Preservation has become a pressing topic for games in this era of digital-only releases and games-as-a-service. So it’s wonderful to have a big win in archiving a trio of seminal text games for the ages. Microsoft announced today that the code for Zork, Zork II and Zork III will be made available open source under the MIT License. The company’s Open Source Programs Office, Xbox and Activision all contributed to the effort. “The goal is not to modernize Zork but to preserve it as a space for exploration and education,” Microsoft team members wrote in the blog post sharing the news.

They’re works well-worth studying. The first Zork was a milestone moment for parser games that still inspires the present-day interactive fiction community. Not only was it a unique experience of narrative and puzzles, but the accomplishments of the Z-Machine virtual machine it ran on helped make Zork easily available to players on multiple platforms during the rise of personal computers in the 1990s. There are still modern Z-Machine interpreters out there (or you can buy and play all three Zork titles the normal way thanks to the similarly preservation-minded folks at Good Old Games).

The code for many famous text games made by Infocom was released on GitHub in 2019, but the rights still technically belonged to Activision, which could have issued a takedown. This move keeps the code for this iconic Zork games available for the ages.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/microsoft-has-open-sourced-the-zork-trilogy-of-text-games-213519368.html?src=rss

At this late stage in the streaming era, we’re all overwhelmed by more digital subscriptions than we can keep track of, from fitness apps to cloud storage. Still, it certainly feels as though Netflix is one of the subscriptions that people are least likely to ditch—and that’s backed up by the numbers.

Perhaps it’s because Netflix was the first company to really make streaming work, or perhaps it’s the vast catalog of content it’s amassed, or perhaps it’s just because of Stranger Things and Squid Game. Whatever the reason, Netflix’s churn rate is impressively low. Subscribers stick with it.

Certainly it’s always something I’ve long considered a mainstay on my streaming device. But recently, in the midst of reevaluating all of my monthly subs, I decided to save myself some money and actually cancel Netflix. It has gone so well, I’d suggest you do the same.

Here’s what I’ve noticed since my life became Netflix-free—and I have a strong suspicion this might be your experience too. (Full disclosure: I will eventually subscribe again, if only to finish Stranger Things, but there are benefits to quitting, even if only temporarily.)

I didn’t miss it as much as I thought I would

Netflix content: There’s a lot of it.
Credit: Lifehacker

I was quite a heavy Netflix user before I gave it up, and would often cycle through the recommended list of shows and movies in the evening and especially on weekends. I’ve recently binged my way through shows like The Diplomat, Dept Q., Departure, and The Glass Dome. I could always find something to watch on Netflix.

But when I stopped being able to access Netflix, I realized didn’t really miss it all that much. My viewing switched to other streaming services, and free, ad-supported channels in particular. There’s actually more free content out there than you might have realized. I even did some fun rewatches of movies and shows I’d previously purchased on various platforms (because I don’t always want to rent something for the evening).

I’ve also been spending less time streaming video in general—more of my time has been put towards gaming and reading since I ditched my Netflix subscription. I’ve even been to an actual movie theater once or twice (not that you can see anything developed by Netflix on the big screen for the most part).

The prices keep going up

Need an extra member? That’s an extra cost.
Credit: Lifehacker

Before I quit Netflix, I was on the most expensive plan: It’s £18.99 a month here in the U.K., and $24.99 a month in the U.S. This gets you the best audio and 4K HDR video quality, spatial audio, four simultaneous streams, and six devices for downloading content. It’s actually one of the most expensive streaming packages there is, and prices keep going up.

After the great password crackdown of 2023, you can’t even share the account with anyone who doesn’t live with you either—at least not unless you pay an extra fee (£4.99 here in the UK, $8.99 in the US). By any measure, that’s a significant chunk of money. If you’re paying for the best plan plus an extra member and decide to take six months off Netflix, you’ll saving yourself more than $200.

There are cheaper plans available of course, if you want to sit through ads and put up with lower-resolution video—but I thought the whole point of paying for streaming was to avoid ads? It’s hard to imagine Netflix ever dropping its prices, so this is a problem that’s likely to get worse over time.

Your account will be preserved for two years

Netflix will hang on to all your viewing history for a while.
Credit: Lifehacker

One of the reasons you might be reluctant to cancel Netflix is because you think you’ll lose years’ worth of your viewing history and your personalized recommendations, and have to start again with a blank slate if you decide to sign back up. But in fact, Netflix stores your account information for 24 months—including ratings, game saves, and other account details.

As long as you resubscribe again within a couple of years, you’ll find everything as you left it (though you may need to scan some plot recaps for shows you were halfway through binge watching). This suggests Netflix is keen to leave the option to resubscribe open as long as possible. In my experience, it’ll definitely send you lots of emails about rejoining in the meantime.

I’m going to go back to Netflix someday—there’s just too much stuff on there that I want to watch—but after years and years as a customer, it’s been an interesting experiment to see what life is like without it. Certainly after this, I wouldn’t be worried about taking another Netflix break in the future. When I decide I want to resubscribe, it’ll only take a couple of clicks or taps.

An anonymous reader shares a report: Epishine, a company that makes solar cells optimized for indoor lighting, has announced its technology is being used in a new remote control for Google TV devices, as spotted by 9to5Google. The remote will rely on rechargeable batteries instead of disposable ones, and thanks to the use of solar cells on both sides it may only run out of power when it gets buried and forgotten in the dark abyss of your couch cushions.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

Black Friday sales officially start Friday, November 28, and run through Cyber Monday, December 1, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it’s over. 

• Follow our live blog to stay up-to-date on the best sales we find.

• Browse our editors’ picks for a curated list of our favorite sales on laptops, fitness tech, appliances, and more.

• Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox.

• Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change. 

If there’s a pantheon of digital notebooks, reMarkable has a place of pride. When the company released its reMarkable 2 tablet and stylus in 2020, it was a game changer for its sharp, professional design, innovative features, and especially its smooth, paper-like writing experience. Even years later, folks over in the r/reMarkableTablet subreddit consider it a best-in-class device, even if they’ve since upgraded to the newer reMarkable Paper Pro, which adds a backlight and a color screen.

Either one of these tablets is an excellent choice for anyone looking for an e-ink digital notebook built for creativity: Unlike some competitors, reMarkable tablets don’t run apps or try to replace your iPad. Like a paper notebook, they are designed to eliminate distractions and leave you alone with a blank page, but unlike a paper notebook, the work you do in them can be easily uploaded to the cloud, sent to your co-workers, and otherwise integrated into your workflow.

If you’ve been looking to pick up one of these immensely useful gadgets, now is a good time: Though they rarely go one sale, you can currently pick up either one in a discounted Black Friday bundle that includes a cover and stylus.

reMarkable Essentials Bundle

$529.00
at Amazon

$599.00
Save $70.00

$529.00
at Amazon

$599.00
Save $70.00

reMarkable Paper Pro Bundle

$749.00
at Amazon

$799.00
Save $50.00

$749.00
at Amazon

$799.00
Save $50.00

reMarkable Essentials Bundle

This bundle includes the reMarkable 2, a folio, and the Marker Plus stylus with eraser. You can choose between a leather folio for $529 on Amazon (down from the usual price of $599) or a cloth-bound folio. If you choose a cloth-bound folio instead, you’ll pay $499—a less impressive $30 discount, but a discount all the same.

reMarkable Paper Pro Bundle

If you want a color screen and a front light, you’ll need the upgraded reMarkable Paper Pro. For the tablet in a bundle with the Marker Plus with eraser and a cloth folio, you’ll pay $729 (down from $779), or you can go with the leather folio option for $749 (down from ($799).

Does Amazon have Black Friday deals?

Yes, Amazon has Black Friday sales, but prices aren’t always what they seem. Use a price tracker to make sure you’re getting the best deal, or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you. And if you have an Amazon Prime membership, make the most of it.

What stores have the best sales on Black Friday?

Nowadays, both large retailers and small businesses compete for Black Friday shoppers, so you can expect practically every store to run sales through Monday, December 1, 2025. The “best” sales depend on your needs, but in general, the biggest discounts tend to come from larger retailers who can afford lower prices: think places like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and Home Depot. You can find all the best sales from major retailers on our live blog. 

Are Black Friday deals worth it?

In short, yes, Black Friday still offers discounts that can be rare throughout the rest of the year. If there’s something you want to buy, or you’re shopping for gifts, it’s a good time to look for discounts on what you need, especially tech sales, home improvement supplies, and fitness tech. Of course, if you need to save money, the best way to save is to not buy anything.

A major selling point of the Xbox Ally and Ally X is that they ship with a full screen version of Windows that plays nice with handheld PCs. As part of the company’s recent Xbox Partner Showcase, Microsoft has announced that the Windows “full screen experience” or FSE is finally rolling out to all other Windows 11 handhelds starting November 21.

For the most part, FSE lets you live inside a touch and controller-friendly version of the Xbox PC app, rather than the normal Windows desktop. The launcher collects games from a multitude of game marketplaces like Steam and the Epic Games Store, and gives you easy access to Game Pass, if you subscribe. As part of Microsoft’s customizations, FSE also uses less resources, and offers simpler ways to switch between apps and setup Windows for the first time. 

All of these tweaks are supposed to make using Windows easier without a mouse and keyboard, and closer to what you’d get from a console. In comparison to SteamOS, which has gone through countless updates since Valve launched it alongside the Steam Deck in 2022, FSE still has a long way to go, but pushing the software to more devices could force Microsoft to iterate quickly.

While PC handheld owners will reap the benefits of these improvements first, Microsoft’s announcement also mentions the company plans to bring the experience “to more Windows 11 PC form factors through the Xbox and Windows Insider programs soon.” That could lend further credence to reports that the company plans to make the next Xbox an expensive PC rather than a traditional game console.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/pc/microsoft-brings-the-xbox-ally-xs-full-screen-experience-to-other-handhelds-211500288.html?src=rss

Microsoft has released the source code for Zork I, II, and III under the MIT License through a collaboration with Team Xbox and Activision that involved submitting pull requests to historical source repositories maintained by digital archivist Jason Scott. Each repository now includes the original source code and accompanying documentation.

The games arrived on early home computers in the 1980s as text-based adventures built on the Z-Machine, a virtual machine that allowed the same story files to run across different platforms. Infocom created the Z-Machine after discovering the original mainframe version was too large for home computers. The team split the game into three titles that all ran on the same underlying system.

The code release covers only the source files and does not include commercial packaging or trademark rights. The games remain available commercially through The Zork Anthology on Good Old Games and can be compiled locally using ZILF, a modern Z-Machine interpreter.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Zork, the classic text-based adventure game of incalculable influence, has been made available under the MIT License, along with the sequels Zork II and Zork III.

The move to take these Zork games open source comes as the result of the shared work of the Xbox and Activision teams along with Microsoft’s Open Source Programs Office (OSPO). Parent company Microsoft owns the intellectual property for the franchise.

Only the code itself has been made open source. Ancillary items like commercial packaging and marketing assets and materials remain proprietary, as do related trademarks and brands.

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Astronomical events such as eclipses were central to Maya culture, reflected in the care the Maya took to keep accurate calendars to aid in celestial predictions. Among the few surviving Maya texts is the so-called Dresden Codex, which includes a table of eclipses. Researchers have concluded that this table was repurposed from earlier lunar month tables, rather than being created solely for eclipse prediction, according to a paper published in the journal Science Advances. They also figured out the mechanism by which the Maya ensured that table would be accurate over a very long time period.

The Maya used three primary calendars: a count of days, known as the Long Count; a 260-day astrological calendar called the Tzolk’in; and a 356-day year called the Haab’. Previous scholars have speculated on how awe-inspiring solar or lunar eclipses must have seemed to the Maya, but our understanding of their astronomical knowledge is limited. Most Maya books were burned by Spanish conquistadors and Catholic priests. Only four hieroglyphic codices survive: the Dresden Codex, the Madrid Codex, the Paris Codex, and the Grolier Codex.

The Dresden Codex dates back to the 11th or 12th century and likely originated near Chichen Itza. It can be folded accordion-style and is 12 feet long in its unfolded state. The text was deciphered in the early 20th century and describes local history as well as astronomical lunar and Venus tables.

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We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

Black Friday sales officially start Friday, November 28, and run through Cyber Monday, December 1, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it’s over. 

• Follow our live blog to stay up-to-date on the best sales we find.

• Browse our editors’ picks for a curated list of our favorite sales on laptops, fitness tech, appliances, and more.

• Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox.

• Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change.

Rowing is my go-to workout these days. If you’re like me and are fed up with waiting for one of the two rowing machines to open up at the gym, you need an at-home rowing machine. After a few months of testing the new Hydrow Arc Rowing Machine—which I reviewed in-depth—I trust Hydrow as a brand name. Right now, the Hydrow Origin Rowing Machine is available for $1,645 on Amazon for Black Friday, a 25% discount off its list price of $2,195.

Hydrow Origin Rowing Machine

$1,645.00
at Amazon

$2,195.00
Save $550.00

$1,645.00
at Amazon

$2,195.00
Save $550.00

The Hydrow Origin is the company’s original model, but don’t confuse “original” for “bare-bones.” This machine still has a 22-inch screen and plenty of streaming content, which is where the real value lies. I’ve found these how-to videos and wide-ranging workouts are what make Hydrow such a great workout (much like how Peloton is so much more than just its bikes). Compared to a more basic rowing machine you might be used to at the gym, Hydrow machines have electromagnetic drag technology that really do mimic the feeling of rowing on water. And at today’s $550 off, it’s never been a better time to buy.

If you’re still shopping around, I recommend checking out guides like our live blog, where we use price trackers to make sure you’re really getting the best deals this Black Friday. And if you have an Amazon Prime membership, make the most of it.

How long do Black Friday deals really last?

Black Friday sales officially begin Friday, November 28, 2025, and sales run throughout “Cyber Week,” the five-day period that runs from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, December 1, 2025. But Black Friday and Cyber Monday dates have expanded as retailers compete for customers. You can get the same Black Friday sales early, and we expect sales to wind down by December 3, 2025. 

Are Black Friday deals worth it?

In short, yes, Black Friday still offers discounts that can be rare throughout the rest of the year. If there’s something you want to buy, or you’re shopping for gifts, it’s a good time to look for discounts on what you need, especially tech sales, home improvement supplies, and fitness tech. Of course, if you need to save money, the best way to save is to not buy anything. 

Are Cyber Monday deals better than Black Friday?

Black Friday used to be bigger for major retailers and more expensive tech and appliances, while Cyber Monday was for cheaper tech and gave smaller businesses a chance to compete online. Nowadays, though, distinction is almost meaningless. Every major retailer will offer sales on both days, and the smart move is to know what you want, use price trackers or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you, and don’t stress over finding the perfect timing.

After what was apparently a successful testing period, OpenAI has announced that it is rolling out group chats in ChatGPT to “all logged-in users on ChatGPT Free, Go, Plus and Pro plans globally over the coming days.” The company first started testing a way to collaborate with peers directly inside ChatGPT around a week ago in Japan, New Zealand, South Korea and Taiwan.

Once you start a chat in ChatGPT you can invite other people to join (up to 20 in a chat), either with their existing ChatGPT account, or one they make after clicking the invite link. Beyond being able to prompt ChatGPT together and react to each other’s messages, the features of group chats appear to be deliberately limited. OpenAI says that the content of group chats aren’t stored in ChatGPT’s memory, and any person can be removed from a chat by any person, save for the creator.

OpenAI was reportedly working on its own version of a text-based social media feed in April. That X competitor has yet to materialize, but the company has brushed up against social features in other ways.

For example, the Sora app that OpenAI launched in September competes directly with TikTok in terms of form and its ability to provide passive entertainment. Group chats in ChatGPT might not replace an app like Messenger, but it does offer a similar AI messaging experience to what Meta’s been playing with in Instagram, and its using a chatbot the average person likes a lot more.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/chatgpt-group-chats-roll-out-to-everyone-202038918.html?src=rss

Last year, Apple finally added support for Rich Communications Services (RCS) texting to its platforms, improving consistency, reliability, and security when exchanging green-bubble texts between the competing iPhone and Android ecosystems. Today, Google is announcing another small step forward in interoperability, pointing to a slightly less annoying future for friend groups or households where not everyone owns an iPhone.

Google has updated Android’s Quick Share feature to support Apple’s AirDrop, which allows users of Apple devices to share files directly using a local peer-to-peer Wi-Fi connection. Apple devices with AirDrop enabled and set to “everyone for 10 minutes” mode will show up in the Quick Share device list just like another Android phone would, and Android devices that support this new Quick Share version will also show up in the AirDrop menu.

Google will only support this feature on the Pixel 10 series, at least to start. The company is “looking forward to improving the experience and expanding it to more Android devices,” but it didn’t announce anything about a timeline or any hardware or software requirements. Quick Share also won’t work with AirDrop devices working in the default “contacts only” mode, though Google “[welcomes] the opportunity to work with Apple to enable ‘Contacts Only’ mode in the future.” (Reading between the lines: Google and Apple are not currently working together to enable this, and Google confirmed to The Verge that Apple hadn’t been involved in this at all.)

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Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: Meta has been fined for unlawfully processing user data to gain a market advantage. On Thursday, Reuters reported that a Madrid court ordered the company to pay €479 million ($552 million) in damages to 87 Spanish media outlets. The fine stems from the company changing its legal grounds for harvesting personal data after new regulations took effect.

The court found that Meta’s data collection practices violated the EU’s General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) — and, by extension, Spanish antitrust law. After the GDPR took effect in 2018, the company changed its legal grounds for collecting data on Facebook and Instagram from user consent to “necessity for the performance of a contract.”

Regulators later ruled against that justification, and Meta reverted to user consent as its basis in 2023. But Spanish digital media outlets sued for damages, leading to today’s fine. The court ruled that Meta gained a “significant competitive advantage” by processing user data that way. The court calculated the penalty as a percentage of the company’s ad revenue over the five years it used the unlawful rationale.

“The illicit treatment of this enormous quantity of personal data meant Meta had an advantage that Spanish online media could not match,” the Madrid court wrote in a statement (via The Associated Press). “Meta’s actions harmed the online advertising revenues of Spanish digital media outlets.”

Meta contested the penalty and says it will appeal. “This is a baseless claim that lacks any evidence of alleged harm and wilfully ignores how the online advertising industry works,” the company wrote in a statement to Reuters. “Meta complies with all applicable laws and has provided clear choices, transparent information and given users a range of tools to control their experience on our services.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/meta-ordered-to-pay-%E2%82%AC479-million-to-spanish-media-outlets-201000460.html?src=rss

Nvidia and Google announced today a new cloud gaming plan called GeForce Now Fast Pass that is exclusive to Chromebooks. Anyone who purchases a new Chromebook will receive a year of the service included with their device at no additional charge. Fast Pass allows Chromebook owners to stream more than 2,000 games from their existing Steam, Epic or Xbox libraries.

The service removes ads and lets users skip the queue that typically adds two minutes or more of wait time on GeForce Now’s free tier. Users get 10 hours of cloud gaming each month. Up to five unused hours can roll over to the following month. Nvidia offers other paid plans starting at $9.99 per month that support higher resolutions, faster frame rates, RTX ray-tracing, and access to a larger game library that includes thousands of additional titles. The companies did not announce pricing for Fast Pass after the first year ends.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

CloverPit is one of my favorite games of the year so far, and it just arrived on Xbox without prior notice. As revealed during Thursday’s Xbox partner showcase, Panik Arcade’s nightmarish take on the ills of capitalism and gambling is out now on Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S. You can play CloverPit via the cloud or the Xbox PC app too, as it’s on Game Pass Ultimate and Premium as well as PC Game Pass.

On the surface, the game is pretty simple. You’re locked in a rusty room that looks like something out of Silent Hill 2. There are only two ways out: through the door or into a pit. You’ll plummet into the latter if you fail to pay off your rapidly-increasing debt. You’ll be using a slot machine to try to earn enough money to keep your run going.

As you do with poker hands in Balatro, the whole idea is to bend the rules of the slot machine in your favor using an array of totems and other perks (the developers say they don’t actually like gambling). There are more than 150 items to experiment with. As in many roguelites, finding synergy between them is key.

CloverPit is a blast. Figuring out a great combination of items and swapping others in as needed is what the game is really all about. There’s nothing quite like going from getting a few coins on a single spin to millions in no time at all. Panik Arcade nailed the one-more-run feeling that’s core to a good roguelite. It’s not much of a surprise that the studio and publisher Future Friends Games have sold more than a million copies of the game on Steam in just a few months, and now console and cloud players can see what all the fuss is about.

Panik Arcade also took the opportunity to tease a CloverPit expansion, which is coming soon on Xbox and Steam. Matteo Gonano, one of the game’s two developers wrote in an Xbox Wire post that the Unholy Fusion DLC “will let players combine charms in wild, experimental ways to create brand-new synergies and chaotic new combos. It’s both an expansion and an invitation to break the game – all over again!“

I thought I had broken free from this dopamine generator. I thought I’d have a lot more time to check out all of the other games I want to. But as soon as that DLC drops I’ll be diving right back into CloverPit, ready to hear that “let’s go gambling!” voice line many, many more times.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/the-engrossing-cloverpit-suddenly-lands-on-xbox-and-game-pass-200500902.html?src=rss

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

Black Friday sales officially start Friday, November 28, and run through Cyber Monday, December 1, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it’s over. 

• Follow our live blog to stay up-to-date on the best sales we find.

• Browse our editors’ picks for a curated list of our favorite sales on laptops, fitness tech, appliances, and more.

• Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox.

• Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change.

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are nearly here. Starting the day after Thanksgiving and extending through the weekend and into Monday, there will be deals at basically every major store in the country. You don’t have to wait until then to score, though. Discounts have already started at places like Amazon, Walmart, and Target.

If you’re trying to do a little home improvement, this could be the time to load up on tools, decor, or whatever else you need. Here are the best early Black Friday deals we’ve found so far.

The best early Black Friday deals on cordless drills

The other night, someone came to buy a big piece of furniture I listed on Facebook Marketplace. It was bolted into the wall so I got out my drill which, stylishly, happens to be pink. He deadpanned, “That’s adorable.” Reader, it is adorable—but it’s also functional. Everyone, from a sporadic little DIYer in a small rental apartment like me to a true weekend warrior on a suburban estate, needs a good drill. If you don’t have one or need a new one, adorable or otherwise, start here:

• First up, my pink drill set, which includes not only the adorable drill, but a hammer, level, various screwdrivers, and a variety of other implements, is on sale for $30 instead of the $50 I paid. It’s not as powerful as the others on this list, but it works surprisingly well.

• Now, some heavier hitters if you need them. The Milwaukee 18-volt cordless drill set in on sale for $99, 50% off its regular price. It comes with a 2-amp-hour battery, a charger, and a tool bag, and it’s a good tool for building a new cordless kit or to replace an existing Milwaukee drill. Since batteries are often the most expensive part of a cordless tool set, a quality set that comes with a battery and charger for under $100 is a good deal.

• More Milwaukee: The Milwaukee 18-volt cordless quarter-inch impact driver set is also on sale for $99, 50% off its typical price. This set comes with a 2-amp-hour battery, a charger, and a tool bag. This is a good companion to a Milwaukee drill, and a good addition to a tool set that uses 18-volt Milwaukee batteries—it can drive fasteners with more force than a regular drill, and can help you get through tougher materials like 2x4s more easily.

• Finally, a Ryobi 18-volt cordless drill set with three batteries is on sale for $148.97, 44% off its usual price. This set is an excellent starter set because it comes with a 1.5-amp-hour battery, 1 2-amp-hour battery, and a 4-amp-hour battery, as well as a charger. Extra batteries are an oft-overlooked, but essential, part of any new cordless tool collection.

The best early Black Friday deals on saws and cutting tools

I recently made a shelf by hand, and I had to cut it with a hand saw—which, inexplicably, is something I have lying around in my tiny Manhattan apartment. I had to manually hack away at that piece of wood. I am a small woman. It took me 20 minutes. You know what I needed? A cordless saw. I don’t have room for that, so I’m stuck like this, but you? You could get one. Do it for me. Here are two great options:

• The Ryobi 18-volt cordless 7 ¼-inch compound miter saw is on sale for $159, 52% off its regular price. This saw can cut compound angles for trim and woodworking projects without needing to be plugged into an outlet, so you have more flexibility in where and when you work. It comes with a 4-amp-hour battery and charger, which makes it a good addition to a Ryobi cordless tool set, as it can make up to 900 cuts per charge on the battery.

• The Milwaukee 18-volt oscillating multitool set is on sale for $99, 50% off its regular price. It comes with a 1.5-amp-hour battery and a charger. It can cut, shape, and trim things like pipe and plaster, plus sand everything for a fine finish. It’s a hard worker for a good price.

• It’s not a saw, but it’s also not not a saw: Have you ever considered getting a mini chainsaw? This one from Greenworks can be operated with one hand and is on sale for $85 instead of $100. You can use it in the traditional way to cut some firewood or prune some bushes, but it comes in handy around the house, too. Cut PVC pipe when you’re doing a little plumbing project, for instance. Again, it’s operable with one hand but powerful enough to demonstrate usefulness in a variety of ways.

The best early Black Friday deals on combo tool sets

If I had the space, I would want a whole work station for my silly little projects. I’d want every tool on the market and I’d start with the combo tools that pack a bunch of goodies into one. Here are two I’d consider if I were you:

• The Milwaukee 18-volt seven-tool combo set is on sale for $500, 50% off its regular price. It comes with a drill, an impact driver, a circular saw, a one-handed compact reciprocating saw, an oscillating multitool, an angle-grinder, a work light, two 3-amp-hour batteries, a charger, and a tool bag. This is a real all-in-one set that is as suitable for a first-timer as a regular DIY wizard.

• DeWalt’s first appearance on our list is a good one: The DeWalt three-tool combo set is on sale for $399, 33% off its regular price. This set comes with a drill, a driver, an oscillating multitool, two 6-amp-hour batteries, a charger, and a tool bag. This is a solid set for most home maintenance projects and the batteries can last a long time.

What stores have the best sales on Black Friday?

Nowadays, both large retailers and small businesses compete for Black Friday shoppers, so you can expect practically every store to run sales through Monday, December 1, 2025. The “best” sales depend on your needs, but in general, the biggest discounts tend to come from larger retailers who can afford lower prices: think places like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and Home Depot. You can find all the best sales from major retailers on our live blog. 

Are Black Friday deals worth it?

In short, yes, Black Friday still offers discounts that can be rare throughout the rest of the year. If there’s something you want to buy, or you’re shopping for gifts, it’s a good time to look for discounts on what you need, especially tech sales, home improvement supplies, and fitness tech. Of course, if you need to save money, the best way to save is to not buy anything. 

Are Cyber Monday deals better than Black Friday?

Black Friday used to be bigger for major retailers and more expensive tech and appliances, while Cyber Monday was for cheaper tech and gave smaller businesses a chance to compete online. Nowadays, though, distinction is almost meaningless. Every major retailer will offer sales on both days, and the smart move is to know what you want, use price trackers or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you, and don’t stress over finding the perfect timing.

The survival horror game Total Chaos has been in development for years and it’s finally available for Xbox Series X/S and PC. Incidentally, this a Game Pass release if you’re hankering to spend $30 a month. The launch announcement was made during a recent Xbox Partner Showcase.

This is an interesting title for a number of reasons. First of all, it’s absolutely dripping with style. The art direction seems plucked right out of the Alan Wake universe. It also seems to have something akin to an insanity mechanic, which reminds me of recent games like Dredge and not-so-recent games like Eternal Darkness. It’s a survival horror title set in a creepy old fort, so that tracks.

The developer also made Turbo Overkill, which was a well-liked FPS with retro vibes. Total Chaos actually started its life as a Doom II mod, so releasing as a standalone title on gaming consoles is a legit flex. The soundtrack was composed by Akira Yamaoka, who made the music for many of the Silent Hill games. It’s likely to include some terrifying bangers.

The game is available on the Xbox Store, the Microsoft Store for PC and Steam. It costs $25, but there are some introductory sales right now. Again, it’s also playable on Game Pass.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/total-chaos-which-started-life-as-a-doom-ii-mod-is-now-out-for-xbox-and-pc-194508389.html?src=rss