These are the 10 best Amazon Black Friday deals on Kindles, Fire TV devices and Echos that you can get right now

Posted on 17/11/2023 by Amy Skorheim

Amazon started its Black Friday deals early this year, and many Amazon devices are on sale right now. We sifted through the sale and selected standout deals on Amazon Kindles, Fire TV sticks, Echo speakers, and Eero routers. There's also a bundle that combines an Amazon display with a doorbell to extend the utility of both. We expect these prices to stay the same through Cyber Monday, so it's probably a safe bet to do the majority of your shopping now.

Echo Show 5

The Echo Show 5 is Amazon’s smallest smart display and was completely refreshed back in May of this year. The processor and audio quality were improved, but the device remains largely the same. It makes a good screen-enabled bedside alarm clock or a handy kitchen display so you can see recipe videos or make calls as you cook. It’s currently down to $40 which is $50 off and a discount it has hit twice in the past couple months.

Ring Video Doorbell and Echo Show 5

The Ring Video Doorbell paired up with an Echo Show 5 is a great starter kit for a connected home. Right now, the two together are $65. Bought separately and at full price, you’d pay $190, though both devices are often discounted, so this deal is about $10 less than the typical sale price for the two. The doorbell runs on battery or your existing doorbell wires and shoots motion-triggered 1080p video, sending it to the Ring app on your phone or directly to your Echo Show 5.

Fire TV Stick 4K Max

The new Fire TV Stick 4K Max is on sale for $40, which is a 33 percent discount and its lowest price since its debut in September. This new model has a faster processor than the previous 4K Max dongle, and is the first stick to support Amazon’s Ambient Experience, which was previously limited to the Fire TV sets. When you’re not watching, the screen will display art, along with widgets for weather, calendar and smart home devices. The Alexa remote lets you search for and play shows and movies just by talking, and also supports Wi-Fi 6E, letting those who’ve upgraded to take advantage of that tri-band connection.

Kindle Scribe

The base model Kindle Scribe with 16GB of storage and Amazon's "Basic Pen" stylus is down to $240, which is $100 off its $340 list price and and a new low price that's $15 less than the members-only deal from Amazon’s July Prime Day. We gave it a review score of 85 when it came out last year and it’s one of our picks in our guide to the best E Ink tablets. At its core, it’s a Kindle ereader that lets you take hand-written notes. That includes drawing, making to-do lists, creating sticky notes and scribbling in the margins of a small selection of Kindle titles (mostly puzzle and journaling books).

Echo Dot

Amazon's most popular speaker, the Echo Dot is back down to $23. That matches its lowest price ever, which it dropped to for both Prime Day sales earlier this year. It's our favorite smart speaker under $50. It does a good job of delivering Alexa's abilities and smart home control and is capable of pumping out louder and cleaner music than you'd expect from such a compact device. It can also set reminders, answer questions and turn off your connected smart lights, just by asking Alexa — which should get even more conversational soon. The Dot with a built-in clock is also on sale, with a 42 percent discount making it $35 or about $5 more than it went for Prime Day in July.

Echo Pop

Amazon’s smallest Echo speaker, the Echo Pop, is currently down to $18, which is a 55 percent discount and matches its all-time low price. It has the same Alexa-enabled features as a full sized Echo speaker, but takes up a lot less space. Of course, the sound won’t be nearly as full as its larger siblings, so this makes more sense as a way to add the AI's help to the corner of a room than it does as a dedicated music source.

Echo

The Echo is the original Amazon smart speaker and it's been refreshed four times since its launch. The latest model switched over to the globe shape, which allows for larger and more directional speakers. It's currently down to $55, which is the same as it went for during both 2023 Prime sales, but about $5 more than it sold for last Black Friday. We named it our favorite smart speaker under $100 because it is noticeably louder than it's two closest competitors, the Nest Audio or HomePod mini and can fill a room with sound. The bass is impressive, though the highs could be crisper. It also brings all that Alexa can do to whichever room you park it in.

Fire HD 10 tablet

Amazon’s revamped Fire HD 10 tablet with 32GB of storage is now down to $80, which is 42 percent off and represents the new model’s first discount since its debut in September. Fire tablets make great couch companions, handling casual streaming and browsing, though they aren’t productivity workhorses, particularly since you're locked into Amazon's own app store. This generation is speedier and lighter than the previous generation and includes a better 5MP camera for video calls.

Echo Show 10

The latest generation of the Echo Show 10 smart display is on sale for $90 off the list price. That makes it $160 and matches its lowest price ever. The Show 10 is unique among smart displays in that it can pivot to face the screen towards you as you move around the room. Combined that with the upcoming chatbot update to Alexa, and it feels like we're getting closer to the advent of house robots. In the meantime, you can use the smart display to show you the weather, tell you a joke or start playing M3gan.

Eero Pro 6E mesh Wi-Fi router

If you want to take advantage of that 6 GHz Wi-Fi band, you’ll need a router (and devices) that support it. Amazon’s own Eero Pro 6E mesh Wi-Fi router is $400 for a set of three, that's a 27 percent discount and matches the lows it's hit a few times before. The set of three routers should blanket up to 6,000 square feet with Wi-Fi coverage. In our tests, the routers performed well enough; they’re easy to set up and use, with an app that has a clean UI and step-by-step instructions. Unfortunately, many of the management features are paywalled, whereas systems by Google offer many of those tools for free.

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

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/these-are-the-10-best-amazon-black-friday-deals-on-kindles-five-tv-devices-and-echos-that-you-can-get-right-now-153025921.html?src=rss

The Amazon Fire TV Stick Lite drops to $16 in an early Black Friday deal

Posted on 14/11/2023 by Amy Skorheim

According to our testing, Amazon's Fire TV Stick Lite is the best budget streaming device you can buy. And thanks to an early Black Friday deal at Amazon, it's down to just $16. That's a 46 percent discount off the $30 list price (though it often goes for $20) and only $1 more than its all-time low. If you're looking for a way to turn any screen with an HDMI port into a smart TV, this is one of the most affordable ways to do it, particularly now that it's on sale.

The Fire TV Stick Lite doesn't stream content in 4K and can't control the TV's volume or on/off functions, but it will give you access to all major streaming platforms through Amazon's Fire TV interface. You can also use it to access free ad-supported TV like Amazon's Freevee and PlutoTV. We found the Fire TV interface easy enough to figure out, though we note that it does tend to favor and promote it's own Prime content. The Alexa remote is particularly helpful, letting you launch apps just with your voice. It'll also handle standard requests like weather forecasts and answering questions. If you've got Alexa-enabled smart home devices like a camera or doorbell, the Fire TV Sticks can also send live feeds to your TV, turning it into a smart display of sorts.

Also included in the early Black Friday deals is the standard Fire TV Stick. It's currently down to $20, which is 50 percent off the $40 list price (though it's often on sale for $25). That said, if you do want a crisper picture, the new Fire Stick 4K is $25, down from $50, while the Fire Stick 4K Max is $20 off at $40.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-amazon-fire-tv-stick-lite-drops-to-16-in-an-early-black-friday-deal-140047555.html?src=rss

This Masterclass Black Friday deal gives you two memberships for the price of one

Posted on 13/11/2023 by Amy Skorheim

As part of a Black Friday deal, you can get two MasterClass annual memberships — one for yourself and one to give away as a gift — for the price of one. Memberships start at $120 per year, which lets you watch on one device at a time, $180 grants access to two devices simultaneously and allows for downloads, and a Family membership covers six devices. The free membership for gifting will be at the same level you buy for yourself. The deal is available now and ends at midnight on Black Friday.

If you're looking for something that's not a "thing" to gift this year, MasterClass makes a nice option. A membership includes access to 180 different big name instructors teaching on topics they know a lot about. Classes on offer sound like an A-list roll call: Martin Scorsese and Jodie Foster teach lessons on filmmaking, Samuel L. Jackson and Helen Mirren cover acting, Questlove shows you how to DJ, and Margaret Atwood gives a seminar on writing.

Classes range from around two to six hours and are broken up into shorter lessens, usually between 10 and 20 minutes. There are even exercises and community forums to get you actually doing the things the teachers teach. Recently, MasterClass added series as part of its lineup, such as GOAT, which are 20 minute episodes covering a single topic (such as making a grilled cheese or playing pickleball) that feel more like a mini documentary than a lesson. The mobile app also offers series of short, swipeable videos, for a highly polished TikTok feel.

When I tried out MasterClass, it struck me that the learning platform was more like a streaming service than anything else — a really smart streaming service, where you get to watch masters talk about how they go about their craft. Even if you don't see yourself becoming a comedian, watching Steve Martin tell you how it's done is riveting nonetheless.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/this-masterclass-black-friday-deal-gives-you-two-memberships-for-the-price-of-one-170010173.html?src=rss

Walmart Black Friday deals 2023: Save on the Apple Watch Series 9, AirPods, and Roku devices

Posted on 08/11/2023 by Amy Skorheim

Walmart has already kicked off its Black Friday sale. That's good news for anyone who wants to spend the day after Thanksgiving doing something other than shopping. The early Black Friday deals went live online today — Walmart+ members get a few hours of early access before everyone else — and will hit physical stores this Friday.

We've unearthed the best tech deals from this portion of Walmart's Black Friday sale and gathered them here so you can start ticking gifts off your holiday list — or grab something for yourself at a discount. The highlights are probably the brand new Apple Watch Series 9 for $349 and the second-generation AirPods for $69 — both are all-time lows.

Apple Watch Series 9

If you've been waiting to get Apple's brand new flagship smartwatch, your patience has paid off. The Apple Watch Series 9 is down to $349 for the 41mm, GPS-only model, and Amazon is matching that price as well. That's a $50 discount and the lowest price yet for the barely-two-month-old wearable. If you'd prefer a little more room on the screen, you can go for the 45mm case size for $379, also $50 and a new low price. The biggest improvement this time around is the S9 processor. It allows for a new Double Tap feature and onboard Siri processing for faster responses to your queries. It's also got a brighter screen and, when paired with the Sport Loop, is carbon neutral. We gave the wearable a solid score of 92 in our review, praising the new features and the comprehensive fitness and health tracking.

Apple AirPods (second gen)

The second-generation AirPods are now on sale for $69, which is a $90 discount and their lowest price ever, thanks to Walmart's sale. You can find them for the same price at Amazon as well. They are a little older at this point; we gave them a review score of 84 when they came out back in 2019. But they're a good pick for someone who needs a knock-around pair of buds that pair seamlessly with an iPhone. Some people even prefer the smooth fit of the older model, which is more like Apple's wired EarPods. To be sure, both the third-generation AirPods and the new, second-generation AirPods Pro have seen significant improvements in both sound quality and features like noise cancellation, Spatial Audio and Transparency mode. The newer buds may make more sense for audiophiles, but at this price, the second-generation AirPods will make a nice stocking stuffer for an iPhone user.

Canon EOS R50

We tested out the Canon EOS R50 mirrorless camera when it came out earlier this year and gave it an 87. During the early Black Friday sale, it's $180 off, which is a new all-time low. We think this is a great camera for street photographers or travelers because it has a slim and light design and is capable of shooting 4K video. It offers fast shooting, has a reliable auto-focus and takes great images — particularly for the price point. And now that it's on sale, you'll be hard pressed to find a higher quality hybrid camera that can do pretty much everything vloggers and photographers need.

Sony WF-C500 earbuds

Sony's WF-C500 earbuds are 70 percent off right now, which makes them $29 instead of $100. That's a pretty great price, though the buds are about two years old at this point. Still, they're our favorite budget pair of wireless headphones for working out. They were one of the lightest pair of earbuds we tested and though they have a more bulbous design, they were still comfortable. While they don't have active noise cancellation, the shape does a good job of passively blocking out most sounds (but traffic noises still get through, which is important for outdoor workouts).

Roku Ultra LT

The Roku Ultra LT is 57 percent off thanks to the Walmart Black Friday sale. We're fans of Roku streaming devices and recommend the Ultra set top box in our guide. The Ultra LT is a Walmart exclusive version that has a less-expensive starting price and a few tradeoffs over the regular Ultra. There's a slightly different remote on the LT, that lacks to personalization buttons and there's no Bluetooth connectivity and it lacks a USB port in the back of the set top box. But you still get one of the best smart TV interfaces plus support for 4K video and Dolby Vision. Plus at this price, it's $65 cheaper than the other version.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/walmart-black-friday-deals-2023-save-50-on-the-apple-watch-series-9-plus-up-to-70-percent-on-airpods-roku-devices-and-more-170010855.html?src=rss

The best docking stations for laptops in 2024

Posted on 08/11/2023 by Amy Skorheim

Good laptops can do everything desktop computers can do, plus they fit in a backpack when it’s time to work or play elsewhere. One notable difference, though, is the number of ports on a portable computer versus a tower setup. If you want extensive connectivity when you’re at your desk, while still reserving the ability to pack up and go at a moment’s notice, docking stations can get you there. Relying on just one USB-C port on your laptop and a DC power supply, a docking station lets you plug in your wired mice and keyboards, hook up a monitor with HDMI or DisplayPort jacks and transfer data to external drives and SD cards. Determining the best docking station depends on exactly which ports you need and whether the supported standards of each port will deliver the speeds or resolutions you’re looking for. We tested more than 15 highly rated docks to help you determine the best laptop docking station for your needs.

What to look for in a docking station

First and foremost, consider what you need to plug in. This will likely be the deciding factor when you go to actually buy a docking station. Do you need three screens for an expanded work view? A quick way to upload photos from an SD card? Are you looking to plug in a webcam, mic and streaming light, while simultaneously taking advantage of faster Ethernet connections? Once you’ve settled on the type of ports you need, you may also want to consider the generation of those ports as well; even ports with the same shape can have different capabilities. Here’s a brief overview of the connectivity different docking stations offer.

Monitor ports

External monitors typically need one of three ports to connect to a PC: HDMI, DisplayPort or USB-C. HDMI connections are more common than DisplayPort and the cables and devices that use them are sometimes more affordable. The most popular version of the DisplayPort interface (v1.4) can handle higher resolutions and refresh rates than the most common HDMI version (2.0). All of the docking stations with HDMI ports that we recommend here use version 2.0, which can handle 4K resolution at 60Hz or 1080p up to 240Hz. The DisplayPort-enabled docks support either version 1.2, which allows for 4K resolution at 60Hz, or version 1.4, which can handle 8K at 60Hz or 4K at 120Hz.

You can also use your dock’s downstream (non-host) Thunderbolt ports to hook up your monitors. If your external display has a USB-C socket, you can connect directly. If you have an HDMI or DisplayPort-only monitor, you can use an adapter or a conversion cable.

Of course, the number of monitors you can connect and the resolutions/rates they’ll achieve depend on both your computer’s GPU and your monitors — and the more monitors you plug in can bring down those numbers as well. Be sure to also use cables that support the bandwidth you’re hoping for. MacOS users should keep in mind that MacBooks with the standard M1 or M2 chips support just one external monitor natively and require DisplayLink hardware and software to support two external displays. MacBooks with M1 Pro, M2 Pro or M2 Max chips can run multiple monitors from a single port.

USB ports

Most docking stations offer a few USB Type-A ports, which are great for peripherals like wired mice and keyboards, bus-powered ring lights and flash drives. For faster data transfer speeds to your flash drive, go for USB-A sockets labeled 3.1 or 3.2 — or better yet, use a USB-C Thunderbolt port.

Type-C USB ports come in many different flavors. The Thunderbolt 3, 4 and USB4 protocols are newer, more capable specifications that support power delivery of up to 100W, multiple 4K displays and data transfer speeds of up to 40Gbps. Other USB-C ports come in a range of versions, with some supporting video, data and power and some only able to manage data and power. Transfer rates and wattages can vary from port to port, but most docks list the wattage or GB/s on either the dock itself or on the product page. And again, achieving the fastest speeds will depend on factors like the cables you use and the devices you’re transferring data to.

Nearly every dock available today connects to a computer via USB-C, often Thunderbolt, and those host ports are nearly always labeled with a laptop icon. They also allow power delivery to your laptop: available wattage varies, but most docks are rated between 85 and 100 watts. That should be enough to keep most computers powered — and it also means you won’t have to take up an extra laptop connector for charging.

Other ports

None of our currently recommended laptops include an Ethernet jack; a docking station is a great way to get that connection back. We all know objectively that wired internet is faster than Wi-Fi, but it might take running a basic speed comparison test to really get it on a gut level. For reference, on Wi-Fi I get about a 45 megabit-per-second download speed. Over Ethernet, it’s 925 Mbps. If you pay for a high-speed plan, but only ever connect wirelessly, you’re probably leaving a lot of bandwidth on the table. Every docking station I tested includes an Ethernet port, and it could be the connector you end up getting the most use out of.

Just two of our favorite laptops have SD card readers, and if you need a quick way to upload files from cameras or audio recorders, you may want to get a dock with one of those slots. Of the docks we tested, about half had SD readers. For now, most (but not all) laptops still include a 3.5mm audio jack, but if you prefer wired headphones and want a more accessible place to plug them in, many docking stations will provide.

When you’re counting up the ports for your new dock, remember that most companies include the host port (the one that connects to your computer) in the total number. So if you’re looking for a dock with three Thunderbolt connections, be sure to check whether one of them will be used to plug in your laptop.

The Cal Ditgit TS4 stands upright on a desk and we can see the ports clearly.

Design

Most docking stations have either a lay-flat or upright design. Most docks put the more “permanent” connections in back — such as Ethernet, DC power, monitor connections and a few USBs. Up-front USB ports can be used for flash drive transfers, or even plugging in your phone for a charge (just make sure the port can deliver the power you need). USBs in the rear are best for keyboards, mice, webcams and other things you’re likely to always use. Some docks position the host port up front, which might make it easier to plug in your laptop when you return to your desk, but a host port in back may look neater overall.

How we tested

We started out by looking at online reviews, spec sheets from various brands and docking stations that our fellow tech sites have covered. We considered brands we’ve tested before and have liked, and weeded out anything that didn’t have what we consider a modern suite of connections (such as a dock with no downstream USB-C ports). We narrowed it down to 12 contenders and I tested each dock in a home office, using an M1 MacBook Pro, a Dell XPS 13 Plus and an Acer Chromebook Spin 514. I plugged in and evaluated the quality of the connections for 12 different peripherals including a 4K and an HD monitor, a 4K and an HD webcam, plus USB devices like a mouse, keyboard, streaming light and mic. I plugged in wired earbuds, and transferred data to a USB-C flash drive and an external SSD. I ran basic speed tests on the Ethernet connections as well as the file transfers. I judged how easy the docks were to use as well as the various design factors I described earlier. I made spreadsheets and had enough wires snaking around my work area that my cat stayed off my desk for three weeks (a new record).

Best docking stations

Other laptop docking stations we tested

Plugable TBT4-UDZ

When I pulled the Plugable TBT4-UDZ Thunderbolt 4 out of the box, I was convinced it would make the cut: It has a practical upright design, an attractive metal finish, and the host connection is TB4. While there are plenty of USB-A and monitor ports, there’s just one downstream USB-C. A modern dock, particularly one that costs $300, should let you run, say, a USB-C cam and mic at the same time. Otherwise, it’s pretty limiting.

Anker 575 USB-C

At $250 (and more often $235), the Anker 575 USB-C could make for a good budget pick for Windows. It performed well with the Dell XPS 13 Plus, but had trouble with the third screen, the 4K webcam and headphone jack when connected to the MacBook Pro. It’s quite compact, which means it can get wobbly when a bunch of cables are plugged in, but it has a good selection of ports and was able to handle my basic setup well.

Belkin Connect Pro Thunderbolt 4

Belkin’s Connect Pro Thunderbolt 4 Dock is a contender for a Thunderbolt 4 alternative. It has nearly the same ports as the AD2010 (minus the microSD slot) and an attractive rounded design — but it’s $90 more, so I’d only recommend getting it if you find it on sale.

Acer USB Type-C Dock

Acer’s USB Type-C Dock D501 costs $10 more than our Kensington pick for Chromebooks, but it performs similarly and is worth a mention. It has nearly the same ports (including the rather limiting single downstream USB-C) but both the Ethernet and data transfer speeds were faster.

Docking station FAQs

Are docking stations worth it?

Docking stations are worth it if you have more accessories to plug in than your laptop permits. Say you have a USB-C camera and mic, plus a USB-A mouse, keyboard and streaming light; very few modern laptops have enough connections to support all of that at once. A docking station can make that setup feasible while also giving you extra ports like an Ethernet connection, and supplying power to your laptop. However, if you just need a few extra USB sockets, you might be better off going with a hub, as those tend to be cheaper.

How much does a laptop dock cost?

Laptop docking stations tend to be bigger and more expensive than simple USB-A or USB-C hubs, thanks to the wider array of connections. You can find them as low as $50 and they can get as expensive as $450. A reasonable price for a dock with a good selection of ports from a reputable brand will average around $200.

How do I set up my laptop dock?

Most docking stations are plug and play. First, connect the DC power cable to the dock and a wall outlet. Then look for the “host” or upstream port on the dock — it’s almost always a USB-C/Thunderbolt port and often branded with an icon of a laptop. Use the provided cable to connect to your computer. After that, you can connect your peripherals to the dock and they should be ready to use with your laptop. A few docking stations, particularly those that handle more complex monitor setups, require a driver. The instructions that come with your dock will point you to a website where you can download that companion software.

Does a laptop charge on a docking station?

Nearly all docking stations allow you to charge your laptop through the host connection (the cable running from the dock to your computer). That capability, plus the higher number of ports is what separates a docking station from a hub. Docks can pass on between 65W and 100W of power to laptops, and nearly all include a DC adapter.

Are all docking stations compatible with all laptops?

No, not all docking stations are compatible with every laptop. In our tests, the Chromebook had the biggest compatibility issues, the Dell PC had the least, and the MacBook fell somewhere in between. All docks will list which brands and models they work with on the online product page — be sure to also check the generation of your laptop as some docks can’t support certain chips.

What are some popular docking station brands?

Kensington, Anker, Pluggable and Belkin are reputable and well-known brands making docking stations for all laptops. Lenovo, Dell and HP all make docks that will work with their own computers as well as other brands.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-docking-station-160041863.html?src=rss