Big ticket items may get more attention, but Amazon’s October Prime Day sale is a good time to stock up on the smaller accessories and items you may also need. Plenty of less-expensive gadgets are on sale right now, including smart speakers, iPhone accessories, chargers, smart home devices and battery packs — many of which make great stocking stuffers and nice gifts for the hard-to-shop-for. We’ve rounded up the tech items we’ve tested, tried and know to be a good deal. Here are the best Amazon Big Deal Days items under $50.

Amazon Echo Dot

Amazon’s Echo Dot combines the typical utility of Alexa with surprisingly decent sound. It usually retails for $50, but for Big Deal Days, it’s down to $23, which is 54 percent off and matches the all-time low price we saw last Prime Day. We named this one the best sub-$50 smart speakers you can buy — and if you get two, you can make them a stereo pair. The version with a built-in clock is also discounted at $45.

Amazon Echo Dot Kids

The Kids edition of the Echo Dot is usually $60 but is down to $28 for October’s sale. That’s the same price it went for during Amazon’s July sale. It’s basically the Echo Dot, but with a kid-friendly owl or dragon-themed exterior. It also comes with a parental dashboard and a year’s subscription to Amazon Kids+, which includes a selection of kid-appropriate audiobooks, stories and songs.

Amazon Echo Show 5

Amazon updated the Echo Show 5 back in May. It went for half off last Prime Day, but October’s sale is bringing the price down further, to $40 after a 56 percent discount. This is a smaller display that works best as a bedside alarm clock, complete with a snooze button. It’ll also work in smaller spaces as a display-enabled controller for all your connected smart home devices.

Amazon Echo Show 5 Kids

The revamped Echo Show 5 for Kids didn’t make the cut for this list last Prime Day, as it only dropped to $60, but now a steeper discount has brought it down to $45. It’s similar to the regular Echo Show 5, but comes with a cosmic-themed fabric covering and includes a year of Amazon Kids+ with shows, music and audiobooks that are all child-appropriate.

Amazon Echo Pop

Amazon’s smallest Echo smart speaker came out last May and went down to $18 for July’s Prime Day sale. The half-sphere Echo Pop is back down to that all-time low for this October sale, which is a 55 percent discount. A Kids version of the Pop will be released soon, though not until after this Prime sale is over.

Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite

Amazon’s Fire TV Stick Lite usually goes for $30, but a 40 percent Prime Big Deal Days discount has dropped it to just $18. This is the budget pick in Engadget’s streaming device guide and is one of the cheapest ways to make a smaller or secondary TV smart. It supports 1080p streaming with HDR and comes with an Alexa voice remote, though it can’t control the volume or power on your TV.

Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K

Amazon just updated the Fire TV Stick 4K, adding more processing power and support for Wi-Fi 6. Unfortunately that model isn’t on sale and sticking to its $50 price point. The previous Fire TV Stick 4K, however, is more than half off and down to $23, the same as it went for during the last Prime Day sale. If you don’t have Wi-Fi 6 anyway, you may be happy with this dongle as it still handles 4K video, HDR including Dolby Vision and Dolby Atmos.

Roku Streaming Stick 4K

We like the straightforward interface of Roku’s Streaming Stick 4K and named it the top recommendation in our guide to the best streaming devices. Normally priced at $50, it’s $12 off for the October Prime Day sale — though it went lower last Black Friday (and may do so again). Still, for the price this streaming dongle provides a lot of features, including the vast Roku channel, a helpful universal search function and a private-listening feature via the Roku app. If you only need the budget 1080p version, you can get the Roku Express dongle for $22, which is about $4 more than it went for last November.

TP-Link Kasa Outdoor Smart Plug

Outdoor smart plugs will make turning your holiday lights on and off far easier. In our smart plug guide we found the Kasa Outdoor Smart Plug to be the best pick for Apple HomeKit users. It actually worked great with all smart home assistants, but it was pricier than the Wyze plug that only works with Alexa and Google Home. Now that the Kasa plug is down to $20 — its lowest price ever — that price discrepancy isn’t as large.

Nestout Portable Charger

We tested the Nestout Portable Charger in ways we wouldn’t typically test a battery pack. But since it claims to be waterproof and drop-resistant, we dunked it in water and smacked it down on several hard surfaces. It held up — and it’s currently our pick for the best outdoor-worthy portable battery pack. It’s usually $80, but this sale drops it by 37 percent to just sneak under the $50 mark.

Anker Nano Power Bank 10K

We’re in the process of testing Anker’s new Nano Power Bank 10K for our battery pack buying guide and are so far impressed with its clever design, which includes a built-in USB-C cable plus two additional ports for USB-C and USB-A. It’s usually $50, but Amazon’s October sale knocks it down to $35.

Anker PowerConf C200 2K Webcam

The runner up in our guide to the best webcams is Anker’s PowerConf C200 2K. The list price is $60, but is discounted to $48 as part of a Prime Big Deal Days Lightning deal. It’s easy to set up, has a built-in lens cover for privacy and captures sharp and clear 2K resolution video with a 95-degree field of view. Since this is a Lightning deal, though, be warned that stock is likely to run dry sooner rather than later.

TP-Link Kasa Smart WiFi Light Bulb

Our favorite budget smart light bulbs are TP-Link’s Kasa Smart WiFi Bulbs, which are 35 percent off right now for a four-pack. Installation is easy, and the lights stayed reliably connected during our tests. TP-Link’s companion app is simple to navigate as well.

Amazon Echo Buds (2023)

Prime members can get the latest Echo Buds for $35 instead of $50 right now. In Engadget’s review, we were surprised how much these semi-open earbuds can get you for the price. We also named them the best open-design pick in our guide to the best budget earbuds. Note, though, that our top pick in that guide, Anker Soundcore Space A40 earbuds are also on sale for $54 instead of their usual $80. Though that’s technically more than our price threshold here, it’s still a great deal on buds that belie that low price.

Moft Sit-Stand Desk

The Sit-Stand Desk from Moft has a clever folding design that lays flat when not in use but unfurls to lift even heavy laptops to a standing height off your desk. It folds into three other laptop-supporting positions as well, and we named it one of the best MacBook accessories you can buy. Usually $60, it’s down to $48 for the sale.

Samsung Pro Plus microSD card

Our favorite microSD card for most people is the Samsung Pro Plus. It had the fastest sequential write speeds and random performance of any card we tested, and the USB reader that comes with included with this listing helps it reach higher speeds on compatible devices. It’s listed at $38 for the set (though it often goes for $25), and now Prime Day in October brings it to $23.

Samsung Evo Select microSD card

We named the Samsung Evo Select, meanwhile, the best value model in our microSD card guide. Right now its 128GB version is down to $10, which matches its lowest price ever. It may not have the fastest write speeds, but it’s good for giving you extra room for your files on the cheap.

SanDisk 128GB microSDXC Card for Nintendo Switch

If stock runs dry on the cards above and you need more room on your Switch, SanDisk’s officially licensed microSDXC card is a good pick, particularly when it’s on sale. Right now a 128GB model is within a dollar of its all-time low at just $18.

Blink Video Doorbell

October Prime Day has chopped the price of the Blink Video Doorbell in half, making it just $30. You can install this using your existing doorbell wires or use it battery-powered. It sends 1080p video to your phone or smart display, triggered by motion. To peek at your front door on-demand, you’ll either need to hardwire the device or get a Sync Module 2. To save clips, you can use the Module or a Blink subscription plan.

Ring Video Doorbell Wired

As the name suggests, you’ll have to hook the Ring Video Doorbell Wired up to your existing doorbell wires. Once you do, you’ll get 1080p video sent to your phone or smart display when motion is triggered, or you can check the feed on-demand whenever you’d like. But again, to save and share clips, you’ll need a Ring subscription. The device is on sale for $35, which is $30 off the list price. 

Blink Mini smart security camera (2-pack)

The Blink mini security cameras are wired, indoor cams that will let you check in on your living spaces whenever the mood strikes. A two-pack goes for $65 most days, but for October Prime, the set is down to $40. These motion-activated smart cameras can send live 1080p video to your smartphone or smart display and allow for two-way audio so you can tell the dog to get off the couch.

Amazon Smart Plug

As noted in our smart plug buying guide, we think Amazon’s Smart Plug is your best bet if you use Alexa as your smart home helper. At a deal price of just $13, it’s currently 48 percent off and $2 cheaper than the lowest price we’ve tracked. This plug’s setup is so simple as to be almost automatic, and its control of lamps, fans and other smart home devices is reliable. Programming schedules in the Alexa app is super simple and may get even easier with future updates.

OtterBox Fast Charge Power Bank

The OtterBox Fast Charge Power Bank is currently just $36 for the 15,000mAh capacity model, which is the version we tested and recommend in our portable battery guide. This pack looks sharp and delivers a fast and reliable charge via USB-C or USB-A.

Jabra Elite 3

Jabra’s Elite 3 earbuds are a few years old at this point, but they earned an Engadget review score of 88 for their impressive sound quality, good battery life, reliable touch controls and comfortable fit. They’ve dropped to $50, or $30 off their list price.

Anker 511 Charger

New Apple Watches don’t come with power adapters, so if you’re looking for one that can deliver a quick charge, we recommend Anker’s 511 (Nano 3) charging brick. It’s down to $20 which is a mild, $4 discount, but still a welcome price for a worthwhile smartwatch accessory.

Kasa Smart Plug EP25 (4-pack)

The best smart plug you can buy according to our testing is Kasa’s Smart Plug EP25. It went down to $35 last Prime Day but is down to $33 for October’s sale. We found this plug to be reliable and relatively easy to set up. It works not just with Alexa and the Google Assistant, but also Samsung SmartThings and Apple HomeKit.

HyperX Cloud Stinger 2

The best budget gaming headset you can buy, according to our testing, is the HyperX Cloud Stinger 2. Listed at $50, and often selling for $40, the Prime Day sale drops it down to $35, which matches its all-time low. The sound quality isn’t what you’d get with premium headphones, but the fit is comfortable and the mic is decent.

JBL Go 3

We didn’t test the JBL Go 3 for our Bluetooth speaker guide, but JBL is a brand we recommend often. This diminutive speaker is 40 percent off for the October Prime Day sale, bringing it to $30. The Go 3 is waterproof, includes a hook for hanging and is rated for five hours on a charge. Elsewhere, the Clip 4 portable speaker is down to $45 instead of $80 for the sale.

JOBY Gorillapod 3K Stand

In our tech gift guide, we called the Joby Gorillapod 3K stand “a bargain for such a versatile tool” when it was $45. Now it’s down to just $35. It grips on to poles or stands on its own making it a great vlogging or photography companion.

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

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-amazon-prime-day-october-deals-under-50-152431292.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – The best Prime Day deals you can get for under right now

Today the BBC announced it will finally add every available classic episode of Doctor Who, and all of its spin-offs, to iPlayer. It’s the culmination of work which began when Russell T. Davies returned as the show’s major creative force, and a significant change for the BBC. In a statement, it said every episode of the classic series, plus spin-offs like The Sarah Jane Adventures, Torchwood and Class, as well as making-of series Doctor Who Confidential, would all be added on November 1st.

All of Doctor Who’s post-2005 revival series are widely-available on streaming services both in the UK and abroad. But the original run has rarely, if ever, been on-demand without an extra charge, as it’s still one of the BBC’s most reliable cash-cows. The series has been released on VHS, DVD and now Blu-ray, with several of its most recent releases requiring multiple printings. The only place to stream Doctor Who on-demand, at least with a clean conscience, is by paying for BritBox’s premium streaming service.

As part of the release, the BBC is making a point of the new accessibility features — including every episode featuring sign language translation — and that a new archive of material will also be put online on the official Doctor Who website. It’s not clear, at this point, if this will include the hours upon hours of special documentaries and behind-the-scenes material that comes with the show’s numerous DVD and Blu-ray releases. 

The change comes as the show builds up to its 60th anniversary later that same month, as the show stops being a purely BBC production. Instead, it’s being made by Bad Wolf productions with cash backing from Disney, which will stream the show on Disney+ outside the UK. It’s pure speculation on my part, but if the BBC has cleared any issues that prevented it from streaming all of Doctor Who in the UK, then the whole series may also be available on Disney+ at the same time.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/all-of-doctor-who-is-finally-coming-to-bbc-iplayer-152006413.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – All of Doctor Who is finally coming to BBC iPlayer

X (formerly Twitter) has made changes to its policy on newsworthy posts to allow more content that would ordinarily violate its rules to remain on the platform. The company made the modifications amid the conflict in and around the West Bank.

Until now, the company would only grant a newsworthiness exception to accounts that had at least 100,000 followers. X has removed that threshold, as TechCrunch reports. The latest version of the policy stipulates that “high profile” accounts are eligible for a newsworthiness exception. The account in question also needs to represent “a current or potential member of a local, state, national or supra-national governmental or legislative body.” Only elected officials and government figures have historically been eligible for the exemption.

X’s Safety account noted there’s been an upswing in daily active users in the region in recent days and that users have posted more than 50 million times about the conflict. The platform said that it was focused on “protecting the conversation on X” as the situation unfolds.

“Over the weekend, we updated our Public Interest Policy,” the company said. “We know that it’s sometimes incredibly difficult to see certain content, especially in moments like the one unfolding. In these situations, X believes that, while difficult, it’s in the public’s interest to understand what’s happening in real time.”

X also said it had removed “newly created Hamas-affiliated accounts” and is working with partners to reduce the spread of “terrorist content.” However, the change to the newsworthiness policy could enable more misinformation about the Israel-Hamas conflict (and other issues) to remain on X when it previously would have been yanked.

The company appears to be taking a more hands-off approach to misinformation in general under owner Elon Musk. It’s relying more on Community Notes to crowdsource contextual information about posts that may be false or misleading.

According to The Information, X killed off a tool in recent months that helped to tackle coordinated misinformation campaigns by detecting when multiple accounts shared the same piece of potentially doctored or mislabelled media. The company is said to have made that move to cut costs.

X flagged several false and misleading posts regarding the conflict, including ones with a video that claimed to show Israeli airstrikes against Hamas. However, a review by CNBC found that the platform’s systems did not detect many other posts with the same video and caption. The tool X recently shut down may have helped in that regard.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/x-changes-its-policy-around-newsworthy-posts-that-would-otherwise-break-rules-150842429.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – X changes its policy around ‘newsworthy’ posts that would otherwise break rules

Amazon’s October Prime Day sale (aka Prime Big Deal Days) is here, and it features several good discounts on cameras, photo gear, drones and more — including sales on recent and popular models. For example, you can grab GoPro’s Hero10 Black Action camera, which is still among the best action cameras on the market, for just $250, saving $200. 

On the mirrorless camera side, Sony has some great deals across its lineup, marking the popular A6600 down to just $998, for a savings of $402 or 29 percent off. The A6100 with an 18-50mm kit lens is now just $698 ($152 off), while the newish A7 IV is back down to its July Prime Day price of $2,398, saving you $100. Not to be left out of the fun, Panasonic is selling its full-frame Lumix S5 camera for $1,298 (28 percent off) and the recent GH6 for $1,698 instead of $2,200, a $502 savings. We’re also seeing deals on Panasonic camera and lens bundles.

Nikon’s DX-format Z30 is available for $697 with a wide-angle zoom lens, while the full-frame Z5 is just $1,097, which is $303 (22 percent) off. Canon also has a stellar deal on its relatively recent R3 powerhouse camera, marking it down by a full $1,000 to $5,000, while its EOS R10 vlogging kit is $1,200 ($100 off). And it’s not just cameras — you’ll also find sales on memory cards, bags, and other accessories. 

GoPro Hero 10 action camera

Though it’s been displaced by the Hero 11, GoPro’s Hero 10 is still the second-best action camera available. The GP2 processor enables features like HyperSmooth 4.0 (which stabilizes footage), tone mapping, noise reduction and a 5.3K maximum resolution at up to 60fps. It can also shoot in 4K at 120fps and 2.7K at 240fps. Like the previous model, the Hero 10 Black has a front screen to make it easier for you to shoot video of yourself, and it supports new horizon leveling options and faster navigation.

Nikon Z 30 with 16-50mm zoom lens

Nikon’s Z30 is a DX (APS-C) camera designed for vloggers and creators. It offers 4K using the full width of the sensor, 120fps slow-mo at 1080p, a flip-out display and AI powered hybrid phase-detect AF. It also offers outstanding image and video quality, with dynamic range on par with more expensive cameras. The drawbacks are the lack of an EVF and autofocus performance that’s not on par with Sony’s devices.

Sony A6600

As Sony’s former flagship APS-C camera (until the A6700 came along), the 24.2-megapixel A6600 still has a lot to offer. It comes with features like real-time AF tracking, a pop-up screen, in-body stabilization, solid battery life and generally excellent photo quality. It’s also a great travel camera thanks to its compact size. It is a bit old now, having come out in 2019, but it’s an attractive option at this relatively low price.

Canon EOS R3

Canon’s EOS R3 can shoot bursts at up to 30 fps with autofocus enabled, so it’s ideal for sports and action. It’s a very solid option for video, offering 6K at up to 60 fps in Canon’s RAW LTE mode, or 4K at 120 fps. Canon’s Dual Pixel autofocus is excellent, and it offers eight stops of shake reduction, a flip-out display and even eye detection autofocus. However, the resolution is limited to 24 megapixels, so it’s not as great for wildlife or landscapes as Sony’s A1 or the R5. The other drawback is the $6,000 price, but Amazon’s sale makes it more palatable.

Panasonic Lumix S5

With the arrival of the Lumix S5 II, Panasonic is offering some stellar deals on its predecessor, the S5. It’s smaller and costs less than the Lumix S1, but it actually delivers better video features. That includes a flip-out display, five-axis in-body stabilization and 10-bit 4K recording at up to 60 fps. The autofocus is faster and more accurate than the S1, but not as good as Sony and Canon’s systems for video. Still, at this price, it’s one of the best cameras currently available for content creators.

Nikon Z5

The 24-megapixel full-frame Nikon Z5 is a stellar deal right now. It’s mostly aimed at photographers, with features like hybrid phase-detect autofocus and Nikon’s excellent color science. And for such a budget option, it has desirable features like five-axis in-body stabilization, dual fast UHS-II card slots, a 3.69-million dot OLED electronic viewfinder and a tilting touch display. Video isn’t a strong point, but it can handle 4K 30p with a crop and 1080p at 60fps.

Sony A6100

The A6100 is a few years old now, but its autofocus system is still among the best thanks to its intelligent face- and eye-tracking, along with 4K 30 fps video. The color science and low-light capabilities are excellent, so photos are sharp and color accurate, even in dimly-lit environments. The drawbacks are bad rolling shutter and a low-resolution EVF. Still, the A6100 is the best camera in its price range.

Canon EOS R10

Canon’s 24-megapixel EOS R10 is the company’s second APS-C camera to launch in the EOS R mount ecosystem. It offers some nice features for its price range, like 4K 60p, 1080p 120p, a flip-out display, a built-in flash and very fast shooting speeds. The main drawback is excessive rolling shutter that can warp the image, but it’s ideal for casual users who are likely to buy it for vacations, kids sporting events and more thanks to the reliable AF. With features aimed at creators, you can grab it in a kit with a stereo microphone, tripod grip, wireless remote and an S18-45mm lens — saving you $100 in total. 

Panasonic Lumix GH6

The Panasonic GH6 is aimed at content creators and largely does a good job of replacing the ultra-popular GH5. It has no-compromise video specs including ProRes support for 5.7K 30p video, 4K at up to 120 fps and full V-log support. With a new 25-megapixel sensor, the highest resolution yet on a Micro Four Thirds camera, it’s a better camera for photography. The GH6 still uses contrast detect only autofocus, though, and while improved, it lags behind rival Sony and Canon cameras. 

Those products are just a smattering of what’s available, but there are others as well. Sony also has its ZV-1 vlogger camera on sale for $648 ($102 off), while the A7 III is marked down to $1,698 ($302 off). It’s also got deals on a large number of lenses — to see more, check out its Amazon camera store. Meanwhile, if you’re looking for the latest Panasonic cameras in a bundle, the company has a few solid deals, and Nikon has multiple bundles as well. 

There are some notable deals on accessories, too. Lexar’s V60 II memory cards (250MB/s read and 120MB/s write) are up to 35 percent off, with a pair of the the 128GB models priced at just $57 and the 256GB model in a two-pack at $105. If you need faster V90 cards, PNY’s 128GB EliteX-Pro90 Class is marked down $20 to $75, while the 64GB cards are just $48 (20 percent off). MicroSD cards for drones or action cameras are also on sale, including SanDisk’s Extreme 512GB model for $32 (or 71 percent off). More camera deals could arrive later, so stay tuned. 

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

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-amazon-october-prime-day-camera-deals-for-2023-131031963.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – The best Amazon October Prime Day camera deals for 2023