Amazon Prime members can get this Blink Outdoor bundle with a video doorbell for 63 percent off in an early Prime Day deal

If you've been looking to improve your home's security but don't want to spend a fortune, Amazon Prime Day presents an excellent time to shop for some new gear. An early Prime Day deal discounts this Blink Outdoor bundle by 63 percent. For $120 — down from $320 — you can get a Blink Video Doorbell and three Outdoor 4 smart security cameras with Sync Module 2. Like most Prime Day deals, this one is exclusive to Prime members in the lead-up to the big day. 

The Blink bundle allows you to monitor your home, whether you're far away or right inside. You can use Video Doorbell to answer the door, get alerts when there's motion and speak to visitors. It uses infrared night vision and 1080p HD live view to give you insight during the day or night. The device requires two double AA batteries (included in the bundle) and should last for about two years. 

Then there are Blink's fourth-generation Outdoor Cameras, one of our picks for best smart home gadgets. The lens offers a 143-degree field of vision, 1080p HD video, two-way audio and Alexa integration. It also has better low-light vision and catches movement faster than its predecessors.

If you don't need three cameras and want to save some money, there's another option for you. This early Prime Day deal bundle includes a Blink Video Doorbell and just one Outdoor 4 smart security camera with Sync Module 2. The pair is also 63 percent off, with the deal dropping their price to $60 from $160. 

Your 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. Hear from Autoblog’s experts on the best Amazon 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/amazon-prime-members-can-get-this-blink-outdoor-bundle-with-a-video-doorbell-for-63-percent-off-in-an-early-prime-day-deal-134858607.html?src=rss

Apple’s latest OS betas enable iPhone mirroring on Mac

One of the more compelling features Apple showed off for macOS at Worldwide Developers Conference 2024 earlier this month is the ability to mirror your iPhone to your desktop. Brave souls who don't mind installing developer betas on their devices can now check that out for themselves, as it's available in the latest iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia builds.

The first public betas of both operating systems are expected to arrive in July, but it's unclear whether the feature will be available in those at the outset. Folks in the EU will also have to wait longer to try the feature as Apple is delaying the rollout of iPhone mirroring, Apple Intelligence and SharePlay Screen Sharing. The company has pinned the blame on potential Digital Markets Act compliance concerns and how that "could force us to compromise the integrity of our products in ways that risk user privacy and data security."

Still, if you can't wait to check this out and you have a developer account with Apple, you can install the betas now (bearing in mind the usual risks that come with beta versions of operating systems). If you do, you'll be able to control your iPhone from your Mac while the former remains locked and in StandBy mode. You'll also get notifications from your iOS apps on your desktop.

Naturally, you'll need to be signed into the same Apple Account on both devices for this to work. You'll need to have Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on too. 

The virtual iPhone will run at 60 fps. It will typically operate in vertical mode unless you launch a game that runs horizontally, in which case it will flip to its side. Mirroring is said to use about the same amount of battery life as physically using your iPhone. If you unlock your handset, the mirroring window on your Mac will close instantly.

Apple has some other iPhone mirroring features planned for the future, such as the ability to drag and drop files and other things between your phone and Mac. This is expected to include support for third-party apps.

Per the iOS 18 and macOS Sequoia developer beta release notes, there are some known issues when it comes to the iPhone mirroring feature. For instance, you may not be able to launch lock screen apps or use Universal Clipboard on your iPhone while it's enabled, but those are bugs Apple will be attempting to iron out. It's also worth noting that it won't be possible (at least at first) to mirror your iPhone while mirroring your mac on Apple Vision Pro.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-latest-os-betas-enable-iphone-mirroring-on-mac-133017417.html?src=rss

Google’s Nest Learning Thermostat is $85 off right now

Wellbots has Google’s highly rated Nest Learning Thermostat on sale for $85 off. This elegant circular gizmo learns your heating and cooling habits and adjusts accordingly, making home temperature maintenance about as effortless as you could expect. Typically $249, Engadget’s exclusive coupon code ENGDTNLT85 brings the third-generation model down to $164.

The Nest Learning Thermostat helps reduce energy usage (and time spent thinking about your home’s temperature) by automating climate adjustments to fit your habits. After a week or so of studying your tendencies, it creates a schedule to maintain what it observed. If you want to make changes, you can still do that through the Nest app (available for iOS and Android).

The thermostat can also adjust automatically depending on whether anyone is at home. It uses sensors and your phone to determine when everyone is away, setting temperatures accordingly for energy savings until someone returns. If needed, the Nest app lets you make changes from afar.

Optionally, you can fine-tune the system even more with separate $39 temperature sensors. Place these in rooms throughout your home, and the Nest will balance their temperatures if your home’s heating and cooling system is compatible.

Its setup is pretty straightforward, and you install it similarly to other thermostats. On top of that, the thing looks pretty dang sleek with a 2.08-inch round display with 480 x 480 resolution (229 PPI) surrounded by a steel adjustment dial.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/googles-nest-learning-thermostat-is-85-off-right-now-130012270.html?src=rss

Google rolls out Gemini side panels for Gmail and other Workspace apps

Google is making Gemini more easily accessible in its Workspace apps, if you're a paying customer. The company is rolling out Gemini side panels for Docs, Sheets, Slides, Drive and Gmail, and it has also launched Gemini for the Gmail app on Android and iOS. When Google announced the Gemini side panels at I/O this year, it called the feature “the connective tissue across multiple applications with AI-powered workflow."

The side panel in Docs will help you refine and rephrase what you're writing, summarize information, suggest improvements and create new content based on other files. In Sheets, it can help you create tables, generate formulas and demystify various Sheets functions by teaching you how to do certain tasks. The side panel in Slides can help you generate custom images and summarize presentations, while in Drive, it can summarize several documents at once without you having to open any of them. 

Meanwhile, Gemini can summarize email threads in Gmail for you, suggest responses, help you draft new emails and help you find information from within your inbox or from your Drive files. Gemini in Gmail for Android and iOS can summarize your email threads, as well. There's no side panel in the mobile apps, of course, but you'll find a button near the top of your email that you can tap to generate a summary. Sometime next month, Gemini will offer contextual smart replies, which are one-tap response options based on the contents of your conversations. Gmail Q&A will also be available next month and will be able to find information from your emails when you type in questions like "What time does Chloe’s recital start on Saturday?"

You'll be able to use these features if you're paying for Google One AI Premium, or if you have access to Gemini add-in for Business, Enterprise, Education and Education Premium. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-rolls-out-gemini-side-panels-for-gmail-and-other-workspace-apps-123038034.html?src=rss

Valve is selling the 512GB LCD Steam Deck for less than $400

Valve isn’t waiting for the beginning of its Steam Summer Sale to kick off the festivities. On Monday, the company posted 15 percent off deals on two discontinued Steam Deck LCD models, offering the 64GB variant for under $300 and the 512GB edition for under $400. The sale lasts until July 11 at 10AM PDT or — the key bit — “while supplies last.”

The star of the fire sale is the 512GB (NVMe SSD) LCD Steam Deck model. Initially, it was $449, but the handheld is available for only $381.65. Its OLED equivalent retails for $549, letting you save big if you can live with the cheaper (but still high-quality) LCD screen technology. Meanwhile, the 64GB (eMMC SSD) LCD model, which initially sold for $349, is on sale for $296.65.

Both devices have seven-inch displays with 1280 x 800 LCDs, 60Hz refresh rates and 400 nits brightness, but the 512GB model includes anti-glare etched glass. They have 40Wh batteries with a theoretical eight-hour runtime, but they will likely average around 4.5 hours. Each model ships with a standard carrying case.

Screenshot of Valve’s website, listing the features and specs for two Steam Deck models on sale (64GB LCD: $269.65, 512GB LCD: $381.65).
Valve

Engadget re-reviewed the LCD Steam Deck last fall after the OLED variants launched. Although the handheld’s chunky size, weight and mediocre battery life hold it back to a degree (especially for those with smaller hands), it’s still a solid choice for home-based gamers invested in Steam’s ecosystem. The bottom line: “If you have the extra cash, go ahead and grab the OLED version,” as Jessica Conditt wrote, but “compared with the wider handheld sector, the Steam Deck LCD offers a fantastic return on investment.”

You can check out the sale for all the details. Meanwhile, to save on games galore, you can mark your calendar for the Steam Summer Sale, which begins on Thursday.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/valve-is-selling-the-512gb-lcd-steam-deck-for-less-than-400-185918912.html?src=rss

Valve is selling the 512GB LCD Steam Deck for less than $400

Valve isn’t waiting for the beginning of its Steam Summer Sale to kick off the festivities. On Monday, the company posted 15 percent off deals on two discontinued Steam Deck LCD models, offering the 64GB variant for under $300 and the 512GB edition for under $400. The sale lasts until July 11 at 10AM PDT or — the key bit — “while supplies last.”

The star of the fire sale is the 512GB (NVMe SSD) LCD Steam Deck model. Initially, it was $449, but the handheld is available for only $381.65. Its OLED equivalent retails for $549, letting you save big if you can live with the cheaper (but still high-quality) LCD screen technology. Meanwhile, the 64GB (eMMC SSD) LCD model, which initially sold for $349, is on sale for $296.65.

Both devices have seven-inch displays with 1280 x 800 LCDs, 60Hz refresh rates and 400 nits brightness, but the 512GB model includes anti-glare etched glass. They have 40Wh batteries with a theoretical eight-hour runtime, but they will likely average around 4.5 hours. Each model ships with a standard carrying case.

Screenshot of Valve’s website, listing the features and specs for two Steam Deck models on sale (64GB LCD: $269.65, 512GB LCD: $381.65).
Valve

Engadget re-reviewed the LCD Steam Deck last fall after the OLED variants launched. Although the handheld’s chunky size, weight and mediocre battery life hold it back to a degree (especially for those with smaller hands), it’s still a solid choice for home-based gamers invested in Steam’s ecosystem. The bottom line: “If you have the extra cash, go ahead and grab the OLED version,” as Jessica Conditt wrote, but “compared with the wider handheld sector, the Steam Deck LCD offers a fantastic return on investment.”

You can check out the sale for all the details. Meanwhile, to save on games galore, you can mark your calendar for the Steam Summer Sale, which begins on Thursday.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/valve-is-selling-the-512gb-lcd-steam-deck-for-less-than-400-185918912.html?src=rss

New difficulty mod in Stardew Valley will purge your saves if you use a guide

A great number of us have played games in extra-difficult modes (or in the case of Kingdom Hearts, Proud Mode) to challenge ourselves. Now, a Stardew Valley player has created a “hardcore” option for the otherwise chill game, one that will delete the save files of any player who uses a guide while playing the game on PC.

According to GamesRadar, software engineer Sylvie Nightshade created the high difficulty mod on June 21 after reading an article published the day before on the satirical website Hard Drive, the gaming version of The Onion. The article in question joked about a “hardcore mode” in Stardew Valley that will delete players’ hard grown farms if they dare read the wiki at any point during gameplay. That same day, Nightshade quote-tweeted the article on X with the link to the mod in GitHub announcing that she turned the joke into reality.

The mod works by scanning the title of every window or tab that is open while Stardew Valley is running. If any window title includes “Stardew Valley Wiki” in the title, it erases everything the player has worked hard to achieve, forcing them to start from square one without using the guide. Nightshade even updated the mod so that it not only deletes the player’s save file but also closes the browser window the wiki was found in “just to add insult to injury.”

Hardcore mode being programmed into Stardew Valley is another case of life imitating art after Hello Kitty Island Adventure launched on Apple Arcade 17 years after it was mentioned as a joke in the South Park episode “Make Love, Not Warcraft.” Here’s a tip: If you play Stardew Valley on hardcore mode on your computer but use the guide on your phone, you should be safe.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/new-difficulty-mod-in-stardew-valley-will-purge-your-saves-if-you-use-a-guide-175521779.html?src=rss

Apple’s iPhone 15 is up to $120 off at Woot right now

Woot is selling iPhone 15 models for up to $120 off, with various configuration and color options. This discount makes the 128GB version just $680 and brings the 256GB model down to $800. Those are some good prices for one of Apple’s latest and greatest smartphones.

There are some caveats. This sale is just for the standard iPhone 15, so don’t go looking for Pro or Pro Max versions. These are brand-new smartphones, but they don’t come with official Apple packaging. Instead, you get a “sleek custom black box.” Finally, these handsets aren’t eligible for AppleCare, though they do ship with a one-year vendor warranty.

There’s also the ghost of Christmas future. It’s late June right now and Apple typically unveils new smartphones in September. This means that in a few short months, that iPhone 15 will likely get outshined by the iPhone 16. Still, modern updates tend to be iterative, so you probably won’t be missing that much, outside of Apple Intelligence integration.

On the upside, this is the iPhone 15. It’s one of the best smartphones money can buy. We gave the standard iPhone 13 the award for best budget-friendly smartphone, but the Woot deal brings the two models much closer in price. 

With that in mind, the 15 is a major step up in just about every way. It features a better chip, improved cameras, longer battery life and, at long last, USB-C integration. We called it "the most substantial update to the regular iPhone in years" in our official review. If you want a reliable and powerful smartphone that should keep on ticking for a few years, don’t sleep on this deal.

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apples-iphone-15-is-up-to-120-off-at-woot-right-now-174040952.html?src=rss

Government workers are being told to immediately update their Pixel phones to patch a serious exploit

The US government has issued a dire warning to employees with Pixel phones, mandating a security update by July 4, as originally reported by Forbes. This is due to a high-severity firmware vulnerability within the Android operating system that could open up devices to “limited, targeted exploitation.”

There’s already a patch for the zero-day exploit but it requires a visit to the settings app to make sure the device is up to date. Government employees who do not install the security update by July 4 must “discontinue use of the product.” It should go without saying that the rest of us should also heed these warnings, particularly those who connect to enterprise servers.

Google has remained mum as to the actual details of the vulnerability, but government involvement makes it seem a bit more serious than your average exploit. The federal mandate is directed exclusively at Pixel devices, but it looks like the exploit could extend to other Android phones. 

The folks behind GrapheneOS, an operating system based on Android, note that the vulnerability is not exclusive to Pixel phones. The organization says a fix will be part of any update to Android 15, which releases in August, but that it hasn’t been backported. So, if you opt not to update the OS, you likely won’t get the patch. It remains unclear if there are any other options for mitigation. We reached out to Google and will update this post when we know more.

The warning issued by the US government, as described in the Known Exploited Vulnerabilities (KEV) catalog, is also stingy with the details. The advisory simply states that “Android Pixel contains an unspecified vulnerability in the firmware that allows for privilege escalation.” GrapheneOS says the exploit fails to wipe the memory when running a firmware-based fastboot mode, which potentially allows nefarious actors to exploit the system “to get previous OS memory.”

To recap, update your Pixel Phone immediately via the settings app, while those with other Android phones should sit tight for now. It’s never wise to mess with these zero-day exploits and the involvement of the US government has certainly heightened the threat level a bit here.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/government-workers-are-being-told-to-immediately-update-their-pixel-phones-to-patch-a-serious-exploit-172155317.html?src=rss

Beyerdynamic debuts its first open-ear true wireless headphones

Several audio companies have been hopping on the open-ear earbuds bandwagon, a headphone design where the speaker rests outside the listener's ear rather than inside it. Beyerdynamic is the latest to offer this listening option with the VERIO 200, the brand's first set of open-ear true wireless headphones. The set retails for $220 and is available to order today.

Open-ear headphones can come with some sacrifices to audio quality, but this set features a custom 16.22mm graphene driver. Using the lightweight graphene in speakers can cut down on sound distortion, so the high-end material could help negate that usual performance tradeoff with this style. The open-ear approach can also be more comfortable if you don't enjoy the usual in-ear earbud experience. And you'll be able to hear your surroundings much better with this design, something that can be important for people wearing these in outdoor settings. VERIO 200 has a hook design that is intended to keep the headset secure even during physical activity.

Beyerdynamic VERIO 200
Beyerdynamic

Battery life is always a concern with true wireless devices, but Beyerdynamic claims pretty solid longevity. The company says that the VERIO 200 has up to eight hours of battery life, and its charging case adds another 27 hours. The buds are Bluetooth 5.3-compatible and can pair with both iOS and Android devices. They can be controlled by voice or through Beyerdynamic's new mobile app, which offers full custom EQ capabilities and sound tuning.

The company has secured several firsts in its recent product launches, including its first wireless gaming headset in 2023 and its first true wireless earbuds in 2022.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/beyerdynamic-debuts-its-first-open-ear-true-wireless-headphones-140008310.html?src=rss