Amazon

Earlier this summer, Amazon announced a new version of the Kindle Oasis. The Kindle Oasis is Amazon’s top of the line book reader. The Kindle Oasis includes a 7-inch 300 ppi flush-front display, an adjustable warm light, IPX8 waterproofing, and a thing ergonomic design with physical page buttons. I got mine in a few days ago, and I been reading the next book in the Monk series over the weekend, so I feel like I’ve gotten a good feel for the Kindle Oasis, and its benefits over the Paperwhite. One of the most common questions with the Kindle lineup is which one to get. When I purchased the Kindle Oasis, one of the key questions I wanted to answer is should you buy the Kindle Oasis over the Kindle Paperwhite? Here is my Kindle Oasis review.

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8BitDo is one of the most well-known players in the Nintendo accessory space, but its been awhile since we’ve seen a new release from them. Last week the company changed that and announced an all-new Switch controller. Now the 8Bitdo Sn30 Pro+ Bluetooth Gamepad is available for pre-order at Amazon. Featuring a hefty portion of customization options, the usual retro-fueled design and more, it’s sure to be a must-have for classic video game fans and more. Hit the jump for all the details and to find out when you’ll be able to bring home the latest Switch peripheral.

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Prime Day‘s end isn’t even 12 hours old and Amazon is already announcing that it was the biggest ever. How big? Prime Day 2019 surpassed Black Friday and Cyber Monday combined. It was the biggest event ever for Amazon devices, as the online giant moved a substantial amount of Echo Dots, Fire TV sticks, and other in-house products. Hit the jump for a quick look at the numbers.

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A few months back we wrote about Amazon’s rumored Alexa robot, but details were quite light. According to a report published by Bloomberg, the project seems to be ramping up and we now have additional insight about what to expect.

Given a code name of ‘Vesta’, Amazon’s current iteration of the Alexa robot is able to navigate using wheels, differentiating itself from some preceding products that have relied on tracks. It can be controlled with voice and stands at roughly waist-height.
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Prime Day 2019 is slated to start on Monday at 3AM, but today Amazon is giving us a sneak preview of its best deals coming next week. Each year the online giant offers a glimpse into what it believes will be the most popular offers of the two-day event to drum up interest. And I have to tell you, some of these prices are unreal. Amazon will be offering new all-time lows on its Echo speakers, smart home accessories, TVs, SanDisk storage, and much more. Most of these deals will be a part of rotating Gold Boxes throughout the two-day event but you’ll want to follow our Twitter account to make sure you don’t miss the Lightning deals either. Just remember, you’ll need a Prime membership to cash in on these offers. Head below for a preview of this year’s best Prime Day deals.

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The third display-laden product in the Amazon Echo line, the new Show 5, is a more compact and affordable Alexa powered smart display priced at $90. It comes in as a less-priced alternative to the older Echo Show 2nd generation, which is still available, that packs a 10-inch screen and is priced at $229. Check out the video below for a hands-on look at the new Echo Show 5.

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Earlier this year, Amazon introduced its first in-house skincare collection, Belei. Now the online retail giant is teaming up with superstar Lady Gaga to release a cruelty-free vegan cosmetics line called Haus Laboratories, which will be available for pre-order on Prime Day. Head below for more details on this highly-anticipated collaboration.

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Quietly unveiled last year by Athlon Games, Amazon Game Studios has now announced that it will be bringing the company’s Lord of the Rings console and PC game to market. Amazon is already in production on a live-action LotR TV series and is now looking to fully dive in to J.R.R. Tolkien’s fantasy world. Head below for all the details.
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We’re officially seven days away from Prime Day 2019 and Amazon has been ramping up the promotions in the meantime. Each day in the lead up to the summer’s biggest event seems to reveal a new batch of notable deals. But don’t be fooled, there are still plenty of ways to prepare for Prime Day when Amazon is expected to roll out the best deals of the year, so far. In addition to offering various credits, Whole Foods is also getting in on the mix with seven days of deals in the lead up to Prime Day, starting on Wednesday, July 10th. This is a great way to cash-in on that $10 bonus credit we told you about earlier this month and score some discounted groceries along the way. Full details below.

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Amazon Prime Day is under two weeks away, and we’ve been ramping up our coverage with easy ways to prepare and what you can expect on July 15th and 16th. Of course, you’ll want to make certain your Prime membership is ready to for the big 48-hour event. But there are other simple ways to make sure you’re ready. Amazon is currently offering a number of ways to get Prime Day credit, simply by carrying out a few different tasks prior. You can easily bag $50 (or more) worth of Amazon credit before Prime Day. Hit the jump to find out how to load up your account with Prime Day credits.

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In the build up to Prime Day 2019, Amazon has been continually rolling out details on what you can expect on the big day. We’ve had our own predictions and already laid out a few nifty ways to prepare for Prime Day. Today, Amazon is announcing that there will be ample celebrity influence on this year’s event, aside from the previously detailed Taylor Swift concert. Amazon will be collaborating with celebrities on Prime Day in various ways, including guides to some of the biggest stars’ favorite products while also featuring various endorsed offerings. More below on these upcoming Amazon celebrity collaborations.

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Twitch Prime is now offering some free Red Dead Online and Grand Theft Auto Online goodies. After Amazon and friends announced a series of freebies for Apex Legends and EA sports titles last week, it looks like the folks over at Rockstar are getting in on the action. Some of this content is already available as well. Head below for all the details and how to score the Rockstar freebies.
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I’ve been a happy Apple product user since 2007. Not only does Apple gear tend to offer a cleaner UI than the competition, the company’s commitment to safeguarding user data is at a level that most companies cannot come close to matching. That being said, many would agree that Apple has gone nuts with pricing over the last few years. This is the primary reason I initially tried to replace Apple TV with Fire TV Stick 4K, and overall I’ve been quite surprised by just how feature-packed of a product it has been.

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Last week, Amazon officially announced Prime Day 2019. We’re expecting to see a bevy of deals across every category and there are plenty of ways you can prepare for the big day. This morning, Amazon is detailing a number of early Prime Day deals along with various ways you can make the most of July’s biggest shopping event.

Headlining this year’s batch of early Prime Day deals is $100 off Fire TV Recast, various Kindle Unlimited and Amazon music deals, along with markdowns on Echo speakers. We have coverage on all of today’s biggest news down below. Hit the jump for more from today’s Prime Day tease.

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Update 7/2 @ 8:25 AM: The 500GB version of Samsung’s X5 Portable SSD is now down to an Amazon low at $199.99 shipped. That’s $50 off the going rate and $20 under the lowest price we’ve previously seen.

Amazon offers the Samsung 1TB X5 Thunderbolt 3 Portable SSD for $399.99 shipped. Also available at B&H as well as direct from Samsung for the same price. That’s good for a 20% discount from the going rate, is $40 under the previous price drop and is a new all-time low. Headlining the X5 SSD’s list of features, the included Thunderbolt 3 port nets you up to 2800MB/s transfer speeds, making this drive a must for on-the-go video editors and more. This Samsung SSD also sports a sleek, shock-resistant casing and is bus-powered, meaning the USB-C port supplies power right from your machine. If you’re in need of ultra-fast portable storage, Samsung’s option is as notable as it gets. Rated 4.3/5 stars and you can dive into our hands-on review for an in-depth look. More details below.

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Amazon and Twitch will be offering a series of free Prime Day game content for Apex Legends and other EA sports titles this year. The festivities will continue with Twitch Prime Crown Cup events in London and Las Vegas along with giveaways and more. Prime Day 2019 is already shaping up to be one of the biggest yet, so why not throw some freebies in there too? Head below for all the details on how to secure the goods.
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Prime Day 2019 is just around the corner and we’ve already seen a handful of Amazon’s competitors roll out their own competing Black Friday in July events. We’ve told you how to prepare and what you can expect on July 15th. In an intriguing twist, Amazon is fighting back again — as Target and others tote the notion of no membership-required deals — by encouraging Prime members to share their accounts with family…and even friends. As you surely know, come Prime Day 2019, the best deals will be reserved for members of Amazon’s expedited delivery service. Those wanting to share Prime memberships with family members will need to do a little more work prior to the big day. Instructions and more details can be found below.

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Amazon’s 5th annual Prime Day is shaping up to be its largest yet. For one, it will be spanning two full days with a side of pre-event offers to be had, as well. While it’ll be chock-full of exclusive offers like in past years, Amazon Prime Day 2019 is also going to be headlined by a concert featuring Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa, and other top musical acts. Head below for more.

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This morning Amazon is announcing a new initiative called Counter, ramping up its in-person presence around the United States. Amazon Counter is expected to be in 1,500 stores by the end of the year with a focus on partnerships with existing retail locations like Rite Aid. Shoppers will be able to pick up packages, shop select Amazon products, and even make returns. While other major brick and mortar retailers are looking to ramp up their online business to compete with the online giant, Amazon appears to targeting physical storefronts as a means of expanding its own operation. Amazon Counter is just the latest in a string of moves including Amazon Go grocery stores, physical book marketplaces, and more that have popped up in the last year. Head below for more.

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Early this morning Amazon officially announced Prime Day 2019, which is slated to take place across 48 hours starting Monday, July 15th. Buried in the press release was details on a new aspect of Amazon’s multi-day event: Prime-exclusive product launches. The online giant will be working in partnership to announce nearly 50 products, which will be available only to Prime members during the event. Some of the most notable brands partnering with Amazon on these Prime Day launches include mophie, Philips, Belkin, Mr. Coffee, and LEGO. Hit the jump for an in-depth look at what is to come on July 15th, and our favorite Amazon-exclusive products.

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Amazon has officially made its Prime Day 2019 announcement, promising a near-constant revolving cast of deals, Prime-exclusive offers, and promotions. This year’s event will kick-off on Monday, July 15th and run through Tuesday, July 16th. It will start at midnight PST and 3am EST at the beginning of the week, lasting a total of 48-hours with deals spanning every category. Amazon Prime Day 2019 is the fifth consecutive year Amazon has launched a massive sale in July for its members, and this appears to its biggest one yet beating last year’s by 12 hours. Head below for additional Prime Day 2019 details.

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Prime Day 2019 is under a month away, if early leaks and past years tell us anything. At this point you’re hopefully familiar with Amazon’s biggest shopping event of the summer. You’ll of course need a Prime membership to take advantage of the best deals. Be sure to follow us on Twitter as well, to make sure that you won’t miss out on any of the best deals. While Prime Day 2019 may be more predictable than ever in terms of the experience (you know, a mind-bending stream of deals) pinpointing exact price drops and promotions can be much more difficult. Hit the jump for our five Prime Day 2019 predictions along with a glimpse of what we know so far about this year’s event.

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Around this time last year, Amazon, Toshiba, and Best Buy all teamed up to launch the Fire TV Edition. Offering Amazon’s Fire TV built-in, these TVs also brought 4K and HDR10 into the mix for a great experience out of the box. The only thing these TVs lacked was Dolby Vision, but that’s been fixed in the latest Toshiba Fire TV Editions. Today, Amazon announced a 43-inch, 50-inch, and 55-inch Toshiba Fire TV Editions available exclusively through Best Buy with prices starting at $320.

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Graduations have concluded and Amazon is ready to take all of the gift cards you received. Today, Amazon has officially opened its Off-to-College store, which is being billed as the ultimate destination for your college shopping needs. As always, you’ll find the usual guides filled with this year’s hottest back to school essentials and handful of on-going promotions which are slated to last throughout the summer into August. While you may not be ready to be thinking about back to school just yet, summer sessions are beginning at campus around the country and it’s never too late to get a jump start. Head below for more top picks from Amazon’s Off-to-College store or dive in right here.

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It’s hardware refresh season at Amazon, as today we’re getting our first look at the new Kindle Oasis E-reader. This comes on the heels of last month’s Fire 7 tablet announcement and our first glimpse at the new Kids Echo Dot. Amazon’s latest Kindle sports a familiar design, but the top-tier E-ink reader offers one particularly notable feature: a color-adjustable display for nighttime use. The new Kindle Oasis cashes in on a trend that we’ve seen from Apple’s True Tone-enabled iPads, making it easier to enjoy content at night when those blue lights commonly found on displays can be particularly damaging. Head below for more on the latest from Amazon.

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As it does this time each year, Amazon has announced its most popular books of the first six months. While the final list will be revealed at the end of the year, this is a great chance to see what has been popular thus far. The Best Books of 2019 delivers the 10 most popular reads as selected by Amazon customers. Whether you’re a bookworm, looking for a new read, or in need of a gift, this is a great way to get started. Head below for more including a complete look at the Best Books of 2019 countdown.

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Earlier this year, Amazon and IMDb launched Freedive. It was a streaming video service that brought select TV shows and movies to the masses by offering it free of charge. Roughly six months after its debut, Amazon is changing the name to IMDb TV and tripling the size of its catalog.

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Eufy has been trying to make just about every area of your home smart without breaking the bank. Offering quality security cameras, plugs, and even health products, Eufy is in it for the long haul, thanks to its parent company Anker. The latest product from Eufy is the 2K Security Video Doorbell, which just so happens to be on sale for $112 with the code found below.

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Today Amazon is refreshing its Alexa speaker lineup with a new kids-focused version of the Echo Dot. The new Echo Dot Kids Edition is based around the third-generation mainstream model, complete with all of the expected improvements: upgraded sound, better mics, and a new design. Just like when the latest adult-focused Echo Dot was announced, we’re seeing a notable bump in materials here thanks to a fabric-wrapped shell that does away with those awful rubber bumpers sported on the previous-generation version. Hit the jump for more details on the new Kids Edition Echo Dot from Amazon.

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Just a month ago, Amazon opened its first Go autonomous grocery store in New York City while simultaneously testing the waters of accepting cash. Today, another Amazon Go New York City locale is opening at 300 Park Avenue. Unlike the first storefront, it will offer an even wider selection of goods and services, including all three meals, snacks, coffee and espresso. With two locations now in America’s largest city, Amazon is making a serious push on the east coast, a sign that it is ready to expand its primarily San Francisco and Seattle-based offerings. Head below for more details.

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This morning Amazon and Synchrony Financial are announcing a new partnership to help those with unestablished credit. Officially dubbed the “Amazon Credit Builder“, it will expand Amazon’s already expansive stable of credit card options. But if you’re just starting out, you may want to go easy here. Amazon will be ready to pounce on any missteps, like missed payments and the like. However, that’s just the life of starting to build your own credit. Shoppers will be privy to many of the perks Amazon offers its cardmembers, including 5% cash back on select purchases. Head below for additional details.

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Amazon is reportedly set to launch Prime Day on Monday, July 15th this year with a 36-hour extravaganza filled with Gold Boxes, Lightning deals and rotating offers. A leaked press release report points to that date, which falls in line with last year’s Prime Day event. Historically, Amazon has held its summer sale bonanza on the second Tuesday in July, but that changed last year. It still wouldn’t surprise us to see Amazon revert back to July 8th and 9th. We won’t know officially until Amazon confirms in early July. More below.

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The Ring Father’s Day sale is now live over at Amazon with deals video doorbells, security cameras and more. This is a rare chance to save on Ring products directly from Amazon, delivering some of the best prices we’ve seen this year. Free shipping is available for all. Our top pick is the Stick Up Cam HD Security Camera for $149.99 shipped. That’s down $30 from the regular going rate and a match of the Amazon all-time low price. With full HD feeds, a rechargeable battery and near-anywhere mounting system, this is an easy way to keep track of happenings around your property. Rated 4.3/5 stars.

Other notable Ring deals include:

• 5-piece Alarm Kit: $169 (Reg. $199)
• Video Doorbell Pro: $199 (Reg. $249)
• Floodlight + HD Security Camera Bundle: $199 (Reg. $249)
• Video Doorbell 2: $169 (Reg. $199)
  • Available at ABT for slightly less

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Amazon has a number of, shall we say, off the beaten path features that you may not know much about. We’ve previously detailed how to make the most of Amazon’s Treasure Truck and its exclusive storefront. But did you know about Amazon Live? That’s right, the online giant has its own daily shopping show that mimics those cable TV cornerstones we’ve known for years like HSN and QVC.

But why should you care about Amazon Live? Well, sometimes it’s hard to know just exactly how a product works. We do our best here at 9to5Toys to offer some insight in this regard. However, it’s easier to just see it visually sometimes. Each week, Amazon Live puts out a handful of videos detailing new products and promotions on the e-commerce site. Head below to find out more.

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It’s been eight months since Amazon refreshed its Echo speaker lineup, but today Amazon is unveiling new hardware which is coming next month. The Echo Show 5 is set to arrive in June as a lower-cost alternative to its bigger brother, while also directly positioning itself against Nest Hub. Those familiar with Google’s line of Assistant-enabled devices will be familiar with the design, which is centered around a display and wrapped in fabric. Echo Show 5 will also sport a built-in camera all in a more compact footprint than the previously released Echo Show. Head below for more details, pricing, and a release date.

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This morning, Amazon has announced a new partnership with Mindy Kaling to release her written content and essays exclusively through the online giant. On top of that, Prime members will have access for free. The same offer is extended to Kindle Unlimited subscribers. Readers will be able to download Mindy Kaling’s latest starting next summer as a Kindle eBook or Audible audiobook with the actress narrating along the way. Head below for more details.

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It’s been about six months since I dove headfirst to the Amazon Alexa ecosystem. While it’s not perfect, I’m very happy with my decision to switch away from Siri as my primary voice assistant. Having fully immersed my home in Echo Dots, I initially didn’t see a need to venture outside of Amazon’s most affordable smart speaker.

My feelings changed pretty quickly after I realized how feature-rich Echo Plus was at such an affordable price. More microphones, better sounding audio, and a built-in smart home hub all worked together and eventually pushed me to try an upgraded Echo experience.
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While Amazon is a vast marketplace of tech, home goods and fashion, one of the best ways to leverage the online giant is through its Subscribe & Save program. Setting up recurring orders can help you save up to 15% off the regular going rate. But to sweeten the deal even further, Amazon regularly offers hefty discounts for first-time buyers so you can try new items without paying full price. The problem is, getting started with Subscribe & Save can be a daunting task. Amazon doesn’t exactly do a great job of explaining the service and how to make the most of your savings. That’s on purpose. With a few wise tips, you can easily make Subscribe & Save work for you, cutting prices and annoying trips to the grocery store along the way.

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This morning Amazon provided much-needed updates to its Fire 7 and Fire 7 Kids Edition tablets. The next generation keeps the same $50 starting point, but now features faster processors and double the storage. Amazon is also thankfully (finally!) doing away with that 420p front camera, replacing it with 720p on the 2019 rendition. There will also be some new colors added to the mix and Alexa remains as a hands-free feature. Amazon’s Fire 7 Kids Edition tablet is also getting a similar boost in specs, one new color and an upgraded “kids-proof” case to help protect against bumps and bruises along the way. Head below for more.

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We’ve previously explained the perks of signing up for Amazon’s Prime Rewards Visa Card. But ultimately, the full-on credit card experience isn’t always ideal for every shopper, for a number of reasons. Amazon does, however, offer an alternative with its Amazon Store Card. On top of 5% back on purchases for Prime members, you can currently score a gift card when you sign-up for the first time. Without an annual fee attached, it is a compelling option for shoppers looking to build credit for the first time. Head below to find out more about the perks of the Amazon Store Card and how you can sign-up today.

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A recent update on Amazon’s developer portal shows that the number of Alexa devices has grown significantly in just one year. An change in phrasing clarifies a drastic jump from 12,000 to 60,000 official Alexa devices. While many of these devices are likely to do the same thing, it makes for a competitive market that provides customers with several options to choose from.
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