We're one week out from Memorial Day weekend and we're already starting to see the sales roll in. Apple's latest AirPods are back down to $150 while a four-pack of AirTags remains discounted to $89. You can pick up a few Fire TV devices for less, including the Fire TV Cube for only $70, while Solo Stove's fire pits have already been discounted one week before the holiday. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.
Apple AirPods (3rd gen)
Billy Steele/Engadget
The latest AirPods are $30 off and down to $150, which is only $10 more than their all-time-low price. We gave the buds a score of 88 for their improved audio quality, more comfortable design and longer battery life.
A pack of four AirTags is down to $89 right now, or $10 off its regular price. If you have a few things you want to keep track of, this is a good opportunity to pick up a few AirTags that can help you do so. AirTags show you the location of your things in Apple's Find My app, and if you have an iPhone that supports Precision Finding, it can lead you directly to your stuff.
1Password is offering 50 percent off paid plans for a limited time, which means you can sign up for a personal plan for $1.50 per month (when billed annually) or a Families plan for $2.50 per month. 1Password is one of our favorite password managers because it stores all of the dozens of login credentials you have safely and securely, while also making it easy for you to fill in the correct ones without remembering them as you browse the web.
Amazon's Fire TV Cube is down to a record low of $70 right now, or almost half off its regular rate. This is the most powerful streaming device that Amazon offers and it supports 4K HDR content, Dolby Vision and hands-free Alexa commands.
The Fire TV Stick 4K is 30 percent off and down to $35, which, while not a record low, it's a good sale price on this handy streaming stick. Like the Fire TV Cube, it supports 4K streaming and Dolby Vision, but it takes up much less space and can hide behind your TV. And if you want to spend even less, you can pick up the Fire TV Stick Lite for only $20.
Solo Stove's Memorial Day sale knocks up to 46 percent off fire pits, so you can pick one up for as low as $200. You'll find the deepest discount on the big Yukon, which is $350 off and down to $400. We like these fire pits because they create much less smoke than their cheaper competitors and, out of the three models available, two of them are pretty portable, too.
Amazon's latest deal on the GoPro Hero10 Black includes a dual battery charger plus two rechargeable batteries for $400. If you were go to directly to GoPro, you'd spend the same amount on the camera alone, so you're essentially getting the batteries for free if you go through Amazon.
A bunch of Google Nest devices have been discounted ahead of Memorial Day weekend. Wellbots has the Google Nest Hub Max for $179 when you use the code EGDT50 at checkout, so you'll save $50 off its regular price. You can also get various discounts on Nest WiFi packs as well — the Nest WiFi router is down to $119 with the code EGDT50, the router with one access point is on sale for $189 with the code EDGT80 and the three-pack is down to $249 with the code EDGT100.
All three of Samsung's Galaxy S22 smartphones are at their lowest prices ever, with the Galaxy S22 Ultra down to $950, the S22+ on sale for $750 and the standard S22 for $675. We gave the premium S22 Ultra a score of 89 for its bright, colorful display, built-in S Pen and solid cameras.
SanDisk's 1TB Extreme Pro portable SSD is 42 percent off and down to $180. That's close to the best price we've seen, and it's a good option for those that need a tough drive that they can take with them on the go. In addition to drop protection and an IP55 rating, the Extreme Pro supports read and write speeds up to 2,000 MB/s, password protection and 256-bit AES hardware encryption.
Roku's Streambar Pro is down to an all-time low of $150, which is 17 percent off its regular rate. This larger soundbar has all of the features of the standard Streambar, plus even better sound quality, a lost remote feature with Roku's companion mobile app and support for private listening.
Razer's Kishi game controller for Android devices is half off and down to $45. It lets you more comfortably play games on your smartphone while on the go, and it has a USB-C port for charging.
Amazon has discounted a number of Samsung's latest Mini LED smart TVs for the first time. The 65-inch Neo QLED 4K model is $200 off and down to $1,797, and you can also pick up 75-inch and 85-inch models at lower than usual prices, too.
Hydrow has knocked $669 off its Memorial Day package, so you can get its smart rowing machine, a mat and a 1:1 coaching session for $1,995. With the monthly membership, you'll get access to a bunch of on-demand rowing classes, plus the built-in screen swivels so you can do floor routines as well.
Alexa has introduced "Shopping List Savings" to the Alexa App, letting you scan receipts on eligible products from any store to gain cashback rewards, TechCrunch reported. It won't cost you a thing to use it and you'll get cash back to your Amazon gift card to use on any item on Amazon. The catch is that the system will provide Amazon with a ton of valuable data on your shopping habits, even when you're not shopping on its site.
Using it is pretty straightforward. You just search the Alexa app to find available offers, then add them to your shopping list. You can shop the offers at your "go-to grocery store" (or pharmacy, or any store where you can get an itemized receipt) and scan the receipt and product barcodes to redeem them. That'll get you cash directly on your Amazon gift card, usually in 24-48 hours, which can be used to buy anything on Amazon.
Amazon doesn't explain how your data will be used or promise to anonymize it, as TechCrunch notes. Instead, it simply states that "we will get any information you provide, including receipt images and information we may extract from those receipts, and the offers you activate. You understand and acknowledge that your personal information may be shared with Amazon’s service providers."
Amazon isn't the only company to offer such a service, as you can also get cash rewards from Fetch, Ibotta and other companies in exchange for your shopping data. The amount of reward per product appears to be on an offer-by-offer basis, and you can check on payment status any time on the Get Paid page on "Browse Savings." The offer appears to be limited to the US, for now.
Alexa has introduced "Shopping List Savings" to the Alexa App, letting you scan receipts on eligible products from any store to gain cashback rewards, TechCrunch reported. It won't cost you a thing to use it and you'll get cash back to your Amazon gift card to use on any item on Amazon. The catch is that the system will provide Amazon with a ton of valuable data on your shopping habits, even when you're not shopping on its site.
Using it is pretty straightforward. You just search the Alexa app to find available offers, then add them to your shopping list. You can shop the offers at your "go-to grocery store" (or pharmacy, or any store where you can get an itemized receipt) and scan the receipt and product barcodes to redeem them. That'll get you cash directly on your Amazon gift card, usually in 24-48 hours, which can be used to buy anything on Amazon.
Amazon doesn't explain how your data will be used or promise to anonymize it, as TechCrunch notes. Instead, it simply states that "we will get any information you provide, including receipt images and information we may extract from those receipts, and the offers you activate. You understand and acknowledge that your personal information may be shared with Amazon’s service providers."
Amazon isn't the only company to offer such a service, as you can also get cash rewards from Fetch, Ibotta and other companies in exchange for your shopping data. The amount of reward per product appears to be on an offer-by-offer basis, and you can check on payment status any time on the Get Paid page on "Browse Savings." The offer appears to be limited to the US, for now.
As the first week of May comes to a close, a number of our favorite gadgets remain on sale, with some at record-low prices. Apple's latest iPad mini is the cheapest we've seen it at $400, while most AirPods have been discounted. Also, a bunch of Kindles are on sale at Amazon and you can still pick up a Roomba from iRobot for hundreds of dollars less than usual. Here are the best tech deals this week that you can still get today.
iPad mini
Valentina Palladino / Engadget
Apple's latest iPad mini is $100 off right now and down to $400, which is the lowest we've seen it. We still consider it to be the best small tablet. you can get, and the 2021 version earned a score of 89 from us for its modern design, solid performance, improved front cameras and USB-C charging.
Apple's AirPods Pro are back on sale for $175, which is 30 percent off their normal price. We gave them a score of 87 for their improved fit, good audio quality and solid ANC.
If you still prefer the original design to Apple's AirPods, you can grab the second-gen earbuds for $100 right now. That's 37 percent off their normal rate and only $10 more than their record-low price. We gave them a score of 84 for their improved wireless performance and solid battery life.
The high-end AirPods Max are $100 off and back down to $449. While not an all-time low, it's close to the best price we've seen. We gave the cans a score of 84 for their excellent sound quality, good ANC and handy onboard controls.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is cheaper than ever right now at $40. That's $20 off its normal price and the lowest we've seen it. Nintendo's first-party games rarely go on sale like this, so if you haven't picked up the cozy title yet, now's the time to do so.
Both the PS5 and PS4 versions of Elden Ring are still $10 off and down to $50 — a pretty good discount for a popular new title. The game has been widely acclaimed since it came out, despite some performance issues that have now been resolved. You could easily get lost in its open world, intriguing story and challenging gameplay.
Both the 40mm Galaxy Watch 4 models are $76 off and down to a new record low of $174. We gave the Galaxy Watch 4 a score of 85 for its bright, crisp display, comprehensive head tracking and improved third-party app support.
Amazon's latest Kindle Paperwhite is 25 percent off and down to an all-time low of $105. It has a number of improvements over the previous model, including a larger screen with more front lights, an adjustable warm light and USB-C charging. Also, the standard Kindle is down to $55 and the Kindle Oasis is on sale for $200.
Amazon's Echo Show 8 is back down to an all-time low of $90 right now, while the tiny Echo Dot is on sale for only $28. The Show 8 is one of our favorite smart displays and we gave it a score of 87 for its minimalist design, lovely screen and good sound quality. These deals are part of a larger Amazon device sale that may have some good gift options if you're still on the hunt for a Mother's Day gift.
Through May 9th, new and free LastPass users can upgrade to a paid account and save 20 percent. That will bring a Premium membership down to around $29 annually instead of the usual $36, while Families would cost about $38 annually and Business down to $58 per user each year.
Samsung's latest Frame smart TVs have been discounted on Amazon, so you can grab the 55-inch model for $1,297, which is $200 less than usual. A few size options are on sale, so you can choose the one that fits best in your home. It's rare to see sales on the latest TV models, and these new Frames have a new matte finish that helps reduce reflections, so they will hopefully blend even more into your home when you have them on Art Mode.
iRobot's affordable Roomba 694 is still on sale for $180 right now, which is a record low. This is one of our favorite budget-friendly robot vacuums thanks to its easy to use mobile app, good cleaning power and sleek design.
The Roomba j7+ robo-vac and the Roomba s9+ are both $200 off right now and down to $599 and $799, respectively. These are both advanced machines from iRobot, with the j7+ sporting a pet poop detection feature, while the s9+ has the strongest suction power of all of the company's robot vacuums. Both also come with clean bases, so you won't have to empty their dustbins manually after each cleaning job.
The new Beats Fit Pro earbuds are $20 off and down to $180. That's one of the best prices we've seen all year, and they earned a score of 87 from us for their comfortable fit, punchy bass, solid ANC and loads of handy features.
The Beats Studio Buds are back down to a record low of $100. We gave them a score of 84 for their tiny, comfortable design, balanced sound and quick-pairing on both Android and iOS.
Jabra's new Elite 4 Active earbuds are $20 off and down to $100, which is a new record low. The budget-friendly Elite 3 are also on sale and down to only $60. We gave the Elite 4 Active a score of 84 for their comfort fit, solid sound quality and customizable ANC, while the Elite 3 came in at 88 thanks to their good battery life, reliable onboard controls and comfortable fit.
Anker's Eufy RoboVac 11s is on sale for $150 thanks to a discounted price and an extra $50 coupon on the product page you can clip before adding the item to your cart. We consider it to be one of the best cheap robot vacuums you can buy due to its slim frame that helps it get under furniture, good suction power and included physical remote which lets you change cleaning modes, set schedules and more.
JBL's Charge 5 Bluetooth speaker is down to $150, which is only $20 more than its all-time low. This earned a spot in our portable Bluetooth speaker guide thanks to its bright sound, long battery life and USB-C port for charging.
May the 4th is here once again and that means a bunch of retailers have deals on Star Wars gadgets, toys and collectibles. If you're a Star Wars fan, or know someone who is, now's the time to stock up on everything from video games to themed Instant Pots while they are deeply discounted. Here are the best May the 4th Star Wars Day deals we could find this year.
Star Wars Instant Pots
Instant Pot
Amazon has a limited-time sale on Star Wars-themed Instant Pots and you can pick up the adorable BB-8 Duo Mini machine for only $60. A number of other schemes, including Darth Vader and Little Bounty, have been discounted as well, and those are full Duo models, so they come with a few more cooking modes and a larger, six-quart capacity.
Yubico has knocked 54 percent off two-packs of its YubiKey 5 NFC series, That brings the pack of two USB-A security keys down to just over $41, the duo of USB-C keys down to just over $50 and the pack with one of each down to $46. This is a solid sale on some of the latest models from Yubico, and these keys give you a physical way to use two-factor authentication to unlock your devices and accounts.
Unsurprisingly, you can find a bunch of discounted Star Wars merch, accessories and more at Amazon today only. You can get knickknacks for your desk, T-shirts with your favorite characters on them, LEGO sets and toy lightsabers for less than usual. Some of our favorite deals include the R2-D2 Tamagotchi for just over $11, the LEGO Star Wars AT-ST Raider set for under $29 and this 2,000-piece The Chosen One puzzle for $15.
Best Buy's sale today knocks up to 30 percent off Star Wars LEGO sets, up to 20 percent off Star Wars 3D puzzles and up to 40 percent off plush figures. You can also save up to 25 percent on certain Star Wars video games, and $57 off this adorable "galactic snackin'" Grogu doll.
Walmart's Star Wars Day sale is much like Best Buy's in that it includes discounts on a hodgepodge of toys, games, collectibles and more. Quite a few Funko Pops are on sale, including this The Child with Canister figurine, plus numerous LEGO sets are cheaper than usual.
While not on sale, Otterbox just launched a new collection of Star Wars-inspired Symmetry cases for iPhone and Galaxy devices. They're branded with fun illustrations of characters including Darth Vader, Boba Fett and even an Ewok. Since these are Symmetry cases, they have the features that you'd expect from this lineup, including a slim profile, drop protection a raised bumper.
Every spring, a new class of graduates is unleashed on the world, many of them carrying gadgets that have been put through the ringer over the years. Graduation is traditionally a big time for gift-giving — so if you know someone who is heading out into the real world who could use an upgrade after four (or more!) long years of higher education, here’s a host of options that’ll be a serious improvement over their trusted but beat-up tech.
Laptops
Apple
As useful as tablets and smartphones are, nothing beats a traditional laptop when you really want to get things done. It’s also a very personal purchase, so you’ll want to know if the recipient prefers Windows, Mac or Chrome OS before you pull the trigger. But once you have that settled, these laptops are some of the best and most well-rounded options on the market. Unless the person you’re shopping for has some very specific needs, one of these machines will probably fit the bill.
For years, we’ve considered Dell’s XPS 13 to be the best overall Windows laptop, and that hasn’t changed. At this point, Dell has almost perfected its industrial design: it’s thin and light, but not at the expense of power or battery life. The keyboard and display are excellent, and you can get impressive specs without breaking the bank.
If you want to gift your grad something that’ll last for years, we recommend the configuration with Intel’s 11th-generation Core i5 processor, 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage. That also includes a UHD+ resolution touchscreen, which works out to 3,840 x 2,400. Right now, that version sells for $1,469.99 direct from Dell.
For someone who’s a gamer, though, we recommend going in a different direction. The ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 is an excellent laptop that combines relative portability (3.75 pounds and a 14-inch screen) with serious power. In our review we said that the laptop was incredibly compelling, even if it’s more expensive than it used to be. It has a powerful AMD processor and graphics card coupled with a great display, comfortable keyboard, spacious trackpad and solid design. It’s not a champ on battery life, but we got seven hours of non-gaming use out of it – pretty decent considering the specs.
As is usually the case with ASUS products, you can get the Zephyrus G14 in a wide variety of configurations, but one we’d recommend comes from Best Buy. The $1,649.99 model includes an AMD Ryzen 9 6000 Series processor, 16GB of RAM, an AMD Radeon RX 6700S graphics card, 1TB of storage, and a 14-inch 2,560 x 1,400 display with a 120Hz refresh rate. That’ll be plenty to handle modern gaming as well as all the “real life” tasks that come with being out of school.
For people who prefer a Mac, the MacBook Air is usually our go-to recommendation, but not this year. While there’s nothing wrong with the current Air, Apple hasn’t updated it in more than 18 months – if you buy one now, it’ll likely be replaced with something better soon. With that in mind, a great upgrade pick for a Mac user is the 14-inch MacBook Pro.
Apple completely redesigned the MacBook Pro last fall, adding back crucial ports like the HDMI slot and SD card reader. The company also removed the Touch Bar and put in a full-size function key row with Touch ID. There’s a lot more worth talking about than just what Apple fixed compared to the previous MacBook Pro, though.
The new model has an outstanding 14-inch mini-LED display (as long as you can get past the camera notch), a 1080p webcam, a great keyboard and trackpad and powerful internals that should make the MacBook Pro capable for years to come. Most people will probably be set with the $1999 configuration, which includes Apple’s M1 Pro chip, 16GB of RAM and 512GB of storage space. Apple’s custom silicon has been extremely impressive, boasting both extreme speed and efficiency that lets you use this laptop away from a charger longer than almost any other computer on the market.
Given how dominant a force Chromebooks are in education, it’s entirely possible that someone just finishing school might want to continue using Chrome OS. Fortunately, there are lots of premium Chromebooks that are well-designed and capable enough to last for years. One of our favorites is Acer’s Chromebook Spin 713. It has a screen with a taller 3:2 aspect ratio, which means you’ll see more of a webpage or document you’re working on without having to scroll. Add in a solid keyboard and trackpad, as well as powerful hardware (Intel’s 11-generation Core i5 processor) and you have a Chromebook that doesn’t offer many compromises. The battery life could be longer, but that’s the only major knock against it.
When thinking about tablets, put aside the question of whether or not they can replace laptops, and focus on what they do best. They can be a great option for getting work done, engaging your creative side with art and music-making apps or just enjoying movies and games. For the vast majority of people, Apple’s iPad is the only tablet worth considering, even if they don’t otherwise use Apple products. That’s thanks to time-tested, reliable hardware and a massive software library with hundreds of thousands of apps optimized for the iPad’s larger screen.
As for which iPad is the best, the iPad Air is probably the right choice for most – especially if you’re looking for a good graduation gift. While the basic iPad is a great value, you get a lot when you step up to the Air. Perhaps most importantly, the Air has Apple’s M1 chip, the same one that’s in the iPad Pro and numerous Macs. This means the Air is extremely fast and one of the more future-proof products Apple makes.
The rest of the iPad Air’s hardware is also impressive for the price. It has a large 10.9-inch screen with thin bezels and an anti-reflective coating; the display is also laminated directly to the glass, so there’s no distracting gap beneath the surface. The Air also includes 64GB or 256GB of storage, 10 hours of battery life, support for the second-generation Apple Pencil and Magic Keyboard and an improved 12-megapixel front-facing camera. For $599, you’re getting almost everything that the iPad Pro offers without spending over $800.
However, if you’re shopping for an Android diehard, Samsung’s $700 Galaxy Tab S8 is an excellent choice. It features a high-resolution 11-inch screen with a 120Hz refresh rate, and has an S-Pen stylus included in the box. And while Android historically hasn’t been the best option for large-screen devices, Samsung’s Dex feature switches things up into a more desktop-like multi-window mode, which can be great for productivity. Samsung’s built-in apps that take advantage of the S-Pen are solid as well. You might have a hard time finding apps that are designed for the Tab S8’s larger screen, but if you’re buying this for someone familiar with Android, they’ll likely be aware of the trade-offs.
As useful as a laptop or tablet can be, chances are good that the most important computer most people own is their smartphone. And if you know someone who is still rocking the same device they brought to campus with them four years ago, they’ll definitely appreciate an upgrade. The good news is that it’s pretty easy to pick out a phone that’ll satisfy just about anyone, regardless of whether they prefer Android or iPhone.
This year, we’re recommending the iPhone 13 Pro. While the standard iPhone 13 is an excellent device, the Pro model includes more meaningful upgrades than in years past. Perhaps most importantly, the battery life is noticeably better. The Pro’s display has a 120Hz refresh rate, the first iPhone with this feature. Its three-lens camera system offers more flexibility than the two-lens setup on the iPhone 13 – plus it has the new macro-mode shooting, which lets you get as close as 2cm to your subject.
All the other iPhone niceties are here, including Apple’s newest and fastest mobile processor (the A15 Bionic), an excellent OLED display, 5G, 128GB of storage (at least) and all the features of iOS 15. It’s not a cheap phone at $999, but its extremely fast processor and Apple’s track record of delivering software support for years means this investment should last a long time.
If you know much about Android phones, you won’t be surprised that we’re recommending the Samsung Galaxy S22+. Samsung has been the most popular Android phone manufacturer for years, and phones like the $1,000 S22+ show why. Qualcomm’s Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 chip provides more power than you’ll need, battery life is excellent (and fast charging means you can quickly top off if needed), the 6.6-inch display is a standout and the cameras are among the best you can find on a smartphone (low-light performance got a nice upgrade this year). Given how thoroughly Samsung dominates the Android space, this isn’t a surprising recommendation, but it will make most Android fans happy.
However, Google’s Pixel 6 Pro is also worth considering. The $899 phone is easily the most interesting Pixel device Google has made in years, with the company’s own custom Tensor processor powering the whole affair. Performance and battery life are both outstanding; it’s impressive how Google nailed these aspects on the first try with its own custom chip. As with several past Pixel phones, the Pixel 6 Pro has about the best camera you can get in the Android world, and the fact that this phone is built by Google means it’ll get software updates before any other Android phone on the market.
Both of these phones are big (the Pixel 6 Pro’s screen is 6.7 inches while the S22+ has a 6.6-inch display), but the good news is that both Google and Samsung offer smaller-screened devices that keep most of the same features and specs as their larger siblings. You’ll save some cash with a smaller-screened device, too.
Almost anyone would benefit from a good pair of noise-canceling headphones, and once again we’re recommending Sony’s WH-1000XM4 as the best over-ear option on the market. At $350, they’re not cheap, but they offer a combination of incredible sound, refined design and excellent noise-canceling that is hard to beat. This latest model also has a number of smart software features like wear detection, which pauses playback when you take the headphones off. They can also connect to two devices simultaneously, a big missing feature from earlier models. They even fit better and more comfortably than ever.
Of course, not everyone wants to wear large, over-ear headphones when they’re out and about. That’s where Jabra’s Elite 7 Pro comes in. These noise-canceling earbuds are the successor to the flagship Jabra Elite 85t we recommended last year. And while we haven’t reviewed the Elite 7 Pro, Jabra’s track record makes us comfortable recommending these. They have a number of improvements over the Elite 85t, including nine hours of battery life with ANC activated, a major improvement over the 5.5 hours the Elite 85t were rated for. The Elite 7 Pro buds are also smaller than Jabra’s Elite 75t, which were previously the smallest buds the company made. Smaller earbuds are typically more comfortable to wear, and it’s impressive that Jabra managed to shrink the size and promise improved battery life.
If you’re buying earbuds for an Apple user, though, consider the Beats Fit Pro. They offer many of the same benefits as the AirPods Pro for $50 less. These features include one-touch pairing and easy switching between Apple devices, Spatial Audio, hands-free Siri and ANC. They also have a fit wing to help them stay put when you’re exercising, and have an IPX4 rating for water resistance, so sweat from a workout shouldn’t be a problem. In our testing, they provided well-balanced audio quality with punchy bass and impressive noise cancelation. Battery life isn’t quite as good as what Jabra promises with the Elite 7 Pro, but we got almost seven hours of usage in our review before we had to pop them back in the case.
There are a dizzying number of monitors on the market, at basically any price point you can think of, which makes recommending a single monitor a very difficult task. But Dell reliably offers some of the best screens you can get at a reasonable price. With that in mind, we’re recommending Dell’s 32-inch 4K USB-C Hub Monitor (model number P3222QE). For $799, this monitor has basically everything you could want out of a display.
A 32-inch screen has become the sweet spot for a lot of people, offering a vast workspace without being overwhelmingly large, and a 4K resolution will make sure everything looks sharp. This screen only has a 60Hz refresh rate, so we wouldn’t recommend it if you’re keen on gaming, but it’s sufficient for everyday tasks. The monitor also has a ton of ports, including HDMI, Displayport, USB-C, and multiple USB-A connections. And the stand lets you adjust it to the right height and angle, something that’s a lot better than stacking books under a monitor.
If the Dell is a bit too expensive, ASUS has a couple solid options worth considering as well. The ASUS ProArt Display is a 27-inch screen that you can get in either 4K or quad-HD (2,560 x 1,400) resolution. The 4K screen currently costs $499 on Amazon, while the QHD model sells for $370. Obviously, it isn’t quite as large as the Dell, but it has most of the same amenities, including an adjustable stand and a host of ports.
As important as the right gear is, your grad also deserves something classy and stylish to carry all that stuff around. The Executive Leather Messenger from Waterfield Designs is an expensive choice, but it’s worth the cost. Waterfield makes everything by hand in its San Francisco shop, and the materials it uses are top notch. I’ve owned a lot of their products over the years, and I can safely say this bag will last a decade or more, and the leather will only look more attractive as time goes on.
On the inside are two padded slots, one for a tablet and one for a laptop. There are also two pockets, one zippered, as well as a pen slot and a metal key fob. Finally, there are two easily-accessible hand pockets under the flap, both with an extremely soft plush lining. The Executive Leather Messenger comes in three different leather colors and costs either $380 or $400, depending on which size you choose. It’s an investment, for sure, but it will last a long time.
If you’d prefer a non-leather choice, Peak Design’s Everyday Messenger is a great and more affordable option. The $220 bag was originally designed for photographers, but (as the name implies) it works as a tough, well-designed option for whatever you need to carry. It has a dedicated 13-inch laptop sleeve and “stretchy” pockets that make it easier to keep track of smaller items. The bag also comes with a few flexible interior dividers so you can customize it in any way you want. The recently-released V2 update boasts 100 percent recycled outer fabric, a redesigned shoulder strap that should be less prone to slippage, a “MagLatch” magnetic buckle and a more efficient design that makes it 24 percent lighter than the original.
Amazon is offering some solid deals on a multitude of games, with many popular titles available at or near their all-time-low prices. The most noteworthy of the bunch is Elden Ring, on sale for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 at $50 for a savings of $10 over the regular price — a solid deal on a relatively fresh release. You'll also find discounts on a host of other titles including Animal Crossing (Switch), Deathloop (PS5/Xbox One Series X) and Disco Elysium (PS4/Xbox One).
FromSoftware's Elden Ring was a hit from the start, despite some early performance and other issues that have mostly been rectified. Critics raved about the perfectly conceived open world, mysterious story and challenging gameplay and users have generally liked it as well. We haven't seen too many deals on it to date, so if you're looking for a discount, now is the time to act.
Moving to Switch, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a classic and still popular Switch title that you can pick up for $40 instead of $60, or a third off the regular price. Another Switch staple is the adventure/workout game Ring Fit Adventure, on sale at checkout for $55. And finally, Super Mario Party is available for just $40, or $20 off the regular price.
Finally, if it's PS4 or Xbox One titles you're after, there are a couple of bargains there, too. To start with, the RPG detective title Disco Elysium - The Final Cut is available on both PS4 and Xbox One for $20 or 50 percent off. Resident Evil 2 is also on sale for PS4 and Xbox One for just $13, or $8 off the regular $21 price.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
How many times have you found yourself dragging the cart in the supermarket from section to section with every corner wearing you down with unrest? Even worse, having to stand in the long queue at the checkout counter to bill your items feels like an eternity, when finally standing after you’ve been marching through the mart for a good hour or so. This mindful concept could end all our woes with a clever design evolution of the trolley which will leave no one complaining at the end of the day (or should I say shopping day).
Meet the Settley – a wheeled cart to sit on while you’re going all out with your shopping spree. The clever product is a shopping cart designed to shop conveniently and settle in the supermarket at your convenience without having to look out for a space to sit when your legs are giving way to tiredness. It’s basically a folding chair mashed right into the trolley – especially useful for people with back and leg pain, which can wear them down in the mart. No wonder this modular cart will be a god-sent accessory during peak hours at any shopping hub.
Settley is a normal cart until you start feeling the urge to sit, wherein, you can use the rail system to pull out the legs of the cart to extend its length. The small chair base hanging to the one side can then be raised and hung on the other side of the leg to create a sitting space. Not only can you sit on it but also push it forward with the feet like a kick scooter but in the sitting position. After germinating the initial idea, designers pondered over the center of gravity of the cart so that it doesn’t disbalance in any given scenario. To this end, they hit the sweet spot in structural design as the gravity supports the basket and the person sitting on the rear side.
The design is also considerate of parents who come to shop with their little kids. For this, the Settley cart has an integrated retractable tray for the little one to sit on as you go around the shopping mart with utmost ease. Definitely, this concept design aims to enhance the whole shopping experience at supermarts. Once the idea goes into the prototype and then mass manufacturing stage, I’m sure most of the global retail chains will queue up to get these modular trolleys in their arsenal.
Mother's Day is right around the corner, and if you want to pick up a new piece of tech for mom, you can do so for less before the holiday. A number of Apple devices are on sale, including the latest iPad Air and the AirPods Pro, while a bunch of earbuds have been discounted, too, like the newest models from Beats and Jabra. The Fitbit Charge 5 remains on sale for $130, while a few of iRobot's latest robot vacuums are hundreds of dollars off. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.
AirPods Pro
Apple's AirPods Pro are back on sale for $175, which is 30 percent off their normal price. We gave them a score of 87 for their improved fit, good audio quality and solid ANC.
Apple's latest 16-inch MacBook Pro is $250 off and down to $2,249. While that's still a hefty price tag, it's the lowest we've seen since the laptop came out last year. We gave the notebook a score of 92 for its super fast performance, stunning Liquid Retina XDR display, fantastic keyboard and array of ports.
Many color options of the 41mm Apple Watch Series 7 are down to $330, or $70 off their normal price. We gave the wearable a score of 90 for its bigger screen, faster charging and handy watchOS 8 features.
The latest iPad Air is $40 off and down to $559. We gave it a score of 90 for its much improved performance thanks to the M1 chip, Center Stage-capable cameras, good battery life and solid build quality.
The entire Galaxy S22 lineup is on sale right now, with the Galaxy S22 Ultra and the S22+ both seeing $200 discounts. The standard S22 is $100 off and down to $700 as well. If you want the best that Samsung has to offer right now, we recommend going for the S22 Ultra, which earned a score of 89 from us for its bright, colorful display, built-in S Pen and solid cameras.
Both the 40mm and the 44mm Galaxy Watch 4 models are $50 off and down to $200 and $230, respectively. While not record lows, these sale prices are some of the best we've seen since last Black Friday. We gave the Galaxy Watch 4 a score of 85 for its bright, crisp display, comprehensive head tracking and improved third-party app support.
The new Beats Fit Pro earbuds are $20 off and down to $180. That's one of the best prices we've seen all year, and they earned a score of 87 from us for their comfortable fit, punchy bass, solid ANC and loads of handy features.
The Beats Studio Buds are back down to a record low of $100. We gave them a score of 84 for their tiny, comfortable design, balanced sound and quick-pairing on both Android and iOS.
Solo Stove's spring sale knocks hundreds off its fire pits, so you can grab one for as low as $200. The Ranger, which is the smallest model, comes in at that price, while the mid-sized Bonfire is $160 off and down to $240 and the big Yukon is a whopping $325 off and down to $425. We've recommended these gadgets in may outdoor guides because they're fairly portable and create fires that won't smoke you out.
Amazon's Echo Dot is still on sale for $28, and you can get the tiny smart speaker bundled with a smart plug for only $5 more. We gave the Echo Dot a score of 88 for its attractive design, decent audio quality and tap-to-snooze alarm feature.
The second-gen Echo Show 5 is down to $45 right now, which is half off its normal price. We gave it a score of 85 for its great sound quality, compact size and tap-to-snooze feature. And if you want to up your smart home game, you can get a two-pack of the Blink Mini indoor security camera for only $35. They'll work with the Echo Show 5, allowing you to see camera feeds from the smart clock's display.
You can still save $5 when you buy a Nintendo $50 eShop gift card from Amazon, so you'll get the full $50 for only $45. You can then use those funds to get new titles like Kirby and the Forgotten Land, or stock up on a bunch of more affordable games.
Jabra's new Elite 4 Active earbuds are $20 off and down to $100, which is a new record low. The budget-friendly Elite 3 are also on sale and down to only $60. We gave the Elite 4 Active a score of 84 for their comfort fit, solid sound quality and customizable ANC, while the Elite 3 came in at 88 thanks to their good battery life, reliable onboard controls and comfortable fit.
iRobot's affordable Roomba 694 is still on sale for $180 right now, which is a record low. This is one of our favorite budget-friendly robot vacuums thanks to its easy to use mobile app, good cleaning power and sleek design.
The Roomba j7+ robo-vac and the Roomba s9+ are both $200 off right now and down to $599 and $799, respectively. These are both advanced machines from iRobot, with the j7+ sporting a pet poop detection feature, while the s9+ has the strongest suction power of all of the company's robot vacuums. Both also come with clean bases, so you won't have to empty their dustbins manually after each cleaning job.
The Fitbit Charge 5 tracker is down to $130, which is only $10 more than its record-low price. We gave the device a score of 82 for its accurate onboard GPS, slim design, standard Fitbit Pay and long battery life.
Ninja's 10-in-1 multicooker is $70 off and down to $130, which is close to its all-time-low price. This is a solid alternative to an Instant Pot as it has a bunch of cooking modes including pressure cook, slow cook, steam, yogurt and even air fry.
Both Google's standard Nest Thermostat and the more advanced Learning model remain discounted right now. You can pick up the regular version for $100, while the Learning Thermostat is still on sale for $200. They share most of the same features, but you'll get a slicker design, a higher-res display and the ability to connect with Nest Temperature Sensors with the Learning model.
A handful of Google smart home devices are on sale right now, including the Nest Video Doorbell Battery, which is $30 off and down to $150. This gadget will let you keep an eye on what's going on outside your door from your phone, and there are no wires to fuss with when you install it. You can also pick up the Nest Cam Indoor and Outdoor for less, coming in at $80 and $150, respectively.
This midrange Bluetooth speaker is $80 off and down to $300, which is the cheapest we've seen it. It earned a spot in our portable Bluetooth speaker guide for its dynamic yet balanced sound quality, IP67-rated design and relatively compact size.
Withings' ScanWatch is $50 off and down to $230 right now. It's a hybrid timepiece, so if you like the look of analog watches, this might be the wearable for you. In addition to all-day activity and sleep tracking, the ScanWatch also takes electrocardigrams and tracks heart rate, oxygen saturation, respiratory wellness and more.
For a limited time, you can pick up the ThermoPop instant-read thermometer for $14 less than usual, bringing it down to $21. This is the smaller sibling to the Thermapen One and we like its splash-proof design, backlit display and cute design.
The Arcade Stick from 8BitDo is on sale for a limited time only for just under $76. That's 16 percent off its normal price and the cheapest we've seen it. We liked its distinct, retro design, its solid joysticks and primary buttons and its compatibility with Nintendo Switch, PC and Raspberry Pi.
For anyone building a PC or looking for accessories like monitors, storage or keyboards, Amazon is having a one-day sale that might be of strong interest. A host of desirable items are significantly marked down, including keyboards, headsets, power supplies, displays, cases and storage, with discounts as high as 48 percent.
There are a few standout deals, but lots of other choice as well. First on the list is the 31.5-inch 2,560 x 1,440 Acer Nitro XV322QU IPS gaming display, with features like DisplayHDR 400, AMD FreeSync, up to a 170Hz refresh rate, 0.5 millisecond lag and 90 percent DCI-P3 color accuracy. With a large size and extreme speed, it's a highly desirable model and is at or near an all-time low of $299, for a savings of 45 percent or $250.
Razer
Speaking of speed, Razer's Huntsman V2 TKS Tenkeyless gaming keyboard (above) offers that in spades, with the "fastest linear optical switches with sound dampeners and an 8,000Hz polling rate," the company says. In other words, it's fast and quiet while offering great durability thanks to the Doubleshot PBT keycaps. It's now on sale for $100, saving you $60 or 38 percent over the regular price.
Finally, you'll appreciate this deal if you're a PC builder. Corsair's HX850 platinum-certified, fully modular power supply is on sale for $120, for a savings of 35 percent of $65. That 850-watt category is the sweet spot for most enthusiasts, and the $65 savings might let you upgrade your CPU or RAM.
