Technology

A new Windows 11 update is beginning to roll out to users across the globe, but this update isn't adding flashy new AI features or mindlessly moving things around. Microsoft is delivering on its prior commitments and plenty of insider testing to bring real performance improvements to Windows 11, especially for computers working with only 8GB of memory. In a world where computers and memory have gotten more expensive, these are the updates that make an impact.

I'm a firm believer that the perfect smart home should work almost completely automatically, without any need for pushing buttons, tapping dashboards, or giving voice commands. Sometimes, however, even the best automations can fire when you don't want them to, so I gave Home Assistant a snooze button to solve the problem.

Starbucks and Dunkin' recently dropped plans to launch holiday menus. Did you think that McDonald's was going to sit back and let them get all the festive attention? No, McDonald’s has officially entered the seasonal caffeine wars.

Launching nationwide on Nov. 3, McDonald's has rolled out five limited-edition holiday drinks at participating U.S. restaurants. The lineup takes direct aim at Starbucks and Dunkin’ by dividing its menu between two distinct cravings: fruity, sparkling energy drinks topped with dairy cold foam, and dessert-heavy McCafé coffee drinks built around Cookie Butter.

The five-drink holiday lineup is as follows:

• Frosted Cranberry Splash with Sprite: Sprite infused with cranberry and orange syrups, topped with sweet cold foam and festive red cranberry sprinkles.

• Red Bull Frosted Cranberry Energizer: A cranberry-orange flavor base, topped with cold foam and sprinkles, and an entire can of Red Bull.

• Cookie Butter Latte: Espresso blended with whole milk and spiced cookie butter syrup, finished with sweet vanilla whipped cream and crushed caramel cookie pieces.

• Cookie Butter Iced Coffee: Classic McCafé iced coffee steeped with cookie butter syrup, cream, and crunchy cookie crumbles.

• Cookie Butter Frappé: A blended coffee treat crowned with vanilla whip and speculoos cookie crumbs.

Credit: McDonald's

I'm all for festive vibes, but I'm going to be honest: putting cold foam on Red Bull doesn't sound particularly appetizing. Hey, maybe I'm in the minority. Maybe it will go completely viral for all the right reasons. Who am I to question McDonald's?

If you’re rocking a desktop PC, there’s a good chance the motherboard it’s built around is based on the ATX (Advanced Technology Extended) or mATX standard, the latter being basically a shorter ATX board.

The best early Black Friday cordless tool deals Best Early Black Friday Cordless Tool Deal DeWalt 20V Max Cordless Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit $149 (Save $90) Get Deal Best Early Black Friday Ryobi Cordless Tool Deal Ryobi ONE+ 2-Battery Starter Kit (1 2Ah battery, 1 4Ah battery, 1 charger) $99 (Save $99) Get Deal Best Early Black Friday BOGO Cordless Tool Deal Makita 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless Drive Impact Wrench Kit $539 (BOGO) Get Deal

Tons of early Black Friday deals are already hitting your favorite retailers. That's great news if you're shopping for cordless power tools. It's finally time to tackle all of those home projects you've been neglecting — we've been there too. Having everything ready to tackle them for less is a good idea.

Some of the best deals on cordless tools that we've found so far are on cordless drills, impact drivers, and combo kits from brands like DeWalt, Milwaukee, Makita, and Ryobi. Cordless tools aren’t cheap to begin with. That's why some of the best early deals right now are more than just regular discounts.

For example, The Home Depot is running their free tool or battery promotion again as well as offering discounts on a variety of tools. That's an excellent sale that can net you tons of new hardware for less.

Below, find some of the best early Black Friday cordless tool deals. We'll keep updating this page once we find more, so keep checking back to see all the fresh discounts as they sprout.

Best early Black Friday DeWalt cordless tool deal Opens in a new window Credit: The Home Depot DeWalt 20V Max Cordless Drill and Impact Driver Combo Kit $239 at The Home Depot
  Get Deal at The Home Depot Why we like it

The drill/driver and impact driver in this DeWalt kit are both compact enough to fit between studs and under cabinets, so it can handle a variety of jobs. It has an LED light that illuminates whatever you’re working on as well, so you don't have to struggle with visibility when handling each project. The drill uses a 1/2-inch ratcheting chuck that holds bits tight without a key, while the impact driver’s hex chuck lets you load and swap bits with one hand. You also get two 20V Max batteries, a charger, and a carrying bag to make a complete tool kit for beginners or anyone who wants to grow their kit.

Best early Black Friday Ryobi cordless tool deal Opens in a new window Credit: The Home Depot Ryobi ONE+ 2-Battery Starter Kit (1 2Ah battery, 1 4Ah battery, 1 charger) $99 at The Home Depot
$198 Save $99   Get Deal at The Home Depot Why we like it

Buying this two-battery starter kit unlocks a way to power5 over 300 tools in Ryobi's ONE+ line for less. You get a 2Ah battery for lighter tools, a 4Ah for the ones that draw tons of power, and a charger, so you’re set to juice things back up again quickly. Plus, free tool choices include a jig saw, a compact router, an oscillating multi-tool, and an inflator/deflator. It's an excellent and flexible gift for others and an even better way to treat yourself as well if you're looking to beef up your tool kit.

Best early Black Friday Makita cordless tool deal Opens in a new window Credit: The Home Depot Makita 18V LXT Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless Drive Impact Wrench Kit $539 at The Home Depot
Buy One, Get One Free Get Deal at The Home Depot Why we like it

This BOGO deal means that buying one of the Makita cordless impact wrenches nets you a second Makita tool for free. The wrench itself puts out 430 ft lbs of torque, enough to pull out more stubborn lug nuts and and more without a breaker bar, while a four-speed selector lets you ease up on smaller hardware without snapping. You get two 5.0Ah batteries, a rapid charger, and a tool bag in the box, so everything you need is here to get started on the job as soon as you arrive.

More cordless tool deals

• DeWalt Atomic 20V Max Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless Compact 1/4 in. Impact Driver Kit — $99 $179 (save $80)

• Ryobi ONE+ 18V Cordless 6-Tool Combo Kit with Compact Battery, 4.0 Ah Battery, and Charger — $199 $299 (save $100)

• Milwaukee M18 FUEL 18-Volt Lithium-Ion Brushless Cordless Gen II 18-Gauge Brad Nailer — $279 $329 (save $50)

Sony has officially discontinued its last UHD Blu-ray player, the UBP-X700/K. Considering that Sony has announced it'll stop selling physical copies of its games as of 2028, it's no surprise that the company is quietly ridding itself of devices capable of playing analog media.

Once two distinct deal shopping days, Black Friday and Cyber Monday have basically merged into one massive shopping extravaganza. The lines really began to blur when the world shut down in 2020 and brick-and-mortar stores hosted online sales in lieu of in-person Black Friday events. In 2026, lines outside stores are practically nonexistent. We certainly can't see them.

While major retailers will be running holiday sales throughout all of November, savvy shoppers know that Black Friday, Cyber Monday, (and the few days surrounding them) still remain the absolute biggest shopping days of the year for their ability to reliably trigger record-low prices on big-ticket items (like TVs, Apple devices, smartwatches, headphones, and of course, Amazon's own devices). That includes discounts that beat Amazon's massively-hyped October Prime Day deals.

SEE ALSO: Everything to know about Black Friday 2026: Best deals, sale dates, how to shop smart, and more

If you're debating when you should start adding big ticket items to your cart and whether it's better to shop on Black Friday or Cyber Monday, you've come to the right place. After years of covering both sales extensively, here's our expert analysis.

Black Friday vs. Cyber Monday — what's the difference?

Way back in the age of MySpace and AIM — aka 2005 — the National Retail Federation debuted the term "Cyber Monday" after realizing that the Monday after Thanksgiving saw a flood of online sales. This was likely due to shoppers using their faster internet connections at work on Monday morning to snag deals, or at least that's what they credited it to. That, of course, and the fact that online retailers wanted some of that holiday shopping bread, too. Thus, two distinct deal shopping days were born: Black Friday, for those who wanted to shop in stores the day after Thanksgiving, and Cyber Monday, for those who liked shopping from the comfort of their desks.

Over 20 years later, there's little — if any — real difference between the two due to the alleged "death of retail." Everyone and everything is online, so why wouldn't Black Friday be? Based on our years of experience covering both, we can truly say neither is a "better" day to shop. It really comes down to what you're looking for and how much demand there is for it.

Are there better deals on Black Friday or Cyber Monday?

If you see a solid deal, grab it, no matter which sale title it falls under. There's not a tremendous amount of distinction anymore in terms of discounts on particular products as there has been in previous years. However, there are still rules to follow in some product categories: TV deals tend to be more dramatic and widespread for Black Friday with a higher likelihood of selling out before the clock even turns to Cyber Monday, while waiting for Cyber Monday to double-check that there's not a new, better laptop deal is often wise.

But with the blurred lines of Cyber Week, many of these deals will cross over. As noted at BlackFriday.com, "Some TV deals will feature flashy discounts during Black Friday and Cyber Monday, but they might not have the specs you're after." TL;DR: The deals will be great for both shopping days, but it all depends on what you're looking for. If you see the specs you like listed under a product sitting at a price that you like, grab it to be safe. Also, as a best practice, check camelcamelcamel.com for price history details from Amazon.

How long is Black Friday?

Black Friday proper falls on Nov. 27 in 2026, but it's honestly silly at this point to even call it Black Friday. It's no longer just on Friday — it's a month-long affair. You can shop deals at practically every retailer starting right after Halloween (before, even), with most labeling something an "early Black Friday deal" starting in early November. Best Buy has announced the official early deals of its Black Friday sale will begin Nov. 6, while Target's first early Black Friday sale kicks off on Nov. 5. In other words, if you want to get some early shopping done, have at it.

Once the clock strikes midnight at the close of Friday, it's basically Cyber Monday (yes, even though it's actually Saturday). We don't make the rules. The deals won't change too much, but the search terms and official site banners will.

When do Cyber Monday deals start?

Officially, Cyber Monday is on Monday, Nov. 30 in 2026. Unofficially, it basically starts the second Black Friday ends, with retailers coining sales as "Cyber Monday" deals as early as Saturday, Nov. 28. So basically, semantics — and it's easier to just think of the Cyber Week language as interchangeable.

We made some noise about all the free food deals you could get on National Sandwich Day (Nov. 3), but today is a double whammy. It's Election Day, of course. Yes, it's all about expressing your democratic right to vote. But it's also about getting freebies and discounts from some of your favorite chains.

We've checked out everything on offer from big names like Krispy Kreme, 7-Eleven, Potbelly, Subway, and more. There's a lot to consider, so once you've made your vote, go treat yourself.

Check out some of our favorites below:

Election Day 2026 food deals7-Eleven

Eligible T-Mobile subscribers can open the T-Life app this week to score a digital voucher for a free Large Slurpee, Big Gulp, or drip coffee at participating 7-Eleven and Speedway convenience stores. The perk is limited to one claim per qualifying line per month.

Buffalo Wild Wings

Rewards members can tap into the recurring Tuesday BOGO Bone-In Wings promotion at participating sports bars when ordering dine-in or online. I

Capriotti’s

CapAddicts Rewards members can buy any sub on Nov. 3 to get a second sub for 50% off across all sizes, redeemable in-shop, online, or in-app.

DoorDash x Pepsi

Order dinner via DoorDash through Nov. 4, build a cart total of $25 or more that includes any Pepsi-Cola beverage, and you'll automatically trigger an instant $15 cart credit at checkout.

Einstein Bros. Bagels

Bagel breakfast spreads are heavily discounted through early November. Loyalty members can pick up a half-dozen fresh-baked bagels for just $7.

Farmer Boys

Very Important Farmer loyalty members can grab a Bacon Turkey Melt for $5.99 on Nov. 3 and Nov. 4 when ordering in-restaurant or through the official Farmer Boys app.

Firehouse Subs

Spend $15 or more on Nov. 3 through the Firehouse Subs website or mobile app while signed into your rewards account to receive a free Medium Sub added to your order (brisket subs excluded).

Habit Burger & Grill

Through Nov. 4, participating Habit locations are handing out 50 free Dipping Trio Boxes daily during an unannounced "Habit Hour" flash window (no purchase or promo code required).

Jimmy John’s

Rewards members unlock an instant BOGO Free sandwich or wrap on Nov. 3 by entering promo code SANDWICH at checkout via the Jimmy John’s mobile app or website.

Krispy Kreme

On Nov. 3, say you voted or show your sticker to get a free Original Glazed Doughnut. No purchase is necessary to qualify, limit one per guest, and only while supplies last.

Lime

On Nov. 3, enter promo code HEADCOUNT in the Lime micromobility app to unlock two free rides of up to 30 minutes each. The promo carries no purchase requirement or voting proof, though local geographic service boundaries and fleet availability apply.

Lyft

Save 50% on rides from 5 a.m. until 10 p.m. with code VOTE26.

McAlister’s Deli

Rewards members can get a $5 Regular Sandwich through Nov. 3.

Penn Station East Coast Subs

Buy any full-priced sub, sandwich, wrap, or bowl on Nov. 3 and enter coupon code NS26 during digital checkout to receive a free Small Sub.

Potbelly

On Nov. 3, buying any BIG or Original sandwich or wrap unlocks a free Original-size sandwich or wrap when you apply promo code BOGO at checkout via the Potbelly app or website (limit one redemption per customer).

Schlotzsky’s

Rewards members can stock up on lunch through Nov. 3 with $5 medium sandwiches, valid for up to 10 discounted sandwiches within a single transaction both in-store and online.

Smoothie King

Healthy Rewards members can claim a free 12-ounce Dark Chocolate Peppermint D-Lite Smoothie on Tuesday, Nov. 3. New members can register an account in advance through the mobile app to ensure the redemption barcode populates in their rewards wallet before heading to the counter.

Subway

Through Nov. 8, Sub Club members can secure a free second Footlong of equal or lesser value with the purchase of any qualifying regular Footlong.

Tropical Smoothie Cafe

Through Nov. 8, Tropic Rewards members can get a free 24-ounce smoothie with a qualifying food or Tropic Bowl purchase.

Trinkets and toys are fun, but a 3D printer really shows its value when you start fixing stuff with it. That was one of the main reasons why I bought a 3D printer in the first place. With three years of printing under my belt, my home has never been running smoother.

Early Black Friday gaming deals at a glance Best gaming monitor deal 34-inch Samsung Odyssey G5 curved gaming monitor $249.99 (save $150) Get Deal Best gaming console deal Renewed Nintendo Switch $187.49 (save $151.51) Get Deal Best gaming chair deal Blacklyte Athena Gaming Chair $349.99 (save $50) Get Deal

Black Friday is the perfect time to grab fresh gaming gear. From a curved monitor to a chair that doesn't cause a backache, you'll want to make sure things are in place for epic winter gaming sessions.

While the actual Black Friday date is still weeks away, early sales are packed with savings on monitors from Samsung, LG, and Acer. You can also save on a refurbished Nintendo Switch, score new game titles, and upgrade to a better gaming keyboard. All of these will be useful to snag ahead of the Thanksgiving break, so you can have maximum gaming fun on the actual day.

SEE ALSO: Early Black Friday home improvement deals save big on power tools, smart lights, home security, and more.

Check out our updated list of the best early Black Friday gaming deals below. We'll keep it updated as we get closer to Black Friday on Nov. 27.

Best gaming monitor deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung 34-inch Samsung Odyssey G5 curved gaming monitor $249.99
$399.99 Save $150   Get Deal Why we like it

A 34-inch display with a 1000R curve is the exact recipe for a great winter of gaming. The Samsung Odyssey G5 curved gaming monitor is already on sale for under $250 well before Black Friday. The 165Hz refresh rate will be great for almost all gamers. Just be sure your desk is large enough to accommodate the display before you buy.

More gaming monitor deals

• Acer Nitro 27-inch MiniLED — $199.99 $279.99 (save $80)

• Samsung 32-inch Odyssey G5 — $219.99 $349.99 (save $129.01)

• Samsung 27-inch Odyssey OLED G6 — $399.99 $599.99 (save $200)

Best gaming console deal Opens in a new window Credit: Nintendo Renewed Nintendo Switch $187.49 at Amazon
$339 Save $151.51   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

You've heard about the price hikes that hit the Nintendo Switch 2, and as of early November, we're not seeing discounts on the gaming console of the year. But if you're ok with getting the original Nintendo Switch, you can save a ton by going with an Amazon renewed model. It's certified to be in excellent condition which means it has no screen scratches and the battery capacity exceeds 80% of the original capacity.

Going with a refurbished older model means you're getting a huge discount while still having access to a massive library of great games. Use the savings on the console itself to get tons of titles before the holiday break.

Best gaming chair deal Opens in a new window Credit: Blacklyte Blacklyte Athena Gaming Chair $349.99 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $50   Get Deal at Amazon Why we like it

With a head pillow, comfortable arm rests, and a lumbar pillow, the Blacklyte Athena will keep you supported during long gaming sessions. It's capable of customized positions in height, the backrest, and the armrests, so you can find the most comfortable fit. Plus, the chair is designed to suit people up to 330 pounds.

More gaming chair deals

• LiberNovo Omni SE — $658.99 $788 (save $129.01)

Reolink first teased its OMVI security camera line at CES 2026, before launching three models in June, promising wider coverage, AI-powered tracking, and local video search without the need for subscriptions. The company had originally planned to launch its flagship OMVI X16 PoE in Q3 and is now delivering on that promise despite a slight delay.

TL;DR: November delivers nine new Pokémon TCG drops, led by the Mega Evolution Delta Reign expansion and multiple 30th Celebration collector sets.

November is shaping up to be massive for Pokémon TCG fans, headlined by the worldwide arrival of the Mega Evolution Delta Reign expansion. The new set brings powerful Mega Evolution Pokémon ex into the mix, with over 35 special illustration Trainer and Pokémon cards for art collectors.

Pokémon is also rolling out a brand-new trio of nostalgic 30th Celebration boxes — including a monster 30-pack Ultra-Premium Collection — plus a tournament-ready Mega Greninja ex battle deck built for jumping straight into competitive play.

From massive booster displays to ready-to-play decks, here is every single set arriving this month.

Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Ditto Premium Collection Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Ditto Premium Collection   Preorder at TCGplayer

The Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Ditto Premium Collection includes a colorful acrylic display stand made specifically to show off cards on a desk or shelf. It fits the exclusive foil Ditto promo card right away, or you can swap in your favorite chase card from your pulls.

Packing eight 30th Celebration booster packs, the Ditto Premium Collection is an easy, budget-friendly way to rip anniversary packs without shelling out for an Ultra-Premium Collection.

Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Figure Collection Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokemon Company 30th Celebration Figure Collection Mew   Preorder at TCGplayer Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokemon Company 30th Celebration Figure Collection Mewtwo   Preorder at TCGplayer

The Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Figure Collection pairs two of Kanto's most iconic legends with detailed, sculpted desk figures that outshine typical cardboard and plastic promos. Paired with a matching foil promo and an oversize showcase card, the set gives Mew and Mewtwo fans a complete display piece right out of the box.

The box also bundles five booster packs of the milestone 30th Celebration expansion. Because anniversary packs are exclusive to collection boxes rather than individual retail blisters, the 30th Celebration Figure Collection serves as an easy, mid-tier entry point for pack-cracking without requiring a full booster bundle or a premium collection budget.

Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokemon Company Pokemon TCG 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection Day   Preorder at TCGplayer Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokémon Company Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection Night   Preorder at TCGplayer

The Pokémon TCG 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection is the centerpiece of the entire anniversary lineup. Available in Day or Night versions starring Pikachu alongside Espeon ex or Umbreon ex, it trades junk filler for high-end gear like a custom playmat, matching deck box, standard sleeves, an acrylic display, and metal dice.

The pack count is the real draw. Stuffed with 29 30th Celebration booster packs plus an exclusive pack with three etched vintage reprints, the 30th Celebration Ultra-Premium Collection offers your best single shot at pulling the anniversary's top chase cards.

Pokémon TCG Delta Reign Booster Display Box Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokemon Company Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Delta Reign Booster Display Box   Preorder at Amazon

The Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Delta Reign Booster Display Box delivers the best pure cost-per-pack value for anyone looking to rip packs in bulk. Packing 36 individual booster packs, totaling 360 cards, it completely skips promo accessories and collectible junk, focusing entirely on ripping cards.

With over 140 cards in the expansion, the Booster Display Box offers the most reliable shot at assembling competitive playsets. From three new Legendary Stadiums to the set's headline Mega Evolution Pokémon ex and full-art illustration chases, a full booster box maximizes your odds across an entire master display.

Pokémon TCG Delta Reign Elite Trainer Box Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokemon Company Pokémon TCG Delta Reign Elite Trainer Box   Preorder at TCGplayer

The Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Delta Reign Elite Trainer Box balances ripping packs with stocking up on tabletop essentials. It pairs nine booster packs with an exclusive full-art Kyogre promo card, matching sleeves, damage-counter dice, and a sturdy storage box to keep your deck sorted.

For players and collectors wanting to dive into the new set without shelling out for an entire booster display, the Elite Trainer Box gives you an accessible path to chase heavy hitters like Mega Rayquaza ex while securing everything you need to actually play the game.

Pokémon TCG Delta Reign Elite Trainer Box Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokemon Centre Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Delta Reign Elite Trainer Box   Preorder at TCGplayer

The Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Delta Reign Pokémon Center Elite Trainer Box is the definitive version of the ETB for serious collectors. It upgrades the standard retail box with two bonus booster packs, bringing the count to 11, and includes a second exclusive Kyogre full-art promo stamped with the official Pokémon Center logo.

Because Pokémon Center exclusives are released in limited print runs, the Pokémon Center Elite Trainer Box has far greater long-term display appeal than mass-retail versions. Between the stamped promo card and extra chances at pulling Mega Rayquaza ex, it justifies the small price bump over the regular edition.

Pokémon TCG Delta Reign Build and Battle Box Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokemon Company Pokémon TCG Delta Reign Build and Battle Box   Preorder at TCGplayer

The Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Delta Reign Build and Battle Box is tailored for players who want to jump straight into matches without spending hours building a deck from scratch. It includes a 40-card ready-to-play deck featuring one of four unique foil promo cards, giving you a solid competitive core the minute you tear into the packaging.

With four booster packs tossed in to help you customize and beef up your lineup, it delivers a fast, low-cost way to test-drive the set’s new mechanics and chase heavy hitters like Mega Rayquaza ex in a quick-play prerelease format.

Pokémon TCG Delta Reign Booster Bundle Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokemon Company Pokémon TCG Delta Reign Booster Bundle   Preorder at TCGplayer

The Pokémon TCG Mega Evolution Delta Reign Booster Bundle strips away oversized boxes, plastic coins, and promo cards so you only pay for packs. Packing six booster packs into a compact carton, it gives collectors the leanest, most budget-conscious way to rip cards from the new set without extra clutter.

It’s an easy grab if you want a casual pack-cracking session or a few quick chances at pulling Mega Rayquaza ex without investing in a full 36-pack booster box.

Pokémon TCG Mega Greninja ex League Battle Deck Opens in a new window Credit: The Pokemon Company Pokémon TCG Mega Greninja ex League Battle Deck   Preorder at TCGplayer

The Pokémon TCG Mega Greninja ex League Battle Deck is for anyone looking to bypass the grind of deck-building and dive straight into competitive tournament play. Centered around Mega Greninja ex, this 60-card deck delivers an engine optimized for tactical versatility and offensive pressure straight out of the box.

Rather than just serving as a starter deck, it comes fully loaded with tournament-ready accessories — including damage-counter dice, condition markers, a matching deck box, and a play sheet to master its combo lines.

Running out of phone storage is bad enough, and paying for a cloud subscription to fix it is an expensive habit. Now, your Windows PC will soon offer a much simpler alternative. Google is building an automatic backup feature into Quick Share that copies your photos and videos on Android phones straight to a computer. There’s no subscription or storage plan attached.

The best Amazon Prime offers: Amazon Prime Free for 30 days Get Deal Prime for Young Adults $7.49/month (free trial available) Get Deal Prime Visa Card $150 gift card at sign-up (earn 5% back at Amazon) Learn More

The countdown to Black Friday is on, with sales reaching their peak on Nov. 27 in 2026. If you're planning on shopping at Amazon during the biggest sale of the season and want to take advantage of the many benefits of a Prime membership, now's a great time to sign up.

While you don't technically need to be a Prime member to shop Amazon's Black Friday sale, it will certainly make shopping more enjoyable. And there's a good chance you may qualify for a 30-day trial, so you can enjoy all the perks at no cost.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Prime Claim 30-day free trial (normally $14.99/month) Shop Now at Amazon

Keep scrolling to learn about all the benefits included in the free Amazon Prime 30-day trial. We'll dive into all the info you need to know to glide seamlessly through Amazon's Black Friday shopping event.

How to qualify for the Amazon Prime free trial

If you're not currently a Prime member, there's a good chance you qualify for the free 30-day trial period. New members automatically qualify, while returning members who haven't had a Prime membership (or utilized the free trial) in the last year will also qualify. While the general rule-of-thumb is 12 months of inactivity, users have reported free trial offers as soon as three months after cancelling. Just look out for a message that says, "We're giving you a free 30-day trial of Prime" or a button that reads, "Start your free 30-day trial." To sign up, visit amazon.com/prime.

Credit: Screenshot: Amazon How much does Prime cost?

Prime normally costs $14.99 per month, but young adults and college students qualify for a 50% discount. You can also save by opting for an annual plan instead of a monthly plan. Here's a pricing breakdown:

• 30-day free trial

• $14.99 per month after the trial ends or $139 per year (save $40.88)

• 18-24 year-olds and students pay $7.49 in the Prime for Young Adults membership

What are the perks of a Prime membership in 2026?

The most famous benefits of Amazon Prime include free 2-day delivery and free returns. Many products are even available with 1-day or same-day shipping in select areas. But your $14.99/month membership includes a whole lot more than that — some perks you're probably not even aware of.

Other benefits included in the membership (and 30-day free trial) include:

• Access to Prime Video (plus exclusive discounts on video rentals and add-on subscriptions)

• Free Same-Day Delivery on $25+ grocery orders in selected areas

• Access to Amazon Music

• Access to Amazon Photos (unlimited photo storage and 5GB of video storage)

• Access to Alexa+

• Free Grubhub+ membership (including $0 delivery fees, lower service fees, and exclusive savings)

• Amazon Prime Fuel Savings (save 10 cents per gallon at more than 7,500 gas stations)

• Free monthly e-books on Kindle

• Prescription savings at over 60,000 pharmacies

• Exclusive access to offers on Amazon services and sales events like Prime Day and Prime Big Deal Days

What is the Amazon Prime Visa card?

Amazon also offers a Prime Visa card for qualifying Prime members, which is a physical credit card that boasts exclusive rewards. You can apply for the Prime Visa card at Amazon.

Here's a breakdown of some of the Prime Visa card perks:

• $150 gift card at sign-up

• Earn unlimited 5% back on Amazon purchases

• Earn unlimited 5% back at Whole Foods (online or in-store)

• Earn 10% back or more on select deals with Prime Card bonus

• Earn 5% back on Chase Travel purchases

• Earn 2% back on dining and transit

• Shop with points at Amazon

When is Amazon's Black Friday Sale 2026?

Amazon hasn't officially announced its Black Friday sale for 2026, but it will likely kick off in the week before Black Friday proper on Nov. 27, then switch over to Cyber Monday over the weekend. Stay tuned for an official announcement.

Do you need to be a Prime member to shop the Amazon Black Friday sale?

Unlike Amazon's Prime Day sales, you don't actually need a Prime membership to shop on Amazon for Black Friday. However, some of the best deals will likely be Prime exclusives. Not to mention, a Prime membership will guarantee you'll receive your packages swiftly. Prime members will also be able to sign up for streaming services (in the form of Prime Video add-ons) at big discounts throughout the season. Grab your free 30-day trial to ensure you float through the holiday shopping season with ease.

Search APIs are good at telling you where information lives. They're less helpful when you need the information itself. If you've built anything that depends on web data, such as a research tool, a price tracker, or an AI agent that answers questions, you'll know a list of links is only the starting point. Something still has to fetch each page, strip out the navigation and ads, and pull out the parts you care about.

Docker has empowered millions of users to build their own homelabs and ditch many of their pricey subscription services. But just because it's one of the easiest ways to deploy self-hosted apps doesn't mean it's equally efficient at managing them. By default, Docker won't automatically back up your app data, keep your containers updated, or alert you when a service goes down. That's why I make it a point to install these five apps alongside Docker to address these glaring shortcomings and get the most out of my self-hosting setup.

Samsung's Privacy Display, launched early this year with the Samsung Galaxy S26 Ultra, was well received by users, and it felt like true innovation from the company. The feature enables users to keep whatever's on their display near-invisible to anyone looking from the side.

However, Privacy Display comes with some downsides; most noticeably, image quality and brightness degrades significantly, especially on maximum privacy settings.

SEE ALSO: The latest Samsung Galaxy S27 Ultra rumors and leaks: Everything we know so far

Samsung's upcoming flagships, the Samsung Galaxy S27 Pro and S27 Ultra, might alleviate this issue. According to 9to5Google, these phones will come with a Privacy Display with "enhanced display brightness."

While this is pretty vague, if true, it should make Privacy Display a lot more usable, especially for folks who often use their phones in social settings and need enhanced privacy for longer stretches of time.

Featured Video For You Samsung’s 2027 Galaxy Z lineup: Rolls, TriFolds, and three Folds

The bad news is that only the Galaxy S27 Pro and S27 Ultra will come with Privacy Display. The Samsung Galaxy S27 and S27 Plus will not have the feature.

The Samsung Galaxy S27 series of phones is expected to arrive early next year; typically, Samsung launches its flagships in either January or February, but there's no official date set for the launch yet.

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The dating app Hinge is testing a new feature and a cheaper subscription tier, its parent company Match Group stated during its Q3 earnings call yesterday.

Match Group has three categories of apps: Tinder, Hinge, and everything else (literally called Everyone Everywhere, and includes apps like OkCupid and the marriage-focused Upward). The 2026 Q3 earnings call focused on Tinder's financial turnaround, with some metrics still declining, but with smaller dips than in previous quarters. For example, daily active users were down one percent year over year in Q3, and monthly active users were down 5.5 percent, which is a one-point improvement from Q2, Match's supplemental materials state.

SEE ALSO: The 10 best hookup apps of 2026: I swiped until my thumb hurt

Tinder's direct revenue in Q3 was $480 million, down two percent year over year. And while Hinge brought in less than half of that revenue in Q3 — $221 million — that's a 19 percent increase from this time last year. This is the other big story of Match's Q3 earnings: That Hinge continues to grow. Monthly active users are up 12 percent year over year, and paying users are up 23 percent too.

Hinge has introduced several features this year, including the Signals heart to indicate "good dating behavior," Date Ideas to help plan something IRL, and Friend's Take, testimonials from loved ones on a dater's profile. In keeping with the IRL and connections themes, Hinge is testing In Your Orbit, which is "designed to help users discover people they naturally cross paths with in more contexts, including in real life ('IRL'), adding a signal of relevance beyond the profile and in-app experience itself."

Match also reiterated that Tinder is testing a Missed Connections feature and has launched its Events tab, signaling that the companies are trying to capitalize on app fatigue themselves and facilitate more IRL dating.

Additionally, Hinge is testing a lower-priced subscription tier, according to Match's Q3 earnings material, which is "designed to give users more choice and control through features like additional filters and custom location boundaries." Testing has apparently been resonating with women users. The app plans on launching the tier by the end of 2026.

Plenty of cars and aftermarket head units from the last decade support Android Auto, but many of them require a USB connection to work. There are commercial wireless adapters, but they start at around $30; some cost significantly more.

TL;DR: Live stream Shakhtar vs. Sporting in the Champions League for free on Virgin Media Player. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Champions League is back this week with more interesting fixtures involving Europe's best, including Shakhtar vs. Sporting. The visitors have six points from three games and could move into the top eight with victory at Stamford Bridge. Shakhtar are only two points back, so we're expecting a close game between two talented teams.

If you want to watch Shakhtar vs. Sporting in the Champions League from anywhere in the world, we have all the information you need.

When is Shakhtar vs. Sporting?

Shakhtar vs. Sporting in the Champions League kicks off at 12:45 p.m. ET on Nov. 3. This fixture takes place at Stamford Bridge.

How to watch Shakhtar vs. Sporting for free

Shakhtar vs. Sporting is available to live stream for free on Virgin Media Player.

Virgin Media Player is geo-restricted to Ireland, but anyone can access it for free with a VPN. These tools can hide your real IP address (digital location) and connect you to a secure server in Ireland, meaning you can unblock Virgin Media Player to stream the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Shakhtar vs. Sporting for free by following these simple steps:

1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (we recommend ExpressVPN)

2. Download the app to your device of choice (the best VPNs have apps for Windows, Mac, iOS, Android, Linux, and more)

3. Open up the app and connect to a server in Ireland

4. Visit Virgin Media Player

5. Watch Shakhtar vs. Sporting for free from anywhere in the world

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The best VPNs for streaming are not free, but most do offer free trials or money-back guarantees. By leveraging these offers, you can access free live streams of the Champions League without actually spending anything. This obviously isn't a long-term solution, but it does give you enough time to stream Shakhtar vs. Sporting (plus more Champions League fixtures) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for Virgin Media Player?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on Virgin Media Player, for a number of reasons:

• Servers in 105 countries, including Ireland

• Easy-to-use app available on all major devices, including iPhone, Android, Windows, Mac, and more

• Strict no-logging policy so your data is secure

• Fast connection speeds free from throttling

• Up to 10 simultaneous connections

• 30-day money-back guarantee

A two-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $68.40 and includes an extra four months for free — 81% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and usually offers a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.99.

Live stream Shakhtar vs. Sporting in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.