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If scoring the best Black Friday deals is an art form, taking advantage of early doorbusters and cross-checking discounts between retailers are techniques of the masters. Just don't forget to read the fine print.
Some stores offer price protection, letting shoppers request adjustments if something they previously bought there gets cheaper down the road. Price matches may also be on the table if a rivaling retailer offers a better discount on the same item. However, lots of exclusions and asterisks typically apply.
SEE ALSO: All the best early Black Friday deals at Amazon, Target, Best Buy, and WalmartThis isn't to say that major retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and Walmart don't offer identical deals during savings events like Black Friday, because they often do. (There's a lot of overlap among Apple products and PlayStation 5 bundles this season.) But for the most part, it's best to think of them as happy accidents rather than official policy. Target is the sole store that will actually match a rival's Black Friday deal by request.
If you buy something from a store that doesn't offer price protection and/or matching this Black Friday, be sure to take advantage of its extended holiday return policy if you spot a lower price on the item there or elsewhere: All major retailers have one in play. An extra-good deal, like a new record-low, can be worth the hassle of returning and rebuying.
Amazon's price-match policyPrice matching is a hard no from Amazon. "We constantly compare Amazon's prices to our competitors' prices to make sure that our prices are as low or lower than all relevant competitors," the retail giant explains. "As a result, we don't offer price matching."
If Amazon ever misses a better deal somewhere else, shoppers can sound the alarm using the "Tell Us About a Lower Price" feature (located under "Feedback" in an item's Product information section). But many items are excluded — Apple devices, for some — and there's no guarantee that Amazon will update its price to reflect the best discount after it's flagged.
Amazon doesn't offer price protection, either, except when it comes to "qualifying items" that are up for preorder. (If a product get cheaper there at any point between the day it's bought and the day it's released, Amazon will honor the lower price.) We recommend that shoppers bookmark the Amazon price-tracking site CamelCamelCamel, which makes it easy to vet the quality and rarity of deals there.
Best Buy's price-match policyBest Buy will match a deal from certain competitors if it stocks the exact same item in new condition — down to the brand, model number, and color — and if the competitor has the item readily available for shipping or store pickup. (Shoppers can request matches online or in person.) But this has a bunch of exclusions attached to it, especially during the holidays.
The competitor's deal can't come from a third-party seller, nor can it involve a members-only promotion, a coupon, a clearance item, or a limited-time special (like flash sales and Lightning Deals). It can't be labeled as a Black Friday deal, either. Best Buy's price-match policy is straight-up null and void from the Thursday before Thanksgiving through the Monday after Thanksgiving to really hammer that point home.
Best Buy gives shoppers a little leeway in the form of seasonal price protection (called its "Holiday Price Match Guarantee"). Customers who purchase something from the electronics store between Nov. 1 and Dec. 31 have until Jan. 14, 2025 to ask it to honor its own new lower price, so long as the better deal applies to a new, in-stock counterpart. Certain products aren't eligible, including those that come with a third-party contract (like a cell phone plan) and holiday decor.
Target's price-match policyThe bullseye brand matches deals from Amazon and Walmart if it carries an equivalent — same name, brand, size, model number, color, weight, everything. The deal just has to be listed by the competitor (and in stock for shipping or pickup) when the match request is made. Target will honor the better discount at checkout or up to 14 days afterward, which is kind of huge. Requests can be made in stores and online.
Crucially, Amazon and Walmart's designated Black Friday deals are eligible for price matching at Target so long as they tick some boxes.
A deal doesn't count if it comes from a third-party seller, if it's on clearance, if the item is pre-owned or refurbished, if there's a promo code attached, if it's part of a Lightning Deal, if it's only for Amazon Prime members, or if it's due to a pricing error. And a competitor price match can't be combined with exclusive deals for members of Target Circle, the retailer's free rewards program.
Target will price-match its own deals for items bought online or in person if they wind up getting cheaper. (You can match an online purchase to in-store prices and vice versa, but you can't price-match between stores.) The policy went into effect on Nov. 7 and covers all purchases made at Target through Dec. 24. What's more, it applies to Target Circle deals if you're a member by the time you ask for the lower price, barring any personalized Target Circle Bonuses. Other exclusions include Target coupons, gift card freebies, phones that come with contracts, and items on preorder.
Walmart's price-match policyWalmart doesn't price-match other retailers, full stop.
The big-box store will adjust the price of an in-store item if a shopper finds the exact same product listed for less on its website, but only at the time of checkout with a supervisor's approval. (You can't go back and request a post-purchase correction.) The stars really have to align here: The online item has to be in stock and identical; it has to be shipped and sold by Walmart itself, not a third-party ("Marketplace") seller; and it can't be a Rollback, on clearance, or part of a Black Friday/Cyber Monday sale.
Walmart will not honor price matches between stores because their inventories are managed independently. "[A] manager may lower a price to clear out an overstock item, to reward customers with an in-store sale, or to compete with local merchants," it says. "It is not our policy to price match our own stores since we are not in competition with ourselves."
There's no price protection for items sold on the Walmart website. The company's reasoning: "We strive to offer the best possible price on Walmart.com every day, on all items."
TL;DR: Bundle Microsoft Office 2021 and Windows 11 Pro together for £43.37 (reg. £345.60) at the Mashable Shop.
For students, winter is all about exam revision. For professionals, it's last-minute prep for holiday. Whether you’re hitting the books or finishing up work, check out this productivity bundle: Microsoft Office and Windows 11 Pro for £43.37.
Separately, this office suite and OS cost hundreds of pounds, but they’re on sale when you buy them together. Best of all, the Microsoft Office suite comes with a lifetime pass for your device. This is your last chance to upgrade your Windows computer before the new year.
Microsoft Office 2021 appsEveryone needs reliable productivity apps. Students lean on tools like Microsoft Word and PowerPoint for homework, OneNote for note-taking, and Outlook and Teams to stay connected to peers and teachers. Once you enter the workforce, these tools are just as necessary.
Microsoft Office for Windows also comes with Access and Publisher. Your one-time purchase gets you a lifetime device license to all of these MS Office tools.
Windows 11 Pro + Copilot AIUpgrading your OS isn’t just for the new user design; you’ll also get the new AI assistant, Copilot.
Copilot uses a custom version of ChatGPT, so it’s like getting the chatbot's premium version without having to pay for it. You could use it to:
Have it explain complex class concepts in simpler terms
Make custom flashcards
Summarise emails and meetings
Simulate conversations in a new language you’re learning
You’ll also enjoy how Windows 11 Pro boosts your PC’s load times, gives you new productivity tools, and adds new security features like BitLocker device encryption. It’s like an internal makeover for your computer.
Take advantage of this Microsoft app bundle with Office 2021 and Windows 11 Pro at £43.37 (reg. £345.60). No coupon is needed for this discount.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Opens in a new window Credit: Retail King The Ultimate Microsoft Office Professional 2021 for Windows: Lifetime License + Windows 11 Pro Bundle £43.37$75 FREE CREDIT: Get the Meta Quest 3S (128GB), Batman: Arkham Shadow, and a three-month trial of Meta Quest+ for $299 at Amazon. This Black Friday bundle deal comes with $75 of free credit with the code QUEST75.
Opens in a new window Credit: Meta Meta Quest 3S Bundle $75 of free credit with code QUEST75 Get DealBlack Friday is the best time of the year to find deals on gaming essentials. We still haven't reached the pinnacle of the deals period, but we've already had deals on PS5 consoles, PS5 controllers, and VR headsets like the budget-friendly Meta Quest 3S.
Bundle deals are usually where it's at over the Black Friday shopping period, and this year is no different. Gamers can get the Meta Quest 3S (128GB), Batman: Arkham Shadow, and a three-month trial of Meta Quest+ for $299 at Amazon. This Black Friday bundle comes with $75 of free digital credit with the code QUEST75.
SEE ALSO: Hulu's Black Friday deal is back. Get a whole year for just $0.99 per month.If you take the free credit into consideration, you're getting the Meta Quest 3S and a popular game for just $224. That's a low price to pay for what Mashable's Tech Editor described as "the best VR headset for new gamers" in its review. In the words of Kimberly Gedeon, the "Meta Quest 3S delivers an impressive, budget-friendly VR experience with solid performance and a wide selection of games." We can't argue with that.
Don't miss out on this stacked Meta Quest 3S bundle deal for Black Friday.
There are a lot more gaming deals worth exploring this Black Friday. Top retailers like Best Buy, Target, and Walmart are dropping delightful deals each day over this hectic shopping marathon, so check out our breakdowns for each to see if any more offers catch your eye.
This content originally appeared on Mashable for a US audience and has been adapted for the UK audience.
There's more to buying a new laptop than buying something that looks nice and shiny. A laptop is a lifestyle choice, which means you need one that suits your life and style. Indeed, your work and leisure (like streaming Netflix) will be vastly improved by the purchase of a slick, reliable, efficient laptop.
It’s certainly not a decision that should be made based on simply price or looks. Like everything else in life, it's what's on the inside that counts.
Laptop beginners may want something user-friendly and straightforward, while frequent travellers will need something that's both light and long-lasting. Designers and gamers may seek top-notch 4K graphics and quick central processors. And everybody needs something that's not just going to break after a year. If you're stuck on a decision, we can help. We're done the research and compiled a roundup of some of the best models available, along with some useful laptop info.
What are the best laptop brands?Apple reigns supreme as the most popular laptop manufacturer and its flagship models — such as the MacBook Pro and MacBook Air — regularly top lists of the very best laptops that money can buy. But it’s far from the only option out there.
The Microsoft Surface has been seriously impressing since its launch in 2012, peaking, in our opinion, with the Microsoft Surface 4 (though newer versions are available). HP offers a range of laptops that span price options and capabilities. Dell is another trusty and versatile manufacturer, with a laptop range including 2-in-1 models and dedicated gaming options. Lenovo is also worth your attention.
What are the best gaming laptops?If you’re a hardcore gamer, you need a laptop that’s built for gaming. Manufacturers such as Asus, Gigabyte, Razer, and Acer produce laptops that are dedicated to gaming and handling the latest software, combining powerful CPU, GPU, and RAM specs for smooth, uninterrupted gameplay. Household name brands such as HP and Dell also have machines built for top-flight gaming.
What are the most important laptop features?Not every laptop will suit everyone’s needs. But there are important inner components that every laptop has and it’s important to know what they are:
CPU — Also known as the the processor, this is the brain of the laptop. It controls and communicates with everything else. For general web-surfing, emails, and essay-writing, you won’t need an all-singing, all-dancing CPU. But if you’re a serious gamer, video editor, or graphic designer — or do anything that requires you running big-time software — look for a machine with a solid, up-to-the-minute CPU processor.
Display — If you’re a gamer or designer, a stunning, high-resolution display is absolutely essential. We recommend a HD 1080p resolution as a base level. Some laptops also have touchscreen capabilities, doubling up as laptop-tablet combos. This is one area where size does matter. Laptops built for gaming and creative work tend to have 15-inch displays but more portable laptops may be 13 or even 11 inches.
GPU — The graphics processing unit, otherwise known as the graphics card. This is responsible for your laptop’s visuals. Once again, the GPU will depend on your laptop activity. You might not need eye-popping graphics for answering emails or writing coursework, but for design work or — perhaps most importantly — rendering visuals in the latest games, choose a machine with the latest, supremely powerful GPU.
RAM — This stands for random-access memory. It's for running various applications at the same time and using them as and when you need to access. (How many apps are open in your dock right now? That’s all thanks to RAM.) This basically controls the speed and dexterity of your laptop. 8GB of RAM is a good starting point if you’re a multitasker or do heavy-duty gaming and creative work.
Storage — You’ll notice that laptops usually come with one of two types of storage space — hard-disc drive (HDD) or a solid-state drive (SSD) storage. HDD is essentially a hunk of metal inside the machine that holds onto all your info. SSD stores the info on little flash-memory chips. A HDD typically holds more but it's slower than SSD. Premium and higher-ticket laptops usually come with SSD as standard. There are also cloud and external storage options, depending on your storage needs.
As with anything in life, you get what you pay for. Just as there's a laptop specification to suit everyone, there's a price point too. The laptops included in this list range from around £280 to £3,060. Remember that a laptop is an investment in not just your work but your life too. It's sometimes worth spending a little extra to get a laptop that will perform harder, faster, and better.
What is the best laptop for you?It's overwhelming but this is the kind of stuff we enjoy researching. We've put together a definitive guide of the best laptops on the market right now. We compare top brands that you probably have in mind like Apple and Dell, as well as other players you may not have considered otherwise. You're in good hands.
These are the best laptops in 2024.
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 deletedEach 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 deletedPlayers 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 28 Here's a hint for today's Connections categoriesWant a hit about the categories without being told the categories? Then give these a try:
Yellow: A Show of gratitude
Green: Deceives or tricks others
Blue: Eating fast
Purple: Themed Tuesdays
Need a little extra help? Today's connections fall into the following categories:
Yellow: Appreciation
Green: Fraudster
Blue: Eat Voraciously
Purple: ___Tuesday
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 #534 is...
What is the answer to Connections todayAppreciation: CREDIT, PRAISE, RECOGNITION, THANKS
Fraudster: CHEAT, CON, FAKE, QUICK
Eat Voraciously: BOLT, DOWN, GOBBLE, SCARF
___Tuesday: FAT, GIVING, SUPER, TACO
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 27Are 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.
Oh hey there! If you're here, it must be time for Wordle. As always, we're serving up our daily hints and tips to help you figure out today's answer.
If you just want to be told today's word, you can jump to the bottom of this article for today's Wordle solution revealed. 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 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections today: Hints and answers for November 28 Where did Wordle come from?Originally created by engineer Josh Wardle as a gift for his partner, Wordle rapidly spread to become an international phenomenon, with thousands of people around the globe playing every day. Alternate Wordle versions created by fans also sprang up, including battle royale Squabble, music identification game Heardle, and variations like Dordle and Quordle that make you guess multiple words at once.
Wordle eventually became so popular that it was purchased by the New York Times, and TikTok creators even livestream themselves playing.
What's the best Wordle starting word?The best Wordle starting word is the one that speaks to you. But if you prefer to be strategic in your approach, we have a few ideas to help you pick a word that might help you find the solution faster. One tip is to select a word that includes at least two different vowels, plus some common consonants like S, T, R, or N.
What happened to the Wordle archive?The entire archive of past Wordle puzzles was originally available for anyone to enjoy whenever they felt like it, but it was later taken down, with the website's creator stating it was done at the request of the New York Times. However, the New York Times then rolled out its own Wordle Archive, available only to NYT Games subscribers.
Is Wordle getting harder?It might feel like Wordle is getting harder, but it actually isn't any more difficult than when it first began. You can turn on Wordle's Hard Mode if you're after more of a challenge, though.
SEE ALSO: NYT's The Mini crossword answers for November 28 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:A wedge.
Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?There is one reoccurring letter.
Today's Wordle is a 5-letter word that starts with...Today's Wordle starts with the letter C.
SEE ALSO: Wordle-obsessed? These are the best word games to play IRL. The Wordle answer today is...Get your last guesses in now, because it's your final chance to solve today's Wordle before we reveal the solution.
Drumroll please!
The solution to today's Wordle is...
CHOCK.
Don't feel down if you didn't manage to guess it this time. There will be a new Wordle 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.
SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for November 28Reporting by Chance Townsend, Caitlin Welsh, Sam Haysom, Amanda Yeo, Shannon Connellan, Cecily Mauran, Mike Pearl, and Adam Rosenberg contributed to this article.
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 Wordle.
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 MashableBy 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 28 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for November 28 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: Thank goodness!These words are part of a holiday meal.
Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explainedWords are part of Thanksgiving dinner.
NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?Today's NYT Strands spangram is horizontal.
NYT Strands spangram answer todayToday's spangram is LetsFeast.
Featured Video For You Strands 101: How to win NYT’s latest word game NYT Strands word list for November 28Turkey
Potatoes
Yams
Cranberries
Gravy
Rolls
LetsFeast
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.
As Mashable's shopping reporter on the beauty tech beat, I know first-hand that beauty tech tools like hot air stylers or skincare wands can range from gimmicky to fun to actual lifesavers. (Okay, maybe that last one's a slight exaggeration.) I also know that more often than not, these tools aren't cheap. Black Friday beauty deals take the sting out of high prices, but deals can be deceiving.
SEE ALSO: Amazon's official Black Friday sale is on, and a ton of new deals are hereTogether, that doesn't make for the easiest Black Friday shopping experience. Sure, maybe that deal on a microcurrent device looks great, but if it doesn't do much and craps out in six months, it's not worth any amount of money. And with a saturated market, it's easy to waste your money — which is why I've put together this list of my favorite beauty products on sale.
For many of the below products, I've tested them, or at least tried out the brand, personally. (My hottest of hot takes: the Dyson Supersonic really is the best beauty tool—shocking, I know). In addition to vetting the quality of the product — i.e. you won't find any sketchy TikTok Shop-esque deals below — I've also used my professional judgment as a shopping reporter who's covered the online deals beat for over three years. The result: 25 of the best Black Friday beauty tech deals.
Best Black Friday hair dryer dealsLaifen Swift Lite — $63.99 $99.99 (save $36)
Laifen Swift — $97.49 $129.99 (save $32.50)
Dreame Pocket Hair Dryer — $99.99 $159.99 (save $60)
T3 Fit Compact — $104.99 $149.99 (save $45)
T3 AireLuxe — $139.99 $199.99 (save $60)
Shark SpeedStyle — $159.99 $199.99 (save $40)
Shark SpeedStyle Pro Flex — $179 $229.99 (save $50.99)
Zuvi Halo — $209 $349 (save $140)
Dyson Supersonic — $329 $429 (save $100)
Dyson Supersonic Nural — $399 $499 (save $100)
L'ANGE HAIR Le Volume 2-in-1 Titanium Blow Dryer Brush — $48.30 $119 (save $70.70)
BondiBoost Blowout Brush — $48.99 $69.99 (save $21)
L'ANGE HAIR Le Duo Grande 360 Airflow Styler — $62.30 $119 (save $56.70)
Shark FlexStyle — $229 $299 (save $70)
T3 Aire 360 — $249.99 $299.99 (save $50 with on-page coupon)
Dyson Corrale — $399 $499 (save $100)
Dyson Airwrap — $499 $599 (save $100)
Solawave 2-in-1 Mini — $59.99 $89 (save $29.01)
Solawave Radiant Renewal Wand — $113.40 $189 (save $75.60)
NuFace Mini Classic kit — $154 $220 (save $66)
TheraFace PRO — $299 $399 (save $100)
TheraFace Mask — $549 $599 (save $50)
Chi Ceramic flat iron (1-inch) — $54.83 $99.99 (save $45.16)
BondiBoost Flat Iron (1-inch) — $55.99 $119 (save $63.01)
Amika Blowout Babe thermal brush — $70 $100 (save $30 with on-page coupon)
Bio Ionic Long Barrel Curling Wand (1-inch) — $104 $149 (save $45)
T3 SinglePass Curl X — $104.99 $149.99 (save $45)
T3 SinglePass Smooth X flat iron — $104.99 $149.99 (save $45)
T3 CurlWrap — $139.99 $199.99 (save $60)
Bio Ionic 10X Styling Iron — $167 $239 (save $72)
SAVE $80: For Black Friday, you can get the Bird Buddy Original Solar Bird Feeder with Camera for $199, down from $279, a 28% discount (Amazon's listed MSRP, $239, is incorrect and you're actually getting a better deal than they're letting on).
Opens in a new window Credit: Bird Buddy Bird Buddy solar bird feeder with camera $199.00 at AmazonSome details on the feeder's special extras: The Bird Buddy uses AI to identify different birds and their species — the tech can even tell if one of the animals is displaying signs of illness. With the camera, users can watch live feeds online or capture 2K video and 5 MP photos of new friends up close and personal. The Bird Buddy's app works with the camera, alerting users when their favorite birds are having a snack.
Keeping the camera charged is easy with the feeder's solar-powered roof. The Bird Buddy's manufacturer ensures the feeder's camera is respectful of privacy and does not share data without a user's acknowledgment.
Any bird lover would adore this eco-feeder, and really anyone who would appreciate a regular soundtrack of calming bird song.
SAVE $190: As of Nov. 27, Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and Walmart have the Beats Studio Pro on sale for just $159.99 during their Black Friday sales. That's 54% off the headphones' $349.99 MSRP and an all-time low.
Where to buy Beats Studio Pro on sale Beats Studio Pro $159.99 at Amazon (save $190) Get Deal Beats Studio Pro $159.99 at Best Buy (save $190) Get Deal Beats Studio Pro $159.99 at Target (save $190) Get Deal Beats Studio Pro $159.99 at Walmart (save $190) Get DealFierce as their competition is during the holidays, Amazon, Best Buy, Target, and Walmart have all agreed on one thing lately: The Mashable Choice Award-winning Beats Studio Pro should be on sale at an unprecedented price for Black Friday. Let's not argue with them.
The over-ear, noise-cancelling headphones are down to $159.99 at all four retailers, who have slashed their usual retail price of $349.99 by more than half. Data on the Amazon price-tracking site CamelCamelCamel reveals that this is their biggest discount to date, beating their previous record-low from earlier in November by $10-ish. They were full price on the Beats website and in the Apple Store at the time of writing. (The latter will give you a $50 gift card for buying them direct starting Nov. 29 — meh.)
The Mashable Shopping team previously flagged a Studio Pro deal at Target that brought them down to $249.99, or $100 off. (It was supposed to end on Nov. 26, which it did — they just got even cheaper.) Shoppers who bought them there at that higher price can request an adjustment in store or online with proof of purchase.
SEE ALSO: Black Friday headphone and speaker deals bring AirPods Pro and Bose headphones to record-low pricesMashable's Alex Perry reviewed the Studio Pro right at launch in the summer of 2023 and scored them at a 4.5/5, commending their ultra-clear sound quality, generous bass, stellar battery life, "tremendous" ANC, convenient foldable design, and cross-platform consistency. Apple (which owns Beats) doesn't leave Android users SOL, here.
"Really, the biggest complaint I can think of is that $350 is a large sum of money to drop on a pair of headphones," Perry wrote. That's less of an issue as things currently stand.
All four stores carry the Studio Pro in black, deep brown, navy, and sandstone. Best Buy has an extra pair in black with gold accents, while three earth-toned Beats Studio Pro x Kim Kardashian variants and a matte white version are exclusively available through Amazon. (Note that the white ones are usually priced at $249.95.) Amazon is also letting shoppers bundle the headphones with two years of AppleCare+ for an additional $19 — a $10 savings.
GET $75: As of Nov. 27, early bird Black Friday shoppers can score $75 in store credit when they purchase a Meta Quest 3S bundle at Amazon. The bundle also includes a digital copy of Batman: Arkham Shadow and a three-month trial of Meta Quest+.
Opens in a new window Credit: Meta / Camouflaj Meta Quest 3S (128GB) bundle + $75 Amazon credit $299.00 at AmazonThere's really no better entry point into VR gaming than the Meta Quest 3. It's affordable, easy to set up, and runs great for a budget device (honestly, it doesn't feel "budget" at all). Even at full price, it's a pretty great deal considering what you get.
Lucky for you, the deal is even sweeter ahead of Black Friday: Amazon is offering $75 in store credit to any early bird shoppers who pick up this Meta Quest 3S bundle, which also includes a digital copy of Batman: Arkham Shadow and a three-month trial of Meta Quest+. It's free money. Take it!
If you prefer to do your shopping at Target, the retailer is offering the same deal but with a $75 Target gift card.
SEE ALSO: Check out some of the best Nintendo Switch deals we've seen ahead of Black FridayThe Meta Quest 3S is the most budget-friendly version of the popular VR headset to date, but it's not lacking in features. It has the same processor and RAM as the Meta Quest 3, so it can run the same games with ease. The only place of note you'll be taking a noticeable hit is in resolution (the Meta Quest 3 has a 4K display, while the 3S has a 1920p display), but you'll save at least $100 in return for not upgrading. When you bundle it with a great starter game like Batman: Arkham Shadow and a few months of access to Meta's Quest+ catalog, it's not an offer you should miss, even before the official start of Black Friday.
The Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade kicks off its 98th march through the streets of New York City on Nov. 28, 2024 at 8:30 a.m. ET. The annual holiday tradition involves a thrilling barrage of massive balloons, celebrity appearances, fantastical floats, and marching bands, offering plenty of spectacle to accompany your festive feasts and family get-togethers.
This year, there'll be 22 balloons, with the introduction of new balloons inspired by the Elf on the Shelf, Dragon Ball Z, Spider-Man, and Paw Patrol. Plus, Bluey favorites Janet and Rita (Bluey and her sister Bingo in their "grannies" personas) will have their own balloon car, sure to fill fans of the Aussie animated series with glee.
Among the big names performing are Frozen and Wicked star Idina Menzel, The Bear's Liza Colón-Zayas, rapper T-Pain, pop goddess Kylie Minogue, and WNBA Champions New York Liberty and their mascot Ellie the Elephant.
Today show anchors Savannah Guthrie, Hoda Kotb, and Al Roker will host at-home audiences on NBC during the 2.5-mile parade. If you don't have cable, don't worry; you can still keep the tradition alive via streaming. Here's what you need to know to tune in live.
SEE ALSO: The best Black Friday streaming deals so far: Hulu, Peacock, Max, and more What time is the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade?On Nov. 28, the parade is set to air from 8:30 a.m. to noon ET on NBC, Telemundo, and Peacock and will re-broadcast from 2:00 to 5:30 p.m. ET for those who don't wake up early. If you don't have cable, you'll either need a Peacock subscription or a cable replacement like Sling, Hulu + Live TV, or FuboTV.
How to watch the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade without cableBest Peacock deal for most people Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium $19.99/year Black Friday Deal ($60 off the annual cost) Get DealLike every other streaming service, Peacock is prone to price hikes, this year upping its cost for the Premium Plan with ads from $5.99/month ($59.99/year) to $7.99/month ($79.99/year). If you want to cut out ads, you'll have to fork over even more and pay $13.99/month for the Premium Plus Plan, or $139.99/year. But Peacock tends to offer one of the best Black Friday deals of any streamer, and wouldn't you know, there's a Black Friday deal on now for an entire year of the Premium Plan (with ads) for only $19.99. Or, you can sign up to get $1.99/month for 6 months. This may be your best bet for watching the Thanksgiving Day Parade for a steal.
Best Peacock deal for Xfinity customers Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock / Xfinity Peacock Premium Free with eligible Xfinity accounts (save $79.99/year or $7.99/month) Get DealIf you use Xfinity internet, you can score a free or discounted subscription to Peacock to watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade and plenty more. You can check your eligibility over at the Xfinity website, but here's a breakdown if you know which plan you're on:
Xfinity Internet users with Gigabit or Gigabit+ speed can get Peacock Premium for free for two years (offer ends June 25, 2025).
Xfinity Internet customers who are Diamond or Platinum Xfinity Rewards members can get Peacock Premium for free by simply redeeming a reward for it. Sign in at xfinity.com/rewards, select the Peacock reward, and wait for an email with instructions on how to activate your offer.
NOW TV customers get Peacock Premium included as part of their service.
According to an agreement between NBC Universal and Charter Communications, the Peacock Premium ad-supported streaming service is available for “no additional cost” to Spectrum TV Select video customers. So Spectrum TV and internet customers can also tune into the Thanksgiving Day Parade and other gems on Peacock for free.
Best Peacock Deal for students Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium for Students $1.99/month for one year (save $6/month) Get DealStudents can keep the Thanksgiving tradition alive even without a cable plan by snagging a Peacock Premium subscription for only $1.99/month (for an entire year). All you need is a verifiable student status (a .edu email address) with SheerID. Once you pass the verification, you'll get a unique promo code to sign up for Peacock at a discount. The promo code can only be used once, though, so be sure to plan accordingly.
Best Peacock deal for first responders and medical professionals Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Peacock Premium for First Responders and Medical Professionals $1.99/month for one year (save $6/month) Get DealSimilarly, first responders and medical professionals can score a year of Peacock Premium for only $1.99/month as well (reg. $7.99/month). Verify your status via SheerID upon signing up and use the unique promo code to knock down the cost per month. Eligible first responders and medical professionals who continue to meet verification qualifications can renew the Peacock offer annually and enjoy the Thanksgiving Day Parade and much more for years to come. Learn more about eligibility and offer terms here.
Best cable replacement option Opens in a new window Credit: Sling Sling TV Blue $22.50 for your first month, then $45/month ($22.50 off your first month) Get DealFor those who would rather sign up for a cable replacement than a single streaming service to watch the Thanksgiving Day Parade and other live events, Sling TV is your best bet. It's by far the most affordable cable alternative and lets you pick and choose the channels you want access to. For access to NBC, you'll need the Blue plan, which typically costs $45/month. However, you can save 50% on your first month and try it out for only $22.50.
Note: Double check that NBC is available in your local network before committing to Sling.
UPDATE: Nov. 27, 2024, 2:56 p.m. EST This article has been updated to reflect 2024 parade details. Additional reporting by Kristy Puchko.
As online content encouraging disordered eating behaviors rears its ugly head once again, generative AI is adding fuel to the fire.
According to a Futurism investigation, popular AI startup Character.AI is hosting numerous pro-anorexia chatbots that encourage dangerous weight loss and eating habits. Many are advertised as "weight loss coaches" or even eating disorder recovery experts. Several include thinly-veiled references to eating disorders, while even more are designed to romanticize dangerous and often disturbing habits while mimicking favorite characters. The site, popular among younger users, has not made efforts to remove chatbots of this kind as of Futurism's publishing — despite violating its terms of service.
SEE ALSO: Teens are talking to AI companions, whether it's safe or notThis isn't the first scandal hitting Character.AI's customizable, user-generated chatbots. In October, a 14-year-old boy took his own life after allegedly forming an emotional attachment to an AI bot mimicking Game of Thrones character Daenerys Targaryen. Earlier that month, the company came under fire for hosting a chatbot that mimicked a teen girl who had been murdered in 2006—her father discovered the bot and it was later removed. Previous reporting has found the site also hosts suicide-themed chatbots, as well as ones promoting child sexual abuse.
A 2023 report from the Center for Countering Digital Hate found that popular AI chatbots, including ChatGPT and Snapchat's MyAI, generated dangerous responses to questions about weight and body image. "Untested, unsafe generative AI models have been unleashed on the world with the inevitable consequence that they're causing harm. We found the most popular generative AI sites are encouraging and exacerbating eating disorders among young users—some of whom may be highly vulnerable," wrote Imran Ahmed, CEO of the Center for Countering Digital Hate, at the time.
Teens (and adults) are increasingly turning to digital spaces and technologies, including AI-powered chatbots, for companionship. And while some of these are created and monitored by trusted organizations, even those are at risk for untoward behaviors. For chatbots and online forums that go unregulated by watchdogs, the risks are multifold, including predation and abuse.
Black Friday properly falls on Nov. 29 this year, but as in years past, sales have been flooding our feeds for weeks. Now that we're closer to the official shopping holiday, we can say with certainty that it's shaping up to be a good year for deals.
Obviously, there are tons of discounts on big-ticket items like TVs and laptops, but not everyone's looking to splurge this season. For anyone on a budget, there are also plenty of products falling under $25 for Black Friday — and lucky for you, we've been tracking all of the best ones at all of the mega-retailers like Amazon, Walmart, and Target.
Here are our top picks for the best deals under $25. Keep an eye out for more to come as Cyber Week continues.
Best tech deal under $25 Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Echo Dot with Amazon Basics Smart Color Bulb $22.99 at AmazonThe fifth-generation Echo Dot seamlessly adds smart benefits to your daily routine. A smaller version of the baseline Echo, the Dot is a good fit for a nightstand, bookshelf, countertop, or desk. It can be used to receive reminders, set timers, schedule tasks, communicate with friends and family, save recipes, listen to music, play soothing white noise to escape from the holiday chaos, and more. Paired with the free Amazon Basics smart color bulb, you can ask Alexa to light your room with festive colors. Usually $49.99 for the Echo Dot alone, you can get the device and free bulb for just $22.99. That matches its record-low price.
More tech deals under $25Amazon Smart Plug — $12.99 $24.99 (save $12)
Anker Zolo 10,000mAh Portable Power Bank — $14.81 $25.99 (save $11.18 with on-page coupon)
Tile Mate (2022) — $14.99 $24.99 (save $10)
Echo Glow — $16.99 $29.99 (save $13)
Echo Pop with Amazon Basics Smart Color Bulb — $17.99 $39.99 (save $22)
Roku Express — $17.99 $29.99 (save $12)
Tile Mate (2024) — $19.98 $24.99 (save $5.01)
Logitech MK270 Wireless Keyboard And Mouse — $19.99 $27.99 (save $8)
Logitech M510 Wireless Mouse — $19.99 $27.99 (save $8)
Blink Mini 2 — $19.99 $39.99 (save $20)
Soundcore P20i Wireless Earbuds — $19.99 $39.99 (save $20)
Turtle Beach Recon 70 — $20 $39.99 (save $19.99)
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K — $21.99 $49.99 (save $28)
Echo Pop Kids — $22.99 $49.99 (save $27)
Govee Smart Light Bulbs (4-pack) — $22.99 $34.99 (save $12 with on-page coupon)
Tile Slim (2024) — $23.98 $29.99 (save $6.01)
JBL Tune 510BT — $24.95 $39.95 (save $15)
Amazon Echo Buds — $24.99 $49.99 (save $25)
Cooking for big groups this holiday season? Snag this half-priced slow cooker deal from none other than Crock-Pot and whip up soups, stews, meats, and more. The manual design couldn't be easier to use — just turn the dial to low, high, or warm and let it do its thing. With a seven-quart pot, you can fit up to a seven-pound roast and serve nine or more people. Usually $49.99, it's on sale for Black Friday for just under the $25 mark.
More kitchen deals under $25Owala Kids Tumbler (12-ounce) — $14.39 $17.99 (save $3.60)
DASH Rapid Egg Cooker — $15.99 $18.99 (save $3)
Stanley Adventure Big Grip Beer Stein — $19.99 $25 (save $5.01)
Bella Pro 12-cup Programmable Coffee Maker — $19.99 $59.99 (save $40)
Stanley Classic Legendary Camp Mug — $21.99 $28 (save $6.01)
Cuisinart Classic Waffle Maker — $22.95 $29.95 (save $7)
Hamilton Beach Breakfast Sandwich Maker — $22.99 $29.99 (save $7)
Yeti Rambler (20-ounce) — $24.50 $35 (save $10.50)
This 327-piece Lego set doubles as decor once you're finished building it. Part of the Botanical Collection from Lego Icons, it gives you a gorgeous Plum Blossom that won't die. Designed for adults, the detailed flower replica comes in a pastel blue flowerpot and needs zero pruning or watering. Usually $29.99, it's on sale at Target for $23.99 ahead of Black Friday.
More toy deals under $25Barbie It Takes Two "Malibu" Camping Doll and 10+ pieces — $10 $22.99 (save $12.99)
Barbie Kitty Condo Playset — $10 $22.99 (save $12.99)
Barbie "Malibu" Travel Set — $10 $22.99 (save $12.99)
Barbie Pets Stroll & Play Pups Playset — $10 $22.99 (save $12.99)
Barbie Mysteries the Great Horse Chase Brooklyn Doll — $11.99 $14.99 (save $3)
Kinetic Sand Folding Sandbox Play Set (2 pounds) — $15 $34.99 (save $19.99)
Target Toy Shopping Cart — $15 $19.99 (save $14)
Monster High Skulltimate Secrets Abbey Bominable Doll — $19.99 $24.99 (save $5)
Lego Harry Potter Forbidden Forest: Magical Creatures — $19.99 $29.99 (save $10)
National Geographic Mega Science Lab Kit — $20 $49.99 (save $29.99)
Lego Architecture London Skyline — $20.79 $25.99 (save $5.20)
Lego Icons Chrysanthemum Flower Building Set — $23.99 $29.99 (save $6)
Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West (Gregory Maguire) — $10 $19.99 (save $9.99)
Chom Chom Roller — $14.69 $27.99 (save $13.30 with on-page coupon)
Dr. Seuss's Beginner Book Boxed Set Collection — $18.31 $49.95 (save $31.64)
Just Dance 2025 for Nintendo Switch — $24.99 $49.99 (save $25)
Sonic Frontiers for Nintendo Switch — $24.99 $39.99 (save $15)
File this under nice problems to have: Bluesky is growing like gangbusters. But hiding beneath that nice problem is a whole viper pit of nasty ones, as any study of Twitter history will tell you.
The Twitter-like social media underdog (or, given its logo, under-butterfly) zipped past the 20 million-user mark last week, with more than a quarter of those users arriving after the U.S. election. An election in which the owner of Twitter/X put his giant thumb on the scale for Donald Trump and made billions of dollars in a single day afterwards—events that led to what we might term an ongoing X-odus. Now leaving Musk's sinking ship for Bluesky: Taylor Swift stans.
More importantly, the new users are highly active, and there's no sign of the trend abating. According to a live counter built atop Bluesky's API, the service is nudging the 23 million-user mark, and could cross it by the time U.S. families sit down to their Thanksgiving meals. The growth rate is 4 to 8 new users every second. That could easily climb once crazy Republican uncles everywhere unload on their distraught Democratic kin.
SEE ALSO: Leaving X for bluer pastures? What to know about Bluesky's owners and policies.So what's the problem? Say it with us now: content moderation. Bluesky doesn't just have to deal with disinformation coming from fake accounts, taking advantage of its lack of account verification, but also an explosion in child sexual abuse material (CSAM) — from two confirmed cases in 2023 to eight confirmed cases a day post-election.
What did Twitter do when it was in this position? In a word: nothing.
Twitter's early history was one of chaotic growth, company name changes, excessive "fail whale" downtime, and ego clashes between the shy male nerds who lucked into running it. Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg famously described his rival social media service as "a clown car that fell into a gold mine."
As a result, there's little data on account growth in the early years. We know Twitter, born in 2006, took until 2008 to reach its first 600,000 users. In April 2010, the company boasted 105.8 million accounts, according to an on-the-scene report from a social media news website called Mashable. In other words, the closest analog to Bluesky right now is Twitter at some point in 2009.
'We suck at dealing with abuse'And when did Twitter start policing for hate speech and other criminal activity? Before 2014, the company didn't even offer a way to report abuse on the platform, and that tool was notoriously slow. In 2015, well into the targeted harassment campaign known as Gamergate, Twitter CEO Dick Costolo wrote a mea culpa explaining how this was costing the company:
We suck at dealing with abuse and trolls on the platform and we've sucked at it for years. It's no secret and the rest of the world talks about it every day. We lose core user after core user by not addressing simple trolling issues that they face every day.
Disney CEO Bob Iger concurred in 2016, when he nixed a deal to buy Twitter that had the support of both company boards. The reason? "Nastiness" and "hate speech," Iger wrote in his 2019 autobiography.
That didn't faze Elon Musk — or did it? After all, even Musk tried to back out of his highly speculative $44 billion offer for Twitter in 2022 before a court forced him to mean what he had publicly said. By that point, Twitter had belatedly introduced content moderation (starting in 2018, when it permanently suspended the account of conspiracy maven Alex Jones).
The growing moderation team under Aaron Rodericks was dismantled during Musk's first year. His "content moderation council" that was going to decide whether to reinstate accounts like Trump's (banned after it was used to lead an insurrection) never materialized. And what happened? A stream of users heading for the exits that has not abated since.
By contrast, Bluesky has plans to quadruple the size of its content moderation team, from 25 to 100. "We're trying to go above what the legal requirements are, because we decided that we wanted to be a safe and welcoming space for a lot of users," Rodericks — now head of Trust and Safety at Bluesky after Musk ousted him from X — told Platformer.
There are many challenges ahead for Rodericks and everyone else at Bluesky who aims to build trust among new users. Top of mind right now has to be those fake accounts. Twitter introduced its verification badges, the famous blue checks, in 2009; right in line with Bluesky at this stage in its growth.
Plus, European Union chiefs noted this week, the platform is technically running afoul of its regulations. But the compliance problem is a small one. There's no sign yet that Bluesky intends to follow Musk into his ongoing state of war with the EU; the problem simply seems to be that Bluesky is growing so fast it doesn't even have a European representative.
Again, nice problem to have.
A group of artists that were early testers for OpenAI's Sora leaked access to the AI video generator on Tuesday. But let's get the facts straight so the story isn't oversimplified.
OpenAI has since shut down access to Sora for all early testers. But for about three hours, the public could test out Sora for themselves. According to a statement shared with the demo hosted on Hugging Face, the artists released access to Sora as a protest against "art washing," which they believe they were "lured into" by OpenAI.
SEE ALSO: OpenAI accidentally deleted potential evidence in New York Times copyright lawsuit caseBut there's a little more nuance to the story to than "disgruntled anti-AI artists leak the model." Let's dive into what it was and wasn't.
It was leaked credentials; it wasn't leaked code.A leak of Sora may have sounded like a moment of truth that many had been waiting for.
When OpenAI announced Sora last February, there was rampant speculation about what the AI video generator was trained on. Many artists believe Sora's training data was scraped from videos on YouTube and elsewhere on the web without explicit permission. OpenAI has refused to divulge any details, but based on copyright infringement lawsuits regarding its other models, the company maintains that publicly available data is fair use under copyright laws.
But this is still very much up for debate as OpenAI and other companies face ongoing lawsuits about whether AI-generated content is sufficiently original and whether it commercially competes with human works.
When TechCrunch first reported the leak, everyone was dying to look under the hood and see what Sora was made of. But the Sora leak doesn't offer any intel about the model or its training data. It was essentially a publicly available web-based demo, likely made possible by sharing API access. It appears to have just granted the public sneaky backdoor access to Sora's functionality on OpenAI's servers. But while anyone in the world was briefly able to generate Sora videos, this type of leak doesn't grant us any new information about the Sora model itself.
Tweet may have been deleted It was a protest against OpenAI's early testing program; it wasn't a blanket anti-AI statement.The artists that made Sora publicly accessible did so because they felt like OpenAI was "exploiting artists for unpaid R&D and PR" by leveraging unpaid labor in form of bug testing and feedback. "Furthermore," the statement continued, "every output needs to be approved by the OpenAI team before sharing. This early access program appears to be less about creative expression and critique, and more about PR and advertisement."
Tweet may have been deletedThe group wasn't mincing words when it called OpenAI "corporate AI overlords" complete with middle finger emoticons. However, they "are not against the use of AI technology as a tool for the arts," since they wouldn't have been invited to participate as early testers otherwise, the group noted. What they are against is "how this artist program has been rolled out and how the tool is shaping up ahead of a possible public release."
This is the kind of nuance that often gets lost in AI discourse. Many artists aren't opposed to using AI as a tool for creative expression. But opposing exploitation of creative works and job replacement by automation is often conflated with anti-innovation. We don't know exactly what it is about how Sora is "shaping up" ahead of its release that prompted the revolt, but it's safe to say OpenAI wants a positive review from its artist testers, hence the dissonance.
Spotify users look forward to their Wrapped all year long. And for those who can hardly wait, don't fret: Spotify Wrapped 2024 is nearly here.
What is Spotify Wrapped?Started in 2016, Spotify Wrapped is exactly what it sounds like: your year in Spotify, neatly wrapped up in a colorful — and uniquely shareable — interactive experience.
Spotify combs through your data and tells you your top artists, songs, albums, and more. For instance, you might find out you were in the Top 1 percent of Selena Gomez listeners. Spotify also creates a playlist of your Top 100 songs of the year.
SEE ALSO: Everything you need to know about Spotify Wrapped 2024 Tweet may have been deleted When will Spotify Wrapped be released in 2024?The short answer: The exact date is a surprise. Spotify has never confirmed it, and let's face it — they probably never will. But we do know Spotify Wrapped will likely arrive quite soon.
It'll certainly come out the week after Thanksgiving. In 2023, it came out the Wednesday after Thanksgiving. So keep that in mind.
Tweet may have been deleted How to view your Spotify WrappedIt's pretty simple to look at your Wrapped once it is released. All you have to do is open the app on your phone and click on the correct "Wrapped" icon. Typically speaking, it'll be a little button across a hard-to-miss banner. You can also go to the Wrapped section of the Spotify website.
And, of course, once you do view your Wrapped there's only one thing to do: share it with the internet, as has become obligatory.
The upcoming iOS 18.2 update is a big one. Expected to be released in early December, iOS 18.2 comes with Genmoji, Image Playground, Siri with the ChatGPT function, and more AI-powered Writing Tools. The update also has a redesigned Mail app.
Even though Apple Intelligence features are exclusive to the iPhone 15 Pro models and the entire iPhone 16 lineup, all iPhones that support the iOS 18.2 update will get some of the redesigned Mail features. Here's what to expect.
SEE ALSO: How to use Genmoji on iOS 18 Your Mail inbox, sortedThe most noticeable Mail update automatically sorts emails into categories: Primary, Transactions, Updates, and Promotions. The Primary category shows your most important emails sent from actual humans, as opposed to automated mailing lists. Time-sensitive emails will also show up here.
The iOS 18.2 update automatically sorts your inbox. Credit: Screenshot: Mashable / AppleReceipts, orders, and deliveries will automatically be put in Transactions, so you can easily track packages and purchases by switching over to this category. News, subscriptions, and social media notifications are sorted into the Updates category, so look there for newsletters and alerts. Last but not least, all offers and deals emails go into the Promotions category, so that's an easy place to look if you're trying to cull unwanted subscriptions and work your way down to inbox zero.
SEE ALSO: The Apple Watch 10 is at its lowest-ever price in the Amazon Black Friday saleYou can also manually move certain emails into other categories, which will "train" the Mail app categorize emails as such in the future. If this is too much categorization for you, there's a fifth category: All Mail. Or you can tap the three dots in the upper right-hand corner and switch back to the traditional List View design.
Mail also looks a lot more like the Messages app. The contact photo is featured more prominently, which gives it a more informal and comfortable look.
Grouped messages from the same sender with 'Digest View'If you have multiple emails from the same sender, with iOS 18.2, Mail will automatically consolidate them into one thread for an easy way to catch up on everything.
'Digest View' groups emails from the same sender in a summarized thread. Credit: AppleThe example given in the Apple announcement shows a flight confirmation and subsequent notifications about the flight in one place, which should be handy for trying to get all the relevant info about upcoming travels.
Writing Tools and email summariesOther features require Apple Intelligence like Writing Tools and automated email summaries. AI-powered Writing Tools help you draft a quick response by scanning the contents of the email. You can also adjust the tone and length of messages, and use Apple Intelligence for a quick proofread (RIP Grammarly).
Apple Intelligence's Writing Tools in Mail can rewrite and proofread your drafts. Credit: AppleSummaries in Mail work by giving you a one or two line recap of what the email is about, as opposed to previewing the first line of the email. It's a useful way of quickly screening conversations as you work your way through your inbox, so you don't have to open up every email to see what it's about.
As mentioned earlier, Apple Intelligence is currently available only on the iPhone 16 lineup and the Pro versions of the iPhone 15 due to the significant RAM requirements. Apple is likely banking on Apple Intelligence being a compelling enough reason to upgrade. Come December, when iOS 18.2 comes out, we'll have a better idea of whether the new AI suite is worth it.
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