AirPods 4 drop to a record low: $85 — Black Friday deal primer Apple’s AirPods 4 have fallen to a new record-low price of $85 in early Black Friday sales, making them an attractive budget option for Apple users who want modern features without the premium cost. These buds include Apple’s H2 audio chip and deliver Personalized Spatial Audio, but the entry-level variant does not include Active Noise Cancellation (ANC). The AirPods 4 offer a redesigned shape for a more secure fit and a USB-C charging case that provides up to 30 hours of total listening time. On a single charge, the buds last about 5 hours. Controls are handled via a force sensor on the stem, and Siri access is available with a press-and-hold gesture. Key specs and features…

Save 50% on Monarch Money: one year for $50 with code MONARCHVIP Monarch Money is offering a Black Friday promo: use code MONARCHVIP at checkout on the web to get 50% off an annual plan. That drops the price from about $100 to $50 for 12 months. The offer is for new users only and can’t be combined with other discounts. Why consider Monarch? It’s one of our favorite budgeting apps thanks to deep customization, a clear net-worth dashboard and useful reporting (including a month‑in‑review). Monarch connects to banks and services like Apple Card, Apple Cash and Savings to pull transactions, detect recurring payments and keep your financial snapshot up to date. What the deal includes and caveats Price: One year for $50 with code MONARCHVIP (web checkout only). Eligibility:…

Skinsight: a wearable patch that analyzes skin aging in real time Researchers at MIT and Korean beauty firm Amorepacific have developed Skinsight, a Bluetooth‑enabled sensor patch that sticks to the skin and monitors factors linked to skin aging. The patch measures skin tightness, UV exposure, temperature and moisture, sending data to a companion AI app that estimates how those factors contribute to aging and recommends tailored skincare products. Skinsight was named a CES 2026 Innovation Award Honoree and is designed to be breathable and sweat‑resistant so it can remain on the skin for extended periods. The research team says the AI app will combine multiple sensor readings to personalize advice — for example, suggesting UV protection or hydration‑focused products when appropriate. How it works Sensors: Measures skin tightness, UV exposure,…

Apple reportedly preparing to replace Tim Cook as early as next year Apple is reportedly preparing for a leadership transition that could see CEO Tim Cook step down as early as next year. According to the latest reporting, the company’s board and senior executives have stepped up succession planning, and John Ternus — Apple’s senior vice president of engineering — is widely viewed inside the company as the likely successor. Cook has led Apple since 2011, overseeing major product and services launches and helping grow the company’s market value into the trillions. If the timeline holds, Apple would aim to announce a change after its January earnings report to give the incoming leader time to transition into the role ahead of the company’s annual product events. Who is John Ternus?…

Black Friday LEGO deals: save up to 50% on Star Wars, Harry Potter, Disney and more Black Friday is here and LEGO discounts are appearing across retailers — expect at least 20% off many popular sets, and some discounts hitting 40–50% on select items. Deals are live at Amazon, Walmart and LEGO.com (where Insiders perks can add value), so compare prices and use a tracker to confirm historic lows. Here are some standout offers currently available: LEGO Grogu with Hover Pram (Star Wars 75403) — ~50% off (~$50) LEGO Disney & Harry Potter Advent Calendars 2025 — $31 (≈32% off) LEGO Millennium Falcon (A New Hope 25th Anniversary) — ~$68 (20% off) LEGO R2-D2 75379 — ~$80 (20% off) LEGO Hogwarts Castle and Grounds 76419 — ~$136 (20% off) LEGO…

MacBook Air M4 drops to $749 — lowest price yet on Amazon The MacBook Air with Apple’s M4 chip is seeing a rare price cut: the 16GB RAM / 256GB storage model is down to $749 on Amazon — the lowest we’ve seen since its March release. The 512GB model is also at an all‑time low of $949, and the 15‑inch MacBook Air base model is heavily discounted as well. We named the MacBook Air M4 our favorite laptop thanks to its snappy M4 performance and long battery life. Users can expect around 18 hours of typical use on a charge, a bright P3‑wide display that reaches up to 500 nits, and the lightweight but sturdy design Apple is known for. Why this deal matters Best price yet: $749 for…

Amazon Black Friday deal: Fire TV Stick 4K Max down to $35 Amazon’s early Black Friday sale has the Fire TV Stick 4K Max marked down to $35 — about 41% off its $60 MSRP. This model packs 4K support, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos, HDR10+, Wi‑Fi 6E support and the fastest processor Amazon offers in a Fire TV Stick. If you want a compact, affordable 4K streamer, this is one of the best values right now. The lower‑end Fire TV Stick HD is also on sale for around $18 and is a solid budget pick for 1080p TVs. If you have a 4K set and want better picture, audio and snappier navigation, the 4K Max is worth the extra cost. Why the 4K Max stands out Picture & audio:…

ChatGPT will now respect "no em‑dashes" custom instructions — a small but revealing update OpenAI CEO Sam Altman announced that ChatGPT will finally follow custom instructions that ask the model not to use em dashes. Previously, users reported that the assistant ignored this preference and continued inserting em dashes frequently. Altman called the change a “small‑but‑happy win,” reflecting a tweak to how the model honors formatting guidance. Why does this matter? Many people have come to treat heavy em‑dash use as a quick heuristic for AI‑generated prose. While em dashes alone aren’t definitive proof of machine writing, their recurrent appearance in generative outputs made the punctuation a common "tell" among observers and journalists. Why LLMs might overuse em dashes Training data: Large models learn from diverse sources — books, articles…

X launches Chat: end-to-end encrypted messaging with calls, file sharing and more X has rolled out "Chat," a major upgrade that replaces its basic DMs with a full messaging suite. Chat adds voice and video calling, file sharing, message editing/deleting, disappearing messages, screenshot notifications and end‑to‑end encryption. The update is available now on iOS and the web; Android support is coming soon. The company says group messages and media can now be encrypted — an improvement over earlier test builds — and it’s working on a voice‑memo feature for quick audio exchanges. Chat also includes privacy‑focused controls like blocking screenshots and notifying users when a capture is attempted. Key features End‑to‑end encrypted chats (including groups and media) — messages and attachments can be protected in transit and at rest on…

Daily AI Brief — Nov 14, 2025: Anthropic, Google, Microsoft & Regulation Here are the top AI headlines for Nov 14, 2025, with concise summaries and sources for further reading. Highlights: an AI‑assisted cyber espionage campaign was disrupted, big tech expands research partnerships, and regulators move to curb AI misuse. 1) Anthropic disrupts AI‑driven hacking campaign Date: Nov 14, 2025 Anthropic says it helped disrupt a cyber espionage campaign that used AI to automate parts of hacking workflows, targeting individuals across tech, finance and government. The incident underscores how AI can both enable novel threats and be used defensively. Source: ABC News 2) Google expands AI partnership with Purdue University Date: Nov 14, 2025 Google announced a strategic expansion of its AI collaboration with Purdue focused on joint research and…