Sony's voice-enabled HomePod speaker rival drops to just $50 (Update: Expired)
Originally $200, the LF-S50G offers 360-degree sound and comes with Google Assistant baked in. Plus: A huge price cut on a high-tech hiking backpack.
Let's do some smart-speaker math, shall we? Ahead of Mother's Day , the Google Home Mini is on sale at various stores for $29 -- normally $49.
Or, for just $21 more, you could take a huge leap up in sound quality. For a limited time, and while supplies last, Best Buy has the Sony LF-S50G Smart Bluetooth Speaker with Google Assistant for $49.99 -- with free 2-day shipping, meaning you can still get it in time for Mother's Day.
I'll be honest, I hadn't heard of this one until I spotted the sale. Turns out the LG-S50G debuted in summer, 2017, as a potential rival to Apple's HomePod . Indeed, it looks quite similar, though I'd say it's definitely the prettier of the two.
Instead of Siri, of course, it has Google Assistant baked in. It also has an LCD clock -- a small touch, but a nice one, I think. It helps to break up the all-grill design.
Speaking of which, like the HomePod, the Sony delivers 360-degree sound. It connects to your network via Wi-Fi, but also supports Bluetooth should you want to pair a phone or tablet directly. Particularly cool, it responds to hand gestures: You can play/pause music or adjust volume with a simple wave.
CNET never did a full review of the speaker, only a first-look preview. Conclusions: Loud for its size, with better sound than the Google Home (currently $99).
And, remember, this was originally priced at $200, so it was intended as the affordable alternative to the HomePod (currently $299). For $50, I think this is a pretty stellar deal.
Your thoughts?
Read more: Google slashes prices on its Home Max, Nest Hub and Google Home
Bonus deal: A $200 solar-charging hiking backpack for $80
Although it's not shown here, the NRGcamper includes a solar charging panel and big rechargeable battery.
I'm about to make you a happy camper. Today only, and while supplies last, Meh has the Ghostek NRGcamper solar-powered backpack for $79.99, plus $5 for shipping. Price at Amazon: $200.
There's an interesting bit of backstory here: The NRGcamper was a successful 2017 Kickstarter project with a $160 early-bird price and $250 expected retail price. The former: "This is the lowest price point we will EVER offer."
So much for that. The backpack is also notable for integrating a 16,000-mAh rechargeable battery and including a clip-on solar panel for keeping it charged and recharged. It has a total of 5 USB ports for powering all your camping gear.
Beyond that, it's just a nice-looking, water-resistant 60L camping backpack. Could you buy a low-tech one for less? Yep -- but then you wouldn't have the satisfaction of getting a $200 item for $80.
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