Mashable

Whether you should get a robot vacuum or a stick vacuum boils down to one question: How picky are you about cleaning?

Everyone can probably acknowledge the appeal of not lifting a finger to clean their floors. But to some, that convenience may not be worth the cringe sparked by watching a robot vacuum ignore a crumb or eat a phone charger. Despite notable upgrades in smart mapping and cleaning performance over the past half-decade, even the best robot vacuums of 2025 can't match the precision of the best cordless stick vacuums operated by, you know, an actual human with a brain.

Cordless vacuums also just have the physical advantage in a lot of tricky spots. If you'd like to keep up with couch cushions, car seats, stairs, or the dusty abyss lying behind every door, a stick vacuum that can go handheld (and go outside) is the only option with that flexibility.

SEE ALSO: The best way to make your Dyson stick vacuum last? Clean it regularly.

But to be real, your willingness to do all the cleaning yourself also matters — if you dread vacuuming by hand so much that you'll just put off doing it, your floors might actually be cleaner with a robot vacuum. I personally have both at the ready at all times and can argue for the value and practicality on either side, depending on the situation. And while the convenience of robot wouldn't want to completely live without the convenience robot vacuums provide when I'm frazzled, I haven't been able to shake the reflex to reach for a cordless vacuum in more cases than not.

Not sure if buying both types of vacuums is in your budget? Black Friday could change that. Along with a ton of Black Friday robot vacuum deals, cordless stick vacuums from brands like Dyson, Shark, LG, Roborock, and Tineco are anticipating heavy discounts — this is your chance to save $100 (or several hundred) on your dream vacuum. For Black Friday Dyson deals, your best bet is Walmart or Dyson's own website. For the other top brands, Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy will all have competitive selections.

Other cordless vacuums I've tested

I've tested several other vacuum cleaners that didn't make the most recent cut for this list. Some, like the Shark Detect Pro with auto-empty station and LG All-in-One Cord Zero with auto-empty station, were a top recommendation at one point, but have since been overshadowed by newer, more powerful models that are a better bang for your buck.

There are also a few Dyson vacuums from years past that still garner substantial search interest, but that I no longer think are worth your money compared to what else is out there. The Dyson V8 and (seemingly discontinued) Dyson V10 that my parents have lying around have a tendency to push large debris like cat food and rocks around, and leave behind a layer of pet hair on many dark rugs. While these Dysons may have been powerhouses in the late 2010s, $300 could get you a more powerful option — maybe even automatic emptying, like with the Shark Detect Pro I just mentioned. The only upside would be that Dyson includes the motorized hair screw tool with the V8 and V10.

I also bumped the Dyson V15 Detect Submarine out of the list. The Roborock 2-in-1 cordless mop that took its place just offers a more seamless mopping system all around. The swappable wet roller head that turns the V15 Detect into a "mop" completely cuts off airflow to the dust bin of the vacuum, meaning there's no real wet suction going on. During my testing, this just pushed liquid around instead of soaking up spills, which then led to a soggy manual cleaning process that was super prone to leaks and weird smells. It just required way too much maintenance by hand, compared to the self-cleaning features of the Roborock F25 Ace Combo.

I also test robot vacuums. Are they as powerful?

I also test a ton of robot vacuums at home. While I think the convenience of robot vacuums is worth for, say, keeping up with the layer of dust and crumbs that accumulate during the work week, I have found that cordless vacuums are consistently tougher on elusive debris like pet hair or fine powders. This is especially when they've been pressed down into rug fibers or have been caked into corners.

Cordless stick vacuums are generally more powerful than robot vacuums. The upright design is optimal for airflow and has the real estate to house larger motors and more complex cyclone systems that create extra force on top of suction power alone. A robot vacuum's motor can't exceed the three or four-inch clearance that the vac needs to scoot its whole body under furniture. The motor of an upright vacuum typically lives completely separately from the vacuum head and roller brush and is thus under fewer constraints.

Physics aside, you could argue that a cordless vacuum is less likely to leave debris behind because a person is actively assessing where the suction needs to be focused. This includes tricky spots that aren't even on a robot vacuum's radar, like staircases or cars.

There are some one-to-one comparisons where a robot vacuum could be as powerful or more powerful than a stick vacuum. For instance, I've tested both the Roborock Saros 10R robot vacuum and Roborock F25 Ace cordless vacuum, and both offer 20,000 Pa suction power. But robot vacuums with that kind of power typically reside in the $1,000+ category, while it's much more affordable to hit that number with a stick vacuum. Even with identical stats on paper, the cordless vacuum would probably have a higher pickup rate over time just because the person operating it can see when more passes are necessary.

TL;DR: A Sam’s Club membership with auto-renewal is available for $25 (reg. $50) for a limited time—great timing for anyone who wants easier holiday shopping, bulk savings, and a one-stop shop for family essentials.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sam's Club 1-Year Sam's Club Membership with Auto-Renew $25
$50 Save $25   Get Deal

If you’ve been debating whether a Sam’s Club membership is worth it, this is a pretty convenient moment to jump in. For a limited time, one-year Sam’s Club Membership with auto-renewal is just $25 (reg. $50), and the timing lines up perfectly with the holiday season — aka the time of year when your grocery list, gift list, and general to-do list all seem to double overnight.

With a Sam’s Club membership, families can find a wide range of groceries, snacks, fresh foods, drinks, cleaning supplies, seasonal décor, electronics, toys, and more, all in one place. It’s especially helpful for holiday hosting, stocking up on the staples that always disappear too fast, or grabbing gifts without making multiple stops.

SEE ALSO: The new iPad Pro M5 is down to its best-ever price ahead of Black Friday — save over $70 at Amazon

For families looking to stretch their budget, buying in bulk can make a noticeable difference. Items like diapers, kids’ snacks, cereal, toiletries, and cleaning supplies often last longer and cost less per unit when purchased in larger quantities. It also makes weekly errands feel a little less overwhelming.

And beyond in-club shopping, members also get access to extra perks — like savings on hotels, car rentals, movie tickets, and live events — which can come in handy whether you’re planning a family outing or planning to travel.

If you’re someone who likes simplifying your life as much as saving a little money where it counts, this offer is a well-timed opportunity.

Between holiday prep, gift-buying, and the general December chaos heading your way, having one place to grab most of what your household needs can make a real difference.

Get a one-year Sam’s Club membership with auto-renewal for just $25 (reg. $50) before the holidays begin.

StackSocial prices subject to change.

That sound you hear isn't the pop of the AI bubble — it's every company that relies on the AI economy breathing a huge sigh of relief.

NVIDIA, the king of fancy GPU chips that power most AI models, just beat market expectations again. During the third quarter of 2025, the company made $57 billion in revenue; this was $2 billion more than most Wall Street analysts expected.

Even better for NVIDIA, and for the whole AI economy, almost all that extra revenue came from the company's data center business — which is where the rubber of AI models meets the road of the internet.

The one NVIDIA division that came in lower than estimates was its gaming chip business — which AI world need not care about.

SEE ALSO: Everything Revealed at Nvidia's 2025 Computex Press Conference in 19 Minutes

"Sales are off the charts," NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang said of the company's Blackwell chips, its latest GPU model, in a statement. "Cloud GPUs are sold out." For the fourth quarter of 2025, the company predicts even higher total revenue of $65 billion.

Huang went on to claim that the "AI ecosystem" had "entered a virtuous cycle" and was "scaling fast." The CEO denied as recently as October that we're in an AI bubble; now he seems to be saying this growth can last indefinitely.

Will the AI bubble still burst?

That bubble still exists, however. OpenAI, Anthropic, Microsoft, and almost every other business in the space have so far failed to show any revenue growth from all the AI services that rely on NVIDIA chips. But given that almost all the market focus is on the health of NVIDIA's business, these companies effectively just got more runway in which to prove themselves.

As invulnerable as NVIDIA looks now, there was bad news for Jensen Huang in Google's recent announcement of its latest top AI model, Gemini 3. The model "was trained using Google's Tensor Processing Units (TPUs)," the company says — in other words, not NVIDIA GPUs.

If Google, whose CEO has admitted there is a bubble, becomes a major player in the AI chip space, price wars between Google and NVIDIA could result. But that too could lift the players that rely on AI compute, making it significantly cheaper to provide services.

In other words, don't count on the AI bubble popping immediately — but don't count it out, either. At least, not after NVIDIA's next quarterly earnings report, due in January 2026.

A platform that promises "spicy AI chatting" left nearly two million images and videos, many of them showing private citizens, exposed to the public, 404 Media reported.

Secret Desires, an erotic chatbot and AI image generator, left cloud storage containers of photos, women's names, and other personal information like workplaces and universities, vulnerable, according to 404 Media.

This "massive leak" is the latest case of people using generative AI tools to turn innocent photos into nonconsensual explicit deepfakes.

SEE ALSO: Is AI porn the next horizon in self-pleasure — and is it ethical?

Some of the photos and videos were taken from real influencers, public figures, and non-famous women. The latter category includes Snapchat screenshots and at least one yearbook photo. Some of the exposed media included user-generated AI images, such as those created with a now-defunct "faceswap" feature, which Secret Desires removed earlier this year.

Like Character.AI or Replika, Secret Desires allows users to create AI personas and chat with them. While pornographic content isn't allowed on Character.AI (and is only allowed for certain Replika users), Secret Desires says it "provides limitless intimacy and connection" on its Quick Start Guide.

As 404 Media found, the AI-generated media found in the vulnerable storage containers were mostly explicit. Some of the file names included terms like "17-year-old."

The company didn't respond to 404 Media's request for comment, but the files became inaccessible around an hour after the publication reached out.

For years, women and girls have been victims of explicit deepfakes, which are AI-generated content. Many deepfakes are women's likenesses "faceswapped" onto pornographic videos. This applies to celebrities like Taylor Swift as well as women who are not famous. This also happens to girls, creating online child sex abuse material.

This year, Congress passed the Take It Down Act to combat deepfake images. The law proved controversial, as several free speech and advocacy groups claim that it can be weaponized against consensual explicit material or political speech.

Once upon a time, Americans lined up in droves outside Walmarts and Targets, still full from Thanksgiving dinner, so they could be first in the door. Thankfully, these frenzied Black Friday free-for-alls are a relic of a bygone era. Now, not only can you order all of the best Black Friday deals online, but for the past few years, retailers have also been launching their Black Friday sales weeks in advance of Thanksgiving.

So, ready or not, Black Friday is already here. You can tell because Mashable is once again working around the clock to bring you live updates on all of the latest sales, standout deals, price drops, and inventory updates. Already, we've spied record discounts on flagship noise-cancelling headphones, Apple laptops and tablets, Dyson appliances, and some of the year's most popular tech gifts.

Check out the top early deals so far, and keep scrolling for the full schedule of events and the latest live updates and news from the Mashable shopping team.

Top Black Friday Deals at a glance: The best headphones deal Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones (1st Gen) $299 (save $130) Get Deal Best Earuds Deal Apple AirPods Pro 2 $139 (save $100) Get Deal Best Deal Under $25 Apple AirTag $17.97 (save $11.03) Get Deal Best TV Under $1,000 Samsung 55-inch The Frame LS03F 4K QLED Smart TV $897.99 (save $300) Get Deal Best TV Under $500 Samsung 65-inch QN65 4K QLED Smart TV 2025 $448 (save $151.99) Get Deal Best Amazon Device Deal Amazon Echo Pop $21.99 (save $18) Get Deal Best Apple laptop deal 13-inch Apple MacBook Air (M4) $749 (save $250) Get Deal Best Kitchen Deal Vitamix 5200 Professional-Grade Blender $299.95 (save $250.04) Get Deal Stocking Stuffer Deal Orastone Electric Hand Warmers $17.99 (save $12) Get Deal Best Lego Deal Lego Wicked Welcome to Emerald City Building Set $79.95 (save $20.04) Get Deal

Remember: Black Friday 2025 takes place on Friday, Nov. 28, and is quickly followed by Cyber Week, which starts on Monday, Dec. 1. However, you can already shop plenty of sales at all the major online retailers. If you want to be the first to know when new sales go online, then keep checking back as we provide live updates on the shopping festivities.

Alongside his novels, Joe Hill is paid to write a screenplay each year. But he doesn't do it for the money.

Hill, whose new novel King Sorrow published in October, has also found success in the world of film and TV through adaptations of his work. For example, The Black Phone franchise is based on his 2004 short story, and King Sorrow is currently being developed for TV. While news of adaptations of Hill’s work is frequently reported in the trades, his screenwriting hasn't been widely publicized. Sitting down with Mashable recently to speak about everything from Stephen King references in his new novel to AI, though, he confirmed that it's a big part of his professional life.

"I write a screenplay every single year," Hill told Mashable. "And I do it for the healthcare."

SEE ALSO: Joe Hill breaks down the Stephen King references in his new novel

Hill explained that he gets healthcare for his family through the Writers Guild of America (WGA), which is the union that represents screenwriters. In order to be eligible to receive this, you have to meet annual minimum earning requirements. In 2024, Hill's wife Gillian received a cancer diagnosis that required surgery. Having insurance through the WGA saved the family tens of thousands of dollars.

"There were a whole bunch of tests, you know, and consultations in the lead-up to the operation, but the operation alone was $60,000," Hill said. "Because I have Hollywood healthcare that I get for writing screenplays, I only had to pay 700 bucks. So in a very practical way, it's impossible to put a value, to me personally, on the work I do as a screenwriter, because it's so important to have access to that healthcare insurance."

Hill explained that the screenplay he's working on at the moment is a an adaptation of his own work.

"Right now I'm revising a screenplay that I was paid for for 2025," he said. "The script I'm working on now is an adaptation of an unpublished novella that I'd written that will be published eventually."

Featured Video For You Cooper Hoffman and 'The Long Walk' cast compete for ultimate Stephen King film knowledge

Hill said there was a lapse in his healthcare coverage a while back that led to him going round Hollywood to try and drum up some work — and writer/director Scott Derrickson, who directed The Black Phone, wanted to help out.

"He treated it like we were talking about his family healthcare," said Hill. "He's like, 'We're booking you a gig.' And, you know, we talked about possibilities, and then I sent him this novella I had written that hadn't been published, and a pitch for how I'd adapt it, and he got psyched. And he's like, 'We gotta do this.' And so he got me the gig to write the script. Now I'm revising it for Sony Screen Gems."

"it's so important to have access to that healthcare insurance"

Hill's wife has now made a full recovery, but Hill still thinks of screenplay writing as "the best thing I can do for my family." He's going to keep working on one every year, alongside his plans to write a novel each year in his fifties.

"The next two things I've got lined up are adaptations of other people's words," Hill said, "which I'm really excited about."

The best early Black Friday deals under $25 at a glance: Best Apple deal Apple AirTag $17.97 (save $11.03) Get Deal Best kids deal Hasbro Gaming Candy Land Disney Princess Edition Board Game $11.89 (save $8.10) Get Deal Best Amazon device deal Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select $21.99 (save $18) Get Deal Best Lego deal Lego Botanicals Happy Plants $18.39 (save $4.60) Get Deal

If you're working with a smaller budget this season, there's still plenty of opportunity for you to score some impressive Black Friday deals. You don't need to spend hundreds of dollars to pick up a great gift or get yourself a little treat. We've rounded up over 20 deals under $25 that we think are worth grabbing ahead of Black Friday.

We're keeping an eye on all the best deals this Black Friday and Cyber Monday and will update this list with anything worthy of adding to your cart. For now, here are the best early picks for less than $25.

Best early Black Friday deal under $25 Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirTag $17.97 at Amazon
$29 Save $11.03   Get Deal Why we like it

Apple gadgets have really been shining bright in the early Black Friday deals department. The Apple AirTag has dropped to a new record-low price of just $17.97 for the first time, which is nearly 40% off its list price. We see excellent deals on the four-pack of AirTags pretty regularly, but single AirTag deals are rarer. The AirTag is the ring leader of Bluetooth trackers for iPhone users. As long as there's an Apple device nearby with Find My turned on, you'll be able to locate whatever you attach your AirTag to with ease.

More early Black Friday deals under $25

• Lego Sunflowers — $7.99 $14.99 (save $7)

• Hasbro Gaming Guess Who? Board Game — $11.89 $16.99 (save $5.10)

• Hasbro Gaming Candy Land Disney Princess Edition Board Game — $11.89 $19.99 (save $8.10)

• Amazon Echo Auto — $14.99 $54.99 (save $40)

• Roku Indoor Camera (wired) — $14.99 $34.99 (save $20)

• TP-Link Tapo 1080P Indoor Security Camera — $15.98 $24.99 (save $9.01)

• Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 — $17.80 $29.99 (save $12.19)

• Lego Botanicals Happy Plants — $18.39 $22.99 (save $4.60)

• Roku Streaming Stick HD — $19 $29.99 (save $10.99)

• National Geographic Amazing Chemistry Set — $19.99 $39.99 (save $20)

• Logitech Signature M550 Wireless Mouse — $19.99 $29.99 (save $10)

• Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select — $21.99 $39.99 (save $18)

• Amazon Echo Pop Kids — $21.99 $49.99 (save $28)

• Amazon Echo Pop — $21.99 $39.99 (save $18)

• Stanley IceFlow Flip Straw Tumbler — $22.50 $30 (save $7.50)

• Lego Super Mario: Mario Kart Donkey Kong — $23.49 $34.99 (save $11.50)

• JBL Tune 510BT Headphones — $24.95 $49.95 (save $25)

• Amazon Fire TV Alexa Voice Remote Pro — $24.99 $34.99 (save $10)

• Blink Mini 2K+ — $24.99 $49.99 (save $25)

• Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K — $24.99 $49.99 (save $25)

• Magic Bullet Blender — $24.99 $44.99 (save $20)

As Congress looks to maybe, potentially, finally release the Epstein files, an email document dump from Jeffrey Epstein's estate released last week by the House Oversight Committee has already delivered some shocking revelations.

And those emails have already led to at least one high-profile resignation at one of the biggest tech companies in the world. 

Economist Larry Summers, a former Treasury secretary under the Clinton administration and a former president of Harvard, has resigned from OpenAI's board, according to statements provided by Summers and the company to Axios. Summers had previously acknowledged he'd be stepping away from all public commitments in light of the Epstein document release.

"In line with my announcement to step away from my public commitments, I have also decided to resign from the board of OpenAI," Summers said in a statement provided to Axios. "I am grateful for the opportunity to have served, excited about the potential of the company and look forward to following their progress."

Despite Summers' statements, he plans to continue teaching at Harvard, where he currently works as a Professor of Economics, Axios also reported.

"Larry has decided to resign from the OpenAI Board of Directors, and we respect his decision," OpenAI's board said in its own statement. "We appreciate his many contributions and the perspective he brought to the Board."

Summers' ties to Epstein have long been known. During Summers' tenure as President of Harvard, Epstein donated tens of millions of dollars to the university. Epstein was even given his own personal office at the school during this time. Flight records released during the 2021 trial of Epstein associate Ghislaine Maxwell showed that Summers had previously flown on Epstein's private plane, according to the Harvard Crimson.

However, the newly released email documents revealed that Summers' association with Epstein continued well after Epstein's 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor. In emails from 2018 and 2019, Summers reached out to Epstein seeking advice on pursuing a relationship outside of his marriage with a woman he described as a "mentee." In the emails, Epstein referred to himself as Summers' "wing man." In addition to the conversations on romantic relationships, Summers also made numerous sexist comments.

Summers' final correspondence with Epstein in the email documents occurred on July 5, 2019 — just one day before Epstein was arrested and federally charged for the sex trafficking of minors.

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

Best early Black Friday drone deals at a glance Best DJI drone deal DJI Mini 4K Drone Combo $309 (save $80) Get Deal Best Holy Stone drone deal Holy Stone HS720G Drone Bundle $199.99 (save $158) Get Deal

Drones have been all over the news lately, mainly because of DJI. While it's not official yet, it's possible that DJI drones will face a ban come December. Yes, December as in just a few weeks away. That means shopping Black Friday sales could be your last chance to snag a DJI drone, for a while, at least.

Of course, this is 2025, and nothing is unexpected, so the buzz of a DJI ban could get swept off the table in an instant. But to be sure, consider this a great time to buy a new DJI drone, or any drone, for that matter.

Check back here as we continue to update this article throughout the Black Friday sale period. Keep in mind that if you're going with a DJI model, you might have to buy from a third-party seller. We've only included third-party sellers with positive reviews over the last year.

Best early black Friday DJI drone deal Opens in a new window Credit: DJI DJI Mini 4K Drone Combo $309 at Amazon
$389 Save $80   Get Deal Why we like it

Small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, the DJI Mini 4K Drone is great for both beginners and expert drone fliers. Plus, it weighs less than 249 grams, which is the threshold for not needing a license in most locations to fly the drone. Other nice features of the DJI Mini 4K are the one-touch takeoff and landing function, in addition to the "return-to-home" command. Today's deal on the bundle gives you two batteries for up to 62 minutes of flight time. According to our favorite Amazon price tracker camelcamelcamel, this is the lowest Amazon has ever offered for this bundle.

More early Black Friday DJI drone deals

• DJI Flip Two Battery Combo — $309 $389 (save $80)

• DJI Flip (RC 2 with Fly More Combo) — $619 $779 (save $160, backordered)

• DJI Avata 2 FPV Drone (Goggles N3 and 3-Battery Fly More Combo) — $789 $929 (save $140, preorder)

• DJI Avata 2 FPV Drone (Goggles 3 and 3-Battery Fly More Combo) — $1,019 $1,199 (save $180)

Best early black Friday Holy Stone drone deal Opens in a new window Credit: Holy Stone Holy Stone HS720G Drone Bundle $357.99 at Amazon
  Get Deal Why we like it

If you're not in the market for a DJI drone, Holy Stone is one of the biggest competitors. Thanks to this early Black Friday Amazon sale and an on-page coupon, the Holy Stone HS720G Drone Bundle is on sale for just $199.99 instead of the list price of $357.99. The bundle includes two batteries, so you'll be good for a 52-minute flight with a 4K EIS camera. When you're done flying, fold it up and store it in the convenient carrying case.

More early Black Friday drone deals

• Holy Stone Mini Drone — $36 $39.99 (save $3.99 with coupon)

• Holy Stone HS15D Drone — $249.99 $269.99 (save $20)

• HOVERAir X1 Combo — $279.99 $299.99 (save $20)

Google has officially launched Gemini 3, its newest and most advanced AI model — and the company is calling it its "most intelligent" system yet. The model rolled out across Google products on day one, marking the first time a new Gemini release has gone live in Search at launch.

Gemini 3 represents what Google execs describe as the next major step in their push toward more capable, more context-aware AI. In a note sharing the launch, the company stated that the model incorporates deeper reasoning, stronger multimodal understanding, and enhanced awareness of user intent compared to earlier versions.

What’s new in Gemini 3?

The headline upgrade is reasoning. Google says Gemini 3 is built to understand nuance, break down complex problems, and "grasp depth and context" in ways its predecessors couldn’t. In benchmarking tests, Gemini 3 Pro took the top spot on the LMArena leaderboard with a 1501 Elo score, outperforming both Grok and Gemini 2.5 Pro.

SEE ALSO: Google's Gemini 3 is smarter, better at figuring out what you need

The model also demonstrates significant improvements in academic-style reasoning. On Humanity’s Last Exam, Gemini 3 Pro hit 37.5 percent without any external tools, and on GPQA Diamond, it reached 91.9 percent. It also posted state-of-the-art scores across math and multimodal tasks, including video understanding and factual accuracy.

A new enhanced mode called Gemini 3 Deep Think pushes those capabilities even further. Deep Think improves scores on nearly every benchmark, including a jump to 41 percent on Humanity’s Last Exam and 45.1 percent on the ARC-AGI-2 challenge. It’s designed for the most challenging, long-horizon reasoning tasks.

Where can you use Gemini 3?

Gemini 3 is already live across the Google ecosystem. That includes:

• AI Mode in Search, with more dynamic, generative interfaces and complex reasoning support. (Currently available for Google AI Pro and Ultra subscribers.)

• The Gemini app is getting a redesign, including the My Stuff folder and improved shopping experiences.

• Gemini for developers, available now in AI Studio, Vertex AI, Gemini CLI, and Google’s new agentic development platform Antigravity.

• Gemini Agent, an upgraded system that can complete multi-step tasks like inbox organization, appointment management, and more.

How to try Gemini 3 right now

If you want hands-on time with Gemini 3 immediately, there are a few pathways:

• Use AI Mode in Search (Google AI Pro or Ultra subscription required).

• Open the Gemini app, where Gemini 3 is the default model starting today for most users globally.

• Developers can experiment with AI Studio or Vertex AI, gaining full access to Gemini 3 Pro.

• Enterprise customers can deploy it through Vertex AI and Gemini Enterprise.

Deep Think, the highest-end version, will be rolled out in the coming weeks following additional safety evaluations.

Microsoft keeps injecting AI into Windows, and now even the company itself is admitting that there are safety risks in doing so.

This week, Microsoft added some new agentic AI features to Windows 11 Insider users, which give AI permission to automate things like sending emails and sorting files. These are turned off by default and need to be opted into, but for those who choose to enable them, Microsoft published a security note on its website warning that there are security risks to giving AI access to all of your files:

SEE ALSO: The 8 best tablets of 2025: I compared iPads, the Microsoft Surface Pro, and Amazon Fire

"As these capabilities are introduced, AI models still face functional limitations in terms of how they behave and occasionally may hallucinate and produce unexpected outputs," Microsoft said. "Additionally, agentic AI applications introduce novel security risks, such as cross-prompt injection (XPIA), where malicious content embedded in UI elements or documents can override agent instructions, leading to unintended actions like data exfiltration or malware installation."

In other words, it's technically possible for something that's meant to help users to harm them instead. This may very well be a super unlikely hypothetical edge case, but the fact that Microsoft felt compelled to say anything about it at all is a bit alarming. As a possible solution, Microsoft is rolling out an experimental feature called "agent workspace," which limits what the AI agent has access to on the PC. In basic terms, it means the agent can only access things that are available to any user of the machine, while files locked behind specific user profiles are off-limits.

We're still in the relatively early stages of all of this, so it will take some time to see how it shakes out. But just be careful before turning on these features.

Best early Black Friday Dyson deals at a glance Best stick vacuum deal Dyson V12 Detect Slim $399.99 at Walmart (Save $330 at Walmart) Get Deal Best hair tool deal Dyson Supersonic $299.99 (Save $150 at Dyson) Get Deal Best air purifier deal Dyson HushJet $299.99 at Amazon (Save $50 at Amazon) Get Deal

Dyson deals are hit or miss during the two Prime Days of the year (Amazon seems to have a wonky relationship with Dyson vacuums deals, specifically). Black Friday Dyson deals beat those by a long shot, and many of the good ones are already live the week before Thanksgiving. This is your best chance to shave a few hundred dollars off of the brand known for being expensive.

SEE ALSO: iRobot could be facing bankruptcy. But as a vacuum tester, I saw the Roomba flop era coming from a mile away.

Dyson's website has launched its early Black Friday sale, and there are a ton of great hair tool deals and cordless stick vacuum deals in here — the Dyson website itself tends to have several exclusive deals that other retailers don't have. But Walmart's early Black Friday drop does include a stellar deal on Mashable's favorite stick vacuum, and Amazon is in the mix, too.

I've rounded up all of the best early Dyson Black Friday deals, and will add any new and noteworthy ones that pop up throughout Cyber Monday. Still debating opting for a robot vacuum instead? I'm also tracking the best Black Friday robot vacuum deals.

Best Dyson vacuum deal Dyson V12 Detect Slim $399.99 at Walmart
$549 Save $149.01   Get Deal at Walmart Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Best Buy Why we like it

Any time my favorite vacuum ever gets several hundred dollars cheaper, it's going to be the first deal I recommend. The Dyson V12 Detect Slim is currently the most affordable Dyson with the green laser, now less than $400 compared to its usual $729.99. The laser, which illuminates tiny specks and hair that aren't super visible to the naked eye, should be an immediate selling point for any household with pets and a lot of hard floors. You have no idea how dusty your floors get within even 24 hours.

I've used the V12 Detect Slim almost daily for well over three years now, and it's still kicking — as long as you clean it properly, this purchase should last you quite a while. When I'm not using it on the floor in those daily sessions, I'm switching it to handheld mode to clean fur off the couch with the mini motorized attachment or clean out my car with the crevice attachment. It's compact and lightweight enough to comfortably hold with one hand (I can't say the same about the massive Gen5 series Dysons). Though I've tested countless cordless vacuums, the V12 Detect Slim's user-friendliness just can't be beat.

More Dyson vacuum deals

• Dyson V9 Motorbar — $269.99 $599.99 (save $330)

• Dyson V8 Absolute — $299.99 $589.99 (save $290)

• Dyson V11 Extra — $399.99 $659.99 (save $260)

• Dyson Gen5detect Absolute — $799.99 $1,049.99 (save $250)

• Dyson Gen5outsize Absolute — $849.99 $1,049.99 (save $300)

Best Dyson hair tool deal Opens in a new window Credit: Dyson Dyson Supersonic $299.99 at Dyson
$449.99 Save $150   Get Deal Why we like it

The original Dyson Supersonic has dropped to $299.99, which matches the sale price that Amazon has... on the Supersonic Origin — the simplified version that only comes with one attachment. Grabbing this deal at Dyson essentially gets you the diffuser and wide tooth comb attachments for free, on top of the styling concentrator.

While we'd recommend the Shark FlexStyle over the Dyson AirWrap, it's hard to say that there's a better hair dryer out there than the Dyson Supersonic. Mashable Lead Shopping Reporter (and resident hair tool expert) Bethany Allard has tested the Supersonic against a handful of solid Supersonic dupes, and her main gripe with Dyson has steadily been the price — but with this Black Friday deal, the Supersonic is in the same price range as its best budget-friendly alternatives.

More Dyson hair tool deals

• Refurbished Dyson Supersonic Nural — $259.99 $419.99 (save $160)

• Refurbished Dyson Airwrap Straight+Wavy (onyx black/gold only) — $269.99 $449.99 (save $180)

• Refurbished Dyson Airwrap Complete Long + Diffuser — $329.99 $499.99 (save $170)

• Dyson Supersonic Nural (strawberry bronze/blush pink or jasper plum only) — $399.99 $549.99 (save $150)

• Dyson Airwrap Origin — $399.99 $549.99 (save $150)

• Dyson Corrale — $439.99 $539.99 (save $100)

• Dyson Supersonic r (vinca blue/topaz only) — $449.99 $649.99 (save $200)

Best Dyson air purifier deal Dyson HushJet $299.99 at Amazon
$349.99 Save $50   Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Walmart Get Deal at Best Buy Why we like it

Allergies or not, your body will thank you for running an air purifier all the time. I can confirm that the Dyson HushJet is as "hushed" as the title implies, making it the rare actually-quiet air purifier that you won't mind running 24/7. Within a day of bringing the HushJet home, it took the air quality in my living room from "very poor" to "good," as shown through a particle sensor breakdown in the app. The coolest part? After your initial purchase, you won't have to spend money on new filters every six months. The HushJet's high-tech filter should last for five years.

More air purifier deals

• Dyson Air Purifier Hot and Cool HP1 — $499.99 $699.99 (save $150)

Don't fall for this one Dyson deal

For all of the Dyson deals I recommend, there's one Dyson deal you should avoid: The 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum on sale for $399.99. Though the drop from its MSRP of $999.99 seems killer on its face, the vacuum itself is going to kill your faith in robot vacuums (it would have for me if I didn't test a million others for a living). The 360 Vis Nav's strong suction power can't make up for the fact that it doesn't self-empty, doesn't mop, and doesn't have small obstacle avoidance technology. There are much better robot vacuums on sale for under $500 this Black Friday, and Dyson is releasing a new robot vacuum in 2026, anyway.

OpenAI is making another major investment in AI-powered education, announcing a new teachers-only ChatGPT workspace designed specifically to help educators with their classroom workload.

With the new ChatGPT for Teachers, users get full access to ChatGPT 5.1 Auto with unlimited messages, search, file uploads, connectors, and image generation, as well as educator-specific onboarding, admin controls, and personalized prompts. The features have already rolled out to 150,000 teachers and staff across U.S. school districts, says OpenAI.

SEE ALSO: Want to chat on Roblox? You'll need to verify your age.

Rather than the standard security framework built into ChatGPT, ChatGPT for Teachers is designed with "education-grade privacy, security, and compliance programs," says OpenAI, intended to bring the tech in line with requirements under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). Under these guidelines, ChatGPT for Teachers can't retain any student data to be used for model training.

Educators and administrators can also collaborate on projects and custom GPTs within the shared workspace, the company explains, and upload existing files from Google Drive or Microsoft 365 accounts to provide ChatGPT with context for lesson plans, grades, and data analysis.

OpenAI is offering it for free to verified educators and school leaders until June 2027.

According to the AI giant, K-12 teachers are "leading education's AI transformation" and OpenAI has increasingly pushed for its AI tools to enter the early childhood education space as its refashioned EdTech for higher education. "Universities are starting to treat AI as core infrastructure for education, and we also know that students use ChatGPT as a 24/7 learning companion," says Leah Belsky, vice president of education for OpenAI. "In our view, every student today is going to grow up in a world that is shaped by powerful AI and teachers will play a key role and helping both students and parents navigate that change."

OpenAI has placed a huge bet on AI's educational potential, launching a nationwide AI training program with the American Federation of Teachers (AFT), signing deals with college systems that give ChatGPT to students for free, and even consulting with the Ministries of Education of foreign governments.

Elon Musk's Tesla Diner — the billionaire's shiny, UFO-shaped restaurant in Los Angeles — may be in the market for a new chef.

The Los Angeles Times reported this week that chef and co-operator Eric Greenspan is leaving the project. The chef said that he was leaving to focus on opening his new spot, a Jewish deli, but the paper also noted he faced stark pushback for joining forces with Musk.

"I am leaving the Tesla Diner project to focus on the opening of Mish, my long-desired Jewish deli," Greenspan told the LA Times in a text message. "Projects like Mish and the Tesla Diner require a sharpness of focus and attention, and my focus and attention is now squarely on Mish."

Mashable visited the Tesla Diner back in August, which serves the classics — burgers, fries, shakes, etc. — but with Muskified names. So you get items like "electric sauce," "autopilot avocado toast," a "giga burger," and now-defunct "epic bacon." The food did earn decent reviews from Mashable editor Neal Broverman, even if it felt overpriced for the portion size.

This isn't the first big change at the Tesla Diner. Shortly after the diner's opening, patrons noticed that the menu had been scaled back — thus the goodbye to "epic bacon." The LA Times also reported that the diner was looking to move to a full-service model — for the time being, you order at a tablet and get counter service. And, of course, now the chef has left.

In short: It seems quite unclear what the future holds for Musk's futuristic restaurant.

Best early Black Friday Best coffee and espresso deal Ninja Luxe Café Pro Espresso and Coffee Machine $634.99 (save $115) Get Deal Best kitchen appliance deal Our Place Wonder Oven Pro $275 (save $50) Get Deal Best kitchen cookware deal All-Clad HA1 13-piece Nonstick Cookware Set $489.99 (save $210) Get Deal

Nothing will make you realize you need to upgrade your kitchenware more than cooking Thanksgiving dinner. If you're already deep into prep and realizing that your blender's motor kicked it or your nonstick pans are starting to stick, then it's time to upgrade. So if you're shopping, you need to be shopping the sales.

Ahead of Black Friday, there are a ton of kitchen deals that are already live. Ninja is really the star of the early Black Friday kitchen deals, with its buzziest appliances, like the Creami, Slushi, and Crispi, all already on sale.

So if you're looking to kick off your Black Friday shopping early, and specifically looking to make some kitchen upgrades, these are the best deals we've spotted thus far.

Best coffee and espresso deal Opens in a new window Credit: Ninja Ninja Luxe Café Pro Espresso and Coffee Machine $634.99 at Amazon
$749.99 Save $115   Get Deal Why we like it

While testing the best Ninja appliances, I fell totally in love with the Ninja Luxe Café Pro Espresso machine. It's a dual espresso and coffee maker that does single servings without the pods. It bridges the gap between amateur and pro at-home baristas, automating the coffee-making process so it's easy to make the perfect coffee or latte. It's a new release, but just hit its lowest price ever at $634.99, saving you $115 off its list price for 15% savings..

More coffee and espresso machine deals

• Ninja 12-cup Coffee Brewer — $69.99 $89.99 (save $20)

• Keurig K-Mini Coffee Maker — $69.99 $99.99 (save $30)

• Nespresso Festive Vertuo Pop+ Coffee and Espresso Maker — $99 $159.95 (save $60.95)

• Nespresso Vertuo Plus Coffee and Espresso Maker — $109.99 $169 (save $59.01)

• Keurig K-Supreme Coffee Maker — $119.99 $169.99 (save $50)

• Keurig K-Elite Coffee Maker — $139.99 $209.99 (save $70)

Best kitchen appliances deal Opens in a new window Credit: Our Place Our Place Wonder Oven Pro $275 at Our Place
$325 Save $50   Get Deal Why we like it

My Our Place Wonder Oven is the hero of my kitchen, so I was thrilled to see the debut of the brand's Wonder Oven Pro. It's a bigger, multi-tasking oven that now has a digital screen for more precise cooking. It's $50 off during Our Place's Black Friday sale, bringing it down to $275, for 15% off.

More kitchen appliance deals

• Nutribullet Personal Blender — $47.49 $71.99 (save $24.50)

• Cosori 9-in-1 Air Fryer — $89.93 $119.99 (save $30.06)

• KitchenAid Go Cordless Hand Mixer — $99.49 $139.99 (save $40.50)

• Ninja 9-cup Food Processor — $99.99 $129.99 (save $30)

• Ninja 10-in-1 Everyday PossibleCooker — $109.99 $129.99 (save $20)

• Ninja BlendBoss Personal Blender — $118.99 $139.99 (save $21)

• Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Air Fryer — $159.99 $179.99 (save $20)

• Ninja Detect Power Blender Pro ˘— $159.99 $179.99 (save $20)

• Our Place Dream Cooker — $169 $199 (save $30)

• Ninja Creami — $179.99 $199.99 (save $20)

• Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer — $199.95 $249.95 (save $50)

• Our Place Large Wonder Oven — $208 $245 (save $37)

• Ninja Slushi — $269.99 $369.99 (save $100)

• KitchenAid Artisan Series 5-quart Stand Mixer — $349.95 $499.99 (save $150.04)

More Kitchen deals

Kitchen Cookware

• Calphalon Ceramic Nonstick Frying Pan Set — $49.99 $82.99 (save $33)

• All-Clad HA1 12-inch Nonstick Fry Pan — $79.99 $99.99 (save $20)

• Our Place Always Pan 2.0 — $99 $135 ($36)

• Our Place Titanium Always Pan Pro — $145 $179 (save $34)

• Ninja 14-piece Knife Set — $189.99 $359.99 (save $170)

• All-Clad HA1 13-piece Nonstick Cookware Set — $489.99 $699.99 (save $210)

Kitchen tool deals

• KitchenAid Beacon Two-Tone Non-Slip Mini Oven Mitt — $13.47 $24.99 (save $11.52)

• Amazon Basics Silicone Mat 4-pack — $14.29 $16.95 (save $2.66)

• KitchenAid Dual Platform Kitchen Scale — $29.99 $49.99 (save $20)

• KitchenAid Pasta Roller Attachment — $89.49 $129.99 (save $40.50)

Best early Black Friday Ninja deals Best Ninja deal overall Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer $159.95 (save $20.40) Get Deal Best runner-up deal Ninja Digital 8-in-1 Air Fry Countertop Oven $179.99 (save $70) Get Deal Bonus deal Ninja Creami (NC301) + 2 Pint Containers w/Lids $189.99 (save $40) Get Deal

We haven’t even made it to Thanksgiving yet, but the Black Friday sales have already begun. Target, Walmart, Kohl’s — everyone is dropping discounts right now to try and beat Amazon to the punch.

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

I'm going to be straight with you: Ninja is off to a slow start this year. A lot of the deals I flagged during Prime Day aren't back yet, and I'm seeing a lot of inflated list prices designed to make a "sale" look better than it actually is. (Amazon and Walmart are notorious for this kind of math, especially around the holidays.)

But that’s why you’re here. We’ve tested most of these products, so we know what they actually cost and when a price drop is genuinely worth your money.

Here are the best early Black Friday Ninja deals we could find as of Nov. 19:

Best Ninja deal overall Ninja Crispi 4-in-1 Portable Glass Air Fryer $159.95 at Amazon
$179.99 Save $20.04   Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Best Buy Get Deal at Ninja Kitchen Why we like it

The Ninja Crispi is a Mashable fave, and it’s (surprisingly) at its Prime Day price of $159.95. So, if you missed out in October, now’s the time to add it to your cart. You can get it around this price (give or take five cents) at multiple retailers, including Kohl’s (you'll also get $30 Kohl's cash!), Macy’s, and other usual suspects (we now have additional retailers in our shop cards, so where you shop is up to you!). This deal includes two CleanCrisp glass containers and two storage lids. The six-cup container is designed for personal meals (and can cook them in about seven minutes), while the four-quart container is large enough to cook a four-pound chicken and veggies in one go.

Best runner-up deal Ninja Digital 8-in-1 Air Fry Countertop Oven $179.99 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $70   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

If you need more cooking capacity, the Ninja Digital Air Fry 8-in-1 Countertop Oven is on sale for $179.99 at Amazon, down from $249.99. That's a $70 savings. This isn’t the lowest we’ve ever seen it (it was around $129 in 2023), but it’s the lowest price it’s been in a while. This countertop appliance comes with an extra-large capacity air fry basket, wire rack, and crumb tray. It’s perfect for whipping up chicken wings, sheet pan dinners, or even dehydrating fruits and veggies.

Bonus deal Ninja Creami (NC301) + 2 Pint Containers w/Lids $184.99 at Amazon
$229.99 Save $45   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

The Ninja Creami (NC301) is currently on sale for $189.99 at Amazon. That's a $39 price cut from its usual $229.99. It’s not the most earth-shattering discount we've ever seen, but what is unique here is that this isn't a "Prime exclusive deal." During Prime Day, you couldn't get this price unless you were a member; now, it's open to everyone.

The Creami is obviously a viral gadget, but our Shopping Reporter Samantha Mangino has a realistic take: It's a cool appliance, but it's loud. She recommends it mostly for people with food allergies who need to control exactly what's going into their treats, or for people who are serious about meal prepping. Even with the noise, it's a solid deal that comes with two pint containers with lids. If you have kids, making custom flavors is a pretty fun Sunday night activity.

More early Black Friday Ninja deals

• Ninja Blast Portable Blender (BC151BK) — $58.99 $69.99 (save $11)

• Ninja 6-in-1 5QT Air Fryer (DZ302) — $218.99 $229.99 (save $11)

• Ninja Air Fryer & Toaster Oven (DT501​) — $249.99 $399.99 (save $150)

A Bluetooth speaker is one of those devices that, once you find one you like, you won't be able to imagine how you lived without it. And since both Bluetooth and speakers aren't exactly new technology, you'll find that this is one of the more expansive product categories in the tech world (admittedly, this feels like the case for almost anything you buy these days). Enter: the Mashable tech and shopping teams. We stay on top of the latest Bluetooth speaker releases from brands like Sony, JBL, Bose, and Marshall, while also applying our audio and product testing expertise to determine when old favorites are the better choice. We spend time testing the speakers in our own homes, evaluating the balance in their sound, portability, and of course, their prices.

As of November 2025, our top picks include the near-indestructible JBL Charge 6, the smart home-integrated Sonos Move 2, and the charmingly retro Marshall Emberton III. You'll also find the best small Bluetooth speakers, the most portable speakers, and bass-thumping party speakers.

Recent additions to this guide:

• November 2025: We've selected the Bose SoundLink Micro (2nd Generation) as our best travel speaker, replacing the IKEA Vappeby (our new honorable mention pick).

• November 2025: We've added the JBL PartyBox Stage 320 as the best party speaker, replacing the older Ultimate Ears Hyperboom.

• November 2025: We've added the Sony ULT Field 7 as the best boombox-style speaker.

Best early Black Friday deals under $50 at a glance Best portable Bluetooth speaker deal JBL Go 4 $39.95 (save $10) Get Deal Best Lego set deal Lego Botanicals Mini Bonsai Trees $44.99 (save $20) Get Deal Best kitchen deal Nutribullet Flex portable blender $49.99 (save $20) Get Deal Best stocking stuffer deal Orastone Rechargeable Hand Warmer $17.99 (save $12) Get Deal

We're just one official day away from the major retailers kicking off Black Friday 2025. Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and more have tomorrow, Nov. 20, set as the beginning of the sale period. Instead of filling up on Thanksgiving dinner and then going shopping, we can now shop way ahead of the food-focused holiday.

If you're shopping on a budget this year or are looking for lower-cost items to fill in gifting gaps and grab some stocking stuffers, plenty of great early Black Friday deals come in at under $50. That's great news given the pricing chaos we've all endured in 2025.

The Mashable shopping team will continue to update this article as the sale continues, so check back for the latest deals.

Best portable speaker deal Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Go 4 $39.95 at Amazon
$49.95 Save $10   Get Deal

With seven hours of playtime per charge, the JBL Go 4 is a great, affordable portable speaker. It's both waterproof and dustproof, so it'll be ready for camping adventures come warmer weather, and it's safe to bring into the bathroom for some shower tunes. JBL makes some of Mashable's favorite Bluetooth speakers, so going with JBL is a wise move.

More Bluetooth speakers under $50

• JBL Go 3 — $29.95 $39.95 (save $10)

• Anker Soundcore 2 — $35.99 $44.99 (save $9)

Best Lego set deal Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Botanicals Mini Bonsai Trees $44.99 at Amazon
$64.99 Save $20.00   Get Deal

The zen-like Lego Botanicals Mini Bonsai Trees are on sale for the lowest price we've ever seen at Amazon. Instead of coming in at the list price of $64.99, Amazon has the set on sale for $44.99 ahead of Black Friday. This set features three bonsai trees, each in a decorative pot. The three trees represent different seasons, like fall's stunning yellow leaves on the gingko tree and spring's magnificent purple wisteria. Lego sets make for some of the most thoughtful gift options, so you can't go wrong here.

More Lego sets under $50

• Lego Christmas Tree — $26.99 $44.99 (save $29.60)

• Lego Disney and Pixar Up House — $30.39 $59.99 (save $29.60)

• Lego Christmas Table Decoration — $34.44 $39.99 (save $5.55)

• Lego Icons Dried Flower Centerpiece — $34.99 $49.99 (save $15)

• Lego Harry Potter Mandrake Figure & Pot Plant — $40.99 $69.99 (save $20)

• Lego Creator 3 in 1 Wild Animals: Majestic Rhino with Birds — $41.99 $59.99 (save $18)

Best kitchen deal Opens in a new window Credit: Nutribullet Nutribullet Flex portable blender $49.99 at Amazon
$69.99 Save $20.00   Get Deal

For those who are often on the go, a portable blender could make for a great way to stay up on nutritional needs. According to camelcamelcamel, Mashable's favorite price tracker, this is a record-low price for the Nutribullet Flex portable blender. The $49.99 sale price extends to all six colorways, so you have plenty of options to choose your favorite.

• KitchenAid Tilt-Head Flex Edge Beater — $24.49 $39.99 (save $4)

• Crock-Pot Portable Electric Lunch Box — $27.79 $39.99 (save $12.20)

• Crock-pot Express Crock Slow Cooker (8-quart) — $35.99 $54.99 (save $12.20)

• Nutribullet Personal Blender — $47.49 $71.99 (save $24.50)

• Chefman Air Fryer (4-quart) — $49.99 $99.99 (save $50)

Best stocking stuffer deal Opens in a new window Credit: Orastone Orastone Rechargeable Hand Warmer $17.99 at Amazon
$29.99 Save $12   Get Deal

Stocking stuffers are some of the most fun gifts to shop for, and the Orastone Rechargeable Hand Warmer is a gift that practically anyone will love. It takes just two minutes for the hand warmer to reach a cozy 107 degrees Fahrenheit. It's perfect for anyone who takes the dog for a walk in the early morning or those heading to the ski slope for the day. Not only is it rechargeable, there's also an LED light function on the handwarmer.

More stocking stuffers under $50

• Kindle Paperwhite, Oasis, and Kobo eReaders page turner — $15.99 $19.99 (save $4)

• Back to the Roots Organic Oyster Mushroom Grow Kit — $21.99 $27.20 (save $5.21)

• Philips Sonicare 4100 Rechargeable Electric Toothbrush — $29.99 $49.96 (save $19.97)

The best early Black Friday speaker deals at a glance: Best overall JBL Charge 6 $129.95 (save $70) Get Deal Best soundbar deal Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus $149.99 (save $100) Get Deal Best party speaker deal Bose Soundlink Max $299 (save $100) Get Deal Best home speaker deal Amazon Echo Studio $189.99 (save $30 with on-page coupon ECHOSTUDIO30) Get Deal

'Tis the season for blasting Mariah Carey's All I Want For Christmas Is You, and you can't do that without a quality speaker. Fortunately, as we're officially in Black Friday season, you can grab plenty of speakers for their best prices of the year.

While Black Friday technically falls on Nov. 28 this year, retailers are kicking off their sales early and the deals are rolling in. Speaker discounts from brands like Bose, JBL, Sony, and Amazon are already pretty impressive. We're still waiting on some heavy hitters from Sonos and Ultimate Ears to get the deal treatment, but we expect those to drop within the next week.

We'll be tracking the best speaker deals throughout Black Friday and Cyber Monday and updating this page with the latest and greatest prices.

Note: Deals with a 🔥 have dropped to an all-time low price.

Best early Black Friday speaker deal Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Charge 6 🔥 $129.95 at Amazon
$199.95 Save $70   Get Deal Why we like it

While Mashable's shopping team has tested a lot of Bluetooth speakers, the JBL Charge 6 reigns supreme as our top pick for most people. At just 2 pounds, it's lightweight enough to tote around just about anywhere. It even comes with a handy removable strap for ultra portability. But don't let its size fool you — this baby is powerful enough to be used for an outdoor party. And as a bonus, it can even charge your other devices via USB-C (hence the name). The only downside is that its list price is $20 more than its predecessor. Fortunately, this early Black Friday deal at Amazon and Best Buy drops it down to a more budget friendly price of $129.95.

Best early Black Friday Soundbar deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus 🔥 $149.99 at Amazon
$249.99 Save $100   Get Deal Why we like it

If your TV's picture and sound aren't quite on the same level, Amazon's Fire TV Soundbar Plus is an affordable way to give things a boost. While Amazon's basic Fire TV Soundbar wasn't anything to write home about, the Soundbar Plus really steps things up with three full-range speakers, three tweeters, and two woofers that pump out sound in every direction. It supports Dolby Atmos, DTS:X, and DTS TruVolume, and features a dedicated center dialogue channel to keep voices crisp and clear. You can also use it as a home Bluetooth speaker when your TV is off. At $149.99, it's $100 off for a 40% discount and its lowest price on record.

More early Black Friday speaker dealsPortable Bluetooth speakers

• JBL Go 3 — $29.95 $39.95 (save $10)

• JBL Go 4 — $39.95 $49.95 (save $10)

• Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 — $79.99 $99.99 (save $20)

• Beats Pill x Kim Kardashian — $79 $149.95 (save $70.95)

• Sony ULT Field 1 — $86.95 $139.99 (save $53.04) 🔥

• Marshall Emberton II — $99.99 $179.99 (save $80)

• Beats Pill - $99.95 $149.95 (save $50)

• Ultimate Ears Boom 4 — $106.99 $149.99 (save $43)

• JBL Flip 7 — $109.95 $149.95 (save $40)

• Bose Soundlink Flex — $119 $149 (save $30)

• JBL Charge 6 — $129.95 $199.95 (save $70) 🔥

• Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 — $149.99 $199.99 (save $50)

• Sony ULT Field 3 — $178 $209.99 (save $31.99)

• Bose SoundLink Revolve+ — $179 $299 (save $120) 🔥

• Sony ULT Field 5 — $198 $359.99 (save $151.99) 🔥

• Bose SoundLink Plus — $199 $259 (save $60) 🔥

Home speakers

• Amazon Echo Pop — $21.99 $39.99 (save $18)

• Amazon Echo Dot — $31.99 $49.99 (save $15)

• Amazon Echo Spot — $49.99 $79.99 (save $30)

• Bose SoundLink Home Speaker — $179 $219 (save $40)

• Amazon Echo Studio — $189.99 $219.99 (save $30 with on-page coupon ECHOSTUDIO30) 🔥

Party speakers

• JBL Party Box Encore Essential — $199.95 $329.95 (save $130)

• Bose Soundlink Max — $299 $399 (save $100) 🔥

• Sony SRS-XP700 — $348 $549.99 (save $201.99) 🔥

• JBL Boombox 3 — $349.95 $499.95 (save $150)

• JBL Party Box 710 — $549.95 $849.95 (save $300)

Soundbars

• Amazon Fire TV Soundbar — $84.99 $119.99 (save $35) 🔥

• Samsung HW-C450 2.1ch Soundbar — $139.95 $197.99 (save $58.04)

• Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus — $149.99 $249.99 (save $100) 🔥

• Samsung HW-B650/ZA 3.1ch Soundbar — $199.99 $399.99 (save $200)

• JBL Bar 300MK2-5.0ch Soundbar — $349.95 $449.95 (save $100)

• JBL Bar 500MK2-5.1ch Soundbar System — $449.95 $649.95 (save $200) 🔥

Best early Black Friday headphones and earbuds deals Best noise-cancelling headphones deal Bose QuietComfort Ultra $298 (save $131) Get Deal Best noise-cancelling earbuds deal Bose QuietComfort earbuds $129 (save $50) Get Deal Best deal under $100 Sony WH-CH720N $89.99 (save $90) Get Deal

I pretty much spend every day I'm at work testing out headphones and earbuds, which means I've become relatively well-versed in which headphones are actually worth your money.

This year has been an especially noteworthy year for headphones, with flagship releases from Sony, Bose, and Bowers & Wilkins. Flagship headphones are often the ones that get recommended on best of lists — ours included — but considering the new norm for a starting price is $449, they're not exactly the most affordable choice out there. Enter: early Black Friday deals, when tech deals abound.

SEE ALSO: Mashable will send the best Black Friday deals directly to your phone — how it works

As of Nov. 19, I've spotted five especially noteworthy headphones and earbuds on sale — all of which Mashable has recommended in some capacity. As we approach Black Friday proper on Nov. 27, and the start of Amazon's Black Friday sale on Nov. 20, I expect more deals to go on sale. But for the time being, here are the best headphones and earbuds deals ahead of Black Friday.

One of the most comfortable pairs of noise-cancelling headphones

The first time I put the Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones on, I knew they were the most comfortable headphones I'd ever worn (Mashable's Sam Mangino had a similar experience). That belief became even firmer over years of use (and testing them against new competitors). Although the new second-generation headphones feel ever so slightly more comfortable, the originals still hold up.

SEE ALSO: We tested every pair of Bose headphones and earbuds. We found 5 we love, and 1 to buy on sale.

On sale for $298, they're a much better value than the $449 second-gen Ultras. Their main quirks include no passive playback and the occasional difficulty pairing to more than one device. However, when I compared them directly against their newer counterpart, I found the ANC and sound to be very similar, making it easy to recommend grabbing these over the second gens if they happen to go on sale.

Bose QuietComfort Ultra headphones $298 at Amazon
$429 Save $131   Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Best Buy Get Deal at Walmart Sony headphones that sound incredible

The thing about Sony flagship headphones is that they're going to sound incredible. With the release of the XM6s, the WH-1000XM5 headphones are the former flagship headphones, but their sound profile remains one of the best in the game. I particularly like the "find your equalizer" feature that guides the less audiophile inclined among us through the process of finding their perfect custom EQ sound, which really helps these headphones shine. More generally speaking, when I tested the XM6s and XM5s head-to-head, I didn't find any huge discrepancies in performance. Plus, the XM6s got a $50 price bump to their list price, meaning that even if they were to get a $50 price drop over Black Friday (a markdown we've only spotted once before), they'll still be $150 more than the XM5s at this price point.

Sony WH-1000XM5 $248 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $151.99   Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Amazon Get Deal at Amazon Mid-range headphones for under $100

Noise-cancelling headphones with great sound quality from a reputable brand don't need to cost several hundred dollars, and the Sony WH-CH720N are proof of exactly that. Mashable named them Sony's best headphones under $100, with Mashable contributor Alex Bracetti singing their praises after two years of use. He deemed their sound quality "near flagship" level, and was impressed by the 35 hours of battery life with ANC on, which beats out the current flagship models of both Bose and Sony.

Though you can often find them on sale for $98 (a feat on its own, considering their $179.99 list price), it's slightly less common to find them on sale for $89.99, making this a great deal ahead of Black Friday. As an added bonus, the pink colorway is more unique than you might find from other budget headphones options under $100.

Sony WH-CH720N $89.99 at Amazon
$179.99 Save $90.00   See It at Amazon The best sounding open earbuds

Open earbuds are great if you prefer staying somewhat aware of the world around you, but in my experience, that can come in the form of less-than-stellar sound quality. In the case of the Bose Ultra Open earbuds, you get the best of both worlds. I suspect that's a large part of the reason behind their $299 price tag (which feels more appropriate for noise-cancelling earbuds). That's why I recommend them as an upgrade pick for open earbuds, and why I'm an especially big fan of this $100 off deal. In addition to their surprisingly rich sound, I especially like their small charging case, smartly placed on-ear controls, comfortable clip-on design, and many options for colorways.

Bose Ultra Open earbuds $199 at Amazon
$299 Save $100   Get Deal at Amazon Excellent mid-range noise-cancelling earbuds

Rounding out my picks is maybe the most underrated Bose product — the QuietComfort earbuds. Though their design isn't the most elegant, that's pretty much where their underwhelming features end. For starters, these earbuds have incredible battery life — in my weeks of testing them, I rarely had to charge them, and easily squeezed in a five-hour day of use, with ANC on and battery life to spare.

Sound and noise-cancellation-wise, they don't wow quite as much as the QC Ultra earbuds, but they're also significantly cheaper, even at full price. For their $129 sale price, they're less than half the price of the premium earbuds, and I promise, their performance doesn't reflect that. If I had to put a number to it, I'd say there's more of a $50 to $75 performance discrepancy between the two earbuds, which is why we've named these the best mid-budget earbuds currently on the market. Though we've seen them drop to $129 before, it is their lowest price ever, making this a great grab ahead of Black Friday.

Bose QuietComfort earbuds $129 at Amazon
$179 Save $50   Get Deal at Amazon