Entertainment
Save up to 53% with the best Echo device deals ahead of October Prime Day
UPDATE: Oct. 7, 2024, 11:00 a.m. EDT Updated with current pricing and availability.
We’re just one day away from the official kickoff of Amazon’s Prime Big Deal Days event, but that doesn’t mean you need to wait around for the best deals. We’ve already spotted some nice discounts on Amazon Echo devices. Here are some of the best Echo deals to shop today:
Early October Prime Day deals on Echo devices
Best Echo deal overall
Echo Show 8
$84.99 at Amazon
(save $65)
Best Echo deal for kids
Echo Dot Kids
$27.99 at Amazon
(save $32)
Best home organization deal
Echo Hub
$124.99 at Amazon
(save $35)
Amazon is well-known for many things, but today’s deals combine a couple of our favorites: smart home tech and serious savings.
We’re on the cusp of Prime Big Deal Days, and you can already take up to 53% off Amazon Echo devices ahead of the retailer’s big event on Oct. 8 and Oct. 9. Amazon devices are one of Mashable’s top recommendations for items to buy during the sale (and check out what not to buy for good measure).
Here are some of our favorite choices if you’re shopping Echo devices:
Best Echo deal overall
Why we like it
If you’re interested in a smart display, the Amazon Echo Show 8 is a great option that offers tons of features. Video chat with your parents, cue up some jazzy music while cleaning, or pull up a dinner recipe on the Echo Show 8. You can also use it as a way to check your calendar, display the weather, or control other Alexa-enabled devices.
In Mashable’s review of the best Echo devices, the Echo Show 8 earns the top spot for those looking for a budget-friendly smart display. However, thanks to today’s sale price of just $84.99, the Echo Show 8 is 43% off its typical price of $149.99.
Best deal for kids
Why we like it
For the kiddo or grandkid in your life, the Echo Dot Kids is a great device that can help them with independence. Coming in two adorable designs that depict either an owl or a dragon, the Echo Dot Kids allows kids to stream music, ask Alexa questions, set an alarm clock, or tune into a bedtime story. The device also comes with a year of free access to Amazon Kids+ which includes kid-friendly Audible audiobooks, games, morning routines, and more.
Amazon also includes a two-year warranty on the Echo Dot Kids, which means if the device breaks, Amazon will replace it for free within the first two years of ownership.
Mashable Deals
Ahead of Prime Day, the Echo Dot Kids is a true bargain at just $27.99 for 53% off — some of the best savings you can find ahead of Prime Big Deal Days.
Best home organization deal
Why we like it
Busy family schedules can be hard to keep track of. If you’re tired of re-writing the weekly schedule on the white board each Sunday, the Amazon Echo Hub could be ideal. The eight-inch smart home control panel allow you to synch up your family’s schedule, display the weather, play music, and more. The Echo Hub is also designed to link up with your other Alexa-enabled smart home systems like lights, security alarms, a smart thermostat, and video doorbells.
Ahead of Prime Big Deal Days, you can find the Echo Hub for $124.99. That’s $55 down from it’s listed $179.99.
More Echo device sales at Amazon
Entertainment
Last chance to score the latest Visual Studio Pro for just $43
TL;DR: Visual Studio 2026 brings AI-assisted coding, real-time collaboration, and cross-platform development into one powerful IDE, and it’s on sale only through today.
$42.97
$499.99
Save $457.02
Modern development demands more than just a code editor — it calls for a smarter, faster, and more collaborative environment. And Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 is designed to simplify things in a very real way.
This latest version leans heavily into what modern developers actually need: speed, flexibility, and smarter tooling. Built as a fully 64-bit IDE, it handles large solutions and complex workloads without the usual slowdowns, which is especially noticeable when you’re working across multiple projects or environments.
Mashable Deals
One of the biggest upgrades here is how seamlessly AI is integrated into your workflow. Instead of feeling like an add-on, features like IntelliCode actively learn from your codebase to suggest entire lines or blocks of code, help refactor on the fly, and reduce repetitive tasks. It’s less about replacing your workflow and more about quietly speeding it up.
On the cross-platform side, Visual Studio 2026 keeps things flexible. You can build everything from .NET MAUI mobile apps to web apps with Blazor, and even target Linux or container-based environments — all without jumping between tools. Add in hot reload, and you can make changes in real time without breaking your flow.
Collaboration also gets an upgrade. With Live Share, teammates can jump into your session, edit, debug, and test code together without needing to clone repos or configure their entire setup. It’s a small shift that can make a big difference in how quickly teams move.
Then there’s CodeLens, which surfaces insights like test status, commit history, and code references directly in your editor, so you’re not constantly context-switching just to understand what’s going on.
Don’t miss this 2026 upgrade while it’s on sale. Get Microsoft Visual Studio Professional 2026 while it’s just $42.97 (reg. $499.99) through April 19.
Mashable Deals
Grabbing this offer? Once your cart hits $100+, add Microsoft Office 2021 and apply GWP4MAC (for Mac) or GWP4WIND (for Windows) at checkout to get a lifetime license for free. Ends April 19.
Gift with $100+ purchase promo ends April 19, 2026. Exclusions apply. Only one promo code applicable per order. Prices subject to change.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
Get 56% off this 8-in-1 portable keyring
TL;DR: Charge On the go with 56% off this 8-in-1 keyring cable when you get the GoCable 8-in-1 EDC 100W Cable for just $21.99 (Reg. $49.99).
$21.99
$49.99
Save $28.00
Whether you’re an experienced adventurer or a newbie to the outdoors, there are certain tools you need, including (but not limited to) adequate hydration, proper gear, and backup power options for your phone. With the GoCable, 8 features are combined into one portable tool that might optimize your outdoor experiences.
Despite its tiny and discreet design, the eight features included in this versatile cable include:
-
Portable charging: 100W fast charging to speed up how long it takes to juice up your devices.
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Universal compatibility: Type-C to Type-C + Apple Lightning connectivity.
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LED display: Track your charging status with real-time visibility
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Magnetic cable consolidation: Manage your cables with a discreet design and magnets that prevent tangles.
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Bottle opener: Conveniently placed bottle opener for opening drinks on the go.
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Hidden cutter: Sleek and sharp cutting tool, tucked away for safety.
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Carabiner clip: Secure attachment with a clip-on carabiner.
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Fast transferring and processing: High-speed file transfer capability.
This portable keychain is just as at home on your backpack or on your desk. Unify all of your charging tools with this one streamlined tool, which doesn’t sacrifice charging speed for efficiency.
Whether you need to charge a device quickly while transferring files or you need an extra boost of charge on the go, this portable charger and keyring consolidates your convenience devices and your tech tools.
And with the carabiner, you can clip this keychain onto anywhere — from your clothes to your bags.
Get the GoCable 8-in-1 EDC 100W Cable for just $21.99 (Reg. $49.99).
Mashable Deals
Grabbing this offer? Once your cart hits $100+, add Microsoft Office 2021 and apply GWP4MAC (for Mac) or GWP4WIND (for Windows) at checkout to get a lifetime license for free. Ends April 19.
StackSocial prices subject to change.
Entertainment
BookCon 2026: Authors Rachel Reid, Stephanie Archer talk hockey romance and how it could change the sport for the better
With the fervor of Heated Rivalry, there’s a fierce desire among book readers for even more hockey. On Sunday, April 19, at BookCon, the “You Had Me at Hockey: A Look at One of Sports Romance’s Hottest Genres”, authors Rachel Reid (Heated Rivalry, Game Changer), Emily Rath (Pucking Around), Ngozi Ukazu (Check Please), Stephanie Archer (The Wild Card), and Kate Cochrane (Wake Up, Nat & Darcy) were joined by moderator and fellow author Bal Khabra (Collide) to discuss the rise and continued success of hockey romance.
Khabra kicked off the panel, asking just how hockey became so popular. Ukazu joked that it was as if the genre “escaped containment,” like when the Omegaverse went mainstream, while Reid described the mystery around hockey, saying, “what [the players] are doing seems impossible.” Archer also added that the sport itself is exceptionally hard on the body, and the celebrity around players, especially in Canada, is fun to play with.
But there’s more to the genre’s success than the tropes. “It has to be said,” Rath argued, “that the cornerstone of why this is so popular in publishing is racism.” She went on to say that straight, white women’s voices dominated the romance genre for so long, pointing out that hockey is also the whitest sport. Among major league sports, the NHL is the most predominantly white. In 2022, ESPN reported that 83.6% of league players and staff were white, compared to the NFL, where 25-27% of players are white, or the NBA, where white players make up 17.5% of the league.
Mashable Top Stories
Zooming into the genre, the authors also spoke about the writing process. They dove into the deeper aspects of their work, even the smut. Rath said, “I think the least sexy thing you can ever do is write a sex scene.” A similar sentiment came up during Reid’s Saturday panel, where she described using the sex scenes to further the emotional arc. When readers ask authors if they can skip the spice, Archer says of her own books, “No, you can’t skip the sex scenes. You’re missing so much character development if you don’t go on the journey with them.”
The panel turned to the future, too. Many of the authors write BIPOC and queer representation into their novels, in a genre that often centers on whiteness and homophobia. “We’re writing the world as we want it to be,” Rath said.
Reid has found that there is progress toward a future that these authors and their readers want to see, saying that the NHL is interested in working with them. “People on the inside, they really want to work toward change and want to make this happen.”
With the hockey fandom at an all-time high, there’s a whole team behind these authors ready to drive change.
