Technology

Control your power with ease with this excellent smart home deal ahead of Black Friday.

• Leak suggests the box for Arc B580 is being readied
• This comes on top of rumors that Intel will launch Battlemage next month
• We can hope for a true budget 1080p champ in those 2nd-gen Arc GPUs

Rumors around Intel’s next-gen Battlemage desktop GPUs are ramping up, with the latest being a sighting of the Arc B580 graphics card – or at least a hint that the packaging is being readied.

Tom’s Hardware noticed the appearance of a shipping manifest, presented in a post on X, seemingly for the box of the Battlemage (BMG) B580 GPU.

First Battlemage B580? pic.twitter.com/uz0aaJlPtANovember 18, 2024

Naturally, take this with some seasoning – plus the leaker in question is not one we’ve heard of before – but the packaging for the next-gen Arc graphics cards being readied (since September, apparently) falls in line with recent spinning from the rumor mill.

That includes speculation from a couple of days ago that showed a leaked teaser, showing Intel has a Battlemage announcement for December, which follows a rumor from earlier this month suggesting the exact same thing.

So, at least in theory, the revelation of these new 2nd-gen Arc GPUs is almost upon us.

(Image credit: Future / John Loeffler) Analysis: Battling at the lower-end of the GPU market

An imminent reveal makes sense in terms of Intel wanting to get in ahead with its Battlemage GPU launch, given that both AMD and Nvidia are at this point strongly rumored to be about to reveal their respective next-gen ranges of graphics cards – RDNA 4 and Blackwell – at CES 2025.

Previous rumors had suggested an early 2025 launch for Battlemage, but perhaps Intel fears its 2nd-gen Arc graphics cards might get lost in the hype battle between RDNA 4 and RTX 5000 GPUs if it waits that long – drowned out by the noise made around those rival GPUs, even if they aren't direct rivals for Intel – so Team Blue has stepped up its plans.

Remember, we might just get a Battlemage announcement in December, and the boards themselves may not go on sale until later (in fact, that’s likely to be the case).

Seeing the Arc B580 mentioned specifically is interesting, as the gist of what we’ve heard regarding the performance of Battlemage GPUs is that they’ll all be targeting the lower end of the market.

Rumor has it that the top 2nd-gen Arc graphics card will run with 32 Xe cores, so will equal the current-gen (Alchemist) Arc A770 – so that’d fit with a theoretical B580 model. (Intel would have to drop this configuration down a tier to make sense, in other words – remember, though, there’ll be architectural performance improvements here, too, it’s not all about core count). So, perhaps the B580 will be the top offering with Battlemage, but this is all guesswork, really.

Whatever the case, it’ll be great to get some new budget GPUs – with truly affordable price tags – as this is an area Nvidia especially, and AMD too, has neglected for too long. Therefore, it’s a space where Intel can hopefully get in and make a meaningful difference in the world of desktop GPUs. Fingers and toes crossed.

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Netflix is no stranger to shocking programs. Among the best Netflix shows you can find documentary hits like Don't F*** with Cats and dramatizations like the chilling Woman of the Hour, which I hailed as my scariest movie of 2024. Now I'm adding a brand new "true-ish" series to my watchlist, which follows a fraudster as she claims she cured her stage four brain tumor through health and wellness methods.

In an age where influencers are recommending all sorts of products on social media, stories like this are horrible to witness. Apple Cider Vinegar tells the story of Belle Gibson, a wellness influencer who pretends she cured her terminal cancer to boost her social media presence and earn money. Her lies were eventually exposed and she was convicted, with the series based on the book The Woman Who Fooled the World by journalists Beau Donelly and Nick Toscano.

Take a look at the shocking trailer below. We don't have a release date just yet, so we'll have to keep our eyes peeled!

What else do we know about Apple Cider Vinegar?

Tudum revealed that: "Apple Cider Vinegar is a true-ish story based on a lie, about the rise and fall of a wellness empire; the culture that built it up, and the people who tore it down. Certain characters and events have been created or fictionalized."

So while this is inspired by the real life fraudster Belle Gibson, it's important to note it is not a straight documentary or biopic and that not everything you see on screen happened. So take that with a pinch of salt (or spoonful of apple cider vinegar?) before you decide to jump in.

The series stars Kaitlyn Dever, who you may recognize from the Hulu series Dopesick, as Belle. She's joined by other great stars including Alycia Debnam-Carey, Aisha Dee, Tilda Cobham-Hervey, and Mark Coles Smith.

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• ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode could be getting 'eyes' soon
• Initially unveiled in May 2024, we haven't heard much about the feature since
• Beta code references 'Live camera' hinting an impending launch

ChatGPT's long-anticipated 'eyes' could be coming to Advanced Voice Mode soon allowing you to have video calls with AI.

OpenAI originally unveiled the feature in May showcasing how Advanced Voice Mode could see what you show it and speak back to you about the subject.

In the demo, Advanced Voice Mode was shown a dog and was able to determine the subject and everything else related to it, including the animal's name. Since that demo and an Alpha release, OpenAI hasn't mentioned this feature and we've heard nothing about its development. Until now.

Code in the latest ChatGPT v1.2024.317 beta build, originally spotted by Android Authority, hints at ChatGPT's eyes coming sooner rather than later. OpenAI hasn't officially confirmed the name for the sci-fi video call feature yet, but according to the code strings it's going to be called 'Live Camera'.

For users who have been waiting for further information on ChatGPT's Visual Intelligence and Google Lens competitor, this is a good sign that Live camera could be entering into beta soon followed by a wider official release.

Trying #ChatGPT’s new Advanced Voice Mode that just got released in Alpha. It feels like face-timing a super knowledgeable friend, which in this case was super helpful — reassuring us with our new kitten. It can answer questions in real-time and use the camera as input too! pic.twitter.com/Xx0HCAc4ToJuly 30, 2024

Would you video call with AI?

A video call option sounds like the natural evolution of ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode, allowing you to effectively video call AI. While that might sound incredibly dystopian, it could end up being a fantastic addition to the way we interact with AI models.

ChatGPT's Advanced Voice Mode and other AI voice assistants, like Gemini Live, have proven that there is far more to interacting with AI than a chatbot. Offering as many ways to interact with AI as possible allows users to decide how it best fits their needs and opens up new ways of implementing the software into daily life. I expect this 'Live camera' functionality to be a game-changer for accessibility needs, especially for those with visual impairment.

Hopefully we hear more about 'Live camera' soon, but it's good to know, at least, that OpenAI hasn't forgotten the feature's existence.

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• Perplexity has launched a new AI-powered shopping feature
• Buy with Pro will help you make purchase decisions
• You can then buy with one click directly within Perplexity

Popular AI search tool, Perplexity, has been updated just in time for Black Friday with a new 'Buy with Pro' shopping feature.

The AI-powered shopping tool is available for users in the US right now, but will be expanding to other countries soon. When searching for a product, Pro members can click the Buy with Pro button to launch the AI-powered shopping experience that remembers their method of payment and delivery address. In order to entice users to use Buy with Pro over the Holiday Season, Perplexity is offering all users free shipping, too.

Think of Buy With Pro as an AI-powered shopping experience that uses Perplexity's amazing AI search functionality to not only help you make informed decisions, but also shop without the need of the company's competitors, like Google.

Over the last year, users have flocked to AI search engines such as Perplexity and ChatGPT Search. This new addition, allowing you to shop directly from within Perplexity is the next step in the company creating a true Google Search competitor.

Ask AI for shopping advice

Perplexity's new Snap-to-Shop feature helps you buy what you're looking at. (Image credit: Perplexity)

Perplexity is also launching a Snap-to-Shop experience that is similar to Google Lens. So, you can take a photo of an object and search for it, then ultimately buy it, all from within Perplexity.

Perplexity's Buy with Pro will help you with purchase decisions by allowing you to ask detailed questions about products and get detailed answers, thanks to Perplexity's LLM.

Buy with Pro includes new easy-to-read product cards for each product it recommends summarizing the most relevant items, key details, and a link to visit the website or buy. Perplexity maintains that its product recommendations aren’t sponsored, are completely unbiased, and are tailored to your search by its AI. Product cards will be visible to people searching using Perplexity regardless of whether they are a Pro user, or not.

The company says it will be expanding Buy with Pro to other countries in the future, but for now, only those in the US will be able to make the most of Perplexity this Black Friday.

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• A known hacker posts a new thread on an underground forum, offering Ford data for free
• Ford responds by saying it is investigating the claims
• There is no confirmation of data's authenticity yet

Ford says it is looking into a potential data breach after internal company information ended up on the dark web.

A known leaker with the alias EnergyWeaponUser recently posted a new thread on BreachForums, offering Ford’s data for free. “Today, I have uploaded the Ford Motor Company internal database for you to download, thanks for reading and enjoy!,” the post reads. EnergyWeaponUser added that the company was breached together with IntelBroker, another infamous leakster.

“In November 2024, Ford Motor Company, an American multinational automobile company suffered a data breach,” the post further adds. “It exposes 44k records of customer names, physical locations, bought product.”

"Actively investigating"

The crooks also shared a small sample of the stolen data, which appears to include customer names, postal addresses, country codes, customer type codes, city information, sales types, account codes, last update timestamps, and other records.

After the thread surfaced, The Register reached out to the company, which confirmed looking into the allegations of data theft.

"Ford is aware and is actively investigating the allegations that there has been a breach of Ford data," spokesperson Richard Binhammer told the publication. "Our investigation is active and ongoing."

EnergyWeaponUser and IntelBroker are quite active in the underground hacking community, often posting archives from breached corporations. As such, they have seen leaking Cisco information, and sensitive data from AMD, in the past. IntelBroker was also seen leaking Europol, Nokia, and others.

Whether or not Ford’s data is authentic, remains to be seen. Losing sensitive customer data can result in all kinds of headaches for the company, from regulatory fines, to class action lawsuits. Most of the time, however, the biggest expense is paying for identity theft protection and credit monitoring services, which most companies provide to affected individuals, for up to two years.

Via The Register

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It's a great time to find Apple Watch deals, thanks to the recent release of the Apple Watch 10, which is available to order. To help you find all the best Apple Watch deals around the web, I've created this guide to bring you the lowest prices available on the Apple Watch SE, the Apple Watch 9, the all-new Apple Watch 10, and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and rare Apple Watch 10 deals.

At last year's September Apple event, the tech giant unveiled the Apple Watch Series 10 with a starting price of $399 / £399 for the 42mm model and $429 / £429 for the larger 46mm display, which is the same starting price as the Apple Watch 9.

This means that Apple Watch deals on older models, including the Apple Watch 9 and Ultra 2, released last year, and the budget Apple Watch SE, launched in 2022, will be more frequent.

Shop today's best Apple Watch deals below, which include the best prices around the web and more information on each Apple Watch so you can find the best smartwatch that meets your needs at the lowest available price.

Best cheap Apple Watch sales and deals

(Image credit: Apple) Apple Watch 10 (2024)

Apple's latest and greatest smartwatch

OS: watchOS 10 | Compatibility: iOS | Display: 42mm - 46mm always-on | Processor: S10 dual-core | Onboard storage: 64GB | Battery: 18 hours | Charging method: Wireless | IP rating: IP6X | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS

The largest and most advanced displaySleep apnea detectionNew materials and colors.Expensive

The Apple Watch 10 is the successor to the Apple Watch 9, and pricing starts at $399 / £399. The Series 10 gets a significant design upgrade, and features the largest and most advanced display we've seen on an Apple Watch – it's a wide-angle OLED display that's 40% brighter than its predecessor, making it easier to read apps and texts.

It's the thinest and lightest mainline Apple Watch yet, and other new features include Apple's new S10 chipset, sleep apnea detection, depth gauge, and water temperature sensor. The Watch 10 is also available in a range of stunning new materials and colors.

(Image credit: Apple) Apple Watch 9 (2023)

A great smartwatch often discounted

OS: watchOS 10 | Compatibility: iOS | Display: 41mm - 45mm always-on | Processor: S9 dual-core | Onboard storage: 64GB | Battery: 18 hours | Charging method: Wireless | IP rating: IP6X | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS

New double-tap gestureBrighter displayFaster on-device SiriStill pricey

The Apple Watch 9 was released in September of last year alongside the Ultra 2 with a starting price of $399 / £399 / AU$649 for the 41mm display and $429 / £429 / AU$1,199 for the larger 45mm display.

The Apple Watch 9 is Apple's first carbon-neutral product, and it's more powerful than ever thanks to the all-new S9 SiP chip, which delivers increased performance and a long-lasting 18 hours of battery life. Apple's new chip also brings new capabilities to the Apple Watch, such as the double-tap gesture, which allows you to control your smartwatch by simply tapping your index and thumb together twice. You also get a brighter display, watchOS 10 with redesigned apps, and for the first time ever, Siri requests can now be processed from your smartwatch.

(Image credit: Apple) Apple Watch Ultra 2 (2023)

Apple's brightest and durable smartwatch

OS: watchOS 10 | Compatibility: iOS | Display: 49mm | Processor: S9 SiP | Onboard storage: 64GB | Battery: 36 hours | Charging method: Wireless | IP rating: IP6X | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS

Apple's brightest displayDurableImpressive battery lifeExpensive

The Apple Watch Ultra 2 was also released last year, with the Apple Watch 9 as an upgrade to the Apple Watch Ultra. The premium smartwatch is Apple's most durable smartwatch, made with aerospace-grade titanium, which is also why the Ultra 2 is so expensive, with a retail price of $799 / £799 / AU$1,399. The Ultra 2 now includes Apple's new S9 SiP chip, which offers new features like the impressive hands-free Double Tap control and a 50% brighter display.

You're still getting the adventure-seeking features users love about the Ultra Series, such as GPS tracking, durability in high and low temperatures, and the Oceanic+ app, which turns the watch into a working dive computer.

(Image credit: Apple) Apple Watch SE (2022)

A fantastic smartwatch at an affordable price

OS: watchOS 9 | Compatibility: iOS | Display: 40mm - 44mm | Processor: S8 dual-core | Onboard storage: 32GB | Battery: 18 hours | Charging method: Wireless | IP rating: IP6X | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS

Affordable priceLightweight designImpressive performanceLacks always-on display

The 2022 Apple Watch SE shares many of the same features as the Apple Watch 8 but with a much more affordable price tag, with a starting cost of $249 /£259/ AU$399. While the SE lacks the always-on display and ECG app (which many might find unnecessary), the smartwatch includes an improved chip for faster performance and new health and safety features such as fall detection and Emergency SOS.

The smartwatch comes with all the features that people love about the Apple Watch, such as tracking heart rate, activity, sleep, and calories burned, and helps you stay connected with the ability to receive notifications, take calls, and reply to texts directly from your wrist.

(Image credit: Future) Apple Watch 8 (2022)

Renewed options available

OS: watchOS 8 | Compatibility: iOS | Display: 41mm - 45mm always-on | Processor: S8 dual-core | Onboard storage: 32GB | Battery: 18 hours | Charging method: Wireless | IP rating: IP6X | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS

Frequent dealsNew health featuresCar crash detection

Released in 2022, the Apple Watch 8 has a starting price of  $399 / £419 / AU$ 629 for a GPS-only model and $499 / £529 / AU$ 749 for the cellular model. The 45mm model starts from $429 / £449 / AU$679, with the cellular model costing $529 / £549 / AU$779. Thanks to the recent release of the Apple Watch 9, you can easily find Apple Watch deals on the Series 8, so you shouldn't expect to pay the full retail price.

The Apple Watch 8 includes health features such as a temperature sensor, an ECG function, and sleep tracking, plus safety features such as crash and fall detection. You're still getting all the fantastic features of the Series 7 smartwatch, including the Always-On display, activity tracking, an ECG app, and impressive all-day battery life.

(Image credit: Apple) Apple Watch 7 (2021)

Difficult to find in stock

OS: watchOS 7 | Compatibility: iOS | Display: 41mm - 45mm always-on | Processor: S7 dual-core | Onboard storage: 32GB | Battery: 18 hours | Charging method: Wireless | IP rating: IP6X | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS

Larger displayFaster chargingDifficult to find in stock

The Apple Watch 7 was unveiled in 2021 and includes a 70% brighter Always-On display, faster charging, and 20% more screen area, making it easier to use and read. The design also received a refresh with softer and more rounded edges and new sizes of 41mm and 45mm. The Apple Watch 7 still includes all the nifty features of the Series 6 smartwatch, such as blood oxygen monitoring, an ECG app, and activity tracking.

Thanks to the release of the Apple Watch 9, Apple Watch 7 deals have been difficult to find if you're looking for a new model. If you don't mind a renewed smartwatch, plenty of offers are available.

(Image credit: Apple) Apple Watch 6 (2020)

A solid smartwatch

OS: watchOS 7 | Compatibility: iOS | Display: 40mm - 44mm always-on | Processor: S6 dual-core | Onboard storage: 32GB | Battery: 18 hours | Charging method: Wireless | IP rating: IPX7 | Connectivity: Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, NFC, GPS

Regularly on saleAlways-on displayBlood oxygen monitoringDifficult to find in stock

The Apple Watch 6 debuted in September 2020 with an introductory price of $399 / £379 - the same baseline costs as the 2019 Series 5.

The Apple Watch 6 comes with a few key upgrades over the Series 5 - namely, a new blood oxygen monitor (with an accompanying app) and a brand new S6 dual-core processor, which Apple claims is 20% faster than last year's model. Aside from these key upgrades, the always-on display is back, but it's been drastically improved with some neat new controls for notifications, allowing you to interact without fully waking up the watch.

The Apple store no longer carries the Apple Watch 6, so like the Series 7, Apple Watch deals on the Series 6 are hard to come by if you're looking for a brand-new smartwatch.

Where to find Apple Watch deals

• Amazon - US
• Best Buy - US
• Walmart - US
• Amazon - UK
• AO.com - UK
• Argos - UK
• Very - UK
• Currys - UK

Apple Watch deals: is the price worth it? 

Apple's hardware often comes with a high price tag, and the Apple Watch doesn't fall far from the tree. That said, if you're looking for a smartwatch to work with your iPhone, no other brand comes close to offering the functionality of Apple's own timepiece.

While the Apple Watch price is still higher than many other brands, you're paying for integration with a massive number of apps you're already using on your iPhone. Plus, with all the Apple Watch deals happening and the recent software updates to older models, you can easily grab a great bargain. 

Apple Watch deals from phone carriers

If you're looking for an Apple Watch deal with a Cellular plan, a phone carrier like Verizon, AT&T, or T-Mobile could be your best option. Purchasing an Apple Watch from a carrier allows you to make monthly payments, and you can typically find discounts, especially if you have an existing phone plan with them.

Apple Watch band/strap deals

Bands are not one-size-fits-all-budgets

Wide variety of sizes, colors and pricesIncredibly easy to slide onto your WatchCan't use normal watch strapsOfficial Apple Watch bands are pricey

Your Apple Watch literally isn’t complete without the best deals on Apple Watch bands. They make the geeky smartwatch stylish enough to show off to late adopters.

In fact, you’re going to want multiple cheap Apple Watch straps simply because more elegant bands are far from ideal for the gym. Vice versa, Sport Bands don’t cut it at the fancy dinner table.

Everyday in the news, we see new cheap Apple Watch bands trying to become the de facto alternative to the more expensive, official Apple Watch bands, and they’re usually just as good. Trust us, buying a trio of third-party, lookalike Apple Watch bands for the price of one official strap is a relief after paying so much for the smartwatch itself. 

• Straps in the US starting at $5.99
• Straps in the UK starting at £4.98
• Straps in Australia starting at AU$4.89

• Don't know which watch to buy? Read our best Apple Watch guide
• You can also see the best smartwatch prices and deals that are happening now
• See today's best Apple AirTag prices and sales

Apple Watch 8 (GPS, 41mm): was $399 now $309 at Amazon
The Apple Watch 8 is still one of the best smartwatches you can buy, thanks to its impressive display and safety and health features, such as fall detection and Emergency SOS. Today's deal from Amazon brings the best-selling smartwatch down to $309, which is the lowest price we've seen in months, and just $30 more than the record-low we briefly saw during this year's Prime Day sales.View Deal