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 It's the last week before Christmas, which means that the holiday shopping season is quickly wrapping up. With this in mind, we're recapping all of the best last-minute deals you can find online this week, but be warned that guaranteed delivery by December 25th is going to be increasingly difficult to find over the next few days.
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Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Dec. 20.
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 Since the beginning of December, Apple has been pushing iPhone users who opted to stay on iOS 18 to install iOS 26 instead. Apple started by making the iOS 18 upgrades less visible, and has now transitioned to making new iOS 18 updates unavailable on any device capable of running ?iOS 26?.
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Here are hints and the answer for today's Wordle for Dec. 20, No. 1,645.
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It looks like the holidays aren't a bad time to shop for a VPN subscription. ExpressVPN, Engadget's pick for the best premium provider, currently has a less premium price. This deal gives you two years of the Advanced plan (with a bonus of four free months) for only $101. When it isn't on sale, the same subscription would cost $392.
Engadget's VPN guru, Sam Chapman, praised ExpressVPN's service. He described it as "high-performing" and having "very few flaws." The service received high marks for its speeds, easy-to-use interface and global network availability. The only significant mark against it was its relatively high standard pricing. But with this holiday sale, that criticism is (temporarily) null and void.
ExpressVPN recently switched to a multi-tier pricing structure. (That previously mentioned Advanced plan is the mid-range one.) There's a cheaper Basic plan that allows 10 simultaneous devices (compared to the Advanced plan's 12) and doesn't include perks like a password manager. You can also choose the highest-priced Pro plan. It allows for 14 simultaneous devices and adds several extras. You can compare plans on ExpressVPN's website.
When buying a two-year pla
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I've tested smart home gear and high-tech party gadgets at every holiday party I've hosted so far this year. Here's how to automate your party so you can actually enjoy the holiday season.
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How many rounds do you think this heavyweight bout will last?
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We put a dozen new air purifiers through comprehensive lab testing to find out which ones offer the best particle filtering, noise levels and energy efficiency. Here are our five new winners.
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Remember back in September when President Donald Trump signed an executive order that seemingly finalized some of the terms of a deal to spin off TikTok's US business? Three months later, that same deal is apparently one step closer to being official.
According to Bloomberg, TikTok CEO Shou Chew told employees that TikTok and ByteDance had signed off the agreement for control of TikTok's US business. It sounds like terms of the deal are roughly the same as what Trump announced earlier this year. A group of US investors, including Oracle, Silver Lake and MGX will control a majority of the new entity while ByteDance will keep a smaller stake in the venture.
According to Chew's memo, the deal is expected to close January 22, 2026. "Upon the closing, the US joint venture, built on the foundation of the current TikTok US Data Security (USDS) organization, will operate as an independent entity with authority over US data protection, algorithm security, content moderation and software assurance," he wrote according to Bloomberg. TikTok didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
Notably, it's still not clear where Chinese officials stand on the deal. Trump said back in September that China was "fully on board," but subsequent meetings between the two sides have so far produced vague statements. In October, China's Commerce Ministry said it would "work with the U.S. to properly resolve i
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Seriously, no brand is best in all situations! That's what we've seen throughout our laptop reviews. The best brand for you depends on what you're looking for, the type of laptop you're buying, and the prices you can afford — and the right laptop sale could change the whole calculus.
You'll find a mix of both Dell and HP laptops, plus laptops from many other manufacturers, on our best laptop list here at PCWorld. But there's a lot to be said for comparing these brands. So, let's take a closer look.
Dell vs. HP laptop product ranges
Both Dell and HP offer a wide range of different laptops for different needs, from budget picks to premium stunners.
Dell offers a variety of laptop lineups. Until recently, it was broken down as XPS laptops for the premium line, with Latitude and Inspiron laptops for business and consumer use, respectively. Starting in 2025, however, Dell scrapped that naming convention ostensibly to be more simplified, but you be the judge. Still, the same range of performance and prices remains.
HP rebranded its laptop lineup in May
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