All-you-can-play indie gaming is coming for $10 per month
While Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass likely appeals to players who want mainstream console titles, there hasn’t been a great unlimited play platform for indie games — until now. A new service, Jump, has just emerged from the ether to satisfy fans of non-tentpole gaming. For $10 a month, users can play any of the service’s 60-plus game initial catalogue, with ten more coming each month for desktop and VR platforms. Jump’s beta period is running from now til July 24th with a limited game selection, but once the full service launches this summer, anyone can sign up for a 14-day free trial.
Roguelike dungeon crawlers, platformers, 8-bit narrative puzzlers, turn-based strategy. We’ve got ’em! https://t.co/BJn8GpD2LV #indiegames pic.twitter.com/xvOGW44GtN
— Jump (@PlayOnJump) July 10, 2017
And yes, you’ll be able to play new games on-demand. Jump uses web-based technology that launches games from the platform’s client, allowing them to run locally without fully installing by loading only the assets it needs on the fly. With a browsing window, curated collection and algorithms recommending titles to players based on taste, the comparisons to Netflix are inevitable.
Over 4000 games were released on Steam last year, representing 40 percent of the total games ever released on the digital marketplace. Those odds are harrowing for small-staffed indie game developers, so the promise of a highly-curated library might be enough to sway them into joining Jump, where players can sample games at will instead of balking at sticker prices.
Developers might even make more money than on Steam, as they’ll get a clearly-defined cut of profits. Jump will take 70 percent of the net revenue of subscription income and divvy it up to developers based on the amount of time their game is played, the company’s chief Anthony Palma told Gamasutra. That amounts to abut 25 to 50 cents per hour of play, per user.
And since the platform is leaning heavily on curation — Palma insisted that only 10-12 games will be added per month at the start, despite the pressure and expectation that streaming services rapidly expand catalogues — games won’t be buried among a hundred other simultaneously-added titles. That means titles will be far more discoverable on Jump than Steam…and you’ll finally be able to sample a service’s whole range of games, not just the most popular that rise to the top.
Source: IGN
Tech Hunters: Bringing the Tamagotchi back to life
These days, Pokémon has the cute creature-based game market all sewn up, but back in the 90s it was a completely different affair. Phones still had some way to go towards being anywhere near smart, so it was up to tiny pocket devices like the Tamagotchi to keep little ones entertained.
The Tamagotchi — a portmanteau of the Japanese words for egg (tamago) and friend (tomodachi) — was created by Bandai employee Aki Maita and formally introduced by the company back in 1996. The toy required kids (of all ages) to care for a virtual pet, allowing them to experience the responsibility of feeding, cleaning and maintaining the health of their cute digital companion. They pooped and they died when you forgot to feed them, but you were always safe in the knowledge that you could always start again.
After huge success in Japan, the Tamagotchi went on to be sold in over 30 countries, shifting more than 76 million units. The brand grew to include books, clothing, movies, TV shows and a Nintendo video game, eclipsing the Beanie Baby fad at the time.
Because the virtual pets came in dozens of different shells, collectors scour the globe and online marketplaces for the rarest models. Julia Hardy met with one superfan, Natalie, to find out more about the keychain craze and why the Tamagotchi is still so loved.
Tech Hunters is a 10-part video series that uncovers the devices we were once obsessed with, looking at how they disrupted the tech industry, and what they’re worth today. From the pocket pet obsession with the original Tamagotchi, to mix-tapes and Sony Walkman, Tech Hunters explores the audio, visual, interactive and transport innovations that have shaped today’s culture.
Audi introduces its semi-autonomous A8
After a sneak peak of the vehicle parking itself and appearing in Spider-Man: Homecoming, the Audi A8 luxury sedan is finally being shown off in all its high-tech glory. With level 3 autonomy, active electronic suspension, a mild hybrid engine and brand new infotainment system, it’s the future of the German automaker’s vehicles.
At the forefront is the car’s level-3 autonomous features. “It embodies our heritage as well as our future,” said Audi board member Dr Dietmar Voggenreiter. The Audi AI Traffic Jam Pilot will move the car along autonomously while stuck in gridlock both on the highway and without input from the driver.
The semi-autonomous system is powered by the newly-branded Audi AI system that will soon be added to all new vehicles from the automaker. It also announced Vorsprung, which Audi board member Rupert Stadler said means the company is, “walking the extra mile and staying ahead of others, trying to develop the most convenient solutions to our auto woes.
Audi says the conceptual car from the movie iRobot is realized — at least the autonomous part — with the new A8. Will Smith would be proud. No word on if the A8 is capable of battling renegade automatons.
The system rides on the automaker’s 48-volt active electromechanical suspension platform. With its front-facing camera, Audi says is scans the road ahead 18 times a second to actively predict with the electronic chassis platform (ECP) and primes how the suspension should handle the situation. In conjunction with air suspension, the system should produce a smoother ride as each tire is controlled by its own electric motor that’s adjusted on the fly for potholes, corners or hard stops.
The new suspension is coupled with Audi’s new all-wheel steering system. Audi says it’ll improve stability while giving the A8 a sporty feel and smaller turning radius than the A4.
The new A8 will also have the mild-hybrid drive vehicle (MHEV) drivetrain. It combines a alternator connected to the crankshaft that’s powered by a lithium-ion battery which allows the vehicle to coast at speeds between 34 and 99 miles per hour for 40 seconds with the engine firing. So it’s not a hybrid like the Prius or Audi’s on e-tron plug-in hybrid.
A new infotainment system was also on display in the new vehicle. This is Audi’s latest generation of its MMI dash with haptic feedback and multiple displays. And of course it wouldn’t be a luxury sedan without some over-the-top features like a foot massager for the back seat. No word on when the new 2019 A8 is expected to go on sale.
BlackBerry’s stronger, more resilient KEYone units are here
BlackBerry Mobile promised it would make things right, and it has done just that.
In early June, a prominent YouTuber broke — nay, destroyed — a KEYone, and BlackBerry Mobile was forced to defend its new baby, a phone that had, until that point, been largely without controversy. The company promised it would make things right, and it has done just that.
It claimed that only a small number of people were experiencing issues with the KEYone’s display detaching from its body like a chocolate bar, but nonetheless it was taking action to reinforce the component using additional adhesives.
Now, the company says that work is complete and better, stronger KEYones are rolling off the manufacturing lines and onto shelves. From the CrackBerry forums:
In a further effort to ensure all our BlackBerry Mobile customers and fans have an outstanding experience, we’re implementing additional measures that add even greater strength and adhesive to the BlackBerry KEYone display. These new measures are already being implemented on new KEYone’s and are beginning to hit our retailer and carrier inventories – and will continue to come in stock throughout the summer. If you’ve already purchased the BlackBerry KEYone, you’re fully covered by our manufacturer’s warranty, so if any issue arises, please contact us and we can help you with a warranty replacement if needed.
The last sentence is also worth noting, because the company is not proactively replacing functioning KEYones but is merely saying that, should damage to the screen occur, it is covered under warranty.
Top 8 things to love about the BlackBerry KEYone
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- BlackBerry KEYone review
- KEYone vs. Priv: Battle of the BlackBerry keyboards
- BlackBerry KEYone specs
- The latest KEYone news
- Join the discussion in the forums
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LG Q6 matches big FullVision displays to midrange phones
We loved LG’s G6 and its 18:9 aspect ratio FullVision screen, and now the company will offer that setup in several smaller, lower-priced phones. While the G6+ takes care of the high-end with more storage and premium sound, the Q6+, Q6 and Q6α are aimed squarely at midrange buyers. Instead of the G6’s Snapdragon 821 CPU and a 5.7-inch display, all three feature last year’s Snapdragon 435 chip and 5.5-inch 2,160 x 1,080 displays.
Where each individual model differs is in the memory setup available:
Q6+: 4GB RAM / 64GB ROM
Q6: 3GB RAM / 32GB ROM
Q6α: 2GB RAM / 16GB ROM
The (unspecified) price of each version will slide to match its capacity, but otherwise, the features are the same, and most importantly so are its sleek looks with that bezel-less front. They’re all built on an aluminum frame, with the G6’s new facial recognition feature, as well as a 100-degree wide angle front facing camera for selfies, with a 13MP rear camera and 3,000mAh battery. All three will go on sale next month in Asia, before launching in the rest of the world (including North America) later.
Key Specifications: *
Chipset: Qualcomm® Snapdragon™ 435 Mobile Platform
Display: 5.5-inch 18:9 FHD+ FullVision Display (2160 x 1080 / 442ppi)
Memory:
Q6+: 4GB RAM / 64GB ROM
Q6: 3GB RAM / 32GB ROM
Q6α: 2GB RAM / 16GB ROMCamera: Rear 13MP Standard Angle / Front 5MP Wide Angle
Battery: 3,000mAh (embedded)
Operating System: Android 7.1.1 Nougat
Size: 142.5 x 69.3 x 8.1mm
Weight: 149g
Network: LTE / 3G / 2G
Connectivity: Wi-Fi 802.11 b, g, n / Bluetooth 4.2 / NFC / USB Type-B 2.0
Colors:
Q6+: Astro Black / Ice Platinum / Marine Blue
Q6: Astro Black / Ice Platinum / Mystic White / Terra Gold
Q6α: Astro Black / Ice Platinum / Terra GoldOther: Face Recognition / Google Assistant / Square Camera / Steady Record / FM Radio
Source: LG
EFF rates the companies that stand up to government data requests
If you’re wondering which tech company will protect you in the face of a government request, you may want to check this out. The Electronic Frontier Foundation has released this year’s “Who Has Your Back” report, which grades tech giants and some smaller companies based on how they handle government requests for data. Nine companies got perfect scores: Adobe, Credo Mobile, Dropbox, Lyft, Pinterest, Sonic (ISP), Uber, Wickr (a software maker) and WordPress.
All nine got stars in five categories (we simplified the EFF’s description below):
1. Follows Industry-Wide Best Practices. They regularly publish transparency reports and have a publicly available policy on how they tackle requests from the government.
2. Tells Users About Government Data Requests. They notify individuals that the government is asking for their info before turning it over.
3. Promises Not to Sell Out Users. They full describe data disclosures to the government and ensure third-party vendors are doing the same.
4. Stands Up to NSL Gag Orders. They promise to have a judge review every national security letter (NSL), otherwise known as a administrative subpoena, gag order they get.
5. Pro-User Public Policy: Reform 702. They support reforming Section 702 under the FISA Amendments Act of 2008 to tone down the collection of information on innocent people.
So, how did the biggest tech titans do, seeing as they didn’t get perfect marks? Apple only got four stars, but the EFF has praised the iPhonemaker for committing to have a judge review every NSL gag order the government sends its way. Google, Facebook and Microsoft haven’t made the same commitment yet, failing to get a star for that category, but successfully earning one for everything else. Amazon and WhatsApp unfortunately did very poorly, only earning stars for following best practices and supporting Section 702’s reform.
However, the e-commerce giant still did better than the telecom companies in the list. AT&T, Comcast, T-Mobile, Verizon all got one star for following best practices, flunking all the other four categories…which didn’t really surprise the EFF:
“When it comes to adopting policies that prioritize user privacy over facilitating government data demands, the telecom industry for the most part has erred on the side of prioritizing government requests.
But telecommunications companies can do better. For example, Credo Mobile has repeatedly proven that telecom companies can adopt policies that earn credit in every category year after year. Similarly, Sonic, an ISP competitor to AT&T, Comcast, T-Mobile, and Verizon, has now earned credit in every category of EFF’s annual report for five years.”
To read the EFF’s in-depth review of which tech corporation truly has your back, head over the organization’s website.
Source: EFF
How to whiten teeth in Photoshop (and a Lightroom shortcut for quick fixes)
Nothing ruins a great expression faster than yellow teeth. Under the wrong light, even someone with a gorgeous, white smile can appear to have a bit of a yellow tint in a photograph. Thankfully, the fix isn’t too hard — and learning a few tricks on how to whiten teeth in Photoshop can get those toothpaste-ad worthy smiles in a matter of minutes.
Adobe Photoshop is traditionally the go-to software for corrections like teeth whitening, but the program’s younger sibling, Lightroom, actually has a pretty good built-in fix that’s even faster to use — and with the Creative Cloud, if you have Photoshop you also have Lightroom. We’ll go over how to whiten teeth in Photoshop with a method that can fix any set of teeth, then we’ll jump into the faster Lightroom fix that works on most smiles, so you can choose which method works best for the shot or your photo-editing workflow.
How to Whiten Teeth in Photoshop
Step 1: Create a Layer Group, then select the teeth
With your image open in Photoshop, start by creating a layer group that includes just the teeth. Click the folder icon in the Layers panel to create a new group.
Jozef Polc / 123RF / Edited in Photoshop
Then, go ahead and select all the visible teeth with one of the selection tools. We used Photoshop’s Select and Mask tool — added in a recent update — by going into Select > Select and Mask. Using the tools on the left and the brush size options on the top, select the teeth. Then, refine the selection using the “-“ tool at the top, and for a more natural looking selection, drag the feather option to the right a bit in the righthand toolbar. Click Okay and the mask will appear in the layers panel — if it doesn’t show up in the group you created, simply drag and drop it to that group folder.
Now, you’ve created a mask that includes just the teeth. Everything white in the mask will be included in whatever effects you apply to the layer mask, while anything black will be left out — so with the teeth white inside the layer mask, you can apply effects to only the teeth while leaving the rest of the image untouched.
If your teeth selection wasn’t quite perfect, you can refine by painting inside the masks with black and white paintbrushes — just make sure the mask is selected inside the layers panel by clicking the black and white box next to that group folder. For example, we selected a bit too much of the photo at first, applying some of the effects to the edge of the lip. To remove that area from my selection, we just painted over it with a black paintbrush inside the mask. You can always go back and refine the mask later — it’s often easier to see your selection errors once you’ve started applying the whitening affects.
Step 2: Create and adjust a Hue and Saturation Layer
With the teeth selected, it’s easy to make adjustments and remove the yellow hue without affecting the colors in the rest of the photograph by using adjustment layers. Start by creating a hue and saturation adjustment layer by heading up into Layer > New Adjustment Layer > Hue/Saturation.
Inside the properties panel for that new Hue/Saturation adjustment layer, take and drag the saturation slider to the left. The key here is to stop before you see gray. If the teeth look gray, drag the slider back to the right a bit. To lighten up the teeth, drag the lightness slider to the right a bit as well.
Step 3: Refine with Levels
If your subject has teeth that are uniformly yellow, you can probably stop after step two and still get good results. The problem is that most teeth aren’t the same exact shade. Some spots may be yellower than others, or the teeth in the front might be whiter than the side teeth. So after step two, you’re left with mostly white teeth but a few spots that appear to be more gray than white. This next step fixes those issues and creates a more natural result.
Go to Layers > New Adjustment Layer > Curves. Since you created a group when you added the mask, the same mask will already be applied to that levels layer and you don’t have to re-select the teeth.
Inside the properties panel of the Curves layer, drag the mid-tones up about one graph point — this will look unnaturally white, but don’t worry, you will fix that shortly.
Now, click on the FX icon in the layers panel and select Blending Options. At the bottom of the pop-up window, you’ll see “Select if Gray.” On the slider labeled Underlying Layer, hold alt/option and click on the right arrow on the white side of that slider, then drag to the left until you get a more natural result — on our image, we had to drag pretty far over to the left to get the most natural look. This step only applies the lightening affect to the gray spots on the teeth, making the teeth more uniformly white.
That’s it! Before you call it good though, zoom in on the teeth at least to 100 percent. You may need to go pack and refine your mask a bit more. You can also go back into the adjustment layers and lessen or increase the effect if the look isn’t quite natural enough or isn’t quite white enough. That’s one of Photoshop layer mask’s strong suits — you can always go back and correct adjustment levels later if you don’t get it right the first time.
Confused? Aaron Nace of Phlearn has a video tutorial using a similar whitening technique.
How to Whiten Teeth in Lightroom
Photoshop gives you the most control over the teeth whitening process, but Lightroom has a control that still produces fairly good results, and is a bit faster — we prefer the Lightroom tool, but we will use Photoshop when Lightroom results aren’t quite there.
Inside the Develop module of Lightroom, click on the brush tool. Under Effect at the very top of the brush options, select Teeth Whitening from the drop down menu. Below that, you can select the appropriate brush size — we always check automask so the program will detect the edges automatically, although if the teeth are very uneven you may need to uncheck the automask and paint carefully. Now, just paint over the teeth with the brush.
If the teeth appear too white, you can drag the amount slider down to reduce the intensity of the effect. You can also customize the brush by tapping the arrow that appears right next to the effect drop-down menu and adjust the exposure and saturation levels.
Lightroom makes quick work of whitening teeth, while Photoshop offers a bit more finesse. There’s no wrong answer, but we’ve largely left the task up to Lightroom after discovering how easy it is to whiten teeth using the built-in tool.
With any beauty edits, always be cautious about over-doing it. Whiten teeth too much, and they’ll look fake. When in doubt, get a third opinion from a friend, especially before potentially offending whoever is in your photograph.
Using layer masks makes it easy to learn how to whiten teeth in Photoshop while being able to go back and fine-tune the effect. Lightroom’s built-in teeth-whitening brush, on the other hand, is a faster for quick fixes. Now, go edit a photo that would make any dentist proud — or learn how to edit hair, eyes or even oily skin.
Best Amazon Prime Day deals
Prime Day, Amazon’s huge yearly sales event, is finally upon us. The company’s ongoing battle to compete with other annual sales has largely been successful, with last year’s Prime Day becoming Amazon’s biggest retail day yet and netting more worldwide product sales than Black Friday. Prime Day deals include just about everything from home appliances to electronics, including Amazon’s own ever-growing lineup of gadgets and smart home devices, offering massive savings for Prime members to enjoy.
As there are thousands of products going on sale, we’ve hand-picked some of the best Prime Day deals available for this year’s event so you don’t have to spend hours scouring Amazon for the hottest discounts. Note that these deals will only last until the end of Tuesday, July 11, and are only available to Prime members. If you don’t have a Prime membership yet, now’s the perfect time to sign up and enjoy the benefits — including these exclusive limited-time sale prices.
Phones and Accessories
Whether your current phone is running ragged and you’re looking for a replacement or you just want to score a cheap and sturdy protective cover, we have you covered with these exclusive deals on mobile devices and accessories.
- 60 percent off Samsung Galaxy S8 VR bundle: This incredible deal nets you an unlocked Galaxy S8 smartphone, a wireless charging cradle, and a Gear VR headset for just $433 after a whopping 60-percent discount.
- 29 percent off Huawei Honor 8: Huawei’s budget-friendly smartphone is now even more affordable for Prime members, with a 29 percent discount bringing the Honor 8 down to just $320.
- 25 percent off select smartphone cases: Choose from an exclusive selection of cases for your iPhone or Samsung Galaxy device, all available for 25 percent off.
Home
It’s looking more and more like smart tech is going to be the future of household appliances, so if you’re aiming to start up a smart home ecosystem (or want to add to yours) then here are some great Prime Day deals. If you’re not yet convinced to jump on the smart home bandwagon, however, we’ve also thrown in something for you old-school homebodies out there.
- 30 percent off Amazon Echo Dot smart hub: The Echo Dot is the perfect hub for tying your smart home ecosystem together and can be yours for $35 after a 30 percent savings, 0r pick up the Echo for 89.99.
- 50 percent off TP-Link Smart Plug: A smart plug like this one lets you control your power usage right from your smartphone, even when you’re out of the house. The TP-Link Smart Plug is $20 after a 50-percent Prime Day discount.
- 20 percent off Philips Hue white and color smart bulb: The Hue A19 LED smart bulb creates custom mood lighting with millions of colors and shades to choose from. A 20 percent discount brings this smart light down to just $40.
- 24 percent off Black+Decker cordless hand vac: Clean those hard-to-reach places with the compact Black+Decker CHV1410L cordless lithium hand vac, just $46 after a 24-percent discount.
Computers and Gaming
Sales events like this are the perfect chance to score big-ticket items like computers. If you missed last year’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales (or don’t want to wait for the big holiday discounts happening later this year), then now is your chance to score with these Prime Day deals on some of our own favorite laptops and PC accessories.
- 18 percent off Asus Zenbook: The Asus Zenbook is one of our favorite laptops available on the market today, and can be yours for just $630 after a Prime Day savings of 18 percent.
- 25 percent off HyperX Cloud Revolver gaming headset: Another one of our favorites, the HyperX Cloud Revolver is the only headset a gamer needs. A 25 percent discount brings the price down to $90.
- 11 percent off MSI GTX 1050 gaming laptop: MSI makes some killer gaming laptops, many of which are surprisingly affordable. The GL62M 7RD-265 is now even more budget-friendly after a 11 percent savings brings it down to $799.
- 22 percent off Corsair Glaive gaming mouse: Bring your PC gaming to the next level with the Corsair Glaive. This top-rated gaming mouse is available to Prime members for $55 after a 22-percent discount.
- 12 percent off Acer Aspire E 15 laptop: The Acer Aspire E 15 is the reigning champ of budget laptops, and a 12-percent Prime Day savings knocks the price even further down to a low $310.
- 38 percent off DualShock Wireless PS4 Controller: With a built-in speaker and stereo headset jack, this wireless controller puts audio in the user’s hands. A 38 percent discount drops the price as low as $40.
Portable Tech
Amazon is offering plenty of discounts on travel-friendly gadgets, from Bluetooth accessories to ebook readers, to keep you occupied on the go. If you’re a Prime member, enjoy deep discounts on some portable electronics that no techie should leave home without.
- 51 percent off Sony Extra Bass wireless headphones: The latest model of Sony’s highly rated Extra Bass Bluetooth headphones can be yours at a huge 51 percent discount which knocks the price down to a low $98.
- 38 percent off Amazon Tap Bluetooth speaker: The Amazon Tap is a unique Bluetooth speaker with its 360-degree output that fills the room with sound. A 38 percent Prime Day discount brings the Amazon Tap speaker down to $80.
- 36 percent off Garmin Fenix 3 HR smartwatch: The Garmin Fenix is one of our all-time favorites, and a 36-percent savings means you can score this excellent smartwatch for just $353.
- 33 percent off Kindle ebook reader: When it comes to ereaders, you can’t beat a classic: The excellent Kindle ebook reader is now just $60 after a 33-percent discount for Prime members.
Kitchen
Home chefs out there know that you can always use some extra help in the kitchen, and although it may not give you another set of hands, modern tech can certainly make things easier and greatly reduce prep time. Here are a few Prime Day deals on kitchen gear to help you level up your cooking skills.
- 35 percent off Anova Sous Vide precision cooker: This Wi-Fi-enabled smart precision cooker gives you professional-grade sous vide right in your home kitchen. A 35-percent discount brings the Anova sous vide precision cooker down to $99.
- 42 percent off Ninja Professional Blender: Shark Ninja is a household name in the world of blenders, and the Ninja BL660 Professional can be yours for just $70 after a 42-percent Prime Day savings.
- 31 percent off Instant Pot programmable pressure cooker: This versatile 7-in-1 programmable slow cooker from Instant Pot is a must-have for any home chef. You can add it to your arsenal for just $90 after a 31-percent discount.
- 30 percent off Ninja Coffee Bar: The Ninja CF080Z Coffee Bar does it all, from creamy lattes to summer-friendly iced drinks. Coffee-heads can snag the Coffee Bar for just $126 following a 30-percent discount.
More Prime Day Deals
- Amazon Echo Streaming Hub Flash Sale: $90 Off for Prime Day
- The Best Amazon Prime Day Smart Home and Kitchen Deals
- 3 Screaming Prime Day TV Deals That Can Save You up to $502
- The Best Amazon Prime Day Kindle and Fire Tablet Deals
Looking for more great tech deals? Check out our deals page for our ongoing Prime Day coverage and to score some more savings on our favorite gadgets.
Prime Day deals will only last until 11:59 p.m. PT on July 11, or until the product is sold out. Prices reflect the discount at time of posting but are subject to change. We will be be continually updating this page as we receive new information.
Best Amazon Prime Day deals
Prime Day, Amazon’s huge yearly sales event, is finally upon us. The company’s ongoing battle to compete with other annual sales has largely been successful, with last year’s Prime Day becoming Amazon’s biggest retail day yet and netting more worldwide product sales than Black Friday. Prime Day deals include just about everything from home appliances to electronics, including Amazon’s own ever-growing lineup of gadgets and smart home devices, offering massive savings for Prime members to enjoy.
As there are thousands of products going on sale, we’ve hand-picked some of the best Prime Day deals available for this year’s event so you don’t have to spend hours scouring Amazon for the hottest discounts. Note that these deals will only last until the end of Tuesday, July 11, and are only available to Prime members. If you don’t have a Prime membership yet, now’s the perfect time to sign up and enjoy the benefits — including these exclusive limited-time sale prices.
Phones and Accessories
Whether your current phone is running ragged and you’re looking for a replacement or you just want to score a cheap and sturdy protective cover, we have you covered with these exclusive deals on mobile devices and accessories.
- 60 percent off Samsung Galaxy S8 VR bundle: This incredible deal nets you an unlocked Galaxy S8 smartphone, a wireless charging cradle, and a Gear VR headset for just $433 after a whopping 60-percent discount.
- 29 percent off Huawei Honor 8: Huawei’s budget-friendly smartphone is now even more affordable for Prime members, with a 29 percent discount bringing the Honor 8 down to just $320.
- 25 percent off select smartphone cases: Choose from an exclusive selection of cases for your iPhone or Samsung Galaxy device, all available for 25 percent off.
Home
It’s looking more and more like smart tech is going to be the future of household appliances, so if you’re aiming to start up a smart home ecosystem (or want to add to yours) then here are some great Prime Day deals. If you’re not yet convinced to jump on the smart home bandwagon, however, we’ve also thrown in something for you old-school homebodies out there.
- 30 percent off Amazon Echo Dot smart hub: The Echo Dot is the perfect hub for tying your smart home ecosystem together and can be yours for $35 after a 30 percent savings, 0r pick up the Echo for 89.99.
- 50 percent off TP-Link Smart Plug: A smart plug like this one lets you control your power usage right from your smartphone, even when you’re out of the house. The TP-Link Smart Plug is $20 after a 50-percent Prime Day discount.
- 20 percent off Philips Hue white and color smart bulb: The Hue A19 LED smart bulb creates custom mood lighting with millions of colors and shades to choose from. A 20 percent discount brings this smart light down to just $40.
- 24 percent off Black+Decker cordless hand vac: Clean those hard-to-reach places with the compact Black+Decker CHV1410L cordless lithium hand vac, just $46 after a 24-percent discount.
Computers and Gaming
Sales events like this are the perfect chance to score big-ticket items like computers. If you missed last year’s Black Friday and Cyber Monday sales (or don’t want to wait for the big holiday discounts happening later this year), then now is your chance to score with these Prime Day deals on some of our own favorite laptops and PC accessories.
- 18 percent off Asus Zenbook: The Asus Zenbook is one of our favorite laptops available on the market today, and can be yours for just $630 after a Prime Day savings of 18 percent.
- 25 percent off HyperX Cloud Revolver gaming headset: Another one of our favorites, the HyperX Cloud Revolver is the only headset a gamer needs. A 25 percent discount brings the price down to $90.
- 11 percent off MSI GTX 1050 gaming laptop: MSI makes some killer gaming laptops, many of which are surprisingly affordable. The GL62M 7RD-265 is now even more budget-friendly after a 11 percent savings brings it down to $799.
- 22 percent off Corsair Glaive gaming mouse: Bring your PC gaming to the next level with the Corsair Glaive. This top-rated gaming mouse is available to Prime members for $55 after a 22-percent discount.
- 12 percent off Acer Aspire E 15 laptop: The Acer Aspire E 15 is the reigning champ of budget laptops, and a 12-percent Prime Day savings knocks the price even further down to a low $310.
- 38 percent off DualShock Wireless PS4 Controller: With a built-in speaker and stereo headset jack, this wireless controller puts audio in the user’s hands. A 38 percent discount drops the price as low as $40.
Portable Tech
Amazon is offering plenty of discounts on travel-friendly gadgets, from Bluetooth accessories to ebook readers, to keep you occupied on the go. If you’re a Prime member, enjoy deep discounts on some portable electronics that no techie should leave home without.
- 51 percent off Sony Extra Bass wireless headphones: The latest model of Sony’s highly rated Extra Bass Bluetooth headphones can be yours at a huge 51 percent discount which knocks the price down to a low $98.
- 38 percent off Amazon Tap Bluetooth speaker: The Amazon Tap is a unique Bluetooth speaker with its 360-degree output that fills the room with sound. A 38 percent Prime Day discount brings the Amazon Tap speaker down to $80.
- 36 percent off Garmin Fenix 3 HR smartwatch: The Garmin Fenix is one of our all-time favorites, and a 36-percent savings means you can score this excellent smartwatch for just $353.
- 33 percent off Kindle ebook reader: When it comes to ereaders, you can’t beat a classic: The excellent Kindle ebook reader is now just $60 after a 33-percent discount for Prime members.
Kitchen
Home chefs out there know that you can always use some extra help in the kitchen, and although it may not give you another set of hands, modern tech can certainly make things easier and greatly reduce prep time. Here are a few Prime Day deals on kitchen gear to help you level up your cooking skills.
- 35 percent off Anova Sous Vide precision cooker: This Wi-Fi-enabled smart precision cooker gives you professional-grade sous vide right in your home kitchen. A 35-percent discount brings the Anova sous vide precision cooker down to $99.
- 42 percent off Ninja Professional Blender: Shark Ninja is a household name in the world of blenders, and the Ninja BL660 Professional can be yours for just $70 after a 42-percent Prime Day savings.
- 31 percent off Instant Pot programmable pressure cooker: This versatile 7-in-1 programmable slow cooker from Instant Pot is a must-have for any home chef. You can add it to your arsenal for just $90 after a 31-percent discount.
- 30 percent off Ninja Coffee Bar: The Ninja CF080Z Coffee Bar does it all, from creamy lattes to summer-friendly iced drinks. Coffee-heads can snag the Coffee Bar for just $126 following a 30-percent discount.
More Prime Day Deals
- Amazon Echo Streaming Hub Flash Sale: $90 Off for Prime Day
- The Best Amazon Prime Day Smart Home and Kitchen Deals
- 3 Screaming Prime Day TV Deals That Can Save You up to $502
- The Best Amazon Prime Day Kindle and Fire Tablet Deals
Looking for more great tech deals? Check out our deals page for our ongoing Prime Day coverage and to score some more savings on our favorite gadgets.
Prime Day deals will only last until 11:59 p.m. PT on July 11, or until the product is sold out. Prices reflect the discount at time of posting but are subject to change. We will be be continually updating this page as we receive new information.
Google Home now on sale for $99, second-gen Chromecast just $25
Solid savings on what is still a super hot smart home addition.
Google is making another big promo push with the Google Home, knocking its price down to just $99 (from $129) at a few different retailers. The immediate $30 discount is available at Best Buy, Verizon and the Google Store, and likely elsewhere as well.
For those who are looking to grab a Google Pixel, the Google Store is also currently running a deal to give you a Google Home completely free with purchase of the phone. Just add both the phone and a Home to your cart, and the discount for the Home will be automatically applied. That’s pretty sweet.
To add to the fun and give your Home a nice companion on the TV, Google has also discounted the second-gen Chromecast and Chromecast Audio by $10 across retailers as well, dropping the price to $25 each. That’s absolutely an impulse buy kind of price, and a great way to link up TVs and speakers that don’t yet have one.
So, who’s buying a nicely discounted Google Home now? Let us know your thoughts in the comments!
See at Best BuySee at Verizon
Google Hardware
- Google Wifi review
- Google Home review
- Everything you need to know about the Chromecast Ultra
- Chromecast vs Chromecast Ultra: Which should you buy?
Google Wifi:
Google
Amazon
Google Home:
Google
Best Buy
Chromecast Ultra:
Google
Best Buy
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