Apple’s second-generation wearable supports most of the features of watchOS 9, including medication reminders and Apple’s convenient Low Power Mode, as well as newer Apple Watch features like accident detection, Apple Pay and heart rate monitoring. What you don’t get is an always-on display and some of the most advanced sensors to be found in the Apple Watch Series 8, though if you can live without an SpO2 sensor and things like cycle tracking, you might want to pick up the Apple Watch SE. 2022 for more than $100 less than the starting price of Apple’s newest flagship model.
Voice assistants may no longer generate the kind of interest that currently surrounds AI-based chatbots, but there is something to be said for a device that lets you turn on a light with just your voice. Fortunately, if you’re looking to get into the smart home game or add a second smart speaker to your home, Amazon’s latest Echo Dot is for sale in Amazon, Best Buyand Aim right now for only $34.99 ($15 off). You can also choose the LED-equipped model, which allows you to check the time and a variety of other information at a glance, for just $5 more at the same retailers (Amazon / Best Buy / Aim).
Amazon’s fifth-generation Spherical Dot is arguably the best budget speaker you can buy. It offers more sensors and a faster response time than the previous model and can even conveniently act as a Wi-Fi extender if you’re on an Eero network. Plus, thanks to a larger 1.73-inch driver, it can produce a surprising amount of sound for its size, which is a real plus for a speaker that currently costs less than a trip to the theater for two.
Unsurprisingly, spring is often the time many of us make some of those cheeky New Year’s resolutions we put off when winter began in earnest (surprise, surprise). Luckily, if you’re someone who likes to run or stay fit in general, Apple’s sports Beats Fit Pro are on sale at Woot for $144.95 (about $55 off) and is a good motivator.
Unlike the second-generation AirPods Pro, the Beats Fit Pro is actually aimed at runners, gym goers, or anyone looking for a pair of wireless earbuds that will stay in their ears through even the most demanding workouts. The excellent noise-cancelling headphones have a new wingtip design that makes them safer than previous Beats models, and they feature IPX4 water resistance and a Natural Sound Transparency mode that lets you better monitor your surroundings, giving you more control over your surroundings. which, honestly, is a blessing when you’re trying to dodge an 80-pound dumbbell or a runaway dog in the park.
Nintendo’s Joy-Con controllers for the Nintendo Switch are great; however, if you have large hands, they may feel a bit cramped. Enter the Hori Split Pad Pro Accessory Setwhich is down to just $59.99 ($20 off) at Amazon and Best Booand today.
The convenient kit combines Hori’s Split Pad Pro with a wired USB accessory, allowing you to use a pair of wired headphones and use Joy-Con-like controllers while your Nintendo Switch is docked. The controller itself emulates Nintendo’s Switch Pro controller very well, allowing it to function as a full-size, comfortable gamepad with responsive buttons and customizable paddles on the back. They lack things like rumble and NFC for using Amiibo, but they’re still a convenient Joy-Con alternative that, thanks to Hori’s latest accessory, can be used however you see fit.
