Category: Technology

The entry-level Apple iPad with the A16 chip is on sale for $280 as a Prime Day promotion. This is a discount of around $70 and represents a record-low price for the 11-inch tablet. The deal is available in multiple colorways.

This tablet made our list of the best iPads and we particularly recommend it for the budget-conscious. It may lack some of the bells and whistles of its more expensive cousins, but it still gets the job done. It’s fast enough for most common tasks and the battery life is solid, at 10 hours per charge. It also ships with 6GB of RAM, which is a decent enough metric.

The tablet integrates with Wi-Fi 6 and features a USB-C connector, along with a pair of 12MP cameras. There’s also a Touch ID sensor, which can be used to unlock the device and to make payments.

This is the most basic tablet in Apple’s lineup, so it lacks some features. It doesn’t integrate with the Apple Pencil Pro or the Magic Keyboard. The display is also not quite as gorgeous as the iPad Air or Pro, but it’s still a Liquid Retina panel. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/deals/prime-day-apple-deals-include-the-ipad-a16-for-280-082743946.html?src=rss 

It’s once again time for October Prime Day. While this fall’s Big Deal Days event isn’t a four-day extravaganza like we got in July, we’re still seeing steep discounts on some of the world’s best audio gear. This time, our audiophiles have dug up markdowns on top-tier portable bluetooth speakers, smart speakers and soundbars from JBL, Beats, Sonos and more. Whether you’re building a permanent setup for your home theater or chaining portable speakers together to blast dance tunes through an outdoor party venue, we bet you’ll find some Prime Day speaker deals to love on our professionally curated list.

Best Prime Day bluetooth speaker deals

JBL Xtreme 3 for $209 (36 percent off): Like the Xtreme 2, the JBL Xtreme 3 is a hefty bluetooth speaker with a 15-hour battery life and the ability to chain together with other JBL speakers. But don’t fret if you’ve only got one — even on its own, we’ve found the Xtreme 3’s 100-watt output manages to sound both crisp and deep in any space.

JBL Flip 6 for $98 (24 percent off): The JBL Flip 6 is a solid choice for an all-around bluetooth speaker, performing well in any room or on the go. It sounds good at almost any frequency and volume, runs for 12 hours on a single charge and is nearly impossible to damage with falls, dust or water.

JBL Clip 3 for $32 (64 percent off): The JBL Clip 3 is one of the best traveling speakers on the market, weighing a quarter of a pound and including a large and versatile carabiner ring. Output power reaches 5 watts, which is pretty good for such a small unit, and the battery runs for 10 hours per charge.

JBL Go 3 for $25 (37 percent off): The JBL Go 3 is a decent and highly affordable carabiner speaker for all your outdoor adventures — as is its sister product, the Go 3 Eco, which is made from recycled materials. It’s obviously not the most powerful speaker at 4.2 watts, but it has a surprisingly good functional range. Plus, the design looks good on any belt or backpack.

Ultimate Ears Miniroll for $50 (37 percent off): Miniroll is the smallest speaker from Ultimate Ears, but it punches far above its weight, starting with UE’s trademark massive volume buttons. While small enough to fit in a jeans pocket, its combination of a driver and radiator manages about 85 decibels. A Miniroll can run for about 12 hours on a single charge.

Ultimate Ears Boom 4 for $100 (33 percent off): The UE Boom 4 is a balanced speaker that does well anywhere. Take it camping (it’s waterproof and a charge lasts for 15 hours), to a party (it puts out loud 360 degree sound) or make it part of a permanent home system by chaining it with other UE speakers — one of these plus two Minirolls or Wonderbooms would come pretty close to full surround sound.

Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 for $50 (44 percent off): The Wonderboom 4 may be our favorite UE product. At just 1.2 pounds, it can pump out mighty sound on its own, or chain with other UE speakers for a deeper full-range experience. USB charging is simple and lasts for 14 hours between top-ups.

Ultimate Ears Everboom for $231 (15 percent off): The Everboom is the middle ground of the UE line, with more powerful output than the Wonderboom and more portability than the Hyperboom. Its 360 degree sound pairs with an Outdoor Boost feature to work better outside, though it isn’t quite as impressive in the middle ranges.

Bose SoundLink Flex for $99 (33 percent off): We’ve rarely seen the Bose SoundLink Flex this cheap, so now is the time to snap up this high-fidelity outdoor speaker. It’s small enough to carry in one hand and can be operated from up to 30 feet away via the Bose Connect app. We’ve also found it simple and fun to use for hands-free phone calls during breaks in the music.

Bose SoundLink Revolve+ for $179 (40 percent off): The SoundLink Revolve+ line, Bose’s original upright 360-degree speakers, continue to pack a punch. This current model features a 17-hour battery life, IP55 water resistance and the ability to connect to a smart speaker to extend your virtual assistant’s range.

Bose SoundLink Max for $299 (25 percent off): The Bose SoundLink Max may put you in mind of a classic boombox, with its detachable handle and thudding base. But inside it’s all modern, with a 50-watt output, an effective range of 52.6Hz and a 20-hour rechargeable battery. It even comes with a 3.5mm AUX input to connect to a turntable, if you really want to embrace your inner 90s DJ.

Beats Pill for $129 (14 percent off): We gave the revived Beats Pill a full review last year, and we stand by our opinion that it was worth waiting for. Its newly enlarged subwoofer delivers much more powerful bass that sounds clean and lossless even over USB-C. The latest Pill also travels well, with 24 hours of battery life and IP67 waterproofing.

Marshall Emberton II for $100 (44 percent off): Marshall, the old warhorse of the audio world, continues to crush it with the portable and bluetooth-ready Emberton II. Although it looks like an antique, it’s anything but, with 360-degree sound and over 30 hours of battery life from a single charge — all weighing a little more than a quarter of a pound.

Best Prime Day smart speaker deals

Amazon Echo Dot 5th Generation for $35 (30 percent off): The Echo Dot, our favorite smart speaker under $50, is now…even farther under $50. Despite being small enough to fit on a cluttered bookshelf, the Dot pumps out high-quality sound that can fill a room, and comes equipped with physical buttons to supplement Alexa’s voice command interface.

Amazon Echo Pop for $25 (38 percent off): The Echo Pop is Amazon’s smallest and cheapest smart speaker, resembling an Echo Dot sliced in half. It’s a little quiet, and probably best for extending Alexa’s range rather than serving as the primary host for your virtual assistant. In a smaller room, though, this is as convenient and clear-sounding as any other Echo you’ll use.

Best Prime Day soundbar deals

JBL Bar 9.1 for $700 (41 percent off): JBL designed the 9.1 soundbar for Dolby Atmos, and the results speak for themselves, with 820 watts of booming audio. The best thing about this soundbar is the pair of detachable wireless speakers you can place around your viewing room to make the sound even more surround.

JBL Bar 300 for $250 (37 percent off): The Bar 300, part of JBL’s 2023 soundbar explosion, is a mighty yet cheap soundbar with an integrated subwoofer. Despite being small, it manages to create a theatrical experience by working both Dolby Atmos and MultiBeam. Its voice sharpening algorithm is especially good at making dialogue clearer (for those of us who always have to put on the subtitles).

JBL Bar 700 for $500 (44 percent off): Another 2023 drop, the JBL Bar 700 upgrades the Bar 300 by adding detachable wireless speakers for true 360-degree sound. While it costs twice as much as the 300, that money gets you more than four times the output, as the 700 tops out at 620 watts — and thanks to a 10-inch subwoofer, you’ll feel all of it.

Amazon Fire TV Soundbar Plus for $150 (40 percent off): One of the cheapest soundbars you’ll ever see, the Fire TV Soundbar Plus provides a noticeable boost to your TV’s audio quality, even if it doesn’t reach Dolby Atmos heights. It’s simple, but that makes it a breeze to set up — all you have to do is plug in one HDMI cable.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/audio/speakers/the-best-prime-day-speaker-deals-jbl-bose-ultimate-ears-and-more-070038290.html?src=rss 

Camera buyers usually mark Amazon’s October Prime Day on their calendars as it’s a great way to get a nice discount on a major purchase — especially since recent tariffs have caused price increases with some brands. This year’s sale looks like a good one, with genuine value available on camera equipment, drone and accessory purchases.

Some key deals include discounts on DJI drones, action cams and wireless mics, along with sales on cameras from Sony, Canon, Insta360, GoPro and Nikon. Many of those cameras are ranked highly in our most recent camera guide, like Nikon’s Z6 III and the Panasonic S5 IIx — so feel free to check that out as you add items to your cart. Without further delay, here are the best Prime Day camera deals you can grab this week.

Best Prime Day camera deals

DJI Neo drone for $159 (20 percent off): The DJI Neo may be an inexpensive, beginner-friendly drone, but it has powerful features like subject tracking and quick shots. It can shoot video at up to 4K 30 fps and is quick and maneuverable, though it’s also fairly loud. You can also grab one with three batteries and a charger for $229 (21 percent off).

DJI Osmo Action 4 for $229 (23 percent off): DJI’s Osmo Action 4 is a solid deal at this price, as you’re not giving up much in comparison to the most recent model, the Action 5. It has the same big 1/1.3-inch sensor that delivers excellent video quality, especially in low light. It also features a D-LogM profile to boost dynamic range, DJI’s excellent clip-on mount and high-quality 4K 120p video.

DJI Mini 4K drone for $239 (20 percent off): The Mini 4K is a beginner-friendly drone, but it’s still got plenty of nifty features. As the name suggests, it can capture 4K video at up to 30 FPS. It can also record 2.7K footage at 60 FPS. There’s 2x digital zoom, a 3-axis gimbal and electrical image stabilization. The drone can transmit 1080p video from up to 10km away.

DJI Osmo Action 5 Pro for $269 (21 percent off): DJI’s Osmo Action 5 Pro is a good alternative to GoPro’s Hero 13 Black. I has a 1/1.3-inch sensor that makes it better than its rival in low light and rivals it in battery life as well with over two hours while shooting in 4K 60p. Another nice feature is 47GB of internal storage, something its main rivals lack. And the Osmo Action 5 Pro works directly with DJI’s noise-cancelling Mic 2 and Mic Mini wireless microphones, providing an easy way to record high-quality sound.

GoPro Hero 13 Black for $359 (17 percent off): GoPro’s Hero 13 Black is now available with a new family of modular lenses called the HB series (ultra-wide, anamorphic and macro), making it far more versatile for action creators. It also has a slightly bigger battery that allows longer capture times, up to 90 minutes for 4K 30fps video. Other specs remain the same, including up to 5.3K at 60fps in 10-bit color, along with the excellent Hypersmooth stabilization.

DJI Osmo 360 action cam for $413 (25 percent off): It took DJI awhile to get a panoramic action cam into the market, but the Osmo 360 was worth the wait. It stacks up well against its main rival, Insta360’s X5, by offering better video quality in low light or high-contrast situations. It’s also easy to use, offers good battery life and trumps its competition with a large amount of built-in storage.

Sony ZV-1F for $498 (17 percent off): Sony’s ZV-1F is designed purely for vlogging thanks to the fixed 20mm lens that works perfectly for self-filming. It uses a 1-inch sensor like other compacts in this series and supports 4K shooting at up to 30 fps, the same as the ZV-1, and 1080p at up to an impressive 120fps. It offers vlog-ready features like background defocus and product showcase. 

Canon EOS R100 with RT-S18-45mm lens for $529 (15 percent off): Canon’s EOS R100 is the only modern mirrorless camera you can get with a kit lens for under $600. It comes with a 24-megapixel APS-C sensor that delivers great picture quality with Canon’s pleasing skin tones.

Canon EOS R50 with RF-S18-45mm lens $799 (9 percent off): Canon’s 24-megapixel APS-C EOS R50 is great for travel, parties, street photography and more thanks to the portable size and built-in flash. It offers nice image quality with warm, human friendly photos and is capable for creators as well with 4K 30fps supersampled video, with 10-bit and HDR capability. It comes with a kit lens that’s solid for vlogging or photography with a 24-70mm full-frame equivalent zoom range. 

Sony A6100 with 16-50mm and 55-210mm lenses $800 (33 percent off): If you want to hit the ground running with a camera and lenses on the cheap, Sony’s A6100 is an outstanding value right now. While five years old, its autofocus system is still among the best thanks to its intelligent face- and eye-tracking, along with 4K 30 fps video. The color science and low-light capabilities are excellent, so photos are sharp and color accurate, even in dimly-lit environments. The drawbacks are bad rolling shutter and a low-resolution EVF. Still, you won’t find much comparable in this price range with two lenses to boot.

Panasonic Lumix S9 for $1,198 (20 percent off): The S9 may be Panasonic’s smallest full-frame camera but it comes with the same 24MP sensor and similar video features to the popular S5 II. To that end, it offers up to 6.2K video, in-body stabilization and reliable autofocus. The key feature though is a special LUT button that lets you easily choose a custom cinematic look designed by professional creators.

Panasonic S5 II for $1,498 (25 percent off): It’s the company’s first camera with hybrid phase-detect AF designed to make focus “wobble” and other issues a thing of the past. You can shoot sharp 4K 30p video downsampled from the full sensor width, or 4K 60p from an APS-C cropped size, all in 10-bit color. It even offers 5.9K 30p video. You also get a flip-out screen for vlogging and updated five-axis in-body stabilization that’s the best in the industry. Photo quality is also good thanks to the dual-gain 24-megapixel sensor. The main drawback is the slowish burst speeds.

Sony A7 IV for $2,198 (19 percent off): Resolution is up considerably from the 24-megapixel A7 III to 33 megapixels, with image quality much improved overall. Video is now up to par with rivals with 4K at up to 60p with 10 bit 4:2:2 quality. Autofocus is incredible for both video and stills, and the in-body stabilization does a good job. The biggest drawback is rolling shutter that limits the use of the electronic shutter.

Panasonic S5 IIx with two lenses for $2,298 (22 percent off): The S5 IIx is identical to the S5 II except that it offers high bitrate Apple ProRes capture directly to an external SSD. This deal is ideal for creators who want to hit the ground running as it includes both a 50mm f/1.8 portrait lens and a 22-60mm zoom. 

Nikon Z6 III for $2,397 (11 percent off): Nikon’s Z6 III is the best hybrid mirrorless camera for the money, thanks to the incredible performance of the 24-megapixel partially stacked sensor. You can shoot RAW bursts at up to 20 fps in electronic shutter mode while nailing sharp shots thanks to the much-improved autofocus. On the video side, it supports 6K RAW at up to 60 fps, or 4K 120p. All of that makes it ideal for creators and photographers alike, with the only drawback being the reduced resolution.

Sony A7R V for $3,798 (10 percent off): With a 61-megapixel sensor, the A7R V shoots sharp and beautiful images at a very respectable speed for such a high-resolution model (10 fps). It has equally fast and reliable autofocus, the sharpest viewfinder on the market and in-body stabilization that’s much improved over the A7R IV. Video has even improved, with 8K and 10-bit options now on tap, albeit with significant rolling shutter

Best Prime Day camera lens and accessory deals

Osmo Mobile 7 for $68 (24 percent off): One of the best things to elevate your smartphone footage is a gimbal like the Osmo Mobile 7 from DJI. The company makes some of the best drones you can buy, so it knows a thing or two about camera stabilization, so it will make your smarphone videos smooth as silk. It only weighs 300 grams, so it’ll be a lightweight addition to almost any travel kit.

DJI Mic Mini $99 (41 percent off): DJI’s Mic Mini bundle includes two mic transmitters and a receiver that can be connected to a camera or phone, along with a charging case. The mics weigh just a third of an ounce and attach easily to subjects via magnets or clips. Everything pairs automatically and they offer high quality 24-bit 20Hz to 20K Hz recording. They also connect easily to smartphones over Bluetooth and other DJI devices like the Action 5 and Osmo Pocket 3 cams using DJI’s OsmoAudio direct connection. 

DJI Mic 2 for $269 (23 percent off): DJI’s Mic 2 can not only be connected to a mirrorless camera like other mics, but also supports Bluetooth audio so can easily be connected to a smartphone as well. It picks up audio from your subject at a range of up to 820 feet (less with a Bluetooth connection) and automatically reduces background noise like wind, city sounds and even drone noise. This deal includes two mic transmitters, a receiver for your camera, a charging case and wind muffs. 

DJI RS 4 Mini $309 (16 percent off): The RS 4 Mini is one of the best handheld camera stabilizers on the market thanks to features like its 4.4 pound payload and automatic axis lock. On top of that, the company introduced automatic tracking via its RS Intelligent Tracking Module to keep human subjects in frame no matter where they go. It also offers smoother gimbal tracking, longer battery life and faster charging. 

Lexar 128GB Professional 2000x SD Card $90 (31 percent off): If you need very fast SD UHS II memory, Lexar currently has an excellent deal on its 128GB 2000x memory card. It offers 300MB/s read and 260Mb/s write speeds, quick enough to capture high data rate video or bursts of high-resolution photos. Amazon is also offering a solid discount on 256GB memory in the same lineup at $170 or 23 percent off. 

Manfrotto Befree GT PRO 4-section travel tripod $299 (36 percent off): Belying its miniscule 4.23 pound weight, this model offers ultra-stable performance for timelapse and other shots, even in bad weather. It’s also great for video thanks to the integrated 3-way pan/tilt head, featuring fluid cartridges for precise control and seamless movements.

Panasonic Lumix G 25mm f/1.7 lens $248 (17 percent off): Panasonic and Micro Four Thirds users on a budget in need of a fast 50mm equivalent prime should check this one out. It offers beautiful bokeh and fast speeds in low light, but costs nearly half the price of f/1.4 models. 

Nikon Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.4 Lens $497 (17 percent off): If you want a fast 50mm portrait lens but don’t have a ton to spend, Nikon’s Nikkor Z 50mm f/1.4 lens is on sale for just $497, making it one of the cheapest full-frame options available. At the same time, it offers exceptional sharpness and excellent color rendition, with beautiful bokeh that will flatter your subjects. 

Panasonic Lumix S 85mm f/1.8 lens $448 (31 percent off): I own this lens and it’s fast, sharp and versatile for portraits while offering considerable savings compared to an f/1.4 portrait. It’s also great for working pros due to the dust-, splash- and freeze-resistant design and very light weight next to other brands. 

Nikon Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.4 Lens $577 (15 percent off): If you’re looking for a fast full-frame Nikon Z prime in the 35-50mm category for portraits, architecture or street photos, Nikon has a stellar deal. The Nikkor Z 35mm f/1.4 lens is fast and sharp with painterly bokeh thanks to the 9-blade iris design. It’s great for video as well, with the silent STM mechanism offering silent autofocus and suppressed focus breathing.

Canon RF24-70mm F2.8 L lens $2,399 (8 percent off): If you’ve been eyeballing a fast Canon RF mount zoom, now’s the time to act. The RF24-70mm f/2.8 L lens rarely goes on sale, but is now available with a $200 (8 percent) discount. It offers an f/2.8 aperture across the entire zoom range so you get awesome bokeh for portraits and high versatility in low light situations. 

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/cameras/the-best-prime-day-camera-and-drone-deals-get-up-to-41-percent-off-gear-from-dji-canon-sony-and-others-073852143.html?src=rss 

There’s good and bad news coming from Yacht Club Games, the studio behind Shovel Knight. The bad news is that the company’s upcoming game, Mina the Hollower, has been delayed from its planned October 31 release date. But the good news is that it doesn’t seem like this will be a lengthy wait. 

There’s no new launch date given in the post on the developer’s website, but Yacht Club says that it won’t be much longer before the game is ready. “The entire crew has been working tirelessly day and night to finish development for release on Oct 31st, but we’re just not quite there yet,” the post states. “This isn’t a major delay, it’s just a stretch of time to apply some final polish and balancing to make the game truly shine.” Mina the Hollower is coming to life thanks to a successful Kickstarter by the team during 2022. It’s an action-adventure game with nods to the Game Boy Color’s aesthetics.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mina-the-hollower-from-the-makers-of-shovel-knight-has-been-delayed-222817866.html?src=rss 

After several silent months, Bungie has opened applications for players interested in participating in a closed technical test of Marathon. It’s an invitation-only limited-time test, lasting just October 22-28. Those who are chosen to participate can only do so under a non-disclosure agreement, so don’t expect to hear any juicy details or insights about the game’s status later this month once the event wraps. 

While it’s not a new public look at Marathon, news of a fresh round of testing marks a small step forward for this team extraction shooter. The game was originally slated for a September 2025 release, but in June, Bungie said it was indefinitely delaying the project. The pause was meant to give the studio time to address player feedback from the closed alpha test it conducted earlier in the spring. Considering the language used for this testing phase, we’ll still have a while to wait before getting a new launch window.

Whenever it does arrive, Marathon will be Bungie’s first new title since the company introduced Destiny 2 back in 2017. Before the delay, the studio had also drawn raised eyebrows with Marathon after the alpha build used stolen artwork, which has been a repeat issue for Bungie.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/bungie-will-conduct-technical-testing-on-marathon-later-this-month-213422857.html?src=rss 

The reaction to iPadOS 26 has been mostly positive, but some users have bemoaned the absence of the decade-old Slide Over multitasking feature. Well, Apple just announced that it’s coming back as part of iPadOS 26.1. It’s actually already available, though just as part of the beta build.

For the uninitiated, Slide Over is a multitasking tool that lets users quickly reveal and hide an app that slides in and out from the side of the screen. This is great for quickly revealing and hiding an app without permanently rearranging your workspace.

Apple also got rid of Split View with iPadOS 26, but the new windowing system can easily do something similar. There has been no way with the new OS to mimic Slide Over, which has become a source of frustration for tablet fans.

Slide Over has been redesigned to work with that new windowing system and there’s a major upgrade. Users can quickly resize the windows and change the aspect ratios, in addition to swiping right to completely hide them from view.

There is also one major downgrade, according to reporting by 9to5Mac. Users can only have one active app in Slide Over at a time. In iPadOS 18 (and earlier), folks could switch between multiple apps in a Slide Over window, but it looks like that option has been removed. 

Given how iPadOS 26 radically reworked the way the system handles multiple apps, it’s a safe bet that this old Slide Over behavior was incompatible with the latest OS. Engadget has reached out to Apple for clarification and will update this post when we hear back.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/mobile/tablets/apple-is-bringing-back-slide-over-in-ipados-261-190036025.html?src=rss 

Last week, Amazon announced two new Echo Show devices during its fall hardware event. From the stage, Amazon execs repeatedly used the phrase “blend into the background.” Amazon hardware chief Panos Panay told a personal story, recounting how Alexa+ was able to “shift the balance” at his dinner table, supplying his family with facts to settle their mealtime debates, no phones required. He praised the fact that Alexa+ can help “without distracting you” or “taking you away from what’s most important.” Laudable sentiment, for sure. It’s jarring to be ripped away from a moment by uninvited tech.

So if the folks at Amazon really believe Alexa-enabled tech should fade into the background, they may agree that when I’m in my kitchen slicing an apple for my kid and I glance up at my Echo Show cycling through family photos, it’s really frickin distracting when the shot of the forested field just outside my old house is replaced by a full-screen advertisement for Dewalt drill bits. It sure as heckfire takes me out of the moment. My Echo Show does not “fade into the background;” it sticks ads in my face.

I don’t remember it always being this way. I can recall a time, maybe a year or so ago, when my Echo Show 15 happily cycled through my photos with no billboard pop-ups. An Amazon rep I spoke with assured me that advertising has always been a part of the Echo Show experience, though they were less clear as to whether or not there may have been a change to the way ads were served on the home screen and photo carousel.

That year-or-so-timeline jibes with what I’m seeing on Reddit and Amazon’s help pages. From one to two years ago, complaints started popping up. People were suddenly confronted with ads and hoping, in vain, that someone could explain how to turn them off. The posts ranged from confusion to disbelief, to irritation and infuriation — exactly the emotional range I experienced when a cereal ad popped up (coincidentally?) while I was making breakfast.

I, like those hopeful redditors, wondered whether there was a secret setting, some buried menu option that would offer escape from the march of commerce while I washed the dishes. So I double checked with the Amazon rep and had it unequivocally confirmed: There is no way to turn these ads off.

I get it. From the printing press to AI chatbots, ads have always been inseparable from technology. My very paycheck depends, in part, on that airline/insurance/PC banner over there on your screen. I accept that I must first close the Old Spice pop up to read an article on Deadline. I tolerate the pillow commercial on YouTube so I can watch Josh Johnson ruminate. I begrudgingly agree to these things; They’re part of the contract. But a billboard in my kitchen? Family vacation pics interspersed with Moen faucet promos? That’s not something I agreed to. I shouldn’t have to suffer through an ad so I can watch content if the content is my own damn pictures and the home page of a machine I paid hundreds of dollars to own. Built-in ads don’t even subsidize the cost of an Echo Show like they do with Kindles — buying one of Amazon’s ereaders with lockscreen ads at least knocks $20 off the price.

If, as we were told last week, Alexa+ and its vessels are supposed to fade into the background, if we’re meant to invite this AI into our homes, into our kitchens, to our dinner tables, as a distraction-free helper, then un-opt-outable ads on the Echo Show home screen are not aligned with that goal. I’ve unplugged my Echo Show 15. Soon I’ll delete my data from it and stick it on the sidewalk with a big free sign on it. If you’re in the neighborhood, you’re welcome to pick it up.

This article originally appeared on Engadget at https://www.engadget.com/home/smart-home/dont-buy-an-echo-show-you-can-have-mine-155730401.html?src=rss