Peloton will no longer build its own connected fitness products, as it's moving entirely to third-party manufacturing. It said in a statement that it's "exiting all owned-manufacturing operations" to simplify its supply chain and cut costs. "We believe that this along with other initiatives will enable us to continue reducing the cash burden on the business and increase our flexibility," Peloton CEO Barry McCarthy said. "Partnering with market-leading third party suppliers, Peloton will be able to focus on what we do best — using technology and content to help our 7 million members become the best versions of themselves."
The company is expanding its long-existing partnership with Taiwanese manufacturer Rexon, which will be the primary builder of Bike and Tread devices. Peloton says it will suspend operations at Tonic Fitness for the rest of the year. It bought that company in 2019 to bring some manufacturing in house.
Things haven't exactly been going swimmingly over at Peloton. In January, then-CEO John Foley said the company was "resetting our production levels for sustainable growth" following reports it was putting all production on hold. It was suggested that Peloton had thousands of products sitting in warehouses and on cargo ships amid decreased demand. The following month, Peloton brought in McCarthy as CEO and laid off around 2,800 corporate employees, equivalent to 20 percent of the total workforce.
After the pandemic-driven boom, when many people were buying Peloton gear to help them work out at home, business took a significant hit. Peloton posted a net loss of $757.1 million for the first three months of 2022 on revenue of $964 million, compared with revenue of $1.262 billion and a loss of $8.6 million a year earlier. It attributed the diminishing returns to a significant increase in operating expenses (which represented 95.4 percent of total revenue for the quarter) and having to manage its stockpile of products, which it believed it would sell eventually.
In April, Peloton cut the prices of some products to lower the barrier to entry while announcing plans to increase subscription fees in the US and Canada for the first time. The company now has a rental program for the original Peloton Bike. It costs $89 per month and an All-Access Membership is included. There's a $150 delivery fee, though you can cancel at any time and there's free pick-up. Customers have the option to buy the device outright after 12 months. Meanwhile, in May, Peloton teased its first rowing machine.
If drone photography is something you’ve always wanted to try, one of Amazon’s Prime Day deals may be your ticket into the hobby. The retailer has discounted the DJI Mini 2 Fly More Combo to $479, down from $599. The bundle comes with almost everything you need to get the most out of DJI’s entry-level drone, including two spare batteries, a charging hub and a carrying case for the aircraft. At $479, you’re effectively paying $60 more than it would cost to buy the standard $419 Mini 2 kit on its own.
While Engadget hasn’t had a chance to review the Mini 2, it’s widely considered one of the best beginner drones you can buy. With DJI’s OcuSync 2.0 transmission system and a 2,250mAh battery, the Mini 2 features a range of up to 10 kilometers and a flight time of 31 minutes in ideal conditions. It can also capture smooth 4K video at 30 frames per second, thanks to a 12-megapixel sensor. Best of all, the entire drone weighs just under 250 grams, meaning you don’t have to register it with the Federal Aviation Administration – though you’re still obligated to fly it safely.
The one feature you won’t find on the Mini 2 is obstacle avoidance, but that’s something you should expect with a drone in the $450 price range. You must spend significantly more on an aircraft like the DJI Mini 3 Pro to find that functionality. At that point, you’re looking at a more premium drone.
If you're looking for a charging accessory, whether it's just a charging cable or a portable power generator, you'll probably find what you need among all the items Anker has on sale for Prime Day. The collection is pretty extensive and includes a bunch of wired and wireless chargers, power banks, charging stations, small generators, USB-C hubs and power strips. One of the most notable items in the list is the Anker MagGo 637 Magnetic Desktop Charging Station, which currently costs $70, or $30 less than its retail price. That's an all-time low for the device on the e-commerce website.
It's a power strip with an unusual form factor that has seven ports and one magnetic charging pad for the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 13. Three of the seven are AC outlets, two are USB-A ports and two are USB-C ports capable of high-speed charging. Anker also designed the device to offer over-current, over-voltage and surge protection, as well as to be fire resistant. We liked the orb-shaped charging station so much, we included it in our list of best accessories for the iPhone.
The Anker MagGo 622 Magnetic Battery is also on sale for $45, $25 less than its retail price. It's a wireless portable charger for the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 13, which can be folded to lay flat on its back or be turned into a kickstand if you want to prop up your phone. Plus, it comes with a USB-C port for other devices. If you're looking for a more traditional charger, though, the Anker 511 Charger is also on sale for $24, or $6 off retail. It has a 20-watt output and can charge phones much faster than their original chargers can. And since it's specifically meant for use with iPhones and iPads, it comes with a USB-C to Lightning cable.
Like all other Prime Day deals, you can take advantage of these discounts if you have a Prime subscription. If you haven't been a Prime member in the past 12 months, though, you can sign up for a free trial that will last for 30 days.
Amazon Prime Day can be a great time to pick up a robot vacuum for much less than usual. This year, you can pick up iRobot's Roomba i7+ for only $500, which is 50 percent off its normal price and the cheapest we've seen it. It's not the newest robo-vac in iRobot's lineup, but it remains one of the most powerful. Also on sale are the entry-level Roomba 692, which you can pick up for $180, and the midrange Shark AV2501AE AI robot vacuum, which is on sale for $380.
The Roomba i7+ impressed us when it first came out for its strong cleaning abilities, accurate home mapping and handy clean base. It has 10x the suction power of more basic Roombas, plus dual multi-surface brushes that do a good job capturing dirt, debris and pet hair. After one or two cleaning jobs, the machine builds a map of your home that you can then edit and label in iRobot's companion mobile app. This will let you send the i7+ to specific rooms for targeted cleaning jobs and set "keep out zones" if you have spaces of your home that you don't want to robot to clean.
But the machine's clean base is what sets it apart from other robot vacuums. After each job, the i7+ will automatically return to its base to recharge, and it will also empty its dustbin into the clean base. That means you don't have to empty the dustbin every time, rather you'll only have to change the bag in the clean base about once every two months. If you're someone who wants a robot vacuum that takes almost all of the work out of the chore, the Roomba i7+, or a machine like it with a clean base, is the best option.
Shark's AV2501AE robo-vac is similar in that it also comes with a clean base, and some may prefer it because it's a bagless system. You'll simply pop part of the base off every time you need to empty it, and it snaps back into place when you're finished. This Shark device is actually our favorite robot vacuum right now because it combines good suction power with a clean base and an easy to use mobile app.
On the budget end of things, the Roomba 692 is a solid option. You won't get a clean base, as those are reserved for more expensive machines, but you will get good cleaning capabilities thanks to dual multi-surface brushes, adaptive navigation for better obstacle avoidance and Alexa and Google Assistant support.
It's not often that you upgrade your TV, but Amazon Prime Day is a good time to consider doing so. Prime members can get steep discounts right now on Fire TVs and sets from other companies like Sony, Samsung and others. And not every sale on Prime day is exclusive to Prime members — there are some discounts that are available to anyone, so it's worth checking out the televisions on sale during the two-day shopping event. If you're not looking for a brand new TV, there are other home entertainment gadgets on sale too, including streaming devices, soundbars and more. Here are the best TV and home entertainment deals we found for Prime Day 2022.
Fire TV Stick Lite
Amazon
You can pick up Amazon's most affordable streamer, the Fire TV Stick Lite, for only $12 right now. It supports 1080p streaming and gives you access to some of the most popular services like Netlfix and Disney+.
The standard Fire TV Stick is on sale for $17. It supports 1080p streaming with Dolby Atmos and it comes with an Alexa Voice Remote that has power and volume buttons on it.
The Fire TV Stick 4K is on sale for $25 for Prime Day. This one supports 4K streaming with Dolby Vision along with Dolby Atmos audio and Amazon's Fire TV OS.
The higher-end Fire TV Stick 4K Max has dropped to $35, which is $20 less than usual. On top of all of the features in the standard Fire TV Stick 4K, the Max version also supports WiFi 6 and live picture-in-picture viewing.
Amazon's Fire TV Cube has dropped to $60, or half off its regular price. It supports 4K streaming, Dolby Vision and Atmos, plus hands-free Alexa controls.
The latest Apple TV 4K has dropped to $110. While on the expensive side, it's a set-top box that Apple lovers will appreciate. We gave it a score of 90 for its speedy performance, Dolby Vision and Atmos support and much improved Siri remote.
The Chromecast with Google TV is down to $40 right now. We gave it a score of 86 for its handy remote control, good Google Assistant integration and 4K streaming chops with Dolby Vision and Atmos support.
Roku's Express streaming dongle has dropped to $18. Like Amazon's own budget streaming devices, the Express doesn't have a ton of fancy features, but it does support HD content and it comes with a high-speed HDMI cable. The Express 4K+ streamer is also on sale for $25.
The latest Roku Streaming Stick 4K is on sale for $30. It builds upon the technology in the Streaming Stick+, supporting 4K HDR10+ content, Dolby Vision, long-range WiFi, voice search and TV controls with the included remote.
The Roku Ultra is on sale for $80 right now. We consider this to be the best set-top box you can get right now thanks to its 4K HDR10+ support, Ethernet port, included remote with a headphone jack and overall solid performance.
The Roku Streambar is down to $90 right now. It's a compact soundbar that will upgrade any living room relying on an old TV with weak audio. We gave it a score of 86 for its solid audio quality, Dolby Audio support and built-in 4K streaming technology. The more advanced Streambar Pro is on sale for $150, too.
You can pick up any of a number of Amazon Fire TVs for less on Prime Day, but we recommend springing for one of the newer Omni Series sets. All of them stream in 4K and support HDR10, HLG and Dolby Digital Plus. The real perks come in if you're already a heavy Alexa user as these TVs have built-in microphones to allow hands-free Alexa access, so you can basically treat the TV as you would an Echo smart speaker.
A number of 2021 LG OLED smart TVs are on sale for Prime Day. One of the best is the 65-inch B1 OLED TV. which is 30 percent off and down to $1,500. This version runs on LG's a7 Gen 4 AI Processor 4K, works with G-Sync and FreeSync technologies and has Google Assistant and Amazon Alexa support built in.
Most 2021 Samsung The Frame bundles have been discounted for Prime Day, which means you can save when you pick up a TV and a custom bezel. The cheapest option will be on the 43-inch TV, which, when paired with a bezel, will run you $848. The Frame QLED TVs have 4K resolutions, an anti-reflective coating and Art Mode support.
Sony's 65-inch Bravia XR OLED TV is down to $2,200 right now, or $300 off its usual price. It may be a 2021 model, but it has most of the features anyone would be looking for in a OLED TV. That includes deep blacks and rich colors, plus perks like HDMI 2.1 support for a better gaming experience, the Google TV interface and Alexa capabilities.
Samsung's new Freestyle projector is cheaper than ever right now and down to $798. That's more than half off its normal price, making it a great time to pick one up if you've had your eye on it. The portable projector came out earlier this year and it supports a display size ranging from 30 to 100 inches with a 1080p resolution, plus auto leveling, giving you plenty of placement options.
Amazon has discounted most of Ring's Video Doorbells for Prime Day this year. The cheapest of the bunch is the 2020 Ring Video Doorbell, which is 25 percent off and down to $75. The upgraded Ring Video Doorbell 3 is $40 off and down to $160, while the latest model, the Video Doorbell 4, is $50 off and down to $170. While they all have some differences between them, each of these IoT devices do the same thing: let you see who's outside your front door at all times.
The standard Video Doorbell likely has everything most people would need in a gadget like this. It records 1080p video and supports two-way talking, so you can see and speak to visitors without actually answering your door. The device will also send alerts to your smartphone when it detects motion, so you'll know when you have a visitor or a package as soon as they arrive. Setup is fairly simple and you have the option to keep the device running on its rechargeable battery or hardwire it into your existing doorbell system. And if you have Echo Shows around your home, you'll be able to see the doorbell's video feed on their screens.
Opting for the Video Doorbell 3 or 4 gets you some extra perks. The Ring Video Doorbell 3 connects to 5 GHz WiFi rather than 2.4 GHz networks, plus it has a removable battery pack, interchangeable face plates and an included corner kit. The 4th iteration of the device has all of the features the Doorbell 3 does, plus a new color video previews and a new Quick Replies feature. The latter lets you program common responses you may have to people at your door, such as "please leave the package outside," and use them whenever you're too busy to respond to visitors yourself.
If you're searching for Apple gadgets you can get for less on Prime Day, you're not alone. They're always in high demand, but even more so during sales events like Amazon Prime Day, since they present some of the best opportunities to pick up a pair of AirPods or an AirTag for a little bit cheaper than usual. This year, Amazon discounted a number of Apple devices, including AirPods, Apple Watches and more. Here are the best deals on Apple gadgets we found for Prime Day 2022.
AirPods Pro
The AirPods Pro with the MagSafe case have been discounted to $170. These remain Apple's best sounding earbuds, and we liked them for their solid sound, powerful ANC and hands-free Siri capabilities.
The original AirPods are down to $90. While they're a bit outdated at this point, these are still decent earbuds that we liked for their improved wireless performance and good battery life.
The AirPods Max are on sale for $449 right now. These headphones earned a score of 84 from us for their excellent, balanced sound, solid ANC and good battery life.
The latest Apple TV 4K has dropped to $110. While on the expensive side, it's a set-top box that Apple lovers will appreciate. We gave it a score of 90 for its speedy performance, Dolby Vision and Atmos support and much improved Siri remote.
You can grab an AirTag for $27.50 right now at Amazon, or you can head over to Woot and get one for $25 or a pack of four for $85. These tiny trackers sync with the Find My app on iOS to help you keep track of your keys, bags and other belongings. Just make sure you pick up a holder so you can actually attach the gadget to your stuff.
The latest Apple Watch Series 7 has dropped to $279, which is a new all-time low. That's the starting price on the GPS-only models, but you can pick up a GPS + Cellular model for as low as $379, too. It's the most comprehensive wearable Apple makes and it earned a score of 90 from us for its larger screen, faster charging and handy features in watchOS 8.
You can pick up the Apple Watch SE for only $219 right now. If you've never had a wearable before, this is the Apple Watch to get. We gave it a score of 88 for its comfortable design and responsible performance.
The 10.2-inch iPad is down to $299. We gave it a score of 86 for its improved performance, excellent battery life, better front-facing camera and increased base storage.
Apple's latest iPad Air with the M1 chipset is on sale for $570. We gave it a score of 90 for its extremely fast performance, improved front camera and excellent battery life.
The latest 11-inch iPad Pro has dropped to $699. We gave it and the 12.9-inch model a score of 87 for their powerful performance thanks to the M1 chipset, lovely displays and Center Stage cameras.
The 14-inch MacBook Pro is on sale for $1,800. We gave it a score of 92 for its powerful performance, lovely Liquid Retina XDR displays and new bevy of ports.
Sony's WH-CH710N headphones have been our favorite budget cans for a while now, and they're even better when you can get them on sale. Amazon Prime Day has knocked these headphones down to a new all-time low of $68, which is $82 off and the cheapest we've seen them. While there are some tradeoffs to be expected in a pair of affordable headphones like these, they're hard to beat if you're on a tight budget but still want a pair of solid ANC cans.
There's a lot to like about the WH-CH710N — while not as slick as the WH-1000XM5, these are nice looking headphones with comfortable earcups and a swivel design. Their ANC chops are pretty impressive as they use Sony's dual-sensor technology to pick up a lot of the noises around you and automatically adjust ANC levels to accommodate them. They also support ambient sound mode, which you can activate when you need to hear what's going on in your vicinity. Is ANC as strong as that on flagships like the XM5? No, but it'll serve most people well in a variety of environments.
The biggest downside to the WH-CH710N comes in audio quality. These headphones have decent range and good clarity, but the bass isn't as deep or punchy as you'll find on more expensive devices. We think that's an acceptable sacrifice to make for an otherwise solid pair of ANC headphones at a fantastic price. Also, you're getting an excellent, 35-hour battery life on these cans, too.
Nikon will stop developing new single lens reflex (SLR) cameras and focus exclusively on mirrorless models, according to a report from Nikkei. The news marks the end of an era and essentially confirms what most observers already expected, as the Japanese company hasn't released a new digital SLR (DSLR) camera since the D6 came out in June of 2020. While it reportedly won't design any more new models, Nikon will continue to produce and distribute existing DSLRs like the D6 and D3500 (above).
Nikon released its first single-lens reflex film camera, the Nikon F, back in 1959. It was one of the most advanced cameras of its time, thanks to features like a large bayonet mount, depth-of-field preview button, titanium focal-plane shutter, modular design and more. The company's first true professional digital SLR was the 2.7-megapixel D1, launched in 1999.
SLR cameras use a mirror and prism to give the user a direct optical view through the camera lens, with the mirror moving out of the way when the photo is taken. Mirrorless cameras, by contrast, take light directly from the lens to the sensor and give the user a view via an electronic viewfinder or rear display. Mirrorless cameras, as we discussed in our explainer and video below, allow for more compact bodies, advanced AI subject recognition, improved video features and more.
Apart from the not-so-popular Nikon 1 series, it arrived late to the mirrorless camera business compared to Sony and others with the launch of its Z mount system and the Z6 and Z7 models in 2018, with the APS-C Z50 model following the next year. Until recently, its high-end professional lineup consisted solely of DSLR models like the D6. However, that changed when Nikon launched the $5,500 Z9 with no mechanical shutter late last year with a combination of speed, power and video chops, to largely positive reviews.
Nikon stopped making compact cameras some time ago as that business was essentially devoured by smartphones. It also recently discontinued a large number of full-frame and APS-C DSLR lenses and camera bodies over the last year.
Overall camera sales have dropped dramatically in just five years, with interchangeable lens cameras (mirrorless and DSLR) falling from 11.67 million units sold in 2017 to 5.34 million by 2021. This has forced companies like Nikon to concentrate their efforts on the most profitable models. Nikon's imaging division now makes half its money from mirrorless models, with SLRs accounting for 30 percent.
Amazon Prime Day brings a great opportunity to grab a new pair of cans or wireless earbuds for yourself or someone you love. A plethora of audio gadgets are on sale for a members-only shopping event, including some of the best models from Sony, Bose, Beats, Jabra and others. Now's the time to pick up a pair of active noise cancelling headphones if you've been running your non-ANC cans into the ground, a set of water-resistant earbuds to accompany you on your toughest workouts or a new portable speaker for your backyard setup. Here are the best deals on headphones, earbuds and other audio gadgets we could find for Prime Day 2022.
Sony WH-1000XM4
Billy Steele/Engadget
Sony's excellent WH-1000XM4 headphones are down to a new low of $228 right now. We gave these cans a score of 94 for their powerful ANC, immersive sound quality and multi-device connectivity.
The Beats Fit Pro are 20 percent off and down to $160. We gave them a score of 87 for their comfortable, water-resistant design, good sound quality and ANC and long battery life.
The AirPods Pro with the MagSafe case have been discounted to $170. These remain Apple's best sounding earbuds, and we liked them for their solid sound, powerful ANC and hands-free Siri capabilities.
The original AirPods are down to $90. While they're a bit outdated at this point, these are still decent earbuds that we liked for their improved wireless performance and good battery life.
The AirPods Max are on sale for $449 right now. These headphones earned a score of 84 from us for their excellent, balanced sound, solid ANC and good battery life.
Sony's WF-1000XM4 earbuds are down to $198 right now. We gave them a score of 86 for their excellent sound quality, good ANC, wireless charging capabilities and improved battery life.
Bose's QuietComfort 45 headphones have dropped to $229, or 30 percent off their normal price. We gave them a score of 86 for their clear, balanced audio, improved ANC and long battery life.
Sony's affordable WH-CH710N wireless headphones have dropped to a new low of $68 for Prime Day. These are a great option if you want deep, punchy bass, solid ANC and 35-hour battery life all in a budget-friendly package.
Samsung's Galaxy Buds 2 have dropped to $100, or 33 percent less than usual. These much-improved earbuds impressed us with their better audio quality, adjustable ambient sound mode and tiny, comfortable design.
Samsung's high-end Galaxy Buds Pro are on sale for $120, which is 40 percent off their normal price. They earned a score of 85 from us for their comfortable fit, wireless charging and good sound quality.
The sleek Bose 700 headphones are on sale for $269 right now. We gave these cans a score of 90 for their remarkable noise cancellation, improved, more comfortable design and easy to use touch controls.
Jabra's Elite 85t earbuds are on sale for $115, or a whopping 60 percent off their normal price. We like these true wireless earbuds for their strong ANC, comfortable size and wireless charging case.
Jabra's excellent Elite 3 earbuds have dropped to $50, or $30 off their normal rate. These already affordable buds earned a score of 88 from us for their impressive sound quality, good battery life, reliable touch controls and comfortable fit.
Jabra's Elite 45h headphones are half off and down to $50. We like these cans for their solid sound quality, voice assistant access, compact design and 50-hour battery life.
Bose's QuietComfort earbuds are down to $179. These are some of the company's best true wireless earbuds and they earned a score of 87 from us for their clear sound, powerful ANC and comfortable size.
Beats' Solo 3 wireless headphones are 43 percent off and down to $115. These cans have a streamlined design, Apple's W1 chipset and a 40-hour battery life.
Jabra's Elite 7 Active wireless earbuds are on sale for $120, or 33 percent off their normal price. These buds are designed to withstand your sweatiest workouts with their IP57 rated design, plus they have adjustable ANC and four microphones for clear calls.
Sony's already affordable WF-C500 earbuds have dropped to $58, or almost half off their usual rate. These buds have an IPX4 rating, a 10-hour battery life and support for 360 Reality Audio.
Sony's compact SRS-XB13 Bluetooth speaker is down to just $48, which is nearly half off its regular price. Not only does it come in a bunch of fun colors, but this tiny speaker also has a waterproof IP67 rated design, punchy bass and a 16-hour battery life.
Amazon's Echo smart speaker has dropped to $60. It earned a score of 89 from us for its solid audio quality, attractive design and its inclusion of a 3.5mm audio jack.
