It seems like every new laptop lately is a “Windows Copilot+ PC.” With Intel’s Lunar Lake and AMD’s Ryzen AI 300 CPUs, AI-infused Copilot+ PCs have finally expanded into traditional x86 laptop territory. They aren’t limited to just Arm-powered laptops with Qualcomm Snapdragon X Elite hardware anymore. That’s good news for everyone. Along with speedy neural processing units (NPU) that are capable of at least 40 trillion operations per second (TOPS), Copilot+ PCs must have at least 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. If that’s the new baseline for Windows PCs, that’s awesome. It will benefit you even if you don’t care about AI. So, your next laptop might just be a Copilot+ PC. But if you ask me, Copilot+ PCs still leave a lot to be desired. While those min specs are great, there’s more to a great laptop experience than hardware. If Microsoft wants people to truly care about Copilot+ PCs, there are some serious improvements that need to happen sooner than later. Related: The best laptops for every need and budget Windows needs to integrate AI better Chris Hoffman / IDG Copilot+ PCs should feel more revolutionary than they currently do. At launch, we got a collection of small little features in apps like Paint and Photos, some webcam effects, and a few other goodies. It’s just not a transformative AI experience the way those Copilot+ PC ads promised. When I hear about transformative AI integration in Windows, I imagine Windows rewriting text in any application, or summarizing anything that’s on the screen, or noticing that I’m performing a repetitive task and offering to automate it for me. What if Windows AI truly understood what you were doing on your PC and could help you get those things done? That would be interesting, but it isn’t happening on Copilot+ PCs. Privacy and choice need to be a priority Microsoft’s Windows Recall feature was supposed to be the impressive new thing that sold everyone on the power of AI PCs, and it was the centerpiece of Microsoft’s original Copilot+ PC announcement back in May 2024. Recall takes screenshots of your PC activity every five seconds, then lets you search through it all using plain-language AI queries. Of course, it was immediately controversial. While Microsoft insisted it was private and secure, there was severe backlash over privacy concerns — so severe, in fact, that the company backed down, pulled the feature, and promised to make changes to address criticism. As we reach the end of 2024, Recall continues to see delay after delay. For people to trust Copilot+ PCs, privacy, control, and user choice needs to be at the forefront. Recall was actually designed in a more private way than the controversy implied — for example, those snapshots are stored entirely on your computer and nothing is ever shared with Microsoft. But concerns are still concerns, and it’s clear that Microsoft didn’t take those concerns seriously when originally designing Recall. Future Copilot+ PC features need to be designed in a way that garners user trust from day one, without repeated delays while the company scrambles to rework features after the fact. It’s just a bad look. Copilot needs to work offline (somehow) Chris Hoffman / IDG The name “Copilot+ PC” implies that you’ll be able to do more with Microsoft’s Copilot AI chatbot assistant on such PCs. Unfortunately, that isn’t true at all. While these PCs do have a Copilot key on the keyboard, that key also exists on many non-Copilot+ PCs, too. You don’t actually get any bonus Copilot features. Want Copilot AI features in Microsoft Word and other Office apps? You won’t get it with a Copilot+ PC. Instead, you need to shell out for a Copilot Pro subscription. Not the clearest naming scheme! To deliver on the promise of the name, Microsoft should make Copilot work offline in some form, perhaps on Copilot+ PCs to provide speedy AI answers even without an internet connection — and without sending any data to Microsoft, which would be a big boon for businesses that want to maintain control over internal data. Ideally, Copilot should still be able to access Microsoft’s cloud servers for more information when necessary. But all of this really just points to an even bigger problem: Copilot itself might need a big rethink. In my experience, the new Copilot is more focused on friendly chatter than real productivity. I don’t want my laptop to be my friend — I want it to be a productivity tool! AI image features need to work offline, too The generative image features on Copilot+ PCs are a little sad. For example, Cocreator in Paint can “upgrade” something you draw, and you can also generate images in Photos. But that’s… it? On a Copilot+ PC, these features use the system’s NPU to perform AI image generation. But they require you sign in with a Microsoft account, and they send your generated image to Microsoft’s servers for safety checks before showing them to you. In other words, you have to be connected to the internet — they don’t work offline. What’s the point of using the system’s NPU to do image generation locally if it doesn’t work offline, requires a Microsoft account, and sends the image to Microsoft’s servers? You might as well just use cloud-based AI image solutions that do all the work on a cloud server somewhere. Image generation models need to catch up Chris Hoffman / IDG The argument for using cloud-based AI image tools is especially strong because the image generation models on Copilot+ PCs just aren’t great. Yes, they technically work… but they’re far behind the latest AI image generation models you can find elsewhere. Cloud-powered models like OpenAI’s DALL-E 3, which is used by Copilot and Microsoft Designer, generate much higher-quality images. Copilot+ PCs need to be more competitive with the latest cloud-powered AI image models that can be used on any device, even phones. Otherwise, what’s the point? AI features should support NPUs and GPUs Gaming PCs are being left out of the Copilot+ PC push. That’s a shame because a powerful GPU isn’t just for gaming — it’s also the best way to run local AI models with the fastest possible performance. Indeed, while NPUs are getting all the hype, GPUs are still the fastest way to run many local AI applications that do the work on your own PC. NPUs are useful for AI tasks because they provide better performance than a CPU and less energy usage than a GPU. And with Copilot+ PCs being all about long battery life and power efficiency, it’s clear why NPUs are in the spotlight. But what about when battery life and power efficiency aren’t so important? GPUs are still the best for that, and that means gaming laptops shouldn’t be overlooked for AI tasks. When designing Copilot+ PCs and Windows AI features, Microsoft has ignored GPUs — if your computer doesn’t have an NPU, it simply can’t use those AI features. That’s a mistake. Related: The best gaming laptops that perform well Desktop PCs and gaming laptops should also be Copilot+ PCs Orva Studio / Unsplash Copilot+ PCs are currently limited to thin-and-light laptops. Do you have a desktop? Too bad. It can’t yet be a Copilot+ PC. Do you want a gaming laptop with a powerful CPU like Intel’s Raptor Lake refresh? Also too bad. That can’t be a Copilot+ PC either. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X Elite hardware is only for laptops, and the company canceled its planned Snapdragon mini PC. Intel’s Arrow Lake Core Ultra desktop chips include an NPU that’s too slow for Copilot+ PC features, and AMD’s Ryzen 9000 desktop CPUs don’t have an NPU at all. Intel, AMD, and Qualcomm need to release processors for other form factors, not just the thin-and-light laptops that are in vogue. Of course, this will likely happen in time: Qualcomm has said it plans to release its Snapdragon X processors for PC desktops, and Intel and AMD will surely bring faster NPUs to desktops in the future, too. Apps need to use that Copilot runtime Microsoft’s Copilot+ PC specification isn’t just about getting new AI features built into Windows. It’s about establishing an entirely new type of app that requires AI-related hardware and a minimum hardware level for developers to target. When Microsoft first announced Copilot+ PCs, it also announced the Windows Copilot Runtime, which is a collection of AI models that are built directly into Windows. Windows applications can take advantage of these AI models… but only if you’re on a qualified Copilot+ PC. Some companies have told me about how their Windows applications can take advantage of NPUs for AI tasks, but I’ve yet to hear about a single application that uses the Windows Copilot Runtime for AI. If the industry wants to sell Copilot+ PCs for their unique features, Windows app devs will need to ship apps that take advantage of that Copilot Runtime. That’s a tall order, though. Most AI applications are being built in a cross-platform way using cloud-based AI processing so they can run on any platform, whether a Windows PC or a Chromebook or an Android phone. Microsoft will have to convince app developers to build AI features that work only on a certain subset of Windows 11 PCs — and without proper incentives, it’s unlikely for any to take them up on that. Bonus: The prices need to come down IDG One final but obvious point: Copilot+ PCs need to come down in price to achieve widespread adoption — and they do need to achieve widespread adoption if app developers are going to take them seriously enough to develop specialized software for them. If Copilot+ PCs stay as high-end niche products used only by PC enthusiasts, then they’re going to be easy to ignore. They won’t get the software they need to be interesting, and Microsoft won’t be moved to release interesting Windows features that only a few can use. Right now, we’re nearing the end of 2024 and it’s still hard to get a Copilot+ PC for much less than $1,000. You may be able to save a couple hundred bucks if you catch a Qualcomm Snapdragon X laptop on sale, otherwise you’re out of luck. That’s no surprise, though, as those laptops just came out (and Intel Lunar Lake and AMD Ryzen AI 300-powered laptops just started to trickle out at the end of 2024). We’re going to need to see the price come way down in the future so that people will happily buy Copilot+ PCs instead of getting last year’s laptops at half the price. A premium pricing strategy is a good way for hardware manufacturers to make money on their hardware, but a bad way to build an application platform. Fortunately, we’ve seen some first moves on this, like Qualcomm talking about a cheaper Snapdragon X Plus chip that’ll pave the way for $700 Copilot+ laptops. And, of course, if prices do drop, that’ll be good for everyone. Whether the AI features are useful or not, I look forward to more affordable laptops with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage as the minimum! Further reading: The best laptop deals (updated daily) Read...

Red Hat and Amazon Web Services have announced a collaboration to enhance the availability of Red Hat products, focusing on virtualisation and AI solutions. Read...

Cyber Monday often feels like a lighter version of Black Friday. But even with many deals being sold out by today, I still purposely wait until today for select deals. Why? Because for software and services, it can stretch how long I can make use of the deal. Prices drop for Black Friday, and then the deals extend into Cyber Monday. If you wait, you don’t lose out. There’s no product to run out of. Each year (including this one), you’ll find me scooping up these discounts. Cheap streaming service promotions Hulu Late November is the best time to subscribe to a streaming service. Case in point: Hulu. As in previous years, the service has slashed the price of its entry plan. The 2024 promotion is just $1 per month for 12 months, or $3 per month for a Hulu & Disney+ bundle. And if that’s not enough TV, you can also stack a $1-per-month Starz add-on once you’ve signed up. Other streaming service deals right now: HBO Max: $3/mo for 6 months Peacock: $20 for 12 months Paramount+: $3/mo for 2 months Other more niche streaming sites (e.g., Britbox or Dropout.tv) often offer discounts through Cyber Monday, too. It’s worth checking out. Heavily discounted software StackCommerce Subscriptions dominate our lives—so many things require a recurring cost. For the ones you can’t avoid, this time of year is a great time to reduce the pain. For example, you can get 12 months of Adobe Creative Cloud for 50 percent off, which will save you hundreds of dollars. Normally a subscription is $60/month (or $720 for a year), but if you sign up during Black Friday, it’s $30/month (or $360). You can find deals on just about all services, not just image editors. Think password managers, antivirus subscriptions, VPNs, cloud storage, online backup, web hosting, and even email. I save money on these boring but necessary parts of digital life so I can spend the savings on more fun things. A few noteworthy deals: Microsoft 365 Family: $68 for 15 months of access. Also includes a bonus year of NordVPN’s service. Normally $99 for just one year of Microsoft 365 Family alone (Microsoft Office apps + 1TB cloud storage per family member, plus other features). Norton 365 Deluxe: $30 for first year, normally goes for $50. Our favorite antivirus software suite. Kindle Unlimited: $1 for 3 months, normally goes for $12/month. Affordable cell phone plans Karlis Dambrans / Shutterstock.com You can keep your cell phone bills cheap by opting for prepaid services, like Mint Mobile, Red Pocket, Tracfone, Cricket, Google Fi, U.S. Mobile, and other MVNOs (mobile virtual network operators). They lease use of the AT&T, Verizon, and T-Mobile networks, and in exchange for some light restrictions (like data speed caps), they’re able to offer customers inexpensive plans. Cyber Monday is a good time to grab top-ups for your plan, or to take advantage of new customer specials. I do this for relatives who don’t want to spend a lot on their cell phone plans. Buying this late in November means they can hold the top-up card or squeeze the last bits out of their plan just a little longer. You can also score excellent phone deals when porting to another mobile carrier—so if you need a new phone, it’s a good time of year to look into those offers, too. Sample deals: Mint Mobile: $30 for 3 months (20GB data plan). Normally $75. Red Pocket: $200 for 12 months (12GB data plan on AT&T network, 8GB on Verizon & T-Mobile networks). Normally $365. Plan sold through Red Pocket’s official eBay storefront. Mint Mobile: $480 for Google Pixel 9 + 1 year of unlimited data plan. Normally $800 for phone, $360 for plan. Current Mint Mobile customers can buy the phone for $300. Read...

Online scams are an increasingly common problem that many of us encounter. In fact, a recent report found that 78% of people experienced at least one scam in 2023, with 25% actually losing money. The arrival of AI makes these threats now even more difficult to spot. Whether it’s convincing phishing emails, texts, calls or the new threat of Deep Fake video that can make it look like a friend is messaging you, it’s getting harder  to tell the truth from the lies. If this all feels overwhelming, then it will come as a relief to know that you don’t have to fight this battle on your own. Trend Micro has over 35 years in the cyber security business, and its Premium Security Suite is purpose-built to protect you from these ever more sophisticated attacks. AI-powered security tools for all your devices If you want to fight the latest technological threats, then you’ll need the latest tools. That’s why Trend Micro’s Premium Security Suite not only relies on the traditional methods for detecting viruses, malware and scams, but also incorporates cutting-edge AI software to keep its users safe.  Trend Micro With so much of our lives now lived through our smartphones, Trend Micro ScamCheck is an essential part of the suite and a worthy addition to any Android or iOS device. It comes with built-in spam filters for SMS, Calls and websites, complete with warning messages in real-time. Also, if you get a message or visit a site that you think might not be what it claims, you can take a screenshot and ask the software to check it out. This only takes a few seconds and could be the difference between a simple mistake and one that costs you either your bank balance or your data.  Deep fakes are a scary new form of attack, where AI generates full video content that can resemble anyone. These can be used to conduct fake video calls where a family member or friend says they’re in a fix and need you to quickly send money. Who could resist that kind of request? Trend Micro ScamCheck’s deep fake scan can identify AI quirks that prove the message isn’t authentic, and save you from losing the money you would have sent.   Premium Security Suite also includes hugely valuable tools such as ID Protection that safeguards against identity theft, ransomware protection, social media security, dark web monitoring, a password manager, as well as a VPN to ensure that logging on to public Wi-Fi is safe and fully encrypted. There’s also 24/7 access to the helpdesk support, so you’ll never be on your own.  Trend Micro Save money on a Premium Security Suite subscription Safety shouldn’t cost the earth, and Trend Micro believes that too, which is why you can currently pick up an annual subscription to the full Premium Security Suite for 10 devices, including Windows, macOS, Android, iOS and ChromeOS, for a heavily reduced price of $54.95 (usually $149.95). That’s a saving of 63%!  Trend Micro has already protected over 250 million customers, and with the amazing AI-powered tools in the Premium Security Suite, plus the discounted offer, there’s never been a better time to join that number. Read...

The Spark website says customers in Hastings District may be experiencing a loss of internet after an outage this afternoon. Read...

Storing files offline is always preferable to the cloud because you never know how you’re going to need them just when your internet is down, or there’s a data breach exposing your files. So, when we saw the 256GB SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive Go for $22.49 on Cyber Monday, we may or may not have done a happy dance. It’s true that we love any good storage deal we find, but this one’s quite special. That’s because this particular SanDisk model features two connectors — a USB-A and a Type-C. This immediately makes this flash drive even more useful than it already is simply because you can use it with your computer or your smartphone just as easily. Plus, since this is a USB 3.2 flash drive, it can reach read speeds of up to 400MB/s, which means you’ll be moving files around in a blink. The 256GB storage capacity is not too much and not too little. Frankly, it’s about the minimum option you should consider nowadays, especially taking into account just how affordable these are. Other capacity options for this thumb drive are also on sale: SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive Go, 128GB — $15 (5% off) SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive Go, 512GB — $38 (24% off) SanDisk Ultra Dual Drive Go, 1TB — $73.81 (33% off) Don’t miss out on getting this super light and compact SanDisk flash drive for just $22.49 for 256GB at Amazon this Cyber Monday. 256GB at this price is a total bargainBuy now at Amazon Read...

Black Friday deals are already here. And so too are the Black Friday scams—attempts to part you from your hard-earned money. Avoiding these schemes isn’t too hard, though. Just a little extra vigilance can keep your shopping cart full of real discounts and your credit card safe from unwanted charges. Here are a few simple things to watch for, plus several more that will help protect you during this busy season. 4 key ways to avoid Black Friday scams Watch what links you click on Study the URLs of links you’re about to click on—or just head directly to the sites you want to visit. Malicious advertisements, email, social media posts, and forum threads (yep, they’re still a thing) can try to push you to phony or phishing sites meant to steal your personal information, including your credit card info. Beware text messages about deals Just as with other methods of communication, you should scrutinize the links sent to you in text messages—and their senders. This one gets a particular callout since it can be harder to catch a suspicious text message on a smaller screen, particularly if you get lots of notifications. Be sure of your extensions and apps Now is a great time to get extra cashback or rewards for shopping you’re already doing—so long as you’ve downloaded a legitimate browser extension or app. If one catches your interest, research it first before downloading and installing. Same goes for add-ons and apps that look for deals or find coupons for the sites you’re shopping on. Be wary of deals that seem too good to be true Official websites sometimes do slice as much as 70 percent (or even more) from list prices at this time of year. But look out for fake sites and third-party resellers on known sites like Amazon. If the price is much cheaper than the official sellers, that’s a red flag—proceed with extreme caution. Investigate the seller; if you can’t confirm they’re trustworthy, buy elsewhere. Relevant case in point: All those recent Amazon “deals” listing AMD’s $479 Ryzen 9800X3D processor for $199 were scams. Scrutinizing a web address can help you spot a scam site before you accidentally make a purchase.EclecticIQ 3 ways to further protect against Black Friday scams Keep your software up to date Both your browser and antivirus software should protect against scam and phishing sites—so long as they’re kept up to date. Whether you rely on Windows’ built-in antivirus protection or a more full-featured antivirus suite, leave it on automatic updates so you get the most effective blocking of new scam sites and other attacks. Generally, you shouldn’t need to do anything—just let the software run as normal. For Chrome and other browsers, they should automatically update and notify you to restart the browser—but it doesn’t hurt to do a manual check if you’re about to go on a big spending spree. As for mobile phones, some third-party antivirus software protect against text scams and suspicious links through an iOS or Android app, if included with your subscription. Or you can make use of a free service like Bitdefender’s Scamio, which can analyze the message sent to you and offer an opinion on legitimacy. Use virtual credit card numbers Select credit card issuers let you create virtual credit card details for purchases, as do private businesses like Privacy.com. Wallet services like Google Pay and Apple Pay also generate these automatically for transactions.  These numbers are tied to your account, but hide your real number. If you accidentally get phished, it’s easy to cancel them. And if you don’t notice right away, a fraudster will be limited in its use—if it can be even used again at all. (Virtual credit cards function a bit differently depending on the provider.) Don’t let stores save your credit card info Leaving your credit card on file may be convenient, but what’s easier for you is also easier for anyone with access to your account. If you fall for a scam that reveals your login info, a lack of saved payment details can prevent unauthorized charges from hitting your credit card or bank account. If you need to rely on autofill to save time, use a password manager instead to store that info. While you can save payment info to your Google or Apple account, a more robust password manager can be helpful across the board for online security—and it works more easily across different platforms. Black Friday: The best PC deals around If you’re looking for hot tech deals without all the potential for scams, we can help — and help you find truly good deals during the holiday, too. Check out our Black Friday roundups for the best PC-related deals in a wide variety of categories! The 29 best Amazon Black Friday tech deals our experts found Best Buy’s best Black Friday tech deals Best Black Friday desktop computer deals Best Black Friday laptop deals Best Black Friday monitor deals Best Black Friday USB flash drive deals Best Black Friday SSD and storage deals Best Black Friday VPN deals Best Black Friday Chromebook deals Best Black Friday power bank deals Best Black Friday office chair and desk deals Read...

The buzz around the web is that Nvidia’s next-gen graphics cards will be coming sometime in early 2025. We don’t know how much they’ll cost, but “a whole helluva lot” seems like a safe bet. And apparently that’ll be true even if you’re buying them in a massive industrial server, which is the first place where we’ve seen a price attached. More specifically, we’ve seen it in Europe, courtesy of German site HardwareLuxx (via VideoCardz.com). After announcing new AI-focused servers packed to the gills with RTX 5090 graphics cards, system integrator Comino invited prospective buyers to pre-order. HardwareLuxx asked for prices, and Comino just… gave it to them. How nice. What isn’t nice is the price, even if you break it down into individual components. Alright, enough stalling. The price for a server running a bank of eight RTX 5090 cards is estimated at 50,000 euro (approximately $52,700 USD). A six-card version of the server will be 40,000 euro. That works out to $6,500 or so per card for the “best” deal. Before we go any further, you should consider a few things. One, Nvidia hasn’t officially confirmed anything about the RTX 5000 series, so all of this is speculative at best (and very weird for an apparent Nvidia partner to divulge). Second, business-to-business prices for servers aren’t going to be any kind of indication of final retail prices for cards being sold directly to consumers. The prices we’re looking at are for hugely complex infrastructure hardware including the full machine (with “big iron” processors like AMD’s Threadripper Pro series) and just as important, the service and support that goes with them. If you can believe it, the quoted price for this setup is actually really good, at least compared to what little public info is available on comparable systems. Comino doesn’t list prices for most of its current machines, but occasionally specialist media gets its hands on one of them just for kicks. Here’s a WePC review of a Grando server with four RTX 3090 cards with an approximate price given as $28,000. At the time it was written just over a year ago, an RTX 3090 card was going for a little over $1,000 at retail. For a four-card machine, $7,000 per card, that’s a scale of seven to one. Let’s gather another data point just for kicks. Here’s a Comino server with four RTX 4090 cards (among lots of other high-end components!) that you can buy for just $34,569 right now. The RTX 4090 is sold out pretty much everywhere at the moment, but let’s assume you can find a listing and someone willing to sell you one — you’ll pay about $1,800. Using the same total price to single card math, you get a ratio of 4.8 to one. A much better deal, on paper. Let’s average out those two data points and assume a six to one ratio. So the estimated price of the server, divided by the number of cards, divided by six, gives us an approximate retail price. For the 8-card Grando server it would be 1,040 euro or $1,100. For the six-card server that figure would be 1,100 euro, $1,160 US. There’s about a zero percent chance that a new RTX 5090 will cost anything in the ballpark of $1,000 at retail, whenever it arrives. Frankly I wouldn’t be surprised to see it go for $2,500 or more. See what I mean about these numbers being meaningless for consumers? Either Comino is getting an amazing deal on these new servers, or it’s giving a pretty huge under-estimation of their final price… or there’s another factor that I’m missing in all this hardware stuff. Which seems much more likely, to be frank. If Comino charges separately for its custom water-cooled installation, for example, the price would almost double, and even out my napkin math. Read...

If the Black Friday sales have you searching through webpages for smartphone accessories you’ve come to the right place. Here we point out the top accessories you will want after you bag a new phone. On the list are no-brainer essentials to keep your phone safe, like a screen protector and a phone case, but you’ll also find other items to make using your smartphone as easy as pie, like a phone stand and Bluetooth earbuds. A lot of phones don’t come with cable chargers nowadays so you might want to pick up a wireless charger (which is a more convenient way to charge your phone) while the Black Friday sales are on. If you’ve already got one, a good power bank and car charger are recommended to keep your phone juiced up when you’re on the road. But enough talk… it’s time to jump in and browse the list! Top 10 essential smartphone accessories Screen protector: You’re going to need one of these to prevent scratches, nicks, or a smashed screen. The Ultra Armor Liquid Screen Protector is a wipe on liquid coating that bonds to your smartphone’s surface and prevents nicks and scratches. It’s $16.99 on Amazon. If you’re not keen on using a liquid protector, try a tempered glass one by ZAGG. Phone case: A phone case is an extra layer of protection against scratches, nicks, and a broken screen. ZAGG’s phone cases are designed to fit each model and are available in a variety designs and colors. Wireless charger: If you’re not a fan of constantly plugging and unplugging your smartphone to a cable charger and don’t like cable clutter on your desk, you’ll want one of these. The INIU Wireless Charger provides 15W charging for compatible iPhone and Samsung phones. It’s just $16 (down 20%) on Amazon. Power bank: Running out of power when you’re away from an AC outlet can render your phone a dead weight in your pocket, but with a power bank that never has to happen. Belkin’s Portable Charger is slim, has a 10,000 mAh capacity, and its three ports allow you to charge up to three devices at once. Prices start at $13.50 on Amazon. Bluetooth earbuds: Miss none of your phone calls and listen to your favorite tunes wherever you go with a pair of these. The Beats Studio Buds are compatible with Apple and Android smartphones and come with Active Noise Cancellation for blocking out unwanted sound. See them for $65 on Amazon or else consider these Rinsmola buds which are reduced from $130 to just $30 in the Black Friday sales. Car charger: With a car charger you can charge your smartphone as you drive. This iOttie dashboard car charger works with iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, and LG smartphones and comes with a telescopic arm that pivots on a 260-degree arc. Amazon’s Black Friday deal is just $39, 22% off. Charging cables: While wireless charging can sometimes be slow and fiddly, charging your smartphone via a USB cable is usually reliable and quick. This 6.6ft charger with a USB-C to USB-C cable promises quick 45W charging of Samsung smartphones. It’s reduced to just $15 on Amazon. If you don’t have a Samsung smartphone this multi-charger cable on Amazon is compatible with most devices and is just $16. Phone stand: Watch your phone hands-free with a stand that holds it for you. This Nulaxy cellphone stand is compatible with all 4- to 8-inch Android and Apple phones as well as Kindle e-readers and is collapsible so you can pack it down and take it with you. It’s just $11 on Amazon (reduced by 29%) Pop socket / grip: Holding your phone from the edges puts it at risk of droppage but with a pop socket or grip you can get a firm grasp on it and also prop it up on any surface. This Spigen ring works as a phone holder and a stand and is compatible with all phones that have a flat non-textured back. It’s reduced by 34% to just $13 on Amazon. VPN app subscription: A VPN app will enhance your privacy and security by masking your web activity on your phone. ProtonVPN is quick, has a privacy-supporting no-log policy, and is refreshingly free from annoying ads. ProtonVPN has deals available at its website. Keen on picking up a few extra accessories online and the parcels rolling in? Then be sure to check out our PCWorld roundups for laptops, desktop PCs, TVs, monitors, and tablets, where you’ll find a top list of items to get for these products too. Happy shopping! Read...

It’s Black Friday and that means you can get just about every tech product you need, including a new tablet, for a whole lot less money than you otherwise would. But beyond just securing a new tablet, you’re going to want accessories — items to keep it safe and make it a breeze to use. On top of your shopping list should be a stand to prop your tablet up so you can watch videos or play games hands-free. A case or folio cover and a screen protector will ensure that your tablet won’t easily be scratched or broken. A charging cable or portable charger will allow you to keep your tablet powered up for whenever you need it. There are others useful things you’ll need too — so be sure to browse our list of must-have accessories below. Must-have tablet accessories Screen protector: Buy this from day one so that you don’t scratch or smash your tablet’s screen. A tempered glass screen protector provides a layer of defense against scratches. Amazon has tempered glass protectors for tablets of different sizes and types. Browse the selection. Tablet case or folio cover: Keeps your tablet in a foldable case so it’s safe against drops or spills. This HGWALP Universal Case fits all 9- to 10-inch tablets and comes with a stand to prop it up for hands-free use. It’s just $10 on Amazon. Bluetooth keyboard: A tablet can be used just like a PC when you connect a Bluetooth keyboard. This Arteck wireless Bluetooth keyboard comes with a built-in cradle. You can connect three devices at the same time and switch between them with a click. It’s just $38 on Amazon. Stylus: A stylus lets you draw or point to items on your tablet with better accuracy than your finger can achieve. This Universal Stylus on Amazon is compatible with Apple and Android touchscreen devices and claims to have a high sensitivity and accuracy. Read customer reviews on Amazon. Stand: Want to read a recipe in the kitchen or watch a movie without holding your tablet? Then a tablet stand is just the thing! Lamicall’s tablet stand holds 4- to 13-inch tablets as well as Kindle e-readers and supports both vertical and horizontal viewing. Get it on Amazon for just $10 (29% off for Black Friday). Portable charger: Carry it with you for quick charging when you need it. WGHWQ’s adaptive fast charger is compatible with most Android tablets. See it on Amazon for $13. Charging cable: For charging your tablet via a USB socket or your laptop. Etguud’s cables support fast charging up to 3A speeds via a USB-C connection as well as data transfer up to 480 Mbps. Etguud’s cables are just $9 on Amazon. External thumb drive SSD: Is a portable way to speedily transfer files between your tablet and other devices or just store them for when you need them. SSK’s thumb drive features USB-C and USB-A connectors and claims to be 10x quicker than traditional USB 3.0 flash drives. 1TB drive is reduced to $65 on Amazon. VPN app subscription: A VPN app will enhance your privacy and security by masking your web activity on your tablet. ProtonVPN is quick, has a privacy-supporting no-log policy, and is refreshingly free from annoying ads. ProtonVPN has deals available at its website. Accessorize! Accessorize! Accessorize! That’s what thousands of people will be doing this Black Friday sales to save themselves a ton of cash. If you need more tech accessories, be sure to check out our other handy accessory guides for laptops, desktop PCs, monitors, smartphones, and TVs this Black Friday. Read...