Last year, WhatsApp released a series of new updates to make sending voice messages an overall better experience, and now it's bringing the whole group in on it. The messaging app has released a beta version of voice chats — a feature that creates an ongoing group audio conversation, reports WABetaInfo. The first sign of voice chats came earlier this year under the name audio chats but didn't provide much other info than its mere existence.

WABetaInfo

Though it sounds similar, this update isn't exactly the same as starting a group call, giving a much more Discord-like feel than when you typically give your friends a ring. Anyone with the update should see a waveform symbol in the upper right corner of their group chat. Pressing the icon starts a group voice chat and will say voice chat opened with a microphone to its left and a red X to its right. Everyone else in the group will receive a push notification, the same as any message, instead of their phone ringing. They will see a banner at the top of the chat box letting them know how many people are chatting now and giving them the option to connect.

Voice chats are protected by end-to-end encryption just like any other messages sent and also shut off if no one has been active in it for an hour. WhatsApp voice chat only appears to be available in beta for Android users right now but will allegedly appear for more people in the coming days.

Now's the time to snag a new Google phone without paying full price. The tech company's Pixel 7a smartphone is 11 percent off right now — down to $444 from $499 in all available colors. This deal is the best we've seen for the Google Pixel 7a 128GB since it first launched in May. 

Google's Pixel 7a is one of our favorite mid-range smartphones and scored a 90 in our review due to how much it works like a Pixel 7 but for a lower price. For starters, it lasted 17 hours and 41 minutes during our video rundown test, just 13 minutes short of its older sibling. It also has a 6.1-inch OLED screen, a 2400 x 1080 display and a 90Hz refresh rate. The Pixel 7a features a high-res 65-MP rear camera and a 13-MP selfie camera.

A few other devices in the Google Pixel family, such as the tablet, are also on sale. A 12 percent discount drops the Google Pixel Tablet (equipped with a charging speaker dock) down to $439 from $499. Plus, the Google Pixel Buds Pro and A-Series have sales running, with the Pro model dropping 30 percent to $139 from $200. If you want something even cheaper, the Google Pixel Buds A-Series are down to $60 from $100 — a 40 percent discount. 

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If you've still been hemming and hawing about whether Sony's PlayStation 5 is worth dropping half a grand for, you're in luck. One of the best gaming consoles on the market is having a nice sale to start your week off right. Right now, Sony's PS5 disc model is down to $449 from $500 — a solid 10 percent discount. Sure, it's not a massive chunk of change, but $50 can buy you a game or two or even an extra controller.

Sony's PS5 was a solid choice when it first came out in 2020 (we gave it an 87 at the time) and has seen active improvements in the few years since. Most recently, a software beta update has added more accessibility options, like the ability to use a second controller for assistance in games. It also doubled M.2 SSD limits from 4TB to 8TB and added Dolby Atmos support to increase the number of devices you can play sound through.

Whether you go for the console or have one already, you can take advantage of some accessories also being on sale. The DualSense Wireless Controller is down to $49 in almost every color, from classic White to Galactic Purple. Sony's PlayStation Pulse 3D Wireless Headset is even at an all-time low price in its Gray Camouflage model, down to $70 from $100. All in all, this is a very good time to hop fully on the PS5 train.

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"A $3,000 podcasting kit, in this economy?" That was my first thought when I learned about Nomono's portable recording setup last year. Since then, the price has dropped slightly to $2,490. But my main concern remains: Who needs this thing when you can get a small audio recorder and lavalier mics for far less? Still, I was intrigued.

Nomono's kit includes four wireless lav mics, as well as a space recorder for room tone and spatial data, all of which charge in a portable carrying case. Your recordings are automatically uploaded to Nomono's cloud service, where you can optimize their audio quality (and eventually edit them in your browser). As someone who's been podcasting regularly since 2008, the notion of an all-in-one kit that can easily tackle local recordings sounds like an absolute dream. Nomono's kit has the potential to be something the podcasting industry has needed for years, but can the company justify its incredibly high price?

Clearly, this isn't a product aimed at everyone — it's certainly not for beginners, and I'd argue it's far beyond the scope of what most podcasters actually need. But after testing Nomono's kit for a few weeks, I can see how it could be helpful for recording studios and companies that need flexible podcasting solutions. It doesn't require much training to use, it delivers high quality recordings, and it can be deployed just about anywhere. For those folks, spending $2,490 on Nomono's kit may make more sense than having an engineer dedicate time to every single recording. Add in a cloud subscription, which can cost as much as $29 a month, and it definitely doesn't seem like something for mere podcasting mortals.

You can tell Nomono is striving for Apple-level design simply by looking at its hardware. Even though everything is made of plastic, nothing feels cheap. The egg-like charging case has a cloth handle at the top as well as a USB-C port. Its two halves snap together with secure clasps — flip those open, take off the top and you're presented with four lavalier microphones around the space recorder. It's like an adorable podcasting bird nest.

Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

The space recorder serves as the hub for the entire Nomono experience: It's a rectangular device featuring omnidirectional microphones for capturing room tone with spatial information (it can tell where everyone is located during a conversation). There's a small screen at the top displaying the battery levels of all the connected lavs, as well as prominent recording and directional buttons. On the side, it features a USB-C port and a 3.5 millimeter headphone jack. As you're capturing audio, the space recorder takes in data from the lav mics and uploads it to Nomono's cloud once your session is done.

The lavaliers aren't nearly as unique: They're small, indiscrete square pucks featuring four LED colors (helpful for distinguishing each track). They grip onto your clothes with small magnets — making them easy to put on, but potentially just as easy to slip off. The lavs never fell off during my testing, but I constantly worried about knocking one off and losing the tiny magnet. (Nomono includes some additional magnets in its bundled accessory kit, which also has windscreen sleeves for the lavs and space recorder.)

Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

Setting up Nomono's hardware was relatively straightforward: After charging the case, I downloaded the Nomono Companion app, created an account, and paired the kit to my phone. The app shows battery levels for the lav mics and space recorder. To capture audio, you just need to remove the space recorder and at least one lav, then hit record. That process was surprisingly fast and reliable — I was typically able to get recordings started in under 30 seconds.

Wrapping up a session is mostly dependent on your internet connection. It took under 60 seconds for a 90-minute recording to get uploaded, and then I had to wait a few more minutes for Nomono's cloud to process the upload. It was far faster for short recording tests, just be prepared to wait a bit if you're planning to push lots of audio. Nomono’s hardware delivers 16-bit 48kHz WAV files for each lavalier, as well as an ambisonic WAV file (with up to four tracks) from the space recorder.

The quality of those recordings are crisp and detailed even in slightly noisy outdoor spaces. The lavs don't sound nearly as rich or nuanced as a premium dynamic or condenser microphone, but I didn't really expect them to. I'd consider them on-par with other wireless lavaliers I've used during video production (our podcast editor, Ben Ellman, described the sound as being ideal for video shoots). A conversation with my wife also sounded surprisingly clear, with none of the crosstalk issues or echoes I've encountered with cheaper multi-mic solutions.

Nomono

To give your recordings a bit more polish, Nomono also offers three levels of enhancement through its cloud platform: on the light end, it features a high-pass filter, cross-talk reduction, notch EQ filter, de-noising and de-essing (for removing harsh "S" sounds and other sibilants). Medium enhancement adds loudness normalization, a tone-shaping EQ and adaptive level, while full enhancement goes even heavier on the latter two features. While you can still download pure, unfiltered tracks, these enhancements are useful for the less audio savvy.

Eventually, you can choose to spatialize your recording through Nomono’s online platform, which makes each audio track sound like they’re coming from different directions (depending on where the space recorder was placed during the session). That feature wasn't available while I was testing the kit, and to be honest, it's also not something I'd ever consider using in a podcast. 

Nomono's full audio enhancement did a decent job of cutting down highway sounds and other street noise while I was recording in front of my local Starbucks (see above), but it also made my voice sound a bit tinny and compressed. Basically, don't expect any miracles. While It's useful to have simple ways to cut down background noise, you'll still need to find a relatively quiet recording space to capture the best audio. (Otherwise, why even buy such an expensive podcasting kit?!)

The company plans to launch its online editor by the end of 2023, which could also potentially include the ability to edit spatial recordings. Since this isn’t exactly a consumer solution, I’d bet that most people buying Nomono’s hardware already have more sophisticated ways to edit audio.

Here's a comparison of Nomono's lavalier versus the Rode Procaster XLR microphone: 

While Nomono’s hardware mostly impressed me, its online platform made it tough to deal with larger files. It took over five minutes for it to prepare a 90 minute track for download (including its bundled spatial audio file). And that didn’t include the time it took to actually grab the file, which would be dependent on your internet connection. I understand the appeal of a seamless online audio solution, but it’s annoying when I know it would be faster to just grab a file from a device sitting right on my desk. 

The space recorder didn’t show up on my Mac or PC when I connected to it, unfortunately. Nomono representatives say the company is planning to make offline features available next year, but for now, it's focused on a cloud-based workflow because they believe it's the "most convenient and time-efficient" solution for users. That also means livestreaming is out of the question with this kit, though it may show up in a future Nomono product, the company tells me.

I’d have a much easier time justifying Nomono’s high price if I knew I could use its hardware without relying on a website. This isn’t my first time at the gadget startup rodeo: What good is this $2,490 recording kit if the company goes out of business in a year or two?

Photo by Devindra Hardawar/Engadget

It’s clear that Nomono has developed something special, but it’s hard to imagine this recording kit being the only solution for an audio-savvy company. You’ll still need to have a dedicated podcasting space with hard-wired microphones. What Nomono offers is flexibility: What if you need to record in another room, in someone else’s office, or at a hotel? In those situations, a self-contained $2,490 podcasting kit might not seem so wild.

Viewers might see a new option in YouTube's dropdown resolution menu on the web if they're paying for the video hosting platform's Premium subscription service. According to The Verge, YouTube's 1080p playback option with "enhanced bitrate" is now available on desktop around the world. It's located above the ordinary 1080p option in the menu, and clicking on it will prompt users to pay for Premium if they're not currently a subscriber. 

YouTube started testing 1080p Premium earlier this year, describing it as a "version of 1080p which provides more information per pixel that results in a higher quality viewing experience." The higher bitrate, which is used as a measurement for the amount of video data transferred within a certain timeframe, it provides could give viewers a better quality without having to watch in higher resolution. Yes, 4K is available for some videos, but that means having to stream a larger file that not everyone's connection can handle and could eat up a significant portion of some people's data allowance. 

The service also rolled out enhanced 1080p on iOS a few months ago, but now more people will have access to it. That said, YouTube recently raised the prices for a Premium subscription from $12 a month to $14 and from $120 a year to $140. It does eliminate ads from the viewing experience, though, and it comes with features other than enhanced 1080p, including offline viewing and background playback. 

Threads users will soon get one of the most requested features for the text-based social network: A web version. Meta chief Mark Zuckerberg has announced on the app that in the next few weeks, Threads is getting both a web version people can use to access the service on desktop, as well as a proper search function.

While it's possible to view Threads posts on desktop at the moment, clicking on the reply, repost, like and send buttons merely brings up a QR code that links to the app. Similarly, Threads' search function is currently limited. As 9to5Mac notes, it can only surface other accounts and can't be used to look for particular posts.

Meta pushed Threads out the door at an opportune time, when X users were reeling from major changes to the platform formerly known as Twitter. It became available shortly after X restricted the number of posts users can see on the website/app due to "extreme levels of data scraping [and] system manipulation." Non-paying users were the most affected and were initially limited to seeing 600 posts a day.

People flocked to Threads after it came out, and it easily reached 100 million users in under a week. However, Meta released Threads without a bunch of features people have come to expect from a social network like it. The company's higher-ups promised that the Threads team was working on those features, and over the past couple of weeks, it released a chronological feed and built-in translations. Threads' engagement has plummeted from that blockbuster first week, but the new features coming out could entice those early adopters to take a peek and become active users. 

While Motorola’s pricier Razr+ beat Samsung’s Galaxy Z Flip 5 to the punch with its expansive external display, the Razr (named the Razr 40 in other regions like the UK) was pitched as a more budget-friendly foldable. For now, pricing and availability in the US haven’t been confirmed, but in the UK it’s priced at £800 (roughly $1,025) while the Razr+ retails at £1,050 in the UK and $999 in the US.

The new Razr is cheaper, but it’s also more limited. In screen terms, it's comparable with foldable phones from a few years ago. But it has a bigger battery and seemingly better cameras. As the fanfare from Samsung’s Unpacked reveal dies down (and we get to grips with the Z Flip 5), the Moto Razr begs the question: What do you really get from a cheaper foldable phone?

Design and displays

Let’s start with some Razr family resemblances. Both the Razr and Razr+ have the same body and internal flexible 6.9-inch display, and there is no more Razr ‘chin’ on either device. No corners have been cut on the foldable screen, with a crisp 413 pixels per inch and up to 1,400 nits of brightness. This is a flagship display. Internally, at least.

However, the cheaper Razr has a much smaller 1.5-inch external panel, which puts it somewhere between Samsung’s original Z Flip and the Z Flip 3. You know it will feel constrictive when it’s smaller than the first two Samsung flip smartphones. This is all exacerbated by the fact that its own sibling the Razr+ has a 3.6-inch external screen. 

The Razr’s panel takes up about 20 percent of the lower front of the device, with a 64-megapixel and 8MP camera duo to its right. It has an IP52 rating, which is better than nothing, but won’t protect against more than a weak splash or light rain.

I do like the Razr’s vegan, faux leather texture, so much so that despite my fear of breaking or damaging foldable devices, I risked using the phone without the hard shell case that came in the box. I particularly liked the grey-green sage colorway, too. Like the Razr+, Moto’s middleweight phone folds completely closed, with no gaps when looking at it from the side.

Photo by Mat Smith / Engadget

The small external screen is limited to basic phone functions. You can swipe sideways through your calendar, weather forecasts, while a drag up from the clock will show all your notifications. Swiping down gets to quick toggles for things like WiFi and Bluetooth. It’s functional, but a little dated. This is what we got with the very first flip smartphones; I need a little more. Even compared to last year’s Z Flip 4 — likely to be discounted to a similar price as this Razr now that its successor is here – Samsung’s device offers more to do and see on its external screen.

The Razr’s second screen is most helpful when you’re using exterior cameras for selfies. Double pressing the power button quick-launches the camera app, and you can tap to capture images with a timer, swipe up and down to switch between the ultra-wide and standard lenses and swipe sideways to swap between video, photo and portrait modes. You can even summon a cartoon character to distract children when taking photos, in both unfolded and folded modes.

The Razr’s 2,640 x 1,080 screen can refresh at up to 144Hz, a little shy of the Razr+'s 160Hz. That said, if you’re coming from smartphones with refresh rates of 90Hz or less, you’re still going to sense the improved smoothness. The panel is bright, responsive — it’s a smartphone screen. Anyone serving in the Crease Police, yes it’s there, but compared to older foldables, running your finger over it doesn’t feel like it's testing the screen’s durability. Foldable hinges (and the screens covering them) continue to get better but if you’re looking for visible hints of a folding display, they’re still there.

Performance and software

With a Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 chip, the Razr shows its midrange hand a little. It’s not a flagship processor, but this is not a flagship foldable. I noticed the Razr lagged a little when I was trying to edit a lengthy video file, but it eventually managed to complete the task.

A pleasant surprise with this Razr was its 4,200mAh battery. This is much larger than the 3,800mAh battery in the Razr+ and the Galaxy Z Flip 4’s 3,700 mAh cell. In our video rundown test, it lasted just beyond 18 hours, a good three hours longer than the Razr+ and better than last year’s Z Flip 4.

Photo by Mat Smith / Engadget

The Razr can also fast-charge at 30W with the included adapter included (outside of the US at least). I was able to get the Razr to reach 100 percent in under an hour. There’s also support for slower 5W wireless charging, but alas, no reverse charging, if you were hoping to top up any wireless earbuds.

I’ve already noted the limited utility of the Razr’s external display, but software-wise it’s just not good enough. Customization options only extend to different fonts and colorways for the clock. It’s especially jarring given that we know Motorola is capable of more, thanks to the Razr+.

Cameras

One of the big spec differences between Motorola’s duo of foldables this year are the cameras. While the Razr+ has a pair of 12MP cameras like the Galaxy Z Flip series, the standard Razr has a 13MP wide-angle lens alongside a 64MP primary lens with optical image stabilization. Ah, so this will be where the Razr shines, right? Sadly, no.

In almost every shot I took, the Razr didn’t reach the standards of the Razr+ or even last year’s Galaxy Flip 4. Motorola's claims of ultra-fast and accurate laser auto-focus don’t really bear out in reality, especially with video. The Razr twitches and struggles to keep consistent focus. I struggled to see many images where the 64MP sensor outperformed the pricier devices, either. I wasn’t getting notably more detail, in fact I was getting less. Turns out, unless you activate high-res capture mode (which is hidden away in the furthest reaches of the camera’s menu), the primary 64MP sensor is aggressively pixel-binned, stripping away detail without improving overall image quality all that much.

Wrap-up

Photo by Mat Smith / Engadget

Are foldables going to be the new smartphone normal? Doubtful. Motorola’s bid for a cheaper (if not that much cheaper) flip phone tries to broaden their appeal, but sadly misses the mark. Its external display simply lacks enough utility in 2023. And I’m not sure who is willing to spend this much money on a phone that's already two years behind the curve.

However, Motorola has yet to announce pricing or a launch date in the US. If the Razr were to cost $800 or lower, which would be closer to a Galaxy S23 or iPhone 14, it could find an audience. But for most people intrigued by a foldable flip-phone, they would be better served hunting down a discounted Galaxy Z Flip 4.

VR technology has come a long way from the early Virtuality systems that inhabited our local malls in the ‘80s and ‘90s, with modern headsets offering 4K resolution, Dolby Atmos surround sound, and motion-sensing controllers. But even the most convincing optical and auditory illusions can’t fully fool our inner ears.

“If you want to feel these big sensations, you’ve got to have the infrastructure first,” University of Chicago PhD student, Romain Nith, told Engadget. “You’ve got to go to theme parks, ride roller coasters, or you need bungie cords pulling you from the ceiling.” And while the sensations are really like what they’re simulating (because you're really being thrown around), “you can't have that in your living room.”

The JumpMod Haptic Backpack prototype, on the other hand, can effectively fool its user’s sense of proprioception to make jumping in VR feel much more lifelike with a device the size of, well, a backpack. It has been developed by Nith and his research team from the University of Chicago’s Human-Computer Integration Lab, which is headed by Pedro Lopes, Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science. The HCI Lab’s research focuses on using technology to “borrow parts of the body for input and output, rather than adding more technology to the body” and, as such, has generated a veritable menagerie of novel devices exploring that concept.

“I think the next generation of devices is not going to be defined by how small they are, or how implanted they are in the body… but more about how deeply they integrate with your body,” Lopes told Engadget. He points to the functional issues of dealing with Google Maps in 2007 — specifically the need to physically print them out for them to be useful. “Now when that runs on your smartphone, the device that can move with you, in your pocket, you can access information anywhere, anytime,” he said. “All of a sudden that makes a lot of sense. So every jump of these paradigms allows you to do something new.”

“We're looking at the body and trying to create technology that really hybridizes with you,” Lopes continued, using smartwatches as an example, which rely on small spinning motors to create the notification vibration. “That is one of the reasons smart watches are so big.”

Instead, a small electrical charge can elicit the same tingling sensation without the need for a “big rotating mass type of device,” Lopes explained. “The sensations, the functionality, ends up being the same and the device looks very different.”

JumpMod takes a similar approach, rapidly shifting the position of a weight worn by the user to fool their senses rather than hoist the user wholesale to practically recreate the sensation. The untethered device is designed to modify the user’s sense of jumping, when used with a VR program, by rapidly lifting and lowering a 2-kilogram weight (which doubles as the device’s power cell) in time with their physical movement. Adjusting the speed of weight’s motion impacted the user’s perceived jump momentum, enabling the team to create sensations of higher and broader jumps, softer and harder landings and being pulled up or down.

The device itself is completely untethered and can operate both indoors and out. In the demo above, the researcher team used the backpack to improve its user’s timing when jumping rope and even took JumpMod to a basketball court to show how it could be used to help (or hinder) players in a game of one-on-one. The current iteration is built to generate as much force as comfortably possible, in order to maximize the generated sensation, so it does tend to be rather loud and heavy.

“We probably don't have to drive it as fast, which generates less noise, and probably don't even need all the weight that we have, which would make for a slimmer backpack,” Lopes said. “Where does that sensation start to occur? Is that at 100 grams, is it at 300 grams? We optimized it for maximum power, rather than for a minimal device. That's the kind of stuff one would do if one were to commercialize [the technology].”

Technically, the device doesn’t even need to be worn, it could theoretically be implanted into the backs of theater seats. “I think that the tension here in VR is really interesting,” Lopes said. “ If you go to the Disney theme park, they play these super-immersive VR scenes, you're on a motion platform and when the scene jumps, the motion platform goes up.” Lope argues that a similar sensation could potentially be produced at a fraction of the infrastructure requirements using JumpMod.

“There's lots of proto-motion platforms for VR, some with special shoes, some move around, some rotate but none of them have really paid off,” Lopes said. “It's a really difficult challenge where, if you want to create an involuntary force and involuntary movement, you need a big infrastructure. We are interested in whether that's possible, but honestly, we don't even know if it is.“

The “involuntary” aspect of these devices and technologies is an ethical sticking point for the field, and one which Lopes’ lab has studied frequently. His students have developed passive systems that allow one user to dictate the hand motions of another, or use electrical muscle stimulation to improve the users’ dexterity — artificially boosting their reaction speeds and shaping their finger positions on a guitar fretboard. They can even be controlled through an exoskeleton to properly form the words of American Sign Language. However, all of those devices require the user to relinquish some degree of control over their bodies to let the machines do their things.

“We call it ‘optimizing agency,’” Lopes said. For most of the projects in his lab, “agency is not super critical.” Stakes are low when allowing a robot to guide your finger positionings when learning to play guitar or have one physically guide your head using electrical muscle stimulation during a workplace safety training experience. “We apply the [EMS pads] to the neck muscles,” Lopes reassured Engadget, which gently buzz the user to make them look around their office space, “so they know where the fire extinguisher is, where the fire exit is.”

Lopes does concede that physically instigating a user to turn their head by externally stimulating their nervous system could be construed as “making people completely lose their sense of agency,” however he notes that his lab consistently includes user overrides for all EMS-related devices. “In all these, we design some form [of override] to keep you in control. For example, in the case of [the head actuation study], if you push against the device, it senses that you're pushing against the direction that it’s starting to move your head and turns off.”

“I think there's more research to be done there, more complex ways to tackle this,” he continued. “Brain Computer Interfaces (BCIs) are really interesting because you can kind of detect what people are thinking, what their goal is, and then you don't even have to activate the system if it's not needed.”

This week's best tech deals include Apple's MacBook Air M2 falling back to an all-time low of $949. While Apple may announce a new Air later this year, the top pick in our best laptops guide is still a strong value at this price if you need a new notebook today. Beyond laptops, several Amazon devices are available for the same prices we saw during Prime Day last month, including the Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $25 and the Echo Show 8 for $60. Google's Pixel Tablet has received its first major discount, while a few wireless earbuds and gaming accessories we like are also on sale. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.

Apple MacBook Air M2

Apple's 13-inch MacBook Air with an M2 chip is down to $949 at B&H and Best Buy, matching the lowest price we've tracked. Apple normally sells this 8GB RAM/256GB SSD configuration for $1,099, though we've often seen it go for $50 less elsewhere. Regardless, this is the top pick in our guide to the best laptops, and it earned a review score of 96 last year. It continues to offer almost everything we look for in a mainstream notebook: a thin design, a bright and accurate display, long battery life, a comfortable keyboard, useful speakers and dependable performance for most day-to-day tasks. The storage in this config is technically slower than higher-capacity models, but that shouldn't be a major hindrance unless you plan on doing more intense tasks like media editing. 

The older M1-based MacBook Air is still available for an all-time low of $750 if you want to pay as little as possible for a competent MacBook, though you'll have to deal with a more dated design and a mediocre 720p webcam. There's an important caveat to both of these deals, too: According to a recent Bloomberg report, Apple could launch an updated 13-inch MacBook Air with a new M3 chip as soon as this October. The current models are still strong values if you need a notebook right now, but if you can afford to wait for the latest and greatest, you may want to hold off.

Anker 622 Magnetic Battery

The Anker 622 Magnetic Battery is a pocket-friendly wireless power bank that we've recommended in the past. Right now it's down to $40, which isn't quite an all-time low but is still $20 off its typical going rate. 

This 5,000mAh (19.25Wh) battery can't fully refill most iPhones from nothing, and it only charges at 7.5W, so like many wireless models, it won't be as fast as using a cable. It can also get hot. Still, its slim frame snaps easily onto the back of any MagSafe-compatible iPhone, and it can deliver around an 80 percent charge to a standard iPhone 14. It also has a built-in kickstand, so it can prop your phone up when you're not using it. If you really want the convenience of a fully wireless charger, it's a fine value. 

Note that Anker sells an "upgraded" version of the 622 with a USB-C port on the side instead of the bottom, though that's a bit more expensive as of this writing. If you're willing to trade some thinness for more power, the 10,000mAh Anker 633 is also worth a look. Just be aware that all of these won't work if you use a case that isn't MagSafe-compatible.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max

A number of Amazon devices are available for the same prices we saw during the company's Prime Day sale last month. This time, however, the deals are only available at non-Amazon retailers. 

The Fire TV Stick 4K Max, for instance, is back down to $25 at Lowe's, Target and Best Buy. That matches the best price we've seen for the 4K streaming stick and comes in about $20 off its average street price. While we generally prefer Roku and Google's streaming platforms over Amazon's Fire OS, the 4K Max is still a suitable option for casual streaming. It supports just about all the major apps and HDR standards, it has Alexa voice controls built into its remote and it's fairly quick to load menus. 

You'll get the most out of any Fire TV device if you already use Amazon services like Prime Video or Alexa, as Fire OS tends to prioritize the company's own offerings throughout the UI. You'll have to deal with ads as well, and there's no support for Apple AirPlay or Google Cast. For $25, though, those issues might be easier to look past.

Google Chromecast with Google TV (HD)

If you're looking to add streaming functionality to an older 1080p or 720p display, note that the 1080p version of the Google Chromecast with Google TV is on sale for $20 at various retailers. That's $10 off the streaming dongle's typical going rate and within $2 of its all-time low. 

This model is effectively identical to the 4K Chromecast we recommend in our media streamer guide, only it maxes at a 1080p resolution, comes with 0.5GB less RAM and doesn't support Dolby Vision HDR. Otherwise, it provides the same extensive app support, impressive search and intuitive interface. Like the 4K model, you'd get this if you want a streamer that's more proactive about recommending shows and movies you might like based on your viewing history. Just note that, unlike Roku's streamers, there's no AirPlay support. You can read our review for more details.

Amazon Echo Show 8

The Echo Show 8 is down to an all-time low of $60 at Lowe's, Kohl's, Target and Best Buy. That's $70 below Amazon's MSRP and $15 below the price we usually see when the device is on sale.

The Echo Show 8 is the top Alexa pick in our guide to the best smart displays and earned a review score of 87 in 2021. If you already prefer Alexa over the Google Assistant for smart home matters, this should be the best balance of price and utility: It's cheaper and less cumbersome than the Echo Show 10, but its 8-inch display and 13-megapixel camera are much better suited to streaming, glancing at information and making video calls than the diminutive Echo Show 5. It's a clear upgrade in the sound department as well. If you do want a smaller display for a bedside table, though, the 5.5-inch model is also back at its Prime Day price of $45.

Amazon Echo Dot

For a more affordable Echo device, the latest Echo Dot is back at its all-time low of $23. The Clock variant, which includes an LED display for displaying the time and other basic info, is also down to a low of $30. The globe-shaped Dot is the "best under $50" pick in our smart speaker buying guide, as it offers all the Alexa functionality you'd expect, plus balanced sound quality for its size. A set of useful tap controls let you whack the speaker to pause music or snooze alarms as well. There's no 3.5mm jack to connect to larger speakers, and no always-listening device like this will ever be ideal for the privacy-conscious. But if you're already sold on the usefulness of smart speakers, this is one of the better bargains in that market. 

Amazon Fire HD 10

The Amazon Fire HD 10 is on sale for $75 at Target and Best Buy, matching another Prime Day discount. For reference, this 10.1-inch tablet has normally sold around $140 in recent months. Though it's a few years old at this point, the Fire HD 10 remains the best value for those interested in a Fire tablet. Its 1080p display is large and sharp enough for enjoying video, its processor is just powerful enough for casual streaming and web browsing, and it gets a solid 10 or so hours of battery life. 

You'll still have to deal with the usual trade-offs of a Fire slate: The app selection is severely limited compared to iPadOS or Android, with no Google services; you'll see lock screen ads unless you pay an extra fee; and the OS goes out of its way to steer you toward Amazon services. Still, if you just want a cheap slate for browsing the web, using Alexa and consuming Amazon e-books and media, there isn't much better for less than $100.

SK Hynix Gold P31

If you want to speed up the storage performance of an older desktop or laptop, the SK Hynix Gold P31 is a well-regarded internal SSD that's received highmarkselsewhere for its power efficiency. Right now, both the 1TB and 2TB models of the drive are down to new all-time lows: the former at $50, and the latter at $93. This is a PCIe 3.0 drive, so it's not the absolute fastest model available, nor is it compatible with the PlayStation 5. For most people looking to load up games or transfer large files, though, it's a great value at these deal prices. It also comes with a five-year warranty. 

Google Pixel Tablet

The Google Pixel Tablet has dropped to $439 for a 128GB model, which marks the first significant discount we've seen for the 11-inch slate since it arrived in June. That’s $60 off its list price. If you need more storage, the 256GB model is $80 off at $519. We think Samsung's Galaxy Tab devices work better purely as Android tablets, but the Pixel Tablet’s big hook is that it can attach to an included speaker dock and double as a Nest Hub Max-style smart display. If that functionality sounds useful to you, it may be worth grabbing. We gave the device a review score of 85 last month.

Logitech G203 Lightsync

The white version of the Logitech G203 Lightsync is available for $20 at Amazon when you clip a $5 on-page coupon. That's roughly $10 below its usual street price. The G203 is the top budget pick in our guide to the best gaming mice thanks to its reliable tracking and sturdy, lightweight (85g) frame. There are a couple of customizable buttons on the side, and the overall shape should work for both righties and lefties. It's certainly on the smaller side, its scroll wheel is somewhat mushy and its rubber cable isn't super flexible, but for $20 it's hard to do better.

HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless

The HyperX Cloud Alpha Wireless is down to $152 at Amazon, which is about $30 lower than its average street price in recent months. If stock runs dry at Amazon, it's available for $2 more at Best Buy. The Cloud Alpha Wireless is the top wireless pick in our guide to the best gaming headsets, mainly due to its astounding battery life, which can last more than 300 hours on a charge. Its microphone and bass-heavy sound profile aren't nearly as class-leading, but they're fine, and the whole thing is comfortable to wear for hours at a time. The big catch is that you shouldn't bother with HyperX's companion software, as there've been variousreports of it introducing significant latency. The headset only works over a USB dongle, too, not Bluetooth or a cable, and it's not compatible with Xbox. 

Anker Soundcore Motion+

The Anker Soundcore Motion+ is back down to $80 at Amazon and Soundcore when you use the $20 on-page coupon. That's $10 more than the lowest price we've seen but still $20 below Anker's list price. We recommend the Soundcore Motion+ in our guide to the best portable Bluetooth speakers: It's not especially small or light, but it can get loud enough to fill a crowded room, and it delivers a more spacious sound than most speakers in this price range. Its IPX7 water-resistance rating means it can survive in the pool or shower, and it has a 3.5mm input for connecting other devices. The 12 to 15 hours of battery life is a plus as well.

EarFun Air Pro 3

Along those lines, the EarFun Air Pro 3 is available for $60 with an on-page coupon at Amazon. We saw these wireless earphones go for $10 less on Prime Day, but this is a $20 drop from EarFun's list price all the same. 

The Air Pro 3 is the runner-up pick in our guide to the best budget wireless earbuds. It has a similar feature set as our top pick, the Soundcore Space A40, with serviceable active noise cancellation, support for wireless charging and multipoint connectivity, IPX5 water resistance and a stable fit. While its excited sound isn't for everyone, it does gives hip-hop and electronic music an intense bass response. Its battery life and ANC aren't quite as impressive as the Space A40's, but if you want to save some cash or just prefer an AirPods-style "stem" design, it's a strong alternative. 

Nothing Ear Stick

The Nothing Ear Stick is an honorable mention in that same guide, and it's now down to $79 at Nothing's online store. That's still a bit pricey for open-style earbuds that inherently lack deep bass, but it's $20 less than usual. 

We recommend the Ear Stick to those who hate the feeling of truly in-ear headphones, as that open design rests on the concha instead of going all the way into the ear canal. While the $50 Amazon Echo Buds are a better overall value, the Ear Stick has a more fashionable design, with a transparent case that twists open like a tube of lipstick. Its audio quality is solid for this style of earbud (and can be customized if needed), while the AirPods-style touch controls are easy to use. Battery life is passable at 6-ish hours per charge. Just remember that this type of design barely blocks outside noise, so it's not ideal for a flight or crowded office.

Apple AirTag

The Apple AirTag is back down to $25 at Amazon and Walmart, which is only a modest $4 discount but nevertheless matches the lowest price we've seen this year. The AirTag is the "best for iPhones" pick in our guide to the best Bluetooth trackers, as it leverages Apple's giant Find My network and ultra-wideband wireless tech to locate lost items accurately. 

Bluetooth trackers like this have certainly faced their share of scrutiny in recent years, as there've been numerouscases of bad actors using the devices to track unsuspecting victims, prompting Apple and Google to develop new anti-stalking measures. The device can be unintentionally overactive about sending alerts, and on a much less serious note, it lacks a ring hole or built-in adhesive to easily affix the device to something like a keychain. All that said, if you own an iPhone and just want some extra peace of mind in case you lose your wallet, keys or whatever else, the AirTag is one of the better options available.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 + Z Fold 5 pre-orders

Amazon still has a number of pre-order deals for Samsung's upcoming crop of foldable phones and smartwatches. The 512GB Galaxy Z Flip 5 is available with a $150 Amazon gift card for $1,000, while the 512GB Galaxy Z Fold 5 is bundled with a $200 gift card for $1,800. When those phones become widely available on August 11, they'll start with half the storage space. The $300 Galaxy Watch 6 and $400 Galaxy Watch 6 Classic, meanwhile, are each available with a $50 gift card. We'll have reviews for all these devices in the near future, but if you already know you're going to get one, consider this a PSA. For early impressions, you can read our hands-on previews for the Z Flip 5, Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Watch 6.

49-inch Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 (G95SC)

If you want to go all-out on your next monitor, the Samsung Odyssey OLED G9 is a mammoth 49-inch display that's excessive in almost every way. Its curved QD-OLED panel has a 32:9 aspect ratio, 240Hz refresh rate, 5,120 x 1,440 resolution and dual built-in speakers alongside the usual color, contrast and response time benefits. We haven't tested the device ourselves, but otherreviewsaroundthe webhave been glowing. 

The downside is that it costs $2,200. That's a lot! Right now, though, the device is $400 off. Clearly, that's lightyears from cheap, and even at that price, the panel won't get as bright as the best non-OLED options. But if money is no object, this looks to be as high-end as ultrawide monitors currently get, and now it's a smidge less expensive.

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QuakeCon is returning to an in-person event on August 10th, and id Software might have a re-release to mark the occasion. Historically reliable leaker billbil-kun claims id will unveil a remastered version of Quake II when QuakeCon kicks off next week. Details of the upgrade aren't available, but the classic sequel would make its way to PC, PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S and Switch. The title would be available through Microsoft's Game Pass on launch.

An enhanced version of Quake from 2021 might provide some clues as to what to expect. That remaster added support for widescreen resolutions as high as 4K, new character models and upgraded visual effects like dynamic lighting, depth of field and antialiasing. The refresh also bundled every official expansion while adding a new campaign created by Wolfenstein: The New Order developer MachineGames.

This won't be the same as Quake II RTX, provided the rumor is accurate. The 2019 tweak was meant to showcase NVIDIA's newer computer GPUs with ray-traced lighting and improved textures, but didn't include truly new content or hardware-agnostic visual improvements.

Quake II was originally released in 1997 and represented major strides forward in technology and gameplay over its predecessor. It introduced a semi-open world, objective-based gameplay and visual effects upgrades like colored lighting. The very first release was heavily focused on the single-player mode (competitive online play even took place on single-player maps), but it quickly became a go-to game for multiplayer thanks to updates and third-party upgrades like ThreeWave's Capture the Flag.

An introduction won't be surprising.given that a Quake II Remastered game went through South Korea's game rating authority in June. Billbil-kun also saw documents for North American (ESRB) and European (PEGI) ratings. As it stands, id, Bethesda and Microsoft have incentives to keep producing Quake remasters — they keep the first-person shooter in the limelight and make it playable on modern platforms without resorting to unofficial modifications and ports.