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The NYT Connections puzzle today is not too difficult to solve if you're a film buff.

Connections is the one of the most popular New York Times word games 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.

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: NYT Pips hints, answers for November 15, 2025 Here's a hint for today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: To add a zing

• Green: Needed in a sentence

• Blue: Film stars

• Purple: An area

Here are today's Connections categories

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

• Yellow: Enhance the taste of

• Green: Punctuation marks

• Blue: Kinds of actors

• Purple: ___ Zone

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 #888 is...

What is the answer to Connections today

• Enhance the taste of: FLAVOR, SALT, SEASON, SPICE

• Punctuation marks: COLON, DASH, PERIOD, SLASH

• Kinds of actors: CHARACTER, FILM, METHOD, STAGE

• ___ Zone: BUFFER, COMFORT, TIME, TWILIGHT

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 15, 2025

Are you also playing NYT Strands? Get all the Strands hints you need for today's puzzle.

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 today's Connections.

Today's NYT Strands hints are easy if you have poor eyesight.

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

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

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

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

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for November 15, 2025 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for November 15, 2025 NYT Strands hint for today’s theme: We can see right through them

The words are related to sight.

Today’s NYT Strands theme plainly explained

These words are things that help with sight.

NYT Strands spangram hint: Is it vertical or horizontal?

Today's NYT Strands spangram is vertical.

NYT Strands spangram answer today

Today's spangram is Eye to Eye.

NYT Strands word list for November 15

• Glasses

• Lenses

• Goggles

• Eye to Eye

• Binoculars

• Spectacles

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 today's Strands.

Today's Wordle answer should be easy to solve if you have a firm grip.

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 hints today: Clues, answers for November 14, 2025 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 Pips hints, answers for November 15, 2025 Here's a subtle hint for today's Wordle answer:

Held on tightly.

Does today's Wordle answer have a double letter?

There are no recurring letters.

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...

CLUNG

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 15, 2025

Reporting 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 today's Wordle.

If you like playing daily word games like Wordle, then Hurdle is a great game to add to your routine.

There are five rounds to the game. The first round sees you trying to guess the word, with correct, misplaced, and incorrect letters shown in each guess. If you guess the correct answer, it'll take you to the next hurdle, providing the answer to the last hurdle as your first guess. This can give you several clues or none, depending on the words. For the final hurdle, every correct answer from previous hurdles is shown, with correct and misplaced letters clearly shown.

An important note is that the number of times a letter is highlighted from previous guesses does necessarily indicate the number of times that letter appears in the final hurdle.

If you find yourself stuck at any step of today's Hurdle, don't worry! We have you covered.

SEE ALSO: Hurdle: Everything you need to know to find the answers Hurdle Word 1 hint

A crank.

SEE ALSO: Apple’s new M3 MacBook Air is $300 off at Amazon. And yes, I’m tempted. Hurdle Word 1 answer

LEVER

Hurdle Word 2 hint

A pigeon.

SEE ALSO: Wordle today: Answer, hints for November 15, 2025 Hurdle Word 2 Answer

SQUAB

Hurdle Word 3 hint

Tan.

SEE ALSO: NYT Connections Sports Edition today: Hints and answers for November 15 SEE ALSO: NYT Connections hints today: Clues, answers for November 15, 2025 Hurdle Word 3 answer

BEIGE

Hurdle Word 4 hint

To smash.

SEE ALSO: NYT Strands hints, answers for November 15 Hurdle Word 4 answer

CRUSH

Final Hurdle hint

A body movement.

SEE ALSO: Mahjong, Sudoku, free crossword, and more: Games available on Mashable Hurdle Word 5 answer

SHRUG

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

TL;DR: Use code STOCKS20 at checkout to save 20% on the usual deal price of this AI stock-picking app. Typically $68.99, you can get a lifetime subscription for $55.19 for a limited time (reg. $486).

Opens in a new window Credit: Sterling Stock Picker Sterling Stock Picker: Lifetime Subscription $55.19
$486 Save $430.81   Get Deal

With wild stock market swings constantly in the news, I found myself wondering ‘Can I make money, too?’ I’ve always been curious how people actually make money in the stock market, but I never knew where to start (especially without blowing my paychecks).

Then, after hearing someone on TikTok brag about making a four-figure profit, I decided I was missing out on building my savings. They said they use Sterling Stock Picker to research new investments, ask questions, and keep track of their portfolio.

Learning the stock market ropes

My biggest concern wasn’t that the market wouldn’t eventually recover, but that I would choose ‘bad’ stocks due to my lack of experience. Sterling Stock Picker helped me feel calm with the 5-minute questionnaire covering my wants and ability to handle risk.

Then, I started researching stocks with help from AI. I also learned about something called exchange-traded funds (ETFs), which are like groups of stocks. I didn’t know what these were at first, so I consulted the AI assistant, Finley AI, and it told me that it’s like putting a stake into a huge nest of companies at once rather than individually.

Once I selected a few ETFs to invest in, I opened a free brokerage account (sadly, you can’t directly invest through Sterling Stock Picker). I purchased my shares and put the information into Sterling Stock Picker so I could view my portfolio with fun graphs and charts and get alerts when prices change — which may help me determine when to sell.

How it’s going (so far)

Well, it’s only been a few days since I’ve made my investments and, if you’ve been keeping up with the news, things have been up and down. One day, my $1,000 portfolio was up $100, and the next, it was down $20. 

As a total beginner, I won’t offer any formal advice to you other than to do your research and be well-informed, and Sterling Stock Picker is a great tool to do just that.

Use code STOCKS20 at checkout to get a Sterling Stock Picker lifetime subscription for $55.19 for a limited time (reg. $486).

StackSocial prices subject to change.

This week, hundreds of thousands of New Yorkers received scam texts after their state's official text messaging system was breached by hackers, according to a report from NBC News.

New York’s Office of Information Technology Services told NBC News that "around 188,000 people get text messages from the state and that around 160,000 received the scam text."

Scam texts are on the rise. By now, you've probably been inundated by them. Text messages from scammers claiming they need your information for a package delivery. Or maybe there's a mystery charge on your bank account. We've also reported on DMV scam texts, inflation refund scam texts, wrong number messages, and the list goes on.

However, this latest scam text campaign shows just how much the issue is escalating.

This week, a mobile text messaging service called Mobile Commons, with customers such as the New York state government, the charity Catholic Relief Services, and progressive organizing group Fight for a Union, was hacked. And once Mobile Commons' systems were breached, the hackers weaponized the service to send scam texts to people who had signed up for text message updates from those organizations.

“On the evening of Monday, November 10th, an unauthorized third party gained illegal access to our platform through what we believe was a spear phishing attack or similar social engineering method," Mobile Commons said in a statement to NBC News. "The intruder’s access was active for a four-hour period ending at 12:10 AM on November 11th before being detected and removed. During this time, multiple attempts were made to send spam messages through our system. A limited number of these messages reached subscribers before our security protocols identified and shut down the malicious activity.”

According to NBC News, the scam texts that were sent urged users to call a toll-free number in reference to a declined bank transaction involving a large sum of money. Of course, the transactions did not exist. The hacker's aim is to convince its targets to call the number, assuming it's a legitimate text from their banking institution, and then likely convince the user to complete a real transaction to fix the issue. In reality, that legitimate transaction would not go to the bank or nonexistent vendor, but to the scammers. 

Mobile Commons told NBC News that user information was not accessed in the breach. However, the company declined to mention how many subscribers received the scam texts. 

It's also unclear how many people fell for the scam and suffered financial damages as a result.

Mashable would like to remind readers that the safest course of action is to never interact with a phone number or link claiming to be from a financial institution. Readers should instead contact the bank or credit company directly via their official phone number to check on the legitimacy of any such text message.

Turns out everyone kind of thinks there's an AI bubble.

According to a report from CNBC, top tech executives are worried about an AI bubble messing up their business.

Like other infamous bubbles — the dot-com bubble, the cryptocurrency bubble, and the housing bubble of the 2000s — an AI bubble could cause massive disruption to the wider economy. A bubble occurs when the price of something rises above its actual value, typically because investors become overly excited. And investors have been very excited about AI.

A recent report from Stanford University estimated that AI investment reached $109.1 billion in the U.S. in 2024. That's 12 times higher than China's investment and 24 times higher than the UK's investment.

CNBC reported that Goldman Sachs’ David Solomon, Morgan Stanley’s Ted Pick, investor Michael Burry, and Picsart CEO Hovhannes Avoyan are all worried about a potential AI bubble. In fact, even some AI leaders are getting nervous.

"I think the evaluations are pretty exaggerated here and there, and I think there is signs of a bubble on the horizon," Jarek Kutylowski, CEO of German AI firm DeepL, told CNBC.

This isn't the first time we've heard about a potential AI bubble. In August, OpenAI's Sam Altman talked about his own AI bubble fears to a small group of reporters, including The Verge's Alex Heath, over dinner in San Francisco.

"When bubbles happen, smart people get overexcited about a kernel of truth," Altman told the reporters. "If you look at most of the bubbles in history, like the tech bubble, there was a real thing. Tech was really important. The internet was a really big deal. People got overexcited. Are we in a phase where investors as a whole are overexcited about AI? My opinion is yes. Is AI the most important thing to happen in a very long time? My opinion is also yes."

SAVE $11: As of Nov. 14, you can grab a single Apple AirTag for only $18 at Amazon ahead of Black Friday. That's 38% off its list price of $29 and the best price on record.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple AirTag $18 at Amazon
$29 Save $11   Get Deal

In a year where everything has gotten more expensive, I honestly didn't have high hopes for Black Friday. But in the weeks leading up to the official shopping event, I've been pleasantly surprised by some of the early deals. Apple gadgets in particular have really been shining bright in the deals department. For instance, this single Apple AirTag discount is the best we've ever seen.

We see excellent deals on the four-pack of AirTags pretty regularly. But single Apple AirTag deals are harder to come by. As of Nov. 14, however, Amazon has the single Apple AirTag on sale for only $18. That's 38% cheaper than the list price of $29 and the lowest price on record.

It doesn't get much better than AirTags for keeping track of your belongings if you're an iPhone user. Just slip one into your purse, luggage, backpack, instrument, or anything else you don't want to lose, and you'll be able to see precisely where you are in proximity to it. AirTags utilize Apple's Find My network, so as long as there's an Apple device nearby with it turned on, you'll be able to spot your missing stuff.

You can set up your AirTag in literal seconds with your iPhone or iPad, attach it to a specific item you want to keep track of, and then essentially forget about it until you need help locating that item. Each tracker has a built-in speaker that will help you find your things. They don't work great with Android devices, but for Apple users, these are hands down your best option for a Bluetooth tracker. And at $18, the price has never been better.

You can bring your group chat shenanigans to ChatGPT now.

Well, some of you can.

OpenAI announced in a company blog post that it's testing out group chats in ChatGPT. You can get as many as 20 people together to collaborate on projects and get ChatGPT's input. If you're trying to plan a dinner party, camping trip, or group-anything, you can now do that with the help of an AI companion. These chats will live separately from your regular ChatGPT conversations, and OpenAI promises that your private chats will not be shared with anyone in the group chats.

SEE ALSO: 5 strategies to avoid ChatGPT dependency How to try OpenAI's new ChatGPT Group Chat

You're probably wondering how to try this yourself. Well, we have bad news for anyone in the United States: It doesn't seem like you can, yet. This is a small-scale pilot program for users in Japan, New Zealand, South Korea, and Taiwan. Readers in the West will simply have to wait a while, it seems.

OpenAI's blog post states: "Group chats are starting to roll out on mobile and web for logged-in ChatGPT users on ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus and Pro plans in Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Taiwan. This pilot is a small first step toward shared experiences in ChatGPT, and we expect to learn from early user feedback to inform how we expand to more regions and ChatGPT plans."

If you are able to try out this feature, OpenAI provided some instructions. You can tap the people icon in the upper-right corner of any chat you're viewing, and get a link you can share with others. Doing so will create a new, separate chat just for the group. Everyone in the chat will have to set up a quick user profile so everyone else knows who they are, and all group chats will be kept in their own special part of the sidebar.

We'll keep an eye on this pilot and tell you if and when it's available in the U.S.

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

You can't believe everything you hear.

This week, I saw dozens of headlines and viral social posts about an AI country song that reached the top of the Billboard country charts. If a song created with generative AI had truly reached No. 1 in the country music world, that would indeed be huge, paradigm-shifting news.

I'm talking about "Walk My Walk" by Breaking Rust, the name of an AI-generated "musician." Meanwhile, as social media users breathlessly shared news about the AI country song topping the chart, a human being by the name of Morgan Wallen has been the actual artist at the top of the Billboard country chart. (I reached out to Billboard for comment, and I'll update this post if I receive a response.)

So, what's going on? Technically, "Walk My Walk" has nabbed the top spot on a chart. Specifically, the Billboard Country Digital Song Sales Chart. However, as any music listener can tell you, there aren't many people buying digital copies of singles anymore. Over on Spotify's Country Top 50 chart, Breaking Rust is nowhere to be found — even after all the news coverage this past week.

As is often the case, social media doesn't quite have the story right on this one. On YouTube, the song has a measly 38,944 views, as of this writing.

As someone who grew up in the South and listened to a lot of country pop against his will, I can tell you that a lot of such ditties sound exactly the same. Pop country loves its tropes and has been parodied to death, and "Walk My Walk" hits a lot of the usual cliches. The lyrics include poetry like "Got mud on my jeans" and, ironically, "I was born this way." Even the title of the song and name of the "musician" are painfully generic.

Indeed, it's hard to think of a more hackneyed country song title than "Walk My Walk," and what does Breaking Rust actually mean? It's exactly the kind of country-sounding but soulless name you'd expect from generative AI.

On first listen, there's not much to distinguish this song from any other country or Bluegrass pop hit, at least to my ears. But that's not praise for generative AI so much as it's criticism of the genre. And, of course, if "Walk My Walk" sounds like a real country song, that's because it was surely made by an AI audio model trained on countless real country songs, without the permission or consent of the artists. A lot of artists consider generative AI to be outright theft and plagiarism, at an industrial scale.

According to The Tennessean, Breaking Rust songs are credited to Aubierre Rivaldo Taylor, an unknown creator with no online presence.

Whether you like it or not, AI creators aren't going away. I've written about the bizarre phenomenon of AI "actors" before, and you can expect more AI-generated songs, movies, books, and slop to appear in your feeds from now on, and possibly forever.

This article reflects the opinion of the writer.

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

Bitcoin has fallen below $100,000 for the first time in months.

As of publishing time on Friday, Bitcoin has been hovering around the $94,000 to $97,000 price range. That price point is the lowest Bitcoin has seen since early May and a big drop from the more than $126,000 all-time high that Bitcoin reached just early last month.

What's going on here?

It's important to note that cryptocurrency is extremely volatile and can experience unexplained ebbs and flows based on a number of factors. A major factor likely driving this latest Bitcoin drop is general sentiment about the economy. 

The stock market is also down right now, and historically the cryptocurrency markets follow Wall Street. In addition, some analysts are citing the expectation that the Federal Reserve will cut rates in December. As a result, institutional buying has trailed off in recent weeks.

Crypto whale selloffs are often a significant factor when the crypto market suddenly goes down. This time, however, a lot of holders are reportedly selling off Bitcoin, not just the whales.

According to new data from cryptocurrency analytics company CryptoQuant, long-term Bitcoin holders have sold around 815,000 BTC over the past 30 days, the highest activity since early 2024.

Bitcoin has been riding high since President Donald Trump's election in 2024. The crypto lobby came together to back his campaign, and it paid off. The Trump administration has rolled back crypto regulations, appointed cryptocurrency industry-approved officials, and ended investigations into crypto-related crime. For example, just last month, Trump pardoned the founder of cryptocurrency exchange Binance, who was sentenced to prison for money laundering.

However, a relatively small number of people actually partake in cryptocurrency trading. In turn, this means that the actions of long-term holders and crypto whales can really sway the market, and this fact — combined with that lackluster market sentiment — is likely what we're seeing now.

The best early Black Friday TV deals at a glance: BEST 50-inch TV deal Hisense 50-inch QD6 QLED 4K TV $199.99 (save $130) Get Deal Best 55-inch TV deal Amazon 55-inch Omni Mini LED QLED 4K Fire TV $694.99 (save $125) Get Deal Best 65-inch TV deal Hisense 65-inch U6 Mini LED QLED 4K TV $547.99 (save $300) Get Deal Best 75-inch TV deal TCL 75-inch QM6K Mini LED QLED 4K TV $698 (save $301.99) Get Deal Best 100-inch TV deal Hisense 100-inch QD6 QLED 4K TV $1,497.99 (save $502) Get Deal

It's officially the best time of year to buy a TV. And you don't even have to wake up at 2 a.m., ready to throw fists in a Walmart or Best Buy. While Black Friday proper — which falls on Nov. 28 in 2025 — will likely produce some unmatched deals as in years past, there's plenty of price drops already worth grabbing a couple of weeks early. Whether you're looking to upgrade to a larger screen or swap your LED model for a QLED model, this is the time.

As Mashable's TV expert Leah Stodart noted last year, QLED TVs have officially gone from swanky to accessible. That means it's easier than ever for the average household to make the jump to a QLED 4K TV at a budget-friendly price — particularly during Black Friday and Cyber Monday. And you will certainly notice the difference in quality.

We're keeping track of all the early Black Friday TV deals worth shopping below and will continuously update this list with any new price drops that roll in. Several Hisense, TCL, and Amazon Fire TV models are already down to record-lows, so feel free to shop ahead of the rush. TVs are one of the biggest purchases this time of year and they do tend to sell out. Read on for a rundown of our top picks.

Psst: If you're not sure what to do with your old TV, you can recycle it at most Best Buy stores for free.

Best early Black Friday 50-inch TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense 50-inch QD6 QLED 4K TV $199.99 at Best Buy
$329.99 Save $130   Get Deal Why we like it

This deal really highlights why we love the Hisense TV brand so much: you can get a QLED 4K TV for under $200. The QD6 model is a well-rounded budget TV that utilizes the Fire TV platform and features built-in Alexa, as well as Dolby Vision HDR and DTS Virtual X audio for better picture quality and crisper sound. It won't wow you quite like a premium QLED would, but you'll still notice a difference from the quantum dots — particularly when watching in the daytime. This 50-inch model is great for smaller living rooms, bedrooms, and apartments and at $199.99, its beating its Prime Day price by nearly $40 at Best Buy. It's currently sold out at Amazon.

Best early Black Friday 65-inch TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hisense Hisense 65-inch U6 Mini LED QLED 4K TV $547.99 at Amazon
$847.99 Save $300   Get Deal Why we like it

If you're not sure what size TV to get, we consider 65 inches to be the sweet spot for most folks. While the Hisense U6 Mini LED QLED TV falls into the budget-friendly category, its specs don't scream "budget" at all. It features a Mini LED backlight system, which essentially means its uses smaller LEDs to deliver a brighter and more detailed picture. Plus, it packs a 144Hz native refresh rate, WiFi 6 connectivity, an ATSC 1.0 tuner under the hood, and support for HDR in Dolby Vision, HDR10, HDR10+, and HLG. It uses the same interface as Amazon's own Mini LED Fire TV and is equipped with on-board Alexa. Our friends at PCMag (also owned by Ziff Davis) called it "easily the brightest and most colorful budget-friendly TV we've tested." At $547.99, the 65-inch Hisense U6 is already down to its best price ever at Amazon ahead of Black Friday.

Best early Black Friday 75-inch+ TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: TCL TCL 75-inch QM6K Mini LED QLED 4K TV $698 at Walmart
$999.99 Save $301.99   Get Deal Why we like it

Walmart and Amazon are both featuring this excellent deal on the TCL QM6K TV, which our friends at CNET (also owned by Ziff Davis) dubbed the "best TV under $1,000 in 2025." It checks all the boxes you want in a new TV: impressive picture quality with vibrant colors, smooth streaming interface (via Google TV), a high refresh rate for gaming (144Hz), and a killer price tag. At $698, this early Black Friday deal not only beats its Prime Day price by more than $50, but it marks a new record-low. It's not quite as impressive as its QM8 sibling, but the QM6K is "a stellar mini LED TV for the low-to-mid-tier price range," as our team pointed out in our roundup of the best TVs for 2025.

Black Friday TV deals at Best Buy43-inch to 50-inch TVs

• Toshiba 43-inch C350 4K TV — $129.99 $299.99 (save $170)

• TCL 43-inch F35 Series 4K TV — $149.99 $249.99 (save $100)

• Hisense 43-inch QD6 QLED 4K TV — $169.99 $299.99 (save $130)

• LG 43-inch UA77 4K TV — $229.99 $329.99 (save $100)

• Insignia 50-inch F50 4K TV — $169.99 $299.99 (save $130)

• Samsung 50-inch U7900 4K TV — $229.99 $329.99 (save $100)

55-inch TVs

• Insignia 55-inch F50 Series 4K Fire TV — $189.99 $349.99 (save $160)

• Hisense 55-inch QD7 Mini LED QLED 4K TV — $329.99 $499.99 (save $170)

• Samsung 55-inch Q8F Series QLED 4K TV — $599.99 $749.99 (save $150)

• Samsung 55-inch S90F Series OLED 4K TV — $1,199.99 $1,799.99 (save $600)

65-inch TVs

• LG 65-inch UA77 4K TV — $379.99 $499.99 (save $120)

• LG 65-inch 70A QNED AI 4K TV — $449.99 $579.99 (save $130)

• Samsung 65-inch QN65 QLED 4K TV — $448 $599.99 (save $151.99)

• Samsung 65-inch Q8F QLED 4K TV — $699.99 $999.99 (save $300)

• Samsung 65-inch QN70F Neo Mini LED QLED 4K TV — $799.99 $1,199.99 (save $400)

• Samsung 65-inch S90F OLED 4K TV — $1,399.99 $2,499.99 (save $1,100)

75-inch TVs and up

• Insignia 75-inch F50 Series 4K TV — $379.99 $529.99 (save $220)

• Samsung 75-inch Q6F QLED 4K TV — $599.99 $899.99 (save $300)

• Samsung 75-inch QN90F Neo Mini LED QLED 4K TV — $1,799.99 $2,999.99 (save $1,200)

• LG 77-inch B5 Series OLED 4K TV — $1,499.99 $2,999.99 (save $1,500)

• Samsung 77-inch S90F OLED 4K TV — $1,999.99 $3,499.99 (save $1,500)

• Hisense 85-inch U8 Mini LED QLED 4K TV — $1,997.99 $3,499.99 (save $1,502)

• Samsung 85-inch QN90F Neo Mini LED QLED 4K TV — $2,299.99 $4,499.99 (save $2,200)

• TCL 98-inch Q55K Series QLED 4K TV — $999.99 $2,499.99 (save $1,500)

• Hisense 98-inch QD5 QLED 4K TV — $1,399.99 $2,299.99 (save $900)

Black Friday TV deals at Walmart50- to 55-inch TVs

• LG 55-inch UA7000 4K TV — $248 $328.99 (save $80.99)

• Hisense 55-inch U7 Mini LED ULED 4K TV — $528 $1,299.99 (save $771.99)

• LG 55-inch C5 OLED 4K TV — $1,196.99 $1,799.99 (save $603)

65-inch TVs

• Samsung 65-inch Q6F QLED 4K TV — $448 $599.99 (save $151.99)

• Hisense 65-Inch S7N Canvas QLED 4K TV — $947 $1,297.99 (save $350.99)

• LG 65-inch C5 OLED 4K TV — $1,396.99 $2,499.99 (save $1,103)

70-inch TVs and up

• Hisense 75-inch H5 QLED 4K TV — $378 $499 (save $121)

• Samsung 75-inch Q6F QLED 4K TV — $598 $799.99 (save $201.99)

• TCL 75-inch QM6K Mini LED QLED 4K TV — $698 $999.99 (save $301.99)

• Hisense 85-inch QD7 QLED 4K TV — $648 $998 (save $350)

Black Friday TV deals at Amazon43-inch TVs

• Hisense 43-inch E6 Cinema QLED 4K TV — $178.99 $209.99 (save $31)

• Amazon 43-inch 4-Series 4K Fire TV — $249.99 $329.99 (save $80)

50- to 55-inch TVs

• Amazon 50-inch Omni QLED 4K Fire TV — $279.99 $469.99 (save $190)

• Amazon 50-inch 4-Series 4K Fire TV — $329.99 $399.99 (save $70)

• Amazon 55-inch Omni QLED 4K Fire TV — $349.99 $499.99 (save $150)

• Amazon 55-inch 4-Series 4K Fire TV — $399.99 $459.99 (save $60)

• Amazon 55-inch Omni Mini LED QLED 4K Fire TV — $694.99 $819.99 (save $125)

65-inch TVs

• Amazon 65-inch Omni 4K Fire TV — $449.99 $669.99 (save $220)

• Hisense 65-inch U6 Mini LED QLED 4K TV — $547.99 $847.99 (save $300)

• Sony 65-inch Bravia 2 II 4K TV — $598 $799.99 (save $201.99)

• Amazon 65-inch Omni Mini LED QLED 4K Fire TV — $894.99 $1,089.99 (save $195)

75-inch TVs and up

• Amazon 75-inch Omni 4K Fire TV — $569.99 $839.99 (save $270)

• Hisense 75-inch QD7 Mini LED QLED 4K TV — $617.99 $799.99 (save $182)

• TCL 75-inch QM6K Mini LED QLED 4K TV — $698 $999.99 (save $301.99)

• Amazon 75-inch Omni Mini LED QLED 4K Fire TV — $1,289.99 $1,499.99 (save $210)

85-inch TVs and up

• Samsung 85-inch Q6F QLED 4K TV — $1,028.38 $1,297.99 (save $269.61)

• Hisense 85-Inch S7N Canvas QLED 4K TV — $1,947.99 $2,049.99 (save $102)

• Hisense 98-inch QD5 QLED 4K TV — $1,399.99 $2,299.99 (save $900)

• Hisense 100-inch QD6 QLED 4K TV — $1,497.99 $1,999.99 (save $502)

Best early Black Friday fitness tracker deals Best Early Black Friday Fitness Tracker Deal Apple Watch Ultra 3 $699.99 (Save $99.01) Get Deal Best Early Black Friday Budget Fitness Tracker Deal CMF Watch Pro 2 $55 (Save $24) Get Deal Best Early Black Friday Apple Watch Alternative Fitness Tracker Deal Garmin epix Pro (Gen 2) Sapphire Edition on white background $609.91 (Save $490.98) Get Deal

Whether you're looking to crush a new goal in 2026 or just want to get a head start on your holiday shopping, now's the time to grab a new fitness tracker. Early Black Friday deals on a variety of brands are officially live now, with significant discounts on wearables for every budget. From simple step counters to advanced smartwatches, these early Black Friday fitness tracker deals have you covered with price drops of just about every kind.

Below, you'll find some of our favorite early fitness tracker deals we've uncovered ahead of the biggest shopping event of the year. We'll continue updating this page as additional deals go live. Be sure to keep checking back in the days leading up to and during Black Friday for even more deals so you don't miss a single discount.

Best early Black Friday fitness tracker deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Apple Watch Ultra 3 $699.99 at Amazon
$799 Save $99.01   Get Deal Why we like it

Apple's premium smartwatch is the top of the line when it comes to fitness tracking, along with all the other wearable features it offers. You can save on it now and get all the perks for less, which include hypertension detection, upgraded sleep tracking, off-grid emergency comms, and everything else you've come to expect from the Apple Watch. That includes heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, workout recording, and much more.

Best early Black Friday budget fitness tracker deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon CMF Watch Pro 2 $55 at Amazon
$79 Save $24   Get Deal Why we like it

If you don't want to shell out the big bucks for a premium fitness tracker or smartwatch, the CMF Watch Pro 2 is an affordable option that fits most budgets. But budget in this case doesn't mean bereft of features. It comes with a portable blood oxygen saturation monitor, workout tracking, heart rate tracking, training load and recovery time, and much more that can all be synced and shared to your favorite health app. All this, plus it does everything you need your smartwatch to do: make calls, use gestures, record voice notes, and more. All for under $60, which is a veritable dream.

Best early Black Friday Apple Watch alternative fitness tracker deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Garmin epix Pro (Gen 2) Sapphire Edition $609.91 at Amazon
$1,099.99 Save $490.08   Get Deal Why we like it

If you prefer to try something different than an Apple Watch, this Garmin unit has everything you need if you're serious about fitness tracking in general. That includes a 1.4-inch AMOLED display with a sapphire lens. It has 24/7 health and wellness monitoring with HRV status and pulse oximetry, advanced sleep monitoring, hill score for endurance training, and an A to Z selection of fitness routine and workout tracking to help you stay on top of your game. It also gives you a morning report each day to give you an idea of where you are in your fitness journey so you can plan your next move.

More early Black Friday fitness tracker deals

• Fitbit Inspire 3 — $94.50 $99.95 (save $5.45)

• Fitbit Charge 6 — $129 $159.95 (save $30.95)

• Garmin Venu Sq 2 — $149.99 $249.99 (save $100)

• Garmin Forerunner 55 (42mm) — $149.99 $199.99 (save $20)

• Fitbit Ace LTE — $152 $179.95 (save $127.95)

• Fitbit Versa 4 — $158.92 $199.95 (save $41.03)

• Apple Watch SE, 2nd Gen (40mm, GPS) — $159.99 $249 (save $89.01)

• Garmin Vivoactive 5 — $199.99 $210.02 (save $10.03)

• Google Pixel Watch 3 (45mm, WiFi) — $199.99 $299.99 (save $100)

• Apple Watch Series 10 (46mm, GPS) — $279 $429 (save $150)

• Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 (44mm, Bluetooth) — $349.99 $379.99 (save $30)

• Garmin Venu 3S (41mm) — $349.99 $449.99 (save $100)

• Garmin Fenix 8 — $849.99 $1,099.99 (save $250)

SAVE $70 + FREE $50 CREDIT: As of Nov. 14, get the Meta Quest 3S for $329.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $399.99. That's a discount of 18%. Plus, get a free $50 credit with your purchase.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Meta Quest 3S $329.99 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $70 Free $50 Amazon Credit with Purchase Get Deal

Virtual reality may not live up to the future tech we all thought it would be by now, but it's home to several games and experiences worth trying out. With Meta's affordable approach that lets you see what it's like without investing in a pricey PC setup, it's a fun option to dive into without spending too much cash. You can save even more right now on a Meta Quest 3S thanks to this Amazon deal, which also nets you some free credit for your trouble.

As of Nov. 14, get the Meta Quest 3S for $329.99 at Amazon, down from its usual price of $399.99. That's $70 off and a discount of 18%. Plus, get a free $50 credit with your purchase. The promotional credit will be added to your Amazon account within 30 days of your Meta Quest 3S's shipment and will expire on April 14, 2026.

SEE ALSO: Steam Frame vs Apple Vision Pro vs Meta Quest 3 — Which has stronger specs, and which is best for gaming?

While the Meta Quest 3 is currently the top of the line model, the affordable Meta Quest 3S is no slouch. It has 1832 x 1920 resolution per eye, a 120Hz refresh rate, 6DOF motion detection, and a pair of Meta Quest Touch Controllers to interact with your virtual worlds.

The 3S still uses the Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 processor, which is the same as the Quest 3, with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage space. It has over 2 hours of battery life per charge, and requires no cords or computer to set up.

When you buy a Meta Quest, you also get access to a 3-month trial of Meta Horizon+, which means you get over 40 games to test out for free without having to commit to paying for just one. So you've got tons to play around with, even if you don't want to grab a game.

The holidays are coming up, and this is a fun gift or a good way to get friends and family together to experience VR for an affordable price. And the $50 credit isn't anything to sneeze at, either.

Mashable covers all of Apple's product launches, and we've been speculating for months on what products the company might still release in 2025. We thought we might get AirTags 2.0, a new Apple TV device, or an updated HomePod. Truly, we did not see the iPhone Sock coming.

Designed in collaboration with the innovative brand Issey Miyake, the iPhone Pocket officially launched on Friday, and the reaction across the web has been very entertaining. The internet, in its collective wisdom, has unofficially rebranded the 3D knit phone holder as the iPhone Sock, which is fair, as Apple says the product was "inspired by the concept of 'a piece of cloth'". One enterprising creator even made their own version of the pricey designer accessory, using an old sock, of course.

The iPhone Pocket Sock comes in two sizes (short and long) and can be held in your hands, worn cross-body, or wrapped around a bag handle — priced at $149.95 and $229.95. Even many Apple fans were put out by the price, as $230 is a big ask for a phone holder, especially in this economy.

Of course, those aren't unheard of prices for designer accessories, especially from a brand like Issey Miyake, and Apple has proven time and again that if Apple builds it, people will buy it. (With the possible exception of the Vision Pro, of course.) As of this writing, the iPhone Sock is completely sold out in all colors at the online Apple Store, but customers may still be able to snag one at select Apple Stores IRL.

So, what is the iPhone Sock?

An Apple press release states:

iPhone Pocket features a ribbed open structure with the qualities of the original pleats by ISSEY MIYAKE. Born from the idea of creating an additional pocket, its understated design fully encloses iPhone, expanding to fit more of a user’s everyday items. When stretched, the open textile subtly reveals its contents and allows users to peek at their iPhone display. iPhone Pocket can be worn in a variety of ways — handheld, tied onto bags, or worn directly on the body. Featuring a playful color palette, the short strap design is available in eight colors, and the long strap design in three colors.

This might seem like a random product for Apple, but the company also released the colorful Apple Crossbody Strap this fall, though with a more reasonable $59 price tag. Apple and Issey Miyake also have a history together.

Steve Jobs and Japanese designer Miyake were actually friends, and according to Apple legend, Jobs once tapped Miyake to design an Apple uniform, which never came to fruition. Apple has continued without Jobs, and likewise, the fashion brand Issey Miyake has continued without its namesake founder, who passed away in 2022.

In the West, Issey Miyake is best known for its origami-inspired handbags and popular fragrances.

An Issey Miyake handbag with the new iPhone Pocket. Credit: Apple The iPhone Pocket on its own. Credit: Apple

Have Apple and Issey Miyake lived up to their founders' vision? We don't know, but we are curious about what Steve Jobs would have said about the $230 iPhone Sock. He and Miyake were friends, after all.

Critmas came early for Critical Role fans everywhere, because the first episode of The Mighty Nein is now streaming for free on YouTube.

SEE ALSO: 'The Mighty Nein' trailer: Critical Role's new show teases magic battles and tons of trauma

Set to premiere Nov. 19, The Mighty Nein is Critical Role's second animated series with Prime Video, the first being The Legend of Vox Machina. Like The Legend of Vox Machina, The Mighty Nein follows a group of unlikely heroes in the world of Exandria. However, The Mighty Nein charts new ground for Critical Role on TV, with longer episodes and a darker tone setting it apart from the raunchier Saturday morning cartoon vibe of The Legend of Vox Machina. (There are still dick jokes, though.)

The first episode, titled "Mote of Possibility," introduces three of The Mighty Nein's main heroes. There's disheveled wizard Caleb Widogast (voiced by Liam O'Brien), heavily inebriated goblin Nott the Brave (voiced by Sam Riegel), and hotheaded Cobalt Soul monk Beauregard Lionett (voiced by Marisha Ray). The three are disparate travelers when we first meet them, but a brewing war between the Kryn Dynasty and the Dwendalian Empire will soon bring them together.

The inciting incident of that war takes center stage in "Mote of Possibility," which opens with a wizard heist on the Kryn Dynasty. Their target? The Luxon Beacon, an object of unfathomable power. Full of magic and brutality, the episode is worth checking out for the heist alone.

The first three episodes of The Mighty Nein premiere Nov. 19 on Prime Video, with a new episode every Wednesday.

SAVE $41.88: As of Nov. 14, get your first three months of Audible for just $0.99, saving you $41.88. On top of the monthly savings, enjoy a $20 Audible credit to use on your next listen.

Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Audible $2.97 at Amazon
$44.85 Save $41.88 Enjoy your first three months of Audible for just $0.99 per month. Plus, score a $20 Audible credit when you sign up. Get Deal

With the holidays coming up, you might have a decent amount of travel on deck. And whether you're taking a plane, train, or automobile to get to your holiday plans, you'll need some entertainment along the way. If you're hoping to get in a few more books in on your reading goal, audiobooks will help you get there, especially when you're stuck in the car for hours at a time. And right now you can save on Audible audiobook membership.

As Nov. 14, three months of Audible for just $0.99 per month. In addition to the discounted monthly rate, you'll also receive a $20 credit to use on the site to stock up on even more audiobooks. Membership is other $14.95 per month, meaning with this deal, you'll spend just $2.97 for three months, saving you $41.88. This deal is only available to new Audible customers. However, Audible is offering one month free to returning customers.

Audible is Amazon's audiobook hub. It's where you can get audio versions of all the top books, but additionally Audible has a whole collection of originals. This includes special editions of Pride & Prejudice performed by Harris Dickinson and Marisa Abela or Audible's original festive crime thriller, the Mistletoe Murders.

Sign up for Audible now, and score three months for just $0.99 per month.

Get ready to rustle and mosey and, uh, other cowboy-themed verbs on your mobile device in a few weeks.

That's because Rockstar's legendary Red Dead Redemption from 2010 is coming to basically every modern video game device in upgraded form on Dec. 2, per Rockstar itself. The Red Dead Redemption PS5, Xbox Series X/S, Nintendo Switch 2, iOS, and Android versions will feature fresher visuals and the excellent Undead Nightmare DLC. This new version will be available as a free upgrade for anyone who already owns the currently available build of Red Dead on consoles, while Netflix users will be able to play the mobile version free of charge.

It also seems like you'll be able to carry over your save data if you upgrade from an existing version of the game, which is nice.

SEE ALSO: 'Metroid Prime 4' looks and feels great, but I'm nervous about one little thing How to get Red Dead Redemption on iOS and Android

You might be wondering how Red Dead on phones is going to work. Rockstar says it will have mobile-friendly controls, of course, but the process of actually getting it is slightly more complicated than you might think.

The wording in Rockstar's press release makes it sound like the game will be available on the App Store or Play Store, so you should be able to just buy it there (for a price that isn't mentioned at all in the post). However, if you have an active Netflix subscription, that won't be necessary. You can simply log into the Netflix mobile app and play the game through that instead. Netflix already has a selection of games available for subscribers, but Red Dead is probably the biggest and most noteworthy one to date.

As for PS5, Xbox, and Switch 2, you'll just buy the game from each console's digital storefront, as per usual. Easy!

Google has developed an AI-powered agent that's playing video games, including Goat Simulator 3 — yes, a goat-based video game.

Google DeepMind created a Gemini-powered agent called SIMA 2 — "scalable instructable multiworld agent" — that's navigating the world of Goat Simulator 3, reported MIT Technology Review.

The AI agent is called SIMA 2 because, well, there was an original SIMA. We covered the original project at Mashable. The agent was designed to essentially serve as a video game companion — an AI-powered player that could accompany human players. (The ROG Xbox Ally X gaming handheld has a similar, Copilot-powered feature.) SIMA 2 is apparently an improved version of the original.

SEE ALSO: Google is training an AI to play video games — why this could be problematic

"Games have been a driving force behind agent research for quite a while," Joe Marino, a researcher at Google DeepMind, said this week, via MIT Technology Review.

The idea behind SIMA 2 is that the agent can learn and adapt in open-ended, complicated video games. A human player can also help direct the agent and improve its performance.

SAVE $50: As of Nov. 14, shop the Lego Star Wars Grogu set, complete with the hover pram. Ahead of Black Friday, get it for just $49.99, saving you $50 for 50% off.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lego Lego Star Wars Grogu Set $49.99 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $50.00   Get Deal

We're two weeks out from Black Friday, but the holiday shopping season is well underway. If you're making your list (checking it twice, etc.) and starting to stockpile gifts, then we have the deal for you. If you're looking for a gift for the Star Wars enthusiast in your life, this Grogu set complete with hover pram is absolutely adorable — and 50% off.

As of Nov. 14, the Lego Star Wars Grogu set is down to $49.99. It's now 50% off its list price of $99.99, saving you $50. It's absolutely adorable but it's a limited time deal.

The Lego Star Wars Grogu set is available only at Amazon and according to the product list page, the deal is going fast, implying that it won't last. So if you're looking to buy it for the Star Wars fan in your life, then you'd better get it soon, since we don't think it will last until Black Friday — or even next week.

The Grogu set is complete with the hover pram, aka Baby Yoda's sickeningly sweet transportation. Grogu himself has a posable head and ears and a Sorgan frog to complete the set. It's 1,048 pieces and suitable for anyone over the age of 10. Not to mention it's just right for the biggest The Mandalorian fan in your life.

Get the Lego Star Wars Grogu set for just $49.99 at Amazon.