OpenAI held its first developer event on Monday and it was action-packed. The company launched improved models to new APIs. Here is a summary of all announcements in […]
Best Excel and data science training bundle deal: 95% off
The Complete Excel, VBA, and Data Science Certification Training Bundle is on sale for £16.46, saving you 95% on list price.
TL;DR: The Complete Excel, VBA, and Data Science Certification Training Bundle is on sale for £16.46, saving you 95% on list price.
Shuddering at the thought of crunching numbers on Excel? You may want to change that. Apparently, data science remains the most appealing job in the 21st century, and if you want to be a data scientist who takes home a cushy paycheck, you have to be comfortable with analysing data on the popular spreadsheet software, Excel.
Granted, navigating the app alone and getting to grips with its many functionalities are overwhelming for any beginner, which is why receiving proper training is a must. This Excel, VBA, and data science certification training bundle can help you on that front, and you can get it on sale for £16.46 for a limited time.
This instructional package, put together by Mammoth Interactive, a company that specialises in programming, design, and project management, contains 13 comprehensive courses and 52 hours of expert-led training. It touches on the basics and intricacies of Excel, as well as the ins and outs of the Python programming language. At the start, you can expect to gain a fundamental understanding of how Excel works and how it relates to synthesising and analysing data, and receive a primer on the syntax of Python and how it can create databases and perform data manipulation.
Once you’ve familiarised yourself with the building blocks of both tools, you’ll proceed with learning how to apply them in data science. For instance, with Excel, you’ll be trained on how to manage and sort data, visualise mounds of information, and do financial analysis. With Python, you’ll learn how to automate tasks, build a tool that scrapes data from a page, and put together charts.
All lessons included are beginner-friendly, so you don’t have to worry about not having any prior experience. You can also access the courses anytime, anywhere, using any device, so you can learn at your own pace, on your own time.
For a limited time, you can get this Excel, VBA, and data science certification training bundle on sale for just £16.46.
![Course logo](https://helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/07mNpsaBu2pHmR96qmeHYeJ/images-1.fill.size_256x192.v1698839649.jpg)
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Pokémon Scarlet And Violet’s Ending Is Peak Storytelling
Pokémon Scarlet and Violet are all about finding freedom in their open world. This is as true mechanically as it is thematically, as the pair of Switch RPGs let you freely explore the Paldea region in search of your own “treasure.” They posit that the Pokémon world is full of possibilities and that it can mean…
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OpenAI launches API that lets developers build ‘assistants’ into their apps
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Amazon’s code-generating tool gets MongoDB-specific upgrades
Between open source and cloud-hosted, more proprietary solutions, there’s an abundance of AI-powered code-generating tools to choose from. So how does one choose? That’s a nuanced question. Beyond […]
Amazon Black Friday, Cyber Monday plans: 11-day sale begins Nov. 17
Amazon’s Extended Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals will run from Friday, Nov. 17 through Monday, Nov. 27.
After sticking to a 48-hour formula for its Black Friday sale for the past two years, Amazon is reverting back to its old ways.
The retail giant has announced its plans to offer Extended Black Friday and Cyber Monday Deals from Friday, Nov. 17 through Monday, Nov. 27. That’s 11 full days of holiday savings where we can expect to see new record-low pricing and limited-time restocks of popular gifts.
This is a return to form of sorts for Amazon, which held weeklong Black Friday savings events in 2018, 2019, and 2020. The official commingling of its Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales is new, though: Historically, they’ve always been separate events that have bled together in spirit over Thanksgiving weekend.
Everything you need to know about Black Friday 2023: The first early deals arrive in late October
That should be a welcome switch for shoppers. The old formatting made it difficult to determine the best time to pounce on a good deal, as items that were on sale during Amazon’s past Black Friday sales would sometimes get cheaper once it shifted into Cyber Monday mode — if they even stayed in stock that long. The two sales merging will (hypothetically but hopefully) eliminate the risk of down-the-road price drops so consumers can shop early with greater peace of mind.
The only other major retailer that’s revealed its 2023 Black Friday programming thus far is Best Buy, which rolled out some preview deals just before Halloween and will host its formal sale from Friday, Nov. 17 to Saturday, Nov. 25. Its 48-hour Cyber Monday Sale will also begin that Sunday.
This story is developing.
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Best online learning bundle : 75% off StackSkills, Infosec4TC, and Stone River
The Ultimate Lifetime Bundle of StackSkills, Infosec4TC, and Stone River is on sale for £98.43, saving you 75% on list price.
TL;DR: The Ultimate Lifetime Bundle of StackSkills, Infosec4TC, and Stone River is on sale for £98.43, saving you 75% on list price.
If seeing backpacks and notebooks everywhere made you miss the classroom — but you don’t quite have the time or funding to go back to school — there are thousands of online courses available that let you learn from home when it fits into your schedule.
If online learning sounds like something you’d be interested in, the Ultimate Lifetime Bundle of StackSkills, Infosec4TC, and Stone River gives you access to three different services ready to help you explore new topics from the comfort of your couch. And right now, all of these can be yours for just £98.43 for a limited time.
First up in this fleet of learning services is StackSkills Unlimited, an easy way to tackle new skills in your spare time. This online learning platform focuses on in-demand skills that can potentially get you ahead in the workplace, help you change career paths, or start a side hustle. There are courses on things ranging from iOS development and blockchain to IT and graphic design, allowing you to pick and choose the things that interest you and learn from elite instructors.
Want to learn more about a potentially lucrative field? If you have a specific interest in cybersecurity, Infosec4TC is offering lifetime access to their online, self-paced certification courses on the topic. Not only will you learn what’s needed to pass these exams, you’ll also get access to recent exam questions right on your device. And round out your online education with Stone River eLearning, which provides courses on topics like web and mobile programming, game app creation, 3D animation, and more.
Get productive in your free time with this lifetime bundle of StackSkills, Infosec4TC, and Stone River, now just £98.43.
![StackSkills course logo](https://helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/0476wCGlhv4dx1Bei83QuYj/images-1.fill.size_256x192.v1698748113.jpg)
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The Ultimate Lifetime Bundle of StackSkills, Infosec4TC, and Stone River
Best Black Friday laptop deals under $500
We’re tracking the best early Black Friday laptop deals under $500 as holiday sales roll out. So far, we’ve seen prices dip as low as $299.99.
We’re tracking the best early Black Friday laptop deals under $500 as tech retailers start to roll out their holiday sales. So far, we’ve seen prices dip as low as $299.99.
![the HP Chromebook Plus x360 14c-cd0053dx](https://helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/051FCtmXHk1EKwkPOllKZQI/images-1.fit_lim.size_211x133.v1699019310.jpg)
Dell Inspiron 15 3520 (Intel Core i3-1215U, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD)
(save $80)
![the Dell Inspiron 15 3520](https://helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/051FCtmXHk1EKwkPOllKZQI/images-3.fit_lim.size_226x133.v1699019310.png)
Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 (AMD Ryzen 5 7530U, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD)
(save $300)
![the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3](https://helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/051FCtmXHk1EKwkPOllKZQI/images-2.fit_lim.size_133x133.v1699019310.png)
Black Friday famously ushers in steep discounts on big-ticket purchases like Apple MacBooks and powerful gaming PCs, which typically see new record-lows during the holiday season. But shoppers seeking a new budget laptop for schoolwork, streaming, or basic browsing can also find some great deals this time of year. (Sub-$100 Chromebooks are not unheard of at retailers like Amazon and Walmart in late November.)
The very best early Black Friday laptop deals under $500 will likely appear closer to the actual holiday, but if you want to get your shopping out of the way ahead of time, you’ve already got pre-Black Friday sales to peruse at Best Buy, Dell, and Lenovo. Keep reading for a list of the nine “worth-it” doorbusters we’ve spotted so far, and check back often — we’ll be updating it as Black Friday draws nearer.
Early Black Friday laptop deals under $500 at Best Buy
![the HP Chromebook Plus x360 14c-cd0053dx](https://helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/051FCtmXHk1EKwkPOllKZQI/images-1.fill.size_256x161.v1699019310.jpg)
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Why we like it
This 14-inch, 2-in-1 HP Chromebook is from Google’s all-new Chromebook Plus line (announced last month), meaning it comes with built-in Google apps, a Full HD IPS touchscreen display, and an AI-powered 1080p+ camera; this is not a bare-bones, essentials-only budget laptop. The configuration with a 12th-generation Intel Core i3 processor, 8GB of memory, and 256GB of storage is on sale for $379 at Best Buy as part of its pre-Black Friday programming, which is 46% off its suggested retail price of $699. In all my time covering laptop deals for Mashable, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a brand-new machine get a discount that high upfront.
Early Black Friday laptop deals under $500 at Dell
![the Dell Inspiron 15 3520](https://helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/051FCtmXHk1EKwkPOllKZQI/images-3.fill.size_256x150.v1699019310.png)
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Why we like it
Most sub-$300 laptops have lousy Intel Celeron N Series processors and jittery 60Hz displays, and max out with 4GB of memory and 128GB of slow eMMC storage. Not this 15-inch Dell Inspiron model, though: It’s packing a 12th-gen Intel Core i3 CPU, a 120Hz display, 8GB of RAM, and a whopping 512GB of SSD storage. It’s not an aesthetically stunning laptop by any means, but an incredibly good value spec-wise at just $299.99 during Dell’s Black Friday Sneak Peek event, which skims 21% off its $379.99 MSRP.
More traditional laptop deals under $500 at Dell
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Dell Inspiron 14 3420 (Qualcomm Snapdragon, Adreno 690, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $299.99
$499.99(save $200) -
Dell Inspiron 15 3525 (AMD Ryzen 5 5500U, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $329.99
$449.99(save $120) -
Dell Inspiron 14 5425 (AMD Ryzen 7 5825U, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $449.99
$699.99(save $150) -
Dell Inspiron 15 3525 (AMD Ryzen 5 5700U, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $499.99
$709.99(save $210)
2-in-1 laptop deals under $100 at Dell
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Dell Inspiron 14 7430 2-in-1 (Intel Core i3-1315U, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $499.99
$649.99(save $150)
Early Black Friday laptop deals under $500 at Lenovo
![the Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3](https://helios-i.mashable.com/imagery/articles/051FCtmXHk1EKwkPOllKZQI/images-2.fill.size_256x256.v1699019310.png)
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Why we like it
For a budget laptop with a slightly sleeker look, this 15.6-inch Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3 with a current-gen AMD Ryzen 5 7530U processor, 8GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage is a solid pick: Its thin, lightweight design includes a backlit keyboard and a fingerprint reader. Its 720p webcam is a bit underwhelming, but it does have a built-in privacy shutter. Lenovo marked it down to $399.99 (normally $699.99) during its own Black Friday Sneak Peek sale, which works out to a 43% savings.
Chromebook deals under $500 at Lenovo
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Lenovo IdeaPad Slim 3i Chromebook Plus (Intel Core i3-N305, 8GB RAM, 128GB eMMC) — $399.99
$549.99(save $150)
‘The Last of Us’ Season 2 to begin production in early 2024
“The Last of Us” Season 2 is tentatively set to begin shooting in early 2024, but only if the striking SAG-AFTRA reaches a fair deal.
Desperate to reunite with Joel (Pedro Pascal), Ellie (Bella Ramsey), and an army of creepy Clickers in The Last of Us Season 2? Then we’ve got some good news for you.
The new season is set to begin production in early 2024, HBO and Max CEO Casey Bloys told press at a Nov. 2 event. That timeline is tentative for now, as production can only begin once the striking Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) reaches a fair deal with the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers (AMPTP).
Outside of shooting, The Last of Us Season 2 has made progress in other ways. Showrunner Craig Mazin told Entertainment Weekly that before the Writers Guild of America (WGA) went on strike, the writers had mapped out Season 2 and Mazin had written the first episode.
Given a 2024 production start date, it’s likely The Last of Us Season 2 will be airing in 2025. According to Bloys, The White Lotus Season 3 has also been pushed back to 2025.
However, there is still a lot of HBO programming to look forward to coming into 2024. House of the Dragon will be airing in the early summer. Returning shows include True Detective: Night Country, Curb Your Enthusiasm Season 12, The Sex Lives of College Girls Season 3, Hacks Season 3, and Industry Season 3.