Posts with «shopping» label

October Prime Day 2023: The best early deals you can shop now

We're getting close to the start of Prime Big Deal Days, Amazon's second site-wide sale of 2023. While the October Prime sale doesn't officially happen until October 10 and 11, there are already plenty of early deals to be found. For some of them, you'll need to have a Prime membership, but others are open to anyone. We'll be rounding up the best of what's out there starting on Tuesday, but in the meantime, you can get a jump on the discounts that are already live. This week's best tech deals include lots of Amazon devices like Echo speakers and displays, Blink cameras, Ring doorbells and the Kindle Scribe. As for non-Amazon gadgets, we're seeing lows on Tile Trackers, Samsung's Smart Monitor M8 and an Anker 5-in-1 hub.  

Apple AirPods Pro

The AirPods Pro with the Lightning charging case is on sale for $199, which is $50 off their usual price. We consider the AirPods Pros the best wireless earphones for those who use an iPhone or lots of Apple devices. They still deliver excellent noise cancellation, a pleasingly warm sound profile and a variety of Apple-specific features such as hands-free Siri access, Find My device tracking and quick pairing and switching between iPhones, iPads and MacBooks. With a recent update, they've also gained a useful "Adaptive Audio" mode that blends the pair's ANC and transparency modes dynamically based on your surroundings.

EarFun Air Pro 3 Noise Cancelling Earbuds

EarFun Air Pro 3 noise cancelling earbuds are down to $56 as part of an Amazon Lightning Deal — so they won't last long. These are the runner-up pick in our guide to the best budget earbuds, in which Engadget's Jeff Dunn tested a wide range of wireless buds under $100 to come up with the best sound for the most value. The EarFun Free 2S are also seeing a Lightning deal and are down to $34. These are our pick for the best wireless earbuds under $50, and now they're well below that mark. 

Galaxy Watch 6 Classic 

Samsung unveiled the new Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, along with the standard Watch 6 during their Unpacked event in July. We were particularly delighted by the return of the spinning bezel, which was missing from the previous generation watch. The Galaxy Watch Classic version is the one with the bezel and it's currently seeing a modest, 8 percent discount, bringing it down to $369 instead of the full-price $400. It's not a huge dip, but still the biggest discount we've tracked so far. 

Amazon Echo Dot + Kasa Smart Plug Mini

As part of a big Echo speaker sale, the Echo Dot is down to just $23, and you can get a bundle with the small smart speaker and a Kasa Smart Plug Mini for just $1 more. Considering the Echo Dot is one of our favorite smart speakers and the Kasa smart plug earned a spot on our list of best smart plugs, this is a great bundle for anyone who wants to smarten up their home while sticking to their budget. Also included in this sale are the Echo Pop for $18 and the full-sized Echo for $55.

Amazon Echo Show 5

A number of Amazon’s smart displays are on sale ahead of October Prime Day, and that includes the Echo Show 5 for $40. It’s the smallest smart display in the company’s lineup, which is part of what makes it a solid smart alarm clock. It has strong audio quality and a sunrise alarm feature, and this updated model has a faster processor and an additional mic for improved Alexa responsiveness. The Echo Show 8 (previous-gen) and the Echo Show 10 are also included in this sale, and there’s even a bundle that pairs the Echo Show 5 with a Philips Hue Smart Color Bulb for $42.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is $300 less than usual ahead of October's Prime sale. This matches the price it hit a few weeks back for Labor Day. The latest foldable from Samsung has a list price of $1,800 for the 256GB model, but is now down to $1,500. If you want the larger, 512GB capacity model, that's down to $1,620 instead of $1,920. We gave the Z Fold 5 a score of 86 in our review, and even named it the best foldable for multitasking in our smartphone guide. Overall we were impressed by the faster processing power, the handy multitasking gestures available in the settings, and the Flex Hinge that eliminates the gap when the phone is folded. Our biggest concern was the price, which this discount makes a little less of an issue.  

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is on sale too. The base model with 256GB of storage has dropped from $1,000 to $900, which isn't as low as it went a couple weeks ago. That phone got an Engadget review score of 88 and named it the best flip-style foldable

Echo Show 15

The Echo Show 15 is 33 percent off right now and down to a near record-low of $185. It’s the biggest smart display in Amazon’s lineup, with a 15.6-inch touchscreen that you can sit on a countertop or mount on a wall, and it supports both portrait and landscape orientation. In addition to showing widgets like sticky notes, calendar views and more, the Show 15 has Fire TV technology built in, so you can treat it like a mini TV and stream your favorite shows and movies. And when you’re not actively using the display, you can use it to display pictures using the Photo Frame feature.

Kindle Scribe

Amazon’s Kindle Scribe is 22 percent off right now and down to $265, and unlike the deal we saw last week, you don’t have to be a Prime member to get this sale price. The Scribe is one of the best E-Ink tablets on the market right now, and it’ll be best for those that want an easy to use ereader that also lets you jot down notes as you read. Users can create notebooks on the Scribe to organize their handwritten musings and some titles in the Kindle store are considered “write-on” books, which means you can take notes directly in the margins, so to speak.

Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite

A handful of Fire TV devices have been discounted before Prime Day, including the Fire TV Stick Lite that’s now only $18. It may be the most limited streaming dongle in Amazon’s lineup, but it’s hard to beat HD streaming and an included voice remote for less than $20. If you’re willing to spend a bit more, you can snag the previous-gen Fire TV Stick 4K for $23 or the Fire TV Cube for $110.

Anker 5-in1 hub

Anker's 332 USB-C hub is back down to its all-time low of $18, which is a solid 49 percent discount. As laptops get sleeker, ports disappear, and this 5-in1 can give you a 4K HDMI port, two USB-A ports, and either one or two additional USB-C ports (depending on whether you're using one to deliver power your laptop). Wired mice and keyboards, flash drives, webcams and more will now have something to plug into.  

Samung Smart Monitor M8

Samsung's Smart Monitor M8 went on sale back in July for $100 off. Now it's a full $200 off the list price, making it $500. This is the updated version of the monitor Samsung launched at CES in 2022 and it combines a monitor, smart TV and SmartThings smart home hub into one. That means you can stream Netflix, YouTube, Amazon Prime Video and Disney+ like a smart TV, but it can also handle productivity tasks without the need for a separate computer as it comes with Microsoft 365 programs like Word and Excel. 

Amazon smart thermostat

Amazon’s smart thermostat has dropped to its best price of the year, only $56, in a new early Prime Day deal. Note that this sale price is for the model that does not come with a C-wire adapter, so you’ll have to make sure your system has a C-wire in order for the thermostat to work with it. Smart thermostats like this one can help you save on energy costs by giving you a better way to control your heating and cooling system. You can use the companion app to control your home’s temperature from anywhere, or ask Alexa to turn the temperature up or down as you please.

Amazon Fire HD 8

Amazon’s Fire HD 8 tablet has dropped to $60 as part of a larger tablet sale ahead of Prime Big Deal Days. That’s only $5 more than it was during Prime Day in July, and we recommend this slab for those who want a cheap tablet they can give to their kids, use as a couch device and the like. You can choose a model that has 32GB or 64GB of storage, and you can expand the amount of space on the tablet using a microSD card. It also has decent performance and a long, 13-hour battery life. If you prefer to get the best of what Amazon has to offer in the tablet space, pick up the Fire Max 11 tablet, which is on sale for a record low of $150 right now.

Blink security cameras

Blink 3rd- and 4th-gen security cameras have been discounted ahead of October Prime Day. These deals are particularly noteworthy for the 4th-gen Outdoor cameras since they were just announced at the end of August. A three-pack of those new cameras is half off and down to $135, and there are a bunch of bundles available as well: a two-pack with a Blink Mini for $100, a three-pack with a Video Doorbell for $165, a whole home bundle for $102 and many more. These security cameras are convenient because they are wireless and have two-year battery lives, plus they support motion and audio alerts, two-way talk and night vision.

Ring Video Doorbells

There’s a massive Ring sale going on now in the lead up to October Prime Day in which you can pick up one of the video doorbells for as low as $35. The Ring Video Doorbell Wired is 46 percent off and down to $35, and as the name suggests, you’ll have to hardwire it to your home during installation. There are a few Ring doorbells available at this point, so if you’d prefer one that runs on a rechargeable battery, consider the standard Ring Video Doorbell, which is down to $55 at the moment. This sale also includes Ring Stick Up cameras that can be placed inside the home, as well as various Ring Alarm bundles.

Kindle Paperwhite Kids Essentials Bundle

A few Kindle Essentials Bundles have been discounted for Prime members ahead of October Prime Day, including this Kids one that you can pick up for $143. It contains a Kindle Paperwhite Kids ereader along with a cover, a screen protector, a power adapter, a two-year warranty and a one-year subscription to Amazon Kids+. That’s basically everything a kid would need to dive into reading on a Kindle while also keeping their new gadget charged and protected at all times. The Kids+ subscription gives them access to age-appropriate ebooks and audiobooks, just remember that the membership will automatically renew after the first year at the full, $3-per-month price.

Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro

Amazon's Fire HD 10 Kids Pro is our recommendation for the best tablet for kids in our guide to those devices. It has a list price of $200 and often sells for $140, but this early Prime deal drops it down to $120, which is its lowest price so far. The tablet comes with a protective case that also serves as a stand and handle. Though if the case proves isn't match enough for rough treatment, it also comes with a two-year warranty. A year's subscription to Amazon Kids+ is also included, which allows kids access to age-appropriate books, shows, songs and audio books. There's also a parent dashboard that offers you more control. 

Tile Slim

One of our favorite Bluetooth trackers, the Tile Slim has dropped to $25 ahead of October Prime Day, which is close to a record-low price. As its name suggests, this tracker is flat and slim like a credit card, making it easy to slip into a wallet or another small pocket so you can keep track of your valuables. Tile’s companion app will show you the last known location of your stuff if you ever misplace it, and you can use your phone to force the tracker to chime so you can find it more quickly if you’re not too far from it.

Amazon Music Unlimited

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

Eero Pro 6E mesh Wi-Fi system

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

Samsung Pro Plus

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

Crucial X6 portable SSD

Amazon has knocked up to 55 percent off Crucial external and internal SSDs, including the 2TB Crucial X6 portable SSD for $102. That’s 49 percent off, though it's about $20 more than it was during Prime Day in July. This drive has read speeds up to 800 MB/s and works with a variety of devices including Mac and Windows laptops, iPads and even some game consoles. It’s also quite small, so it will fit into nearly any bag when you need to take it on the go.

Amazon Fire Omni QLED TVs

All sizes of Amazon’s Fire TV Omni QLED Series are on sale ahead of October's sale. The 43-, 50-, 55- and 65-inch models are down to $380, $400, $440 and $590, respectively. Those match or beat the prices we saw for July's Prime Day. The Fire TV Omni QLED sets are best for people who like Amazon’s Fire interface, which is easy enough to figure out, though the OS tends to push you towards Amazon's own content. Beyond that Fire TVs do a good job of integrating Alexa's helpfulness with a useful voice remote, and hands-free smart home support. And if you don't feel like having Alexa listening in, you can turn off the mics with a built-in switch.

Your Fall Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/october-prime-day-2023-the-best-early-deals-you-can-shop-now-153924114.html?src=rss

Amazon's Fire TV Stick Lite drops to $18 ahead of October Prime Day

There's only a week until Amazon's October Prime Day starts, and the pre-sales keep coming. Right now, Amazon's Fire TV Stick Lite is touting a nice 40 percent discount, dropping its price to $18 from $30, and only a few dollars more than its all-time low. Plus, another $4 gets you a two-year protection plan, still taking home a savings of $9.

Amazon's Fire TV Stick Lite is already the cheapest option in the lineup and is a good choice for anyone looking to use Fire TV without any bells and whistles. It has Wi-Fi 5 compatibility, 1GB of memory and Dolby encoded (versus Atmos) audio. It presents media in 1080p full HD and comes with the Alexa Voice Remote Lite, which doesn't have any TV controls but can still take audio commands.

Additional Fire TV devices are also on sale if you're in the market for a higher-quality option. The previous generation 4K Stick is down to $23 from $50, a 54 percent deal — and a reminder that 2-for-1 and better deals are a great way to get your holiday shopping done early and affordably. The Fire TV Stick 4K offers improved picture quality, 2GB of memory and Dolby Vision compatibility. The standard Fire TV Stick is also marked down —to $20 from $40 — and the Fire TV Cube is available for $110 versus its typical $140.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazons-fire-tv-stick-lite-drops-to-18-ahead-of-october-prime-day-141523613.html?src=rss

Amazon's Fire HD 8 tablet drops to $60 in early October Prime Day sale

Amazon has kicked off a new Fire tablet sale ahead of its Prime Big Deal Days event later this month. The discounts include the Fire HD 8 down to $60, the Fire HD 8 Plus for $70, the Fire Max 11 for $150, the previous-generation Fire HD 10 for $75 and the Fire 7 for $40, among others. All of those deals either match or come within a few dollars of the lowest prices we've seen, and unlike most of the offers that'll be available during the Big Deal Days sale, they aren't limited to Amazon Prime subscribers.

All Fire tablets still come with the usual caveats: They aren't nearly as fast or premium-feeling as a good iPad or Galaxy Tab, their displays aren't as vivid and their app selection is more limited. They lack official access to the Google Play Store, so there's no Google apps like Gmail or YouTube. (It's possible to install the Play Store with a workaround, though that's a bit of a pain.) They also display ads on the lock screen unless you pay an extra fee or use a Kids model. 

All that said, they play well with Amazon services like Alexa and Prime Video (natch), they support most of the other major streaming apps and the better models are just quick enough for the basics. Ultimately, though, it's all about price. If you just want a large screen for streaming video, reading ebooks and browsing the web, most Fire slates let you do so for dirt cheap, so they're better buys when they're on sale.

Of the models discounted now, the 8-inch Fire HD 8 and Fire HD 8 Plus may be the best values for most. Each is saddled with a 1,280 x 800 resolution display, so text and images won't be especially sharp, but they can get decently bright, and the hardware as a whole is lightweight and fairly durable. Both devices can last more than 10 hours on a charge, and while they only come with 32GB of storage, you can expand that up to 1TB with a microSD card. Between the two, the Fire HD 8 Plus comes with an extra gigabyte of RAM (3GB total), so it'll be a little smoother to navigate Amazon's Fire OS if you can afford the extra $10. Neither tablet is outright fast, though, so don't expect to do more than the essentials. At these prices, both slates are only $5 more than their respective all-time lows.

You can opt for the Fire 7 if you want a second screen for as little as possible, but it's slower and lower-res than the Fire HD 8, so we recommend paying for the latter if possible. The last-gen Fire HD 10 is still faster than either of those and packs a 10.1-inch 1080p display, so it's a decent value at $75, but Amazon recently launched an updated model, so it's technically out of date. (The new Fire HD 10 isn't included in the sale.)

 The 11-inch Fire Max 11, meanwhile, is the most premium tablet in Amazon's lineup, with a beefier processor and an aluminum chassis; it's an easier sell at $150, which matches its all-time low, though it has all the same software limitations as the lower-end options. 

Finally, the Kids versions of various Fire tablets are also discounted. As a reminder, those have the same hardware as the standard models, but add large protective cases, a more kid-friendly default UI, two-year warranties and one-year subscriptions to Amazon's Kids+ content service.

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.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazons-fire-hd-8-tablet-drops-to-60-in-early-october-prime-day-sale-074518261.html?src=rss

The best early October Prime Day deals you can get for 2023

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

Apple AirPods Pro

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

Blink Video Doorbell + Outdoor cameras

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

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

Amazon Music Unlimited

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

Kasa Smart Bulbs

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

Eero Pro 6E mesh Wi-Fi system

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

Tribit StormBox Micro 2

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

EarFun Air Pro 3

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

Samsung Pro Plus

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

Crucial X6 portable SSD

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

Apple Watch Ultra (1st gen)

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

Apple iPhone 15 FineWoven cases

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

Logitech G203 Lightsync

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

Amazon Fire Omni QLED TVs

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

Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S2

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

Samsung Galaxy S23 phones

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

OnePlus 11 5G

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

Motorola razr+

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

Your Fall Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-early-october-prime-day-deals-you-can-get-for-2023-152726769.html?src=rss

The best October Amazon Prime Day early access deals for 2023

No, the sale hasn't started yet. Amazon's second Prime-related event for 2023 is officially called Prime Big Deal Days and will happen October 10 and 11. This is the second year for a fall-based, site-wide Amazon sale and we're already seeing discounts pop up. You'll need a Prime membership to access many of the deals, though a few are available to everyone. This week, notable sales include first-ever discounts on the second-gen AirPods Pro with USB-C charging and iPhone 15 cases with Apple's leather-replacing FineWoven material. Amazon's own Kindle Scribe writable ereader is seeing discounts of up to $90, and a bundle of Blink's new outdoor cameras are half price. We also included a Solo Stove deal from elsewhere on the web that's worth considering. Here are the best early access October Prime Day deals you can get right now. 

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd gen, USB-C)

Last Tuesday, Apple revealed new iPhone 15 models, and one of the most notable changes was the switch to a USB-C port. The company also announced the latest (second generation) AirPods Pro would now come with the same connectivity. Just a week later, you can get those buds on Amazon for $200, which is $49 below list price and the same sale price we've been seeing for the AirPods Pro with Lightning. The earbuds themselves haven't changed much, save for a little more waterproofing. They should offer the same excellent transparancy mode and substantially improved audio quality over the first-gen Pros. 

Blink Outdoor 4 security camera bundle

Amazon just announced the latest generation of its wireless outdoor security camera, the Blink Outdoor 4. If you're a Prime member, you can get a two-pack of the new cameras, plus an indoor Blink mini camera and a Sync Module 2 for 50 percent off. Bought separately, the set would run you $235 at full price, but the early Prime deal brings it down to $117.50. The latest-gen cameras have better image quality and low-light sensitivity and the field of view has increased to 143 degrees. A new custom processor on board helps boost the image quality and can differentiate people from other moving things (though enabling that feature requires a subscription). Along with the two cameras and mounting kits, you also get one indoor Mini camera and a Sync Module 2, which acts as a hub that enables app control and local storage of video clips. The AA batteries required for outdoor cams are also included, which should last for two years before you need to replace them. 

Kasa Smart Bulbs

Smart lightbulbs like these not only adjust to whatever color you want, you can also control them with the app or just your voice (and a compatible smart speaker). Kasa's KL125 bulbs made the cut as the budget pick in our guide to smart bulbs because they are easy to install, easy to use and pack a ton of features. Right now they're down to $28, which is a 30 percent discount and close to the lowest price we've tracked. 

Apple iPhone 15 Fine Woven cases

In addition to announcing the iPhone 15 at last week's event, the folks at Apple also spent a lot of time talking up the company's environmental initiatives. One change eliminates all leather from the products Apple sells and a new material, called FineWoven, will take its place on accessories like iPhone cases. Right now, Amazon is discounting the new iPhone 15 FineWoven cases by five percent. It's not a huge discount, but if you've just dropped a grand on the new iPhone 15 Pro, even little savings might help. 

Amazon Kindle Scribe

Prime members can save between $75 and $90 on a Kindle Scribe at Amazon right now. The configuration with 64GB of storage and the Premium Pen is $330 or $90 off, while the 16GB base model with the Basic Pen is $265 or $75 off. The deals are pretty close to the ones we saw during Prime Day this July, coming in about $10 more. The Kindle Scribe earned an 85 in our review and is our current pick for the best ereader E Ink tablet. We appreciate the low-latency writing, large and roomy screen, and the integration with Amazon's Kindle services. You can also click the button to get Kindle Unlimited with your Scribe for free for three months, just remember that the subscription will auto-renew at the end of the trial. 

Apple Watch Ultra

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

OnePlus 11 5G

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

Amazon Fire Omni QLED TVs

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

Samsung Galaxy S23 phones

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

Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet

Updated versions of Amazon's kids-focused tablets are on their way, though they won't arrive until after October's Prime sale. The new versions will have 25 percent faster processors, but if you don't think your kid will care about having the latest model, you can save $60 on the current gen Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablets. This is our current pick for the best tablet for kids as it comes with a "kid-proof" case and a two-year warranty — just in case your kid proves exactly how optimistic that terminology is.  

It also comes with a free year of Amazon Kids+, which will incorporate a new "Explore with Alexa" feature that takes advantage of the upcoming improvements to Alexa's conversational abilities, with a kid-friendly bent. 

Solo Stove sitewide coupon

Solo Stove is offering sitewide coupons for up to $100 off its popular outdoor pizza ovens and fire pits. Enter SAVE20 at checkout to get $20 off purchases over $125, SAVE40 to get $40 off anything over $350 and SAVE100 to lower the price by $100 if your purchase is over $550. The codes should work with all fire pits bundles, pizza ovens or other products, and they even stack atop other discounts. The deal applies to the Pi Pizza oven, which we recommend in our guide, as well as the Bonfire 2.0 fire pit, which is one of our favorite bits of outdoor gear for fall. 

Motorola razr+

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

Your Fall Prime Day Shopping Guide: See all of our Prime Day coverage. Shop the best Prime Day deals on Yahoo Life. Follow Engadget for Prime Day tech deals. Learn about Prime Day trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s car experts on must-shop auto-related Prime Day deals and find Prime Day sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-october-amazon-prime-day-early-access-deals-for-2023-163031906.html?src=rss

Amazon Prime Big Deal Days: Here's what to expect this October Prime Day

Amazon Prime Day came and went in July, but Amazon’s not done with its membership-only sales events for 2023. The company just announced that it will hold “Prime Big Deal Days,” another Prime Day of sorts, on October 10 and 11, mirroring what it did during the same month last year. Engadget will be surfacing all of the best tech deals we can find during the event – both on Amazon and elsewhere – but there are some important things to know ahead of time so you can get exactly what you want out of October Prime Day.

When is Prime Big Deal Days?

Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days will take place starting on Tuesday, October 10 and will run through the end of the day on Wednesday, October 11.

Just like classic Prime Day, you’ll have to be a Prime subscriber to take advantage of most of the savings you’ll find on Amazon during the sale period. The company still offers a 30-day free trial to new Prime subscribers, so you can start your free trial ahead of the event to participate.

If you don’t pay for Prime and have no intention of doing so, you should still check out Amazon on October Prime Day for sales that are available to all shoppers. Plus, other retailers like Walmart, Best Buy and Target will likely have their own competing Prime Day sales during that time frame, too.

October Prime Day deals

"Prime Day" is actually two days long, and that’s the pattern Amazon has followed for the past few years with all of its Prime-exclusive sale events. However, the company also usually pushes out early Prime Day deals ahead of the event itself. We expect to see early access Prime Day deals this October, too.

Be they early Prime Day deals or day-of sales, Amazon gadgets are almost guaranteed to be discounted during Prime Big Deal Days. You can safely bet on things like Echo speakers, Kindle e-readers and Fire TV devices to be on sale for Prime Day. And with this event being in October, it’s very likely that Amazon will use this Prime Day almost as an early Black Friday deal event for Prime subscribers: paying for Prime may get you Black Friday pricing on Amazon devices (and other gear) one month in advance.

Make no mistake, Amazon gadgets will not be the only items discounted on Prime Day. You’ll find clothes, shoes, household items, appliances, accessories and more on sale, but here at Engadget, we’ll naturally be focusing on electronics. We expect this October Prime Day to be like July’s, in that it will bring big discounts on headphones, earbuds, laptops, gaming accessories, SSDs and microSD cards, robot vacuums and more.

It’s also worth mentioning the types of deals we expect to see during October Prime Day. Some deals will be live for the entire 48 hours of the event, while others will be day one- or day two-only sales. Those are the hardest to predict, since Amazon usually does not give any indication how long a given sale will last. Our recommendation is to buy the things you’re most keen on as soon as you see them drop in price – that will ensure you get it while the discount is available, and while the item is still in stock.

You can also expect to see some “Lightning deals” happen during Prime Day. Thankfully, these are usually clearly labeled with the amount of time remaining to grab the sale price noted on the product page. In our experience, only a handful of these flash deals are actually worth your money — but if you see something that’s been on your wishlist drop in price for the next few hours, it’s in your best interest to grab it immediately.

How to prep for October Prime Day

We’ve alluded to this already, but it’s best to go into Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days as prepared as possible. That means knowing exactly what you want to look for so you stay focused and avoid distractions. This is especially important for October Prime Day — Amazon used this event last year as an unofficial kickoff to the holiday shopping season, so if you want to get some of your gift buying done early, you’ll want to stay focused. The whole of Amazon.com will be overwhelming on Prime Day, so the less time you spend aimlessly browsing, the more your wallet will thank you later.

Two simple things you can do ahead of Prime Day are make a list and bookmark a price tracker. For the former, take note of the most important items you want to pick up on Prime Day. You can either do this the old-fashioned way on a sticky note, or you can use Amazon’s wish list feature. For the latter, add the items you want to buy on Prime Day to your wish list (or, even better, make a dedicated wishlist with only your Prime Day or holiday gifting desirables) and return to that list during the event. Not only will you have everything you want all in one place, but you’ll also be able to see which of those items are cheaper on Prime Day than they were when you originally added them.

As for the price tracker, sites like CamelCamelCamel let you monitor the price of specific items on Amazon. You can check out price history charts and you can make your own price-drop alerts, receiving emails when something you want gets a discount. CamelCamelCamel also has some browser extensions you can download so you don’t have to navigate away from an Amazon product page to check its price history.

We know that not everyone – not even every Prime member – will be flocking to Amazon during Prime Big Deal Days. Whether you find such blatant displays of consumerism off putting or you simply don’t want to give Amazon more of your money, there are plenty of reasons why you might be skipping this all together. But that doesn’t mean you have to skip all of the sales that will be happening during that same time. Especially with it being so close to the holidays, retailers like Walmart, Target, Best Buy and others will most likely have competing Prime Day sales and we expect many of them will match the discounted prices you’ll find on Amazon. We recommend checking them out if you want to cross some items off your holiday shopping list for less, without spending money on Amazon.

Engadget will be covering October Prime Day in full, so if you have a lot of tech on your to-buy list, be sure to check back here on Prime Day for the best tech sales we could find. We’ll be sure to include gadgets from across the board – from headphones to robot vacuums to gaming gear – plus the best “anti-Prime Day” deals you can find from other retailers. You can also follow the @EngadgetDeals Twitter account and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter to stay up to date on the latest discounts. The volume of deals will be daunting, but we sift through them all and pick out the best ones to make Prime Day a bit easier for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-prime-big-deal-days-everything-you-need-to-know-about-october-prime-day-115842532.html?src=rss

Amazon will hold its Prime Big Deal Days sale on October 10 and 11

Amazon is having a second sale this fall exclusively for Prime members as it did last year, and though we knew it was happening in October, we didn't yet have an exact date. Now, Amazon has announced that the sale will happen on October 10 and 11, and even gave it a new name: Prime Big Deal Days. 

As ever, Prime Day gives members access to thousands of deals, so many folks wait for the sale to get the best possible deals on pricey products like laptops, phones, memory cards, cameras and more. Knowing that, Amazon uses the event as a way to boost sales and, more importantly, Prime subscriber numbers. At the same time, some select deals are available to non-Prime members as well. 

Amazon detailed a few early deals on Amazon devices and more. You can save up to 65 per cent on a three-pack of eero Pro Mesh Wi-Fi, select Fire TV devices, Kindles and more. Amazon is promising a $15 credit to Prime members who download its Photos app and upload their first photo, between now and October 7. You'll also find deals on Prime Video, a longer free trial of Amazon Music and more. 

Last year's October Prime Day saw a plethora of deals on devices ranging from Sony's WH-1000XM5 ANC headphones to the MacBook Air to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 to Roomba 694 robot vacuum. It's also a good way to grab some Christmas presents cheap and avoid the rush. 

Besides electronics, the sale is likely to cover clothes, shoes, household items, appliances. If you're looking for some savings, it's best to get ready by making lists and bookmarking a price tracker. For more on how to prepare for Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days, check out our post on the subject

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-will-hold-its-prime-big-deal-days-sale-on-october-10-and-11-105533193.html?src=rss

Amazon will hold its Prime Big Deal Days sale on October 11 and 12

Amazon is having a second sale this fall exclusively for Prime members as it did last year, and though we knew it was happening in October, we didn't yet have an exact date. Now, Amazon has announced that the sale will happen on October 11 and 12, and even gave it a new name: Prime Big Deal Days. 

As ever, Prime Day gives members access to thousands of deals, so many folks wait for the sale to get the best possible deals on pricey products like laptops, phones, memory cards, cameras and more. Knowing that, Amazon uses the event as a way to boost sales and, more importantly, Prime subscriber numbers. At the same time, some select deals are available to non-Prime members as well. 

Amazon detailed a few early deals on Amazon devices and more. You can save up to 65 per cent on a three-pack of eero Pro Mesh Wi-Fi, select Fire TV devices, Kindles and more. Amazon is promising a $15 credit to Prime members who download its Photos app and upload their first photo, between now and October 7. You'll also find deals on Prime Video, a longer free trial of Amazon Music and more. 

Last year's October Prime Day saw a plethora of deals on devices ranging from Sony's WH-1000XM5 ANC headphones to the MacBook Air to the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 4 to Roomba 694 robot vacuum. You might not see quite as many deals as on the main Prime Day (held this year on July 11 and 12), but I was glad I waited to purchase items like memory cards and storage. It's also a good way to grab some Christmas presents cheap and avoid the rush. 

Besides electronics, the sale is likely to cover clothes, shoes, household items, appliances. If you're looking for some savings, it's best to get ready by making lists and bookmarking a price tracker. For more on how to prepare for Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days, check out our post on the subject

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/amazon-will-hold-its-prime-big-deal-days-sale-on-october-11-and-12-105533395.html?src=rss

The Steam Deck returns to an all-time low, plus the rest of the week's best tech deals

Apple may have dominated this week's tech news cycle, but our featured tech deal of the week comes courtesy of Valve: The company has discounted its Steam Deck handheld by up to 20 percent, matching the all-time low for what we consider the best portable gaming PC for most people. Elsewhere, the Samsung's Galaxy Z Flip 5 is $200 off with $50 gift card, severalAnkeraccessories are cheaper than usual and both Disney+ and Paramount+ are running special offers for new subscribers. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.

Valve Steam Deck

To celebrate Steam's 20th birthday, Valve has discounted its Steam Deck handheld by up to 20 percent. The entry-level model with 64GB of eMMC storage is down to $359, while the 256GB and 512GB versions with faster NVMe SSDs are on sale for $450 and $519, respectively. Each deal represents an all-time low. This is only the third discount we've seen for the Steam Deck since it arrived in February 2022, so this is a rare chance to save. Valve says this offer will last through September 21.

We gave the Steam Deck a review score of 81 at launch, and we currently call it the best portable gaming PC for most people in our gaming handheld buying guide. It's chunky, and some newer AAA games are starting to push its technical limits, but it offers far more power on the go than a Nintendo Switch, and its SteamOS software makes it much simpler to pick up and play than competing Windows devices. If you'd like to connect it to a TV, Valve's official Steam Deck Docking Station is also 20 percent off at $71.

Steam game deals 

Beyond the Deck, a handful of sales have brought several games we like down to lows or near-lows on Steam and other platforms. From our list of the best couch co-op games, Halo: The Master Chief Collection is down to $10, the platformer It Takes Two is down to $14, while the puzzler Portal 2 is down to a dollar. From our best PC games guide, the stylish roguelike Hades is available for $12, the VR shooter Half-Life: Alyx is available for $20, the sci-fi action game Control is available for $10 and the oddly zen driving sim Euro Truck Simulator 2 is available for $5. Other standouts include the Resident Evil 4 remake for $40 and the classic FPS Titanfall 2 for $3. Elsewhere, the action-RPG Final Fantasy XVI is down to $50 at Amazon, a $20 drop for a PS5 exclusive that arrived in June.

Anker accessory deals

A few notable chargers and USB-C hubs from Anker are also discounted this week. The Anker 621 Magnetic Battery, which snaps onto the back of a MagSafe-compatible iPhone wirelessly and delivers a 7.5W charge, is down to a low of $30. The Anker 321 MagGo Battery is a bit thicker and slower to recharge, but it has the same 5,000mAh capacity, and it's down to $21 with a 15 percent coupon. The 715 wall charger, a compact option with a 65W USB-C port, is available for $30 with a 40 percent coupon. That's about $20 below its usual price. If you need to add more ports to a computer, the 7-in-1 Anker 341 USB-C Hub is $11 off at $24. The 5-in-1 Anker 332 hub, meanwhile, is down to $16 with an on-page coupon. That's $9 below its typical street price, though the deal is only available to Prime members.

Disney+ (3-month)

New and returning subscribers can still grab three months of Disney+ for $6 total. That's a 75 percent discount. The catch is that this offer only applies to the service's "Basic" tier, so you'll have to deal with ads. Your subscription will also be set to auto-renew by default, so you'll have to remember to cancel if you don't want to pay beyond the discounted period. Still, if you've been meaning to check out Ahsoka, Andor or just old Simpsons episodes (again), this deal lets you do so on the cheap.

Paramount+ (1-year)

Along those lines, new users can take 50 percent off an annual Paramount+ subscription. The deal applies to both the ad-supported Essential plan, which is down to $30 with this deal, and the ad-free "Paramount+ with Showtime" plan, which is down to $60. As its name implies, the latter includes Showtime content, plus support for offline downloads and the ability to stream your local CBS station live. If you don't see the discount right away, use the code FALL at checkout. In general, Paramount+ isn't the most vital streaming platform, but its library is decent, with Champions League soccer, originals like Star Trek: Lower Decks and a bunch of shows from CBS, Comedy Central, Nickelodeon and other Paramount networks. Again, just remember that the service will auto-renew unless you cancel. 

Logitech G203 Lightsync

The black version of the Logitech G203 Lightsync is down to $21 at Amazon, which is about $9 off its typical street price. Just clip the $5 coupon to see the full discount at checkout. The G203 is the budget pick in our guide to the best gaming mice, as it offers a relatively sturdy design, accurate enough tracking, responsive main buttons and tasteful RGB lighting. It's on the smaller side, its scroll wheel feels a bit mushy and its rubbery cable isn't detachable — but at this price, it's hard to do better if you just want something competent for as little money as possible.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5

Best Buy is bundling the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 with a $50 gift card for $800. That's $200 off the foldable phone's list price. If stock runs dry, Amazon has the same discount without the gift card. The Galaxy Z Flip 5 only went on sale last month; we gave it a review score of 88, and we now call it the "best foldable for selfies" in our guide to the best smartphones. The big upgrade is a larger cover display, which makes the phone more useful for checking notifications, using apps and, yes, taking selfies when it's folded. You'll still have to be delicate with it, and its camera performance isn't on par with the best flagships, but the rest of the hardware is impressive. If you want a flip-style foldable, it's your best bet. 

Samsung Galaxy Tab S9

In other Samsung deals, the 256GB version of the Galaxy Tab S9 is also down to $800 at various retailers. That's a price we've seen for most of the last month or so, but now you can get this model with a $100 Amazon credit for no extra cost. Just use the code PDHMT3LPAACC at checkout. At Best Buy, meanwhile, the tablet is available with a $100 digital gift card. This upgraded SKU also includes 12GB of RAM; for reference, the base model comes with 8GB of memory and half the storage.

The Galaxy Tab S9 series is the top Android pick in our guide to the best tablets. Like the larger (and pricier) Tab S9+ and Tab S9 Ultra, the 11-inch Tab S9 offers a gorgeous AMOLED display, IP68 water resistance, S Pen stylus support and excellent performance thanks to its Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip. It's still expensive, and Android remains less optimized for larger screens than iPadOS. Nevertheless, this is a luxurious piece of hardware for those who want a high-end tablet but want to avoid Apple land. 

SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless

The SteelSeries Apex Pro TKL Wireless is on sale for $200, which is $50 off its usual going rate and only $10 more than its all-time low. This is a feature-rich, tenkeyless gaming keyboard we plan on recommending in a future buying guide. Its linear switches use magnetic Hall effect sensors, which let you adjust the actuation point of individual keys. That means you can make the keys faster and more responsive while gaming, then set them to be less sensitive while typing. A "rapid trigger" feature lets you re-actuate a switch mid-press, so you can repeat presses faster — handy for online shootouts where you're strafing back and forth. You can also bind two actions to one key based on how far it's pressed. For instance, you could lightly press Ctrl to crouch, then hold it down to go prone. 

SteelSeries isn't the only keyboard maker to implement features like these, and clearly, not everyone will need them. Plus, while the overall build quality of the Apex Pro TKL Wireless is good — with PBT keycaps, an aluminum top plate, a useful multifunction OLED display and multiple connection options — there are nicer typing experiences available for less. But some of these tricks can be genuinely useful if you spend lots of time in competitive-minded games, and this is one of the few wireless models to include them. The device also comes with a magnetic wrist rest.

Garmin Forerunner 745

The Garmin Forerunner 745 is available for $300, which is about $80 off its usual going rate. This is the "best for triathletes" pick in our guide to the best GPS running watches: It's a few years old, and its UI generally isn't as intuitive as Apple's watchOS, but it's easy to wear, it tracks distance accurately and it has a host of useful coaching and training features. 

Jabra Elite 3

The lilac version of the Jabra Elite 3 is on sale for $49 at Amazon, which is a $20 or so drop from its typical street price in recent months. We highlight this pair in our guide to the best budget wireless earbuds, and we gave it a review score of 88 back in 2021. Its modestly bass-boosted sound still impresses for the money, while its compact design and snug fit make it a nice companion for workouts. The downside is that it's fairly basic in terms of features, as it lacks wireless charging, multi-device pairing, wear detection and active noise cancellation. If you don't like the lilac finish, the dark grey model is available for $60, but that's not as strong a deal.

Amazon Echo Pop

The teal and lavender versions of the Amazon Echo Pop are down to $23. That's $5 more than the discount we saw during Amazon's Prime Day event in July but still $17 off the semi-circular speaker's list price. This is the new entry-level model in Amazon's smart speaker lineup. It doesn't sound as full as the spherical Echo Dot, and it lacks that device's motion and temperature sensors, so it's not as useful for pausing music by hand or controlling smart thermostats. However, if you just want the cheapest route into Alexa possible — and you can't wait for Amazon's next big sale — it still gets you most of the way there at a lower price. 

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

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-steam-deck-returns-to-an-all-time-low-plus-the-rest-of-the-weeks-best-tech-deals-164403780.html?src=rss

TikTok is pushing shopping features into nearly every part of its app

Influencers have been using TikTok to land brand deals and promote products for years, but now the company is ushering in a more formal shopping experience. TikTok is launching its e-commerce product in the United States in an attempt to capitalize on the app's popularity, and turn its viewers into consumers. In a recent blog post, the company announced its TikTok Shop — which includes a host of features for users, content creators and businesses.

The TikTok Shop includes a “Shop Tab” for businesses to display their products, affiliate videos placed in users' feeds that allow creators to earn commissions and shopping ads for businesses. TikTok is also launching its own logistics arm called “Fulfilled by TikTok,” which will facilitate storage and shipping for registered merchants.

In an interview with The New York Times, TikTok executive Nico Le Bourgeois said the TikTok Shop had more than 200,000 registered sellers, with over 100,000 creators already having access to its livestream shopping buttons. Bourgeois went on to discuss the company's plans to shake up the industry.

“We have a very aggressive plan to make a splash in the industry and make sure that people out there understand that TikTok is a place for shopping,” he said. “We’ll be very present for Black Friday and Cyber Monday through a combination of traffic, free shipping and deals.”

TikTok Shop is based on a similar and hugely successful feature on its sister app, Douyin, available across Asia. While there's no doubt that hashtags like #TikTokMadeMeBuyIt has fueled product discovery on TikTok, live shopping hasn't quite taken off in the US yet. Of course, TikTok isn't the first social media app to attempt a pivot to e-commerce. Meta has tried for years with Facebook and Instagram. Pinterest has also been navigating the e-commerce waters by offering its users an easier and faster way to by what they see. However, those efforts have not skyrocketed just yet.

As of right now, the Shop Tab is available for 40 percent of TikTok users. The feature will be rolled out gradually and become available for all users by early October.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/tiktok-is-pushing-shopping-features-into-nearly-every-part-of-its-app-212002587.html?src=rss