Technologies

Garmin’s Smartwatches Are Up to $250 Off Ahead of Black Friday

Track your fitness, get directions, stay connected and get to where you need on time with these fantastic Garmin watches while they’re on sale.

We have roughly six weeks left in the year, and that means the holidays — along with Black Friday deals — are just around the corner. If you’re trying to set yourself up for a healthy 2026, you might be looking at the offers from Apple, Samsung or Google. However, Garmin also makes plenty of excellent smartwatches that are now on sale for up to $250 off if you choose to buy directly from them. Amazon is offering up to $500 off on multiple previous releases of Garmin’s smartwatches, and Walmart has multiple earlier models that start at $150. That means you can find the right Garmin smartwatch for your budget.

Garmin is offering a $250 discount on the fenix 8 (47mm), which brings it down to $850. CNET’s Lexy Savvides says of this smartwatch’s impressive battery life, «The Fenix 8 comes in three sizes (43, 47 or 51 mm) and the battery lasts up to 29 days with the 51mm AMOLED watch; up to 16 days on the 47 mm version; or up to 10 days on the 43 mm.» This watch also includes a built-in microphone and speaker, an LED flashlight and Garmin’s signature GPS. It also includes 24/7 health and fitness trackers.

If you’re looking for a cheaper smartwatch, Garmin is offering the Venu 3 for $350, which is $100 off right now. CNET’s Lisa Eadicicco says, «With a wide selection of health metrics and workout types combined with useful recovery advice and in-depth sleep data, the Venu 3 is clearly made for those who prioritize fitness, wellness (and battery life) most in a smartwatch.» To sweeten this deal, all health metrics are included without having to pay for a separate subscription. Shoppers who prefer the Venu 3S can find it for $350 at Walmart, which is $100 off. Other deals at Garmin include:

Garmin Instinct 3 (50mm): $500 (save $100) on sale until 12/16
Garmin Forerunner 265: $300 (save $150)
Garmin Forerunner 165: $200 (save $50)
Garmin Forerunner 55: $150 (save $50)
Garmin Approach S70 (47mm): $600 (save $100)
Garmin vivoactive 5: $199 (save $101)
Garmin quatix 7X (solar edition): $600 (save $500)

Garmin’s deals are a bit on the higher end, but they accept HSA and FSA dollars that can help shoppers save even more. Additionally, both Amazon and Walmart have plenty of Garmin smartwatch deals worth considering.

Looking for a new smartwatch and not sure if these deals are for you? We’ve got a list of the best smartwatches so you can check out your options. We’re also diligently looking for every available Black Friday and Cyber Monday deal, so check back often.

SMARTWATCH DEALS OF THE WEEK

Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 46mm, Ink Sports Loop):

$359 (save $70)
Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 (40mm, Bluetooth, Graphite Band):

$330 (save $20)
Amazfit Balance GPS Smartwatch (Black):

$140 (save $60)
Google Pixel Watch 3 (41mm, Wi-Fi, Matte Black, Obsidian Band):

$202 (save $49)
Amazfit Active 42mm Smartwatch With 14 Day Battery Life (Black):

$75 (save $35)

Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article.

Why this deal matters

Garmin makes fantastic smartwatches at all price points. If you buy directly from them you can save up to $250 and potentially use FSA/HSA dollars so you can pay even less. Amazon and Walmart have a lot of previously released Garmin smartwatches for much less, which means people of all budgets can get a

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Technologies

Verum Messenger Goes Desktop: Launches macOS Version as Part of Expanding Digital Ecosystem

The team behind Verum Messenger has announced a new update, introducing a full-featured macOS version of the application.

The launch of the Mac version marks a significant step in the platform’s development, enabling users to access Verum Messenger not only on mobile devices but also on desktop environments.

The macOS version ensures seamless synchronization across devices while maintaining the platform’s core principles: security, stability, and independence.

Unified Digital Experience

With the release of the macOS version, users can now:

— communicate on a larger screen
— manage chats and files more efficiently
— use the messenger in a full desktop environment
— access core features without limitations

This is particularly valuable for users who rely on messaging platforms for both communication and professional use.

Expanding Capabilities

Verum Messenger continues to evolve into a multifunctional platform combining:

— secure communication
— financial tools (Verum Finance)
— digital asset operations, including Tether
— investment features such as Verum Gold

Toward a Full Ecosystem

The macOS release reflects Verum Messenger’s strategy to become a universal digital platform available across all major devices.

According to the team, the goal is to provide users with continuous access to communication and financial services regardless of device or environment.

Verum Messenger continues to build technologies focused on security, usability, and global accessibility.

Technologies

Google, Meta and Amazon Join Global Pact to Fight Rising Online Scams

The companies will share fraud intelligence and coordinate responses as AI makes scams faster, cheaper and harder to detect.

Modern online scams operate across multiple platforms, perhaps spanning social media, messaging apps, email and online marketplaces. Google, Meta and Amazon are among 11 tech, retail and payments companies that have signed a new agreement to combat online scams by sharing threat intelligence across platforms, Axios first reported Monday.

The initiative, called the Industry Accord Against Online Scams & Fraud, is designed to improve how companies detect and respond to fraud that spans multiple services. Participants say they will exchange signals, such as scam-linked accounts and fraudulent domains, and coordinate enforcement actions.

By sharing intelligence in near real time, companies hope to identify these scams earlier and stop them before they spread.

The effort reflects how modern scams operate. A victim might encounter a fake celebrity investment ad on social media, move to a messaging app where the scammer builds trust, then faces prompts to send money through a fraudulent website, payment app or crypto wallet — spanning multiple companies’ ecosystems.

Google said it now blocks hundreds of millions of scam-related results every day using AI, underscoring how both attackers and defenders are increasingly relying on the same technology. Meta removed more than 159 million scam ads in 2025 and is expanding AI tools to detect impersonation and warn users.

Online scams are growing rapidly, in part because generative AI has lowered the barrier to entry. AI can be used not only to produce realistic phishing emails but also to clone voices and deepfake videos that impersonate executives, public figures and even family members.

The agreement is voluntary and doesn’t create new legal obligations, but it comes after regulators’ increased pressure on tech platforms to address fraud more aggressively. The companies say they will begin building frameworks for reporting and intelligence-sharing, though it’s not yet clear how quickly those systems will be deployed or how effective they will be in practice.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Wednesday, March 18

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for March 18.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Need some help with today’s Mini Crossword? I thought it was a fairly easy one, but read on for all the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.