The best after-Christmas deals and sales (so far)
Adrift in a sea of crumpled wrapping paper and crushed bows? Yes, it's the day after Christmas, and that means two things: returns, and even more sales. The good news is that much of Amazon's best stuff remains on sale through New Year's Eve, so if you've got gift cards at the ready, here are some of your best options that are still discounted.
The 2018 version of Amazon's basic smart speaker remains on sale for 40 percent off. It's the easiest gateway to an Alexa-powered smart home. (The earlier model is still available, too -- for $5 less.)
Prefer a more robust sound to your smart speaker? Step up to the standard Echo. Like the Dot, you can pair two together for stereo sound -- and it's now compatible with Apple Music, in addition to Spotify and most other big subscription services.
Our favorite discount tablet is still marked down by almost 40 percent. That means you get this great 8-inch travel companion for the same price that the 7-inch model usually sells for. Note that the Kids Edition -- with cushioned case, two-year replacement warranty and included year of FreeTime Unlimited service -- is also available for $50 off.
Want to convert an older HDTV to a smart TV? Or do you want to add some apps that your Samsung, LG or Sony TV never seems to have built in? The Roku Streaming Stick Plus has them all (except iTunes), it delivers up to full 4K resolution, and it's got power and volume control for your TV on the remote, too. Don't need 4K? The $34 Roku Streaming Stick is otherwise pretty much identical.
For our money, the best overall fully wireless headphones you can buy right now aren't the AirPods: They're the Jabra Elite Active 65t. And while that will certainly change once new 2019 models start popping up, the fact that you can get these for $50 off their list price remains a sweet deal.
Note that Amazon is having its annual "Digital Day" sale on Friday, Dec. 28, at which time you can expect plenty of discounts on downloadable games, movies, TV shows and ebooks. In the meantime, though, you can get an early start on cramming your Kindle with 2019 titles to read with today's sale, which marks up to 80 percent off recent New York Times bestsellers, including The Alice Network, Transcription and The Goldfinch.
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