Eliana Willis

As October rolls on, anticipation for Amazon’s October Prime Day sale is building, promising a whirlwind of deals and discounts. However, even before the official event kicks off, the virtual aisles of Amazon are teeming with enticing impulse buys that beckon shoppers. From quirky gadgets to cozy home essentials, these pre-deal gems offer a delightful glimpse into the variety that awaits. Tech enthusiasts might find themselves drawn to the latest smart home devices or portable Bluetooth speakers, perfect for enhancing everyday convenience and entertainment. Meanwhile, for those seeking comfort, plush throws and aroma diffusers offer a touch of luxury without breaking the bank. Also: The best October Prime Day deals live nowBeyond the allure of technology and comfort, Amazon’s selection includes a myriad of unique finds ideal for spontaneous purchases. From LED masks to LEDs for your home, there’s something here for everyone! As we wait for October Prime Day to officially begin, these impulse buys provide both excitement and an opportunity to indulge in a little retail therapy.  Our favorite impulse deals for October Prime Day Free Village Countertop Ice Maker More

Matthew Miller/ZDNETZDNET’s key takeawaysThe 47mm Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra More

It’s almost time for one of Amazon’s biggest savings events of the year: Prime Big Deal Days, otherwise known as October Prime Day, kicks off Oct. 8. Every Prime Day, the retailer offers major discounts on home, tech, clothing, and more. Pricey items like fitness trackers and smartwatches will receive some hefty discounts, and some deals are already live. Also: The best October Prime Day deals live nowSmartwatches and fitness trackers are becoming harder to categorize. Most smartwatches include features your basic fitness tracker is capable of, like tracking steps and heart rate, while some fitness trackers can perform similar functions to a smartwatch, like GPS location and receiving texts and calls. With evolving technology, options like sleep tracking and personalized health insights are often included in both smartwatches and fitness trackers. With these deals, you can pick and choose which device you feel is right for you.This list will be updated ahead of October Prime Day, and during the event as well.Our favorite early Amazon October Prime Day smartwatch and fitness tracker dealsApple Watch Series 9 Midnight Aluminum More

Maria Diaz/ZDNETAfter a year of waiting, Apple has finally rolled out iOS 18 to the public, the latest version of iPhone software. This update introduces eye-catching features like customizable home screens. As often happens, there are also some eye-roll-worthy changes. For me, that includes the new Photos app.Apple first announced the new Photos app during its Worldwide Developer Conference (WWDC) in June, touting it as “the biggest-ever redesign.” When you first open the app on iOS 18, the changes are very apparent. Also: 5 reasons to update your iPhone to iOS 18.0.1 right nowMost notably, Apple added new collections, like Recent Days, People and Pets, and Trips, to sort your Photos. The company also modified the Photos app to work seamlessly with Apple Intelligence, which will be available on all iPhone 16 models and the iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max starting this month.However, what Apple refers to as a “simplified layout” seems to be an unnecessarily complicated change for many using the Photos app. The previous tab design was replaced by collections that are automatically categorized by themes. It makes it difficult to find the popular Recently Saved photos and doesn’t show all the photos on your device like it once did with an All Photos tab.  More

panithan pholpanichrassamee/Getty Images Gartner is one of the tech industry’s most respected analyst groups. Its business is custom advisory services, conferences, and putting out multi-client industry analysis reports. Becoming a Gartner client is not cheap, with estimates starting at $30,000 per seat per year. The way Gartner (and, to be fair, most other analyst groups) […] More

Artie Beaty/ZDNETWhat’s the deal?The GE Profile Opal 2.0 nugget ice maker More

Chiken Brave/Getty Images Welcome to ZDNET’s Innovation Index, which identifies the most innovative developments in tech from the past week and ranks the top four, based on votes from our panel of editors and experts. Our mission is to help you identify the trends that will have the biggest impact on the future. This week, Google […] More