Top 16 new features coming in Windows 11's December 2025 update — File Explorer, Start menu, Virtual Workspaces, and more

On Windows 11, the December 2025 Security Update brings changes to the Search home UI, adds new Share with Copilot features in the Taskbar, introduces an option to disable Drag Tray, improves (and breaks) dark mode in File Explorer, the Settings app gets tons of improvements, and a lot more.

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Top 16 new features coming in Windows 11's December 2025 update — File Explorer, Start menu, Virtual Workspaces, and more

On Windows 11, the December 2025 Security Update brings changes to the Search home UI, adds new Share with Copilot features in the Taskbar, introduces an option to disable Drag Tray, improves (and breaks) dark mode in File Explorer, the Settings app gets tons of improvements, and a lot more.

source https://www.windowscentral.com/microsoft/windows-11/top-16-features-on-windows-11s-december-9-2025-update-file-explorer-start-menu-virtual-workspaces-and-more

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React2Shell flaw exploited to breach 30 orgs, 77k IP addresses vulnerable

Over 77,000 Internet-exposed IP addresses are vulnerable to the critical React2Shell remote code execution flaw (CVE-2025-55182), with researchers now confirming that attackers have already compromised over 30 organizations across multiple sectors. [...]

source https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/react2shell-flaw-exploited-to-breach-30-orgs-77k-ip-addresses-vulnerable/

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New wave of VPN login attempts targets Palo Alto GlobalProtect portals

A campaign has been observed targeting Palo Alto GlobalProtect portals with login attempts and launching scanning activity against SonicWall SonicOS API endpoints. [...]

source https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/new-wave-of-vpn-login-attempts-targets-palo-alto-globalprotect-portals/

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EU metes out first-ever Digital Services Act fine, dings X for blue check deception

TikTok, by contrast, satisfied DSA concerns over its ad repository transparency

The European Union has issued its first-ever Digital Services Act fine, slapping Elon Musk's X with a €120 million penalty for breaching the bloc's rules on ad transparency, data access for researchers, and its revamped blue-checkmark system.…

source https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2025/12/05/eu_fines_x_dsa/

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What the Netflix/Warner Bros. Merger Could Mean for Streaming

After initial reporting from The Wrap yesterday revealed that Netflix had won the bidding war for Warner Bros., the streamer stepped in this morning to confirm that it will be acquiring the home of HBO and HBO Max, DC Comics, and Bugs Bunny for $82.7 billion. The acquisition would put an end to merger attempts from the likes of Paramount and Comcast, but it's also far from a done deal.

According to Netflix, its acquisition of Warner Bros. will need to wait until at least Q3 2026, to allow room for the previously announced Warner Bros. and Discovery split to go through. Additionally, the deal will need to go through regulatory approval. Given these roadblocks, the companies expect "to close in 12–18 months."

The news of the acquisition follows Warner Bros.' announcement in October that it was open to a sale, at least partially motivated by its split with Discovery.

What happens next isn't entirely clear. The Wrap reported that Netflix's deal with Warner Bros. includes a $5 billion breakup fee in case regulators block the deal, pointing to some anxiety from both companies. To that end, CNBC is reporting that "a senior [Trump] administration official" has said that the government is looking at the merger with "heavy skepticism," and The New York Post and the Wall Street Journal both reported yesterday that Paramount (which recently completed its own merger with Skydance Entertainment, led by Trump ally David Ellison) is currently warning the administration away from allowing the deal.

How regulators will respond to the purchase remains to be seen, but if the deal does go through, it will mark a major shift for both Hollywood and consumers. Netflix hasn't laid out complete plans for how the merger would affects its customers, but in its press release, it has offered a few hints. Should a combined Netflix and Warner Bros. come to pass, here's how you can expect it to affect you.

HBO Max probably isn't going away

Since Netflix's primary business is as a streaming app, the most obvious result of a Warner Bros. acquisition would probably be the shuttering of HBO Max, and the inclusion of its content into Netflix proper. However, it seems like we're more likely to get a Disney+/Hulu situation, with the company running both services simultaneously.

In its post announcing the merger, Netflix said it will "maintain Warner Bros.' current operations," and that HBO and HBO Max would be viewed as a "compelling, complementary offering" for its customers.

Whether that means Netflix subscribers will get complementary HBO subscriptions, or if they will simply be able to add HBO onto their plans as complemental "content," is unclear, although I would expect the latter interpretation to be the correct one. After all, Disney charges an additional fee for users who also want to subscribe to Hulu, even as it's working on killing the standalone Hulu app. There would be little reason for Netflix to not follow suit.

This is backed up by another line further into the press release which states that, "[b]y adding the deep film and TV libraries and HBO and HBO Max programming, Netflix members will have even more high-quality titles from which to choose." That implies HBO is something you'll add to an existing subscription, rather than content that will just become part of a base Netflix subscription, with the company saying the acquisition "also allows Netflix to optimize its plans for consumers."

Some Warner Bros. shows might come to Netflix

Netflix already offers a small smattering of shows originally developed for either HBO or HBO Max, such as Sex and the City and Scavenger's Reign. This is due to pre-existing content sharing agreements, but it's possible Netflix may continue to offer some HBO content to its existing subscribers for free, even if it continues to operate HBO as a separate entity.

For instance, Netflix says in the merger announcement that "shows and movies such as The Big Bang Theory, The Sopranos, Game of Thrones, The Wizard of Oz and the DC Universe will join Netflix's extensive portfolio." While this is likely simply acknowledging acquired IP, I wouldn't be surprised to see some select shows hit Netflix from time to time, either to prop up sparse release schedules or to promote HBO subscriptions/add-ons.

Netflix co-CEO Greg Peters also says in the release that, "[w]ith our global reach and proven business model, we can introduce a broader audience to the worlds they [Warner Bros.] create." He adds this would be an opportunity to attract, "more fans to our best-in-class streaming service."

Expect Netflix to ramp up U.S. production

While Netflix is most known to consumers as an app, its large selection of original content also means that it operates as a production studio. Netflix says that it will use the acquisition of Warner Bros. production side to "enhance Netflix's studio capabilities, allowing the Company to significantly expand U.S. production."

This means that viewers might expect to see more original Netflix content in the future, specifically more American-made shows in the vein of Stranger Things, alongside localized foreign programming like Squid Game.

Gamers need to pay attention too

Alongside its movie and TV businesses, Netflix will also be acquiring Warner Bros. Games, a spokesperson confirmed to Game Developer. That means the company will now be responsible for publishing both licensed works, such as the Batman Arkham series, as well as gaming originals, like the Mortal Kombat series. Little is known about how Netflix will handle suddenly being in charge of these longstanding AAA series, but given the company's recent gaming ambitions and its promise to continue Warner Bros. operations as usual, it's likely these titles will continue in some capacity.

Netflix will also publish DC Comics

In addition to suddenly stepping into big-budget, AAA gaming, Netflix's acquisition of Warner Bros. also means it's getting control of DC Comics' print business alongside its film and TV businesses, as the publisher is wholly owned by Warner Bros. That's another big step for the company, although given that DC's print business serves largely as the foundation of lucrative IP such as Superman and Batman, it's likely Netflix will do its best to keep operations there as smooth as possible. However, readers might expect some Netflix and DC synergy, similar to when Marvel started publishing new Star Wars comics shortly after Disney acquired Lucasfilm. Batman visiting the Upside-Down from Stranger Things might be more likely than you'd think.

Don't expect Warner Bros. movies to go straight to streaming

Finally, while Netflix's past movie releases have often relied on direct-to-streaming drops complemented by just enough of a theatrical presence to qualify for awards, Netflix said in its release that it plans to continue distributing Warner Bros. produced movies as usual, "including theatrical releases for films," but that the exclusive theatrical window may shrink. In other words, The Batman 2 probably isn't going to get the Knives Out or KPop Demon Hunters treatment.

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SteamOS vs. Windows on dedicated GPUs: It’s complicated, but Windows has an edge

I wrote a couple of weeks ago about my personal homebrew Steam Machine, a self-built desktop under my TV featuring an AMD Ryzen 7 8700G processor and a Radeon 780M integrated GPU. I wouldn’t recommend making your own version of this build, especially with RAM prices as they currently are, but there are all kinds of inexpensive mini PCs on Amazon with the same GPU, and they’ll all be pretty good at playing the kinds of games that already run well on the less-powerful Steam Deck.

But this kind of hardware is an imperfect proxy for the Steam Machine that Valve plans to launch sometime next year—that box will include a dedicated GPU with 8GB of dedicated video memory, presenting both benefits and possible pitfalls compared to a system with an integrated GPU.

As a last pre-Steam Machine follow-up to our coverage so far, we’ve run tests on several games we test regularly in our GPU reviews to get a sense of how current versions of SteamOS stack up to Windows running on the same hardware. What we’ve found so far is basically the inverse of what we found when comparing handhelds: Windows usually has an edge on SteamOS’s performance, and sometimes that gap is quite large. And SteamOS also exacerbates problems with 8GB GPUs, hitting apparent RAM limits in more games and at lower resolutions compared to Windows.

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source https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/12/steamos-vs-windows-on-dedicated-gpus-its-complicated-but-windows-has-an-edge/

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CISA warns of Chinese "BrickStorm" malware attacks on VMware servers

The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) warned network defenders of Chinese hackers backdooring VMware vSphere servers with Brickstorm malware. [...]

source https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/news/security/cisa-warns-of-chinese-brickstorm-malware-attacks-on-vmware-servers/

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Android 16 Just Put Parental Controls Directly on Your Kid's Phone

In the long-running Android vs. iOS competition, iPhones have historically had the edge in terms of parental controls: They've been a bit more straightforward and intuitive, and easier for caregivers to understand and manage. Apple does many things well, and getting its apps and devices working seamlessly together is definitely one of them.

Google, however, is gradually improving the experience for parents, with a batch of updates earlier this year, and now some more changes as part of a significant Android 16 upgrade. The latest changes mean more controls can be accessed on your kids' devices.

What's new in Android 16

The usual Android caveat applies here: Each Android phone maker does things slightly differently, though there's not actually too much variation in this particular area. The latest Android 16 updates mentioned above are rolling out now to Pixel phones (and I've tested them on a Pixel), but will take a while to reach other handsets—Samsung phones will most likely get them early next year, for example, with One UI 8.5.

So what's new? Essentially, more of the existing parental controls are available on the Android devices of your youngsters, so you can get at them from their phones and tablets as well as accessing them remotely. It should make life easier if you're with your kids and they pass their devices over to you.

You can find the options that have been added to kids' devices by opening Settings on the phone or tablet of your young person and choosing Parental controls. Right away you'll see a toggle switch for enabling on-device controls, and when you do enable them you need to enter a PIN—to stop your kid from changing these settings themselves.

The new on-device controls in Android 16. Credit: Lifehacker

There are then four sections you can access: Daily limit, App limits, Downtime, and Website content filters. Tap on any of these to set restrictions for the current device, which can be adjusted depending on the day of the week in some cases. Pick Downtime, for example, and you can set times during which the device is locked. These match the tools you've previously been able to manage remotely.

Select Daily limit, then turn on the Use daily limit toggle switch, and you're able to control how many hours your kid can use their phone or tablet for each day. There's also a bar chart showing device usage over time, so you can see how much screen time your child has been taking advantage of.

These settings are simple, understandable, and a breeze to use—you don't have to mess around with Google accounts or family relationships if you don't want to. You can just enter a PIN and start making changes—you don't necessarily have to connect these settings to any other devices. If you want to manage them remotely, though, Google has a wider parental control system in place.

Google's Family Link controls

The new Android 16 controls that appear on devices can work independently of anything else, but Google already offers plenty of options if you need them. Everything is managed through the Google Family Link portal, which you can access on the web or through the apps on Android or iOS.

You can use Google Family Link to set up Google accounts for your kids, and then manage what they're able to do with them. The idea is that they sign into their Android devices using the account you've created for them, and because Google knows you have a verified connection to them, you can put restrictions on those devices remotely.

All the usual safeguards and protections are covered: You can set screen time limits, manage the apps your kids can use (and for how often), put blocks on certain websites and categories of website, and put parental approvals in place for making purchases through Google's various digital storefronts. These mostly match what's now available on-device.

Google Family Link on the web. Credit: Lifehacker

There's a location tracking element to Google Family Link as well, so you can see where your young people are at all times, and even get notifications based on their movements: You might want to get a ping when they turn up at school, for example, or when they leave home. All this can be managed through the apps.

More recent updates let you control the amount of screen time your children can have during school hours, and there are also now tools for managing the contacts that youngsters are able to interact with—as yet you can't get to these controls directly on your kids' devices. There's plenty in the way of reports on usage too, alongside these controls.

Add everything up, and Google now has a fairly comprehensive set of parental controls that you can manage from just about any device, or from the devices your kids are using—assuming you've given them Android phones or tablets.

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In 1995, a Netscape employee wrote a hack in 10 days that now runs the Internet

Thirty years ago today, Netscape Communications and Sun Microsystems issued a joint press release announcing JavaScript, an object scripting language designed for creating interactive web applications. The language emerged from a frantic 10-day sprint at pioneering browser company Netscape, where engineer Brendan Eich hacked together a working internal prototype during May of 1995.

While the JavaScript language didn’t ship publicly until that September and didn’t reach a 1.0 release until March 1996, the descendants of Eich’s initial 10-day hack now run on approximately 98.9 percent of all websites with client-side code, making JavaScript the dominant programming language of the web. It’s wildly popular; beyond the browser, JavaScript powers server backends, mobile apps, desktop software, and even some embedded systems. According to several surveys, JavaScript consistently ranks among the most widely used programming languages in the world.

In crafting JavaScript, Netscape wanted a scripting language that could make webpages interactive, something lightweight that would appeal to web designers and non-professional programmers. Eich drew from several influences: The syntax looked like a trendy new programming language called Java to satisfy Netscape management, but its guts borrowed concepts from Scheme, a language Eich admired, and Self, which contributed JavaScript’s prototype-based object model.

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source https://arstechnica.com/gadgets/2025/12/in-1995-a-netscape-employee-wrote-a-hack-in-10-days-that-now-runs-the-internet/

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Poop-peeping toilet attachment has a different definition of 'end-to-end' encryption

Talk about enshittification

No, this isn't a joke: Kohler's poop-scanning toilet attachment, which the company claims is … uh … end-to-end encrypted, appears to be anything butt.…

source https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2025/12/03/pooppeeping_dekoda_toilet_attachment_encryption/

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Samara Weaving levels up in Ready or Not 2: Here I Come trailer

One of big surprise hits of 2019 was the delightful horror comedy Ready or Not, in which Samara Weaving’s blushing bride must play a deadly game of Hide and Seek on her wedding night. Searchlight Pictures just released the trailer for its sequel: Ready or Not 2: Here I Come.

(Spoilers for Ready or Not below.)

In Ready or Not, Grace (Weaving) falls in love with Alex Le Domas (Mark O’Brien), a member of a wealthy gaming dynasty. After a picture-perfect wedding on the family estate, Alex informs Grace that there’s just one more formality to be observed: At midnight, she has to draw a card from a mysterious box and play whatever game is named there.

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source https://arstechnica.com/culture/2025/12/samara-weaving-levels-up-in-ready-or-not-2-here-i-come-trailer/

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Meet CDC’s new lead vaccine advisor who thinks shots cause heart disease

When the federal vaccine committee hand-picked by anti-vaccine Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. meets again this week, it will have yet another new chairperson to lead its ongoing work of dismantling the evidence-based vaccine recommendations set by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

On Monday, the Department of Health and Human Services announced that the chairperson who has been in place since June—when Kennedy fired all 17 expert advisors on the committee and replaced them with questionably qualified allies—is moving to a senior role in the department. Biostatistician Martin Kulldorff will now be the chief science officer for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Planning and Evaluation (ASPE), HHS said. As such, he’s stepping down from the vaccine committee, the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP).

Kulldorff gained prominence amid the COVID-19 pandemic, criticizing public health responses to the crisis, particularly lockdowns and COVID-19 vaccines. He was a co-author of the Great Barrington Declaration that advocated for letting the deadly virus spread unchecked through the population, which was called unethical by health experts.

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source https://arstechnica.com/health/2025/12/meet-cdcs-new-lead-vaccine-advisor-who-thinks-shots-cause-heart-disease/

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NASA nominee 'committed' to uprooting Shuttle Discovery for Houston trophy piece

Isaacman backs Texas relocation amid warnings that costs could top $150M

US President Donald Trump's nominee for NASA administrator, Jared Isaacman, is "committed to move the Space Shuttle Discovery to Houston," according to the office of Senator John Cornyn (R-TX).…

source https://go.theregister.com/feed/www.theregister.com/2025/12/02/isaacman_discovery_relocation/

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11 of the Best Tech Gifts for Teens Still on Sale After Cyber Monday

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication.

It's Cyber Monday bargain week, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before it's over. 

• Follow our live blog to stay up-to-date on the best sales we find.

• Browse our editors’ picks for a curated list of our favorite sales on laptops, fitness tech, appliances, and more.

• Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox.

• Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change. 

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Shopping for a teenager can be hard—their tastes are hyper-specific and change daily. But the gifts below take aim at the moving target of teen trends, focusing on gear that's useful, amusing, and/or even (gasp) educational. Plus, every item on the list is still on sale in the wake of Black Friday/Cyber Monday.

From retro-cool instant cameras to room-transforming LEDs and clever toys, here are 11 of the best tech gifts for teens in 2025.

Polaroid Now 3rd Generation

Maybe it's teenage rebellion against our screen-scrolling lifestyle or a quest for authenticity, but more and more kids are getting into old fashioned cameras. The Polaroid Now 3rd Gen is a classic analog device that lets you watch your photos develop in real time, doesn't have any megapixels, and ejects a keepable, framable, non-scrollable physical object.

Polaroid Now 3rd Generation I-Type Instant Camera With Film Bundle

$135.95 at Amazon

$159.99 Save $24.04

$135.95 at Amazon

$159.99 Save $24.04

Beats Solo 4 Earphones

For lots of kids, part of growing up is learning exactly how awesome music can be. If your giftee is making that transition, there's no better gift than decent audio gear, like these Beats Solo 4 bluetooth headphones. They sound great, with spatial audio and head tracking, and they come in five colors, so they look great too. There's a reason they have a 4.6 star rating on Amazon.

Beats Solo 4 - Wireless Bluetooth On-Ear Headphones, Apple & Android Compatible, Up to 50 Hours of Battery Life - Black & Gold

$129.95 at Amazon

$199.95 Save $70.00

$129.95 at Amazon

$199.95 Save $70.00

Flashforge 3D Printer

Being able to print 3D objects at home still seems like science fiction to me, but not only is it possible, it's not even that expensive. The Flashforge 3D printer is only $239 for Cyber Week. If you have a teen with artistic, creative, or technical interests, this device is perfect.

FLASHFORGE Adventurer 5M 3D Printer with Fully Auto Leveling

$239.00 at Amazon

$259.00 Save $20.00

$239.00 at Amazon

$259.00 Save $20.00

JBL Clip 5

There's a reason the JBL Clip 5 is such a massive hit with teenagers. This portable bluetooth speaker is available in nine different designs, it's waterproof and practically indestructible, and you can clip it onto anything. Plus, it sounds great.

JBL Clip 5 - Ultra-Portable, Waterproof & Dustproof Bluetooth Speaker, Big Pro Sound with Punchy bass, Integrated Carabiner, Up to 12 Hours of Play, Made in Part with Recycled Materials (Purple)

$59.95 at Amazon

$79.95 Save $20.00

$59.95 at Amazon

$79.95 Save $20.00

Boldever Mini Smart Projector

This mini projector connects to Netflix, YouTube, and other services to stream 4K video on any wall or ceiling, so it's a must-have for a teenager who is sick of watching things on their phone. It can connect via bluetooth or Wi-Fi and it costs less than $100 during Cyber week.

Mini Projector, Support 4K 1080P Portable Projector with WiFi and Bluetooth, Boldever Smart Projector Netflix-Officially-Licensed, TOF Auto Focus & Keystone 5W Speaker Portable Proyector, White

$89.99 at Amazon

$166.99 Save $77.00

$89.99 at Amazon

$166.99 Save $77.00

Apple Airtags

Having a kid that's into technology likely means a lot of expensive little gadgets—cameras, headphones, tablets, etc.—and they can all get lost. But not if you slap one of these Apple Airtags on 'em. This pack comes with four for $74.98, an investment that will pay for itself with the first misplaced tablet it finds.

Apple AirTag Tracker (4-Pack)

$62.99 at Walmart

$99.00 Save $36.01

$62.99 at Walmart

$99.00 Save $36.01

Charmast Portable Charger

If your teenager is anything like mine, they have a million things to charge and no ability to keep track of the necessary cords, so if you give 'em one of these chargers/batteries, you'll be saving your own precious USB-Cs. This portable charger and batteries has 6 outputs and 3 inputs, so you can charge 6 devices at the same time.

Portable Charger with Built in Cables, Portable Charger with Cords Wires Slim 10000mAh Travel Essentials Battery Pack 6 Outputs 3A High Speed Power Bank for iPhone Samsung Pixel LG Moto iPad

$18.99 at Amazon

$29.99 Save $11.00

$18.99 at Amazon

$29.99 Save $11.00

Galaxy Moon Lamp

Help them decorate their room with a galactically cool lunar lamp. Powered by cool-to-the-touch LED bulbs this lamp's 16 colors swirl, fade, and smooth in a soothing way, and the hues can be adjusted according to their mood.

Mind-Glowing Galaxy Moon Lamp with Multi Colors, Touch/Remote, Wood Stand - Teen Girl Room Decor, Trendy Stuff - Christmas Gift for Any Year Old Teenage Girl - Cool Night Light for Kids (4.7 inch)

$19.95 at Amazon

$24.95 Save $5.00

$19.95 at Amazon

$24.95 Save $5.00

Kaiess Selfie Ring Light

Self-obsession is a hallmark of teenager-hood, so give the gift of flattering selfies with this ring light set. It's basically everything you need for an ad hoc social media studio: a stand with a phone holder, ring light with adjustable brightness, and a trigger to turn on the recording. Kind of a steal at $25.64.

Kaiess 10.2" Selfie Ring Light

$25.64 at Amazon

$26.99 Save $1.35

$25.64 at Amazon

$26.99 Save $1.35

1000X Handheld Microscope

Technically, this device is aimed at younger kids, but I can't think of anyone, of any age, who wouldn't be into a 1000X magnification microscope that has its own 4K screen. It comes with prepared glass slides, but nothing is stopping you from magnifying whatever you'd like.

1000X Handheld Microscope for Kids 4K 2.0" Screen Rechargeable Mini Pocket Digital Microscopes w/Slides Kit Portable Edu Gift Age 4-6 8-12 Children Students

$35.99 at Amazon

$54.99 Save $19.00

$35.99 at Amazon

$54.99 Save $19.00

Ikarao Karaoke Machine

Karaoke machines have come along way. This Ikaro machine is a party in a compact box. It comes with two microphones, works with YouTube, (which basically gives you access to every karaoke recording ever), and even has a cool LED light show. Plus it doubles as a portable PA system.

Ikarao Karaoke Machine for Adults Kids, with Lyrics Display Screen, WiFi Connect to YouTube & Karaoke App, 2 EQ Autotune Wireless Microphones Portable Karaokes PA System for Home Family Party Camping

$159.99 at Amazon

$219.99 Save $60.00

$159.99 at Amazon

$219.99 Save $60.00

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What stores have the best sales for during Cyber Week?

Nowadays, both large retailers and small businesses compete for holiday shoppers, so you can expect practically every store to run sales through December. The “best” sales depend on your needs, but in general, the biggest discounts tend to come from larger retailers who can afford lower prices: think places like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and Home Depot. You can find all the best sales from major retailers on our live blog. 

Are Cyber Week deals worth it?

In short, yes. Cyber Week sales still offers discounts that can be rare throughout the rest of the year. If there’s something you want to buy, or you’re shopping for gifts, it’s a good time to look for discounts on what you need, especially tech sales, home improvement supplies, and fitness tech. Of course, if you need to save money, the best way to save is to not buy anything. 

Are Cyber Week deals better than Black Friday?

Black Friday used to be bigger for major retailers and more expensive tech and appliances, while Cyber Monday was for cheaper tech and gave smaller businesses a chance to compete online. Nowadays, though, distinction is almost meaningless. Every major retailer will offer sales on both days and throughout the following week, and the smart move is to know what you want, use price trackers or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you, and don’t stress over finding the perfect timing.

Our Best Editor-Vetted Cyber Monday Deals Right Now

Apple iPad Air 11" M3 128GB WiFi Tablet (Space Gray) — $499.99 (List Price $599.00)

Dell 14 Premium DA14250 (Intel Core Ultra 7 255H, 512GB SSD, 16GB RAM, 2K Display) — $999.99 (List Price $1,549.99)

Sony WH-1000XM5 — $248.00 (List Price $399.99)

WD 6TB My Passport USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive — $139.99 (List Price $179.99)

Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 10.9" 64GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Graphite) — $149.99 (List Price $219.99)

Apple Watch Series 11 [GPS 46mm] Smartwatch with Jet Black Aluminum Case with Black Sport Band - M/L. Sleep Score, Fitness Tracker, Health Monitoring, Always-On Display, Water Resistant — $359.99 (List Price $429.00)

Deals are selected by our commerce team

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This Quirky Wallet-Sized E-Reader Is Under $50 for Cyber Monday

We may earn a commission from links on this page.

It's Cyber Monday, and Lifehacker is sharing the best sales based on product reviews, comparisons, and price-tracking tools before the sales are over. 

• Follow our live blog to stay up-to-date on the best sales we find.

• Browse our editors’ picks for a curated list of our favorite sales on laptops, fitness tech, appliances, and more.

• Subscribe to our shopping newsletter, Add to Cart, for the best sales sent to your inbox.

• Sales are accurate at the time of publication, but prices and inventory are always subject to change. 

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For two years now, I've been obsessed with the Boox Palma for one primary reason: Because it has the form factor of a phone, it's easy to slip into my pocket and carry it with me wherever I go. This helps me read more and use my phone-shaped phone a lot less, which goes a long way toward justifying the $270 price tag. So of course I'm intrigued to learn that there's a new, even smaller e-reader on the market, and you can pick one up for around $50—or even less with a Cyber Monday coupon.

Xteink X4 4.3-Inch E-Reader

$53.00 at Ali Express

$69.00 Save $16.00

$53.00 at Ali Express

$69.00 Save $16.00

Like the Palma, the Xteink X4 is a Chinese-made gadget with an e-ink screen similar to the one you'll find on the Amazon Kindle. Unlike the Palma, which is loaded up with high-end features like a temperature-adjustable front light, a camera, an Android-based operating system with access to the Google Play store, and a ton of internal storage, the Xteink X4 is about as basic as it gets. There's no lighting, no touch screen, and the onboard software is so basic, calling it an operating system feels like an overstatement. There's not even any internal storage—instead, it ships with a 32GB SD card.

I love it.

The Xteink X4 is truly easy to carry with you—more so than even phone-sized e-readers. It even has a magnetic ring on the back that you can use to attach it to the back of your phone, provided your phone is large enough (don't be fooled by the pictures on the Xteink website that show it clipped to an iPhone; it's too big for my iPhone 14 and some research confirms it doesn't really align with the larger "Max" iPhone models either). But even standing alone—even in its tiny magnetic cover (an extra $9)—you'll barely notice the Xteink X4 is in your pocket, so you'll have no excuse not to carry it everywhere so you can read instead of doomscroll.

Just the basics

Credit: Joel Cunningham

I should start off with a big caveat: Unless you're at least mildly tech-savvy and you enjoy fiddling around with gadgets, the Xteink X4 is not for you. While it's fairly easy to get up and running, it does come with a learning curve, because it's designed for basic functionality over a good user experience. I this this is kind of great, but I'm someone who reviews e-ink devices regularly, so I'm not exactly a neophyte. (In any case, the r/xteinkereader Reddit community is already thriving and can help get you started.)

With that out of the way, here are the details on this super simple device:

• a 4.3-inch e-ink screen (somewhere between the size of a credit card and a standard iPhone)

• 220 ppi resolution

• 32GB of storage via a microSD card (expandable up to 512GB)

• Wi-Fi 2.4 GHz & Bluetooth

• 650mAh battery with USB-C charging (good for ~14 days on a single charge)

• 114mm x 69mm, 5.9mm thick

• Physical power, navigation, and page-turn buttons

• 74g weight

• compatible with: TXT, EPUB, JPG, BMP files; BIN fonts

And that's it. Even as e-readers go, the Xteink X4 is dead simple. Navigating around the bare-bones menus requires using the physical buttons on the right side and lower bezel. It will take you some time to get familiar with which button does what, and to figure out what the different options in the settings and e-book menus actually do, but once you've got it figured out, you'll realize that if all you want is an e-reader that makes it easy to read wherever you are, it does the trick.

Easy, that is, once the books are on the device.

Getting started

Credit: Joel Cunningham

Actually getting your books onto the Xteink X4 can be slightly tricky, starting with the fact that you need to have a collection of e-books in DRM-free EPUB or TXT format to read anything at all.

Only DRM-free e-books will work

Many e-book retailers, including Amazon and Barnes & Noble, generally only sell ebooks with DRM (which stands for "digital rights management"), anti-piracy software designed to ensure you can only read books purchased legally. Though DRM can be stripped from your files with tools you can find online, it's technically illegal (stern frowny face emoji) so you'll need to either purchase books without DRM or download public domain titles from sources like Project Gutenberg.

Loading files is a bit fussy

Once you do have your files ready, you can get them on the device in a couple of different ways. You can remove the SD card, stick it into a card reader, and mount it to your computer (this wasn't an option for me, however, as my work laptop won't let me mount external drives). You can also transfer files via wifi by logging the Xteink X4 into your wifi, then setting it up as a hotspot, connecting your computer, and typing a specific URL into a browser window, which will open up some simple file-sharing options that allow you to upload books, fonts, and image files.

The reading experience

Credit: Joel Cunningham

Once you've got your books loaded up, the reading experience is better than you'd expect it to be. At 220ppi, the screen is crisp enough to be easily readable, though as with a paper book, there's no lighting, so you'll need to provide your own (I recommend light bulbs, but the sun works well if you're outdoors during the day).

Your books won't look great—there are only two pre-installed fonts, and as of this writing, formatting options are extremely limited, so you won't be able to see any embedded images or use hyperlinks to jump from the table of contents to a specific chapter (there are workarounds for this in the e-book navigation menus, but they are pretty clunky). Also, text styling like paragraph indents, italics, bold, and underlining are currently non-functional, which can make some books tricky to parse, but the developers promise to do their best to continue making the software better via over-the-air updates.

Who the Xteink X4 is for

If you've got a huge Kindle library or you're the type of person who just wants their tech to work without a hassle, get an Amazon e-reader. If you own a lot of books from different sources and want to read them all on the same device, an Android-based reader like the Boox Palma 2 or Boox Go 7 will serve you well.

But if you're a minimalist, or a techie who likes fiddling around with weird gadgets, I think you'll find this little guy incredibly endearing. Though there are about 10 different e-readers scattered around my home and I've recently been reading everything on the $400 Boox Palma 2 Pro, all weekend I found myself reaching instead for the Xteink X4, and I'm already trying to figure out who I'm going to gift one for the holidays.

How to get the Xteink X4 at a Cyber Monday discount

Currently, the Xteink X4 isn't sold via Amazon, but you can pick one up in two different ways.

Order from AliExpress

AliExpress is an e-commerce platform that largely sells items direct from China. It might look a little off, but it's a legit website, and it's the only third-party retailer where you can currently order the Xteink X4 for shipment to the U.S. Just make sure the product listing you're looking at is for the right device and at the best price—sometimes you'll see slightly different prices from different sellers, but if the price is ridiculously low, check the description to make sure you aren't just buying an accessory.

For Cyber Monday, AliExpress is offering a coupon for $10 off of a $50 order, which means you can currently grab an Xteink X4 for around $41.

Order direct

If you prefer, you can also order direct from Xteink, though you'll likely pay $15 to $20 more. On the plus side, you can easily add some cheap accessories to your order, including a magnetic cover, a magnetic clip-on reading light, and screen protectors.

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Does Amazon have Cyber Monday deals?

Yes, Amazon has Cyber Monday sales, but prices aren’t always what they seem. Use a price tracker to make sure you’re getting the best deal, or refer to guides like our live blog that use price trackers for you. And if you have an Amazon Prime membership, make the most of it.

What stores have the best sales on Cyber Monday?

Nowadays, both large retailers and small businesses compete for Cyber Monday shoppers, so you can expect practically every store to run sales through Monday, December 1, 2025. The “best” sales depend on your needs, but in general, the biggest discounts tend to come from larger retailers that can afford lower prices: think places like Amazon, Walmart, Target, Best Buy, and Home Depot. You can find all the best sales from major retailers on our live blog. 

Are Cyber Monday deals worth it?

In short, yes, Cyber Monday still offers discounts that can be rare throughout the rest of the year. If there’s something you want to buy, or you’re shopping for gifts, it’s a good time to look for discounts on what you need, especially tech sales, home improvement supplies, and fitness tech. Of course, if you need to save money, the best way to save is to not buy anything. 

Our Best Editor-Vetted Cyber Monday Deals Right Now

Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $219.99 (List Price $249.00)

Apple iPad Air 11" M3 128GB WiFi Tablet (Space Gray) — $449.99 (List Price $599.00)

Dell 14 Premium DA14250 (Intel Core Ultra 7 255H, 512GB SSD, 16GB RAM, 2K Display) — $999.99 (List Price $1,549.99)

Sony WH-1000XM5 — $248.00 (List Price $399.99)

Blink Outdoor 4 1080p Wireless Security Camera (5-Pack) — $159.99 (List Price $399.99)

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Plus — $24.99 (List Price $49.99)

Shark AI Ultra Matrix Clean Mapping Voice Control Robot Vacuum with XL Self-Empty Base — $249.99 (List Price $599.00)

Apple Watch Series 11 (GPS, 42mm, S/M Black Sport Band) — $329.00 (List Price $399.00)

WD 6TB My Passport USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive — $136.45 (List Price $179.99)

Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ 10.9" 64GB Wi-Fi Tablet (Graphite) — $139.99 (List Price $219.99)

Deals are selected by our commerce team

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