Feed aggregator

Connections is the latest New York Times word game that's captured the public's attention. The game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for today's Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections?

The NYT's latest daily word game has become a social media hit. The Times credits associate puzzle editor Wyna Liu with helping to create the new word game and bringing it to the publications' Games section. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

Tweet may have been deleted

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

Tweet may have been deleted

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for November 24 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

Want a hit about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yello: Move swiftly and uncontrolled

• Green: Common nouns

• Blue: Popular genres of club music

• Purple: Words associated with "Ash"

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow: Careen

• Green: What A Noun Might Be

• Blue: Electronic Dance Music Genres

• Purple: Words After "Ash"

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections #532 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Careen: HEAVE, LURCH, PITCH, REEL

• What A Noun Might Be: IDEA, PERSON, PLACE, THING

• Electronic Dance Music Genres: AMBIENT, HOUSE, JUNGLE, TRANCE

• Words After "Ash": BLOND, TRAY, TREE, WEDNESDAY

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for November 24

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

Connections: Sports Edition is a new version of the popular New York Times word game that seeks to test the knowledge of sports fans.

Like the original Connections, the game is all about finding the "common threads between words." And just like Wordle, Connections resets after midnight and each new set of words gets trickier and trickier—so we've served up some hints and tips to get you over the hurdle.

If you just want to be told today's puzzle, you can jump to the end of this article for the latest Connections solution. But if you'd rather solve it yourself, keep reading for some clues, tips, and strategies to assist you.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable What is Connections Sports Edition?

The NYT's latest daily word game has launched in association with The Athletic, the New York Times property that provides the publication's sports coverage. Connections can be played on both web browsers and mobile devices and require players to group four words that share something in common.

Tweet may have been deleted

Each puzzle features 16 words and each grouping of words is split into four categories. These sets could comprise of anything from book titles, software, country names, etc. Even though multiple words will seem like they fit together, there's only one correct answer.

If a player gets all four words in a set correct, those words are removed from the board. Guess wrong and it counts as a mistake—players get up to four mistakes until the game ends.

Tweet may have been deleted

Players can also rearrange and shuffle the board to make spotting connections easier. Additionally, each group is color-coded with yellow being the easiest, followed by green, blue, and purple. Like Wordle, you can share the results with your friends on social media.

SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for November 24 Here's a hint for today's Connections Sports Edition categories

Want a hint about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:

• Yellow - Ridiculing from the crowd

• Green - Playing surfaces

• Blue - School names

• Purple - Almost great fantasy picks

Featured Video For You Connections: How to play and how to win Here are today's Connections Sports Edition categories

Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:

• Yellow - Heckle

• Green - Types of tennis courts

• Blue - ACC Schools, abbreviated

• Purple - NFL QBs with a letter removed

Looking for Wordle today? Here's the answer to today's Wordle.

Ready for the answers? This is your last chance to turn back and solve today's puzzle before we reveal the solutions.

Drumroll, please!

The solution to today's Connections Sports Edition #62 is...

What is the answer to Connections Sports Edition today

• Heckle: BOO, HISS, HOOT, JEER

• Types of tennis courts: CARPET, CLAY, GRASS, HARD

• ACC Schools, abbreviated: BC, CAL, CUSE, PITT

• NFL QBs with a letter removed: BRAD, COUSIN, MOO, RIVER

Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be new Connections for you to stretch your brain with tomorrow, and we'll be back again to guide you with more helpful hints.

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Connections.

If you're reading this, you're looking for a little help playing Strands, the New York Times' elevated word-search game.

Strands requires the player to perform a twist on the classic word search. Words can be made from linked letters — up, down, left, right, or diagonal, but words can also change direction, resulting in quirky shapes and patterns. Every single letter in the grid will be part of an answer. There's always a theme linking every solution, along with the "spangram," a special, word or phrase that sums up that day's theme, and spans the entire grid horizontally or vertically.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

By providing an opaque hint and not providing the word list, Strands creates a brain-teasing game that takes a little longer to play than its other games, like Wordle and Connections.

If you're feeling stuck or just don't have 10 or more minutes to figure out today's puzzle, we've got all the NYT Strands hints for today's puzzle you need to progress at your preferred pace.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for November 24 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for November 24 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Start small

These words are common phrases or titles.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

Words follow the word "little."

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Little.

Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for November 24

• Foot

• Devil

• League

• Cork

• Spoon

• Rascals

• Women

• Dipper

• Little

Looking for other daily online games? Mashable's Games page has more hints, and if you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now!

Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Strands.

Bluesky, the formerly Jack Dorsey-affiliated, decentralized answer to Elon Musk's X is closing the gap with Threads at breakneck speed. The browser version of Bluesky surpassed Threads in total usage weeks ago, but now the Bluesky app has exploded to 3.5 million daily active users, putting it just 1.5 times behind Meta’s Threads — an impressive feat considering the Threads app had 5x Bluesky's active users at the start of the month.

SEE ALSO: People are importing their lame tweets to Bluesky

The momentum shift has been nothing short of seismic, especially in the wake of the November 5 election. According to Similarweb data reported by the Financial Times, Bluesky’s user base has ballooned by 300 percent since Election Day. Journalists, academics, and companies are fleeing Elon Musk’s chaotic X (formerly Twitter) in droves, and Bluesky is quickly becoming their platform of choice.

Why Bluesky over Threads? Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s decision to downplay political content on Threads appears to have turned off many users seeking vibrant public discourse. Critics see it as an attempt to stay in President-elect Donald Trump’s good graces, effectively neutering the platform’s potential as a forum for political and cultural debate.

Bluesky has quickly become the go-to platform for what commentator Max Read has called the "Politically Engaged Email Job Blob" — the same cohort that helped transform early Twitter into the cultural juggernaut it once was.

That said, Bluesky is still very much a work in progress. Its rapid growth has brought its share of headaches, including outages, glitches, and scammers. As more users flock to this latest "Twitter replacement," expect some inevitable growing pains along the way.

James Acaster opens up about his fears of doing standup comedy again: hecklers, people not laughing and working through his own insecurities.

Hecklers Welcome is now streaming on Max.

Best early Black Friday security camera and video doorbell deals Best security camera deal overall Blink Outdoor 4 [Newest Model] $99.99 (save $160) Get Deal Best video doorbell deal overall Arlo Essential Wired Video Doorbell (AVD1001B) $29.97 (save $100.02) Get Deal

Don't wait for Black Friday! Pre-Black Friday sales are already in full swing, and you can find deals on everything from home goods to home security systems.

Maybe it's because people are becoming more privacy-conscious these days, but everyone seems to be doubling down on surveillance systems for their homes and vehicles. If you haven’t seen that dash cam video of the staged car crash scam, you really should — it's definitely a wake-up call for the need to document everything.

SEE ALSO: I'm a tech editor, and these are the early Black Friday deals threatening my wallet

These gadgets also make great gifts for the security-conscious folks in your life. A couple of years ago, I bought my parents a video doorbell, and they love checking to see if someone’s turning around in their drive and the animals scurrying through their yard whenever they’re out of town. (I named their local raccoon Little King Trashmouth, IYKYK.)

Now, Amazon has deals with top brands like Blink, Arlo, Google Nest, and TP-Link Tapo.

Here are a few to keep an eye on:

Best security camera deal overall Opens in a new window Credit: Blink Blink Outdoor 4 [Newest Model] $99.99 at Amazon
$259.99 Save $160.00 Get Deal Why we like it

If you’re looking for a home security camera that offers great image quality, motion detection, and a budget-friendly price, the Blink Outdoor 4 [Newest Model] is a solid choice.

Right now, you can get this wireless outdoor/indoor home security camera system (it comes with three cameras) for just $99.99 — that’s 62% off the list price and the lowest price we’ve seen on this camera to date.

This home security system lets you see every camera from your phone in 1080p HD live view. It also has night vision and two-way audio to talk to visitors or scare off would-be burglars. It also has a two-year battery life and can be set up in minutes without the help of a professional. With the included 30-day trial of a Blink Subscription, you can record, save, and share your video clips.

Bonus: If you have an Alexa-enabled device, you can use voice commands to access your live camera feed.

More early Black Friday security camera deals

• Roku Outdoor Camera — $19.99 $43.03 (save $23.04)

• Blink Mini 2 — $34.99 $69.99 (save $35)

• Arlo Pro 3 Wireless LED Floodlight Security Camera — $154.99 $249.99 (save $95)

• SimpliSafe 7-Piece Wireless Outdoor Camera Home Security System — $224.99 $449.99 (save $225)

• ecobee Total Security Bundle (Smart Doorbell, SmartSensor, Smart Thermostat) — $369.97 $489.97 (save $120)

Best video doorbell deal overall Opens in a new window Credit: Arlo Arlo Essential Wired Video Doorbell (AVD1001B) $29.97 at Amazon
$129.99 Save $100.02 Get Deal Why we like it

The Arlo Essential Wired Video Doorbell (AVD1001B) is only $29.97 at Amazon. That’s a 77% discount and a record-low price for this model.

This HD video doorbell is wired, so installation will require existing electrical wiring with a voltage between 16V AC and 24V AC to power it. But for under $30, it’s definitely worth considering as an option over the more expensive smart home gadgets out there.

The Arlo Essential Wired Video Doorbell (AVD1001B) features two-way audio, smart alerts, night vision, and the ability to see visitors from your phone wherever you are. It also works with compatible smart devices like Alexa and Google Assistant.

With more than 19K Amazon reviews and a 4-star average rating, it's a popular choice for shoppers looking for an affordable, feature-packed video doorbell.

More early Black Friday video doorbell deals

• Kasa Smart Video Doorbell (KD110) — $37.99 $59.99 (save $22)

• Tapo TP-Link Smart Video Doorbell Camera (D230S1) — $79.99 $119.99 (save $40)

• Arlo Video Doorbell (AVDK4001-100CNS) — $89.99 $149.99 (save $60)

• Google Nest Doorbell (Wired, 2nd Gen) — $98 $179.99 (save $81.99)

Matt Gaetz is pulling a George Santos.

The Florida Republican has gone from a sitting member of Congress to selling custom videos on Cameo in about the span of a week.

SEE ALSO: George Santos is now on Cameo as a 'former congressional icon'

On Friday, as first noticed by Semafor political reporter Kadia Goba, Matt Gaetz opened up an official account on Cameo, a website that allows celebrities to sell custom message videos to fans.

When Gaetz opened the account, he priced his videos at $250 before quickly updating the price to $500. As of publishing, Gaetz is now selling Cameo videos for $525.

Matt Gaetz's Cameo page Credit: Mashable screenshot via Cameo

Gaetz has already sold and completed at least two videos, both are viewable on his Cameo profile page.

"I served in Congress. Trump nominated me to be US Attorney General (that didn’t work out). Once I fired the House Speaker," reads Gaetz's profile on Cameo.

The disgraced Congressman to Cameo pipeline

As his profile hints, Gaetz resigned from Congress on Nov. 13, shortly after President-elect Donald Trump announced that he was nominating the Florida Republican to be attorney general.

Gaetz was a controversial pick from the start. The former Congressman was disliked even by members of his own party. As he mentions in his profile, Gaetz played a critical role in ousting former Congressman Kevin McCarthy from his House Speaker role in 2023.

Gaetz also faced another big hurdle: A House Ethics Committee investigation into allegations that Gaetz engaged in sexual misconduct with a 17-year-old. Gaetz withdrew from AG consideration around the time CNN published a report about a second sexual misconduct allegation. According to reports, Trump had called Gaetz to let him know that he did not have the votes in Congress to be confirmed as AG as well.

The move to Cameo from Gaetz is reminiscent of another disgraced former Congressman's post-politics plan. Republican George Santos was kicked out of Congress late last year following an array of federal charges, including wire fraud and identity theft.

Shortly after leaving Congress, Santos started a Cameo account where he began selling custom videos for $150. Santos also quickly raised his prices too.

Gaetz move isn't that much of a surprise as Santos' Cameo career has proved to be quite lucrative. In February 2024, it was reported that Santos had sold 1,200 videos on Cameo and had made $400,000 in just a couple of months. That beats what Gaetz and Santos were making as Congressmen, which comes with a salary of $174,000.

Best early Black Friday drone deals Best drone deal overall DJI Mini 4K $239 (save $60) Get Deal Best drone deal for kids Holy Stone HS420 Mini Drone $39.99 (save $20) Get Deal Best portable drone deal Potensic ATOM SE $239.99 (save $100) Get Deal

All of November has been “Black Friday” for online retailers. From Target to Walmart to Best Buy, brands have been doing everything to compete against Amazon before the Big Day.

SEE ALSO: What time Black Friday sales start for Amazon, Target, Walmart, Best Buy, and more

This year, we’re seeing tons of early discounts across almost every product category — including drones, a hot-ticket item for the holidays. As of Nov. 23, you can get up to 52% off drones at select retailers, including DJI, Amazon, and Best Buy.

Drones are usually pretty expensive, so Black Friday is the time to snag one if you want to try aerial photography or just fly something fun around your backyard. They also make great gifts (I bought one for my dad not too long ago for his birthday, and he loves it!).

Here are the best early Black Friday drone deals we could find:

Best drone deal overall Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Mini 4K $239.00 at DJI
$299.00 Save $60.00 Get Deal Why we like it

The DJI Mini 4K is on sale for $239, down from $299 on the DJI website — that’s $60 off. It’s a great entry-level drone for beginners that won’t cost a fortune.

With a CMOS camera, this little drone can shoot 4K video or take photographer-level shots with its QuickShots and Panoramas settings. Its max flight time is 31 minutes, plenty of time to get the shots you want. Plus, it’s super light (under 249 grams), so you don’t have to register it with the FAA. (You can literally hold it in the palm of your hand.)

It also supports 38kph (Level 5) wind resistance and 4000m max takeoff altitude, so you can film or fly in almost any condition.

Best drone deal for kids Opens in a new window Credit: Holy Stone Holy Stone HS420 Mini Drone $39.99 at Amazon
$59.99 Save $20.00 Get Deal Why we like it

If you’re thinking about gifting your kids their first drone, getting one of those weird, off-brand ones from Amazon may be tempting. But the Holy Stone Drone is currently $39.99, down from $59.99 — a solid choice that will actually hold up.

Holy Stone is one of the best names in the drone industry, and with the Holy Stone HS420 Mini Drone, you get a lot of impressive features like “toss to launch” and “one-key start” for easy flying. This drone can also perform stunts and is outfitted with altitude hold and headless mode for beginner pilots.

It also has two batteries, so your kids can fly twice as long.

Best portable drone deal Opens in a new window Credit: Potensic Potensic ATOM SE $239.99 at Potensic
$339.99 Save $100.00 Get Deal Why we like it

If you want a drone that’s easy to take anywhere, check out the Potensic ATOM SE. Right now, it's on sale for $239.99 (down from $339.99) on the Potensic website. That's a savings of $100.

This drone is super portable. It weighs less than 250 grams and folds up small enough to fit in your jacket pocket. It also comes with a handy carrying case to keep everything organized.

It has a 4K HD camera with electronic image stabilization (EIS) that helps you capture smooth, crisp aerial videos and 12MP photos. You can even shoot in RAW format to edit your photos like a pro. Two batteries provide a total of 62 minutes of flight time, so you won’t have to worry about running out of juice.

Other cool features include a return-to-home function, a “follow me” mode, and “points of interest,” where the drone autonomously tracks moving objects or focuses on specific areas of interest during flight.

More early Black Friday drone deals

• Snaptain K30 Mini 720P HD Camera Drone — $59.99 $79.99 (save $20)

• Snaptain S5C PRO FHD Drone — $69.99 $99.99 (save $30)

• Holy Stone HS110D FPV RC Drone — $71.99 $89.99 (save $18)

• Holy Stone HS175D RC Quadcopter — $135.99 $169.99 (save $34)

• Snaptain P30 4K Drone — $179.99 $269.99 (save $90)

• DJI Mini 3 Fly More Combo (DJI RC) — $559 $719 (save $160)

• DJI Avata 2 Fly More Combo (three batteries) — $1,199 $1,493 (save $294)

Audio Events on LinkedIn will soon be no more.

In an update published this week, LinkedIn announced that it would be combining Audio Events with LinkedIn Live, effectively shutting down the audio-only streaming feature.

SEE ALSO: LinkedIn is using your data to train AI. Here's how to turn it off.

According to the update, LinkedIn users can no longer schedule a new Audio Event as of December 2. Audio Events already scheduled before December 31 can continue as planned. Any Audio Event scheduled after that date must be rescheduled by December 15 as Audio Events will be entirely unavailable after this year.

The end of LinkedIn's Audio Events

LinkedIn launched Audio Events in 2022. The feature was the business professional-oriented social network's answer to Twitter's Spaces feature or the Clubhouse app. Streaming audio-only platforms became quite popular during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic. Clubhouse, for example, was valued at $1 billion at one point. 

However, the audio streaming boom quickly ended as industry trends recalibrated following the end of lockdowns and the release of the COVID-19 vaccines. By 2023, Clubhouse was laying off half of its employees.

LinkedIn's announcement says that the company is simply "unifying" its Audio Events and LinkedIn Live features. However, LinkedIn Live, the platform's live streaming feature, requires that users stream via a third-party service.

LinkedIn Live, the platform's live streaming feature, requires that users utilize a third-party streaming service. With the closure of Audio Events, LinkedIn will also be ending native streaming services on its platform. 

The Daily Mini Crossword is one of the many popular daily word games available on Mashable. Powered by Arkadium, the mini crossword offers a speed round of puzzle fun with clues that are sure to challenge experienced crossword enthusiasts.

But there's no need to let the challenge get in the way of your enjoyment! If moments are turning to minutes after getting stuck on a clue, find the answers you need to progress right here.

And when you're done, check out the many other word games you can play on Mashable, including a full-size crossword.

Also, if you get stuck on any other daily word games, such as Wordle, Connections, or Strands — we have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle hints and answers for November 23 SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Play games on Mashable

Here are the clues and answers to Daily Mini Crossword for Saturday, November 23, 2024:

AcrossWord after Gingerbread or Muffin

• The answer is MAN.

Used a U-Haul, say

• The answer is Moved.

Cover in gemstones, as a princess costume

• The answer is Bejewel.

Journalist Shapiro

• The answer is Ari.

Helpful blackjack card

• The answer is Ace.

Approximate shape of this puzzle's grid (if you squint)

• The answer is Octagon.

Sweet, sticky stuff

• The answer is Honey.

Home with a trough of slop

• The answer is Sty.

DownSummery cocktails with muddled mint

• The answer is Mojitos.

Vermont or Ventnor in Monopoly: Abbr.

• The answer is Ave.

Like a shop that sells crystals and incense, you might say

• The answer is New Agey.

Concert tees and CDs

• The answer is Merch.

Wooden duck, e.g.

• The answer is Decoy.

Chinese steamed bun

• The answer is Bao.

Goodman who was a longtime judge on "Dancing With the Stars"

• The answer is Len.

Critter in a farm that's kept on a shelf

• The answer is Ant.

If you're looking for more puzzles, Mashable's got games now! Check out our games hub for Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more.

Featured Video For You The Wordle Strategy used by the New York Times' Head of Games

Are you also playing NYT Strands? See hints and answers for today's Strands.

Not the day you're after? Here's the solution to yesterday's Mini Crossword.

TL;DR: This lesson package is a great gift for guitar lovers, with courses from beginner to advanced, now for just $14.97 through December 8.

• Beginner to advanced courses — perfect for players at any stage, whether they’re just starting or looking to master jazz and blues

• Guided by expert Dan Dresnok, an instructor with over 30 years of experience, specializing in styles like jazz, blues, and rock

• Fundamentals like reading tablature, playing chords, and soloing included

• Courses on music theory and songwriting to understand how songs are constructed and how to create original music on guitar

• Techniques like fingerstyle, sweep picking, and harmonics for a unique playing style

• Fun practical applications — courses include jam sessions, children’s songs, and Christmas favorites, so they can play along with family and friends

• Includes 30+ hours of on-demand content accessible 24/7, so they can learn guitar skills anytime, anywhere

For anyone looking to start or advance their guitar journey, lifetime access to this guitar lessons training bundle offers a full spectrum of guitar knowledge for just $14.97.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: StackCommerce The 2024 Guitar Lessons Training Bundle $14.97
$480.00 Save $465.03 Get Deal

TL;DR: Instead of paying $149 for the 2024 edition of Microsoft Office, get lifetime access for only $129.97 with this early Black Friday offer through December 1.

Did you hear? Microsoft has finally released the latest version of Microsoft Office—it's huge because it's been three years. The 2024 version has given your favorite apps a makeover, new productivity features, AI integration, and so much more to get you closer to your goals. 

You don't need to pay full price for Microsoft Office 2024 since this early Black Friday offer arrived just in time. Save an additional $20 on your Mac or PC download and grab lifelong access for only $129.97 while supplies last.

Your favorite Microsoft apps, but updated

With this lifetime license, you could drop the subscription you would usually pay for Microsoft 365, which is about $70 a year. Once you complete the one-time payment, you'll have these productivity apps on your Windows or Mac device forever.

There are a number of upgrades and additions, like a sleek, ribbon-based interface on each app for seamless navigation, so check out what's included in Microsoft Office 2024.

The most exciting feature of the newest version of this suite is its overall AI integration. Enjoy assistance from Microsoft's intelligent AI tools for text, formatting, and design suggestions across all apps. There's even AI in Excel to help you analyze data more effectively, and another one that can recommend audio descriptions and alternative text for images for greater accessibility.

Another feature that could boost your workflow is how easy collaboration is with Microsoft Office 2024. The built-in chat, commenting features, and version history could help you and your colleagues work more efficiently.

This early Black Friday deal is only valid through December 1 at 11:59 p.m. PT, so grab your PC or Mac download of Microsoft Office 2024 while codes are still available for $129.97.

Microsoft Office 2024 Home for Mac or PC: One-Time Purchase

Only $129.97 at Mashable

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Retail King Microsoft Office 2024 Home for Mac or PC: One-Time Purchase $119.97
$149.99 Save $30.02 Get Deal

TL;DR: This dual USB-C and USB-A 1TB storage drive offers fast, secure, and versatile storage — ideal for techies, professionals, or anyone who needs more space at $69.97 with free shipping until December 8.

• Dual USB-C and USB-A compatibility makes it easy to use across multiple devices, from laptops to tablets and more

• High-speed USB 3.2 technology delivers quick read/write speeds, so you can transfer large files efficiently without delays

• 1TB storage capacity means you have space for all your big files, from presentations to photos and videos

• Rugged, waterproof, dustproof, and anti-drop design protects your data in all environments, offering reliability wherever you go

• Portable and compact — this drive fits easily in your pocket or bag, perfect for professionals on the move or anyone needing flexible storage

Through December 8, get secure, fast, and versatile storage that fits in your pocket with this 1TB dual USB-C and USB-A high-speed flash drive for $69.97 (reg. $109).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: UGR Tech Dual USB-C + USB-A 3.2 High Speed Flash Drive (1TB) $69.97
$109.99 Save $40.02 Get Deal

TL;DR: Give the ultimate connectivity gift with this 13-in-1 docking station — a stocking stuffer that packs ports galore for $44.97 through December 15.

Holiday shopping for someone who’s always juggling cables and running out of ports? This 13-in-1 docking station for $44.97 (reg. $70) is the ultimate stocking stuffer for anyone with a love for gadgets — and a serious need for more connectivity.

With a compact design that belies its power, this docking station packs 13 different ports, including two HDMI outputs, USB 3.0, USB-C, SD and microSD slots, and even an Ethernet port. It’s the kind of stocking stuffer that transforms a cluttered desk into a streamlined workspace, making it a thoughtful gift for techies, remote workers, and anyone looking to keep their devices plugged in and ready to go.

One of the highlights is its dual HDMI outputs, letting them extend or mirror their display to two additional screens in crisp 4K. For those who thrive on multitasking or need a more immersive workspace, this feature alone makes the dock a game-changer. And with its high-speed USB 3.0 and USB-C ports, transferring files and charging devices happens quickly, keeping productivity levels high.

Small enough to slip into a stocking yet packed with enough power to handle multiple devices, this docking station will make their tech life infinitely easier. From office setups to home entertainment systems, this 13-in-1 dock brings versatile connectivity to all their favorite devices.

So, if you’re looking for a stocking stuffer that’ll actually make an impact, the 13-in-1 Docking Station with Dual HDMI is a winning choice — on sale as an early Black Friday offer for $44.97.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

Opens in a new window Credit: Tech Zebra 13-in-1 Docking Station with Dual HDMI $44.97
$70.00 Save $25.03 Get Deal

With drones and A.I., researchers managed to double the number of mysterious geoglyphs in a matter of months.

Branden Lathan considered himself a savvy businessman. He'd invested in real estate and ecommerce side businesses. By day, he works as a cybersecurity professional.

Recently, however, Lathan lost $56,000 to an ecommerce scheme that allegedly defrauded its customers of at least $25 million, according to a lawsuit filed in September by the Federal Trade Commission. The action was part of a broader crackdown on companies claiming a competitive edge thanks to artificial intelligence.

The FTC lawsuit refers to the company as Ascend CapVentures Inc., but during a period when many clients say they were defrauded, it operated as Ascend CapVentures Inc. and more recently rebranded as ACV. 

The FTC alleges that Ascend CapVentures Inc. founders lined their pockets with their customers' money, rather than spend it on their stores. 

SEE ALSO: One thing to know before you buy a gift card

Ascend CapVentures attorney Jonathan D. Herpy, of the firm Hart David Carson, previously provided a statement on the FTC suit to Law.com. 

"Our opinion, from a corporate counsel standpoint, is that Ascend takes all of these regulatory matters very seriously and is committed to full compliance with the FTC guidelines," Herpy told Law.com. 

Mashable contacted the company's legal representatives multiple times by phone and email for a response to the allegations but didn't receive one. In October, the company's lawyers submitted a response to the FTC lawsuit in a federal district court, denying all of the agency's charges. 

Lathan became ensnared in the alleged scam because he'd hoped to reap profits from the pandemic-era surge in ecommerce. In 2022, he borrowed against his home equity and paid a company, called Ascend CapVentures Inc. at the time, to open and manage an Amazon store on his behalf. That was $40,000. 

Then, over the period of his contract, Lathan paid Ascend CapVentures Inc. $18,968 to stock his store, using a business credit card and his home equity loan. The company struggled to notch any meaningful sales or produce profit for Lathan's store, and it didn't deliver on its ambitious sales projections, which were supposed to reach six figures within a year. 

It couldn't even properly sell merchandise, according to the FTC complaint, which alleges that the company purchased counterfeit goods to sell in its clients' stores.

Lathan, who spoke to the FTC under penalty of perjury, told investigators that Ascend CapVentures Inc. stocked his store with counterfeit products, which led to its deactivation. The meager profit Lathan says he made, which reduced his losses from nearly $59,000 to $56,000, were from items later identified as counterfeit.

Lathan has a warning for anyone considering opening their own ecommerce store on platforms like Amazon, Walmart, and TikTok, in partnership with a management firm.

"I would say the most important thing is that this space is so overcrowded," Lathan says. "There's too much saturation in the market…then you have people trying to capitalize on that, like all these scammers."

Learn the warning signs of an ecommerce store scam by reading this story.

How it started: a passive income business opportunity

Lathan first learned about Ascend CapVentures Inc. in 2022, when he was searching for opportunities to generate passive income. These offers are all over social media, peddled by influencers who often flaunt luxury purchases they've allegedly made with their passive income. Their promises are often empty or purposely deceptive, particularly when their pitch involves making a lot of money with little to no work. 

Lathan learned about Ascend CapVentures Inc. while listening to Business with Beers, a podcast that he trusted. The company's co-founder, Will Basta, talked persuasively about it successful operation. 

The part of the interview that hooked Lathan was when the podcast host said he bought his own store. Mashable confirmed this account with host, Brian Beers, who acknowledged he'd become a victim, too. Beers removed the episode in the fall of 2022, when he "felt something wasn't right." 

Lathan researched Ascend CapVentures Inc. by checking its website and social media accounts. He even found one former Ascend CapVentures Inc. customer on Reddit, who described his experience as neither terrible nor great—but noted that he made back his original $40,000 investment. 

Lathan reviewed the company's contract with his girlfriend at the time, who was a lawyer. It had a buyback clause, which reassured Lathan. If an owner didn't recoup their expenses within two years, Ascend CapVentures Inc. would purchase the store back from them, for the difference between the initial investment and the customer's profits. Lathan knew opening a store wasn't risk-free, but he put "faith" in the contract. 

"As long as I keep my end of the bargain, which I plan to do and I did do, I'm pretty safe with this investment," Lathan thought at the time.  

Before signing his contract, Lathan also spoke to Basta and the company's director of partnerships. He watched glowing testimonial videos of purported Ascend CapVentures Inc. clients, provided to him by Basta. Lathan thought he'd done everything in his power to rule out the possibility of a scam.

How it went: deceived into selling counterfeit goods

In May 2022, Lathan signed a contract to open a Fulfilled by Amazon store, and wired Ascend CapVentures Inc. the $40,000 fee. Under this model, Ascend CapVentures Inc. would purchase products to be stored in its own warehouse, then send them in bulk to Amazon for shipping. The agreement gave Ascend CapVentures Inc. 30 percent of his store's monthly net profits. 

Within weeks, Lathan was concerned. Ascend CapVentures Inc. switched its model to "Fulfilled by Merchant," putting the company directly in charge of shipping to customers, and began drop shipping, or using third parties to send customers their orders, a practice that's permitted on Amazon only if certain guidelines are followed.

Ascend CapVentures Inc. also failed to meet timelines for stocking the store, and its representatives were slow to respond or unresponsive, according to Lathan. Basta told Lathan to stay patient and give his team space to work, according to Lathan's FTC declaration. 

After several months of poor sales, and back and forth with Basta and other company employees, Lathan learned from Amazon in December 2022 that his store had violated the company's shipping policies. He received similar notices in May and August of 2023. 

In the spring of the same year, Lathan got more bad news: a major vitamin company sent him cease and desist letters for selling their products without authorization. 

Lathan told FTC investigators that when he notified Ascend CapVentures Inc., the company liquidated those products from his store, offering them for extremely low prices. They sold quickly, but made Lathan no money. He believes Ascend disobeyed the cease and desist, and that the vitamin brand didn't realize the products had been sold. 

In June 2023, Lathan tried to hold Ascend CapVentures Inc. accountable by posting a critical review of the company to Trustpilot. Lathan told FTC investigators that Ascend CapVentures Inc.'s legal and compliance team found the review and said that he'd violated his terms of service by writing it, and that he could be held liable for defamation as a result. 

Honest reviews are protected by federal law, which Lathan knew. But under legal threat, and feeling pressure to modify what he'd written, he made changes to the review, noting that he'd edited certain statements to comply with the company's terms of service. Ascend CapVentures Inc. told him that admission again violated those terms. 

The company also offered to make things right if he removed the review altogether. Lathan hoped the arrangement would turn his store around, so he removed the review. Ascend CapVentures Inc. soon told Lathan they could buy him inventory for which they'd projected a return of at least 20 percent. 

What happened next doomed his store. After an initial round of robust sales, he got more letters from Amazon, this time concerning makeup and moisturizing products from major brands that appeared to be inauthentic. Then Amazon told him merchandise from a notable skincare brand in his store might be fake, too. By September, Amazon deactivated his store because of concerns about authenticity. It never reopened.

The fallout of an alleged ecommerce store scam

Lathan requested a full refund in October, which Ascend CapVentures Inc. rejected. Lathan, along with other Ascend victims who'd convened in a private Facebook group that he'd created, decided to hire a lawyer.

When that lawyer contacted Ascend CapVentures Inc. earlier this year, Lathan says he discovered he was no longer able to communicate with the company via Slack. The group's lawyer dropped their mass arbitration claim once it became clear that the FTC was investigating Ascend CapVentures Inc.

Lathan is still grappling with the financial fallout of working with Ascend CapVentures Inc. He used most of his savings to pay off the $35,000 balance on his home equity loan, because the interest rate jumped to 10 percent. That money had been earmarked for home repairs, like fixing cracked and leaking bathroom tile. But the loss has also affected Lathan's mental health. He's felt sad and angry. 

"I'm someone who's worked very hard my whole life to get everything I have," he says. 

While Lathan doesn't expect to get all of his money back, the FTC investigation has given him hope that Ascend CapVentures Inc. won't be able to escape accountability. 

He's committed to seeing the case through: "Personally I'm not stopping until I feel like I'm whole in one way or another."

As a mom of two, I've spent many hours playing with my kids. I pay close attention to which toys and books bring them joy — and which get tossed into a corner. So when compiling this list of the best gifts for toddlers, I went right to the source. Part of our bigger series dedicated to finding the Best Gifts For Everyone, what follows is a list of the best toddler gifts, according to my 4-year-old and 1-year-old. What you won't see here is any distinction between genders: All toys are for all kids. Every single thing here is something that my kids play with often. And while the best gifts for big kids and teen girls can be heavily influenced by trends, the best gifts for toddlers are more timeless, encouraging open-ended play and learning. Every item here would make an excellent gift, whether it's Christmas, Hannukkah, a birthday, or otherwise.

A tender take on an incredible true story, Netflix's Joy tells the story of the scientists who pioneered the investigation that created the world’s first baby born through in vitro fertilisation (IVF). Their research in the late '60s, early '70s changed the lives of many — since then, over 12 million babies have been born as a result of IVF and other assisted reproductive technologies like it.

Directed by Ben Taylor, Joy is true to life in more ways than one, as the script was not only based on history but was co-written by Jack Thorne and his wife Rachel Mason, inspired by their own fertility struggles and experiences with IVF. Joy follows the lives of embryologist Jean Purdy (Thomasin Mackenzie), surgeon Patrick Steptoe (Bill Nighy), and scientist Robert Edwards (James Norton) as they fight opposition from church, state, and the media towards their work. 

SEE ALSO: What is reproductive justice? Check out these resources to learn about the movement.

But how much has really changed since then in terms of social stigma and discrimination around fertility and pregnancy?

Joy zones in on harmful social stigma around fertility  Thomasin McKenzie as Jean Purdy as James Norton as Robert Edwards in "Joy." Credit: Kerry Brown / Netflix

Joy provides a telling snapshot of the ways that societal attitudes hindered the progress of the IVF investigation and establishment of the Bourn Hall Fertility Clinic in Cambridge, and how these views personally impacted not only the team working on it but the women who courageously volunteered to take part — they called themselves the Ovum Club. 

As the leading nurse and embryologist on the project, Jean suffers in her personal life. She is excommunicated by her devoutly religious mother Gladys (Joanna Scanlan) and church community for her work, and is especially criticised for working alongside Steptoe, who was part of a minority of doctors who performed legal abortions at the time, to the outrage of many. We even see Jean grapple with the tension between abortion and her faith, with one poignant scene seeing operating theatre supervisor Muriel "Matron" Harris (Tanya Moodie) reminding her of the overarching importance of providing women with a choice — whether that means giving them a chance to conceive using science or end a pregnancy.

Thomasin McKenzie as Jean Purdy. Credit: Kerry Brown / Netflix

Jean and Robert receive huge amounts of harassment in the film, with Robert heckled on live TV, taunted in the street, and called "Dr Frankenstein" for his efforts, with the words painted on the outer walls of the clinic. The women involved in the experiment (brought to the screen by actors such as Derry Girls star Louisa Harland as Rachel, Bridgerton’s Harriet Cains as Gail, and Carla Harrison-Hodge as Alice) aren’t safe from society’s judgement either, or fertility (and infertility) stigma. Newspapers hound them during their treatment, offering thousands of pounds to the scientists for their names and addresses — all in the service of invading their privacy to shame them for their choice.

The film's examination of infertility is personal for its protagonist; Jean's enduring issues with endometriosis and infertility are a key arc in Joy. Endometriosis — a gynaecological condition that makes it harder to conceive — is under researched to this day, and was even more so in the 1960s and 1970s, generating shame in women who were made to feel it was their fault they couldn’t conceive. Jean expands on this in a heartbreaking scene, explaining that so many women (including herself) feel lost without this ability, whatever the cause. As well as being vilified for seeking out IVF as an alternative, Jean reflects, patriarchal society determines the worth of these women by their ability to become a mother — an attitude that prevails today, arguably, and feeds into pregnancy, fertility and infertility stigma. 

Where does fertility stigma come from? 

Sadly, fertility stigma is as deeply embedded in our history as it is in our modern culture. For instance, noble women in medieval Japan faced judgement within their marriages if they did not produce children, while 19th century France saw doctors accuse women who didn't have children as being promiscuous, of having venereal disease, and having abortions. Even as recently as the mid 20th century — around the time where Joy is set — women were accused of committing “adultery” if they conceived by using artificial insemination by donor sperm. The suffering and vilification of women due to motherhood being viewed as the ultimate marker of femininity, and the traditional methods of conception being prioritised over women’s health and wellness, can be tracked through the centuries. 

The law's impact on our reproductive choices  A protester in Trafalgar Square, London, in 2022 following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v Wade. Credit: Vuk Valcic / SOPA Images / LightRocket via Getty Images

We’ve seen a shift in attitudes towards fertility and pregnancy since the era Joy is set. However, we’ve also seen this manifest in different ways, solidifying into law and limiting how women make decisions around their bodies — the most prominent example being the U.S. Supreme Court's overturn of Roe v. Wade in 2022 and subsequent state abortion bans.

In October in the UK, following heavy campaigning, England and Wales passed a law to make mandatory safe access buffer zones at a 150-metre radius around all abortion clinics. This will provide protection for women accessing this healthcare, with activity designed to influence women or which causes harassment, alarm, or distress all banned by law. Reports of harassment continued all the way up to the ban, with British Pregnancy Advisory Service (BPAS) CEO Heidi Stewart reporting women being called "murderers and having leaflets shoved at them falsely claiming abortion causes breast cancer."

Stewart describes the buffer zones as "a crucial step in ensuring that women can access essential healthcare without fear, shame, or intimidation."

But Stewart is clear that there is much further to go to combat fertility and pregnancy stigma, and points to the importance of "remaining vigilant and relentless in the protection of abortion rights for women" — a sentiment shared by the U.S.-based Center for Reproductive Rights.

After all, in the U.S., such stigma remains ever more volatile and threatening, particularly with November's re-election of Donald Trump, who played a key role in overturning Roe v. Wade, causing abortion to be nearly or completely banned in 17 states.

SEE ALSO: How to support reproductive rights in the U.S. from outside the U.S.

“When issues of reproductive rights are allowed to fester in silence, stigma grows,” Stewart explains. "If the ongoing events in the United States have taught us anything – it’s that remaining silent on reproductive rights is no longer an option."

It's crucial that such attitudes and actions are questioned to quell the spread of stigma on both sides of the Atlantic, so that the choices the team represented in Joy fought for are protected for all women.

How fertility stigma impacts women's experience in the workplace

We also know that this kind of discrimination doesn’t just surround a person’s attempts to become pregnant or their decision to end a pregnancy. Joeli Brearley, CEO and founder of Pregnant Then Screwed (PTS) — a charity dedicated to ending "the motherhood penalty" which encompasses the impacts motherhood has on women's careers — says that their experiences and progression in the workplace are affected too.

“Women are seen as distracted and less committed to their job from the point they get pregnant,” she explains. “So we need managers to be trained in unconscious bias and to understand the business reasons for looking after pregnant employees."

Brearley adds that women have been found to be scared to discuss fertility treatment with their employer for fear of discrimination. "According to our research, one in four women who are undergoing fertility treatment experience unfair treatment as a result," Brearley says. Once women return to work after having a child, the situation doesn’t necessarily improve – according to PTS research, 77 percent of women experience discrimination when they return to work. “It's not a 'mum' problem, it's a societal problem,” she explains.

The pioneering team represented in Joy faced such backlash and treatment, as did the self-described Ovum Club of women who participated in the early IVF tests. Their fertility was dismissed as a serious and impactful health issue back in the '60s, with personal, private choices around pregnancy made fodder for the public to debate. And decades later, we're not out of the woods yet. Much more needs to change for the stigma to truly be lifted, and for women to feel free. 

“When women can make these deeply personal decisions without fear of public judgement or confrontation," Stewart says, "we are affirming their right to choose and reinforcing that fertility and pregnancy choices should be free from stigma."

Joy is now streaming on Netflix.

Astronomers got lucky.

NASA has confirmed over 5,780 worlds beyond our solar system, called exoplanets. But it's rare to detect a juvenile, still-maturing planet, because they inhabit chaotic systems that are flush with obscuring dust and gas. By chance, this distant debris has parted, allowing researchers using the sensitive cameras aboard the space agency's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) to spot such a planet.

"A huge planet with a long name – IRAS 04125+2902 b – is really just a baby: only 3 million years old," NASA recently explained. "And because such infant worlds are usually hidden inside obscuring disks of debris, it is the youngest planet so far discovered using the dominant method of planet detection." (For reference, our middle-aged planet, Earth, is some 4.5 billion years old.)

SEE ALSO: NASA scientist viewed first Voyager images. What he saw gave him chills.

Most exoplanets today are discovered by the "transit method," wherein a telescope watches for slight dips in a star's brightness — caused by a transiting planet. Although the method doesn't work if the star and greater solar system are shrouded in debris, a research team found that the ring of debris in IRAS 04125+2902 b's solar system has become "sharply warped," thus revealing the baby world. Their research is published in the science journal Nature.

What might have caused this unusual warping? It's unclear, though the researchers have ideas. Unlike the sun, most stars have stellar companions (called binary systems), including the stars in this distant solar system. It's possible that this companion star's gravity and influence could have stoked a shift in the nascent planetary disk; however, there's no evidence of such an effect. It's also possible the young planet got bumped out of its obscured orbit by another larger object in space, but there's no evidence of that yet, either.

The young world, some 430 light-years away, orbits close to its star and has a mass that's at most one-third of the gas giant Jupiter, yet measurements show it's about the same diameter as Jupiter (at 88,846 miles, or 142,984 kilometers, across, Jupiter is 11 times wider than Earth). This suggests its developing atmosphere is inflated, and will trim down. But into what?

An artist's conception of the young world IRAS 04125+2902 b in front of its star. To the left is the developing solar system's thick ring of dust and gas. Credit: NASA / JPL-Caltech / R. Hurt / K. Miller (Caltech/IPAC)

Over many millions of years, NASA suspects the young world could mature into either of the most common planets found in our Milky Way galaxy: a "super-Earth" or mini-Neptune.

A mini-Neptune, as it sounds, is a gaseous world between the size of Earth and Neptune. A super-Earth, of which astronomers have found many intriguing examples, is a world ranging from some 30 to 70 percent bigger than Earth. It can be rocky (like Earth) or largely composed of thick, swirling gases. Or both. Around one-third of exoplanets discovered so far are super-Earths, meaning they're awfully common in other solar systems. And if they inhabit, or eventually inhabit, a temperate region of a solar system, such a rocky world could potentially harbor water, a crucial ingredient for life on Earth.

Your future is long-lived and open, IRAS 04125+2902 b. What will you become?

Every year ahead of Black Friday, my editors say: Stan, you've been doing this a long time. You can surely find the best Black Friday tech deals out there. To this, I say: But I already have all the gadgets in the world. I don't need anything. Go away! A brawl breaks out.

OK, not really. It's my job to write about tech, sometimes including Black Friday stuff. But I do have a hill I'm prepared to die on: I'm only ever going to write about deals that I, personally, think are really good. This year, the angle is this: Are there any deals out there that are so enticing that would make me splurge, even though I'm already drowning in gadgets?

As it turns out, there are! Not a ton, mind you. The criteria was as follows: The price has to be lower than I've ever seen, and the gadget on offer has to be something that's really worth spending money. I'm looking at you, battery powered cuckoo clock. Yes, that's an affiliate link. Yes, someone's gonna buy that. Yes, it's not even discounted. I don't care.

Back to business: Here are the best three early Black Friday deals I found:

The workhorse you need: Apple 2022 M2 MacBook Air, 13-inch Looks like the new one, and it's not far behind in terms of performance, either. Credit: Apple

If you already have a MacBook with an M-series chip, you probably don't need this. But if you're looking to buy a MacBook on the cheap, with nearly all the bells and whistles of the brand new models, this is the one to get.

You see, the cool thing about Apple's M-series chips is that they're so good, you don't need to get a device with the latest one. I have a MacBook Pro with an M1 chip inside and it's still perfectly capable of handling all my daily tasks. This means that the M2 chip, which is what you get with this 2022 MacBook Air, will be plenty fast for most users.

Another important note about this particular MacBook Air model is that it's the redesigned one. You're basically getting the latest design and a very capable chip at an incredible discount. What kind of discount? Well, the price is down to $750, a $150 discount off the standard $900 list price. That's for the version with 16GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD.

If you squint, the wallpaper says "Air." Credit: Mashable composite/Apple

Alternatively, you can get the new, 2024 MacBook Air at a pretty sweet discount: The 13-inch version costs $849 (a $250 discount), while the 15-inch model costs $1,234 (again, down $250 from the standard asking price). We've got the details on that deal over here.

In my mind, however, the $750 price is pretty unbeatable for a MacBook Air that will surely serve you well for many years to come.

The high-end phone you crave: Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra The end boss of Samsung phones. Credit: Samsung

Every year, a new Samsung Galaxy Ultra phone comes out, and I cry. I cry tears of sadness because it's the best one, but it's also just so damn pricy. To refresh your memory, the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra started at $1,299 when it launched.

Now, however, is your chance to get that exact phone for less. A lot less. Right now, Amazon lists this phone at $949.99, a full 27% off the original price.

It's been out for more than half a year, yes. But it's still the most powerful smartphone in Samsung's lineup, with a monster 200-megapixel main camera, a 6.8-inch, 120Hz, edge-to-edge display, a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip, 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. Oh, and it also supports Samsung's S Pen. The phone is only available in titanium violet at this price, but the color is subdued enough to fit most tastes.

If you need more storage, there's an even bigger saving (in absolute dollar terms) to be had, as the same device with 512GB of storage costs $1,069.99, $350 off the full list price of $1,419.99. It's not a small amount of money, but if you get this, you've beaten the Android end boss. This is it, there aren't any phones more powerful than this. Congratulations.

The stupendously big TV: Hisense 75-inch Class QD6 Series QLED 4K TV It has a long name, but you only need to remember the following: It's a 75 inches 4K TV for $449.99. Credit: HiSense

Hey, I know what you're thinking. You don't really need a 75-inch, 4K TV. But this is where it is my job and solemn duty to tell you that's wrong. You need a 75-inch TV. All the stuff you've been hearing about TVs being too big for your living room? Nonsense. A TV should be as large as manageable and permitted by architectural boundaries. Period.

Now that we've got that settled, our TV recommendation for this early Black Friday deal is this 75-inch HiSense QLED. It costs just $449.99, which is $250 less than usual. Had someone told you a decade ago you'd be able to buy a 75-inch TV for under $500, you'd probably say "I know, prices of gadgets go down all the time." OK, smarty pants. You still need to get this TV, though. It's time.

We've got some of the specs highlights for this model here. The most important bit, in my humble opinion, is that HiSense TVs have slowly but surely gotten better over the years, and are now very close to being just as good to those from the biggest brands.