SMOOTH SALE-ING!
I test tech for a living and I’d buy three top Black Friday deals – but check ‘secret stores’ for better prices first
You'll never get bored of my third pick
BLACK Friday is here and there's an ocean of deals to wade through – but three have caught my eye.
I've been testing gadgets for a living for years, and if I didn't have these three items already, I'd be very tempted.
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APPLE AIRPODS PRO 2
The second-generation Apple AirPods Pro are a perfect purchase for several reasons.
They're a big upgrade in terms of sound versus the regular AirPods.
And they also have Active Noise Cancellation to shut out the din around you – as well as Transparency Mode to draw in sound (like if you're listening for train announcements).
You can charge them with the newer USB-C cable that powers the latest iPhone models.
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And they support Spatial Audio for immersive listening (which is also great for watching movies too).
But one of the biggest reasons to buy came in an update just a few weeks ago.
The AirPods Pro can now let you perform a hearing test at home – and it only takes five minutes.
It's a staggeringly useful feature that can potentially help flag hearing issues for millions of people who might otherwise never have known about their condition.
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They also have a Hearing Protection feature that can dampen loud sounds.
So you wear them to a gig and still be able to hear all the music – but potentially damaging noises would be dimmed.
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It's hard to put a price on your hearing health.
But Amazon has – and it's £179, down from £229 for Black Friday.
- Apple AirPods Pro 2 at Amazon for £179 –
Amazon Fire Stick (4K version)
If you're not careful, you might accidentally be ruining your TV-watching experience.
There's a seemingly endless supply of 4K Ultra HD content to watch these days from the likes of Netflix, Amazon, Disney, Apple and more.
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And Amazon's Fire TV Sticks are a great way to upgrade your TV with "smart" features so you can watch it all.
But you have to be careful: if you've forked out for a posh 4K telly, it doesn't guarantee you'll see a 4K picture.
That's because your streaming device also needs to support 4K – and the regular Amazon Fire TV Stick doesn't.
Instead you'll want to purchase the slightly pricier Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, which will let your 4K television work to its full potential.
It normally costs £59.99, but that's been reduced to £34.99 for Black Friday.
And there's a special deal that lets you save an extra £12 if you snap up the Alexa Voice Remote Pro.
For a start, that'll let you issue voice commands to Alexa to control your TV.
But the Remote Pro feature also has a built-in speaker that can beep if you've lost it.
CHECK THE 'SECRET STORES'!
Here's the official advice from The Sun's tech expert ...
Before you go rushing off to buy some brand new gadgets, make sure to check the "secret stores" with rock-bottom pricing.
I'm talking about Certified Refurbished stores, where old tech is given a new lease of life.
Amazon and Apple both have these easy-to-miss refurbished shops on their websites.
For instance, Apple's will let you shave up to £450 off the price of an iPhone.
The products go through a strict process, including full testing.
Here's Apple's official explanation: "You will receive a refurbished device with genuine Apple replacement parts (as needed) that has been thoroughly cleaned and inspected.
"Every device will come with all accessories, cables and operating systems."
And you'll still get a one-year warranty.
Amazon shoppers can bag similarly discounted products.
There's a special Amazon Renewed store with discounted versions of products.
The retail giant explains: "Products sold on Amazon Renewed are professionally inspected and tested to meet quality standards by an Amazon qualified and performance-managed supplier.
"The suppliers meet strict criteria to sell on Amazon Renewed and ongoing performance targets.
"The inspection and testing process typically includes a full diagnostic test, replacement of any faulty parts, and a thorough cleaning process. This cleaning process is carried out by the qualified supplier or by Amazon."
You can trigger the beep using your smartphone, so you'll never lose your Fire TV remote again.
- Fire TV Stick 4K at Amazon for £34.99 –
NANOLEAF ESSENTIALS BULBS
It's hard to understand how useful smart bulbs are until you've got them.
The Nanoleaf Essentials are one of the best, in my opinion.
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They don't need a special bridge to connect to – and can be controlled using your phone, or a connected assistant like Apple's Siri or the Google Assistant.
So you can say "set living room to 20%" and the room will have a soft glow.
And you can even adjust the warmth of the light, so you can get it to a nice cosy near-orange colour.
In fact, you can choose almost any colour you like – so if you want a purple room, you very much can.
You can even set up routines so that the light activates and does certain things based on times of day – or even your physical location.
And they're now available for just £17.70 for a pack of three – down from £22.
That's an exceptionally good price for three smart bulbs. If I didn't already have them everywhere, I'd be snapping this offer right up.
- Nanoleaf Essentials Smart Bulbs at Amazon (3-pack) for £17.70 –
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All prices in this article were correct at the time of writing, but may have since changed.
Always do your own research before making any purchase.
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