Prime Day Purchases: What We Actually Bought
Prime Day has arrived, and after navigating the sea of discounts, many of us have finally made some purchases. Here’s a peek at what some team members decided to buy, revealing the deals that were too good to resist.
Igor Bonifacic: D’Addario Headstock Tuner
As a recent guitar convert, I’ve been slowly accumulating the accessories that make playing easier. With Prime Day approaching, I focused on a headstock tuner. These weren’t around when I first started learning guitar, and they’re a game-changer.
These tuners attach to the headstock and use vibrations to determine the string’s pitch. While apps like GuitarTuna can do the same, clip-on tuners aren’t affected by ambient noise, making tuning quick and simple. In the US, you can find models for as little as $15.
In Canada, the D’Addario tuner I purchased is usually around $20 CAD. I set up a price alert, hoping for a Prime Day discount. The alert came, revealing a $2 price drop. It wasn’t a huge saving, but in an expensive hobby, every dollar counts. Getting back into guitar has been fantastic. It’s boosted my creativity, reduced screen time, and I’m even better than I was as a teenager.
Ian Carlos Campbell: Logitech Brio 500 Webcam
I’ve become a fan of Apple’s Continuity Camera, using my iPhone as a webcam. However, having my phone within reach while working is distracting. A dedicated webcam seemed like the solution.
I opted for an off-white Logitech Brio 500. It’s a 1080p webcam with a manual shutter and auto-framing. While not the sleekest option, it has the essentials and matches my Logitech mouse. At $80 (discounted from $130), it’s an appealing choice for those who don’t want to spend a fortune on a webcam.
Anna Washenko: SanDisk USB-C/USB-3 Thumb Drive
With all my gear transitioning to USB-C, I realized I no longer had any compatible thumb drives. Instead of a dongle, I decided to get a new drive that handles both USB-C and USB-3. The discount on the SanDisk drive wasn’t massive, but Prime Day was a good opportunity to save a little on a practical item.
Sam Rutherford: Transformers Figures
Even though it wasn’t a Prime Day deal, I pre-ordered a re-issue of the Studio Series Blaster from Amazon, as he’s one of my favorite Transformers. Then, I added Soundwave to the order, because you can’t have one without the other. I also found a small discount on Heatwave, which I picked up as a present for my son’s birthday.
It might seem strange that I’m still fascinated by plastic toys as an adult, but it feels like a golden age for Transformer figures. Despite the awful movies, there’s a rich history of shows and toys. I’ve had a blast diving back into it all with my kid.
Cherlynn Low: Entry-Level iPad
I had a short list of Prime Day purchases: a Nori Press, a walking pad, and a Ms. Rachel Tonie toy. However, a discounted entry-level iPad caught my eye.
My dad had been asking about an iPad for watching videos while traveling. I hesitated, considering the best operating system and whether to buy a recent or older model. The sale on the current-generation iPad made the decision easy. My dad uses an iPhone and is familiar with iPadOS. Apps like YouTube and Netflix would satisfy his need to download videos. Saving $70 on a solid device felt great, and it earned me points with my family.
Still Considering
Prime Day continues, and some team members are still deciding. Executive editor John Falcone is considering Anker’s UFO 3-device charger, which is almost 30 percent off.
Not all purchases are through Amazon. Editor-in-chief Aaron Souppouris is contemplating buying “a weird camera for too much money not on Amazon.” It’s a full-spectrum conversion camera.
Finally, senior editor Billy Steele might have made the best decision of all: buying three Happy Meals to get the cool toys. Unfortunately, he got three of the same toy.