Shark’s WiFi robot vacuum with clean base is half off today only

One of Amazon’s latest daily deals knocks half off a powerful Shark robot vacuum. The Shark AV1010AE robot vacuum with clean base is down to $300 today only, which is 50 percent less than its usual rate and the best price we’ve seen it. It shares many features with the Shark machine that made it onto our list of best robot vacuums, including home mapping, Alexa and Google voice control and the convenience of a clean base.

Buy Shark WiFi robot vacuum at Amazon – $300

We’ve been generally impressed with Shark’s robot vacuums, with both high-end and affordable models earning spots in our guides. The AV1010AE is a mid-tier machine featuring improved carpet cleaning with multi-surface brush rolls, suction that’s powerful enough to capture pet hair along with dirt and debris and row-by-row cleaning. It’ll also map out your home as it cleans so you can then send the machine to specific rooms for more targeted cleaning.

Shark’s robot vacuum connects to WiFi so you can control it via its companion mobile app. Not only can you start and stop cleaning jobs from there, but you can also set schedules so the machine cleans routinely on certain days and times. If the robo-vac starts to run out of juice before it’s done cleaning, its Recharge and Resume feature will force the machine back to its base to power up, and once it has a sufficient amount of battery power, it’ll automatically pick up where it left off.

And you won’t have to tend to the vacuum every job thanks to the included clean base — it’ll empty its dustbin into the clean base after its done cleaning, so you’ll only have to empty the base once every 45 days or so. We also appreciate that Shark’s base is bagless, so you’re not forced to buy proprietary garbage bags for it. The clean base is a big perk of this sale as it’s pretty rare to find a robot vacuum that comes with one for only $300.

As a mid-tier device, the AV1010AE doesn’t have all of the features we tested out on the model that made it into our best robot vacuums guide (RV2502AE). The AV1010AE doesn’t have AI laser vision, so it won’t be as good at avoiding obstacles as other models, and lacks self-cleaning brush rolls as well as PowerFin Technology. The latter refers to flexible silicon fins found on some Shark machines that help get deeper into carpets and pick up more hair. If you’re willing to skip those advanced features, you’ll still get a solid robot vacuum in the Shark AV1010AE without spending too much money.

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WhatsApp finally makes moving from Android to iOS less painful

If the thought of losing your tremendous trove of WhatsApp chat histories, files and other data has been keeping you from making the jump to iOS, you’ll no longer have to worry. Today, the app is adding a feature to help you move your content over, and it’ll be part of Apple’s existing “Move to iOS” tool. To be clear, WhatsApp’s feature is available as a beta for now, so you may encounter bugs during the transfer process.

To port your files over, you’ll want to pay attention to the Apps and Data transfer page while setting up your iPhone. After you select the “Move data from Android” option, your new iPhone will look for the Move to iOS app on your older device and create a peer-to-peer connection. Here, you can choose what apps, files, contacts and more to bring over to your iPhone, and starting today the option for WhatsApp will join that list. 

When you select WhatsApp, it will open automatically and prompt you to give permission to move your data over. Depending on the amount of content you have, it’ll take awhile to package everything up to transfer to your iPhone. Apple will also pre-load the WhatsApp icon on your home page so you can just tap it to finish installing it on your new iPhone, instead of having to go through the App Store. 

You’ll need to authenticate in WhatsApp when you first open it in iOS before the data is decrypted, but once that’s done you should see all your chats safely transferred to their new home. Once the migration is completed, you can also choose to back your WhatsApp chats to iCloud Drive to make upgrading to new iPhones easier.

The Move to iOS process will also look at the apps on your Android phone and see if they exist on Apple’s App Store. If they do, the icons will appear on your new iPhone’s home screen and you can tap them to finish downloading . This feature works for those using Android 5 and later, as well as iOS 15.5 onwards. 

Prior to this, WhatsApp users making the move from Android to iOS had to give up their chat histories (or find extremely convoluted ways to port their data over). Though this process still requires numerous steps, it at least offers those switching platforms a built-in method of transfer. Those who already made the move before today will unfortunately not be able to make use of this tool.

Amazon’s Kindle is 33 percent off right now

You might have found the right Father’s Day gift if there’s a literary dad in your life. Amazon is selling the basic Kindle e-reader with lock screen ads for $60, or a hefty 33 percent off. You can also buy the Kindle Kids variant for $65 (41 percent off) if the upgraded warranty, child-friendly cover and year of Kids+ service will provide some piece of mind. You can buy the regular version without ads for $75.

Buy Kindle at Amazon – $60

The standard Kindle has been around for quite some time, but for a good reason: it handles the essentials very well. The front light and contrast will help you read in bed, and the touchscreen design is both easy to use and easy to carry around. Simply speaking, you might not need much more than this to read a favorite novel.

There are limitations. The base Kindle isn’t waterproof, so you won’t want to bring it to the beach. And while the six-inch screen and 8GB of storage should be enough for typical reading, you might like the larger, better-lit screen of the Kindle Paperwhite or the 32GB capacity of the Paperwhite Signature Edition. If you’re new to e-readers or just aren’t fussy, though, Amazon’s everyday model is more than enough.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

HyperX’s Cloud Mix Buds makes managing multi-device audio a breeze

Wireless headphones have gotten better at connecting to multiple devices in recent years. But pairing can still be kind of a hassle, especially if you’re gaming on a range of devices including consoles, phones and PCs. But after testing out its new Clo…

Microsoft 夏日優惠，15 吋 Surface Book 3 大減 HK$5,800

來到夏季，也是暑假也換新電腦的時候。微軟就趁機會推出優惠折扣，即日起至 6 月 18 日，多款產品正推出折扣優惠，而且部分還會多送贈品。這次 Engadget 中文版為大家挑選了 4 款優惠型號的筆電為大家介紹，預算上許可的的話，也能成為父親節禮物喔。…

Michigan approves digital license plates by startup Reviver

Michigan drivers now have the option of adorning their cars with digital license plates, which can locate lost vehicles and receive public safety alerts — for a fee. Reviver, the maker of the connected plates, announced that Michigan residents and businesses can now purchase the device (known as the RPlate) online. Consumers can choose between two models: a battery-powered plate and a hard-wired plate that includes GPS. The plates have been available for sale in California and Arizona, and the company is aiming to make them available nationwide.

But what exactly is a digital license plate? The RPlate is essentially a license plate with an HD display and LTE connectivity (as well as GPS for the hard-wired model) that includes a number of security and personalization features. Drivers can switch between dark and light modes and select personalized messages to appear at the bottom. The GPS-enabled plate also includes telematic transponders, so it can locate a lost or stolen vehicle and send alerts to your smartphone if it detects suspicious movement. There’s a companion mobile app that allows drivers to track mileage and renew their vehicle registration online. 

Reviver’s digital plate also includes a couple of security features that could be overkill for some. For example, there’s a “Valet Parking” mode that lets you monitor your car remotely while it is being parked by a valet attendant and a geofencing option for family members or employees who drive the car that sends alerts if they violate the travel boundaries.

The digital license plates don’t come cheap. Both models require a subscription ($19.95 per month for battery-powered and $24.95 per month for hard-wired) and cost an additional $150 if you elect to have a professional install the plate. The company is also working on a number of new features, including integration with toll roads, parking meters and additional DMV services.

Sony would love if you bought its $3,700 Walkman for over-the-top audiophiles

Are you the sort of music listener who’ll happily pay more for a set of earphones than you would on a nice computer? If so, Sony has the MP3 players for you. The company has released two ultra-high-end Walkman MP3 players aimed squarely at audiophiles. The headliner, the $3,700 NW-WM1ZM2 (pictured at left), mates an S-Master HX digital amp with “fine-tuned” capacitors, thick Kimber Kable (to link the amp to the headphone jack) and a 99.99 percent pure gold-plated, oxygen-free copper chassis — all of which supposedly contribute to “clear, expansive” output. Even the reflow soldering includes gold that purportedly boosts sound localization and widens the sound stage.

You can also expect more practical improvements from the Android-based player, including a larger five-inch (and finally 720p) display, a larger power supply and an improved upscaling algorithm for CD-quality (16-bit, 44/48kHz) audio. You’ll get 256GB of expandable storage for your tunes, WiFi streaming, a USB-C port and 40 hours of battery life when playing 96kHz FLAC audio. The ZM2 supports up to 32-bit, 384kHz audio in formats like MQA and WAV, so you’re more likely to be limited by your source material than your hardware.

Don’t worry if that feels excessive, as there’s also a lower-cost model… relatively speaking. The $1,400 NW-WM1AM2 (shown at right) offers much of the core functionality of the ZM2, but in an aluminum alloy body with ‘just’ a low-resistance oxygen-free copper cable. You’ll also have to make do with 128GB of expandable space.

Both Walkman models are available now. As with many devices aimed at audiophiles, there’s a question of whether or not the exotic components and materials will be noticeable in your listening experience. Moreover, you’re limited by the lowest common denominator in your setup. Even if you listen to songs that can take advantage of the design (Apple Music’s 24-bit, 192kHz hi-res lossless suddenly seems modest), you’ll have to find headphones or speakers that are up to the job. Both players are mainly aimed at wealthy music fans determined to maximize audio fidelity, even if they might not hear the difference.

FDA clears Rune Labs to use the Apple Watch to monitor Parkinson’s

Turns out the Apple Watch’s motion sensors can be a useful tool for Parkinson’s patients and their physicians. The FDA has granted approval to Rune Labs to use their software paired with the Apple Watch to track symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, Reutersreported today. The San Francisco-based digital health startup has created software for watchOS that can detect common Parkinson’s symptoms such as tremors, involuntary or slow movement, rigidity and poor balance. Smartphone and other remote forms of monitoring Parkinson’s have been around for a while, but this is the first software designed for the Apple Watch that the FDA has cleared for motion disorders.

Since the Apple Watch Series 4 was first released in 2018, the wearable has been able to detect hard falls and offer advanced activity metrics. The company that same year added a Movement Disorder API to its open-source ResearchKit, opening the door for developers to create watchOS apps to track Parkinson’s and other diseases. As Rune Lab notes, the company is the first to make use of the API for commercial purposes.

The watchOS app by Rune Labs will give physicians access to patient movement data over time, which can further supplement the information they get from an in-person physical exam. Rune Labs also notes the Apple Watch’s tools aren’t capable of giving patients a complete picture of their disorder. “Of course, there are limitations to Apple’s Movement Disorder kit: tremor and dyskinesia are only two symptoms in Parkinson’s Disease, and the classifiers themselves are not yet perfect,” wrote Rune Labs founder Brian Pepin last year in a blog post.

Apple has focused a lot of time and money on expanding and updating the Watch’s health and fitness tracking capabilities, with many more to come in future updates. Earlier this month the FDA also cleared watchOS’s AFib History feature — which monitors irregular and extremely rapid heartbeat — and will be released in the upcoming watchOS 9 update. 

Webex’s seamless CarPlay support means you can never escape your meetings

Have you ever wished you could keep a work meeting going as you leave for home? No? Too bad, you’re getting that option regardless. Cisco has introduced seamless transition features that ‘help’ you continue Webex meetings on your iPhone and through CarPlay. Move to Mobile lets you move a call from the desktop to your iPhone by scanning a QR code, while CarPlay can now continue a meeting the moment you plug your iPhone into your ride.

An update due in August will give you the option to listen to historical Webex recordings. You can catch up on a meeting you missed while you’re stuck in traffic, in other words. No matter what meeting you’re listening to, you’ll see your schedule after the call is over. You can join a meeting directly from CarPlay if you’re running late.

There are practical advantages to these updates. If you’re a remote worker, you can run errands instead of being locked to your computer. And if you’re back to working in the office, you can still leave early when the team holds a last-minute chat. Still, it’s difficult to imagine many people getting excited about seamless Webex calls. After all, there’s a good chance you consider your car a refuge — you probably don’t want work following you on the road.