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First, Anker’s array of dashboard cameras and car chargers are all part of Amazon’s Deal of the Day, and definitely worth checking out.
More on that in a minute. First, though, you may be wondering, “Wait, Anker? I thought they made phone chargers and earbuds.”
Yes, but also so, so, so much more. A quick primer: Anker is a Chinese company founded in 2011 by ex-Google engineer Steven Yang, who had the goal of building reasonably priced electronics and developing a trusted third-party brand. The word “Anker” comes from the German word for “anchor” because … well, why not.
While starting with laptop batteries and slowly branching out into portable chargers and cables, Anker’s focus has expanded recently to include everything from wireless earbuds to, just last week, chainsaws. In 2017, the company reorganized as Anker Innovations and developed multiple sub-brands: Anker (power), Eufy (smart home), Roav (in-car tech), Nebula (projectors), and, oddly, two audio categories with Zolo and Soundcore.
In a profile by The Verge, Yang noted the brand targeted direct sales on Amazon Marketplace because good reviews, prominent placement in search ranking and low prices can lead to quick success, and because they can use Amazon’s infrastructure to quickly process and fulfill orders. Which is why you’ll see Anker prominently and often first when you search for pretty much any electronics accessory on Amazon’s site.
Besides understanding Amazon’s selling structure and targeting products that companies like Apple overlook, the high quality and low prices offered by Anker set the brand apart. While never the “best” product, I own several chargers by Anker and three different headphones. They’re all what I’d call “very good” — you’ll see a lot of 4-star reviews on Amazon for Anker gear, and that’s a good indicator of their quality. As well, the day-to-day prices of Anker’s wares are noticeably cheaper than similar products from bigger name brands, and the company offers different sales every week.
Our favorite Anker products below, plus two items on sale today only that are great additions to your car.
Nebula Capsule Smart Mini Projector
A soda-sized portable projector with a 360 degree speaker; capable of delivering a nice picture at up to 100”.
Soundcore Liberty Nelo
Anker offers a wide range of earbuds under the Soundcore line (it gets confusing), but if you’re looking for good sound, an unobtrusive design and a ridiculous price point, the Liberty Neo fulfills all your basic audio needs.
Anker PowerCore Fusion
It’s not the smallest or fastest wall charger the company offers, but the PowerCore 2-in-1 is a personal favorite because it doubles as a battery pack.
Roav Dash Cam C1 Pro
An Amazon Deal of the Day (for 4/29), the C1 offers location tracking, motion-activated 30fps video if you’re bumped and easy sharing of video with a Roav app.
Roav Viva
Bring Alexa into your car with this AI-assisted, two-port USB charger; meaning, you’ll have access to in-car navigation, hands-free calling and music streaming, all by voice. Another Amazon Deal of the Day.
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