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Best Google Pixel 7a heavy-duty cases in 2024
Get serious protection for Google's latest budget smartphone
Google's 2023 mid-range smartphone, the Pixel 7a, is a tempting choice for those chasing after the Pixel experience without breaking the bank. Boasting specs that come close to its flagship sibling, the Pixel 7, the 7a rightfully earns its place among the best budget Android phones you can get your hands on. But let's get real — no matter how pocket-friendly this phone or its price tag might be, it still needs protection.
Anker’s newest battery pack is on sale for the first time and it has its own USB-C cable built-in
It's a carrying strap, it's a USB-C plug, it's your dying phone's savior
Dependable power banks and wonderfully compact phone chargers have long been Anker's claim to fame, and one of its latest offerings is already seeing a major discount among Anker's first crop of early Black Friday deals. The Anker Power Bank A1647 was announced back at IFA in August alongside a series of new USB-C-focused accessories for the iPhone 15 as it finally ditched Lightning. It didn't go on sale until last month, so it's impressive to already see if 20% off at Amazon.
10 best tech toys and gadgets we reviewed this October
From folding phones to awesome audio, Tech-tober brought us a cornucopia of cool new toys
Tech-tober is in the books, and boy, howdy, was it a busy one! With Google and OnePlus launching their latest and greatest phones to an assortment of amazing new ANC earbuds to wonderful wearables and beyond, we've been up to our eyeballs in reviews, sharing the best and worst of these products with you. The beginning of this month and the Google Pixel 8 launch may seem like a lifetime ago right now, so in case you've missed a review or three, let's take a look back at the best of this bumper crop of glorious gadgets.
This early Black Friday deal makes the Sony WF-1000XM5 buds the price they should've been all along
The best buds you can buy at the best price to date are hard to pass up
One of the bigger letdowns of Prime Day Part 2 back in October was that we only saw a measly $30 discount on some of the best wireless earbuds on the market. The Sony WF-1000XM5 earbuds launched three months ago at the end of July — Sony silently launched them while everyone was distracted by Samsung's Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Watch 6 Classic launch — and they'd held fast at their launch price of $300 stubbornly all fall outside that $30 tax rebate of a "deal."
Go big or go home with $320 off this Arlo Pro 4 bundle
Best Buy's Early Black Friday sale continues to crank out delectable deals
If you're finally jumping on the DIY home security bandwagon, welcome! The best smart home security cameras have evolved from fussy, low-res webcams to full-featured cameras supported by well-established ecosystems. Arlo's security system is among the best platform-agnostic options on the market today, and the Arlo Pro 4 is one of our favorite security cameras, indoor or outdoor. The cameras retail for $200 apiece — well, they're normally on sale for $140 — and for the price of two Arlo Pro 4s, you can get a third camera, four batteries, a charging dock, and anti-theft mounts for each camera. That's a lot of kit for $280.
Samsung Galaxy S23 FE review: A not-quite diamond in the rough
Don't let this phone get lost in the mid-range crowd
Samsung has spent the last two years chasing the lightning-in-a-bottle that was the Samsung Galaxy S20 FE. Called a “Fan Edition,” it offered up the same experience as the main Galaxy S line for a bargain price, and it’s no surprise that it became one of the most popular phones of 2020 and 2021. The Galaxy S21 FE was a decent phone, too, but launch delays and price hikes caused by the pandemic made it fall into the Galaxy S22’s shadow, a space it never quite managed to emerge from.
Kiss power strip clutter goodbye with this $46 Anker 525 charging station deal
Part charger, part surge protector, and all affordable, this has all your power needs covered
How many pocketable phone chargers do you have sitting at your desk right now? How about in the living room where everyone is charging phones and tablets during movie night? Do yourself a favor and take a look here. This charging station may look underwhelming at first glance, but this tiny titan of power might fight precisely into your low-battery life. The Anker 525 Charging Station provides up to 65W of power to your gear, be it one laptop, two tablets, or two phones, an e-reader, and your glorious Galaxy Watch.
I'm addicted to this $380 Lenovo Flex 5i Chromebook Plus deal
My new favorite Chromebook is already down to a great value, and Black Friday is still three weeks away
Lenovo's Flex 5 and Flex 5i Chromebooks have been among the most popular and dependable Chromebooks for the last three and a half years since the first one debuted at CES 2020. Balancing power and price, portability and productivity, the Flex 5i has been my go-to recommendation for new Chromebook buyers who aren't willing to dive into the deep end with the $700 Acer Chromebook Spin 714. The latest entry in this series is the Lenovo IdeaPad Flex 5i Chromebook Plus, a 14-inch 2-in-1 laptop with a 13th Gen Intel Core i3, upgraded webcam, ample RAM, and a small but sweet crop of new features exclusive to the new Chromebook Plus line — and only a month after it's launch, it's already over $100 off.
Should you buy a Chromebook on Black Friday?
The season of savings is upon us, so deck the halls with Chrome OS
Time to throw out the pumpkins and break out the wreaths — okay, maybe a little early for Christmas decor — as we head into November and the first bumper crop of Black Friday deals. These superb sales will cover every gadget and gizmo you could think of, from the smallest Soundcore earbuds to the most tantalizing tablets, and that naturally includes Chromebooks.
Does the Google Pixel 8 have good connectivity?
It's still not a Qualcomm modem inside, but the performance has finally reached that level
If you've been burned by your previous Pixel — or heard a horror story or two about them — having significantly worse connectivity than basically every other smartphone out there, I can understand the lack of trust you might have towards the Google Pixel 8 and Pixel 8 Pro and their ability to find and keep a cell signal. I suffered it for well over a year myself, going so far as to switch to the Galaxy S23 and deny myself the bliss of Pixel features like Hold for Me, Pixel Recorder, and Magic Eraser.
This is the hands-down most important feature in your next phone case
MagSafe is cool, drop ratings are nice, but grip is absolutely essential
In an ideal phone, a phone case would be optional, just something to customize a phone rather than a necessity to protect your investment. But we live in an era of glass-backed, metal-framed prestigious Android phones that are slippery and shatter-prone, so the first thing we do after unboxing a phone is slap it in a case before we can drop it and break it.
Asus Chromebook Plus CX34 review: Productivity on point
Subtly sweet software and sturdy hardware make for a dependable laptop
A new generation of Chromebooks is upon us! The Chromebook Plus series aims to pull Chromebook specs into the present and help users find the best Chrome OS experience without having to obsess over numbers and standards. (After all, that’s my job.) This is a promising idea, taking the guesswork out of buying a great Chromebook for consumers while also providing a clear standard for Chrome OS devices moving forward.
Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones review: Paying for near perfection
Don't just block out the world; refill it with rich stereo sound
Bose headphones have been a bit stagnant in the last few years, as the QuietComfort 45 saw some iterative updates but no huge steps forward. And for the “normal” QuietComfort that re-debuted last month, that iteration continues, but Bose is finally mixing things up again for the first time since the Bose Noise Canceling Headphones 700 with the Bose QuietComfort Ultra Headphones.
Best Google Pixel 6a cases in 2024
The Pixel 6a is a phenomenal phone that only deserves phenomenal cases
With the Pixel 8 line already here, it's easy to forget about the Pixel 6a. However, it's precisely because it's a generation or so old that the Pixel 6a qualifies for our best budget-friendly Android phones and has aged particularly well, securing it the top spot - even above the more recent Pixel 7a. The Google Pixel 6a was a great phone at launch, lauded for its feature set, performance, and built quality, and it remains one of the best for budget-conscious consumers.
Best Buy’s Black Friday deals kick off on October 27
You’ll need a membership to shop the first three days
Amazon's October Prime Days ended less than a week ago, and we're already diving into Black Friday, folks. Best Buy announced today that it's kicking off its Early Black Friday deals on October 27 for Total and Plus members, and then it's opening its sales up to everyone on October 30. Early Black Friday deals will run until November 17 — that's the Friday before Black Friday — and then kick over to Cyber Monday sales on November 26, the Sunday after Black Friday.
Google Pixel 8 vs. Samsung Galaxy S23: 'Small' phone showdown
Google finally fixed its flaws and reigns for cameras, but Samsung still wins on the fundamentals
While it is in human nature to long for the biggest and the best, the largest smartphones also command the largest sizes, and honestly, who needs a phone that heavy or bulky? If you long for a phone that you can actually use one-handed, one that doesn't cost a rent check, that's where these "base" models come in. Make no mistake, though, these are not the "babies," nor is there anything basic about these full-featured flagship phones.
Best Samsung Galaxy A53 cases in 2024
The Galaxy A53 perfectly fits your life and budget, and it deserves a case to match
When it comes to value for money, there aren't many devices that can beat the Samsung Galaxy A53. It's a cheap phone with decent performance, enough to go toe-to-toe with pricier mid-range and high-end alternatives. That's why it's one of the best budget Android phones.
Best 45W chargers for the Samsung Galaxy S22+ & S22 Ultra in 2024
These chargers can take your Galaxy S22 Ultra from 0 to 50% in 30 minutes
Like all of the best Samsung phones available today, the Galaxy S22 Ultra and the S22+ come with a charging cable, but no charger. That's not such a bad thing: the in-box charger certainly would have been a 25W charger instead of something compatible with the top charging speed of 45W available on the S22+ and S22 Ultra.
Which Google Pixel Buds Pro color should you buy?
Before you can go Pro, you first have to determine which Pixel Buds Pro color is right for you
It's been over a year since the Google Pixel Buds Pro arrived, giving us proper ANC and fit while not suffering the Bluetooth issues of its 2020 predecessor. They've more than earned their spot among the best wireless earbuds, but before you bring a pair home to enjoy those lovely touch controls, the multipoint audio, and the new Feature Drop that brings Clear Calling, gaming mode, and aural wellness, you need to make a very, very important decision. What color are you bringing home?
Prime Day deals: 29 best discounts you can still buy (but hurry!)
Time's running out to get your next best gadget
Amazon's October Prime Day event is finally over, but not all of the best deals have ended.