Tech / Technology

Amazon Apple watch deal: Get the 41mm or the 45mm Apple Watch Series 8 for up to 25% off at Amazon.

Posted on:

Score an Apple Watch Series 8 for as low as $299 at Amazon. That’s a discount of 25%.
someone wears a red apple watch series 8 on their left wrist

SAVE 25%: Score a 41mm Apple Watch Series 8 for just $299 or a larger 45mm for $319.97. That’s a savings of up to $109.03.

While we’re still waiting on some items to drop to Black Friday sale prices, others are already seeing record-low discounts. If you’ve ever wanted to join the ranks of Apple Watch owners, today could be an ideal day thanks to Amazon offering up to 25% off.


a 45mm apple watch series 8 with a white sports band on a white background

Credit: Apple


Apple Watch Series 8 (GPS 45mm, silver aluminum with white sports band)

$319.97 at Amazon (save $109.03)

As of Nov. 7, you can grab the Apple Watch Series 8 in the 41mm size for just $299 or the larger 45mm size for $319.97. These sale prices save you 25% off the regular list prices. You’ll want to be picky with the colorways since the deal is only available on specific combos like the 45mm silver aluminum case with white sports band.

Apple launched the latest Series 9 watch in September, but the Series 8 is still a great smartwatch and only launched in 2022. You’ll get plenty of features with the Apple Watch Series 8 like an always-on display, crack resistance, and water resistance. You have access to 24/7 heart-rate monitoring and the Sleep app which shows how much time you spent in each stage of sleep.

The Apple Watch Series 8 also comes with safety features like fall detection, crash detection, and an emergency SOS. You can stay connected to the outside world thanks to the Series 8 connectivity functions like making calls, sending texts, and streaming music.

If you’re looking to score the Apple Watch Series 8 before Black Friday and holiday sales hits, these prices bring both the 41mm and the 45mm models down to budget-friendly options.

Tech / Technology

Best tech deal: Multi-device wireless charger for $35

Posted on:

A multi-device wireless charger (in black or blue) from Electronic Avenue is on sale for $34.97. That’s 70% off its regular price of $119.99.
Multi-device wireless charger shown powering up a phone, Apple Watch, and AirPods

TL;DR: As of November 4, you can get a multi-device wireless charger (in black or blue) for just $34.97 instead of $119.99 — which is a savings of 70%.

Shopping for Apple techies may be challenging and expensive, but you don’t have to splurge on name-brand products to give a thoughtful and practical gift. This charger has two wireless spots for an iPhone and Apple Watch, and an additional USB-C output for a third device.

With this early-bird holiday savings event running through November 9, you can grab this multi-device wireless charger in black or blue for $34.97 (reg. $119.99).

One charger, three devices

If we had to compare this multi-device wireless charger to a name-brand Apple product, it would be the MagSafe Battery Pack (retailing for $99). However, they’re actually very different, since this one can charge three devices at the same time:

  • 5W wireless smartphone charging. Works with iPhone 12 and newer or Qi wireless-compatible Android models.

  • 3W Apple Watch charging. 

  • USB-C output. Use with any cord that has USB-C on one end to charge AirPods, an additional smartphone, Bluetooth speakers, or virtually any other compatible device or gadget.

The Apple MagSafe Battery Pack doesn’t have this much versatility and convenience at such an affordable price point.

Thin, lightweight, and comes in black or blue

With this affordable alternative, you aren’t also compromising on aesthetics. It’s only half an inch thick and super lightweight for ultimate portability, and convenience when you want to use your phone while it’s charging. It also comes in your choice of black or blue to match your smartphone or color preference.

These prices are only available until November 9 at 11:59 p.m. PT, and no coupon is needed:

Prices subject to change.


Multi-device wireless charger (in blue) over a white background

Credit: Electronic Avenue


Multi-device wireless charger (black or blue)

$34.97 at the Mashable Shop

Tech / Technology

Black Friday Fitbit deals: Save on Sense 2 and more

Posted on:

Fitbit models like the Luxe, Inspire 2, and Sense 2 are already on sale ahead of Black Friday 2023.
Three Fitbit watch models overlaid on a green and yellow background

Listen up, fitness folks: Despite the fact that we still have (almost) a solid month left before Black Friday 2023, top Fitbit models are already on sale at multiple retailers Check out our top picks below:

Best Fitbit deals for Black Friday 2023:
Our top pick

Fitbit Luxe

$79.95 at Amazon
(save $50)

The Fitbit Luxe fitness watch with a light-colored band, over a white background

Budget pick

Fitbit Inspire 2

$58.40 at Amazon
(save $21.55)

The Fitbit Inspire 2 with a black band, over a white background

Upgrade pick

Fitbit Sense 2

$198.04 at Amazon
(save $51.91)

The large-screened Fitbit Sense 2 watch over a white background

It’s beginning to look a lot like… Black Friday 2023, which means retailers from Amazon to Best Buy to Walmart are already dropping some satisfying savings on top products. If you’ve been wanting to invest in a high-quality Fitbit for a while (either as a self-care purchase or to treat your loved ones), but have been nervous about some of the models’ prices, today’s your lucky day.

If you treat holiday shopping just as seriously as you do your health, this might be a fine time to start checking people off the Christmas list by purchasing some of these top Fitbits currently on discount. Below are all the best Fitbits you can get on sale today — as a little “soft launch” into holiday sales.

Our top pick


The Fitbit Luxe fitness watch with a light-colored band, over a white background

Credit: Fitbit


Fitbit Luxe

$79.95 at Amazon (save $50)

Why we like it

The Fitbit Luxe fitness watch model is the perfect middle ground between a feature-packed Fitbit and one that looks slim/cute on your wrist. The watch provides fitness lovers with 24/7 heart rate trends, tells them how long they spend in “active zones” during workouts, monitors sleep, and even offers a lineup of stress management tools. With a free, six-month trial of Fitbit Premium, you can explore an even broader range of the Fitbit Luxe’s capabilities. What can be better than having a trusty little fitness pal that doubles as attention-grabbing eye candy?

Budget pick


The Fitbit Inspire 2 with a black band, over a white background

Credit: Fitbit


Fitbit Inspire 2

$58.40 at Amazon (save $21.55)

Why we like it

The Fitbit Inspire 2 proves that you don’t need to dish out more than $60 for a fitness watch that will check all the boxes. One of the cool features of this watch is the Daily Readiness Score, which tells you if you’re ready to seize the day with exercise or should instead take it easy. The watch also tracks your daily activity (steps, distance, calories burned, etc.) and your nightly activity both (time spent in light, deep, and REM sleep). As an added bonus, the tracker is swim-friendly — something all the water signs out there are sure to appreciate.

Upgrade pick


The large-screened Fitbit Sense 2 watch over a white background

Credit: Fitbit


Fitbit Sense 2

$198.04 at Amazon (save $51.91)

Why we like it

Closely resembling an Apple Watch, the Fitbit Sense 2 is the brand’s most advanced watch yet. You’ll see that reflected in all it can do for you — including tracking things like altitude changes, blood oxygen levels, ECG, duration of sleep stages, skin temperature, and beyond. With over 40 exercise modes, this watch is ideal for runners, skiers, stand-up paddleboarders, and everyone in between. Plus, the Sense 2 basically functions like a phone. You can take calls on it, use Google Maps, tap-to-pay, receive Gmail notifications…you get the point. Score this fantastic buy today, while it’s $50 off.

More early Black Friday Fitbit deals

Tech / Technology

This $169 device can put your iPhone in a reboot loop. Here’s what you can do.

Posted on:

A tiny $169 device can send iPhones and other phones into a reboot loop. There’s no immediate fix, but you can take precautions.
Flipper Zero

A tiny device can be used to put your iPhone, and perhaps Android phones as well, into an endless reboot loop — and while there is a way to mitigate the attack, it’s far from ideal.

The device is called Flipper Zero and is typically used for penetration testing, meaning security experts use it to test another device’s wireless security. It’s not exactly obscure; it can easily be bought online for $169 in the U.S. or €165 in Europe.

Described as a “portable multi-tool for pentesters and geeks in a toy-like body,” Flipper Zero can interact with various types of wireless systems, including garage door remotes, TVs, NFC readers, RFID readers, and Bluetooth devices.

SEE ALSO:

The next Apple Watch will reportedly add 3 new health sensors for diabetes, blood pressure, and sleep apnea

The device has been around since 2020 (we actually covered it back then), but Ars Technica and TechCrunch have recently highlighted how Flipper Zero can be used to essentially incapacitate an iPhone by sending an endless flurry of Bluetooth requests. On the victim’s iPhone, these could look like a request to connect with a TV, which keep popping up until the phone eventually reboots. This is not a new type of attack, but Flipper Zero is cheap, small, portable, and makes it a lot easier to do.

Security researcher Jeroen van der Ham said he experienced this attack himself. He then set out to replicate it himself in a controlled environment, and he managed to crash an iPhone, though the attack only fully worked on iPhones running iOS 17 or newer.

Here’s the problem: You cannot permanently deny these types of request on an iPhone. You can deny the connection, but the requests will keep popping up. The only thing you can really do at this point is to turn Bluetooth off completely, but then your wireless headphones and other Bluetooth accessories will be disconnected from your iPhone, which is hardly ideal. Note that you cannot just switch Bluetooth off in the Control Center; you have to turn Bluetooth off in the phone’s Settings to mitigate the attack. Van der Ham says he contacted Apple about the issue but did not hear back from the company.

There are reports saying that Flipper Zero can be used to perform a similar attacks on other devices, such as Android phones and Windows devices, though it’s unclear whether it can be used to crash them. Additionally, Android phones do have an option to turn off notifications for Bluetooth connection requests making this a lot less of a nuisance.

Tech / Technology

35+ Early Black Friday Apple deals: iPads, iPhones, more

Posted on:

Score early Black Friday deals on the AirPods Pro at their record-low price for an iPad mini or Air for $100 off.
person using apple pencil on ipad mini

Black Friday sales have already begun, bringing with them a bunch of Apple discounts. Here are our favorites as of Nov. 2:

Best early Black Friday Apple deals:
Best Mac deal

2022 MacBook Air (M2, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD)

$899 at B&H
(Save $200)

2022 macbook air in midnight

Best iPad deal

2021 iPad (WiFi, 64GB)

$249 at Amazon and Walmart
(Save $80)

silver 2021 ipad

Best iPhone deal

iPhone 14 Plus at Verizon

$0 when you open a new line on select unlimited plans
(Save $799)

midnight iphone 14 plus

Best Apple Watch deal

Apple Watch SE (44mm, GPS)

$234.89 at Amazon
(Save $44.11)

midnight apple watch SE



Best AirPods deal

AirPods Pro (2nd gen)

$189 at Walmart
(Save $60)

airpods pro with case

Deals on Apple products actually aren’t too hard to find — if you know where and when to look. While you don’t have to wait for a shopping holiday to get savings on iPads, MacBooks, and more, Black Friday Apple deals tend to be some of the best of the year.

This year, Black Friday savings are in line with years past and starting nice and early, with Best Buy, Walmart, and more all running sales throughout the month before we officially hit Black Friday on Nov. 24.

SEE ALSO:

Black Friday sales are already live. Here are the best early deals we’ve found so far.

If you’re looking to save big on some new Apple gear this holiday season, you can start shopping now. Below, we’ve rounded up some of the best Black Friday Apple deals that are already live.

Mac and MacBook deals


2022 macbook air in midnight

Credit: Apple


Our pick: 2022 MacBook Air (M2, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD)

$899 at B&H (save $200)

Why we like it

Check out our full review of the M2 MacBook Air.

If you’re looking for a zippy work-from-home machine or the perfect school companion, look no further. Though Apple did just release the new M3 chip to its iMac and MacBook lineup, the M2 is still plenty powerful. You’ll also get 13.6 inches of display (as opposed to the 13.3 inches of the previous gen Air), a near-perfect keyboard, and best of all, this laptop at its lowest price ever.

More Mac and MacBook deals

MacBook Air

MacBook Pro

Mac

iPad deals


silver 2021 ipad

Credit: Apple


Our pick: 2021 iPad (WiFi, 64GB)

$249 at Amazon and Walmart

Why we like it

We’re not going to lie, this $249 price tag is far from a Black Friday exclusive. This tablet has hit this all-time low price a few times this year, including during last month’s Prime Day sale, but it’s also sat at higher price points of $279 and up. We wouldn’t recommend this tablet if you need anything more heavy-duty, but for a basic tablet that gets the job done, you’ll be saving at least $150 more than if you went for any other iPad. Grab it on sale at Amazon and Walmart.

More iPad deals

iPad (10th gen)

iPad (9th gen)

iPad Air

iPad mini

iPad Pro

SEE ALSO:

M3 iMac vs. M1 iMac: What are the differences?

iPhone deals


midnight iphone 14 plus

Credit: Apple


Our pick: iPhone 14 Plus at Verizon

$0 when you open a new line on select unlimited plans (save $799)

Why we like it

The iPhone 15 may be the shiniest new Apple toy, and while the deals on the phone certainly aren’t bad, they are contingent upon you having a decent trade-in. If you feel any doubt in your trade-in power, going for this Verizon deal on the 14 Plus requires none — only that you open a new line on select unlimited plans. Still some hoops, but far fewer to get an $800 phone basically for free.

More iPhone deals

Apple Watch deals


midnight apple watch SE

Credit: Apple


Our pick: Apple Watch SE (44mm, GPS)

$234.89 at Amazon (save $44.11)

Why we like it

The Apple Watch SE is an affordable option if you’re in the market for a smartwatch, but don’t need many fitness features. Usually, its price will dip down by $30 every now and then, which makes for a pretty decent deal, but Black Friday season has brought us something even better, with this 44mm SE that’s down almost $45. That’s roughly $5 away from its lowest price ever (that we’ve only seen it hit once). If you want to avoid the Black Friday madness and don’t mind opting for the midnight colorway, this is a solid deal to jump on ahead of the official holiday.

More Apple Watch deals

Series 9

Series 8

SE

Ultra

More Apple Watch deals

AirPods deals


airpods pro with case

Credit: Apple


Our pick: AirPods Pro (2nd gen)

$189 at Walmart (save $60)

Why we like it

Read our full review of the second-generation AirPods Pro.

If you’re looking for a quality pair of noise-canceling earbuds, look no further than the AirPods Pro. They’re our favorite buds for traveling, with Mashable Senior Editor Stan Schroeder deeming them, “the first pair of earbuds I’d actually consider taking on an airplane (instead of my much larger and clunkier over-ear headphones).” They also come with 30 total hours of battery life with the charging case (six hours per charge), great sound quality, and easy pairing to all of your Apple devices. Plus, their $189 price tag puts them back down to their lowest price ever (alongside the USB-C AirPods Pro).

More deals on AirPods

Even more Apple deals

Tech / Technology

Future Apple Watch updates might include sleep apnea, diabetes, and blood pressure sensors

Posted on:

Apple Watches might get another health upgrade in 2024, with new detection sensors for common conditions.
Three Apple Watches lined up on display stands in a store.

The ever-evolving Apple Watch is rumored to be getting even more health monitoring features in 2024, with reports that the devices will expand to three additional sensors that can warn users if they are prediabetic, sense rising blood pressure, and alert someone if they may have sleep apnea.

The portable devices, Apple’s tentpole health and fitness offering, have undergone similar health-centered upgrades in recent years, including the addition of fertility tracking tools and a body temperature sensor in 2022. Earlier this year, the company was rumored to be working on an AI-powered health coach capable of designing custom health plans based on biometric and behavioral data gathered by the watch — an indication that Apple is looking to further its reach in the billion-dollar healthcare industry.

SEE ALSO:

YouTube limits harmful repetitive content for teens

Rumored reports of Apple’s next health sensor offerings suggest future watch expansion will continue operating as non-treatment, non-diagnostic tools, with the potential for future expansion into post-diagnosis care.

The device’s rumored blood glucose monitoring system will warn Apple Watch users if they are prediabetic using a noninvasive light shined through the skin that measures blood glucose levels. The device won’t offer actual blood sugar readings to users already diagnosed with diabetes.

The blood pressure sensor will be able to detect when a wearer’s blood pressure is elevated, accompanied by a “blood pressure journal” (similar to Apple’s other personal tracking offerings) to help track external factors leading to hypertension. It won’t be able to show a user their exact systolic and diastolic measurements for treatment purposes.

A new sleep apnea sensor will measure breathing patterns during sleep to estimate if a user has the condition, as well as suggestions when they should see a physician, building on the watches current sleep tracking tools.

The new Apple Watch features may debut alongside the launch of the (rumored) subscription-based and AI-powered health service, according to an exclusive Bloomberg report on the company’s healthcare plans. But Apple’s larger goal to “revolutionize healthcare” is still a future ambition, according to insiders. The new features, not yet confirmed by Apple, are reportedly still in development under Apple’s Exploratory Design Group. “What we’re not interested in is post-sick health care,” a person involved in the project told Bloomberg, a suggestion that the company is worried about regulatory complications and the possibility of misdiagnosis.

Apple’s foray into healthcare is part of a wider company strategy to move users away from single-use device ecosystems and towards a one-stop shop model of health technology, but previous expansions of the Apple Watch have prompted multi-factored concern, including the fear of data bias and possible privacy issues.

Meanwhile, high healthcare costs and treatment inaccessibility have pushed many to seek more affordable options for monitoring their health and accessing physician care. Apple hopes its products, and limited-use health tools like those rumored to release next year, help bridge the gap.

Tech / Technology

Apple Watch almost got Android support — here’s why Apple changed its mind

Posted on:

Apple apparently came really close to making Apple Watches compatible with Android devices.
Apple Watches on display

Apple Watch and Android: a match (almost) made in Heaven.

In a wide-ranging Bloomberg report about Apple’s health tracking ambitions, one little juicy nugget of info stands out in particular: Apple almost made its signature house brand smartwatches compatible with Android devices.

According to Bloomberg, Apple’s engineers were “deeply engaged” in bringing both Apple Watch and Health app compatibility to Android as part of something called “Project Fennel.”

Apple Watch with Nike band

Apple Watch with Nike wristband combined with the new Nike watchface.
Credit: Stan Schroeder / Mashable

SEE ALSO:

Apple Watch Series 9 review: Upgrade for this key feature (no, it’s not Double Tap)

Of course, the operative word here is “almost.” This obviously didn’t – and most likely won’t – happen. The reason for that is simple: Apple wants to keep selling iPhones, and Apple Watches help the company do that. One of Bloomberg’s sources straight up said giving Android users access to Apple Watch would “dilute the value of the watch to the iPhone.”

This is fascinating just on the surface, but it’s also worth looking at it in context of what Apple’s competition is in the Android smartwatch market. Competitors like Samsung’s Galaxy Watch and Google’s Pixel Watch have certainly improved over the years, but Apple’s product is still widely regarded as the one to get, especially for health tracking.

Pushing Apple Watch to Android users may have diluted iPhone sales, but it probably would’ve put a dent in Samsung and Google sales, too. Regardless, this is all speculation at this point. All we can do is think about what could have been.


Apple Watch Series 9 [GPS + Cellular 41mm]

Credit: Amazon


Apple Watch Series 9 [GPS + Cellular 41mm]

489.99