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Google's Pixel 9 Pro is $200 off, plus the rest of the week's best tech deals

Google's Pixel 9 Pro is $200 off, plus the rest of the week's best tech deals

Yahoo21-02-2025

While Apple's new iPhone 16e may be the big tech news of the week, it's one of Google's Pixel phones that leads our latest weekly deal roundup. More specifically, the Pixel 9 Pro — our pick for the best Android handset — is down to $799 at several retailers, a $200 drop that represents the lowest price we've tracked for an unlocked model. If you don't need a new phone, a few other gadgets we recommend are also on sale, including Crucial's X9 Pro portable SSD, Apple's AirTag trackers, ASUS' ROG Zephyrus G14 gaming laptop and Ultimate Ears' Wonderboom 4 speaker. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still buy today.
Ultimate Ears Wonderboom 4 for $70 at Amazon ($30 off MSRP): We've previously recommended the adorably compact Wonderboom 3 in our guide to the best Bluetooth speakers. The Wonderboom 4 is more or less the same device, only it charges over USB-C instead of microUSB and adds a "Podcast Mode" that better tunes the sound profile for, well, podcasts. Otherwise, it still sounds punchy and spacious for a speaker that's only four inches tall, and its IP67-rated design is both rugged and easy to control. The battery typically lasts more than 10 hours on a charge as well. Just don't expect super-high volume or bass response. The speaker fell to $60 for a week back in December, but this discount ties its lowest price outside of that. Also at B&H and Best Buy.
Crucial X9 Pro (1TB) for $70 at Amazon ($31 off): This deal has popped up a few times in recent months, but it matches the lowest price in a year for the 1TB version of our favorite portable SSD. While the drive itself isn't the absolute fastest model out there, it's quick enough for most needs at a more reasonable price, it stays cool with extended use, and its rugged design is shorter than a credit card. Also at B&H and Best Buy.
JLab Go Air Sport for $13 at Amazon ($17 off): This is the lowest price we've tracked for the budget pick in our guide to the best running headphones. You should see the full discount at checkout. The catch is that the offer only applies to the neon yellow model, which, let's say, won't be for everyone. This pair's boomy sound isn't the best, either, and it's light on features, with no active noise cancellation, multi-device pairing, wireless charging or automatic wear detection. Still, its sweat-resistant design stays secure during workouts, and its battery life is solid at roughly eight hours per charge. For $13, it's hard to complain if you just want a cheap set of beater headphones for the gym.
LG C3 OLED TV (65-inch) for $1,197 at Amazon ($303 off): The LG C3 was released in 2023, but it's not a huge downgrade from last year's LG C4, so it's worth considering when it's discounted to this extent. While it can't quite match the brightness and color volume of a QD-OLED set like the Samsung S90D, it still gets you the usual benefits of a good OLED panel: excellent contrast, vibrant colors, wide viewing angles and minimal blurring from objects in motion. It's also equipped with four HDMI 2.1 ports that support a fast 120Hz refresh rate, so it can make the most of a PlayStation 5 or Xbox Series X. This discount ties the lowest price we've seen for the 65-inch version outside of a handful of in-store-only and eBay coupon deals. LG will release a new "C5" TV in the coming months, but we doubt it'll be available at this price anytime soon.
(PC) for $25 at Epic Games Store ($25 off): This matches the lowest price to date for the surreal survival horror game Alan Wake 2, which we recommend in our guide to the best PC games. The PS5 version is also on sale for $30, which is an all-time low for that platform. You shouldn't go into this one expecting tons of action, and the story definitely isn't immune to navel-gazing, but it's delightfully tense and voice-y in a way most high-production games are not nowadays. It's graphically gorgeous, too.
Baseus Blade Laptop Power Bank for $48 at Amazon ($52 off, Prime only): The Baseus Blade is the budget pick in our guide to the best laptop power banks. At 20,000 mAh, it doesn't have enough juice to completely refill larger notebooks, but it can deliver a relatively speedy 100W charge from either of its two USB-C ports. There are two USB-A ports and a battery status display on top of that, and its tablet-like shape is fairly easy to tuck in a bag. This deal is only for Amazon Prime members, but it comes within a couple bucks of the lowest price we've seen. To see the full discount, click the 10 percent coupon on the product page and use the code BGAEY8HX at checkout.
PlayStation Plus Premium (12-month) for $100 at PlayStation ($60 off, new and returning subscribers only): Through February 24, new and lapsed subscribers can get a year-long PlayStation Plus Premium subscription for $100. That's $60 less than usual. As a refresher, this is the top-end tier of Sony's online service. It gets you the core benefits of any PS Plus subscription — online play, cloud saves and a selection of free titles every month — plus access to a Game Pass-style catalog (including several retro PlayStation games), time-limited game trials and cloud streaming support. Most people will be fine without it, and Sony has only jacked up the service's price over time, but any sort of discount should be welcome if you're interested in the retro catalog and want to stream games remotely. Just remember to cancel before the subscription ends if you don't want to be auto-renewed at the standard rate.
Apple Music (6-month) for $3 at Apple ($52 off, new subscribers and select devices only): Apple is running a promo that gives six months of Apple Music for $3 total. Normally, a solo subscription costs $11 per month after a 30-day free trial (or a three-month trial if you recently bought an Apple device). This offer comes with a few caveats, though: You must be new to Apple Music, not eligible for the aforementioned three-month trial and able to redeem the offer through an iPhone, iPad or Mac. If you meet all of that, however, this is a nice way to get a half-year of music streaming for cheap. We praise Apple Music in our guide to the best music services for its lossless streaming quality, ease of use with Apple devices and emphasis on letting actual people introduce you to new music. This deal runs through February 27, but remember your subscription will be set to auto-renew until you cancel.
ASUS ROG Ally (Z1 Extreme) for $450 at Best Buy ($200 off): The original ROG Ally isn't as powerful, ergonomic or long-lasting as the newer ROG Ally X, and all Windows gaming handhelds are stuck with clunkier software than Valve's Steam Deck, which remains the top pick in our buying guide. But when it's discounted to this extent, the older Ally is worth considering if you really want a handheld PC that can play games from any client, be it Steam, the Epic Games Store or the Xbox app. It's still a touch more powerful than the Deck, too, and its 120Hz VRR display does wonders to keep games looking smooth. And for as sloppy as Windows can be, ASUS has made its Armoury Crate app at least a little easier to navigate over time. Just don't expect more than a couple hours of battery life, and don't bother using the microSD slot. This deal ties the all-time low for the model with an AMD Ryzen Z1 Extreme chip.
ASUS ROG Zephyrus G14 (2024) for $1,074 at Best Buy ($525 off): Here's the lowest price we've seen for this configuration of the ROG Zephyrus G14, which includes a Ryzen 9 8945HS chip, a GeForce RTX 4060 GPU, 16GB of RAM, a 1TB SSD and a 14-inch 2.8K OLED display with a 120Hz refresh rate. Be aware that this is last year's model; ASUS has already announced an upgraded version for 2025 that should arrive in the coming weeks. That said, the current G14 is the top pick in our gaming laptop buying guide, and it remains a decent buy at this price if you want a gaming machine that's premium-feeling and long-lasting enough to delight as an everyday laptop. The main downsides are that the memory isn't upgradeable and the design can get toasty under load. You'll also have to turn down graphics settings to get some games to run well at the display's native resolution. Still, that OLED screen is gorgeous, and there's enough power to play many titles just fine. We gave the ROG Zephyrus G14 a score of 91 in our review last year.
Chipolo One (4-pack) for $68 at Chipolo ($32 off): The Chipolo One tops our guide to the best Bluetooth trackers. While it doesn't have the enormous crowd-sourcing network of Apple's AirTags, we've found it send separation alerts faster when you've left an item behind and ring louder when you're back in the vicinity. It also has a hole for attaching to key rings, unlike Apple's tracker. It may not be the safest choice if you're worried about losing your luggage on a long-distance trip, but as a security blanket for keys, wallets or handbags, it's convenient. This discount on a four-pack isn't the lowest price we've seen, but it's still a bit lower than its usual street price. Use the code ENGADGET10 at checkout to get the full deal. If you do want a set of AirTags, meanwhile, a four-pack of those is also on sale for $70 at Amazon and other retailers.
ThermoWorks Thermapen One for $79 at ThermoWorks ($30 off): The Thermapen One is a buttonless instant-read meat thermometer that we highlight in our guide to the best grilling gear. It reads temperatures quickly and accurately, its backlit display is easy to read and the whole thing sleeps and wakes automatically. It's definitely not the cheapest option, but its faster readings may be worth the extra cost for frequent grillers. While not an all-time low, this Engadget-exclusive deal marks the lowest price we could find in the last couple of months.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter and subscribe to the Engadget Deals newsletter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.

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Fast and wide: Laowa unveils an 8-15mm F2.8 zoom fisheye lens
Fast and wide: Laowa unveils an 8-15mm F2.8 zoom fisheye lens

Yahoo

timean hour ago

  • Yahoo

Fast and wide: Laowa unveils an 8-15mm F2.8 zoom fisheye lens

Laowa is well known for its unique lenses, offering photographers tools that allow them to stretch their creativity. Now, the company has added another lens to its lineup, announcing the 8-15mm F2.8 full-frame fisheye zoom lens. The lens is manual focus only, but it offers a fast and constant F2.8 aperture for a wide range of full-frame cameras. The Laowa 8-15mm F2.8 FF Zoom Fisheye has what the company calls a "dual fisheye effect." At the wide end, the lens delivers a 180° angle of view, resulting in a circular image with black edges. However, when zoomed in to 15mm, the lens provides a diagonal fisheye image, which fills the entire rectangular frame without black corners. Sample gallery This widget is not optimized for RSS feed readers. Click here to open it in a new browser window / tab. Photos: Laowa Laowa built the lens with 13 elements in 9 groups and a nine-blade aperture diaphragm. The company promises edge-to-edge clarity. The fast aperture is ideal for low-light conditions, and Laowa also promises beautiful bokeh for greater creative control. It can focus as close as 16cm (6.3"), enabling dramatically exaggerated subjects when up close. It is manual focus only, though. It's a relatively compact lens, with the RF mount version measuring 94.5mm (3.7") long. It weighs approximately 650g (1.43lbs). It's available in E, Z, L and RF mount versions. The Laowa 8-15mm F2.8 FF Zoom Fisheye is available for purchase as of today for $699. Pricing may vary in other countries. Buy from B&H Buy from Laowa Buy from B&H Buy from Laowa Press release: Anhui China, June 6, 2025 – Introducing the Laowa 8-15mm f/2.8 FF Zoom Fisheye, a one-of-a-kind addition to Laowa's innovative lens lineup. Designed for photographers and content creators seeking bold, creative perspectives, this lens delivers a dual fisheye effect with a versatile zoom range and an ultra-fast constant f/2.8 aperture. Compatible with full-frame cameras, this lens offers unparalleled flexibility for capturing expansive landscapes, compact cities, action sports, and 360° panoramas. Dual Fisheye Effect The Laowa 8-15mm f/2.8 FF Zoom Fisheye Lens delivers a versatile dual fisheye effect,seamlessly transitioning between two distinct visual styles on full-frame cameras. At the8mm end, the lens produces a circular fisheye effect, capturing a 180° field of view. Atthe 15mm end, it transitions to a full-frame rectangular fisheye effect, filling the entiresensor with the characteristic fisheye distortion. The zoom capability allows creators toswitch between these effects without changing lenses, enhancing flexibility forphotography and videography applications. Max. 180° circular fisheye The Laowa 8-15mm f/2.8 FF Zoom Fisheye Lens offers an extra-wide view, delivering asweeping 180° angle of view at its 8mm focal length on full-frame cameras. 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Product Page LAOWA 8-15mm f/2.8 FF Zoom Fisheye: Sample images Product Video Specification Product name LAOWA 8-15mm F2.8 FF Zoom Fisheye Format Compatability Full Frame Focal Length 8-15mm Aperture F2.8-22 Angle of view 175°-180° Lens Structure 13 elements in 9 groups Aperture Blades 9 Focus Throw 70° Zoom Throw 76° Aperture Throw 42° Focus Scale Dual Scale Min. Focusing Distance 16cm Max. Magnification 0.23x Focus Mode Manual Focus Dimensions 94.5mm*Ø76.4mm (measured in RF mount) Weight ~650g Mounts E / Z / L / RF Price USD699

Nintendo Switch 2 games and accessories at Amazon, plus a hidden spot to buy the console
Nintendo Switch 2 games and accessories at Amazon, plus a hidden spot to buy the console

USA Today

timean hour ago

  • USA Today

Nintendo Switch 2 games and accessories at Amazon, plus a hidden spot to buy the console

Nintendo Switch 2 games and accessories at Amazon, plus a hidden spot to buy the console Order games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Sonic X Shadow Generations here and find out who actually still has the console available to purchase. Show Caption Hide Caption Nintendo Switch 2 is finally here with a new Mario Kart game The new Nintendo Switch is now available. It retails for $449.99, and is expected to sell out fast due to heavy pre-order volume and low retail stock. The Nintendo Switch 2 has launched, and accessories and games are available on Amazon with fast shipping. Enhance your Switch 2 experience with screen protectors, cases, controllers, and charging docks. Popular games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Sonic X Shadow Generations are available for the new console. The Nintendo Switch 2 officially launched on June 5, and pretty much sold out immediately. If you were one of the lucky gamers to get your hands on the new tech, it is time to figure out what you're going to play and how you're going to make the most out of the coveted release. While you won't find the console itself on Amazon yet, there are still a ton of must-have accessories and games you can shop to help power up your play. From tempered glass screen protectors and carrying cases to wireless controllers and charging docks, you can totally customize and upgrade your Switch 2 experience at Amazon. Even better? USA TODAY Shopping did the work for you. We found popular games like Cyberpunk 2077 and Sonic X Shadow Generations for Nintendo Switch 2, gaming accessories, plus the only place you can actually still order the 2025 Nintendo Switch 2 right now. Whether you're shopping for yourself or grabbing a quick Father's Day gift, Amazon's fast shipping and wide selection make it easy to gear up and game on. Nintendo Switch 2 shopping guide Are original Nintendo Switch games compatible with the Switch 2? Yes, most original Nintendo Switch games work on the new Switch 2—and some are expected to run even better thanks to performance upgrades. Are Switch 2 accessories compatible with older gear? Good news—many Nintendo Switch accessories like Joy-Con controllers and docks work with the Switch 2. That said, some gear might need updates or replacements to function properly. Check out a few top picks for Nintendo Switch 2 accessory upgrades below. Buy at Amazon: ivoler 3-Pack Screen Protector Tempered Glass for Nintendo Switch 2 Buy at Amazon: JSAUX Thumb Grips for Nintendo Switch 2 The Nintendo Switch 2 sold out almost immediately at Walmart, Target, Sam's Club and GameStop. Lucky for you, we found it at StockX. The price might be higher than the original cost but if you want the console, you might have to pay. The Nintendo Switch 2 is a big leap forward from its predecessor. With a 1080p OLED display, 4K TV compatibility, magnetic Joy-Con 2 controllers and built-in video chat capabilities, this 2025 gaming device is designed for both solo adventures and group gaming marathons. It even supports most original Switch games, so your library will stay relevant once you upgrade. More: The Lebron James Kenbassadors Doll is sold out everywhere: We found one available When did the Nintendo Switch 2 come out and how much is it? The Nintendo Switch 2 officially launched on June 5, 2025, with a retail price starting at $449.99. There was also a bundle with Mario Kart World released for $499.99. 📲 More: Follow USA TODAY Shopping on Instagram for deals, trends and more How much does Amazon Prime cost? New members can try one week of Amazon Prime benefits for just $1.99. After that, Prime costs $14.99 per month or $139 per year. The annual plan will save you about $40 total compared to paying monthly. What are the benefits of an Amazon Prime membership? The biggest benefit for Amazon Prime members is same-day, one-day and two-day delivery options on millions of products. The free and fast delivery perk makes shopping more convenient than ever. The newest Prime benefit will come with the launch of Alexa+, Amazon's new virtual assistant. There will be a fee of $19.99 per month to utilize the new assistant, but that fee only applies to non-Prime members. Prime members will get Alexa+ for free. More: Is an Amazon Prime membership worth it? Here's what you need to know Shop popular Amazon deals

The only ‘Made in America' smartphone maker has a message for Apple about manufacturing in the Trump tariff era
The only ‘Made in America' smartphone maker has a message for Apple about manufacturing in the Trump tariff era

Yahoo

time2 hours ago

  • Yahoo

The only ‘Made in America' smartphone maker has a message for Apple about manufacturing in the Trump tariff era

Todd Weaver has an important message for Apple as it faces growing demands by President Donald Trump to reshore some of its smartphone production: Don't listen to the conventional wisdom. Experts have long said that manufacturing iPhones in the U.S., rather than Asia, as Apple does, would be logistically impossible and ridiculously expensive. But Weaver argues companies can indeed do it successfully, and at a similar or only slightly higher cost—if given several years to navigate the inevitable complications. Weaver should know: His startup, Purism, is among the few, if not the only business, that assembles smartphones in the U.S. In fact, the U.S. pedigree is the main selling point of his company's Made in America device, the Liberty Phone. 'It is challenging to do this in the U.S.,' Weaver acknowledges. 'It's probably the reason I'm the only one.' And yet, he says his company has managed to make it work and has been profitable for the last two years—a real world example of what's possible on a hot-button topic in which political talking points and vested interests often dominate the debate. President Donald Trump recently put U.S. smartphone production in the spotlight as part of his global trade war. On May 23, he used social network Truth Social to publicly attack Apple for importing iPhones into the U.S., rather than making them domestically, and then threatened the company with a 25% tariff if it continued to do so. Whether any of the import taxes will become permanent is unclear given Trump's whiplash decision-making and court challenges by third parties. Still, Apple has long assembled its iPhones overseas, mainly in China, and has resisted relocating any of that production to the U.S. In April, when Trump announced his tariffs, Apple went so far as to shift the sourcing of most U.S.-bound iPhones to India, which faced lower import taxes. U.S. assembly was never publicly mentioned as a possibility. In the past, Apple CEO Cook explained the reluctance by saying the abundance of skilled labor and top-notch suppliers overseas would be difficult to reproduce at home. Weaver's company, of course, is no Apple, which has sold more than 2 billion iPhones globally since introducing the first models in 2007. The devices unleashed a new era in the tech industry in which mobile devices became the prime focus. Purism, in contrast, has sold just tens of thousands of phones since debuting its first model in 2018, according to Weaver. And the company is barely-known outside the world of tech nerds. Its Liberty Phone, manufactured near San Diego, comes with U.S.-made electronics installed on a metal chassis from China. It retails for $1,999. Another phone, the Librem 5, is mostly the same design, except it's made in China with Chinese parts, and costs $799. The company also produces tablet computers, laptops, and servers. Purism pitches its Made in America device as more secure and privacy friendly than those from major manufactures like Apple. Because all the critical parts and assembly are domestic, it's easy to verify that they haven't been tampered with by a foreign adversary that wants to snoop or stuff them with explosives. The phones also run on a Linux-based open source operating system. Anyone with technical know-how who is worried about the security can review the code—unlike with more popular phones, which come with operating systems that can't be easily inspected. Additionally, Purism's phones come with three kill switches that lets users physically disconnect their device from cell service, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, along with its microphone and camera. When turned on, the switches sever the electrical circuit to the features they control and make it impossible for them to be accessed by hackers, Weaver said. Toggling on Airplane Mode, as users often do on more mainstream phones, is less secure, he said, because it's a purely software feature that doesn't cut power to the device's chips. Customers who are especially security conscious can pay extra to have their devices shipped with 'tamper evident tape' on the packaging, among other options, to flag any monkey business during transit. Purism's biggest customers are government agencies, many of which require high security, and individual consumers. The company's clients, Weaver said, include the FBI and the House Select Committee on Intelligence. Weaver said the cost of manufacturing the Purism's two phones is largely the same, despite one being made overseas and the other domestically. The phone that's made in China costs around $600 for parts, manufacturing, and assembly while the U.S.-made one comes in at $650. 'Producing goods in China vs. the U.S. is the same plus or minus 10%,' said Weaver, based mostly on automation. The difference between what Purism charges customers for its two phones is partly due to the higher profit margin the company collects for its U.S.-made device. People who want stronger security are often willing to pay extra for it, Weaver said. It also covers the extra overhead from some customers wanting to verify that Purism's supply chain is secure and the small additional cost of U.S. manufacturing. Purism's assembly line is in Carlsbad, Calif., where up to a dozen workers put together devices. The area is home to a pool of skilled labor thanks to the local defense industry and manufacturing for other mobile carriers. That relatively modest assembly line is a major contrast to the factories that make iPhones, operated by contract manufacturers, mostly in China. Those facilities can be the size of several football fields and employ over 100,000 people who work around-the-clock shifts. Weaver said the U.S. is at a huge disadvantage to China when it comes to skilled workers, who make up a significant part of the workforce in smartphone factories. The only way to reverse the shortage and lay the groundwork for companies to reshore their production is to encourage more people to learn skills that are useful in the manufacturing process, he said. 'If you go over to China you can find buildings and buildings of thousands of electronics engineers. If you look here, you can find maybe five total,' Weaver said. Apple, for example, would risk a catastrophe if it suddenly, in 2026, needed to ramp up staffing in the U.S. to produce millions of iPhones, he said. Training enough people for such a massive undertaking would take years. Weaver said Purism, founded in 2014, took several years to develop its domestic supply chain. The company's small size means it only needs limited quantities of components, which makes it impossible to achieve the economies of scale that come from producing huge numbers of devices. Manufacturing in the U.S. also comes with higher labor costs than in China. But with the help of automation, those extra costs can be kept to a minimum by reserving human labor for tasks performed after production is complete, such as soldering, assembly, repairs, and testing. Apple, on the other hand, would need vast amounts of components to keep its assembly line humming. While the company would likely be able to cut deals with domestic suppliers for most iPhone parts, some, such as high-quality cameras, may be impossible to quickly source in the U.S. and it would therefore have to import them, Weaver said. One analyst has said iPhones could end up costing $3,500 if made in the U.S., to account for the extra costs and hassles. Weaver agrees that it would cost Apple substantially more to produce iPhones in the U.S., if it had to move production quickly. But given enough time, Apple could substantially reduce the cost after developing a new supply chain, finding enough workers, and by relying on extensive automation. For Apple, opening a domestic manufacturing plant would therefore need to be a years' long process, Weaver said. That's why he criticized Trump's tariffs for taking effect almost immediately. Yes, many of those tariffs have since been delayed. But the takeaway for businesses is that they can't plan ahead. And yet, that's exactly what's required for something as complex as shifting manufacturing to the U.S. Trump's tariffs would be far more effective if phased in over many years, Weaver said. In that scenario, companies would have a clear and increasing incentive to reshore production—without being punished right off the bat. Weaver argues his U.S. manufacturing effort is already paying off and that it will gain momentum over time. He hopes the recent scandal involving U.S. officials using the chat app Signal to discuss a military strike against Yemen, and then accidentally inviting a journalist to join them, will help lift sales by encouraging the federal government to focus more on security. Weaver wouldn't get into the specifics of Purism's financials other than to say it has millions in annual revenue and turned profitable in 2023. The Liberty Phone is its biggest seller. Wayne Lam, an analyst with market research firm TechInsights, gave a mixed take on Purism's prospect. In an email, he said: 'They can be a successful niche player, but the odds of success are lower thanks to the bigger brands. They won't be able to compete in the consumer market but government/enterprise/military are all niche markets they can address.' To fund the expansion of his business, Weaver is trying to raise additional investment after taking in $16 million in funding over the years. Some of that money would go to fixing a shortcoming with his phones. Because they don't use Apple's iOS or Google's Android operating systems, they are incompatible with many of the most popular mobile apps like Uber. To get such apps work on its devices, Purism must make technical tweaks for each one. Purism can at least claim one small advantage over the giant companies that dominate the smartphone industry. If Trump's tariffs become permanent, it won't feel much impact from its U.S.-made phone, while the big players and their foreign-made devices could be hammered. 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