Noise cancellation is all the rage these days, but jamming a pair of earbuds into your ears that fully tune out the world around you isn’t exactly safe, especially if you live in a big city. Open-ear earbuds like the Sony LinkBuds pose a safer alternative, however, one that allows you to easily keep in touch with your surroundings even while biking in traffic. And right now, they’re on sale for around $128 ($52 off) at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy, matching their best-ever price.
Sony’s open-style LinkBuds earbuds have returned to their all-time low
Sony’s open-style LinkBuds earbuds have returned to their all-time low
Along with a quirky design that lets outside noise in, Sony’s wireless earbuds boast a few Android-specific tricks (including Fast Pair) and terrific mics for taking hands-free calls on the go. They also sport IPX4 water resistance, so they are able to withstand sweaty jogs and even a bit of rain, along with multipoint functionality thanks to a software update that arrived in the fall. They offer good sound quality for a pair of open-ear buds, too, even if they can’t quite match the audio you’d get with a high-end pair of earbuds like Sony’s WF-1000XM5.
Sony LinkBuds
Sony’s LinkBuds have a standout design that’s rooted in comfort and an airy, open sound. They also excel when used for voice calls, outshining pretty much all competitors.
If you were unable to take advantage of the $50 preorder discount on the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 last week, Amazon is now offering an even better deal. Right now, the retailer is taking $100 off both foldables, dropping the price of the 256GB Z Fold 5 to $1,699.99 ($100 off) and the 256GB Z Flip 5 to $899.99 ($100 off).
In case you need a refresher, the Z Flip 5 is a 6.7-inch flip phone that’s exceptionally portable given that it folds in half. This year, it has a larger exterior display that makes it easier to view content and access apps. The larger Fold 5, meanwhile, folds more like a book, with a massive 7.6-inch inner display that makes it feel almost like a tablet. Both phones also come with a great software policy and a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chipset, ensuring snappy performance for years to come.
Regardless of which Android phone you choose, be sure to clip the on-page coupon at Amazon to take advantage of the discount. Also note that, if you prefer a larger discount in the form of gift cards, Amazon is still offering up to $200 off the Galaxy Z Fold 5 and $150 off the Z Flip 5 — a promo it began running last week.
Read our Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 and Galaxy Z Flip 5 reviews.
Samsung Galaxy Z Fold 5 (256GB, unlocked)
Samsung’s Galaxy Z Fold 5 looks a lot like its predecessor, but it now folds flat thanks to a new hinge with fewer moving parts. It maintains the 7.6-inch inner display and narrow 6.2-inch cover screen, but it now utilizes the same Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor found in Samsung’s Galaxy S23 phones.
Samsung Galaxy Z Flip 5 (256GB, unlocked)
Samsung’s Z Flip 5 is its latest 6.7-inch flip phone that folds in half, now sporting a larger front cover display and a new hinge design that allows it to close flat. Inside, it packs a Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 processor, 8GB of RAM, and a dual-camera setup.
If you’re looking for a Bluetooth speaker to take with you on the go, the JBL Flip 6 is on sale at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy for around $89.95 ($40 off), its best price of the year. The lightweight portable speaker features IP67-rated water resistance and up to 12 hours of battery life, along with the ability to pair in stereo mode with other JBL speakers.
Overall, the new model is a pretty minor update over the last-gen Flip 5 — it’s basically fully dustproof whereas the Flip 5 was not — but it’s a welcome upgrade given both speakers currently retail for about the same price.
JBL Flip 6
JBL’s Flip 6 is a small portable Bluetooth speaker that offers a rugged, IP67-rated exterior and up to 12 hours of battery life. It can also be paired in stereo mode with other JBL-compatible speakers.
More deals to get you over the midweek slump
- As part of its ongoing summer sale, which also extends to Sony’s DualSense Wireless Controllers and the PlayStation 5, Sony is taking $10 off various console covers for the PS5 (including those for the PS5 Digital Edition). You can currently buy them in purple, blue, and pink for $44.99, a small discount we rarely see.
- BuyDig is discounting various configurations of LG’s C3 OLED while throwing in up to $300 in Visa gift cards. Right now, for instance, you can buy the 65-inch model with a $200 Visa gift card for $1,996.99 ($600 off) or the 77-inch model with a $300 gift card for $2,996.99 ($600 off). Along with new picture modes and more processing power than the last-gen C2, the C3 features support for Dolby Vision, AMD FreeSync, and a fast 120Hz refresh rate.
- Amazon’s latest Alexa Voice Remote Pro is on sale for $29.99 at Amazon. The Alexa-enabled remote comes with customizable buttons so you can quickly access your favorite apps or channels, along with a handy remote finder feature and some simple backlighting that makes everything easier to see. Read our review.
- Amazon and Walmart are both selling the Keurig K-Mini for $59.99 ($40 off). This is one of our top picks in our back-to-school gift guide, mainly because the single-serve coffee maker is compact and incredibly easy to use, whether you’re whipping up a cup of coffee, cocoa, or tea.