Technology

Call off the sniffer dogs: I've found the best Labor Day weekend headphone deal (some might say, the only such discount worth considering), so you can stop hunting around for good bargains.

I'll cut to the good bit: the Sony WH-1000XM5 are now just $198 (was $399.99) at Amazon — a whopping 50% off!

The Sony WH-1000XM5, which we gave a perfect score to in our review, are back down to their lowest-ever price. Banish the thought of these $399 cans, they're now down to $198 (which is actually just over half off) at Amazon.

All four color options are down to this low price too; we've seen the headphones dip to this price before, but only once, in June of this year. There are some other discounted cans, but nothing like the Sonys; let's call off the search and I'll see you again next year.

Despite being a few years old, these are still stellar headphones, especially at the cost; the newer Sony WH-100XM6 headphones are reduced in the Labor Day sales, but only down to $398, so these 5th-gen models are the true bargain.

If you want something even cheaper, the entry-level Sony WH-CH520 are now just $38, down from $69.99, again over at Amazon.

These are more affordable Sony models, with balanced sound but some missing features and a less-premium design. The XM5s are the real bargain of the day, thanks to all the extra features they offer.

Today's best Sony WH-1000XM5 deal

WH-1000XM5: was $399.99 now $198
Sony's previous-generation flagship headphones are back down to their lowest-ever price, saving you over $200 on cans which received a perfect, 5-star score in our review. There are four color models to choose from, and each is discounted to this same price.View Deal

Any flies in the ointment? Sonically, no. Even at full price these headphones are the real deal. The only minor issue, if I'm being really picky, is that this model doesn't fold up for easy and compact transportation — although you do get a lovely case, in which the cups will lie flat.

Other than that, this is the easiest deal recommendation I've ever made, days ahead of Labor Day. I'll go ahead and clock off early eds, if that's all?

Shop more of today's best Labor Day sales

• Amazon: 45% off TVs, AirPods, air fryers & vacuums
• Apple: iPads, AirPods & MacBooks from $99
• Appliances: up to $1,200 at Samsung
• Best Buy: 60% off appliances, TVs, laptops & more
• Casper: up to 30% off mattresses
• Dell: laptop deals from $249.99
• DreamCloud: up to 60% off mattresses, 66% off bundles
• Home Depot: 40% off appliances, furniture, grills & tools
• Lowe's: $1,000 off appliances, patio & tools
• Nectar: up to 50% off mattresses, deals from $349
• Saatva: up to $625 off luxury mattresses
• Samsung: up to $2,000 off 4K, QLED & OLED TVs
• Target: 45% off clothing, tech & furniture
• Walmart: 58% off back-to-school, furniture, & clothing

Google Pics is rolling out to eligible Workspace customers with AI image generation, editing tools, and admin controls enabled by default.

The post Google Pics Rolls Out to Workspace With Default-On AI Image Tools appeared first on TechRepublic.

OpenAI is backing California SB 1119, which would require age checks, safety protections, and audits for AI companion chatbots used by minors.

The post OpenAI Backs California Bill Requiring Age Checks and Safety Audits for Teen AI appeared first on TechRepublic.

Google raises the TV Streamer price to $149.99 as component costs rise, changing how it compares with Roku, Amazon and Walmart streaming alternatives.

The post Google TV Streamer Jumps to $150 as Component Costs Rise appeared first on TechRepublic.

Dyson’s CameraJet toothbrush uses a built-in camera and machine learning to detect gaps between teeth and automatically target them during cleaning.

The post Dyson Put a Camera in a $499 Toothbrush: Here’s What It Does appeared first on TechRepublic.

Xbox Series X25 costs $100 more than the standard Series X without adding performance. Here’s what the anniversary premium actually buys.

The post Xbox Series X25 vs Xbox Series X: Is the $100 Premium Worth It? appeared first on TechRepublic.

The Circular Ring 3 Pro and Slim add NFC payments and haptic feedback, and still don’t require subscriptions for its core health features and AI coach. 

Miele just launched the world’s first dishwasher with built-in camera. Here’s what it does.

Five Singapore firms account for 98% of Southeast Asia’s data-center equity funding as new cloud and AI capacity spreads across the region.

The post Five Singapore Firms Account for 98% of Southeast Asia Data Center Funding as Build-Out Spreads appeared first on TechRepublic.

OpenAI is connecting ChatGPT for Healthcare to supported Epic EHR systems, giving clinicians read-only access to patient records and medical data.

The post ChatGPT for Healthcare Adds Epic Integration for Patient Records appeared first on TechRepublic.

Brazil’s election court faces a new AI test after a synthetic Jair Bolsonaro appeared in campaign content, exposing gaps between regulation and technology.

The post Brazil Tried to Regulate AI in Elections. A Bolsonaro Avatar Is Testing the Rules appeared first on TechRepublic.

Nothing OS 5.0 starts with Phone (3) and expands through January 2027. Here are the eligible devices, major features, rollout dates, and beta risks.

The post Nothing OS 5.0: Eligible Phones, Features, Rollout Dates appeared first on TechRepublic.

While Game Pass is losing some heavy hitters, it’s also getting a few new games soon.

Sennheiser’s $299.95 Momentum True Wireless 5 adds user-replaceable batteries to both the earbuds and charging case, plus longer battery life and Bluetooth 6.0.

The post Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless 5: Key Features and Price appeared first on TechRepublic.

HONOR Watch 6 combines long battery life, dual-band GPS, health tracking, and NFC, but some features depend on your phone, bank, and region.

The post HONOR Watch 6: Everything You Need to Know appeared first on TechRepublic.

Instagram will limit recommendations for AI-generated influencer profiles that fail to disclose their synthetic identities under a new labeling policy.

The post Instagram Cracks Down on AI Influencers That Pretend to Be Real appeared first on TechRepublic.

A cross-platform PDF solution with advanced editing and conversion tools built for professional efficiency.

The post MobiPDF Lifetime License Offers Full PDF Editing for $49.99 appeared first on TechRepublic.

• Huawei launches its Huawei Watch D3, its third iteration of its blood pressure-focused health watch
• With an inbuilt inflatable cuff, the watch now suppors 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring, helping users track trends
• It comes as Apple, Google and smart ring startups have made advances with LED-based monitoring

Huawei has unveiled its Huawei Watch D3, the latest version of its health watch with a specific focus on blood pressure. The Watch D series is a cool bit of kit that stands out from the best smartwatches on the market by way of its mechanized components — its main selling point is a strap with inflatable bladders running through it, swelling and acting as a cuff to measure blood pressure accurately at any time.

While a great idea, previous iterations looked quite boxy, and more like the medical devices they clearly are intended to be than daily wear smartwatches.

The Huawei Watch D3 aims to change that, boasting advances over previous iterations — especially in design. It's said to be just 11.3mm thick and weigh 40g, with an 'ultra-narrow' version of its inflatable band. This makes it not only easier to wear all day, but also at night.

Night wear seems to be crucial, as the Watch D3 offers '24-hour Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring (ABPM)' in accordance with medical guidelines according to Huawei. Its press release says ABPM helps users "track blood pressure trends throughout the day and night, even while asleep.

"During the day, intervals can be customized and manual measurements taken as needed; at night, the watch inflates automatically with quieter operation for reduced sleep disturbance."

The watch also takes pre- and post-exercise blood pressure measurements, and comes with other smartwatch features such as GPS, outdoor route navigation, and running analytics. Family members can view each others' stats via the Health Community feature, checking in on those at risk.

(Image credit: HUawei)

Available in black, white and gold from £399.99 (around $545 / AU$745), the watch is unavailable in the US due to the ongoing Huawei telecomms tech ban.

Instead, people in the US who want a blood pressure-measuring wearable have to look elsewhere. No one is quite doing what Huawei is with the inflatable wrist cuff technology, even three years on from the original Watch D, but great strides have been made with optical LEDs, which were once thought of as the 'holy grail' of smartwatch capabilities.

Apple now offers a Hypertension feature, monitoring your sleep over 30 days to flag signs of possible hypertension, while the Google Pixel Watch 5 sports a Blood Pressure Detection feature.

Elsewhere, the Signal Ring startup from an ex-head of Android is focused solely on cuffless, calibration-less blood pressure sensing via a smart ring.

Two Illinois customers allege Walmart created voiceprints from service calls without obtaining consent required under the state’s biometric privacy law.

The post Walmart Accused of Creating Voiceprints From Customer Service Calls appeared first on TechRepublic.

• CD Projekt Red's joint CEO Michal Nowakowski has confidence in game consoles coping with the RAM crisis
• Nowakowski is convinced consoles will 'weather the storm', as analysts expect shortages to continue through 2027
• Sony isn't just facing the RAM crisis, but also a major backlash over its decision to end physical game discs

The RAM crisis is continuing to cause havoc with the hardware market, affecting component prices, PC makers, and potentially delaying next-gen console launches. However, it's not so bleak as you might think, at least in the eyes of CD Projekt Red's boss.

As reported by IGN, CD Projekt Red's (CDPR) joint CEO Michal Nowakowski was interviewed by The Game Business and voiced his confidence that next-gen consoles will survive the RAM crisis despite the prospect of high pricing.

This comes amid concerns and projections from industry insiders and analysts that RAM shortages are going to get worse in 2027 and beyond. The big three memory chip makers — Samsung, SK Hynix, and Micron — are expected to increase combined capital spending to nearly 340% from 2024 to 2027.

It doesn't look like RAM shortages and high hardware prices will die down anytime soon, but this doesn't faze Nowakowski, at least when it comes to ensuring CDPR delivers the best possible content.

"Consoles are still necessary to broaden the audience on the casual or semi-casual level. It's important to have easy to plug in and enjoy gaming," Nowakowski says.

"I'm a big believer that they're [consoles] going to weather the storm. Pricing is the objective challenge. And the rumors... we hear them about the next-gen being delayed. I don't know if they're true."

RAM isn't the only worry for Sony

(Image credit: Shutterstock / Girts Ragelis)

Besides the RAM crisis pushing up prices and causing potential console launch delays, Sony in particular may have an uphill battle ahead. Its recent decision to end production of physical game discs for PlayStation consoles, starting in January 2028, already has gamers in the ecosystem protesting and planning alternatives to escape the impending doom of discs.

An all-digital future means any form of game ownership will cease to exist, as digital content can theoretically be taken away from gamers at any time, and that has led to a loud (and justified, I think) reaction from the console community.

The Game Business didn't question Nowakowski directly about physical game ownership, but did probe further on the effect that delayed next-gen consoles might have, with Nowakowski making CDPR's stance very clear.

"If the next-gen gets delayed, it could be the case that some ideas [for games] are put on a shelf for the future. We'd have to adjust. We're not worried on the commercial side. Consoles are here to stay."

It's fair to say that Nowakowski's last statement is a realistic assessment. Even given Sony's dismissal of physical game discs, this isn't going to lead to a complete collapse in the popularity of consoles.

However, Sony may not make life easy for itself and publishers such as CDPR, as from 2028, when the discs are dumped with the PlayStation ecosystem, a hit to games sales is far from impossible — especially if the ongoing backlash from gamers is anything to go by.