Eliana Willis

In April, Amazon confirmed that its annual Prime Day event would return this July. Despite an uncertain economic outlook, Amazon is full steam ahead on its first Prime Day event of 2025, though dates have still yet to be confirmed. Also: Google’s new AI shopping tool just changed the way we shop online – here’s whyAmazon hosted its second annual Big Spring Sale in March, which was extended from five days in 2024 to seven days this year. In a similar fashion, some early leaks suggest that Prime Day will be extended from the usual two days to four days as well. Though Amazon has not announced the dates of the 2025 July Prime Day event or commented on the length of the sale, competing retailers already take advantage of similar savings events that extend prior to, during, and after the dates Amazon selects.Also: Sorry shoppers, Amazon says tariff cost feature ‘Is not going to happen’In 2024, Prime Day ran from July 16 to July 17. I’ve covered plenty of sale cycles over the last few years, and I’m placing my best estimate for this year’s Prime Day event to land either from July 8-9 or July 15-16 — after Fourth of July, but not too late into the month. It’s typically a two-day sale running on a Tuesday and a Wednesday. If Amazon chooses to extend it like with their Big Spring Sale, I’d expect more days to save within the same weeks as those dates. We’ll have to wait and see. What is Amazon Prime Day?Prime Day is Amazon’s flagship sale event, and it happens twice a year: July and October. Shoppers can expect tons of savings across nearly every product category on the site, including popular Amazon products. Typically, Prime members can shop for new deals that are refreshed throughout the event and partake in exclusive invite-only deals. Plus, market competition with Prime Day has turned the month of July into a true shopping extravaganza that mimics holiday-like sales in the heat of the summer, making it a great time to be a consumer. I’ll be keeping up with all the best Prime Day news through the end of the sale, so be sure to keep up with our team on ZDNET.com. We’ll be updating the site with all the details you need to shop savvy — including the best deals on products we’ve personally tested and would recommend. How to prep for Prime Day 2025As a deals and shopping editor, I can recommend a few things to help you maximize Amazon’s sales. If you want to shop the sale, you’ll need to access a Prime account. In addition to free two-day shipping, membership is easy to set up and usually gives you access to exclusive offers on the site. Plus, you can use a free trial to shop for the best savings without spending a dime on a membership (you’ll want to wait to activate a free trial until less than 30 days before Prime Day). If you end up starting a free trial (or already have Prime), ensure your payment options (like one-click settings and your default delivery address) are correct. This way, you can check out quickly if you need to during the sale. Also: 7 exciting AI features coming with Alexa+ (and what Amazon devices support it)Other ways to prepare for spring savings include researching and planning potential purchases, listing want and need items, and setting a budget before sales.  More

Garmin/ZDNETIf you’re a fan of bold smartwatches, Garmin just unveiled its biggest watch ever. Garmin announced its newest smartwatch Thursday, the Venu X1. What’s immediately noticeable about the Venu X1 is the size. It has a large, rectangular face (Garmin said its biggest) and an extremely thin design. It’s a watch that’s easy to see, but it doesn’t look overpowering or like it’s too heavy to wear.The press release about the watch details several more design features, including the 2-inch screen, a sapphire lens (scratch-resistant for outdoor activities), a titanium caseback, and an 8mm case. Also: My new favorite Garmin watch offers flagship features at an affordable price pointThe Venu X1 will come in two colorways, black and moss, and have a built-in LED flashlight, speaker, and mic. It will have access to more than 100 sports apps, mapping, the ability to make and take calls, a sleep coach, and the wealth of fitness and health information Garmin’s devices are known for.Garmin said the watch will have up to 8 days of battery life in smartwatch mode. That will be less depending on how much you use tracking features and if you have the always-on screen enabled, but from several early online reviews I’ve seen, it still seems to be about two days.The Venu X1 has a suggested retail price of $799.99 and will be available to order More

Kerry Wan/ZDNETGoogle’s Pixel phones aren’t the only ones with battery-saving secrets to explore. Motorola offers almost as many features inside its menus. After three weeks with the Moto Razr Ultra and separately, the Moto G Stylus 2025, I discovered a handful of tweaks hiding in plain sight that you’ll likely find on your Motorola device if you know where to look.1. Battery Saver keeps the lights on when your gauge hits the red More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The Bowers & Wilkins Px7 S3 are available for $449 in Anthracite Black, Canvas White, and Indigo Blue. These headphones provide a listening experience and design profile unlike any other headphones in the same price range. Although these are the best sounding and looking headphones at this price, they fall behind […] More

Adam Breeden/ZDNETEarlier this week at WWDC, Apple announced a handful of changes to the iPad for the upcoming iPadOS 26, including making it feel a little bit more like a Mac with window control and tiling, the same Games app that’s also available for MacOS and the iPhone, and of course, more Apple Intelligence. Also: Your iPad is getting 4 big upgrades for free. Here are the top features in iPadOS 26All these new features won’t roll out onto your iPad until this fall, but if you’re keen on checking out the features iPadOS 26 has to offer now, you can download the beta version of the OS and take a peek at what’s in store. However, as with any beta, be aware that it can be full of bugs and not optimized for speed and efficiency.  How to install the iPadOS 26 developer beta What you need: An iPad running iPadOS 16.4 or later with an Apple ID used in the Apple Developer Program. Since not all iPads are compatible with iPadOS 16.4, you’ll also need a model that’s on this list.  More

Nina Raemont/ZDNETFour years after the launch of the Whoop 4.0, Whoop finally launched two new health trackers, the Whoop 5.0 More

<!–> ZDNET’s key takeaways The TCL QM6K (65-inch) normally retails for $1,000. A host of upgrades, and new features, make it highly competitive with other brands’ higher-end models. Its speakers are loud, but clarity could be made even crisper with a soundbar. more buying choices Every single size option for the TCL QM6K TV–> is on […] More

I haven’t splurged on a red light therapy mask … yet. In the interim, though, I’ve become accustomed to the popular treatment with Solawave’s red light therapy wand. According to UCLA Health, red light can potentially reduce signs of aging, encourage hair regrowth, minimize acne, and more. Complete transparency — I never would have purchased this wand full price. I could scoop it up during an Ulta sale for half off, which made “trying it out” an easier pill to swallow. I’ve been using this consistently for about a year, and I think it helps with some factors like acne, dark marks, and wrinkles. However, you have to be consistent, using this wand for the recommended amount of time and cycles, and as much as possible, mainly because it isn’t designed for your entire face simultaneously. This little wand works wonders on fading particular scars and spots, plus it’s somewhat therapeutic to use thanks to a massage feature. But ultimately, I don’t feel the bulb size and design are ideal for actual benefits from red light therapy, so I’ll be upgrading to a mask soon. Other users on Reddit agree, saying it’s a nice handheld option that is more for the self-care experience, though some customers say it has helped with skin texture, appearance, and more. These tools are try at your own risk, but consulting a dermatologist with your questions or concerns before using at-home treatments of any kind is a good idea. Remember that, like anything, red light can have some risks, like mild pain or skin irritation, according to the American Academy of Dermatology Association.  More