Amazon's second Prime-related event for 2023 is officially called Prime Big Deal Days and will happen October 10 and 11. This is the second year in a row for a fall-based, site-wide Amazon sale and we're already seeing discounts pop up. You'll need a Prime membership to access many of the deals, though a few are available to everyone. This week, there are early Prime Day deals on the AirPods Pro, Blink's Video Doorbell and Outdoor cameras, Amazon Music Unlimited, Eero 6 mesh Wi-Fi systems and Amazon Fire Omni smart TVs. We're also seeing lower-than-usual prices on Bluetooth speakers, microSD cards, gaming mice and other wireless headphones we recommend in various buying guides. Here are the best early October Prime Day deals you can get right now. 

Apple AirPods Pro

Amazon has the Lightning model of Apple's AirPods Pro on sale for $199, while Best Buy has the new variant with a USB-C charging case down to $200. Each is roughly $50 off Apple's list price. For reference, the updated model adds improved dust resistance and lossless audio support with the upcoming Vision Pro headset alongside the new charging port, though the two pairs are otherwise identical. In any event, we consider the AirPods Pros the best wireless earphones for those who use an iPhone or lots of Apple devices. They still deliver excellent noise cancelation, a pleasingly warm sound profile and a variety of Apple-specific features such as hands-free Siri access, Find My device tracking and quick pairing and switching between iPhones, iPads and MacBooks. With a recent update, they've also gained a useful "Adaptive Audio" mode that blends the pair's ANC and transparency modes dynamically based on your surroundings.

Blink Video Doorbell + Outdoor cameras

Prime members can grab a Blink Video Doorbell and two third-generation Blink Outdoor cameras for $100, which is an all-time low. In recent months, this bundle has gone for $240, though Blink recently released a fourth-gen Outdoor camera with improved video quality, a wider field of view and person detection alerts (with a Blink subscription plan).

Still, if price is your main concern, the last-gen model should suffice, as should the Video Doorbell. Both Blink devices provide serviceable 1080p video during the day, night vision, two-way audio, motion detection alerts and Alexa support. They're relatively simple to install, and each is rated for up to two years of battery life off a pair of AA batteries. Amazon says the bundle also includes Blink's Sync Module 2, which is required for local storage and access to on-demand live feeds. The two are relatively basic in terms of features — there's no direct support for Google Assistant or Apple HomeKit, for instance — and there are better options for video quality, especially at night. But if you just need the basics, this is a decent value. We highlight the Blink Outdoor in our smart home gadgets buying guide.

Amazon Music Unlimited

If you've never subscribed to Amazon Music Unlimited, you can now get three months of the music streaming service for free. If you're an Amazon Prime member who has never subscribed, that jumps to four months. Music Unlimited usually comes with a one-month free trial and goes for $11 a month — or $10 if you use Prime — so this deal saves you either $22 or $30. We highlight Music Unlimited in our guide to the best music streaming services: Its UI and music discovery features aren't as robust as Apple Music or Spotify, but it offers a large library in CD streaming quality and a wide podcast selection. Naturally, it also works well with Echo speakers and other Amazon devices. Note that your subscription will be set to auto-renew by default, so you'll have to manually cancel if you're just looking to snag a few months of music streaming at no cost.

Kasa Smart Bulbs

Smart lightbulbs like these not only adjust to whatever color you want, you can also control them with the app or just your voice (and a compatible smart speaker). Kasa's KL125 bulbs made the cut as the budget pick in our guide to smart bulbs because they are easy to install, easy to use and pack a ton of features. Right now a four-pack is down to $26 with an on-page coupon, which is a 35 percent discount off this bundle's list price.

Eero Pro 6E mesh Wi-Fi system

Amazon has discounted most of its Eero 6 Wi-Fi systems as an early Prime Day deal, including the most powerful of the bunch, the Eero Pro 6E. You can pick up one router for $180, or spring for a three-pack for $400, both of which are down to record-low prices. Devices with support for Wi-Fi 6E can connect directly to the Eero’s 6 GHz radio band, and if you get the three-pack, you’ll get up to 6,000 square feet of coverage — more than enough for most homes. These Eeros have a built-in smart home hub as well, so you don’t need to have an extra device if you want to build out an IoT ecosystem in your house.

Tribit StormBox Micro 2

The Tribit StormBox Micro 2 is down to $46 at Amazon when you clip the 5 percent on-page coupon. That's about $14 below its usual price. We recommend the StormBox Micro 2 as an compact, budget-friendly option in our guide to the best portable Bluetooth speakers. Its small size means it's not the loudest or fullest-sounding thing, but it plays well for what it is, and it's easy to take on the road. It has a built-in strap for attaching to things like backpacks or bike handlebars, plus it can double as a power bank for your smartphone in a pinch. It's also IP67-rated, so it's dustproof and water-resistant enough to survive a shower or drop in the pool.

EarFun Air Pro 3

Amazon has the EarFun Air Pro 3 on sale for $56, which is within a few dollars of the price we saw during July's Prime Day event. Normally, these noise-cancelling true wireless earphones retail for $80. The Air Pro 3s are the runner up pick in our guide to the best budget wireless earbuds, as they offer effective ANC, IPX5-rated water resistance, wireless charging, multi-device pairing, a relatively stable design and battery life in the six- to seven-hour range. The sound goes hard on the bass and treble by default, which can be fun for hip-hop and pop music, though you can rein it in slightly with a graphic EQ in EarFun's companion app.

Samsung Pro Plus

If you need more storage for your Nintendo Switch, GoPro or anything else that accepts microSD cards, the 256GB version of the Samsung Pro Plus with Samsung's USB reader is on sale for $22. We've seen the card alone fall as low as $20, but this matches the all-time low for the bundle with the reader, which helps the card get closer to its advertised read and write speeds — up to 180 MB/s and 130 MB/s for reading and writing, respectively — on devices that allow them. Normally, this SKU retails for $25. The Pro Plus is the top recommendation in our guide to the best microSD cards, as it delivered the fastest sequential write speeds and random performance of any card we tested and comes with a 10-year warranty.

Crucial X6 portable SSD

Amazon has knocked up to 55 percent off Crucial external and internal SSDs, including the 2TB Crucial X6 portable SSD for $90. That’s 55 percent off and only $10 more than it was during Prime Day in July. This drive has read speeds up to 800 MB/s and works with a variety of devices including Mac and Windows laptops, iPads and even some game consoles. It’s also quite small, so it will fit into nearly any bag when you need to take it on the go.

Apple Watch Ultra (1st gen)

The second generation of the Apple Watch Ultra is now available — but the new version isn't significantly discounted. First-gen Apple Watch Ultras, however, has been discounted by $100 on Amazon, bringing them to $699 instead of $799. The discount only applies to the watch with the orange Alpine Loop in small. The medium and large bands are about a dollar more, and watches with different colored bands aren't discounted. We gave the first Apple Watch Ultra an 85 in our review, praising its long battery life, bright display and useful fitness and health features. It doesn't have the Ultra 2's double-tap navigation system and S9 SiP (system-in-package) processor for on-board Siri requests, but if all you need is a rugged watch with lots of hiking, running and other activity features, now's your chance to save.

Apple iPhone 15 FineWoven cases

In addition to announcing the iPhone 15 earlier this month, Apple also spent lots of time talking up the company's environmental initiatives. One change eliminates all leather from Apple's product lineup — and a new material called FineWoven will take its place on accessories like iPhone cases. Right now, Amazon is discounting those new FineWoven cases for the iPhone 15 by five percent. It's a small discount, but if you've just dropped a grand on the new iPhone 15 Pro, even a little savings may help. 

Logitech G203 Lightsync

The black version of the Logitech G203 Lightsync is down to $20.49 at Amazon with a $5 on-page coupon. While this isn't an all-time low, the device typically retails closer to $30. We recommend the G203 in our gaming mouse buying guide to those who want to pay as little as possible for something competent. It might be too small for those with large hands, its sensor isn't the most advanced thing around, and its scroll wheel feels somewhat mushy, but it's hard to do better at this price. The sturdy, ambidextrous shape should play well with those who use a fingertip or claw grip, it tracks accurately enough and, at 85g, it's not crazy heavy.

Amazon Fire Omni QLED TVs

All sizes of Amazon’s Fire TV Omni QLED Series are on sale ahead of October's sale. The 43-, 50-, 55- and 65-inch models are down to $380, $400, $440 and $600, respectively. Those match or beat the prices we saw for July's Prime Day. The Fire TV Omni QLED sets are best for people who like Amazon’s Fire interface, which is easy enough to figure out, though the OS tends to push you towards Amazon's own content. Beyond that Fire TVs do a good job of integrating Alexa's helpfulness with a useful voice remote, and hands-free smart home support. And if you don't feel like having Alexa listening in, you can turn off the mics with a built-in switch.

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2

The Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2 is on sale for $249 in select colors, which is about $120 below its average street price and tied for the best deal we've seen. The Px7 S2s are the runner up in our wireless headphone buying guide, and we gave them a review score of 85 last year. Its design is both comfortable and stylish, and its punchy sound should particularly appeal to bass lovers. While its ANC isn't as effective as the best offerings from Sony or Bose, it's strong enough to be useful. Call quality is just OK though. This deal comes after Bowers & Wilkins announced a revised model, the Px7 S2e, though at this price the older pair is still worth considering.

Samsung Galaxy S23 phones

All models of Samsung's flagship S23 smartphones are on sale right now, including our pick for the best Android smartphone you can buy, the Galaxy S23 Ultra. The 256GB base model is down to $999 after a 17 percent, or $200, discount. The phone has been hitting that low regularly over the past few months, so if you've been thinking about getting one, it's probably best to make your move when its at this price. The other two phones in the S23 lineup are also on sale, with the base model of the standard Galaxy S23 going for $700 and the S23+ going for $800, both of which are $100 discounts.

OnePlus 11 5G

The OnePlus 11 5G is currently $100 off at Amazon. The Android handset has dropped to this price a few times before, but this deal matches its all-time low. This is the latest flagship phone from OnePlus, which earned an 83 in our review. It packs a powerful processor, a vivid screen and has a long-lasting battery that also happens to charge blazingly fast. 

Motorola razr+

Motorola just released its new razr+ foldable flip phone a few months ago, but it's already seeing a $100 discount at Amazon. We gave it a score of 85 in our review, noting that it was giving Samsung a little competition in the flip foldable category. It's also the runner up flip option in our guide to foldable smartphones in part because its exterior display is a little easier to use than Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 5. Just keep in mind that its water resistance isn't as substantial. 

Your Fall Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for 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.

Apple has introduced all kinds of useful features to the iPhone in iOS 17. One, called Check In, can automatically let your friends and family know when you've arrived somewhere safely or if you've been delayed. The feature can also tell you when you're moving in the wrong direction.

If you're delayed, you can add extra time to complete your check in. If you don't do so before the timer runs out, your device will send your friend or family information such as your location, battery percentage and cellular signal (you can decide which details to share.

How to turn on Check In

To set up a Check In, find an existing conversation in the Messages app or start a new one with the person or people you want to keep tabs on your safe arrival. Tap the Plus button, then More > Check In > Edit.

Here, you have two options. The first is called When I Arrive. Punch in your destination and specify how you're getting there. You can add extra time if you need to. If your iPhone isn't moving toward your destination for a certain period of time or it doesn't reach that location as expected, Check In will notify your trusted contact and inform them about your phone's journey. When you do reach your destination on time, Check In will let your friend or family member know you've arrived.

The other Check In option is time-based. If you don't end the Check In before the time limit expires, your iPhone will notify your friend. This could be a useful option if you're on a first date or otherwise hanging out with a new pal.

Apple

Whichever Check In option you go with, tap the blue up arrow (as if you were sending any other type of message) to confirm the Check In and start the timer. If you lose service or your iPhone shuts off before a Check In is complete, the friend or family member you set it up with may receive a notification early or later than expected and access the details you decided to share with them.

To add extra time to a Check In, go to the conversation with the person you shared it with. Find the Check In message, then tap Details > Add Time. You can then choose how much time to add.

How to cancel a Check In

If you'd like to cancel a Check In for any reason, find the Check In message, then tap Details > Cancel Check In. You'll be asked to confirm the request.

How to modify Check In data

Selecting the details you want to share with Check In recipients is a little different. To do so, go to the Messages section of your iPhone's Settings app, then find the Check In Data option. When you arrive at your destination, Check In can share your location, network signal and iPhone and Apple Watch battery level if you select the "When I Arrive" option. The "Full" option will share all of that data, along with the route your iPhone took and details about the last time you unlocked your phone or Apple Watch.

Apple has quietly launched a new iPhone Wallet feature in beta that lets UK users see their current account balance, along with recent deposits and payments, 9to5Mac has reported. It's powered by the UK's Open Banking API, and follows Apple's purchase of Credit Kudos, a company that uses Open Banking to give users a snapshot of their financial health and creditworthiness. 

The new feature, which also shows users their balances after purchasing something with Apple Pay, arrives as part of the iOS 17.1 developer beta. Users must first authorize it through the Wallet app, then authenticate using their bank's app or website. All banking data will be stored strictly on users' devices and not on Apple's servers. Supported banks in the beta launch include Barclays, HSBC, Lloyds, RBS, Monzo and Starling.

The Wallet addition is a rare Apple feature that premieres in a territory outside the US. Apple doesn't even have its Apple Card available in the UK yet, so it's a relatively minor player in the region so far. At the same time, its purchase of Credit Kudos gives it major connections in Open Banking. The latter company's API taps into the UK's open banking platform to analyze bank account data, aiming to help banking providers make faster and better decisions for people seeking loans or other financial services.

Open Banking — which forces the United Kingdom's nine major banks to to release their data in a secure, standardized form — is unique to the region and doesn't exist in the US (though the government is working on it). Europe introduced a similar system called PSD2 back in 2020. The two are similar, so Apple could feasibly bring the same features to Europe, where it effectively dominates smartphone-based payment systems with Apple Wallet. 

Epic Games has asked the US Supreme Court to review a ruling from 2021 that cleared Apple of violating antitrust laws, according to a Bloomberg report. The Fortnite maker previously claimed that Apple violated California's Unfair Competition law, stating that the App Store prohibits developers from directing users to other third-party payment systems. The US Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals upheld the 2021 court’s decision back in April, finding that Apple’s practices had “a substantial anticompetitive effect that harms consumers,” but didn’t meet the bar for an antitrust case.

Should Epic win its appeal, Apple could stand to lose a substantial source of revenue. The company takes a cut of all purchases made through its App Store, which can run as high as 30 percent. Epic Games has been the loudest voice protesting this cut, though other companies like Spotify and Tile are also part of the Coalition for App Fairness, which has been pressuring Apple to change its policies. Outside of the US, Epic and its peers have had more success in changing the status quo: Authorities in both South Korea and the Netherlands have ruled that Apple must allow third-party payments, though Apple is still taking a considerable cut as a “transaction fee.” Apple is also rumored to be preparing support for third-party app stores in response to the European Union’s Digital Markets Act.

Bloomberg says the Supreme Court could decide if it will take up the case before the end of the year. In the meantime, Fortnite is still not available on the App Store. It’s been absent since August 2020, when Apple banned the game after Epic added alternative payment methods to bypass the App Store cut.

Epic is also in a legal battle with Google for similar practices. Both Epic and the Match Group, which operates dating apps like Hinge and Tinder, are alleging that Google abuses its control of Android app distribution through the Play Store by establishing unfair fees and requirements for in-app purchases. That trial is supposed to kick off in the next few weeks.

Developed in collaboration with Meta, on Wednesday Qualcomm announced two new Snapdragon chips designed to power the upcoming wave of next-gen headsets and smart glasses. 

The Snapdragon XR2 Gen 2 is the more powerful of the two boasting 2.5 times better GPU performance compared to the last generation and up to eight times faster AI speeds. It's optimized to support mixed reality devices with display resolutions of up to 3,000 x 3,000 per eye while also delivering more detailed textures and higher frame rates. 

For headsets that can switch between VR and AR, Qualcomm says the XR2 Gen 2 allows headsets to transition to full-color passthrough vision in less than 12ms. Other capabilities include support for devices with up to 10 cameras, improved wireless speeds (up to Wi-Fi 7) and 50 percent increased GPU power efficiency.

Qualcomm

Alternatively, for more lightweight devices like smartglasses, Qualcomm's Snapdragon AR1 Gen 1 chip offers improved on-device AI processing, better noise and echo cancellation and dual ISPs for improved image quality. The new silicon can also support devices with up to 12-MP cameras (6-MP for video) and up to eight microphones with spatial sound for richer audio recording.

Notably, due to its collaboration with Meta, Qualcomm's latest XR and AR processors will be available first on the new Quest 3 and Ray-Ban Meta smartglasses, both of which go on sale in October. Qualcomm says "additional devices from other manufacturers to follow next year," which suggests that Meta will enjoy some level of limited exclusivity regarding the use of these new chips. 

So while Meta may have a bit of a headstart compared to some of its rivals, it will be interesting to see what other OEMs can do with these chips when devices featuring them become more widely available in 2024.

There's never been a better time to buy Apple's 10.9-inch 2022 iPad, as the 64GB Wi-Fi model has dropped down to $379 on B&H Photo Video, near an all time low. That's a savings of $70 off the regular $449 price on the blue and silver options, or $399 for the pink version. The 256GB versions (also blue and silver) have dropped $50 to $549. 

The 10.9-inch iPad earned an 85 Engadget review score this past October. It looks more modern than the cheaper and smaller 10.2-inch iPad, thanks to the flatter edges, thinner bezels, Touch ID button and USB-C port — similar to what's found on the more expensive iPad Air or iPad Pro. The A14 Bionic chip isn't the latest, but is easily powerful enough for media consumption, light work and other everyday tasks, while still delivering an impressive 10 hours of battery life. Its front-facing camera is positioned along the side, which is more convenient for landscape video calls. 

There are a few quirks, including a display that's not quite up to the iPad Air's level. It also lacks an anti-reflective coating, so it's a little more prone to glare. It only works with the original Apple Pencil, not the vastly improved second-gen stylus. Nor does it support the same Magic Keyboard as the iPad Air or iPad Pro; instead, it uses its own accessory called the Magic Keyboard Folio that, while good, isn't as stable on your lap. It also lacks a headphone jack.

As we note in our iPad buying guide, if you can afford to step up to the iPad Air, that's the best option overall. And if you just want a competent iPad for the lowest price possible, the 10.2-inch model can be a slightly better value. Still, at this price, the 10.9-inch iPad is a better value, so if you have your eye on one, now's the time to act. 

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

LG has announced its first foldable laptop, making it the newest player in the industry to launch its entry for the growing (but still something of a niche) category. Similar to the ASUS Zenbook 17 Fold and the Lenovo ThinkPad X1 Fold, the LG Gram Fold is a touchscreen device that can be used as a massive tablet or a computer when fully unfolded. Users will get a 17-inch OLED screen with a QXGA+ (2560 x 1920 pixel) resolution when it's used purely as a display, and they can link it to its accompanying Bluetooth keyboard if they want to use it as workstation. The device also supports stylus pens, so it can act like a traditional tablet for projects involving art, architecture and calligraphy.

When it is folded, the top part becomes 12-inch screen, while the bottom could turn into a keyboard for typing. LG says it tested the model and verified that it could withstand 30,000 folds without its display getting damaged. Samsung tests its foldable Galaxy phones' hinges around 200,000 times, but most people likely access their phones a lot more than their computers or tablets within a day.

A 13th generation Intel Core i5 processor powers the LG Gram Fold, which is also equipped with a RAM that the company says is 15 times faster than an LPDDR5 5,200 memory. On the software side, the foldable laptop runs Windows 11 and comes with Sync On Mobile that makes it easy to transfer phone data to the device. The LG Gram Fold is scheduled for release in October, but only in Korea at the moment. It's priced at 4.99 million won ($3,700) — not cheap, but still a lot more affordable than HP's $5,000 Spectre Fold —though the first 200 customers can get it for 3.99 million won ($2,959). Further, only those who purchase the device at launch will get a mouse and a stylus as free gifts from the company, and the model will not ship with those accessories otherwise.

Repairability website iFixit has published its teardown of the iPhone 15 Pro Max, and the results are a mixed bag. Local repair shops still have to deal with the company's software-restricted “parts pairing” requirement, which means they need to order official components directly from Apple and get on the phone with a company employee before iOS will accept individual part replacements.

On the positive side, iFixit praised Apple for returning to a “dual-entry” removable glass back cover with the iPhone 15 Pro models — a feature that debuted with the standard iPhone 14 line last year. “This is a win for consumers as back glass repairs have been outrageously expensive on the high-end models until now, costing as much as $550,” iFixit said in its teardown video.

iFixit also examined the phone’s titanium frame and came away less than impressed. While noting that titanium is dirtier to produce than stainless steel and aluminum (mocking Apple’s “Mother Nature” skit in its launch event), the site also said the material scratches easily. “Unfortunately for the cool factor, we found that the color on the titanium shell scratches easily, a process that is only satisfying under the magnificent magnification of the microscope,” the teardown video said. “I could scratch this thing up all day.”

Elsewhere, iFixit found that the iPhone 15 Pro Max’s logic board appears to be the same as the one in the iPhone 15 Pro, and you have to remove the speaker and Taptic Engine to access the battery-removal tabs. Interestingly, the website also noted that the main and wide camera sensors on the iPhone 15 Pro Max appear identical to those on the iPhone 14 Pro Max, suggesting the “Tetraprism” periscope lens, which enables 5x optical zoom, is the only hardware-based camera update this year. “Any improvement in image quality has more to do with a new A17 SoC than the camera hardware itself,” iFixit said.

Dinging Apple for parts pairing appears primed to stand as a primary focus of iFixit’s Apple teardowns from now on. The repair advocacy website views it as significant enough of a problem to have lowered the iPhone 14’s repairability score from 7 out of 10 to 4 out of 10 nearly a year after launch because of it. “And as we’ve now come to expect, each year brings new parts pairing issues and bugs,” the video said. “This year’s edition is the LiDAR sensor, which now crashes if the sensor is swapped out. Calibration issue or not, these bugs need to be fixed, or else they might as well be paired with the logic board with a tiny Apple warning saying, ‘Hey, this phone is property of Apple.’”

Due to the parts pairing requirement, iFixit gave the iPhone 15 Pro Max a mere 4 out of 10 repairability score. “This phone won't accept salvaged parts, it complicates at-home repair, and it won't be any fun for your local repair tech,” the website said.

Resident Evil Village is a haunting horror romp starring a very tall and elegant vampire lady (and some other monsters, sure), and it's heading to iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max on October 30. It'll hit the M1 and M2 models of the iPad Pro and iPad Air on the same day. The base game will cost $40 and its Winters’ Expansion DLC will be an additional $20.

Resident Evil Village originally came to PC, PlayStation 4, PS5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X/S in 2021, and it became a cultural touchstone for its monster-mashing storyline. The game includes werewolf creatures, a mutant fish man, a murderous cult leader and festering, zombie-like enemies, though its breakout star was Countess Alcina Dimitrescu. She's an exceptionally tall, undead, razor-fingered villain who leads a trio of vampiric daughters, and she's simply fantastic.

Village landed on Mac in 2022. Apple revealed the iPhone and iPad versions during its annual iPhone event on September 12, 2023, but it didn't share a release date at the time. Capcom provided the date on its site this week. The Resident Evil 4 remake, which landed on PC and consoles this year, is also due to hit Apple's mobile devices in 2023, but no date has been confirmed just yet.

Other games coming to the iPhone 15 Pro — thanks to the new A17 Pro chipset — include Death Stranding and Assassin's Creed Mirage. Death Stranding is due out this year, while Mirage is scheduled to hit in early 2024.

Hey big spender. Tinder Select, the dating app’s most exclusive tier, is rolling out now. It will cost love seekers $500 per month (or $6,000 annually — no bulk discounts) for features like exclusive search and matching.

The company has only offered Tinder Select to the less than one percent of users it considers “extremely active” — does anyone want that label? Tinder told Bloomberg it’ll open applications for Tinder Select on a rolling basis, but it didn’t say exactly when. Tinder’s exclusive membership was originally hinted at all the way back in 2019.

The owners of Tinder, Match Group, have dabbled in exclusive dating apps before, like The League, which it bought in 2022, so it’s not too much of a shock to see Tinder also get reframed for the lonely rich. Is this worse than paying for verification when you have less than 1,000 followers on other social media networks? Yes. Yes, it is.

— Mat Smith

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The Morning After: Microsoft’s bad week, and Alexa gets an attitude

Last week’s biggest news meets Engadget’s lens.

Engadget

Our short-but-sweet YouTube edition of this week’s news covers includes Microsoft’s rough, rough week, a sassier Alexa from Amazon and whether the iPhone 15 Pro is worth the extra bucks. Also: viewers take umbrage at my ‘fake’ glasses. Which are not fake.

Watch here.

Sony ZV-E1 camera review

The best vlogging camera, by a big margin.

Engadget

I’ve been waiting for this. Sony fully embraced amateur / semi-pro content creators back in 2020, with the launch of the ZV1 camera. It has since added no less than four models to its ZV lineup, and this is the latest: the 12-megapixel full-frame ZV-E1. It uses the same sensor as the $3,500 A7S III, a video-focused camera — and a low-light marvel. However, the ZV-E1 costs $1,300 less. While Sony has cut some minor corners, it combines outstanding video features and AI tricks, and I might have to start saving for one. 

Check out the full review.

Samsung leaks its next family of smartphones, earbuds and tablets

Don’t get too excited. It’s the Fan Edition ones.

Samsung

Eagle-eyed visitors to Samsung’s Argentinian website — I visit it weekly — have spotted something a little unexpected: a product page for new Galaxy Buds FE earbuds, along with images of a Galaxy S23 FE smartphone and Galaxy Tab S9 FE tablet. Samsung’s Fan Edition devices have proven popular, packing in solid features for a more reasonable price than Samsung’s flagship models.

The company hasn’t let slip any specs for the phone and tablet yet. However, there are some details on the Galaxy Buds FE, Samsung’s first Fan Edition earbuds. They’re slated to have a single 12mm driver, three microphones in each earbud to bolster active noise cancellation and a three-way speaker.

Continue reading.

The best foldable phones for 2023

Are flip phones back?

Foldables have come a long way since the original Galaxy Fold went on sale back in 2019. They’re smaller, they’re tougher and, while they still aren’t a great option for people on a budget, they’re now more affordable too. (Kind of?) We walk through the crucial specs, durability concerns and our favorite picks.

Continue reading.

The Engadget Podcast

iPhone 15 Pro reviews, and Microsoft picks AI over Surface.

This week, Cherlynn chats about her experience reviewing the iPhone 15 Pro and Apple Watch Series 9. Does a 5X camera zoom make much of a difference? Meanwhile, Microsoft is basically consolidating all of the Copilot products it’s already announced for Edge, MS 365 and Windows, but maybe this will be less confusing in the long run?

Continue reading.