© Photo Illustration by The New York Times; Image: Philip Cheung for The New York Times
© Photo Illustration by The New York Times; Images: Getty Images, Anthropic
I use my AirPods every single day. They come with me when I’m cooking dinner, writing, and walking the dog. Honestly, next to my Kindle, they’re probably the gadget I use most.
And that makes the Apple AirPods Pro 3 an incredibly tempting buy during Prime Day. They’re currently $179 at Amazon, a massive $70 discount off the usual $250 price. They have active noise cancellation, with Apple saying they remove up to twice as much unwanted noise as the previous model. They feature better three-dimensional audio, Live Translation, built-in heart rate sensing, and up to eight hours of listening time on a single charge.
They also come with silicone ear tips. AirPods aren’t the most comfortable things to stick in your ears, especially if you’ve got smaller canals like me. The tips come in five different sizes, ranging from XXS to L.
And right now, Amazon has them marked as a limited-time deal, so you better swoop in sooner rather than later, especially if your current pair are getting a little long in the tooth. Prime Day ends at midnight on October 7.
$55 off regular price
Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 for $125
I’ve been using bone conduction headphones for about a decade. They’re wonderful for bike riding or kayaking, or any other activity where you don’t want your ears plugged (up to and including grocery shopping). The Shokz OpenRun Pro 2 are, without qualification, the best pair I’ve ever used. And today Amazon has them for $55 off, down to $125.
The OpenRun Pro 2 are, appropriately, designed to be worn while in motion. They’re phenomenally lightweight and comfortable, they resist sweat and rain (if not full swimming), and they last for twelve hours on a charge. Oh, and that charge doesn’t need to be from a proprietary cable — reliable USB-C is all you need. While open-ear headphones can never match the audio fidelity of standard designs, particularly in bass, this set has excellent volume, mid, and high tones.
This set is normally $180, and not unreasonable for that. But it’s a lot more palatable at $125. Amazon is selling four color variants at this price, including the hard-to-find orange, plus the “mini” variants with a slightly shorter headband. Best Buy and Walmart seem to have similar sales going at the same time.
If you’re not sure about bone conduction and you’d rather start with something a little cheaper, the Shokz OpenMove is going for just $55. This older design has less sophisticated drivers and a shorter battery life, but it’s also water-resistant and recharges with USB-C.
LOWEST PRICE EVER
Sony WH-1000XM5 Headphones
Premium, wireless, with active noise cancellation.
Whether you’re on the subway, in a noisy office, or working out of a coffee shop, blocking out the world around you is essential. The Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones can help with that—and now, just ahead of October Prime Day, they’re slashed down to 50% off. Instead of paying $400, you can grab them for $198 right now.
The noise cancellation on these Sony headphones is fantastic. The Auto NC Optimizer adjusts the amount of noise canceling on its own based on how you’re wearing them and your environment. No fiddling with settings needed. They smartly adapt as your surroundings change, so you can move from your office to the street to the train seemlessly.
They’re completely wireless with multipoint connection, meaning you can pair it with multiple devices (like your phone, laptop, even your TV) and switch between them with a button press. Battery life is excellent. You’ll get up to 30 hours of listening on a single charge, plus 3 hours of playback restored with a quick 3-minute charge.
These headphones also support calling. It has four beamforming microphones for precision voice pickup while weeding out background noise. If you spend a good chunk of your days in virtual meetings, or if you talk on the phone a lot, that clarity will make a difference.
The Sony WH-1000XM5 headphones are one of our favorites. Though pricey at full price, they’re superb value when you can grab them for 50% off. It’s one of the better October Prime Day tech deals going on, and you don’t even need Prime to take advantage. But if you want Prime to snag some of the other great deals going on, see how to get Amazon Prime for free.
October Prime Day is here! But some discounts are still hard to swallow, given the state of things in the world and the global economy. If you’re like me, your budget is tight—not much room to enjoy Prime Day sales.
That’s why I’ve combed through all the discounts to find the best October Prime Day tech deals for less than $10. Yup, I’m not kidding. This list is for the shopper who’s on an ultra-tight budget and still wants to grab some practical stuff while prices are down below a tenner.
Get Prime for free: Not all October Prime Day deals require a Prime subscription, but the best ones do. If you don’t have an active Prime account, you might be able to get a free one for a limited time. That’ll let you score the biggest discounts, both on this list and across Amazon.
Sony
Who is this for? You just want a lightweight pair of on-ear headphones, and you want to pay the absolute minimum without edging into no-name-brand territory. The Sony MDR-ZX110 are comfy, sound good, and they have swivel cups that fold flat for easy packing. The only downside? They’re wired with a 3.5mm jack, so incompatible with some phones (sorry, Apple users!)… unless you grab this 3.5mm-to-USB-C adapter for $6.
If you want a built-in microphone, that version is about twice the price.
Why is this deal good? Look around as much as you want, but you won’t find quality headphones for under $10. Even nonsense Chinese brands don’t go this cheap, and the only way to go cheaper is to opt for earbuds instead. Comfortable with good sound quality from a reputable brand like Sony, all for just $9.99? It might just be the best deal on this whole list.
Get the Sony MDR-ZX110 at Amazon
Belkin
Who is this for? Few things are as annoying as a slow-charging smartphone when you’re in a rush, but at least the fix is easy. You just need a faster cable. Belkin’s 240W USB-C Cable supports ultra-fast charging that’s even fast enough for power-chugging gaming laptops, and it’s able to restore an iPhone 16 Pro Max from 0% to 50% in under half an hour. The only hiccup is that it’s 3.3-feet long, but that’s a fine trade-off for the speed.
Why is this deal good? At $7.89, it’s essentially matching the lowest ever price it’s been, only off by a few cents. That’s a small price to pay for all that time you’ll be saving—if you don’t mind its short length.
Acer
Who is this for? Acer’s 8K/60Hz HDMI Cable is for gamers and movie buffs who want to link up their devices to ultra-high-def screens at a good distance. This one’s 6.6 feet long, and the fact that it supports both 4K/120Hz and 8K/60Hz displays means you’re future-proofing your setup.
Why is this deal good? This $5 drop represents a 42% discount, and that’s a new all-time lowest price for this premium HDMI cable. Not all HDMI cables are created equal—cheap and outdated cords will bottleneck your hardware. This Acer cable, however, boasts a massive 48Gbps bandwidth, making it fully capable of handling 4K video at a buttery-smooth 120Hz or 8K at 60Hz. It also doesn’t hurt that it’s durable enough to snake tightly behind a flush TV wall mount without wearing out.
Acer
Who is this for? The Acer Dual-USB SD Card Reader is for anyone who has a microSD or SD card at home. Laptops rarely feature card readers anymore, so if you have a card in your phone, dashcam, security camera, or even a CPAP machine, you’ll need a way to pull data off it and onto your laptop on demand. This Acer accessory is about the same size as a thumb drive and features both USB-C and USB-A ends.
Why is this deal good? At $9.48, it’s only half a buck higher than its lowest ever price and a solid value for an accessory that you’ll always be glad to have on hand when you least expect to need it. You get 5Gbps USB 3.0 speeds for fast file transfers, a true plug-and-play setup with no drivers or software needed, and a solid build that’ll hold up over years.
Logitech
Who is this for? The Logitech M196 Bluetooth Wireless Mouse is a portable wireless mouse that’s great for everyday work and little else. Don’t need the bells and whistles of a gaming mouse? Or the highfalutin features of a premium productivity mouse? This’ll get you through the day on the cheap. And since it’s a Bluetooth mouse, you don’t even need to use the dongle that would otherwise take up a USB port.
Why is this deal good? Paying under $10 for a Logitech mouse is normally unheard of, even for a model as basic as this one. The fact that it also comes with Bluetooth pairing, an ambidextrous design, and the ability to work on any surface? That makes it worth every dollar. The only downside is that only the Rose Pink option is this cheap. If you prefer black and don’t mind going wired, check out the Logitech B100 mouse for $6.99.
Amazon Basics
Who is this for? You have a mouse, but do you have proper wrist support? While a flat mouse pad might be better for shooter games, you could be sustaining long-term wrist damage if you ignore ergonomics. This cheap Amazon Basics Ergonomic Mouse Pad has a comfortable gel-filled wrist pad, and it stays in place thanks to its non-slip base.
Why is this deal good? For less than the cost of a Starbucks frappé, you can ensure better wrist health for years to come. It’ll take a little time to get used to, but the payoff will be well worth it.
Amazon Basics
Who is this for? Even in 2026, there’s no shortage of consumer electronics that run on AAA batteries. If you’re tired of the churn and constantly throwing away cash on replacements, you might as well switch to Amazon Basics Rechargeable AAA Batteries now, and you can start with this nifty 12-pack. Stick them in your remotes, wireless peripherals, LED lamps, smart sensors, VR controllers, and everything else.
Why is this deal good? At $8.96, you’re paying just 75 cents per battery. And these are 800mAh batteries with low self-discharge, offering solid capacity (so you don’t have to recharge them too often) and lots of charge cycles without wearing out (so they’re cost-effective).
Amazon Basics
Who is this for? You have rechargeable AA and AAA batteries, so now you need a decent charger. This Amazon Basics AA/AAA Battery Charger is a 4-bay model that fits both AA and AAA types, with fast charging performance, protection against overcharging, and LED charging indicators. It’s pretty bare-bones as they go, but so what? It gets the job done.
Why is this deal good? At $8.89, it’s dirt cheap, and it can be this cheap because it doesn’t have all the unnecessary bells and whistles of other models. If all you need is reliable battery charging, it’s a good price.
Lisen
Who is this for? Anyone who owns a tablet—whether an iPad, a Samsung Galaxy Tab, or even Amazon Fire HD 10—and is tired of holding it all the time. Lisen’s Tablet Stand lets you prop it up, freeing up your hands to cook dinner, work on your knitting project, or just chill in your pockets. With 360-degree rotation and adjustable viewing angle, you can even use it as a stand for your portable monitor used as a second laptop screen.
Why is this deal good? Between its versatile adjustability and aluminum construction, this Lisen stand feels more premium than its price would imply. It works with tablets sized 4.7 to 11 inches, and it’s just a downright practical accessory—worth every penny now that it’s just $9.48.
Verbatim
Who is this for? The person who needs extra portable storage and can’t stomach the going prices for SSDs and hard drives. (Thanks, AI data centers!) Flash drives have also gotten super expensive, but this Verbatim 64GB USB Flash Drive remains affordable. Keep in mind it’s a USB 2.0 drive, so expect file transfer speeds to max out at 20 MB/s. But if you want a flash drive for under $10 these days, that’s a sacrifice you’ll have to make.
Why is this deal good? For anyone whose budget is strictly capped at $10, this 64GB option is about as big as you’ll get. If you want a faster drive, you’ll have to spend twice as much—like on this SanDisk 64GB Ultra Flair Flash Drive, which supports USB 3.0 speeds for just $18.88 right now.
© Photo Illustration by The New York Times; Image: Gabriela Bhaskar/The New York Times
Logitech is launching the Zone Vibe Pro, a wireless over-ear headset that’s designed to be used both at work and in your free time.
The Zone Vibe Pro doesn’t have a traditional microphone boom, instead using AI-based voice isolation to reduce background noise. The speakers feature 40mm drivers and adaptive active noise cancellation (ANC).
With ANC enabled, the battery life is expected to last up to 30 hours with music playback or up to 18 hours with active talk time. Without noise cancellation, the battery life can reach up to 66 hours. A 5-minute charge is all that’s needed to regain about 1 hour of talk time.
This headset can be connected to multiple devices via Bluetooth Multipoint, and the sound quality can be customized using the Logi Tune app. Logitech has also made the headband, ear cushions, and battery replaceable to extend the headset’s overall lifespan. Not a bad move given the current state of high-priced consumer electronics.
So what exactly makes this headset for work and leisure? Here’s what Logitech says in its announcement post:
“Modern professionals working across open offices, at home or on the go, shouldn’t need multiple audio solutions for work and life,” said Joseph Mingori, VP and General Manager of Mobile and Audio Solutions at Logitech. “Zone Vibe Pro solves that problem by giving employees the option of great sound everywhere with comfortable fit while giving IT teams reliable, certified hardware.”
The Logitech Zone Vibe Pro is available now for $259.99 in three colors: Black, Graphite, and Off-White. For a limited time, it also comes with a free Logitech Wooden Headset Stand included.
© Photo Illustration by The New York Times
© Photo Illustration by The New York Times; Image: Getty Images
© Photo Illustration by The New York Times; Image: Hugging Face
© Photo Illustration by The New York Times; Image: Getty Images
AliExpress, the online marketplace owned by Alibaba Group, has come under scrutiny after researchers and browser maker Brave reported finding silent Web Audio processing on the site that could help fingerprint visitors’ devices.
The audio processing did not record people through their microphones. Instead, it generated and processed an inaudible signal, then measured small, repeatable differences in the way a browser and device handled it.
Browser fingerprinting is a way for websites to identify devices and recognize returning visitors without relying on conventional cookies. It works by using information about a device and browser to create a unique signature.
The AliExpress website was found processing a fixed audio waveform and examining the resulting numerical values. Tiny differences can arise from the browser, operating system, CPU behavior, audio hardware, and drivers. When combined with other signals, they become another input that can contribute to a browser or device identifier.
Investigation of the page’s code reportedly found audio-processing graphs that were set to zero volume but remained connected to the system audio output. That explains why a user could hear nothing, and why muting a browser tab would not necessarily prevent the processing. All the relevant work was occurring within the Web Audio graph rather than through a conventional media player.
And audio measurements were only one part of the reported data collection. The scripts also gathered information tied to canvas rendering, WebGL, display settings, hardware configuration, WebRTC behavior and user interactions. Together, those signals can create a more detailed profile of a device than any one signal would provide on its own.
Fingerprinting can be used for legitimate purposes such as fraud prevention, bot detection, and risk assessment. It can help companies spot suspicious transactions or automated activity even when cookies have been deleted or accounts have changed. But it also raises privacy concerns because users may not know the tracking is happening and have limited control over it.
Earlier studies have shown that visitors’ choices about allowing cookies were ignored in more than half the cases studied. Fingerprinting adds another privacy concern because it can allow websites to recognize visitors without relying on cookies at all.
The alleged AliExpress implementation is a useful example of how modern tracking can be both silent and technically legitimate at the API level while still raising privacy concerns.
Brave says its browser blocks the AliExpress scripts responsible for the audio-based tracking. Other steps you can take include:
Browse like no one’s watching.
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© Photo Illustration by The New York Times; Photo by Kim Kyung-Hoon/Reuters
© Photo Illustration by The New York Times; Image: Jason Henry for The New York Times
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