If you're looking to treat yourself this holiday season, a robot vacuum could be the gift that keeps on giving. We saw a bunch go on sale for Black Friday, but now Wellbots is having a sale on one of Roomba's most advanced models. The Roomba s9+ is $200 off right now when you use the code ENGADGET200 at checkout, so you'll end up paying $899 for the machine — that's the best price we've seen it and even cheaper than it was last month during Black Friday and Cyber Monday.
The s9+ is even more advanced than the new Roomba j7+ that came out recently, although it does not have Precision Vision Navigation like the latter. Instead, the S9+ has the most suction power of any Roomba along with dual multi-surface brushes and Direct Detect technology, the latter of which helps the vacuum focus on the dirtiest spots in your home until they're fully clean. "Power-lift suction" also helps it deep clean carpets and suck up pet hair. It has sensors to help it move around objects like chairs and tablets and, thanks to its mapping technology, you can have it clean only certain rooms or areas of your home if you wish.
This model also has the clean base that comes with other more expensive Roombas. After each job, the s9+ will automatically return to its base for a recharge, and it will empty its bin into the clean base, which is basically an attached garbage can. That means you don't have to fuss with the vacuum every time you run it, and you'll only have to empty the clean base once every 60 days. That combined with the robot's easy-to-use companion app makes it a premium convenience machine — if you use iRobot's mobile app to start or schedule cleanings, you may not even have to touch the s9+ for weeks at a time while it does its job.
Even on sale, the Roomba s9+ is a big purchase — but it may be worth it for those who hate vacuuming and want their homes to be as clean as possible without having to do much themselves. There are plenty of budget options, though, if you'd rather save a good chunk of money and still get the benefits of a robot vacuum. The Roomba 694 is a good option, as well as the Anker RoboVac 11S. The former can be controlled via a mobile app while the latter comes with a remote that lets you maneuver the vacuum like a toy car in addition to setting schedules and the like.
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IKEA has sold a variety of wireless chargers since 2015, but never one that you could use without plugging into a wall outlet. It looks like that’s about to change with images of a new portable Nordmärke Qi charger making their way online courtesy of a few hawk-eyed Reddit users. We also have some details on the device thanks to German media outlet mobiFlip, which obtained them from a reader who bought one at a store in Cologne.
IKEA Nordmarke Qi charger
The individual paid €20 (approximately $22.64) to buy the portable charger. While it’s not available online yet, you can see from the photos it features a 6,500mAh battery. It can charge your Qi-compatible devices at a glacial 5W. What you won’t find inside the box is a power adapter or USB cable. It’s up to you to supply those, so it’s not quite as affordable as its price would suggest. However, one nifty feature is that the internal batteries are user-replaceable.
We’ve reached out to IKEA to find out if the company plans to carry the Nordmärke portable Qi charger in the US. In the meantime, if you’re desperate to find a way to charge your devices on the go, your best bet is to buy a portable power bank. You can find ones that cost less than $20. What’s more, they will feature a bigger battery than the Nordmärke and they will charge your devices faster.
Black Friday and Cyber Monday may have come and gone, but there are still some decent tech sales available right now. Apple's latest AirPods remain discounted to $150, while a number of our other favorite headphones and earbuds remain at record-low prices. A few Roombas are hundreds of dollars less than usual right now and you can still get some laptops, SSDs, smart speakers and more at very affordable prices. Here are the best Cyber Monday tech deals that you can still get today.
AirPods (3rd gen)
Billy Steele/Engadget
Apple's latest AirPods are down to $150 at Amazon. We gave them a score of 88 for their more comfortable design, much improved audio quality and longer battery life.
The previous-generation AirPods are on sale for $110 right now, or roughly $50 off its normal price. While not the latest models, these are still decent earbuds that we liked for their improved wireless performance and good battery life.
The latest Apple Watch Series 7 is $20 cheaper right now, bringing it down to $380. It's the most comprehensive wearable Apple makes and it earned a score of 90 from us for its larger screen, faster charging and handy features in watchOS 8.
Apple's MagSafe battery pack is 24 percent off right now, bringing it down to $75. It snaps to the back of the latest iPhones to wirelessly power them up when you're on the go. And when plugged in and attached to your phone, you can keep track of the pack's recharge from your iPhone's lock screen.
A number of Tile's 2022 trackers are down to record-low prices today only. The latest Tile Mate is down to $19, which is 24 percent off its normal price, and the Tile Pro with a replaceable battery is on sale for $27.
Our favorite pair of Sony headphones, the WH-1000XM4, are down to $248 right now, which is just about $100 off their regular price. We gave these cans a score of 94 for their powerful ANC, immersive sound quality and multi-device connectivity.
The Roomba 694 is $95 off, bringing it down to $179. This model came out earlier this year and works well on both hard and carpeted floors, supports WiFi connectivity for Alexa and Google Assistant commands and can be controlled via the iRobot mobile app.
Samsung’s EVO Select microSDXC card in 128GB is down to $16, or 20 percent off its normal price. This is the latest model and while you can find microSD cards for less, EVO is a reliable brand and you're getting a full-sized adapter with this one.
The six-quart Instant Pot Duo Plus is down to $60, which is half off its normal price. This model supports pressure cook, warm, sauté, rice cook, sous vide and more modes, and its mid-size capacity makes it good for preparing food for many people.
This Ninja 10-in-1 multi-cooker remains 41 percent off, bringing it down to $119. In addition to pressure cooking, slow cooking and steaming, this machine can air fry, broil, dehydrate and more. It also has a 6.5-quart capacity, which should be big enough to make food for a mid-sized family or a holiday gathering.
The Chromecast with Google TV has dropped to $40, which is $10 cheaper than usual. We gave the device a score of 86 for its 4K HDR streaming capabilities, Dolby Vision and Atmos support plus its much needed and very handy new remote.
Lenovo's Smart Clock 2 with a white-and-color smart bulb is down to $25, or $45 off its normal price. This is the latest version of Lenovo's tiny smart alarm clock, and it can double as a nightlight as well as control smart home devices, display weather forecasts and more.
Bose's new QuietComfort 45 headphones remain on sale for $279 right now, or $50 off their normal price. We gave them a score of 86 for their clear, balanced audio, improved ANC and long battery life.
Sony's excellent WF-1000XM4 earbuds are down to $248. We gave them a score of 86 for their great sound quality, powerful ANC and improved battery life.
Bose's QuietComfort earbuds have been discounted to $199, which is $80 off their regular rate. These are some of the company's best true wireless earbuds and they earned a score of 87 from us for their clear sound, powerful ANC and comfortable size.
Sony's affordable WH-CH710N wireless headphones are even cheaper right now at $78. We like these cans for their deep, punchy bass, solid ANC and 35-hour battery life.
Jabra's Elite 85t earbuds are on sale for $150, which is $80 off its normal price. These earbuds impressed us with their strong ANC, comfortable size and wireless charging case.
The second-generation Echo Buds are on sale for $70 right now. Amazon massively improved its wireless earbuds this time around and we gave them a score of 80 for their better sound quality, good ANC and smaller design.
iRobot's latest vacuum, the Roomba j7+, has dropped to $649 while the robot without the clean base is down to $449. This is one of the higher-end robo-vacs the company makes and it has new AI-driven computer vision technology that can detect objects and move around them as it cleans. That means it'll better avoid things like chairs and table legs, as well as unexpected obstacles like pet poop. The j7+ also comes with a clean base into which the robot will empty debris at the end of every cleaning job.
The Galaxy Z Flip 3 smartphone is on sale for $850 right now, and you can get a free pair of Galaxy Buds 2 when you buy. This was the most impressive Samsung foldable to come out this year and we gave it a score of 82 for its striking, flexible screen, attractive build and water-resistant design.
The Roku Streambar is down to $80 right now, or $50 off its normal price. It's a compact soundbar that will upgrade any living room relying on an old TV with weak audio. We gave it a score of 86 for its solid audio quality, Dolby Audio support and built-in 4K streaming technology.
The compact Crucial MX500 internal drive in 1TB is down to $85, which is just a couple of dollars shy of its all-time-low price. We like its sequential read speeds of up to 560 MB/s and sequential write speeds of up to 510 MB/s, along with its standard 2.5-inch design and integrated power loss immunity feature.
Patriot's Viper VP4300 internal SSD in 2TB is 14 percent off right now, knocking it down to $370. This is our favorite SSD for the PS5 thanks to its sequential read speeds of 7,400MB/s and preinstalled heatsink.
Sabrent's Rocket 4 Plus internal SSD has dropped to $160. In addition to already being more affordable than many competitors, it provides read speeds up to 7,000 MB/s and write speeds up to 5,300 MB/s when connected to a PCIe Gen4 motherboard.
Crucial’s P5 NAND NVMe SSD in 1TB is on sale for $145 right now, or 19 percent off its regular rate. This drive can reach sequential read speeds of up to 3,400MB/s and its M.2 format makes it a good option for both desktop and laptop users.
Razer's mainstream notebook, the Razer Book, has fallen to $1,500, or 25 percent off its usual price. The model on sale is specced out: it runs on an 11th-gen Core i7 processor, Iris Xe graphics, 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage and a 13.4-inch UHD+ touchscreen. This laptop includes a generous array of ports, eGPU compatibility and Chroma keyboard lighting.
Razer's Wolverine Ultimate gaming controller is down to $100, or $60 off its normal price. The controller that comes with your Xbox is pretty good, but sometimes you might need a little more features from your gamepad. The Wolverine Ultimate may be wired, but it also has interchangeable thumbtacks and d-pads, so you can actually tweak the controller’s layout according to the games you play and your own personal preferences.
Amazon's Echo smart speaker is on sale for $60 right now. We gave it a score of 89 for its solid audio quality, attractive design and inclusion of a 3.5mm audio jack.
The tiny Echo Dot has dropped to $30, and you can grab the Echo Dot with Clock for only $35. We gave it a score of 88 for its good audio quality for the price, compact design and tap-to-snooze feature.
The Nest Mini is down to $25. It's the affordable speaker to get if you want to put the Google Assistant in your home without dropping too much money, or taking up too much space.
A three-pack of Philips Hue White and Color smart lights is on sale for $100, or about $30 off its normal price. While not a record low, it's a good sale price on smart bulbs that rarely see deep discounts. These can be controlled via the Philips Hue app and almost any voice assistant including Alexa, Google Assistant and Siri, and they support thousands of colors as well as 50,000 shares of warm and cool white light.
First-time subscribers to Adobe CC can get the All Apps plan for 40 percent off right now, bringing the monthly charge down to $30. If you're a student, it's even cheaper — just $16 per month for first-time customers. These programs are considered standard in most creative fields, so it's worth grabbing this deal if you know you'll be using things like Photoshop or Illustrator in the future.
The meditation app Headspace is down to $5 per month for new and returning customers. That's 60 percent off the normal price, and those who want to pay for a year upfront will get 50 percent off and pay only $35 for the year. Headspace has a bunch of guided meditation sessions along with sleep stories, calming ambient music, guided yoga sessions for stress management and more.
Microsoft appears to be eliminating Windows 11 changes that made it harder to switch default browsers, according to a report from The Verge's Tom Warren. A new Insider build now lets you switch from Edge to Chrome, Firefox or other browsers with a single button, rather than laboriously changing the default for each type of link.
The change only applies to internal links loaded outside a browser. Currently, when you click on such a link, it opens up a dialog box that gives you the option of switching browsers, but your preference isn't retained unless you tick the "always use this app" box. What's worse, you have to set the default for multiple types of web files, including HTM, HTML, HTTP and HTTPS. Each time, a confusing nag box pops up asking you to reconfirm your preference.
In the latest build, you can set your default browser with a single button, as EarTrumpet app developer Rafael Rivera noticed. "In the Windows 11 Insider Preview Build 22509 released to the Dev Channel on Wednesday, we streamlined the ability for a Windows Insider to set the ‘default browser’ to apps that register for HTTP:, HTTPS:, .HTM, and .HTML," Microsoft VP Aaron Woodman told The Verge.
Shortly after Windows 11 came out, Microsoft said it made the changes to give users more granular control. That prompted complaints from rival browser makers including Brave, Opera, Firefox and Chrome. "We condemn this Windows 11 approach, because the choice of a default browser has many implications for individuals and their privacy. Users should be free to choose," a Brave spokesperson told The Verge.
Microsoft has run into fairly serious antitrust issues with its browsers in the past, having been hit by the EU with a $730 million fine in 2013 for browser choice non-compliance. The EU also fined the company $1.35 billion in 2008 over a similar issue. The new feature is now in testing, but it's not clear when it will be released widely.
Niantic has just rolled out updates for the Pokémon Go app, and one of the new features for iOS will let you run the game at higher frame rates. The Verge has discovered a new option that allows you "unlock your device's native refresh rate for higher FPS." It's not explicitly stated in the app's change log and probably falls under the "various quality-of-life improvements" the developer has listed. Also, the option is off by default, so you'll have to find it in settings if you want to take advantage of your phone's capabilities.
As the publication notes, Pokémon Go was previously capped at 30fps on iOS — players have had to employ workarounds to get their games to run at 60fps — but newer phones are capable of more frames per second than that. The iPhone 13 Pro, for instance, has a 120fps screen. The Verge says switching the feature on made a huge difference and made the game a lot more responsive. While Niantic may have been trying to cater to owners of the new iPhone, the option can also be accessed on its predecessors. It just may not work as well on hardware powered by older chips.
You can find the the feature in the game's advanced settings, which will show "native refresh rate unlocked" when it's switched on.
Tesla is selling a scaled down kiddie version of its Cyberquad ATV for the scions of EV owners around the world. For the uninitiated, when Tesla announced its beefy, alien-looking Cybertruck, it also promised a similar-looking ATV would debut alongside. While both the truck and ATV remain in the works, you can get your kids a unit that’ll impress everyone at the next off-road meet you go to. Packing a lithium-ion battery with a reported 15 miles of range and a 10MPH top speed, the kiddie Cyberquad will set you back $1,900, but bear in mind orders are not guaranteed to reach you before the holidays.
The smart-home gizmo gets some quality-of-life additions.
Today’s edition of “intrusive or useful” features Alexa, after Amazon updated its Custom Sound Detection with new features. Long story short, while you could manually train Alexa to keep its microphones listening for water running or a beeping washing machine, now it’ll do that automatically. That means your phone will let you know if someone’s been a bit lax at the taps or needs to go change over the laundry. Another big addition is the ability for Alexa to refill prescriptions via Amazon Pharmacy, all from the comfort of wherever your Alexa is currently parked.
Apple has reportedly told suppliers to expect a smaller number of iPhone 13 orders across the next year. Apparently, demand for the new handset has begun to dip ahead of the holiday season, due to both the chip crisis and rumors of the iPhone 14. Apple had previously cut its initial orders by 10 million, but had told suppliers at the time that it'd order more when materials were less constrained. That is, however, reportedly no longer the case, but we’re sure Apple will — as per usual — still report mega profits when it publishes its quarterly reports.
Polestar has offered-up an early look at the Polestar 3, the company’s first US-made SUV, due to launch at some point in 2022. The camouflage-covered whip promises to be more environmentally friendly (but, you know, it’s still a SUV) and full of even more tech. Gadgets and gizmos we’re likely to see include new LiDAR sensors paired with NVIDIA's computing tech, for hands-free highway driving. Naturally, details will continue to be drip-fed over the coming months, but it certainly looks the part, doesn’t it?
Rocket Lab is showing off its next-generation Neutron vehicle, a fully reusable satellite launch platform. The company has focused on maintaining the light weight and ease of re-use, despite the larger size, with a new carbon composite body. And, unlike conventional rockets, the first stage carries the second stage to the heavens inside its body. Once aloft, the first stage opens its faring — described as a Hungry (Hungry) Hippo mouth — to send the second stage on its way.
Although I’m not sure we’re all using the same emojis in the very same way.
Today, I learned the Unicode Consortium describes the cry-laughing emoji as Tears of Joy. And not, as I had thought, That Sense of Ennui Felt When Things Go Wrong In The Most Stupidly Ironic Way Possible. However you describe it, the tears-down-your cheek image is the world’s most used emoji and has been since 2019. In fact, while much of the world has changed since 2019, the way we use little images to convey our emotions has not. Especially if you’re sharing with the world how you’ve messed something up in the most stupidly ironic way possible.
Hackers are attacking business receipt printers to insert pro-labor messages, according to a report from Viceand posts on Reddit. "Are you being underpaid?", reads one message and "How can the McDonald's in Denmark pay their staff $22 an hour and still manage to sell a Big Mac for less than in America?", another states.
Numerous similar images have been posted on Reddit, Twitter and elsewhere. The messages vary, but most point readers toward the r/antiwork subreddit that recently became popular during the COVID-19 pandemic, as workers starting demanding more rights.
Some users suggested that the messages were fake, but a cybersecurity firm that monitors the internet told Vice that they're legit. "Someone is... blast[ing] raw TCP data directly to printer services across the internet," GreyNoise founder Andrew Morris told Vice. "Basically to every single device that has port TCP 9100 open, and print[ing] a pre-written document that references /r/antiwork with some workers rights/counter capitalist messaging."
The individual[s] behind the attack are using 25 separate servers, according to Morris, so blocking one IP won't necessarily stop the attacks. "A technical person is broadcasting print requests for a document containing workers rights messaging to all printers that are misconfigured to be exposed to the internet, and we've confirmed that it is printing successfully in some number of places," he said.
Printers and other internet-connected devices can be notoriously insecure. In 2018, a hacker hijacked 50,000 printers with a message telling people to subscribe to PewDiePie, of all the random things. The receipt printer hack, by contrast, has a much more focused set of targets and messages.
Microsoft just gave its productivity tools an important makeover. The company has released a promised visual update for Office's Windows apps in either Microsoft 365 or perpetual licenses, giving you simpler and sleeker-looking interfaces across all apps. It's meant to complement Windows 11's style, as you might imagine, but it also promises some functional improvements regardless of the Windows version you use.
The interface should provide a more "natural and consistent" experience regardless of apps. The Quick Access Toolbar is now hidden by default (you can still bring it back). Office also matches your Windows theme by default, so launching Word or Excel at night shouldn't sear your eyes. You can still specific a different theme if you prefer.
The update is guaranteed if you're using Windows 11. If you're using Windows 10, you'll know that it's available when you see a megaphone icon in the top-right corner of a given app. While this won't fundamentally change your experience, it may be appreciated if Office has felt stale or out of place.
Uber has announced more safety features for the platform. The company already allows drivers and passengers in 14 countries to record the audio of their rides, and now the feature is coming to the US. It will pilot audio recordings in three US cities starting later this month.
Before they get in a car, riders will see in the Uber app whether their driver has opted into audio recordings — you can cancel the ride if you don't want to be recorded. You can capture audio by tapping the shield button on the app's map screen and choosing the Record Audio option. Everyone can record individual trips, and drivers have the choice to leave the feature on the entire time they're available for rides.
Although the recordings are stored on riders' and drivers' devices, they won't be able to listen to them. The recordings are encrypted and Uber says it can't access them unless a driver or rider submits a safety report with an attached audio file. A safety agent can decrypt and listen to the recording when they review the report, and then take appropriate action if necessary.
Uber debuted the feature in Latin America two years ago. It says almost 70 percent of drivers and riders surveyed in Rio de Janeiro felt safer when using it.
In addition, Uber plans to remind riders to buckle up with audible seat belt alerts at the start of a trip. The driver's phone will provide the audio reminder and the rider will see a notification on their own device. Uber says it will roll out the feature across the US in early 2022.
On top of that, Uber has upgraded its RideCheck feature, which arrived in 2019 and uses GPS and sensors in the driver's phone to detect possible crashes and abnormally long stops. The feature can now identify when a trip unexpectedly goes on a different route or ends before the destination the rider entered into the app.
If RideCheck flags a possible problem, Uber will ask the rider and driver if everything is in order via a notification. If not, they can tap the emergency button or report the problem to Uber.
For those that want easy wireless charging on the go, Apple's MagSafe battery pack is a good option if you have one of the latest iPhones. But of course, like most other Apple accessories, the palm-sized battery is expensive, coming in at $99. But Amazon has the pack for the lowest price we've seen it right now — only $75, or 24 percent off its normal price. Now's a good opportunity to grab it if you've been eyeing it for a while for your own iPhone, or you need a stocking stuffer for an iPhone user in your life.
Like all MagSafe accessories, this battery pack is designed to snap onto the back of your iPhone and it'll automatically start charging the handset once attached. It fits neatly onto the backside of even the iPhone 13 mini, so you can still easily use your phone with one hand while powering up. If you plug in the battery pack while charging your iPhone, you'll get up to 15W of power and you could get even faster charging when you pair your Lightning cable with an adapter higher than 20W. Plus, you'll be able to keep track of your phone's and the battery pack's recharge on your iPhone's lock screen.
It's pretty tempting (and often convenient) to go for Apple's own accessories, but you can often find similar, more affordable options elsewhere. While the number of MagSafe-compatible gadgets is growing, there are still only a few battery packs made by reputable brands. Anker makes two 5,000mAh magnetic power packs, a standard one and a newer MagGo model that has a built-in, foldable kickstand, so you can prop up your iPhone while charging. Belkin also makes a 10,000mAh battery that works as a magnetic charger and a portable power bank. We haven't tested any of these alternatives yet, but both Anker and Belkin have a good track record when it comes to mobile accessories — plus, all three battery packs come in between $50 and $60 each, making them even better options for those with tight budgets.
