
Behind this year's avalanche of Black Friday discounts and gadget launches, the real story is about skepticism—of tech hype, of value versus valuation, and of privacy in an era flooded with smarter things and ever-present cameras.

This week in tech: AI chatbots face scrutiny for dangerous influence, Black Friday pushes 'smarter' gadgets, and a slew of guides remind us that a little less digital noise might be the wisest upgrade of all.

AI features are blending smoothly into everyday tech—from Pixel’s smarter notifications to a PlayStation monitor that’s more PC-like than ever. SoftBank pivots bold, and Nike’s recovery boots show lifestyle tech is as mainstream as performance hardware.