Keecker, the projector-packing robotic butler, is now available for purchase

Have you ever thought to yourself, “Man, this projector is pretty sweet, but I really wish it had wheels so it could follow me around and play YouTube videos on the empty walls of my apartment”?

Perhaps not, since that’s a fairly ridiculous thing to think to yourself. But somebody else did think that, and he was crazy determined enough to actually follow through on this absurd idea and make it a reality. After teasing the world with an early prototype three years ago, Pierre Labeau’s robotic butler/entertainment system known as Keecker is finally available for purchase.

The device is a bit of an oddity. Aesthetically, it looks like the misshapen egg that would be laid if R2D2 impregnated a brontosaurus, and the functions it performs are pretty much what you’d expect from such an unholy union. In addition to a veritable boatload of sensor tech, Keecker is equipped with a self-adjusting HD projector and a 360-degree sound system under the hood. On top of that, the bot sports over a terabyte of local storage for movies, music, and games, and it can also connect to the internet to play content from websites and streaming services. It also allows for voice commands, and works with Google Home and Alexa.

But it’s more than just an egg-shaped media center. Keecker is also outfitted with a set of wheels, a camera, and special navigation software that allows it to follow you around the house. The idea is that, instead of you getting up and physically moving yourself to wherever your home theater might be, you can use your smartphone to summon Keecker to the spot you happen to be in.

And it gets better — Keecker can also function as an adorable little security system. Its camera, sensors, and network connectivity allow you to tap into the video feed from your smartphone, and drive the little bot around your house from anywhere in the world.

“Keecker simplifies the technology experience by providing a central multimedia hub for entertainment and communication,” explained Pierre Lebeau, CEO and founder of Keecker. “It’s very easy to become consumed by our individual devices, but Keecker is designed to do just the opposite – to bring people together to share a collective, immersive experience.”

Be warned, though — Keecker isn’t exactly an accessible piece of technology in terms of its price, as it starts at $1,790. But hey, the heart wants what the heart wants, and Keecker may just fulfill some techies’ dreams.

Update: Keecker is now available for purchase. 

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‘PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds’ is coming to mobile, but there’s a catch

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds is among the most popular games of 2017 even though it hasn’t “officially” released, but as of December, the game is only available on PC and Xbox One. That will soon change, however, as Chinese company Tencent will be releasing a mobile version of the game.

The new mobile version of PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds will be a joint production between Tencent and the original game’s development team, and it will, at least initially, only be available in China. The goal is for the mobile experience to be as close to its PC and console counterparts as possible. In the announcement, Tencent said that the game’s shooting controls and “social networking” — likely referring to in-game messaging — would be optimized for mobile devices.

Tencent is no stranger to the mobile gaming space, and it’s possible that the mobile PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds could eventually make its way outside of China. The company’s Honor of Kings, which has a player count of over 200 million people, will be releasing for the Nintendo Switch in other regions as Arena of Battle. Though it would likely be too taxing on the Switch’s hardware to run the full version of Battlegrounds, it’s possible the mobile version could come to the platform. With the Switch still selling like hotcakes, it’s a user base itching to get its hands on another big-name multiplayer title after the success of games like Splatoon 2 and Mario Kart 8 Deluxe.

PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds has already sold more than 13 million copies in its early access state, and it managed to break a concurrent Steam user record with nearly 3 million people online playing at the same time — that’s more than twice the record set by Dota 2 in 2016, and more than eight times the number of concurrent Grand Theft Auto V players. It has only continued to gain, well, “steam” since then, and with its launch on the Xbox One, sales should be substantially higher. The console version of the game will offer a similar experience to its PC sibling, and Xbox One X players will be able to take advantage of HDR support. The game will launch as part of the Xbox Preview program on December 12.

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Where was I? Timeline puts your Windows desktop right back the way you left it

Windows Timeline is a new feature coming to the Microsoft desktop (at last!) that should make organizing your desktop much easier. It will eventually be paired with the freshly announced Sets, a promising way to group associated items from your history so you can instantly restore any project you’re working on — the windows you were looking at, the apps you had open, the websites you forgot to bookmark, and more.

Both are the culmination of two to three years’ work, and they couldn’t quite make it into the Fall Creators Update. They are logical upgrades, and exciting for Windows enthusiasts; still, Insiders may need to curb their enthusiasm. While the Timeline feature is rolling out to all Insiders in the next Fast Ring build, Sets won’t appear but for a lucky few.

People do a lot of things with their laptops. We think there’s an opportunity to organize it better.

As part of a unique new approach to testing features like Windows Sets, Microsoft will roll Sets out to only a limited subset of Windows Insiders. Insiders are serious fanatics, folks eager for the latest and greatest build regardless of the potential problems and bugs that might crop up from freshly developed, untested developer code. They’re dying for stuff like this. Many will have to wait. There’s a strategy beyond this plan, of course: It lets the company measure who’s happy with the feature, and who’s more productive with it. But it’s guaranteed to frustrate people.

Getting in sync with Timeline

Timeline is a re-think of what a computer is used for. People used to be concerned with “storage” — organizing files into folders, backing them up to specific locations, on specific devices. Today, with computing spanning laptops, tablets, phones, and game consoles, the specific storage location and folder a file sits in is far less relevant. What matters is “when” instead of “where.” As in, “last night when I was working on that new campaign, I had these windows open.”

Windows Timeline lets you move back in time, regardless of which device you’re using, thanks to Cortana on Android and iOS (the virtual assistant already helps tie the platforms together for sharing reminders, and lets you see Android notifications on Windows 10 machines). Basically, people do a lot of things with their laptops. Microsoft think there’s an opportunity to organize it better.

If that sounds familiar, it’s because time-based features have appeared before. Windows lets you restore individual files or your entire OS to an earlier point in time if you accidentally deleted some key stuff, or mucked up your computer. So does MacOS, thanks to features like Time Machine and Continuity. Chrome, and other browsers, can automatically restore your tabs when you open a new window, and various extensions can track sessions between devices.

The interface is minimalist, but logical, and tied into the Task View icon that already sits next to Cortana and the Windows menu icon in your menu bar. Click it today, and you’ll see a zoomed-out view of your workspace, where you can create virtual desktops with different active windows that you can switch between.

Click it with the Timeline feature on and you’ll see a different experience. Multiple desktops still sit at the top, but the right side of the screen has a scroll bar with times and dates. Microsoft’s algorithms will even tease out six “hero” activities it thinks are the most important, based on minutes of use and other factors. These appear with thumbnails, making it easy to remember what you were up to.

Sets isn’t ready, yet sounds fascinating

Timeline looks promising on its own, and is proof that traditional desktop operating systems still have room for growth and innovation. Yet Timeline isn’t the end of Microsoft’s plan. The company’s engineers want to tie its time-based groupings into an interface that makes it easy to return to a project. The company has labeled this function “Sets,” though it’s so early in development that even the name is subject to change.

A Set is a group of related tasks. If you use the Timeline to re-open a Word document, Windows can automatically bring back the six browser windows you had open, the YouTube app and video you had paused in the background (you were being productive, right?), and a set of photos you were browsing.

Typically, Windows will ask if you want to restore them, but machine learning algorithms will be used to detect windows you always have open at once. Once it knows which ones belong together, it won’t even ask. Windows will just give it to you — like magic. If you don’t see what you want, you can search for a clock icon, which will let you restore a set of windows.

If you having a hard time visualizing this, we don’t blame you. Sets are innovative, and there’s little they can be compared to. When you think of it, though, it makes sense. You usually use a PC for a task – it might be as simple as shopping for Christmas gifts, or it might be as complex as coding new software. Either way, these tasks often involve multiple windows, even if they’re all sessions of the same browser. Timeline will already help you track what you did the day before, so why not break down that data into smaller, connected chunks?

We’re excited to see how Sets will turn out, but it’s very much a work in progress. As mentioned, it will only roll out to a small portion of Insiders initially. It also works only with UWP apps — those available from the Windows Store – to start, which limits their use. Microsoft plans to expand Sets to standard Win32 apps in early 2018. Eventually, support will come to Win32 apps with custom title bars. And much of the UI will be developed with the guidance of Windows Insiders.

That’s why some folks won’t get it at all. But hey, if you don’t see it, comfort yourself by knowing it’ll be more polished when you finally give it a try.

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Google’s slimmed-down YouTube Go app is officially out of beta

Google’s latest YouTube app — YouTube Go — is officially out of beta but is only available in select countries. The lightweight app allows users who have little internet bandwidth to watch videos offline while also being able to control their data.

The beta version was originally launched back in September, and Google described it as an app “built from scratch” to bring YouTube to “the next generation of viewers” — folks saddled, in other words, with unstable internet connections. It’s specifically created to work with slow speeds and a small amount of storage.

“We realized that for the next generation of YouTube users to fully discover all that YouTube has to offer, we had to reimagine the YouTube mobile app from the ground up,” YouTube’s Vice President of Product Management Johanna Wright wrote in a blog post. “[Indian viewers’] experience is not great on slower connections and less powerful mobile phones.”

For those who want to keep track of the data being used, YouTube Go includes data-saving features. You can choose to download or watch videos, as well as preview them before committing to a download. The app also allows you to choose how many megabytes you use on videos.

With YouTube Go, you have the option to download the videos to your phone or SD card and can watch them even if you have slow or even no internet connection. You’re able to choose between basic quality, standard quality, and high quality before pressing play or choosing to download it instead.

Even with limited internet, videos should play without buffering and downloading content will have no extra data cost. If you want to share with friends and family, transferring videos also uses no data.

Not all of YouTube Go’s features are new, per se. In 2014, Google launched YouTube Offline, a setting within the YouTube app that lets users download videos. Smart Offline, which launched earlier this year, automatically schedules downloads on days and times when networks are least congested.

YouTube Go is available for download in the Google Play Store in select countries such as India, Indonesia, Egypt, and a few more. The app also works on Android 4.1, Jelly Bean and up.

Update: YouTube Go is officially out of beta and available in select countries 

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Samsung’s new SeeColor app adjusts hues to assist color-blind viewers

Being color blind doesn’t have to stop you from enjoying the many of the vivid hues in the world — at least, not by way of your Samsung television. This week, Samsung debuted a new app called SeeColors, compatible with all Samsung QLED television sets. The app is meant to help those with Color Vision Deficiency (CVD) not only diagnose their unique color perception challenges, but also adjust display color settings, giving them the opportunity to enjoy a viewing experience in full color.

“Samsung is committed to making people’s everyday lives smarter and more convenient through technology and innovation,” said Hyeongnam Kim, vice president of visual display at Samsung Electronics. “The launch of SeeColors for QLED TV embodies this mission by providing users with a way to address one of the world’s biggest optical challenges through the latest technologies and visual displays.”

While Samsung notes that nearly 300 million folks around the world live with CVD, many are not aware of the condition, and how their perception of color differs from others. But Samsung hopes to bring the world into sharp relief for these folks by way of the new app. SeeColors was developed in partnership with Professor Klara Wenzel of Budapest University of Technology and Economics. Wenzel developed a tool known as C-Test, a “digital diagnosis test that uses the concept of color filters and mathematical modeling to diagnose levels of CVD,” as per a Samsung release. By integrating the C-Test in the SeeColors app, Samsung has given folks the ability to see the world (or their TV screens) in sharp color. Using the app, users can identify both the type and level of their CVD, and then recalibrate their TV based on the app’s results.

The SeeColors app is currently available for download (free of charge) from the Smart TV App store, or from the Google Play and the Galaxy App Store for Samsung Galaxy smartphones S6, S6 edge, S6 edge+, S7, S7 edge and S8 devices. If you connect your Galaxy smartphone to your QLED TV, the television will instantly adjust color settings based on your smartphone readings.

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Samsung rolls out the (burgundy) red carpet for the Galaxy S8’s newest color

The Samsung Galaxy S8 may have been one of the first flagships of the year, and much of Samsung’s attention has likely shifted to the Galaxy Note 8 and the upcoming Samsung Galaxy S9. It seems, however, as though Samsung hasn’t forgotten about the Galaxy S8 completely — in fact, it just made the phone available in a new color: Burgundy Red.

According to Samsung, the “luxurious hue accentuates the elegance of the Galaxy S8’s ergonomic glass and metal form, creating a seamless and refined aesthetic that will resonate with a wide range of tastes.”

The new color is available in South Korea now, and Samsung says it will roll out to other select markets — though it hasn’t given any specifics as to which markets those will be. It’s a pretty safe bet that we’ll end up seeing the new Burgundy Red Samsung Galaxy S8 in the U.S., but we don’t know for sure just yet. The Galaxy S8 is also available in Midnight Black, Orchid Gray, Coral Blue, Arctic Silver, and Maple Gold. It’s also available in Rose Pink in some markets.

The Samsung Galaxy S8 was one of the most popular phones of the year, and for good reason. The phone boasts Qualcomm’s latest and greatest chip, the Snapdragon 835, along with 4GB of RAM and 64GB of storage. Perhaps the best thing about it has nothing to do with the specs under the hood — the phone is widely loved for it’s beautiful design and edge-to-edge display.

Still, the Galaxy S9 is well and truly on its way. Already we have started hearing rumors about the upcoming device, and some of those rumors indicate that the new device will be quite a bit different from the currently-available Galaxy S8. How so? Well, leaks suggest that the back of the phone will change quite a bit, which could mean we’ll see a dual-lens sensor on the phone. The back will also likely feature a fingerprint sensor — though some reports note that Samsung is still working on a way to implement the fingerprint sensor into the phone’s display.

The new Burgundy Red Samsung Galaxy S8 is available now in South Korea, and we’ll likely see it in the U.S. in the very near future.

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Motorola tweaking its G and E series of phones for 2018, Moto X5 hinted at

Motorola has a lot of phones up its sleeves for 2018.

Ever since its acquisition by Lenovo, Motorola has been releasing more than a few smartphones each year. Just in 2017 alone, we saw the Moto G5 Plus, Moto G5S Plus, Moto Z2 Play, Moto Z2 Force, Moto E4, Moto X4, etc., etc.

Evan Blass recently took to Twitter to talk about some of Motorola’s release plans for 2018, and we could be looking at even more handsets than what we saw this year.

According to Blass, Motorola will be releasing Play variants of the Moto E and G once again. This year we only saw the Moto G5/G5 Plus and E4/E4 Plus, but if this turns out to be true, next year we’ll get the Moto G6, G6 Play, and G6 Plus, as well as the Moto E5, E5 Play, and E5 Plus. This is a release pattern that Motorola dabbled with in 2016, and for better or worse, it’ll be rearing its head once more in 2018.

In addition to the above phones, Blass also shared a logo for the Moto X5. There aren’t any specs or images of the phone to go along with it, but if the X5 is anything like this year’s X4, we’ll be looking at another handset that offers a flagship-like experience at a fraction of the cost.

Moto X4 review: A mid-range phone done right

Best Alternatives to Google Pixel Buds

What are the best wireless headphones to get if I don’t want Pixel Buds?

Google’s first stab at wireless headphones is a mixed bag of good ideas and middling execution. There are a lot of things to like about the Pixel Buds, but at $159 they’re relatively expensive, and many elements of the design, from the case to the fit inside the ears, is inconsistent.

Thankfully, there are plenty of alternatives to the Pixel Buds. But before we get to the specific options, we’re going to talk about the two dominant styles. The first is similar to the Pixel Buds themselves: earbuds tethered by a cord, usually meant to wrap around the back of the neck; then there’s truly wireless, similar to the Samsung IconX and Apple AirPods, where both earbuds are independent.

There are advantages and disadvantages to both of these designs.

You can use Pixel Buds without a Pixel phone, but should you?

Truly wireless headphones

• Separate wireless earbuds are generally easier to manipulate since there’s no cord getting in the way and, in some cases, weighing down the headphone portion.
• They tend to have shorter battery life, and can be bulky, since all of the “tech” is inside the earbud itself.
• They often have charging cases, which means carrying an extra object around.
• On the flip side, those cases often have an additional battery of their own, giving the headphones extra uptime.

‘Connected’ wireless headphones

• Headphones like the Pixel Buds have a cable that connects the two earbuds together. This prevents individual pieces from getting lost.
• Many of them have batteries built into the cord itself, so they’re charged via a Micro-USB port on the device itself. Nothing extra to carry around.
• Some of them are made of flexible, rubberized, water-resistant material, making them ideal for workouts.
• Others are true neckbuds and have additional technology inside the cord, including active noise cancellation.
• With a cable or cord between the earbuds, there’s often room for a microphone and controls.

Why you shouldn’t (or should) buy the Pixel Buds

Here’s the thing: the Pixel Buds aren’t bad, but in my opinion, they consist of a bunch of really good ideas executed poorly. From the oddly-shaped earbuds themselves that make it difficult to get a good placement (nevermind a seal, which is intentionally not possible) to the finicky gesture system that is far too sensitive to the bulky case that’s hard to fit in a pocket, the Pixel Buds just aren’t ready for prime time.

The Pixel Buds aren’t bad, but you can do better with your $160.

In my time with the headphones, I enjoyed the fact that they read notifications, and can be easily used to access Google Assistant. I think the famed translation feature is, while a great idea, executed poorly, and doesn’t add anything to the experience of using Google Translate. And while they can sound good, I was forced to crank the volume while walking outside because so much ambient sound leaks in.

My takeaway from the Pixel Buds is that they add instead of remove friction from one’s life. I spent so much time getting them to merely sit properly in my ears, or cursing at the too-sensitive gesture area, that I rarely just got to enjoy the headphones themselves.

That said, I think the Pixel Buds look pretty good, and they are an exciting addition to the growing category of wireless “smart” headphones. If you’re interested in buying them, go right ahead: they cost $159 and you could certainly do worse.

See at Google

If you don’t want the Pixel Buds, here are our favorite alternatives.

Truly wireless headphones

Samsung Gear IconX 2018

It took Samsung over two years to release an update to its first truly wireless earbud, but we’re glad they did. While they don’t sound much better than they did two years ago (which is just OK but not as good as the ones below), everything else about the standalone earbuds has been improved. Battery life, in particular, has been boosted to around five hours, and the included charging case triples that amount. The best part? Unlike any other case on this list, the IconX charges with USB-C.

At $199 these aren’t cheap, and the included fitness features may not be enough to entice someone over the cheaper and better-sounding Jaybirds. Still, Samsung has released a homerun update here, and at its current $50 discount these are a must-buy.

See at Amazon

Zolo Liberty & Liberty+

Anker’s home and portable entertainment brand, Zolo, has only been around for a short time, but the company’s off to a great start with the Liberty and Liberty+ wireless earbuds. Available for $100 and $150 respectively, there’s only a slight difference in the sound quality of the more expensive buds. The rest of the price gaps comes in the form of Bluetooth 5.0 support in the Plus (Liberty supports Bluetooth 4.2) and a larger battery, offering 48-hours in the case compared to 24-hours in the cheaper model.

While we haven’t tried the Liberty+, we’ve been impressed with the sound coming out of the Liberty, with clear mids, deep bass, and smooth highs. They’re also quite comfortable to wear for long periods and are IPX5 sweat-proof, which is perfect for workouts. There’s also a microphone embedded in the right earpiece, with support for smart assistants like Google Assistant.

See at Amazon

Apple AirPods

Yes, they’re meant for iPhones and all that, but the AirPods are among the best truly wireless headphones available today — as long as their shape fits in your ears.

Even without the easy pairing of the W1 chip, AirPods work with every Android phone out there today, and they sound pretty good, though they lack the kind of thumping bass you would get from larger drivers or more specialized in-ear monitors.

After nearly a year with the AirPods, I can safely say that their best feature is their comfort: you can wear them for hours without even realizing they’re there. And when it’s time for charging, they slip into the white dental floss-looking case you’ll either love or hate.

At $159, not everyone will see their value, but if you’ve got an iPhone-wielding friend with a pair of AirPods, give them a try before dismissing them.

See at Apple

Jaybird RUN

Aimed primarily at runners and other athletes, Jaybird’s entry into the truly wireless headphone category hasn’t been smooth — early software was extremely buggy and dropped connections — but after an update, these buds are good to go. With some of the best sound in the category, Jaybird RUN earbuds are meant to be big and bulky, but somehow they fit in my ear perfectly.

Like all Jaybird products, the RUN comes with a number of ear tips and wings to ensure the perfect fit, and like their X3 counterparts, they are fully water- and sweatproof. There are also controls on the right earbud to answer calls and initiate Google Assistant.

At $180, these are pricey, but they haven’t fallen out of my ears on a run yet, and they sound great.

See at Jaybird

Bose Sound Sport Free

For $240, you get a lot of sound with Bose’s truly wireless version of its popular Sound Sport Free earbuds. The advantage here is that, like the Jaybirds, they’re meant for exercise, and are equipped with sweat-proofing and a rugged design. But they sound better than any of the other earbuds on this list thanks to incredibly comfortable tips (a Bose specialty) and large drivers to push that sound.

Also like then Jaybirds, there’s a separate charging case with two additional charges totaling 24-hours of uptime, and Bose promises software updates to fix intermittent sync issues.

See at Amazon

B&O Beoplay E8

The cream of the crop in this category, B&O’s entry into the truly wireless category is all about luxury — and you’ll pay for it. For $299 you get buttery smooth sound, an amazingly comfortable fit in the ear, and a leather charging case.

Touch controls make pausing songs and accepting calls easy, and a quick gesture turns on the monitor feature, using the onboard microphones to temporarily let in the outside world for a quick conversation or to catch an announcement.

Because the E8s are slightly smaller than others on this list, making for a more comfortable, lightweight feel in the ear, battery life of four hours doesn’t quite top the competition, but the charging case adds an additional eight hours. These are the earbuds for true wireless audiophiles — if that’s a real thing yet.

See at Amazon

‘Connected’ wireless headphones

Jaybird X3

Jaybird finds its way twice onto this list for good reason: it makes great sport headphones. That said, the X3s sound so good that they don’t need to be used while sweating up a storm. In fact, if you spend the time to find a great fit for them (like the RUN earbuds, they come with a multitude of tips and wings), they can sound incredible. And there’s a set of buttons and a microphone on the cord for easy controls.

At just over $125, they’re affordable and easy to set up. The included snap-on charger is an improvement over the previous generation, and they last around eight hours before needing to be topped up. Owned by Logitech, Jaybird also has one of the best customer support reputations in the game, so if anything goes wrong with these waterproof headphones, they’ll be easily replaced.

See at Amazon

Fitbit Flyer

Fitbit’s entry into the wireless headphone space is pretty much flawless: incredible sound quality, excellent battery life, and plenty of plug and wing options to find the perfect fit.

Like the company’s Ionic smartwatch, the design will not be to everyone’s tastes — the jewel-like outer shell takes some getting used to — but there’s a consistency to Fitbit’s products that’s rewarding if you invest in them.

The Flyer has slightly shorter battery life than the Jaybirds, but they’re easily charged via Micro-USB, and there are no additional dongles needed — a port opens up to reveal the port. At $130, these are a great alternative to the X3s and the Pixel Buds alike, even if exercise isn’t a huge part of the equation.

See at Amazon

Bose Sound Sport Wireless

The OG neckbud success story, Bose is in the game for good reason. At $150 (and occasionally on sale for less), the Sound Sport Wireless sound better than the truly wireless equivalents, have a narrower form factor and a longer-lasting battery.

Like all other Bose products, an easy-going sound profile is key here, and the included tips are very, very comfortable for longer listening periods. Along with Bluetooth, there’s NFC pairing here, too, if your Android phone supports it, along with in-line controls and sweat resistance during workouts.

See at Amazon

Shure SE215

Shure has a fantastic reputation for noise-isolating headphones (well, headphones in general, actually) and the SE215s, at $150, are a great combination of wireless convenience and Shure’s superb sound quality.

What sets these apart is the design: not only does the cord go around the back of the neck, but the earbud cord is designed to wrap around the back of the ear to prevent gravity from doing its thing. That means less adjusting and more listening — for up to eight hours.

While the SE215s don’t have active noise cancellation, they’re designed to get a tight fit inside the ear, ensuring passive isolation to facilitate concentration and focus. Among the interesting features here, too, are the ability to connect to up to four devices at once and dynamic source switching depending on proximity.

See at Amazon

Sennheiser CX 7.00BT

Sennheiser’s latest addition to its wireless headphone lineup is a pair of outstanding-sounding neckbuds. These aren’t the type of neckbuds that merely wrap a piece of fabric around one’s neck, but a true set with necklace hardware that sits on the base of the neck with retractable cords extending outwards to the ears.

Like all Sennheiser products, these sound amazing and thanks to the additional room in the base, affords up to 10 hours of playback on a single charge. At $150, these are an affordable way to get excellent audio and easy to reach controls with all-day comfort, since the earbuds can just float.

See at Amazon

Your picks?

Of course, everyone is going to have their own version of this list, but these are among the best alternatives to the Pixel Buds, and we’ll be updating it regularly with more picks as we try them.

Buy one $5 Dash button, get two free plus $5 credit per button

Press a button, get a product! It’s the future.

With this deal, all you’re spending is $5 on a single Amazon Dash button. You’ll get two extra dash buttons for free, and all Dash buttons give you a $4.99 credit the first time you use them. That’s $25 total coming back to you with $10 in free Dash buttons and $15 in credit after you use each one.

All you have to do to get the Buy 1, Get 2 discount is add three Dash buttons to your cart. You’ll see $10 taken off the price automatically during checkout.

The Dash button is a simple, one button way, to reorder your most-used household items. From pet food to water, ink cartridges and more, you simply purchase the button, set it up with your Amazon account and pick the item that you want it to order, and then press it when you are in need of said item.

I think the key to getting the most out of a Dash button is picking an essential product. Pick laundry detergent or paper towels or printer paper – things you know you’ll need to order again eventually and don’t want to spend time looking up. That makes the investment worth it.

See at Amazon

Aukey’s $4 car mount inserts into your CD player to keep your device steady

Finally get some use out of your car’s CD player.

Is this deal for me?

Aukey’s Magnetic Car Mount is now on sale at Amazon for just $3.99. This saves you over half of what this mount sells for on average.

Slide the end of this phone mount into your CD player to keep your phone in place while traveling. It features a magnetic plate which you can either slip between your phone and its case, or adhere to the back of either so that you can quickly throw it onto (and remove it from) the mount easily. This also allows you to mount practically any phone to this product.

This phone mount is super slim, so there’s little chance of it obstructing your view while driving. It’s also padded with soft rubber so there’s little chance of it scratching your phone as well.

Since you won’t be able to use your CD player while using this car mount, you may want to add some Bluetooth connectivity to your car to keep your music playing. Aukey has a Bluetooth FM transmitter available for $23.99 right now, and buying both with the promo code Z3982QM2 will drop the price of the phone mount down to just $3.19.

If you’re like me and don’t want to give up being able to use your CD player, you could grab this two-pack of Aukey phone mounts which clip into your air vent instead for just $8.09 with promo code AUKCM006. It’s hard to beat $4 apiece.

TL;DR

• What makes this deal worth considering? – This is the lowest price ever for this Aukey phone mount. Since you simply take the magnetic plate and slip it between your device and case, or adhere it to either, you can easily mount practically any phone to this product.
• Things to know before you buy! – This mount inserts into your CD player to keep your phone steady. You won’t be able to use your CD player while using this mount, however you can grab a two-pack of Aukey phone mounts which clip into your air vent instead for $8.09 with promo code AUKCM006.

See at Amazon