This week, the month of Black Friday has officially begun, and we’ve been reviewing the all-new Samsung Galaxy XR headset.
To follow these two stories and more, scroll down to read our quick summary of the seven biggest tech news stories of the week.
7. The month of Black Friday has begun
We’re still a few weeks away from Black Friday (it’s set for November 28 this year), but that hasn’t stopped department stores launching big deals as part of their early Black Friday sales.
We’re seeing big discounts from a wide range of brands, including Samsung, Ninja and Ninja. Hisense, and more, across a variety of retailers in the US and UK – with some very impressive discounts, considering Black Friday isn’t quite yet.
We’ve been covering Black Friday deals for years, and these early deals are worth your time — while some items will get cheaper closer to November 28, many won’t — and others may actually go up in price. So don’t be afraid to browse the early sales and grab a pre-Black Friday deal while you can.
6. Google Maps got a big upgrade for Gemini
If you use it regularly This week, Google Maps While Driving brought some positive news – the app will be getting a Gemini brain implant that should make it a much better navigational assistant.
Some of the improvements include more natural voice assistance (e.g., the ability to ask follow-up questions about parking at your destination), better turn directions (e.g., “Turn right after the Thai Siam restaurant”), and a new Gemini-powered version of Google Lens within the Google Maps app.
On the downside, most of these features will initially be US-only. However, Gemini’s enhanced voice assistance is rolling out to Android and iOS in all regions where the AI assistant is available. Expect to start chatting with him “in the coming weeks.”
5. IKEA launched 21 smart home gadgets
It seems IKEA isn’t messing around when it comes to smart home technology, as it has just dropped 21 new products to choose from across smart lights, smart sensors, and smart controls.
This includes the KAJPLATS series lamps with 11 different types of bulbs, the MYGGSPRAY motion sensor, the ALPSTUGA air quality sensor, and the GRILLPLATS smart plug, among others (as with all IKEA offers, we love names).
Best of all, these gadgets are compatible with Matter, so you can easily sync them with your existing smart home setup.
4. Dropped Spotify Wrapped Lite
Earlier this week, Spotify rolled out a new in-app Listening Statistics tab that offers new insights into your weekly listening habits – a great way to prepare us for the enveloping season.
In addition to being able to view top artists and songs in real-time, you’ll also find new playlists based on what you’ve been listening to recently. Spotify also shared that each week you’ll receive a “special highlight,” which can be anything from a notable event to a new discovery to a unique fact about your personal listening habits.
Spotify shared that not only are the listening stats designed to show what you’ve been streaming the most, but they’re also meant to bring you closer to the music you already love.
Listening statistics are now rolling out to free and premium users in over 60 global markets and will be updated every 24 hours, providing new recommendations based on your listening behavior.
3. Grand Theft Auto has been delayed again
Feeling déjà vu? This may be because Rockstar just announced that the next installment is in The Grand Theft Auto franchise, GTA VI, has been delayed until November 19, 2026 – roughly 6 months after its previous release date of May 26, 2026.
“We regret adding additional time to what we know has been a long wait, but these additional months will allow us to finish the game with the level of polish you expect and deserve,” Rockstar Games said in a statement.
The game is still set to release on the PS5 and Xbox Series
2. DJI has criticized the impending US ban on drones
The clock is ticking on A DJI Drones Banned – And ahead of the crucial down day on December 23, the FCC has now given itself the ability to retroactively ban gadgets it believes pose a security risk.
This means that, in theory, not only could new DJI products be banned in the US starting in 2026, but the FCC could also come back and remove older kits from sale as well. The Chinese drone giant is understandably not happy, calling for the decision to be extended and suggesting that “due process, fairness and transparency” will not be applied.
Unfortunately for drone enthusiasts in the US, it’s increasingly looking like DJI is being modeled after Huawei, but owners of existing drones will at least be able to keep them and use them for the time being.
1. We spent a week with Samsung’s Galaxy XR
We tried out the Samsung Galaxy Apple Vision Pro), although we’re not sure at this early stage that it does enough to stand out.
According to Lance Ulanov, “The Samsung Galaxy
Hopefully Samsung’s headphones will improve over time, but for now they only get three and a half stars.