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SAVE $69.01: As of Nov. 1, the Apple AirPods Pro 2 are on sale for $179.99 at Amazon. That's a 28% discount from their list price of $249.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Pro 2 $179.99 at Amazon
$249.00 Save $69.01 Get Deal

Apple AirPods are an excellent investment if you're part of the Apple ecosystem. They sync up so well with the company's various devices though they often come with some hefty price tags, especially models like the Apple AirPods Pro 2. Thankfully, every now and again a deal on a pair pops up that catches our eye outside of the big seasonal sale events.

Right now, you can save on the Apple AirPods Pro 2 at Amazon, which have dropped from their list price of $249 to $179.99. That's a 28% discount, and worth taking advantage of if you're looking for some high-quality noise-canceling earbuds. We've ranked them among our picks of the best earbuds to buy in 2024, and for good reason.

SEE ALSO: Apple AirPods 4 vs. AirPods 3: What's the difference?

Powered by Apple's H2 chip, the AirPods Pro 2 offer excellent sound quality and some incredible features to keep you immersed in whatever you're listening to. This includes Active Noise Cancelation to completely tune out the world around you, and for when you want to keep an ear out for your surroundings, it also has a Transparency mode. These features just scratch the surface of what these earbuds have going on, though. Apple even added a new feature to them recently, as the AirPods Pro 2 now have hearing health features, too.

The Apple AirPods Pro 2 are definitely worth picking up at this price, so don't miss out on this deal at Amazon. If you're on the hunt for even more AirPods or Apple deals, Black Friday is sure to provide you with plenty in the next few weeks. Target, Best Buy, and Walmart have already dropped information on their respective Black Friday sales, so have a look at our breakdowns for each to learn more about what they've got planned.

SAVE $1,200: As of Nov. 1, the 65-inch LG C4 4K OLED TV is on sale for $1,499.99 at Best Buy. That's $1,200 off its list price of $2,699.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: LG LG 65-Inch Class C4 Series OLED evo 4K UHD Smart webOS TV $1,499.99 at Best Buy
$2,699.99 Save $1,200.00 Get Deal

LG offers some of the best TVs on the market right now, especially its range of 4K OLEDs. However, TVs like these come with some very high price tags, so it's always nice when deals on them pop up throughout the year. Thankfully, Best Buy is one such retailer with an excellent offer right now on the 65-inch LG C4 4K OLED.

The 65-inch LG C4 is currently enjoying a $1,200 discount at Best Buy, dropping its price from $2,699.99 to $1,499.99. That's a discount of 44%. It's not far off from its lowest price ever, either. Price tracker camelcamelcamel has the lowest price ever for the 65-inch LG C4 listed as $1,423.98 at Amazon a little while back, so you're still scoring a phenomenal discount on one of the best TVs available at the moment.

SEE ALSO: Amazon deal of the day: Get a gaming bundle that includes a month of Xbox Game Pass, a wireless controller, and the Fire TV Stick 4K Max for under $80

Alongside an OLED display that offers an astonishing picture, it's also a smart TV with Alexa built-in. Not to mention, it features Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision alongside a variety of other features for movie lovers and gamers to feel fully absorbed in their favorite entertainment. All of this bundled into a sleek design that blends in nicely to whichever room you choose to put it in.

TV deals like this don't come around very often, so if you've had your eye on the LG C4 to upgrade your TV setup, check out this deal at Best Buy.

If you want to see even more TVs on sale, make sure to keep your eyes on the Black Friday sale event. Some retailers have already dropped information on when to expect their sales throughout the month, so make sure to have a look at our breakdowns of Walmart, Target, and Best Buy's Black Friday sales to learn more.

SAVE $100: As of Nov. 1, the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones are on sale for $329 at Amazon. That's a discount of 23% and their lowest-ever price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones $329.00 at Amazon
$429.00 Save $100.00 Get Deal

If you've been looking to score high-quality headphones at a discount, we've got great news for you. The Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones, which we've hailed the comfiest headphones we've ever worn, have dropped down to their lowest-ever price.

They're currently available for $329 at Amazon, $100 off their list price of $429. According to price tracker camelcamelcamel, this is their lowest price yet, making it an excellent time to grab them. They're also marked as a limited-time deal at Amazon, so it's an offer that likely won't stick around for long.

SEE ALSO: I tested the best headphones and earbuds for working out during my daily run

We sang the praises of these headphones in our review. Highlighting their incredibly comfortable design, Mashable's Shopping Reporter, Samantha Mangino, said that they "Cup your ears for a secure fit but won't cause aching ears. If you're wearing headphones from the beginning of your commute, all throughout the workday, and until the moment you get back home, these are a worthy investment for comfort, not to mention battery life." They've also ranked among our picks for the best noise-cancelling headphones of 2024 and among the overall best headphones of 2024.

Offering Active Noise Canceling and up to 24 hours of battery life, these headphones are an excellent investment for those who frequently listen to audio of any kind. Don't miss out on this limited-time deal on them at Amazon.

And if you want to see even more headphone deals, you're in luck with Black Friday coming up soon. A variety of different retailers are sure to offer up some great headphone deals then, so it's worth keeping your eye out. Some retailers are dropping a few deals early in the lead-up to the sale event as well, like Walmart, Target, and Best Buy, so you can see what seasonal savings they've got in store.

Waze just made it easier for drivers to report incidents en route, with a new tool that lets you flag hazards with your voice.

Announced in a blog post by the Google-owned app on Thursday, Waze's new "Conversational Reporting" feature uses the company's AI model Gemini to allow you to vocally report things like traffic jams, construction, and random junk finding itself in the road.

All you have to do is tap the app's reporting button and speak conversationally about the incident, and Gemini will instantly process this into a report. Whether you scream those details in a rage is up to you.

SEE ALSO: Google Maps' new feature will show you where to park

According to Waze, the app could ask you follow up questions about the report, asking you to provide more details — say, if a mattress is blocking traffic, you might want to specify. You can see how it functions in Waze's ad campaign video below, in which a cab driver reports construction using one tap and speaking aloud.

The Conversational Reporting feature will be available for "Waze trusted testers" this week worldwide in beta on Android and iOS, and will be rolled out to more users in more languages other than English "in the coming months."

It wasn't the only feature announced by Waze this week, with the company also adding the ability for users to mark school zones to the map — a much requested feature. The feature, which will be available globally before the end of the year, also alerts other users to school zones through the app. It's another of a bunch of features added to Waze this year.

The Waze updates dropped on the same day Google announced a handy new planning feature for Maps, which gives you the ability to ask the app questions that generate AI answers from Gemini. The days of AI-less map platforms are way behind us.

SAVE £60: As of Nov. 1, the AOC Gaming U27G3X 27-inch 4K UHD Monitor is on sale for £339 at Amazon. That’s a 15% discount from its regular price of £399.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: AOC AOC Gaming U27G3X Monitor £339.99 at Amazon
£399.99 Save £60.00 Get Deal

The AOC Gaming U27G3X is known for its low response times and 4K resolution at a solid price point. But now, Amazon has it marked down to £339, so you can score a top-tier gaming monitor with 4K visuals, a blazing 160Hz refresh rate, and a razor-sharp 1ms response time for less. Designed with gamers in mind, this display handles everything worth looking at.

This 27-inch IPS screen comes with a 4K UHD resolution, which is an absolute catch for PC master race members who also want to hook up their Xbox Series X or PlayStation 5. You'll catch every detail with textures in your games and the smallest visual cues in popping movies. The 160Hz refresh rate and 1ms response time mean it's built to handle rapid sequences that keep your adrenaline up without the ghosting or motion blur that might ruin your aim. Plus, with Adaptive Sync, the monitor syncs up to your GPU's frame rate to eliminate stuGPU'sng and screen tearing, so you'll get buttery-smooth gameplay from start to finish.

SEE ALSO: Ready to upgrade your smartphone? Grab the Samsung Galaxy A15 for less than $200

Connectivity is another win for the U27G3X. With HDMI 2.1 and DisplayPort 1.4, you can quickly hook up your gaming console, PC, laptop, or media player without a hitch, making it an ideal hub for multiple devices. The anti-glare screen and flicker-free technology add some relief for your eyes, so long sessions won't leave you feeling wiped. The height-adjustable also helps, letting players position it exactly where it's most comfortable.

With its price slashed down to £339, this deal won't last long. Grab the AOC U27G3X if you're after stunning graphics and responsive gameplay.

SAVE £50: As of Nov. 1, the Lenovo Tab M11 Android Tablet (128GB) is on sale for £159.99 at Amazon. That’s a 24% discount off its regular price of £209.99. It comes with a Lenovo Tab Pen and a folio case.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lenovo Lenovo Tab M11 £159.99 at Amazon
£209.99 Save £50.00 Get Deal

Looking for a tablet that can jump between work and play without breaking a sweat? Lenovo’s Tab M11 is here to deliver. Now available for £159.99 on Amazon, this tablet’s all about options, bringing you an 11-inch Full HD display, generous storage, and a sleek pen-and-case bundle to sweeten the deal. Streaming, gaming, or handling a digital to-do list? This setup covers you without breaking the bank.

The Lenovo Tab M11’s MediaTek Helio G88 octa-core processor makes multitasking smooth and quick. Combined with 4GB of RAM and 128GB of storage, this tablet makes streaming, gaming, and work feel effortless. The 1920 x 1200p Full HD screen offers crisp visuals, while Dolby Atmos-tuned quad speakers bring that “in-theater” sound to your latest Netflix binge. Plus, with 10 hours of battery life, you’ll get through most of the season without plugging in.

SEE ALSO: I review laptops for a living, and these are best Lenovo laptops — with honest pros and cons

And yes, it’s more than just fun and games. The Tab M11 has an 8MP rear camera with an AI-powered smart scanner, making it incredibly easy to snap pictures of documents, whiteboards, or receipts and convert them into crisp, A4-sized PDFs with just a few taps. No more fussing with multiple apps or clunky scanning devices; you can get high-quality scans from the tablet. It’s a handy feature for work tasks, digital organizing, or even creating an archive of handwritten notes.

The Lenovo Tab Pen (included) is a gem for anyone who likes jotting down notes, sketching, or navigating with precision. With 4,096 pressure sensitivity levels and tilt detection, it feels natural, responding to the tiniest nuances of your handwriting or drawing. That’s enough detail to turn your tablet into a mini digital canvas or a perfectly organized notebook. Paired with the folio case, the Tab M11 is ready to handle anything you’ve lined up, from meetings to creative projects or a study session at the coffee shop.

At £159.99, this Lenovo tablet packs a surprising amount of tech and versatility into one sleek package. This deal is a solid discount while the deal lasts.

Managing a household can sometimes feel like an impossible undertaking. Between scheduling, cleaning, meal planning, and delegating and completing tasks, the whole operation could come to a halt with a single mistake or misstep.

That's why some people are turning to artificial intelligence to make their home life run more efficiently and reliably. A growing number of household management apps and platforms offer basic tools for streamlining the hardest parts of running a household. Basic AI features from Google Gemini and ChatGPT can also help you brainstorm for tasks like meal and vacation planning.

SEE ALSO: AI apps can automate your home life, and it's more cool than scary

What you can't get — at least for now — is an AI self-driving car that will deliver your tween to their basketball practice, or a robot that will fold heaps of laundry. But as long as you keep your expectations realistic, using AI for household management can save you time, and lessen your mental load.

Here are three ways you can use AI to do exactly that:

Use AI for scheduling

Parents, or anyone who runs a household, knows that an organized calendar is essential. Apps like Ohai.ai, Maple, and Jam all offer AI-powered scheduling tools that aim to streamline your schedule — and ensure that no important appointment slips through the cracks.

In some cases, you can forward emails with key dates and associated responsibilities that the app will ingest and automatically add to your calendar.

The caveat, however, is that such apps may not be able to connect to your work calendar if you maintain one through your employer, because of security restrictions. So if you're hoping that an AI scheduling tool will be your silver bullet, be sure to first consider whether it can sync with every calendar you use.

Let AI help plan your meals

Meal planning can be hit-or-miss with AI. Some AI-generated recipes are notoriously bad, filled with the wrong measurements or bizarre ingredients. In extreme cases, a recipe might be deadly.

While it's probably best for now not to trust AI entirely to generate high-quality recipes for you, there are tools that can help you manage shopping lists, scheduling, and menu selection.

With Apple's integration of ChatGPT, for example, Siri should be able to offer meal-planning support. The workspace web application Notion also has AI-powered meal-planning templates that can take the ingredients you have on hand into account, then offer suggestions for what to make.

AI can help you assign and track tasks

Managing a household means knowing what needs to get done—and by when. Whether that's scheduling annual health appointments, paying utility bills, signing up for the neighborhood potluck, or returning the library books, there's no shortage of tasks that need to be tracked.

Households may rely on some combination of communication and scheduling tools to take care of these chores (think Slack and Google Calendar), but family management apps like Jam, Ohai.ai, and Maple are specifically dedicated to dealing with this workload. You can set deadlines and reminders that are tied to shared calendars.

However families choose to incorporate AI into their lives, they should read the fine print of the services they use, search for products that safeguard their privacy, and remember that there's no universal solution for the problem they're trying to solve.

SAVE £17: As of Nov. 1, the Soundcore by Anker Q20i Hybrid Noise-Cancelling Headphones are on sale for £32.99 at Amazon. That’s a 34% discount off their usual price of £49.99.

Opens in a new window Credit: Soundcore Soundcore by Anker Q20i Hybrid Noise-Cancelling Headphones £32.99 at Amazon
£49.99 Save £17.00 Get Deal

If your ears could send thank-you notes, they’d have a lot to say about the Soundcore by Anker Q20i headphones. These wireless over-ear headphones pack powerful hybrid noise cancellation and impressive bass, all for an affordable price. This top-rated pair is currently on sale for just £32.99 at Amazon, saving you a satisfying £17. With such a solid discount, these headphones could quickly become your new best friend for work, commuting, or simply tuning out the world.

The Q20i model features a hybrid active noise-canceling system that uses four microphones (yes, four) to reduce up to 90% of background noise. This means you can enjoy smooth, distraction-free listening whether you’re drowning out subway noise, airplane engines, or that one coworker who insists on taking calls via speakerphone. With oversized 40mm dynamic drivers and Soundcore’s BassUp tech, the Q20i delivers deep, thumping bass that lets your playlists shine. For true audiophiles, they’re Hi-Res audio certified when connected with an AUX cable, giving you even more sound detail.

SEE ALSO: Anker 535 PowerHouse review: Is this power station the workhorse its name suggests?

Battery anxiety? Not an issue with the Q20i. These headphones can last up to 40 hours with ANC and up to 60 hours in regular mode. In a pinch, a quick five-minute charge will give you four hours of juice, which is plenty to get through your commute or workout. You can control how you listen with Bluetooth 5.0, dual-device connection, and full customization through the Soundcore app. Adjust the EQ, toggle between ANC, Normal, and Transparency modes, and personalize your sound.

Treat your ears, your sanity, and your wallet. Deals like this don’t last long, so grab the Soundcore by Anker Q20i headphones before they’re gone.

SAVE £230: The Acer Aspire 5 A515-57 laptop with Intel Core i5, 16GB RAM, and 512GB SSD is down to £469.99 at Amazon, reduced from £699.99 as of Nov. 1. That’s a 33% discount on a laptop that’s got your back (and your budget).

Opens in a new window Credit: Acer Acer Aspire 5 £469.99 at Amazon
£699.99 Save £230.00 Get Deal

Acer Aspire 5 can handle work, streaming, and maybe a sprinkle of procrastination. And with a price tag that has just dropped to £469.99, it’s ready to save you some serious cash while packing in some solid performance.

The Aspire 5 A515-57 is powered by a 12th Gen Intel Core i5 processor and 16GB of RAM, which means it’ll speed through most everyday tasks without breaking a sweat. It’s not a gaming beast (integrated graphics will only get you so far), but it’s perfect for multitasking, bingeing, and tackling those late-night assignments. With a roomy 512GB SSD, it also gives you plenty of space for all the files, projects, and playlists you could want — minus the hourglass loading symbol.

SEE ALSO: The Dyson Purifier Cool is a 2-in-1 device made for spring allergy season

Visuals won’t disappoint either. The 15.6-inch Full HD IPS display delivers sharp details and bright colors, whether you’re editing a doc or streaming yet another episode. Need to make your setup more desk-friendly? Acer’s thrown in a Thunderbolt 4 port so you can hook up multiple monitors, transfer files faster than you can blink, and even charge your laptop — all through a single cable. It’s like magic, but techy.

With its sturdy aluminum body, backlit keyboard, and HD webcam with noise reduction, the Aspire 5 is ready to keep you looking sharp, even if you’re still in pajamas from that last Zoom call. If you’ve been eyeing an upgrade that won’t wipe out your wallet, this limited-time deal is a no-brainer.

SAVE OVER £800: As of Nov. 1, the 2024 Razer Blade 16 Gaming Laptop is down to £2,199 at Amazon. That’s 27% off the usual £2,999 price tag.

Opens in a new window Credit: Razer Razer Blade 16 Gaming Laptop (2024) £2,199.00 at Amazon
£2,999.99 Save £800.99 Get Deal

If you're into high-performance gaming or need serious horsepower for creative projects, the Razer Blade 16 is ready to go all out. It's not your average laptop. Razer Blade 16 is a powerhouse machine that crams in top-tier gaming and video editing specs in a sleek black aluminum frame. Best of all, you can snag it for 27% less on Amazon.

The Razer Blade 16 boasts a stunning 16-inch OLED display with a QHD+ resolution (2560 x 1600 pixels) and a buttery-smooth 240Hz refresh rate. That means every frame of your game or project will pop in vivid color and razor-sharp detail. With NVIDIA's GeForce RTX 4070 GPU under the hood, you'll get 30% more graphics power than other 16-inch gaming laptops, letting you max out game settings and multitask like a pro.

SEE ALSO: Razer BlackShark V2 Pro review: The best gaming headset I've ever used

The laptop is powered by Intel's latest Core i9-14900HX, a chip normally reserved for desktops, giving you desktop-level performance without the desk. This processor handles heavy tasks like video rendering and intensive gaming without a hitch, especially when paired with Razer's cooling system to keep temperatures under control. And at 16GB of DDR5 RAM and a 1TB SSD, you'll have plenty of speed and storage for almost any task.

This version of the Blade 16 has a UK keyboard layout and black color, so if you're particular about your keyboard setup, double-check that this is the one you want. Other options (including models with higher RAM and GPU upgrades) are also available but come with a heftier price tag.

Ready to upgrade your gaming setup? The Razer Blade 16's combination of OLED graphics, robust processing, and sleek design is an all-around stunner — now with serious savings.

SAVE $200: As of Nov. 1, the NETGEAR Orbi 770 Series is on sale at Amazon for $799.99, saving you 20% on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: NETGEAR NETGEAR Orbi 770 Series $799.99 at Amazon
$999.99 Save $200.00 Get Deal

Few things in life are as frustrating as dealing with a slow, laggy connection. This is especially true when you work from home — seriously, why is it that work calls never freeze in a flattering way?

A laggy connection is often the result of a big house, working far from your router or really thick, brick walls. If this is your situation, it's time to upgrade to a mesh router. How does a mesh router system differ from a standard setup, you ask? Well, a mesh router is a type of wireless networking system that provides much more extensive WiFi coverage throughout your home or office. It uses multiple units to provide a connection, unlike traditional routers that rely on a single unit to send out a signal. A mesh system consists of a main router connected to the internet and one or more units placed strategically around your space.

Sold yet? Why not check out this latest deal at Amazon, so you can upgrade your browsing experience but also save some money. As of Nov. 1, the NETGEAR Orbi 770 Series is on sale for $799.99 at Amazon, the lowest it has ever been priced. This price is specific to the WiFi-7, three-pack model.

It benefits from speeds of up to 11Gbps and high-performance antennas that provide 360-degree WiFi coverage across every corner of your home, no matter the layout. It's also fairly stylish in appearance, meaning they won't stick out horrendously in your home.

This is a limited-time offer at Amazon, so don't miss out.

SAVE $40: As of Nov. 1, Apple AirPods (2nd Gen) are on sale for $89 at Walmart, saving you 30% on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods (2nd Gen) $89.00 at Walmart
$129.00 Save $40.00 Get Deal

A new pair of AirPods doesn't need to break the bank, especially if your only priority is a good listening experience and not the latest model on the block.

In fact, as of Nov. 1, you can get a pair for under $100 at Walmart. Reduced by 30%, Apple AirPods (2nd Gen) are on sale for just $89. This deal includes the charging case (charged via cable, not wireless).

SEE ALSO: Apple AirPods 4 vs. AirPods 3: What's the difference?

The 2nd Gen AirPods are a classic of the range, delivering incredible sound and great compatibility with all your Apple devices. There isn't the fancier spec that you'll find on some of the newer models, such as noise cancellation, but you still get superior sound quality and a battery life that promises to keep you listening all day. And who can argue with that for under $100?

Enjoy double-tap controls, quick access to Siri voice control (just say, "Hey Siri"), and easy setup with this model.

Head to Walmart before this deal runs out.

Stephen King has shared a new animated short film for kids called "Lily", performed and directed by Kate Siegel.

SAVE $130: As of Nov. 1, the Apple iPad (9th Gen) is on sale for $199.99 at Best Buy. That's a 39% saving on list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad (9th Gen) $199.99 at Best Buy
$329.99 Save $130.00 Get Deal

If you're looking for a tablet upgrade and having the latest model isn't high on your priority list, you need to check out this great Best Buy deal. From Nov. 1, the iPad (9th Gen) is on sale for $199.99, saving you $130 on list price.

It's a versatile, and at this price, budget-friendly tablet with a 10.2-inch Retina display, giving you sharp and vibrant visuals. This model is powered by the A13 Bionic chip, ensuring a smooth performance for everyday tasks such as streaming, light gaming, and working.

SEE ALSO: Apple AirPods 4 vs. AirPods 3: What's the difference?

It is worth noting, however, that more recent models of the iPad have replaced the A13 chip with the much more powerful M chip. This new chip provides Mac-level performance, so if you're planning on using the iPad for intensive work, a newer model might be a better investment. For this, check out the iPad Air 2024, currently reduced to its lowest-ever price.

For general use, however, this discounted 9th Gen model is still a steal. It also supports the first-generation Apple Pencil, so it can be used for notetaking or drawing. And it is ideal for FaceTiming and work calls, the 12 MP ultra-wide front camera boasts a 122-degree field of view and supports Center Stage, a feature that keeps you automatically centered during video calls as you move around.

Don't miss out on this great iPad deal, head to Best Buy now.

SAVE $55: As of Nov. 1, the Garmin Venu 3S is on sale for $349.99 at Best Buy. That's a 12% saving on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin Venu 3S $394.99 at Best Buy
$449.99 Save $55.00 Get Deal

If you're looking to upgrade to a great, all-rounder smartwatch then look no further than the Garmin Venu 3S. It's a fantastic fitness and lifestyle tracker, and it's on sale for a limited time. As of Nov. 1, you can purchase this stylish watch from Best Buy for $394.99.

The Venu 3S is the perfect tracker for someone who enjoys a range of fitness activities as well as lifestyle tracking, and a nice improvement over the 2S. Health tracking features are vast, and include heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and even stress level feedback. Plus, it offers built-in GPS, so you can track your outdoor activities without needing to carry your phone with you.

SEE ALSO: Grab a big bargain on the Garmin vívoactive 5 at Amazon

The Venu 3S also comes with music capabilities. Download hundreds of songs to your watch, including playlists from Spotify, Amazon Music, or Deezer, and connect with wireless headphones.

Similarly to its predecessor, the screen is a bright AMOLED display, so it's nice and colorful as well as vibrant. And if battery life is important to you, the Venu 3S is seriously impressive. With a single charge, it can last up to 10 days in smartwatch mode and up to seven hours in GPS mode with music.

Head to Best Buy now for this great deal.

Cuffing season is here.

It coincides with autumn in the northern hemisphere and comes from the African-American Vernacular English (AAVE) term "cuffed," meaning partnered. The idea is that as the weather gets colder, folks will want to bundle up with one person for the winter as opposed to wanting to date around as they would in the warmer months.

Here's everything you need to know about cuffing season, including the biggest trends.

SEE ALSO: How to navigate cuffing season as a single person Is cuffing season real?

Cuffing season doesn't have scientific studies to back it up, explained sexpert for sex toy brand LELO, licensed psychologist, and certified sex therapist Dr. Laurie Mintz. Its popularity and anecdotal evidence, though, suggests there's something to it, Mintz told Mashable.

"Cuffing season likely has both biological and social influences. Biologically, testosterone peaks in October and November, increasing sexual desire. The drop in serotonin during the winter can lower mood, and being with a new partner might help boost that mood," Mintz explained. "Add to this the cold weather, which fosters a desire to snuggle, and the anticipation of the holiday season, which may create a yearning to avoid being alone during this time."

When is peak cuffing season?

Just as there's peak time for fall foliage, there's a peak time for dating app activity as well. Over the past three years, Tinder's highest activity over the autumn months has been the first two weeks of November, the app told Mashable. Using the apps at this time may lead to more matches.

Tinder identified "Peak Season" overall as Jan. 1 to Valentine's Day on Feb. 14. This year, users sent 58.7 million more likes and 11.4 million more messages during peak season than the rest of the year.

Featured Video For You How Tinder and other dating apps use algorithms to find your match — Horny on Main What are this year's cuffing season trends?

The dating apps identified several trends during this particular cuffing season:

1. Rise in open relationships, but a decrease in kink

Around a third of daters on OkCupid (34 percent) are open to, well, being open, according to the app's blog post. This is up slightly from 32 percent in 2022. At the same time, the amount of OKC users interested in kink and BDSM has slightly waned: down six percent in the last three years, from 42 to 38 percent.

Feeld, the app for kinky and nonmonogamous people, has seen that younger people are kinkier but also fantasize about monogamy.

2. Openness about tough topics

Nearly all (99 percent) of 1.5 million OkCupid daters believe mental health is as important as physical health. Out of almost one million OKC singles, 94 percent are open to discussing mental health with their partner. This is part of an ongoing trend since lockdown, where people are more vulnerable about their mental health.

Money can be a sticky subject, especially for those who just started dating. OkCupid found that singles who keep a budget get 25 percent more matches than those who don't — and have 16 percent more conversations on the app.

In terms of one's values, Tinder's resident relationship expert, Devyn Simone, advised singles not to waste their time with someone with mismatched values during cuffing season. "It's way better to have those real talks upfront than to find out at Thanksgiving that they've got beliefs you just can't get behind," Simone said.

3. Politics on the apps

OKC found that most respondents (68 percent) said it's not a deal breaker if their date votes for a different candidate. But the same amount of liberals said it is, compared to 30 percent of conservatives and 16 percent of moderates.

This is somewhat aligned with what Coffee Meets Bagel found, which is that most left-leaning users consider political alignment at least somewhat important.

Eighty percent of Tinder singles said politics are important to their identity, according to Simone, so most will appreciate an open conversation about where one stands. A study by Tinder earlier this year found political apathy can be a huge dating dealbreaker.

4. Renewed optimism for dating

While the vibe around dating right now is less than stellar — people are resorting to dancing on TikTok to find potential mates — Bumble found that more than half of Gen Z (55 percent) say they're looking forward to what the new year will bring them in their dating life, according to a survey of around 5,000 U.S. consumers between 18 and 35.

More than half of Gen Z respondents (54 percent) say the holiday season is the perfect time to date and find a potential partner. Forty-four percent are more excited to date in winter than any other season because of the seasonal events. 

Three out of four of all respondents see the "glass half full" when it does to dating and agree that some dates just don't work out, and 57 percent focus on the positives of dating — meeting someone new is the fun part. Let's all bring this kind of optimism into cuffing season this year.

“If I had $1 billion, how would I try to influence the results of this election?”

There are tons of ways AI can help you in day-to-day life. AI can help you generate emails, get advice about work or other aspects of life, and so on. But it can also help with smaller tasks that you might not even think of using it for — like, for example, your grocery shopping. 

Curious about how you can use AI to make a better grocery list? Here are some ideas:

Use photos to add items to your list

Remember: AI models are multimodal, meaning photos in your prompt can become text. That can come in handy when making your shopping list.

Plenty of people still prefer to write their shopping lists using a good ol’ paper and pen — and it makes sense. After all, when you share a list with multiple people, sometimes it just makes sense to keep a list on the fridge or somewhere else in the kitchen rather than try and move to digital. At the end of the week, when you’re about to go buy what's on your shopping list, you can use an AI app to digitize your list so you can easily access it and tick things off on your phone.

AI object and text recognition has gotten very good over the years, and many AI services, like ChatGPT, can read even scratchy handwriting. That can let you take a photo of your physical list, and have it make a digital list for you, which you can then copy into another app, like Reminders, if you so choose.

Let AI break add recipe ingredients to your list

Even cooler than simply taking a photo of your list is having AI automatically create a list with all the ingredients you need. Because of the fact that AI can read many web pages, all you need to do is send the link to an AI chatbot like ChatGPT, and have it create a list for you. You could even have it change the amounts you need based on how many people you’re cooking for or how many servings you want — eliminating the need to do all that math manually. 

Use AI to create entire meal plans and shopping guide

Zoom out one step further — what if you don’t want to meal plan in the first place? AI services can help you there too — and they do so very easily. Simply ask a service like ChatGPT to help you meal plan. Give it any dietary restrictions, the number of meals you want planned, and how long you want to spend cooking those meals. You could even give it ingredients you already have. It’ll plan out those meals, and you can then have it tweak the list based on your input.

When you’re happy with the meal selection, tell it to make a full list (including amounts) of all the ingredients you need to make the meals, and you’re good to go. Of course, you’ll want to double-check the ingredients to make sure you don’t buy stuff you already have.

Use AI to streamline your shop

What if you already have a list, but you simply want it organized by section to ensure that you’re as efficient as possible? That’s easy. Copy and paste your shopping list straight into an AI service — ChatGPT perhaps — and ask it to organize the list based on which section of the supermarket each item is in. It may not have an internal map of your local grocery story, but it will at least lump everything into broad categories.

Could it get easier than that?

Sleep is really important. Plenty of us don’t do what it takes to get enough sleep — not to mention the fact that a large portion of people have sleep disorders that they don’t even know about. We’ve had sleep trackers and sleep-tracking tech to help us get a better understanding of our sleep for some time now, but AI could help supercharge the tech.

In fact, there are already plenty of AI-powered sleep apps already available. Curious about whether or not AI might be able to help you sleep? Here are some of the best AI-powered sleep apps.

SEE ALSO: Apple Watch Series 10 introduces a new sleep apnea feature Sleeptracker-AI

Sleeptracker has long been a favorite for tracking sleep and gaining a better understanding of it, but in recent years, the company has been leveraging AI tech to improve on what the app can offer. Sleeptracker is used in conjunction with a hardware tracker, which is placed under your mattress, and can track sleep of two people, with sensors on each side of the bed. The AI part of the app comes from the fact that Sleeptracker has trained its algorithms on data from over 1 million smart devices, combined with over 70 research studies, and vetted by Stanford Sleep Medicine and UCSF. The underlying tech was developed by Fullpower-AI, and it’s considered one of the more accurate sleep-tracking systems out there.

SleepScore

SleepScore, by SleepScore Labs, is another much-loved sleep-tracking system, and another of the most accurate ones. SleepScore was developed by ResMed, and it uses the microphones and speakers on your phone to analyze your movements and your breathing patterns. SleepScore Labs also has another app, called “Do I Snore or Grind,” and it uses the same tech to detect how regularly you snore or grind your teeth.

Nightly

Nightly leverages AI a little more than some of the competition. Nightly tracks your sleep, to be sure, but it also plays AI-generated sounds designed to help you sleep better, and based on your environment, how your day went (based on your input), and more. It has various white noise sounds and beats that Nightly says will help users get deeper sleep, and more. 

Sleep Cycle

Sleep Cycle is built around tracking your sleep with AI-powered algorithms, and actually using that information to help you feel better when you wake up. When you set an alarm in the app, it’ll use your sleep cycle information to wake you up at the point of your lightest sleep, helping ensure that you start your day feeling great. It also uses ambient sounds to detect your sleep, so you don’t need to wear anything or use other devices, if you don’t want to. 

Pillow

Pillow is designed to take some of the guesswork out of sleep-tracking. It leverages AI to process a massive range of data points around your sleep, and if you use it with an Apple Watch, you don’t need to do anything to start tracking — it’ll automatically track your sleep when it thinks you’re sleeping. It’ll even record audio when it detects you snoring, and use machine learning to give you a detailed sleep analysis after each night.

I really like to cook, but I don’t love planning my meals. It can be time-consuming, and I normally end up falling into the old recipes that I’ve made dozens of times. That, in turn, can often mean letting ingredients I bought for last week’s meals go to waste, not to mention the fact that it makes cooking a little less exciting.

But you don’t have to let those ingredients go to waste, and with AI in your kitchen, it’s easier than ever to plan meals and generate new recipes. That’s right — AI can generate completely new recipes for you to try out.

SEE ALSO: Where's the AI in these 'AI-powered' products for your home? An explanation.

Here are the best AI recipe generators:

Mr. Cook

The big selling point of these AI recipe generators is the ability to input ingredients you already have, which Mr. Cook does very well. On top of that, however, it also acts as a kind of recipe organization tool, allowing you to upload handwritten recipes or import recipes.

You can plan your meals, and input preferences, dietary restrictions, and more, so you can ensure that recipes perfectly fit your needs. You even have it suggest ingredient substitutions, allowing you to cook new recipes that you might not otherwise be able to, or want to, eat.

ChefGPT

ChefGPT lets you generate recipes based on ingredients in your pantry. But it won’t generate any old recipe — it lets you select difficulty levels and create meal plans rather than individual recipes. ChefGPT can integrate with your shopping list too, making the process of planning, shopping, and cooking simple and streamlined. 

DishGen

Along with generating recipes with your ingredients, DishGen puts minimizing food waste front and center, and lets you filter recipes by those that are human-verified, which can help you get a better idea of which recipes might be high-quality. Even better is the fact that DishGen will help you tweak recipes on the fly, so you can ensure it fits your taste around things like spice levels.

Let’s Foodie

Let’s Foodie can generate recipes based on your ingredients, but it can also make recipe recommendations based on previous recipes you have liked, and plan your meals. It also lets you exclude specific ingredients that you can’t eat or simply don’t like. 

MealPractice 

Last but not least is MealPractice, which allows you to input ingredients you have. It also makes meal-planning a little more social, allowing you to follow users that might have similar tastes to you. You can select preferences around the types of protein you want to use, whether you want something healthy or not, and so on.