Earlier and later versions may be affected – worth your while reading the advisories. Updated A data-destroying bug has been discovered following the release of OpenZFS 2.2.0 as found in FreeBSD 14 among other OSes.…
Source: LXer – Data-destroying defect found after OpenZFS 2.2.0 release
Monthly Archives: November 2023
Google Play keeps banning the same web browser due to vague DMCA notices
Enlarge / The Downloader app that was suspended from Google Play. (credit: Elias Saba)
App developer Elias Saba has had some bad luck with Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) takedowns. His Android TV app Downloader, which combines a web browser with a file manager, was suspended by Google Play in May after several Israeli TV companies complained that the app could be used to load a pirate website.
Google reversed that suspension after three weeks. But Downloader has been suspended by Google Play again, and this time the reason is even harder to understand. Based on a vague DMCA notice, it appears that Downloader was suspended simply because it can load the Warner Bros. website.
Downloader is similar to standard web browsers in that it lets users access both legal and illegally shared content. The app can be used for general web surfing and can download files from a website when a user inputs the desired URL. According to Saba, the app itself contains no infringing content, nor does it direct users to infringing content.
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Source: Ars Technica – Google Play keeps banning the same web browser due to vague DMCA notices
New 'Stable Video Diffusion' AI Model Can Animate Any Still Image
An anonymous reader quotes a report from Ars Technica: On Tuesday, Stability AI released Stable Video Diffusion, a new free AI research tool that can turn any still image into a short video — with mixed results. It’s an open-weights preview of two AI models that use a technique called image-to-video, and it can run locally on a machine with an Nvidia GPU. […] Right now, Stable Video Diffusion consists of two models: one that can produce image-to-video synthesis at 14 frames of length (called “SVD”), and another that generates 25 frames (called “SVD-XT”). They can operate at varying speeds from 3 to 30 frames per second, and they output short (typically 2-4 second-long) MP4 video clips at 576×1024 resolution.
In our local testing, a 14-frame generation took about 30 minutes to create on an Nvidia RTX 3060 graphics card, but users can experiment with running the models much faster on the cloud through services like Hugging Face and Replicate (some of which you may need to pay for). In our experiments, the generated animation typically keeps a portion of the scene static and adds panning and zooming effects or animates smoke or fire. People depicted in photos often do not move, although we did get one Getty image of Steve Wozniak to slightly come to life.
Given these limitations, Stability emphasizes that the model is still early and is intended for research only. “While we eagerly update our models with the latest advancements and work to incorporate your feedback,” the company writes on its website, “this model is not intended for real-world or commercial applications at this stage. Your insights and feedback on safety and quality are important to refining this model for its eventual release.” Notably, but perhaps unsurprisingly, the Stable Video Diffusion research paper (PDF) does not reveal the source of the models’ training datasets, only saying that the research team used “a large video dataset comprising roughly 600 million samples” that they curated into the Large Video Dataset (LVD), which consists of 580 million annotated video clips that span 212 years of content in duration.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – New ‘Stable Video Diffusion’ AI Model Can Animate Any Still Image
“Mystery” pneumonia in China is mix of common respiratory germs, WHO says
Enlarge / Parents with children who are suffering from respiratory diseases are lining up at a children’s hospital in Chongqing, China, on November 23, 2023. (credit: Getty | Costfoto/NurPhoto)
Last week, news stories and a posting on an infectious disease surveillance system raised fears that another novel respiratory pathogen with pandemic potential was mushrooming in northern areas of China—namely Beijing and Liaoning province. The reports referenced “undiagnosed pneumonia” in “clusters” of children, hospitals that were “overwhelmed,” and parents who were questioning whether “authorities were covering up the epidemic.”
But, rather than a sequel to the COVID-19 pandemic, the situation appears to be merely a side effect of it. According to independent experts and the World Health Organization, it’s most likely that China is now experiencing a roaring comeback of a mix of common respiratory infections that were muted during the global health crisis. Many other countries experienced the same surges in the past year or two, including the US. As with the other countries, the wave of infection in China is mostly affecting children, who were less exposed to all sorts of pathogens amid the health restrictions, leaving them more vulnerable to infections now.
The global explosion of COVID-19 transmission and subsequent pandemic health measures severely disrupted common cycles of many infectious diseases worldwide, knocking seasonal respiratory infections like adenoviruses and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus) off their annual cycles. In the US, the 2020-2021 flu season was virtually nonexistent, for instance. But, as the novel coronavirus abated and restrictions lifted, those pathogens vigorously returned. (The US also experienced early and intense peaks of RSV and flu last year.)
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Source: Ars Technica – “Mystery” pneumonia in China is mix of common respiratory germs, WHO says
The 41 best Cyber Monday gaming deals of 2023: PC accessories, consoles, monitors, games and more
Cyber Monday has brought a truckload of deals on gaming gear for PCs, PS5, Xbox and Nintendo Switch alike. As always, most of those offers aren’t really deals at all — but if you want a hand in upgrading your setup, we’ve scoured the many sales happening around the web and compiled the best Cyber Monday gaming deals we could find. While much of the Cyber Monday 2023 selection is left over from Black Friday, we’re still seeing lower-than-usual prices on consoles, games, gaming monitors, mice, keyboards, headsets, handhelds, laptops and other recommended accessories our gaming experts have tested and reviewed.
Cyber Monday gaming console deals
PlayStation 5
The PlayStation 5 is still $50 off and down to $450 at Amazon and GameStop — though stock has been going in and out at the former, and the latter appears to require in-store pickup. This offer only applies to the older version of the PS5, not the smaller “slim” version that was announced last month. But discounts of any kind for Sony’s console have been extremely rare since the device arrived in 2020, and there’s no performance difference between the two models.
If stock for that deal completely runs dry, Sony is still offering a pair of bundles that do include the latest version of the console: one that comes with Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, and one that includes Call of Duty: Modern Warfare III. You should go with the former while both are available: We called Spider-Man 2 a “perfectly balanced game” in our review, while Modern Warfare 3 has been roundly criticized as one of the most undercooked CoD entries in recent memory. Both games cost $70 on their own, so that’s what you’re saving here.
As a refresher, Sony says the slim PS5 takes up 30 percent less volume than the original models and weighs up to three pounds less. It also has two USB-C ports instead of one. If the slim Spider-Man 2 bundle runs out of stock, Sony is running a similar deal with the older “fat” PS5 as well. That bundle is down to $480 at BJ’s, while other retailers such as Amazon, Target, Best Buy, GameStop, Walmart and PlayStation Direct have bundles for $500.
Nintendo Switch OLED
Nintendo’s main Switch promo for Cyber Monday is a bundle that pairs the $350 Switch OLED with a digital copy of Super Smash Bros. Ultimate and a three-month individual subscription to Nintendo Switch Online for no extra cost. Smash Bros. arrived back in 2018, but it still tends to retail between $50 and $60 on its own, while the Switch Online sub normally goes for $8. This version of the console also comes with Smash Bros.-themed controllers.
We’ve seen the Switch OLED go for less in the past, so we’d have liked a more substantial discount — especially with a follow-up console reportedly on the horizon. But if you’re jumping on the Switch bandwagon late, Super Smash Bros. Ultimate remains one of the device’s best games, so there’s still value here. This bundle is available at GameStop, Walmart, Target, Best Buy and Nintendo.com.
Nintendo Switch and Switch Lite
Nintendo is selling a pair of holiday bundles for the $300 Switch and $200 Switch Lite as well: The former is available with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and the same three-month Switch Online sub as above, while the latter now comes with Animal Crossing: New Horizons. It’s really worth stepping up to the Switch OLED’s larger and more vivid display if you can swing it, but both of those games usually cost between $40 and $50 individually. Both make our roundup of the best Switch games as well.
Xbox Series X
Both Xbox consoles are still discounted for Cyber Monday as well. The Xbox Series X, for one, is available for an all-time low of $400 at Amazon with an on-page coupon. This price is also available at BJ’s, though shipping appears to be unavailable there as of this writing. At Best Buy, you can get the console for $450 alongside a $50 Best Buy gift card, while My Best Buy Plus or Total members can take an additional $50 off on top of that. Walmart has the machine for $439, and Target has it for $450.
If those discounts run dry, the Series X is on sale for $440 at Walmart and Microsoft as part of a bundle that also includes the (divisive) action-RPG Diablo IV. That’s a rare $60 drop for the console itself, while the game goes for $70 (though it’s currently on sale for $42). Other stores like GameStop, Best Buy, Newegg, Target and Amazon have the bundle for $450, though stock has only been intermittently available at some of those retailers.
Xbox Series S
As for the Xbox Series S, a “Starter Bundle” that packs the digital-only console with a three-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription is on sale for $240 at Microsoft and Target (though stock appears low at the latter). This isn’t the lowest price we’ve seen for Microsoft’s entry-level machine, but it’s still a good $60 off its usual rate. The subscription normally costs $51 on its own. Other retailers like Walmart, Amazon, Best Buy and GameStop have it for $250. If the bundle becomes unavailable, Microsoft has the console alone available for $60 off as well.
Note that these offers apply to the older Series S with 512GB of storage, not the updated 1TB variant that Microsoft released earlier this year. If you’re willing to pay more, Dell has that model on sale for $300. That’s $50 off and one of the few discounts we’ve seen for the latest iteration of the device.
As a refresher, the Series S lacks a disc drive, and its lesser GPU and RAM count means it can’t hit high frame rates or a 4K resolution as consistently as the Series X. That gulf in power is starting to become more evident as time rolls on. But it can play all the same games, it’s physically smaller and, most importantly, it’s far more affordable if all you need is a cheap route into the Xbox library.
Nintendo eShop gift card
Here’s a simple one: Amazon currently has a $35 Nintendo eShop gift card on sale for $31.50, or 10 percent off. Nothing huge, then, but if you’re looking to pad your Switch game backlog or top up a Switch Online subscription anyway, it’s hard to complain about any little bit of (effectively) free money.
Cyber Monday PlayStation 5 game deals
A metric ton of video games remain discounted for Cyber Monday. There are frankly too many deals for us to recap them all here, but we’ll run through some of the highlights below.
Starting with PlayStation exclusives, the blockbuster action game God of War Ragnarök is down to a new low of $35, while the PS4 version of the gorgeous open-world game Horizon Forbidden West (which includes a free upgrade to the PS5 version) is on sale for a low of $20. The dramatic action-RPG Final Fantasy XVI is down to $35, the PS5 remake of The Last of Us is down to $40 and Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales is available for $20. The challenging roguelike Returnal is also on sale for $30. Not all of these are all-time lows, but each is at least a little lower than usual, and many of the discounted titles make our list of the best PS5 games. We aren’t seeing deals on Marvel’s Spider-Man 2, however.
Among multiplatform games, still-available highlights include the turn-based RPG Octopath Traveler II for $30, the recent Dead Space remake for $35 and the stealth game Assassin’s Creed Mirage for $40. Sports games EA Sports FC 24 and Madden NFL 24 are each $30, too. You can peruse through the PlayStation Store’s ongoing Cyber Monday sale for more offers.
Cyber Monday Nintendo Switch game deals
Many of Nintendo’s Black Friday game deals are no longer around for Cyber Monday, but we’re still seeing some decent prices on games we recommend in our guides to the best Switch games and best couch co-op games. The cutesy adventure game Luigi’s Mansion 3 is about $10 off at $40, for instance, while Kirby and the Forgotten Land is still available for a low of $39. Beyond that, well-reviewed RPGs Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and Shin Megami Tensei V are down to $39 and $20, respectively. The Nintendo eShop’s “Cyber Deals” sale has several other discounts of note, including the Portal Companion Collection for a new low of $6.79. There still aren’t significant discounts on newer games like Super Mario Bros. Wonder and The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom, though.
Cyber Monday Xbox game deals
For Xbox owners, Microsoft’s Cyber Monday sale still includes a number of picks from our guide to the best Xbox games. The rhythm-action game Hi-Fi Rush, for one, is at a low of $22.49, while the open-world racer Forza Horizon 5 is down to $29. The wonderfully written murder mystery Pentiment is about $7 off at $13.39, the Halo: Master Chief Collection is available for $10 and the third-person shooter Gears 5 is back down to $12. Older gems like The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion and Prey are available for $3 each. And while our review wasn’t huge on Starfield, the Bethesda space RPG is now down to $55 (or $56 digitally), a $15 discount for those who’ve been curious. Many of the multiplatform titles noted above are also on sale; just keep in mind that several of these games are also available with an Xbox Game Pass subscription.
Cyber Monday PC game deals
PC gamers have plenty of deals to shop through as well. Steam is running its annual Autumn Sale through November 28, while the Epic Games Store’s Cyber Monday sale includes a recurring coupon that takes 33 percent off eligible games when your cart totals $15 or more. Humble and GOG are still running storewide promos as well.
These sales include literal decades of games between them, so it’s worth browsing the sales for yourself. One highlight, though, brings the trippy survival horror game Alan Wake 2 down to a new low of $33.49 when you use the aforementioned coupon at Epic. Beyond that, the action-RPG/management sim hybrid Dave the Diver is back at a low of $16, while the madcap platformer Pizza Tower is at a low of $15.
Game of the Year contender Baldur’s Gate 3 isn’t discounted, sadly, but several picks from our list of the best PC games are at lower-than-usual prices. Those include the roguelike Hades for $12.49, the VR-only Half-Life: Alyx for $20, the thoughtful RPG Disco Elysium for $10, the driving sim Euro Truck Simulator 2 for $5 and Stray (aka the cat game) for $20. The 27-game Valve Complete Pack is another standout at $14.
Cyber Monday game controller deals
PS5 DualSense Wireless Controller
If you need a spare controller for your PlayStation 5, Sony’s DualSense wireless pad is still down to $49 in various colors at Amazon, Walmart, Target and others. While not an absolute all-time low, that’s a nice $20 or $25 off Sony’s list price depending on which finish you choose.
Xbox Wireless Controller
If you’re after a new Xbox gamepad, official Xbox Series X/S controllers are on sale for $40 at Microsoft, Target and Best Buy. Other stores like GameStop have them for $5 more. Again, the discounts apply to several different finishes. We typically see the gamepad retail between $50 and $60 depending on the color. The big caveat with the Xbox controller is that it requires a pair of AA batteries for power; we recommend grabbing a rechargeable set like the Panasonic Eneloops to mitigate that annoyance. That said, if you want a new controller for gaming on the PC, the Xbox pad is generally easier to set up and use with most Windows clients than the DualSense.
Nintendo Switch Joy-Cons bundle
Apart from the Switch console bundles, Nintendo is selling a bundle that pairs a red and blue set of Joy-Con controllers with a digital copy of Super Mario Party for $100. A pair of Joy-Cons usually goes for $80, while the game alone typically retails in the $50 range these days, so you’re saving about $30 by getting the two together. Note that this isn’t the latest Mario Party game, though — that would be Mario Party Superstars, which was released in 2021. Still, if you’re looking to play a few new Mario Party boards and need a new set of Joy-Cons anyway, it might be worth the extra cost.
8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth Controller
The 8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth Controller is on sale for $56 at Amazon and Best Buy, a $14 discount that matches the lowest price we’ve seen. This is a comfortable and deeply customizable wireless gamepad for Switch and PC that we’ve highlighted in the past. The big advantage it has over most official controllers is its Hall effect joysticks, which use magnets to read inputs instead of contact-based potentiometers. This means it should be less susceptible to wear over time and avoid the dreaded “stick drift” we often see with more traditional gamepads. A pair of customizable back buttons, an accurate d-pad and an included charging dock are all nice to have as well.
Backbone One
The Backbone One mobile game controller is down to $70 at Amazon, Target, Backbone’s online store and other retailers. Both the USB-C and Lightning models are on sale; the latter is compatible with Apple’s iPhone 15 series as well as numerous Android phones. We gave the Backbone a positive review last year, and we note it in our gaming handhelds guide: It’s more cramped than a traditional gamepad, naturally, but it has all the requisite buttons to play modern games, it’s extremely easy to set up and it works well for remote streaming from your console or PC. If nothing else, it’s a much better value than the PlayStation Portal.
Thrustmaster T300RS GT Edition
The Thrustmaster T300RS GT Edition is a PlayStation- and PC-compatible racing wheel we’ve previously recommended to sim racing fans looking to upgrade from a standard gamepad for the first time. Right now Thrustmaster has it down to $330 for Cyber Monday, which isn’t an all-time low but marks the lowest price we’ve seen over the past few years. The T300RS GT is a belt-driven wheel with a sturdy build quality and stable, responsive pedals. The latter in particular are a step up over less expensive models we’ve tested. This isn’t the fastest thing to set up, and it’s been around for several years at this point, but it remains an effective way to make racers like Gran Turismo 7 more expressive.
Cyber Monday gaming handheld and VR headset deals
ASUS ROG Ally
The ASUS ROG Ally is down to $600 at Best Buy, which is $100 off the handheld gaming PC’s normal price and a rare discount. The ROG Ally is the “best Windows alternative” pick in our guide to the best gaming handhelds. As that title suggests, the ROG Ally runs Windows, which isn’t nearly as straightforward to use on a seven-inch display as the Steam Deck’s Steam OS but makes it easier to play games from other clients such as Epic, Xbox, GOG and Itch.io. The ROG Ally is physically smaller than Valve’s handheld, too, and the AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip in this config gives it stronger overall performance. It also has a sharper 1080p display with a faster 120Hz refresh rate.
We’d still recommend the Steam Deck (which isn’t discounted) to most, especially after the launch of the new Steam Deck OLED. Apart from being less prone to software quirks, that machine usually lasts longer on a charge, and the new model’s OLED panel is more vivid. The ROG Ally has also had issues with malfunctioning microSD card readers, so you’ll want to stick to its built-in SSD storage (which is thankfully replaceable). But if you’re willing to brave Windows and want the wider game support, the ROG Ally does enough right to be a solid alternative to traditional gaming laptops.
The entry-level version of the ROG Ally with a less powerful AMD Ryzen Z1 chip is also on sale for $450, which is a $150 discount. That’s a decent price if you’ll stick to less-demanding games, but the Z1 Extreme model is significantly faster, so it’s worth the extra cash if you can afford it.
Meta Quest 2
Meta’s Quest 2 VR headset is down to $249 and comes with a $50 store gift card or credit at Amazon, GameStop and Target. (For Amazon, use the code META50 at checkout to see the complete offer.) Other retailers like Walmart, Best Buy and B&H have the same $50 discount without a gift card. It’s tougher to recommend the Quest 2 after the release of the comprehensively superior Quest 3 last month; that newer model isn’t on sale as of this writing, but it’s worth the extra cash if you can stretch your budget. If you can’t, though, the Quest 2 still offers a relatively polished VR experience. While it’s designed to be used cordless, it’s still perfectly usable when tethered to a gaming PC as well. We name the Quest 2 the top headset for those on a budget in our VR headset buying guide.
Cyber Monday video game storage deals
Samsung Pro Plus
The top pick in our microSD card buying guide, the Samsung Pro Plus, is also on sale. You can grab a 128GB unit for $11, a 256GB unit for $18 and a 512GB unit for $32; the first two of those represent the lowest prices we’ve seen, while the third is within $3 of its all-time low. Despite its relatively affordable price, the Pro Plus was among the fastest cards we tested in both sequential and random performance, so it’s a dependable option if you need to add space to a Switch or Steam Deck.
Elsewhere, Samsung’s Evo Select card is down to $25 for a 512GB unit. That one was a fair bit slower in testing, but the differences aren’t hugely noticeable when it comes to load times on Nintendo’s and Valve’s handhelds, so it should do the job if you want to save a few bucks. Both cards come with 10-year warranties.
WD Black C50 Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X/S
Unlike the PS5 or Switch, the Xbox Series X/S requires you to use a proprietary expansion card if you want to add storage space for current-gen games. If your Xbox is running out of room, WD’s Black C50 is one of those cards, and its 1TB model is now on sale for an all-time low of $124 at Amazon. At WD, Walmart and Best Buy, it’s on sale for $1 more. This is much more expensive than a typical SSD with the same capacity, but it’s at least $26 off WD’s usual price. If you need more storage, the 2TB version of Seagate’s Storage Expansion Card is $50 off at $230, which again matches the lowest price we’ve tracked. Both cards perform just about identically.
Corsair MP600 Pro LPX SSD
If you’re looking to upgrade a PlayStation 5’s storage, the Corsair MP600 Pro LPX is the top pick in our guide to the best PS5 SSDs, and it’s now down to $110 at Amazon for a 2TB model. That takes about $15 off the device’s average street price and ties its all-time low. The 4TB variant is also on sale for $260, which is another low and $20 less than the drive’s price over the last month. Either way, this PCIe 4.0 SSD checks all of the PS5’s requisite performance boxes and comes with a heatsink pre-installed to keep from overheating. It’s also backed by a five-year warranty.
Cyber Monday gaming mouse deals
Razer Basilisk V3
The Razer Basilisk V3 is the top overall pick in our guide to the best gaming mice, and it’s dropped to $40 at Target, Best Buy, Amazon and Walmart. That’s an all-time low and $10 off the device’s usual street price. The Basilisk V3 isn’t the lightest mouse around at 100 grams, but its sturdy shape should be comfortable for users of each grip type and all but the smallest of hands. It has no major issues with latency or tracking accuracy, either, plus it comes with 11 customizable buttons, including a “sensitivity clutch” for moments where more precise aiming is required. Beyond that, its scroll wheel supports both left-right tilt and a faster free-spin mode — both helpful for navigating large documents — though it is on the noisy side.
Corsair Scimitar RGB Elite
The Corsair Scimitar RGB Elite is the “best for MMOs” pick in our gaming mouse guide, and it’s now down to $50 at Amazon and Best Buy. That’s $2 more than the lowest price we’ve tracked but still $10 below the mouse’s typical going rate. Like most MMO mice, the Scimitar RGB Elite is fairly bulky, but that’s because it has 12 easy-to-distinguish side buttons that you can use to access commands in games like Final Fantasy XIV or Baldur’s Gate 3. Its rounded, gently sloped shape should be comfortable to palm- and claw-grippers of most hand sizes. And while its sensor is fairly old, it’s accurate enough. Just note that its cable is somewhat stiff, and that you probably won’t want to spend much time in Corsair’s messy companion software.
HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2
The HyperX Pulsefire Haste 2 is an honorable mention in our gaming mouse guide, as it’s a solid alternative to the Basilisk V3 if you prefer a flatter shape or one more welcoming to lefties. It performs reliably and weighs a scant 53 grams, so it’s easy to flick around in multiplayer games. Right now it’s down to $40 at Amazon and Best Buy, which is an all-time low and roughly $15 below its average street price over the last couple of months.
Logitech G203 Lightsync
Sticking with gaming mice, the Logitech G203 Lightsync is on sale for $20 at Amazon, B&H and Best Buy. That’s about $8 off its usual going rate. The G203 is the budget pick in our gaming mouse buying guide: It’s small, its scroll wheel is a bit mushy and its rubber cable isn’t especially flexible, but it tracks accurately, it’s built well and its light (85g) shape should suit righties and lefties. For less than $20, it’s hard to do better. If you’d rather go wireless, the Logitech G305 Lightspeed puts a newer sensor in more or less the same shape, and it’s currently discounted to $35.
Cyber Monday gaming monitor deals
LG 27GP850-B
The LG 27GP850-B gaming monitor is available for $300 at LG.com, which is $10 more than its all-time low but about $70 below its average street price. This is the “best for most” pick in our gaming monitor buying guide. It’s a 27-inch IPS panel with a 1440p resolution and a native 165Hz refresh rate — not top of the line by any means, but perfectly competent for most needs. We found it to provide clear motion and fast response times in testing, and it works with both FreeSync and G-Sync to ward off screen tearing regardless of your graphics card. It can’t deliver especially high contrast or deep black tones, but for $300 it’s still a nice value.
Alienware AW3423DW
Dell’s Alienware AW3423DW monitor is on sale for an all-time low of $897 at Amazon, which is about $250 off its usual going rate. Dell has it for a couple bucks more.
The AW3423DW is a 34-inch curved ultrawide monitor with outstanding image quality thanks to its QD-OLED panel. This is the display tech we’ve seen on higher-end TVs in recent years; it blends an OLED display with a layer of quantum dots, in turn adding a bit of extra brightness and color saturation to the excellent contrast, black levels and motion typically expected from an OLED panel. The display doesn’t have the sharpest resolution (3,440 x 1,440) or fastest refresh rate (175Hz), but its vivid colors and fast response times make it a treat for gaming in HDR or SDR. It natively supports G-Sync as well. It does lack an HDMI 2.1 port, however, so it’s best suited for a PC than a PS5 or Xbox Series X. There’s always some risk of burn-in with OLED monitors too.
We gave the AW3423DW a score of 92 in our review last year. If your rig is based on an AMD graphics card, there’s also the Alienware AW3423DWF, a similar variant with native FreeSync support. That one is currently available for $800.
Cyber Monday gaming headset deals
Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X
Beyerdynamic’s DT 900 Pro X headphones are down to $249 at Target from a trusted third-party seller. That’s only $20 off their usual going rate, but we haven’t seen many larger discounts over the past few months. The DT 900 Pro X is a wired pair of open-back headphones designed for critical listening at home. It’s currently the top pick in our guide to the best headphones for gaming, as its wonderfully spacious sound does well to envelop you in the fine details of any given game. Like most open-back cans, it can’t produce truly deep sub-bass, but it delivers enough low-end to give in-game explosions a powerful sense of impact. A set of soft velour earpads keep the whole thing comfortable, though it can’t fold up, and the open design means it won’t block much external noise when you’re outside of the house.
Sennheiser HD 560S
The Sennheiser HD 560S is another open-back pair of wired headphones we highlight in our gaming headset guide. It’s down to $150 at Amazon and B&H — that’s not an incredible deal, as the pair often sold for the same rate earlier in the year, but it’s about $30 less than the street price we’ve seen since the summer. Regardless, the HD 560S offers a pleasingly balanced, spacious and detailed sound profile and a frame that’s comfortable to wear for extended periods. It can sometimes sound a little piercing in the treble, it’s not as sturdily built as the DT 900 Pro X and, again, it’ll leak and let in lots of noise. But if you want a pair of audio-centric gaming headphones for less than $200, this is one of the better options in the price range.
Astro A40 TR
Our favorite dedicated gaming headset for most people, the Astro A40 TR, is down to $100 at Amazon. That’s a $30 discount. This deal bundles the headset with Astro’s MixAmp M80, an optional amp that connects to Xbox controllers and provides various audio controls. Even without the accessory, we like the open-back A40 for providing a wider soundstage than most gaming headsets. It’s not as open or detailed as the Beyerdynamic DT 900 Pro X, and it misses more detail in the treble range, but it’s immersive, with a slight bass boost gives in-game effects a little extra boom. The headset as a whole looks “gamer-y,” but it’s comfortable. And while its built-in mic isn’t the clearest we’ve tested, it’s at least serviceable for basic chat.
HyperX Cloud Stinger 2
If all you want is a decent gaming headset for as little as possible, the HyperX Cloud Stinger 2 is worth considering at $35. Though we saw the headset briefly fall down to $30 earlier on Cyber Monday, this deal matches the best price we’ve seen otherwise. The Cloud Stinger 2 is the budget pick in our gaming headset guide: It sounds narrower and less balanced than the Astro A40, but its built-in mic is great for the money and its bass-heavy profile at least makes action scenes feel a little more exciting. It’s all comfy, too, though it’s largely made of plastic.
HyperX Cloud Alpha
HyperX’s Cloud Alpha headset is also on sale for $50. The wired Cloud Alpha has been around since 2018 but continues to offer great comfort and a solid detachable mic. It doesn’t sound bad either, though it can’t provide the same sense of width as the Astro A40 and its underemphasized treble keeps it from delivering pristine detail. Nevertheless, this is a nice step-up over the Cloud Stinger 2 if you’re willing to pay a little bit extra. We highlight the Cloud Alpha as an honorable mention in our gaming headsets guide.
Logitech G535
The Logitech G535 is another honorable mention in our gaming headsets guide, one that should specifically appeal to those who want a wireless option for less than $100. If that’s you, good news: It’s available for just under $80 at Amazon, B&H and Best Buy, which is about $25 off its usual street price. The G535’s noticeably light frame, relatively balanced sound and Bluetooth support all impress for the price; just note that it doesn’t work with Xbox, and that its mic sounds a bit thinner than the wired headsets highlighted above. Its battery life clocks in at 30 to 35 hours per charge, which is decent but not great.
Cyber Monday gaming keyboard deals
Razer Huntsman V2 TKL
If you’re after a new keyboard for gaming purposes, the Razer Huntsman V2 TKL is still on sale for a record low of $80. We recommend the Huntsman V2 TKL in our guide to the best gaming keyboards due to its sturdy tenkeyless frame, crisp PBT keycaps, clean RGB lighting and steady performance. Its keystrokes are quiet, plus it comes with a wrist rest, all for a relatively attainable price. We’re specifically talking about the model with Razer’s linear optical switches here; there’s another variant with clicky switches, but we found typing on that model to be distractingly noisy in testing.
SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless
The SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless is back down to $175 at Best Buy and Amazon, a $75 drop that comes within a dollar of the best price we’ve seen. This is the top wireless pick in our gaming keyboards guide. It uses SteelSeries’ magnetic OmniPoint switches, which enable a range of helpful gaming features: You can raise or lower the actuation point of individual keys — setting a high point to make typing more comfortable or a low point to make presses faster for games — or use a rapid trigger mode that lets you repeat critical inputs faster. The rest of the keyboard is solid too, though you’d buy it for that gaming flexibility more than its raw typing experience. The Wooting 60HE, our top overall pick, is a better value if you don’t mind going wired, but it’s not discounted as of this writing. If you really want to reduce clutter on your desk, this is a good alternative.
ASUS ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless
The ASUS ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless is down to a new low of $145 at Amazon, which is a $35 discount. This was a close second to the Apex Pro TKL in our testing when it came to wireless gaming keyboards. Its pre-lubed ROG NX switches, superb sound dampening and PBT-coated keycaps make it a pleasure to type on, it’s hot-swappable, plus it lasts longer than SteelSeries’ model on a charge. It just lacks the custom actuation tricks we found so useful on the Apex Pro. Still, if you care about a premium typing feel more than gaming-friendly features, this is a good buy.
ASUS ROG Azoth
The ASUS ROG Azoth, meanwhile, is down to $200 at Amazon, Newegg and B&H. That matches the lowest price we’ve seen and marks a roughly $25 drop from the wireless keyboard’s average street price. The Azoth is like a smaller version of the Strix Scope II 96 Wireless with a few more enthusiast touches, including a gasket-mounted design (which gives presses a softer feel), a programmable OLED display and a toolkit for lubing switches in the box. It’s exceptionally well-made, but it probably goes without saying that it’s meant for enthusiasts only, even with this discount.
Razer Huntsman Mini
The Razer Huntsman Mini is down to $70 at Target for a model with linear optical switches. If stock there runs out, Amazon and Best Buy have it for $10 more. Normally, we see this keyboard retail between $90 and $100. The Huntsman Mini is another honorable mention in our gaming keyboards guide. It’s a 60 percent keyboard, so it omits dedicated arrow and function keys but takes up very little space on a desk — providing more room to move a mouse around in turn. Its textured PBT keycaps and aluminum top plate keep it from feeling cheap, while its linear switches are quick, responsive and not terribly loud. Another version of the Huntsman Mini with analog switches is also on sale for $80: We haven’t tested that model, but it lets you customize each key’s travel in a manner similar to the Apex Pro TKL Wireless above.
Cyber Monday gaming laptop deals
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14
The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 is still available for $1,200 at Best Buy for a configuration with a Ryzen 9 7940HS processor, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD and a GeForce RTX 4060 GPU. That matches the lowest price we’ve seen and takes $400 off ASUS’ list price. This model also has a 14-inch 1440p display with a 165Hz refresh rate. The ROG Zephyrus G14 is the top overall recommendation in our guide to the best gaming laptops. It’s a compact notebook that’s plenty capable for triple-A gaming but doesn’t totally sacrifice the “laptop” part of the phrase “gaming laptop.” It’s relatively light and portable at 3.6 pounds, and its keyboard and trackpad both work well. Its 720p webcam could stand to be sharper, though.
MSI Stealth 14 Studio
The MSI Stealth 14 Studio is another gaming laptop we like, and right now Best Buy has it for $1,100. This model includes a Core i7-13620H chip, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD, an RTX 4060 GPU and a 14-inch 1,920 x 1,200 display with a 165Hz refresh rate. We gave the Stealth 14 Studio a score of 87 in our review this past June; like the ROG Zephyrus G14, it’s light for a gaming laptop (3.75 pounds) and offers capable performance for everyday gaming. This config is a lower-end model than the one we reviewed — it has a slightly slower CPU and its display isn’t as sharp or fast — but the gist is the same. Its biggest flaws are its middling 720p webcam and the fact that it can run hot under load. It’s still a gaming laptop, so battery life isn’t amazing either.
Whether you should get this config over the ROG Zephyrus G14 deal above comes down to whether you can sacrifice a higher-res display for more storage space. The G14 has more ports as well, though the Stealth 14 Studio includes a Thunderbolt 4 port, which may be important if you ever plan on connecting an external GPU.
Dell G15 5530 Gaming Laptop
A version of Dell’s G15 5530 Gaming Laptop with a Ryzen 7 7840HS processor, 16GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD, an RTX 4060 GPU and a 15.6-inch, 1080p, 165Hz display is down to $900 at Amazon. That’s a 22 percent discount and the lowest price we’ve tracked. Another model with a more powerful Core i7-13650HX chip and 1TB of RAM is available for $1,160, which is about $190 below its average street price. This is the most recent version of the “best budget” pick in our gaming laptops buying guide. It’s big, heavy (6.2 pounds) and not especially premium feeling, but it’s strong enough to play many games at high-ish settings, and its memory and storage are user-upgradeable.
Your Cyber Monday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Cyber Monday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Cyber Monday tech deals. Learn about Cyber Monday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Cyber Monday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Cyber Monday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-41-best-cyber-monday-gaming-deals-of-2023-pc-accessories-consoles-monitors-games-and-more-224313947.html?src=rss
Source: Engadget – The 41 best Cyber Monday gaming deals of 2023: PC accessories, consoles, monitors, games and more
These Are the Best Cyber Monday Dyson Vacuum Deals
You don’t have to wait until Christmas to find vacuum deals that’ll help you keep those floors dust- and debris-free all year long. The Cyber Monday deals on vacuums are out, and many of the Dyson deals from Black Friday—from sales on the Dyson V15 Detect Absolute cordless vacuum to the Dyson V8 Origin+—are still going.
This Cyber Monday deal lineup includes upright vacuums, stick vacuums, cordless vacuums and more.
If you’re having a hard time choosing between so many sales, we’ve gathered some of the top deals on a few for you to check out today.
Dyson Gen5detect Cordless Vacuum
This purple, cordless vacuum weighs 7.6 pounds and features illumination technology to help detect hard-to-see dust.
GET THE DEAL:
You can get the deal now. $748.99 (Originally $949.99)
Dyson V8 Origin Plus Cordless Vacuum
This vacuum comes with a V8 suction motor, weighs 5.8 pounds, and has three different heads to choose from.
GET THE DEAL:
You can get the deal now. $334.99 (Originally $419.99)
Dyson V8 Absolute Cordless Vacuum
This silver vacuum comes with a V8 suction motor, weighs 5.8 pounds, and has three different heads to choose from.
GET THE DEAL:
You can get the deal now. $279.99 (Originally $519.99)
Dyson V15 Detect Absolute Cordless Vacuum
This iron and gold vacuum weighs 6.79 pounds and has laser illumination to reveal hard-to-see dust on hard floors.
GET THE DEAL:
You can get the deal now. $679.99 (Originally $799.99)
Find more Dyson vacuum deals at Walmart.
More Cyber Monday deals on robot vacuums
Looking for a robot vacuum instead? Here are a few options to consider.
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iRobot Roomba Combo j5+ Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum & Mop at Amazon. $499 (Originally $799.99)
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Roborock S7 Max Ultra Robot Vacuum and Mop Combo at Amazon. $949.99 (Originally $1,299.99)
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Shark Matrix robot vacuum RV2300 at Walmart. $199 (Originally $299.99)
Source: LifeHacker – These Are the Best Cyber Monday Dyson Vacuum Deals
AWS Repurposes Fire TV Cubes Into $195 Thin Clients For Cloud Desktops
Simon Sharwood reports via The Register: Amazon Web Services has announced the WorkSpaces Thin Client — a device dedicated to connecting to its WorkSpaces desktop-as-a service offering and based on Amazon’s own “Fire Cube” smart TV box. The $195 machine has the same hardware as the Fire Cube: the eight-core Arm-powered Amlogic POP1-G SoC, plus 2GB of LPDDR4 RAM, 10/100 ethernet, and a single USB-A 2.0 port. Bluetooth is included to connect other peripherals. A second HDMI output can be added by acquiring an $85 hub that also offers four more USB ports. Like the Fire TV Cube, the Thin Client also runs a modified cut of Android.
But there the similarities end. AWS created custom firmware and ripped out anything remotely related to running a consumer device, replacing it with software designed solely to create a secure connection between the device and desktops running in the Amazonian cloud. Amazon Business — the B2B version of Jeff Bezos’s digital souk — will ship the device to your door, and charge it to your AWS bill. At least if you are in the USA. Europe will get the Thin Client in early 2024, and it’ll eventually migrate elsewhere.
AWS decided to base the box on the Fire Cube because, according to a corporate blog post, AWS customers expressed a desire for cheaper and easier-to-maintain client devices. As AWS execs searched for a well-priced box, they considered the Fire TV Cube, found it fit the bill and noted it was already being made at scale. Keeping things in-house made sense, too. And so we find ourselves with AWS taking on established thin client providers. The cloudy concern is also keen to have a crack at the thick wedge of the enterprise PC market: call centers, payment processing centers, and other environments with lots of users and high staff turnover due to factors like seasonal demand for workers.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – AWS Repurposes Fire TV Cubes Into 5 Thin Clients For Cloud Desktops
This Mandalorian Star Doesn't Agree Your Theories About Her Character

From the very first episode of The Mandalorian, you wanted to know about the Armorer. She was fierce. She was mysterious. And she was wise beyond her years. As we’ve learned more about her in subsequent seasons, that mystique has only grown. Is she honest? Does she have ulterior motives? What’s her deal?
Source: Gizmodo – This Mandalorian Star Doesn’t Agree Your Theories About Her Character
36 of the best Cyber Monday deals on Amazon devices
As Cyber Monday begins to wind down, nearly all of the deals are still live on Amazon, so if you’ve had other stuff going on, you still have time to shop Echos, Kindles, Fire TV sticks and more at a discount. Amazon seems to reserve its best deals for three events: its two Prime Day sales and Black Friday/Cyber Monday. Nearly all of the deals are open to anyone, whether you are a Prime member or not, and many represent the lowest prices we’ve seen yet. For example, the Kindle Scribe, the refreshed Echo Show 5 and the new Fire TV Stick 4K Max are all down to all-time lows. Here are the best Cyber Monday deals on Amazon devices you can get right now.
Amazon Kindle Cyber Monday deals
Kindle Scribe
A number of Amazon’s Kindles are on sale for Cyber Monday, including a new all-time low on the read/write Kindle Scribe. The model with 16GB of storage and the “Basic Pen” stylus is down to $240. That’s $100 off its $340 list price and its lowest price we’ve seen. We reviewed it when it came out last year and named it the best ereader/E Ink tablet combo in our guide. The Scribe lets you draw, make to-do lists, create sticky notes and scribble in the margins of a limited selection of Kindle titles (mostly puzzle and journaling books).
Kindle
The standard Kindle is our favorite budget ereader and down to $80, which is 20 percent off though about $15 more than its members-only Prime Day price. It lacks a warm back light and isn’t waterproof, but it’s got a crisp, 300 ppi screen and 16GB of storage, which should take you many years to fill up. Plus it’s an affordable way to access the Kindle library and Kindle Exclusive titles.
Kindle Paperwhite
The standard Kindle Paperwhite is on sale for $120 after a 15 percent discount. That’s a good deal more than the $95 it went for on Prime Day in October, but if you like the idea of a warm front light, a bigger screen and a waterproof build, this is a good upgrade from the standard Kindle.
Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition
We called the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition “the best ereader. Period” in our review of the device when it came out. Right now it’s $50 off, making it $140. It doesn’t have lock screen ads, which come standard on most Kindles, plus it offers an auto-adjusting, warm front light, a waterproof build, wireless charging and an ample 32GB of storage.
Kindle Kids
The Kindle Kids edition is pretty similar to the standard Kindle but adds a case, a two-year warranty, and a free year of Amazon Kids+, which auto renews at $5 per month. The subscriptions lets kids read a few thousand kid-appropriate titles and listen to hundreds of audiobooks. There’s also a parent dashboard that lets you set time limits, add books and track your kid’s reading progress. It usually goes for $120, but now it’s $100 instead. That’s $25 more than its lowest price ever during July’s Prime Day.
Kindle Paperwhite Kids
The Kindle Paperwhite Kids is essentially the same hardware as the Kindle Paperwhite, but this version comes with a case, a two year guarantee and a free year of Kindle Kids+ content with access to thousands of kid-appropriate books. It’s now $35 off, which is a 21 percent discount that brings it to $135.
Kindle Unlimited
Amazon is also offering Prime members three months of Kindle Unlimited for 99 cents. It’s usually $12 per month and will auto-renew once the trial is over (so set a reminder if you don’t want that to happen). A subscription lets you read as many ebooks as you want from a selection of around four million ebooks. Bigger new releases and some of the more popular bestsellers aren’t included. It also includes a few thousand audiobooks, which all models of Kindle support via Bluetooth and headphones.
Amazon Echo and Echo Show Cyber Monday deals
Echo Dot
Amazon’s most popular smart speaker is the baseball-sized Echo Dot. It’s now down to $23 which matches the all-time low it hit for the last two Prime Days. It’s one of our favorite smart speakers because it pumps out good sound and volume for its size and adds Alexa’s helpful AI assistance to your home. Use it to set timers, tell you the weather and remind you about stuff you need to do and when to do it. It’s also a convenient way to control your other smart home devices, from light bulbs in the ceiling to robot vacs on the floor.
Echo Dot Kids
The Echo Dot for kids has the same general design as the regular Dot, but has a cute owl or dragon exterior. It also comes with a free year of Amazon Kids+, which lets young folk access age-appropriate audio books, morning routines and Alexa’s educational skills. The speaker is currently 53 percent off and down to $28. That matches the low it hit for both Amazon Prime sales this year.
Echo Pop
Amazon’s smallest smart speaker is the Echo Pop, which came out earlier this year. It’s currently down to $18, which matches its all-time low. The colorful half-sphere is perfect for stashing in a corner of a room where you don’t have much space. It’ll let you ask Alexa the time, weather news and more, while also directing the voice assistant to remind you when it’s time to leave for an appointment or shut off the holiday lights. It can also play music, but the sound won’t be as good as it would be with a larger Echo speaker.
Echo Pop with free Sengled smart bulb
The Echo Pop is a great candidate for a voice-operated smart home controller, which is probably why Amazon is bundling it with a Sengled Smart Bulb. The set costs $38, which is 36 percent off their full prices. The Sengled bulb earned an honorable mention in our guide to smart bulbs for its easy, if slightly unpolished app, and the fact that it outputs millions of colors on any schedule you’d like.
Echo
The Echo is the original Amazon smart speaker and has been refreshed four times since its launch. The latest model updated the shape from a puck to a globe, which makes room for a three-inch woofer and two 0.8-inch tweeters. The result is quality audio with plenty of bass. The highs could be more crisp but overall it’s noticeably louder than its two closest competitors, the Nest Audio or HomePod mini and can fill a room with sound. The Echo is now down to $55, which is the same as it went for during both 2023 Prime sales, though it’s about $5 more than its all-time low. It’s currently our favorite smart speaker under $100 because it combines great sound with all that Alexa can do.
Echo Studio
Amazon’s biggest smart speaker, the Echo Studio, keeps the focus on the sound quality, with three two-inch midrange speakers, a single one-inch tweeter and a 5.25-inch downward-facing woofer packed into its eight-inch frame. The list price is $200 and right now it’s down to $155 which matches its all-time low. We gave the Studio an 88 in our review, impressed by the hi-res sound.
Echo Show 5
The Echo Show 5 is Amazon’s smallest smart display and was completely refreshed back in May of this year. The processor and audio quality were improved, but the device is largely the same, acting as a screen-enabled bedside alarm clock or a handy kitchen display for recipe videos and the like. It’s currently down to $40 which is $50 off and a discount it has hit twice in the past couple months.
Echo Show 5 with Ring Video Doorbell
The Ring Video Doorbell and an Echo Show 5 make a great smart home starter kit The bundle is now $65, instead of the $190 you’d pay at full price. Currently, both devices are on sale on their own — buying the bundle saves you an extra $10 off their sale prices. The Ring Video Doorbell can run either on your existing doorbell wires or on battery. It shoots motion-triggered 1080p video, and sends it to the Ring app on your phone or directly to your Echo Show 5.
Echo Show 5 with Blink Mini
The Echo Show 5 is the perfect size for keeping an eye on your Alexa-enabled smart cameras and doorbells, so this Blink Mini bundle makes sense. For $45, you get the 5-inch Echo Show and the wired indoor security cam from Blink. Separately and at full price, you’d pay $80. Right now, the Show 5 alone is down to $40 and the Blink Mini is $20, so you’re still saving $15 on the set.
Echo Show 8
The mid-sized Amazon smart display, the Echo Show 8 is on sale for $105 instead of $150 and represents its first discount. We did a hands-on with the new Echo Show 8 during Amazon’s devices event this September and were impressed by the new Adaptive Content feature. Depending on how far away from the display you are, the information changes, with simple time and weather info when you’re across the room and more detailed and personalized info, like a playlist or news articles when you’re closer.
Echo Show 10
Do you want a smart display that can track you as you move around the room? The Echo Show 10 with a pivoting base can do just that. The ability should keep you in frame for video calls and make sure you can always see your recipe as you move around the kitchen. The 10-inch screen will keep tabs on your connected cameras and doorbells and the large base housing two one-inch tweeters and a three-inch subwoofer, will deliver quality sound.
Echo Show 15
The Echo Show 15 is a smart display that verges on smart TV territory and it’s one of our recommended gifts for tech folk. It can display your video doorbell feeds, control your smart home devices, act as a widget-driven bulletin board, offer Alexa’s help, and play your shows on streaming apps. The 15-inch screen can be wall-mounted in portrait or landscape and can be operated with the remote, via touchscreen or with your voice.
Echo Buds
Another entry in our affordable earbuds guide are the Echo Buds made by Amazon. They’re down to $35, which matches their all-time low. If you don’t like the style of buds that go into your ear canal, and would prefer the type that rest on the concha (the bowl next to the canal) these are a worthy compromise to Apple’s more expensive AirPods.
Amazon Cyber Monday Fire TV deals
Fire TV Stick 4K Max
The new Fire TV Stick 4K Max is on sale for $40, which is a 33 percent discount and its lowest price since its debut in September. This new model has a faster processor than the previous 4K Max dongle, and is the first stick to support Amazon’s Ambient Experience, which was previously limited to the Fire TV sets. When you’re not watching, the screen can display art, along with widgets for weather, calendar and smart home devices. The Alexa remote lets you search for and play shows and movies just by talking, and also supports Wi-Fi 6E, letting those who’ve upgraded to take advantage of that tri-band connection.
Fire TV Stick Lite
We found Amazon’s Fire TV Stick Lite to be the best budget streaming device you can buy — which goes double now that it has dropped to $16. The deal represents a 46 percent discount off the $30 list price (though it often sells for $20). It’s also just a dollar more than its all-time low. The Fire TV Stick Lite doesn’t stream content in 4K and can’t control a TV’s volume or on/off functions, but lets you use all the streaming platforms you subscribe to, presenting them in an interface that’s easy enough to navigate, but we do wish that it didn’t favor and promote Amazon content quite as much as it does.
Fire TV Stick
The standard Fire TV Stick is down to $20, which is 50 percent off the $40 list price (though it’s often on sale for $25). The standard stick offers HD content and, unlike the Lite, has the ability to control your TV’s volume and power.
Fire TV Cube
The Amazon Fire TV Cube has dropped to $110 for Cyber Monday, which is $30 off and ties its all-time low. It’s the most powerful streaming device in Amazon’s lineup, with a 2.2GHz octa-core processor, 2GB of RAM and 16GB of storage. It streams 4K HDR content with Dolby Vision and Atmos, works with picture-in-picture live view, and supports hands-free Alexa commands. You can also connect other devices like your cable box or game console directly to the unit.
Fire TV 40-inch 2-Series
Many of Amazon’s Fire TVs are discounted, including models from Toshiba and Insignia, but the arguably better sets are the “Amazon-built” ones the company manufactures. The Fire TV 65″ Omni QLED Series 4K TV is now 26 percent off and down to $590, the same price it hit in October for Prime Day. It supports 4K content with Dolby Vision, adaptive brightness and includes hands-free Alexa both through built-in speakers on the TV itself, no remote required (though it does come with one).
Amazon Cyber Monday Fire tablet deals
Amazon Fire HD 8 tablet
The Fire HD 8 is probably the cheapest way to get a tablet that will actually perform. Right now the latest generation, which came out in 2022, is down to just $60, which is $5 more than it’s all time low, but still $40 off the MSRP. It’s not as fast as the larger Fire HD 10 and doesn’t have the clearest screen at 1,280 x 800 resolution, but it should serve well as a casual streaming device and web browser. Plus it gets 10 hours on a charge and has a lightweight build.
Fire HD 8 Kids
The Fire HD 8 Kids is down to $75, which matches its lowest price. It’s usually $150, but often drops to $100. The kids version has the same hardware as the Fire HD 8, but comes with a kickstand case, a two-year guarantee and a free year of access to Amazon Kids+ which includes age-appropriate games, books, videos and shows. The UI is also simplified for kids and connects to a parental dashboard to help you keep tabs on your kids tablet activities.
Fire HD 10 tablet
Amazon’s revamped Fire HD 10 tablet came out in late September and is already down to $80 for the model with 32GB of storage. That’s 42 percent off and the first discount this generation has seen. This new model is speedier and lighter than before and upgrades the front camera to a 5MP for better video calls. It makes a good couch companion, handling casual streaming and browsing, as well as simpler games. It’s not meant for serious productivity, particularly since it relies on Amazon’s more limited Fire tablet apps library, but for less than $100, it’s hard to beat the price.
Fire HD 10 Kids tablet
Like the Fire HD 10, the Fire HD 10 Kids tablet is a newly refreshed model with a quicker processor and a slightly lighter build. The kids version adds in a protective case with a kickstand, plus access to Amazon Kids+ for a slew of kid-friendly content. It’s currently $65 off making it the cheapest it’s ever been. Amazon makes the Fire HD 10 Kids Pro for older kids. It comes with a slightly less bulky case and allows more access to the web via a filtered browser.
Fire Max 11
Amazon calls the Fire Max 11 their best tablet yet and in our hands-on we were impressed by how much Amazon is offering for the money. It has an 11-inch LCD display, an aluminum frame, an octa-core processor and 4GB of RAM. Like all Fire tablets, you’re limited to the apps within the Fire Tablet App store, so it’s not going to become a laptop-replacing workhorse. But now that it’s on sale for $150, matching its all-time low, it’s a good buy for a casual use tablet.
Amazon Cyber Monday deals on Ring and Blink cameras
Ring Battery Doorbell Plus
The Ring Battery Doorbell Plus was refreshed this year and is currently seeing a 33 percent discount making it just $120 instead of $180. It captures head-to-toe, 1536p video and in-color night vision and send it to your phone or smart display. The Package Alert feature lets you know when your Amazon (or other) delivery arrives and the two-way audio allows you to communicate with whoever is at the door. It operates on a rechargeable battery pack or you can hardwire it to your doorbell wires for continual power.
Ring Video Doorbell
The Ring Video Doorbell is down to $55 after a 45 percent discount. It takes 1080p video triggered by better motion detection, compared to the previous model and offers two-way audio. It also allows for privacy zones and can shoot with night vision, operating on either rechargeable (built-in) batteries or through your existing doorbell hard wires. It connects via Wi-Fi and the Ring app, but if you also connect with an Alexa device, you can enable preset announcements triggered by different actions, like a doorbell press. It’s also available as a bundle with an Echo Show 5 smart display for $65, or about $10 less than their individual sale prices.
Blink Video Doorbell
Both Blink and Ring are owned by Amazon, and both use their individual apps for setup, but also work with the Alexa app and other Amazon smart home devices. Blink just makes one doorbell, the Blink Video Doorbell and it’s less expensive than all Ring models, with a list price of $60. Now it’s half price and down to just $30, which makes it one of the more affordable ways to keep tabs on your porch and packages. Keep in mind that it’s battery-powered only and to see a live view on-demand (as in, not triggered by motion), you’ll need an additional device, the $35 Sync Module 2.
Blink Mini
The indoor, wired Blink Mini security camera is 43 percent off for Cyber Monday, going for $20 and about $2 more than its all-time low and about $5 less than it often sells for. The camera offers HD video and two-way audio so you can hear and talk to people in the room (or tell the dog to hop off the couch). If you also have a Blink Video Doorbell, the Blink Mini can act as a chime
Blink Outdoor 4
The Blink Outdoor 4 is our preferred outdoor security camera in our smart home guide. Right now it’s half price for a set of two, down to $99 for the set. This latest generation came out in August and supports better motion detection, a wider field of view and infrared night vision. An optional subscription unlocks person detection and allows clips to be stored in the cloud. The mounting kit attaches to a variety of surfaces and thanks to the two-year battery life, you can stick it just about anywhere you want.
Amazon Cyber Monday deals on Eero routers
Eero Pro 6E mesh Wi-Fi router
If you want to take advantage of that 6 GHz Wi-Fi band, you’ll need a router (and devices) that support it. Amazon’s Eero Pro 6E mesh Wi-Fi router is $400 for a set of three, which covers up to 6,000 square feet. In our tests, the routers performed well enough; they’re easy to set up and use, with an app that has a clean UI and step-by-step instructions. Unfortunately, many of the management features are paywalled, whereas systems from Google offer many of those tools for free.
If you’re not worried about accessing that 6GHz band, a three-pack of the Eero Pro 6 mesh Wi-Fi 6 router may serve you better. It’s currently 40 percent off and down to $240. The set will also cover 6,000 square feet, and can deliver gigabit speeds from ISP plans that offer it. This is technically also a tri-band router, with two antennas for the 5GHz band along with a single 2.4GHz receiver.
A single unit of the Eero 6+ mesh Wi-Fi router is currently $90 after a 36 percent discount. It’s a dual-band, gigabit router with up to 1,500 square feet of coverage.
Your Cyber Monday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Cyber Monday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Cyber Monday tech deals. Learn about Cyber Monday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Cyber Monday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Cyber Monday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/36-of-the-best-cyber-monday-deals-on-amazon-devices-221855702.html?src=rss
Source: Engadget – 36 of the best Cyber Monday deals on Amazon devices
Build An Affordable 1440p Gaming PC For Under $1000 With These Cyber Monday Deals

Alright, here’s the scenario: you, a friend, or a family member want to move their gaming experience from console to PC, but you’re looking at popular builds and balking at the prices. Who has $200 for a CPU cooler or $35 apiece for ARGB fans? Well good news: that stuff is for enthusiasts, and isn’t necessarily required to build a baller gaming
Source: Hot Hardware – Build An Affordable 1440p Gaming PC For Under 00 With These Cyber Monday Deals
These Are the Best Cyber Monday Deals on Headphones
When you find the perfect headphones or a set of earbuds that fit your lifestyle, it’s like unlocking a new level of personal audio bliss. Whether you want noise cancellation, a budget pair of earbuds that won’t break the bank, or premium-sounding headphones, your perfect audio match is out there—and we’re here to help you find them. Here are the best Cyber Monday deals on headphones and earbuds that you should be shopping for right now.
Best deals on noise-cancelling headphones and earbuds
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Headphones: If you’re looking for some reliable noise-canceling headphones to work from home or tune out the world, consider the Sony WH-1000XM4 Wireless Noise Canceling headphones, currently going for $228 (originally $348) at Walmart. This is the cheapest any retailer is selling it and the lowest price it’s been in the past three months, according to Honey. You can read the full PCMag review here.
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Earbuds: If you prefer to isolate with earbuds, consider the Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II, currently going for $199 (originally $279). These come with an assortment of features, but their noise-canceling technology is what makes them stand out. This is also, by far, the lowest price these earbuds have been, according to Camelcamelcamel’s price history. You can read the full PCMag review here.
Best Cyber Monday deals on noise-canceling headphones and earbuds:
Best deals on headphones and earbuds to hear your surroundings
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Headphones: The Beats Studio Pro are Beats’ flagship product and their most expensive headphone. They have a powerful sound and are very comfortable. They are on this list because they have spatial audio that uses head tracking so you know which direction the sound around you is coming from. This is a great feature for those who commute on their bikes, run or walk around busy areas. You can also hear the people around you without taking off your headphones. Currently, they have hit their lowest price yet, per Camelcamelcamel’s price history, with a 51% discount currently at $169.99 (originally $349.99). This is one of the best headphone deals I’ve seen so far. You can read the full PCMag review here.
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Earbuds: For those who want to have secure earbuds for the gym that still let them be aware of their surroundings, the JBL Endurance Peak 3 does the job effectively with its ambient awareness technology and comfortable, secure fit. They are currently $69.95 (originally $99.95), which is the lowest price they’ve been on Amazon, according to Camelcamelcamel’s price history. You can read the full PCMag review here.
Best Cyber Monday deals on standard headphones and earbuds:
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Beats Studio Pro $169.99
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JBL Endurance Peak 3 $69.95
Best headphones and earbuds under $100
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Earbuds: If you’re prone to losing your earbuds all the time and want decent earbuds for a good deal, consider the 2023 Echo Buds currently going for $34.99 (originally $49.99). These sweat-resistant earbuds with Alexa voice control are the lowest price they’ve been over the last three months, according to Honey. You can read the full PCMag review here.
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Another great option, while they last, is the Skullcandy Indy Evo currently going for $14.99 (originally $69.99). This is one of the best bangs for your buck on this list. The earbuds are water resistant, give you 30 hours of playtime, and come with a charging case. This is by far the cheapest they’ve ever been, according to Camelcamelcamel’s price history.
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Headphones: If you want some noise-canceling headphones that won’t cost an arm and a leg, consider the Sennheiser HD 458BT Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones from Best Buy, currently going for $69.98 (originally $199.98). These noise-canceling headphones are only in the budget section because they are half off, not because of their quality. This price matches the lowest it’s been over the last three months, according to Honey.
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Another great alternative are the Beats Solo3, which are 50% off at $99.99 (originally $199.95). These headphones give you up to 40 hours of listening time with fast charging (three hours of playtime with a five-minute charge) and have a microphone so you can take calls with them. This is the cheapest they’ve ever been, according to Camelcamelcamel’s price history.
Best Cyber Monday deals on headphones and earbuds under $100:
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2023 Echo Buds $34.99
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Skullcandy Indy Evo $14.99
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Sennheiser HD 458BT Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones $69.98
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Beats Solo3 $99.99
Best deals on premium audio headphones and earbuds
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Headphones: For those looking for the best quality while still considering a deal, the Bose QuietComfort 45 for $199 (originally $329) offers the best noise cancellation of any headphones, according to PCMag’s review. They have a rich sound and stay comfortable no matter how long you wear them. This is the cheapest they’ve ever been, according to Camelcamelcamel’s price history.
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If you’re not looking to spend that much but still want quality headphones, consider the Sony WH-XB910N for $119.99 (originally $249.99). This matches the lowest price they’ve been over the last four months, according to Honey’s price history. You can read PCMag’s “excellent” review here.
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Earbuds: If you’re looking for a deal on premium sound on a pair of earbuds, consider the Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro. They are currently $159.99 (originally $229.99), which is the third lowest price they’ve ever been, according to Camelcamelcamel’s price history. You can read the full PCMag review here.
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A direct competitor of the Galaxy Buds Pro 2 is the Status Between 3ANC. I’ve been using mine for about two months, and they are my go-to pair for most activities. They have one of the most clear sounds I’ve heard from a pair of earbuds, with the ability to fully customize the EQ. They also have active noise-canceling, ambient sound to hear your surroundings and give you many ear-tip options to find the best fit for you. They are currently $139 (originally $249.99). This is the lowest price they’ve ever been, according to Camelcamelcamel’s price history. You can read the full PCMag review here.
Best Cyber Monday deals on premium headphones and earbuds:
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Bose QuietComfort 45 $199
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Sony WH-XB910N $119.99
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Samsung Galaxy Buds 2 Pro $159.99
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Status Between 3ANC $139
Source: LifeHacker – These Are the Best Cyber Monday Deals on Headphones
Sports Illustrated Allegedly Dupes Readers With Fake AI-Created Writers

Update 5:46 PM: Sports Illustrated sent us the following statement.
Source: Gizmodo – Sports Illustrated Allegedly Dupes Readers With Fake AI-Created Writers
These Are the Best Cyber Monday Deals on Streaming Devices
With major streaming content providers rolling out bargain prices for their movies and TV shows, it’s a good time to pick up a new device to actually do the streaming. There are a ton of devices out there that will hook up to your TV and let you watch Netflix, YouTube, etc., and the shopping holiday deals have made them extremely affordable. I’m talking “less than 20 bucks” affordable.
Here are my picks for the best Cyber Monday streaming device deals.
Amazon Fire devices
Amazon is offering Cyber Monday deals on its Fire line of streaming devices, and there’s something for every budget. Each of these devices comes with six months of MGM+ for free.
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Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite: This cheap-as-chips streaming stick can be yours for the Cyber Monday price of $15.99, marked down from $29.99. It’s compatible with Alexa, lets you stream movies and TV from major streaming services and listen to music from Spotify, Amazon Music, and Pandora too. If you pay for MGM+ already, you should buy this even if you already have a streaming device: MGM+ is $49.99 a year, so you’d be saving money even if you never use the Stick at all.
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Amazon Fire TV Stick: A step up from the “lite” version, this devices streams in full HD. You can watch endless hours of content and stream music too for $19.99, half-off its regular price. It also comes with MGM+ for six months, so the above sneaky savings still apply.
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Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max: Along with the music and movie streaming and support for Wi-Fi 6E, the 4K Max comes with “Ambient Experience” that “lets you display over 2,000 pieces of museum-quality art and photography.” Cool, I guess. The Max costs $39.99, marked down from $59.99,
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Amazon Fire TV Cube: According to Amazon, the Fire TV Cube contains an octa-core processor that is 2X as powerful as Fire TV Stick 4K Max. Not only can you use it to stream movies and music in high definition, it also lets you manage your smart home on screen. It’s on sale for $109.99, marked down from $139.99.
Chromecast with Google TV (4K)
The 4K version of Google’s streaming device is on sale through Best Buy for $37.99, marked down from $49.99. It features voice control, a recommendation system, kid-friendly profiles, and it comes with six months of Peacock Premium for free.
Chromecast with Google TV (4k)
Roku streaming devices
Like Amazon, Roku is offering Cyber Monday deals on a number of its video streaming devices and has something for everyone, no matter how much or how little they want to spend.
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Roku Express: For $21.99, you can have fast, seamless streaming with the Roku Express. It comes with 400+ free live TV channels, and the Roku channel too. It’s no frills, but it’s easy and cheap.
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Roku Express 4K+: Amazon is selling the “better” 4k version of the Roku Express for $24.97, not much extra for a definite step-up in quality.
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Roku Streaming Stick: This tiny streaming stick hides behind your TV and provides limitless streaming choices for only $29.98.
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Roku Ultra: Roku’s top-of-the-line streaming device is selling for $69.00, 31% less than its regular $99.99 price. The Ultra supports Cinematic Dolby Vision picture & Dolby Atmos sound. It comes with a chargeable remote control, and a remote-control-finding feature for when you lose the thing.
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Roku Streambar: If you need a device to stream video and provide premium audio, the Streambar has you covered. For $99.99, you get both a top-of-the-line streaming device and a decent soundbar. If you want to upgrade to full surround in the future, the Streambar is compatible with other Roku speakers.
2021 Apple TV 4K
Apple’s 4K streaming box features 64GB of storage, 4K High Frame Rate HDR with Dolby Vision video, and that special Apple style. It also features Apple Arcade, Apple Fitness+, and Apple Music—in other words, it’s the perfect addition to your Apple home. In keeping with Apple’s identity, it’s fairly expensive at $179.95, but the Cyber Monday price on Amazon is a little cheaper than the usual price of $199.99.
2021 Apple TV 4K with 64GB Storage
Tablo 2-Tuner Over-the-Air DVR
This is one of those “you didn’t know you always needed it” products. It’s a DVR for both streaming an over-the-air video. So cord-cutters can record what they like from their smartphones, Amazon Fire devices, Roku, Google TV, and digital antenna, then play it back on any compatible device on the network. The $79.95 price is 20% off the usual $99.95 price.
Tablo 2-Tuner Over-The-Air DVR
Source: LifeHacker – These Are the Best Cyber Monday Deals on Streaming Devices
Cyber Monday TV deals: Save hundreds on sets from Samsung, LG, Sony and more
Cyber Monday is traditionally one of the best times of the year to pick up a new TV, with the discounts often matched only by the stretch around the Super Bowl and the spring period after brand new models are announced. This year looks to be no different. To help ensure you buy a set that’s actually worth your money, we’ve sorted through the sales and rounded up the best Cyber Monday TV deals we could find for 2023. Though many of these deals have technically been available for a few weeks, most represent the lowest prices we’ve seen. And while we don’t formally review TVs at Engadget, we’ve thoroughly researched price histories and reviews from other sites we trust to ensure you get the right TV for your needs — whether it’s a premium OLED TV, a budget-friendly model or just any sort of mammoth 75-inch screen. You can find our full selection below, which includes top-rated sets from Samsung, LG and Sony, plus a few recommended streaming services, soundbars and media streamers.
Best Cyber Monday OLED TV deals
55-inch Samsung S90C OLED TV
A 55-inch model of Samsung’s S90C OLED TV is still available for $1,298 at Amazon, Walmart and B&H. Samsung itself has it for $2 more. This has been the S90C’s price for the last several weeks but, outside of a brief drop to $1,098 at B&H earlier this month, it matches the lowest rate we’ve tracked. The S90C has received near–universal praise for its QD-OLED panel, which uses quantum dots to boost its peak brightness and color saturation while retaining the high contrast and deep black tones of a typical OLED display. Put another way: It looks great, and it should hold up better than most OLED TVs in a bright room. It’s also an ideal gaming TV, as it has four HDMI 2.1 ports that support up to a 144Hz refresh rate in 4K. The main drawback is that, like all Samsung TVs, it doesn’t support the popular Dolby Vision HDR format.
42-inch LG C3 OLED TV
The LG C3 OLED TV is down to $897 for a 42-inch model at Amazon and B&H, which matches its all-time low. The C3 lacks the quantum-dot tech of the Samsung S90C, so it can’t get quite as bright or colorful. But it still offers most of the expected perks of a good OLED panel, including high contrast, wide viewing angles and smooth motion. It supports Dolby Vision HDR as well, plus it’s available in smaller sizes than the S90C — hence why we’re highlighting the 42-inch model here. Larger versions are also discounted, but they’re priced close enough to the S90C that most people should opt for the Samsung TV instead. If you want a premium TV for a smaller space — and can keep the set away from glare — this model should fit the bill.
48-inch LG A2 OLED TV
The 48-inch LG A2 OLED TV, meanwhile, is on sale for $550 at Best Buy. We’ve seen numerous deals for this set over the course of the year, but this one matches the lowest price we’ve tracked. The A2 is an entry-level model from 2022, so it’s limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, lacks HDMI 2.1 ports and doesn’t support other gaming-friendly features like VRR. It has noticeably lower peak brightness than higher-end OLEDs like the C3, too, so it won’t pop as much with HDR content. That said, it’s still an OLED TV, so it still delivers deep contrast, bold colors, wide viewing angles and low input lag for the money. At this price, it should be a nice step-up option for smaller or secondary rooms.
55-inch Sony A95L OLED TV
If money is truly no object, the 55-inch Sony A95L is $300 off and down to a new “low” of $2,498 at Amazon and B&H (and $2,500 at Best Buy). That’s far from cheap, but this ultra-premium QD-OLED TV has received wide praise for delivering perfect black levels, superb image processing, particularly punchy colors, and high brightness levels relative to other OLED sets. It’s another Google TV and, unlike the Samsung S90C, it supports Dolby Vision HDR. It can even play games at 4K/120Hz with Dolby Vision, and several reviews praise the quality of its built-in speakers. The main negative, apart from its eye-watering price, is that it only has two HDMI 2.1 ports. The S90C should be a better value for most, particularly gamers, but this deal makes the A95L at least a little cheaper than usual.
Best Cyber Monday 4K LED TV deals
55-inch Samsung The Frame LED TV (LS03B)
The 55-inch version of Samsung’s The Frame TV is down to $978 at Amazon and B&H, which is nearly $400 off its average street price in recent months. It’s available for a couple bucks more at Samsung and Best Buy. If you want something smaller, the 50-inch model is a good buy at $898, too. This LED TV lacks contrast-boosting features like local dimming and mini-LED backlights, so its picture quality, while good, can’t match the best sets in its price range. Instead, you’d buy a Frame TV for its style. The whole thing is designed to look like a mountable piece of wall art, and when you aren’t watching something, you can use it to display artwork and photos. The TV comes with a few pieces by default, while others are available with an optional subscription.
55-inch Hisense U8K LED TV
The 55-inch Hisense U8K is available for $698 an Amazon and Walmart, which is an all-time low and $50 less than its typical street price in recent months. Best Buy has it for $700. The 65-inch model is also down to a new all-time low of $867, while the 75-inch set is at a low of $1,290. Several reviews have praised the U8K as one of the year’s best values among midrange TVs, one that gets impressively bright and delivers strong contrast for an LED display. It comes with two HDMI 2.1 ports that play 4K video up to 144Hz, it supports all the major HDR formats and its Google TV platform is easier to use than most smart TV UIs. Its motion and color performance will still trail a good OLED TV, though, and reviews say it’ll wash out much more heavily when viewed from an angle. But if you want to stay under $1,000, it should be a good value.
65-inch Hisense U6K LED TV
The Hisense U6K is down to $350 for a 55-inch model and $498 for a 65-inch model, both of which represent all-time lows. The U6K is a well–reviewed option for those on a tighter budget, as it’s one of the few affordable sets to use quantum dots, mini-LED backlights and full-array local dimming. All of that helps it deliver better contrast and color volume than most TVs in this price range. It can’t get as bright as the U8K or TCL QM8, so it won’t exactly sparkle with HDR content, and its picture will degrade when viewed at an angle. Its 60Hz refresh rate and lack of HDMI 2.1 ports mean it’s not ideal for gaming, either. But trade-offs are to be expected for less than $500; if you don’t want to pay up for a higher-end model, this looks to be a solid compromise.
75-inch Hisense U7K LED TV
We’ll also note the Hisense U7K, which is down to a low of $900 for a 75-inch set at Best Buy. The 65-inch and 55-inch models are also available for lows of $700 and $480, respectively. As its name suggests, this TV sits between the U8K and U6K in Hisense’s lineup: It doesn’t look as rich or bright as the former, but it’s a step up over the latter if you can afford to stretch your budget a little more.
65-inch TCL QM8 LED TV
The TCL QM8 is generally regarded as a close rival to the Hisense U8K in the same price bracket. Its 65-inch model is now down to $900 at Amazon and Best Buy, which is only $2 higher than lowest price we’ve tracked. Like Hisense’s set, the QM8 uses quantum dots, mini-LED backlights and an expansive local dimming feature to deliver strong contrast for a non-OLED TV and enough brightness to overcome glare in any room. It, too, runs Google TV, and it has two HDMI 2.1 ports that can play in 4K/144Hz.
The QM8 isn’t available in a size lower than 65 inches, so those who don’t have the space for a larger TV should get the U8K. But TCL’s TV does have one advantage for gamers: Its eARC port is separate from its HDMI 2.1 ports. That means those with a PS5, Xbox Series X and eARC-enabled soundbar can have all three hooked up at once and enjoy 4K/120Hz gaming on the two consoles without having to change inputs. One of the U8K’s HDMI 2.1 ports, on the other hand, doubles as the eARC port, so it might cause a little extra hassle. Otherwise, the two sets appear to offer similar performance.
65-inch TCL Q6 LED TV
The 65-inch TCL Q6 is available for $500 at Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy, which is $20 more than its all-time low but still $50 below its usual street price. The 75-inch set is also on sale for $650, which is an all-time low. The Q6 is another budget-level TV released in 2023. Most reviews we trust say it lags well behind the Hisense U6K when it comes to contrast and HDR performance, but it’s worth highlighting because it supports a faster 120Hz refresh rate — so long as you play at a 1080p or 1440p resolution instead of 4K. If you’re a competitive-minded gamer who doesn’t want to spend a ton on a new TV, that extra smoothness might be worthwhile. Note that this set runs Amazon’s Fire TV platform, which’ll work best if you often use Amazon services like Prime Video.
65-inch TCL S4 LED TV
The 65-inch TCL S4 is down to $348 at Best Buy, which is $50 below its usual going rate and only $2 more than the lowest price we’ve seen. The 55-inch variant is also on sale for $260. The S4 is a low-end 4K TV that lacks local dimming, so it doesn’t get super bright and isn’t ideal for gaming or watching HDR content. If you can step up to the Hisense U6K, you should. But we understand that, sometimes, you just need a cheap TV that does the job outside of the living room. The S4 should be serviceable for that, especially if you keep it in a room that isn’t heavily affected by glare. This model runs on the same Google TV interface as a few of our picks above, but versions that use Amazon’s Fire TV OS are also discounted.
Best Cyber Monday media streamer deals
Roku Streaming Stick 4K
The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is still down to $30 at Amazon, Target, Walmart, Best Buy and Roku’s online store, among others. That’s $5 more than its all-time low but still $14 off the average street price we’ve seen in recent months. The Streaming Stick 4K is the top pick in our guide to the best streaming devices: It runs quickly, it supports the major HDR formats and streaming services (Twitch excluded) and it has useful features like AirPlay support and a private listening mode. The Roku OS platform isn’t the sexiest piece of software design, but it’s a breeze to navigate and its search tool does well to find shows across disparate apps.
Roku Express 4K+
A couple other Roku streamers of note are also on sale. The Roku Express 4K+, for one, is within a dollar of its all-time low at $25. That dongle can’t plug directly into an HDMI port, lacks Dolby Vision support and has slightly slower Wi-Fi than the Streaming Stick 4K, but it offers the same general experience otherwise. This deal is available at several stores, including Amazon, Home Depot, Best Buy and Roku.com.
Roku Ultra
The Roku Ultra, meanwhile, is down to $69 at various retailers. That’s a $30 discount. The Ultra is the “best set-top box” pick in our media streamer guide; it’s pricier than the Streaming Stick 4K, but it adds an Ethernet jack and a microSD slot for expanding storage. It also comes with Roku’s Voice Remote Pro, which has a rechargeable battery, two programmable shortcut buttons, a remote finder function and a built-in headphone jack for private listening. Just note that you can buy the Voice Remote Pro separately and use it with most other Roku streamers if you don’t want to buy a whole new device.
Google Chromecast with Google TV
The Google Chromecast is on sale for $38 at Amazon, Walmart, Target and others. This deal doesn’t represent an all-time low, but it’s still $12 off Google’s list price. The Chromecast is the runner up in our streaming device guide: It was released way back in 2020 and doesn’t support Wi-Fi 6, but it still performs competently and supports the major apps. Its biggest selling point is the Google TV interface, which does well to proactively suggest shows you might like based on your viewing history and has a genuinely convenient voice search function. If the idea of a streamer that adjusts to your viewing habits sounds appealing, it might be worth grabbing over one of the Roku players above.
If you’re shopping for an older TV, meanwhile, the 1080p version of the Chromecast offers most of the same benefits and is on sale for $20.
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K
Amazon’s new Fire TV Stick 4K and Fire TV Stick 4K Max are still at their lowest prices to date for Cyber Monday. The former is 50 percent off at $25, while the latter is 33 percent off at $40. Between the two, the Max has a slightly faster processor clocked at 2.0GHz (instead of 1.7GHz), 16GB of internal storage (instead of 8GB) and support for Wi-Fi 6E (instead of just Wi-Fi 6). It also includes Amazon’s “Ambient Experience” mode, which displays artwork and widgets when the streamer is idle. That said, both devices should be quick to load content, and both support the requisite streaming apps, Dolby Atmos and major HDR formats.
The main downside with all Fire TV devices is the same as it’s been for years: Amazon’s Fire OS is saddled with ads and not shy about nudging you toward Amazon services like Prime Video or Freevee. For most, a Roku or Chromecast should be a bit less obnoxious. But if you often use Amazon apps (or Alexa) and just want a decent 4K streamer for cheap, that may not matter.
Amazon Fire TV Cube
On the higher end of the Fire TV lineup, the Fire TV Cube is still on sale for $110. That’s a $30 discount and tied for the lowest price we’ve seen. The Fire TV Cube blends a 4K streaming player with the functionality of a hands-free Alexa speaker, so you can use it in a manner similar to one of the company’s Echo devices. The box itself is still the most performant Fire TV device, and it comes with a number of ports, including an Ethernet jack and HDMI input. With the latter, you can run a cable box or game console through the Cube and still see an Alexa overlay whenever you call on the voice assistant. (Though you’ll be limited to a 60Hz refresh rate.) The same issues with Fire TV OS still apply, but the Alexa support situates the Cube as one of the more unique 4K streamers you can buy.
Apple TV 4K
Deals for the Apple TV 4K have been extremely uncommon over the past year and, sadly, we still aren’t seeing any new cash discounts for Cyber Monday. However, if you’re willing to pay the full $129 list price at Apple’s online store (or $149 for a 128GB model), you can get a $25 Apple Gift Card for no extra cost. That’s not an amazing deal, but if you’ve had your eye on the set-top box and already planned on paying for Apple Music, iCloud or any other Apple service, it’s better than nothing.
We call the Apple TV 4K the “best premium” pick in our media streamer guide. It’s much pricier than a Roku or Chromecast, but it’s consistently fast, its Siri-based remote works well and it supports Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision. It also integrates tightly with other Apple devices and services; you can quick-pair a set of AirPods, for instance, and beam content directly to the box via AirPlay. Apple’s tvOS platform is slick and easy to read too, though it tends to advertise Apple TV+ shows over those from other services.
NVIDIA Shield TV Pro
The NVIDIA Shield TV Pro is back down to $170 at Amazon and Best Buy, a $30 discount that ties the lowest price we’ve tracked. This is the “best for gamers” pick in our streaming devices guide. It’s a fairly niche option these days, as it was released way back in 2019 and uses the older Android TV platform instead of the generally more polished Google TV. But its still-speedy Tegra X1+ chip works well for game streaming and playing Android titles, and it may make sense you’re looking to emulate older games or run a Plex media server. The box itself is loaded with ports, and its upscaling tech can make 1080p content look crisper on 4K TVs. For enthusiast types, this is a decent chance to save.
Best Cyber Monday streaming deals
If you’re happy with your TV setup but need new things to watch, note that a number of popular streaming services are still running sales for new and returning subscribers:
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Peacock is selling a year of its ad-supported Premium service for $20, which is $40 less than usual. Just use the checkout code YEARLONG.
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Max is offering six months of its ad-supported tier for $3 per month, down from $10 per month.
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Hulu is offering a year of its “with ads” tier for $12 total, down from $80.
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Over at Paramount+, you can get that three months of the “Essential” tier for $6 instead of $18.
None of these services are essential, but if there’s a show you’ve been meaning to watch on one, offers like these at least make the barrier of entry a bit less imposing. Just remember that your subscription will be set to auto-renew in most cases, so you’ll have to cancel manually if you don’t want to pay full price after the discounted period ends.
Best Cyber Monday soundbar deals
Sonos soundbar sale
Sonos is still running a holiday sale that discounts a wide selection of soundbars and home theater gear. The deals include the flagship Sonos Arc soundbar for $719, which is a $180 discount. The mid-range Sonos Beam (Gen 2) and the more basic Sonos Ray are also on sale for $399 and $223, respectively; that’s a $100 drop for the former and a $56 drop for the latter. All three devices are recommendations in our guide to the best soundbars. Elsewhere, the Sonos Sub (Gen 3) subwoofer is $160 off at $639, while the more compact Sonos Sub Mini is $86 off at $343.
We gave the Arc, Beam and Ray review scores of 85, 88 and 82, respectively. The Arc and Beam both technically support Dolby Atmos, but the former’s larger frame and upward-firing drivers help it sound more spacious. The Ray is a smaller and more basic model that doesn’t sound as dynamic, but it still performs well for its size and price. Each device gets you the core perks of a Sonos speaker: easy pairing with other Sonos devices, a simple setup process, a straightforward app with access to a variety of streaming services, AirPlay support, a stylish design and so on. Discounts on Sonos devices are fairly rare, though it’s worth noting that a recent Bloomberg report said the company is working on an updated Arc and other home theater equipment for sometime next year.
Roku Streambar
The Roku Streambar is back down to $100 at B&H. That isn’t an all-time low, but it takes about $15 off the device’s average street price as of late. The Streambar is a 14-inch soundbar that also works as a 4K Roku streamer. It doesn’t sound particularly rich or expansive, but it’s an upgrade over most built-in TV speakers. It also supports Apple AirPlay, though it doesn’t work with Dolby Vision or HDR10+. Still, if you’re looking to add streaming support and improved audio quality to an older TV, it’s worth considering. We gave the Streambar a score of 86 in our review back in 2020.
Your Cyber Monday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Cyber Monday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Cyber Monday tech deals. Learn about Cyber Monday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Cyber Monday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Cyber Monday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cyber-monday-tv-deals-save-hundreds-on-sets-from-samsung-lg-sony-and-more-220018113.html?src=rss
Source: Engadget – Cyber Monday TV deals: Save hundreds on sets from Samsung, LG, Sony and more
Teenage Engineering’s TP-7 Is the Ferrari of Tape Recorders
Rivian’s electric truck is available to lease in 14 US states
Rivian has started a leasing program in 14 US states. The EV maker added the new financing option to its website on Monday (via Electrek), allowing customers to lease R1T electric pickup trucks for estimated prices starting at around $770 monthly (depending on your region). Since vehicle leases are categorized differently from purchases under the Inflation Reduction Act (IRA), lessees qualify for the full $7,500 federal tax credit for electric vehicles.
The leasing program will be available to customers in Arizona, California, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, Pennsylvania, Texas and Washington. “We chose these launch states based on many factors including where our customers are located and where leasing is most popular,” a Rivian spokesperson wrote in an email to CNBC. Rivian told the outlet it plans to expand the program’s available states and vehicle models, but it didn’t offer a timeline or further details. It’s reportedly working with Chase for financing.
Although the Rivian R1T starts at $73,000, the leasing program currently only includes higher-end models hovering around $90,000. For example, when entering a Denver zip code, the automaker’s online configurator estimated prices from $87,000 to $91,000 with monthly payments in the $782 to $835 range. So, although the federal tax credits can make signing off on a new electric truck more manageable, it’s still limited to buyers with at least fairly deep pockets.
Rivian raised its production forecast for the entire year by 2,000 vehicles earlier this month. It now expects to move 54,000 units by the end of the year as it prepares for the long-delayed arrival of the Tesla Cybertruck.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/rivians-electric-truck-is-available-to-lease-in-14-us-states-215636074.html?src=rssSource: Engadget – Rivian’s electric truck is available to lease in 14 US states
Broadcom Lays Off VMware Employees After Closing Its $69 Billion Acquisition
After acquiring VMware for $69 billion, Broadcom is eliminating several positions at the virtualization technology company. Business Insider reports: Employees whose positions were eliminated received an email on Monday, viewed by Business Insider, that read: “Broadcom recently completed its acquisition of VMware. As part of integration planning, and following an organizational needs assessment, we identified go-forward roles that will be required within the combined company. We regret to inform you that your position is being eliminated and your employment will be terminated.”
“We would like to thank you for your dedication and service. We want to make this transition as smooth as possible, including offering you a generous severance package and providing you a non-working paid notice period,” the email continued. Currently, it’s unclear exactly how many employees will be affected by the cuts.
Read more of this story at Slashdot.
Source: Slashdot – Broadcom Lays Off VMware Employees After Closing Its Billion Acquisition
There's Now an At-Home Test for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea

Americans looking to stay on top of their sexual health have a new at-home option available to them. Earlier this month, the Food and Drug Administration authorized the first home test for chlamydia and gonorrhea. Developed by the company LetsGetChecked, the Simple 2 test costs between $58 and $99 a kit and returns…
Source: Gizmodo – There’s Now an At-Home Test for Chlamydia and Gonorrhea
The Best Cyber Monday Deals Walmart Has to Offer
Don’t sleep on Walmart when it comes to Cyber Monday. The no-frills retailer has slashed prices on all kinds of in-demand holiday gifts, from headphones to laptops to state-of-the-art vacuum cleaners. Here’s the best of what Walmart has available for the holidays.
Walmart’s best Cyber Monday TV deals
Top pick: Element Electronics 55″ 4K UHD Partial Sun Outdoor Roku Smart TV $498
This outdoor-ready television is equipped with an anti-glare screen, weather-proofing technology to withstand water, dust, dirt, humidity, and snow, and the screen is extra bright. It’s a rugged, all-weather TV that operates in temperatures as low as -4°F and as high 104°F, and it’s a steal $498–$400.00 off the regular price.
More Walmart Cyber Monday TV deals
Walmart’s best Cyber Monday headphone deals
Top pick: Beats Studio Pro Wireless Headphones $264.69
A pair of Beats for $264.69 is a solid bargain. Especially since the regular price of these ‘phones is $399.95. Not only do they feature all the audio bells and whistles you’d expect from a set of higher end headphones, they also have the cool Beats name and stying.
More Walmart Cyber Monday headphone deals
Walmart’s best Cyber Monday laptop deals
Top pick: HP 15.6″ FHD Laptop, Intel Core i3-1215U $315.00
This HP laptop features a sizable screen, a powerful-enough Intel processor, and 8 GB of RAM. Best of all, it’s $64 off the usual price. Overall, a solid bargain for an entry level laptop and a perfect machine to give to your kid before the second half of the school year starts.
More Walmart Cyber Monday laptop deals
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Lenovo Ideapad Gaming 3 15.6″ FHD 120Hz Gaming Laptop $489.99
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Acer Nitro 16 AN16-41 – AMD Ryzen 7 $1,099.99
Walmart’s best Cyber Monday gaming deals
Top pick: Nintendo Switch with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe $359.99
If you want to be the hero of Christmas this year, pick up a Nintendo Switch bundled with Mario Kart 8 Deluxe. I promise you will make your kiddies happy for the holiday break, but you’ll also make yourself happy after they go to bed. While $50 off isn’t the steepest price cut, it’s Nintendo; they don’t tend to do deep bargains.
More Walmart Cyber Monday gaming deals
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Meta Quest 2 128GB $249 (plus $50 credit in the Meta Quest Store)
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PlayStation 5 Disc Console – Marvel’s Spider-Man 2 Bundle $499
Walmart’s best Cyber Monday vacuum deals
Top pick: Shark Rotator Lift-Away Upright Vacuum $148.00
Judging by the online reviews (5 out of 5 stars) and the company’s reputation, this Shark Rotator is a solid vacuum, and it’s ridiculously cheap. The normal retail price of a Shark Rotator Lift-Away is $379—this is the kind of deal Cyber Monday fans absolutely love.
More Walmart Cyber Monday vacuum deals
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Dyson V8 Origin+ Cordless Vacuum $334.99
Walmart’s best Cyber Monday soundbar deals
Top pick: Sonos Arc Soundbar $719.00
Sonos’s Arc soundbar features 3D Sound with Dolby Atmos, tuning technology that optimizes the sound for the acoustics of your space, five phased-array channels, and ambient light sensing to ensure the units’ LEDs aren’t too bright for the room. So it’s a pretty serious soundbar. It’s also $179.98 cheaper than it would be if it wasn’t Cyber Monday.
More Walmart Cyber Monday soundbar deals
Walmart’s best Cyber Monday smartwatch and fitness tracker deals
Top pick: 2023 Apple Watch SE $179.00
Apple is rarely associated with “great bargains,” but an Apple Watch for $179 is pretty great. It’s $70 off the regular retail price, which was already fairly inexpensive (for an Apple product, anyway). Low(ish) price aside, this Apple Watch seamlessly connects with all your other Apple products while giving you convenient wrist-access to texts, calls, health information, and more.
More Walmart Cyber Monday smartwatch and fitness tracker deals
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Fitbit Inspire 2 Fitness Tracker $65.12
Source: LifeHacker – The Best Cyber Monday Deals Walmart Has to Offer
Meet Regitube, The ‘Fake’ Pokémon Who’s A Hit Among Fans

Fan-made Pokémon are nothing new, but the community seldom rallies around one like they have Regitube (or Regifloat, depending on who you ask). The hypothetical water-type Legendary Giant originated in a TikTok shitpost and has since become a legend within the Pokémon fandom, inspiring fan art, memes, and even modded…
Source: Kotaku – Meet Regitube, The ‘Fake’ Pokémon Who’s A Hit Among Fans
