Winter is just about over, so it’s time to gather the best travel gadgets for your upcoming spring break adventures. There are some great travel gadgets that can make your trip easier, no matter where you’re headed. For six years I traveled all over the world, including across Europe, inside ancient castles in Japan — and more recently, a 10,000-mile road trip around the US. As a digital nomad, I tend to travel light with a backpack or a tiny car. There are some key devices I recommend packing, so I put together this list of some of the best travel gadgets that I never leave home without.
I’m not a fan of specialized, and often unnecessarily expensive, single-use gadgets. Travel is expensive enough without piling on frivolous, fancy fluff. And because I travel light, I don’t want anything bulky or heavy: Simplicity is the name of the game here, but there are a few things that are valuable enough, in terms of their use, that they’re worth having regardless of size or cost.
So no matter where you’re heading, or for how long, these are a few things you should definitely bring with you.
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These Last-Minute Best Buy Weekend Deals Are Ending Today
If you missed out on the great deals during the last Presidents Day sale, then now is the perfect time to grab a couple if you’ve been wanting something specific. There are deals on pretty much everything from Best Buy right now, whether you’re looking for a new TV, laptops, smart lighting, headphones and ton more. We’ve collected our favorites below to help you pick some good deals, so be sure to check them out. You can also check the full sale by clicking the link below. Just be aware that the weekend sale ends on March 3 at 9:59 p.m. PT, so grab whatever you want before then.
More great deals at Best Buy:
- iRobot Roomba J5 robot vacuum/mop: $349 (save $250)
- Lenovo Ideapad 3i laptop (512GB): $350 (save $280)
- Apple Watch Series 9 (GPS): $319 (save $80)
- Acer Nitro 5 gaming laptop (512GB): $670 (save $280)
- GoPro Max 360 action camera: $400 (save $100)
- Apple Pencil (1st-gen): $79 (save $20)
- Apple AirPods 2: $100 (save $30)
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: $300 (save $150)
- Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight camera security bundle: $250 (save $350)
- Jabra Connect 5t true wireless earbuds: $100 (save $70)
- Samsung 75-inch Q80C QLED 4K smart TV: $1,500 (save $200)
- Apple MacBook Air (M1): $750 (save $250)
- Philips Hue A19 smart lighting starter kit: $90 (save $40)
- Samsung 55-inch The Frame QLED 4K TV: $1,000 (save $500)
- LG Gram 16-inch laptop (1TB): $1,200 (save $600)
- Samsung 85-inch TU690T Crystal 4K smart TV: $1,000 (save $300)
- Sony 65-inch Bravia XR A80K OLED 4K TV: $1,700 (save $300)
- HP Victus 15.6-inch gaming laptop (512GB): $550 (save $250)
- GoPro Hero12 Black action camera: $350 (save $50)
- Up to 30% off major appliances
- Apple Watch SE (2nd-gen): $199 (save $50)
- Beats Solo 3 wireless headphones: $115 (save $85)
- LG Flex 42-inch OLED 4K TV: $2,000 (save $500)
- Char-Broil Edge electric grill: $560 (save $240)
It’s worth noting that some items may have additional discounts available for My Best Buy Plus or Total members, so if you’ve been holding out on signing up, now may be the time to consider a subscription. Those are paid accounts, but you could make the money back in exclusive savings during this event or throughout the year if you shop at Best Buy regularly. There are some other perks too, like like free two-day shipping with no minimum amount and extended return windows.
For more device savings, we’ve rounded up the best phone deals, laptop deals and TV deals to help you find exactly what you want without paying full price.

Grab Yourself a Lifetime Subscription to Babbel for Just $150
Learning a new language can be fun, but it can also be hard to do if you’re the type of person who struggles with self-learning. Luckily, Babbel is a great language learning app that will guide you on your lanuguage journey, and with 14 languages to pick from, you have a lot of choice. Even better, a lifetime subscription means that you don’t have to pay monthly fees and you can learn at your own pace without feeling pressured.
You can grab a lifetime subscription for just $150 from StackSocial, which is a significant 74% discount on the usual $599 it goes for. Just be aware that the deal ends tonight in a few hours, so be sure to snap it up before it expires.
Babbel’s extensive language software includes Spanish, French, Italian, German, Russian, Swedish, Indonesian, Portuguese and more. The lessons are short and to the point, allowing you to practice in 10- to 15-minute intervals that can fit into any schedule. Real-life topics include travel, family, business, food and others. There are also a variety of skill levels available, ranging from beginner to advanced, so the program can grow with you as you improve.

The speech-recognition technology will give you immediate feedback on pronunciation, so you don’t just learn to read and write but how to listen and speak, as well. You’ll also get personalized review sessions to reinforce what you’ve learned. The program works across desktop and mobile devices. And though the internet is required most of the time, there is also an offline mode available where you can access courses, lessons and reviews without Wi-Fi, so long as you download them beforehand. Babbel also syncs your progress across your devices so that you can jump in from wherever is most convenient.
Becoming fluent in a new language is a great way to stay engaged in learning, and the transferable skills you gain can open a lot of doors for leisure, work and beyond. Note that while you can access this program on as many devices as you want, this subscription offer is available only for new users.
Babbel is a great value when compared with other online courses, especially with this current discount. So whether you’re a lifelong learner or just want to pick up some basics for your globetrotting adventures, this is a solid deal.
Read more: 11 Items to Add to Your Travel Checklist for a Smooth Trip

You Can Get a Windows 11 Pro License if You Act Quickly With This Deal That Ends Today
If you’ve grabbed a laptop deal recently, then you probably received the standard Windows 11 license that has a few features locked away behind a Pro license. Unfortunately, said license will cost you a pretty significant $200 if you buy it directly from Microsoft, which isn’t worth it for many people. Luckily, there’s an excellent deal from StackSocial that will let you grab a Windows 11 Pro License for just $30, a whopping 84% discount from the usual $199 price tag. So, whether you’re upgrading an already existing license, or installing it from scratch, now is the time to grab it, just be sure you do it quickly since the deal ends today in a few hours.
This is a great price, but it’s important to note that not every computer out there is able to run Windows 11, so before you buy it, you’re going to want to ensure that your machine will meet the requirements for the operating system. Additionally, the listing says that if you have a PC that’s already running Windows 10, and Windows Update doesn’t let you install the free Windows 11 upgrade, your computer won’t be compatible with this version either.
After you’ve bought the license, you’ll get an activation key that you can use to install and activate Windows 11 Pro on one computer. To be clear, purchases like this are generally intended for advanced users — folks who are building a new computer or who want to dual-boot an existing computer with a second OS. If you’re doing that, you’ll need a secondary PC to access and download the files, so be sure you can access everything from another computer in your home, or that you have a friend’s machine you can use temporarily. Also note that you’ll want to have a USB thumb drive available to transfer the file.

Get Your Hands on MWC 2024’s Coolest Tech Now
If you’re not familiar with the MWC, it’s a huge event where telecom and teletech companies like Samsung and Motorolla can show off their latest tech. This year’s MWC 2024went from Feb. 26 to Feb. 29 in Barcelona, Spain, and had a ton of interesting tech from Samsung’s new Ring device to AI-enhanced gadgetsgadgets.
Mobile World Congress is an event that gives the communications industry a chance to launch new phones and debut innovative tech, even if much of it may not hit the market for some time. We’ve gone through all the hottest devices to find which ones you can get your hands on right now and have gathered them below. All of the products here are available to preorder or purchase directly right now.
Read more: Best of MWC 2024: Wild AI Wearables, Hyper EVs and More
MWC 2024 tech you can order right now
Snag some of the amazing technology highlighted at this year’s MWC 2024 event.
Read more: MWC 2024’s Wildest Phones: Edible Razr, Bracelet ‘Phones’ and One Big Battery
Read more: Smart Glasses and AI Badges: All the Ways AI Appeared at MWC 2024
Read more: Humane’s Wearable AI Pin Hints at a Phone-Free Future
Read more: I Controlled Honor’s Magic 6 Pro Phone With Just My Eyes. It Felt Like Wizardry
MWC 2024 tech that’s coming soon
While these products aren’t available to purchase just yet, we do know when they’re expected to arrive.
Read more: Top Phones to Expect in 2024: iPhone 16, Google Pixel 9 and More
For all of our MWC 2024 coverage, from the highly anticipated Samsung Galaxy Ring to Lenovo’s transparent display laptops, the new Nothing Phone 2A and more, be sure to check out our MWC 2024 roundup.

2024 Oscars: How to Watch and Stream the Nominated Films
The 2024 Oscars are a week away, which could mean it’s crunch time if you want to watch more nominees before the ceremony. There are 10 flicks vying for best picture, and many are on popular streamers like Netflix and Paramount Plus. (If you went to back-to-back screenings of Barbie and Oppenheimer, that’s already two vying flicks you can tick off your list).
Below, you’ll see films up for awards — including all the best picture contenders — and where you can find them in the US. Note that if a film isn’t currently on a streaming service you subscribe to, that could change. Poor Things, for example, costs $20 to buy right now, but it hits Hulu on March 7. Get your pre-show binge underway, because the 96th Academy Awards air on ABC on March 10.
Note: These descriptions have been pulled straight from official websites for the films and from press websites and occasionally edited for style.
On Apple TV Plus
On Max
On Peacock
Available for purchase or rental
On Disney Plus
On Hulu
On Hulu and Disney Plus
On Paramount Plus
On Netflix
Only in theaters
Available to watch for free on YouTube

This Is Your Last Chance to Grab This Discount on a Rosetta Stone Lifetime Subscription
Whether you plan to travel or just like learning new languages, grabbing a language-learning app can be a great way to reach that goal. Of course, they do tend to be expensive, and one of the best, Rosetta Stone, is currently having a big sale that’s worth grabbing. You get 25 languages to pick from, and you can learn at your own pace since it’s a lifetime subscription, so if pressure tends to put you off learning things, this deal is perfect.
While it usually goes for $399, StackSocial has discounted it heavily down to just $190 using the coupon code ROSETTA. That knocks a little bit extra off the already existing 52% discount and is way cheaper than what Rosetta is currently offering. The only caveat is that the coupon code ends today, so be sure to take advantage of it before it expires.
Rosetta Stone is our favorite language learning app for auditory learners and this membership gives you access to 25 different languages, from Spanish to Korean, allowing you to better communicate with locals on your travels and increase your comfort level in international settings. Even if you don’t plan on traveling far from home, improving your language skills has plenty of benefits. Whether you want to speak with international neighbors or enjoy movies and TV shows from other places, hobbyists can also take advantage of this deal.
Every single lesson — no matter the language — is broken up into manageable chunks, both online and offline. You also have access to an immersive learning environment that will keep you interested throughout the course to keep your mind on perfecting your studies. Plus, you can even practice your accent using speech recognition technology.

Grab These Last-Minute Best Buy Weekend Deals Before They Expire on Sunday
There’s a huge sale on tech happening right now at Best Buy, including things like TVs, action cameras, laptops, headphones, smart lighting and a whole bunch more. This massive three-day sale wraps up tomorrow, though, so be sure to snag any last-minute deals while they last. A lot of stuff is marked down. To save you time and energy, we’ve gone through the sale and highlighted the best offers. Again, the deals end Sunday — March 3 at 9:59 p.m. PT — so make any selections before then.
More great deals at Best Buy:
- iRobot Roomba J5 robot vacuum/mop: $349 (save $250)
- Lenovo Ideapad 3i laptop (512GB): $350 (save $280)
- Apple Watch Series 9 (GPS): $319 (save $80)
- Dyson V8 cordless vacuum kit: $350 (save $120)
- Acer Nitro 5 gaming laptop (512GB): $670 (save $280)
- GoPro Max 360 action camera: $400 (save $100)
- Apple Pencil (1st-gen): $79 (save $20)
- Apple AirPods 2: $100 (save $30)
- Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 Pro: $300 (save $150)
- Arlo Pro 4 Spotlight camera security bundle: $250 (save $350)
- Jabra Connect 5t true wireless earbuds: $100 (save $70)
- Samsung 75-inch Q80C QLED 4K smart TV: $1,500 (save $200)
- Apple MacBook Air (M1): $750 (save $250)
- Philips Hue A19 smart lighting starter kit: $90 (save $40)
- Samsung 55-inch The Frame QLED 4K TV: $1,000 (save $500)
- LG Gram 16-inch laptop (1TB): $1,200 (save $600)
- Samsung 85-inch TU690T Crystal 4K smart TV: $1,000 (save $300)
- Sony 65-inch Bravia XR A80K OLED 4K TV: $1,700 (save $300)
- HP Victus 15.6-inch gaming laptop (512GB): $550 (save $250)
- GoPro Hero12 Black action camera: $350 (save $50)
- Up to 30% off major appliances
- Apple Watch SE (2nd-gen): $199 (save $50)
- Beats Solo 3 wireless headphones: $115 (save $85)
- LG Flex 42-inch OLED 4K TV: $2,000 (save $500)
- Char-Broil Edge electric grill: $560 (save $240)
It’s worth noting that some items may have additional discounts available for My Best Buy Plus or Total members, so if you’ve been holding out on signing up, now may be the time to consider a subscription. Those are paid accounts, but you could make the money back in exclusive savings during this event or throughout the year if you shop at Best Buy regularly. There are some other perks too, like like free two-day shipping with no minimum amount and extended return windows.
For more device savings, we’ve rounded up the best phone deals, laptop deals and TV deals to help you find exactly what you want without paying full price.

Great Amazon Weekend Deals: Save Big on Night Vision Binoculars, Portable Vacuums, Pet Hair Removers and More

While a lot of folks may do their shopping during the week when there are a lot of deals, you shouldn’t ignore the great weekend bargains you can get. For example, Amazon has a ton of great deals that happen during the weekends that are perfect for all those bargain hunters out there. To that end, we’ve gone through some of the best deals Amazon has to offer and collected them all below so you don’t have to. While you’re at it, it might be worth also checking out CNET’s gift guidesfor some extra bargains, especially if you don’t find what you’re looking for here.
Best Amazon deals you can shop this weekend

March Offers Plenty of Streaming Fun, but You Don’t Need Every Service
It’s going to be hard to put the remote down this month. You can choose to stream NCAA March Madness games, Disney Plus’ new animated X-Men series, the Oscars, primetime TV shows that are returning with new seasons (like Grey’s Anatomy) and a string of films and original series.
Netflix releases its 3 Body Problem adaptation from Game of Thrones co-creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, and it’s also dropping Damsel, a feature film starring Millie Bobby Brown, a live tennis match and a new series called The Gentlemen. Disney Plus brings you Taylor Swift’s Eras movie, Invincibles returns to Prime Video and The Regime arrives on Max. Meanwhile, The Harry Potter franchise teleports to Peacock beginning March 1.
While some streaming services have more new films and shows to offer than others this March, new seasons, new movies and interesting new shows can make it hard to ignore what’s on TV. But you probably don’t want to spend money on every platform.
Every month, you may need to weigh whether to cancel a streaming service because of cost and the content that’s currently available. With that in mind, I’d like to offer one strategy: Churn like ice cream, which is to say, rotate.
Wondering how? Try subscribing, canceling, watching other services and then resubscribing, ensuring the services you want are on rotation. Rotating streaming services can mix things up and save you cash when Netflix, Disney Plus, Max and others don’t have the content you want to watch at a given time. Just remember to shut off autorenewal for your monthly subscriptions. This method may not fly if you’re sharing your streaming accounts, but if you can work it out, go for it.
Here are my suggestions for which platforms to cancel or keep in March, based on new shows and movies (I didn’t consider live TV streaming services) coming to each platform. Your tastes may be different, but if nothing else, I urge you to at least consider the concept of rotating for savings. Embracing it is easier than you might think. And remember, a VPN can also be a useful tool when you’re streaming.
Read more: 50 TV Shows We’re Looking Forward to Watching in 2024

March Streaming Service Rotation
Keep | Cancel | |
Disney Plus | X | |
Hulu | X | |
Max | X | |
Apple TV Plus | X | |
Starz | X | |
Netflix | X | |
Paramount Plus | X | |
Prime Video | X | |
Peacock | X | X |
Keep these subscriptions for March
Disney Plus: Why? Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour arrives here on March 15, so Swifties as well as more casual fans should subscribe to Disney Plus to watch the film. Additionally, Marvel’s X-Men ’97 drops on March 20 on the streamer, reviving the old animated series from the ’90s with 10 episodes. If you want to watch each week, keep this service.
Hulu: I know you probably don’t want to miss Shōgun each week, so don’t drop Hulu. And keep streaming Abbott Elementary here if you’re a cord-cutter. Here’s what else is coming:
- The Cleaning Lady, season 3 (March 6)
- The Masked Singer, season 11 (March 7)
- Oscars 2024 ceremony (March 10)
- Grey’s Anatomy, season 20 (March 15)
- Station 19, season 7 (March 15)
- Freaknik: The Wildest Party Never Told (March 21)
- We Were the Lucky Ones (March 28)
Netflix: 3 Body Problem, Damsel and The Gentlemen are among the most anticipated titles on Netflix in March, but here’s what you may want to stream:
- Spaceman starring Adam Sandler (March 1)
- Somebody Feed Phil, season 7 (March 1)
- The Netflix Slam, a live tennis match between Rafael Nadal and Carlos Alcaraz (March 3)
- Hot Wheels Let’s Race (March 4)
- The Gentlemen (March 7)
- Pokemon Horizons: The Series (March 7)
- Damsel (March 8)
- Queen of Tears (K-drama, March 9)
- Girls 5Eva, season 3 (March 14)
- Physical: 100, season 2 (March 19)
- 3 Body Problem (March 21)
- Irish Wish with Lindsey Lohan (March 15)
- Buying Beverly Hills, season 2 (March 22)
- The Beautiful Game (March 29)
- Is it Cake? season 3 (March 29)

Max: Max is not a definite keeper, depending on your tastes, but college basketball fans may want Max to stream March Madness on B/R Sports. The sports tier is still available at no additional charge for now. Along with that, there’s also The Regime, a limited series starring Kate Winslet (March 3), Wonka (March 8) and A24’s Dream Scenario (March 15). You can also continue to stream Tokyo Vice, season 2, into April.
Peacock: Peacock is a toss-up. Apples Never Fall has BookTok excited for its TV adaptation, which debuts on March 14. If you have kids, you may want to stream Trolls Band Together on March 14, as well as Megamind vs. The Doom Syndicate and Megamind Rules! on March 1. Only keep Peacock if they are a must-watch for you, or if you want to watch the last two episodes of The Traitors.
Prime Video: Invincible returns with the second half of season 2 on March 14. There’s a new Road House film with Jake Gyllenhaal (March 21), and Ricky Stanicky arrives on March 7. If you have a standalone Prime Video subscription and are not interested in these titles, drop it. Remember, Amazon now charges $3 monthly if you want to stream without ads.
You might want to cancel these services
Paramount Plus: The Halo season 2 finale hits on March 21. You can drop Paramount Plus unless you’re a fan of CBS shows, reality TV or want to see The Thundermans Return on March 7. There are also NCAA tournament games available to stream throughout March.
Starz: Keep this service if you want to watch BMF each week, as the new season returns on March 1. Hightown is also airing its final season. Otherwise, cancel the service.
Apple TV Plus: The Napoleon film lands on March 1, with Manhunt arriving on March 15 and Palm Royale on March 20. You can still stream The New Look or Masters of the Air. I suggest waiting until these series have all episodes available, but if you prefer to watch weekly (or you’re interested in checking out the recently announced Great Movies collection), don’t cancel your $10 Apple TV Plus subscription.

Wait things out to save money
Waiting until most or all of the episodes of your favorite series are available on a platform is a wise strategy if you don’t get FOMO. That way, rather than pay for a service for several months to cover the six- to 10-week run of a show, you can catch up on everything by subscribing for one month. And then repeat the cycle again. This works well if you don’t mind being a binge-watcher.
For example, if you’re keeping Max for Curb Your Enthusiasm (10 episodes) or Tokyo Vice (also 10 episodes), why not hold off until April or May after they wrap? The new X-Men series on Disney Plus has 10 episodes that will be released weekly, and Palm Royale on Apple TV Plus will air its 10 episodes into May. Avoid paying for two or three months of these services when you can wait to watch these shows in full anytime in the spring.

Think about how much you’re paying per month for each streaming service you have, and do the math. Netflix is $7 to $23 (plus extra member fees), and Paramount Plus starts at $6. Apple TV Plus is $10. Disney Plus is anywhere from $2 to $25 depending on bundles, Max costs $10 to $20, Hulu starts at $8 and Starz runs $10. Peacock has a base rate of $6 a month. Should you decide to rotate, set yourself a calendar reminder to alert you when it’s time to re-subscribe or cancel.
See you in April for another streaming service rundown.