Apple makes some of the best earbuds you can use with an iPhone, and now you can buy a pair of AirPods Pro for less than you would typically pay for them. The second-generation model has dropped back to its all-time low price of $200, or $50 off the AirPods Pro’s usual $250 price.

Similar appearances aside, the 2022 AirPods Pro are a significant upgrade over the original 2019 model. Thanks to a more powerful H2 chip, the new AirPods Pro boast better audio quality and improved ANC capabilities. They also offer one of the best transparency modes on any set of wireless earbuds on the market right now. The AirPods Pro aren’t perfect, however. Battery life is so-so and the new touch controls could be more intuitive. But for $200, you’ll be hard-pressed to find another pair of Bluetooth headphones that offers the mix of features and convenience that the AirPods Pro do.

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Google is looking at online games as a new possible source of income for YouTube, according to a new report by the Wall Street Journal. The video hosting platform has reportedly invited employees to test a new product called Playables, which gives users access to online games right on YouTube itself. Based on the internal email the Journal saw, it wouldn't even matter what device they're using: Apparently, the games are accessible both on mobile and on desktop. 

Users will be able to play them on the YouTube website using a web browser or on the app, whether on an Android or an iOS phone. While the report insinuates that there are currently several games available for testing, it only mentioned Stack Bounce in particular. It's an ad-supported arcade game that gets players to smash layers of bricks with a bouncing ball. As the publication notes, YouTube already earns money from gaming livestreams, but this product will give it another way to generate revenue from the industry in the midst of a decline in advertising spending.

While Google failed to grow its defunct Stadia games streaming service and ultimately shut it down, this endeavor is a different thing altogether. YouTube already has a massive audience regularly visiting the site, so getting eyes on the new product wouldn't be a problem. Playables is perhaps more akin to Netflix's gaming product that gives its paying users access to casual games on mobile. Netflix has big ambitions for its gaming initiative, as well, and is reportedly working on an expansion that goes beyond mobile devices by testing TV games that use phones as controllers. 

Motorola clearly read reviews of Samsung’s Z Flip series and took notes. The Moto Razr+, a foldable phone that’s like a standard 6.9-inch handset when open, offers a large 3.6-inch screen when closed. That addresses one of the most common complaints about the Galaxy Z Flip 4 — the size of its Cover Display. It’s a cramped 1.9-inch window with a limited selection of widgets that you can use. The Razr+, meanwhile, pretty much runs full Android with some tweaks. There’s something about using the outer display that feels almost pager-like and sent me into nostalgic delight. The Moto Razr+, which goes on sale today for $999, might appeal to both old souls and early adopters alike.

Design

Currently in its fourth generation (if you count the 5G model released in 2020 as a second-gen), the Razr+ has two notable differences from its predecessors. The first is the larger display. The second is something only people over 30 might notice: The Razr+ doesn’t have a chin cupping the bottom like on the iconic original Razr. I don’t mind it, but it does cost it some nostalgia points.

When folded, there is no gap between the two halves of the main screen. It’s a squat square, and its matte back reminds me of the case that my dad’s pager sat in. Sadly, only the Viva Magenta model comes with a vegan leather back, while the blue and black models use Corning Gorilla Glass Victus on the front and rear. Our review unit is black, and the matte finish lends a more premium feel and helps fight smudges.

The folded Razr+ is thinner than the Galaxy Z Flip 4 and fits comfortably in my palm, and it’s slightly larger than the Samsung phone when open. The Razr+ has a slightly less rigid hinge than the Flip 4, too. The Samsung phone can hold itself up at pretty much any position, but Moto’s hinge yields and opens all the way when you push it past 150 degrees.

Finally, at 188.5 grams (6.6 ounces), the Razr+ is lighter than the iPhone 14 Plus and the Galaxy S23 Plus, which both have slightly smaller screens. It’s just a tad heavier than the Z Flip 4, though. Both Motorola and Samsung’s devices are rated for water-resistance, with the Razr+ meeting IP52 standards while the Flip hit IPX8.

External display

Next to the Moto Razr+, using the Z Flip 4’s Cover Display feels unusable, especially when trying to frame a selfie. Not only is there barely enough space to contain everything, but it’s also hard to see. When shooting the video for this piece, our producer Joel Chokkattu struggled to get a usable shot of the camera preview on the Z Flip 4’s exterior display in sunlight.

Motorola’s larger pOLED panel also allows for a more full-fledged Android experience, while Samsung is a glorified notification widget. On the Moto, you can swipe down from top to see all your quick settings toggles and the brightness slider, swipe up slowly to show your open apps and switch between them, and swipe in from the side to go back. In comparison, the Z Flip 4 only lets you swipe sideways to rotate through widgets, and dragging down from top shows you just a single row of toggles.

Photo by Cherlynn Low / Engadget

The main difference between Moto’s external display and the complete Android experience is the home screen. Motorola has designed it so that you can only have the clock widget, date, weather info and a row of six shortcut buttons. Tapping each of the latter takes you to the respective panel. You can also swipe sideways to see them sequentially, and you can arrange them in the order you prefer.

The widgets themselves are very similar to Samsung’s offerings. You’ll find an app launcher, dialer, calendar, games, media controls, steps tracker and the day’s headlines. On the Moto, the latter two are supplied by Google services like Fit and News. Because the Razr+ has more real estate, it can display more information or use a larger font. Both of these are an obvious improvement over Samsung’s teeny tiny panel, especially for those with bigger fingers, less dexterity or vision-related challenges.

The widgets aren’t the scene stealers here. For the most part, they’re simple – a calculator, media controls, et cetera. The Spotify playback widget doesn’t do more than let you pause, skip tracks, rewind and change playlists, which is frustrating. But even the fact that it offers that last option is already better than the Z Flip 4.

You can’t pick a specific song in a playlist, though. It’s a mild annoyance and not a dealbreaker, especially since there are two viable alternatives here. One: I can just open the phone and use the main Spotify app to go to a different playlist and pick a song. Two — and this is where the Razr+ truly shines — any Android app can run on the outside screen, as long as you’ve enabled it. This is a continuity feature so you can keep running whatever you’re doing on the main display on the outside panel after you close the phone.

To use Spotify (or any other app) on the small screen, I’d open it on the inside, shut the device, and continue outside. Even if I go on to do something else, I can find the app on the exterior display by swiping up from the bottom to see open apps.

You’d think that there would be issues with apps breaking and elements either not showing or being blocked by the two cameras on the bottom right of the screen. But Motorola has some workarounds. You can either have apps take up the whole screen and the sensors block parts of it. Or you can swipe up and select a layout that forces the content to sit within a rectangle above the cameras similar to how Android phones used to treat camera notches.

This should work with any app, but there are some scenarios where the experience is broken. When you’re navigating a drive with Google Maps and playing music at the same time, for example, you won’t be able to see the directions or your route. And, just because you can see your Instagram feed on the 3.6-inch panel, doesn’t mean you’ll want to.

Photo by Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Even better, because the screen is so small (basically the size of the original iPhone), it’s easy to use with one hand. You can pull up a full QWERTY keyboard to reply to messages, and I was able to reach the letter Q or A with my thumb stretching across from the right.

Cameras

One other advantage of a larger external screen is how much more useful it is as a viewfinder. Both Samsung and Motorola let you use the outside display to preview what you’re shooting with the rear cameras, as well as show your subject what they look like. On the Z Flip 4, you can only see a portion of the scene and will have to guess where it will get cut off. With the Razr+, no guesswork is necessary – WYSIWYG.

Both phones offer similar gestures like holding up your palm to trigger a countdown till the photo is shot, so you can step away and take your picture when you’re ready and posed. You can also have the foldables bent at 90 degrees and placed on a surface with the inside screen facing out, and the layout will change so the top half is your viewfinder and the bottom shows controls.

Unfortunately, on the Z Flip 4 you have to choose between a bigger viewfinder with an inferior 10-megapixel camera or a smaller window and better cameras. On the Razr+, you can use the roomy outside screen and the exterior cameras instead of having to sacrifice quality or visibility while shooting.

Photo by Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Moto opted for a 32 MP sensor inside, with a 12 MP main camera and 13 MP wide-angle system. Initially, I thought the Razr+ delivered decent shots. But after comparing them to samples from the Z Flip 4 and a Pixel 7 Pro, Motorola’s images are clearly washed out and less vivid. Samsung did a better job at exposure and retained the blue skies peeking through green leaves. In the same scene, the Razr+ blew out the sky. And when I snapped portraits of my friends’ adorable dogs, it struggled to get a clear shot due to slower focus and overall lag.

The Moto also struggled in low light and was susceptible to lens flares in my nighttime cityscapes and selfies. Though the Flip 4 fared slightly better, overall flip-style foldables lag flagship phones when it comes to camera performance.

As a regular phone: Main screen, performance and battery life

Unlike most high-end Android phones released this year, the Moto Razr+ uses a year-old Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip, which is the same processor inside the Z Flip 4. It’s worth pointing out at this point that the Flip 4 is also nearly a year old and presumably about to be replaced by a newer model. So if having the absolute latest specs matters to you, you shouldn’t even be considering the Razr+.

Photo by Cherlynn Low / Engadget

If you’re not picky about the exact generation of processor in your phone, you’ll likely be satisfied with the Moto’s performance. I played endless rounds of Solitaire, messaged friends, set up custom gestures, changed wallpapers and it never flinched. The few hiccups I did encounter, like not being able to hit the X button at the outermost corners of an ad in a game, had more to do with specific apps and bad design than horsepower.

Thanks to its 165Hz refresh rate and 1080p resolution, the Razr+’s main OLED display is a solid canvas for activities like scrolling through Instagram and Reddit. Pictures and Stories I looked at were vibrant, and yes, there is still a bit of a crease where the screen folds, but it’s negligible. It doesn’t get in the way of actually interacting with apps or websites, and I mostly forgot it was even there.

When I needed to unlock the Razr+, it was as easy as using the fingerprint sensor embedded in the power button. Motorola also continues to offer nifty features that have been in its phones since the Moto X, like twisting your wrist or doing a chopping action while holding the handset to launch the camera or flashlight. It was also surprisingly easy to install the company’s Ready For app to use the Razr+ on my PC. While I was initially put off by the amount of Moto-branded software, thankfully most of it was useful and didn’t feel like bloatware.

Though the company promises three years of OS upgrades and four years of bi-monthly security patch updates, historically it hasn’t had the best track record on that front. And that’s less than the four years of OS updates and five years for security releases that Samsung offers. That, together with Samsung’s experience in foldables, gives me slightly more confidence in its devices’ longevity.

Photo by Cherlynn Low / Engadget

Moto managed to squeeze a 3,800mAh battery in the Razr+, which is slightly higher than the Flip 4’s 3,700 mAh setup. I haven’t had the time to run our video rundown battery test, which I want to do on both the 6.9-inch and 3.6-inch panels. But I’ve been able to play about five to eight hours of nonstop Solitaire on the internal screen so far before needing to plug the Razr+ in. It’s also worth noting that since the exterior display is so much more useful, you can do more on the phone without having to tap the larger, more energy-intensive screen during the day. That way, the Moto actually manages to last longer than most phones.

Wrap-up

I am in love with that front screen — how it works, how easy it is to use with one hand, and how much more power efficient it is. It’s almost like I want a small phone again. But the main thing preventing me from switching to the Moto Razr+ is camera performance. This isn’t a problem unique to Motorola — any flip-style foldable today suffers from this.

Anyone thinking of getting the Razr+ should also wait. Samsung has announced that its next Galaxy Unpacked will be taking place in Korea in late July, and it’s widely expected to launch new foldables then. If you can hold off, it’s worth seeing what the next Z Flip will offer before spending your money.

Photo by Cherlynn Low / Engadget

I also want to point out that long-term durability remains a concern for any device with a flexible screen. Two of my colleagues have used a Z Flip 4 for a year and they’ve reported seeing cracks and bubbles in their displays and/or screen protectors. While the Razr+ uses a different panel from Samsung, there is still a possibility it won’t stand up to the wear and tear of daily use.

I can’t tell you how well the Moto Razr+ will hold up over time. But I can say that, for the first time in the US, there is serious competition for Samsung’s Z Flip 4. It’s time to call it: Flip Boi Summer is here and I’m excited for it.

Google Assistant vanished on many smartwatches when the Wear OS 3 update arrived, leaving just the Pixel Watch and Samsung's newer Galaxy Watches supporting the feature. Thankfully, you no longer have to switch brands just to talk to Google on your wrist. Fossil is rolling out an update this month that adds Assistant to Gen 6 watches running Wear OS 3. This includes both Fossil's own models as well as counterparts from Diesel, Michael Kors and Skagen, although you'll need to be paired with a phone running standard Android with Google apps (Android Go and many Chinese phones won't count).

The functionality will be familiar if you've used either Google or Samsung wristwear. You can invoke the AI helper by saying "hey Google," holding a button or tapping a watch face complication. The feature lets you answer texts, control music or otherwise handle tasks that would normally require your phone. Unlike many alternatives, though, you'll also have Alexa on hand. You won't be locked into one ecosystem for speaking commands.

This won't be much help if you're using a Wear OS 3 watch from another brand, like Mobvoi or Montblanc. Fossil is one of the most popular names in Google-powered smartwatches, though. Support here ensures that many more wearable owners can use Assistant and avoid tapping a minuscule screen.

You might want to wait before purchasing if you're new to smartwatches. Fossil historically introduces new Wear OS models in late summer, with the exception being this year's mildly upgraded Gen 6 Wellness Edition in January. While there's no word on when Gen 7 will arrive or what it might entail, it's likely to be a significant upgrade if and when it appears — we wouldn't buy Gen 6 just because Assistant is ready. The update is more for existing owners who lost functionality last year.

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

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids

Prime members can get Amazon's Kindle Paperwhite Kids for $90. That's $70 off the 6.8-inch e-reader's normal going rate and a new all-time low. While this device is marketed for children, its hardware is identical to the standard Paperwhite, with the same lightweight and waterproof design, 300 ppi display and 10-week battery life. It has the same extensive e-book library, too. With the Kids model, though, you get a case, an extended warranty (two years instead of one) and a year of Amazon's Kids+ service. We gave the pricier Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition a review score of 97 back in 2021; the Kids edition lacks that variant's ad-free lock screen (when you aren't in Kids mode, at least), upgraded front light, wireless charging and 32GB of storage, but the two are otherwise similar.

Amazon Fire HD Kids tablets

If you want to buy your little one a tablet, Amazon has also discounted its entire lineup of Fire Kids slates for Prime members. The Fire HD 8 Kids and Kids Pro are each down to $75, while the Fire HD 10 Kids and Kids Pro are available for $120 apiece. Those are all-time lows for each respective tablet. 

All of these devices will feel sluggish next to an iPad, and Amazon's app selection is more limited than Apple's. If you just need a cheap screen for a young kid to read comics and watch TV shows, though, they should do the job. The Fire HD 10 is the better option of the two: Its processor is a bit faster, and its 10.1-inch 1080p display is both larger and sharper. But both tablets come with strong parental controls, protective cases, built-in kickstands, two-year warranties, and a year's subscription to Amazon Kids+. The Kids tablets have big rubbery cases built to withstand the abuse of a toddler, while the Kids Pro editions have slimmer hard-plastic cases designed for slightly older children. 

Amazon Echo Dot Kids

Staying on the kid-friendly Amazon device train, the latest Amazon Echo Dot Kids is on sale for $28. That's another all-time low and about $25 below the smart speaker's typical street price. Again, the offer is only available to Prime members. The Echo Dot Kids has the same impressive hardware as the standard model, which we consider the best small smart speaker for most people. The main difference is its cutesy design: One model looks like a dragon, the other looks like an owl. Like the Kids devices above, it also comes with a two-year warranty and a year of Amazon Kids+. In this case, the latter supplies kid-friendly podcasts, playlists and audiobooks along with more education-focused Alexa skills. The quality of that content can be hit or miss, but it's all age-appropriate.

Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids (3rd gen)

If you subscribe to Prime, you can get two Echo Show 5 Kids smart displays for $100 by adding them both to your cart and using the code SHOW5KIDS at checkout. The recently refreshed smart display normally goes for $100, so this offer gives you two for the price of one. Like most other Amazon Kids devices, the Echo Show 5 Kids takes the same hardware as the "normal" variant and adds a more playful design, a longer warranty and easier access to kid-friendly content. The 5.5-inch device isn't as powerful as the larger Echo Show 8 for streaming or making video calls, but it makes for a nice smart alarm clock or bedside display if you regularly use Alexa. Of note, the device also comes with a physical camera shutter and mic mute button for when the kids aren't playing around.

Amazon Echo Pop + Ring Video Doorbell

A bundle that pairs Amazon's Echo Pop speaker with a wired Ring Video Doorbell is down to $40 for Prime members. The Pop is more or less a cheaper version of the Echo Dot with a unidirectional design and less powerful audio quality, but it goes for $40 on its own, so this deal effectively nets you a video doorbell for no extra cost. The Ring doorbell here is decidedly entry-level, too, as it lacks local storage, won't work with existing chimes and requires a subscription to store and view recordings. Like other Ring devices, it also comes with its share of privacy concerns. But if you just want the basics for as little as possible, it captures 1080p video and is generally easy to setup and use.

If you don't care about the Echo Pop, the doorbell alone is available for $35, which is about $20 off its street price. A bundle with the doorbell and the Ring Chime, meanwhile, is down to $50, which is roughly $25 less than usual. Both of those offers are also exclusive to Prime members.

Amazon Kindle Unlimited 3-month membership

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

Audible Premium Plus 3-month membership

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

The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom

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

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

Samsung Pro Plus microSD card

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

Samsung 980 Pro SSD with Heatsink

The variant of Samsung's 980 Pro with an integrated heatsink is available for $63 with an on-page coupon. We've seen this SSD steadily drop in price over the course of the year, but this deals marks a new all-time low. You can get the 2TB version for $126 with a coupon as well, which is another new low. The 980 Pro is not the newest SSD Samsung makes, but this heatsink-equipped model meets Sony's requirements for expanding the storage of a PlayStation 5, and we recommend it in our guide to the best SSDs for the console. If you aren't buying for a PS5 specifically, the non-heatsink model is available for a few dollars less, though a speedy PCIe 4.0 drive like this may be overkill for some.

Apple iPad (9th gen)

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

Apple MacBook Air M1

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

Apple MacBook Pro 14-inch

For those with more demanding needs, a configuration of the 14-inch MacBook Pro with an M2 Pro chip, 16GB of RAM and a 1TB SSD is down to $2,199 at Amazon and B&H. That's the best price we've seen for this config, which features a 12-core CPU and 19-core GPU. Apple normally sells this model for $2,499, though we've seen it go for less on Amazon in recent months. We gave the latest MacBook Pro a score of 92 early this year; our review applied to the higher-end M2 Max model, but this version still has a premium design and capable performance for most power users. The downsides are that it's expensive and not upgradeable, but if you must have high-end laptop for serious photo and video editing, this discount offers at least a little extra relief to your bank account.

Xbox Series X + bonus controller bundle

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

Samsung QN90B 55-inch 4K TV

The 55-inch version of Samsung's QN90B, a recommendation from our gaming TV buying guide, has dropped to $998. That's a new all-time low. Most reviews say this TV delivers enough brightness for well-lit rooms, with smooth motion performance and richer contrast than most non-OLED TVs thanks to its Mini LED backlighting. It also has four full HDMI 2.1 ports and can play up to 120 Hz in 4K. It still can't match the contrast, response time or viewing angles of a good OLED TV, but it should be better equipped for rooms plagued by glare. Like most Samsung TVs, however, it doesn't support Dolby Vision HDR. Samsung has replaced this 2022 model with the new QN90C, but the 55-inch version of that set currently costs $600 more, so the QN90B remains the better value for the time being. 

Samsung Galaxy Watch 5

The Samsung Galaxy Watch 5 is down to $229 for a 40mm model and $259 for a 44mm model. Neither deal represents an all-time low, but both are within $10 of their best prices to date. We gave the Galaxy Watch 5 a score of 85 last year, and it's currently the "best for Android users" pick in our smartwatch buying guide. While its battery life could be better, its design is durable and attractive, its OS is easy to navigate and its health tracking is relatively comprehensive. Samsung is expected to announce a Galaxy Watch 6 in the coming weeks, however, so it may be worth waiting to see how that model stacks up if you don't need a new smartwatch right this instant.

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

“Learn to code.” That three-word pejorative is perpetually on the lips and at the fingertips of internet trolls and tech bros whenever media layoffs are announced. A useless sentiment in its own right, but with the recent advent of code generating AIs, knowing the ins and outs of a programming language like Python could soon be about as useful as knowing how to fluently speak a dead language like Sanskrit. In fact, these genAIs are already helping professional software developers code faster and more effectively by handling much of the programming grunt work.

How coding works

Two of today’s most widely distributed and written coding languages are Java and Python. The former almost single handedly revolutionized cross-platform operation when it was released in the mid-’90s and now drives “everything from smartcards to space vehicles,” according to Java Magazine in 2020 — not to mention Wikipedia’s search function and all of Minecraft. The latter actually predates Java by a few years and serves as the code basis for many modern apps like Dropbox, Spotify and Instagram.

They differ significantly in their operation in that Java needs to be compiled (having its human-readable code translated into computer-executable machine code) before it can run, while Python is an interpreted language which means that its human code is converted into machine code line-by-line as the program executes, enabling it to run without first being compiled. The interpretation method allows code to be more easily written for multiple platforms while compiled code tends to be focused to a specific processor type. Regardless of how they run, the actual code-writing process is nearly identical between the two: somebody has to sit down, crack open a text editor or Integrated Development Environment (IDE) and actually write out all those lines of instruction. And up until recently, that somebody typically was a human.

The “classical programming” writing process of today isn’t that different from the process those of ENIAC, with a software engineer taking a problem, breaking it down into a series of sub-problems, writing code to solve each of those sub-problems in order, and then repeatedly debugging and recompiling the code until it runs. “Automatic programming,” on the other hand, removes the programmer by a degree of separation. Instead of a human writing each line of code individually, the person creates a high-level abstraction of the task for the computer to then generate low level code to address. This differs from “interactive” programming, which allows you to code a program while it is already running.

Today’s conversational AI coding systems, like what we see in Github’s Copilot or OpenAI’s ChatGPT, remove the programmer even further by hiding the coding process behind a veneer of natural language. The programmer tells the AI what they want programmed and how, and the machine can automatically generate the required code.

Building the tools to build the tools allowing any tool to build tools

Among the first of this new breed of conversational coding AIs was Codex, which was developed by OpenAI and released in late 2021. OpenAI had already implemented GPT-3 (precursor to GPT-3.5 that powers BingChat public) by this point, the large language model remarkably adept at mimicking human speech and writing after being trained on billions of words from the public web. The company then fine-tuned that model using 100-plus gigabytes of GitHub data to create Codex. It is capable of generating code in 12 different languages and can translate existing programs between them.

Codex is adept at generating small, simple or repeatable assets, like “a big red button that briefly shakes the screen when clicked” or regular functions like the email address validator on a Google Web Form. But no matter how prolific your prose, you won’t be using it for complex projects like coding a server-side load balancing program — it’s just too complicated an ask.

Google’s DeepMind developed AlphaCode specifically to address such challenges. Like Codex, AlphaCode was first trained on multiple gigabytes of existing GitHub code archives, but was then fed thousands of coding challenges pulled from online programming competitions, like figuring out how many binary strings with a given length don’t contain consecutive zeroes.

To do this, AlphaCode will generate as many as a million code candidates, then reject all but the top 1 percent to pass its test cases. The system will then group the remaining programs based on the similarity of their outputs and sequentially test them until it finds a candidate that successfully solves the given problem. Per a 2022 study published in Science, AlphaCode managed to correctly answer those challenge questions 34 percent of the time (compared to Codex’s single-digit success on the same benchmarks, that’s not bad). DeepMind even entered AlphaCode in a 5,000-competitor online programming contest, where it surpassed nearly 46 percent of the human competitors.

Now even the AI has notes

Just as GPT-3.5 serves as a foundational model for ChatGPT, Codex serves as the basis for GitHub’s Copilot AI. Trained on billions of lines of code assembled from the public web, Copilot offers cloud-based AI-assisted coding autocomplete features through a subscription plugin for the Visual Studio Code, Visual Studio, Neovim, and JetBrains integrated development environments (IDEs).

Initially released as a developer’s preview in June of 2021, Copilot was among the very first coding capable AIs to reach the market. More than a million devs have leveraged the system in the two years since, GitHub's VP of Product Ryan J Salva, told Engadget during a recent interview. With Copilot, users can generate runnable code from natural language text inputs as well as autocomplete commonly repeated code sections and programming functions.

Salva notes that prior to Copilot’s release, GitHub’s previous machine-generated coding suggestions were only accepted by users 14 - 17 percent of the time, “which is fine. It means it was helping developers along.” In the two years since Copilot’s debut, that figure has grown to 35 percent, “and that's netting out to just under half of the amount of code being written [on GitHub] — 46 percent by AI to be exact.”

“[It’s] not a matter of just percentage of code written,” Salva clarified. “It's really about the productivity, the focus, the satisfaction of the developers who are creating.”

As with the outputs of natural language generators like ChatGPT, the code coming from Copilot is largely legible, but like any large language model trained on the open internet, GitHub made sure to incorporate additional safeguards against the system unintentionally producing exploitable code.

“Between when the model produces a suggestion and when that suggestion is presented to the developer,” Salva said, “we at runtime perform … a code quality analysis for the developer, looking for common errors or vulnerabilities in the code like cross-site scripting or path injection.”

That auditing step is meant to improve the quality of recommended code over time rather than monitor or police what the code might be used for. Copilot can help developers create the code that makes up malware, the system won’t prevent it. “We've taken the position that Copilot is there as a tool to help developers produce code,” Salva said, pointing to the numerous White Hat applications for such a system. “Putting a tool like Copilot in their hands … makes them more capable security researchers,” he continued.

As the technology continues to develop, Salva sees generative AI coding to expand far beyond its current technological bounds. That includes “taking a big bet” on conversational AI. “We also see AI-assisted development really percolating up into other parts of the software development life cycle,” he said, like using AI to autonomously repair a CI/CD build errors, patch security vulnerabilities, or have the AI review human-written code.

“Just as we use compilers to produce machine-level code today, I do think they'll eventually get to another layer of abstraction with AI that allows developers to express themselves in a different language,” Salva said. “Maybe it's natural language like English or French, or Korean. And that then gets ‘compiled down’ to something that the machines can understand,” freeing up engineers and developers to focus on the overall growth of the project rather than the nuts and bolts of its construction.

From coders to gabbers

With human decision-making still firmly wedged within the AI programming loop, at least for now, we have little to fear from having software writing software. As Salva noted, computers already do this to a degree when compiling code, and digital gray goos have yet to take over because of it. Instead, the most immediate challenges facing programming AI mirror those of generative AI in general: inherent biases skewing training data, model outputs that violate copyright, and concerns surrounding user data privacy when it comes to training large language models.

GitHub is far from alone in its efforts to build an AI programming buddy. OpenAI’s ChatGPT is capable of generating code — as are the already countless indie variants being built atop the GPT platform. So too is Amazon’s AWS CodeWhisperer system, which provides much of the same autocomplete functionality as Copilot, but optimized for use within the AWS framework. After multiple requests from users, Google incorporated code generation and debugging capabilities into Bard this past April as well, ahead of its ecosystem-wide pivot to embrace AI at I/O 2023 and the release of Codey, Alphabet’s answer to Copilot. We can’t be sure yet what generative coding systems will eventually become or how it might impact the tech industry — we could be looking at the earliest iterations of a transformative democratizing technology, or it could be Clippy for a new generation.

Google's entry-level Pixel phone is already a good value, but it's now a much better deal if you're also looking for wireless audio. Amazon is selling a bundle that combines the Pixel 7a with free Pixel Buds A-Series for the same $499 you'd pay for the phone by itself. The promo doesn't cover the Sea blue model and lasts until July 9th at 2:59AM Eastern, but there are otherwise no catches — this may be just what you need to soundtrack your commute or a long summer walk.

The Pixel 7a is our favorite midrange Android phone, and it's not hard to see why. You're getting nearly the same capabilities as the standard Pixel 7 for $100 less, including the Tensor G2 chip, a smooth 90Hz display and wireless charging. While the cameras aren't quite on par, you'll still get exceptional photo quality that beats some more expensive rivals. Add a healthy OS update policy and long battery life and you might not need anything more. The only catches are the slow wireless power and the lack of storage options beyond 128GB.

The Pixel Buds A-Series, meanwhile, are surprisingly impressive even at their usual price. They provide well-balanced sound, a comfortable fit and tight Google Assistant integration (such as translating conversations). There's no wireless charging or active noise cancellation, but that's expected in this price class. For free, they're virtually unbeatable.

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Google testers now have the chance to check out another new Duet AI feature in Google Workspace. Starting today, they'll see a new sidebar for Google Sheets. They can describe what they want to do and Duet AI can create a custom template to help them get the ball rolling.

According to Google, this could come in useful for those looking to carry out tasks that involve complex organization and tracking. The company suggests product roadmaps, company retreats and team budgets as potential use cases. If the feature works as intended, it could help save users a ton of time. It's available in Workspace Labs for the time being.

Google

Google has been quickly expanding the AI's toolset since it announced Duet for Workspace at its I/O conference last month. When testers enter a prompt in the web version of Docs, Duet can generate text for them. It can automatically insert smart chips too.

In Gmail, the AI can draft emails on both the web and mobile. It can offer contextual suggestions for replies as well. As for Slides, testers can generate images from text prompts.

Google plans to bring more generative AI features to Workspace Labs in the coming months. Meanwhile, Google's Bard AI can now export the data that it creates to Sheets, where users can organize and modify it.

Twitch just announced a chat-pinning feature similar to those found on YouTube and other platforms. Hype Chat, beyond sounding like something from 2006, offers a new revenue stream for both streamers and the platform itself. Here’s how it works. You pay $1 to $500 and compose a message that rests atop the chat until someone with deeper pockets comes along and knocks you from the spotlight.

The more you pay, the longer the message stays up top and the more characters you can use to compose the missive. Big spenders also get access to various design options to help that “notice me senpai” message garner the attention of your favorite streamer.

Streamers set the price here and Twitch takes 30 percent of the cut, leaving the remaining 70 percent for the creator. At launch, only high-profile streamers, aka Partners, will have access to the feature. Twitch says this is because pinned chats are meant to allow messages to stand out during fast-moving conversations with plenty of participants. Oddly, these Twitch partners are unable to opt out of the service, according to The Verge.

Of course, whenever you mention pinned messages you must contend with the reality of hateful and discriminatory language. This is the Internet, after all. To that end, Twitch is beefing this feature up with safety tools. Just like regular Twitch chat, there’s a host of banned words and phrases at the sitewide level and set by individual creators. Also, if you say something nasty and get banned from a chat, your pinned message flies away with you. All messages sent via this feature are screened by the company’s AutoMod system and human moderators can delete messages whenever they want.

The feature is rolling out right now, but only for approved partners and only on the web app. It’ll launch for smartphone and tablet apps in the near future.

If you think your kids should have a smart display of their very own, this might be a good time to grab two of them from Amazon. In advance of Prime Day, you can get two Echo Show 5 Kids for the price of one. The displays came out in 2023 and typically go for $100 each. By using the code SHOW5KIDS at checkout, you'll get two for a total of $99.98. You can also press the "Redeem" button on the product page and the discount will automatically show up. 

We covered the standard version of the Echo Show 5 in our smart display guide. We said it would work well on a nightstand as a display-enabled alarm clock, given that the 5-inch screen is on the smaller side. That diminutive size might work well for kids. The kid version of the display has a space-themed exterior and includes a number of software differences that makes it more kid-friendly, particularly with the offered parental controls. 

Like other Alexa-enabled devices, kids can use their Echo Show to control connected smart home devices, like smart bulbs or plugs in their room. Kids can also ask Alexa questions and get audio and visual answers or play music from Spotify, Amazon Music or Apple Music just by asking. Unlike a regular smart display, however, this one is designed to give kid-friendly responses and filter out explicit lyrics. The connected parent dashboard gives you control over time limits and which contacts can be called, while letting you see what your kids are up to by reviewing their activity. If you, understandably, don't feel comfortable sticking a live camera in your kids' rooms, the physical camera shutter on the device can be shut off whenever they're not actively video calling grandma.   

Recently, Amazon and Disney partnered up to bring character voices such as Olaf from Frozen or C3PO from Star Wars to Echo devices. Saying, "hey, Disney" can do things like having Mickey read the weather or launching interactive trivia games. The feature comes with an Amazon Kids+ subscription, which also grants access to kid-focused shows, movies, audiobooks, games and ebooks that kids can access from their display. A year of the subscription comes with the purchase of the kid's Echo Show, after that it's $8 per month or $5 monthly if you're a Prime member.

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