Just a few weeks after Shenzhen set a world record for the most number of drones in a drone show, the Chinese city smashed the record again.

At the start of September, a show there used 7,598 drones to light up the night sky, dazzling crowds with an array of images and animations, beating the old record by several thousand.

And then, just a few days ago, another show above Shenzhen Bay Park used a total of 10,197, setting two Guinness World Records in the process — one for the most multirotor/drones airborne simultaneously from a single computer (outdoors), and another for the largest aerial image formed by multirotors/drones.

Footage (below) shared on social media showed some of the incredible imagery created by the drones, with their movements controlled by software on a laptop back on the ground.

The latest drone show was part of celebrations building up to China’s National Day on October 1.

Another view pic.twitter.com/4n2IEnH92O

— Game of X (@froggyups) September 28, 2024

Advancements in drone technology and the software that controls them have paved the way for an increasing number of tech firms to offer their services for such shows.

Producing zero smoke or other pollutants, the flying machines are seen by a growing number of event organizers as more environmentally friendly and a cost-efficient alternative to fireworks displays. Drones are quieter than fireworks, too, which can make displays more enjoyable for audiences and less disruptive for nearby communities and any wildlife in the area.

On the flip side, there’s always a risk of malfunctioning drones suddenly dropping out of the sky, but if the display is taking place well away from the crowd such as over water, then such mishaps are unlikely to cause any harm.

Samsung has ensured that the latest Galaxy Tab S10 accessories are cross-compatible with the previous generation. Accessories for the Samsung Galaxy Tab S9 will also work on the new tablets. There’s however, one minor but glaring limitation.

Galaxy Tab S10 and Tab S9 accessories are cross-compatible

Samsung officially announced the Galaxy Tab S10 series on Thursday. Just as predicted in the leaks, Samsung is offering just two variants of the tablet this year: the Galaxy Tab S10 Plus and Galaxy Tab S10 Ultra.

What’s surprising, other than the pricing of the tablets, is the fact that their accessories can reportedly work with the previous generation of the Galaxy Tab, and vice versa. In other words, Galaxy Tab S9 users can slap their accessories onto the new Tab S10. So, those who upgraded to the latest Galaxy Tab S10 can continue using the Tab S9 accessories.

This is an important decision consideration from two perspectives. First, the Galaxy Tab S9 accessories needn’t be discarded. This is a win for reducing e-waste.

Secondly, Samsung may follow this design philosophy for future generations of its premium tablets, and perhaps smartphones as well. This wasn’t the case with the previous generation of Samsung Galaxy tablet models. Specifically speaking, accessories made for the Galaxy Tab S8, such as Book Covers and Book Keyboard Covers, are incompatible with the Galaxy Tab S9 series.

What’s concerning is that Samsung could have ensured cross-compatibility between the Tab S8 and the Tab S9 accessories. However, the company altered the location of the camera as well as the S Pen on the newer tablet models, eliminating the possibility of reusing accessories.

Should Samsung Galaxy Tab S10 users reuse their Tab S9 accessories?

The Galaxy Tab S9 launched just last year, so its accessories might not have experienced severe wear. It makes perfect sense to continue using them. It is, however, important to note that there’s no base Galaxy Tab S10 model.

Galaxy Tab S9 accessories are too small to fit the larger Galaxy Tab S10+ and Tab S10 Ultra. So, if you’re moving to a Galaxy Tab S10 model from the base Galaxy Tab S9, then you’re going to have to buy new accessories.

What’s the caveat?

There’s one more minor, but quite noticeable, limitation. The older Galaxy Tab S9 Keyboard Cover has a “Lang” key. Samsung replaced this key with a new “Galaxy AI” button on the 2024 Keyboard Covers. Pressing this key brings up Google Gemini or Samsung Bixby.

What this means is that swapping the Keyboard Cover will render this key useless. Samsung might release an update that could switch the function of the key depending on the model of the tablet the Keyboard Cover is attached to. But for now, the Galaxy AI button won’t work on the older Galaxy Tab S9 models.

Amazon Prime Big Deal Days is back this year, returning on October 8 and 9. The “fall Prime Day” of sorts has served as the online retailer’s unofficial kickoff to the holiday shopping season for the past few years.

We expect most of the deals to be Prime exclusives, meaning you must be an active Prime subscriber to get the discounts. There are always a couple of deals available for everyone, though, so it’s worth perusing Amazon’s site even if you don’t pay for Prime. It’s also worth doing so now because we’ve found a number of solid early Prime Day deals already available. These are the best of the bunch; we’ll be updating this post regularly in the lead-up to October Prime Day, so check back for the latest deals.

Prime Day deals: Engadget’s top picks

Prime Day deals on Apple gear

In addition to discounts on iPads and Apple Watches, you can save a bit on the new AirPods 4 right now. AirTags have a slight discount as well, both in single and multi-packs.

Prime Day deals on Amazon devices

It’s a safe bet that we’ll see even more Amazon gear discounted on October Prime Day, but for now, you can snag a Fire tablet on sale, as well as Ring and Blink security cameras for much cheaper than usual.

Prime Day deals on tech

Early Prime Day deals on tech include discounts on robot vacuums, webcams, smart plugs and more. There are also wireless earbuds and smartphones that you can grab for cheap, along with storage gear and power banks.

Streaming subscription deals

While these discounts aren’t technically October Prime day tech deals, we’d be remiss not to mention them. While sales on streaming services are becoming more common, there isn’t as much rhyme or reason to them as there is to, say, Amazon’s Prime Day sale cycle. That said, if you see a discount on a service you’ve been meaning to try, it’s worthwhile to jump on it.

Everything you need to know about October Prime Day 2024

When is October Prime Day 2024?

October Prime Day will be held on October 8 and 9 this year.

What is October Prime Day?

October Prime Day is a members-only sale event run by Amazon in which the online retailer has thousands of sales on its site that are exclusively available to those with an active Prime members.

How long is October Prime Day?

October Prime Day will last two full days.

What is on sale for Amazon Prime Big Deal Days?

Most October Prime Day deals will not be revealed until the days of the event. However, in years past, we’ve seen everything from clothing to household essentials to outdoor gear go on sale during this event. Engadget cares most about tech deals, and in past fall Prime Days, we’ve seen things like phones, tablets, headphones, earbuds, robot vacuums, smart home gear and more receive deep discounts.

Do I need an Amazon Prime membership to shop Prime Day deals?

Yes, because most deals will be Prime exclusives. However, there are always a few decent deals available to all Amazon shoppers, so it’s worth checking out Amazon’s site during October Prime Day to see where you can save even if you don’t pay for Prime.

Expired early Prime Day deals

• Apple 24-inch iMac (M3) for $1,100 ($200 off): The discount plus clippable coupon bring the final price for this Apple desktop down to the lowest we’ve seen.

• Apple Magic Mouse (black) for $85 ($15 off): The white version of Apple’s popular accessory is still cheaper at $68, but the black colorway rarely goes on sale. Both mice pair quickly and are relatively light with responsive touch gestures.

• Apple iPad Air (13-inch) for $720 ($80 off): The large model of our favorite iPad returns to one of its frequent sale prices. It’s about $20 more than its record low, but it’s still a good deal if you’ve been eyeing the 13-inch Air.

• Apple Pencil (1st gen) for $69 ($30 off): If you have a 10th-gen iPad or older, this is the stylus to get. We’ve seen this discount for a couple of weeks now, but it’s still $10 below the average sale price. It’s also discounted at Walmart.

• Samsung Pro Plus microSD card for $100 ($20 off): This newly released, 1TB variant is down to its best price yet. The Pro Plus is the top pick in our guide to the best microSD cards.

• Beats Fit Pro earbuds for $159 ($41 off): Our overall favorite pair of earbuds for running are on sale for $41 off. They’ve hit this price point often over the past few months, but it’s a decent discount on buds we found to be comfortable with a secure fit and great audio quality.

• Beats Studio Buds for $99 ($51 off): They’re a tad old at this point, but the Studio Buds remain a decent buy at under $100.

• Amazon Echo Show 5 + Sengled smart light bulb bundle for $60 ($50 off): This bundle gives you one of our favorite smart displays (which makes an excellent alarm clock) and a top pick in our best smart light bulbs guide at a 45-percent discount.

• iRobot Roomba Vac robot vacuum for $170 ($80 off): This affordable robo-vac is only $10 more than it was during July Prime Day right now, making it an even better option if you want a robot vacuum without spending a ton.

• 8BitDo Ultimate C wired gaming controller for $15 ($5 off): Now at $1 cheaper than it was during Prime Day in July, this 8BitDo accessory is an even better option for PC gamers or folks looking for a more comfortable Steam Deck controller.

• ASTRO Gaming A40 TR wired gaming headset for $100 ($30 off): Our pick for the best gaming headset is $30 off, a discount we’ve seen a few times this year. We found these to be comfortable with better sound than many headsets, but the mic performance is only OK.

• Anker 633 10K magnetic power bank for $40 ($40 off): This MagSafe-compatible charging bank has a built-in kickstand for propping up your iPhone, plus a 20W USB-C port for high-speed, wired charging.

• Anker MagSafe Charger Pad for $19.19 ($4.80 off): This Qi2 charging pad is back on sale for its all-time-low price, and it works with the latest iPhone 16 handsets.

• Anker Prime Power Bank 200W 20K with 100W charging base for $140 ($45 off): The top premium pick in our best power banks guide, this 20K brick can recharge most mobile devices and has a handy screen that shows you the power flowing out of it, as well as the remaining charge.

• Elgato Stream Deck+ for $170 ($30 off): Combine the discount with the clippable coupon to get a record-low price on this upgraded version of the standard Stream Deck.

• TP-Link AC1200 WiFi Extender for $20 ($30 off): Our top budget pick in our best Wi-Fi extenders guide is more than half off right now. While not a rare deal, it’s still a record-low price on a handy device that could help eliminate dead zones around your home.

• Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Max for $40 ($20 off): An often recurring sale, this discount is only $5 more than the record low. In addition to streaming shows, we like it as a retro gaming emulator and it even lets you play current games through XBox Game Pass cloud gaming.

• Cosori 9-in-1 air frier for $90 ($30 off): This newer air fry from Cosori has nine preset cooking modes and a six-quart capacity that makes it just the right size to cook a good amount of food without taking up too much space on most countertops.

• Samsung Pro Plus microSD card (512GB) with adapter for $30 ($54 off): Now 64 percent off, this high-capacity microSD card is a great buy for anyone who needs extra storage for their camera, tablet or Nintendo Switch (or other handheld gaming console).

• Google Pixel Buds A-Series for $64 ($35 off): This is one of the best prices we’ve seen on Google’s budget-friendly wireless earbuds, which we praised for their solid sound quality, deep Google Assistant integration and small, comfortable design.

• Beats Studio Pro x Kim Kardashian headphones + 2 years of AppleCare+ for $279 ($100 off): If you’re really into the muted colors in this collection, this is one of the best deals we’ve seen on Beats’ pro-level headphones with AppleCore+ protection.

• Apple Watch Ultra 2 for $689 ($110 off): This is a record-low price on the Ultra 2, which remains Apple’s most premium smartwatch and the one best for adventurers, ultramarathoners and the like.

• Google Pixel Buds Pro 2 + $30 Amazon gift card for $229: The brand new Pixel Buds that are a solid choice for Pixel phone owners include a free $30 Amazon gift card in this bundle.

• Google Pixel 8a smartphone for $399 ($100 off): If you’re looking for an Android phone with a ton of advanced features and a reasonable price tag, the Pixel 8a is the best midrange smartphone you can get right now.

Follow @EngadgetDeals on Twitter for the latest tech deals and buying advice in the lead up to October Prime Day 2024.