As Black Friday 2021 finished with Thanksgiving leftovers, retailers began stoking the cyber coffers with deals on everything from Paw Patrol to $1,700 off an 8K QLED TV. But we’re going to focus on the latter — the electronics that some of us coveted throughout the year. 

Following are some of my personal favorites from this Cyber Monday, and I’ve also curated some that are sure to pique the interest of AV Technology and SCN readers. More Apple products would be on my list, but I’ve never seen them offer a significant price cut.  

I looked to our sister publications, Tom’s Guide and TechRadar, for the best deals on electronics and accessories for our hybrid workplaces, and smart homes.

P.S. Prices and availability are subject to change.

Cindy’s Top 10 Cyber Monday Deals

Samsung 65-inch QN900A Neo QLED 8K Smart TV (2021)

Was $4,999.99 now $3,297.99 at Amazon
Save $1,700 - One of the best Cyber Monday TV deals we've spotted so far is this 65-inch QLED 8K TV from Samsung that's on sale for $3,299.99. That's a massive $1,700 discount and the lowest price we've seen for the stunning Samsung display. The Samsung QN900A is one of the best TVs you can buy, thanks to its exceptional picture quality and state-of-the-art design.

Bose QuietComfort 45

Was $329 now $279 @ Amazon
First time on sale! The Bose QuietComfort 45 offer enhanced active noise cancellation, better sound, and longer battery life than its predecessor. In our [Tom’s Guide] review, we called them a no brainer for Bose fans who want to swap out their older QC headphones for something more modern, or shoppers who want first-class Bose noise cancellation at a cheaper price than the premium Bose 700. 

Panasonic Lumix S5

Was $1,997 now $1,697 @ Amazon
Get $300 off the full-frame Panasonic Lumix S5 mirrorless camera this Black Friday in one of the best deals we've seen yet. The S5 makes it into our list of the best cameras for vloggers, on account of its advanced video features, while its 5-axis image stabilization will be great for both filming and stills shooting.

LG 83-inch C1 OLED

Was $5,999 now $4,996 @ Walmart
Go big for less with the 83-inch LG C1 OLED, selling now for $1,000 off the regular price. Sure, that's still a pricey 5 grand, but premium OLED displays aren't known for being cheap, especially at this giant size. Packed with features, like HDR, HDMI 2.1 and both Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa, it's a fantastic TV, now at a slightly more reasonable price.

iRobot Roomba 692 Robot Vacuum

Was $299.9 now $174.99 at Amazon
Save $125 - Roomba robot vacuums are one of the most popular Cyber Monday deals, and Amazon has just dropped a further $25 discount on the best-selling iRobot Roomba 692. That brings the price down to just $174.99, which is a fantastic deal for a robot vacuum and the lowest price we've ever seen.

Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2

Was $299 now $174 at Amazon
With excellent active noise cancelling, superb sound quality, and a rather neat design, the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 2 are well worth your time. And with $122 off their original price, they are a bit of a bargain. 

Harmati Electric Standing Desk

Was $299 now $199 @ Amazon
For under $200, this is a brilliant option for anyone looking for a standing desk. It comes in three different colorways and has a quiet, motorized system for raising and lowering the desk. The wood desktop measures 47 inches by 24 inches, and reviewers loved how neatly it fits into most home offices. The best part? You can currently save big on this desk. 

Jabra Elite Active 75t

Was $209 now $149 @ Amazon
This deal takes 29% off the original price, saving you $60 in total on the Jabra Elite Active 75t, one of the best wireless earbuds on the market. 

Razer Iskur Fabric Gaming Chair

Was $499 now $349 at Amazon
Save $149 - Razer is known for making top-shelf gaming peripherals, but it only got into the gaming chair scene last year with the Razer Iskur. This year's follow-up, the Razer Iskur Fabric, improves on the original with a more breathable fabric construction while keeping all the features that makes the Razer Iskur one of the best gaming chairs around.

Ring Video Doorbell Wired Bundle with Echo Show 5

Was $144 now $61 @ Amazon
This deal bundles Ring's least-expensive video doorbell with its smallest smart display. When someone presses the button, you'll be able to see them on the Echo Show 5 and talk to them, too. We also recommend you pick up a Ring Chime, as the Ring Video Doorbell Wired doesn't work with existing chimes.

TECHRADAR EXCLUSIVES on VPNs!

PureVPN

5-year plan |  Was $6.65 now $1.13 a month | code 'TECH15'
Save 88% - It may not be the best quality VPN on the market, but PureVPN is without doubt the winner of this year's VPN deals race - especially for TechRadar readers who get to benefit from an extra 15% off with code TECH15. That brings the monthly rate down to an effective $1.13, paying a one-off $67.96 five years of VPN coverage.

NordVPN

2-year plan |  Was $11.95 now $3.29 a month
Save 72% - One of the biggest names in VPN has one of the best savings. This is the lowest we've seen NordVPN for a while now, and is a terrific price on a service that sits in at #2 in our overall chart of the best VPNs.

Surfshark VPN

2-year + 3 months FREE | Was $12.95 now $2.21/pm
Save 83% - The best cheap VPN just got a whole lot cheaper. It's throwing in three free months to its 24-month plan, so you get a whole 27 months of boosted cyber security with loads of great features for only $2.21 a month.

MORE CYBER MONDAY DEALS

MacBook Air (M1)

Was $999 now $899 @ Amazon
The M1 MacBook Air offers fantastic performance thanks to its new Apple Silicon. The new M1 CPU also helped it reach over 14 hours in our battery test. In our [Tom’s Guide] review, we found it offered amazing MacBook Pro-like power at a lesser cost. It features a 13.3-inch Retina display, Apple M1 CPU, 8GB of RAM, and a 256GB SSD. If you want an even bigger bargain, the 512GB model is also on sale for $1,099 ($100 off). 

Amazon Fire HD 8 Kids Tablet

Was $139 now $69 @ Amazon
Amazon's Fire HD Kids tablets are great for youngsters, thanks to their combination of chunky rubber bumper, Fire for Kids software and a a no-questions-asked two-year replacement guarantee. They're available in 7, 8 and 10-inch varieties, and all are super-cheap at Amazon right now.

EPOS H3 Gaming Headset

Was $99.99 now $86 at Amazon
Save nearly $23 on the EPOS H3 Gaming headset, which proudly sits on our list of the best Xbox Series X headsets. But this comfortable and sleek all-rounder headset doesn't just work on XSX, it's also compatible with PS5, Switch, PS4 and Xbox One.

JBL Tune 120TWS

Was $120 now $59 @ Amazon
This deal takes 50% off the original price. JBL's wireless earbuds pack a punch with a 5.8mm driver for solid bass performance. With 16 hours of battery life shared between the headphones and their charging case, you'll be able to rock out all day long.

GoPro Hero10 Black + Accessories + Subscription

Was $549 now $349 @ GoPro
The Hero10 Black is GoPro's new action camera, adding a new processor, higher resolution and improved image stabilization into an already compelling package. We awarded it 4.5 stars in our review, and it's even better value right now. This deal direct from GoPro is not only $100 cheaper than we've seen it elsewhere, but also throws in a 1-year GoPro subscription and accessories pack. 

Marshall Emberton

Was $150 now $129.99 at Amazon
Save $20 - Whether it's the IPX7 water-resistant rating, over 20 hours of use, or light weight, this portable speaker from Marshall has a lot going for it. And, this Cyber Monday, it's cheaper than we've seen it this year, now at 13% off. Of course, that wouldn’t matter if it didn’t sound good, which it does. In fact, its multi-directional sound means that you can hear the music clearly no matter where you’re sitting in relation to it.

Hulu

Was $6.99 per month now $0.99 per month
With a ton of original series and movies, plus the latest TV shows, Hulu has a lot to watch. Normally, this ad-supported tier costs $6.99 per month, so you'll be saving $6 per month (for up to 12 months) with this offer. The deal expires on Monday (Nov. 29) at 11:59 p.m. PT so there's no time to lose.

Ring Video Doorbell Wired + Echo Dot

Was $99 now $41 @ Amazon
Ring's cheapest video doorbell is even cheaper in this deal that takes $18 off its regular price and throws in a free Amazon Echo Dot (3rd gen) to go with it. You get a 1080p camera and two-way talk, while the Echo Dot can act as your doorbell chime.

Samsung HW-S50A

Was $249 now $147 @ Amazon
This Samsung soundbar not only looks great, thanks to its premium fabric finish, but also sounds great on account of its five internal speakers and Dolby Atmos support. Not only does it have Bluetooth, but it's also packing a Music Mode so you can stream your favorite Spotify tunes to it. Amazon has currently knocked $102 off the usual price, bringing it to its lowest level.

Cleer Audio Crescent

Was $699 now $599 @ Best Buy
It's by no means a cheap option, but the Cleer Audio Crescent not only upgrades your audio but also adds a statement product to your living room. It offers 8 front-facing, full-range drivers and 2 large woofers. It's a 3D soundbar that can really fill out a room. Plus, it offers built-in Google Assistant support which is a nice touch. We awarded it 4 stars in our [Tom’s Guide] review. 

Google Chromecast (3rd Gen) Streamer

Was $29.98 now $19.98 at Walmart
Save $10 - The Google Chromecast is a brilliantly functional streaming dongle. There's plenty of app support, Google Assistant voice commands, and a great Android TV interface holding things together. Note you won't get 4K streaming, or a remote.

Belkin Power Strip Surge Protector

Was $24.99 now $19.99 at Amazon
Save $5 - This Belkin power strip has over 65,000 positive reviews and is on sale for the cheapest price we've ever seen at just $19.99 at Amazon. It boasts several AC outlets, an 8-foot long cable that comes in handy when your outlet feels like it's located in a faraway desert outpost, and a 3,940-Joule energy rating. With 12 outlets, you'll have room to keep all your smart and mobile devices charged.

Apple MagSafe Charger

Was $39 now $31.99 at Amazon
A nice little 18% discount on this Apple accessory, the Apple MagSafe charger can be used to charge iPhone 12 models onwards, as well as AirPods with a wireless charging case. As a ubiquitous Apple accessory, this is one of those essential bits of kit always worth snatching up in an Amazon Cyber Monday deal as a cheap stocking filler or gift. 

Fire TV Cube

Was $119.99 now $79.99 at Amazon
Save $40 - Today's Cyber Monday deal from Amazon includes the powerful Fire TV Cube on sale for $79.99. That's a $40 discount and the lowest price we've found for the hands-free 4K streaming player that's Alexa compatible.

Philips Hue White and Color Lightstrip Plus 2M Starter Kit

Was $109.99 now $68.99 at Best Buy
Save $41 – There's a significant $41 saving on this starter set for the Philips Hue Lightstrip. Use it to jazz up the ambiance in any room around your home. Be that adding a customizable glow effect behind the TV, fitting strip lights in the kitchen, or whatever your imagination decides.

Ring Alarm 8-piece Set

Was $424.98 now $229.98 at Amazon
Save $195 - Buying all your smart home devices in one bundle is a good way to save cash, and this package is much cheaper than buying everything separately. This package has received two discounts over Cyber Monday and is now the cheapest it's ever been. Note, these devices are now shipping for a mid-December delivery date.

Thank you to our sister publications, Tom’s Guide and TechRadar for keeping an eye on the best deals. Be sure to check out each site for hundreds of Cyber Monday deals.

Nice, a global manufacturer of smart home, security, and home & building automation solutions, has acquired Nortek Security & Control from Melrose Industries.

With the acquisition of Nortek's brands—including 2GIG, ELAN, Linear, MightyMule, Proficient, SpeakerCraft, Gefen, Xantech, Panamax, Furman, numera and IntelliVision—Nice expands its portfolio to provide a suite of integrated solutions for residential, commercial, industrial, and government customers, from consumer DIY to custom and professionally installed specialized products and high-security applications.

The move substantially strengthens Nice's presence in the North American market and doubles its R&D capacity to  accelerate innovation and expansion of platform-based integrated solutions, considerably enlarging the Nice customer base globally in a fast-growing market. The partners of Nice and Nortek Security & Control will experience an enhancement of their current relationships through a larger organization with an even stronger commitment to the channel. Nice is a global company with a regional presence to focus on its local markets and partners. 

Founded in the 1960s as Linear Corp., Nortek Security & Control has a vast portfolio of products, over 200 patents, and 12 leading brands across security, access control, AV, power management, smart home, AI and personal health.

In March, Nortek Security & Control released the 2GIG EDGE Security and Automation Panel with AI and edge analytics, winning several industry awards. The new panel for the pro-install security market delivers secure face recognition touchless disarm. Developed with edge processing, the panel's engineering ensures homeowner's biometric data stays secure by saving it only on the panel.

In North America, the portfolio of brands under Nice includes Abode, Nice and HySecurity in addition to well-established gate, door, sunshade, and smart security offerings. The acquisition instantly increases reach and scales growth through existing Nice distribution channels and with those of Nortek Security & Control. Partners of each organization will experience streamlined communication from one brand to the next and, in time, will have access to a broader portfolio of integrated solutions.

Business will be conducted as usual throughout 2022. The North American organization will immediately begin collaborating with the Nortek Security & Control team on blending portfolios and operations to emerge fully integrated in 2023.

The transaction, valued at $285 million, is the largest investment to date by Nice.

The Design + Connections Tour series, which brings together technology integrators and design professionals, is returning to the CEDIA Expo show floor this year.

Two tours will take place on Thursday, Sept. 2: one in the morning, one in the afternoon. The designers, architects, and construction engineers in the tour groups will be led by a technology integrator to select exhibitor booths. Ten exhibitors will be chosen for each tour: nine selected by the technology integrator tour guides and one allocated to Control4 and Snap One, the title sponsor of the two tours.

The aim of the tours is to foster mutually beneficial relationships between design and construction professionals and integrators, and to provide an efficient way for CEDIA Expo attendees to learn about the newest smart product innovations.

“The Design + Connection Tour will create a learning opportunity for designers, builders, and architects to gather knowledge from integrators, the connected technology experts,” said Jason McGraw, group vice president, CEDIA Expo and KBIS. “Integrator, designer, and builder relationships are vital in order to achieve the modern customer’s goals: a beautifully designed and constructed space with seamless connected technology integration.”

During the complimentary lunch between the two tours, KBB executive editor Chelsie Butler will host a brief Q&A to encourage discussion between design and construction pros and technology integrators. Design + Connection tour participants will also be invited to attend the private Control4 party and will be eligible to win a Control4 Smart Home Starter Kit.

“Control4 and Snap One are thrilled to be back in-person at CEDIA as the title sponsor for the CEDIA Design Tours,” said Danielle Karr, director of marketing, Control4 and Snap One. “Especially over this last year, wellness in the home has become top of mind for many homeowners and professionals in the design-build community, and we think that these intersectional whole-home technology conversations, like the ones happening on the CEDIA Expo tours, are key to achieving this vision of a helpful home.”

[ In recent news, SnapAV rebranded as Snap One in June, and earlier this week Snap One announced pricing for its forthcoming IPO.]

Architects/designers/builders who would like to join the morning or afternoon tour should contact Lexi Miller by Aug. 11.

Register for CEDIA Expo.

CEDIA Expo 2021 News

CEDIA Expo 2021 Launches Innovation Hub • CEDIA Expo 2021 will mark the debut of the “Innovation Hub” where case studies revealing new and innovative solutions are showcased.

CEDIA Expands Education Initiatives at 2021 Expo • CEDIA Expo is set to kick off the CEDIA Education Conference on Aug. 31 with a variety of education options for integrators.

CEDIA 2021 Registration Now Open • CEDIA Expo is set to return to Indianapolis in September 2021. Event organizers plan to bring over 10,000 home technology design and construction attendees together with 300-plus exhibitors at one of the first 2021 in-person events supporting the technology sector.

Legrand's donated solutions from its Vantage, QMotion, and Luxul brands were used in a customized smart home for Marine Sgt. Jonathan Blank, who was severely injured in Afghanistan. Provided by the Wounded Warrior Project and Gary Sinise Foundation as part of the Restoring Independence Supporting Empowerment (R.I.S.E.) program, the home and its technologies are designed to make Blank's life more comfortable and convenient.

"We are grateful for Legrand's support, which has been a tremendous gift for Sgt. Blank," said Blaine Christensen, co-owner of Advanced Integrated Systems, who worked on the project. "The company's solutions have been instrumental in providing this American hero with a high-tech home that will forever change the trajectory of his life."

[ Read more about CE installations in Residential Systems. ]

Precise control over the home's lighting is delivered by Vantage's InFusion Controller II, while automated shading is provided by QMotion QIS ZigBee hardwired shades. Blank interacts with his lighting and shading systems via a Vantage Equinox 41 touchscreen at the back door and EasyTouch II backlit modular keypads located throughout the home.

The home's network is centered on Luxul's dual-WAN Epic 5 wired router (ABR-5000), while the AMS-4424P 26-port/24 PoE+ stackable Layer 2/Layer 3 managed switch handles AV over IP video distribution and delivers power and network connectivity to in-wall keypads and other devices. Two XAP-1510 wireless access points provide Wi-Fi connectivity.

"It's an honor to work with the Wounded Warrior Project and Gary Sinise Foundation in their mission to help injured veterans," said Charlie Derk, director of product marketing, shading and residential controls, Legrand, North and Central America. "Sgt. Blank has sacrificed so much for his country, and it is a privilege to have the opportunity to make his life easier and more comfortable through our lighting, shading, and networking technologies."

More about Legrand

System Ready • Legrand AV’s Manny Linhares talks about providing support through IoT. 

Empathy and Surprise • Steve Durkee, president of Legrand AV, talks about providing the ultimate experience for customers and employees.

Legrand Promotes Steve Durkee to President • Legrand North and Central America has appointed Steve Durkee as Legrand AV’s next president.

Legrand Opens New California Distribution Center • The distribution center, located in Moreno Valley, CA, replaces an existing center in Rancho Cucamonga. It will accommodate Legrand’s growing product portfolio resulting from multiple acquisitions over the last two years.

Legrand Acquires Connectrac • Connectrac has expertise in power distribution and cable management. Adding the company to its portfolio gives Legrand the ability to reach additional market segments and a platform to expand its ecosystem in commercial interiors.

Legrand Acquires Luxul Wireless • Legrand has signed a definitive agreement to acquire Luxul Wireless, the networking provider for professionally installed, custom integration systems for residential and SMB markets.

In their Tuesday webinar on advancements in smart home technology, Sean Wargo, senior director of marketing intelligence at AVIXA and Brad Russell, research director, connected home, at Parks Associates, said that recent research shows consumers don’t see smart home devices as problem solvers and that security risks often outweigh benefits of ownership of these products.

According to a Parks Associates report, consumer purchase and ownership of smart home devices has risen by 32 percent, between 2014-2017, and almost a third of U.S households own a connected and/or smart home device.

"The Netflix affect…the Hulu affect, has really helped drive a lot of this interest. A full 70 percent of U.S broadband equipped households subscribe to at least one service operated by a smart home device," Russell said.

While a majority of U.S households are buying into the integrated market, a percentage of consumers do not believe that integrated, smart home devices can improve their lives. According to Russell, this is a value proposition issue.

75 percent of smart home device consumers include product compatibility in their purchase considerations. Consumers want the assurance that all of their devices can work in tandem to one another.

"These products and services need to solve an everyday problem to move from a ‘nice to have’ to a ‘must have,’" he argued.

23 percent of smart home device owners lean toward voice-controlled devices, with Amazon Echo and Google Home exceeding in popularity. Consumers who lean toward voice controlled smart home devices for entertainment are more likely to desire voice-controlled security systems. Consumer within the smart home market are looking for the convenience and frequency hands free use provides, according to a Parks Associates report.

In the last year, smart thermostats, lightbulbs, and cameras have seen a decrease in overall cost, creating greater accessibility to consumers than in the past. This price decrease does not outweigh the common concern among consumers that these products are vulnerable to hacking and control by a third party. Despite these concerns, however, video doorbells and voice-controlled door locks and lights have increased in consumer popularity and are on a steady upswing, according to the report.

"The big takeaway is that privacy and security is a real issue, a real problem, and again, manufacturers and service providers are learning to address this in a variety of ways in order drive smart home growth,” Russell concluded.

Listen Technologies has broken ground on a new building next to its headquarters; the new building is expected to be completed in fall 2018 and will double the current size of Listen Technologies’ corporate campus. The company has expanded its workforce to accommodate increasing demand for its portfolio of offerings and to support its customers and channel partners.

The building will offer Audio Everywhere from Listen Technologies, a Wi-Fi streaming solution that lets users stream sound on their smart phones. Conference rooms in the new space will be outfitted with ListenLOOP, an induction loop solution that delivers intelligible sound directly to an individual’s T-coil hearing aid or cochlear implant for a discreet, personalized listening experience. Also, Listen Technologies’ mobile two-way collaboration product, ListenTALK, will be available at the office’s reception area for visitors to use during building tours.

“Listen Technologies is thrilled to strengthen its presence in Bluffdale and expand our campus to accommodate the needs of our talented, dedicated employees,” said Russ Gentner, CEO of Listen Technologies. “We hope Listen Technologies employees will find the new space comfortable, inspiring and conducive to continuing to design great products that help people hear clearly and engage more fully in the world around them.”