Entertainment
More than 300 Amazon Prime Day deals: Shop Roomba, Apple, Dyson, and other top brands before the sale ends tonight
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UPDATE: Oct. 9, 2024, 7:30 p.m. EDT This story has been updated with the best deals under $10 during the second day of the Prime Big Deal Days event.
Prime Big Deal Days is still going strong. Live now through Wednesday, Oct. 9, Amazon’s members-only “October Prime Day” sale presents shoppers with an opportunity to get an extra-early start on their holiday shopping before the chaos of Black Friday. (Head to our live blog to read all the latest coverage of the event.)
LIVE BLOG: Get the latest news on October Prime Day 2024
The retail giant is offering “millions of deals” over the course of the 48-hour sale, according to a press release, with new doorbusters arriving “as often as every five minutes” during certain portions of the sale — some totally worth it, some not. The Mashable Shopping team has almost 10 years of experience covering Prime events and knows how to comb through the noise, and we’ll be keeping track of the very best October Prime Day deals right here.
Prime Day deals you can shop right now
Products available for purchase here through affiliate links are selected by our merchandising team. If you buy something through links on our site, Mashable may earn an affiliate commission.
Best Apple deal
Why we like it
Read Mashable’s full review of the 13-inch Apple MacBook Air (M2).
“The 13-inch MacBook Air from mid-2022 is a Mashable Choice Award winner that combines “[rock]-solid battery life” with “a keyboard that’s to die for, and enough horsepower to handle everyday tasks with ease,” wrote tech and games reporter Alex Perry. It’s our current favorite ‘budget’ MacBook, and it’s now cheaper than ever before.
You can snag the base configuration with 8GB of RAM and 256GB of storage for $749, or $250 off its $999 MSRP. If it sells out on Amazon, check Best Buy: It was matching the deal at the time of writing.” — Haley Henschel, Senior Shopping Reporter
AirPods
AirTags and accessories
Apple Watches
-
Apple Watch SE, 2nd Gen (40mm, GPS) — $169.99
$249(save $79.01) -
Apple Watch SE (40mm, GPS + cellular) — $219.99
$299(save $79.01) -
Apple Watch SE (44m, GPS + cellular) — $249.99
$329(save $79.01) -
Apple Watch Series 9 (41mm, GPS) — $299
$399(save $100) -
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm, GPS) — $329
$429(save $100) -
Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm, GPS) — $380
$399(save $19) -
Apple Watch Series 10 (46mm, GPS) — $405.99
$429(save $23.01) -
Apple Watch Series 10 (42mm, GPS + cellular) — $470.36
$499(save $28.64) -
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm, GPS + cellular) — $599
$749(save $150) -
Apple Watch Ultra 2 (49mm, GPS + Cellular) — $734.89
$799(save $64.11)
iPads
-
Apple iPad, 10.2-inch (A13 Bionic, WiFi, 64GB) — $199
$329(save $130) -
Apple iPad, 10.9-inch (A14 Bionic, WiFi, 64GB) — $299
$349(save $50) -
Apple iPad mini, 8.3-inch (A15 Bionic, WiFi, 64GB) — $349.99
$499(save $149.01) -
Apple iPad Air, 11-inch (M2, WiFi, 128GB) — $546
$599(save $53) -
Apple iPad Air, 13-inch (M2, WiFi, 128GB) — $749
$799(save $50) -
Apple iPad Pro, 11-inch (M4, WiFi, 256GB)— $849$999 (save $150 with on-page coupon) -
Apple iPad Pro, 13-inch (M4, WiFi, 256GB) — $1,149
$1,299(save $150 with on-page coupon)
MacBooks
-
Apple MacBook Air, 13-inch (M3, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $849
$1,099(save $250) -
Apple MacBook Air, 15-inch (M3, 8GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $1,044
$1,299(save $255) -
Apple MacBook Pro, 14-inch (M3, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,699
$1,999(save $300)
Best Amazon device deal
Why we like it
“The new Fire HD 8 has the same display, processor, 13-hour battery life, and storage options as the older model, but Amazon’s added a gig of extra RAM for “enhanced performance while streaming, gaming, browsing, or downloading photos and videos.” (Don’t expect it to be super powerful, but more memory never anyone.) Its rear camera has also gotten a bump from 2MP to 5MP, which should translate to slightly better shots. On the software side, its newly added generative AI features include Writing Assist, Webpage Summaries, and a Wallpaper Creator.
No need to upgrade if you already own the previous model, but those in need of a new portable, affordable tablet should consider short-listing this guy. The 32GB base model is on sale for $54.99 through Oct. 9 (the second half of Prime Big Deal Days), which works out to a 45% savings.” — Haley Henschel, Senior Shopping Reporter
More Amazon device deals
Echo smart speakers
Echo smart displays
Kindles
Fire tablets
Eero WiFi devices
Amazon service deals
Best laptop deal
For deals on MacBooks, scroll back up to the “Apple deals” section. For deals on gaming laptops, scroll down to the “Gaming deals” section.
Why we like it
Read Mashable’s full review of the 13-inch Microsoft Surface Laptop 7.
“This upgraded configuration of the new Surface Laptop 7 features a Snapdragon X Elite processor with 32GB of RAM and 1TB of storage. With M3 Macbook-beating performance, a battery life of just under 23 hours, and some new AI-powered features that ‘make Windows fun again,’ per tech editor Kim Gedeon, it’s easily the best laptop we’ve tried so far in 2024. Just make sure you won’t into any app compatibility issues with Windows on ARM.
It usually retails for $1,999.99, but Amazon has it on sale for $1,699.99 during Prime Big Deal Days — a new record low. Note that it was price-matched at Best Buy and in the Microsoft Store at the time of writing.” — Haley Henschel, Senior Shopping Reporter
More laptop deals
Windows laptops
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Acer Swift Go 14 (Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $927.95
$999.99(save $72.04) -
LG gram 14 2in1 (Intel Core Ultra 5 125H, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD)— $759.99$1,299.99 (save $540) -
LG gram Pro 16 2in1 (Intel Core Ultra 7 155H, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,099.99
$1,599.99(save $500) -
Asus Zenbook Duo (Intel Core Ultra 7 155U, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,274.99
$1,499.99(save $225)
Chromebooks
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Asus Chromebook CX1 (Intel Celeron N4500, 8GB RAM, 64GB eMMC) — $189.99
$249.99(save $60) -
Lenovo IdeaPad 3i Chromebook (Intel Celeron N4500, 8GB RAM, 64GB eMMC) — $199.99
$289.99(save $90) -
Acer Chromebook 314 (Intel Processor N100, 4GB RAM, 64GB eMMC) — $199.99
$299.99(save $100) -
Acer Chromebook 516 GE (Intel Core i5-1240P, 16GB RAM, 256GB SSD) — $509.99
$599.99(save $90) -
Acer Chromebook Spin 514 (AMD Ryzen 5 5625C, 8GB RAM, 128GB eMMC) — $549.99
$699.99(save $150)
Best headphones deal
For deals on AirPods, scroll back up to the “Apple deals” section.
Why we like it
Read Mashable’s full review of the Amazon Echo Buds with Active Noise Cancellation.
“Simply put, you really don’t see earbuds with halfway decent active noise cancellation below $50, much less below $40. In my testing of budget noise-cancelling headphones, I found that the Anker Soundcore Life P3i earbuds fared well with noise-cancelling and audio quality for around $50. I opted for them instead of the Echo Buds because of the price discrepancy, but with the Echo Buds at a whopping 71% off, it’d be hard to recommend another pair of earbuds if you’re looking for the cheapest way to get the best ANC possible.
You’ll deal with some quirks like Amazon wanting you to lean heavy into using Alexa, and a battery life that’s nothing to write home about, for $35 you could do a lot worse.” — Bethany Allard, Lead Shopping Reporter
More headphones deals
Headphones
Earbuds
Best Bluetooth speaker deal
Why we like it
“Maybe your Bluetooth speaker kicked the dust this summer after one too many pool parties. If you find yourself in the market for a new one, Prime Day is an especially great time to hit add to cart.
If you need a speaker for a party, the JBL PartyBox is just that. Despite its large size, the shoulder strap makes it easy to carry. Plus, six hours of battery life keeps it running all night long. Built-in lights and a microphone really keep things turning up all night long.
This Prime Day, you can find the JBL PartyBox down to $299.95, saving $50 for 14% off.” — Samantha Mangino, Shopping Reporter
More Bluetooth speaker deals
Soundbar deals
Best TV deal
Why we like it
“Who says you need to spend a grand to get a nice (and decently sized) 4K TV? With the 35% discount that Amazon slapped on the 55-inch version of its most affordable Fire TV, Prime members could actually get one for two different rooms for way less than $1,000.
As Amazon’s most basic in-house Fire TV, the 4-Series would be best suited for people who aren’t super picky about saturation or brightness levels as long as it’s a step up from their old LED TV — and this definitely will be. With the intuitive Fire TV platform built-in, the 4-Series can access all of your favorite streaming apps, which you can arrange in whatever layout makes sense to you.” — Leah Stodart, Senior Shopping Reporter
More TV deals
50- to 55-inch TVs
65-inch TVs
75-inch TVs and up
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Roku 75-inch Select Series 4K TV— $499.99$799.99 (save $200) -
Amazon 75-inch Omni 4K Fire TV — $758.99
$1,049.99(save $291 with Prime) -
TCL 75-inch QM7 QLED 4K TV — $998.99
$1,499.99(save $501) -
Hisense 75-inch U8 Mini LED ULED 4K TV — $1,341.91
$1,999.99(save $658.08) -
LG 77-inch B3 OLED 4K TV — $1,796.99
$2,296.99(save $500) -
TCL 85-inch Q65 Mini LED ULED 4K TV— $899.99$1,599.99 (save $700) -
Sony 85-inch X77L 4K TV — $998
$1,498(save $500) -
Hisense 85-inch U8 Mini LED ULED 4K TV — $1,797.99
$2,799.99(save $1,002) -
Hisense 100-inch QD7 QLED 4K TV— $1,999.99$2,999.99 (save $1,000)
Best streaming deal
Why we like it
Is the Amazon Fire Stick 4K the best streamer we’ve ever tested? No, Roku takes the cake there. However, it still works perfectly fine, and not to mention, it’s hard to turn away from its delightful $30 price tag on Prime Day. Having tested the Amazon Fire Stick TV, set-up is easy, as simple as plugging it into an HDMI port in the back of your TV.
While the home screen is a little clunky and slow, full of ads and promotions for Prime Video content, it is a dream for those who primarily stream on the site. The Amazon Fire Stick 4K is down to $24.99, saving you $25 and 50% off.
More streaming deals
Best gaming deal
“The Razer BlackWidow V3 Mini is a high-end gaming keyboard that’s going for under $100 on Prime Big Deal Days (usually $199.99). The low-profile keyboard features wireless support, a lengthy battery life, and some of the best RGB customization in the business. If you’re serious about PC gaming but don’t have a lot of desk space, this gaming keyboard is the way to go, and it’s an absolute steal at the moment.” — Dylan Haas, Lead Shopping Reporter
More gaming deals
Gaming consoles
Gaming laptops
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Asus TUF Gaming A15 (AMD Ryzen 5 7535HS, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 2050, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $599
$699.99(save $100.99) -
Acer Nitro 16 (AMD Ryzen 5 7640HS, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4050, 8GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $799.99
$999.99(save $200) -
Asus ROG Strix G17 (AMD Ryzen 7 6800H, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 3050, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $949.99
$1,199.99(save $250) -
Acer Predator Helios Neo 16 (Intel Core i7-13650HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, 16GB RAM, 512GB SSD) — $949.99
$1,149.99(save $200) -
Asus ROG Strix G16 (Intel Core i7-13650HX, NVIDIA GeForce RTX 4060, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,099.99
$1,399.99(save $300) -
Acer Predator Triton Neo 16 (Intel Core Ultra 9 185H, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070, 32GB RAM, 1TB SSD) — $1,499.99
$1,899.99(save $400) -
Dell G16 7630 (Intel Core i9-13900HX, Nvidia GeForce RTX 4070, 16GB RAM, 1TB SSD)— $1,299.99$1,749.99 (save $450)
Gaming headsets
Gaming keyboards and keypads
Gaming mice
Gaming monitors
Best board game deal
Why we like it
“Catan is a classic strategy game that’s perfect for families and game nights. And, at 50% off — down to just $29.99 — it’s a steal. (You can get the five-to-six-player extension for $24.49). In this game, you’ll need to collect resources, settle the land, and trade with other players to build the biggest settlements. If you like any of the digital empire-building games, Catan is a great tabletop version that requires tight strategy, some luck, and a good dose of diplomacy to win.” — Tabitha Britt, Mashable Shopping Contributor
More board game deals
Best drone deal
Why we like it
“If you’re really into drones, the name Holy Stone should be on your radar. This brand is known for making high-end drones that are feature-packed and, at times, super affordable.
The HS175D RC Quadcopter is currently $135.99 at Amazon, which is [$134 off its true MSRP on the Holy Stone website. (Amazon’s list price is deflated.)] It’s a solid mid-range drone option that shoots 4K videos, has a 46-minute flight time, and a special flight mode where you can direct its movement — whether you want it to follow you or fly along a specific path.” — Tabitha Britt, Mashable Shopping Contributor
More drone deals
Best robot vacuum deal
Why we like it
“Ecovacs wasn’t lying when it came up with the term ‘all-in-one cleaning hub’ here, considering that this robot vacuum not only empties itself and washes and dries its own mopping pads, but also has another sweet feature tacked onto the dock: a handheld cordless vacuum. If your main hesitation with robot vacuums was that they can’t scale a staircase, sweep under couch cushions, or detail corners up to your standards, this is the one robot vacuum purchase that can — now for well under $1,000.” — Leah Stodart, Senior Shopping Reporter
More robot vacuum deals
Robot vacuums that don’t mop
Robot vacuums that do mop
More vacuum deals
More home deals
Best Dyson vacuum deal
Why we like it
“The Dyson V8 Plus cordless vacuum (silver/nickel) is lightweight and powerful and can handle most daily cleaning tasks. It has a detachable wand for cleaning stairs, upholstery, and hard-to-reach areas, and it converts to a handheld vac for quick cleanups. It comes with four accessories, including a hair screw tool for pet hair.
With a runtime of up to 40 minutes on a single charge, this little vac is ideal for small apartments and quick cleanups.
You can get it at Amazon for just $299.99 in a Big Prime Deal (originally $469.99). It’s out of stock at Dyson.” — Tabitha Britt, Mashable Shopping Contributor
More Dyson vacuum deals
More Dyson deals
Best fitness tracker deal
For deals on Apple Watches, scroll back up to the “Apple deals” section.
Why we like it
“Ideal for smaller wrists, the Garmin Venu 3S is about .2 inches smaller in diameter and .3 oz lighter than the standard Venu 3. It still offers the same advanced features, like a built-in speaker and microphone to take calls, the ability to store music, and an abundance of health and fitness tools and insights. The only real difference besides the size is that the 3S has a slightly shorter battery life (about 10 days in smartwatch mode versus the 3’s 14 days), but it still blows the Apple Watch battery out of the water. It’s usually $449.99, but you can save $55 during the October Prime event and get it for only $395. That’s a new all-time low.” — Christina Buff, Mashable Shopping Contributor
More fitness tracker deals
Garmin deals
Google Pixel and Fitbit deals
Samsung Galaxy Watch deals
Smart ring deals
Best kitchen deal
Why we picked this
A great espresso machine can make a world of difference when it comes to actually enjoying your morning. Breville is known for their pricier machines, which makes this deal on the Barista Touch a nice Prime Day surprise — and it’s at its lowest price ever at Amazon. With a single touch, brew up your coffee house order right on your own countertop. Choose between Americano, flat white, cappuccino, latte, and more with this super convenient machine that includes a built-in conical burr grinder.
More kitchen deals
Air fryers
Blenders
Coffee makers
Espresso machines
Multicookers
Stand mixers
Miscellaneous kitchen deals
Mashable Deals
Best Beauty deal
Why we like it
Mashable’s Bethany Allard has spent a lot of time with the Dyson Supersonic, assessing its performance and value. While Allard commends the hair dryer for its lightweight design, quick drying, and user-friendliness, its downfall comes with its $429.99 price tag. However, Prime Day presents a fantastic saving opportunity.
During Prime Big Deal Days, get the Dyson Supersonic for $329.99, saving $100 on the device. Included with the hair dryer are several magnetic attachments including a diffuser, styling concentrator, flyaway attachment, gentle air attachment, and a wide tooth comb attachment.
More beauty deals
Skincare
Lip care
Body care
Hair care
Make-up
Best book deal
Why we like it
“Even if self-help isn’t your usual genre, James Clear’s Atomic Habits deserves a spot on your bookshelf. This is one of the best nonfiction titles to come out within the past few years, and it’s currently 65% off in hardcover [thanks to a coupon on its product page].
This book is all about teaching yourself to build good habits, break bad ones, and generally become more focused, productive, and successful in your daily life. And at just $9.33 for the hardcover, it’s a steal.” — Tabitha Britt, Mashable Shopping Contributor
More book deals
Kindle book deals
Best home security deal
Why we like it
“If you could put a price tag on peace of mind, it’d be pretty close to this Blink Whole Home Bundle deal. It includes the Blink Outdoor 4, Mini 2, Video Doorbell, and Sync Module 2, all for just $89.97. That’s 55% off the retail value and the lowest price we’ve seen on this particular bundle. The Blink Mini 2 can take care of the inside of your home, day or night, while the Outdoor 4 can keep an eye on things outside. Paired with the Blink app, the video doorbell can show you who shows up at your door (even at night). And the Sync Module 2 will let you keep track of all the action in one place (and store your clips locally). It’s one of the most affordable ways to keep an eye on every part of your home.” — Christina Buff, Mashable Shopping Contributor
More home security deals
Video doorbell deals
Single security camera deals
Home security bundle deals
Best printer deal
Why we like it
The HP Envy 6055e wireless color inkjet printer can print quickly, going through five pages a minute in color, and eight and a half pages in black and white. It also comes with three months’ worth of ink through HP+. You just have to activate your subscription to get it — it’s pretty easy to do through the app. This compact printer is ideal for at-home printing or dorm room use.
More printer deals
3D printer deals
Best Samsung Galaxy deal
Why we like it
“Samsung’s Galaxy A35 is a ‘strong buy for the price,’ as our friends at PCMag (also owned by Ziff Davis) said in their review. The budget-friendly Galaxy phone was released as a more affordable alternative to the Galaxy S24. As a budget phone, it doesn’t offer the same speed and performance as the S24, but it also doesn’t cost over $1,000. It packs a gorgeous 6.6-inch display, Samsung’s Exynos 1380 processor, a 50 MP wide-angle camera with optical image stabilization, and a long-lasting 5,000mAh battery that supports fast charging. It’s not the most impressive phone on the market, but on sale for [under $300], it’s a pretty hard deal to beat.” — Christina Buff, Mashable Shopping Contributor
More Samsung Galaxy deals
Galaxy Buds deals
Galaxy phone deals
Galaxy Tab deals
Galaxy Watch deals
Best keyboard deals
Why we like it
“For under $90, you’re getting a hot-swappable keyboard with a 96% layout, a knob, a small display, and a Bluetooth, 2.4GHz, and USB-C connection. In other words, this Royal Kludge keyboard is a great affordable mechanical keyboard, whether you’re into gaming or just want something cute for your desk. There are also four different keycap colorways available, but the coupon amount may vary depending on which you choose.” — Bethany Allard, Lead Shopping Reporter
More keyboard deals
Best deals under $50
Note: This section may have repeat deals from the above list.
Why we like it
“Noise-cancelling headphones can easily cost a couple hundred bucks, even on sale. When I tested noise-cancelling headphones to determine which were the best for travel, I found that the Anker Soundcore Life Q20 headphones already offered a pretty good value, even at their full price of $59.99 (and frequently discounted price of $49.99).
At nearly $40 flat, these are a steal. I was able to wear them comfortably for long periods of time, and get plenty of battery life off a single charge. Their ANC can hiss a little, but it also does a pretty good job of blocking out atmospheric sounds, and for $40, you really can’t complain.” — Bethany Allard, Lead Shopping Reporter
More deals under $50
Best deals under $25
Note: This section may have repeat deals from the above list.
Why we like it
“Have you ever heard the crash of a YETI Rambler as it connects with concrete as you drive down the street, blissfully unaware you left it on top of your car? I assure you, it’s very loud. So loud, in fact, I expected my water bottle to be too damaged to use — I know a HydroFlask wouldn’t have survived that fall. But when I circled back to collect my YETI from the middle of the road, the bottle had one small scratch, and one small dent, and two years later, is still perfectly usable. What I’m saying is, if you want a water bottle that’s built to last, a YETI Rambler is a pretty good bet.” — Bethany Allard, Lead Shopping Reporter
More of the best deals under $25
Best deals under $10
Why we like it
If you’re looking to start building out a smart home, a cheap smart bulb is a good way to test out the waters. Though you can use it with Amazon Echo devices and other smart home hubs and speakers, you don’t need to have one to use this sub-$7 bulb. Just use the Alexa app on your phone, and you can use voice control to turn your lights on and off, change the color of your lighting, and more.
More deals under $10
Tech
Household essentials
Beauty
Entertainment
Why Minnesota lawmakers are trying to ban crypto ATMs
In a joint effort between Minnesota lawmakers, local law enforcement, and the Department of Commerce, legislation has been introduced to ban crypto ATMs across the state in response to widespread fraud and financial abuse, particularly of the elderly.
Bill HF3642, sponsored by Rep. Erin Koegel, would prohibit the use of virtual currency kiosks or “crypto ATMs,” that also accept cash and debit cards, in response to 70 official complaints of financial fraud totalling over $540,000 in 2025.
The catalyst for the legislation was a single incident in which police officers responded to a call about a senior citizen who appeared confused at a gas station cryptocurrency kiosk. Upon further investigation, police discovered that she had been giving 50 percent of her monthly income to scammers, leaving her on the verge of having to live out of her car.
According to law enforcement, the scammers often target the elderly, using false identities and emotional stories to gain power over them and coerce them into parting with their pensions or retirement savings.
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For scammers, the appeal of cryptocurrency is obvious, since converting digital currency into cryptocurrency makes it all but impossible for law enforcement to trace the money and make an arrest. But cryptocurrency platforms are opposing the ban, arguing that they’re being unfairly punished.
Larry Lipka, in-house counsel at digital currency platform CoinFlip, acknowledges the problem but opposes the proposed legislation.
“The scammers are vigilant. They’re terrible, and they’re stealing from Americans,” he told Gizmodo before arguing that their existing safety protocols, which include transaction limits and a holding period, were sufficient protection. “I know that these tools work because we’ve got 8,000 customers in the state, we have 12,000 transactions that happened in the last year and less than 1% of those were refundable by customers.”
The Commerce Department, however, disagrees. Sam Smith, government relations director at the Department of Commerce, points to the fact that just 48% of consumer complaints resulted in a refund, while those refunds averaged just 16% of the total fraud amount, as evidence that additional legislation is necessary.
As of now, approximately 350 licensed cryptocurrency kiosks operate in Minnesota, but digital currency companies across the United States could be affected by the legal precedent this bill sets.
Topics
Cryptocurrency
Scams
Entertainment
Skate developer Full Circle announces layoffs ahead of new game release
Full Circle, the gaming studio behind the new iteration of Skate, has recently announced a restructuring involving layoffs at its headquarters in Burnaby, British Columbia. Founded in 2021 as a subsidiary of Electronic Arts, Full Circle is just the latest in a series of AAA gaming studios to be hit by layoffs, with Ubisoft Toronto laying off 40 employees last week.
In their public-facing announcement, entitled “skate.’s Next Chapter,” the company lamented that the people affected by layoffs “are talented colleagues and friends who helped build the foundation of skate,” while shouting out the “tens of millions” of people who have explored the Early Access version of skate. released last September. “To our departing teammates: thank you. skate. exists because of your hard work and dedication to the craft.”
The original Skate games were released in the late 2000s for the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 and marketed as more realistic skateboarding games compared to the rival Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater series. Fans responded well to the tight controls, inventive city settings, and fun soundtrack, which won the first Skate game the “Sports Game of the Year” award at the 11th Annual Interactive Achievement Awards, and resulted in commercial success, but the series had been on indefinite hold until the announcement of skate. (known among fans as Skate 4), which was to be a live-service game built around a sandbox-style multiplayer experience, a move that didn’t sit well with many long-time fans of the series.
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While the latest Skate game has not yet had a final release, the Early Access version has been available to fans for almost half a year now, and early reviews are mixed. Critics have pointed to the inclusion of microtransactions ($25 clothing for your digital character), the online-only gameplay restriction, and the homogenized character design, while others have praised the free-to-play accessibility.
We don’t yet know how many employees lost their jobs at Full Circle, as the company was not forthcoming, but the parent company, EA, lost approximately 5% of its workforce in 2024, during its last round of layoffs. As for the fate of skate. after these layoffs, much is still unknown and the game still doesn’t have a final release date.
Entertainment
Xiaomi 17 Ultra hands-on: The cameraphone with a monstrous zoom
Xiaomi’s Ultra line of phones has always been about one thing: Peak camera performance. The new Xiaomi 17 Ultra, launched ahead of MWC 2026 in Barcelona, pushes the boundaries once more, though it suffers from similar setbacks as its predecessors.
Note that there was no Xiaomi 16 Ultra; the company decided to skip that number and go straight from the Xiaomi 15 and 15 Ultra to Xiaomi 17 and 17 Ultra, likely to “catch up” with Apple, whose latest models also bear the number seventeen. Despite the change, the new Xiaomi phones are very much an evolution of last year’s flagship models.
On the phone side of things, the Xiaomi 17 Ultra is an extremely capable Android smartphone, with a 6.9-inch, 120Hz OLED display, a Snapdragon 8 Elite Gen 5 chip, 16GB of RAM, 512/1024GB of storage, and a 6,000mAh battery with 90W fast charging and 50W wireless charging. It comes in three colors: Black, White, and the sparkly Starlit Green (Xiaomi sent me a black unit, but the Starlit Green looks way cooler).

The 6.9-inch OLED display is excellent.
Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable
Where the Xiaomi 17 Ultra differs from the regular Xiaomi 17, which also debuted here in Barcelona, is mainly in screen size (6.9 vs. 6.3 inches), and the camera. The Ultra’s got a massive, Leica-branded camera array on the back, with a 50-megapixel main camera, a 200-megapixel telephoto camera, and a 50-megapixel ultra-wide camera, coupled with a 50-megapixel selfie camera on the front.

At 8.29mm thickness and 218 grams of weight, it’s the thinnest and lightest Xiaomi Ultra phone ever.
Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable
The 200-megapixel, 75-100mm telephoto camera gives this phone otherworldly zoom capabilities, with up to 17.2x of “optical-level zoom.” I’ve tried it out, and was able to take usable photos at 100x zoom or more, far beyond in the distance than what my naked I could see.
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Left:
This is what the XIaomi 17 Ultra’s telephoto camera can do.
Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable
Right:
Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable
Venture that far out, and AI takes the reins quite heavy handedly, which you’ll see in the way the system recreates the letters of a sign you took in the distance. Still, if you like the idea of having a camera that can take sharp photos of a flower that’s a hundred yards away, this is the phone to do it with.

Left:
Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable
Right:
The zoom on this phone is so good, it’s worth providing another example. It’s like having a set of binoculars.
Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable
To add an exclamation point to the phone’s camera capabilities, Xiaomi also sells two optional photography kits which consists of two different cases that turn the phone into something that really looks like a compact camera, and add a few buttons, visual details, and battery life to the mix. The smaller Xiaomi 17 Ultra Photography Kit makes more sense to me as the phone still retains somewhat normal dimensions; the two-part Xiaomi 17 Ultra Photography Kit Pro makes it a bit too big for my taste.

The photography kits look cool, but they make the phone a lot bulkier.
Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable
The kits, as cool as they may be, illustrate the most obvious drawback of this phone: it’s too much of a camera. It’s top heavy, has a smaller battery than the regular Xiaomi 17, and – due to its massive camera bump on the back – doesn’t support Xiaomi’s wireless, magnetic battery. Don’t get me wrong, this is one powerful phone, but it’s primarily aimed at photography enthusiasts. Kudos to Xiaomi for making the Ultra lighter than ever, though at 218 grams it’s still not exactly lightweight.
If you want your Xiaomi 17 Ultra to be a little more…Leica, there’s a special version just for you, shown as a surprise announcement during Xiaomi’s big unveiling in Barcelona. Called the Leica Leitzphone, it shares most of the specs with the Xiaomi 17 Ultra, but has a somewhat retro design which calls to mind classic Leica cameras, and a couple of Leica-specific photography modes.

This one is for the Leica fans.
Credit: Stan Schroeder/Mashable
It also has one extra feature: The ring surrounding its camera bump can be rotated to increase or decrease zoom. I’ve tried it out, and it appears to be quite precise, though you do have to be careful not to place your fingers in front of the lens while shooting.
The Xiaomi 17 Ultra starts at 1,499 euros in Europe; there’s no info on U.S. availability yet. The Leica Leitzphone is starting at a hefty price of 1,999 euros, and it will be available in select markets and locations.
Topics
Mobile World Congress
Xiaomi

