When I’m not working on building custom computers or fixing phones, I love to write about technology. I’m always looking out for the best deal on any tech I can get my hands on, so one day I decided, “Why not write about it?!” You can follow me on Twitter or Instagram @pcamp96, though I’m way more active on Twitter. If you’ve got a tip to an awesome deal, go ahead and drop me a line at patrick@9to5mac.com!
Polk Audio has been around for years. Polk has a fairly large announcement at CES 2018 this year. The Polk Audio Command Bar is the “first ever” soundbar to feature Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant built-in. Honestly, this is something I’ve been waiting for since Alexa first came out, and I’m glad a company like Polk is the first to do it
It’s CES 2018 week in Las Vegas and last night we saw CES Unveiled. At Unveiled, companies take a chance to show the press and media products before they bring them to the show floor. Linksys has announced a new version of its super powerful WRT32X gaming router from last year and new, more budget-friendly Velop mesh Wi-Fi options.
There are tons of Bluetooth speakers on the market. You’ve got budget options and super high-end options. There are also a few in the middle, and sometimes it’s hard to decide what speaker you should buy.
If you’re just looking to listen with a few friends, then most budget options will work great for you. Rugged? There’s an option for that as well. JBL has a speaker, the Boombox, that falls somewhere in the middle and if you’re looking for great sound, plenty of features, and a fairly decent price for it all, read on.
If you’ve been paying attention lately, Amazon’s Alexa voice assistant has been added to everything. Just earlier today, we saw a mirror that will have Alexa baked in. Now, we’re seeing Qi- and Lightning-enabled charging docks that have the Alexa voice assistant on-board.
4K seems to be the new 1080p lately. With 8K TVs already being announced, it’s finally time for 4K to take its rightful place as king of current-format resolutions. LG is here to help that along with the announcement of its first-ever 4K UHD projector.
If you missed it yesterday, LG announced an 88-inch 8K OLED TV and it’s mind-bogglingly beautiful. To say I’m stoked to see it in person would be an understatement. But, we’re not here to talk about the 8K OLED behemoth from LG, we’re here to talk about its upcoming 2018 lineup of 4K TVs.
LG has long been one of the standards for 4K HDR with its OLED technology. Coming back this year is its “Wallpaper” OLED TV which is both beautiful and insanely priced. Hopefully, we’ll start to see pricing come down on the super thin TVs like this, as I would love to add one to my personal home theater setup.
Wires suck, we’ll start with that. Anytime I go on a trip, wires always get tangled, broken, or lost. External batteries are the same when it comes to this. I’m traveling to CES soon and will have several external batteries with me. Alongside those batteries? Well, I’ll have cables. Tons and tons of cables. Cables for my MacBook, iPad, iPhone, Bose QC35 headphones, Apple Watch, and more.
Whenever I need to use that external battery, I’ll have to find the matching cable and plug it in to use it. And when that external battery dies? I’ll have to plug it back in to charge it. Avido is aiming to solve those problems, and recently announced WiBa, an external battery that not only charges your phone wirelessly via the Qi standard but charges itself wirelessly.
Action cameras have kind of grown stale, in my opinion. It’s the same thing every year, with a slightly better sensor. The HERO 5 Black was the last camera that actually came out with something new in the industry. With the launch of GoPro’s HERO 5 Black, the company introduced waterproofing without an external case. Now, there’s a newcomer to the action camera space and it’s Laibox Cam.
Apple accessories, there are tons of them. You have Apple Watch bands, Apple Pencil, iPad chargers, iPhone and MacBook chargers, and more. Anytime you leave the house or go on vacation, if you’re anything like me, there’s a mad rush to make sure you don’t forget any cables to keep everything charged.
I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone on vacation only to forget my Apple Watch charger, or even worse, my MacBook Pro charger. Even if you do remember to bring all of your cables along, they always get tangled, right? Well, Bento Stack has changed how I pack for trips and has become a must-have in my gear bag when leaving the house for more than a few hours.
If you have a Nintendo Switch, you’ve probably realized that there’s not a whole lot of internal storage. So, to get around that, many just buy the physical copies of games so they don’t fill up their Nintendo Switch so fast. Well, some physical copies of games, like Doom, have additional downloads on top of the cartridge.
Christmas just passed and the new year is less than a week away. Anker, however, is here to help you outfit your Christmas presents with great deals on iPhone cases and tempered glass. You’ll find a variety of top-rated items on sale that are generally among the most trusted around. Shipping is free for Prime members or in orders of $25+.
There’s no doubt that if you’re reading this, you either have a Nintendo Switch or plan to get one soon. Maybe you’ve owned a Switch since release, or maybe you just opened one up on Christmas morning. Either way, you’ll want a safe and stylish way to transport your Switch around. I know I did, and the pink and neon green Splatoon case that I got with my Switch bundle grew old really fast.
Just about everyone has some form of a smartwatch these days. Be it an Apple Watch or Fitbit, people are taking an interest in monitoring notifications from their wrist as well as keeping up with their activities. One setback that you generally have to make with smartwatches, however, is the design aspects of them. Most look like a shrunken smartphone or have an obviously big circular screen with a flat tire. That is, until the NYSW.
We all have workout headphones, and generally, they’re either bulky or they don’t sound good. Lately, companies have been launching neckbuds, and Vinci is the latest on that list. You might not know the Vinci name, but I’ve had their previous headphones for about 2 years now. Originally, Vinci was an over-the-ear headphone system that had a built-in touchscreen and ran Android. Vinci 2.0, currently on Kickstarter, is the latest version of this and I am stoked to try it out.
Rad Power Bikes has been around since 2007 and has delivered “tens of thousands” of eBikes to their customers. With prices starting at $1,499, that figure doesn’t surprise me, as many manufacturers charge upwards of $2,000 or more for eBikes. Rad Power Bikes’ 2018 lineup brings new frame designs, color schemes, new (more powerful) battery packs, and accessories. All of the bikes are available for pre-order now and start shipping in January 2018. Head below the fold for more information on each bike that Rad is launching this coming year.
Backpacks are a dime a dozen normally. You can find one by walking into any department store, but generally cheaper backpacks don’t last long. A backpack’s quality can make or break the experience you have with it. Cheap backpacks are never comfortable, fall apart easily, and never fit enough stuff without breaking. The Citadel Collection from Black Ember aims to change that. With modern styling, 3D shoulder straps that have extra padding, and the IPX6 waterproof rating, this backpack could truly become my next purchase.
If you’re a Nintendo fan like me, you’ve likely been waiting for one game to launch: Super Smash Bros. This game has been on every major Nintendo console for basically the last 20 years, dating all the way back to the amazing (and still my personal favorite) Nintendo 64. Anyway, back to the task at hand: Super Smash Bros. on Switch. We don’t have it yet, we don’t have a launch date yet, we have no information yet from Nintendo, and it’s saddening.
$50
Amazon currently offers a 4-pack of Tile Mate Bluetooth trackers for just $49.99 shipped. The 4-pack of these trackers is generally around $70, and single trackers run about $20. This is the lowest we’ve seen them go, even beating our Cyber Monday mention by $1. If you know someone who’s always losing their keys or wallet, this is a perfect gift for them. Rated 4/5 stars from over 7,000 Amazon shoppers.
If you have a Nintendo Switch, that means you have the Joy-Con grip. And, if you’re anything like me, you’ve thought that the grip resembles a puppy, at least somewhat. Well, we’re not alone, and Hyperkin agrees. With a $20 price point and built-in rechargeable battery, the Pupper Joy-Con grip from Hyperkin is a fantastic deal, especially when you consider the official Nintendo Joy-Con controller with a battery is $30.
Leica has long been a brand recognized for high-end cameras. The camera company is nearly 170 years old, and they’re still putting out fantastic quality cameras today. A Leica isn’t something you buy a starter photographer, however. With most of the company’s cameras in the few thousand dollar range, you should know what you’re doing before picking one up. A few years ago, Leica announced a more affordable M line of cameras, and today they’re expanding that.
At this point, even if you live in Florida, it’s too cold to ride your bike. That doesn’t stop most people who want to “go green” and help the environment, though. IZIP is a big name when it comes to ebikes, and they’ve just released the 2018 lineup of battery-powered bicycles for customers to purchase. With prices ranging from $1,839 all the way up to $4,599, there should be a bike to fit just about anyone for the upcoming cycling season.
When it comes to choosing the right bag to take with you on a flight, it can be challenging. Most airlines limit you to one bag below your seat and one in the overhead compartment. Normally, you can’t easily access the overhead compartment once you take off, so fitting what you’ll need for hours in a cramped space below your seat can sometimes be hard. WaterField decided to take matters into its own hands and make the Air Porter, a laptop bag designed for the world traveler.
Disney has been moving more Star Wars merchandise than I’ve ever seen from any previous movie franchise. There’s always a huge movie out, at one point it was Spider-Man, then Transformers, Avengers, and more. But Disney seems to have a thing with Star Wars branded stuff, and this time has partnered with NVIDIA on some custom graphics cards.
eInk is a wonderful thing. I love reading on my Kindle as it feels like I’m reading actual paper. Long has the technology been around, but for as long as we’ve had it, it’s been mostly confined to eReaders. ONYX has made a few of those eReaders in the past, generally in much larger sizes, up to 13.3-inches. By baking in previous versions of Android, ONYX has made quite unique eReaders too, but their latest has another trick up its sleeve. By adding an HDMI input to the latest ONYX BOOX Max2 eInk display you gain a myriad of awesome abilities.
Update 12/8: Unico is no longer on Kickstarter after raising over $1,000,000 in backing and has since moved to Indiegogo. They have also pushed the delivery date back from February 2018 to June 2018. We have reached out to the Unico team for comment and will update you as we get information.
Whether you want good-smelling breath or just for your teeth to not fall out of your head, brushing your teeth is a must. Most people don’t brush their teeth properly, however. Most dentists recommend brushing after every meal and for at least 3-minutes every time, with special circular motions. If you’re like me, you probably have a Sonicare toothbrush or something similar, but just having an electric toothbrush doesn’t completely remedy the issue. You still need to brush for 2-3 minutes and reach every tooth in your mouth. Then comes the brushing after every meal, no one has time for that on a busy day. Unico is here to help with that, however. With Unico, you can get a full brushing session done in just 3 seconds.
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If you travel a lot, you know how cumbersome it can be to pack both carry-on and checked bags. I’m always overpacking my backpack, stuffing it to the brim so I know I have what I’ll need while in flight. Realistically, it’s just a bunch of clothes or random stuff and then my laptop, charger, and external battery. I always bring clothes in my backpack or carry-on, just in case my luggage gets lost. Sadly, packing all of that into a backpack means it gets super stuffed and hard to carry. GoBag changes that though, as it has a built-in vacuum compartment to help you keep your compressible items, well, compressed.
If you’re outdoors much, you know how difficult lighting can be. Solar lights are nice, but often either small, stuck in the ground, or expensive. I’ve always been looking for a way to have to light outdoors without running cumbersome wires or spending a ton on solar powered stuff. LuminAID is here to change that with the launch of its Smart Solar Garden. Included in the Smart Solar Garden are two lights, the “Gem” which resembles a pyramid and can collapse down for easy transporting, and a “Star” which is just that, a star.
If you’re like me, there’s something you’ve been wanting to do for a long time: convert your standard home to a smart home. This could be expensive, buying lights for every fixture or trying to find compatible switches or plugs to turn your device on and off at will. Until now, it’s been quite cumbersome to convert over. I have a mixture of Hue lights and Z-Wave switches in my home to control different lights. Sadly, none of these control plug-in lights (except for Hue, but at $30+ a bulb, that gets expensive.)
Reg. $100/$80Update 12/5: There are several more Echo devices on sale now. The Sandstone Fabric All-New Echo is down to $79.99 shipped from $100. Also on sale are the Silver, Oak, and Walnut finishes for $99.99 shipped from $120. If you’re looking for a bundle, you can grab the Heather Gray All-new Echo and TP-Link Smart plug for $84.99 shipped. Purchased at full price and separately, you’d be looking at around $120 here.
Amazon has its 2nd-generation Echo is back down to $79.99 shipped. Regularly $100, this is one of the best prices we’ve seen for it. With a new speaker and design, this Echo is perfect if you need another smart speaker around the home. Rated 4/5 stars from over 1,800 Amazon customers.
Reg. $250/$175Amazon currently has the Bose QuietComfort 25 Acoustic Noise Cancelling Headphones for iOS devices on sale for $174.99 shipped. Also at Best Buy. Regularly $250 at most retailers, this is one of the best prices we’ve tracked and even $4 below Black Friday pricing. With an inline mic and controls for iOS devices, these acoustic noise-canceling headphones are perfect for long flights. Rated 4.2/5 stars from over 3,900 Amazon customers.
It’s that time of the year again. You’re probably starting your holiday shopping and trying to figure out what to get the smartphone addict in your life. If they’re asking for the latest headphones, car-finding technology, or chargers, we’ve got you covered. I’m switching devices all the time, so I need accessories that work across all platforms easily.
If you’re like me, you often work where there’s no light. I’m always helping a friend with their car, working on my own, or just in general where I need light and it’s not there. Normally, when in those positions, there’s not a good place to put a light, either. That’s where the latest from Luminoodle comes into play. The Luminoodle Task is a flexible LED lighting strip that goes where you need it. With the Luminoodle Task, you can easily wrap light around a tree, bend it around a support post, or magnetize it to the hood of your car at night. The uses for Luminoodle Task are endless, and it starts at just $44.
People are always looking for a way to take better photos or videos with their cameras or smartphones. One way to set your video apart from someone else’s is unique movement, like from a slider. Until now, sliders have either been expensive or manual, they’ve almost always been only in a straight line, and really never very portable. Trek is a slider that is motorized, very portable, can take tight turns (and even do 360-degree), can extend or shrinks as much as you need, and is quite affordable compared to the competition.
Update: Sharp – 43″ LED Smart 4K Ultra HD TV Roku TV is now $299.99 shipped at Ebay/Best Buy
Black Friday is ending and Cyber Monday is ahead. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have some good deals in-between, right? Right? Well, there are plenty of 4K TVs on sale this weekend before we hit Cyber Monday. So, if you didn’t get what you hoped yesterday, don’t fret. One of my favorite deals available right now is the 50-inch Sony 4K HDR smart TV for just $449.99 shipped at Best Buy. Sony always has a great TV panel, and you really can’t go wrong with this 4K HDR TV for under $500. Regularly is $700, you’re getting about $250 off MSRP. Head below for our full roundup. Free shipping or in-store pickup is available on all TVs below unless otherwise noted.
Black Friday is today, and we’re already seeing companies announce Cyber Monday deals. If you’ve missed it, we have all of our Black Friday coverage in a handy guide to help you out. This Cyber Monday, Walmart will have deals on many electronics, video games systems, and more. Head below the fold for more information on when the deals will go live and see some of our top picks.
From $40Amazon has Leviton’s Decora smart Wi-Fi dimmer on sale for just $39.99 shipped. Regularly $50, this smart dimmer is at its lowest price ever that we’ve tracked. Leviton’s Decora Wi-Fi dimmer works with Amazon Alexa and Google Home out of the box with no hub required, perfect for anyone just getting started in smart homes. This version of the dimmer is rated for 600-watts of incandescent lights or 300-watts of LEDs. Rated 3.8/5 stars.
Reg. $450/$300
Amazon currently has the Dyson AM09 Fan/Heater on sale for $299 shipped in white or black. Also at Best Buy for $1 more in all colors. This fan/heater combo is normally $450, currently $400 at Home Depot, and is just $20 above our last mention, though that was a refurbished unit. With its bladeless design, kids are safe from harm around this Dyson fan and heater. Rated 4/5 stars at Amazon and 4.5/5 stars at Best Buy.
From $3.39If you just picked up a new iPhone or plan to get somebody one for the holidays, a good case is a must-have. Luvvit is currently running a huge sale on its cases, which knock the prices down from $13 to as low as $3.39. All cases listed below are ship free with Prime or on orders of $25+.
One thing to note is that you must make sure the item is sold by Luvvitt and Fulfilled by Amazon in order for the codes to work. Though most of these cases are new and don’t have many reviews, Luvvit generally receives great ratings across the board.
20% offWe’re starting to see the Black Friday 2017 deals go live and Amazon is no exception. The online shopping giant now has 20% off most items from its Amazon Warehouse Deals category. These products are generally items that were returned to Amazon, fully checked out for functionality issues, and listed to be sold again. We’ve got highlights of 4K cameras, drones, Apple Keyboards, Philips Hue, and more.
Up to $160/From $90
Update 11/22: Aukey Direct via Amazon has its 1080p dash cam on sale for $49.69 shipped when you use coupon code AUKBF011 at checkout. Regularly $70, this is a match to our last mention and the lowest we’ve seen it. Rated 4.1/5 stars.
NeweggFlash currently has two 1440p dash cameras on sale. The Vantrue X1 Pro 1440p Dash Cam is just $94.99, but coupon code NEWEGGAUTOBF brings it to $90.24 shipped. Generally, the X1 Pro will fetch $140, and this sale beats the lowest we’ve seen it and Amazon’s best by $10. This dash camera features 1440p30 recording, as well as 1080p60 for buttery smooth playback. The 170° viewing angle means that everything will be captured as well. Rated 4.3/5 stars from hundreds.
Reg. $150/$75
Amazon currently has the Nespresso Essenza Mini Espresso Machine by Breville in piano black on sale for $74.99 shipped. This espresso maker generally goes for $150 and is at the lowest price Amazon has ever offered it. By using Nespresso capsules, it’s now easier than ever to brew your own espresso at home. Though Nespresso’s Mini brewer doesn’t have many reviews, these machines generally receive great reviews.
Reg. $150/$90
Update 11/21: Newegg currently has Adobe Photoshop Elements & Premiere Elements 2018 download for Windows & Mac at just $74.99 when you use coupon code EMCBBCB43 at checkout. This is $15 less than our mention below, works on both Windows and Mac while being the best price we’ve ever seen for the 2018 version of these programs.
Amazon has Adobe Photoshop Elements & Premiere Elements 2018 for download (Mac) for $89.99. Also at B&H for Mac and PC download. This bundle normally runs $150 and is seeing its first major drop on the digital downloads since release. If you’re going to be taking a lot of photo or video this holiday season Photoshop and Premiere are a must.
Reg. $70/$60
Amazon currently has the Tile Mate & Slim Combo 4-pack on sale for $59.99 shipped. Also at Best Buy and Target. This pack normally costs $70 and is at an Amazon all-time low. With Tile Mate and Slim trackers, you can easily find your keys, wallet, and more when lost. Rated 3.8/5 stars from hundreds at Amazon, and 4.4/5 stars from hundreds at Best Buy.
From $247
It’s Black Friday week and the deals are rolling in. If you’re like me, decent computer monitors are a must-have. We’re seeing deals on 4K monitors, GSync and FreeSync gaming monitors, and more before the largest shopping holiday of the year approaches. These monitors come in all sizes too, ranging from 24-inch all the way up to 32-inches, with great reviews across the board.
Reg. $280/$200
Amazon has a pair of ELAC B6 Debut Series 6.5″ Bookshelf Speakers by Andrew Jones on sale for $199.98 shipped. These speakers generally fetch $280 at most retailers and the current sale puts them at a match for the all-time low on Amazon. With a removable grille, this pair of bookshelf speakers can blend in or stand out, it’s up to you. The custom 6.5-inch woofer with the 1-inch tweeter means you’ll get amazing sound from these beautiful speakers. Rated 4.6/5 stars from hundreds.
Reg. $280/$200
TJMAXX currently has the KitchenAid 5 Qt. Artisan Stand Mixer for $199.99 shipped when you use coupon code SHIP89 at checkout. This mixer normally goes for $279 at Amazon and the current sale is within $15 of Amazon’s best-ever price. With a 5 Qt. mixing bowl, you can stir up just about anything. From the Black Friday ads we’ve seen so far, the best KitchenAid deal we can find is a 4.5 Qt. mixer for $180 from Overstock. Rated 4.6/5 stars from thousands.
Coffee is a growing trend it seems. I just ordered my first bean grinder and french press to start moving away from pre-ground Sam’s Club coffee and K-Cups. One area I’ve never really ventured into before, however, is making espresso at home, let alone on the road.
Reg. $120/$94
Amazon currently has the Seagate Backup Plus 4TB USB 3.0 Portable External Hard Drive on sale for $94 shipped. This portable external hard drive is normally $120 and is currently $5 below Amazon’s previous best price. A 4TB portable hard drive is perfect to keep a local backup of your entire MacBook or Windows PC so you never have to worry about losing precious data. Rated 4.2/5 stars from thousands.