The reviews keep coming this week. After all the AI tricks, rock-climbing and specification barrage we saw at Google’s big Pixel reveal event, how do Google’s flagship smartphones stack up?

Pretty well, according to our reviews of both the Pixel 8 Pro and Pixel 8. The surprise highlight is AI, using machine learning and its homemade Tensor G3 chip in a tangible and practical way compared to services like ChatGPT or Midjourney. This includes making your photos look better, videos sound better and adds interactive robo-voice panache to call screening.

Engadget

Both devices once again have incredibly capable cameras, with 5x optical zoom on the Pixel 8 Pro (matching the iPhone 15 Pro Max) and new pro controls too. According to Engadget’s Sam Rutherford, the Pixel 8 Pro feels like the most powerful smartphone camera on the market.

If there is one caveat, both the Pixel 8 and 8 Pro cost $100 more than their predecessors. In the review, we break down all the new AI features and test the cameras out at that classic photo event — a coworker’s wedding.

(We also reviewed the Pixel Watch 2, but it’s less of a ringing endorsement.)

— Mat Smith

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California’s right to repair bill is now California’s right to repair law

Governor Newsom signed the legislation Tuesday.

Phone-Service-Centre via Getty Images

California is the third state to pass a right to repair consumer protection law, following Minnesota and New York. The California Right to Repair bill was originally introduced in 2019.

“This is a victory for consumers and the planet, and it just makes sense,” Jenn Engstrom, state director of CALPIRG, told iFixit. “Right now, we mine the planet’s precious minerals, use them to make amazing phones and other electronics, ship these products across the world and then toss them away after just a few years’ use.”

There are exceptions to the rules. No, it doesn’t cover your PS5 — not even that new skinny one. Nor are alarm systems or heavy industrial equipment that “vitally affects the general economy of the state, the public interest and the public welfare.”

Continue reading.

EU official gives Mark Zuckerberg 24 hours to respond to Israel misinformation concerns

It comes a day after a similar letter to X owner Elon Musk.

The European Union’s regulatory commissioner posted a single-page correspondence to Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, giving the Facebook founder 24 hours to respond. The letter acknowledges areas where Meta’s content moderation has improved but raises concerns about misinformation (including deepfakes) on the company’s social platforms as the Israel–Hamas conflict continues.

The EU’s Digital Services Act (DSA) requires social companies, like Meta, to moderate and remove illegal and harmful content. The law requires platforms operating in the EU to police malicious material proactively. It can levy fines of up to six percent of any infringing companies’ total revenue.

Continue reading.

NASA reveals what it found on the asteroid Bennu

The OSIRIS-REx even returned ‘bonus asteroid material.’

NASA

In a livestream show-and-tell, NASA scientists outlined what they’ve discovered so far. The big news here is that samples from the 4.5-billion-year-old Bennu asteroid contain not only carbon, but also water. These are the building blocks of life on Earth and, likely, everywhere else. These samples have only been on the planet since September 25, and initial studies just began. NASA also noted it got “bonus asteroid material” covering the outside of the collector head, canister lid and base.

Continue reading.

Microsoft might owe $28.9 billion in back taxes

It needs to check its spreadsheets again.

Microsoft owes the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) $28.9 billion in back taxes, not including penalties and interest, at least according to the tax authority. The tech giant has revealed in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it received a series of Notices of Proposed Adjustment (NOPAs) from the IRS for the tax years 2004 to 2013. Microsoft has been working with the IRS for nearly a decade to address the questions about how it distributed its profits among countries and jurisdictions. The result is this multi-billion-dollar tax bill. The company disagrees, as expected, and said newer tax laws could reduce the back taxes it owes from this particular audit by $10 billion. That’s still $18.9 billion, though.

Continue reading.

Linda Yaccarino, X's CEO, said the company has redistributed its resources and has refocused internal teams, which are now working round the clock to address the platform's needs related to the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Yaccarino talked about the measures the website has taken so far to contain fake news about the Hamas attacks on Israel, along with hateful posts in support of terrorism and violence, in her response to EU officials. 

On October 10, EU Commissioner Thierry Breton sent Elon Musk an "urgent letter," calling his attention and reminding him of X's content moderation obligations under the region's Digital Services Act. Breton said the EU had indications that the platform formerly known as Twitter is being used to disseminate illegal content and disinformation. Some of the images being circulated on the website, Breton said, were manipulated images from unrelated armed conflicts. Others, including supposed footage of military action, were taken from video games. 

Indeed, Open Source Intelligence (OSINT) researchers told Wired that they'd been inundated with false information on the website, making it difficult to rely on X for information gathering. In the past, posts from news outlets on the ground and reputable sources quickly showed up on people's timelines. But now, the website's algorithm is boosting posts by users paying $8 a month for their blue checkmarks, even if they're misleading content and lies. It didn't help that Musk himself endorsed two accounts that had previously been proven to post false information to those who want to follow details about the war. One of those accounts also openly post antisemitic comments. 

In her response, Yaccarino claimed that X has removed or labeled "tens of thousands of pieces of content" since the attack on Israel began. She also said that X has deleted hundreds of Hamas-affiliated accounts from the platform so far, and that it continues to work with counter-terrorism organizations to prevent further distribution of terrorist content on the website. 

According to Yaccarino, the platform now has over 700 Community Notes, the website's crowd-sourced fact-checking tool, related to the attack. And since even media posts can now get notes, around 5,000 posts containing images and videos have been marked with the crowd-sourced messages. The CEO said that notes appear for media and image posts within minutes of them being created and for text posts within a median time of five hours, but X is working to make them show up on posts more quickly. 

In his letter, Breton said that the EU received reports from qualified sources that there were "potentially illegal content" circulating on X despite flags from relevant authorities. Yaccarino addressed that directly in her response, writing that the website has not received any notice from Europol and urging the European Commission to provide more details so that it can investigate further. 

A new bill out of New York is targeting the thing we all have a love-hate relationship with on social media: the algorithm. Governor Kathy Hochul joined lawmakers in introducing the Stop Addictive Feeds Exploitation (SAFE) for Kids Act, which would require a parent or guardian's consent to access algorithm-based feeds on platforms such as TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. In her statement of support, Hochul called for adults to protect their children and villainized algorithms as technology that "follows" and "preys" on young people.

Lawmakers pointed to a range of studies demonstrating social media's association with poor mental health and sleep quality in young people — especially with excessive use. "Social media platforms are fueling a national youth mental health crisis that is harming children's wellbeing and safety," New York State Attorney General Letitia James said. "Young New Yorkers are struggling with record levels of anxiety and depression, and social media companies that use addictive features to keep minors on their platforms longer are largely to blame. This legislation will help tackle the risks of social media affecting our children and protect their privacy."

While pages like TikTok's For You face restrictions, the legislation would allow young people to view content from people they follow without permission. This setup means they can still see accounts with dangerous misinformation or ideals — such as promoting harmful eating habits — as long as they click the follow button. However, the law would also allow parents or guardians to limit the number of hours a person can spend on each app and to restrict access and notifications completely between midnight and 6 AM. Social media platforms that fail to enforce these policies could owe up to $5,000 in damages.

Lawmakers proposed an identical fine for violations of the New York Child Data Protection Act, which was introduced alongside the SAFE for Kids Act. This legislation would ban "collecting, using, sharing or selling" anyone under 18's personal data unless they receive consent or can prove it absolutely necessary.

SAFE for Kids Act's sponsors, State Senator Andrew Gounardes and Assemblywoman Nily Rozic, could bring it before the New York legislature as soon as early 2024. The bill has already faced opposition from Meta and TikTok, as well as Tech:NYC, which represents more than 800 tech companies. Concerns range from restricting free speech to losing out on community-building.

The first state-led bill of this kind passed in Utah earlier this year, requiring anyone under the age of 18 to obtain a parent or guardian's consent to create a social media profile — not just to explore the algorithm. Arkansas enacted a similar law soon after, but a judge blocked it from taking effect in September. Utah's legislation is set to take effect in early 2024. Each of these cases would require more comprehensive age verification on the part of social media companies, likely reviewing an ID of some sort — not something every early adolescent has.

Logitech is bringing together two acquisitions over the past few years in its quest to provide live streamers the tools they need: The company has just launched a Streamlabs desktop plugin for Loupedeck consoles. If you'll recall, the company purchased Streamlabs — a popular livestreaming software that offers a robust set of tools for broadcasting on Twitch, YouTube and Facebook — back in 2019. And in July this year, it acquired Loupedeck, which makes video streaming consoles that rival Elgato's Stream Deck.

The Streamlabs Desktop Plugin 1.0 turns the Loupedeck Live and Live S devices into external controllers for the streaming software. Creators can use the consoles' dials to control audio more precisely, and they can activate Streamlabs' desktop commands and view the status of their livestream straight from their Loupedeck device. They can also set up scenes, sources, audio sources and scene collections in Loupedeck's software, effectively freeing up more space on their monitor, which could instead be used for views of other things, such as their gameplay or chat. Logitech says the new plugin is rolling out with software update 5.8 today and will come preinstalled on all new Loupedeck devices.

"When we acquired Loupedeck earlier this year, we had a goal of providing a more seamless experience for Streamlabs creators from onboarding to everyday use with presets available out of the box for Loupedeck devices," Ujesh Desai, Logitech G's general manager said in a statement. "This 1.0 release is our first offering, which accelerates our goal to bring an ecosystem of hardware and software to creators everywhere, enabling them to focus on doing what they do best, which is make amazing content."

Microsoft owes the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) $28.9 billion in back taxes, not including penalties and interest, at least according to the tax authority. The tech giant has revealed in a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission that it received a series of Notices of Proposed Adjustment (NOPAs) from the IRS for the tax years 2004 to 2013. In its filing, it said that it's been working with the IRS for nearly a decade to address the authority's questions about how it distributed its profits among countries and jurisdictions, and this is the agency's decision after a lengthy investigation. 

To be exact, the IRS audit centered around a practice known as "transfer pricing," which legally allowed companies to allocate profits and expenses between their operations in different regions. Microsoft explained that a lot of large multinational corporations practice this cost-sharing scheme to reflect "the global nature of their business." In its case, its subsidiaries shared in the costs of developing some IPs, which means that they're also entitled to the related profits. As AP notes, though, critics of the regulation argue that companies frequently use it to minimize the taxes they have to pay by reporting lower profits in high tax countries, and vice versa. 

Microsoft explained that the issues raised by the IRS are only relevant to those aforementioned years, because it has since changed its corporate structure and practices. Nevertheless, the IRS believes Microsoft owes $28.9 billion in back taxes. The tech giant disagrees, as expected, and said that newer tax laws could reduce the back taxes it owes from this particular audit by $10 billion. Based on its plan of action shared with the SEC, the company intends to contest the decision to the best of its ability: Microsoft said that it will pursue an appeal within the IRS, which typically takes years to complete, and will even "contest any unresolved issues through the courts" if needed. 

We've reached the last day of Amazon's October Prime Day sale and if you're in the market for some deals that won't break the bank, here are 29 deals that are all under $50. We've found plenty of the less expensive gadgets that we've tested and tried recently. Many, like the JOBY Gorillapod and the JBL Go 3 make excellent stocking stuffers, and there are deals on smart plugs (for indoors and out) that will make your holiday light management far simpler. Amazon is surfacing strong deals on its own Echo smart speakers and Fire TV sticks. Plus you'll find iPhone accessories, chargers, smart home devices which not only make nice gifts for the hard-to-shop-for, they're nice to keep for yourself too. Here are the best Amazon Big Deal Days discounts for under $50.

Amazon Echo Dot

Amazon’s Echo Dot combines the typical utility of Alexa with surprisingly decent sound. It usually retails for $50, but for Big Deal Days, it’s down to $23, which is 54 percent off and matches the all-time low price we saw last Prime Day. We named this one the best sub-$50 smart speakers you can buy — and if you get two, you can make them a stereo pair. The version with a built-in clock is also discounted at $45.

Amazon Echo Dot Kids

The Kids edition of the Echo Dot is usually $60 but is down to $28 for October’s sale. That’s the same price it went for during Amazon’s July sale. It’s basically the Echo Dot, but with a kid-friendly owl or dragon-themed exterior. It also comes with a parental dashboard and a year’s subscription to Amazon Kids+, which includes a selection of kid-appropriate audiobooks, stories and songs.

Amazon Echo Show 5

Amazon updated the Echo Show 5 back in May. It went for half off last Prime Day, but October’s sale is bringing the price down further, to $40 after a 56 percent discount. This is a smaller display that works best as a bedside alarm clock, complete with a snooze button. It’ll also work in smaller spaces as a display-enabled controller for all your connected smart home devices.

Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids

The revamped Echo Show 5 for Kids didn’t make the cut for this list last Prime Day, as it only dropped to $60, but now a steeper discount has brought it down to $45. It’s similar to the regular Echo Show 5, but comes with a cosmic-themed fabric covering and includes a year of Amazon Kids+ with shows, music and audiobooks that are all child-appropriate.

Amazon Echo Pop

Amazon’s smallest Echo smart speaker came out last May and went down to $18 for July’s Prime Day sale. The half-sphere Echo Pop is back down to that all-time low for this October sale, which is a 55 percent discount. A Kids version of the Pop will be released soon, though not until after this Prime sale is over.

Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite

Amazon’s Fire TV Stick Lite usually goes for $30, but a 40 percent Prime Big Deal Days discount has dropped it to just $18. This is the budget pick in Engadget’s streaming device guide and is one of the cheapest ways to make a smaller or secondary TV smart. It supports 1080p streaming with HDR and comes with an Alexa voice remote, though it can’t control the volume or power on your TV.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K

Amazon just updated the Fire TV Stick 4K, adding more processing power and support for Wi-Fi 6. Unfortunately that model isn’t on sale and sticking to its $50 price point. The previous Fire TV Stick 4K, however, is more than half off and down to $23, the same as it went for during the last Prime Day sale. If you don’t have Wi-Fi 6 anyway, you may be happy with this dongle as it still handles 4K video, HDR including Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.

Roku Streaming Stick 4K

We like the straightforward interface of Roku's Streaming Stick 4K and named it the top recommendation in our guide to the best streaming devices. Normally priced at $50, it’s $12 off for the October Prime Day sale — though it went lower last Black Friday (and may do so again). Still, for the price this streaming dongle provides a lot of features, including the vast Roku channel, a helpful universal search function and a private-listening feature via the Roku app. If you only need the budget 1080p version, you can get the Roku Express dongle for $22, which is about $4 more than it went for last November.

TP-Link Kasa Outdoor Smart Plug

Outdoor smart plugs will make turning your holiday lights on and off far easier. In our smart plug guide we found the Kasa Outdoor Smart Plug to be the best pick for Apple HomeKit users. It actually worked great with all smart home assistants, but it was pricier than the Wyze plug that only works with Alexa and Google Home. Now that the Kasa plug is down to $20 — its lowest price ever — that price discrepancy isn’t as large.

Nestout Portable Charger

We tested the Nestout Portable Charger in ways we wouldn’t typically test a battery pack. But since it claims to be waterproof and drop-resistant, we dunked it in water and smacked it down on several hard surfaces. It held up — and it's currently our pick for the best outdoor-worthy portable battery pack. It’s usually $80, but this sale drops it by 37 percent to just sneak under the $50 mark.

Anker Nano Power Bank 10K

We’re in the process of testing Anker’s new Nano Power Bank 10K for our battery pack buying guide and are so far impressed with its clever design, which includes a built-in USB-C cable plus two additional ports for USB-C and USB-A. It’s usually $50, but Amazon’s October sale knocks it down to $35.

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 as part of a Prime Big Deal Days Lightning deal. 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. Since this is a Lightning deal, though, be warned that stock is likely to run dry sooner rather than later.

TP-Link Kasa Smart WiFi Light Bulb

Our favorite budget smart light bulbs are TP-Link's Kasa Smart WiFi Bulbs, which are 35 percent off right now for a four-pack. Installation is easy, and the lights stayed reliably connected during our tests. TP-Link's companion app is simple to navigate as well.

Amazon Echo Buds (2023)

Prime members can get the latest Echo Buds for $35 instead of $50 right now. In Engadget’s review, we were surprised how much these semi-open earbuds can get you for the price. We also named them the best open-design pick in our guide to the best budget earbuds. Note, though, that our top pick in that guide, Anker Soundcore Space A40 earbuds are also on sale for $54 instead of their usual $80. Though that’s technically more than our price threshold here, it’s still a great deal on buds that belie that low price.

Moft Sit-Stand Desk

The Sit-Stand Desk from Moft has a clever folding design that lays flat when not in use but unfurls to lift even heavy laptops to a standing height off your desk. It folds into three other laptop-supporting positions as well, and we named it one of the best MacBook accessories you can buy. Usually $60, it’s down to $48 for the sale.

Samsung Pro Plus microSD card

Our favorite microSD card for most people is the Samsung Pro Plus. It had the fastest sequential write speeds and random performance of any card we tested, and the USB reader that comes with included with this listing helps it reach higher speeds on compatible devices. It’s listed at $38 for the set (though it often goes for $25), and now Prime Day in October brings it to $23.

Samsung Evo Select microSD card

We named the Samsung Evo Select, meanwhile, the best value model in our microSD card guide. Right now its 128GB version is down to $10, which matches its lowest price ever. It may not have the fastest write speeds, but it's good for giving you extra room for your files on the cheap.

SanDisk 128GB microSDXC Card for Nintendo Switch

If stock runs dry on the cards above and you need more room on your Switch, SanDisk's officially licensed microSDXC card is a good pick, particularly when it’s on sale. Right now a 128GB model is within a dollar of its all-time low at just $18.

Blink Video Doorbell

October Prime Day has chopped the price of the Blink Video Doorbell in half, making it just $30. You can install this using your existing doorbell wires or use it battery-powered. It sends 1080p video to your phone or smart display, triggered by motion. To peek at your front door on-demand, you’ll either need to hardwire the device or get a Sync Module 2. To save clips, you can use the Module or a Blink subscription plan.

Ring Video Doorbell Wired

As the name suggests, you’ll have to hook the Ring Video Doorbell Wired up to your existing doorbell wires. Once you do, you’ll get 1080p video sent to your phone or smart display when motion is triggered, or you can check the feed on-demand whenever you’d like. But again, to save and share clips, you’ll need a Ring subscription. The device is on sale for $35, which is $30 off the list price. 

Blink Mini smart security camera (2-pack)

The Blink mini security cameras are wired, indoor cams that will let you check in on your living spaces whenever the mood strikes. A two-pack goes for $65 most days, but for October Prime, the set is down to $40. These motion-activated smart cameras can send live 1080p video to your smartphone or smart display and allow for two-way audio so you can tell the dog to get off the couch.

Amazon Smart Plug

As noted in our smart plug buying guide, we think Amazon’s Smart Plug is your best bet if you use Alexa as your smart home helper. At a deal price of just $13, it's currently 48 percent off and $2 cheaper than the lowest price we’ve tracked. This plug's setup is so simple as to be almost automatic, and its control of lamps, fans and other smart home devices is reliable. Programming schedules in the Alexa app is super simple and may get even easier with future updates.

OtterBox Fast Charge Power Bank

The OtterBox Fast Charge Power Bank is currently just $36 for the 15,000mAh capacity model, which is the version we tested and recommend in our portable battery guide. This pack looks sharp and delivers a fast and reliable charge via USB-C or USB-A.

Jabra Elite 3

Jabra's Elite 3 earbuds are a few years old at this point, but they earned an Engadget review score of 88 for their impressive sound quality, good battery life, reliable touch controls and comfortable fit. They've dropped to $50, or $30 off their list price.

Anker 511 Charger

New Apple Watches don’t come with power adapters, so if you’re looking for one that can deliver a quick charge, we recommend Anker's 511 (Nano 3) charging brick. It’s down to $20 which is a mild, $4 discount, but still a welcome price for a worthwhile smartwatch accessory.

Kasa Smart Plug EP25 (4-pack)

The best smart plug you can buy according to our testing is Kasa’s Smart Plug EP25. It went down to $35 last Prime Day but is down to $33 for October’s sale. We found this plug to be reliable and relatively easy to set up. It works not just with Alexa and the Google Assistant, but also Samsung SmartThings and Apple HomeKit.

HyperX Cloud Stinger 2

The best budget gaming headset you can buy, according to our testing, is the HyperX Cloud Stinger 2. Listed at $50, and often selling for $40, the Prime Day sale drops it down to $35, which matches its all-time low. The sound quality isn’t what you’d get with premium headphones, but the fit is comfortable and the mic is decent.

JBL Go 3

We didn’t test the JBL Go 3 for our Bluetooth speaker guide, but JBL is a brand we recommend often. This diminutive speaker is 40 percent off for the October Prime Day sale, bringing it to $30. The Go 3 is waterproof, includes a hook for hanging and is rated for five hours on a charge. Elsewhere, the Clip 4 portable speaker is down to $45 instead of $80 for the sale.

JOBY Gorillapod 3K Stand

In our tech gift guide, we called the Joby Gorillapod 3K stand “a bargain for such a versatile tool” when it was $45. Now it’s down to just $35. It grips on to poles or stands on its own making it a great vlogging or photography companion.

Your October 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 experts on the best Fall Prime Day deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days sale is turning out to be a great opportunity to pick up some new gaming gear. We're now into the second (and last) day of the sale, but we're still seeing a number of discounts on games and accessories we like. Notable deals include lower-than-usual prices on Nintendo Switch and PS5 exclusives, as well as savings on mice, keyboards, headsets and more. So if you're looking for new titlesto play on your Nintendo Switch, mechanical keyboards for your PC or a decent gaming headset for multiplayer matchups, you'll find those deals and more below. As a reminder, Amazon's “October Prime Day” sale runs until midnight tonight. After that many of the sale prices may disappear (though they may return for Black Friday).

Nintendo Switch games

A number of worthwhile Nintendo Switch exclusives are discounted for Prime Big Deal Days. The offers include the charming turn-based strategy game Mario + Rabbids Sparks of Hope for $20, the tactics RPG Fire Emblem Engage for $30, the wild hack-and-slasher Bayonetta 3 for $37, the tense side-scroller Metroid Dread for $40 and the workout RPG Ring Fit Adventure for $50. Mario Golf: Super Rush and Super Mario Maker 2 are available for $40 each as well. Most of these games are a few years old, and not every deal is an all-time low, but each is at least $10 cheaper than usual.

PlayStation 5 games

Along those lines, various PlayStation games are also on sale, including several entries on our list of the best PS5 games. The giant action game God of War Ragnarök is down to $50, the gorgeous PS5 remake of The Last of Us is down to $46, while the popular open-world games Marvel’s Spider-Man: Miles Morales Ultimate Edition and Horizon Forbidden West are both down to $40. The haunting roguelike Returnal, punishing action-RPG Demon’s Souls, accessible shooter Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart and samurai adventure Ghost of Tsushima: Director’s Cut are all available for $10 less than that. The PS4 copies of some of these games are discounted as well; in Horizon’s case, you can save a little cash by using that to get a free PS5 upgrade. Again, we’ve seen all of these deals before and most aren’t quite all-time lows, but this is still a decent chance to save.

Other video game deals

A few noteworthy non-exclusives are priced a little lower than normal too. The widely acclaimed Elden Ring is down to $40, for example, while the more old-school RPG Octopath Traveler II is down to $28 and the remake of PSP classic Crisis Core: Final Fantasy VII is available for $25. (The latter is a PS4 copy, but you can get a free upgrade to the PS5 edition.) The dungeon crawler Diablo IV is $20 off at $50, while Prime members can grab a free copy of Ghostwire: Tokyo for the PC. The same caveats as above still apply here.

Backbone One

The Backbone One is a well-built gamepad that snaps around the sides of your phone and works immediately with just about any game that supports controller input. It’s also convenient for cloud streaming games from a console or PC. Right now both its USB-C and Lightning models are down to $70, which is $30 off. That’s not an all-time low, but discounts on the device are relatively uncommon. We gave the One a positive review last year, and we currently highlight it in our guide to the best handheld gaming systems. Backbone says the USB-C models will work with Apple’s new iPhone 15 lineup as well.

$100 PlayStation Store Gift Card + $10 Amazon credit

Here's a simple one: If you buy a $100 PlayStation Store digital gift card and use the code PSN100 at checkout, you can get an extra $10 Amazon credit to use on future purchases. If you often use Amazon and plan on picking up new PS5 games, renewing a PlayStation Plus subscription or buying any other content through the PlayStation Store anyway, it's effectively a bit of free money. 

Razer Basilisk V3

The Razer Basilisk V3 is down to $44, which is a few bucks more than its all-time low but still $6 less than its usual street price. This is the “best for most” pick in our guide to the best gaming mouse, as its sturdy shape should be comfortable for each grip type and all but the smallest hands. (Provided you’re a righty.) It has 11 customizable buttons, including a “sensitivity clutch” for more precise aiming, and its thumb wheel supports both left-right tilt and a faster free-spin mode. That wheel is somewhat noisy, and the whole thing is too heavy for competitive-minded players, but it still tracks accurately and glides smoothly.

WD and Seagate Storage Expansion Cards for Xbox Series X/S

It’s unfortunate, but the only way to fully expand the storage of an Xbox Series X/S console is to buy a proprietary expansion card. If your Xbox is hurting for space, the 1TB version of WD’s Black C50 card is at least a little cheaper than usual at $125. That’s a $25 discount and a new low. If you need more room, the 2TB model of Seagate’s Storage Expansion Card is also on sale for an all-time low at $230. That’s $50 off. (The 1TB Seagate card is available for $130, but there’s little reason to buy that when the WD model is cheaper.) Both of these are still pricier than a comparable SSD, but any bit of savings should be welcome.

Sony PlayStation VR2

Prime Big Deal Days has brought the first significant discount on Sony's PlayStation VR2 headset, which the company released this past February. It's currently down to $509, which is $41 off its list price. That's still a good chunk of change for a VR headset that doesn't have a super extensive game library on the PS5, but if you've been on the fence about picking the device up, it's at least a little more palatable. We gave the PSVR2 a review score of 84 at launch, as we were impressed by its excellent dual OLED displays, (relatively) comfortable fit and well-built controllers.

HyperX Cloud Stinger 2

The top budget pick in our guide to the best gaming headsets, the HyperX Cloud Stinger 2, is on sale for $35. That’s just a modest $5 discount but matches the lowest price we’ve seen. The Cloud Stinger 2 doesn’t have the most balanced or detailed sound, but its V-shaped signature gives action scenes a nice level of impact, and its mic quality belies the dirt-cheap price. The design is comfortable too, though it’s made from cheap-feeling plastic.

HyperX Cloud Alpha

If you’re willing to pay a little more, the HyperX Cloud Alpha is another decent value at $60, which is $15 or so lower than its typical street price. We note this as an honorable mention in our guide: It’s been around for a few years now, but it’s comfortable, and its detachable mic is solid. It’s better built than the Cloud Stinger 2 as well. At this price, they don’t sound bad either, though an underemphasized treble means they aren’t especially detailed.

Logitech G535

If you’re looking for a wireless headset, the Logitech G535 is back down to $80, which is about $25 below its average street price. This is another honorable mention in our gaming headsets guide, as we like its lightweight design, Bluetooth support and agreeable, relatively well-balanced sound. It forces you to crank the volume to reach a listenable level though, and its mic makes voices sound a little too thin. It also doesn’t work with Xbox consoles. But if you really want a wireless gaming headset for less than $100, it’s well worth a look.

Sennheiser HD 560S

If you don’t need a mic, a good set of wired headphones will often provide more detailed sound than a dedicated gaming headset. The Sennheiser HD 560S is a good example of this, and right now it’s on sale for $150. While not an all-time low, that’s about $35 below the pair’s typical street price. We recommend the HD 560S in our guide to the best gaming headphones: Its open-back design lets in and leaks a ton of noise, but its wide soundstage and balanced signature lend games a pleasing sense of immersion. It’s comfortable to wear for extended periods as well. Just don’t expect much in the way of deep sub-bass.

Razer Huntsman V2 TKL

The Razer Huntsman V2 TKL is available for $90, which is $30 or so off its average street price. This is a pick in our guide to the best gaming keyboards, as we like its crisp PBT keycaps, sturdy frame, clean RGB lighting, included wrist rest and steady performance. The catch is that this deal applies to the model with Razer’s Clicky Optical switches, which we found to be noisier and harsher-sounding than its linear counterpart. Neither model is hot-swappable either. But if you can live with a louder typing sound, there’s plenty to like. Razer recently released a higher-end Huntsman V3 Pro line, but those aren’t discounted.

SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless

The SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless is down to $175, which is within a dollar of its all-time low and $75 off its list price. This is the top wireless pick in our gaming keyboard buying guide, mainly due to its magnetic OmniPoint switches, which enable a range of helpful gaming features. For instance, you can raise or lower the actuation point of individual keys — setting a high point to make typing more comfortable or a low one to make presses more responsive — and use a rapid trigger mode to repeat inputs faster.

The rest of the keyboard is satisfactory as well, with multiple connection options and a useful OLED display for adjusting settings, though you’d buy this for its gaming features more than its typing experience. In general, we think the Wooting 60HE is a better option for gaming enthusiasts, but that one isn’t on sale; the Apex Pro is a close-enough substitute if you need to go wireless. The smaller Apex Pro Mini Wireless is also discounted for $15 less.

ASUS ROG Azoth

Another high-end wireless gaming keyboard, the ASUS ROG Azoth, is on sale for $210 in various switch configurations. While that isn’t an all-time low, it’s about $20 less than the device’s usual going rate since it arrived earlier this year. We highlight the ROG Azoth as an honorable mention in our gaming keyboard guide. It’s expensive, but it’s supremely well-built, with enthusiast-level touches like a gasket-mounted design — which gives keystrokes a softer feel — and a toolkit for lubing switches right in the box. It doesn’t have the flexible gaming features as the Apex Pro above, but it’s decidedly premium all the same.

Samsung Evo Select

The 512GB version of Samsung’s Evo Select microSD card is on sale for $28, which is an all-time low and $7 below its usual rate. The 128GB model, meanwhile, is down to $10, which is another low. The Evo Select is the “best value” pick in our microSD card buying guide: It’s not the most performant option we tested — that’d be the Samsung Pro Plus — but it’s perfectly serviceable for running games on a Nintendo Switch or Steam Deck.

Your October 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 experts on the best Fall Prime Day deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days is almost over, but a number of quality TV deals are still available. While Black Friday generally remains the best time to go TV shopping, Amazon's latest Prime Day-style sale has brought well-reviewed sets from LG, Samsung, TCL and Hisense down to some of the lowest prices we've tracked. A new big-screen is no small purchase, so to help you avoid wasting cash, we've sorted through the noise and rounded up the best TV deals we could find below. If you want to spruce up your living room with a new media streamer, we’ve included a handful of deals on those devices as well. Just note that you'll need to be a Prime member to see a few of the offers.

LG C2

The 55-inch LG C2 is down to $1,097, which is $100 more than the lowest price we’ve seen for the OLED TV but still $100 less than its usual sale price these days. The C2 is a 2022 model, but various reviews suggest that LG’s new C3 TV is only a marginal upgrade. The older set still provides the kind of high contrast, wide viewing angles, rich colors and smooth motion you’d expect from a good OLED panel, plus it has four HDMI 2.1 ports capable of playing 4K video at 120Hz. A QD-OLED set like the Samsung S90C will deliver better brightness and color saturation, but the C2 should satisfy if you keep it out of a brightly-lit room. LG’s OLED TVs also support Dolby Vision HDR, while Samsung TVs do not.

Samsung S90C

Speaking of the Samsung S90C, the 55-inch version of that OLED TV is on sale for $1,448. While not cheap, this is an all-time low and about $125 off the TV's average street price. As noted above, the S90C's QD-OLED panel delivers excellent picture quality in most lighting environments, and it has just about all the gaming features expected from a modern set, including four HDMI 2.1 ports that can reach up to 144Hz in 4K. It won't get as bright as the best LED TVs with HDR content, but it'll provide superior contrast, motion handling and viewing angles for those willing to pay a premium.

LG B2

The LG B2, meanwhile, is down to $847 for a 55-inch model. That’s a new low and roughly $150 off its average street price in recent months. The B2 is the step-down model from the C2, as it’s not as bright or color-rich with HDR content, it runs on a slower processor and it has two fewer HDMI 2.1 ports. That said, its contrast, colors and motion performance will still be a significant upgrade if you’re upgrading from a more basic LED TV. LG’s new B3 TV promises a cleaner webOS interface, but it’s priced a good way higher as of this writing. If you want an OLED TV for less than $1,000, the B2 should be a better value.

Hisense U8K

The 65-inch Hisense U8K is available for $998, which ties the lowest price we’ve seen and comes in about $100 below its usual going rate. The 55-inch model is available for $200 less. This is one of Hisense’s new TVs for 2023, and various reviews say it’s one of the better values in the mid-priced bracket, with impressive brightness and good contrast for an LED panel. It runs the easy-to-use Google TV interface and comes with two HDMI 2.1 ports that support 4K at 144Hz. It has other gaming-friendly features like VRR and ALLM too, plus it supports all the major HDR formats. It still won’t look as rich or fluid in motion as a good OLED set, and its viewing angles are worse, but the relatively low price should help make up for that.

Hisense U6K

The Hisense U6K is also on sale, with the 55- and 65-inch models down to $400 and $548, respectively. We’ve seen these deals before, but each matches an all-time low. The U6K is another new Hisense TV that’s received generally positive reviews. It’s one of the few budget-level sets with quantum dots, full-array local dimming and a mini-LED backlight, so it should deliver better contrast and color volume than most TVs in its price range. It’s not ideal for gaming though, as it’s limited to a 60Hz refresh rate and lacks HDMI 2.1 ports. In general, it can’t match the brightness or viewing angles of a more expensive set, but it looks to be a good buy if you’re on a tighter budget.

Hisense’s U7K TV is also on sale, with prices ranging at $550 for a 55-inch model to $1,500 for an 85-inch model. As the name suggests, this set’s performance sits between the U6K and U8K, so it should suffice if it aligns more closely with your budget.

Samsung The Frame TV (LS03B)

Samsung’s The Frame TV is down to $998 for a 55-inch set with an included bezel cover. That’s a hefty $550 less than this bundle’s average street price. Several other sizes are discounted, from the 32-inch model for $548 to the 85-inch set for $3,498. The Frame TVs lack local dimming and mini-LED backlighting, so their picture quality, while decent, isn’t as high-end as the price tag might suggest. Instead, as we’ve noted before, you’d buy this QLED TV for the aesthetics. It’s designed to look like a piece of art you can mount against a wall, and when you aren’t watching something, you can use it to display artwork and photos. A few pieces come included, while others are sold with an optional subscription.

TCL Q6

The 75-inch TCL Q6 is available for $680, which is about $70 off its usual street price and an all-time low. This budget-level set lacks the local dimming and mini-LED backlight of the Hisense U6K, and recent reviews suggest that it performs worse as a result. The main reason we list it here is because it supports a 120Hz refresh rate — albeit only in 1080p or 1440p, not 4K. But if you can live with the lower resolution, this is a relatively affordable way to get a more fluid image with game consoles like the PS5 and Xbox Series X. This model uses Amazon’s Fire TV OS, so you’ll get the most out of it if you use Amazon services like Prime Video with some regularity.

TCL S4

The TCL S4, meanwhile, is down to $250 for a 55-inch set and $380 for a 65-inch set. Both discounts represent all-time lows. The S4 is an entry-level 4K TV, so it doesn’t offer much in the way of contrast, brightness, gaming features or HDR performance. Most people are better off paying a little bit more for the Hisense U6K. That said, maybe you just want a secondary TV for dirt cheap. In that case, the S4 should at least be serviceable. As with the TCL deal above, this version of the S4 runs on Amazon’s Fire TV interface.

Roku Streaming Stick 4K

The Roku Streaming Stick 4K is available for $37, which isn’t an amazing deal — we’ve seen it drop as low as $25 in the past — but still takes about $8 off the device’s usual street price. This is the top pick in our guide to the best media streamers, as it’s quick to load apps, it supports all the major streaming platforms and HDR standards, and it works with Apple AirPlay. Roku’s UI is blander than competing options from Google, Apple and Amazon, but it remains dead simple to navigate, and its search function does well to find shows across different apps. We also like the Roku app’s private-listening feature, which lets you listen to shows through a mobile device. Just note that we may see a better deal on Black Friday.

Roku also sells the $70 Streaming Stick 4K+, which adds an improved voice remote with a rechargeable battery, a lost remote finder, two custom shortcut buttons, and a headphone jack for private listening without the app. That model isn’t on sale as of this writing, however.

Roku Express 4K+

The Roku Express 4K+ provides the same general experience as the Streaming Stick 4K, but it can’t plug directly into your TV’s HDMI port. It also has slightly slower Wi-Fi and lacks support for Dolby Vision HDR. But it’s cheaper, and right now it’s on sale for $29. That’s a few dollars more than its all-time low but roughly $8 below its average street price. If you have a solid internet connection at home and just want to save a few bucks, it could work. For older or secondary TVs, the 1080p Roku Express is also on sale for $21.

Roku Streambar

The Roku Streambar is down to $100, which is a deal we’ve seen several times before but still falls about $15 below the device’s average street price. This is a 14-inch soundbar that doubles as a 4K media streamer. It’s a compact, 2.0-channel model, so it doesn’t sound especially clear or powerful, but it’s still an obvious upgrade over the speakers built into most TVs. If you’re on a tight budget and want to upgrade a smaller TV outside the living room, it’s worth a look. Just note that it doesn’t support Dolby Vision and HDR10+, though it does work with AirPlay 2. We gave the Streambar a review score of 86 back in 2020.

Amazon Fire TV Cube

Another hybrid-style device, the Amazon Fire TV Cube blends a 4K media streamer with a hands-free Alexa speaker. It’s back down to $110, which is $30 off and ties an all-time low. The Cube is Amazon’s most powerful Fire TV streamer, and its HDMI pass-through lets you connect a cable box or game console and integrate it with an Alexa overlay. The device also supports Wi-Fi 6E. Fire OS’ frequent ads and nudging toward Amazon services may be hard to accept on a pricier device, though. The HDMI input is also limited to 60Hz video.

Amazon Fire TV Stick

Amazon’s Fire TV Stick and Fire TV Stick Lite are on sale for $20 and $18, respectively. Neither deal is an all-time low, but both are a few bucks less than their common sale prices. You’d buy one of these dongles if you wanted to add streaming content to an older 1080p TV and frequently use Amazon services like Prime Video. They aren’t especially quick, and neither supports Dolby Vision, but they get the job done. Between the two, the standard Fire TV Stick’s remote includes app shortcuts and TV controls for volume and power, while the Lite’s remote does not. Both provide easy access to Alexa though.

The Fire TV Stick 4K is on sale too — but only the previous-generation model, not one of the refreshed 4K or 4K Max sticks Amazon unveiled in September, so we’d hold off.

Your October 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 experts on the best Fall Prime Day deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

It’s taken three years, but Polar is finally ready with a new iteration of the Vantage watch: the Polar Vantage 3. The V3 can track more than 150 sports. That includes tools that cater to more serious athletes, and not just the run of the mill consumer, like triathlon training.

There are also unique metrics like Training Load Pro, which tells you how much strain you place on both your cardiovascular and musculoskeletal system during your workouts. There is also Wrist-Based Running Power, which calculates how much “power” you need to fight gravity and friction during a run. Lastly, Energy Sources tells you how the food you eat, from fats to carbohydrates, are being utilized during each workout session. Which kind of sounds like a glorified calorie tracker.

The company has also focused on improving the specs sheet for the one-size fitness multisport watch. CPU speed is now at 275 MHz, up from the V2’s 120 MHz. The manufacturer claims it will have 129% faster speeds when compared to its predecessor. Plus, it has 37 MB of RAM, which is dramatically up from the V2 and has roughly 32 GB of storage, squashing the V2’s 32 MB cap.

The case is still aluminum and the top Gorilla Glass, but the screen is bigger now at 1.39 inches. The AMOLED display has a resolution of 454 × 454, nearly double the V2’s MIP display, which had a 240 × 240 resolution. Oddly enough, the waterproof ranking was downgraded to WR50, the V2 had a WR100 mark on the other hand. Other changes to the watch’s overall function include: Bluetooth 5.1 and USB-C connectivity and a 488 mAh battery that will supposedly deliver up to 140 hours of training time.

The Vantage 3 also features new biosensors that are worth mentioning. There’s now a skin temperature sensor and Polar says the sensors are better at measuring blood oxygen levels. Plus there’s ECG function, along with what the company claims is the “most advanced optical heart rate” in its wearables to date.

The tracker that can be pre-ordered in sky blue, night black or sunrise apricot for $600. You can also buy the watch in a bundle set with the Polar H10 heart rate strap monitor for $50 more. Deliveries will begin on October 25.

Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days sale is starting to wind down, but there are still a handful of good iPad deals to be had. The company's second Prime Day-style sale this year has knocked down the prices of many Apple tablets, as well as slabs from other tech giants like Amazon, Google and Microsoft. To help those looking to upgrade from an older iPad or just get a bit of holiday shopping done early, we've sorted through the offers to find the ones that are most worthwhile. Here are the best iPad deals, plus the best deals on other tablets, that we're still seeing for Amazon's October Prime Day event.

Apple iPad (9th gen)

Apple's most affordable tablet, the 10.2-inch iPad, is on sale for $249 right now. It may have an old-school design that won't work with all the latest iPad accessories, but it's still the best iPad for people on a budget, as it has most of the crucial features you'd expect from an Apple tablet. It earned a score of 86 from us for its solid performance, sharp screen, TouchID-capable Home button and good battery life. The only major downside to this model right now is that it still sports Apple's old Lightning port rather than USB-C.

Apple iPad (10th gen)

The new base iPad has dropped to $399 for October Prime Day. It has an updated design that makes it look more like an iPad Air or Pro, with slim bezels and no Home button. We gave it a score of 85 for its improved performance, new landscape-oriented front-facing camera, USB-C charging and solid battery life.

Apple iPad Air

Apple's iPad Air is on sale for $500 right now. It's arguably the best iPad for most people thanks to its solid performance rendered by the M1 chipset, big 10.9-inch display, USB-C charging and second-generation Apple Pencil support. M1 might not be the latest Apple chipset, but it's powerful enough to handle pretty much any task you throw at it — and since the Air works with keyboard accessories, it could be a decent laptop replacement when on the go.

Apple iPad mini

The Apple iPad mini has dropped to $400 for October Prime Day. It's the best small tablet on the market right now and really your only option if you want a true one-hand-friendly iPad. It's powered by Apple's A15 Bionic chip and sports a TouchID-toting power button, solid cameras, a good battery life and a USB-C port for charging.

Google Pixel Tablet

The Google Pixel Tablet is down to $409, which is a new low and $90 off Google's list price. If you need more space, the 256GB version is down to $509. The Pixel Tablet doesn't quite topple Samsung's Galaxy Tab S9 (which isn't on sale) strictly as a tablet, but its big selling point is its included charging speaker dock. Hook the slate up to that, and it becomes a smart display similar to Google's Nest Hub Max. Its display, processor and design are all up to the mark as well. The device earned a score of 85 in our review this past June. 

Amazon Fire 7

Amazon's Fire 7 tablet is on sale for $40 for October Prime Day. It's the cheapest Fire tablet in the lineup, and it's really only a viable option if you have a strict budget to adhere to since other Fire tablets provide much stronger performance. The Fire 7 includes a 7-inch 1024 x 600 touchscreen, up to 32GB of storage and up to 10 hours of battery life.

Amazon Fire HD 8

The Amazon Fire HD 8 tablet has dropped to $60 for Prime Big Deal Days. It's a solid step-up from the Fire 7 if you can spend a little bit more money. You'll get an 8-inch HD touchscreen, a hexa-core processor, a 5MP rear-facing camera in addition to the selfie cam and a battery that should last up to 13 hours on a single charge.

Amazon Fire HD 8 Plus

For a bit more than that, the Fire HD 8 Plus adds an extra gigabyte of RAM (for 3GB total) and wireless charging support. It’s down to $70, which is $5 more than its all-time low still $50 off its normal street price. This tablet still isn't blazingly fast, but the extra memory can make navigating Fire OS just a bit smoother. And if you grab Amazon’s wireless charging dock, you can use the tablet like a smart display.

Amazon Fire HD 10 (2021)

The 2021 Fire HD 10 tablet has dropped to $75 for Prime Day. One of the more powerful slabs in Amazon's lineup, the HD 10 provides a 10.1-inch FHD touchscreen, an octa-core processor, up to 64GB of internal storage and a 12-hour battery life. This year's Fire HD 10 is up for pre-order now and it includes a 25-percent bump up in performance, an improved front-facing camera and a lighter design.

Amazon Fire Max 11

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

Amazon Fire HD Kids tablets

The Kids versions of various Amazon tablets are also discounted. The Fire HD 8 Kids and Kids Pro are each down to $75, while the Fire HD 10 Kids and Kids Pro are down to $120 apiece. Each of those deals matches an all-time low. As a reminder, these tablets come with the same base hardware as their "normal" counterparts, but add a protective case with a built-in kickstand, two-year warranties, simpler default software and a year's subscription to Amazon's Kids+ service, which includes a selection of child-friendly content. The Kids models have more substantial rubbery cases, while the Kids Pro are meant for bigger kids and use slimmer, hard plastic cases.

Microsoft Surface Pro 9

Speaking of 2-in-1s, the Microsoft Surface Pro 9 is down to $1,800 for a high-end configuration with a Core i7-1265U CPU, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD. While that's still a good chunk of change, it's about $100 off this model's typical street price. The Surface Pro 9 isn't all that different from its predecessors, but it's hard to do better if you want a tablet that works like a laptop. Currently, it's the top Windows pick in our tablet buying guide. Just be aware that there's no stylus or keyboard included with this deal.

Your October 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 experts on the best Fall Prime Day deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.