Rikka Altland is the Editor-in-Chief of 9to5Toys. Having joined the team at the beginning of 2017, over the past six years she has gone on to specialize in being a mainstay in the LEGO news and rumors scene while also reviewing the latest iPhone accessories, earbuds, and home networking gear. Contact it directly at rikka@9to5mac.com for tips and pitches.
Today, we’re getting a first look at a series of new LEGO Super Mario sets due out in 2022. Packed with yet another expansion of new locations, enemies, and unique play features, the lineup includes three creations on top of a new series of Character Packs due out on January 1.
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Today, Best Buy is continuing to roll out the pre-Black Friday 2021 savings with the launch of a members-only 1-day sale. Running through the end of the day, My Best Buy members (free to sign-up) will be able to lock-in some exclusive savings across everything from Sonos smart speakers to 8Bitdo retro controllers and more. Shipping is free in orders over $35 and there’s also the added price guarantee assurance for some added peace of mind that you’ll get the lowest price. Head below for all of our top picks.
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Update: LEGO’s new Lunar New Year Ice Festival and Lunar New Year Traditions sets are now available for purchase. A Year of the Tiger gift with purchase is also up for grabs.
Today, we’re getting a first look at two new LEGO Chinese New Year sets debuting for 2022. Arriving to celebrate the Year of the Tiger, there’s a pair of festive builds packed with festive elements, unique minifigures, and much more.
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One of this holiday season’s most coveted gifts will certainly fall to the new Switch OLED. Refreshing the unique hybrid experience with a larger and and better looking display, just about every Nintendo fan is hoping to find this console under the tree come December. While finding one on store shelves as been a bit of a hassle, we’re giving 9to5Toys readers a chance to beat the holiday rush and score one for themselves. Head below to learn more about our Nintendo Switch OLED giveaway and how you can win.
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As Black Friday 2021 inches closer, early discounts are beginning to pour in. While it used to be that the best offers were available to everyone, now retailers all compete with their own membership programs to lock Black Friday discounts behind their own programs. Be it Amazon Prime or Walmart+, you’ll want to head below for a breakdown on making the most of the holiday shopping season by signing up for these membership programs.
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Listen to a recap of the best deals and news from 9to5Toys each day at noon. 9to5Toys Daily is available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed. New episodes of 9to5Toys Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes/Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they’re available.
We’re seeing yet another Black Friday 2021 ad arrive to close out the first week of November, with Kohl’s now getting in on the action. Detailing what to expect from the retailer, we’re getting a look at everything from tech deals on the latest from Amazon and Google to added Kohl’s Cash savings and more.
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Buy nowWhether for tailgates and camping or keeping gear online during an outage, portable power stations are becoming more valuable than ever. Today we’re taking a look at one of the latest offerings from Goal Zero, its new Yeti 1000 Core, which arrives with plenty of power to back up its versatile array of I/O. But is it a worthy addition to your kit? That’s what our latest Tested with 9to5Toys seeks to answer.
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Following our first look at the LEGO UCS AT-AT, Star Wars fans now have another way to bring a massive recreation from the Original Trilogy to their collections. This time courtesy of Hasbro, the Black Series is receiving its largest figure to date with the Rancor.
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Listen to a recap of the best deals and news from 9to5Toys each day at noon. 9to5Toys Daily is available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed. New episodes of 9to5Toys Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes/Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they’re available.
As its early Black Friday deals begin to go live, Walmart is rolling out a look at what to expect from the hottest toys this year. In the latest installment of its annual holiday toy book, Walmart is rolling out its own list of curated gifts to go alongside early discounts on the season’s hottest gifts and more.
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The 2022 LEGO reports are continuing to roll in, and today we’re getting something a of a first look at what to expect from a new Jurassic World set next year. Arriving as what will likely be the latest direct to consumer set for the theme, LEGO set 76944 is slated to launch at the $250 price tag next year. But what will it be? Head below for everything we know so far.
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Listen to a recap of the best deals and news from 9to5Toys each day at noon. 9to5Toys Daily is available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed. New episodes of 9to5Toys Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes/Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they’re available.
Pre-orderToday, Amazon is launching the latest expansion to its lineup of Echo smart home peripheral devices. Meant to supplement the experience of its Alexa devices, the new Air Quality Monitor arrives to bring some added metrics to your setup.
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Update: The LEGO Group has now unveiled the UCS AT-AT, which you can read all about in our coverage of the official release.
We’ve been anticipating that the new UCS AT-AT would drop this month for quite some time, and now we’re getting a very first look. Ahead of what will likely be an official announcement next week, you can head below the fold for all of the details on the LEGO UCS AT-AT dropping as this year’s Black Friday set.
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Despite how crowded the smart robotic vacuum market is these days, Neato still manages to stand out with the brand’s unique D-shaped designs. After hearing about how much of a difference that form-factor makes, I’ve finally given one of the latest releases, the D8, a try. Arriving with laser guidance amongst plenty of other features to match the flagship D10, both have gone on sale as early Black Friday discounts roll in.
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Just after launching its Celebrations TCG last month, today, the Pokémon Company is back with the release of its annual winter collection. Delivering an all-new lineup of gear for Pokémon fans young and old, you’ll find all of the usual releases like ugly sweaters and other festive apparel to figures, plush, pins, and much more. Head below for a closer look at all of the highlights from the new Pokémon holiday collection.
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The Black Friday 2021 ads continue to trickle in, and today we’re getting a first look at what to expect from Macy’s on the holiday shopping front. Showcasing 56 pages of deals on everything from home goods and kitchen appliances to apparel and more, you’ll find the details on this year’s Macy’s Black Friday ad.
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Buy nowLast month, Anker launched an all-new collection of MagSafe accessories fittingly deemed the MagGo collection. Today we’re taking a hands-on look at one such release. The new 2-in-1 MagGo charger delivers a unique package from Anker with a convertible form factor and colorful design. But is it worth the higher-end price tag? Dive into our latest Tested with 9to5Toys review for a closer look.
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We’re officially into the holiday shoping season now that November is underway, and the first slew of Black Friday 2021 ads have arrived. One of the first retailers to detail its plans is Costco, which has kicked off a series of rotating sales leading up to the big day at the end of the month. We have the full details on Costco’s 2021 Black Friday ad down below.
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Listen to a recap of the best deals and news from 9to5Toys each day at noon. 9to5Toys Daily is available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed. New episodes of 9to5Toys Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes/Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they’re available.
November is shaping up to be one of the most anticipated drops for LEGO sets, and now a whole new collection have hit store shelves. Headlined by three massive new direct to consumer sets, this month is delivering some of the largest builds to date with the Titanic, McCallister House, and Batman Tumbler being joined by some other builds. Head below for all of the new sets released in November.
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Halloween is here and the LEGO Group is celebrating the spooky holiday by launching an all-new collection of fitting sets. Announced ahead of dropping in 2022, the new Luigi’s Mansion expansion wave arrives with three LEGO sets inspired by the game.
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October is coming to a close and as per usual we’re taking a look at three of our favorite LEGO Ideas creations. This month has three unique LEGO models in store ranging from some signature Roman architecture with an ancient temple to an icon from medieval times and more. So what are you waiting for! Head below for a closer look at all of the best LEGO Ideas in October.
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Marshall finally launched its first pair of earbuds with active noise cancellation, and we’re taking a hands-on look to see how the new Motif ANC stack up. That’s alongside the more affordable Minor III earbuds, which provide a cost-effective alternative. With stylish design in tow on either pair, which one is more worth your cash? Head below for all of our thoughts.
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The ongoing chip shortage has made the past year or so one of the more inopportune times to get started with always on storage. B&H is making things a bit more affordable today by taking up to $540 off a selection of Synology NAS and WD hard drive bundles starting at $380 shipped. Our top pick is the Synology DS1520+ 5-Bay NAS with five 4TB WD Red Plus drives at $1,174.94. Down from the combined $1,300 value, you’re looking at the best price of the year on the package and the first notable discount we’ve seen on the NAS in any capacity since the holiday season last year.
As one of the latest and greatest offerings from Synology, its DS1520+ NAS delivers five hard drive bays with support for up to 80TB of storage. You’ll also find a pair of built-in M.2 slots for setting up an SSD cache as well as four Gigabit Ethernet ports that enable up to 451MB/s transfer speeds. Throw in the bundled 20TB worth of hard drives, and you’ll be ready to go out of the box. Get all of the details in our hands-on review and then head below for more.
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Amazon is diving head first into the holiday shopping season this week with the launch of its annual gift guides, and today we’re combing through the highlights in its (RED) guide. Ranging from accessories for the latest Apple gadgets to workout gear from Theragun, you can score plenty of slick red colorways of popular gear while knowing you’re helping a good cause along the way.
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Listen to a recap of the best deals and news from 9to5Toys each day at noon. 9to5Toys Daily is available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed. New episodes of 9to5Toys Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes/Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they’re available.
Buy nowTwelve South’s new PowerPic mod launched earlier this month with a unique focus – to merge a Qi charger with a picture frame into a piece of home decor. With that stylish acrylic design comes a more premium price tag, so is it worth picking up for you or a family member? That’s what our latest Tested with 9to5Toys review seeks to answer.
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Six years after first releasing its extremely low-cost Raspberry Pi Zero, the Foundation is now out with an even more capable device. Stepping up from the $5 price tag of old, you can get all of the details on whether the new Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W is worth its $15 price tag down below.
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Listen to a recap of the best deals and news from 9to5Toys each day at noon. 9to5Toys Daily is available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed. New episodes of 9to5Toys Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes/Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they’re available.
elago’s official Amazon storefront is now offering its new Liquid Hybrid AirPods 3 Case in various styles starting at $10.39 when clipping the on-page coupon. Normally fetching $13 or more, you’re looking at 20% in savings alongside a new all-time low. Today’s offer is only the second time on sale since releasing earlier in the month, which beats the 5% off launch discount. Launching right beside the AirPods 3, elago refreshed a collection of its new cases to work with Apple’s latest earbuds. This Liquid Hybird style covers your earbuds in a soft silicone shell that’ll help defend against scratches while in your pocket or knicks from unfortunate drops. Alongside being dust-resistant, there’s also a built-in carabiner for securing to the side of a backpack and more. Head below for more.
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After seeing Amazon detail its full list of holiday gift guides this morning, we’re now diving in to see what the retailer has in-store. Amongst the rest of its curated shopping recommendations, its selection of tech and other electronics are sure to be some of the hottest items on both virtual and physical shelves. Head below for all of the highlights from Amazon’s tech gift guide.
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After seeing its print Toy Book begin shipping out earlier this week, Amazon is today rolling out a collection of its annual holiday gift guides for 2021. From the latest Apple gear to must-have toys, state-of-the-art kitchen appliances, and more, you’ll find a breakdown of what’s on tap this year below.
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Listen to a recap of the best deals and news from 9to5Toys each day at noon. 9to5Toys Daily is available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed. New episodes of 9to5Toys Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes/Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they’re available.
Spigen’s official Amazon storefront currently offers its MagFit MagSafe Car Mount for $14.57 when clipping the on-page coupon. Shipping is free for Prime members or in orders over $25. Usually fetching $17, you’re looking at a match of the second-best price to date at 15% off. Designed to hold one of Apple’s official MagSafe chargers, Spigen’s MagFit accessory brings the magnetic wireless charging to the car with an air vent design. That’s alongside a ball mount for getting the right angle in your setup, so you can enjoy 15W charging speeds while keeping an eye on navigation directions.
Just like how every other industry is facing shortages, so too has LEGO been facing empty store shelves on both the physical and virtual fronts. Today several of the harder to come by creations have just been restocked, some of which are for the first time in months. Including the latest from Star Wars and Harry Potter to kits about to retire, you can head below for a few of the sets that are once again up for sale.
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Buy nowBose is now launching its new SoundLink Flex, the latest addition to its stable of Bluetooth speakers. Arriving with a refreshed, IP67 waterproof design alongside some auto-adjusting playback features to always sound the best, there are also three different colors available. Head below for all of the details.
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Adorama is launching a new October Bundle Blast Sony camera sale that’s taking up to $400 off a selection of DSLRs, mirrorless cameras, and lenses. Shipping is free across the board. Our top pick is the Sony Alpha a6600 Mirrorless Camera with 18-135mm Lens at $1,598. Down from $1,798, you’re looking at $200 in savings alongside the first price cut since May. This also comes within cents of the all-time low. Sony’s a6600 mirrorless camera is centered around a 24.2MP Exmor CMOS sensor that’s more than capable of recording UHD 4K videos, even in low-light conditions. Internally, there’s 5-axis image stabilization that pairs with a weather-resistant build and tiltable LCD monitor. Head below for more.
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Today, Arcade1Up is debuting a first-of-its-kind arcade cabinet with a new release right out of the 1990s. Celebrating its 30th anniversary, the upcoming Terminator 2 cabinet from Arcade1Up arrives as the first two-player shooter from the brand, complete with unique force feedback controls and more.
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Listen to a recap of the best deals and news from 9to5Toys each day at noon. 9to5Toys Daily is available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed. New episodes of 9to5Toys Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes/Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they’re available.
Buy nowLast month, Amazon officially announced its new Kindle Paperwhite 5, delivering its latest e-reading experience. Now, ahead of the first round of pre-orders shipping tomorrow, we’re taking a hands-on look at Amazon’s latest e-reader to see just how much of a difference its new 6.8-inch screen and USB-C port make. Head below for all of the details.
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Buy nowEarlier this summer, ANYCUBIC launched its new Vyper 3D printer with a series of features that seek to lower the barrier of entry to getting in on the hobby. Headlined by an auto-leveling bed that takes the tedium out of zeroing in a calibrated printer, our latest Tested with 9to5Toys review is putting the new release to the test.
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Today, LEGO Harry Potter fans can now score the latest gift with purchase to expand their brick-built Hogwarts layouts. Including two Minifigures, the new LEGO Gryffindor Dorms arrives as a limited-edition creation. Head below for a closer look at the new set and to learn how it can be added to your collection for free.
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Listen to a recap of the best deals and news from 9to5Toys each day at noon. 9to5Toys Daily is available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed. New episodes of 9to5Toys Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes/Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they’re available.
Today, Anker is expanding its stable of iPhone 13 accessories with a new collection of MagSafe gear. Entering under the new MagGo umbrella, the Anker lineup arrives with six different ways to top off one of Apple’s latest smartphones, both at-home and on-the-go.
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Amazon is now getting in on the holiday shopping insight by launching its annual Toy Book for 2021. This year’s is delivering a physical print flier packed with all of its curated recommendations to go alongside an online shopping experience, which you can get all of the details on down below.
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Pre-built gaming rigs have a bit of a bad rap from the community, but for a first-time gamer like myself, paying a premium to get a ready-to-go machine seemed like a compelling trade-off. But after going hands-on with the machine would I recommend the pre-built experience? That’s what our latest Tested with 9to5Toys seeks to answer.
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