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Apple products are notoriously expensive: The latest MacBook Air starts at $1,099, as does the iPhone 17 Pro, and while I love my AirPods Max, I strongly recommend buyers wait until they're on sale to avoid spending $549 on headphones. Apple makes good stuff, but that stuff comes at a cost.

Not all of Apple's products are this expensive, mind you. The new iPhone 17e starts at $599. That's not necessarily cheap, but it isn't $1,099, either. Apple's MacBook Neo has drawn a lot of buzz by fetching the same price tag as the 17e, but also because of its education price: $499. For that price, students and educators can buy a brand-new MacBook that does just about anything you'd want an Apple laptop to do. For the rest of us, $599 is still a great price for such a machine, but, of course, we'd rather get the education price if we could.

Anyone can shop Apple's Education Store

According to Apple, the Education Store only applies to "current and newly accepted college students and their parents, as well as faculty, staff, and homeschool teachers of all grade levels." But this is the (open) secret of Apple's Education Store: While the discounts are supposed to be for students, educators, and parents, anyone can shop the Education Store and take advantage of the same savings. There is no proof required when accessing the Education Store online in the U.S.—it's just a different section of the Apple Store website. Once you're in, you're in, and you can get the same discounts as anyone Apple would intend the discount for.

That includes, of course, the MacBook Neo, which starts at just $499 on the Education Store (for the 256GB model). But it also applies to Apple's other Macs:

• M5 MacBook Air: starts at $999 rather than $1,099

• M5 MacBook Pro: starts at $1,599 rather than $1,699

• 14-inch M5 Pro MacBook Pro: starts at $2,049 rather than $2,199

• 16-inch M5 Pro MacBook Pro: starts at $2,499 rather than $2699

• iMac: starts at $1,249 rather than $1,299

• Mac mini: starts at $499 rather than $599

• Mac Studio: starts at $1,799 rather than $1,999

• Mac Pro: starts at $6,599 rather than $6,999

But it's not just Macs that are discounted here. You'll also find iPads with some small price cuts. That includes:

• iPad: starts at $329 instead of $349

• iPad mini: starts at $449 instead of $499

• iPad Air: starts at $549 instead of $599

• iPad Pro: starts at $899 instead of $999

There are other savings to be found here, too: Apple's new Studio Display and Studio Display XDR, iPad accessories, as well as Apple Care+ plans, have discounts on the Education Store. But Apples other products do not, even though they're available to buy on the Education Store. iPhones are the same price for students as they are for all buyers, as are Apple Watches, Apple TVs, and Apple Vision Pros.

How to shop Apple's Education Store

Apple's Education Store is open to anyone on the web. You can access it from this link, or by heading to Apple's official site, scrolling down to the bottom of the page, and choosing "Shop for College" under "For Education."

Be aware, however, that while Apple might not verify your purchase, it still intends these products to be purchased by Education Store. As such, not only will the company require you to check a box confirming you meet the qualifications to shop here, it reserves the right to charge you the difference. Hypothetically, you could be on the hook for the $100 you save on the MacBook Neo through the Education Store, and while I've never heard of that happening, that's the risk you take.

The Education Store isn't the only way to score Apple discounts

If you aren't a student and you don't feel comfortable saying you are one to shop the Education Store, you still have options to get Apple products at a discount. For anyone open to buying pre-owned or open-box items, Apple's Refurbished Store is a great place to look. The company has options across more of its product lineup (including iPhones) you can choose from, and while they aren't new devices, they are covered by a limited one-year warranty by Apple.

You can also find deep discounts on Apple products from third-party retailers. Amazon, for instance, frequently has deals on MacBooks of all kinds, especially from previous generations. Since Apple's modern Macs perform well for years after release, this can be a great way to get a machine without spending a fortune.

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Sony's 1000X series has been around since 2016, improving on the previous iteration to eventually land on the Sony WH-1000XM6 in 2025, which are the best over-ear headphones I tested in 2025 (and ever, really). Right now, you can get the WH-1000XM6 headphones for $398 (originally $459.99), their lowest price ever, according to price-tracking tools.

Sony WH-1000XM6 Headphones

$398.00 at Amazon

$459.99 Save $61.99

Get Deal

Get Deal

$398.00 at Amazon

$459.99 Save $61.99

The XM6 headphones improve on what were already excellent headphones. Sony upped the count of microphones from eight to 12 when compared to the XM5, which improves more than just how well you sound to someone on a phone call. The microphones are used in almost all of its features, like ANC, Adaptive Sound Control, and the headphones' Ambient Sound mode. They hear your surroundings to adapt their features accordingly. If you switch from a noisy room to a quiet one, the XM6 can switch from ANC to aware mode (if you have Adaptive Sound Control on).

These headphones have a lot more features that you can nerd out on in their companion app. The audio quality is second to none, with the fully customizable EQ giving you plenty of options to get the sound how you like it. I really like being able to see what codec you're listening to in the app's main menu. That way, there's no guessing if you're getting the best audio quality or not. They will give you 30 hours of battery life with ANC on and 40 hours of juice with ANC off. There's an AUX (3.5mm) jack for wired listening, which is a nice touch for audiophiles who still rock iPod Classics (or is that just me?).

The XM6s were not just the best headphones of 2025, but are still the best ones of 2026 and likely to be the best ones for years to come. For $398, you'll be securing the best for a record low price we likely won't see again for a while.

Sen. Thom Tillis (R-NC) called for President Donald Trump to boot adviser Stephen Miller from his administration on Sunday, with Tillis calling Miller a “big problem” who needs to be the next one out the door after Trump fired DHS Secretary Kristi Noem last week.

Tillis ripped Miller during an interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper on State of the Union. The senator said he was fed up with how Miller has orchestrated Trump’s crackdown on illegal immigration and bashed Miller for what he said about the shooting death of Alex Pretti, as well as his push for the U.S. to acquire Greenland.

“It gives me pause that you have people like Stephen Miller calling the shots,” Tillis said. “It was Stephen Miller that was talking about a terrorist brandishing a gun, it was Stephen Miller who said it was the position of the United States that we should go after Greenland, it was Stephen Miller who has been repeatedly responsible for embarrassment for the president. Speaking first and thinking later.”

Tapper then asked him, “Do you think Stephen Miller should go?”

“Oh, of course I do,” Tillis answered.

“He’s not worried about substance. He’s more worried about form,” Tillis continued. “But I also think that he has an outsized influence over the operations of the cabinet. And I believe we’ve got qualified cabinet members there that sometimes are doing less than what they want to because of his direction and his outsized influence. He’s a big problem in this administration, he has been from the beginning.”

His harsh remarks about Miller come a few days after Trump announced Noem’s time running the Department of Homeland Security was coming to an end. Betting on Trump to listen to Tillis seems like a long shot, though, considering Miller has been one of Trump’s closest allies dating back to his first term in office.

Watch above via CNN.

The post Republican Senator Calls for Trump to Dump Stephen Miller After Noem Firing: ‘He’s a Big Problem’ first appeared on Mediaite.

Jesse Jackson Jr. took a not-so-subtle swipe at three former Democratic presidents who spoke at his father’s memorial service — Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden — saying they did not know the real Jesse Jackson. 

“Yesterday I listened for several hours of three United States presidents who do not know Jesse Jackson,” he said on Saturday.

Jackson Jr. continued, “He maintained a tense relationship with the political order, not because the presidents were White or Black, but the demands of our message, the demands of speaking for the least of these — those who are disinherited, the damned, the dispossessed, the disrespected — demanded not Democratic or Republican solutions, but demanded a consistent, prophetic voice that at no point in time sold us out as a people.”

The sharp opening to his eulogy was made in front of a crowd at the Rainbow PUSH Coalition headquarters in Chicago.

Jackson Jr. — who served as a Democratic representative from Illinois between 1995 and 2012 — made his remarks a day after the ex-presidents honored his father. Obama’s speech was the most political of the three former presidents, with Obama clearly dissing President Donald Trump at one point, without mentioning him by name.

“Each day, we’re told by those in high office to fear each other and to turn on each other, and that some Americans count more than others, and that some don’t even count at all,” Obama said. “Everywhere we see greed and bigotry, being celebrated and bullying and mockery masquerading as strength.”

Ex-Vice President Kamala Harris made similar comments, saying it was hard to believe Jackson was not around to help America “get through” Trump’s presidency.

Clinton was less focused on politics, saying he was there “more as a friend than a former president. [Jackson] was my friend when I needed him.”

Watch Jackson Jr.’s eulogy above via CBS Chicago.

The post Jesse Jackson’s Son Swipes at Obama and Biden After Politically-Charged Eulogies: They ‘Do Not Know Jesse Jackson’ first appeared on Mediaite.

President Donald Trump addressed the leaders of Latin American countries Saturday at his “Shield of the Americas” summit by telling them he was too busy to learn their language.

The summit, held at Trump’s Doral Golf Club, was organized to “advance strategies that stop foreign interference” in the Western hemisphere, including “criminal and narco-terrorist gangs and cartels, and illegal and mass immigration,” according to the State Department. 

“I’d love to get to your countries at some point,” Trump said, continuing on about Secretary of State Marco Rubo, who is of Cuban descent.

He said:

Marco loves going to your countries. He’s always at one of these countries. He likes your countries the best, you know?

“Where are you?”
“I’m in Chile.”
“Oh, good, how’s Chile doing?”
“Good.”

He likes it, he feels very comfortable — we all like him, right? He’s got a language, he’s got a language advantage over me. ‘Cause I’m not learning your damn language. I don’t have time. I was okay with languages, but I’m not going to spend time learning your language. That much I won’t do. Just give me a good interpreter. Interpreter — very important.

When Rubio spoke, he asked for the president’s permission before addressing the leaders in Spanish.

“If I may, because some of these cameras cover in Spanish. You all right —”

“Good, please,” Trump said.

“Oh, good,” Rubio responded. “We don’t need an interpreter for this one,” he quipped.

After Rubio’s remarks, Trump introduced Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who assured the president, “I only speak American.”

The leaders of Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, the Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, Guyana, Honduras, Panama, Paraguay, and Trinidad and Tobago confirmed their participation in the summit, Live NOW from Fox reported.

“Notably missing at the event are the region’s two dominant powers — Brazil and Mexico — as well as Colombia, long the linchpin of U.S. anti-narcotics strategy in the region,” the report said, noting that Cuba was also missing.

On hand at the event was former Department of Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem, who will now serve as“Special Envoy for the Shield of the Americas.”

Watch the clips above via The White House.

The post ‘I’m Not Learning Your Damn Language’: Trump Addresses Latin American Leaders at His ‘Shield Of The Americas’ Summit first appeared on Mediaite.

Why is President Donald Trump raging at comic and pundit Bill Maher in the middle of an actual war? Because Maher has promised to deliver a new barrage in their feud — and it hits in a few hours.

The United States is in the middle of a war with Iran that has claimed the lives of at least six American servicemembers — with Trump reportedly telling senators that more will die before the campaign is over.

But on Friday morning, Trump peppered his social media feed with posts attacking Maher.

How we got here is a story that technically goes back years, as Maher has long been a critic of Trump, including a satirical bet lampooning the “Birther” obsession that resulted in a $5 million lawsuit from Trump.

But Maher attempted a “Nixon goes to China” moment by having dinner with Trump at the White House — an event he frequently describes with pride at his own open-mindedness.

Things took another turn on the Feb. 13 edition of HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher, during which one bit — a comical reading of a Truth Social post — caught Trump’s attention:

Hours later on Saturday morning, Trump lashed out over the bit in an epic-length post on Truth Social in which he accused Maher of peculiar behavior at their dinner. Those attacks were the basis for Trump’s posts this morning.

So, why is Trump lashing out anew, three weeks and one war later?

Maher was off last week, but he spent part of his Feb. 20 monologue this week rebutting Trump — and promised to devote his signature “New Rules” segment to a deeper dive when his show came back after a break:

BILL MAHER: I woke up Saturday morning to a blistering social media text from him. Went on and on. Valentine’s Day, by the way.

He was very mad at me because I didn’t get his joke about how China is gonna make Canada give up hockey. You know, I think we’re going to have to workshop that one for a while.

So he went off on me and said, you know, the dinner we had was a waste of time.

Well, I didn’t think it was.

And then I’m a jerk, and I’m at low ratings, lightweight, and all this sh*t. Because I never stopped criticizing him. I never said I would.

And I know how women feel now. A guy buys you dinner and then expects you to put out. OK? I’m not that guy.

And of course, he accused me of having Trump derangement syndrome.

OK, we’re off next week. The next week our show, I think March 6th, we come back. I’m going to address this at the end. His whole long screed. Yes, and prove that I don’t have Trump derrangement syndrome.

And a lot of other stuff he said that that wasn’t really true, that, you know, I immediately asked for a drink. OK, “he immediately wanted a vodka.”

OK, it was a margarita. It was not a vodka, and it wasn’t immediately. I had a drink before dinner, as people do. He said, I was nervous and scared, no confidence.

Bullsh*t! It’s so funny, because I got so much sh*t from the left for reporting honestly that, in person, he was very different, very nice, very gracious.

And then he says, no, he was scared. I’m like the Democrats with an election. I just can’t win!

The “New Rules” segment typically encompasses the last 15 or so minutes of the show, and is known for featuring some of Maher’s most blistering commentaries. That promise comes due a little over 12 hours after Trump’s posts.

Watch above via HBO’s Real Time with Bill Maher.

The post Here’s Why Trump Is Raging At Bill Maher in Middle of Actual War — The Big One Hits Tonight first appeared on Mediaite.

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Open-ear design earbuds have been gaining in popularity, likely because active noise-cancelling tech has gotten so good that people have forgotten what the world around them sounds like and don't want to shut it out anymore. The Ultra Open Earbuds are Bose's attempt at riding the trending tech wave, and they're a pretty good option at that, earning an 8/10 from our colleagues at CNET. And at their current price of $199.99 (originally $299.99), they are also something of a steal. This is the lowest price they've yet reached, according to price-tracking tools, and they are available in seven different colors. 

Bose Ultra Open

$199.00 at Amazon

$299.00 Save $100.00

Get Deal

Get Deal

$199.00 at Amazon

$299.00 Save $100.00

Open-ear designs are not for everyone—especially audiophiles. They have the same downside as bone conduction headphones: They let noise pollution in, and the bass and some mids can sound weak. But the tradeoff may be worth it if you want to remain aware of your surroundings, and certainly with these buds you'll be able to hear if a cyclist is about to pass you as you're running on the bike path.

The Bose Ultra Open buds are not waterproof, but they are water-resistant; they carry an IPX4 rating, meaning they can take some splashes, but can't be submerged in water. The charging case uses a USB-C cable, but you can buy a wireless charging case (sold separately) for an additional $50 if you don't want to rely on a cable. Either way, you'll get about 7.5 hours of juice from the buds if you have the Immersive Audio feature off, and about two full charges from the case, for a total of around 27 hours.

While these earbuds don't have multipoint connection, they do have a feature to pair two devices simultaneously and switch between them by pressing a button on the earbud—a controlled multipoint connection of sorts. They are compatible with Bluetooth 5.3 and work with the AAC, AptX Adaptive, and SBC codecs, so Android devices will get better audio than Apple users. Both users will be able to customize the EQ on the app and use features, which you can read more about in CNET's 8/10 review.