theverge--2020-11-20--The first COVID-19 vaccines will likely require two shots

Pfizer / BioNTech ’ s and Moderna ’ s COVID-19 vaccines have a lot in common : they ’ ve both been highly effective in clinical trials , they ’ re both gene-based vaccines , and they also each require two doses .
That last point is pretty standard for vaccines .
“ If you look at all the FDA approved vaccines , the vast majority will require multiple doses , ” says Otto Yang , an infectious disease specialist at UCLA Health .
Here ’ s why some of the most promising coronavirus vaccine candidates are no exception .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ to a small part of the virus so that the immune system can learn to recognize it .
More than one dose means more opportunities for the immune system to figure out exactly how to counter a future infection .
The immune system needs the extra exposure time to learn how to effectively fight the virus because , as Yang explains , a vaccine doesn ’ t replicate in the body the way a virus does .
“ When you ’ re first getting exposed to something , ” says Yang , “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ scratch.
” Pathogens , like the coronavirus , have specific areas called antigens , which trigger our cells to produce antibodies to fight off the infection .
A vaccine triggers the production of specific antibodies that can fight off something like a virus .
Multiple doses of a vaccine give the body a chance to produce more antibodies .
They also give the body a robust supply of memory cells , which remain in the body long after exposure .
These cells are ready to respond to those specific antigens if they appear @ @ @ @ @ @ @ body is exposed to more antigens , so more memory cells are created , leading to a faster and more effective antibody response in the future .
Memory cells don ’ t last forever and will die off over time .
This is why people need booster shots to maintain an immune response to infections like tetanus and diphtheria .
A booster is , as the name implies , a boost to a response that ’ s already been established .
“ A booster is often just one shot because that ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as opposed to making a new response.
” But multiple initial doses are different from a booster shot .
The reason for those multiple doses , Yang says , “ is because generating the initial response is harder than reviving the response that ’ s already there.
” Two doses is the best way to create an effective number of antibodies and memory cells , but the requirement poses logistical problems .
It means twice as many materials — needles , vials , the vaccine itself — need to be produced , stored @ @ @ @ @ @ @ also harder to get people to go get a vaccine twice .
It could be especially difficult for people to take time from work , arrange for child care , or travel some distance to the nearest vaccination site .
We ’ re still in early stages of vaccine development for this particular virus .
While Pfizer / BioNTech ’ s and Moderna ’ s vaccines both require currently two doses , there are still dozens of other vaccines that haven ’ t yet reached later phase trials .
Johnson & Johnson is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ dose and two doses of their vaccine to evaluate and compare the long-term efficacy of both .
There may be a simpler solution on the horizon , but for now , it looks like the first vaccines available will likely come in two shots .

Pfizer / BioNTech’s and Moderna’s COVID-19 vaccines have a lot in common: they’ve both been highly effective in clinical trials, they’re both gene-based vaccines, and they also each require two doses. That last point is pretty standard for vaccines. “If you look at all the FDA approved vaccines, the vast majority will require multiple doses,” says Otto Yang, an infectious disease specialist at UCLA Health. Here’s why some of the most promising coronavirus vaccine candidates are no exception.
A vaccine works by exposing the body to a small part of the virus so that the immune system can learn to recognize it. More than one dose means more opportunities for the immune system to figure out exactly how to counter a future infection. The immune system needs the extra exposure time to learn how to effectively fight the virus because, as Yang explains, a vaccine doesn’t replicate in the body the way a virus does.
“When you’re first getting exposed to something,” says Yang, “the immune system is actually starting from scratch.” Pathogens, like the coronavirus, have specific areas called antigens, which trigger our cells to produce antibodies to fight off the infection. A vaccine triggers the production of specific antibodies that can fight off something like a virus.
Multiple doses of a vaccine give the body a chance to produce more antibodies. They also give the body a robust supply of memory cells, which remain in the body long after exposure. These cells are ready to respond to those specific antigens if they appear again. With multiple doses, the body is exposed to more antigens, so more memory cells are created, leading to a faster and more effective antibody response in the future.
Memory cells don’t last forever and will die off over time. This is why people need booster shots to maintain an immune response to infections like tetanus and diphtheria. A booster is, as the name implies, a boost to a response that’s already been established. “A booster is often just one shot because that’s enough to basically wake up the response as opposed to making a new response.” But multiple initial doses are different from a booster shot. The reason for those multiple doses, Yang says, “is because generating the initial response is harder than reviving the response that’s already there.”
Two doses is the best way to create an effective number of antibodies and memory cells, but the requirement poses logistical problems. It means twice as many materials — needles, vials, the vaccine itself — need to be produced, stored, and distributed. It’s also harder to get people to go get a vaccine twice. It could be especially difficult for people to take time from work, arrange for child care, or travel some distance to the nearest vaccination site.


theverge--2020-11-20--My favorite new Mandalorian character is a crew member who couldn’t get out of the shot

Game of Thrones editors may not have caught a coffee cup , and editors missed a water bottle in a Downton Abbey promotion photo , but my favorite accidental addition to a show is the crew member who made their way into the most recent Mandalorian episode .
The crew member — we have to assume they ’ re a crew member , but The Verge has reached out to Disney for more information — appears at approximately 18:54 in The Mandalorian ’ s “ Chapter 12 ” episode .
Consider this your warning for light spoilers ahead .
The @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Carl Weathers ) , Cara Dune ( Gina Carano ) , the Mandalorian ( aka , Din Djarin , played by Pedro Pascal ) , and the blue criminal from the series ’ very first episode taking on a batch of stormtroopers .
They ’ re in the middle of a laser fight and , as the camera pans back to our heroes , we see a glimpse of the crew member standing tightly against the wall , trying desperately to not be in the shot .
In the screenshots below , you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Now , this crew member , I love them dearly .
We ’ ve all been this crew member .
They ’ re just trying their best to help out with the shoot , to ensure that things go well .
It ’ s a stressful process .
There ’ s probably not a lot of space to film in , and the crew member is busy keeping an eye on whatever they need to keep an eye on .
So , they accidentally ended up in the shot .
They didn @ @ @ @ @ @ @ they ’ re wearing jeans , a green T-shirt , and a silver watch — an outfit I would also wear , but not something you ’ d typically see in a Star Wars movie or TV show .
Not to mention that plastering their body to the wall while blasters are going off and people are dropping like flies plays well into the scene ’ s moment .
I love gaffes like these .
They remind us that besides all the cool , science-fiction settings , beautiful actors , and dope action @ @ @ @ @ @ @ what we watch .
It ’ s easy to forget in the moment , when we ’ re being transported to a different planet , to see some rebels dunk on Empire scum — but the crew members are always there , making sure to get it just right .
Naturally , this is Star Wars , so don ’ t be too surprised if some convoluted lore appears to explain who our favorite new crew member is and why they ’ re there .
Willrow Hood appeared as an extra running with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ : Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back , and now he has an entire backstory and even an action figure .
Hopefully , one day soon , our own crew member will have an action figure , too .
I salute you , anonymous person who is getting a boatload of attention this Friday afternoon .
I hope Disney and The Mandalorian editors choose to keep you in the scene .

Game of Thrones editors may not have caught a coffee cup, and editors missed a water bottle in a Downton Abbey promotion photo, but my favorite accidental addition to a show is the crew member who made their way into the most recent Mandalorian episode.
The crew member — we have to assume they’re a crew member, but The Verge has reached out to Disney for more information — appears at approximately 18:54 in The Mandalorian’s “Chapter 12” episode. Consider this your warning for light spoilers ahead.
The scene in question features Greef Karga (Carl Weathers), Cara Dune (Gina Carano), the Mandalorian (aka, Din Djarin, played by Pedro Pascal), and the blue criminal from the series’ very first episode taking on a batch of stormtroopers. They’re in the middle of a laser fight and, as the camera pans back to our heroes, we see a glimpse of the crew member standing tightly against the wall, trying desperately to not be in the shot. In the screenshots below, you can see them to the far left.
You can see the crew member just under the red light of the blaster to the left.
Here is an arrow pointing to the crew member without a red light from the blaster.
Now, this crew member, I love them dearly. We’ve all been this crew member. They’re just trying their best to help out with the shoot, to ensure that things go well. It’s a stressful process. There’s probably not a lot of space to film in, and the crew member is busy keeping an eye on whatever they need to keep an eye on. So, they accidentally ended up in the shot. They didn’t expect this to happen; they’re wearing jeans, a green T-shirt, and a silver watch — an outfit I would also wear, but not something you’d typically see in a Star Wars movie or TV show.
Not to mention that plastering their body to the wall while blasters are going off and people are dropping like flies plays well into the scene’s moment.
I love gaffes like these. They remind us that besides all the cool, science-fiction settings, beautiful actors, and dope action sequences, there are real people behind what we watch. It’s easy to forget in the moment, when we’re being transported to a different planet, to see some rebels dunk on Empire scum — but the crew members are always there, making sure to get it just right.
Naturally, this is Star Wars, so don’t be too surprised if some convoluted lore appears to explain who our favorite new crew member is and why they’re there. Willrow Hood appeared as an extra running with an ice cream machine in Star Wars: Episode V – The Empire Strikes Back, and now he has an entire backstory and even an action figure. Hopefully, one day soon, our own crew member will have an action figure, too.
I salute you, anonymous person who is getting a boatload of attention this Friday afternoon. I hope Disney and The Mandalorian editors choose to keep you in the scene.


theverge--2020-11-20--NASA to launch satellite to track rising sea levels

NASA plans to launch a satellite tomorrow that will follow the effects of climate change on the world ’ s oceans and gather data to improve weather forecasts .
The satellite will continue NASA ’ s three decades-long work to document rising sea levels and will give scientists a more precise view of the coastlines than they ’ ve ever had from space .
“ The best front seat view on the oceans is from space ” “ The best front seat view on the oceans is from space , ” says Thomas Zurbuchen , head of science at NASA @ @ @ @ @ @ @ launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket .
NASA ’ s live coverage of the event will start at 8:45AM PT on its website , with the launch expected to take place at 9:17AM .
The satellite is the first of a pair of ocean-focused satellites , which will extend NASA and the European Space Agency ’ s research on global sea levels for another ten years .
The next satellite , the Sentinel-6B , will follow in about five years .
To measure sea levels @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down to the world ’ s oceans and then measure how long it takes for them to bounce back .
When NASA began its work on sea level rise in the 1990s , scientists were still curious about whether predictions about the impact of climate change were coming true , according to Zurbuchen .
“ The question of whether the oceans go up or not [ as the planet heats up ] has been settled by these satellites , it ’ s not a question , ” Zurbuchen tells The Verge .
“ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ where I ’ m sitting , these oceans are going up and we need to handle what that does to our lives.
” NASA scientists will be able to make higher-resolution observations much closer to shore with the new satellites , which will allow for more precise weather forecasts just before storms make landfall .
As a big storm develops over the sea , the water buckles up .
A satellite can pick up on that bubble of water rising and use that information for forecasts .
The granular measurements could also be @ @ @ @ @ @ @ level near coastlines might affect ship navigation and commercial fishing .
“ The questions that matter to my family , to my friends , to all of our families ” Tides are creeping further ashore as a result of climate change .
That ’ s because water expands as it heats up and because the world ’ s glaciers and ice sheets are melting .
The encroaching water makes flooding and storm surges increasingly dangerous .
It ’ s also drowning entire islands and coastal communities .
That ’ s already forced people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ abandon the places they ’ ve called home for generations .
“ What the question today is , what ’ s the impact [ of sea level rise ] and what can we do about it ?
” Zurbuchen says .
“ Those are the questions that matter to my family , to my friends , to all of our families because they affect how our families can live in the future .
”

NASA plans to launch a satellite tomorrow that will follow the effects of climate change on the world’s oceans and gather data to improve weather forecasts. The satellite will continue NASA’s three decades-long work to document rising sea levels and will give scientists a more precise view of the coastlines than they’ve ever had from space.
“The best front seat view on the oceans is from space”
“The best front seat view on the oceans is from space,” says Thomas Zurbuchen, head of science at NASA.
The Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich satellite will launch from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. NASA’s live coverage of the event will start at 8:45AM PT on its website, with the launch expected to take place at 9:17AM. The satellite is the first of a pair of ocean-focused satellites, which will extend NASA and the European Space Agency’s research on global sea levels for another ten years. The next satellite, the Sentinel-6B, will follow in about five years. To measure sea levels, they’ll beam electromagnetic signals down to the world’s oceans and then measure how long it takes for them to bounce back.
Sentinel-6 Michael Freilich team members from European Space Agency pose with the spacecraft during processing. Image: ESA
When NASA began its work on sea level rise in the 1990s, scientists were still curious about whether predictions about the impact of climate change were coming true, according to Zurbuchen. “The question of whether the oceans go up or not [as the planet heats up] has been settled by these satellites, it’s not a question,” Zurbuchen tells The Verge. “Just as sure as gravity right here where I’m sitting, these oceans are going up and we need to handle what that does to our lives.”
NASA scientists will be able to make higher-resolution observations much closer to shore with the new satellites, which will allow for more precise weather forecasts just before storms make landfall. As a big storm develops over the sea, the water buckles up. A satellite can pick up on that bubble of water rising and use that information for forecasts. The granular measurements could also be used to see how changes in sea level near coastlines might affect ship navigation and commercial fishing.
“The questions that matter to my family, to my friends, to all of our families”
Tides are creeping further ashore as a result of climate change. That’s because water expands as it heats up and because the world’s glaciers and ice sheets are melting. The encroaching water makes flooding and storm surges increasingly dangerous. It’s also drowning entire islands and coastal communities. That’s already forced people from Louisiana to Papua New Guinea to abandon the places they’ve called home for generations.


theverge--2020-11-20--Biden transition team forced to build its own cybersecurity protections

President-elect Joe Biden is preparing to take over from President Donald Trump , but his transition team isn ’ t getting the level of cybersecurity support usually provided by outgoing administrations , according to The Wall Street Journal .
That could mean Biden ’ s team is more vulnerable to cyberattacks than if it had the full support and resources of the federal government .
Typically , a departing administration would help the transition team with things like setting up government email accounts and making sure those accounts are protected , reports The Wall Street Journal .
But the Trump @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that support , leaving the Biden transition team to take care of its own cybersecurity .
The team uses a paid Google Workspace network , though all accounts are enrolled in both Google ’ s Advanced Protection Program and Google ’ s Enhanced Protection Program , the transition team tells The Verge .
All staffers are required to use physical security keys to log in to accounts , which can improve security .
Information is stored on shared drives with restricted access .
And staffers have been briefed on security best practices .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ a global pandemic and an economic recession , all while working remotely , ” a transition official said in a statement to The Verge .
“ From the outset of the transition , we have invested in best-in-class IT systems and processes.
” A White House spokesperson said the Trump administration is “ following all statutory requirements ” but did not specify what those requirements were .
While the presidential election was widely called for Joe Biden on November 7th , Trump has still not conceded .
And his administration isn ’ t @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s also holding up federal planning for a COVID-19 vaccine , an effort that has taken on increased urgency after promising results from vaccine candidates developed by Pfizer and BioNTech and Moderna .

President-elect Joe Biden is preparing to take over from President Donald Trump, but his transition team isn’t getting the level of cybersecurity support usually provided by outgoing administrations, according to The Wall Street Journal. That could mean Biden’s team is more vulnerable to cyberattacks than if it had the full support and resources of the federal government.
Typically, a departing administration would help the transition team with things like setting up government email accounts and making sure those accounts are protected, reports The Wall Street Journal. But the Trump administration has stopped federal agencies from providing that support, leaving the Biden transition team to take care of its own cybersecurity.
The team uses a paid Google Workspace network, though all accounts are enrolled in both Google’s Advanced Protection Program and Google’s Enhanced Protection Program, the transition team tells The Verge. All staffers are required to use physical security keys to log in to accounts, which can improve security. Information is stored on shared drives with restricted access. And staffers have been briefed on security best practices.
“We are preparing to govern during a global pandemic and an economic recession, all while working remotely,” a transition official said in a statement to The Verge. “From the outset of the transition, we have invested in best-in-class IT systems and processes.”
A White House spokesperson said the Trump administration is “following all statutory requirements” but did not specify what those requirements were.


theverge--2020-11-20--HBO’s The Last of Us TV show is actually happening

HBO ’ s upcoming TV adaptation of The Last of Us just took a big step forward in actually happening : the network has given the show a series order , with series creator Neil Druckmann working as both a writer and executive producer alongside Craig Mazin ( Chernobyl ) .
HBO ’ s Carolyn Strauss , who executive produced both Game of Thrones and Chernobyl , will also serve as an executive producer on The Last of Us .
Per the official synopsis , the TV series seems to be adapting the first game in the series : “ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ modern civilization has been destroyed .
Joel , a hardened survivor , is hired to smuggle Ellie , a 14-year-old girl , out of an oppressive quarantine zone .
What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal , heartbreaking journey , as they both must traverse across the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.
” While the world of video game adaptions is littered with failures , a big HBO adaptation of one of the most acclaimed video game stories in recent memory — complete with the original game @ @ @ @ @ @ @ board — seems like it might have a shot at actually succeeding in translating the game to television .
All that said , The Last of Us is still in the early stages , with no casting details or a release window yet , so it ’ ll likely be some time before Joe and Ellie ’ s story actually makes the jump to live action .
The Last of Us isn ’ t the only big-budget Sony game adaptation in the works .
Sony ’ s PlayStation Productions studio is also in @ @ @ @ @ @ @ adaptation of the Uncharted series , which will star Tom Holland and is set to hit theaters in 2021 .

HBO’s upcoming TV adaptation of The Last of Us just took a big step forward in actually happening: the network has given the show a series order, with series creator Neil Druckmann working as both a writer and executive producer alongside Craig Mazin (Chernobyl). HBO’s Carolyn Strauss, who executive produced both Game of Thrones and Chernobyl, will also serve as an executive producer on The Last of Us.
Per the official synopsis, the TV series seems to be adapting the first game in the series: “The story takes place twenty years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal, heartbreaking journey, as they both must traverse across the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.”
HBO’s teaser image for the series. Image: HBO
While the world of video game adaptions is littered with failures, a big HBO adaptation of one of the most acclaimed video game stories in recent memory — complete with the original game’s writer and creative director on board — seems like it might have a shot at actually succeeding in translating the game to television.
All that said, The Last of Us is still in the early stages, with no casting details or a release window yet, so it’ll likely be some time before Joe and Ellie’s story actually makes the jump to live action.


theverge--2020-11-21--How to find the best deals during Black Friday and Cyber Monday 2020

Black Friday and Cyber Monday are the biggest shopping days of the year , a relentless , deals-packed weekend when you can find the best prices on tech products like laptops , 4K TVs , phones , and more .
And of course , these good deals are all accessible online .
You can count on us to publish the best deals that you need to know about , but if you want to be among the first people to discover price drops on products you ’ re interested in , you ’ ll want to get set up with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ included a few of our favorite examples below , pointing out how each can help you track deals in slightly different ways , with their own special features .
All of them are free to use , and once you ’ ve added products that you ’ re interested in keeping an eye on , you can rest easy knowing that you don ’ t need to take any extra action until it comes time to make a purchase .
CamelCamelCamel tracks the price of every product sold on Amazon and can send @ @ @ @ @ @ @ as you ’ d like .
Once a product reaches a desired price you ’ ve set or lower , you ’ ll get an email about it .
This price tracker works only for products on Amazon , so you ’ ll need to use a different one below if you want to track price movement on Walmart , Best Buy , and others .
To track prices and get alerts via email , you ’ ll need to create a free account .
Also , I suggest installing the site ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , which lets you see pricing trends on a product-by-product basis and allows you to set your desired price without navigating away from Amazon .
It ’ s fantastic and easy to use .
As soon as one of the products falls below the amount set on your price alert , you ’ ll instantly get an email .
And if you already have a wishlist saved on Amazon , you can import it to CamelCamelCamel .
Like CamelCamelCamel , the Honey browser extension can track the prices of items that you ’ @ @ @ @ @ @ @ alert you when it finds a deal .
However , unlike the price-tracking site above , Honey will also scour each site you visit for offer codes that can be applied to your checkout total to save you even more money .
Honey works with Amazon and many other retailers , and you can add items to your “ Droplist , ” which is basically just a wishlist .
On Best Buy , for example , the option to add an item to your list pops up on the product ’ s image @ @ @ @ @ @ @ watch duration as well as the percentage off that you ’ re looking for .
Slickdeals aggregates some of the best deals around the internet , as discovered by its team and community of users .
Its site also allows you to create deal alerts based on keywords , but they work a little differently on Slickdeals than they do with the above sites .
You can type in a product name , like “ Nintendo Switch ” or a retailer ’ s name , and once it ’ s added to your @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of a deal alert if it meets your criteria .
You can set it to alert you to literally any deal relating to your keyword , or you can filter out deals so that you ’ ll be notified if , for example , the deal is popular enough to make it to Slickdeals ’ front page or if it earned a high rating from the community .
As you might have guessed with the name , PC Part Picker helps you pick PC components that are compatible with each other , making @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a DIY PC setup a little easier .
That by itself makes it a crucial tool , but it ’ s also an excellent price tracker , showing you a detailed graph that illustrates the current and prior movement in price for a particular component .
It lets you build the PC of your dreams , and it can alert you via email to price drops from big retailers like Amazon , Best Buy , Newegg , B & H Photo , and more .
That way , you can , say , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ that processor or graphics card comes down to a lower price you know it ’ s hit before .
We ’ re a discerning bunch here at The Verge , so don ’ t fret if you ’ re going into Black Friday / Cyber Monday without any prep .
We ’ ll be corralling the best deals on tech and keeping our coverage up to date with new sale items while eliminating old ones to avoid any disappointment .
So mark November 26th through the 30th on your calendar — but keep @ @ @ @ @ @ @ many vendors are jumping the gun and offering some great prices already .
Then bookmark our coverage , and start putting aside a little spending cash .

Even though Amazon just wrapped its fall Prime Day event, Black Friday and Cyber Monday remain the biggest shopping days of the year. Thankfully, like in previous years, we’ll be working to highlight the best prices on tablets, phones, TVs, gaming gear, and other tech throughout the deals-packed week, whether you plan to shop in-person or online.
You can always count on us to publish the best deals that you need to know about, however, if you want to be among the first people to discover price drops on the products you’re interested in, you’ll want to get set up with a price-tracking tool. We’ve included a few of our favorite examples below, pointing out how each can help you track deals in slightly different ways, each with its own special features.
All of them are free to use, and once you’ve added products you’re interested in keeping an eye on, you can rest easy knowing that you don’t need to take any extra action until it comes time to make a purchase. Just make sure you keep e-mail notifications on, so you see the updates as they come in.
One quick note: while the last two years saw more online-exclusive deals than previous years, this was likely due to the fact that many people were still shopping online due to the pandemic. While in-person shopping isn’t by no means as popular as it was prior to 2020, it’s possible that we may see exclusive in-store deals in 2022.
CamelCamelCamel tracks the price of every product sold on Amazon and can send you alerts when an item falls to a certain threshold. Once a product reaches the desired price you’ve set or lower, you’ll get an email about it. You can use the extension’s price graph to determine what price is likely to happen, but it’s always a shot in the dark. This price tracker also only works for products on Amazon, so you’ll need to use one of the trackers featured below if you want to track price fluctuations at Walmart, Best Buy, and other retail sites.
To track prices and get alerts via email, you’ll need to create a free CamelCamelCamel account. Additionally, we suggest installing the site’s browser extension, The Camelizer, which currently works with Google Chrome, Mozilla Firefox, Opera, and Microsoft Edge. The handy tool lets you see pricing trends on a product-by-product basis and allows you to set your desired price without having to navigate away from Amazon. It’s fantastic, easy to use, and works in a number of countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Spain, France, Italy, and Australia.
As soon as a product falls below the amount set on your price alert, you’ll instantly get an email. And if you already have a wishlist saved on Amazon, you can easily import it into CamelCamelCamel.
Like CamelCamelCamel, the Honey browser extension can track the prices of items that you’re interested in, and it will alert you when it finds a deal. However, unlike the price-tracking site above, Honey will also scour each site you visit for offer codes that can be applied to your checkout total to save you even more money. Look for the orange Honey icon that will appear on the right side of your browser window when you land on a product page (you can move its location as you see fit, but that’s where it appears by default). If you click that icon, you can view coupon opportunities. take a closer look at historical pricing info, and compare pricing across a variety of retailers.
Honey works with Amazon, Best Buy, Walmart, and a number of other prominent retailers, and you can add items to your “Droplist,” which is a wishlist-meets-price watch list. The convenient Honey add-on also offers a “Smart Droplist” feature, which automatically adds frequently viewed items to your Droplist.
Verge Deals on Twitter / Join over 50,000 followers and keep up with the best daily tech deals with @vergedeals Follow us!
Slickdeals aggregates some of the best deals around the internet, as discovered by its team and community of users. Its site also allows you to browse coupons and create deal alerts based on specific keywords, though, the latter work a little differently on Slickdeals than they do with the above sites.
You can type in a product name, like “Nintendo Switch OLED,” “Sonos,” or a retailer’s name, and once it’s added to your list, you’ll be notified of a deal alert if it meets your criteria. You can set it to alert you to literally any deal relating to your keyword, or you can filter out deals so that you’ll be notified if, for example, the deal is popular enough to make it to Slickdeals’ front page or if it earned a high rating from the community. If you like browsing deals, it’s generally good advice to visit Slickdeals frequently, especially since it recently rolled out a Black Friday component that allows you to browse circulars for Best Buy, Target, and other retailers in advance.
As you might have guessed with the name, PC Part Picker helps you determine which PC components are compatible with one another and which are not, making the already daunting task of piecing together a DIY PC setup a little easier.
That by itself makes it a crucial tool for both veterans and people who are new to building PCs, but it’s also an excellent price tracker, one that shows you a detailed graph illustrating the current and prior movement in the price for a particular component. It lets you build the PC of your dreams, and it can alert you via email to price drops for each component from big retailers like Amazon, Best Buy, Newegg, B&H Photo, and more. That way you can wait to buy everything until that processor or graphics card comes down to a lower price, one you know it has hit before.
For a more hands-off approach to seeing if you’re getting a good deal, just use the Microsoft Edge browser. For the past couple of years, the browser has been able to tell you when you’re looking at the best price for a particular product from a range of retailers. If you are, it will tell you. If not, it will direct you to a retailer where you can get a better deal. It’s as simple as that. Microsoft Edge is available on Windows PC, macOS, and Linux, as well as Android and iOS.
Trust the experts
We’re a discerning bunch here at The Verge, so don’t fret if you’re going into Black Friday / Cyber Monday without any prep. We’ll be corralling the best deals on tech and keeping our coverage up to date with new sale items while eliminating old ones to avoid any disappointment. While we usually suggest paying attention to deals starting the day after Thanksgiving — or November 25th, in this case — the truth is that several retailers (read: Best Buy) have already jumped the gun and begun to offer some great deals in the lead-up to the shopping holiday. So, bookmark our coverage, follow us on Twitter, and start putting aside a little spending cash for the busy Black Friday and Cyber Monday shopping events.


theverge--2020-11-21--Twitter, Facebook will transfer presidential accounts to Joe Biden on Inauguration Day

Twitter will transfer the @ POTUS account to President-elect Joe Biden when he ’ s sworn in on Inauguration Day , the company told Politico .
Twitter will transfer the account to Biden even if President Donald Trump hasn ’ t conceded — which he still hasn ’ t done , despite the election widely being called for Biden earlier this month .
“ Twitter is actively preparing to support the transition of White House institutional Twitter accounts on January 20th , 2021 , ” a Twitter spokesperson said in a statement to The Verge .
“ As we did @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this process is being done in close consultation with the National Archives and Records Administration.
” Other presidential accounts , including @ whitehouse , @ VP , and @ FLOTUS , will be moved over as well , Politico reports .
The existing content on all of the accounts will be archived before the transfer ( here ’ s Barack Obama ’ s @ POTUS archive , if you ’ re curious ) , and the accounts will be reset to show zero tweets .
Trump will continue to control his personal account @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s inauguration , but the account will lose the special protections it gets due to Trump ’ s status as a world leader — meaning he will be subject to the same rules as the majority of the users on the platform .
On Saturday , Facebook told Reuters it would also transfer the official POTUS account on its platform to the incoming administration .
“ In 2017 , we worked with both the Obama Administration and incoming Trump Administration to make sure the transition of their Facebook and Instagram accounts was seamless @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to do the same here , ” the company said .
Update November 21st 4:40PM ET : Adds information that Facebook will transfer its POTUS account .
Correction : We originally said in one sentence that Twitter hadn ’ t replied to a request for comment , but they had .
We regret the error .

Twitter will transfer the @POTUS account to President-elect Joe Biden when he’s sworn in on Inauguration Day, the company told Politico. Twitter will transfer the account to Biden even if President Donald Trump hasn’t conceded — which he still hasn’t done, despite the election widely being called for Biden earlier this month.
“Twitter is actively preparing to support the transition of White House institutional Twitter accounts on January 20th, 2021,” a Twitter spokesperson said in a statement to The Verge. “As we did for the presidential transition in 2017, this process is being done in close consultation with the National Archives and Records Administration.”
Other presidential accounts, including @whitehouse, @VP, and @FLOTUS, will be moved over as well, Politico reports. The existing content on all of the accounts will be archived before the transfer (here’s Barack Obama’s @POTUS archive, if you’re curious), and the accounts will be reset to show zero tweets.
Trump will continue to control his personal account, @realDonaldTrump, after Biden’s inauguration, but the account will lose the special protections it gets due to Trump’s status as a world leader — meaning he will be subject to the same rules as the majority of the users on the platform.
On Saturday, Facebook told Reuters it would also transfer the official POTUS account on its platform to the incoming administration. “In 2017, we worked with both the Obama Administration and incoming Trump Administration to make sure the transition of their Facebook and Instagram accounts was seamless on January 20th, and we expect to do the same here,” the company said.
Update November 21st 4:40PM ET: Adds information that Facebook will transfer its POTUS account.


theverge--2020-11-21--The Apple TV remote has yet another alternate option that includes buttons

Universal Electronics Inc. ( UEI ) has introduced its version of the notoriously unpopular Apple TV remote “ specifically developed and designed ” for cable , satellite , and MVPD ( multichannel video program distributor ) customers , the company announced .
The remote uses Bluetooth low energy or infrared to connect with the box , has a microphone to speak commands to Siri , and its universal remote function allows control of TVs and audio devices from any brand or manufacturer .
It has backlit keys , which activate via an ambient light sensor , a button to flip @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , according to UEI .
“ We ’ re excited that customers worldwide will soon be able to enjoy this new remote , designed specifically for the growing number of MVPDs offering Apple TV 4K to their subscribers , ” said Paul Arling , CEO of Universal Electronics , in a statement .
Universal isn ’ t the first company to introduce an Apple TV remote alternative ; last year , Swiss TV and internet provider Salt developed a remote in collaboration with Apple after the touchpad controls on the native remote proved @ @ @ @ @ @ @ buttons .
And Function introduced its Button Remote for Apple TV in July .
The Salt model has been difficult to buy in the US .
UEI ’ s remote will be available beginning next year , but consumers won ’ t be able to buy the remote directly from Universal .
The company plans to sell branded versions of the remote directly via the cable companies .

Universal Electronics Inc. (UEI) has introduced its version of the notoriously unpopular Apple TV remote “specifically developed and designed” for cable, satellite, and MVPD (multichannel video program distributor) customers, the company announced.
The remote uses Bluetooth low energy or infrared to connect with the box, has a microphone to speak commands to Siri, and its universal remote function allows control of TVs and audio devices from any brand or manufacturer. It has backlit keys, which activate via an ambient light sensor, a button to flip through channels, and a mute button, according to UEI.
“We’re excited that customers worldwide will soon be able to enjoy this new remote, designed specifically for the growing number of MVPDs offering Apple TV 4K to their subscribers,” said Paul Arling, CEO of Universal Electronics, in a statement.
Universal isn’t the first company to introduce an Apple TV remote alternative; last year, Swiss TV and internet provider Salt developed a remote in collaboration with Apple after the touchpad controls on the native remote proved frustrating for users used to having standard buttons. And Function introduced its Button Remote for Apple TV in July. The Salt model has been difficult to buy in the US.


theverge--2020-11-21--The latest teardown from iFixit shows how huge the iPhone 12 Pro Max camera is

The iPhone 12 Pro Max is Apple ’ s biggest iPhone ever , with a 6.7-inch display that boasts a camera system our reviewer called “ one of the most confident smartphone cameras.
” In its latest teardown , iFixit shows how big this impressive camera actually is compared to other iPhones .
The primary wide-angle sensor “ dwarfs the iPhone 12 ’ s sensor , ” iFixit says , coming in around 47 percent larger .
But it has the same 12 MP resolution as the smaller model .
The 12 Pro Max ’ s sensor-shift image stabilization system— @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to the large main camera , iFixit found .
The 12 Pro Max ’ s L-shaped battery is the largest among all current iPhone models , weighing in at 14.13Wh , compared to the 8.57Wh in the mini and the 10.78 Wh in the 12 and 12 Pro .
But iFixit notes that ’ s actually slightly smaller than the 15.04Wh pack found in the iPhone 11 Pro Max .
The iPhone 12 Pro Max —the most expensive iPhone on the market right now starting at $ 1,099 — “ is arguably Apple @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , ” iFixit says .
The device adds “ demanding 5G tech with no obvious compromises to other components.
” Check out iFixit ’ s full teardown of the iPhone 12 Pro Max here .
For more details check out our reviews of all the iPhone 12 models below .

The iPhone 12 Pro Max is Apple’s biggest iPhone ever, with a 6.7-inch display that boasts a camera system our reviewer called “one of the most confident smartphone cameras.” In its latest teardown, iFixit shows how big this impressive camera actually is compared to other iPhones.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max camera is quite large iFixit
The primary wide-angle sensor “dwarfs the iPhone 12’s sensor,” iFixit says, coming in around 47 percent larger. But it has the same 12 MP resolution as the smaller model. The 12 Pro Max’s sensor-shift image stabilization system— found on most DSLR cameras— adds bulk to the large main camera, iFixit found.
The 12 Pro Max’s L-shaped battery is the largest among all current iPhone models, weighing in at 14.13Wh, compared to the 8.57Wh in the mini and the 10.78 Wh in the 12 and 12 Pro. But iFixit notes that’s actually slightly smaller than the 15.04Wh pack found in the iPhone 11 Pro Max.
The iPhone 12 Pro Max battery (right) dwarfs the other iPhone 12 model batteries. iFixit
The iPhone 12 Pro Max —the most expensive iPhone on the market right now starting at $1,099 — “is arguably Apple’s finest iPhone-related achievement this year,” iFixit says. The device adds “demanding 5G tech with no obvious compromises to other components.” Check out iFixit’s full teardown of the iPhone 12 Pro Max here.


theverge--2020-11-21--SpaceX engineers holding a Reddit AMA on Starlink’s Better than Nothing beta

Beginning at noon PT/3PM ET Saturday , a group of SpaceX engineers working on the Starlink satellite project will answer questions on Reddit about its Better than Nothing Beta program .
The ultimate goal of the Starlink program is to provide global internet coverage from space , and SpaceX launched the public beta test last month , after introducing a private beta over the summer .
Beta users had to buy all of the Starlink ground equipment for $ 499 and then pay a $ 99 monthly fee for active service to participate in the program .
An email to @ @ @ @ @ @ @ users could “ expect to see data speeds vary from 50Mb/s to 150Mb/s and latency from 20ms to 40ms over the next several months as we enhance the Starlink system.
” The email also indicated there would be brief periods of no connectivity , and that latency and data speeds would improve as the company prepares to launch more satellites and installs more ground equipment .
SpaceX already has launched into low-Earth orbit 900 of the planned 12,000 satellites needed for the Starlink system .
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has said the company @ @ @ @ @ @ @ “ significant operational capabilities.
” To ask questions of Starlink engineers ( and there ’ s already a queue with more than 500 comments ) , go to the official Starlink Reddit page .
The AMA runs from noon to 1PM PST .

Beginning at noon PT/3PM ET Saturday, a group of SpaceX engineers working on the Starlink satellite project will answer questions on Reddit about its Better than Nothing Beta program. The ultimate goal of the Starlink program is to provide global internet coverage from space, and SpaceX launched the public beta test last month, after introducing a private beta over the summer.
Beta users had to buy all of the Starlink ground equipment for $499 and then pay a $99 monthly fee for active service to participate in the program. An email to those invited to the public beta said users could “expect to see data speeds vary from 50Mb/s to 150Mb/s and latency from 20ms to 40ms over the next several months as we enhance the Starlink system.” The email also indicated there would be brief periods of no connectivity, and that latency and data speeds would improve as the company prepares to launch more satellites and installs more ground equipment.
SpaceX already has launched into low-Earth orbit 900 of the planned 12,000 satellites needed for the Starlink system. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has said the company needs 800 satellites in space to provide “significant operational capabilities.”


theverge--2020-11-21--Giving thanks during a pandemic

Giving thanks during a pandemic

Celebrating Thanksgiving during a pandemic is weird .
It ’ s more stress , more risk calculations , more staying away from people you ’ d normally draw close to .
It feels sucky and dark and I know there ’ s a lot of people like me who are going to be so grateful for 2020 to be over .
But as much as this year has been the worst , it ’ s also shown us how we humans can be a lot better when we actually try .
This year , I ’ m thankful for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ to develop extremely promising vaccine candidates .
They took an impossible task and got it to the finish line in record time .
I ’ m thankful for the volunteers who were willing to enroll in clinical trials , and put their bodies on the line to help those researchers figure out if the vaccines worked .
Their decision to participate is what makes it possible for us to figure out how safe and effective any of the vaccines are .
I have a deep debt of gratitude towards the professional gadflies — @ @ @ @ @ @ @ transparency throughout this entire pandemic .
They ’ ve pushed for us to wear masks and for official acknowledgment that this virus can spread through the air .
They ’ ve kept track of the numbers for us , and shone a light on rampant incompetence that ’ s made the virus worse than it ever needed to be .
Now , they are demanding that the companies manufacturing the vaccines give us more than just the research highlights .
Thank you to the exhausted healthcare workers in the US , who are @ @ @ @ @ @ @ even though they know a wave of illness and death is headed their way .
Thank you to the disaster and public health researchers who have screamed into the void for the past year .
They ’ ve tried everything they could to get us important messages , shore up supply lines , and stay one step ahead of a virus that ’ s outpacing a nation .
Thank you to the places that have actually managed to beat back the virus for providing an example on how to really put those researchers @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , Senegal , Vermont , Cherokee Nation and Australia , along with all the others who have paid attention to the scientists .
Thank you to the people who have kept wearing a mask , even when it ’ s annoying and they ’ d rather not .
Also , to the people who are keeping their distance from others , as painful as it may be .
Thank you to the people who are working to keep their neighbors fed , and housed , and healthy , often for paltry wages .
@ @ @ @ @ @ @ people who are unemployed or incarcerated or homeless during this devastating pandemic .
I ’ m especially thankful for you .
Thank you for reading , and for joining me and Nicole here every Saturday morning for the past few months .
We ’ ll be taking a break next weekend , but we ’ ll be back on December 5 .
Here ’ s what else happened this week .
Confused About Masks ?
Here ’ s What Scientists Know There ’ s been some weird stuff coming out this week about @ @ @ @ @ @ @ of Denmark .
This article breaks down the current state of mask knowledge .
Bottom line : wear one .
( Apoorva Mandivalli/The New York Times ) Virus surges complicate the distribution of scarce COVID-19 treatments Monoclonal antibody treatments can help prevent people from developing the worst symptoms of COVID-19 , but they are also in very short supply .
Not only that , but health systems are so overwhelmed by new cases , that figuring out how to get the treatment to people who need it in time is a gargantuan task @ @ @ @ @ @ @ says its COVID-19 vaccine is 94.5 percent effective in early analysis On Monday , Moderna announced that its vaccine was highly effective in its clinical trials .
It also announced that its vaccine candidate could be stored in a refrigerator for up to 30 days , making it easier to distribute than anticipated .
( Nicole Wetsman/The Verge ) Updated analysis shows Pfizer vaccine is 95 percent effective Days after Moderna ’ s announcement , their rivals at Pfizer and BioNTech released more detailed data on their own vaccine , claiming it was @ @ @ @ @ @ @ On Friday , Pfizer and BioNTech became the first to file for an Emergency Use Authorization from the FDA .
The FDA will meet on December 10 to consider their application .
( Nicole Wetsman/The Verge ) 2 Companies Say Their Vaccines Are 95 % Effective .
What Does That Mean ?
If you want to know more about the math behind the vaccine headlines , this breakdown is a good one .
( Carl Zimmer/The New York Times ) The first COVID-19 vaccines will likely require two shots Wondering why both Pfizer @ @ @ @ @ @ @ two shots ?
It ’ s a training regimen for your immune system .
( Kait Sanchez/The Verge ) FDA approves first home COVID-19 test : Here ’ s why most Americans won ’ t get it before next spring An at-home COVID-19 test was approved this week by the FDA .
It will only be available in limited quantities in some states this year .
( Ken Alltucker/USA Today ) — Amber Elliott , county health director as told to Eli Saslow , The Washington Post To the more than 57,726,802 people @ @ @ @ @ @ @ your road to recovery be smooth .
To the families and friends of the 1,374,985 people who have died worldwide — 254,473 of those in the US — your loved ones are not forgotten .

Celebrating Thanksgiving during a pandemic is weird. It’s more stress, more risk calculations, more staying away from people you’d normally draw close to. It feels sucky and dark and I know there’s a lot of people like me who are going to be so grateful for 2020 to be over. But as much as this year has been the worst, it’s also shown us how we humans can be a lot better when we actually try.
This year, I’m thankful for the researchers who have worked carefully and swiftly to develop extremely promising vaccine candidates. They took an impossible task and got it to the finish line in record time.
I’m thankful for the volunteers who were willing to enroll in clinical trials, and put their bodies on the line to help those researchers figure out if the vaccines worked. Their decision to participate is what makes it possible for us to figure out how safe and effective any of the vaccines are.
A newsletter highlighting the COVID-19 research, developments, and stories that matter. Subscribe here!
Thank you to the exhausted healthcare workers in the US, who are doing their best to tread water, even though they know a wave of illness and death is headed their way.
Thank you to the disaster and public health researchers who have screamed into the void for the past year. They’ve tried everything they could to get us important messages, shore up supply lines, and stay one step ahead of a virus that’s outpacing a nation.
Thank you to the places that have actually managed to beat back the virus for providing an example on how to really put those researchers’ words into action — to Mongolia, Senegal , Vermont, Cherokee Nation and Australia, along with all the others who have paid attention to the scientists.
Thank you to the people who have kept wearing a mask, even when it’s annoying and they’d rather not. Also, to the people who are keeping their distance from others, as painful as it may be.
Thank you to the people who are working to keep their neighbors fed, and housed, and healthy, often for paltry wages. They deserve more. So do the people who are unemployed or incarcerated or homeless during this devastating pandemic.
I’m especially thankful for you. Thank you for reading, and for joining me and Nicole here every Saturday morning for the past few months. We’ll be taking a break next weekend, but we’ll be back on December 5.
Here’s what else happened this week.
Research
Confused About Masks? Here’s What Scientists Know
There’s been some weird stuff coming out this week about masks, including a widely-ridiculed study out of Denmark. This article breaks down the current state of mask knowledge. Bottom line: wear one. (Apoorva Mandivalli/The New York Times)
Development
Virus surges complicate the distribution of scarce COVID-19 treatments
Monoclonal antibody treatments can help prevent people from developing the worst symptoms of COVID-19, but they are also in very short supply. Not only that, but health systems are so overwhelmed by new cases, that figuring out how to get the treatment to people who need it in time is a gargantuan task. (Nicole Wetsman/The Verge)
Moderna says its COVID-19 vaccine is 94.5 percent effective in early analysis
On Monday, Moderna announced that its vaccine was highly effective in its clinical trials. It also announced that its vaccine candidate could be stored in a refrigerator for up to 30 days, making it easier to distribute than anticipated. (Nicole Wetsman/The Verge)
2 Companies Say Their Vaccines Are 95% Effective. What Does That Mean?
If you want to know more about the math behind the vaccine headlines, this breakdown is a good one. (Carl Zimmer/The New York Times)
The first COVID-19 vaccines will likely require two shots
Wondering why both Pfizer and Moderna are making vaccines that require two shots? It’s a training regimen for your immune system. (Kait Sanchez/The Verge)
FDA approves first home COVID-19 test: Here’s why most Americans won’t get it before next spring
An at-home COVID-19 test was approved this week by the FDA. It will only be available in limited quantities in some states this year. (Ken Alltucker/USA Today)
Perspectives
I get the same comments all the time over Facebook or email. “Oh, she’s blowing it out of proportion.” “She’s a communist.” “She’s a bitch.” “She’s pushing her agenda.” Okay, fine. I do have an agenda. I want disease transmission to go down. I want to keep this community safe. I want fewer people to die. Why is that controversial?
More than numbers
To the more than 57,726,802 people worldwide who have tested positive, may your road to recovery be smooth.
To the families and friends of the 1,374,985 people who have died worldwide — 254,473 of those in the US — your loved ones are not forgotten.


theverge--2020-11-21--The best Black Friday deals you can get right now

Only the best deals on Verge-approved gadgets get the Verge Deals stamp of approval , so if you 're looking for a deal on your next gadget or gift from major retailers like Amazon , Walmart , Best Buy , Target , and more , this is the place to be .
The majority of Black Friday deals will launch the day after Thanksgiving ( November 26th ) in the US as usual , but the pandemic has shaken things up in yet another way .
The best deals will be happening online , with fewer in-person sales for the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ some of those great deals are already available , so you can get started on your holiday gift ( or personal ) shopping .
With this post , we ’ re rounding up the best early Black Friday deals from retailers like Amazon , Best Buy , Walmart , Target , Adorama , B & H Photo , Newegg , and anywhere else we find deals you should know about .
At Dell you you can get Bose ’ s excellent Noise Cancelling 700 Headphones for $ 299 in black , silver , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , and B & H Photo also have the headphones on sale , but you can only buy them at these three retailers in the white soapstone color .
Apple ’ s AirPods Pro wireless earbuds are $ 190 at Woot right now .
This is the lowest we ’ ve seen yet on Apple ’ s flagship earbuds .
Compared to the standard AirPods , the Pro model features better sound quality and noise cancellation , plus support for Apple ’ s new spatial audio feature .
Samsung ’ s Galaxy Buds @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 110 at Amazon and Best Buy .
This is the best price we ’ ve seen for this model , which usually costs $ 150 outside of any discounts .
Compared to the standard Galaxy Buds , this upgraded model that launched alongside the Galaxy S20 series of phones has improved sound quality , microphones , and battery life .
If you are looking to buy two pairs of Galaxy Buds Plus , Best Buy has a few bundles , allowing you to buy sets for only $ 200 .
You can @ @ @ @ @ @ @ for both pairs and are available in blue , black , light blue , red , and white .
Alongside the Plus wireless earbuds , Samsung ’ s Galaxy Buds are discounted at Amazon and Best Buy .
Normally , these earbuds would cost $ 130 , but you can get them for $ 70 at either retailer .
Unfortunately , the color options are limited at both retailers , so you can only buy these earbuds in either black or silver .
Newegg has a deal right now on the Jabra Elite @ @ @ @ @ @ @ a pair of these earbuds in refurbished condition for just $ 80 , a savings of $ 100 off the regular price of a new pair .
If you are looking to upgrade your phone this year and Android is your preferred OS of choice , Amazon , B & H Photo , and Best Buy have discounted Samsung ’ s Galaxy S20 FE 5G .
You can get the unlocked model with 128GB of storage for $ 549 and $ 550 respectively at both retailers .
You can get an unlocked Galaxy @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s eBay store , the phone support all major phone networks in the US and comes with a full US warranty .
The Galaxy S20 is available in three color options ; blue , gray , and pink .
If you have a Verizon as your phone carrier , unfortunately this model will not support mmWave 5G .
Samsung ’ s Galaxy S20 Plus 5G is down to i $ 800 on Microsoft ’ s eBay store .
Like the S20 deal , this phone is an unlocked model and comes with @ @ @ @ @ @ @ standard S20 , this phone does support mmWave 5G if Verizon is your phone carrier .
Normally , Samsung ’ s Galaxy S20 Ultra would set you back $ 1,300 .
But you can buy an unlocked S20 Ultra for $ 925 at Microsoft ’ s eBay store .
You can choose either black and gray in this smartphone model .
If you are looking to pick up an iPad Air this Black Friday , Walmart has a pre-Black Friday deal that brings the price down to $ 559 if you are looking @ @ @ @ @ @ @ there ’ s a catch — you can only get it in green at the discounted price .
Acer ’ s Chromebook Spin 713 is the best Chromebook you can currently buy , and it ’ s $ 80 off its normal price .
Normally $ 629 , it ’ s now $ 549 .
That might not seem like much , but it ’ s a good value if you want a high-end Chromebook experience , with a 3:2 aspect ratio display , a decent processor , and 128GB of SSD storage @ @ @ @ @ @ @ gaming laptop with high-end specs and a premium design , Microsoft has discounted a well-equipped model of the Razer Blade 15 , bringing the price down to $ 2000 .
Normally this laptop ’ s hardware configurations would set you back $ 2,600 .
It features 16GB of RAM , 512GB PCIe SSD , and an 15.6-inch FHD display with a fast 300Hz refresh rate so your games and other content will display smoothly .
The laptop is powered by an eight-core Intel Core i7-10875H processor and Nvidia RTX 2070 Super Max-Q graphics @ @ @ @ @ @ @ already the most affordable Watch that Apple made at $ 279 , but it ’ s even cheaper at Target .
You can score the 40mm GPS version for $ 230 or the larger 44mm Watch for $ 260 at Walmart .
Each size looks similar to the more expensive Series 6 but lacks the always-on display and a few other features .
The Apple Watch SE aligns more with the Series 5 in terms of specs , but at $ 230 , it ’ s a fantastic value .
Here ’ s @ @ @ @ @ @ @ differs from other recent Apple Watch models .
The Apple Watch Series 6 is also cheaper than usual at Amazon , Target , and Walmart .
Normally $ 400 for the 40mm GPS model , it ’ s down to $ 330 for the first time for Black Friday .
Previously , just a $ 20 drop was noteworthy .
At Amazon and Best Buy , you can save $ 140 on an eight-piece Ring Alarm home security kit , and it comes with a free third-gen Amazon Echo Dot ( third-gen ) @ @ @ @ @ @ @ this kit will only cost you $ 150 .
Samsung ’ s fast T7 USB-C SSD with 1TB of storage normally costs $ 200 , but you can buy this portable SSD for just $ 150 at Amazon ( gray only ) and Best Buy ( blue and red only ) .
It features an optional password protection with AES 256-bit encryption and Samsung claims the T7 has up to 1,050MB/s transfer speeds .
It ’ s compatible with a variety of operating systems , including Windows 10 , macOS , and Android @ @ @ @ @ @ @ on iPad or iOS devices and it is not compatible as an external SSD for the PS5 and Xbox Series X/S .
Peak Design has kicked off its “ Super Massive Black Friday sale ” with sizeable discounts on bags and tripods .
It might be tough to imagine when you might next need a durable backpack that can fit a lot of gadgets within , but the company ’ s “ Everyday ” lineup of bags is 20 percent off .
Its bigger “ Travel ” bags are also discounted .
If @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Design ’ s Travel Tripod and a few accessories that are compatible with it are cheaper than usual .
Watch Dogs : Legion , the latest installment in Ubisoft ’ s hack-anything , open-world game , is down to $ 45 at Ubisoft ’ s official website , that ’ s $ 15 off , while it ’ s not the lowest we have seen this game go down , this title recently came out and this is still a good discount .
What makes this deal even better is that each version @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Xbox Series X / S or PS5 copies for free .
Even if you don ’ t have much interest in the game , it ’ s an affordable way to check out what impressive ray-tracing graphics look like on the new console hardware .
The Last of Us Part II is one of the most popular PS4 games released this year .
If you have yet to experience Naughty Dog ’ s latest title , you can pick it up for $ 30 at Amazon or Best Buy .
This is the @ @ @ @ @ @ @ down to date .
If you recently purchased a PS5 , you can also play this game via backwards compatibility .
Speaking of popular PS4 games that released this year , Ghost of Tsushima is also on sale at for its lowest price ever of $ 40 at Amazon and Best Buy .
Even better ?
If you purchased a PS5 , you can transfer your save data from your PS4 and experience the game in 60 frames per second , a feature exclusive to Sony ’ s next-gen console .
If you @ @ @ @ @ @ @ games you want , why not get several ?
Target is hosting a “ get three for the price of two ” deal on video game purchases — even for newer titles like Call of Duty Black Ops : Cold War , Assassin ’ s Creed Valhalla , and Yakuza : Like a Dragon , to name a few .
The list goes on , though one thing that isn ’ t eligible are first-party Sony games for the PS5 , like the Demon ’ s Souls remake , but you can pickup @ @ @ @ @ @ @ ’ s next-gen console ( and on PC . )
Even Cyberpunk 2077 , a game coming out next month is eligible for this promotion .
If you want 2TB of fast storage for your PC , Samsung ’ s 2TB 970 Evo Plus NVMe SSD is $ 250 at Newegg and Amazon , beating the lowest price by about $ 40 .
Over the summer , the price was steady at $ 350 .
A PCIe 3.0 M.2 SSD like this will fit in only certain kinds of motherboards ( so check @ @ @ @ @ @ @ it can also make for a very fast USB-C drive if you get an M.2 enclosure for it .
Either route you take , you ’ ll get a lot of speedy storage .

Cyber Monday is over, but some of the deals are still happening. We won’t be making any more updates to the post below, so if you you want to follow along with the Cyber Week developments, we’re tracking the latest deals here.
Original article follows below.
It’s the last big shopping opportunity of 2020, and if you didn’t already take advantage of some deals that debuted over the weekend, now’s your chance. Every retailer has debuted at least a few new deals earlier than ever, and we’re focused on adding them here — in addition to the great Black Friday deals you can still get. As you’re expecting, there are some great deals on gaming laptops, wireless noise-canceling headphones, earbuds, tablets, and much more.
We’ll be doing our best to keep this post updated during Cyber Monday, and stay tuned throughout Cyber Week as we give you as many chances as possible to get everything on your holiday wish list. We’ve put the latest deals right at the top for easy viewing.
Latest deals
You can still get Samsung’s Galaxy Buds Live wireless earbuds for $110 at Woot (normally $130 during Cyber Monday), but B&H Photo comes close with its new $120 price for the earbuds.
The latest August Wi-Fi smart lock is $40 off at Best Buy and includes a free Lenovo Smart Clock Essential. Your total checkout cost will be $210 (plus tax).
Jabra’s Elite 75t wireless earbuds (black) are $119 at Best Buy, which is the lowest price we’ve seen yet. All other colors are $140.
Photo by Sean Hollister / The Verge
B&H Photo is selling the very extreme 49-inch Samsung Odyssey G9 curved gaming monitor for $1,250 with an expected availability date of January 28th, 2021. It’s not quite as low as Amazon’s $1,190 deal from last week, but it’s the best currently running.
Target is selling Mario Kart 8 Deluxe and Super Mario Party for the Nintendo Switch together for $80. Given that each game usually costs $60, you’re saving $40 overall with this bundle. It’s lasting for the rest of Cyber Monday.
The $100 off deal on the latest MacBook Air with the M1 processor is back on at B&H Photo until the end of the day, or until stock sells out.
You can get two Amazon Echo Show 5 smart displays for $80 at Best Buy for Cyber Monday. Normally $45 each during Black Friday, this bundle will save you $10.
The best Cyber Monday deals on headphones
Whether you’re in the market for a set of wireless earbuds, noise-canceling headphones (or both!), Cyber Monday is delivering the goods with the best deals we’ve seen yet for models like the Apple AirPods, Samsung’s Galaxy Buds Plus and Buds Live, the Sony WH-1000XM4 headphones, and many more.
Sony’s WH-XB900N noise-canceling headphones are $118 at Amazon and Best Buy (usually $248)
Even more affordable yet, the Sony WH-CH710N noise-canceling headphones are just $88 at Amazon and Best Buy (usually $200)
Bose Noise Cancelling 700 Headphones (Certified Refurbished) $ 224 $ 380 41 % off $ 224 $ 224 $ 380 41 % off Bose’s flagship over-the-ear headphones allow you to connect two devices simultaneously and have a more modern design compared to other Bose headphones. You can grab a pair of Certified Refurbished ones for $224 (before tax) with code PREZDAY20 entered at checkout. $224 at eBay
Beats Solo Pro $ 145 $ 300 52 % off $ 145 $ 145 $ 300 52 % off Our top pick for best on-ear noise-canceling headphones. The Beats Solo Pro are ideal if you need a durable pair of headphones while you work out. $145 at Woot
The Sennheiser Momentum Wireless noise-canceling headphones are $350 at Amazon and Best Buy, knocking $50 off the normal price
Shure’s Aonic 50 noise-canceling headphones are $300 at Amazon and Best Buy — a whole $100 off their usual price
Apple’s AirPods with a wireless charging case costs $140, which is officially the lowest price. These have been selling for $150 throughout Black Friday, but this early Cyber Monday deal is live now at Amazon.
You can snag a set of Amazon Echo Buds, which also sound good and have Bose noise reduction technology. They cost $80, down from $130, and you’ll get a six-month subscription to Amazon Music Unlimited.
The Galaxy Buds Plus dropped another $10 at Amazon, down to $100 from their original $150 price. Other retailers are holding steady at $110, at least for now.
Samsung’s Galaxy Buds Live wireless earbuds are just $110 at Woot (normally $130 during Cyber Monday). The next best price is at B&H Photo for $120.
Also at $80 are 1More’s ColorBuds, a solid set of wireless earbuds that pop with color. These are normally $100, and you can get this deal through 1More
Related There are more Cyber Monday deals on wireless earbuds
The best Cyber Monday deals on TVs
Several TV models are discounted for Cyber Monday, but only a few of them are likely worth your money. We’ve plucked a few particularly good deals out from the bunch. There are very affordable TVs that have Amazon’s Fire TV software built-in, as well as more high-end options like QLED and OLED TVs that are best paired with a PS5 and Xbox Series X for gaming (or just if you want the best picture quality and contrast for TV shows and movies). Also, we’ve found deals on big-screened TVs that are cheaper than ever.
LG BX OLED $ 1620 $ 1800 10 % off $ 1620 $ 1620 $ 1800 10 % off The 65-inch BX Series supports 4K at 120Hz, a variable refresh rate, and has all the HDMI 2.1 features you could want in a new TV. $1620 at Best Buy (65-inch)
The best Cyber Monday deals on laptops
Laptops are always useful, but they’re especially handy to have amid the pandemic. Whether you’re planning to use one for school, work, or just to have fun browsing or gaming, we’ve selected some standout laptop deals.
HP’s Envy x360 13 2-in-1 is $750 at Best Buy (usually $1,000)
The Asus ROG Zephyrus G14 14-inch gaming laptop with AMD’s Ryzen 9 4900HS processor, Nvidia’s RTX 2060 Max-Q graphics chip, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD is $1,200 at Best Buy, down from its usual $1,450 price.
The Gigabyte Aorus 5 gaming laptop with a six-core Intel Core i7 processor, the RTX 2060, and 16GB of RAM is $1,050 with a rebate card at Newegg (usually $1,300)
Lenovo’s 17-inch Legion 5 gaming laptop with a six-core Intel Core i7 processor, the RTX 2060, and 16GB of RAM is $1,200 at Newegg (normally $1,400)
The G5 15 SE playing Valorant Photo by Cameron Faulkner / The Verge
Dell’s 15-inch G5 15 SE gaming laptop with AMD’s Ryzen 7 4800H processor, the Radeon RX 5600M graphics chip, 8GB of RAM, a 512GB SSD and a 144Hz refresh rate display costs $850, down from $1,050. This is a capable machine for the price.
Microsoft Surface Pro 7 $ 800 $ 1200 33 % off $ 800 $ 800 $ 1200 33 % off The Surface Pro 7 is one of the best Windows convertibles you can buy. This model includes an Intel Core i5, a 128GB SSD, and 8GB of RAM. $800 at Microsoft$850 at Target
The Acer Aspire 5 is a solid budget laptop with an 11th Gen Core i5-1135G7 processor, 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. It costs $550 at Newegg, down from $650.
The best Cyber Monday deals on smartwatches & wearables
If you’re looking to get a fitness tracker, or a smartwatch to funnel notifications to your wrist, Cyber Monday is serving up some deals you’ll probably take interest in. The latest models from Fitbit and Apple are present here, and you’ll find those below.
Fitbit Sense $ 200 $ 300 33 % off $ 200 $ 200 $ 300 33 % off One of Fitbit’s more recent product releases, the Sense includes FDA clearance and allows you to track your stress levels in addition to measuring your blood oxygen levels. The watch also includes Google Assistant support. $200 at Amazon$200 at Best Buy
The Apple Watch SE was already somewhat affordable at $279, but it’s even cheaper at Target. It’s $50 off, letting you score the 40mm GPS version for $230 or the larger 44mm Watch in black for $259 at Target.
The Apple Watch Series 6 is also cheaper than usual at Amazon and Walmart. Normally $400 for the 40mm GPS model, it’s down to $330 — but there’s a catch. You must buy this model in either red at Amazon .
The best Cyber Monday deals on smart speakers
For Black Friday and Cyber Monday, Amazon’s latest batch of ball-shaped Echo smart speakers, including the fourth-generation Echo and Echo Dots, are cheaper than ever. These feature better sound performance than the previous iteration.
Sonos One (two) $ 378 $ 398 5 % off $ 378 $ 378 $ 398 5 % off The Sonos One is the base smart speaker in the Sonos system, and it puts out a surprising amount of sound from its compact size. $378 at Sonos
Sonos Five (refurbished) $ 495 $ 549 10 % off $ 495 $ 495 $ 549 10 % off The Sonos Five is a Sonos speaker with powerful sound and lots of volume. $495 at Best Buy
Photo: Dan Seifert / The Verge
Google’s latest Nest Audio speakers are available as a duo for $170, knocking $20 off the usual price for buying two together. These can be paired for a stereo arrangement for music and podcasts, and at some point, you’ll be able to use them as a home theater setup with Chromecast.
Best Buy still has stock of the big Google Home Max smart speaker for $150. This speaker usually retails for $300 outside of a sale.
We’ve been enjoying this Sonos Move deal that drops the price from $400 to $300 for the first time. This speaker supports Bluetooth for on-the-go or outdoor listening, as well as Wi-Fi connectivity to let it give your other Sonos speakers a boost.
These aren’t smart speakers, but Marshall’s Emberton Bluetooth speaker usually costs $150, but it’s down to $100 at Best Buy
Ultimate Ears’ WonderBoom 2 Bluetooth speaker is $50, down from $100 at Best Buy and Amazon
The best Cyber Monday deals on smart displays
If someone close to you, be it a friend or family member, is into video chatting via Facebook, a Facebook Portal device might be a good gift. There’s a range of devices available for less than usual, starting at $65.
If you’re a Prime subscriber and heavily invested in Amazon’s services, an Echo Show smart display might be the best choice. You can get the Echo Show 5 for just $45, and it comes equipped with a camera for video chats. It’s tough to beat when it comes to value.
Amazon Echo Show 5 (2019, first-gen) $ 40 $ 80 50 % off $ 40 $ 40 $ 80 50 % off The first-gen Echo Show 5 is more than just an alarm clock with Alexa built in. Amazon’s small smart display also features a camera that enables video chats. $40 at Amazon
Google’s Nest Hub smart displays are great if you like to watch YouTube, or have a big Google Photos library you want to show off on their screens. The smallest Nest Hub starts at $50, though only the larger Nest Hub Max can make video calls.
The best Cyber Monday deals on phones
There are a handful of great deals on unlocked phones like the Google Pixel 5, Samsung Galaxy S20 FE 5G and OnePlus 8 for Cyber Monday, and a few more that are worth exploring if you’re in the market to upgrade with your carrier. In case you’re hoping to find iPhone discounts, Apple is offering a $50 gift card with the purchase of one.
The Galaxy A51 has a big screen and a big battery
Google Pixel 5 (unlocked) $ 450 $ 699 36 % off $ 450 $ 450 $ 699 36 % off Google’s 2020 flagship phone comes in one size, with a six-inch OLED screen and 128GB of storage. $450 at Woot
If you’re on Verizon and don’t mind activating a phone on Verizon to get a deal, you can save an extra $150 on top of that $50 discount at Best Buy. You can either opt to pay $500 for the Pixel 5 or $20.86 each month for 24 months through a Verizon device payment plan. Taking $200 off the Pixel 5’s regular price is great. You’ll just need to keep the phone on Verizon service for 60 days before it becomes unlocked.
At the OnePlus site, you can get the standard OnePlus 8 for $200 off its usual price, costing $599. B&H Photo is actually offering a slightly bigger price cut of $230 off. This phone shares a few similarities to the 8 Pro, like the Snapdragon 865 processor, 12GB of RAM, and 256GB of storage. Though, it doesn’t have wireless charging and its camera array doesn’t quite stack up as favorably. Also, it has a 90Hz refresh rate display compared to 120Hz on the 8 Pro, and the display itself is smaller (about 6.5 inches versus 6.8 inches).
Speaking of the OnePlus 8 Pro, Amazon recently knocked an extra $50 off the Black Friday sale price.
OnePlus 8 Pro $ 750 $ 1000 25 % off $ 750 $ 750 $ 1000 25 % off The OnePlus 8 Pro is filled to the brim with high-end features, like fast charging, a 120Hz refresh rate display, wireless charging, a fast Snapdragon 865 processor, and lots of RAM. $750 at Amazon$800 at OnePlus
The Pixel 4A with 5G is $200 off when new customers purchase it through the Google Fi MVNO service, resulting in a $299 final price. If you’re an existing Google Fi subscriber, you can upgrade to the 4A with 5G and get $150 off, knocking the price down to $349. Not bad, considering that’s the same price as the standard Pixel 4A that doesn’t have 5G support.
Photo by Vjeran Pavic / The Verge
Until December 7th, Visible (owned by Verizon, operating on Verizon LTE) will give you a complimentary set of AirPods Pro with the purchase of any phone in the iPhone 12 series. The catch is that you’ll need to buy the phone and port your number to a new line in the same transaction.
The best Cyber Monday deals on streaming services
For new and returning customers (who haven’t subscribed in the last three months and who haven’t taken advantage of last year’s promo), you can get on Hulu’s ad-supported streaming plan for just $1.99 per month for a full year. After that, your monthly rate goes back up to $5.99.
Photo by Chris Welch / The Verge
If you subscribe to YouTube TV by December 31st, you’ll get a free Chromecast with Google TV.
1Password is offering an exclusive offer to readers of The Verge until Thursday, December 3rd. You can save 50 percent each month on the cost of a family subscription (up to five people, and not restricted to a single household) to 1Password’s services, costing $2.50 per month for up to one year. After that year is up, you’ll be charged the regular $5 per month rate.
The best Cyber Monday deals on sound systems
It doesn’t cost much to get a soundbar, and thanks to Black Friday and Cyber Monday, it’s cheaper to get a particularly great setup. This list isn’t exhaustive, but we’ve picked out a few soundbar models that we like, and ones that are cheaper than usual.
Sonos Sub (third-gen) $ 599 $ 749 20 % off $ 599 $ 599 $ 749 20 % off The Sonos Sub is an add-on speaker that provides some extra low-end thump to any Sonos speaker system. $599 at Sonos (third-gen)
The best Cyber Monday deals on streaming devices
Unless you own a smart TV or a modern gaming console, you’ll probably want a streaming device to bring all of your favorite TV shows and movies to your television. Thankfully, you have plenty to choose between, and many options are discounted for Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
Related Find more the best Cyber Monday deals on TVs here
The best Cyber Monday deals on tablets & e-readers
Tablets are also worth considering if you need a tool for school, leisure, or to unwind on. From Amazon’s very affordable Fire tablets to the mid-range and high-end iPad models, we’ve included a little bit of everything, as well as accessories to help you get the most out of your purchase. Also, if you like to read and are interested in great Kindle e-reader deals, you’ll find those below as well.
The latest iPad mini tablet with 64GB of storage is $100 off at Best Buy, making for the biggest discount we’ve seen yet.
Amazon Fire HD 10 (2019, 64GB) $ 108 $ 190 43 % off $ 108 $ 108 $ 190 43 % off Amazon’s first USB-C-compatible device, which features a 10.1-inch screen, 64GB of internal storage with the option to expand via microSD, and a second antenna to maintain a better Wi-Fi signal. $108 at Amazon
The Kids Edition Fire HD 10 is $130 instead of $200. This version includes the tablet, a tough case, a year’s worth of the FreeTime Unlimited subscription, and a two-year replacement guarantee if it breaks.
Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus (32GB, ad-supported) $ 50 $ 110 55 % off $ 50 $ 50 $ 110 55 % off Amazon’s Fire HD 8 Plus packs a lot of value in for the money. It’s a suitable vessel for all of your Prime content, and this model, in particular, supports wireless charging. $50 at Amazon (refurbished)
Samsung Galaxy Tab S6 Lite, a 10.4-inch Android tablet with 64GB of storage, costs $250 (usually $350) and includes a free $30 gift card with purchase
The Brydge Pro Plus keyboard has an integrated trackpad, so you don’t need to use the touchscreen (or, at least as much)
The Brydge Pro Plus 12.3-inch (left) and the Brydge Go Plus Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge
If you have the Surface Pro 7 or any model going back to the Surface Pro 4, Brydge’s Pro Plus 12.3-inch keyboard with a trackpad is $30 off its usual price, totaling $120.
The Brydge Go Plus, made for the Surface Go, is $100 ($40 off)
The best Cyber Monday gaming deals
While there are no PS5 or Xbox Series X/S deals to speak of, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other great price cuts. In fact, for the Nintendo Switch you’ll find the best prices yet on first-party games and accessories. Plus, new releases for the Xbox One and PS4 (several of which include free next-gen upgrades) are discounted.
Fire Emblem: Three Houses is $30 at GameStop (usually $60), lower than the best-ever price.
Luigi’s Mansion 3 is $40 at GameStop (usually $60), lower than the best-ever price.
The Legend of Zelda: Link’s Awakening is $40 at GameStop (usually $60), its lowest price.
Super Mario Maker 2 is $40 at GameStop (usually $60), its lowest price.
Yoshi’s Crafted World is $30 at GameStop (usually $60), the lowest price ever.
The landscapes in Ghost of Tsushima are serene
Watch Dogs Legion is $30 at Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy (usually $60), its lowest price ever. If you buy the Xbox One version and upgrade to that console’s successor, you will receive the next-gen version free of charge.
A still from Ori and the Will of the Wisps
Ori and the Will of the Wisps is $13 at Best Buy (usually $30), the lowest price ever. If you own or buy an Xbox Series X / S, you will receive a free upgrade for this game via Smart Delivery.
Gears 5 is $5 at Best Buy (usually $30), the lowest price ever. If you own or buy an Xbox Series X / S, you will receive a free upgrade for this game via Smart Delivery
The best Cyber Monday deals on PC tech
It’s always a good time to make some smart upgrades to your PC. And while that’s usually a costly endeavor, Cyber Monday is making some of it a little cheaper. You’ll have to continue your search for an Nvidia RTX 3080 another day, but for now you can save on monitors, storage and peripherals.
The W-Type keyboard next to the W-Touch wireless trackpad Photo: Brydge
For the first time, Brydge has discounted its W-Touch standalone trackpad for Windows 10. Normally $100, it’s down to $70.
The W-Type wireless, full-sized Bluetooth keyboard is discounted by $20, bringing the price down to $40.
Samsung’s 2TB 970 Evo Plus NVMe SSD is $250 at Newegg and Best Buy , beating the lowest price by about $40. A PCIe 3.0 M.2 SSD like this will fit in only certain kinds of motherboards (so check before you buy).
Samsung 970 Evo Plus NVMe SSD (2TB) $ 250 $ 300 17 % off $ 250 $ 250 $ 300 17 % off Samsung’s PCIe 3.0 M.2 NVMe SSD like this will fit in only certain kinds of motherboards with read and write performance levels of up to 3,500MB/s and 3,300MB/s. $250 at Newegg
For an even faster M.2 drive that’s actually capable of delivering quicker read/write speeds for both PCIe 3.0 and motherboards with PCIe 4.0 support, Samsung’s 500GB 980 Pro NVMe SSD is $120 (usually $150) at Amazon.
Related Find many more deals on PC accessories right here
The best Cyber Monday deals on smart home tech
You can add some smarts to your home with a smart speaker, and you can go even deeper with tech like a smart lock for your door, a Wi-Fi-connected security cam, and an alarm kit. This can be expensive to do, but as you probably guessed, it’s a lot cheaper to outfit your home with these upgrades now that Cyber Monday is here.
If you need a security camera, the Arlo Essential Spotlight Camera is discounted to $100 from $130 at Amazon.
Ring Video Doorbell 3 $ 140 $ 180 22 % off $ 140 $ 140 $ 180 22 % off The latest Ring video doorbell features enhanced dual-band 2.4GHz and 5GHz support, as well as a new motion zone feature that can spot movement within five to 15 feet of your front door, or wherever you prefer to install it. $140 at Amazon
Ring’s Video Doorbell 3 Plus, which offers four-second video previews of alerts, is $160 instead of $230. Likewise, you can add an Echo Show 5 to the order for $10 more.
The SimpliSafe base next to the keypad. Photo by Dan Seifert / The Verge
SimpliSafe’s home security systems are 50 percent off, starting at $114 for the most basic bundle. Each bundle includes a free SimpliCam (a $99 value).
Related Here are some more Cyber Monday deals on smart home tech
The best Cyber Monday deals on mesh Wi-Fi routers
One of the most practical upgrades you can make for yourself this weekend. Get a mesh Wi-Fi system if your current router isn’t cutting it in terms of speed or signal strength. A multi-router system casts a wide net of connectivity, so you’ll experience far fewer slow or drop-out zones. And if you have several people in your home — each using several devices to their name — there’s even more reason to make the upgrade.
Google’s Nest Wifi mesh routers are steeply discounted, starting with the single unit that’s $135 instead of $169 at Amazon and $139 at Best Buy.
Related Check out more deals on mesh routers here
The best Cyber Monday deals on misc. tech
A number of retailers are selling the DJI Osmo Action for $199, a discount of about $50 from its regular price. The Osmo Action is similar to GoPro’s line of action cameras, and comes with both front and rear facing screens.
The Oculus Quest 2 with 64GB of storage is $300 at Newegg, which is the normal price, but it comes with a $15 Newegg gift card today. While it’s currently backordered, you can still get the gift card with your purchase.
Segway Ninebot
Ninebot Segway’s Max electric scooter is $649 instead of its usual $800 purchase at Wellbots. This beats a recent discount we covered by $50. This purchase is also tax-free for US residents living outside of NY state.


theverge--2020-11-22--Charli D’Amelio hits 100 million TikTok followers

Charli D ’ Amelio is the first TikTok creator to hit 100 million followers .
She ’ s the first by some distance , too — only two other creators have cracked 50 million .
On TikTok , that makes her more than twice as big as Will Smith , three times as big as The Rock , four times as big as Selena Gomez , and five times as big as Kylie Jenner and Ariana Grande .
It also means she reached 100 million subscribers in record time .
On YouTube , it took 14 years before any channel @ @ @ @ @ @ @ only started posting to TikTok in May 2019 , and the app has only been available ( under its current branding , at least ) since August 2018 .
TikTok doesn ’ t have many opportunities for creators to make money It ’ s a huge milestone for both her and the app , but it also comes at a time when Charli — and her family — are increasingly trying to move beyond TikTok .
Recent months have seen the launch of a podcast , further expansion into YouTube , the announcement @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
Creators frequently branch out onto other social networks and into more traditional media formats once they ’ ve found success on one platform .
It lets them broaden their reach , talk to fans in more places , and provide some amount of insurance should one platform make a change that hurts their ability to thrive .
YouTube creators , for example , have seen algorithm changes come and go that seem to prioritize and later deemphasize certain genres of video .
It also , often , has to do with their @ @ @ @ @ @ @ started to offer payouts to creators , but creators have been disappointed with the returns .
Creators also don ’ t widely have the ability to sell merch straight from the app .
That means the two main ways TikTok stars can make money are by recording native ads , or leaving the app for opportunities elsewhere .
The whole family has been expanding to different types of media The D ’ Amelio crew has been quick to build out an ecosystem of media around not just Charli , but the whole family @ @ @ @ @ @ @ , released a debut single in June that quickly jumped onto Billboard ’ s Emerging Artists chart .
( To date , the song ’ s music video has more than 92 million plays on YouTube alone ) .
The sisters have started a podcast together , and both have been experimenting with traditional YouTube formats ( “ My Slime Review , ” “ I went surfing with Casey Neistat , ” “ I Tried These Snacks For The First Time ” ) to build followings over there as well .
Charli is @ @ @ @ @ @ @ be released next month .
Heidi and Marc , their parents , have started building an audience , too .
They each have their own TikTok , Instagram , and Twitter accounts , and they feature prominently on the “ D ’ Amelio Family ” accounts on those same platforms .
Perhaps the biggest sign of their success as a family is that , when Triller signed a deal for Charli to start posting to its platform , it brought the whole family along with her .
This time last year , Charli @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
In the year since , both she and TikTok have seen a meteoric rise — but TikTok has also faced a barrage of political concerns that have put its future in question .
It looks like TikTok will ultimately make it through — but if the platform begins to falter , Charli and her family have already secured plenty of other places to go .

Charli D’Amelio is the first TikTok creator to hit 100 million followers. She’s the first by some distance, too — only two other creators have cracked 50 million. On TikTok, that makes her more than twice as big as Will Smith, three times as big as The Rock, four times as big as Selena Gomez, and five times as big as Kylie Jenner and Ariana Grande.
It also means she reached 100 million subscribers in record time. On YouTube, it took 14 years before any channel hit 100 million. D’Amelio only started posting to TikTok in May 2019, and the app has only been available (under its current branding, at least) since August 2018.
TikTok doesn’t have many opportunities for creators to make money
It’s a huge milestone for both her and the app, but it also comes at a time when Charli — and her family — are increasingly trying to move beyond TikTok. Recent months have seen the launch of a podcast, further expansion into YouTube, the announcement of a book deal, and more.
Creators frequently branch out onto other social networks and into more traditional media formats once they’ve found success on one platform. It lets them broaden their reach, talk to fans in more places, and provide some amount of insurance should one platform make a change that hurts their ability to thrive. YouTube creators, for example, have seen algorithm changes come and go that seem to prioritize and later deemphasize certain genres of video.
It also, often, has to do with their ability to make money. TikTok has started to offer payouts to creators, but creators have been disappointed with the returns. Creators also don’t widely have the ability to sell merch straight from the app. That means the two main ways TikTok stars can make money are by recording native ads, or leaving the app for opportunities elsewhere.
The whole family has been expanding to different types of media
The D’Amelio crew has been quick to build out an ecosystem of media around not just Charli, but the whole family. Dixie, Charli’s sister, released a debut single in June that quickly jumped onto Billboard’s Emerging Artists chart. (To date, the song’s music video has more than 92 million plays on YouTube alone). The sisters have started a podcast together, and both have been experimenting with traditional YouTube formats (“My Slime Review,” “I went surfing with Casey Neistat,” “I Tried These Snacks For The First Time”) to build followings over there as well. Charli is also working on a book due to be released next month.
Heidi and Marc, their parents, have started building an audience, too. They each have their own TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter accounts, and they feature prominently on the “D’Amelio Family” accounts on those same platforms. Perhaps the biggest sign of their success as a family is that, when Triller signed a deal for Charli to start posting to its platform, it brought the whole family along with her.


theverge--2020-11-22--Amazon’s latest Echo and Eero products are discounted for the first time

Only the best deals on Verge-approved gadgets get the Verge Deals stamp of approval , so if you 're looking for a deal on your next gadget or gift from major retailers like Amazon , Walmart , Best Buy , Target , and more , this is the place to be .
This story is part of a group of stories called Amazon has unveiled a heap of Black Friday deals to give you an early start on your holiday shopping .
While we expect many more deals across all categories of tech for Black Friday and Cyber Monday , @ @ @ @ @ @ @ .
This is especially good news since there are a bunch of new products seeing their first price cuts , including Amazon ’ s ball-shaped Echo speakers and Eero ’ s fastest mesh Wi-Fi routers .
Plus , there are some solid deals on Fire TV streaming devices .
• The smaller Echo Dot that takes the same globular form of the more expensive Echo is just $ 29 ( usually $ 50 ) • If you want the new spherical Echo Dot with a digital clock embedded in the fabric , that @ @ @ @ @ @ @ s normally $ 60 .
• The new ( and adorable ) Kids Edition Echo Dot , pictured above , is $ 39 .
It normally costs $ 60 .
• The Amazon Echo Show 5 smart display with a camera is down to $ 45 ( usually $ 90 ) .
This matches the best price debuted during Prime Day 2020 .
• The slightly larger Echo Show 8 with a bigger screen and more powerful speakers is $ 65 ( usually $ 130 ) • The new Eero 6 dual-band mesh @ @ @ @ @ @ @ $ 130 ) • If you want a three-pack of the tri-band Eero Pro 6 mesh Wi-Fi routers , it ’ ll cost $ 479 ( usually $ 600 ) • For the more basic Eero mesh Wi-Fi routers that don ’ t support Wi-Fi 6 , a three-pack costs $ 183 at Amazon , down from $ 230 • The affordable Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite is down to $ 18 ( usually $ 30 ) • The standard Amazon Fire TV Stick with a more capable Alexa Remote is $ 28 @ @ @ @ @ @ @ Amazon Fire TV 4K Stick with Dolby Atmos and 4K HDR support is $ 30 ( usually $ 50 ) • The high-end Amazon Fire TV Cube that supports 4K HDR , Dolby Atmos , and can handle voice queries from across the room is $ 80 ( usually $ 120 )

Amazon has unveiled a heap of Black Friday deals to give you an early start on your holiday shopping. While we expect many more deals across all categories of tech for Black Friday and Cyber Monday, these ones are focused on Amazon-made devices. This is especially good news since there are a bunch of new products seeing their first price cuts, including Amazon’s ball-shaped Echo speakers and Eero’s fastest mesh Wi-Fi routers. Plus, there are some solid deals on Fire TV streaming devices.