Technology
Pre-Black Friday deals on Facebook Portal, Echo Show, Google Nest Hub
TL;DR: There are half a dozen smart displays on sale across Walmart and Amazon right now, including the all-new Echo Show 8, the Google Nest Hub, and the first-generation Facebook Portal.
The battle for the smart home is heating up as Amazon, Google, and even Facebook continue to lob new products into the market every couple of months or so. And in case you haven’t noticed, things are becoming especially intense over in the realm of smart displays as manufacturers seek to make their devices more ~interactive~ with the addition of screens (and sometimes cameras).
So why should you care?
Well, all of that competition means you’re likely to find some pretty good bargains on smart displays right now, especially as Black Friday (i.e., one of the biggest tech shopping days of the year) draws closer. Here are half a dozen we found at Walmart and Amazon during the afternoon of Nov. 13:
Echo Show 8
Boasting an 8-inch HD screen, two stereo speakers, and a customizable home screen, the all-new Echo Show 8 is the latest addition to Amazon’s popular line of Echo devices. It’s got the Alexa virtual assistant built right into its design (available in charcoal and sandstone), which means you can place video calls, send messages, stream films, request traffic and weather updates, and control other smart home gadgets around your house just by speaking to the device.
The Echo Show 8 doesn’t officially drop until Nov. 21, or a week before Thanksgiving, but you can preorder it now for only $99 — a $30 savings. (Note: This is the first time it’s ever gone on sale, so definitely take advantage of this pricing.)
Echo Show 5
Released this past spring, the Echo Show 5 is basically a compact version of its successor that features a 5.5-inch screen and a single speaker. Get it in charcoal or sandstone for just $79.99 — a $10 savings.
Echo Show (second generation)
This sleek 10.1-inch revamp to the original Echo Show debuted last fall, and it comes with a built-in Zigbee smart hub and Dolby processing in addition to support for Alexa. Order it today for $229.99 and Amazon will throw in a free Philips Hue smart lightbulb (a $29.99 value).
Google Nest Hub
The 7-inch Google Nest Hub is a smart display/digital photo frame hybrid that’s powered by the Google Assistant. Get it at Walmart for only $99 — a $30 savings.
Google Home Hub
Fun fact: The Nest Hub (above) is a rebranded version of this Google Home Hub, a nearly identical 7-inch smart display/digital photo frame from 2018 that won a upon its release last fall. Save $30 when you bundle it with Nest’s third-generation Learning Thermostat ($348) or the Nest Learning Thermostat E ($268) at Walmart.
Facebook Portal (first generation)
Featuring support for Alexa and a 10.1-inch display, the Facebook Portal is unique in that it comes with a face-detecting smart camera that automatically adjusts its field of view based on your location. (Oh, and FYI: We like this iteration of the Portal way better than the newer version.) It usually retails for $199, but you can score it on Amazon right now for only $158 — a 21% savings.
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