The best educational toys for kids

It’s tempting to get your kid every shiny new toy they ask for. But some toys are better than others when it comes to actually stimulating your child’s brain while also keeping them entertained. The parents on the Engadget staff know this well, and we’…

Repair your AirPods charging case with an unofficial 3D-printed kit

AirPods have a reputation for being unrepairable, but one engineer might have an unofficial workaround. Ken Pillonel (of USB-C iPhone fame) has created an open source repair kit for first- and second-generation AirPods models. If you’re comfortable cracking open the case, you can perform repairs (such as installing a fresh battery) and get back to business using a 3D-printed replacement part. Moreover, the kit will drag your AirPods into the modern era — it switches the charging port from Lightning to an EU-friendly USB-C connection.

Pillonel is publishing the necessary 3D printing and PCB (circuit board) files on his GitHub repository. He’s not sure about selling ready-made repair kits himself, but he’s open to the possibility.

This solution clearly isn’t for the faint of heart. You’ll need access to printing hardware, not to mention some technical know-how. To Pillonel, however, it’s worth the effort. In normal use, the AirPods charging case is destined to become e-waste if it either breaks or loses too much battery life. The DIY kit promises to keep your case useful for years to come, and offers connectivity you won’t get by ordering a case from Apple.

Feline adventure game ‘Stray’ is getting a limited-edition cat backpack

The history of video games is littered with odd tie-in merchandise, from Resident Evil perfume and Xbox body wash to a Call of Duty-themed Jeep and the Xbox Mini Fridge. Annapurna Interactive is adding to that storied legacy with a branded cat carrier for new adventure game Stray.

The publisher teamed up with pet accessories brand Travel Cat for the limited-edition carrier, which it announced just a few days before the game hits PlayStation and PC on Tuesday. “We’ve hinted at it. It’s true. We’re happy to share that limited-edition Stray x Travel Cat merch for your feline companions is up for pre-order!” Annapurna wrote in a tweet spotted by Eurogamer.

It’s a version of a Travel Cat backpack called The Fat Cat with neon and charcoal colors inspired by the cyberpunk setting of Stray. The pet accessory company says the $140 carrier is sturdy and breathable, while there’s space for more than one cat. There’s a bubble attachment so your curious furry friends can look at the outside world, as well as a leash clip (a Stray leash and harness are also available)

You don’t have to limit the contents to cats either. “You could also use the harness and backpack for small/mediumish dogs if you really wanted to,” Annapurna said. “And you can use the backpack for carrying stuff in general too.” Travel Cat will ship the carrier in two batches, one on August 31st and another on September 21st.

There’s been a sizable buzz around puzzle platformer Stray since it first emerged a couple of years ago. You’ll play as a stray cat that has been separated from its family. You’ll make your way home through a dystopian cybercity with the help of a companion drone, all the while knocking over as many things as you can. PlayStation Plus subscribers on the Extra and Premium tiers can play the game at no extra cost.

Anker’s Eufy robot vacuums are up to 48 percent off for Prime Day

There are no shortage of robot vacuum deals for Prime Day, but some of the most affordable devices lie in Anker’s Eufy family. A number of those robo-vacs are on sale for Amazon’s shopping event, with one of our favorites being 48 percent off. You can pick up the Eufy RoboVac 11S Max is down to inly $130 right now, or nearly half off its original price. Another solid pick, the Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid, is $270 off and down to $380, which is the best price we’ve seen it.

Buy Eufy RoboVac 11S Max at Amazon – $130Buy Eufy RoboVac X8 Hybrid at Amazon – $380Shop Eufy deals at Amazon

The 11S Max is actually a stronger version of the robot vacuum that made it into our budget robot vacuum guide. The standard 11S has 1300Pa of suction power, while the Max has 2000Pa, so you’re getting a device that should do an even better job of sucking up dirt and debris. Otherwise, the 11S Max is basically the same as the standard model: at only 2.85-inches tall, it’s slim enough to get underneath some furniture and it’ll return to its base when it needs a recharge. It’s not a WiFi-connected robot vacuum, which means you can’t control it from your smartphone. However, it comes with a handy remote that has options for most of the big things you’d want to do with a robo-vac like change cleaning modes, set schedules and more.

While the 11S Max is probably best for those who aren’t sure how much they’ll use a robot vacuum, the X8 Hybrid is for those who know a machine like this will fill a void in their home. It’s a vacuum-and-mop hybrid device that comes with a 250-milliliter water tank that you can fill when you want to run a mopping job. As a vacuum, though, it’s pretty powerful and we appreciated its accurate home-mapping skills, four different cleaning modes and its “tap and go” feature, which lets you send the machine to a specific spot in your home to clean.

Get the latest Amazon Prime Day offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.

The Meta Quest 2 VR headset comes with a $25 gift card for Prime Day

The Meta Quest 2 is already pretty affordable at $299, but now Amazon is sweetening the deal by bundling it with a free $25 gift card. While you still have to pay its full price upon checkout — that’s $299 for the headset with 128GB of storage — the deal still translates to seven percent in savings when you factor in the gift card you’re getting from the purchase. You can also get the 256GB version of the headset formerly known as the Oculus Quest 2 with a free $25 gift card, though that option will set you back $399.

Buy Meta Quest 2 128 GB with $25 Gift Card at Amazon – $299

We found the Meta Quest 2 to be an excellent standalone VR headset when we reviewed the device back in 2020. It’s smaller than its predecessor and around 10 percent lighter, making it more comfortable to use. It has fast-switching LCDs with a resolution of 1,832 x 1,920 per eye and have 50 percent more pixels than the previous model. Shortly after the device’s release, Meta rolled out an update that enabled 90Hz refresh rate for games, as well. 

We also praised Meta for addressing people’s concerns with the first Quest’s hardware. That said, you need a Facebook account to be able to use the headset, at least for now. The company is changing that requirement soon and will instead require users to have a Meta account, which doesn’t have to be linked to Facebook. 

Amazon’s free $25 gift card offer will only be available until the end of the day. Take note that the gift card might ship separately from the headset itself and might arrive at a different date.

Get the latest Amazon Prime Day offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.

Amazon is finally bringing its smart shopping cart to Whole Foods

Amazon has announced a new version of its smart shopping cart. The new Dash Cart can transport more groceries and includes new features. Amazon says the latest version can carry four grocery bags, up from two previously, and has dedicated shelves for delicate and oversized items. The latest version is also weather-resistant so you can take it to your car.

As before, the cart will automatically weigh produce and keep a real-time tally of all the food you buy. Amazon has tweaked the software on the touchscreen to display images of nearby fresh fruit and produce. The company’s software will now also do a better job of keeping track of where the cart is in stores and notifying you of deals. Lastly, the latest version has a bigger battery, which should translate into the new Dash Cart being more frequently available for customers to use.

Speaking of availability, Amazon is finally bringing the Dash Cart to Whole Foods, starting with the chain’s Westford, Massachusetts location and expanding to “a few additional” stores in the coming months. Previously, Dash Carts were only available at the company’s Amazon Fresh grocery stores, of which there are only about two dozen locations in the US at the moment.

Once Dash Carts arrive at your local Whole Foods, you can start using them by scanning the QR code you find on each one in the Amazon or Whole Foods Market apps. As you find items you want to buy, you scan them with one of the cameras near the cart’s handlebar. Once you’re done shopping, you exit the store through the dedicated Dash Cart lane. Amazon will automatically bill the credit card associated with your account, and you’ll get an emailed receipt after leaving the store.

Samsung’s 1TB T7 Shield SSD drops to $100 for Prime Day

The latest portable drive to be added to Samsung’s T7 family is cheaper than ever for Amazon Prime Day. The new T7 Shield in 1TB is down to a new record low of $100, which is $60 off its normal price. The 2TB model is $90 off and down to only $200, too. This SSD is only a few months old as Samsung released it in April, so now’s a great opportunity to grab it while you can pick it up at a discount.

Buy T7 Shield (1TB) at Amazon – $100Buy T7 Shield (2TB) at Amazon – $200

The T7 Shield is essentially a tougher version of the standard T7. It has a rubberized exterior that surrounds its aluminum body, giving it extra durability and drop protection. Samsung claims the SSD can easily survive p to 9.8-foot drops, plus it has an IP65 rating for water- and dust-resistance. This might sound like overkill for a device that you may intend to keep in your backpack or on your desk at home, but it’ll provide extra peace of mind if you ever need to travel with the SSD and work with it in the go.

When it comes to performance, the T7 Shield supports read/write speeds of up to 1,050 MB/s and 1,000 MB/s, respectively, and it works with most devices including Macs, PCs, Android devices, game consoles and more. That’s due in part to the fact that the drive comes with both USB-C to C and USB-C to A cables, allowing you to connect it to many different types of gadgets. We also appreciate that it supports AES 256-bit hardware encryption as well.

Get the latest Amazon Prime Day offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.

The best gadgets for students under $50

The little things can get you when you’re in college. You arrive on campus, fresh and ready to go, but before you know it, you’re a few weeks into the new semester and you have a long list of small things you forgot to pack. You may also think of unass…