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2025-11-26 09:40:52

It feels like 2025 is the year of corporate standoffs and stalemates among TV providers, with the latest being a contract dispute between streaming provider Fubo and NBCUniversal which has led to a blackout of all the latter's networks on the service. Channels like NBC, USA Network, Telemundo, and Bravo went dark on Fubo at 5PM ET on November 21, 2025, and as of now, there's no projected date for their return. 

A message released by Fubo to their customers explains, "Fubo believes customers should have the option to choose among multiple distributors to access the content they love. Unfortunately, NBCU has offered terms regarding pricing and packaging that are egregiously above those offered to other distributors." A statement from an NBCU spokesperson adds, "Fubo has chosen to drop NBCUniversal programming despite being offered the same terms agreed to by hundreds of other distributors. Unfortunately, this is par for the course for Fubo — they’ve dropped numerous networks in recent years at the expense of their customers, who continue to lose content.” (Fubo, for instance, cut Warner-owned channels back in 2024.) 

While the companies are continuing discussions to come to an agreement, audiences might have to go without this week's midweek NBA game, the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade and Bengals vs. Ravens Thanksgiving Day game, a new episode of The Real Housewives of Salt Lake City on Bravo, and much more. 

Fubo has already begun emailing customers to note that a $15 credit will be applied to their bills starting "on or after December 1." But in the meantime, if you're a Fubo customer and are wondering what to do, here's everything you need to know about the Fubo-NBC blackout, which channels are missing and your options for where to watch them.

Which channels are no longer available on Fubo?

The following is a list of channels owned or operated by NBC that are not currently available on Fubo:

Local Channels:

• NBC Local Affiliates

• Telemundo Local/National

Regional Sports Channels:

• NBC Sports 4K

• NBC Sports Bay Area

• NBC Sports Bay Area Plus

• NBC Sports Boston

• NBC Sports California

• NBC Sports California Plus

• NBC Sports California Plus 3

• NBC Sports Philadelphia

• NBC Sports Philadelphia Plus

National Channels:

• American Crimes

• Bravo

• Bravo Vault

• Caso Cerrado

• CNBC

• CNBC World

• Cozi

• Dateline 24/7

• E! Entertainment Television

• E! Keeping Up

• Golf Channel

• GolfPass

• LX Home

• Million Dollar Listing Vault

• MS NOW (formerly MSNBC)

• NBC NOW

• NBC Sports NOW

• NBC Universo

• True CRMZ

• New England Cable News

• Noticias Telemundo Ahora

• Oxygen True Crime

• Oxygen True Crime Archives

• Real Housewives Vault

• SNL Vault

• Syfy

• Telemundo Accion

• Telemundo al Dia

• The Golf Channel

• Today All Day

• Universal Movies

• USA Network

Why are these NBC-owned channels currently unavailable?

Per Fubo, NBC channels were pulled from the platform because of a disagreement over their long-standing content distribution agreement that has yet to be resolved.

When will the missing channels return?

There is no information available as to when NBC's lineup of channels will return. Negotiations between the companies are ongoing.

Is Fubo offering a rebate while these channels are missing?

In a message to subscribers, Fubo stated, "If NBCU programming remains off of Fubo for an extended period, we will directly credit $15 to your Fubo account." At least one Fubo customer on our staff received an email confirming the credit would be automatically applied in the December billing cycle.

What alternatives do viewers have in the meantime?

Looking to switch from Fubo? You've got plenty of options, including Peacock, DirecTV, and Hulu + Live TV. Here are some of your choices:

Watch NBC on Peacock

Get a deal on Peacock with Walmart+

Try DirecTV free for 5 days, and get $30 off your first month

Try Hulu + Live TV for free

Other services to watch NBC

If I switch to a different service, can I cancel or pause Fubo in the meantime?

Fubo does not allow customers to pause their subscriptions, so if you're looking to make a change, you can cancel your plan outright. 

2025-11-26 07:38:23

Apple’s new AirPods Pro 3 are already shaping up to be one of the most sought-after tech gifts this season, and now you can grab them at a lower price. They’re on sale for $220, down from the regular $249. Previously, the lowest we’ve seen the AirPods Pro 3 discounted to is $239. If you’ve been holding off on upgrading your earbuds, this is the deal worth grabbing.

Apple didn’t reinvent its flagship earbuds with the AirPods Pro 3, but it made smart refinements that elevate nearly every part of the listening experience. We praised these earbuds in our AirPods Pro 3 review for delivering noticeably richer audio and more effective active noise cancellation while keeping the same pocketable form factor that made earlier models so popular.

The standout upgrade here is Apple’s Live Translation feature, which was an unexpected but welcome surprise, announced at the iPhone 17 event. Leveraging Apple’s H2 chip, the AirPods Pro 3 combines Voice Isolation, ANC and beamforming mics to kick Live Translation into action. Siri’s translation filters seamlessly through the earbuds, but if environmental noise gets too intrusive, you can view a real-time transcription in the iOS Translate app, which is a useful feature for international travel and business calls.

Battery life has improved, too. You get up to eight hours on a single charge with ANC on, and the case adds another 24 hours of playback. The MagSafe charging case, with its new U2 chip, now supports an increased distance for Precision Find My, so it’s easier to locate if misplaced.

Since we’re talking about earbuds, audio quality plays a key role in deciding whether to purchase the AirPods Pro 3 or upgrade from a previous model. Although improvements have been made to sound quality through new drivers and transducers, Apple’s decision to increase air flow inside the earbuds has been the most noticeable update. You can expect the AirPods Pro 3 to deliver deeper bass, crisper highs, and an expanded soundstage that makes everything from podcasts to orchestral tracks feel more dynamic.

There’s not much to fault here beyond the familiar Apple premium price, but that’s why this AirPods Pro 3 deal is such good news. The AirPods Pro 3 remain the best wireless earbuds for iPhone users who want seamless connectivity, top-tier ANC and reliable comfort. But if you were hoping to spend a little less, the AirPods 4 with ANC are on sale for $100 right now as well, and the standard AirPods 4 are down to $69. If you prefer over-ear headphones, select colors of the AirPods Max are down to $400.

2025-11-26 06:46:19

Following its licensing deal with Udio, Warner Music Group (WMG) has also reached an agreement with Suno that will let the platform license its artists' music and likenesses, and end the music company's ongoing litigation. WMG was previously one of several record labels suing Udio and Suno for allegedly infringing on copyrighted works at a "massive scale."

As part of the agreement, "artists and songwriters will have full control over whether and how their names, images, likenesses, voices, and compositions are used in new AI-generated music," WMG explains in its press release for the announcement. WMG doesn't spell out how that will work for musicians impacted by the deal, but it does appear that participation will be opt-in, rather than anything being shared by default. This mirrors the opt-in structure of the company's Udio deal.

"AI becomes pro-artist when it adheres to our principles: committing to licensed models, reflecting the value of music on and off platform, and providing artists and songwriters with an opt-in for the use of their name, image, likeness, voice and compositions in new AI songs," WMG CEO Robert Kyncl says.

Suno will also make adjustments to its AI music platform, possibly as a condition of the new partnership. WMG says Suno is launching "new, more advanced and licensed models" in 2026, after which its current models will be deprecated. The company will also limit music downloads to paid accounts. "In the future, songs made on the free tier will not be downloadable and will instead be playable and shareable. Paid tier users will have limited monthly download caps with the ability to pay for more downloads," WMG says. 

In an odd wrinkle to the partnership, Suno is also acquiring WMG's Songkick concert discovery platform. The company plans to continue running it, and WMG claims that "the combination of Suno and Songkick will create new potential to deepen the artist-fan connection." An app for finding nearby concerts doesn't totally square with Suno's existing music creation tools, but maybe it suggests the company is interested in offering more social features down the road.

Prior to this agreement, Suno openly admitted to using "essentially all music files of reasonable quality that are accessible on the open internet" to train its AI model, under the auspices of fair use. That seems like a pretty blatant admission of copyright infringement, but apparently Warner Music Group is happier with the deals it struck than what it could have won through its lawsuit. The company is reportedly one of several music groups looking to strike a similar deal with YouTube.

2025-11-26 06:00:10

Streaming deals come and go throughout the year, but they are most abundant around Black Friday. It’s been a testy year for streaming services to say the least, and one big manifestation of that has been continuously rising prices. Disney+ and HBO Max were just a couple of the streaming services that bumped up prices, which means it’s more important than ever to subscribe if and when you can get a discount. These are the best Black Friday streaming deals you can get this year; just note, though, that most require you to be either a new subscriber to get the deal, or a returning subscriber who hasn’t been a paid customer in a hot minute.

Best Black Friday streaming deals

Apple TV+ — 6 months for $36: Apple TV+ is offering six months of access for only $36 for Black Friday, which comes out to a discounted price of $6 per month for the six-month period. The deal is live now for new and eligible returning subscribers and runs through December 1, giving you a chance to stream shows like Silo, The Morning Show and For All Mankind for less. The biggest caveat to the deal is that you must subscribe directly through Apple and not through a third-party service.

Paramount+ — two months of Essential or Premium for $6: This Black Friday deal brings the monthly price of either Paramount+ tier down to just $6 for two months, or $3 per month. The obvious better deal is on the Premium plan, which typically costs $13 per month.

HBO Max — one year for $36: HBO Max's Black Friday deal gives subscribers one year streaming for $36 through December 1. This Black Friday streaming deal is on the ad-supported option, which normally goes for $11 per month. With this discount, you're getting it for $3 per month for one year. You can sign up via HBO Max's website or, if you're a Prime Video subscriber already, via that service as an add-on.

Sling TV Orange — day pass for only $1: Sling TV launched Day Passes earlier this year, giving users one-day access to a variety of its packages. This deal cuts $4 off the normal price of a day pass for Sling Orange. With that, you get unlimited access for 24 hours to Orange's more than 30 channels that includes ESPN, CNN, TBS and others.

MasterClass — up to 50 percent off annual subscriptions: The MasterClass Black Friday deal discounts most subscription tiers by 50 percent when you pay for one year upfront. The Premium tier, the most expensive option, usually costs $20 per month but now only sets you back $10 per month for one year. That gives you access to the entire MasterClass content library, offline viewing and up to six simultaneous streams.

Audible — three months for $3 + $20 Audible credit: For literally $1 per month, you can get access to Audible's enormous library of published audiobooks, podcasts and Audible Originals (which can be anything from never-before-heard books to live performances). It's only three months, after which you'll have to cancel or renew at the regular price, but an audiobibliophile can cram a lot of listening into 90 days.

Plex — lifetime pass for $150: Plex offers personal media servers you can use to organize your digital collection — imagine your own curated Netflix homepage that nothing ever vanishes from. It's also a streaming platform in its own right, with movies and TV from all genres and eras. Plex did just raise its prices, so now's your chance to get a lifetime pass for close to what it used to cost.

Fubo TV — up to $30 off your first month: Fubo is arguably the best live TV streaming service for sports, and now new subscribers can save up to $30 on their first month. You'll get that discount if you subscribe to the Elite plan, which normally costs $95 per month and provides access to 325 channels including ABC, NBC, CBS and Fox, and it includes ESPN Unlimited as well. If you're looking for a more affordable plan, the News + Sports tier has a $10 discount for new subscribers.

Starz — one year for $24: Pay upfront for one year and you can get more than $40 off a Stars annual subscription. There's a month-to-month option too, which costs $3 per month for the first three months if you don't want to commit to the full year. Either option gives you access to the entire Starz TV and movie library with offline viewing and no ads.

DirecTV — starting at $50/month for one month: All of DirecTV's signature packages are up to $45 off right now for your first month when you sign up. If you opt for the base "Entertainment" package, you'll spend $50 for the first month and get access to over 90 channels, including many local stations as well as ESPN, ESPN 2 and Fox Sports 1. You'll also be able to watch on the go with the DirecTV mobile app.

2025-11-26 05:31:38

A brand spanking-new FoloToy teddy bear can be yours once again. However, he may now be less knowledgeable about spanking. The infamous "Kumma" children's AI teddy bear, once an expert in BDSM and knife-fetching, is back on sale. The company claims the toy now has stronger child safety protections in place.

The Singapore-based FoloToy suspended sales of Kumma last week after a research group published an eyebrow-raising report. The PIRG Education Fund found that the fuzzy little teddy had a few spicy secrets.

The review discovered that the AI toy had a thing for blades and kinky bedroom play. The bear had no problem suggesting where to find knives in the home. And it not only replied to sexual prompts but also expanded on them. Researchers say it ran with their explicit cues, escalating them in graphic detail and "introducing new sexual concepts of its own." It explained sex positions, gave step-by-step instructions for sexual bondage and detailed various role-playing scenarios. Who knew Kumma had it in him?

FoloToy

Although it's hard not to laugh at the absurdity of it all, this stuff is no joke for parents. With the tech industry pushing AI everything on us for the last three years, it's easy for a casual observer to conclude that it's all very safe, regulated and ready for vulnerable eyes and ears. PIRG did acknowledge that young children were unlikely to have prompted the bear with a term like "kink." (Older siblings may have been another story.) Still, the group's tests highlighted a shockingly lax approach to content moderation on a child's toy.

In its statement announcing Kumma's return, FoloToy boasted that it was the only company of the three targeted in the review to suspend sales. (Could it be that it’s less about principles and more about it being the only one that got media coverage?) The company described the bear's short hiatus as "a full week of rigorous review, testing and reinforcement of our safety modules." Wait, a whole week? Whoa there, partner!!

Before his trip to AI rehab, Kumma was advertised as being powered by GPT-4o. Following PIRG's review, OpenAI told the organization that it had suspended FoloToy for violating its policies. The bear's new listing makes no mention of GPT-4o or any specific AI models.

2025-11-26 05:30:29

The Disney+ and Hulu (with ads) bundle is officially on sale for $5 per month for one year (for a total of $60) through December 1, giving new and returning subscribers a full year of both streaming platforms for less than the cost of a few movie tickets. The bundle includes Disney+ and Hulu’s basic plans with ads, so if you’ve been waiting for a sign to catch up on Only Murders in the Building or dive into the Star Wars universe, this is it.

Disney+ and Hulu make one of the most balanced streaming pairs available, blending family-friendly favorites with acclaimed originals and network TV staples. Disney+ brings a vast library of animated classics, blockbuster franchises and exclusive content from Marvel, Pixar, Star Wars and National Geographic. It’s the place to stream nearly every Star Wars film and series, plus the full Marvel Cinematic Universe lineup and Disney’s most recent theatrical releases.

For families, it doubles as a reliable destination for animated favorites, from Encanto to Inside Out 2, and its kid-friendly interface makes it simple to hand over the remote without worrying about what’s queued next.

Hulu balances things out with a more adult-oriented lineup of current TV shows, next-day network episodes and a growing roster of award-winning originals. The platform hosts series like The Bear, The Handmaid’s Tale and Only Murders in the Building, alongside comedies, thrillers and documentaries that regularly feature in awards conversations. It’s also the home for next-day streaming of ABC and FX shows, making it especially useful if you’ve already cut the cable cord but still want to keep up with primetime TV.

The Duo Basic bundle ties these two services together under a single subscription, offering a simple way to expand your library without juggling multiple accounts. This tier includes ads on both platforms, but the trade-off is significant savings compared with paying for each service separately. For many households, that’s an acceptable compromise when it means access to such a wide range of content.

Both platforms also integrate smoothly across devices. Disney+ is available on nearly every smart TV and streaming stick and Hulu’s interface is built around customizable profiles, so everyone in the household can keep separate watch lists. The bundle login works seamlessly between the two, and since they’re both owned by Disney, it’s easy to switch from a Marvel marathon to a new episode of The Great or Abbott Elementary without leaving the ecosystem.

If you prefer a more premium experience, you can upgrade to the Duo Premium bundle for ad-free viewing, but the Basic plan remains the best value for most users. It’s an especially practical pick if you’re looking to consolidate your streaming subscriptions without losing access to major franchises or hit series.

If you’re still comparing options or thinking about how to simplify your lineup, our guide to the best streaming services outlines how Disney+, Hulu and others stack up. But for those already invested in Disney’s worlds or Hulu’s critically acclaimed originals, this annual Duo Basic deal offers one of the easiest and most affordable ways to keep it all in one place.

There are plenty of other Black Friday streaming deals to consider as well. Here are some of the best ones:

• Apple TV+ — 6 months for $36: Apple TV+ is offering six months of access for only $36 for Black Friday, which comes out to a discounted price of $6 per month for the six-month period. The deal is live now for new and eligible returning subscribers and runs through December 1, giving you a chance to stream shows like Silo, The Morning Show and For All Mankind for less. The biggest caveat to the deal is that you must subscribe directly through Apple and not through a third-party service.

• Paramount+ — two months of Essential or Premium for $6: This Black Friday deal brings the monthly price of either Paramount+ tier down to just $6 for two months, or $3 per month. The obvious better deal is on the Premium plan, which typically costs $13 per month.

• HBO Max — one year for $36: HBO Max's Black Friday deal gives subscribers one year streaming for $36 through December 1. This Black Friday streaming deal is on the ad-supported option, which normally goes for $11 per month. With this discount, you're getting it for $3 per month for one year. You can sign up via HBO Max's website or, if you're a Prime Video subscriber already, via that service as an add-on.

• Sling TV Orange — day pass for only $1: Sling TV launched Day Passes earlier this year, giving users one-day access to a variety of its packages. This deal cuts $4 off the normal price of a day pass for Sling Orange. With that, you get unlimited access for 24 hours to Orange's more than 30 channels that includes ESPN, CNN, TBS and others.