Instagram head says Threads is working on an API for developers

Threads was missing a lot of features users would expect from a service similar to Twitter’s (now X’s) when it launched. Over the past few months, however, it has been been rolling out more and more new features to give users a more robust experience, including polls, an easy way to post GIFs and the ability to quote posts on the web. Still, since it doesn’t have an API, third-party developers can’t conjure features specific to their services that would make the social network a more integral part of people’s everyday lives. An example of that is local transportation agencies being able to automatically post service alerts when a train is delayed. According to Instagram chief Adam Mosseri, though, Threads is working on an API for developers — he just has concerns about how it’s going to be used. 

As first reported by TechCrunch, Mosseri responded to a conversation on the platform about having a TweetDeck-like experience for Threads. In a response to a user saying that Threads has no API yet, the executive said: “We’re working on it.” He added that he’s concerned that the API’s launch could mean “a lot more publisher content and not much more creator content,” but he’s aware that it “seems like something [the company needs] to get done.”

Mosseri previously said that Threads won’t amplify news, which may have been disappointing to hear for publishers and readers looking to leave X. Instead, he said, Threads wants to “empower creators in general.” More recently, in an AMA he posted on the platform, Mosseri said that that his team’s long-term aspiration is for Threads to become “the de facto platform for public conversations online,” which means being both culturally relevant and big in terms of user size. He said he believes Threads has a chance of surpassing X, but he knows that his service has a long way to go. For now, he keeps his team focused on making people’s experience better week by week. 

Mark Zuckerberg recently announced that Threads has “just under” 100 million monthly active users. Like Mosseri, he is optimistic about its future and said that there’s a “good chance” it could reach 1 billion users over the next couple of years.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/instagram-head-says-threads-is-working-on-an-api-for-developers-140049094.html?src=rss 

iRobot’s Roomba Combo vacuum-and-mops are up to $300 off right now

The iRobot Roomba Combo j7+ is the top 2-in-1 pick in our guide to the best robot vacuums, as it adds a retractable mop for cleaning hard floors onto a powerful robovac for carpets and other surfaces. It’s expensive at its usual list price of $1,000, but right now you can get it for $699 at Wellbots. Just use the code ENGROOMBA300 at checkout. While that’s still far from cheap, it does mark the largest discount we’ve tracked.

The Roomba Combo j7+ is undoubtedly a luxury purchase, but we found its vacuuming and mopping capabilities to mostly work as advertised. As a robot vacuum, it offers strong suction power, accurate home mapping and intelligent obstacle avoidance, including a strong knack for avoiding pet waste. In its “vacuum and mop” mode, it’s smart enough to know when it’s rolling over hard floors instead of carpet, then only mop the former. The battery generally lasts between 90 to 180 minutes depending on how often you mop, and the whole thing works with Alexa and the Google Assistant. This model also comes with a (noisy) self-emptying base station, which the vacuum automatically retreats to when it’s done cleaning.

It’s not perfect: You’ll have to refill the water tank fairly often, there’s no mop-only mode and the mopping functionality isn’t as efficient as just using a Swiffer. iRobot’s Home app remains easy to use, but all robovacs require the occasional maintenance and intervention. Still, a device like this makes cleaning more hands-off than it’d be otherwise, so the Combo j7+ could be worth it if your home has a mix of carpet, hardwood, laminate and other surfaces. For more details, check out Engadget Senior Editor Daniel Cooper’s write-up of his experience with the device. Just note that, like many robot vacuums with obstacle avoidance, the j7+ comes with a built-in camera. That may raise privacy concerns for some, particularly with Amazon in the process of acquiring iRobot.

A couple of less expensive Roomba 2-in-1s are also on sale. The Roomba Combo j5+ is down to $499 with the same ENGROOMBA300 code, while the standard Roomba Combo j5 is available for $349 with the code ENGROOMBA250. Those are $300 and $250 discounts, respectively, and both represent all-time lows. The Combo j5+ is a newer midrange alternative to the Combo j7+: It has most of the same features, but it lacks the j7+’s retractable mop arm and ability to automatically avoid carpets while mopping. Instead, you have to swap in a vacuum-only bin (or just move your rugs) when you want to clean a carpeted room. You also have to empty its vacuum/mop combo bin manually. The standard j5 is essentially the same device but doesn’t come with a self-emptying base station.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/irobots-roomba-combo-vacuum-and-mops-are-up-to-300-off-right-now-130031081.html?src=rss 

The best gadgets for your pets

Whether they be cat or dog lovers, Engadget’s editors have our fair share of fur babies. With all the comfort and joy our pets have given us, we think they deserve some extra TCL and spoiling in the form of gadgets and other gifts. There’s a lot more pet tech out there than you might think, and we’ve used a few devices ourselves that we feel comfortable recommending. On top of that, there are other staples we’ve found over the years that could make for good additions to your pet’s routine, too. Here’s a list of things we’ve given our own little furry friends that we think your pet will enjoy too.

BarkBox monthly subscription

Cat Person cat food subscription

Petlibro Wi-Fi Automatic Cat Food Dispenser

Catastrophic Creations “The Lift” Cat Hammock

Catit Senses 2.0 Flower Fountain

K&H heated cat bed

Pet Cube Bites 2 Lite treat slinger

PetKit Dog Water Bottle

Pretty Litter subscription

Ruffwear Dog Cooling Vest

Timbuk2 Muttmover Luxe backpack

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/best-gadgets-for-pets-133024155.html?src=rss 

Horror movie Barbarian is getting a video game adaptation

Barbarian is one of the more memorable horror movies of the last few years. It tells a tale of a young woman who finds that someone is already staying at her rental home. She has little choice but to stay there since nearby hotels are all booked up. That alone is a nightmare scenario but the film goes into some truly wild directions from there. On the surface, it seems like an odd choice to turn into a video game, but that’s exactly what’s happening.

New Regency Pictures and Friday the 13th: The Game and Evil Dead: The Game developer Diversion3 Entertainment have teamed up to bring Barbarian to PC and consoles. Despite the multiplayer format of the studio’s previous projects, this will be a single-player, narrative-focused title which will “expand on the settings, characters and creatures of Barbarian.” There’s no release timeframe as yet.

“We’re very excited to work with the team at New Regency to expand on the settings, characters and creatures of Barbarian,” Tim Hesse, an executive producer at Diversion3 Entertainment, told Variety in a statement. “The film did a magnificent job of not only scaring audiences with its unexpected and horrifying twists and turns, but also in establishing strong characters thrown into terrifying situations. We look forward to exploring these themes further in the game.”

A straight adaptation of the film’s story probably wouldn’t work as a game. But there’s certainly potential for it to work as a tension-filled survival horror title given (mild spoilers) how much of the Barbarian takes place in terrifying underground tunnels.

For the uninitiated, here’s the trailer for Barbarian. Happy Halloween.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/horror-movie-barbarian-is-getting-a-video-game-adaptation-200727185.html?src=rss 

Google paid $26 billion in 2021 for default search engine status

Vice president Prabhakar Raghavan testified Friday that Google paid $26.3 billion in 2021 for the purpose of maintaining default search engine status and acquiring traffic, Bloomberg reports. It’s likely the lion’s share of that sum went to Apple, which it has showered with exorbitant sums for many years in order to remain the default search option on iPhone, iPad and Mac.

Raghavan, who was testifying as part of the DOJ’s ongoing antitrust suit against the company, said Google’s search advertising made $146.4 billion in revenue in 2021, which puts the $26 billion it paid for default status in perspective. The executive clarified that default status was the most costly part of what it pays to acquire traffic.

Raghavan didn’t mention how much of the $26.3 billion went to Apple. But CNBC reports that an estimate from private wealth management firm Bernstein ballparked that Google could pay Apple up to $19 billion this year for the default privilege.

A slide shown in court revealed that, in 2014, Google brought in $47 billion in search revenue while paying $7.1 billion for default status. Raghavan testified that Google’s overall default search engine payments nearly quadrupled from 2014 to 2021, while its search advertising revenue (roughly) tripled.

Google objected to making the figures public, arguing it would hurt its ability to negotiate future contracts. Judge Amit Mehta, overseeing the case, disagreed.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/google-paid-26-billion-in-2021-for-default-search-engine-status-203129384.html?src=rss 

X introduces an ad-free ‘Premium+’ tier for $16 a month

X is adding two new tiers to its subscription offering, previously known as Twitter Blue. The company is adding a new, $16 per month “Premium+ tier” that eliminates ads in users’ following and “for you” timelines, in addition to the blue checkmark and other existing perks for subscribers. X is also adding a new, lower-cost “basic” tier that costs $3 a month.

The new subscription plans come as X’s advertising business has continued to decline, and the company is increasingly reliant on subscription revenue. X has also recently begun testing a program that requires all new users in some countries to pay $1 per year in order to post and reply to tweets.

introducing Premium+

– no ads in For You or Following
– largest boost for your replies (vs other Premium tiers or unverified users)
– access to our full suite of creator tools

now available on Web ✌️

subscribe here → https://t.co/Ywvyijo9CQ

— Premium (@premium) October 27, 2023

In addition to removing ads from users’ timeline, X said in a tweet that Premium+ subscribers would get an even bigger algorithmic boost in replies compared with subscribers paying for the cheaper premium level. Of note, it appears that both new tiers are only available via the web, at least for now, which is likely meant to help the company avoid additional fees associated with Apple and Google’s app stores.

The $3 basic tier appears to be a much more limited set of features compared with Premium and Premium+ and, notably, doesn’t include the blue checkmark or revenue-sharing. Instead, it offers extras like tweets editing, longer posts, the ability to download videos. It also offers a “small reply boost” and encrypted direct messages.

The new tiers come amid new reports about Elon Musk’s ambitious plans for X, one year after his takeover of the social media company. Musk, who has often talked about wanting to create an “everything app” reportedly wants to directly challenge YouTube and LinkedIn, according to a new report in Bloomberg. His exact plans aren’t yet clear, but the company has recently teased new video streaming and job posting features on X.

Offering additional subscription services could also tie into Musk’s plans to offer banking and other financial services. (Musk has noted that obtaining users’ credit card information is a key first step.) “In the months to come, we will add comprehensive communications and the ability to conduct your entire financial world,” Musk tweeted in July. And, according to reporting from The Verge, Musk told employees this week that he wants X to be able to completely replace bank accounts by the end of 2024.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/x-introduces-an-ad-free-premium-tier-for-16-a-month-191523132.html?src=rss 

Is streaming video even still worth it?

When Netflix first unveiled its streaming video service in 2007, it felt like a miracle. Netflix’s DVD customers in the US, who were paying between $5.99 to $17.99 a month, instantly had access to 1,000 movies over a web browser. No more waiting for DVDs in the mail, no ads like TV – just hit a button and watch. Instantly! Now that seems like ages ago. Netflix’s most premium 4K streaming plan now costs $23 a month, while its standard subscription without ads costs $15.49 a month. (There is a standard plan with ads for $6.99 a month, but that doesn’t support offline downloads and also doesn’t include some content.)

Netflix has also been cracking down on account sharing recently, which is great for its overall earnings and subscriber count, but bad for anyone trying to save a buck. You’ll have to pay an extra $7.99 a month to add more member slots to the standard and premium plans.

And it’s not just Netflix. Over the past year, just about every major streaming service has raised its prices considerably. Apple TV+ is doubling its original price to $10 a month ($99 annually). Disney+ saw a hefty increase as well to $14 a month for its ad-free premium tier. For those who subscribe to multiple services, it’s easy to think we’re back in the bad old days of cable TV, where we ended up spending gobs of money for hundreds of channels.

But let’s not get dramatic. Subscribing to the streaming services you use the most is still far cheaper than going for a typical cable plan. In my area, Comcast’s most popular plan with over 125 channels is listed at $60 a month, but the company hides the additional $27.80 broadcast network fee and $13.40 regional sport licensing fee. My actual monthly cost starts at $101.20, and that doesn’t include taxes, equipment rental fees (at least $10 a month) and other additions Comcast may coax you into. (Want 300 hours of Cloud DVR? That’s another $20 monthly!)

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average urban consumer spends an eye-watering $575 a month on cable, satellite or live streaming TV service. To be clear, those numbers reflect some customers spending a ton more on sports and other packages compared to others. But still, even the prospect of spending $370 a month on cable (the BLS’s consumer average from 2010) feels unfathomable. All of a sudden, Netflix creeping toward $25 doesn’t seem so bad — especially since cable customers also have to subscribe to streaming services to see their original shows.

Netflix

While some have argued that streaming price hikes signal the end of the cord-cutting dream, that’s far from true. Cable prices were already high a decade ago, and they’ve risen considerably since then. (Broadcast fees alone were estimated to jump between 8 to 10 percent between 2016 and 2019.) If anything, the case for cord-cutting is even stronger now. With the wealth of content available on streaming services, do you really need to pay hundreds to sit through another HGTV marathon? Especially when you can find some HGTV content on Max, and similar shows on other streamers?

Nobody likes to see their favorite services getting more expensive. You could easily argue that streaming prices hikes fall firmly within Corey Doctorow’s concept of internet enshittification, wherein companies provide cheap and useful services to grow their userbase, but inevitably make the experience worse to squeeze out more money and appease their investors. Unless an online service is being run as a non-profit or completely free side project, enshittification seems inevitable.

But it’s worth acknowledging why streaming services were so cheap to begin with. Netflix’s streaming service was practically an experiment early on — it was rolled into existing subscription plans, and you could only watch up to 18 hours a month. When Netflix launched its standalone streaming subscription in 2010, it was only $7.99 a month — a price that held true until its basic plan jumped a whole dollar in 2019. While the company introduced more expensive standard and premium plans along the way, the entry plan always seemed like a tremendous deal. Who wouldn’t want instant access to thousands of movies and TV shows for the price of two coffees?

Like many startups during the 2010s, Netflix continually raised tons of money (around $5 billion) without making enormous profit — or at least, not profit in line with the tens of billions the company has spent on original content over the last decade. Enticing new subscribers and keeping them was far more important to Netflix than actually being a sustainable business. So it wasn’t too surprising when other services like HBO Max, Disney+ and Apple TV+ launched with low prices competitive with Netflix.

According to Janko Roettgers, author of the newsletter Lowpass, and a former media and technology reporter at Variety, Netflix had an advantage over the competition because its legacy DVD business could fund its streaming ambitions. Other companies like Disney and Warner Bros. had to decide how streaming fit within their existing TV channels and movie studios.

“Now [Netflix is] making money with streaming across the world, and they’re starting to get into gaming,” Roettgers noted on the Engadget Podcast this week. “So they’re pretty quick at following up. And if you look at some of these legacy media companies, well, they still have linear networks. And those are declining slowly and slowly, and it’s taking them a long time to figure out […] Should we get out of this? How many can we keep running? How many of those do we need to shut down?”

When Netflix announced that it was actually losing subscribers in 2022 — 200,000 in the first quarter, followed by a whopping one million users in the second quarter — it was like a nuclear bomb exploded in the streaming industry. It immediately led to belt tightening across every service: Widespread Layoffs, canceled shows, and more strategies to make money. Netflix’s ad-supported tier launched later that year, while its account sharing lockdown began in earnest this May.

Lucasfilm

With interest rates on the rise and investors worried about the economy, raising prices was the inevitable next step for every streaming provider. And unfortunately, that trend won’t be reversed anytime soon. At best, we can only hope that the threat of losing users and pressure from competition will keep Netflix and others from reaching the dreaded highs of cable.

But don’t forget, there’s one thing you can do with streaming services that’s far more difficult with cable companies: You can cancel and subscribe easily online. You don’t need to set aside time and emotional energy to deal with a customer service rep on the phone, or block out a morning for a technician to visit. That potential for churn hangs over every streaming provider. So if their prices get too high, or they’re not actually providing enough valuable content to watch, just leave.

Still, it’s worth remembering that access to media is cheaper than ever. You don’t have to worry about spending a ton to rent movies from Blockbuster or your local video store. There aren’t any late fees to worry about. And while I miss the heyday of DVDs, buying just one of those discs could cover a month of service across two streaming services today (sometimes three!).

So sure, it stinks that Netflix is getting more expensive. But, personally, I’d easily take these higher prices over life before the streaming era.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/is-streaming-video-even-still-worth-it-192651141.html?src=rss 

ITC rules against Apple in patent dispute, setting up potential ban

On Thursday, the US International Trade Commission (ITC) upheld a judge’s earlier ruling that the Apple Watch violated patents from medical technology company Masimo, as reported by Reuters. Although the ITC’s order could theoretically lead to an eventual import ban on Apple Watch models, the iPhone maker still has ample opportunity to avoid that outcome.

The decision stems from a lawsuit Masimo filed in 2021, accusing Apple of infringing on the smaller company’s patents related to light-based blood-oxygen monitoring. Apple introduced the feature in the Apple Watch Series 6, its 2020 flagship smartwatch. Its 2023 models, including the Apple Watch Series 9 and Apple Watch Ultra 2, still include blood-oxygen sensors.

Masimo’s filing focuses on the Apple Watch Series 6, which the iPhone maker discontinued in 2021 following the launch of its successor. It isn’t clear whether or to what degree a hypothetical import ban would affect Apple’s latest versions of its flagship wearable. A federal jury took up Masimo’s allegations earlier this year, ending in a mistrial.

The case now moves to the White House as the Biden administration has 60 days to decide whether to veto the import ban based on policy concerns. Reuters notes that US Presidents have rarely rejected bans historically. If Biden opts not to veto, Apple can appeal the ban to the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit after the White House’s review period expires. Other options for the $2.6 trillion company include settling with Masimo or issuing software updates that skirt the patent.

Masimo paints the scenario as a victory for David vs. Goliath. “Today’s ruling by the USITC sends a powerful message that even the world’s largest company is not above the law,” Joe Kiani, Masimo’s CEO, wrote on Thursday. “This important determination is a strong validation of our efforts to hold Apple accountable for unlawfully misappropriating our patented technology,” added Mr. Kiani.

In a statement to Reuters, Apple framed the move as putting lives at risk to boost Masimo’s product portfolio. “Masimo has wrongly attempted to use the ITC to keep a potentially lifesaving product from millions of U.S. consumers while making way for their own watch that copies Apple,” an Apple spokesperson said. “While today’s decision has no immediate impact on sales of Apple Watch, we believe it should be reversed, and will continue our efforts to appeal.”

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/itc-rules-against-apple-in-patent-dispute-setting-up-potential-ban-181123636.html?src=rss 

How to watch Apple’s Scary Fast event

Apple’s holding another streaming event on October 30 at 8PM ET. Yes, that’s in the dead of night during the spookiest of seasons. The company’s calling it a “Scary Fast” event, which certainly makes it seem like there will be some hardware announcements. You can watch the stream on YouTube, on Apple’s official website and on Apple TV devices. Or, you can just keep this page open, as the stream’s embedded below.

So what’s on the docket for this Halloween-adjacent stream? We already had the big iPhone 15 reveal, so that leaves the company’s desktop and laptop computers. Given the event’s name, it’s highly likely Apple will drop the long-awaited M3 chip. It’s been nearly 17 months since the M2 debuted and, well, Moore’s law and all of that. For reference, it was 19 months between the M1 launch and the M2 debut.

Chips are only as good as the gadgets they power, so there should be a couple of hardware announcements to go along with that “scary fast” M3 chipset. Apple analysts Ming-Chi Kuo and Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman both suggest that an M3-powered MacBook Pro will take center stage at the event.

It’s also high-time that Apple released some new iMacs, as it’s been well over two years since 2021’s colorful refresh. Gurman has reported that the event will likely see the introduction of a new 24-inch iMac, also powered by the rumored M3 chip. He notes that current iMacs are in short supply at retail stores and that this typically indicates a forthcoming upgrade.

There could also be some iPad announcements at the event. If the whole stream revolves around M3-powered products, it’s more likely we’ll get a new iPad Pro than a standard entry-level tablet. However, it’s only been a year since the most recent iPad Pro debuted, though 2022’s release was merely a modest upgrade. Of course, other iPad models could get some love, setting them up to launch just in time for the holidays.

There could be some surprises, but we just got new iPhones and watches, and we know the Vision Pro isn’t due until next year, so that doesn’t leave a whole lot of options. At the very least, Apple presenters will likely be forced to wear Halloween costumes, which should be fun. Maybe we’ll see Tim Cook dressed as that blue smurf cat that blew up on TikTok earlier this month.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/how-to-watch-apples-scary-fast-event-183040759.html?src=rss 

Sonos home theater bundles are 20 percent off, plus the rest of this week’s best tech deals

It’s still a few days until Halloween, but retailers are already pushing early Black Friday deals. That makes this week either an opportunity to bemoan the unrelenting passage of time or a good time to shop. For those who take the latter view, we gathered up the better tech deals that’ve popped up. Those include a rare sale on Sonos home theater speakers, sweeping discounts on Blink security cameras and a steep price drop on a recommended VPN service. We’ve also spotted discounts on Apple’s M2 MacBook Air and 9th-generation iPad that respectively top and meet their prices from Amazon’s October Prime Day event earlier this month, as well as a couple of gift card bundles for new smartphones in the OnePlus Open and Samsung Galaxy S23 FE. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.  

Sonos home theater sets

From now through Sunday, Sonos is selling a few its home theater sets (which include soundbars and subwoofers) for up to 20 percent off. Sonos rarely runs sales, so this may be one to check out if you want to upgrade your TV’s sound setup. One deal is the Ray + Sub Mini, regularly $708, for just $566. We recommend the Ray in our soundbar buying guide because it provides excellent sound quality for both TV and music, while its compact size makes it ideal for smaller living rooms. Adding the Sub Mini to the mix helps round out the sound and fill in the bass that soundbars are hard-pressed to deliver on their own. 

At the other end of the pricing spectrum is Sonos’ high-end bundle, the Ultimate Immersive Set, which includes the Arc soundbar, the Sub subwoofer and two Era 300 smart speakers. Usually the set goes for $2,596, but it’s now down to $2,211. The Arc is our runner up pick for a premium option in our soundbar buying guide, while the Era 300 earned an Engadget review score of 80 thanks to its detailed and balanced sound quality. We did think the speaker’s spatial audio experience was hit or miss and we were disappointed by its lack of Google Assistant support — though you can use Alexa or Sonos’ own assistant instead. 

iRobot Roomba Combo j7+

Wellbots is taking up to $300 off a few of iRobot’s vac-and-mop Roomba Combo cleaners. The Roomba Combo j7+ usually costs a steep $999, for instance, but you can drop it down to $699 if you enter the code ENGROOMBA300 at checkout. The Roomba Combo j7+ is the top 2-in-1 pick in our robot vacuum buying guide, and it even earned a spot in the smart home of one of Engadget’s senior editors. 

A few other vac-and-mops are on sale too, including the iRobot Roomba Combo j5+, which is $300 with the same code, and the standard iRobot Roomba Combo j5, which is $250 off with the code ENGROOMBA250. (Those two are largely similar, though the former comes with a self-emptying base station.) If you’ve been thinking about automating your floor cleaning, this might be a good time to go for it.

Blink Outdoor 4 security camera

Blink’s latest outdoor security camera, the Outdoor 4, has only been around since August but has already gone on sale a few times. Now through November 5th, Amazon is dropping the price back down to $72, which is 40 percent off its list price. This deal comes as part of a wider sale on security cams and video doorbells from the Amazon subsidiary.

The Outdoor 4 is the top wireless security camera pick in our guide to the best smart home devices. It can capture 1080p footage and send it straight to a phone or Alexa-enabled smart display. You can also talk and listen through the built-in mic and speaker. Improved motion detection should help it discern between a person approaching your house and the neighborhood cat, and the wireless build lets you set it just about anywhere around your home’s exterior. Its battery can last up to two years with a pair of AA batteries, depending on your usage, and Amazon includes a set with the camera. Also included in this deal is the Sync Module 2, a separate accessory that lets you locally store video clips. 

For keeping tabs on the inside of your home, you can grab the Blink Mini. During the same time frame, a three-pack of the Blink Mini is down to $40. The list price for one of those cameras is $35, though we often see them drop into the $20 to $25 range.

Google Nest Learning Thermostat

Another Wellbots deal brings Google’s Nest Learning Thermostat down to $174, which is a $75 discount and one of the best prices we’ve seen as of late (though not the lowest ever). Enter the code ENGNLT75 to see the full savings at checkout. The Nest Learning Thermostat can help with your energy bills by not overly heating or cooling the house when you’re not home and by making suggestions on energy-saving temp settings. The “learning” here gets to know your routines and preferred settings to automatically create schedules, which you can always adjust manually in the Nest app.

Google Pixel Buds Pro

Google’s Pixel Buds Pro are back at their lowest price ever, thanks to another discount code at Wellbots. These wireless earbuds have a list price of $200, but they dropped to $120 during Amazon’s recent Prime Day sale. If you missed that one, though, you can now use the checkout code ENGPIX83 to get them for a few bucks less at $117. We named the Pixel Buds Pro the best option for Android users in our wireless earbuds buying guide and gave them an 87 in our review last year. They deliver deep bass and integrate particularly nicely with Google’s Pixel phones. 

The Google Nest Hub Max also has a discount code from Wellbots; enter ENGMAX100 to save $100 off the $229 list price. We gave this 10-inch smart display a review score of 86 when it came out in 2019 thanks to its tight integration with other Google devices and services, solid audio quality and accurate facial recognition. 

Apple MacBook Air M2

The base model of Apple’s 13-inch MacBook Air with an M2 chip and 256 GB of storage is down to $899 at Best Buy, which matches the lowest price we’ve seen outside of special offers for My Best Buy members. Apple sell the notebook for $1,099, so this deal represents a $200 discount off its MSRP. If you’d prefer a larger screen size, the 15-inch model is also on sale for a low of $1,049, which is $250 less than buying from Apple directly.

The M2 Air is both our favorite MacBook and the top overall recommendation in our laptop buying guide. We gave both notebooks a score of 96 in our reviews, and these entry-level configurations can still handle mainstream productivity and entertainment tasks with ease. Their speakers are impressively loud, their displays are bright and accurate, and their keyboards and trackpads remain comfortable. 

Apple is holding an event next week where it’s expected to announce new Macs based on an updated M3 chip, but reliable Bloomberg reporter Mark Gurman says that will likely focus on refreshed MacBook Pros and a new iMac; updated MacBook Airs aren’t expected until sometime next year.

Surfshark VPN

As part of an early Black Friday promotion, Surfshark is offering its VPN plans for up to 86 percent off. The deepest discount applies to the Surfshark Starter plan which you can get for $60 for 27 months. That works out to $2.21 per month with three months free. After the promo ends, the plan reverts to its normal price of $60 per year. We named Surfshark the best service for multiple devices in our VPN guide. It’s one of the few options that let you use it on an unlimited number of devices without bandwidth restrictions and it has access to a larger number of servers than other VPN services that offer unlimited connections. 

Anker PowerConf C200

Our runner-up recommendation for the best webcam you can buy is Anker’s PowerConf C200. Right now at Amazon and Newegg, the 2K cam is down $48, which matches the low we saw during the October Prime Day sale earlier this month. It’s easy to set up, has good picture quality and its on-board mics are surprisingly decent. Our main complaints were that it’s a little tricky to adjust the angle and the included USB cable is on the shorter side. 

Apple iPad (9th gen)

Apple’s 9th-generation iPad dropped to $249 for Amazon’s October Prime Day sale, which matched the tablet’s previous low. Now, the 10.2-inch slate is back down to that price at Amazon and Walmart. That’s $80 off Apple’s MSRP, though at this point, it’s almost always available for less than its list price at various retailers. This is the budget pick in our guide to the best iPads. It’s not the best option for a workhorse productivity slate, as it has a dated design and worse accessory support compared to newer models, but it’s still great for web browsing, playing Apple Arcade games and streaming video on the cheap. 

Apple iPad Pro (12.9-inch)

On the exact opposite of the iPad spectrum, the 12.9-inch iPad Pro is on sale for $990, which is about $60 off its usual street price and the lowest price we’ve tracked for the 128GB model. The 12.9-inch Pro is the “best for power users” pick in our buying guide: It’s still more iPad than most people need, but its big mini-LED display is gorgeous and it’s fast enough to handle just about any task thrown at it.

As noted above, Apple has an event coming next week, but Bloomberg reports we won’t see any new iPads then. Instead, refreshes are expected sometime early next year, so if you can afford to wait, it might be smart to do so. But if not, there’s still decent value here.

JBL Charge 5

The JBL Charge 5 is down to $120 at Amazon, Walmart and various other retailers, which is about $30 off its average street price. We recommend the Charge 5 in our guide to the best portable Bluetooth speakers. It’s not the most compact speaker around, but it’s loud enough for smaller parties, it does well keep tracks from sounding muddled and its IP67 waterproof rating means it’s safe to take in the shower or pool. JBL says its battery can last up to 20 hours per charge — though, as with all portable speakers, that’ll vary based on usage and volume — and the whole thing can work as a power bank for your phone in a pinch.

WD Black C50 Storage Expansion Card for Xbox Series X/S

For better or worse, the only way to fully expand the storage of an Xbox Series X/S is to buy a proprietary expansion card. If you’re running out of space, you can get the 1TB version of WD’s Black C50 card for $120 at Amazon with a $30 on-page coupon. That’s a new all-time low. This is still pricier than buying a comparable (and PS5-compatible) SSD, but the only other Xbox storage card on the market comes from Seagate, and the 1TB version of that card is currently priced at $149.

Apple Watch Ultra

Apple’s last-gen premium smartwatch, the Apple Watch Ultra, is on sale for $629 at Best Buy, which is about $140 off its typical going rate in recent months. Note that this deal applies to the model with Apple’s small Trail Loop in yellow and beige. A model with a small orange Alpine Loop is also on sale at Amazon for $659.

The catch here is that Apple recently released the Apple Watch Ultra 2, so this is technically an outdated model. The latest version adds a faster S9 SiP (system-in-package), which supports a useful Double Tap feature and on-board Siri processing, but the original remains a powerful option for athletes, hikers and other more involved users. It earned an 85 in our review when it came out thanks to its long battery life, big and bright display, and durable build. It still packs plenty of fitness and adventuring features (such as an SOS siren, waypoint-setting and a diving app) alongside the workout and activity tracking you get with other Apple Watches, so it might be worthwhile if you’re looking to save at least a little bit of cash on a high-end wearable. 

OnePlus Open 

The OnePlus Open started shipping just this week, but Amazon is already bundling the new foldable phone with a $200 gift card. Since the phone itself goes for $1,700, any sort of savings is appreciated. We called the Open a “thinner and more affordable flagship foldable” in our review last week and have named it the best “budget” option in our guide to the best foldable phones

If you don’t want to shop from Amazon — or if the gift card deal goes out of stock — you can grab a similar deal directly from OnePlus. The company is currently offering a $200 discount if you trade in any smartphone, regardless of brand, age and/or condition, bringing the foldable down to $1,500.

Samsung Galaxy S23 FE

Along those lines, both Amazon and Best Buy are bundling Samsung’s new Galaxy S23 FE phone with a $100 gift card for no extra cost. The phone itself goes for $599 and, like the OnePlus Open, began shipping this week. As we noted in our hands-on earlier this month, the Galaxy S23 FE has a similar design as the standard Galaxy S23, but it comes with a 6.4-inch OLED display (instead of 6.1 inches) and uses a slightly slower and less efficient Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor (instead of the newer Snapdragon 8 Gen 2). The FE’s camera system has a worse telephoto lens as well, though the device does come with a larger battery. While Google’s Pixel 8 looks to be a more complete package as a midrange Android phone, the S23 FE is less expensive, and this deal should only heighten the value. 

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This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/sonos-home-theater-bundles-are-20-percent-off-plus-the-rest-of-this-weeks-best-tech-deals-164825210.html?src=rss 

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