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Black Friday 65-inch TV deals are so good this year — The Frame and TCL QM8K are 50% off (or more)

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 21:32
A quick look at the Black Friday deals on 65-inch TVs Cheapest 65-inch QLED TV deal Insignia 65-inch QF QLED 4K Fire TV $299.99 at Amazon (Save $200) Get Deal Cheapest 65-inch Mini LED TV deal TCL 65-inch QM5K QLED 4K TV $449.99 (Save $450 at Best Buy) Get Deal Best 65-inch Mini LED TV you can buy right now TCL 65-inch QM8K Mini LED QLED 4K TV $899.99 (Save $1,600 at Best Buy) Get Deal Best 65-inch OLED TV deal Samsung 65-inch S95F OLED 4K TV $2,299.99 (Save $1,000 at Best Buy plus get a free $100 gift card) Get Deal Best 65-inch art TV deal Samsung 65-inch The Frame QLED 4K TV (2024) $999.99 (Save $1,000 at Best Buy) Get Deal

If you're already set on the size of TV that you want to buy this Black Friday, there's no need to wade through the miles-long general list of all of the best Black Friday TV deals. 65 inches seems to be the sweet spot for most people — it's not so small that it looks like a monitor in your living room, but not so obnoxiously big that it barely fits on the TV stand. But typing "65-inch TVs on sale" into the search bar is the most chaotic way you could go about it — especially since I've already done the chaotic part for you.

SEE ALSO: The best Black Friday streaming bundle has arrived: Get Disney+ and Hulu for only $4.99/month

I sifted through all of the 65-inch TVs on sale across the major retailers to compile a list of the best 65-inch TV deals most worth your money. You have serious options: Every single TV named in Mashable's list of the best 65-inch TVs of 2025 is at record-low pricing. I'm also blown away by the number of ultra-affordable QLED TVs under $500 this year.

Regardless of your budget, there are a ton of opportunities to bring a 65-inch home for what you'd normally pay for a way smaller screen at another time of the year. Here are the best Black Friday 65-inch TV deals live as of Nov. 26:

Best Black Friday 65-inch QLED TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: TCL TCL 65-inch QM8K Mini LED QLED 4K TV $899.99 at Best Buy
$2,499.99 Save $1,600.00   Get Deal Why we like it

Amidst all of the fancy QLED TVs that Samsung, LG, and Sony offer, the internet pretty unanimously agrees that the TCL QM8K Mini LED TV is the best QLED TV for most people. It's incredibly bright — even brighter than last year's QM8 version, which was consistently regarded as the brightest TV of 2024.

While we can thank the quantum dot layer over the backlight for much of that brightness, it's the actual mini LED backlight itself that makes the QM8K's picture so punchy. The full-array local dimming offers much better lighting precision and stark contrast than non-Mini LED QLEDs, and TCL's anti-halo effect really works in dark scenes.

Camelcamelcamel confirms that this is indeed a new record-low for this TV, hitting more than 50% off at Best Buy and Amazon for Black Friday.

SEE ALSO: What is camelcamelcamel? Just our secret weapon for finding the lowest prices on Amazon. Best Black Friday 65-inch OLED TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 65-inch S95F OLED 4K TV $2,299.99 at Best Buy
$3,299.99 Save $1,000 Comes with a free $100 gift card Get Deal Why we like it

The LG C5 OLED being our pick for the best OLED TV you can buy in 2025 doesn't automatically mean it's the best Black Friday OLED TV deal you can buy in 2025. Yes, the $1,399.99 sale price on the 65-inch C5 is a steal — but it's not exactly a special Black Friday price, considering this model has been $1,399.99 at Amazon since October (according to camelcamelcamel's price history tracking).

We think the best authentic Black Friday-exclusive sale on a 65-inch OLED TV is the 65-inch Samsung S95F. Its wickedly good reflection handling in bright rooms makes it our runner-up pick for the best OLED TV to buy this year, and its $1,000-off discount actually does bring it to a new record-low price of $2,299. You'll also get a free $100 gift card just for buying it at Best Buy.

More 65-inch TVs on sale at Best BuyMore 65-inch TVs on sale at AmazonMore 65-inch TVs on sale at Walmart
Categories: IT General, Technology

Windows 10 is getting this classic PowerToy back

How-To Geek - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 21:27

Microsoft just rolled out PowerToys version 0.96.1, which is primarily a patch release focused on fixing several stability issues that came after the previous v0.96.0 launch. However, the incredibly useful Image Resizer tool is finally back in this update for Windows 10.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Prices have dropped again on Black Friday speaker deals — shop Bose, JBL, Sony, Ultimate Ears

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 21:10
The best early Black Friday speaker deals at a glance: Best overall JBL Charge 6 $129.95 (save $70) Get Deal Best soundbar deal Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus $149.99 (save $100) Get Deal Best party speaker deal Bose Soundlink Max $299 (save $100) Get Deal Best home speaker deal Amazon Echo Studio $189.99 (save $30 with on-page coupon ECHOSTUDIO30) Get Deal

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

While Black Friday technically falls on Nov. 28 this year, retailers' sales are here for a head start on holiday savings. Speaker discounts from brands like Bose, JBL, Sony, and Amazon are already pretty impressive. We're still waiting on some heavy hitters from Sonos and Ultimate Ears to get the deal treatment, but we expect those to drop within the next week.

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

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

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

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

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

More early Black Friday speaker deals Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Go 3 $29.95 at Amazon
$39.95 Save $10.00   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Go 4 $39.95 at Amazon
$49.95 Save $10   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Ultimate Ears Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 $59.99 at Amazon
$99.99 Save $40.00 Lowest price ever 🔥 Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Pill x Kim Kardashian $79
$99.95 Save $20.95   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony ULT Field 1 $86.95 at Amazon
$98 Save $11.05   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Marshall Marshall Emberton II $89.98 at Amazon
$179.99 Save $90.01   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Beats Beats Pill $99.95 at Amazon
$149.95 Save $50.00   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Ultimate Ears Ultimate Ears Boom 4 $99.99 at Amazon
$149.99 Save $50.00   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Dot $31.99
$49.99 Save $18.00   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Echo Studio $189.99 at Amazon
$219.99 Save $30 Lowest price ever 🔥 Get $10 Amazon credit with on-page coupon. Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose Soundlink Max $299 at Amazon
$399 Save $100   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony SRS-XP700 $348 at Amazon
$549.99 Save $201.99   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung HW-B650/ZA 3.1ch Soundbar $199.99 at Best Buy
$399.99 Save $200   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: JBL JBL Bar 500MK2-5.1ch Soundbar System $449.95 at Amazon
$649.95 Save $200.00 Lowest price ever 🔥 Get Deal Even more Black Friday speaker dealsPortable Bluetooth speakersHome speakersParty speakersSoundbars
Categories: IT General, Technology

OpenAI denies allegations in teen death lawsuit

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 21:07

OpenAI vigorously denied allegations against the company that it was responsible for the suicide death of Adam Raine, according to a new response filed in court Tuesday.

Raine died in April 2025, following heavy engagement with ChatGPT that included detailed discussions of his suicidal thinking. The 16-year-old's family sued OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman in August, alleging that ChatGPT validated his suicidal thinking and provided him explicit instructions on how he could die. It even proposed writing a suicide note for Raine, his parents claim.

In its first answer to the Raine family's allegations, OpenAI argues that ChatGPT didn't contribute to Adam's death. Instead, the company pinpoints his behavior, along with his mental health history, as the driving force in his death, which is described in the filing as a "tragedy."

SEE ALSO: Experts: AI chatbots unsafe for teen mental health

OpenAI claims that Raine's complete chat history indicated that ChatGPT directed him more than 100 times to seek help for his suicidal feelings, and that he failed to "heed warnings, obtain help, or otherwise exercise reasonable care." The company also argues that people around Raine didn't "respond to his obvious signs of distress."

Additionally, Raine allegedly told ChatGPT that a new depression medication heightened his suicidal thinking. The unnamed drug has a black box warning for increasing suicidal ideation amongst teens, according to the filing.

OpenAI alleges that Raine searched for and found detailed information about suicide elsewhere online, including from another AI platform. The company also faults Raine for talking to ChatGPT about suicide, a violation of the platform's usage policies, and for trying to circumvent guardrails to obtain information about suicide methods. OpenAI, however, does not shut down conversations about suicide.

"To the extent that any 'cause' can be attributed to this tragic event, Plaintiffs' alleged injuries and harm were caused or contributed to, directly and proximately, in whole or in part, by Adam Raine’s misuse, unauthorized use, unintended use, unforeseeable use, and/or improper use of ChatGPT."

Jay Edelson, the lead attorney in the Raines' wrongful death lawsuit, described OpenAI's response as "disturbing."

"[O]penAI tries to find fault in everyone else, including, amazingly, by arguing that Adam himself violated its terms and conditions by engaging with ChatGPT in the very way it was programmed to act," Edelson said in a statement.

He noted that the company's response doesn't address various claims in the lawsuit, including that the previous GPT-4o model, which Raine used, was allegedly released to the public "without full testing" for market competition reasons, and that the company altered its guidelines to allow ChatGPT to engage in discussions about self-harm.

The company has also admitted that it needed to improve ChatGPT's response to sensitive conversations, including those about mental health. Altman publicly acknowledged that the GPT-4o model was too "sycophantic."

Some of the safety measures OpenAI cites in its filings, including parental controls and an expert-staffed well-being advisory council, were introduced after Raine's death.

In a blog post published Tuesday, OpenAI said it aimed to respond to lawsuits involving mental health with care, transparency, and respect.

The company added that it was reviewing new legal filings, which include seven lawsuits against it alleging ChatGPT use led to wrongful death, assisted suicide, and involuntary manslaughter, among other liability and negligence claims. The complaints were filed in November by the Tech Justice Law Project and Social Media Victims Law Center.

Six of the cases involve adults. The seventh case centers on 17-year-old Amaurie Lacey, who originally used ChatGPT as a homework helper. Lacey eventually shared suicidal thoughts with the chatbot, which allegedly provided detailed information that Lacey used to kill himself.

A recent review of major AI chatbots, including ChatGPT, conducted by adolescent mental health experts found that none of them were safe enough to use for discussing mental health concerns. The experts called on the makers of those chatbots — Meta, OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google — to disable the functionality for mental health support until the chatbot technology is redesigned to fix the safety problems identified by its researchers.

If you're feeling suicidal or experiencing a mental health crisis, please talk to somebody. You can call or text the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988, or chat at 988lifeline.org. You can reach the Trans Lifeline by calling 877-565-8860 or the Trevor Project at 866-488-7386. Text "START" to Crisis Text Line at 741-741. Contact the NAMI HelpLine at 1-800-950-NAMI, Monday through Friday from 10:00 a.m. – 10:00 p.m. ET, or email info@nami.org. If you don't like the phone, consider using the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Chat. Here is a list of international resources.

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.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Don't go to the airport without this simple AV travel kit

How-To Geek - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 21:00

We’ve all been there, at the airport, waiting at the gate ready to board, when that dreaded announcement comes that your flight has been delayed. If you’re lucky, it’s a short wait. If not, it could mean hours in the airport or even an overnight stay—preferably in a hotel, but we’ve all done the four-seat stretch, am I right?

Categories: IT General, Technology

The best early Black Friday Samsung deals: The Frame TV, Galaxy Watch 8, Galaxy S25 Ultra, and more

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 20:53
The best October Prime Day Samsung deals at a glance: Best tablet deal Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE+ (256GB, WiFi) $569.99 (save $180) Get Deal Best monitor deal Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G6 OLED gaming monitor $749.99 (save $250) Get Deal Best TV deal Samsung 65-inch The Frame Pro Mini LED QLED 4K TV $1,597.99 (save $500) Get Deal Best wearable deal Samsung Galaxy Ring $249.99 (save $150) Get Deal Best phone deal Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (512GB, unlocked) $1,019.99 (save $400) Get Deal Best smartwatch deal Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 (40mm, Bluetooth) $279.99 (save $70) Get Deal

Black Friday is in full swing. While the annual shopping event doesn't technically start until Nov. 28, plenty of retailers like Amazon and Best Buy's sales kicked off the savings early in 2025 and have already delivered the lowest prices of the year. Samsung deals are particularly delivering, with all-time lows on several Galaxy phones, tablets, and watches, monitors, TVs, and more. This is hardly surprising, though, as Samsung is one of the brands we regularly see big discounts on during major shopping events.

On Black Friday proper, we're still hoping for some larger price drops on Samsung's foldables and earbuds, most categories already have standout discounts on hot ticket items. For instance, the 2025 Frame and Frame Pro TVs are at record lows, as is every iteration of the Galaxy Watch 8, Galaxy Tab S10 Lite, S10 FE, and S10 FE+, and Galaxy Tab S11.

Read on for a rundown of the best Samsung deals live ahead of Black Friday, and stay tuned as the season unfolds. We'll update this list with any new discounts that pop up

Note: Deals with a 🔥 next to them have dropped to record-low prices.

Best early Black Friday Samsung Galaxy phone deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung Galaxy S25 Ultra (512GB, unlocked) $1,019.99 at Amazon
$1,419.99 Save $400 Lowest price ever 🔥 Get Deal Why we like it

One of the top dogs of the Samsung Galaxy phone lineup, the S25 Ultra with 512GB of storage, has dropped to a new best price ever for Black Friday. If you're already sporting an S24 model, you probably can skip this upgrade, but if you're rocking an older handset and want to catch up with the times, this 2025 release is a great choice. It's a bit heavy on the AI, but it's got a lot of other perks, including a nearly 27-hour battery life that keeps you from being tethered to an outlet. It features an incredibly powerful Snapdragon 8 Elite processor, a new 50 MP ultra-wide lens, a fun "Now Brief" widget and other S25 Ultra-exclusive AI features, and new curved edges and a lighter build. Grabbing an unlocked model at Amazon saves you the trouble of coordinating a trade-in or data plan at a specific carrier. Plus, it's a lot cheaper at $1,057.91.

Best early Black Friday Samsung computing deal Opens in a new window Credit: Samsung Samsung 27-inch Odyssey G6 OLED gaming monitor $749.99 at Amazon
$999.99 Save $250 Lowest price ever 🔥 Get Deal Why we like it

Samsung released the new Odyssey G6 OLED monitor over the summer — the first-ever gaming monitor with a 500Hz refresh rate. And for Black Friday, you can get it for its best price yet. Besides its wildly fast refresh rate, it also features a QHD resolution (2,560 x 1440) with a 16:9 aspect ratio, an ultra-quick 0.03ms response time, a peak brightness of 1,000 nits, support for both AMD FreeSync Premium Pro and NVIDIA G-Sync, and a QD-OLED panel that's glare-free and Pantone Validated. It also has plenty of ports for your peripherals, including two HDMI 2.1 ports, three USB ports, and a single DisplayPort 1.4 port. You can find the Black Friday deal on the 27-inch monitor (the only size it comes in) at both Amazon and Best Buy. At the time of writing, it's $50 more at Samsung's own website.

Samsung Galaxy phone dealsSamsung Galaxy tablet and laptop dealsSamsung monitor dealsSamsung TV dealsSamsung Galaxy watch dealsMore Samsung deals
Categories: IT General, Technology

2025 Black Friday ads: Best deals from Walmart, Amazon, Best Buy, Kohls, Target, Home Depot, and more

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 20:49

Black Friday is fast approaching, but the reality is that it's already here in a big way. You can find discounts on hot products like MacBooks, AirPods, Lego, Pokémon, and so much more. It's the single best time of the year to secure a deal, with heavy discounts on offer from all the leading retailers.

The biggest retailers are always looking to get ahead of the competition by launching early-access deals, with savings-packed Black Friday ads that include a snapshot of what shoppers can expect. We recommend that savvy shoppers take some time to check out everything that's showcased in these ads, but if that sounds like far too much work, we can help you out.

SEE ALSO: Everything to know about Black Friday 2025: Best early deals, sale dates, price matching, and more

We've checked out all the best deals from the Black Friday ads of leading retailers. We're talking about the likes of Best Buy, Walmart, Home Depot, and Target. Amazon doesn't release a traditional Black Friday ad, but we've still gone ahead and pulled the best deals that you can already shop. Aren't we helpful.

These are the best Black Friday deals from Black Friday ads that you can already buy online.

Best Black Friday deals from AmazonBest Black Friday Apple deals

AirTags

Apple Watch

iPads

iMacs

Mac Minis

Macbooks

Headphones

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Categories: IT General, Technology

Black Friday laptop deals are live — and amazing. Here are 14 models Id buy in a heartbeat.

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 20:32
The best Black Friday laptop deals at a glance: Best MacBook deal Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $749 (save $250) Get Deal Best Windows laptop deal Microsoft Surface Laptop 7, 13.8-inch (Snapdragon X Elite, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $869.99 (save $530) Get Deal Best cheap MacBook deal Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M2, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) - Geek Squad Certified Refurbished $499.99 (save $249.01) Get Deal Best cheap Windows laptop deal Acer Aspire 16 AI (Snapdragon X, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $449.99 (save $250) Get Deal Best cheap gaming laptop deal Lenovo LOQ 15 (AMD Ryzen 7 250, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5050, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $799.99 (save $390) Get Deal

I write about all things laptops here at Mashable, and after spending hours digging through tech retailers' Black Friday sales, I'm delighted by the deals I'm seeing so far. A bunch of the best laptops we've tested are now on sale at steep discounts. That includes my top picks for most people, plus some more niche options in the budget, OLED, ultraportable, gaming, and dual-screen categories. You're not just saving a ton of money on laptops this holiday season — you're saving a ton of money on some truly great laptops.

SEE ALSO: Black Friday 2025: Live updates on the latest deals from Amazon, Target, Walmart, and more

Black Friday always coaxes out some of the best laptop deals of the whole year, so no surprises here. It's partly because retailers know that people are looking for good, giftable buys ahead of the holidays, but it's also because they're trying to offload their current inventories ahead of next-gen refreshes at the start of the following year. Enter: Record-low prices on MacBooks, Windows laptops, gaming PCs, and Chromebooks. Voila: An upgrade that's normally out of your budget is suddenly affordable.

Below, I've detailed the 14 top Black Friday laptop deals I've scouted so far. I've only picked the models that I'd happily add to my own cart if I was in the market for a new PC, because they've all been tested and vetted by the Mashable team.

The M4 Apple MacBook Airs

Apple's latest MacBook Air is lightweight, quiet, and faster than 83% of the laptops in our entire testing database — it's a really impressive ultraportable. The 15-inch model is my top pick for most people, but the 13-inch model is great for college students and other users who want something a little cheaper and more portable. Both sizes were regularly on sale on Amazon for $200 off earlier this fall, and I really didn't think they'd get any cheaper at this point in their life cycles (considering they're still well under a year old). Shockingly, they're now $250 off at Amazon and Best Buy.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $749 at Amazon and Best Buy
$999 Save $250   Get Deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M4, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $949 at Amazon and Best Buy
$1,199 Save $250   Get Deal The 14-inch M5 Apple MacBook Pro

The all-new MacBook Pro is my splurge pick if you want an Apple laptop with even more power, a brighter 120Hz display, more ports for creative work, and crazy-good stamina. (At 21 hours and 17 minutes, it has the longest battery life of any MacBook we've ever tried.) It debuted in mid-October at a starting price of $1,599 to a rave review from our tech editor. Right now, the base configuration with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage is just $1,399 at Amazon and Best Buy — a whopping $200 off. That's a massive discount on a brand-spanking-new laptop.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M5, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $1,399 at Amazon and Best Buy
$1,599 Save $200   Get Deal A refurbished 13-inch M2 Apple MacBook Air

If you're in the market for a dirt-cheap-but-not-too-outdated MacBook, Best Buy has a refurbished 13-inch M2 MacBook Air from 2022 on sale for just $499.99. Walmart is selling the older M1 model for $549 as part of its Black Friday programming, so this is a genuine steal. It has a better 1080p FaceTime camera, a lighter design, and a bigger, brighter, display compared to its predecessor, and it runs about 15% faster. Since it only comes with 8GB of RAM, it's best suited for simple everyday tasks like web browsing and sending emails.

Opens in a new window Credit: Apple Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M2, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) - Geek Squad Certified Refurbished $499.99 at Best Buy
$749 Save $249.01   Get Deal The 13.8-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 7

Microsoft's current flagship laptop is a well-rounded machine with a virtually unrivaled 23-hour battery life, speedy everyday performance, amazing build quality, and an elegant, lightweight design. The 13.8-inch model with a Snapdragon X Elite CPU is my favorite Windows laptop for most people, and the silver model with my ideal daily driver setup (16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage) is down to an all-time low of $869.99 for Black Friday 2025. It usually sells for $1,399.99, so you're saving 38%. Meanwhile, it's $999.99 at Best Buy and on Microsoft's website.

Opens in a new window Credit: Microsoft Microsoft Surface Laptop 7, 13.8-inch (Snapdragon X Elite, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $869.99 at Amazon
$1,399.99 Save $530   Get Deal The Acer Aspire 16 AI

This $699.99 Windows laptop wowed me with its 17-hour battery life, great mix of ports, relatively lightweight frame, 120Hz touchscreen, and peppy performance. (It's the fastest sub-$900 laptop we've reviewed.) Amazon has it on sale for just $449.99, or 36% off.

Opens in a new window Credit: Acer Acer Aspire 16 AI (Snapdragon X, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $449.99 at Amazon
$699.99 Save $250   Get Deal The Asus Zenbook A14

The Zenbook A14 is an awesome MacBook Air alternative with a beauteous OLED display, a 22-hour battery life, and a lightweight but sturdy design. It's actually 0.3 pounds lighter than a 13-inch MacBook Air (and it starts with double the storage for the same price). Best Buy's 45% Black Friday discount brings it down to just $549.99, which is a new all-time low.

Opens in a new window Credit: Asus Asus Zenbook A14 (Snapdragon X Plus, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $549.99 at Best Buy
$999.99 Save $450   Get Deal The Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x

If you can shell out an extra $250, you'll get an even nicer OLED display in the Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x. It has a higher 3K resolution than the Zenbook A14, a better 90Hz refresh rate, and added touchscreen capabilities. It's a teensy bit faster, too, and it doesn't sacrifice much battery life — I got almost 20 hours out of it in my testing. Best Buy currently sells the base model with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage for $ 799.99, down from its usual price of $ 1,299.99. A 1TB version is available on Lenovo's website for $929.99, or 27% off.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lenovo Lenovo Yoga Slim 7x (Snapdragon X Elite, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) $799.99 at Best Buy
$1,299.99 Save $500   Get Deal The Lenovo LOQ 15

The AMD-powered Lenovo LOQ 15 is "the perfect starter gaming laptop," says Mashable tech editor Timothy Beck Werth; he's been working through his first Cyberpunk 2077 run on an RTX 5060 configuration. I can't find that one listed anywhere, but this RTX 5050 model is on sale for just $799.99 during Lenovo's Black Friday sale (or 33% off). It should be capable of running most graphically demanding AAA games at 60fps on a 1080p resolution. It features a 144Hz refresh rate and a spacious anti-ghosting backlit keyboard, plus a healthy terabyte of storage.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lenovo Lenovo LOQ 15 (AMD Ryzen 7 250, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5050, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $799.99 at Lenovo
$1,189.99 Save $390   Get Deal The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14

The ROG Zephyrus G14 is the ultimate non-gamey gaming laptop: With a 3.3-pound, 0.6-inch thin aluminum design and a beautiful 3K OLED display, it could easily be confused with a silver MacBook Pro. We tested an AMD model with RTX 4060 graphics last year, and I found the next-gen version on sale for only $1,299.99 at Best Buy. It usually retails for $1,799.99, so you pocket $500 in savings.

Opens in a new window Credit: Asus Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 (AMD Ryzen 9 270, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5060, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,299.99 at Best Buy
$1,799.99 Save $500   Get Deal The Alienware 16X Aurora

The Alienware 16X Aurora is my favorite gaming laptop for most people. It's an excellent mid-ranger featuring a 2.5K 240Hz matte display, a satisfying keyboard with one-zone RGB backlighting, and an attractive, port-packed design. The $1,999.99 variant I tested has a high-end Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX CPU, an RTX 5070 GPU, 32GB of memory, and 1TB of storage, and it's not on sale just yet. However, the same model with double the storage is only $1,699.99 at Best Buy (normally $2,099.99). That's a 19% savings.

Opens in a new window Credit: Dell Alienware 16X Aurora (Intel Core Ultra 9 275HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 5070, 32GB RAM, 2TB SSD) $1,699.99 at Best Buy
$2,099.99 Save $400.00   Get Deal The Lenovo Yoga Book 9i (Gen 10)

If you need more screen space than a regular laptop offers but don't love the idea of hauling around a separate monitor, allow me to introduce you to the latest Lenovo Yoga Book 9i. It's a gorgeous dual-screen laptop with twin 2.8K 120Hz OLED displays, a smooth detachable keyboard, and a zippy processor. (It's actually slightly speedier than an M4 MacBook Pro.)

This laptop is usually priced at $2,079.99, but Lenovo has it on sale for just $1,559.99 — a 25% savings. It's a better value than ever, especially when you add the fact that its matching mouse, stylus, keyboard case, and protective sleeve case are all included.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lenovo Lenovo Yoga Book 9i (Intel Core Ultra 7 255H, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) $1,559.99 at Lenovo
$2,079.99 Save $520.00   Get Deal The Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus

Lenovo's convertible Chromebook Plus is my favorite Chromebook for most buyers because of its stellar build quality, decent performance, great speakers, and nice keyboard. There are two configurations available for $599: One with an Intel Core i5-1334U processor and 256GB of storage (which we tested), and another with a less powerful Intel Core i3-1315U processor and 128GB of storage. The latter is obviously a worse value at full price, but Best Buy is currently selling it for $349 (or $250 off), making it a great option for budget shoppers with basic needs.

Opens in a new window Credit: Lenovo Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus (Intel Core i3-1315U, 8GB RAM, 128GB SSD) $349 at Best Buy
$599 Save $250   Get Deal The Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514

Acer's all-new Chromebook Plus Spin 514 features an unrivaled 18-hour battery life and a fast processor (relatively speaking) with an NPU that supports two exclusive AI features. I've tried the Best Buy-exclusive configuration that has 12GB of memory and a 120Hz touchscreen display, which retails for $699, and I'm kind of obsessed with it. It's overkill for most Chromebook users, sure, but it's definitely worth considering if you want a high-end, super-future-proofed model — especially now that it's $100 off for Black Friday. It's never been on sale before.

Opens in a new window Credit: Acer Acer Chromebook Plus Spin 514 (MediaTek Kompanio Ultra 910, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) $599 at Acer
$699 Save $100   Get Deal
Categories: IT General, Technology

How to watch Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich online for free

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 20:26

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

There are a number of really exciting Champions League matchups this week, including Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich. This fixture can claim to be the "game of the round." Both teams are top of their respective domestic leagues and tied at the top of the Champions League standings after winning every game. Something has got to give when they come together in London.

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

When is Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich?

Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich in the Champions League kicks off at 8 p.m. GMT on Nov. 26. This fixture takes place at the Emirates Stadium.

How to watch Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich for free

Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich is available to live stream for free on Virgin Media Player.

Virgin Media Player is geo-restricted to Ireland, but anyone can access this free streaming platform 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 Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich for free by following these simple steps:

  1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like 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 Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

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 Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich (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 eight simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).

Live stream Arsenal vs. Bayern Munich in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Black Friday 2025: I review headphones, and Id shop these noise-cancelling headphone deals

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 20:22
Best noise-cancelling headphones and earbuds on sale: Best Flagship Headphones Deal Sony WH-1000XM6 Noise-Canceling Headphones $398 (save $61.99) Get Deal Best earbuds deal Bose QuietComfort Ultra Earbus (2nd Gen) $216 (Save $83) Get Deal Past-Gen Sony Headphones Deal Sony WH-1000XM5 Noise-Cancelling Headphones $248 (Save $151.99) Get Deal Best for Audiophiles Bowers & Wilkins Px8 Over-Ear Headphones $510 (save $189) Get Deal Best Apple Deal Apple AirPods Max Headphones (USB-C) $399.99 (save $150) Get Deal Best Sports Earbuds Deal Beats Powerbeats Pro 2 Wireless Noise-Cancelling Sports Earbuds $199.95 (save $49.05) Get Deal

As Mashable's tech editor, I've covered a lot of cool headphone launches this year. The long-awaited Sony XM6 headphones finally came out this year, and we also got new flagship headphones from Nothing, Bowers & Wilkins, Bose, and Beats. If you need a new pair of noise-cancelling headphones, the Black Friday season is the best possible time to buy. All of the headphones I mentioned are currently sitting at record prices — all of them.

However, you won't find all of them in this guide, as not every Black Friday headphones deal is worth shopping. I've gathered the biggest discounts on the noise-cancelling headphones I'd actually recommend buying, whether you're shopping for yourself or looking for Christmas gifts for techies.

SEE ALSO: Everything to know about Black Friday 2025: Best early deals, sale dates, price matching, and more

Some of the best Black Friday noise-cancelling headphones deals have already earned a spot in our guide to the top deals. From audiophile-worthy headphones from Bowers & Wilkins to the latest Bose wireless earbuds, you'll find the best of the best here.

Best noise-cancelling headphones deal Opens in a new window Credit: Sony Sony WH-1000XM5 $248 at Amazon
$399.99 Save $151.99   Get Deal Why we like it

Check out our full review of the Sony WH-1000XM5.

I tested Sony's legendary XM5 headphones against the newer version, the XM6, as did Lead Shopping Reporter Bethany Allard. And both of us found that they're far more alike than different. Unless you're a picky audiophile, I think most people should opt for the XM5 model while it's on sale, which is what Allard recommended in her comparison. These headphones have never been priced this low, and they still have all the features you really need: excellent audio quality, best-in-class active noise-cancellation, and an easy-to-use app to adjust EQ settings.

More noise-cancelling headphones dealsBest noise-cancelling earbuds deal Opens in a new window Credit: Bose Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds (2nd gen) $216 at Amazon
$299 Save $83   Get Deal Why we like it

Check out our full review of the Bose QuietComfort Ultra (2nd Gen) earbuds.

The second-generation Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds are the best noise-cancelling earbuds of 2025, full stop. The only buds that really come close? The first-generation Bose QuietComfort Ultra earbuds, which I'm wearing as I write this sentence. These earbuds are supremely comfortable, and they let you slip into a cone of silence on demand.

More noise-cancelling earbuds deals

Mashable contributor Matt Ford and Lead Shopping Reporter Bethany Allard also assisted with this guide.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Plex’s remote streaming will cost you money starting this week

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 20:17

Media server Plex announced in March that it would put an end to free remote streaming, but hasn't yet put the new changes into effect. That changes this week as Plex plans to pull the plug on free remote streaming from the Roku app first, with the rest of its supported platforms coming in early 2026. 

The change impacts people who use the company’s personal media servers. Until now, a person could set up a server, set it to stream remotely, and access that server from anywhere. In addition, that person could give their credentials to friends and family members and they could stream from the remote server as well. This was all free of charge. 

SEE ALSO: What's new to streaming this week? (Nov. 21, 2025)

Under the new system, people can still do all of the above, they just need to have a subscription in order to do it. Customers have two subscriptions to choose from. The first is the typical Plex Pass subscription, which just saw a price increase in April to $6.99 per month. Plex’s second option was made just for this occasion. It’s called the Remote Watch Pass, and it costs $2 per year.

For the Remote Watch Pass, each person who wants to access the remote server needs to have one. Thus, if you’re sharing your personal server with four people, each of those four people need a Remote Watch Pass. Remote streaming from within your home network is still free, so you can still set up a server on your PC and stream it to your phone from across the house. 

“This price increase will ensure that we can keep investing dedicated resources in developing new features, while supporting and growing your favorites,” Plex said in a blog post. 

The inclusion of a subscription may chase away some users who used Plex for the free personal media server. For those folks, your best bet at a replacement is Jellyfin. It’s a free, open-source media server that you can stream remotely, but it does take a little extra configuration than something like Plex. 

Categories: IT General, Technology

Most EVs get artificial sound wrong, but these brands nailed it

How-To Geek - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 20:00

If you’ve ever spoken to an older car enthusiast, you’ve probably heard all the classic complaints about electric vehicles. They’re boring, soulless, and most of all, too quiet. Most car enthusiasts want to hear their sports car; they crave that visceral experience. But EVs, despite their superior performance and speed over internal combustion, just don’t provide it—so automakers turned to trickery.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to watch college football for $1 over Thanksgiving weekend: $1 day passes from Sling TV

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 20:00

PAY $1 FOR A DAY OF ESPN, FREEFORM, OTHER CHANNELS WITHOUT CABLE: For Black Friday, Sling TV has slashed the price of its Orange package day passes from $5 to $1 between Friday, Nov. 28 and Sunday, Nov. 30.

Opens in a new window Credit: Sling TV Sling TV Orange Day Pass $1
$5 Save $4   Get Deal

YouTube TV and Disney may have squashed their beef, but it's no secret that a decent number of frustrated YouTube TV subscribers ditched their subscriptions when Disney-owned channels went missing. If you're one of those people — or you just don't care to pay for many streaming services in general — we have a really cheap Black Friday streaming deal for you: Sling TV day passes are $1 instead of $5 for Friday through Sunday of Cyber Weekend.

SEE ALSO: 50+ of the best Black Friday TV deals in 2025: Score huge savings on Samsung, TCL, and Hisense

The humble Sling TV daily pass went a little viral as an affordable way to watch Monday Night Football on ESPN during the Disney blackout on YouTube TV. The $1 Sling pass isn't helpful for MNF on Dec. 1, as the deal expires on Dec. 1 at 1 a.m. MT. However, there's still some major live college football streaming and holiday movie watching to be done through the 30+ Sling TV Orange package channels like ESPN, TBS, TNT, AMC, and Freeform. The $1 Sling day pass covers all Orange channels for the full 24 hours.

College football games to watch with a $1 Sling TV day pass this weekend

  • Utah @ Kansas — 12 p.m. ET on Friday, Nov. 28, ESPN

  • Temple @ North Texas — 3:30 p.m. ET on Friday, Nov. 28, ESPN

  • Texas Tech @ West Virginia — 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 29, ESPN

  • Houston @ Baylor 12 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 29, TNT

  • UCF @ BYU — 1 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 29, ESPN2

  • Vanderbilt @ Tennessee — 3:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 29, ESPN

  • Florida State @ Florida — 4:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 29, ESPN2

  • Virginia Tech @ Virginia — 7 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 29, ESPN

  • SMU @ California — 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 29, ESPN2

  • Notre Dame @ Stanford — 10:30 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 29, ESPN

Movies to watch with a $1 Sling TV day pass this weekend

Aside from football, channels like TBS, AMC, and Freefrom have a solid lineup of classic movies slated for the weekend. Let's say you've been itching to watch Elf, but don't have an HBO Max subscription — you can pay $1 to watch it on TNT on Saturday. Here are a few upcoming holiday or generally cozy options:

  • Four Christmases — 4 p.m. ET on Friday, Nov. 28, TBS

  • The Polar Express — 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 29, TNT

  • Elf — 8 and 10 p.m. ET on Friday, Nov. 28, TBS

  • Cars, Cars 2, and Cars 3 — starting at 1 p.m. ET on Friday, Nov. 28, Freeform

  • Dr. Seuss' How the Grinch Stole Christmas — 8:30 p.m. ET on Friday. Nov 28, Freeform

  • A Christmas Story — 6 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 29, TNT

  • Wonka — 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 29, TBS

  • Finding Nemo — 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 29, Freeform

  • National Lampoon Christmas Vacation — 8 p.m. ET on Saturday, Nov. 29, TNT

  • Christmas with the Kranks — 5, 7, and 9 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 30, AMC

  • Coco — 8 p.m. ET on Sunday, Nov. 30, Freeform

Categories: IT General, Technology

Thanksgiving air travel: Track flight statuses, delays, and cancellation trends online

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 19:39

Well, folks, it's that time of year. Holiday cheer, a big ol' bird on the table, walking the tightrope of polite conversation, and, most horrifyingly, praying to high heavens that your Thanksgiving air travel plans go off without a hitch.

If you're one of the projected 82 million Americans traveling domestically this week, you're in luck. So far, according to USA Today, flight cancellations are low this week, despite general fears that the recent government shutdown would lead to travel woes. This comes a few weeks after the U.S. Transportation Secretary Sean Duffy ordered a 10 percent cut in flights at 40 U.S. airports due to the longest government shutdown in U.S. history. Thousands of air traffic controllers and Transportation Security Administration agents went to work without pay for over a month, Reuters reported at the time. But thankfully, after 43 long days, the shutdown ended just in time for Thanksgiving travel.

But the government shutdown isn't the only thing that might cause a bump in your holiday travel. The FAA expects this to be the busiest Thanksgiving travel week in 15 years, and typical weather and mechanical issues are sure to arise, particularly with winter storms moving into the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes region — sorry, Chicago travelers.

How to check your flight status online

This is something you should absolutely do before you leave for the airport. There's not much worse than zipping up your suitcase, locking up your house, making the trek to the airport, and finding your way through security and to your gate only to find out you could have stayed in pajamas the whole time. Before you head to the airport, always check the airport website or your airline's website.

We also recommend downloading your airline's app, which makes it easy to check for updates on the fly. Finally, to check on a specific flight or route, you can use sites like Flight Aware and Flight Tracker. If the plane you're taking to Wichita is delayed on its way into Atlanta, these tools can help you anticipate likely delays.

Thanksgiving flight cancellation trends so far

Overall, flight cancellations are on the low side this year, according to a CNN report, but that can change fast.

Flight Tracker has a tool called the Misery Map, which shows which airports are experiencing the most delays and cancellations. As of Wednesday, Nov. 26, Chicago O'Hare International Airport has far more issues than any other airport, per Flight Tracker. The airports with the most delays and cancellations so far include:

  • Chicago O'Hare (ORD)

  • Dallas Fort Worth (DFW)

  • Los Angeles (LAX)

  • Minneapolis–Saint Paul (MSP)

  • Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA)

  • Denver (DEN)

  • La Guardia New York City (LGA)

  • Phoenix Sky Harbor (PHX)

  • George Bush Intercontinental Airport Houston (IAH)

  • Boston Logan (BOS)

So, your flight was canceled. Now what?

If your flight is canceled, congratulations: You now have the perfect complaint to make over Thanksgiving dinner. Everyone will agree with you when you say something like, "Traveling during the holidays, am I right?"

Now you need to get to work. If you're still at home when you find out your flight is canceled, head to the airport website or your airline's website. Check if you're owed a refund or other types of compensation. Fortunately, the U.S. Department of Transportation has a dashboard that shows you exactly what airlines owe you in the event of a cancellation. Check the DOT's Airline Cancellation and Delay Dashboard to make sure you get everything you're entitled to.

Next, you've got to figure out your next move. Can you take a train to your destination, or rent a car? Is there another airline you can switch to? Or are you going to take your refund, head back home, and order dinner in lieu of navigating travel? Move quickly in situations like this, as rental cars and other flights can fill up quickly.

As always, no matter what travel issue ails you this holiday season, be nice to the people airline workers trying to get you across the country. And you just might want to show up at the airport a bit earlier than usual to wade your way through the inevitable lines.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Computer components like RAM are surging in price

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 19:32

Being a consumer has been challenging over the past few years. Between a global pandemic and sweeping tariffs, wallets have taken repeated hits — but for PC hobbyists right now, it might actually be the worst moment to start building a rig.

New reporting from Ars Technica lays out just how dire the situation has become, showing that prices for essential PC components, such as RAM and SSDs, have skyrocketed. The culprit is the ongoing AI boom, with data centers reportedly consuming the world’s supply of memory and storage hardware, driving prices straight into the stratosphere.

SEE ALSO: The best SSD for gaming

Take the Patriot Viper Venom 16GB (2 x 8GB) DDR5-6000 kit, which increased from $49 to $110 — a 124.5 percent rise — between August and November 2025. Or the Team Delta RGB 64GB (2 x 32GB) DDR5-6400, which skyrocketed from $190 to $700, a staggering 268.4 percent spike. At the time of this writing, the Team Delta RAM kit priced has "dropped" with its highest recent retail price topping out at a jaw-dropping $1,049 just a week ago.

SSD prices have crept upward, too, though they haven’t entered panic territory yet. RAM, however, is a different story. If you’re eyeing an upgrade, you may want to sit tight for a bit.

As Ars Technica points out, memory and storage shortages are notoriously difficult to manage because chip manufacturing depends on years of advance planning. The supply we’re dealing with today is the result of production decisions made long before the current AI-driven surge in demand. That inherent lag makes the memory market especially prone to violent price swings.

The pandemic offered a perfect example. Manufacturers were blindsided by the sudden, massive spike in demand for PCs and consumer tech in 2020 and 2021, only to watch that demand crater once buying habits normalized. PC sales soared, plummeted, then stabilized — all within a few years. Volatility like that makes long-term planning almost impossible for memory suppliers.

Until the supply of RAM catches up to the appetite of data centers and AI developers, anyone looking to boost their RAM is probably best off waiting for the market to cool down rather than paying the current premium.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Claude Opus 4.5 arrives. Here’s whats new.

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 19:21

AI company Anthropic released its latest flagship AI model, Claude Opus 4.5, this week. Opus is considered one of the best AI models out there for developers looking to ramp up their coding output or to create AI agents.

So, what does the latest model, Opus 4.5, bring to the table?

As expected, Opus 4.5 performs exceptionally well on the various AI model benchmark tests. As TechCrunch points out, Opus 4.5 is the first model to score over 80 percent on SWE-Bench verified, which the outlet calls a "respected coding benchmark."

It seems like Opus 4.5 likely becomes the preferred AI model for vibe coders as well as experienced programmers with the way it performed on these tests. And Anthropic is further driving that by bringing additional upgrades to its Claude Code product. 

SEE ALSO: Streaming just got cheaper: Score Black Friday deals on HBO Max, Apple TV, Disney+, Hulu, and more

According to Anthropic, along with Opus 4.5, Claude Code will receive two more upgrades. Anthropic says that Claude Code's Plan Mode "now builds more precise plans and executes more thoroughly" and is now available in its desktop app, which allows users to run multiple sessions at once. Anthropic provides an example of having one AI agent fix a bug while another one researches GitHub.

SEE ALSO: 85+ Black Friday deals: We found record-low prices on AirPods, MacBooks, Samsung TVs, and Kindles

In addition, Anthropic is more broadly rolling out two other products, Claude for Chrome and Claude for Excel, to more subscribers. Opus 4.5 will be able to showcase its multitasking prowess in these products as users can provide AI agents with parallel tasks in their browser or in their spreadsheets.

Opus 4.5 also brings some memory upgrades to the AI model which will now give users the ability to chat without limits. Clause will now summarize earlier conversations and will allow users to continue a single chat thread for as long as they'd like.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Rocky Linux 10.1 release brings soft reboots and new toolchains

How-To Geek - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 19:06

Rocky Linux 10.1 is officially available for general use, bringing key features like systemd soft reboots and a massive refresh of developer toolchains. This release comes with updated installation media, cloud images, and live images.

Categories: IT General, Technology

Streaming just got cheaper: Score Black Friday deals on HBO Max, Apple TV, Disney+, Hulu, and more

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 19:04
The best Black Friday streaming deals at a glance: Best overall HBO Max Basic with ads $2.99/month for 12 months (save $8/month) Get Deal Best Bundle deal Disney+ and Hulu (with ads) $4.99/month for 12 months (save $8/month) Get Deal BEST Apple TV deal Apple TV+ $5.99/month for 6 months (save $42) Get Deal Best Free Streaming Deal Walmart+ members get Peacock or Paramount+ free $49/year for your first year of Walmart+ (save $49 + get a free year of streaming) Get Deal Best Music Streaming Deal Spotify Premium Free for 4 months (save $11.99/month) Get Deal Paramount+ $2.99/month for first two months (save $20) Get Deal Best for movies The Criterion Channel $74.99/year (save $25 with code BLACKFRIDAY25) Get Deal Best Prime Video add-on deal MGM+ and AMC+ bundle (Prime Video add-on) $3.25/month for 2 months (save $9.74/month) Get Deal Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select $9.99 (save $30 with code STREAM4K) Get Deal Roku Streaming Stick Plus $19 (save $20) Get Deal

This has been a rough year for bank accounts overall, and streaming services aren't helping. Nearly every major streamer got more expensive in 2025, including Netflix, Peacock, HBO Max, Apple TV+, YouTube TV, Disney+, Hulu, and Paramount+. So needless to say, we're extra excited about this year's Black Friday streaming deals. We could all use some discounts, amirite?

Black Friday is famously the best time of year to sign up for streaming services, as you can typically score some serious savings on monthly or annual subscription fees. And we're pleased to report that this year is no different. If you're looking for a way to cut back on streaming costs for 2026, now's a great time to take advantage of majorly discounted subscriptions.

Apple TV+, HBO Max, Disney+, and Hulu have all already thrown their hats in the ring, as have tons of other streamers in the form of Prime Video add-ons. So you can start weighing all of your streaming options for the season. However, we're still waiting on Peacock to join in on the fun.

One thing to note: most Black Friday streaming deals are limited to new and returning subscribers (as in you haven't been a subscriber in at least a month or so). If you qualify, you can lock in some serious savings on streaming apps.

Check out all the best Black Friday streaming deals currently live — we'll be updating this list throughout the week with any other deals we think are worth it.

Best Black Friday streaming deal overall Opens in a new window Credit: HBO Max HBO Max $2.99/month for 12 months (save $8/month) Get Deal Why we like it

In a shocking turn of events, the HBO Max Black Friday deal in 2025 actually beats its streaming deal from 2024 and 2023. This year, new and returning subscribers can sign up for 12 months of HBO Max Basic with ads for $2.99 per month through Dec. 1. That's just $35.88 for the whole year and about 73% in savings. In 2023 and 2024, the streamer only offered this discounted price for six months. So, not only are you getting double the subscription length for a discount, but you're also saving even more after its recent price hike (up to $10.99/month from $9.99/month).

The Warner Bros. Discovery-owned streaming service is one of our favorites. Not only is it home to Warner Bros. films, but also new A24 theatrical releases, a ton of excellent original series (like The Last of Us, The Pitt, and IT: Welcome to Derry), and even live sports via the B/R Sports add-on.

Psst: If you don't want to deal with logging into another streaming service, this deal is also available in the form of a Prime Video or Hulu add-on.

Best Black Friday streaming bundle deal Opens in a new window Credit: Hulu / Disney+ Disney+ and Hulu (with ads) $4.99/month for 12 months (save $8/month) Get Deal Why we like it

While we're pretty disappointed that Hulu didn't resurrect its 99 cents deal for 2025, this bundle deal almost makes up for it. Through Dec. 1, new and returning subscribers can score both Disney+ and Hulu with ads for just $4.99 per month for 12 months. Usually $12.99 per month for both, that's $8 per month in savings or $96 total. We saw the same bundle drop to only $2.99 during Black Friday 2024, but both streamers raised their prices this year, so the Black Friday deal has been appropriately adjusted for inflation. And considering each streamer is $11.99 per month on its own, this is an excellent deal. It's also a good way to lock in a solid price for the year since Disney and Hulu will eventually be merged into a single app — with a higher price tag, no doubt. And hey, maybe we'll still be surprised with the 99-cent Hulu Black Friday deal.

Best Black Friday Apple TV deal Opens in a new window Credit: Apple TV+ Apple TV+ $5.99/month for 6 months (save $42) Get Deal Why we like it

Apple TV+, just like several other streamers, raised its subscription cost by 30 percent a few months back — from $9.99 to $12.99 per month. So this deal, which knocks the price down to only $5.99 per month for half a year, is much appreciated. You can take advantage of this deal directly at Apple TV+ or in the form of a Prime Video add-on, meaning you need to be a Prime member or Prime Video subscriber.

Apple TV+ features a virtually all-original lineup filled with Emmy-winners like The Studio, Ted Lasso, Severance, and The Morning Show and Oscar-winners and nominees like CODA and Killers of the Flower Moon. TL;DR: You'll get more than your money's worth with this Black Friday deal.

Best Black Friday live TV streaming deal Opens in a new window Credit: Sling Sling Orange Day Pass $1
$4.99 Save $3.99   Get Deal Why we like it

Sling's Day Pass is a solid way to tune into live sports, events, and shows without having to splurge on a full subscription. Sometimes you just want to watch a single game and be on your way. It's usually $4.99 for a day, but for Black Friday, Sling is offering its Orange Day Pass for only $1 through Dec. 1 at 3 a.m. ET. The Orange package includes ESPN and all its affiliates, TNT, TBS, AMC, IFC, and more. That means you'll be able to tune into live college football rivalry games on ESPN this weekend — like Georgia Tech vs. Georgia on Friday and Vanderbilt vs. Tennessee and Alabama vs. Auburn on Saturday — for just a buck.

Best Black Friday music streaming deal Opens in a new window Credit: Spotify Spotify Premium Free for 4 months (save $11.99/month) Get Deal Why we like it

It's not uncommon to see Amazon offering its music streaming service, Amazon Music Unlimited, for free during shopping events (this year, you can get three free months). It is, however, quite rare for Spotify to offer its Premium service for free. Through Dec. 31, new subscribers can score four free months of Spotify Premium, no questions asked. Typically $11.99 per month, that saves you nearly $50 total.

With a Premium account, you can enjoy ad-free listening, collaborate with friends in real time, download music for offline listening, get full control over your music and playlists, unlock 15 hours per month of audiobook time, and finally enjoy lossless audio. You'll also gain access to the famous Wrapped stats and new weekly listening stats.

Best free Black Friday streaming deal Opens in a new window Credit: Peacock Free Peacock or Paramount+ with Walmart+ $49 at Walmart
$98 Save $49   Get Deal Why we like it

If you already have a Walmart+ membership, or if you were considering signing up to take advantage of the Walmart Black Friday 2025 sale, then you'll unlock free access to either Peacock or Paramount+ for one year. Even better, Walmart+ memberships are currently 50% off for Black Friday, so you'll pay just $49 for 12 months of access. On top of these streaming deals, you'll also get perks like free grocery and pharmacy delivery. If you're not interested in a Walmart+ membership, we're still holding out for the standalone Peacock Black Friday deal, but you can already get the Paramount+ Black Friday deal on its own.

Best streaming stick deal Opens in a new window Credit: Amazon Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select $9.99
$39.99 Save $30 Use code STREAM4K Get Deal

We spotted this deal a couple of weeks ago and couldn't believe our eyes. Amazon is practically giving away Fire TV Sticks — but, of course, there's a catch. The code STREAM4K drops the Fire TV Stick 4K Select's price down to $9.99, from $39.99, but only select customers are eligible. Test out the code for yourself, and see if you can score an Amazon streaming stick for $10.

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Categories: IT General, Technology

Everything leaving Netflix in December 2025

How-To Geek - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 19:00

Netflix giveth and Netflix taketh away. Yes, it's the end of November and that means the world's biggest streaming giant must shed some movies and TV shows to make way for all the new good stuff coming in December. That means now's the time for you to check your watchlist for any of the titles below to make sure to get them in before they're gone.

Categories: IT General, Technology

How to watch Liverpool vs. PSV Eindhoven online for free

Mashable - Wed, 11/26/2025 - 19:00

TL;DR: Live stream Liverpool vs. PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League for free on RTÉ Player. Access this free streaming platform from anywhere in the world with ExpressVPN.

The Champions League group stage is taking shape, with Liverpool looking strong after winning three of their opening four games. They've really struggled for form of late however, so PSV Eindhoven will come into this fixture with a lot of confidence.

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

When is Liverpool vs. PSV Eindhoven?

Liverpool vs. PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League kicks off at 8 p.m. GMT on Nov. 26. This fixture takes place at Anfield.

How to watch Liverpool vs. PSV Eindhoven for free

Liverpool vs. PSV Eindhoven is available to live stream for free on RTÉ Player.

RTÉ Player is geo-restricted to Ireland, but anyone can access this free streaming platform 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 RTÉ Player to stream the Champions League for free from anywhere in the world.

Live stream Liverpool vs. PSV Eindhoven for free by following these simple steps:

  1. Subscribe to a streaming-friendly VPN (like 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 RTÉ Player

  5. Watch Liverpool vs. PSV Eindhoven for free from anywhere in the world

Opens in a new window Credit: ExpressVPN ExpressVPN (1-Month Plan) $12.95 only at ExpressVPN (with money-back guarantee) Get Deal

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 Liverpool vs. PSV Eindhoven (plus more Champions League fixtures) before recovering your investment.

What is the best VPN for RTÉ Player?

ExpressVPN is the best choice for bypassing geo-restrictions to stream live sport on RTÉ 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 eight simultaneous connections

  • 30-day money-back guarantee

A one-year subscription to ExpressVPN is on sale for $99.95 and includes an extra three months for free — 49% off for a limited time. This plan includes a year of free unlimited cloud backup and a generous 30-day money-back guarantee. Alternatively, you can get a one-month plan for just $12.95 (with money-back guarantee).

Watch Liverpool vs. PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League for free with ExpressVPN.

Categories: IT General, Technology
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