If you’re in need of a new laptop for work or for the upcoming school year, you could grab one for less on Prime Day. Amazon has discounted a bunch of notebooks from Lenovo, HP, Acer, Razer and others, and you’ll find plenty of options both at the high…
Anker charging accessories are up to 50 percent off for Prime Day
If you’re looking for a charging accessory, whether it’s just a charging cable or a portable power generator, you’ll probably find what you need among all the items Anker has on sale for Prime Day. The collection is pretty extensive and includes a bunch of wired and wireless chargers, power banks, charging stations, small generators, USB-C hubs and power strips. One of the most notable items in the list is the Anker MagGo 637 Magnetic Desktop Charging Station, which currently costs $70, or $30 less than its retail price. That’s an all-time low for the device on the e-commerce website.
Buy Anker charging accessories at Amazon
It’s a power strip with an unusual form factor that has seven ports and one magnetic charging pad for the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 13. Three of the seven are AC outlets, two are USB-A ports and two are USB-C ports capable of high-speed charging. Anker also designed the device to offer over-current, over-voltage and surge protection, as well as to be fire resistant. We liked the orb-shaped charging station so much, we included it in our list of best accessories for the iPhone.
The Anker MagGo 622 Magnetic Battery is also on sale for $45, $25 less than its retail price. It’s a wireless portable charger for the iPhone 12 and the iPhone 13, which can be folded to lay flat on its back or be turned into a kickstand if you want to prop up your phone. Plus, it comes with a USB-C port for other devices. If you’re looking for a more traditional charger, though, the Anker 511 Charger is also on sale for $24, or $6 off retail. It has a 20-watt output and can charge phones much faster than their original chargers can. And since it’s specifically meant for use with iPhones and iPads, it comes with a USB-C to Lightning cable.
Like all other Prime Day deals, you can take advantage of these discounts if you have a Prime subscription. If you haven’t been a Prime member in the past 12 months, though, you can sign up for a free trial that will last for 30 days.
Get the latest Amazon Prime Day offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.
iRobot’s Roomba i7+ is half off and down to $500 for Prime Day
Amazon Prime Day can be a great time to pick up a robot vacuum for much less than usual. This year, you can pick up iRobot’s Roomba i7+ for only $500, which is 50 percent off its normal price and the cheapest we’ve seen it. It’s not the newest robo-vac in iRobot’s lineup, but it remains one of the most powerful. Also on sale are the entry-level Roomba 692, which you can pick up for $180, and the midrange Shark AV2501AE AI robot vacuum, which is on sale for $380.
Buy Roomba i7+ at Amazon – $500Buy Roomba 692 at Amazon – $180Buy Shark AI robot vacuum at Amazon – $380
The Roomba i7+ impressed us when it first came out for its strong cleaning abilities, accurate home mapping and handy clean base. It has 10x the suction power of more basic Roombas, plus dual multi-surface brushes that do a good job capturing dirt, debris and pet hair. After one or two cleaning jobs, the machine builds a map of your home that you can then edit and label in iRobot’s companion mobile app. This will let you send the i7+ to specific rooms for targeted cleaning jobs and set “keep out zones” if you have spaces of your home that you don’t want to robot to clean.
But the machine’s clean base is what sets it apart from other robot vacuums. After each job, the i7+ will automatically return to its base to recharge, and it will also empty its dustbin into the clean base. That means you don’t have to empty the dustbin every time, rather you’ll only have to change the bag in the clean base about once every two months. If you’re someone who wants a robot vacuum that takes almost all of the work out of the chore, the Roomba i7+, or a machine like it with a clean base, is the best option.
Shark’s AV2501AE robo-vac is similar in that it also comes with a clean base, and some may prefer it because it’s a bagless system. You’ll simply pop part of the base off every time you need to empty it, and it snaps back into place when you’re finished. This Shark device is actually our favorite robot vacuum right now because it combines good suction power with a clean base and an easy to use mobile app.
On the budget end of things, the Roomba 692 is a solid option. You won’t get a clean base, as those are reserved for more expensive machines, but you will get good cleaning capabilities thanks to dual multi-surface brushes, adaptive navigation for better obstacle avoidance and Alexa and Google Assistant support.
Get the latest Amazon Prime Day offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.
The best Amazon Prime Day TV and home entertainment deals
It’s not often that you upgrade your TV, but Amazon Prime Day is a good time to consider doing so. Prime members can get steep discounts right now on Fire TVs and sets from other companies like Sony, Samsung and others. And not every sale on Prime Day …
The best deals on iPads, AirPods and other Apple devices for Amazon Prime Day 2022
If you’re searching for Apple gadgets you can get for less on Prime Day, you’re not alone. They’re always in high demand, but even more so during sales events like Amazon Prime Day, since they present some of the best opportunities to pick up a pair of…
Sony’s budget-friendly WH-CH710N headphones are on sale for $68 right now
Sony’s WH-CH710N headphones have been our favorite budget cans for a while now, and they’re even better when you can get them on sale. Amazon Prime Day has knocked these headphones down to a new all-time low of $68, which is $82 off and the cheapest we’ve seen them. While there are some tradeoffs to be expected in a pair of affordable headphones like these, they’re hard to beat if you’re on a tight budget but still want a pair of solid ANC cans.
Buy WH-CH710N at Amazon – $68Shop Sony audio deals at Amazon
There’s a lot to like about the WH-CH710N — while not as slick as the WH-1000XM5, these are nice looking headphones with comfortable earcups and a swivel design. Their ANC chops are pretty impressive as they use Sony’s dual-sensor technology to pick up a lot of the noises around you and automatically adjust ANC levels to accommodate them. They also support ambient sound mode, which you can activate when you need to hear what’s going on in your vicinity. Is ANC as strong as that on flagships like the XM5? No, but it’ll serve most people well in a variety of environments.
The biggest downside to the WH-CH710N comes in audio quality. These headphones have decent range and good clarity, but the bass isn’t as deep or punchy as you’ll find on more expensive devices. We think that’s an acceptable sacrifice to make for an otherwise solid pair of ANC headphones at a fantastic price. Also, you’re getting an excellent, 35-hour battery life on these cans, too.
Get the latest Amazon Prime Day offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.
Nikon is reportedly halting DSLR camera development
Nikon will stop developing new single lens reflex (SLR) cameras and focus exclusively on mirrorless models, according to a report from Nikkei. The news marks the end of an era and essentially confirms what most observers already expected, as the Japanese company hasn’t released a new digital SLR (DSLR) camera since the D6 came out in June of 2020. While it reportedly won’t design any more new models, Nikon will continue to produce and distribute existing DSLRs like the D6 and D3500 (above).
Nikon released its first single-lens reflex film camera, the Nikon F, back in 1959. It was one of the most advanced cameras of its time, thanks to features like a large bayonet mount, depth-of-field preview button, titanium focal-plane shutter, modular design and more. The company’s first true professional digital SLR was the 2.7-megapixel D1, launched in 1999.
SLR cameras use a mirror and prism to give the user a direct optical view through the camera lens, with the mirror moving out of the way when the photo is taken. Mirrorless cameras, by contrast, take light directly from the lens to the sensor and give the user a view via an electronic viewfinder or rear display. Mirrorless cameras, as we discussed in our explainer and video below, allow for more compact bodies, advanced AI subject recognition, improved video features and more.
Apart from the not-so-popular Nikon 1 series, it arrived late to the mirrorless camera business compared to Sony and others with the launch of its Z mount system and the Z6 and Z7 models in 2018, with the APS-C Z50 model following the next year. Until recently, its high-end professional lineup consisted solely of DSLR models like the D6. However, that changed when Nikon launched the $5,500 Z9 with no mechanical shutter late last year with a combination of speed, power and video chops, to largely positive reviews.
Nikon stopped making compact cameras some time ago as that business was essentially devoured by smartphones. It also recently discontinued a large number of full-frame and APS-C DSLR lenses and camera bodies over the last year.
Overall camera sales have dropped dramatically in just five years, with interchangeable lens cameras (mirrorless and DSLR) falling from 11.67 million units sold in 2017 to 5.34 million by 2021. This has forced companies like Nikon to concentrate their efforts on the most profitable models. Nikon’s imaging division now makes half its money from mirrorless models, with SLRs accounting for 30 percent.
Update 7/12/2022 9:57 AM ET: Update gave the following statement on its website: “There was a media article regarding Nikon’s withdrawal of SLR development. This media article is only speculation and Nikon has made no announcement in this regards. Nikon is continuing the production, sales and service of digital SLR. Nikon appreciate your continuous support.”
The best Amazon Prime Day 2022 headphone and earbud deals
Amazon Prime Day brings a great opportunity to grab a new pair of cans or wireless earbuds for yourself or someone you love. A plethora of audio gadgets are on sale for a members-only shopping event, including some of the best models from Sony, Bose, B…
NVIDIA’s Shield Pro streamer falls to a new low for Prime Day
In addition to e-readers, cameras and smartwatches, you can also get streaming devices at a huge discount this Prime Day. NVIDIA’s Shield streamers, for instance, are currently listed for the lowest prices we’ve seen for them on the website. You can get the base NVIDIA Shield TV streaming media player for $125, or $25 less than its original retail price. Meanwhile, the NVIDIA Shield TV Pro will now only set you back $170, which gives it a discount of $30 and is $9 lower than its previous all-time low.
Buy NVIDIA Shield Android TV Pro Streaming Media Player at Amazon – $170
Both devices are powered by Android TV and come with built-in Google Assistant, allowing you to control them with voice commands through a Google Home speaker. That said, they’re also compatible with Alexa and work with Amazon’s Echo speakers. In addition, they’re bundled with remote controls that enable voice search and have motion-activated, backlit buttons. The NVIDIA Tegra X1+ devices also support 4K HDR Dolby Vision, Dolby Atmos audio and Chromecast streaming, making it easy to cast videos and other content from your mobile device to your TV. If you have a GeForce Now account, you can turn the Shield TVs into gaming rigs to stream games from the cloud service, as well.
Buy NVIDIA Shield Android TV Streaming Media Player at Amazon – $125
At the moment, the latest Apple TV 4K is also being sold at an all-time low of $109 for Prime Day, which could make it a more enticing option than these two. However, the Shield TV Pro has something to offer that the Apple TV doesn’t have: You can set it up as a Plex server, so you can create your own home streaming service for your personal video, movie, show and photo collection.
Get the latest Amazon Prime Day offers by following @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribing to the Engadget Deals newsletter.
The best Amazon Prime Day 2022 deals still available
Update 7/13/2022: We’ve refreshed our list with the best deals you can get for day two of Amazon Prime Day.Amazon Prime Day is officially here and a number of our favorite gadgets are on sale. If you’re a Prime member, you can save hundreds on devices …