Amazon’s latest Echo Dot smart speaker is on its biggest sale

It’s time to kick off another week of deals, and what better way than with promos like a smart speaker hitting its lowest price yet and a new TV getting a nice discount? Amazon’s bulbous Echo Dot is one of the most affordable ways to brighten up your home, and it’s cheaper now than ever before. You can pick up the fourth-generation Echo Dot, which launched in 2020, for just $27.99 at Amazon or Best Buy in black, blue or white. That price is $22 off the regular price, even beating the discounts we saw around the holidays.

While this little speaker is cheap and compact, it supports the same Alexa voice commands as its more expensive counterparts, such as setting timers and controlling other devices in Amazon’s ecosystem of smart home devices. As an affordable speaker, it also sounds good for listening to music or podcasts – especially if you buy two for a stereo arrangement. Read our review†

Amazon Echo Dot (fourth generation)

The 2020 Echo Dot has a more spherical design than a true dot, but can still do all the things Alexa does with other Echo models.

Smart home speakers may sound good, but for bigger sound that’s portable, check out the Bose SoundLink Flex, which is currently $129 ($20 off) on Amazon and Best Buy† This model from Bose was just named the best Bluetooth speaker under $200 by roadside reviewer Chris Welch in our buying guide, and with this nice discount, it’s an even better value than usual.

The Bose SoundLink Flex is ideal for someone who wants a slim and portable battery powered speaker that doesn’t compromise on sound quality. It produces a rich, clear sound with no jumbled bass. Add around 12 hours of battery life and IP67 weather resistance, and you’ve got a recipe for a portable party that can last all day. Check out our Bluetooth speaker buying guide†

Bose SoundLink Flex

Bose’s latest Bluetooth speaker, the SoundLink Flex, offers pristine, detailed sound quality with a surprising amount of bass for its size – all in a rugged design you can take anywhere.

If you need a controller for Xbox consoles or PC, there are many good options to choose from. For those who prefer the traditional PlayStation layout with symmetrical (rather than offset) sticks in the middle, the 8BitDo Pro 2 for Xbox may be the gamepad you should buy. You can pick up this adorable controller for just $38.20 at Amazon, which is about $7 off the regular price.

It looks a bit quirky at first, like a cross between an SNES controller and DualShock with an Xbox logo in the middle. But it is comfortable to use and has an excellent D-pad. This wired controller connects via USB and is usable on Xbox Series X/S, Xbox One and Windows PCs. One of the best parts is that it even has two user-assignable buttons on the back and more customization options via the 8BitDo app.

Are you behind on your spring cleaning? The iRobot Roomba J7 robot vacuum can help you catch up, and it’s currently $399 at Amazon. It’s better than most options at this price point as it dodges obstacles to navigate around items or furniture. In addition, it can also prevent your pets from leaving unwanted presents (read: poop) on the floor. The vacuum was fooled by some fake poop during our testing, although iRobot promises to replace the robovac for free in the first year if that happens to you.

This Roomba J7 setup does not include the self-emptying station (which you can work with) an additional $200), but it is otherwise the same unit from an operational point of view. It offers good battery life, customizable shutdown zones and it works with Alexa, Google Assistant and even IFTTT if you want to automate your smart home technology.

iRobot Roomba j7

This robovac has obstacle avoidance that allows him to navigate around furniture and even smaller objects that he deems dangerous. In addition to cleaning on a set schedule, the j7 can also jump to work via voice commands or the Roomba app.

Samsung’s latest The Frame TV, its art-inspired TV, is $200 off in the 55-inch format at Amazon. This lowers the price of the 55-inch frame to $1,297.99 from the normal $1,497.99. We recently saw a similar discount on the smaller 43-inch model just when this TV was launched, but now you can save on one with a larger screen.

The appeal of the Frame TV is that it can provide a great TV experience as you watch and then transition into a work of art. It can display some artwork in standby mode, making your space feel more like a gallery than just a typical living room. This new 2022 model introduces a matte screen to reduce glare and make the artwork look much more convincing. This 55-inch model also supports 4K resolution with a fast 120 Hz refresh rate (the smaller 43-inch doesn’t do 120 Hz), so you can even game.

2022 Samsung The Frame TV (55″)

The latest model of Samsung’s aesthetically pleasing TV retains the same vibrant QLED screen as its predecessor, but uses a new low-reflection anti-reflective coating called “Matte Display”, which provides images with qualities similar to real canvas.

More offers for your Monday: