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The best early Black Friday laptop deals: Score all-time lows on the M4 MacBook Pro and the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7

Mashable - Thu, 11/28/2024 - 04:10

UPDATE: Nov. 28, 2024, 4:00 a.m. EST This story has been updated with new laptop deals ahead of Black Friday.

The best early Black Friday laptop deals at a glance: Best MacBook deal Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,399 (save $200) Get Deal Best Windows laptop deal Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (Snapdragon X Elite, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,699.99 (save $300) Get Deal Best gaming laptop deal Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 9 (Intel Core i9-14900HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,799.99 (save $560) Get Deal Best Chromebook deal Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus (Intel Core 3 100U, 8GB RAM, 256GB UFS) $599.99 (save $100) Get Deal

Black Friday is the absolute best time for finding good deals on laptops. (I would know: I've tracked them for Mashable since 2019.) And with retailers taking full advantage of the holiday's abnormally late timing this year, steep savings have been abundant all month long.

As things currently stand, Black Friday sales are already in full swing at HP, Dell, Lenovo, LG, Microsoft, and Samsung, ushering in discounts as high as $900. While tech retailers like Amazon and Best Buy still haven't kicked off their holiday sales at this point, their prices are quite competitive: I'm seeing year-round lows on the new M4 Apple MacBook Pro, the Microsoft Surface Laptop 7, and the Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus between the two of them.

SEE ALSO: Best Buy's Black Friday sale starts this week: Here's a sneak peak at some of its upcoming doorbusters

If nothing's jumping out at you just yet, hold tight. Deals will continue to trickle out in the lead-up to Black Friday and the day of. (Don't buy a laptop with specs that don't fit your needs just because it's on sale.) For its part, Best Buy is gearing up to drop a $749 M2 MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM and a $430 HP Victus gaming laptop when its Black Friday sale formally starts on Nov. 21.

I also expect the Apple Store's usual Black Friday gift card offer to hold out until Black Friday proper. That could be a practical option for those enmeshed in the Apple ecosystem, if a specific configuration you're eyeing doesn't get a significant markdown elsewhere.

Below, I'm keeping track of the best Black Friday laptop deals that are available now. Bookmark this page and check back often, as I'll be updating the list continuously in the days leading up to the year's biggest shopping holiday.

Best early Black Friday MacBook deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,399.99 at Amazon
$1,599.00 Save $199.01 Get Deal Why we like it

Read Mashable's full review of the 14-inch Apple MacBook Pro (M4).

In our all-new testing, Apple's latest starter MacBook Pro lasted almost 17 hours on a single charge and outperformed the M3 version by 27 percent. Mashable Tech Editor Kim Gedeon was impressed by its power efficiency, its stellar speakers, and its upgraded 12MP webcam, rating it a 4.2/5, but said that "at a starting price of $1,599, it’s an investment that’s not for the faint of heart." (On the plus side, it comes with 16GB of RAM.)

Amazon has done a good job of remedying that ahead of Black Friday: The base configuration with 512GB of storage is on sale there for $1,399, which is a 13% savings and its lowest price since launch.

More MacBook dealsBest early Black Friday Windows laptop deal Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (Snapdragon X Elite, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,699.99 at Amazon and the Microsoft Store
$1,999.99 Save $300.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Read Mashable's full review of the 13-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 7.

Microsoft's Copilot+ PC has an even longer battery life than the new M4 MacBook Pros — it lasted nearly 23 hours in our testing — and it comes with AI features that "make Windows fun again," Gedeon wrote. She gave it a 4.8/5; it's a Mashable Choice Award winner and our current favorite laptop for most people, barring any app compatibility issues.

The upgraded configuration that Gedeon tested is a 13-inch model featuring a Snapdragon X Elite processor, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of SSD storage. It usually retails for $1,999.99, but Amazon and the Microsoft Store both have it listed for $1,699.99, or 15% off. That's its biggest discount to date.

More Windows laptop deals

2-in-1s

Best early Black Friday gaming laptop deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lenovo Lenovo Legion 7i Gen 9 (Intel Core i9-14900HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,799.99 at Lenovo.com
$2,359.99 Save $560.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Lenovo's specced-out 16-incher features a brawny 14th-gen Intel Core i7 CPU, a premium Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070 graphics card, and a bright 240Hz display. We haven't tried it ourselves, but the experts over at our sister site PCMag gave it a 4/5 "Excellent" rating and their Editor's Choice distinction. It delivers "punchy gaming performance and premium features in a reasonably slim chassis," they wrote, and "stands out as a well-rounded, high-end gaming laptop."

Gamers in need of a future-proofed upgrade can snag it for $560 off lead-up to Black Friday, which pushes it well under the $2,000 mark — a pretty solid value.

More gaming laptop dealsBest early Black Friday Chromebook deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Chromebook Plus (Intel Core 3 100U, 8GB RAM, 256GB UFS) $599.99 at Best Buy
$699.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Announced in October, this 15.6-inch Samsung Galaxy machine is the thinnest, lightest Chromebook Plus model on the market and the only one with an AMOLED display. (Translation: It's super vibrant.) It has an Intel Core 3 100U processor, 8GB of memory, and 256GB of UFS storage, and supports newer Gemini AI features like Live Translate.

Typically $699.99, Best Buy has it on sale for $100 off as part of an early Black Friday deal — its first-ever discount.

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A lot of fitness tracker deals are live ahead of Black Friday — here are the best deals

Mashable - Thu, 11/28/2024 - 04:09
Best early Black Friday fitness tracker deals Best fitness tracker deal Fitbit Charge 3 $69.95 (save $30) Get Deal Best smartwatch deal Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 (44mm) $169.99 (save $160) Get Deal

2025 is nearly upon us, and we can already feel those New Year's resolutions brewing. If your resolution has anything to do with becoming more active, you may want to consider picking up a fitness tracker to assist you in achieving your goals next year. Luckily, Black Friday deals are already starting to rear their heads, so it's a fantastic time to pick one up at a discount whether you're looking for something more basic, or something high-tech like a smartwatch.

SEE ALSO: Home gym starter kit: Everything you need to work out from home

Below, take a look at our favorite fitness tracker deals we've found in the weeks leading up to Black Friday. Keep checking in with us, though — we constantly update our deals pages with new discounts as soon as they go live, so if you want to stay on top of it, stick with us.

Best fitness tracker deal Opens in a new window Credit: Fitbit Fitbit Charge 3 $69.95 at Amazon
$99.95 Save $30.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Fitbit is synonymous with the entirety of the fitness tracker category, and it's for a good reason: They work well, and they're affordable. The Fitbit Charge 3 has become even more affordable ahead of Black Friday — just $69.95 for the tracker, which is $30 off the original price. If you want to track your activity, stress, sleep, and more on a budget, the Fitbit Charge 3 isn't a bad place to start.

Best smartwatch deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 (44mm, Bluetooth) $189.99 at Amazon
$329.99 Save $140.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Most people turn to the Apple Watch for their smartwatch needs, which isn't a bad choice, but the Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 also might be something you want to consider. (You don't always have to go for the most popular thing!) It also packs in a bunch of great features like heart monitoring in addition to your usual activity and sleep analytics, and it's on sale for $160 off the usual price at Amazon. Pick one up ahead of the Black Friday season and secure those savings.

More early Black Friday fitness tracker deals

The best early Black Friday iPad deals: Several models are over $100 off

Mashable - Thu, 11/28/2024 - 04:08

UPDATE: Nov. 28, 2024, 3:00 a.m. EST This post has been updated with the best iPad deals available ahead of Black Friday, including a $100 price cut on the iPad Air and new iPad Pro deals.

Best iPad deals ahead of Black Friday Best overall deal Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M2, WiFi, 128GB) $499 (Save $100 at Best Buy) Get Deal Best budget iPad deal Apple iPad, 10.9-inch (10th generation, WiFi, 64GB) $259 (Save $90 at Amazon) Get Deal Best iPad mini deal Apple iPad mini, 8.3-inch (A17 Bionic, WiFi, 128GB) $399.99 (Save $99.01 at Amazon with on-page coupon) Get Deal

If you don't want to wait until the actual day of Black Friday to shop, iPad deals aren't waiting either.

In these days before Black Friday, every major retailer has started some version of their sale programming. That means we're seeing prices at or near record lows already, from the iPad Air at $100 off, the 10th generation iPad at $90 off, and the new iPad mini at $99 off.

SEE ALSO: All the best early Black Friday deals at Amazon, Target, Best Buy, and Walmart

As for whether you'll score significantly better prices during Black Friday, it's hard to say, especially as these prices currently are some of the best of the year. What we can say is that we'll be updating this post with any iPad price drops leading into, on, or following Black Friday. As of Nov. 26, here are the best iPad deals already available:

Best iPad deal ahead of Black Friday Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M2, WiFi, 128GB) $499.00 at Best Buy
$599.00 Save $100.00 Get Deal Why we like it

We consider the iPad Air the best Apple tablet for most people: it has the flexibility to be a good school companion as it can be a laptop replacement or art tablet. The M2 chip also powers some older Pro models, but you'll be saving a few hundred bucks (especially with this iPad deal).

At $499, this iPad is just a dollar away from its record low pricing, making it an excellent time to pick it up ahead of the holidays. If you're looking to score the most savings possible, even if that means wading into the chaos of Black Friday, you might want to hold off — the Air initially dropped to this price about a week ago, so there is a chance that it drops even more come Black Friday. At the time of writing, this deal is available at Target, Best Buy, and Amazon, with the latter two having all four colors available.

More iPad deals

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Early Black Friday AirPods deals are live — here are the best ones so far

Mashable - Thu, 11/28/2024 - 04:06

UPDATE: Nov. 28, 2024, 3:15 a.m. EST This post has been updated with the latest pricing on all available AirPods models ahead of Black Friday.

Best early Black Friday AirPods deals Best AirPods Pro deal Apple AirPods Pro 2 $169.99 (save $79.01) Get Deal Best AirPods Max deal Apple AirPods Max $399.99 (save $149.01) Get Deal

Black Friday isn't here just yet, but it kind of already is, if that makes sense. You know the drill: Before most big shopping events nowadays, we usually see a bunch of early deals start to slowly crop up, ones that are definitely worth paying attention to. Especially if you're looking for tech products — Black Friday and pre-Black-Friday are always exciting times for those who are looking to catch up on the latest and greatest that the industry has to offer.

Headphones definitely fall into that category, specifically Apple's line of popular audio tech: AirPods. A few different AirPods models are on sale in the weeks preceding Black Friday, including the lastest release, the AirPods 4.

SEE ALSO: The 8 best noise-cancelling headphones of 2024

Check out all the best early Black Friday AirPods deals we could find below, and be sure to keep checking back, because we'll be updating this page as more offers go live.

Best AirPods Pro deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Pro 2 $169.99 at Amazon
$249.00 Save $79.01 Get Deal Why we like it

Check out our full review of the Apple AirPods Pro 2.

The Apple AirPods Pro 2, which come packed with great features like ANC, hearing protection options, personalized spatial audio, and more, are currently $60 off at Amazon ahead of Black Friday. Considering the record low price on these earbuds is $168.99, we're definitely expecting to see a better price drop during Black Friday. Though that $168 price point may be rare, we frequently see these earbuds go on sale for $199 throughout the year, so much so that we don't really consider that a good deal anymore.

Best AirPods Max deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Max (Lightning) $399.99 at Amazon
$549.00 Save $149.01 Get Deal Why we like it

Check out our full review of the Apple AirPods Max.

If you're not really into earbuds, the AirPods Max are a good pair of over-ear headphones that'll allow you to stay within the Apple ecosystem (we get it, we like our tech to have synergy, too). While we like them for Apple users, we do have some qualms with their shorter battery life, weird carrying case, and lack of a power button, especially at their price point. That said, it's easier to look past those flaws with a good discount, which you'll find on the Lightning pairs instead of the newer USB-C model (which is the only upgrade, other than different colorways, on the newer version of these headphones).

More early Black Friday AirPods deals

The best Apple Watch deals before Black Friday: The Series 10, 9, and SE are down to all-time low prices

Mashable - Thu, 11/28/2024 - 04:05

UPDATE: Nov. 28, 2024, 4:00 a.m. EST This post has been updated with the most recent price drop on the Apple Watch Series 10, Series 9, SE, and Ultra.

The best Apple Watch deals ahead of Black Friday Best Series 10 deal Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm, GPS) $329 at Amazon (Save $70) Get Deal Best Series 9 deal Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm, GPS) $329 at Walmart (Save $100) Get Deal Best Ultra deal Apple Watch Ultra 2 (49mm, GPS + cellular) $699.99 at Amazon (Save $99.01) Get Deal

Black Friday sales are in full swing, bringing some of the best prices we've seen on Apple Watches all year.

As of Nov. 26, the Series 10 is $70 in most of its configurations, the Series 9 is down to $279.99 (returning to its July Prime Day pricing), and the SE is at the new low price of $149.

If you hesitated to pick up the Series 9 deal during Prime Day because the Series 10 wasn't out yet, this Black Friday season offers you another chance to make the call between last year and this year's watches. The differences between the watches aren't too drastic, so if you're most focused on saving money, you might want to go with a Series 9, especially as we don't expect them to be available new for much longer.

SEE ALSO: Walmart's second Black Friday sale is live: Get a $149 Apple Watch SE, a $178 55-inch 4K Roku TV, and more

Of course, for those most interested in getting the cheapest Watch possible, grabbing the new discount price of $149 you'll find on the 40mm SE is a solid option.

Below, you'll find each of those picks, along with more of the best Apple Watch deals live leading up to Black Friday.

Best Apple Watch deal ahead of Black Friday Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm, GPS) $329.00 at Amazon
$399.00 Save $70.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Read more from Mashable about the Apple Watch Series 10.

Just two months after its release, the Series 10 is down to a record-low price for the third time. Throughout November, we watched it fall in price from $355 to $349, and now, finally, $329. Last year, the Series 9 also dropped to $329 during the Black Friday. With programming running early yet again this year, it's hard to tell if Amazon, or any retailer for that matter, will drop the price even further — it would be their biggest Black Friday discount on a fall Apple Watch release if they did. Still, $329 is a great price on a newly released smartwatch that includes upgrades of a larger display, a slightly thinner watch, and an inbuilt speaker for playing audio directly from your watch.

More Apple Watch deals

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Series 9

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All the best Black Friday streaming deals so far: Hulu, Peacock, Max, and more

Mashable - Thu, 11/28/2024 - 04:01
The best Black Friday streaming deals at a glance: BEST OVERALL Hulu with ads $0.99/month for one year (save $108) Get Deal BEST BUNDLE DEAL Hulu and Disney+ (both with ads) $2.99/month for one year (save $96) Get Deal BEST PEACOCK DEAL Peacock Premium $1.99/month for six months of $19.99/year with codes REALDEALMONTHLY or REALDEAL (save up to $60) Get Deal BEST MAX DEAL Max With Ads $2.99/month for six months (save $42) Get Deal BEST PRIME VIDEO ADD-ON Paramount+ with Showtime (Prime Video add-on) $2.99 per month for two months (save $20) Get Deal BEST FOR HORROR FANS AMC+ Ad-Free (Prime Video add-on) $2.25 per month for two months (save $13.48) Get Deal BEST FOR NEW THEATRICAL RELEASES MGM+ (Prime Video add-on) $1.75 per month for two months (save $10.48) Get Deal BEST FOR CHRISTMAS ADDICTS Hallmark+ (Prime Video add-on) $2 per month for two months (save $11.98) Get Deal

'Tis the season for streaming. Black Friday is one of the best times (if not the best time) to sign up for streaming services, as you can typically score some serious savings on monthly membership fees. In years past, we've seen Hulu offer 99 cent subscriptions and Max offer six months of streaming for $2.99 per month. And we're pleased to report that those deals have been resurrected in 2024.

With streaming prices skyrocketing over the past year, we're actually a bit surprised at how impressive some of these Black Friday deals are. If you're looking for a way to cut back on streaming costs, now's a great time to take advantage of a majorly discounted subscription. Just make note that these deals are limited to new and returning subscribers (as in, you once subscribed to Max, but cancelled your subscription months back) only.

There's no need to wait around for Black Friday proper. Snag these subscriptions before the deals vanish. If any other streaming deals surface, we'll be sure to update this with the latest and greatest ones. For now, here are all the best Black Friday streaming deals live.

Best Black Friday streaming deal

Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu with ads monthly subscription $0.99/month for one year (save $108) Get Deal Why we like it

Hulu remains the top dog when it comes to Black Friday deals. For the second year in a row, the streamer is offering an entire year of Hulu with ads for just $0.99 per month. That's less than $12 total for an entire year of streaming. It's a bit surprising, honestly, as Hulu upped the cost of its basic plan just last month from $7.99 per month to $9.99 per month. In other words, the savings this year is even more impressive — 90% or $108 in total over 12 months. That's just...insane.

Hulu is the streaming home for three of our favorite shows of 2023, The Bear, Abbott Elementary, and Reservation Dogs, as well as our top favorite show of 2024, Shōgun. It's also where you'll find episodes of ABC shows the day after they air, like Dancing with the Stars, and Neon movies fresh out of the theaters, like Cuckoo (coming Dec. 17).

Best Peacock streaming deal Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium $1.99/month for six months or $19.99/year (save up to $60) with codes REALDEALMONTHLY or REALDEAL Get Deal Why we like it

Peacock drops one of the best streaming deals year after year during Black Friday season. And because of the streamer's price hike back in July, this year's deal is even better. Through Dec. 2, new and returning Peacock subscribers can score a year of ad-supported Peacock Premium for either $1.99/month for six months (reg. $7.99/month) or $19.99 for an entire year (reg. $79.99/year) using the codes REALDEALMONTHLY or REALDEAL, respectively. That's 75% in savings. Peacock is home to classic TV hits like The Office and New Girl, Peacock Originals like Poker Face and Love Island USA, new theatrical releases from Universal like Abigail, The Fall Guy, and Twisters, as well as live sports, reality TV on Bravo, and more. At just $20 for the whole year, it's going to be a hard deal to beat this Black Friday.

Best Max streaming deal Opens in a new window Credit: Max Max With Ads $2.99/month for six months (save $42) Get Deal Why we like it

Max has resurrected its exact Black Friday deal from last year, but that doesn't make us love it any less. If you're a new or returning HBO Max subscriber, you can score six months of the streamer's plan with ads for just $2.99 per month instead of $9.99 per month. That saves you $42 total. The Warner Bros. Discovery-owned streaming service is home to not only Warner Bros. films, but also new A24 theatrical releases. That means you have an insane array of hit films at your fingertips, including Beetlejuice Beetlejuice, Civil War, Love Lies Bleeding, Dune, Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga, Barbie, Elvis, The Iron Claw, and more. Max also offers its own original series that are definitely worth watching, like True Detective, The Last of Us, and Station Eleven, as well as the B/R Sports add-on for a limited time.

Best Prime Video add-on deal Opens in a new window Credit: Prime Video / Paramount+ Paramount+ with Showtime (Prime Video add-on) $2.99 per month for two months (save $10 per month) Get Deal Why we like it

Typically $12.99 per month, you can score Paramount+ with Showtime for just $2.99 per month for your first two months as a Prime Video add-on. That saves you $20 total and gets you unlimited, ad-free access to the entire Paramount+ catalog, plus Showtime originals and movies (like Yellowjackets and The Curse), live TV with CBS, and college football. Paramount+ is home to NFL on CBS, UEFA Champions League matches, CBS originals like Ghosts, Survivor, and Big Brother, old Nickelodeon and MTV shows, and Paramount's latest theatrical releases like A Quiet Place: Day One and Smile 2 (coming soon). For just under $6, you can binge a whole lot of stuff over the next two months. After the promo period, the cost will jump back up to $12.99 per month, so be sure to cancel before that if you want to avoid charges. If you're not a Prime member, Paramount+ is also offering the same deal on their standalone streaming service.

More Black Friday streaming deals

We track Apple deals year-round — Black Friday 2024 has the lowest prices we’ve seen

Mashable - Thu, 11/28/2024 - 03:59

UPDATE: Nov. 28, 2024, 3:00 a.m. EST This post has been updated with the latest Apple deals leading up to Black Friday, including a new price drop on the Apple AirPods Pro 2, which just landed at an all-time low.

The best early Black Friday Apple deals Best AirPods deal Apple AirPods Pro (2nd gen) $154 at Amazon (Save $95) Get Deal Best MacBook deal Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M2, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $749 at Amazon (Save $250) Get Deal Best iPad deal Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M2, WiFi, 128GB) $499 at Amazon (Save $100) Get Deal Best Apple Watch deal Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm, GPS) $329 at Amazon (Save $70) Get Deal

If you think Apple doesn't show up with good deals during Black Friday season, think again.

It's true that if you're shopping straight from the Apple Store, you won't see any special deals ahead of Nov. 29. On Black Friday proper, Apple is giving out gift cards up to $200 on eligible purchases of iPhones, MacBooks, AirPods, and more.

SEE ALSO: Finally live: Amazon's official Black Friday sale and a ton of new deals are here

So, where can you find Black Friday Apple deals? The trick is to shop from retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and Walmart — each has started their official Black Friday programming, with the former two kicking off a new phase of their sale as of Nov. 21. As we get into the full swing of the shopping holiday season, you can score historic prices on the most coveted Apple products.

For anyone skeptical as to whether Black Friday deals on Apple products are genuine, we get it. Retailers have a bad habit of slapping Black Friday labels on mediocre deals. That said, we track Apple prices year-round, and only the legit price drops earn a spot in this guide.

SEE ALSO: Early Black Friday TV deals at Best Buy and Walmart absolutely school Amazon's

For instance, with the start of Amazon's sale on Nov. 21, the newer configurations of the M3 MacBook Air just dropped an additional $50 from their existing sale prices, with select models starting at a new record low of $849. The AirPods Pro also hit a new record-low price of $154 at Amazon and Walmart, beating out their old Prime Day record by nearly $15.

Basically, if you're looking to get some early holiday shopping in, it's a good time to shop for Apple products. Below, you'll find our top picks for the best Apple deals of Black Friday 2024.

Early Black Friday AirPods deals Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirPods Pro (2nd gen) $154.00 at Amazon
$249.00 Save $95.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Check out our full review of the AirPods Pro.

Whether you're a frequent flyer or someone who simply appreciates quality noise-cancelling headphones, we're betting you'd be a fan of the AirPods Pro. (If you're reading this far, let's assume you're not an Android user.) And as of Nov. 25, the latest version of the Pro is at a historic low of $154. Considering they've only hit $168.99 a handful of times prior to this price drop, we're impressed that Amazon and Walmart went all in on this deal a good week ahead of Black Friday.

Not for nothing, they're also about $15 cheaper at this price than their affordable alternative, the new AirPods 4 with ANC, which are also on sale. Alongside top-notch ANC, you'll get six hours of battery life per charge, balanced sound, and of course, a seamless integration into the Apple ecosystem, making these earbuds some of our favorite headphones, period.

More AirPods dealsEarly Black Friday iMac and MacBook deals Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M2, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $749.00 at Amazon
$999.00 Save $250.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Check out our full review of the M2 MacBook Air.

A few weeks ago, the MacBook Air got a quiet RAM upgrade, and without a price hike. Now, we're seeing the M2 MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage on sale for $749 — the same price the model with 8GB of RAM was at two weeks ago. With these specs, this MacBook will be more than capable of handling everyday tasks with ease, while offering you more flexibility to run more (and more intensive) programs at once. Considering Mashable reporter Alex Perry called this laptop "just about the ideal work-from-home (or work-from-wherever, really) companion," in his review, this memory upgrade is certainly welcome.

More MacBook and Mac deals

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Early Black Friday iPad deals Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M2, WiFi, 128GB) $499.00 at Amazon
$599.00 Save $100.00 Get Deal Why we like it

On the first day of Amazon's Black Friday sale, the iPad Air is just one dollar away from its lowest price ever. This Apple tablet is our favorite for most people, thanks to its versatility. It works just as well for artists as it does for students. The M2 chipset makes it a more viable laptop replacement than other tablets while costing you a few hundred dollars less than a supercharged iPad Pro. At the time of writing, only the blue and purple colorways are in stock at Amazon.

SEE ALSO: The best iPads for reading, working, and streaming More iPad deals

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Early Black Friday Apple Watch deals Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm, GPS) $329.00 at Amazon
$399.00 Save $70.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Read more from Mashable about the Apple Watch Series 10.

The Apple Watch Series 10 is officially down to a new record low price for the third time this month. This time around, it's at $329, as compared to last week's $349. In years past, this is the absolute lowest price we've seen for Apple Watches released in the fall drop preceding Black Friday. That's not to say Amazon couldn't up the ante this year and mark it off even more come next Friday, but we don't think the Series 10 will get any more discounts in the week ahead.

More Apple Watch deals

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SE

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More early Black Friday Apple deals

The Samsung Frame TV is at its lowest-ever price in Amazons Black Friday sale

Mashable - Thu, 11/28/2024 - 03:56

SAVE $600: As of Nov. 28, the Samsung Frame TV is on sale at Amazon for $897.99, saving you 40% on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Frame TV $897.99 at Amazon
$1,497.99 Save $600.00 Get Deal

Amazon's Black Friday event is the perfect chance to secure incredible deals across laptops, earbuds, and TVs. There's something for everyone. One of the best deals we've seen is on the beloved Samsung Frame TV, a top-tier option that comes with a top-tier price.

But, as of Nov. 28, you can find this TV heavily discounted at Amazon, saving you $600. For a limited time, the 55-inch model is priced at $897.99. There are discounts across all sizes, however, so if you want bigger (or smaller) just browse through the different options. And that's not all, this price is the lowest it has ever been at Amazon, so it's not one to miss.

SEE ALSO: Amazon's official Black Friday sale is live, and a ton of new deals are here SEE ALSO: The best early Black Friday deals at Amazon, Target, Best Buy, and Walmart

A stylish and aesthetic TV, the Samsung device has long been famous for its ability to camouflage as a painting on your wall. The 4K QLED display gives you a stellar viewing experience when bingeing your favorite shows, before giving you an amazing artwork image when not watching. Special mention to the matte finish, reducing reflections and making your displayed images pop even more. How many of your friends can you trick?

Artwork aside, it also features a Tizen smart interface for a user-friendly experience for navigating apps and settings, voice control compatibility with Alexa and Google Assistant, and multiple HDMI ports and USB connections, making it a great option for TV fanatics.

Ready to upgrade your TV before the Christmas movie rewatches? Head to Amazon to grab this deal.

Walmarts Black Friday sale is live: Get a $149 Apple Watch SE, a $178 55-inch 4K Roku TV, and more

Mashable - Thu, 11/28/2024 - 03:55

UPDATE: Nov. 28, 2024, 3:00 a.m. EST This story has been updated with current pricing and availability, plus a couple new deals (including some restocks).

Walmart's best Black Friday deals at a glance: Best Apple deal Apple Watch SE, 2nd Gen (40mm, GPS) $149 (save $100) Get Deal Best TV deal Hisense 55-inch R6 4K Roku TV $178 Get Deal Best gaming deal 'The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom' $30 (save $39.99) Get Deal Best headphone deal JLab JBuds Lux ANC $29 (save $50.99) Get Deal Best speaker deal JBL Partybox 110 $199 (save $150.95) Get Deal Best Lego deal Lego Marvel Infinity Gauntlet $45 (save $34.99) Get Deal

Walmart's second Black Friday Deals event kicked off on Monday, Nov. 25 with a $178 55-inch 4K Roku TV, $29 JBL noise-cancelling headphones, and new record-low prices on several Apple gadgets: the AirPods Pro 2 (now $154), the second-generation Apple Watch SE (now $149), the 10th-gen iPad (now $259), the first-gen Apple Pencil (now $59), and the M1 MacBook Air (now $599).

The deals will be up for grabs online and on the Walmart mobile app through Sunday, Dec. 1, unless they sell out first — though a few items that disappeared earlier in the week were back in stock at the time of writing. That includes $30 digital copies of The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom and a $49 Nintendo Switch Pro Controller.

Select offers from the sale will make their way to Walmart stores at 6 a.m. local time on Nov. 29, aka Black Friday proper.

SEE ALSO: All the best early Black Friday deals at Amazon, Target, Best Buy, and Walmart

The big-box store joins other major retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, and Target in dropping Black Friday deals well ahead of the actual holiday. It launched its first round of doorbusters on Nov. 11.

Mashable's team of deal-hunting pros knows how to distinguish good discounts from duds (having covered Black Friday sales since 2017), and we're keeping a running list of Walmart's top holiday deals on popular tech and gifts this season. That includes TVs, laptops, headphones, gaming gear, vacuums, beauty tech, and Legos.

Keep scrolling to see our picks — and check back often, as Walmart plans to drop additional deals randomly throughout the week as its Black Friday Deals event progresses. A quick FYI that Walmart doesn't do price matches, but its extended return/exchange policy is in effect through Dec. 31. It covers most items purchased in stores and online.

Note: All newly added or updated deals have been marked with a ✨, while struck-through deals were sold out at the time of writing.

Apple dealsAirPodsApple WatchesiPadsMacBooksApple accessoriesiPhone cases4K TV dealsGaming deals

Note: Skip Walmart's Black Friday deals on the Nintendo Switch Mario Kart 8 Deluxe holiday bundles. They're both cheaper at Target and Best Buy.

Video gamesGaming consoles and bundlesGaming controllersGaming headsetsGaming monitorsHeadphone/earbud dealsEarbudsHeadphonesSmartwatch dealsSpeaker dealsVacuum dealsRobot vacuumsStick vacuumsBeauty tech dealsLego deals

Check out our sister site CNET's list of Black Friday deals under $50 for more options!

Board game dealsToy dealsOther Black Friday deals at Walmart

Check out our sister site ZDNET's list of Black Friday deals for more options!

Featured Video For You 5 best Black Friday products to shop

Amazons official Black Friday sale is live, and a ton of new deals are here

Mashable - Thu, 11/28/2024 - 03:52

UPDATE: Nov. 28, 2024, 3:40 a.m. EST Amazon's Black Friday sale officially started on Thursday, Nov. 21. This story has been updated with details on how long the sale will last, plus new deals on Instant Pots, beauty tech from Dyson and Shark, and further discounts on items that were already on sale, like Beats headphones.

Amazon's best Black Friday deals at a glance: Best Kindle deal Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition $154.99 (save $45) Get Deal Best Echo deal Echo Pop $17.99 (save $22) Get Deal Best robot vacuum deal Roborock Qrevo S $459.99 (save $340) Get Deal Best TV deal TCL 75-inch Q5 QLED 4K Fire TV $549.99 (save $200) Get Deal Best Apple deal Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1399.99 (save $199.01) Get Deal Best headphones deal Sony WH-1000XM5 $298 (save $101.99) Get Deal Best kitchen deal Ninja Double Oven and Air Fryer with FlexDoor (DCT402BK) $199.99 (save $100) Get Deal Best beauty tech deal Shark SpeedStyle Pro Flex $179 (save $50.99) Get Deal

It seemed that Amazon was playing the long game this year, but now, its Black Friday sale has officially started.

The monster retailer announced the official dates for its Black Friday sale weeks later than the other big stores, and the official Amazon Black Friday event itself didn't start until Thursday, Nov. 21. If you're at all familiar with the way Black Friday works nowadays, you know that a Black Friday sale starting a week before Thanksgiving isn't all that early — considering Best Buy, Walmart, and Target had all already unveiled a first round or two of official Black Friday deals by the time Amazon started using that language.

SEE ALSO: Amazon Prime Day vs. Black Friday: When are the deals better?

But by now, any seasoned Black Friday shopper probably also knows that the lack of official Black Friday nomenclature doesn't mean a lack of early Black Friday deals. Amazon had been quietly dropping some pretty good discounts on products in main categories like robot vacuums, Apple products, and Fire TVs throughout all of November. But now that Amazon's legit Black Friday sale is underway after that post-October Prime Day limbo period, expect deals to get explosive.

We're tracking all of the noteworthy deals live in the days before Thanksgiving, and will be refreshing our list of Amazon deals on a daily basis, because that's how often Amazon is dropping new deals.

As you assess your purchase options, definitely keep an eye on our coverage of the other big retailers to see how their deals compare to Amazon's — Walmart, Best Buy, and Target are going hard, and the variety out there deserves some consideration. Another smart shopping strategy is to drop the listing URL into Amazon price history tracker Camelcamelcamel to see if the current deal is a good one, or add the item to your wishlist to get notified as soon as it goes on sale.

Note: All newly added or updated deals have been marked with a ✨, while struck-through deals were either sold out or expired at the time of writing. Any deal marked with a 🔥has dropped to a record-low price. 

Best Black Friday Kindle deal Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition $154.99 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $45.00 Get Deal Why we like it

"The new batch of 2024 Kindles is the fastest yet, turning pages quickly and with less delay when switching between books in your library. The Kindle Paperwhite and Signature Edition both have bright, high-contrast screens, so you can read in any environment. While I prefer the Kindle Paperwhite over the Signature Edition most of the time, right now you can't beat the SE's Black Friday price.

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is 23% off, bringing it down to $154.99. That's some big savings ($45 to be exact) on a device that's usually $200. You get everything you love in the Paperwhite, lightweight and waterproof design, with the added benefits of double the storage, wireless charging, and auto-adjusting brightness." — Samantha Mangino, Shopping Reporter

More Kindle deals at AmazonBest Black Friday Echo deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Echo Pop 🔥 $17.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $22.00 Get Deal Why we like it

For less than $20, why not add the convenience of being able to ask Alexa anything in any room of your home? Even if you can't see yourself being a full-screened Echo person, the Pop can subtly squeeze into any living situation. You won't even know it's there — until you're making dinner and can simply ask Alexa for measurement conversions out loud rather than actually figuring out the math. Then you'll definitely know it's there.

More Echo deals at AmazonBest Black Friday Fire Tablet deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire HD 10 🔥 $74.99 at Amazon
$139.99 Save $65.00 Get Deal Why we like it

"Amazon's Fire HD 10 tablet is a lot friendlier on the wallet than an iPad. With a 10.1-inch screen, it's similar in size, but it's also a fraction of the price. In our review of the Amazon Fire HD 10, we delighted in its lightweight design and long-battery life. The biggest downside to Amazon's Fire tablets are the limited selection of apps offered, especially compared the the Google Play or Apple stores.

That being said, it's still not a bad choice for those who want a tablet for streaming or reading through the Kindle app —especially when the Fire HD 10 is down to its lowest price ever of $74.99. That's a generous 46% off for $65 in savings." — Samantha Mangino, Shopping Reporter

More Fire Tablet deals at AmazonBest Black Friday robot vacuum deal Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock Qrevo S 🔥 $459.99 at Amazon
$799.99 Save $340.00 Get Deal Why we like it

"I think of the Roborock Qrevo S as the diet version of my favorite self-emptying robot vacuum right now, the Roborock Qrevo Master. And unless you're open to spending $1,000 or more on a robot vacuum, you can probably live without the Qrevo Master's fluff features like a livestream pet camera or extending side mop — especially when, at this price, you could buy a Qrevo S for two stories of your home for less than the price of one on-sale Qrevo Master.

Opting for the cheaper Qrevo is still a solid move: Compared to other 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop combos also on sale for Black Friday, the Qrevo S is one of the rare options under $500 that washes and dries its mopping pads." — Leah Stodart, Senior Shopping Reporter

More robot vacuum deals at Amazon

Robot vacuum and mop combos

Best Black Friday TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: TCL Our pick: TCL 75-inch Q5 QLED 4K Fire TV🔥 $549.99 at Amazon
$749.99 Save $200.00 Get Deal Why we like it

"Many people looking to finally replace their old, slow LED TV are looking for the happy medium between the cheapest possible TV and the fanciest possible TV. TCL's base tier QLEDs fall right in this sweet spot, and we're particularly drawn to the $549.99 price point on this huge 75-incher.

Though the 27% discount itself isn't as steep as the 30% or 40% off ones we're seeing in our list, it has to be noted that the TV is already ridiculously modestly priced to start with. $549.99 looks even sweeter in context when put beside the 65-inch version of Amazon's in-house Omni QLED is also on sale for the same price — so you're getting 10 more diagonal inches of screen for the same amount of money.

Even as one of the more basic QLEDs on the market, you'll immediately notice the change in brightness and color of the Q65 over the regular LED you've been watching. The difference comes from a layer of quantum dots laid over the LED backlight, which provides an overall punchier picture that's much better for gaming or watching sports." — Leah Stodart, Senior Shopping Reporter

More TV deals at Amazon

43-inch TVs

50- to 55-inch TVs

65-inch TVs

75-inch TVs and up

Best Black Friday Apple deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) 🔥 $1,399.00 at Amazon
$1,599.00 Save $200.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Considering the M4 MacBook Pro hasn't even been on this plane of existence for a full month (it was announced at the Apple Event at the end of October), already getting a $200 discount on the base configuration model is pretty major. That's Black Friday season for you.

So, what's the difference between the M3 and M4 MacBooks, aside from the fact that the M4 powered one is the fastest MacBook that's ever existed? All of your creative projects and gaming will not only benefit from zippier performance of the chip, but will display more responsive motion and gush brighter colors through the M4 MacBook's new quantum dot Liquid Retina display.

More Apple deals at Amazon

MacBooks

Macs

iPads

Apple Watches

AirPods and speakers

AirTags

Best Black Friday headphones deal Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-1000XM5 $298.00 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $101.99 Get Deal Why we like it

Check out our full review of the Sony WH-1000XM5.

"If you want headphones that have great noise cancelling and incredible (adjustable) sound, then the Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones won't let you down. Out of the noise-cancelling headphones we've tested, these are our top pick for audiophiles. It can be a little annoying that the ear cups don't fold in, but with 30 hours of battery life, you'll probably find yourself wearing them more often than not. Dropped down to $297, these headphones are at a dollar cheaper than their Prime Day price. Our guess is that this means they'll drop even lower on Black Friday, but if you want to pick up a pair early, this is a decent price." — Bethany Allard, Lead Shopping Reporter

More headphones deals at Amazon

Noise-canceling over-ear and on-ear headphones

Noise-canceling earbuds

Best Black Friday fitness tracker deal Opens in a new window Credit: Google Google Pixel Watch 3 (41mm, WiFi) 🔥 $279.99 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $70.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Just released in August, this is the first time the new Google Pixel Watch 3 has ever gone on sale for less than $300. Unfortunately, the larger 45mm screen is still at full price, but even this 41mm model has a 10% larger display than the same size Pixel Watch 2, thanks to smaller bezels. The Pixel Watch 3's display is also just brighter and zippier in general, without sacrificing that 24-hour battery life.

On that screen, you'll be able to swipe through a more detailed running dashboard than the previous generation, check your heart rate changes from sleep, to regular daytime chilling, to a legit cardio workout, make payments via Google Wallet, and more.

More fitness tracker and smartwatch deals at Amazon

Smart rings

Best Black Friday kitchen deal Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Ninja Double Oven and Air Fryer with FlexDoor (DCT402BK) 🔥 $199.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal Why we like it

We know some version of the Foodi immediately comes to mind when you think of Ninja deals, but Ninja makes other feature-stuffed countertop appliances that also deserve consideration. For instance, one of the new and improved versions of Ninja's iconic air fryer ovens, which whips up food up to 65% faster than your traditional oven, is subtly chilling under $200 for Black Friday. This countertop air frying oven, specifically model number DCT402BK, has a double stack design that can cook two separate food items on different settings or at different temperatures simultaneously. In total, there are 13 cooking presets, including bake, broil, toast, whole roast, and dehydrate.

More kitchen deals at Amazon

Instant Pot

Air fryers and pizza ovens

Coffee makers

Eco-friendly kitchen gear

Beauty tech deals Opens in a new window Credit: Shark Shark SpeedStyle Pro Flex 🔥 $179.00 at Amazon
$229.99 Save $50.99 Get Deal Why we like it

If a multi styler like the Airwrap or FlexStyle feels like it'll be overkill for your hair routine, you might consider a nice (but still multifaceted) hair dryer like the Shark SpeedStyle. It's one of Mashable Lead Shopping Reporter Bethany Allard's favorite Dyson Supersonic dupes, particularly for smoothing — its QuickSmooth brush in particular not only dries hair quickly, but "keeps things from looking too windswept and more styled and volumized." This version also comes with a diffuser for defined curls, a concentrator for sleek, straight styles, and a FrizzFighter finishing tool.

More beauty tech deals at Amazon

Check out our sister site PCMag's best Black Friday deals list for more options.

The Garmin Forerunner 965 is reduced by $100 in Amazons Black Friday sale

Mashable - Thu, 11/28/2024 - 03:51

SAVE $100: As of Nov. 28 the Garmin Forerunner 965 is on sale at Amazon for $499.99. That's a 17% discount on the list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Garmin Garmin Forerunner 965 $499.99 at Amazon
$599.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal

New shoes, new apparel, or a new smartwatch, there's nothing quite like a little running treat. Whether it's a need or a want, a shiny new toy is a great way to kick your running into gear. And if you're looking for a new smartwatch to level up your runs, the Black Friday sales are the best place for you to look, with a range of options now heavily reduced.

One of the major players in this category is, of course, Garmin's Forerunner range. Designed with runners and athletes in mind, through the different price points you'll find watches with GPS tracking, heart rate monitoring, and a range of performance metrics.

SEE ALSO: The best early Black Friday deals at Amazon, Target, Best Buy, and Walmart

As of Nov.28, the Garmin Forerunner 965 is on sale for $499.99 at Amazon. That's a savings of 17% on the list price, or $100 off in total. This deal is across all three colorways: yellow and black, black and gray, and whitestone and gray.

The Forerunner 965 is full of incredible stats and data tracking for the most serious of runners to newbies. The bright AMOLED display is colorful and attractive but also makes for a very accessible user interface. Standout features of this fitness tracker include: training status, sleep score, training readiness, and built-in maps.

The watch is controlled by both a touchscreen and easy-to-use buttons, making it a great option for those who don't want an overly complicated

With a battery life that can last up to 23 days, the Forerunner 965 is an ideal choice for long-distance athletes looking to upgrade.

Three AI products that flopped in 2024

Mashable - Thu, 11/28/2024 - 03:49

Artificial intelligence is the hip new craze sweeping the globe, with corporations everywhere attempting to shove machine learning tech into every nook and cranny they can find. 

Unfortunately, such an overenthusiastic approach can sometimes result in tech being applied regardless of whether it's actually a good fit. With everyone eager to boast that their shiny new product uses AI, it's become a classic case of companies being so preoccupied with whether or not they can use the tech, that they don't stop to wonder if they should.

SEE ALSO: OpenAI Sora leak: What it was and what it wasn’t.

As such, not every new AI product will succeed, some of those failures having already played out in a very public manner. Here are three AI products that crashed and burned in 2024. 

Rabbit r1 AI voice assistant Credit: Joe Maldonado / Mashable

The Rabbit r1 debuted to a frenzy of interest in January, selling 20,000 units within just two days. This $200 AI voice assistant seemed to promise the world in a handheld orange box, using a Large Action Model to navigate apps on your phone in order to complete tasks given to it via voice commands. The Rabbit r1 can also take photos, describe what it's seeing on its camera, recommend recipes based on a photo of ingredients, and summarise written text.

According to Rabbit CEO Jesse Lyu, the idea was apparently to offer a more focused, less intrusive experience than a phone. Rather than open your Uber app to order a ride, you'd just tell Rabbit r1 to do it for you.

To some, the idea of what is essentially a less functional phone that has no apps, can't be used to make calls or browse the web, and requires another phone to get anything done doesn't sound particularly appealing. However, many were enticed by the Rabbit r1's claim that it could utilise AI to offer a seamless, easy way to interact with their tech — one that doesn't require scrolling through apps..

Credit: Mashable

Unfortunately, excitement soon gave way to disappointment when it became clear the Rabbit r1 was buggy, underwhelming, and undercooked, offering more dreams and potential than solid, usable product. The Rabbit r1's early momentum quickly stalled, its rapid descent into irrelevance further hastened by the discovery of a massive security flaw that could expose all responses every device had ever generated.

Even if the Rabbit r1 somehow manages a magical girl transformation into the functional, feature-packed gadget it aspires to be, its moment in the sun has now long passed. Overcoming its poor reputation seems like an insurmountable task at this point.

Meta's AI Personas Credit: Meta

Meta's AI Personas were basically chatbots that used celebrity likenesses. That's it. That's the entire product. CEO Mark Zuckerberg unveiled AI Personas last September, proudly launching the beta for the celebrity lookalike chatbots. By August the chatbots were dead, barely surviving just one year.

AI Personas were not AI versions of celebrities, though some of the chatbots' personalities did have faint connections to the person whose face it was wearing. For example, footballer Tom Brady's likeness was used for Bru, a "wisecracking sports debater who pulls no punches." But by and large, AI Personas were entirely different characters who just so happened to look like public figures such as MrBeast, Kendall Jenner, and Naomi Osaka.

Though Meta touted AI Personas as fun interactions with unique personalities, the result was just awkward, creepy, and unsettling. The tech giant reportedly paid up to $5 million for the right to use celebrities' likenesses, but it seemed you could get a close to the same effect just looking at a photo of your favourite actor while using ChatGPT.

Considering this, it's unsurprising that Meta pulled the plug on AI Personas after just one year. The tech giant didn't outright give a reason for ending the project, merely telling Mashable at the time that it "took a lot of learnings from building [AI Personas] and Meta AI to understand how people can use AIs to connect and create in unique ways." But it seems safe to say that AI Personas failed to gain the traction Meta had hoped for.

Humane's Ai pin Credit: Humane

Last November Humane opened preorders for its Ai pin, a $699 wearable AI gadget that responds to voice commands and operates without a smartphone. Like the Rabbit r1, Humane aimed to change the way people operate and interact with their tech, and "integrate AI into the fabric of daily life."

To that end, Humane's Ai pin went all in on futuristic but uncommon design choices. Rather than a screen, the ostensible "smartphone killer" has a tiny projector for your palm, and though it has a touchpad, the vast majority of operation is performed via voice commands. Designed to attach to your clothes like a brooch, Humane's Ai pin can take photos and short videos, answer questions, and send messages — basically everything a phone can already do, just without a screen.

Yet despite Humane's lofty sci-fi ambitions, issues with the Ai pin began to appear before the devices were even released. One of Humane's own promotional videos showed the Ai pin answering two questions incorrectly, an embarrassing mistake which prompted the company to quickly update the clip. 

Credit: Angel Garcia / Bloomberg via Getty Images

Then the Ai pin began shipping in April, and the reviews started coming in. A consensus soon emerged that while Humane's Ai pin had some cool ideas in theory, in practice it's slow and frustrating to use. Music playback was broken (and only supported Tidal anyway), the palm projector was terrible and unreadable in bright light, and the device heated up to an uncomfortable level, which is not ideal on any gadget much less a wearable. The Humane Ai pin also has a mandatory $24 monthly subscription, turning into a useless lump of aluminium and Gorilla Glass without it.

Within mere weeks, Humane was reportedly searching for a buyer, hoping to sell for between $750 million and $1 billion. It's an ambitious goal considering the scathing reviews of its only product. Humane's troubles didn't end with the Ai pin's launch either. The company subsequently sent an email to customers telling them not to use the Ai pin's charging case, as a "quality issue" with the battery made it a potential "fire safety risk."

By August, Humane's Ai pins were reportedly being returned at a pace that outmatched its sales, with only around 8,000 still left in the wild. Humane slashed the Ai pin's price to $499 last month, but at this point, grabbing one for even a tenth of that still doesn't seem worth it.

Black Friday deal: Save $255 on the 2024 MacBook Air (15-inch)

Mashable - Thu, 11/28/2024 - 03:45

SAVE $255: As of Nov. 28, Apple’s 2024 MacBook Air (15-inch) with M3 chip is $1,044 at Amazon as part of Black Friday deals. That’s a $255 discount from its $1,299 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air 15 $1,044.00 at Amazon
$1,299.00 Save $255.00 Get Deal

If you're after a bit more screen real estate than the standard 13-inch 2024 MacBook Air, Amazon Black Friday has you covered with the 15-inch model, too. The 2024 MacBook Air with the M3 chip, Apple's latest grafter, is now $1,044. That's 20% off its regular price of $1,299, a cracking discount for anything Apple.

At just under half an inch thick and weighing a mere 3.3 pounds, it's easy to carry around yet spacious enough for serious multitasking thanks to the bigger screen. Speaking of, the screen packed into this Apple laptop has some serious specs. The 15.3-inch Liquid Retina display supports over a billion colors, making sure users have a solid color representation while making games, TV, and movies pop.

SEE ALSO: Get both Hulu and Disney+ for $2.99 per month for Black Friday

This MacBook Air also has the epic M3 chip, which is comprised of an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU. It's designed to handle work, play, and everything in between without slowing down your screen time. Its respectable 18-hour battery life makes this one of the most dependable Macbooks to date, and it's all packed into half an inch of thickness. Crazy, right?

This model comes with 16GB of unified memory and 256GB of SSD storage. This translates to fantastic performance and plenty of headspace for multitasking and saving video, images, projects, and documents locally before uploading to iCloud. It also has a bag of popular features, including Touch ID, MagSafe charging, and Wi-Fi 6E. The spec sheet on the 2024 MacBook Air line is brilliant.

At $1,044, this Black Friday deal makes the 2024 MacBook Air a must-buy for anyone looking for an iOS powerhouse that won't break your back carrying it around. Just don't sit on this Black Friday deal. (Literally, it costs a lot of money.)

The best early Black Friday deals at Amazon, Target, Best Buy, and Walmart

Mashable - Thu, 11/28/2024 - 03:44

UPDATE: Nov. 28, 2024, 3:00 a.m. EST The week of Black Friday is finally here. We're tracking all the best deals across retailers and updating this list as things come in and go out of stock.

Best Early Black Friday Deals Best Apple deal Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M2, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $749 at Amazon (Save $250) Get Deal Best robot vacuum deal Roborock Qrevo S $459.99 at Amazon (Save $340) Get Deal Best headphone deal Bose QuietComfort headphones $199 at Amazon (Save $150) Get Deal Best laptop deal Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,399 at Amazon (Save $200) Get Deal Best tablet deal Apple iPad, 9th generation (A13, 64GB, WiFi) $199.99 at Target (Save $129.01) Get Deal Best Kindle deal Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition $154.99 at Amazon (Save $45) Get Deal Best Echo deal Amazon Echo Pop $17.99 at Amazon (Save $22) Get Deal Best TV deal Hisense 85-inch QD6 QLED 4K Google TV $649.99 at Best Buy (Save $450) Get Deal Best fitness tracker deal Oura Ring Gen3 (Horizon, Gold) Starting at $249 at Best Buy Get Deal Best kitchen deal KitchenAid 5.5-Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer $279.99 at Target (Save $170) Get Deal

The time is nigh. In a matter of hours our bellies — and shopping carts — will be full. While Black Friday properly falls on Nov. 29. this year, retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and Target have already kicked off their sales early.

Truly, the sheer volume of deals is dizzying. You're in luck though, as we've done the leg work for you. We've been tracking the best Black Friday deals for weeks, finding the lowest prices on all the big names: Apple, Bose, Sony, Samsung, and more.

If you want to get a head start, you can start shopping early Black Friday deals right now. So, for our early birds, here are the best deals to shop.

Best Apple deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M2, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $749.00 at Amazon
$999.00 Save $250.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Check out our full review of the M2 MacBook Air.

"A couple of weeks ago, the MacBook Air got a quiet RAM upgrade, without a price hike. Now, we're seeing the M2 MacBook Air with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage on sale for $749, officially back to its lowest price ever. With these specs, this MacBook will be more than capable of handling everyday tasks with ease, while offering you more flexibility to run more (and more intensive) programs at once. Considering Mashable reporter Alex Perry called this laptop "just about the ideal work-from-home (or work-from-wherever, really) companion," in his review, this memory upgrade is certainly welcome." – Bethany Allard, Shopping Reporter

More Apple dealsMacBook Air (13-inch)MacBook Air (15-inch)MacBook ProMaciPadiPad AiriPad miniiPad ProApple WatchesAirPodsAirTags and Apple PencilBest robot vacuum deal Opens in a new window Credit: Roborock Roborock Qrevo S $459.99 at Amazon
$799.99 Save $340.00 Get Deal Why we like it

"I think of the Roborock Qrevo S as the diet version of my favorite self-emptying robot vacuum right now, the Roborock Qrevo Master. And unless you're open to spending $1,000 or more on a robot vacuum, you can probably live without the Qrevo Master's fluff features like a livestream pet camera or extending side mop — especially when, at this price, you could buy a Qrevo S for two stories of your home for less than the price of one on-sale Qrevo Master.

Opting for the cheaper Qrevo is still a solid move: Compared to other 2-in-1 robot vacuum and mop combos also on sale for Black Friday, the Qrevo S is one of the rare options under $500 that washes and dries its mopping pads." — Leah Stodart, Senior Shopping Reporter

More robot vacuum dealsRobot vacuum and mop combosBest headphones deal Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose QuietComfort Headphones $199.00 at Amazon
$349.00 Save $150.00 Get Deal Why we like it

"Bose makes some of the best headphones they've tested. The brand's QuietComfort line-up strikes the genius balance of sound quality and comfort. While the QuietComfort Ultra headphones and earbuds are the most elevated Bose models, the basic QuietComforts are still great.

If you don't need spatial audio, but you do want sound that will make your music sound better, elevating drop beats and sick synth, go for the Bose QuietComfort headphones. The power button on the side is responsive, and the battery is insanely long. I wore these while taking the train from Boston to New York and by the time I reached my destination, they still had 50% battery life.

Normally, $349, the Bose QuietComfort headphones are down to $199. That saves you $150 for 43% savings." — Samantha Mangino, Shopping Reporter

More headphone and speaker dealsHeadphonesEarbudsSpeakersBest laptop deal Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Surface Laptop 7 (Snapdragon X Elite, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,599.99 at Amazon
$1,999.99 Save $400.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Read Mashable's full review of the 13-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 7.

"Microsoft's Copilot+ PC has an even longer battery life than the new M4 MacBook Pros — it lasted nearly 23 hours in our testing — and it comes with AI features that 'make Windows fun again,' Gedeon wrote. She gave it a 4.8/5; it's a Mashable Choice Award winner and our current favorite laptop for most people, barring any app compatibility issues.

The upgraded configuration that Gedeon tested is a 13-inch model featuring a Snapdragon X Elite processor, 32GB of RAM, and 1TB of SSD storage. It usually retails for $1,999.99, but Amazon and the Microsoft Store both have it listed for $1,599.99, or 20% off. That's its biggest discount to date." — Haley Henschel, Senior Shopping Reporter

More laptop and computer deals

For MacBook and Mac deals, scroll back up to the Apple deals section.

Windows laptopsChromebooksGaming laptopsBest tablet deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad, 9th generation (A13, 64GB, WiFi) $199.99 at Target
$329.00 Save $129.01 Get Deal Why we like it

"An iPad under $200 is a true gift this holiday season. Apple's 9th generation model is down to $199.99 at Target, less than a dollar short of its lowest price ever. While there might be newer generations available, this is the most budget-friendly model, especially now that it's $129 off.

The 9th generation Apple iPad comes with the A13 bionic chip, which provides plenty of processing power for streaming, gaming, or working. The 10.2-inch retina display gives plenty of space for your creative pursuits, as it's compatible with the first generation of Apple Pencil.

Now is the right time to shop, as you can find the Apple iPad 9th generation for 39% off." — Samantha Mangino, Shopping Reporter

More tablet deals

For Apple iPad deals, scroll back up to the Apple deals section.

Best Kindle deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition $154.99 at Amazon
$199.99 Save $45.00 Get Deal Why we like it

"The new batch of 2024 Kindles are the fastest yet, turning pages quickly and with less delay when switching between books in your library. The Kindle Paperwhite and Signature Edition both have bright, high-contrast screens, so you can read in any environment. While I prefer the Kindle Paperwhite over the Signature Edition most of the time, right now you can't beat the SE's Black Friday price.

The Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition is 23% off, bringing it down to $154.99. That's some big savings ($45 to be exact) on a device that's usually $200. You get everything you love in the Paperwhite, lightweight and waterproof design, with the added benefits of double the storage, wireless charging, and auto-adjusting brightness." — Samantha Mangino, Shopping Reporter

More Kindle dealsMore e-reader dealsBest Echo device deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Pop $17.99 at Amazon
$39.99 Save $22.00 Get Deal Why we like it

"The line-up of Amazon Echo devices is sprawling. You can find everything from a multitasking smart speaker to a touchscreen smart home hub. The absolute best deal on Echo devices right now is on the Amazon Echo Pop. This small but mighty device with a quality speaker and built-in assistant so you can play music just by calling out to Alexa.

Currently, it's down to $17.99 — its lowest price ever. That knocks 55% off the regular price for $22 in savings. While we expect this price to hang around through Black Friday weekend, you can rest assured you're getting it at a great deal when you buy now." — Samantha Mangino, Shopping Reporter

More Echo dealsBest TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense 85-inch QD6 QLED 4K Google TV $649.99 at Best Buy
$1,099.99 Save $450.00 Get Deal Why we like it

"Black Friday is all about huge discounts on huge TVs, and this 85-inch Hisense model is a perfect case in point: Now just $650, it's far cheaper than any other TV this big — not just at Best Buy, but at Amazon and Walmart, too. (And abnormally-cheap-for-their-size TVs are really more Walmart's thing.) The fact that it has a bright and vibrant QLED display, not a standard 4K screen, sweetens the deal even further.

Kind of surprised this one wasn't chosen as a doorbuster, TBH. Let's call it a hidden gem." — Haley Henschel, Senior Shopping Reporter

More TV deals

TV deals are sorted by size, then price.

43- to 50-inch TVs55-inch TVs65-inch TVs75-inch TVs and largerStreaming devices and media playersBest fitness tracker deal Opens in a new window Credit: Oura Oura Ring Gen3 (Horizon, Gold) $349.00 at Best Buy
$449.00 Save $100.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Read Mashable's full review of the Oura Ring Gen3.

"The previous-gen Oura Ring is an excellent fitness wearable with heart-rate and blood oxygen monitoring, temperature and activity tracking, and a multi-day battery life — all wrapped up in a sleek, durable titanium design. It's on sale at Best Buy this Black Friday for $50 to $200 off, depending on the style and finish (starting from $249.99)." — Haley Henschel, Senior Shopping Reporter

More fitness tracker deals

For Apple Watch deals, scroll back up to the Apple deals section.

Best kitchen deal Opens in a new window Credit: KitchenAid KitchenAid 5.5-Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer $279.99 at Target
$449.99 Save $170.00 Get Deal Why we like it

"If you're getting ready to whip up dozens of Christmas cookies, don't even think about doing it all by hand. Sure, it will be a great arm workout, but at what cost? Upgrade your kitchen tools ahead of the holiday season with the KitchenAid 5.5-quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer. It has twice the power of KitchenAid's standard tilt-head mixer and can mix batches of 11 dozen cookies at a time. This mixer is no joke.

You can get the savings ahead of Black Friday as it's marked down to $279.99, saving you $170 for 38% off." — Samantha Mangino, Shopping Reporter

More kitchen dealsBest home deal Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson V11 Cordless Vacuum $349.99 at Walmart
$599.99 Save $250.00 Get Deal Why we like it

"As you get ready for guests during the holidays, a vacuum is your best friend. It sucks up crumbs leftover from dinner, or anything trailed in on winter boots. In the panic of prepping for visitors, if you don't want to deal with cords or bags, look to the Dyson V11 Cordless Vacuum.

It had whole-machine filtration to seeks to remove the smallest particles from pollen to bacteria. Plus there's nothing worse than hair getting stuck in the vacuum head, but it automatically detangles hair. Ahead of Black Friday, you can find this vacuum for just $349.99. That saves you $250, for banging savings of 42%." — Samantha Mangino, Shopping Reporter

More home dealsBest mattress deal Opens in a new window Credit: Nectar Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress (Queen) $949.00 at Nectar
$2,286.00 Save $1,337.00 Get Deal Why we like it

"We’re shocked by how many mattress deals are popping off this early in the game. While there are great discounts across the board, the Nectar Premier Memory Foam Mattress (Queen) has our vote as the best deal ahead of Black Friday.

This 13-inch-thick mattress has twice as much pressure-relieving memory foam as the Nectar Classic, 60 percent more cooling, and is currently 50% off. With five layers of premium OEKO-TEX-certified materials, this mattress will provide an incredibly comfortable and supportive night's sleep. There’s also a 365-day trial and forever warranty, so if you don’t absolutely love it, you can return it." — Tabitha Britt, Mashable Contributor

More mattress dealsBest streaming deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu Hulu with ads monthly subscription $0.99/month for one year (save $108) Get Deal Why we like it

"Hulu remains the top dog when it comes to Black Friday deals. For the second year in a row, the streamer is offering an entire year of Hulu with ads for just $0.99 per month. That's less than $12 total for an entire year of streaming. It's a bit surprising, honestly, as Hulu upped the cost of its basic plan just last month from $7.99 per month to $9.99 per month. In other words, the savings this year are even more impressive — 90% or $108 in total over 12 months.

Hulu is the streaming home for three of our favorite shows of 2023, The Bear, Abbott Elementary, and Reservation Dogs, as well as our top favorite show of 2024, Shōgun. It's also where you'll find episodes of ABC shows the day after they air, like Dancing with the Stars, and Neon movies fresh out of the theaters, like Cuckoo (coming Dec. 17)." — Christina Buff, Mashable Contributor

More streaming dealsBest book deal Opens in a new window Credit: Walmart 'Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West' by Gregory Maguire $10.00 at Walmart
$19.99 Save $9.99 Get Deal Why we like it

"It's safe to say that the Wicked craze is in full swing. Whether you're holding space for all the memes the press tour is delivering or already ready for your second in-theater watch, have you considered reading the source material? And we're not talking about The Wizard of Oz.

The musical is based on Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, the novel by Gregory Maguire, and if you, or the biggest Wicked fan in your life, are eager to dive deeper into the world, now is a great time to pick up a copy. Ahead of Black Friday, Walmart is offering 50% off the novel, bringing it down to $10.

Wicked not your thing? Don't sweat because the Black Friday book deals are endless. Explore more deals on fiction, non-fiction, YA, and cookbooks below." — Samantha Mangino, Shopping Reporter

More book dealsKindle book dealsBest gaming deal Opens in a new window Credit: Sony The Last of Us Part I $29.99 at Best Buy
$69.99 Save $40.00 Get Deal Why we like it

"The second season of The Last of Us is coming in 2025, and if you still haven't played the video game, now is your time to catch up. Ahead of Black Friday, find The Last of Us Part I for PlayStation 5 marked down 57%. It's down to $29.99, saving you $40. Plus, you can save 15% on Astro Gaming headsets with the purchase of a video game at Best Buy.

And while you're at it, you may as well pick up "The Last of Us Part II Remastered" for PlayStation 5, which is also on sale ahead of Black Friday." — Samantha Mangino, Shopping Reporter

More gaming deals under $50Best toy deal Opens in a new window Credit: Walmart Lego Star Wars Ahsoka Tano’s T-6 Jedi Shuttle (75362) $45.00 at Walmart
$79.99 Save $34.99 Get Deal Why we like it

"The Office Lego Set may have sold out at Walmart within a day or so of dropping, but we still have another favorite Lego deal to highlight. Star Wars fans will get a huge kick out of the Lego Star Wars Ahsoka Tano’s T-6 Jedi Shuttle. With a rotating cockpit, signature red wings, and four figurines including bounty hunter and Sith, this is an action-packed set. Walmart's nearly 28% discount drops this set to $45, beating Best Buy's price by $13.99 on the same model number." — Gabriel Morgan, Mashable Contributor

More toys and games dealsLego dealsToy dealsBoard game dealsBest beauty tech deal Opens in a new window Credit: T3 T3 Aire Luxe $249.99 at Amazon
$299.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal Why we like it

"The Dyson Airwrap is often a popular purchase this time of year, on account of the fact it's $600 at full price. While it is on sale, we recommend checking out our guide to the best Airwrap dupes. Specifically, grab the T3 Aire 360, which comes with curling wands, a standard dryer attachment, and a round brush. What I enjoyed the most about this multi-styler, however, was its vegan leather carrying case, which was easier to use and took up way less space than every other multi-styler I've tried, including the Airwrap." — Bethany Allard, Lead Shopping Reporter

More beauty tech dealsHair dryer dealsHot air styler dealsSkincare tech dealsHot tools deals

For more Black Friday coverage, check out our sister sites CNET, ZDNET, and PCMag.

Black Friday deal: Get a refurbished Apple Watch Ultra for $70 off

Mashable - Thu, 11/28/2024 - 03:36

SAVE $70: As of Nov. 28, the refurbished Apple Watch Ultra is on sale for $379.99 at Amazon as part of Black Friday deals. That’s $70 off its $449.95 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Ultra $379.99 at Amazon
$449.95 Save $69.96 Get Deal

If you're bringing your fitness game outside or getting extra gains in the gym, you will want a smartwatch to keep up. Don't worry, Amazon Black Friday deals have you covered with a refurbished deal on Apple Watch Ultra. How does $70 off sound? That's $379.99, $70 off the list price of $449.95. Imagine the amount of protein powder you can stock up on now? 35% off Vanilla Truvani Protein Powder, too, by the way.

This is the [GPS + Cellular] Apple Watch Ultra, meaning you can make calls, send texts, and stream music without needing your iPhone nearby. Just give your cell phone carrier a call and activate the eSIM on your account. It features a corrosion-resistant titanium case, 100m water resistance, and a customizable Action Button for quick access to your favorite features. To be fair, we all need more action buttons in our lives.

SEE ALSO: Get both Hulu and Disney+ for $2.99 per month for Black Friday

The Apple Watch Ultra boasts Apple's biggest and brightest Retina display, making it easy to view even in direct sunlight. It also delivers up to 36 hours of battery life, making this beast of a smartwatch dependable even in the most extreme weather conditions. Yes, it's dive-read, too, thanks to the Oceanic+ app, which transforms the watch into a full dive computer.

This Apple Watch Ultra has been inspected and tested as a refurbished product to meet Amazon's rigorous Renewed standards. Don't worry; it has a satisfaction guarantee, too. Looking for an Apple Watch Ultra to gift to someone? It'll rock up in excellent condition, so why not?

Whether climbing mountains, running marathons, or just looking for a smartwatch to keep up with your daily grind (gains), this is a solid opportunity to grab Apple's toughest wearable for less. But don't wait—Black Friday deals like this tend to disappear faster than a trail runner at the starting line.

The best deals from Targets early Black Friday sale

Mashable - Thu, 11/28/2024 - 03:30

UPDATE: Nov. 28, 2024, 3:00 a.m. EST Target's holiday deals are officially live. We're tracking the sale as products come in and out of stock. These are the latest deals.

Best Target early Black Friday deals Best Tablet Deal Apple iPad, 9th generation (A13, 64GB, WiFi) $199.99 (Save $130) Get Deal Best headphone and speaker deal Sony WH-1000XM4 Headphones $199.99 (Save $150) Get Deal Best speaker deal JBL Flip 6 Speaker $79.99 (Save $50) Get Deal Best TV and Soundbar deal TCL 55-inch 4K UHD Google TV $239.99 (Save $110) Get Deal Best smartwatch deal Apple Watch Series 10 (46mm, Sport Band, GPS + cellular) $679.99 (Save $70) Get Deal Best Kitchen and Home deal KitchenAid 5.5-Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer $279.99 (Save $170) Get Deal Best Toy Deal Lego Harry Potter Diagon Alley: Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes $62.99 (Save $27) Get Deal

This year, if you want to get your holiday shopping done by Thanksgiving, it's certainly possible. With Black Friday falling at the very end of this month, it's no surprise that retailers started their sales way earlier. Now that Black Friday week is officially here, the deals are in full force. If you've run through Amazon and Best Buy's sales, turn your attention to Target.

Target's deals are just about as good as it gets. We're seeing discounts across categories including headphones, TVs, robot vacuums. Ahead of Black Friday, start shopping these deals on Apple, Bose, Ninja, and more.

When does Target's Black Friday sale start?

While Black Friday falls on Friday, Nov. 29. Target started the month with an early Black Friday, a 48-hour mad dash of deals to kickstart your holiday shopping. However, the deals have swung back around. Target's Black Friday sale is live now and runs until Saturday, Nov. 30.

Plus, the retailer is offering a holiday season price match. If you purchase an item at Target and it goes on sale leading up to Dec. 24, the brand will refund you the difference. It's also price-matching competitors' pricing within 14 days of your purchase.

What are Target's Black Friday hours?

Unlike Amazon, which operates entirely online, you can shop Target deals online and in-stores. If you're looking forward to shopping in-person this season, Target is a great place to do just that.

Target stores will be opening at 6 a.m. local time on Nov. 29, for those looking forward to joining the crowds.

Best tablet deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad, 9th generation (A13, 64GB, WiFi) $199.99 at Target
$329.99 Save $130.00 Get Deal Why we like it

If you're looking to update your tech or treat a loved one to the ease and convenience of a tablet, Apple's 9th generation iPad is under $200. While you could go for the brand's newest models, the 9th generation iPad is your best bet on a budget. For just $199.99, you'll get a speedy table that's compatible with the Apple Pencil so you can stream, work, or read. This early Black Friday deal saves you $130, knocking 39% off the price.

More tablet dealsBest headphones deal Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-1000XM4 Headphones $199.99 at Target
$349.99 Save $150.00 Get Deal Why we like it

While our very favorite Sony headphones are the Sony WH-1000XM5s, their predecessor, the Sony WH-1000XM4s are also fantastic. Plus, they're $100 cheaper.

They're phenomenal headphones with active noise cancellation that truly tune out the world. If you like to crank up the volume, these are headphones for you because the audio quality is just so good. Plus, unlike the XM5s, the XM4s fold up for easy storage and toting around.

Right now, the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones are down to $199.99, saving $150 for 43% off during Target's unofficial early Black Friday deals.

More headphone dealsBest speaker deal Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Flip 6 Speaker $79.99 at Target
$129.99 Save $50.00 Get Deal Why we like it

JBL makes our go-to Bluetooth speakers. They're waterproof and portable with battery life to last for days. So we always have our eyes peeled for deals on JBL speakers during shopping events. At Target, you can find the JBL Flip 6 Speaker for well under $100.

It lasts up to 12 hours on a single charge and is both dustproof and waterproof. It's equipped with dual pumping bass radiators to deliver JBL's Pure Bass Sound to really get things bumping.

During Target's Black Friday sale, it's down to $79.99, saving you $50 on this top-notch speaker. That knocks 38% off the price.

Speaker dealsBest TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: TCL TCL 55-inch 4K UHD Google TV $249.99 at Target
$349.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Black Friday conjures images of doorbusting deals, with shoppers racing to the TVs to fight over the inventory. Luckily, you don't have to be in the stampede for TV deals with Target's early Black Friday sale.

This TCL 55-inch 4K UHD Google TV is just $249.99, knocking $100 off the price for 29% savings. It provides 4K picture and a built-in Google interface, so you don't need an extraneous streaming device.

More TV dealsSoundbar dealsBest smartwatch deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm, Sport Band, GPS + cellular) $749.99 at Target
Get Deal Why we like it

The latest Apple Watch is getting a holiday discount. During Target's holiday sale, find the Apple Watch Series 10 for $70 off, marking it down to $679.99.

The Series comes packed with all the essentials for fitness tracking, playing music, and even taking calls. This model comes equipped with cellular, so you can send texts or take calls without being near your iPhone. It's waterproof too, meaning it can come along as you swim laps.

This limited time deal is available for 9% off ahead of Black Friday.

More smartwatch dealsBest kitchen deal Opens in a new window Credit: Kitchenaid KitchenAid 5.5-Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer $279.99 at Target
$449.99 Save $170.00 Get Deal Why we like it

If you're getting ready to whip up dozens of Christmas cookies, don't even think about doing it all by hand. Sure, it will be a great arm workout, but at what cost? Upgrade your kitchen tools ahead of the holiday season with the KitchenAid 5.5-Quart Bowl-Lift Stand Mixer. It has twice the power of KitchenAid's standard tilt head mixer and can mix batches of 11 dozen cookies at a time. This mixer is no joke.

You can beat the savings ahead of Black Friday as it's marked down to $279.99, saving you $170 for 38% off.

More kitchen dealsBest toy deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Harry Potter Diagon Alley: Weasleys' Wizard Wheezes $62.99 at Target
$89.99 Save $27.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Whether you're buying for your child or inner child, Target is offering up to 30% off select Lego sets. A real show stopper of the season is this 834-piece set Lego set depicting the Weasley's Wizard Wheezes shop and even includes 7 mini-figures.

Ahead of Black Friday, get this set for 30% off, bringing it down to $62.99. That saves you a generous $27.

Other toy deals

The best deals from Best Buys Black Friday sale: Sony earbuds, our favorite gaming laptop, and more

Mashable - Thu, 11/28/2024 - 03:29

UPDATE: Nov. 28, 2024, 3:00 a.m. EST This story has been updated with current pricing/availability and new deals (including one fresh top pick).

Best Buy's top Black Friday deals at a glance: Best Apple deal Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M2, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $749 (save $250) Get Deal Best 4K TV deal Hisense 85-inch QD6 QLED 4K Google TV $649.99 (save $450) Get Deal Best Windows laptop deal Dell XPS 13 9350 (Intel Core Ultra 7 256V, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $999.99 (save $400) Get Deal Best headphone/earbud deal Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds $229 (save $70) Get Deal Best fitness tracker deal Oura Ring Gen3 Starting at $249 (save up to $200) Get Deal Best gaming deal Alienware m16 R2 (Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,299.99 (save $600) Get Deal Best action camera deal GoPro Hero13 Black Bundle $449.99 (save $100 + free $25 Best Buy gift card) Get Deal

After dropping oodles of early deals in the first few weeks of November, Best Buy officially kicked off its 2024 Black Friday sale on Thursday, Nov. 21. The event runs for 10 days on its website, mobile app, and in stores through Saturday, Nov. 30.

The electronics retailer is serving up two kinds of side dishes with its main course. First, its Black Friday deals are joined by revolving rounds of doorbusters that are up for grabs throughout the holiday season. New waves of them get listed on its website every Friday through Dec. 20, with first dibs the Thursdays prior for paid My Best Buy members (Plus and Total tiers).

Now live for all shoppers, the current batch of online doorbusters features a $179.99 55-inch Toshiba 4K Fire TV, $129.99 Beats Powerbeats Pro, $80 off the Apple Watch Ultra 2 with cellular connectivity, and half off a JBL soundbar. Best Buy also surprise-added two Nintendo Switch bundles as doorbusters over the weekend, though they're only available in stores.

SEE ALSO: All the best early Black Friday deals at Amazon, Target, Best Buy, and Walmart

Along with new doorbusters, Best Buy is planning to release rapid-fire "Flash Deals" as part of its Drops program this Friday, Nov. 29 (aka Black Friday proper). These offers will be available in limited quantities for a short while exclusively on its mobile app starting at 9 a.m. ET, and feature gadgets from brands like Apple, Dyson, Ninja, and Sony.

The Mashable Shopping team will be tracking and vetting Best Buy's Black Friday deals as its sale progresses, and you can check out our running list of the best offers below. Keep in mind that Best Buy offers a Holiday Price Match Guarantee, so if anything you buy there gets cheaper later on, you can request a price adjustment. (We've spotted a Ninja air fryer and several Logitech gaming accessories that have dipped in price since the sale started.) The retailer's extended holiday return and exchange period is also in effect.

Note: All newly added or updated deals have been marked with a ✨, while deals with a 🚪 next to them are this week's limited-time doorbusters. Struck-through deals were either sold out or expired at the time of writing.

Best Apple deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M2, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) 🚪 $749.00 at Best Buy
$999.00 Save $250.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Read Mashable's full review of the 13-inch Apple MacBook Air (M2).

Sleek and lightweight, the previous-generation MacBook Air features a stellar keyboard, an all-day battery life, and an M2 chip that offers plenty of power for everyday tasks. Mashable's Tech and Games Reporter Alex Perry gave it a 4.6/5 rating in his 2022 review, calling it "the ideal work-from-home (or work-from-wherever, really) companion." It's our favorite budget MacBook for most people and a Mashable Choice Award winner.

Apple recently upgraded the base configuration to 16GB of memory, and Best Buy has it on sale for just $749 as a doorbuster during its Black Friday sale (normally $999) — an exact match of the 8GB version's all-time low. If it sells out there, the same deal was available on Amazon at the time of writing.

More Black Friday Apple deals at Best BuyAirPodsApple WatchesiPadsUnlocked iPhonesMacsMacBooksBest 4K TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense 85-inch QD6 QLED 4K Google TV $649.99 at Best Buy
$1,099.99 Save $450.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Black Friday is all about huge discounts on huge TVs, and this 85-inch Hisense model is a perfect case in point: Now just $650, it's far cheaper than any other TV this big — not just at Best Buy, but at Amazon and Walmart, too. (And abnormally-cheap-for-their-size TVs are really more Walmart's thing.) The fact that it has a bright and vibrant QLED display, not a standard 4K screen, sweetens the deal even further.

Kind of surprised this one wasn't chosen as a doorbuster, TBH. Let's call it a hidden gem. If you want to downsize slightly, Best Buy's Black Friday deal on the 75-inch version drops it down to $449.99 (normally $699.99).

More Black Friday 4K TV deals at Best Buy43- to 50-inch 4K TVs55-inch 4K TVs65-inch 4K TVs75-inch 4K TVs and largerStreaming devices and media playersBest laptop deal Opens in a new window Credit: Dell Dell XPS 13 9350 (Intel Core Ultra 7 256V, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $999.99
$1,399.99 Save $400.00 Get Deal Why we like it:

For early adopters, the all-new Dell XPS 13 is one of two Lunar Lake PCs featured in Best Buy's Black Friday sale — the other one being the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition; they come equipped with Intel Core Ultra Series 2 processors designed for AI. We haven't tested them ourselves just yet (it's in the works), but their battery life is apparently ridiculous. This is the base configuration with a FHD+ non-touch display, and Dell has rated it at up to 26 hours per charge.

Best Buy marked it down from $1,399.99 to $999.99, which is a 29% savings and its biggest discount since launching in October. For comparison's sake, the same model is $100 pricier on Dell's website during its own Black Friday sale.

More Black Friday laptop deals at Best BuyWindows laptops2-in-1 laptopsChromebooksBest headphone/earbud deal Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds $229.00 at Best Buy
$299.00 Save $70.00 Get Deal Why we like them

Read Mashable's full review of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbuds.

Mashable contributor Timothy Beck Werth deemed Bose's QC Ultra buds "impressive in every way": They have unrivaled ANC, they last six hours at a time (which you can bump to 24 hours with their included charging case), and they fit as nicely as their name implies. They also have an Immersive Audio feature that shifts sound around you as you move — it's not a game-changer, but it's still "really cool," said Beck Werth, who ultimately rated the QC Ultra Earbuds a 4.6/5. They're our No. 1 noise-cancelling earbuds and a Mashable Choice Award winner.

They usually retail for $299, but you can snag them on sale at Best Buy for $229 — a 23% savings and their lowest price since launching last fall. Amazon and Bose's online storefront were both matching that discount when we last checked, FYI.

More Black Friday headphone/earbud deals at Best BuyEarbudsHeadphonesBest fitness tracker deal Opens in a new window Credit: Oura Oura Ring Gen3 (Horizon, Silver) $249.00 at Best Buy
$299.00 Save $50.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Read Mashable's full review of the Oura Ring Gen3.

The previous-gen Oura Ring is an excellent fitness wearable with heart rate and blood oxygen monitoring, temperature and activity tracking, and a multi-day battery life — all wrapped up in a sleek, durable titanium design. It's on sale at Best Buy this Black Friday for $50 to $200 off, depending on the style and finish (starting from $249.99).

More Black Friday fitness tracker and smartwatch deals at Best BuyBest gaming deal Opens in a new window Credit: Alienware Alienware m16 R2 (Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,299.99 at Best Buy
$1,899.99 Save $600.00 Get Deal Why we like it:

Read Mashable's full review of the Alienware m16 R2.

The m16 R2 is a 16-inch PC from Dell's high-end gaming line. This exact configuration is Mashable's favorite gaming laptop of 2024 (and there's a lot of competition out there) — it's "the ultimate RTX 4070 beast of a gaming laptop you can get," said Mashable Tech Editor Kim Gedeon. She commended its solid mid-range performance, nice build quality, great keyboard, ample port selection, and its support of Nvidia's Advanced Optimus feature, which lets users switch to its integrated graphics for everyday (non-gaming) tasks to conserve battery life. She rated it a 4.5/5, which secured it a Mashable Choice Award.

The m16 R2 is now just $1,299.99 at Best Buy (or 32% off its $1,899.99 MSRP), which is a record-low price and an amazing value.

More Black Friday gaming deals at Best BuyVideo gamesGaming consoles and bundlesGaming laptopsGaming controllersGaming headsetsGaming miceGaming keyboardsGaming monitorsStorage expansion cardsBest action camera deal Opens in a new window Credit: GoPro GoPro Hero13 Black Bundle $349.99 at Best Buy
$449.99 Save $100.00 Includes free $25 Best Buy gift card Get Deal Why we like it:

Read Mashable's full review of the GoPro Hero13 Black.

Yet another Mashable Choice Award winner, GoPro's latest action camera "is way better than a $400 video camera has any right to be," wrote Beck Werth (who gave it a 4.7/5). Highlights include "insanely good motion stabilization," a slow-motion burst mode in 5.3K at 120 fps, and a better battery life than its predecessor. This accessory bundle tacks on a spare Enduro battery, a hand grip, a 64GB microSD card, two curved adhesive mounts, and a camera case.

Best Buy has it on sale for $349.99 (or $100 off) and throws in a free $25 gift card you can put toward other Black Friday deals. Considering the camera itself is on sale separately for $339.99 (typically $399.99), you're basically robbing Best Buy blind. Note that the GoPro website was offering the same deal at the time of writing, but there's no gift card freebie offered there.

More Black Friday action camera deals at Best BuyUnlocked phone dealsGoogleMotorolaOnePlusSamsungVacuum dealsRobot vacuumsStick vacuumsKitchen appliance dealsAir fryersCoffee makers and espresso machinesIce makersKitchenAid mixersMiscellaneousBeauty tech dealsSpeaker dealsSmart home dealsHome security equipmentMesh WiFi systemsSmart lightingSmart plugs

Save $199 on Apple’s 9th-gen iPad in this Black Friday deal

Mashable - Thu, 11/28/2024 - 03:29

SAVE $199: As of Nov. 28, Apple’s 9th-gen iPad with 256GB storage is $279.99 at Amazon as part of its Black Friday deals, saving you $199 off its $479 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple iPad 9th Gen 256GB $279.99 at Amazon
$479.00 Save $199.01 Get Deal

Apple products with a Black Friday price tag can even make Android fanboys turn their heads. How about the 9th-generation iPad (256GB) being discounted to $279.99 at Amazon? That's a 42% discount, or $199 in savings, on Apple's budget-friendly yet impressively capable tablet.

Fancy an iPad that doesn't cost a fortune but still gets OS updates and runs the latest apps? This will be your hand's final push to dig into your wallet. It features a gorgeous 10.2-inch Retina display ideal for streaming, browsing, and even drawing with an Apple Pencil (It's not included, but you can find one here for 40% off). True Tone technology adjusts the screen brightness and color temperature to match your environment. It's a handy feature that makes the retina screen easy for your eyes no matter where you use it.

SEE ALSO: Get both Hulu and Disney+ for $2.99 per month for Black Friday

So, what powers this budget beast? An A13 Bionic chip delivers solid performance for any task you can think of. Gaming, streaming, and browsing the web are all taken in this iPad's stride. Plus, with all-day battery life, you can count on it not to die in the middle of a bus ride. Although most people depend on cloud storage for backing up pictures and streaming services for music and video, 256GB of local storage still comes in handy for documents and downloads for offline Netflix binges.

The 12MP Ultra Wide front camera with Center Stage is excellent for video calls, ensuring loved ones see more than your forehead (You know who you are). The 8MP back camera does the job, although don't expect massive flagship performance here.

At $279.99, this Black Friday iPad deal is a steal for anyone wanting to join the Apple ecosystem without the Apple price tag. Most users will be happy with its performance and compatibility with iOS updates and apps. This Black Friday deal will fly off warehouse shelves, so take advantage of it.

Amazon has up to 50% off premium gifts from top brands like Dyson, Samsung, TheraGun, and more

Mashable - Thu, 11/28/2024 - 03:25

SAVE UP TO 50%: Amazon has marked down gifts from premium brands like Dyson, Ninja, Le Creuset, and more during this year's Black Friday event.

Best premium gifts on sale at Amazon's Black Friday event Best tech deal Amazon Echo Buds (wired charging case) $34.99 at Amazon (save $85) Get Deal Best kitchen deal Ninja Indoor Grill $149.99 at Amazon (save $110) Get Deal Best self-care deal TheraGun Prime massage gun $199 at Amazon (save $100) Get Deal

This year, the retailers did not make us wait to start holiday shopping until after we've had massive turkey dinner. Instead, sales dropped earlier in November and are still coming in hot before the official Black Friday date hits. And honestly, this isn't such a bad thing. Not only does shopping early give you more time to find great deals on the perfect gifts, it frees up the holiday after Thanksgiving to spend time with friends and family.

Amazon's no stranger to awesome Black Friday deals and this year, the retailer has set aside some special daily deals. Today, Nov. 27, Amazon has the discounted premium gifts for anyone in your life who deserves something extra special. By shopping these deals, you'll be able to get a truly special gift for a non-premium price. Think premium brands like Dyson, Ninja, Vitamix, Samsung, and more are all included in today's sale.

Check out some of our favorite premium gift options so you'll be able to wow someone with an awesome present they would never expect or splurge on for themselves.

Best tech deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Buds (wired charging case) $34.99 at Amazon
$119.99 Save $85.00 Get Deal Why we like it

Everyone deserves to have a great pair of earbuds that offer both high-quality sound and prove to be comfortable to wear for hours. Enter the second generation Amazon Echo Buds. While they usually cost $119.99, Amazon has marked them down for Black Friday to just $34.99, which means you'll be getting a massive 71% discount.

With the charging case, expect to get about 20 hours of battery life, which is perfect for anyone who's traveling this holiday season. The Echo Buds are also sweat-resistant, great for active friends who head off to the gym a few times each week.

More premium tech deals at AmazonBest kitchen deal Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Ninja Indoor Grill $149.99 at Amazon
$259.99 Save $110.00 Get Deal Why we like it

While indoor grilling season has ended for most locations in the U.S., that doesn't mean you can't still enjoy grilled veggies, kebabs, and meats while indoors for the winter. The Ninja Indoor Grill can reach up to 500 degrees Fahrenheit with settings that include roast, grill, bake broil, and air fry. While the grill usually sells for $259.99, it's down to just $149.99 during the Amazon Black Friday event. The sale price means you'll be getting a sweet 42% discount on a versatile kitchen countertop appliance that's great for the summertime grill master.

The included smart thermometer helps the home cook get the perfect level of doneness, from rare to well-done. The large size of the grill means you'll be able to cook up six steaks or 24 hot dogs at once. Did someone say Superbowl party?

More premium kitchen deals at AmazonBest self-care deal Opens in a new window Credit: TheraGun TheraGun Prime massage gun $199.00 at Amazon
$299.00 Save $100.00 Get Deal Why we like it

It's likely that every single person in your life (and on your holiday shopping list) could benefit from a great massage. The TheraGun Prime is a deep-tissue massage gun that can aid in back, shoulder, leg, neck, and really any body pain that crops up.

The TheraGun Prime comes with four foam attachments that are ideal for targeting specific areas of the body. The Thumb attachment is great for trigger points or lower back pain, while the Cone is optimal for helping with foot and hand pains. It also connects to the Therabody app, which takes the guesswork out of how to use the TheraGun to ease pains that come from common ailments like plantar fasciitis, arthritis, and sciatica.

While the TheraGun Prime usually sells for $299, it's on sale at Amazon today for $199, which means you'll be getting a 33% discount on a gift that your loved ones can use every day of the year.

More premium self-care deals at Amazon

Save $255 on Apples sleek 2024 MacBook Air for Black Friday

Mashable - Thu, 11/28/2024 - 03:23

SAVE $255: As of Nov. 28, the 2024 MacBook Air with M3 chip is on sale for $844 at Amazon for Black Friday. That’s $255 off its $1,099 list price.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple 13-Inch MacBook Air M3 $844.00 at Amazon
$1,099.00 Save $255.00 Get Deal

A solid Apple deal is rarer than finding a lightning port in the wild right now, but thanks to the Amazon Black Friday sale, the 2024 Macbook Air (13-Inch) is $255 off. That's the latest and sleekest-looking Macbook, down from $1,099 to a classy $844, so this is the time to bite on a solid upgrade powered by the powerhouse M3 chip.

We're used to some great deals for Black Friday. Still, Apple is notorious for not discounting its newest products, such as the Mackbook Air M3 refresh. Its featherweight footprint and epic performance are squeezed into a half-inch thickness, weighing only 2.7 pounds. Taking this bad boy on the go isn't going to kill your shoulder, that's for sure. For spec nerds, that's an 8-core CPU and 10-core GPU to handle anything from general work to creative projects like graphic design and music production.

SEE ALSO: Get both Hulu and Disney+ for $2.99 per month for Black Friday

The 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display is stunning. Its 1 billion colors look crisp and vibrant. This screen delivers on every front, making it a solid choice for users needing a realistic-looking color with definition to match. Buyers can also look forward to 18 hours of battery life, so there are no worries about this MacBook dying on the train or subway.

This model has 16GB of unified memory and 256GB of SSD storage, which is plenty for most users. The Midnight finish gives it a sleek, modern look and is an absolute flex in front of your colleagues or in your local coffee shop. Touch ID makes logging in or making purchases quick and secure, so security is locked down on this Macbook bargain, too.

At $844, this is the best time of year to upgrade your MacBook. Don't have Black Friday regrets; this deal will be snapped up quicker than the last slice of pumpkin pie.

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