Year: 2024

Smartphone company Tecno is creating Universal Tone — a system that aims to finally bring an end to inaccurate skin tones in your photos.

A bunch of Amazon’s in-house-made gear has been discounted for Black Friday, and some of the best deals so far are on its streaming devices. The Fire TV Stick 4K Max, the company’s most powerful streaming dongle, has dropped to a new low of $33. That’s a 45 percent discount off its original $60 price tag. This compact streamer supports 4K content and comes with an enhanced Alexa Voice Remote and Wi-Fi 6E support. You can, of course, use it to access Amazon Prime Video, along with Netflix, Disney+ and all your favorite services.

While the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is a good option for streaming, we also use it for something a bit different: playing retro games. Our senior reporter Jeff Dunn bought one to play games from the PS1, Game Boy, Genesis, old arcade games and more. He finds it works much better than having to lug around any bigger devices. However, using your Fire TV Stick 4K Max to play old games requires a bit of setup so, if you’re interested in trying it, may I direct you to Dunn’s helpful guide here. 

Amazon’s Fire TV Cube is also discounted as part of a larger sale on Fire TV devices for Black Friday. Right now, you can pick up the streaming device for 29 percent off, dropping to $100 from $140. The Cube is your pick if you want access to ethernet and hands-free use with Alexa. It’s more powerful than the 4K Max, but, for the price difference, it’s a tough call if it’s worth it. 

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-deals-drop-the-fire-tv-stick-4k-max-down-to-an-all-time-low-of-33-140334161.html?src=rss

As of January 15, 2025, PlayStation’s Shuhei Yoshida will leave Sony but not retire from the industry entirely. Yoshida made the announcement while on the PlayStation Podcast Tuesday (a condensed transcription of the interview appears on the official PlayStation blog.) He hasn’t provided a reason why he’s leaving.

Many know Yoshida as Sony Interactive’s Head of Indies Initiative, a position he got in 2019. In other words, he’s in charge of getting indie games onto PlayStation consoles by networking with indie developers and promoting the games they made. Before this, he was part of the original team behind the first PlayStation console, meaning he’s been working on these consoles since the very beginning. We interviewed him back in 2013 to talk about Sony’s commitment to (and his particular affinity for) indie developers.

Yoshida believes that since PlayStation has been in good hands and has been thriving since its release, it’s time he moved on. His love for the console series remains, and he’s still highly optimistic about its future.

You may have seen his powerful roast of Microsoft’s previous plan to prevent Xbox One owners from easily sharing physical games back in 2013. It only took Yoshida 21 seconds to make his point that the PS4 wouldn’t have such restrictions and how bad of an idea Microsoft dreamed up. His horror when playtesting an early build of 2018’s God of War is also somewhat known.

As noted by Kotaku, Yoshida’s announcement is almost a week away from the PlayStation’s 30th anniversary, December 3.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/playstation/shuhei-yoshida-is-leaving-playstation-in-january-after-three-decades-172042338.html?src=rss

Earbuds are nice, but a portable speaker shares music with friends. And now for Black Friday, many of our favorite music sharers are on sale. We found deals on many of the speakers we’ve tested for our various guides and reviews — and most of those discounts are hitting the lowest prices of the year so far. 

One of the best deals is the JBL Flip 6, now $50 off. We’re also seeing the Marshall’s Emberton II speaker returning to it’s previous low of $100. 

And it’s not just Bluetooth speakers getting the discounts. Further down the page you’ll see deals we found on smart speakers and soundbars too. Most everything here has been pulled from our Bluetooth speaker buying guide, our smart speaker roundup and other buying advice articles. Here are the best speaker deals we could find for Black Friday.

The best Bluetooth speaker Black Friday deals

JBL

Portable Bluetooth speakers make it easy for you to bring the music where plugs don’t reach — a picnic, the front stoop, an aimless wander along the North Country Trail. And right now for Black Friday, we’re seeing plenty of Bluetooth speaker black Friday deals. Below is the best of what’s on sale, all pulled from our Bluetooth speaker guide as well as our reviews and news coverage.

The best JBL speaker Black Friday deals

JBL Clip 5 for $50 ($30 off): It’s tiny, portable and brings its own clip along with it. You’ll get 12 hours of listening from its waterproof body and the whole thing weighs just over half a pound.

JBL Flip 6 for $80 ($50 off): This is the one I bought after reading our guide and I love it. The crowler-sized speaker has great sound quality, is durable as heck and can either sit on its end or on its side. Plus it’s waterproof, dustproof and packs 12 hours of playtime. Also at Amazon and Walmart.

JBL Xtreme 3 for $250 ($80 off): We compare the size of the Xtreme 3 to a football, but since it weighs over four pounds JBL includes a strap for easier carrying. Like most portable speakers it’s waterproof and dust-proof. The lively highs and hefty lows sound great outside, but really the speaker really shines when it can resonate indoors. Also at JBL.

JBL Xtreme 4 for $300 ($80 off): The latest generation of our recommended JBL Xtreme adds around nine hours of battery life and a replaceable battery. It’s also made from more recycled content and throws in some AI-powered tuning. Also at Target. The previous generation model is $250. 

JBL Go 4 for $40 ($10 off): JBL’s smallest portable speaker has up to seven hours of battery life on a charge, has an IP67 waterproof rating and has a tiny built-in carry strap so you can bring it wherever you go. Also at JBL and Best Buy.

The best Marshall Black Friday deals

Marshall Emberton II for $100 ($70 off): This is the smallest Marshall speaker in our guide. Its dual 10-watt drivers and passive radiators create an impressive, 360-degree sound. While it’s not super loud, we think the output is nicely balanced. You’ll get up to 30 hours of play on a charge. Also at Best Buy and directly from Marshall.

Marshall Middleton for $200 ($100 off): The aptly named Middleton is the mid-range Marshall speaker in our guide. The four-pound box puts out excellent sound from the dual woofers and tweeters located at the front and back, and passive radiators along each side. And the classic Marshall look is pretty stylish. Also at Best Buy and directly from Marshall.

Marshall Willen for $60 ($60 / 50 percent off): This is close to an all-time low price on a tiny music box that we named one of our favorite gadgets from last year. Engadget’s Sarah Fielding thinks it’s perfect, saying, “The sound quality is great and it stays connected to my phone regardless of where I go in my little house (the range is 30 feet). Plus, the battery is great, with a playtime of over 15 hours.”

Marshall Acton III for $200 ($80 off): This is the speaker on Sarah’s holiday wishlist. The six-pound speaker needs to be plugged in and isn’t waterproof, so it’s intended to play indoors. But this is a good one to get if you want a retro-looking box for your living room that can emit Marshall’s signature warm and balanced sound. Also at Marshall. 

The best Bose Black Friday deals

Bose SoundLink Home for $199 ($20 off): It’s a smaller speaker at just two pounds but Bose promises premium sound from the SoundLink Home. We haven’t had the chance to test it ourselves just yet, but if the sleek good looks are calling to you, this discount might be a good time to invest. Just note that it’s not waterproof as the “Home” moniker suggests.

Bose SoundLink Flex (2nd gen) for $119 ($30 off): When Bose announced the release of the SoundLink Home, the company also introduced this revamped Flex. The first generation is one of the picks from our Bluetooth speaker guide. This newer generation works with the Bose app and has a new programmable button. Also at Bose and Best Buy. The first generation model is on sale for the same price.

Bose SoundLink Max for $299 ($100 off): The largest portable speaker Bose makes is part of the new SoundLink lineup which Bose announced in May. Also at Amazon and Target.

Bose Smart Soundbar for $399 ($100 off): The latest Bose soundbar came out just a couple months ago and is already on sale. It’s a smaller model that supports Dolby Atmos and has an AI Dialogue Mode as well as a Personal Surround feature if you happen to own a pair of the Ultra Open Earbuds. Bose says the AI smarts make voices easier to hear while retaining the audio’s immersive qualities. Also at Amazon.

The best Ultimate Ears speaker Black Friday deals

Ultimate Ears Everboom for $200 ($50 off): The Everboom is a new speaker in the lineup, which UE announced back in June. We reviewed it shortly after and deemed it worthy of inclusion in our guide. Not only does it float, it puts out loud, 360 degree audio and packs 20 hours of listening in a unit that’s just over two pounds. Also at Best Buy. 

Ultimate Ears Mini Roll for $50 ($30 off): This less-than-a-pound sound maker came out at the same time as the Everboom. It supplanted the Wonderboom as the smallest speaker in UE’s lineup and even sports a built-in, flexible strap to attach to just about anything. It’s IP67 rated to be dust- and waterproof and can crank out 85 decibels of volume — impressive for something so small. Also at Amazon and B&H Photo.

Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 for $79 ($21 off): We put the Wonderboom 3 on our guide to the best speakers and this next-gen model includes a new podcast mode EQ for crisp vocals and is made from more recycled plastics. Like its predecessor, it’ll go for 14 hours on a charge and packs a waterproof build into its mini barrel-like shape. Also at Ultimate Ears for $1 more.

Other Black Friday Bluetooth speaker deals

Beats Pill for $100 ($50 off): Beats came back to the Bluetooth speaker market with the completely redesigned Pill — and we think it was worth the wait. The durable unit earned a spot on our Bluetooth speaker guide and an 83 in our review. It offers much improved sound quality with impressive bass and full mids. You also get a long, 24-hour battery life and lossless audio over USB-C. Also at Walmart.

Sony ULT Field 1 for $98 ($32 off): Earlier this year, Sony waved goodbye to the Extra Bass and XE-Series products, folding them into the new ULT Power Series branding. This 1.4-pound unit has a 12-hour battery life and IP67 rating. This matches the all-time low. It’s two dollars more at Best Buy and direct from Sony.

Anker Soundcore Motion 300 for $56 ($24 off): Weighing in at less than two pounds, Anker’s speaker has a bright, punchy output with a crisp high end and thumpy bass. Plus it’s waterproof and goes for 13 hours on a charge. No wonder it made our list of the best speakers. Also direct from Soundcore.

Anker Soundcore Motion+ for $69 ($30 off): A few Anker Soundcore speakers made our best list and this one weighs just over two pounds. It delivers a bright and bassy output, can play for around 12 hours on a charge and the build is solid with an attractive metal grille.

Anker Soundcore 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker for $28 ($12 off): Anker’s Soundcore brand proves the accessory brand can make some excellent electronics, too. This is one of the smaller and more affordable models and it’s currently back to one of its lowest prices yet.

Tribit StormBox Micro 2 for $45 ($35 off): This is the smallest speaker in our guide and it can go with you anywhere with the built-in strap. It pumps out impressive volume for its size and can go for 12 hours on a charge. The audio isn’t the highest fidelity, but this is more about bringing the vibes than emitting flawless musical clarity. Also directly from Tribit with an auto-coupon.

The best Black Friday smart speaker deals

Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

The first thing to decide before you buy a smart speaker is who you prefer to do your smart home-related bidding: Do you want Alexa’s wry yet efficient manner, Google’s info-packed know-how, or Siri’s dreamy presence? Then check out these Black Friday deals so you can get that smart home help at a discount.

The Best Sonos smart speaker Black Friday deals

Sonos Era 100 for $199 ($50 off): The Sonos Era 100 is our pick for the best midrange smart speaker. We like the excellent sound quality plus it pairs well with other Sonos devices. It has Alexa built-in, so it can handle regular smart home duties, but it’ll also make your music sound far better than any spherical Echo can.

Sonos Era 300 for $359 ($90 off): This is a return to a low we’ve tracked before on one of Sonos’s larger speakers. It went all-in on spatial audio, but as we found in our review, those results are hit or miss. However, the speaker itself delivers excellent sound quality, is easy to set up and has a line-in option as well as Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connectivity. Also at Adorama. 

Sonos Roam 2 for $139 ($40 off): Sonos also makes the best portable smart speaker, according to our guide. We like the good sound quality and strong bass, as well as the fact that it connects via both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Also at Sonos.

Sonos Move 2 for $359 ($90 off): The Move is an upgrade on the Roam in every way (including the price). It earned an 80 in our review. We like that it’s a nice upgrade over the previous Move, with two tweeters for more detailed sound. The battery lasts a full 24 hours on a charge and the touch controls up top are very nice. It also has a line-in jack via USB-C, so you can hook up a turntable. Also at Sonos.

The best Amazon Echo smart speaker Black Friday deals

Amazon Echo Dot (5th gen) for $23 ($27 off): The Dot is Amazon’s most popular Echo speaker, delivering Alexa’s helpful assistance in a softball-sized package that puts out surprisingly decent music for its size. It gets our vote for the best smart speaker under $50. It also has an internal sensor that can tell you the temp in the room as well as trigger connected smart thermostat functions.

Amazon Echo Dot Kids for $28 ($32 off): The kids version is basically the same smart speaker but comes in a cute dragon or own skin and includes a year’s subscription to Amazon Kids+.

Amazon Echo (4th Gen) for for $50 ($50 off): If you plan to listen to a lot of music through your Echo, you may want to go with the larger model. The Echo has an upward-firing woofer and dual tweeters for sound that we said delivers “impressive bass thump and powerful mid-range frequencies.” It can add stuff to your shopping list and set a timer but is also capable of producing room-filling sound.

Amazon Echo Pop for $18 ($22 / 55 percent off): The smallest Echo speaker is the Pop, a half sphere that’s probably best suited to small rooms where it’ll primarily be used as a smart assistant, as opposed to a dedicated music maker. The money you save here could be used for the compatible wall mount if you want to save some counter space.

Amazon Echo Pop Kids for $23 ($27 off): The kids version is basically the same smart speaker but comes in a Disney princess or Marvel hero skin and includes a six-month subscription to Amazon Kids+.

Amazon Echo Spot for $45 ($35 off): The Spot is technically still a speaker, though half of it is a display. Amazon discontinued this model for a few years, but brought it back in July. The half-moon screen can display the time, weather and the song that’s playing.

Other Black Friday smart speaker deals

Samsung Music Frame for $248 ($150 off): Samsung first announced its Music Frame back in January at CES 2024. It takes its cue from the Frame TV that disguises itself as art. This wireless speaker has room for your own (physical) photo within its frame, along with two woofers, two tweeters and two mid-range drivers to spit out sound from your favorite streaming services. Also at Best Buy and directly from Samsung for $2 more.

Google Pixel Tablet with speaker dock for $459 ($140 off): The speaker dock is what qualifies what’s really a tablet for this list. The charging dock sort of turns the tablet into a smart display, like an Echo Show. You can also use it as a standalone slab, but as we found in our review, it’s far more exciting as a home hub than a tablet. 

Google Nest Audio for $50 ($50 off): It’s more than four years old at this point, but the Nest Audio offers a decent ratio of sound quality to price, according to our review, and it’ll put the best of the Google Assistant’s assistance at your service. Also at Google.

Black Friday soundbar deals

Devindra Hardawar for Engadget

For our guide to the best soundbars, our audio expert Billy Steele picked six winners out of the dozens of home theater speakers he and other Engadget staffers have tested over the years — and one of them is on sale for Black Friday (we expect more sales to pop up closer to Black Friday so check this post again). This is a great chance to improve greatly upon the audio from your (probably thin) TV.

Sonos Ray for $169 ($110 off): A soundbar doesn’t have to be huge to make a big difference in the sound quality coming from the direction of your TV. Billy recommends this one for smaller rooms and for people who want an easy setup. I personally got one of these last year and immediately noticed a difference in dialogue clarity. Also at Amazon.

Sennheiser Ambeo Soundbar Mini for $500 ($300 off): We billed the Ambeo Mini as another premium option if the Samsung option doesn’t work for you. It requires a subwoofer to maximize the speaker’s potential, but once you do the immersive sound is truly impressive — especially for the size.

Sonos Beam for $369 ($130 off): It only has one HDMI port and no upward-firing drivers, but the Beam delivers solid sound quality with support for Dolby Atmos, and of course, it pairs nicely with other Sonos speakers. Plus it’s relatively compact. Also at Amazon and Adorama.

Samsung HW-Q990C for $1,100 ($898 off): The top spot in our soundbar guide isn’t cheap, but this Black Friday deal helps. And, for the price, you get a complete home theater audio setup complete with soundbar, subwoofer and two rear surround speakers. Samsung’s HW-Q990C may not have the prettiest name, but the sound quality is a thing of beauty, earning it an 89 in our review. 

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-speaker-deals-for-2024-save-up-to-55-percent-off-jbl-sonos-echo-marshall-and-more-172645716.html?src=rss

There are a plenty of silly things on sale for Black Friday, but good kitchen gear doesn’t fall into that category — if a device helps us cook better food at home, that’s a worthy purchase. Right now, plenty of the cooking gear we’ve tested and reviewed is on sale. 

One of the best deals is the Anyday microwave cookware starter set that’s 30 percent off. And the Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro has retuned to the $300 low it hit last Black Friday.  

All these deals are pulled from our guides to kitchen gadgets, buying guides as well as gear we bought for ourselves. If you want to upgrade your kitchen, this is the good stuff. Here are the best Black Friday kitchen deals on appliances, gadgets and more from retailers across the web.

The best Black Friday kitchen deals for 2024

Whether for buying guides, reviews or our own use, we’ve tried plenty of gadgets that make home cooking simpler and more enjoyable. We also recently put together a cooking gift guide full of our favorite stuff. Our picks include low and high tech devices for kitchens both indoor and outdoor and right now, lots of those harder-to-categorize recommendations are currently on sale for Black Friday and listed here.

Photo by Sam Rutherford / Engadget

• Mannkitchen Pepper Cannon for $160 ($40 off with Prime): Our own Sam Rutherford admitted that $200 is a ridiculous price for a pepper mill (and this $160 Black Friday price is not much saner). But in his writeup, he details how the Pepper Cannon has become one of his favorite kitchen tools in such a way that makes me strongly consider it, ridiculous or not.

• Ninja Creami ice cream maker for $160 ($40 off): One of our favorite kitchen gadgets, this ice cream maker is super easy to use and makes an infinite amount of frozen treats; you’re really only limited by your imagination. This is an Amazon exclusive model that comes with just one pint. The model with two pint jars is on sale too, but it’s $40 more, making it cheaper to buy extra containers separately. The two-pint model is also direct from Ninja.

• Meater Pro for $100 ($30 off): In our official review, Engadget’s Billy Steele praises the longer battery life and extended range of this updated smart thermometer from the Trager-owned company. It also packs increased heat resistance and is more durable overall. Also direct from Meater.

• Ooni Karu 16 outdoor pizza oven for $520 ($130 off): The Karu 16 is our favorite multi-fuel outdoor pizza oven but it’s not cheap, so it’s best to get it when it’s on sale. It has a large capacity that can handle full size pizzas — and even cast iron cookware — using wood, charcoal or propane fuel. Plus the bottom-mounted digital thermometer helps you keep tabs on your cooking. 

• Thermapen One for $76 ($32 off): We recommend this blazingly fast thermometer in our grilling guide because it’ll give you a readout in one second on its auto-rotating screen.

• Stanley IceFlow tumbler with straw for $25 ($15 off): Our resident grill master, Billy Steele recommends having a reliable source of frosty beverage at the ready when you grill. This is the one he picked for our grilling gear buyer’s guide.

• Anyday Microwave Cookware Starter Set for $70 ($30 off): Our resident microwave aficionado Cherlynn Low speaks highly of these plastic-free dishes, which she’s been using for two years now. The design allows you to steam and even bake foods in the zapper box while also acting as excellent food storage containers. 

The best Black Friday deals on coffee and tea gear

Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Like most workplaces, Engadget runs on coffee — or at least the people responsible for it do. Many of us put our collective caffeinated experiences together to come up with a gift guide for coffee lovers. Of course, some of us are partial to tea, so we put a guide to tea gifts together as well. Right now for Black Friday, many of the picks from both lists are on sale.

• Fellow Tally coffee scale for $148 ($37 off): If you, or someone you’re buying presents for, are Very Serious about coffee, this scale might make sense. It combines precise weight measurements with a timer and a Brew Assist Mode to help you dial in the correct ratio for perfect pour-overs.

• Fellow Atmos Vacuum canister for $32 ($8 off): Only people who spend top dollars on the good coffee or loose leaf tea need this rather pricey canister. But it does the job of removing the air so oxidation can’t occur.

• Firebelly Tea Travel Mug for $32 ($8 off): This travel mug not only keeps your iced tea cold and your hot tea steamy, its insert also stops infusion when you press it down so you can steep on the go. 

• Cosori Electric Gooseneck Kettle for $50 ($20 off, see price in cart): This is a return to a discount we’ve seen multiple times this year, and it’s about $14 more than the all-time low. But this kettle has earned its spot on one of our editors’ tiny countertops. It has different built-in temperature settings for different types of drinks and an elegant gooseneck pour.

• Fellow Stagg EKG electric kettle for $132 ($33 off): This exquisitely designed kettle has an LCD panel built into the base so you can choose a specific temperature down to the degree. And the hold feature keeps water hot for up to an hour. It’s great for coffee pour over but is also excellent for tea.

The best Black Friday deals on sous vide machines

Photo by Avery Ellis / Engadget

If you know someone without a sous vide machine, now might be a good time to ameliorate that situation as many of our favorite models are on sale. And if you happen to be without one, here’s your chance to get in on the low-effort, high-result water-bath cooking method. This is the best what’s on sale for Black Friday, as pulled from our picks.

• Anova Culinary Sous Vide 3.0 for $112 ($87 off): This is the best overall sous vide machine, according to testing for our buyer’s guide and this price beats the one from July. We like the easy digital controls and the high flow rate that maintains water temperature better. Also the companion app is stuffed with recipes. It’s $120 at Best Buy and directly from Anova.

• Anova Culinary Sous Vide Precision Cooker Nano for $97 ($52 off): We’ve seen this price for much of the past month, so it’s not exactly a new deal, but still a good discount on the machine that led Engadget’s Avery Ellis to dub the sous vide stick the “Millennial crockpot.” She uses this one a few times a week to make unfussy meals that keep her alive. The Nano model is a slightly smaller and less expensive version of the top pick in our buyer’s guide. Also direct from Anova for $99.

The best Black Friday deals on air fryers and Instant Pots

Instant Brands

Air fryers make microwaves jealous. Food that would otherwise come out hot yet soggy comes out hot and crisp and doesn’t take that much more time. Another kitchen MVP is the ever popular Instant Pot, which can cook everything from soups to rice, beans and more. Here are the best Black Friday deals on the air fryers and Instant Pots we recommend.

• Ninja DZ401 Foodi 10-quart air fryer for $130 ($100 off): What if you want to air fry two different foods at once? Go for our recommendation for a dual-zone air fryer. It’s best for larger kitchens and big meals and takes up a commensurate amount of space. It went as low as $150 for Black Friday last year. Also at Walmart and direct from Ninja.

• Instant Vortex Plus 6QT Air Fryer for $99 ($70 off): This is the top recommendation in our guide to air fryers and happens to be the model I bought for myself after reading our guide. It preheats quickly and keeps cooking odors to a minimum with replaceable filters (it even tells you when it’s time to replace). Plus clean-up is easy and the window is handy for making sure the nachos don’t burn. Also at Walmart.

• Cosori 9-in-1 air frier for $88 ($32 off): This is the newest addition in our list, earning a runner up nod for best overall. It has nine preset cooking modes and a six-quart capacity that makes it just the right size to cook a good amount of food without taking up too much space on most countertops. 

• Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro for $300 ($100 off): If you want a more traditional toaster oven design with a huge capacity, go for our premium air fryer pick. The fryer-and-oven combo can accommodate a five-quart dutch oven, so it’s almost an auxiliary oven, which could come in handy for holiday cooking. Also at Target and Best Buy.

• Breville the Smart Oven Air Fryer for $280 ($70 off): This is the non-Pro version of the Breville air fryer we recommend. It has a slightly smaller capacity (0.8 cubic feet instead of one cubic foot). But still has most of the same features including 11 of the 13 cooking functions.

• Instant Pot Pro 10-in-1 pressure cooker (6QT) for $100 ($70 off): These ubiquitous and highly versatile cookers can make just about anything you can dream up — Instant Pot recipes make up a considerable portion of online recipes. This is the pro version of the model we recommend in our buyer’s guide to kitchen tech and it has five favorite buttons and extra wattage for a faster preheat. Best Buy has the eight-quart model on sale for $120.

• Instant Pot Duo Plus 9-in-1 Electric Pressure Cooker for $80 ($50 off): We like this Instant Pot model because it’s simple to use and has several quick-cooking modes including beans, cake, sous vide and more.

• Ninja AF150AMZ Air Fryer for $90 ($70 / 44 percent off): This gets an honorable mention in our air fryer guide. Though the round cooking basket doesn’t feel as roomy as square ones, the taller and thinner design might make the most of limited countertop space. Plus it has a dehydrate option for making your own dried fruit.

The best Black Friday deals on blenders and mixers

KitchenAid

Black Friday is a good time to upgrade an aging hand blender or finally get that Vitamix you’ve been thinking about. Whether for yourself or as a gift for the home cook on our list, these blender and juicer deals come straight out of our kitchen tech guides and will bring plenty of extra muscle for a low price.

• Breville Juice Fountain Plus for $113 ($67 off): The powerful Juice Fountain impressed us with its extraction abilities. Plus it’s relatively easy to clean (as long as you do it right after you juice). It takes up a good amount of space, but can extract an impressive amount of juice from even the driest-seeming carrot.

• Vitamix E310 Explorian Blender for $300 ($80 off): Oh the Vitamix. I can attest from personal experience it really is as powerful as you’ve heard. It’s of course a recommendation in our guide to kitchen gadgets for its ability to make even the toughest ingredients smooth and creamy. Also at Best Buy and direct from Vitamix.

• Vitamix Immersion Blender for $145 ($25 off): For an immersion blender that matches the power of a countertop version, go for the one from Vitamix. We found the 625-watt motor impressively powerful (duh) and think it’s great for people who want to make crushed ice drinks but don’t have space for a full-sized blender. Also at Amazon and Williams Sonoma.

• Ninja SS101 Foodi Smoothie Maker for $80 ($40 off): Engadget’s Vallentina Palladino recommends this smoothie blender in our gift guide for cooks saying it doesn’t take up that much space and the swappable lids make it easy to take one’s health shakes on the go. Also at Target and directly from Ninja.

• KitchenAid Artisan 5-quart stand mixer for $330 ($130 off): Small wonder that the home cook’s gold standard of mixers made its way onto our kitchen tech guide. Its ton of available attachments can be used to make pasta, grind food, strain or spiralize fruits and veggies and more. This is no unitasker. Also at Target and direct from KitchenAid.

• KitchenAid Go Cordless Hand Blender for $90 ($40 off): The big selling point here is the removable battery that you can use for other KitchenAid Go appliances. In our testing, it had enough power to turn a roasted butternut squash into a smooth, creamy soup.

• KitchenAid Variable Speed Corded Hand Blender for $45 ($15 off): If you’d rather a corded model of the KitchenAid recommendation, that’s on sale too — and is cheaper to begin with. This one comes with extra accessories to make it a true multitasker and has a powerful 180 watt motor, just like the cordless version. Also at Target.

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-kitchen-deals-up-to-44-percent-off-on-sales-from-breville-kitchenaid-fellow-and-more-153533396.html?src=rss

Black Friday is a couple of days away, but many online retailers have already kicked off their annual holiday sales. As a result, many of the better TV discounts we expect to see later this week are available now. If you’re looking to make a living room upgrade, we’ve scoured through reviews and checked price histories to find the Black Friday TV deals that aren’t total junk. 

Right now, those include high-end OLEDs and budget LED TVs alike from Samsung, Sony, LG, Hisense and TCL. If you’re already happy with your setup, we’ve also included some deals on recommended streaming gadgets from Amazon and Roku, plus a few holiday discounts on streaming services like Hulu, Peacock and Max.

As has been the case in years past, a handful of these TV deals have been available since the start of the month, but most represent all-time lows either way. We’ll continue updating this post through Black Friday if prices change and more discounts become available. 

• Hisense U6N QLED TV (55”) for $348 at Amazon ($200 off MSRP): Reviews around the web have praised the U6N as one of the year’s best budget-level TVs. It’s one of the few options in its price range with mini-LED backlighting, quantum dots and full-array local dimming, features that help it deliver better contrast and richer colors than most of its direct rivals. Its picture will wash out if you don’t view it straight-on, and its 60Hz refresh rate isn’t the best for gaming, but it’s a good bargain all the same. While this deal has been live for most of November, it’s still an all-time low. Other sizes are similarly discounted. Also at Best Buy.

• Hisense U7N QLED TV (65”) for $698 at Amazon ($300 off): The U7N is a standout for those who don’t want to pay for a high-end set but can still go above the budget tier. It delivers higher brightness levels and better contrast than the cheaper Hisense U6N, plus it can play at 144Hz in 4K, so it can make PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X games more fluid in motion. Its viewing angles still aren’t ideal, however, and it’s limited to just two gaming-friendly HDMI 2.1 ports. This is another deal we’ve seen for a few weeks, but it’s the lowest price to date for the 65-inch version. If you’d prefer a smaller size, the 55-inch model has dropped to a new low of $478. Also at Best Buy. 

• Hisense U8N QLED TV (65”) for $898 at Amazon ($602 off): The U8N is another well-reviewed 2024 TV from Hisense. Like the lower-cost Hisense U7N, it offers mini-LED backlighting, quantum-dot color and 4K/144Hz support, plus it runs on the handy Google TV platform. The extra cash nets you a punchier image, with superb contrast for a non-OLED TV and higher brightness across the board. This deal ties an all-time low. Other sizes are discounted as well, but note that the 55-inch version isn’t as bright as its larger counterparts, while the 75-inch set has slightly worse contrast. Viewing angles aren’t super wide either way. Also at Best Buy.

• LG B4 OLED TV (48”) for $600 at Best Buy ($200 off): The B4 is LG’s entry-level OLED TV for 2024. It gets you the essential perks of any good OLED set — excellent contrast with deep black tones, wide viewing angles, fast motion, etc. — but it’s not as bright as some upper-tier OLEDs, so it’s best kept in a darker room. That said, this is a stellar value if you don’t mind a smaller panel. This discount ties an all-time low. The 55-inch version is also on sale for a low of $998, a price we’ve seen a few times before, while the 65-inch model has dipped to a new low of $1,198.

Amy Skorheim

• Samsung S90D QD-OLED TV (55”) for $1,038 at eBay ($1,160 off): The Samsung S90D is a premium TV that’s notable for its QD-OLED panel, which mixes the benefits of a good OLED display with a layer of quantum dots. This helps it put out a wider gamut of more vibrant colors, so images tend to “pop” more than they would on more traditional OLED TVs like the LG B4 or C4. It also has four HDMI 2.1 ports. Like all Samsung TVs, however, it doesn’t support the popular Dolby Vision HDR format. This is the best price we’ve seen for the 55-inch model. It’s available at eBay via Electronic Express, which Samsung lists as an authorized reseller. Clip the SHOPCYBER20 coupon at checkout to see the final price. If you want a bigger panel, the 65-inch model is also on sale for a low of $1,398 at Amazon, Samsung, B&H and Best Buy. Other sizes are discounted as well, but be aware that only the 55-, 65- and 75-inch versions use the superior QD-OLED tech.

• Samsung S95D QD-OLED TV (55”) for $1,898 at Amazon ($500 off): The S95D is Samsung’s flagship set for 2024. Its QD-OLED panel is excellent but mainly stands out for having a matte finish, which makes it noticeably more effective at fending off glare than most OLED TVs. That said, there’s no Dolby Vision, and the matte coating can make black tones look closer to gray under direct light. In general, it’s more TV than most people need. But if you’ve got cash to burn, this deal is another all-time low. Also at Samsung and Best Buy, with other sizes on sale.

• Samsung QN90D QLED TV (43”) for $898 at Amazon ($400 off): The Samsung QN90D is another high-end LED TV for those willing to trade the deep contrast and wide viewing angles of a good OLED set for higher brightness. There’s still no Dolby Vision, and most reviewers we trust suggest that the Hisense U8N is a better value. This set has two more HDMI 2.1 ports, though, plus it comes in a wider range of sizes, all of which offer similar performance. This is the lowest price we’ve seen for the 43-inch model. Other sizes are also discounted. Also at Samsung, B&H and others.

• Samsung The Frame TV (2024) QLED TV (55”) for $898 at Amazon ($600 off): The Frame TV lags behind other sets in its price range in terms of picture quality, as it lacks local dimming to boost contrast. Instead, you’d buy it for its style, since it’s built to look like a framed piece of wall art and display actual artwork on-screen. Beyond that, this is one of the few TVs with a matte finish, which helps it ward off glare in bright rooms. Amazon subsidiary Woot had the 55-inch model for $20 less earlier in the week, but this deal ties its largest discount otherwise. Other sizes are on sale, but note that the 43- and 50-inch versions have a lower 60Hz refresh rate (instead of 120Hz) and lack variable refresh rate tech. Also at Best Buy and Samsung.

Sony

• TCL Q550F QLED TV (55”) for $250 at Best Buy ($200 off): The TCL Q5 is a relatively basic LED TV with a 60Hz refresh rate and no local dimming or HDMI 2.1 ports. This model also uses Amazon’s Fire OS software, which isn’t quite as clean as other platforms. Most people should get the better-looking Hisense U6N instead. But if you really want to save an extra $100 or just need a cheap TV for a back room, it should do the job. This discount for the 55-inch model is the best we’ve tracked.

• TCL Q68 QLED TV (55”) for $300 at Woot ($200 off): The Q68 is another cheapo LED TV that broadly falls short of the Hisense U6N’s picture quality, though it should offer better contrast than the TCL Q5 thanks to its local dimming feature. Like the Q5 and U6N, it can also play at a 120Hz refresh rate if you drop the resolution to 1080p or 1440p, which is nice for gaming. If you don’t want to spend any more than $300 for a 55-inch set, this is the lowest price we’ve found for this particular model.

• TCL QM8 QLED TV (65”) for $1,000 at Amazon ($500 off): If the Hisense U8N becomes unavailable, the TCL QM8 looks to be a decent alternative. It can get even brighter, according to reviewers we trust, but it has slightly worse contrast. We’ve seen this discount a few times in recent months, but it ties the all-time low for the 65-inch variant. Also at Best Buy.

• Sony Bravia 7 QLED TV (55”) for $1,298 at Amazon ($402 off): The Bravia 7 is a relatively premium set with mini-LED backlighting to improve contrast and quantum dots to boost colors. Reviews suggest that it provides accurate colors out of the box and does well to preserve details in lower-resolution content, so it’s worth considering over the Hisense U8N if those are chief concerns. It only has two HDMI 2.1 ports, however, and it’s another LED TV with mediocre viewing angles. Most people will be happier with an OLED TV at this price, though this deal is an all-time low. Also at Walmart and B&H, with other sizes similarly discounted.

Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

The best Black Friday streaming deals

• Roku Streaming Stick 4K for $29 at Amazon ($21 off): A pick from our guide to the best streaming devices, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K gets you snappy performance, Apple AirPlay support, and a dead-simple interface that makes it easy to access free shows and movies. It works with the necessary HDR formats and apps as well (Twitch aside), though its search function isn’t as in-depth as some of its peers, and the UI looks fairly bland. This deal is $4 more than the best price we’ve tracked but still $11 off the stick’s average going rate in recent months. Also at Target, B&H, Best Buy and others.

• Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $33 at Amazon ($27 off): This is a new low for Amazon’s best streaming stick, which runs fast and supports all the major apps and HDR formats. We’ve found it to be surprisingly flexible as a gaming device, too, though you’ll have to put up with an ad-heavy UI that promotes Prime Video and other Amazon services above all else. Also at Target, Best Buy and others.

• Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K for $22 at Amazon ($28 off): The standard Fire TV Stick 4K offers the same core experience as the pricier 4K Max — for better or worse — but comes with a slightly slower processor, half as much storage (8GB) and Wi-Fi 6 instead of the faster Wi-Fi 6E. Still, this is a decent value if you just want a competent 4K streamer for as little as possible. This deal is another all-time low. Also at Target, Best Buy and others.

• Roku Ultra (2024) for $79 at Amazon ($21 off): The Roku Ultra is overkill for most people, but it might be worth it if you like Roku’s simpler UI and need a full-on set-top box with built-in Ethernet and USB ports. Unlike the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, it comes bundled with a rechargeable remote that supports voice controls, a lost remote finder tool and backlit buttons. (You can buy that separately, though.) This latest model added a faster processor and Wi-Fi 6 support. This discount ties the lowest price we’ve tracked. Also at Roku, B&H and others.

Will Lipman Photography for Engadget

• Hulu 1-year subscription for $12 at Hulu ($108 off, new and returning users only): One of the older streaming services, Hulu still offers a wide range of recent TV episodes and a strong library of original series likeOnly Murders in the Building, The Bear, Pen15 and The Handmaid’s Tale. This is a superb deal for the service’s ad-based tier, as it gives a year-long subscription for only $1 per month. That’s a 90 percent discount. Alternatively, you can bundle the service with a year of Disney+’s ad-supported plan for $3 per month ($36 total). Normally, that’d cost $11 per month. The catch is that both offers are only available to new and returning users who haven’t subscribed in the last month. Both subscriptions will also auto-renew by default, so you’ll have to cancel manually if you don’t want to pay beyond the discounted period.

• Peacock Premium 1-year subscription for $20 at Peacock ($60 off, new and returning users only): Peacock isn’t exactly essential, but it should be worth adding to your streaming rotation if you’re big into NBC and Bravo shows, Premier League soccer, WWE events or Sunday Night Football. This is a sizable discount on the service’s ad-supported tier, though it’s only available to new or returning subscribers. Those folks can also get a six-month trial for $2 per month, which works out to a $36 discount. If you don’t see the price drop at checkout, use the code REALDEAL for the one-year promo or REALDEALMONTHLY for the six-month one. Note that the service will auto-renew by default.

• Max 6-month subscription for $18 at Max ($42 off, new and returning users only): If you’re looking to binge The Sopranos, South Park, The Last of Us or anything else from Warner Bros. Discovery networks like HBO, TNT, TBS and Cartoon Network, you’d get a Max subscription. There’s a fairly sizable movie selection as well, including several films from the buzzy indie studio A24. This deal gives six months of the service’s ad-supported plan for $3 per month ($18 total), but only to new and returning users, and only in the US. Normally, the subscription costs $10 per month. This is another one that’ll auto-renew by default, so it’s worth setting a reminder to cancel before the discounted period ends.

• Paramount+ with Showtime 2-month subscription for $6 ($20 off, new and returning users only): Paramount’s Black Friday offer isn’t quite as appealing as the streaming deals above, as it only covers a two-month subscription. Still, if you want to stream local NFL games, Champions League soccer or shows from CBS, Nickelodeon, Showtime and MTV, this is at least a cheaper way to see if you’d actually stick with the service at full price. This deal applies to either the ad-free or ad-supported tier. Again, it’s only available to new and former users, and the subscription will auto-renew until you cancel.

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-black-friday-tv-deals-for-2024-save-on-sets-from-samsung-lg-sony-hisense-and-more-161445236.html?src=rss

The latest iPad mini has only been out for a few weeks but it’s already seeing a Black Friday discount. Depending on the color option you choose, you’ll see the price has dropped from $500 to around $469, but all color options have a clippable coupon that brings the final price down to $400. That’s a record low for Apple’s latest small tablet.

The iPad mini 7 boasts an A17 Pro chip and 8GB of RAM, and the base model comes with 128GB of storage. We gave this iPad mini a score of 83 in our review, feeling that it was a necessary update to the previous model from 2021. We reckon it’s the best small tablet around.

The device has solid speakers and it still has Touch ID rather than Face ID. While we feel that the 8.3-inch screen is by and large very nice, it only has a 60Hz refresh rate, which is a bit disappointing.

The internal upgrades are what really matter here though, as the iPad mini now has enough heft to support Apple Intelligence features. The Apple Pencil Pro works with it too. We found the tablet a great device to kick back with and catch up on reading, play some games and watch videos on. We think it’s very handy for messaging too.

If the 2024 updates don’t excite you, there are deals on the iPad mini 6 available now as well. All color options are down to $350, which is $150 off and the lowest price we’ve seen.

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/apples-new-ipad-mini-7-is-100-off-for-black-friday-2024-125211519.html?src=rss

Between the ”Let Loose” iPad event in May, the iPhone 16 “It’s Glowtime” event in September and the Mac Week non-event in October, Apple has been busy releasing a slew of new iPads, Macs, Apple Watches, MacBooks and more for 2024. And now for Black Friday, many of those shiny new devices are on sale. 

Some of the best deals include the lowest price we’ve ever seen on the AirPods Pro 2 ($154) and a brand new low on the less-than-two-months old iPad Mini ($400).

We’re seeing many more first-time discounts and all-time lows, as well as returning discounts on new and previous generations. And of course if you need to research before you buy, our reviews are linked below. Here are the best Black Friday discounts on Apple gear we could find, from retailers across the web.

The best Black Friday Apple AirPods deals

Apple has four models of AirPods right now: The AirPods Pro 2, the over-ear AirPods Max and two AirPods 4, one with active noise cancellation and one without. Apple has been doing a lot of interesting things with their headphones lately, making this a good time to dive in. Though the discounts for Black Friday look to be minor, it’s better than paying full price.

• Apple AirPods Pro 2 (USB-C) for $154 ($95 off): This is a new low price for what we call the best earbuds iPhone users can get. Recently, Apple’s tiny white gizmos got even better with the addition of hearing aid features. They have a remarkably natural-sounding transparency mode, solid active noise cancellation and make a great go-between for Siri’s assistance. Also at Walmart.

• Apple AirPods Max (USB-C) for $499 ($100 off): Apple’s only over-ear headphones haven’t had a full revamp in a few years. When the iPhone 16 came out, Apple swapped out the lightning port for a USB-C connector and introduced new colors. While the overall design and build is a bit old at this point, they still deliver balanced sound in a premium package.

• Apple AirPods 4 (standard) for $119 ($10 off): Here’s a minor discount on Apple’s newest personal audio device. They were announced alongside the iPhone 16 back in September. There are two versions of the AirPods 4, this is the standard version without active noise cancellation. Both have a redesigned shape for a better fit and offer an open ear design (as opposed to the closed-ear shape of the Pro model). We gave them an 88 in our review. Also at Target. 

• Apple AirPods 4 (ANC) for $169 ($10 off): The new buds with ANC got a respectable 86 in that same review. We noted they had pro-level features like letting you nod or shake your head to respond to Siri’s questions and Personalized Spatial Audio with dynamic head tracking. Also at Target. 

The best Black Friday Apple iPad deals

Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

The line between Apple’s tablets and laptops is a little blurry at this point, especially with the release of the iPad Pro this year, which (at the time) housed the company’s most powerful chip. The iPad Air is our current pick for the best iPad you can buy and we were delighted by the iPad mini that came out just last month. The only problem is iPads are among the more expensive tablets you can buy. Hopefully these Black Friday iPad deals help out.

• Apple iPad mini (2024, 7th gen) for $400 ($99 off with coupon): This is a new low price on Apple’s newest iPad. Click the coupon to save nearly $100. The iPad mini was just released this October right before the announcement of a few new Macs (the new Pro and Air tablet came out back in May). In his review, Engadget’s Nathan Ingraham called the mini a “necessary update to the best small tablet on the market.”

• Apple iPad (2022, 10th gen) for $250 ($100 off with coupon): This is a new all-time low price on the base model iPad. Some models are on sale for $279 on Amazon, and a few colors have additional coupons that bring the price down to $250. It didn’t get an upgrade during Apple’s Let Loose event back in May, though it did get a quiet price reduction by $100 to $349. Now Black Friday sales are bringing down the price even more. This is our current favorite budget iPad because it’s a capable tablet that’s great for casual browsing, streaming and gaming. It can even handle everyday productivity tasks well.  

• Apple iPad (2021, 9th gen) for $200 ($129 off): Apple discontinued this model with the release of the new iPad Pro and Air models earlier this year. In what’s likely an effort to get rid of current stock, the price is down to a new record low. The 9th generation iPad is the former budget pick in our guide to the best Apple tablets and will serve well as a casual browsing, streaming and game playing machine. 

• Apple iPad Pro (2024, 7th gen, 11-inch) for $899 ($100 off): The latest iPad Pro came out back in May and, notably, was the first Apple device to sport the M4 system-on-a-chip. We gave it an 84 in our review calling it an engineering marvel and the best screen our reviewer had ever seen. It’s also our pick for the best iPad for power users. The only problem is it’s very expensive, but this sale helps a little. Also at Amazon.

• Apple iPad Air (2024, 6th gen, 11-inch) for $499 ($100 off): The iPad Air is the Apple tablet we recommend for most people in our buying guide and it earned a high score of 91 in our review. It strikes the best balance between performance, price and features of all slabs in the lineup. It has an M2 chip which is really overkill for casual browsing and gaming, but will ensure that your tablet is compatible with the latest Apple Intelligence tricks and demanding games. Also at Amazon.   

The best Black Friday Apple Watch deals

Photo by Cherlynn Low / Engadget

If you take steps or do a workout and you’re not wearing a smartwatch, does it really count? Of course, the Apple Watch is more than a fitness tracker, it’s also a shortcut to your iPhone notifications, a handy Siri portal and an always-on weather forecast. Plus it tells time. While they’re not cheap, these Black Friday Apple Watch discounts should help.

• Apple Watch Series 10 for $329 ($70 off): This is the lowest price we’ve seen yet on an Apple Watch Series 10. It is our top pick for the best smartwatch you can buy and has a slightly thinner and lighter design, a wide-angle OLED panel for better viewing angles, plus all of the watchOS 11 features that Apple recently released. Also at Walmart.

• Apple Watch SE for $149 ($100 off): Apple’s budget smartwatch hasn’t had an update since 2022. There were rumblings that we’d see an update with the launch of the Apple Watch Series 10 but that didn’t happen. But if you just need a reliable wrist companion for your iPhone and an accurate fitness and workout tracker, this will serve. This is a brand new all-time low. Also available at Amazon.

• Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $719 ($80 off): The Ultra model is big and has a big price tag to match, so this discount might help. It’s our Apple Watch recommendation for adventurers and athletes thanks to its specialized features like a depth meter, SOS siren, and dual frequency GPS for more accurate route tracking.

The best Black Friday Mac and MacBook deals

Photo by Devindra Hardawar / Engadget

Apple held a quiet Mac Week at the tail end of October in which it announced the new desktop M4 Mac mini, the all-in-one M4 iMac and the M4 MacBook Pro laptop. The MacBook Air from back in March is still the model we recommend for most people

• Apple MacBook Air (2024, M3, 13-inch) for $844 ($254 off): Here’s a new all-time low on the latest MacBook Air. It’s our top pick for the best laptop for most people, and this model has 16GB of RAM built in — double the previous base amount so it can tackle the demands of the burgeoning Apple Intelligence. Also at B&H Photo for $200 off. 

• Apple MacBook Air (2022, M2, 13-inch) for $749 ($250 off): The previous MacBook Air has a (still very fast) M2 processor and it’s our previous pick for the best overall laptop for most people. This is the 13-inch model with 16GB of RAM. This is a return to an all-time low. 

• Apple iMac (2024, M4, 24-inch) for $1,150 ($148 off with coupon): Apple just released the refreshed iMac last month, but now the silver model is already on sale. It has the latest Apple silicon, the M4 system on a chip that gives it a speed boost and enables the new Apple Intelligence features in macOS Sequoia. Also at B&H Photo for $100 off. 

• Apple MacBook Pro (2024, M4 Pro, 14-inch) for $1,400 ($199 off with coupon): The main update Apple gave to its most powerful laptops is the faster than ever M4 chip. Not much else changed, but that’s not a bad thing as the Pros are excellent machines that we recommend to pro users. They have enough power to handle even the most demanding video, audio and any other productivity tasks you can throw at it.

The best Black Friday deals on Apple gear

Apple

• Apple AirTags (four-pack) for $73 ($27 off): These are the Bluetooth trackers we recommend if you have an iPhone. They allow you to keep track of your keys, wallet and other belongings using the Find My app and nearly every other nearby iPhone. Note that you’ll need an AirTag holder or case to use them with your keys and a new generation is rumored for next year. The record low for the four pack was $70 which we saw earlier this month, this deal is a few dollars more. Also at Walmart.

• Apple Pencil Pro for $99 ($30 off): It’s true that you may need a roadmap to help you figure out which stylus is compatible with which iPad. The Pro is the newest Apple Pencil and it’ll work with the newest iPad Air and Pro models and adds haptic feedback, squeeze and barrel roll movements to the mix of features. The all-time low was $90, but this is still a decent deal. Also at Amazon.  

• Apple Pencil (2nd gen, USB-C) for $69 ($10 off): The USB-C Apple Pencil was released late last year and effectively serves as Apple’s “budget” stylus. It works with the widest range of Apple tablets, though not all of them so check before you buy. This is about $4 more than the all-time low. Also at Walmart. 

• Apple Pencil tips (4-pack) for $12 ($7 off): Search for Apple Pencil replacement tips and you’ll find plenty of third party manufacturers with options available. But this is one of the areas where I think it’s best to go with the original manufacturer. I bought these tips and they’ve served well — I just wish I’d paid $12 instead of $19.  

• Apple Magic Mouse (Black) for $80 ($19 off): The black model of Apple’s popular mouse has an updated USB-C charging port but, confoundingly, it’s still on the bottom where you can’t use it while recharging. Still a charge will last for about month and it should reliably connect to any iPad or Mac you own.  

Expired Apple Black Friday deals

• Apple Mac mini (2024, M4) for $500 ($99 off with coupon): Use the coupon to get the full deal as this is a first-time low on Apple’s $599 example of good things, small packages. The five-inch by five-inch box can tackle some serious workloads and remains the most affordable entry point to accessing Apple’s latest silicon. We gave it a solid score of 90 in our review, praising the incredibly fast M4 chip and useful ports. Also at B&H Photo for $560.

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-apple-deals-for-2024-the-best-sales-we-could-find-on-airpods-macbooks-airtags-and-ipads-165143431.html?src=rss

Here’s some good news for those who haven’t pulled the trigger on Sony’s latest VR headset. The PlayStation VR2 is on sale for $350 as part of a Black Friday deal, and it’s a bundle that includes the critically-acclaimed spin-off Horizon Call of the Mountain. This is a record low price for the headset, and that’s without a game that normally costs $60. In other words, this is one heck of a great deal.

We enjoyed this headset and gave it high marks in our official review. The OLED displays are excellent, so the graphics are on point. The headset’s fit is comfortable and it includes built-in haptics for increased immersion. Haptics for your head? That’s a pretty novel concept.

The headset also includes eye tracking technology and ships with two dedicated controllers, one for each hand. The company’s Sense controllers are eerily similar to Meta Quest controllers, with a large tracking ring, analog sticks, face buttons, triggers and grip buttons.

As for Horizon Call of the Mountain, it’s a new entry in the beloved Horizon franchise, only in VR. There’s a whole lot of climbing, as indicated by the title, but also a refined bow and arrow mechanic that feels just right in virtual space. 

We hesitated to recommend this headset to everyone at its original price of $550, but it’s a no-brainer at $350. This deal is also available through Sony, if Amazon isn’t your bag. So what’s the catch? There’s only one. This isn’t a standalone headset. It requires a PS5 to work, though Sony did recently release an adapter that lets it connect to a PC.

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/playstation-black-friday-deals-include-the-ps-vr2-horizon-call-of-the-mountain-bundle-for-200-off-174513723.html?src=rss

If you’re looking to stock up on PS5 controllers, now is the time. There’s an early Black Friday deal that discounts the wireless DualSense controller down to $54 at various retailers including Amazon, Target and Best Buy. These gamepads typically cost between $75 and $80, so this is quite the sale. Even better? The deal applies to a whole bunch of colorways to suit whatever wacky aesthetic you got going on, though some colors are selling for a bit more at $60.

A brand-new PS5 ships with one of these controllers, but you need two to enjoy some sweet couch co-op. We called out the gamepad in our official review of the PS5, saying it had “some of the most advanced haptic controls” we’ve ever experienced.

The analog triggers can be manipulated to emulate various sensations, like pulling an arrow back or running out of ammo with a gun. It’s a gimmick, sure, but a fun one. The built-in haptics also allow for more realistic rumble, which is heads and shoulders above what the DualShock 4 offered.

There’s a built-in microphone, a headphone jack, a tried-and-true button layout and a pair of joysticks. It’s a really well-designed controller. It’s a DualSense. It is not, however, a DualSense Edge. That’s Sony’s ultra-premium controller that costs nearly $200. That one offers extra features like easy button remapping, multiple joystick nubs, customizable rear paddles and more.

Check out all of the latest Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/playstation-black-friday-deals-bring-the-dualsense-wireless-controller-down-to-54-081313984.html?src=rss