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Google's Black Friday deals knock up to $150 off the Pixel 7 or Pixel 7 Pro, no trade-in required
Or save on Chromecasts, Pixel Buds, and Nest gear
As we speed toward the end of the year, there's never been a better time to shop for gadgets. Google's no stranger to Black Friday deals, usually offering their latest and greatest phones, earbuds, and more at some truly enticing prices. If you've been hoping to get your hands on some discounted devices, grab your calendar. You only have a week to wait before the holiday shopping season kicks off with some truly incredible deals on phones, Chromecasts, and Nest gear.
Google keeps the Pixel update train rolling with Android 13 QPR1 Beta 3.1
A ton of bug fixes ahead of next month's expected stable launch
Google just released its November patch for its currently-supported Pixels — RIP the Pixel 4 — but if you've already upgraded your device to the latest Android 13 QPR betas, you aren't getting left out of the update game. Just a couple of weeks after QPR1 Beta 3 surprised us with a mid-month launch, QPR1 Beta 3.1 is out now, available for the Pixel 4a and newer devices.
Google's November Pixel update is live now, but you'll still need to wait for big new features
There's also no sign of a fix for the Pixel 7 Pro's scrolling bug
Google normally rolls out its monthly security updates to Pixel phones on the first Monday of the month. If you check your calendar, you’ll notice that today is indeed the first Monday of November 2022 — and as such, the company has just released its November security update, rolling out to all supported Pixel phones right now.
Ring Video Doorbell 4 review: Security that will cost you
Keep your deliveries safe — but for a high price
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Diving into the world of smart home accessories — beyond your usual lineup of smart speakers or displays — is an exciting, costly proposition that can involve modifying your home to accommodate your new gadgets. It's not enough to just buy a bunch of hubs, bulbs, and cameras from your local Best Buy. They have to work together with whatever ecosystem you've found yourself in, even as Matter finally arrives to put an end to our long smart home nightmare.
Weekend poll: Do you use a cloud gaming service?
With Stadia on the way out, what's your preferred method for streaming games?
It's been a few weeks since Google announced its intentions to shutter Stadia early next year, but that doesn't mean cloud gaming as a concept is close to death. While Google's platform — one of the earliest to arrive on the scene — was an unsuccessful attempt for the company to break into gaming, we've seen other services pull it off with more success. And as current-gen consoles remain difficult to buy and modern GPUs continue to rise in price, it's easy to see how the cloud gaming landscape could appeal to plenty of gamers.
This deal on Sony's WF-1000XM4 earbuds is so good, I'm considering buying a pair
Can you even have too many sets of headphones?
Affordable wireless earbuds are a dime a dozen these days, but if you want the best audio experience around, you'll need to pay for it. When it comes to audio quality and noise cancelation, companies like Google and Samsung can't hold a candle to the best efforts from some of their competitors. Right now, Sony's WF-1000XM4 buds are down to just $178, tying the lowest price yet for what might be the best earbuds you can buy today.
You may need to buy a new Chromecast if you want to try Netflix's new ad-supported plan
Non-Google TV hardware doesn't support ads at launch
After months of rumors and speculation, Netflix's ad-supported plan finally launches today. Available for $6.99 per month, it might help the streaming giant gain back some of its lost subscribers. It's a tempting option for anyone capable of putting up with ads and a 720p resolution cap, but if you're still rocking some older hardware, you might want to think twice. Anyone with a non-Google TV Chromecast will need to start looking for a new device.
ChromeOS gets serious about gaming as Steam support enters beta
Complete with newly-supported hardware and an expanded list of recommended games
Gaming on ChromeOS has come a long way over the last decade. What started out as an impossibility — save for anything playable in a browser — has evolved into a cornucopia of options. Not only have Android games and cloud streaming transformed the best Chromebooks into capable methods for playing your favorite new titles, but Steam for ChromeOS has been in the development phase for years now. Today, Steam for Chromebooks is moving into beta, marking another step towards local PC gaming on Google's OS.
Gmail's new package tracking promises to be your savior this holiday shopping season
Keep an closer eye on all your incoming gifts and goodies
With Black Friday right around the corner — and sales already running at various big box retailers — your already-unruly inbox is about to be full of shipment information and tracking codes necessary for keeping an eye on your incoming packages. Whether you're buying gifts for the entire family or finally fulfilling a long-awaited item on your wish list, managing all of those orders might be tough. Google's getting ahead of the holiday rush with a new tracking feature for Gmail, coming to your accounts within the next few weeks.
Google Play Games for PC is finally here: Download the beta in these regions
Nearly a year after its announcement, it's time for US players to start gaming
It's been nearly a year since Google announced Play Games for PC. Although there are plenty of ways to get your favorite mobile games up and running on Windows — including through Windows 11 itself — an official channel remains a big deal. Throughout 2022, we've watched as the beta program has expanded around the world, adding new countries and allowing any players to sign up. If you've been (not so) patiently waiting in the US, it's finally time to join in on the fun.
Amazon Music opens up its entire library to every Prime subscriber, with one major catch
The e-commerce giant is coming for Spotify's throne
These days, most entertainment requires shelling out for a subscription service. Sure, you can try to skip out on monthly payments through digital purchases of your favorite movies and music, but you're bound to miss out on some compelling exclusives. Instead of ditching your Disney+ subscription — I mean, seriously, have you seen Andor? It's so good — you can save some cash by consolidating some of your payments. If you're a Prime member, Amazon's music service is finally a compelling Spotify alternative, though one big catch remains that might keep you paying.
Random Instagram account suspensions are ruining everyone's Halloween
Don't worry, the social network's already on it
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While the internet's attention for social media-fueled drama is squarely focused on Elon Musk's takeover of Twitter, users of a separate online feed are running into surprise suspensions. If you tried to check your Instagram feed this morning — presumably looking for all sorts of ridiculous and creative costumes — only to find your account has been locked down, you aren't alone. Users across the app are getting hit with unexpected bans.
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Skip Black Friday and grab Google's Pixel 6a for an unbeatable $300
You don't need to wait for the holidays to save on our favorite budget phone
The Pixel 7 and the Pixel 7 Pro might be Google's shiniest new phones right now, but that doesn't mean they're for everyone. While $600 might sound pretty cheap for a flagship device, to everyone who isn't an early adopter, it's a lot of cash to throw down on just one gadget. Thankfully, Google's A-series exists, bringing the best of the Pixel experience to an even more affordable price point. And with Black Friday right around the corner, the Pixel 6a is getting an early start on the deals, matching the lowest price yet we've seen on this phone.
Weekend poll: Do you care about haptic feedback on a phone?
Is it part of the flagship experience, or a gimmick not worth paying extra for?
There's no single element that makes a particular smartphone feel premium. Sure, maybe its 120Hz OLED display looks incredible, but if the build quality feels like it might break at any moment, it's no good. The same goes for the camera — no matter how excellent its gaming prowess might be, if a phone can't capture a quality image in even the best of conditions, it might not be worth considering.
Google finally fixes Play Services system updates on the Pixel 7 — but not that annoying Wallet bug
Taking care of some early adopter headaches
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It should come as no surprise that the Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro are two of our favorite Android phones available right now. They each build on the success of their predecessors in some key ways, offering improved designs, some new software tricks, and more. Their launch has also been significantly less bug-ridden, though that's not to say it's been without any flaws. Today, two lingering system updates are arriving to help alleviate some of the biggest headaches for Pixel 7 owners.
Google's Pixel 8 Pro might feature its fastest fingerprint sensor yet
A prototype device with an ultrasonic scanner is currently in testing
The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro have only been available on store shelves for a couple of weeks now, but it's safe to call them a success. A couple of early bugs aside, it's clear that this year's launch is off to considerably smoother sailing than what we saw with the Pixel 6. It's no secret that Google is working on a whole slate of future devices, including the Pixel Fold and — yes, seriously — a potential "Pixel Ultra." In addition, it seems like a prototype device might hint at a long-awaited feature coming to next year's phones.
YouTube is getting a dynamic new look, no matter where you watch it
Immersive mode, pinch to zoom, and a darker dark mode are all coming to the platform
It's been a weird few weeks for YouTube. After a couple of controversial experiments came and went — including changes that would see free users locked out of 4K playback and bludgeoned with ads — Google raised the price on its Premium plans for family subscribers throughout much of the world. Thankfully, today brings a spot of good news to the platform, as YouTube is rolling out a huge UI redesign across mobile devices, smart TVs, and the web that should make watching videos much more enjoyable.
The OnePlus Nord N300 wants to maximize your smartphone budget
With a 90Hz display, a refined design, and 33W fast-charging, this could be the sub-$300 phone to beat
OnePlus is no stranger to making some excellent smartphones — the recently-released OnePlus 10T was a return to form for the company. Still, these days, we're more impressed by the Nord series than any of its flagship phones. With the ever-expanding Nord lineup, OnePlus has developed some incredible deals, complete with impressive specs and designs that, in some ways, are more elegant than its top-tier devices. The Nord N300 is the successor to 2021's N200, and on paper, it sounds like it could be the budget phone to beat as we close out 2022.
Weekend poll: How much are you willing to pay for YouTube Premium?
Is it an essential subscription, or worthless no matter the cost?
YouTube surprised most of its Premium subscribers this week by springing a massive price hike on anyone with a family plan without much warning. Customers in the US, Canada, and parts of the rest of the world will now have to pay as much as $5 more per month to access YouTube ad-free, without any specific changes or new features announced alongside it. This move has seemingly garnered two types of takes online: people who are willing to pay for YouTube Premium no matter the costs, and people unsure of why anyone would pay for the video site in the first place.
Google Pixel 7 and 7 Pro join the bleeding edge with Android 13 QPR1 Beta 3
After a grueling week of being stuck on stable, Pixel 7 owners can now get back on beta
Google's latest phones have been available for a week now, and so far, we're quite smitten with them. The Pixel 7 and Pixel 7 Pro both offer some excellent improvements over their counterparts, including refined hardware and some pretty impressive camera tricks. Of course, as Pixel phones, they're also eligible to check out in-development Android versions well before those changes roll out to everyone. If you've been dying for some beta action on your new hardware, you're in luck, as Android 13 QPR1 Beta 3 is now available.