Tech

Some of our favorite Anker power banks are up to 30 percent off, plus the rest of this week's best tech deals – Engadget

Published

5 months ago

April 21, 2024

Before you head into the weekend to hike, pull weeds, play games or go to work, you may feel a hankering to snap up a few tech gadgets. If that’s the case, here’s a roundup of all the deals we found this week on gear we’ve tested, reviewed and just generally recommend. To get cleaner floors without much work, check out the discount codes below from Wellbots on three different iRobot robot vacs. We found discounts on streaming dongles including Google’s Chromecast HD and Amazon’s Fire TV Stick 4K Max, as well as new sales on security cameras from the same companies (Google Nest and Blink). There are also savings to be had from Anker, 8BitDo and Sonos. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.

Anker

A number of Anker power banks and chargers are on sale right now at Amazon. The sale includes 25 percent off the price of the 10,000mAh Qi2 MagGo Power Bank, which brings it down to $67.50 from $90. Just note that the deal only apples to the white model.

We named the portable charger the best MagSafe-enabled banks in our guide. It’s Qi2-certified and brought an iPhone 15 from four percent to half full in around 45 minutes in our tests. It delivered a full charge plus an additional 70 percent before needing a refill. I also appreciated the display that shows the amount of charge the bank has left and the kickstand so you can watch something while you refuel.

The 552 USB-C Hub is also part of the sale and down to $30 after a big 57 percent discount. You can also save on Anker’s Prime 27,650mAh Power Bank with the 100W Charging Base included. It’s down to $164.50 from $235 and is another top pick in our buyer’s guide to power banks.

$67 at Amazon

Amazon

Amy Skorheim for Engadget

Our favorite smart plug is currently on sale at Amazon. A four-pack of the Kasa EP25 smart plug is down to $32.58 instead of $50 after a 25 percent discount and an on-page $5 coupon.

The Kasa EP25 works with Alexa, Google Home, HomeKit and Samsung SmartThings. I found the connection to be stable and the initial setup was quick to do through the companion app. Once initialized, it’s easy to add the plug to whichever smart home eco system you rely on.

Amazon’s Smart Plug is also on sale for $20 instead of $25. Our guide calls it the best smart plug for Alexa-enabled homes, so if you already have a few Amazon Echo speakers at home, the plug will make a good addition. The only real advantage is has over the Kasa plug is its near-instant pairing with Alexa.

$33 at Amazon

Sonos

Sonos not only makes quality speakers, they also have a respectable refurbished program which can save you some cash on the otherwise pricey audio equipment. Right now, a refurbished Sonos Arc SL soundbar is down to $509, which is $170 off the renewed price and $240 off the speaker’s full $749 price tag when it was new. A decent selection of similarly like-new soundbars and speakers are also on sale, with up to 25 percent off the refurb prices. That includes our pick for a midrange soundbar, the second-generation Beam soundbar. It’s down to $299 after a $100 discount off the refurbished rate.

We named the Sonos Arc the runner-up premium soundbar in our buying guide, praising its stellar sound quality and ability to calibrate its sound to match the room its in. Compared to the standard Arc, the Arc SL lacks a microphone, so you won’t be able to use voice assistants directly from the soundbar.

Sonos refurbished gear comes with the same, one-year warranty, all necessary cables and manuals plus all-new packaging. They also donate one percent of refurbished sales to environmental non-profits as part of 1% for the Planet.

$509 at Sonos

iRobot

Right now a code at Wellbots will get you iRobot’s flagship Roomba Combo J9+ for $400 off. The vacuum-mop hybrid robot, which only arrived last fall, automatically empties itself and refills the device’s mopping liquid. That convenience doesn’t come cheap, though. The unit usually sells for $1,399 but enter the coupon code ENGA400 at Wellbots and get it for $999 instead.

Engadget’s Devindra Hardawar gave the Combo J9+ an 85 review score when it first came out, calling it a godsend for tired parents. It’s also our pick for the best combo vacuuming-mopping robot. It has an upgraded motor and four-stage cleaning system that takes multiple pass-throughs across your carpets and floors.

The base that empties the debris and refills the mop solution also doubles as a storage unit that looks more like living room furniture. Setup is as simple as adding water and cleaning solution to a reservoir and attaching a mop pad. Upkeep is limited to swapping mop pads and leaning the vacuum’s bristles and dust bin.

If you don’t need a mop you can save some cash by going with the standard Roomba J9+ $599, which is $300 with the code ENGA300. It includes all the vacuum-related features from the more expensive Combo variant, including a three-stage cleaning system, multi-surface rubber brushes and stronger suction.

The previous-generation Roomba Combo j7+ vacuum-mop cleaning robot is $200 off with coupon code ENGA200.

Save $400 with code

$999 at (Combo J9+) Wellbots

Blink

The Blink Mini 2 home security camera was only announced a month ago and it’s already on sale for 25 percent off, making it just $30 instead of $40. It can be used indoors or outdoors, though it needs a weather-resistant power adapter for use outside. A bundle with the adapter is on sale as well. The camera shoots HD footage day or night and has an LED spotlight.

Amazon-owned Blink announced the Mini 2 camera in March, touting improvements to image quality and the option for HD night view in color thanks to the spotlight. The camera also has motion detection and two-way audio. The camera can detect motion, and alert you when it does, but if you want person detection and the ability to live-stream continuously (up to 90 minutes), you’ll need a Blink subscription. The Mini 2 comes with a 30-day free trial of the Blink Subscription Plan, too. After that, it’s $3 per month per device or $10 monthly for unlimited coverage.

$30 at Amazon

Google

If you’d prefer security cameras made by a different tech company, you can get Google’s wired Nest security camera for $70, which is 30 percent off and its lowest price to date. The deal is available at Amazon, Walmart and directly from Google.

The Nest Cam uses AI to discern between people, animals and vehicles and sends alerts via the Google Home app, and, unlike Blink cams, you don’t need a subscription for that. The Nest Aware plan does let you save 60 days of video history, however, otherwise you get three free hours of history. It also has two-way audio function and the ability to view live video feeds on mobile devices and compatible smart displays.

For keeping an eye on your outdoors, you can grab the Outdoor Nest Cam with Floodlight which is 29 percent off and down to $200.

$70 at Amazon

Photo by Sam Rutherford / Engadget

Quicken

Annual subscriptions to the budgeting app Quicken Simplifi are half off through April 21. It has dropped from $4 monthly to $2 per month, billed annually at $24.

Quicken Simplify topped both our list of the best budgeting apps and our collection of the best apps to replace Mint. We like the user-friendly interface and instantaneous access to various metrics, like top-line balances, net worth, recent spending, upcoming recurring payments and more.

It also lets you set up customized savings goals and the clean UI keeps things interesting with playful animations. .You can also invite a spouse or a financial manager to co-manage the account.

$2 per month at Quicken

Photo by Nathan Ingraham / Engadget

The 10th-gen Apple iPad is on sale for $349 at Amazon and Best Buy, which matches the lowest price we’ve seen from major retailers. The deal applies to the base model with 64GB of storage. The 256GB model is also $100 off the list price and down to $499.

Keep in mind that Apple reportedly plans to release new iPad Airs and iPad Pros in early May, so you may want to wait to see what is announced — and whether today’s models drop even further. The standard iPad may not be refreshed until later this year.

We gave the 10th-gen iPad a review score of 85 in late 2022. Its aluminum design feels premium, it gets a solid 10-plus hours of battery life and its A14 Bionic chip is still plenty fast for media consumption — though its the only remaining iPad without an M-series chip and it only works with the older generation Apple Pencil and requires an adapter.

$349 at Amazon

Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

8BitDo’s Ultimate Bluetooth Controller is $60 right now on Amazon. Last week it dropped to $59.49, but only for Amazon Prime members. Neither deal is an all-time low, but still around $10 off the list price.

Engadget’s Jeff Dunn is a fan of the wireless Switch and PC gamepad and its Hall effect joysticks, which use magnets to read inputs, making them less susceptible to “drift” over time. While it may be a touch small for those with especially large hands, it has a sturdy design, customizable buttons and comes with a charging dock.

$60 at Amazon

Google

If you’re looking for a smart TV streaming dongle and don’t need 4K video, check out this sale on the Chromecast with Google TV (HD). It’s dwon to $20, which is $10 off the list price and close to the all-time low. You can get the same deal from Amazon, Target or directly from Google.

This is the HD version of our top choice for streaming devices. We were impressed by the user interface which does a good job of integrating all the various services you subscribe to in one place. There’s a universal search function and the setup is relatively easy: Just plug it into your TV’s HDMI port and give it power with the included USB cable and power adapter. Then use the Google Home app to get things going.

Of course, if you’ve got a 4K TV and want to see that higher def content, you’ll want the more expensive model, though that one isn’t on sale.

$29 at Amazon

Photo by Jeff Dunn / Engadget

The newest Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max is still sale for $40, which ties the lowest price we’ve tracked. The 4K Max is Amazon’s fastest and most featured streaming stick and supports HDR formats, Dolby Atmos audio and WiFi 6E. The user interface isn’t as streamlined as other streaming devices and the homepage and search heavily promote Amazon’s own content. But the sticks recommended in our buying guide — from Roku and Google — aren’t on sale right now.

The standard Fire TV Stick 4K is also back on sale for $30. That’s not an all-time low, but the only time it’s been cheaper was during Black Friday.

$40 at Amazon

Photo by Billy Steele / Engadget

The USB-C AirPods Pro are back down to $189, which is $10 more than the all-time low we saw last month but $10 less than their usual street price on Amazon and $60 less than buying from Apple direct. Best Buy has the pair for a dollar more. Engadget’s Billy Steele gave the second-gen AirPods Pro a score of 88 back in 2022 and they’re our top pick for iOS devices. Note that new AirPods are likely on the horizon, but new AirPods Pro reportedly aren’t coming until 2025.

$189 at Amazon

Hisense

The 55-inch Hisense U6K TV is down to an all-time low of $350 at Best Buy, which is roughly $50 below the average street price we’ve seen over the last few months. The U6K is a budget-level TV from 2023 that’s received almost universally high marks from reviewers we trust. It’s one of the only TVs in its price range with quantum-dot color, a mini-LED backlight and full-array local dimming, so it should provide better contrast and color volume than most cheap sets. It’s still not ideal for gaming, as it lacks HDMI 2.1 features and is limited to a 60Hz refresh rate. Its brightness levels won’t blow anyone away, either. But at this price, it looks to be a great value.

It’s worth noting that this TV’s successor, the U6N, recently went on sale and promises even better brightness and contrast. However, that one currently costs $600 for a 55-inch set. For now, the older model should remain the better value for most people. — Jeff Dunn, Senior Commerce Writer

$350 at Best Buy

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How to Preorder the PlayStation 5 Pro in Canada

Published

2 days ago

September 10, 2024

Harry Miller

Sony has made it easy for Canadian consumers to preorder the PlayStation 5 Pro in Canada directly from PlayStation’s official website. Here’s how:

Visit the Official Website: Go to direct.playstation.com and navigate to the PS5 Pro section once preorders go live on September 26, 2024.
Create or Log in to Your PlayStation Account: If you don’t have a PlayStation account, you will need to create one. Existing users can simply log in to proceed.
Place Your Preorder: Once logged in, follow the instructions to preorder your PS5 Pro. Ensure you have a valid payment method ready and double-check your shipping information for accuracy.

Preorder Through Major Canadian Retailers

While preordering directly from PlayStation is a popular option, you can also secure your PS5 Pro through trusted Canadian retailers. These retailers are expected to offer preorders on or after September 26:

Best Buy Canada
Walmart Canada
EB Games (GameStop)
Amazon Canada
The Source

Steps to Preorder via Canadian Retailers:

Visit Retailer Websites: Search for “PlayStation 5 Pro” on the website of your preferred retailer starting on September 26.
Create or Log in to Your Account: If you’re shopping online, having an account with the retailer can speed up the preorder process.
Preorder in Store: For those who prefer in-person shopping, check with local stores regarding availability and preorder policies.

3. Sign Up for Notifications

Many retailers and websites offer the option to sign up for notifications when the preorder goes live. If you’re worried about missing out due to high demand, this can be a useful option.

Visit Retailer Sites: Look for a “Notify Me” or “Email Alerts” option and enter your email to stay informed.
Use PlayStation Alerts: Sign up for notifications directly through Sony to be one of the first to know when preorders are available.

4. Prepare for High Demand

Preordering the PS5 Pro is expected to be competitive, with high demand likely to result in quick sellouts, just as with the initial release of the original PS5. To maximize your chances of securing a preorder:

Act Quickly: Be prepared to place your order as soon as preorders open. Timing is key, as stock can run out within minutes.
Double-Check Payment Information: Ensure your credit card or payment method is ready to go. Any delays during the checkout process could result in losing your spot.
Stay Informed: Monitor PlayStation and retailer websites for updates on restocks or additional preorder windows.

Final Thoughts

The PlayStation 5 Pro is set to take gaming to the next level with its enhanced performance, graphics, and new features. Canadian gamers should be ready to act fast when preorders open on September 26, 2024, to secure their console ahead of the holiday season. Whether you choose to preorder through PlayStation’s official website or your preferred retailer, following the steps outlined above will help ensure a smooth and successful preorder experience.

For more details on the PS5 Pro and to preorder, visit direct.playstation.com or stay tuned to updates from major Canadian retailers.

Tech

Introducing the PlayStation 5 Pro: The Next Evolution in Gaming

Published

2 days ago

September 10, 2024

Harry Miller

Since the PlayStation 5 (PS5) launched four years ago, PlayStation has continuously evolved to meet the demands of its players. Today, we are excited to announce the next step in this journey: the PlayStation 5 Pro. Designed for the most dedicated players and game creators, the PS5 Pro brings groundbreaking advancements in gaming hardware, raising the bar for what’s possible.

Key Features of the PS5 Pro

The PS5 Pro comes equipped with several key performance enhancements, addressing the requests of gamers for smoother, higher-quality graphics at a consistent 60 frames per second (FPS). The console’s standout features include:

Upgraded GPU: The PS5 Pro’s GPU boasts 67% more Compute Units than the current PS5, combined with 28% faster memory. This allows for up to 45% faster rendering speeds, ensuring a smoother gaming experience.
Advanced Ray Tracing: Ray tracing capabilities have been significantly enhanced, with reflections and refractions of light being processed at double or triple the speed of the current PS5, creating more dynamic visuals.
AI-Driven Upscaling: Introducing PlayStation Spectral Super Resolution, an AI-based upscaling technology that adds extraordinary detail to images, resulting in sharper image clarity.
Backward Compatibility & Game Boost: More than 8,500 PS4 games playable on PS5 Pro will benefit from PS5 Pro Game Boost, stabilizing or enhancing performance. PS4 games will also see improved resolution on select titles.
VRR & 8K Support: The PS5 Pro supports Variable Refresh Rate (VRR) and 8K gaming for the ultimate visual experience, while also launching with the latest wireless technology, Wi-Fi 7, in supported regions.

Optimized Games & Patches

Game creators have quickly embraced the new technology that comes with the PS5 Pro. Many games will receive free updates to take full advantage of the console’s new features, labeled as PS5 Pro Enhanced. Some of the highly anticipated titles include:

Alan Wake 2
Assassin’s Creed: Shadows
Demon’s Souls
Dragon’s Dogma 2
Final Fantasy 7 Rebirth
Gran Turismo 7
Marvel’s Spider-Man 2
Ratchet & Clank: Rift Apart
Horizon Forbidden West

These updates will allow players to experience their favorite games at a higher fidelity, taking full advantage of the console’s improved graphics and performance.

Design & Compatibility

Maintaining consistency within the PS5 family, the PS5 Pro retains the same height and width as the original PS5 model. Players will also have the option to add an Ultra HD Blu-ray Disc Drive or swap console covers when available.

Additionally, the PS5 Pro is fully compatible with all existing PS5 accessories, including the PlayStation VR2, DualSense Edge, Pulse Elite, and Access controller. This ensures seamless integration into your current gaming setup.

Pricing & Availability

The PS5 Pro will be available starting November 7, 2024, at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of:

$699.99 USD
$949.99 CAD
£699.99 GBP
€799.99 EUR
¥119,980 JPY

Each PS5 Pro comes with a 2TB SSD, a DualSense wireless controller, and a copy of Astro’s Playroom pre-installed. Pre-orders begin on September 26, 2024, and the console will be available at participating retailers and directly from PlayStation via direct.playstation.com.

The launch of the PS5 Pro marks a new chapter in PlayStation’s commitment to delivering cutting-edge gaming experiences. Whether players choose the standard PS5 or the PS5 Pro, PlayStation aims to provide the best possible gaming experience for everyone.

Preorder your PS5 Pro and step into the next generation of gaming this holiday season.

Tech

Google Unveils AI-Powered Pixel 9 Lineup Ahead of Apple’s iPhone 16 Release

Published

4 weeks ago

August 13, 2024

Harry Miller

Google has launched its next generation of Pixel phones, setting the stage for a head-to-head competition with Apple as both tech giants aim to integrate more advanced artificial intelligence (AI) features into their flagship devices. The unveiling took place near Google’s Mountain View headquarters, marking an early debut for the Pixel 9 lineup, which is designed to showcase the latest advancements in AI technology.

The Pixel 9 series, although a minor player in global smartphone sales, is a crucial platform for Google to demonstrate the cutting-edge capabilities of its Android operating system. With AI at the core of its strategy, Google is positioning the Pixel 9 phones as vessels for the transformative potential of AI, a trend that is expected to revolutionize the way people interact with technology.

Rick Osterloh, Google’s senior vice president overseeing the Pixel phones, emphasized the company’s commitment to AI, stating, “We are obsessed with the idea that AI can make life easier and more productive for people.” This echoes the narrative Apple is likely to push when it unveils its iPhone 16, which is also expected to feature advanced AI capabilities.

The Pixel 9 lineup will be the first to fully integrate Google’s Gemini AI technology, designed to enhance user experience through more natural, conversational interactions. The Gemini assistant, which features 10 different human-like voices, can perform a wide array of tasks, particularly if users allow access to their emails and documents.

In an on-stage demonstration, the Gemini assistant showcased its ability to generate creative ideas and even analyze images, although it did experience some hiccups when asked to identify a concert poster for singer Sabrina Carpenter.

To support these AI-driven features, Google has equipped the Pixel 9 with a special chip that enables many AI processes to be handled directly on the device. This not only improves performance but also enhances user privacy and security by reducing the need to send data to remote servers.

Google’s aggressive push into AI with the Pixel 9 comes as Apple prepares to unveil its iPhone 16, which is expected to feature its own AI advancements. However, Google’s decision to offer a one-year free subscription to its advanced Gemini Assistant, valued at $240, may pressure Apple to reconsider any plans to charge for its AI services.

The standard Pixel 9 will be priced at $800, a $100 increase from last year, while the Pixel 9 Pro will range between $1,000 and $1,100, depending on the model. Google also announced the next iteration of its foldable Pixel phone, priced at $1,800.

In addition to the new Pixel phones, Google also revealed updates to its Pixel Watch and wireless earbuds, directly challenging Apple’s dominance in the wearable tech market. These products, like the Pixel 9, are designed to integrate seamlessly with Google’s AI-driven ecosystem.

Google’s event took place against the backdrop of a significant legal challenge, with a judge recently ruling that its search engine constitutes an illegal monopoly. This ruling could lead to further court proceedings that may force Google to make significant changes to its business practices, potentially impacting its Android software or other key components of its $2 trillion empire.

Despite these legal hurdles, Google is pressing forward with its vision of an AI-powered future, using its latest devices to showcase what it believes will be the next big leap in technology. As the battle for AI supremacy heats up, consumers can expect both Google and Apple to push the boundaries of what their devices can do, making the choice between them more compelling than ever.