Pick up Amazon’s 1st gen Fire TV Stick for $30 right now

Watch all your favorite shows.

The Fire TV Stick streaming media player is down to $29.99 on Amazon. That’s $10 off its regular price and a match for a deal we haven’t seen since September.

Amazon does have a newer generation of the Fire TV Stick, but it is currently $50. That version includes 4K video support and an upgraded Alexa-enabled voice remote.

The Fire TV Stick is Amazon’s most affordable streaming hardware that provides quick and easy access to popular services like Amazon Prime Video, Hulu, Netflix, and more. It has an Alexa-enabled voice remote, which means that you can speak to it and get your favorite shows played without having to search for them manually. The device supports a picture quality up to 1080p and Dolby Audio.

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Time to try the Instant Pot Ultra pressure cooker on sale for $120 today

Look like a cooking genius.

The Instant Pot Ultra 8-quart 10-in-1 programmable pressure cooker is on sale for $119.95 as part of Amazon’s daily deals. This pressure cooker normally sells for around $180 and has never sold for less than $140 before. The drop to $120 marks a new low, even if it is temporary. Today’s deal makes it cost the same as the 3-quart version.

An eight-quart pressure cooker makes a lot of food. If you regularly cook for six or more people, then go for it. With 10 different uses, this pot can be a pressure cooker, slow cooker, rice cooker, yogurt maker, cake maker, egg cooker, saute, steamer, warmer, and sterilizer. Some of the features include an altitude adjustment, cooking indicator, and steam release. The pot’s embedded microprocessor monitors pressure, temperature, time, and more. Users give it 4.4 stars based on 1,561 reviews.

If you need some ideas on what to do with it, this Instant Pot cookbook we’ve shared before is free right now on Amazon.

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Never get stranded in an emergency with the $80 Anker Roav Jump Starter Pro

Stay prepared.

The Anker Roav 800A 8000mAh Jump Starter Pro is down to $79.99 with code ROAVR312 on Amazon. The Roav normally sells for $100 and we haven’t seen a discount on it before. This deal puts it at the same price as the much smaller Anker PowerCore mini jump starter.

Anker’s device combines an emergency jump starter with an emergency battery charger. If your car dies on you, you won’t have to worry about being stranded in the middle of nowhere. You can get up to 15 jump starts from a single charge of this device. Hopefully you won’t need to use them all. If it happens at night, the device has a built-in high-intensity LED lamp. Plus, there are two USB ports for charging your mobile devices in a pinch with the 8000mAh battery. Anker backs it up with an 18-month warranty, and the 52 users who have reviewed it give it 4.6 stars out of 5.

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Chrome may soon embrace Snapdragon laptops with native ARM version

A native ARM version of Chrome could bring better performance to the table.

One downside to picking up a Windows 10 on ARM laptop built on Qualcomm’s Snapdragon platform is that traditional desktop apps require emulation, which brings an inevitable performance hit. But Chrome, the most popular browser on the market, could be close to circumventing that limitation.

Speaking in an interview with Android Authority at Arm TechCon, Qualcomm’s senior director of product management, Miguel Nunes, confirmed that a native ARM version of the desktop browser is in the works. Says Nunes:

We’re still working with the different OEMs and designs. I expect you’ll see it probably around (the) second half of next year. Every OEM will decide whatever their launch timeline is, but we’re actively working on it.

Nunes’ choice of words could indicate that it is working to launch Chrome for ARM laptops with specific device manufacturers, which would be an interesting approach, to say the least. But if a native ARM port of Chrome is around the corner, it would be a big win for Windows 10 on ARM PCs. As much as Microsoft is hoping to bolster adoption of its own Edge browser, the fact remains that Chrome dominates the market. Anything that would boost the browser’s performance, even if only by a small amount, would only serve to benefit consumers in the end.

Beyond Chrome, Nunes also commented on the growing ecosystem of Snapdragon PCs as more powerful chips hit the market. When asked if he was worried people would skip over Snapdragon 850 laptops in favor of those with later Snapdragon releases (such as the rumored Snapdragon 1000), Nunes responded:

No, I don’t think so… We’re gonna be creating two distinct product lines… We know you need device diversification. We know you need price diversification. And you’re not going to be able to do that with one product. So we do expect two different lines of products with two different price points. So they will co-exist.

Intel Says 10nm Chip Development is On Track

Responding to claims earlier this morning that it had ended development on its 10nm “Cannon Lake” processors, Intel announced on Twitter that it is “making good progress” on its upcoming 10nm chips.

The announcement followed a claim from SemiAccurate suggesting Intel had killed off its 10nm process. Intel’s 10nm chips were supposed to launch at some point in 2016, but have been delayed multiple times due to production difficulties.

According to Intel, yields on its 10nm process are improving “consistent with the timeline” shared during the last earnings report, which means sans additional delays, the chips will come out in 2019.

Media reports published today that Intel is ending work on the 10nm process are untrue. We are making good progress on 10nm. Yields are improving consistent with the timeline we shared during our last earnings report.

— Intel News (@intelnews) October 22, 2018

Apple uses Intel chips in its line of Mac desktops and notebooks, and Intel’s delays have caused problems for the Cupertino-based company in recent years.

As a result, Apple is said to be planning to transition away from Intel chips to its own custom-designed chips as soon as 2020 or 2021, using supplier TSMC as a manufacturer.

With custom-designed Mac chips, Apple will no longer be forced to delay updates due to Intel’s manufacturing issues, and custom chips will give the company more control over design, better profits, and a way to differentiate its products from competing PCs.

Apple has long used Apple-designed A-Series chips in its iOS devices, and the marriage between hardware and software often results in performance that is unmatched by competing products. Similar gains could come when Apple has more control over Mac chip design as well.

Apple won’t be ready to transition to its own chips by 2019, and will likely adopt the 10nm Cannon Lake chips from Intel provided those chips make their launch date. Cannon Lake chips will bring performance improvements, reduced power consumption, and support for faster, more efficient LPDDR4 RAM.

Tag: Intel
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Kuo: iPhone XR Pre-Order Demand Over First Weekend Exceeded That of iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus

iPhone XR pre-order demand in the first three days of the device’s availability was “better than that” of the iPhone 8 and iPhone 8 Plus during the same period last year, according to Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo.

In a research note obtained by MacRumors, Kuo said that although pre-order demand immediately after launch has been lower for the iPhone XR versus the flagship iPhone XS models, overall iPhone XR shipment momentum is “more stable” because it will drive more customers to upgrade than the iPhone 8 series over time.

Kuo added that iPhone XR shipping estimates on Apple.com (many models remain available for launch day delivery on Friday) do not indicate exact demand, as the type of customers interested in the device are more general users, with many ordering through carriers to take advantage of promotions.

An excerpt from Kuo’s research note with TF International Securities:

We are not surprised that XR’s initial delivery times are shorter than those of the iPhone XS series after pre-order open given that XS and XR have different target customers. The former’s target customers are Apple fans, who snap up new models rapidly after the pre-order open. The latter’s are general users who are used to operating iOS with characteristics including favoring the Apple brand, limited budget, or no urgent replacement demand.

Some other analysts had expressed concerns that the iPhone XR’s strong availability implied weak sales of the $749 handset.

Kuo already predicted that iPhone XR demand would be higher than that for the iPhone 8 series last year in a research note shared last week. He also increased his iPhone XR shipment forecast to 36 to 38 million units in the fourth quarter of 2018, up 10 percent from his original estimate of 33 to 35 million units.

Related Roundups: iPhone 8, iPhone XRTags: Ming-Chi Kuo, TF International SecuritiesBuyer’s Guide: iPhone XR (Buy Now)
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eBay Debuts New Smartphone Trade-In Program ‘Instant Selling’

eBay today launched a new option for customers who are looking to trade in their iPhones or other smartphones, which it’s calling “Instant Selling.” Using this feature, you can list an old iPhone and get paid instantly with an eBay voucher.

Instead of listing an old device on eBay as normal, waiting for bids to come in and for payment to be received, eBay is making this process easier with Instant Selling. To use the program, visit eBay, enter your device’s information to see if it’s eligible, add images, list the device, and get a quote.

Afterwards, you’ll receive an instant eBay voucher representing the resell cost of the smartphone, which you can then put towards the purchase of a new smartphone or anything you come across on eBay. The retailer will also provide a shipping label for you to ship out your old iPhone.

“Millions of Americans have unused phones in their homes and simply don’t realize how much their devices are worth, probably because trade-in values are typically so low,” said Alyssa Steele, Vice President of Hard Goods, eBay. “With Instant Selling, people can find out exactly how much their phone is worth, and sell their phone within a matter of minutes to immediately help fund the holidays, or maybe something off their personal wish list.”

eBay’s program will be helpful for anyone who plans on doing a lot of holiday shopping on the site, since the provided voucher is only accepted on eBay. If you think that might be you, eBay says that Instant Selling provides higher trade-in values on average in comparison to sites like Gazelle, EcoATM, Apple’s GiveBack program, and more.

A table that eBay provided highlights its high-end values, but it still looks like Instant Selling could be a solid trade-in option for eBay shoppers. eBay offers $579 for an excellent condition used 64GB iPhone X, compared to the Apple GiveBack program’s $525.

As of now, Instant Selling eligibility includes unlocked smartphones on Verizon and AT&T, the Samsung Galaxy S7 to S9+, and the iPhone 6s 16GB to iPhone X 256GB. Next month eBay will add Sprint, T-Mobile, Google Pixel, and some LG devices to the program.

Note: MacRumors is an affiliate partner with eBay. When you click a link and make a purchase, we may receive a small payment, which helps us keep the site running.

Tag: eBay
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HomePod is Ninth Most Popular Smart Speaker in United States According to Recent Survey

Apple’s HomePod is the ninth most popular smart speaker model in the United States, according to an online survey of 1,011 smart speaker users conducted by research firm Strategy Analytics in July and August.

The top eight positions are held by various Amazon Echo and Google Home models in the Strategy Analytics rankings. The standard Amazon Echo tops the list with an estimated 23 percent share of the U.S. installed base of smart speakers, while the HomePod is estimated to have just four percent market share.

• Amazon Echo: 23%
• Amazon Echo Dot: 21%
• Google Home: 8%
• Google Home Mini: 7%
• Amazon Echo Plus: 5%
• Amazon Echo Spot: 4%
• Amazon Echo Show: 4%
• Amazon Echo Dot Kids Edition: 4%
• Apple HomePod: 4%
• Google Home Max: 2%

Apple does not disclose HomePod sales in its quarterly earnings results. In August, Strategy Analytics estimated that HomePod shipments totaled 700,000 units in the second quarter of 2018, giving Apple a roughly six percent share of the worldwide smart speaker market at the time.

While the HomePod may have only a single-digit share of the overall market, Strategy Analytics shared data last month indicating that Apple accounts for 70 percent of the small but growing $200-plus smart speaker market, topping competing products such as the Google Home Max and a variety of Sonos speakers.

That data shouldn’t come as much of a surprise, as Amazon Echo and Google Home models are regularly priced as low as $49, whereas the HomePod retails for $349. Apple has marketed the HomePod as a premium speaker that also has Siri, as opposed to a personal assistant that also plays music.

It’s also worth noting that the HomePod only launched this past February, two to three years after its biggest competitors. Today, the HomePod is available in the United States, United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, France, and Germany, with sales set to begin in Mexico and Spain on Friday.

Back in April, well-connected Apple analyst Ming-Chi Kuo said Apple was “mulling” a “low-cost version” of the HomePod, possibly in the form of a Siri-enabled Beats speaker. The status of those plans is unclear.

Related Roundup: HomePodTag: Strategy AnalyticsBuyer’s Guide: HomePod (Neutral)
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Apple Seeds Fifth Beta of tvOS 12.1 to Developers

Apple today seeded the fifth beta of an upcoming tvOS 12.1 update to developers for testing purposes, one week after seeding the fourth update and over a month after releasing the tvOS 12 update.

Designed for the fourth and fifth-generation Apple TV models, the new tvOS 12.1 beta can be downloaded onto the Apple TV via a profile that’s installed using Xcode. Subsequent betas can be downloaded over-the-air.

We’re not yet sure what fixes and changes the tvOS 12.1 update might bring, but it’s likely to focus on bugs that have been discovered since the release of tvOS 12. No new features were discovered in the first three tvOS 12.1 betas.

Apple’s tvOS updates have historically been minor in scale, and Apple does not often provide us with detailed notes outlining what’s new, but we’ll update this post should any changes be found in the fifth beta.

Related Roundups: Apple TV, tvOS 12Buyer’s Guide: Apple TV (Caution)
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Apple Seeds Fifth Beta of watchOS 5.1 to Developers

Apple today seeded the fifth beta of an upcoming watchOS 5.1 update to developers, one week after seeding the fourth watchOS 5.1 beta and more than a month after releasing the new watchOS 5 operating system.

Once the proper configuration profile has been installed from the Apple Developer Center, the new watchOS beta can be downloaded through the dedicated Apple Watch app on the iPhone by going to General –> Software update.

To install the update, the Apple Watch needs to have at least 50 percent battery, it must be placed on the charger, and it has to be in range of the iPhone.

watchOS 5.1 includes support for the Group FaceTime feature that’s also available in iOS 12.1 and macOS 10.14.1, with Group FaceTime calls able to be answered in an audio-only capacity on the Apple Watch. Group FaceTime allows you to chat with up to 32 people at one time.

The watchOS 5.1 update brings a full-screen new “Color” watch face option for the new Apple Watch Series 4 models, with users able to choose between dozens of shades. There’s also a filled-in circular color option for older Apple Watch models that joins the standard Color clock face.

Alongside macOS 10.14.1 and iOS 12.1, watchOS 5.1 introduces support for more than 70 new emoji characters like face with hearts, red hair, gray hair, curly hair, super heroes, kangaroo, peacock, parrot, lobster, cupcake, mango, and more.

For additional details on watchOS 5 and what was introduced in the new software, make sure to check out our watchOS 5 roundup.

Related Roundups: Apple Watch, watchOS 5Buyer’s Guide: Apple Watch (Buy Now)
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