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Back to school tablet deals — 7 deals I'd shop from $209 on iPad, Samsung Galaxy Tab, Microsoft Surface and more

Back to school tablet deals — 7 deals I'd shop from $209 on iPad, Samsung Galaxy Tab, Microsoft Surface and more

Tom's Guide2 days ago
If a laptop just isn't your style, you'll want to shop these deals on some of the best tablets before you head back to school or college. These slates offer a more flexible, portable experience than a laptop — and often at a lower price, too.
For starters, right now you can get our favorite tablet ever, the 11-inch iPad Air M3 (Wi-Fi/256GB) on sale for $499 at Amazon ($100 off.) This device delivers the full package, with a lightweight design, blazing-fast performance, and 10-hour battery life.
Or, you can currently get the Samsung Galaxy S6 Lite (Wi-Fi/64GB) on sale for $209 at Amazon ($120 off.) This one is especially tempting because it comes with an S Pen stylus, making it perfect for note-taking and drawing.
Keep scrolling to see the tablet deals I recommend. Plus, see our Amazon promo codes coverage and check out the Skechers deals I'd shop from $22 at Amazon.
Looking for an affordable, lightweight Android tablet that doesn't skimp on screen size? Samsung's Galaxy Tab S6 Lite certainly fits the bill. The Tab S6 Lite boasts a crisp 10.4-inch display and comes with an S Pen in the box, making it ideal for those who want to sketch or take notes on the go.
The 2025 iPad features a larger 11-inch (2360 x 1640) screen, A16 CPU, 12MP rear/front cameras, USB-C connectivity, and Magic Keyboard Folio ($249) support. The base model features 128GB of storage, which doubles the capacity of its predecessor. It's available in 128GB, 256GB, and 512GB capacities.
This one's for the artists (and doodlers) out there. TCL's NXTPAPER 14 is now $20 off, and it offers a 14.3-inch 2.4K paper-like display that works great when used with the T-Pen stylus (that's sold separately). But it also delivers great image quality for watching shows or scrolling through the web in regular mode. Whether you're a student or artist, this is a great bet.
It's only recently released, but the fantastic Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 FE is already $50 off! Not a bad price for a mid-range tablet that comes with an S Pen stylus, a splendid (and larger) 13.1-inch LCD panel and a 15-hour battery life. This is great value for money!
The 2025 iPad Air packs Apple's M3 processor, an 11-inch LED (2360 x 1640) display, 128GB of storage, a 12MP rear camera and a new landscape-oriented 12MP front camera. You also get faster Wi-Fi 6E support. In our iPad Air 2025 review, we said it brings impressive performance and power efficiency to a premium, sleek package.
The 11-inch iPad Pro packs Apple's latest M4 processor paired with a stunning 11-inch Tandem OLED (2420 x 1668) display. The new M4 processor features 9 CPU cores and 10 GPU cores. In our iPad Pro 2024 review, we said it could very well be the most stunning tablet ever made.
Our Microsoft Surface Pro Copilot Plus review called this "the best Surface in years." It's powered by a speedy Snapdragon X Elite processor and also packs a gorgeous display, 16GB of RAM and a 512GB SSD. It's super thin and light and also has great battery life — our unit lasted over 12 hours in our battery life tests.
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I replaced my MacBook with an iPad Pro for a month — here's what happened
I replaced my MacBook with an iPad Pro for a month — here's what happened

Tom's Guide

time27 minutes ago

  • Tom's Guide

I replaced my MacBook with an iPad Pro for a month — here's what happened

Can you replace a MacBook with one of the best iPads? It's a question that comes up every time new iPads launch or iPadOS gets its annual update. For years, the answer has largely been a big fat NO. iPadOS is an operating system designed specifically for Apple's tablets, not its MacBooks. Sure, you can get work done on an iPad, but you'll have an easier time on one of the best MacBooks. You can understand my skepticism when some proclaimed that the upcoming iPadOS 26 would finally give iPads MacBook-like functionality. Been there, done that, right? But after using the iPad Pro M4 with the beta version of iPadOS 26 for the better part of a month, I can at last say that iPads can actually be effective MacBook replacements. I'm just as stunned as you are. Should you now ditch your MacBook for an iPad? Not necessarily, but if you do want to use an iPad as your primary computer, you'll have a smoother time of it. And in some cases, you might indeed prefer an iPad over a MacBook. Here's my experience using an iPad Pro for work and how it compares to using a MacBook. iPadOS 26 is the secret sauce that lets you use an iPad like a MacBook. One of the operating system's key features is the new windowing system. Window controls provide convenient options for managing open windows, allowing you to close, minimize, resize, or tile them to your liking. Applications keep their last open size and position. There's also a feature called Exposé that enables you to view all open windows simultaneously, which facilitates easy switching between applications. Stage Manager is still here, and it nicely complements the new windowing system by letting you group windows into specific stages — which can be especially useful if you're connected to an external display. The iPad Pro 2024 has it all: a fantastic OLED display, powerful M4 performance, a thin yet solid design and unbelievably long battery life. Though some of its peripherals and upgrades are pricey, Apple has delivered its best premium tablet in years. iPadOS 26 now incorporates the macOS menu bar, complete with the familiar red, yellow and green circles for closing, minimizing and maximizing windows. On the iPad, these controls are accessible by swiping down or moving the cursor upwards, with the cursor itself now appearing as a pointer rather than a circle. Additionally, the integrated search lets you find extra functions more easily. iPadOS 26 also has an updated Files app that makes it easier to create and sort your files, along with more folder customization options. This isn't a feature I use often since I use Google's cloud-based apps and don't generally need to save files locally. That said, I appreciate that it's easier to organize files on iPads. Now that you know what iPadOS 26 has to offer for productivity, I'll discuss how this all works in practice. One of my main concerns with making iPadOS more macOS-like was the danger of iPads losing their identity. If you want a MacBook experience, why not use a MacBook? Thankfully, Apple managed to incorporate MacBook features that work nicely with the iPad's touch-based controls and the Apple Magic Keyboard. Apps now have a quarter circle near their bottom right corners that indicates where you have to tap and hold said app to resize it. The circle is either dark or light, depending on the app's color, which makes it easy to spot. Resizing and moving windows around the iPad Pro's 13-inch display is as intuitive as you'd expect. I normally use a finger to do this, but resizing and moving apps works just as well with an Apple Pencil. I also like how apps snap into place on the screen. I've had instances where apps wouldn't move, but I'll chalk that up to iPadOS 26 still being in beta. As I've mentioned in my previous article about trying to use an iPad as a MacBook replacement, I use Google and its various apps for both work and personal use. On a Mac or Windows laptop, I can have Google applications like Drive, Docs, Calendar and so on all in a single browser window containing tabs for those apps. I can do this on Chrome for iPad, but as I previously said, it's a bummer that I have to download and install the discrete app for each program before I can use them. I'm not too bothered by this now since I'm accustomed to using Google apps on iPad. And thanks to the new menu controls, the apps now feel more like they do on a MacBook, which is a huge improvement. I also want to commend Apple for turning the iPad's cursor into a proper arrow. Sure, the old circle was charming, but it always felt weird using it. Now that we have an arrow, you can more precisely navigate through apps and menus. I don't imagine the old circle cursor would have worked well with the new menu bar and its small red, yellow and green icons. Thanks to iPadOS 26, using an iPad as a MacBook replacement is now more viable than ever. The windowing system works marvelously, and I appreciate how intuitive the feature feels with both touch controls and the Magic Keyboard's touchpad. I also like the menu bar and how seamlessly it has been integrated with the iPad's apps. While iPads might be easier to use for work thanks to iPadOS 26, price remains the biggest barrier. The 11-inch iPad Pro starts at $999 and the 13-inch model at $1,299. Adding the Magic Keyboard ($299 or $349) increases the cost to $1,298 and $1,648, respectively. In comparison, a 13-inch MacBook Air M4 starts at $999 (or oftentimes cheaper). The 15-inch M4 MacBook Air M4 starts at $1,199, while the 14-inch MacBook Pro M4 starts at $1,599. Bottom line, you'll generally save more money by getting a MacBook instead of an iPad Pro and its accessories. That said, if you want or need the iPad's touch controls, then the extra cost compared to a MacBook might be worth it. If you choose to go that route, you'll have a smoother time getting work done, as iPadOS 26 is the most productivity-friendly iPad operating system yet. So, will I now ditch MacBooks for iPads? The answer is no, since I still prefer working on a proper laptop. But thanks to all the improvements that iPadOS 26 introduces, I also wouldn't completely turn my nose up at the prospect of using an iPad for work — which is a sentiment I didn't think I'd ever have. Perhaps the next iPadOS will change my mind. Follow Tom's Guide on Google News to get our up-to-date news, how-tos, and reviews in your feeds. Make sure to click the Follow button.

Hasbro is entering the romantasy universe with a ‘Fourth Wing' board game
Hasbro is entering the romantasy universe with a ‘Fourth Wing' board game

Fast Company

time27 minutes ago

  • Fast Company

Hasbro is entering the romantasy universe with a ‘Fourth Wing' board game

Romantasy has already taken over TikTok, bookstores, and Kindles far and wide. Next, it's conquering board games. Hasbro announced that it's struck a 'multi-program' deal with Rebecca Yarros and Entangled Publishing, the author and publisher of the hit romantasy novel Fourth Wing. As the first installment of this collaboration, Hasbro is releasing a board game version of the Fourth Wing universe called Priorities. The game is now available for preorder at Amazon, Target, and Barnes & Noble, and will go on sale at most major retailers starting on October 1. In recent years, the romantasy (romance-slash-fantasy) genre has taken off through online communities like BookTok and Bookstagram, where the discourse around popular series like Sarah J. Maas' A Court of Thorns and Roses and Lauren Roberts' Powerless has felt almost unavoidable. Few works have attracted as much attention as Yarros' Fourth Wing (the first book in her Empyrean series), which soundly proved that romantasy is not just a subculture, but a commercially viable treasure trove of IP. 'Fourth Wing' conquers the board game Within a week of its release last January, Onyx Storm —the latest installment of the Empyrean series—had sold 2.7 million copies, and Yarros occupied the first three spots of the New York Times bestseller list. Since then, the series has snagged a show deal with Amazon MGM Studios, and, now, its own dedicated board game. As one of America's largest game and toy companies, Hasbro is picky about the IP it chooses to adapt. Historically, the company has worked with influential brands like Marvel, Star Wars, Transformers, and Nintendo for its licensed product launches. According to Ally Simpson, senior manager at Hasbro Games, Fourth Wing 's intensely dedicated fanbase, commercial success, and bestseller list placements made it a 'no-brainer' for Hasbro. This is the company's first-ever foray into the romantasy genre. 'When Hasbro considers a property for a game, we look at a wide array of factors—from cultural impact, the fanbase and passion, and potential for an engaging and authentic gameplay experience,' Simpson says. 'We analyze sales data, social engagement, and overall buzz to gauge the long-term impact of the brand as well. Fourth Wing has it all.' Hasbro taps romantasy for fresh IP According to a press release, Yarros herself was involved 'in every stage' of the Priorities game development. The game, which involves ranking characters and features from the Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, and O nyx Storm books, is designed specifically to tap into the rise of book clubs among young readers (per the ticketing platform Eventbrite, book club event listings grew 24% in the United States in 2023 from the previous year). Simpson says that Hasbro's development team worked at unprecedented speed to build the game in 'only a few weeks,' so that it could be delivered to fans while the hype is still fresh. Hasbro declined to share further details on what the rest of its collaboration with Yarros will entail. However, Simpson says, the company is actively looking into romantasy as an area of possible future expansion. 'We're always monitoring trends in entertainment and looking for opportunities to create games that resonate with a wide audience,' Simpson says. 'The rise of romantasy is something we've been watching closely, and we believe it has a lot of potential for future game adaptations. As a passionate romantasy fan myself, I can attest to the fact that there is endless opportunity in this space for readers and gamers alike.'

Want to Open an iPhone App Without Touching the Screen? Here's How
Want to Open an iPhone App Without Touching the Screen? Here's How

CNET

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Want to Open an iPhone App Without Touching the Screen? Here's How

If you don't have an iPhone 16, you might think you're missing out on the new Camera Control button that lets you quickly open the camera app. Luckily, if you have an iPhone from the past few years, there's already a hidden "button" that can open the camera -- or any other app. To access it, all you need to do is tap the back of your device. The feature is part of the Back Tap tool in your iPhone's accessibility settings. Once enabled, it can trigger almost anything your phone can do, from turning on the flashlight to opening Shazam before a song ends. You can even set it to open the Control Center, take a screenshot or run a custom Shortcut with two or three quick taps. It's fast, discreet and surprisingly powerful once you set it up. The feature is called Back Tap and, like the Action Button on newer iPhones, it gives you one more way to interact with your device without touching the screen. You can activate it by tapping anywhere on the back of your phone, including on the camera module. The best part is that it works even if you have a fairly thick case on your iPhone. Back Tap is available on iPhones as old as iPhone 8, as long as they're running iOS 14 or later. We'll show you how to enable it and how to use it with your Shortcuts app for nearly endless possibilities. Read more: All the Ways the iPhone 16's Camera Control Button Will Change Your iPhone Photography What is the iPhone Back Tap feature? Back Tap is an iPhone feature introduced in iOS 14. It lets you perform shortcuts on your iPhone by double or triple tapping on the back of the device. You can customize Back Tap on your iPhone to easily perform common actions like pulling up the Control Center or Notification Center, especially useful if you have a larger phone and can't swipe down from the top of the screen without some complex finger gymnastics. You can even have two separate functions enabled at the same time: Back Tap can distinguish between a Double Tap and a Triple Tap. Depending on the number of times you touch the back of your iPhone, you can set Double Tap to open your Notification Center and Triple Tap to take a screenshot. Or, you can make Double Tap open the Control Center and Triple Tap launch the Magnifier app. Experiment with Back Tap to find the right combinations of taps and functions that best fit your needs. And you aren't limited to just the Back Tap options that are available by default. Thanks to the Shortcuts app, you can set up Back Tap to perform specific functions or launch any app. For example, you can create a simple shortcut that opens Shazam or starts a voice recording, then activate it with a quick Double Tap or Triple Tap. You can also use Back Tap to trigger a more elaborate shortcut, such as automatically sending photos and videos to specific photo albums. How do I set up Back Tap on my iPhone? To enable Back Tap, go to your Settings app. Then go to Accessibility → Touch → Back Tap. There, you'll find a list of options for configuring Double Tap and Triple Tap. Here is the full list of functions that you can map to a Double Tap or Triple Tap: None Accessibility Shortcut System App Switcher Camera Control Center Flashlight Home Lock Rotation Lock Screen Mute Notification Center Reachability Screenshot Shake Spotlight Volume Down Volume Up Accessibility AssistiveTouch Background Sounds Classic Invert Color Filters Control Nearby Devices Dim Flashing Lights Live Captions Live Speech Magnifier Smart Invert Speak Screen VoiceOver Zoom Zoom Controller Scroll Gestures Scroll Down Scroll Up At the bottom of the menu, you'll also see a list of Shortcuts. These options will vary depending on what's available in your Shortcuts app. The one potential downside to Back Tap is that you don't get any tactile feedback when you use it so you might accidentally trigger it at the wrong time and not realize it until later. For instance, you might double tap without meaning to and set off your flashlight by accident. In that case, you might want to remap your Double Tap to a less conspicuous function. Or, you can leave Double Tap off and only use Triple Tap, which you probably won't trigger as often. How do I use Back Tap to take a quick photo? One way to set up Back Tap is to map Double Tap to the Camera and Triple Tap to Volume Up or Volume Down. Because you can press either of the volume buttons to instantly take a picture, you can get the same effect if your volume buttons are mapped to Back Tap. With this combination, you can capture a photo with five quick taps on the back of your iPhone (though you'll have to pause briefly between performing the Double Tap and Triple Tap, so that your phone can distinguish between the two actions). This Back Tap combination even works if your phone is locked. Again, spend some time trying out different combinations of taps and features to find which ones are most useful for you.

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