Your phone number is generally secret in WhatsApp communities, but there's still a chance you'll let it slip if you react to messages. That might not be a problem for much longer, thankfully, as WABetaInfo has discovered that WhatsApp is more broadly testing a "phone number privacy" feature with beta users. Enable it and your digits will only be visible to community administrators and those who've saved you as a contact.

The option has been in limited testing for months, but appears to be rolling out widely to beta users who've installed the latest Android and iOS updates. We've asked WhatsApp parent company Meta for more details, but WABetaInfo says the upgrade should reach more users and groups in the days ahead.

The addition could prove crucial for privacy in some cases. This lets you fully participate in the community announcement group without fear that you'll reveal your number. Creeps and would-be fraudsters can't call or text you unless you accept a request to share your contact info. That, in turn, could help you feel comfortable using communities in the first place.

WhatsApp has been adding a number of privacy features in recent weeks, including locked chats, automatic silencing of unknown callers and a settings review. Phone number privacy is consistent with that strategy — it's another safeguard against inadvertently sharing sensitive data with others.

Sony has produced numerous full-frame cameras of late, but just a single APS-C model over the last four years — the vlogging-oriented ZV-E10. Now, the company has finally rectified that with the launch of the 26-megapixel (MP) A6700, it's new flagship APS-C mirrorless camera. It's particularly strong for vlogging thanks to features like 4K 120p video, active mode stabilization and AI auto-framing — but it's not cheap, either.

The A6700 looks like other Sony A6000-series models at first glance, but there are some considerable improvements. The grip is now bigger for improved handling and stability, and it introduces an assignable front dial that makes manual shooting easier. It has a vari-angle LCD (rather than a popup LCD as before), along with a low-res (2.36 million dot) but fast (120fps) electronic viewfinder. It's fairly compact, being 35 percent smaller and 21 percent lighter than Canon's $1,500 R7. 

Engadget

Sony has also introduced a still/movie/S&Q dial with dedicated settings for each, along with a new and far more intuitive main menu and menu structure. It comes with mic and headphone ports (plus a digital audio interface via the hotshoe), USB-C 3.2 Gen1, a micro HDMI port (not full-size, unfortunately), and a single SD UHS-II card slot on the side, rather than on the bottom in the battery compartment as before. It's dust and moisture resistant if you're shooting in inclement weather and supports 4K30p webcam capture. 

The A6700 doesn't improve on the A6600's shooting speeds, grabbing bursts at the same 11 fps (in both mechanical and electronic shutter modes) with autofocus and auto-exposure tracking. However, it can capture far more photos at a time, with the new larger buffer letting you capture 59 compressed RAW and over 1,000 JPEGs before it stops. 

Engadget

The autofocus is improved as well, thanks to a faster backside-illuminated (BSI) sensor and processor that's eight times quicker than past models. Sony promises "reliable real-time tracking" for humans, animals and birds, insects and vehicles (cars, trains and planes). Human eye AF performance is up by 60 percent from previous models, while animal/bird eye AF speeds increased by 40 percent. 

It should also take better photos in low light, again thanks to the BSI sensor and improved processor. Finally on the photo side, it now offers selectable RAW options including lossless and compressed, along with JPEG, HEIF and HLG still images.

Engadget

While Sony already has a vlogging-oriented camera in the ZV-E10, the A6700 is even stronger in this regard. You can shoot 4K video at up to 120fps with 10-bit 4:2:2 quality (FHD at 240p) all with AF/AE, besting all APS-C rivals except Fujifilm's $2,000 X-H2S. Better still, it's super-sampled from 6K "resulting in high-resolution 4K with minimal moiré and jaggies," Sony says. 

You can record in Sony's XAVC format at up to 600 Mbps with I-frame codecs that are easier to edit. It supports S-Cinetone and Sony S-Log3 mode to boost dynamic resolution up to 14+ stops (matching its Cinema line cameras), along with user-assignable LUTs so you can get a better idea of what you're shooting.

Engadget

For those who do a lot of tracking shots or walk-and-talk vlogging, the A6700 has "active mode stabilization" that uses both software and optical tricks to reduce camera shake. Video autofocus mode supports the same range of subjects (people, animals, vehicles) as photo AF, with Sony promising real-time recognition in all cases. Another nice feature borrowed from the ZV-E1 full-frame camera is AI-based auto framing that lets the subject move around while staying centered in the frame — with varying levels of cropping and tracking speeds. And like other recent Sony models, it supports digital focus breathing compensation with select lenses. 

We had the camera for a short time, and found that it handled much better than any previous Sony A6000-series cameras. At the same time, it's compact and light enough to take on trips. It's certainly not an impulse buy, though. The A6700 starts at $1,399 (body only), or $1,499 with a 16-50mm kit lens and $1,699 with the 18-135mm lens. Pre-orders are now open, and it's set to start shipping in early August. 

With the arrival of Xiaomi's Mix Fold 2 last August, it was only a matter of time before other brands would catch up with similarly impressive slimness for their next foldable phones. So far this year, we have Huawei's Mate X3 which finally broke Xiaomi's thinness record, followed by Google's Pixel Fold — it's a tad thicker, but at least it's available in western markets. Today, another Chinese brand has beaten Huawei with an even slimmer and lighter foldable phone — the Honor Magic V2. It's the first of its kind to reach a folded thickness of less than 1cm, and it weighs less than some of the top flagship candybars — namely Apple's iPhone 14 Pro Max or Samsung's Galaxy S23 Ultra.

Specifically, the Magic V2 is 9.9mm and 4.7mm thick when folded and unfolded, respectively. Only the Mate X3 and Mix Fold 2 come close in this aspect. As for weight, the Magic V2 measures just 231g (8.15oz), beating the Oppo Find N2 and Mate X3 by a few grams. As someone who has been using a 262g (9.24oz) Mix Fold 2 for 10 months, I found it surprisingly delightful while fiddling around with Honor's slimmer and lighter foldable.

One of the keys to this form factor breakthrough is Honor's new hinge design, which consists of 3D-printed aerospace-grade titanium parts and proprietary steel bits. Together with the latest flexible OLED panel from China's BOE, the Magic V2 has been certified by TÜV Rheinland to last for over 400,000 folds — doubling that of the Pixel Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 4. As a bonus, the hinge lets the phone "hover" in a laptop-like mode, which comes in handy for taking photos, watching videos, listening to music, making video calls and more, thanks to some tweaks in MagicOS 7.2 (based on Android 13).

Despite the size and weight reduction, the Magic V2 packs a generous 5,000mAh battery capacity, beating that of all existing foldable phones. This is thanks to the new silicon-carbon battery tech, which allows for a significant bump in energy density. These cells support Honor's 66W fast charging, though fans of wireless charging are out of luck here — not a surprise given the ambitious thickness reduction. The company also had to slim down essential components like the vapor cooling chamber, antenna, aluminum mid-frame, fingerprint module, USB-C connector, speakers and more to fit everything together. Much of this was done in Honor's research lab just across the street from the production line in Shenzhen.

The Magic V2 offers a 6.43-inch 2,376 x 1,060 OLED screen on the outside, and its 20:9 aspect ratio is to better mimic the user experience of a conventional smartphone — which is just as well given the thickness and weight achievement here. When unfolded, you'll be greeted by a 7.92-inch 2,344 x 2,156 flexible panel with a near-invisible crease. Both displays have an adaptive refresh rate of up to 120Hz plus HDR10+ support, and yes, you can use a stylus on them, though only the Ultimate Edition in China comes bundled with an active pen. Honor also touted its eye protection measures for both screens on the Magic V2, using features like high-speed 3,840Hz pulse wave modulation dimming technology to reduce eye fatigue, as well as "Circadian Night Display" to help the user sleep better.

Photo by Richard Lai / Engadget

The rest of the Magic V2's core specs are very much on flagship level, featuring Qualcomm's Snapdragon 8 Gen 2, 16GB of RAM, up to 1TB of storage, NFC, triple mics, Bluetooth 5.3, infrared remote and more. With the preloaded MagicOS 7.2 (based on Android 13), Honor even promises 50 months of fast performance, as certified by SGS. The only glaring omission on this list of goodies is an ingress protection rating (the Mate X3, Pixel Fold and Galaxy Z Fold 4 all have an IPX8 rating), but Honor assured us that it has applied a P2i nano-coating to the device for basic water resistance. 

The cameras are seemingly impressive, too: the rear-facing set consist of a 50-megapixel f/1.9 main camera with optical stabilization, a 50MP f/2.0 ultra-wide camera and a 20-megapixel f/2.4 2.5x zoom camera also with optical stabilization. Both the external and internal displays have a 16-megapixel f/2.2 selfie camera each. Honor said its AI motion sensing feature can help capture constantly moving subjects like kids and pets, but we won't be able to verify this claim until we get to a review unit later.

Photo by Richard Lai / Engadget

The Honor Magic V2 is now up for pre-orders in China, with color options including black (with a vegan leather back), gold, silk purple, and silk black (with "silk" referring to the frosted glass back), with prices starting from 8,999 yuan (about $1,250) for the 256GB version, 9,999 yuan ($1,390) for double the storage, and maxing out at 11,999 yuan ($1,670) for the 1TB Ultimate Edition.

Even though the demo units I played with at Honor's headquarters had Google services pre-installed, the company was hesitant on confirming a possible global rollout. Perhaps we will hear more at IFA come September, otherwise I'm sure the enthusiasts will already know how to grab one from China, anyway. Meanwhile, the pressure is on Samsung to come up with foldables of matching qualities later this month.

Amazon Prime Day is a great time to grab the little things: accessories, dongles, chargers and other tech we all need, but don’t always think about until things get dire. We’ve reviewed and tested plenty of less-expensive tech and quite a few of our recommendations are currently seeing discounts during Amazon’s big sale. We rounded up the best tech gear and devices we could find that come in under $50 with Prime Day savings. Here are the best Prime Day deals under $50 that you can get this year.

Echo Dot

The latest generation of Amazon’s smart speaker, the Echo Dot usually retails for $50, but for Prime Day, it’s down to $23, which is a 54 percent discount and its lowest price ever. We think it’s the best sub-$50 smart speaker you can buy because it pumps out decent sound for its size while delivering all that Alexa can do. The Echo Dot with clock is also on sale, coming in at $30 instead of $60. 

Echo Dot Kids

The kids edition of the Echo Dot is on sale for $28 rather than $60. It’s the same size as the standard Dot with equal audio powers. You can get it with an owl or dragon-themed exterior, and it offers parental controls and comes with a year’s subscription to Amazon Kids + with kid-appropriate content.

Echo Pop

Amazon’s newest Echo is also its smallest. The half-sphere Echo Pop is now more than half off, going for just $18 for Prime Day when it usually retails for $40. It’s designed to bring casual listening and Alexa’s help to small spaces.

Roku Streaming Stick 4K

We think Roku’s Streaming Stick 4K is the best streaming device on the market and right now you can get it for $34 instead of the usual $50. It packs a lot of features into a small and affordable package and has a straightforward user interface.

Anker 100W 10ft cable

Anker's 100W cable is the one our reviewer used to test out the fast chargers in our guide and right now Prime members can get it for $13 instead of $16. It's rated to 100W, which can properly deliver power from a 100W USB-C power bank port or a fast charger brick.

8BitDo Pro 2 controller

This bundle with the 8BitDo Pro 2 controller and its storage case is down to $48 for Prime Day, which is a great price. We generally like 8BitDo controllers and the Pro 2 has been one of our favorites since it came out. It offers a lot at an affordable price point: adjustable stick and trigger sensitivity, vibration control and customize button mapping, just to name a few features. It also works with a bunch of different platforms including Switch, Steam Deck, PC, iOS, Mac and Android. It's part of a larger sale that includes the 8BitDo Ultimate Wired Controller for Xbox for $28and the Sn30 Pro Bluetooth controller for $32.

Fire TV Stick Lite

The budget pick in Engadget’s streaming device guide is Amazon’s Fire TV Stick Lite, which is even cheaper for Prime Day as long as you're a Prime member. Typically $30 it’s now half price at just $15. It supports Full HD streaming with HDR and comes with an Alexa voice remote — but keep in mind it can’t control the volume or power on your TV.

Fire TV Stick 4K

The Fire TV Stick 4K is down to $23, which is a considerable 54 percent savings over its $50 list price. It’s capable of streaming 4K video to your TV or monitor (as long as it supports that resolution) and supports HDR, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. It also puts Amazon’s Fire OS interface on your screen, which we found to be easy enough to figure out, though it does prioritize Amazon Prime Video content.

Fire TV Stick 4K Max

Like the standard 4K stick, the Fire TV Stick 4K Max streams 4K content to your compatible screen of choice, has an Alexa remote, and supports HDR, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos. It also has access to WiFi 6 and packs a faster processor. Right now, it’s $25 which is 55 percent off of the typical $55.

Anker PowerConf C200 2K Webcam

The runner up in our guide to the best webcams is Anker’s PowerConf C200 2K. The list price is $60, but is discounted to $48 for Prime members during the sale. It’s easy to set up, has a built-in lens cover for privacy and captures sharp and clear 2K resolution video with a 95-degree field of view.

Amazon Echo Buds

The latest Echo Buds just arrived in May yet they’re already 30 percent off at Amazon for Prime members. You can get them for $35, which is $15 off and ties the lowest price we’ve seen. We recommended the Echo Buds to those who prefer an open design in our best budget wireless earbuds guide.

ElevationLab GoStand

We recommend Elevation Lab's GoStand in our gift guide for people who work from home and right now it's 20 percent off. It folds into a pocket and can prop up a smartphone in either portrait or landscape orientation and adjusts to just about any viewing angle you'd like. 

TP-Link Kasa Smart WiFi Light Bulb

Our favorite budget smart light bulbs are TP-Link Kasa Smart WiFi Bulbs, which are 32 percent off right now for the two-pack, bringing it to $17. Installation is easy, and the lights stayed reliably connected during testing, plus the companion app is simple.

SAMSUNG EVO Select microSD

We named the Samsung EVo Select microSD card the overall best value in our guide to those storage devices and the largest, 128GB capacity model is now just $10, a 50 percent discount over its typical $20 price tag. The larger capacity cards, including the 512GB model is on sale as well. It doesn’t have the fastest write speeds, but is good for adding extra storage on the cheap.

SAMSUNG PRO Plus microSD Memory Card

Engadget’s top pick overall for micro SD cards is Samsung’s Pro Plus micro SD and Prime Day is bringing even the 128GB model to $14 and the largest 512GB model to under $50 after a 33 percent, Prime-only discount. It had the best sequential write performance of the cards we tested and should work well as extra storage for a camera, tablet or gaming handheld.

Blink Video Doorbell

The list price on Blink’s Video Doorbell is $60, but a half price discount for Prime members puts it comfortably under $50 at just $30. The unit can be used wired or on battery and will keep an eye on your front door, sending 1080p video to your phone or smart display, triggered by motion. The add-on Sync Module 2 is required for on-demand viewing, otherwise video and audio is only available when motion is sensed.

Amazon Fire 7 tablet

Amazon’s Fire 7 tablet has an MSRP of $60, but Prime Day is discounting it to $40 after a 33 percent, Prime-member-only discount. A sub-$50 tablet is a rare thing, and the Fire 7 isn’t a high-performer. But if you just need a no-frills way to check email, stream and browse social media, this won’t break the bank.

Echo Show 5

The recently updated Echo Show 5 is half price for Prime Day, dropping it to $45. The smaller smart display can act as a bedside alarm clock (and even has a snooze button) or you can set it up in a smaller kitchen to show you recipes and provide Alexa's help.

Blink Mini smart security camera (2-pack)

The wired, indoor Blink mini security cam is listed at $35 most days, but Prime members can snag it for $17.50. In fact, a two pack falls beneath the $50 mark, at just $34. The smart cameras are motion-activated, sending live 1080p video to your smartphone or smart display and allowing for two-way audio to boot.

Belkin Wireless Charging Stand

One of our favorite wireless chargers is Belkin’s Wireless Charging Stand, which is just $36 for Prime members right now, and a 20 percent discount. We like it because it’s a good value, comes with a power adapter and lets you charge in either landscape or portrait orientation.

Amazon Smart Plug

In Engadget’s guide to smart plugs, we named Amazon’s Smart Plug the best option for people who already use Alexa-enabled devices, like Echo speakers. It’s easy to set up using the Alexa app and reliably controls any lamps or fans you plug into it. Right now Prime Members can snag one for just $13, which is nearly half price. 

Anker 735 GaN Prime

Anker’s 735 GaN Prime is just $39 for Prime members and usually $60. It’s the best 65W charging brick you can buy, according to our testing because it’s fast, compact and offers a total of three charging ports: two USB-C and one USB-A.

OtterBox Fast Charge Power Bank

The stylish and fast-charging OtterBox Fast Charge Power Bank is currently just $35 for the 15,000mAh model the best medium capacity portable battery you can buy. This one has even more juice to revive your dying smartphone or tablet.

Belkin Apple Watch Charger

Belkin’s Apple Watch Charger is one of our favorite accessories for the smartwatch and down to $44 for Prime members. The square pad can flip up so you can use the watch in nightstand mode and uses Apple’s new fast wireless-charging module to power a Series 8 from 0 to 80 percent in about 45 minutes.

Anker 511 charger Nano 3

Anker’s 511 (Nano 3) charging brick is one of our recommendations for Apple Watch users and is now on sale for $17 instead of $23. New watches don’t come with power adapters, so if you need one, this is a good option — it’s compact with foldable prongs and has ActiveShield 2.0 to keep it from overheating.

Kasa Smart Plug EP25 (4-pack)

Prime Day is a good time to pick up the best smart plug you can buy, according to our testing. A four-pack of Kasa’s Smart Plug EP25 is now $35 for Prime members, when the set is usually $50. It’s reliable, relatively easy to set up and works with Alexa, Google Assistant, Samsung SmartThings and even Apple HomeKit.

Logitech Signature M650

Logitech’s Signature M650 wireless mouse is seeing a moderate 13 percent discount for Prime Day. It's a good pick for a compact mouse you can easily take with you when you’re computing on the go. It has a precision scroll wheel, clicks quietly and features two programmable buttons.

Spigen ArcHybrid MagSafe Battery Pack

The top MagSafe-compatible battery in our tests turned out to be Spigen's ArcHybrid MagSafe pack and Prime Day pricing brings it down to $33 after a solid 45 percent discount. It's a a little larger than Apple's own MagSafe battery and was able to fill an iPhone 14 Plus to 56 percent in about an hour and 45 minutes. Considering it's regularly $30 cheaper than Apple's battery pack, it's easy to recommend — particularly at this price. 

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.

Were you hoping to score a good deal on a laptop for Prime Day? Apple's 2020 MacBook Air is currently on sale for $750 — a record low for the computer, which typically goes for $999. It's powered by the company's M1 chip with an 8-core CPU, and while Apple has since come out with an M2 MacBook Air, we found the older version's performance to be impressive when we reviewed it. This MacBook Air was very responsive, and running apps built for Apple's silicon, such as Safari and GarageBand, felt as fast as launching them on an iPad. Safari also loaded sites instantly, and scrolling through them felt effortless.

We gave the 2020 MacBook Air a score of 94 in our review. In addition to its impressively speedy performance, we also praised it for having the capabilities it has without the need for a fan. Its 13.3-inch Retina Display looked fantastic, with thin bezels around the high-res screen, and we found its keyboard to be excellent, with a satisfying amount of depth. The laptop ran efficiently during our tests and lasted 16 hours and 20 minutes, including periods wherein we looped HD videos. 

In addition, since this MacBook Air is powered by Apple's silicon, it can run iPhone and iPad apps, though not every app for your mobile device will be available for the computer. The chip gives it decent gaming performance, as well, and allows it to run some games as smoothly as on a gaming PC. You can get any of the color options — gold, silver and space gray — for $750, but due to the nature of the event, you'll have to be a Prime member to enjoy the discount. Take note that if you're not currently subscribed to Amazon Prime, you can avail of a 30-day trial for free when you check out.

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.

Tons of speakers are on sale for Prime Day this year — though not all of those speakers are winners. Luckily, many of the soundbars, smart speakers and portable options we’ve tested in our reviews and recommend in our guides are seeing notable discounts today. Take advantage of a discounted Bluetooth speaker so you can bring your music with you this summer, or snag a deal on a soundbar and finally clearly hear all that dialogue on your TV. Naturally, Amazon’s Echo speakers are part of the sale too, so you can get Alexa’s help for less as well. Here are the best Prime Day speaker deals we could find.

Amazon Echo (4th gen)

Compared to the similarly priced Nest Audio or HomePod mini smart speakers, Amazon’s Echo is louder and pumps out better audio. We named it the best speaker under $100 in our smart speaker guide and right now it’s down to a low of $55 for Prime members, which is about $5 more than it sold for on Black Friday, which was the all-time low. This is the latest generation, which came out in 2020, after a redesign put music quality front and center. It also nicely handles all Alexa duties like music streaming control and launching smart home routines.

Amazon Echo Dot

The smaller version is actually Amazon’s best-selling Echo device. And right now the Echo Dot is down to $23 for Prime Day, which is a 54 percent discount over its usual $50 price tag and the lowest its gone since its release last year. 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 Alexa’s help, like answering questions, setting timers and controlling your smart home just by asking.

Echo Studio

The Echo Studio is Amazon’s biggest smart speaker and is currently on sale for $155, which is 23 percent off its regular price of $200 and matches its all-time low. The focus here is the quality of the audio and we gave it an 88 in our review, impressed with the hi-res sound. It’s not a small speaker at nearly eight pounds and over eight inches tall, but all that space manages to pack three two-inch midrange speakers, a single one-inch tweeter and a 5.25-inch downward-facing woofer.

Bose SoundLink Flex

Bose’s SoundLink Flex is one of our recommended Bluetooth speakers under $200. Usually $150, it’s down to $129 for Prime members, which is a $40 discount that matches the lowest price. It gives bright, dynamic finesse to music and delivers a significant amount of bass for its size. It’s about the size of a clutch bag and even has a small loop strap to further the comparison. And of course it’s IP67 rated so it can handle the elements.

Anker Soundcore Motion +

Anker’s Soundcore Motion + is normally $100 but is discounted to $75 for Prime members as a Lightning Deal. In our guide, we said it produces good sound for the price, which is even more true now. It’s a little heavier than you’d expect, and the soft-touch exterior shows fingerprints, but if those aren’t deal-breakers for you, you’ll enjoy bright and bassy output, a connected app with EQ customization and IPX7 water resistance.

Anker Soundcore 2

With over 100k positive ratings, Anker’s tiny but mighty Soundcore 2 is a great buy at its usual $40, but Prime Day savings bring it down to just $28 for Prime members. It has a IPX7 rating so it can handle an accidental dunk in water and the battery will deliver a claimed 24 hours of play time. Two Soundcore 2s can pair up for stereo sound, so if the price tempts you to get a set, you may as well go for it.

JBL Charge 5

JBL's Charge 5 is usually $180 but is down to $120 for Prime members. It also made Engadgets speaker guide, and has a separate tweeter, and dual bass radiators for bigger sound and of course can handle a dunk in water. It's got a long, 20-hour battery life and can even share some of that juice with your phone via the USB-C port.

JBL Boombox 2

JBL’s Boombox 2 is $250 for Prime Day, which is $200 off the list price. We recommend the third generation of JBL’s Boombox speaker in our guide because it’s loud and comes in a take-anywhere package. This previous model offers 24 hours of playback, has a waterproof design and can recharge your phone. At 13 pounds, it’s big but still portable.

Sony SRS-XP700

Sony’s party-sized SRS-XP700 Bluetooth speaker is down to $398 after a $150 discount for Prime Day. It pumps out loud, thumping beats, stands over two feet tall and emits lighting effects that sync with what’s playing. It weighs 37 pounds, so the grab bars on the top and bottom make a lot of sense. It can go for 25 hours on a charge and offers a bit of water-resistance to accidental splashes, but its size and build make it less rough and tumble than other portable Bluetooth speakers.

Samsung HW-Q700B

Samsung’s HW-Q700B soundbar is currently $398 for Prime members after a steep 47 percent discount off its $698 MSRP. It's the runner-up midrange soundbar in Engadget’s guide and supports Dolby Atmos and Q-Symphony, which allows you to play sound from both the soundbar and your late model Samsung TV. Other Samsung tech like SpaceFit and Adaptive Sound help automatically calibrate the speaker to sound better in your space.

Vizio V21t-J8

The Vizio V21t-J8 carries a list price of $160 but is presently $140 for Prime Day, which isn't an all time low and just $20 off but we think this is the best budget soundbar you can buy, even when it's full price. It doesn’t take up a lot of space and supports Bluetooth, HDMI ARC/eARC, 3.5mm and optical connections (but not WiFi). It also employs DTS Virtual:X, which promises more three-dimensional sound without requiring a bunch of extra speakers.

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.

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.

Amazon’s latest Prime Day sale includes a handful of deals on notebooks we like, from MacBooks to Chromebooks to gaming laptops. Prime Day usually brings decent laptop sales, but the biggest downside is that your only options are the configurations that Amazon offers. There's usually good variety, but we still recommend going directly to your manufacturer of choice if you want to spec out your new machine precisely. But for those who are comfortable picking up a pre-configured model, here are the best Prime Day laptop deals we could find this year.

Apple MacBook Air M2 (15-inch)

The 15.3-inch version of Apple’s MacBook Air M2 is down to $1,399 for a configuration with 8GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. That’s a modest $50 drop from its usual price on Amazon, but the notebook only just arrived last month, and it's $100 less than buying from Apple directly. The M2 Air is the top pick in our guide to the best laptops, and we gave it a review score of 96 in June. It checks just about all the requisite boxes for a mainstream notebook, with a thin and light design, bright and accurate display, comfortable keyboard, long-lasting battery, and more than enough performance for everyday use. This 15-inch model has all the same benefits of the prior 13-inch model, but adds a more powerful speaker system and slightly upgraded GPU alongside the bigger screen.

Apple MacBook Air M1

The M1 MacBook Air released back in 2020, but it remains a worthy option if you want a Mac for light work and web browsing for as little cash as possible. The entry-level configuration is now on sale for $750, which is a new low. Apple sells this device for $999, though we’ve seen it go for $799 for most of the past few months. This model’s keyboard, trackpad, display and battery life continue to impress, and the quiet M1 chip is still fast enough for the essentials. This configuration is strictly for casual use, though, as it only has 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. You’ll have to live with a more basic 720p webcam, too, and you’ll miss out on the improved speakers and slimmer bezels of the M2 model. We gave the M1 Air a review score of 94 at launch.

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch (2023)

While the MacBook Air is more than enough laptop for most, the MacBook Pro should appeal to creatives who need more power for serious media editing. As of this writing, the 14.2-inch Pro with an M2 Pro chip, 16GB of RAM and 512GB SSD is available for $1,799. We've seen it go for $50 less in the past, but if you don't want to wait for another sale, this is still $200 cheaper than buying from Apple direct. Apart from the faster internals, the Pro’s mini-LED display can get brighter than the Air for HDR content, plus it has a 120Hz refresh rate for smoother motion. There’s also a wider port selection, including three Thunderbolt 4 ports, an HDMI 2.1 port and an SDXC card reader. There’s no USB-A port, though, and the chassis is thicker and heavier. We reviewed this notebook back in January and gave it a score of 92.

Apple MacBook Pro 16-inch (2023)

A similar configuration of the 16-inch MacBook Pro is available for $2,299. Again, this isn't an all-time low, but it's about $75 lower than this model's average street price in recent months and $200 off Apple's MSRP. Compared to its smaller counterpart, the 16-inch Pro is rated for a few more hours of battery life, and the base config here has a slightly beefier CPU and GPU.

Acer Chromebook C423

This Acer Chromebook with a Celeron processor, 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage is down to a new low of $180 for Prime Day. Acer makes some of our favorite Chromebooks, and while you can find more powerful models, this C423 laptop should work well if you plan on using the machine for web browsing, email checking and other simple tasks. If you'd rather invest in a strong Chromebook, this Prime Day sale also includes the Acer Chromebook Spin 314 with a Pentium processor, 8GB of RAM and 128GB of storage for $339.

Acer Nitro 5

The Acer Nitro 5 is the runner up pick in our guide to the best budget gaming laptops, and right now a configuration with a Core i5-12500H, GeForce RTX 3050 Ti, 144Hz 1080p display, 16GB of RAM and 512GB is available for $780. That’s a new low and roughly $120 off this model’s typical street price. This is a chunky plastic machine, and you’ll need to ratchet down the settings in certain games to hit a decent frame rate. But getting a 144Hz display and enough power to keep up with modern games is a plus at this price. As an affordable yet competent entry point to PC gaming, it’s a fine value.

Razer Blade 15

A configuration of the Razer Blade 15 with a Core i7-12800H processor, GeForce RTX 3070 Ti GPU, 240Hz QHD display, 16GB of RAM and 1TB SSD is down to $1,923 for Prime Day. That’s about $375 off its usual street price in recent months. We gave the Blade 15 a review score of 86 last year, and we currently recommend it as a premium pick in our guide to the best gaming laptops. This config is a 2022 model – the latest version is largely a spec bump – but it’ll still be powerful enough to play most modern games at high settings and frame rates, particularly with DLSS. The main reason to pay the premium for any Blade laptop, though, is because it packs that power in a slim and premium-feeling aluminum design. Just note that it can run hot, and that its battery life is fairly short.

If you want a larger 17-inch display, a version of the Blade 17 with similar specs is available for $2,000. The smaller Blade 14, meanwhile, is more modestly discounted at $2,300 for a 2022 config with a Ryzen 9 6900HX, RTX 3080 Ti and 165Hz display.

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.

Summer is all about relaxing, and that includes getting out of doing chores whenever possible. No, we're not saying to let your place turn into a mess, just to automate tasks anywhere you can. Prime Day deals are making it more affordable to do just that, such as the 46 percent discount on Shark's AI Ultra 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum — one of Engadget's best vacuums of the year. At $380, down from $700, the robovac is available at a record low price.

The 2-in-1 model uses Matrix Clean to map out a detailed grid of your entire home and hit every little nook and cranny where dirt might be hiding. It also uses a brushroll to get packed in dirt out of hardwood floors and carpets. On the mop side of things, the robovac can scrub up to 100 times per minute and has an option on the app to initiate "Matrix Mop," which is 50 percent better at removing stains. The AI 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum is also self-emptying, with its base holding up to 60 days worth of debris. Think about it: You won't need to go near household dirt until September.

If the Shark AI 2-in-1 Robot Vacuum isn't for you, there are a few great robot vacuums on sale for Prime Day this year. iRobot's Roomba 694 is the cheapest option, down from $275 to $199, whereas the Shark AI Ultra Voice Control model is slightly more expensive at $419, down from $599.

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.

Proton, which is best known for its end-to-end encrypted email service, is launching its cloud-based storage solution on Windows starting today. Up until now, Proton’s Drive service was available via the web and on mobile via its iOS and Android apps. The company rebranded itself last year from ProtonMail to just Proton, an indicator that it has ambitions beyond just email. Earlier this year, the company also launched a password manager.

The key difference between Proton Drive and other cloud-based storage options is that it will offer free, encrypted file storage by default. The service will also offer all of the essentials such as multi-device syncing, offline downloads and version history. Proton says that it saw beta Windows users upload five times more data than its mobile and web app users combined. It says that over 65 percent of its overall users access the service from a Windows device, which probably explains why a Windows app came before a Mac one. Proton claims that all files are encrypted before they’re uploaded to its servers so “not even Proton can access these files.”

Proton

For $12.99 per month or $119.88 per year, users gain access to unlimited email, 500GB of total storage, and access to the company’s VPN, password manager and calendar services. The company also has a family sharing option for up to six users that gets you 3TB of storage for $29.99 per month or $287.88 per year. For those that don’t need the extra storage or all the extra bells and whistles, Proton offers a $4.99 per month or $47.88 per year option for 200GB of storage, while a free tier that gets you up to 1GB. All paid plans have additional savings if you decide to pay for two years upfront.

With today’s announcement, Proton Drive now has native applications on Windows, iOS and Android. The company says that a native Mac application is coming soon, though it seems to have missed its plans to offer early access in the first half of 2023.