TL;DR: the best last-gen Sony headphones on the market just scored a whopping 50% discount during Amazon's Labor Day sale.
Labor Day is upon us, which means retailers all across the web are slashing prices on a bunch of our favorite tech, from Android smartphones and wearables to laptops and wireless headphones.
I've been covering sale events like this for years, but that doesn't mean I can't be surprised from time to time. Case in point: Amazon is currently slashing 50% off the Sony WH-1000XM5, a pair of flagship cans that once topped our list of the best wireless headphones that money can buy.
Sure, these noise-cancelling headphones have since been supplanted by the newer Sony WH-1000XM6, but if you want to enjoy a premium listening experience for cheap, going with the last-gen XM5 is one of the best ways to do so, particularly when you slap on a record-smashing discount. You can thank me later.
For a limited time, Amazon is carving a straight 50% off the price of the Sony WH-1000XM5, knocking these legendary headphones down to just shy of 200 bucks. Amazon's Labor Day sale ends on September 7th, however, so don't wait too long to take advantage of this offer. View Deal
Despite their last-gen status, the Sony WH-1000XM5 continue to impress as some of the best noise-cancelling headphones that money can buy. You get powerful active noise cancellation (ANC) straight out of the box along with the excellent sound quality that Sony is famous for, plus the cans boast a comfortable fit, a ton of customizable EQ settings (with 10 presets), and up to 30 hours of battery life on a single charge.
The headphones also come with four built-in microphones for voice calls, while multipoint connection means that you can connect your Sony XM5 to two Bluetooth devices simultaneously. Your purchase will even come with a free carrying case, which, considering the rigid construction of the XM5, is a nice bonus.
Sure, the Sony WH-1000XM6 (currently $398 at Amazon) technically offer a better experience, with longer battery life, a new QN3 processor, and a flexible build, but I'm not sure these upgrades are worth the steep price tag.
Indeed, if you want the flagship Sony audio experience for less than $200, this Labor Day discount is one of the best headphone deals on the web. Amazon's Labor Day sale ends on September 7th, however, so I'd either buy now or prepare to wait until Black Friday season rolls around in a few months. The choice is yours.
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That discount drops the Pixel 11 Pro XL down to only $5 per month for 36 months, no trade-in required! Of course, Unlimited Ultimate plan is also Verizon's most expensive data plan, so is this deal actually worth the price of entry? Let's break down all of the pros and cons to find out if this Verizon deal is right for you.
Buy the Pixel 11 Pro XL for 5 bucks per month during Verizon's Labor Day sale
The Pixel 11 Pro XL is the most powerful (and expensive) phone in Google's flagship lineup, and now you can grab the device for only $5 per month for 36 months when you add a line with the Unlimited Ultimate plan at Verizon. That's $1,119.99 in total savings, no trade-in required!View Deal
✅ Recommended if: you want to upgrade to one of the best unlimited plans in the business, regardless of cost; you're looking for a good way to get a powerful Pixel phone and an outstanding wireless plan in one fell swoop.
❌ Skip this deal if: you want to save money on your phone bill; you prefer the simplicity of buying unlocked phones; you're looking for a trade-in opportunity.
For starters, it's important to note that Verizon's Unlimited Ultimate plan generally starts around $105/month for a single line, although you can reduce that price significantly by adding multiple lines and taking advantage of promotional pricing. Add four lines with AutoPay and paper-free billing, for instance, and you can enjoy the benefits of the Unlimited Ultimate plan for as little as $57.60/month for each line.
If you can afford it, the Unlimited Ultimate plan does offer a lot of great features that make up for the steep price tag. You get unlimited talk, text, and 5G Ultra Wideband data, in addition to an unlimited mobile hotspot, 4K video streaming, and a ton of international benefits when you travel.
What about the phone?
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
Lightweight and thinner than ever, the Pixel 11 Pro XL is one of the best phones that Google has ever created, with a powerful Tensor G6 chipset, 12GB of RAM as standard, and a gorgeous 6.8-inch AMOLED display. You also get some upgraded camera tech, seven years of guaranteed software support, and a larger battery than previous generations, making the Pixel 11 Pro XL an absolute beast of Android performance.
Furthermore — and this is mostly a cosmetic upgrade — the Pixel 11 Pro XL features the new HiLight LED light array that borders the phone's camera bar. This little light indicator silently glows when you get a notification or use the phone's AI features, plus it can be customized to match your style.
Sure, it wasn't the massive upgrade that we were hoping for when comparing the phone to last year's model, but if you can get a good deal, the Pixel 11 Pro XL is a no-brainer for any Android enthusiast in 2026.
My take on Verizon's Labor Day deal
In conclusion, I'd really only take advantage of this deal if you can afford the wireless. This Verizon promotion makes the most sense if you've already been eyeing the Unlimited Ultimate plan and want to snag a great phone at the same time. And indeed, Unlimited Ultimate is awesome if you can afford it.
For everyone else, you'd be better off looking for a straight discount or trade-in opportunity. Some carriers (like T-Mobile) will offer some major savings if you add a line and send in an old or broken phone when purchasing the Google Pixel 11 Pro XL. Otherwise, you'll need to wait until Black Friday season kicks off if you want a good discount on the latest Pixel phones.
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For the past week, I've been spending the bulk of my gaming sessions using the Razer Prio, a new pocket-sized mobile controller from the iconic brand. I'm extremely picky about my mobile controllers and rarely ever like smaller ones. The GameSir Galileo G8 is my favorite to date, and that thing is a hefty chonk.
But the Razer Prio has convinced me that smaller can be better when it's done right. I've complained about Razer's smaller controllers in the past — the Kishi V2 was particularly annoying to me because of the Switch-like joysticks — but Razer has defied my expectations by creating a tiny controller that not only feels good to use but also fits perfectly in my pocket.
And while the controller looks similar to a Nintendo Switch-style one when connected to a phone, its unique design lets it fold down to half the size, protecting the buttons and joysticks in a very Game Boy or Nintendo DS way. Here's what you need to know about Razer's new $99 controller.
Nailing the basics
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
Going into this review, I was skeptical. I'm extremely particular about joysticks on controllers, and Razer didn't have the best track record there in my experience. Not only are the Prio's joysticks impressive in their own right, but they're downright miraculous considering what the competition pulled off at this size.
They felt every bit as good running around in The Witcher 3 Remastered (on GeForce Now) as they did catching victory royales in Fortnite. I've never used a controller of this size that worked this well for this many genres, especially shooters. Small, short joysticks usually mean poor precision, but Razer did something different here, and it shows.
The company says these are "contactless" capacitive sensors. I can't recall ever using a controller with this style before, but I've been quite happy with the feel. Razer ensures that these are drift-free, which is always great to hear.
All the buttons feel great, and this uses a real D-Pad with separate directions, not one of those weird circular ones I hate. Despite their diminutive size, the face buttons are all easy to press and feel good. They're extremely quiet and barely make any noise, even when button mashing.
The bumpers on the top of each side are simple, standard buttons, while the triggers are analog and have a surprising amount of travel. This gives you more precision in games where that sort of thing matters (racing games, for example).
You'll also find standard start, menu, home, and Razer Nexus buttons for launching Razer's app. This app acts as a launcher for all your games and supports PC streaming via Razer's software. You can also customize many aspects of the controller, although my pre-release review unit didn't have this functionality enabled yet.
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
And what good is a travel controller if it takes up a ton of room in your bag? I've faced this issue with my other favorite controllers and had to go without them before, but that'll never happen again, thanks to the Prio. This thing fits very comfortably in a pocket and is about the size of a standard wallet.
Plus, it weighs next to nothing in your hand compared to other controllers. My favorite controller, the GameSir G8 Galileo, weighs 252g. The Razer Prio is just 101g. Yeah, it's a huge difference. I've got moderate-sized hands, but this controller still felt comfortable to use for a long time without cramping. Folks with large hands might not have such a positive experience, though.
Nicholas Sutrich / Android CentralNicholas Sutrich / Android CentralNicholas Sutrich / Android Central
The Prio's unique rubber band swivel at the back ensures a nice, tight fit around your phone without adding weight. Again, I was skeptical of this design going into the review, but it proved me wrong. It also helps that Razer ships this with three different sizes and shapes of rubber pads in the box for wider phone support.
If you're a gamer who never takes the case off your phone to play, don't worry, because this controller will definitely work with your existing case. I tested this with a Dbrand Tank case on a Pixel 10 Pro since it's the thickest case I have, and it fit right in once I removed the Prio's rubber pads.
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
The design's downside is that it doesn't support phones with particularly large camera islands (like the Honor Magic 8 Pro), and book-style foldables (like the Galaxy Z Fold 8) won't fit when the phone is folded closed. The main culprit here is the interlocking tabs that keep the case locked when closed, but get in the way of large camera islands or thicker phones.
Since this controller is USB-C, it doesn't need to be charged or paired; just plug it in and game. You don't even need the Razer app if you don't want it! The downside is that there's no passthrough charging support and no way to even add in a MagSafe battery, so make sure you charge before you play.
All in all, this is a very impressive travel controller that will stay in my travel bag for the foreseeable future.
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Last year's POCO F8 Ultra was one of my favorite phones. It had a delightful denim-based design, powerful internals, great cameras, standout battery, and didn't cost anywhere as much as its rivals. Basically, POCO delivered one of the best value flagships of the year with the device.
In 2026, the brand is continuing that trend with the F9 Ultra and F9 Pro. The F9 Ultra isn't too different to its predecessor, and that is unquestionably a good thing. There is a bigger 8,050mAh battery that lasts two days with ease, a new 200MP main camera, and a model with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage, which is what I'm using.
The F9 Ultra is coming to 25 countries globally, including the U.K., Germany, Spain, Italy, Thailand, Malaysia, Indonesia, Mexico, and the UAE. Annoyingly, it isn't launching in India, and I don't quite understand why that's the case — POCO has a strong userbase in the country, and the device should do well considering its intended audience.
Let's start with what it costs. The F9 Ultra comes with 12GB of RAM and 256GB of storage, and it costs the equivalent of $799, with an early-bird deal of $729. It is costlier in the west, retailing for €1,099 ($1,273), but the launch price of €829 ($961) makes it that much more accessible. Then there's the 16GB/512GB model that costs $949 ($799 at launch), and €1,199 ($1,389) (€899 ($1,042) at launch). The 16GB/1TB model is $1,199 in Asian markets with a deal price of $1,059, and it comes out to €1,399 ($1,621) in the west, with the deal lowering it to €1,199 ($1,389).
The F9 Pro, on the other hand, costs $699 for the 12GB/256GB edition, and $769 for the 12GB/512GB model. Obviously, you're still paying a lot of cash towards either phone, but it isn't anywhere as much as a regular flagship.
Having used the F9 Ultra for a week, it's evident that POCO once again managed to deliver a standout phone. I'm a little annoyed that it didn't retain the denim finish — it made the phone so distinctive — but the Dark Cherry model is equally good-looking this year, and the design is eerily similar to what the iPhone 18 Pro is touted to look like based on the leaks. I'm guessing that's intentional, and whatever the reason, the F9 Ultra looks great.
It is on the heavier side at 235g, but weight distribution is ideal, and the matte texture makes the phone a delight to use. The camera island is wide — similar to the iPhone 17 Pro — and it doesn't lead to any wobble when using on a desk, which is a definite positive. You get IP68 dust and water resistance, an ultrasonic sensor that's fast to authenticate and is located in the right position (thankfully), and Xiaomi's interesting offline mode that lets you make calls with another Xiaomi phone without a cell signal (up to two kilometers).
There's a dedicated Bose woofer (like last year), and onboard audio is the best of any phone today. It gets loud and detailed, and honestly, POCO deserves a lot of credit for nailing the 2.1 audio configuration on a phone. Oh, and there's a ring encircling the Bose woofer, and it lights up — similar to HiLight on the Pixel 11 Pro Fold — and it is handy if you want to view notifications while the phone is face-down.
The 6.9-inch AMOLED panel is unchanged to last year, and you get the same WildBoost engine that makes gaming a little smoother. The difference isn't big enough that I'd suggest getting this over something like the Redmagic 11 Pro, but it is better than most mainstream phones. The panel itself is bright and has good colors, and it does a good job with HDR content.
Because of the accelerated launch window (the phone is launching 10 months after its predecessor), there isn't a change of silicon, and that's absolutely fine by me — the 8 Elite Gen 5 is still the best that Qualcomm has to offer. It tends to overheat while gaming, but not quite to the same extent as the F8 Ultra, so that is good to see.
Another positive is the silicon-carbon battery tech. The phone gets a huge 8,050mAh battery with a decent 16% silicon-carbon content in the anode, and it easily lasts two days even with heavy use. There's 100W charging as well, and the phone takes less than an hour to fully charge the battery.
I also like the camera on the F9 Ultra; there's a new 200MP main camera that takes great photos in just about any situation. The wide-angle lens is average, and the phone in general doesn't do that good a job with videos. That said, the 5x tele lens is pretty decent.
The biggest annoyance with the F9 Ultra is the software. The phone runs Android 16 out of the box, and I don't understand why it doesn't have Android 17. POCO has to do better in this area, and the software in general is in need of an overhaul. Of course, that's reliant on Xiaomi, and with the brand dragging its heels, it may be a while before you see any positive momentum on the software front. On that subject, the phone will get four Android updates, which is on the lower end of the scale.
All things considered, POCO has another winner in the F9 Ultra — the phone has reliable internals and cameras, standout battery life, and looks great. The software is annoying, but that's the case with every Xiaomi phone until the brand rolls out its long-overdue redesign, and for what it's worth, I prefer using POCO phones to Xiaomi or Redmi models in this category now. If you need a value flagship in 2026, the F9 Ultra is now one of the best choices.
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The Google TV Streamer has jumped from $100 to $150 at the Google Store and Best Buy.
Retailers including Amazon may still have older stock at the original price, but supplies could disappear quickly.
The Nest lineup also gets across-the-board markups, with all five Nest cameras and doorbells seeing price increases of $20 to $50.
If you've been holding off on picking up Google’s smart home hardware, your hesitation just got a lot more expensive. The tech giant has quietly increased prices across its streaming and security hardware lineup.
The Google TV Streamer arrived in 2024 for $100, replacing Chromecast as Google’s flagship streaming box. It was also pretty easy to find below that price, with holiday discounts knocking a few bucks off. Now, Google has quietly bumped up the device’s price by $50 to $150, as spotted by 9to5Google.
The new price is already appearing at Google Store and Best Buy, though some retailers are still selling remaining stock for $100. For example, not all listings have been refreshed by Amazon yet. If you are fast enough, you may be able to pick up older stock at launch prices before it is cycled out.
Google mentions increased component costs, with the Streamer’s 4GB of RAM and 32GB of storage making memory costs a likely factor behind the increase. Other recent Google hardware has already been under the same broader cost pressures.
(Image credit: Google)
The Nest lineup is taking a hit, too. Google has increased the price of all five of its currently available cameras and doorbells by $20 to $50. The battery-powered Nest Cam is now $200, up from $180, while the second-generation wired Nest Cam Outdoor jumps from $150 to $200.
The third-generation wired Nest Cam Indoor rises to $130 from $100. Both the wired and battery Nest Doorbells now cost $200, up from $180.
Interestingly, the Nest Cam with Floodlight bundle is still priced at $280, and the Nest Hub, thermostats, and the new Google Home Speaker remain unchanged for now.
These changes went into effect August 31, Google says, and with component costs still a big part of hardware pricing, it may be a lot harder to find these older launch prices.
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Android 17 QPR2 has officially hit Platform Stability with Beta 4, meaning APIs are locked and the update is in its final stretch focused entirely on system polish and bug fixes.
Google fixed several Pixel pain points, including overheating, unexpected reboots, gesture navigation, battery-limit charging, Recents, Bluetooth audio, and screen-recording issues.
Hardware support gets attention, too, with fixes for USB-C XR mirroring, 3D smart-glasses displays, and low-light Face Unlock.
Google’s Android 17 QPR2 beta cycle is moving into its final stretch. Beta 1 was released on July 20, with Beta 2 following on 3 August and Beta 3 only 11 days later. Now, Beta 4 has arrived with a long list of fixes, and more importantly, Android 17 QPR2 has reached Platform Stability.
That milestone means Google has locked the API surface for the release, giving developers a much more stable target for testing apps ahead of the update reaching users more broadly. QPR2 is a pretty small SDK update that has no planned behavior changes, so this build is much more about polish, stability, and fixing things that could make a Pixel frustrating to use.
Critical bug fixes
And there are a lot of things to fix. As per the changelog, Beta 4 resolves a bug in thermal management that could cause overheating and reboots. Another solution is for the 80% battery limit feature that takes way too long to finish charging the last 2%. Google has also fixed broken gesture navigation and a transparent status bar that could appear after full-screen video with specific display-cutout settings enabled.
You'll see that polish in everyday Pixel features as well. The search in the app drawer may stop accepting text input. Bluetooth call audio may be routed incorrectly through the phone speaker. The Recents screen may freeze or visually clip app cards. Google also fixed a bug with screen-recording audio that could cause microphones to be unavailable to apps such as Gboard and Gemini until a reboot.
There’s some interesting hardware cleanup, too. Beta 4 brings back screen mirroring for USB-C XR glasses and fixes blank screens in 3D mode for connected smart glasses. It also solved Face Unlock issues in low-light conditions that would take users straight to a PIN.
Android 17 QPR2 is also beefing up the protection against call-forwarding scams by limiting some USSD-based forwarding commands and requiring confirmation when users manually dial them.
Positive user feedback
Reddit users who own Pixels are giving surprisingly positive early feedback. One Pixel 9a owner called Beta 4 the most stable QPR2 build yet, with the lag gone and performance noticeably improved. Another Pixel 8 owner said that the phone now feels "fast."
Beta 4 isn’t perfect, though. Some testers complained about oversized text and a lower display resolution after installing the update, though one user said a reboot fixed everything. At least one tester also states that a Bluetooth routing issue for incoming calls has persisted across all four QPR2 betas, with them having to manually select the Bluetooth audio source.
Beta 4 is rolling out to a wide range of Pixel phones and tablets, with Pixel 11 support listed as “coming soon” for now. Some early beta testers on Reddit said a download of about 671MB on a Pixel 9 Pro XL, with a few rollout quirks and some confusion on the update screen.
If you're already a Pixel owner and are enrolled in the beta, you'll get the update over the air. Just know that if you leave the program after installing Beta 4, it can wipe your data.
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The Galaxy S27 Ultra could replace its 3x and 5x telephoto cameras with a single new 4x f/1.9 zoom camera.
The rumored 4x telephoto camera would match the native optical zoom of the iPhone 17 Pro.
Leaked CAD renders appear to show room for only one telephoto camera alongside the Galaxy S27 Ultra's main sensors.
A new leak may have revealed the new zoom camera Samsung is planning for the Galaxy S27 Ultra.
The Galaxy S27 Ultra is finally starting to take shape. We recently saw CAD renders of the Galaxy S27 Ultra that revealed a redesigned camera module with an iPhone 17 Pro-like horizontal camera plateau. Another leak also suggested that Samsung might finally increase the battery capacity on its upcoming flagship.
Until now, Samsung has used two different zoom cameras on its recent Ultra flagships, traditionally offering a combination of 3x and 5x telephoto lenses. But with the Galaxy S27 Ultra, it looks like Samsung could be changing that strategy.
(Image credit: Nicholas Sutrich / Android Central)
The company will reportedly switch to a single telephoto camera offering 4x optical zoom. Interestingly, that's also the zoom level Apple offers on the iPhone 17 Pro.
The recently leaked CAD renders also appear to leave room for only one telephoto camera inside the pill-shaped module next to the two main cameras on the horizontal camera plateau, so that could be where this new 4x camera sits.
Samsung is testing a super telephoto (1/1.9 4x)August 30, 2026
The leaker hasn't revealed the megapixel count or any other specifications of the new sensor just yet. But with the Galaxy S27 Ultra still around six months away, we expect to learn much more about the camera setup as we get closer to launch.
Of course, there's still plenty of time for Samsung to change things before the hardware is finalized. But between the redesigned camera module, rumored larger battery, self-healing display glass, and now this new 4x telephoto camera, we're finally starting to get a clearer picture of the direction Samsung could be taking with the Galaxy S27 Ultra
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