Here are our 3 favorite Amazon tech deals for Friday

Friday’s Amazon Gold Box deals feature a UBS-powered desk fan, a portable charger, and a wireless headset. Score savings up to $45 and discounts as deep as 66 percent. Read on to browse today’s best Amazon tech deals.

Aceyoon Silent Mini USB Powered Desk Fan

Keep cool this summer and be more productive at your workstation with an Aceyoon Silent Mini USB Powered Desk Fan, which is currently 66 percent off on Amazon. Like many of our favorite fans, this mini fan is suitable for your desk, car, office, and more.

The fan has an ultra silent high-quality brushless motor so it’s not a distraction. It can reach up to 2,500 RPM with low noise and will still not affect your working or sleeping. It supports a 360-degree multi-angle manual rotation, you can choose the best wind direction freely.

It’s powered by a 1.2-meter USB cable so you can easily charge it on the go with a USB power bank. The mini fan is portable and will not overtake your desk space. It is suitable for use in offices, homes, dorms, libraries, games rooms, and even outdoor places. A dense protective cover greatly protects anything, such as your little baby’s finger, from getting near the blades.

The Aceyoon Silent Mini USB Powered Desk Fan normally retails for $23 but is currently discounted to $8 on Amazon, providing a $15 (66 percent) discount.

Amazon

Poweradd 2nd Gen 3.4A Pilot 2GS 10000mAh Power Bank

Stay powered up where ever you go with a Poweradd 2nd Gen 3.4A Pilot 2GS 10000mAh Power Bank, which is currently 66 percent off on Amazon. The power bank has classic styling and an average 4.3 out of 5-star review on Amazon, based on over 3,800 customer reviews.

The power bank automatically detects your device and deliver its fastest possible charge speed up to 2.4A. It has a 5V/2A input that is twice as fast as 1amp input, which means you can fully charge it in only 5 hours. The charger can provide four solid charges to an iPhone 6s, or at least two and a half charges to a Galaxy S6, or one and a half charges to an iPad Mini.

Like many of the best portable chargers, it has a compact design with an Aviation Aluminum body designed to ensure lightweight and durability. The compact size makes it easy to carry around as it easily fit into your pocket. The Grade A+ Li-polymer cell premium microchips multi-protect system provides protection against overcharging, over-discharging, over-voltage, over current and short-circuit issues.

The Poweradd 2nd Gen 3.4A Pilot 2GS 10000mAh Power Bank formally retails for $40 but is currently on sale for $13 on Amazon, saving you $27 (66 percent).

Amazon

Mpow Bluetooth Headphones Over Ear Hi-Fi Stereo Wireless Headset

Upgrade your listening experience with a Mpow Bluetooth Headphones Over Ear Hi-Fi Stereo Wireless Headset, which is currently 57 percent off on Amazon. The headset lets you spoil your ears with robust, balanced, and detailed sound.

The headset is a No. 1 Best Seller on Amazon and features passive noise isolating technology. The closed-back design provides immersive hi-fi sound thanks in part to a CSR chip and 40mm driver. A built-in 420mAh battery provides up to 13-hour music time, or 15-hour talking time on a single charge. 

The headset is built to be comfortable with memory-protein ear cushions that simulate human skin texture and ensure lasting comfort. The stainless steel slider and softly padded headband allows you to find the perfect fit and provides extra durability. The headset has a folding design that not just saves space at your desk space but is also convenient for carrying in the included carrying bag.

The Mpow Bluetooth Headphones Over Ear Hi-Fi Stereo Wireless Headset normally retails for $80 but is currently on sale for $35 on Amazon, providing a $45 (57 percent) discount.

Amazon

Looking for more great deals on tech and electronics? Check out our deals page to score some extra savings on our favorite gadgets.

Best Sprint Phones

Sprint offers some of the best smartphones worth bringing home. We’ve rounded them up just for you!

Sprint doesn’t exactly play well with others, at least in the sense that the selection of unlocked phones that you can bring to its network is rather limited. If you are trying to bring your unlocked phone to Sprint, it’s best to head to the nearest location and ask if your device is compatible.

That said, it also has a relatively decent list of phones that you can buy straight from them, including some of the top Android devices available right now. Wondering what those are? Well, we’ve rounded up a quick list of the best phones Sprint has to offer.

• Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+
• HTC U11
• LG G6
• Samsung Galaxy S7/S7 edge

Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+

Surely, you’ve heard about Samsung’s latest and best? The Galaxy S8/S8+ is on billboards everywhere you for a good reason — it’s one of the best Android-powered smartphone releases of the year. This phone comes with the latest specifications, including a Snapdragon 835 processor and 4GB of RAM. It’s also got a stunning 5.8-inch or 6.2-inch Super AMOLED display (depending on the model you choose), and it’s capable of virtual reality right out of the box — including Google Daydream (well, soon).

Want to know more? There’s a review waiting for you:

Read the Galaxy S8/S8+ review

And now, it’s time to shop.

See Galaxy S8 at Sprint

See Galaxy S8+ at Sprint

HTC U11

They’re back! You may have thought HTC had drifted off into the ether, but it’s still kicking, and it’s got a beautiful smartphone in tow to remind us of its design prowess. The HTC U11 is a truly a sight to be seen, one that will surely encourage your friends to ooh and ahh. It’s not too shabby on the specifications, either, as it has a Snapdragon 835 processor, 4GB of RAM, and an impressive 12-megapixel camera. It’s got a couple of other tricks, too, including compatibility with Amazon Alexa, and a pair of sufficient stereo speakers.

There’s more to explore. Do you dare?

Read the HTC U11 review

Ready to bring it home?

See the U11 at Sprint

LG G6

The LG G6 is a fine choice if you’re looking for something a little bigger but with a nearly bezel-less display. LG’s also packed this smartphone with a Snapdragon 821 and 4GB of RAM, and it’s all held together by a 3300mAh battery. This time around, the company’s flagship is also water resistant, so you can take it around the pool without worrying too much — as long as it stays out of the deep end. The G6 also hails dual 13-megapixel cameras on the back, one of which is a wide-angle lens that shoots panorama-like photos.

Dive further into those cameras in the review!

Read the G6 review

Get yourself a new phone!

See the G6 at Sprint

Samsung Galaxy S7 edge

Samsung’s Galaxy S7 edge was once considered one of the best smartphones that money can buy. The device was a major upgrade over its predecessor, and its 5.5-inch Super AMOLED made the phone both pocketable and big enough to watch videos on the go comfortably.

Now you can get the phone for cheaper than you would have had you purchased it last year. If you’re looking to save a bit of cash and want flagship-like features, including a water-resistant chassis, the Galaxy S7 edge is still a surefire bet.

We reviewed it back then, too.

See the Galaxy S7 edge review

And you can still grab it at Sprint.

See Galaxy S7 edge at Sprint

Love singing in the shower? Get a waterproof Bluetooth speaker for only $10

Belting out your favorite tunes in the shower is a time-honored tradition, and nothing feels as good as hitting those high notes (even if you are a little flat) as you’re scrubbing up and getting ready for the day. Wouldn’t it be nice to have some accompaniment, so you’re not always singing alone? As funny as it would be to hire a full band to serenade you as you soap yourself up each morning, a Bluetooth speaker may be more practical.

Take your favorite tunes in the shower with you for only $10 Learn more

Of course, waterproof Bluetooth speakers don’t typically come cheap, and lots of them have some fancy features that you just don’t need for your daily showers. Relax. Android Central Offers is here to help.

Right now, through Android Central Digital Offers you can pick up a waterproof Bluetooth speaker for only $9.99! It’s quick and easy to pair up with your phone or computer, so you can listen to music while taking a steamy shower without having to take your expensive device into the bathroom with you. The suction cup back on this Bluetooth speaker means it can be used in any shower and is easily removable, so you can take it with you on your vacations and business trips!

Next time you hold a concert in your shower, and you’re using your shower head as a microphone, make sure you have this great waterproof Bluetooth speaker backing you up so you can really rock out!

Sing like nobody is listening! Learn more

You’re stuck on an island with one app — what is it? [Roundtable]

What’s the one app you can’t live without?

You wipe the sand off your eyelids and slowly open your tired eyes. Your lips are parched and cracked. How long have I been out? You look around and see only the blue of the rolling ocean and the yellow, dirty sand. What’s the last thing I remember? A boat. A crash. And nothing.

You look down and in your hand is a phone. A waterproof phone. You press the power button and, miraculously, it turns on! What’s my password again? You rifle through your confused state for a memory. The password — you have it. You unlock it and there’s only one app on your home screen — but it’s your favorite app! You can’t wait to use it every moment of every day as your body wastes away on this forgotten hellscape somewhere in the Pacific.

So — what is that app?

Daniel Bader

Is it sad that the first app that popped into my head was Newton, my favorite email client? I need to get out more.

Seriously, though, I thought about what my priorities are on this damn thing I call a pocket supercomputer, and if there was only one app I could open (and use, with magical island cellular service) for the rest of my days it would probably be Audible. I know, that sounds ridiculous, but I love listening to audiobooks, and with the vast wealth of human knowledge and burgeoning ideas at my fingertips until the day I die, I could probably stand to walk around aimlessly while chomping on coconuts as I pored through every Master and Commander novel or, the masochist I am, Infinite Jest.

Andrew Martonik

Do I have a data connection? If this is some kind of magical island in the middle of nowhere but with LTE (hey, it’s a hypothetical question, so why not?), my app of choice is Chrome. There are lots of one-task specialized apps I could pick, but if I only get one, it’s going to be an app that can get so much done — that’s Chrome for me.

Sure I’d prefer to do most things in a separate purpose-built app, and the mobile web still isn’t great. But if I have a phone and only Chrome, I can get a whole lot more accomplished — and in a variety of different areas — than with any other single app.

Jen Karner

To start with I have a few questions that need to be answered. Do I have signal? What does my power look like? Do I have unlimited data? Yes. These are the first questions that pop into my head because I am totally that guy.

If I could access any app, and have the ability to use it forever somehow, but was unable to call for help I’d probably go with Google Drive or Spotify. Writing fiction is my hobby, but music keeps me alive. If I can have social media though, I’m going with Facebook because then I could get someone to come rescue me. Hello location services!

Florence Ion

Snapchat, duh. I’m gonna monetize the heck out of this desert island situation. I’m going to do for lonely island memes what Tom Hanks did to volleyballs. Of course, from there, I’m hoping that my husband will send someone to come get me, since I know the first place he’ll look for me to see whether I’m still alive is my social media channels.

And, hey, you can’t tell me there isn’t LTE on this island! If everyone else can take this fantasy to where they want it to go, mine is going to take place in the far future, where Facebook and Google have brought Internet to even the most isolated parts of the world. This is the future we’re headed for, sheeple. Might as well embrace our new corporate robot overloads and pray that they come rescue us when we stray from the pack.

Ara Wagoner

On a desert island, you’re going to have limited recharging potential, no internet, and a metric crap-ton of time to kill. Even if none of things were true, the only app I need on my phone to keep me sane and happy is Google Play Music. Let’s face it, if I’m gonna last more than five minutes on an island before I start talking to myself and going completely insane, I’m gonna need some music. Does this app have a lot of bugs and UI glitches that need fixing? You bet your apps, it does! But it’s the music service I bought into over five years ago and for better or worse, it’s the one I’ll be using for the foreseeable future.

If I’m on a desert island with no signal, I won’t have access to my cloud library, but that’s okay. I’m always prepared for long, offline listening sessions, in fact my favorite way to use Google Play Music is in Downloaded Only mode. By carefully curating what I keep downloaded on Google Play Music, I can shuffle through parts of my library that I want to listen to often, rather than sorting through the thousand and thousands of songs in my entire library.

That said, good Google does Play Music need some overhauling.

Alex Dobie

Let’s face it — in a desert island situation, you’re going to have a lot of time to kill. And so I’d turn to my go-to time-killing app, Pocket Casts. Assuming I had time to preload a decent selection of shows before the start of my tropical predicament (or I was somehow able to fashion working Wi-Fi out of rope and coconut shells) I’d be able to keep myself entertained until rescue arrived.

I listen to a lot of podcasts when I travel, and I usually load up a few hours — at least — of ‘casts in Pocket Casts before any long-haul flights. The app also plays nicely with external storage, and has lots of handy options for helping clear out shows to save storage. (Because where are you gonna buy more SD cards on a desert island?)

Harish Jonnalagadda

I’m not setting foot on a boat again. I never really liked traveling by water, and three days in Venice reinforced that belief. But if I somehow ended up stranded on a deserted island and I had my phone with me, I would immediately start typing away on Simplenote. The app doesn’t need to be connected to the internet, and it has a minimalist interface that’s great for writing.

Also, a desert island is the perfect setting for a novel. For one thing, there wouldn’t be any distractions. Get ready for a Robinson Crusoe-style epic, albeit one chronicling the misadventures of a terribly uncoordinated man. In the meantime, I’m picking up a solar-powered battery bank. It may take forever to charge, but time tends to lose all meaning on an island in the middle of nowhere.

Marc Lagace

Ok, so this question is hard, because there’s a number of scenarios and factors that still need to be addressed. If I somehow miraculously had an internet signal on this desert island, I’d definitely want my favorite social media app Instagram so I could update my Instagram story with S.O.S. messages. Sadly, no one would bother to watch them and I’d be stuck on the island for several more years — but at least I’d also have a never-ending stream of pretty pictures to look.

If in a much more realistic scenario there’s no internet… but the phone will never run out of I’ve fashioned myself a solar-powered phone charger out of some coconuts (OK, not entirely realistic), I would definitely want to see a favorite time-killing game that I could play offline for hours on end… Rollercoaster Tycoon: Classic!

Your turn

What are your desert island apps? Would you stay by reading, writing, listening to music, or playing games?

Google hires former Intel exec as VP of Diversity

Google has a new VP of Diversity.

Danielle Mastrangel Brown, a former VP and Chief of Diversity & Inclusion at Intel, will begin at Google on July. Brown had been with Intel for 8 years, and leaves them with a workforce that is almost a quarter female. We can only hope she has the same luck with Google.

Google’s pledged to improve its diversity time and time again over the last three years, but in their blog post this week they admit there’s still plenty to be done. The hire of Brown is only a part of their renewed efforts. Google recently launched a engineering residency program for Howard University aimed at raising the number of
technical African American Googlers from the 1% it is today.

The blog post is also littered with anecdotes about diversity and the strength it brigns the company, but the one that sticks out the most to this humble blogger is the statement that the Really Blue Pixel came from creative lead Alberto Villarreal’s history with Mexico City.

Best games for Google Daydream

What are the best games for Google Daydream?

For many people, Daydream View is more than Google’s take on VR. It’s the first VR headset for a lot of Pixel owners, and that means there’s plenty of room to explore and have some fun. It also means there are a lot of apps in the Play Store asking for some money from you without a whole lot of assurance that the game will be worth the cash.

While there’s plenty of fun to be had with the free apps available for Daydream, some of the other experiences are on an entirely different level. Here’s where you need to start if you’re looking for quality games for Daydream.

Read more at VR Heads!

‘Rocket League’ is the latest X Games eSport on ESPN

Driving giant RC cars around a soccer field and using them to bounce an equally gargantuan ball into the net sounds like the ultimate extreme sport. Unfortunately, Faceit and the X Games will only allow competition in a virtual version of that this year. Of course I’m talking about Rocket League. If you’re cool with that, the pair have partnered for the Rocket League Invitational, which will be held in Minneapolis during ESPN’s annual extreme sports festival.

The tournament has a $75,000 prize pool and the proceedings will be streamed on ESPN 3 — we haven’t gotten to ESPN 8 “the ocho” yet — and “additional platforms.” Twitch being one of those is a pretty safe bet, but the involved parties promise to have more details regarding the matter soon. Previously, the X Games has hosted Counter-strike and Halo 5 tournaments. This year’s festivities run from July 14th to the 16th.