All posts tagged: midrange

Beatbot Sora 30 Review: Midrange Price, High-End Results

Beatbot Sora 30 Review: Midrange Price, High-End Results

Published by skeptic

Charging is done via the same type of power adapter that the Sora 70 uses: a proprietary, blocklike connector that slides into a hatch on the rear of the device. A hinged port cover opens automatically when you slide the adapter into it and snaps shut when it’s removed. It’s not as convenient as a plugless charging dock, but it’s close, obviating the need for screw-on port covers or other waterproofing systems that have to be manually manipulated. ScreenshotBeatbot app via Chris Null In the water, the unit offers a scant three operational modes—floor mode, standard mode (which handles floor, wall, and waterline), and eco mode (which runs a floor-only cleaning for 45 minutes every 48 hours). Both floor and standard mode offer three running-time options: two hours, three hours, or max (i.e., run until the battery’s almost dead). These can all be selected through the Beatbot app, which is available via Bluetooth or either 2.4 GHz or 5 GHz Wi-Fi. You’ll also need to set up Wi-Fi for firmware updates. A Capable Cleaner I …

Nothing Has 2 New Midrange Phones, but Only 1 Will Be Sold in the US

Nothing Has 2 New Midrange Phones, but Only 1 Will Be Sold in the US

Published by skeptic

It’s midrange phone season. Google’s $499 Pixel 10a goes on sale today, Apple announced its $599 iPhone 17e early this week, and now it’s Nothing’s turn. The UK company—from OnePlus founder Carl Pei—announced the Nothing Phone (4a) and Phone (4a) Pro at an event in London, hot on the heels of Mobile World Congress 2026. After four years on the mobile handset market, Nothing is still lacking a major presence in the US. That’s partly because it has mostly sold its phones through a confusing beta program for some time. Also, it doesn’t have any US carrier partners, which is how most Americans buy a new smartphone. This latest launch still doesn’t inspire confidence that the US phone market is a priority for the company, considering only the Phone (4a) Pro will be sold stateside. Nothing spokesperson Lewis Hopkins says the company made the decision based on which model it expected to perform better in the market. Still, Hopkins did confirm that Nothing is expanding its retail presence globally—it just opened a store in Bengaluru, …

Apple’s Midrange iPad Gets an M4 Chip Bump, Arriving March 11

Apple’s Midrange iPad Gets an M4 Chip Bump, Arriving March 11

Published by skeptic

If you’re shopping for a midrange iPad, Apple has an update to the Air that just arrived. And it makes the high-end iPad Pro released last fall maybe feel a little less necessary. The new iPad Air is available for preorder on Wednesday, March 4, arriving on March 11. The iPad Air’s chip update to an M4 chip is hardly surprising, but it does mean that the iPad Air gets a little better for the same price. The M3 model released last year was my favorite more-affordable alternative to the better but pricier iPad Pro. It’s the same price as before ($599 for the 11-inch, $799 for the 13-inch), and still only has 128GB of storage for that price. There are a few other internal upgrades inside, though: Apple’s C1X modem is now inside the cellular models, and the N1 chip has Wi-Fi 7, Bluetooth 6 and Threads support. If you deeply desire a gorgeous-displayed OLED iPad with the highest performance at a steep price, go for the Pro. Or, look for a previous M4 …

Forget the flagship – this midrange Galaxy checks all the right boxes at less than 0

Forget the flagship – this midrange Galaxy checks all the right boxes at less than $200

Published by skeptic

ZDNET’s key takeaways Samsung’s Galaxy A35 5G is a well-rounded smartphone that’s on sale for $198 You’ll love the two-day battery life, amazing screen quality, and four years of software updates The biggest issue? Performance tends to vary from day to day and can lead to overheating more buying choices Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. I’m surprised how much I enjoy using the Samsung Galaxy A35 5G. The 2024 midrange phone in Samsung’s lineup isn’t necessarily anything special — it looks like any other Galaxy phone from recent years, and it doesn’t have any flashy features. Still, the mission of mid-range phones is not to make waves; it’s to provide a balance between performance, quality, and price. This phone achieves that balance well. Also: 5 products Samsung could surprise us with at Unpacked – including an ultra wide phone Some would argue this isn’t the best $400 phone on the market, but it’s certainly one of them, and the screen is the main reason.  The Galaxy A35 5G features a Samsung Signature …

The Pixel 10a is the midrange phone to beat this year, starting at 9

The Pixel 10a is the midrange phone to beat this year, starting at $499

Published by skeptic

Kerry Wan/ZDNET Follow ZDNET: Add us as a preferred source on Google. ZDNET’s key takeaways The new Pixel 10a successfully packs premium features into a midrange price. A flatter design, brighter screen, and tougher build stand out this year. Long-term updates and Satellite SOS make it a solid value pick. It’s no surprise by now that the midrange smartphone category is nearly as potent as what was once considered the premium category. The Apple iPhone, Samsung Galaxy, and Google Pixel phones now offer compelling features that resemble what you might have found only in the top tier, even a few years ago. The cameras are good, the batteries last more than a full day, and the software gets many years of updates. Also: Google unveils the Pixel 10a early – here are 5 things it must nail for me to upgrade The Pixel 10a takes the flatter design approach from last year’s Pixel 9a even further while pulling down camera and AI tools that were previously limited to the Pixel 10 and Pixel 10 Pro. It …

TCL Knocks ,000 off One of Our Favorite Mid-Range TVs

TCL Knocks $1,000 off One of Our Favorite Mid-Range TVs

Published by skeptic

If your team is still in the running, you may be in the market for a new TV to watch the big game, and TCL has you covered with a hefty discount on the TCL QM8K, one of our favorite mid-range screens. You can grab a 65″ QM8K for just $1,000, a healthy 60 percent discount, with lower percentage markdowns on the larger sizes. One of the QM8K’s most striking features is the complete lack of bezels, giving your entertainment stand a modern and distinctive look. With the included pedestal mount, it almost looks like it’s floating, a neat trick for such a well-priced television. While there may be some personal preference when it comes to the interface, we generally feel that Google TV is one of the better options right now, and it supports both Chromecast and Airplay 2, so Apple folks won’t feel left out. Of course, the screen itself is also excellent, with vivid colors that have an excellent pop, and a five thousand nit max brightness that’s extremely potent when turned …

The Marshall Monitor III are underrated midrange headphones

The Marshall Monitor III are underrated midrange headphones

Published by skeptic

It’s no secret that Marshall has mastered the classic retro design. What is a secret is how good its noise-cancelling headphones, the Marshall Monitor III, are. I have a few theories as to why these headphones fly under the radar. First and foremost, Marshall is more known for its speakers. Then there’s the fact that other noise-cancelling brands like Sony, Bose, and Apple generally take the top spots on best-of lists (including ours). Finally, as mid-range headphones — which are neither class-leading nor the most affordable headphones out there — the Monitor III headphones simply get overlooked by reviewers and consumers alike. In short, their lack of obvious superlative power makes them the middle child of the headphone world (no offense intended to any middle children out there). These headphones are more than just their good looks. Credit: Bethany Allard / Mashable Despite all that, the Monitor III headphones are some of the best I’ve tried. After using them regularly for a few weeks, I’m impressed by how much Marshall gets right (where those aforementioned …