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It's Black Friday and that means there are some excellent deals on Amazon products, including Kindles, Blink cameras, Ring doorbells and some of our best smart speakers. Take the Echo Pop, which is available for $18, down from $40. The 55 percent discount brings the Amazon Echo Pop to a record-low price.

Amazon launched the Echo Pop in May 2023 as a new entry-level option for Alexa-powered devices. It features a 1.95-inch front-facing speaker which could work well in a small room like a study or a dorm room. It uses Amazon’s AZ2 Neural Edge processor to allow for on-device tasks and lets you do all the standard commands with Alexa. Plus, you can get it in four colors: Charcoal, Glacier White, Lavender Bloom and Midnight Teal. 

The Pop isn't the only Echo device on sale ahead of Black Friday. Right now, you can get the fifth-generation Echo Dot for $23, down from $50 — a 44 percent discount. The Echo Spot is also on sale, dropping to $45 from $80 and the fourth-generation Echo is $55, down from $100. 

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/amazon-black-friday-deals-drop-the-echo-pop-speaker-down-to-only-18-142842638.html?src=rss

A VR headset could make a great gift for the gamer in your life, and now you can pick up one of our favorites at a killer price. Sony’s PlayStation VR2 is on sale for $350 right now in a bundle that includes the critically-acclaimed spin-off Horizon Call of the Mountain. That’s $200 off the bundle’s regular price and one of the best Black Friday deals on VR headsets we found this year.

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.

Interested in the headset but don't have a PS5 yet? Luckily the PS5 Slim is also on sale right now for $75 off. It's Black Friday deals drop the console to $375 for the digital-only model and $425 for the disc-based version. 

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/best-playstation-black-friday-deals-get-the-ps-vr2-horizon-call-of-the-mountain-bundle-for-200-off-174513635.html?src=rss

Bluesky has updated its impersonation policy to be "more aggressive" after third-party analysis highlighted its verification problem. The Bluesky Safety account said that the social media service is removing accounts that are impersonating other people and those squatting on handles. Bluesky doesn't have a conventional verification system, so it's easy for unscrupulous users to pretend to be someone else either for attention or to scam other people. That may not have been a serious problem in the past, but the recent influx of new users threw the issue into stark relief. 

While users can verify their identities on Bluesky by linking their account to a domain name, the process isn't as straightforward as paying for a checkmark. They'd have to add a string of text to the DNS record associated with their domain so that they could claim their URL. For instance, we could claim the Engadget.com handle on Bluesky if we go through this self-verification process. Individuals can link their accounts to personal domains or pay for Bluesky's custom domain service. In its new announcement, the platform say's it's working with organizations and high-profile individuals to set up their verified handles.

That said, when a user verifies their account, their old handle (typically username.bsky.social) gets freed up and becomes available to other people who sign up. Alexios Mantzarlis, the third party from Cornell Tech who analyzed the app's userbase, found that 44 percent of Bluesky's 100 most-followed accounts have a doppelganger. That is why Bluesky now requires parody, satire or fan accounts to label themselves as such in both their handles and their bio. If they don't, or if they only indicate the nature of their account in one of those elements, then they'll be treated as an impersonator and will be removed from the platform. 

Bluesky now explicitly prohibits identity churning, as well. Accounts that start as impersonators with the purpose of gaining new users, and who then switch to a different identity in an attempt to circumvent the ban, will still get booted off the app. Finally, it says it's exploring "additional options to enhance account verification," though they're not quite ready for rollout. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/bluesky-implements-a-more-aggressive-impersonation-policy-130047163.html?src=rss

We’ve tested and reviewed countless speakers over the years — the best ones have made their way into three of our buying guides: soundbars, portable speakers and smart speakers. Right now Black Friday sales are bringing notable discounts to many of those top picks, like the JBL Flip 6 portable speaker for $50 off, the Sonos Era 100 smart speaker for the same discount, or Sennheiser's Ambeo Mini soundbar for a healthy $300 off.  

If you need a soundbar to make the dialogue on your TV clearer or want to take your music out on the porch once the weather warms back up, this is a good time to grab something from this list. Here are the best Black Friday deals on speakers we could find.

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 previous generation, the JBL Go 3 is down to $30. 

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 Amazon. 

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 Billy Steele for Engadget

Soundboks Go for $524 ($174 off): The 20-pound party speaker is fairly easy to lug around and puts out big sound rated up to 121dB. You get clear mids and highs and a low end with significant presence. The wireless connectivity is pretty fuss-free and lets you connect up to five Sounboks speakers. It even has a swappable battery. This is the one to get for a larger crowd.

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 $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.

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 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.

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.

Sonos Sub Mini for $343 ($86 off): We found this smaller subwoofer to be the perfect complement to the Sonos Ray or Beam soundbars in our review. It's a more affordable model that's more practical for smaller spaces than the Sonos Sub (which isn't on sale).

Samsung HW-Q990C for $1,049 ($949 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/the-best-black-friday-speaker-deals-for-2024-big-savings-on-jbl-sonos-echo-marshall-and-more-172645275.html?src=rss

The Google Nest wired indoor camera is $70 via Amazon as part of an early Black Friday deal. The cam is normally $100, so this represents a savings of 30 percent. This is close to a record low price, which is never a bad thing. The sale includes three colorways, including white, beige and light blue.

The second-gen wired device is designed for indoor use, thus the name, and is capable of capturing 1080p HDR video. It’s motion sensitive and uses a bit of AI trickery to discern between people, animals and vehicles. The camera also includes night vision and an hour of event recording on the device itself, which comes in handy in the case of a Wi-Fi outage.

There’s a two-way audio function, as the camera includes both a microphone and a speaker. People can boot up the affiliated Google Home app to spark up a conversation. This app also lets you instantly call up emergency services if the conversation doesn’t go as planned, though that requires a Nest Aware subscription.

This brings us to a fairly significant caveat, though this one pops up with most modern security cameras. A whole lot of stuff is locked behind that aforementioned Nest Aware paywall, which costs $8 per month or $80 each year. This plan gives purchasers 60 days of video history and the ability to watch live streams on smart displays and even smart TVs. Subscribers will even receive alerts when familiar faces are recognized by the camera.

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/amazon-black-friday-pick-up-the-google-nest-wired-indoor-camera-for-70-160944869.html?src=rss

If you live in a large home or are simply done dealing with shoddy Wi-Fi, a mesh router might be the solution. Black Friday tech deals have come in handy in this space already, with one of our top picks falling to a record-low price. Google's Nest Wi-Fi Pro 6E in a three-pack is down to $279 right now, a steep sale from its original $400 price tag.

This is our pick for the best mesh Wi-Fi system for folks who are using the tech for the first time. There isn't a great deal of customization here and there are more powerful options out there. But the Nest mesh system is easy to set up and then just let it do its thing.

Together, these three nodes provide up to 6,600 sq. ft. of Wi-Fi coverage and speeds of up to 2,402 Mbps. That's more than enough for most people. Though if you're gaming, you'll probably want to connect to Ethernet if possible to minimize lag.

As you might expect, the Wi-Fi Pro 6E integrates with other Google services. It's compatible with the Matter and Thread smart home standards too.

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/this-black-friday-deal-on-the-google-nest-wi-fi-pro-6e-drops-it-to-the-lowest-price-weve-seen-191945116.html?src=rss

Our choice for best budget open design earbuds is currently discounted for Black Friday. Right now, you can pick up the Amazon Echo Buds for just $25, down from $50 — an all-time low price that makes an affordable option that much more accessible.

Amazon released its most recent generation of Echo Buds in 2023 and impressed us with its level of quality for an open earbud option. The semi-in-ear style allows for more ambient noise and might be more comfortable depending on your ear shape. The earbuds have some solid perks such as multi-device connectivity and a solid five hours of music playback. You can increase their life by another hour if you turn wake word off. You'll get up to 20 hours of charge with the case.

As an Amazon device, the Echo Buds are also equipped with Alexa, so you can ask the assistant to play music, call someone, set a reminder or one of the many other standard tasks. Plus, you can use the Alexa app to set tap controls for muting your mics and changing your music. Speaking of music, these earbuds have 12mm drivers and a crisp overall sound (though the open nature hurts the bass quality). Be careful, though, when working out as their low IPX2 water resistance rating means sweat could be a problem.

The Echo Buds are just one of the many Black Friday deals available for under $50. If you want to expand your Echo family then check out Amazon's Echo Dot speaker for $23, down from $50 or the Echo Show 5 and Echo Spot — each down to $45. Anker is another company with great options under $50 on Black Friday, Shop deals like the Anker Soundcore 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker for $28, down from $40 or the Soundcore by Anker Space A40 wireless earbuds, available for $45, down from $70. 

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/amazon-black-friday-deals-include-the-echo-buds-for-only-25-100030182.html?src=rss

Senior reporter Jess Conditt joins host Cherlynn Low and producer Ben Ellman on a quiet news week to talk about the latest developments at Sony, Threads, TikTok and more. We also take a look at some gadget announcements and discuss the impact that social media and technology have had on the way we work and how we think of celebrity and success.

Listen below or subscribe on your podcast app of choice. If you've got suggestions or topics you'd like covered on the show, be sure to email us or drop a note in the comments! And be sure to check out our other podcast, Engadget News!

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Topics

• A chill Thanksgiving week chat: Social media and how it affects all of us – 1:07

• Gaming news with Jess: Sony is reportedly working on a new portable console – 21:18

• PlayStation’s head of indie games Shuhei Yoshida is leaving Sony after 30 years – 28:34

• Obsidian’s Avowed looks like a great reason to pick up an Xbox controller – 31:53

• FTC warns that most connected devices aren’t supported for very long – 37:08

• Working on – 41:14

• Pop culture picks – 42:17

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Hosts: Cherlynn Low and Jessica Conditt
Producer: Ben Ellman
Music: Dale North and Terrence O'Brien

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/engadget-podcast-social-medias-impact-and-sonys-next-portable-playstation-213057887.html?src=rss

Now isn’t a bad time to try our pick for the best VPN service for 2024. ProtonVPN is on sale for 70 percent off 24-month subscriptions ($71.76 upfront) and 50 percent off 12-month plans ($59.88). That averages out to $3 monthly if you go with two years and $5 monthly for the single-year option. It’s just one of many subscription deals you can find for Black Friday, making now a good time to check which services you use regularly (or wanted to try) have been discounted.

ProtonVPN is Engadget’s favorite VPN service of 2024. Although most services passed our tests with high marks, Proton’s service stood out for its independently audited no-logs policy, a proven record of refusing law enforcement requests, open-source code and a peer-review program that discloses potential vulnerabilities. We also liked its user-friendly interface.

The company offers a limited free plan, but ProtonVPN Plus gives you access to 6,500 servers in more than 110 countries. It also includes the company’s high-speed (10Gbps) servers, BitTorrent support, a built-in ad blocker and the option to route your connection through multiple servers.

Other Proton services are also on sale. That includes Proton Mail, the company’s fully encrypted email service that put it on the map. You can get 12 months for 60 percent off ($23.88) or 24 months for 30 percent off ($83.76). ProtonMail recently added an AI-powered writing feature to its mail service. Even if you aren’t a fan of robots putting words into your mouth, the service still gives you up to 10 email addresses (including custom domain support), smart filters and labels, one-click unsubscribe and dedicated mobile and desktop apps.

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-vpn-deals-for-2024-include-70-percent-off-proton-vpn-membership-plans-192530208.html?src=rss

One of the world’s most notorious hackers could finally be in custody. Bleeping Computer reports that ransomware affiliate Mikhail Pavlovich Matveev also known as Wazawaka, Uhodiransomwar, m1x and Boriselcin has been arrested.

Prosecutors have not confirmed if Matveev is under arrest, but reports indicate that Matveev may be the hacker in Russian custody. The Russian state news agency РИА Новости (translated on BlueSky by the Center for Strategic Research’s Oleg Shakirov) reported that the Kaliningrad Interior Ministry and Russian prosecutors sent a case of “a programmer accused of creating a malicious program” to court. An anonymous source with knowledge of the matter confirms that Matveev is the programmer.

Matveev is also wanted on charges in the US for launching attacks on US law enforcement agencies and healthcare organizations as far back as 2020. The US State Department is offered a $10 million reward for information leading to his capture in May of last year when the Department of Justice filed criminal charges against him. If he’s in Russian custody, the US may not get a chance to prosecute him.

Matveev, a Russian national, has links to ransomware hacking groups such as Hive, LockBit and Babuk. He’s linked to a number of attacks including an April 2021 lockout attack on the systems of the Washington D.C. Metropolitan Police Department. More than a year later, he allegedly helped launch a Hive ransomware attack on a healthcare NGO in New Jersey.

Attacks from LockBit are particularly destructive and egregious. In late 2022, the group infected the computer systems of 1,400 victims including a Holiday Inn hotel in Turkey. The Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control also placed sanctions against Matveev for his role in several ransomware attacks on US services and critical infrastructure targets. The Justice Department believes Matveev has extracted more than $75 million from his victims in ransom payments.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/russia-arrests-ransomware-attacker-wazawaka-202134431.html?src=rss

Black Friday kitchen deals have brought some of the best discounts we’ve seen to Ooni pizza ovens. That means you can snag one of our two top choices for a home pizza oven for much less than usual. For example, Ooni Karu 16 Multi-Fuel pizza oven is available for $519, down from its typical price tag of $799. This model is convenient because it can use wood, charcoal or gas to cook your food, it’s big enough to fit a 16-inch pie and it has a built-in thermometer for better temperature monitoring.

If you'd rather not prep your pizza in the great outdoors, then the Ooni Volt 12 Electric pizza oven might be more your speed. It's on sale for $719 instead of the usual $899. This is our top choice this year for an indoor pizza oven thanks to its quick heating and flexibility for fitting pans or other baked items into its 13-inch interior. It's also flexible on location, since the weather-resistant materials mean it can be used outside too.

At the scorching temperatures needed for good pie, you don't want to mess around with the wrong gear. Since Ooni is also cutting the prices on accessories, this is a good time to stock up on other essential tools, like a baking stone or pizza peel. And if you need the ingredients to kick off your pizza journey, Ooni is also taking 20 percent off orders of its dough and up to 50 percent off other grocery items. The Black Friday offer for Ooni goods will be available from today through 11:59 pm local time on December 2.

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/ooni-pizza-ovens-are-20-percent-off-for-black-friday-140052516.html?src=rss

A coalition of Canadian news outlets sued OpenAI on Friday for copyright infringement. The joint lawsuit accuses the company of “capitalizing and profiting” from the unauthorized use of their content for ChatGPT. The legal action was filed in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice.

The plaintiffs include CBC/Radio-Canada, Postmedia, Metroland, the Toronto Star, the Globe and Mail and The Canadian Press. They’re seeking punitive damages from OpenAI, payments for any profits the ChatGPT creator made from using their news articles and a ban on further use of their content.

“OpenAI regularly breaches copyright and online terms of use by scraping large swaths of content from Canadian media to help develop its products, such as ChatGPT,” the media outlets wrote in a statement (via CBC News). “OpenAI is capitalizing and profiting from the use of this content, without getting permission or compensating content owners.”

In a statement to Engadget, OpenAI noted its news content partnerships and opt-out process while voicing a belief that its practices are covered under fair use.

“Hundreds of millions of people around the world rely on ChatGPT to improve their daily lives, inspire creativity, and solve hard problems,” an OpenAI spokesperson wrote. “Our models are trained on publicly available data, grounded in fair use and related international copyright principles that are fair for creators and support innovation. We collaborate closely with news publishers, including in the display, attribution and links to their content in ChatGPT search, and offer them easy ways to opt-out should they so desire.”

OpenAI’s new search engine is built into ChatGPT. It crawls websites and points users toward them for additional info. The company has said it doesn’t use that data for crawling or training its models.

The Canadian news outlets have joined a long list of companies, individuals, and other organizations that have sued the ChatGPT maker for unauthorized training on their work. That list includes (among others) The New York Times, The Intercept, Raw Story, a group of nonfiction authors and the comedian Sarah Silverman.

Early this year, OpenAI wrote to a UK committee that it would be “impossible to train today’s leading AI models without using copyrighted materials.” This month, the NYT filed a court declaration as part of its lawsuit, stating that OpenAI’s engineers accidentally erased evidence of the company’s AI training data.

OpenAI has argued that using publicly available online content falls under the fair use doctrine. The Canadian plaintiffs objected to that view, writing that “journalism is in the public interest. OpenAI using other companies’ journalism for their own commercial gain is not. It’s illegal.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ai/canadian-news-organizations-sue-openai-for-chatgpt-copyright-infringement-190806649.html?src=rss

(David Eulitt/Getty Images)David Eulitt via Getty Images

Maybe you're a huge football fan, maybe you're someone who wants to kick up your feet on the couch and enjoy something on in the background while you scroll for Black Friday deals on your phone and recover from Thanksgiving. Either way, we (and the Las Vegas Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs) have got you covered. 

This afternoon, the Chiefs (10-1) host the Raiders (2-9) in a game that the home team is unsurprisingly favored to win. But last holiday season the two teams faced off on Christmas just for the Raiders to win in a shocking upset — proof that anything could happen on Friday afternoon. And if that's not enough drama for you, odds are Taylor Swift may show up to support Travis Kelce. 

Are you ready to watch yet? The game kicks off today, November 29 at 3PM ET (12PM PT) inside Allegiant Stadium. Here's what you need to know before tuning in. 

• Stream Black Friday football on Amazon Prime Video

Black Friday football game time 

The Raiders vs. Chiefs Black Friday game kicks off at 3PM ET on Amazon Prime Video and locally on KSHB-TV 41 (Kansas City market). You can tune into pregame coverage starting at 1:30PM ET. 

How to watch the Las Vegas Raiders vs. Kansas City Chiefs game

• Stream Black Friday football on Amazon Prime Video

Unlike the NFL's usual Sunday slate, which airs across several channels and live streaming platforms, this year's Black Friday football game will stream nationally only on Amazon Prime Video (which is also the exclusive home for the NFL's regular season Thursday night games).

Game coverage will include play-by-play by Al Michaels, Color Analysis by Kirk Herbstreit and sideline reporting from Kaylee Hartung.

Amazon Prime Video is included in a standard Amazon Prime subscription ($15 per month or $139 per year), but you can also subscribe directly to the video streaming platform for $9 per month. Amazon Prime offers a 30-day free trial, so you could tune into Friday’s game totally free.

How to watch the Raiders vs. Chiefs game locally

For out-of-market viewers, the Black Friday game airs on Amazon Prime Video. But for those in the Kansas City market, the game will air on KSHB-TV 41. For Las Vegas viewers the channel is still TBA.

Are there any Black Friday deals tied to the game?

Last year was the debut of a Black Friday NFL game, and Amazon used the occasion to proffer a handful of deals to the captive audience. We expect the same for this year, but the vast majority of Amazon's Black Friday deals are already up and running, including the usual bevy of Black Friday discounts on Amazon devices, including Kindle readers, Ring doorbells, Fire tablets and Echo smart displays. There's no need to wait for Friday.

NFL Thanksgiving week schedule 

This game is squarely in the middle of the NFL's holiday weekend schedule. If you want to catch all of the action, the games start on Thanksgiving day proper and finish up on Monday night with the Browns taking on the Broncos. 

All times Eastern

Thursday, Nov. 28

• Chicago Bears vs. Detroit Lions: 12:30PM (CBS)

• New York Giants vs. Dallas Cowboys: 4:30PM (FOX)

• Miami Dolphins vs. Green Bay Packers: 8:20PM (NBC, Peacock)

Friday, Nov. 29

• Las Vegas Raiders vs. Kansas City Chiefs: 3:00PM (Prime Video)

Sunday, Dec. 1

• Los Angeles Chargers vs. Atlanta Falcons: 1PM (CBS)

• Pittsburgh Steelers vs. Cincinnati Bengals: 1PM (CBS)

• Arizona Cardinals vs. Minnesota Vikings: 1PM (FOX)

• Indianapolis Colts vs. New England Patriots: 1PM (CBS)

• Seattle Seahawks vs. New York Jets: 1PM (FOX)

• Tennessee Titans vs. Washington Commanders: 1PM (CBS)

• Houston Texans vs. Jacksonville Jaguars: 1PM (FOX)

• Los Angeles Rams vs. New Orleans Saints: 4:05PM (FOX)

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers vs. Carolina Panthers: 4:05PM (FOX)

• Philadelphia Eagles vs. Baltimore Ravens: 4:25PM (CBS)

• San Francisco 49ers vs. Buffalo Bills: 8:20PM (NBC, Peacock)

Monday, Dec. 2

• Cleveland Browns vs. Denver Broncos: 8:15PM (ABC, ESPN+)

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/entertainment/streaming/how-to-watch-the-kansas-city-chiefs-vs-las-vegas-raiders-black-friday-nfl-game-163550620.html?src=rss

A MasterClass subscription is perhaps one of the best gifts you can get for yourself if you love learning new things or honing your skills, and it will now you can subscribe for 50 percent off. The MasterClass Black Friday sale currently has membership starting at $5 per month, but arguably the best deal is on MasterClass Premium, which is $10 per month right now instead of the usual $20 per month. With that tier, you'll be able to access classes on six devices, and it also includes offline viewing capabilities.

A subscription will let you view more than 200 classes across 11 categories no matter what option you choose. MasterClass offers lessons from some of the best and most well-known people in their field, such as Gordon Ramsay (cooking), Martin Scorsese (filmmaking), Margaret Atwood (creative writing), Mariah Carey (using voice as an instrument), Stephen Curry (basketball), Steve Martin (comedy), Shonda Rhimes (writing for TV), John Legend (songwriting), Garry Kasparov (chess), Jane Goodall (conservation), Simone Biles (gymnastics) and Samuel L. Jackson (acting). Take note that you'll have to pay for the whole year to be able to enjoy the discounted rates, which are only available for a limited time. 

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-on-masterclass-subscriptions-are-as-low-as-5-a-month-150047651.html?src=rss

Black Friday promos are in full swing now, and that’s brought many of our favorite gadgets down to their lowest prices of the year. Case in point: the Fitbit Charge 6, which is down to a record low of $100 right now. It’s a top pick in our best fitness trackers guide in part because of its comprehensive exercise tracking capabilities and its built-in GPS.

The Charge 6 has a few things going for it. With the new model, Fitbit added a more accurate heart rate sensor, the ability to pair with exercise machines over Bluetooth and a physical side button to aid with menu navigation. If you’re a YouTube Music Premium subscriber, you can also use the device to control YouTube Music playback.

Carrying over from older iterations, the Charge 6 offers comprehensive tracking for 20 discrete exercises, with built-in GPS for activities like running and cycling. It also retains the design of the Charge 5, which in this case, is a good thing. The fact it’s not a smartwatch means the Charge 6 is comfortable to wear and offers a battery that will last you for several days instead of just one at most. The full-color AMOLED display is easy to read and looks great, even outdoors. Other notable features include support for contactless payments through Fitbit Pay and Google Wallet.

The only downsides to the Charge 6 are that Fitbit doesn’t offer Apple Health integration and that some data and features are locked behind the company’s premium subscription. However, if you’re looking for a fitness tracker that can basically do it all, the Charge 6 is one of the best options right now.

For those looking to spend less on a fitness tracker, I'll mention that Amazon has also discounted the Inspire 3. It's currently $70, down from $100. Fitbit's entry-level fitness tracker is a good option for those who don't mind bringing their phone to their bike rides and runs as the device lacks built-in GPS tracking. 

If you're looking to save money on other tools that will help you on your fitness journey, be sure to check out Engadget's best of Black Friday deal roundup. There are more than a few fitness-oriented gadgets on that list, including Theragun Mini 2.0, which is currently $50 off. 

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-fitness-deals-drop-the-fitbit-charge-6-down-to-100-171919295.html?src=rss

Amazon typically saves the best discounts on its own gear for Prime Day or Black Friday and Cyber Monday, and it hasn’t deviated from that plan this year. It’s even gone so far this time to discount a new Echo Show smart display it just debuted barely a week ago. Now you can get the new Echo Show 21 for $360, which is $40 off its usual price.

Amazon revealed the Echo Show 21 on November 20 and made it available to order immediately. No prizes for guessing that the device has a 21-inch screen. Of course, as with the Echo Show 15, this can be mounted on a wall. A countertop stand is available to buy separately.

The Echo Show 21 has a 1080p display and an upgraded camera. Amazon claims this offers more than double the field of view of the original Echo Show 15 as well as 65 percent more zoom. As the presence of a camera suggests, Amazon is hoping you'll use this for video calls too. The company claims to have reduced unwanted ambient noise with this model. The Echo Show 21 is said to offer double the bass and immersive sound as well.

You can use the Echo Show 21 as a Fire TV and it comes with an Alexa Voice Remote. The unit has Wi-Fi 6E connectivity and you can use it as a smart home hub.

Amazon has also updated the Echo Show 15 with all these features and the smaller unit is on sale as well. It's down to $270, which marks a discount of 10 percent.

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/amazons-new-echo-show-21-is-already-40-off-in-this-black-friday-deal-191730669.html?src=rss

You don't necessarily need to break the bank for a very good set of wireless earbuds, and that's even more true around this time of year when there are Black Friday deals aplenty to be had. Our pick for the best budget wireless earbuds is on sale for the occasion. Anker's Soundcore Space A40 earphones are 44 percent (or $35) off, which brings the price down to $45.

That matches a record-low price for these earphones. We first saw them dip to $45 during the October Prime Day event.

While the audio quality isn't on the level of high-end earbuds from the likes of Sony and Bose (a feat that would be extremely difficult to pull off at this price range), we feel that the Space A40s have a pleasant, warm sound. They also have features that you'd often have to spend much more to get from earbuds, such as an adaptive active noise cancellation system that adjusts settings automatically depending on the audio in your surroundings.

Other features multipoint connectivity to link the earbuds to two devices simultaneously. They're IPX4-rated for water resistance too. The Soundcore Space A40 earbuds are slated to run for 10 hours on a single charge, with the case adding an extra 50 hours of listening time. A 10-minute charge can add four hours of listening time. The case supports wireless charging too.

This year's Black Friday festivities includes all kinds of deals under $50 for consumers on a budget. These include the Amazon Echo Pop smart speaker for $18 and the Roku Streaming Stick 4K for just $29, among many others.

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/our-favorite-budget-wireless-earbuds-are-discounted-to-45-for-black-friday-154250672.html?src=rss

The winter months can be a tough time for keeping up with health and wellbeing as colder, darker weather sets in. For anyone looking for a gadget to help them manage their sleep, activity and other health stats, now could be the right time to look into a wearable. The basic finishes of the Oura Ring Gen 3 are on sale for $249 for Black Friday. That's a $50 savings for the black or silver finish, which is the biggest discount we've seen to date on this wearable. You can also snag the luxe finishes for less than usual right now. The brushed titanium and stealth materials are on sale for $279, down from the usual of $349, while the gold and rose gold options are selling for $349 instead of their typical $449 price tag.

The company did just release the Oura Ring Gen 4, so this deal won't give you the most cutting edge developments in sensors and design. But for someone who wants a less intrusive approach to a wearable, the Gen 3 still has a lot to offer.

Our review by Daniel Cooper pointed out that the Oura Ring offers impressively accurate readings even though all its sensors are packed into a much smaller form factor than a smartwatch. While he felt the design of the ring is a little bulky, in practice it was easy to forget that he had it on.

Keep in mind that unless you're upgrading from another Oura product, you'll want to buy the size guide to make sure your new ring fits correctly. When you do buy a sizing kit for the Gen 3, you'll get $10 towards the purchase of the actual wearable.

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/amazon-black-friday-deals-drop-the-oura-ring-gen-3-to-a-record-low-195248297.html?src=rss

Amazon workers across the world have gone on strike for Black Friday, according to the labor advocacy group UNI Global Union. The protests, dubbed “Make Amazon Pay,” are scheduled to last until December 2. Strikes are happening everywhere, from the US to Australia and Nepal.

There are also demonstrations happening in more than 20 countries over “labor abuses, environmental degradation and threats to democracy.” The demonstrators are petitioning the company, which is worth around $2.2 trillion, for increased wages, better working conditions and the permission to form unions. Amazon doesn’t particularly care for unions.

#MakeAmazonPay sagen diese Woche Gewerkschaftsaktive aus weltweit mehr als 20 Ländern zum #BlackFriday der auf dem Rücken der Arbeiter:innen ausgetragen wird. #Solidarität gibt es dafür auch von den starken @_verdi Vertrauensleuten aus dem Hamburger Hafen der @HHLA_Group 🫱🏻‍🫲🏽🚩 pic.twitter.com/O8MptYXrdh

— ver.di Amazon Niedersachsen-Bremen (@verdiAmazon_NDS) November 29, 2024

This includes thousands of workers in Germany, across several cities, and hundreds in New Delhi. Employees from India’s capital city are protesting after the company allegedly mistreated workers during a massive heat wave earlier this year, in which people reportedly began fainting due to heat stroke. However, Amazon sent a statement after that saying that it complies with Indian law and that there’s “nothing more important than the safety and well being of the workers." 

✊🏿#MakeAmazonPay Day begins! Amazon workers in Jantar Mantar, Delhi 🇮🇳 rally to demand minimum pay, decent working conditions & recognition of Amazon workers union @AiwaInd pic.twitter.com/rBUKd7DV9Z

— UNI Global Union (@uniglobalunion) November 29, 2024

The Association for the Taxation of Financial Transactions and Citizen's Action will also hold protests in multiple cities across France and garment workers are demonstrating in Bangladesh. The strikes and associated protests could slow down holiday deliveries a bit, according to ABC News. This is, of course, the entire point of a strike.

This is the fifth straight year of Make Amazon Pay actions, which always start on Black Friday. The aim of the movement is to “hold Amazon accountable around the world” by targeting the busiest holiday shopping weekend. To that end, Amazon represented nearly 20 percent of worldwide Black Friday transactions in 2023, with more than $170 billion in holiday sales. 

While billionaire Bezos tours the world on his $500m yacht, Amazon workers in 20+ countries are rising up this Black Friday to demand fair wages, union rights & climate action. Amazon must pay its fair share & respect workers. I stand with #MakeAmazonPay https://t.co/NmX1Sc1F66

— Bernie Sanders (@SenSanders) November 27, 2024

"Amazon's relentless pursuit of profit comes at a cost to workers, the environment and democracy," said Christy Hoffman, general secretary of UNI Global Union. “We stand united in demanding that Amazon treat its workers fairly, respect fundamental rights and stop undermining the systems meant to protect us all.”

Amazon has a different take on things, writing in a statement that the organizers are being “intentionally misleading” and continuing “to promote a false narrative.” The company also crowed that it has “created more than 1.5 million jobs around the world” and that it provides “a modern, safe and engaging workplace.”

Modern and safe? Amazon was responsible for more than half of all serious warehouse injuries in the US in 2022. Let me state that again. Amazon accounted for more than half of these incidents and every other company combined accounted for the remaining 47 percent. This was reported more than a year after the company promised to spend $300 million on improving workplace safety. 

However, Amazon recently announced a major investment, to the tune of $2.2 billion, to increase pay for fulfillment and transportation employees in the US. That’s good news, but is only around one quarter of what the company spent on major investments in the AI company Anthropic.

Amazon has invested a total of $8 billion in Anthropic. https://t.co/k2vM7Ozbc2

— Observer (@observer) November 22, 2024

Make Amazon Pay was originally launched in 2020 by the aforementioned UNI Global Union and Progressive International. The organizations say it has steadily grown each year, with this year's protests drawing support from over 30 unions, environmental organizations and civil society groups.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/amazon-workers-across-the-globe-are-on-strike-for-black-friday-174745422.html?src=rss

You always need extra digital storage when you don’t have any on hand. That’s why it’s always a good idea to pick up an extra microSD card, an additional portable drive and the like when you find them on sale. Black Friday storage deals this year include a ton of good options for all kinds of users, whether you’re a gamer, photographer, creative professional and everything in between. One of the best (and cheapest) discounts comes as part of the Samsung Black Friday sale: the 256GB Evo Select microSD card is down to just $18.

An 18 percent discount might seem modest, but $18 is a new record low price for the storage device. If you want to avoid shopping on Amazon, Samsung has also reduced the cost of the 256GB model on its website, alongside the 128GB, 512GB and 1TB variants.

Samsung’s Evo Select microSD cards are among the best value you’ll find on the market right now. While there are models that offer faster sequential read and write speeds, it’s hard to argue with the Evo Select line’s mix of performance and affordability. In the case of the 256GB model, the capability to deliver sequential read speeds of up to 160 MB/s is good enough for most tasks. I’ve been using a 128GB Evo Select card in my Switch OLED since the end of last year and have no complaints. Plus, each card comes with a 10-year warranty from Samsung. For $18, that’s a steal if you ask us.

If you’re looking for other storage solutions, I’ll also mention here that Engadget has a roundup of the best Black Friday SSD deals. Check that out if you want to save money on a new NVMe, SD card or external drive.

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/samsung-black-friday-deal-get-a-256gb-evo-select-microsd-card-for-only-18-133037907.html?src=rss