IT General

20 of the best early Black Friday deals under $50

Mashable - Wed, 11/19/2025 - 18:13
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 $50Best 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 $50Best 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.

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
Categories: IT General, Technology

Everything coming to Netflix in December 2025

How-To Geek - Wed, 11/19/2025 - 18:02

Netflix is wrapping up 2025 with a nice bow on top. The streaming service has saved its best for the last month of the year, giving us movies and shows that we've long anticipated. So, get ready to fill your watchlist with exciting new titles and a scoop of holiday cheer.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Stop scrolling—these secret Netflix codes reveal exactly what you want to watch

How-To Geek - Wed, 11/19/2025 - 18:00

Not to state the obvious here, but Netflix has a lot of stuff to watch. So much, in fact, that sites like How-To Geek employ experts like me to help readers sift through it all to help you find something good.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Ditch the monthly subscription and save up to 60% on pCloud’s lifetime cloud storage bundle

How-To Geek - Wed, 11/19/2025 - 17:59

Black Friday is always a great time to score deals on tech, but this year, pCloud is offering one of the most valuable digital upgrades you can make. From November 17th through November 29, 2025, the popular cloud storage service is discounting all of its lifetime plans along with a new Limited Edition 3in1 Bundle that combines secure storage, private encryption, and a password manager.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The best early Black Friday speaker deals from our favorite brands

Mashable - Wed, 11/19/2025 - 17:52
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 speakersHome speakersParty speakersSoundbars
Categories: IT General, Technology

I bought an SUV for the extra space and I regret it

How-To Geek - Wed, 11/19/2025 - 17:30

SUVs (Sports Utility Vehicles) are one of the most popular types of vehicle in the USA. Actually, that's really underselling how popular these beefy cars have become. Alongside trucks, SUVs dominate the market in America, and they are certainly popular in the rest of the world.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Your next Google TV might have a remote with infinite battery

How-To Geek - Wed, 11/19/2025 - 17:19

Google TV remotes still mostly use good old AA or AAA batteries, which you need to replace. That's still standard on TV remotes, for the most part. But now, upcoming Google TVs might come with a solution that could mean you'll never run out of battery.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Here's how I rank the most popular lightweight Linux desktops

How-To Geek - Wed, 11/19/2025 - 17:15

If you want to use Linux to breathe life back into an old PC, you're going to want one of the desktop environments (DEs) designed to be lean and fast. Based on my experience, this is how I'd rank each of the most popular options.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Sling's day pass is now just $1

How-To Geek - Wed, 11/19/2025 - 17:12

Back in August, Sling TV revealed its new day pass feature, allowing you to watch sports games or other traditional TV broadcasts without signing up for a monthly subscription. Now you can try it out for just $1, following Disney's failure in court to block its rollout.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Blender 5.0 has arrived with a ton of improvements

How-To Geek - Wed, 11/19/2025 - 17:05

Blender 5.0 has arrived, bringing with it a massive list of updates across the entire program. The developers didn't hold back this time, and it feels like most of the pipeline has new features, all of which are welcome because they make the application better.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Lincoln Corsair PHEV: the most reliable plug-in hybrid SUV right now

How-To Geek - Wed, 11/19/2025 - 16:30

Plug-in hybrids have long had a bit of a reputation for being finicky, thanks to their complicated powertrains. But that’s old news—today’s PHEVs are more reliable than ever, often matching traditional gas cars and EVs in dependability.

Categories: IT General, Technology

What is a WebExtension, and how is it different from a Chrome extension?

How-To Geek - Wed, 11/19/2025 - 16:15

If you want to develop browser extensions for Chrome, Safari, Firefox, Opera, and other browsers, you’ve probably seen the phrase ‘WebExtension’ in support documents. Even though WebExtensions and Chrome extensions are (somewhat) interchangeable terms for the same technology, you do need to be aware of the differences for cross-browser extension development.

Categories: IT General, Technology

This self-hosted open-source budgeting software saves me $150 per year

How-To Geek - Wed, 11/19/2025 - 16:00

Keeping track of your spending is the best way to ensure that you live within your means and can put money aside for a rainy day. Budgeting software such as YNAB can help you keep track of your financial transactions, but you have to pay to use the service. Now I'm self-hosting my budgeting software and saving money instead of handing it over to someone else.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Do cases really protect your phone?

How-To Geek - Wed, 11/19/2025 - 15:30

You shelled out a grand for a new smartphone, and the last thing you want is to see it lying on the ground, cracked and damaged. The natural inclination is to slap on a case, right? While cases are pretty standard practice, you should know that not all are created equal.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Yardcare's N1600 Pro brings big technology to big lawns

How-To Geek - Wed, 11/19/2025 - 15:13

For many, maintaining a perfect lawn is a constant battle. Thankfully, robotic mowers are turning this chore into a hands-off experience. Yardcare is no newcomer to the world of garden solutions. With popular models like the Yardcare E400, V100, and M800plus selling tens of thousands of units and finding their way into homes everywhere, the brand has earned a stellar reputation and user trust in the lawn and garden equipment space.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The 65-inch TCL QM6K QLED TV has hit its lowest-ever price on Amazon — pay under $500 ahead of Black Friday

Mashable - Wed, 11/19/2025 - 14:32

TL;DR: As of Nov. 19, the 65-inch TCL QM6K QLED TV is on sale for $497.99 at Amazon. That's over $100 off and the lowest-ever price for this model.

Opens in a new window Credit: TCL 65-inch TCL QM6K QLED TV $497.99 at Amazon
$647.99 Save $150   Get Deal

We're keeping a close eye on all the deals that are dropping at this time of year, but we're keeping a particularly keen eye on TV deals. Why? Because shoppers care about low prices on top models. And that's exactly what you're getting with the 65-inch TCL QM6K QLED TV.

As of Nov. 19, the 65-inch TCL QM6K QLED TV is on sale for $497.99 at Amazon. That's over $100 off and the lowest-ever price for this model.

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Mashable's sister site PCMag reviewed this TV, saying "The TCL QM6K is a very good value and a strong performer for the price. While it isn’t the brightest TV available, its mini-LED backlight enables deep black levels for excellent contrast, its colors are wide and accurate, and it's packed with features for streaming and gaming." That's more than enough for us, especially at this record-breaking price.

TCL’s QD-Mini LED technology is designed to outperform traditional QLED and OLED TVs, making the QM6K a top choice for big moments like watching sport or movies with the whole family. If you want a centerpiece TV that could bring everyone together for special moments, this could be the deal for you.

Score the best-ever price on the TCL QM6K QLED TV before Black Friday.

Categories: IT General, Technology

7 tips for choosing your first Linux distro

How-To Geek - Wed, 11/19/2025 - 14:30

Choosing your first Linux distro can be a daunting experience. Ask the community where you should start, and you’ll get ten different answers. If you know what to look for in a Linux distro, then you'll be able to choose on your own. The key is to do a little research and understand what actually matters when you’re starting. Your first Linux experience depends less on the distro's name and more on a handful of practical things I'm going to cover here.

Categories: IT General, Technology

The most well-balanced Japanese luxury–practical sedan for 2025

How-To Geek - Wed, 11/19/2025 - 14:15

Finding the right sedan in 2025 often means choosing between comfort, efficiency, or everyday usability, but one Japanese model manages to deliver all three without compromise. It offers upscale refinement, intuitive tech, and a cabin that feels far more premium than its price suggests, making it a standout for drivers who want luxury without luxury-car headaches.

Categories: IT General, Technology

4 advanced git commands you probably haven’t heard of

How-To Geek - Wed, 11/19/2025 - 14:00

Git is an enormous program, with nearly 200 sub-commands and countless options among them. You probably only use a handful, those reliable stalwarts like init, add, commit, and branch. But some commands go way further than the basics, and can radically improve your coding life if you get to know them.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Gen Z daters want deeper connections, but some use AI to date, Hinge reports

Mashable - Wed, 11/19/2025 - 14:00

Dating in 2025 isn't for the faint of heart, especially if you're a young adult. Between growing up online and coming of age during COVID lockdowns, Gen Z has a distinct experience finding love compared to any other generation.

The popular dating app Hinge has distilled some of this experience in the app's latest D.A.T.E. (Data, Advice, Trends, and Expertise) Report called Closing the Communication Gap, or the disconnect between the desire for deep conversations young daters have versus their hesitance to initiate them.

SEE ALSO: Hinge users complain it 'isn't the same' app Mamdani met his wife on

For this report, the app's research team, Hinge Labs, surveyed around 30,000 Hinge users globally this year.

Gen Z struggles to open up

Gen Z daters are 36 percent more hesitant than their millennial counterparts to initiate a deep conversation on the first date — meaning, going beyond small talk.

This aligns with previous research from Hinge. In 2024, Hinge found that Gen Z singles were 47 percent more likely to say the pandemic made them nervous to talk to new people, compared to millennials, and 25 percent more likely to say the pandemic made them less confident on a first date.

Now, at the near-end of 2025, 35 percent of all Hinge daters across genders and sexualities say they're holding back from having deeper conversations because they don't know how to start.

There's also a "communication gap" between women and men, specifically. Forty-two percent of heterosexual Gen Z women feel like the men they date don't want to have deep conversations on the first few dates, but 65 percent of heterosexual Gen Z men say they do.

Early dating often locks people into invisible scripts — like who is "passive" and who is "active," Hinge's love and connection expert, Moe Ari Brown, said in the report. "Falling into these kinds of roles can quietly sabotage the connection because, while habits create routines, they can also create monotony or imbalance."

Zooming out, 43 percent of Gen Z women in general wait for the other person to initiate deep conversations, partly because they assume men don't want to have them, and 48 percent of Gen Z men hold back from emotional intimacy because they don't want to seem "too much." Other worries are the fear of rejection and being judged.

SEE ALSO: The best dating apps and sites in August 2025

This also tracks with what Hinge found last year: 95 percent of Gen Z daters worry about rejection, and 56 percent said that worry held them back from pursuing a potential relationship.

Another reason Gen Z is holding back is social media. Half of Gen Z men, 45 percent of Gen Z women, and 39 percent of nonbinary Gen Z daters said that social media has made them more hesitant to be emotionally open, according to the 2025 report.

In a time where nearly every move one makes is posted online (if not every single move), the fear of being cringe is strong. But we have to embrace it to find love. As Hinge's lead relationship scientist, Logan Ury, said in the new report, "authentic connection requires vulnerability and imperfection."

...while also using AI tools to date

Yet, it could be easier than ever to outsource vulnerability with AI, which Gen Z daters are turning to. From flirting to wedding planning, young adults are using AI tools like ChatGPT to shape their relationship experiences.

Of the Gen Z men who turn to AI for dating, over half (58 percent) use it to initiate conversations, and exactly half use it to generate conversation responses. Forty percent of Gen Z women who use AI do so to start chatting, and 57 percent use it for responding to conversations as well.

Meanwhile, only 34 percent of Hinge daters overall are comfortable or neutral about using AI to write messages.

As difficult as it is, you might want to exit out of ChatGPT in order to find your partner in 2026. You're not alone if you're looking for greater emotional intimacy, though: 84 percent of Gen Z Hinge daters want to find new ways to build deeper connections with the people they're dating.

Categories: IT General, Technology
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