Technologies

Amazon Prime Day Drops Fitbit Ace LTE Kids Smartwatch to a New Record-Low Price

Score nearly 40% off this Fitbit smartwatch for your kids on Prime Day’s final day.

Many of us have smartwatches as they’re helpful for so many tasks, like tracking your steps or making phone calls — all without taking your phone out of your pocket. Parents also often find that they make great alternatives to their kids’ mobile phones. While they tend to be rather expensive, you can find discounts throughout the year.

This Prime Day, you can score a Fitbit Ace LTE smartwatch for its lowest price ever at only $114, which is perfect if you want to start shopping early for the holidays. Slashing the cost by almost 40% off its regular price of $180, this is a record-low deal that you won’t want to miss. And since Prime Day ends tonight, this deal isn’t going to stick around much longer.

The Fitbit Ace LTE is equipped with 4G for connectivity on the go, and it’s designed to be set up as a standalone device without the need to be paired to a phone — ideal for parents who want to be able to communicate with or track younger kids who aren’t ready for a mobile phone of their own. It does require a subscription to enable the call and text service via the Fitbit Ace app, as well as location tracking and on-device games. The watch offers some innovative features, including games that encourage kids to move and watch bands that unlock different features.

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The watch is designed to make movement more sustainable for kids. According to former CNET Editor Lisa Eadicicco, «With the Fitbit Ace LTE, Google is trying to strike a balance of encouraging kids to move without pushing them to overexercise. Activity rewards hit a limit each day to prevent kids from exercising too much just to unlock new content.» With a battery life of up to 16 hours, kids can enjoy their games and stay in touch with family during school and other activities. Other features like Tap to Pay via supported kids’ debit cards are also super useful for kids on the go.

Don’t want to shop at Amazon? That’s fine, this deal along with many others is available at Walmart, too.

SMARTWATCH DEALS OF THE WEEK

Apple Watch Series 10 (GPS, 46mm, Black, M/L Sports Band):

$329 (save $100)
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 (Bluetooth, 40mm, Cream):

$200 (save $100)
Amazfit Active 42mm Smartwatch With 14 Day Battery Life (Black):

$85 (save $25)
Garmin Vivoactive 5 GPS Smartwatch With AMOLED Display:

$200 (save $100)
Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra (Wi-Fi, LTE, 47mm, Titanium Silver):

$500 (save $150)

Deals are selected by the CNET Group commerce team, and may be unrelated to this article.

Why this deal matters

Smartwatches don’t come cheap, whether they’re for you or your child. Fitbit is one of the first ones in the game, making top trusted fitness watches for everyone. Amazon Prime Day has knocked the price down to a record low we haven’t seen before. During Amazon’s last Prime Day event, we saw this watch go to a record low of $171. This is a much better deal. But since Prime Day ends today, don’t spend too long thinking about it.

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Technologies

iPhone 17 Preorders Spike and Overall Phone Sales Aren’t Slowing Down Despite Tariffs

Global smartphone shipments saw a notable increase in the third quarter of 2025. Plus, preorders for Apple’s new iPhone 17 beat out the iPhone 16.

Despite tariffs and market uncertainty, global smartphone shipments increased 2.6% in the third quarter of 2025, compared to the same time last year, according to the International Data Corporation. Additionally, preorders for the iPhone 17, which launched last month, outpaced last year’s iPhone 16.

These increased sales include premium phones like the latest iPhones and Samsung foldables, suggesting yet again that pricier phones still sell in periods of economic strain. It’s a remarkable achievement, says IDC senior research director Nabila Popal, citing shrewd financing options as the reason people keep buying these high-end phones, which cost anywhere from $800 to nearly $2,000.

«[Phone makers] have mastered the art of innovation not only in hardware and software to entice upgrades but also in removing purchase friction. They have flawlessly combined cutting-edge devices with innovative financing models and aggressive trade-in programs that make the upgrading decision a ‘no-brainer’ for consumers,» Popal said in an IDC press release.

Apple sold 58.6 million iPhones this quarter, an increase of 2.9% over the same period in 2024, with more preorders for the iPhone 17 series than its predecessor. But Samsung wasn’t far behind, with its Galaxy Z Fold 7 and Galaxy Z Flip 7 selling better than all of the company’s prior foldables. The company still reigns atop the phone market with 61.4 million phones sold, representing 19% of the market in the third quarter of this year — an increase of 6.3% from the same period last year. Meanwhile, Apple lands slightly behind Samsung with 18.2% market share this quarter.

The other phone makers trailing Apple and Samsung are, in order: Xiaomi, with 13.5% of the market; Transsion, with 9%; and Vivo with 8.9%. The remaining companies in the phones industry, from Chinese stalwarts like Oppo and Honor to Motorola and Google, make up the remaining 31.4% of the market for the quarter. All told, 322.7 million phones were sold, up from 314.6 million in the third quarter of 2024, according to IDC.

IDC’s findings for the third quarter continue the small but steady growth of phone sales over the year, including a modest 1% increase in the preceding three months — which includes the April deadline when President Donald Trump unveiled sweeping tariffs. In the second quarter, IDC cited midrange devices like Samsung’s Galaxy A36 and other phones that started incorporating AI. But even persistent tariffs haven’t slowed down people’s appetites for pricier phones in the third quarter.

Technologies

Today’s NYT Mini Crossword Answers for Tuesday, Oct. 14

Here are the answers for The New York Times Mini Crossword for Oct. 14.

Looking for the most recent Mini Crossword answer? Click here for today’s Mini Crossword hints, as well as our daily answers and hints for The New York Times Wordle, Strands, Connections and Connections: Sports Edition puzzles.

Today’s Mini Crossword has an odd vertical shape, with an extra Across clue, and only four Down clues. The clues are not terribly difficult, but one or two could be tricky. Read on if you need the answers. And if you could use some hints and guidance for daily solving, check out our Mini Crossword tips.

If you’re looking for today’s Wordle, Connections, Connections: Sports Edition and Strands answers, you can visit CNET’s NYT puzzle hints page.

Read more: Tips and Tricks for Solving The New York Times Mini Crossword

Let’s get to those Mini Crossword clues and answers.