The Google Pixel series has given us some of the best phones on the market, and one thing that sets it apart from other phones is the suite of built-in generative AI features, like Best Photo and Magic Eraser. Now, thanks to an upcoming tool coming to the Windows Photos App, you won’t need to buy a whole new phone just to get your hands on these types of features.
Microsoft has announced in a blog post that the ‘Spot fix’ tool in the desktop Photos app will be getting an AI boost, and will now be known as ‘Generative erase’.
Generative erase will allow you to remove imperfections from your photos in a more natural-looking way, like removing random people in the background and replacing them with an AI-generated backdrop – basically, the exact same way that Magic Eraser works on a Pixel phone. Microsoft notes in the blog post that “Generative erase creates a more seamless and realistic result after objects are erased from the photo, even when erasing large areas”.
The before-and-after is quite impressive – the AI alterations are barely noticeable at first glance. (Image credit: Windows)
Keep it coming!
The example ‘before and after’ image in the blog post shows a very cute dog on the beach, wearing a collar, with some people in the background. After using Generative erase, the new photo looks entirely organic, with the dog collar free and no people in the background. Even when you zoom into the photo to where the collar and people originally were, you can’t see any obviously visible evidence that the image was altered at all.
It’s an incredibly impressive editing job – considering that it takes very little time and zero effort – and I’m very excited to see it in action when it does make its way over to Windows. It won’t just be Windows 11 users who get to enjoy the new feature, either; Microsoft will be adding the full suite of Photos AI features to Windows 10 too, proving that the older OS isn’t dead just yet.
Currently, the tool is reserved for Windows Insiders, the community of Windows enthusiasts and developers who get early access to potential new features. However, the fact that Microsoft is publicly discussing the feature is a good sign that we will see it sooner rather than later. Alongside Generative erase, the blog notes very briefly that we could also see background blurring and removal features join the Photos app in the same upcoming update.
The company recently announced that Microsoft Paint was getting another string of new AI features as well, so we may be seeing the beginning of a Windows-wide revamp when it comes to creative AI tools. It seems like Microsoft is putting a lot of time and effort into implementing useful generative features into its apps, which is good news for Windows users who want to experiment with artificial intelligence – without having to make a million accounts on different platforms to do so.
Windows 11’s next feature update, known as Moment 5, does indeed appear to be coming imminently – as was recently rumored – as a test build of the upgrade has just arrived in the Release Preview channel.
As you may be aware, that’s the final test channel before the release version of Windows 11 (as the name makes clear).
Preview build 22631 for Windows 11 23H2 (patch KB5034848) comes with a bunch of improvements, but not nearly the same quantity that’d normally be delivered by a Moment update – this is a relatively minor affair.
Build 22631 includes a shift for the Copilot button, which is moved to the right of the taskbar (into the system tray area, where the clock lives).
This preview also powers up the Snipping Tool so you can edit photos just taken on your Android smartphone on the desktop (for those who have their phone hooked up to Windows 11, of course).
There’s a raft of bug fixes here, too, plus other changes are coming courtesy of a separate February Windows Configuration Update (KB5035349) that’s being delivered at the same time. (Indeed, this will be installed simultaneously for some users – those who have the ‘get the latest updates’ toggle turned on).
The complementary KB5035349 includes a fair bit of work on a key accessibility feature, namely Voice Access, which is getting the ability to implement custom commands, and to open apps or interact with elements on the desktop. Also, those with multiple monitors can use Voice Access across all those displays, and it’s receiving bolstered support for additional languages too.
Elsewhere, there are small tweaks to improve the Nearby Share feature, and better transfer speeds when using it. Also, the Windows share panel now lets you share via WhatsApp (via the ‘Share using’ option).
Furthermore, the Snap Layouts feature now offers intelligent suggestions to give you quick and easy options for snapping windows together. That’ll be pretty handy for folks who use that part of the Windows 11 interface.
(Image credit: Marjan Apostolovic / Shutterstock)
Analysis: Bigger changes are inbound, but not for most folks
There’s nothing that major here, then, and some previously rumored abilities (like being able to undock Copilot) don’t seem to have made the cut.
There are other big changes incorporated with Moment 5, but the catch is that they aren’t coming to US users – or other regions for that matter, they’re only being provided to those in Europe.
Specifically, Windows 11 users in the European Economic Area (EEA) will be treated to an extensive set of changes to some core features, all of which relate to complying with incoming regulations in the region (namely the Digital Markets Act).
That includes the ability to completely remove the Edge browser from Windows 11, and also to ditch Bing from the operating system’s search box in the taskbar. Options users in the US, and elsewhere, would like to benefit from in some cases, no doubt – but sadly, they won’t get the chance.
This represents the final testing phase of the Moment 5 update, and it fits with the previously rumored release timeframe (for the finished version) of late in February.
The caveat, mind you, is that this end-of-February update will be the optional release (still officially in preview), with the full rollout not starting until March (in the cumulative update for that month). As ever, this will be a phased rollout too, as Microsoft will be monitoring for problems that could crop up even with release software.
Every January, the Las Vegas convention centers are full to the brim with exciting new tech for CES, and that’s no different for CES 2024. And what tech is more exciting than the best VR headsets and AR glasses?
We scoured CES 2024 for the best VR and AR tech announcements. We drove in AR-powered cars, tested a bunch of different glasses, and even subjected ourselves to a haptic suit.
It was all worth it, though, to find five fantastic gadgets for this CES 2024 round-up.
This isn’t a VR headset, and, technically, it was revealed before CES, but we’re including it here because Qualcomm gave us a more in-depth look at the Snapdragon XR2+ Gen 2 at the Las Vegas tech convention. This chipset is going to feature in a number of the best VR headsets we see released in the next few years.
(Image credit: Qualcomm)
This powerful successor to the XR2+ Gen 1 found in the Meta Quest Pro will power the next generation of enterprise headsets. This includes the Samsung VR headset being developed in partnership with Google.
In practical terms, the chipset can support displays up to 4.3K resolution per eye running at 90Hz, boasts a 2.5x better GPU performance than the XR2 Gen 2 found in the Meta Quest 3, and has 8x better AI performance. It can also support Wi-Fi 7 and full-color mixed reality passthrough.
Qualcomm is currently the name in the XR chipset game, and we expect the XR2+ Gen 2 will only further cement its position. And it might help rival XR gadgets prove they're just as capable as the Apple Vision Pro.
2. Asus AirVision M1 glasses
Speaking of Apple, this year’s CES prize for the gadget that sounds most like a knockoff Apple product goes to the AirVision M1 glasses from Asus.
(Image credit: Asus)
The name might be reminiscent of the Vision Pro – sprinkling in aspects of the iPad Air and Apple’s M1 chipset found in some iPads and Macbooks – but is almost completely unrelated to Apple’s hardware. The only minor similarity is that these specs are a wearable AR display.
The Asus glasses don’t function on their own; you need to plug them into a compatible phone or computer with a USB-C display port (meaning it can output video and audio through USB-C). These kinds of gadgets are admittedly a lot of fun, but our experience with them is that they’re still pretty pricey for what you get. The resolution is only full-HD, and you often need to buy several not-so-optional add-ons to get the most out of your experience – raising the price above the usual $ 400 / £400 / AU$ 600 price you already pay for smart spectacles.
We haven’t yet tried the Asus AirVision M1 glasses – nor do we know what regions they’ll be available in or when the launch date is – so we’ll reserve judgment on them for now. But if you’re after a pair of specs that lives up to what you expect from “AR glasses” the next item on this list might be a better pick.
3. Xreal Air 2 Ultra
(Image credit: Xreal)
Xreal makes some of our favorite smart glasses – you can find out more about the AR specs it made before in our Xreal Air review and Xreal Air 2 Pro review – and at CES 2024, it debuted something that promises to be even better than what we’ve seen from it in the past.
The Xreal Air 2 Ultra goes beyond simply projecting an AR screen in your real-world space like its predecessors. It’s a proper spatial computer complete with a camera – so the device can track your hands and identify real-world objects that virtual elements can interact with.
However, while the glasses sound a lot like the Apple Vision Pro there’s one downside – you need an external device to power them. Specifically, Xreal lists only the Samsung Galaxy S22, the Samsung Galaxy S23, and a “custom computing unit” that is yet to be released as the gadgets fit for the job. If you aren’t interested in spatial computing you could use them as a wearable full-HD display for any gadget with a USB-C display port.
On the flip side, even if you buy a new Samsung phone, you could get a whole Xreal spatial computing package for around $ 1,000 / £1,100 if you can find a Galaxy S22 on sale. This is less than a third of the price of the $ 3,499 Apple Vision Pro – though it is a lot pricier than the $ 499.99 / £479.99 / AU$ 799.99 Meta Quest 3.
We don’t yet know how well this Air 2 Ultra experience compares to its rivals, but if it can deliver a solid experience Xreal could be on to a winner.
4. AR glasses in a car
My ride. (Image credit: Future)
BMW has been finding ways to bring XR tech to cars for a while. We’ve previously seen its efforts to bring VR offices and entertainment on your travels so car passengers can do more with their journey, but its CES 2024 demo centered on drivers.
Thanks to a pair of Xreal Air 2 glasses, we saw AR directions that guided us through the streets of Las Vegas (for the demo, we were in the passenger seat while someone else drove). We could also see warnings about upcoming potholes, stop signs, and how much charge the electric vehicle had left.
This was all just a very well-made research pilot to help inform the future of driving tech. But the BMW AR experience sold us on the idea, so we hope this kind of tech isn’t too far from being more than just a prototype.
5. Sony’s enterprise headset
(Image credit: Siemens)
Most people think of entertainment when they think of VR, but there’s a huge push to bring more XR gadgets to industry – a trend that the newly announced Sony XR headset continues.
Created in partnership with Siemens, the device is designed to help companies bring more stages of production – in particular, design and prototyping – into the metaverse. Using the headset, they can produce and analyze 3D models of their designs and diagnose any issues before investing in real-world prototypes.
In general, the headset looks pretty standard, but it does feature an odd pair of handsets. One is a more traditionally shaped VR controller, while the other is a ring. The advantages of this setup are that you have a hand free to more easily interact with real-world objects, and you can get hands-on with virtual objects while still having the convenience of buttons on a controller.
There’s not much more to say about the headset for now, but given its standalone design maybe it’ll pave the way for a successor to the PSVR 2 headset that’s no longer tethered to a PlayStation console.
OpenAI has officially launched its GPT Store, allowing a select group of users and official partners to share customized chatbots with the community.
The platform won't be available to the wider public, according to the company You must have a subscription to ChatGPT Plus ($ 20 / £16 a month), Enterprise, or the newly formed Teams plan. Once you buy the subscription, you’ll be given access to a variety of GPTs across multiple categories. These include writing, programming, and art generation – some will even provide lifestyle advice. One, in particular, can help you refine designs for a tattoo you’re thinking of getting.
The GPT Store was originally announced this past November during the company’s first DevDay conference. It was shown alongside OpenAI’s then-new create-a-chatbot service. The store was supposed to open later that month but was delayed multiple times, most likely as a consequence of the sudden ousting and reinstatement of CEO Sam Altman.
Curated chatbot
Although the average person can’t try out chatbots, you can head over to the store’s page right now to see what’s available. Make sure you’re not logged into your account: if you are, you’ll get a message telling you to subscribe to ChatGPT Plus. OpenAI will highlight four GPTs at the top of the page every week. At the time of writing, AllTrails, Consensus, Code Tutor, and Books are being recommended.
The first one, AllTrails, will suggest nature trails for you to explore. Consensus, formerly known as ResearchGPT, has access to 200 million academic papers and can answer your tough science questions. Code Tutor, developed by the education platform Khan Academy, will look over your recently made computer code and make suggestions on how to improve it. Finally, there’s Books, the most mysterious of the bunch. Its description is rather vague, however, if we had to guess what it does, we'd say it provides book recommendations.
(Image credit: Future)
Below that are a couple of other lists highlighting chatbots currently trending among the community and those made by OpenAI’s internal team. There are plans to implement a revenue program that will allow people to make money from their creations. Creators will “be paid based on user engagement” with their chatbots. Details are light at the moment. All that’s known currently is it’ll launch sometime in Q1 2024 in the United States.
Follow the rules
Anybody with a subscription can create a GPT. OpenAI states you don’t need any coding skills, although you will need to follow usage policies and brand guidelines. It wants to keep things clean.
You can read the rules on the official website, but just to give you an idea, users cannot A) compromise people’s privacy, B) create an AI that may impair the well-being of others, or C) use the platform to spread misinformation. Break the rules, and the company will restrict your ability to share or monetize your work. If you run into any of these rogues on the GPT Store, OpenAI asks that you report them.
If you have a creation, you can share it by first saving your GPT and then selecting Everyone in the process. This gives all people on the platform access. Once done, you’ll need to “verify your Builder Profile” in the Settings menu. After you do all that, you should see your chatbot on the storefront.
While we have you check out TechRadar's list of seven tips for ChatGPT beginners. That generative AI can be a little tricky to use.
Google has released yet another year-end list, and this time, the tech giant goes over what it thinks are the best Chrome extensions for 2023.
It’s similar to the 10 best Android app awards from last month; however instead of highlighting different kinds of software, the company is focusing on extensions that help you with work or navigating the internet. It didn’t really touch upon any entertainment plugin.
The first group pertains to AI-powered software that aims to “get tasks done faster”. You have Scribe which utilizes artificial intelligence to “document your workflows”, then create step-by-step instructions for other people to follow. DeepL Translate does as the name suggests: translate web pages for you on the fly. It can even instantly change the language of your writing without having to run it through Google Translate. Sider is one of the more interesting suggestions as it lets you access ChatGPT through a sidebar.
(Image credit: Future)
QuillBot helps you write emails or summarize news articles in front of you. And Teal lets you bookmark job listings on online boards as well as track applications in a single location.
Accessibility tools
From here, we start to see the accessibility tools such as Transkriptor to record audio meetings into text for later reference. Google also recommends installing Equalizer onto Chrome to add better audio controls for media. It lets you create a unique listening experience just by moving the sliders up or down.
(Image credit: Future)
If you’re having trouble with (or just don’t feel like) perusing emails or PDFs, users can download Speechify to have a natural-sounding AI voice read it out loud for you. This one is pretty amusing because Snoop Dogg is one of the voices and it’s a very surreal experience hearing him read something you wrote on Google Docs. There isn’t much in the way of customization extensions apart from Bonjourr transforming homepages into a minimalistic centerpiece by removing the search bar and widgets.
Glaring omission
Google caps off the list with a trio of miscellaneous extensions: Coupert helps people find promo codes online, Boxel 3D adds a mini platformer game for whenever you want to take a break, and BTRoblox introduces new features to the Roblox website.
What’s particularly funny about this list is that there isn’t a single adblocker anywhere. If you at other best Chrome extension roundups, you will almost always find an adblocker on there just like our old one from 2022. It’s not super surprising this is the case. Google has been at war against ad-blockers for the past several months, seeking to remove them from Chrome and YouTube altogether.
It makes sense the company wouldn't want to highlight something they’re not a fan of, but we certainly will because we know you're fans of them. Be sure to check out TechRadar’s list of the best ad blockers for 2023.
2024 is about a month away, and to celebrate the end of the year, Google has named the winners of the Google Play’s Best of 2023 Awards.
For the sake of brevity, we're going to primarily focus on the best Androids apps as the company introduced a new categories for this year, such as Best with AI and Best Multi-device App. This caused the list to grow by a significant amount so we couldn’t include the likes of the best Chromebook or best tablet apps (If you’re curious to know, the winner of the best Chromebook app is FlipaClip, software that can help people create 2D animation, and the winner for best tablet app is Concepts, a vector-based drawing tool).
Google states the list on its blog is centered around the American winners. Other countries are said to have different winners. However, when we looked at other region, the entries matched the US list except for a single outlier which we’ll shout out later on.
Android Apps of the Year
1. Imprint: Learn Visually
(Image credit: Future)
Google has given the Best App of 2023 award to Imprint: Learn Visually, an education software that strives to teach you new skills and the world around you in bite-sized lessons. It offers a personalized experience where you can learn about topics that interest you from human history to psychology. And Imprint does this via eye-catching visual storytelling.
Spotify has earned the Best Multi-device App award for allowing music streaming across a variety of locations – be it in the kitchen, on the commute to hike, or out on the town. The company highlights the service’s ability to “remotely control playback on another device”. Plus, you can download your favorite songs for offline listening. What’s interesting, it's the only music streaming app on the whole list.
At the beginning of November, Google allowed people to come in to vote for what they believed was the best app of the year. Winning the Users’ Choice Award is ChatGPT, which isn’t surprising in our opinion. ChatGPT took the world by storm in 2023 as one of the premiere generative AI platforms and whose technology fuels Microsoft’s Bing Chat. On top of that, 2024 is shaping up to be a big year for it.
If you’re looking to make new friends or have recently moved to a different city, the company recommends installing Bumble For Friends (BFF for short) on your smartphone. It differs from the regular Bumble app as it doesn't focus on helping you find dates. Instead, BFF is all about helping you make genuine friendships, as the name suggests, with others in your local area
Voidpet Garden: Mental Health won the Best for Personal Growth award and it’s pretty unique. Its goal is to help you practice mindfulness and self care as a way to improve your mental health. It does this in a Pokemon-esque manner by having you collect Void Pets which are said to be creatures born from negative emotion. You raise these creatures by completing tasks in order to turn them into celestial-looking dragons with each representing a positive attribute about the user.
Artifact: Feed Your Curiosity is similar to Imprint: Learn Visually in that it’s an app that can teach users about the world, but it does so in a different way. The service functions like X’s (formerly known as Twitter) Explore page by offering a curated stream of news articles from across the internet. It covers a variety of topics like the tech industry, politics, and gaming. Users even have the option to mark certain stories as clickbait for better curation.
In the UK, the award went to ReciMe, a social platform where home cooks share their family recipes.
Aware is another mental health app like Voidpet Garden although it takes a more grounded approach towards mindfulness. It’s a type of journaling software housing “science-based exercises [alongside] live guided sessions”. You don’t have to create an account, plus it’s totally free. No subscription necessary.
It’s worth mentioning this has the least amount of downloads out of everything on this roundup although we do expect it to grow exponentially since it won the Best Hidden Gem award.
Despite winning the Users’ Choice award, ChatGPT was effectively snubbed by Google as it didn’t get the crown for Best AI. That honor went to Character AI, an app filled with personality-driven chat bots that you can talk to. For example, you can talk to Amelia Earhart, Julius Caesar, or Poseidon, God of the Ocean. People can even talk to Whiskers the Cat.
As you can probably guess, it’s not meant to be taken seriously. It aims to be a fun interactive experience – almost like a video game.
For families, Google has given the nod to PAW Patrol Academy, an app where young kids ages two to five can learn problem-solving skills, gain confidence, and get in touch with their creative side. It features characters from the popular animated series in a variety of interactive adventures as well as clips from certain episodes. What’s more is it doesn’t need to connect to Wi-Fi so kids can enjoy it on the go.
Rounding out the list of Google’s best Android apps for 2023 is AWorld in support of ActNow. Its purpose is to teach people how to counteract climate change by calculating their carbon footprint and learn how they can change their lifestyle to reduce the impact they may have on the environment. The software will recommend basic activities like planting trees to lessen carbon emissions or use natural products among other things. AWorld will also encourage you to join group challenges by completing a set number of environmentally-friendly actions.
Black Friday has been and gone but the best Oculus Quest 2 deals of the year are still available, only now they’re part of 2023’s Cyber Monday deals. If you’re looking to pick up a VR headset for yourself or as a gift for someone, this is your last chance to score a massive saving on Meta’s best budget gadget.
In the US the best Quest 2 discount is at Amazon – you can now get Meta's Oculus Quest 2 plus $ 50 Amazon credit for $ 249 with code META50. This saves you $ 100 off the total cost of these items. Meanwhile, in the UK your best option is at Very. You'll get £50 off and £50 cashback with code VKEXL. Once your payment of £249.99 has gone through you should get a refund of £50 (provided you used the code), making the headset effectively £100 off, which is an excellent saving.
We’ve already seen some amazing Oculus Quest 2 deals sell out this Black Friday season, so if you’re reading this I recommend acting fast. There are some other solid discounts out there, but nothing beats these two offers in the US or UK.
The best Cyber Monday Oculus Quest 2 deals
Oculus Quest 2 + Amazon credit: was $ 349.99 now $ 249.00 at Amazon
Use code META50 – Buy Meta’s Oculus Quest 2 at Amazon right now and you can get $ 50 Amazon credit for free with code META50 at checkout. This great has sold out once already this Black Friday season, so act fast.View Deal
Meta Quest 2 (128GB): was £299 now £199 at Very
Use code VKEXL – Very’s Black Friday deal on Meta’s Oculus Quest 2 might be better than Amazon’s in the UK. Using code VKEXL at checkout will get you £50 back on your order, effectively making Meta’s VR headset £199. You will still pay £249 at first, but you should then get your £50 cashback after your purchase, as long as you use the code.
There are reasons to get an Oculus Quest 2. If your budget is tight, you’re not sure you’ll use VR much, or if it’s a gift for someone who’s rough with their toys. But I believe that the majority of people should opt for the Meta Quest 3.
Yes, the Quest 3 is roughly twice as expensive, and it’s not discounted at all for Cyber Monday, but it’s just so good – that’s why it got five stars in our Meta Quest 3 review. The graphics are a lot better, the comfort is slightly improved, and the Quest 3’s mixed-reality features are delightful.
Plus if you do buy one soon, you’ll get a free copy of Asgard’s Wrath 2, which is set to launch in December.
Meta Quest 3: $ 499 & get a free game at Amazon
The Meta Quest 3 isn’t discounted for Cyber Monday as it’s so new, but you can get a free digital copy of Asgard’s Wrath 2 when it launches later this year. If you’d rather not shop at Amazon the same offer is available from Walmart, Best Buy, and Target as well as others. View Deal
Meta Quest 3: £479.99 & get a free game at Amazon
The Meta Quest 3 only just launched so it was extremely unlikely it would see a discount for Cyber Monday. There is still a deal on though; if you order the headset before January 27, 2024, and activate it before February 9, 2024, you’ll get Asgard’s Wrath 2 for free when the game releases.
If you’d rather shop elsewhere the same deal is available at Very, Currys, and Game among others. View Deal
Adobe Cyber Monday deals are starting up as we count down the hours to the biggest eCommerce day of the year, and we're rounding up all the best offers on Adobe Creative Cloud apps like Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Premiere to help you save big on the best creative software going.
With Cyber Monday deals officially kicking off on November 27, you're going to be able to find huge savings on all the best graphic design software, the best video editing software, and much more thanks to offers through Adobe itself, but also partnering retailers who are also offering discounts on Adobe's most popular creative apps.
So whether you're looking for savings on particular apps or you just want a full Creative Cloud subscription, we've got you covered with all the best offers we can find online.
Adobe Cyber Monday Deals (US)
With Cyber Monday in full swing, there's a whole host of savings to be had. Here are today's best Adobe Cyber Monday Deals:
Adobe Creative Cloud: was $ 59.99/mo now $ 29.98/mo This full Creative Cloud All Apps plan includes Photoshop, Lightroom, and Premiere Pro alongside 20 other apps from Adobe to use across your devices. Alongside Adobe fonts and the latest updates as soon as they’re available, this also includes 100GB of cloud storage and 1000 generative AI credits.View Deal
Adobe Creative Cloud for students: was $ 19.99/mo now $ 15.99/mo The Creative Cloud plan for students gives almost 64% off the full price. This full Creative Cloud All Apps plan includes Photoshop, Lightroom, and Premiere Pro alongside 20 other apps from Adobe to use across your devices. Alongside Adobe fonts and the latest updates as soon as they’re available, this also includes 100GB of cloud storage and generative AI credits.View Deal
Adobe Photography Creative Cloud Plan (Photoshop, Lightroom, 1TB Cloud Storage, 12-month Plan): was $ 239.88 now $ 119.99 for first year at Amazon
If you’re a photographer and just want to use Photoshop and Lightroom with some cloud storage thrown in, this bundle on Amazon for Cyber Monday is a real steal. Get your first year for 50% off (full price applies on auto-renewal) and try out the best photography software around with much less upfront investment.
Adobe Cyber Monday Deals (UK)
Adobe Creative Cloud: was £56.98/mo now £28.48/mo The Creative Cloud All Apps plan includes Photoshop, Lightroom, and Premiere Pro as well as 20 other apps from Adobe to use across your devices. Alongside Adobe fonts and the latest updates as soon as they’re available, this also includes 100GB of cloud storage and 1000 generative AI credits.View Deal
Adobe Creative Cloud for students: was £16.24/mo now £13.15/mo The Creative Cloud plan for students gives them almost 70% off the full price. The Creative Cloud All Apps plan includes Photoshop, Lightroom, and Premiere Pro as well as 20 other apps from Adobe to use across your devices. Alongside Adobe fonts and the latest updates as soon as they’re available, this also includes 100GB of cloud storage and generative AI credits.View Deal
Adobe Cyber Monday Deals: FAQs
(Image credit: Adobe)
When are the best Adobe Cyber Monday deals starting in 2023?
Now is the time! Cyber Monday itself is on November 27, but savings on Adobe subscription prices are live now and we don’t expect them to get lower than they are right now, so now is probably the best deal you’ll get all year.
We’ll update you as soon as we have information on a better deal than what’s currently available – although bear in mind that Adobe’s student-teacher subscription deals are often the cheapest way to get Creative Cloud, so if you’re able to take advantage of those, don’t hesitate. We track these prices every year, so you can be assured that we’re bringing you the best price.
Where can I find the best Adobe Cyber Monday deals?
You can find real-time price information and what is on offer on Adobe’s official Creative Cloud Plans page, and you can keep up with any changes by checking in with us on this page.
Unlike most of the other Cyber Monday deals we’ve pulled together here on TechRadar, we don’t recommend multiple retailers for this particular product because it’s a software subscription available directly from Adobe, but you can still find some savings through sites like Amazon.
Sorry folks, you’ve all missed out on Amazon’s best Oculus Quest 2 Black Friday deal – possibly the one of best Black Friday deals in general – that would have got you $ 50/£50 off the 128GB model and a free $ 50/£50 gift card to spend on anything at Amazon. But please don’t panic buy a different Quest 2 deal yet.
The gift card deal is currently sold out at both Amazon US and Amazon UK, but there’s a chance it may rematerialize on Black Friday itself – which is November 24 this year. It’s not uncommon for deals to appear, disappear then return in the build-up to the biggest sales event of the year; I’m hoping this incredible Quest 2 will continue this trend and show up on Friday.
If it does reappear then you’re in the money; you’ll get a great bargain on Meta’s budget VR headset. If it doesn’t then you’ll still be able to grab one of the other excellent (but not quite as excellent) Quest 2 deals out there. In the US you can get the Oculus Quest 2 (128GB) for $ 249 at Walmart instead of $ 299, while in the UK you can get the Quest 2 (128GB), Elite Strap and case for £249 at Currys, saving you £140. So unless you are absolutely desperate to get a VR headset as soon as possible hold out a few days longer as you might be able to save big.
The best Black Friday Quest 2 deals
Oculus Quest 2 + Amazon Gift Card: was $ 349.99 now $ 249.00 at Amazon This incredible Black Friday deal on Meta’s Oculus Quest 2 is currently sold out, but it might reappear on November 24 (Black Friday itself). Check this link every so often and worst case you can pick up one of the other great Quest 2 deals on this page.View Deal
Oculus Quest 2 (128GB): was $ 299 now $ 249 at Walmart Meta’s Oculus Quest 2 was, until recently, our favorite VR headset and this Black Friday you can get it for its lowest-ever price of just $ 249. You’ll then be able to jump into an incredible selection of VR games and apps available on the Quest platform and finally see how much fun VR can be.
You can also find the same deal at Amazon and Best Buy if you’d rather shop somewhere else.View Deal
Meta Quest 2 and £50 gift card: was £349.99 now £249 at Amazon
This deal is sold out at the time of writing but there’s a chance it may return on Black Friday. When November 24 comes around follow this link and see if Amazon has put it live again because this sale hasn’t been beat.View Deal
Oculus Quest 2 (128GB), Elite Strap and case: was £389 now £249 at Currys
Currys’ bundle deal has just got better. Now you’re saving £50 on Meta’s Oculus Quest 2 VR headset and getting the official Elite Strap and a carry case for free. This is one of the best deals we’ve seen this Black Friday, and one you definitely don’t want to miss out on.
Admittedly, I think you should just ignore all of the Oculus Quest 2 deals, no matter how good they are.
I love my Quest 2, it’s a super solid VR gadget that doesn’t break the bank. But the Meta Quest 3 is the new kid on the block, and it’s more than worth the added cost. It’s more powerful, offers better graphics, and has full-color mixed reality. If you’re looking for a VR headset, get this one – for the vast, vast majority of people, you don’t need anything else.
Though at $ 499 / £479 it’s twice (or almost twice) as pricey as a Quest 2 while it’s on sale for Black Friday. If you’re on a tight budget the Quest 2 will definitely serve you well, but those of you who can stretch to the Quest 3 should splash out.
Meta Quest 3: $ 499 & get a free game at Amazon
The Meta Quest 3 isn’t currently discounted, and likely won’t be for Black Friday as it’s so new, but you can get a free digital copy of Asgard’s Wrath 2 when it launches later this year.
If you’d rather not shop at Amazon the same offer is available from Walmart, Best Buy, and Target as well as others. View Deal
Meta Quest 3: £479.99 & get a free game at Amazon
The Meta Quest 3 only just launched so it was extremely unlikely it would see much of a discount for Black Friday. There is still a deal on though; if you order the headset before January 27, 2024, and activate it before February 9, 2024, you’ll get Asgard’s Wrath 2 for free when the game releases.
If you’d rather shop elsewhere the same deal is available at Very, Currys, and Game among others. View Deal
If you've been looking to pick up a pair of AR glasses but have been put off by the price then this year's best Black Friday deals might be able to lend a hand. There are some big savings to be had on a wide range of deals.
The popular Xreal Air glasses are currently $ 271 at Amazon – down from $ 379 – and the recently released RayNeo Air 2 glasses are $ 30, now down to $ 349 at Amazon. Best of all every deal below is the lowest ever price these AR glasses have ever been. So no matter which pair or bundle you pick up you'll be getting a bargain this Black Friday.
If you're after something a bit more immersive, you might instead prefer this year's Oculus Quest 2 Black Friday deals. Otherwise, scroll down to see some AR glasses discounts.
Today's best Black Friday AR glasses deals
Xreal Air glasses: was $ 379 now $ 271 at Amazon The Xreal Air AR glasses are currently over $ 100 off for Black Friday which is a really solid deal. Connect these AR specs to a compatible smartphone, tablet, or laptop and you’ll be able to see the screen on a massive virtual display. There’s a really fun gadget and normally quite pricey, so this is a deal you don’t want to ignore.View Deal
Xreal Air glasses + Xreal Beam: was $ 449 now $ 379 at Xreal To make the Xreal glasses better you can pick up this bundle that includes the Beam. It’s a portable power source that phones can wirelessly cast to, meaning you won’t drain your phone’s battery as quickly and it allows you to connect the specs to a wider range of gadgets. Just remember to use the $ 70 voucher for a full discount.
Xreal Air glasses + Xreal Adapter: was $ 369 now $ 309 at Amazon This bundle includes the Xreal Airs and an adapter that makes it easier to connect the Xreal glasses to iPhones (if you have an HDMI to Lightning converter), and game consoles like a PS5 and Xbox Series X.
Rokid Max glasses: was $ 379 now $ 299 at Amazon
Instead of the Xreal Air glasses, you could opt for the Rokid Max specs. These glasses do offer several benefits including better field-of-view and are slightly lighter, though we found they can get uncomfortably hot during use which can be distracting.View Deal
RayNeo Air 2 glasses: was $ 379 now $ 349 at Amazon We’ve yet to try these specs out, but $ 30 on a pair of AR glasses that launched this year isn’t bad. We have tried the related Nxtwear S AR glasses and thought they were fine, though they weren’t faultless so we’d recommend checking out some reviews before picking up this RayNeo gadget.View Deal
I've had the chance to test a large range of AR glasses like the ones above, and I think they are really fun gadgets – I love using them, and my friends and family who have tried them think they're awesome too.
On a commute, or just when you and your partner want to use the TV at the same time you can slip on a pair of these and have a large full HD display floating in front of you. Unfortunately, they're normally too expensive for what you get. Spending around $ 400 on a wearable display is a lot, especially when you need to pay extra for add-ons that are optional in the loosest sense of the word (to get the most out of these specs you need an adapter or two).
These Black Friday deals bring the prices down to more reasonable levels; they're literally the cheapest these glasses have ever been. If you want to find out more about these AR glasses then check out our full Xreal Air review, Rokid Max review, and TCL Nxtwear S review.
If you are thinking of getting a pair of AR glasses, I'd also suggest checking out our Black Friday headphones deals page. The audio from these glasses is pretty weak, and it leaks too. For a better and more private experience, a pair of good Bluetooth headphones is a must.
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