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You can’t help but feel uneasy when looking at market concentration. Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Meta, Microsoft, Nvidia, and Tesla now make up more than a third of the S&P 500, more than twice the level seen before the dot-com bust. AI-related capital spending has outpaced the U.S. consumer as the main driver of gross domestic product growth. OpenAI alone plans trillions in data-center investments while exiting 2025 with about $20 billion in annualized revenue. Of course, there are physical limitations to how fast we can build. Data centers require enormous energy, land, and skilled labor—more than trade schools produce today—a concern raised in the The President administration’s U.S. AI Action Plan. On top of this is a web of circular financing among major players. Companies are using complex structures to fuel the investment wave, adding opacity and risk. Investors like Masayoshi Son and Michael Burry are heading for the exits. In a new Bank of America survey, 45% of investors cite an AI bubble as the top tail risk for the economy and markets. Many believe AI stocks are already in bubble territory. When a bubble bursts, it is like a balloon losing air. Prices fall, investors pull back, and companies that depended on constant capital inflows often fail. The slowdown can ripple across the industry. But a burst forces a reset, where work with real value continues and the rest falls away. There is one way out: real growth. A record of breakthroughs (and setbacks) There is some consensus among economists that artificial intelligence can become the next general-purpose technology. These are revolutionary innovations with widespread impact that by themselves enable new inventions and change most aspects of our day-to-day lives and work. They do not just improve one industry; they create new possibilities for others. We have seen this before with the steam engine, electricity, and, most recently, the internet. Growth will require diffusion, a fancy way of describing how new tools and ideas spread to lots of people. New tools never disseminate evenly, and AI is no exception. AI has been through more than 70 years of breakthroughs and setbacks since mathematicians and early computer scientists began imagining how machines might simulate human thinking. Breakthroughs were often followed by AI winters, when funding and enthusiasm receded. But since late 2022, when generative AI hit the zeitgeist, we have been on a tear. ChatGPT became the fastest application to reach 100 million users in history and is already used by about 10% of the planet’s population. Can we continue? The growth plan Let’s break this out to understand the source of potential growth. First, there is the consumer segment. For all the excitement around AI, many users still sit in the free bucket. The business challenge now is converting that into durable revenue. Expect a shift from today’s generous “freemium” models toward tighter paywalls, bundled services, and even advertising-supported tiers—moves already being tested. For example, Canva raised its prices, bundling new AI features, which led to widespread backlash and a rollback of some of the changes. Notion moved key features behind higher-tier plans as it included built-in AI, sparking user criticism over value and fairness. Some frontier labs are also exploring something Big Tech once swore off: hardware. To unlock new monetization paths, companies are designing devices such as wearables, home hubs, and the next generation of phones around their proprietary AI interfaces. OpenAI, in partnership with designer Jony Ive, is working on a family of devices that goes beyond phones and computers. Second, there is enterprise adoption, arguably the most important frontier. Enterprises—large organizations that buy software and services for thousands of employees—pay, stick, and rarely churn when productivity improvements are demonstrable. But this market is splitting in two. Smaller firms are moving fastest, using AI to level the playing field against incumbents. Norm Ai shows how smaller disruptors can move first, using AI agents to rethink legal work, even launching an AI-native law firm. Large enterprises, by contrast, are cautious. Their concerns center on reputational risk, hallucinations, and product liability. Yet once they see quantifiable return on investment in a controlled domain, they will scale quickly and pay premium prices for reliability, compliance, and integration. Barclays shows how major incumbents adopt more cautiously, using AI to support employees, speed service, and personalize banking while keeping humans in the loop. It is a quest for reimagining business workflows and integrating AI into them. Third: There is the government, where modernization is both overdue and unavoidable. Cities and federal agencies are using AI to improve responsiveness, reduce backlogs, and redesign citizen services that have long suffered from paper-era processes. As these systems prove they can cut wait times and improve accuracy, adoption will accelerate. For example, the United States Patent and Trademark Office launched its “Automated Search Pilot (ASAP!)” program to use AI in preexamination review, with plans to accept at least 1,600 applications across technology centers. On the national security side, the stakes and budgets are higher. Defense agencies are deploying AI for threat detection, mission planning, and intelligence analysis, creating a fast-growing market for companies like Palantir and Anduril, whose surge in government and defense contracts shows the scale of demand. These multiyear defense contracts secure growth over an extended period. A contract Palantir recently entered into with the U.S. Army topped $10 billion over 10 years. Anduril’s programs exceed $1 billion, in multiple contracts, creating steady demand. Finally, there’s global adoption. The geopolitical competition for AI markets is intense. As recently reported, even Silicon Valley companies are quietly reliant on Chinese AI components, while Washington, D.C., is pushing to export an American AI stack as part of its industrial strategy. The geopolitical rivalry is as much about who defines the global interfaces, platforms, and rules as it is about the chips that power AI. Growth is possible, though not guaranteed. It depends on turning early experiments into products people rely on every day. The real race is not about ever-larger models held by a few firms. It is about unleashing competition and letting a diverse market push new ideas into the world. Innovation spreads when many players build, test, and iterate. That is how bubbles become breakthroughs. The moment is here. Let’s get to work. View the full article

Below, Ben Rein shares five key insights from his new book, Why Brains Need Friends: The Neuroscience of Social Connection. Ben is an award-winning neuroscientist who has spent a decade studying the biology of social interaction. He is the chief science officer of the Mind Science Foundation, an adjunct lecturer at Stanford University, and a clinical assistant professor at SUNY Buffalo. He also teaches neuroscience to an audience of more than 1 million social media followers. What’s the big idea? Loneliness is a problem. Many of us feel this, and all of us are seeing it affect society. But why is isolation so harmful? Why are virtual interactions a poor substitute for getting together in person? What does our brain get out of spending time with a friend? The neuroscience underlying our social interactions adds a crucial component to conversations about the loneliness epidemic and what we can do about it. Listen to the audio version of this Book Bite—read by Ben himself—below, or in the Next Big Idea App. 1. Our brains are wired for connection What does it really mean to be wired for connection? In the ancient world, our ancestors faced tremendous challenges, including food scarcity and predators hunting them. Survival was challenging, but humans work together in groups very well. So, when it came to survival of the fittest, the most social humans were the fittest. As a result, our brains have built-in social reward systems. That means when we connect with others, our brains send powerful signals involving neurotransmitters like dopamine, serotonin, and oxytocin, which make us feel good and want to continue socializing. This was the glue that kept us together millennia ago and, therefore, kept us alive. Our brains still have these systems, which means we have a lot to gain from socializing. This is what it means to be wired for connection. Our brains literally reward us for being around each other. 2. Our neurochemistry faces the challenge of a divided world We are facing a legitimate public health crisis around loneliness. If you look at the data on how much time people spend with others, how many friends people have, how lonely people are, and so on, these metrics are all going in the wrong direction. Between 2013 and 2021, the amount of time the average American spent alone went up by 36 hours per month—almost a full work week spent in isolation. We are truly becoming isolated. 3. Social isolation is a form of stress When a person is isolated, their body triggers a stress response in which cortisol levels begin to rise. From an evolutionary perspective, this makes a lot of sense. In the ancient world, if you were split off from the group, your chances of survival dropped significantly. Back then, it would have been beneficial to have an alarm system in your brain that warns you of this danger. Our brains still have this system, but in a world where we’re spending more time alone, that’s a problem. “Those who are more isolated are 32% more likely to die from any cause.” When our body’s stress response systems are constantly being activated, it can result in chronic inflammation and other negative health consequences. Isolation is very bad for us. Studies tracking millions of people have found that those who are more isolated are 32% more likely to die from any cause. Isolated patients with dementia lose their memory twice as fast. And after having a heart attack, the patients who left the hospital and returned to a home where they live alone were more than twice as likely to die in the next three years. This issue needs to be taken seriously. 4. Digital interactions are not the same as interacting in person When we meet face-to-face, many social cues inform our brains about what’s happening in the other person’s mind. We can hear their vocal tone, read their facial expressions, and feel their body language, thereby understanding their emotions. But when we interact online, whether through texting, FaceTime, or arguing on social media apps, we are not getting the same social cues. I believe that this is impairing our empathy online and leading to undue hostility and aggression. What we know for sure is that interacting online does not provide the same benefits as interacting in person. It turns out social media may not be very social at all. 5. Beyond modern circumstances, our brains have some built-in social pitfalls Research shows that people underestimate how much they’ll enjoy social interactions, which can often lead to a night on the couch, even though going out with friends would have been much better for their brains. We also underestimate how much others like us and discount our own social skills. These are just a few of the strange yet perfectly natural biological shortcomings of the human brain that prevent us from connecting with others. Enjoy our full library of Book Bites—read by the authors!—in the Next Big Idea app. This article originally appeared in Next Big Idea Club magazine and is reprinted with permission. View the full article

When work was drying up for freelance writer Megan Carnegie, she found herself compulsively hopping between apps and social media. “LinkedIn, WhatsApp, emails—and it was just terrible for my focus,” she says. “I was anxious about getting work.” On a whim, Carnegie (who’s also contributed to Fast Company) popped into a store selling secondhand computer equipment and bought an old Nokia burner phone. During the workday, she would use the burner for calls, and in the evening, switch back to her smartphone. With no access to apps and one fewer way to access the internet, her urgency and anxiety dissolved. “I just loved the quiet,” she says. The effects of social media on mental health have been a popular topic of conversation in 2025. Social psychologist Jonathan Haidt’s best-selling book, The Anxious Generation, describes the effects on adolescents, including being a significant contributor to anxiety and depression among young adults. What’s less-frequently studied is how it affects people at work. But a new report begins to demonstrate how what we see online can bleed into our professional lives. The new study out of Rutgers University, published in the Journal of Organizational Behavior, found that what you see on social media while at work can shape your mood, motivation—even how you treat your coworkers. Social media’s effect on your work Researchers surveyed 133 workers twice a day for two weeks. They asked them to describe the most “salient,” or memorable, post they saw that day, then describe how they felt and how productive they were at work. Later, the survey was repeated with 141 new participants, this time including their coworkers, who would also rate the subjects’ behavior and productivity. The researchers segmented posts into four categories: attractive (thirst traps), family (kids’ first day at school), contentious (politics or rage bait), and accomplished (job promotions). They then measured how these content types affected employees’ self-assurance, anxiety, productivity, and social withdrawal. They found that while posts about family or friends tend to boost confidence, political rants spike anxiety and make people withdraw. Posts about accomplishments can either spur you or kill your drive, depending on your personality. Those with competitive natures are prone to feeling motivated by achievement-related content, while those who aren’t particularly competitive are more likely to feel demotivated. The results indicate that some workers might benefit from limiting their social media use at work. But for those whose job involves regularly scrolling social feeds, breaking the habit can prove difficult. The LinkedIn star who barely scrolls, and the PR person who just can’t help it Alison Taylor is an author and professor at New York University’s Stern School of Business who writes about corporate ethics. Despite being named a LinkedIn “superuser” by the Financial Times thanks to her more than 60,000 followers, she spends very little time on the platform. “I wake up, I have coffee, I write the post, I don’t worry about it being perfect, I correct typos later,” she says. Taylor knows better than to feed the trolls, but she loves a good argument, and can’t help but respond to some followers who needle her. While she might come back throughout the day to comment, she goes in and gets out quickly. It’s not worth the distraction. As for those whose job involves spending time on social media—like PR reps, marketers, and social media managers—the stress can be inescapable. Some 77% of people who work in social media are burned out, says a reader survey by Rachel Karten, who writes the popular Link in Bio Substack newsletter. Nicholas Budler, who works in public relations for enterprise tech companies, scopes opportunities for his clients all day. “The LinkedIn doomscroll has only gotten more endless for me. And it’s open at work 9-to-5,” he says, noting that when engagement is high, it feels good. But when it’s not, he questions whether social media is worth his time at all. “I think you get a bit stressed in general to have social media open at work,” Budler says. While he used to do a lot of social media strategy for clients, he does less and less these days, saying, “I consider it brain rot.” Doomscrolling can carry Budler down “a deep, dark rabbit hole of looking through people’s job updates and news. And a lot of that news is not good, right? Especially in media, there are a lot of layoffs,” he says. Those leave him anxious. Cutting back on ingrained habits The anxiety and malaise social media can cause is a common problem: In one small survey by the Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, 45% of adults reported being stressed at least once a week because of social media, and 16% reported being stressed every day. Frequent social media use has already been linked to increased irritability in adults, as well as worsened depression. Some researchers have even submitted the idea of “meta-stress,” that is, stressing about the stress generated by social media. That’s made worse by the fact that most adults in the U.S. use social media: 68% use Facebook, 83% use YouTube, and 47% use Instagram, according to the Pew Research Center. Yet there’s money to be made in keeping people away from these platforms. Apps like Freedom, AppBlock, and SelfControl block access to certain apps for periods of time. Some can’t be disabled until a set timer expires. Many workers told Fast Company that they rely on these apps to keep them from doomscrolling. But even those tools may not be enough to cut back on deeply ingrained habits. Budler is a prolific social media user in his personal life, with accounts on Instagram, the running app Strava, reading platform Goodreads, and TikTok, the latter of which he says is most addictive. His latest screen-time report on his phone recorded just over 20 hours on his phone in the past week, with 9 of those hours on social media. Rebecca Greenbaum, a coauthor of the Rutgers study, isn’t against social media. “I think it can be a fun break. It can be a useful break. It can add interestingness to a person’s day,” she says. But to avoid the mindless, automatic scroll, treat it like the smoke break of the 1980s, she says. Get up from your desk, go elsewhere, and devote a limited amount of time. It’s a strategy that works for Megan Carnegie. “I’m trying to be more intentional about how I use those platforms. The burner has been a good exercise in that. Now I’m a bit less anxious about work.” View the full article

Marguerite Bérard plans to cut 5,200 full-time roles by 2028 as part of overhaul at Dutch lenderView the full article

Today’s job market is more ruthless than ever, leaving many desperately clinging to their roles amid mass layoffs and side-eyeing the competition. In such environments, a rival colleague or workplace nemesis may make themselves known. Watching a smug colleague get called out for a mistake in a meeting or blundering a promotion is often deeply satisfying (even if we may not admit it). Many know the German name for this impulse, schadenfreude: pleasure derived by another’s misfortune. But another, more work-related term that has emerged recently is fail watching: a coping strategy born from today’s challenging job market as a way to make us feel better about our own position. Research has shown that seeing others fail can give us a self-affirming boost. Those with low self-esteem are more likely to be threatened by overachievers (and to enjoy watching them fall flat on their face). These reactions are simply human nature. Yet there are nuances to reveling in others’ misfortunes: from a fleeting, vindictive thought to public gloating or workplace bullying. “This phenomenon is a symptom of a lack of trust within the team, with employees waiting with bated breath for someone to mess up,” Peter Duris, CEO of Kickresume, tells Fast Company. “You’re much less likely to see it in a healthy workplace where everyone feels supported.” Fail watching is far likelier to occur in workplaces that don’t recognize and reward their employees’ contributions. At present, only 30% of U.S employees feel that someone at work encourages their development, down from 36% in March 2020, one 2025 Gallup survey found. Duris also links fail watching to Gen Z employees due to the immense pressure younger workers are facing from all angles. “Many have had to really fight to get their foot in the door,” he says. In the current hiring slump, applicants submitting a résumé today have just a 0.4% chance of actually landing the job, according to Business Insider. Fresh graduates are being hit hardest, with global entry-level job postings falling 29% since January 2024, according to World Economic Forum data. The competition doesn’t stop there. Researchers from Zurich University found that highly competitive working environments foster the perfect conditions for emergence and development of schadenfreude. It’s understandable to feel somewhat reassured if someone else is finding things tough at work when you are too. But there’s a big difference between this and praying for someone’s downfall. If you notice someone struggling, the best way to respond is to offer help if you can, or just be kind and supportive. If another colleague tries to gossip with you about a coworker’s recent failure, change the subject—or at least save it for outside of work hours. As the age-old adage goes: If you don’t have anything nice to say, don’t say anything at all. View the full article

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We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Black Friday sales officially start Friday, November 28, and run through Cyber Monday, December 1, 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. I'm historically a Nintendo guy. My first consoles were Game Boys; my first games starred Zelda and Link, and I was one of the few die-hard Wii U advocates. (There were dozens of us! Dozens!) But as much as Nintendo will forever be my go-to platform, I'll admit, some of my favorite recent gaming experiences have been on PlayStation. The Last of Us blew me away; Astro Bot was everything I would have wanted Super Mario Galaxy 3 to be; and, frankly, it's fantastic to have a device ready to play DVDs and Blu-Rays whenever I want to watch something on disc. All that to say, if you're still thinking about picking up a PlayStation 5 for yourself, I'd highly encourage you to do so. I would have no reservations recommending the console at full price, but when you can pick it up at a sizable discount, all the better. Right now, stores like Amazon are selling the PS5 Slim Digital Edition for $399, $100.99 off the MSRP of $499.99. While that doesn't make this the lowest price the PS5 has ever reached, it's still a great price for what you get. Sony PlayStation 5 (PS5) Digital Console Slim $399.00 at Amazon $499.99 Save $100.99 Get Deal Get Deal $399.00 at Amazon $499.99 Save $100.99 The Digital Edition PS5 Slim comes with one DualSense Wireless Controller, a 1TB SSD, and a copy of Astro's Playroom. While the latter is only a demo of the PS5 hardware and DualSense controller, it's a fun experience in its own right, and, if you like it, please pick up Astro Bot as soon as you can. Speaking of games, however, this is the Digital Edition of the PS5. That means you'll need to buy digital copies of all your games—unless you buy a disc drive for an extra $79. I wouldn't recommend that path, however, seeing as you can snag the PS5 Disc Edition for a $449 right now, just an extra $50 over the Digital Edition. If you think you're going to want to buy your games on disc, which can be helpful with both resale and buying used games, buy the Disc Edition over the disc drive. But if you want to spend as little as possible on your PS5 experience, you could pick up the Digital Edition and spend your savings on new games, or even put it towards a subscription to PlayStation Plus. You could also go in the polar opposite direction, and spend even more money on the PS5 Pro. Amazon is also taking $100.99 off Sony's top-of-the-line PlayStation, which brings its cost down to $649. But unless you really care about playing your console games in the highest fidelity possible, or watching 4K Blu-Rays in HDR, you'll be more than fine with the base PS5. If you're all about the savings, you could pick up a refurbished console instead. Best Buy has a refurbished Digital Edition (not Slim, mind you) available for $341.99. As long as you don't mind buying the device used, you can save nearly another $60 here. How long do Black Friday deals really last?Black Friday sales officially begin Friday, November 28, 2025, and run throughout “Cyber Week,” the five-day period that runs from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, December 1, 2025. But Black Friday and Cyber Monday dates have expanded as retailers compete for customers. You can get the same Black Friday sales early, and we expect sales to wind down by December 3, 2025. Does Amazon have Black Friday deals?Yes, Amazon has Black Friday 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 Black Friday?Nowadays, both large retailers and small businesses compete for Black Friday 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 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. Our Best Editor-Vetted Early Black Friday Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $219.99 (List Price $249.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $279.00 (List Price $349.00) Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) — $69.99 (List Price $139.99) 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) NEW Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones — $298.00 (List Price $429.00) 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) — $349.00 (List Price $399.00) WD 6TB My Passport USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive — $134.99 (List Price $179.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Black Friday sales officially start Friday, November 28, and run through Cyber Monday, December 1, 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. Sales season is here, and if you’ve been on Amazon, Best Buy, or any other site that sells computers this week, you’ve probably noticed dozens of deals on laptop PCs that are cheaper than $500 or even $300. They’re tempting impulse buys, and I’ve actually recommended them here and there in the past. But the truth is, if you have a phone or tablet, or even if you’re only going to use them to browse the internet, there are probably better options out there. You can get a good computer for cheap, but as for those suspiciously inexpensive laptop PCs you’re seeing this week, here’s why that $300 deal probably isn’t worth it. These PCs are old techAs time marches on, even the simplest programs get more demanding to run. That’s a problem for these cheap laptop deals, because they already tend to be using pretty old tech by the time you get to them. Scroll through Best Buy’s official list of inexpensive laptops, and you’ll find a lot of machines powered by Intel’s Celeron chips, which are low-power processors that were discontinued in 2023. Most are using the N4500, too, which is from 2021. On a human scale, that’s not too long ago, but time moves fast in the world of computers. As Microsoft continues to put AI features into even the base version of Windows, this chip is going to have a hard time keeping up, and the more bloat your computer has, the more lag you’ll see performing even simple tasks like opening files. In other words, your new purchase could be e-waste shortly after you get your hands on it. What makes that worse is that, generally, Celeron is meant more for low-power corporate terminals than general consumer use. So on top of being old, if you want to do any kind of multitasking, you’re fighting an uphill battle. But the chip isn’t even the biggest issue. The real problem here is RAM, or memory. This is short-term cache space your computer can use to help it run tasks in real-time, and if you’re a Chrome user, you’ve probably noticed that it’s gotten pretty RAM hungry as of late. It’s been a common complaint for decades, with the browser regularly eating over 1GB even during light tasks. That’s not so bad if you have the minimum 8-16GB that most computers come with these days, but these cheapo Black Friday deals are almost all topping out at 4GB. That doesn’t give you much headroom. Another blow for multitasking, but even if you only use your browser, don’t expect to open too many tabs at once. You could use a more lightweight browser, turn on memory limits, or make use of hacks like suspending or preloading tabs, but no matter what you do, most developers aren’t making their apps, even web browsers, for machines with a 4GB limit anymore. And that’s an issue, because relying on browser-based applications is a great way to take strain off a weak computer, since it lets it shunt most of its processing to the cloud. Having so little breathing room for your memory puts a tight expiration date on your new purchase, aside from limiting how many tabs or extra programs you can open now. Then there are matters of convenience, like resolution and battery life. These won’t affect performance, but they’ll probably be lower than you might expect. Usually, most monitors and televisions these days start at a resolution of 1,920 x 1,080, the bare minimum to be considered “Full HD.” But laptops like this one from HP and this one from Lenovo are just about half of that, so your image is going to be noticeably less sharp. Battery life, meanwhile, is usually quoted at about 10 to 12 hours, and while that’s not small, it is also about half of what you might get from a MacBook, Microsoft Surface Laptop, or even a more powerful generic laptop. Windows is a heavy operating system, and running it on weak specs in a machine that’s designed to be thin and light is going to draw a lot of power. Are any of these issues death sentences? Not necessarily. If you understand that one of these machines might be a bit sluggish and won’t last you long, it could serve in a pinch. But you’re still probably going to have to replace it sooner rather than later, which could cost you more in the long run, while giving you a worse experience than just getting a nicer computer now would. I understand that not everyone has the money to spend on a nice laptop now, though. But even if you need to cut costs, these laptops come with enough compromises that they’re far from being your best option, even at a low price point. Chromebooks are the new cheap laptopPart of what makes these cheaper laptop PCs viable at all is that they most rely on the internet for their productivity. Assuming you have the RAM to operate an internet browser, a cheap laptop can rely on the cloud for activities like watching videos, prepping spreadsheets, and increasingly, gaming. But if you’re just going to use your laptop as a portal to the internet, it might be better to ditch the heavy requirements of Windows and go for something lighter instead. Enter Chromebooks. Introduced in 2011, Chromebooks run on ChromeOS, which is an offshoot of the much more lightweight Linux operating system. That means your laptop will be snappier even with less powerful specs, and while ChromeOS can come with some compatibility issues for more serious Windows programs, it does introduce compatibility with Android apps, and is just fine for browsing the web and lightweight tasks like word processing or making spreadsheets. These advantages mean Chromebooks have started to replace more traditional budget laptops as of late, which is probably part of why these sub-$300 Windows machines are using such old tech. Chromebooks are used in schools, and because of Google’s support, they can promise a certain level of quality while keeping costs low. Part of that is thanks to the Chromebook Plus certification program, which started in 2023, and has quickly gotten pretty popular. These Chromebooks are a little swankier, but still affordable compared to Windows machines, and have to offer a minimum of an Intel Core i3 12th gen or AMD Ryzen 3 5000 series chip, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, a 1080p webcam, and a 1080p screen. That loadout is a major improvement on the non-Chromebook deals listed above, and while there are still some new Chromebooks that aren’t Chromebook Plus certified, these are becoming few and far between. And even the non-Plus Chromebooks are likely still a better deal than a similarly priced Windows laptop, as they’ll have an easier time with their weaker specs thanks to ChromeOS. Lifehacker sister site PCMag has a whole list of tested Chromebooks across various price ranges, but for a specific pick, I’d opt for the Acer Chromebook Plus 515, which is $300 for Black Friday, hits all those Chromebook Plus minimums, and has a generous 15.6-inch touch display. Or, if that’s a bit too large for you, you can pay $355 for the Acer Chromebook Plus 514. Tablets are becoming more like laptopsTablets are becoming more and more like computers these days, which is why you might already have a good cheap laptop replacement kicking around, or could get one for cheap. That’s especially true if you’re a fan of Apple. That’s because Apple recently released iPadOS26, and while it’s not a full replacement for a MacBook, it comes stunningly close. New with this update is the ability to run multiple windowed apps at once, complete with a menu bar, in a user interface that looks a lot like Apple’s full-blown computers. It’s even got the traffic lights in the top-left corner of your windows for minimizing them or taking them fullscreen. You still lose out on a few niceties, like compatibility with the full array of apps offered on MacBook, as well as the Terminal and some external display support. But, if like on a Chromebook or cheaper Windows laptop, you mostly intend to work online, it could be a compelling and familiar solution for you. And the chips Apple puts in even its entry-level iPads are far stronger than Celerons. Right now, you can get an 11-inch A16 iPad for $279 for Black Friday, although an official Magic Keyboard Folio for that will run you an additional $199. That takes this from being one of this article’s cheaper options to one of its priciest, but the iPad will work with any Bluetooth keyboard, so you could also opt for a cheaper third-party option instead. Here’s one for $24, although I haven’t tested it personally. It’s also worth pointing out that, in addition to working with the A16 iPad, iPadOS26 is compatible several generations back across the iPad Pro, iPad Air, and iPad mini, so you might already have a device that works with it. Before buying a new, cheap, and probably less powerful laptop, try using your iPad like a tablet and seeing if that’s enough for you. If you’re giving a gift, a Magic Keyboard for an iPad your family member or friend already owns is probably going to get a warmer reception than a generic cheapo Windows laptop. Most Android tablets, meanwhile, aren’t as functional here, but could still work for you, especially if you intend to use your tablet like a Chromebook. Here, you’ll probably need to rely on split-screen mode, which can place two apps side by side, although the specifics might vary depending on your device. Using a tablet as your cheap laptop is likely a better choice for iPad users, but again, it’s worth playing around with what you already have before buying a laptop that’s probably going to be sluggish and frustrating anyway. Just use your phoneFinally, the elephant in the room: Why are you buying a weak, cheapo laptop when you probably already have a phone in your pocket that’s ten times more powerful? The answer is probably that you need a big screen or a laptop-like interface, but I’ve got some good news for you. There are ways to use your phone for that without paying for a new, worse device. The most obvious of these is Samsung DeX, a desktop-like interface built into most Galaxy phones. Simply connect your Galaxy phone to an external monitor (you can do this with a cable or wirelessly via Miracast) and launch DeX from either the Settings app or the swipe-down Quick Settings panel. From there, you’ll see a similar interface to Windows, ChromeOS, or MacOS, and you’ll be able to open apps in multiple windows and freely resize them or move them around. It’s a lot like what’s available in iPadOS 26, and because your Galaxy device is probably running a recent flagship processor and definitely has at least 8GB of RAM, it’s going to be snappier than that cheap laptop would. You can also connect wireless or USB-C accessories like keyboards and mice, and if you need more than one wired connection, hubs and docking stations work, too. This will make it easy to use keyboard shortcuts like Ctrl/Cmd + Enter, which will take you right to the home screen if you ever get lost. However, you don’t need an external keyboard or mouse to use DeX—your phone can also act as a keyboard and trackpad combo. This versatility means you might already own a “budget laptop” that’s going to be way stronger than anything you can buy on the cheap. Compatibility goes back to the S8, so it’s worth checking your drawers if you’ve ever been a Samsung customer. If you’re not a Samsung user, though, you’ve still got some options. Now that the iPhone uses USB-C, most smartphones now support some type of external monitor connectivity, for both mirrored and wired connections. It’s probably not going to be as natural to use as iPadOS 26 or DeX, but if you just need to get to a browser to access your Google Workspace, it’ll do. Here are a few ways to connect an iPhone to a monitor or TV, and the same for non-Samsung Androids. How long do Black Friday deals really last?Black Friday sales officially begin Friday, November 28, 2025, and run throughout “Cyber Week,” the five-day period that runs from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, December 1, 2025. But Black Friday and Cyber Monday dates have expanded as retailers compete for customers. You can get the same Black Friday sales early, and we expect sales to wind down by December 3, 2025. Does Apple do Black Friday?Yes, Apple participates in Black Friday, though you may want to compare their sales with other retailers like Best Buy and Walmart. Apple is offering an exclusive $250 gift card for eligible purchases, but so far, the best Black Friday sale on an Apple product is the M4 MacBook on sale for cheaper than ever. What stores have the best sales on Black Friday?Nowadays, both large retailers and small businesses compete for Black Friday 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 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. View the full article

Lancaster, Pennsylvania-based Fulton Financial said Monday it will pay $243 million in stock for Blue Foundry Bancorp, which has lost more than $20 million since converting to a public company in 2021. View the full article

Lately, at every networking event or leadership roundtable, I’m hearing the same things on repeat. CEOs are focused on growth in an uncertain context. HR leaders are worried about retention and employee burnout. Managers are trying to figure out how to build connection in hybrid workplaces that feel more transactional by the day. Everyone is chasing new strategies for engagement, inclusion, and belonging—yet most are overlooking one of the simplest, most powerful tools we all have: mentorship. In an age where technology evolves faster than people can keep up, mentorship is the real accelerator. It’s how knowledge sticks, how culture travels, and how innovation spreads. The companies that will win the next decade aren’t just the ones adopting AI—they’re the ones teaching their people how to keep learning, growing, and lifting the next generation of leaders as they climb. The reality is that the workforce is changing in ways that we have never experienced before. Innovations have shifted the way we operate. Roles and responsibilities have changed. And in August, U.S. unemployment rose again, all while the number of new entrants getting jobs decreased by almost 200,000 (compared to the previous month). We’re watching a generational disconnect unfold in real time. The Harris Poll found that nearly half (45%) of Gen Z job seekers feel AI has made their college education irrelevant, and over half (51%) viewed their degrees as a “waste of money.” This is a striking signal that the promise of education no longer feels aligned with the realities of today’s workplace. This isn’t just about the cost of college—it’s about the gap between what’s taught in classrooms and what’s needed to thrive beyond them. Employers see the same cracks: They’re struggling to find qualified candidates even as millions of capable young people are eager—but unsure how—to start. I talk to a lot of people—nonprofit professionals, business leaders, researchers, and parents of young adults like myself. But it’s often the conversations directly with young people that reveal the challenge, and the solution, most clearly. Take Josue. He graduated from college this spring and possesses a sharp wit, a creative mind, and a dream of working in the legal field. But like so many first-generation and lower-income students, he was weighing that dream against financial reality. Was law school even an option? Through a network of mentors, Josue connected with a seasoned legal professional who opened his eyes to career paths he didn’t even know existed, roles in the legal field that didn’t require a law degree. In just a few conversations, that mentor helped him explore options, prepare applications, and gain the confidence to take the next step. Josue is currently working at a law firm, in a job that he loves. This simple act of mentorship provided career exposure and set Josue on a new trajectory in life. But that’s not the reality for all young people navigating the workforce today. Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, in partnership with the Harris Poll, surveyed 1,000 Gen Z youth from across the country and found that only 41% felt high confidence navigating today’s job market. At the same time, the data showed that 83% of young adults believe a mentor could help them as they enter the workforce. Young people want mentorship support, even if the mentor doesn’t have all the answers. In fact, 84% of mentored young people attribute their mentors to opening doors to opportunities they didn’t know existed. Guidance from a mentor can not only help a young person navigate their entrance to the workforce but can also cultivate the next generation of leaders, foster loyalty, and strengthen workplace culture. Consider also that HR leaders need confident employees with “durable skills,” like communication, adaptability, and teamwork. These are all skills that young people attain through mentorship. Companies with mentoring cultures see increased retention, innovation, and employee engagement. In fact, it benefits them just as much as it benefits young people. For example, UPS has created career exploration opportunities for young people so they can see the careers that exist within the shipping and logistics industry and ask questions. Mentorship holistically supports a stronger, more diverse talent pipeline. Today’s leaders are leaning in by creating access for young people in ways that we can scale. Think back to a moment when you needed a nudge or a champion, who was the person who did that for you—the mentor who helped you see possibilities you couldn’t yet imagine? Where would you be without them? So, before your next strategy meeting or AI pilot, ask a Gen Z employee what’s helping them navigate the uncertainty of work and life right now. You won’t hear about new tools or training modules—you’ll hear about people. Someone who listens, believes in them, and shows them the next step forward. That’s the opportunity in front of us. To make sure every young person, in every workplace, has access to mentorship. Because the real measure of leadership isn’t just how fast we move—it’s how many people we bring with us. View the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Black Friday sales officially start Friday, November 28, and run through Cyber Monday, December 1, 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. You get a Dell Latitude 7410 laptop from 2020 and a lifetime license for Microsoft Office Professional 2021 currently on sale together for $274.99 on StackSocial. Since Office alone usually sells for $219.99 and the laptop carries a $799.99 list price, the bundle makes sense if you view the laptop as an affordable way to handle simple work at home or as a backup machine. This version of Office installs directly on one Windows machine and stays tied to that device. It includes the usual productivity suite you expect from Microsoft Office, all running locally with no monthly fees. And because the suite doesn’t require heavy processing power, it still performs well on older hardware, making the pairing realistic for everyday tasks. The Latitude 7410 included here is a Grade A refurbished unit. In practical terms, that means the laptop has been inspected, tested, cleaned, and arrives in near-mint condition, often with only faint or no visible marks on the casing. While it shows its age on paper, the hardware can still handle routine work. The Intel i5-10310U processor paired with 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD keeps Windows 11 Pro responsive for browsing, writing, light multitasking, and general office tasks. The 14-inch 1080p display works well for reading and editing, and the 3.2-pound weight is comfortable enough for moving between rooms or workspaces. You also get a mix of ports, including two USB-C, two USB-A, and HDMI, along with a fingerprint reader, stereo speakers, and a basic 1MP webcam. Connectivity is the most obvious sign of its age, as it uses wifi 802.11ac, also known as wifi 5, which is fine for typical home and office speeds but can't take advantage of the faster wifi 6 or 6E networks that are common in 2025. Bluetooth 5.0 still works for headphones, keyboards, and mice, but it doesn't match the stability and lower latency of newer 5.3 and 5.4 versions. These limitations matter most if you rely on fast wireless transfers or lots of Bluetooth accessories. Combined with the lack of any warranty and a battery that lasts around six hours, this machine works best for someone who needs a simple, steady computer rather than one that is future-proof. How long do Black Friday deals really last?Black Friday sales officially begin Friday, November 28, 2025, and run throughout “Cyber Week,” the five-day period that runs from Thanksgiving through Cyber Monday, December 1, 2025. But Black Friday and Cyber Monday dates have expanded as retailers compete for customers. You can get the same Black Friday sales early, and we expect sales to wind down by December 3, 2025. What stores have the best sales on Black Friday?Nowadays, both large retailers and small businesses compete for Black Friday 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 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 Black Friday deals worth it?In short, yes, Black Friday 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 Monday 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 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 Early Black Friday Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $219.99 (List Price $249.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $279.00 (List Price $349.00) Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) — $69.99 (List Price $139.99) 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) NEW Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones — $298.00 (List Price $429.00) 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) — $349.00 (List Price $399.00) WD 6TB My Passport USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive — $134.99 (List Price $179.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article

Chancellor is under pressure from some Labour MPs to raise levies on business this weekView the full article

We may earn a commission from links on this page. Deal pricing and availability subject to change after time of publication. Black Friday sales officially start Friday, November 28, and run through Cyber Monday, December 1, 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. As smart rings continue to flood the market, it can be hard to find a reliable option that truly meets all your needs. The Oura Ring 4 remains one of the top holistic health trackers on the market, and right now it’s up to 30% off on Amazon (29% off for certain colors) for Black Friday, marking its lowest price ever. Oura Ring 4 $249.00 at Amazon $349.00 Save $100.00 Get Deal Get Deal $249.00 at Amazon $349.00 Save $100.00 Unlike rings with an often boxy or bulky design (and even previous models of the Oura), this thin, rounded smart ring looks like a regular piece of jewelry and is comfortable to wear (even while you sleep). It lasts around a week off a single charge (a full day longer than the Samsung Galaxy Ring) and takes around 80 minutes to fully recharge. The ring provides accurate activity and sleep data (though it’s not as precise as wearables like the Apple Watch Ultra 2) along with personalized health guidance. For fitness enthusiasts, it also allows for the ability to track multiple workouts. The detailed metrics it provides help users get a better understanding of their holistic health, which is why it earned an Editors’ Choice award from PCMag for smart rings. It lets you track 40 different kinds of workouts, daily movement, sleep metrics, and stress levels, as well as health stats like heart and respiratory rate, blood oxygen, and skin temperature using red and green infrared LEDs. The app then delivers custom-tailored recommendations based on the results. That said, you’ll still need a membership to access some of the app’s deeper insights and features, unlike competitors like the Samsung Galaxy Ring, which costs more upfront but doesn’t have a monthly fee. If you don’t mind a subscription fee to unlock certain features and are seeking a long-lasting, comfortable wearable alternative to a smart watch that health and fitness tracker that provides a variety of around-the-clock metrics (and optimization tips via the app), the Oura Ring 4 has a wide breadth of features and is a sleek, unobtrusive option—especially at up to $150 off. Does Amazon have Black Friday deals?Yes, Amazon has Black Friday 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 Black Friday?Nowadays, both large retailers and small businesses compete for Black Friday 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 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 Black Friday deals worth it?In short, yes, Black Friday 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 Early Black Friday Deals Right Now Apple AirPods Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Heart Rate Wireless Earbuds — $219.99 (List Price $249.00) Apple iPad 11" 128GB A16 WiFi Tablet (Blue, 2025) — $279.00 (List Price $349.00) Amazon Fire HD 10 (2023) — $69.99 (List Price $139.99) 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) NEW Bose Quiet Comfort Ultra Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones — $298.00 (List Price $429.00) 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) — $349.00 (List Price $399.00) WD 6TB My Passport USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive — $134.99 (List Price $179.99) Deals are selected by our commerce team View the full article