The best early Cyber Monday deals

The best early Cyber Monday deals

Illustration by Aaron Fernandez for The Verge

Black Friday used to be one day! Feels like it started mid-November this time around, and here we are on Sunday. How is this day different from Cyber Monday? How will Monday be any different than Tuesday? It’s all a barely differentiated smear at this point. But the good news is that the deals are still here. They’ll be here tomorrow, too, but if your Sunday plans include scanning for deals, at least you’ll find plenty of them.

Most of the good deals we’ve seen on phones, smartwatches, headphones, and accessories are holding steady through the weekend — we’ve checked them all to be sure. This post is where we collect the highlight deals, but our Black Friday / Cyber Monday / Undifferentiated Commerce Smear coverage goes well beyond a single post. You can find all of our coverage collected here, and be sure to check out our guides to the best deals under $100, under $50, and under $25.

Black Friday deals spotlight

• Apple is offering up to $200 in gift cards when you buy select devices, with the exact amount depending on the item. Big-ticket items like the MacBook Air and Mac Mini are eligible for up to $200 in credit, while iPads are entitled to up to $100. The promo also applies to AirPods, Apple Watches, older iPhone models, and accessories like the second-gen Apple Pencil.

The best headphone and earbud deals

• Apple’s luxe AirPods Max are back down to $449.99 ($100 off) at Amazon (only green and blue) and Best Buy, which remains their second-best price to date. The noise-canceling headphones are getting a little long in the tooth — blame Apple’s aging H1 chip — but they still offer great controls, deep integration with Apple products, and terrific sound quality. Read our review.
• Apple’s third-gen AirPods are matching their all-time low of $139.99 ($30 off) at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy with a Lightning-only charging case; they’re also on sale at Costco with a MagSafe charging case for the same price if you’re a member. The third-gen earbuds are similar to the prior model in many ways, only they now feature an IPX4 water resistance rating, shorter stems, and better sound. Read our review.
• Sony’s last-gen WH-1000XM4s are on sale at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target for around $248 ($100 off), which is one of their best prices to date. The noise-canceling headphones still sound great today, and have a handy feature the current-gen XM5 model does not: the ability to fold down for easier storage and travel. Read our review.

• Normally $179.99, you can currently buy Sony’s unique LinkBuds for $128 at Amazon and Best Buy. The earbuds offer crisp sound quality, great voice call performance, and use an “open-style” design that allows for better spatial awareness. Read our review.
• If you don’t like wearing earbuds in your ears while working out, you can pick up a pair of the wraparound Shokz OpenRun Pro for $99.95 ($80 off) at Best Buy. They’re a good pair of open-ear headphones that leave your ears exposed, allowing you to listen to music without sacrificing your safety.
• The Pixel Buds A-Series are on sale at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart for around $59 ($40 off), an all-time low. The simple earbuds remain an appealing pair of earbuds for Android users despite their age, especially if you can do without noise cancellation and some of the more premium features found on the Pixel Buds Pro. Read our review.

The best smartwatch and fitness tracker deals

The best phone and mobile accessory deals

• Google’s Pixel 8 phone is on sale for $549 ($150 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target. The new Pixel is slightly smaller than last year’s at 6.1 inches but it packs a new Tensor G3 processor. Read our review.
• PopSockets is taking 25 percent off various grips, mounts, cases, and other accessories, including this PopGrip for MagSafe phone handle / stand (on sale for $22.50), which is compatible with iPhone 12 phones and newer.
• Maybe you heard, but Apple’s new FineWoven case isn’t our favorite. Consider a Moment case instead for your new iPhone 15 — they’re $34.99 right now, which is $15 off the full MSRP. Another option: Nomad is offering 30 percent off sitewide, so its $50 leather iPhone 15 case is $35 right now.
• EWA’s MagOne magnetic phone grip is on sale for $15.99 ($4 off) at Amazon. It’s a grip and a kickstand in one, making bigger phones a little more wieldy without getting in the way of MagSafe charging.

The best charger deals

• Nomad’s Stand, a magnetic Qi charger that tops out at 7.5W when charging MagSafe-compatible phones, is on sale at Nomad in white for $56 ($24 off). Also, the matching Base charger does the same thing while holding your phone flat and it’s just $35 (half off).
• You can buy the Anker 637 Magnetic Charging Station (MagGo) for $69.99 ($30 off) at Amazon. The orb-like magnetic Qi charger doubles as a power strip with multiple USB-C, USB-A, and AC ports, which allow it to deliver up to 65 watts of combined power.

The best tablet and e-reader deals

• The eight-inch Kobo Sage — a newer, non-Amazon alternative to the Kindle Oasis — is on sale for $239.99 ($30 off) directly from Rakuten’s Kobo online store. The high-end e-reader features physical page-turning buttons and USB-C, along with stylus support so you can take notes. Its eight-inch display is relatively cramped compared to the Kobo Elipsa 2E’s, however, so we wouldn’t recommend it as a primary note-taking device.

• Speaking of the iPad, both the ninth-gen and 10th-gen models are only compatible with the first-gen Apple Pencil, which is also on sale for $79 (about $20 off) at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy. Unlike the second-gen Apple Pencil, you’ll need to charge it by plugging the stylus directly into the iPad’s Lightning port.

The best laptop and computing deals

• The new 2023 entry-level MacBook Pro with a 14-inch display, M3 processor, 8GB of RAM, and (most) of the good port selection is selling for $1,449 ($150 off) at Best Buy. It may be a bit of an “enigma” for a base model entry in Apple’s MacBook Pro line, but think of it more as a souped-up MacBook Air.

• If you’re shopping for a convertible, the Microsoft Surface Pro 9 starts at around $799.99 ($100 off) at Amazon and Best Buy with a 12th Gen Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. The powerful laptop offers a 120Hz screen and is a stunner available in various colors, ranging from green to blue. Read our review.
• Alternatively, if you’re looking for a laptop that can handle heavier graphics, the creator-focused Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is available with an Intel Core i5 processor, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage for $1,399.99 ($200 off) at Best Buy and the Microsoft Store. The laptop sports a terrific keyboard/trackpad combo, as well as a 120Hz screen, one that’s capable of pivoting so you can lay it flat to write or draw on it. Read our review.
• 8BitDo’s Retro Mechanical Keyboard is currently on sale for $89.99 ($10 off) at Amazon. The Nintendo-inspired Bluetooth keyboard features two red programmable buttons similar to the ones found on the original NES controller; it also offers a standard tenkeyless layout that’s devoid of a numpad and comes with clicky, hot-swappable switches.
• Elgato’s Stream Deck Plus has fallen to an all-time low of $169.99 ($30 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo. The well-built peripheral functions in a similar fashion to Elgato’s other macro controllers in that it provides you with a selection of programmable keys, only the Deck Plus also features four knobs with their own set of apps and an LED touchscreen. Read our review.

The best smart display deals

• The last-gen Echo Show 8 is available for $54.99 at Amazon and Best Buy, down from $129.99. Although it’s not a full smart home hub like the newer third-gen model, it’s still a good smart display for making Zoom calls, controlling smart home gadgets, watching videos, and carrying out a range of other Alexa-enabled tasks. Read our review.

The best speaker deals

• Sony’s SRS-XB100 speaker is on sale at Amazon and Best Buy for $38 ($22 off), a new low pricew. Despite the fact it’s tiny, the Bluetooth speaker delivers crisp, clear sound along with up to 16 hours of continuous battery life. It also sports IP67 dust and water resistance, so you can take it to pool parties or on hikes without worrying. Read our review.

The best gaming deals

• In addition to the Split Pad Pro, Hori’s Split Pad Compact handheld controller in its cute Gengar Pokémon design for $39.99 ($20 off) at Amazon.

• If you enjoyed HBO’s fantastic adaptation of The Last of Us, The Last of Us Part I is on sale for the PS5 at Best Buy, and GameStop for $39.99 ($30 off). It’s a remarkable remake of the classic title from 2013, with faster load times, better visuals, and other welcome tweaks. Read our review.
• Walmart is selling the Xbox Series S 512GB console in white with an extra matching controller for $289.99 (about $80 off). That’s less than the regular cost of the $299.99 console alone, and you get a spare controller for local multiplayer or backup duties. Read our review.

The best robot vacuum deals

• The Roborock S7, the S8’s predecessor, is also on sale at Walmart for $285. This was our former pick for the best robot vacuum/mop combo before the S8 took its place. The impressive robovac lacks some newer bells and whistles, including AI-obstacle avoidance, but it keeps carpets dry thanks to the mop’s unique lifting mechanism. Read our review.
• The brand new iRobot Roomba j9 is seeing its first-ever discount, down to $599 from $899 at Amazon. This bot features an auto-empty dock and higher suction power than the j7 and a new Dirt Detective feature that learns which rooms are dirtiest in your home and cleans them first. The mopping version, the Roomba Combo j9 Plus, is also on sale for $999, down from $1,399. This is the first Roomba that can refill its own mop as well as empty its bin, and the new self-empty/fill dock has a stylish design that can also act as a side table.

• Amazon is discounting the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 (also known as the Shark Matrix) to $249.99 ($200 off), which is the lowest price we’ve seen on the budget-friendly robot vacuum/mop hybrid. This is just the robot without the auto-empty base. It’s a little loud but has good suction, a great app, and a laundry list of features (including mapping).

• The Roborock Q5 Pro is $319.98, down from $429.99 at Amazon. An excellent mid-range vacuum, it packs 5,200 Pa suction power and two rubber roller brushes that are great at picking up pet hair. It’s not fancy, but with a huge 770ml bin with big wheels to get up on higher-pile carpets, it’s a good option for families with pets. The Plus version is also on sale for $479.98 and adds a self-empty dock that automatically empties the robot’s bin when it’s full. Read our review.

The best smart home deals

• The Nanoleaf Shapes Ultra Black Triangles Smarter Kit is available for $131.99 ($88 off) at Nanoleaf or $189.99 ($30 off) from Amazon and Best Buy. The nine customizable light panels, which appear black when turned off, are capable of showcasing 16 million colors and support smart home platforms like Apple Home.
• Nanoleaf’s Shapes Mini Triangles Smarter Kit is on sale for $79.99 ($20 off) at Amazon and direct from Nanoleaf. The 10 modular light panels can display millions of colors and can sync with music, much like the aforementioned black panels, however, they’re much smaller and appear white when turned off.

• Regularly $94.48, you can currently buy the Blink Video Doorbell with a Blink Sync Module 2 (which allows for local storage) for $47.49 at Amazon. If you’re looking for a basic buzzer, the 1080p video doorbell is a good option with support for motion-activated recording and alerts, night vision, and two-way audio.

• If you want gigabit-capable mesh Wi-Fi covering your home but don’t want to pay top dollar, you can get a three-pack of the midrange Eero 6 Plus routers for $194.99 ($105 off) at Amazon.
• Vornado’s 660 AE, a large whole-room fan that circulates a lot of air and connects to Alexa for smart functionality, is on sale right now at Amazon for around $114 (normally $129.99).

The best TV, streaming device, and soundbar deals

The best streaming service deals

The best deals Legos, Nerf blasters, and other toys

• Lego’s Optimus Prime is down to $151.99 ($28 off) at Amazon and Target, which matches its second-best price to date. It’s an excellent build, even if our Sean Hollister felt it was a little fragile while transforming. You can even watch him build it here.
• Lego’s colorful Tales of the Space Age set is down to $42.49 (about $8 off) at Amazon and Best Buy, matching its best to date. The minimalist 688-piece kit consists of four space-themed “postcards,” which depict shooting stars, a space shuttle, and other celestial bodies, all of which can be mounted or displayed standing up.

• If you’re into Lego Star Wars kits, the BD-1 Droid (of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Jedi: Survivor) is on sale for $79.99 ($19 off) at Target. If online orders are unavailable, you might have better luck with in-store pickup.
• Lego’s 1,222-piece Horizon Forbidden West Tallneck is on sale for $73.99 (about $16 off) at Amazon and Best Buy, one of its better prices to date. It’s a great set if you’re a fan of the Horizon series from Guerrilla Games, one that stands over 13 inches tall and also comes with a brick-ified version of the velociraptor-like Watcher robot.
• Lego is selling its Star Wars Razor Crest starship from The Mandalorian series for $419.99 ($180 off). The 6187-piece building kit is from Lego’s Ultimate Collector Series and includes four minifigs to display alongside its small decorative placard.

• The Nerf N-Strike Mastodon blaster is on sale at Amazon for half off at $49.99, which matches its all-time low price. The motorized, mega-dart firing blaster comes with 24 darts included along with a shoulder strap.
• Nothing beats a family Nerf war, and the best way to do it is with a six-pack of single-shot Nerf MicroShot blasters — which are just $19.99 ($13 off) at Amazon. Each Derringer-style blaster loads and fires one dart, requiring you to pick your shots carefully before having to reload.
• Nerf’s Zombie Strike Hammershot is just $12.49 ($5 off) at Amazon. It may be small, but it packs a great punch with a spring-powered hammer and rotating five-dart revolving chamber. It gives off a great gunslinger vibe, especially if you dual-wield a pair of them.

The best deals on Verge Favorites and other tech

• Peak Design is taking up to 40 percent off its bags, camera accessories, and magnetic phone cases for Black Friday, including the 15L Everyday Backpack Zip. A favorite of some Verge staffers, it’s $151.96 ($38 off).

• The Chi Original Digital Ceramic Hairstyling Iron is one of our holiday gift guide picks for Moms, and right now is down to $63.75 ($57 off) at Amazon. This is an excellent flat iron that heats up quickly and straightens and defrizzes hair well. It can even create some nice, long loose waves.

• The 2022 Tile Mate is also on sale for $17.99 ($7 off) $16.49 ($8.50 off) at Amazon and Best Buy. The Bluetooth tracker is platform-agnostic like the Tile Pro, but can only keep tabs on items up to 250 feet away, as opposed to 400.

• The ultra-portable AeroPress Original is currently available for around $31.95 (about $15 off) from Amazon, Target, and AeroPress, which is a great price for the single-serve coffee maker.
• TP-Link’s RE315 Wi-Fi extender is on sale for just $24.99 ($25 off), matching its best price to date. It’s a good option if you’re looking to extend network coverage in your home or add ethernet connectivity to another room.

Feeling a little overwhelmed on what deals to pounce on? Need some tech buying advice? Our Verge Deals team is here for your retail therapy, and we’ll be answering your burning shopping questions for Cyber Monday live on November 27th at 11AM ET. Leave a question here.

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The best Black Friday deals you can still get

The best Black Friday deals you can still get

Illustration by Aaron Fernandez for The Verge

Black Friday 2023 has come and gone, and we’re cruising toward Cyber Monday — but that doesn’t mean all of yesterday’s deals are history. Quite the opposite. You can still take advantage of big savings at many retailers. Whether you’re shopping for a new smartphone, the latest noise-canceling headphones, or a stylish smartwatch, a ton of popular products are still heavily discounted.

Whether you’re checking off everyone on your list for the upcoming holidays or you’re just shopping for the best prices for yourself, we’re scouring all the quality deals Black Friday has to offer and logging them right here. But keep in mind that our Black Friday and upcoming Cyber Monday coverage goes well beyond a single post. You can find it all here, and you definitely don’t want to miss some of our budget-focused roundups, specifically our guides to the best deals under $100, under $50, and under $25.

But for now, if you’re looking for the very best remaining deals, some highlights include significant discounts on the latest Apple AirPods Pro with USB-C, Google’s flagship Pixel 8 Pro, the rarely-on-sale Sonos Era 100 and Sonos Roam smart speakers, plus a whole lot more. We’re rounding up all of the highlights below, and while we expect many of them to run through the weekend, frankly, there’s no guarantee.

Black Friday deals spotlight

• Apple is offering up to $200 in gift cards when you buy select devices, with the exact amount depending on the item. Big-ticket items like the MacBook Air and Mac Mini are eligible for up to $200 in credit, while iPads is entitled to up to $100. The promo also applies to AirPods, Apple Watches, older iPhone models, and accessories like the second-gen Apple Pencil.

The best headphone and earbud deals

• Apple’s luxe AirPods Max are back down to $449.99 ($100 off) at Amazon and Best Buy, which remains their second-best price to date. The noise-canceling headphones are getting a little long in the tooth — blame Apple’s aging H1 chip — but they still offer great controls, deep integration with Apple products, and terrific sound quality. Read our review.
• Apple’s third-gen AirPods are matching their all-time low of $139.99 ($30 off) at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy with a Lightning-only charging case; they’re also on sale at Costco with a MagSafe charging case for the same price if you’re a member. The third-gen earbuds are similar to the prior model in many ways, only they now feature an IPX4 water resistance rating, shorter stems, and better sound. Read our review.
• Sony’s last-gen WH-1000XM4s are on sale at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target for around $248 ($100 off), which is one of their best prices to date. The noise-canceling headphones may be an older model than the newer XM5, but they still sound great today and have a handy feature the new version does not: the ability to fold down for easier storage and travel. Read our review.

• Normally $179.99, you can currently buy Sony’s unique LinkBuds for $128 at Amazon and Best Buy. The earbuds offer crisp sound quality, great voice call performance, and use an “open-style” design that allows for better spatial awareness. Read our review.
• If you don’t like wearing earbuds in your ears while working out, you can pick up a pair of the wraparound Shokz OpenRun Pro for $99.95 ($80 off) at Best Buy. They’re a good pair of open-ear headphones that leave your ears exposed, allowing you to listen to music without sacrificing your safety.
• The Pixel Buds A-Series are on sale at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart for around $59 ($40 off), an all-time low. The simple earbuds remain an appealing pair of earbuds for Android users despite their age, especially if you can do without noise cancellation and some of the more premium features found on the Pixel Buds Pro. Read our review.

The best smartwatch and fitness tracker deals

The best phone and mobile accessory deals

• Google’s Pixel 8 phone is on sale for $549 ($150 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Target. The new Pixel is slightly smaller than last year’s at 6.1 inches but it packs a new Tensor G3 processor. Read our review.
• PopSockets is taking 25 percent off various grips, mounts, cases, and other accessories, including this PopGrip for MagSafe phone handle / stand (on sale for $22.50) which is compatible with iPhone 12 phones and newer.
• Maybe you heard, but Apple’s new FineWoven case isn’t our favorite. Consider a Moment case instead for your new iPhone 15 — they’re $34.99 right now, which is $15 off the full MSRP. Another option: Nomad is offering 30 percent off sitewide, so its $50 leather iPhone 15 case is $35 right now.
• EWA’s MagOne magnetic phone grip is on sale for $15.99 ($4 off) at Amazon. It’s a grip and a kickstand in one, making bigger phones a little more wieldy without getting in the way of MagSafe charging.

The best charger deals

• Nomad’s Stand, a magnetic Qi charger that tops out at 7.5W when charging MagSafe-compatible phones, is on sale at Nomad in white for $56 ($24 off). Also, the matching Base charger does the same thing while holding your phone flat and it’s just $35 (half off).
• You can buy the Anker 637 Magnetic Charging Station (MagGo) for $69.99 ($30 off) at Amazon. The orb-like magnetic Qi charger doubles as a power strip with multiple USB-C, USB-A, and AC ports, which allow it to deliver up to 65 watts of combined power.

The best tablet and e-reader deals

• The eight-inch Kobo Sage — a newer, non-Amazon alternative to the Kindle Oasis — is on sale for $239.99 ($30 off) directly from Rakuten’s Kobo online store. The high-end e-reader features physical page-turning buttons and USB-C, along with stylus support so you can take notes. Its eight-inch display is relatively cramped compared to the Kobo Elipsa 2E’s, however, so we wouldn’t recommend it as a primary note-taking device.

• Speaking of the iPad, both the ninth-gen and 10th-gen models are only compatible with the first-gen Apple Pencil, which is also on sale for $72.17 (about $27 off) at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy. Unlike the second-gen Apple Pencil, you’ll need to charge it by plugging the stylus directly into the iPad’s Lightning port.

The best laptop and computing deals

• The new 2023 entry-level MacBook Pro with a 14-inch display, M3 processor, 8GB or RAM, and (most) of the good port selection is selling for $1,449 ($150 off) at Best Buy. It may be a bit of an “enigma” for a base model entry in Apple’s MacBook Pro line, but think of it more as a souped-up MacBook Air.

• If you’re shopping for a convertible, the Microsoft Surface Pro 9 starts at around $799.99 ($100 off) at Amazon and Best Buy with a 12th Gen Intel Core i5 processor, 8GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. The powerful laptop offers a 120Hz screen and is a stunner available in various colors, ranging from green to blue. Read our review.
• Alternatively, if you’re looking for a laptop that can handle heavier graphics, the creator-focused Microsoft Surface Laptop Studio is available with an Intel Core i5 processor, 16GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage for $1,399.99 ($200 off) at Best Buy and the Microsoft Store. The laptop sports a terrific keyboard/trackpad combo, as well as a 120Hz screen, one that’s capable of pivoting so you can lay it flat to write or draw on it. Read our review.

• 8BitDo’s Retro Mechanical Keyboard is currently on sale for $89.99 ($10 off) at Amazon. The Nintendo-inspired Bluetooth keyboard features two red programmable buttons similar to the ones found on the original NES controller; it also offers a standard tenkeyless layout that’s devoid of a numpad and comes with clicky, hot-swappable switches.
• Elgato’s Stream Deck Plus has fallen to an all-time low of $169.99 ($30 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and B&H Photo. The well-built peripheral functions in a similar fashion to Elgato’s other macro controllers in that it provides you with a selection of programmable keys, only the Deck Plus also features four knobs with their own set of apps and an LED touchscreen. Read our review.

The best smart display deals

• The last-gen Echo Show 8 is available for $54.99 at Amazon and Best Buy, down from $129.99. Although it can’t act as a smart home hub like the newer third-gen model, it’s still a good smart display for making Zoom calls, controlling smart home gadgets, watching videos, and carrying out a range of other Alexa-enabled tasks. Read our review.

The best speaker deals

• Sony’s SRS-XB100 speaker is on sale at Amazon and Best Buy for $38 ($22 off), a new low pricew. Despite the fact it’s tiny, the Bluetooth speaker delivers crisp, clear sound along with up to 16 hours of continuous battery life. It also sports IP67 dust and water resistance, so you can take it to pool parties or on hikes without worrying. Read our review.

The best gaming deals

• In addition to the Split Pad Pro, Hori’s Split Pad Compact handheld controller in its cute Gengar Pokémon design for $39.99 ($20 off) at Amazon.

• If you enjoyed HBO’s fantastic adaptation of The Last of Us, The Last of Us Part I is on sale for the PS5 at Amazon, Best Buy, and GameStop for $39.99 ($30 off). It’s a remarkable remake of the classic title from 2013, with faster load times, better visuals, and other welcome tweaks. Read our review.
• Walmart is selling the Xbox Series S 512GB console in white with an extra matching controller for $289.99 (about $80 off). That’s less than the regular cost of the $299.99 console alone, and you get a spare controller for local multiplayer or backup duties. Read our review.

The best robot vacuum deals

• The Roborock S7, the S8’s predecessor, is also on sale at Walmart for $359.99. This was our former pick for the best robot vacuum/mop combo before the S8 took its place. The impressive robovac lacks some newer bells and whistles, including AI-obstacle avoidance, but it keeps carpets dry thanks to the mop’s unique lifting mechanism. Read our guide to the best robot vacuums.

• Amazon is discounting the Shark AI Ultra 2-in-1 to $249.99 ($200 off), which is the lowest price we’ve seen on the budget-friendly robot vacuum/mop hybrid. It’s a little loud and lacks an auto-empty base, however, it makes up for the caveats with good suction, a great app, and a laundry list of features (including mapping).

• The Roborock Q5 Pro is $319.98, down from $429.99 at Amazon. An excellent mid-range vacuum, it packs 5,200 Pa suction power and two rubber roller brushes that are great at picking up pet hair. It’s not fancy, but with a huge 770ml bin with big wheels to get up on higher-pile carpets, it’s a good option for families with pets. The Plus version is also on sale for $479.98 and adds a self-empty dock that automatically empties the robot’s bin when it’s full. Read our review.

The best smart home deals

• The Nanoleaf Shapes Ultra Black Triangles Smarter Kit is available for $131.99 ($88 off) at Nanoleaf or $189.99 ($30 off) from Amazon and Best Buy. The nine customizable light panels, which appear black when turned off, are capable of showcasing 16 million colors and support smart home platforms like Apple Home.
• Nanoleaf’s Shapes Mini Triangles Smarter Kit is on sale for $79.99 ($20 off) at Amazon and direct from Nanoleaf. The 10 modular light panels can display millions of colors and can sync with music, much like the aforementioned black panels, however, they’re much smaller and appear white when turned off.

• Tovala’s Smart Oven Air Fryer is $49 ($200 off) when you buy it from Tovala and order meals six times over six months. Each meal typically costs $12.99. Tovala’s Smart Oven Air Fryer accompanying meal kit service and built-in QR code scanner lets you quickly cook a wide range of delicious meals. It can scan store-bought groceries, but it cooks Tovala’s meal kits the best. Read our review.
• Regularly $94.48, you can currently buy the Blink Video Doorbell with a Blink Sync Module 2 (which allows for local storage) for $47.49 at Amazon. If you’re looking for a basic buzzer, the 1080p video doorbell is a good option with support for motion-activated recording and alerts, night vision, and two-way audio.

• If you want gigabit-capable mesh Wi-Fi covering your home but don’t want to pay top dollar, you can get a three-pack of the midrange Eero 6 Plus routers for $194.99 ($105 off) at Amazon.
• Vornado’s 660 AE, a large whole-room fan that circulates a lot of air and connects to Alexa for smart functionality, is on sale right now at Amazon for around $114 (normally $129.99).

The best TV, streaming device, and soundbar deals

The best streaming service deals

The best deals Legos, Nerf blasters, and other toys

• Lego’s Optimus Prime is down to $151.99 ($28 off) at Amazon and Target, which matches its second-best price to date. It’s an excellent build, even if our Sean Hollister felt it was a little fragile while transforming. You can even watch him build it here.
• Lego’s colorful Tales of the Space Age set is down to $42.49 (about $8 off) at Amazon and Best Buy, matching its best to date. The minimalist 688-piece kit consists of four space-themed “postcards,” which depict shooting stars, a space shuttle, and other celestial bodies, all of which can be mounted or displayed standing up.

• If you’re into Lego Star Wars kits, the BD-1 Droid (of Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order and Jedi: Survivor) is on sale for $69.29 (about $30 off) at Target. If online orders are unavailable, you might have better luck with in-store pickup.
• Lego’s 1,222-piece Horizon Forbidden West Tallneck is on sale for $73.99 (about $16 off) at Amazon and Best Buy, one of its better prices to date. It’s a great set if you’re a fan of the Horizon series from Guerrilla Games, one that stands over 13 inches tall and also comes with a brick-ified version of the velociraptor-like Watcher robot.
• Lego is selling its Star Wars Razor Crest starship from The Mandalorian series for $419.99 ($180 off). The 6187-piece building kit is from Lego’s Ultimate Collector Series and includes four minifigs to display alongside its small decorative placard.

• The Nerf N-Strike Mastodon blaster is on sale at Amazon for half off at $49.99, which matches its all-time low price. The motorized, mega-dart firing blaster comes with 24 darts included along with a shoulder strap.
• Nothing beats a family Nerf war, and the best way to do it is with a six-pack of single-shot Nerf MicroShot blasters — which are just $19.99 ($13 off) at Amazon. Each Derringer-style blaster loads and fires one dart, requiring you to pick your shots carefully before having to reload.
• Nerf’s Zombie Strike Hammershot is just $12.49 ($5 off) at Amazon. It may be small, but it packs a great punch with a spring-powered hammer and rotating five-dart revolving chamber. It gives off a great gunslinger vibe, especially if you dual-wield a pair of them.

The best deals on Verge Favorites and other tech

• Peak Design is taking up to 40 percent off its bags, camera accessories, and magnetic phone cases for Black Friday, including the 15L Everyday Backpack Zip. A favorite of some Verge staffers, it’s $151.96 ($38 off).

• The Chi Original Digital Ceramic Hairstyling Iron is one of our holiday gift guide picks for Moms, and right now is down to $63.75 ($57 off) at Amazon. This is an excellent flat iron that heats up quickly and straightens and defrizzes hair well. It can even create some nice, long loose waves.

• The 2022 Tile Mate is also on sale for $17.99 ($7 off) at Amazon and Best Buy. The Bluetooth tracker is platform-agnostic like the Tile Pro, but can only keep tabs on items up to 250 feet away, as opposed to 400.

• The ultra-portable AeroPress Original is currently available for around $31.95 (about $15 off) from Amazon, Target, and AeroPress, which is a great price for the single-serve coffee maker.
• TP-Link’s RE315 Wi-Fi extender is on sale for just $24.99 ($25 off), matching its best price to date. It’s a good option if you’re looking to extend network coverage in your home or add ethernet connectivity to another room.

Feeling a little overwhelmed on what deals to pounce on? Need some tech buying advice? Our Verge Deals team is here for your retail therapy, and we’ll be answering your burning shopping questions for Cyber Monday live on November 27th at 11AM ET. Leave a question here.

Ubisoft blames ‘technical error’ for showing pop-up ads in Assassin’s Creed

Ubisoft blames ‘technical error’ for showing pop-up ads in Assassin’s Creed

Image: triddell24 (Reddit)

Ubisoft is blaming an unspecified “technical error” for a fullscreen pop-up ad that appeared in Assassin’s Creed Odyssey this week. Reddit users say they spotted the pop-up on Xbox and PlayStation versions of the game, with an ad appearing just when you navigate to the map screen. “This is disgusting to experience while playing,” remarked one Reddit user, summarizing the general feeling against such pop-ups in the middle of gameplay.

“We have been made aware that some players encountered pop-up ads while playing certain Assassin’s Creed titles yesterday,” says Ubisoft spokesperson Fabien Darrigues, in a statement to The Verge. “This was the result of a technical error that we addressed as soon as we learned of the issue.”

Image: triddell24 (Reddit)

The pop-up ad appeared during the middle of gameplay.

Ubisoft hasn’t explained the technical error, but we can’t imagine the game suddenly became sentient and started adding its own Black Friday pop-up ads to promote Ubisoft’s latest versions of Assassin’s Creed. Someone at Ubisoft had to code this into the game specifically for the sale this week. We just don’t know whether this was supposed to be a limited test that was somehow made public, or if there were plans to actually roll this out. Either way, the intent of adding pop-ups into the middle of a game you’ve paid for is rather “gross” as one Reddit commenter puts it.

We recently saw Microsoft use fullscreen Xbox pop-up ads to promote its own games, and they’ve been annoying Xbox owners. Microsoft’s ads only appear when you boot an Xbox, and not everyone seems to be getting them. Microsoft and Ubisoft’s pop-ups are still very different to the ads we’re used to seeing on game consoles. We’ve seen games like Saints Row 2 with ads running on billboards, or plenty of in-game ads in EA Games titles in the mid-to-late 2000s.

Fullscreen pop-up ads in the middle of a game certainly aren’t common. Imagine a world full of games you’ve paid $70 for and then ads popping up in the middle of gameplay. I truly hope that Ubisoft’s “technical error” never becomes a game industry reality.

¿Cuáles son los riesgos del armamento que funciona con IA?

¿Cuáles son los riesgos del armamento que funciona con IA? Las preocupaciones por las armas capaces de matar sin intervención humana no son totalmente nuevas.

The Verge’s 2023 home tech holiday gift guide

The Verge’s 2023 home tech holiday gift guide

Photo Illustration by Amelia Holowaty Krales and Cath Virginia / The Verge

From color-changing lights to gadgets that’ll take care of dinner for you and your pets, here are some of our favorite smart home gifts.

Our homes are where we spend a good chunk of our lives, so we might as well make them feel like somewhere worth living. Given where we live can influence everything from our mood to our productivity, a gift for the home is thus an investment, one that can go a long way toward helping your loved one live a better life. But that’s only if it’s the right gift.

Some presents can turn a house into a home, while others merely add to the clutter. Thankfully, we at The Verge know a lot about smart home tech, and we’ve rounded up a selection of gifts that can truly add value to your loved one’s life. We’ve included robovacs, pet feeders, and gadgets they can program to take care of everyday tasks on their behalf as well as color-changing lights, art-inspired speakers, and other items that’ll make their home feel more pleasant to live in. We’ve also pulled together some cool gifts that aren’t gadgets — including books, kettles, and a rose that can last up to a year — because, hey, everybody needs a break from tech every now and again.