Gain easy access to blogs, podcasts, news, videos and more from virtually anywhere on the web with Offcloud Download Manager. Save over 90% off the cost of a lifetime subscription to this popular web app when you purchase for just $49.99 this week.

Offcloud is changing the way we interact with web-based content. It’s a web app that unlocks all your favorite blogs, streaming videos, audio files, and even BitTorrents and downloads them securely to the cloud. The benefit of this setup is obvious: Your system’s resources will be less taxed and the content you enjoy most will be accessible across all your devices at once.

A lifetime subscription to Offcloud Download Manager lets you unlock and download content from virtually anywhere on the web. It’ll even download and store audio and video from sites like Youtube, Vimeo, and Soundcloud. You can set up automatic transfers, it works with hundreds of sites, and it’s compatible with any device that uses an internet browser.

Even if you download only a small amount of content, it’s worth it to have a capable download manager at your disposal. Save time and money — about $650 in fact — with a lifetime subscription to Offcloud Download Manager.

 

Offcloud Download Manager: Lifetime Subscription – $49.99

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You really shouldn’t put a price on your home’s security. And, yet, it becomes remarkably easy to do when you shop for one of those overpriced IP security cameras. Want peace of mind without the high cost? Then give the iPM World 360-Degree Camera, discounted to $44.99, a try.

Wireless IP security cameras — such as the Nest Cam — play an important role in the protection of personal property. And, though they perform well, they tend to come with a high price tag which puts some people off. That’s what makes the iPM World 360-Degree Camera such a great alternative. It works just like the Nest Cam but maintains an affordable price point.

The iPM World 360-Degree Camera lets you monitor your home in real time via the internet. Simply install the camera, link it to the app on your phone, and you’re done. It takes 360-degree panoramic views of your space, it’s compact and lightweight so it’ll fit practically anywhere, and it features infrared night vision so you’ll never miss a thing.

Why spend a small fortune on cameras that are meant to protect that fortune? Enjoy world-class performance at a great price with the iPM World 360-Degree Camera and save 65% off the MSRP today.

 

iPM World 360-Degree 1080p Wireless IP Camera – $44.99

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If you’re looking for an action cam that’s both full of features and economical, look no further than the 4K Ultra HD Action Cam. Like other action cams, this one is capable of capturing 4K high definition video. Unlike those others, it’s on sale for just $69.99, so you’ll get far more bang for your buck.

There’s a lot of action cams on the market. Though they have their differences, one commonality tends to be a hefty price tag. And then, if you want to outfit it with mounting hardware, you’ll have to be prepared to shell out even more. That is where the 4K Ultra HD Action Cam sets itself apart from the pack. It offers the same high-quality features as competitor models, yet it costs a fraction of the price — and it even includes all the mounting hardware.

The 4K Ultra HD Action Cam can shoot 4K video at 25 frames per second, 1080p at 60fps, and 720p at 120fps. It comes with a wireless remote control, features built-in Wi-Fi connectivity, and the included waterproof casing will keep your camera bone dry to depths of 98 ft. It comes with everything you’ll need to get started, including a variety of mounts, and you can download a free app for your Android or iOS mobile device so you can control it on the go.

If you’re in the market for an action cam, get the one that offers more for less. The 4K Ultra HD Action Cam has been discounted to just $69.99 — a savings of 22% off the MSRP of $89.99 — but will only be available at this price for a short time.

 

4K Ultra HD Action Cam with Mounts – $69.99

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Your laptop’s built-in speakers aren’t doing any favors for the gigs and gigs of music and movies on your hard drive. Even the best ones can leave your audio sounding thin and lifeless. External PC speakers—along with a good set of headphones—are a must for getting the best fidelity from your media files.

A trip online or to your favorite electronics store will reveal a head-spinning variety of options in this category, with some systems costing as much or more than you paid for your laptop. You don’t need to take out a personal loan to upgrade your audio, though. Quality speakers can be found even with a budget of around $100. And while there is a certain degree of “you get what you pay for” at this price level, you’ll be rewarded with satisfying sound if you’re willing to make a few compromises.

We’ve given you a head start by testing some of the most commonly available budget models. All cost under $100, sometimes significantly less. We set up each in a typical environment—on a desk in a home office—and played a variety of audio tracks to push their sound capabilities. We also offer some buying advice below to help you choose the right model for your needs.  

Best overall budget speakers

We wouldn’t have thought a set of $25 speakers (available on Creative Labs’ website) would impress us much, let alone turn out to be our favorites. But Creative Pebble’s simple USB-powered 2.0 system defies all odds, producing richer, more immersive audio than you commonly find in speakers at twice the price. (Read the full review.)

Runner-up

We love the Edifier R19U. This 2.0 system sports rich mids, crisp highs, and deep, controlled bass. The faux-wood enclosures also give them a slightly vintage vibe that stands out from the matte-plastic pack. A great value at just $30 on Amazon. (Read our full review.)

Best budget 2.1 system

Though the Sound BlasterX Kratos S3 is marketed for gaming, we like the warm, natural sound and beefy bass it brought to of all our media. At just $80 on Amazon, it’s an inexpensive entry point into 2.1 speaker systems. (Read our full review.)

How to shop for PC speakers

2.0 speakers vs. 2.1 speakers

Sure, a 5.1 (five speakers, one subwoofer) multi-channel speaker system sounds pretty sexy. But even if you were to unearth one for $50 or $60, the quality would almost certainly be just as cheap. That money can buy a much better quality two-speaker system. These basic 2.0 stereo setups, which are comprised of just a left and right speaker with a single driver (the actual loudspeaker) in each, abound in this price range. Occasionally you can also find a decent 2.1 system for—a pair of speakers to handle the higher frequencies and separate subwoofer for the bass—for not much more. These take up more space but often produce more balanced sound. More on that next.

Sound quality: Ask your ears, not the spec sheet

Try not to be seduced by manufacturer’s specs on sound quality. Even if you can parse frequency response numbers, they are frequently exaggerated. Let your ears be your guide instead. Listen for a good balance between the high (treble), mid, and low (bass) frequencies. Often, speakers will exaggerate one—usually the treble or the bass—at the expense of the others. Good speakers will produce full, detailed audio that sounds as the creator intended it.

Be aware, though, that finding strong bass response in this price range can be challenging. Without a subwoofer, 2.0 systems have trouble reproducing low frequencies. The manufacturers often use technological tweaks to beef up the bass notes, but these can sound boomy, and muddy the overall mix. If a deep, controlled bottom end is a priority, a 2.1 system might be a better investment.

AC power vs. USB: The tradeoffs

Both these options are prevalent in the sub-$100 price range. USB-powered speakers reduce cord clutter, as they don’t need a separate power cable. However, they can’t supply as much juice as the AC variety, so they tend to produce lower volume and less bass.

With cable and satellite TV subscriptions getting ridiculously expensive, more and more homes are ditching pricey pay TV and choosing free, over-the-air broadcasts. Digital TV typically provides between 20 and 60 channels depending on where you live, and can save you at least $1,000 a year, based on a typical pay TV subscription.

So, cut that cable, ditch that dish, and join the 14 percent (and growing) of American households that are free from monthly bills for TV service.

Putting up an antenna is easy, but before you buy one you’ll need to figure out what channels are available where you live, how strong the signals are likely to be, and what direction they’re coming from. See TechHive’s guide to choosing an antenna to figure all that out.

As a rule of thumb, indoor antennas are suitable for areas with strong or very strong signals, the attic/outdoor antennas work in areas of medium signal strength, and the larger outdoor antennas in areas of weak signals.

Once you’ve determined your needs, this article will help with your antenna purchase.

Updated February 12, 2019 to add a video explaining how to determine which free over-the-air TV channels you can receive where you live (see below).

Best indoor TV antenna

This antenna impressed us with its ability to pull in more broadcast channels than the competition. Further, those it did receive were a little stronger than from our runner-up which should make for happier TV viewing. (Read our full review.)

Runner-up

The Antennas Direct Clearstream Flex is a large, flexible antenna for mounting inside your house against a window or on a wall. It comes supplied with an inline amplifier that gave a good boost to signal levels in our tests. It did well on both VHF-High and UHF reception—the broadcast bands that include the vast majority of large stations in the U.S. (Read our full review.)

Best roof-mount TV Antenna

The Antennas Direct DB8e’s reception is just as impressive as its looks. This is a large, heavy antenna cleverly designed to receive weak signals with two antenna arrays, or in areas of better reception to point to towers in different directions. (See our full review.)

Runner-up

The Antennas Direct 91XG is a classic antenna design that has worked well for years. This antenna is quite directional and good at rejecting interference from the sides while picking out weak signals from the noise. It narrowly missed out on the top spot and would also be an excellent choice for people dealing with long-distance reception. (See our full review.)

Best attic/outdoor TV antenna

The Winegard Elite 7550 immediately impressed with its ability to pick up more broadcast channels than the competition at higher signal levels. It has a built-in amplifier and performed well on both VHF-High and UHF broadcast bands. Because of its size you’ll want this one in the attic or outside of your house. (See our full review.)

Runner-up

The Clearstream 4 Max is a little larger than our top-ranked choice and wasn’t quite as good at pulling in stations but it’s still a solid antenna. Its unique double figure-eight design is sure to look distinctive and it can receive signals from different directions, which is useful if you live in an area with stations in multiple places. (See our full review.)

How we tested

TechHive tests TV antennas in one or two locations. Our main testing location is 30 miles North East of San Francisco in an area sandwiched between hills that make reception of signals from San Francisco and Sacramento difficult. It’s a good spot to test antennas because many channels are weak. Antennas are mounted 25 feet in the air on a rotatable mast and tests are run several times.

We use a set-top box to scan for channels and record the number of RF channels received by each antenna and their strength. Each RF channel carries a number of digital stations, but the number is different per channel and can change, so digital stations received isn’t as useful a measurement. We scan several times and adjust the direction of the antenna on some rescans.

Our picks are the antennas that receive the largest number of stations with the highest signal level in both the UHF (channels 14 through 51) and VHF-High (channels 7 through 13) bands, which are the primary TV broadcast bands.

Our latest TV antenna reviews