News

Jan 07, 2024

Anker’s MagSafe

By Sheena Vasani, a writer covering commerce, e-readers, and tech news. She

By Sheena Vasani, a writer covering commerce, e-readers, and tech news. She previously wrote about everything from web development to AI at Inside.

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A portable power bank that can wirelessly charge your iPhone while on the go can help make traveling a much smoother experience. But before you go and splurge on Apple's MagSafe Battery Pack, take a look at the Anker 622 Magnetic Battery (MagGo) instead. Normally $69.99, you can currently pick up Anker's MagSafe-compatible alternative for just $39.99 ($30 off) from Amazon or Anker (just be sure to use promo code WS7D541OSZ if you purchase through the latter retailer).

In comparison to Apple's official battery pack, Anker's delivers a lot more value for your money despite being half the price. For one, it offers double the battery capacity. For another, it’ll charge your phone just as quickly as Apple's does when you’re on the go, with both delivering 7.5 watts of power to compatible phones. And unlike Apple's pack, Anker's 5,000mAh option comes with a foldable kickstand so you can prop up your phone.

A portable power bank with magnetic wireless Qi charging, a convenient folding kickstand, and a USB-C port for wired charging.

Speaking of summer, if you have plans to travel somewhere off the beaten path where cell service is nonexistent, a satellite communicator like the Garmin InReach Mini 2 is more than just a nice convenience — it could be a lifesaver. And right now, Verge readers can pick up the second-gen device at Wellbots for $349.99 ($50 off) when they use promo code VERG50 at checkout.

Garmin's small waterproof gadget can tap into the Iridium satellite network, allowing you to text, share your location with loved ones, and even obtain the weather forecast when you’re in another country. Best of all, you can use it to trigger an SOS alert in the case of an emergency, which will notify first responders of your location should you need help. The latest model is a pretty minor update over the first-gen InReach — it offers better battery life, a more refined interface, and a better trackback function — but the bulk of the features still require a paid subscription to use.

Garmin's palm-size inReach Mini 2 satellite communicator provides off-the-grid contact with subscription plans starting at $14.95 a month.

If you’re in the market for a new Xbox controller, the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 – Core is on sale in white at Adorama for $99.99 ($30 off), its best price of the year. The newer blue model is also available at an all-time low of around $125 ($15 off) at Amazon and direct from Microsoft, as is the red model at Walmart (fulfilled by trusted third-party seller Antonline).

For the unfamiliar, the Core controller is similar to the Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2, which is our favorite premium controller for Xbox. However, the stripped-down model doesn't come with rear paddles, an added D-pad, or the other interchangeable components you’ll find on the non-Core edition. That said, they share the same adjustable-tension thumbsticks, hair trigger locks, and wraparound rubberized grip. Microsoft even sells an optional component pack if you want to further customize your Series 2 Core down the line.

The Xbox Elite Wireless Controller Series 2 – Core is functionally identical to the more expensive Elite Series 2 but doesn't come with the extra D-pad, back paddles, thumbsticks, or charging case.

If you’re a creative professional in need of a laptop that can keep up with your workload, Apple's latest MacBook Pro could be a good choice. The 14-inch model normally starts at $1,999, but right now, it's on sale at Amazon and B&H Photo with 16GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and an M2 Pro chip at an all-time low of $1,749 ($250 off).

Apple's premium laptop is powerful enough to handle demanding creative work and can connect to multiple external displays. It's also thin, lightweight, and offers exceptional battery life, not to mention a gorgeous Mini LED display and a wide selection of ports — something Apple reintroduced with the redesigned M1 MacBook Pro in 2021. The newer MBP is certainly still pricey, and who knows what Apple may unveil beyond its long-rumored mixed reality headset at WWDC next month, but this kind of performance rarely comes cheap.

The 2023 version of the 14-inch MacBook Pro comes with the new M2 Pro 10-core CPU and 16-core GPU, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB SSD storage. It can also be configured with a higher-end M2 Max processor.

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