You can also save on the Garmin Forerunner 255S, Star Wars Jedi: Survivor, and our favorite e-reader that isn’t a Kindle: the Kobo Libra 2.
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Happy Saturday, dear readers! In case you haven’t heard, Amazon’s spring sales event is in full effect through March 25th, letting you save on wireless earbuds, Bluetooth trackers, smartwatches, and all manner of tech. Truth be told, the deals are a bit better than we had anticipated, especially when it comes to Qi2 chargers and portable battery packs. Right now, for example, you can snag Belkin’s BoostCharge Pro power bank at Amazon and B&H Photo for $79.99 ($20 off), an all-time low.
When my colleague Victoria Song waxed poetic about the BoostCharge Pro last year, it wasn’t without good reason. Good, travel-friendly offerings that let you fast-charge Apple’s latest Apple smartwatches — specifically the Series 7, 8, 9, and both Ultra models — are hard to come by, and the typical charging method requires a USB-C Apple Watch charger and a power brick capable of delivering more than 5W of power. That said, Belkin’s 10,000mAh power bank sports a little divot that can juice an Apple Watch up to 80 percent in as little as 45 minutes, while allowing you to simultaneously supply your phone, a pair of earbuds, or any other USB-C device with up to 20W of power. The power bank’s handsome, soft-touch finish and the fact it comes with a USB-C cable are just an added kicker.
Belkin’s BoostCharge Pro power bank features a set of LED indicator lights and can deliver up to 20W of power via USB-C. Its biggest draw, however, is that it can do so while fast-charging the latest Apple Watch models.
Many people set New Year’s resolutions to get fit, but, in my opinion, it’s typically the warmer weather spring brings that truly motivates people to get off the couch and pound the pavement. Thankfully, Amazon’s Big Spring Sale is a good chance to save on midrange running watches like the Garmin Forerunner 255S, which is currently on sale at Amazon, Best Buy, and Garmin for $249.99 ($100 off).
Spec-wise, the last-gen 255S has a lot in common with the newer Forerunner 265S — save for an always-on OLED display. It’s an attractive multisport watch, even if it’s equipped with a memory-in-pixel screen, and it packs an estimated 12 days of battery life, an NFC chip for payments, and a barometric altimeter and compass. More importantly, it can track a staggering number of metrics and offers dual-frequency GPS, which is a nifty feature that provides better accuracy in cities, dense forests, and other tricky environments where a single satellite system won’t always cut it. The latter perk is typically reserved for more premium fitness watches, making Garmin’s comfortable Forerunner 255S a feature-rich running watch that punches above its weight in more ways than one.
a:hover]:shadow-highlight-franklin [&>a]:shadow-underline-blurple-1″>Read our Garmin Forerunner 255S review.
Garmin’s last-gen Forerunner features marathon battery life, multiband GPS, and an NFC chip for contactless payments, rendering it a suitable budget pick for runners and triathletes alike.
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a:hover]:shadow-highlight-franklin dark:[&>a:hover]:shadow-highlight-franklin [&>a]:shadow-underline-black dark:[&>a]:shadow-underline-white”>More deals, discounts, and ways to save
- With Star Wars Outlaws and Disney’s forthcoming High Republic series, The Acolyte, both pegged for 2024, it’s easy to forget that Star Wars Jedi: Survivor came out less than a year ago. Fortunately, if you somehow missed Respawn’s excellent action-adventure game, you can currently snag a digital copy for PC at Amazon for $23.27 (about $47 off). It might not reinvent the franchise, but it remains the best Star Wars wish fulfillment there is. Read our review.
- Ecobee’s Smart Thermostat Premium is on sale at Amazon and Best Buy for $219.99 ($30 off), matching its second-best price to date. The top-tier smart thermostat is one of the more unique offerings available, with a built-in indoor air quality monitor and smart speaker capabilities that let you control it with either Alexa or Siri. It’s also compatible with a range of smart home platforms, including Apple Home and Google Home. Read our review.
- The best non-Amazon ebook reader you can buy, the Kobo Libra 2, is on sale directly from Rakuten for $169.99 ($20 off). The ad-free alternative is just as nice as Amazon’s latest Paperwhite in many respects — it features a sharp 300ppi display, IPX8 waterproofing, and USB-C support — except it supports more file formats and comes with physical page-turning buttons. The downside, however, is that it doesn’t play nice with the Amazon ecosystem, which can be a real pain if you’ve stockpiled a ton of Kindle books.
- Modern smart displays are great for showcasing family photos, but sometimes you don’t need a device that can do it all. Enter the Aura Carver, a digital photo frame that’s on sale at Amazon right now with a mat starting at $143 ($37 off). I can’t say I’m a huge fan of its 16:10 aspect ratio — I’m a sucker for 4:3 — but the connected 10.1-inch frame is easy to set up and use, allowing you to effortlessly queue up photos and videos from your iOS or Android device.
- Believe it or not, many airlines have stopped offering free earbuds when you step on the runway. Fortunately, if you’re looking for a convenient way to connect your own, Twelve South’s AirFly Pro is available from Amazon and Twelve South for $43.99 ($11 off). The simple Bluetooth adapter offers 25 hours of battery life and plugs into a 3.5mm audio jack, giving you a relatively easy way to tap into in-flight entertainment with up to two pairs of headphones.
