💬 iMessage on Android, 🆕 Walmart Black Friday deals, 🍄 Super Mario RPG reviews, 🎞️ Mario movie to Netflix
Read our 10 banner-ad-free tech headlines, and weekly 👍 winners & 👎 losers
🐦 Ask Matt Swider on Twitter or Instagram for hand-picked deals from Walmart / Best Buy / Amazon / B&H / Samsung / Google Pixel / GameStop / Xbox Game Pass / PlayStation+ / Microsoft Office (PC) / MS Office (Mac)
It’s beginning to look a lot like deals season – if you know where to look. That’s why we’re tracking the best prices at all major US stores. For example, the best MacBook deals just popped up at B&H Photo, while the lowest Apple AirPods Pro 2 price ever will be coming to Walmart soon – join our alerts on Twitter/X and Instagram. Walmart revealed its Black Friday deals for November 22, and you can already put items in your cart. Right now, the Apple Watch 9 is $50 off.
Want a gaming laptop instead of a Mac? Our top picks are this MSI gaming laptop, the Lenovo IdeaPad Gaming 3 and the Acer Nitro 16 - we’ll always let you know if the price drops even lower if you follow us. We’re also rounding up the latest tech news (below) – including how to get ‘iMessage on Android’ starting this Friday. ⤵️
1. New Walmart Black Friday deals go live on Nov 22 – these are our favorites
⭐️ 👉 Pro tip: Add these deals to your basket ahead of time so you don’t miss out
Walmart has a fresh set of Black Friday deals on the way, giving you more chances to save big this holiday season. Like before, Walmart+ members will get three hours of early access to snap up all the best deals. We’ve rounded up a few of our favorites, so add them to your basket so you can check out straight away on November 22 once the deals go live.
Best Walmart deals we’ve spotted:
📺 $98 Roku Smart TV - $98
📺 TCL 55” 4KTV - $188
🖥️ LG 32” Ultra-Gear QHD Gaming Monitor - $169
🎶 JBL Go Air Pop earbuds - $9 - (was $29)
🎶 Apple AirPods Pro (2nd Generation) - $169 (was $249)
🎧 Beats Studio3 Wireless ANC headphones - $99 (was $349)
🚗 Lamborghini 12 V Powered Ride on - $165 (was $369)
🎮 Backbone One controller - $69 (was $99)
🦈 Shark Pet Pro Cordless Vacuum - $144
⚡️ Pokémon Pikachu Plush - $25
🌛 Super Mario Odyssey - $30 (was $54)
🗡️ The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild - $30 (was $59)
🧙 Hogwarts Legacy (PS5) - $40 (was $69)
🪓 God of War Ragnarok (PS5) - $40 (was $69)
🕸️ Spider-Man: Miles Morales (PS5) - $20 (was $49)
🦒 The Last of Us Part 1 - $40 (was $69)
🧟 Resident Evil 4 (PS5) - $30 (was $59)
🦋 The Last of Us Part 2 (PS4) - $20
🤠 Red Dead Redemption 2 (PS4) - $15
Quick links to other deals:
🧑💻 Tech deals
👉 Don’t forget to check out…
📦 Our picks for the best Amazon Black Friday deals
🏷️ Ongoing early Best Buy Black Friday deals
💻 Best MacBook deals are at B&H Photo today
The 10-story newsletter continues below the calendar ⤵️
📆 Your Calendar
🎮 Today: PlayStation Portal is out now (get it now at Walmart)
🧖♂️ Nov 16, Thurs: Steam Deck OLED on sale
🍄 Nov 17, Fri: Super Mario RPG release date (pre-order at Walmart)
🐍 Nov 17, Fri: Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes in theaters
💸 Nov 17, Fri: Amazon Black Friday deals go live
💬 Nov 17, Fri: ‘iMessage on Android’ beta launch for Nothing Phone 2
🆕 Nov 22, Wed: New Black Friday deals live at Walmart
🇫🇷 Nov 22, Wed: Napoleon releases in movie theaters
🦃 Nov 23, Thurs: Thanksgiving
🛍️ Nov 24, Fri: Black Friday officially begins!
🤖 Nov 27, Mon: Cyber Monday deals go live
2. ‘iMessage on Android’ coming this Friday – on Nothing Phone 2
💬 👍 Winner: Overcoming one of the biggest barriers between Android and iOS
Nothing, the company behind the Nothing Phone 2 and Nothing Earbuds, has created an ingenious hack that lets users use “iMessage on Android”. Announced by CEO Carl Pei, Nothing Chats uses an workaround by the team at Sunbird to let users send iMessage chats complete with a blue bubble and other iMessage features.
It’ll be interesting to see how Apple responds – and if other Android phone makers create similar workarounds.
📱 Nothing Phone 2 users will no longer face green bubble embarrassment
📆 Nothing Chats beta app launches Friday, Nov. 17 on Nothing Phone 2
🙅♂️ App won’t work with Nothing Phone 1 and uses your Apple ID email to send messages instead of your phone number (for now)
🤔 You’ll have to log in (and trust) your Apple ID & password to a third party
3. GameStop Black Friday deals are now live, with up to 75% off video games
🎮 👍 Winner: Get the games you want for less at GameStop
GameStop has kicked off its Black Friday deals, knocking up to 75% off select titles and offering big discounts on everything else. There are too many great deals to list here, like The Callisto Protocol for $5 or Deathloop for $10, so check out some of the offers at the links below!
4. Super Mario RPG reviews: ‘an all-time classic game’ for Nintendo Switch
🍄 👍 Winner: Another cracking Nintendo Switch game is out soon
The Nintendo Switch is getting another top-tier game in Super Mario RPG, as the remake of the classic SNES title has gone down well with critics. It’s sitting on an impressive average of 86 on OpenCritic, with 100% of reviewers recommending the title. Destructoid said it’s “an all-time classic game that both RPG lovers and Mario fans alike owe it to themselves to play”.
🍄 Save the world in this quirky and unusual adventure
🤗 Adventure with allies including Peach and Bowser
👊 Features interactive turn-based battles and gorgeous graphics
🍃 New “Breezy mode” is perfect for newcomers
5. YouTubers will now have to disclose AI-created content or risk suspension
🤖 👍 Winner: Finally, some restrictions to combat AI are being put in place
AI is everywhere now, but it hasn’t exactly been regulated very well. Thankfully, Google is taking steps to protect the YouTube community from the potential risks of generative AI – specifically, how it can mislead viewers. Google laid out its plans to tackle AI innovation, and said creators could be suspended if they don’t follow the new guidelines.
👍 Creators will be required to disclose when they’ve created altered or synthetic content that is realistic
✋ Viewers will be able to request the removal of AI-generated or altered content that simulates an identifiable individual using a privacy request process
👨⚖️ AI technology will also be used to power content moderation
6. Netflix’s Pokémon Concierge series looks like a winner
🎬 👍 Winner: The new stop-motion animation style is wonderful
Pokémon Concierge comes to Netflix on December 28, and it’s bound to be popular with fans of the pocket monsters and those looking for something to watch over the holidays. Set at a resort for Pokémon on a southern island, a new concierge named Haru gradually discovers herself as she attends to the various Pokémon guests.
📆 Pokémon Concierge is available to stream Thursday, December 28
😍 It uses a beautiful stop-motion animation style
🥰 It’ll be fun to see which Pokémon show up!
7. Halo Infinite just got seven classic Halo 3 maps
😇 👍 Winner: Relive the glory days of 2007 in 2023
You’ve just ordered a pizza and 2L of Mountain Dew. You’ve loaded up Halo Infinite and are going to play classic Halo 3 maps like Guardian, The Pit, High Ground and Narrows. There’s no school or work tomorrow. You can stay up all night. You are 36 years old. The year is 2023.
🥲 Halo Infinite’s Refueled event is here
💚 It features seven classic Halo 3 maps, reimaging for Halo Infinite
🎮 Grab your controller, a Mountain Dew and roll back the years
8. Apple announces the 2023 App Store Award finalists
🏆👍 Winner: Download these highly-rated apps for iOS and Mac devices
It’s that time of year once again, as Apple’s App Store Editorial team celebrates the very best apps and games of the year. It’s always a great chance to see which apps and games you may have missed and give them a try yourself.
“We are excited about the achievements of these App Store Award finalists who are helping users around the world to explore their interests in drawing, design, video editing, education, music, time management, working out, hiking, playing games, and so much more,” said Phil Schiller, Apple Fellow. “These finalists are all incredibly talented and have put enormous effort into creating these great apps and games. We are inspired by their accomplishments and look forward to announcing the winners of the App Store Awards later this month.”
🥇 Finalists include Duolingo, Flighty, AllTrails, Hello Kitty Island Adventure
🔎 Apple’s awards are a great way to discover new apps
9. The Super Mario Bros. Movie comes to Netflix on December 3
🍿 👍 Winner: The biggest film of the year will soon be available to stream
It’s finally time. The Super Mario Bros Movie comes to Netflix on Sunday, December 3, just in time for the holiday season. If you haven’t seen it yet (or saw it five times already and want to see it in its latest format), you can now enjoy Mario and Nintendo’s iconic characters in the comfort of your own home.
📆 The Super Mario Bros. Movie streams on Netflix starting Sunday, Dec. 3
⭐️ It features a star-studded cast: Chris Pratt, Jack Black and Seth Rogan
🍑 It’s worth watching for Bowser’s ‘Peaches’ song alone
10. Here’s what you need to do to buy Valve’s limited-edition Steam Deck OLED
🛍️ 👍 Winner: The limited-edition new Steam Deck will likely sell out fast!
Valve’s limited-edition Steam Deck OLED, which features a translucent shell and eye-catching orange highlights, is likely to sell out within minutes. To combat bots and resellers, the company has also put in a few safeguards to ensure actual customers can purchase the new model.
Here’s what you need if you want to purchase one tomorrow at 10am PST:
🇺🇸 🇨🇦 You need to be in the United States or Canada
😇 Your account needs to be in good standing
✅ Your account needs to have made a purchase on Steam before November 2023
👉 Only one unit may be purchased per account