It’s a great time to buy a new TV during Amazon Prime Day (or, days, rather), but that doesn’t mean you should only consider 2025 models. You can get huge discounts on last year’s models without compromising on much. For example, the excellent 2024 Samsung S90D OLED is available for its lowest price ever.
The 65-inch S90D is available for less than $1,200 at both Amazon and Best Buy, while the 55-inch model is under $1,000 at Amazon. If you want to go with something even bigger, Amazon and Best Buy have the 77-inch model for just under $1,800.
The Samsung S90D is a QD-OLED, which uses quantum dots on top of an OLED layer to create a brighter and more color-vibrant image than traditional OLED designs. Explosions in movies and TV shows burst with crisp reds and oranges, skin tones look more natural, and since it’s an OLED, light is controlled at a pixel level, allowing for deep, inky blacks.
Samsung has also invested in making all of its TVs, the S90D included, great for gaming. It has a 144Hz native refresh rate panel, supports FreeSync, and is G-Sync Compatible for high refresh rate gaming on PC. Modern consoles can go up to 120Hz — don’t blame Samsung, it’s a console limitation. When you’re gaming, its Auto Low Latency feature will switch the TV into game mode to ensure input lag is at its lowest. The Samsung Gaming Hub also puts all of your gaming content in one place, with the option for cloud gaming via an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription, Nvidia GeForce Now, and Amazon Luna, among others. Resolution and responsiveness via cloud game streaming won’t match local gaming, but having the freedom to play without a console is a big benefit.
There are some frustrations with the S90D you should consider before buying. Tizen OS is a bit cumbersome to navigate, often requiring multiple button presses to achieve what other TVs accomplish in one (input select being the biggest culprit), but all the built-in apps are right on the home screen. Some niche apps, such as F1 TV, are not available on Tizen. The S90D doesn’t support Dolby Vision, instead opting for HDR10+ as a dynamic HDR format.
The 2025 model, Samsung’s S90F, has slightly better processing than the S90D and is brighter, but it also doesn’t have the same deep discounts we’re seeing on the S90D (you can get a 77-inch S90D for the price of a 65-inch S90F). The S90F’s minor improvements don’t justify their significant price difference. Unless you’re incredibly susceptible to FOMO, the S90D is a much better purchase during Prime Day.
For years, Warner Bros. Discovery has been playing a desperate game of catchup in hopes of recreating the success that Marvel achieved with its live action comics adaptations. DC movies had their moments, but they never managed to come together in a way that felt right or intentional. And for a long time, it seemed like WBD simply did not know how to pull itself out of a very expensive and artistically hollow downward spiral.
Zoom has rolled out a standalone app for Meta Quest headsets. With the app, you can join or host meetings in virtual reality while appearing as your Meta Avatar.
Zoom launched an app for the Quest in 2023, but it was only available through Meta’s Horizon Workspaces app, and users could also only host a meeting if they had a Zoom subscription. Zoom’s new standalone app will work with “any free or paid Zoom license,” according to its listing on Meta’s site. It also supports Meta Quest 3, Quest 3S, Quest Pro, and Quest 2 headsets.
Over the past year or so, Zoom has been pushing toward its goal of having AI avatars join meetings on your behalf. The video conferencing service started letting Vision Pro users join meetings using their persona last year, and later launched AI avatars of its own that people can use to relay short messages to their team.
When using Zoom on the Quest, you’ll also see other participants on your call, whether they’re using the service’s desktop, mobile, or web app. Meta notes that you can join meetings using passthrough mode as well, a feature that allows you to see parts of your real-life environment while wearing Meta Quest 3, Quest 3S, and Quest Pro headsets.
A photo shows flooding caused by a flash flood at the Guadalupe River in Kerrville, Texas, on July 5th, 2025. | Photo: Getty Images
By definition, flash floods are notoriously difficult to warn people about well in advance. They form rapidly, giving forecasters hours of lead time at best to figure out where they might hit with specificity. We've seen this with devastating effect in Texas, where flash floods over Independence Day weekend killed over 100 people - many of them children and families who were in bed when officials issued emergency warnings.
Issuing warnings requires a whole lot of weather and water data. Foreseeing how much rain is likely to fall, and then figuring out the flow of that water on land, are both complicated tasks. Climate change adds another r …
Amazon finally has listings for the Nintendo Switch 2 in the US – though right now, you can only register your interest for an invitation to purchase a console. If you’re interested, here are links to the console and Mario Kart World bundle and the console on its own.
It’s a big change following Nintendo removing listings for its products from Amazon starting last year. Bloomberg reported in June that Nintendo pulled the listings because third-party sellers sold games at prices “that undercut Nintendo’s advertised rates.” Nintendo and Amazon pushed back on Bloomberg’s report in statements to the publication but didn’t go into specifics.
However, there have been signs that something had changed between Nintendo and Amazon, with Switch 2 games like Donkey Kong Bananza, Super Mario Party Jamboree, and Kirby and the Forgotten Landall recently getting official Amazon product pages.
If you request an Amazon invite, the product page will show a message saying that “if invited to purchase, you’ll get an email with a link that’s valid for 22 hours. We won’t be able to grant all requests.” I got an email notifying me about my request, too.
The Switch 2 has been a huge hit for Nintendo, becoming the fastest-selling game console of all time since its June 5th launch. If you are still looking for a console and Amazon doesn’t come through, retailers like Walmart and Best Buy have occasional restocks.
The latest Echo Spot is a surprisingly great alarm clock, and it’s even better at 45 percent off.
Amazon Prime Day is an excellent time to save on a wide range of big-ticket items, including 4K TVs, laptops, and the latest pairs of noise-canceling headphones. But if you, like me, are in the market for something more budget-friendly, rest assured that there are plenty of deals to be had for $50 or less. Thankfully, we’ve sifted through hundreds of discounts to find a host of Bluetooth speakers, charging accessories, video games, smart home devices, and other gadgets that come in under that threshold.
While Prime Day 2025 runs a little longer than previous installments — the event lasts through July 11th this year — these sub-$50 deals are likely to sell out quickly. The good news is retailers such as Walmart and Best Buy are matching Amazon’s pricing in some instances, giving you more places to shop over the next few days. We’ll continue to update this post as Prime Day progresses, but for now, feel free to browse the options below.
The latest Echo Spot is an excellent smart alarm clock that delivers impressive sound for its size. It doesn’t have a camera, but it boasts a clear, bright display that shows the time, weather, music playback, and other helpful info. It also supports Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant for hands-free voice control. Read our review.
The newer Echo Pop is a simple, compact Alexa-enabled smart speaker that’s great for setting timers, playing music, and controlling smart home devices. A button on the back turns the mic off, putting users in control of their privacy. Read our review.
The fifth-gen Echo Dot touts a temperature sensor, better sound, and faster response time than the prior model. It can also act as an extender for your Eero Wi-Fi system. Read our review.
The UE Wonderboom is on sale for $47.49 ($42 off) at Amazon, bringing it down to an all-time low. The portable Bluetooth speaker delivers big bass in a form factor that’s about the size of a softball. However, despite its compact design, it offers up to 10 hours of continuous playback and an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance, making it well-suited for lazy days at the pool. The UE Wonderboom is also available at Best Buy for $49.99, just a few bucks more than the Amazon discount.
The UE MinirollUltra is also discounted to $47.49 ($32 off) at Amazon, the lowest price we’ve seen on the compact Bluetooth speaker. Currently, it’s the smallest offered by Ultimate Ears, yet it doesn’t skip on features. It delivers a robust 12 hours of continuous playback, along with an IP67 rating for dust and water resistance. It’s small enough to throw in a hip bag, too, and can be clipped to everything from your shower head and backpack to the handlebars on your bicycle, allowing for ultimate portability. It’s also available at Best Buy for $499.99, only a few bucks more.
Amazon is currently offering the JBL Go 3 — one of the smaller Bluetooth speakers available — for $27.95 ($12 off), which is just a few dollars shy of its best-ever price. Although it doesn’t even weigh a pound, it produces decent sound for its size and carries an IP67 rating, meaning it can withstand tussles with dust and water. Just note that, due to its small stature, you only get five hours of continuous playback.
Sony SRS-XB100
Sony’s adorable SRS-XB100 speaker offers USB-C charging, a built-in strap, and great sound for the price, rendering it a terrific travel speaker or home office companion. Read our review.
Amazon’s second-gen Echo Buds offer a comfortable design, good ANC, and a natural ambient sound mode. They support hands-free Alexa commands as well. Read our review.
The JLab JBuds Sport ANC 4 are on sale at Amazon for $48.99 ($51 off), which is one of their best prices to date. The sporty earbuds feature a durable design and ear hooks, providing a more comfortable and secure fit while exercising. They also offer multipoint connectivity, noise cancellation, and app support for customizing the sound and touch controls. They even support spatial audio for more immersive sound.
Sony InZone H3 headset
The InZone H3 is the wired (3.5mm / USB-A) model in Sony’s latest lineup of gaming headsets, which are compatible with both PlayStation and PC. You can customize the sound profile of InZone headsets with the InZone companion app and Sony’s Spatial Sound Personalizer.
Princess Zelda’s first solo adventure as a playable character tasks her with saving her people, including Link, who have been taken away through mysterious rifts. Read our review.
8BitDo’s latest wireless controller, the Ultimate 2, packs in LED rings around the analog sticks, plus other benefits over the first generation controller.
Assassin’s Creed Shadows is down to an all-time low of $47.49 ($22 off) at Amazon for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X. The stealth-action title puts players in the shoes of Naoe and Yasuke in feudal Japan, offering the series’ most impressive stealth and assassination mechanics. While prior entries trended toward pure action, Shadows introduces a more thoughtful approach to the art of stealth. Read our review.
Alan Wake 2 Deluxe Edition is on sale for $44.99 ($15 off) for the PS5 or $38 ($21 off) for the Xbox Series X at Amazon, their best prices to date. The game puts players in control of two characters, FBI Special Agent Saga Anderson and Alan Wake. The psychological horror title is equal parts strange and terrifying, resulting in one of Remedy Entertainment’s best games. The deluxe edition just comes with exclusive cosmetics and both DLC expansions. Read our review.
Final Fantasy VII Rebirth (PlayStation 5)
The middle game in a three-part trilogy, Final Fantasy VII Rebirth continues the reimagining of the classic PS1 RPG with modern visuals, an expansive open world, new gameplay elements, and even better character development than the original. Read our review.
Star Wars Outlaws is an original open-world adventure set in the vast universe of the iconic film series. It stars Kay Vess, a protagonist looking to steal from criminal overlords to gain her freedom. A new expansion featuring Lando Calrissian recently launched, alongside an update that improves stealth and some of the game’s most glaring issues. Read our review.
First-party Nintendo games rarely go on sale, but a digital download of Super Mario Odyssey is down to $39.88 ($20 off) at Amazon, the lowest price we’ve seen all year. The game recently received a next-gen update for the Switch 2, essentially providing players with a remastered experience featuring sharper visuals and smoother animations. With a lack of new titles for the Switch 2, Odyssey is an excellent way to fill the time until Donkey Kong Bananza comes out on July 17th.
The Razer Basilisk V3 X HyperSpeed is on sale for $45.99 ($24 off) at Amazon, nearly matching its best price to date. The excellent mouse is the sister to what was once our favorite gaming mouse, the Razer Basilisk V3 Pro. It runs on a single AA battery, features nine inputs, and offers 1,000Hz HyperSpeed Wireless and Bluetooth. Like other Razer peripherals, the V3 X HyperSpeed can also tap into the brand’s Synapse software for full customization.
Amazon Luna Wireless Controller
Amazon’s wireless Bluetooth controller features a sturdy build and works across various devices, including Windows, Mac, iPhone, and Android. It also offers support for easy screen switching, so you can pause your game on one device and immediately pick up right where you left off on another.
If you’re still rocking a Nintendo Switch OLED, the CRKD Nitro Deck is down to an all-time low of $39.89 ($20 off) at Amazon. The console slides into the controller, giving you a more robust handheld experience. The Nitro Deck also features swappable thumbstick toppers, remappable back buttons, and passthrough charging, making it possible to game uninterrupted when connected to a charger.
The GameSir X5 Lite is on sale at Amazon for an all-time low of $27.99, down from $34.99. The USB-C-equipped mobile controller is compatible with both Android and iOS, with a periscope design that can stretch to accommodate even the latest iPad Mini. It features Hall effect sticks, too, plus app support for customizing the controller’s inputs.
Charging accessory deals
Anker MagGo Magnetic Charging Station 8-in-1
A Qi2 pad on the front and a party in the back, with three AC outlets and four USB ports. It can deliver up to 67W through a single USB-C port or divided between its two USB-C and two USB-A ports.
Baseus’ slick USB-C charger supports 100W passthrough and takes a puck-like form when not in use, with male connectors on either side that retract inward with a quick tug.
Are you traveling to parts unknown this year? The new Anker Nano Travel Adapter (5-in-1, 20W) is on sale at Amazon for $19.99 ($6 off), the best price we’ve seen yet. The travel adapter supports four plug types, can charge up to five devices simultaneously, and is compatible in over 200 countries, making it an indispensable companion for traveling overseas.
Anker 622 Magnetic Battery (MagGo)
A portable power bank with magnetic wireless Qi charging, a convenient folding kickstand, and a USB-C port for wired charging. The original model has its USB-C port on the bottom, while a revised version has it on the side to allow passthrough wireless charging while the phone is propped up on the stand.
If you’ve ever wished you had a robot that could push a button for you, that’s precisely what the SwitchBot Bot does. It’s simple, smart, and works on anything with a button. Stick it on the device you want to turn on or off, and you’re set.
Amazon’s Smart Air Quality Monitor touts a compact design, voice alerts, and automated triggers that allow it to turn on air purifiers and other Alexa-enabled devices. It lacks a display, however, and pairs best with an Echo device. Read our review.
The Ring Pan-Tilt Indoor Cam with Ring Pet Tag is down to $44.99 ($45 off) at Amazon, a new low price. The indoor camera can pan 360 degrees and tilt up and down, eliminating blind spots. It supports customizable motion zones, a privacy cover, and a live view to see what’s happening in real time. The pet tag, meanwhile, attaches to your pet’s collar and links to a digital profile anyone can access via a QR code.
The Ring Indoor Cam doesn’t offer the panning and tilting of the pan-tilt model, but it’s still a solid way to keep an eye on your space — and now it has returned to its all-time low price of $29.99 ($30 off) at Amazon. The camera supports motion alerts, 1080p color night vision, and two-way audio. You can also set up customizable motion zones, reducing unnecessary alerts. Like the Ring Pan-Tilt, the Ring Indoor Cam features a rotatable privacy cover for extra peace of mind.
Meross Smart Wi-Fi Garage Door Opener
Meross makes a handy add-on that can transform a variety of garage door models into smart doors that you can open remotely. It works with Amazon Alexa, Apple Home, Google Home, and Samsung SmartThings.
Furbo’s rotating 1080p gadget can fling treats on command and automatically track your pet as they roam around your home, allowing you to keep a closer eye on your pet via a mobile app when you’re away.
The Blink Outdoor 4 is down to $69.99 ($110 off) at Amazon, which is its best price to date. The excellent security camera offers a 1080p live view, infrared night vision, and two-way audio, allowing you to interact with whoever is visiting. It also offers a 143-degree field of view and provides up to two years of continuous battery life, along with a 30-day free trial of a Blink subscription plan for those who want recordings, person detection, and video sharing.
Amazon is offering the latest Blink Video Doorbell for $29.99 ($40 off), which is an all-time low. The handy buzzer features a wide 150-degree field of view, up to two years of battery life, and two-way audio, so you can greet whoever is at the door. The wire-free design is easy to set up as well, and it’s compatible with a range of Alexa devices. To pull up a live view on an Echo Show, for instance, simply say, “Alexa, show the front door camera.”
Blink Mini 2
The 1080p Blink Mini 2 adds weather resistance to what was already an affordable security camera. It continues to offer a ball-and-socket mount for easy wall mounting as well, along with the option of local storage with a Sync Module or cloud storage; it also offers features like person detection, all for $3 a month. Read our review.
Amazon’s apt-titled Smart Plug doesn’t require a hub and lets you add Alexa functionality to any outlet, allowing you to control a range of devices with just your voice.
The Frameo Digital Photo Frame is down to $39.99 ($3o off) at Amazon, which is a few bucks shy of its lowest price to date. The smart display features a wooden frame and a mat that surrounds its 10.1-inch touchscreen. It includes 16GB of onboard storage as well, allowing you to add thousands of photos through the Frameo app, while an additional microSD slot gives you extra storage for playing or importing your favorite photos.
Entertainment deals
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max (2023)
Amazon’s latest streaming stick is faster than its predecessor with Wi-Fi 6E and double the storage. It also now displays widgets and artwork when idle while continuing to offer Alexa integration.
Speaking of the Alexa Voice Remote, you can add the Pro version to your setup for an all-time low of $24.99 ($10 off) at Amazon and Best Buy. The Alexa Voice Remote Pro features customizable buttons, backlighting, and a new remote finder feature, allowing you to locate it when it inevitably gets lost in your couch cushions. Read our review.
Amazon is currently offering three free months of Kindle Unlimited, which normally runs for $11.99 a month. Signing up gives you access to more than four million e-books, along with thousands of audiobooks and digital magazines. If you’ve been on the fence about the service until now, this is the perfect opportunity to see what it’s all about at no cost.
Amazon is offering four free months of Amazon Music Unlimited during Prime Day. The service normally runs for $11.99 a month, saving you about $35 if you want to try out the streaming service. It offers ad-free access to more than 100 million songs, audiobooks from Audible, and select ad-free podcasts. Non-Prime members can also take advantage of the deal, but they’ll only get three months for free.
Other miscellaneous deals
Apple AirTag (four-pack)
Apple’s AirTag is unobtrusive, waterproof, and taps into the massive Find My network for out-of-range locating. Read our review.
Hoto’s electric screwdriver is perfect for making small- to medium-sized repairs around the house. In addition to a USB-C port, the screwdriver comes with a magnetic case and 25 steel bits.
You can keep your most precious files handy with SanDisk’s 512GB Type-C Flash Drive, which is available at Amazon for $42.99 ($17 off), an all-time low. The metal flash drive features read speeds of up to 400MB/s with USB 3.1 Gen 1 performance for fast data transfer. A keyring hole also allows you to easily attach this to your keys, while the retractable male USB-C connector ensures it stays safe during travel.
If you’re an avid concert goer who’d like to retain your hearing later in life — and who wouldn’t? — Loop’s ultra-comfortable Experience 2 earplugs are on sale at Amazon for an all-time low of $26.95 ($8 off). The stylish earplugs won’t reduce noise as effectively as a custom set; however, they do carry a noise reduction rating of 12dB, which is totally adequate for that occasional Turnstile set.
Thermacell’s E90 mosquito repeller is down to $33.49 (about $17 off) at Amazon right now, beating its previous low by $6 or so. It’s similar to the rechargeable E55 — a summer favorite of ours — only the upgraded model provides up to nine hours of continuous protection when used with the included repellent cartridge, as opposed to five. Needless to say, it’s a great pick for the dog days of summer.
AeroPress Original Coffee Maker
The AeroPress has made a name among enthusiasts for its great brewing ability and extreme portability. Its simple, hands-on operation can make your morning coffee ritual more fun and engaging than a traditional drip-style maker.
Slice’s retractable, finger-friendly ceramic blade is great for tearing through packing tape and cutting plastic wrapping. The comfy tool also features a sturdy, reinforced nylon handle and a hooked design that makes it easy to stow when not in use.
The Twelve South AirFly Pro Bluetooth transmitter and receiver features an integrated 3.5mm cord and long-lasting battery life. It can also connect up to two sets of headphones, making it a great choice for listening to in-flight entertainment.
Lego’s Animal Crossing Fly with Dodo Airlines set is one of the few Lego sets receiving a Prime Day discount at Amazon, where you can currently pick it up with an on-page coupon for $23.99 ($11 off), its best price to date. The kid-friendly, 292-piece playset is a nice little homage to Animal Crossing New Horizons, especially if your kiddo or someone you know has a soft spot for planes… or extinct, flightless birds.
Looking to spruce up your workspace? Yamazaki’s Desk Organizer is available at Amazon for $30.60 (about $12 off), which is one of the better prices we’ve seen in recent months. The handsome, steel accessory is equipped with a small bin and an elevated wooden platform, ensuring your keys, wallet, and whatever else it is you need are always within reach.
Speaking of sleep devices, the Yogasleep Travel Mini Portable Sound Machine is now on sale at Amazon for $23.79 ($6 off), which is just $3 shy of its best price to date. The rechargeable, travel-ready device offers six noise profiles, from ambient nature sounds to serene pink noise, as well as a built-in night light for navigating your hotel or next Airbnb.
Fanttik X9 Pro Portable Tire Inflator
Whether you primarily drive a car, motorcycle, or a bicycle, the one thing in common with all three modes of transport is the need for well-inflated tired. This rechargeable 150psi inflator might just save you from a flat (or from being dangerously close to one) when you least expect it.
Glocuscent’s rechargeable book light hangs around your neck to illuminate whatever you’re reading, while offering adjustable brightness and warmth settings.
Travelers wait in line at a Transportation Security Administration (TSA) security checkpoint inside the Jeppesen Terminal at Denver International Airport (DEN) in Denver, Colorado, US, on Saturday, Aug. 19, 2023.
A key pillar of post-9/11 airport security theater may finally be going away. Multipleoutlets are reporting that the Transportation Security Administration will start allowing passengers at a few select airports to keep their shoes on while going through security checkpoints. No longer will we have to gaze upon our fellow travelers’ weird socks or — god forbid — bare feet while waiting in a security line.
The plan is to starting rolling out the new policy at a few airports starting this weekend. Previously only passengers with TSA Pre-Check were able to keep their shoes on in most cases. And of course the ultra wealthy who can afford to fly private can often avoid TSA screening — and shoe removal — altogether. The TSA said in a memo that it had explored “new and innovative ways to enhance the passenger experience,” according to Gate Access, which was the first to report the news. A TSA spokesperson did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The plan is to starting rolling out the new policy at a few airports starting this weekend.
The TSA has required most travelers to remove their shoes since 2006, five years after failed shoe bomber Richard Reid tried to ignite 10-ounces of explosives in his shoes on an American Airlines flight from Paris to Miami. The agency said that despite the failed attempt, intelligence suggested that others may attempt a copycat bombing — and thus we’ve all been forced to endure the humiliation of walking across cold airport floors in just our socks ever since.
The outlets reporting the imminent removal of the shoe removal policy make no mention about other annoying security theater elements, such as belt removal or the prohibition of liquids in containers larger than 3.4 ounces. Security theater is the practice of implementing measures designed to give the appearance of making things safer, despite doing very little to achieve that. Shoe removal has long been viewed as an utterly useless security measure that does nothing to make us safer but has nonetheless has remained in place for years.
“It’s like saying, Last time the terrorists wore red shirts, so now we’re going to ban red shirts,” Bruce Schneier, a cryptographer, computer security professional, and privacy specialist, told Vanity Fair in 2011. “Focusing on specific threats like shoe bombs or snow-globe bombs simply induces the bad guys to do something else. You end up spending a lot on the screening and you haven’t reduced the total threat.”
Twitter co-founder and Block Head Jack Dorsey launched a new peer-to-peer messaging app over the weekend called Bitchat that runs entirely over Bluetooth. Bitchat relies on Bluetooth Low Energy mesh networks to send encrypted communications directly to nearby devices without requiring internet or cellular service.
“Bitchat addresses the need for resilient, private communication that doesn’t depend on centralized infrastructure,” according to a white paper published on Dorsey’s Github page. “By leveraging Bluetooth Low Energy mesh networking, Bitchat enables direct peer-to-peer messaging within physical proximity, with automatic message relay extending the effective range beyond direct Bluetooth connections.”
Images of the app posted by Dorsey also show that Bitchat operates without accounts, servers, or data collection, and includes privacy features like password-protected channels and a “Panic Mode” that instantly clears all data when the logo is triple-tapped.
Similar Bluetooth-based messaging apps like Bridgefy and the now-defunct FireChat have notably been used by pro-democracy protesters in Hong Kong over the last decade because they’re harder for Chinese authorities to trace or block. While Bridgefy says it can send messages over a distance of 100 meters (330 feet), Bitchat offers a range of more than 300 meters (984 feet), with future updates planned that will allow users to increase speed and range via Wi-Fi Direct.
Bitchat is available to beta testers via Apple TestFlight, but TestFlight is currently full after reaching its maximum 10,000-user capacity. Dorsey says the app is still undergoing review ahead of its full release.
Prime Day is one of the best times of the year to stock up on smart home gear. With big price drops on all of Amazon’s many smart home brands, from Blink and Ring to Echo speakers and Eero Wi-Fi routers, plus a ton of other manufacturers getting in on the action, making your smart home better rarely gets more affordable.
However, there are a lot of deals, and it’s frankly overwhelming. So, I’ve sifted through them all to find the best deals on some of my favorite smart home products. If you’re looking to get started with smart lighting, add some smart indoor air quality devices to your home, have a robot do your dirty work for you, or get a helping hand in the kitchen, these products will serve you well.
Smart lighting deals
Philips Hue Smart Light Starter Kit
My favorite smart bulbs, this starter kit contains four 75W A19-sized E26 color bulbs and a Philips Hue Bridge — all you need to get going. The color-changing bulbs work with Matter, but you’ll find the best features in Hue’s app, which lets you set adaptive lighting and sleep/wake routines as well as fun, colorful options.
These are the best holiday lights money can buy and they are on sale in July, so now is the time to grab them. With beautiful colors, a nice selection of festive scenes, and an easy-to-use app, they are super reliable, come in two lengths, work with all the major smart home platforms, and are Matter-compatible.
The Lutron Caseta line of smart switches is one of the most reliable smart lighting lines, and its newer Diva Dimmer Switch starter kit, featuring a more traditional style, is on sale at Amazon for $95.95, 20 percent off. It comes with a Lutron bridge and a Pico remote and works with or without a neutral wire.
Govee’s inexpensive, easy-to-use Smart Outdoor String Lights offer 96 feet of full color and tunable warm white light and are great for a patio or porch. With Matter compatibility, they can work with any smart home system and are down to $80 from $120 at Amazon.
The Aqara Hub M3 is down to $99.99 from $149.99 at Amazon. It’s not a lighting product, per se, but as a Matter Controller and Thread Border router, it allows you to add any Matter-compatible lighting product to Aqara’s app and control it using the company’s extensive automations. It’s also a good foundation for using any of Aqara’s own smart lighting products, which include a wide range of smart switches (with and without neutral wires), smart bulbs, and a cool ceiling light.
Deals on indoor air quality gadgets
Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium
The Ecobee Smart Thermostat Premium is an excellent option for adding smarts and some style to your HVAC system. As well as being a smart way to control your energy use, the thermostat can also act as a video intercom for Ecobee’s excellent doorbell camera and an indoor air quality monitor.
Amazon’s compact indoor Smart Air Quality Monitor is just $44.99 ($25 off) at Amazon for Prime Day, and can give you a heads up via an Echo speaker or the Alexa app when your indoor air quality changes. It’s LED will also warn you by turning red, and unlike a lot of IAQ devices, it will detect CO levels. Read my review.
The super-cute SwitchBot Air Purifier Table is now down to $154.99 from $269.99 at Amazon. This versatile gadget purifies your air while serving as a functional table, plus it has a built-in wireless charger. A three-in-one bargain this Prime Day. It also supports Matter, so you can connect to any smart home system.
Security camera deals
Ring Battery Doorbell Plus
This wireless Ring doorbell has great video quality, head-to-toe view, and speedy response times for a battery doorbell. It works with Amazon Alexa and can send alerts for people and packages with a Ring Home subscription.
I’ve been testing the Arlo Wired Floodlight Camera this summer, and it’s a great device for keeping an eye on your property. With 2K video quality and a wide field of view, plus motion-activated security lighting, you’ll catch any action without worrying about battery life. It’s down to $99.99, 33 percent off, at Arlo.com and Amazon, but you will need to factor in the $10 monthly subscription fee for recorded video.
Blink Wired Floodlight Camera
With 1080p video, 2,600 lumens, and a 105dB siren for $50, this is a great budget buy. You sacrifice better video quality and tunable lighting over other options. But there’s person detection (with a monthly fee) and local recording (with additional hardware). It integrates with Amazon Alexa, has a nice design, and can be mounted horizontally or vertically.
The Blink Outdoor 4 security camera has 1080p recording, motion detection, night vision, two-way audio, and up to two years of battery life. That’s a lot for $40. There’s also the option of local recording with the Sync Module XR, and the camera supports on-device person detection (for a monthly fee).
Amazon’s Echo Show 8 is the company’s best smart display for using Alexa in your home. Spatial audio and room-adaptation software mean improved audio quality, and it can show different info on its eight-inch display based on whether you’re standing near or farther away. Read our review.
The fifth-gen Echo Dot touts a temperature sensor, better sound, and faster response time than the prior model. It can also act as an extender for your Eero Wi-Fi system. Read our review.
Amazon’s Echo Spot smart speaker / alarm clock has a 2.83-inch squared-off display for showing the time, weather, music playback, and other bits of info you may want at your bedside. Unlike the original Spot, there’s no camera to worry about having in your bedroom — though it does have a mutable microphone for Alexa voice controls. Read our review.
The Bosch 800 Series Fully Automatic Espresso Machine is seriously expensive, but also one of the most hands-free machines I’ve tested — literally. You can ask Alexa to make you a latte, and it will do everything but put the cup on the tray for you. Very smart. It’s $400 off for Prime Day, at $1,583.96 at Amazon.
When you’re making dinner for the family, don’t forget the pets! Aqara’s Smart Pet Feeder is down to $79.99 (from $99.99). As a Zigbee device, it does require an Aqara hub, but I can ask Siri to feed Smokey, and the job is done. Totally worth it.
Robot vacuum cleaner deals
Dreame X40 Ultra
With a neat ability to remove and reattach its mop pads, the Dreame X40 solves the problem of vacuuming carpets (with 12,000Pa suction power) while also mopping hard floors. Its mops can also swing out and under low furniture, getting where most bots can’t reach.
The Eufy 11S Max is a super slim, repairable bump-and-roll bot with a large 600ml bin and three cleaning levels. Its biggest selling point for some, however, is that it lacks Wi-Fi, meaning you don’t have to fiddle with an app.
The Deebot X8 Pro Omni remains our favorite robot vacuum / mop. It represents a welcome return to form for Ecovacs’ flagship line, with great obstacle avoidance, a small dock, and a convenient self-cleaning brush system.
$360 is a steal for this excellent robot vacuum mop, which, while an older model, does a great job and works with a neat battery-powered water refill dock that makes it the most hands-free robovac we’ve tested. A separate auto-empty dock takes care of the dust. It’s big and loud and lacks some features found on high-end robots, but it does what it’s supposed to do without costing a fortune.
Samsung is preparing to parade the latest Galaxy-branded foldables, wearables, and perhaps some other surprises at its summer Unpacked event tomorrow, July 9th. The show is expected to cap off months of leaks around the upcoming Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Z Flip 7 phones, as well as the lightly redesigned Galaxy Watch 8 series smartwatches.
When is Samsung Galaxy Unpacked?
Samsung will hold its latest Galaxy Unpacked event in New York City on Wednesday, July 9th, 2025, starting at 10AM ET / 7AM PT / 4PM CET. We’ll have hands-on coverage and analysis right here.
Where can I watch Galaxy Unpacked?
As usual, a livestream will be available directly on Samsung’s website and YouTube channel. You can also check out the livestream that we’ve embedded at the top of this article for convenience.
New foldables and a barely new Galaxy Watch
Samsung is expected to launch the latest generation of its Galaxy Z Fold and Z Flip phones, which, according to various leaks, have been slimmed down considerably compared to their predecessors. That should help the Galaxy Z Fold 7 to better compete against some of the skinniest book-style foldables on the market, such as Oppo’s Find N5 and Honor’s Magic V5. The event may also show off a more affordable Galaxy Z Flip 7 FE variant and allow us to confirm some of the rumored specification upgrades that have been circulating around the devices.
We should also see the launch of Samsung’s Galaxy Watch 8, Watch 8 Classic, and Watch Ultra (2025) smartwatches, which are now all believed to share a similar round face on a squircle body design, introduced with the previous Watch Ultra.
Lately, it has been difficult to ignore a tendency at The New York Times to make astonishingly bad news judgments. The paper's obsession with a view from nowhere is long-standing, but as Republicans increasingly circulate insane conspiracy theories and racist nonsense, the cult of centrism has taken a self-destructive turn.
The most recent - and perhaps most egregious - way this has surfaced is a story about New York mayoral candidate Zohran Mamdani's application to Columbia University in 2009, when he was a high school senior. Mamdani, who was born in Uganda and is of South Asian descent, identified himself as "Asian" and "Black or Africa …
Waymo is opening up its robotaxi service to younger riders with the launch of teen accounts in Phoenix. Teenagers aged 14–17 can now sign up for an account on Waymo One, the company’s ridehail service. The account will be linked to their parent or guardian, but approved teens will be allowed to ride independently without an adult.
Waymo’s current terms of service bar unaccompanied minors under 18 from using its robotaxis — even though some parents in San Francisco have already been sending their kids to ride solo in Waymos for some time. It’s a big bet by the company that parents will trust its driverless cars enough to send their children alone to ride in them.
In some ways, the move mirrors Uber’s decision a few years ago to allow teens to start using its service without their parents. As such, there are a number of safeguards in place to allow parents to keep track of their children. Adult customers can use their own Waymo One account to invite their teen into the program, pairing their accounts together. Teens can also share their real-time location with their parents while they’re riding. And “specially trained” remote operators will be available to assist during the rides — and may even loop in the teen’s parents if necessary.
Waymo has been testing teen accounts with a select group of riders for months now, and is now rolling it out to the broader Phoenix area. The company didn’t say if or when it plans on rolling out the service in its other markets.
Security researcher and tech sleuth Jane Manchun Wong was the first to report on Waymo’s experimentations, posting a screenshot of a teen account landing page back in March. (Wong was also the first to report Waymo’s “tipping” donation feature, and its idea to use footage from its interior cameras to train generative AI.) The company also sent out a survey last year asking its customers what they would want from teen accounts.
The survey noted a number of advantages, including no strangers in the vehicles, no distracted driving, and flexible scheduling. Waymo also mentioned a number of aesthetic upgrades, like snacks, karaoke, or teen-styled graphics — though none of those suggestions seem to have made through to the final product.
Waymo provided a number of supportive quotes from its teen riders who have been testing the service. And with the share of teenagers with driver’s licenses dropping, Waymo’s timing could be particularly ripe. Gen Z is more likely to ride public transit, use Uber or Lyft, or hop on an e-bike or shared scooter than drive a car, recent studies have shown. And parents, increasingly stressed out by all their kids’ obligations, are looking for an extra hand in transportation.
Of course, the risks are also present. Waymo still struggles occasionally with certain traffic patterns, and its vehicles do sometimes get in minor fender benders. The company says the data proves that its self-driving cars are better at avoiding crashes and injuries than human drivers. But younger riders could be less adept at navigating certain situations than adults — which makes its remote operators even more important.
Garmin has announced that a free Google Maps app is now available for most of the company’s smartwatches that lets you know where and how far your next turn is while walking, cycling, or running.
Unlike the more robust version of Google Maps available for Wear OS that can be used to search for destinations and even navigate without a smartphone, Garmin’s Google Maps app has limited functionality, similar to Google Maps on the Apple Watch. The Garmin app only provides basic turn-by-turn directions and you need to locate your destination using the Google Maps mobile app on an Android smartphone that has to be kept in range. On the app’s listing on Garmin’s Connect IQ store, there’s no mention of support for iPhones or iOS.
Garmin says the app will gently vibrate your smartwatch when the next turn is delivered so you don’t need to be constantly looking at your wrist, and the app can show you your next three turns by simply tapping the screen. Your smartwatch will also continue to record your walking, running, and biking performance while you’re using the Google Maps app for navigation.
The Google Maps app is now available for download from Garmin’s Connect IQ Store and is compatible with upwards of 90 different models of its smartwatches.
With season 2 of HBO’s The Last of Us in the books, and with no The Last of UsPart III coming in the immediate future, Naughty Dog has come up with an interesting way to funnel all the attention from the show into the game. The studio has released a new, free patch for The Last of Us Part II Remastered that lets you play the game in chronological order. The mode takes Abby and Ellie’s stories and interleaves them in chronological order rather than the nonlinear story of the original version of the game, which used timeskips and flashbacks.
In addition to Chronological Mode, the patch also includes new achievements and skins to use in Part II Remastered’s roguelike game mode No Return. Now you can dress up Joel and his brother Tommy like Naughty Dog’s other pair of visually indistinct, emotionally constipated brothers; Nathan and Sam Drake. Naughty Dog does still recommend that first timers play TLOU Part II normally before tackling Chronological Mode but that, “the team’s hard work has paid off with a fascinating new way to enjoy this chapter.”
Prime Day is in full swing, and we’ve already found close to 200 amazing deals. The Meta Quest 3S with 128GB of storage is one of them, thanks to a deal that knocks $50 off its usual $299 price. You can grab the latest VR headset for $249 ($50 off), its all-time low price, at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart during Prime Day.
The mixed reality headset was released in October 2024, and Verge news editor Jay Peters called it “a great first VR headset” in his review. The 256GB model that costs $329 ($70 off) at Amazon, Best Buy, and Walmart comes witha copy of Batman: Arkham Shadow ($50 by itself) and a three-month trial of Meta Horizon Plus.
Meta Quest 3S
If you bought a Meta Quest 2, you’re a prime candidate for the Quest 3S. It’s a faster, more comfortable VR headset that runs the same chipset as the pricier Quest 3. While its screen resolution hasn’t improved, nearly everything else about the hardware has. Read our review.
The Quest 3S is a great VR headset has the same processor, external cameras, and Touch Plus controllers as the more expensive Meta Quest 3, though its screen resolution (1832 x 1920 per eye) and Fresnel lenses are the same ones you’ll get with the older Quest 2. These spec compromises didn’t stop our reviewer from enjoying Batman: Arkham Shadow. Plus, you can wirelessly stream Xbox games, as well as PC games from your Steam library, to the headset.
Correction, July 8th: An earlier version of this article misstated the release timing of the Meta Quest 3S. It was released in October 2024, not January 2025.
Mastodon 4.4 is out now, and it brings a bunch of changes for things like profiles and lists and also lays the groundwork for quote posts.
With profiles, you can now feature specific hashtags so that people can see all the posts you’ve tagged with those hashtags, the Mastodon says. Mastodon is also making a change to how pinned posts work: you can still pin up to five posts onto your profile, but they’ll now show up as a single carousel so you don’t have to scroll down as far to see new posts. When you’re looking at a profile, Mastodon can now tell you how many people you follow also follow that person.
For lists, Mastodon says that creating and managing them has been “significantly streamlined” and that “it’s easier than ever to add and remove accounts from your lists both directly from profiles and from your own follows and followers listings.”
And with quote posts, which Mastodon already said were in the works, the platform is doing what it calls “part one” of implementation. “Since Mastodon runs on over 8,000 independent servers that together form the platform you know, releasing features like this requires a two-pronged approach: first we release code that supports processing and displaying this new format, and then release code that allows our users to actively use the feature,” Mastodon says.
With 4.4, “you will be able to see quotes from compatible Fediverse platforms (including future Mastodon releases),” but you won’t actually be able to quote posts until Mastodon’s 4.5 release.
Other new features include a reminder to add alt text to images and video that you post, updating Mastodon’s mobile web UI to make it “mimic native apps,” and streamlining onboarding.
Microsoft has added threaded conversations to its Teams communications app this week. After promising to launch the highly-requested feature in mid-2025, Microsoft is now releasing a public preview of threaded conversations for Teams users to enable.
The Microsoft Teams threads integration debuts in the channels section of the app, where it works a little differently to how Slack handles threaded conversations. “You can follow the threads that matter most to you, and when an important update or decision is made, you can send it back to the main conversation, so everyone stays aligned without requiring them to sift through every reply,” explains Noga Ronen, senior product marketing manager for Microsoft Teams.
Microsoft will allow Teams users to either create posts or threads in a single channel, so it doesn’t seem like threads will be as easy to create as Slack allows. Teams channel owners will have to select a layout of either posts or threads, depending on how a channel is used.
Microsoft has also created a followed threads view for Teams where all the threaded conversations you care about can be found. It’s easy to unfollow noisy threads from here, too. “By default, you’ll only follow threads you’ve started, replied to, been mentioned in, or explicitly chosen to follow,” says Ronen.
Alongside the public preview of threaded conversations, Microsoft Teams is also finally getting the ability to react to messages with multiple emoji reactions. “Multiple emojis per message is now in public preview,” says Ronen. Slash commands in Teams are also getting some improvements, with the ability to search for GIFs with the /gif command.
Amazon has solid discounts on laptops during its four-day Prime Day sales event. One of the nice things about shopping during Prime Day, even if you don’t have the requisite Prime subscription, is that Best Buy and others often follow suit with their own competing deals.
We found deals on models The Verge swears by — ones that should treat you well for years to come. A laptop purchase is extra tricky because it’s usually a multipurpose machine for a wide range of people with specific needs.
Amazon is a great place to shop for MacBook deals, as it regularly offers discounts on MacBook Air and Pro models. The current $150 discounts on the 13-inch and 15-inchM4 MacBook Air are pretty much a no-brainer for anyone currently in the market for Apple’s thin-and-light. They’re among the best laptops you can buy for just $849 and $1,049, respectively. The 13-inch was recently $50 cheaper, but the 15-inch is matching its all-time low.
Apple MacBook Air 13 (2025, M4)
The MacBook Air is by far the laptop The Verge recommends the most frequently. The latest generation isn’t revolutionary, but it packs a speedy M4 chip, more RAM, and an improved webcam for a lower starting price of $999. Read our review.
The larger, 15-inch version of the M4 MacBook Air is much the same as its smaller counterpart. But it packs a bigger screen and better speakers into a compact package. Read our review.
If you prefer an even better value on a slightly older MacBook Air, Best Buy is selling the 13-inch M2 model from 2022 for $699 ($100 off). In addition to the M2 chip, which remains good enough for most people, it offers 16GB of RAM and 256GB of storage. Read our original review.
2020 MacBook Air with M1 (256GB)
The 2020 MacBook Air has been discontinued but remains a great value. It comes outfitted with the company’s original M1 chip in one of three different colors (silver, space gray, and gold).
The entry-level MacBook Pro with M4 starts with 16GB of RAM — double that of its predecessor — and a 512GB SSD for the same starting price of $1,599. It also gets a third USB-C / Thunderbolt 4 port and comes in a new space black option.
The 16-inch MacBook Pro with Apple’s mid-tier M4 Pro chip, 24GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD is $2,249 ($250 off) at Amazon. Its M4 Pro has 14 CPU cores and 20 GPU cores, so it’s suited for most creative applications like photo and video editing. And it still has excellent battery life to match all that power. Read our review.
Apple MacBook Pro 16 (2024, M4 Max)
Apple’s flagship laptop has a 16-inch screen and starts with 36GB of RAM, 1TB SSD, and an M4 Max chip with 14-core CPU / 32-core GPU. Read our review.
The 13.8-inch Surface Laptop is the most affordable of Microsoft’s 2024 Copilot Plus models. The MacBook rival uses Qualcomm’s Snapdragon X chipsets — which are said to offer substantial performance and battery life improvements — and its keyboard is the first with a dedicated Copilot key.
The slightly older, slightly larger Surface Pro 11 (13-inch, 2024) is selling for $869.99 ($330 off) at Amazon. The Arm-based Windows tablet convertible comes equipped with a 10-core Snapdragon X Plus chip, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD. It offers great hardware and a beautiful 120Hz screen.
The Acer Swift 16 AI is on sale for a very low $799.99 ($450 off) at Best Buy. It’s the 16-inch version of the Swift 14 AI I recently reviewed and mostly liked. But the best part of the bigger Swift 16 over the 14 is it maintains the plethora of ports and has a much higher-quality screen, with a 2880 x 1800 OLED panel. Its other key specs include an Intel Core 7 Ultra 256V (Lunar Lake) chip, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD. This is quite the spec list for 800 bucks.
Lenovo Yoga Slim 7i Aura Edition
Lenovo’s Lunar Lake-powered laptop features a sizable 15.3-inch IPS display with crisp 2880 x 1800 resolution, as well as loud speakers and a great keyboard. It’s got far from the best trackpad, but the Core Ultra 7 256V processor inside it is a pretty snappy performer for an everyday Windows machine. Read our review.
The Asus ROG Strix G16, a stripped-down version of the Strix Scar featured in our buying guide, is on sale at Amazon for $1,274.99 ($225 off). It has an Nvidia RTX 5060 GPU, Intel Raptor Lake Core i7 14650HX processor, 16GB of RAM, and 1TB SSD.
If you prefer the ROG Strix G16 with a little more power, the model with an RTX 5070 Ti is $1,999.99 ($400 off) at Amazon, and with an even higher-end RTX 5080 it’s $2,399.99 ($500 off) at Amazon.
There are also a couple of deals on lower-cost Asus TUF gaming laptops with last-gen graphics. The Asus TUF A14 with RTX 4050 graphics is $899.99 ($300 off) Amazon. It’s got an AMD Ryzen 7 AI CPU, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD — all housed in a portable 14-inch chassis. The larger 16-inch Asus TUF F16 with RTX 4050 is $849.99 ($250 off) at Amazon. It’s configured with an Intel Core 5 210H (Raptor Lake) CPU, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD.
HP Victus 15 (2025, RTX 4050)
The Victus 15 is a popular, budget-friendly gaming laptop that now comes with RTX 4050 graphics, increased RAM, and an improved 144Hz screen.
The Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 is the most affordable Chromebook with the Plus label. It has a 12th Gen Intel Core i3 processor, 8GB of RAM, 128GB of storage, and a 1080p screen for just under $400. Read our review.
Lenovo’s Chromebook Duet 5 is a little long in the tooth, but for $359.97 (around $40 off) at Amazon, it remains one of the cheapest Chromebooks with an OLED screen. Read our review.
Best laptop / computer accessory deals
Elgato Prompter
A teleprompter is a luxury. They help you make it look effortless to look at your camera as you read from a script or a chat log. Elgato’s option includes a small screen and a mirror, the latter of which allows you to see what you need to look at without breaking eye contact with viewers.
The Elgato Stream Deck Plus sacrifices some of the PC control pad’s programmable LCD buttons to make room for a set of dials and an LCD strip to visualize your volume and light adjustments. Read our review.
Razer’s Basilisk V3 Pro gaming mouse is currently on sale for $91.63 (about $37 off) at Amazon. It’s been slightly cheaper before, but this is a good price for the RGB-laden gaming mouse with a speedy sensor, ample customization, and a tiltable, fast-scrolling wheel.
The SteelSeries Aerox 3 Wireless gaming mouse is down to $59.98 ($60 off) at Amazon in black, though you can also get it in white or a translucent “ghost” color for $69.99 ($50 off). It’s an ultra-light mouse with a skeletonized design that I personally own and use. It has a good sensor, tri-mode compatibility (wired, 2.4GHz, and Bluetooth), and bright, colorful RGB lighting — especially in the ghost version.
SteelSeries’ expansive Arena 9 surround sound speaker system is selling for $449.99 ($230 off) at Amazon. The 5.1 speaker setup features a boom-y subwoofer, wireless satellite rear channels, and customizable RGB lighting. Read our initial impressions.
Samsung’s speedy, 2TB 990 Pro SSD is selling for $149.99 ($60 off) at Amazon with a pre-installed heatsink. The NVMe drive is fast enough for a high-end PC build and also compatible with the PlayStation 5.
A variety of Wacom drawing tablets are currently on sale at Amazon, including the Cintiq 16 with a 15.4-inch 1080p screen for $499.95 ($150 off) and the screenless Intuos Medium in a pistachio color for $84.95 ($15 off).
The Logitech MX Master 3S wireless mouse is available for $94.99 ($25 off) at Amazon, which is one of the better prices we’ve seen since Logitech raised its pricing in the spring. The MX Masters are a popular go-to in the world of productivity mice, with two scroll wheels that are especially handy for navigating documents and spreadsheets.
The Insta360 Link 2C webcam is available for $99.99 ($50 off) at Amazon. This is the more affordable, non-movable version of Insta360’s webcams, and while it doesn’t feature a gimbal to follow you around, it does offer 4K video and an f/1.8 aperture for low-light settings.
For a lower-cost webcam option, the Logitech Brio 100 is on sale for just $24.99 ($15 off) at Amazon. It supports 1080p video, features a built-in sliding privacy cover, and should be compatible with the Nintendo Switch 2. Just be aware that its five-foot USB-A cable is built in, so there’s no swapping it for a different length or connector.
The Oura Ring 4 starts at $296.95, marking a new low price.
Smartwatches aren’t for everyone. Maybe you don’t want to wear a screen-equipped gadget to bed, or you’re just after something that’s less obtrusive. Subtlety is where smart rings like the Oura Ring 4 shine, and Prime Day has knocked down its cost. It costs $296.65 ($52.35) from Amazon, which is both its best price and first significant discount.
The fourth-generation Oura Ring brings a handful of meaningful software upgrades over its predecessor, and it’s one of the best smart rings out there. It features an accurate algorithm for tracking heart rate and blood oxygen levels, along with improved automatic activity detection. There’s no subscription required to use its basic functions, but a $5.99/month subscription is required to access advanced insights and AI-powered features.
Oura Ring 4
The Oura Ring 4 is slimmer and more accurate than its predecessor, while adding new AI-powered tools and longer battery life. Read our review.
Elsewhere, the changes are subtle but notable. The ring is now slightly slimmer and rounder, available in a wider range of sizes (from 4 to 15), and made entirely from durable titanium. Battery life has also improved significantly, lasting up to seven or eight days on a single charge, compared to three to four days in previous models.
Most importantly, the Oura Ring 4 continues to excel as a sleep and recovery tracker. It also tracks light workouts, stress levels, prediction, menstrual cycles, and other essential health metrics, all while remaining discreet on your finger.
Of course, as a smart ring, it doesn’t offer some of the advanced fitness tracking features smartwatches do, and you’ll have to do without perks like push notifications and smart alarms. But if you’re a casual athlete who wants a stylish, screen-free tracker that blends seamlessly into your daily life, the Oura Ring 4 is the best smart ring available — especially while it’s on sale.
Maxon is sunsetting the Forger sculpting app for iPad to focus on the more comprehensive ZBrush iPadOS app it introduced last year. Forger will be removed from the App Store on September 10th, according to a message on Maxon’s website, and the app will be placed in a “Limited Maintenance Mode” that won’t receive any future updates, bug fixes, or changes.
The announcement serves as the final nail in the coffin for one of the iPad’s oldest and most popular sculpting apps, which hasn’t received any major updates since 2023. Forger was launched by app developer Javier Edo Meseguer in 2011 back when 3D modelling software was scarce on tablet devices due to hardware limitations. It was later acquired by Maxon in 2021, which later the same year snapped up Pixologic’s professional sculpting and painting desktop software, ZBrush.
Maxon says that existing users are “free to continue using Forger” after support ends, but encourages them to switch to the iPad version of ZBrush that launched in September 2024. Subscription licenses for Forger ($14 annually) can be renewed until September 10th and will be valid until the end of the subscription term.
“We carefully considered this decision. Our goal is to consolidate resources and efforts to enhance the sculpting experience on iPad,” Maxon said on a new FAQ page. “By merging our teams, we can leverage Forger’s history on iPad and ZBrush’s sculpting capabilities to introduce more features and innovations, particularly with the Apple Pencil and iPad.”
Forger and ZBrush for iPad both have free-to-use tiers that provide basic tools, with premium app features requiring a subscription. The ZBrush app license offers a wider range of tools and functionality compared to Forger’s, but at $89.99 per year, it also costs considerably more. And while Forger users can transfer their data to ZBrush, it’s worth noting that Forger’s native file format isn’t directly supported.
Another hiccup for Forger users with older iPads is that the ZBrush app is generally recommended for models with Apple’s M-series silicon chips; otherwise, they may experience performance issues. A more affordable solution for new or hobbyist iPad sculptors is Nomad Sculpt, which provides a beginner-friendly range of tools for a one-time $20 download fee.
