Latest news with #JakeHackney
Daily Mirror
27-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Best tablet deals including £10.50 iPad and free Samsung Galaxy
Tech writer Jake Hackney has pulled together his top pick of Apple, Amazon and Samsung tablets that won't break the bank, with deals from the likes of Sky and The bank holiday weekend may be over but there's still plenty of deals up for grabs for tech fans. Our team of shopping experts spotted an uptick in tablet sales during the latest round of online sales, as shoppers snap up discounts on these usually expensive devices. Many tablets from the big-name brands like Apple and Samsung come with eye-watering price tags, but there are ways to keep costs down if you know where to look. With this in mind, we've pulled together a selection of our favourite tablet deals from Amazon, Sky Mobile and Among the top picks are an affordable Apple iPad, a budget-friendly Amazon tablet, and even a way to bag a free Samsung tablet. So, read on for our favourite tablet deals from the bank holiday sales that are still up for grabs. Apple iPad (2025) Sky Mobile lets customers spread the cost of a range of tablets so they can avoid forking out hundreds in one fell swoop. The retailer stocks a selection of Apple iPads for every budget, starting at £10.50 for the latest iPad (2025). This model is powered by Apple's A16 chip, alongside 128GB storage and an 11' Liquid Retina display. Other options include the £17 iPad Air (2025) and £27 iPad Pro (2024), with nothing to pay upfront. These 48-month tablet plans can be upgraded after 36-month, but there is one slight catch. The price quoted is just for the device, meaning each iPad must also be paired with a Sky data SIM ranging from £0 for 100MB to £29 for unlimited. The iPad (2025) is also available to buy outright for £309.97 at Amazon, while Argos and Very offer it for £329. Amazon Fire Max 11 Amazon has dropped the price of a range of its own-brand devices, including £65 off the Fire Max 11, down from £249.99 to £184.99. There's also discounts on the more affordable Fire HD 8 (£69.99) and Fire HD 10 (£109.99). But the Fire Max 11 is said to be Amazon's 'most powerful tablet', boasting an 11' display packed with 2.4 million pixels, a 14-hour battery life and 64GB of storage. It's touted as being 'as thin as a pencil' and crafted with strengthened glass, which Amazon says is 'three times as durable' as the 10th-generation iPad. The Fire Max 11 has earned more than 1,850 five-star reviews, with one saying: 'Amazing tablet. Lovely to read on, can be used in profile or landscape reading, landscape gives you two pages side by side. Also has excellent picture quality and the battery life is incredible.' Another said: 'The Amazon Fire 11 is a great budget option. Its 11' HD screen is good for streaming, reading, and browsing. It's lightweight, sturdy and handles everyday tasks like apps and videos well. The battery lasts all day, and it works smoothly with Alexa and Amazon services.' However, the same buyer added: 'The app store is limited compared to regular Android tablets. If you use Amazon a lot, this tablet offers great value for the price.' Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ Shoppers looking to upgrade their smartphone can get their hands on a free Samsung Galaxy Tab A9+ worth £259 with orders of the Galaxy S25, S25+ and S25 Ultra from The most affordable option is iD Mobile's £27.99 per month plan on the S25, which comes with 500GB of data and a six-month trial of Google One AI Premium. There is a £49 upfront fee, but at a total cost of £669.76 over 24 months, it's cheaper than buying the S25 outright from Samsung or Amazon, where it costs £799 and £699 respectively. After ordering the handset, shoppers can head to the Samsung website to claim their free tablet on purchases made by June 26. Amazon customers have awarded the Galaxy Tab A9+ a 4.3-star rating, with one saying: 'Great tablet, good size screen, I love it.' Another said: 'The tablet is excellent. Easy to set up and pair with my phone. All apps running flawlessly. For a technophobe that is brilliant.' However, they added: 'Disappointed that a charger plug does not come with the tablet. That is a little extra expense and inconvenience that is unnecessary.'
Daily Mirror
16-05-2025
- Business
- Daily Mirror
Top Tech: Save £400 on a Samsung tablet with deal stack
Tech writer Jake Hackney has found a way to save £400 on Samsung's Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra, as well as a cheapest-ever deal on the brand's budget-friendly model The weather's really heating up, and so are the deals, as Amazon has dropped a handful of unmissable bank holiday tech deals. It seems that May is all about Samsung, as we've spotted several ways for shoppers to cut hundreds off the price of Galaxy tablets for any budget. Amazon is currently offering a selection of whopping discounts and half price deals, including £400 off this Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. This is Samsung's most powerful and premium tablet, so it's no surprise it usually comes with an equally premium price tag. Picking up one of these gadgets would normally set you back £1,199, but Amazon is offering it for £799 with a rare deal stacking method. All shoppers need to do to get the discount is check a tickbox underneath the price on the Amazon page, which applies a £200 coupon on top of an existing £200 discount – a whopping total saving of £400. This means Amazon is the cheapest place to buy the Tab S10 Ultra compared to Samsung, Argos and Very, which all offer the tablet for £999. Amazon has confirmed the deal is only valid until May 27 or 'while stocks last'. It's not cheap, but the Tab S10 Ultra packs a punch with its 14.6' AMOLED 2X display, a 13MP rear camera, an anti-reflection screen and a bevy of AI features. All this is powered by a long-lasting battery that can run for up to 16 hours and boasts a 13MP rear camera and 12MP front camera. However, even with £400, this tablet still sports a heavy price tag, but Amazon has also cut the price of some of Samsung's more affordable models for those watching their pennies. At the other end of the spectrum is the Galaxy Tab A9, which is more than half price. This is reduced from £169 to £81.71, which is the cheapest price ever offered for the tablet, according to price tracker camelcamelcamel. With such a price difference, this model doesn't come close to the Tab S10 Ultra, but it's ideal for those who simply want to browse the web or stream their favourite TV series without breaking the bank. It features an 8.7' display and motion will appear smooth and fluid thanks to its high screen refresh rate. There are also four Dolby Atmos speakers and 10-hour battery life depending on usage. Those looking to go slightly bigger may want to opt for the Galaxy Tab A9+, as it features a larger 11' display. However, it's worth heading over to Samsung, where the same device is currently on sale for £159 compared to Amazon's £175.44 asking price. To throw another option into the works, Sky Mobile lets shoppers spread the cost of each Samsung tablet, including the Galaxy Tab A9 for £3, the Tab A9+ for £7 or the Tab S10 Ultra for £29. It's worth noting that, as these come on 48-month contracts, customers will end up paying more than if buying outright, but it's an ideal option for those looking to avoid splashing their cash all at once. Also, the monthly prices quoted are for the devices themselves, so shoppers also have to take out a Sky data plan, which ranges from £0 for 100MB to £29 for unlimited. There are some things to sweeten the deal though, as Sky lets members upgrade to a new device after 36 months at no extra cost and is throwing in a free Samsung AI Book Cover Keyboard worth £339 with the Tab S10 Ultra. The Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra has achieved an impressive 4.8-star rating from 117 Samsung customers – 107 of which left glowing five-star reviews. One said: 'Absolutely superb. 'A big, beautiful screen, super fast, amazing multitasking. An absolute powerhouse and my new laptop replacement. The pen is fantastic and even recognises my appalling handwriting. The size isn't for everyone but I adore it. It's not too heavy and with great build quality. Sure, it's pricey, but it'll last for years.' Another said: 'Fantastic build quality. Screen quality is one of the best I have used. Really fast moving between apps. AI features are fantastic, a great tablet for pleasure and business.' A third said: 'This is by far the most powerful, easy to use, aesthetically pleasing tablet on the market. Mainly use it for films on my travels and it is flawless. Everything is responsive on this tablet and the screen is as bright as you would expect. This is simply the best tablet ever made.' However, despite their five-star review, the same buyer noted a potential downside, adding: 'The only downside is, as this is such a large tablet it can get a bit heavy.'
Daily Mirror
25-04-2025
- Daily Mirror
'I tried Amazon's gold smartwatch and it's ideal if you want bling on a budget'
TV writer Jake Hackney sampled the Maxcom FW65 Iron S, Amazon's budget smartwatch and fitness tracker designed for those who like the finer things in life I'm not normally one for extravagant clothing or accessories, so when I was offered the chance to try out the Maxcom FW65 Iron S – a gold, jewellery-style smartwatch – I wasn't sure it was one for me. But in a world dominated by the Apple Watch, I thought it was worth trying something new – and I was pleasantly surprised. I received the gold version, but it's also available in silver or black, all of which recently dropped from £89.99 to £69.99 at Amazon. The Iron is touted as combining 'elegance with functionality', crafted with brushed steel and a stainless steel bracelet – it also has a black silicone strap if that's more your style. It's ideal for those who like sporting a bit of bling and even has a bit of weight to it like a genuine gold watch. There's hundreds of customisation options in the app's watchface store, many of which are in the style of high-class brands like Louis Vuitton – as well as a variety of more sporty or cartoonish ones. In terms of style and price, it's markedly different from the latest Samsung Galaxy or Apple Watch models, yet has many of the usual features you'd expect from these premium brands. Getting the watch up and running was quick and straightforward, with the free FitCloudPro app synchronising to my iPhone within minutes. The Iron S is smooth when navigating the different menu screens thanks to its chunky body housing a 1.95' AMOLED display. The Iron S can be used to receive calls and messages, and control the music playing through your phone. Other basic functions include a stopwatch, alarm clock, calculator and compass, and a remote camera control – something I haven't seen before on a watch in this price range. All of these are alongside a wealth of health and fitness features, including plenty of sport modes like running, cycling and football. Like its premium rivals, this watch allows the wearer to monitor heart rate, blood pressure, calories burned and sleep, but one fitness feature that really stuck out to me is the Maxcom's activity rings. One of my Mum's favourite things about her trusty Apple Watch Series 6 is closing her activity rings at the end of the day, so I was surprised to find the Iron S has a similar feature allowing you to set and track daily exercise goals, but for half the price of a refurbished Apple Watch 6 from Back Market. It also displays data such as steps over 24 hours and seven days, with more data and fitness reports available on the smartphone app. I'm not the most active person in the world so I wore the watch while walking my dog and the number of steps registered appeared largely accurate – at least compared to those registered by my phone. Another standout feature on the Iron S is its 'Find my watch' function. With this, you can use the mobile app to make the watch vibrate and emit an audible sound, so you can easily track it down if it's misplaced. All in all, the Maxcom smartwatch is extremely user friendly and has more than enough features to justify its price tag. However, I did come across a few niggles in my time using it. Firstly, when connected to my phone via Bluetooth, audio – whether that's from Apple Music or an Instagram video – automatically plays through the watch. Some may view that as a positive, but for me, it became frustrating as I had to keep switching the audio back to my phone. But the biggest flaw for me was the difficulty in adjusting the strap. The watch comes with tools for shortening the bracelet and changing the strap, but no instructions on how to do so. Out of the box, the strap was a little too big for my wrist and for the life of me I just could not figure out how to extend it. Someone with experience in adjusting a watch strap may not have a problem, but for someone like me who has never owned a watch with an adjustable strap, I may as well have been trying to split the atom. Ultimately, this was the only major downside to an otherwise decent watch. Given the Iron S ' more affordable price tag, I was pleasantly surprised at the amount of features and their quality, its ease of use and its robust build, especially compared to others in the same price range, which can sometimes feel cheap.
