Finding a smartphone that’s both full-featured and affordable isn’t nearly as impossible as it used to be. In fact, many of the more budget-friendly and mid-range devices on the market today are leaps and bounds better than flagship models released only a few years ago. But with all those improvements come a ton of different options—so how do you know which affordable smartphone is the best for you?

Here are some of the best “budget” smartphones to buy in 2023, ranging from cheaper devices under $200, to more expensive, but still affordable mid-range options.

Recommended products:

My three most recommended budget-friendly smartphones:

• Samsung Galaxy A14 5G $200

• Google Pixel 6a $350

• iPhone SE $429

Samsung Galaxy A14 5G, $200

A half-decade ago, I would have told you to stay away from the budget offerings from Samsung and other big-name companies. While those devices were budget-friendly, they weren’t designed to give you great performance along with that affordable price tag. That’s all changed in recent years, though. Certainly the budget-friendly Samsung Galaxy A14 5G is an amazing smartphone, considering it retails for less than $200.

The Galaxy A14 5G is more than powerful enough to handle mobile gaming, take care of basic smartphone tasks , and even connect to 5G. It has a vibrant 6.6-inch Infinity-V display, which can stand alongside some of the higher-end smartphone displays out there. It’s also equipped with a triple-lens camera, which is exactly three times the cameras most “cheap” phones used to ship with.

Budget phones used to sacrifice battery life to help cut down on price, but the Galaxy A14 5G is equipped with a 5,000mAh battery that will last a day with moderate use. Best of all: While the Galaxy A14 5G lists for $199.99, you can often find it on sale for as little as $99.99, making it an exceptional value.

Google Pixel 6a, $350

The A-series has always been Google’s attempt to provide more affordable devices without too many compromises. While it’s more than a year old at this point, the Google Pixel 6a continues to be one of the best midrange devices on the market. It’s powered by Google’s Tensor chip, and showcases the capability of a phone built entirely by Google for use on its version of Android. This device typically lists for $349.99, though you can often find it on sale for much cheaper. (The newer Pixel 7a, which offers a better Tensor 2 chip, wireless charging, and upgraded cameras, is also an exceptional value; it usually retails for $499, though, which is edging out of the “affordable” price range.)

Equipped with a 6.1-inch OLED display, Google’s midrange Pixel 6a uses machine learning to help deliver fantastic performance and improved image capture. It includes 128GB of internal storage, as well as 6GB of RAM, so it can stand up to your everyday needs, including light mobile gaming. The included 4,306mAh battery means you can expect all-day battery life with average use.

iPhone SE, $429

If you prefer Apple’s iOS ecosystem over that of Android, then you can also find some more affordable options from the iPhone maker. (No, really.) Perhaps the best choice is the iPhone SE, a new model of which was released in 2022 and typically retails for $429 in the lowest storage option. It doesn’t have as large of a display as many of the more affordable Android devices; its 4.7-inch retina screen is more akin with the iPhones of old (as are those bezels and that physical button).

It’s made of aluminum and glass, giving it that premium Apple feel, and the included A15 Bionic chip is the same one found in the iPhone 13. It’s a solid device, and lets you take advantage of Apple’s ecosystem without breaking the bank. (Alternatively, if you are willing to by a refurbished device, you can pick up the slightly older (but still excellent) iPhone 12 for closer to $300.)

Source: LifeHacker – These Are the Best Affordable Smartphones of 2023

There’s a scene in Trolls Band Together where Poppy and Branch visit Vacay Island. Water around the island is represented by what looks like mounds of undulating, sparkling water beads. They are so enchanting, of course you want to dive into the glittering, soothing, squishy marbles. Then you remember that, in real life, those water beads would be covered in sand and feel more like gritty snot than a refreshing spa sensation. I am personally grossed out by water beads—the tiny pellets of super absorbent polymer that swell into squishy balls when soaked in liquid—after a bad experience with scooping a spilled bin of sloshy orbs off the driveway. 

You don’t need a reason to ban an irritating toy from your household, but there are actual health and safety reasons to skip the water beads when shopping for your child’s sensory play.

Water beads are actually dangerous

The U.S. Consumer Products Safety Commission (CPSC) has warned parents to keep water beads out of any environment with a child 3 years old or younger. The commission reports that water beads have caused emergency room visits (thousands per year), serious injury requiring surgery, and death.

Why so serious? The tiny colorful beads come in bright colors and packaging that make them look exactly like cupcake sprinkles or candy. If swallowed, inhaled, or stuck in any orifice of the body, the beads will slowly swell to hundreds of times their original size, causing intestinal obstruction, airway obstruction, or ear damage. Water beads are not always visible on X-ray or examination, so a child could suffer serious injury without doctors detecting the cause.

The CPSC gives these tips for water bead safety:

• Never let children play with water beads unsupervised.

• If you do have them in your home, store them in a secure container and location where young children cannot access them.

• Because water beads can easily scatter, roll, and become lost in the home, the only way to mitigate the hazard is to remove them from the home.​​

According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, these are signs that a child has swallowed water beads:

• Not eating

• Lethargy

• Drooling

• Vomiting

• Wheezing

• Complaints that something is stuck in the throat or chest

• Abdominal pain

• Constipation

• Abdominal swelling and soreness.

Because dehydrated water beads can be lost in the cracks of floor boards, in carpet, or among toys, children could encounter and ingest them even if they haven’t been played with lately.

A final concern: Though water beads are often labeled “non-toxic,” Consumer Reports has declared that labeling “meaningless.” They tested 14 brands of water beads and found two of them released concerning levels of acrylamide.

Better options for sensory play

Sensory stimulation through play is important for kids (and adults), but there are safer alternatives to water beads. Try these options for sensory play instead (some of them are even less messy):

• Putty (like Crazy Aaron’s Thinking Putty)

• A mud kitchen outside

• Colored shaving cream in the bathtub

• Dried beans or pasta

• Shredded paper

• Birdseed (make your own if allergies are a concern)

• Homemade play dough

• Paint popsicles

• A pouring station

• A DIY multi-section sensory bin

• Air-dry clay

• Bubble wrap

• Small toys or nature items frozen in ice cubes

• Jell-O

• Melon balls

• Cooked pasta (with a little oil to keep it from sticking)

Remember, sensory play is any activity that engages a child’s senses. We’ve focused on activities that require manipulating items of different textures, sizes, and temperatures with their hands or other tools. Sensory play can also include activities like listening to music, watching a sunset, following a line of ants across the yard, or sniffing foods and spices.

Source: LifeHacker – Why Water Beads Are Actually Dangerous for Kids

Back in May, we learned that Disney was planning to merge Hulu and Disney+ into one, humungous app. The plan was to allow customers to choose each service individually if they wanted to, but for those who subscribed to both, their experience would be more convenient. I guess there are perks to monopolies.

Just over half a year later, it seems the process is kicking off. Starting today, Dec. 6, the “vast majority” of Hulu’s library will be available to stream in the Disney+ app, so long as you subscribe to both platforms, of course. It’s not overly clear at this point how much of the Hulu library will be available during this initial transition, but we do know certain titles won’t be available due to licensing agreements, including Modern Family and Love Island.

You also miss out on live TV access if you subscribe to that: You’ll still need the standalone Hulu app if you want to tune into those channels. In addition, watching Hulu content won’t track across apps. If you want Hulu shows in the Hulu app, for example, it won’t show those episodes as being watched in Disney+. The same goes the other way around.

Of course, many of these limitations are simply the result of this beta test. Hopefully, Disney irons out the larger issues before its larger rollout in March, which aims to make watching Hulu in Disney+ feel more natural.

What’s interesting is this beta test is happening in the standard Disney+ app. When the merger was first announced, it was sold as a brand new app that users could try in beta in December. Now, it appears that “beta” is simply watching Hulu content in the same Disney+ app you already have.

How to watch Hulu content on Disney+

In order to access Hulu content in the Disney+ app, you need to be subscribed to both platforms. That can be either through a Disney+/Hulu bundle, or by subscribing to both services individually, but you need to be using the same email on both so Disney knows you’re subscribed.

It sounds too good to be true, but it only kind of is: Amazon is offering students $25 flights home this holiday season. Of course, not every student gets the deal—but if you’re a Prime Student member, you could be one of the lucky ones. Dec. 7 is your last day to try for the promotion. Here’s how to enter.

Who is eligible for the $25 flights?

Amazon is collaborating with StudentUniverse on the deal, and offering it to its Prime Student members—so, of course, you have to have Prime Student. Prime Student is a half-off Amazon Prime membership only for college students. Members get all the stuff that regular Prime users get, like speedier delivery, access to Prime Video and Amazon Music, free food delivery via Grubhub, and a month of free AI-powered study help from Course Hero. After your six-month trial, it costs $69 per year. It’s not a bad deal, provided you’re part of the Amazon ecosystem (aren’t we all?).

Products to consider:

Consider picking up these items for a smoother flight.

• A portable foot hammock so you can stretch out $12.95

• An inflatable travel pillow with an eye mask, ear plugs, and a travel bag $20.99

• A compact blanket in a case $21.77

• A flexible stand for your tablet or phone $11.99

How do you book the $25 holiday flights?

Prime Student members can go to this link tomorrow, Dec. 7, for a chance to secure one of 1,000 $25 flight tickets available that day. Qualifying travel includes domestic flights that leave some time between Dec. 8 and 25, with a return flight (if applicable) between Dec. 8 and Jan. 14, 2024. 

Amazon and StudentUniverse’s goal, per a press release, is “to make holiday travel more affordable for students.” (Actually, their goal is to get you to sign up for a Prime Student membership and/or to harvest your data, but I’ll let them pat themselves on the back a little.)

The 1,000 tickets will become available at 12 a.m. PST/3 a.m. EST, so set an alarm and be ready to click in early to try to get yours. If you don’t land the $25 ticket, StudentUniverse will show you cheap flights for your preferred travel days, while Amazon Student can provide additional discounts, provided you have an account with both and are logged in when you try for your cheap flight.

Source: LifeHacker – How Amazon Prime Student Members Can Get a Flight Home for the Holidays