The huge October Prime Day sale isn’t done yet. There are deals aplenty to check out before the sale ends Wednesday night/Thursday morning, including a discount on August’s fourth-gen smart lock.

The black version of the device has dropped to $158 for Prime members, which is $72 off the regular price. The silver version is available for $160. This is not quite the lowest price we’ve seen for this model — it has dropped to $139 in the past — but this is still a solid discount.

This is one of our favorite smart locks. We gave it a score of 80 in our review. It’s easy to install and the smart lock won’t take up too much space, so it shouldn’t look too clunky on your door — it’s slimmer than prior iterations. You won’t need a separate bridge device to use the Wi-Fi feature either, as it can directly connect to your network. On that note, August’s fourth-gen smart lock is only compatible with 2.4GHz networks, so you may need to adjust your router settings to account for that.

The smart lock should work with most existing deadbolts, so you’ll be able to use the same physical keys if need be. That’s handy for when your Wi-Fi is on the fritz. Otherwise, you’ll be able to lock and unlock your door remotely, including with the likes of Alexa and Google Assistant. You’ll also have the ability to provide guests (such as kind friends who are checking on pets and plants while you’re away) with timed-entry keys, which will allow them to enter without having to wait for you to unlock the door manually.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/augusts-fourth-gen-smart-lock-is-31-percent-off-for-october-prime-day-144636330.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – August’s fourth-gen smart lock is 31 percent off for October Prime Day

NASA is ready to share its findings of a sample taken from the 4.5 billion-year-old asteroid Bennu with the masses during a livestream at 11 AM ET today, October 11, on its YouTube channel. The reveal comes less than three weeks after the OSIRIS-REx spacecraft parachuted a capsule of Bennu’s fragments into a Utah-based Department of Defense training site. NASA then transferred the sample to its Johnson Space Center in Houston for a complete analysis.

OSIRIS-REx set off on its $1.2 billion mission in September 2016, reaching the 1,650-foot wide asteroid two years later. In 2020, the spacecraft burrowed into Bennu much deeper than expected, collecting the largest asteroid surface sample to date. The goal was to bring at least 2.1 ounces back, and initial estimates put the collection at around 8.8 ounces. NASA should reveal the exact specifications and the quality of the substance during its livestream, as well as other interesting tidbits uncovered.

As for OSIRIS-REx, it already has a new name and mission. The now-dubbed OSIRIS-APEX is on its way to asteroid Apophis to examine the impact of a close encounter with Earth in 2029. NASA expects the asteroid to come within 20,000 miles of the Earth’s surface — 90 percent closer than the moon.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/watch-nasa-reveal-its-bennu-asteroid-samples-at-11am-et-143009980.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Watch NASA reveal its Bennu asteroid samples at 11AM ET

We’re into day two of Amazon’s second Prime Day sale event for 2023, and it’s still a great opportunity to shop for your holiday gifts early — or get something for yourself. If you missed out on any of the deals from the company’s Prime Day event in July, this year’s “Prime Big Deal Days” sale has brought back many of the all-time low prices we saw a few months ago, plus some new sales on recommended headphones, tablets, TVs, video games and many other gadgets. We’ve rounded up the highlights below, and we’ll be adding new offers to our list until the sale closes. You’ll need to be a Prime member to see some (but not all) of the offers, but if you want to shop some great Prime Day tech deals ahead of Black Friday, here’s the best of what we’ve found.

Apple AirPods Pro

The second-generation AirPods Pro have dropped to $189 for Prime Day. Apple made a ton of small but noticeable improvements to these models, so now they have better sound quality, noise cancelation and Transparency Mode. There remains no competition if you have an iPhone and live within the Apple ecosystem — these are the best earbuds to get if you fall into that category.

Apple Watch SE

The Apple Watch SE is on sale for $199 right now. It’s the best smartwatch to get if you’re new to the wearable world, or you just want a basic, relatively affordable watch that has all of the basic features you’d need. On top of comprehensive health and fitness tracking, iPhone notifications and dozens of fun watch faces, you’ll get features like crash and fall detection, noise monitoring and Emergency SOS.

Apple 10.2-inch iPad

Apple’s most affordable tablet, the 10.2-inch iPad, is on sale for $249 right now. It may have an old-school design, but it’s certainly the best iPad for people on a budget and it has most crucial features you’d expect in an Apple tablet. It earned a score of 86 from us for its solid performance, sharp screen, TouchID-capable Home button and good battery life. The only major downside to this model right now is that it still sports Apple’s old Lightning port rather than USB-C.

Apple iPad Air

The iPad Air is on sale for $500, which is $99 off the MSRP. Apple may refresh the Air at some point soon, but for now, we think the existing iPad Air is the best blend of price and performance in Apple’s tablet lineup. This model only has 64GB of storage, however, and its display is limited to a 60Hz refresh rate. We gave the iPad Air a review score of 90 last year. And it’s our top overall iPad pick for most people 

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6

The new Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 is down to $270 for October Prime Day, which is the lowest price we’ve seen since it came out a few months ago. You can’t get a better smartwatch than this one if you have an Android phone (bonus points if you have a Samsung phone), and it’s smaller and lighter than previous versions. Samsung brought back the spinning bezel on the Classic version, which is which makes the software’s UI easier to navigate, plus it has improved performance and updated health and fitness tracking tools.

Kindle Kids

If you’re looking for a good gift for a kid, the Kindle Kids edition is a great idea. It’s basically the same as the standard Kindle (which we named the best budget ereader you can buy) with a few extras. You also get a colorful protective case, a two-year warranty, and a year of Amazon Kids+, which grants access to thousands of kid-appropriate titles and hundreds of audiobooks. Even more helpful for parents, the kids edition syncs up with a parent dashboard that lets the grownups set time limits, add books and track their kid’s reading progress. The Kindle Kids usually goes for $120, but now it’s $80 instead. That’s $5 more than last Prime Day, but the lowest price we’ve seen outside of that sale.

Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids and Kids Pro

The previous generation of the Fire HD 10 Kids and Kids Pro are on sale for $120 each, which matches their all-time lows. Amazon recently launched new versions of these devices, so the company is likely offloading old stock here. Still, this is the version we recommend as the best pick for kids in our guide to the best tablets. It comes with a protective case that doubles as a stand as well as a two-year warranty and a free year of subscription to Amazon Kids+, which includes kid-appropriate games, shows and songs.  

Apple MacBook Air M2 (15-inch)

The 15.3-inch version of Apple’s MacBook Air is down to $1,049 for an entry-level model with 8GB of RAM and a 256GB SSD. That matches the best price we’ve seen and takes $250 off Apple’s list price. The MacBook Air is the top pick in our guide to the best laptops, and we gave the 15-inch model a review score of 96 earlier this year, as it covers just about all of the things we look for in a quality mainstream notebook. Compared to the 13.6-inch version, it also includes a more powerful speaker system and a slightly upgraded GPU. The SSD in this base configuration is technically slower than the one in higher-capacity SKUs, but that shouldn’t be a major problem unless you’re looking to do more complex work. In general, you wouldn’t buy the Air for things like high-res media editing, though its M2 chip is still plenty powerful for everyday tasks.

If you do need more storage space, the 512GB model with 8GB of RAM is on sale for a low of $1,249. Variants with double the RAM are up to $250 off as well. Meanwhile, the 13.6-inch MacBook Air isn’t discounted on Amazon, but it’s down to $899 at Best Buy. That’s $200 off the notebook’s list price.

Apple iPad mini

The Apple iPad mini has dropped to $400 for October Prime Day. It’s the best small tablet on the market right now and really your only option if you want a true one-hand-friendly iPad. It’s powered by Apple’s A15 Bionic chip and sports a Touch ID-toting power button, solid cameras, a good battery life and a USB-C port for charging.

Sony WF-1000XM5

Sony’s WF-1000XM5 wireless earbuds are on sale for $278 for Prime Day, which is their best price yet. These are the best wireless earbuds on the market right now, and Sony improved upon it’s already remarkable buds with a more comfortable fit, better sound quality and features likes adaptive sound and Speak-to-Chat.

Anker Soundcore Space A40

The Anker Soundcore Space A40 is on sale for $54, which matches its all-time low and comes in $25 less than usual. The Space A40 is the top pick in our guide to the best budget wireless earbuds, as it includes a host of features that belie its price: adaptive ANC, multi-device pairing, wireless charging, a transparency mode and up to 10 hours of battery life. Its audio quality and ANC aren’t quite as powerful as more expensive pairs, but both are more than effective enough for the money. Unlike many budget wireless headphones, its default sound doesn’t completely blow out the bass. Just note that its call quality is mediocre, and it lacks wear detection, so it won’t auto-pause when you remove an earbud.

Bose QuietComfort 45

The Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones have dropped to $230 for October Prime Day, which is about $80 cheaper than their usual selling price. These cans earned a spot in our best wireless headphone guide thanks to their comfortable, if a little dated, design, excellent ANC and balanced audio.

Google Pixel Buds Pro

The Google Pixel Buds Pro have dropped to $120 for Prime Day. The company got a lot of things right after years of making pretty standard earbuds; the Pixel Buds Pro are Google’s best wireless earbuds yet. These will be great for Android users who want buds with punchy bass, good ANC, reliable touch controls and wireless charging.

Amazon Echo Dot

Amazon has knocked the price of the latest Echo Dot down to $23 right now. It’s one of the best smart speakers you can get thanks to its orb-like design, surprisingly good sound quality for its size and handy Alexa integration. The Dots can also act as Eero WiFi boosters, adding up to 1,000 square feet of coverage to your existing Eero system.

Amazon Echo Show 5

The latest Echo Show 5 is on sale for a record low of $40. The Show 5 has been one of the best smart displays available for quite some time, and it’ll be particularly good for anyone who wants an Alexa-capable smart display that won’t take up a lot of space. It also makes for a good alarm clock thanks to its sunrise alarm and tap-to-snooze features.

Tile Pro (2-pack)

The Tile Pro has a replaceable battery and taps into a decent finding network to locate lost items. Right now, Prime members can get a two pack for $42, which is about $2 more than it’s gone for on Amazon previously. It’s our pick for the best Bluetooth tracker for Android users. While the Tile finding network isn’t as vast as Apple’s (and likely not as large as Google’s upcoming network), the Pro still reliably allowed us to track down our missing backpack in a crowded pub for our guide.

Chipolo ONE

The Chipolo One is our pick for the best overall Bluetooth tracking device. It’s currently down to $25 for the single tag, or you can get a 4-pack for $60. In our guide, we found the Chipolo to reliably and consistently inform us when we’d left our keys behind. It also has the loudest ring of the trackers we tried, which makes it easier to find lost keys and other items when they’re nearby.  

Amazon Kindle

The standard Kindle has dropped to $75 for October Prime Day. This model saw a lot of improvements when it was updated in 2022. Capacity was doubled to 16GB and the screen resolution jumped up to 300 ppi for much clearer text. We named it the best budget option in our ereader guide because its perfect entry point to reading and borrowing ebooks and audiobooks.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

The Kindle Paperwhite, meanwhile, is down to $95 for an 8GB model. That’s $5 more than it went for during July’s Prime Day event but still $45 off its MSRP. The Paperwhite gets you a few extra perks over the standard Kindle, including a larger 6.8-inch screen, a more comprehensive front light and IPX8-rated waterproofing. This deal applies to the ad-supported version (which displays ads for Kindle books and services on your lock screen); it you want no ads on your device, you’ll need to pay $20 more.

$100 PlayStation Store Gift Card + $10 Amazon credit

Here’s a simple one: If you buy a $100 PlayStation Store digital gift card and use the code PSN100 at checkout, you can get an extra $10 Amazon credit to use on future purchases. If you often use Amazon and plan on picking up new PS5 games, renewing a PlayStation Plus subscription or buying any other content through the PlayStation Store anyway, it’s effectively a bit of free money.

Samsung Smart Monitor M8

The Samsung Smart Monitor M8 is down to just $500, which is $200 off its starting price and the lowest price we’ve seen thus far. This 32-inch display has built-in apps and allows you to access streaming services, just like you would on a smart TV. It can also act as a smart home hub, showing you your smart camera feeds and more. This discounted model is the updated 2023 version of the monitor that launched at CES 2022.

Blink Mini (2-pack)

A two-pack of Blink Mini security cameras has dropped to $40 for Prime Day. That’s about $10 more than they went for last Prime Day, but still a decent 38 percent discount. While these cameras are wired, they have most of the same features as the standard wireless Blink cameras including 1080p video recordings and support for two-way talk and motion alerts.

Google Indoor Nest Security Cam

A slew of Google Nest home security devices are on sale, including the battery-powered Nest Cam that can go inside or outside your home. Typically priced at $180, the security cam is down to $120 for Amazon’s October Prime Day event. The Nest Cam works with smart speakers and displays enabled with Alexa or the Google Assistant and can last up to seven months depending on how much activity it picks up. Its weather-resistant build and magnetic mount should make it easy to install on most surfaces. It sends live alerts to your phone and will even allow for on-demand check-ins without a subscription, though it only stores the last three hours for free. For six months of stored footage, you’ll need a Nest Aware membership.

Google Nest Thermostat

In other Google deals, the Nest Thermostat is on sale for just $90, which is only about $10 more than the lowest price we’ve tracked and $40 off Google’s MSRP. This is Google’s entry-level smart thermostat, but it still lets you control your heating and cooling from anywhere, suggests tweaks to help you save money, and in some cases, can entitle you to rebates from your utility provider. It’s all relatively easy to program, and it works with Google’s Nest Hub and other smart displays like the Echo Show.

Amazon Fire HD 8

Amazon’s Fire HD 8 is down to $60 for the Prime Big Deal Days event, which is $5 more than the tablet’s all-time low but still $40 off its list price. This discount applies to the model with 32GB of storage; if you need more space, the 64GB version is on sale for $75. Either way, the Fire HD 8 is likely the cheapest competent tablet for most people: It’s slower than the Fire HD 10 and its display is limited to a 1,280 x 800 resolution, but it’s lightweight, it can last more than 10 hours on a charge and it’s still quick enough for basic streaming and reading. It’s not the best value at its standard going rate, but for $60, it’s hard to do better.

Amazon Fire 11 Max

The Fire Max 11 is Amazon’s largest and most performant tablet, with an 11-inch 2,000 x 1,200 resolution display, an aluminum frame, a respectable octa-core processor and 4GB of RAM. It has the same software limitations and lock-screen ads as any other Fire slate, so it’s a tough sell at its usual $230, but now it’s on sale for $150, which matches its all-time low. If you already use a bunch of Amazon services and don’t want to shell out for an entry-level iPad, it’s a big upgrade over the Fire HD 8 — just don’t expect to get any real work done with it.

Google Pixel Tablet

The 128GB Google Pixel Tablet is down to $409, which is $90 off and a new low. The 256GB model is also on sale for $509. While we think Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S9 works better purely as a tablet, Google’s 11-inch slate still gets you a sharp LCD display, a speedy Tensor G2 chip and an easy-to-hold design that weighs just over a pound. Its big hook, however, is that it can attach to an included charging speaker dock and double as a Nest Hub Max-style smart display. Android still isn’t as optimized for large screens as iPadOS, but if that extra functionality sounds useful to you, the Pixel Tablet is worth a look. We gave it a score of 85 in June. (The Galaxy Tab S9, meanwhile, isn’t on sale as of this writing.)

Google Pixel 7a

The Google Pixel 7a is down to a new low of $399 for this sale event. It’s the best midrange phone you can get right now thanks to its speedy Tensor G2 chip, smooth 90Hz display and support for wireless charging. The 7a also has solid cameras and an IP67 water-resistant design.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

The entire Samsung Galaxy S23 series is on sale for Prime Day, including the S23, S23+ and S23 Ultra. These are some of the best Android phones you can buy right now, and we recommend springing for the S23 Ultra if you want all of the latest features from Samsung. The Ultra runs on a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip and has a big, bold 120Hz display, built-in S Pen and an excellent main camera.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5

If you want a new foldable phone, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is down to $800 for an unlocked 256GB model. That’s an all-time low. We gave this one a review score of 88 in August, and we currently name it the best flip-style foldable in our smartphone buying guide. There’ll always be some durability concerns with devices like this, and the Z Flip 5’s cameras aren’t quite on par with the best “normal” handsets. But for the most part, this is a modern flagship — just one you can fold in half. The big upgrade this year is a larger 3.4-inch cover display, which is handier for completing tasks while the phone is folded.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II

The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II have dropped to $199 for October Prime Day, which is the best price we’ve ever seen, though you’ll need to be a Prime member to get the deal. Though they’re a generation old now, they remain one of the best wireless earbuds you can buy if active noise cancellation is your main priority. On top of that, these buds have a relatively comfortable fit and pleasing audio quality.

Beats Studio Pro

The Beats Studio Pro headphones are on sale for $179 right now. That’s a sizable $170 discount. We reviewed these back in July when they came out and gave them a decent review score of 81. Unfortunately they didn’t push any of the top picks from our our best headphones list off their pedestals. They aren’t bad, however, offering pleasant, even-handed sound and good noise cancellation. Though Beats is now owned by Apple, these headphones still play nice with Android. There’s no wear detection and the mostly plastic design isn’t super premium, but at this price, you may not care.

Sony SRS-XB13

The four-inch tall SRS-XB13 is back down to $35 for Prime Big Deal Days, which matches its sale price from July’s Prime Day sale. You’ll need a Prime membership to see the deal, however. This is an older but still worthwhile model of the tiny portable speaker; Sony replaced it with the SRS-XB100 earlier this year, which is also currently seeing a 20 percent discount. Both devices are IP67-rated for water and dust resistance, and each can pair with another speaker for stereo sound.

Tribit StormBox Micro 2

The Tribit StormBox Micro 2 is another small speaker we like that puts out decent volume for its size, and right now it’s down to $48, which is $12 off its usual going rate. This device has a strap on its back that works well on belts, backpacks, or even bike handlebars, so it’s easy to take on the road. And “on the go” is where the StormBox Micro 2 performs best, as it’s more about portable volume than pure fidelity.

Roku Streaming Stick 4K

Our favorite streaming stick, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, has dropped to $37 for this sale. It packs a ton of features into an affordable package, including 4K HDR streaming capabilities, Dolby Vision, AirPlay 2 and private listening when you have a pair of headphones. And since it’s so small, it makes for a great travel entertainment device too.

LG B2

The LG B2 OLED TV is down to $847 for a 55-inch model. That’s a new low and roughly $150 off its average street price in recent months. The B2 is the step-down model from the C2 — which is also on sale at $1,097 for a 55-inch set — as it’s not as bright or color-rich with HDR content, it runs on a slower processor and it has two fewer HDMI 2.1 ports. That said, its contrast, colors and motion performance will still be a significant upgrade if you’re upgrading from a more basic LED TV. LG’s new B3 TV promises a cleaner webOS interface, but it’s priced a good way higher as of this writing. If you want an OLED TV for less than $1,000, the B2 should be a better value.

Hisense U6K

If you want a more affordable TV, the Hisense U6K is also on sale, with the 55- and 65-inch models down to $400 and $548, respectively. We’ve seen these deals before, but each matches an all-time low. The U6K is has received generally positive reviews around the web, as it’s one of the few budget-level sets with quantum dots, full-array local dimming and a mini-LED backlight. All of that should help it deliver better contrast and color volume than most TVs in its price range. It’s not ideal for gaming though, as it’s limited to a 60Hz refresh rate and lacks HDMI 2.1 ports. In general, it can’t match the brightness or viewing angles of a more expensive set, but it looks to be a good buy if you’re on a tighter budget.

For a well-reviewed midrange model, the Hisense U8K provides much better contrast and peak brightness, plus more gaming-friendly features like ability to play 4K content at up to a 144Hz refresh rate. That one is down to $748 for a 55-inch model and $998 for a 65-inch set.

iRobot Roomba 694

iRobot’s Roomba 694 has dropped to $199 for Prime Day. It’s our favorite cheap robot vacuum thanks to its strong suction power, attractive design and easy to use app. It’ll be a good option for robo-vac novices, or anyone that doesn’t want to fuss too much with an automatic dirt sucker. It clears hard and carpeted floors well, and it automatically returns to its base once a cleaning job is finished so it can recharge.

Razer Basilisk V3

The Razer Basilisk V3 is down to $44 for Prime members, which is a few bucks more than its all-time low but still $6 less than its usual street price. This is the “best for most” pick in our guide to the best gaming mouse, as its sturdy shape should be comfortable for each grip type and all but the smallest hands. (Provided you’re a righty.) It has 11 customizable buttons, including a “sensitivity clutch” for more precise aiming, and its thumb wheel supports both left-right tilt and a faster free-spin mode. That wheel is somewhat noisy, and the whole thing is too heavy for competitive-minded players, but it still tracks accurately and glides smoothly.

Dell G15 5530 Gaming Laptop

A configuration of Dell’s G15 5530 Gaming Laptop with an Intel Core i7-13650HX processor, 16GB of RAM, an upgradeable 1TB SSD and an 8GB GeForce RTX 4060 GPU is down to $1,130 for Prime Big Deal Days. That’s roughly $270 below its usual going rate. This is an updated version of the “best budget” pick in our guide to the best gaming laptops: It’s heavy, and it can run warm, but this configuration is more than capable of playing modern games at high-ish settings, and its 15.6-inch, 165Hz, 1080p display is sufficiently bright. It is stuck with a 720p webcam though. The slightly larger Dell G16 7630 is also on sale at $1,500 for a model with a Core i9-13900HX and RTX 4070.

Samsung Pro Plus microSD

The Samsung Pro Plus microSD card is on sale for $20 right now. It’s our top pick in our best microSD card guide because it was the most consistent of the ones we tested, with some of the best overall speeds and all of the important ratings that a good card should have: U3, V30 and A2. It’ll be a great pick for your tablet, smartphone or Nintendo Switch, and it comes with a full-sized adapter in case you need to use it with a camera or connect it to your computer.

Backbone One

The Backbone One is a well-built gamepad that snaps around the sides of your phone and works immediately with just about any game that supports controller input. It’s also convenient for cloud streaming games from a console or PC. Right now both its USB-C and Lightning models are down to $70, which is $30 off. That’s not an all-time low, but discounts on the device are relatively uncommon. We gave the One a positive review last year, and we currently highlight it in our guide to the best handheld gaming systems. Backbone says the USB-C models will work with Apple’s new iPhone 15 lineup as well.

Crucial MX500

The Crucial MX500 internal drive is on sale for $46 right now. It’s been an Engadget favorite for a while thanks to its sequential read speeds of 560MB/s and a standard 2.5-inch design that should make it easy to swap in for your desktop’s or laptop’s used-up drive.

Here are all the deals we’ve rounded up so far:

• The best lightning deals to shop right now

• The best Prime Day laptop deals

• The best Prime Day Apple Watch deals

• The best Prime Day deals on Apple devices

• The best Prime Day deals for AirPods

• The best Prime Day deals under $50

• The best Prime Day TV deals

• The best Prime Day Kindle deals

• The best Prime Day iPad and tablet deals

• The best Prime Day gaming deals

• The best Prime Day camera deals

• The best Prime Day smartphone deals

• The best Prime Day speaker deals

• The best Prime Day deals on Google devices

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-prime-day-deals-to-shop-for-right-now-142009528.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – The 40+ best Prime Day deals to shop for right now — from portable tech to smart home gear

We’re into day two of Amazon’s second Prime Day sale event for 2023, and it’s still a great opportunity to shop for your holiday gifts early — or get something for yourself. If you missed out on any of the deals from the company’s Prime Day event in July, this year’s “Prime Big Deal Days” sale has brought back many of the all-time low prices we saw a few months ago, plus some new sales on recommended headphones, tablets, TVs, video games and many other gadgets. We’ve rounded up the highlights below, and we’ll be adding new offers to our list until the sale closes. You’ll need to be a Prime member to see some (but not all) of the offers, but if you want to shop some great Prime Day tech deals ahead of Black Friday, here’s the best of what we’ve found.

Apple AirPods Pro

The second-generation AirPods Pro have dropped to $189 for Prime Day. Apple made a ton of small but noticeable improvements to these models, so now they have better sound quality, noise cancelation and Transparency Mode. There remains no competition if you have an iPhone and live within the Apple ecosystem — these are the best earbuds to get if you fall into that category.

Apple Watch SE

The Apple Watch SE is on sale for $199 right now. It’s the best smartwatch to get if you’re new to the wearable world, or you just want a basic, relatively affordable watch that has all of the basic features you’d need. On top of comprehensive health and fitness tracking, iPhone notifications and dozens of fun watch faces, you’ll get features like crash and fall detection, noise monitoring and Emergency SOS.

Apple 10.2-inch iPad

Apple’s most affordable tablet, the 10.2-inch iPad, is on sale for $249 right now. It may have an old-school design, but it’s certainly the best iPad for people on a budget and it has most crucial features you’d expect in an Apple tablet. It earned a score of 86 from us for its solid performance, sharp screen, TouchID-capable Home button and good battery life. The only major downside to this model right now is that it still sports Apple’s old Lightning port rather than USB-C.

Apple iPad Air

The iPad Air is on sale for $500, which is $99 off the MSRP. Apple may refresh the Air at some point soon, but for now, we think the existing iPad Air is the best blend of price and performance in Apple’s tablet lineup. This model only has 64GB of storage, however, and its display is limited to a 60Hz refresh rate. We gave the iPad Air a review score of 90 last year. And it’s our top overall iPad pick for most people 

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6

The new Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 is down to $270 for October Prime Day, which is the lowest price we’ve seen since it came out a few months ago. You can’t get a better smartwatch than this one if you have an Android phone (bonus points if you have a Samsung phone), and it’s smaller and lighter than previous versions. Samsung brought back the spinning bezel on the Classic version, which is which makes the software’s UI easier to navigate, plus it has improved performance and updated health and fitness tracking tools.

Kindle Kids

If you’re looking for a good gift for a kid, the Kindle Kids edition is a great idea. It’s basically the same as the standard Kindle (which we named the best budget ereader you can buy) with a few extras. You also get a colorful protective case, a two-year warranty, and a year of Amazon Kids+, which grants access to thousands of kid-appropriate titles and hundreds of audiobooks. Even more helpful for parents, the kids edition syncs up with a parent dashboard that lets the grownups set time limits, add books and track their kid’s reading progress. The Kindle Kids usually goes for $120, but now it’s $80 instead. That’s $5 more than last Prime Day, but the lowest price we’ve seen outside of that sale.

Amazon Fire HD 10 Kids and Kids Pro

The previous generation of the Fire HD 10 Kids and Kids Pro are on sale for $120 each, which matches their all-time lows. Amazon recently launched new versions of these devices, so the company is likely offloading old stock here. Still, this is the version we recommend as the best pick for kids in our guide to the best tablets. It comes with a protective case that doubles as a stand as well as a two-year warranty and a free year of subscription to Amazon Kids+, which includes kid-appropriate games, shows and songs.  

Apple iPad mini

The Apple iPad mini has dropped to $400 for October Prime Day. It’s the best small tablet on the market right now and really your only option if you want a true one-hand-friendly iPad. It’s powered by Apple’s A15 Bionic chip and sports a Touch ID-toting power button, solid cameras, a good battery life and a USB-C port for charging.

Sony WF-1000XM5

Sony’s WF-1000XM5 wireless earbuds are on sale for $278 for Prime Day, which is their best price yet. These are the best wireless earbuds on the market right now, and Sony improved upon it’s already remarkable buds with a more comfortable fit, better sound quality and features likes adaptive sound and Speak-to-Chat.

Anker Soundcore Space A40

The Anker Soundcore Space A40 is on sale for $54, which matches its all-time low and comes in $25 less than usual. The Space A40 is the top pick in our guide to the best budget wireless earbuds, as it includes a host of features that belie its price: adaptive ANC, multi-device pairing, wireless charging, a transparency mode and up to 10 hours of battery life. Its audio quality and ANC aren’t quite as powerful as more expensive pairs, but both are more than effective enough for the money. Unlike many budget wireless headphones, its default sound doesn’t completely blow out the bass. Just note that its call quality is mediocre, and it lacks wear detection, so it won’t auto-pause when you remove an earbud.

Bose QuietComfort 45

The Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones have dropped to $230 for October Prime Day, which is about $80 cheaper than their usual selling price. These cans earned a spot in our best wireless headphone guide thanks to their comfortable, if a little dated, design, excellent ANC and balanced audio.

Google Pixel Buds Pro

The Google Pixel Buds Pro have dropped to $120 for Prime Day. The company got a lot of things right after years of making pretty standard earbuds; the Pixel Buds Pro are Google’s best wireless earbuds yet. These will be great for Android users who want buds with punchy bass, good ANC, reliable touch controls and wireless charging.

Amazon Echo Dot

Amazon has knocked the price of the latest Echo Dot down to $23 right now. It’s one of the best smart speakers you can get thanks to its orb-like design, surprisingly good sound quality for its size and handy Alexa integration. The Dots can also act as Eero WiFi boosters, adding up to 1,000 square feet of coverage to your existing Eero system.

Amazon Echo Show 5

The latest Echo Show 5 is on sale for a record low of $40. The Show 5 has been one of the best smart displays available for quite some time, and it’ll be particularly good for anyone who wants an Alexa-capable smart display that won’t take up a lot of space. It also makes for a good alarm clock thanks to its sunrise alarm and tap-to-snooze features.

Tile Pro (2-pack)

The Tile Pro has a replaceable battery and taps into a decent finding network to locate lost items. Right now, Prime members can get a two pack for $42, which is about $2 more than it’s gone for on Amazon previously. It’s our pick for the best Bluetooth tracker for Android users. While the Tile finding network isn’t as vast as Apple’s (and likely not as large as Google’s upcoming network), the Pro still reliably allowed us to track down our missing backpack in a crowded pub for our guide.

Chipolo ONE

The Chipolo One is our pick for the best overall Bluetooth tracking device. It’s currently down to $25 for the single tag, or you can get a 4-pack for $60. In our guide, we found the Chipolo to reliably and consistently inform us when we’d left our keys behind. It also has the loudest ring of the trackers we tried, which makes it easier to find lost keys and other items when they’re nearby.  

Amazon Kindle

The standard Kindle has dropped to $75 for October Prime Day. This model saw a lot of improvements when it was updated in 2022. Capacity was doubled to 16GB and the screen resolution jumped up to 300 ppi for much clearer text. We named it the best budget option in our ereader guide because its perfect entry point to reading and borrowing ebooks and audiobooks.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

The Kindle Paperwhite, meanwhile, is down to $95 for an 8GB model. That’s $5 more than it went for during July’s Prime Day event but still $45 off its MSRP. The Paperwhite gets you a few extra perks over the standard Kindle, including a larger 6.8-inch screen, a more comprehensive front light and IPX8-rated waterproofing. This deal applies to the ad-supported version (which displays ads for Kindle books and services on your lock screen); it you want no ads on your device, you’ll need to pay $20 more.

$100 PlayStation Store Gift Card + $10 Amazon credit

Here’s a simple one: If you buy a $100 PlayStation Store digital gift card and use the code PSN100 at checkout, you can get an extra $10 Amazon credit to use on future purchases. If you often use Amazon and plan on picking up new PS5 games, renewing a PlayStation Plus subscription or buying any other content through the PlayStation Store anyway, it’s effectively a bit of free money.

Samsung Smart Monitor M8

The Samsung Smart Monitor M8 is down to just $500, which is $200 off its starting price and the lowest price we’ve seen thus far. This 32-inch display has built-in apps and allows you to access streaming services, just like you would on a smart TV. It can also act as a smart home hub, showing you your smart camera feeds and more. This discounted model is the updated 2023 version of the monitor that launched at CES 2022.

Blink Mini (2-pack)

A two-pack of Blink Mini security cameras has dropped to $40 for Prime Day. That’s about $10 more than they went for last Prime Day, but still a decent 38 percent discount. While these cameras are wired, they have most of the same features as the standard wireless Blink cameras including 1080p video recordings and support for two-way talk and motion alerts.

Google Indoor Nest Security Cam

A slew of Google Nest home security devices are on sale, including the battery-powered Nest Cam that can go inside or outside your home. Typically priced at $180, the security cam is down to $120 for Amazon’s October Prime Day event. The Nest Cam works with smart speakers and displays enabled with Alexa or the Google Assistant and can last up to seven months depending on how much activity it picks up. Its weather-resistant build and magnetic mount should make it easy to install on most surfaces. It sends live alerts to your phone and will even allow for on-demand check-ins without a subscription, though it only stores the last three hours for free. For six months of stored footage, you’ll need a Nest Aware membership.

Google Nest Thermostat

In other Google deals, the Nest Thermostat is on sale for just $90, which is only about $10 more than the lowest price we’ve tracked and $40 off Google’s MSRP. This is Google’s entry-level smart thermostat, but it still lets you control your heating and cooling from anywhere, suggests tweaks to help you save money, and in some cases, can entitle you to rebates from your utility provider. It’s all relatively easy to program, and it works with Google’s Nest Hub and other smart displays like the Echo Show.

Amazon Fire HD 8

Amazon’s Fire HD 8 is down to $60 for the Prime Big Deal Days event, which is $5 more than the tablet’s all-time low but still $40 off its list price. This discount applies to the model with 32GB of storage; if you need more space, the 64GB version is on sale for $75. Either way, the Fire HD 8 is likely the cheapest competent tablet for most people: It’s slower than the Fire HD 10 and its display is limited to a 1,280 x 800 resolution, but it’s lightweight, it can last more than 10 hours on a charge and it’s still quick enough for basic streaming and reading. It’s not the best value at its standard going rate, but for $60, it’s hard to do better.

Amazon Fire 11 Max

The Fire Max 11 is Amazon’s largest and most performant tablet, with an 11-inch 2,000 x 1,200 resolution display, an aluminum frame, a respectable octa-core processor and 4GB of RAM. It has the same software limitations and lock-screen ads as any other Fire slate, so it’s a tough sell at its usual $230, but now it’s on sale for $150, which matches its all-time low. If you already use a bunch of Amazon services and don’t want to shell out for an entry-level iPad, it’s a big upgrade over the Fire HD 8 — just don’t expect to get any real work done with it.

Google Pixel Tablet

The 128GB Google Pixel Tablet is down to $409, which is $90 off and a new low. The 256GB model is also on sale for $509. While we think Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S9 works better purely as a tablet, Google’s 11-inch slate still gets you a sharp LCD display, a speedy Tensor G2 chip and an easy-to-hold design that weighs just over a pound. Its big hook, however, is that it can attach to an included charging speaker dock and double as a Nest Hub Max-style smart display. Android still isn’t as optimized for large screens as iPadOS, but if that extra functionality sounds useful to you, the Pixel Tablet is worth a look. We gave it a score of 85 in June. (The Galaxy Tab S9, meanwhile, isn’t on sale as of this writing.)

Google Pixel 7a

The Google Pixel 7a is down to a new low of $399 for this sale event. It’s the best midrange phone you can get right now thanks to its speedy Tensor G2 chip, smooth 90Hz display and support for wireless charging. The 7a also has solid cameras and an IP67 water-resistant design.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

The entire Samsung Galaxy S23 series is on sale for Prime Day, including the S23, S23+ and S23 Ultra. These are some of the best Android phones you can buy right now, and we recommend springing for the S23 Ultra if you want all of the latest features from Samsung. The Ultra runs on a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip and has a big, bold 120Hz display, built-in S Pen and an excellent main camera.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5

If you want a new foldable phone, the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is down to $800 for an unlocked 256GB model. That’s an all-time low. We gave this one a review score of 88 in August, and we currently name it the best flip-style foldable in our smartphone buying guide. There’ll always be some durability concerns with devices like this, and the Z Flip 5’s cameras aren’t quite on par with the best “normal” handsets. But for the most part, this is a modern flagship — just one you can fold in half. The big upgrade this year is a larger 3.4-inch cover display, which is handier for completing tasks while the phone is folded.

Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II

The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II have dropped to $199 for October Prime Day, which is the best price we’ve ever seen, though you’ll need to be a Prime member to get the deal. Though they’re a generation old now, they remain one of the best wireless earbuds you can buy if active noise cancellation is your main priority. On top of that, these buds have a relatively comfortable fit and pleasing audio quality.

Beats Studio Pro

The Beats Studio Pro headphones are on sale for $179 right now. That’s a sizable $170 discount. We reviewed these back in July when they came out and gave them a decent review score of 81. Unfortunately they didn’t push any of the top picks from our our best headphones list off their pedestals. They aren’t bad, however, offering pleasant, even-handed sound and good noise cancellation. Though Beats is now owned by Apple, these headphones still play nice with Android. There’s no wear detection and the mostly plastic design isn’t super premium, but at this price, you may not care.

Sony SRS-XB13

The four-inch tall SRS-XB13 is back down to $35 for Prime Big Deal Days, which matches its sale price from July’s Prime Day sale. You’ll need a Prime membership to see the deal, however. This is an older but still worthwhile model of the tiny portable speaker; Sony replaced it with the SRS-XB100 earlier this year, which is also currently seeing a 20 percent discount. Both devices are IP67-rated for water and dust resistance, and each can pair with another speaker for stereo sound.

Tribit StormBox Micro 2

The Tribit StormBox Micro 2 is another small speaker we like that puts out decent volume for its size, and right now it’s down to $48, which is $12 off its usual going rate. This device has a strap on its back that works well on belts, backpacks, or even bike handlebars, so it’s easy to take on the road. And “on the go” is where the StormBox Micro 2 performs best, as it’s more about portable volume than pure fidelity.

Roku Streaming Stick 4K

Our favorite streaming stick, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, has dropped to $37 for this sale. It packs a ton of features into an affordable package, including 4K HDR streaming capabilities, Dolby Vision, AirPlay 2 and private listening when you have a pair of headphones. And since it’s so small, it makes for a great travel entertainment device too.

LG B2

The LG B2 OLED TV is down to $847 for a 55-inch model. That’s a new low and roughly $150 off its average street price in recent months. The B2 is the step-down model from the C2 — which is also on sale at $1,097 for a 55-inch set — as it’s not as bright or color-rich with HDR content, it runs on a slower processor and it has two fewer HDMI 2.1 ports. That said, its contrast, colors and motion performance will still be a significant upgrade if you’re upgrading from a more basic LED TV. LG’s new B3 TV promises a cleaner webOS interface, but it’s priced a good way higher as of this writing. If you want an OLED TV for less than $1,000, the B2 should be a better value.

Hisense U6K

If you want a more affordable TV, the Hisense U6K is also on sale, with the 55- and 65-inch models down to $400 and $548, respectively. We’ve seen these deals before, but each matches an all-time low. The U6K is has received generally positive reviews around the web, as it’s one of the few budget-level sets with quantum dots, full-array local dimming and a mini-LED backlight. All of that should help it deliver better contrast and color volume than most TVs in its price range. It’s not ideal for gaming though, as it’s limited to a 60Hz refresh rate and lacks HDMI 2.1 ports. In general, it can’t match the brightness or viewing angles of a more expensive set, but it looks to be a good buy if you’re on a tighter budget.

For a well-reviewed midrange model, the Hisense U8K provides much better contrast and peak brightness, plus more gaming-friendly features like ability to play 4K content at up to a 144Hz refresh rate. That one is down to $748 for a 55-inch model and $998 for a 65-inch set.

iRobot Roomba 694

iRobot’s Roomba 694 has dropped to $199 for Prime Day. It’s our favorite cheap robot vacuum thanks to its strong suction power, attractive design and easy to use app. It’ll be a good option for robo-vac novices, or anyone that doesn’t want to fuss too much with an automatic dirt sucker. It clears hard and carpeted floors well, and it automatically returns to its base once a cleaning job is finished so it can recharge.

Razer Basilisk V3

The Razer Basilisk V3 is down to $44 for Prime members, which is a few bucks more than its all-time low but still $6 less than its usual street price. This is the “best for most” pick in our guide to the best gaming mouse, as its sturdy shape should be comfortable for each grip type and all but the smallest hands. (Provided you’re a righty.) It has 11 customizable buttons, including a “sensitivity clutch” for more precise aiming, and its thumb wheel supports both left-right tilt and a faster free-spin mode. That wheel is somewhat noisy, and the whole thing is too heavy for competitive-minded players, but it still tracks accurately and glides smoothly.

Samsung Pro Plus microSD

The Samsung Pro Plus microSD card is on sale for $20 right now. It’s our top pick in our best microSD card guide because it was the most consistent of the ones we tested, with some of the best overall speeds and all of the important ratings that a good card should have: U3, V30 and A2. It’ll be a great pick for your tablet, smartphone or Nintendo Switch, and it comes with a full-sized adapter in case you need to use it with a camera or connect it to your computer.

Backbone One

The Backbone One is a well-built gamepad that snaps around the sides of your phone and works immediately with just about any game that supports controller input. It’s also convenient for cloud streaming games from a console or PC. Right now both its USB-C and Lightning models are down to $70, which is $30 off. That’s not an all-time low, but discounts on the device are relatively uncommon. We gave the One a positive review last year, and we currently highlight it in our guide to the best handheld gaming systems. Backbone says the USB-C models will work with Apple’s new iPhone 15 lineup as well.

Crucial MX500

The Crucial MX500 internal drive is on sale for $46 right now. It’s been an Engadget favorite for a while thanks to its sequential read speeds of 560MB/s and a standard 2.5-inch design that should make it easy to swap in for your desktop’s or laptop’s used-up drive.

Here are all the deals we’ve rounded up so far:

• The best lightning deals to shop right now

• The best Prime Day laptop deals

• The best Prime Day Apple Watch deals

• The best Prime Day deals on Apple devices

• The best Prime Day deals for AirPods

• The best Prime Day deals under $50

• The best Prime Day TV deals

• The best Prime Day Kindle deals

• The best Prime Day iPad and tablet deals

• The best Prime Day gaming deals

• The best Prime Day camera deals

• The best Prime Day smartphone deals

• The best Prime Day speaker deals

• The best Prime Day deals on Google devices

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-41-best-amazon-prime-day-deals-to-shop-for-right-now-132002540.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – The 41 best Amazon Prime Day deals to shop for right now

Uber Eats is making it easier to fulfill your cravings, even if they’re impossible to get from a single store or restaurant. The food delivery service has introduced a multi-store ordering feature, which lets you purchase food from two different merchants at the same time without having to pay additional delivery fees. It could be the answer for when your taste buds are looking for Vietnamese pho and ice cream, or if you and your housemate couldn’t decide on whether to get tacos or pizza. 

Previously, Uber Eats could only ask if you want to bundle your order with items from convenience stores like 7-11 during the checkout process. The company said that after testing out that feature, it received feedback from consumers asking for the capability to build one order from two different merchants instead. To bundle two orders, start by adding items from one store’s menu to your cart and then tapping “bundle another store” at the bottom of the screen. You can then add items from the second store’s selection before you check out. 

An Uber Eats spokesperson told us that the service will recommend nearby merchants whose orders can be conveniently bundled with the first place you choose, most likely so you can still get your food while it’s still fresh and hot. It also won’t limit the stores it recommends based on what kind of place they are, so you can add items from a second restaurant, a convenience store or even a merchant that sells liquor. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/uber-eats-now-lets-you-bundle-orders-from-two-places-130005836.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Uber Eats now lets you bundle orders from two places

It’s an exciting time for astronomy enthusiasts as October is expected to bring a dazzling solar event. On October 14, there will be an annular solar eclipse viewable from some parts of the US, Mexico, Central and South America. Unlike a total solar eclipse, where the moon fully covers the sun, an annular eclipse occurs when the moon sits at the part of its orbit farthest from Earth. Because of the distance, the moon looks too small to completely block the sun, which creates a bright ring of sunlight around a dark lunar silhouette. This is often referred to as the “ring of fire.”

To view the eclipse safely in person, you’ll need protective eyewear compliant with the ISO 12312-2 safety standard. You can also buy or create pinhole projectors. The eclipse will start over the Pacific Ocean and move southeast, passing over parts of the US, Mexico and Central/South America before moving over the Atlantic Ocean.

If you’re in the market for a new smartphone and prefer Android to iOS, Amazon’s October Prime Day (or “Prime Big Deal Days”) sale looks like a good time to take the plunge. While you won’t find any iPhones on sale, the event has brought several handsets we like from Samsung, Google, OnePlus and Motorola down to lower prices than usual. There’s always a chance we see better deals come Black Friday, but for those who need a refresh today, here are the best Prime Day smartphone deals we could find. Just remember that a few of these offers are only accessible to Prime members.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

The Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra is on sale for $950. That’s $100 more than the deal we saw during July’s Prime Day event but $50 lower than the typical sale price we’ve seen in recent months and $250 off Samsung’s list price. The high-end S23 Ultra is the top Android pick in our guide to the best smartphones, and it earned a score of 89 in our review this past February. Our biggest knock against it was that it’s expensive, but this deal helps mitigate that a bit.

Samsung Galaxy S23+

The Galaxy S23+, meanwhile, is on sale for $800, which is within $50 of the lowest price we’ve seen for the unlocked model. This 6.6-inch handset sits between the standard Galaxy S23 and the S23 Ultra in Samsung’s lineup: It has the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip, 1080p resolution and triple-camera system as the former, but it provides a larger OLED display without being as weighty (or pricey) as the latter. Compared to the base S23, it also supports faster charging speeds up to 45W instead of 25W. We gave the S23+ a score of 86 in February.

Samsung Galaxy S23

Rounding out the Galaxy S23 deals, the standard model is available for $650. Again, that’s $50 more than the deal we saw during July’s Prime Day sale but still $150 off Samsung’s MSRP and $50 lower than the usual discount we’ve seen in recent months. The S23’s biggest selling point is that it’s one of the smallest high-end phones on the market, with a 6.1-inch display that’s generally easier to hold with one hand. It’s a step down from the S23 Ultra, with lesser battery life, charging speeds and camera hardware, but that’s to be expected given the lower price.

Google Pixel 7a

The Google Pixel 7a is down to $399, which is the lowest price we’ve seen for this unlocked version and $100 off Google’s MSRP. This is the top pick in our guide to the best midrange smartphones, and we gave it a review score of 90 back in May. It delivers just about everything we want out of an affordable handset: a steady Tensor G2 chip, a relatively smooth 90Hz display, strong cameras, wireless charging support, IP67 water resistance and a clean software experience with several years of planned updates. The upcoming Pixel 8 will almost certainly be better in a vacuum, but for less than $400, the 7a is a great value.

OnePlus 11

The unlocked version of the OnePlus 11 with 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage is down to $650. That matches the lowest price we’ve seen for this variant and comes in $150 below the phone’s MSRP. This is the top midrange pick in our guide to the best Android smartphone, as it offers a superb 6.6-inch, 120Hz OLED display, super-fast charging, long battery life and a speedy Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip. That said, its IP64 dust- and water-resistance rating could be better, and its camera system generally isn’t as impressive as what you get from a Galaxy S23. We gave the device a score of 83 in our review this past February.

Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5

Moving onto foldables, the new Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 is down to $800 for an unlocked 256GB model, which is another all-time low. We gave this one a review score of 88 in August, and we currently name it the best flip-style foldable in our smartphone buying guide. There’ll always be some durability concerns with foldable phones like this, and the Z Flip 5’s cameras aren’t quite on par with the best “normal” handsets. But for the most part, this is a modern flagship you can fold in half. The big upgrade this year is its larger 3.4-inch cover display, which is handier for completing tasks while the phone is folded.

Motorola Razr+

Though we think the Galaxy Z Flip 5 is the better flip-style foldable for most, the Motorola Razr+ is a solid alternative. Its main benefit is a bigger 3.6-inch cover screen that works with all apps out of the box. (You can get most apps to work on the Z Flip 5’s outer display too, but it requires a workaround.) Right now the unlocked Razr+ is available for $800, which is an all-time low and $150 off its typical street price. We gave this device a score of 85 in our review this past June.

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5

If you want a larger, book-style foldable, Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5 is on sale for $1,400. That’s $400 off Samsung’s MSRP and the best price we’ve tracked for the unlocked model. We call the Z Fold 5 the best foldable for multitasking in our smartphone buying guide and gave it a review score of 86 earlier this year. It’s an iterative update over last year’s model and still plenty expensive even after this discount, but it’s fast, and its bright 7.6-inch main display is still a treat. The big upgrade this year is a redesigned hinge, which helps eliminate any gap between the two sides of the device when it’s folded in half.

OnePlus Nord N30 5G

The OnePlus Nord N30 is our pick for the best budget phone you can buy, as it provides a fast-for-the-price Snapdragon 695 chip, a surprisingly decent 6.7-inch 120Hz display and the promise of security updates through June 2026. It’ll also be updated to Android 14. If you need a new phone on the cheap, the Nord N30 is currently down to $237. That’s $63 off its list price and marks the lowest price we’ve seen for an unlocked model.

Samsung Galaxy A54 5G

The Samsung Galaxy A54 is the updated version of a phone we highlight in our midrange smartphone guide, and it’s now down to $330. That’s the lowest cash discount we’ve seen and $120 off Samsung’s list price. We’d still recommend the Pixel 7a to most, but the Galaxy A54’s lovely OLED display, lengthy battery life, IP67-rated water resistance and five years of security updates make it a worthy alternative. Just don’t expect top-tier performance, and know that its camera falls short of the Pixel 7a.

Motorola Moto G Stylus

The Moto G Stylus is an honorable mention in our budget smartphone guide, as it’s one of the few ultracheap phones to come with a built-in pen. Most people are better off with the Nord N30 or one of our midrange picks, but if you really can’t spend more than $100 and need that stylus support, it’s an alright buy at its current deal price of $161. That’s a few bucks cheaper than the price we’ve seen for most of the last few months and roughly $40 off Motorola’s list price.

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-prime-day-smartphone-deals-for-october-2023-122351211.html?src=rss

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

There remain iPad deals to be had for the second day of Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days. The second Prime Day of sorts has knocked down the prices of many iPads as well as tablets from other tech giants too. If you’re looking to upgrade from an aging iPad, or you want to snag an early holiday gift for someone on your list, now’s a great time to do so — particularly if you’re a Prime member. Here are the best iPad deals, plus the best deals on other tablets, that we could find for October Prime Day 2023.

iPad (9th gen)

Apple’s most affordable tablet, the 10.2-inch iPad, is on sale for $249 right now. It may have an old-school design, but it’s certainly the best iPad for people on a budget and it has most crucial features you’d expect in an Apple tablet. It earned a score of 86 from us for its solid performance, sharp screen, TouchID-capable Home button and good battery life. The only major downside to this model right now is that it still sports Apple’s old Lightning port rather than USB-C.

iPad (10th gen)

The new base iPad has dropped to $399 for October Prime Day. It has an updated design that makes it look more like an iPad Air or Pro, with slim bezels and no Home button. We gave it a score of 85 for its improved performance, new landscape-oriented front-facing camera, USB-C charging and solid battery life.

iPad Air

Apple’s iPad Air is on sale for $500 right now. It’s arguably the best iPad for most people thanks to its solid performance rendered by the M1 chipset, big 10.9-inch display, USB-C charging and second-generation Apple Pencil support. M1 might not be the latest Apple chipset, but it’s powerful enough to handle pretty much any task you throw at it — and since the Air works with keyboard accessories, it could be a decent laptop replacement when on the go.

iPad mini

The Apple iPad mini has dropped to $400 for October Prime Day. It’s the best small tablet on the market right now and really your only option if you want a true one-hand-friendly iPad. It’s powered by Apple’s A15 Bionic chip and sports a TouchID-toting power button, solid cameras, a good battery life and a USB-C port for charging.

Amazon Fire 7

Amazon’s Fire 7 tablet is on sale for $40 for October Prime Day. It’s the cheapest Fire tablet in the lineup, and it’s really only a viable option if you have a strict budget to adhere to since other Fire tablets provide much stronger performance. The Fire 7 includes a 7-inch 1024 x 600 touchscreen, up to 32GB of storage and up to 10 hours of battery life.

Amazon Fire HD 8

The Amazon Fire HD 8 tablet has dropped to $60 for Prime Big Deal Days. It’s a solid step-up from the Fire 7 if you can spend a little bit more money. You’ll get an 8-inch HD touchscreen, a hexa-core processor, a 5MP rear-facing camera in addition to the selfie cam and a battery that should last up to 13 hours on a single charge.

Amazon Fire HD 10 (2021)

The 2021 Fire HD 10 tablet has dropped to $75 for Prime Day. One of the more powerful slabs in Amazon’s lineup, the HD 10 provides a 10.1-inch FHD touchscreen, an octa-core processor, up to 64GB of internal storage and a 12-hour battery life. This year’s Fire HD 10 is up for pre-order now and it includes a 25-percent bump up in performance, an improved front-facing camera and a lighter design.

Amazon Fire Max 11

Amazon’s new Fire Max 11 tablet is on sale for $150 for Prime Day. The slab has an 11-inch 2000 x 1200 touchscreen, an octa-core processor, 4GB of RAM, up to 128GB of built-in storage and up to 14 hours of battery life. It can also work with a detachable keyboard and stylus, so you could use it like a 2-in-1 laptop.

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-prime-day-ipad–tablet-deals-available-right-now-120003904.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – The best Prime Day iPad & tablet deals available right now

Sony’s well-reviewed WH-CH720N headphones are on sale for just $98, which is $52 off the MSRP. It’s part of Amazon’s October Prime Day event, so make sure to snatch one up soon before the deal ends or before the stock runs out. These headphones are typically $150, and considered a bargain at that price, so this discount is sure to entice many consumers.

The WH-CH720N is already a budget-friendly purchase when compared to Sony’s spate of high-end headsets, but it still brings some modern features to the table. During our review, we called out the proprietary V1 chip that allows for high-grade active noise cancellation (ANC) and helps boost the sound quality a bit. We also appreciated the robust battery life, allowing for 35 hours of use per charge, which is a mighty fine metric for budget or mid-range headphones.

The controls are easily accessible, with a power/pairing button on the left side and a noise canceling button on the right side that cycles between ANC and transparency modes. There’s also the typical three-button array for volume and for switching tracks. The center button, however, can be used to instantly call up your preferred voice assistant, like Siri or Google Assistant.

As for connections, there’s the standard USB-C port for charging and there’s a 3.5mm headphone jack if you want access to sweet, wired audio. The design is comfort-forward, with ample cushioning in the ear pads and a lightly-wound headband hinge that won’t squeeze your noggin.

What are the downsides here? The exterior uses a whole lot of plastic, which takes the aesthetic appeal down a notch. This model also lacks Sony’s Speak-to-Chat feature that automatically pauses audio when you’re talking. The 720N headphones don’t even pause when you take them off, so make sure you manually push the stop button on your track to preserve battery life.

As previously stated, this is a limited-time Amazon Prime Day deal that will likely bid adieu by the end of the day. These headphones are available in both black and white.

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/sonys-wh-ch720n-headphones-are-just-98-for-prime-day-114520875.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Sony’s WH-CH720N headphones are just for Prime Day

Google is going all-in on Amazon’s Big Deal Days Prime sale with an array of deals on its latest Pixel phones, along with Pixel Buds Pro, Pixel Watches, Nest Thermostats and more. To start with, Pixel 8 phones are available in a bundle with the Pixel Buds Pro starting at $700, effectively giving you the earbuds for free. The Pixel 8 Pro is offered in a similar bundle with the Pixel Watch 2 from $1,000, again letting you have the latter for free.

Google has also discounted the Pixel 7a smartphone, Pixel Watch and Pixel Buds Pro individually, with 40 percent discounts on each. And along with some of the Nest savings we saw earlier, Google’s Nest Thermostat is available for just $90, saving you 31 percent off the regular price. 

Google’s new Pixel 8 flagship has a smaller 6.2-inch display and body than its predecessor, along with a more rounded and compact design. It’s improved across the board spec-wise, with a new Tensor G3 chip, a brighter 1,400 nit display with 120Hz refresh rate, a larger battery and a much-improved 50-megapixel (MP) camera. If you’d been looking to pull the trigger on one, and also eyeing some Pixel Buds Pro, you can get both in a bundle starting at $700 — saving you a full $200 (22 percent). 

The Pixel 8 Pro boosts the size of the display, while also offering enhanced photo and video features along with a new temperature sensor and a full seven years of software support. If the $100 higher price over the Pixel 7 Pro gave you pause, you can pick it up now with a Pixel Watch 2 for the same $1,000 price, saving you $350 (the price of the Pixel Watch), or 25 percent. 

If you’d rather pay less and don’t need a watch or earbuds, Google’s also offering the Pixel 7a for $400 (20 percent off), as we saw yesterday. It’s still the latest midrange Pixel phone, and offers impressive features like wireless charging and a 64-MP camera, along with a 90Hz OLED display, Tensor G2 processor and 8GB of RAM. The $400 price is the lowest we’ve seen, letting you get the best mid-range phone on the market at a steep discount. 

Google’s Pixel Buds Pro are on sale in no less than six colors for $120 (40 percent off the regular $200 price) — again an all-time low. They were well-reviewed across the board and even made it into our list of the best earbuds. These are far and away the best wireless earbuds Google has ever made, with deep and punchy bass, decent ANC performance, near-perfect touch controls, wireless charging and more. If that’s still too much and you don’t need the noise cancellation, the Pixel Buds A-Series are on sale in four colors for just $60 for a savings of 40 percent. 

Google’s original Pixel Watch combines Samsung and Fitbit technology into a clean, beautiful design. It’s just been superseded by the Pixel Watch 2, which offers better battery life and improved fitness tracking, but it’s still a beautiful and powerful wearable. And it’s now at an all-time low, priced at $210 for the Wi-Fi version (40 percent off) and $260 for the LTE model (35 percent off). 

If it’s smart home products you’re seeking, Google has you covered there as well. The Google Nest Thermostat is on sale for just $90 (31 percent off), back down near the lowest prices we’ve seen. It lets you control your heating and cooling from anywhere and suggests tweaks to help you save money, and in some cases, can entitle you to rebates from your utility provider. It’s easy to program an works with Google’s Nest Hub and other smart displays like the Echo Show. 

The Nest Doorbell (Battery) is a popular item because it’s much easier to install than any wired doorbells. As with the cameras, it will send you alerts when you have a visitor and you can chat with them through your phone and the built-in speaker and microphone. If the regular $180 price has made you pause, it’s now on sale for $120. 

Meanwhile, the Nest Cam Outdoor has a weatherproof design so that you can install it outside your home, along with expanded Night Vision to better spot outdoor intruders. It’s on sale for just $120, or $60 off the regular $180 price. Finally, the Nest Cam indoor is designed to blend in to your home, with a range of colors, built-in stand, wall mount and hinge, and is currently on sale for $70 or 30 percent off the regular price.

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-prime-day-deals-on-google-pixel-phones-and-nest-devices-113543783.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – The best Prime Day deals on Google Pixel phones and Nest devices

Somehow, it’s already time for remodeled current-generation consoles. The new model has the same horsepower, but its detachable drive means you can buy the Digital Edition and add the drive later as an $80 accessory. Sony has also increased internal storage to a 1TB SSD, which should be more forgiving than the original’s 670GB of accessible storage on an 825GB drive… but not by much.

Improvements go beyond the detachable disc drive. It apparently runs 30 percent quieter and is roughly 20 percent lighter. The new design uses four cover panels (the top is glossy and the sides are matte). Both models include a horizontal stand, but there will eventually be a vertical option too. The Digital Edition will cost $450, and it’s $500 for the model with the Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc drive. The new PS5s will start shipping in November in the US, and Sony says it will roll out globally in the following months.

— Mat Smith

​​You can get these reports delivered daily direct to your inbox. Subscribe right here!

​​

The biggest stories you might have missed

Adobe brings more generative AI features to Express

Porsche’s electric Macan will be the one to get

TikTok now lets you post directly from third-party apps

Assassin’s Creed Mirage review

The 32 best Amazon Prime Day deals to shop for right now

All the best October Prime Day deals in one place.

Prime Day sales are chaos. Amazon sells… everything. Fortunately, we have a team of editors and writers perusing the retailer, gathering the best deals for the best tech. Sure, there’s a lot of Amazon-branded hardware (Kindles, Echos, etc.), but we’ve got great portable speakers, wireless headphones and some of the top-rated smartphones from the likes of Samsung and Google. Here are all the best deals, in one convenient link.

Continue reading.

All of Doctor Who is finally coming to BBC iPlayer

The BBC is releasing its grip on its cash cow.

The BBC announced it will finally add every available classic episode of Doctor Who, and all of its spin-offs, to iPlayer. Every episode of the classic series, plus spin-offs like The Sarah Jane Adventures, Torchwood and Class, will be available November 1. With over 800 episodes, it’s a lot of TARDIS and a lot of Daleks. (And in case I need to remind you again, I’m not that Matt Smith.)

Continue reading.

Sony Inzone Buds hands-on

A slick, gamer-focused twist on the WF-1000XM5 wireless earbuds.

If you want your wireless buds to match your updated PS5, you might be interested in Sony’s Inzone Buds. They use the same drivers as the highly regarded WF-1000XM5, so they sound great. You also get support for Sony’s excellent active noise cancellation tech, an ambient sound mode and optimized sound quality when streaming game audio. The Inzone buds cost $200, $100 less than the WF-1000XM5s, making them an interesting option, aside from the PlayStation-matching design.

Continue reading.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-morning-after-sonys-smaller-ps5-has-a-detachable-disc-drive-111538334.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – The Morning After: Sony’s smaller PS5 has a detachable disc drive.

Search for Bluetooth speaker deals today, and you’ll find page after page on Amazon’s site thanks to Prime Big Deal Days. Unfortunately, not every speaker on sale is a winner. Luckily, we’re seeing deals on some of the smart and Bluetooth speakers we’ve tested and think are worth your money (especially when they’re on sale). There are mini speakers that make great gifts, bigger portable speakers that are great for heading outside, and smart speakers that can control your smart home devices or answer your questions. Here are the best Prime Day speaker deals we could find.

Amazon Echo Dot

Amazon’s best-selling Echo speaker is the Echo Dot, which is down to $23 for October Prime. That’s a 54 percent discount over its usual $50 price tag and matches last Prime day and its lowest price ever. We think it’s the best smart speaker under $50 (and now you can get two for less than $50). The sound is loud and surprisingly clear, and it’s a convenient way to get Alexa’s help, which may soon get even better (or at least more conversational).

Echo Studio

If you want quality sound combined with Alexa’s smart assistance, you may want the nearly eight-inch Echo Studio. The list price is $200 but it’s back down to the same $155 low price it saw in July $200. We gave it an 88 in our review, impressed with the hi-res sound coming from three two-inch midrange speakers, a one-inch tweeter and a 5.25-inch downward-facing woofer.

Tribit StormBox Micro 2

The Tribit StormBox Micro 2 is a small speaker that puts out decent volume and right now it’s down to $48, which is within a dollar of its lowest price ever. There’s a strap in the back that works well on belts, backpacks — or even bike handlebars, so it’s easy to take with you. And on-the-go is where this speaker performs best, as it’s more about portable volume than pure fidelity.

Bose SoundLink Flex

Bose’s SoundLink Flex is down to $119 for Prime Day, which is $10 less than it went for last Prime day and matches its all-time low on Amazon, though it’s gone as low at $110 elsewhere. This is one of the portable speakers we recommend in the sub-$200 range. It puts out a good amount of bass for its size and is IP67 rated so it can handle the elements or a splash from your iced tea.

Anker Soundcore Motion X600

One of Anker’s newest speakers, the Soundcore Motion X600 is on sale for $150 instead of the $200 list price. That matches the low it’s hit a couple times before. We haven’t tested this one yet, but have been impressed with Anker’s Soundcore speakers in the past. It packs 50 watts of sound with five drivers in a just-over-five-pound package. It has an IPX7 waterproof build and an estimated 12-hour play time on a charge.

Anker Soundcore Motion +

Another entry in our speaker guide is Anker’s Soundcore Motion +, which gives out good sound for its price point. The $100 MSRP is discounted to $70, which is a 30 percent discount and an all-time low. It has a bright and bassy output and offers EQ customization in the app. Plus it’s water-resistant.

Amazon Echo (4th gen)

Amazon’s mainstay Echo smart speaker is surprisingly loud for its size and pumps out decent audio. It’s our favorite smart speaker under $100 and usually goes for $99.99, but now it’s hit a new low of $55 for Prime Day, which is 45 percent discount and the same as it sold for during July’s Prime Day — though about $5 more than it sold for during last year’s Black Friday.

Anker Soundcore 2

We haven’t tested the diminutive Soundcore 2 for our buying guides yet, but other Anker Soundcore speakers have made their way into a number of our gifting and buying guides. Plus it’s got over 100K positive ratings. Usually $40, October Prime makes it just $28 after a 30 percent discount. The IPX7 rating means it can handle an accidental dunk and the battery should give you 24 hours of play time, according to Anker. You can even pair up two for stereo sound.

JBL Flip 6

A number of JBL speakers are on sale for Prime Day, including the JBL Flip 6, which is listed at $130, and often goes for around $100. October’s Prime sale brings it back down to its lowest price at $90. This is one of our favorite bluetooth speakers under $200 because it’s drop-resistant, waterproof and lasts for 12 hours on a charge. It’ll even connect with other JBL Party-Boost speakers for stereo sound, and can play while standing upright or on its side.

JBL Charge 5

JBL’s Charge 5 is a little bigger than the Flip 6 and offers a good upgrade in sound quality. It’s currently seeing a $60 discount that makes it just $120. It has a separate tweeter and dual bass radiators for bigger sound and the water-resistance combined with a long 20-hour battery life make it great for tunes on the go. It can even recharge your phone via USB-C.

JBL Boombox 2

JBL’s Boombox 2 is the previous generation of one of the recommended speakers in our guide. While the Boombox 3 isn’t on sale for Prime day part deux, this one also packs big, loud sound that you can take just about anywhere. The list price is $400, but October Prime is knocking it down to $250, which matches a Prime member-only deal it hit a few weeks ago and makes this a new low price for the public at large. It has a waterproof design, can recharge your phone, and at 13 pounds, it’s big but still portable.

JBL Go 2

The tiny JBL Go 3 also made its way into our October Prime day roundup for deals under $50. While we didn’t test it for our Bluetooth speaker guide, we’ve used and recommended plenty of JBL speakers. The Go 3 is 50 percent off, or $25 right now. You can also get the Clip 4 portable speaker for $45 instead of $80. Both are waterproof and have either a loop or clip for hanging.

Sony SRS-XB13 EXTRA BASS

The four-inch tall SRS-XB13 is back to $35 for October Prime, just like it was for July’s sale. This is an older model, which Sony replaced with the SRS-XB100, which is on sale for $48. Both are rated for water and dust resistance and you can pair two for stereo sound.

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-prime-day-speaker-deals-we-could-find-for-october-2023-110006653.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – The best Prime Day speaker deals we could find for October 2023

California is officially the first state to pass a law streamlining personal data removal. On October 10, Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 362, known as the Delete Act, into law, requiring the California Privacy Protection Agency (CPPA) to create and roll out a tool allowing state residents to request that all data brokers delete their information. There are nearly 500 registered data brokers in California.

Advocates for the bill painted it as a necessary protection. “Data brokers possess thousands of data points on each and every one of us, and they currently sell reproductive healthcare, geolocation, and purchasing data to the highest bidder,” Senator Josh Becker, author of the bill, said in a statement. “The Delete Act protects our most sensitive information.”

Current privacy laws allow Californians to make this request, but they must contact each company, and it can be denied. The CPPA has until 2026 to build the necessary system and has the authority to charge brokers to use it. Under the Delete Act, each broker must register with the CPPA and fulfill deletion requests every 45 days or risk facing a penalty such as a fine. Third-party compliance audits are set to begin in 2028 and occur every three years moving forward.

The Delete Act met opposition from organizations such as the Association of National Advertisers, which voiced concerns about schemes that charge consumers exorbitant amounts of money to delete their data and small businesses or non-profits being unable to reach their target audience without this detailed information.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/californias-new-law-makes-it-easier-for-consumers-to-request-the-deletion-of-their-data-095555419.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – California’s new law makes it easier for consumers to request the deletion of their data

Utah has sued TikTok over child safety issues and the company’s China-based ownership, CNBC has reported. In the complaint, attorney general Sean Reyes called the app “an addictive product” and accused it of misleading users about its relationship with China-based parent company ByteDance. The state recently enacted some of the strictest social media laws in the country, requiring parental permission for teens to use social media. 

The lawsuit compares TikTok to a slot machine that provides “dopamine manipulation” trigged by swiping up on videos. That addictive nature is particularly harmful for the “not-yet-fully-developed” brain of young users and can create a dependence on the app, the state claims. It noted that the US Surgeon General has warned about mental health harms around social media, and cited excessive TikTok usage based around the company’s own (redacted) figures. 

“What these children (and their parents) do not know is that TikTok is lying to them about the safety of its app and exploiting them into checking and watching the app compulsively, no matter the terrible effects it has on their mental health, their physical development, their family, and their social life,” the complaint states. 

The lawsuit also delves into TikTok’s links to China. “To avoid scrutiny from its users (and regulators), TikTok has also misled Utah consumers about the degree to which TikTok remains enmeshed with and under the control of ByteDance, it’s China-based parent company.” 

TikTok previously said that it has dedicated more than $1.5 billion on data security, and has rejected allegations that it’s spying for the Chinese government. The company also recently opened a Transparency and Accountability Center in an effort to fend off regulators and potential bans.

The federal government has yet to take any concrete action against social media platforms, but states have been more active. Utah recently passed a law requiring parents to get permission before teens can create accounts on TikTok, Snap and other platforms. It also mandates curfew, parental controls and age verification features. The state didn’t go as far as Montana, however, which outright banned the use of TikTok. Tomorrow, a judge will hear arguments in TikTok’s lawsuit seeking to overturn that ban — a case that could open the company up to more scrutiny and set precedent around the US.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/utah-sues-tiktok-over-child-safety-issues-and-its-links-to-china-085516390.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Utah sues TikTok over child safety issues and its links to China

If you have several Google Nest speakers, Chromecast and smart displays, you can add each of them to several different groups in the Google Home app again. The company implemented changes last month, which would allow certain devices to be added to only one speaker group at a time in response to Sonos’ patent lawsuit. This development, announced by the Nest team, undoes that change. If you’ll recall, Sonos sued the company back in 2020, accusing it of infringing on several patents it holds, including ones related to managing groups of speakers.

In May, a California federal jury determined that Google had infringed on Sonos’ intellectual property and ordered the tech giant to pay a $32.5 million fine. However, US District Judge William Alsup has just tossed out the verdict after finding that Sonos’ patents were unenforceable. Alsup ruled that Sonos had improperly linked its multi-room audio patents to a 2006 patent application, which didn’t disclose the actual invention. He also concluded that Sonos didn’t file applications for the patents involved in the lawsuit until 2019, years after Google presented it with a plan to use multi-room audio technology while exploring a collaboration.

Sonos told Reuters that the judge’s ruling was “wrong on both the facts and law” and that it intends to lodge an appeal. Google has decided to roll back its previous changes despite Sonos’ plan, though, which means you “will no longer run into an error when trying to add a device to additional groups.” The update has already started rolling out and is currently making its way to the Home app on Android. Google says the change is also “coming soon” to the Home app on iOS devices.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-brings-back-smart-speaker-grouping-after-sonos-lawsuit-victory-081200931.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Google brings back smart speaker grouping after Sonos lawsuit victory

Duolingo is launching its new music course sometime this fall. The educational tech company first announced that it was gearing up to add music lessons to its repertoire back in September, promising “hundreds of bite-sized lessons” that can teach you music with the help of over 200 tunes. Duolingo, of course, has turned music learning into a gamified experience, dividing lessons into levels you have to complete and docking points (or hearts) whenever you enter an incorrect answer. 

You’ll start by having to familiarize yourself with the sounds of the C and D notes of C major using a digital piano. Duolingo will have you matching the sounds of each note with their placement on a staff, so you’d know what they sound like and could spot them on a music sheet by the time you’re done. You’ll move on to the next notes in subsequent lessons, but before you can proceed, Duolingo will test you on what you’ve learned so far by having you play familiar ditties like Mary Had a Little Lamb. Don’t worry — you only have to follow the notes scrolling on screen, but it could still be plenty challenging for the musically inept, like yours truly. If the first lessons are a bit too basic for you, though, you can skip ahead to the more advanced stages of the course. 

In addition to creating a brand new music course, Duolingo has also updated its math curriculum to help you gain “advanced real-world math skills,” such as the ability to quickly calculate tips and hourly wage. “While Duolingo is known for language, we’re expanding to math and music because these are subjects that people often find intimidating,” Karen Chow, Senior Learning Scientist for Duolingo Music, told Engadget. “You’ll hear people say ‘Oh I’m tone deaf’ or ‘I’m just not a math person.’ We want to show people that learning these different subjects is possible and it can actually be a lot of fun!”

You can now sign up for the music course waitlist, if you want to start learning as soon as it becomes available. Initially, Duolingo music will only be available in English and Spanish on iOS devices, but the company says it’s “hoping to bring the course to more learners very soon.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/duolingos-gamified-music-lessons-are-launching-this-fall-050009231.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – Duolingo’s gamified music lessons are launching this fall

California became just the third state in the nation to pass a “right to repair” consumer protection law on Tuesday, following Minnesota and New York, when Governor Gavin Newsom signed SB 244. The California Right to Repair bill had originally been introduced in 2019. It passed, nearly unanimously, through the state legislature in September. 

“This is a victory for consumers and the planet, and it just makes sense,” Jenn Engstrom, state director of CALPIRG, told iFixit (which was also one of SB244’s co-sponsors). “Right now, we mine the planet’s precious minerals, use them to make amazing phones and other electronics, ship these products across the world, and then toss them away after just a few years’ use … We should make stuff that lasts and be able to fix our stuff when it breaks, and now thanks to years of advocacy, Californians will finally be able to, with the Right to Repair.”

Turns out Google isn’t offering seven years of replacement parts and software updates to the Pixel 8 out of the goodness of its un-beating corporate heart. The new law directly stipulates that all electronics and appliances costing $50 or more, and sold within the state after July 1, 2021 (yup, two years ago), will be covered under the legislation once it goes into effect next year, on July 1, 2024. 

For gear and gadgets that cost between $50 and $99, device makers will have to stock replacement parts and tools, and maintain documentation for three years. Anything over $100 in value gets covered for the full seven-year term. Companies that fail to do so will be fined $1,000 per day on the first violation, $2,000 a day for the second and $5,000 per day per violation thereafter.

There are, of course, carve outs and exceptions to the rules. No, your PS5 is not covered. Not even that new skinny one. None of the game consoles are, neither are alarm systems or heavy industrial equipment that “vitally affects the general economy of the state, the public interest, and the public welfare.” 

“I’m thrilled that the Governor has signed the Right to Repair Act into law,” State Senator Susan Talamantes Eggman, one of the bill’s co-sponsors, said. “As I’ve said all along, I’m so grateful to the advocates fueling this movement with us for the past six years, and the manufacturers that have come along to support Californians’ Right to Repair. This is a common sense bill that will help small repair shops, give choice to consumers, and protect the environment.”

The bill even received support from Apple, of all companies. The tech giant famous for its “walled garden” product ecosystem had railed against the idea when it was previously proposed in Nebraska, claiming the state would become “a mecca for hackers.” However, the company changed its tune when SB 244 was being debated, writing a letter of support reportedly stating, “We support ‘SB 244′ because it includes requirements that protect individual users’ safety and security as well as product manufacturers’ intellectual property.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/californias-right-to-repair-bill-is-now-californias-right-to-repair-law-232526782.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – California’s ‘right to repair’ bill is now California’s ‘right to repair’ law

Last year Meris took its digital effects prowess and built a ludicrously powerful guitar pedal, the LVX. Now the company is back with another modular creation, the MercuryX, but instead of delay it’s all about epic reverbs.

Like the LVX the MercuryX is built around a “advanced ARM processor” of unspecified origin and a 24-bit AD/DA converter with a 32 bit floating point DSP. It also inherits the LVX’s large LCD for navigating the interface and the basic scheme of combining structures, types, and processing elements to create a unique reverb effect. 

In Meris’ lexicon “structures” are the core reverb effects. There are eight different options: Ultraplate, Cathedra, 78 Room, 78 Plate, 78 Hall, Spring, Prism and Gravity. Those first two are borrowed Meris’ popular Mercury7 pedal, the middle three from the company’s collaboration with Chase Bliss on the CXM 1978, while the last three are completely new creations for the MercuryX. Type determines the characteristic of the reverb, while processing elements are effects that can further alter your tone. These can be as straight forward as compression, as wild as a granulator or just a nice hazy lo-fi effect. These can go anywhere in the signal chain as well, allowing the elements to affect only the reverberations or to completely replace your dry tone. 

Amazon’s second Prime Day sale event for 2023 kicked off in the wee hours this morning, and it’s turning out to be a great opportunity to shop for your holiday gifts early — or get something for yourself. And if you missed out on any of the deals from Prime Day in July, this year’s “Prime Big Deal Days” will let you make up for that. The sale has brought back many of the same low prices we saw a few months ago in summer, but we’re also seeing new sales as well — including deals on brand new devices. We’re adding new deals to this list regularly, all the way through the end of the sale tomorrow, so check back regularly. 

We’ve also put together category roundups for deals on headphones, tablets, TVs, video games and other gadgets. If you’ve got your gift list handy, now’s a good time to start checking it off so you won’t be pressed for time or funds when Black Friday comes around next month. A few deals are just for Prime members, but many are open to anyone looking to save. If you want to take advantage of some great tech deals, here’s best of what we found for October Prime Day. 

Apple AirPods Pro

The second-generation AirPods Pro have dropped to $189 for Prime Day. Apple made a ton of small but noticeable improvements to these models, so now they have better sound quality, noise cancelation and Transparency Mode. There remains no competition if you have an iPhone and live within the Apple ecosystem — these are the best earbuds to get if you fall into that category.

Apple Watch SE

The Apple Watch SE is on sale for $199 right now. It’s the best smartwatch to get if you’re new to the wearable world, or you just want a basic, relatively affordable watch that has all of the basic features you’d need. On top of comprehensive health and fitness tracking, iPhone notifications and dozens of fun watch faces, you’ll get features like crash and fall detection, noise monitoring and Emergency SOS.

Apple 10.2-inch iPad

Apple’s most affordable tablet, the 10.2-inch iPad, is on sale for $249 right now. It may have an old-school design, but it’s certainly the best iPad for people on a budget and it has most crucial features you’d expect in an Apple tablet. It earned a score of 86 from us for its solid performance, sharp screen, TouchID-capable Home button and good battery life. The only major downside to this model right now is that it still sports Apple’s old Lightning port rather than USB-C.

Apple iPad Air

The iPad Air is on sale for $500, which is $99 off the MSRP. Apple may refresh the Air at some point soon, but for now, we think the existing iPad Air is the best blend of price and performance in Apple’s tablet lineup. This model only has 64GB of storage, however, and its display is limited to a 60Hz refresh rate. We gave the iPad Air a review score of 90 last year. And it’s our top overall iPad pick for most people 

Samsung Galaxy Watch 6

The new Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 is down to $270 for October Prime Day, which is the lowest price we’ve seen since it came out a few months ago. You can’t get a better smartwatch than this one if you have an Android phone (bonus points if you have a Samsung phone), and it’s smaller and lighter than previous versions. Samsung brought back the spinning bezel on the Classic version, which is which makes the software’s UI easier to navigate, plus it has improved performance and updated health and fitness tracking tools.

Kindle Kids

If you’re looking for a good gift for a kid, the Kindle Kids edition is a great idea. It’s basically the same as the standard Kindle (which we named the best budget ereader you can buy) with a few extras. You also get a colorful protective case, a two-year warranty, and a year of Amazon Kids+, which grants access to thousands of kid-appropriate titles and hundreds of audiobooks. Even more helpful for parents, the kids edition syncs up with a parent dashboard that lets the grownups set time limits, add books and track their kid’s reading progress. The Kindle Kids usually goes for $120, but now it’s $80 instead. That’s $5 more than last Prime Day, but the lowest price we’ve seen outside of that sale.

Apple iPad mini

The Apple iPad mini has dropped to $400 for October Prime Day. It’s the best small tablet on the market right now and really your only option if you want a true one-hand-friendly iPad. It’s powered by Apple’s A15 Bionic chip and sports a Touch ID-toting power button, solid cameras, a good battery life and a USB-C port for charging.

Sony WF-1000XM5

Sony’s WF-1000XM5 wireless earbuds are on sale for $278 for Prime Day, which is their best price yet. These are the best wireless earbuds on the market right now, and Sony improved upon it’s already remarkable buds with a more comfortable fit, better sound quality and features likes adaptive sound and Speak-to-Chat.

Anker Soundcore Space A40

The Anker Soundcore Space A40 is on sale for $54, which matches its all-time low and comes in $25 less than usual. The Space A40 is the top pick in our guide to the best budget wireless earbuds, as it includes a host of features that belie its price: adaptive ANC, multi-device pairing, wireless charging, a transparency mode and up to 10 hours of battery life. Its audio quality and ANC aren’t quite as powerful as more expensive pairs, but both are more than effective enough for the money. Unlike many budget wireless headphones, its default sound doesn’t completely blow out the bass. Just note that its call quality is mediocre, and it lacks wear detection, so it won’t auto-pause when you remove an earbud.

Bose QuietComfort 45

The Bose QuietComfort 45 headphones have dropped to $230 for October Prime Day, which is about $80 cheaper than their usual selling price. These cans earned a spot in our best wireless headphone guide thanks to their comfortable, if a little dated, design, excellent ANC and balanced audio.

Google Pixel Buds Pro

The Google Pixel Buds Pro have dropped to $120 for Prime Day. The company got a lot of things right after years of making pretty standard earbuds; the Pixel Buds Pro are Google’s best wireless earbuds yet. These will be great for Android users who want buds with punchy bass, good ANC, reliable touch controls and wireless charging.

Amazon Echo Dot

Amazon has knocked the price of the latest Echo Dot down to $23 right now. It’s one of the best smart speakers you can get thanks to its orb-like design, surprisingly good sound quality for its size and handy Alexa integration. The Dots can also act as Eero WiFi boosters, adding up to 1,000 square feet of coverage to your existing Eero system.

Amazon Echo Show 5

The latest Echo Show 5 is on sale for a record low of $40. The Show 5 has been one of the best smart displays available for quite some time, and it’ll be particularly good for anyone who wants an Alexa-capable smart display that won’t take up a lot of space. It also makes for a good alarm clock thanks to its sunrise alarm and tap-to-snooze features.

Amazon Kindle

The standard Kindle has dropped to $75 for October Prime Day. This model saw a lot of improvements when it was updated in 2022. Capacity was doubled to 16GB and the screen resolution jumped up to 300 ppi for much clearer text. We named it the best budget option in our ereader guide because its perfect entry point to reading and borrowing ebooks and audiobooks.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

The Kindle Paperwhite, meanwhile, is down to $95 for an 8GB model. That’s $5 more than it went for during July’s Prime Day event but still $45 off its MSRP. The Paperwhite gets you a few extra perks over the standard Kindle, including a larger 6.8-inch screen, a more comprehensive front light and IPX8-rated waterproofing. This deal applies to the ad-supported version (which displays ads for Kindle books and services on your lock screen); it you want no ads on your device, you’ll need to pay $20 more.

$100 PlayStation Store Gift Card + $10 Amazon credit

Here’s a simple one: If you buy a $100 PlayStation Store digital gift card and use the code PSN100 at checkout, you can get an extra $10 Amazon credit to use on future purchases. If you often use Amazon and plan on picking up new PS5 games, renewing a PlayStation Plus subscription or buying any other content through the PlayStation Store anyway, it’s effectively a bit of free money.

Samsung Smart Monitor M8

The Samsung Smart Monitor M8 is down to just $500, which is $200 off the starting price and the lowest price it’s gone for so far. The 32-inch display has built-in apps and allows you to access streaming services, just like you would on a smart TV. This is the updated 2023 version of the model that launched at CES 2022 and not only combines a monitor with a smart TV, it can also act as a smart home hub, showing you your smart camera feeds and more.

Blink Mini (2-pack)

A two-pack of Blink Mini security cameras has dropped to $40 for Prime Day. That’s about $10 more than they went for last Prime Day, but still a decent 38 percent discount. While these cameras are wired, they have most of the same features as the standard wireless Blink cameras including 1080p video recordings and support for two-way talk and motion alerts.

Google Indoor Nest Security Cam

A slew of Google Nest home security devices are on sale, including the battery-powered Nest Cam that can go inside or outside your home. Typically priced at $180, the security cam is down to $120 for Amazon’s October Prime Day event. The Nest Cam works with smart speakers and displays enabled with Alexa or the Google Assistant and can last up to seven months depending on how much activity it picks up. Its weather-resistant build and magnetic mount should make it easy to install on most surfaces. It sends live alerts to your phone and will even allow for on-demand check-ins without a subscription, though it only stores the last three hours for free. For six months of stored footage, you’ll need a Nest Aware membership.

Amazon Fire HD 8

Amazon’s Fire HD 8 is down to $60 for the Prime Big Deal Days event, which is $5 more than the tablet’s all-time low but still $40 off its list price. This discount applies to the model with 32GB of storage; if you need more space, the 64GB version is on sale for $75. Either way, the Fire HD 8 is likely the cheapest competent tablet for most people: It’s slower than the Fire HD 10 and its display is limited to a 1,280 x 800 resolution, but it’s lightweight, it can last more than 10 hours on a charge and it’s still quick enough for basic streaming and reading. It’s not the best value at its standard going rate, but for $60, it’s hard to do better.

Amazon Fire 11 Max

The Fire Max 11 is Amazon’s largest and most performant tablet, with an 11-inch 2,000 x 1,200 resolution display, an aluminum frame, a respectable octa-core processor and 4GB of RAM. It has the same software limitations and lock-screen ads as any other Fire slate, so it’s a tough sell at its usual $230, but now it’s on sale for $150, which matches its all-time low. If you already use a bunch of Amazon services and don’t want to shell out for an entry-level iPad, it’s a big upgrade over the Fire HD 8 — just don’t expect to get any real work done with it.

Google Pixel Tablet

The 128GB Google Pixel Tablet is down to $409, which is $90 off and a new low. The 256GB model is also on sale for $509. While we think Samsung’s Galaxy Tab S9 works better purely as a tablet, Google’s 11-inch slate still gets you a sharp LCD display, a speedy Tensor G2 chip and an easy-to-hold design that weighs just over a pound. Its big hook, however, is that it can attach to an included charging speaker dock and double as a Nest Hub Max-style smart display. Android still isn’t as optimized for large screens as iPadOS, but if that extra functionality sounds useful to you, the Pixel Tablet is worth a look. We gave it a score of 85 in June. (The Galaxy Tab S9, meanwhile, isn’t on sale as of this writing.)

Google Pixel 7a

The Google Pixel 7a is down to a new low of $399 for this sale event. It’s the best midrange phone you can get right now thanks to its speedy Tensor G2 chip, smooth 90Hz display and support for wireless charging. The 7a also has solid cameras and an IP67 water-resistant design.

Samsung Galaxy S23 Ultra

The entire Samsung Galaxy S23 series is on sale for Prime Day, including the S23, S23+ and S23 Ultra. These are some of the best Android phones you can buy right now, and we recommend springing for the S23 Ultra if you want all of the latest features from Samsung. The Ultra runs on a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip and has a big, bold 120Hz display, built-in S Pen and an excellent main camera.

Bose Quiet Comfort

The Bose QuietComfort Earbuds II have dropped to $199 for October Prime Day, which is the best price we’ve ever seen, though you’ll need to be a Prime member to get the deal. They’re currently the best wireless earbuds you can get if you want as much noise cancelation as possible. On top of that, these buds have a smaller, more comfortable fit and good audio quality.

Beats Studio Pro

The Beats Studio Pro headphones are on sale for $180 right now. That’s a sizable $170 discount. We reviewed these back in July when they came out and gave them a decent review score of 81. Unfortunately they didn’t push any of the top picks from our our best headphones list off their pedestals. They aren’t bad, however, offering pleasant, even-handed sound and good noise cancellation. Though Beats is now owned by Apple, these headphones still play nice with Android. There’s no wear detection and the mostly plastic design isn’t super premium, but at this price, you may not care.

Sony SRS-XB13 Extra Bass

The four-inch tall SRS-XB13 is back to $35 for October Prime, which matches its sale price for July’s Prime sale. You’ll need a Prime membership to get the deal, however. This is an older model of the tiny portable. Sony replaced it with the SRS-XB100 earlier this year, which is currently seeing a 20 percent discount. They’re both rated for water and dust resistance and you can pair two for stereo sound.

Roku Streaming Stick 4K

Our favorite streaming stick, the Roku Streaming Stick 4K, has dropped to $38 for this sale. It packs a ton of features into an affordable package, including 4K HDR streaming capabilities, Dolby Vision, AirPlay 2 and private listening when you have a pair of headphones. And since it’s so small, it makes a great travel entertainment device, too.

LG B2

The LG B2 OLED TV is down to $847 for a 55-inch model. That’s a new low and roughly $150 off its average street price in recent months. The B2 is the step-down model from the C2 — which is also on sale at $1,097 for a 55-inch set — as it’s not as bright or color-rich with HDR content, it runs on a slower processor and it has two fewer HDMI 2.1 ports. That said, its contrast, colors and motion performance will still be a significant upgrade if you’re upgrading from a more basic LED TV. LG’s new B3 TV promises a cleaner webOS interface, but it’s priced a good way higher as of this writing. If you want an OLED TV for less than $1,000, the B2 should be a better value.

Hisense U6K

If you want a more affordable TV, the Hisense U6K is also on sale, with the 55- and 65-inch models down to $400 and $548, respectively. We’ve seen these deals before, but each matches an all-time low. The U6K is has received generally positive reviews around the web, as it’s one of the few budget-level sets with quantum dots, full-array local dimming and a mini-LED backlight. All of that should help it deliver better contrast and color volume than most TVs in its price range. It’s not ideal for gaming though, as it’s limited to a 60Hz refresh rate and lacks HDMI 2.1 ports. In general, it can’t match the brightness or viewing angles of a more expensive set, but it looks to be a good buy if you’re on a tighter budget.

For a well-reviewed mid-range model, the Hisense U8K provides much better contrast and peak brightness, and it comes with more gaming-friendly features like the ability to play 4K content at up to a 144Hz refresh rate. That one is down to $748 for a 55-inch model and $998 for a 65-inch set.

iRobot Roomba 694

iRobot’s Roomba 694 has dropped to $199 for Prime Day. It’s our favorite cheap robot vacuum thanks to its strong suction power, attractive design and easy to use app. It’ll be a good option for robo-vac novices, or anyone that doesn’t want to fuss too much with an automatic dirt sucker. It clears hard and carpeted floors well, and it automatically returns to its base once a cleaning job is finished so it can recharge.

Razer Basilisk V3

The Razer Basilisk V3 is down to $44 for Prime members, which is a few bucks more than its all-time low but still $6 less than its usual street price. This is the “best for most” pick in our guide to the best gaming mouse, as its sturdy shape should be comfortable for each grip type and all but the smallest hands. (Provided you’re a righty.) It has 11 customizable buttons, including a “sensitivity clutch” for more precise aiming, and its thumb wheel supports both left-right tilt and a faster free-spin mode. That wheel is somewhat noisy, and the whole thing is too heavy for competitive-minded players, but it still tracks accurately and glides smoothly.

Samsung Pro Plus microSD

The Samsung Pro Plus microSD card is on sale for $20 right now. It’s our top pick in our best microSD card guide because it was the most consistent of the ones we tested, with some of the best overall speeds and all of the important ratings that a good card should have: U3, V30 and A2. It’ll be a great pick for your tablet, smartphone or Nintendo Switch, and it comes with a full-sized adapter in case you need to use it with a camera or connect it to your computer.

Backbone One

The Backbone One is a well-built gamepad that snaps around the sides of your phone and works immediately with just about any game that supports controller input. It’s also convenient for cloud streaming games from a console or PC. Right now both its USB-C and Lightning models are down to $70, which is $30 off. That’s not an all-time low, but discounts on the device are relatively uncommon. We gave the One a positive review last year, and we currently highlight it in our guide to the best handheld gaming systems. Backbone says the USB-C models will work with Apple’s new iPhone 15 lineup as well.

Crucial MX500

The Crucial MX500 internal drive is on sale for $46 right now. It’s been an Engadget favorite for a while thanks to its sequential read speeds of 560MB/s and a standard 2.5-inch design that should make it easy to swap in for your desktop’s or laptop’s used-up drive.

Here are all the deals we’ve rounded up so far:

• The best lightning deals to shop right now

• The best Prime Day laptop deals

• The best Prime Day Apple Watch deals

• The best Amazon Prime Day Apple deals

• The best Prime Day deals for AirPods

• The best Prime Day deals under $50

• The best Prime Day TV deals

• The best Prime Day Kindle deals

• Best iPad and tablet deals from Prime Day

• The best Prime Day gaming deals

• The best camera deals from Prime Day

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-35-best-amazon-prime-day-deals-to-shop-for-right-now-224651599.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – The 35 best Amazon Prime Day deals to shop for right now

A top European Union official is warning Elon Musk about the spread of misinformation on X amid the Israel-Hamas war. EU Commissioner Thierry Breton sent Musk an “urgent” letter about the company’s handling of misinformation and its responsibilities under the Digital Services Act.

The letter comes as researchers and fact checkers have warned about a wave of misinformation on X in the wake of the Hamas attacks in Israel. While Musk’s recent move to strip headlines from links shared on the platform has made it more difficult to find news, verified users have also been sharing viral clips of completely unrelated content purporting to be scenes from the unfolding conflict.

“Following the terrorist attacks carried out by Hamas against Israel, we have indications that your platform is being used to disseminate illegal content and disinformation in the EU,” Breton wrote in the letter to Musk. “Let me remind you that the Digital Services Act sets very precise obligations regarding content moderation.”

In particular, Breton called out the spread of “fake and manipulated images and facts circulating on your platform in the EU, such as repurposed old images of unrelated armed conflicts or military footage that actually originated from video games.” He also flagged the company’s newly-changed public interest policy, saying that the change “left many European users uncertain” about what type of content the platform allows.

Breton also suggested X was not responding appropriately to requests to deal with “potentially illegal content,” on its platform. “When you receive notices of illegal content in the EU, you must be timely, diligent and objective in taking action and removing the relevant content when warranted,” Breton wrote. “We have, from qualified sources, reports about potentially illegal content circulating on your service despite flags from relevant authorities.”

X didn’t respond to a request for comment, but Musk issued a brief reply on X. “Our policy is that everything is open source and transparent, an approach that I know the EU supports,” Musk wrote. “Please list the violations you allude to on X, so that that [sic] the public can see them.”

The company, which recently removed its misinformation-reporting tool and cut safety teams tasked with handling disinformation, has pointed to its crowd-sourced fact-checking tool, Community Notes, as its primary way of addressing misinformation.

In an update posted shortly after Breton shared the letter, the company said that “more than 500 unique notes” had been created over the last three days, including notes addressing “fake videos made with game simulators” and other “out of context” and “unrelated” footage. X added that it’s “actively working on” changes “that will help automatically show notes on even more posts with matching video and images” and that it’s “scaling up” notifications for people who previously engaged with content later fact-checked with a note. The company didn’t say how many users have received such notifications.

It’s not the first time European Union officials have raised concerns about the amount of disinformation on X. An EU report last month found that X had the highest prevalence of misinformation and disinformation. Under the Digital Services Act, companies like X are required to disclose details about their handling of disinformation.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/eu-official-warns-elon-musk-about-xs-handling-of-disinformation-amid-israel-hamas-war-210909999.html?src=rss

Source: Engadget – EU official warns Elon Musk about X’s handling of disinformation amid Israel-Hamas war