Tag Archives: Handheld & Connected Devices

Samsung Galaxy Ring review: A bit basic, a bit pricey

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I don’t expect much from a device as small as a ring. There’s no room for a lot of hardware, so it only really needs to do a few things well. A sleep tracker that doesn’t get in the way of, well, sleeping, is my holy grail, and smart rings are a tantalizing option. Samsung’s Galaxy Ring promises to monitor my slumber and log my daily activity, and do so comfortably and unobtrusively, all for $400. That’s $100 more than its closest competitor, the Oura Ring, though the latter charges an additional $6 a month to use its software. Oura has been around for over five years, and in that time, it has developed more sophisticated ways to deliver insights to its customers, while Samsung is just starting. But for a debut effort, the Galaxy Ring has been a surprisingly informative health-tracking device for those with compatible Samsung phones.

Of all the wearables available, rings are among the smallest and lightest. My Galaxy Ring is a size seven, which is the third tiniest Samsung makes. That puts it at about 2.3 grams, or just under 0.1 ounces light, which is about half the 4 to 6 grams that Oura’s rings weigh, depending on their size.

Thanks to that lack of weight and the device’s slim profile, I barely feel it on my finger when trying to fall asleep, which, for a sensitive sleeper like me, is a huge deal. The only thing that sometimes bothers me are the red and green LEDs flashing in my dark bedroom, but they’re not so bright to keep me up after I close my eyes.

I’m extremely finicky, and don’t like wearing a ring when my hands are even the slightest bit wet, so I frequently took the wearable off. But if you’re less sensitive than me, you’ll be happy to know the Galaxy Ring will survive soap and running water. I wore it while washing my hands a few times, taking the ring off afterwards for my fingers to fully dry. When I eventually put the device back on after having applied lotion and sunscreen, I was happy to see that the creams did not get in the way of its sensors getting readings.

Because I frequently took the ring on and off, I did have mini panic attacks a few times when I thought it fell out of my pocket. Thankfully, in those situations, I was able to use Samsung’s location-tracking app to see that it wasn’t too far away and was likely in my pants. The problem with the ring’s lack of components, though, is that I can’t play an audible alarm to help find it.

That absence of features is a compromise I’m happy to make in exchange for the Galaxy Ring’s barely-there footprint. What Samsung does offer here also feels good enough for a basic health tracker, though it does pale in comparison to the competition.

Samsung Galaxy Ring review photos
Sam Rutherford for Engadget

I’ve mostly used the Galaxy Ring to track my sleep and general activity, since it doesn’t log any workout beyond walking and running. For the most part, all I really have to do with the ring is make sure I place it on my index finger, where it fits more snugly than the middle. This helps ensure my blood oxygen readings are accurate, or I end up with numbers that are wildly low.

Beyond that, I spent most of my testing time on Samsung’s Wear and Health apps, poring over my sleep data. We’ve come a long way since the early days where Fitbits only looked at the duration of your rest, guessing based on how still you are whether you’ve fallen asleep. These days, using your heart rate to determine whether you’re in REM or deep sleep is table stakes, and on that front Samsung delivers as expected.

Samsung Galaxy Ring review photos
Sam Rutherford for Engadget

I obviously can’t tell you what stages I’m in as I sleep, but I did like that Samsung not only presents the data clearly, but also adds helpful context. It tells me why it’s important to have time in the REM zone, and whether 11 minutes in deep sleep was enough for recovery. The app also helps me understand how I compare to other people, without me having to navigate to a separate app or browser. I did find that the Ring noted accurately what times I fell asleep and awoke, and even logged a midday nap in the app (though it didn’t show sleep cycle data for that period).

It took a few days, but once a baseline was established, the Galaxy Ring started telling me what my skin temperature was throughout the night, highlighting my peak and lowest numbers. I’ve been pleasantly surprised to find that my coldest temperature to date has been on one night in Singapore, which goes against my assumption that the local heat and humidity would affect these readings.

It’s been mollifying to see that my stats seem normal, although my blood oxygen levels have varied wildly depending on which finger I wear the ring on. It’s even gone as low as 76 percent, which would be concerning, but I’ve stopped caring much about that section of my sleep insights, since it seems my review unit might be a little loose.

You don’t have to spend as much time as I do digging into the numbers — Samsung, like most other modern sleep-tracking services, will assign a sleep score to tell you how well you slept. There are also graphs to help you understand your trends at a glance.

It’s important to note that Samsung said the energy score, sleep tracking and Wellness Tips features are based on Galaxy AI, meaning they’ll require a Galaxy phone, Samsung Health app and Samsung account to work.

Samsung Galaxy Ring review photos
Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Samsung’s ring might not track a wide variety of exercises, but the data it does gather is surprisingly comprehensive. I was fully expecting the walks it automatically detected to only show me basic stats like duration and, perhaps, step count. But it actually presented my average speed, cadence, heart rate, heart rate zones, calories burned and distance traveled too.

I’m pretty impressed, but I must point out that Oura offers a Workout heart rate feature that lets you manually start and end heart-rate tracking sessions from your phone. It also automatically detects at least 40 different activities, including yardwork, cycling, snowboarding, horseback riding and HIIT. Oura also frequently adds new metrics like cardiovascular age and capacity, as well as experimental features like Symptom Radar to guess when you might not be feeling well. It’s ahead of Samsung in the game here and seems to be fighting to keep that gap open. I guess if you’re going to pay an extra $6 a month, you better get a significantly superior service.

In my experience, both Samsung and Oura are fairly accurate at tracking activity. In the last few days, I’ve been surprised to see the Galaxy Ring had tracked pretty much every time I went with my parents to a nearby hawker center, even though the walks only took fewer than 10 minutes. Compared to the Apple Watch Series 9 I usually wear, Samsung is more likely to include a short trip in its app’s activity log, which was not only more rewarding but also felt like a more complete picture of my day.

Samsung Galaxy Ring review photos
Sam Rutherford for Engadget

One area where the Galaxy Ring (and rings in general) falls short of smartwatches is in delivering any sort of notification. As an activity tracker, this is mainly a problem when it comes to pushing stand reminders. Both Samsung and Oura will serve alerts on your phone when you’ve been stationary for too long, prompting you to get up and move. Wristworn wearables typically buzz and tell you on the screen, and it’s a lot harder to miss or ignore them. I’ve definitely had a few days where I was in an editing or writing hole and only noticed numerous alerts to move hours later when I looked at my Galaxy phone.

This isn’t a major problem, and is another small tradeoff I’m happy to accept since the Ring is so small. But I do have two specific complaints for Samsung, and they both pertain to the app. My first issue is the confusing interface for automatic activity detection. When you go into the Ring’s settings to enable this (which is unfortunately not turned on by default), you’ll see the words “Activities to detect” under a tinier label called “Auto detect workouts.” Next to the larger font is a grayed out toggle that turns blue when you slide it to the right.

Pushing this switch on didn’t actually enable the feature. Tapping on the words “Activities to detect” brought me into a different page with rows for “Walking” and “Running,” each accompanied by their own toggles. You’ll also have to press each of these activities to go into another page and turn on location tracking. Because of this, I spent my first few days with the Galaxy Ring confused why my walks weren’t being logged, despite having turned on the main toggle. A better layout with improved organization that requires fewer taps and pages would really help here.

My other gripe is a more specific situation. As I’m concurrently testing the Galaxy Watch Ultra, the information collected by that smartwatch is also considered by Samsung Health when calculating my energy score. This is actually a good thing, as I’d prefer to use a Galaxy Watch to log my gym sessions and rely on the ring everywhere else. But because the Galaxy Watch Ultra is so inaccurate when it’s not being worn, it actually recorded random workout sessions, like two bike rides that I never took. This caused the Health app to think I had overexerted myself and it ended up recommending I take it super easy the next day, when in reality I had done very little.

Yes, I can manually delete these entries, but when I’m busy and just want to glance at my energy score, this causes confusion. Why was my score so low? Did I somehow sleep poorly? I can already imagine hypochondriacs spiraling if they didn’t know what happened.

Luckily, Samsung clearly labels at the bottom of each workout record which device detected the activity. This is unlikely to be a huge problem unless you have both the Galaxy Ring and Watch like I do, and is something that seems easy enough to fix.

Samsung Galaxy Ring review photos
Sam Rutherford for Engadget

Samsung says the Galaxy Ring can deliver “continuous usage” for up to seven days, and in my experience that’s fairly accurate. But you’ll have to be able to tolerate seeing the battery levels drop all the way to zero to get the full week. In the two weeks or so that I’ve worn the ring, it consistently dropped to under 20 percent by day six, and would basically die on day seven.

Charging the device’s 18mAh battery shouldn’t take too long. Samsung says 30 minutes will get you 40 percent of the way, and when I placed the Ring in its case for about 5 minutes, it went up by two percent. If I hadn’t been trying to gauge its battery life for this review, I would probably have recharged it any time I wasn’t wearing it, and likely wouldn’t have ever run out of juice.

For its debut smart ring, Samsung’s delivered a satisfactory product that mostly delivers. Compared to the Oura ring, the Galaxy Ring is perfunctory. The main bonus Samsung had over the competition is its double pinch gesture, that can dismiss alarms or remotely launch the camera on your Samsung phone. I wasn’t able to test this feature because I tested the Ring with a Galaxy S24, and it’s only compatible with the Galaxy Z Fold 6 and Z Flip 6. Samsung says double-pinch functionality is coming to the S24 lineup soon.

Unlike the Oura ring, Samsung’s wearable doesn’t work with iPhones, though rumors are rife that iOS support is coming. For now, if you’re in Apple’s ecosystem you won’t be able to use the Galaxy Ring. Those who use a Samsung phone are more likely to appreciate the Galaxy Ring most. Other integrations like Find My and Samsung Health are available to anyone that installs the SmartThings app and has a Samsung account.

Though the Galaxy Ring is fairly basic at the moment, it seems to have a lot of potential. Samsung needs to continue to invest in research to expand the insights it could deliver with the limited set of data the ring collects. Given the company’s history with bringing new features to its watches, Health app and the Z series of foldable phones so far, it might just do that. If you’re happy to spend $400 on a low-profile wearable sleep tracker that also logs your walks or runs, the Galaxy Ring will do the job.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsung-galaxy-ring-review-a-bit-basic-a-bit-pricey-130034811.html?src=rss

Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro review: AirPods clones that actually deliver

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There’s no way around it: Samsung copied Apple in multiple ways on its Galaxy Buds 3 ($180) and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro ($250). Not only do the physical designs echo the third-gen AirPods and AirPods Pro, respectively, but Samsung also mirrored a few features, too. The Galaxy Buds offer Adaptive Active Noise Cancellation (ANC), Adaptive EQ and Voice Detect, which just happen to do the same thing as Apple's Adaptive Audio and Conversation Awareness. And just like Apple does with AirPods and iOS, the best features here are reserved for recent Samsung devices. If you have a newer Galaxy phone, that's the saving grace of these earbuds: They're the de facto AirPods you've probably always wanted.

The Galaxy Buds 3 are the most obvious AirPods copycat of the pair, sharing a striking resemblance to the third-generation “regular” model that Apple debuted in 2021. The shape and location of the speaker and other components are but two examples of the replication on display here. Samsung’s “blade” design for the stem does offer some variation, but not a ton, and there’s a gray option for more contrast. On the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, there’s a lot of resemblance to the AirPods Pro. Once more, the angular nature of the stem and the gray color are the two biggest differentiators.

Samsung’s “blade” stem accepts both swipes to adjust volume and pinches for playback and noise controls. While the sliding action works well, the pinching takes some getting used to. My tendency is to place my index finger on the flat panel opposite the back side where you pinch, but that doesn’t provide enough pressure to activate the controls. Instead, you have to wrap your finger around the blade to hold it in place. Once you figure out how to grip them securely, pressing on them is a much easier task.

The case for both Galaxy Buds 3 models has a similar shape to that of the AirPods, but Samsung’s choice to go with a clear lid creates some separation, and I liked being able to see if the buds were inside without having to open it. Samsung also put the USB-C port and the Bluetooth pairing button on the bottom where Apple puts the latter component on the back of the case.

The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs. Apple's AirPods Pro.
The Galaxy Buds 3 Pro vs. Apple's AirPods Pro.
Billy Steele for Engadget

One weird thing about the case is how the earbuds sit in it. When you take the Galaxy Buds 3 out of your ears, you have to rotate them 180 degrees to put them in the case. This doesn’t sound like a huge inconvenience until you have to do it a few times a day. Samsung did this to make the Blade Lights visible when the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are in the case, which, to me, doesn’t justify the annoyance.

Speaking of the Blade Lights, let’s discuss that design choice. They’re completely unnecessary. As the user, you only see them when the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are in the case. In that position, they function as a second indicator that the earbuds are in pairing mode, which isn’t needed because the case already has its own LED for purpose on the front. You can set them to stay on when you’re wearing them, or either fade in/out or blink, but I’m not personally into drawing more attention to my earbuds.

Both sets in the Galaxy Buds 3 series are IP57 rated so they’ll withstand sweaty workouts with no problems. However, the Pro version is the better option for activities as the ear tip helps keep them in place when moisture comes into play. What's more, I didn’t encounter any discomfort with either Galaxy Buds 3 model when wearing them for hours at a time. They both remained comfortable and I never felt like I was enduring some degree of pain to keep them in.

Samsung is also dealing with some quality control issues on the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. It’s nothing to do with functionality, but the company paused shipments due to overly fragile ear tips. This component has a tendency to tear when you remove them from the earbuds, which is a problem if you need to go back to a pair of tips you were using previously. Since the Galaxy Buds 3 don’t use these, they’re not affected. I’ve asked Samsung for an update on the ear tip saga and will update this review when there’s more info.

Both models of the Samsung Galaxy Buds 3 have a similar, AirPods-inspired oval shape.
Billy Steele for Engadget

Besides design, Samsung also took a page from Apple when it comes to features on the Galaxy Buds 3 series. First, both models have Adaptive EQ and Adaptive ANC — two key tools on AirPods. These features constantly monitor sound and adjust both the tuning and the noise cancellation based on what you encounter. They mostly run in the background and the only time you might notice a change is when music or a podcast suddenly seems slightly louder because of the earbuds doing their thing.

Samsung went a step further on the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro with some more advanced features. Adaptive Noise Control automatically adjusts a mix of ANC and ambient sound based on your surroundings while Voice Detect will lower the volume and activate transparency mode when you start speaking. As noted above, these are basically Samsung’s take on Apple’s Adaptive Audio and Conversation Awareness features, respectively. There’s also a Siren Detect that does the same auto volume reduction and ambient sound thing when it hears an emergency vehicle.

All of these work as described, but I would like the volume reduction and activating ambient sound to happen simultaneously. Instead, the volume lowers and then a couple seconds later transparency mode kicks in. So, once you start talking, you might feel the need to speak louder until you can hear yourself better when the full capability of Voice Detect kicks in. Additionally, I’m happy to report that Voice Detect isn’t easily triggered by coughing like comparable features on other earbuds tend to be. The Galaxy Buds 3 series voice features also accommodate simple commands without pressing any buttons or muttering a trigger word. You can just say things like "play music," "volume up" or "answer call" for basic tasks. These work well once you memorize the accepted phrases, like the fact that "stop music" works but not "pause music." 

The Galaxy Buds 3 series also has a Real-Time Interpreter akin to what Google offers on its Pixel Buds. In Samsung's case, the feature can read and translate other languages. When the tool is active, you can pinch and hold the stem and the setup with continue to interpret while someone is talking. The downside is this whole thing currently requires a Galaxy Z Fold 6 or Flip 6 as those are the only phones running One UI 6.1.1. Due to this, I wasn't able to test it as my companion device is an S24 Ultra. 

Samsung's Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are both comfortable to wear for hours at a time.
Billy Steele for Engadget

The Galaxy Buds 3 offer solid audio performance, mainly due to a pleasant amount of low-end tone. The bass tuning here provides a nice backbone to songs and keeps pace with the punchy highs and full mids. That said, how the Galaxy Buds 3 sit in my ears affects overall sound quality. I could make them sound a little better with a small positioning adjustment, but that’s not how they’d rest on their own.

If sound quality is your primary concern though, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro is the better option. Samsung’s choice to use two-way speakers and dual amplifiers creates deep sound that’s immersive and detailed. You’ll get the best performance from a recent Samsung phone where you can employ Ultra High Quality (UHQ) audio and 24-bit HiFi. The higher-resolution streaming is also available on the Galaxy Buds 3, but it’s better suited to the Pro model. Both models also offer 360 Audio with direct multi-channel support. However, I don’t think that particular mode sounds good on either set of earbuds. The audio is thin and favors treble, making it less balanced, zapping the oomph out of the excellent bass tone.

When you deploy the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro at their maximum potential with lossless audio, you get robust, enveloping sound that rivals some of the best earbuds I’ve tested. I still prefer the tuning of the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 4 to these, but Samsung has really flexed its muscle here. There’s beefy bass when a track like Balance and Composure’s “Cross To Bear” demands it, but the echo-y guitars and vocals cut through cleanly. Plus, there’s ample fine detail in the texture of the bass line and the crisp drum sounds.

The Galaxy Buds 3 have ANC even though they are open-type earbuds that don’t completely seal off your ears. Samsung has done this before on previous models and I still don’t understand why. The ANC on this model is more like slight noise reduction as it barely makes a difference with any background ruckus you might encounter. I’m guessing Samsung read the reports about Apple bringing ANC to an upcoming version of its “regular” AirPods and felt like it needed to beat Apple to the punch. Either way, if you want true, helpful noise-canceling earbuds, the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro are the better option here.

You won’t find ANC performance that rivals Bose and Sony on the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro, but the noise-blocking ability is good enough to combat a low-to-moderate constant roar. The earbuds struggle mightily with human voices, which is a stumbling block for a lot of the competition. I will point out that transparency mode works really well, providing a natural option for ambient sound that almost rises to the level of the AirPods Pro. I think Apple still has the upper hand there, but Samsung has done well to give us something that makes calls easier and doesn’t make environmental noise sound overly muted when you actually want to hear it.

From multiple angles, the Galaxy Buds 3 resemble Apple's AirPods.
Billy Steele for Engadget

The quality of transparency mode on the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro makes them a great option for hands-free calls. You can chat without feeling like you need to shout to hear yourself. The open nature of the Galaxy Buds 3 also makes them a solid choice for voice and video for you, the user. For the person on the other end, you’ll sound slightly better than if you were on speakerphone on both sets, which is about average for earbuds these days. It isn’t pristine, but it gets the job done in most circumstances.

Both the Galaxy Buds 3 and the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro had no trouble hitting Samsung’s stated battery figures during my tests. That’s five hours for the former and six hours for the latter, and I tested them with ANC on and the volume between 50 and 75 percent. Each model gets around 20 additional hours of noise-canceling use from the case. The cases for both models support wireless charging, but Samsung doesn’t mention any expected times for full charging from zero or any quick-charge features that might be available. I’ve asked the company for more details here and I’ll update this review if there’s more to share.

Despite all of the comparisons to AirPods that Samsung has heaped upon itself, Apple’s earbuds aren’t the main competition for the Galaxy Buds 3 and Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. That’s because Apple headphones aren’t good choices for Android users because the company reserves the best features for iPhone, iPad and Mac. Samsung used to cater to iOS users, but it took the same walled garden approach of its rival. Galaxy Buds will work with your iPhone, but without all the bells and whistles.

Instead, Sony’s WF-1000XM5 is the best alternative to the Galaxy Buds 3 Pro. Android and iOS users both get access to the most attractive features, which include Speak-to-Chat voice recognition, DSEE Extreme audio upscaling and automatic settings adjustments based on either activity or location. iPhone users only miss out on head tracking. The 1000XM5 is more comfortable than its predecessor thanks to a smaller overall design and battery life is longer than both Samsung and Apple at eight hours with ANC on.

I’ll be honest, when Samsung revealed two sets of earbuds that bear resemblance to two models of AirPods, I wasn’t expecting much in terms of performance. However, the company certainly surprised me. Audio quality is great on both sets of Galaxy Buds 3, though the Pro model nears spectacular in its sonic capabilities. Samsung could use some more polish on its features like Voice Detect, but the company clearly sees the value in giving its Galaxy phone customers an analogous experience to what iPhone users get with AirPods. Ultimately, though, the company’s previous earbuds were good on their own merits. Samsung would be better served by making the next version of Galaxy Buds stand out because of their own unique features, rather than just aping the AirPods across the board.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsung-galaxy-buds-3-and-galaxy-buds-3-pro-review-airpods-clones-that-actually-deliver-171024116.html?src=rss

It’s your last chance for a $300 Amazon gift card when you pre-order the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6

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The new Samsung Galaxy devices drop tomorrow which means today is your last chance to take advantage of pre-order promotions. One of the best deals we've seen comes from Amazon, which is offering a $300 gift card to anyone who pre-orders the Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6. The bundle is available for $1,900 thanks to a six percent discount on the 512GB model (originally $2,020). You can pick it up in Silver, Navy or Pink.

Samsung announced the Galaxy Z Fold 6 earlier this month, and we've had the chance to test it out. We gave it an 86 in our review due to welcome features like native stylus support and an even lighter chassis. It also uses the Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip and has a larger vapor chamber, so there's basically no lag, and it's less likely to overheat. The screen is brighter, with a colorful display, and the device lasted over 20 hours during our video rundown test on the main screen and 25 hours and 19 minutes on the exterior screen.

If you're in the market for something cheaper, check out the Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 — a smaller device with some of the same perks. The smartphone is also available for pre-order, with the 512GB model and a $200 Amazon gift card on sale for $1,100. The 512GB Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 6 starts at $1,220 on its own (though both Amazon and Samsung are running pre-order sales on just the phone). Like the Galaxy Z Fold 6, it comes out tomorrow so today is the last day to snag a pre-order deal. 

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

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/its-your-last-chance-for-a-300-amazon-gift-card-when-you-pre-order-the-samsung-galaxy-z-fold-6-141053944.html?src=rss

Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 6 review: The king, but for how much longer?

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No one has been making foldable phones longer than Samsung. And for the first few years, the sheer number of improvements we got on the Galaxy Z Fold line meant it didn’t really have any competition. But more recently, the pace of innovation has slowed while new challengers like the OnePlus Open and Pixel Fold have arrived. Now for 2024, Samsung has reinforced the Galaxy Z Fold 6 with a stronger but significantly lighter frame, a new ultra-wide-angle camera and a bunch of AI-powered tools. Unfortunately, not much else has changed, leaving us with a very iterative upgrade. So while the Galaxy Z Fold 6 remains the best all-around big foldable on the market, it feels like complacency is eroding Samsung’s lead among flagship flexible phones.

After eliminating the gap between the screen (when closed) on last year’s phone, Samsung has adjusted the Galaxy Z Fold 6’s dimensions again for 2024. But the changes are so small you have to measure them in millimeters. When closed, the phone is just over one millimeter thinner and when you open it up (in portrait), the main screen is 2.7mm wider but one millimeter shorter. It’s not a ton, but you do get a little more room for activities. And of course this also affects the exterior Cover Display, which is about 1mm wider as well — just enough to make using its on-screen keyboard more forgiving.

Elsewhere, the entire phone is sharper, from its boxier edges to the more squared-off corners on both screens. Samsung also says the Enhanced Armor Aluminium used in the Z Fold 6’s chassis is about 10 percent stronger than before, but I hope you’ll forgive me for not dropping it on purpose just to find out. Holding everything together is a new dual-rail hinge. And this time, I think Samsung has nailed the perfect balance between something that’s easy to open but also holds its position when you want it to. But the biggest design upgrade is a 14-gram weight reduction compared to the previous model. Granted, that might not sound like much, but now the Z Fold 6 only weighs around 4 grams more than its non-foldable cousin, the S24 Ultra. And on an already heavy phone, this change makes a big difference.

As for the displays, as someone who’s been using the Pixel Fold a lot recently — which has a solid screen in its own right — can I just say, Samsung’s panels are so choice. Not only has peak brightness improved to 2,600 nits for both displays just like on the standard S24 family, Samsung has subtly shrunk and flattened the bezels, so the phone looks even more like a magazine come to life. And until I see something better, this is simply the best screen on a big foldable right now.

On the Galaxy Z Fold 6, Samsung increased peak brightness for both of its displays to 2,600 nits, which is the same as on the standard Galaxy S24 line.
Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

The Z Fold line has never been slow and this year we got the same upgrade to a Snapdragon 8 Gen 3 chip as we saw on the S24, while base RAM is staying pat at 12GB. And as you’d expect, the Z Fold 6’s performance is fast and responsive. There’s no lag when doing pretty much anything and thanks to the addition of a larger vapor chamber on the inside, the phone stays cooler during longer sessions, which is a nice bonus to all the gamers out there who like playing on a truly big-screen device.

When it comes to photography, I’m a bit disappointed with the Z Fold 6, not because it can’t take a decent pic, but because I know Samsung can do better. For this go around, Samsung has stuck with a trio of rear cameras, opting for a new 12-MP sensor for the ultra-wide lens — and it’s pretty good. But at the same time, the ultra-wide lens is the one I use the least in daily use, and it's not close.

The only significant change to the Z Fold 6's photography is the addition of a new 12-MP sensor for the phone's ultra-wide lens.
Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

The other two cameras – the 50-MP main and 12-MP telephoto with a 3x optical zoom — are solid, but they’re the same ones Samsung used on at least the previous two generations. In a photo of some strawberries, the Z Fold 6 produced a delicious pic with deep saturated hues and great details. At the same time, though, you can also see the slightly exaggerated warm tones you often get from Samsung cameras. And at night, the Z Fold produced a beautiful pic of a flower in a very tricky backlit environment.

The issue is that after Google released the Pixel Fold, Samsung doesn’t really have an excuse for saddling the Z Fold 6 with downgraded photography when compared to the S24 Ultra. The Pixel Fold has a longer 5x optical zoom and an edge in overall photo quality. Just take a look at two zoom shots taken by the Z Fold 6 and the Pixel Fold. In a vacuum, Samsung’s photo doesn’t look bad. But then take a look at the Pixel’s image. It's noticeably sharper and more detailed.

And it's the same thing in really low-light situations, like the one I took of some Bluey figurines, where the Pixel Fold captured a less grainy, sharper and more well-exposed pic. And after being pleasantly surprised with the cameras on the S24 Ultra, it’s a shame Samsung’s most expensive phone sits in second place when it comes to photography.

As we saw back at the beginning of the year, Samsung has brought the Galaxy AI suite it launched on the S24 to the Z Fold 6. And by and large, a lot of the features are the same including things like Chat Assist which you can use to generate social posts or emails while selecting a variety of tones. There’s also support for Google’s Circle to Search along with translation and summarization tools. A couple new tweaks for the Fold is that now the phone can translate text in place instead of spitting it out into a big unformatted blob, which is nice but kind of situational. And I should mention, Google Lens already offers similar functionality. Perhaps the more important one is the ability to do dual-screen translations, so each person can see text in their language in real-time, depending on what side of the phone they’re looking at.

One of the new features in the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is Samsung's Portrait Studio tool, which uses AI to generate a new image in a range of styles based on an existing photo of a person.
Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Some new additions are the Portrait Studio tool that can create an AI-generated drawing of someone based on a photo and a range of styles like comic or watercolor. It’s fun and it’s good for a laugh or two, but I’m not sure how useful it will be on a regular basis. There’s also the Sketch to Image feature that allows you to add a simple drawing to an existing photo and then have the phone generate a more realistic rendition of it in your final image. I still think Samsung’s basic AI photo editing tools are the most useful of the bunch, as they make it easy to delete distracting objects or do simple touch ups. But once again, all of this feels more like bonus content rather than core essentials.

While Samsung didn’t increase the size of the 4,400 mAh cell in the Z Fold 6, the phone does have slightly better battery life due to improved energy efficiency from its new chip. On our video rundown test, it lasted 20 hours and seven minutes when using its large main screen and 25 hours and 19 minutes when using its exterior cover display. That first number is even better than we saw from the Pixel Fold (15:22) and OnePlus Open (19:19), so if you need a big-screen phone with ample longevity, the Z Fold 6 is the easy pick.

Sadly, the Z Fold 6's battery size and charging speeds are unchanged from the previous model.
Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Unfortunately, its charging hasn’t changed much. You still get 25-watt wired charging and 15-watt wireless charging, which are both pretty mediocre figures in 2024. And while I wasn’t expecting to see support for Qi2 magnetic charging on the Z Fold 6 after Samsung opted not to add it to the main S24 line, I’m still a bit miffed that a phone this expensive is cutting important features off the spec sheet.

It wasn’t long ago when practically every component on the Z Fold line was unmatched by its competitors. But now phones like the Pixel Fold exist, which offers better overall photography. Then there’s the OnePlus Open, which weighs the same as the Z Fold 6 even after its recent diet. And let’s not forget, both of those rivals are 2023 models. Plus there are Chinese competitors like the Honor Magic V3 and the upcoming Xiaomi Mix Fold 4, which are both thinner and lighter than Samsung’s champion.

The Galaxy Z Fold 6 is 14 grams lighter than the previous model, which makes a big difference on an already large device.
Photo by Sam Rutherford/Engadget

Don’t get me wrong, the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is still a good foldable, a great one even. It’s got excellent performance, strong battery life and handy features like native stylus support. But it feels like after all this time sitting fat and happy on its throne, Samsung has a diminished hunger for total domination. Instead of long-awaited features like a built-in S Pen or an improved under-display camera, we got a bunch of AI-powered tools and tricks, which are fun but not true highlight attractions. And at $1,900 — which is $100 more than last year — the Galaxy Z Fold 6 is the most expensive it's been since the Z Fold 3. But I guess that's the price you pay Samsung for having such a long reign on top.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/samsung-galaxy-z-fold-6-review-the-king-but-for-how-much-longer-140129812.html?src=rss

Google confirms the Pixel 9 Pro Fold with a teaser video

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Google has confirmed in a teaser video that its upcoming line of smartphones includes a new foldable model. The company called the Pixel 9 Pro Fold a "foldable phone built for the Gemini era" in its promo tweet, and it even focused on its gen AI chatbot in the video. Similar to the non-foldable Pixel 9 Pro, this model also has a prominent camera bump. Its lenses are arranged vertically near one side of the phone, so the camera bump is mostly there and doesn't take up the whole width of the folded device.

While Google has yet to formally unveil the model, a previous leak, courtesy of Android Authority, has already revealed a lot of details about the upcoming Pixel 9 models. Taiwan's National Communications Commission (NCC) uploaded galleries of each phone — Pixel 9, 9 Pro, 9 Pro XL and 9 Pro Fold — to its archives. Some of those photos feature an unfolded 9 Pro Fold, showing how Google moved its selfie camera to the inside screen for a wider field of view. They also show that the model has a reduced fold crease on the display, which measures 250mm or just under 10 inches.

The NCC's leak revealed that the upcoming devices need bigger chargers, as well. Their charging rates are generally faster than previous models based on the agency's tests, though the Pixel 9 Pro Fold was the slowest of them all. We'll be able to confirm those details when Google launches its new smartphones at the next Made by Google event that's happening on August 13. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-confirms-the-pixel-9-pro-fold-with-a-teaser-video-030440420.html?src=rss

FiiO reboots the old-school portable CD player, minus the AA batteries

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CD players are back, baby. As Gen Z absorbs the ‘90s it never experienced through retro nostalgia like Nirvana, Tamagotchi and wired headphones, audiophile brand FiiO is here to capitalize. The company’s new portable CD player, the DM13, builds on the blueprint of icons like the Discman. But it adds modern touches like high-fidelity wireless and a built-in battery, so Gen Zers are spared the pain of lugging around a small arsenal of AA cells to change at the top of every hour.

The FiiO DM13 follows the company’s retro reboots of the vinyl turntable and (for unfathomable reasons) the cassette player. The upcoming CD player has a sleek design with a digital display across its front, making for a much sharper-looking modern aesthetic than the trash we Gen X old farts used when jamming out to timeless musical legends like Candlebox, Right Said Fred and the Squirrel Nut Zippers.

Product marketing image of the FiiO DM13 portable CD player. It sits closed against a waveform background.
FiiO / Starscream Communications

The DM13 supports 3.5mm single-ended 4.4mm balanced outputs for analog line-out listening. For those who prefer wireless, it supports high-quality aptX HD and is compatible with many Android phones and portable media players. (Apple uses its lower-bitrate AAC codec, so iPhone owners get less impressive wireless audio without an adapter.)

FiiO says the DM13 supports eight hours of playback per charge. It also has a USB output and a dedicated desktop mode that bypasses the battery and uses its main power at home.

The bad news for ‘90s retrophiles is the DM13 isn’t available just yet. After its official unveiling at this weekend’s CanJam event in London, the CD Player will go on sale in September for $179 (£179 in the UK). It begins shipping only in a silver finish, but FiiO says red, blue, titanium and black variants will arrive later in the year.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/fiio-reboots-the-old-school-portable-cd-player-minus-the-aa-batteries-202334462.html?src=rss

iOS 18 preview: Waiting on Apple Intelligence for the true upgrade

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iOS 18 has landed in public beta and Apple is offering up more control, yet again, of the layout of your iPhone. However, Apple Intelligence, the most exciting upgrade, is conspicuously (but unsurprisingly) absent.

The update also improves several native apps, such as Photos, Messages (RCS! Gasp!) and Notes, although Apple Intelligence will add even more features and tricks. While we all wait for the ability to generate our own emojis, there is still plenty to explore. It’s just a little drier than what Apple teased at WWDC.

You can access the iOS preview by enrolling on Apple’s website, which will nudge the beta to your iPhone’s Software Update section. As always, remember to back up your iPhone first and ensure it’s compatible. (iOS 18 works on 2018’s iPhone XS and XR and newer phones.)

Beyond app folders and widgets, iOS 18 adds further functional and aesthetic customization. Alongside a new Dark look, you can tint all of them in a color of your choosing. Unlike previous dark modes on iOS, this time it also ‘dims’ individual app icons to keep it consistent with the darker theme. You can also have iOS choose the color for you, basing its recommendation on your iPhone’s wallpaper. If that sounds familiar, it’s because it is very similar to Material You, which Google introduced to Android in 2021.

You can also increase the size of the app icons ever so slightly, without reducing the number you can pack into a single pane. Doing so does strip away the text labels, so you better be sure you know, without words, which app icon is which. And, in a thrilling move for tens of pedants everywhere, you can move your icons outside a left-aligned, top-to-bottom snap grid. Do you want the Safari icon floating in the bottom right corner, all alone? You can do that now.

iOS 18 also brings two new ways to secure your apps. You can assign an app as locked or hidden. Locking an app will require FaceID access, useful perhaps for Photos or a plethora of other apps if you often share your phone with children. Doing sp will also mean information from there won’t appear or bubble around other parts of iOS, like searches and notifications. You can also choose to hide the app, which nudges it into a dedicated folder, locked away behind FaceID.

Apple has also refreshed its control panel and dropdown menu for settings. Similar to when iOS introduced widgets a few years ago, there is now a dedicated control gallery to add smart home shortcuts, launch timers and more.

This had the potential to clutter up the control panel, but Apple has divided this into four different tabs. While you can tap on the little icons to the side to leap to a specific section, you can also access all of them in a single continuous scroll. Your most used features can live at the top, and other sections pull together your smart home controls, entertainment playback and connectivity. Have you lost your hotspot shortcut? It’s here. All the controls are also resizeable to prioritize the most crucial ones.

Finally, you can now customize the iOS lock screen controls, too. If you never use the flashlight, you can swap it out for something more practical, like a timer, or even act as a shortcut to Shazam in a pinch.

iOS 18 preview
Photo by Mat Smith/Engadget

RCS (Rich Communication Services) has landed on the iPhone, or at least on those running iOS 18. It pulls together advanced text features, like support for richer images, larger file attachments, voice notes, group chat, read receipts and more. But you got all those through iMessage on iOS, making RCS sound a little uneventful.

However, if your friends are divided across Android and iOS, you can start using Messages like other third-party messaging apps. Does it have all the features of WhatsApp? No. Does it do everything you can in iMessage? No.

But it will help. For example, with RCS, you can send messages over Wi-Fi without a phone signal. I’ve had issues before when running late for appointments, trapped on the metro with no signal, unable to text to let the other person know. RCS means those messages will send if you latch on to a passing Wi-Fi network.

There are more advances beyond RCS. You can also schedule text messages, like you might already do on work chat apps and email. If you’re into Apple’s recently introduced message tapbacks (emoji reactions), you can now do so with any emoji, including your own Live Stickers based on your photos and images. For even more expression, iOS 18 also adds italics, bold, underline and strikethrough formatting, and a family of cute word animations that feel like WordArt come to life. It’s silly, it’s frothy, it’s pointless. I love it.

iOS 18 preview
Photo by Mat Smith/Engadget

Apple has hidden away some major changes to how it structures its photos app, reflecting the fact that many of us have had iPhones (and photo libraries) for over a decade and a half. And we’re not going to look at all of those pictures. We’re likely not even going to look at most of them. In iOS 18, Apple has ditched the tabs for “Library,” “For You,” “Albums” and “Search.” Instead of your latest photos, screenshots and videos taking up the majority of the screen, you’ll see some space carved out for your latest content, curated albums, memories and more.

It’s a divisive approach, but I think your reaction will depend on how you interact with your photos. I know where my favorite photos are or how to find them, but other people in my life are often pleasantly surprised when services and devices can auto-curate an album of photos from a day out or a vacation. This redesign seems aimed at them.

And what about Apple Intelligence? Eventually, it will add some additional tricks, like Cleanup, which can help erase any unwanted objects in your photos. It’s a feature that Pixel (and Galaxy) phone users have enjoyed for a while, and still, we await the arrival of Apple Intelligence to be able to test this. For more on what’s coming to your gallery in iOS 18, check out my colleague Cherlynn’s detailed article on what Apple’s done to the Photos app.

If you’re a daily Notes app user (yes, I’m guilty), there are some nice advances in iOS 18, too. You can now transcribe conversations and meetings directly into the app. At the time of my testing, you’ll have to ensure your iPhone is set to US English and US as a region for the transcription icon, shown in the image above, to appear.

We also get Math Notes, which can be accessed through the Notes app and from the calculator. Here, you can write out sums and calculations and your iPhone will solve them. It’ll even remember figures for future calculations. It feels niche, but there’s some definite utility here, perhaps if you’re looking to add up a vacation budget or DIY project.

Notes’ new collapsable subheadings proved more useful for me. I have several lengthy Note files, and now I can organize them better and not have to search for specific words to find what I need.

Apple brings a similar approach to its Reader on Safari, which can add a table of contents and even attempt to summarize an article before you even get your teeth into it. Meandering recipe intros: you may have been put on notice. But I say “may“ because as of this writing, I haven’t been able to test this on any sites I’ve visited.

There’s also a new Passwords app, which, in a lot of ways, is just an easier way to access your iCloud passwords instead of diving into your iPhone’s settings. The app divides your passwords into different categories like accounts, codes, Wi-Fi networks and Passkeys, and, wisely, will support the iCloud for Windows app and a Chrome extension. You can also share password collections with visitors, friends or family.

Apple continues to tentatively develop its smart home features within iOS 18, too. It’s adding express mode to automatically unlock connected doors as you approach — as long as you have your iPhone (or Apple Watch) on you. Meanwhile, Apple has created a guest access tab so you can grant access to parts of your smart home and even schedule the times a garage door, say, stays unlocked, perhaps for a package delivery.

iOS 18 preview
Photo by Mat Smith/Engadget

My early impressions of iOS 18 are more limited than I wanted them to be. Apple Intelligence and most of its exciting features teased at WWDC, are not part of this public beta. Without those, iOS 18 feels more like iOS 17.5. There are more features, but most of them are incremental.

RCS is finally here, adding more functionality to cross-OS text messaging (and possibly worrying the likes of WhatsApp) while elsewhere, Apple focuses on upgrading and enhancing its native apps. The company made some... interesting choices. In iOS 18, even Calculator is getting beefed up, with Math Notes, calculation history, and a new scientific calculator view.

The public beta is relatively stable, so it’s easy to recommend to those looking for early access to the latest iPhone features. However, without Apple Intelligence, drawing more meaningful conclusions on iOS 18 will have to wait.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/ios-18-preview-waiting-on-apple-intelligence-for-the-true-upgrade-143059859.html?src=rss

The tinyPod transforms your old Apple Watch into an iPod-like minimalist phone

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The tinyPod is a case for your Apple Watch, which probably doesn’t sound too exciting on its own. However, its unique angle — a click wheel that controls the watch’s Digital Crown — makes Apple’s wearable look and feel (at least in its marketing) like the company’s first breakthrough product of the 21st century: the iPod. Although you can use it as a music player, it also works with everything else in watchOS, transforming Apple’s smartwatch into a minimalist, distraction-free “phone.”

The $80 tinyPod works with Apple Watch models in Series 4 through 9, along with the Apple Watch SE. (The 41/40mm and 45/44mm Apple Watches have separate tinyPods.) Meanwhile, another 49mm version for the Apple Watch Ultra — because who wouldn’t want to turn their $800 wearable into a minimalist phone? — costs $90. There’s also tinyPod lite, a $30 case sans click wheel.

That click wheel is its core gimmick, and its creator apparently believes it will be safe from Apple’s lawyers. (The fact that it relies on an Apple product probably doesn’t hurt.) The case’s wheel syncs its movement with the Apple Watch’s Digital Crown via “carefully mechanized components inside” that make “direct rotation contact with your Apple Watch crown.” In other words, anywhere on watchOS that lets you scroll with the crown will be scrollable with the tinyPod click wheel. In theory, anyway.

Marketing screenshot for the tinyPod. The iPod-like device sits next to icons for Phone, Music, Messaging and Mail, demonstrating its capabilities. White background.
Newar / tinyPod

The tinyPod website says it can support multi-day battery life by turning off the watch’s wrist detection (which you don’t need here). But living up to that may be a tall order, given how short the battery life of cellular Apple Watches tends to be when used without a phone in Bluetooth range. Of course, you could use a GPS-only model (or turn off cellular) and stick to locally stored music, but that would also limit what it can do.

tinyPod is the product of Newar, a former Snap designer and one-time jailbreak guru. In May, the creator posted that it began as a side project before being transformed into “a real, shipping product for one reason: Whenever I left the house with it, I loved how I felt.”

Whether the tinyPod lives up to its billing as a minimalist, distraction-free and nostalgia-laden “phone” or not, its creator appears to have put significant thought into aesthetics, clarity of purpose and consistency in marketing. Its website demonstrates an eye for detail that relishes in its iPod inspiration, including era-appropriate Apple fonts and a teaser video in a classic 4:3 aspect ratio. (Cue silhouettes dancing to Gorillaz.)

The tinyPod is available for pre-order ahead of shipments “this summer.” You can reserve one today at the product website.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/the-tinypod-transforms-your-old-apple-watch-into-an-ipod-like-minimalist-phone-201713024.html?src=rss

Shop the best Amazon Prime Day tech deals before the sale ends at midnight — Top picks from Apple, Anker, Dyson and more

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The Amazon Prime Day sale ends tonight, but don't think that all opportunities to save have come and gone. In typical Amazon fashion, most of the best Prime Day deals on day one of the sale remain the best offers now on day two — if they didn't sell out already, that is.

Thankfully, many of the best tech deals we curated yesterday are still around today. If you didn't get the chance to shop yesterday, Engadget has you covered. We've collected the best Prime Day deals you can still get right now before the shopping event is over tonight. We expect a few Prime Day deals to still be available tomorrow — there are always a few stragglers — but most of them will expire at today at midnight.

If you're looking for even more Prime Day deals that are still available, check out Engadget's Prime Day hub where you'll find all of the best tech deals you can get for the shopping event this year. In addition to Amazon devices, Prime Day is typically a great time to pick up big-ticket items like tablets, laptops and robot vacuums, and accessories like power banks, streaming devices, Bluetooth speakers and the like.

  • Apple Watch Series 9 for $280, $120 off: We consider the Series 9 to be the best smartwatch available today, period, and it's a no-brainer accessory for iPhone owners. If you want to spend less and get most of the code features found here, you should consider the more affordable Apple Watch SE.

  • Apple AirTag for $24, $4 off: We think these are the best Bluetooth trackers you can buy if you’re an iPhone user. They rely on Apple’s vast Find My network that calls on every nearby iPhone to anonymously pinpoint an AirTag’s location. We found their locating features to be eerily accurate. The price has gone up and down over the past 48 hours, but you may still be able to get a four-pack of AirTags for a record low of $75, too.

  • Apple 10th-gen iPad for $299, $50 off: This is the best iPad for those on a budget thanks to its modern design, USB-C charging, solid battery life and solid performance for the price. It’s even compatible with an optional folio keyboard if you want to turn it into a productivity machine.

  • Apple AirPods Pro for $169, $80 off: The Pros are the best pair of wireless earbuds that Apple sells and one of our top picks overall. They'll be hard to beat if you live in the Apple ecosystem and appreciate the conveniences provided by the built-in H1 chip.

  • AirPods Max for $395, $155 off: We gave this pair a review score of 84 when it arrived way back in December 2020. Despite its age, the Max remains one of the more premium sets of wireless headphones you can buy.

  • Apple MacBook Air (M3, 13-inch) for $850, $250 off: Apple's 2024 MacBook Air has a 13.6-inch Liquid Retina Display that can support one billion different colors. We gave it a 90 in our review thanks to offers like a 1080p FaceTime HD camera, three mics and up to 18 hours of battery life.

  • Apple MacBook Air (M2, 13-inch) for $799, $200 off: If you're coming from an older, Intel-based MacBook, any M-series machine will feel like a big upgrade. This M2 laptop excels thanks to its stellar performance, excellent screen and thin-and-light design.

Google Pixel 8a Prime Day
Engadget

  • Google Pixel 8a for $449, $50 off: This is our top pick for the best midrange smartphone you can get right now, as it builds off of the solid foundation found in Google’s Pixel 7a. The 8a boasts a colorful 120Hz OLED touchscreen, excellent cameras, solid performance and a good battery life.

  • Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra for $975, $325 off: This handset is probably overkill for most users, but nevertheless, it’s our top pick for the best premium handset in our best Android phones guide. It stands out for its luxe build quality, speedy performance, excellent cameras and handy new AI tools.

  • Samsung Galaxy SmartTag2 (four-pack) for $65, $35: Samsung’s tracking tags are extremely reliable and easy to use, and both are reasons why they made our list of the best Bluetooth trackers. This is obviously the best choice for those already tied into the Galaxy ecosystem, but note that they only work with Samsung devices. 

  • Anker MagGo Power Bank 10K for $63, $27 off: Anker's MagGo Power Bank was one of the earliest Qi2-certified devices on the market, and this early 2024 model is impressive, to say the least. The 10,000mAh and 15W capacities provide you with fast wireless charging. The power bank can bring an iPhone 15 from near-dead to half-charged in just 45 minutes.

  • Anker Nano iPhone 15 Portable Charger for $17, $13 off: This 5K power bank has a flip-out USB-C connector that makes it easy to power up Android phones (and the latest iPhones) while on the go. For those who feel more secure with a plugged-in charger rather than a magnetic or wireless one, this power bank is a good option.

  • Sonos Era 100 for $199, $50 off: In our testing, this speaker impressed with excellent sound quality (along with even better stereo-pair sound), easier TruePlay tuning, Bluetooth and in-line support and a simple yet attractive design. It's on our list of the best smart speakers you can get thanks to its Alexa compatibility and it's ability to work with Sonos' own voice assistant

Dyson Airwrap Prime Day
Dyson / Engadget

  • Dyson Airwrap bundle for $550, $125 off: In addition to the Airwrap and its storage case, the bundle includes six attachments: two long barrels, three brushes and the Coanda smoothing dryer, plus a filter cleaning brush, a detangling comb and another storage bag. That's enough to achieve a bunch of different hairstyles with one tool, and you get a couple of ways to store the machine when you're not using it or when you need to travel with it.

  • Theragun Mini 2.0 for $149, $50 off: The runners on the Engadget staff appreciate this percussion massage gun for its compact size, three speeds and swappable attachments.

  • Fitbit Charge 6 for $100, $60 off: The Charge 6 sits at the top of our list of the best fitness trackers you can get precisely because it has such a comprehensive feature set. It also has a seven-day battery life, so you won't have to worry about recharging it for days on end.

  • iRobot Roomba Combo Essentials for $190, $85 off: This model ups the ante a bit by adding in mopping capabilities to the usual robot-vacuum formula. It’s the most affordable vac-and-mop machine that iRobot makes, and it’s an even better buy at this sale price.

  • Shark AI Ultra robot vacuum for $295, $305 off: A version of one of our top picks for the best robot vacuums, it supports cleaning schedules and home mapping, plus it comes with a self-emptying base that can hold up to 60 days worth of debris. The base is also bagless, so you don't have to buy and replace proprietary garbage bags in it over time.

  • Google Nest Cam Indoor/Outdoor (two pack) for $250, $80 off: These cams are battery-powered, so you don't have to worry about cables and you can place them almost anywhere you want inside or outside your home. They support 1080p HDR video and Activity Zones, the latter of which will send you alerts when motion is detected in specific areas.

  • Google Nest Wi-Fi Pro 6E (three pack) for $285, $$115 off: This set is one of the top picks on our list of best mesh Wi-Fi systems, primarily because it's pretty easy to setup and use, even for those who have never attempted to install their our router system.

Sony WH-1000XM5 Prime Day
Engadget
Samsung Frame TV Prime Day
Engadget

  • Samsung The Frame TV with white bezel for $998, $648 off: You’d mainly get a Frame TV for the aesthetic, as the whole thing is designed to mount flush against a wall and hang like a piece of art. You can even use it to display actual artwork and photos when you aren’t watching something. Its image quality is still decent as well, though it’s not on the level of the best LED TVs in this price range.

  • LG C3 OLED TV for $1,097, $200 off: This is a 2023 model, but at this price it’s a nice value if you want the deep contrast, wide viewing angles and fast motion response of a quality OLED panel.

  • Roku Streaming Stick 4K for $29, $21 off: One of the best streaming devices available today, this model supports 4K HDR content, long-range Wi-Fi, Apple AirPlay and private listening through the companion mobile app.

  • Sonos Ray for $199, $80 off: In our testing, this soundbar provided good sound quality for both TV audio and music, impressive bass performance for a soundbar of its size and an attractive, compact design.

Amazon Echo Show 8 Prime Day
Amazon

  • Amazon Echo Show 8 for $85, $65 off: The smart display has dropped to $85 for Prime Day. 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.

  • Amazon Echo Dot for $25, $25 off: Amazon’s smallest smart speaker has dropped to $25 for Prime Day. It’s 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. The Kids version is also on sale for $28 for this sale.

  • Amazon Kindle for $85, $15 off: The base Kindle is on sale for $85 for Prime Day. It’s our top pick for the best budget ereader out there, and it’s an even better value when you can snag it on discount. In addition to giving you access to Amazon’s vast Kindle ebook library, the entry-level Kindle has a good number of page customization options (for text size, font, margins, etc) and Audible integration, which lets you listen to Audible audiobooks if you have a pair of Bluetooth headphones.

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/shop-the-best-amazon-prime-day-tech-deals-before-the-sale-ends-at-midnight--top-picks-from-apple-anker-dyson-and-more-185535856.html?src=rss

DJI’s latest gadget lets you control cameras and view video remotely

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DJI has introduced a new video transmission device that will allow creators to control cameras and gimbals and view video from up to 1.8 miles away. Called DJI SDR Transmission (SDR stands for "software defined radio"), it's designed for use in "complex environments" and is targeting small- to medium-sized film crews.

The system consists of transmitter and receiver (each weighing 5.1 ounces), sold separately or in a combo. You can also purchase a phone or tablet holder kit, along with an RX to phone connection cable.

On monitors (which can be dedicated Atomos-type systems, iPhones or tablets), filmmakers will see a 1080p/60fps live feed with a 20Mbps bitrate and latency as low as 35 milliseconds. Video can be transmitted up to three kilometers (1.8 miles) and remain stable in obstacle-laden environments thanks to "superior penetration capabilities," DJI said. 

DJI's latest gadget lets you control cameras and view video remotely
DJI

DJI SDR Transmission can output three SDR signals and two Wi-Fi signals at once. In broadcast mode, it can connect to unlimited receivers for multiple users. Users can connect to monitors via SDI/HDMI and smartphones/tablets via USB-C or Wi-Fi. "The Wi-Fi option allows for a cost-effective, dual-channel monitoring experience without another receiver," according to DJI.

Along with monitoring, the system allows for remote control of cameras and gimbals. That enables features like virtual joystick and gimbal recentering, along with DJI's Force Mobile function that lets you control a gimbal by tiling and rotating your smartphone. It supports PTP (USB-C) camera control for supported devices, along with CEC for Sony Cameras that gives you all the camera's controls on a remote screen.

DJI SDR Transmission system
DJI

The new product is not unlike DJI's Transmission system, which transmits 1080 60p video over 20km (12.4 miles) but costs $2,500. It appears to be part of DJI's effort to diversify away from drones in the face of a possible US ban. DJI is likely to get even more deeply into the camera market if that happens, given the success of the DJI Osmo Pocket 3 and other products. 

The DJI SDR Transmission system is now available in the US, Europe and elsewhere priced at $549 for the combo, or $309 for the transmitter or receiver sold separately. The phone and tablet holders are $49 each, while the RX to phone connection cable is $10.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/djis-latest-gadget-lets-you-control-cameras-and-view-video-remotely-130049291.html?src=rss