is a reviews editor who manages how-tos and various projects. She’s worked as an editor and writer (and occasional sci-fi author) for more years than she cares to admit to.
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Although our phones are all equipped with cameras, there is still something special about being able to immediately produce a printed photo to pass around or give as a gift. If that’s something that appeals to you, the Fujifilm Instax Mini 12 instant camera is a great gift idea, and it’s now on sale at Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy for about $73.99 (down from $93.99), nearly matching its all-time low of $73.
We picked it as our overall best instant camera for most people due to its relatively high image quality, handy twist-to-zoom lens, and a larger-than-average viewfinder, which will make it easier to take the perfect photo. It’s not perfect, of course — for one thing, you can’t disable the flash — but if you want to experience the joys and problems of simple print photography, this is a good choice.
Be aware, however, that unless you plan to pick it up at your local Target, you may not get it in time for Christmas. You should be able to take photos of your New Year’s celebration, though.
Other Verge-approved deals
Lego Christmas Table Decoration ? It’s a candle in a bed of fir branches that’s on sale for $23.99 (down from $39.99) at If you need just one more item to make your home truly festive — and you’re a Lego fan — why not try this? It’s a candle in a bed of fir branches that’s on sale for $23.99 (down from $39.99) at Amazon and Target . This is an especially good way to get kids 12 years and older to take part in the decorating festivities.
8BitDo Pro 3 Bluetooth Controller for Switch and Switch 2 is, according to reviewer Cameron Faulkner, the “ultimate controller,” and it’s now on sale at Theis, according to reviewer Cameron Faulkner, the “ultimate controller,” and it’s now on sale at Amazon for $55.99, down from $69.99. It works on multiple platforms, has swappable buttons (so you can comfortably go from PC to Switch and back), and you can swap the joystick caps for arcade nubs (and, of course, back again). There are cheaper controllers out there that offer more features, including better rumble, but few other models come close to this one’s customization. Read our review.
Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K Select, and it is available at Yes, all the various models of Amazon’s Fire TV Stick can get really confusing, but all that most of us really need to know is that it plugs into your TV set and lets you stream programs, play Xbox games via the cloud, and otherwise enjoy yourself. This is the newest model of theand it is available at Amazon Best Buy , and Target for $19.99, half its normal price of $39.99.
Toniebox 2 Audio Player Paw Patrol Bundle for kids three and up, an audio box that offers stories, songs, and games along with cute little characters to play with. (At least one of our editors says his daughter loves to play with hers.) It’s now available at Finally, something for the kids: thean audio box that offers stories, songs, and games along with cute little characters to play with. (At least one of our editors says his daughter loves to play with hers.) It’s now available at Amazon for $139.99, down from $199.96.