It's a bit of a slow week for tech deals, if we're honest, as many of the better offers we're seeing this Friday are leftovers from last week's Labor Day sales. Still, there are a few discounts worth checking out: A four-pack of Apple's diminutive AirTag trackers are $24 off Apple's list price, for instance, while Keychron's C3 Pro, our favorite mechanical keyboard for those on a budget, is still at an all-time low of $25. Other picks from our guides to the best microSD cards and affordable wireless earbuds are on sale as well, as is Sonos' bag-friendly Roam 2 speaker and Elgato's new Stream Deck Neo control panel. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still buy today.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/a-four-pack-of-apples-airtags-falls-back-to-75-plus-the-rest-of-the-weeks-best-tech-deals-160757509.html?src=rss
Although the holiday weekend has come to a close, some Labor Day sales are still available. Historically, Labor Day isn't a boon for tech deals but there are always a few decent ones that pop up, particularly in the outdoor tech space. Labor Day sales often overlap with back-to-school sales as well, so you're usually able to save on tech like tablets, speakers, kitchen gear, charging accessories and other items that can help make for a smooth return to campus.
Regardless of if you're going back to school or not, we've collected the best Labor Day tech sales that you can still get today, including discounted gear from Apple, Amazon, Samsung and others. If you're an Amazon Prime member, just be mindful that the company's "big deal days" will return in October — if something on your list isn't on sale now, there's a chance it will be in a few weeks' time.
We're expecting to see all-new iPhones, Apple Watches and AirPods soon, but plenty of Apple's current devices are cheaper than usual. The M2 MacBook Air is still a strong value at $799, for instance, while the company's official MagSafe wireless charger is a few bucks below the street price we've seen for most of the past few months.
iPad (9th gen) for $199 ($130 off): This model has technically been discontinued, but at this record-low price, it's a great option for kids or anyone who wants to snag an iPad for dirt-cheap.
Apple AirTags (4-pack) for $75 ($25 off): Only $2 more than the record-low, this sale price brings the cost per AirTag down to just $18.75. iPhone users can attach these Bluetooth trackers to their keys, bag, wallet and other belongings to keep track of them via the Find My app.
Apple MagSafe Charger for $29 ($10 off): This is a rare discount on Apple's own MagSafe charging pad, which provides up to 15W of wireless power to your iPhone and a strong, magnetic attachment.
MacBook Air (13-inch, M2) for $799 ($200 off): Don't sleep on the M2 MacBook Air. It's plenty powerful despite not having Apple's latest chipset, and the 13-inch model is down to a near record low.
If you've been looking to pick up a new pizza oven or fire pit for the backyard, some of our favorites from Ooni and Solo Stove are still on sale.
Ooni Fyra 12 pizza oven for $250 ($100 off): This is one of our top picks for the best pizza ovens, and its compact size makes it a little more manageable, plus it convenient runs on wood pellets that you can easily refill from its built-in chute.
There are too many subscription services in the world these days; if you must add another, you might as well do it while it's cheaper. Of note right now is a good discount on Paramount+ — just in time for the start of the football season.
From the "inessential but potentially convenient home appliances" department, a few recommended robot vacuums from iRobot and Roborock are discounted, as is the buzzy Ninja Creami ice cream maker.
Ninja Creami ice cream maker for $149 ($50 off): This model of the popular, at-home ice cream maker includes 5 one-button programs, including ice cream, milkshake and sorbet, and it comes with two 16-ounce pints with storage lids for you to save all of your creations.
iRobot Roomba Q0120 robot vacuum for $179 ($70 off): This basic Roomba has three power levels, up to 120 minutes of run time and connects to the iRobot mobile app for easy cleaning scheduling and maintenance.
A range of other gadgets we like are also still on sale right now, from microSD cards to wireless earbuds to Theragun massagers.
Lexar Play microSD card (1TB) for $66.49 ($63.50 off): This high-capacity microSD card is nearly half off right now. It's compatible with the Nintendo Switch, Steam Deck and other systems, making it a great option if you want as much additional storage as possible for a solid sale price.
Samsung Freestyle Gen 2 projector for $600 ($200 off): The latest version of this projector rotates 180 degrees so you can get the exact right placement for your screen (even if that happens to be on your ceiling), and it comes with a built-in speaker for 360-degree sound.
Theragun Elite massage gun for $299 ($100 off): This massage gun comes with five attachments, includes a built-in OLED screen and allows you to save three preset treatments to your device using its accompanying mobile app. Also available at Theragun.
iPad Air (M2) for $729 ($60 off): The iPad Air remains our top pick for the best iPad for most people, and this 13-inch version gives you a little extra screen real estate.
MacBook Air (13-inch, M3) for $899 ($200 off): Just $50 shy of a record low, this deal on the latest 13-inch MacBook Air gives you our top pick for the best MacBook at a great price — a solid opportunity for students going back to school to snag an excellent, lightweight laptop for less.
Mac Mini (M2 Pro) for $1,150 ($150 off): If you're looking to upgrade your desktop computer, this discount-plus-coupon deal is a solid one on the Mac Mini with an M2 Pro chipset.
AirPods Max for $399 ($150 off): One of our biggest issues with the AirPods Max since their debut has been their sky-high price tag. They're a much better buy at this sale price.
Masterclass annual subscription for $60 (50 percent off): Annual plans range for $60 to $120 for your first year, with the major differences between the plans coming in how many simultaneous device streams you have, plus the ability to download classes for offline viewing.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/the-best-labor-day-tech-sales-you-can-still-get-from-apple-amazon-samsung-and-more-100032016.html?src=rss
Labor Day deals are in full swing, so that means fall is almost here, bringing with it leaves of changing colors and crisp weather. In other words, it’s nearly bonfire season. To commemorate this, Solo Stove is holding a sitewide Labor Day sale that includes fire pits, pizza ovens and just about everything else.
You'll find straight-up discounts on a lot of gear, but you can also get up to an additional $150 off using the code LABORDAY when you check out. Purchases of at least $250 get a discount of $25, while purchases of at least $450 receive a discount of $75. If you really splurge and buy at least $850 worth of stuff, the discount balloons up to $150.
Perhaps the best deal of the bunch is this bundle that includes the Bonfire 2.0 firepit, a removable base plate and ash pan, a stand, a lid, a carrying case and a shelter for outdoor storage. This bundle costs $455, which is a discount of $75 (with the coupon code.) We praised not just the Bonfire 2.0, but many of the accessories that ship with this kit. The removable base plate and ash plan makes it much easier to clean than rival products.
Multiple Solo Stove products made our list of the best outdoor gear, including the aforementioned Bonfire 2.0. If fire pits aren’t your bag, the code can also be used for the company’s line of pizza ovens. Who doesn’t love pizza?!
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/labor-day-sales-include-up-to-150-off-fire-pits-and-pizza-ovens-from-solo-stove-164539472.html?src=rss
High-quality active noise cancellation headphones are always going to cost a pretty penny. But, a new sale has dropped Sony's WH-1000XM4 headphones to a record-low price. A 43 percent discount brings the M4s down to $198, from $348.
Sony released the WH-1000XM4 headphones in 2020, further improving on a model that was already our top pick. Our review gave the M4 a 94, thanks to a more premium finish — tactile matte coating versus slick plastic — and a better overall fit. The device also offers powerful ANC, a punchy bass and automatic pausing if you start talking. These headphones provide comfort without compromising on sound or ANC quality.
Our choice for the best wireless headphones on the market are also on sale for $328, down from $400 — an 18 percent discount. Sony released the WH-1000XM5 model two years after its predecessor came out and took its place as our top pick. Improvements compared to the M4 include increased comfort and better noise cancellation, thanks to the addition of a V1 chip and eight ANC mics — double that of the M4. I will say that I own the M5, and on a recent transatlantic flight, I was one of the only people unbothered by the wailing baby.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/headphones/sonys-wh-1000xm4-headphones-drop-to-a-new-low-of-198-145024912.html?src=rss
As we did last Friday and the Friday before that (and shall continue to do until the internet turns itself off), we have rounded up the best deals we spotted this week and put them in one convenient location. These are the tech gadgets we have used, reviewed and recommend that happen to be seeing worthwhile discounts at the moment. This week, a bunch of Apple gear went on sale, some of it new, some of it older, such as the 2024 MacBook Air with the M3 chip for $250 off and the 2021 9th generation iPad for $100 under MSRP. Two of our favorite outdoor pizza ovens, the Frya 12 and the Karu 16, are on sale at Ooni and there's a special Engadget code that'll get you a deal on Roombas at Wellbots. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/save-150-on-our-favorite-ooni-pizza-oven-plus-the-rest-of-this-weeks-best-tech-deals-172730247.html?src=rss
Amazon has struck new deals that will give people the option to shop without having to leave TikTok or Pinterest, according to The Information. Users will be able to purchase items from the Amazon ads the pop up within either platform. Typically, clicking on an ad would take a buyer to Amazon's interface, but this deal will let them check out from within TikTok or Pinterest using the payment method and shipping address saved on their Amazon account.
The Information says it has seen screenshots of the ads, which show more information than usual, including items' prices, their estimated shipping times and whether they're eligible for Prime shipment. Take note that users will have to link their social media accounts to their Amazon profiles first before they're able to seamlessly shop from within their apps. "In-app shopping with Amazon is available for select products advertised on TikTok and sold by Amazon or by independent sellers in Amazon's store," a company spokesperson confirmed to the publication.
Amazon's new deals reportedly expand on its previous agreements with Meta and Snap under an initiative that's internally called Project Handshake. Similar to these newer arrangements, those previous deals made it possible for Snapchat and Instagram users to purchase items from within their apps. As The Information notes, though, it's not quite clear why TikTok has entered the agreement when it's been trying to grow its own shopping platform. TikTok brought live shopping to North America in 2022, and it added more relevant features, such as a dedicated shop tab and live stream shop buttons, last year. In addition to the fact that Amazon shopping could undercut sales on its own platform, TikTok could also end up getting banned in the US unless ByteDance, its parent company based in China, agrees to sell it.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/apps/tiktok-and-pinterest-team-up-with-amazon-for-in-app-shopping-140004136.html?src=rss
Fujifilm’s X-T30 II is one of my favorite cameras, as it offers many of the capabilities of the higher-end models for a lot less money. So I was particularly excited when the company launched the X-T50, which is like a miniature version of the $1,700 X-T5.
It shares many features, including a 40.2-megapixel sensor, 6K 30P video support and, in a first for the series, in-body stabilization. At the same time, it retains the small size and retro-cute styling of past models.
At $1,400 it’s not nearly as affordable as the $900 X-T30, though. To find out if it’s worth an extra half grand, I tested the X-T50 out in London with some professional photographer friends.
Body and handling
The X-T50 is all about portability and style, so it’s nice and light at 438 grams (0.96 pounds), just 50 grams more than the previous model. If you’re traveling with a compact lens, it can easily be slipped into a bag.
At the same time, the grip has been enlarged enough to make the camera easier to hang on to. Operation is largely unchanged, with two control dials, a shutter speed dial and an exposure compensation dial, along with a joystick and eight buttons. However, Fujifilm did introduce one new trick: a film simulation dial in place of the previous drive mode — more on that shortly.
All of that makes it nearly as easy to control as much larger cameras. The dedicated shutter dial is an unusual feature these days, so it does take some getting used to. The advantage is that you can see that setting just by looking down at the camera, a must for discreet street or travel shooting.
Like past models in this series, the X-T50 has a tilt-only display that doesn’t flip out, which is likely a bummer for the vloggers it’s tantalizing with its video capabilities. And rival models like the Sony A6700 and Canon R7 do have flip-out displays. The 2.36-million-dot electronic viewfinder isn’t super sharp, but is par for the course in this price range.
With a smallish battery like the one on the X100 VI, the X-T50 can manage just 305 shots on a charge or 390 in economy mode. That’s near the bottom in its category. By comparison, Canon’s like-priced R7 can take up to 660 photos before the battery dies.
The X-T50 has a decent array of ports, including microHDMI, USB-C and a mic jack. As before, there’s no headphone input, but you can use the USB-C slot with a 3.5mm adapter to monitor audio. It comes with a single, but fast UHS-II card slot.
Performance
If it’s pure performance you’re after, the X-T50 probably isn’t for you. Burst speeds are decent at up to 13 fps in electronic shutter mode or 8 fps with the mechanical shutter — far from the 30 fps of the Canon R7 in electronic mode. Also, the electronic shutter is only good if your subject doesn’t move too quickly, as rolling shutter distortion is very noticeable in this model.
Steve Dent for Engadget
Autofocus still isn’t a Fujifilm strong point, either. When I was shooting quick-moving subjects, it was a bit hit or miss in continuous mode, particularly when they were close to the camera. However, performance depends greatly on the lens being used.
On top of face and eye detection, Fujifilm has added subject-tracking autofocus modes for animals, birds, cars, motorcycles, airplanes and trains. This feature is completely separate from the regular eye and face detection modes, so you have to dive into the menus to switch between them, or program two separate buttons.
For the other types of photography it's designed for, the X-T50's autofocus works well, though it isn’t quite up to Sony, Canon or even Nikon’s standards.
A key new feature is in-body stabilization. With up to seven stops of shake reduction, you can get sharp photos down to about a quarter second. That’s the same as the 557-gram X-T5, which is quite an accomplishment given the size difference. It makes the X-T50 far more versatile, letting you blur motion to create interesting shots or shoot in dark environments.
Image quality
With the same 40MP sensor as the X-H2 and X-T5, the X-T50 offers a major boost in resolution over the 26MP X-30 II. On top of boosting sharpness, the extra pixels make it possible to crop in, something that’s handy for travel photography, wildlife shooting or anything else where you might not be able to get close to the subject.
In-camera treatment of JPEG files is handled well, with pleasant, accurate colors and just the right amount of sharpening and noise reduction. You can often share photos straight out of the camera, with no need for any post-processing — an advantage for street and other photographers who don’t like to mess around in post.
The 14-bit RAW photos offer plenty of room for fine-tuning, as they retain high amounts of detail in highlights and shadows. As such, I saw low levels of banding, noise and other artifacts at low ISOs in all image areas.
Steve Dent for Engadget
The higher resolution doesn’t hurt image quality much in low light, either. Noise is controlled well up to ISO 6,400, and you can go up to ISO 12,800 in a pinch. Considering that the X-T50 is an APS-C and not a full-frame camera, I was impressed with the lack of noise when shooting in bars and other dim environments.
And of course, the X100 VI offers Fujifilm’s full array of film simulation modes, and they’re easily accessible on the new dial. You can experiment with popular looks like Velvia, Eterna, Acros black and white and others. It also comes with Fujifilm’s new Reala Ace, based on one of the company’s old negative films. At the same time, you get a RAW backup in full color, so you’re not locked into a specific look.
Video
With excellent video specs, the X-T50 is a solid hybrid camera, as long as you keep in mind some caveats — particularly around cropping and sharpness.
Much like the X-T5, you can shoot 6.2K at 30 fps with a 1.23x crop, or 4K at up to 60 fps with line-skipping and a 1.14x crop. The cropping occurs because 6K video only requires 24 megapixels, and the sensor/processor combination isn’t up to the job of supersampling the entire sensor width.
Steve Dent for Engadget
The camera also offers sub-sampled 4K at up to 30p using the full sensor width, or high-quality 4K 30p with a 1.23x crop. For super slow-motion, Fujifilm also introduced 10-bit and F-Log2 settings for extra dynamic range.
At 6.2K and 4K HQ, rolling shutter skewing is pronounced so you’ll want to avoid excessive or sharp camera movements. Sub-sampled 4K is better in that area, but video is noticeably less sharp.
Video autofocus matches what I saw with photos, meaning it was decent but not ideal for moving subjects. The AI-powered AF did lock onto subjects, but again, couldn’t always keep up with birds, animals or vehicles.
Handheld video is now a realistic option with in-body stabilization. It works well if you don’t make abrupt movements, and the “boost” mode offers near tripod-like smoothness. Digital stabilization is also available, but isn’t supported with the 6K or HQ modes, and doesn’t reduce jolts when walking.
Video quality is solid for such a small camera, offering the same accurate colors I saw in photo modes. Shooting in 10-bit F-Log made it possible to adjust footage considerably in post or get creative. You can also shoot video using the film simulation modes if you want a specific look straight out of the camera.
Wrap-up
Steve Dent for Engadget
All told, the X-T50 is an awesome upgrade to the X-T30 II, with improvements in nearly every area — particularly resolution, stabilization and video. The film simulation button is a bit gimmicky, but it should appeal to fans of the brand, particularly those who love the X100 VI.
The problem I have with this camera is the price. The $900 X-T30 II was easy to recommend to buyers on a mid-level budget. However, at $1,400, the X-T50 is only $300 less than the superior X-T5, and at that price it has lots of stiff competition from the likes of the Canon R7 and Sony A6700, along with full-frame models like the Canon R8, Nikon Z6 II/Z5/Zfc and Panasonic S9.
Fujifilm likely figured that the X-T50 was nearly as capable as the X-T5 and that the 40-megapixel resolution beats out rivals — but it has priced a lot of potential buyers out of the market. If you’re looking for something that costs around the same as the X-T30 II, Nikon’s $1,100 Zfc is just as pretty and a lot less expensive.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/fujifilm-x-t50-review-a-big-improvement-for-a-lot-more-money-180046809.html?src=rss
It's Friday, which means it's time for another roundup of good tech deals. Our latest edition is headed up by a few notable discounts from the PlayStation Store's Summer Sale. Both the standard and digital versions of the PS5 are $50 off, for one — not a huge price drop, but still about as low as we usually see the consoles fall. The soon-to-be-improvedPlayStation VR2 is down to $349, a $200 discount, while a number of our favorite PS5 games are also on sale. Beyond that, Apple's entry-level AirPods are back down to a low of $70, several Amazon Echo devices are available for the prices we saw during Prime Day and Google's Pixel 8a is at a new low ahead of the company's big Pixel hardware event later this month. Here are the best tech deals from this week you can still buy today.
This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-playstation-5-is-50-off-plus-the-rest-of-the-weeks-best-tech-deals-170024467.html?src=rss
Our pick for the best budget Android phone is looking even better right now as the Google Pixel 8a has dropped to a new all-time-low price. You can pick up the device for $399. That's 20 percent off the regular price, and it's even lower than any of the deals we saw for it during Prime Day.
The Pixel 8a has the same Tensor G3 chip as the rest of the Pixel 8 lineup, which means you get access to the same AI features that its higher-end siblings have. We're fans of the cameras, 120Hz OLED display and battery life too (it lasted 20-and-a-half hours on our video rundown test). IP67 dust and water resistance is definitely welcome as is Qi wireless charging, even if it's not the fastest at a max capacity of 7.5 watts. Add all of that up and it's little surprise that the Google Pixel 8a earned a score of 90 in our review.
But that's not all, folks. The rest of the Pixel lineup is on sale too. The standard Pixel 8 with 128GB of storage is $499, which is $200 off the regular price. We gave that model a score of 90 in our review.
The Pixel 8 Pro pipped that, however, with a score of 93. That's our pick for the best Android phone on the market right now, and you can pick up one with 128GB of storage for $699, or $300 off.
This all comes with one key caveat in that Google is set to unveil the Pixel 9 lineup later this month. Those are expected to have more fancy features (some of which will come to Pixel 8 devices eventually), a more deeply integrated Gemini AI chatbot, an upgraded chipset and a revamped camera system. If you want the latest Pixel device — which will come with an extra year of software support — it'll be worth holding off for a couple of weeks. However, if you need a new phone of the Android variety right now, you can't really go wrong with any of the above options.
Prime Day might be in the rearview mirror but July isn't done with sales on Apple products just yet. Amazon is running deals on different iPads, including Apple's 10th-generation iPad with 64GB. The device is back down to its all-time low price of $300, dropping from $349 — a 14 percent discount. The sale is available in every color option.
Apple released the 10th-gen iPad in 2022, but it's still our favorite budget iPad on the market. We gave it an 85 in our review thanks to perks like its 10.9-inch screen and liquid retina display with a 2360p x 1640p resolution. Unlike many of Apple's more recent products, this iPad comes with an A14 chip rather than a M1 or higher. However, if you're only going to use it for things like watching videos or scrolling the web, then it should be more than enough power.
The 10th-generation iPad isn't the only model discounted, with a range of iPads on sale. You can opt for the 2022 version's predecessor, the ninth-gen iPad, which is down to $249 from $329 — a 24 percent discount. Then there's Apple's 11-inch iPad Air with an M2 chip, $559 from $599. If you want to drop a lot of money on an iPad (and get a high-quality product in return), check out the 16 percent discount on Apple's 11-inch iPad Pro with an M4 chip. The top-of-the-line iPad is available for $1,350, down from $1,599.