Technologies

I Was Not Ready for How Good These Early Black Friday Motorola Deals Are, Especially the Razr

Motorola makes some of the best Android smartphones on the market, and right now you can score them for as much as $500 off ahead of Black Friday.

Looking for a new smartphone? The holiday season is usually the best time to upgrade with incredible savings all around. This year, Motorola is kicking off early Black Friday sale with some of its biggest discounts for 2025. This Black Friday, you can save up to $500 off the full Razr lineup.

There’s more — we found major savings on Motorola’s Edge and Moto G families, too, making these deals a solid choice for everything from a stocking stuffer to a personal upgrade. Whether you want a premium foldable, a clean Android phone with smooth software, great battery life or just an affordable smartphone that covers the essentials, these discounts make it a lot easier to hit the purchase button.

Some of the biggest savings are to be had on the Razr family of phones. Right now, you can pick up the top of the line 1TB model of the Motorola Razr Ultra for just $999, knocking off $500 from the phone’s usual $1499 list price. That’s an impressive price drop for one of the most premium compact foldables on the market. Between the bright cover display that can handle full apps, and a high refresh rate main screen that folds with almost no crease, you can’t go wrong with the hardware. Similarly, the 512GB variant off the phone can be had for just $899.

Eyeing something a bit more affordable? The Motorola Razr Plus 2025 gives you a slim foldable phone for just $649. The Motorola Razr 2025 brings that price down even further to just $599 while keeping much of the same feature set.

Steeper savings can be had by opting in for Motorola’s bundles. For example, a $400 bundle nets you a Motorola Razr 2024, the Moto Watch Fit as well as the Moto Buds Plus. Put together, that’s a $400 in bonus value. Elsewhere, the Motorola Edge is getting a solid discount too. The Motorola Edge 2025 can be had for just $400, which gives you a bright curved display, fast charging and the same clean Android experience as the rest of the line up.

Looking for something even more budget friendly? The Moto G line up is what you are looking for. Holiday savings mean that you can snag the Moto G Stylus for just $300. That phone remains a top budget pick thanks to its unique features like a built-in stylus and a large display.If battery life is a priority, you’ll want to take a look at the Moto G Power 2025, currently discounted to just $199. And finally, if you need an entry-level smartphone for basic calling and texting, you can’t go wrong with the $150 Moto G 2025. Clearly there’s something for everyone.

And if you are on thelook out for more Black Friday deals on tech and beyond, CNET’s team is rounding up the best steals this holiday season on everything from headphones to Apple products and more. Don’t give it a miss.

MOBILE DEALS OF THE WEEK

Get an iPhone 17 Pro Free With Trade-in and Qualifying Plan at T-Mobile
Samsung Galaxy S25 FE 256GB Unlocked Phone (JetBlack):

$650 (save $60)
Google Pixel 9 128GB Unlocked Phone (Obsidian):

$499 (save $300)
OnePlus 13R 256GB Unlocked Phone (Nebula Noir):

$551 (save $50)
Motorola Edge 256GB Unlocked Phone (2024 Model, Midnight Blue):

$250 (save $300)

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

Why this deal matters

These are some of the best Motorola deals you will find this holiday season, and it covers everything from high-end foldables to ultra-affordable picks. If you’ve been thinking about upgrading your Android phone or gifting one, these Cyber Week savings go a long way toward making it easier to save before the holiday rush hits.

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Technologies

Today’s NYT Strands Hints, Answers and Help for Jan. 24 #692

Here are hints and answers for the NYT Strands puzzle for Jan. 24, No. 692.

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

Today’s NYT Strands puzzle is one of those where the answers only make sense in pairs. There are six answers to find, and each of them matches up with one of the other answers. Some of them are difficult to unscramble, so if you need hints and answers, read on.

I go into depth about the rules for Strands in this story.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections and Mini Crossword answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: NYT Connections Turns 1: These Are the 5 Toughest Puzzles So Far

Hint for today’s Strands puzzle

Today’s Strands theme is: A work of art.

If that doesn’t help you, here’s a clue: On museum walls.

Clue words to unlock in-game hints

Your goal is to find hidden words that fit the puzzle’s theme. If you’re stuck, find any words you can. Every time you find three words of four letters or more, Strands will reveal one of the theme words. These are the words I used to get those hints but any words of four or more letters that you find will work:

FINS, FINE, FINES, GARB, BOAT, GATES, GATES, FIST, RATE, RATS, STAR, PAINT, SILL, SPAT

Answers for today’s Strands puzzle

These are the answers that tie into the theme. The goal of the puzzle is to find them all, including the spangram, a theme word that reaches from one side of the puzzle to the other. When you have all of them (I originally thought there were always eight but learned that the number can vary), every letter on the board will be used. Here are the nonspangram answers:

STARRY, NIGHT, WATER, LILIES, BOATING, PARTY

Today’s Strands spangram

Today’s Strands spangram is FAMOUSPAINTING. To find it, start with the F that’s four letters down on the far-left vertical row, and wind up, across, and then down.

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Toughest Strands puzzles

Here are some of the Strands topics I’ve found to be the toughest.

#1: Dated slang. Maybe you didn’t even use this lingo when it was cool. Toughest word: PHAT.

#2: Thar she blows! I guess marine biologists might ace this one. Toughest word: BALEEN or RIGHT.

#3: Off the hook. Again, it helps to know a lot about sea creatures. Sorry, Charlie. Toughest word: BIGEYE or SKIPJACK.

Technologies

San Diego Comic-Con Draws a Line: No AI Art Allowed at 2026 Event

The long-running fan convention is banning AI-created works from its popular art show.

Like Sarah Connor in The Terminator, San Diego Comic-Con is fighting back against AI. The prestigious, long-running pop culture convention has banned all artwork created by artificial intelligence from the 2026 Comic-Con art show. Rules posted on the Comic-Con website now state that AI-generated art won’t be shown in any form.

«Material created by Artificial Intelligence (AI) either partially or wholly, is not allowed in the art show. If there are questions, the Art Show Coordinator will be the sole judge of acceptability,» the website reads.

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A representative for San Diego Comic-Con did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In the past, the convention allowed participants to display AI artwork, provided it was clearly marked as such and wasn’t sold. But now, those artists can’t even bring it through the door. The rule change is a response to artist-led pushback, according to a 404 Media report. San Diego Comic-Con is one of the world’s most famous pop culture conventions, uniting comics, movies, television, gaming, cosplay and collectibles.

Jim Zub, writer for the Conan the Barbarian and Dungeons and Dragons comic book series, told CNET he supports Comic-Con’s decision and hopes other conventions will follow their lead.

«Hundreds of thousands of people attend San Diego Comic-Con each year, and the excitement that generates isn’t because they’re eager to meet a computer spitting out homogenized slop,» Zub said.

Zub, who’s also an artist, is scheduled to appear at Comic-Con in 2026.

Entertaining AI

The use of generative AI in comic book and pop culture art has generated controversy in recent years as AI programs have become more skilled at imitating creators.

A central focus of the 2023 actor’s strike involved backlash against the use of AI in movies and television. The issue has continued to roil Hollywood, as actors, special effects designers, and other film workers see the technology as a threat, while some movie studios view AI as a way to reduce production costs.

Netflix has already begun using AI-generated imagery in at least one series, Argentine sci-fi show El Eternauta. CEO Ted Sarandos praised the technology during a 2025 earnings call.

«We remain convinced that AI represents an incredible opportunity to help creators make films and series better, not just cheaper,» Sarandos said at the time.

AI is also an issue in the video game industry, with publishers facing swift backlash whenever fans discover AI was used in a game. The Indie Game Awards rescinded two awards for the hit RPG, Clair Obscur: Expedition 33, after they found out that AI-made placeholder assets were included when the game launched. The game developer quickly patched the assets out.

While the movie and video game industries appear to have mixed views on using AI, Comic-Con has taken a firm stance, at least for now.

«Artists, writers, actors and other creatives gather and celebrate the popular arts in person because the people part of the equation is what matters most,» Zub said.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Saturday, Jan. 24

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Jan. 24.

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? It’s a long one, as per usual on Saturday. 1-Down made me awfully hungry! Read on. 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.