OnePlus just revealed a trio of products, including the long-anticipated 15R smartphone. This is a redesign of the OnePlus 15, which is a device we rather enjoyed. The 15R will presumably be a budget-friendly version of the flagship 15, based on past releases, but we don’t have a price just yet. It is, however, being referred to as “the ultimate value high quality flagship device.”

The company hasn’t dropped any real specs just yet, but we do know that this handset prioritizes durability. As a matter of fact, OnePlus says the 15R has “the industry’s most complete durability ratings of IP66, IP68, IP69 and IP69K.” This phone should take a licking and keep on ticking.

OnePlus

It’ll be available in two colors. There’s a black one and a mint green design. The phone launches on December 17, which doesn’t leave OnePlus a lot of time to provide specs and pricing information. Only customers in Europe, India and North America will be able to buy the handset at first.

OnePlus

OnePlus also just revealed the Pad Go 2, which looks like a decent enough mid-range tablet. It boasts an anti-glare finish and is available in both black and purple. This will be the first tablet from the company to offer 5G connectivity. It comes with an integrated stylus, which has been “designed to enhance productivity and precision for note-taking and creative work.” It also drops on December 17 in Europe, India and North America.

OnePlus

The OnePlus Watch Lite is a budget-friendly version of its flagship smartwatch, offering top-tier “health and fitness features to an even more accessible price point.” We don’t have that price point just yet. This will only be available in a silver finish and also drops on December 17, but just in Europe. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/smartphones/the-oneplus-15r-smartphone-is-budget-friendly-durable-and-coming-next-month-163000244.html?src=rss

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Google Nest Thermostat E has been around for a few years, but this “Grade A” refurbished model—on sale for $71.99 on StackSocial, over 50% off—is offering it a second life. Grade A here means it has undergone full testing to confirm that the sensors, wifi radios, and battery behave as they should, and it arrives in near-mint condition, with little to no visible wear. It’s the kind of refurb deal where you don’t feel like you downgraded anything, especially since its frosted 320×320 LCD has always leaned towards a more modern aesthetic. The tradeoff is readability: You reportedly need to stand closer than you would with the sharper display on the pricier Nest Learning Thermostat.

The Thermostat E learns your patterns after a few days and automatically adjusts temperatures, while Home/Away Assist does its job without fuss. You leave the house, and it slips into Eco Temperatures; you come back, comfort returns before you notice. The Nest app keeps everything clear and simple. You can tweak temperatures from your phone, check Energy History to see when your AC spiked last week, or read HVAC alerts when the system starts behaving oddly. Voice control with Alexa or Google Assistant slots right into that routine. And the power draw stays low (under 1 kWh per month), which helps the energy-saving features feel honest, not performative.

Still, there are limits. Compatibility covers roughly 85% of 24-volt HVAC systems; however, anyone with older wiring or more complicated setups might need a C-wire or a call to a technician. The E model also supports fewer components than the flagship Learning Thermostat, and it doesn’t include remote sensors, so room-to-room temperature swings won’t be fully solved without buying extras. Still, the core package remains steady, offering reliable temperature and humidity sensing, an ENERGY STAR certification, and a simple installation. Factor in the refurb discount and this “excellent” PCMag review, and it becomes a great option to consider.

How long do Black Friday deals really last?

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

What stores have the best sales on Black Friday?

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

Are Black Friday deals worth it?

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

Are Cyber Monday deals better than Black Friday?

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

Lenovo is stockpiling memory and other critical components to navigate a supply crunch brought on by the boom in AI. From a report: The world’s biggest PC maker is holding on to component inventories that are roughly 50% higher than usual, [non-paywalled source] Chief Financial Officer Winston Cheng told Bloomberg TV on Monday. The frenzy to build and fill AI data centers with advanced hardware is raising prices for producers of consumer electronics, but Lenovo also sees opportunity in this to capitalize on its stockpile.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

It’s almost time to return to Hawkins for one last ride, and ahead of Netflix releasing the first four episodes of Stranger Things season five this week, the company dropped one more trailer. The clip sets the stage for a final showdown with Vecna, as Demogorgons aplenty break through from the Upside Down to wreak havoc on a militarized zone and Hawkins at large.

The gang seems to have a plan to take down the series’ big bad, with Dustin saying that “I wanna see Vecna’s heart on a platter.” (Dustin is also shown with a bloody face in a few shots and I will never forgive the person or thing that harmed him or ripped his Hellfire Club shirt.) As with previous trailers, there’s lots of action and explosions here. This preview ends with Steve getting a Back to the Future moment as he — with Dustin, Nancy and Jonathan in the passenger seats — guns his car into an Upside Down portal.

Anyone who’s been watching the show over the last (gosh) nine years will be hoping that Netflix and the Duffer brothers — the Stranger Things creators and showrunners — can bring the show home with a satisfying conclusion. We’ll get a better sense of how well they’ll pull that off very soon. The first four episodes of the final season debut on Netflix at 8PM ET on Wednesday, November 26, just in time for a Thanksgiving weekend watch with loved ones. Three more episodes will land on December 25 and the finale will hit Netflix (and some theaters) on December 31.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/tv-movies/netflix-drops-one-more-stranger-things-trailer-before-season-five-begins-152951886.html?src=rss

Meta allegedly suspended internal research into the mental health effects of its products after it showed that people who stopped using Facebook experienced less depression, anxiety and loneliness. This comes from unredacted court filings in a lawsuit filed by multiple US school districts against major social media companies, as reported by Reuters. The suit alleges that these companies had knowledge of the health risks posed by these platforms but intentionally hid this from users.

Meta started the research project, dubbed “Project Mercury,” in 2020. The company’s scientists worked with survey firm Nielsen to investigate what effect, if any, “deactivating” Facebook had on its users. The suit alleges that when this research showed mental health benefits to quitting Facebook, Meta shut down the project, chose not to publish the results and decreed the findings tainted by “existing media narrative” surrounding the company.

According to Reuters, the filings also showed internal research staffers clearly expressing that the findings had merit, writing “the Nielsen study does show causal impact on social comparison.” Another compared the findings to the tobacco industry “doing research and knowing cigs were bad and then keeping that info to themselves.” The allegations call to mind the now well-known decisions by Shell and Exxon to bury internal research connecting fossil fuels with catastrophic climate change as far back as the 1980s.

In a statement obtained by Reuters, a Meta spokesperson said, “the full record will show that for over a decade, we have listened to parents, researched issues that matter most, and made real changes to protect teens.” The statement touted the company’s Instagram Teen Accounts and said, “We strongly disagree with these allegations, which rely on cherry-picked quotes and misinformed opinions.”

Meta is arguing to strike the documents underlying these allegations, which are not yet public, claiming the nature of what plaintiffs want to unseal is overly broad. These lawsuits, filed by hundreds of school districts, are being consolidated and handled in the Northern District of California, with a hearing regarding this particular filing set for January 26.  

This isn’t even the first time the company has been accused of burying research that yielded inconvenient results. In 2023 Meta also faced a massive lawsuit from 41 states as well as the District of Columbia over allegations that its platforms harm and addict young users. A judge in that case ruled that Meta’s lawyers tried blocking internal research showing its social media platforms were harmful to teen mental health.

There is growing concern surrounding the effects of social media on mental health, particularly for children. Today Malaysia joined a growing list of countries including Denmark and Australia in a plan to ban social media for underage users.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/social-media/meta-allegedly-buried-research-showing-its-products-are-harming-users-152236073.html?src=rss

Apple’s next major iPhone software update will prioritize stability and performance over flashy new features, according to Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman, who reports that iOS 27 is being developed as a “Snow Leopard-style” release [non-paywalled source] focused on fixing bugs, removing bloat and improving underlying code after this year’s sweeping Liquid Glass design overhaul in iOS 26.

Engineering teams are currently combing through Apple’s operating systems to eliminate unnecessary code and address quality issues that users have reported since iOS 26’s September release. Those complaints include device overheating, unexplained battery drain, user interface glitches, keyboard failures, cellular connectivity problems, app crashes, and sluggish animations.

iOS 27 won’t be feature-free. Apple plans several AI additions: a health-focused AI agent tied to a Health+ subscription, expanded AI-powered web search meant to compete with ChatGPT and Perplexity, and deeper AI integration across apps. The company has also been internally testing a chatbot app called Veritas as a proving ground for its re-architected Siri, though a standalone chatbot product isn’t currently planned.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

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

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

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

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

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

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

Sony’s WH-1000XM6 headphones are now available in New Open Box condition on sale for $349.99 at StackSocial, which is a tempting offer if you’ve been eyeing the best premium headphones of 2025 (according to our writer, Daniel Oropeza). “Open Box” here means these units come from excess store inventory or returns that were inspected, verified to be new, and repackaged. You might see some wear on the box, but the headphones themselves are unused and come backed by a one-year warranty. For a product that normally goes for $449, that $100 cut is worth a look, especially if you’re upgrading from an older model or switching from Bose or Apple.

The WH-1000XM6 improves on Sony’s already-dominant line in small but meaningful ways. The return of the foldable design makes them easier to stash in a bag, and the new QN3 processor, which is seven times faster than the last generation, powers 12 microphones that listen, filter, and fine-tune sound in real time. That translates to adaptive noise cancellation that silences traffic, chatter, and plane engines with near-surgical precision. You can still hear high-pitched clinks or sudden noises, but most distractions disappear once music starts. It’s also the first Sony model that lets you charge while listening, a fix users have wanted for years. Battery life stays strong at around 30 hours with ANC on, and a three-minute charge nets three hours of playback, ideal for last-minute commutes or flights.

Sound quality holds Sony’s usual polish: crisp vocals, steady bass, and a clean balance that only improves once you tweak EQ settings in the app. Spatial Audio and Adaptive Sound Control add immersion, though they still rely on compatible apps and can be finicky to set up. The AI-powered call clarity works well, and the return of a 3.5 mm jack will please audiophiles who still prefer wired listening. At its core, this is Sony refining, not reinventing, a flagship. The XM6 doesn’t drastically outpace the XM5, but it’s a clear step up from the XM4, faster, smarter, and more portable. For those new to Sony’s ANC line, this Open Box deal offers top-tier performance at a gentler price, minus the factory-sealed box.

How long do Black Friday deals really last?

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

What stores have the best sales on Black Friday?

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

Are Black Friday deals worth it?

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

Are Cyber Monday deals better than Black Friday?

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