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Tag: Amazon

  • Amazon Discount: $15 Off $30+ on Select Items (Kitchen, Tools, Outdoors)

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    Amazon Discount: $15 Off $30+ on Select Items

    This article contains Amazon affiliate links.

    Amazon has a new discount on select items listed in the promotion page. You can save $15 if you spend $30 or more. Here’s how it works:

    1. Add items from the products listed here using the Add to Cart button or select See Options for specific product variations.
    2. When you’re done shopping, select Go to Cart.
    3. The offer will automatically be applied at checkout, if eligible.

    Also check out these Shop with Points discounts for even more savings.

    Keep in mind that Amazon offers free shipping on orders of $35+, or free next-day shipping on all orders with Amazon Prime (get 30-day free trial). Prime members can also share benefits with a Household member. Students and all 18-25 year olds as well as EBT/SNAP/Medicaid cardholders can get a discounted Prime membership.

    Offer Terms

    • Offer only applies to products sold by Amazon
    • Products sold by third-party sellers or other Amazon entities will not qualify for this offer, even if “fulfilled by Amazon.com” or “Prime Eligible”.
    • Offer does not apply to digital content.
    • Offer good while supplies last.
    • Items must be purchased in a single order and shipped at the same speed to a single address. 

     

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through this article. While your support is always greatly appreciated, you should always check shopping portals such as Rakuten, TopCashback, RebatesMe, ShopBack and others for possible cashback.

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    DDG

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  • Melania Trump Announces Muse Films Production Company

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    First Lady Melania Trump has launched her own production company.

    Announced on Trump’s official social media channels on Friday, the First Lady shared that she has launched Muse Films. The announcement comes ahead of the release of the Amazon MGM Studios feature documentary about her, Melania.

    “PRESENTING: MUSE FILMS My new production company,” Trump wrote alongside a video that showcased the company’s logo. “MELANIA, the film, exclusively in theaters worldwide on January 30th, 2026.”

    Muse was reportedly the Secret Service code name for Trump during President Donald Trump’s first term in office.

    The Melania doc from director Brett Ratner — his first film since he was accused of sexual misconduct and harassment — has been produced with Trump’s participation. The film will later be accompanied by a three-part docuseries.

    “Melania offers unprecedented access to the 20 days leading up to the 2025 Presidential Inauguration — through the eyes of the First Lady-elect herself,” the official logline describes of the doc. “Step inside Melania Trump’s world as she orchestrates inauguration plans, navigates the complexities of the White House transition and re-enters public life with her family. With exclusive footage capturing critical meetings, private conversations and never-before-seen environments, Melania showcases Mrs. Trump’s return to one of the world’s most powerful roles.”

    Amazon will release the film exclusively in theaters in the U.S. and select territories overseas on Jan. 30, 2026.

    Trump is serving as an executive producer on the doc, along with Fernando Sulichin, who produced Oliver Stone’s Snowden and Sean Penn’s Flag Day. 

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    Lexy Perez

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  • The Amazon Black Friday Fashion Deals Worth Buying According to a Style Director

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    Jessica C. Andrews (she/her) is an award-winning editor and writer who currently works as the senior style director of PS, overseeing beauty, fashion, shopping, and identity content. With more than 15 years of experience, her areas of expertise include fashion, shopping, and travel. Prior to joining PS, Jessica held senior roles at Teen Vogue, Refinery29, and Bustle and contributed to The New York Times, Elle, Vanity Fair, and Essence. She’s appeared on “Good Morning America,” NBC, and Fox 5 New York and spoken on various panels about fashion, hair, and Black culture.

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    Jessica Andrews

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  • Google Pixel 9a with Gemini 128 GB for $349.99 on Amazon

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    Google Pixel 9a with Gemini 128 GB for $349.99

    This article contains Amazon affiliate links.

    Amazon has the Google Pixel 9a with Gemini 128 GB on sale for $349.99. Shipping is free.

    • Google Pixel 9a is engineered by Google with more than you expect, for less than you think; like Gemini, your built-in AI assistant[1], the incredible Pixel Camera, and an all-day battery and durable design
    • Take amazing photos and videos with the Pixel Camera, and make them better than you can imagine with Google AI; get great group photos with Add Me and Best Take[4,5]; and use Macro Focus for spectacular images of tiny details like raindrops and flowers
    • Google Pixel’s Adaptive Battery can last over 30 hours; turn on Extreme Battery Saver and it can last up to 100 hours, so your phone has power when you need it most
    • Get more info quickly with Gemini[1]; instead of typing, use Gemini Live; it follows along even if you change the topic[8]; and save time by asking Gemini to find info across your Google apps, like Maps, Calendar, Gmail, and YouTube Music[7]
    • Pixel 9a can handle spills, dust, drops, and dings; and with IP68 water and dust protection and a scratch-resistant display, it’s the most durable Pixel A-Series phone yet
    • Unlocked Android 5G smartphone gives you the flexibility to change carriers and choose your own data plan[3]; it works with Google Fi, Verizon, T-Mobile, AT&T, and other major carriers
    • Google Pixel 9a comes with 7 years of OS and security updates, and new and upgraded features with Pixel Drops, so it keeps getting better and more secure over time

     

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through this article. While your support is always greatly appreciated, you should always check shopping portals such as Rakuten, TopCashback, RebatesMe, ShopBack and others for possible cashback.

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    DDG

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  • Amazon’s Kindle Colorsoft is 32 percent off in this Black Friday deal

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    Amazon is hosting a Black Friday sale that covers many of its ereaders. This includes the Kindle Colorsoft, which has been discounted to $170. This thing usually costs $250, so this is one heck of a deal and a record low price.

    The model came out earlier this year and we gave it a glowing review, calling it “the missing link in Amazon’s ereader lineup.” It’s the first Kindle ereader in color, which makes this thing one of the best ways to read comic books and graphic novels. The pinch-to-zoom feature lets you get closer to details, to make each panel really pop.

    Amazon

    This is also a high-end ereader, color or not. We found the load times to be exceptionally fast and the same goes for turning pages. There’s an auto-adjusting front light, which comes in handy. There are also no lock screen ads by default and a single charge lasts eight full weeks of regular use.

    The major downside here is the price. It’s tough to truly recommend any ereader at $250, or the original launch price of $280. It’s a lot easier to recommend at $170.

    Amazon is also selling similar products at a discount, some of which made our list of the best ereaders. The base Kindle is down to $80, which is another record low. The Paperwhite is on sale for $125, yet another record low price. And keeping with the theme, the current-gen Kindle Scribe is on sale for as low as $280, the cheapest we’ve seen it.

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    Lawrence Bonk

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  • Black Friday 2025 deals: We found huge sales from Amazon, Apple, Lego, Ninja, Dyson and others to start shopping now

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    Black Friday has become the time to buy the hottest tech of the year. Whether you’re shopping for yourself or stocking up on gifts for the holidays, Black Friday deals are sure to bring the best prices of the year to things like headphones, game consoles, robot vacuums, phone accessories and everything in between. You don’t even have to wait until Black Friday proper to save a ton of money. Over the past few years, we’ve seen Black Friday tech deals start earlier and earlier — to the point where the entire month of November is packed with discounts.

    If you’re on the hunt for solid tech deals, Engadget has you covered. We’ve collected the best Black Friday deals on tech you can get right now, and we’ll continue to update this post as we get closer to the big day and Cyber Monday.

    Black Friday deals: Engadget’s top picks

    Apple AirPods Pro 3 for $220 ($29 off): Apple’s latest flagship wireless earbuds are the ones to get if you have an iPhone and any other Apple gear. They have improved sound quality, impressive ANC improvements, extra features like Live Translation and even better battery life.

    Apple iPad A16 for $274 (21 percent off): Apple’s cheapest iPad makes a great first tablet for kids, or anyone who just wants a basic slab for watching videos, online shopping, sending emails and more. It’s plenty fast thanks to the A16 chipset that powers it, plus it has a nice screen, 128GB of storage in the base model and good battery life.

    Disney+ Hulu bundle — $60 for one year: The Disney+ and Hulu (with ads) bundle is on sale for $5 per month for one year (for a total of $60) through December 1. New and eligible returning subscribers can take advantage of this deal, and considering the bundle typically costs $13 per month, this deal represents more than a 50 percent discount on the standard monthly price.

    PlayStation 5 Black Friday deals: The PlayStation 5 is getting a major Black Friday discount, with $100 off consoles. That brings the PS5 Digital Edition down to $399, the standard PS5 to $449 and the new PS5 Pro to $649. If you’ve been holding out for the right time to upgrade or buy your first console, these are the deals to beat. You’ll find them direct at Sony and from other retailers including Amazon and Walmart.

    Nintendo Switch 2 + Mario Kart World bundle for $499: Black Friday Nintendo sales were announced recently and, unsurprisingly, there won’t be many true deals out there this year. There are no straight discounts on the Switch 2 console, so your best bet is to pick up a bundle that saves you some cash on a Switch 2 game. One of the best is the Mario Kart Wold bundle, but Pokémon fans should consider the Pokémon Legends: Z-A bundle, too.

    Meta Quest 3S VR headset for $250 ($50 off): We consider this to be the best VR headset for newbies or those on a budget. It’s comfortable to wear for long sessions, has solid performance, comes with excellent controllers and you’ll have access to a large app library with it.

    Philips fabric shaver for $13 (32 percent off): Consider this the Black Friday tech deal you didn’t know you needed. If you have shirts, sweaters, pants, even blankets that have pilled over time, this handy little fabric shaver can get them looking more like new again. I bought this on a whim after wishing I could refresh some of my most-loved wardrobe staples without spending hours pulling pills off myself. Philips’ fabric shaver has delivered and then some, and my clothes look much fresher than before.

    Amazon Smart Plug for $13 (48 percent off): Those who use Alexa often will get the most out of this smart plug. We like that it’s super simple to set up and can turn almost anything with an on-off switch “smart,” allowing you to control it via your phone or with Alexa voice commands.

    LEGO Star Wars Millennium Falcon A New Hope 25th Anniversary Collectable 75375 for $68 (20 percent off): This is a set that any Star Wars fan will love to build and then love to display once it’s complete. The 921-piece set features a fully-detailed Millennium Falcone, buildable stand and nameplate. It’s one of many Lego Black Friday deals you can get right now.

    DJI Neo drone for $159 (20 percent off, Prime exclusive): Yes, the Neo 2 just came out, but it’s still unclear if that model will make its way to the US. For now, if you want an affordable drone to capture your next adventure, the original Neo remains an excellent option. It was our top pick for the best drone for those on a budget, and it’s an even better buy at this sale price.

    Amazon Kindle Colorsoft (16GB) for $170 ($80 off): The latest color ereader in Amazon’s lineup includes a seven-inch, high-contrast display, USB-C charging and a battery life that can last up to eight weeks on a single charge. Its design is waterproof too, so you don’t need to baby it if you take it by the pool or to the beach. If you prefer a black-and-white screen, the base Kindle is also on sale for $80.

    Black Friday Apple deals

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    Apple AirPods 4 for $69 (47 percent off): These are the most affordable AirPods you can get, and the latest model has been substantially improved over the previous. They have a better fit and noticeably better sound quality than their predecessor, plus some advanced features previously only found on pricer models.

    Apple AirTags (four pack) for $65 (34 percent off): iPhone users who frequently misplace things should invest in a few AirTags. Slip them into your wallet, bag, jacket and other belongings to keep track of their locations in the Find My app. Just make sure that, if you’re going to attach one to your keys, you also pick up an AirTag holder to go along with it.

    Apple Watch SE 3 for $199 ($50 off): The SE has been our top pick for the best Apple Watch for those on a budget, and the latest model only solidifies that further. It has the same chipset found in the latest flagship Apple Watches, fast-charging capabilities, an always-on display and most of the same activity-tracking features you’ll find in more expensive model.

    Apple MacBook Air (13-inch, M4) for $749 ($250 off): Our top pick for the best laptop you can get, the M4 MacBook Air will be plenty of power for most people in a convenient, premium package. It’s thin and light as ever, with an excellent keyboard and trackpad, plus enough battery life to get you through a whole day of work, video calls and more.

    Apple Mac Mini M4 for $479 ($120 off): Desktop users looking for an upgrade should consider the latest Mac Mini, which runs on the M4 chip and 16GB of RAM as standard in the base configuration. This version has a smaller design that takes up less space, front-facing USB-C ports and a headphone jack, plus Thunderbolt 5 support.

    Apple iPad Air M3 (11 inch) for $422 (30 percent off): We consider this to be the best iPad for most people thanks to its strong performance, big , sharp display, good battery life, improved multitasking capabilities and its compatibility with the Apple Pencil Pro.

    Black Friday streaming deals and subscription deals

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    Apple TV+ (6 months) for $36 ($42 off): Apple TV+ is offering six months of access for only $36 for Black Friday, which comes out to a discounted price of $6 per month for the six-month period. The deal is live now for new and eligible returning subscribers and runs through December 1, giving you a chance to stream shows like Silo, The Morning Show and For All Mankind for less. The biggest caveat to the deal is that you must subscribe directly through Apple and not through a third-party service.

    Paramount+ — two months of Essential or Premium for $6: This Black Friday deal brings the monthly price of either Paramount+ tier down to just $6 for two months, or $3 per month. The obvious better deal is on the Premium plan, which typically costs $13 per month.

    HBO Max — one year for $36: HBO Max’s Black Friday deal gives subscribers one year streaming for $36 through December 1. This Black Friday streaming deal is on the ad-supported option, which normally goes for $11 per month. With this discount, you’re getting it for $3 per month for one year. You can sign up via HBO Max’s website or, if you’re a Prime Video subscriber already, via that service as an add-on.

    MasterClass Black Friday deal — get up to 50 percent off subscriptions: MasterClass is running a limited-time offer that cuts up to 50 percent off all annual subscriptions for Black Friday. The deal gives you access to hundreds of lessons taught by experts and well-known names across nearly every field, from cooking and business to film and design. Normally, annual plans cost anywhere from $120 to $240 per year, so up to a 50-percent discount represents significant savings for new or returning subscribers.

    Sling TV Orange — day pass for only $1: Sling TV launched Day Passes earlier this year, giving users one-day access to a variety of its packages. This deal cuts $4 off the normal price of a day pass for Sling Orange. With that, you get unlimited access for 24 hours to Orange’s more than 30 channels that includes ESPN, CNN, TBS and others.

    Audible subscription (three months) for $3 ($42 off): From now through mid-December, you can get Amazon’s audiobook subscription for just a dollar a month for three months. Note that it will auto-renew at $15 per month after that, but you can cancel at any point.

    Monarch Money budgeting app (one year) for $50 (50 percent off with code MONARCHVIP): One of our favorite budgeting apps, Monarch Money gives you a lot of control over the organization of your funds. There’s a helpful goals feature for when you’re planning out big purchases or financial milestones you want to hit, and we found the month-in-review recap it provides to be more thorough than other budgeting apps we tried. There’s even Zillow integration for folks looking to buy a home.

    Black Friday deals under $50

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    Govee Smart LED Light Bars for $30 ($20 off, Prime exclusive): Another of our stocking stuffer picks are these smart LED light bars from Govee. They can stand up or lie flat so they can go just about anywhere and are infinitely adjustable via the app. You can even set them to light up in sync with your music. Alexa and the Google Assistant will let you control them with just your voice (and a smart speaker).

    Jisulife Life 7 handheld fan for $24 (18 percent off): This handy little fan is a must-have if you life in a warm climate or have a tropical vacation planned anytime soon. It can be used as a table or handheld fan and even be worn around the neck so you don’t have to hold it at all. Its 5,000 mAh battery allows it to last hours on a single charge, and the small display in the middle of the fan’s blades show its remaining battery level.

    Samsung Evo Select (512GB) for $33 ($14 off): We recommend the Evo Select in our microSD card buying guide for those on a tight budget. It has mediocre write speeds, so it’s not ideal for a camera, but it should be serviceable for most people just looking to add space to an Android tablet or original Nintendo Switch on the cheap. (Note that this is a standard UHS-I card, not a newer microSD Express model.) This deal matches the lowest price to date for the 512GB variant. Also at Samsung and B&H.

    UGreen Uno Nexode Charger Block (65W, 3-Port) for $33 (35 percent off): There are other ways to charge your devices, but few are this cute. That’s why we named it one of the best stocking stuffers you can buy. You get three ports in its head and outlet prongs hidden in its removable magnetic feet. Its 65 watts are enough to charge multiple devices at once. Also available directly from UGreen.

    Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $35 (42 percent off): One of our favorite streaming devices, the 4K Max dongle supports Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos, 4K and HDR10+ and it has Wi-Fi 6E for a speedier, more stable internet connection. It also supports the Fire TV Ambient Experience, which can display art on your TV when you’re not actively using it.

    Anker Nano magnetic power bank (5K, Qi2 15W) for $39 (30 percent off): This ultra-slim battery pack snaps magnetically to the backs of compatible phones to power them up, allowing you to use your device while it’s charging. It comes in multiple colors and supports the latest Qi2 charging standard.

    Leebin 2025 electric spin scrubber for $36 (49 percent off, Prime exclusive): This weird little scrubber makes cleaning my bathroom and shower much less of a pain. Just choose the brush head you need for your job and the rotating head takes care of most of the hard work. I love the adjustable handle, which extends from 12 to 50 inches so you can get into hard-to-reach places without breaking a sweat.

    Black Friday Lego deals

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    LEGO Star Wars: A New Hope Boarding the Tantive IV Fantasy Toy 75387 for $38 (30 percent off)

    LEGO Star Wars Brick-Built Star Wars Logo 75407 for $48 (20 percent off)

    LEGO Star Wars R2-D2 Building Toy Set 75379 for $80 (20 percent off)

    LEGO Harry Potter Mandrake Figure & Pot Plant Toy 76433 for $41 (41 percent off)

    LEGO Harry Potter Thestral Family Building Toy 76458 for $49 (30 percent off)

    Black Friday smart home and kitchen deals

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    Cosori 9-in-1 air fryer for $89 (26 percent off): I personally have this air fryer, one of our top picks, in my house and I’ve used it for over a year with no issues. I love that it makes good use of vertical space so it doesn’t take up too much space on my counter, and its rounded-square shape allows me to cook more food than you’d think in one go in the basket. It crisps all kinds of foods up well and generally takes a lot of the guess work (and time) out of making a good meal.

    Aura 10.1-inch digital frame for $139 (22 percent off): Aura makes some of our favorite digital frames, and this one has a 10-inch HD display, Wi-Fi connectivity and an elegant mat design. Arguably the best thing about Aura frames in general is that you don’t have to pay a subscription fee to add photos to it over time — all photos are stored in the cloud, and multiple people can add photos to one frame.

    Ninja Creami ice cream maker for $180 (22 percent off): The Creami has been one of the most sought-after kitchen appliances of the past couple of years, and for good reason. It’s one of our favorite pieces of kitchen gear because it makes it a breeze to prepare custom ice cream and many other frozen treats. It’s definitely worthwhile investment if you’re an ice cream lover and want to experiment with making your own flavors.

    Ninja Dual-Zone air fryer (10-quart) for $130 (43 percent off): If you cook for large crowds on Thanksgiving and other occasions, this is the air fryer to get. Not only is it a large, 10-quart capacity model, but it also has two separate cooking areas. You can crisp up potatoes on one side and brussel sprouts on the other with no issues. Use the Smart Finish feature to cook two separate foods in different ways and have them both be done at the same time, or Match Cook to copy the cooking method in both chambers.

    Breville Smart Oven Air Fryer Pro for $300 ($100 off): One of the most versatile air fryers out there, this Breville machine not only air fries, but also bakes, roasts, toasts, dehydrates, reheats and more. It also has a large capacity that can cook a 14-pound turkey or a tray of muffins with ease.

    Dyson 360 Vis Nav robot vacuum for $400 ($600 off): This is one of the best robot vacuums you can get, period. It doesn’t have a self-emptying base, but its superior suction power almost makes up for that. It’s one of the strongest robot vacuums I’ve ever tested, and it has excellent obstacle avoidance. The latter means you will rarely, if ever, have to attend to it getting caught on the edge of a carpet or getting stuck under a piece of furniture.

    More Black Friday tech deals

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    Dyson AM09 Hot + Cool heater and fan for $300 ($200 off): I’ve had this heater and fan for over five years at this point and it remains one of my favorite pieces of tech. It’s lightweight enough to carry from room to room and it’s both a heater and a fan: it cuts the chill in my home office during the winter, and circulates the air to keep me cooler in the summer. You can control the whole thing using the included remote (and it includes a sleep timer), and it handily attaches magnetically to the top of the device so you don’t misplace it.

    SanDisk microSD Express card (256GB) for $60 (12 percent off): If you have a Switch 2, no regular microSD card will do if you want to expand the console’s storage. You need a newer microSD Express card, and currently there are only a handful on the market. We did some testing to find the best microSD Express card for the Switch 2 and found that performance was, in general, very similar amongst all the readily available cards. We recommend getting whichever fits within your budget at the capacity you want.

    Theragun Mini (3rd gen) for $168 (24 percent off): The most compact percussion massager that Therabody makes, the latest Mini is small enough to toss in your gym bag or carry-on to take with you when you’re traveling. It comes with three head attachments and it charges via USB-C. Also available at Therabody.

    Bose QuietComfort headphones for $200 (43 percent off): These noise-cancelling headphones have a comfortable (albeit a bit boring) design, an “Aware” mode that lets you hear more of your surroundings when you need to and up to 24 hours of battery life.

    Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones for $248 ($158 off): While the new XM6 headphones have replaced these as Sony’s flagship cans, that doesn’t mean the XM5 aren’t worth buying. They were our top pick for the best wireless headphones for years before the XM6 came around, and they still have excellent ANC, great sound quality, long battery life, a comfortable fit and handy extra features like multipoint connectivity.

    GoPro Hero 13 Black Extended Power Bundle for $349 ($150 off): This bundle gives you our favorite action cam plus three Enduro batteries, a dual battery charger, one adhesive mount, a 64GB SanDisk microSD card, two USB-C cables and more. It makes a great all-in-one gift for the budding videographer or aspiring influencer in your life, or a solid addition to your own camera kit. Also available at GoPro.

    TCL QM6K (55-inch) 4K TV for $398 ($202 off): The QM6K is widely regarded as one of this year’s better TV bargains. As a budget model, it won’t get you top-notch contrast, color volume, brightness or HDR performance, but its quantum-dot color, mini-LED backlighting and full-array local dimming help it more than hold its own for the money. It’s a nice buy for gaming on a budget as well, since it has a fast 144Hz refresh rate that can reach as high at 288Hz if you play in 1080p. This deal marks a new low. The 65-inch and 75-inch models are also at their all-time lows at $498 and $698, respectively. Also at Best Buy and Walmart.

    Samsung 65-inch Frame Pro smart TV for $1,548 (26 percent off): The latest version of Samsung’s art TV, the Frame Pro lets you show artwork on the screen when you’re not watching a sports game or binge-watching your favorite show. It supports 4K content, VRR gaming at up to 4K 144Hz and runs on Samsung’s NQ4 AI Gen3 processor. Also available at Best Buy.

    Black Friday FAQs

    When is Black Friday 2025?

    Black Friday 2025 lands on November 28.

    Which stores have Black Friday deals?

    Many physical retail stores have Black Friday deals including Walmart, Target, Best Buy and others. Even more retailers have online Black Friday deals, including Amazon, GameStop, Costco and others.

    When do Black Friday sales start?

    Gone are the times when Black Friday sales were one-day-only affairs. Now, Black Friday deals are often available starting on Thanksgiving, or even earlier. Last year, we saw Black Friday deals online begin the week before Black Friday proper.

    When do Black Friday sales end?

    Black Friday and Cyber Monday have blended a lot over the past few years. Now, you can expect to see a good portion of Black Friday deals extend through the weekend and into Cyber Monday. It’s not uncommon for Black Friday deals to expire at the end of Cyber Monday.

    Which retailers have the best Black Friday tech deals?

    The best Black Friday tech deals are typically available online at retailers like Amazon, Walmart, Best Buy and Target. It’s also a good idea to check the store websites of the companies that make the products you want — for example, if you’re looking for a Sonos speaker, check the Sonos website on Black Friday. Most of the time, you’ll find the best Black Friday tech deals are matched at multiple retailers.

    Does Apple have Black Friday sales?

    No, you will usually not find Black Friday sales at Apple stores or on Apple’s website. However, you can find Black Friday deals on Apple devices elsewhere; we recommend checking Amazon, Best Buy and other big retailers for discounts on iPads, Apple Watches and more on Black Friday.

    Does Amazon have Black Friday sales?

    Yes, Amazon has Black Friday sales. The online retailer’s site will look similar to Prime Day on Black Friday, with discounts on all sorts of items from household essentials to fashion to tech.

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    Valentina Palladino

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  • Birdfy Smart Bird Feeders Are the Cheapest They’ve Been All Year on Amazon Right Now

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    After spending the past year testing 25 smart bird feeders from 10 different brands, many have impressed me, but none so frequently and consistently as Birdfy’s. It was the first brand on the market to introduce AI bird identification, as well as the first to introduce auxiliary products like smart nesting boxes, birdbaths (see below), and feeder bodies made from different materials like wood or metal. The products still suffer the occasional quirk or connectivity issue, but all smart feeders do. The Birdfys remain my go-to for gifts and personal use at my home due to their consistency and ease of use.

    If you’re looking to buy one this year for yourself or a loved one, these are the best prices you’ll see, and these are the most giftable models, most usable out of the box without a subscription. (Note that all Birdfy feeders run on 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi only.)

    For Beginners

    • Photograph: Kat Merck

    Birdfy

    Rookie Smart Bird Feeder

    If you’ve never dealt with a smart bird feeder before, it can be intimidating. I know multiple people who were gifted a smart bird feeder last year for the holidays and still, in November 2025, have yet to take it out of the box. Apparently they’re not alone, because there’s now a feeder specifically for the reluctant: the Rookie, which looks like a gravity pet feeder and snaps together in three simple pieces with no tools.

    You’ll still have to charge the 1080p camera (once a week, as this version doesn’t come with a solar panel) and calibrate it to the app, but that’s it—just pop the camera on its little side stand, fill the seed hopper, attach it to a wall or pole with the included hardware, and you’re good to go. Because there’s only a side view, you’ll get a fair amount of butt shots from birds who are facing the other way, and note that you’ll definitely want to site this one out of the way of squirrels, because it’s pretty lightweight and the top is easily knocked off.

    An Enduring Classic

    • Courtesy of Birdfy

    • Courtesy of Birdfy

    • Photograph: Medea Giordano

    Birdfy

    Feeder Lite With Solar

    There are an awful lot of smart feeders on the market, and none of them are perfect, but this longtime best-seller is the one I consistently recommend for its combination of features, usability, app, and price. There are options for a solar panel and either AI by subscription ($5 a month) or included, but Amazon’s deal is on the one with the by-subscription option and solar panel. The panel has to be mounted separately, but in my experience, it’s done quite well at keeping the camera charged even when it’s cloudy.

    If You’re Worried About Squirrel Damage

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    Courtesy of Birdfy

    Birdfy

    Feeder Metal With AI

    I haven’t yet tested this exact model , but I have tested many plastic feeders that have been chewed by squirrels. If you’re interested in the original Birdfy but are worried about squirrel damage, this is the one to get. It uses the same 1080p camera you’ll find on the side of Birdfy’s Pro 2 Duo. It also doesn’t need a subscription for AI identification, and it comes with built-in rooftop solar panels, so you won’t have to bring it in to charge the camera battery. I’ve had great luck with Birdfy’s solar panels on other models staying charged even during cloudy seasons.

    For Top-Tier Photo and Video Quality

    • Courtesy of Birdfy

    Birdfy

    Feeder 2 Pro With AI and Solar

    This is Birdfy’s flagship smart feeder, featuring the highest image quality of any of the brand’s feeder cameras. I tested the 2 Pro Duo, which has two cameras; this model only has the one, but it’s the same as the Duo’s main camera, which I can attest is outstanding. (Though you’ll want to make sure it’s close to a router, as it will need more bandwidth than a typical feeder camera.) It’s got two lenses—one wide-angle and one portrait—and the latter will actually track any bird that lands and zoom in for a closer view. The 2K video captures can also be played back in slow motion, and there’s a light for capturing interesting happenings at night. This version doesn’t need a subscription, and it comes with a solar panel, which will need to be mounted separately.

    A Fun, New Way to Watch Birds

    • Photograph: Kat Merck

    If your giftee already has a smart bird feeder or doesn’t want to deal with seed mess, why not gift them a smart bird bath? This one’s already won an Innovation Award for CES 2026, and despite some early connection issues, I had great fun testing it this summer. It captured visits from everything from birds, spiders, and squirrels to a raccoon trying to steal the pump filter. (He was eventually successful.) Note the bath still does take some maintenance, other than refilling—because the reservoir is shallow, it is prone to algae, and the pump does tend to clog with larger debris like leaves. But I still highly recommend it as a fun gift for any bird lover; especially this version, which comes with a matching stand and does not require a subscription for AI identification.

    If You’d Rather Not Have Plastic

    Image may contain: Box, Animal, and Bird

    Courtesy of Birdfy

    Birdfy

    Bamboo Mini Bird Feeder With Camera

    Most smart feeders are made of plastic, and for good reason—it’s durable, resists weather damage, and is easy to clean. But no one’s going to argue that it looks great in your yard. I haven’t tested this exact feeder, but I did test a similar-looking one, and I was surprised at how much classier and more natural it looked on my feeder pole. This one sports the same 1080p camera as our favorite original Birdfy, and also comes with a solar panel for keeping the camera charged (must be mounted separately). There’s also included AI ID, so you won’t need a subscription. As a bonus, you can save an extra 10 percent by entering our code WIRED356 (you can find the spot for a promo code under payment options), which brings the price down to $136.

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    Kat Merck

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  • Tiny Treasures: The Stocking Stuffers She’ll Love This Holiday Season

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    The holiday season is upon us, and as you navigate gift-giving this year, remember that while some believe bigger is better, that’s not always the case when it comes to a thoughtful gift. Oftentimes, the best—not to mention the most luxurious—things come in small packages.

    For the upcoming holidays, put in the extra effort to find her the most delightful petite presents. The perfect stocking stuffer isn’t kitschy—it’s a tiny treasure that you’ve put thought into. Whether she’s all about self-care, is the consummate bookworm, loves being in the kitchen or simply appreciates all of the finer things in life, there’s a charming gift out there to tuck into her Christmas stocking that is far from bland. If you’re concerned about finding a pint-sized yet considerate holiday gift, you’ve come to the right place. From indulgent perfumes and sparkly jewelry to chic sunglasses and plush purses, these are the sophisticated and adorable stocking stuffer ideas that she’ll absolutely love for the holidays this year.

    Check out all of Observer’s luxury gift guides for the best holiday present ideas for every person out there. 

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    Morgan Halberg

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  • Black Friday SSD deals: Take up to $250 off recommended internal and portable SSDs, microSD cards and more

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    If you’re looking to grab a new SSD for a PC, , gaming handheld or any other gadget, Black Friday is typically a good time to take the plunge. To help you separate the fake discounts from the stuff worth your time, we’ve picked through the many sales going on now and rounded up the best Black Friday SSD deals and other storage discounts we could find below. So far we’re seeing a handful of discounts on well-reviewed , and , but we’ll update this post as we find more offers that are worth calling out.

    Best Black Friday microSD card deals

    Samsung

    We recommend the Evo Select in our microSD card buying guide for those on a tight budget. It has mediocre write speeds, so it’s not ideal for a camera, but it should be serviceable for most people just looking to add space to an Android tablet or original Nintendo Switch on the cheap. (Note that this is a standard UHS-I card, not an Express one.) This deal matches the lowest price to date for the 512GB variant of the latest model. Also at Samsung and B&H.

    $33 at Amazon

    Samsung Pro Plus (1TB, 2-pack) for $136 at Best Buy ($104 off MSRP): The Pro Plus is the runner-up pick in our guide to the best microSD cards. On its own, it’s not worth buying over the faster Lexar Professional Silver Plus when both are available for the same price — which is the case right now — but this bundle deal that packages two 1TB cards together for $68 apiece is much more appealing if you need space for multiple devices. Just add two to your cart or click the “special offers” link on Best Buy’s product page to see the discount at checkout. If you need another card, you can also grab a three-pack for $204. For reference, the previous low for an individual 1TB Pro Plus card is $70.

    Lexar Play Pro (256GB) microSD Express card for $49 at Amazon ($11 off): The only reason to buy a super-fast (but pricey) microSD Express card is to expand the storage of a Nintendo Switch 2, which requires the newer format. In our guide to the best Switch 2 microSD cards, we found each model we tested to perform similarly in actual games, so your best bet is to buy whichever one you can find in stock at the lowest price. Nintendo has already announced that Samsung’s 256GB Express card will be available for “$20 off MSRP” on November 30, which should bring it down to $40. If you can wait to pounce on that offer, you should. But if you can’t for some reason, or if that discount quickly sells out, this is only $2 more than the best price we’ve seen for Lexar’s equivalent model.

    Samsung P9 Express (512GB) microSD Express Card for $75 at Amazon ($25 off): If you want more space for a Switch 2, the 512GB version of Samsung’s P9 Express card is also on sale for a new low of $75. Full disclosure: Samsung launched this card a couple of weeks ago, and we only just got it in for testing. But given the trend of similar Switch 2 performance we’ve seen with other Express cards thus far, and the fact that this is easily the cheapest 512GB model we can find in stock as of this writing, we figure it’s worth noting. Also at Samsung and B&H.

    SanDisk microSD Express Card (256GB) for $60 at Amazon ($8 off): Like the offers above, this discount matches the best price we’ve seen for SanDisk’s 256GB microSD Express card. Again, there isn’t much point in grabbing it as long as cheaper options are in stock, though this is technically the fastest all-around model we’ve tested when it comes to transferring games to and from the Switch 2’s built-in storage. (Within games, however, the difference is still minimal.) We’ll note it here just in case the other Express models completely sell out.

    Best Black Friday internal SSD deals

    SK Hynix Platinum P51 (1TB) PCIe 5.0 SSD for $110 at Newegg ($60 off): Most people don’t have to pay extra for the top-tier performance of a PCIe 5.0 SSD like the Platinum P51, but if you need something for more intense workloads or just want the comfort of owning a more futureproof SSD, reviews around the web suggest this is one of the better options available. Just make sure you have a compatible motherboard and CPU first. This offer ties the lowest price yet for the 1TB model. Use the code BFEFE96 to get the full discount at checkout.

    Image for the small product module

    Crucial

    If you need a bit more space from a PCIe 5.0 drive, the Crucial T705 is a slightly older but still highly rated alternative with blazing-fast speeds. This discount comes within $10 of the 2TB version’s all-time low. Also at B&H.

    $160 at Amazon

    Crucial T710 (2TB) PCIe 5.0 SSD with heatsink for $190 at Best Buy ($130 off): The T710 is Crucial’s successor to the T705. Most reviews suggest it isn’t a massive leap over the older version in real-world performance, but it’s generally quicker, and it’s a more noticeable improvement in terms of power efficiency. If you’re willing to spend a little bit extra, this is the best price we’ve tracked for the 2TB model with a heatsink, which isn’t 100 percent essential for everyone but helps minimize thermal throttling all the same. It’s usually retailed for $250 in recent months. Also at B&H. If you don’t want the heatsink, the drive alone is on sale for $10 less.

    Samsung SSD 9100 Pro (8TB) PCIe 5.0 SSD for $750 at Amazon ($250 off): Yes, we realize this is a ton to spend on a new SSD, but if you’re in the niche that wants a PCIe 5.0 drive with as much capacity as possible, it ties the lowest price we’ve tracked for the 8TB variant of Samsung’s top-end model. Most reviews say that the 9100 Pro is outpaced by the WD Black SN8100 at the enthusiast end of the market, but it’s still competitive, and the 8TB version of that WD drive is priced $250 higher as of this writing. Most other direct rivals, meanwhile, aren’t yet available with this much space. Also at Best Buy.

    Crucial P310 (2TB) M.2 2230 SSD for $130 at Amazon ($110 off): The P310 is a small-size SSD you can slot in certain thin and light notebooks or gaming handhelds like the Steam Deck. It uses cheaper QLC memory, not the faster and more durable TLC, but most reviews say it performs well for what it is. This discount is a few bucks above the largest drop to date for the 2TB model, but it’s still about $20 off the drive’s usual street price. Also at B&H.

    Best Black Friday portable SSD deals

    Crucial X10 (1TB) portable SSD for $85 at Amazon ($13 off): The X10 is a newer iteration of the Crucial X10 Pro, which itself is a variant of the Crucial X9 Pro, the top pick in our guide to the best portable SSDs. It uses the USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 interface, which few PCs and no Macs support, so most people won’t see a difference between it and more traditional USB 3.2 Gen 2 drives like the X9 Pro. (Pricier USB4 and Thunderbolt models, meanwhile, are much faster and generally easier to utilize.)

    If the X10 is on sale for much less than the X9 Pro, however, there’s little reason to not buy it instead. That’s the case as of this writing. Plus, like our top pick, the X10 is rugged, impressively compact and fast enough for most people’s needs, though it doesn’t support hardware-based encryption. This deal is $3 more than the 1TB model’s all-time low but still $15 off its typical going rate. Other capacities are on sale as well, including the extra spacious 8TB model for a new low of $385. Also at Best Buy and B&H.

    Seagate Storage Expansion Card for Xbox (2TB) for $200 at Amazon ($30 off): Annoying as it is, the only way to fully add storage to an Xbox Series X or Series S is to use a proprietary expansion card. Only two of those exist, and they’re both expensive compared to traditional SSDs. Still, they’re dead simple to set up, and this Seagate model holds up well compared to the consoles’ internal storage. While this deal for the 2TB version isn’t an all-time low, it’s about $20 off the card’s usual going rate over the last few months. The 4TB variant is also discounted at $380 — that’s a ton to spend on one of these things, but it does match the lowest price we’ve tracked for that particular model. Also at Best Buy and Walmart.

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    Jeff Dunn

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  • Get $10 Amazon Credit When You Purchase Amazon Devices

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    Get $10 Amazon Credit When You Purchase Amazon Devices

    This article contains Amazon affiliate links.

    Amazon has a new promotion on many Amazon devices. You can get a $10 credit when you purchase a device listed in the promotion page. Here’s how it works:

    1. Add 1 item from the products listed in promotion page to your Cart using the Add to Cart button or select See Options for specific product variations.
    2. When you’re done shopping, select Go to Cart.
    3. The offer will automatically be applied at checkout, if eligible.

    Some of the eligible products include:

    • Amazon Echo Pop Kids for $21.99
    • Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus for $24.99
    • Amazon Echo Show 5 for $54.99
    • Amazon Fire HD 10 tablet for $69.99
    • Amazon Fire TV Cube for $89.99
    • and many more

     

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through this article. While your support is always greatly appreciated, you should always check shopping portals such as Rakuten, TopCashback, RebatesMe, ShopBack and others for possible cashback.

    HT: DoC

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    DDG

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  • Jeff Bezos’ New AI Venture Quietly Acquired an Agentic Computing Startup

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    After The New York Times story was published, Guss, Ozair, and about three dozen other people updated their LinkedIn profiles to list their affiliation with the Bezos venture. Several of those people also work at Foresite Labs.

    Details about Prometheus remain limited. Its founding date, formal name, and headquarters haven’t been publicly identified. But the dinner Bajaj hosted in June provided other clues.

    At least two other featured guests that night, including former Nvidia senior research scientist Kamyar Azizzadenesheli, quietly joined Prometheus early this year, their newly updated LinkedIn profiles show.

    Ashish Vaswani and Jakob Uszkoreit, two former Google researchers who coauthored a famous AI paper, ended up being unable to attend the dinner. But both are now founding advisers to Prometheus while running their own startups, according to LinkedIn data and a person familiar with the matter. None of the researchers responded to requests for comment.

    Built for Speed

    Ozair established General Agents last year, and the San Francisco startup released its first technology this past April. Described as “a real-time computer pilot,” Ace takes over a computer and carries out actions based on the user’s prompts. It’s part of a class of tools the AI industry calls computer agents, which can automate daily tasks on a laptop that span across different apps.

    One demo video from the launch shows Ace downloading an image from Google and sending it to someone over iMessage in under 15 seconds.

    How Ace fits into Prometheus’ plans is still murky. New versions of Ace continue to be released as recently as this month, according to public data from General Agents. The company’s website and job postings remain online, and the leader of a team in India helping train Ace also joined Prometheus, according to their LinkedIn profile

    Harsha Abegunasekara, cofounder and CEO of Donely, which makes a competitor to Ace, says he learned of the General Agents acquisition from an investor in Ozair’s startup. The deal has been a mixed bag for Donely. Some potential investors are pleased that a well-regarded rival may be off the board, while others are worried about going up against Bezos if Ace becomes a crucial part of what Prometheus develops.

    “There is something important there for Prometheus to get the entire company,” Abegunasekara says. “What General Agents really cracked early on is speed—Ace runs on your computer at light speed. We’ve been working on that for six months and haven’t achieved it yet.”

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    Paresh Dave

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  • Amazon Workers Issue Warning About Company’s ‘All-Costs-Justified’ Approach to AI Development

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    Over 1,000 Amazon employees have anonymously signed an open letter warning that the company’s allegedly “all-costs-justified, warp-speed approach to AI development” could cause “staggering damage to democracy, to our jobs, and to the earth,” an internal advocacy group announced on Wednesday.

    Four members of Amazon Employees for Climate Justice tell WIRED that they began asking workers to sign the letter last month. After reaching their initial goal, the group published on Wednesday the job titles of the Amazon employees who signed and disclosed that more than 2,400 supporters from other organizations, including Google and Apple, have also joined in.

    Backers inside Amazon include high-ranking engineers, senior product leaders, marketing managers, and warehouse staff spanning many divisions of the company. A senior engineering manager with over 20 years at Amazon says they signed because they believe a manufactured “race” to build the best AI has empowered executives to trample workers and the environment.

    “The current generation of AI has become almost like a drug that companies like Amazon obsess over, use as a cover to lay people off, and use the savings to pay for data centers for AI products no one is paying for,” says the employee, who like others in this story, asked to remain anonymous because they feared retaliation from their bosses.

    Amazon, along with other big tech companies, is in the midst of investing billions of dollars to construct new data centers to train and run generative AI systems. This includes tools helping workers write code and consumer-facing services such as Amazon’s shopping chatbot, Rufus. It’s easy to see why Amazon is pursuing AI. Last month, Amazon CEO Andy Jassy announced that Rufus was on track to increase Amazon’s sales by $10 billion annually. It “is continuing to get better and better,” he said.

    AI systems demand significant power, which has forced utility companies to turn to coal plants and other carbon-emitting sources of energy to support the data center boom. The open letter demands that Amazon abandon carbon fuel sources at its data centers, bar its AI technologies from being used to carry out surveillance and mass deportation, and stop forcing employees to use AI in their work. “We, the undersigned Amazon employees, have serious concerns about this aggressive rollout during the global rise of authoritarianism and our most important years to reverse the climate crisis,” the letter states.

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    Paresh Dave

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  • Save 50% on Amazon Purchases With Your Amex Card Points

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    Amazon Amex Points Discount

    Amazon Amex Points Discount

    This article contains Amazon affiliate links.

    Amazon has brought back its popular ‘Shop with Points’ promo for Amex cardholders. This promotion is normally targeted, but you can quickly check this link to see if you are eligible. It is now even better, as it has been expanded to include many more items beyond those sold and shipped by Amazon.

    Offers might vary from one account to the other, and we normally see anything between 10% and 50%. My offer shows a 40% discount, for maximum savings of $60, but you might see a different offer when clicking the link. The discount should work for third party gift cards sold on Amazon as well. You just need to use at least 714 Membership Rewards points (worth $5) for part of your purchases. Check out the details below.

    Possible Offers

    Here are some of the offers that you might see:

    • 50% on your next purchase (up to $80 savings)
    • 50% on your next purchase (up to $75 savings)
    • 40% on your next purchase (up to $60 savings)
    • 40% on your next purchase (up to $50 savings)
    • $20 off a purchase of $50 or more
    • 30% on your next purchase (up to $30 savings)
    • 20% on your next purchase (up to $40 savings)
    • 20% on your next purchase (up to $20 savings)
    • 10% on your next purchase (up to $10 savings)

    PROMO PAGE

    Amazon Amex Points PromoAmazon Amex Points Promo

    How it Works

    Redeem your promotional discount in 3 easy steps:

    • Enroll your Amex membership Rewards card if you haven’t already done so.
    • Click on the “Activate now” button here to activate this promotion and apply points to your next order. You MUST click on the button to receive the promotion credit.
    • Add one or more of eligible products sold & shipped by Amazon.com to your shopping cart. You can redeem on multiple purchases.
    • Use Membership Rewards points at checkout. To redeem this offer, you must redeem at least 714 Membership Rewards point.
    • Savings will show on the final order checkout page if the items in your order are eligible for the promotion

    Offer Terms

    • This is a limited time offer. The promotion will end on the earlier of (a) 5:00 pm PT on 12/31/2025 or (b) the time at which 46,647 customers have redeemed the offer. The promotion button will expire at the same time as the offer.
    • Amazon.com reserves the right to cancel or modify this offer at any time.
    • Offer applies only to the purchase where Membership Rewards points are used for at least a portion of the purchase and the promotion code is applied at checkout.
    • Offer only applies to products sold by Amazon.com (Look for “sold by Amazon Digital Services LLC” on the product detail page.) Products sold by third-party sellers or other Amazon entities will not qualify for this offer, even if “fulfilled by Amazon.com” or “Prime Eligible”.
    • Limit one promotion code per Membership Rewards eligible card.
    • Offer may not be combined with other offers.
    • Shipping charges may apply to discounted promotional items.
    • Offer does not apply to purchase of digital content.

    Guru’s Wrap-up

    This is another great  promotion from Amazon. It now works for products shipped and sold by Amazon.com but also form many other items that can be purchased using Shop with Points at checkout at Amazon.com.

    Just make sure you activate the promotion first and use at least 714 Membership Rewards point. Using points on Amazon is not a good idea, as you get terrible value. So make sure it doesn’t default to paying your whole order with Amex points. You can maximize this offer with a $150 purchase.

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    DDG

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  • Apple AirPods 4 Wireless Earbuds from $69.99 on Amazon

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    Apple AirPods 4 Wireless Earbuds from $69.99

    This article contains Amazon affiliate links.

    Amazon is selling:

    This is the lowest price we have seen for these items. Shipping is free.

    You can save more if you are targeted for Pay with Points discounts for Discover or Amex cardholders.

     

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through this article. While your support is always greatly appreciated, you should always check shopping portals such as Rakuten, TopCashback, RebatesMe, ShopBack and others for possible cashback.

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    DDG

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  • Those Viral Photos of Elon and Zuck Are AI. But Google Launched a New Way to Check for Fakes

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    Photos appearing to show Elon Musk and several other Big Tech CEOs have gone viral in the past week on X and Bluesky. The mundane environments, including humble apartments and McDonald’s parking lots, should have given everyone a hint that they’re fake. But there’s a new way for the average person to check for themselves whether the images were made with AI. And it’s actually really useful.

    Right off the bat, it should be said that the vast majority of AI image detectors are not reliable. Many people think you can use tools that are openly available on the web and figure out if a given image is AI. But they’re not good. For example, people often ask Grok on X whether a photo was created with generative artificial intelligence. And it frequently gets the answer wrong. Sometimes in amusing ways.

    Google developed an AI watermark called SynthID a couple of years ago, but the company didn’t allow the average user to check whether an image had the watermark. That changed just a few days ago. Now anyone can upload an image to Gemini and ask if it has the SynthID watermark, which is invisible to the naked eye.

    The watermark is embedded in the pixels and every image created with Google’s AI creation tools will have it. Checking for the watermark is now easy for anyone who opens up Gemini.

    From Google’s announcement:

    If you see an image and want to confirm it has been made by Google AI, upload it to the Gemini app and ask a question such as: “Was this created with Google AI?” or “Is this AI-generated?”

    Gemini will check for the SynthID watermark and use its own reasoning to return a response that gives you more context about the content you encounter online.

    Obviously Gemini is less equipped to tell you if an image is AI if it wasn’t made with Google tools like Nano Banana Pro. And that’s the entire reason the company appears to be launching SynthID detection in Gemini in this moment. Nano Banana Pro launched last week and it’s allowing users to make incredibly realistic images, including images of Elon Musk and other tech CEOs that look very real.

    Some of those images have recently gone viral, like one that racked up nearly 9 million views on X before migrating to other platforms like Bluesky. The image shows Musk, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, Google CEO Sundar Pichai, Apple CEO Tim Cook, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, and Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg all standing together in a small apartment.

     

    Other versions of the image include OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, with the men standing around in a parking lot, pictured at the top of this article. For some reason, Musk is seen smoking a cigar in a couple of them. Another image showed the men in the parking lot from a different angle. And still another had the men eating McDonald’s on the ground with a Cybertruck in the background.

    If you run any of these images through Gemini it confirms they all have the SynthID watermark. If you’re wondering whether an image appears too weird to be true, it’s probably a good idea to check with Gemini.

    Did you see that viral image of President Donald Trump with Bill “Bubba” Clinton in a very compromising position? Running that image through Gemini confirms it was made with Google’s AI image generator. Gemini won’t necessarily be able to ID every AI image with certainty. But if you run an image through Gemini and it tells you the “photo” has the SynthID watermark, you know it’s not real.

    Fake images are still going to be everywhere in the current social media environment. But at least Google has given the average user a new tool to identify at least some of the fakes for themselves. It’s only going to get harder and harder to recognize AI-generated content as the years progress. Sometimes you just need to apply some common sense. For example, do you think Elon Musk and Sam Altman would be hanging out in a parking lot together? Given their very public conflicts, that seems very unlikely.

    Then again, it seemed very unlikely that Musk and President Trump would become friendly again after the Tesla CEO accused Trump of being in the Epstein files. Weirder things have happened when billions of dollars are at stake.

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    Matt Novak

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  • India’s gig workers win legal status, but access to social security remains elusive | TechCrunch

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    India has granted legal status to millions of gig and platform workers under its newly implemented labor laws, marking a milestone for the country’s delivery, ride-hailing and e-commerce workforce — yet with benefits still unclear and platforms beginning to assess their obligations, access to social security remains out of reach.

    The recognition stems from the Code on Social Security — one of four labor laws the Indian government brought into effect on Friday — more than five years after the parliament first passed them in 2020. It is the only part of the new framework that addresses gig and platform workers, as the remaining three codes — covering wages, industrial relations, and workplace safety — do not extend minimum earnings, employment protections or working-condition guarantees to this rapidly expanding workforce.

    India has one of the world’s largest and fastest-growing gig economies, with industry estimates suggesting that more than 12 million people deliver food, drive ride-hailing cabs, sort e-commerce packages, and perform other on-demand services for digital platforms. The sector has become a critical source of employment, especially for young and migrant workers shut out of formal job markets, and is projected to expand further as companies scale logistics, retail, and hyperlocal delivery.

    Companies from Amazon and Walmart-owned Flipkart to Indian quick-delivery apps such as Swiggy, Eternal’s Blinkit, and Zepto, as well as ride-hailing firms including Uber, Ola, and Rapido, rely on gig workers to run their businesses in the South Asian nation — the world’s second-largest internet and smartphone market after China. Yet despite powering some of India’s most valuable tech businesses, most gig workers operate outside traditional labor protections and lack access to basic social security.

    The newly implemented labor laws are intended to change that, by defining gig and platform workers in statute and requiring aggregators, such as food-delivery and ride-hailing platforms, to contribute 1–2% of their annual revenue (capped at 5% of payments made to such workers) to a government-managed social security fund. But the details remain murky: what exact benefits will actually be offered, how workers will access them, and how contributions will be tracked across multiple platforms, and when payouts will begin all remain unclear, raising concerns that meaningful protections may take years to materialize.

    A Zomato delivery boy moves through New DelhiImage Credits:Nasir Kachroo/NurPhoto / Getty Images

    The Code on Social Security creates a legal framework for gig workers to be covered under schemes such as the Employees’ State Insurance, provident fund, and government-backed insurance. However, the extent of these benefits — including eligibility, contribution levels, and delivery mechanisms — remains unclear and will depend on future rules and scheme notifications.

    A key part of the framework is the creation of Social Security Boards at both the central and state levels, tasked with designing and overseeing welfare schemes for gig and platform workers. The central board must include five representatives of gig and platform workers and five representatives of aggregators, all nominated by the government, alongside senior officials, experts, and state representatives, per the Code. But there is little clarity on how decisions will be made, how much influence worker representatives will actually have, or who will ultimately control decisions on funding and benefit delivery.

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    “We need to wait and see what exactly is in the government’s mind when it comes to implementing the four Codes, and what it hopes to do for gig workers,” said Balaji Parthasarathy, a professor at IIIT Bangalore and principal investigator of the Fairwork India project. “And then we also have to see what the states translate on the ground.”

    Parthasarathy noted that because labor policy in India is shared between the federal and state governments — listed in the “concurrent list” of the Indian Constitution — state governments are responsible for designing, notifying, and administering many of the schemes needed to make the Code on Social Security operational for gig workers.

    That raises the possibility of uneven access, as some states move quickly to establish social security boards and roll out mechanisms, while others delay or deprioritize the effort due to political or fiscal constraints. Recent examples — such as Rajasthan’s stalled legislation after it was passed in 2023, and Karnataka’s Gig Workers Act, which was implemented soon after clearing the state assembly — underscore how workers’ protections may ultimately depend on where they live rather than the law itself.

    Platform companies have publicly welcomed the reform, but are still largely evaluating what it will require of them. An Amazon India spokesperson told TechCrunch the company supports the Indian government’s intent behind the labor overhaul and is evaluating the changes it will need to introduce. A spokesperson for Zepto said the company welcomes the new labor codes as “a big step toward clearer, simpler rules that protect workers while supporting ease of doing business,” adding that the changes will help strengthen social security for its delivery partners without undermining the flexibility that quick-commerce operations rely on.

    Food delivery firm Eternal, formerly known as Zomato, said in a stock exchange filing that the Social Security Code is a step toward more uniform rules and that it does not expect the financial impact to threaten its long-term business.

    Nonetheless, Aprajita Rana, a partner at corporate law firm AZB & Partners, said the change “will naturally have a financial impact” on India’s e-commerce sector, as worker contributions are now being formalized. It will also create new compliance obligations, requiring companies to ensure all workers in their networks are registered with the government-managed fund, determine whether individuals are associated with multiple aggregators and how to avoid duplicative benefits, and set up internal grievance mechanisms.

    “While the law has the right intent, gig worker structures in India are quite novel, and practical challenges in compliance will emerge as the law takes force,” Rana told TechCrunch.

    One of the biggest hurdles for gig workers seeking benefits under the newly implemented law will be registering on the Indian government’s E-Shram portal, launched in 2021 as a national database of unorganized workers. The portal had registered more than 300,000 platform workers as of the end of August, even though the government estimates India’s gig workforce at around 10 million. Trade unions, including the Indian Federation of App-Based Transport Workers (IFAT), which has more than 70,000 members, are working to help gig workers enroll so they can access the benefits.

    Ambika Tandon, a PhD candidate at the University of Cambridge and an affiliate of the national trade union Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), said registering on the portal could mean lost wages for gig workers, since they would have to take time off to fill in required details.

    “These workers work for 16 hours a day,” she told TechCrunch. “They don’t have time to go and register themselves on the government portal.”

    CITU is also among the ten major Indian trade unions calling for the withdrawal of the new labor laws, ahead of nationwide protests planned for Wednesday.

    The benefits of registering on the E-Shram portal are not compelling for many gig workers, Tandon noted, because the law does not address more immediate concerns such as fluctuating earnings, account suspensions, and sudden termination of accounts — issues that workers say matter far more right now than access to insurance or provident fund benefits.

    Trade unions often organize strikes to push platforms to address these concerns directly. However, such actions can disrupt everyone involved, including consumers, and put workers at further risk, as they are not paid while striking and may even face termination for participating.

    Swiggy strike
    Swiggy workers protested in Kolkata in 2023Image Credits:NurPhoto / Contributor / Getty Images

    “While the social security rules have now been put in place, we demand a minimum wage and an employer–employee relationship for gig and platform workers, which are yet to be set by the government,” said Shaik Salauddin, founder president of the Telangana Gig and Platform Workers Union (TGPWU), which has more than 10,000 members in the southern state of Telangana, and national general secretary of IFAT. “We urge the government to obtain data from aggregators and secure their monetary contributions to the fund to start offering benefits to workers.”

    There is a broader debate over whether gig workers should be treated as employees — a question the new labor laws do not address. The Social Security Code defines gig and platform workers as a separate category, rather than extending them the rights and protections that come with employee status. In contrast, courts and regulators in markets such as the U.K., Spain, and New Zealand have moved toward recognizing platform workers as employees or “workers,” entitled to minimum wages, paid leave, and other benefits. In some U.S. jurisdictions, regulators and courts have pushed for platform workers to be treated as employees or similarly protected workers, though many ride-hail and delivery drivers remain classified as independent contractors.

    “With this law, the Indian government has settled this debate by saying that these gig workers do not sit within the ambit of employment or other protections,” Tandon said.

    The Indian labor ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

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    Jagmeet Singh

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  • Alexa Home Theater surround sound for Echo speakers is rolling out now

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    One of the more intriguing prospects Amazon revealed at its devices and services event back in September was Alexa Home Theater, a surround sound mode for select Echo speakers. Amazon has now confirmed to Engadget that it’s rolling out Alexa Home Theater “broadly” starting today.

    This could make Echo speakers a more budget-friendly, entry-level alternative to a Sonos setup in some consumers’ eyes — though a good soundbar may be actually a better bet for those just starting to put together a home theater system. You can connect up to five of the company’s new Echo Studio or Echo Dot Max speakers plus a subwoofer to a Fire TV Stick 4K or 4K Max (the original Echo Studio isn’t compatible).

    Amazon said that, after you plug in several Echo devices in the same room as your TV and link them to the same Wi-Fi network, the Alexa app can walk you through the setup process. Alexa will automatically tune the speakers for your space.

    As it happens, the latest Echo Studio and the Echo Dot Max are both on sale for Black Friday, along with other Amazon devices. The Echo Studio is $30 off at $190 and the Echo Dot Max has dropped by $10 to $90.

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    Kris Holt

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  • Amazon Is Using Specialized AI Agents for Deep Bug Hunting

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    As generative AI pushes the speed of software development, it is also enhancing the ability of digital attackers to carry out financially motivated or state-backed hacks. This means that security teams at tech companies have more code than ever to review while dealing with even more pressure from bad actors. On Monday, Amazon will publish details for the first time of an internal system known as Autonomous Threat Analysis (ATA), which the company has been using to help its security teams proactively identify weaknesses in its platforms, perform variant analysis to quickly search for other, similar flaws, and then develop remediations and detection capabilities to plug holes before attackers find them.

    ATA was born out of an internal Amazon hackathon in August 2024, and security team members say that it has grown into a crucial tool since then. The key concept underlying ATA is that it isn’t a single AI agent developed to comprehensively conduct security testing and threat analysis. Instead, Amazon developed multiple specialized AI agents that compete against each other in two teams to rapidly investigate real attack techniques and different ways they could be used against Amazon’s systems—and then propose security controls for human review.

    “The initial concept was aimed to address a critical limitation in security testing—limited coverage and the challenge of keeping detection capabilities current in a rapidly evolving threat landscape,” Steve Schmidt, Amazon’s chief security officer, tells WIRED. “Limited coverage means you can’t get through all of the software or you can’t get to all of the applications because you just don’t have enough humans. And then it’s great to do an analysis of a set of software, but if you don’t keep the detection systems themselves up to date with the changes in the threat landscape, you’re missing half of the picture.”

    As part of scaling its use of ATA, Amazon developed special “high-fidelity” testing environments that are deeply realistic reflections of Amazon’s production systems, so ATA can both ingest and produce real telemetry for analysis.

    The company’s security teams also made a point to design ATA so every technique it employs, and detection capability it produces, is validated with real, automatic testing and system data. Red team agents that are working on finding attacks that could be used against Amazon’s systems execute actual commands in ATA’s special test environments that produce verifiable logs. Blue team, or defense-focused agents, use real telemetry to confirm whether the protections they are proposing are effective. And anytime an agent develops a novel technique, it also pulls time-stamped logs to prove that its claims are accurate.

    This verifiability reduces false positives, Schmidt says, and acts as “hallucination management.” Because the system is built to demand certain standards of observable evidence, Schmidt claims that “hallucinations are architecturally impossible.”

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    Lily Hay Newman

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  • Amazon Resale, Extra 30% Discount on Many Items

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    Amazon Resale 30% Discount

    This article contains Amazon affiliate links.

    Update: This offer is available again.

    As part of its Prime Day sale, Amazon is offering 30% off many items through Amazon Resale. Amazon Resale is a section of Amazon that sells used, returned, open-box, and pre-owned products at a discount. It was previously called Amazon Warehouse.

    You can see all eligible products here. The 40% discount will automatically be applied at checkout, if eligible.

    SHOP NOW

    Also check out these Shop with Points discounts for even more savings.

    Keep in mind that Amazon offers free shipping on orders of $35+, or free next-day shipping on all orders with Amazon Prime (get 30-day free trial). Prime members can also share benefits with a Household member. Students and all 18-25 year olds as well as EBT/SNAP/Medicaid cardholders can get a discounted Prime membership.

     

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases made through this article. While your support is always greatly appreciated, you should always check shopping portals such as Rakuten, TopCashback, RebatesMe, ShopBack and others for possible cashback.

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    DDG

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  • Amazon Black Friday deals: Get the Echo Spot smart alarm clock for only $50

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    Amazon is selling the Echo Spot smart speaker for just $50 as part of a Black Friday promotion. The sale applies to multiple colorways and represents a discount of $30. This isn’t a record low price, but it’s extremely close.

    For the uninitiated, the Echo Spot is a diminutive little speaker/alarm clock hybrid unit. It’s a cute little doodad and looks great on a nightstand. The screen is customizable, so it doesn’t have to display a clock. It can show song titles, smart home control dashboards, the weather and a lot more. Of course, there are numerous clock faces to choose from.

    Amazon

    The Spot not only integrates with Amazon’s smart assistant Alexa, but it provides access to the newfangled Alexa+. This is a smarter and more conversational version of the iconic smart assistant. Like most modern AI products, it’s still working out some bugs. The underlying tech, however, is promising.

    The speaker is decent enough for the size, though you won’t be using it to fuel any house parties. It’s a great tool for bedroom-based listening. This version doesn’t have a camera, which is actually great news for the privacy conscious.

    In addition to the Echo Spot, you’ll even find Black Friday deals on some of the latest Echo devices that just came out last month. The Echo Dot Max is on sale for $90, the new Echo Studio has dropped to $190 and the latest Echo Show 8 has been discounted to $160.

    Image for the mini product module
    Image for the mini product module
    Image for the mini product module

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    Lawrence Bonk

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