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Amazon Prime Day 2024: Expert tips for best deals

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Amazon Prime Day 2024: Expert tips for best deals

Amazon Prime Day’s 48-hour sales event starts at 3 a.m. ET/12 a.m. PT on Tuesday, July 16, and ends on Wednesday, July 17. This is Amazon’s 10th Prime Day event. While the company has not revealed exactly how many items will be available for sale, millions of items have been up for grabs with great deals that average 40% off in past years.

Amazon starts with early deals on its products, and several early Prime Day deals can be shopped for now. The number of categories that will have deals available has not yet been announced either; however, you can likely expect deals from a wide number of categories during the main Prime Day event, including major TV brands, Smart Home devices, Fashion, Beauty & Wellness, Furniture, Pet Supplies, Tools, Fitness equipment and more.

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A woman shopping on the Amazon app (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

How to work the deals. Be fast!

Prime Day deals can expire in minutes, and some deals conclude when inventory is gone. Inside the Prime Day event are three different promotions:

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1) Spotlight Deals: These are typically larger, more expensive items that are available for a limited time.

2) Gold Box Deals of the Day: These are smaller, less expensive items that are available for a limited time.

3) Lighting Deals: These are the most popular type of Prime Day deal. They’re typically on very limited quantities of products and only last for a few minutes.

I rank these in order from least urgent to most urgent. The Lighting Deals almost always offer the best prices and last for a short time or when sold out, sometimes even just minutes. Even though it may look like a deal is gone, a tip below could provide an easy workaround to getting the deal anyway.

KURT’S BEST AMAZON PRIME DAY DEALS

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Prime membership ad (Amazon) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

5 SECRETS TO SHOPPING SMARTER ON AMAZON

How to get a cheap Amazon Prime membership

You can still participate in Prime Day even if you’ve never had a Prime membership before. See below for all the available discounts.

Get a 30-day free Amazon Prime trial

Take advantage of a free 30-day trial of Amazon Prime to access Prime Day deals and free shipping. Just remember to cancel the subscription if you decide not to continue after the trial period.

Students: Get 6 months of Amazon Prime free

Students are eligible for a six-month free trial of Amazon Prime. To sign up, students must verify their status with a .edu email address.

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Medicaid or EBT: Cheaper Amazon Prime

If you’ve got a Medicaid or EBT card, you can sign up for an Amazon Prime membership for $6.99, which is almost half the cost of a typical membership. 

9 BEST FEATURES OF AMAZON PRIME YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT

How to share an Amazon Prime Membership

You can share your Amazon Prime membership with another adult in your Amazon Household. You and your invitee must both be adults and agree to link your accounts through Amazon Household and agree to share payment methods. This means that you will have access to each other’s payment methods, so you should only share your Prime membership with someone you trust. The person you share your Prime membership with will get the same Amazon Prime benefits as you for no additional cost. Both adults will keep their own personal accounts while sharing Prime benefits. To do this, once you’re logged in, add that person to your Amazon Household by following these steps.

How to add a person to your Amazon Household

  • Log into your Prime account by clicking here
  • Click Add Adult
  • Give their name and email address and follow the onscreen instructions from there

KURT’S BEST AMAZON PRIME DAY DEALS

My 6 Prime Day battle plan tips

Prime Day ad (Amazon) (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

1) Create a Wishlist on Amazon: Put everything you buy regularly throughout the year, like dog food, light bulbs, staple goods, etc. Add upcoming birthdays and big-ticket items you have been holding off on buying, and get your holiday list done for Christmas gifts way ahead of time while saving huge.

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2) “Join Waitlist” on sold-out products you want and missed: Think it’s sold out? Maybe not. Items sitting in another shopper’s cart expire if not purchased within 15 minutes. If you are on a waitlist, you could get notified that the deal is yours.

3) Download the Amazon smartphone or tablet app to see deals first: The app shows deals coming first and allows you to create a “Watch this deal” list to get notified when a deal is going live.

4) Say “Alexa, what are your deals?” for exclusive offers: You can power through this audio form of deals by saying “Alexa, next” as they are being described to advance to the next deal. Voice shopping is a complete hassle, and Amazon knows it. That’s why they are tempting us to try it with even better deals that you can find on the site.

5) Compare prices at other retailers: Look at prices for brands like BestBuy, Walmart, Kohl’s and Target, since so many other sources are taking advantage of the Prime Day excitement.

6) Shop safely online: Ensure your internet connection is secure and be wary of phishing attempts. Always shop directly through Amazon’s official site or app. The best way to protect yourself from clicking malicious links that install malware that may get access to your private information is to have strong antivirus protection installed on all your devices. This can also alert you of any phishing emails or ransomware scams. Get my picks for the best 2024 antivirus protection winners for your Windows, Mac, Android and iOS devices.

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Watch out for these losing Prime Day mishaps

  • Avoid Unknown Brands that can often disappoint
  • Avoid Fake Reviews by using fakespot.com. Instead of adding their browser extension, just link to the search field to copy and paste an Amazon product listing. Fakespot will analyze the results to show a letter grade and explanation. The goal is to weed out fake reviews and identify troubled listings.
  • Avoid overpaying by checking the lowest price history at camelcamelcamel.com. A price history of almost every Amazon item is recorded here to show if you are getting the lowest price.
  • Avoid the Amazon Assistant browser plug-in for privacy concerns. While Amazon’s browser plug-in can make comparing items and tracking deals convenient, it also comes at a cost to your privacy in the way it can track your web browsing activity.

KURT’S BEST AMAZON PRIME DAY DEALS

How to find the best Amazon Prime Day deals

Amazon also offers early Prime Day deals before the real Prime Day if you wish to get a head start. Check out my picks here.

Kurt’s key takeaways

As Amazon Prime Day approaches, the anticipation builds for a whirlwind 48 hours of exclusive deals and savings. While the exact offerings remain shrouded in mystery, the past gives us a glimpse of the potential for significant discounts across a diverse range of products. Remember, the key to conquering Prime Day is speed and strategy. With limited-time offers and lightning deals that vanish in the blink of an eye, being prepared is important. So, set your alarms, create your wishlists and stay vigilant. Prime Day is not just a chance to snag a deal, it’s an opportunity to outsmart the rush and emerge with the best for less.

Do you feel like you’re saving more this year versus last year? What items would you like to see get discounted during Prime Day? Let us know by writing us at Cyberguy.com/Contact.

For more of my tech tips and security alerts, subscribe to my free CyberGuy Report Newsletter by heading to Cyberguy.com/Newsletter.

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Samsung ‘Wide Fold’ rumored to rival Apple’s foldable next year

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Samsung ‘Wide Fold’ rumored to rival Apple’s foldable next year

Apple’s long-rumored foldable iPhone is set to arrive next year, and already faces some preemptive competition from Samsung. Korea’s ET News reports that Samsung’s upcoming “Wide Fold” is also set to launch in 2026, and will closely mirror the display size and 4:3 aspect ratio of Apple’s first foldable.

The machine-translated report says the Wide Fold is expected to feature an OLED display that measures 5.4 inches in its folded position, and 7.6 inches when unfolded. “It will be a ‘passport’ type with a 4:3 screen ratio when unfolded,” according to an unnamed industry source cited by ET News.

Last week, The Information reported that Apple’s upcoming foldable will feature a 5.3-inch display that increases to 7.7 inches when open, and will have an aspect ratio “similar to that of Apple’s largest iPads when viewed in landscape mode,” and will be “more wide than tall when unfolded.” Most iPad models sport a near 4:3 aspect ratio. This was the latest rumor that pointed to Apple’s first foldable iPhone having a wide aspect ratio in portrait mode, though Bloomberg’s Mark Gurman said in September that the device would look like two iPhone Airs stuck together.

Both Samsung and Apple’s upcoming foldables are expected to launch in Fall 2026. The 4:3 aspect ratio is better for reading e-books and documents, viewing photographs, or creative tasks like design and image editing, but would result in traditional landscape and portrait videos having ugly black bars at the top and bottom of the screen. This is something that’s already noticeable on Samsung’s squarish Z Fold 7.

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Bionic hand brings baseball star back to the field

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Bionic hand brings baseball star back to the field

NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

At 18, Jamie Grohsong was living a dream many young athletes chase for years. He was a three-time all-conference shortstop, a Division I college prospect and a player who lived for the game. Then one Fourth of July night in 2023, everything changed. A firework exploded in his hand. In seconds, Jamie lost his pitching hand, his season and what felt like his entire baseball future. The path he had worked toward since childhood disappeared. For a while, Jamie accepted that reality. Baseball, the sport that shaped his identity, was over.

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AI-POWERED BAT TRACKING COULD GIVE BASEBALL PLAYERS THE EDGE

Jamie Grohsong throws a baseball using a bionic prosthetic hand after losing his pitching hand in a fireworks accident. His return shows how technology can help athletes reclaim what they love. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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When technology reopens a closed door

Two years later, Jamie stepped back onto a baseball field wearing something he never imagined using. A bionic prosthetic known as the Ability Hand.

“The fact that I can feel and sense everything to the finest details opened my mind to the possibility of everything that could actually be done,” he told CyberGuy. 

The goal was not to recreate the past. It was to find out what might still be possible.

Engineers who build advanced prosthetic hands saw Jamie’s story and reached out with a simple question. What if he did not have to give up the game entirely? That question started an extraordinary journey that blended grit, patience and cutting-edge engineering.

“When building the Ability Hand, we prioritized real-life usage,” Dr. Aadeel Akhtar, founder and CEO of PSYONIC, told CyberGuy. “While we already put the hand through its fair share of stress tests, baseball is a whole different ball game.” 

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Baseball is definitely a brutal test for any piece of equipment. Throwing requires precise release timing. Hitting demands force, stability and follow-through. At first, nothing came easily.

Learning how to throw again

Throwing a baseball with a bionic hand is not about raw strength. It is about timing and grip. The Ability Hand uses muscle sensors that detect subtle movements in the arm. During a throw, many muscles activate at once, which can cause the hand to open too early. Early throws slipped away. Some felt right. Others did not.

Instead of forcing the hand to grip harder, the PSYONIC team adjusted the technique. Jamie learned to hold the ball lightly and let momentum release it naturally. Small grip changes made a real difference. Slowly, throws began to land. Then they became repeatable. For Jamie, each clean throw rebuilt confidence that had been missing for two years.

3D PRINTED CORNEA RESTORES SIGHT IN WORLD FIRST

A former Division I baseball prospect, Jamie Grohsong steps back onto the field with a bionic hand, redefining what is possible after life-altering injury. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

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The surprise moment at Oracle Park

Just as Jamie started throwing again, another door opened. He received an invitation to throw the ceremonial first pitch at the San Francisco Giants’ Oracle Park. It was the team he grew up watching. The timeline was tight. He had barely over a week to prepare.

The pitch was not perfect. That never mattered. Standing on a Major League Baseball field with a bionic hand, Jamie proved something bigger than accuracy. He showed that the game was still part of him. Later, he said the experience taught him that life does not require perfection to be meaningful.

FULLY IMPLANTABLE BRAIN CHIP AIMS TO RESTORE REAL SPEECH

Wearing a multi-articulating bionic hand, Jamie Grohsong proves baseball is still part of his identity two years after a devastating accident. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

Can you actually hit with a bionic hand?

Throwing was only part of the challenge. Hitting posed an even bigger question. 

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“Swinging a bat was a feeling I didn’t think I’d feel again,” Jamie said.

Engineers discovered that bat placement matters more with prosthetics than with natural hands. When the bionic hand serves as the bottom hand on the bat, impact spreads across the fingers. When it sits on top, stress concentrates on the thumb. Jamie bats left-handed, which placed the prosthetic in a safer position. He told CyberGuy, “I can hit with this thing for sure.”

Then came the first swings. The sensation was unfamiliar. The contact felt strange. Still, the bat met the ball. One swing turned into another. Soon, balls started flying deep into the field. Then it happened. Jamie sent one over the fence.

A world-first moment

Those swings marked what many believe to be the first documented home runs hit using a multi-articulating bionic hand. For Jamie, it was more than a technical milestone. It was emotional closure and a new beginning at the same time. He was not trying to prove that prosthetics make athletes better. He was proving that they can help people reconnect with what they love. The bionic hand did not replace his identity. It gave him a new way to express it.

SMART FABRIC MUSCLES COULD CHANGE HOW WE MOVE

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Jamie Grohsong learns to throw and hit again with a bionic prosthetic, blending determination with cutting-edge engineering. (Kurt “CyberGuy” Knutsson)

What this story says about resilience and design

Jamie’s comeback highlights a larger truth about modern assistive technology. At its best, design focuses on real-life use rather than lab conditions. Even so, advanced prosthetics remain expensive and imperfect, and they can break under stress. Because of that, users need time, training and patience to adapt. Yet stories like this show how powerful thoughtful engineering can be when it works alongside human determination. Ultimately, this is not about superhero moments but about access, persistence and refusing to let one moment define a lifetime.

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Kurt’s key takeaways 

Jamie Grohsong’s journey back to baseball is not a story about beating the odds. It is a story about redefining them. With support, innovation and relentless effort, he found a way back to the field on his own terms. Technology did not give him his old life back. It helped him build a new one that still includes the game he loves.

Has technology ever helped you reconnect with something you thought you had lost? Let us know by writing to us at Cyberguy.com.
 

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Copyright 2025 CyberGuy.com.  All rights reserved.

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Frozen Waymos backed up San Francisco traffic during a widespread power outage

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Frozen Waymos backed up San Francisco traffic during a widespread power outage

A power outage struck San Francisco on Saturday that blacked out about 130,000 customers at its peak, according to Pacific Gas and Electric Company, but also caused another problem: stranded Waymo vehicles. Posts all over social media showed the company’s autonomous SUVs sitting still in the streets and causing traffic jams.

Some people posted videos of Teslas using their FSD feature to navigate the same streets, and Elon Musk tweeted that “Tesla Robotaxis were unaffected by the SF power outage.” On Sunday evening, Waymo spokesperson Suzanne Philion said “We are resuming ride-hailing service in the San Francisco Bay Area.”

In response to an inquiry from The Verge, Waymo spokesperson Suzanne Philion sent a statement saying, “We have temporarily suspended our ride-hailing services given the broad power outage in San Francisco. We are focused on keeping our riders safe and ensuring emergency personnel have the clear access they need to do their work.” PG&E reported as of 7AM PT that “Crews have restored about 110,000 customers and PG&E continues to work on restoring the remaining 21,000 customers, primarily in the Presidio, Richmond District, Golden Gate Park and small areas of downtown San Francisco,” as it continued repairs after a fire at a five-story power substation.

After this story was published, Philion sent a second statement:

We are resuming ride-hailing service in the San Francisco Bay Area. Yesterday’s power outage was a widespread event that caused gridlock across San Francisco, with non-functioning traffic signals and transit disruptions. While the failure of the utility infrastructure was significant, we are committed to ensuring our technology adjusts to traffic flow during such events.

“Throughout the outage, we closely coordinated with San Francisco city officials. We are focused on rapidly integrating the lessons learned from this event, and are committed to earning and maintaining the trust of the communities we serve every day.

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Exactly why the cars weren’t moving remains unclear, with no public updates we could find on the company’s social media channels, but speculation centered on spotty wireless data connections, with cell towers either down or overloaded by people who no longer had access to Wi-Fi, and/or the street lights that weren’t operating without power.

These problems have occurred before, though, as seen in TikTok videos from earlier this year showing Waymos frozen by a malfunctioning street light and during a power outage in Austin, Texas. In a reply to a Reddit post showing another similar situation last year, someone saying they were a former employee commented explaining that the vehicle would send a request to a remote assistant and wait for their response before proceeding.

According to a company blog post, it reaches out to a human response agent when the car encounters “unique interactions,” providing them with live and recorded views from its cameras in addition to a 3D map of what the sensors are picking up. However, those may require bandwidth that’s hard to find during a significant power outage. I couldn’t find any statistics on how many remote assistance operators Waymo has available at a given time, but in November, the company announced it passed a third-party audit by Tüv Süd, a German tech inspection company that evaluated its remote assistance program against industry best practices.

Update, December 21st: Added updated statement from Waymo spokesperson Suzanne Philion.

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