Updated: Black Friday Deals UK: how you can pick up mega deals on tech this month

We've added the first black friday retail links to the bottom of this page so you can mentally prepare yourself for the Deal Nirvana ahead!

In the US and Canada, Black Friday needs no introduction: it's a time for big sales, crazy prices and CCTV footage showing shoppers knocking lumps out of each other.

But it's becoming a huge deal in the UK now as well, with some of the biggest retailers like Amazon slashing their prices for one day only.

And the best news? TechRadar will be busy finding all the best deals on phones, headphones, speakers, cameras, games and more, and posting them here so you can find them more easily.

So what is Black Friday - and while we're at it, how is it connected to Cyber Monday?

Black Friday is the first Friday after Thanksgiving, and it represents a perfect storm for retailers: many people in the US have the day off, and as a result it's been the busiest shopping day of the year for nearly a decade.

To make things even busier, many retailers now offer some of their best sale bargains on Black Friday. Even Apple joins in.

That depends on when you're reading this. If it's 2014, Black Friday is Friday 28 November. If it's 2015, it's Friday 27 November. And if it's 2013, you've been asleep for a year. The things you've missed!

Take your pick: some say it's the day that retailers' profits finally move into the black, although Wikipedia reckons that the true origin of the term comes from Philadelphia where it referred to the disruptive pedestrian and vehicle traffic that occurred during the holiday.

Yes it is. Every year there are reports of fisticuffs as bargain-crazed shoppers beat each other up, partly because of the practice of using "doorbusters" - amazing and excruciatingly limited deals to attract as many customers as possible. US-based retailers such as Amazon are now keen to make it a tradition here in the UK.

Cyber Monday is the Monday immediately after Black Friday, and it was invented in 2005 in an attempt to create an online equivalent of Black Friday. What this has resulted in now, is an entire 4-day weekend of hot deals both in store and online.

No one likes a tech bargain more than TechRadar! And we don't want to keep them all to ourselves.

So we'll be beavering away tirelessly all weekend to constantly bring you the hottest deals as they go live online. You'll need to keep your wits about you though, because many deals only last for an hour or until stocks run out. So you need to be quick off the mark - and we'll be on hand to make it as easy for you as possible.

Tune in to TechRadar on November 28th, 29th, 30th and December 1st to get at the hot deals first!

Don't you know that patience is a virtue?! It's not Black Friday yet, but okay - we've put together a list of retailer's Black Friday pages so that you can take a look now and see what it's all about. We'll be adding more soon, and of course, this page on TechRadar will be the place to be with a curated list of all the best deals!

Amazon Black Friday page

Argos Black Friday page

Very Black Friday Page

Currys Black Friday page

John Lewis Black Friday page

View the original article here

Friday Poll: What do you want most from Apple's iPad event?

Hot on the heels of new iPhones come what is expected to be a new crowd of iPads. Rumors abound that we may get an even thinner iPad Air, but a new Mini and fresh Macs could also be on the menu.

Both the Air and the Mini are likely to get updates. Sarah Tew/CNET

Right on time ahead of Apple's anticipated iPad announcement on October 16, we've gotten a fresh round of leaked product images purporting to be the iPad Air 2. The alleged leaks appear to show a quarter-inch-thick tablet that's slimmer than its predecessor. The rumors also say it will come with a Touch ID fingerprint sensor, like newer iPhones.

One of the more enticing rumors (also one of the sketchiest) is that Apple may introduced a super-size 12.9-inch iPad to go with its super-size iPhone 6 Plus. This one is a bit of long shot, though it's possible such a device could emerge in 2015 instead. A slightly likelier rumor is that Apple could introduce a gold color option for iPads to join the existing black and white models. Considering how popular the white iPad was, this could be a fun addition to the lineup.

Apple fans who prefer physical keyboards may also get some fresh products at the event, too. We could be due for new iMacs to go along with the OS X Yosemite software unveiled earlier in the year.

As someone who is still using an iPad 2 while also wielding the latest iPad Mini Retina, I've got my eye on upgrades to the entire iPad lineup. I'm especially intrigued by what Apple might pull off in terms of new features in an attempt to wow an audience that is looking for the next big thing. With declining iPad sales haunting the market, Apple could use a big win in the tablet space. That might mean coming up with an unexpected feature designed to make buyers say, "Wow."

Whether the new iPads will be incremental or truly innovative remains to seen. Despite rumors and alleged leaks, we're all still mostly in the dark as to what the new models might really look like. You've followed the gossip. You're planning to tune in to CNET's live coverage of the iPad announcement. What do you want most from the event? Vote in our poll and share your thoughts in the comments.

Amanda Kooser Freelance writer Amanda C. Kooser covers gadgets and tech news with a twist for CNET's Crave blog. When not wallowing in weird gadgets and iPad apps for cats, she can be found tinkering with her 1956 DeSoto. See full bio

View the original article here

Galaxy Note 4 launch set for Oct. 17; preorders start Friday

Samsung's Galaxy Note 4 CNET

Samsung is getting ready to launch the much-anticipated Galaxy Note 4, the next version of its smartphone-tablet hybrid.

The company said Thursday that preorders on the Galaxy Note 4 will begin Friday -- the the same day Apple is launching its iPhone 6 and iPhone 6 Plus. Samsung's so-called phablet will launch October 17 in the US.

To sweeten the pot, Samsung will offer a "guaranteed total trade-in of $200" on working smartphones that are swapped for a Galaxy Note 4 preorder. This means that even if your old phone isn't deemed worth more than $50, you still get $200 to spend on a Galaxy Note 4. The deal is available between Friday and October 16.

Samsung's decision to start preorders on the iPhone's release day underscores the contentious relationship between the companies. Apple and Samsung have not only battled in court over alleged patent infringement, but Samsung has released a barrage of marketing assaults on the new iPhones, claiming they are outdated and come with features that customers would have found years ago on Samsung phones.

Samsung unveiled the Galaxy Note 4 earlier this month. The device comes with a 2.7GHz quad-core processor and a 5.7-inch display. It runs Android 4.4.4 (KitKat) and features a 16-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 3.7-megapixel front-facing camera. Like the iPhone 6 Plus, it features a near-field communications chip. The Galaxy Note 4 also comes with Samsung's newest S pen stylus that can be used in place of your fingertip to input information.

Samsung's Galaxy Note 4 will be available in black and white on AT&T, Sprint, T-Mobile, Verizon, and US Cellular networks.

The prices have trickled out via the carriers. T-Mobile's off-contract price is $749.76. The carrier said Thursday it will offer the device for no money down and monthly payments of $31.24 over 24 months.

Sprint, meanwhile, said the Galaxy Note 4 will cost $30 a month for 24 months, for a total of $720. The two-year contract price is $350.

AT&T has several options for paying for the Note 4. It's $300 with a traditional contract, $34.42 under its AT&T Next 18 program, and $41.30 under its AT&T Next 12 program, both of which offer upgrades after their respective periods. The off-contract price is $825.99.

Verizon is selling its Galaxy Note 4 for $300 with a contract, and $700 off contract. It costs $35 a month on its device installment program, Edge.

CNET has contacted Samsung for comment. We will update this story when we have more information.

Updated at 11:33 am PT: To include Verizon, Sprint and AT&T's pricing on the device.

View the original article here

Four-deal Friday: Watches, Kindles, Motos, and more!

MetaWatch

Whew! You are looking at one exhausted cheapskate, friends. That's in part due to the whirlwind couple days I just spent in Chicago, groping some pretty sweet new toys from Motorola (see below), and in part because I've wrangled four supah-sweet deals for you.

Coffee kicking in in 3, 2, 1...

1. Watch and learn

The new Moto 360 smartwatch? Oh, heavens, is it sexy. But with a starting price of $250, it's definitely not for cheeps. (It's also not for iPhone users, alas.)

So maybe dip your toe into smartwatch waters with this: For a limited time, Best Buy has the MetaWatch Strata for $39.99 shipped (plus tax).

Available in your choice of snazzy colors, the Strata works with iPhones and some Android phones. The monochrome display delivers all kinds of notifications: calls, text messages, appointments, and so on, plus widgets for things like weather and stock prices. And you can use the buttons for music controls, a nice perk.

The user reviews are mixed, though, and PCMag was also lukewarm on some aspects of the device. But that was last year, when it listed for $179. At $40, I'll bet you can put up with a few quirks. I've certainly never seen a watch this capable this cheap.

2. More Kindlin'

Regular readers know of my fondness for Kindle tablets, which offer plenty of amenities iPads can't match -- for considerably less money.

In fact, for a limited time, Amazon is selling the refurbished Kindle Fire HD 8.9 (16GB) for $129 shipped. That's a nearly 9-inch tablet, as feature-rich as they come, for a pittance. A pittance, I say!

Like all refurb Kindles, this one comes with a one-year warranty. And based on my past purchases of them, it'll arrive in like-new condition. $129, people!

3. Mo' Moto, less money

The new Moto G: Bigger, better, still cheap. Motorola The big news from Motorola this morning: a new Moto X, the aforementioned Moto 360, and the very intriguing Hint headset.

The bigger news, in my mind: the new Moto G, which I'm just going to go ahead and call the Best Smartphone Value of 2014.

Indeed, while this isn't a deal in the traditional Cheapskate sense, it's definitely a deal: quad-core processor, 5-inch HD screen, beefy camera, lots of colored-shell options, microSD slot, and more, all for $179.99 unlocked. I'm particularly impressed at how solid and durable the Moto G feels -- not cheap or plasticky.

For the first time, there's a budget smartphone that doesn't seem in any way like a budget smartphone.

4. Store more

You know all those quad-copter videos you're shooting nowadays? All that footage needs to go somewhere. Like here: Newegg has the Samsung D3 Station 3TB USB 3.0 hard drive for $94.49 shipped when you apply coupon code EMCPAPE28 at checkout.

In case you don't speak tech, that's 3 terabytes of storage. I defy you to fill it all! This desktop drive features built-in encryption, an auto-backup option, and a three-year warranty. Reviews are mixed, but that tends to be the case with most hard drives these days. (Sad state of the industry, I guess.)

OK, cheeps! Who's buyin' what?

View the original article here

Minecraft for Xbox One to launch on Friday

Last minute back to school shopping?

Whether you're looking for headphones to study with or music-streaming gear, CNET rounds up a shopping guide just for you.

View the original article here