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The Echo Dot may be a smaller version of Amazon’s standard smart speaker, but thanks to its combination of Alexa smarts and affordability, it’s one of Amazon’s best-selling Echo devices. The company currently has three versions in the Dot lineup: the standard Echo Dot, the Echo Dot with clock, and the Echo Dot Kids, all of which were updated in 2022. Prime Day sales are bringing all three to their lowest prices ever. The savings also extend to other Echo devices, with discounts on Echo Shows, the Echo Studio and the new Echo Pop. Here are the best Prime Day deals on Echo Dots and other Echo devices we could find.

Echo Dot (5th Gen, 2022)

The latest Echo Dot is down to an all-time low of $23 for Prime Day and 53 discount over its usual $50 price tag. Engadget named it the best smart speaker under $50 in our buyer’s guide because it produces louder and clearer sound than you’d expect from such a small device. It also delivers all of your Alexa-enabled perks, like answering questions, controlling your smart home and reminding you it’s time to water the houseplants. At this price, you could get two and pair them for improved stereo sound. 

Echo Dot with clock

The Echo Dot with clock is now just $30 for Prime members instead of $60, which is the lowest price we've tracked since this new model came out in 2022. As the name suggests, this smart speaker has all the features of the Echo Dot, but with an LED clock readout. That may make it a candidate for your nightstand where it can stand in for your alarm clock.

Echo Dot Kids

The kids edition of the Echo Dot has been discounted to $28. It’s usually $60 and comes in either an owl theme or a purple dragon exterior. The version of Alexa that comes in Amazon's kid-focused devices is customized to give more educational answers, offer homework help, and give age-appropriate answers. The Echo Dot Kids also includes a year subscription to Amazon Kids+, which lets kids access stories, audiobooks, games, special Alexa skills and the “hey Disney” feature that responds in various character voices.

Echo Dot with Darth Vader stand

If you're a Star Wars fan, you may want your Echo Dot bundled with a themed stand. The best deal is for a bundle featuring The Mandalorian's ever-so-adorable Baby Grogu for $46, or 41 percent off — that's less than the normal price of the speaker by itself. You can also buy a Darth Vader bundle for $63 (30 percent off), and a Stormtrooper kit for the same price.

Echo (4th gen)

Amazon’s flagship smart speaker, the Echo, is on sale for $55 after a 45 percent discount off its usual $100. That's not quite as low as it went for Black Friday, but it's only about $10 more. This is the standard Echo device, which first came out in 2014 and has since been updated numerous times. The company released the latest generation in 2020 and it’s presently Engadget’s favorite smart speaker under $100, thanks to a redesign that made music quality the main focus. It has a more advanced speaker setup than the similarly priced Nest Audio or HomePod mini, which also makes it louder.

Echo Pop

The latest addition to the Echo lineup is the Echo Pop, and Prime Day is giving it a 55 percent discount, making it just $18 instead of $40. The Echo Pop was unveiled a few months ago and looks a lot like someone cut an Echo Dot in half. We haven’t tested out the new speaker yet, but it seems like an affordable way to bring casual music play and Alexa’s help to small spaces.

Echo Studio

Amazon’s largest smart speaker, the Echo Studio, doesn't go on sale often. But right now, it's on sale for $155, which is a 23 percent discount and matches the lowest it's ever gone for. This speaker was designed to deliver better audio quality than the other Echos and we gave it an 88 in our review, impressed with the hi-res sound it delivered. It’s not a small speaker at 7.7 pounds and over eight inches tall, but it uses all that space to do justice to your playlists.

Echo Show 5

If you want more than just a speaker, you can add visuals to the mix with a smart display. The Echo Show 5 is the smallest display in Amazon’s lineup and was updated for 2023. Right now it’s down to $45 which is half off the usual $90. We think it makes sense as a bedside display/alarm clock as the five inch screen is good for showing weather and other data at a glance, plus it has a handy snooze button up top.

Echo Show 5 Kids

Prime Day is discounting the Echo Show 5 kids to $50, instead of the $100 sticker price. The new kids edition of the display looks a lot like the standard Show 5, but comes with a space-themed fabric exterior, parental controls and a year of Amazon Kids+ for free. The subscription includes lots of kid-appropriate videos, ebooks, stories and other content that can be played from the display and also lets kids use Amazon’s “Hey Disney” feature that can respond using Disney character voices.

Echo Show 8

The Echo Show 8 has a more generous screen real estate and has been discounted to $60, which is a steep, 54 percent discount for Prime Day and even cheaper than it sold for on Black Friday. We think the Show 8 is the best Amazon smart display because it finds the balance of being useful while staying unobtrusive. The camera quality is “fantastic” for video calls and the speakers deliver deep bass and a rich tone. Plus when you're not actively using it, the screen can act as a digital photo frame.

Echo Show 10

The Echo Show 10 is down to $163 for Prime Day after a 35 percent discount off its street price of $250. The bigger Echo Show 10 comes on a swiveling base that can track you as you move about the room, keeping you in frame for video calls and turning in your direction when you ask Alexa a question. Once you get over the initial creepiness, you may find the feature useful for displaying recipes as you cook like we did. Of course, if it never stops discomfiting you, you can always turn the tracking off.

Echo Show 15

The biggest of Amazon’s smart displays is the Echo Show 15. The device with the Alexa voice remote is on sale for $182 for Prime Day, and normally sells for $280. The remote is helpful as the Show 15 straddles the line between a smart display and a smart TV. It runs Amazon’s Fire TV interface, so you can stream as you would on those devices. As a smart display, it acts as a conduit for Alexa’s smarts, offers controls for your smart home, and displays widgets like the weather, reminders and your calendar.

Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog’s car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

If you want to spend the rest of your summer reading, or are just getting started with ebooks, Amazon Prime Day is a good time to grab a Kindle as many of these deals beat the lowest prices we’ve seen all year on Amazon’s ereaders. Kindle devices make it easy to read ebooks: you can buy them from Amazon, borrow from your library or subscribe to Kindle Unlimited and read books from a selection of four million titles. And now, the devices even support ePubs via Send to Kindle. Here are the best Amazon Prime Day deals on Kindles (and other ereaders) we could find.

Kindle (2022)

The standard Kindle is already Amazon’s most affordable ereader and Prime Day drops it down to $65 from its usual $100 price tag, which is a new all-time low. This latest model saw a lot of improvements when it was updated in 2022. Capacity was doubled to 16GB and the screen resolution jumped up to 300 ppi for much clearer text. We named it the best budget option in our ereader guide because it's a perfect entry point to reading and borrowing ebooks and audiobooks.

Kindle Paperwhite

The Kindle Paperwhite has a bigger screen and a few extra features over the standard Kindle and is now $90, which is $50 off its $140 MSRP. An adjustable warm front light makes it easier on your eyes at night and the waterproof feature means you can read by the pool or in the bath. The price applies to the 8GB version. If you want more storage, you can grab the 16GB-capacity model for $95.

Kindle Paperwhite Signature

We called the Signature edition of the Kindle Paperwhite, “the best ereader. Period.” and Prime Day brings the price down to $125 instead of its standard $190. It has all the features of the Paperwhite, but adds wireless charging, a larger 32GB capacity and a warm front light that automatically adjusts according to the ambient lighting.

Kindle Scribe

Amazon entered the E Ink tablet scene with the Kindle Scribe late last year. It’s pricey, usually selling for $340, but today’s sale takes $85 off, making it just $255. This base model comes with a basic pen and 16GB of storage. We named it the best E Ink tablet that’s also an ereader and gave it an 85 in our review. It lets you read, take handwritten notes and features a roomy 10.2-inch display.

Kindle Oasis

If you want to use physical page turn buttons as you read, you may prefer the Kindle Oasis. It’s usually one of Amazon’s most expensive ereaders at $250, but Prime Day deals drop it down to $165 instead. This model came out mid-2019 and features a waterproof design, an adjustable front light and a seven-inch, auto-rotating screen with two page turn buttons on the side.

Kindle Kids

The Kindle Kids edition basically takes the standard Kindle and adds in a protective case, a year of Amazon Kids+ and a two-year warranty. Usually that package is $120, but now it’s $75 instead. The parent dashboard lets you set time limits, add books and track your kid’s reading progress.

Kindle Paperwhite Kids

The Kindle Paperwhite Kids typically goes for $160, but Prime Day discounts it to $105, which is 38 percent off. Like the standard Kindle Kids, the Kindle Paperwhite Kids also comes with a case, extended warranty and a year of Amazon Kids+. The device itself features a larger 6.8-inch screen, a waterproof build and a warm front light.

Kindle Unlimited

Amazon is giving Prime members three months of Kindle Unlimited for free. The subscription lets you read as much as you want from a selection of four million ebooks. Bigger new releases and some of the more popular bestsellers aren’t included, but you certainly won’t run out of stuff to read. The plan goes for $12 per month after the free period ends and also includes a few thousand audiobooks.

Non-Kindle ereaders

Kobo Clara 2E

The Kobo Clara 2E is now $120 instead of $140. It’s our top pick in our ereader guide and doesn’t often go on sale. We like the textured back, crisp text and responsive touch controls. It’s also waterproof, ad-free and has a comfortable warm light for night reading. The Kobo store has millions of books and is easy to navigate and the Clara 2E makes it easy to borrow ebooks from your local library.

Kobo Libra 2

Kobo’s answer to the Oasis, the Kobo Libra 2 is our favorite ereader with buttons and right now it’s $170 instead of $190, which is a $20 discount. It has a seven-inch screen and 32GB capacity and feels appropriately premium in your hand. The screen reorients quickly so you can use the page-turn buttons on any side and the waterproof build makes it ready for vacation.

Pocketbook Era

The Pocketbook Era is on sale for $189 instead of $199. It had one of the crispest displays and the most premium design of the ereaders we tried — but the Pocketbook store isn’t particularly useful. If you plan to upload your ebooks from third parties via ADE anyway, you may like the luxurious treatment your books get from the device.

Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog’s car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

Amazon Prime Day is upon us and a number of our favorite gadgets are on sale. Since its inception, Prime Day has been one of the best times of the year to pick up headphones, tablets, smartwatches and other tech gear at record-low prices — if you're a Prime member, of course. Prime Day deals on tech are typically only matched by Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, so now's a good time to pick up any devices you've had your eye on while they're deeply discounted. Make no mistake, Prime Day brings a plethora of deals that are not worth your time (much less your money), but we've culled Amazon's site to find the best tech deals you can get this time around. Here are the best Amazon Prime Day deals on gadgets and gear that you can get for 2023.

Apple AirPods Pro

Apple's second-generation AirPods Pro are on sale for $199 for Prime Day. These buds are a huge improvement over their predecessors, offering improved sound quality, ANC and transparency mode. We still consider these to be the best earbuds for iPhone users thanks to their Apple-specific features like quick pairing and switching and hands-free Siri.

Apple 10.2-inch iPad

Apple's 9th-generation iPad is down to $249, which a record low. It’s the budget pick in our guide to the best iPads. Though it doesn’t have the thin bezels and as much accessory support as our favorite, the iPad Air, it's the most affordable way to snag an iPad. It’s a great couch companion that performs well for casual browsing, binge streaming and light gaming. The latest (10th) generation of Apple’s standard iPad in the 64GB size is down to $379 after a $70 discount, which is another record low. It’s got a slightly larger screen and a newer chip (though not Apple’s own M-series silicon). The latest gen also ditches the home button, which is nice, but does away with the headphone jack, which isn’t as great.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Our current favorite pair of wireless headphones, Sony's WH-1000XM5 are down to $328 for Prime Day. It's the total package that combines great audio quality with excellent ANC and a comfy fit to make a pair of headphones you'll be able to wear all day long if you wish. It also supports multipoint connectivity and a 30-hour battery life.

Google Pixel Buds Pro

Google's flagship wireless earbuds, the Pixel Buds Pro, are down to $150 for Prime Day. Google took all of the lessons it learned when making previous earbuds and got a lot of things right with the Pixel Buds Pro. These will be great for Android users who want buds with punchy bass, good ANC, reliable touch controls and wireless charging.

Amazon Kindle

The standard Kindle is already Amazon’s most affordable ereader and Prime Day drops it down to $65 from its usual $100 price tag, which is a new all-time. This latest model saw a lot of improvements when it was updated in 2022. Capacity was doubled to 16GB and the screen resolution jumped up to 300 ppi for much clearer text. We named it the best budget option in our ereader guide because its perfect entry point to reading and borrowing ebooks and audiobooks.

Samsung Pro Plus microSD

The top pick in our best microSD cards guide, Samsung's Pro Plus in 256GB is on sale for $20 right now. It had some of the best overall speeds of any of the microSD cards we tested, and it has all of the important ratings that a good card should have: U3, V30 and A2. It'll be a great pick for your tablet, smartphone or Nintendo Switch, and it comes with a full-sized adapter in case you need to use it with a camera or connect it to your computer.

Samsung T7 Shield

The Samsung T7 Shield SSD has been discounted to $75 for Prime Day. The T7 series as a whole includes some of our favorite SSDs, and the Shield is the most durable of the bunch. The portable drive has an IP65 rating for water and dust resistance, and it can withstand drops from up to 10 feet high. On top of that, its 1,050/1,000 MB/s read/write speeds should be enough for most people's needs.

Crucial MX500

Crucial's MX500 internal drive has been discounted to $48 for Prime Day. It has sequential read speeds of 560MB/s and a standard 2.5-inch design that should make it easy to swap in for your desktop's or laptop's used-up drive.

Amazon Echo Dot

Amazon has knocked the price of the latest Echo Dot down to $23, which is more than half off its normal price. It’s one of the best smart speakers you can get right now thanks to its orb-like design, surprisingly good sound quality for its size and handy Alexa integration. The newest Echo Dots can also act as Eero WiFi boosters, adding up to 1,000 square feet of coverage to your existing Eero system. If you’re looking for something even more affordable, the new Echo Pop is down to $18 right now as well.

Amazon Echo Show 5

The latest Echo Show 5 is half off and down to a record low of $45. The Show 5 has been one of the best smart displays available for quite some time, and it’ll be particularly good for anyone who wants an Alexa-capable smart display that won’t take up a lot of space. It also makes for a good alarm clock thanks to its sunrise alarm and tap-to-snooze features. The newest model has a faster processor, improved sound quality and an additional microphone for better Alexa performance.

Amazon Fire Max 11

Amazon's recently released Fire Max 11 tablet is on sale for $150 for Prime Day. It's the best discount we've seen since the Amazon's most powerful tablet launched in May. The slab has an 11-inch 2000 x 1200 touchscreen, an octa-core processor, 4GB of RAM, up to 128GB of built-in storage and up to 14 hours of battery life. It can also work with a detachable keyboard and stylus, so you could use it like a 2-in-1 laptop.

Roku Streaming Stick 4K

Roku's Streaming Stick 4K is down to $35 for Prime Day, or $15 off its usual price. It's our favorite streaming device at the moment because it packs a ton of features into an affordable package. It streams 4K, HDR content with Dolby Vision, and it supports AirPlay 2 and private listening with headphones.

Google Pixel 7a

The Google Pixel 7a is on sale for $449 right now, or $50 off its usual rate and an all-time low. This is the best midrange phone you can get right now thanks to its speedy Tensor G2 chip, smooth 90Hz display and support for wireless charging. The 7a also has solid cameras and an IP67 water-resistant design.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

Samsung's Galaxy S23 Ultra has dropped to a record-low price of $950 for Prime Day, and the rest of the lineup is on sale, too. The Ultra in particular is the best Android smartphone you can get right now thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, big, bold 120Hz display, built-in S Pen and excellent main camera.

Instant Vortex Plus

The top pick in our air fryer guide, the Instant Vortex Plus is on sale for $100 right now. Not only does this machine do a good job turning all types of food into crispy goodness, but it also has a "ClearCook" window so you can see your food while it's being prepared. It also has OdorEase technology, which does a decent job temping down cooking smells and reducing smokiness.

Blink Mini 2-pack

A two-pack of Blink Mini security cameras is on sale for $34 for Prime Day. That's only $4 more than we saw it during the holiday shopping season last year. While these cameras are wired, they have most of the same features as the standard wireless Blink cameras including 1080p video recordings and support for two-way talk and motion alerts.

Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know. Hear from Autoblog’s car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

In 2022, NASA chose Axiom Space and Collins Aerospace to develop next-gen spacesuits meant to finally replace the decades-old gear astronauts are using to this day. Now, the space agency has expanded their existing contracts and is giving them $5 million apiece to design and develop new spacesuits not included in the original orders they received. 

NASA has ordered a spacesuit from Axiom Space meant for use in Low Earth Orbit, specifically for spacewalks outside the International Space Station. The original contract for Axiom was for a spacewalking system that the Artemis III astronauts will wear on the lunar surface when they land on the moon. Axiom unveiled a prototype for its original order in March, showcasing a suit with joints that allow wearers to move around with ease and a helmet equipped with a light and an HD camera. 

Meanwhile, Collins Aerospace has received an order for a spacesuit meant for use on the lunar surface. The company was previously contracted to develop a spacewalking suit for use outside the ISS. In other words, each company has received a new order that mirrors the other's previous one. Lara Kearney, manager of the Extravehicular Activity and Human Surface Mobility Program at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, said:

"These task orders position NASA for success should additional capabilities become necessary or advantageous to NASA’s missions as the agency paves the way for deep space exploration and commercialization of low Earth orbit. Using this competitive approach we will enhance redundancy, expand future capabilities, and further invest in the space economy."

Redundancy is an important part of space tech development. In this case, spacesuits meant for the same purpose developed by two different companies could ensure that astronauts will have something to use if the other one fails for any reason. That said, the new task orders are for the companies' initial "design modification work" — they're essentially modifying their original suits for a new purpose — and NASA wants to see them first before committing to their continued development. Axiom told SpaceNews that if NASA decides to push through with the new spacesuits' development, the full order will cost the agency $142 million over four years.

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Amazon Prime Day 2023 is a few hours out, but you can still snag some early deals before the two-day shopping event begins in earnest. We've rounded up the best early Prime Day deals we can find below. Remember that you'll need to subscribe to Prime to take advantage of many (but not all) of the offers, and that there's always a chance that prices drop lower during the event itself. For those with no interest in Prime, we've also included a few of the best tech deals that aren't explicitly tied to the event.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max

Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K Max has dropped to $25 for Prime members before Prime Day, which is more than half off its regular price and ties its all-time low. This the most powerful streaming dongle Amazon makes, with a superior processor than the standard Fire TV Stick 4K, plus support for WiFi 6, Dolby Vision, HDR10+ and Dolby Atmos audio. While Amazon's Fire TV OS can be messy compared to other platforms from Roku, Google and Apple, it still gets you access to just about all of the major streaming apps. A few other Fire streaming devices have been discounted as well, including the latest Fire TV Cube, which Prime members can pick up for $110.

Fire TV Stick Lite

Amazon’s Fire TV Stick Lite is half off and down to only $15. It was slightly cheaper last Prime Day when it was on sale for $12, but nevertheless, this is a great sale on Amazon’s most affordable streaming dongle. With its support for 1080p video and WiFi 5 connectivity, it’s arguably best for those on tight budgets who just want to upgrade an old TV with basic streaming chops.

Amazon Fire HD 8

If you're on an ultra-tight budget and need a new tablet, the Fire HD 8 is worth considering at its current deal price of $55, which matches its lowest price to date. Normally, the device retails around $90. This tablet has a smaller (8-inch) and lower-resolution (1,280x800) display than the Fire HD 10, and it isn’t as quick in day-to-day use. Like all Fire tablets, its app support lags well behind iPadOS, which is most noticeable in its lack of Google apps. But it has just enough power for the basics, it gets a solid 10-ish hours of battery life and it’s light in the hand. You can expand its 32GB of storage with a microSD card, too. If all you want is a competent tablet for casual reading and streaming for as little as possible, it should do the job.

Amazon Fire Max 11

Amazon's recently released Fire Max 11 tablet is on sale for $150 for Prime Day. It's the best discount we've seen since Amazon's most powerful tablet launched in May. The slab has an 11-inch 2000 x 1200 touchscreen, an octa-core processor, 4GB of RAM, up to 128GB of built-in storage and up to 14 hours of battery life. It can also work with a detachable keyboard and stylus, so you could use it like a 2-in-1 laptop.

Amazon Echo Buds (2023)

The latest Echo Buds just arrived in May yet they’re already 30 percent off at Amazon for Prime members. You can get them for $35, which is $15 off and ties the lowest price we’ve seen. We recommended the Echo Buds to those who prefer an open design in our best budget wireless earbuds guide. They lack active noise cancellation and don't completely seal off the ear canal, but their sound quality is decent for the price, and they come with features we don't often see in cheap earbuds, such as multipoint connectivity, auto-pausing and a customizable EQ tool. Naturally, they also work well with Alexa. If you hate the feeling of in-ear headphones, they'll be a good value.  

Amazon eGift Card + $5 promo credit

Amazon is giving Prime members a $5 promotional credit when they buy an eGift card valued at $50 or more before July 10th. You'll need to use the promo credit by August 25, 2023, but the only things it won't apply to are items sold by third-party merchants and e-books.

Blink Mini

Prime members can get a two-pack of Blink Mini security cameras for $34 right now. Single cameras are also on sale for $18. While these Blink cameras are wired, they have most of the same features as the standard wireless models, including 1080p video recording, motion alerts and support for two-way talk. Several other Blink wireless cameras are on sale as well.

Ring Battery Doorbell Plus

The new Ring Battery Doorbell Plus is down to a new low of $130 for Prime members. This model just came out this year and it’s powered by a quick-release, rechargeable battery that you can easily remove when the device needs more power. It also supports some of the latest Ring Doorbell features including 156p video recording, color night vision, two-way talk, Quick Replies and customizable motion zones.

Amazon Kindle Unlimited 3-month membership

If you're a Prime member who has never subscribed to Kindle Unlimited, you can get a three-month trial to Amazon's e-book service for no extra cost. Normally, the subscription goes for $12 a month after a 30-day free trial. Just note that the membership will be set to auto-renew by default. As a refresher, Kindle Unlimited makes a selection of e-books, audiobooks and digital magazines accessible on-demand. It doesn't include every e-book in the Kindle library, but it may still be worthwhile if you're a particularly avid reader. If nothing else, this deal makes it easier to figure out if it's worth paying for. 

Audible Premium Plus 3-month membership

Similar to that Kindle Unlimited offer, Prime members who are new to Audible Premium Plus can get three months of the audiobook service for free. This membership usually costs $14.95 a month after a 30-day free trial, so you're saving about $30. Premium Plus is Audible's upper tier: Like the less expensive Audible Plus, it provides an assortment of audiobooks, podcasts and other audio content you can access on-demand. The main difference is that it also includes a monthly credit that you can use to buy any book in the Audible store permanently. As with Kindle Unlimited, Premium Plus will be most worth it if you burn through audiobooks and podcasts quickly, but this extended trial is a comfier way to see if it's useful. Again, be aware that the subscription will be set to auto-renew by default.

Amazon Echo Dot

Amazon has knocked the latest Echo Dot down to $23, which is roughly half off its typical street price, and is throwing in a Sengled color smart bulb for no extra cost. We consider the Echo Dot the best smart speaker you can get for less than $50 thanks to its compact design, surprisingly good sound quality for its size and handy Alexa integration. The newest Echo Dots can also act as Eero WiFi boosters, adding up to 1,000 square feet of coverage to your existing Eero system.

Amazon Echo

Amazon has discounted several other Echo speakers as well. The base Echo, for one, is down to $55, which is $5 more than its all-time low but still $35 off its typical going rate. This is the top pick for less than $100 in our smart speaker buying guide, as it represents a clear step-up from the Echo Dot in terms of sound quality. If you aren’t tied to Apple or Google, we generally found it to outperform the HomePod Mini and Nest Audio as well.

If you’re looking for something more affordable than the Echo Dot, the unidirectional Echo Pop doesn’t sound as nice, but it offers most of the same Alexa capabilities and is currently on sale for $18. The Echo Dot with Clock, meanwhile, has similar hardware to the standard Dot, but adds an LED display that can show the time and basic weather and music info. That one is down to a new low of $30. And while the larger Echo Studio can’t top something like the Sonos Era 100, it’s still the best-sounding Echo, and it could be a decent value at its current price of $155 if you already own several other Alexa speakers and want to save some cash. That deal also matches the lowest price we’ve tracked.

Amazon Echo Show 5

The latest Echo Show 5 is half off and down to a record low of $45. We’ve previously recommended the Show 5 to those who prefer Alexa over the Google Assistant and want a smart display that won’t take up much space. It’s particularly useful as a smart alarm clock, as it has a gentle sunrise alarm feature and a tap-to-snooze function. This new model has a faster processor, a slightly larger speaker and an extra mic for better Alexa performance.

Amazon Echo Show 8

If you don’t need something so compact, the Echo Show 8 is our favorite Amazon smart display overall and is currently on sale for $60. That’s a new all-time low and roughly $45 off the device’s average street price. Compared to the 5.5-inch panel on the Echo Show 5, the 8-inch touchscreen here is much better suited for making video calls or viewing photos. You get a vastly superior camera, more powerful speakers and a faster processor as well. As with the Show 5, there's also a physical camera shutter and mic mute button.

The more spacious Echo Show 10 and Echo Show 15 are also down to new lows at $163 and $182, respectively. Neither of those devices are outright bad, but our reviews found them to be less universally appealing than their smaller and more affordable siblings.

Ring Video Doorbell + Echo Show 5

Amazon’s sweeping early Prime Day sale on Ring devices includes a bundle that gives you the Ring Video Doorbell plus an Echo Show 5 for only $65. Considering the Video Doorbell alone is going for $55 as an early Prime Day deal, that means you’ll only spend $10 on the Show 5 if you opt for the bundle. The Video Doorbell itself is a fairly basic 1080p option, but it's easy to install and generally accurate at delivering motion alerts

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids

The 16GB version of Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite Kids is down to $105, which is $65 off and a new low. While this e-reader is marketed toward children, it features the same hardware as the standard Paperwhite, with a lightweight and waterproof design, 6.8-inch 300 ppi display, 10-week battery life and extensive e-book library. Here, though, you also get a cover case, a longer two-year warranty and a year of Amazon's Kids+ service (which you can ignore if you aren’t buying for a little one). We gave the Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition a review score of 97 back in 2021. The Kids edition lacks that model’s ad-free lock screen (when you aren't using a child account, at least), upgraded front light, wireless charging and 32GB of storage, but the two devices are otherwise similar.

Motorola Razr+

The foldable Moto Razr+ only just arrived last month, but it's already received a 15 percent discount for Prime Day, albeit in a roundabout way. You'll need to be a Prime member and request an invite first, after which you’ll be able to buy the phone on Prime Day for the discounted price. While jumping through Amazon’s hoops is annoying, doing so will get you an unlocked Razr+ for $850 instead of $1,000.

We spent some time with the new foldable before it came out last month and gave it a full review upon its debut. The verdict? Samsung’s Galaxy foldables have some serious competition. The Razr+ has a 6.9-inch screen when open and offers a 3.6-inch screen when folded, which is much larger than the 1.9-inch exterior screen on the Galaxy Z Flip 4. The foldable design unlocks different uses, as it can act as its own tripod in addition to taking up less space in your pocket. 

Eero Pro routers

A number of Eero and Eero Pro WiFi router packs have been discounted for Prime members ahead of the shopping event. You can pick up one Eero router for as low as $45, or an Eero Pro router for $70. We recommend going for the Eero Pro if you can, since it's a tri-band system that supports speeds up to 1Gbps and covers slightly more square feet than the standard Eero does. Just keep in mind that these are not the latest Eero systems; for WiFi 6 support, you'll have to shell out a bit more money for an Eero 6 set.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd gen)

Apple's second-generation AirPods Pro are back on sale for $200, which is $50 off their usual rate and a record low. These remain the best true wireless earbuds for Apple lovers, even though the company didn't drastically overhaul the design with this latest model. Most of the new features are under the hood, with Apple noticeably improving the pair's sound quality, noise cancellation and transparency mode.

Samsung Pro Plus microSD card

The 256GB version of Samsung's latest Pro Plus microSD card is down to a new low of $20. That's $10 off its MSRP. If you need more space, the 512GB model is within a couple dollars of its best price at $43.52. The Pro Plus is the top pick in our guide to the best microSD cards, as it finished at or near the top of all of our sequential and random speed tests. It's also backed by a 10-year warranty.

Samsung 980 Pro

The 2TB version of Samsung's 980 Pro is down to a new low of $100. We've seen this SSD steadily drop in price over the course of the year, but this deal marks a roughly $35 drop from the device’s average street price in recent months. The 980 Pro isn’t Samsung’s fastest SSD – that would be the 990 Pro, the 1TB model of which is down to $70 – but it still meets Sony's requirements for expanding the PS5’s storage. You’ll just need to add a heatsink for a few bucks more to go along with it. If you aren't buying for a PS5 specifically, a speedy PCIe 4.0 drive like this may be overkill but will provide fast storage all the same.

Both this and the Evo Plus microSD card deal come as part of a wider sale on Samsung storage devices. This includes the Fit Plus, a tiny flash drive we recommend in our best SSDs guide, down to $22, and the T7 Shield, a ruggedized version of one of our favorite portable SSDs, back down to $75. Both deals match the lowest prices we’ve tracked, and nothing in the sale is exclusive to Prime subscribers.

Apple iPad (9th gen)

The 64GB model of Apple's 9th-gen iPad is down to $250 at Amazon, matching the lowest price we've tracked. You'll see the price listed as $279 and an additional $29 discount will apply at checkout. Apple normally sells the device for $329, though we've seen it retail closer to $275 in recent months. This is the budget pick in our iPad buying guide: It lacks the accessory support, thinner bezels and laminated display of the iPad Air, but it's by far the most affordable route into iPadOS, and it remains fast and comfortable enough for casual reading, streaming and gaming. It's also the only current iPad with a headphone jack.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 is down to $199 for a 40mm model and $229 for a 44mm model. We gave the Galaxy Watch 5 a score of 85 last year, and it's currently the "best for Android users" pick in our smartwatch buying guide. While its battery life could be better, its design is durable and attractive, its OS is easy to navigate and its health tracking is relatively comprehensive. Samsung is expected to announce a Galaxy Watch 6 in the coming weeks, however, so it may be worth waiting to see how that model stacks up if you don't need a new smartwatch right this instant.

Google Pixel 7a

Google’s Pixel 7a is $50 off and down to a new low of $449 right now. It’s currently the best midrange phone you can get thanks to its fast Tensor G2 chipset, smooth 90Hz display, IP67 water resistance, fantastic cameras and support for wireless charging. If you’re willing to spend an extra $50, you can spend $500 and upgrade to the Pixel 7.

Elgato Stream Deck +

Elgato’s Stream Deck + is 10 percent off right now and down to $180 in one of the first real discounts we’ve seen on the gaming accessory. In addition to eight customizable buttons, the Deck+ also has a touch bar and four knobs that make it easier to control things like lighting and sound during a stream. The Deck+ also supports plugins for Camera Hub, Elgato Wave Link, Spotify, Twitch and more.

Your Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In the Know, and hear from Autoblog’s car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals.

Tumblr could be the latest platform to borrow from TikTok’s playbook. The company is planning a major revamp of its platform that will bring algorithmic recommendations to users’ feeds, according to a memo published on the Tumblr Staff blog.

The memo is notably frank about the reasons for the upcoming changes and what it describes as Tumblr’s current shortcomings. “The underlying problem is that Tumblr is not easy to use,” the company writes. “Being a 15-year-old brand is tough because the brand carries the baggage of a person’s preconceived impressions of Tumblr.”

While Tumblr doesn’t provide exact details about new features, it offers some pretty big hints about what’s to come. The company says that one of its primary goals will be to “deliver great content each time the app is opened” and refers to its current “following” feed as “outdated.”

To address this, the Automattic-owned platform says it’s working to “improve our algorithmic ranking capabilities across all feeds” and “make it easier for users to understand where the vibrant communities on Tumblr are.” The company also notes that building more creator-friendly features, including improvements to the way replies and reblogs work, will also be key to attracting new users.

“Being a new creator on Tumblr can be intimidating, with a high likelihood of leaving or disappointment upon sharing creations without receiving engagement or feedback,” the company writes. “The lack of feedback stems from the outdated decision to only show content from followed blogs on the main dashboard feed (“Following”), perpetuating a cycle where popular blogs continue to gain more visibility at the expense of helping new creators.”

Taken together, the changes Tumblr is describing sound a lot like TikTok (or even Instagram): algorithmic recommendations in users’ primary feeds, creator-friendly features that encourage sharing, and more streamlined commenting and conversation tools. As a strategy, that all may sound pretty straightforward in 2023, when users increasingly expect these kinds of features from social platforms anyway. But considering Tumblr’s core interface hasn’t changed that much in its decade and a half of existence, the new direction could bring significant changes to the overall dynamics of the platform.

The coming redesign isn’t the only way Automatic has tried to breathe new life into the platform it acquired in 2019. The company has also experimented with subscriptions and other paid features, introducing Post+ in 2021, though there was some backlash against the feature from longtime users. More recently, the company began selling “completely useless” checkmarks to users soon after Elon Musk’s botched rollout of Twitter’s new paid verification.

Nearly three years after a 2020 court decision threatened to grind transatlantic e-commerce to a halt, the European Union has adopted a plan that will allow US tech giants to continue storing data about European users on American soil. In a decision announced Monday, the European Commission approved the Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework. Under the terms of the deal, the US will establish a court Europeans can engage with if they feel a US tech platform violated their data privacy rights. President Joe Biden announced the creation of the Data Protection Review Court in an executive order he signed last fall. The court can order the deletion of user data and impose other remedial measures. The framework also limits access to European user data by US intelligence agencies.

The Trans-Atlantic Data Privacy Framework is the latest chapter in a saga that is now more than a decade in the making. It was only earlier this year the EU fined Meta a record-breaking €1.2 billion after it found that Facebook's practice of moving EU user data to US servers violated the bloc's digital privacy laws. The EU also ordered Meta to delete the data it already had stored on its US servers if the company didn't have a legal way to keep that information there by the fall. As TheWall Street Journal notes, Monday's agreement should allow Meta to avoid the need to delete any data, but the company may end up still paying the fine.

Even with a new agreement in place, it probably won't be smooth sailing just yet for the companies that depend the most on cross-border data flows. Max Schrems, the lawyer who successfully challenged the previous Safe Harbor and Privacy Shield agreements that governed transatlantic data transfers before today, told The Journal he plans to challenge the new framework. "We would need changes in US surveillance law to make this work and we simply don't have it," he said. For what it's worth, the European Commission says it's confident it can defend its new framework in court.

Peacock launched a live-action Twisted Metal trailer today that provides a much clearer glimpse of the upcoming series than its teaser from earlier this year. Set to the beat of DMX’s “Party Up (Up In Here),” the campy clip has high-speed chases, guns and carjackings along with ample wisecracks and one maniacal clown — everything you’d expect from a live-action adaptation of the over-the-top franchise.

The two-minute trailer begins with star Anthony Mackie (The Falcon and The Winter Soldier) setting the tone as protagonist John Doe. “20 years ago, the world fell to shit,” he explains. “Cities put up walls to protect themselves and threw the criminals out so they could fight over what was left. But there are humble motherfuckers like me delivering cargo from one walled city to another. That’s where the cars and guns come in.” The series, which Peacock describes as a “high-octane action comedy,” appears to have a self-aware tone that relishes in the game’s extravagance with knowing winks to the audience (metaphorical or otherwise). Think Deadpool-style humor in a Mad Max post-apocalyptic wasteland.

In addition to Mackie, the series stars Stephanie Beatriz (Brooklyn Nine-Nine) as a carjacking outlaw who hitches a ride with Mackie’s Doe at gunpoint. We also get a peek at Neve Campbell as Raven, who promises Doe a great reward to deliver a package, Thomas Haden Church (Sideways) as Agent Stone and wrestler Samoa Joe (performing movement) and Will Arnett (voice) as the killer clown Sweet Tooth. The series is written and developed by Michael Jonathan Smith.

Twisted Metal will include ten half-hour episodes. It premieres on July 27th, streaming exclusively on Peacock.

The constant pressure to treat TikTok as a national security threat appears to be working, albeit only on some people. A Pew Research Center survey indicates that 59 percent of American adults see TikTok as a danger, but that this perception varies based on whether or not someone uses the service. Only nine percent of TikTok users see the social network as a major threat, while 36 percent of non-users feel the same. In all, 42 percent of users see the service as any kind of risk where 65 percent of outsiders are worried.

It won't surprise you to hear that age plays a significant role in the perception of TikTok. Only 49 percent of users under 30 see TikTok as any threat (just 13 percent as a major threat), but those figures climb higher with older demographics. About 65 percent of those over 65 are nervous about TikTok, and 46 percent of that group sees it as a critical threat. Politics are also a factor. A whopping 76 percent of conservatives are concerned where 49 percent of liberals share that sentiment.

Roughly 64 percent of American adults are at least somewhat worried about TikTok's data handling practices, Pew adds. Again, the figures change based on age. Only 54 percent of people under 30 feel that way, while 75 percent of those over 65 are concerned.

The study was taken just as Montana enacted a law banning TikTok in the state, and long after politicians from both major US parties called for national bans. The platform is already banned on most federal devices. The reasoning is frequently similar. Officials are concerned that ByteDance, TikTok's parent company, might feed American users' data to the Chinese government or influence algorithms to spread pro-China propaganda.

TikTok has repeatedly denied Chinese government influence, and has taken a number of steps to reassure US politicians. It's storing US data domestically, offering transparency into its code and firing staff that improperly access sensitive data. However, those measures haven't done much to assuage government representatives — and the Pew data suggests the public is similarly wary.