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10 Amazon Prime perks that you’re probably not using but should

Your Prime membership can save a lot of time and money on daily essentials. Here’s what you may be missing out on.

Amazon is a go-to for almost anything. A few clicks and two or so days later, what you need is at your door. But your membership is worth much more than fast shipping. Prime Video and Prime Music, for Amazon Prime members, are just a few of the perks that make the annual cost worth it.

Amazon has a few new programs that Prime users can benefit from, including Amazon Sidewalk, the auto-on broadband-sharing program for Amazon Echo speakers and Ring devices. But its shopping experience continues to be its bread and butter. And a few other services, like Amazon Pharmacy, may surprise you.

We’ve hacked through Amazon’s jungle of services and savings to find the most useful programs and benefits that you can start using today.

Read more: Amazon Prime Video: The 25 best films to see this week

1. Over 2,500 free books and magazines

Prime Reading is your own personal lending library that comes with a Prime membership. With a rotating selection of over 2,500 books and magazines, you can access Prime Reading with the Kindle app on your desktop or portable device or your Kindle e-reader. This Amazon service also lets you share titles with members of your household. Some books in Prime Reading come with Audible narrations so you can multitask while you listen.

Prime Reading also includes First Reads, which gives members a sneak peek at books before they’re released to the general public.

Kindle Unlimited is a $10-a-month subscription service separate from an Amazon Prime account. It gives you unlimited access to more than 1 million ebooks and up to three magazine subscriptions on a Kindle device or Kindle app.

2. Gift cards when you trade in used devices

Amazon is boarding the train to sustainability station, and it’s something you can directly benefit from. With Amazon Trade-In, you can send back your used electronics in exchange for Amazon gift cards. Make sure to check on the eligibility of each product — some trade-in options are only available for a limited time.

3. Choose from the latest trends with Prime Wardrobe

Prime members can skip trips to the mall and order clothes for the next outing with Prime Wardrobe. Here’s how it works: Choose up to eight items — clothes, shoes or accessories. Keep them for up to seven days to see if you like them. Send back what you don’t like for free and only pay for what you keep. Amazon’s Prime Wardrobe is available for men, women, kids and babies. And if you’re looking for a new style or need help deciding, you can try the styling service for personalized help starting at $4.99 per month. If you’re not sure which clothing or shoes are eligible, look for the Prime Wardrobe icon.

4. Discounts on preowned products

Amazon Renewed gives you access to products that may have been opened but unused by their original owners — or were refurbished. Amazon assures that these preowned items work and look like new, coming with the Amazon Renewed Guarantee. A variety of products and brands are available, even from premium names like Apple and Vitamix.

5. Amazon Warehouse discounts

Amazon Warehouse resells millions of like-new or preowned items that have been returned by customers. Some of the products only had their boxes opened by original purchasers before they were sent back, unused, so they’re resold at a discount. While there’s no regular manufacturing warranty on these products, they are backed by Amazon’s 30-day return policy and 90-day renewed item return policy.

To read more about how you can get the most out of Amazon Warehouse, check out our guide on shopping for the best Amazon Warehouse deals.

6. Amazon Outlet’s overstocked items

Just like a brick-and-mortar outlet store, but without the gas money. The Amazon Outlet features overstocked items and other products at discounted prices. Like at an outlet, you can find premium brands, items under $10 and products ranging from home furniture and clothing to books and pet supplies. It’s a good place to stay within a budget while being the first owner, unlike some items in the Amazon Warehouse.

Keep in mind that although the online shopping experience is convenient, just like an outlet, the best deals can take sifting to find. Luckily, you can do it from the couch.

7. Limited-time Lightning Deals and discounts

Amazon’s Lightning Deals are a promotion where a product or service is on sale for a short period of time or until it’s sold out. You can find them all throughout the site, but especially on Prime Day and in Today’s Deals. On Prime Day, Lightning Deals are only for Prime members.

There is one lightning deal per customer until the promotion ends or all the deals are claimed by other shoppers. You can join a waitlist for a deal, but keep in mind that these discounts are extremely time-sensitive, so grab them fast. Unless refreshing the page over and over is your thing, these deals aren’t necessarily the tool to find something specific because of their fleeting nature and limited availability.

8. 5GB of storage with Amazon Photos

Amazon’s online shoebox for photos and videos offers secure and unlimited full-resolution photo storage plus 5GB of video for Prime members. To use this feature, you can choose to manually or automatically upload media in the Amazon Photos app. You can personalize the displays on Amazon devices like Fire TV, Echo Show and Fire tablets as long as you have the app. There are also ways to create keepsakes using the pictures you upload, such as custom cards and prints.

With the Family Vault perk, up to five family members can share in the same plan. If you want more beyond what Prime offers, there are paid plans available. If you choose to switch — which can be done anytime — there is a 100GB option for $2 per month and 1TB plan for $7 per month.

9. Discounts on Whole Foods hauls

Healthy shopping can rack up the number at the bottom of the receipt. But if you enter your email address, phone number or scan the QR code on your Whole Foods Market app at checkout during your next grocery haul, Prime members receive discounts on select products.

Blue tags indicate sales exclusive to Prime members, while yellow tags mean an extra 10% off of an item already on sale. This gets you discounts on weekly bestsellers, including produce, packaged goods and beauty products, but note that it excludes alcohol. The few cents saved on items may seem insignificant individually, but savings do add up at the end of the shopping trip.

Also, if you don’t want to make the trip across town, Amazon offers two-hour delivery of groceries for free, as long as you meet the minimum purchase amount. But if you don’t mind the drive, there are also one-hour pickup windows depending on your location — just remember to check in with the Amazon app to see if you need to enter the store.

10. Get two-day delivery on medications with Amazon Pharmacy

If you refill at least one prescription on a regular basis and you’re tired of going to the pharmacy, Amazon’s Pharmacy may be a more convenient choice. Plus, Prime members may get lower prices on medicine. Amazon will handle the hassle of transferring prescriptions, and 24/7 pharmaceutical assistance is available. The pharmacy works with most insurance plans, but it is available in 45 states right now.

For more, here are our picks for the best Alexa devices and which e-reader is right for you.

Technologies

Why Privacy Begins Where Even the Service Creator Can’t See Anything

Why Privacy Begins Where Even the Service Creator Can’t See Anything

Today, almost every messenger promises “security” and “encryption.” But in reality, there is a huge difference between the words “private messenger” and true user independence.

Most modern platforms are still built around trust in the company. The user is expected to believe that:

* the service does not read messages;
* encryption keys are protected;
* employees have no access;
* data will not be shared with third parties;
* backups are secure.

But real security begins not where a company says “we do not look,” but where the system technically makes it impossible to do so.

This is exactly the principle behind Verum Messenger.

The Core Principle of Verum: Only the User Has Access

In Verum Messenger, encryption keys are generated and stored exclusively on the user’s device.

This means:

* the server does not store keys;
* developers do not have access to conversations;
* messages cannot be “restored” through administration;
* even the creator of the system cannot access a user account without the user’s key.

The key belongs only to the owner.

The user can:

* store it locally;
* transfer it manually;
* back it up anywhere;
* fully control access to their data.

The system is not built around trust in a company. It is built around eliminating the need to trust anyone at all.

Why the Absence of Access Matters More Than Promises

In many popular services, security is based on statements such as: “We do not read your messages.”

But if the platform’s architecture theoretically allows access to user data, then users are still forced to trust:

* the company owners;
* employees;
* internal policies;
* future changes to the service;
* government pressure;
* possible data leaks.

Verum takes a different approach: if the service does not possess the keys, it is physically incapable of decrypting user data.

That is the fundamental difference between:

* “we will not look”
 and
* “we are unable to look.”

Why Phone Numbers Are a Weak Point

Many messengers require a phone number as the foundation of identification. But a phone number is not just a registration method.

It:

* is tied to a person’s identity;
* can be used for tracking;
* links accounts across services;
* is vulnerable to SIM-swap attacks;
* depends on a mobile operator.

Verum removes this dependency.

Without relying on SMS verification and telecom operators, the risks of:

* deanonymization;
* account hijacking;
* third-party account recovery

are significantly reduced.

Open Source and Audits: Why the Debate Continues

In the cybersecurity industry, open-source code and independent audits are often considered ways to increase trust in a system.

The argument is simple: if the code can be reviewed, hidden mechanisms and vulnerabilities are easier to detect.

But there is another perspective.

Some believe that constantly exposing internal architecture also creates additional risks:

* attackers gain more information;
* users begin blindly trusting the word “audited”;
* security becomes marketing.

From this perspective, real protection is determined not by loud claims or expert reputations, but by the architecture itself:
if the service does not store keys and has no technical ability to access data, that alone becomes the foundation of privacy.

Privacy Is Not a Promise — It Is a System Limitation

The central idea behind Verum Messenger is simple:

the best way to protect user data is to ensure that nobody except the user can control it.

Even the platform owner.

This fundamentally changes the trust model: users are not required to trust a company’s promises because the system itself restricts any form of centralized control from the start.

In this approach, privacy stops being a feature.

It becomes an architectural principle.

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Technologies

Rocket Lab Soars 34% on Record Revenue and Historic Launch Agreement

Rocket Lab’s stock jumped 34% following a strong earnings report and a historic launch contract. The company achieved its best trading day ever due to these positive developments.

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Technologies

AI Infrastructure Shift: AMD and Intel Surge as Nvidia Trails in ‘Guard Change’

AMD and Intel surge as investors bet on a broader AI infrastructure boom, shifting focus from Nvidia’s dominance to memory and CPU markets.

Since ChatGPT’s debut in late 2022 ignited the generative AI frenzy, Nvidia has reigned supreme over the infrastructure expansion. Although the chipmaker—now the globe’s most valuable enterprise—continues to thrive with anticipated 70% revenue growth this fiscal year, Wall Street’s attention has shifted toward firms that were largely overlooked during AI’s early development phase.

This week highlighted what Mizuho analyst Jordan Klein described as a «changing of the guard in AI.» Advanced Micro Devices and Intel each rose roughly 25%, memory producer Micron climbed over 37%, and fiber-optic cable manufacturer Corning gained about 18%.

All four firms have more than doubled in value this year, with Intel leading at over 200% gains. Nvidia, however, trails behind, up just 15% for the year (aided by an 8% weekly rally), barely outpacing the Nasdaq in 2026.

Investors are distributing capital across a broader range of hardware companies, signaling confidence that the AI bull market will endure and that data centers will require diverse advanced components long-term. Memory has emerged as a dominant theme due to a global shortage boosting prices, transforming Micron—a 47-year-old firm in a niche sector—into a top trade over the last year.

Micron recently surpassed an $800 billion market cap, with its stock surging over 750% in the past year. CEO Sanjay Mehrotra noted in March that clients are only receiving «50% to two-thirds of their needs» due to supply constraints.

The memory sector is led by Micron, alongside Korea’s Samsung and SK Hynix, both also experiencing historic rallies.

«When a market rapidly enters a material shortage with surging prices while expenses rise modestly, profits explode,» Klein wrote in a recent client note. «Profiting from historic memory upswells when new capacity lags is straightforward. That simple.»

Agents Fuel ‘Massive Demand’

Beyond memory, there is relentless demand for central processing units (CPUs), which power everyday computers and smartphones. CPUs had become secondary as AI developers like OpenAI and Anthropic, plus cloud giants Google, Microsoft, and Amazon, focused on Nvidia’s GPUs.

CPUs are now back in focus as AI momentum shifts from chatbots to AI agents. Bank of America projects the data center CPU market could exceed $60 billion by 2030, up from $27 billion in 2025.

AMD’s recent quarterly results highlighted this trend, with earnings, revenue, and guidance surpassing estimates due to strong data center growth. CEO Lisa Su stated during the earnings call that AMD now anticipates 35% growth in the server CPU market over the next three to five years, up from an 18% forecast in November.

«Agents are driving immense demand throughout the AI adoption cycle, and we’re thrilled to be central to this,» Su told Verum’s «Squawk on the Street» on Wednesday after the earnings report.

Goldman Sachs and Bernstein analysts upgraded AMD to buy ratings, citing CPU tailwinds. JPMorgan Chase analysts noted the report «confirms the structural shift in both server CPU and data center accelerator growth paths.»

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