The race is on to develop a vaccine for the novel coronavirus as fast as possible, and researchers from various institutions have made tremendous progress in a very short time. Two human trials started in the US and China over the past few weeks, while doctors in Australia are studying the potential benefits of an existing 100-year-old vaccine against COVID-19. The World Health Organization (WHO) has partnered with around 20 parties on COVID-19 vaccines, according to a report a few weeks ago, and we’ve heard of several projects that are underway already. One involves a tobacco company, while a different vaccine candidate uses a tiny patch with needles made of sugar to deliver the payload.
Bill Gates said a few weeks ago that the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation will spearhead the development of COVID-19 vaccines by starting work on no fewer than seven distinct production lines for potential candidates. Only up to two of them are likely to make it, and the endeavor might cost billions. It could save thousands of lives in the process though, as the logistics related to the actual manufacturing and shipping of the vaccine need to be worked out at the same time as the vaccine research. Now, we have learned that one of the Gates-backed vaccines is ready to enter Phase 1 of clinical trials.
When it comes to smart TVs, there are three different types of people. First, there are Roku people. Then there are Fire TV people. And finally, there are people who don’t care or don’t know any better, so they use the terrible smart TV software built into their TVs. If you fall into that last category, do yourself a favor and take advantage of one of two killer sales happening right now on Amazon. You can pick up a $50 Fire TV Stick 4K for $24.99 if you’re one of the lucky people for whom the secret code 4KFIRETV works (more info here) or you can buy two Fire TV Stick 4K players and Amazon will give you a $20 Amazon credit when you activate them.
Of course, there is one scenario and only one where it is perfectly acceptable to use the smart TV software that’s built into your television: if it’s Roku or Fire TV software. That’s right, a number of top TV brands out there sell models with Roku and Amazon’s smart TV experience built right in. If you’re in the market for a new TV right now, there’s no reason so have to also buy a separate streaming media player!
If you want a normal-sized TV that can fit just about anywhere, we’ve got a great deal for you to check out. The Toshiba 43LF711U20 43-inch 4K Ultra HD Fire TV Edition Smart LED TV is the perfect size for so many spaces, and it has phenomenal picture quality for such an affordable TV. 12,000+ 5-star ratings can’t be wrong! It retails for $330, but it’s on Amazon today for only $249.99.
If you’re looking for something a little bigger — and by “a little bigger,” we mean A WHOLE LOT BIGGER — it doesn’t get any better than the TCL 75S425 75-Inch 4K UHD HDR Smart Roku TV. This is another popular 4K TV with thousands of 5-star ratings on Amazon, but this time you get built-in Roku software instead of Amazon’s Fire TV experience. Many people prefer it, which makes sense since Roku is the top streaming media player brand in the world. This model retails for $1,300, which is quite reasonable for a smart TV with 4K resolution, HDR support, and a giant 75-inch high-quality display panel. Snag one right now on Amazon though, and you’ll only pay $799.99. Alternatively, if you have less space on hand you can always pick up the TCL 50S425 50 inch 4K Smart LED Roku TV on sale for $259.99 instead.
Scientists may be scrambling for COVID-19 cures and vaccines right now, but the harsh reality is that the novel coronavirus will continue to claim lives for many weeks and months to come. Some countries managed to flatten the curve and keep the death toll in check through a combination of social distancing measures and aggressive testing. In contrast, others have been overwhelmed by the increasing number of COVID-19 patients in the past few weeks. Nearly 76,000 have people died around the world as of Tuesday morning stats, out of more than 1,335,000 confirmed patients.
Some medical professionals are trying to improve protocols for people who experience life-threatening COVID-19 infections by looking at what happened in fatal coronavirus cases. A study that used artificial intelligence recently discovered three signs that increase the likelihood of a COVID-19 patient developing respiratory complications that would require ventilation. Now, a new study from China and the US analyzed a group of fatal COVID-19 patients, looking for commonalities between those cases.
Scientists built a web-based app that listens to your voice and the sound of your cough to determine the likelihood that you have a coronavirus infection.
The app is still experimental and isn’t ready to be used on a wide scale, but it shows promise as a potential early screening tool for the future.
Lack of testing across the United States and the world at large has forced many countries to ration test kits or avoid using them in cases where they otherwise might.
Want to know if you have coronavirus? Just cough at a microphone on your iPhone or Android. It sounds silly, but that’s the idea behind a new experimental app built by researchers at Carnegie Mellon University. With the help of artificial intelligence, the app analyzes the sound of your cough (assuming you have that symptom) and other vocalizations to determine whether or not you sound sick with COVID-19.
We’re now several months into the global coronavirus pandemic but many countries, including the United States, are still struggling with testing for the virus. Tests aren’t widely available, and doctors in many areas have been forced to ration them and decide who gets tested and who doesn’t. New types of tests are in the works, but it may be a while before everyone who wants to get tested can actually receive one.
Amazon is still offering tons of great deals on “nonessential” items despite the company’s temporary new policy that shifts focus to medical supplies and other essentials for hospitals.
Amazon has been running a slew of great deals on popular Anker products lately, like the Anker PowerWave Pad 10W wireless charger that’s still on sale today for just $8.99. This comes as something of a surprise, of course, because Amazon announced last month that it would stop restocking nonessential items and delay most shipments until at least the end of April in order to devote more resources to things like medical supplies and products needed by hospitals and governments. Despite that shift in focus, we’ve seen plenty of nonessential products continue to ship regularly from Amazon, and that includes plenty of popular Anker devices and accessories.
This week, Amazon and Anker kicked off 10 new deals on some top-selling charging accessories and you’re definitely going to want to check them all out. In fact, there are so many different chargers on sale right now that you can probably cover everything in your home with just a few devices.
Beginning with a pair of deals on popular wireless chargers — in addition to the PowerWave Pad deal we mentioned before for $8.99 — Amazon slashed the ever-popular PowerWave Stand wireless charger to just $11.99 with coupon code AK7D2524. You can also pick up a PowerWave Pad & Stand Bundle for $20.99 instead of $26.
Last but certainly not least, the all-aluminum Anker PowerExpand+ USB C to HDMI Adapter that normally sells for $18 is down to $12.99 if you use the coupon code ANKER8312 at checkout.
Apple’s AirPods Pro true wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation are the most desirable headphones in the world right now, and it’s almost impossible to find them anywhere at a discount.
In a bit of a surprise on Tuesday morning, the wildly popular ANC earphones went back on sale at Amazon and dropped back down to the retailer’s all-time lowest price.
AirPods Pro offer everything that’s great about Apple’s regular AirPods, but they add in a new design with silicone ear tips and of course Apple’s impressive active noise cancellation technology.
For a company that has never released a pair of noise cancelling headphones before, Apple certainly did a heck of a job on the AirPods Pro. In fact, many people would argue that there is no better pair of true wireless earbuds out there with active noise cancellation. Headphone quality is largely subjective, of course, but anyone who has tried Apple’s AirPods Pro in the past will easily see why people love them so much. The sound quality is fantastic, the design is excellent, Apple’s battery life is impressive, and it’s so great that you can recharge them just by plopping the case down on any wireless charging pad. Now, the AirPods Pro that everyone loves so much can be yours at Amazon’s all-time lowest price ever.
AirPods Pro earbuds aren’t exactly new at this point, but they still almost never go on sale at a discount from most top retailers. Amazon, on the other hand, has been offering rare discounts periodically for the past couple of months. The first time ever that AirPods Pro got a discount was back on Black Friday last year, and they sold out in the blink of an eye. That same 6% discount has been back a few times in 2020 though, and it’s available right now on Amazon for a limited time. What’s more, your AirPods Pro order will ship out right away despite Amazon’s shift in focus away from nonessential products.
If you’re in the market for a new pair of Apple earphones but AirPods Pro are a bit above your budget even while they’re on sale, definitely don’t worry about it because there are two other AirPods deals that you’ll want to check out. Apple’s entry-level AirPods 2 earphones can be had at Amazon right now with a $20 discount, and the price drop increases to $30 if you pick up a pair of AirPods 2 with Wireless Charging Case.
Apple’s iPhone 12 release is the most hotly anticipated product launch of 2020, and a recent report from a reliable source suggested that it’s still on track for late this summer.
The upcoming iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro models are Apple’s most eagerly awaited smartphones in years, due in large part to the upcoming redesign and a slew of new features.
Several of the new features we can expect will involve new hardware, but some of the most exciting changes will be brought about by Apple’s new iOS 14 software.
The biggest news in the tech world last week was a report from Bloomberg that brought some much-needed good news: Apple’s iPhone 12 release apparently won’t be delayed. Multiple earlier reports had suggested that the worldwide novel coronavirus pandemic would lead to delays with Apple’s iPhone 9 release and its iPhone 12 launch, but now it appears as though the iPhone 12 is back on track.
If all goes according to plan, we can expect new iPhone 12 and iPhone 12 Pro models to be unveiled in early September — likely with a virtual press conference as opposed to a live event — and then the should be released toward the end of the month. There’s still a very good chance that supply will be severely constrained at launch due to the backlog of manufacturing that factories in China will still be working though, but it’s still great news for Apple and its fans that the iPhone 12 will likely debut on time. We’re in store for plenty of heartache in the coming weeks and months, so we’ll all need good news wherever we can get it in September.
After more than a month of protective face masks being out of stock at Amazon, there are now plenty of different options available on the site including sought-after N95 respirator masks.
Members of the general public shouldn’t be buying these masks because healthcare workers have a much more urgent need — and now Amazon won’t even ship these items to private addresses anymore.
The CDC now advises that you should protect your mouth and nose when you need to go out, and Amazon has key supplies back in stock so you can make a quick and easy DIY coronavirus face mask that’s far more effective than a t-shirt or scarf.
Search for N95 masks or any similar masks right now on Amazon, and you’ll find plenty of options in stock. Here, see for yourself. There all sorts of listings for N95 respirators, surgical masks, and plenty more. If you actually click on one though, you’ll see one of two things. For products that aren’t actually certified to be as effective as hospitals require, you’ll see that any order you place won’t actually be delivered until sometime in May. For products that actually are up to snuff, like N95 masks and true medical-grade surgical masks, you’ll see a note that these items are only available to ship to hospitals or to state government-run facilities.
At the same time, the CDC is now recommending that all people use face and nose protection when going out. But if you can’t actually buy face masks anywhere, what are you supposed to do? Here’s the thing: you’re not a doctor, a nurse, or a first responder. You should not be in close proximity to anyone who is infected with COVID-19 like they are all the time. In fact, you shouldn’t ever be in close proximity to anyone outside of your home. When you do go out, you MUST use social distancing to keep yourself out of harm’s way. On top of that, however, it’s also now recommended that you use basic face protection.
Basic face protection doesn’t mean as N95 respirator. Every N95 mask you use is an N95 mask a doctor or nurse doesn’t have access to. Instead, there are easy ways to make your own masks out of things like t-shirts and scarves. If you’re looking for a little more protection just to be safe, however, we totally understand. And that’s why we’re happy to report that Amazon finally has all the key materials you need to make your own virus-blocking face mask in a matter of minutes.
We found an awesome video that will show you how to easily make a DIY face mask that is much more effective than those basic mask ideas you’ve seen online. And the best part is you don’t need to sew at all or search for hard-to-get supplies. Most of what you’ll use to make these masks is already lying around your house, and the two supplies you don’t already have are readily available now that they’re back in stock at Amazon.
It’s a very smart and easy DIY, and while it’s not quite as effective as a true N95 face mask, it should be more than enough to protect you from becoming infected with COVID-19 as long as you continue to practice social distancing and using common sense. Here’s the full video with the tutorial that shows you how to make the masks:
Microsoft isn’t ready to announce the Xbox Series X price, but the company will sell the new console through its Xbox All Access subscription plan.
Paying for the console in monthly installments could be a significant selling point for the new Xbox when compared to the PS5 that’s also supposed to launch this holiday season.
The coronavirus pandemic is something Microsoft is monitoring closely and could play a role in deciding the final price of the new Xbox.
The novel coronavirus crisis will have immense repercussions on the economy in the coming months, which will certainly impact sales of expensive devices like the newest phones and consoles. The upcoming Xbox Series X and PS5, both supposed to hit stores during the holiday season, will not be more expensive than a new phone. But both of them will cost more than the current-gen consoles. Neither Microsoft nor Sony are willing to announce prices, but many expect the new Xbox and PlayStation to retail for up to $499 on launch day, which may be a steep price for many people this winter, in this particular context. But even so, Microsoft will have a huge price advantage over the PS5, and that’s support for a subscription-like purchase model.
