Amazon’s kid-focused Glow device is 55 percent off for Prime members

With early Prime Day deals in full swing, Amazon has discounted one of its more niche devices for Prime members. The Glow, Amazon’s interactive video-call and projector device, is down to $150 ahead of Prime Day, which is 55 percent off its normal price. That’s also the best price we’ve seen on the gadget since it became widely available in the US earlier this year.

Buy Glow (Prime exclusive) at Amazon – $150

The unique device combines an 8-inch LCD display with a projector that creates a 19-inch touch-sensitive surface in front of it. This allows kids to play games using the projected touch screen while video chatting with parents or other loved ones, who can also see the play surface and what the kids are doing. Adults can also join in on the games via their own smartphones or tablets. The Glow comes with one year of Amazon Kids+, too, which includes a bunch of compatible games for the device.

While admittedly a niche device, the Glow could be a good solution for parents who don’t mind their kids playing digital games but would prefer something more interactive than what a standard tablet could offer. Kids can interact with things like digital storybooks with animations, card games, puzzles and more, and create digital art as well. The Glow also works with Tangram Bits, which are physical pieces that kids can use to solve digital puzzles projected in front of them by the device.

The Glow is likely a bit of a hard sell at its normal price of $330, but Prime members may find it more enticing while on sale like this. At $150, it’s currently cheaper than picking up a Fire HD 10 Kids Pro tablet, but that could change if you’re willing to wait until Prime Day proper, when it’s likely that most of Amazon’s kid-centric tablets will be discounted, too.

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This ‘sand’ battery stores renewable energy as heat

A company in Finland has created an an unusual storage solution for renewable energy: One that uses sand instead of lithium ion or other battery technologies. Polar Night Energy and Vatajankoski, an energy utility in Western Finland, have built a storage system that can store electricity as heat in the sand. While there are other organizations researching the use of sand for energy storage, including the US National Renewable Energy Laboratory, the Finns say theirs is the first fully working commercial installation of a battery made from sand.

Similar to traditional storage systems for renewables, Polar’s technology stores energy from wind turbines and solar panels that isn’t used at once. To be precise, it stores energy as heat, which is then used for the district heating network that Vatajankoski services. Sand is inexpensive and is very effective at storing heat at about 500 to 600 degrees Celsius. Polar says its technology can keep sand “hotter than the stoves in typical saunas” for months until it’s time to use that heat during Finland’s long winters. 

As the BBC explains, the resistive heating process used to warm the sand generates hot air circulated inside the structure. When it’s time to use the stored energy, the battery discharges that heated air to warm water in the district’s heating system, which is then pumped into homes, offices and even pools. At the moment, Polar’s sand battery only serves a single city, and it’s still unclear whether the technology can be scaled up. The BBC also says that its efficiency “falls dramatically” when it comes to returning electricity to the grid instead. It’s early days for the technology, though, and other companies and organizations might be able to find solutions for those issues. 

Amazon’s Fire TV Cube drops to $60 in early Prime Day deal

A bunch of Amazon devices are starting to go on sale for Prime members ahead of the two-day shopping event next week, and that includes the company’s most powerful streaming device. The Fire TV Cube has now been discounted to $60 for Prime members, which is $10 cheaper than its previous all-time low. Amazon appears to be staggering out its early Prime Day deals because the Fire TV Cube is one of two streaming gadgets on sale right now, the other being the Fire TV Stick 4K, which is $10 off and down to $40 for everyone — not just Prime members.

Buy Fire TV Cube (Prime exclusive) at Amazon – $60Buy Fire TV Stick 4K at Amazon – $40

The Fire TV Cube is Amazon’s most capable streamer, with support for 4K content, Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos and HDR10+. It also works as an Alexa speaker as well with its built-in mics. Not only can you ask Alexa to look up TV shows and movies you want to watch, but you can also ask the voice assistant to do things like control smart lights, add things to your shopping list and more. The Cube is the only Fire TV device that has hands-free Alexa support, making it a good option for those that want a new streaming device and basic virtual assistant features in one device.

If you’re looking for something more portable, or just an even more budget-friendly device, the Fire TV Stick 4K is a good option. Like the Fire TV Cube, it also supports 4K HDR streaming with Dolby Vision and Atmos support. However, its dongle-like design makes it easy to toss in a bag before you go on vacation or ever so slightly easier to install on your aging TV. It also supports voice commands via the Alexa remote that comes with it.

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Apple’s MacBook Air M2 ships July 15, with pre-orders starting July 8

Good news for those who’ve been waiting for Apple’s colorful laptops to come out: The new M2-powered MacBook Air will be available for pre-order starting on July 8th at 5AM PDT/8AM EDT. It was first introduced in June at WWDC alongside the redesigned 13-inch MacBook Pro that’s similarly powered by the tech giant’s new M2 chip, but Apple had released the latter first. Those who prefer the redesigned MacBook Air may not have to wait that long to get their laptops after pre-order begins, because it will start shipping to buyers worldwide on July 15th. 

The new MacBook Air design gets rid of the model’s signature wedge silhouette and swaps it for a squarer look close to its Pro-tier siblings. It has a larger 13.6-inch Liquid Retina display, but it’s lighter than its predecessors and is 20 percent smaller in volume. It will also be available in four colors, namely Silver, Space Gray, Midnight (deep blue) and Starlight. The laptop has a full row of physical function keys instead of a Touch Bar and brings back the older models’ MagSafe charging port.

Of course, users can expect a boost in performance, thanks to the new SoC that gives it access to more memory bandwidth and more graphics cores. The laptop also supports fast charging and has a battery that Apple says can last up to 15 hours of web surfing on a single charge. Prices for the new M2-powered MacBook Air start at $1,199, and it will be available for purchase from Apple’s website and from retailers like Adorama and B&H.

Amazon’s smart thermostat falls to a new all-time low of $42 ahead of Prime Day

Amazon has already started selling a bunch of its smart home devices at a discount, almost a week before Prime Day even begins. One of the most notable deals that’s already available is Amazon’s smart thermostat, which you can get for $42 — as long as you’re a Prime member. That’s 30 percent off its regular retail price of $60 and a new all-time low for the device. Amazon’s smart thermostat debuted in September 2021, giving you an affordable option to control your home temperature. 

Buy Amazon Smart Home Devices – up to 67 percent off

It’s not quite as feature-rich as its more expensive counterparts, like the Google Nest thermostat. But it’s Energy Star-certified and can save you an average of $50 on your electric bills every year. Plus, it’s Alexa-compatible and allows you to use the voice assistant to set custom routines for heating and cooling. The thermostat itself doesn’t have a speaker or a microphone, though, so you’ll need to use the Alexa app or another Alexa-enabled device like an Echo speaker to do so. 

That brings us to another deal you can get right now: Amazon’s smart thermostat bundled with an Echo Dot speaker. The bundle with a fourth-gen Echo Dot speaker will set you back $62, or $48 off its usual price, which is the lowest we’ve seen for it on the website. Meanwhile, the smart thermostat bundle with a second-gen Echo Show 5 smart display is also on sale for $77, or $68 lower than its retail price. That’s also a new all-time low for the duo.

In case you’re mainly looking to buy Amazon’s Alexa-powered speakers, you can get a fourth-gen Echo Dot with an Amazon smart plug for $25. You’ll save $50 if you get the bundle, which typically sells for $75 and has never been discounted this deeply before. Amazon’s smart plug adds Alexa voice control to any outlet, allowing you to control any non-smart device plugged to it, such as lights, fans and other appliances. 

Finally, you can get the fourth-gen Echo Dot for Kids bundled with an Echo Glow multicolor smart lamp with Prime for $36. That’s 60 percent or $54 off its retail price and also includes a year-long Amazon Kids+ subscription. 

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