60+ Fourth of July sales to shop this weekend: Allbirds, REI, Sephora, and more
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CNET
an hour ago
- CNET
Best Prime Day Amazon Device Deals: Pay Less for Your Smart Home Setup With Discounts on Smart Speakers, TVs and More
Prime Day deals are here. Although the event officially kicks off on July 8, Amazon is already offering tons of Prime Day deals on a ton of products, including its range of smart home devices. If you spent the Independence Day holiday enjoying with friends and family, you can catch up on the shopping with these deals. Prime members can already grab the best Prime Day discounts right now on Amazon's own range of smart devices, which includes TVs, Kindles, smart speakers, security cameras and so much more. Hey, did you know? CNET Deals texts are free, easy and save you money. Since there are a bunch of sales happening at the same time, it can be overwhelming to try and figure out what you should buy and when you should buy it. To save you the headache, we've done the legwork and put together this roundup of the best deals curated by our shopping experts. We'll be updating these deals regularly throughout the sale. So if you don't see something you like, check back often for the best deals. Best Prime Day deals on Amazon devices Echo Dot with Amazon Basics smart bulb: $37 A nice 41% savings on the Echo Dot smart speaker and an Amazon Basics smart bulb is a great way to add convenience to your day. With Alexa control and automated routines and scheduling, this duo can easily integrate into your Amazon-based smart home. And the color bulb supports 16 million colors, adding whatever ambiance you want to your space. Details Save $26 $37 at Amazon Close Fire TV Soundbar: $85 If you want an affordable but powerful soundbar, this one should cover it. It comes with plenty of great features, which basically means you'll be able to hear your movies and shows much better. Details Save $35 $85 at Amazon Close Blink Outdoor 4: $100 We can all use a little more piece of mind, and at over 60% off, this three-pack of outdoor security cameras is a great investment. The cameras offer 1080p HD video, two-way talk and have a battery life of up to two years. Details Save $160 $100 at Amazon Close Amazon Echo Spot: $45 Amazon's Echo Spot smart speaker is down to $45 right now, matching its lowest price -- one we last saw during 2024's holiday sales. Now is a great time to grab this combination speaker and alarm clock, which is compact enough for a nightstand or office desk. You can choose from black, glacier white or ocean blue. Details Save $35 $45 at Amazon Close Echo Show 8: $110 Amazon's Echo Show 8 is one of our absolute favorite smart displays for 2025 and it's now down to just $110. That's a solid $40 discount and makes it easier to grab this convenient Alexa gadget for your smart home. The Echo Show 8 makes for a great control center if you're grabbing multiple Amazon devices. Details Save $40 $110 at Amazon Close Ring Alarm 14-piece smart home security system: $199 Want a DIY security system? This kit can keep you alert if you have a 2-4 bedroom home. It includes one base station, two keypads, eight contact sensors, two motion detectors and one range extender. You can also add sensors and accessories as needed, but those are sold separately. Additionally, you can subscribe to Ring Home Standard (for a separate fee) to keep your system online even if the Wi-Fi goes down and even add professional monitoring. Details Save $131 $199 at Amazon Close Refurbished Fire Max 11 tablet: $158 The Fire Max 11 is a great budget tablet with a beautiful 11-inch screen, perfect for streaming, reading and chilling out. This model has been refurbished up to Amazon Certified levels, so it's trustworthy but might not be for everyone. Details Save $42 $158 at Amazon Close More Prime Day offers on Amazon devices and accessories: Do I have to be an Amazon Prime member to shop Prime Day? To access most Prime Day deals, you'll need to be a Prime member. If you've always wanted the benefits of Prime but haven't made the jump, now's a great time to subscribe. Subscribing now could lead to significant savings as tariffs are expected to raise prices on a lot of goods. In fact, 16% of shoppers say they're using Prime Day to start their holiday shopping well ahead of the holiday season, according to a new RetailMeNot survey. (Disclosure: RetailMeNot is owned by the same parent company as CNET, Ziff Davis.) Read more: How to Sign Up for a Prime Membership Is Amazon Prime Day a good time to buy Echo, Kindle and Fire TV devices? Yes. Amazon withholds its biggest price cuts for its Prime events and offers them exclusively to its Prime members. During previous events, we've seen record-low pricing on everything from Echo smart speakers and Fire tablets to Fire TV Sticks, Ring and Blink security devices, Kindle e-readers and more. How we choose deals CNET has a team of shopping experts and deal hunters who've operated across major sales events for many years, making sure you understand when a deal is worth taking advantage of and when it's worth skipping. Whether it's for Black Friday, Prime Day or the Fourth of July, we have the expertise to make sure you get the best deal possible. To do this, we look for real discounts, quality reviews and remaining sale time when choosing an offer to show you. Real discounts mean real discounts. We look at the price history for that product to make sure no manufacturers are inflating prices to make the discount seem more substantial than it is. Quality reviews are equally important for any product, but particularly for deeply discounted items. If it breaks the first time you use it, the discount isn't really worthwhile. Remaining sale time is a huge part of our vetting process. If a deal seems like it will only be around for a short while or will only be available for the remaining stock, we'll let you know in advance, so you don't return later only to be disappointed. We are also considering the rising costs associated with tariffs to help you find items worth buying now. Read more: Tariff Tracker: We're Watching Prices for 11 Products You Might Need to Buy Now Playing: How to Hack Amazon Prime Day: Shopping and Deals Advice 04:03
Forbes
2 hours ago
- Forbes
Declaration, Institution, Constitution. Ideas From July 4th For Family Offices
Three Lessons from America's Founding That Every Family Office Should Apply On July 4th, 1776, a group of visionaries signed a declaration that sparked one of history's boldest experiments in self-governance. But while we often celebrate the rupture — the act of independence — we rarely reflect on what followed: the slow and deliberate construction of institutions. The frameworks that protected ideals over time. The systems that outlasted individuals. For family offices, this arc feels familiar. Most do not begin with a perfect plan. They start with an event: a sale, a succession, a shift. But the offices that endure move through three critical stages: declaration, institution, and constitution. This Independence Day, it is worth asking what family offices can learn from the founding playbook of the United States, and what it means to build something that lasts. 1. Declaration: Clarity of Vision, Not Just Control The Declaration of Independence was not a legal document. It was a statement of purpose. It set out a vision, values, and direction before any structure or operational plan had been finalised. It told the world what mattered, and why. Family offices benefit from the same clarity. Whether it comes in the form of a wealth purpose statement, an impact thesis, or a shared set of family values, a clear declaration helps align decisions before complexity takes over. This is not theoretical. Consider Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, who transferred ownership of the company to a trust and nonprofit. His decision was not just philanthropic. It was strategic. He publicly declared that 'Earth is now our only shareholder.' That one line reset expectations, guided operations, and embedded values structurally. For family offices, declarations do not need to be grand. But they do need to be intentional. Without a shared purpose, even the best-run structures can drift. 2. Institution: From Passion Project to Professional Platform The founders did not stop at a declaration. They built institutions. They delegated power, designed systems of accountability, and laid the groundwork for governance that would survive disagreement, transition, and time. Many family offices begin as informal setups: a trusted advisor, a family CFO, perhaps a loose network of investment partners. It works, until it doesn't. As the family grows, and as ambitions widen, informality becomes fragility. Institution-building is the second phase of independence. It is when the office shifts from people to processes, from instinct to systems. This includes data infrastructure, clear reporting protocols, legal clarity on roles, and governance that holds even when key individuals exit. Even the most prominent entities evolve. The Gates Foundation, for instance, has undergone significant restructuring in recent years to simplify decision-making and prepare for a future beyond the direct involvement of its founders. Its aim was not expansion, but clarity. That shift highlights the importance of institutional design, even for organisations already at scale. For families in earlier stages, this phase is less about growth and more about resilience. It is the point where the family office moves from something built for today to something built for continuity. 3. Constitution: Codifying Trust and Continuity The U.S. Constitution was drafted to protect against drift. It set boundaries, rights, and responsibilities. It offered a framework that could adapt, while still holding a central intent. Family constitutions serve a similar purpose. They are designed to clarify decision rights, succession mechanisms, and shared values across generations. At their best, they reduce ambiguity and foster alignment. Yet intention does not always lead to implementation. According to recent reporting from Crain Currency, there is a growing trend of families drafting constitutions, but not using them. They spend months defining roles, only to let those frameworks gather dust. Without rituals or review cycles, even the most thoughtful documents lose relevance. A strong family constitution is not about locking in the past. It is about creating a durable foundation for dialogue, especially across generations. It works best when treated as a living document, regularly reviewed, openly debated, and tied to decisions that actually matter. To illustrate this, in Singapore, several multi-generational families now host structured 'family council' retreats every 18 to 24 months. These are not just about reviewing investment performance or updating documents — they serve as governance rituals. The aim is to revisit shared principles and ensure that younger voices feel heard and represented. These gatherings turn legacy planning into a living process, not just a legal one. What This Looks Like in Practice Each of these phases — declaration, institution, constitution — could be deep dives in their own right. Entire books and advisory frameworks have been built around each. But even without going to that depth, there are critical signposts that help families know whether they are heading in the right direction. Consider these as simple starting points: The goal is not perfection. It is momentum in the right direction. The Freedom to Build, Intentionally Even for those outside the United States, Independence Day offers a useful metaphor. Around the world, families are relocating their offices to jurisdictions like Singapore or Dubai. This is not just about tax. It is about autonomy, control, and the freedom to build within a system that supports long-term stewardship. True independence, whether for a nation or a family office, does not come from rejecting structure. It comes from designing it. With clarity, with care, and with continuity in mind. Wealth may be inherited, but stewardship is earned.
Yahoo
4 hours ago
- Yahoo
President Trump Signs 'Big Beautiful Bill' Into Law
President Donald Trump speaks during the Military Family Picnic on the South Lawn of the White House in Washington, DC, on July 4, 2025. Credit - BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP—Getty Images At the White House on the Fourth of July, President Donald Trump held a 'Big Beautiful Bill' signing, complete with B-2 bombers. The most sweeping policy achievement of his second term so far includes tax cuts, eliminates taxes on tip and overtime, slashes Medicaid funding, food benefits, and clean energy incentives, and is expected to add $3 trillion to the national debt. Trump hailed it as "the greatest victory yet" in his remarks before the signing on Friday. "It's the most popular bill ever signed in the history of our country," he stated. Earlier in the day, Americans nationwide took to the streets to protest the signing at 'Free America' demonstrations. About 300 events are listed on the Women's March website. Participants are speaking out against what they see as an authoritarian president who works for the wealthiest citizens. The House passed the bill Thursday by a narrow margin, 218-214. All Democrats voted against it, and every Republican voted for it, except Kentucky Congressman Thomas Massie and Pennsylvania Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick. New York Congressman Hakeem Jeffries tried to delay the vote by talking for eight hours and 45-minutes, breaking the House record for longest floor speech. The bill passed the Senate earlier in the week after Vice President JD Vance cast a tie-breaking vote. Even though public opinion of the "Big Beautiful Bill" is looking ugly so far, some experts say Trump comes out seeming stronger than ever. In an article published after the House vote, TIME summed up the significance of the bill's passage as 'a moment when President Donald Trump's hold on the Republican Party was tested — and he won.' Longtime Republican pollster Whit Ayres told TIME that Trump's control over the GOP 'is as close to total as any President has ever had over his own political party.' Whether the American public comes to see the 'Big Beautiful Bill' as 'beautiful' remains to be seen. A June 26 Quinnipiac poll found 29% of voters support the bill, 55% opposed it, and 16% did not have an opinion. What's clear is that Democrats will hold the bill against Trump during the 2026 midterm election campaign season. Write to Olivia B. Waxman at
