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We have been paying attention It’s back-to-school gear and deals these past few weeks, but sometimes you want to treat yourself to something that has nothing to do with hitting the books — like a new smartphone, hair dryer, or smart speaker. We’ve rounded up several great deals to help scratch that new gear itch.
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Our favorite phone is on sale.
Its one-year anniversary is coming up soon, but that shouldn’t stop you from buying the Google Pixel 6 (9/10, WIRED Recommends), especially at this price. This is the lowest we’ve ever tracked for this Android phone, and matches what we saw at Amazon Prime Day a month ago. For less than $500, you’re getting fast performance, a 90-Hz AMOLED screen, day-long battery life, one of the best camera phones around, and some very sophisticated software. This discount may have to do with the fact that the Pixel 7 launches in a couple of months, but if you don’t care about getting the absolute latest, it’s still a great way to save.
If you want a slightly larger 120-Hz screen and an excellent 4x optical telephoto camera, pick it up. Pixel 6 ProIt retails for $649 ($250 off) (also available on Amazon). These two phones are the first to run Android 13, which Google released earlier this week.
Kindle and tablet deals
Check out our best tablets, best Kindles, and our best e-reader guides for more.
The Galaxy Tab S8 is a luxe Android tablet. This is close to one of the lowest prices we’ve tracked. It doesn’t have an AMOLED panel, but an LCD, which is still crisp, bright and colorful. The 11-inch screen is also a great size, not too small and not too big. It’s fast, powered by a Snapdragon 8 Gen 1 processor, and you get a stylus that magnetically attaches to the tablet. Samsung’s DX mode allows you to do some simple tasks if you connect a Bluetooth keyboard, but it’s a great keyboard to keep track of the latest season. Strange things.
This is down to $75 on Prime Day and you can expect it to drop again on Black Friday, so it’s worth waiting if you’re not hoping for one. Amazon’s Fire tablets aren’t for everyone – there’s no Google Play Store (there’s a workaround), so not every app is available, and Amazon pushes its own services heavily. But these inexpensive screens are great for playing games, watching TV for bingo, or long reading sessions. The Fire HD 10 (7/10, WIRED Recommends) is our favorite Fire tablet because of its larger size, but the smaller Fire HD 8 is on sale for $50 ($40 off).
There are better tablets for adults, but kids don’t need a $300 iPad. It’s durable and inexpensive, especially at $70, which is the price we typically see it on sale. It’s similar to the regular Fire HD 8 we mentioned above, but with a larger case to protect it. It’s covered by a worry-free two-year warranty, which you can replace if it breaks, and you get a year of Amazon Kids+ service, which offers access to kid-friendly books, movies, games and apps, all with parental controls.
Kindles are our favorite e-readers, and the Paperwhite is the best option in Amazon’s lineup. This standard version has 8 gigabytes of storage and a bright, warm light. It is also waterproof for reading in the bathtub. For $130 ($30 off), you can get the Paperwhite without the lock screen ad.
The Signature Edition (8/10, WIRED Recommends) gets 32 gigabytes of storage and no ads on the lock screen. That’s a big storage upgrade, but not necessary unless you listen to a lot of audiobooks. (For reference, 8 gigs is about 5,000 books.) This version also gets automatic lighting and wireless charging capabilities.
The 2019 Oasis is getting longer in the tooth. It was the best of the previous Kindles, but the Paperwhite options above are cheaper, with many of the same benefits. However, I like that it has physical page-turning buttons. The 7-inch screen is also slightly larger, with an overall slim, sleek aluminum design.
Home discounts
Check out more options in our best security cameras and best smart speaker guides.
Noe makes some of my favorite modern home products. They do the job and aren’t made by a mega corporation that likes to hoard data, plus I really like the matte design. This camera has 1080p video, accurate motion detection and two-way audio. It’s called a dog cam on the Amazon page, but it doesn’t have anything special to do that way – it’s good for anything you want to watch. You can store clips or insert your own microSD card by subscribing to Nooie’s cloud service.
Eufy makes many affordable smart home products that we love, including this security camera, but it has its flaws. For example, there are different apps for each type of smart home product, so if you already use the smart plugs or the robot vacuum, you need to download a separate security app to monitor this camera. Still, it allows panning and tilting so you can see the entire room remotely.
Like other Amazon devices on this list, the Echo’s price tag isn’t typical, but it’s our favorite Echo speaker (8/10, WIRED Recommends). Echo is powered by Alexa, easy to use, and takes up little space. It also has surprisingly good speakers for its size. If you don’t want to spend that much money, the Echo Dot With Digital Clock retails for $50 (10 off). The speakers don’t look as good, but it does many of the same tricks.
Monoprice makes many of our favorite home office accessories, from monitor mounts and desk lamps to HDMI cables and 4K monitors. A 15 percent off site-wide promotion is currently running if you use the code. a little bit Check out (some products are not included). This sale event ends on August 21st.
Discounts on beauty and hair products
None of this appeals to you? We have lots of hair dryer tips in our guide.
We love Aleope, especially its versatile products like this one. Designed like the multi-colored pens of your youth, this includes eyeliner, brow pencil, lip liner and highlighter in one gorgeous package. The rest of the products on the site are also discounted by 25 to 40 percent.
There’s no shortage of airbrushes as such (we’ve tried quite a few), but Hot Tools offers brush attachments for a variety of styles (or to please everyone in your family). WIRED editor Adrian So did a pretty good job in 10 minutes, but not as good as Revlon or Drybar, and says he needs a little more time and a good job.
This is a good and affordable hair dryer for curly hair that needs a lot of coverage. It’s light and thin, so it’s not a bad travel option. I also like the look, but I wish it had a medium speed setting.
Conner makes some great affordable hair tools, and this dryer is no different. It’s simple, but works well and is very cheap, even if it’s not on sale. Comes with diffuser and air concentrator.
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