Tag Archives: Personal Finance – Lifestyle

Prime Day gaming deals for 2024: Save big on the PS5, headsets, mice, board games and more

Posted on by

Amazon's October Prime Day sale is nearing the finish line, but many of the event's actually decent gaming deals are still kicking. The standard and digital versions of Sony's PlayStation 5 are each $50 off, for instance, while several of the mice, headsets, controllers and board games we recommend in our various buying guides are at or near their lowest prices to date. 

If you've been looking to upgrade your setup and don't want to wait until Black Friday, we've sorted through the sale and picked out the best Prime Day gaming deals we could find below. As a refresher, Amazon's Prime Big Deal Days event (as it's officially called) is scheduled to conclude at 3AM ET, and you'll need to be a Prime member to access some (but not all) of the discounts. 

The Astro A40 TR gaming headset rests on a white stand on an outside table, with its built-in microphone extended.
The Astro A40 TR gaming headset.
Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

  • PlayStation 5 (slim) for $449 ($51 off MSRP): While this isn’t the best PS5 deal we’ve ever seen, steeper discounts for Sony’s console have been infrequent, so this isn’t the worst time to hop aboard. If nothing else, it’s a better value for most than the PS5 Pro.

  • PlayStation 5 Digital Edition (slim) for $400 ($50 off): If you’re 100 percent sure you’ll only buy games digitally, the version of the PS5 without a disc drive is also on sale for $50 less. Annoyingly, this was the standard going rate for the original PS5 Digital Edition, but Sony hiked the console’s MSRP by $50 when it introduced these “slim” models last year. NOTE: This deal has gone in and out of stock at Amazon, but it's also available at Walmart and Best Buy.

  • Xbox Series X (1TB) + $25 Best Buy gift card for $450 ($75 off): This is neither an Amazon deal nor an all-time low, but those who'd prefer an Xbox can also take $50 off a new console at Best Buy. The retailer will throw in a $25 digital gift card with your purchase. 

  • Astro A40 TR gaming headset for $90 ($40 off): It’s several years old, but the open-back Astro A40 TR remains a top wired gaming headset thanks to its spacious sound and comfy design. The built-in microphone is pretty mediocre, however. This deal checks in $10 below the usual discount price we’ve seen over the course of this year.

  • Corsair Virtuoso Pro gaming headset for $140 ($60 off): The Virtuoso Pro is another wired open-back pair we recommend in our gaming headset guide. It’s not quite as good of a value as the Astro A40 TR, but it has a clearer mic, and we found its sound profile to work better with some (but not all) games. This deal matches the lowest price we’ve tracked.

  • Sennheiser HD 560S headphones for $126 ($104 off): If you don't need a built-in mic, the HD 560S is a quality pair of open-back headphones with the kind of wide, detailed sound that can help you feel immersed in most games. It's another pick from our gaming headset guide. This discount matches the lowest price we've seen in well over a year.

A black video game controller, the 8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth Controller, rests on a white shelf in front of a row of several red Nintendo Switch video game cases.
The 8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth Controller.
Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

  • Razer Basilisk V3 wired gaming mouse for $40 ($30 off): We recommend the Basilisk V3 in our guide to the best gaming mice for those who prefer a more ergonomic, right-handed shape and don't mind connecting over a cable. This deal matches the device's all-time low. It's worth noting that Razer announced an updated version of this mouse with an improved sensor just last week — we plan to test that model soon, but the upgrades appear to be fairly minor in practice.

  • Razer DeathAdder V3 Pro wireless gaming mouse for $110 ($40 off): If you'd rather go wireless, the DeathAdder V3 Pro is another favorite from our gaming mouse guide, blending a superlight, gently contoured shape with top-shelf performance. This is only a $10 drop from the mouse's recent street price, but it still represents an all-time low.

  • Corsair Scimitar Elite Wireless MMO gaming mouse for $90 ($40 off): The Scimitar Elite is the wireless version of the top MMO pick in our buying guide. It offers 12 customizable side buttons that make it easier to pull of complex commands in MOBAs or MMOs like Final Fantasy XIV. This is the second-largest discount we’ve seen.

  • 8BitDo Ultimate Bluetooth Controller for $50 ($20 off): While not an all-time low, this discount takes $10 off the usual street price for 8BitDo's wireless Switch/PC gamepad, which we've raved about before. It's a bit on the smaller side, but it's comfortable, with durable Hall effect joysticks that should avoid the "drift" sensation that's plagued Nintendo's Joy-Cons. If you don't need Bluetooth support, another model that only connects over a USB dongle is on sale for $10 less. That variant also uses Xbox-style face buttons instead of Switch ones.

  • Backbone One (USB-C, 2nd gen) for $70 ($30 off): The Backbone One is an easy-to-use mobile game controller that we’ve recommended before. This 30 percent discount ties the lowest price we’ve seen for the second-gen model. A PlayStation-branded model — which supports Sony’s official Remote Play app on Android and iOS, instead of just the latter — is available for the same price, as are the versions that connect over Lightning.

The ASUS ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless gaming keyboard rests on a light brown wooden table.
The ASUS ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless gaming keyboard.
Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

  • ASUS ROG Strix Scope II 96 Wireless gaming keyboard for $142 ($38 off): This honorable mention from our guide to the best gaming keyboards offers a stellar typing experience, with a sturdy case, layers of sound-dampening foam and crisp PBT keycaps. The stock switches in this configuration are great, but they're also hot-swappable if you ever want to change things up. This deal is only about $15 off the keyboard's usual going rate, but it's still the second-best price we've tracked.

  • Keychron C3 Pro mechanical keyboard for $25 ($12 off): If you just want to pay as little as possible for a mechanical keyboard that still feels great, we recommend the C3 Pro. This iteration uses cheaper ABS keycaps and lacks hot-swappable switches, but it feels and sounds remarkably pleasant for something so cheap. This deal marks another all-time low. A hot-swappable version is also on sale for $13 more.

  • Keychron V3 Max mechanical keyboard for $89 ($11 off): The V3 Max is another recommendation from our gaming keyboard guide, specifically for those who want a more traditional look without any "gamer-y" embellishments. This is a modest discount, but we haven't seen the board fall this low super often. If you need a numpad, the full-size V6 Max is similarly discounted at $95.

  • 8BitDo Retro Mechanical Keyboard (Fami Edition) for $76 ($24 off): This wireless keyboard should appeal to anyone looking for a "vintage tech" aesthetic, as its keycaps and color accents are inspired by Nintendo's old Famicom console. It feels great for typing, too, though the default switches are somewhat noisy, so you may not want to use it in an office setting. This discount isn't an all-time low, but we normally see the device retail between $90 and $100.

  • WD Black C50 Xbox Expansion Card (1TB) for $121 ($37 off): It’s a pain in the neck, but the only way to fully expand the storage of an Xbox Series X/S is to use a proprietary expansion card such as the C50. This deal isn’t an all-time low, but it’s $10 to $20 cheaper than the typical street prices we’ve seen over the last several months.

  • Seagate Xbox Storage Expansion Card (2TB) for $199 ($50 off): If you want to add 2TB to your Xbox, meanwhile, this is the best price to date for Seagate's expansion card. There's little performance difference between this and the C50, so which one is best simply comes down to how much space you need.

  • Crucial P310 (2TB) for $168 ($97 off): The P310 is a small-size SSD you can slot into handheld gaming PCs like the Steam Deck or ASUS ROG Ally. It uses cheaper QLC memory, not the more performant TLC, but reviews suggest it'll still run well in something like the Deck. This is the lowest price we've seen for the 2TB variant.

  • Alienware M18 R2 gaming laptop for $2,300 ($500 off): The M18 R2 is the latest version of the top 18-inch pick in our guide to the best gaming laptops. It’s an absolute hoss of a notebook, but it’s built well, and this model with an RTX 4080 GPU, 32GB of RAM and a Core i9-14900HX chip is powerful enough to play modern games in 1080p or 1440p at high-ish settings. While not cheap, this matches the config’s best price to date.

The WD Black C50 Xbox Storage Expansion Card slotted into the back of a white Xbox Series S console, with its cover off to the side on a black desk.
The WD Black C50 Storage Expansion Card for Xbox consoles.
WD

  • Assassin’s Creed Mirage for $23 ($27 off): Mirage is a something of a throwback to older Assassin’s Creed games, one that’s smaller in scope than the more recent open-world entries. We called it a “warm, bloody hug from an old friend” in our review — in video game land, that’s a good thing. These days we usually see the game retail around $30.

  • Metal Gear Solid: Master Collection Vol. 1 for $19 ($21 off): This collection includes (lightly) remastered versions of the first three Metal Gear Solid games, which remain more subversive and self-assured than most games that have hit in the decades since. A few of the series’ classic 8-bit entries are here, too, and Konami has done well to rectify most of the set’s technical issues since launch. We’ve seen this price before, but it ties an all-time low.

  • Madden NFL 25 for $43 ($27 off): Madden is in pretty dire need of a creative reset, but at the end of the day, it’s Madden, and it works fine enough if you just want to scratch the pro football game itch. This is the second-best price we’ve seen for the latest entry.

  • EA Sports College Football 25 for $43 ($27 off): If you’re more of a college sports fan, EA brought back the series formerly known as NCAA Football back from an 11-year hiatus this past summer, and it generally received higher marks than its pro counterpart. This discount is the largest we’ve seen since launch.

  • WWE 2K24 for $28 ($32 off): If you prefer powerbombs and Hell in a Cell matches to touchdowns and bowl games, the latest WWE 2K game is also down to the best price we’ve seen (for a console copy, that is). It’s a 2K game, so there’ll be some bugs, but it received solid reviews at launch — something we cannot say for Cody Rhodes’ neck tattoo. Keep in mind that this game is available for free with a PlayStation Plus subscription during October, so there’s no need to buy if you plan on keeping that service for a while.

  • Azul board game for $18 ($22 off): We highlight this award-winning tile-laying game in our board game gift guide, calling it "a great gift for those who are new to gaming or just anyone who enjoys strategic puzzles." This deal comes within a couple bucks of the lowest price we've tracked and marks a $14 drop from the game's common street price in recent months.

  • King of Tokyo board game for $25 ($20 off): Essentially Yahtzee with monsters, King of Tokyo is another pick from our board game gift guide. We recommend it for kids and newbie board gamers in particular. This deal isn't an all-time low, but it does match the best price we could find in more than a year.

  • Ticket to Ride board game for $30 ($25 off): This is the lowest price we've seen all year for the ever-popular train-themed strategy game.

  • Catan board game for $30 ($30 off): Another ultra-popular one, Catan is a competitive strategy game in which you gather resources to build roads, cities and settlements. There's a non-zero chance it'll lead you and your loved ones to argue about sheep. The game has typically retailed around $43 over the last few months.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice, and stay tuned to Engadget.com for all of the best tech deals coming out of October Prime Day 2024.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/prime-day-gaming-deals-for-2024-save-big-on-the-ps5-headsets-mice-board-games-and-more-075455534.html?src=rss

The best Prime Day deals under $50 in the final hours of Amazon’s Big Deal Days

Posted on by

Plenty of the tech we cover costs less than $50. And some gadgets hovering close enough to that price just need a decent discount to put them in range. Now that Amazon's Prime Day is coming to a close, we're surprised to see that many of our picks for the best tech deals under $50 are still live. 

If you need to pick up microSD cards, power banks, digital streamers or even a smart speaker, now’s the time. As always, these Prime Day picks are drawn from our own testing, coverage and reviews. Here are the best Prime Day Tech deals under $50.

The Amazon echo buds are arranged on a gray wood deck.
Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

If you’ve got $25 and some change in an account somewhere, you can get something decent from Amazon’s sale (particularly if you’re a Prime member and don’t have to pay for shipping). We searched for the most useful tech we could find and came up with smart home speakers, cameras and plugs, plus a mouse, a streaming stick and some cable — all for less than $25.

The TP-Link Kasa smart plug sits on a wooden desk top.
Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget

Add a few more dollars to your budget and you can snag Apple’s new fast charger or a doorbell camera to keep tabs on your front porch while you’re at work. Here’s the best gadgets for less than $30 for Prime Day.

The Lego Star Wars advent calendar is arranged on a table with a xmas tree in the background.
LEGO

Under the $40 mark, there are power banks, streaming devices and one of our favorite speakers. There’s even an advent calendar filled with stuff that’s way more exciting than chocolate.

Apple AirTags
Chris Velazco/Engadget

Items in the priciest category on this list still aren't terribly expensive. For less than $50 you can get, for example, a smart display-and-bulb bundle. Pair them up and ask Alexa to turn on the light…and make it green. Then ask to turn it off again. Then on. Then off again at 10 pm. Then have it come on tomorrow, but pink. That’s worth at least $50 right there.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice, and stay tuned to Engadget.com for all of the best tech deals coming out of October Prime Day 2024.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-prime-day-deals-under-50-in-the-final-hours-of-amazons-big-deal-days-091634975.html?src=rss

The best Amazon Prime Day kitchen deals are up to 54 percent off during October Big Deal Days

Posted on by

In the waning hours of Amazon's October Prime Day sale, we're still seeing plenty of discounts on products in just about every category — that includes kitchen tech and cooking gadgets. While prices may go lower on Black Friday, that won’t help you with Thanksgiving dinner prep. Or maybe you just need something now, and aren't worried about minor price fluctuations. 

If so, here's a list of the best October Prime Day kitchen deals we could find on gadgets and accessories from brands like Instant Pot, Vitamix, Ninja and Breville and more. These are all pulled from the multiple buyer’s guides, reviews and personal purchases conducted by the many food-obsessed editors on staff at Engadget. 

The COSORI Air Fryer 9-in-1 sits on a countertop with food surrounding it.
Corsori

Of all the kitchen gadgets in my home, my favorite is my Instant Pot air fryer. Food I would otherwise microwave comes out crisp and far tastier in not much more time. In second place for cooking MVP has to be the classic Instant Pot, which I rely on to keep me in beans and curry. I picked up both after reading our buyer's guides (to air fryers and kitchen tech, respectively) — but I foolishly paid full price. Reader, don’t make my mistake.

As Engadget’s Avery Ellis found out recently, sous vide machines can do far more than just cook a steak. To use her words, they are “Millennial crockpots,” whipping up low-effort meals as needed — and fancier fare when called for.

The Juice Fountain Plus juicer sits on a blue and white countertop surrounded by celery, carrots, apples, lemons and cucumbers.
Photo by Amy Skorheim / Engadget

For soups, sauces, soothies and more, there’s not really a substitute for a good blender. Prime Day is a fine opportunity to upgrade an aging model — or snag one for a home cook you know that could use the extra muscle. A juicer can make it easier (or at least tastier) to get your vitamins. And the one we recommend isn’t a pain to clean.

Ninja Creami review
Photo by Sam Rutherford / Engadget

Here you’ll find all the harder-to-categorize gadgets that make home cooking simpler and more enjoyable. These are the smaller and more specialized devices we’ve tested that have proven their mettle in our own kitchens, or in the case of the pizza oven, the backyard.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice for October Prime Day 2024.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-best-amazon-prime-day-kitchen-deals-are-up-to-54-percent-off-during-october-big-deal-days-085751938.html?src=rss

Prime Day deals on Amazon devices: You can still get up to 68 percent off Echo speakers, Fire TV Sticks and Blink cameras and more

Posted on by

When it comes to tech on sale for Amazon Prime Day, Amazon’s own hardware is at the top of the list. The online retailer usually discounts Echo speakers, Fire tablets, Kindles and the like to record-low prices for October Prime Day, and this year has been no different. We’re seeing some of the best prices of the year right now on things like Echo speakers, Kindle e-readers, Fire TV devices and more even in the final hours of the sale. If you’ve had one of these gadgets on your wishlist, or you want to cross it off your holiday gift list early, now’s the time to grab it. These are the best October Prime Day deals on Amazon gear you can get.

Amazon Echo Dot
Will Lipman Photography for Engadget

If you’re keen on making your home a bit smarter, an Echo speaker or smart display can help by giving you an easy way to interact with Alexa. The voice assistant is compatible with so many smart home devices at this point, including smart light bulbs and robot vacuum cleaners, and it’s convenient that there’s an Echo device for nearly every budget now.

  • Echo Dot for $23 ($27 off): This is one of the best smart speakers you can get right now thanks to its compact design, physical button controls that compliment voice commands and its solid sound quality for its size.

  • Echo Pop for $18 ($22 off): One of Amazon’s newest smart devices, the Pop sports a 1.95-inch front-facing speaker, a physical mic mute switch for extra privacy and eero compatibility.

  • Amazon Echo Spot for $45 ($35 off): This recently revived smart display is billed as a smart alarm clock, and it features a customizable screen, big sound for its size and all the perks for Alexa voice commands. You can also grab it bundled with a free TP-Link smart light bulb.

  • Echo for $55 ($45 off): We consider this to be the best smart speaker for $100 or less at the moment thanks to its loud audio with good bass quality, the ability to pair two together for stereo sound and Alexa’s utility.

  • Echo Show 5 for $50 ($40 off): This is one of our favorite smart displays thanks to its compact design, ambient light sensor and sunrise alarm feature, all of which make it an excellent smart alarm clock. Amazon improved the speaker quality on this latest model, which gives sound deeper bass and clearer vocals.

  • Echo Show 8 for $85 ($65 off): This is our current top pick for the best smart display with Amazon’s Alexa thanks in part to its 8-inch touchscreen, 13MP camera that supports auto-framing for better video chats and its built-in Zigbee smart home hub.

  • Echo Buds for $25 ($25 off): These are one of our top picks for the best budget wireless earbuds you can get right now thanks to their comfortable design, pocket-friendly case, automatic wear detection, multi-device connectivity and, of course, built-in Alexa voice controls.

  • Echo Dot Kids for $28 ($32 off): The kids version of the Echo Dot uses the same basic hardware, but comes with a cute dragon or owl cover, plus parental controls and a year’s subscription to Amazon Kids+ that can play kid-friendly audiobooks and more.

Kindle Paperwhite Signature Edition
Will Lipman Photography for Engadget

The three best times of the year to buy a new Kindle ereader are Black Friday, Cyber Monday and Prime Day. Typically the latter is the best of the three, and we’re seeing solid sale prices across the entire Kindle lineup right now.

  • Kindle Paperwhite for $125 ($25 off): The latest version of the Paperwhite has thinner bezels, an adjustable warm light, speedier page turns and a battery that can last up to 10 weeks on a single charge. This model is also IPX8 waterproof and has built-in Audible integration.

  • Kindle Scribe for $255 ($85 off): The Scribe is one of the best E-Ink tablets you can buy at the moment, and certainly the top pick if you want a writable table that also excels as an ereader. It provides a great reading and writing experience, thanks in part to its ability to access the entire Kindle ebook library, and it has handy Google Drive, Microsoft OneDrive and Dropbox integration.

Fire TV devices can help turn an old TV into a smart one, or give you respite from a smart TV interface that you despise (as long as you can deal with Fire TV OS pushing Prime Video content in your face). But arguably the best thing about these devices is that there’s an option for every budget, and the barrier to entry lowers even further with Prime Day deals.

  • Fire TV Stick Lite streamer for $18 ($12 off): This is already the most affordable Fire TV streaming stick, but it’s a steal at this sale price. It supports 1080p content and comes with a “lite” version of the Alexa Voice Remote.

  • Fire TV Stick streamer for $20 ($20 off): This dongle ups the ante on the TV Stick Lite by adding support for Dolby Atmos audio, plus it comes with the regular version of the Alexa Voice Remote. It also supports Wi-Fi 5 and comes with 8GB of internal storage.

  • Fire TV Stick 4K streamer for $25 ($25 off): This mode is the cheapest Fire TV Stick you can get to stream 4K content, plus it has support for Wi-Fi 6 and Dolby Vision and Atmos. With its live picture-in-picture feature, you can view security camera feeds right on your TV while you’re watching your favorite show or movie.

  • Fire TV Stick 4K Max streamer for $35 ($25 off): In addition to 4K HDR streaming with Dolby Vision and Atmos support, the 4K Max dongle includes Wi-Fi 6E connectivity, 16GB of built-in storage and live picture-in-picture capabilities.

  • Fire TV Cube set-top box for $100 ($40 off): This model will provide the best performance of any Fire TV streaming device, and it supports 4K HDR content, Dolby Vision and Atmos and an enhanced version of the Alexa Voice Remote. Along with live picture-in-picture view and the Fire TV ambient experience, you can also hardware other devices to the Fire TV Cube including a cable box or a game console.

Amazon Fire HD 10
Will Lipman Photography for Engadget

Amazon’s Fire tablets make great couch devices, or first tablets for kids who have no business touching their parents’ fancy iPads and Galaxy tabs. While they go on sale semi-frequently throughout the year, Prime Day is the time where you’re likely to get the greatest discounts.

  • Fire HD 8 tablet for $55 ($45 off): Amazon just released this new version of the HD 8 tablet, which includes more RAM, a better camera and new AI features not found on the previous model.

  • Fire HD 10 tablet for $75 ($65 off): This slab has a 10-inch FHD touchscreen, improved camera for video calls, 13 hours of battery life and it works with a stylus (although you have to buy that separately). If you’re looking for a cheap tablet that doesn’t compromise too many of the basics, this is a good option.

  • Fire Max 11 tablet for $140 ($90 off): Amazon’s most powerful tablet sports an 11-inch 2,000 x 1,200 touchscreen, an octa-core processor, up to 128GB of storage and 14 hours of battery life. It also works with a number of optional accessories, including a stylus and keyboard case.

  • Fire HD 10 Kids tablet for $110 ($80 off): Designed for kids aged three to seven, this tablet comes with full parental controls plus one year of Amazon Kids+ for free with the tablet purchase. It also has a 10-inch FHD touchscreen, an octa-core processor and 13 hours of battery life, plus it comes with a two-year warranty and a protective case.

  • Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet for $110 ($80 off): This model is designed for kids aged six to 12 and comes with a slimmer protective case, a two-year warranty and one year of access to Amazon Kids+. Otherwise, you get a very similar experience here that you would with the non-Pro version, including parental controls, a 10-inch touchscreen, solid performance and a 13-hour battery life.

Ring Video Doorbell
Ring

You may not immediately think of them when you think about Amazon's own tech, but the shopping giant also owns Ring and Blink. Gadgets from these companies make up most of Amazon's home security offerings, and you can usually find steep discounts during Prime Day on security cameras, alarm systems and other bundles.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice, and stay tuned to Engadget.com for all of the best tech deals coming out of October Prime Day 2024.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/prime-day-deals-on-amazon-devices-you-can-still-get-up-to-68-percent-off-echo-speakers-fire-tv-sticks-and-blink-cameras-and-more-083236769.html?src=rss

Samsung’s One UI now covers all of its consumer devices, including TVs and appliances

Posted on by

Samsung will begin using the One UI name for all its consumer devices, now including TVs and home appliances. Executive Vice President Sally Hyesoon Jeong made the announcement at the company’s 2024 developer conference (via 9to5Google). The One UI branding was previously exclusive to its Galaxy phones, tablets and wearables.

“One UI now goes beyond mobile as the software experience for all Samsung consumer devices,” Hyesoon Jeong said onstage at the San Jose keynote. It’s part of the company’s aim for more cohesive branding across its consumer ecosystem, especially as its AI approach evolves.

A Samsung onstage in front of a screen showing three design principles: simple, impactful, emotive.
Samsung

Samsung also teased that its next software user experience, One UI 7, will arrive with the 2025 batch of Galaxy S phones. “One UI 7 will bring a fresh, new look to the entire interface,” Hyesoon Jeong said at the conference. She laid out three goals for the upcoming software: simple (with a purpose), impactful (leaving a “signature impression”), and emotive design that elicits a human reaction from the user.

The Samsung VP says the One UI 7 home screen grid represents the more focused design principles. “It’s sleeker and easier to use, giving you a neat home screen no matter which Galaxy device you’re using,” said Hyesoon Jeong.

Although you’ll have to wait until early next year for One UI 7, the company said a developer beta will be available to test-drive by the end of this year.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/samsungs-one-ui-now-covers-all-of-its-consumer-devices-including-tvs-and-appliances-201850799.html?src=rss

Prime Day deals include 32 percent off Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite Kids

Posted on by

Physical books are heavy and given everything else a youngster has to carry around in their backpack, who needs to deal with those as well? An ereader can help to lighten the load and there's a good deal on a kid-friendly option at the minute. Just ahead of the October edition of Prime Day, Amazon has dropped the price of the Kindle Paperwhite Kids by $55, bringing it down to $115. That's close to the all-time-low price.

Along with a Kindle Paperwhite with 16GB of storage, the bundle includes a year of Amazon Kids+ access, a kid-friendly cover and a two-year worry-free guarantee. If the ereader breaks for any reason in that timeframe, Amazon will replace it. Amazon says all of that equates to a value of up to $263.

Amazon Kids+ typically costs $6 per month. It includes thousands of kid-friendly books, Amazon says. The Paperwhite is all about reading. So while Amazon Kids+ includes access to games, videos and apps on a Kindle Fire, there's none of that here.

The Kindle Paperwhite Kids has a couple extra features called Vocabulary Builder and Word Wise to help youngsters develop their reading skills. The ereader also includes a font called OpenDyslexic, which Amazon says some readers with dyslexia prefer.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice in the lead up to October Prime Day 2024.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/prime-day-deals-include-32-percent-off-amazons-kindle-paperwhite-kids-193131655.html?src=rss

October Prime Day tablet deals discount Amazon’s Fire HD 8 to $55

Posted on by

Amazon updated its Fire HD 8 lineup last week and has promptly discounted the slates for its October Prime Day sale. The new slab has more RAM, a better camera setup and built-in AI features to make it different from its predecessor. The device will normally start at $100 (with lock-screen ads), but Amazon is now selling the base model for $55 through October 9. An upgraded configuration with more memory and storage is also on sale for $85, down from its $130 MSRP.

As its name suggests, the new Fire HD 8 has an 8-inch display with a 1280 x 800 resolution (189 ppi). One of the 2024 model’s big upgrades is having 3GB of RAM in the base storage tier (32GB). The 64GB variant, meanwhile, slides up to 4GB of RAM. Of course, this is very much a budget tablet, so those aren’t close to barrier-breaking numbers. But it's still 50 to 100 percent higher than the 2GB of RAM in the 2022 model.

Amazon rates the Fire HD 8 for up to 13 hours of battery life. The tablet’s rear camera is 5MP. (That’s the same as the “Plus” version of its 2022 predecessor, but it’s higher than the 2MP in the old standard version.)

The tablets also include some generative AI capabilities. Like Apple’s early take on AI in its 2024 updates, these include a Writing Assist feature that can jot out messages based on prompts. It can also summarize web pages, make grammar suggestions and tweak brevity.

There are two kids’ versions of the tablet as well: the Fire HD 8 Kids and Fire HD 8 Kids Pro. As you’d expect from Amazon’s child-focused variants, these versions will include a “kid-proof” case in Disney-branded designs (including Pixar Cars, Disney Princess or Marvel Avengers). They also come with a subscription to Amazon Kids+, the company’s content delivery service (including mobile games!) for the kiddos. Between the two, the Kids version has a thicker case built for younger tykes, while the Kids Pro has a slimmer hard case designed for older children. Both Kids tablets will typically cost $140 but are currently down to $70 for Prime Day.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice, and stay tuned to Engadget.com for all of the best tech deals coming out of October Prime Day 2024.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/october-prime-day-tablet-deals-discount-amazons-fire-hd-8-to-55-163611348.html?src=rss

Google and Roblox teamed up on a weird game to teach kids about internet safety

Posted on by

Google and Roblox have teamed up to create a game that teaches kids how to spot internet scams and to increase caution regarding the sharing of personal information online. The suite of experiences is called, and I quote, Be Internet Awesome World. Did Melania Trump name this thing?

This “gameplay experience” exists within Roblox, which Google says helps it “reach kids where they’re already spending time to teach them the basics of online safety.” It brings kids to the “magical world of the Internauts” which is home to a number of minigames that address various aspects of internet safety. Some of the games focus on phishing attempts, while others emphasize “practicing kindness online.” Good luck with that last one.

In any event, Be Internet Awesome World is available right now within Roblox, which leads us to the elephant in the room. Roblox may be a great place to reach kids, with nearly 80 million daily active users and many of them children. It’s also been accused of being an unsafe space for the younger gamers among us.

Turkey banned the app entirely on the grounds that it allows for the exploitation of children. Sony didn’t even want to bring the game to PlayStation consoles for similar reasons, before finally relenting last year.

There have also been accusations of kids being financially exploited on the platform, according to reporting by The Guardian. Popular creations can make the designers a lot of money, and the userbase is mostly children under 16. This has led many to accuse the app’s developers of gaining notoriety through an influx of child labor. The Roblox tagline, after all, used to be “Make anything. Reach millions. Earn serious cash.”

Roblox takes around 30 percent of all money made via the platform, so it has a vested interest in the creative contributions of children. Studio head Stefano Corazza once told Eurogamer that the ability for teenagers to make money on the platform represented the “biggest gift” and that these kids “didn’t feel like they were exploited.”

“You can say, ‘Okay, we are exploiting, you know, child labor,’ right? Or you can say: we are offering people anywhere in the world the capability to get a job, and even like an income,” Corazza continued.

All this is to say that perhaps Roblox should get its own house in order before trying to teach kids about how to avoid scams online. Roblox CEO and co-founder David Baszucki has started to address these concerns, heading to Washington DC earlier this year to discuss child safety with lawmakers.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/google-and-roblox-teamed-up-on-a-weird-game-to-teach-kids-about-internet-safety-190007350.html?src=rss

Google and Roblox teamed up on a weird game to teach kids about internet safety

Posted on by

Google and Roblox have teamed up to create a game that teaches kids how to spot internet scams and to increase caution regarding the sharing of personal information online. The suite of experiences is called, and I quote, Be Internet Awesome World. Did Melania Trump name this thing?

This “gameplay experience” exists within Roblox, which Google says helps it “reach kids where they’re already spending time to teach them the basics of online safety.” It brings kids to the “magical world of the Internauts” which is home to a number of minigames that address various aspects of internet safety. Some of the games focus on phishing attempts, while others emphasize “practicing kindness online.” Good luck with that last one.

In any event, Be Internet Awesome World is available right now within Roblox, which leads us to the elephant in the room. Roblox may be a great place to reach kids, with nearly 80 million daily active users and many of them children. It’s also been accused of being an unsafe space for the younger gamers among us.

Turkey banned the app entirely on the grounds that it allows for the exploitation of children. Sony didn’t even want to bring the game to PlayStation consoles for similar reasons, before finally relenting last year.

There have also been accusations of kids being financially exploited on the platform, according to reporting by The Guardian. Popular creations can make the designers a lot of money, and the userbase is mostly children under 16. This has led many to accuse the app’s developers of gaining notoriety through an influx of child labor. The Roblox tagline, after all, used to be “Make anything. Reach millions. Earn serious cash.”

Roblox takes around 30 percent of all money made via the platform, so it has a vested interest in the creative contributions of children. Studio head Stefano Corazza once told Eurogamer that the ability for teenagers to make money on the platform represented the “biggest gift” and that these kids “didn’t feel like they were exploited.”

“You can say, ‘Okay, we are exploiting, you know, child labor,’ right? Or you can say: we are offering people anywhere in the world the capability to get a job, and even like an income,” Corazza continued.

All this is to say that perhaps Roblox should get its own house in order before trying to teach kids about how to avoid scams online. Roblox CEO and co-founder David Baszucki has started to address these concerns, heading to Washington DC earlier this year to discuss child safety with lawmakers.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/gaming/google-and-roblox-teamed-up-on-a-weird-game-to-teach-kids-about-internet-safety-190007350.html?src=rss

Sweeping FTC study finds that social media sites engage in ‘vast surveillance’ of its users

Posted on by

The FTC just published results of a sweeping study of social media sites that has been going on for four years. The organization said that many social media sites and streaming services engage in “vast surveillance of consumers in order to monetize their personal information.” This mass surveillance impacts adult users, but also children and teens.

This isn’t exactly surprising. After all, the old saying goes “if you're not paying for the product, you are the product.” Still, the study suggests a level of surveillance that could shock even the most cynical among us. According to the FTC, these entities collect and “indefinitely retain troves of data.” The companies also engage in “broad data sharing” with “woefully inadequate” security measures.

The report also found that some companies didn’t delete all user data in response to deletion requests. That’s not a good look. Additionally, some companies were found to be using privacy-invasive technologies like tracking pixels to “facilitate advertising to users based on preferences and interests.”

But wait, there’s more. The report found that users (and even non-users) had little or no way to opt out of how their data was used by automated systems, like algorithms, data analytics and AI. The FTC found that these companies employed “different, inconsistent and inadequate approaches to monitoring and testing the use” of these automated systems.

Finally, the report found that “social media and video streaming services didn’t adequately protect children and teens on their sites.” The study goes on to suggest that social media, and digital technology as a whole, contributes to “negative mental health impacts on young users.” This is nothing new, though some social media companies are putting tools in place to protect kids. Instagram just made it mandatory for teen accounts to include parental controls.

The FTC says that all of these issues boil down to the profit models of the big social media and streaming companies. These business models mandate the “mass collection of user data to monetize, especially through targeted advertising.” This is in “tension” with privacy concerns as, well, privacy doesn’t make money.

The study concludes that “self-regulation has been a failure.” To that end, the FTC has issued several recommendations to help solve these problems. It wants Congress to pass comprehensive privacy legislation to limit surveillance and to offer “baseline protections.” It also wants social media and streaming companies to limit data collection and data sharing with third parties.

The FTC also recommends that these companies actually delete consumer data when it’s no longer needed or upon request and to stop using invasive ad tracking technologies like pixels. It also wants these entities to address the overall lack of transparency regarding their methods. As for kids and teens, the FTC says these organizations should “recognize teens are not adults and provide them greater privacy protections.” Finally, it urges Congress to pass federal privacy legislation for teens over the age of 13.

Again, none of this information is new, but it's pretty damning to see it all laid out this way. You can read the full report right here. The services involved in the study include X, TikTok, Reddit, Discord, Twitch, YouTube, Instagram and several others.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/big-tech/sweeping-ftc-study-finds-that-social-media-sites-engage-in-vast-surveillance-of-its-users-155846997.html?src=rss