Tag Archives: author_name|Sam Chapman

How a VPN works (and why you should care)

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The best VPNs can make your online life more private with software that's convenient and cheap — sometimes even free. While keeping your IP address invisible, you can use your VPN to explore streaming content from all over the world or (virtually) sneak into a sports event that's not available in your area.

However, while VPNs are widely available, there's a strange dearth of information on what they actually do behind the scenes. You may know that a VPN masks your device with a proxy server to make it look like you're somewhere else, and maybe even that encryption is involved. But finding any more details can mean running a gauntlet of misinformation.

That's a shame, because the inner workings of a VPN aren't all that difficult to understand. You may not be able to build one yourself without a degree in computer science, but with a little work, you can understand exactly what it's doing on your computer. That's information you can use to select the right VPN for you, and make the most of it once you've got it.

What is a VPN?

To make sure nobody gets left behind, I'll start from the beginning. A VPN (virtual private network) is a method of securely accessing a network, either a closed network (like you might have at the office) or the internet as a whole. Initially, organizations set up VPNs so remote workers can work with secure files. While this still happens, the last 15 years have seen VPNs increasingly marketed to individuals, with Proton VPN, ExpressVPN and others seeing massive user growth.

Broadly, a VPN consists of two parts: the server, which forwards requests to your chosen destination, and the client, a piece of software that lets you interact with the server. You can find a longer explanation here, but I'll use the two sections below to tell you what you need to know right now.

One more note before that — there are multiple kinds of VPNs, including the remote-access VPNs and site-to-site VPNs commonly used by workplaces. However, for this article, I'll be talking mainly about the commercial VPN services sold to individuals for general security needs. Instead of a specific network, these VPNs are designed to handle all of a user's traffic to any point on the internet.

What happens when you use a VPN?

First, you use the client to connect to a server — either the fastest one available or a particular location you need. Once you've connected, every request you send to the internet goes through the VPN server first. This communication between your device and the web is encrypted so it can't be traced back to you.

The VPN server decrypts your requests and sends them on. The destination then communicates with the VPN server, which relays the information back to you — after re-encrypting it so nobody follows it home.

Since the VPN does everything on your behalf, it's your "mask" online. Your internet service provider (ISP) and third parties can see what's being done, but — so long as you’re not otherwise logged in or identifying yourself — nobody knows that it's you doing it. It's like having a friend order pizza for you so the pizzeria doesn't hear you calling for the third time this week (not that I speak from experience).

What's the point of using a VPN?

Why add an extra step to the already complex process of getting online? The two biggest reasons are maintaining anonymity and changing your virtual location. I've already explained how a VPN keeps you anonymous. Among other things, this prevents your ISP from selling your browsing history to advertisers and protects activists who face government repercussions for what they do online.

Changing your virtual location is part of masking, but it can also be used to see the internet as it's visible in other countries. Streaming services are frequently limited to certain places, and almost all of them change the available content based on their licenses in each nation. You can also use a VPN in a country with a nationwide firewall, like China, to see forbidden outside information sources.

How does a VPN work? The full technical explanation

Most online explanations stop after defining a VPN as an anonymous agent between you and the internet — but I wrote this article to go a little bit deeper. To understand what a VPN is doing on a technical level, we'll need to cover how the internet works, how the VPN knows where to send encrypted information and just what "encryption" actually is.

How the internet transmits data

When you're not using a VPN, internet traffic goes directly from your modem to your ISP, then on to your chosen destination. The key technologies here are IP, which stands for Internet Protocol, and TCP, which stands for Transmission Control Protocol. They're usually combined as TCP/IP.

You may have heard that every online device has an IP address that identifies it to every other device. TCP/IP governs not just those names but how data moves between them. Here's how it works, step-by-step.

  1. You click a link or enter a URL into your web browser.

  2. Your computer sends a request to your modem, asking to see the page associated with the URL. Your modem forwards the request to your ISP.

  3. Your ISP finds a domain name server (DNS) that tells it which IP address is connected to the URL you asked to see. It then sends the request to that IP address along the fastest available route, which will involve being relayed between several nodes.

  4. That IP address is connected with a server that holds the content you're looking for. Once it receives the request, it breaks the data down into small packets of about 1 to 1.5 kilobytes.

  5. These packets separate to find their own fastest routes back to your ISP, your modem and finally your web browser, which reassembles them.

  6. You see a web page, likely no more than a second after you asked for it.

The outgoing requests and inbound packets are key to understanding VPN function. A VPN intervenes during step 2 (when your modem contacts your ISP) and step 5 (when your ISP sends the packets back to you). In the next section, I'll explain exactly what it does during those steps.

How VPN tunneling protects data

You might have heard a VPN's activities described as "tunneling." That term refers to a figurative tunnel being created between your device and the VPN. Data enters the tunnel when it's encrypted by the VPN client and exits when it's decrypted by the VPN server. Between those two points, encryption means nobody can see the true data. It's as though it's traveling through an opaque tunnel.

While the tunnel is a useful metaphor, it may be better to think of VPN encryption as an encapsulation. Each packet of data sent via VPN is "wrapped" in a second packet, which both encrypts the original packet and contains information for reaching the VPN server. However, none of these outer layers have the complete path — each just knows enough to reach the next relay. In this way, the origin point (that's you) remains invisible.

The same thing happens when the internet returns content to show you. Your ISP sends the data to the VPN server, because, as far as it knows, that's where the request came from. The VPN then encrypts each packet and sends them back to you for decryption and reassembly. It takes a little longer with the extra steps; that's why VPNs always slightly slow down your browsing speed, though the best ones don't do that by much (Surfshark is currently the fastest).

You learned in that last section that two protocols, IP and TCP (usually combined as TCP/IP), are responsible for letting online devices talk to each other, even if they've never connected before. In the same way, a VPN protocol is like a shared language that lets VPNs encrypt, move and decrypt information. See the next section to learn how a VPN protocol works in detail.

How VPN protocols encrypt data

VPN protocols are the technology behind VPNs; every other feature of your VPN is just a method of interacting with them. All protocols are designed to encrypt data packets and wrap them in a second layer that includes information on where to send them. The main differences are the shape of that second layer, the types of encryption used and how the client establishes its initial secure connection with the server.

It's extremely common for VPNs to advertise protocols with "bank-grade" or "military-grade" encryption. This is talking about the 256-bit Advanced Encryption Standard (AES-256), a symmetric encryption algorithm, which is used by financial institutions and the US government and military. AES-256 is indeed some of the strongest available encryption, but it's only part of the story. As a symmetric algorithm, it's not fully secure on its own, because the same keys are used to encrypt and decrypt it — and those keys can be stolen.

For that reason, most VPN protocols use AES-256 (or a similarly strong cipher like ChaCha20) to encrypt the data packets themselves, then combine it with a larger suite of multiple encryption algorithms. One of the most reliable and popular protocols, OpenVPN, uses the asymmetric TLS protocol to establish a secure relationship between client and server, then transmits packets encrypted with AES-256 across that channel, knowing the keys will be safe.

Explaining this could easily reach the length of a book, but the basic principle isn't complicated. In asymmetric encryption, a sender encodes data with a unique key, then a recipient decodes it with a different paired key. The keys are provided by a trusted third party. In a maneuver called a TLS handshake, the server and client send each other encrypted data. If each can decode the other's test data, they know they have a matched pair of keys, which proves that both are the same client and server that got the keys from the trusted authority.

Why not just use asymmetric encryption for the data itself, if it's more secure? Mainly, protocols don't do this because it's a lot slower. Asymmetric encryption requires a lot of resource-heavy math that makes connections drag. That's why OpenVPN and others use the asymmetric-to-symmetric two-step instead.

To summarize, a VPN protocol is a complex set of instructions and tools that control encryption and routing via VPN servers. Protocols still in use include OpenVPN, WireGuard, IKEv2, SSTP and L2TP. PPTP, one of the oldest protocols, is no longer considered secure. On top of these, VPNs often build their own proprietary protocols, such as ExpressVPN's Lightway.

Putting it all together

Now that we've hit all the relevant information, let's revisit that step-by-step from earlier, this time with a VPN in the mix. Here are the steps, starting with establishing the VPN connection and ending with anonymously viewing a website.

  1. You open your VPN client, choose a server location and connect. The VPN client and server authenticate each other with a TLS handshake.

  2. The client and server exchange the symmetric keys they'll use to encrypt and decrypt packets for the duration of this session (i.e. until you disconnect). Your VPN client tells you that it's established a secure tunnel.

  3. You open your web browser and enter a URL. Your browser sends a request to view the content at that address.

  4. The request goes to your VPN client, which encrypts it and adds an outer layer of information with directions to the VPN server.

  5. The encrypted request reaches the VPN server, which decrypts it and forwards it to your ISP.

  6. As normal, your ISP finds the IP address associated with the URL you entered and forwards your request along.

  7. The destination server receives the request and sends all the necessary packets of information back to your ISP, which forwards it to the VPN server.

  8. The VPN server encrypts each packet and adds a header directing it to the VPN client.

  9. The client decrypts the packets and forwards them to your web browser.

  10. You see the web page you opened.

Because of the encrypted tunnel, the request arrives at the VPN server without any information on where it came from. Thus, the VPN doesn't actually encrypt your activity on the websites themselves — for the most part, the HTTPS protocol does that. Instead, a VPN gives you a false name to put in the register, with no information that could be traced back to your real identity.

How to use this information

Now that you know how a VPN works on a technical level, you're better equipped to choose one for yourself. You can cut through marketing hype statements like:

  • "Military-grade encryption!" (It's the same algorithm everybody uses)

  • "Stay completely anonymous online!" (Plaintext you post on social media is not encrypted)

  • "Dodge ISP throttling!" (If your ISP is throttling you based on your IP address, this works — but if you're being slowed down because of your moment-to-moment activity, your identity doesn't matter)

A VPN is just one important part of a complete cybersecurity breakfast. While hiding your IP address, make sure to also use strong passwords, download updates immediately and remain alert for social engineering tactics.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/how-a-vpn-works-and-why-you-should-care-143000250.html?src=rss

Hackers tricked ChatGPT, Grok and Google into helping them install malware

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Ever since reporting earlier this year on how easy it is to trick an agentic browser, I've been following the intersections between modern AI and old-school scams. Now, there's a new convergence on the horizon: hackers are apparently using AI prompts to seed Google search results with dangerous commands. When executed by unknowing users, these commands prompt computers to give the hackers the access they need to install malware.

The warning comes by way of a recent report from detection-and-response firm Huntress. Here's how it works. First, the threat actor has a conversation with an AI assistant about a common search term, during which they prompt the AI to suggest pasting a certain command into a computer's terminal. They make the chat publicly visible and pay to boost it on Google. From then on, whenever someone searches for the term, the malicious instructions will show up high on the first page of results.

Huntress ran tests on both ChatGPT and Grok after discovering that a Mac-targeting data exfiltration attack called AMOS had originated from a simple Google search. The user of the infected device had searched "clear disk space on Mac," clicked a sponsored ChatGPT link and — lacking the training to see that the advice was hostile — executed the command. This let the attackers install the AMOS malware. The testers discovered that both chatbots replicated the attack vector.

As Huntress points out, the evil genius of this attack is that it bypasses almost all the traditional red flags we've been taught to look for. The victim doesn't have to download a file, install a suspicious executable or even click a shady link. The only things they have to trust are Google and ChatGPT, which they've either used before or heard about nonstop for the last several years. They're primed to trust what those sources tell them. Even worse, while the link to the ChatGPT conversation has since been taken off Google, it was up for at least half a day after Huntress published their blog post.

This news comes at a time that's already fraught for both AIs. Grok has been getting dunked on for sucking up to Elon Musk in despicable ways, while ChatGPT creator OpenAI has been falling behind the competition. It's not yet clear if the attack can be replicated with other chatbots, but for now, I strongly recommend using caution. Alongside your other common-sense cybersecurity steps, make sure to never paste anything into your command terminal or your browser URL bar if you aren't certain of what it will do.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/hackers-tricked-chatgpt-grok-and-google-into-helping-them-install-malware-185711492.html?src=rss

ExpressVPN adds a Fastest Location button and launches a new native Mac app

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ExpressVPN, one of the best VPNs, is launching two brand-new features that sound confusingly like things it already does. Users on Android, Mac and iOS (but apparently not Windows, Linux or smart TVs) can now use Fastest Location to automatically pick the VPN server with the fastest download speed and lowest latency. Mac users are also getting an overhauled ExpressVPN app designed to work natively with MacOS.

If you've used ExpressVPN before, your first reaction probably went something like "Wait, didn't it already have a Fastest Location button and a Mac app?" You're not wrong, but there's still a meaningful difference with these new features. In the past, ExpressVPN didn't technically pick the fastest location, but the Smart Location, which picks the best available server using "metrics such as download speed, latency, and distance" (emphasis mine). Those are the same metrics as the new feature, but the such as makes me think there are, or were, other ingredients in the "smart location" algorithm.

My guess is that ExpressVPN is rebranding "smart" to "fastest" in response to customer complaints that "smart" was picking sub-optimal server locations. That's not a behavior I noticed when I last reviewed ExpressVPN — the smart location was always plenty fast for me — but I'm just one user. Only testing can show whether they actually changed the algorithm or just the name.

The new Mac app is a more straightforward upgrade. While ExpressVPN has always had a client for Mac, it's thus far been a port of an app originally developed for iPad. This makes its otherwise-excellent interface feel a bit like, well, a phone app you use on your desktop. In contrast, the new app was built using Project Catalyst, which lets Mac developers turn their iOS apps into desktop-native software. The new interface looks a lot richer, using the screen space a lot like Proton VPN does. And being more like Proton VPN is rarely a bad thing.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cybersecurity/vpn/expressvpn-adds-a-fastest-location-button-and-launches-a-new-native-mac-app-205837728.html?src=rss

DeleteMe is 30 percent off for Cyber Monday — and it’s the most effective anti-spam tool I’ve ever used

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Engadget staffers love our hardware, from high-end gaming headsets to powerful heaters to the fabric shaver you never knew you needed. Cyber Monday has brought discounts to many of those things. I'm going a different route, though, since I'm a little too dreamy for most physical appliances. The deal I'm most interested in is on an app that ensures online peace of mind with little intervention — so it's perfect for me.

I'm talking about DeleteMe, which lets you reclaim some of your privacy while sharply reducing the amount of spam you receive on every channel. Through December 5, it's offering 30 percent off all subscriptions with the coupon code BFCM30OFF25.

Chances are you've seen at least one public-facing "people search" site. You know the ones: they usually have names like 411.info or Find.people, and scrape technically public info like your address, phone number and other contact information. If you search your own name, it's hard to avoid immediately running to the kitchen to make yourself a tinfoil hat.

The most annoying thing is that these "data broker" sites are legal to run and use, but that's also their biggest weakness. To operate in the open, brokers have to include an option to remove yourself from their database. Most of them make it as aggravating and time-consuming as possible, but the possibility is there.

That's where DeleteMe comes in. All you have to do is sign up and enter all the data you want removed from brokerage sites. DeleteMe handles the rest. It searches for your information on people database sites, automatically sends opt-out requests, bugs the broker if they don't comply quickly enough and gives you a weekly report on how it's doing. You do have to be OK with DeleteMe itself having your data, but I trust them way more than the randos over at violate.privacy.

It's so much faster than handling all the opt-out requests yourself, which — if you've ever tried it — rapidly becomes a full-time job. Since I've been using DeleteMe, I almost never get spam calls or texts anymore, except in short bursts before its crawlers catch my name on another site. And yes, it doesn't work on shady data brokers who don't follow the rules, but it's still a massive reduction of your online footprint.

The only problem is that it's pretty expensive, so I strongly recommend jumping on this Cyber Monday deal. A few months on DeleteMe should be long enough for you to see if it reduces spam for you — and I'm betting it will.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/deleteme-is-30-percent-off-for-cyber-monday--and-its-the-most-effective-anti-spam-tool-ive-ever-used-203041958.html?src=rss

Cyber Monday speaker deals for 2025 are still available: Save up to 50 percent on Bluetooth speakers, smart speakers and soundbars

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If you've ever wanted to hear the drummer coughing on your favorite songs or the actors chewing in your favorite shows, Cyber Monday is the time to upgrade your audio. Some of the best speakers our audiophiles have ever tested are down to as low as we've seen them all year, or ever, in the case of some older models.

The deals on this list range across brands, with offerings from Ultimate Ears, Bose, Beats and more, plus Sonos and Amazon Echo smart speakers and soundbars from Sony and JBL. We've been curating it all month and this is the final result — and your last chance to get ahold of most of the best deals. Some of them may last through the week, but we can't always predict which ones, so don't sleep if there's a speaker you're eyeing.

Anker Soundcore 2 for $29 (35 percent off): It's incredibly rare to see a full-size Bluetooth speaker selling this cheaply in 2025, especially one we'd actually recommend using. The Soundcore 2 is Anker's latest audio effort, getting you 24 hours of battery and 12 watts of output, with bass ports designed to heavily boost the low ranges. It all works through a simple set of highly visible and tactile buttons on top of the speaker box.

JBL Go 3 for $30 (25 percent off): The Go 3 is JBL's most affordable bluetooth speaker, but it comes with the same IP67-rated ruggedness as the more expensive models. It's waterproof, dustproof, lasts for five hours and can easily clip onto a bag, bike or belt. It also sounds good and comes in lots of different colors. In short, no matter how long the adventure or where it's going, the Go 3 can probably get there with you.

JBL Go 4 for $40 (20 percent off): You might expect a speaker as small and portable as the Go 4 to sound tinny at the higher frequencies and weak at the lower ones, but JBL has worked its magic to make this model sound great at both ranges. Weighing less than half a pound, made partly from recycled materials and including a convenient carabiner hoop, this is one of our favorite speakers to take on treks.

Ultimate Ears Wonderbook 4 for $60 (40 percent off): The Wonderboom 4 is the little barrel that could, an adorable 1.2-pound portable bluetooth speaker that stays charged for 14 hours and keeps on playing after a five-foot drop. Outdoor Mode is a standout feature, amplifying the higher frequencies so you can hear from farther away. There's even a USB charger so your other devices can take advantage of that long battery life.

Tribit StormBox Micro 2 for $53 (24 percent off): The StormBox Micro 2 gets you the two things you need out of a portable speaker — it's light (weighing about a pound), and it's loud. Tribit hasn't changed the game on portable sound quality here, but with this on your bike or in your backyard, you'll be having so much fun you won't care. And the fact that you only spent 50 bucks will definitely help your mood.

Roku Streambar SE for $75 (25 percent off): This is the least you'll pay for a worthwhile soundbar this Cyber Monday season. We had a great experience with the Roku Streambar in our hands-on review, finding it to be compact and affordable while blowing built-in TV speakers out of the water. If you're looking to make an upgrade, this is the best economy choice, especially if you're already a Roku user.

JBL Flip 5 for $80 (20 percent off): We've loved almost every entry in the JBL Flip line (you'll see the Flip 7 highlighted in the next section). While the Flip 5 is a bit dated at this point, it's still extremely solid. The battery lasts for 12 hours, it's IPX7 waterproof and it weighs about 1.2 pounds so you can take it anywhere. The sound quality is as consistently high as we've come to expect from JBL, though it does have the standard limitations of a portable unit.

Marshall Emberton II for $90 (50 percent off): We're huge fans of the Emberton II, Marshall's affordable new-age retro speaker. It looks great, but it's much more than a visual throwback, featuring 360-degree sound, IP67 proofing and 30 hours of battery life. Since the deal cuts the price in half, you can even by two and chain them together for a surround sound setup.

Bose SoundLink Micro for $99 (17 percent off): If the Home isn't small or cheap enough for you, Bose has gone even smaller and cheaper with the SoundLink Micro, a tiny, portable speaker in the vein of the JBL Clip. It's waterproof, dustproof and surprisingly good at taking hits, all while staying charged for around six hours. The sound quality isn't intense, but it's cleaner than it has any right to be.

Beats Pill for $100 (33 percent off): Beats jumping back into portable bluetooth was one of the happiest surprises of 2024. As we noted in our full review at the time, the Beats Pill isn't content to coast on its brand name or luxurious design. Its re-engineering speaker improves volume while reducing distortion, it can survive dropping into three feet of water and it even works extremely well as a speakerphone. We found that mid-to-high range music showcases its potential best, though the bass also hits hard.

Bose SoundLink Flex for $119 (20 percent off): Of all the Bose on this list, the SoundLink Flex may be the most balanced, much cheaper than the Home and a lot more powerful than the Micro. Other speakers may be louder, but few have such good range; we've yet to find a track that sounds muddy or tinny coming through the Flex's speakers. The design is also outdoor-friendly, with a light-but-tough exterior and 30-foot bluetooth range.

JBL Charge 6 for $130 (35 percent off): It's a little more expensive than the Flip line, but the extra cost of the Charge 6 pays off — it boasts almost twice the battery life of the Flip 7, with the same convenient design, built-in USB-C charger and wide sound range. If you're looking for a speaker that balances sturdiness with portability and will last you a while, the Charge 6 is a very good investment. (Take note that only some colors are discounted.)

Bose SoundLink Home for $179 (18 percent off): The SoundLink Home is small for a high-quality speaker, but it packs everything it needs into two pounds and about 10 square inches. Nothing about the sound is diminished thanks to two passive radiators. Though we haven't gotten to test it directly, given Bose's record with other compact speakers like the Flex, we're confident it'll be loud enough to satisfy anyone.

Sony ULT Field 5 for $198 (43 percent off): Sony's recently rebranded ULT lineup has impressed us so far, especially their 90s-style bass boost buttons. The ULT Field 5 is a pretty traditional bluetooth speaker with a ton of options, including Party Connect to link multiple speakers together, a 10-band equalizer for finding the exact sound balance you want and even a shoulder strap that makes it way more portable.

Bose TV Speaker soundbar for $199 (29 percent off): Bose's entry into the world of soundbars does not disappoint. For a price lower than some Bluetooth speakers, you'll get a compact two-foot speaker bar that amplifies dialogue while conjuring a balanced, realistic soundscape from any movie or show. It's suitable for audio neophytes, too, with no complex adjustments necessary — just plug in the HDMI and start watching.

Sonos Era 100 for $200 (9 percent off): Two years after launch, the Era 100 is still a smart speaker more than worth your time. It's sleek and simply designed, making it clear Sonos's engineers put their work into sound quality and features rather than just looking the part. Touch controls have never worked better, and setup takes five minutes, though you will have to use the Sonos app. Once you start playing music, the Era 100 can get as loud as you like, while never sacrificing audio quality.

Samsung HW-B650/ZA 3.1 Channel Soundbar for $200 (50 percent off): Samsung's mid-range soundbar is pretty simple, but it does what it needs to do: pump out Dolby 3.1 with enough volume and range to make you forget you aren't in a movie theater. It's versatile, improving both music and dialogue, and keeps everything balanced. The only real drawback is that it lacks wireless connection options other than bluetooth.

JBL Xtreme 4 for $280 (26 percent off): Xtreme is the largest and highest-end that JBL goes, and the Xtreme 4 is a luminary of the line. At 4.6 pounds, it's on the outside edge of portability, but that weight means it puts out appropriately heavy bass, along with clear treble. It's fully weatherproof and — unless it's in a completely open space — can get loud enough that all your party guests will enjoy the full effect.

Bose SoundLink Max for $279 (30 percent off): The SoundLink Max, Bose's biggest speaker that isn't a soundbar, is more affordable for Cyber Monday than we've seen for a while. Frankly, it's worth more than this, with two radiators and three transducers that make it sound larger than it is. Indoors or outdoors, it's great for anyone who wants to be able to pick out individual elements of their favorite music.

Marshall Acton III for $285 (5 percent off): The Acton III is one of the speakers Marshall redesigned and updated in 2022, and it still sounds great today (and looks it too). It's less portable at 6.3 pounds, but can hit high volumes with little or no distortion. The upgrade angled Acton III's tweeters outward so the soundscape is wider, making this one speaker very capable of filling a room with sound on its own.

Marshall Stanmore III for $299 (21 percent off): The Stanmore III is the top-tier Marshall discount of the year, giving you the best of Marshall's 2022 redesign. It's got the same widened soundscape as the Acton III, with an additional 5Hz on the low end and an RCA input alongside its 3.5mm aux input. This retro-designed speaker also features bluetooth, pair play and a construction with 70 percent recycled plastic.

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 for $798 (20 percent off): In our review of the Bravia 6 this year, we called out its full sound and special talent for enhancing dialogue, but were frustrated that it didn't support AirPlay or Spotify Connect. The Bravia 8 works with both services, making it a clear choice for your next premium soundbar. It's got a tight, low-footprint design that fits any aesthetic, and hits a maximum output power of 495 watts.

JBL Bar 1300XMK2 for $1,200 (29 percent off): If you're going to drop $1200 on a soundbar, you need to know it's going to deliver — and the 1300XMK2 does. Its key design element is two detachable speakers that recharge when plugged into the main unit, but can spend up to 10 hours unplugged. The audioscape does an excellent job of separating and clarifying details, which really enhances the sense of a theatrical experience.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/cyber-monday-speaker-deals-for-2025-are-still-available-save-up-to-50-percent-on-bluetooth-speakers-smart-speakers-and-soundbars-213017218.html?src=rss

Cyber Monday Lego deals you can still shop today: Up to 50 percent off Star Wars, Disney, Harry Potter and more toy sets

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Were you a Lego set kid or a giant-bucket-of-Legos kid? I was a sets kid all the way — I loved, and still love, the zen feeling of building something incredible a little bit at a time. Also, every time I tried to build something from the giant bucket, it fell apart immediately, but let's not dwell on that. We've just finished trawling the net for the best Cyber Monday deals on Lego sets. While the day is over, the Lego sales aren't; some sets are still up to 50% off. We've gathered them all on the list below, so act while you've still got time.

It's a good idea to use a price tracker to see if you're getting the best Lego Cyber Monday deals. You'll find Lego bargains this holiday season at retailers like Amazon and Walmart, but don't overlook Lego's own site. If you join the free Lego Insiders program, you'll get special discounts and exclusive member gifts with each purchase, plus points you can redeem for your next set or bucket.

You can now officially backorder the hottest Lego gift of the season, the Star Trek USS Enterprise set, which was just announced. With a titanic 3,600 pieces and mini-figures of the whole Next Generation crew, it's a must-have for any Star Trek fans. The set is now available for $400.

LEGO Disney Frozen Advent Calendar 2025 43273 for $24 (47 percent off)

LEGO Christmas Table Decoration 40743 for $24 (40 percent off)

LEGO Icons Blacktron Renegade 10355 for $59 (41 percent off)

LEGO Star Wars Executor Super Star Destroyer 75356 for $40 (43 percent off)

LEGO Animal Crossing Stargazing with Celeste 77053 for $6 (36 percent off)

LEGO Classic Large Creative Brick Box 10698 for $39 (34 percent off)

LEGO NINJAGO Dragon Stone Shrine 71819 for $88 (27 percent off)

LEGO Architecture Statue of Liberty 21042 for $81 (33 percent off)

LEGO Speed Champions Audi S1 e-tron Quattro Race Car 76921 for $19 (31 percent off)

LEGO Star Wars Ahsoka Tano's Duel on Peridea 75385 for $41 (25 percent off)

LEGO Icons PAC-Man Arcade 10323 for $189 (30 percent off)

LEGO Icons Dried Flower Centerpiece 10314 for $36 (28 percent off)

LEGO Speed Champions 2 Fast 2 Furious Nissan Skyline GT-R (R34) Race Car 76917 for $17 (30 percent off)

LEGO Dreamzzz Izzie's Dream Animals 71481 for $29 (28 percent off)

LEGO Star Wars: A New Hope Tantive IV 75376 for $58 (28 percent off)

LEGO Animal Crossing Kapp'n's Island Boat Tour 77048 for $22 (25 percent off)

LEGO Marvel Spider-Man vs. Doc Ock Subway Train Scene 76321 for $44 (20 percent off)

LEGO Star Wars Millenium Falcon A New Hope 25th Anniversary Collectible Model 75375 for $68 (20 percent off)

LEGO Star Wars: Revenge of the Sith ARC-170 Starfighter 75402 for $56 (20 percent off)

LEGO Architecture New York City Model Kit 21028 for $48 (20 percent off)

LEGO Botanicals Bouquet of Roses 10328 for $48 (20 percent off)

LEGO Super Mario: Mario Kart - Interactive Mario & Standard Kart 72043 for $44 (20 percent off)

LEGO Disney and Pixar Wall-E and EVE 43279 for $56 (20 percent off)

LEGO Marvel Fantastic Four vs. Galactus 76316 for $48 (20 percent off)

LEGO Star Wars Rebel U-Wing Starfighter 75399 for $56 (20 percent off)

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LEGO Star Wars Brick-Built Star Wars Logo 75407 for $48 (20 percent off)

LEGO Star Wars R2-D2 75379 for $80 (20 percent off)

LEGO City Donut Truck 60452 for $16 (20 percent off)

LEGO Botanicals Mini Orchid 10343 for $24 (20 percent off)

LEGO Botanicals Japanese Red Maple Tree 10348 for $48 (20 percent off)

LEGO Marvel Iron Spider-Man Bust 76326 for $48 (20 percent off)

LEGO Ideas Tuxedo Cat 21349 for $81 (19 percent off)

LEGO Creator 3 in 1 Retro Camera 31147 for $16 (20 percent off)

LEGO Icons Poinsettia 10370 for $40 (20 percent off)

LEGO Icons Fountain Garden 10359 for $75 (25 percent off)

LEGO Super Mario World: Mario & Yoshi 71438 for $105 (19 percent off)

LEGO Icons Dune Atreides Royal Ornithopter 10327 for $134 (19 percent off)

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LEGO Minecraft Crafting Table 21265 for $80 (11 percent off)

LEGO Icons Boutique Hotel 10297 for $203 (12 percent off)

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/cyber-monday-lego-deals-you-can-still-shop-today-up-to-50-percent-off-star-wars-disney-harry-potter-and-more-toy-sets-193051994.html?src=rss

Cyber Monday subscription and streaming deals you can still get: Big discounts on Starz, MasterClass, Headspace and more

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A lot of people think Cyber Monday subscriptions are just about streaming, but that's not true. Although there are some incredible discounts to be had on the likes of Stars (Outlander and Spartacus) and Paramount+ (Yellowjackets and Star Trek), there's more to the story. We've also found great deals on exciting learning platforms like MasterClass and Rosetta Stone, cord-cutting services like DirecTV and Fubo and useful privacy services like Proton VPN and ExpressVPN. Read on to see which deals are still active.

Paramount+ (2 months) for $6 ($20 off): Paramount+ is doing its Cyber Monday deal a little differently. Instead of a reasonably cheap long-term plan, you get an incredibly cheap short-term deal — two months for less than a Starbucks run costs these days. That's more than enough time to binge Yellowjackets, Dexter: Resurrection or Star Trek: Lower Decks, along with weeks of NFL games through CBS Sports.

Fubo Pro (first month) for $55 (35 percent off): Fubo is the live TV service that helps sports lovers cut the cord. When you sign up, it asks you your favorite teams, then automatically records every game they play. Fubo Pro includes 249 channels, covering everything from your local NFL and NBA networks to real ESPN8 (The Ocho) content like PowerSports World. There are even plenty of non-sports channels, and with 10 allowed screens per subscription, your whole family can enjoy the selection at once.

DirectTV (first month) for $50 (44 percent off): If you're a cord-cutter with a more general taste in TV, DirectTV is the perfect way for you to keep enjoying live channels without cable. This deal only applies for your first month, but it's great for seeing if DirectTV will work for you long-term. Better yet, any DirectTV subscription also comes with free access to Disney+, Hulu and ESPN Unlimited.

Walmart+ (one year) for $49 (50 percent off): No, Walmart hasn't started its own streaming platform, but it would probably have some pretty great drama. What you do get with Walmart+ is free shipping on carts over $35, exclusive deals, drone delivery in some cities and more. And if you did come here for streaming, Walmart+ also comes with your choice of Peacock Premium of Paramount+ Essential (we recommend Peacock Premium because it's more expensive on its own).

Audible (three months) for $3 (80 percent off): For literally $1 per month, you can get access to Audible's enormous library of published audiobooks, podcasts and Audible Originals (which can be anything from never-before-heard books to live performances). It's only three months, after which you'll have to cancel or renew at the regular price, but an audiobook lover can cram a lot of listening into the 90 days after Cyber Monday.

Quicken Simplifi (one year) for $36 (50 percent off): We named Quicken Simplifi the best budgeting app this year because (true to its name) it's the cleanest budgeting app on the market, with an interface designed to welcome newcomers and no key information more than a scroll away. It's also cheap, especially with this Cyber Monday deal, and very good at detecting and categorizing your important transactions.

Rosetta Stone Lifetime Unlimited subscription for $149 (60 percent off): Rosetta Stone was pioneering visual language courses back when software still came in boxes, and it's still one of the best language learning apps. Today, its method works as well as ever, with patient learning based on pictures, terms and recordings. This deal gets you a full lifetime subscription with access to all 25 languages in the library.

Medium (one year) for $40 (20 percent off): Medium is a social site designed as the anti-Twitter, featuring deep thoughts and long-form essays from great writers. Not all its best work is locked behind a paywall, but a lot of it is — and we've all had the feeling of being frustrated that we can't read the latest drop from a thinker we really respect. This deal isn't a very big cut, but it is a noticeable savings over the monthly plan, which will cost you a full $120 for the same length of time ($150 without the discount).

Headspace (one year) for $35 (50 percent off): Out of all the meditation apps available, Headspace is our favorite. It doesn't just help you relax and de-stress, but also teaches you to practice meditation as a skill, with sessions building on each other in organized courses. There's a massive library of standalone guided meditations with all kinds of instructors, and it's easy to search for the ones that work best for you. This deal gives you half off a full year.

Calm Premium (one year) for $40 (50 percent off): Once you've finished your Headspace meditation, head over to Calm for every other stress-relieving activity you can think of. This subscription lets you relax amid a massive content library, from music and restful soundscapes to "sleep stories" with celebrity narrators telling bedtime stories for children and adults alike. If you've ever wanted to be lulled to sleep by Jonathan Bailey, Matthew McConaughey or Idris Elba, this app is for you.

AdGuard personal (lifetime) for $44 (45 percent off): AdGuard was recently in the news for automatically blocking Microsoft's Recall AI surveillance app, which is a great indication of its mission — it fights threats to your privacy, no matter where they come from. This lifetime subscription blocks all annoying third-party ads and trackers on any website while keeping its functionality otherwise unchanged, so everything loads faster and easier.

1Password (one year) for $24 (50 percent off): Using a password manager is one of the most important cybersecurity steps you can take right now. 1Password generates strong, unique passwords for every account, then saves them to autofill when you need them. We named it the best password manager in honor of its well-designed user interface and cross-platform compatibility.

LastPass Premium (one year) for $18 (50 percent off): LastPass is another great password manager. We briefly stopped recommending it after a couple of data breaches early last year, but it's patched up its security and seems to be firing on all cylinders again. Whether it suits you better than 1Password will come down to personal preference, but LastPass's deal is slightly better this year.

Adobe Creative Cloud (one year) for $389 (50 percent off): Adobe Creative Cloud is half off for one year right now, coming out to $389 for one year when you pay upfront. (There's a discounted $35 monthly rate as well, working out to $420 for the year.) Creative Cloud is Adobe's most comprehensive design package, including InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Premiere and over 20 other apps. Whip up a website with Dreamweaver, paint on a digital canvas with Fresco or edit photos in Lightroom. It's a pretty steep cost for an individual, but puts a one-year subscription well within reach of a creative business.

The Wall Street Journal (one year) for $12 (90 percent off): Let's get really old-school for a moment. If you want to add some classic journalism to your diet (and you're OK with ignoring a right-leaning opinion page), one of America's "papers of record" is cutting annual subscription costs by 90 percent. That's enough to get you financial, US and world news all the way to the next Cyber Monday, when they'll probably do this again. Infinite money glitch!

ExpressVPN Basic (28 months) for $97.72 (73 percent off): ExpressVPN may be the most user-friendly VPN for sale right now, with fast download speeds (only 7 percent losses in our last test), quick connections and apps designed to stay out of your way. It's not the most feature-rich, but it excels at any bread-and-butter VPN task, staying leak-free and unblocking Netflix everywhere. You also get access to server locations in 105 countries. It also basically never drops the price this low, so if you're at all interested, now's the time to board the Express train.

Surfshark Starter (27 months) for $53.73 (87 percent off): According to the tests we ran for our latest review, Surfshark is the fastest VPN right now, with its download speeds, upload speeds and latencies all beating out competitors. It has more to offer beyond speed, too, as it's able to constantly rotate your IP address and generate double VPN paths between any two servers you choose.

NordVPN Basic (27 months) for $80.73 (74 percent off): NordVPN got very positive marks in our last review, where we called out its fast internet speeds, wide network of server locations and selection of exclusive features. It comes with a range of dedicated servers for obfuscation, onion routing, torrenting and more. Plus, it's one of the first VPNs getting a jump on post-quantum encryption.

CyberGhost VPN (28 months) for $56.94 (84 percent off): CyberGhost is always cheap — in fact, we named it the best budget VPN — but it's never behaved like an economy option. Its Smart Rules automation controls are the deepest in the industry, and its server network reaches 100 countries. Speeds are also quite good, though connections occasionally take a moment to establish.

Private Internet Access VPN (40 months) for $79.20 (83 percent off): Although we weren't wholly positive about Private Internet Access (PIA VPN) in our recent review, we can't deny it's a worthwhile choice for an affordable VPN. Although speeds can fluctuate, it comes with lots of desirable features on all platforms, like port forwarding (which makes torrents more stable) and two kinds of split tunneling.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/cyber-monday-subscription-and-streaming-deals-you-can-still-get-big-discounts-on-starz-masterclass-headspace-and-more-174507557.html?src=rss

Black Friday speaker deals for 2025 are still live: Save up to 50 percent on Bluetooth speakers, smart speakers and soundbars

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If you've ever wanted to know what you're missing in your favorite songs and shows, now is the time to upgrade: Black Friday and Cyber Monday have some of the best speakers on the market down to their lowest prices of the year. We've dug up savings on everything from tiny portable speakers like the JBL Go 3 to behemoths like the UE Hyperboom, not to mention soundbars and smart speakers. Everything on the list is an investment you won't regret if you ever listen to anything digital — those who can afford to hire a string quartet for their kitchen can keep scrolling.

Amazon Echo Pop for $22 (45 percent off): If you're excited about the more conversational and capable Alexa+ but have been holding off for budget reasons, breathe a sigh of relief. The latest Echo Pop is Amazon's smallest, cheapest smart speaker that still comes with Alexa+ early access. It may not fill a whole house, but it's great for listening to music or podcasts in a bedroom, office or small kitchen.

Anker Soundcore 2 for $28 (38 percent off): This is the absolute cheapest you'll probably see a full-size Bluetooth speaker go for in 2025 — the Soundcore 2, the latest effort by Anker to expand from charging components into portable audio. This model gets you 24 hours of battery and 12 watts of output, with bass ports designed to heavily boost the low ranges. It all works through a simple set of highly visible and tactile buttons on top of the speaker box.

JBL Go 3 for $30 (25 percent off): The Go 3 is JBL's most affordable bluetooth speaker, but it comes with the same IP67-rated ruggedness as the more expensive models. It's waterproof, dustproof, lasts for five hours and can easily clip onto a bag, bike or belt. It also sounds good and comes in lots of different colors.

Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen for $32 (36 percent off): The fifth-generation Echo Dot is cheaper than ever, and it was already the best smart speaker under $50. Its genius spherical design lets it pack a lot of audio into a compact space, and it can be controlled with both hands-free Alexa commands and on-device buttons. The latest release comes with early access to the Alexa+ AI upgrade.

JBL Go 4 for $40 (20 percent off): You might expect a speaker as small and portable as the Go 4 to sound tinny at the higher frequencies and weak at the lower ones, but JBL has worked its magic to make this model sound great at both ranges. Weighing less than half a pound, made partly from recycled materials and including a convenient carabiner hoop, this is one of our favorite speakers to take on treks.

Tribit StormBox Micro 2 for $50 (29 percent off): The StormBox Micro 2 gets you the two things you need out of a portable speaker — it's light (weighing about a pound), and it's loud. Tribit hasn't changed the game on portable sound quality here, but with this on your bike or in your backyard, you'll be having so much fun you won't care. And the fact that you only spent 50 bucks will definitely help your mood.

Amazon Echo Spot for $50 (38 percent off): The Echo Spot looks like an Echo Dot sawed in half, which is a surprisingly effective design. It's designed to work best as a bedside alarm clock, but you can customize the screen to show things other than time, including a weather forecast, smart home controls or the current song on your playlist. It's Alexa-capable, and like the latest Echo Dot, will let you give Alexa+ AI a try.

Roku Streambar SE for $75 (25 percent off): This is the least you'll pay for a worthwhile soundbar this Black Friday season. We had a great experience with the Roku Streambar in our hands-on review, finding it to be compact and affordable while blowing built-in TV speakers out of the water. If you're looking to make an upgrade, this is the best economy choice, especially if you're already a Roku user.

JBL Flip 5 for $80 (20 percent off): We've loved almost every entry in the JBL Flip line (you'll see the Flip 7 highlighted in the next section). While the Flip 5 is a bit dated at this point, it's still extremely solid. The battery lasts for 12 hours, it's IPX7 waterproof and it weighs about 1.2 pounds so you can take it anywhere. The sound quality is as consistently high as we've come to expect from JBL, though it does have the standard limitations of a portable unit.

Amazon Fire TV Soundbar for $85 (29 percent off): Amazon's soundbar supports Dolby surround sound, works straightforwardly through a single HDMI cable and can be upgraded with an optional Alexa voice assistant. It works with more than just Amazon products, too, being compatible with all smart TVs. It's even capable of pulling double duty as a bluetooth speaker.

Marshall Emberton II for $90 (50 percent off): We're huge fans of the Emberton II, Marshall's affordable new-age retro speaker. It looks great, but it's much more than a visual throwback, featuring 360-degree sound, IP67 proofing and 30 hours of battery life. Since the deal cuts the price in half, you can even by two and chain them together for a surround sound setup.

Amazon Echo Dot Max for $90 (10 percent off): The Echo Dot Max just dropped this month, and our reaction was mixed, but there's no denying the leaps forward in this brand-new addition. Not only does it feature better sound than the vanilla Echo Dot, but Alexa+ makes is a much more equal conversation partner. The Echo Dot Max features a similar spherical design to the Dot, but with forward-facing physical buttons on the surface of the sphere.

Bose SoundLink Micro for $99 (17 percent off): If the Home isn't small or cheap enough for you, Bose has gone even smaller and cheaper with the SoundLink Micro, a tiny, portable speaker in the vein of the JBL Clip. It's waterproof, dustproof and surprisingly good at taking hits, all while staying charged for around six hours. The sound quality isn't intense, but it's cleaner than it has any right to be.

Beats Pill for $100 (33 percent off): Beats jumping back into portable bluetooth was one of the happiest surprises of 2024. As we noted in our full review at the time, the Beats Pill isn't content to coast on its brand name or luxurious design. Its re-engineering speaker improves volume while reducing distortion, it can survive dropping into three feet of water and it even works extremely well as a speakerphone. We found that mid-to-high range music showcases its potential best, though the bass also hits hard.

Bose SoundLink Flex for $119 (20 percent off): Of all the Bose on this list, the SoundLink Flex may be the most balanced, much cheaper than the Home and a lot more powerful than the Micro. Other speakers may be louder, but few have such good range; we've yet to find a track that sounds muddy or tinny coming through the Flex's speakers. The design is also outdoor-friendly, with a light-but-tough exterior and 30-foot bluetooth range.

JBL Charge 6 for $130 (35 percent off): It's a little more expensive than the Flip line, but the extra cost of the Charge 6 pays off — it boasts almost twice the battery life of the Flip 7, with the same convenient design, built-in USB-C charger and wide sound range. If you're looking for a speaker that balances sturdiness with portability and will last you a while, the Charge 6 is a very good investment.

Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 for $150 (25 percent off): The UE Megaboom line is venerable at this point, dropping first in 2015, but its fourth iteration still tops our audiophile lists. It puts out 360-degree sound with an emphasis on bass, can work up to 147 feet away from the music source, and literally floats in water (though you probably shouldn't leave it in the pool all night). It can even pair with any other UE speaker through PartyUp — combining it with a couple of Wonderbooms pays off in spades.

Sonos Era 100 for $169 (15 percent off): Two years after launch, the Era 100 is still a smart speaker more than worth your time. It's sleek and simply designed, making it clear Sonos's engineers put their work into sound quality and features rather than just looking the part. Touch controls have never worked better, and setup takes five minutes, though you will have to use the Sonos app. Once you start playing music, the Era 100 can get as loud as you like, while never sacrificing audio quality.

Bose SoundLink Home for $179 (18 percent off): The SoundLink Home is small for a high-quality speaker, but it packs everything it needs into two pounds and about 10 square inches. Nothing about the sound is diminished thanks to two passive radiators. Though we haven't gotten to test it directly, given Bose's record with other compact speakers like the Flex, we're confident it'll be loud enough to satisfy anyone.

Marshall Acton III for $180 (40 percent off): The Acton III is one of the speakers Marshall redesigned and updated in 2022, and it still sounds great today (and looks it too). It's less portable at 6.3 pounds, but can hit high volumes with little or no distortion. The upgrade angled Acton III's tweeters outward so the soundscape is wider, making this one speaker very capable of filling a room with sound on its own.

Sony ULT Field 5 for $195 (44 percent off): Sony's recently rebranded ULT lineup has impressed us so far, especially their 90s-style bass boost buttons. The ULT Field 5 is a pretty traditional bluetooth speaker with a ton of options, including Party Connect to link multiple speakers together, a 10-band equalizer for finding the exact sound balance you want and even a shoulder strap that makes it way more portable.

Bose TV Speaker soundbar for $199 (29 percent off): Bose's entry into the world of soundbars does not disappoint. For a price lower than some Bluetooth speakers, you'll get a compact two-foot speaker bar that amplifies dialogue while conjuring a balanced, realistic soundscape from any movie or show. It's suitable for audio neophytes, too, with no complex adjustments necessary — just plug in the HDMI and start watching.

Ultimate Ears Everboom for $200 (26 percent off): We gave the Everboom a full review when it first dropped last year, and found it stuck to the general Ultimate Ears plan — nothing earth-shattering in the audio quality, but rugged reliability and fantastic extra features. Everboom users can connect it to the UE Boom app, which lets you control the volume remotely, use the speaker as a megaphone to make announcements, import your playlists and pair Everbooms through the PartyUp chaining feature.

JBL Xtreme 4 for $280 (26 percent off): Xtreme is the largest and highest-end that JBL goes, and the Xtreme 4 is a luminary of the line. At 4.6 pounds, it's on the outside edge of portability, but that weight means it puts out appropriately heavy bass, along with clear treble. It's fully weatherproof and — unless it's in a completely open space — can get loud enough that all your party guests will enjoy the full effect.

Bose SoundLink Max for $299 (25 percent off): The SoundLink Max, Bose's biggest speaker that isn't a soundbar, is more affordable for Black Friday than we've seen for a while. Frankly, it's worth more than this, with two radiators and three transducers that make it sound larger than it is. Indoors or outdoors, it's great for anyone who wants to be able to pick out individual elements of their favorite music.

Sonos Era 300 for $378 (21 percent off): The Era 300 is Sonos's big (and largely successful) swing at a truly space-filling smart speaker, combining spatial audio with support for both Alexa and its own assistant. The Trueplay feature detects the environment around the speaker and adjusts its setup to reach every corner. Spatial audio can be hit-or-miss on older tracks, but it's transcendent with modern ones.

Sonos Move 2 for $399 (20 percent off): Move is Sonos's high-end portable smart speaker, with more heft, power and features than the smaller Roam line. With the Move 2, Sonos improved the Move's sound quality, boosted its battery life to well over 24 hours, jacked up the volume and redesigned the outer hardware for greater durability. It also works with both Alexa and the Sonos assistant, but it's more portable than the Era 300.

Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 for $798 (20 percent off): In our review of the Bravia 6 this year, we called out its full sound and special talent for enhancing dialogue, but were frustrated that it didn't support AirPlay or Spotify Connect. The Bravia 8 works with both services, making it a clear choice for your next premium soundbar. It's got a tight, low-footprint design that fits any aesthetic, and hits a maximum output power of 495 watts.

Sonos Arc Ultra for $879 (20 percent off): The Sonos Arc Ultra is the best premium soundbar, bar none (pun intended). As we cover in our full review, it delivers full-throated bass without needing an extra sub, and has added more mid-range drivers and tweeters to make dialogue pop. Its software features are also solid, with Trueplay sound tuning, Speech Enhancement and a new Night Sound mode to tone down the boom for your roommates' sake.

JBL Bar 1300XMK2 for $1,200 (29 percent off): If you're going to drop $1200 on a soundbar, you need to know it's going to deliver — and the 1300XMK2 does. Its key design element is two detachable speakers that recharge when plugged into the main unit, but can spend up to 10 hours unplugged. The audioscape does an excellent job of separating and clarifying details, which really enhances the sense of a theatrical experience.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-speaker-deals-for-2025-are-still-live-save-up-to-50-percent-on-bluetooth-speakers-smart-speakers-and-soundbars-091904782.html?src=rss

DeleteMe is 30 percent off for Black Friday — and it’s the most effective anti-spam tool I’ve ever used

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We like our hardware here at Engadget, from high-end gaming headsets to powerful heaters to the fabric shaver you never knew you needed. For Black Friday, we've found great deals on all of it. However, since I ascended to the software plane years ago and now swim in the digital aetherium, my favorite product of the year is an app — and not even one you use yourself.

DeleteMe will boost your quality of life, no matter where you are or what you're doing, by sharply reducing the amount of spam you receive on every channel. From now until December 5, it's offering 30 percent off all subscriptions with the coupon code BFCM30OFF25.

Chances are you've seen at least one public-facing "people search" site. You know the ones: they usually have names like 411.info or Find.people, and you can type in a person's name and find all the info the site has been able to scrape on them. If you search your own name, it's hard to avoid immediately running to the kitchen to make yourself a tinfoil hat. The most annoying thing is that these "data broker" sites are perfectly legal to run and use.

However, that's also their Achilles' heel. If they want to operate in the open, brokers legally have to include a way for you to remove yourself from their database. Most of them make it as aggravating and time-consuming as possible, but the option is there.

That's where DeleteMe comes in. All you have to do is sign up and enter all the data you want removed from brokerage sites. DeleteMe handles the rest. It searches for your information on people database sites, automatically sends opt-out requests, bugs the broker if they don't comply quickly enough and gives you a weekly report on how it's doing. You do have to be OK with DeleteMe itself having your data, but I trust them way more than the randos over at violate.privacy.

It's so much faster than handling all the opt-out requests yourself, which — if you've ever tried it — rapidly becomes a full-time job. Since I've been using DeleteMe, I almost never get spam calls or texts anymore, except in short bursts before its crawlers catch my name on another site. And yes, it doesn't work on shady data brokers who don't follow the rules, but it's still a massive reduction of your online footprint.

The only problem is that it's pretty expensive, so I strongly recommend jumping on this Black Friday deal. A few months on DeleteMe should be long enough for you to see if it reduces spam for you — and I'm betting it will.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/deleteme-is-30-percent-off-for-black-friday--and-its-the-most-effective-anti-spam-tool-ive-ever-used-190526056.html?src=rss

Black Friday subscription and streaming deals you can still get today: Discounts on Apple TV+, HBO Max, Disney+, Proton VPN and more

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These days, Black Friday is the longest day of the year. We're only halfway through November, but amazing deals are already popping up for some of our favorite subscription services. This is a great time to lock in a long-term deal on a streaming platform, but there's even more to explore beyond that, from a big discount on Quicken (which you can use to chart all the money you're saving) and one of the best offers I've ever seen for DeleteMe (which cleans your personal data off the internet while you kick back with your new Amazon Prime Video subscription). We'll update this list for the rest of the month as new deals go live.

Audible (three months) for $3 (80 percent off): For literally $1 per month, you can get access to Audible's enormous library of published audiobooks, podcasts and Audible Originals (which can be anything from never-before-heard books to live performances). It's only three months, after which you'll have to cancel or renew at the regular price, but an audiobibliophile can cram a lot of listening into the 90 days after Black Friday.

Monarch Money (one year) for $50 (50 percent off with code MONARCHVIP): Monarch Money, our other favorite budgeting app, is giving new users half off for Black Friday. It's a little more complex than Quicken Simplifi, but it also gives you finer-grained control, including detailed reporting, balance sheets and instant graphs. The standout goals feature lets you establish savings and wealth baselines that feel amazing when you hit them.

Quicken Simplifi (one year) for $36 (50 percent off): We named Quicken Simplifi the best budgeting app this year largely because it lives up to its name. This is the cleanest budgeting app on the market, with an interface designed to welcome newcomers and no key information more than a scroll away. It's also cheap, especially with this Black Friday deal, and very good at detecting and categorizing your important transactions.

Rosetta Stone Lifetime Unlimited subscription for $149 (60 percent off): Rosetta Stone was pioneering visual language courses back when software still came in boxes, and it's still one of the best language learning apps. Today, its method works as well as ever, with patient learning based on pictures, terms and recordings. This deal gets you a full lifetime subscription with access to all 25 languages in the library.

Medium (one year) for $40 (20 percent off): Medium is a social site designed as the anti-Twitter, featuring deep thoughts and long-form essays from great writers. Not all its best work is locked behind a paywall, but a lot of it is — and we've all had the feeling of being frustrated that we can't read the latest drop from a thinker we really respect. This deal isn't a very big cut, but it is a noticeable savings over the monthly plan, which will cost you a full $120 for the same length of time ($150 without the discount).

Headspace (one year) for $35 (50 percent off): Out of all the meditation apps available, Headspace is our favorite. It doesn't just help you relax and de-stress, but also teaches you to practice meditation as a skill, with sessions building on each other in organized courses. There's a massive library of standalone guided meditations with all kinds of instructors, and it's easy to search for the ones that work best for you. This deal gives you half off a full year.

Calm Premium (one year) for $40 (50 percent off): Once you've finished your Headspace meditation, head over to Calm for every other stress-relieving activity you can think of. This subscription lets you relax amid a massive content library, from music and restful soundscapes to "sleep stories" with celebrity narrators telling bedtime stories for children and adults alike. If you've ever wanted to be lulled to sleep by Jonathan Bailey, Matthew McConaughey or Idris Elba, this app is for you.

AdGuard personal (lifetime) for $44 (45 percent off): AdGuard was recently in the news for automatically blocking Microsoft's Recall AI surveillance app, which is a great indication of its mission — it fights threats to your privacy, no matter where they come from. This lifetime subscription blocks all annoying third-party ads and trackers on any website while keeping its functionality otherwise unchanged, so everything loads faster and easier.

1Password (one year) for $29 (50 percent off): Using a password manager is one of the most important cybersecurity steps you can take right now. 1Password generates strong, unique passwords for every account, then saves them to autofill when you need them. We named it the best password manager in honor of its well-designed user interface and cross-platform compatibility.

LastPass Premium (one year) for $18 (50 percent off): LastPass is another great password manager. We briefly stopped recommending it after a couple of data breaches early last year, but it's patched up its security and seems to be firing on all cylinders again. Whether it suits you better than 1Password will come down to personal preference, but LastPass's deal is slightly better this year.

DeleteMe (all services) for 30 percent off with code BFCM30OFF25: DeleteMe scrubs your information from people search sites and other public-facing data brokers, dramatically reducing your online presence. It's a time-saving and user-friendly automation of a process that can be a real hassle without it. Since using it monthly, we've noticed a sharp decrease in the amount of spam emails, texts and calls to our personal addresses.

Adobe Creative Cloud (one year) for $389 (50 percent off): Adobe Creative Cloud is half off for one year right now, coming out to $389 for one year when you pay upfront. (There's a discounted $35 monthly rate as well, working out to $420 for the year.) Creative Cloud is Adobe's most comprehensive design package, including InDesign, Illustrator, Photoshop, Premiere and over 20 other apps. Whip up a website with Dreamweaver, paint on a digital canvas with Fresco or edit photos in Lightroom. It's a pretty steep cost for an individual, but puts a one-year subscription well within reach of a creative business.

Disney+ and Hulu bundle with ads (one year) for $60 (61 percent off): Disney took its time announcing its Black Friday deal on the newly merging Disney+ and Hulu, but the wait was worth it. This steep discount saves you more than 60 percent over the regular monthly price. Just in time for family gatherings, you'll have free access to Encanto and Moana 2 for the kids, The Bear and Only Murders in the Building for the adults, and Marvel and Star Wars adventures for everybody.

Apple TV+ (6 months) for $36 ($42 off): Apple TV+ has another of the best Black Friday streaming deals this year, offering a six months of access for only $36, which comes out to only $6 per month. The deal is live now for new and returning subscribers. Through December 1, you've got a great chance to stream shows like Severance, Ted Lasso, The Morning Show and For All Mankind for less — just remember the deal only applies if you subscribe directly through Apple and not through a third-party service.

Starz (one year) for $12 ($58 off): Pay upfront for one year and you can get more than $50 off a Stars annual subscription. There's a month-to-month option too, which costs $3 per month for the first three months if you don't want to commit to the full year. Either option gives you access to the entire Starz TV and movie library, including Outlander and Spartacus, with offline viewing and no ads.

Paramount+ (2 months) for $6 ($20 off): Paramount+ is doing its Black Friday deal a little differently. Instead of a reasonably cheap long-term plan, you get an incredibly cheap short-term deal — two months for less than a Starbucks run costs these days. That's more than enough time to binge Yellowjackets, Dexter: Resurrection or Star Trek: Strange New Worlds, along with weeks of NFL games through CBS Sports. 

Fubo Pro (first month) for $55 (35 percent off): Fubo is the live TV service that helps sports lovers cut the cord. When you sign up, it asks you your favorite teams, then automatically records every game they play. Fubo Pro includes 249 channels, covering everything from your local NFL and NBA networks to real ESPN8 (The Ocho) content like PowerSports World. There are even plenty of non-sports channels, and with 10 allowed screens per subscription, your whole family can enjoy the selection at once.

Sling TV Orange Day Pass for $1 (80 percent off): Sling TV is one of the best live streaming services, and has one of streaming TV's most unique deals: a commitment-free day pass that lets you stream whatever you want for 24 hours, including cable channels and exclusive sports. Normally, a day pass costs $5, but this Black Friday deal knocks that all the way down to $1.

Plex (lifetime pass) for $150 (40 percent off): Plex offers personal media servers you can use to organize your digital collection — imagine your own curated Netflix homepage that nothing ever vanishes from. It's also a streaming platform in its own right, with movies and TV from all genres and eras. Plex did just raise its prices, so now's your chance to get a lifetime pass for close to what it used to cost.

Walmart+ (one year) for $49 (50 percent off): No, Walmart hasn't started its own streaming platform, but it would probably have some pretty great drama. What you do get with Walmart+ is free shipping on carts over $35, exclusive deals, drone delivery in some cities and more. And if you did come here for streaming, Walmart+ also comes with your choice of Peacock Premium of Paramount+ Essential (we recommend Peacock Premium because it's more expensive on its own).

Fox One (six months) for $20 (50 percent off): Fox One is the newest streaming service on this list, launching just this August. It provides access to everything in the Fox catalog, including its sports and entertainment TV. Six months for $20 isn't quite as good a deal as Paramount+ is giving out, but it may still be a bargain if you're worried about losing Fox channels from your YouTube TV subscription.

ExpressVPN Basic (28 months) for $68.40 (81 percent off): ExpressVPN may be the most user-friendly VPN for sale right now, with fast download speeds (only 7 percent losses in our last test), quick connections and apps designed to stay out of your way. It's not the most feature-rich, but it excels at any bread-and-butter VPN task, staying leak-free and unblocking Netflix everywhere. You also get access to server locations in 105 countries. It also basically never drops the price this low, so if you're at all interested, now's the time to board the Express train.

Surfshark Starter (27 months) for $53.73 (87 percent off): According to the tests we ran for our latest review, Surfshark is the fastest VPN right now, with its download speeds, upload speeds and latencies all beating out competitors. It has more to offer beyond speed, too, as it's able to constantly rotate your IP address and generate double VPN paths between any two servers you choose.

NordVPN Basic (27 months) for $80.73 (74 percent off): NordVPN got very positive marks in our last review, where we called out its fast internet speeds, wide network of server locations and selection of exclusive features. It comes with a range of dedicated servers for obfuscation, onion routing, torrenting and more. Plus, it's one of the first VPNs getting a jump on post-quantum encryption.

CyberGhost VPN (28 months) for $56.84 (84 percent off): CyberGhost is always cheap — in fact, we named it the best budget VPN — but it's never behaved like an economy option. Its Smart Rules automation controls are the deepest in the industry, and its server network reaches 100 countries. Speeds are also quite good, though connections occasionally take a moment to establish.

hide.me VPN (26 months) for $99.95 (61 percent off): hide.me is currently our favorite free VPN, but its paid upgrade is just as competitive. The best thing about this deal is that you're guaranteed to get renewed at the same price and duration, which isn't always certain, even with otherwise reliable VPNs. hide.me gives you servers in 91 locations, all of them rated for up to a gigabyte of traffic per second.

Private Internet Access VPN (40 months) for $79.20 (83 percent off): Although we weren't wholly positive about Private Internet Access (PIA VPN) in our recent review, we can't deny it's a worthwhile choice for an affordable VPN. Although speeds can fluctuate, it comes with lots of desirable features on all platforms, like port forwarding (which makes torrents more stable) and two kinds of split tunneling.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/black-friday-subscription-and-streaming-deals-you-can-still-get-today-discounts-on-apple-tv-hbo-max-disney-proton-vpn-and-more-180000005.html?src=rss