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When I'm planning my summer get-togethers there are three important things I have to tick off my list: good food, good company, and even better music — and for the past two years, the JBL Clip 5 has helped me check off that final entry.

While there are plenty of decent Bluetooth speaker offers kicking about for Amazon Prime Day, it's annoying to see them slip through your fingers if you don't have an Amazon Prime membership. Thankfully, Best Buy is pulling through with some great deals of its own.

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

Best Buy is currently matching Amazon's offer, listing the JBL Clip 5 for $59.95 down from $79.95, taking the speaker to a reasonable sub-$60 — and, unlike the Amazon offer, you don't have to sign up for a membership in order to get this deal.

Today's best JBL Clip 5 deal

The JBL Clip 5 has been one of our favorite budget-friendly Bluetooth speakers even before this current price drop. And despite its compact design and affordable price, it doesn't compromise on performance.View Deal

Despite narrowly missing out on a spot in our picks for the best Bluetooth speaker, the JBL Clip 5 is still one of our favorite models we've tested, and packs quite the punch despited its diminutive size.

It's simple to use and easy to carry around, and comes with IP67 rating, making it an ideal speaker to have at a pool party. Additionally, the fact you can hang it anywhere using its clip handle makes it a solid option for an outdoor speaker.

On the audio front, the JBL Clip 5 is surprisingly impressive for a sub-$60 Bluetooth speaker. You don't lose the details in deep bass, and while it can be a little strained with its trebles, that's pretty much to be expected given its budget-friendly price, and not a major issue for me.

More Prime Day deals in the US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.99
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $29
• Beauty: 50% off toothbrushes & hair tools
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
• Garden: tools, mowers, planters from $24.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $186
• Patio: outdoor furniture, rugs & decor from $19.99
• Sports: 50% off fitness gear, treadmills & clothing
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $34

In a 6-3 ideologically divided decision, the high court said that requiring permission in advance is an undue burden on the right to possess and carry a firearm.

(Image credit: Al Drago)

• Zscaler uncovered “Edgecution,” a malicious Edge extension deployed via fake Outlook update sites shared in Teams phishing
• Attack uses ZIP archives with Python runtime to escape browser sandbox, creating a backdoor capable of shell/PowerShell execution and system data theft
• Believed linked to Initial Access Brokers tied to ransomware group Payout Kings, showing evolving sophistication in access‑for‑sale operations

If you are using the Edge browser be careful - there is a malicious campaign going round that uses the browser to deploy a backdoor via an extension.

According to security researchers Zscaler, scammers are reaching out to their victims via Microsoft Teams, pretending to be IT support. They claim the user needs to install an Outlook update, or a spam filter, and direct the victims to a fake “Outlook Updates Management Console” website.

There, the users are instructed to run one of the three provided processes, all of which download a ZIP archive that, when executed, creates a scheduled task. This task starts the Edge browser in headless mode (invisible to the user) and installs an extension officially called “Edge Monitoring Agent”. Zscaler, on the other hand, calls it “Edgecution”.

Creating a Native Messaging manifest

The ZIP archive also contains an embedded Python runtime and a Python-based backdoor. The runtime creates a Native Messaging manifest - a file that tells the browser how to communicate with the backdoor. That’s the way the threat actors managed to escape the browser’s sandbox and run the backdoor on the compromised computer itself.

That backdoor can do multiple things, from executing shell commands, to running PowerShell and arbitrary Python code. It can also write files on the host, enumerate running processes, and gather system information.

Zscaler believes this is the work of an Initial Access Broker (IAB), a malicious group whose only job is to obtain access to a victim’s infrastructure and then sell it - or share it with a partnering group. This particular IAB, the researchers believe, is connected to a ransomware operation called Payout Kings.

“The Edgecution browser extension illustrates the evolving sophistication of initial access brokers operating in the ransomware landscape,” Zscaler warns. “The reliance on a malicious browser extension to relay commands to a Python-based native host demonstrates a creative approach to evade traditional endpoint detection.”

A full list of Indicators of Compromise (IoC) can be found on this link.

Via BleepingComputer

The central issue in the Roundup case, filed by Missouri resident John Durnell, was who decides what should appear on a pesticide or insecticide label—and whether a federal law overrides state claims.

(Image credit: Tasos Katopodis)

We're officially on day three of Prime Day 2026, and Amazon's discounts on MacBooks and iPads couldn't be better timed.

Apple just raised prices across nearly its entire Mac lineup — including MacBooks, iMac, and Mac Studio — alongside the iPad family and home products such as the HomePod and Apple TV 4K.

While Apple's online store is already reflecting the higher prices, Amazon is still offering some of the best discounts we've seen all year on MacBooks and iPads — even without updating the new original prices.

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

Those deals look even better now that Apple's higher MSRPs are officially in effect. For instance, Apple now lists the 13-inch MacBook Air with the M5 chip, 16GB of RAM, and 512GB of storage at $1,299.99, but Amazon currently has it for $949. Likewise, the entry-level iPad now starts at $449 from Apple, while Amazon is selling it for just $299.

There's no telling how long these prices will last — though we're hoping they stick around through the remainder of Prime Day's four-day run. For now, keep scrolling for the best live deals on Macs, iPads, and Apple home devices that let you beat Apple's latest price increase.

You can even use the sidebar to jump to specific sections for each device category in the United States and the UK. Furthermore, while Apple hasn't raised prices for the Apple Watch, AirTags, or iPhone, I'm including deals for those as well since it's Prime Day after all.

Today's best iPad deals in the US

While Apple just raised the starting price of the iPad A16 to $449, Amazon still has it down to just $299 for Prime Day. The most significant upgrade for this model over the previous generation is the A16 chip for faster performance, and you'll also get double the storage as standard (128GB instead of 64GB).

Other features include a sharp 11-inch Liquid Retina display and solid 12MP front- and rear-facing cameras, making this iPad the best iPad for casual streamers and scrollers.

Read our 11-inch iPad A16 review here.View Deal

Amazon has the newest iPad Air with the M4 chipset on sale for $519 right now, which is an even stronger deal with Apple's new starting price set at $749 for the 11-inch Air. In addition to Apple's superfast M4 chip inside, this iPad features a crisp Liquid Retina display, 128GB of storage as standard, 12MP front and rear cameras, and support for Apple's AI features.

Read our iPad Air 11-inch review here.View Deal

Apple's iPad Pro offers one of the best views on any tablet, thanks to a Tandem OLED Ultra Retina XDR display, and excellent performance from the superfast M5 chip under the hood. For Prime Day, Amazon has the Wi-Fi, 256GB 11-inch iPad Pro with M5 at just $899, which is a 10% discount for Prime Day, but an even larger discount over Apple's new price of $1,199.

Read our iPad Pro 11-inch review here.View Deal

Much like the larger iPad Air, the 13-inch iPad Pro offers the excellent top-of-the-line iPad experience at an even bigger scale. It has an excellent, vibrant OLED screen and great performance thanks to the M5 chip. It's $100 off on Prime Day at Amazon, at just $1,099 for the Wi-Fi 256GB variant, and that's an even larger discount over Apple's new starting price of $1,499.View Deal

Today's best Apple MacBook deals in the US

Apple's MacBook Neo has been a hit since its launch earlier this year, and Prime Day is your chance to save on this impressive machine. Right now, Amazon has the starting configuration at just $589.99, which isn't the largest discount, but still some savings. For that, you can get a 13-inch Liquid Retina display, an A18 Pro chip, 8GB of RAM, 256GB of storage, and up to 16 hours of battery life.

That Prime Day discount is made even stronger, as the Neo now starts at $699 from Apple, so it's effectively over $100 off.View Deal

If you're after the MacBook Neo with Touch ID built into the color-matched keyboard and 512GB of storage versus the 256GB starting size, Amazon's also discounting the higher-end model. This MacBook Neo is seeing a similar 2% discount, down to $689.99 from $699. But again, that's an even bigger discount now as Apple is listing this at $799!View Deal

With an impressive $150 discount, this Prime Day deal makes the 13-inch MacBook Air with M5 an excellent purchase. And Apple's price increase makes this even more of a steal, as it's $949 on Amazon and starts at $1,299 from Apple. For that price, you get the latest chipset, 16GB of RAM, and a bigger 512GB SSD for much less. Simply, it's a workhorse.

Read our MacBook Air 13-inch M5 review here.View Deal

After a larger screen, but still ultra-portable Mac? Well, the 15-inch MacBook Air with M5 is also discounted for Prime Day, down to $1,149.99 in every color. That's an even better deal than the now-$1,4999 starting price directly from Apple for the same configuration.View Deal

If you don't need an M5 Pro or M5 Max but still want a larger 14-inch screen with a Pro shell that offers more ports, Prime Day is also bringing discounts on the 14-inch MacBook Pro with the M5 chip. Right now, the starting configuration with 16GB of RAM and 1TB of storage is 9% off at $1,549. That is an even larger discount than Apple's, though, as the M5 MacBook Pro now starts at $1,999 there.View Deal

For creative professionals, the 14-inch MacBook Pro powered by the performance-driven M5 Pro chip is the one to choose, and Prime Day has it starting at $1,549. This beast flies through demanding workloads like video editing without skipping a beat. It's also a major discount compared to Apple's now-$2,499 starting MSRP.

Read our full MacBook Pro M5 review here.View Deal

Today's best Apple AirPods deals in the US

This might just be the best Prime Day tech deal — Apple's AirPods Pro 3 for $179. Apple's newest premium buds feature improved Active Noise Cancellation, outstanding audio, a comfortable in-ear design, and new features such as live translation and heart-rate tracking. These do-it-all buds really are 100% flagship audio, and the noise-canceling quality is outstanding.View Deal

The AirPods 4 are Apple's cheapest AirPods, and you can find them on sale for $99, which is the lowest price we've seen this year and $30 shy of the record-low. The AirPods 4 feature a new design for all-day comfort and feature Apple's H2 chip, which supports personalized spatial audio and voice isolation. You also get a redesigned case with 30 hours of battery life and support for wireless charging via USB-C.

Read our full Apple AirPods 4 reviewView Deal

Amazon has the AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation on sale for $148.99, which is the best deal you can find right now. The AirPods 4 feature a new comfortable design, handy controls, and Apple's H2 chip, which supports personalized spatial audio and voice isolation.

Read our full AirPods 4 with ANC reviewView Deal

Amazon has the all-new AirPods Max 2 on sale for $399, which is the lowest price we've seen. The over-ear headphones now include Apple's H2 chip, which delivers adaptive audio, personalized volume, and improved voice isolation, resulting in superior sound. You're also getting up to 1.5x more Active Noise Cancellation and 20 hours of battery life.

Read our full AirPods Max 2 reviewView Deal

If you haven't heard, wired headphones are all the rage, which is why Apple's EarPods for $14.88 are an excellent Prime Day deal. A slim, quality-looking design, clear sound, and comfortable fit are just a few of their best qualities. This model works with all devices that have a Lightning connector – which is iPhone 14 and before – so if you've got a newer iPhone, you'll instead want the USB-C version ($16.99 at Amazon).View Deal

Today's best Apple Watch deals in the US

Amazon has a $50 discount on the new Apple Watch SE 3, making it an excellent bargain. The Apple Watch SE 2 currently holds the position as the best budget smartwatch, but the SE 3 more than matches it — and it's a smarter buy while it's on sale this week at Amazon.

Read our full Apple Watch SE 3 reviewView Deal

My favorite Prime Day Apple deal is an over $100 discount on the Apple Watch Series 11. The thinnest Apple Watch yet, with a wraparound LTP3 OLED display, it's a great-looking watch with Apple Intelligence-powered smarts and a boosted battery, clocking in at 24 hours of average use.

Read our full Apple Watch 11 reviewView Deal

You can save $100 on the brand-new Apple Watch Ultra 3 at Amazon's Prime Day sale. Packed with premium features, you're getting Cellular connectivity, a boosted 42-hour battery life, and emergency satellite messaging. Today's deal is the lowest price we've seen this year.View Deal

Today's best Apple AirTag deals in the US

Apple's second-generation AirTag with louder sound, a 50% improvmenet in range for Precision Finding, and the rest of the features that made the first-gen such a great item tracker are at the lowest price ever ahead of Prime Day 2026. Right now, Amazon has a single AirTag for just $24. View Deal

Another very good Prime Day Apple deal - Apple's 2nd-generation AirTag 4-pack is getting a first-time discount, on sale for $89. Great for people like me who tend to misplace things, simply attach the AirTag to anything you don't want to lose or keep track of, such as luggage or your keys, and your iPhone will locate the item.View Deal

Today's best Apple iPad deals in the UK

If you prefer a tablet with a larger display, you can save £200 on the 13-inch iPad Air with an M3 chip and bag one for its lowest-ever price at Amazon. Apart from the bigger screen, it's identical to the 11-inch version. So, you get the same powerful M3 chip, a sharp Liquid Retina display, 12MP front and back cameras, 128GB of storage at a minimum, and Apple Intelligence compatibility for all the fancy new AI features.View Deal

Today's best Apple MacBook deals in the UK

The latest MacBook Neo has been available for less earlier this Prime Day, but is still on sale for £50 below RRP. This brand-new and fantastic laptop packs a 13-inch Liquid Retina display, an A18 Pro chip, 8GB of RAM, 512GB of storage, and up to 16 hours of battery life, all for only £650.View Deal

Today's best Apple AirPods deals in the UK

Apple's newest premium buds feature improved Active Noise Cancellation, outstanding audio, a comfortable in-ear design, and new features such as live translation and heart-rate tracking. To use, these are the do-it-all buds that offer excellent audio quality and top-tier noise-cancellation. Today's deal is the best price you can find on Apple's newest AirPods, and just £5 more than the record-low price.View Deal

This is a new record-low price for Apple's newest buds. The AirPods 4 feature a new design for all-day comfort and pack Apple's H2 chip, which supports personalized spatial audio and voice isolation. You also get a redesigned case with 30 hours of battery life and support for USB-C for wireless charging. Just be aware that this cheaper version does not support active noise cancellation, so it may be worth paying the extra to get that benefit with the deal below.View Deal

Willing to spend a bit more? Amazon's early Prime Day deals feature the AirPods 4 with active noise cancellation for their lowest price ever. These AirPods 4 feature a new comfortable design, handy controls, and Apple's H2 chip, which supports personalised spatial audio and voice isolation. There's also that all-important ANC to block out distracting noises and outside sounds, which is great when you want to focus at work or are commuting.View Deal

The AirPods Max use an Apple-designed dynamic driver to provide high-fidelity audio — and they sound fantastic for it. Exceptional active noise cancellation, personalised Spatial Audio, and Dolby Atmos support all reinforce that. They feel good on your head as well, thanks to the knit-mesh canopy and memory foam ear cushions, so you can easily wear them for the full 20 hours of battery life if you ever want or need to. Grab them now for a record-low price.View Deal

Today's best Apple Watch deals in the UK

Here's a new record-low price for the Apple Watch SE 3. Apple's cheaper smartwatch is currently our pick for the best Apple Watch to buy if you're on a budget, as it delivers a full health and fitness tracking experience, all the convenient on-wrist features you need, and that familiar Apple style, but at a fraction of the price.View Deal

The latest Apple Watch 11 is down to its lowest-ever price in the latest Amazon Prime Day sale. The thinnest Apple Watch yet, with a wraparound LTP3 OLED display, it's a great-looking watch with Apple Intelligence-powered smarts and a boosted battery compared to previous devices, clocking in at 24 hours of average use.View Deal

This is the lowest price for one of Apple's latest and most advanced wearables — not bad, considering it was only released just last September. Apple deals are very few and far between, and though £100 off may seem a little stingy, it's quite the steal for a brand new premium Apple device.View Deal

Today's best Apple AirTag deals in the UK

This four-pack of the best-selling Apple AirTags is on sale for 15% off for Prime Day. These are a great way to keep track of keys, your phones, a child's backpack, luggage, or any other possession you'd rather not misplace. The AirTag can be attached to anything you don't want to lose, and your iPhone will locate it or send out a ping so you can track it down.View Deal

Today's best Apple iPhone deals in the UK

The high-end iPhone 17 Pro Max has fallen to its lowest-ever price at Amazon. We gave this premium handset an impressive 4.5-stars in our review for its stellar performance and fantastic cameras. Quite simply, if you demand a lot from your phone, this is easily one of the best you can buy right now.View Deal

The Apple iPhone Air 512 GB is the thinnest iPhone ever. It has a 6.5-inch Display with ProMotion, a powerful A19 Pro chip, Center Stage Front Camera, all-day battery life and a whopping 24% off thanks to this Amazon Prime Day deal.View Deal

More Prime Day deals in the US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.99
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $29
• Beauty: 50% off toothbrushes & hair tools
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
• Garden: tools, mowers, planters from $24.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $186
• Patio: outdoor furniture, rugs & decor from $19.99
• Sports: 50% off fitness gear, treadmills & clothing
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $34

Banks aren’t short on AI ambition. Across the industry, there are almost weekly announcements about new deployments, new partnerships, and new capabilities.

But amidst the lofty pronouncements, not enough attention is given to building the underlying architecture that makes any of it sustainable.

The UK Treasury Committee has already warned that the financial system is not adequately prepared for a major AI-related incident, and from where I sit, that warning is aimed squarely at how modernization programs are being run.

This is a governance problem which stems from unmade decisions; most banks have yet to make the strategic, organisation-wide commitment that should determine what gets built, before anyone starts building.

There is a real opportunity to be grasped by inviting the risk team to be part of design before you begin delivery.

Risk teams are being invited to the table too late

In traditional program structures, risk and compliance are brought in to validate decisions already made. Platforms are selected, designs agreed and timelines set, and the role of the risk function has typically been to check these things, rather than shape them. That model was never ideal, but now, in the AI-era modernization push, is structurally backwards at best and dangerous at worst.

A genuinely AI-ready bank requires continuous data lineage, runtime-embedded controls and a real-time, cloud-native core. None of these can be retrofitted cheaply once architecture decisions have already been made. By the time a compliance team discovers that a new platform can't meet AI governance or data traceability requirements, the cost of fixing it is prohibitive

If the risk function is part of the design process from the outset, banks can build a risk-conscious architecture rather than a risk-adjacent one. The difference in outcome is substantial, and increasingly, the difference between an institution that can operate confidently with AI and one that can't.

How legacy cores create invisible risk

The story of legacy architecture's constraints on innovation is well told, but it also creates blind spots that risk professionals can't see, let alone manage.

Batch-processing cores are the clearest example of this. When a core updates positions overnight rather than in real time, AML and fraud systems are operating on stale data. Suspicious activity that occurs between batch runs is invisible until the next cycle, a direct operational liability as the volume and speed of financial crime increases.

Fragmented data pipelines create a related problem. Continuous lineage (the ability to trace every decision to its data source) is a prerequisite for AI governance. On architectures where data moves through multiple disconnected systems before reaching an analytics layer, that lineage is structurally impossible to maintain without a modern, cloud-native architecture.

Finally, third-party AI deployment adds an additional layer of exposure. When models are embedded in platforms a bank doesn't have full control over, it leaves compliance teams operating with limited visibility into how decisions are being made.

Under the EU AI Act, which requires traceability and explainability for high-risk AI systems which may credit decisioning and fraud detection, that becomes a direct regulatory risk, and that's just one of a raft of emerging AI regime banks must navigate.

Risk is moving from chronic to acute

What has changed is the speed at which risk moves.

Banks now have to contend with an increase in state-based cyberattacks on financial supply chains, a trend accelerated by geopolitical instability, with agentic AI substantially increasing the speed and scale of those attacks.

Under regimes such as DORA, which introduce near real-time cyber incident reporting, means institutions need detection and response infrastructure that operates on live data, capable of identifying and escalating incidents as they happen rather than after the fact. Batch architectures don't meet this standard, and the window to remediate is narrowing.

The EU AI Act raises the bar further on traceability and explainability, particularly for credit decisioning and fraud detection, both areas where AI adoption is moving fastest.

Banks not designing against these requirements are accumulating risk, not avoiding it. The regulatory deadlines are known. The technical requirements are understood. The question is whether the architecture being selected today is capable of meeting the obligations that will be enforced tomorrow.

What risk-intelligent modernization looks like

I have sat in enough program steering committees to know that the moment risk professionals are brought into a modernization program shapes everything that follows.

When we arrive after the architecture is set, we are negotiating against decisions that are already expensive to reverse. When we are in the room from the start, we can design the non-negotiables in rather than bolt them on.

The practical starting point is three questions that every bank should answer before any platform decision is made:

What risk posture must we preserve throughout migration? The answer defines the non-negotiables for any new architecture: data integrity, audit continuity, access controls, and the governance structures that cannot lapse during transition.

What are we engineering against on a ten-year horizon? Regulatory requirements in 2036 will look different from those in 2026. The architecture being selected today needs to be capable of meeting obligations that do not yet fully exist, which means flexibility and real-time data capability are not optional extras. Some of the newer, digitally-native fintechs have demonstrated that building with this horizon in mind from the outset produces materially different, and more resilient, architecture than retrofitting compliance onto an existing estate.

What governance must change so we don't embed legacy risk into a modern platform? New infrastructure running old processes is window-dressing. If you modernize technology without modernizing governance, you recreate the same control failures in a different environment.

Modernization is not risk-free. But the risk of standing still now exceeds the risk of moving carefully, and the cost of getting the architecture wrong compounds with every year it goes unfixed.

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This article was produced as part of TechRadar Pro Perspectives, our channel to feature the best and brightest minds in the technology industry today.

The views expressed here are those of the author and are not necessarily those of TechRadarPro or Future plc. If you are interested in contributing find out more here: https://www.techradar.com/pro/perspectives-how-to-submit

NimbleCRM is an affordable contact management platform laser-focused on helping small businesses and solo entrepreneurs generate leads and nurture client relationships. While it lacks some of the advanced reporting and customization of enterprise CRM platforms, Nimble compensates with an array of unique prospecting tools I haven't seen in competing products at this price point.

Some highlights include a mobile app that scans and captures contact details from business cards, a browser plugin to find social media profiles and professional info for contacts, email signature parsing to automatically update CRM records, and a "prospector" feature to extract contact information from company websites.

The modern and intuitive interface centers around a customizable dashboard displaying deal pipelines, messages, events, and social network updates. A unified inbox provides two-way sync with Office 365/Outlook or Google Workspace to manage all client communications.

Nimble CRM core capabilities

(Image credit: Nimble CRM)

Nimble CRM offers a comprehensive set of core functionalities that address the essential needs of businesses for efficient contact management, sales pipeline tracking, task and activity management, and workflow automation.

Its intelligent contact manager automatically gathers and consolidates contact information from various sources, such as email, social media profiles, and business apps, into unified contact records. This enables users to easily access and manage extensive information about their contacts in one place.

I also found Nimble's task and activity management capabilities to be quite robust. Users can create, categorize, and sort tasks, and associate them with specific contacts for added context. The visual Kanban-style interface of the Workflows feature is great for project and process management, allowing teams to map out processes, identify bottlenecks, and optimize workflows.

For sales teams, Nimble Deals provides an effective way to manage opportunities through the sales pipeline. Deal stages can be customized to align with the business's unique sales processes. Nimble also delivers powerful sales analytics and reporting, with multiple custom dashboards, in-depth reports, and the ability to track individual and team performance. This enables sales forecasting and data-driven decision-making.

Another strength of Nimble is its mobile app for iOS and Android. It provides core CRM functionalities on the go, allowing users to access contact details, track deals, and stay on top of tasks while out of the office. Recent enhancements have further improved the mobile experience.

While Nimble checks the boxes for essential CRM capabilities, it could improve certain areas to be even more compelling. For example, the platform would benefit from deeper customization options for its reporting and stronger native integrations with a wider range of third-party business apps. But overall, Nimble provides a solid and affordable CRM solution, especially for small businesses and sales teams.

How easy is Nimble CRM to use?

(Image credit: Nimble CRM)

When I first logged into Nimble CRM, I was immediately struck by its modern, clean, and intuitive interface. For a feature-rich CRM with multiple modules, the layout felt accessible and easy to navigate from the get-go.

Nimble provides helpful new user onboarding that walks you through every step of the setup process. This made learning the ropes a painless experience, as the onboarding helps familiarize you with the key features and layout in a guided way. I felt I was able to start using the core functionality confidently in a short amount of time.

Customization is another area where Nimble shines in the user experience department. You can create multiple sales pipelines tailored for different needs, audiences or teams. Kanban-style pipeline views enable dragging and dropping deals visually through stages. Dashboards are able to surface the data and insights most relevant to your role.

Nimble offers mobile apps for iOS and Android, making it convenient to access contact records, communication history, deals, and tasks while on the go. Based on the easy learning curve I encountered, it seems realistic that a new user could get comfortable with the key features and workflows within a few hours to a couple of days max.

All in all, I'd say ease of use is one of Nimble's greatest strengths. The clean UI, helpful onboarding, and customization options make it an accessible yet powerful solution for users of varying technical comfort levels. The ability to get up and running quickly is a huge asset for busy sales and marketing teams.

Nimble CRM integrations

Nimble CRM offers a wide range of integrations and connectors to make it easy to sync data with other apps and services. The Nimble Marketplace lists over 120 pre-built integrations with popular business tools like Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Slack, Mailchimp, Zapier, HubSpot, QuickBooks, and others.

I was also pleased to find that Nimble has direct integrations with iPaaS providers Zapier and Make. This opens up the possibility to connect Nimble with thousands of other apps not available natively. Setting up integrations via Zapier or Make is straightforward, only requiring your login credentials.

For custom integrations, Nimble provides a well-documented REST API. The API lets developers access most of the core Nimble data and functionality. However, it appears API access is not enabled by default, and admins need to explicitly allow it for each user account, which could be a hassle for larger teams.

In my experience testing some of the key integrations, like Google Contacts and Microsoft 365 calendar sync, the data syncing has been reliable with no noticeable lags or errors. Performance seems solid, even with a large number of records.

One area I think Nimble could improve is providing more fine-grained controls and filters for syncing. Currently, it's largely all-or-nothing. The ability to limit which fields get synced or filter records based on criteria would add flexibility.

How good is Nimble CRM's customer support?

While it provides some helpful support options, NimbleCRM's user reviews indicate that the overall quality and effectiveness of their customer support is mixed.

According to Nimble's website and third-party reviews, email is the main support channel, available Monday through Friday from 9 am-5 pm PT. They also offer phone support during those same hours. A chatbot is available for submitting requests, but it is not a true live chat.

Self-service resources include a knowledge base and support community. However, the depth and usefulness of these resources are unclear based on the information I could find.

One point of frustration for some users is the lack of 24/7 support or live chat, which many consider essential for a paid CRM. Support hours are limited to standard business hours in the Pacific time zone.

That said, a few reviewers reported positive experiences with support responsiveness. One reviewer noted that they received an email response and resolution within an hour of submitting a ticket after hours. They also got immediate responses via Twitter.

Other users praised the support as "solid and high quality" and noted "responsive customer support with less wait time." However, the average first response and resolution times are not published anywhere that I could find.

On the flip side, some reviewers were less impressed, with one saying that "customer support could be better." Another described it as just "fine," noting it sometimes took a full day to get a response.

So while Nimble does offer a few different support channels and has some fans of their service, support hours are limited, 24/7 live channels are lacking, and quality seems hit-or-miss based on user sentiment. There's definitely room for improvement in Nimble's customer care.

Nimble CRM plans and pricing

Plan

Business

Price

$24.90/user/month

Best For

Small to medium businesses prioritizing relationship management and social selling

Features

25,000 contact records

Customizable pipelines

Automated workflows

Limitations

2GB storage per user, no 24/7 support

Nimble keeps its pricing structure simple and straightforward, offering a single plan at a flat per-user rate. The Business plan is priced at $24.90 per user per month when billed annually, or $29.90 per user per month if you opt for month-to-month billing. That represents a savings of over 15% if you commit to a yearly subscription upfront.

For the price, each user gets access to Nimble's full set of CRM features, along with a generous 25,000 contact record limit and 2GB of storage per user. Should you hit the storage ceiling, additional space can be tacked on in 10GB increments at $10 per month, prorated for the remainder of the current billing period.

I appreciate that Nimble doesn't nickel and dime customers with complex pricing tiers or hidden fees. The only variables impacting your monthly cost are the number of user licenses and any extra storage you might need. Nimble simply charges a prorated amount for additional licenses or upgrades made mid-cycle.

It's also worth noting that Nimble doesn't require an annual contract or commitment. You can go the monthly route and cancel anytime if the platform doesn't meet your needs or your team size changes. Although the annual discount is attractive if you're confident Nimble is the right long-term CRM solution for your business.

For anyone on the fence, Nimble does provide a 14-day free trial to test drive the software risk-free. No credit card information is required. It's not as generous as the 30-day trials offered by some competitors, but two weeks is ample time to assess if the feature set justifies the expense.

All in all, while Nimble's entry point isn't the cheapest compared to some barebones entry-level CRM plans on the market, the pricing is reasonable considering its robust capabilities. Growing businesses that want to streamline sales and marketing on a single platform without breaking the bank will find Nimble's predictable, all-inclusive pricing appealing. Just be mindful of potential storage costs if you anticipate maintaining a large database of detailed customer records.

How we tested Nimble

At TechRadar Pro, our CRM reviews go beyond simply reading press releases and vendor promotions. To properly evaluate Nimble CRM’s claims of providing an automated, relationally enriched workspace for agile sales teams, our testing analysts subjected the software to a comprehensive testing regime mimicking an active multi-channel outreach strategy.

Our CRM testing methodology for Nimble focuses on various factors, including its unified communications offering, its social data enrichment functionality, and its web extraction logging. We also stress-tested their automation capabilities by designing a sequence of behavioral marketing triggers. We aim to leave no stone unturned in our evaluation.

Nimble CRM review: Final verdict

After spending time testing and evaluating Nimble CRM, my overall impression is that it provides a solid set of core features at an affordable price point. It particularly excels at contact management, with helpful tools to aggregate contact data from various sources into unified records.

While it delivers essential capabilities, certain areas could still be enhanced. Reporting customization options are somewhat limited compared to higher-end CRM solutions. Some users might also wish for a wider breadth of out-of-the-box integrations. Even so, for small teams and growing businesses wanting a modern, highly intuitive, and mobile-friendly workspace without the enterprise price tag or setup friction, Nimble is a compelling option.

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Capsule CRM is an intuitive and affordable customer relationship management (CRM) solution designed for small to medium-sized businesses. Its user-friendly interface and gentle learning curve make it approachable even for non-technical users.

Despite its competitive pricing, Capsule provides a robust set of core features for managing contacts, identifying opportunities, tracking communications, and overseeing sales pipelines. Standout capabilities include the ability to store up to 30,000 contacts for just $18/month, a simple "projects" feature that can function as a basic helpdesk, and useful integrations with popular apps like Google Workspace, Microsoft 365, Mailchimp, and Xero.

In my experience, Capsule excels at delivering the best CRM platform performance in a streamlined package. The well-designed layouts and intuitive workflows can help small teams quickly get up to speed. However, some advanced features like marketing automation are limited compared to pricier competitors. But for small businesses seeking an affordable and capable CRM without unnecessary complexity, Capsule is well worth considering.

Capsule CRM core capabilities

(Image credit: Capsule CRM)

Capsule CRM is a streamlined solution designed to help small businesses efficiently manage their customer interactions and sales processes. Its core capabilities revolve around simplifying the most essential aspects of CRM.

It allows users to easily store, organize, and access customer data in one centralized location. Beyond basic info, it enables linking contacts to relevant opportunities, cases, and notes, providing a complete view of each customer relationship.

Sales teams can take advantage of visual pipeline tracking to monitor the progress of deals. Drag-and-drop functionality makes it simple to move opportunities from one stage to the next. Customizable sales pipelines ensure they fit the unique sales processes of each business.

Opportunity records give a snapshot of key data like value, win probability, and expected close date. This rolls up into sales forecasting reports and analytics to predict revenue and identify trends. The reporting features are a bit basic compared to higher-end CRMs, but they cover the essential needs of small businesses.

Where it really shines is in its ease of use and mobility. The interface is clean and intuitive, with a minimal learning curve to get a team up and running. And it gets full marks for its mobile-friendliness — a fully featured mobile CRM that makes it a breeze for sales reps and account managers to work on the go - something that's particularly important in the era of hybrid work.

Integration options ensure the CRM isn't isolated but connected to the other systems businesses rely on. It hooks into popular small business tools for email, ecommerce, marketing automation, customer support, and productivity.

With a robust feature set yet simple interface, Capsule CRM checks all the boxes small businesses need in a tool at a very affordable price point. The core capabilities are there, without a lot of extra bells and whistles that tend to bog down other systems. If complex and fine-grained customization isn't a requirement, Capsule CRM is an excellent option.

How easy is Capsule CRM to use?

(Image credit: Capsule CRM)

Capsule CRM is widely praised for its user-friendly interface and intuitive design that makes it easy for new users to navigate and quickly become proficient with the platform. The simple layout focuses on the core CRM features small businesses need most, without unnecessary complexity.

I found the straightforward dashboard a breeze to use from the get-go. Key functions like contact management, opportunity tracking, task scheduling, and reporting are easily accessible. The visual sales pipeline is also simple to understand at a glance.

Capsule offers a good degree of customization to tailor the tool to your specific needs and processes. You can create custom fields, tags, filters, and views to track the exact information you need for contacts, opportunities, cases, and more. It's quick to set up dropdown menus, checkboxes, and date fields. You can also customize your sales pipeline stages and milestones.

The platform makes onboarding painless with a wide array of self-service training resources. These include tutorial videos, step-by-step guides, webinars, and an extensive knowledge base. The intuitive UI and wealth of educational content make it realistic for most users to get up and running in a couple of hours.

Capsule CRM also has an active user community for Q&A, best practices, and feature suggestions. For more hands-on help, email support is responsive and thorough in my experience. All plans include customer support at no extra charge.

If your small business needs an affordable CRM without a steep learning curve, Capsule is well worth considering. Its thoughtfully designed interface, customization options, and strong support make it one of the most user-friendly CRMs that I've tried. Most teams should be able to deploy it quickly and see rapid user adoption.

Integrations

When it comes to integrations, Capsule CRM really shines. The system offers an impressive array of pre-built integrations and connectors that make it easy to sync data with other business apps. There are official integrations for popular tools like Mailchimp, Xero, FreshBooks, and Google Workspace. So if you're already using those in your workflow, getting them connected is a breeze.

But the integration options don't stop there. Capsule also supports leading iPaaS vendors like Zapier and Make. This opens up a world of possibilities, allowing you to connect Capsule with thousands of other web apps without needing any coding skills. You can automate data syncing, trigger workflows based on events, and much more. Zapier integration, in particular, is very well done.

For those with more technical needs, Capsule provides a robust API. This allows developers to integrate the system more deeply with custom or third-party applications. In my experience, the API is well-documented and reliable.

I've found the data syncing to be fast and seamless. Once you have an integration set up, you can count on your data always being up-to-date across all tools. The system also handles data conflicts gracefully.

Little touches, like being able to easily map custom fields when setting up an integration, make the whole process very user-friendly. And if you ever run into issues, Capsule CRM’s support team is very knowledgeable about integrations and quick to help.

How good is Capsule CRM customer support?

(Image credit: Capsule CRM)

Capsule offers some customer support options, though it may not be as comprehensive as larger competitors. Users can access live support via email, with the friendly customer service team typically responding within one business day, Monday through Friday. However, phone and live chat support do not appear to be offered at this time.

Where the CRM really shines is in its self-service support resources. The company provides an extensive knowledge base filled with helpful articles and step-by-step guides covering everything from getting started to more advanced features and use cases. The Capsuleblog and YouTube channel are also fantastic resources, offering insightful tips, video tutorials, and customer success stories to help users make the most of the platform.

While researching CapsuleCRM's support, I was impressed by the largely positive customer reviews and high ratings the company has earned on third-party sites like G2, Capterra, and TrustRadius. Many users praise the responsiveness and helpfulness of the support team, noting that they received prompt and effective assistance despite the lack of live support options. However, a few reviewers did mention that the lack of phone support could be an issue for some customers.

It's worth noting that Capsule doesn't have a dedicated user forum or community at this time. While the knowledge base and tutorials are undoubtedly valuable, having a space for customers to connect, share ideas, and help one another could further enhance the support experience.

Capsule CRM plans and pricing

Plan

Free

Starter

Growth

Advanced

Ultimate

Price

$0/user/month

$18/user/month

$36/user/month

$54/user/month

$72/user/month

Best For

Individuals testing CRM functionality

Small businesses needing basic CRM tools

Growing businesses requiring more contacts and automation

Larger teams needing extensive features

Large teams needing premium support and advanced CRM features

Features

2 users and 250 contacts

Single sales pipeline

Email sending

30,000 contacts

AI email assistant

Shared mailbox

60,000 contacts

Workflow automations

Multiple pipelines

120,000 contacts

Contact enrichment

Multiple project boards

Everything in Advanced

Premium onboarding

Dedicated account manager

Limitations

Limited contacts and users

No advanced reporting or automations

Limited project boards and contact enrichment

Higher cost, requires setup

Higher cost, best suited for larger organizations

Capsule CRM employs a per-user per-month pricing model with five tiers ranging from a limited free plan up to $72 per user monthly. The free version supports up to 2 users, 250 contacts, and 10 AI content assists, but lacks workflow automations, project management features, and advanced customizations.

In my view, Capsule's pricing is fairly standard for a CRM, with the per-user monthly cost increasing as more robust features and higher usage limits are unlocked. The Starter plan, at $18 per user per month, should suffice for small teams just needing core CRM functionality. However, growing businesses will likely need at least the Growth plan at $36/user/month to access workflow automation capabilities that can significantly boost productivity.

For full corporate deployments, the Ultimate tier ($72/user/month) tops out the ecosystem by unlocking a 240,000-contact ceiling, custom roles/permissions, premium system onboarding, and a dedicated account manager.

One downside is that many features SMBs would want, like sales pipeline management, email templates, and custom fields, are limited or unavailable on the free and lower-tier plans. Capsule does offer a free plan and trial to test out the software, but the free version is quite limited compared to some competitors.

Capsule's data storage caps should be another important consideration. Capsule limits file storage strictly by tier, which is a major factor for teams uploading sales decks or client PDFs. The Free plan is capped at a tiny 50MB total, Starter gives you 10GB per user, Growth bumps this up to 30GB per user, Advanced provides 50GB per user, and Ultimate tops out at 100GB per user.

On the plus side, Capsule's pricing is transparent and straightforward, without any hidden fees or required add-ons. Discounts are provided for annual billing and new customers. The monthly price maxes out at $72 per user for the Ultimate plan, which is reasonable compared to enterprise tiers of many other CRMs.

How we tested Capsule CRM

At TechRadar Pro, our software reviews are driven by objective, real-world testing rather than fluffy vendor demonstrations. To evaluate Capsule CRM’s promise of a minimalist, zero-bloat sales environment, our testing analysts subjected the platform to a rigorous evaluation process that simulated the daily operational workflows of a lean, rapidly growing service team.

From storage thresholds to pipeline customization and AI functionality, every aspect of Capsule CRM forms part of our CRM testing methodology. We took the platform's searchable knowledge base and step-by-step video setup guides into account when making our assessment, but ultimately, our hands-on appraisal determined our final score.

Capsule CRM review: Final verdict

Capsule CRM effectively achieves exactly what it sets out to do: provide a beautifully uncluttered, zero-learning-curve workspace for small teams, independent agencies, and relationship-based service businesses. Its greatest asset is its sheer simplicity - it avoids the overwhelming technical bloat of major market competitors, slotting seamlessly into small tech stacks without requiring a dedicated software administrator.

However, its simplicity is a double-edged sword. While the entry-level pricing is highly competitive on paper, the severe limits placed on lower tiers mean that teams looking for a true set-and-forget CRM will outgrow them fast.

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The power bank that I use just about every day has hit an unbelievable low price for Amazon Prime Day, and it's one of the most tempting bargains I've come across so far.

• Browse the full Amazon Prime Day sale

Yes, you can grab the Anker Nano 10K 45W Power Bank for just $41.99 (was $59.99) at Amazon US or just £35.99 (was £49.99) at Amazon UK, representing a savings of around the 30% mark in both markets. This is an incredible deal on a charger that's saved my bacon a few more times than I'd care to admit.

I can be pretty forgetful and often leave the house without fully charging my phone, which has landed me in more than my fair share of sticky situations. But since picking up the Anker Nano 10K 45W Power Bank, things have been different. With its 45W wattage, I can fast charge my device in a pinch, and its integrated cable means I've always got a way to charge my devices on the fly.

Want to hear more about this exquisite deal? Then scroll on down for the key details.

Today's best Anker Nano 10K 45W Power Bank deal in the US

Anker's ultra-compact yet surprisingly powerful power bank is the ultimate travel companion, boasting speedy 45W charging, a solid 10,000mAh capacity, and an integrated USB-C cable for seamless use. It can easily slip into a pocket or small bag, and it's decently lightweight, making it ideal for taking on the go.View Deal

Today's best Anker Nano 10K 45W Power Bank deal in the UK

I adore Anker's small yet mighty power bank for a few key reasons. Firstly, it's a strong performer, delivering fast-charging up to 45W and a solid 10,000mAh capacity. But it's also very practical, thanks to its integrated USB-C cable and phenomenally compact form, meaning it can easily slide into your pocket or small-sized bag.View Deal

In my Anker Nano 10K 45W Power Bank review, I described the model as a "highly practical" and "well-designed" option, highlighting its durable and handy built-in charging cord, as well as its neat display and versatile ports.

I also found it to be a good value-for-money option at launch; however, this deal makes it an absolute steal. I'd certainly buy it right now for even better value if I didn't already have one! The current Prime Day deals actually place this power bank at a near record-low price, so it really is a fantastic time to snap it up.

If you're often forgetting to charge your phone, or if you want a compact power bank to take on your summer travels, then I strongly suggest picking up the Anker Nano 10K 45W right now — but make sure to act fast and grab it while it's cheap!

More Prime Day deals in the US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.99
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $29
• Beauty: 50% off toothbrushes & hair tools
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
• Garden: tools, mowers, planters from $24.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $186
• Patio: outdoor furniture, rugs & decor from $19.99
• Sports: 50% off fitness gear, treadmills & clothing
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $34

More Prime Day deals in the UK

• Amazon Prime: get a 30-day free trial
• Amazon Devices: Fire, Ring & Blink from £13.99
• Amazon Haul: up to 30% off
• Apple: up to 33% off AirPods & Apple Watch
• Appliances: up to 45% off Ninja & Tefal
• Beauty: up to 60% off Philips & Oral-B
• Essentials: household goods from £5
• Fans: from £20
• Fashion: up to 50% off
• Gaming: £90 off PlayStation 5
• Headphones: up to 50% off Beats & Sony
• Laptops: from £149
• Tablets: Samsung & Lenovo from £79.99
• Toys: up to 25% off Lego and Tonies
• TVs: from £129.99
• Vacuums: up to 40% off Shark & Roborock
• Wearables: up to 30% off Garmin & Oura

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Woody the toy cowboy has faced a lot of frightening moments over the course of five Toy Story movies, but the actor voicing him for the last 30 years is trepidatious over the possibility that AI will supplant him. Tom Hanks told Entertainment Weekly in a new interview that the idea of AI replacing his voice is "a scary thought."

"Time is undefeated," Hanks said. "The question would be whether or not we could cobble together some version of me. Every word we have ever recorded in time in Toy Story is on digital media somewhere, so they could put together anything they would want."

Debates about AI in movies and film are raging even as the technology is deployed to reproduce the voices and complete performances of people who have passed away. Not to mention fully AI-generated films that otherwise employ human voice actors.

AI acting

Most entertainment projects with AI so far have generally involved the participation or approval of the performers themselves, but they also demonstrate how quickly the technology has matured. What once required painstaking effects work can increasingly be achieved with sophisticated machine learning models trained on years of existing material.

Hanks has himself been in AI-assisted productions, specifically in the film Here, which relied on AI to de-age him and co-star Robin Wright for part of the film rather than depending entirely on traditional visual effects.

Hanks' concerns extend beyond his own career. He has elsewhere suggested that his biggest worry is whether audiences will eventually stop caring whether a performance comes from a human being at all, not trusting that what they see isn't produced with AI. That feels like a more unsettling question than whether Woody could return without Hanks.

Future films

(Image credit: Disney Pixar)

There's a little irony in Hanks' comments. The original Toy Story was a technological revolution that some saw as a threat to traditional hand-drawn animation. Three decades later, one of the stars who helped usher in that revolution is looking at the next wave of technology with understandable caution.

Caution doesn't mean dismissal of AI, of course. Hanks is known for being part of projects using advanced tools like motion capture, digital filmmaking, and experimental visual effects throughout his career. His concern seems more about what gets lost when technology starts replacing the people audiences are connected with in the first place.

And while each individual use of AI can be justified as another filmmaking tool, there's still a larger question about where AI assistance ends, and replacement begins. The answer will probably depend on what audiences decide they value rather than purely technical capabilities. Movie stars are more than collections of facial expressions and vocal recordings, and recreating the performance that audiences associate with Woody, that's more than just "good enough," would be a tall order.

I've been scouting for Prime Day deals, but this one stopped me in my tracks. Currys is running an excellent summer sale on back-to-school and business laptops, but Amazon has absolutely crushed them on the price of the Asus Zenbook A14 for £500 (was £600) for Prime Day.

• Shop Amazon's Prime Day deals

This 14-inch OLED laptop features a Snapdragon X X1-26-100 processor that's engineered for day-to-day work and study tasks, alongside 16GB LPDDR5X memory, and a well-sized 1TB SSD. For general office and school tasks, that's pitch-perfect for the price.

Over at Currys, however, the exact same model is priced at £599 (was £999) for the Snapdragon-powered machine with 16GB RAM and - wait for it - 512GB SSD. So, you're getting twice as much SSD storage from Amazon at an even cheaper price. I wouldn't even look twice at Currys for this specific model while this Prime Day deal is live.

For more savings, I'm live-tracking all the best Prime Day home office deals.

Snapdragon X X1-26-100 | 16GB LPDDR5X | 1TB SSD

Excellent price for an efficient work laptop. This 14-inch OLED ultra-portable machine excels at battery life, and tailored for running office apps, emails, and web browsing. View Deal

Snapdragon X X1-26-100 | 16GB LPDDR5X | 512GB SSD

Only buy this if Amazon's Zenbook deal isn't available. It's a good price, but it's lacking the storage space the Prime Day deal has. View Deal

That's not to say the Currys summer sale is bad. In fact, having charted all the deals, I found it a treasure trove of well-priced laptops for work and study. You can see my article on the top 4 laptop deals at Currys here.

But considering the massive price difference, and the improved SSD size, I'd go for the Amazon deal all-day long (or while it lasts, which might not be long as Prime Day ends tomorrow).

We were impressed with the A14 when we reviewed this laptop. Scoring it 4 stars and awarding it a TechRadar Recommends badge, we found this ultra-lightweight MacBook Air-style Windows laptop possessed "brilliant design, capable all-round performance, and an impressive battery life."

As a budget-tier laptop, it's got it faults, but we loved the "fabulously thin and light" design and performance are impressive. Perfect, then, for campus and the commute.

• See all laptop deals at Amazon
• Shop all computing deals at Currys

It's been years since I last owned my own Kindle, as I ultimately do prefer physical copies to add to my collection, and only otherwise used my OG Kindle while travelling. However, whenever Amazon Prime Day rolls around, I do tend to second-guess myself when I see the meaty discounts on some of the best Kindles.

• Browse all early Prime Day deals at Amazon

In particular, I was tempted by the new Kindle Scribe Colorsoft; as an avid manga reader, I was super excited by the idea of freeing up some shelf space (and if you read manga, you'll know that comes in short supply once your collection grows) by reading some of my less-favored series digitally. However, after trying it for a couple of weeks, I'm only using it for its primary function: as an ereader.

Sure, I'm pretty impressed by this all-in-one E Ink notepad, comic and book reader, but especially right now, the price is a huge turn-off. Put it this way; the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is currently $519 (was $679) in the US and £442 (was £569) in the UK.

Meanwhile, the Kindle Paperwhite is on sale for $124 (was $159) at Amazon US and £113 (was £159) at Amazon UK and the significantly more performant and multifunctional iPad 11-inch (A16) is $299 (was $349) at Amazon US and £309 (was £329) at Amazon UK. That's a $96 / £20 saving for an arguably better combination.

Below, I've detailed the key differences between each device.

Amazon Kindle Scribe Colorsoft

(Image credit: Future/Rami Tabari)Pros and cons

Pros
+Gets the basics right
+Color and Scribe features are well-packaged
+Large and sharp display

Cons
- Pricey
- Some features could use updating

The Kindle Scribe Colorsoft is the latest, most performant ereader from Amazon, offering a combination of three different Kindle types: the standard E ink display Kindle, the notepad-like Kindle Scribe, and the color display Kindle Colorsoft.

Each is useful in its own right; reading comics and manga on the Scribe Colorsoft is a delight, though text boxes that spread across panels can be cut off if you use the full page panel view. It's pretty well optimized for the task, though even in vivid mode, colors can be a little washed out.

The writing experience is great. The screen is super responsive, the stylus is comfortable in use and features a shortcut key as well as a functional eraser, and the addition of color to the display means you can select different pen and highlighter colors to create more detailed annotations.

It packs all the usual useful Kindle features (including Word Wise, which is great for younger readers or language learners) as well as AI features like note summary and handwriting-to-text conversion.

However, there are three major things to note when it comes to the Kindle Scribe Colorsoft.

First is that you can't actually use all of these features in tandem, meaning you can't markup comics or manga, though that's likely not a use case many people would want.

Second is that even outside of major sales events like Prime Day, you can get a Kindle, a Scribe, and a Colorsoft at almost the same price as this all-in-one device; and if you don't really need either the note-taking or the color display at the same time, you might as well do that.

Third is that while the large slate might be what you're looking for in terms of drawing, writing and graphic novel reading, it makes it a lot less portable than the standard or Paperwhite Kindle experience, which for me is the main reason I prize an ereader over a book.

Amazon Kindle Paperwhite

(Image credit: Future)Pros and cons

Pros
+7-inch display is great
+Fastest Paperwhite yet
+Excellent battery life

Cons
-Expensive for a mid-range ereader
-Ads on lock screen in some markets (unless you pay extra)

A step up from the basic Kindle, the Kindle Paperwhite offers a bright and beautiful screen for reading your favorite books. At this point, I'd very rarely recommend the standard base model for any reason beyond its low price, whereas the Kindle Paperwhite is genuinely enjoyable to read on, and that includes comics and manga.

With its E Ink Carta 1300 display, the 12th-generation Kindle Paperwhite offers great contrast for easy reading, a slightly larger screen, comfortable bezels for long hours of reading and 16GB storage (though we're not thrilled 4.5GB of that is dedicated to the operating system.)

If you've tried the 11th-generation model, there's a slim margin of upgrade with this newer, 12th-generation model, but if you're currently using any older Kindle Paperwhite or standard Kindle, you'll certainly feel the difference.

It's fast, the battery is great, and it excels at exactly what it was created for; reading. That's doubly true thanks to its slim profile, making it easy to grab and stash in your bag; at 211g, it's super lightweight to carry.

It's worth noting that, at list price, we're not 100% happy about the Kindle Paperwhite's value proposition. This goes for a lot of Amazon devices, which only feel like a good deal during major sales events, but for context, spend a little more on the Kobo Libra color which costs $219.99 / £219.99 and you can get a color ereader with a screen of the same size, double the storage, a more ergonomic design and writing capabilities.

Of course, if you're bedded into the Amazon ecosystem with access to its vast library of books through a Prime Membership, it's still a no-brainer.

Apple iPad 11-inch (A16 chip)

(Image credit: Jacob Krol/Future)Pros and cons

Pros
+A16 chip is very capable
+Now starts with 128GB of storage
+iPadOS 18 runs smoothly here

Cons
-No major changes over the previous generation

While the latest, 11th-generation iPad didn't reinvent the tablet-shaped wheel, it brought a nice refresh in the form of the A16 chipset, powering a fast, responsive iPadOS experience.

It's a great productivity machine, and especially when paired with an Apple Pencil, it offers everything you could want from a Kindle Scribe Colorsoft and more, with its app library including fantastic options for note-taking, drawing and more intensive creative functions like video editing; though you're better off with an Apple Silicon-powered tablet like the iPad Pro (M5) or iPad Air (M4) if that's your rodeo.

It weighs just over a pound, so it's less primed for travel, and an e-ink display offers weeks of battery life, whereas the 11th-generation iPad only stretches to roughly 10 hours with general use; that's why pairing it with a Kindle Paperwhite for your reading needs is my top recommendation.

Still, even on its own, it stands as a solid alternative to a Kindle altogether, but especially at its price, I'd wager it's a superior choice to a Kindle Scribe Colorsoft for most. After all, you can just install the Kindle app and read your favorite books, comics, and manga on the vastly superior display.

More early Prime Day deals in the US

• Amazon Devices: Fire Sticks & Echo from $18
• Amazon Haul: viral gadgets, tech & appliances from $1.99
• Apple: MacBooks, AirPods & AirTags from $29
• Beauty: 50% off toothbrushes & hair tools
• Cheap TVs: smart TVs from $69.99
• Garden: tools, mowers, planters from $24.99
• Headphones: 50% off Beats, Bose & Samsung
• Laptops: Apple, HP & Dell from $199
• Mattresses: Sealy, Serta & more from $186
• Patio: outdoor furniture, rugs & decor from $19.99
• Sports: 50% off fitness gear, treadmills & clothing
• Vacuums: Dyson, Shark & Bissell from $34

More early Prime Day deals in the UK

• Amazon Prime: sign up for a 30-day free trial
• Amazon Devices: Fire TV, Ring & Blink from £24.99
• Amazon Haul: up to 30% off
• Apple: AirPods Pro 3 for a record-low price
• Appliances: up to 45% off Ninja, Tefal & Sage
• Beauty: up to 60% off Philips & Oral-B
• Essentials: household goods from under £10
• Fashion: up to 50% off
• Father's Day: up to 50% off gifts & drinks
• Headphones: up to 50% off
• Laptops: from £149.99
• Tablets: Samsung & Lenovo from £125
• Toys: up to 25% off Lego and Tonies
• TVs: from £129.99
• Vacuums: up to 40% off Eufy & Roborock
• Wearables: Garmin & Huawei from £36.99