Between a global pandemic and sweeping tariffs, wallets have taken repeated hits — but for PC hobbyists right now, it might actually be the worst moment to start building a rig.

New reporting from Ars Technica lays out just how dire the situation has become, showing that prices for essential PC components, such as RAM and SSDs, have skyrocketed. The culprit is the ongoing AI boom, with data centers reportedly consuming the world’s supply of memory and storage hardware, driving prices straight into the stratosphere.

SEE ALSO: The best SSD for gaming

Take the Patriot Viper Venom 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR5-6000 kit, which increased from $49 to $110 — a 124.5 percent rise — between August and November 2025. Or the Team Delta RGB 64GB (2 x 32GB) DDR5-6400, which skyrocketed from $190 to $700, a staggering 268.4 percent spike. At the time of this writing, the Team Delta RAM kit priced has "dropped" with its highest recent retail price topping out at a jaw-dropping $1,049 just a week ago.

SSD prices have crept upward, too, though they haven’t entered panic territory yet. RAM, however, is a different story. If you’re eyeing an upgrade, you may want to sit tight for a bit.

As Ars Technica points out, memory and storage shortages are notoriously difficult to manage because chip manufacturing depends on years of advance planning. The supply we’re dealing with today is the result of production decisions made long before the current AI-driven surge in demand. That inherent lag makes the memory market especially prone to violent price swings.

The pandemic offered a perfect example. Manufacturers were blindsided by the sudden, massive spike in demand for PCs and consumer tech in 2020 and 2021, only to watch that demand crater once buying habits normalized. PC sales soared, plummeted, then stabilized — all within a few years. Volatility like that makes long-term planning almost impossible for memory suppliers.

Until the supply of RAM catches up to the appetite of data centers and AI developers, anyone looking to boost their RAM is probably best off waiting for the market to cool down rather than paying the current premium.

Claude Opus 4.5 arrives. Here’s whats new.

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 13:21

AI company Anthropic released its latest flagship AI model, Claude Opus 4.5, this week. Opus is considered one of the best AI models out there for developers looking to ramp up their coding output or to create AI agents.

So, what does the latest model, Opus 4.5, bring to the table?

As expected, Opus 4.5 performs exceptionally well on the various AI model benchmark tests. As TechCrunch points out, Opus 4.5 is the first model to score over 80 percent on SWE-Bench verified, which the outlet calls a "respected coding benchmark."

It seems like Opus 4.5 likely becomes the preferred AI model for vibe coders as well as experienced programmers with the way it performed on these tests. And Anthropic is further driving that by bringing additional upgrades to its Claude Code product. 

SEE ALSO: Streaming just got cheaper: Score Black Friday deals on HBO Max, Apple TV, Disney+, Hulu, and more

According to Anthropic, along with Opus 4.5, Claude Code will receive two more upgrades. Anthropic says that Claude Code's Plan Mode "now builds more precise plans and executes more thoroughly" and is now available in its desktop app, which allows users to run multiple sessions at once. Anthropic provides an example of having one AI agent fix a bug while another one researches GitHub.

SEE ALSO: 85+ Black Friday deals: We found record-low prices on AirPods, MacBooks, Samsung TVs, and Kindles

In addition, Anthropic is more broadly rolling out two other products, Claude for Chrome and Claude for Excel, to more subscribers. Opus 4.5 will be able to showcase its multitasking prowess in these products as users can provide AI agents with parallel tasks in their browser or in their spreadsheets.

Opus 4.5 also brings some memory upgrades to the AI model which will now give users the ability to chat without limits. Clause will now summarize earlier conversations and will allow users to continue a single chat thread for as long as they'd like.

How to watch Liverpool vs. PSV Eindhoven online for free

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 13:00

TL;DR: Live stream Liverpool vs. PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League for free on RTÉ Player. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Champions League group stage is taking shape, with Liverpool looking strong after winning three of their opening four games. They've really struggled for form of late however, so PSV Eindhoven will come into this fixture with a lot of confidence.

If you want to watch Liverpool vs. PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Liverpool vs. PSV Eindhoven?

Liverpool vs. PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League kicks off at 8 p.m. GMT on Nov. 26. This fixture takes place at Anfield.

How to watch Liverpool vs. PSV Eindhoven for free

Liverpool vs. PSV Eindhoven is available to live stream for free on RTÉ Player.

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

Live stream Liverpool vs. PSV Eindhoven for free by following these simple steps:

  1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like ExpressVPN)

  2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

  3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Ireland

  4. Visit RTÉ Player

  5. Watch Liverpool vs. PSV Eindhoven for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free-trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the Champions League without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Liverpool vs. PSV Eindhoven (plus more Champions League fixtures) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for RTÉ Player?

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

  • Servers in 105 countries including Ireland

  • Easy-to-use app available on all major devices including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

  • Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

  • Fast connection speeds free from throttling

  • Up to eight simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).

Watch Liverpool vs. PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.

Home Depot has two viral Black Friday hits: Meet holiday R2-D2 and the Grand Duchess Christmas Tree

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 12:31

Even if it's not the most popular opinion, once Halloween is over, the Christmas season begins. The internet has already taken to showing off their holiday decor, and two Christmas items at The Home Depot have already gone viral, and it's not even Thanksgiving yet. Ahead of Black Friday 2025, the internet is buzzing about the Home Depot's Grand Duchess Twinkling Balsam Fir Christmas tree and a festive R2-D2.

Sadly, both are already sold out, as the Home Depot Black Friday sale has been going strong all week.

All hope is not lost, however. On The Home Depot's website, you can sign up for restock notifications so you can get alerts about the most sought-after Christmas decor. Here's everything to know about The Home Depot's Grand Duchess Twinkling Balsam Fir and Christmas R2-D2.

What is the viral Home Depot Christmas tree? Opens in a new window Credit: The Home Depot The Home Depot Grand Duchess 7.5-foot Twinkling Balsam Fir $347 at The Home Depot
  Learn More

Among artificial Christmas Trees, the gold standard are Balsam Hill trees, which are exceptional models with full statures that will make you believe they're the real thing. But here's the thing — they cost over $1,000. The Home Depot is coming for Balsam Hill's crown with its far more affordable Grand Duchess tree.

The internet is going crazy for The Home Depot Grand Duchess Twinkling Balsam Fir 7.5-foot tree. It comes with built-in lights for a round-the-clock light show that changes color at your command. It's no wonder the Grand Duchess went viral; its full boughs emulate the grandeur of Balsam Hill's trees but at a fraction of the cost. When it's available, this tree is priced at just $347.

TikTokers are excitedly convincing each other to swing for the Grand Duchess this holiday season, but I've seen some people saying even this tree is too expensive.

I know $347 may seem like a lot to spend on a Christmas Tree, but it's actually a steal if you care about quality. In another life, I tested artificial Christmas trees, and I learned that you get what you pay for. The more you spend, the more realistic the trees look — that's how Balsam Hill has stayed so successful despite their expensive trees.

So, for a tree that measures up to the best-of-the-best, the 7.5-foot-tall Grand Duchess tree is actually a holiday bargain. Unfortunately, many people have already realized that, which is why the tree is now sold out. However, you can sign up for restocks on the tree, which will hopefully be back in stock before Christmas.

What's the best alternative to the viral Grand Duchess Christmas tree? The Home Depot has a similar 7.5-foot tree in the same Home Decorator's Collection, which is still in stock in-store and online — the

Opens in a new window Credit: Home Depot The Home Depot Elegant Twinkling Grand Fir 7.5-foot Christmas Tree $399 at Home Depot
Selling fast! Get Deal The Home Depot Animated Christmas R2-D2 Opens in a new window Credit: The Home Depot The Home Depot Animated Christmas R2-D2 $299 at The Home Depot
  Learn More

The other viral Christmas decor from The Home Depot is for the nerds (complimentary, of course.) Star Wars fans can live out their dreams of meeting R2-D2 with this fully animated Christmas-themed model. It's an indoor decoration with five different sound effects, an LED head, and head movements to bring it to life.

This Christmas, R2-D2 is part of The Home Depot's Star Wars Christmas collection, but it's maybe the most sought-after piece in the line-up. In a viral video from Pixelated Erica, she had to travel all over to find the Christmas R2-D2 in stock, and unfortunately, it's still sold out in most places. All that to say, you can sign up for a restock notification so you can one day get your hands on the Christmas R2-D2.

And, if you have your heart set on a Star Wars Christmas decoration, the giant animatronic Christmas Chewbacca is still in stock.

Black Friday holiday decor deals from the Home Depot Opens in a new window Credit: Home Depot 7.5-foot Animated Chewbacca Christmas decoration $349 at Home Depot
  Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Home Depot The Home Depot Grand Duchess 9-foot Twinkling Balsam Fir $549
Almost sold out! Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Home Depot 6-foot Animatronic Christmas Stormtrooper $299 at Home Depot
  Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Home Depot 4-foot Inflatable Grinch in Ugly Christmas Sweater $44.98 at Home Depot
  Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Home Depot 7.5-foot Jackson Noble Fir LED Pre-Lit Artificial Christmas Tree $299 at Home Depot
  Get Deal

150+ Amazon Black Friday deals: Score the best live deals on AirPods, Kindles, Legos, and TVs

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 12:07
A glance at the best Black Friday deals at Amazon Best Apple deal Apple Mac mini (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $479 (save $120) Get Deal Best Lego deal Lego Star Wars: 'The Phantom Menace' Mos Espa Podrace Dioarma 75380 $50.99 at Amazon (save $19.90) Get Deal Best Kindle deal Kindle Paperwhite (16GB) $124.99 (save $35) Get Deal Best portable power station deal Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 $349 (save $450) Get Deal Best headphones deal Bose QuietComfort Ultra (Black or Smoke White) $298 (save $131) Get Deal Best smartwatch deal Apple Watch SE 3 (GPS, 40mm) $199 (save $50) Get Deal Best Amazon device deal Amazon Echo Pop $21.99 (save $18) Get Deal Best TV deal Insignia 75-inch QF QLED 4K Fire TV $399.99 at Amazon (save $250) Get Deal Best robot vacuum deal Roborock Saros 10R $999.99 at Amazon (save $600) Get Deal Best kitchen deal Ninja Slushi $421.68 at Amazon (save $100) Get Deal

Black Friday falls on Nov. 28 this year, but that doesn't mean you need to wait until after pumpkin pie to shop. Amazon's official Black Friday sale has been underway since Nov. 20, and we're seeing a bunch of epic deals. Some of our favorite products from Bose, Apple, Anker, and Lego are on sale, in addition to Amazon devices like Kindles and the Echo lineup, plus discounts on some of our favorite gifts for 2025.

A majority of Amazon Black Friday deals are record-low prices that match or beat the deals we saw during October Prime Day. See the evidence for yourself by plugging the URL into camelcamelcamel, the Mashable shopping team's secret weapon to finding the lowest prices at Amazon.

SEE ALSO: 20+ of the best Black Friday streaming deals live: HBO Max, Apple TV+, Spotify, and more

With speedy Prime shipping, shopping Amazon's sale early could get some of your items to your doorstep before Thanksgiving even starts.

We'll be updating this page with new Amazon Black Friday deals as they drop, so keep checking back through the end of Cyber Weekend. Of course, it's worth checking out the best deals from competing retailers like Target, Best Buy, and Walmart to make sure you're getting the best deal (we curate our lists to only include deals that are the actual best ones across retailers). If you don't feel like scrolling through all of that, you can keep up with the utmost best deals across the internet with our live deals tracker or get them texted straight to your phone.

Best Apple deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Mac mini (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $479 at Amazon
$599 Save $120   Get Deal Why we like it

If you need a desktop upgrade, this is hands-down the best value you can get right now. The new Mac mini packs the M4 chip into a tiny 5-inch box, and Apple finally upped the starting RAM to 16GB (instead of the stingy 8GB of the past). That means it can actually handle heavy multitasking right out of the box.

Honorable mention: Apple deals are going hard this Black Friday. The AirPods 4 with ANC just hit a record-low price of $99.99, but they're flying off the shelves. We've seen them sell out once at Amazon already, so if they're sold out for you, you can also grab them for $99.99 at Target. These give the entry-level AirPods (currently on sale for $69.99) the nice addition of ANC, which performed so well that it earned these buds a coveted Mashable Choice Award.

Read Mashable's full review of the Apple AirPods 4 with ANC.

More Black Friday Apple deals at Amazon

AirTags

Apple Pencil

MacBooks

iPads

AirPods

Best Lego deal Lego Star Wars: 'The Phantom Menace' Mos Espa Podrace Diorama 75380 $50.99 at Amazon
$79.99 Save $29.00   Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Best Buy Why we like it

As the year comes to a close, another heartbreaking handful of Legos are set to retire. The Mos Espa Podrace diorama from The Phantom Menace is one of them, so now is your last chance not only to find it in stock at all, but for nearly $20 off its usual price. This set is a best-seller for a reason: You get the full canyon in Tatooine scene, models of both Anakin's Podracer and Subulba's Podracer, and a special 25th anniversary plaque with a quote from Qui-Gon Jinn. It's nostalgia in brick form that any Star Wars fan should have in their collection.

More Black Friday Lego dealsBest Kindle deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Kindle Paperwhite $124 at Amazon
$159 Save $35   Get Deal Why we like it

Down at a record-low price, the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite is Mashable's favorite Kindle. It can get up to 12 weeks of battery life before you'll need to recharge, and the 16GB storage gives plenty of room for downloaded books. Gift it to the reader in your life or snag one for yourself to stay entertained during holiday travel. It's also fully waterproof, so you can take it along to the pool or on your tropical winter vacation.

More Kindle dealsBest Amazon device deal Amazon Echo Pop $21.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $18.00   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

Read Mashable's full review of the Echo Pop.

It’s a known fact of the universe that Amazon devices get serious discounts on Black Friday (and Prime Day, for that matter). If you haven't picked up a smart speaker yet, or just need one for a random room like the laundry room or guest bath, we recommend the Echo Pop. It’s currently $21.99, which is 45% off its regular price. Unlike the spherical Echo Dot, the Pop has a flat front that makes it fit way better on shallow shelves or crowded nightstands. It’s the perfect low-stakes way to add Alexa to another corner of your house without spending "real" money.

More Black Friday Amazon device deals Best portable power station deal Opens in a new window Credit: Anker Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 $349 at Amazon
$799 Save $450   Get Deal Why we like it

Read Mashable's full review of the Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2.

The new Anker Solix C1000 Gen 2 is one of my favorite portable power stations to hit the market this year. Anker's new Gen 2 models focus on portability, and the C1000 Gen 2 is shockingly easy to carry around at 25 pounds. It's a great model for taking to the campground or keeping in the garage in case of power outages. Thanks to Amazon's Black Friday sale, this model is down to a new record low.

More Black Friday portable power station dealsBest headphones deal Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose QuietComfort Ultra (Black or Smoke White) $299
$429 Save $130   Get Deal Why we like it

Read Mashable's full review of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones (2nd Gen).

If you're looking for the most comfortable noise-cancelling headphones on the market, you want the Bose QuietComfort Ultra. As long as you're cool with black or white, they're on sale for $298. Since we spend plenty of the day listening to music, podcasts, or streaming YouTube, there's good reason to invest in a super comfortable pair. Of course, they'll make for a special gift this holiday season, or consider it a gift of self-care to get yourself through holiday travel.

More Black Friday headphones dealsBlack Friday earbuds dealsBest smartwatch deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch SE 3 (GPS, 40mm) $199.99 at Amazon
$249 Save $49.01   Get Deal Why we like it

The Apple Watch SE 3 earns the top spot on Mashable's list of the best smartwatches. The SE 3 is the first SE model to come with an always-on display. Mashable Tech Editor Timothy Beck Werth wrote, "In addition to its gorgeous OLED display, it has the same S10 chip inside the Ultra 3, the same water resistance as the Series 11, and all the necessary features you're looking for in a smartwatch." All of that now comes in at under $200 thanks to this Black Friday sale at Amazon.

More Black Friday smartwatch dealsBlack Friday TV deals at Amazon Insignia 75-inch QF QLED 4K Fire TV $399.99 at Amazon
$649.99 Save $250   Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Best Buy Why we like it

When you think of TVs on sale at Amazon, you probably think of Amazon's own Fire TVs. You're half right: The best Fire TV deal at Amazon is a Fire TV, but it's actually an Insignia (a Best Buy brand). At just $399.99 after a 38% discount, this 75-inch Insignia QLED is the cheapest 75-inch QLED TV we've seen across all Black Friday TV deals so far — that's almost $200 cheaper than the non-QLED 75-inch version of Amazon's Omni TV. And why would you settle when you could bring home the boosted quantum dot brightness for watching in the daytime?

More Black Friday TV deals43-inch TVs50- to 55-inch TVs65-inch TVs75-inch TVs and up85-inch TVs and upBlack Friday robot vacuum deals at Amazon Roborock Saros 10R $999.99 at Amazon
$1,599.99 Save $600   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

This Black Friday season marks the very first time the Roborock Saros 10R has dropped below $1,000, so senior shopping reporter Leah Stodart can't help but recommend it to people — considering the Saros 10R was her favorite robot vacuum that she's ever tested for most of 2025, and is still the best robot vacuum mop combo when it comes to corner and edge mopping. (In Reddit threads about which robot vacuum everyone is looking to buy this Black Friday, the Saros 10R is mentioned multiple times.)

At 22,000 Pa of suction power, the Saros 10R is also one of the most powerful robot vacs you'll find on sale this season. Plus, the livestream pet camera will quickly become a daily staple in the routines of busy pet parents.

More Black Friday robot vacuum deals

Robot vacuum and mop combos

Robot vacuums that don't mop

Black Friday kitchen deals Ninja Slushi professional frozen drink maker (88-ounce) $421.68 at Amazon
  Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

The Ninja Slushi is a blast in any season — frozen margs in any flavor you want when it's hot, apple cider slush or gingerbread frappé when it's chilly. (Mashable Senior Shopping Reporter Leah Stodart loves her Slushi, and so do all of her friends.) A year after the first Slushi came out, Ninja released two larger capacity versions in a few fun colors. The 88-ounce model on sale for $269.99 at Amazon can make a slightly bigger batch than the original 72-ounce model, which is on sale for $249.99 at Walmart. $20 more for extra beverages and a chic green build? Sold. (If you want the purple one, it's $269.99 at Target.)

More Black Friday kitchen dealsBest Black Friday outdoor deal LifeStraw $9.49 at Amazon
$19.95 Save $10.46   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

If there's one thing Mashable readers love buying on Black Friday, it’s the LifeStraw. It’s a staple of every major sales event, and for good reason. Right now, it’s back down to its Prime Day price of $9.99, which is typically the lowest it goes all year (it's usually around $20). Even if you aren't an avid hiker, this is a must-have for your home emergency kit or bug-out bag. It filters out 99.999999 percent of waterborne bacteria and parasites, so you can drink directly from a stream (or a sketchy tap) safely. At $10, it’s the ultimate practical stocking stuffer.

More early Black Friday outdoor deals Drones and action camerasOther outdoor gearBeauty tech dealsBluetooth tracker deals

50+ Walmart Black Friday deals: Walmart has gone live with Lego, Hisense TVs, AirPods at record-low prices

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 11:56

Walmart's official Black Friday sale is on, and it runs through Nov. 30. We've combed through the latest drop of doorbusters, compared the options to competitors, and have handpicked a list of the worthwhile Walmart Black Friday deals to snag — before they sell out.

Walmart's Black Friday deals at a glance: GET ALL THE PERKS 1-Year Walmart+ Membership $49 (Save $49) Get Deal Best earbuds deal Apple AirPods 4 $69 (save $60.99) Get Deal Best TV deal Hisense 75-inch H5 QLED 4K Roku TV $378 (save $121) Get Deal Best Stick Vacuum Deal Dyson V12 Detect Slim Cordless Vacuum Cleaner $399.99 (save $330) Get Deal Best PlayStation deal PlayStation 5 Slim Disc Console (1TB) $449 (save $40) Get Deal BEST KITCHEN DEAL Magic Bullet Essential Blender with To-Go Lid $15 (save $24.99) Get Deal Best robot vacuum deal Roborock Qrevo Series Robot Vacuum and Mop $459.99 (save $290) Get Deal Best laptop deal Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M1, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $549 (save $100) Get Deal Best Carpet Cleaner Bissell Little Green Carpet Cleaner $78.97 (save $44.62) Get Deal

Walmart is no longer in early Black Friday mode. The retailer's official Black Friday sale kicked off on Tuesday, Nov. 25 — which feels early until you remember that Target's official sale started on Nov. 23, and Best Buy's even earlier on Nov. 20. Walmart definitely brings the doorbusters to make up for that time, though: We're already seeing some jaw-dropping record-low prices, like the Apple AirPods 4 on sale for $69, the M1 MacBook Air for $549, the Lego Star Wars Executor Super Star Destroyer for $40, and Magic Bullets for just $15 a pop.

SEE ALSO: Black Friday 2025: Get live updates on the latest sales, doorbusters, and deal drops

We're keeping daily tabs on Walmart's Black Friday sale through its online-only Cyber Monday sale on Dec. 1:

Best Walmart Black Friday TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense 75-inch H5 QLED 4K Roku TV $378 at Walmart
$499 Save $121   Get Deal Why we like it

Walmart officially has the cheapest 75-inch QLED TV of Black Friday so far. The 75-inch Hisense H5 QLED TV bumps the previous winner (the $399.99 75-inch Insignia QF QLED at Amazon) to second place by $20 and some change. If you're a Roku TV person over a Fire TV person anyway, this Hisense is such a no-brainer upgrade. Compared to a regular LED TV, the QLED difference in brightness and color saturation will be palpable the first time you try to watch anything in a sunlit room.

More Black Friday TV deals at Walmart43 inches and under50 to 55 inches65 inches75 inches85 inches and upBlack Friday gaming console deals at WalmartBest laptop deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M1, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $549 at Walmart
$649 Save $100   Get Deal Why we like it

The M1 MacBook Air is the cheapest Apple laptop we recommend. It's quiet, sleek, super portable, and way faster than similarly priced Chromebooks. Walmart almost always has it on sale for $599 (regularly $649), so we were looking for an even deeper Black Friday discount. Our wish was granted: It's now just $549, or 15% off.

More Black Friday laptop deals at WalmartBest headphones deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods 4 $69 at Walmart
$129 Save $60   Get Deal Why we like it

This AirPods deal is keeping us on our toes. We were already satisfied when Walmart dropped the AirPods 4 to a record low of $79.99 on Nov. 20, but as of Nov. 25, another $10.99 has been shaved off. How often do you get to say that the latest (non-Pro) AirPods are almost 50% off? Almost never, so bag these before they disappear.

More earbuds and headphones deals Best robot vacuum deal Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock Qrevo Series Robot Vacuum and Mop $459.99 at Walmart
$749.99 Save $290   Get Deal Why we like it

Roborock is quickly replacing iRobot as the most reliable robot vacuum brand. The brand made some of our favorite robot vacuums of the year, and this Qrevo Series self-emptier boasts 10,000 Pa of suction and the ability to mop your floors.

More Black Friday vacuum deals at WalmartBest deal on toys and games Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar 2025 $35.99 at Walmart
$44.99 Save $9   Get Deal Why we like it

This is the time of year to snag Advent calendars while they're 1) on sale and 2) still in stock. This set comes with tons of mini figures and toys Star Wars fans will love. Can you say BB-8 as a snowman, or Jawa wearing an ugly Christmas sweater? You won't find this Black Friday Advent calendar deal at Amazon.

More Walmart Black Friday deals on toys and gamesBest Apple deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 42mm) $249 at Walmart
$399 Save $150   Get Deal Why we like it

Apple recently replaced the Series 10 smartwatch with the Series 11, but the only real difference between the two models? The newest version has a longer battery life. Besides that, they're virtually identical, except now the Series 10 is a lot more affordable. You won't find this watch on sale at Amazon, but at Walmart, the remaining sizes and colors are on sale for $249 — that's a savings of $150 on one of the best smartwatches in the world.

More Walmart deals on Apple productsBest Black Friday kitchen deal Opens in a new window Credit: Magic Bullet Magic Bullet Essential Blender with To-Go Lid $15 at Walmart
$39.99 Save $24.99   Get Deal Why we like it

Do we need to explain this one? It's a blender that costs $15, and from a brand we've had great experiences with before. This personal smoothie blender comes with a to-go cup and lid, so you can whip up a smoothie before work or class and take it with you.

More Black Friday kitchen deals SEE ALSO: Black Friday 2025: Live updates on the latest deals from Amazon, Target, Walmart, and more

The best Black Friday DJI drone deal is now live for everyone — score the best-ever price on the DJI Mini 4K

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 11:53

SAVE $60: The DJI Mini 4K drone is on sale for $239 in the Amazon Black Friday sale. That's $60 off and the lowest-ever price for this model.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon DJI Mini 4K Drone $239 at Amazon
$299 Save $60   Get Deal

We made some noise about the fact that you could save $60 on the DJI Mini 4K drone in the early stages of Amazon's Black Friday sale. That deal came with a catch, as it was only available to Prime members. Well the exclusivity is gone. Now everyone can score the DJI Mini 4K drone for its best-ever price.

The DJI Mini 4K drone is on sale for $239 in the Amazon Black Friday sale, saving you $60 on list price. TikTokers, YouTubers, and filmmakers absolutely love DJI drones. And they'll probably love this deal, because it couldn't have come at a better time.

Mashable Deals Be the first to know! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Get editor selected deals texted right to your phone! Loading... Sign Me Up By signing up, you agree to receive recurring automated SMS marketing messages from Mashable Deals at the number provided. Msg and data rates may apply. Up to 2 messages/day. Reply STOP to opt out, HELP for help. Consent is not a condition of purchase. See our Privacy Policy and Terms of Use. Thanks for signing up!

It's looking more and more likely that DJI drones will be banned by the end of 2025. That sucks for creators, but there's still time to stock up ahead of any final decision.

It's worth noting that if you're not a Prime member, the drone is sold by Hibikin-US. We don't generally recommend purchasing from third-party sellers on Amazon, but DJI is facing stock issues right now (for obvious reasons) and Hibikin-US has excellent reviews, so we feel fine making this recommendation.

Score the DJI Mini 4K drone for $239 in the Amazon Black Friday sale.

Take Command of Your Powerful New Smartphone Camera

NYT Technology - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 09:00
This year’s high-end models from Apple and Google raise the bar for mobile photography, but users should take the time to learn the settings and features.

Fears About A.I. Prompt Talks of Super PACs to Rein In the Industry

NYT Technology - Tue, 11/25/2025 - 18:58
As artificial intelligence companies prepare to pour money into the midterm elections, some in the A.I. world are hatching plans of their own to curb the industry’s influence.

The Interview: How Wikipedia Is Responding to the Culture Wars

NYT Technology - Tue, 11/25/2025 - 07:00
Attacks against the site are piling up. Its co-founder says, Trust the process.

Pages

Subscribe to Page Integrity, Inc. aggregator