Apple Says Third-Generation Keyboards Exclusive to 2018 MacBook Pro

Last month, Apple initiated a Keyboard Service Program for MacBook and MacBook Pro, after determining that a “small percentage” of the keyboards in 2015-2017 MacBook and 2016-2017 MacBook Pro models may experience keys that feel “sticky,” repeat, or do not respond in a consistent manner.

Apple did not identify a cause for the issues, which they call “behaviors,” but they’re believed to be caused by dust and other particulates becoming stuck in the butterfly switch mechanism underneath keycaps.

Apple has been servicing affected keyboards free of charge, with the process involving the replacement of one or more keys, or the whole keyboard. For the MacBook Pro, the replacements are second-generation keyboards — often the 2017 variant with slightly different markings on the Control and Option keys.

Then, last week, Apple surprised us with new 2018 MacBook Pro models that feature an “improved third-generation keyboard for quieter typing.” These models are not eligible, at least not now, for Apple’s service program.

Apple hasn’t directly acknowledged whether the quieter, third-generation keyboards dually address the keyboard issues, but iFixit discovered the 2018 MacBook Pro has a thin, silicone barrier underneath each key, which they believe are intended to prevent the dust and crumbs from getting stuck.

iFixit discovered a thin, silicone layer underneath keys on the 2018 MacBook Pro
For this reason, some customers have been hoping that Apple will start swapping out second-generation keyboards with third-generation keyboards, as part of its service program, but MacRumors has learned that isn’t the plan.

When asked if Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers will be permitted to replace second-generation keyboards on 2016 and 2017 MacBook Pro models with the new third-generation keyboards, if necessary, Apple said, no, the third-generation keyboards are exclusive to the 2018 MacBook Pro.

Hopefully, in that case, it means that Apple has quietly tweaked the second-generation keyboard to be more reliable. It wouldn’t really make sense, and wouldn’t feel very Apple, for them to continue using replacement keyboards that are just as prone to break as the ones they are replacing.

Of course, it is possible that a few customers who send in their 2016 or 2017 MacBook Pro may end up with a third-generation keyboard in rare circumstances, at the discretion of Apple Stores and Apple Authorized Service Providers.

To initiate a repair, head to the Contact Apple Support portal, select Mac → Mac notebooks → Hardware Issues → Keyboard not working as expected → Bring in for Repair and book an appointment with an Apple Store or Apple Authorized Service Provider. Remember to back up your Mac before any servicing.

Related Roundup: MacBook ProBuyer’s Guide: MacBook Pro (Buy Now)
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Photography 101: Mastering the golden hour

Peggy2012CREATIVELENZ/flickr

You know those photos that look snapshots of a memory instead of an actual person or place? The ones that seem to glow, and everything in them seems rimmed with a halo of light? The ones with stunning flares of light that look like the subject’s soul is exploding out of them and dust clouds that look like magic suspended in air? Well, most of the time that wasn’t just coincidence – those photos were taken during what’s commonly known as the golden hour, also known as the magic hour.

“Hour” is figurative here. The golden hour refers to the period just after sunrise or just before sunset, and its length depends on where you are, what time of year it is, and the weather conditions. Also, while the terms are nearly synonymous, golden hour actually has a definition based on the measurable angle of the sun to the horizon, whereas magic hour is a broader term that sometimes incorporates both the golden hour and the blue hour — another measurable time based on the sun’s angle to the horizon. In this article, we’ll use them interchangeably. Regardless of season or location – or what you call it – it’s a special time for photography. But why, exactly?

Light. Light is the most important photographic element. The light just after sunrise and just before sunset is unlike any other light and it can’t be replicated, no matter how hard you try (well, you could cheat if you have photo-editing software, but it doesn’t beat the real thing or feel as rewarding). There are a few things about this kind of light that make it unique and beloved.

What is the golden hour?

It’s warm

The golden hour is all about light. The temperature of the light during this time is, as the name suggests, in the yellow range when it comes to the light spectrum. Without delving too deeply into your AP Chemistry textboon, light has a spectrum of temperatures that correspond to different colors of light. Remember ROY G BIV? On one side of the spectrum you have high-temperature blue light, and on the other end you have low-temperature red light. During the golden hour, the temperature is in the yellow range, which gives the light that coveted, golden hue.

It’s diffuse

When the sun is near the horizon, its light has to travel through more atmosphere than at other points in the sky. That atmosphere acts as a giant diffuser, thus reducing and softening the intensity of direct light. This creates a more even light, so the difference in correct exposure between your darks and lights is less, meaning it’s far easier to capture a more evenly exposed photo. It’s as if the whole sky is one giant light box, only better. Furthermore, all that atmosphere the light has to travel through filters out the blue light and makes the light appear more reddish.

Diffuse light from the sunrise spreads over this vineyard, lighting the foreground and background without sharp shadows. Malcolm Carlaw/Flickr

It’s directional

When the sun is very low in the sky, its angle is more drastic in relation to the earth, making shadows longer and softer. Having long shadows in your shot helps show all three dimensions of the world when you’re trying to capture them in a two dimensional space. Also, because your exposure is more even, the sky and whatever else is in the background, your middle ground, and the foreground can all be clearly defined and properly exposed, which creates a greater sense of depth. You can also use the direction of the sun to create specific effects and to highlight textural details.

The low angle of the sun help when creating longer shadows, which makes this photo more dimensional. Rabiem22/Flickr

These ‘tentacular’ jellyfish lamps bring the deep sea to the surface

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Art has always found inspiration in nature, from prehistoric cave paintings to dynamic modern architecture. In the tradition of bio-inspiration, a German designer named Max Jürgensen has created a stunning lamp that mimics the appearance and fluid movement of a jellyfish. The Jellyfish Motion Lights are part lamp, part installation, and completely captivating.

“I’ve always been intrigued by jellyfish and actually kept some in a special tank on my desk,” Jürgensen told Digital Trends. “Watching their slow moves and unearthly appearance was simply mesmerizing. I wanted to capture this beauty in my first design.”

Max Jürgensen

Figuring out how to re-create the jellyfish’s effortless movement wasn’t easy — it took months of trial and error for Jürgensen to unlock a simple mechanism that worked. But all that effort paid off with a handmade prototype, which he recently took to Kickstarter to promote.

“From casting the silicone to the milled body parts, I put so much love and effort in to this project,” Jürgensen said. “All visible parts are made from silicone to give it that realistic look. The body parts are made from injection-molded plastic. Right now I am working on a mirror-polished metal version. These look like they come right from a science fiction movie and create gorgeous light refraction.”

These tentacular lamps don’t come cheap, though. A handful of early birds can back the Kickstarter campaign and order one around $280. If the lamps launch (Jürgensen is aiming for December 2018) they’ll retail for around $340. However, with a little over half of its $52,500 funding goal reached, Jürgensen isn’t entirely optimistic that the campaign will succeed.

“This is my very first step as lamp designer and I am proud of it, even if the campaign fails, I believe in the idea of motion-miming lights,” he said. “I have a patent and will exhibit my work at design shows. I hope to find in this way a partner I can realize my project with.

“Meanwhile I will work on other designs, I can produce without the help from others,” he added. “I am a restless mind and have tons of ideas for new lamps that haven’t been there before.”

Editors’ Recommendations

• Here’s how to hack an Ikea lamp and transform it into a mixed-reality projector
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Motorola announces Android Go edition of the e 5 Play

Motorola has recently been making a name for itself in the budget smartphone space by providing quality phones at an affordable price point. Moto’s upcoming e 5 play looks to continue that trend by embracing Google’s Android Go platform designed to maximize performance on lower-end devices.

The phone is expected to launch in Europe and Latin America later this month and will cost 109 euros or roughly 127 U.S. dollars. In addition to the Go version of Android Oreo, that price point will get you a 5.3-inch screen with an 18:9 aspect ratio, an 8-megapixel rear-facing camera and a 5-megapixel front-facing camera for selfies. In terms of security features, the e 5 play will include a fingerprint reader located, thankfully, on the back of the device.

We don’t know too much about the phone’s software features aside from the fact that it will be running the Go version of Android Oreo which should, hopefully, provide the phone with better performance given that Go is built for lower-end devices. One potential downside is the fact that the press release specifically mentions “fewer pre-installed” apps which means there will be some pre-installed apps on the phone. Rather that refers to necessities such as a calling and texting app or bloatware that you’ll want to uninstall remains to be seen.

Unfortunately, U.S. consumers may be out of luck on this one. The press release specifically mentions that this device will “only be available in various countries in Europe and Latin America.” Provided you ensure the device is compatible with U.S. carriers, you could theoretically have one imported for you, but the shipping fees and other costs associated with such a move may ruin the phone’s value proposition.

U.S. consumers might be disappointed that they won’t be able to get their hands on the Go edition of the e5 Play, but take heart, because there are still plenty of great budget smartphones out there for the U.S. market. In fact, there are so many that we had to write create a list to keep track of them all. With options ranging from “flagship-killers” to sub-$150, there’s a phone for every budget.

Editors’ Recommendations

• Android vs. iOS: Which smartphone platform is the best?
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• LG Fortune 2 review
• Moto G6 vs. Moto G5: Is it time to crown a new budget king?

How to play Steam games on Android without your PC

Steam is a household name — err, at least when it comes to gaming. Since its initial release in 2003, Valve’s popular distribution platform has become one of the go-to sources for anyone looking to download and install games on their PC, allowing gamers to play the biggest games without having to pick up physical copies in-store. And now, thanks to the recent beta launch of Steam Link, players can stream their entire library of Steam games directly to compatible Android devices.

The process is pretty straightforward, and once set up, it allows you to play games on your Android device using a Steam Controller, an Xbox Controller, or a number of other compatible peripherals that are designed to make gameplay less cumbersome.

To begin streaming, connect your PC and Android device to the same Wi-Fi network, which is one of the base requirements for the feature. Then, launch Steam on your computer and log in using your account name and password, as you would normally.

Next, head to the Google Play Store on your Android device and download the Steam Link app. Launch the app once installed, choose whether you want to pair a Steam Controller or a different controller, and run through the pairing process. The app will guide you through the pairing process if you’re using an official Steam Controller, otherwise, you’ll need to consult the user manual for your controller for specific pairing instructions. Keep in mind, however, that, most of the time, all you’ll need to do is turn on Bluetooth on both devices to enter pairing mode.

Once you’ve properly connected your controller, select your PC from the list of available choices on the following screen, which will bring up some pertinent information regarding your network. Tap Start Playing on the left once you’re satisfied with your connection, and navigate to your Steam Library using the toolbar at the top of the resulting page. Then, simply select the game you’d like to stream on your Android device and tap Play at the top! You’ll then be able to delve in using your controller — no PC required.

David Cogen — a regular contributor here at Digital Trends — runs TheUnlockr, a popular tech blog that focuses on tech news, tips and tricks, and the latest tech. You can also find him on Twitter discussing the latest tech trends.

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Watch all your favorite shows with the Roku Streaming Stick for $35

Faster, better, cheaper.

The Roku Streaming Stick media streaming device normally sells between $48 and $50. It dropped to $40 a couple times back in May and earlier, but this $34.99 sale price is the lowest we have ever seen.

This is one of Roku’s newest streaming devices, a refresh of previous models. It just released in early October. Roku claims the processor in the new stick is 50% faster than last year’s model. The remote is also updated with voice control and a few extra buttons, including power and volume control.

It comes with two AAA batteries, but you might consider adding some rechargeable batteries so you can just power them back up and keep on streaming when they get low.

See at Amazon

Best Amazon Prime Day Deals 2018

The celebrations have already begun!

Amazon Prime Day doesn’t officially begin until July 16 at 3pm ET, but that hasn’t stopped the company from beginning the deals a little bit early. Alongside the announcement, Amazon stated that a few deals would be available instantly for Prime members, and there are a few that you definitely won’t want to miss. In the coming days, we expect to see more deals leak, and our continuously updated tracker will highlight all the best Amazon Prime Day deals.

Be sure to check back often, as this page will be constantly adding fresh new deals. If you’re looking for deals on Amazon’s Echo hardware, Kindle Unlimited, Prime Pantry and more, we’ve got you covered.

Prime Exclusive Deals of the Day

In the lead-up to Prime Day, Amazon has switched over its Gold Box deals of the day to be all Prime member exclusive deals. Unlike some of the offers below, these prices expire at the end of the day, so you won’t have much time to think about them.

Today’s deals include:

• Patio, Lawn, and Garden furniture – Save up to 30%
• Premium activewear from Amazon brands – Save up to 40%
• Calvin Klein underwear – Save up to 50%
• Lillebaby carriers and wraps – Starting at $81
• Avantree portable adjustable laptop table – Starting at $28
• Hillfair 100% cotton throw blankets – Starting at $27
• 40+ Print Magazines – Starting at $1
• Ivi professional hair curling iron – Starting at $42
• Manyo Factory 1.7 fluid ounces Galactomyces Niacin Special Treatment Essence – Starting at $21

Echo Hardware

To kick things off, the company slashed $100 on the price of the Echo Show, dropping it down to just $129.99. This is the lowest we’ve ever seen it go and makes it the same price as the smaller screened Echo Spot. We’ve seen Amazon offer Voice Shopping exclusive deals in the past during Prime Day, so if you don’t have an Alexa device, or want another, this is a no-brainer purchase.

The Echo Dot is also down to $34.99, which is the lowest we’ve seen it hit this year.

Kindle Unlimited and Amazon Music Unlimited

If you’ve yet to try out Amazon’s Music Unlimited service, you can get a four-month membership for just $0.99. That’s right, all four months of unlimited access to all the music in the company’s library (which is rather extensive) for just one dollar. Prefer to read books instead of listening to music? No worries, Amazon has three months of Kindle Unlimited available for $0.99 as well. This gets you access to over a million book titles, and you can read as many of them as your heart desires during that time frame.

You can also go all-in on a Kindle Unlimited subscription and save 40% when you checkout with the coupon code PDKU18. This drops the one-year subscription down to $80.32 and the two-year subscription to $143.86. If you want to just buy a few books, you can get $10 towards any Kindle, print, or Audible book purchase when you buy any Kindle book for $5 or more before July 15.

Audible

Through the end of July, Amazon is offering Audible subscriptions at just $5 per month to new and returning members. The deal will remain active for three months, after which the service will begin billing you at its regular monthly price of $14.95. You can also choose to cancel the service at any time if you decide it’s not for you.

Amazon’s In-house brands

Amazon has a bunch of its own brands, and right now it’s offering 20% off home, kitchen, and other AmazonBasics gear, 30% off Amazon Elements multivitamins, and up to 25% off Stone & Beam furniture. There are a bunch of other Amazon brands from AmazonFresh to Mama Bear and Goodthreads that will also have discounted items available.

Twitch Prime Games and Gear

For the gamers out there, Amazon is offering a free PC game each day through July 18 via Twitch Prime. There are popular titles like Pillars of Eternity, Q.U.B.E, Hue, and more. You’ll also get exclusive in-game look for Warframe and PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds, and if you’re looking to load up on Twitch apparel, the merch is 50% off right now.

Prime Credit Cardholder Offers

Normally, the Amazon Prime Store Card and Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Card extend shoppers 5% cash back on all Amazon.com orders. You can put the cash back rewards towards your monthly statements or a future Amazon purchase.

Last year during Prime Day, Amazon upped its cash back offer from the standard 5% to 20% on thousands of items exclusively for cardholders. That means smart deal hunters with an Amazon Prime Store Card or Amazon Prime Rewards Visa Card were essentially saving an additional 15% on Prime Day. Eligible items included GoPro action cameras and Garmin fitness trackers. In fact, Amazon’s already running some bonus cash back offers for cardholders including 10% back on LG 4K OLED TVs and 20% back on the GoPro Hero action camera.

What’s more, Amazon is sweetening the pot by throwing in a free gift card upon approval. New Prime Store cardholders will receive a $20 gift card, while Prime Rewards Visa cardholders will get a $70 gift card. Both the credit card and gift card are automatically loaded into your Amazon account following the approval process, meaning if you apply now both will be ready to use during the big event.

American Express Rewards points

We already know that we will see millions of deals across the world on Prime Day, but did you know that you could drop the prices even lower by just shopping with your American Express points? Amazon frequently offers an additional percentage off select purchases when you checkout and pay for part of the transaction using your Rewards points, and come Prime Day, the company is offering 20% off on a variety of items.

When it comes to saving money, this may be one of the easiest ways you’ll be able to do it on Prime Day. The first step is to head to this page and click to activate the offer. Once the offer is activated, you’ll want to make sure that your American Express card is one of the payment methods in your account, and that you have linked your accounts successfully. The last, and easiest part, is to find an eligible item, add it to your cart, and pay using at least one American Express Reward point.

This discount can be redeemed on any item physical goods that are sold and shipped by Amazon. You won’t be able to redeem it on items sold by third parties, digital goods, or Amazon gift cards. It can only be redeemed once and has a maximum benefit of $100. The offer is currently live, so if there is something you want to buy now, you can save 20%. The promotion can end at any time, so be sure to activate the offer now and link your accounts to avoid missing out.

Of course, to take advantage of any of these offers you need to be an Amazon Prime member. If you aren’t already, you can sign up for a free 30-day trial so you can access all these deals and save during the big event.

The Thrifter team is going to be covering ALL things Prime Day, and you won’t want to miss out. Sign up now to have tips, tricks, deals, and more delivered right to your inbox.

Bluetooth speakers, Roku streaming devices, wireless mice, and more are all discounted today

Whether you’re looking for new tech gear or household items, we’ve got you covered.

We found plenty of great deals today that include big discounts on the Roku Streaming Stick, the B&O Play P2 Bluetooth speaker, the Logitech MX Sound computer speakers, and more! Time’s running out to take advantage of these prices, so hurry!

View the rest of the deals

If you want to know about the deals as soon as they are happening, you’ll want to follow Thrifter on Twitter, and sign up for the newsletter, because missing out on a great deal stinks!

What is G-Sync? If you’re a gaming fan, you’ll want to know

So you just got the latest PC title and are excited to fire up your machine to give it a go. You start the game but notice that the image sometimes seems to skip a bit. The smoothness you expected to see with all your new gear is being ruined.

Don’t worry: This is a common issue, and Nvidia has developed a tool to eliminate this problem. It’s called G-Sync, and with the right GPU and the monitor, choppy displays are a thing of the past.

A solution to a problem

Few computing programs require more system resources than games, and game developers are known to always push graphics hardware to their limits. Because of that, sometimes your graphics card and monitor can get out of sync, meaning the the graphics card sends a frame in the middle of a monitor’s refresh rate.

The monitor then ends up drawing parts of multiple frames on the display at the same time. This can result in visually discernable artifacts known as “tears,” or tearing — a form of distortion where objects on the screen appear to be out of alignment.

You can keep your GPU and monitor in sync by enabling V-sync, which causes the GPU to send frames to the screen in sync with the monitor’s refresh rate (usually at 60Hz, or 60 times per second). However, while maintaining sync via V-sync eliminates tearing, it can introduce yet another artifact called “stuttering,” as well as input lag.

G-Sync is a hardware-based tech that manipulates the display panel’s VBI (vertical blanking interval). VBI represents the interval between the time when a monitor finishes drawing the current frame, and the beginning of the next frame.

During this interval, no screen refresh data is sent to the monitor. When G-Sync is active, the graphics card in your PC waits until the monitor is ready to receive another frame before sending it. This keeps everything in sync and eliminates annoying and distracting visual artifacts.

A G-Sync board contains 768MB of DDR3 memory, which stores the previous frame so that it can be compared to the next incoming frame. It does this to decrease input lag.

G-Sync allows a monitor to support variable refresh rates, which are often redrawn at widely varying intervals. Syncing the GPU and monitor’s refresh rates helps make in-game animations appear smoother.

Manufacturers have jumped on board

Because it is a hardware solution, individual monitors need to have the technology implemented. Fortunately, most of the major monitor manufacturers, including Asus, Philips, BenQ, AOC, Samsung, and LG have deployed G-Sync on some of their displays.

As for the monitors themselves, they range in sizes between 20 and 30-inches, support 120Hz or 144Hz refresh rates, and they come in resolutions ranging from 1,920×1,080 to 3,840×2,160. Prices range from about $100 to well over a $1,000. For example, Asus’ ROG Swift PG279Q 27-inch monitor, lists for $698.

However, it’s important to note that you’ll also need a G-Sync-enabled Nvidia graphics card to take advantage of this new technology. Most newer Nvidia cards, like the GTX 10 series, as well as more powerful cards, like the GTX Titan Black, are all G-Sync-ready. You can check out the full list of supported cards and GPUs here.

A couple downsides

That’s not to say the technology is without its drawbacks. First is the price. Whether you’re looking at a laptop or desktop setup, G-Sync requires both a capable monitor and graphics card.  Purchasing each separately for a desktop costs about $500, and laptops that incorporate both components all retail at over $1,000.

In addition, users have noted a lack of compatibility with Nvidia’s Optimus technology. Optimus, implemented in many laptops, adjusts graphics performance on the fly to provide necessary power to graphics-intensive programs and optimize battery life. Because the technology relies on an integrated graphics system, frames are passed to the screen at a set interval, not as they are created in the case of G-Sync. One can purchase an Optimus-capable device or a G-Sync-capable device, but there exists no laptop that can do both.

Alternatives to G-Sync

Bill Roberson/Digital Trends

You should also be aware that AMD, Nvidia’s rival, promotes its own variable refresh rate technology, dubbed “FreeSync.”

Because FreeSync operates using the existing DisplayPort interface present on most monitors, the tech doesn’t require additional AMD hardware (aside from the AMD GPU, that is) to enable variable VBI. In fact, according to AMD, its GPUs have supported variable refresh rates for a few generations.

As a result, there are more monitors that support FreeSync than G-Sync. Furthermore, because these monitors don’t require the manufacturer to install additional hardware, they may run cheaper than their G-Sync capable counterparts. For example, Asus’ MG279Q is about $100 less than the aforementioned ROG Swift monitor.

Each technology has its own strengths, but there is a plethora of graphics card and monitor combinations that support these features. If you’re tired of the graphical glitches caused by your monitor and GPU being out of sync, help has arrived.

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How to save money when buying an Amazon Echo, Echo Dot or Echo Show

You don’t have to pay full price for your next Echo device!

Unless you have been living under a rock, you’ve heard of Amazon’s Echo devices like the Echo, Echo Dot, and Echo Show. Odds are that you may have even considered buying one for yourself at one point in time, but it is possible that you weren’t sold on the price tag of the device. Well, luckily there are a few ways to avoid paying full price and making your next Echo purchase even more affordable.

We’ve seen all types of discounts on the hardware, from direct price drops to bundles, and refurbished options. These each have their own advantages and disadvantages, so let’s take a quick look at some of the ways to save. Keep in mind that having an Echo device around could end up scoring you exclusive deals and access to Amazon Prime Day discounts hours before others.

Buy refurbished

One of the easiest ways to save on an Echo device would be to pick up a refurbished one from Amazon directly. While you may be hesitant to buy something refurbished, I’d put your full confidence in this purchase. Amazon backs the hardware with the same warranty and returns policy, and you are getting something that will look and feel like new, but at a lower price. How can you really beat that?

• Echo Dot Refurb – $39.99
• 1st-Gen Echo Refurb – $79.99
• 2nd-Gen Echo Refurb – $79.99
• Amazon Tap Refurb – $69.99
• Echo Show Refurb – $109.99

Right now, the refurb and new Echo Dot are the same prices, so you can pick whichever one you are more comfortable with, but that isn’t always the case. As for the Echo, you can’t buy this version new anymore, and the replacement model isn’t out until the end of October. On the Amazon Tap, you are saving $40 to go refurbished, which means you can almost grab an Echo Dot with it for the same price as one new Tap would be.

Buy in bulk

Amazon often runs deals which offer savings for buying more than one device at the same time. You may think this is silly, but once you put one Amazon Echo device in your house, odds are you’ll want to add at least one more, if not a handful of extras. Once I added one, I immediately bought two more, and I wish I just bought them at the same time to get a discount.

It may seem excessive to get multiple devices at the same time, but it is a smarter way to buy them. Whether you need all of them for your house, or want to have some at the office, or even want to give some away as a gift, this is a great option.

Follow Thrifter

From direct price drops to flash sales, the single easiest way to stay informed about ALL Echo discounts as they happen is to follow our pals at Thrifter.

Whether it is a week-long price drop or a sale that will likely only last a few hours, you can be assured that they will be covering it and let you know where to score that sweet deal.

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• Get the latest Alexa news

See at Amazon