Posts with «author_name|amy skorheim» label

The best Amazon Prime Day Apple deals on AirPods, MacBooks and more for 2023

Lots of Apple products are discounted for Amazon Prime Day, including some of the latest generation iPads, AirPods, MacBooks and Apple Watches. It's usually a toss-up whether Apple devices will be discounted during a sale event like this; unlike Black Friday, where you're bound to save some money at most retailers, Prime Day is more unpredictable when it comes to these sought-after gadgets. This year, Prime Day deals have discounted most AirPods, a number of MacBooks and a handful of iPads, and some of the latest devices are included among them. Here are the best Prime Day Apple deals you can get.

AirPods Pro (2nd gen)

Apple’s second generation AirPods Pro are on sale for $199 during Prime Day. That’s a $50 discount and the best price we've seen. They are our top pick for iPhone users in our earbuds guide and represent a big improvement over the first iteration, with better noise canceling and overall improved sound. They have an excellent transparency mode that lets you listen to music while still keeping aware of the sounds around you and they pair nicely with iPhones, iPads and Macs and make good use of Siri’s assistance.

We gave them an 88 in our review, noting the sound quality was both immersive and detailed, remaining clear even at lower volumes. The battery life delivered 15 minutes more than Apple’s promised six hours and the case can recharge the buds three more times.

Read our full review of the Apple AirPods Pro (2nd gen)

AirPods (3rd gen)

Apple's updated AirPods have been discounted to $140 for Prime Day. Released in 2021, these wireless earbuds improve upon their predecessors in nearly every way. They have better sound quality, a more comfortable design and a longer battery life. They don't have ANC like the AirPods Pro do, but it's hard to beat the third-gen AirPods at this price for iPhone users.

AirPods (2nd gen)

The second-generation AirPods are down to $89 for Prime Day. These wireless earbuds are a bit old at this point, but if you have less than $100 to send and want a pair that work seamlessly with iPhones and other Apple devices, these are a good option. They fit similarly to Apple's EarPods and they have improved wireless range.

AirPods Max

Apple’s over-ear headphones, the AirPods Max are on sale for $450, which is $100 off the usual $549. They earned an 84 in our review when they came out at the end of 2020. We liked the balanced sound, solid active noise cancellation and long 20-hour battery life with a unique low-power mode that leaves the headphones in standby so they’re ready to play as soon as you put them on.

iPad Air

The latest iteration of Apple’s iPad Air is $500 after a $100 discount. We think it’s the best iPad for most people. It came out in 2022 and features Apple’s own M1 system-on-a-chip processor and a bright and sharp 10.9-inch display. We gave it a review score of 90, noting that the updated chip and 5G capabilities (on the cellular model) make it “almost future-proof.”

It’s great for playing games and watching shows, but when you pair it with accessories like a keyboard, the iPad Air can easily handle productivity tasks like writing, drawing, moderate photo editing and running work-related apps like Airtable and Slack. Plus it’s much cheaper than the iPad Pro, which may be overkill for many users.

Read our full review of the iPad Air

iPad (9th gen)

Apple's 9th-generation iPad is down to $250, which it's best price yet as it normally sells for $329. 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. 

Read our full review of the 9th-gen iPad

MacBook Air M1

If you want a steep bargain on an Apple laptop, go for 2020's MacBook Air with the M1 chip. It's still a capable laptop and the 256GB base model is just $750 for Prime Day, which is the lowest price we've seen so far on the ultraportable. It’s the budget pick in our buyer’s guide to Macbooks and earned a high score of 94 in our review.

The performance of the M1 chip really makes the MacBook Air M1 stand out. It’s responsive, launching apps quickly and running them effortlessly. The M1 chip is also behind the MB Air’s great battery life. We clocked 16 hours and 20 minutes of play time in our video rundown test, which should be more than enough to get you through a full day of work or study.

Read our (rather glowing) review of the MacBook Air with the M1 chip 

iPad mini

A smaller tablet like the iPad mini can do a lot of what your phone can while giving you more screen real estate. For Prime Day, Apple’s diminutive slate is $380 for Prime members instead of its usual $499. We gave the mini an 89 in our review because of its fresh design and solid performance. It also pairs nicely with the second generation Apple Pencil, turning the mini into a portable digital notebook.

The iPad mini comes with a 12MP ultra wide front camera that supports Center Stage, a feature that pans and zooms to keep you in frame during video calls. As for battery life, Apple estimates going for 10 hours on a charge, but we got two hours longer than that on our video run down test, and only had to charge it every other day with casual but regular use. 

Read our full review of the iPad Mini

Apple Pencil (2nd gen)

The latest Apple Pencil is usually $129 but Prime Day is making it just $89. The second generation of the stylus works with the most recent models of the iPad mini, the iPad Air and both sizes of the iPad Pro. The standard iPad, even the latest iteration, still works with the first generation Apple Pencil, which is $79 right now. The Apple pencil lets you draw, sketch, take handwritten notes and even write in search boxes. The second gen pencil magnetically attaches to and charges from all compatible iPads.

Magic Keyboard

The Magic Keyboard for the iPad Air or the 11-inch iPad Pro is now just $250 as opposed to the $300 list price. The keyboard wraps around and magnetically attaches to your iPad, acting as a case when closed, then when it’s time to type, your tablet “floats” above the keyboard. It’s one of our favorite iPad accessories and in our review of the iPad Pro, we noted the Magic Keyboard “provides the best typing experience” for Apple’s tablets. The keyboard for the 12.9 inch iPad Pro is also on sale and going for $299 for Prime Day.

AirTags

Apple’s AirTags are discounted less than $89 for the four-pack. Compared to the usual $28.50 per-tag price, that’s a decent savings. We named the AirTags the best bet for iPhone users because they tap into Apple’s vast Find My network, pinging off nearby Apple phones to anonymously locate the tracker if it's ever lost out in the city.

Apple Watch Series 8

Apple’s flagship smartwatch is the Apple Watch Series 8 and Prime Day is giving it a $120 discount. Usually $399, the 41mm GPS model is now $280. The Series 8 is our favorite smartwatch thanks to its detailed health and fitness tracking along with a seamless integration with your iPhone’s apps and notifications. New features like temperature sensors, ECG monitors, blood oxygen readings and improved sleep metrics give you more data than ever, while the crash detection can call for help if you’re ever in an accident. The upcoming WatchOS 10 will add widgets and expanded features including ways to track your mood in the Mindfulness app.

The cellular-enabled models are also on sale. Those watches can make calls, get texts and more when you don't have your phone. The 41mm GPS plus cellular Series 8 is $380 instead of $499 and it's $410 for the 45mm size as opposed to the usual $529.

MacBook Pro (M2, 14-inch)

The MacBook Pro offers music makers, video producers and other heavy users a lot of processing power with the M2 Pro and M2 Max chips. Amazon is selling the base model 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M2 Pro chip, 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage for $1,799, which is $200 off the usual $1,999. The base model 16-inch MacBook Pro with the same specs is down to $2,299 instead of $2,499. When the new MacBook Pros came out in January of this year, we gave the 14-inch model a 92 review score, praising the Liquid Retina XDR display, sturdy design and plethora of ports including three Thunderbolt 4 USB-C, HDMI, a headphone jack and a full-sized SD card slot.

Read our full review of Apple's 14-inch MacBook Pro

Apple Studio Display

The usual $1,599 for the Apple Studio Display is pretty steep. Prime Day has brought the price down to $1,499, which makes it a little more palatable, but we still think the display is ideal only for true Apple devotees. The A13 Bionic chip inside makes it a little smarter than most displays, but the 60Hz refresh rate is disappointing. Still, it’s got a nice build with good speakers and a bright and accurate screen.

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.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-amazon-prime-day-apple-deals-on-airpods-macbooks-and-more-123422037.html?src=rss

The best Prime Day deals you can get at Walmart and other retailers

For any number of reasons, some people might not want to shop at Amazon, regardless of how low Prime Day discounts go. So it’s good news that the sale prompts other retailers, including Walmart, Target and B&H Photo to also offering some pretty strong deals of their own — some of which match or beat those at Amazon. We’re also seeing sales on devices the super e-retailer doesn’t typically carry, like the Google Nest Hub and the Apple HomePod. Here are the best anti-Prime Day sales from outlets that aren’t Amazon.

Sony WH-1000XM5

Our current favorite wireless headphones are Sony's WH-1000XM5 and Amazon has them for $328, which is an all-time low and a $70 discount. B&H Photo has matched that price. These cans are the total package, combining excellent audio quality with good ANC and a comfortable fit, even if you wear them all day — which you can thanks to their 30-hour battery life.

Apple AirPods Pro

Apple's second-generation AirPods Pro are going for $199 during Amazon’s sale, but both Walmart and Verizon have matched that price. This generation is a big improvement over the previous buds, with better sound quality, improved active noise cancellation and the best transparency mode of the buds we’ve tried. Engadget named them the best earbuds for iPhone users because they have a good battery life, a case with wireless charging and solid integration with Siri.

Google Nest Hub (2nd gen)

As Amazon tends to favor its Echo smart displays on its site, you typically can’t get Google’s Nest Hub on the site. It’s the top pick in Engadget’s guide to smart displays and right now you can get it from Walmart for $55. It’s also on sale for the same price at Target and directly from Google. It has a seven-inch screen housed within an unobtrusive exterior that will fit in with most people’s home decor. It provides all the smart display perks like watching YouTube, accessing the Google Assistant and controlling your smart home devices. It works particularly well as a monitor for your smart cams and doorbells too. Keep in mind that it lacks a camera, which is good for privacy, but makes video calls impossible.

MacBook Air (M2, 13-inch)

B&H Photo has the base model of Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Air on sale for $949 which is a $150 discount and cheaper than we've ever seen it on Amazon. That applies to all four colorways with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. We gave the ultraportable an impressive 96 in our review, calling it a “near-perfect Mac.” It has a Liquid Retina display, a quad speaker array and a battery that lasted over 16 hours in our video rundown tests.

iRobot Roomba 694

Walmart is selling the iRobot Roomba 694 for $199, which is the same as Amazon’s price. You can also get the robovac directly from iRobot for $200. Of all the models we’ve tried, this is our favorite budget option because it combines strong suction with an easy-to-understand companion app. We also like its minimalist yet attractive design which is nice for something that will be roaming around your home regularly.

Apple Watch Series 8

The 41mm, GPS model of the Apple Watch Series 8 usually sells for $399 and Amazon is selling it for $280 for Prime Members right now. Walmart brought the price down to $329, which isn't as good of a discount, but you don't need to be a member of anything to get it. This smartwatch is our overall top pick in our guide because it combines health and fitness tracking with excellent iPhone integration. This latest generation packs a slew of new sensors that can detect your temperature, give ECG and blood oxygen readings and give improved sleep metrics. The upcoming WatchOS 10 will take advantage of many of those sensors to give you even more insight into your everyday health.

Apple 10.2-inch iPad

Apple's 9th-generation iPad is down to $250 at Amazon which is a record low. Walmart is selling it for $279. This is the previous generation of the standard iPad and the budget pick in our guide to the best iPads. It’s a great couch companion for casual browsing, binge streaming and light gaming. 

The latest (10th) generation iPad in the 64GB size is down to $380 at Amazon for Prime Members only, but Best Buy is offering it for $399. This latest generation slate has a slightly larger screen and a newer chip (though not Apple’s own M-series silicon). It also does away with the home button but, unfortunately, Apple also decided to remove the headphone jack.

Apple HomePod

You can’t usually buy Apple’s HomePod smart speakers on Amazon, so they’re not part of Prime Day discounts. However, you can get the new HomePod from B&H Photo right now for $289. We reviewed the new generation of the speaker upon its debut early this year and liked the design, good sound quality and quick Siri responses. It’s also adept at integrating compatible smart home controls. They also have the smaller HomePod mini for $95.

Bose QuietComfort 45

The Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones have dropped to a new low of $199 for Prime Members during Amazon’s sale. If you don't feel like joining Amazon's club, you can get them for $229 from Walmart or directly from Bose. That's still a decent $100 off their usual price. These cans earned a spot in our best wireless headphone guide thanks to their comfortable, if a little dated, design, excellent ANC and balanced audio.

Google Pixel 7a

The Google Pixel 7a is on sale for $449 for Amazon’s sale. That’s $50 off its usual rate and an all-time low. If you’d rather get it directly from Google, it’s going for the same price at their store. 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.

Google Nest Hub Max

The Google Nest Hub Max is going for $190 at Walmart instead of the usual $229. The smart display is the runner up pick in our guide to those devices. It’s got a larger screen than the standard Nest Hub, adds a camera for video calls and offers a nifty gestures function that lets you control media with hand movements.

Samsung Pro Plus microSD

The top pick in our best microSD cards guide is Samsung's Pro Plus 256GB, which is on sale for $20 at Amazon, and B&H Photo is selling it for the exact same price. It had some of the best sequential write speeds of any of the microSD cards we tested, and the best random read/write speeds. It’s rated U3, V30 and A2, aka, the faster ratings most people are looking for, and will work great to add space to your tablet, Nintendo Switch or a smartphone. It even comes with an adapter to fit SD slots.

Samsung T7 Shield

The 1TB version of Samsung’s T7 Shield SSD is down to $75 for Prime Day and Samsung has matched that price on its own storefront. You can snag the same deal from B&H Photo as well. The T7 series is among our favorite SSDs and the Shield model wraps the drive in a tough casing with an IP65 rating for water and dust resistance and the ability to withstand drops from up to 10 feet high. The 1,050/1,000 MB/s read/write speeds should be enough for most of your external storage needs.

Crucial MX500

The Crucial MX500 internal SSD in the 500GB size is down to $35 at Amazon, but the same price can be had from B&H Photo, or directly from Crucial. Other capacity models are on sale too. The sequential read speeds hit 560MB/s and the standard 2.5-inch design should make it easy to add in to your desktop or laptop's slot.

Instant Vortex Plus

The Instant Vortex Plus is the top pick in our air fryer guide and you can get it for $100 right now at Walmart and directly from Instant Brands, which matches Amazon's price. It's great for crisping up a lot of different foods and the "ClearCook" window lets you see your food while it's cooking. The OdorEase technology does a decent job keeping food smells from getting overpowering and reduces overall smokiness.

Google Chromecast 4K

The Google Chromecast 4K dongle is the runner up in our Engadget guide to streaming devices and earned an 86 in our review, in which we praised the Google Assistant integration and the excellent remote. It’s on sale for $40 at Target, Walmart and directly from Google, which is $10 off.

Roku Streaming Stick 4K

Amazon is selling Roku's Streaming Stick 4K for $35 this Prime Day but you can get the same discount directly from Roku. Or you can save a dollar extra at Walmart, which has it for $34. We named it our favorite streaming device in our streamers guide because it can stream in 4K, supports HDR content with Dolby Vision along with AirPlay 2 and Roku makes one of the easiest smart TV interfaces.

Corsair MP600 Pro LPX

Corsair MP600 Pro LPX drive is the top pick in our guide to the best PS5 SSDs. Amazon is selling the 1TB model for $68 and Walmart has matched that price. Or you can get it directly from Corsair. We think it’s a good drive for your console because it has fast read speeds of up to 7,100MB/s, it comes with a pre-installed heatsink and it's protected by a five-year warranty. Plus, it's typically affordable, especially when it’s down to this price.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II

We think the QuietComfort Earbuds II offer the best active noise cancellation of the buds we tested for our guide. Amazon is selling them for $249 — but only for Prime members. You can grab them from Walmart or directly from Bose for the same price, no membership required. If you want to fully block out the world as you listen to music or podcasts, these buds with their comfortable fit and good sound quality are the way to go.

Google Pixel 7 Pro

We named the Google Pixel 7 Pro the smartphone with the best camera on the market in our guide. Prime Day has it for $649 for Prime members, which is a massive $250 discount. Unlocked 128GB models from Target or from Google’s store are just $100 off, down to $799. Still a decent savings if you don't want to shop from Amazon. In our review, we also praised the bright screen that pumps out deep blacks and lively colors, and the software that makes phone calls less of a hassle.

Google Nest WiFi Pro 6E

In Engadget’s recent review of Google’s Nest WiFi Pro 6E, we called the mesh WiFi system more approachable than its competitors because it’s easy to use, simple to set up using your phone, and doesn’t cost as much as other systems. Prime Day dropped it to $300 for a three-pack which is $100 off the list price but you can get it from the Google Store for the same price.

TP-Link Deco XE75 WiFi 6E mesh system

A two-pack of TP-Link's XE75 WiFi 6E mesh router system is on sale for $210 for Prime Day instead of $300 or you can snag it for the same price from Tp-Link. It's our current favorite mesh WiFi setup because it's a reliable system that balances power with user-friendliness.

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.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-walmart-prime-day-deals-you-can-get-161136179.html?src=rss

The best fitness tech for college students

Fitness is (thankfully) no longer about attaining some aesthetic ideal. It helps us sleep better, have more energy and avoid burnout — salutary things for all humans, but particularly for college students. Engadget staffers include workout fiends, avid cyclists, a Judo blackbelt and a certified marathon coach, so we’ve reviewed and covered a wide expanse of fitness tech. For this guide, we’re calling out gear that makes the most sense for students who need help improving their overall health without gobbling up too much time, space or money.

Fitbit Charge 5

Smartwatches are basically tiny computers on your wrist, which can be overkill when all you want to do is track your runs and heart rate. Fitness trackers are cheaper, have longer lasting batteries and tend to be lighter on your wrist. Our current favorite is the Fitbit Charge 5 thanks to its thin design that still boasts a full-color OLED display. It has an EDA sensor to keep tabs on your stress levels and on-board GPS tracking for runs, hikes and bike rides without your phone present. Plus, it can last for over two days on a charge with the always-on display enabled and five days with it off, so if you forget to charge it between classes and late-night cram sessions, it’s no big deal.

Apple Watch Series 8

If you do want a tiny computer on your wrist, we think the Apple Watch Series 8 has the best blend of fitness-centered features and smartwatch utility. It’s currently our favorite smartwatch and has sensors to track your heart rate, sleep, ovulation and EKG measurements. The Workout app has countless modes and will soon include more advanced cycling workouts.

Our deputy editor Cherlynn Low tried out the Series 8 for a week when it first came out and called it a “superb watch” with “excellent health and fitness tools.” Plus, it puts all of your iPhone’s alerts on your wrist, so you’ll never miss an important email from a professor or a reminder to finish your paper that’s due tomorrow. At nearly $400, it’s an expensive investment but one that will last. My Apple Watch 4 is still going strong and will even be eligible for the upcoming WatchOS 10 update this fall, five years after it was released.

Of course, if you don’t use an iPhone, an Apple Watch doesn’t make a lot of sense. For Android users, we recommend the Galaxy Watch 5 from Samsung because it’s a reliable wearable with comprehensive fitness and smart capabilities that rival Apple’s smartwatch.

Eufy Smart Scale P2 Pro

Getting healthy is not about the number on a scale, but you can use that number as one way to monitor your progress towards your fitness goals. One of our favorite smart scales on the market, the Smart Scale P2 Pro by Eufy tracks not just pounds and kilos, but also your heart rate, BMI, and muscle and bone mass. It can even detect things like your basal metabolic rate and offers a bevy of stats and data in its companion app. Despite being one of the more feature-rich scales we tested, the P2 Pro typically comes in around $80, which should make it affordable for students on a budget.

Theragun Mini

This gadget shows up in many of our gift guides because it’s such an excellent self care item. After a hard workout, the Theragun Mini can ease some soreness. Our UK bureau chief, Mat Smith, who does five HIIT and/or weight training classes per week, finds that it works nearly as well as Theragun’s much pricier Elite flagship percussive therapy gun. The triangle shape of the Mini is small enough to control with one hand so you can easily direct the massage. While it’s not exactly quiet, Theragun’s latest motors tamp down the noise a bit so you’ll annoy your roommates slightly less when you put it to work.

TriggerPoint Foam Massage Ball

Mat is also a fan of TriggerPoint’s Foam Massage Ball and recommends it in his fitness recovery guide. The rigid balls can be used nearly anywhere you feel tight or sore. You can stick them on a yoga mat and roll over them to target places on your shoulders and glutes, or roll them between your back and the wall to ease tightness. They come in different sizes and firmness levels as well: the smaller ones are better for the muscles like your calves, and the larger versions are best used for bigger areas like your hips. Since they’re more compact than foam rollers, they should be easy to stash in cramped apartment closets or dorm room storage spaces.

Hatch Restore 2

With sleep and health being so intertwined, I’d be remiss not to mention the Hatch Restore 2 here. I tested it for many weeks and found it helped me get to sleep faster and woke me up more gently than any alarm I’ve used. It’s a sleep machine and sunrise alarm in one, relying on a vast library of original content to help you get better rest. The sleep stories are relaxing and the ambient music is perfect for nodding off to. A variety of white, pink and brown noises can play all night if you want them to, and there’s even motivational morning stretches and talks to get you going. The caveat is the price: it’s $200 for the unit and $5 each month for the membership — but if a new living situation, noisy roommates or the stress of coursework has you struggling to get a good night’s sleep, it could be worth it.

Beats Fit Pro

If you like your AirPods for studying and daily listening but want something designed to handle movement and sweat, check out the Beats Fit Pro. They’re our top recommendation for workout earbuds in our guide thanks to their balanced sound that delivers plenty of hard-hitting, butt-motivating beats. The wing helps them stay in place and they’re surprisingly comfortable, according to our audio expert and senior news editor Billy Steele. Despite being made by Apple, there’s a good amount of support for Android devices as well, but they are a little pricey at $200. For something more budget-friendly, check out the Jabra Elite 4 Active; we recommend them in our workout headphones guide and they usually sell for around $100.

Alo Moves

Being in school can make it tough to fit in a trip to the gym, even if you have one on campus. Fitness apps make it easy to squeeze in a workout wherever it makes sense — most don’t require much beyond a small square of space and maybe a mat. One app we prefer for workouts like yoga, pilates and barre is Alo Moves. It’s a little pricier than others at $20 per month, but offers a huge and ever-updating cache of workouts, with options to choose sessions based on duration, difficulty and intensity. For consistency (and to eliminate decision fatigue), you can try different "series" made up of similar workouts to do over a few days or weeks. Alo Moves also includes meditation classes, which could come in handy when class, or life in general, gets overwhelming.

Apple Fitness+

For those with an iPhone, Apple Fitness+ is a little cheaper than Alo Moves at $10 per month. It also has a wider variety of classes to choose from, with yoga, HIIT, dance, kickboxing and at least eight more categories available. I like to stick with a particular instructor for a while before moving on to someone else. There’s great interplay between the classes and the playlist, no doubt thanks to Apple’s expanding music rights. Class durations range from 5 to 45 minutes, so you can get in a quick workout in between classes or carve out time for longer sessions. You don’t have to have an Apple Watch to use Fitness+ either, but the on-screen, real-time stats like heart rate and burn zones can be pretty motivating.

Strava

Running, hiking and cycling are perfect low-cost, high-return workouts that can actually help you get to know the areas outside your campus. Strava’s app not only tracks your stats, but there’s also a robust social feature that can help keep you motivated, particularly when you challenge others. Our weekend editor, Igor Bonifacic, said using the app helped him realize he was steadily improving as a cyclist — even when it sometimes felt like he wasn’t. Recording your rides and runs is free, as is access to the social network and use of the Beacon safety feature that lets you share your location with another person during your activities. Other features, like goal setting and route planning, require a subscription that’s currently $12 per month or $80 annually.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-fitness-tech-for-college-students-130020316.html?src=rss

The best Amazon Prime Day Apple deals on AirPods, MacBooks and more for 2023

Lots of Apple products are discounted for Amazon Prime Day, including the latest generation iPads, AirPods, MacBooks and Apple Watches. If you’ve had your eye on a brand new MacBook Air or want to get Apple’s budget SE smartwatch for even less, the sale is a good time to act. You won’t find new, unlocked iPhones or Apple’s HomePod speakers as Amazon doesn't tend to carry those, but most of Apple's current-model tech is seeing some of the best discounts so far this year. Here are the best Prime Day deals on Apple products we could find.

AirPods Pro (2nd gen)

Apple’s second generation AirPods Pro are on sale for $199 during Prime Day. That’s a $50 and the best price we've seen. They are our top pick for iPhone users in our earbuds guide and represent a big improvement over the first iteration, with better noise canceling and overall improved sound. They have an excellent transparency mode that lets you listen to music while still keeping aware of the sounds around you and they pair nicely with iPhones, iPads and Macs and make good use of Siri’s assistance.

AirPods (3rd gen)

Apple's updated AirPods have been discounted to $140 for Prime Day. Released in 2021, these wireless earbuds improve upon their predecessors in nearly every way. They have better sound quality, a more comfortable design and a longer battery life. They don't have ANC like the AirPods Pro do, but it's hard to beat the third-gen AirPods at this price for iPhone users.

AirPods (2nd gen)

The second-generation AirPods are down to $89 for Prime Day. These wireless earbuds are a bit old at this point, but if you have less than $100 to send and want a pair that work seamlessly with iPhones and other Apple devices, these are a good option. They fit similarly to Apple's EarPods and they have improved wireless range.

iPad Air

The latest iteration of Apple’s iPad Air is $500 after a $100 discount. We think it’s the best iPad for most people. It came out in 2022 and features Apple’s own M1 system-on-a-chip processor and a bright and sharp 10.9-inch display. We gave it a review score of 90, noting that the updated chip and 5G capabilities (on the cellular model) make it “almost future-proof.”

iPad (9th gen)

Apple's 9th-generation iPad is down to $250, which it's best price yet as it normally sells for $329. 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 $380 after a $70 discount. 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.

iPad mini

A smaller tablet like the iPad mini can do a lot of what your phone can while giving you more screen real estate. For Prime Day, Apple’s diminutive slate is $380 instead of its usual $499. We gave the mini an 89 in our review because of its fresh design and solid performance. It also pairs nicely with the second generation Apple Pencil, turning the mini into a portable digital notebook.

Apple Pencil (2nd gen)

The latest Apple Pencil is usually $129 but Prime Day is making it just $89. The second generation of the stylus works with the most recent models of the iPad mini, the iPad Air and both sizes of the iPad Pro. The standard iPad, even the latest iteration, still works with the first generation Apple Pencil, which is $79 right now. The Apple pencil lets you draw, sketch, take handwritten notes and even write in search boxes. The second gen pencil magnetically attaches to and charges from all compatible iPads.

Magic Keyboard

The Magic Keyboard for the iPad Air or the 11-inch iPad Pro is now just $250 as opposed to the $300 list price. The keyboard wraps around and magnetically attaches to your iPad, acting as a case when closed, then when it’s time to type, your tablet “floats”above the keyboard. It’s one of our favorite iPad accessories and in our review of the iPad Pro, we noted the Magic Keyboard “provides the best typing experience” for Apple’s tablets. The keyboard for the 12.9 inch iPad Pro is also on sale and going for $299 for Prime Day.

AirTags

Apple’s AirTags are discounted $90 for the four-pack. Compared to the usual $28.50 per-tag price, that’s a decent savings. We named the AirTags the best bet for iPhone users because they tap into Apple’s vast Find My network, pinging off nearby Apple phones to anonymously locate the tracker if it's ever lost out in the city.

Apple Watch Series 8

Apple’s flagship smartwatch is the Apple Watch Series 8 and Prime Day is giving it a $120 discount. Usually $399, the 41mm GPS model is now $280. The Series 8 is our favorite smartwatch thanks to its detailed health and fitness tracking along with a seamless integration with your iPhone’s apps and notifications. New features like temperature sensors, ECG and blood oxygen readings and improved sleep metrics give you more data than ever, while the crash detection can call for help if you’re ever in an accident. The upcoming WatchOS 10 will add widgets and expanded features including ways to track your mood in the Mindfulness app.

Apple Watch SE

The Apple Watch SE is Apple’s budget smart watch that’s usually listed at $250. Prime Day discounts are making it just $200 for the 40 mm size. The 44mm version is usually $270 but down to $230 for the sale. We called the SE “the best smartwatch $250 can buy” in our Engadget review. It makes surprisingly few sacrifices over the Series 8 and shares the same looks, processor and 50-meter water resistance. It doesn’t have an always-on display and lacks the sensors for blood oxygen, temperature and EKG readings. If you don’t need all that, you can still get scads of fitness and health data plus seamless integration with your iPhone.

MacBook Pro (M2, 14-inch)

The MacBook Pro offers music makers, video producers and other heavy users a lot of processing power with the M2 Pro and M2 Max chips. Amazon is selling the base model 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M2 Pro chip, 16GB of memory and 512GB of storage for $1,799, which is $200 off the usual $1,999. The base model 16-inch MacBook Pro with the same specs is down to $2,299 instead of $2,499. When the new MacBook Pros came out in January of this year, we gave the 14-inch model a 92 review score, praising the Liquid Retina XDR display, sturdy design and plethora of ports including three Thunderbolt 4 USB-C, HDMI, a headphone jack and a full-sized SD card slot.

The 2022 13-inch MacBook Pro is also on sale for $1,099 after a $200 discount, but we’re not as impressed with this machine. If you’re happy with a 13-inch screen, you’re probably better off going with the 13-inch MacBook Air.

AirPods Max

Apple’s over-ear headphones, the AirPods Max are on sale for $450, which is $100 off the usual $549. They earned an 84 in our review when they came out at the end of 2020. We liked the balanced sound, solid active noise cancellation and long 20-hour battery life with a unique low-power mode that leaves the headphones in standby so they’re ready to play as soon as you put them on.

Apple Studio Display

The usual $1,599 for the Apple Studio Display is pretty steep. Prime Day has brought the price down to $1,499, which makes it a little more palatable, but we still think the display is ideal only for true Apple devotees. The A13 Bionic chip inside makes it a little smarter than most displays, but the 60Hz refresh rate is disappointing. Still, it’s got a nice build with good speakers and a bright and accurate screen.

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.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-prime-day-apple-deals-on-airpods-macbooks-and-more-110302021.html?src=rss

The best Amazon Prime Day Apple Watch and smartwatch deals for 2023

Whether you’re swapping out an aging wearable or are brand new to smartwatches, Amazon Prime Day is a good time to get a deal on an Apple Watch. The discounts extend to all three models in Apple’s current lineup, including the premium Apple Watch Ultra, the flagship Apple Watch Series 8 and the more affordable Apple Watch SE. Options from other brands like Samsung and Fitbit are also on sale. We’ve rounded up some of our recommended fitness trackers that are getting Prime Day discounts as well. Here are the best Prime Day deals on Apple Watches we could find.

Apple Watch Series 8

The Apple Watch Series 8 is the brand’s most recent flagship and usually sells for $399 for the 41mm GPS model. Prime Day brings it down to $280, which is the best price we've seen. The Series 8 is our top pick in our guide to smartwatches because it combines detailed health and fitness tracking with seamless iPhone integration. New features include temperature sensors, ECG and blood oxygen readings, crash detection, and improved sleep metrics. The upcoming WatchOS 10 will bump the utility even more with widgets plus expanded health, fitness and mindfulness features.

Apple Watch SE

The most affordable smartwatch in the lineup is the Apple Watch SE. Usually $250, Prime Day discounts are making it just $200 for the 40 mm size. The 44mm version is usually $270 but down to $230 for the sale. We called the SE “the best smartwatch $250 can buy” in our Engadget review. It uses the same processor, matches the 50 meter water resistance and looks nearly identical to the Apple Watch 8, though the SE lacks dust resistance and the always-on display. It also can’t give blood oxygen, temperature and EKG readings. But if you don’t need those things, you can save money while still getting plenty of fitness and health data along with seamless integration with your iPhone.

Smartwatches from other brands

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5

Of course, Apple Watches only work with iPhones. For those who prefer Android devices, the Galaxy Watch 5 is our top recommendation in our smartwatch guide. Usually $280, it’s currently $160, which is 43 percent off. Samsung’s latest wearables run on Google’s Wear OS and gives you plenty of health data and fitness tracking along with sleep coaching and body composition analysis.

Fitbit Versa 2

The Fitbit Versa 2 is the budget pick in our smartwatch guide and down to $124 for Prime Day. Fitbit devices have always been fitness-focused and the Versa 2 tracks and auto-detects a slew of different workouts giving you plenty of data. But since it’s a smartwatch, it can play Spotify, has Alexa built in and brings your phone notifications and hundreds of apps to your wrist. It’s also device agnostic, pairing up with either iPhones or Android devices.

Fitness Trackers

Fitbit Charge 5

The Fitbit Charge 5 is our favorite overall tracker, and is currently $100 or $50 off its usual price. Fitness trackers aren’t as fully featured as smartwatches, but that typically means they have a longer battery life and cost a little less. We like the Charge 5 for its comprehensive activity tracking and health monitoring that comes in a thin profile with a multi-day battery life. It also pairs with both Apple and Android phones.

Fitbit Inspire 3

Our favorite budget fitness tracker is Fitbit’s Inspire 3 and Prime Day is making it even more affordable with a 20-percent discount that makes it just $80 rather than $100. It doesn’t have built-in GPS, but if you bring your phone along, its connected GPS capabilities will give you all the same data. It does offer monitoring for your heart rate, blood oxygen and skin temperature variations.

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.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apple-watch-amazon-prime-day-deals-165228101.html?src=rss

The best deals on Echo Dots for Amazon Prime Day 2023

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.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-prime-echo-dot-deals-082122600.html?src=rss

The best Amazon Prime Day Kindle deals for 2023

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.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-prime-day-kindle-deals-073349577.html?src=rss

Amazon is selling two Echo Show 5 Kids smart displays for the price of one

If you think your kids should have a smart display of their very own, this might be a good time to grab two of them from Amazon. In advance of Prime Day, you can get two Echo Show 5 Kids for the price of one. The displays came out in 2023 and typically go for $100 each. By using the code SHOW5KIDS at checkout, you'll get two for a total of $99.98. You can also press the "Redeem" button on the product page and the discount will automatically show up. 

We covered the standard version of the Echo Show 5 in our smart display guide. We said it would work well on a nightstand as a display-enabled alarm clock, given that the 5-inch screen is on the smaller side. That diminutive size might work well for kids. The kid version of the display has a space-themed exterior and includes a number of software differences that makes it more kid-friendly, particularly with the offered parental controls. 

Like other Alexa-enabled devices, kids can use their Echo Show to control connected smart home devices, like smart bulbs or plugs in their room. Kids can also ask Alexa questions and get audio and visual answers or play music from Spotify, Amazon Music or Apple Music just by asking. Unlike a regular smart display, however, this one is designed to give kid-friendly responses and filter out explicit lyrics. The connected parent dashboard gives you control over time limits and which contacts can be called, while letting you see what your kids are up to by reviewing their activity. If you, understandably, don't feel comfortable sticking a live camera in your kids' rooms, the physical camera shutter on the device can be shut off whenever they're not actively video calling grandma.   

Recently, Amazon and Disney partnered up to bring character voices such as Olaf from Frozen or C3PO from Star Wars to Echo devices. Saying, "hey, Disney" can do things like having Mickey read the weather or launching interactive trivia games. The feature comes with an Amazon Kids+ subscription, which also grants access to kid-focused shows, movies, audiobooks, games and ebooks that kids can access from their display. A year of the subscription comes with the purchase of the kid's Echo Show, after that it's $8 per month or $5 monthly if you're a Prime member.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-is-selling-two-echo-show-5-kids-smart-displays-for-the-price-of-one-163034320.html?src=rss

The best smart electric toothbrushes for 2023

From mattresses to scales, it’s commonplace now for even the most basic products to be app-connected. Electric toothbrushes are one of the more curious entries in the “smart” device space. But, smart or not, toothbrushes serve one purpose: cleaning your teeth. The American Dental Association says both powered and manual brushes will effectively do just that, as long as you brush twice a day, for two minutes each, with a soft-bristled brush and fluoride toothpaste.

People who find it easy to hit those marks can probably save themselves the money, but others might benefit from the encouragement provided by advanced brushes. We wanted to test out some of these fancy electric toothbrushes to see just how useful their smarts are. After testing multiple brushes for a few weeks, I’ve come to the conclusion that they aren’t a necessity for everyone, but they could benefit certain folks — particularly those who respond to the gamification of their daily habits.

What to look for in a smart electric toothbrush

Apps

For our purposes, any brush that communicates with a companion smartphone app is one we consider “smart.” Nearly all such apps track your brushing duration and frequency, and can do so whether you have the app open or not. The apps present historical data in graphs, calendars and other easy-to-digest visualizations. Most apps also let you set goals, access tips on better habits and reorder brush heads directly from the manufacturer.

More advanced devices let you adjust the settings and modes within the app and also guide you through brushing sessions with real-time feedback on where the brush is in your mouth. Other apps grant real-life rewards, such as gift cards, for keeping up consistent habits. Teledentistry is even part of the Quip app’s repertoire.

Most people will probably get the most out of the visualization offered by the tracking and history features. I found it satisfying to see a long string of properly executed morning and night brushing sessions, like I had hit some sort of personal milestone. The apps also make it easy to auto-ship brush heads, which could help ensure you replace them more regularly. The ADA recommends getting new bristles every three or four months and I, for one, am terrible at remembering to do that.

At first, I liked brushing along with the apps that were capable of visualizing my movements, but the novelty wore off after a week or so. Stopping to go find my phone just added another step, and I’d always end up sucked into the new notification abyss before I’d remember, oh yeah, I was going to brush my teeth. While the apps’ simple progress tracking is great, the added goals and awards lost their power to motivate me after a few weeks. Many of us are already setting countless objectives for ourselves; worrying about one more virtual award felt like homework for a class I didn’t have to take.

The timer feature is what ultimately helped me brush better. My impulse is to put down the brush after about 45 seconds, which is nowhere near the ideal time. To use that you don’t even need the app though, as all smart brushes include a timer in the brush itself.

Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget

Brush mechanics

Whether they’re round or rectangular, all the brush heads vibrate, producing tens of thousands of movements per minute. All the handles emit haptic shakes and pauses to tell you to move to another section of teeth and when your session is done. Most of these electric toothbrushes have batteries that last a few weeks on a charge, or in the case of the non-rechargeable Quip, a few months on a set of disposable cells.

Advanced brushes, usually ones that cost more than $200, also include internal sensors that can detect the orientation of the brush in your mouth as well as the movement and pressure you apply. The brushes use that info to warn you if you’re pushing too hard, moving too fast or missing certain areas, with feedback in the form of lights, vibrations or in-app communication. Some brushes even have tiny, built-in screens that can give you a lot of the same info as an app, such as mode selection, timer duration and simple session assessments, so you don’t have to keep your phone beside you.

Price

A manual toothbrush from your local CVS will run you $4; smart electric toothbrushes can cost between $50 and $400 — quite the price jump. Even the least expensive smart brush offers app-based data tracking, plus haptic feedback and sonic vibrations from the brush itself. More expensive versions incorporate features like specialized heads, LED screens and internal sensors such as gyroscopes — all of which push up the price.

Best overall: Oral-B iO Series 7

Including manual and electric models, Oral-B makes around 75 different toothbrushes. Their latest and most advanced iO Series includes a whopping seven different models — with another on the way. Most of the iO series came out in 2020, which means the iO Series 9 isn’t a newer iteration of the iO Series 5, it’s just a more tricked out brush. The iO Series 7 has a good combination of app features and brush capabilities, and at $200, it sits in the middle of the smart electric toothbrush price spectrum

While using the iO Series 7, an internal gyroscope and accelerometer detects where the brush is in your mouth. If you use the app to guide a session, a 3D illustration of your teeth gradually turns from blue to white as you clean different areas. I was impressed by how accurately it detected exactly where I was brushing, especially since I can’t stick to one area for too long before moving on to the next. But by the end of two minutes, it had pointed me to areas I’d missed and left me with teeth that felt noticeably cleaner.

The iO Series 7 has five different brushing modes, including Gum Health, Sensitive and Daily Clean. I mostly stuck to that last one, but when my six-year-old wanted to try it, I swapped in a new brush head and used the Sensitive setting, which worked great for him. The fact that it made a kindergartener want to brush his teeth might be worth the price right there.

The app accurately tracked unguided sessions, too, adding the time and duration to my stats whenever I synced the brush with my phone. Even without the app, the built-in LED screen on the handle provides a good amount of info, giving you mode selection and displaying a timer as you brush. Haptic shakes let you know when to switch to another quadrant of your mouth.

A ring of light at the base of the brush head will flash red if you’re pushing too hard and glows green when you’re using the correct amount of pressure. At the end of a session, you’ll get a smiley face on the display if you went the whole two minutes, got good coverage and didn’t push too hard. You’ll get a smiley with stars for eyes if you really nailed it.

Oral-B’s top-end iO Series 9 is nearly identical to the Series 7 but costs $100 more. The pricier version comes with a full color LED screen, two extra modes (Tongue Clean and Super Sensitive) and adds another element to app-guided brushing, showing dots that you gradually erase as you brush. Both devices have hard travel cases, but the one for the Series 9 also acts as a charging case. Those are small luxuries that I don’t think justify the price bump though, especially considering the Series 7 did a great job getting my teeth cleaner than they’ve ever felt outside of a trip to the dentist.

Best budget: Quip Smart Electric Toothbrush

If proper motivation stands between you and better dental health, Quip’s Smart Electric Toothbrush might be all you need. It costs $50 if you opt for the brush head subscription or $55 without it. Either way, that’s significantly cheaper than many other smart toothbrushes. The vibrations aren’t as intense as our top pick, nor are the internal sensors as precise, but the app is loaded with ways to track your teeth cleaning and inspire you to do it more often.

One of those is through gamified awards granted for simple achievements like completing 50 sessions or brushing twice a day, three days in a row. It also awards points for good habits, which can be redeemed for real-world perks like discounts on Quip products and $5 Target or Walmart e-gift cards. With its relatively reasonable price and IRL rewards system, Quip’s smart brush might make a nice option for parents who want to help their kids brush better and more often. It’s also handy that the Quip app allows you to pair more than one brush per account, so you can track the whole family’s dental hygiene — something you can’t do with either Oral-B or Philips.

Quip divides sessions into 30 second segments and gives the handle an extra buzz when it's time to move to the next quadrant. A run lasts for the gold-standard two minutes and the sonic vibrations help clean better than the same strokes with a manual brush. The app gives you feedback on coverage, strokes per minute and average back-and-forth movement, providing tips for improvement with each session tracked. Like with fitness apps, seeing your trends and history can be motivating in itself. Combined with virtual achievements and real-world rewards, the Quip might be enough for some people to reach that two-minute, twice-per-day goal without the high price or flashy features.

Honorable mention: Philips Sonicare 9900

I don’t much care for things marketed as “luxe,” but I have to admit I really enjoyed using the $380 Philips Sonicare 9900. Don’t get me wrong, that’s an insane price to pay for a toothbrush. Before I started working on this guide, my daily driver was a $2.29 job I got from Trader Joe’s — and I’d like to add that I’ve only had one adult cavity (which I blame on the charcoal toothpaste fad).

With its sleek design and “premium materials,” the 9900 made me feel like some overly monied influencer doing a #GRWM (get ready with me) routine. The faux leather and gold travel case looks like a cross between a jewelry gift box and an expensive clutch — complete with a cute little strap. The brush itself has a pearlized finish and a decidedly smooth feel.

The app has a clean layout with a detailed history of your past brushing sessions. If you really want to see how consistently you apply the correct amount of pressure, you can. The app is also fairly accurate in identifying areas of your mouth that you skipped or didn’t focus on enough. As for the actual brushing experience, I love the brush head. The bristles are soft and the thin neck is super comfortable to close your mouth around, which helps prevent spillage. I also enjoyed the brush mechanics. Instead of scrubbing back and forth like some commoner, you simply guide the bristles around the surfaces of your teeth, letting the vibrations do the work for you. It took a little getting used to, with the app cautioning me: “don’t scrub!” but once I had it down, it offered the autonomous functionality you’d expect from such an expensive device.

The first few times using the 9900, however, nearly broke the fairytale spell. The vibrations are intense. I didn’t realize you were supposed to put the brush in your mouth before you turned it on, and the shaking flung my toothpaste clean off even when I shoved it down into the bristles. Once I finally got it right, I brushed for the full two minutes and afterwards felt like I had just gone to the dentist — not because my mouth felt clean (though it did), but because my lips were numb like I’d been given Novocain. After setting the brush to the lowest vibration setting, I was able to appreciate it fully without losing sensation in my lips. Maybe I should have expected that much power in a nearly $400 toothbrush, but it took me by surprise.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-electric-toothbrush-133036339.html?src=rss

Amazon's Echo Dot is down to $28, plus the rest of this week's best tech deals

Summer can be a sleepy time for deals, but there was actually a fair amount of savings to be found on tech this week. Amazon's Prime Day is probably about a month away, but the company looked like they were getting a head start with discounts on Kindles, two Echospeakers, Fire TV devices and Blink mini cameras. Those prices may go lower during the event, but the savings are still good if you can't wait. Our favorite Sony headphones dropped back down to $348 and a few different Beats earbuds, including the Powerbeats Pro saw discounts of up to 36 percent. Apple's latest laptop, the 15-inch MacBook Air is already $100 off and last year's XPS 15 from Dell is currently $800 off. Here are the best deals from this week that you can still get today. 

Amazon Echo Dot + smart plug

Pair a smart speaker with a smart plug and you have the underpinnings of a smart home setup. Right now, Amazon is selling its Echo Dot smart speaker with a Kasa Smart Plug Mini for just $28. That's a substantial $45 discount and cheaper than buying the Dot on its own. The new Echo Dot is is our favorite smart speaker under $50 and is basically a more compact version of its full-sized sibling, the Echo. Despite measuring less than four inches in diameter, the Dot can pump out decent sound that's surprisingly clear. 

Alexa is a competent voice assistant who can set timers and reminders, tell you the weather and news, play your music and, of course, control your smart home devices, like smart plugs. All of the Kasa smart plugs I tested for our guide paired nicely with my Echo Dot. You can program the plug through the Kasa app or via the Alexa app, having it do nifty things like turning on a lamp an hour before sunset or shutting things off when you say, "Alexa, goodnight."  

Sonos Sale

Sonos speakers rarely go on sale, so if you've been thinking about a new soundbar or speaker, you may want to jump over to Sonos as their ongoing Father's Day sale ends Sunday the 18th. The sale first went live two weeks ago and includes discounts of up to 25 percent on some of their more popular audio devices. Sonos equipment is well-regarded for its sound quality and reliable connectivity — pairing easily with existing equipment, supporting most streaming services and syncing seamlessly with other Sonos speakers.

Here are a few of the more noteworthy deals:

  • The top-end Sonos Arc soundbar is down $719, which is $180 off the list price. Read our review here.

  • The more affordable Sonos Beam (Gen 2) is down $399, which is $100. Here's our review.

  • The Sonos Ray is the brand's entry-level soundbar and is currently $223 or $56 off.

  • The portable Sonos Roam speaker connects to WiFi or via Bluetooth and is currently $134 instead of $179. The slightly smaller Sonos Roam SL is down to $119 after a $39 discount.

  • One of the brand's first portable speakers, the Sonos Move is down to $300 after a $99 discount. Here's what we said when that speaker first came out.

Sony WH-WH-1000XM5

A few different audio devices from Sony are on sale at Amazon and directly from Sony, including the WH-100XM5, which is our current top pick for the best wireless headphones you can buy. They're back down to $348, which isn't the lowest we've seen, but still about $50 less than they typically sell for. Our senior editor and audio expert Billy Steele gave them a high score of 95 in his review when they came out last year, praising the all-day comfort, excellent noise cancellation and a sound quality that's both immersive and clear.  

The in-ear WF-1000XM4 earbuds are down to $198 after a 28 percent discount. They are the top pick in our wireless earbuds guide thanks to their great sound quality, solid ANC and battery life that went for seven and a half hours in our tests. 

Sony's brand new budget headphones, the WH-CH720N, are on sale for just $38 after a 37 percent discount. Billy found them lightweight, comfortable and capable of delivering surprisingly good sound quality. You'll also get around 35 hours of playback on a charge. You won't get all the features of the flagship model, and the all-plastic build feels less than premium, but for $38, they're a budget way to get high-end sound. 

Amazon Kindle

There are a lot of great books coming out this summer. If you're thinking of getting an e-reader to dive into them, now might be a good time to act as Amazon is discounting a number of its Kindle devices. The basic Kindle is our favorite budget pick in our ereader guide and is currently down to $80, which is just $5 more than the all-time low it hit back in February. This is the latest model Kindle, released last October, with a screen resolution bumped up to 300ppi for sharp and crisp text. The battery lasts over a month and comes with 16GB of storage, which should be enough for many summers of reading and all the seasons between. 

It's not waterproof, however, and doesn't offer a warm light option. For that, you may want to check out the Kindle Paperwhite. It's on sale for $110 instead of $140. The 6.8-inch screen is comfortably bigger than the standard option, boasts a warm light and can handle a dunk in water. The Paperwhite Signature, which our deputy editor Nathan Ingraham called, "The best e-reader. Period." is on sale for $145 instead of $190. It adds more storage, wireless charging and an automatically adjusting warm light. 

Apple 15-inch MacBook Air M2

Apple announced the long-rumored 15-inch MacBook Air M2 during its annual WWDC event earlier this month. Amazon immediately offered a $50 discount on pre-orders. Now that orders are shipping, the retailer is rewarding those who waited (and potentially angering those who didn't) with a full $100 discount on the new machines, making them $1,199 instead of Apple's suggested $1,299 price. Currently, the discount applies to the base model, which ships with 256GB of storage, in either Starlight, Space Gray or Midnight. If you want it in Silver, you'll have to pay $1,234. 

The model with 512GB of storage is $100 off in Midnight only. The other three colorways are selling for $1,437, which is $62 below list price. Our deputy editor, Nathan Ingraham, got a chance to review the new computer and gave it a high score of 96. He was impressed with the difference the bigger screen makes and declared it "one of the best Apple laptops [he's] used in a long time." With the same M2 chip inside, the larger model doesn't change much over the 13-inch MacBook Air, which isn't a bad thing. We gave that model a similarly high score of 96 when it came out last year. 

Beats Studio Buds

The Studio Buds by Beats are currently $50 off at Amazon and Target. That matches the low we've seen a few times this year, though isn't quite as low as they were for the shopping holidays last November. We gave them a review score of 84 when they debuted in 2021. They're lightweight and small, making them comfortable for hours of continued wear. The sound is balanced and delivers plenty of punchy bass but doesn't overdo it. They have a decent active noise cancellation too. 

A few other earbuds from Beats are on sale as well. None of them are hitting all-time lows, but the savings are decent, such as the Powerbeats Pro for $160 instead of $250 at Amazon and Target. Our editor in chief and marathon coach, Dana Wollman, named them the most comfortable option in our guide to the best workout headphones. The Beats Fit Pro are also on sale, down to $160 after a $40 discount. Our audio expert, Billy Steele, picked them as the best workout earbuds in his guide to those devices. 

NordPass

Security experts say it's best to have a long, strong and unique password for every site you log-in to. That's a lot of passwords to keep track of. Which is one reason you should probably use a password manager. NordPass is currently offering a 40 percent discount on its premium personal plan, making it $42.96 for two years of the service (which is usually $72). 

The premium plan gives you no limits on the number of passwords you can have and will let you stay logged into six different devices at a time. Once you store a password, NordPass auto-fills your credentials the next time you visit the site, so the only password you'll need to remember is the master one. Our senior security reporter, Katie Malone, named NordPass the best manager for cross-platform access, allowing you to easily get to your vault of stored passwords from any device or operating system. 

Crucial P5 Plus 1TB Gen4 NVMe

Those who need to add storage space to their PC or PS5 may want to take a look at the sale on Crucial SSDs. Discounts range up to 53 percent and include a $20 discount on the brand's PS Plus NVMe drive in the 1TB size. It can deliver sequential read speeds of up to 6,600MB per second and fits in PCs with a Gen4 M.2 connection. The drive will also work with a PS5 and is in fact our top pick to upgrade your capacity on that console.  

A portable drive from Crucial, the X6 1TB external SSD, is on sale for $59 after a 46 percent discount. It can handle transfer speeds of up to 800MB/s via the USB-C port and comes in a shock and vibration-proof case. 

Spigen Ultra Hybrid iPhone 14 case

Spigen's Ultra Hybrid case is one of the iPhone cases we recommend in our guide to those accessories and right now it's down to $25 at Amazon after a 44 percent discount. It usually hovers around that price, but is a decent savings over the $45 MSRP. Our senior commerce editor, Valentina Palladino, found it to be one of the most secure cases in our tests, firmly holding on to an iPhone 14. The clear case shows off the color of your phone, so if you went for that sunny yellow hue, this case will let it shine. The case is also MagSafe compatible for charging and accessories.  

Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite

A new smart TV can be expensive, but if you already have a regular set, a streaming stick can turn it smart inexpensively. Amazon's Fire TV Stick Lite is our favorite budget pick in our streaming device guide and right now, it's just $22 after a 27 percent discount. The stick puts Amazon's easy-to-use Fire TV interface on your set, granting access to just about any streaming content you can think of. Just keep in mind the Lite doesn't support 4K video or offer TV controls on the remote for power or volume, so you'll need to use two clickers. If you want an all-in-one option that can stream 4K video to a 4K-enabled screen, go for the Fire TV Stick 4K Max. It's $35 right now, instead of the usual $55.  

The even more feature-rich Fire TV Cube is $125 or $15 off. The set-top device lets you plug in your game consoles, supports WiFi 6E and 4K video, and has the fastest processor Amazon offers in an external streaming device. It also has a built-in mic so you can talk to Alexa to control your TV and smart home without needing to hold the remote. 

Dell XPS 15

If you prefer Windows laptops and are looking for something portable with enough power for everyday productivity, check out Dell's sale on the XPS 15. We named another model in the XPS line, the smaller XPS 13 Plus, the best Window's laptop you can buy. The larger XPS 15 is currently $1,099 after an $800 discount from Dell. Our senior editor and laptop expert Devindra Hardawar reviewed the machine in 2022 and called it the "best 15-inch Windows laptop."

It packs Intel's 12th-gen Core i7 processor with a NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050 graphics card. It comes with 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage. The 15.6 inch screen has a 60Hz refresh rate and a FHD+ 1920 x 1200 resolution. While it isn't the latest XPS laptop available, it's still a great price for a solid, workhorse machine. 

Breville Smart Pizza Oven

Our favorite indoor pizza oven, the Breville Pizzaiolo is currently on sale for $200 off at Amazon. It's usually $1,000, but the sale brings it down to $800. Our resident pizza oven expert and senior editor Billy Steele tested it out and was impressed by the wealth of options it offered, which produced the desired results for New York, "wood fired," frozen and other presets. But he cautioned that it was really quite expensive. Now that it's $200 cheaper, it may be an easier buy for someone who really likes pizza — and doesn't want to go outside to make it. 

Amazon Echo Studio

The biggest Alexa-enabled speaker from Amazon is the Echo Studio. Right now a 20 percent discount brings it down to $160 instead of $200. That's the lowest it's been since Black Friday when it dropped to $155. Our audio reviewer Billy Steele called it "the best sounding speaker Amazon has built" in his review. It does all of the smart-home, Alexa-controlled stuff that the other Echo speakers can do, it just does it from a much bigger package. At seven inches in diameter and over seven pounds in weight, it has room for five speakers, including three mid-range ones, a tweeter and a downward-facing 5.25-inch woofer.

Otterbox Otterspot 

The OtterSpot system is more than just a wireless charger for your phone; It also accommodates a disc-shaped battery you can take with you for a recharge on the go. Right now Otterbox is selling the set for half price, making it $50 instead of the usual $100. Our reporter, Jon Fingas, named it the best overall pad in Engadget's guide to wireless chargers because of its stable base that can handle a wide range of phone sizes, both Android and iPhone. The unit can charge your phone, plus up to three of the 5,00mAh batteries at once. Those discs can easily fit into your bag when you need a partial recharge when you're out and about — either wirelessly or via the USB-C port. Just keep in mind they can be finicky with certain non-Otterbox cases. If you want one of their cases to go with, you can check out the sale at Amazon.  

Rosetta Stone 

Rosetta Stone can help you learn a new language — or several — and right now a lifetime subscription is down to $179 instead of $299. A subscription gets you access to 23 languages and Rosetta Stone's immersive learning style with access via browsers or your smartphone. If you've been thinking about learning Japanese, Spanish or Korean, you may want to act now as the deal ends June 18th. 

Razer Viper Ultimate 

In his quest for the perfect productivity mouse, our editor-at-large, James Trew, declared the Razer's Viper Ultimate mouse the best gaming mouse for everyday use. It works in either hand and weighs just 74 grams, making it easy to use for long periods of time. And the 70-hour battery life lasts longer than other mice in its category. Right now, Amazon is selling it for $80 instead of the rather steep $150 MSRP. 

Blink Mini 

The Blink mini wired indoor security camera is down to $25, which is a 29 percent discount and within a dollar of its lowest price this year. It dropped lower for Black Friday, and may again for Prime Day, but if you don't want to wait, this is still a good deal on a smart home camera. We recommend the Blink mini in many of our guides because it's a low-cost device that delivers most of the features you'd want, including 1080p video delivered right to your phone. Motion detection turns the camera on and you can hear, see and talk to anyone nearby. And, as an Amazon product, the Blink mini works swimmingly with Alexa — but not other voice assistants.  

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazons-echo-dot-is-down-to-28-plus-the-rest-of-this-weeks-best-tech-deals-163111257.html?src=rss