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Posts tagged with "Amazon"

MacStories Deals Roundup: Amazon Prime Big Deal Days

Amazon’s Big Deal Days runs today and tomorrow (October 7–8), so I thought I’d share some of the best deals I’ve discovered so far. We’ll be keeping an eye out for other deals and posting them on the MacStories Deals accounts on Mastodon and Bluesky, too, so be sure to follow either for the very latest finds.

For prices, be sure to visit the MacStories Amazon storefront.

Portable SSDs: Samsung T9 and Lexar Armor 700

Events like Big Deal Days are always a great opportunity to pick up fast external SSD storage. I’ve used Samsung’s T line of external drives for years, starting with the T5. Lately, I’ve switched to the company’s T9 portable SSDs because they feature USB 3.2 Gen 2x2, which offers the fastest transfers you can get short of something like Thunderbolt 4 or 5, delivering 2,000 MB/s. That’s plenty fast for working with big files or moving a bunch of smaller files from one device to another. I’ve used the T9 for Carbon Copy Cloner backups, Time Machine backups, editing in Final Cut Pro and Logic Pro, and moving my ROM library from one handheld device to another, and it’s been reliable in every case.

During Big Deal Days, the biggest discount is on the 2TB model, with the 1TB model a close second. Depending on your storage needs, you can’t go wrong with either.

More recently, I also started using Lexar’s Armor 700 Portable SSD. In fact, it was one of these drives that we used to transfer huge video and audio files from Apple’s podcast studio at WWDC back to my hotel room for editing.

Like Samsung’s T9, Lexar’s drive features 2,000 MB/s transfer speeds, plus an aluminum case for heat dissipation, a rubberized exterior to help protect against drops, and IP66 water and dust resistance. I’ve been using the 1TB model of the Armor 700, but it’s the 4TB model that’s on the deepest discount during Big Deal Days.

For prices, visit the MacStories Amazon storefront.

Logitech: MX Keys S, Keys-to-Go 2, and POP Mouse

Logitech has gone all-in for Amazon’s big sales event, too. There are a bunch of keyboards, mice, and other accessories on sale, but I’d focus on these three:

The MX Keys S for Mac was my go-to keyboard for years. I’ve switched to Apple’s Magic Keyboard more recently, but if you’re looking for an alternative low-profile keyboard made for the Mac, this is a great pick.

Keys-to-Go 2 is the keyboard I throw in my bag when I need to connect to a handheld gaming device, or when I want a keyboard “just in case” but don’t want to carry my iPad’s Magic Keyboard case. The replaceable watch battery it came with is still going strong, and the integrated cover keeps it from getting damaged. It’s not the most ergonomic keyboard ever designed, but it’s perfect for lightweight travel.

I got a POP Mouse for the same reason I have Logitech’s Keys-to-Go 2 keyboard. It’s a good lightweight on-the-go mouse I can connect to multiple devices. I love that it comes in bright colors, too.

For prices, visit the MacStories Amazon storefront.

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The Best Labor Day Deals on Amazon Right Now

It’s almost Labor Day in the U.S., and like most holidays, it’s a time to save money on your favorite gadgets. Before we get to that, though, I want to thank everyone who has followed MacStories Deals on Mastodon and Bluesky.

We brought back MacStories Deals after a seven-year hiatus because I wasn’t happy with any of the deal sites or social media accounts I was following myself. The volume of posts was too great, and the quality of the deals was often suspect, but in the end it all came down to a case of French’s Yellow Mustard.

One day while scrolling through Ivory, I came across a deal for a case of 12 bottles of mustard for $9. That’s a pretty great deal, but it’s not what I wanted.

Amazon and Apple’s stores are full of deeply discounted products, but most of them aren’t what I want to see. The websites and social media accounts following those deals aren’t very discriminating, either, because they’re all about getting people to click links at scale.

Our bet with MacStories Deals is that we can succeed in a much different way. Our occasional deal roundups here and the media picks and deals on MacStories Unwind showed us that the deals we share are popular with the MacStories community because we’re picky. You can get a firehose of deals anywhere, but what you get from us – and now from MacStories Deals – is an editorial filter that respects your time by eliminating the noise.

So instead of sharing as many deals as possible, our approach is to share just a handful of deals each day and supplement MacStories Deals with the occasional post on the site when the deal volume warrants it. In an era when AI is flooding the zone with slop and lowering the common denominator for all content, we believe that experience and editorial constraints will serve the MacStories community better.

So thanks again for following MacStories Deals on Mastodon and Bluesky. It’s just one small project of many that are in the works, but I hope you all appreciate the approach and take advantage of a deal here and there while we earn a small commission from your purchases.

Now, on to the Labor Day deals.

M4 MacBook Airs

The 2025 13-inch M4 MacBook Air in Midnight.

The 2025 13-inch M4 MacBook Air in Midnight.

Students are returning to school, and many will be looking for deals on Mac laptops. Currently, every M4 MacBook Air in both the 13-inch and 15-inch configurations is at an all-time low price on Amazon. The MacBook Air is one of my favorite portable computers of all time, and now is a great time to pick one up.

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Amazon Prime Day 2025: Our Top Picks

You’re sure to see a lot of Prime Day roundups around the web today, but ours is a little different. Although there are a lot of great deals during Prime Day, we gather ours from among the hardware we’ve actually tried and can recommend to readers. Here are the best deals we’ve found.

For even more deals, join Club MacStories+ or Premier to become a part of our Discord community, where members are sharing their favorite finds, too.

Storage

Lexar's 1TB blue microSD card.

Lexar’s 1TB blue microSD card.

I’ve tried just about every major brand of microSD card at this point while testing handheld gaming consoles for NPC: Next Portable Console. One of my go-to brands is Lexar, which has a bunch of cards on sale for Prime Day:

Also on sale are Lexar’s portable external SSDs, which I most recently used at WWDC for transporting large podcast files. You can get the 2TB SL500 model, with USB-C 3.2 data transfer rates, for 31% off during Prime Day.

The Lexar Professional Go SSD.

The Lexar Professional Go SSD.

If you shoot video with your iPhone, you might want to check out Lexar’s 2TB Professional Go SSD and Hub, which I used to shoot video for NPC during CES in January. On sale for 30% off, the SSD fits right on the end of your iPhone, adding a bunch of extra storage for video footage, and with the hub (also 30% off), you can add an extra port for charging as you shoot videos. The 1TB version of the SSD is on sale for 26% off, too.

Apple Gear

AirPods Pro 2.

AirPods Pro 2.

There are some great Apple hardware deals available for Prime Day, including:

Wi-Fi 7 Mesh Routers

Earlier this year, I upgraded my Wi-Fi to a TP-Link Wi-Fi 7 Mesh system. I came from a Wi-Fi 6E system and was pleasantly surprised to find that TP-Link’s Deco BE95 Wi-Fi 7 BE22000 routers are substantially faster. I’ve had the setup for about three months, and I love it. During Prime Day, you can get the routers individually or in a three-pack for 30% off.

Lighting

The Philips Hue Festavia string lights.

The Philips Hue Festavia string lights.

The 65-foot-long Philips Hue Festavia Lights that decorate my balcony are 30% off for Prime Day, as is the Philips Hue Play HDMI Sync Box 8K, which Federico swears by for mood lighting behind his TV. A four-pack of Hue 60W equivalent A19 color-changing smart bulbs is 41% off, too. It’s a great deal, and so is the 33% you can save on a four-pack of the recessed Hue lights that Federico added to his setup today.

Logitech Peripherals

Logitech's Keys-to-Go 2.

Logitech’s Keys-to-Go 2.

I’ve used Logitech keyboards and mice for a long time. For Prime Day, the company is offering its Keys-to-Go 2 keyboard, the slimmest and most usable small keyboard I’ve ever tried, for 25% off. The POP Mouse, which I use with a variety of handheld gaming devices and the Mac mini, is also on sale for 37% off. Finally, the Logitech C922x HD webcam is 37% off. I haven’t used mine since I went 4K, but if you’re looking for a 1080p webcam, the C922x is my personal favorite.

Elgato Gear and Gaming

Elgato's Prompter.

Elgato’s Prompter.

Earlier this year, I purchased an Elgato Prompter that uses mirrors to reflect a second Mac screen in front of a camera for recording videos. It’s a clever setup that works not only with Elgato’s webcams, but also with DSLRs and even iPhones, which is how I use it. During Prime Day, the Prompter is 33% off.

Two other handy podcasting tools I use every week are on sale too. The Elgato Key Light is 22% off during Prime Day, and the Wave Mic Arm is 30% off.

Elgato’s 4K capture card, which is compatible with HDMI 2.1, is on sale during Prime Day for 20% off. It’s one of the best ways I’ve found for capturing videogame footage or anything else that connects via HDMI.

Razer Kishi Ultra.

Razer Kishi Ultra.

Speaking of games, Razer’s Kishi Ultra controller for the iPhone is also available at a deep 33% discount during Prime Day. The Kishi Ultra is on the large size of iPhone controllers, but as long as that isn’t an issue, you can’t find a better controller to drop your phone into.

Amazon Adds Links to Purchase Books to Its Kindle App→

As reported by Andrew Liszewski at The Verge, Amazon has updated the Kindle app to add a “Get Book” button, a direct result of last week’s contempt order entered by Judge Gonzalez Rodgers. When tapped, it takes users to the Amazon page for the book in Safari with the Kindle version selected. Before today’s update, you couldn’t purchase a book without going to Safari first.

In a low key statement to The Verge over email, Amazon’s Tim Gillman said:

We regularly make improvements to our apps to help ensure we are providing customers the most convenient experience possible. By selecting ‘Get Book’ within the Kindle for iOS app, customers can now complete their purchase through their mobile web browser.

I expect other companies will follow Amazon and Spotify’s leads in the coming weeks. Although Apple has appealed Judge Gonzalez Rodgers’ contempt order, the Judge declined to stay its enforcement during the appeals process. It’s always possible an appeal could force Amazon and others to undo changes like this, but I think a more likely outcome is that an appellate court allows Apple to charge a fee where Judge Gonzalez Rodgers wasn’t – one that’s lower than the 27% that got Apple into trouble in the first place.

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The Best Amazon Black Friday Gadget Deals, as Selected by the MacStories Team

There’s a lot on sale during Amazon’s weeklong Black Friday event. I’ve been combing through the deals and found some great gadget buys, which I’ve summarized below. For even more deals, Club MacStories+ and Premier members should visit our Black Friday Discord channel, where members are sharing the deals they find throughout the week, too.

Apple and Beats Hardware

Apple AirPods Pro 2 (32% off)

This isn’t quite the best deal I’ve seen on AirPods Pro 2, but it’s close. With Apple’s new hearing protection and assistance features, the AirPods Pro 2 are more capable than ever, so it’s a good time to refresh an aging pair or pick up your first.

Apple AirTag Four-Pack (26%)

I have AirTags on my luggage, on my backpack, and in my glasses cases. Amazon’s Black Friday deal is one of the lowest prices for a four-pack that I’ve seen.

Apple Watch Series 10 (18% off)

It’s wild to me that the Apple Watch Series 10 is already 18% off on Amazon, which is the best deal available since the wearable’s launch according to CamelCamelCamel. I’m sticking with my OG Apple Watch Ultra, but the Series 10 is tempting at this price.

Beats Solo 4 (50% off)

Beats is going all out for Black Friday with 50% off the Solo 4 headphones in various color. I haven’t used either model myself, but Devon recently reviewed the Beats Solo 4 in the Club MacStories Monthly Log. I’m a fan of the Beats Fit Pro, which I’ve been using for about a year whenever I run outdoors; unfortunately, the Fit Pro model isn’t on sale this week.

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My Top Picks for Amazon Prime Big Deal Days

Amazon Prime’s Big Deal Days runs today and tomorrow, so just as I did for Prime Day before it, I’ve scoured the thousands of available deals for the best gear that I’ve used, tested, and love. For more of the gear that Federico and I use, check out our Setups page, too.

Here are my top Prime Big Deal Days picks:

Apple Hardware and Accessory Deals

Apple Studio Display.

Apple Studio Display.

Studio Display with Stand (16% off)

Apple’s Studio Display has been out for quite a while now, so it’s a regular among Amazon deals. I’ve been using mine for over two years, and it’s the perfect Mac or iPad compliment if you want a big, bright, and crisp display at your desk.

MagSafe Charger (16% off)

Apple recently updated its MagSafe charging puck that I use with my AirPod Pro and iPhone 16 Pro Max. The updated charger, which is Qi2 compatible, allows my iPhone to charge more quickly than was possible with earlier iPhone and charger pairings.

Apple Pencil Pro.

Apple Pencil Pro.

Apple Pencil Pro (24% off)

The Apple Pencil Pro isn’t an accessory that I use every day, but between Smart Script and the radial menu that appears when you squeeze the Pencil’s barrel, I’ve found myself using it more and more for taking notes, editing video in Final Cut Pro, and navigating the web.

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The New York Times Declares that Voice Assistants Have Lost the ‘AI Race’→

Brian Chen, Nico Grant, and Karen Weise of The New York Times set out to explain why voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant seem primitive by comparison to ChatGPT. According to ex-Apple, Amazon, and Google engineers and employees, the difference is grounded in the approach the companies took with their assistants:

The assistants and the chatbots are based on different flavors of A.I. Chatbots are powered by what are known as large language models, which are systems trained to recognize and generate text based on enormous data sets scraped off the web. They can then suggest words to complete a sentence.

In contrast, Siri, Alexa and Google Assistant are essentially what are known as command-and-control systems. These can understand a finite list of questions and requests like “What’s the weather in New York City?” or “Turn on the bedroom lights.” If a user asks the virtual assistant to do something that is not in its code, the bot simply says it can’t help.

In the case of Siri, former Apple engineer John Burkey said the company’s assistant was designed as a monolithic database that took weeks to update with new capabilities. Burkey left Apple in 2016 after less than two years at the company according to his LinkedIn bio. According to other unnamed Apple sources, the company has been testing AI based on large language models in the years since Burkey’s departure:

At Apple’s headquarters last month, the company held its annual A.I. summit, an internal event for employees to learn about its large language model and other A.I. tools, two people who were briefed on the program said. Many engineers, including members of the Siri team, have been testing language-generating concepts every week, the people said.

It’s not surprising that sources have told The New York Times that Apple is researching the latest advances in artificial intelligence. All you have to do is visit the company’s Machine Learning Research website to see that. But to declare a winner in ‘the AI race’ based on the architecture of where voice assistants started compared to today’s chatbots is a bit facile. Voice assistants may be primitive by comparison to chatbots, but it’s far too early to count Apple, Google, or Amazon out or declare the race over, for that matter.

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Amazon Rolling Out ‘Type with Alexa’ Feature in iOS App→

Paul Lamkin, writing at The Ambient:

Amazon is rolling out a new feature within its smart home app. Type with Alexa allows you to send messages to your digital assistant using a keyboard and text messages, rather than using your voice.

The new feature, which is rolling out as part of a public preview - _The Ambient _contributor Jennifer Pattison Tuohy noticed it pop up on her phone - means you can send discreet messages to Alexa for occasions when your voice might not be the best option; think cinemas, on the train, at a funeral and so on.

Sure, you could already search within the app for Alexa Routines and smart home device controls, but the new keyboard based input also allows you to ask queries such as diary updates, calculations, news headlines and the like - as well as acting as a pretty nifty search tool for smart home routines and devices with your Alexa ecosystem.

I also noticed the public preview of this feature in the Alexa app on my iPhone, and I’ve been playing around with it since last night. My first impression is that ‘Type with Alexa’ is what I’ve long wanted from Siri: having a silent conversation with a smart assistant that can control smart home accessories, interact with web services, and play music or podcasts is terrific. Anything you can ask Alexa with normal voice commands can also be typed now, so sending a message such as “play 305 by Shawn Mendes in the kitchen” from your iPhone will result in Alexa playing that song via an Echo speaker in the kitchen. (I’m aware that Google Assistant has offered a typing mode for a long time; however, I don’t use Google’s smart home products.)

Type with Alexa.

Type with Alexa.

I could achieve something similar with Siri by enabling iOS’ ‘Type to Siri’ Accessibility setting. The problem with that option, as I mentioned several times before, is that it replaces Siri’s voice interactions: if you enable ‘Type to Siri’, you’ll no longer be able to issue voice commands and the keyboard will always be displayed instead. I’m not the first one to ask this, but I’d love the ability to have a separate conversation with Siri in iMessage in a future version of iOS.

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John Gruber’s Explanation of the Apparent Prime Video Deal Between Apple and Amazon→

Yesterday, as reported by 9to5Mac and other publications, Amazon updated its Prime Video app to permit video purchases and rentals without using Apple’s In-App Purchase system in some circumstances. It wasn’t clear what was going on at first because some users saw what looked like an Amazon checkout process, while others got an Apple checkout flow. To add to the confusion, Apple issued a statement that said Amazon Prime is using “an established program for premium subscription video entertainment providers.”

John Gruber did some investigating and has an excellent explanation on Daring Fireball on how the deal between Amazon and Apple seems to work. As Gruber explains, If you’re signed in to the Amazon Prime app with an Amazon account and are a full Prime or Prime Video member, renting or purchasing video uses an Amazon checkout process. Otherwise, Apple’s In-App Purchase system is used, which interestingly, can also be used to sign up for a Prime Video subscription.

Gruber makes a compelling and detailed case for what seems to be going on:

So the deal seems to be this:

  • The Prime Video app supports every feature that makes a third-party subscription video service a first-class citizen in Apple’s multi-device TV ecosystem.
  • For users with existing Prime subscriptions, or new subscriptions made on Amazon’s website, Amazon now gets to bill them directly for movie rentals and purchases made in the app, giving Apple no cut of the transactions.
  • Users can subscribe to Prime Video in-app using an iTunes subscription, giving Apple a recurring cut, and leaving subscription management in Apple’s hands.
  • For users without a Prime subscription, or with a Prime subscription made through the app, Amazon now bills them for purchases and rentals through Apple’s In-App Purchase mechanism, giving Apple a cut.

Based on a few reasonable assumptions, Gruber concludes that the deal is a win for Apple, Amazon, and also consumers who get a first-rate app experience that includes the ability to buy and rent TV shows and movies in the Prime Video app for the first time.

I hope we see more deals like this. Having Prime Video available in Apple’s TV app where it’s included in the Up Next section of the app and being able to rent and buy content without resorting to a web browser makes for a much better overall experience for users looking for something to watch.

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