Category: Technologies

If you’re looking for a device perfectly suited to reading and writing, you’ll find E Ink tablets may be the right fit. Right now Best Buy has marked down bundles that include our favorite E Ink tablet for writing and note-taking, the ReMarkable 2, to under $500. This 1-day deal expires tonight at 9:59 p.m. PT (12:59 a.m. ET), so be sure to get your orders in before then if you want to take advantage of these savings.

Ditch your spiral notebook for this 10.3-inch tablet. It’s a great solution for staying organized by keeping your notes all in one place, making it a great tool for students and writers, alike. Plus, if you’re easily distracted, you may appreciate that this device has no social media, ads or notifications to get you off task. As tablets go, it’s fairly basic, with a monochrome display that boasts a resolution of 226 DPI. The device is thin, coming in at just 4.7mm thick, and it has an impressive paper-like feel. This tablet can even convert your handwriting into typed text, write directly on PDFs, import Microsoft Office files and more. A single charge should provide you with up to two weeks of battery life.

The bundle includes the magnetic Marker Plus, which comes with a built-in eraser and never needs to charge, along with a 1-year subscription to Connect, which lets you add to the 8GB of internal storage by adding unlimited cloud storage, as well as the ability to sync files with Google Drive, Dropbox and OneDrive. Plus, you’ll get either a polymer weave book folio or a premium leather book folio, depending on which bundle you choose. The first is discounted by $50 right now, bringing the price to $499, while the latter is marked down to $529 — a $70 discount. Note that there is no backlight, so you won’t be able to use this tablet in the dark, and it only supports select formats, including PDF and unprotected epub. If you’re looking primarily for an e-reader, you may want to pass on this option.

Looking for other discounted models? Be sure to check out other tablet deals happening now. For more great gadgets worth buying, take a look at our roundup of tech gifts under $100.

Apple’s M3-powered 14- and 16-inch MacBook Pros have only been on sale for a few weeks, but there are already some big deals to be had if you know where to look. Right now, both Amazon and Best Buy can save you as much as $200 on the 14-inch model with the 16-inch version seeing even steeper savings of up to $250.

The base-spec 14-inch model is available at $170 off, dropping down to just $1,429 for the 512GB configuration, with the 1TB version selling at $200 off. Both options come with 8GB of RAM and that gorgeous display.

Those looking for a larger display can choose the 16-inch M3 Pro MacBook Pro from just $2,249, a $250 price cut, with that machine sporting 512GB of storage and 18GB of RAM. Other configurations are also available if you need a different amount of RAM or storage, too. It’s really difficult to go wrong with any of them though — the M3 and M3 Pro chips are fast and quiet, making these powerhouse machines for those who need to get work done on the move.

Don’t worry if you don’t see a deal for you here, our collection of the best MacBook deals can pair you up with a nice upgrade cross a range of models and price points.

Getting caught with a dead phone, tablet or laptop while you’re out and about can throw a serious wrench in your day. And if you don’t want to find yourself scrambling to track down the nearest outlet, you’ll want to make sure you keep a portable charger on hand. With a 145-watt output, this Ugreen Nexode power bank has enough juice to charge up your phone or laptop, and right now you can snag it for just $85, which saves you $65 compared to the usual price. Just be sure to activate the 5% on-page coupon to get the full discount.

The Ugreen Nexode is equipped with a substantial 25,000 mAh battery, which is large enough to fully recharge your phone up to five times, or your laptop at least once. And with a power output of up to 145 watts, it can even handle larger devices like the MacBook Pro, Nintendo Switch or DJI Mini 3 Pro drone. It features one USB-C port with a 100-watt power supply, another with a 45-watt output and a USB-A port with an 18-watt output, so you can power up to three devices at a time. It also supports two-way charging so you can power your devices and the power bank simultaneously. Plus, it has a built-in LED display that lets you monitor the remaining charge.

Shopping for one of the best laptops on the market can get expensive quite quickly, especially if you’re aiming for something that can do video editing or play the latest AAA games. There is a solution, which is to go with a manufacturer-refurbished model. While some folks are put off by refurbs, they can get you a better device for less (and you’re helping the environment by reducing e-waste).

One great example is this Woot sale on refurbished MSI laptops, with some really excellent picks in the mix. It includes a couple of solid gaming laptops and a reasonably powerful workstation, which is perfect for those who are starting out but can’t afford more expensive gear.

Probably one of the best deals in this sale is the MSI Creator 15. It comes with the very powerful RTX 3080 graphics card and a 4K screen, which means you’ll get some excellent graphics when gaming and make video editing and content creation easier. It also has an Intel Core i7-11800H, which is a mid- to high-end processor that will handle productivity tasks easily, while the 16GB of RAM will give you a smooth day-to-day experience. The best part is that you can get it for just $1,200, a price you won’t see on equivalent laptops.

Another good option that certainly looks more like a gaming laptop is the MSI Raider GE76. It comes with the slightly less powerful RTX 3070 Ti, but it does have a 17-inch screen that runs a 1080p resolution and can hit a whopping 360Hz refresh rate. This essentially makes it a great laptop for competitive e-sports, and the Intel Core i7-12700H will help you stream that if that’s what you’d like to do. It’s currently going for $1,400, a low price for a solid GPU and high-refresh-rate display.

If you’re looking for something cheap and light that’s great for work or school, the MSI Modern 15 is a decent option, too. it has a mid- to high-end AMD Ryzen 7 5700U processor, which will handle productivity tasks easily and will even let you get some casual gaming in. It has a 15.6-inch, 1080p monitor and a reasonable 8GB of RAM, so it’s going to give you a good overall experience. You can grab it for $430 from Woot.

If none of these really grabs your fancy, or you don’t feel comfortable buying a factory-reconditioned laptop, there are some other great laptop deals and gaming laptop deals you can check out.

Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Apple Watch Series 9 — the two top watches in our best smartwatches for 2023 collection — might soon be disappearing from shelves and online retailers, at least for customers in the US. Apple announced Monday that it plans to pause US sales for both models starting on Dec. 24 due to a patent infringement claim.

Here’s the good news: Both models are actually on sale ahead of that deadline.

Right now, you can pick up the Apple Watch Ultra 2 for as little as $699 thanks to a discount with instant coupons at Amazon. The discounts vary by size and style, but you can get at least one model with the small band for under $700, while some models with the larger bands will cost you closer to $730. Both are nice discounts compared with the Apple Store price of $799.

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the latest and greatest wearable the company offers. It has a huge 49mm display and high-precision GPS for use when you’re out in the wilderness or when just want reliable data for your workouts. The extra-long battery life ensures you get multiple days from a single charge, and the rugged titanium case is strong yet light, perfect for your next adventure. You also get access to all the usual features, including fitness and activity tracking, heart rate monitoring, and more.

Meanwhile, the Apple Watch Series 9 is being sold for $70 off the Apple Store price — $329 for the 41mm GPS model, $359 for the 45mm model. That model is smaller than the Ultra, lacks the Action Button and some of the extreme sports features of the Ultra, like the diving features, but is otherwise the state of the art when it comes to Apple wrist-based tech.

Note that the 2022 Apple Watch SE will not be affected by the sales pause, so there’s no urgency there. The same goes for older Apple Watch models. But in the absence of a last-minute deal, the Series 9 and Ultra 2 watches may well disappear from store shelves by Christmas. That means you’ve got less than a week left to take advantage of this offer, and with the recent news, there’s a good chance that it will be selling fast. We’d definitely recommend that you get your order in soon if you’re hoping to take advantage of these savings.

Trying to keep tabs on everything you need to keep track of when completing larger projects can get overwhelming. But Microsoft Project Professional 2021 is a comprehensive project management app for professionals with advanced features that make it much easier to handle and optimize all of your projects. New users can snag Microsoft Project Professional 2021 for just $30 right now at StackSocial, saving you 88% on its usual price.

This app can streamline project management to make it much simpler to keep up with all the nuts and bolts of your plan. It includes plenty of great features, including pre-built templates, a way to run what-if scenarios, complex schedules with built-in multiple timelines, helpful resource assignment technology, automated scheduling tools, built-in reports and much more. Plus, it can sync with Project Online and Project Server and it supports Long-Term Servicing Channel and is compatible with Office LTSC and Office 2021, with support available through Oct. 13, 2026.

If you’re looking to purchase Project Professional 2021 outright, rather than subscribing to a monthly plan, it will run you an astounding $1,130 from Microsoft directly. Of course, you can get a 1-month free trial through Microsoft. But this StackSocial deal essentially saves you over a grand on the one-time fee and skips those recurring subscription fees other options require.

It’s worth noting that only new customers can take advantage of this deal. Plus, once you make your purchase, you’ll only be able to install the app on a single computer for use at home or work, so you’ll have to decide which PC you want to access this program through. And because you won’t be able to download this app on multiple devices, if your computer dies, you may lose access to Project Professional 2021 and be unable to transfer it to another computer.

Rick Riordon’s much-loved Percy Jackson book franchise gets a new lease of life on Disney+ this month, as a fresh live-action series based on the novels heads to the streaming service.

The eight-episode season- titled Percy Jackson and the Olympians, follows the events of The Lightning Thief — the first book of the series. Starring Walker Scobell in the lead role, the series follows Percy as he discovers that happens to be a demigod with divine powers.

When the Greek god Zeus tasks him with finding his stolen lightning bolt, Percy and his friends Annabeth (Leah Sava Jeffries) and Grover (Aryan Simhadri) must find themselves on a quest to retrieve the weapon and bring order back to Olympus.

This new reboot of the series comes after a pair of disappointing Percy Jackson movie adaptions in the early 2010’s (The Lightning Thief and Sea of Monsters), which were infamously derided by Riordan himself. Fans of the books will be relieved to hear that this new series looks set to be far more faithful to the source material, with Riordan onboard as one of the writers.

Find out by following our guide on how to watch Percy Jackson and the Olympians and why a VPN could be a useful tool.

How to watch Percy Jackson and the Olympians on Disney Plus

The first two episodes of Percy Jackson and the Olympians will be available to stream on Disney Plus on Wednesday, Dec. 20, in the US and Canada at 12 a.m. PT, 3 a.m. ET — that’s 8 a.m. GMT in the UK, and 7 p.m. AEDT in Australia).

The remaining episodes will land on the service every Wednesday until the eighth and final episode of the season comes out on Jan. 31, 2024.

Disney Plus’ ad-free service costs more in the US, but you can also try out the new ad-free Disney bundle, which launched in September. The service’s ad-free tier increased to $140 a year or $14 a month, and an ad-based tier is also offered which costs $8 per month (no option to pay annually). Read more on how we tested Disney Plus’ ad-supported tier and what to expect with the price hike.

How to watch Percy Jackson and the Olympians from anywhere using a VPN

Perhaps you’re traveling abroad and want to stream Disney Plus while away from home. With a VPN, you’re able to virtually change your location on your phone, tablet or laptop to get access to the series from anywhere in the world. There are other good reasons to use a VPN for streaming too.

A VPN is the best way to encrypt your traffic and stop your ISP from throttling your speeds. Using a VPN is also a great idea if you’re traveling and find yourself connected to a Wi-Fi network and want to add an extra layer of privacy for your devices and logins. Streaming TV can be a bit smoother with a reliable, quality VPN that’s passed our tests and security standards.

You can use a VPN to stream content legally as long as VPNs are allowed in your country and you have a valid subscription to the streaming service you’re using. The US and Canada are among the countries where VPNs are legal, but we advise against streaming or downloading content on illegal torrent sites. We recommend ExpressVPN, but you may opt for another provider from our best list, such as Surfshark or NordVPN.

Follow the VPN provider’s instructions for installation and choose a country where Percy Jackson and the Olympians is streaming on Disney Plus. Before you open the streaming app, make sure you’re connected to your VPN using your selected region. If you want to stream the TV show on more than one device, it’s possible you’ll need to configure each one to ensure you’re signed in. Go to settings and check your network connections to verify you’re logged in and connected to your VPN account. Now you’re ready to open Disney Plus to stream.

If you run into issues with streaming, first make sure your VPN is up and running on its encrypted IP address. Double-check that you’ve followed installation instructions correctly and you’ve picked the right geographical area for viewing. If you still encounter connection problems, you may need to reboot your device. Close all apps and windows, restart your device and connect to your VPN first. Note that some streaming services have restrictions on VPN access.

Getting your hands on more than 240 new Mac apps would normally be an expensive business, but Setapp has long offered a way to do just that while paying for a single subscription instead. That subscription makes getting hold of some of the best Mac apps a breeze, and at $120 it’s a bit of a bargain as well. Right now, you don’t even have to pay that much to get the software you need to make the most of that new MacBook Air.

Today Stack Social is offering a full year of Setapp’s Personal Mac Plan for just $85, a discount of 29%. It also happens to be a deal that you don’t have to jump through any hoops for, with no on-screen coupons or discount codes involved. However, you do need to be a new customer to Setapp, so keep that in mind if you’re a returning customer.

Once you’re all signed up you can download any of those 240+ apps without any additional payments. And because these are the full apps, you won’t have to deal with any ads or in-app purchases, either. There are apps across tons of different categories, including such well-regarded utilities as CleanMyMac X, CleanShot X, Numi, Session, Boom 3D and dozens more. You’re sure to find something useful and productive, whether you’re on the hunt for a new developer tool, task manager, or something to get the creative juices flowing.

Not sure that Setapp is for you? There is a free seven-day trial available if you go direct to the Setapp website, but make sure to buy your year’s subscription via Stack Social to get the best price when you’re ready.

If you’re not going through an organization like your employer or your school, getting access to Microsoft Office apps can cost you a lot of money. These days, snagging your own license to Office Pro 2021 directly from Microsoft will cost you a staggering $440. But for folks looking for less expensive routes to get the apps they need without incurring monthly charges for a Microsoft 365 subscription, StackSocial has a holiday deal worth checking out. Right now, both Mac and Windows users can snag Microsoft Office 2019 for just $30, saving $199 on its regular cost. There’s no set expiration for the deal, so we recommend making your purchase sooner rather than later if you don’t want to miss out on these savings.

Mac users will get the basic Home and Business suite of apps, which includes Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams and OneNote, while Windows users will get the Professional version. That includes the same apps as the Mac version, with the exception of Teams — however, it does add Publisher and Access to round out the suite.

This isn’t the latest version of Office, but compared to signing up for the Microsoft 365 subscription suite, which costs $7 a month or $70 a year for individuals, StackSocial’s offer is a great deal. There is a free online version of Microsoft Office out there that you can use, but it lacks several features, so this may be a better option. Also, Apple users should note that Outlook is now available as a free app for the Mac.

Some important things to note — you’ll get a one-time use code for a single computer, which means you won’t be able to download these apps on multiple devices. And that does mean that if you upgrade to a new computer or your current one dies, you likely won’t be able to transfer the suite. These licenses also lack some of the added conveniences you’ll get with a 365 subscription, including OneDrive cloud storage and cloud-based AI features, including Microsoft Copilot. Additionally, these apps should work for as long as your computer does, but the Mac license has reached the end of its lifecycle, which means Microsoft’s support for this version of Office has ended. Windows users will have extended support through Oct. 14, 2025. There is also a risk that Microsoft could terminate the license at any time, but we’ve been running other versions of Office from StackSocial since early 2022 and have yet to encounter a problem.

Be sure to check system requirements before you make your purchase to ensure these will work on your device. And if you’re looking to upgrade your operating system, there is a bundled deal available that includes both Office Pro 2019 and Windows 11 Pro for just $50.

You don’t have to spend top dollar on pricey Apple, Bose or Sony earbuds to get a decent pair these days. Jabra makes some excellent alternatives that have earned spots on our lists of the best affordable earbuds and best earbuds overall for 2023, and right now you can snag a pair for less. It’s currently offering up to $60 off a wide range of models, with prices starting at just $50. Many of these deals are being price-matched at Amazon.

The most affordable earbuds you’ll find on sale right now are the Jabra Elite 3, which you can pick up for just $50, saving you $30 compared to the usual price. They’re a pretty basic pair with 6mm drivers, a customizable EQ and a noise-isolating design. But if you want active noise-canceling capabilities, you can upgrade to the Jabra Elite 4, which is currently $30 off, dropping the price down to just $70. Depending on your color preference, you may be better off opting for the Elite 4 Active, which offers improved water resistance and a longer 28-hour battery life. The mint color variant is currently available for just $65, which saves you $54 off the usual price, while other variants are available for $80 from Jabra directly.

For $90, which is a $60 discount, you can grab the Jabra Elite 5. They have hybrid active noise-cancellation, a custom EQ and support multipoint Bluetooth pairing. You can also save $50 on the Elite 8 Active and the Elite 10, which have both earned a spot on our list of the overall best earbuds for 2023. With an IP68 weather-resistance rating and an impressive battery life of up to 56 hours, we named the $150 Elite 8 Active the best durable earbuds on the market right now. If premium audio is your top priority, you can snag the $200 Elite 10 earbuds. They’re equipped with 10mm drivers and support Dolby Spatial Audio with head tracking for immersive listening. They do have a semi-open design, which reduces the effectiveness of their noise-canceling capabilities but does make them comfortable to wear for long periods.

Just note that these deals are only available through Dec. 24, so be sure to get your order in before then if you don’t want to miss out on these bargains. If you’re looking for even more offers, you can also check out our full roundup of all the best headphones and earbuds deals for tons of other bargains.