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Interview: Ian Ruffle, head of data and insight, RAC | Computer Weekly

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Interview: Ian Ruffle, head of data and insight, RAC | Computer Weekly


Ian Ruffle, head of data and insight at the RAC, says the key to exploiting data assets is twofold – understanding the business problem and having a great team that’s capable of finding the right technological solutions.

“I need people who are empowered, keen, enthusiastic and willing to share knowledge,” he says, outlining the importance of talent to the effective deployment of data-hungry systems and services in the digital age. Rather than finding a suitable challenge for a technology that’s already been procured, Ruffle wants his team to engage with their functional peers.

“As a data leader in business, success is all about people coming to us and saying, ‘We’ve got a problem. Can you find the solution?’” he says.

“I can then go to my team and say, ‘Has anyone got a solution?’ It’s their job to be aware of the capabilities. So, it’s a problem-led approach, but you need to make sure you’ve got the answers up your sleeve, which, for me, is all about the people.”

It’s an approach to technology implementation that Ruffle has refined during his career. He’s been with the motoring services provider since February 2013. Having cut his teeth in a range of marketing roles, he joined the organisation as customer relationship management (CRM) capability manager. In this role, he managed the company’s core marketing technology, working closely with the campaign team and the firm’s analysts.

As Ruffle proved his capabilities, he took on elevated roles, becoming head of marketing technology before assuming his current role as head of data and insight, where he reports to the RAC’s marketing chief, Alex Heath. Ruffle says it is a fast-paced role, and the speed of change suits him well.

“People say you get the absolute most out of me when time is tight,” he says. “Working at the RAC isn’t for everyone, because it’s fast-paced. We move very quickly. We make decisions quickly. It’s all about failing fast to be able to move on and make changes. The aim is to come up with a proof of concept and embed it.”

Working at the RAC is fast-paced. We move very quickly. We make decisions quickly. It’s all about failing fast to be able to move on and make changes. The aim is to come up with a proof of concept and embed it
Ian Ruffle, RAC

Ruffle says his team’s ability to deliver data projects has transformed over the past five years. “We’re looking at using data and insight to drive and change the organisation,” he says. “And that focus, alongside my more senior roles, is exciting. I’m rubbing shoulders with some incredibly talented people.”

Transforming front-end systems

While Ruffle has always ensured his technical capabilities are up to date, he recognises that the pace of digital and data innovation has quickened over the past few years.

It’s a tough challenge for any individual to keep abreast of all the changes in the IT industry, let alone someone who’s spent a big proportion of their working life in marketing. Ruffle’s answer is to lean on trusted lieutenants in his team.

“It’s important to get the right people around you,” he says. “As a modern data leader, you need to be encouraging people to be learning and growing and empowering them to do a great job. I can’t do everything across a broad breadth of disciplines.”

Ruffle says being a great boss and attracting the right talent is the way forward. “You want staff to be motivated and encouraged to feel like they can drive the agenda,” he says.

“It’s important to get the right people around you. As a modern data leader, you need to be encouraging people to be learning and growing, and empowering them to do a great job. I can’t do everything across a broad breadth of disciplines”

Ian Ruffle, RAC

“I love working with my people. If you’ve got an idea, you can sow the seed in someone, and then they come back and play their theory back, and you can say, ‘Yeah, we’ll do that’.”

One of the team’s priority projects is a transformation of the RAC’s front-end marketing technology. The company uses a legacy system with a relational data model.

“It’s very batch-based,” he says. “There are some real-time use cases associated with the system, but it’s become prohibitive from a cost perspective to do everything that we need to do.”

Ruffle says the transformation process involves moving to a new supplier called Bloomreach. This agentic personalisation technology will sit on top of the RAC’s existing Snowflake AI Data Cloud platform. His organisation will be working with technology specialist Caci to deploy the Bloomreach technology over the next nine months. The result of this work should be a modern system that offers real-time and AI capabilities.

“That is quite a major project for us,” says Ruffle. “We’re consolidating four different suppliers in total, and probably six pieces of technology across those suppliers, into one central solution. The back end will be Snowflake, and Bloomreach will be dealing with a lot of the front-end stuff, which should mean the seamless integration of data is so much easier.”

Creating great experiences

Another important area of work is boosting operational efficiency. Many of these efforts are focused on two of the biggest cost areas of the business – the call centre and traffic patrols.

A large proportion of the organisation’s enterprise information is now held in Snowflake, using a robust data model. Ruffle says in-house developed application programming interfaces (APIs) stream data on real-time use cases back to the platform and the people in the call centre.

“It’s about the ability to know someone’s broken down at the roadside and to send them a real-time communication, with more accurate updates than we were ever capable of before. We’ve revolutionised the whole dispatch process on the other side of the call centre,” he says.

“We’ve built a single screen for users, powered by the data in Snowflake and via various web services to make the call centre experience seamless, rather than having three or four different operational systems.”

Ruffle says the joined-up approach makes it much easier for operational staff dealing with customers to answer important questions, such as whether an individual at the roadside has RAC cover. Before bringing data together, staff had to log in to different systems to confirm a customer was covered. Now, staff benefit from the single-screen approach.

We’ve got a platform powered by modern technology. The focus on technology and data driving change in the call centre and at roadside operations has been immense, and it’s been the backbone to the last few years of evolution at the RAC
Ian Ruffle, RAC

“We’ve got a platform powered by modern technology,” he says. “So the focus on technology and data driving change in the call centre and at roadside operations has been immense, and it’s been the backbone to the last few years of evolution at the RAC.”

Managing complex scenarios

After evaluating potential solutions, the organisation deployed its first Snowflake platform for the marketing department in early 2020.

Ruffle says the AI Data Cloud’s scalability and its integration with the company’s existing Microsoft Azure architecture were important success factors. Since 2020, the RAC has expanded its use of the Snowflake platform beyond the marketing department.

Now, in addition to providing a single source of truth for the business, the company uses the Snowflake Marketplace, which is an online platform where users can access third-party data to augment their own insights. Ruffle explains how his organisation uses this data to enrich its own insights and decision-making processes.

“There’s a whole bunch of events data that we get, which includes things as simple as bank holidays, but also includes things like Glastonbury and other events where you might see gatherings of people in specific areas,” he says.

“Having easy access to information that’s comprehensive and maintained is great, because trying to gather that data manually is almost impossible, and to get the level of detail around the scale of the event is transformational.”

The RAC has also developed its own unified insights platform. This pane-of-glass application, known as Mavis, uses Snowflake’s Cortex AI tool to summarise data insights. Agents working in the RAC’s operations hub can use Mavis to find important customer information, such as cover entitlements.

“We’ve got all the information in one place now, which is easy, so the application will help you find the customer and fully understand their entitlement, which is more complicated than you’d think. There are a lot of nuances to the cover that people are entitled to,” says Ruffle.

“It’s about being able to get that level of detail and having accurate information at your fingertips. When you get to the much more complex scenarios, we’re helping an agent to make decisions. Our agents can see the recommendations and make decisions. That type of recommendation wasn’t possible just a few years ago.”

Being an empathetic organisation

While AI is already impacting customer service, Ruffle says breakdown specialists like the RAC must keep humans in the loop. People contact his organisation at moments of need, and technology should be an adjunct rather than a replacement for human assistance.

“People can be quite panicked, they can be unsure, and I don’t think we’d ever want to take away the humanity of dealing with people at that moment of need,” he says. “Technology plays a significant part in being operationally efficient, but we need to be really sensitive about our service being authentic and human.”

For example, customers stranded at the roadside will be looking for an estimated time of arrival (ETA) for the RAC patrol team. Ruffle says his team will continue using AI and data science to hone the accuracy of ETAs. However, great assistance is also about emotion and engagement, such as prioritising service for people who are pregnant or disabled.

“The digital evolution for us will be about leveraging technology. Data science and AI are improving, and, in the future, I think technology will be front and centre for us when making choices. However, it’s crucial that our agents can manage situations effectively and be a human face to the organisation,” he says.

“Our approach should be data-led in the background when making decisions. Automation is great, but there always needs to be an ability to manage the things you can’t predict and to manage scenarios where you really need to be an empathetic organisation.”



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Every Model of this New Snoopy MoonSwatch Is Different—And You Can Only Get One When It Snows

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Every Model of this New Snoopy MoonSwatch Is Different—And You Can Only Get One When It Snows


First a confession: I own more MoonSwatches than I care to admit. Never let it be said that WIRED does not walk the walk when it comes to recommending products—Swatch has assiduously extracted a considerable amount of cash from me, all in $285 increments. This was no doubt the Swiss company’s dastardly plan all along, to lure us in, then, oh so gently, get watch fans hooked. The horological equivalent of boiling a frog. It’s worked, too—Swatch has, so far, netted hundreds of millions of dollars from MoonSwatch sales.

But while I’ve been a fan of the Omega X Swatch mashup since we reported on exactly how the hugely lucrative collaboration came to be in the first place, I have never liked the iterative Moonshine Gold versions. Employing a sliver of Omega’s exclusive 18K pale yellow gold alloy in marginally different ways on each design, they seemed almost cynical—a way of milking the MoonSwatch superfans on the hunt to complete the set.

A hidden Snoopy message on the Cold Moon’s dial is revealed under UV light.

Photograph: Courtesy of Swatch

Image may contain Wristwatch Arm Body Part and Person

The MoonSwatch comes with a rubber strap upgrade over the original launch models.

Photograph: Courtesy of Swatch

Now, though, just when I thought I was done with MoonSwatch—having gone as far as to upgrade all of mine with official $45 color-matching rubber straps—Swatch has managed to ensnare me once again, and with a Moonshine Gold model: the new MoonSwatch Mission To Earthphase Moonshine Gold Cold Moon.

Clumsy moniker aside, this version takes the all-white 2024 Snoopy model (WIRED’s top pick of the entire collection), mixes it with the Earthphase MoonSwatches, and replaces the inferior original strap for a superior white and blue Swatch rubber velcro one. Aesthetically, it’s definitely a win, but this is not the Cold Moon’s party trick.

On each $450 Cold Moon MoonSwatch, a snowflake is lasered onto its Moonshine Gold moon phase indicator—and, just like a real snowflake, Swatch claims each one will be completely unique. When you consider the volumes of MoonSwatches Swatch produces each year, this is no mean feat.

Image may contain Logo and Cork

The unique golden snowflakes appear on the moon phase dial of the Cold Moon.

Photograph: Courtesy of Swatch



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These Are the Best Tech Deals to Shop This Cyber Monday

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These Are the Best Tech Deals to Shop This Cyber Monday


Welcome to WIRED’s guide to the best Cyber Monday tech deals, where we can promise you two things: these devices are worth buying (we’ve tested and recommended every one of them), and these are actual discounts (not the year-round price). So, whether you need an upgrade, want to treat yourself, or are seeking a great gift, we have you covered.

Want a wider range of deals? Check out the Absolute Best Black Friday Deals roundup to find more bargains this sale weekend.

Updated November 30: We’ve added deals on Samsung Galaxy Z Fold7 and Galaxy Z Flip7, Galaxy S25, S25+, S25 Ultra, Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus, Apple AirPods Pro 2, and Apple Watch SE 3.

  • Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

  • Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

  • Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

  • Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

The Google Pixel 10 is one of the best Android phones you can buy. Easy to recommend at full price, the Pixel 10 is an absolute bargain with this discount. You get an excellent triple-camera system with a 5X optical zoom sensor, support for Qi2 wireless charging, so you can magnetically attach to wireless chargers and docks, and Google’s super smart software features (Call Screen to filter out spam calls is our favorite). Learn more in the Best Pixel Phones guide.

  • Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

  • Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

  • Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

  • Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

The Pixel 9a is our top smartphone choice for most people, and it’s now $50 cheaper than it was on Black Friday itself. At $349, you’re getting a smooth-performing smartphone with a reliable dual-camera system that’s unmatched at this price, not to mention day-long battery life and a completely flat camera lens system for anyone who hates giant camera bumps. Oh, and it’ll get 7 years of software updates.

Sony A7IV Camera Body

Photograph: Sony

Sony’s A7 IV is the best mirrorless camera on the market (for most people). It’s a 33-megapixel, full-frame camera with a brilliant autofocus system, impressive dynamic range, and crisp images. There’s an expansive range of 4K video options as well, along with customizable buttons to set up your preferences, so you don’t have to always rummage through the menus. Reviewer Scott Gilbertson found the grip to be super comfortable and the camera to be light enough to endure for long periods without any back strain. —Boutayna Chokrane

Image may contain: Electronics, Mobile Phone, and Phone

Photograph: Ryan Waniata

Soundcore by Anker

Aeroclip

If you’re shopping for open earbuds so that you can enjoy your music but still be aware of your surroundings, the Soundcore Aeroclip is the best we’ve tested so far. Reviewer Ryan Waniata praises the comfort, sound quality, usability, and value. The sound is wide and balanced, and the built-in controls are ideal for runs. Waniata likes to use them during outdoor activities, like hiking or biking, but he finds them especially helpful when he’s cooking dinner and needs to stay alert for his newborn’s cries. —Boutayna Chokrane

Child's wrist with a digital wristwatch and the screen showing the time and game points earned

Photograph: Adrienne So

Editor Adrienne So says the Fitbit Ace LTE is the first fitness tracker she’s gotten her kids to use. It’s a fitness tracker (designed with Fitbit’s health sensors), gaming device, and location tracker. The $10/monthly subscription includes both LTE connectivity and Fitbit Arcade, which has a variety of movement-based games that get children on their feet and incentivize them to keep their watches on. They can call and text their guardians (and other approved contacts) through the Fitbit Ace app, and their location is trackable via Google Find My. —Boutayna Chokrane

Philips Hue Festavia lights

Photograph: Philips

This is a rare and tasty deal on my favorite Xmas lights. They work indoors or out, can be scheduled, and support a bunch of lovely animated effects. While I’m mentioning Philips Hue and its excellent but horribly expensive wares, you might want to check out some of its other Cyber Monday deals. My picks would be the wall washers ($316), TV lightstrip ($129), and HDMI sync box ($270).

Asus RT-BE58U, a black angular wi-fi router with 4 antennae sticking up from the back

Photograph: Simon Hill

The Asus RT-BE58U is perhaps the ideal Wi-Fi 7 upgrade for modest homes and apartments still struggling with the crappy router their internet service provider sent, and that’s why it tops our Best Wi-Fi Routers guide. It’s easy to set up and use, can cover up to 2,000 square feet, and boasts plenty of ports. As a dual-band router, it lacks the 6-GHz band, but has all the other advantages of Wi-Fi 7. There’s also support for VPN service, separate IoT or guest networks, and Ai Mesh.

Image may contain: Adapter, Electronics, Computer, Laptop, Pc, Computer Hardware, Hardware, and Computer Keyboard

Photograph: Eric Ravenscraft

Don’t ask me why they keep taking our ports away. God forbid you should want to plug something into your laptop. Well, you can stick it to those minimalist designers with the best laptop docking station. This one doubles as a wedge to prop your laptop up and has a storage slot.

Sony WH-1000MX5 headphones

Courtesy of Sony

These wireless noise-canceling headphones may not be the latest release from Sony, but they are still an excellent pair of cans with a far deeper discount. The Sony WH-1000XM5 are relatively light and comfortable, producing accomplished sound in every scenario, and have great control options.

Image may contain: Electronics, Screen, Computer Hardware, Hardware, Monitor, TV, Person, Adult, Ball, Football, and Soccer

Photograph: Ryan Waniata

You can spend a lot on a TV, but you can also get a great screen without breaking the bank, and the TCL QM6K proves it. This is the best TV for most people right now as it offers excellent color and processing, all the apps you want, and great performance, even in bright rooms. There are discounts across the range of screen sizes.

Image may contain: Electronics, Remote Control, Adapter, and Smoke Pipe

Photograph: Parker Hall

Roku

Streaming Stick Plus (2025)

If you want to get the latest streaming apps on an older TV, the Roku Streaming Stick Plus is for you. It’s easy to set up, works reliably, and has a handy voice remote that makes finding content easier than ever. It slots neatly behind most TVs, and Roku’s interface is nice and clear.

  • Photograph: Brenda Stolyar

  • Photograph: Brenda Stolyar

Apple doesn’t really do sales, but other retailers do. This is the lowest price we’ve seen on a solid iPad the whole family can enjoy. The Apple iPad (A16, 2025) performs great for most tasks, looks pretty nice, and has a 12-megapixel camera. It is honestly all the iPad most folks need for surfing the web and streaming shows in bed. With iPadOS 26 and the new windowing apps feature, you can even comfortably do some work if you pair it with a Bluetooth keyboard and mouse.

Small rounded rectangular bright blue device beside a black rectangular device, both with strap handles.

Photograph: Simon Hill

Handy as they are for keeping you connected when your phone dies unexpectedly, portable chargers can be very same-y. The reason the Nimble Champ tops our Best Power Banks guide is Nimble’s focus on the environment. It’s made from 90 percent certified recycled plastic and comes in fully biodegradable packaging. It also works well, with capacities starting from 5,200 mAh, with USB-A and USB-C ports, and up to 15-watt charging.

  • Photograph: Nena Farrell

  • Photograph: Nena Farrell

  • Courtesy of Amazon

Amazon

Kindle Paperwhite (2024, 12th Generation)

Yes, you should read more, and Amazon’s Kindle e-readers make it easier to do exactly that. Our current favorite is the Kindle Paperwhite (12th generation). It has a sharp 7-inch display, auto-adjusting warm light, three-month battery life, snappy performance, and it’s slim and light, making it comfortable to hold. It even has integration with Overdrive for your library books and support for several languages.

  • Photograph: Nena Farrell

The reMarkable 2 is one of the best digital notebooks, offering a paperlike writing experience, intuitive software, and several weeks of battery life. This is a budget model, so it lacks front light and color, but it’s still a decent device. Bundles where you choose both a marker and folio are heavily discounted right now, and they’re not often on sale, so it’s a good time to snap one up.

Image may contain: Computer, Computer Hardware, Computer Keyboard, Electronics, and Hardware

Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

Keychron boards are popular here at WIRED, and the Q6 HE is our current pick of the best mechanical keyboards. Sturdy, satisfying to type on, with a lovely retro aesthetic, what more do you need? Well, the Q6 HE also boasts hot-swappable Hall Effect switches, four macro keys, and is relatively easy to customize or repair.

Slender black charger with two metal prongs protruding

Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

Nomad

65W Slim Power Adapter

The great thing about Nomad’s 65-watt charger is that it’s incredibly slim, with flip-out prongs, so it can slip easily into small pockets in your bag or purse. You get dual USB-C ports, and can pull 45 watts out of the left port and 20 out of the right. Or, if you’re just charging one device, the full 65 watts is enough for any phone, most tablets, and even some MacBooks or Windows laptops (though they may not charge at top speed).

  • Photograph: Simon Hill

  • Photograph: Simon Hill

  • Photograph: Simon Hill

  • Photograph: Simon Hill

You know what I don’t miss in the slightest? Mowing the lawn. A good robot mower, like this relatively affordable one from newcomer Anthbot, will do it for you, quietly. No wire required; it recharges itself, you just set a schedule and relax. OK, it sometimes leaves a verge, but the only model I’ve tried that doesn’t is more than twice the price.

  • Photograph: Simon Hill

  • Photograph: Simon Hill

Sharp 2K video, color night vision, a wide 160-degree field of view, and clear two-way audio make the Arlo Pro 5S easy to recommend for folks seeking a security camera. You also get AI recognition for people and pets, a siren to scare intruders, and the quick-loading Arlo app. But you need Arlo Secure ($8 per month for one camera or $13 per month for unlimited cameras) for subject recognition, smart alerts, and cloud storage. The Arlo Pro 5S is our pick of the best outdoor security cameras.

  • Photograph: Simon Hill

  • Photograph: Simon Hill

I love my Oura Ring 4. It accurately tracks my sleep, activity, and stress levels and offers insights that I find genuinely useful. It’s also very comfortable, the app is super slick, with new features being added all the time, and it’s far less obtrusive than any other kind of tracker you could wear. The catch is a subscription, but this is still the best of the best smart rings.

Yellow semi-clear video game controller with long backplate connecting each side. Left side has a joystick and directional pad. Right side has 4 buttons and a joystick.

Photograph: Simon Hill

It’s the thoughtful design that elevates the Backbone One above the rest of the best mobile controllers. Slot your phone into the compact cradle, with a USB-C jack for speedy connectivity, and you get satisfyingly clicky and responsive controls plus a 3.5-mm headphone port. You can also customize it for different games, or even use Backbone’s software as a one-stop gaming hub, if you’re willing to pay a subscription.

Black sunglasses beside a brown carrying case, both sitting on a beige carpet

Photograph: Adrienne So

Ray-Ban

Meta Smart Glasses

Yes, there is a new version of the Ray-Ban Meta Wayfarers, but the good news is that the old pair is now on sale. If you can stomach Meta AI’s privacy policies, there’s a strong argument that it has won the smart glasses race already (at least, so far). The best smart glasses must be easy to wear, and these look great and help offload things from your phone, so you don’t have to dip into that pocket quite as much.

  • Photograph: Ryan Waniata

  • Photograph: Ryan Waniata

  • Photograph: Ryan Waniata

The JBL Flip 7 is the Bluetooth speaker that has it all. It’s durable, it has stamina, it produces a punchy sound, and it comes in fun colors. As the best Bluetooth speaker you can buy, this deal is for real.

Tonies Toniebox speaker

Courtesy of Tonies

Toniebox is our favorite speaker for young kids, particularly ages three through seven. It’s essentially a squishy cube that plays stories and songs tied to different characters (aka Tonies). It’s activated when your child places the figurine on top of the speaker. There are so many Tonies to choose from. Peppa Pig, Moana, Winnie the Pooh, the list goes on. You can also buy Creative Tonies to record your own audio. Super easy to use, and the cutesy ears double as volume controls. —Boutayna Chokrane

Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup book cover

Courtesy of Vintage

Bad Blood: Secrets and Lies in a Silicon Valley Startup

The best tech books unpack the rise and fall of the characters that invented the stuff that runs our lives. The New York Times and former Wall Street Journal reporter John Carreyrou writes about Elizabeth Holmes, as she miserably fails to build a blood testing machine that would allegedly eliminate the need for hypodermic needles. Her company raised hundreds of millions of dollars, but its technology was inaccurate. Rather than admit defeat, she pressed on, which is why Holmes was put on trial for fraud and sentenced to 11 years in prison. —Boutayna Chokrane

Rear view of three smartphones (Samsung Galaxy S25, S25+, and S25 Ultra) showing the camera lenses of each

Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

Samsung

Galaxy S25, S25+, S25 Ultra

Samsung’s flagship Galaxy S25 has been heavily discounted all Cyber Weekend, probably because its successors are right around the corner (the Galaxy S26 series is expected to be announced in January). But we still love these excellent smartphones. The S25 is the smallest, the S25+ gets a few extra perks, plus a bigger screen and better battery life, and the Galaxy S25 Ultra has a dual telephoto camera system, integrated S Pen stylus, and a beefy battery. Be sure to check out the Best Samsung Phones guide for the full scoop. —Molly Higgins

  • Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

  • Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

  • Photograph: Julian Chokkattu

Samsung

Galaxy Z Fold7 and Galaxy Z Flip7

You’re not like other girls; you have a folding phone. In all seriousness, folding phones are not as fragile as they used to be, with durability improving while remaining slim. We love the Galaxy Z Fold7 because it’s amazingly slim and versatile. You can use the front screen like normal, and when you need extra real estate, open the device up. You can view apps on a much larger scale or easily split-screen two apps. If you’re not feeling a folding phone, the updated Galaxy Z Flip7 has a more usable front screen. Read our Best Folding Phones guide to decide which is best for you at the discounted price this Cyber Weekend. —Molly Higgins

Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus

Courtesy of Lenovo

Lenovo

Flex 5i Chromebook Plus

The Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus is super cheap and compact, with a small touchscreen for more versatility. Especially with the Cyber Monday discount, it’s one of the most affordable Chromebook Plus models you can find, plus WIRED reviewer Luke Larsen thinks it’s in a whole different league over standard Chromebooks at this price because of its improved screen with a 360-degree hinge and touchscreen, fast performance, more storage, and crisp webcam. —Molly Higgins

Apple AirPods Pro 2, two white earbuds, in an open oval shaped case sitting on a wooden surface

Photograph: Christopher Null

Apple

AirPods Pro 2 (With USB-C)

Even though they’re an older model, we like these AirPods because of their hearing aid feature, comfort, and outstanding streaming experience. If you’re an iPhone user, you should have some AirPods, and we still think these are a good choice for most people because of their active noise cancellation, sound quality, and easy pairing within the Apple ecosystem. Plus, it doesn’t hurt that they’re nearly 25 percent off for Cyber Monday. —Molly Higgins

Photograph: Adrienne So

We on the WIRED Reviews team still think this is the best Apple Watch for most people. With its newest upgrade, it now has the latest S10 chip, a Liquid Glass display, Workout Buddy, and wrist-flick gestures. If you have an iPhone, this accessory is a no-brainer. It makes a great gift for yourself or others, and is seriously discounted at only $200 right now. —Molly Higgins


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Dreaming of a Thuma Bed Frame? Don’t Miss the Black Friday Sale

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Dreaming of a Thuma Bed Frame? Don’t Miss the Black Friday Sale


Thuma knows what it’s doing when it comes to bed frames, which is why we’re so excited to see Thuma’s Black Friday deals. Two different frames from Thuma are the top picks in our Best Bed Frames guide, and our reviewers have reported how not only high-quality and and sturdy the brand’s frames are, but also how easy it is to put the frame together thanks to Japanese-style joinery.

While our top pick isn’t on sale, our second-favorite is on Thuma’s site during this Black Friday weekend, and it’s a great price for the quality you’ll get. And it’s not the only thing Thuma has on sale, either, if you’re looking for more Thuma goodness around your bedroom and home.

If you’re looking for more great sleep deals, don’t miss our guide to the Best Black Friday Mattress and Bedding Deals, plus you can catch more sleep deals on our guide to the Absolute Best Black Friday Deals.

The Best Thuma Bed Frame Deal

Courtesy of Thuma

Thuma’s Signature Bed is one of our all-time favorite bed frames. It’s on the new side, launching back in February as Thuma’s first upholstered bed. It still uses Japanese wood joinery, but the frame is covered in two different fabric options, depending on what you choose. There’s a soft Italian felted wool and a performance linen; our reviewer tested the wool version for a few months with great results.

Even with the fabric covering, it still only takes minutes to assemble this bed, and there’s not a squeak to be heard since it was built. WIRED reviewer Martin Cizmar says the plush headboard feels pillow-soft, so much so that he’s tempted to try to lie directly on it. The frame can come with or without a headboard, and both variants are on sale right now.

If it’s still out of your budget, check out our guide to the Best Thuma Dupes to see if any on-sale options are a fit for you. But there’s really no better time to get a Thuma frame of your own than during this sale, especially since we’re such big fans of this model.

More Thuma Deals


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