Qualcomm is keeping up its habit of releasing speed-bumped chips in the middle of the year, albeit with a couple of twists. The company has introduced a Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 system-on-chip that delivers both the usual performance boost and, importantly, battery life. Qualcomm claims a 10 percent processing speed increase and 20 percent higher performance-per-Watt for AI, but it’s also boasting a 30 percent power reduction — in theory, you’ll wring an extra hour of gameplay out of your flagship-class Android handset.
There won’t be a shortage of device partners. Qualcomm expects products to begin arriving in the third quarter (summer) from big-name brands like ASUS, Honor, Motorola, OnePlus, Oppo and Xiaomi. These are more likely to be subtle revisions than major overhauls, but that still means you’ll be getting top-of-the-line processing power.
A second announcement is more of a pleasant surprise for budget buyers. Qualcomm has unveiled the Snapdragon 7 Gen 1, a sequel to the 778G aimed at upper-mid-range Android hardware. An upgraded Adreno GPU should be about 20 percent faster, while AI processing is about 30 percent quicker. There are a few firsts for the 7 series, too. You can shoot simultaneously from three cameras, take advantage of on-chip data security upgrades and share in the audio upgrades from the 8 Gen 1.
The first Snapdragon 7 Gen 1 phones are due by the end of the second quarter (no later than June) from brands like Honor, Oppo and Xiaomi. You might not see many of these products in the US, then. Still, they could make a big difference in a category where price is often as important as features and gaming frame rates.
If you’re looking forward to the unofficial kickoff of summer on Memorial Day, you can prep your backyard ahead of time by picking up one of Solo Stove’s fire pits for less right now. The company’s sale to mark the holiday has begun and it knocks up to 46 percent off its fire pits, plus up to 35 percent off accessories and more. You’ll find the biggest savings on the Yukon, Solo Stove’s largest fire pit, which is more than $350 off and down to $400. That’s slightly cheaper than we saw in the company’s previous sale at the end of April. Also, the midrange Bonfire is down to $220 while the compact Ranger has been discounted to $200.
You may think of using a fire pit like the ones from Solo Stove mostly in the fall, but it’s a great gadget to have all year round. And with Sol Stove’s models, you’re getting a fire pit that actively channels smoke away from you while you’re using it. They have a double-walled design that pulls through vent holes and back into the fire, keeping the flames hot while creating fine ashes and reducing smoke. We also appreciate that all of Solo Stove gadgets have one-piece, stainless steel designs, making them easy to set up and, depending on the model you choose, fairly simple to transport.
That said, if you plan on moving the fire pit around your yard or taking it with you on a long weekend away, the 15-pound Ranger or the 20-pound Bonfire are your best options. The Yukon weighs in at 38-pounds, so while you could move it, it’s probably better to find a permanent place for it. And if you want to keep the fire pit protected from the elements, you can pick up a “backyard bundle,” which includes a weather-resistant shelter bag and a shield that protects you from pops and embers.
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The Polestar 1 turns heads even without the brand recognition of Ferrari or Bugatti. The high-end vehicle is the automotive epitome of a tailored suit.
Amazon is running a deal on the GoPro Hero 10 Black right now, and you can get the device bundled with a dual battery charger and two rechargeable batteries for only $400. Considering the website is also currently selling the device alone for $400 — or $100 lower than its typical retail price — you’re getting the batteries for free. The GoPro Hero 10 Black is a waterproof action camera that no longer needs a housing for most uses and can capture 23-megapixel photos, as well as videos with a 5.3K resolution at 60fps.
We gave the device a score of 92 in our review, where we praised it for having a markedly better image quality than the Hero 9 for both photos and videos. The Hero 10 can reproduce colors closer to real life and can capture more details than its predecessor. In addition, the newer camera can capture videos in a higher resolution, which could translate to better looking footage after you crop it.
The Hero 10 is also the better choice if you typically edit your videos to show all the action in slow motion. It has a new 120fps mode for 4K videos that gives you the capability to produce footage in 4x slow-mo or to put out really smooth-looking videos in normal speed. The Hero 10 also features a faster user interface, and as a huge plus for an action camera, its lens now comes with a hydrophobic coating to repel water and keep the device safe.
To note, GoPro is also selling the Hero 10 with a bunch of accessories that include a spare battery, a magnetic swivel clip, a Shorty mini tripod, a 32GB microSD card and a camera case for $400 on its website. However, you’ll need to be a GoPro subscriber to take advantage of that deal. If you think the $50 yearly membership fee is worth paying to get the discounted bundle, you can head over to GoPro’s website through the link below.
A bunch of Google Nest devices have been discounted ahead of Memorial Day weekend, making it a good opportunity to fill in some of the gaps in your smart home ecosystem. Wellbots has the Google Nest Hub Max for $179 when you use the code EGDT50 at checkout, so you’ll save $50 off its regular price. You can also get various discounts on Nest WiFi packs as well — the Nest WiFi router is down to $119 with the code EGDT50, the router with one access point is on sale for $189 with the code EDGT80 and the three-pack is down to $249 with the code EDGT100.
The Nest Hub Max is the biggest of Google’s smart displays and it also has the best sound quality. Its 10-inch display is large enough to comfortably watch YouTube or Netflix videos, or even take a Zoom call. Inside are stereo speakers that help the Hub Max sound better than any other Nest smart display, making it a good option if you want an all-in-one device to stream videos, listen to music and control devices like smart lights, cameras, thermostats and more.
The Hub Max does include a video camera and, aside from enabling things like Zoom calls, it also works with Google’s Face Match feature. This helps the device recognize who’s using it so it can display relevant information to them like personal calendar events, messages and more. If you end up using the Hub Max in your kitchen or living room, this will come in handy as it will show each person in your household information that pertains to them.
As for the Nest WiFi packs, we gave the system a score of 84 when we first reviewed it. Both the router and the access points have minimalist designs and they’re easy to install. They also have a built-in smart speaker inside, so you can call upon the Google Assistant from wherever you have the access points in your home. The biggest issue we have with the Nest WiFi system now is that it doesn’t support WiFi 6, which may be a dealbreaker if you’re looking to upgrade your home WiFi to the most advanced protocol available right now.
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We’re one week out from Memorial Day weekend and we’re already starting to see the sales roll in. Apple’s latest AirPods are back down to $150 while a four-pack of AirTags remains discounted to $89. You can pick up a few Fire TV devices for less, including the Fire TV Cube for only $70, while Solo Stove’s fire pits have already been discounted one week before the holiday. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.
Apple AirPods (3rd gen)
Billy Steele/Engadget
The latest AirPods are $30 off and down to $150, which is only $10 more than their all-time-low price. We gave the buds a score of 88 for their improved audio quality, more comfortable design and longer battery life.
A pack of four AirTags is down to $89 right now, or $10 off its regular price. If you have a few things you want to keep track of, this is a good opportunity to pick up a few AirTags that can help you do so. AirTags show you the location of your things in Apple’s Find My app, and if you have an iPhone that supports Precision Finding, it can lead you directly to your stuff.
1Password is offering 50 percent off paid plans for a limited time, which means you can sign up for a personal plan for $1.50 per month (when billed annually) or a Families plan for $2.50 per month. 1Password is one of our favorite password managers because it stores all of the dozens of login credentials you have safely and securely, while also making it easy for you to fill in the correct ones without remembering them as you browse the web.
Amazon’s Fire TV Cube is down to a record low of $70 right now, or almost half off its regular rate. This is the most powerful streaming device that Amazon offers and it supports 4K HDR content, Dolby Vision and hands-free Alexa commands.
The Fire TV Stick 4K is 30 percent off and down to $35, which, while not a record low, it’s a good sale price on this handy streaming stick. Like the Fire TV Cube, it supports 4K streaming and Dolby Vision, but it takes up much less space and can hide behind your TV. And if you want to spend even less, you can pick up the Fire TV Stick Lite for only $20.
Solo Stove’s Memorial Day sale knocks up to 46 percent off fire pits, so you can pick one up for as low as $200. You’ll find the deepest discount on the big Yukon, which is $350 off and down to $400. We like these fire pits because they create much less smoke than their cheaper competitors and, out of the three models available, two of them are pretty portable, too.
Amazon’s latest deal on the GoPro Hero10 Black includes a dual battery charger plus two rechargeable batteries for $400. If you were go to directly to GoPro, you’d spend the same amount on the camera alone, so you’re essentially getting the batteries for free if you go through Amazon.
A bunch of Google Nest devices have been discounted ahead of Memorial Day weekend. Wellbots has the Google Nest Hub Max for $179 when you use the code EGDT50 at checkout, so you’ll save $50 off its regular price. You can also get various discounts on Nest WiFi packs as well — the Nest WiFi router is down to $119 with the code EGDT50, the router with one access point is on sale for $189 with the code EDGT80 and the three-pack is down to $249 with the code EDGT100.
All three of Samsung’s Galaxy S22 smartphones are at their lowest prices ever, with the Galaxy S22 Ultra down to $950, the S22+ on sale for $750 and the standard S22 for $675. We gave the premium S22 Ultra a score of 89 for its bright, colorful display, built-in S Pen and solid cameras.
SanDisk’s 1TB Extreme Pro portable SSD is 42 percent off and down to $180. That’s close to the best price we’ve seen, and it’s a good option for those that need a tough drive that they can take with them on the go. In addition to drop protection and an IP55 rating, the Extreme Pro supports read and write speeds up to 2,000 MB/s, password protection and 256-bit AES hardware encryption.
Roku’s Streambar Pro is down to an all-time low of $150, which is 17 percent off its regular rate. This larger soundbar has all of the features of the standard Streambar, plus even better sound quality, a lost remote feature with Roku’s companion mobile app and support for private listening.
Razer’s Kishi game controller for Android devices is half off and down to $45. It lets you more comfortably play games on your smartphone while on the go, and it has a USB-C port for charging.
Amazon has discounted a number of Samsung’s latest Mini LED smart TVs for the first time. The 65-inch Neo QLED 4K model is $200 off and down to $1,797, and you can also pick up 75-inch and 85-inch models at lower than usual prices, too.
Hydrow has knocked $669 off its Memorial Day package, so you can get its smart rowing machine, a mat and a 1:1 coaching session for $1,995. With the monthly membership, you’ll get access to a bunch of on-demand rowing classes, plus the built-in screen swivels so you can do floor routines as well.
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