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From power banks to charging stands and USB-C hubs, there are plenty of essential peripherals you need to pick up to complement your tech, but doing so can get expensive. Fortunately, accessory maker Hyper is currently runnign a winter sale offering 30% off a selection of its wares to help save you some cash. Just be sure to enter the discount code WINTER30 during the checkout process to score the savings.

Whether it’s a USB-C hub, a Thunderbolt dock, or a battery pack, there’s something for everyone with the Hyper logo on the side. And now you can take your pick of some of the very best accessories with a cool 30% discount.

Hyper makes a ton of accessories for Windows PCs, Mac laptops and phones of all shapes and sizes so we’re sure that you’ll be able to find the right accessory for you and your needs. We do have some favorites though, including the HyperJuice magnetic wireless battery pack, a product that can charge your iPhone 12 or newer just by attaching it to the back. There’s a large 5,000mAh battery and an LED level indicator while USB-C quick charging is also an option. That product normally sells for $50 but you can save 30% today.

Another great option is the HyperDrive Thunderbolt 4 Power Hub, a hub that not only has four Thunderbolt ports but also a GaN charger built in so you can power all of your stuff and connect more devices at the same time. That normally sells for $300, but you can again order today and save 30% thanks to the WINTER30 discount code, dropping it down to $210.

With tons of deals on phone accessories maybe it’s also time you treated yourself to a new phone, too. Be sure to check out our list of the best phone deals before you do with discounts available across a whole range of devices.

When it comes to in-car entertainment, you really can’t beat Apple CarPlay or Android Auto, depending on what phone you own. Both turn your in-car display into a big iPhone or Android phone of sorts, but not all cars support it — even hyper-modern electric vehicles like those from Tesla. Now, you can add CarPlay and Android Auto to those vehicles for just $96.

That’s all thanks to this deal that saves you 40% off the original $160 asking price for a new Mesay foldable touchscreen display that’s just waiting to upgrade your in-car entertainment experience. There are tons of CarPlay and Android Auto head units around, but this approach is much cheaper and easier to install.

This Mesay unit has a large 6.8-inch touchscreen and supports both Android Auto and CarPlay for ultimate compatibility. There are plenty of connectivity options as well, including Bluetooth and an aux jack, while a built-in FM transmitter is also offered.

Mounting the display is quick and easy, and support for Siri and Google Assistant for hands-free calling, navigation and music makes this a safer option than trying to stab away at your small phone screen while on the move. Keep in mind that this StackSocial deal might not be an option for long, so consider placing an order now if you want to add one of these to your vehicle in time for your next road trip.

Looking for a new phone to go with this display? Be sure to check out our collection of the best iPhone deals, while our list of the best phone deals also includes some of the big-name Android models, too.

For many of us, computers have become central to our work, which means it’s having access to the latest and most widely used software and applications is vital for success. Microsoft’s Windows OS and productivity tools like Word and Excel are acclaimed worldwide and used by schools and businesses across the globe. Getting your hands on that software for yourself can cost a pretty penny, but right now you can score lifetime access at a serious discount.

Woot has knocked hundreds off of essential Microsoft programs like Windows 11 Pro and Office Pro 2021 so you can upgrade for less right now. But these deals expire Jan. 17, so be sure to make your selections before then if you don’t want to miss out on these savings.

Whether you have an older computer you’d like to upgrade or you aim to build your own and need to invest in an operating system, Woot has the latest Windows OS available at a discount. You can get a digital download of Windows 11 Home for just $20 — that’s an 86% savings over its list price. For $5 more, you can snag Windows 11 Pro. That saves you 88% and may be a better investment for anyone who works from home or relies heavily on their computer thanks to its enhanced security features and simplified user interface.

Windows 10 Pro is also available for just $25 right now, but remember that this OS was released in 2015 and will reach the end of its support in October 2025. We recommend going with one of the newer OS options. Also, note that Windows OS software is not compatible with iOS, Android or Chromebook devices and you will need an internet connection for online activation.

For those looking to add some of Microsoft’s most popular productivity apps, Woot has multiple versions available at a deep discount right now. Window users can snag Microsoft Office Professional 2021, which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Publisher and Access for just $35, which saves you $405 compared to Microsoft’s price. If you’re a Mac user, you can pick up Microsoft Office Home and Business 2019 for $30, but note that it only includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook. Microsoft’s extended support for this older version will expire on Oct. 14, 2025.

A few other software deals are available, including lifetime AdGuard subscriptions for just $13 and Microsoft Visual Studio Pro 2022 for $45, along with some online course options to help you learn how to use some of the most in-demand software.

When making a software purchase from Woot, you’ll receive a redemption code via email within a few business days so that you can register your product. Woot also has a helpful installation guide that will walk you through the process if you need a little help getting started. It’s worth noting that each of these products is a one-time purchase that you can use for one device only. You cannot redeem your code on multiple devices, so be sure that you install it on the device you plan to use.

Earfun has consistently released decent-sounding noise-canceling earbuds in the $30-$70 price range that offer good bang for your buck. It also makes portable Bluetooth speakers but until now hasn’t offered over-ear noise-canceling headphones. That’s about to change in March, as we’ll see the new Wave Pro headphones hit Amazon, Earfun announced at CES 2024. They’ll list for $80 but could end up costing closer to $70 with discounts, based on how Earfun has priced its products in the past.

Read more: Best noise-canceling headphones under $100

Earfun is billing the Wave Pro as high-res headphones. They have 40mm “Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) composite film dynamic coil” drivers and feature LDAC audio codec support when paired with devices like Android smartphones that support LDAC streaming over Bluetooth (LDAC is capable of delivering audio at higher bit rates so you may see a slight bump in audio quality if you use a high-res streaming service such as Qobuz, Tidal or Amazon Music).

Earfun says the 268-gram Wave Pro is equipped with a “5-Microphone AI-powered algorithm” for voice calling, a low-latency (<55ms) game mode, multipoint Bluetooth pairing and an auxiliary port for wired listening (there’s no mention of USB-C audio). Battery life is rated at up to 80 hours with noise-canceling off and 55 hours with it on and a 10-minute charge gets you 10 hours of listening time.

While I haven’t tried the Wave Pro headphones yet, at first glance they seem to check a lot of boxes for what you might hope for in a pair of value headphones. If they manage to sound as good as Earfun says they do — or even 75% as good — and also be comfortable, they could make out a list of the best noise-canceling headphones under $100.

Wave Pro’s key specs, according to Earfun:

• Hybrid active noise cancellation up to 45dB and anti-wind noise reduction
• 268 grams
• Hi-Res audio certified with LDAC audio codec support
• Diamond-Like Carbon (DLC) composite 40mm dynamic drivers
• Frequency response range of up to 40kHz
• Hands-free calling with advanced ENC and 5-mic Al-powered algorithm
• Up to 80-hour battery life (55 hours with ANC on) with fast charging
• Multipoint connection allows you to switch between devices quickly
• Game mode with extremely <55ms low latency
• Aux wired connection mode (cable included)
• Price: $80
• Shipping: March 2024

At CES, Earfun also unveiled a new Bluetooth boom box speaker, the UBoom X ($180), which is due to ship in June and will compete with Tribit’s Stormbox Blast and Soundcore by Anker’s Motion Boom Plus speakers. I suspect its real price will be less than $150.

UBoom X’s key specs, according to Earfun:

• Bluetooth 5.3
• JumboBass technology
• 4-Driver design and 80 watts of power (2×4-inch mid-woofer + 2x20mm tweeter driver)
• IPX7 Waterproof
• Up to 30-hour battery life with quick charging
• Lightweight design with carry handle and strap
• Multi-color LED lighting
• Supports USB-C charging output and can also be used as a power bank to charge external mobile devices
• Customize the sound with EarFun Audio App
• Pair it with another UBoom X for stereo sound or link with up to 50 Earfun speakers via Party Connect mode
• Built-in microphone for hands-free calls
• Price: $180
• Shipping: June 2024

I’ll have hands-on reviews of both products when they’re released later this year.

Not everybody wants a bunch of speakers in the living room, and to make matters worse, a traditional surround sound system requires them to live in specific places. Center speakers go above or below the TV, fronts to either size and rears at the back corners of the room. But what if there’s a doorway or open space right where a speaker should go? Dolby will soon have an app for that.

The audio company demonstrated a speaker setup system at CES 2024 called Dolby Atmos Flex Connect, and I was able to experience it myself at the company’s private demo suite. A TV at the front of the room joined three speakers placed seemingly at random, one on a bookshelf to my left and two more to my right. Dolby’s representatives handed me a phone with the demo app queued up, and I hit the “I am where I normally watch the TV” button to start the calibration process.

Following a series of simple prompts, I measured first the TV’s speakers then the other speakers by simply aiming the phone at them in turn. The phone’s mic listened to the sound from the speakers then entered a calibration mode for a few seconds. After the process finished, the message “Calibration complete!” appeared on the TV and phone along with a graphic depicting the location of the speakers in the room, and I was able to listen.

The results were impressive. Yes, I could still sort of detect the location of the speakers by listening hard, but for the most part their locations blended into a single field of sound. I appreciated that the side of the room with two speakers didn’t sound massively different from the side with one, and the low-quality TV speakers blended in nicely with the other speaker set.

Dolby says Flex Connect accounts for different performance between speakers, for example, lack of bass from TV speakers, and directs frequencies to other speakers or a subwoofer accordingly.

The demo I got was meant to show off the system and won’t appear in the market as shown. Instead, partner companies will be able to add Flex Connect to their own TVs, speakers and apps. The system will debut later this year on the high-end Hisense 110UX as well as TCL TVs. In both cases the system uses the TVs’ built-in mics, not a phone app, for calibration, but the Dolby demo I got was designed to show off how it could work with lower-end TVs that lack built-in mics. Note that the speakers themselves, in addition to the TV, would also have to be compatible with the Atmos Flex Connect.

Of course, if you just use the TV’s speakers or have a single soundbar, like many TV watchers, you won’t need the capabilities of something like Flex Connect. But if you upgrade to add more speakers, and don’t want to have to worry about exact placement, the system could be really useful.

A startup called Spectricity hopes its special purpose camera that captures 16 different colors will mean your future phone will be able to handle the subtleties of real-world color more capably.

The company has developed a very compact form of what’s called a multispectral camera, a module that captures many more frequencies of light than the red, green and blue of traditional digital cameras. By marrying its multispectral image data with the photo taken by a traditional camera, the system can better navigate tricky lighting situations, improve skin tones in photos, boost apps for makeup choices and dermatology diagnoses, and help with online purchases where accurate color matters.

“Smartphones are colorblind. It’s a problem all smartphone makers are trying to solve,” said Chief Executive Vincent Mouret, who leads the 35-person spinoff from Imec, a prominent chip research and development center in Belgium. He spoke from the CES 2024 show, where Spectricity is showing off its S1 multispectral camera, now squeezed down to fit in a phone.

Indeed, the company has at least three customers that he expects will include Spectricity’s camera in 2025 phones.

Cameras are arguably the highest profile aspect of any new phone and the main reason many of us upgrade. They’re getting steadily better as phone makers increase sensor size, add new cameras for ultrawide and telephoto perspectives and improve computational photography software that milks better shots out of small image sensors. Phone makers are desperate for an edge that helps them stand out over rivals.

It’s not clear just how often Spectricity’s technology would improve a photo. Not every shot is complicated by unusual lighting or difficult situations, like mixed lighting with both warmer-toned indoor lights and cooler outdoor sunshine.

But color problems can be significant, as evidenced by the effort companies like Google and Apple are investing into truer rendering of skin tones, especially for people of color.

Michael Jacobs, a Spectricity application engineer, demonstrated the company’s technology by taking a photo of a doll portraying a Black person against a pinkish background. Google’s Pixel 7 Pro shifted the color dramatically, giving the doll’s face a blue cast and turning the wall purple. The same shots modified by the Spectricity color information showed much more natural tones.

“We can detect the face in this multispectral image and then find the illuminance that is shining on that face,” Jacobs said. “We use that information to correct illuminance and then end up with the correct color for that face.”

Spectricity isn’t alone in its interest. Marc Levoy, a researcher at Adobe and formerly at Google, who pioneered computational photography, sees multispectral sensors as an avenue for smartphone photography improvements.

Fitting a multispectral camera into a smartphone

Spectricity’s S1 camera module, including the image sensor and the company’s own lens, fits into the small volume of a regular smartphone camera module. It’ll cost only about $3. A more significant concern for smartphone makers could be the volume the camera occupies, since every cubic millimeter inside a phone is precious.

The image sensor filters light by using interference patterns that thin transparent films can cause, either transmitting or reflecting particular frequencies of light depending on the thickness of the film. It’s what causes the rainbow patterns you can see when oil is spilled on a puddle in the road.

Spectricity’s sensor has a 5-megapixel resolution, but since each pixel captures only one color, it yields a 640×480 image with all 16 colors per pixel. Processing those color combinations for each pixel is what allows Spectricity’s technology to infer the true colors of a scene, the company says.

The S1 produces a relatively low-resolution image compared to smartphones that typically take 12, 24 or 48 megapixel photos. But the color data can be mapped to the full-resolution shot. The S1 works in conjunction with a phone’s camera and doesn’t replace it.

Google is laying off hundreds of employees across its Pixel, Nest, Fitbit, and Assistant divisions, the company said in a statement on Thursday. Google’s augmented reality team was also hit with layoffs, according to a report by 9to5Google.

“To best position us for these opportunities, throughout the second half of 2023, a number of our teams made changes to become more efficient and work better, and to align their resources to their biggest product priorities” a Google spokesperson said in a statement. “Some teams are continuing to make these kinds of organizational changes, which include some role eliminations globally.”

The Alphabet Workers Union, the organization representing Google employees and contractors, said the layoffs were “needless” and accused Google of continuing to “fire our coworkers while making billions every quarter.” It recommitted to its goal to protect workers.

Tonight, Google began another round of needless layoffs. Our members and teammates work hard every day to build great products for our users, and the company cannot continue to fire our coworkers while making billions every quarter. We won’t stop fighting until our jobs are safe!

— Alphabet Workers Union (AWU-CWA) (@AlphabetWorkers) January 11, 2024

Some of these layoffs could be due to organizational changes, and it’s likely that affected employees could reapply for open positions at Google.

Google’s layoffs come as the tech industry saw massive firings early last year. Not only did Google lay off a significant amount of employees, so too did Microsoft, Amazon, Meta and X, the social media website formerly known as Twitter. There were 263,000 people laid off in tech last year alone, according to Fortune. The reasons for the layoffs were numerous, with some companies downsizing after sizing up extensively during the pandemic while others were looking to prioritize other product categories.

2024 is already showing that the tech layoff trend will continue. This month, layoffs have hit Amazon Prime Video and Amazon-owned video game streaming website Twitch, as well as software developer Unity Technologies and Xerox. Discord, the chat platform popular with gamers, also said it would be laying off 170 people, or 17% of its workforce, earlier Thursday. Duolingo laid off 10% of its contractors, with their roles reportedly being taken over by AI.

It’s not clear how much the rise in AI adoption might have influenced these layoffs or how consumers will be affected by the changes. But 2024 is off to a familiar start for the tech industry.

A report by TechCrunch says that over 1,000 employees at Google were laid off. CNET hasn’t independently verified the report.

CES 2024 in Las Vegas, as in years past, is a flurry of dazzling gadgetry: giant televisions, robots, EVs and foldable phones. But underpinning just about every piece of tech at this year’s show is AI, the technology that’s captivated millions ever since ChatGPT stormed onto the internet in late 2022. It’s not hard to imagine C-suite executives pounding on boardroom conference tables demanding AI be a cornerstone in future products.

And who could blame them? When ChatGPT launched on Nov. 30, 2022, it took only five days for it to attract 1 million users. By comparison, it took Netflix three and a half years to accomplish the same feat. Two months later, ChatGPT had an estimated 100 million users.

“AI is reshaping industries beyond technologies and has the power to make lives easier and more inclusive for all,” J.H. Han, CEO and head of the device experience division at Samsung, said during the company’s keynote on Monday.

Read more: AI Chatbots Are Here to Stay. Learn How They Can Work for You

Across the CES landscape this year, there was no shortage of AI-infused products angling for attention: lamps, lawn mowers, vacuums, mirrors, meat thermometers, dog collars and even pillows. Samsung showed off an AI robot named Ballie and refrigerators with AI vision that can recognize foods to suggest recipes or tell you when the expiration date is near. Samsung’s washing machines will use AI as well, learning your habits and suggesting cycles.

AI isn’t one singular thing. Apps such as ChatGPT are built on generative AI. It uses massive troves of training data, synthesizing information much like the human brain, to create text, images or even computer code in seconds. It’s a transformative technology that has Big Tech titans like Google and Microsoft investing billions in a quest to lead the market. McKinsey estimates that generative AI could add the equivalent of up to $4.4 trillion in economic benefit annually, increasing global GDP by 7%. In Big Tech’s AI wake are hundreds of smaller companies floating to the surface, finding specific ways of using generative AI tech for bespoke applications, like helping high schoolers with college essays or creating online dating profiles.

CES 2024 has been packed with product reps, CEOs, investment bankers and keynote speakers all vibrating their vocal cords to the tune of AI. It’s not just major tech brands, but also the likes of Walmart, McDonald’s, L’Oreal and Volkswagen all filling the Las Vegas Convention Center to appeal to CES’ 130,000 attendees – and to a wider world looking to figure out how AI will fit into their lives.

“You don’t want to show up at the costume party in plain clothes, right?” said Dipanjan Chatterjee, principal analyst at Forrester. “Everyone’s going to be there saying AI. You’re probably going to look like a fool if you don’t.”

The Consumer Technology Association, the trade group that runs CES, expects that over 230 million smartphones and PCs arriving in the US this year will use generative AI in some form or fashion.

For many products on the CES 2024 show floor, AI is more of an evolution than a revolution. A few years back, refrigerators and toasters were “smart” with Amazon Alexa or Samsung Bixby integrations. While the ideas were cool, being able to ask your fridge to order some milk didn’t substantively change people’s lives. Voice recognition technology felt half-baked at times, as if these smart home assistants were only as smart as their pre-programmed answers allowed them to be.

But the new wave of AI is, in a sense, a rebranding of smart tech. This conversational technology is multilayered, allowing you to ask question upon question, shimmying in more parameters without hesitation.

For instance, you can ask the upcoming ChatGPT-powered Volkswagen ID 7 to find a nearby Chinese restaurant. It might point you to Panda Express, but you could instead request something more upscale. Heck, you could request five upscale options and ask which has the best seafood options. Pretty clever stuff.

Walmart said it’s using AI to make product searches more dynamic, allowing shoppers to look beyond brand names. People can query “football watch party” and get results for wings, chips and big-screen TVs. Even TVs themselves are now on the AI train, with LG’s top-end OLED devices promising better picture processing and upscaling, thanks to AI.

It’s not about tech for tech’s sake, Walmart CEO Doug McMillon said during the company’s keynote on Tuesday. The goal of adding something like generative AI should be one in which the “benefits of technology are pursued but people are considered along the way.”

Intel CEO Pat Gelsinger sees technology as impartial and says it’s up to those who use it to shape how it’s used. AI is just the latest development in humanity’s technological evolution and will eventually become a mainstay of everyday life.

“Would you go to a radiologist that wasn’t using AI-assisted radiology? Absolutely not. Just like you wouldn’t have gone to a finance guy who didn’t use a spreadsheet,” Gelsinger said in an interview with CNBC’s Kristina Partsinevolos during the company’s keynote on Tuesday.

Anyway, don’t expect a $3,500 AI-powered toaster to send you on an existential crisis. Actually, most of the products shown off at CES tend to be conceptual, showing what’s possible but seldom materializing in the market, at least not in the short term. But some features do trickle out to consumers, slowly changing the tech landscape.

“What [brands] don’t want to do is go back home and compete on price,” Chatterjee said. Instead, he said, brands find more value in delivering features you will continue to rely on, learning more about your habits as you continue to use their product.

“You’re basically hooked.”

Editors’ note: CNET is using an AI engine to help create some stories. For more, see this post.

Each January, tech companies and members of the press descend on Las Vegas for a festival of demos and concepts. There’s plenty to see at CES 2024, but many of the products unveiled at the show won’t be available in stores until much later — if ever. While flashy tech promos are sure to attract attention during the event, CES has a long history of delayed launches and vaporware. Fortunately, there’s plenty of useful tech doesn’t that’s ready to hit digital and physical store shelves.

All of the products below are available to preorder or buy right now. From clicky iPhone keyboards to smart indoor meat smokers, here are the best products of CES 2024 available right now. While you’re here, these are our CES favorites so far and here are the weirdest gadgets at the show.

We’ll be keeping tabs on all of the CES announcements and bringing the immediately available options to you here. For all of our coverage, from stained-glass window solar panels to 115-inch TV sets, be sure to hit up our full CES 2024 roundup.

Just about all of us are online these days, and that means it may be time to think about investing in a virtual private network, or VPN. VPNs are generally a good idea for everyone, because they help encrypt your connection to the internet, which protects your data while you’re online. They also open up a wider variety of globalized streaming entertainment options.

If you’re looking to a VPN to help you surf the web with confidence, there are a number of deals that can save you some cash available right now. One of our favorite VPN services, Surfshark, is offering a stellar discount, slashing prices on plans by up to 82% and throwing in up to four months for free.

Surfshark is easy to use and offers plenty of security features that make it a solid option for folks looking to protect themselves online. Surfshark also allows you to use your subscription on an unlimited number of devices, which is convenient for large families, and the cost is competitive as well, which is why it earned a CNET’s Editors’ Choice Award for Best Value VPN in 2022.

There are three major offerings happening now. For the lowest month-over-month cost, you can sign up for the Surfshark Starter plan. It knocks 82% off the price and offers four free months on a two-year subscription, providing you a total of 28 months of Surfshark VPN for only $1.99 a month, billed at $55.72 up front.

If you’re looking for more comprehensive protection, you may want to opt for the Surfshark One plan. It’s also 82% off right now and comes with four extra months of service, bringing you a total of 28 months at just $2.69 a month, billed at $75.32 up front. It also comes with antivirus protection, alerts you of data breaches and gives you access to a private search engine.

And if you want to nab the subscription with the most features, Surfshark One Plus may be the right plan for you. Like the others, it’s available at an 82% discount and gives you four months of free service on a two-year plan, meaning you’ll get a total of 28 months of Surfshark VPN for only $3.99 a month, billed at $111.72 up front. You’ll get all the features listed above, plus access to Surfshark’s sister Incogni service, which will help remove your data from both company databases and people-search sites. That should make you less vulnerable to someone acquiring your information, at least for a while.

Whichever plan you choose, you’ll benefit from a secure internet connection and nab a great price for more than two years of service. However, if you want to see what other options we recommend, check out our roundup of VPN deals happening now.