Amazon Prime Day is coming on Tuesday, July 12. But guess what? You can start scoring deals right now.
That's because Amazon is offering "Countdown" deals in the days leading up to the main event.
Needless to say, the company is saving all the best deals for the big tamale, but it's still worth a daily look to see if there's anything good.
Today, for example, the "Gadgets on the go" collection yielded five travel-friendly tech goodies. These are the three I recommend:
- The Anker PowerCore 20,100mAh mobile charger for $26.99. About as compact as a portable power brick of that capacity can get, the PowerCore features two 2.4a USB ports, automatic device detection and an 18-month warranty. Just take note: The charger itself takes a full 10 hours to recharge.
- The Altec Lansing iMW577 Life Jacket 2 portable Bluetooth speaker for $79.99. Priced elsewhere at $149.99, this "everything-proof" speaker can withstand water, sand and other summertime hazards. It even floats! Other perks: NFC pairing, built-in speakerphone and a 40-hour (!) battery life.
- The Polaroid Cube 1080p hands-free action cam for $64.99. This first-gen model lacks Wi-Fi but offers a wide-angle lens and 90 minutes of continuous shooting for a fraction of the price of a GoPro. Read CNET's review or watch the video below to learn more.
Amazon is also offering some daily video deals for Prime customers, notably 99-cent rentals on several dozen movies. Among the top picks:
- The criminally underrated "Edge of Tomorrow."
- "Inception"
- "The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring"
- "The Goonies"
- "The Matrix"
- "The Hangover"
Finally, Amazon promised some Prime Day love for Echo owners, but the love starts early: From now through July 12, you can get $10 off any purchase of at least $20 when you shop with Alexa.
That includes not only the aforementioned Countdown deals, but also the Alexa-powered Amazon Tap. Already on sale for $79.99 (down from $129.99), the order-with-Alexa option drops it to $69.99. Just make sure to read CNET's review first to determine if it's something you really want.
Check back tomorrow for another look at the top Prime Day Countdown deals. In the meantime, read these 7 things you should know about Prime Day -- including what you can do if you're not currently a Prime subscriber.