Meta's rival to Twitter called Threads, an Instagram app is set to launch tomorrow in the US and UK, but it may not come to the rest of Europe anytime soon. A Meta spokesperson told Ireland's Data Protection Commission that the service will not be rolled in the EU "at this point," Independent.ie has reported. 

Threads may not be launching in much of Europe due to more stringent data privacy requirements. The DPC is apparently not blocking the service — instead, it's Meta that has "not yet prepared the service for a European launch outside the UK, which is not fully governed by GDPR or EU privacy rules," according to the report.

The EU just hit Meta with a ruling that it must obtain consent from users before delivering personalized ads in the region. Prior to that, the company was hit with a €390 million EU fine (about $425 million) for not receiving consent before serving up such ads. 

On top of that, in 2021, the DPC fined WhatsApp €225 million ($266.8 million at the time) or not providing enough detail on how it shares EU users' data with Facebook. That could pose a problem for Threads in its current state, as it automatically imports data from Instagram, including advertising and behavior information, according to the policy listed on its iOS App Store page. 

Threads is arriving amidst issues with Twitter like "rate limits" on tweets and degraded service for the power-user app Tweetdeck. Many of Twitter's active users have been seeking an alternative with apps like Bluesky and Mastodon, but some see Threads as the most viable option due to Meta's scale. That's despite any reservations they may have about CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Facebook's track record on privacy and other issues.

Seven companies, mostly made up of American tech giants, have notified the European Commission that they meet the criteria to be classified as "gatekeepers" under the Digital Markets Act (DMA). Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, TikTok owner ByteDance, Meta, Microsoft and Samsung have declared that they meet the thresholds the EU set when it passed the new law. According to Reuters, Booking.com also expects to meet gatekeeper status by the end of the year and will notify authorities by then. 

Gatekeepers are companies with an annual turnover in Europe of at least €7.5 billion (US$8.16 billion) in the last three financial years or those with a fair market value of at least €75 billion (US$81.6 billion) in the last financial year in at least three member states of the EU. They must also have served more than 45 million monthly active end users and more than 10,000 yearly active business users in the EU over the last three years. These criteria were designed to include the biggest players in the field, since as the law's name indicates, it's meant to cover large online platforms that act as "gatekeepers" in digital markets. 

Under the DMA, gatekeepers will be prohibited from favoring their own services over their rivals' and from locking users into their ecosystem. They must allow third parties to interoperate with their own services. They must also allow business users to promote their products/services and "conclude contracts with their customers outside the gatekeepers' platform." In Google's and Apple's case, that means they can't prevent developers from using a different payment systems other than their own. The companies can't prohibit users from removing pre-installed apps or from sideloading apps from outside sources, as well. That will mean huge changes for Apple, in particular, whose ecosystem has been designed as a "walled garden" for the longest time. In December last year, Bloomberg reported that Apple was preparing to allow third-party app stores and sideloading with the release of iOS 17. 

All gatekeepers will have to comply with all aspects of the DMA in 2024. For now, European authorities will be reviewing the submissions and will be designating the gatekeepers for specific platform services by September 6th. 

On Monday, meteorologists documented the hottest day in recorded history, according to US National Centers for Environmental Prediction (via Reuters). July 3rd, 2023 saw average global temperatures edge past 17-degrees Celsius (62.62 Fahrenheit) for the first time since satellite monitoring of global temperatures began in 1979. Scientists believe Monday is also the hottest day on record since humans began using instruments to measure daily temperatures in the late 19th century. The previous record was set in August 2016 when the world’s average temperature climbed to 16.92C (62.45 Fahrenheit).

This week, the southern US is sweltering under a heat dome that has sent local temperatures past the 110 Fahrenheit mark (43C). Even places that normally aren’t known for their warm weather have been unseasonably hot in recent days and weeks, with the Vernadsky Research Base in Antarctica recording a July high of 8.7C.

Scientists attribute the recent heat to a combination of El Niño and ongoing human-driven emissions of greenhouse gases. Studies have shown that climate change is contributing to heat waves that are more frequent, last longer and hotter than ever. "The average global surface air temperature reaching 17C for the first time since we have reliable records available is a significant symbolic milestone in our warming world," climate researcher Leon Simons told BBC News. "Now that the warmer phase of El Niño is starting we can expect a lot more daily, monthly and annual records breaking in the next 1.5 years.”

A judge has blocked the Biden administration and other federal officials from communicating with social media companies in a case that could have far-reaching implications. On Tuesday, a Trump-appointed judge granted the state attorneys general in Louisiana and Missouri a temporary injunction against the federal government, reports The Washington Post. The two Republican lawyers sued President Joe Biden and other top government officials, including Dr. Anthony Fauci and Surgeon General Vivek Murthy, last year, accusing them of colluding with Meta, Twitter and YouTube to remove “truthful information” related to the COVID-19 lab leak theory, 2020 election and other topics.

Although he has yet to make a final ruling in the case, Judge Terry A. Doughty wrote in his order that the Republican attorneys general “produced evidence of a massive effort by Defendants, from the White House to federal agencies, to suppress speech based on its content.” While the order grants some exceptions for the government to communicate with Meta, Twitter and YouTube, it also specifically targets more than a dozen individual officials. Among those are Jen Easterly, the director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency, and Alejandro Mayorkas, the secretary of Homeland Security.

The lawsuit is the latest effort by some Republicans to allege the Biden administration pressured social media platforms to censor conservative views. The GOP has aired that grievance in a few different venues — including, most notably, a contentious House Oversight Committee hearing at the start of the year related to the so-called “Twitter Files.” The lawsuit from the attorneys general of Louisiana and Missouri takes a different tack. Instead of directly targeting Meta, Twitter and YouTube, which argue they have a First Amendment right to decide what content is allowed on their platforms, the attorneys general sued the federal government. Whatever happens next, that strategy has already led to the most successful effort yet to counter online content moderation. 

Separately, it's worth noting Meta, Twitter and YouTube have all recently scaled back their moderation policies in one way or another. In the case of YouTube, for instance, the company said last month it would begin allowing videos that falsely claim fraud occurred during the 2020 election. Meta, meanwhile, last month back its COVID-19 misinformation rules for Instagram and Facebook in countries where the pandemic is no longer deemed a national emergency. 

Twitter has been even more of a mess than usual over the last few days, in part because it limited the number of tweets users could read each day. The decision came as a surprise to many, but the company said it was unable to give folks a heads up.

"We temporarily limited usage so we could detect and eliminate bots and other bad actors that are harming the platform," a Twitter Business blog post reads. "Any advance notice on these actions would have allowed bad actors to alter their behavior to evade detection."

While some have been skeptical of Twitter's reasoning for the move, the company says it limited the rate limit to stop bad actors from scraping public data to feed into artificial intelligence models and to prevent them from "manipulating people and conversation on the platform in various ways." It says that the rate limits currently impact a small percentage of users and it will provide an update when these efforts are complete.

It seemed strange that Twitter posted this update on its business blog until the company mentioned that rate limiting has had a "minimal" effect on advertising. Many pointed out that limiting the number of tweets users could read per day would make it harder for advertisers to reach users and for Twitter to make money.

Rate limiting broke Twitter's website and apps for the most part, including TweetDeck, an app that many power users rely on. To help remedy that, the company released "a new, improved version of TweetDeck." The company is moving all users over to the latest version, but there was another twist in store: Twitter is making the app exclusive to verified accounts, effectively putting a paywall on TweetDeck for the vast majority of users.

The Las Vegas skyline will soon be dominated by a massive display. MSG Entertainment has started full testing of the Sphere, a 17,600-seat venue near the The Venetian Resort that's defined by an enormous (516ft across and 366ft tall) animated dome and a wraparound internal 16K LED screen. It's eye-catching on the outside, but the main attraction is the immersion for live entertainment on the internal display — it's meant to rethink concerts and cinematic experiences.

As MSG's James Dolan and David Dribble explain to Rolling Stone, the aim is to effectively create a VR experience without the "damn goggles." Creators use a special camera to produce footage that envelops the audience. There's also a unique 164,000-speaker audio system that can isolate specific sounds, or even limit them to certain parts of the audience. One section could hear only Spanish-language dialog, for instance.

Like "4D" movie theaters, the MSG Sphere also has a sensory experience for some guests. About 10,000 seats have haptics, cold, heat wind and scents. If you're on a virtual trip to the Arctic, you might feel the coolness while you watch.

The venue will have its first performance on September 29th, when U2 starts a 25-show run with a custom production. The shows have effectively sold out, so you'll have to rely on the inevitable flurry of social media videos to see what the Sphere looks like during its inaugural stint. Partial screen testing took place this spring.

Whether or not it's a wise investment isn't clear. Construction started in 2019, but the pandemic and technological complexity have swelled the expected cost to $2.3 billion. That will make it the most expensive venue in Las Vegas to date (even the Raiders' Allegiant Stadium costs 'just' $1.9 billion), and there are no guarantees MSG will recoup its investment in a timely fashion. It's not clear what comes after U2's concerts, either, although there is the possibility of hosting eSports tournaments and mixed martial arts fights.

The draw, however, is clear. Large-scale concerts typically take place in stadiums where the audio, visuals and seating are designed around sports, not music. Even traditional concert halls haven't changed much over the decades. In theory, you'll make a pilgrimage to the Sphere to get an experience you simply can't get elsewhere.

While there’s a week to go until Amazon officially kicks off Prime Day, the company is getting things started early with deals on many of its own products. Ring video doorbells, cameras and security systems are among the products on sale. A bundle of a Ring Video Doorbell and Echo Show 5 (which you can use to monitor what the doorbell sees) typically costs $190. However, for Prime members, Amazon has dropped the price by 66 percent to $65. That's the lowest price we've seen for this bundle to date.

You'll get the second-gen Ring Video Doorbell, which Amazon released in 2020. While Amazon has released two newer versions in the interim, it's still a capable device. It offers up to 1080p HD video, while the original was limited to 720p. It can run on battery power alone, or you can hardwire it or connect it to a Ring solar charger.

A privacy zone option enables you to block out certain areas of the field of view from recordings. There are adjustable motion zones (you'll receive a notification when someone triggers the built-in motion sensor or presses the doorbell), an audio privacy setting and, Amazon claims, improved night vision over the first model.

The Echo Show 5, meanwhile, is the new third-gen model that Amazon released in May. Although the design is almost the same as the previous version, the latest Echo Show 5 is 20 percent faster and offers "double the bass" through an upgraded speaker system, Amazon says. The device typically retails for $90 alone.

In case you don't need or want an Echo Show 5 (you can still see a video feed from the doorbell on a phone, tablet or PC), you can pick up the second-gen Ring Video Doorbell by itself for $55 if you're a Prime member. This again is a record low price. The device usually sells for $100.

There are lots of deals elsewhere in the Ring sale. Prime members can get 50 percent off the second-gen Ring Indoor Cam that Amazon released several weeks ago. It's on sale for $30. Those looking for more peace of mind may be interested in a Ring Alarm kit. Several options are on sale, including the latest version of the five-piece kit. That has dropped from $200 to $120. 

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.

Meta will have to limit the reach of its personalized ads in the European Union. The region's Court of Justice has ruled that Meta's Facebook brand will need to obtain consent before delivering at least some personalized ads in the EU. The custom ads "cannot justify" processing that volume of data without users' permission, according to the ruling.

We've asked Meta for comment. In a statement to The Wall Street Journal, a spokesperson said the social media giant was still "evaluating the court's decision" and would say more in the future.

Meta is already appealing a €390 million EU fine (now worth about $425 million) for requiring that Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp users accept personalized ads just to use those platforms. The governing body requires "freely given" consent for features, and believes Meta violated the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) by asking for ad targeting data just to use Facebook, Instagram and WhatsApp on a basic level. In the new ruling, the Court of Justice said it was up to a site operator to prove that people willingly give permission.

The decision is included in a larger court finding that local competition regulators, such as Germany's Federal Cartel Office, can factor in compliance with other laws (such as the GDPR) when investigating antitrust cases. Put simply, a country could decide that rule breaking in one area is evidence of broader anti-competitive behavior.

The ruling is somewhat vague, and it's not clear just how officials will interpret the requirement in practice. Meta might have to ask permission to provide personalized ads on Facebook and other platforms. That could improve privacy for users, but affect the company's bottom line. The outfit warned of a hit to its ad revenue when iOS 14 gave users the ability to reject ad tracking in apps — this could represent another blow that affects everyone in the EU, regardless of the device they use.

Here's your chance to get a Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 for a price lower than anything we've seen it go for on Amazon. You can get the Galaxy Watch 5 for as low as $199, or 29 percent less than its retail price. The price applies to the 40mm Bluetooth smartwatches in gray and pink gold, though the silver and navy/mustard color options are only just a dollar more expensive at $200. Samsung's Galaxy Watch 5 models are most likely on sale, because the company could launch its next-gen wearables at its Unpacked event scheduled for late July. But this model is still a solid option if you're looking for a smartwatch with health tracking capabilities. 

We gave the Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 a score of 85 in our review and praised it for having a clean design and a durable build. We also praised the smartwatch for having comprehensive health and activity tracking features. The device has an advanced sleep tracker that can detect and and analyze sleep stages. It can monitor your activity, remind you to get up and suggest simple exercises, as well as track activities like running, rowing and swimming. The watch can also analyze your body composition — we found its results to be pretty spot on — and has a more accurate heart rate sensor than its predecessor. 

If you want one of the larger watches, some of the 44mm Galaxy Watch 5 models are also on sale. The Bluetooth versions are currently list for $229, while the LTE models will set you back at least $279.

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Amazon Prime Day 2023 is one week away on July 11th, but you don't have to wait until then to get a good deal. The company has started to roll out a few early Prime Day deals before the two-day shopping event officially commences, including, as expected, several discounts on its own devices and services. We've rounded up the best early access Prime Day deals we can find below. Remember that you'll need to subscribe to Prime to take advantage of many (but not all) of the offers, and that there's always a chance that prices drop lower during the event itself. For those with no interest in Prime, we've also included a few of the best tech deals from this week that aren't explicitly tied to the event. We'll stay on the lookout as Prime Day gets nearer and update this roundup with new offers as they arise.

Amazon's Fire HD 10 tablet

Prime members can save 50 percent on Amazon’s Fire HD 10 tablet right now, which is $75 off its $150 list price, and the lowest we’ve seen for the company’s largest slate. It’s a decent entertainment companion, letting you stream video, browse the web, get sucked into social media and make Zoom calls. It has a 1080p screen resolution, 3GB of RAM and 32GB of storage. Note that the 50 percent discount applies to the version with lockscreen ads, so you’ll see promotions on both when your device is in sleep mode and at the bottom of your home screen. If you want a Fire HD 10 without ads, you’ll pay $90, which is still a 45 percent discount, but again, only for Prime members

Echo Buds (2023)

The latest generation of Echo Buds just came out in May yet they’re already 30 percent off at Amazon for Prime members. Usually $50, you can get them for $35, which is $15 off and the lowest price we’ve seen yet. For the third generation of Amazon’s buds, the company dropped the starting price $70 lower than the second gen buds, but also removed the active noise cancellation and changed the shape to eliminate the in-ear tip. Most other specs stayed the same, including built-in Alexa assistance and customizable tap controls. The charge capacity of the case actually went up by a few hours, giving you 20 total hours from the buds and case combined.

Blink Mini

A two-pack of Blink Mini security cameras is on sale for $34 right now, or you can get one for only $18. While these cameras are wired, they have most of the same features as the standard wireless Blink cameras including 1080p video recordings and support for two-way talk and motion alerts. Most other Blink wireless cameras are on sale right now as well, allowing you to deck out your whole space with multiple cameras for much less than usual.

Amazon eGift Card + $5 promo credit

Amazon will give Prime members a $5 promotional credit when you buy an eGift card valued at $50 or more before July 10th. You must use the promo credit by August 25, 2023, but there’s a wide range of stuff you can use it on. The only things you cannot buy with the promo credit are items sold by third-party merchants and e-books.

Ring Video Doorbell + Echo Show 5

Amazon’s huge Ring early Prime Day sale includes a bundle that gives you the Ring Video Doorbell plus an Echo Show 5 for only $65. Considering the Video Doorbell by itself is going for $55 as an early Prime Day deal, that means you’ll only spend $10 on the Show 5 if you opt for the bundle. Now’s a good time to add to your existing Ring security system, or start from scratch, while most of the lineup is up to half off for Prime members.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max

Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K Max has dropped to only $25 for Prime members before Prime Day, which is more than half off its regular price. This is the most powerful streaming dongle Amazon makes, with 40 percent more power than the standard Fire TV Stick 4K, plus support for WiFi 6, HDR10+, Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos audio. A few other Fire streaming devices have been discounted as well, including the latest Fire TV Cube, which Prime members can pick up for $110.

Amazon Kindle Unlimited 3-month membership

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

Audible Premium Plus 3-month membership

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

Motorola Razr+

The foldable Moto Razr+, which went on sale just this week, is already getting a 15 percent discount at Amazon for Prime Day. The promo is only for Prime members and you’ll need to request an invite, after which you’ll be able to buy the phone on prime day for the discounted price. While jumping through Amazon’s hoops is mildly annoying, doing so will get you an unlocked Razr+ $850 instead of $1,000.

We spent some time with the new foldable before it came out and gave it a full review upon its debut. The verdict? Samsung’s Galaxy foldables have some serious competition. The Razr+ has a 6.9-inch screen when open and offers a 3.6-inch screen when folded, which is much larger than the 1.9-inch exterior screen on the Galaxy Z Flip 4. The foldable design unlocks different uses, including acting as its own tripod and taking up less space in your pocket. Plus the compact puck has a cool retro vibe, while feeling futuristic at the same time.

Eero Pro routers

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

Amazon Eero 6+ system + FireTV Stick 4K Max

If you’ve signed up for gigabit internet from your ISP, this might be a good time to get a mesh WiFi system that can deliver those speeds. Right now Amazon is selling three Eero 6+ mesh WiFi routers bundled with a FireTV Stick 4K Max for $195 to Prime members. That’s $160 less than you’d pay for the four devices separately. The streaming device can turn any TV smart and supports not just 4K video, but also the enhanced throughput of WiFi 6. If you don’t need the FireTV Stick, the three Eero 6+ mesh routers alone are selling for the same $195, which is a 35 percent discount off the list price.

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd gen)

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

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom is $10 off at Amazon and Walmart, bringing the hit Switch game down to a more traditional price of $60. As our review notes, Tears of the Kingdom doesn't stray too far from Breath of the Wild, but it enriches its landmark predecessor's ideas with a full-size underworld, fantastical sky islands and malleable crafting mechanics. Most importantly, it gets the core promise of a Zelda game right: that sense of being and adventuring in another world.

There are a few other video game deals of note. For the Switch, Metroid Dread, Xenoblade Chronicles 3 and Fire Emblem: Three Houses are each down to $42, the remake of the classic RPG Live A Live is down to $35 and the Portal Companion Collection is on sale for $10. Over on PC, the open-world racer Forza Horizon 5 is down to $30, while Prime members can claim a couple of underrated older gems, the space FPS Prey and the 2D Metroidvania SteamWorld Dig 2, for no added cost.

Samsung Pro Plus microSD card

The 128GB version of Samsung's latest Pro Plus microSD card is down to a new low of $13. That's $6 off its MSRP. If you need more space, the 512GB model is within a few cents of its best price at $43.52. The Pro Plus is the top pick in our guide to the best microSD cards, as it finished at or near the top of all of our sequential and random speed tests. It also comes with a 10-year warranty.

Apple Watch Series 8

Apple’s flagship smartwatch, the Apple Watch Series 8, usually sells for $399 for the 41mm GPS model, but right now Amazon is selling it for $329, which matches its all-time low. The smartwatch has dipped to this discount quite a few times over the last few months and this time it applies to the Midnight, Silver and Starlight colorways, not the Product Red version. The option with the larger, 45mm case is currently $359, or 16 percent off its usual $429, but only in Midnight or Starlight — Product Red and Silver are not on sale. 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.

Apple iPad (9th gen)

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

Apple MacBook Air M1

Apple's M1 MacBook Air is back on sale for $800, which is a deal we've seen multiple times before but ties the laptop's all-time low. Like the 9th-gen iPad, the M1 MacBook Air is on the older side these days; if you can afford the newest Air with an updated design, better webcam and faster M2 chip, it's worth doing so. But if you just want a competent MacBook to do light work and web browsing for as little cash as possible, the M1 Air remains a solid value at this price. Its keyboard, trackpad and battery life are still excellent, and the M1 chip is still fast enough for the essentials. Just make sure you stick to lighter workloads, though, as this model only has 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. 

Xbox Series X + bonus controller bundle

Microsoft had a big showing at this month's Summer Game Fest, so if you planned on picking up an Xbox Series X before Starfield and Forza Motorsport arrive, note that Verizon is selling the $500 console with a second controller for no extra cost. That isn't anything crazy, but spare Xbox controllers normally go for $50 or so, and discounts of any kind for the Series X have been few and far between. In fact, Microsoft said this week that it's raising the price of the console in much of the world on August 1. The $300 Xbox Series S is still a strong value for those who don't care about top-of-the-line hardware, but if you need a disc drive and more consistent performance, the Series X is your best bet.

Shark RV1001AE

Shark makes some of our favorite robot vacuums and right now the Shark RV1001AE is half price, making it $300 instead of its $600 street price. This model has a bagless, self-emptying base, that you won’t have to empty for quite some time as it has a claimed capacity of up to 45 days. While we didn’t try this exact model, we’ve found vacs from Shark to be easy to set up and appreciate Shark’s easy-to-use companion app. Shark’s mapping function is also accurate and the bagless base will save you money in the long run as buying device-specific bags can get pricey.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5

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

Google Pixel 7a + Pixel Buds A-Series

Amazon knocked $100 off a bundle that includes the Google Pixel 7a smartphone and the Pixel Buds A-Series, bringing it down to $499. This is a great bundle if you've needed a phone upgrade but didn't want to spend a ton of money. The Pixel 7a is the best midrange phone you can get right now, thanks to its fast Tensor G2 chipset, smooth 90Hz display, IP67 water resistance, fantastic cameras and support for wireless charging. The Pixel Buds A-Series are almost the earbud-complement to the Pixel 7a — they're not as feature-rich as the Pixel Buds Pro, but they have deep Google Assistant integration, solid sound quality and a comfy fit.

Xbox Wireless Headset

Xbox’s Wireless Headset is 20 percent off and down to $80 right now. It’s designed to work with the Xbox Series X, S and One, along with Windows 10 devices, too. It supports spatial audio technologies including Windows Sonic, Dolby Atmos, and DTS Headphone:X, and it has up to 15 hours of battery life.

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