Pick up the Sonos Era 300 while it's on sale for 20 percent off
Sonos is selling a bunch of its speakers at a discount on its own site and Amazon. This includes the well-regarded Era 300 smart speaker, which is down to just $359. That's 20 percent off and notable because this particular speaker rarely goes on sale. It's a Sonos miracle!
The deal applies to both the black and white colorways. The Era 300 is a highly capable device that we praised in our official review, saying that it "sounds excellent." We went on to say that it offers a premium experience that far surpasses other products in the company's lineup, like the Era 100. This is also true when compared to rival speakers like Apple's HomePod.
It's simple to set up and offers the company's proprietary Trueplay tuning system. This feature optimizes the sound of the speaker to the unique acoustics of a room by leveraging an internal microphone. It measures how sound reflects off surfaces and adjusts the EQ to match. It's pretty nifty.
As for connectivity, it can pair with another Era 300 speaker for a true stereo experience. It also includes a Bluetooth receiver and line-in options. Of course, the speaker integrates with just about every streaming music service. The built-in mic also allows for voice assistant control, but only with Siri and Alexa. Google Assistant is left out of the party.
This speaker goes all-in on spatial audio, and the results are mixed. Sometimes it's sublime and sometimes it's kind of eh. This is more of a dig on the technology itself. It has serious potential but is still experiencing growing pains. The only real downside of this speaker is the exorbitant asking price, which has been slightly alleviated by this sale.
As previously mentioned, other Sonos products are available at a discount. This includes the Sonos Beam Gen 2 soundbar, which is 26 percent off at $369, and the Era 100, which is down to $179. These deals are also available via Sonos itself. There's also an ongoing sale on portable speakers that includes the Move 2 and the Roam 2.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on X for the latest tech deals and buying advice .
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Business Insider
an hour ago
- Business Insider
I replaced my corporate salary by starting a photo booth business. Now, I coach entrepreneurs on finding their niche.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Ben Hawes, a comedy musician and side hustle coach based in New York City. It has been edited for length and clarity. I moved to New York when I was 22, and I was really in pursuit of security. My parents had steady jobs throughout their whole careers, and they were able to retire comfortably — I saw what their jobs had done for them, and I really wanted to climb the corporate ladder, too, so I joined ClassPass, which was a big, growing company at the time. I was making a name for myself there when, five years later, in 2020, the pandemic happened. The CFO said we were recession-proof, but we certainly were not pandemic-proof. When all the gyms closed, the company had to let go of a lot of people — I was one of them. I spent 10 months unemployed. During that time, one of the things I did to keep myself busy was build a job-hunting network that grew to about 250 people. It was a Slack channel and a blog, and it was a nice way for people to connect. But then I actually developed a merch store for it, and that's what became most successful about it. Shortly after that, I started my photo booth side hustle, called Rent My Booth. I'd go to events, and essentially just make people smile and have fun at parties with my booth, with fun backgrounds and props, and my camera. It wasn't enough to get by on its own at that point, so I started another corporate job. I was there for three years, and when I got laid off again in January 2024, it was the catalyst I needed to finally accept the fact that I just need to do my own stuff and be on my own, making my living from my own endeavors. Now, I have a few small businesses to diversify my income streams. I still do my photo booths, and I tour performing musical comedy in New York, Los Angeles, and San Francisco. I'm scaling my business up, but I make enough to pay my bills. With just 10 photo booth events a month, I can replace my corporate salary, which takes about 60 hours of work at the events, plus an hour or two a day to promote the business and do administrative things. My friends started noticing that I was always busy with some new project. I'm a doer, and a lot of creative people get in their head about how to get started, whether that's launching a new website, starting a podcast, or opening a business of their own. It was a friend who actually suggested that I start teaching people how I do it. So I started coaching I wrote a book on Amazon called "How to Start" about finding and starting a side hustle. I started meeting with people on a weekly basis who would have an idea, and I would basically help them bring it to life. What I do is not really business coaching, because I don't think that what I'm necessarily going to be the best at is training you over two years to make your business successful, but what I am really good at is helping you bring an idea to life. It's more like creative launch consulting, so if someone wanted to start a Shopify store or an Etsy store, start a podcast, or start something else for their business or even just something for themselves, I'm someone who can really help get you going. That often takes the form of creative services and content production, because I find that what a lot of people really need are the technical skills of making a website, or editing a podcast, and things like that. But I'm also there to be a cheerleader and help you get out of your own way. I coach people one-on-one, but I realized one of the interesting things about side hustle coaching is that someone who needs an extra $300 a month probably shouldn't be paying a coach $1,000 a month. So, to make it more accessible, I make it about content creation, and I do some workshops that people can pay $10 or $20 to attend. When I talk to a new client for side hustle coaching, I start by telling them that it requires optimism and an ability to rise above the highs and the lows. To go full-time with your endeavors is not a one-month thing; it's not something you do quickly. You build over time. And I stress to them that I'm working every day. I don't really have weekends, every day I'm doing something for the sale of a photo booth or building a website or some kind of creative endeavor. The other big thing is that you have to be authentic. If you think of the fundamentals of business, they're all about relationships and customer service, and it has to be genuine. It has to be something you care about deeply and that you will be OK with spending 18 hours a day on. If you're trying to put out something that doesn't feel authentic or feels half-assed, double-check with yourself that you're proud of it. And if you yourself are proud of it, you will be more likely to be successful as an entrepreneur, because in order to thrive at a side hustle, you have to talk about it all the time and promote yourself constantly. Don't fall for some online guide that tells you that you can make $10,000 a month in three simple steps; it takes real work to rely on yourself full-time. But you've got to choose your challenge. It's hard to work for yourself, but it's hard to work for someone else, too. So decide which one you'd rather do, be bold, and go for it.
USA Today
an hour ago
- USA Today
How to score big savings on the best Caribbean cruises
How to score big savings on the best Caribbean cruises Show Caption Hide Caption MSC World America: The most American cruise ship yet MSC World America, the newest ship from MSC Cruises, features 19 dining venues, 18 bars and lounges and many more. How to score big savings on the best Caribbean cruises Last-minute deals are a surefire way to save big when booking a Caribbean cruise, but let's be honest: Most of us can't cut it that close. Taking off work, securing flights for the whole family, and finding a stateroom that can comfortably accommodate everyone (and that is in a desirable location of the ship) all become a heck of a lot harder to do when you're a few weeks or even months away from departure. Let's not add that unnecessary stress to our plates, OK? With a little strategizing, you can snag an unbeatable discount on one of the best Caribbean cruises for families. You can save even more with kids sail free promos, which are offered by nearly every major line. Bonus add-ons such as $100 in onboard credit, 'free' gratuities, and specialty restaurant inclusions further boost the value of your bottom line. So, where to start? The best places to search for deals are on cruise planning websites (which feed you offers from many online travel agencies) and directly on the cruise lines' sites. You can also keep tabs on deals by subscribing to email lists for alerts. Broaden your results by signing up with multiple cruise sites and lines. Once you're tapped into a network of deals, it's time to put some money-saving tools into play. Here are three ways to score big savings on the best Caribbean cruises for families. FIND YOUR MATCH: From kids to teens to grandparents, these are 12 best family cruise lines for all ages 1. Book a cruise during 'wave season' Think of wave season as the cruise industry's Amazon 'Prime Day' – only this buying window stretches for a few months. Every year from January through March, cruise lines roll out some of their most competitive prices after the holidays wind down. Deals advertised during wave season entice travelers to 'hit the waves,' so the cruise lines can fill their ships for the year(s) ahead. This is a win-win for the lines and families, who can save a pretty penny on sailings that give them plenty of time to plan. GO BEYOND: 101 fresh new family vacation ideas for the best trip ever Just about every major line gets involved in wave season. You'll find deals on all types of ships – including big, small, and expedition – and itineraries. Occasionally, cruise lines offer discounts on sailings during more sought-after times of year, like mid-summer or holidays. Common wave season deals include discounts of up to 50% off, BOGO offers, onboard credits, and extras such as free cabin upgrades and complimentary packages. 2. Be strategic with Black Friday and Cyber Monday specials Not all Black Friday and Cyber Monday promos are good deals. Some lines have even been known to raise prices around this time. The true value typically lies in more generous extras like significantly reduced deposits, 'free' shore excursions, and higher onboard credits. Some lines will also have an option to include airfare. Sign up for deal alerts on the best Caribbean cruises for families, at least a few months beforehand, to glean how prices and offers are trending. This will allow you to spot a deal better when you see one. You don't need to wait until the end-of-month retail rumpus, either. A handful of Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals are quietly made available in early November. CARIBBEAN DREAMS: These 6 cruise lines offer the best Caribbean cruises for families Additionally, some cruise lines will advertise a deal for Black Friday or Cyber Monday, and keep it rolling through wave season – only rebranding it and perhaps refreshing some of the extras. So, don't get discouraged if you're financially stretched too thin during the holiday season, and not quite ready to book. 3. Plan to cruise during the fall September, October, and November are among the cheapest months of the year to cruise in the Caribbean. There are two reasons for this: It's hurricane season, and kids are back in school, so the demand is much lower. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30. Any ship sailing within this time frame technically has a greater chance of being rerouted away from a storm. Despite all this, June, July, and August are some of the most popular months for Caribbean cruises. However, that's not the case for the latter part of hurricane season, which peaks from mid-August to mid-October. NO HIDDEN FEES: 7 best all-inclusive cruise lines in the world Even with a higher probability of storm activity, the chances of your cruise being affected are still relatively low. In the most likely scenario, you would have to call at a different port or spend an extra day at sea in order to move further away from a storm's path. You also might run into some rain or choppy seas, but that can happen at any time of the year. If you don't have your heart set on a particular destination, and your family is down to go with the flow, then sailing in the fall might be your ticket to the best Caribbean cruises for families. Want to slash your chances of getting seasick? Consider a Southern Caribbean itinerary. Due to their southern location and climates, islands such as St. Lucia and Aruba rarely see tropical activity. How to score big savings on the best Caribbean cruises for families originally appeared on More from FamilyVacationist: The views and opinions expressed in this column are the author's and do not necessarily reflect those of USA TODAY. and are owned and operated by Vacationist Media LLC. Using the FamilyVacationist travel recommendation methodology, we review and select family vacation ideas, family vacation spots, all-inclusive family resorts, and classic family vacations for all ages. TourScoop covers guided group tours and tour operators, tour operator reviews, tour itinerary reviews and travel gear recommendations. If you buy an item through a link in our content, we may earn a commission.
New York Times
an hour ago
- New York Times
Big Tech Is Finally Losing
It's easy to miss it amid the nonstop avalanche of news, but we are on the cusp of a technology revolution — one that could usher in an entirely new information landscape. After 30 years of shockingly few regulatory restraints, America's tech giants were beginning to operate almost like wrecking balls, slamming their weight into industry after industry and taking them out one after another. Boom. Uber crushed the taxi limousine business. Boom. Facebook toppled the news business. Boom. Amazon wiped out numerous small retailers. Finally, our courts are beginning to push back. In the past two months, courts have forced Apple to end its usurious tax on purchases made through apps on its phones, ruled that Google had abused its online ad monopoly and considered what consequences to impose on Google for what they concluded was an illegal dominance of the search market. A court has heard arguments about why Meta, which runs Facebook, should be forced to spin off popular rivals Instagram and WhatsApp, and allowed a case to proceed that alleges Amazon has abused its monopoly. Reining in Big Tech appears to be one of the few bipartisan policies that has spanned the Biden and Trump administrations, despite the tech titans' attempts to curry favor with the new president. Taken together, these developments could end years of stagnation and usher in more competition, smaller companies and better services. I personally can't wait for competition in the search market — as Google results have been getting worse, by many estimates, including my own. I'm tired of sifting through Google's increasingly cluttered and irrelevant search results, searching in vain for the latest news and instead finding only Reddit posts. I want a search engine for shopping that trawls the web for the best merchandise rather than just pulling from the sites that list items with Google. I want a search engine that doesn't allow ads to masquerade as reviews. I want a search engine that lets me control the amount of artificial intelligence summaries in my results. And there are probably even cooler search products that a new generation of search entrepreneurs will dream up. Google argues that A.I. search engines like Perplexity are already providing competition in the market. That is a mirage. As the judge in the Google antitrust case has described, none of Google's rivals can compete with it, given how much Google knows about what websites users click and stay on versus those they click and bounce from. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
