Alexa has introduced “Shopping List Savings” to the Alexa App, letting you scan receipts on eligible products from any store to gain cashback rewards, TechCrunch reported. It won’t cost you a thing to use it and you’ll get cash back to your Amazon gift card to use on any item on Amazon. The catch is that the system will provide Amazon with a ton of valuable data on your shopping habits, even when you’re not shopping on its site.
Using it is pretty straightforward. You just search the Alexa app to find available offers, then add them to your shopping list. You can shop the offers at your “go-to grocery store” (or pharmacy, or any store where you can get an itemized receipt) and scan the receipt and product barcodes to redeem them. That’ll get you cash directly on your Amazon gift card, usually in 24-48 hours, which can be used to buy anything on Amazon.
Amazon doesn’t explain how your data will be used or promise to anonymize it, as TechCrunch notes. Instead, it simply states that “we will get any information you provide, including receipt images and information we may extract from those receipts, and the offers you activate. You understand and acknowledge that your personal information may be shared with Amazon’s service providers.”
Amazon isn’t the only company to offer such a service, as you can also get cash rewards from Fetch, Ibotta and other companies in exchange for your shopping data. The amount of reward per product appears to be on an offer-by-offer basis, and you can check on payment status any time on the Get Paid page on “Browse Savings.” The offer appears to be limited to the US, for now.
As the first week of May comes to a close, a number of our favorite gadgets remain on sale, with some at record-low prices. Apple’s latest iPad mini is the cheapest we’ve seen it at $400, while most AirPods have been discounted. Also, a bunch of Kindles are on sale at Amazon and you can still pick up a Roomba from iRobot for hundreds of dollars less than usual. Here are the best tech deals this week that you can still get today.
iPad mini
Valentina Palladino / Engadget
Apple’s latest iPad mini is $100 off right now and down to $400, which is the lowest we’ve seen it. We still consider it to be the best small tablet. you can get, and the 2021 version earned a score of 89 from us for its modern design, solid performance, improved front cameras and USB-C charging.
Apple’s AirPods Pro are back on sale for $175, which is 30 percent off their normal price. We gave them a score of 87 for their improved fit, good audio quality and solid ANC.
If you still prefer the original design to Apple’s AirPods, you can grab the second-gen earbuds for $100 right now. That’s 37 percent off their normal rate and only $10 more than their record-low price. We gave them a score of 84 for their improved wireless performance and solid battery life.
The high-end AirPods Max are $100 off and back down to $449. While not an all-time low, it’s close to the best price we’ve seen. We gave the cans a score of 84 for their excellent sound quality, good ANC and handy onboard controls.
Animal Crossing: New Horizons is cheaper than ever right now at $40. That’s $20 off its normal price and the lowest we’ve seen it. Nintendo’s first-party games rarely go on sale like this, so if you haven’t picked up the cozy title yet, now’s the time to do so.
Both the PS5 and PS4 versions of Elden Ring are still $10 off and down to $50 — a pretty good discount for a popular new title. The game has been widely acclaimed since it came out, despite some performance issues that have now been resolved. You could easily get lost in its open world, intriguing story and challenging gameplay.
Both the 40mm Galaxy Watch 4 models are $76 off and down to a new record low of $174. We gave the Galaxy Watch 4 a score of 85 for its bright, crisp display, comprehensive head tracking and improved third-party app support.
Amazon’s latest Kindle Paperwhite is 25 percent off and down to an all-time low of $105. It has a number of improvements over the previous model, including a larger screen with more front lights, an adjustable warm light and USB-C charging. Also, the standard Kindle is down to $55 and the Kindle Oasis is on sale for $200.
Amazon’s Echo Show 8 is back down to an all-time low of $90 right now, while the tiny Echo Dot is on sale for only $28. The Show 8 is one of our favorite smart displays and we gave it a score of 87 for its minimalist design, lovely screen and good sound quality. These deals are part of a larger Amazon device sale that may have some good gift options if you’re still on the hunt for a Mother’s Day gift.
Through May 9th, new and free LastPass users can upgrade to a paid account and save 20 percent. That will bring a Premium membership down to around $29 annually instead of the usual $36, while Families would cost about $38 annually and Business down to $58 per user each year.
Samsung’s latest Frame smart TVs have been discounted on Amazon, so you can grab the 55-inch model for $1,297, which is $200 less than usual. A few size options are on sale, so you can choose the one that fits best in your home. It’s rare to see sales on the latest TV models, and these new Frames have a new matte finish that helps reduce reflections, so they will hopefully blend even more into your home when you have them on Art Mode.
iRobot’s affordable Roomba 694 is still on sale for $180 right now, which is a record low. This is one of our favorite budget-friendly robot vacuums thanks to its easy to use mobile app, good cleaning power and sleek design.
The Roomba j7+ robo-vac and the Roomba s9+ are both $200 off right now and down to $599 and $799, respectively. These are both advanced machines from iRobot, with the j7+ sporting a pet poop detection feature, while the s9+ has the strongest suction power of all of the company’s robot vacuums. Both also come with clean bases, so you won’t have to empty their dustbins manually after each cleaning job.
The new Beats Fit Pro earbuds are $20 off and down to $180. That’s one of the best prices we’ve seen all year, and they earned a score of 87 from us for their comfortable fit, punchy bass, solid ANC and loads of handy features.
The Beats Studio Buds are back down to a record low of $100. We gave them a score of 84 for their tiny, comfortable design, balanced sound and quick-pairing on both Android and iOS.
Jabra’s new Elite 4 Active earbuds are $20 off and down to $100, which is a new record low. The budget-friendly Elite 3 are also on sale and down to only $60. We gave the Elite 4 Active a score of 84 for their comfort fit, solid sound quality and customizable ANC, while the Elite 3 came in at 88 thanks to their good battery life, reliable onboard controls and comfortable fit.
Anker’s Eufy RoboVac 11s is on sale for $150 thanks to a discounted price and an extra $50 coupon on the product page you can clip before adding the item to your cart. We consider it to be one of the best cheap robot vacuums you can buy due to its slim frame that helps it get under furniture, good suction power and included physical remote which lets you change cleaning modes, set schedules and more.
JBL’s Charge 5 Bluetooth speaker is down to $150, which is only $20 more than its all-time low. This earned a spot in our portable Bluetooth speaker guide thanks to its bright sound, long battery life and USB-C port for charging.
May the 4th is here once again and that means a bunch of retailers have deals on Star Wars gadgets, toys and collectibles. If you’re a Star Wars fan, or know someone who is, now’s the time to stock up on everything from video games to themed Instant Pots while they are deeply discounted. Here are the best May the 4th Star Wars Day deals we could find this year.
Star Wars Instant Pots
Instant Pot
Amazon has a limited-time sale on Star Wars-themed Instant Pots and you can pick up the adorable BB-8 Duo Mini machine for only $60. A number of other schemes, including Darth Vader and Little Bounty, have been discounted as well, and those are full Duo models, so they come with a few more cooking modes and a larger, six-quart capacity.
Yubico has knocked 54 percent off two-packs of its YubiKey 5 NFC series, That brings the pack of two USB-A security keys down to just over $41, the duo of USB-C keys down to just over $50 and the pack with one of each down to $46. This is a solid sale on some of the latest models from Yubico, and these keys give you a physical way to use two-factor authentication to unlock your devices and accounts.
Unsurprisingly, you can find a bunch of discounted Star Wars merch, accessories and more at Amazon today only. You can get knickknacks for your desk, T-shirts with your favorite characters on them, LEGO sets and toy lightsabers for less than usual. Some of our favorite deals include the R2-D2 Tamagotchi for just over $11, the LEGO Star Wars AT-ST Raider set for under $29 and this 2,000-piece The Chosen One puzzle for $15.
Best Buy’s sale today knocks up to 30 percent off Star Wars LEGO sets, up to 20 percent off Star Wars 3D puzzles and up to 40 percent off plush figures. You can also save up to 25 percent on certain Star Wars video games, and $57 off this adorable “galactic snackin'” Grogu doll.
Walmart’s Star Wars Day sale is much like Best Buy’s in that it includes discounts on a hodgepodge of toys, games, collectibles and more. Quite a few Funko Pops are on sale, including this The Child with Canister figurine, plus numerous LEGO sets are cheaper than usual.
While not on sale, Otterbox just launched a new collection of Star Wars-inspired Symmetry cases for iPhone and Galaxy devices. They’re branded with fun illustrations of characters including Darth Vader, Boba Fett and even an Ewok. Since these are Symmetry cases, they have the features that you’d expect from this lineup, including a slim profile, drop protection a raised bumper.
Every spring, a new class of graduates is unleashed on the world, many of them carrying gadgets that have been put through the ringer over the years. Graduation is traditionally a big time for gift-giving — so if you know someone who is heading out int…
Amazon is offering some solid deals on a multitude of games, with many popular titles available at or near their all-time-low prices. The most noteworthy of the bunch is Elden Ring, on sale for PlayStation 5 and PlayStation 4 at $50 for a savings of $10 over the regular price — a solid deal on a relatively fresh release. You’ll also find discounts on a host of other titles including Animal Crossing (Switch), Deathloop (PS5/Xbox One Series X) and Disco Elysium (PS4/Xbox One).
FromSoftware’s Elden Ring was a hit from the start, despite some early performance and other issues that have mostly been rectified. Critics raved about the perfectly conceived open world, mysterious story and challenging gameplay and users have generally liked it as well. We haven’t seen too many deals on it to date, so if you’re looking for a discount, now is the time to act.
Moving to Switch, Animal Crossing: New Horizons is a classic and still popular Switch title that you can pick up for $40 instead of $60, or a third off the regular price. Another Switch staple is the adventure/workout game Ring Fit Adventure, on sale at checkout for $55. And finally, Super Mario Party is available for just $40, or $20 off the regular price.
Finally, if it’s PS4 or Xbox One titles you’re after, there are a couple of bargains there, too. To start with, the RPG detective title Disco Elysium – The Final Cut is available on both PS4 and Xbox One for $20 or 50 percent off. Resident Evil 2 is also on sale for PS4 and Xbox One for just $13, or $8 off the regular $21 price.
Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice.
As many people start returning to the office, we know there’s a lot to (re)figure out — like what to wear on the first day back, how long your commute will take and how to stay productive. So we’re sharing some tips for getting back into the office gro…
Mother’s Day is right around the corner, and if you want to pick up a new piece of tech for mom, you can do so for less before the holiday. A number of Apple devices are on sale, including the latest iPad Air and the AirPods Pro, while a bunch of earbuds have been discounted, too, like the newest models from Beats and Jabra. The Fitbit Charge 5 remains on sale for $130, while a few of iRobot’s latest robot vacuums are hundreds of dollars off. Here are the best tech deals from this week that you can still get today.
AirPods Pro
Apple’s AirPods Pro are back on sale for $175, which is 30 percent off their normal price. We gave them a score of 87 for their improved fit, good audio quality and solid ANC.
Apple’s latest 16-inch MacBook Pro is $250 off and down to $2,249. While that’s still a hefty price tag, it’s the lowest we’ve seen since the laptop came out last year. We gave the notebook a score of 92 for its super fast performance, stunning Liquid Retina XDR display, fantastic keyboard and array of ports.
Many color options of the 41mm Apple Watch Series 7 are down to $330, or $70 off their normal price. We gave the wearable a score of 90 for its bigger screen, faster charging and handy watchOS 8 features.
The latest iPad Air is $40 off and down to $559. We gave it a score of 90 for its much improved performance thanks to the M1 chip, Center Stage-capable cameras, good battery life and solid build quality.
The entire Galaxy S22 lineup is on sale right now, with the Galaxy S22 Ultra and the S22+ both seeing $200 discounts. The standard S22 is $100 off and down to $700 as well. If you want the best that Samsung has to offer right now, we recommend going for the S22 Ultra, which earned a score of 89 from us for its bright, colorful display, built-in S Pen and solid cameras.
Both the 40mm and the 44mm Galaxy Watch 4 models are $50 off and down to $200 and $230, respectively. While not record lows, these sale prices are some of the best we’ve seen since last Black Friday. We gave the Galaxy Watch 4 a score of 85 for its bright, crisp display, comprehensive head tracking and improved third-party app support.
The new Beats Fit Pro earbuds are $20 off and down to $180. That’s one of the best prices we’ve seen all year, and they earned a score of 87 from us for their comfortable fit, punchy bass, solid ANC and loads of handy features.
The Beats Studio Buds are back down to a record low of $100. We gave them a score of 84 for their tiny, comfortable design, balanced sound and quick-pairing on both Android and iOS.
Solo Stove’s spring sale knocks hundreds off its fire pits, so you can grab one for as low as $200. The Ranger, which is the smallest model, comes in at that price, while the mid-sized Bonfire is $160 off and down to $240 and the big Yukon is a whopping $325 off and down to $425. We’ve recommended these gadgets in may outdoor guides because they’re fairly portable and create fires that won’t smoke you out.
Amazon’s Echo Dot is still on sale for $28, and you can get the tiny smart speaker bundled with a smart plug for only $5 more. We gave the Echo Dot a score of 88 for its attractive design, decent audio quality and tap-to-snooze alarm feature.
The second-gen Echo Show 5 is down to $45 right now, which is half off its normal price. We gave it a score of 85 for its great sound quality, compact size and tap-to-snooze feature. And if you want to up your smart home game, you can get a two-pack of the Blink Mini indoor security camera for only $35. They’ll work with the Echo Show 5, allowing you to see camera feeds from the smart clock’s display.
You can still save $5 when you buy a Nintendo $50 eShop gift card from Amazon, so you’ll get the full $50 for only $45. You can then use those funds to get new titles like Kirby and the Forgotten Land, or stock up on a bunch of more affordable games.
Jabra’s new Elite 4 Active earbuds are $20 off and down to $100, which is a new record low. The budget-friendly Elite 3 are also on sale and down to only $60. We gave the Elite 4 Active a score of 84 for their comfort fit, solid sound quality and customizable ANC, while the Elite 3 came in at 88 thanks to their good battery life, reliable onboard controls and comfortable fit.
iRobot’s affordable Roomba 694 is still on sale for $180 right now, which is a record low. This is one of our favorite budget-friendly robot vacuums thanks to its easy to use mobile app, good cleaning power and sleek design.
The Roomba j7+ robo-vac and the Roomba s9+ are both $200 off right now and down to $599 and $799, respectively. These are both advanced machines from iRobot, with the j7+ sporting a pet poop detection feature, while the s9+ has the strongest suction power of all of the company’s robot vacuums. Both also come with clean bases, so you won’t have to empty their dustbins manually after each cleaning job.
The Fitbit Charge 5 tracker is down to $130, which is only $10 more than its record-low price. We gave the device a score of 82 for its accurate onboard GPS, slim design, standard Fitbit Pay and long battery life.
Ninja’s 10-in-1 multicooker is $70 off and down to $130, which is close to its all-time-low price. This is a solid alternative to an Instant Pot as it has a bunch of cooking modes including pressure cook, slow cook, steam, yogurt and even air fry.
Both Google’s standard Nest Thermostat and the more advanced Learning model remain discounted right now. You can pick up the regular version for $100, while the Learning Thermostat is still on sale for $200. They share most of the same features, but you’ll get a slicker design, a higher-res display and the ability to connect with Nest Temperature Sensors with the Learning model.
A handful of Google smart home devices are on sale right now, including the Nest Video Doorbell Battery, which is $30 off and down to $150. This gadget will let you keep an eye on what’s going on outside your door from your phone, and there are no wires to fuss with when you install it. You can also pick up the Nest Cam Indoor and Outdoor for less, coming in at $80 and $150, respectively.
This midrange Bluetooth speaker is $80 off and down to $300, which is the cheapest we’ve seen it. It earned a spot in our portable Bluetooth speaker guide for its dynamic yet balanced sound quality, IP67-rated design and relatively compact size.
Withings’ ScanWatch is $50 off and down to $230 right now. It’s a hybrid timepiece, so if you like the look of analog watches, this might be the wearable for you. In addition to all-day activity and sleep tracking, the ScanWatch also takes electrocardigrams and tracks heart rate, oxygen saturation, respiratory wellness and more.
For a limited time, you can pick up the ThermoPop instant-read thermometer for $14 less than usual, bringing it down to $21. This is the smaller sibling to the Thermapen One and we like its splash-proof design, backlit display and cute design.
The Arcade Stick from 8BitDo is on sale for a limited time only for just under $76. That’s 16 percent off its normal price and the cheapest we’ve seen it. We liked its distinct, retro design, its solid joysticks and primary buttons and its compatibility with Nintendo Switch, PC and Raspberry Pi.
For anyone building a PC or looking for accessories like monitors, storage or keyboards, Amazon is having a one-day sale that might be of strong interest. A host of desirable items are significantly marked down, including keyboards, headsets, power supplies, displays, cases and storage, with discounts as high as 48 percent.
There are a few standout deals, but lots of other choice as well. First on the list is the 31.5-inch 2,560 x 1,440 Acer Nitro XV322QU IPS gaming display, with features like DisplayHDR 400, AMD FreeSync, up to a 170Hz refresh rate, 0.5 millisecond lag and 90 percent DCI-P3 color accuracy. With a large size and extreme speed, it’s a highly desirable model and is at or near an all-time low of $299, for a savings of 45 percent or $250.
Razer
Speaking of speed, Razer’s Huntsman V2 TKS Tenkeyless gaming keyboard (above) offers that in spades, with the “fastest linear optical switches with sound dampeners and an 8,000Hz polling rate,” the company says. In other words, it’s fast and quiet while offering great durability thanks to the Doubleshot PBT keycaps. It’s now on sale for $100, saving you $60 or 38 percent over the regular price.
Finally, you’ll appreciate this deal if you’re a PC builder. Corsair’s HX850 platinum-certified, fully modular power supply is on sale for $120, for a savings of 35 percent of $65. That 850-watt category is the sweet spot for most enthusiasts, and the $65 savings might let you upgrade your CPU or RAM.
