I’ll be the first to admit that I’m new to the projector game. Anker won me over at the end of last year with its Nebula series. The Capsule prioritizes ease of use and portability, above all. While not cheap at $800, it’s a good starter projector in the sense that it’s self-contained and largely works out of the box.
Since buying a house this summer, however, I’ve begun rethinking my relationship to the device. I have a lot more space in my new place, but for all its natural beauty, the Hudson Valley is wanting for entertainment options compared to my close to two decades in New York City.
I reached out to Hisense a few months back, after hearing good things about its projector offerings. For once, my timing was perfect. In September, the Chinese firm announced additions to its C-series “lifestyle” projectors. Moving from the Nebula Capsule to the C2 Ultra is like trading in a Toyota Camry for a Porsche. They serve their respective purposes, and comparing them directly feels unfair to all parties involved.
For one thing, the Hisense jumps a projector tax bracket or two, with a $3,000 price tag. For the same price, you can pick up a 100-inch Hisense 4K flat screen. This is a projector for people who are wholly committed to the projector lifestyle.
It’s also significantly larger than the Capsule, so there is a portability trade-off. I would pull Anker’s projector out of the closet a couple times a week when I wanted to watch something projected on the big screen. The C2 Ultra is the kind of projector you clear out space for. Much like a TV, it will take up a permanent place in your living room. For me, that place is atop a bookshelf.
The projector’s topline is the Tri-Chroma red, green, and blue triple-laser engine, which is a marquee feature for Hisense’s high-end projectors. In addition to a wide and accurate color gamut, the projector is extremely bright, at 3,000 ANSI Lumens. You can watch a film during the day without blackout curtains.
The C2 can project images up to 300 inches from 6 meters, with a minimum size of 65 inches. That covers most home projector screens and then some, should you want to do movie night in the backyard. There are other innovative features on board as well, including a 1.67 optical zoom that lets you get in tighter on a shot without degrading the image.
I was pleasantly surprised by the ease of setup as well. It’s not quite plug-and-play, but it’s close. The auto keystone correction maps the projector screen quickly. Ditto for autofocus. If you don’t have a screen, the projector will detect the color of the wall and adjust the picture accordingly. From there, it’s a matter of getting onto the Wi-Fi and logging into different streaming services.
The system comes preloaded with Netflix, Amazon Prime, YouTube, Paramount+, Tubi, and Disney+, among others. Some, like Hulu and Max, were notably missing. Ultimately, I ended up connecting Apple TV 4K through the first HDMI input. Along with a full streaming service selection, that allowed me to stream audio to a pair of connected HomePods.
That said, the built-in JBL speaker and subwoofer are perfectly serviceable for movie night. I suspect, however, that those looking to spend $3,000 on a projector are probably also investing in a stand-alone sound system. It comes mounted on a stand from which it can’t be detached. Along with bringing height to the projector, it makes for smooth manual adjustments.
The C2 Ultra is a well-balanced, self-contained projector that’s filled with all sorts of nice touches. It’s available now.
You could argue that the American Ultra II is a blasphemy against the purity of Leo Fender’s first masterpiece – or you could evaluate this guitar without the baggage of its heritage. Either way, it’s certainly a fascinating and inspiring instrument.
My first electric guitar was a Fender Telecaster, and I did my shopping based largely on a single video by ridiculously talented jazz/bluesman Josh Smith, who swept me up in his boundless enthusiasm and love for vintage-style Teles.
“There’s something magical about this guitar,” he told All Guitar Network. “When Fender built this guitar in ’49, ’50 … It’s almost unchanged today … It’s a thick body. It’s not comfortable. It’s sharp on the edges. It has three saddles for six strings, so intonation is not perfect. But it’s part of the charm, and part of the attributes that add up to make this thing explosive and dynamic. I truly, truly think it’s the best electric guitar ever made, and the one that can do it all.”
Righto, thought I, and went and bought something that stayed relatively close to the original recipe: an American Professional dated around 2018. Butterscotch, blackguard, three brass saddles, single coils and a plank of a body with basically zero regard given to ergonomics. And it’s been a hell of a guitar – solid as a rock, beautiful to play, slightly hard work, but it sounds gorgeous, and is certainly surprisingly versatile across a range of different styles.
Meanwhile, the brand-spanking-new American Ultra II (aptly demonstrated below by Mötley Crüe/Rob Zombie/Marilyn Manson/David Lee Roth guitarist John5) smooths off all the hard edges to which Josh Smith attributes that vintage Tele charm.
Exploring the American Ultra II Series Telecaster | Ultra II | Fender
For starters, belly and arm carves on the front and back of this alder body nudge the main ergonomic touchpoints toward Stratocaster territory. It doesn’t feel nearly as planky. Even the neck heel is smoothly contoured, with a gorgeously swoopy-looking neck heel carve that’s frankly a pity to hide at the back of the instrument; only the fancier Strats get that kind of treatment.
The three brass saddles are gone, replaced by six (again Strat-style) chromed brass block saddles – so that in-betweeny vintage Tele intonation is replaced with individual-string precision.
None of this three brass barrels and an ashtray business, the Ultra II uses chromed brass block saddles for individual intonation adjustment
Fender
The quartersawn maple neck uses a ‘Modern D’ shape in a satin finish, complete with glow-in-the-dark side dots, locking tuners and a self-lubricating Tusq nut as opposed to the traditional bone.
The ebony fretboard (or maple on other versions, as in the photos here) gives you a compound radius – 10 inches down in the lower frets where the money is, 14 inches up where things get twiddly and diddly. So it’s a little rounder and more comfy for chordal playing down near the nut, but a little flatter, and subsequently better for bending and shredding on those jumbo frets as you move up toward the high notes.
Satin neck finish, substantial Modern D profile, rolled edges and luminous side dots
Fender
Then there’s the electronics; they might look just like single-coils, but the Ultra II Noiseless Vintage Tele set installed in this thing are, to my understanding, more like miniature stacked humbuckers in design.
And the controls look nearly the same as an old-school Tele – apart from a rakishly angled pickup selector – and they work nearly the same, but there’s a sneaky button hidden in the top of the volume knob that engages both pickups in series, no matter where the selector’s pointed, and acts as a kind of boost button as well as a fourth tonal option.
Add to all that a rich Texas Tea paint job that sparkles like the fizz of Coca-Cola under lights, an anodized aluminum pickguard and a set of Schaller-style strap locks included in the case, and the Ultra II is an unashamedly modernist, if pleasantly visually understated, take on the traditional Tele.
Below, you can watch a bunch of the Fender brains behind the line, plus YouTuber Rhett Schull, discussing a lot of the ideas and techniques behind the Ultra II series and playing the guitars through a range of tones, set against the backdrop of the storied Fender factory in Corona, California, where I was lucky to take a tour earlier this year as part of the 70th Anniversary of the Fender Stratocaster.
Behind the Line: American Ultra II | Ultra II | Fender
So how does this new Telecaster go?
One thing’s for certain – the Ultra II Tele is an absolute joy to play. All those modern curves and comforts definitely make it a more friendly shape to rest against my highly curved and comfortable human body, standing up or sitting down.
That satiny neck just gets right out of the way – I’m definitely a fan of the compound radius, it gives me just what I want, right up and down the fretboard, and without touching the setup out of the box, it’s just about spot on, allowing super-extravagant vibrato and fourth-interval bends up high without choking the note.
If you like to fight a guitar – and plenty of people do – this might not be for you. More than once I’ve felt like it might actually be playing itself on my behalf, and that’s a sentiment I’ve had echoed to me by friends who’ve spent some time with it as well.
Sweet-looking contour around the neck joint, with a curved heel – the Ultra II gives you terrific access to the upper frets
Fender
It’s difficult to make an apples-to-apples comparison here against my AmPro, since that’s strung with meaty 10-52 light top/heavy bottoms, where the Ultra II ships with positively dainty 9s – another step away from Josh Smith’s preferences, incidentally, as that lunatic masochist uses Danny Gatton-style 13-gauge forearm-busters.
So the playing experience is quite different, and that in itself does change the sound and volume between these two guitars. Swap strings and my AmPro is going to feel a lot easier, and the Ultra would feel like you could beat it up a lit more.
Sonically, with a bag over my head and forced to choose, I’d say the AmPro might just edge it on clean and breakup through to overdriven tones, where there’s a hint more of that hollow, bottley harmonic complexity in the neck pickup, and a touch hotter output. But that’s by no means a sure thing this time; the Ultra’s new pickups are the best ‘noiseless’ set I’ve played yet.
They’re downright sparkly in the trebles, where some previous noiseless pickups have felt a step behind true single coils. They’re super dynamic, punchy and touch-sensitive, the bridge pickup can snarl, twang, spank and rip faces off in all the right places, and neither the bridge or neck would’ve struck me as anything but a genuine single-coil if they didn’t have “Noiseless” written on them.
Fender has upgraded to a new Noiseless Vintage Tele pickup set. They sound terrific
Fender
The noise-busting part itself works really nicely – but then, you’ve got to dial in some pretty heavy gain before that becomes a huge problem. I’d say you can go a fair way into hard rock territory with an American Professional before you’d reap a really significant noise-floor reward there from the Ultra II – but it’s a testament to the versatility of the Tele that these instruments are definitely finding their way into a range of high-gain situations as well as cleaner territory like country, jazz, funk, blues, pop and … whatever the hell it is that Julian Lage does.
The S-1 switch in the volume knob is a handy addition. It doesn’t matter which position you’re in, you can hit that thing and be rewarded with a solid jump in output, as well as a thick and beefy fourth tone option that fills in more or less whatever’s missing from the position you’re in.
From the bridge, you get a lot more low-end punch, from the neck, you get that top-end sizzle, and from the middle, you get a lot of extra body and sustain. It might not be a traditional Tele sound, but I can’t see anything but positives in the way it’s been added.
As to the rest of the controls, I often find myself wishing more guitars worked the way these two Teles do. One nice, consistent volume knob with a treble bleed circuit, so you don’t lose high end when you want to ease off the output a little. One tone knob that’s effective whichever pickup position you’re in. One little rubber knob that’s gonna make a break for freedom at the first available opportunity, but which you can buy replacements for by the dozen … It’s a great setup, quick to learn, lifetime to master, all that good stuff.
Traditional control layout, with an angled pickup switch and that nifty S1 button built into the volume knob
Fender
My one complaint here is that the tone knob on the Ultra II has a detent that makes it a slight effort to rotate away from wide open. Teles being Teles, the bridge pickup in particular can be pretty harsh on the ear with certain amp settings, so that tone knob can get a workout. The detent doesn’t seem to help much, since the knob’s way back behind the bridge and not likely to get knocked accidentally – and it makes a pinky finger tone adjustment unnecessarily hard and clumsy in my opinion.
Indeed, that might be about the only solid negative I’d put forward when it comes to the Ultra II Telecaster; a knob you can probably switch out with 10 bucks and a soldering iron – and that’s if it even annoys you.
Otherwise, this feels every bit like a luxury version of a Tele, pampering the player at every chance with rolled edges, comfort carves, compound radii and proper intonation, and bucking some amplifier hum while making a negligible tonal sacrifice next to a single-coil AmPro.
It sounds great, it’s stunningly easy to play, and the aesthetic choices made here, like the clean, modern flat bridge plate instead of the old ‘ashtray’ bridge, move things forward in an understated way that feels both progressive and respectful.
Minimalist steel bridge with six block saddles
Fender
As a flagship model it’s unapologetically pricey; it’ll cost you US$2,199 (or AU$3,799 in Australia) – certainly toward the hefty end of the Telecaster range, without getting anywhere near Custom Shop dollars. In terms of case candy … There’s not much, but the Fender Deluxe flight case itself is pretty sweet in its own right, a molded-plastic Samsonite creation with a fuzzy interior, gear storage compartment and a set of TSA-friendly locks, to go with its thoroughly roadworthy exterior.
Compared to the outgoing Ultra-series Tele, the chief visual difference between the two will be the angled pickup selector knob, as well as the lack of a top binding. So the older model might be worth a look if you’re a fan of that look. Less-apparent upgrades include the new pickups, Luminlay side dots and Tusq nut, but otherwise the older model’s got most of what makes the Ultra II so easy to work with.
So yes, this machine might struggle to win over purists – but Fender already spends an extraordinary amount of time and effort catering to purists, with vintage reproductions available at every imaginable price point.
But it’s a beautiful, flexible, approachable and inspiring instrument in its own right. And that fast ‘n’ furious neck, the noiseless pickups and built-in S1 boost switch make the elegant simplicity, classic look and extraordinary flexibility of Fender’s first masterpiece relevant deep into the Telecaster’s seventh decade and beyond.
There are other new Ultra II series Fenders, including a Strat, a P-Bass and a J-Bass, which you can see in the video below.
Exploring The American Ultra II Series P-Bass | Ultra II | Fender
A room without an inhabitant. The term nLDK is widely used in the Japanese residential real estate market, where n stands for the number of bedrooms, L for the Living room, D for the Dining room and K for the Kitchen. For example, if a flat has two bedrooms, it would be described as a 2LDK. The description nLDK is very important for real estate market information, as people generally search for a room based on the number of n that is appropriate for their family size and income. For example, a couple with one child will often be looking for a floor plan with n≥2. The seller would then consider that at least 2LDK is necessary in an area where there are many families with children. This nLDK typology has emerged in the history of post-war housing supply, but its rigidity has been criticized in recent years.
Furthermore, there is a scheme known as “Purchase-Resale”, in which buyers buy these standardized houses, add value by refurbishing them and resell them again. This project was also a request for refurbishment for this scheme. In this case, the design cannot be based on the individuality of the inhabitants. On the other hand, it also needs to “stand out” in the market by differentiating itself from other rooms, rather than simply meeting a general need. The number of visits on property search websites is also important, hence it is necessary to follow the nLDK zoning. This is because people search for a property by replacing the n in nLDK with a number. In other words, it was necessary to find a format that would create a different state from the general space while protecting the ordinary floor plan.
First, the windowless Japanese-style room was removed from the original three-bedroom layout, and the LDK was expanded into an oval shape. The entrance is widened, and the corridor is narrowed towards the LDK to create the illusion that the space is larger than it is. In the LDK, characters such as the white box-shaped kitchen, the wedge-shaped shelves that divide the space and the octagonal columns that hide the plumbing appear, giving identity to the space. Thus, a plan with visual intensity is created, as if a keystone has been pierced into the ellipse while keeping the format of 2LDK. The wedge-shaped shelf is an extended form of the corridor, and at the same time, it can be moved on castors. The inhabitants can move the shelves around to create their own appropriate elliptical divisions, responding to the contemporary use of the LDK, which has become a place for work, studio and other non-traditional activities.
This flat has a corridor, individual bedrooms and one LDK. What differentiates the generic layout is the interaction between the elliptical expanded space or the wedge-shaped corridor and the generic space. The entrance door opens into a space that is separated from the common areas of the building. The floor and walls are finished in red plywood, and doors on either side of the corridor open to reveal bright white private rooms; when entering the LDK, a mirror placed in the front reveals the entrance behind, while the elliptical wall guides the eye outwards. Paradoxically, the expanded interpretation of market principles = adherence to the nLDK format has created a new kind of nLDK.
The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, a new budget-friendly, mid-range phone unveiled on Thursday, is designed to allow users to experience some of the Galaxy S24 series’ bells and whistles — without spending nearly $900.
I spent about two hours with the new Galaxy S24 FE. As someone who uses the Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra every day, I was curious to see whether I’d notice a stark difference between the two.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
Granted, we’re comparing apples and oranges here. A better comparison would be the new Galaxy S24 FE (starts at $649.99) and the entry-level Galaxy S24 (starts at $859.99). They share more of the same specs and the price difference between the two is only $210.
The Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra, priced at a steep $1,299, is nearly $650 more than the Galaxy S24 FE. Still, I didn’t anticipate such a dramatic difference — and boy was I way off.
Samsung Galaxy S24 FE hands-on
The moment I picked up the Galaxy S24 FE, I said, “Whoa!”
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
Only after holding the FE did I realize how luxurious my Ultra, with its refined titanium frame, truly feels.
Galaxy S24 Ultra – Corning Gorilla Armor (on the back), Corning Gorilla Armor (on the front), and titanium frame
Galaxy S24 FE – Corning Gorilla Glass 5 (on the back), Corning Gorilla Glass Victus+ on the front, and aluminum frame
The Samsung Galaxy S24 FE, unsurprisingly, doesn’t feel as robust. If I didn’t know any better, and you told me the Galaxy S24 FE was demo unit of sorts, I would have believed you.
Meanwhile, my Galaxy S24 Ultra feels like it’s full of heft, density, and gravitas. If both were personified as wrestlers in a ring, you’d definitely be concerned for the Galaxy S24 FE while the Ultra model flexes its brawn.
The Galaxy S24 FE is also much lighter, which I thought I’d appreciate — but I don’t. You know that satisfaction you get from wearing a high-end watch? It’s heavier and more solid, and as such, it feels more quality. A budget watch, on the other hand, feels lighter and more flimsy.
This isn’t to say that the Galaxy S24 FE is delicate — it’s definitely not. It’s still a well-crafted phone, but coming from the Galaxy S24 Ultra, you can really feel the difference.
The display threw me off
Again, keep in mind, that the Galaxy S24 Ultra is the display that I’m accustomed to.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
And it comes with the following specs:
6.8 inches
1,440 x 3,120-pixel resolution
2,600 nits of peak brightness
The 6.7-inch Galaxy S24 FE has a familiar size that’s not too far off from my 6.8-inch Galaxy S24 Ultra, but with a 1,080 x 2,340-pixel resolution OLED screen, I noticed the difference right away.
Mashable Light Speed
The rich and vivid colors that I enjoyed on my Galaxy S24 Ultra were slightly reduced. There was also a minor loss of sharpness and detail. The Galaxy S24 FE, by itself, is well saturated, but compared to my Galaxy S24 Ultra, the budget model doesn’t do it for me.
I’m also not a fan of the wider bezels on the FE model. On the plus side, I love how zippy it was to navigate on the Galaxy S24 FE with its 120Hz variable refresh rate. That’s an experience that matches my Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Colors don’t fit my taste
My Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra comes in a striking Titanium Yellow color, which makes it look as if it’s been dipped in gold.
The Galaxy S24 FE phones have pastel vibes, meaning they’re devoid of vividness.
Credit: Samsung
As someone who prefers rich, deep colors, my only option is Graphite, which is miles better than the other offerings: (barely-there) Blue, (merely) Mint, and (ghostly) Gray.
Cameras are OK
Keep in mind that I only had two hours with the Galaxy S24 FE, but I shrugged when I took a selfie with the phone’s 10MP front-facing camera.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
One of the best selling points of the Galaxy S24 Ultra is its selfie camera. Whenever I take selfies with my friends, even the iPhone snobs, they gush about how good the 12MP selfie lens is.
When I briefly tested the 10MP selfie lens, I was neither blown away nor disappointed; the picture was just OK.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
I guess I expected better color reproduction. Again, it’s not bad. I’m just used to the impressive pictures that the Galaxy S24 Ultra takes.
Galaxy AI is a fun addition
I’m relieved that Samsung didn’t reserve Galaxy AI for its flagship lineup. Galaxy AI may not be perfect, but it’s been fun to explore on my Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Samsung Galaxy S24 FE series Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
Whether you want to remove an object in a photo, need to communicate in a foreign language, or summarize a long-winded story, Galaxy AI has your back.
Conclusion: I’m too bougie for the Galaxy S24 FE
I get that some folks downgrade from a high-end phone once it’s run its course and splurging isn’t feasible, but I’d feel totally disoriented if I had to move from the Galaxy S24 Ultra to the Galaxy S24 FE.
I know what you’re thinking. “Duh! Of course the Galaxy S24 FE doesn’t come close to the Galaxy S24 Ultra.” As I mentioned at the outset, I’m aware of this and even made a point to say that the Galaxy S24 base model would be a better comparison.
However, this hands-on was meant to highlight how taken aback I was regarding the stark differences between my Galaxy S24 Ultra. If you ever wondered if the Pro Maxes, Ultras, and XLs of the world are trulythat distinct from their budget counterparts, the answer is a resounding yes.
The differences are far more pronounced than I expected, leaving me with an even greater appreciation for my Samsung Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Still, the Galaxy S24 FE appears to be solid sub-$700 phone with a 50MP wide camera that matches the Galaxy S24 (though not as good as the 200MP lens on my Galaxy S24 Ultra), Galaxy AI support, and a slightly bigger battery.
Once I receive a review unit, I’ll shift my focus and assess it through the eyes of a mid-range phone user, putting aside my spoiled experience with the Galaxy S24 Ultra.
Samsung hosted an event in NYC on Thursday, Sept. 26, revealing a handful of new devices, including new tablets, a phone, and a watch.
As expected this time of year, Samsung revealed the Galaxy Tab S10+ and the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra. Interestingly, there isn’t a base model this year, so you won’t find an entry-level Galaxy Tab S10 in this lineup.
We also got a glimpse of the new Galaxy S24 FE, a budget-friendly addition to the Galaxy S24 series line that was unveiled earlier this year. And finally, Samsung revealed a new watch that has cellular support.
SEE ALSO:
Apple Clean Up vs. Google Magic Eraser vs. Samsung Galaxy AI: Which one erases objects better?
Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra and S10+
As mentioned at the outset, Samsung eliminated the base model, so there’s no Galaxy Tab S10 that succeeds last year’s 11-inch Galaxy Tab S9.
Say hello to the new Galaxy Tab S10 series tablets Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashanle
This year, there are only two tablets to choose from: Samsung Galaxy Tab S10+ (12.4-inch) and Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra (14.6-inch).
Interestingly, unlike their predecessors, the Galaxy Tab S10 tablets no longer sport Qualcomm Snapdragon processors. Instead, they come with MediaTek Dimensity 9300+ chipsets.
As Liliputing pointed out, this is interesting since MediaTek is often known for being packed inside budget devices (and the Galaxy Tab S10 series are not considered budget tablets). But Samsung claims that they have an 18 percent increase in CPU power as well as a 28 percent jump in graphics performance.
We’ll have to test these claims ourselves when we get the new tablets in for review.
Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
With Samsung leaning heavily into AI, it’s no surprise that the Book Cover keyboards (which can be attached to the tablets) now have a new Galaxy AI key, giving you easy access to the AI assistant that was announced alongside the Samsung Galaxy S24 series earlier this year.
Mashable Light Speed
Galaxy AI features include Sketch-to-Image, Circle to Search, and Note Assist. Plus, there’s a Handwriting Help feature that helps tidy up your John Hancock.
Samsung also claims that the new Galaxy Tab S10 series also has “long-lasting battery life” as well as ultra-fast charging.
New features, aside from the new processor, include an improved speaker setup with an enhanced AI-powered “Dialogue Boost” perk, which augments voices in video and audio recordings.
The Galaxy Tab S10+ starts at $999.99 while the Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra starts at $1,199.99.
Samsung Galaxy Watch FE LTE
Samsung Galaxy Watch FE was already introduced in June, but the company revealed that the watch will get the Galaxy AI features that are available on the pricier Galaxy Watch 7 series, enabling owners to get more personalized insights into their health.
Samsung Galaxy Watch FE LTE Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
Plus, the company also dropped a new LTE version of the Galaxy Watch FE. In other words, you’ll have the opportunity to take calls, send messages, and track your progress from anywhere — even if you don’t have a connection to a phone.
The Galaxy Watch FE LTE starts at $249.99.
Samsung Galaxy S24 FE
If you feel that the Samsung Galaxy S24 series is too pricey and offers too many bells and whistles for your taste, the new Galaxy S24 FE is for you.
A quick look at specs:
6.7-inch AMOLED display
4,700 mAh battery
Exynos 2400 chipset
Borrowing from the Samsung Galaxy S24 series, the FE model also has a 50MP wide lens. It also sports an 8MP telephoto lens with 3X optical zoom. Plus, the phone supports a 12MP ultra-wide lens as well as a 10MP selfie camera.
As you might have guessed, the Galaxy S24 FE also supports Galaxy AI, so you can enjoy the following features:
Generative Edit (move objects around or remove them in photos)
Portrait Studio (reimagine selfies as other visuals like cartoons, comics, and more)
Edit Suggestions (remove reflections and other flaws)
Instant Slow-mo
The Galaxy S24 FE starts at $649.99 and it comes in four colors: Blue, Mint, Gray, and Graphite.
Samsung Galaxy S24 FE in Graphite and Blue Credit: Kimberly Gedeon / Mashable
All of the aforementioned devices are available for pre-order today. The Galaxy Tab S10 series, Galaxy Watch FE LTE, and the Galaxy S24 FE will start shipping on Oct. 3.
We’ve still got a few weeks before Amazon’s official October Prime Day, but that doesn’t mean there aren’t deals to shop. As of Sept. 18, we’re seeing pretty impressive price drops on products from top brands like Roku, Beats, iRobot Roomba, Garmin, and TP-Link. And we’ve rounded up the best ones worth adding to your cart below.
Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day. If none of these catch your eye, be sure to take a peek at our picks from Sept. 16 and Sept. 17. Many of those are still live — including a record-low price on the Samsung Galaxy Buds FE and four free months of Amazon Music Unlimited.
Our top pick
The Roku Ultra, our favorite Roku streaming device, is the cheapest it’s been all year (and just $3 away from its record-low price). The premium streaming device has a quad-core processor that offers smooth HD, 4K, and HDR streaming on a zippy interface. It’s more powerful than the Roku Express 4K Plus and comes with Dolby Atmos and Dolby Vision support, a microSD slot for storing and streaming external media, an Ethernet port, and the Roku Voice Remote Pro with customizable shortcut keys. It’s regularly $100, but you can grab it for only $69.99 as of Sept. 18. That’s 30% in savings.
Boost your home security without breaking the bank with the TP-Link Tapo Wire-Free MagCam. It offers 2K video and a year-long battery life for only $69.99 on sale. That’s 42% in savings and matches its lowest price on record — just be sure to select the on-page coupon to get the full discount. We haven’t had a chance to test out this security camera ourselves, but our sister site PCMag (also owned by Ziff Davis) did and awarded it an outstanding rating and coveted Editor’s Choice award. “It’s an excellent value for a battery-powered camera that offers color night vision, built-in spotlights, local and cloud storage options, free intelligent alerts, voice control, and many other features,” the review states.
“The Instinct is ideal for serious navigators, ultra-athletes, and solo trekkers who spend a lot of time outside and in rugged conditions,” Mashable’s review states of the original Garmin Instinct smartwatch. The second generation of the already great watch is even more powerful. Not only does it offer detailed health monitoring and smart notifications like any good smartwatch, but it also packs a three-axis compass and barometric altimeter for highly intricate tracking and navigation, plenty of built-in sports apps, and an unlimited battery life in smartwatch mode (thanks to solar charging). As of Sept. 18, it’s also back down to its record-low price of $299.99 at Amazon. That’s $100 in savings and a pretty impressive deal on a smartwatch that’s just as tough as you.
Want a solid pair of noise-cancelling earbuds that won’t break the bank? The Beats Studio Buds are back on sale for $99.99 at Amazon. That’s 34% off their usual cost in white, black, or red. Mashable tech reporter Alex Perry called them “Apple’s new go-to entry-level earbuds” when they first came out in 2021, claiming they “put entry-level AirPods to shame.” They’re equipped with decent active noise cancellation, transparency mode, spatial audio, and a 24-hour battery life with the charging case. They’re no longer the latest or greatest Beats buds, but they still hold up in 2024.
Mashable Deals
Don’t have the budget to hire a professional cleaner? Start smaller by grabbing this Roomba i3+ EVO on sale for just $299.99. That’s $250 cheaper than usual and on par with its lowest price to date. The i3+ EVO is our top pick for a budget Roomba (with a software upgrade), thanks to its self-emptying abilities, smart mapping, and more powerful suction power over the cheaper 600 series. You can basically set it and forget it for 60 days, as it will dump all the dirt it picks up into its base.
None of these deals catching your eye? Check out Amazon’s daily deals for even more savings.
Looking for some sweet deals to close out your week? We’ve got you covered. Brands like Roborock, Amazon, Anker, and Beats are major standouts on today’s lengthy list of daily deals at Amazon. We’ve already sorted out the noise and rounded up the best gadgets worth adding to your cart on Sept. 12.
Here are our top picks for the best Amazon deals of the day. If none of these jump out at you, be sure to take a look back at our top picks from Tuesday, Sept 10 and Wednesday, Sept. 11. Many of those are still live, including a record-low Amazon Fire HD 8 tablet and a sub-$300 Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Classic.
Our top pick
Unveiled in April 2023, the Roborock S8 Pro Ultra — on paper — is one of the fanciest robot vacuum and mop combos you can buy. It features self-washing and self-drying mopping pads, above average suction power, reactive 3D obstacle avoidance, floor type customization, and liftable brushes and mop that adapt to different tasks. Former Mashable intern Stacia Datskovska tested it out and found that while it may be loaded with perks, they don’t justify the outrageous price of $1,599.99. Fortunately, though, it regularly goes on sale. As of Sept. 12, it’s down to just $949.99 — that’s 41% in savings and its lowest price on record.
Though they’re a few years old, the Beats Fit Pro still stand up to the latest earbuds on the market. Mashable’s Alex Perry reviewed them and noted they “offer excellent active noise cancellation, magnificent audio output, elite comfort, and a long-lasting battery,” putting them lightyears ahead of the third-generation AirPods. Typically just under $200, you can pick up a pair on sale for just $159 as of Sept. 12. That’s 95 cents cheaper than the sale price they’ve been chilling at for months — a 20% savings overall.
Upgrade your game day viewing experience by pairing a worthy soundbar with your big screen. The JBL Bar 9.1 is on sale for just $584 as of Sept. 12 — that’s 51% off its usual cost — and offers a cinematic 9.1-channel surround sound experience. The two ends of the soundbar detach to become separate speakers you can place behind you to hear every agonizing call this NFL season. The soundbar packs Dolby Atmos, DTS:X and four upfiring speakers that bounce sound up to the ceiling and back down to you. Plus, the 300W, 10-inch wireless subwoofer gives you deep bass that really brings the action to life.
While we just featured the $64.99 fourth-generation Amazon Echo earlier this week, today’s deal brings you a free Sengled smart color bulb on top of it. That means that not only are you saving $35 on the Echo itself, but also an extra $19.99 on a smart color bulb to pair with it. One of the best ways to introduce Alexa’s smart home capabilities into your home, the Echo serves as a sleek, simple speaker that responds to your voice commands, plays your tunes, and so much more. Add the Sengled bulb in your favorite room and ask Alexa to turn it off and on at certain times a day, change the color, or dim the lights for ambiance.
Mashable Deals
Small, yet mighty, the Anker Soundcore 2 Bluetooth speaker is tough to beat in terms of value. It offers impressive stereo sound, a durable design with IPX7 protection against rain, dust, spills, and more, and a 24-hour battery life to keep your tunes coming all day and night. For those specs, the price tag is pretty insane at just $27.99 on sale. That’s 30% off its usual price as of Sept. 12.
None of these deals catching your eye? Check out Amazon’s daily deals for even more savings.
Garmin’s got a new flagship in its rugged smartwatch category, the Garmin Fenix 8.
The company’s Fenix line of smartwatches has long been the golden standard for durable smartwatches for athletes, but Apple put up a pretty good fight with its Apple Watch Ultra (now on its second iteration) rugged smartwatch.
Garmin Fenix 8
The list of specs on both these watches is incredibly long and includes support for a multitude of sports and outdoor activities, but we’re going to focus on the most important bits here. You see, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 has always won on Apple’s massive ecosystem of apps and the ability to make standalone calls, and integration with Apple’s smart assistant, Siri. On the other hand, Garmin’s Fenix watches were always far ahead when it comes to battery life, but the ability to make phone calls from the watch was absent. So how does the new Fenix 8 fit into this picture?
What’s with the name?
Before we start, let’s just clarify on Garmin’s somewhat confusing new naming scheme. The company used to divide its flagship watch category into Fenix and Epix watches. Now, Epix is gone; instead, you have the Garmin Fenix 8 Solar, which essentially means “Fenix 8, with solar power, but without an AMOLED display.” And then you have the Garmin Fenix 8, which has no solar power, but has an AMOLED display, which makes it a bit easier to read in direct sunlight.
The Fenix 8 also comes in several sizes, for a total of five variants. You can get the Fenix 8 Solar with a 47mm or 51mm display, while the Fenix 8 (with the AMOLED display but no solar) comes in 43mm, 47mm, or 51mm.
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 only comes in one size: 49mm, has no solar power, but it does have a very, very good OLED display.
Got all that? Great, let’s continue.
Massive difference in battery life
Doing a lot of very long trail runs? The Garmin Fenix 8 should be able to keep up with you. Credit: Garmin
This is Apple Watch Ultra 2’s weak spot. It offers, per Apple’s specs, up to 36 hours of battery life in normal use, and up to 72 hours in Low Power Mode. That’s a lot better than the regular Apple Watch, but it lags far behind Garmin’s best.
Garmin Fenix 8 offers a whopping 29 days of battery life, or 13 days with the always-on display option on. If you opt for the Fenix 8 Solar, this goes up to 30 days, or 48 days with solar charging (this assumes a lot of exposure to sunlight).
That’s for the largest, 51mm variants of the Garmin. But even the smaller, 47mm version offers up to 16 days (7 days with always-on display on), or 21 days (28 days with solar charging). Finally, the 43mm version offers up to 10 days of battery life, (4 days with always-on display on).
This gets even more complicated when you add the various use cases and options that Garmin offers, such as Battery Saver mode, Expedition GPS mode, or Max Battery GPS mode. If you turn all satellite systems on and listen to music, for example, the battery life on the 51mm Fenix 8 goes down to 18 hours. Check out Garmin’s spec sheet for all the details.
Mashable Top Stories
The bottom line, however, is that with the Garmin (per DC Rainmaker’s incredibly thorough testing), will get you something like 6 days of regular use with some sports use thrown into the mix, while also giving you the option to extend that into weeks if needed.
Still no standalone calls
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 can make phone calls even when your phone isn’t with you. Credit: Apple
The Garmin Fenix 8 has another big addition: a microphone and speaker for calls, and invoking a personal assistant. You’d think that this makes it on par with the Apple Watch Ultra…but unfortunately it doesn’t, because the Fenix 8, perplexingly, does not have cellular connectivity, so it relies on your phone to make calls.
Think about it: If you have a watch with a battery that lasts for days, and the ability to make calls, you’ll be a little safer and more connected when you go for a long hike or other outdoorsy adventure. But if said watch relies on your phone to make calls, then you’ll have to carry a phone and an additional battery with you, which sort of defeats the purpose of this feature.
As is, it’s still a welcome improvement. With the new Garmin Fenix 8, you’ll be able to answer that call mid-workout without reaching for your phone. But the Apple Watch Ultra 2, which has cellular connectivity, still wins in this regard.
Voice assistant, but basic
Similarly, the Garmin Fenix 8 now offers an offline Garmin voice assistant. This requires zero connectivity, which is nice, and it will let you perform basic tasks like start the timer, play some music, or start a workout. But that’s pretty much as advanced as it gets.
Garmin also supports Apple’s Siri, as well as Google and Samsung’s voice assistant, but those work via your phone (depending on the model) aren’t directly patched into Garmin’s smarts, so you can’t use them to control Garmin-specific features.
In contrast, Apple Watch Ultra 2 is well integrated with Apple’s own voice assistant, Siri. Garmin is closing the gap a little bit here, and we haven’t tested it ourselves yet, but it seems like Apple is ahead in this regard.
New diving features
Hey recreational divers, Garmin’s got something for you. Credit: Garmin
When Apple launched its Ultra smartwatch, it did something interesting by adding well thought out support for recreational diving features. Typically, pro divers will want to use a dedicated diving computer (Garmin sells those as well), but Apple Watch Ultra 2 has a nice set of features that will satisfy most recreational divers.
Now, Garmin Fenix 8 supports diving-related features as well — and yes, it does seem like Garmin had its mind on the Apple Watch Ultra 2 when it designed the new Fenix.
On the hardware level, the Fenix 8 now has a depth gauge and leak-proof metal buttons (the Ultra 2 doesn’t have these). But it goes further than that, essentially adding a ton of functionality from its pro-grade Descent lineup of diving watches. In short, it supports scuba and apnea dive activities, and overall matches the Apple Watch Ultra’s diving features. It’s very close to a tie between the Fenix 8 and the Ultra 2, though Garmin’s pro-diving pedigree does give a slight nod to the Fenix 8.
About that price
We’ve got bad news here. Garmin Fenix 8 starts $999.99, and that’s for the 43mm AMOLED model. The 47mm variant (both Solar and AMOLED) costs $1,099.99, and the largest, 51mm version costs $1,199.99.
This is pricier than the Garmin Fenix 7 at launch and, more importantly, a lot more expensive than the $799 Apple Watch Ultra 2. Apple products aren’t cheap, and when you’re selling a competing product at this much of a premium, it’s a pretty big statement — or a mistake.
Is the Garmin Fenix 8 better than Apple Watch Ultra? Yes and no.
Garmin had an obvious intention to catch up with the Apple Watch Ultra 2 in all areas where it lagged behind, while improving even further in the battery life department.
And yeah, at a glance, the improvement do sound like the Fenix 8’s got everything the Ultra 2 has (sans Apple’s app ecosystem), while also offering massively better battery life and more versatile battery management.
However, the Fenix 8 still doesn’t offer cellular connectivity, which is a bit of a bummer, and its voice assistant isn’t as smart as Siri. It also costs a lot more than the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Also, the Ultra 2 might very soon get replaced with a new version, so we’d advice to wait until Apple’s September 9 event until deciding on either model.
A stylish home cinema smart projector with a novel five-channel dual-light optical engine and Dolby Vision? The Horizon Ultra went on sale late last year, and when I was recently given the opportunity to play catchup with the tech-packed home projector, I jumped at it.
China’s XGIMI founded in 2013, and formed an audio tech partnership with Harman Kardon the following year. The company signed with Google in 2015 to bring Android TV to the home projector market, which was realized with 2018’s MoGo Pro.
A new Horizon home cinema line was introduced in 2020, and we were very impressed after the 4K-capable Pro model made its way to our review bench. Now that range has a new flagship, with a new look and a dual-light optical engine.
During its research, XGIMI found that single-laser projectors offered high brightness but could let the show down in the color reproduction and quality departments. Triple lasers did better on the color front, but some thought visuals to be “frosty and grainy” and suffer from color fringing. LED light sources, meanwhile, could result in more natural colors but were often relegated to after-dark viewing only due to relatively low brightness output.
The dual-light optical engine channels one laser and four LED sources for the promise of vibrant, color-rich visuals day or night
XGIMI
After much tweaking, the company’s engineers managed to combine both technologies in one five-channel optical engine – comprising one red laser, one red LED, one green LED and two blue LEDs. The first model to feature this dual-light technology is the Horizon Ultra.
It’s rated output is 2,300 ISO lumens, making it the brightest Horizon projector so far. However, this did have me wondering whether that figure was actually on the low side, as viewing HDR content during daylight hours with the blinds partially drawn was detailed and sharp, color-rich and washout-free.
The Ultra doesn’t offer native 4K projection, but sports fast-pixel-shifting DLP with 0.47-inch DMD to deliver visuals at 3,840 x 2,160 resolution. A 1.2 to1.5:1 throw ratio makes for image rectangles from 40 diagonal inches right up to 200, though the recommended maximum is 120 inches. I don’t have a screen or spare wall that big, so had to “make do” with 80 inches.
The smart projector also boasts Dolby Vision support for scene-by-scene adjustments, with support for HDR10 and HLG too. XGIMI states that it can cover 99.9% of the Rec.709 color gamut and more than 95% of the wide DCI-P3 standard, which did in fact translate into wholly impressive onscreen imagery.
The Horizon Ultra 4K smart projector has a throw ratio of 1.2 to 1.5:1, and can project images at up to 200 diagonal inches
XGIMI
In use, auto-detected HDR content was delivered with aplomb, offering vivid, rich colors and a nice sense of depth backed up with impressive brightness chops. However, I found myself watching quite a few videos with the High Color Accuracy setting engaged instead, for a more natural feel to the delivered content – at least to my eyes.
It is worth mentioning that though the Ultra doesn’t manage TV-level handling of darker scenes – black can often appear as dark gray – it performs better than expected for its price tag, and this doesn’t detract too much from an overall excellent performance.
DLP projectors also have a bit of a bad rep for producing the rainbow effect, where color stripes dance around the edges of your vision, but I didn’t clock any of that naughtiness going on here. That’s not to say it won’t happen, just that I didn’t see it happen during my review.
Of note here are the motorized optical zoom chops, with ease of placement further assisted by XGIMI’s ISA 3.0 image adaptation hardware/software technology – which includes auto keystone, autofocus, screen alignment, eye protection (which drops the output from the light source when someone passes in front), obstacle avoidance and wall color adjustment.
The projector can be plonked on a coffee table, but also comes with a tripod mount – though at 11.5 lb (5.2 kg) you’ll need a sturdy one. It supports off-center setup angles up to 45 degrees, but I did notice some sharpness loss at the more exaggerated angles. I suffered the occasional ISA misfire too, resulting in the viewing rectangle being more of an irregular trapezoid (corrected by moving the unit or tapping the remote to trigger a retry).
The Horizon Ultra 4K smart projector is a design departure for XGIMI, with its Misty Gold colors meant to stand out less than the black/gray of old
Paul Ridden/New Atlas
There are a number of preset picture and brightness modes to choose from, including custom fine-tuning of parameters like contrast, saturation, gamma and color temperature. A feature in the settings can also automatically adjust color and brightness based on the ambient light detected by its sensors. A dynamic iris feature is available for dialing such parameters up or down, plus the option to enable bright/dark room options when watching Dolby Vision content is included. And three levels of motion compensation can be set as well, or disabled.
Taking care of business inside is a quad-core MT9629 smart display SoC with dedicated Mali graphics and AI processing chops, supported by 2 GB of RAM and 32 GB of storage. Bluetooth 5.2 and Wi-Fi 6 wireless connectivity feature too, and the Google partnership means that Android TV 11 is at the heart of the watch experience.
This might not be quite as swanky as Google TV but is pretty straightforward in use and includes shortcuts for Prime Video, Disney Plus, Paramount Plus and Apple TV as well as access to thousands of entertainment apps via the Play Store. Native Netflix is not possible here, so you’ll need a workaround or a streaming stick. Support for 3D content is available though, but you’ll need to buy a pair of glasses.
The unit’s two HDMI ports support 4K/60Hz frame rates, one of which has audio return for routing Atmos soundtracks to eARC-capable soundbars or home theater systems. That frame rate might not be sufficient for dedicated console gamers, but the projector does boast a game mode that reportedly gets input lag down to around 18 milliseconds. I’m not a console gamer, so didn’t get the opportunity to test this spec for myself. Rounding out cabling options are a pair of USB 2.0 ports, Ethernet LAN, and optical audio out plus a 3.5-mm headphone jack.
The Horizon Ultra has built-in Harman Kardon speakers so you may never need to cable up the smart projector to a soundbar or AVR
Paul Ridden/New Atlas
The fruits of the other big-name partnership sees a pair of 12-W Harman Kardon speakers supporting DTS-HD and a Dolby suite that includes Studio Sound and Digital Plus. The sound is thrown out of the front, but mostly seemed to come from somewhere near the screen a few feet away to offer a goodly amount of detail wherever the watch party is seated in the room.
Around 30% volume proved more than enough to reach the corners of my open-plan living room, with enough bass end in the mix for engaging action scenes. In short, you shouldn’t need to make use of the ARC or optical connections for satisfying audio in general use, though it’s always good to see them included.
The Ultra represents something of a design departure for XGIMI, and is aimed at serving as a stylish focal point in the living room rather than something that’s shoved in a corner between uses. It’s still boxy, but has neutral colors and a high-end look so as not to impose on living room decor – though most of my other audiovisual hardware is tasty hi-fi black so it kinda failed its first mission in my house.
When powered on, the lens cover that stretches across the upper front of the housing is lowered by motor to become a speaker grille, revealing the lens and sensors. There’s venting to the bottom and rear to help keep the system from running hot. Operational noise is generally not loud enough to spoil viewing, but certain settings – such as bright and performance modes – can result in a noticeable bump in fan noise.
Apart from a power-on button around back, the Ultra lacks on-device controls, instead wholly relying on the same Bluetooth remote as the Aura I reviewed a while back, which is easy enough to navigate but doesn’t have a backlight so stabbing in the dark could be a problem. Google Assistant is ready to take your voice commands however.
Though described as portable, the projector is powered by a sizeable and rather heavy DC adapter brick in a similar gold color, which shouldn’t be an issue unless you’re planning to ceiling mount it, when cable management and positioning might be a head scratcher.
When powered on, the Horizon Ultra 4K smart projector’s fabric grille lowers to reveal the projection engine
XGIMI
The bottom line
Smart projectors – particularly ultra-short-throw beasts – are often pitched as big-screen TV replacements, and certainly have their pros (such as not dominating a living space until it’s showtime) and cons (including not being in the same league for handling dark scenes as modern TVs).
The dual-light technology at the heart of the Horizon Ultra is an intriguing solution to address known shortcomings of laser and LED light sources. And it appears to work, with the projector delivering bright, vivid, rich and detailed visuals supported by capable built-in sound.
Currently the top model in the Horizon family – at least until the Max arrives some time this year – the Ultra is on sale now for US$1,699 – which is quite an attractive price point for such a powerful home entertainment hub. Highly recommended.
