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  • Ahead of New 2024 Models, Apple’s 12.9-Inch M1 iPad Pro Is Almost $400 Off

    Ahead of New 2024 Models, Apple’s 12.9-Inch M1 iPad Pro Is Almost $400 Off

    If you want a tablet with serious power, the Apple iPad Pro is one of the best tablets you can choose. The M2 model is the latest in Apple’s high-end tablet lineup, and there are rumors of new 2024 iPad models on the horizon, but the 2021 iPad Pro still has a lot going for it, especially when you can find one at a discounted price.

    Woot is currently offering $389 off the 12.9-inch model with cellular connectivity and 128GB of storage, a price that means you only have to pay $810 to pick one of these things up This deal is available for another week or so but there’s always a chance it may sell out before then. With that in mind, we’d recommend getting your order in sooner rather than later if you don’t want to miss out on these savings.

    Despite being a generation old, this 2021 iPad Pro still comes packed with advanced hardware that makes it one of the fastest and most advanced tablets out there. It features a stunning 12.9-inch Liquid Retina XDR mini-LED display, which boasts 1,600 nits of peak brightness, a smooth 120Hz refresh rate and supports Apple’s True Tone technology, making it a great pick for digital artists or other creatives.

    Internally, it’s equipped with Apple’s powerful M1 chip, as well as 8GB of RAM and Wi-Fi 6 support for lightning-fast performance. Plus the 12-megapixel front camera automatically keeps you centered, which makes it great for video calls and virtual meetings. It averages around 10 hours of battery life on a single charge and uses a USB-C charger, so you don’t have to worry about keeping an Apple Lightning cable on hand.

    The second-generation Apple Pencil, which can help you unlock the full potential of this tablet, is also on sale for just $79 right now, which saves you $50 compared to the usual price. And if the iPad Pro isn’t for you, we’re rounding up the best iPad deals this side of Christmas including sales on the iPad Air, iPad Mini and entry-level iPad.

  • The Google Pixel 7 Pro Is Down to Just $513 at Amazon if You Act Quickly Enough

    The Google Pixel 7 Pro Is Down to Just $513 at Amazon if You Act Quickly Enough

    Google’s Pixel 7 Pro may not be the latest model on the market any more, but this previous-gen flagship phone is still one of the best Android phones out there, especially when you get the chance to pick one up at a discount. It’s already more cost-effective to choose the Pixel 7 Pro over the Pixel 8 Pro, but Amazon has slashed the price of the base model by over $385 to boot.

    All of this means that you can pick a Google Pixel 7 Pro up for just $513 right now, but you’ll only get that special price on the obsidian (black) color. Other colors are available but you’ll pay a little more to get your hands on one of those. We also don’t know how long this price will stick around so keep that in mind when you’re planning your purchase, too.

    The Pixel 7 Pro is a great option for fans of Android or anyone using the Google ecosystem. It even won an Editors’ Choice Award last year. This 5G phone has a 6.7-inch OLED screen and a refresh rate of up to 120Hz. It also runs on a powerful Google Tensor G2 chip, which still delivers top-notch performance.

    As for photos and videos, you’ll have a lot to work with — the Pixel 7 Pro has a 50-megapixel wide camera, along with a 12-megapixel ultrawide camera, a 48-megapixel telephoto lens and a 10.8-megapixel front-facing camera. Plus, there are plenty of special features for editing including Magic Eraser, Photo Unblur, Real Tone and more.

    This is a great price on a popular phone but if you’re interested in seeing what discounts you can score on other popular brands, be sure to check out our roundup of the best phone deals currently available.

  • Weird Roku Alert? Here’s How to Say No to New Terms

    Weird Roku Alert? Here’s How to Say No to New Terms

    Did you get a pop-up message when you queued up your Roku device? The company has been notifying customers about changes to its dispute resolution terms. While some users received emails informing them of the update, others discovered it upon opening up Roku TVs or media players and found themselves blocked from using the hardware — until they agreed to the new terms.

    Roku’s latest dispute resolution policy went into effect on Feb. 20, 2024. The terms address how you can resolve disputes with Roku through arbitration instead of filing a lawsuit. Roku didn’t specify what has changed in the terms this go-round, but said in a statement, “Like many companies, Roku updates its terms of service from time to time. When we do, we take steps to make sure customers are informed of the change.”

    There’s a way for customers to opt out of the new terms, but the process isn’t instant and can’t be done digitally. Rather, you will have to use snail mail to decline the agreement.

    screenshot-2024-03-06-at-4-49-18-pm-480

    We’ve outlined the steps below. While you may not be able to use your Roku devices until you’ve accepted the terms, note that even after you used your device to agree, you’ll still be able to opt out using this method.

    According to Roku’s terms, you have 30 days to opt out (presumably, the countdown began on Feb. 20), but it must be done in writing.

    • Mail your letter to: General Counsel, Roku Inc., 1701 Junction Court, Suite 100, San Jose, CA 95112
    • Include the name of each customer opting out and their contact information
    • Provide specific product models, software, or services used
    • If available, include the email address used to set up your Roku account “and, if applicable, a copy of your purchase receipt.”
  • You Can Finally Disable Read Receipts for DMs on Instagram. Here’s How

    You Can Finally Disable Read Receipts for DMs on Instagram. Here’s How

    Instagram said it’s expanding your control over direct messages, including the ability to edit already sent messages and pin important conversations to the top of your DMs. But the new feature I’m most excited about is that you can finally toggle off read receipts — meaning other users won’t know whether you’ve read their messages.

    The purpose of read receipts is to let the people you talk to know when you’ve read their messages, and vice versa. But there are haters, including myself, who aren’t big fans of the feature: I don’t always want others to know if I’ve read their message, especially if I’m busy and forget to respond or simply need more time to come up with a reply. For other folks, it sparks anxiety or stress if they know that someone has read their message and not responded.

    And so for a plethora of reasons, you too may not be fond of read receipts, and if you aren’t, you can finally disable them on Instagram, thanks to the new updates pushed this week. Here’s how.

    For more, check out the feature you need to disable to stop app tracking on your iPhone and how to turn off NameDrop on iOS.

    How to disable read receipts on Instagram

    Whether you’re on iOS or Android, open the Instagram app and go to your profile, which you can access by tapping the profile icon on the bottom-right of the navigation bar. Once you’re on your profile, hit the three-dash menu and go into Settings and privacy. Next, scroll down and go into Messages and story replies under How others can interact with you. Finally, go into Show read receipts and toggle off Read receipts.

    Instagram setting to disable read receipts for everyone

    Once it’s toggled off, nobody you send a direct message to on Instagram will be able to see whether or not you’ve read their message. Instead, the message will just show as sent. And it’s also important to note that disabling read receipts for yourself will also disable read receipts on the other end, meaning you won’t know if someone reads a message you send them, which will show simply as sent, even if they’ve read it.

    If you want to disable read receipts for only a specific person and not everyone you talk to, go into your DMs, go into a conversation, tap the other person’s name at the top of the chat, hit Privacy & security and toggle off Read receipts.

    Disabling read receipts for a specific user on Instagram

    For more, check out the hidden setting that lets you fix blurry videos on Instagram.

  • Score a 4-Pack of Apple AirTags for Under $80 at Amazon

    Score a 4-Pack of Apple AirTags for Under $80 at Amazon

    Misplacing your keys or losing your wallet can be a hassle, but modern technology has come up with ways to help us keep track of our most essential items, so you’re not scrambling to find what you need as you’re heading out the door. Investing in Apple’s AirTags can help ensure that you need never go hunting around the house last-minute for anything ever again.

    AirTags are some of our favorite item trackers and now you can pick up a pack of four for just $79. That’s $20 off the usual $99 asking price and just $4 more than the all-time lowest price we’ve seen for the set. There are no coupons or discount codes, but we don’t know how long we should expect this deal to last, which means placing an order sooner rather than later is the best way to go.

    Apple’s AirTag trackers work seamlessly with your iPhone and the Find My app, with a simple one-tap pairing process. You can then throw a tracker into a pocket as it is, or grab an AirTag accessory to clip them to keys, hook them onto a bag, stick them to your bike or attach them to anything else you want to keep tabs on.

    Once set up, the AirTags will show up in the Find My app and display your items on a map so you can easily find them. If an item is in your vicinity, you can use the app to play a sound on the AirTag’s tiny speaker to help you find it and use the Precision Finding feature to be guided to your lost possession. This is handy if you’re just looking for your keys or wallet around the house, for example. If you lose an item farther afield, you can put it in Lost Mode, which will then ping you if the AirTag is detected on the Find My network and allow you to add a message and include your phone number or email address.

    Read more: Got Apple AirTags? 5 Unexpected Places to Put Them

    Each AirTag is powered by a CR2032 coin battery, four of which are included with your purchase. The batteries last around a year before you need to replace them. AirTags are IP67 water- and dust-resistant too, so you don’t have to worry about them getting damaged if exposed to the elements.

    For more savings on top-rated Apple products, check out our roundups of Apple Watch deals, MacBook deals and iPhone deals currently available.

  • A Record $12.5 Billion Lost to Internet Crime in 2023

    A Record $12.5 Billion Lost to Internet Crime in 2023

    American consumers and businesses lost a record $12.5 billion to internet crimes in 2023, according to an annual report from the FBI.

    Last year’s loss total marks a 22% jump from 2022. Meanwhile, the number of complaints covered in the 2023 Internet Crime Report rose nearly 10% to more than 880,000. In the report, the FBI stressed that the numbers are probably on the low side, given that many internet crimes still go unreported.

    Investment scams again accounted for the largest percentage of internet crime last year, with related losses jumping 38% to $4.57 billion. And the majority of the losses from those scams — which ask for an up-front investment with the promise of big returns that never actually materialize — involved cryptocurrency, the FBI said. Crypto-related investment scam losses jumped 53% $3.94 billion in 2023.

    Business-email compromise crimes, where criminals usually compromise a legitimate business account, then use it to trick people into handing over money or information, ranked second again last year with reported losses of $2.9 billion.

    Losses from tech support scams, where targets are often duped into believing that their computer is full of malware or that their antivirus or other software licenses have expired, rose 15% to nearly $1 billion, while reported losses related to ransomware complaints jumped 74% to $59.6 million.

  • How to Watch the 2024 Oscars Without Cable

    How to Watch the 2024 Oscars Without Cable

    Sunday’s Oscars ceremony will bring out people passionate about the films of 2023, whether they’re big fans of Barbie, can’t stop thinking about Anatomy of a Fall, or insist that movies don’t get any better than Oppenheimer.

    Hosted for a fourth time by Jimmy Kimmel, the Oscars will honor flicks like Christopher Nolan’s film about J. Robert Oppenheimer, which collected the most nominations out of the bunch — 13. The next most-nominated flick is Yorgos Lanthimos’ dark comedy Poor Things, with 11 nods, followed by Martin Scorsese’s epic drama Killers of the Flower Moon, with 10.

    The 96th Academy Awards will feature musical performances for each of the five nominees for best original song, including the Ryan Gosling-sung power ballad I’m Just Ken. In other Barbie-related news, there’s a nearly-five-minute-long Oscars promo you can watch right now that features Kimmel and members of the Barbie cast.

    Stay tuned for how to watch the Oscars, whether or not you have cable. If you want to watch and stream the nominated flicks, here’s a roundup for that.

    How to watch the Oscars

    The 96th Academy Awards will air on ABC on Sunday, March 10, at 7 p.m. ET/4 p.m. PT.

  • You Can Grab Microsoft Office Pro for Just $56 Right Now

    You Can Grab Microsoft Office Pro for Just $56 Right Now

    It’s difficult to really get work done these days without using the Microsoft Office suite of apps, but Microsoft software can be so expensive that some might resort to doing a monthly subscription instead. Thankfully, there are other ways to get your hands on Microsoft Office without a monthly subscription if you know where to look. And right now, you need look no further.

    StackSocial is offering a massive discount that knocks Microsoft’s Office Professional 2021 price down to just $56, so long as you remember to enter the discount code ENJOY20 when checking out. Keep in mind that we don’t know how long this offer will last, so we recommend making your purchase sooner rather than later.

    It’s also important to note that this deal is for the Windows version, so those who live in the Apple world will need to look elsewhere. And if this deal is still more costly than what you’d like to pay, you could always grab the Office Pro Plus 2019 version instead.

    StackSocial’s deal is a great bargain when compared with the online Microsoft 365 subscription suite, which starts at $7 a month or $70 a year for individuals. There’s a free online version of Microsoft Office that you can use as well, but it isn’t nearly as feature-complete. (Separately — and notably — Apple users should be aware that Outlook is now a free app for the Mac.)

    Now, a deal this good comes with some caveats. First, the code provided can be used one time for a single computer, so you won’t be able to install it on multiple machines in your home, and if your current computer happens to die, you could run into a snag when trying to transfer it. Likewise, you’re passing up on other benefits you’d get as a 365 subscriber. You won’t get any OneDrive Cloud Storage, nor will you get the fancy new cloud-based AI features like Microsoft Copilot. While the apps should continue to work as long as your computer does, Microsoft’s support for this version of Office ends on Oct. 13, 2026.

    To that last point: Though this is listed as a “lifetime license” — that is, the lifetime of the computer you installed it on — it’s worth noting there’s always a risk that Microsoft could terminate the license. Versions of StackSocial’s deal have been running for more than a year; the one we bought in early 2022, for instance, still works fine.

  • Sling TV Adds Free Video Games for All Users

    Sling TV Adds Free Video Games for All Users

    Sling TV, the live TV streaming service, announced the launch of 10 free video games for Amazon Fire TV and Android TV. The company introduced Sling Arcade on Wednesday, sharing in a press release that the gaming experience is for all customers with Sling Freestream or a paid Sling subscription.

    Simply open the app, choose a game and use your remote control to play games, including Tetris, Centipede, Solitaire Clash, Neon Rider, Wheel of Fortune, Sweet Sugar or Pixel Dash. Though you can enjoy gameplay on full screen, one of Arcade’s features is the option to play picture-in-picture while watching something else. Sling plans to add more supported devices and bulk up its game lineup in the coming months. You can look out for new releases ahead of major television events.

    Sling TV offers multiple options for live TV streaming, including its free platform, Sling Freestream, and three paid tiers. Sling Orange and Sling Blue start at $40 per month, and Sling Orange & Blue costs $60 a month.

    Sling isn’t the first streaming service to fold video game access into its app. Netflix first launched its slate of mobile games in 2021, and has grown its suite to more than 70 titles. For now, you can only play on mobile iOS or Android devices, but the streamer has been testing out gameplay on TVs, PCs and Macs. Selections include branded releases tied to Netflix original shows such as Stranger Things, and licensed franchise titles like Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas.

  • Get a Lifetime License for Microsoft Visio Pro for Just $24

    Get a Lifetime License for Microsoft Visio Pro for Just $24

    Microsoft Visio Pro 2021 is one of the must-have apps for professionals who need to create complex diagrams of all kinds. Whether you’re someone who needs to draw a network diagram to plan things out or you want to lay out a storyboard, Microsoft’s software has you covered. The app would normally cost around $310 — but if you place an order today, that price will drastically drop to just $24 when you enter the discount code ENJOY20.

    We don’t know how long this deal is going to last, but StackSocial deals don’t tend to hang around for long, so be sure to place your order sooner rather than later.

    Lifetime access to Visio Pro 2021 will cost you a whopping $310 if you purchase it through Microsoft directly, but with this deal, you only have to pay a fraction of that. The app features hundreds of templates and thousands of shapes and stencils for flow charts, timelines, floor plans and much more so you can distill complex processes into simple, easy-to-follow visual guides. Plus, it allows you to import data from other Microsoft programs like Excel.

    Just note that this deal is only available to new users, and the license can only be used for a single PC running Windows 10 or 11. You’ll also need to have a Microsoft 365 subscription and access to the desktop version of Microsoft 365 apps, along with a Power BI and Power Automate subscription. And you’ll have to redeem this offer within 30 days of the purchase. Be sure to check out the full list of requirements on the StackSocial page if you’re at all unsure. And while you’re in a money-saving mood, maybe now is the perfect time to check out our list of the best laptop deals as well — go on, you deserve it.