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Tag: Amazon Echo

  • Black Friday speaker deals 2025: Save up to 50 percent on bluetooth speakers, smart speakers and soundbars

    Black Friday and Cyber Monday feature some of the best audio equipment deals you’re likely to see all year. Whether you’ve been thinking about upgrading your home sound system, you’re planning a party or you just want something nice to listen to while you cook, we’ve found discounts on a speaker you’ll love. The deals on this list range across brands, with offerings from Ultimate Ears, Bose, Beats and more, plus Sonos and Amazon Echo smart speakers and soundbars from Sony and JBL. We’ll be curating this list all month, so check back daily for new audiophile-approved recommendations, organized by price.

    Best Black Friday speaker deals under $50

    Soundcore

    The Soundcore Select 4 Go is a miniature economy speaker from Anker that roundly beats expectations for its size and price. It’s waterproof and rated for a full meter of depth, so it’s safe if you drop it in the shower, the bathtub, or even a boat if you’re near the shore. With a 5W output, it’s not the punchiest speaker, but it can get loud enough to make every dollar you spent more than worth it. The battery also lasts for around 20 hours on a single charge — and that’s continuous play.

    $22 at Amazon

    Anker Soundcore 2 for $28 (38 percent off): This is the absolute cheapest you’ll probably see a full-size Bluetooth speaker go for in 2025 — the Soundcore 2, the latest effort by Anker to expand from charging components into portable audio. This model gets you 24 hours of battery and 12 watts of output, with bass ports designed to heavily boost the low ranges. It all works through a simple set of highly visible and tactile buttons on top of the speaker box.

    Amazon Echo Dot 5th Gen for $32 (36 percent off): The fifth-generation Echo Dot is cheaper than ever, and it was already the best smart speaker under $50. Its genius spherical design lets it pack a lot of audio into a compact space, and it can be controlled with both hands-free Alexa commands and on-device buttons. The latest release comes with early access to the Alexa+ AI upgrade.

    JBL Go 4 for $40 (20 percent off): You might expect a speaker as small and portable as the Go 4 to sound tinny at the higher frequencies and weak at the lower ones, but JBL has worked its magic to make this model sound great at both ranges. Weighing less than half a pound, made partly from recycled materials and including a convenient carabiner hoop, this is one of our favorite speakers to take on treks.

    Tribit StormBox Micro 2 for $50 (29 percent off): The StormBox Micro 2 gets you the two things you need out of a portable speaker — it’s light (weighing about a pound), and it’s loud. Tribit hasn’t changed the game on portable sound quality here, but with this on your bike or in your backyard, you’ll be having so much fun you won’t care. And the fact that you only spent 50 bucks will definitely help your mood.

    Amazon Echo Spot for $50 (38 percent off): The Echo Spot looks like an Echo Dot sawed in half, which is a surprisingly effective design. It’s designed to work best as a bedside alarm clock, but you can customize the screen to show things other than time, including a weather forecast, smart home controls or the current song on your playlist. It’s Alexa-capable, and like the latest Echo Dot, will let you give Alexa+ AI a try.

    Best Black Friday speaker deals for $50 to $100

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    Ultimate Ears

    The Wonderboom 4 is the little barrel that could, an adorable 1.2-pound portable bluetooth speaker that stays charged for 14 hours and keeps on playing after a five-foot drop. Outdoor Mode is a standout feature, amplifying the higher frequencies so you can hear from farther away. There’s even a USB charger so your other devices can take advantage of that long battery life.

    $60 at Amazon

    Amazon Fire TV Soundbar for $85 (29 percent off): This is by far the least you’ll pay for a worthwhile soundbar this Black Friday season. Amazon’s soundbar supports Dolby surround sound, works straightforwardly through a single HDMI cable and can be upgraded with an optional Alexa voice assistant. It doesn’t only work with Amazon products, either, being compatible with all smart TVs.

    Marshall Emberton II for $90 (50 percent off): We’re huge fans of the Emberton II, Marshall’s affordable new-age retro speaker. It looks great, but it’s much more than a visual throwback, featuring 360-degree sound, IP67 proofing and 30 hours of battery life. Since the deal cuts the price in half, you can even by two and chain them together for a surround sound setup.

    Amazon Echo Dot Max for $90 (10 percent off): The Echo Dot Max just dropped this month, and our reaction was mixed, but there’s no denying the leaps forward in this brand-new addition. Not only does it feature better sound than the vanilla Echo Dot, but Alexa+ makes is a much more equal conversation partner. The Echo Dot Max features a similar spherical design to the Dot, but with forward-facing physical buttons on the surface of the sphere.

    Bose SoundLink Micro for $99 (16 percent off): If the Home isn’t small or cheap enough for you, Bose has gone even smaller and cheaper with the SoundLink Micro, a tiny, portable speaker in the vein of the JBL Clip. It’s waterproof, dustproof and surprisingly good at taking hits, all while staying charged for around six hours. The sound quality isn’t intense, but it’s cleaner than it has any right to be.

    Beats Pill for $100 (33 percent off): Beats jumping back into portable bluetooth was one of the happiest surprises of 2024. As we noted in our full review at the time, the Beats Pill isn’t content to coast on its brand name or luxurious design. Its re-engineering speaker improves volume while reducing distortion, it can survive dropping into three feet of water and it even works extremely well as a speakerphone. We found that mid-to-high range music showcases its potential best, though the bass also hits hard.

    Best Black Friday speaker deals for $100 to $200

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    Amazon

    The Flip 6 was already one of our favorite speakers, so we were overjoyed to see the Flip 7 crank up everything about it. Not only does it sound good at nearly any volume and frequency, but it’s also well-designed, with a versatile cylinder shape and glow-in-the-dark buttons. You can even customize the output through the JBL Portable app, with three EQ bands to choose from.

    $110 at Amazon

    Bose SoundLink Flex for $119 (20 percent off): Of all the Bose on this list, the SoundLink Flex may be the most balanced, much cheaper than the Home and a lot more powerful than the Micro. Other speakers may be louder, but few have such good range; we’ve yet to find a track that sounds muddy or tinny coming through the Flex’s speakers. The design is also outdoor-friendly, with a light-but-tough exterior and 30-foot bluetooth range.

    JBL Charge 6 for $130 (35 percent off): It’s a little more expensive than the Flip line, but the extra cost of the Charge 6 pays off — it boasts almost twice the battery life of the Flip 7, with the same convenient design, built-in USB-C charger and wide sound range. If you’re looking for a speaker that balances sturdiness with portability and will last you a while, the Charge 6 is a very good investment.

    Ultimate Ears Megaboom 4 for $150 (25 percent off): The UE Megaboom line is venerable at this point, dropping first in 2015, but its fourth iteration still tops our audiophile lists. It puts out 360-degree sound with an emphasis on bass, can work up to 147 feet away from the music source, and literally floats in water (though you probably shouldn’t leave it in the pool all night). It can even pair with any other UE speaker through PartyUp — combining it with a couple of Wonderbooms pays off in spades.

    Sonos Era 100 for $169 (15 percent off): Two years after launch, the Era 100 is still a smart speaker more than worth your time. It’s sleek and simply designed, making it clear Sonos’s engineers put their work into sound quality and features rather than just looking the part. Touch controls have never worked better, and setup takes five minutes, though you will have to use the Sonos app. Once you start playing music, the Era 100 can get as loud as you like, while never sacrificing audio quality.

    Bose SoundLink Home for $179 (18 percent off): The SoundLink Home is small for a high-quality speaker, but it packs everything it needs into two pounds and about 10 square inches. Nothing about the sound is diminished thanks to two passive radiators. Though we haven’t gotten to test it directly, given Bose’s record with other compact speakers like the Flex, we’re confident it’ll be loud enough to satisfy anyone.

    Bose TV Speaker soundbar for $199 (29 percent off): Bose’s entry into the world of soundbars does not disappoint. For a price lower than some Bluetooth speakers, you’ll get a compact two-foot speaker bar that amplifies dialogue while conjuring a balanced, realistic soundscape from any movie or show. It’s suitable for audio neophytes, too, with no complex adjustments necessary — just plug in the HDMI and start watching.

    Ultimate Ears Everboom for $200 (25 percent off): We gave the Everboom a full review when it first dropped last year, and found it stuck to the general Ultimate Ears plan — nothing earth-shattering in the audio quality, but rugged reliability and fantastic extra features. Everboom users can connect it to the UE Boom app, which lets you control the volume remotely, use the speaker as a megaphone to make announcements, import your playlists and pair Everbooms through the PartyUp chaining feature.

    Best Black Friday speaker deals over $200

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    Amazon

    Moving up in scale from the SoundLink Home, we’ve got the Plus — fairly heavy for a portable speaker but with heavy bass to match. Its battery lasts for 20 hours if you choose to take it outside, but it also works as a home speaker, with customizable sound levels and the ability to chain two together for a more surround audio experience.

    $190 at Amazon

    JBL Xtreme 4 for $280 (26 percent off): Xtreme is the largest and highest-end that JBL goes, and the Xtreme 4 is a luminary of the line. At 4.6 pounds, it’s on the outside edge of portability, but that weight means it puts out appropriately heavy bass, along with clear treble. It’s fully weatherproof and — unless it’s in a completely open space — can get loud enough that all your party guests will enjoy the full effect.

    Bose SoundLink Max for $299 (25 percent off): The SoundLink Max, Bose’s biggest speaker that isn’t a soundbar, is more affordable for Black Friday than we’ve seen for a while. Frankly, it’s worth more than this, with two radiators and three transducers that make it sound larger than it is. Indoors or outdoors, it’s great for anyone who wants to be able to pick out individual elements of their favorite music.

    Sonos Era 300 for $378 (21 percent off): The Era 300 is Sonos’s big (and largely successful) swing at a truly space-filling smart speaker, combining spatial audio with support for both Alexa and its own assistant. The Trueplay feature detects the environment around the speaker and adjusts its setup to reach every corner. Spatial audio can be hit-or-miss on older tracks, but it’s transcendent with modern ones.

    Sonos Move 2 for $399 (20 percent off): Move is Sonos’s high-end portable smart speaker, with more heft, power and features than the smaller Roam line. With the Move 2, Sonos improved the Move’s sound quality, boosted its battery life to well over 24 hours, jacked up the volume and redesigned the outer hardware for greater durability. It also works with both Alexa and the Sonos assistant, but it’s more portable than the Era 300.

    Sony Bravia Theater Bar 8 for $798 (20 percent off): In our review of the Bravia 6 this year, we called out its full sound and special talent for enhancing dialogue, but were frustrated that it didn’t support AirPlay or Spotify Connect. The Bravia 8 works with both services, making it a clear choice for your next premium soundbar. It’s got a tight, low-footprint design that fits any aesthetic, and hits a maximum output power of 495 watts.

    Sonos Arc Ultra for $879 (20 percent off): The Sonos Arc Ultra is the best premium soundbar, bar none (pun intended). As we cover in our full review, it delivers full-throated bass without needing an extra sub, and has added more mid-range drivers and tweeters to make dialogue pop. Its software features are also solid, with Trueplay sound tuning, Speech Enhancement and a new Night Sound mode to tone down the boom for your roommates’ sake.

    JBL Bar 1300XMK2 for $1200 (29 percent off): If you’re going to drop $1200 on a soundbar, you need to know it’s going to deliver — and the 1300XMK2 does. Its key design element is two detachable speakers that recharge when plugged into the main unit, but can spend up to 10 hours unplugged. The audioscape does an excellent job of separating and clarifying details, which really enhances the sense of a theatrical experience.

    Sam Chapman

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  • The 19 best Amazon Prime Day deals under $50 still available from Anker, Roku, UGreen and others

    It’s true: October Prime Day 2025 is over. But you can’t expect a site like Amazon to shut down every deal — the company was built on the discount. Today, we hunted down the tech deals under $50 that are still available. While there’s a lot fewer deals than there were yesterday (we counted 59 on Wednesday and just 19 today) some decent brands, like Ugreen, Anker, Lego and Roku are still in stock. Interestingly, a few of the current-model Echo smart speakers are still discounted, too, likely as a way to get the new Alexa+ into as many homes as possible. Who knows how long these sale prices will stick around. But if you miss them, don’t fret, Black Friday is just around the corner.

    Best Prime Day tech deals under $50 still available

    UGREEN

    PNY microSD Express (128GB) for $39 ($6 off with Prime): If you’ve gotten yourself a Switch 2 (or planning to gift one for the Holidays) you may want to get a couple microSD Express cards. They’re the only type that work with the new console, which you can read all about in our guide to Switch 2 storage. This is one of the cards we recommend.

    Audible subscription (three months) for $3 ($42 off): From now through mid-December, you can get Amazon’s audiobook subscription for just a dollar a month for three months. Note that it will auto-renew at $15 per month after that, but you can cancel at any point.

    UGreen Revodok Pro 109 USB-C Hub for $39 ($16 off with Prime): The top pick in our guide to the best USB-C hubs has a good array of ports, including an HDMI 2.0 connection that supports 4K monitors at 60Hz, plus three USB-A ports, Ethernet and one USB-C (plus another for delivering 90W of power to your device.

    Lego Star Wars Advent Calendar 2025 for $31 (30 percent off): ‘Tis the season for advent calendars. They’ve flooded the internet, as they usually do this time of year, and there are plenty to choose from (and stock up on) before we get to December. Lego has a bunch, and this Star Wars one will be fun for everyone, not just kids, to open up each day at the end of the year.

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    Amazon

    Razer Basilisk V3 gaming mouse for $30 ($40 off): Some prefer a wired connection when playing games. Razer’s Basilisk V3 is our top budget pick for a wired mouse in our gaming mouse guide. It’s comfortable, well-built, accurate and a good value — particularly with a Prime Day discount.

    Anker Nano 3-in-1 Portable Charger for $35 ($11 off with Prime): It’s a wall charger! It’s a portable battery! It has its own USB-C cable! In short, this handy power bank is clever and compact, which is why it’s one of our favorites. It went as low as $33 for Prime Day.

    Anker Nano portable charger for $20 ($10 off with Prime): It looks like an oldy timey lipstick case and can deliver a partial refill to any small device with a USB-C port. We named it a good pick after testing it for our battery guide.

    8Bitdo Ultimate Bluetooth controller (Switch 2) for $45 ($25 off with Prime): If you’ve got a Switch 2 and are looking for a good controller to go with it, we think this is a good one. Recommended in our guide to the best Switch 2 accessories, it’s got an Xbox style configuration with the left stick placed higher on the game pad, which some prefer.

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    Roku

    Echo Pop smart speaker for $25 ($15 off): The half sphere Pop is the most affordable Echo speaker in Amazon’s lineup. The sound won’t be as full as its larger siblings, but will do a fine job of bringing Alexa’s help to smaller rooms. Just note that it went as low as $18 for Black Friday and October Prime Day last year.

    Elden Ring (PS5) for $30 ($20 off): If you somehow haven’t yet played the action-RPG Elden Ring, here’s a chance to do so for less money. It’s challenging yet accessible if you want plus it’s darkly funny and one of our favorite games.

    Samsung Fit Plus 256GB for $23 (30 percent off): We named this thumbdrive one of the best SSDs you can buy. This configuration has 256GB of storage and read speeds of 400MB/s. It’s also built to resist water, extreme temperatures, magnets and even radiation.

    Roku Streaming Stick HD for $18 ($12 off): If you don’t care about 4K (or your screen resolution isn’t that high anyway) you can still get the same simple-to-use Roku OS with this device. The best thing about Roku streaming sticks is the access to all the free content — so this is an affordable way to get it.

    Anker Soundcore Select 4 Go speaker for $26 ($9 off with Prime): This is one of our top picks for Bluetooth speaker. It gets pretty loud for its size and has decent sound quality. You can pair two together for stereo sound as well, and its IP67-rated design will keep it protected against water and dust. It went for $23 during the sale.

    Anker Soundcore 2 Portable Bluetooth Speaker for $30 ($15 off with Prime): This small speaker was a past pick in our guide to the best Bluetooth speakers. It’s waterproof and goes for 24 hours on a charge. We found the sound to be surprisingly big for its size. It sold for $27 during Prime Day.

    Amazon Echo Spot for $45 ($35 off): Amazon brought the Echo Spot smart alarm clock back from the dead last year with a new design and improved speakers. In addition to being able to control smart home devices and respond to voice commands, the Echo Spot can also act as a Wi-Fi extender for those that have Eero systems. It went as low as $45 for Black Friday last year.

    Samsung EVO Select microSD card (256GB) for $23 ($4 off): This Samsung card has been one of our recommended models for a long time. It’s a no-frills microSD card that, while not the fastest, will be perfectly capable in most devices where you’re just looking for simple, expanded storage.

    Amy Skorheim

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  • The best Day 2 Prime Day speaker deals: JBL, Bose, Ultimate Ears and more

    We’re always ready to argue that high-quality speakers are a worthwhile investment, adding new dimensions to music and dialogue that make any kind of entertainment more enjoyable. Though Prime Day is almost over, our resident audiophiles are still sifting through Amazon for bargains on the best smart speakers, soundbars and portable bluetooth speakers. This October Prime Day, our list of the best deals includes brands like Anker, Bose, JBL, Amazon Echo and more. So if you’re ready to hear when your favorite TV actors are scratching themselves, let’s get started.

    • JBL Xtreme 2 for $150 ($30 off): This deal is a great way to get ahold of the JBL Xtreme 2, an old favorite from 2018 we still love. An Xtreme 2 can get louder than you’d expect from a portable speaker, putting out 40 watts at maximum, and stays charged for around 15 hours.

    • JBL Flip 6 for $100 ($30 off): The JBL Flip 6 is a solid choice for an all-around bluetooth speaker, performing well in any room or on the go. It sounds good at almost any frequency and volume, runs for 12 hours on a single charge and is nearly impossible to damage with falls, dust or water.

    • JBL Go 3 for $35 (30 percent off): The JBL Go 3 is a decent and highly affordable carabiner speaker for all your outdoor adventures — as is its sister product, the Go 3 Eco, which is made from recycled materials. It’s obviously not the most powerful speaker at 4.2 watts, but it has a surprisingly good functional range. Plus, the design looks good on any belt or backpack.

    • Beats Pill for $119 (34 percent off): This Bluetooth speaker from Apple subsidiary Beats earned a score of 83 in our review and currently holds a spot in our buying guide. It’s not the best raw value on the market, and it can struggle at maximum volume, but it generally pumps out strong bass without sounding imbalanced. A stylish and water-resistant design, ample battery life and the ability to play lossless audio over a USB-C cable add to the appeal. This sizable discount matches the lowest price we’ve tracked.

    • Ultimate Ears Miniroll for $47 (41 percent off): Miniroll is the smallest speaker from Ultimate Ears, but it punches far above its weight, starting with UE’s trademark massive volume buttons. While small enough to fit in a jeans pocket, its combination of a driver and radiator manages about 85 decibels. A Miniroll can run for about 12 hours on a single charge.

    • Ultimate Ears Boom 4 for $95 (37 percent off): The UE Boom 4 is a balanced speaker that does well anywhere. Take it camping (it’s waterproof and a charge lasts for 15 hours), to a party (it puts out loud 360 degree sound) or make it part of a permanent home system by chaining it with other UE speakers — one of these plus two Minirolls or Wonderbooms would come pretty close to full surround sound.

    • Ultimate Ears Everboom for $231 ($39 off): The Everboom is the middle ground of the UE line, with more powerful output than the Wonderboom and more portability than the Hyperboom. Its 360 degree sound pairs with an Outdoor Boost feature to work better outside, though it isn’t quite as impressive in the middle ranges.

    • Bose SoundLink Flex for $99 (34 percent off): We’ve rarely seen the Bose SoundLink Flex this cheap, so now is the time to snap up this high-fidelity outdoor speaker. It’s small enough to carry in one hand and can be operated from up to 30 feet away via the Bose Connect app. We’ve also found it simple and fun to use for hands-free phone calls during breaks in the music.

    • Bose SoundLink Revolve+ for $179 (40 percent off): The SoundLink Revolve+ line, Bose’s original upright 360-degree speakers, continue to pack a punch. This current model features a 17-hour battery life, IP55 water resistance and the ability to connect to a smart speaker to extend your virtual assistant’s range.

    • Bose SoundLink Max for $299 ($100 off): The Bose SoundLink Max may put you in mind of a classic boombox, with its detachable handle and thudding base. But inside it’s all modern, with a 50-watt output, an effective range of 52.6Hz and a 20-hour rechargeable battery. It even comes with a 3.5mm AUX input to connect to a turntable, if you really want to embrace your inner 90s DJ.

    • Anker Soundcore 2 for $28 (38 percent off): This larger speaker doesn’t look like much, but it’s tough, water-resistant and versatile. It’s got a broad range of optimal pitch, effective across 70 Hz from bass to treble, and 12 watts of output. While it’s portable and sounds good outdoors, its wide design means it can also substitute for a soundbar in your home theater.

    • Soundcore Select 4 Go for $18 (20 percent off): The Soundcore Select 4 Go weighs only 9.3 ounces, which makes the rest of its specs even more impressive: 20 hours of battery life, IP67 waterproofing and sound that fills rooms. It even sounds pretty good in compact outdoor spaces, more than capable of serenading an outdoor desk or livening up a pool party.

    • Soundcore Motion 300 for $56 (30 percent off): The Soundcore Motion 300 is a full-frequency champ, with clean sound in the higher ranges and reasonably heavy bass. Its adaptive audio feature changes output depending on whether the speaker is currently lying down, standing on end or hanging from your belt loop. It’s also small and light enough to carry in your pocket or clip to your backpack.

    • Marshall Emberton II for $100 (44 percent off): Marshall, the old warhorse of the audio world, continues to crush it with the portable and bluetooth-ready Emberton II. Although it looks like an antique, it’s anything but, with 360-degree sound and over 30 hours of battery life from a single charge — all weighing a little more than a quarter of a pound.

    • Marshall Acton III for $200 ($100 off): Marshall recently re-engineered the Acton’s speaker setup by angling the tweeters outward. It paid off, especially in the Acton III, which now delivers a pleasingly wide soundscape. At 6.3 pounts, it’s not technically portable, but the design makes it easy to move around — and for the eco-conscious, it’s made of 70 percent recycled materials.

    • Amazon Echo Pop for $25 (38 percent off): The Echo Pop is Amazon’s smallest and cheapest smart speaker, resembling an Echo Dot sliced in half. It’s a little quiet, and probably best for extending Alexa’s range rather than serving as the primary host for your virtual assistant. In a smaller room, though, this is as convenient and clear-sounding as any other Echo you’ll use.

    • Amazon Echo Spot for $45 (44 percent off): Other than perhaps the Pop, no Amazon Echo fits better on a bedside table than the Spot. Its user-friendly design incorporates both a speaker and a digital display — so it’s recognizable as a classic alarm clock, but with much more information on the screen and far better sound quality. This is the lowest price we’ve ever seen it sell for.

    • Sonos Era 100 for $180 ($20 off): The Sonos Era 100 is a fantastic smart speaker for an even better price. It’s not only loud — it also sounds good at any volume, no matter what platform you’re streaming audio from. It can connect via bluetooth or physical lines, and uses TruePlay to tune the sound to your current location using included mics.

    • Sonos Era 300 for $379 ($100 off): In our full review of the Sonos Era 300, we found that it’s easy to set up and sounds incredible. It includes the exciting spatial audio feature that makes music sound like it’s coming from everywhere — while it doesn’t always work, it’s exhilarating when it hits. The Era 300 can even automatically tune sound to your location, and you no longer need an iPhone for this feature to work.

    • JBL Bar 300 for $250 (38 percent off): The Bar 300, part of JBL’s 2023 soundbar explosion, is a mighty yet cheap soundbar with an integrated subwoofer. Despite being small, it manages to create a theatrical experience by working both Dolby Atmos and MultiBeam. Its voice sharpening algorithm is especially good at making dialogue clearer (for those of us who always have to put on the subtitles).

    • Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus for $150 (40 percent off): One of the cheapest soundbars you’ll ever see, the Fire TV Soundbar Plus provides a noticeable boost to your TV’s audio quality, even if it doesn’t reach Dolby Atmos heights. It’s simple, but that makes it a breeze to set up — all you have to do is plug in one HDMI cable.

    • Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 for $498 ($202 off): The Sony Bravia Theater Bar 6 is part of Sony’s Dolby Atmos soundbar lineup. It stands out from that line as a great entry point, balancing theatrical sound with defined dialogue by adjusting outputs through machine learning. It’s capable of transforming normal stereo into surround sound through automatic up-mixing.

    • Roku Streambar for $69 (31 percent off): The Roku Streambar is already affordable, but this deal puts it within anyone’s reach. It’s also economical in terms of space — as we noted in our full review, it’s about the size of an egg carton, but still manages to give off near-surround sound.

    This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/the-best-day-2-prime-day-speaker-deals-jbl-bose-ultimate-ears-and-more-083538729.html?src=rss

    Sam Chapman

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  • Early Amazon Prime Day tech deals under $50: Save on gear from Apple, Anker, Ring, JBL and Roku ahead of next week’s sale

    Amazon’s (thrice) yearly Prime Day sales are a great opportunity to nab discounts on expensive stuff like TVs and laptops — it’s also an excellent time for sales on smaller electronics and accessories. For this list, we compared what’s on sale right now (a full five days before the sale even starts) with the stuff we recommend in our guides. For less than $50 each, we found deals on some of our favorite tech including , , , , and . Some deals require you to be a Prime member, others are open to anyone with half a Benjamin earmarked for Amazon. Here are the best October Prime Day tech deals under $50.

    Best Prime Day deals under $50

    Instant Pot

    Amazon Echo Pop Kids for $33 ($17 off with Prime): Among the announcements for the new Echo devices, Amazon did not include new Echo Pop Kids models, so this is still the most current model for now. It’s good for smaller spaces, not necessarily audio fidelity, and it comes with six months of free access to Amazon Kids as well as early access to Alexa+.

    Apple MagSafe charger (25W, 2m) for $35 ($14 off): The latest version of Apple’s MagSafe puck is Qi2.2-certified and supports up to 25W of wireless power when paired with a 30W adapter. The two-meter cable length on this particular model gives you more flexibility on where you can use it: in bed, on the couch, at your desk and elsewhere. Note that it dipped as low as $29 earlier this week.

    Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $40 ($20 off): Amazon’s most powerful streaming dongle supports 4K HDR content, Dolby Vision and Atmos and Wi-Fi 6E with double the storage of cheaper Fire TV sticks. It earned an honorable mention in our guide to streaming devices and also happens to make a good retro gaming emulator.

    Blink Video Doorbell for $35 ($35 off): True, Amazon just announced new Blink devices, but those won’t hit the market until after Prime Day is over. If you want a video doorbell right now at an impressively low price, this should serve. We’ve tested Blink security devices before and have been impressed by what you get for such a small price.

    Belkin 4-Port Charger Block for $47 ($43 off): Here’s a handy charger from our guide to the best MacBook accessories. It’s comparable to the adapter Apple includes with its laptops, but it has four ports in total (two USB-C and two USB-A). Plus it’s cheaper than buying Apple’s brick, especially now.

    Ring Battery Doorbell for $50 ($50 off): At $49.99 this juuust qualifies as an under $50 tech deal. If you don’t have doorbell wires at your front entrance, you can still have a camera to capture all the package deliveries and neighborhood animal sightings with the Ring Battery Doorbell. It records video in HD with more vertical coverage than the last model, so you can see people from head to toe. Just note that newer Ring devices are on the way.

    Blink Mini 2 security cameras (two-pack) for $35 ($35 off): This is currently the top budget pick in our guide to the best security cameras. The Mini 2 is a great option for indoor monitoring or you can put it outside with a weatherproof adapter, but since it needs to be plugged in, we like it for keeping an eye on your pets while you’re away and watching over entry ways from the inside.

    : A three pack is also on sale and squeezes in just under the $50 mark.

    Anker 622 5K magnetic power bank with stand for $34 ($14 off with Prime): This 0.5-inch thick power bank attaches magnetically to iPhones and won’t get in your way when you’re using your phone. It also has a built-in stand so you can watch videos, make FaceTime calls and more hands-free while your phone is powering up.

    : While we thought the Blink Mini 2 was a better overall indoor camera , we do like the Ring app, which is ideal for beginners. Plus you get access to the Ring Neighbors app which is a fascinating glimpse into your neighborhood’s Ring-captured events.

    Amazon Smart Plug for $13 ($12 off): We named this the best smart plug for Alexa users because it hooks up painlessly and stays connected reliably. Use it to control lamps or your holiday lights using programs and schedules in the Alexa app, or just your voice by talking to your Echo Dot or other Alexa-enabled listener.

    Levoit Mini Core-P air purifier for $40 ($10 off with Prime): This is the mini version of the top pick in our guide to air purifiers. It has a three-stage filter (pre, activated carbon and particle filters) though that particle filter is not a true HEPA filter. But it’s rated at 250 square feet and can help clear the air in your office or other small room.

    Echo Pop smart speaker for $25 ($15 off): The half sphere Pop is the most affordable Echo speaker in Amazon’s lineup. The sound won’t be as full as its larger siblings, but will do a fine job of bringing Alexa’s help to smaller rooms. Just note that it went as low as $18 for Black Friday and October Prime Day last year.

    Roku Streaming Stick Plus 2025 for $29 ($11 off): This is our top pick for the best streaming device for accessing free and live content. The dongle supports 4K video and HDR and doesn’t need to be plugged into the wall for power. It’s a great way to access any streaming service you could ask for: Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, HBO Max and many more.

    Roku Streaming Stick HD for $20 ($10 off): If you don’t care about 4K (or your screen resolution isn’t that high anyway) you can still get the same simple-to-use Roku OS with this device. The best thing about Roku streaming sticks is the access to all the free content — so this is an affordable way to get it.

    Image for the small product module

    Blink

    Blink Outdoor 4 security camera for $35 ($45 off): We named this the best choice for Alexa users in our guide to security cameras. It works seamlessly with Alexa devices like the Echo speakers and Show displays. Plus it can run for up to two years on a set of AA batteries and we found the motion detection to be spot on.

    $35 at Amazon

    Leebein 2025 electric spin scrubber for $40 ($30 off with Prime): This is an updated version of the electric scrubber we love that makes shower cleaning easier than ever before. It comes with seven brush heads so you can use it to clean all kinds of surfaces, and its adjustable arm length makes it easier to clean hard-to-reach spots. It’s IPX7 waterproof and recharges via USB-C.

    Jisulife Life7 handheld fan for $25 ($4 off with Prime): This handy little fan is a must-have if you live in a warm climate or have a tropical vacation planned anytime soon. It can be used as a table or handheld fan and even be worn around the neck so you don’t have to hold it at all. Its 5,000 mAh battery allows it to last hours on a single charge, and the small display in the middle of the fan’s blades shows its remaining battery level.

    Anker Soundcore Select 4 Go speaker for $26 ($9 off with Prime): This is one of our top picks for Bluetooth speaker. It gets pretty loud for its size and has decent sound quality. You can pair two together for stereo sound as well, and its IP67-rated design will keep it protected against water and dust.

    Amazon Echo Spot for $50 ($30 off): Amazon brought the Echo Spot smart alarm clock back from the dead last year with a new design and improved speakers. In addition to being able to control smart home devices and respond to voice commands, the Echo Spot can also act as a Wi-Fi extender for those that have Eero systems. It went as low as $45 for Black Friday last year.

    Samsung EVO Select microSD card (256GB) for $23 ($4 off): This Samsung card has been one of our recommended models for a long time. It’s a no-frills microSD card that, while not the fastest, will be perfectly capable in most devices where you’re just looking for simple, expanded storage.

    JBL Go 4 portable speaker for $40 (20 percent off): The Go 4 is a handy little Bluetooth speaker that you can take anywhere you go thanks to its small, IP67-rated design and built-in carrying loop. It’ll get seven hours of playtime on a single charge, and you can pair two together for stereo sound. The previous model, JBL Go 3 is on sale for $30.

    Anker Soundcore Space A40 for $45 (44 percent off): Our top pick for the best budget wireless earbuds, the Space A40 have surprisingly good ANC, good sound quality, a comfortable fit and multi-device connectivity.

    Blink Outdoor 4 security camera for $35 ($45 off): We named this the best choice for Alexa users in our guide to security cameras. It works seamlessly with Alexa devices like the Echo speakers and Show displays. Plus it can run for up to two years on a set of AA batteries and we found the motion detection to be spot on.

    : Having a bad cable is almost as bad as not having a cable at all. We’re big fans of Anker’s cords. This one is a generous 10 feet and can deliver up to 100W of power. While it can transfer data, it does so slowly, so don’t grab this one for that purpose. This is $1 more than it sold for as a Prime-exclusive in July.

    Amy Skorheim

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  • Early October Prime Day 2025 tech deals under $50: Save on gear from Apple, Anker, Ring, JBL and Roku

    We’re still a few days away from the official start to Amazon’s October Prime Day sale, but we’re already seeing plenty of discounts that are already live — including tech deals for under $50. You can snap up some of our favorite Mac accessories, smart plugs, power banks, security cameras and more. The gear here is pulled from our own guides and reviews — products and brands we’ve tried ourselves and currently recommend. If you want to stock up on smaller tech without spending too much, this list of the best Prime Day deals under $50 is a great place to start.

    Best Prime Day deals under $50

    Apple

    Apple MagSafe charger (25W, 2m) for $29 ($20 off): The latest version of Apple’s MagSafe puck is Qi2.2-certified and supports up to 25W of wireless power when paired with a 30W adapter. The two-meter cable length on this particular model gives you more flexibility on where you can use it: in bed, on the couch, at your desk and elsewhere.

    $35 at Amazon

    : Among the announcements for the new Echo devices, Amazon did not include new Echo Pop Kids models, so this is still the most current model for now. It’s good for smaller spaces, not necessarily audio fidelity, and it comes with six months of free access to Amazon Kids as well as early access to Alexa+.

    Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $40 ($20 off): Amazon’s most powerful streaming dongle supports 4K HDR content, Dolby Vision and Atmos and Wi-Fi 6E with double the storage of cheaper Fire TV sticks. It earned an honorable mention in our guide to streaming devices and also happens to make a good retro gaming emulator.

    Instant Pot Vortex 2-QT Mini for $38 ($22 off with Prime): The budget model from our may not be large but its two-quart basket is enough to reheat leftovers for two or cook up a batch of frozen appetizers. And, because of its small size, it doesn’t take up a ton of space on your countertops — ideal for a small kitchen.

    : True, Amazon just announced , but those won’t hit the market until after Prime Day is over. If you want a video doorbell right now at an impressively low price, this should serve. We’ve tested Blink before and have been impressed by what you get for such a small price.

    : Here’s a handy charger from our guide to the best . It’s comparable to the adapter Apple includes with its laptops, but it has four ports in total (two USB-C and two USB-A). Plus it’s cheaper than buying Apple’s brick, especially now.

    Ring Battery Doorbell for $50 ($50 off): At $49.99 this juuust qualifies as an under $50 tech deal. If you don’t have doorbell wires at your front entrance, you can still have a camera to capture all the package deliveries and neighborhood animal sightings with the Ring Battery Doorbell. It records video in HD with more vertical coverage than the last model, so you can see people from head to toe. Just note that newer Ring devices are on the way.

    Blink Mini 2 security cameras (two-pack) for $35 ($35 off): This is currently the top budget pick in our guide to the best security cameras. The Mini 2 is a great option for indoor monitoring or you can put it outside with a weatherproof adapter, but since it needs to be plugged in, we like it for keeping an eye on your pets while you’re away and watching over entry ways from the inside.

    Anker 622 5K magnetic power bank with stand for $34 ($14 off with Prime): This 0.5-inch thick power bank attaches magnetically to iPhones and won’t get in your way when you’re using your phone. It also has a built-in stand so you can watch videos, make FaceTime calls and more hands-free while your phone is powering up.

    Amazon Smart Plug for $13 ($12 off): We named this the best smart plug for Alexa users because it hooks up painlessly and stays connected reliably. Use it to control lamps or your holiday lights using programs and schedules in the Alexa app, or just your voice by talking to your Echo Dot or other Alexa-enabled listener.

    Levoit Mini Core-P air purifier for $40 ($10 off with Prime): This is the mini version of the top pick in our guide to air purifiers. It has a three-stage filter (pre, activated carbon and particle filters) though that particle filter is not a true HEPA filter. But it’s rated at 250 square feet and can help clear the air in your office or other small room.

    Echo Pop smart speaker for $25 ($15 off): The half sphere Pop is the most affordable Echo speaker in Amazon’s lineup. The sound won’t be as full as its larger siblings, but will do a fine job of bringing Alexa’s help to smaller rooms. Just note that it went as low as $18 for Black Friday and October Prime Day last year.

    Roku Streaming Stick Plus 2025 for $29 ($11 off): This is our top pick for the best streaming device for accessing free and live content. The dongle supports 4K video and HDR and doesn’t need to be plugged into the wall for power. It’s a great way to access any streaming service you could ask for: Netflix, Prime Video, Disney+, HBO Max and many more.

    : If you don’t care about 4K (or your screen resolution isn’t that high anyway) you can still get the same simple-to-use Roku OS with this device. The best thing about Roku streaming sticks is the access to all the free content — so this is an affordable way to get it.

    Image for the small product module

    Blink

    Blink Outdoor 4 security camera for $35 ($45 off): We named this the best choice for Alexa users in our guide to security cameras. It works seamlessly with Alexa devices like the Echo speakers and Show displays. Plus it can run for up to two years on a set of AA batteries and we found the motion detection to be spot on.

    $35 at Amazon

    Leebein 2025 electric spin scrubber for $40 ($30 off with Prime): This is an updated version of the electric scrubber we love that makes shower cleaning easier than ever before. It comes with seven brush heads so you can use it to clean all kinds of surfaces, and its adjustable arm length makes it easier to clean hard-to-reach spots. It’s IPX7 waterproof and recharges via USB-C.

    Jisulife Life7 handheld fan for $25 ($4 off with Prime): This handy little fan is a must-have if you live in a warm climate or have a tropical vacation planned anytime soon. It can be used as a table or handheld fan and even be worn around the neck so you don’t have to hold it at all. Its 5,000 mAh battery allows it to last hours on a single charge, and the small display in the middle of the fan’s blades shows its remaining battery level.

    Anker Soundcore Select 4 Go speaker for $26 ($9 off with Prime): This is one of our top picks for Bluetooth speaker. It gets pretty loud for its size and has decent sound quality. You can pair two together for stereo sound as well, and its IP67-rated design will keep it protected against water and dust.

    Amazon Echo Spot for $50 ($30 off): Amazon brought the Echo Spot smart alarm clock back from the dead last year with a new design and improved speakers. In addition to being able to control smart home devices and respond to voice commands, the Echo Spot can also act as a Wi-Fi extender for those that have Eero systems. It went as low as $45 for Black Friday last year.

    Samsung EVO Select microSD card (256GB) for $23 ($4 off): This Samsung card has been one of our recommended models for a long time. It’s a no-frills microSD card that, while not the fastest, will be perfectly capable in most devices where you’re just looking for simple, expanded storage.

    JBL Go 4 portable speaker for $40 (20 percent off): The Go 4 is a handy little Bluetooth speaker that you can take anywhere you go thanks to its small, IP67-rated design and built-in carrying loop. It’ll get seven hours of playtime on a single charge, and you can pair two together for stereo sound. The previous model, JBL Go 3 is on sale for $30.

    Anker Soundcore Space A40 for $45 (44 percent off): Our top pick for the best budget wireless earbuds, the Space A40 have surprisingly good ANC, good sound quality, a comfortable fit and multi-device connectivity.

    Blink Outdoor 4 security camera for $35 ($45 off): We named this the best choice for Alexa users in our guide to security cameras. It works seamlessly with Alexa devices like the Echo speakers and Show displays. Plus it can run for up to two years on a set of AA batteries and we found the motion detection to be spot on.

    Amy Skorheim

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  • Amazon Echo Dot Max and Studio Hands-On: Do You Need an Army of Echo Speakers?

    Amazon’s Echo speakers have never been my smart speaker of choice, but for lots of people—like lots and lots of people—they are. Because of the sheer volume of Echo speakers in the world (no pun intended), when Amazon releases a new Echo product, it’s kind of a big deal—that’s regardless of whether the generation is iterative or not.

    The same applies to Amazon’s just-released Echo Studio and Echo Dot Max, which debut at $220 and $100, respectively. I’ll be honest, I wasn’t exactly wowed with what I saw at Amazon’s event, but I did get to listen to them myself, and… they sound pretty good! That’s not an exciting impression of a product, but that’s the most I have to go off of with a gadget that I only got to watch someone else use in a limited capacity.

    The crux of what I got to experience was based on showcasing audio improvements between generations. Specifically, I got to listen to a 5th-gen Echo Dot compared to Amazon’s new Echo Dot Max and Echo Studio, and the experience was predictably drastic. There’s a big difference between the 5th-gen Echo Dot and the Echo Dot Max, with the latter putting out a lot more bass and more volume. I can see the Echo Dot Max being a solid option for someone who wants the benefits of a smart speaker with Alexa+ but has limited space and still wants a smart speaker that’s serviceable for playing music.

    © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo

    The jump between the Echo Dot Max and the Echo Studio is equally as drastic. While the former smart speaker has two drivers and a woofer, the Echo Studio has three, as well as a woofer. The result is a bigger sound with a wider “soundstage,” which is to say, you can hear a lot more nuance in your music. The Echo Studio also has a secret weapon compared to the Echo Dot Max, which is spatial audio and Dolby Atmos. In a demo after Amazon’s keynote, I got to listen to the Echo Studio briefly, and it did a good job of filling a medium-ish room with sound that felt a cut above what you’d get on the Echo Dot Max. There’s definitely more dimensionality compared to Amazon’s smaller speaker, and that capability is highlighted even further when you use one of Amazon’s newest features, Alexa Home Theater.

    Alexa Home Theater, which Amazon also announced today, allows you to pair together multiple Echo Dot Maxes or Echo Dot Studios (up to five of each) and one subwoofer if you choose to create a spatial home theater system. The result is wild. I got to experience a couple of things with Amazon’s Alexa Home Theater feature, which, in this case, was using five Echo Studios. The first was spatial music (Michael Jackson’s “Thriller”), which was fun.

    I was told by Amazon that the track we listened to wasn’t a special one that was tuned by Dolby Atmos specifically for spatial audio, but it still sounded “3D,” bouncing sound from one corner of the room to another during the song’s intro. I’ve had some pretty wild spatial audio experiences in my day, including one inside a Maybach at CES, and while this wasn’t quite as immersive as that, it still sounded nuanced and fairly high fidelity.

    Echo Dot And Show
    © Adriano Contreras / Gizmodo

    The second experience with Alexa Home Theater was watching a movie (a scene from Ready Player One), which also sounded  decent, though I didn’t get quite the same dimension from the demo as I did in the spatial music demo. Maybe it was the way people were situated in the room, potentially blocking some of the speakers, or maybe the movie just wasn’t as well-suited for the setup, but I didn’t get quite the same experience—the sound was still big, but just not as 3D as the music demo.

    Either way, though, I’m not sure that many people are going to be using Alexa Home Theater. The idea of buying that many Echo Studio speakers for a home theater setup is… a little much. At $220 a pop, you’re talking about an $1,100 package (if you’re using the max five speakers) before tax. For that price, you could get a fairly nice home theater system from brands like Klipsch, which, yes, may involve a more complicated setup process, but also offers a more dedicated home theater experience compared to a bunch of Echo speakers.

    A big part of your decision to buy a new Echo speaker or not may hinge on your interest in Alexa+ and on that front, I didn’t get a very full preview. An Amazon representative demoed Alexa+ by asking the voice assistant to find a specific scene in a movie (again, Ready Player One), but I didn’t get to test that feature for myself, so I can’t tell you if it works as intended. Without a good read on how Alexa+ works, I can at least tell you that the Echo hardware does feel upgraded, so if you’re looking for a boost to volume, bass, and 3D sound, it’s worth considering an upgrade. If you’re satisfied with your current Echo speakers, however, I don’t think you need to rush out and buy a new black orb to yell at just yet. We all know they’re going to be on sale for Prime Day soon anyway.

    Both Echo devices are available for preorder today, and U.S. customers get Alexa+ in early access. The Echo Dot Max and Echo Studio will both be available for purchase on Oct. 29.

    James Pero

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  • Everything Amazon Announced Today at Its Fall Hardware Event

    Over on the Show models, they now have a 13-megapixel camera for richer details on your video calls, with improved audio quality as well. Amazon says more and more companies are integrating with Alexa+, touting an Oura partnership that lets you ask Alexa about last night’s sleep with data collected from your Oura ring. More integrations are on the way, including the ability to buy movie tickets with Fandango.

    All of these Echo devices are available for preorder today.

    Alexa+ Is Still in Early Access

    Alexa+ was announced back in February and began rolling out in early access by March. Not much is changing about this. Amazon says Alexa+ is now rolling out in the US “during an early access period” and in waves over the coming months. It’ll prioritize Echo Show 8, 10, 15, and 21 device owners in this period, and you can sign up for early access here. The fastest way to access it is to buy one of the new Echo devices announced today.

    Alexa+ is an upgrade over the standard Alexa you’re familiar with. Powered by a large language model, it allows you to be more conversational with the assistant. Alexa+ is much faster at answering more topical and contextual questions, correctly answering things like “What’s that popular Soda Pop song?” You can read more here about our experience using it for a week.

    Alexa+ is free for Amazon Prime subscribers, but costs $20 a month for everyone else. Amazon says Alexa+ is being integrated into other devices from Sonos, Bose, Samsung, LG, and BMW.

    The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft

    The Kindle Scribe is a relatively new entry in Amazon’s e-reader ecosystem, but now it’s already in its third generation. And for the third iteration, there are three new 11-inch Kindle Scribe models: Kindle Scribe ($430), Kindle Scribe With Frontlight ($550), and Kindle Scribe Colorsoft ($630). These devices are 5.4 mm thick, which is thinner than the new iPhone Air. They weigh 400 grams and are made from precision-milled aluminum. Panay says they’re 40 percent faster, though he wasn’t specific about what he was comparing them to. When you write, you should experience a reduced latency of under 12 milliseconds.

    The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft.

    Photograph: Julian-Chokkattu

    Julian Chokkattu

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  • Prime Day 2024 Is Here

    Prime Day 2024 Is Here

    One of the pinnacles of summer is Prime Day — Amazon’s two-day super sale where you can score mega savings on basically everything on the site. It’s consumerism at its finest. Just walking down the street, you’ll hear excited murmurs and the happy laughter of friends telling each other about all the super deals they got on Prime Day.

    Because if there’s one thing we can’t resist as a society, it’s a good discount. No matter if you need a new television, vacuum cleaner, pink ice cube trays in the shape of bunnies or not, Prime Day makes you act in ways you normally wouldn’t. And all because it’s on sale.

    And I’m no different. I love to shop a good sale, especially now that I’m moving and have a few actual needs. Even if I didn’t have a list of items to buy, I’d still find an excuse — any excuse — for retail therapy.

    Amazon

    From July 16 to July 17, you’ll save on top brands and best-selling products. Rarely do all of these items go on sale at the same time, which makes Prime Day so special. Prime Days usually feature discounts of up to 40%, so you better get your carts ready.

    Of course, there are the classic television and electronic deals that your dad may love…but I’m looking for big trends that are on sale, including TikTok favorite recs and more.

    If you’re looking to shop Prime Day 2024, but don’t know where to start…here are my favorite deals from Amazon you can shop today! But hurry, Prime Day is only two days long.

    I know I said no electronics…but what about appliances? This CREAMi has gone viral because you can make the yummiest of yummy homemade ice cream, gelato, smoothies, and more with no effort involved. Save the trips to ice cream parlors for overpriced scoops… My mom has one and loves it (and yes, the ice cream is really delicious.)

    CHI carries salon-quality hair products and tools at extremely reasonable prices. They’re one of my favorite hair brands on the market — are tried and true, have been around for years, are a staple at salons, et cetera. The Spin ‘N Curl makes curling your hair super simple (especially for those like myself who simply can’t use a wand) and quick. If you want beachy waves or big ringlets in no time, this is for you.

    Dermatologist-recommended Youth To The People is my go-to skincare brand. From someone who’s tried everything that’s skincare related, Youth To The People’s Air Whip Moisture Cream is lightweight. It’s a great pre-makeup moisturizer, and it’s $12 off.

    We’re all making sure our skin is in good shape this summer– and that starts with sunscreen. Yes, unfortunately, your mom and dermatologist are right. You will indeed get wrinkles and skin cancer if you refrain from the sunscreen train. This mini pack is great for your purse or beach bag this summer (and it’s $12 off!)

    Hot air stylers are all the rage right now for a reason: better for your hair, quick-n-easy to use, and eliminates the need for separate hot tools. The Shark FlexStyle is a fan-favorite dupe of the Dyson AirWrap, and functions just as well at half the price…plus that extra discount for Prime Day.

    We’ve all fallen for the teeth-whitening gimmicks. I’ve done it countless times and always go back to old faithful: Crest Strips. This whitening kit comes with 20 strips and a light to maximize your results. I don’t often plus teeth whitening kits, but this is worth the $30 discount.

    Don’t waste your money on expensive speakers that will only break in a year’s time. Amazon Alexa-powered devices are great for room-to-room speakers. Plus, if you buy multiple, you can sync them throughout your home. I love my Echo and they’re always heavily discounted on Prime Day

    These alarm clocks will seriously change your life. A clock that helps you develop a healthy sleep routine with customizable options fully curated to your schedule. With multiple sleep sound options, a gentle awakening setting, and a design made for your bedside table…this clock is all you’ll ever need.

    Jai Phillips

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  • Which Amazon Echo or Alexa Speaker Is Best for You?

    Which Amazon Echo or Alexa Speaker Is Best for You?

    Amazon’s family of Alexa-enabled devices is vast. From the spherical Echo to the swiveling Echo Show 10, you can get Alexa into your home in many ways. These devices can answer your questions, help you order essentials, set timers, play all sorts of audio content, and even function as the control hub for your growing smart home. These are our favorite Echo- and Alexa-compatible speakers for every home and budget.

    The best time to buy any Amazon speaker is during a major sale event like Black Friday or Amazon Prime Day, as there usually are steep discounts. If you’re trying to decide which smart devices might be best for you, be sure to check out WIRED’s picks in our roundups: Best Smart Speakers, Best Smart Displays, and Best Bluetooth Speakers. We also have guides on setting up your Echo speaker, creating Alexa routines, and Alexa skills that are actually fun and useful to help you get started.

    Updated February 2024: We’ve added the Echo Show 8 (3rd Gen) as our new smart display pick. We’ve also added advice for controlling content shown on your Echo Show device.

    Special offer for Gear readers: Get a 1-year subscription to WIRED for $5 ($25 off). This includes unlimited access to WIRED.com and our print magazine (if you’d like). Subscriptions help fund the work we do every day.

    Parker Hall, Nena Farrell

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  • Amazon’s new Echo Frames can’t touch the Ray-Ban Meta | TechCrunch

    Amazon’s new Echo Frames can’t touch the Ray-Ban Meta | TechCrunch

    This April marked the 10th anniversary since Google released the first generation of Glass. It may be difficult to believe with a decade of hindsight, but the limited release “Explorer’s Edition” were coveted objects. For a little while, at least, they felt like the future.

    The last 10 years of smartglasses has, however, been an extremely mixed bag. There have been more misses than hits, and it feels like we’re still years out from reaching any sort of consensus on form and functionality.

    Google Glass never reached the kind of critical mass required to launch a commercial product, though the company seems content to give things another shot every couple of years.

    The success of AR, meanwhile, has largely been confined to smartphone screens — though not for lack of trying. Magic Leap, Microsoft and Meta have all launched AR products with varying degrees of success, and next year’s Apple Vision Pro release is sure to move the needle on…something. But technical limitations have confined these solutions to significantly larger form factors.

    Shrinking that sort of technology down to regular glasses size is a nice goal, but one that is a ways off. It’s telling that Meta’s recent hardware event saw the release of two head-worn devices. The first was the Quest 3, a VR headset that offers an AR experience courtesy of passthrough technology. The other, the Ray-Ban Meta, has no pretense of offering augmented reality, but it does manage to fit things into the standard glasses form factor.

    Image Credits: Brian Heater

    Like the Snapchat Spectacles before them, the Ray-Ban Meta are all about content capture. A camera built into the frame lets the wearer shoot quick videos and livestream for social media. As far as content consumption goes, speakers are built into the temples, directing music or podcast audio toward the wearer’s ear.

    Unlike the Ray-Bans, however, Amazon’s Echo Frames 3 don’t do video capture (you can practically hear the collective sigh of relief from privacy advocates across the globe). They do, however, offer a similar audio set up. The speakers are located in the temples, just ahead of the temple tips. The company has opted against bone conduction here, which is probably for the best (while neat, the technology is generally passable, at best).

    Unlike most headphones and earbuds, they don’t cover the entrance to the ear canal. That’s great for situational awareness and less than great for immersive sound. If you want to stay focused on the world around you while you walk down the street or ride a bike listening to music, it’s not a bad option.

    Image Credits: Brian Heater

    Given their proximity to the ear, they get plenty loud, and due to their directional nature, they’re hard to hear if you’re not wearing them (though not totally silent to others). The actual audio quality, on the other hand, leaves much to be desired. They do in a pinch for music, but I’d rather not rely on them as a daily driver of any sort.

    As their name implies, however, the real centerpiece here is Echo functionality. The Frames are yet another form factor for summoning Alexa. This makes enough sense on the face of it, a hands-free voice assistant you can take anywhere your phone gets a decent connection. You can play/pause, make calls and set reminders, for starters — all things you can do on a pair of earbuds with a connected voice assistant.

    Image Credits: Brian Heater

    There are five different styles: black square, black rectangle, blue round, brown cat eye and grey rectangle. Amazon sent the first, which look like your average pair of Buddy Holly/Elvis Costello glasses, albeit with a plasticky design and larger temples, owing to the electronics contained inside. They fit me well enough, and while they’re not exactly what I would have picked out at, say, Warby Parker, I don’t feel embarrassed wearing them publicly.

    You can further customize the Frames with prescription lenses, blue light filtering or go in for sunglasses. All nice options to have, certainly.

    The battery life is stated at 14 hours of “moderate” usage. With a standard amount of music listening, you should be able to get through a day on a single charge. That’s especially nice given that the charging dock is big and awkward relative to the glasses themselves. Included in the packaging are charging instructions (along with some short braille instructions — a nice touch on the accessibility front), which are necessary as the design isn’t intuitive.

    Image Credits: Brian Heater

    You fold the glasses and face the lenses up, so the charging points on the temples contact the charger. It’s a far cry from the Ray-Ban Meta’s extremely convenient and well-designed charging case. Amazon’s case, on the other hand, is collapsible. It’s not nice, but there’s definitely an added convenience in being able to fold it flat while wearing the glasses.

    My feelings about the latest Echo Frames may well have been different had I not recently tested the Ray-Ban Meta. At $270, they’re $30 cheaper than the Meta glasses. If you’re attempting to decide between the two, I would say bite the bullet and spend the extra $30. Of course, it’s also worth factoring in that — as I write this — Amazon is currently offering the new Echo Frames for a deeply discounted $200.

    Brian Heater

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