Posts Tagged: early

Apple has an iPad shocker planned for early 2024

The OLED iPad Pro might arrive early in 2024. But there could be a surprise 12.9-inch iPad Air as well.
Digital Trends

Over 3,000 iPhone 15 cases discounted for early Black Friday — from $3

With thousands of iPhone 15 cases on sale, Amazon’s early Black Friday deals are the perfect source for a case for your new phone.
Digital Trends

The Motorola Razr+ is $300 off in an early Black Friday deal

If you’re interested in a flip-style foldable phone, you effectively have two choices in the US: the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 and the Motorola Razr+. We think the former is ultimately better for most people, but the latter is still a worthy alternative, and now it’s on sale for $ 700 at Amazon. That’s the lowest price we’ve seen for an unlocked model outside of trade-in deals. Motorola normally sells the Razr+ for $ 1,000, though we’ve seen the phone fall between $ 800 and $ 900 a couple of times since it arrived in June. This deal is applicable to the black, magenta and blue versions of the device.

We gave the Razr+ a score of 85 in our review. As with the Galaxy Z Flip 5, the Razr+’s biggest selling point is that you can fold it in half and make it easier to tuck away. The main display is a vibrant 6.9-inch OLED panel with a 165Hz refresh rate; fold it shut, and you can use a 3.6-inch OLED display around the back. One advantage the Razr+ has over Samsung’s foldable is that it can run most Android apps on that outer display with less fuss. (The Galaxy Z Flip 5 limits its cover screen to a handful of widgets by default, though can you enable wider app support through the device’s settings.) Not every app is optimized for such a tiny screen, but you can quickly fire off a text, reply to an email, pick a new Spotify playlist or do other phone things without having to actually open the device. 

Beyond that, the Razr+’s cover display has a higher refresh rate (144Hz versus 60Hz) and pixel density (413 ppi versus 306 ppi) than that of the Galaxy Z Flip 5, plus it’s 0.2 inches larger. It should last a little longer per charge, and its take on Android has more of a light touch than Samsung’s One UI interface. It also supports slightly faster wired charging speeds. 

That said, there are a few clear downsides. For one, we found the Razr’s camera performance to be a step behind the Galaxy Z Flip 5. The hardware has a meager IP52 water-resistance rating — which means it can withstand some light rain but little more — whereas Samsung’s phone has a more robust IPX8 rating. (Though you’ll want to be delicate with either phone, as all foldables carry a greater risk of durability issues.) While it’s not slow, it uses a year-old Snapdragon Galaxy 8+ Gen 1 chip, so its performance is a little less futureproof. And Motorola’s update policy is less robust: It promises three major OS updates and bi-monthly security updates for the Razr+, while Samsung promotes four years of OS updates and five years of monthly security updates for the Galaxy Z Flip 5.

In the end, the main reason to consider the Razr+ is the bigger and more functional cover display, so if you’re sold on the idea of a clamshell-style foldable, it’s worth considering at this price. Just note that we may see a deal on Samsung’s foldable as we get closer to Black Friday. One foldable we’re less bullish on, however, is Motorola’s midrange Razr: That one is also on sale for $ 500, but we found it to be too limited in our review.

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-motorola-razr-is-300-off-in-an-early-black-friday-deal-201601542.html?src=rss

Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Need a new phone? Google Pixel 7a is $175 off in early Black Friday deal

The Google Pixel 7a is a great mid-range phone when you grab this deal that discounts it down to just $ 375.
Digital Trends

Black Friday 2023: The best early deals from Amazon, Target, Best Buy and more

With each passing year, the phrase “Black Friday” becomes more of a misnomer. What was once a day of post-Thanksgiving special offers has become a month of sales promotions from retailers across the web. It’s happening again in 2023: Target and Best Buy are already advertising their early Black Friday deals; Amazon is price matching many of those discounts and has its own “Holiday Deals” landing page; and Walmart says it’ll kick off its first wave of Black Friday deals on November 8. Many other shops and manufacturers have (or will soon have) early deals as well.

This barrage of sales promos can be aggravating, but it also presents a good opportunity to get your holiday shopping done at something closer to your own pace. To help, we’ve rounded up the best early Black Friday deals we can find below. There’s always a chance we get bigger discounts on November 24, but we’re already seeing all-time lows on Apple’s AirPods Pro, Google’s Pixel 7a, Amazon’s Echo Show 5, LG’s A2 OLED TV and other gadgets we like. We’ll be updating our list regularly in the lead-up to Black Friday, so check back if there’s anything else you’ve had your eye on. 

Apple AirPods Pro (2nd gen)

The latest version of Apple’s AirPods Pro is back on sale for $ 190 at Amazon and Target. That’s only a dollar more than the lowest price we’ve tracked and $ 59 less than buying from Apple directly. The AirPods Pro are the “best for iOS” pick in our wireless earbuds buying guide thanks to their easy pairing and deep integration with Apple devices. Effective active noise cancellation (ANC), a superb transparency mode and a pleasingly warm sound profile help as well, as does a new “adaptive audio” mode that can adjust the earphones’ noise control settings based on your surroundings. That said, their battery life is just average at six-ish hours per charge, and you really have to use an iPhone to get anything out of them. We gave the Lightning-based version of the second-generation AirPods Pro a review score of 88 last year; this new iteration is almost identical, only it comes with a USB-C charging case and has a higher IP54 dust-resistance rating.

Beats headphone sale

A handful of wireless headphones from Apple subsidiary Beats are also discounted this week. The Beats Fit Pro, for one, is back down to $ 160. That’s $ 15 more than its all-time low but about $ 20 less than its average street price. The Fit Pro is the top pick for workouts in our wireless earbuds guide, as it offers a fun sound and many of the Apple-friendly perks of the AirPods Pro in a more stable and sporty design. Its ANC isn’t as strong, however, and it lacks support for wireless charging and multi-device pairing. We gave the Fit Pro a review score of 87 in 2021. 

Elsewhere, the more basic Beats Studio Buds + are back at a low of $ 130, while the over-ear Beats Studio Pro is on sale for $ 200. Neither of those are top picks in our guides, but they may be worthwhile if you’re an Apple fan and dig the Beats aesthetic. We gave the Studio Buds + a review score of 84 in May and the Studio Pro a review score of 81 in July.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K

Amazon’s latest Fire TV Stick 4K and Fire TV Stick 4K Max have received their first discounts since they arrived in September. The former is $ 20 off at $ 30, while the latter is $ 15 off at $ 45. Between the two, the Max has a slightly faster processor clocked at 2.0GHz (instead of 1.7GHz), 16GB of internal storage (instead of 8GB) and support for the Wi-Fi 6E (instead of just Wi-Fi 6). It also includes Amazon’s “Ambient Experience” mode, which displays artwork and widgets when the streamer is idle. That said, both dongles should be quick to load content. Both support the requisite streaming apps, Dolby Atmos and all the major HDR formats as well.

The downsides are the familiar ones with Fire TV devices: The UI is saddled with ads and not shy about nudging you toward Amazon services like Prime Video and Freevee. But if you often use those apps (or Alexa) and just want a competent 4K streamer for cheap, that may not be an issue. 

On the higher end of the Fire TV lineup, the Fire TV Cube is also on sale for $ 110. That ties the all-time low for the streaming box/Alexa speaker hybrid. You can also pair the Fire TV Stick 4K Max with Blink’s 1080p Video Doorbell for $ 65 total, though that offer is only available for Prime members and is only scheduled to run through November 3.

Google Chromecast with Google TV

In other streaming deals, the Google Chromecast is on sale for $ 39 at Amazon. This is a deal we’ve seen several times before, and it’s about $ 10 higher than the 4K streamer’s all-time low, but it’s still $ 11 off Google’s list price. Walmart, Target and others have the device on sale for a dollar more. The Chromecast is the runner up in our guide to the best streaming devices: It was released way back in 2020 and doesn’t support Wi-Fi 6, but it streams fast enough and works with the major streaming apps. Its biggest selling point is its Google TV interface, which does well to proactively suggest shows you might like based on your viewing history and offers genuinely convenient voice search. If you’re shopping for an older TV, the 1080p version of the Chromecast is also on sale for $ 20.

The top pick in our media streamer guide is the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, which pairs solid performance and wide app support with a more straightforward interface centered on apps. That dongle isn’t discounted as of this writing, but we should see a sale at some point in the coming weeks.

Amazon Echo Show 5

Amazon’s Echo Show 5 is back down to $ 40, which ties the lowest price we’ve tracked. That’s $ 50 off the 5.5-inch smart display’s list price, though the device has been on sale for much of the past month. We highlight the Echo Show 5 in our smart display buying guide: The 8-inch Echo Show 8 has a better screen, richer speakers and a much sharper camera for video calls, but the Echo Show 5 offers much of the same functionality in a more compact design. If you prefer Alexa to the Google Assistant and want a smarter kind of alarm clock for your nightstand, it should work well. The Echo Show 8 isn’t discounted, though that may change by Black Friday.

Google Nest Hub

If you’re partial to the Google Assistant, Google’s Nest Hub is also on sale for $ 60 at Target, B&H, Best Buy, Google’s online store and others. That’s $ 20 higher than its all-time low but still $ 40 off Google’s list price. The Nest Hub is the top overall pick in our smart display buying guide, and we gave it a review score of 89 back in 2021. It has a 7-inch screen, so it’s a bit bigger than the Echo Show 5 but should still be compact enough to fit neatly in a bedroom or small office. While it lacks a built-in camera, that may be a selling point for those who especially sensitive to their privacy (though no smart display is truly privacy-conscious). 

Ultimately, whether it’s worth getting a Nest Hub or Echo Show depends on what services you use: If you own a bunch of Nest devices and depend on apps like Gmail, Google Calendar and Google Photos, Google’s display will make sense. If you want a larger model with a webcam and stronger speakers, the 10-inch Nest Hub Max is also on sale for $ 129. That’s a $ 100 discount. Google says these offers will last through November 5.

Sony WH-1000XM5

The Sony WH-1000XM5 is down to $ 328 at Amazon and B&H. Though this isn’t an all-time low, it’s about $ 70 off Sony’s list price and $ 20 lower than the headphones’ usual recurring sale price. The XM5 is the top recommendation in our guide to the best wireless headphones, as it offers a comfortable design, powerful ANC, crisp call quality and 30 or so hours of battery life. It also comes with a number useful bonus features such as “Speak to Chat,” which automatically pauses your music when you start talking to somebody else. By default, its bass-heavy sound plays well with hip-hop and EDM, though you can easily customize the EQ curve through Sony’s app. We gave the XM5 a score of 95 in our review last year. B&H’s product listing says that this particular deal will end on November 5.

Sony WF-1000XM5

Sony’s WF-1000XM5, meanwhile, is the top overall pick in our guide to the best wireless earbuds, and it’s now down to a new low of $ 248 at Amazon and B&H. Several other retailers have it for $ 2 more. Normally, these noise-canceling earphones go for $ 300. Like the over-ear XM5, this in-ear model delivers excellent ANC (with strong passive isolation), loads of helpful features and a warm sound that’s fun out of the box but can be customized if needed. Battery life is decent at seven or eight hours per charge and, notably, the design is lighter, smaller and altogether more comfortable than past Sony earbuds. The WF-1000XM5 earned a score of 87 in our review this past July. This deal also runs through November 5.

iRobot Roomba 694

The Roomba 694 is down to $ 159 at Amazon, iRobot’s online store and other retailers, which is another all-time low and roughly $ 60 below the robot vacuum’s average street price. This is the top pick in our guide to the best budget robovacs. It’s a relatively basic model, so it navigates around rooms semi-randomly instead of intelligently mapping set paths. That means it’ll bonk into your furniture every now and then. But it’s sturdily put together and an effective cleaner across carpet and hard floors. iRobot’s companion app makes it easy to remotely turn the vacuum on and off, set cleaning schedules and check battery status as well. Battery life is rated at up to 90 minutes, though that’ll vary depending on what surfaces you need to clean. Other Roombas we like are also on sale, including the vac-and-mop Roomba Combo j7+ for a low of $ 699.

Google Pixel 7a

Google’s Pixel 7a is down to $ 374 at Amazon, Target, Best Buy and Google’s online store. That’s a new all-time low and $ 125 off Google’s list price. The Pixel 7a is the top midrange pick for Android fans in our smartphone buying guide, and we gave it a score of 90 in our review this past May. While it’s a clear step behind the best flagship phones, its steady performance, detailed photo quality, robust battery life and wireless charging support help it punch above its price range. A lovely 6.1-inch 1080p OLED display, IP67-rated water resistance and the promise of OS updates into 2026 (with security updates into 2028) only further the value. The design is mostly plastic, and the display maxes at a 90Hz refresh rate instead of 120Hz, but those are hardly complaints for less than $ 400. Again, Google says this deal will run through November 5.

Apple iPad (9th gen)

Apple’s 9th-gen iPad is down to $ 249 at Amazon, Walmart and Target, which is a deal we’ve seen for much of the past month but still matches the tablet’s lowest-ever price. This is the budget pick in our iPad buying guide, and it earned a review score of 86 in 2021. It’s the last iPad to use Apple’s old design language, so it has thick bezels, a Lightning port, a Home button and a non-laminated display. This variant also comes with a paltry 64GB of storage. At this price, though, it’s still hard to do better if all you want is a large screen for streaming video, playing games and browsing the web. Its 10.2-inch display remains a step up from cheaper slates, its A13 Bionic chip is plenty fast for casual media consumption and its battery still lasts around 10 hours per charge. Most importantly, it’s the cheapest route into Apple’s huge app library, customer support and years of software updates. 

If you want a more modern design, the iPad Air is the top pick in our guide, and it’s now on sale for $ 500. Be warned, though: A recent Bloomberg report says that Apple plans to launch new tablets in the spring. If you don’t need an iPad right away, it’s probably worth waiting.

Google Pixel Tablet

The Google Pixel Tablet is on sale for all-time low of $ 399 at Amazon, Target, Best Buy and Google’s own online store. That’s $ 100 off the 11-inch slate’s list price and $ 10 less than the deal we saw during Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days sale last month. We gave the Pixel Tablet a review score of 85 earlier this year: Its crisp LCD display, clean software and solid Tensor G2 chip make it a solid Android tablet in its own right, but its biggest selling point is the charging speaker dock that comes with it. Plop the Pixel Tablet onto that and it becomes a Nest Hub Max-style smart display and smart home hub. This deal applies to the base model with 128GB of storage, but the 256GB version is also $ 100 off at $ 499. As with the other Google deals above, Google says this offer will run through November 5. 

Amazon Fire Max 11

Amazon’s Fire Max 11 tablet is back down to $ 150, which matches the lowest price we’ve seen and comes in $ 80 below its typical going rate. This is the largest and fastest slate Amazon makes, and its aluminum frame gives it a more substantial feel than the cheaper plastic models in the Fire lineup. The 11-inch display has a relatively sharp 2,000 x 1,200 resolution as well. The usual limitations of all Fire tablets are still here — a weak app store with no Google apps and an ad-heavy interface that heavily pushes you toward Amazon services chief among them. But at this price, the Fire Max 11 could make sense if you regularly use apps like Prime Video or Kindle and don’t want to pay for an entry-level iPad.

LG A2 OLED TV

We expect to see many more TV deals as we get closer to Black Friday, but for now one standout is LG’s 48-inch A2 OLED TV on sale for a new low of $ 550 at Best Buy. This is an entry-level model from 2022, so it’s limited to a 60Hz refresh rate, lacks HDMI 2.1 ports and doesn’t support other gaming-friendly features like VRR. That said, it’s still an OLED TV, so it delivers deep contrast, bold colors, wide viewing angles and low input lag. At this price, it should be a nice step-up option for smaller or secondary rooms. Just note that it can’t get as bright as higher-end OLED sets, so it’s best situated away from direct sunlight. 

Apple MacBook Air (15-inch)

A configuration of Apple’s 15-inch MacBook Air with an M2 chip, 16GB of RAM and 512GB of SSD storage is down to $ 1,499 at Best Buy. That’s $ 200 less than Apple’s MSRP. If you can live with less memory, a version with 8GB of RAM is on sale for $ 1,250 at Amazon with an on-page coupon. Either way, the MacBook Air is the top pick in our laptop buying guide, as it has just about everything we want from a mainstream notebook: A premium design, a comfortable keyboard and trackpad, a lovely display, long battery life, great speakers and solid performance. Compared to the 13-inch Air, this model has more powerful speakers alongside its larger screen. We gave it a score of 96 in our review this past June.

The MacBook Air’s main downsides are that it only has two Thunderbolt ports and, as always, it’s virtually impossible to upgrade after the fact. Plus, with the recent introduction of the new M3 chip, the countdown is on for a refresh. A recent Bloomberg report says that Apple plans to launch an M3-powered MacBook Air at some point in 2024, though that shouldn’t make this current model obsolete if you need a new laptop right away. 

Blink security camera sale

A range of Blink security cameras and video doorbells are on sale ahead of Black Friday. The notables include a two-pack of the latest Blink Outdoor cameras for half off at $ 100, a three-pack of Blink Mini indoor cameras for $ 60 off at $ 40 and a bundle that pairs the Blink Video Doorbell with an Outdoor 4 camera for $ 90. All of those match the lowest prices we’ve seen. Blink cameras generally sit on the budget end of the security camera market — each of the devices noted above max out at 1080p — but they’re relatively simple to set up, and the outdoor models here can last up to two years on a pair of AA batteries. The Outdoor 4 in particular is the top wireless security camera pick in our guide to the best smart home gadgets

Be aware that Blink is an Amazon subsidiary, though, so these devices only work with Alexa. If you want a camera that works with the Google Assistant, a number of Google Nest devices are also on sale. Those include the wired Nest Cam for $ 70, the wired Nest Doorbell for $ 150, and the battery-powered versions of those devices for $ 120 apiece. 

FAQs

When is Black Friday 2023?

Black Friday 2023 lands on November 24 this year, with Cyber Monday 2023 following up a few days later on November 27. However, the early deals have already begun. The entire month of November might as well be renamed Holiday Shopping Month as that’s when companies really start to get serious with their discounts.

What day is Black Friday 2023 at Walmart?

Walmart Black Friday deals will begin early this year on November 8. Walmart+ members will get a few hours of early access to Black Friday deals if they shop online on November 8, with access for everyone else starting later that day. Walmart will match its online Black Friday deals in stores starting November 10.

Will Amazon have a Black Friday sale in 2023?

Amazon will likely have a Black Friday sale in 2023. While the online retailer hasn’t made its deals known yet like Walmart has, Amazon will almost certainly have deals across all of the types of products it sells, including electronics. We anticipate seeing record-low prices on Amazon devices in particular, like Echo speakers, Fire TVs, Kindles and more. In years past, Amazon Black Friday deals have brought some of the best prices of the year on our favorite gadgets and gear, including headphones, tablets, smartwatches, robot vacuums and more.

What other retailers have Black Friday sales in 2023?

Most retailers have Black Friday sales, so you can expect to see Target, Best Buy, and others join Walmart and Amazon in discounting inventory to capitalize on holiday shopping interest. In the consumer electronics space, we expect most companies to have some sort of Black Friday promotion, so that means you will likely be able to get big-ticket items from brands like Apple, Samsung, Google, Sony, LG, Sonos and others for much cheaper prices.

Your Black Friday Shopping Guide: See all of Yahoo’s Black Friday coverage, here. Follow Engadget for Black Friday tech deals. Learn about Black Friday trends on In The Know. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Black Friday deals for your car, garage, and home, and find Black Friday sales to shop on AOL, handpicked just for you.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/black-friday-2023-the-best-early-deals-from-amazon-target-best-buy-and-more-163054419.html?src=rss

Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

There are early Black Friday deals on the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5

Save big on the stylish and powerful Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 with these great Black Friday deals at Amazon and Samsung.
Digital Trends

The 5 best early Black Friday Chromebook deals I’ve found so far

You don’t have to wait if you’re thinking about buying a new laptop because retailers have rolled out early Black Friday Chromebook deals. Check them out here.
Digital Trends

I’d recommend these early Black Friday phone deals if you can’t wait

There are some early Black Friday phone deals that you can shop right now, including massive discounts for Apple’s iPhones and Samsung’s Galaxy smartphones.
Digital Trends

6 early Black Friday headphone deals happening right now

There are some early Black Friday headphone deals that are already available, so if you need a new pair right now, don’t forget to check these amazing offers.
Digital Trends

Arriving in early 2024, EA Sports FC Tactical will bring a turn-based experience to mobile

Having unveiled the new, non-FIFA-branded EA Sports FC Mobile game a few short weeks ago, EA is already back with a teaser for a new turn-based experience which is heading to the Play Store in early 2024. Turn-based soccer, I hear you say incredulously? According to EA, that’s what the new FC Tactical title will […]

Come comment on this article: Arriving in early 2024, EA Sports FC Tactical will bring a turn-based experience to mobile

Visit TalkAndroid

TalkAndroid

Best October Prime Day deals: Early offers you can shop today

Just in time for some pre-Halloween shopping, we have an October Prime Day as well.
Digital Trends

This early Prime Day deal gets you an iPhone 15 for free

Boost Mobile wants us to get an Apple iPhone 15 for free, here’s how to get one and what to pick from Boost.
Digital Trends

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

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

Apple AirPods Pro

The AirPods Pro with a Lightning charging case is on sale for $ 199, which is $ 50 off their usual price. We consider the AirPods Pros the best wireless earphones for those who use an iPhone or lots of Apple devices. They still deliver excellent noise cancellation, a pleasingly warm sound profile and a variety of Apple-specific features such as hands-free Siri access, Find My device tracking and quick pairing and switching between iPhones, iPads and MacBooks. With a recent update, they’ve also gained a useful “Adaptive Audio” mode that blends the pair’s ANC and transparency modes dynamically based on your surroundings. Note that Apple recently released a new model with a USB-C charging case, improved dust resistance and lossless audio support with the upcoming Vision Pro headset, though that one isn’t on sale at the moment, and the two pairs are otherwise identical.

Amazon Echo Dot + Kasa Smart Plug Mini

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

Amazon Echo Show 5

A number of Amazon’s smart displays are on sale ahead of October Prime Day, and that includes the Echo Show 5 for $ 40. It’s the smallest smart display in the company’s lineup at 5.5 inches, which helps it work well as a sort of smart alarm clock. It has strong audio quality and a sunrise alarm feature, and this updated model included a faster processor and an additional mic for improved Alexa responsiveness. The Echo Show 8 (previous-gen) and the Echo Show 10 are also included in this sale, and there’s a bundle that pairs the Echo Show 5 with a Philips Hue Smart Color Bulb for $ 42.

Amazon Echo Show 15

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

EarFun Air Pro 3

EarFun’s Air Pro 3 noise-canceling earphones are down to $ 60 with a $ 20 on-page coupon. That’s not an all-time low but still $ 20 off the device’s typical selling price. This is the runner-up pick in our guide to the best budget earbuds. The EarFun Free 2S, our “best under $ 50” pick in that guide, are also on sale for $ 36 with a 10 percent coupon.

Amazon Echo Buds (2023)

Prime members can get the latest Amazon Echo Buds for $ 35, which is $ 15 off and an all-time low. This is another pick in our guide to the best budget wireless earbuds. Specifically, the Echo Buds should appeal to those who prefer a more open design, one that lets in outside noise but doesn’t insert directly into your ear canal. They can sound solid for the price with a bit of EQ tweaking, and they support features we don’t often see for less than $ 50, such as wear detection and multipoint connectivity. They also have Alexa baked in, natch. Their IPX2 sweat-resistance rating isn’t enough for workouts, and their five-ish hours of battery life is just average, but they’re worth a look if you’re on a tight budget and hate the feel of traditional in-ear headphones. We gave them a score of 77 earlier this year.

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic 

Samsung unveiled the new Galaxy Watch 6 Classic alongside the standard Galaxy Watch 6 during its Unpacked event in July. We were particularly delighted by its rotating bezel mechanism, which makes navigating Samsung’s One UI a bit more convenient. We call the Watch 6 series the best Android options for most people in our smartwatch buying guide; compared to the standard model, the Classic is pricier and heavier, but it has a larger display and a more premium stainless steel frame along with that rotating bezel. Right now the watch is seeing a modest eight percent discount, bringing it down to $ 369 instead of its usual $ 400. It’s not a huge dip, but it’s still the biggest price drop we’ve seen for the wearable to date.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5

The Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 is $ 300 off ahead of Amazon’s October Prime Day sale at $ 1,500. This matches the price it hit a few weeks back for Labor Day. This deal applies to the base model with 256GB of storage; the 512GB model, meanwhile, is down to $ 1,620 from its usual $ 1,920. We gave the 7.6-inch Z Fold 5 a score of 86 in our review and named it the best foldable for multitasking in our smartphone buying guide. Overall we were impressed by its speedy performance, handy multitasking gestures and improved hinge, which helps eliminates any air gap when the phone is folded. Our biggest concern is its sky-high price, which this discount makes a little less of an issue.  

The Galaxy Z Flip 5 is on sale as well, with the base 256GB model $ 100 off at $ 900. That phone got an Engadget review score of 88 and is currently the top flip-style foldable pick in our guide to the best smartphones. 

Amazon Kindle Scribe

Amazon’s Kindle Scribe is 22 percent off right now and down to $ 265. Unlike the deal we saw last month, you don’t have to be a Prime member to get this sale price. The Scribe is one of the best e-ink tablets on the market right now, and it’ll be best for those that want an easy-to-use ereader that also lets you jot down notes as you read. Users can create notebooks on the Scribe to organize their handwritten musings, though only a handful of titles in the Kindle store are considered “write-on” books that allow you to take notes directly in the margins. We gave the Kindle Scribe a review score of 85 last year. 

Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite

A handful of Fire TV devices have been discounted before Amazon’s upcoming sale, including the Fire TV Stick Lite down to $ 18. It may be the most limited streaming dongle in Amazon’s lineup, but for smaller or secondary TVs, it offers 1080p streaming and a useful voice remote. If you’re willing to spend more for a Fire TV streamer that doubles as an Alexa speaker, you can also snag the Fire TV Cube for a low of $ 110.

Anker 332 USB-C Hub

Anker’s 332 USB-C Hub is down to $ 16 with a $ 2 on-page coupon, which is roughly $ 9 off its typical street price. As laptops get sleeker, ports disappear, but this 5-in-1 hub can add a 4K HDMI port, two USB-A ports, and either one or two additional USB-C ports (depending on whether you need one for power delivery) back to your device. That means you’ll have more space to connect a mouse, keyboard, flash drive, webcam or what have you.

Amazon Smart Thermostat

Amazon’s Smart Thermostat has dropped to its best price of the year at $ 56. Note that this sale price is for the model without a C-wire adapter, so you’ll have to make sure your system has a C-wire in order for the thermostat to work. Smart thermostats like this can help you save on energy costs by giving you more granular control over your heating and cooling system. You can use Amazon’s companion app to control your home’s temperature from anywhere, or ask Alexa to turn the temperature up or down as you please.

Amazon Fire HD 8

Amazon’s Fire HD 8 tablet has dropped to $ 60 as part of a larger tablet sale ahead of Prime Big Deal Days. That’s only $ 5 more than it was during Prime Day in July. We recommend this slab for those who want a cheap tablet they can give to their kids or use for basic media consumption. This model comes with 32GB of storage, but you can expand that space up to 1TB using a microSD card. Performance isn’t especially fast, and Amazon’s Fire OS is relatively limited — it lacks Google apps, for one — but the whole thing is comfortable and can last more than 10 hours on a charge. If you want a higher-end Fire tablet, the Fire Max 11 is on sale for a low of $ 150, though that’s a good chunk of change to spend on a Fire OS device. 

Blink security cameras

A range of Blink 3rd- and 4th-gen security cameras are also on sale. These deals are particularly noteworthy for including the 4th-gen Outdoor cameras, as those were just announced at the end of August. A three-pack of those new cameras is half off at $ 135, and there are a bunch of bundles available as well: a two-pack with a Blink Mini for $ 100, a three-pack with a Blink Video Doorbell for $ 165, a whole home bundle for $ 102 and many more. These wireless security cameras aren’t the most advanced things around, but they still offer two years of rated battery life, motion and audio alerts, two-way talk and night vision.

Ring Video Doorbells

There’s a massive Ring sale going on now, which includes the wired Ring Video Doorbell on sale for $ 35. As the name suggests, you’ll have to hardwire it to your home during installation. If you’d prefer a model that runs on a rechargeable battery, consider the standard Ring Video Doorbell, which is down to $ 55. The sale also includes Ring Stick Up cameras for inside the home, as well as various Ring Alarm bundles.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite Kids

A few Kindle Essentials Bundles have been discounted for Prime members ahead of the October Prime sale, including this Kids model on sale for $ 143. It contains a Kindle Paperwhite Kids ereader with a cover, screen protector, power adapter, two-year warranty and one-year subscription to Amazon’s Kids+ content service. The Kids+ subscription gives access to a selection of child-appropriate ebooks and audiobooks; just remember that the membership will automatically renew after the first year.

Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids Pro

Amazon’s Fire HD 10 Kids Pro is the top recommendation for kids in our tablet buying guide. It has a list price of $ 200 and often sells for $ 140, but this early Prime Big Deal Days offer drops it down to an all-time low of $ 120. The tablet comes with a protective case that also serves as a stand and handle, plus a two-year warranty and a year’s subscription to Amazon Kids+ service. It comes with a fairly robust selection of parental controls as well.

Tile Slim

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

Amazon Music Unlimited

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

Eero Pro 6E mesh Wi-Fi system

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

Samsung Pro Plus

If you need more storage for your Nintendo Switch, GoPro or anything else that accepts microSD cards, the 256GB version of the Samsung Pro Plus with Samsung’s USB reader is on sale for $ 23. We’ve seen the card alone fall as low as $ 20, but this is just a dollar above the all-time low for the bundle with the reader, which helps the card get closer to its advertised read and write speeds — up to 180 MB/s and 130 MB/s for reading and writing, respectively — on devices that allow them. Normally, this SKU retails for $ 25. The Pro Plus is the top pick in our guide to the best microSD cards, as it delivered the fastest sequential write speeds and random performance of any card we tested and comes with a 10-year warranty.

Amazon Fire Omni QLED Series TVs

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

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

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

Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Labor Day sales: 32 best early deals you can shop right now

If you’re looking to take advantage of the best Labor Day deals, these ones are the best you’ll find as we ramp up to Labor Day.
Digital Trends

‘Star Trek: Strange New Worlds’ drops its ‘Lower Decks’ crossover early

Ever since Strange New Worlds’ second season was announced, the big draw has been the crossover episode with animated sitcom Lower Decks. It would see Tawny Newsome (Mariner) and Jack Quaid (Boimler) taking their until-now animated characters into live action. Following an early screening at Comic-Con, the episode is now available to watch on Paramount Plus.

The following article contains spoilers for “Those Old Scientists.”

There’s an SNL sketch where William Shatner, as himself, exhorts a room full of Star Trek fans to “Get a Life!” It’s clearly intended in jest, given Shatner’s barely-suppressed smile and a twist where Phil Hartman’s manager forces him to instantly recant his rant. Depending on who you ask, the sketch was either taken in the spirit it was intended, or with outrage amongst fans who felt mischaracterized, and misunderstood. But it’s this dichotomy, between the legend and the truth that’s mined for laughs in “Those Old Scientists,” the crossover episode between Strange New Worlds and Lower Decks. Well, that and an affectionate elbow in the ribs suggesting that we could all do with being a bit less obsessive.

The (animated) beta shift is making a routine survey of a long-dormant time-travel portal, while Boimler and Tendi argue about who discovered it. Boimler brags it was found by Starfleet, but Tendi says it was Orion scientists, once again trying to dispel myths that all Orions are pirates. While messing around Boimler is standing on the portal when Rutherford accidentally sets it running, throwing him back in time. When he arrives on the other side, he’s now in the live action world of Strange New Worlds, and is greeted by Spock, Una and La’an. And with that, we’re into an animated version of the title sequence, complete with nacelle-sucking alien.

On the Enterprise, Boimler can’t help but express his shock, surprise and generally fanboy out in front of his heroes. He gets lectured by La’an about not polluting the timeline and, thanks to her adventure in “Tomorrow, Tomorrow and Tomorrow,” not getting attached. But, since this is the Boimler we know and love, he can’t help but throw spoilers out left, right and center. Not to mention his insistence on pointing out the difference between the history as he knows it, and the storylines as they’re presently unfolding on Strange New Worlds. For instance, he’s mightily disturbed by the fact that Spock – happy in a relationship with Chapel – is laughing, smiling and generally acting like he’s in love. After all, the Spock he knows – his Spock – isn’t this outwardly emotional, because that’s what the legend tells us. It’s almost as if he’s a stand-in for the sort of obsessive fan who tries to police the borders of what Star Trek is, instead of enjoying the journey.

At the same time, the Enterprise has to deal with an Orion vessel with undetermined intentions which then steals the time portal. Boimler urges Pike to be diplomatic, but winds up forcing him to trade a supply of much-needed triticale grain to get it back. Pike sees this – and the forced relocation of a planet-full of starving colonists – as preferable to having this guy on his ship any longer. When the portal is active and back in position, the Enterprise crew ready to get rid of this purple-haired irritation, Mariner leaps through, bravely declaring that she’s coming to the rescue. Except, the hardware had power enough for just one trip, and there’s not a fuel source available anywhere else in the quadrant. Leaving an eye-rolling Pike with the unwelcome possibility that they’re stuck with the Cerritos’ pair for good.

Boimler and Mariner wind up spending some time with their heroes, until they eventually realize that the Enterprise itself has a supply of fuel. Thanks to the naval tradition of using a component from the previous vessel in the construction of the next one, they can refine a chunk of NX-01 into fuel which can be used to send the pair home. (But not before the Strange New Worlds crew can reveal that they, too, are secretly as nerdy as a bunch of fans of their predecessors from Enterprise as Boimler is for this era.) They meet with the Orions again, and Pike pledges to claim that the Orions discovered the portal, giving their burgeoning science ship a small chunk of credit. And when Boimler and Mariner leap back to the future, the Enterprise crew drink an Orion cocktail that, in the closer, renders them all as animated characters.

“Those Old Scientists” is as pure a dose of fan service as Star Trek has ever produced, and I mean that as both a compliment and a criticism. Plenty of the elements, including the animated title sequence, reached straight into the lizard part of my brain and left me grinning like a loon. The screenplay, credited to Lower Decks’ executive story editor Kathryn Lyn and Bill Wolkloff, is crammed full of great gags. It helps, too, that Strange New Worlds has enough comic talent in its ranks to play an episode like this, and Carol Kane steals the show with the best gag in the episode.

But, and there is a but, the episode is a bit like cotton candy in that once the initial hit of sugar leaves your tongue, there’s little else here. We get a lot of scenes of Boimler and then Mariner telling the Enterprise crew how great they are, or are seen as such, by their successors. Most of these scenes take place sitting around desks, bars or lounges – telling rather than showing. I know that this is Strange New Worlds, and so the narrative will always belong with this crew rather than its guest stars. But the lower deckers are rendered passive observers in a narrative that could, or should, really have enabled them to demonstrate the dynamism they have in their own show. In the moment where Boimler and Mariner try to solve things on their own, they’re instantly shut down by La’an and Uhura and told to sit back on the bench. The worst served by this is Tawny Newsome, who is absent a major chunk of the episode and has little to do when Mariner does finally arrive in the past.

That cotton candy metaphor is probably the best way to sum up “Those Old Scientists,” a goofy snack between meatier meals, or episodes, either side. The fact it exists at all is a joy, even if it’s not as wonderful as it could have been, and I’d love nothing more than to see more forays into the real world by the Lower Decks crew. At the very least, with Strange New Worlds and Lower Decks in production at the same time, it’s a great time to be a Star Trek fan.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/star-trek-strange-new-worlds-drops-its-lower-decks-crossover-early-230033262.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

[Deal] Check out these early Prime Day deals on Amazon device

Amazon’s Prime Day sale kicks off on July 11 but that hasn’t stopped the retailer from dropping the price of its own electronice devices ahead of the event, with the likes of the Fire HD 10Tablet (2023) being discounted to just $ 89.99 from $ 189.99 for Prime subscribers. It’s not just Fire tablets on offer, Amazon […]

Come comment on this article: [Deal] Check out these early Prime Day deals on Amazon device

Visit TalkAndroid

TalkAndroid

Meta’s rumored Twitter competitor could launch as early as next month

Folks are spending less time on Twitter since Elon Musk bought the social media site last year, but there’s still plenty of demand for similar platforms like Mastodon and Bluesky. To that point, Meta has long been rumored to be building its own platform to rival Twitter. After months of speculation, there’s finally some details to go along with the rumors, according to digital media marketing expert Lia Haberman.

Haberman says the app is nearing completion and could launch as early as the end of June. She says that Meta has been meeting with select content creators to discuss the platform. One of these creators furnished Haberman with all kinds of info about the forthcoming app, calling it “Instagram for your thoughts.”

Instagram is the right word here, as it looks like the entire platform is built out of the popular photo-sharing social network. The decentralized app is said to work with current Instagram parameters, like usernames and passwords. So if you already have an Instagram account you should be able to sign right up and automatically sync up with your current followers. Your handle, bio and verification should all carry over from IG. Haberman says that even blocked Instagram accounts and hidden words transfer to the new platform.

This is also set to be a decentralized app that’ll integrate with other platforms like Mastodon, meaning you should be able to interact with users across multiple services without having to constantly switch between apps. The report indicates that text updates will be limited to 500 characters, which is less than an Instagram caption, but still plenty long enough to make a sarcastic comment or whatever. 

You’ll likely be able to attach links, photos and videos up to five minutes long, which of course is much shorter than Twitter's recently launched two hour video-sharing feature. Just like Twitter and similar platforms, Meta’s service will have its own versions of likes, replies and reposts. Haberman got her hands on a leaked marketing slide that shows the app in action and, well, it looks a whole lot like Twitter, Bluesky and the rest, with a dash of Instagram's design scheme. 

Back in March when these rumors first surfaced, Meta said it was indeed “exploring a standalone decentralized social network for sharing text updates.” So this is coming, it’s just a matter of what it’ll look like and if it’ll be “the one” to dethrone Twitter. There's no name for the service yet, though within Meta it has a few codenames like Barcelona and P92. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/metas-rumored-twitter-competitor-could-launch-as-early-as-next-month-181625616.html?src=rss
Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Xiaomi’s 13 Pro is an early look at 2023’s flagship phones

Xiaomi's 13 series flagship smartphones are here, and as usual, they're loaded with the latest technology and features. With the 13 and 13 Pro, Xiaomi is the second manufacturer to use Qualcomm's latest Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 platform, following Vivo with the X90 Pro and IQOO 11 series. They also have new camera modules with improved image quality, ultra-fast charging and more. 

As with the previous models, the Xiaomi 13 and 13 Pro have separate designs. The 13 Pro uses a wrap-around 6.73-inch 2K+ AMOLED screen (3,200 x 1,400) with vegan leather or ceramic back versions. Meanwhile, the 13 has a flat 6.36-inch 2,400 x 1,080 AMOLED display, iPhone-like aluminum sides and either glass or leather back options. The Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 mobile platform offers hardware accelerated ray-tracing and improved gaming performance, so both phones have 120Hz displays to keep up.

Xiaomi's 13 Pro packs a 1-inch camera sensor and Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor
Xiaomi

The Xiaomi 13 Pro has top-flight camera specs, too. It packs a 50-megapixel (MP) f/1.9 main camera with a Type 1-inch sensor (like other Type 1-inch sensors it's really only 8.8 x 13.2mm, but still significantly larger than with most smartphones). It also includes a 50MP 3.2 zoom camera (75mm equivalent) with optical image stabilization (OIS) and a floating lens, as pictured above. Finally, it has a 50MP f/2.2 ultra-wide camera (14mm equivalent), and 32MP punch-hole selfie cam. 

The Xiaomi 13 (below), meanwhile, has the same selfie camera, a 50MP f/1.8 OIS main camera with a smaller sensor, a 10MP 3.2x zoom OIS zoom camera and a 12-megapixel ultra-wide (15mm equivalent) camera.

Xiaomi's 13 Pro packs a 1-inch camera sensor and Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor
Xiaomi 13
Xiaomi

The 13 Pro offers impressive 120W charging (more than many laptops), bringing the 4,820mAh battery from zero to a 100 percent charge in just 19 minutes. That's fast, but still significantly slower than Redmi's Note 12 Discovery Edition. Wireless charging happens at "just" 50 watts, or 36 minutes to a full charge. The Xiaomi 13, has a slightly smaller 4,500 mAh battery and is limited to 67W wired charging (38 minutes to 100 percent) and 50W wireless charging (48 minutes to a full charge). 

Other features include LPDDR5X RAM and UFS 4.0 storage on both models (8GB and 128GB up to 12GB and 512GB on both models), Dolby Atmos on the Pro model and Leica camera tech. For the latter, Xiaomi and Leica built a color model based on 4,700 scenes, presumably allowing for improved accuracy. Prices start at 4,999 yuan ($ 720) for the Xiaomi 13 Pro and 3,999 yuan ($ 570) for the Xiaomi 13. Those are seriously good prices for such high spec phones, but as usual, you likely won't be able to buy them in North America. 

Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Best Fitbit Black Friday deals: Shop the early sales now

We’re rounded up the best Fitbit Black Friday deals available right now, as they emerge in real time at retailers like Amazon and Best Buy.
Digital Trends

Black Friday deals kick off early at Verizon with gifts and deep discounts

We know it’s not Black Friday yet but Verizon is jumping the gun with its range of deals that feature deep discounts as well as handy gifts such as tablets, smartwatches, and even an additional 5G smartphone. We’ve got the details for you after the break. This holiday, Verizon is upgrading its trade-in deal from […]

Come comment on this article: Black Friday deals kick off early at Verizon with gifts and deep discounts

Visit TalkAndroid

TalkAndroid

Best Labor Day Sales 2022: The best early deals to shop today

It’s Labor Day, and we all know what that means: Labor Day sales, your last chance to take home laptops, smartphones, TVs on the cheap.
Digital Trends

Google Pixel 6 is 13% off in the Amazon Early Access Sale

There is an impressive Google Pixel 6 Prime Day deal that you can grab now, with the rarely discounted smartphone going for just $ 524.
Android | Digital Trends

Google’s Pixel 6 Pro is $200 off in early Prime Day deal

Amazon Prime Day is tomorrow, but we're already seeing outstanding deals on a couple of desirable smartphones. Google's Pixel 6 Pro is on sale starting at $ 699 for the 128GB model and $ 799 for the 256GB version, or $ 200 off those models. On top of that, you can grab a Pixel 6 starting at $ 499 ($ 100) off, or just $ 50 more than the upcoming Pixel 6a

Buy Pixel 6 Pro 128GB at Amazon – $ 699Buy Pixel 6 Pro 256GB at Amazon – $ 799

The Pixel 7 is set to arrive in the fall, but the discounts make the Pixel 6 a great value if you need a smartphone right now. First off, the Pixel 6 Pro earned a 91 Engadget score, one of the highest for an Android phone of late. It comes with a unique two-toned design with a horizontal camera bar, along with a 6.7-inch 120Hz OLED display. It runs on Google's Tensor Processing Unit that provides excellent performance, and at the same time, it delivers over 17 hours of battery use.

The Pixel lineup is best known for its strong cameras, though. The Pixel 6 Pro is the most advanced yet, with a 50-megapixel main sensor, a 12-megapixel (MP) wide-angle lens and a 48MP telephoto shooter with a 4X optical zoom, along with an 11MP, 4K front camera. Those offer excellent video and photo capabilities on part with the iPhone 13 Pro, while bringing handy computational photography features like Magic Eraser, Face Unblur, Long Exposure and more.

Buy Pixel 6 128GB at Amazon – $ 499Buy Pixel 6 256GB at Amazon – $ 600

The Pixel 6 has a smaller 6.4-inch, 1080p 90Hz OLED screen that may suit you better if you don't like big phones. Its camera array is similar to the Pixel 6 Pro, but it lacks the 48MP telephoto lens and has an 8-megapixel 1080p selfie camera. Otherwise, it offers similar performance and can go even longer (20 hours) on a charge. 

Get the latest Amazon Prime Day offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.

Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Best Prime Day iPad deals 2022: All the early deals

Prime Day iPad deals aren’t quite in full swing yet but we’ve checked out what’s already available and if you should buy now.
Mobile | Digital Trends

ASUS is prepping the ROG Phone 6 for launch in early July

Gaming smartphones are still a thing and ASUS’s ROG Phone series has been a popular exponent of the segment, and now we have news of its upcoming addition to the range and its launch date. As you might have guessed, it’s called the ROG Phone 6 and it’s going to be unveiled at an event […]

Come comment on this article: ASUS is prepping the ROG Phone 6 for launch in early July

Visit TalkAndroid

TalkAndroid

HBO Max exec admits to the app’s early flaws

Viewers have long complained about the early HBO Max app’s tendency to crash, and its lack of discoverability features. There have been a number of overhauls and fixes since then. Now we know why. Turns out that HBO Max launched its apps before they were ready in order to keep up with its competitors. The app was “never intended to go global” or to suit the needs of a direct-to-consumer market, according to an interview that Sarah Lyons, HBO Max’s head of product experience, gave Protocol. The network wanted to build an audience first, and then fix the app’s flaws as the service scaled up.

While Lyons admits that the early days of HBO Max were rocky, she thinks the company made the right decision. We’ve been changing out the engine of the plane while we’re flying the plane,” she said. “I do think it was the right decision to try to balance both,” said Lyons.

HBO Max first released its app in May 2020, to join an already saturated streaming ecosystem that included Netflix, Hulu, Disney+, Apple TV+ and others. At the time, both HBO Go (the network’s on-demand app for cable subscribers) and HBO Now (the standalone app for cord-cutters) were still available, a fact that confused many subscribers. The network has since retired both apps.

Viewers have flocked to Reddit since the app’s initial launch with complaints that spanned platforms and devices. “We’ve been trying to watch the Harry Potter movies and literally every 15 min or so we get an ERROR message and have to force close the app. Another time it froze completely. It’s absolute garbage. I don’t have this problem with any other app or streaming service,” wrote one user in a thread on the r/HBOMax subreddit from January 2021 entitled “Why does this app suck so hard?”

For many viewers long-accustomed to advanced recommendation algorithms on Netflix and other streaming platforms, it was hard to get used to HBO Max’s lack of discoverability features. Lyons admitted that HBO Max wasn’t built with discovery in mind, and the app tried to address this by putting every new show on the app’s home page. “You didn't have to go find anything, because whatever [show] you were looking for was going to be at the top of the home page,” said Lyons.

While Engadget’s early review of HBO Max detailed its flaws, we pointed out that it was still a “smart bet” for the company. Since then, the service has made many improvements, including a new Apple TV app and updates to its apps for Roku, Playstation, Android TV and others. But following a recent $ 43 billion merger with Discovery, the biggest change is yet to come. The plan is to merge both Discovery Plus and HBO Max into one unified platform.

HBO Max ended 2021 with 43.8 million subscribers, when combined with the network’s cable subscribers of HBO who also have access to the streaming service. It’ll soon absorb at least another 22 million subscribers from Discovery Plus. While there could be more bumps down the road, viewers can at least be assured that HBO Max has more experience under its belt now.

Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Early Android 13 leak shows handy language and notification control tools

Just like access to camera or location data, Android 13 will make notification access an opt-in feature for apps, saving users a trip down Settings hell.
Android | Digital Trends

Polestar offers an early, camouflaged glimpse at its electric SUV

Polestar just offered a teaser of what might be its most important EV to date. The badge has provided its first good look (the last one was draped in a curtain) of the 3, its first SUV and its first US-made vehicle. The "premium" vehicle may be lightly disguised with QR code-like camouflage, but it looks like what you'd expect — it's a taller, roomier sibling to the 2 sedan. That's not necessarily a problem, though, and Polestar is betting on a few factors that could make the machine successful.

The company isn't shy about the target audience: this will be an EV built "in America for Americans," who keep buying upscale SUVs in large numbers. The category is likely to be one of the first to fully embrace EVs, Polestar said. The 3 should also be one of the "most climate-responsible" cars to date, and will eventually include hands-free highway driving through a combination of LiDAR and NVIDIA computing hardware.

The 3 arrives in 2022 and will join a growing EV lineup that includes the long Polestar 5 sedan. How well it fares will depend on factors like pricing and competition from its sibling brand Volvo, but it's clear Polestar is ready to be known as more than a niche brand — even if its sales goals (290,000 per year by 2025) are still modest.

Engadget is a web magazine with obsessive daily coverage of everything new in gadgets and consumer electronics

Best Cyber Monday Apple Watch deals 2021: Early deals today

Black Friday is over, but the best Cyber Monday Apple Watch deals are now arriving. These are the best picks you can shop right now.
Wearables | Digital Trends

Best Cyber Monday Kindle Deals 2021: Early offers today

From the lead-up to the end of the sales, we’ll be tracking all the Cyber Monday Kindle deals available this year right here.
Mobile | Digital Trends

Best Cyber Monday Smartwatch Deals 2021: Early offers today

Check out the best Cyber Monday smartwatch deals here, with offers from retailers on wearable devices from brands like Apple, Samsung, Fitbit, and Garmin.
Mobile | Digital Trends

Amazon is having an EARLY BLACK FRIDAY SALE on Apple products today

Amazon is offering early Black Friday deals on a variety of Apple products, including the AirPods Pro, the Apple Watch Series 6, and the latest MacBook Pro.
Mobile | Digital Trends

Samsung’s Galaxy S21+ gets manhandled in an early hands-on video

We’ve seen leaked images and partial specifications for the upcoming Galaxy S21 but now we have something a little more substantial – a hands-on video of the middle member of the series. The Galaxy S21+ gets shown off in a video that shows everything from the new rear camera housing to the extremely thin bezels. […]

Come comment on this article: Samsung’s Galaxy S21+ gets manhandled in an early hands-on video

Visit TalkAndroid


TalkAndroid

‘Fallout 76’ Steel Dawn update arrives a week early

Fallout 76 has had a weird run of issues going back to the bug during its beta that deleted the game and forced players to reinstall all 76GB. Now the game’s Steel Dawn update that was scheduled for release on December 1st is available now on all pla…
Engadget

Sony’s WH-1000XM4 headphones drop to $278 in early Black Friday sale

It’s a particularly good moment to buy some wireless headphones, whether it’s a gift or just to tune out a chaotic world. Amazon is currently offering Sony’s well-received WH-1000XM4 headphones in an early Black Friday sale for $ 278, a sizeable $ 70 b…
Engadget

UK might ban sales of fossil fuel cars as early as 2030

The UK might soon move up its ban on sales of combustion engine cars — yes, again. The Financial Times and the BBC both claim Prime Minister Boris Johnson will announce a ban on fossil fuel car sales by 2030, five years ahead of the most recent targe…
Engadget

This week’s best deals: AirPods for only $100, plus more early Black Friday sales

The holiday shopping season is in full swing — and yes, we know it’s only early November. Retailers like Amazon, Walmart and Best Buy have already kicked off the first rounds of their big sale events, and there will be more to come in the lead-up to…
Engadget

Early access invites to Amazon Luna are rolling out, are you one of the lucky few?

The battle of the cloud gaming services is warming up with early access invites to Amazon Luna rolling out to a chosen few. After admitting that it was ‘overwhelmed’ by the response for invitation requests, Amazon says that more players will be invited over the coming months. Those lucky enough to receive an invite will […]

Come comment on this article: Early access invites to Amazon Luna are rolling out, are you one of the lucky few?

Visit TalkAndroid


TalkAndroid

Looks like the Pixel 4a (5G) and Pixel 5 could launch in the traditional slot in early October

Having finally launched the Pixel 4a earlier this week, Google also discontinued the Pixel 4 and 4 XL and is now rolling out the final Android 11 beta. It seems that a slip has been made along the way, giving us the date when we can expect the Pixel 4a (5G) and Pixel 5 to […]

Come comment on this article: Looks like the Pixel 4a (5G) and Pixel 5 could launch in the traditional slot in early October

Visit TalkAndroid


TalkAndroid

Take an early 360° look at Samsung’s Galaxy Note 20

With under a month to go until Samsung finally takes the wraps off of its brand new Galaxy Note 20 series of smartphones on August 5th, a chronic leaker has given us our first 360° look at the base model. Showing off its curves in a grey finish with what seems to be a chunky […]

Come comment on this article: Take an early 360° look at Samsung’s Galaxy Note 20

Visit TalkAndroid


TalkAndroid

Some users are reporting early deliveries, have you received your OnePlus 8 or 8 Pro yet?

The brand new OnePlus 8 Series only launched on April 14th with pre-orders opening the day after, but some Reddit users in the US are reporting that they’ve already received their orders. Others have said that they’ve had tracking numbers and shipping confirmations emailed to them. Have you received your OnePlus 8 or 8 Pro […]

Come comment on this article: Some users are reporting early deliveries, have you received your OnePlus 8 or 8 Pro yet?

Visit TalkAndroid


TalkAndroid

Get an early look at the Huawei P40 Pro and its new design

Huawei has already confirmed the existence of the P40 and P40 Pro, although I don’t think anyone seriously expected those phones to not be made, with or without Google apps. But so far, that’s all Huawei has said. We’re still rolling on leaks and rumors ahead of its March 2020 unveiling, but some new renders […]

Come comment on this article: Get an early look at the Huawei P40 Pro and its new design

Visit TalkAndroid


TalkAndroid

Early leaks of Huawei’s next flagship Kirin 1020 and midrange 820 chips are great

Their latest flagchip Kirin 990 (5G) launched mere months ago but Huawei’s Q3 2020 flagchip Kirin 1020, and its midrange and likely sooner brother Kirin 820, have dropped and feature great improvements. Huawei has a strong history in the semiconductor industry with their own long series of excellent ‘HiSilicon’ mobile chips which they have used […]

Come comment on this article: Early leaks of Huawei’s next flagship Kirin 1020 and midrange 820 chips are great

Visit TalkAndroid


TalkAndroid

Check out some of the best early Black Friday deals

It’s Thanksgiving week, which means tons of deals have already gone live. Whether you need cables and accessories for your phone, a new controller to play games, speakers to make your music better, or you’re just looking for a good gift, there’s plenty of stuff here. Check it out. Phones Amazon is running a pretty […]

Come comment on this article: Check out some of the best early Black Friday deals

Visit TalkAndroid


TalkAndroid

Sonos offers its early adopters a 30 percent discount on new speakers

If you've been hanging onto an old Sonos speaker for forever but have been interested in switching to a recent model such as Move, One or Port, the company might tempt you further with its Trade Up program. If you have an eligible speaker, you can cl…
Engadget RSS Feed

Early OnePlus 8 leak hints at hole-punch display and wireless charging

The OnePlus 7T isn't even shipping yet, but that isn't stopping leaks about its inevitable sequel. Well-known tipster OnLeaks and CashKaro have posted what they say are renders of the OnePlus 8 based on schematics from a "company insider." The desi…
Engadget RSS Feed

After a year of Epic Games exclusivity, ‘Hades’ heads to Steam Early Access

Hades, the next game from Bastion and Pyre developer Supergiant Games, is coming to Steam Early Access on December 10. The game has been available in early access on the Epic Games Store since December of last year.
Engadget RSS Feed

Dynamic Email in Gmail set to roll out to everyone in early July

Google has been testing AMP-powered emails in Gmail for some time, and it looks like it’s about ready to roll out to everyone. By utilizing AMP for emails, Google wants to enable you to do more with emails, including things like RSVPing for events and managing your calendar, all without ever actually leaving your inbox. […]

Come comment on this article: Dynamic Email in Gmail set to roll out to everyone in early July

Visit TalkAndroid


TalkAndroid

Elder Scrolls Blades early access preview: it’s pretty good

Bethesda finally launched their new mobile Elder Scrolls game yesterday in ‘early access’ to an expanding list of players and it’s decent fun but nothing mind-blowing. Bethesda released their first mobile game, Fallout Shelter, back at their E3 2015 conference to widespread acclaim for its fun and simple gameplay and fair micro-transaction scheme. The company […]

Come comment on this article: Elder Scrolls Blades early access preview: it’s pretty good

Visit TalkAndroid


TalkAndroid

Early Android Q build features System-wide Dark Theme, Desktop Mode, and new Accessibility options

Although we are only in January, an early build of Android Q has appeared that shows the presence of a system-wide dark theme, revamped privacy and permissions, new accessibility options, and the hint of a Desktop Mode. Join us after the break for more details. According to the XDA, this early build of Android Q has an option in […]

Come comment on this article: Early Android Q build features System-wide Dark Theme, Desktop Mode, and new Accessibility options

Visit TalkAndroid


TalkAndroid