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.
Earlier this year, Nintendo updated Mario Kart 8 Deluxe to get support for its Labo cardboard construction kits. And just last month, we also got a look at the upcoming Vehicle Kit. Today Nintendo has announced that it will be bringing the very same support for its latest Labo release into the racing game as well.
Earlier this year we took a look at littleBits’ Droid Inventor Kit which paired learning to code with assembling a delightful programmable astromech droid. Now armed with another Disney partnership under its belt, the company is back with another STEAM-focused kit. Still setting out to make coding more accessible, this time around instead of traveling to a galaxy far, far away for inspiration, littleBits is turning to Earth’s Mightiest Heroes with its Avengers Hero Inventor Kit.
Luckily we were able to get our hands on the upcoming release earlier this week. And after putting the superhero-themed programming kit to the test, it’s easy to recommend the littleBits Avengers Hero Kit to just about anyone looking to hone their coding skills. So if you or someone in your life loves Marvel and are just getting familiar with the world of code, this kit is a fun and intuitive way to go from programming zero to hero. Head below for our full hands-on look.
Update 8/28 @12:00PM: The Orbi Mesh Router three-pack is now down to $267.75 shipped when using code PREGAME15 at checkout.
The official Best Buy eBay storefront is currently offering Netgear’s Orbi Tri-Band Mesh 802.11ac Wi-Fi System with three routers for $314.99 shipped. You can also lock in the sale price directly from Best Buy. That’s good for an $85 discount from the going rate and is the lowest out there. Today’s offer matches our previous mention, which went out of stock pretty quickly. The Orbi mesh Wi-Fi system covers up to 6,500 square feet with a 2.2Gbps connection. It carries 4.5/5 star rating from over 800 Best Buy customers.
Update 8/24 @1:35PM: Dell offers the Linksys Velop Mesh Wi-Fi System 2-pack bundled with a $50 Dell Gift Card for $249.99 shipped. Gift card will be added at checkout. Assuming you use the dell credit, that’s good for a 17% discount and is one of the best offers we’ve seen. Rated 4.6/5 stars from over 3,200 shoppers.
Last last year, Sony leveraged nostalgia to reintroduce the world to its line of adorable robotic dog toys, Aibo. In November it was uncertain if we’d ever get to see Aibo released here in the United States, as is the case with many foreign releases. But today, Sony announced that it would finally be putting the lovable robo pup up for adoption outside of Japan. Available in a new limited edition bundle, Aibo comes with everything you’ll need to raise the mechanical four-legged friend.
We’re already a day into Gamescom 2018 and we’ve already gotten a glimpse at the latest hardware releases like ASUS’s new TUF Gaming Laptops and Microsoft’s Xbox Design Lab controllers. Now Samsung is getting in on the action, debuting a pair of new curved monitors with a 144Hz refresh rate to give gamers an edge.
Since last year’s UCS Millennium Falcon, LEGO’s biggest set releases have shifted over to other series like Harry Potter, Technic and more. Now for its newest massive kit release, LEGO is returning to a galaxy far, far away to debut its 2,800-piece set, Betrayal at Cloud City. Recreating iconic moments from The Empire Strikes Back, this set includes tons of details, 18 minifigures and more. Head below for more details.
Amongst all of this year’s impressive LEGO kit debuts, we’ve seen more and more notable BrickHeadz releases. Today, LEGO continues that trend in celebration of the 90th anniversary of the beloved Mickey Mouse. Taking to Twitter to make the announcement, LEGO has debuted two new BrickHeadz, one of Mickey and one of Minnie Mouse. Head below for more.
Back in the beginning of 2017, Samsung announced that it would be acquiring Harman Kardon. And while a little over a year has passed since the initial news broke, there’s been little by way of news or announcements from the merger. Now that silence has finally been broken, as Samsung has recently debuted a pair of new high-end sound bars featuring Harman Kardon co-branding and built-in Dolby Atmos support.
Aura has been trying to breathe new life into the digital picture frame for over a year now, having released its first version back in 2017. Now the company is back with two new frames that look to offer the same high-density display as before, but include a refreshed and more modern design. Aura’s new Stardust and Slate frames still boast smartphone control, photo curation and more, but enter at a more affordable price point. Head below to get the full scoop.
When it comes to smart home products, many use Z-Wave and Monoprice is one of the most well-known names in the game. Now the company is looking to further expand its line of home automation gear with the launch of STITCH, a series of consumer-friendly sensors and accessories that are geared towards those just dipping their toes into smart home tech.
After nearly a year and a half, it’s safe to say that the Switch is proving to be the console everyone thought it would be. And having already sold close to 20 million units, Nintendo is gearing up for the holiday season with the release of Smash Bros. Ultimate and a new Pokémon title. Whether you’ve just purchased a Switch or are looking to outfit the hybrid console with some new gear, we’ve rounded up our favorite accessories down below.
As of late, mesh Wi-Fi systems have been taking the home networking world by storm, pushing just about every player in the space to release a system of their own. Samsung is by no means new to mesh technology, and today, it has announced an updated version of its popular SmartThings Mesh Wi-Fi System with a refreshed design and equally noteworthy spec improvements.
Earlier this week we got another glimpse at what would be coming from Blizzard’s partnership with Hasbro and Nerf, and now another company is teasing the debut of its Overwatch releases. Today LEGO has jumped on the payload to get its line of brick-built kits moving.
The fall semester is right around the corner and while keeping your dorm room organized is a priority for some, there are other ways to get ready for the back to school season. Adding some smarts to your home away from home takes campus life to a whole new level, so below you’ll find our top recommendations for turning your dorm room into a smart home.
This morning, Nintendo riled up fans once again with a 30-minute long presentation, this time centered around Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. And while there were plenty of announcements for the eagarly-awaited fighting game, the new content didn’t stop when the Direct ended. Nintendo today also debuted the latest of its themed Switch bundles to coincide with the new titles’ release at the end of the year.
Recreating the big-screen movie theater experience at home starts with a feature-rich AV receiver to drive all of your gear. Many people already center their home theaters around Denon receivers, and today the company announced a new model that is sure to pull even more into the company’s ecosystem. Headlined by high-end audio support, eight HDMI inputs and most importantly, AirPlay 2 support, Denon’s latest is as functionality-packed as they come.
Fresh off of last week’s announcement of new themed Gamecube controllers for the Switch, Hori is back with yet another new accessory. This time around though, the company’s emphasis is on enhancing the out-of-the-box controls for the Switch rather than completely swapping it out. Wrapped in sleek Mario and Zelda-themed designs, Hori’s new controller brings the D-Pad back to Nintendo’s hybrid console.
LEGO’s Harry Potter line of kits is finally back after a near decade hiatus. Over the first half of 2018 we’ve seen a variety of releases get added to the lineup and while there’s no beating the new 6,000 piece Hogwarts castle, the most popular of the new releases are LEGO’s BrickHeadz figures for the wizards. Today we’re going hands-on with the new figures, so be sure to hit the jump for an in-depth look.
Choosing your preferred smart home system can be confusing enough, but thinking about what gear you may want to adopt later on makes starting out even more difficult. Lighting is one of the cornerstones of any smart home, and due to the wide range of options on the market, can be one of the trickiest areas of your home to outfit. Some systems shine as perfect entry-level buys, while others require you going all-in to reap the benefits. But fear not! We’ve rounded up our top picks for smart lighting down below.
These days, getting kids interested in STEM and programming has become easier and easier thanks to companies like littleBits and Kano, who partner with some of the most beloved and recognizable franchises out there to make it ass accessible as possible. Looking to not be left in the dust by last week’s Kano Harry Potter Wand kit, today littleBits is debuting its Marvel-themed Avengers Hero Inventor Kit.
July has been an exciting month in the LEGO world, with the debut of the new 6,000-piece Hogwarts Castle, the release of the 007 Aston Martin DB5 , SDCC kits and more. The latest fan-made kit from LEGO Ideas, Voltron, is only a week or so away from getting its wide-scale release as well, but today we’ll be turning our attention to other builds from the crowd-funding campaign that are still vying to become real kits.
One of the big perks that come with being a smart home owner is monetary savings stemming from scheduling your internet-connected thermostat alongside energy efficiency of smart lighting and more. Today ecobee, maker of one of the more popular HomeKit-enabled thermostats currently on the market, is eyeing up the former by debuting a new feature called Peak Relief. Focusing on automating your home’s heating and cooling based on electricity rate fluctuations, the new functionality looks to help cut down on electric bills.
In this week’s Best of 9to5Toys: Best Buy kicks off its Black Friday in July Event, Apple’s latest MacBook Pro gets a discount alongside other notable Mac deals, we go hands-on with LEGO’s new 007 Aston Martin DB5 kit, more…
Nintendo kicked off 2018 with its surprising new line of Labo cardboard construction sets geared towards letting Switch owners build their own accessories and teaching them how to code at the same time. At launch only two kits were available, but now Nintendo has debuted its third addition to the series of Labo kits, this time centered around various vehicles. Hit the jump for the full scoop.
Continuing the Switch’s path of domination as it shakes up the video game industry, earlier this year Nintendo announced it would be bringing the fan-favorite title Super Smash Bros. to the hit hybrid console. Now as a timely follow up, one of the more well-known gaming accessory makers, Hori, has announced it will be releasing a new wave of Gamecube controllers for the system. Available in three new designs, the gamepads sport Mario, Pikachu and Zelda-themed colorways and decals.
In the past few years of LEGO releases, the company’s lineup has been defined by a two-fold focus: releasing larger, more part-intensive kits packed with eye-catching details alongside expanding its lineup of offerings by bringing in as many partnerships with existing IPs as possible. LEGO’s most recent release just so happens to fit into both categories, with the all-new Aston Martin DB5 packing many iconic features and details from the James Bond franchise, the first LEGO kit to tie in with the famous spy flicks.
As we reported last week, LEGO debuted its most recent kit in partnership with the British luxury sports car manufacturer, Aston Martin. Stacking up to just under 1,300 pieces, the 007-themed DB5 is sure to be one of this year’s must-have sets. Luckily we got our hands on it prior to widespread release and will be diving in to see if the brick-built recreation of the iconic ride stacks up to a gadget worthy of the famous secret agent or if Q should have just left this one in the shop.
Update: The Hogwarts Castle is now available for purchase for LEGO VIP members (it’s free to sign up).
Move over UCS Millennium Falcon, there’s a new contender for the most-coveted LEGO kit in town. Today LEGO has announced the latest addition to its lineup of Harry Potter sets, the Hogwarts Castle. Comprised of over 6,000 pieces, the new model looks to be every bit as impressive and magical as its appearances on the silver screen. LEGO has packed a major amount of detail into its latest recreation, so be sure to check it out below.
Kano has emerged as one of the leaders in the STEAM space thanks to its accessible and technically impressive programming kits. For its latest release, Kano will be bringing the same high quality of educational content, but with a bit of a twist thanks to its newest partnership. Having journeyed to the wizarding world of Hogwarts, today Kano is debuting its new Harry Potter Coding Kit. This time around you’ll be able to assemble your very own wand which will guide you through iconic locations from the films in your pursuit to learning programming skills and coding fundamentals.
Amazon’s line of Echo products are known as being the most popular voice-activated speakers around. And rightfully so, as they’re continually some of the best-selling devices on the market. Voice is after all, a natural way for many to interact with Alexa, but for others, that isn’t so much the case.
Today, Amazon has announced a new piece of functionality geared towards making some of its devices more accessible that will be joining the Echo Show’s suite of other unique features made possible by its touchscreen. Deemed Tap to Alexa, the latest addition brings touch controls into the mix for summoning Amazon’s digital assistant.
littleBits is one of our favorite company’s in the STEAM space, and has been shaking up the industry by pairing top-notch coding and electronics kits with eye-catching and interesting themes. One of their newest releases took tinkerers to a galaxy far, far away to build and program their very own astromech droid. Today we’ll be taking a hands-on look at the littleBits Droid Inventor kit to see if it stacks up to be a prized robotic companion or a bucket of bolts.
Retro gaming may arguably be at one of its most popular points in history, with everyone from third-party companies to Nintendo themselves cashing in on the fad’s latest peak. And while playing your favorite classic titles is a blast, giving up the modern comforts like wireless controllers takes away from the nostalgic fun. At least that’s the thought process behind 8BitDo’s latest retro release, which offers gamers the ability to convert their beloved classic controllers into fully wireless versions.
If you have fond memories of piecing together model kits from when you were a kid, it might be time to dust off your tools. Bandai, in partnership with Star Wars and LucasFilm, has unveiled two new model kits from a galaxy far, far away centering around 1/12-scale astromech droids. While a version of the lovable R2-D2 is the star of the show, we’re also getting a new R4-I9 kit as well. So be sure to hit the jump for all the details.
While many of the large recreations of iconic vehicles from LEGO as of late have been additions to the company’s lineup of Technic sets, today LEGO will be reaching back into its tub of bricks to debut its new spy-themed sports car. In partnership with Aston Martin, LEGO is bringing 007’s famous ride into a nearly 1,300-piece Creator Expert set.
Whether you’re hearing about it in the context of more basic smartphone control, home security or voice assistants, a lot of perks come from being a smart home owner. But often times smart home tech can be expensive, especially to someone just looking to get started. So below you’ll find our top picks for building a budget smart home under $200 to have you living in the 21st Century in no time.
One of the biggest fears after the Switch’s initial announcement was that Nintendo’s latest console wouldn’t have any big system-selling titles. It was arguably the biggest problem facing its predecessor, the Wii U, an issue which loomed over the Switch well past its release. But now well over a year later, it’s pretty safe to say that Nintendo and the third-party developers that they worked with have been able to put together one of the most appealing lineups in the industry.
But Nintendo has no intention of slowing down, as the company is hoping to bolster the Switch’s game lineup with anywhere from 20 to 30 new titles each week for the foreseeable future.
Amazon offers the Netgear AC750 802.11ac Wi-Fi Range Extender for $29.99 shipped when clipping the on-page coupon. That’s good for a $10 discount from the going rate, matches our previous mention and is the lowest it has sold for this year. If you’re not ready to upgrade your network with a mesh system, this is a great enhancement to your setup. Over 27,000 shoppers have left a 3.9/5 star rating.
Amazon offers the La Crosse Technology Digital Weather Station for $34.07 shipped. Also available at Walmart. That’s good for a $28 discount from the going rate at Home Depot and Staples and is the lowest we’ve seen it sell for at Amazon. This weather station packs a color display and is a great way to check on your home’s temperature as you try to beat the summer heat. As a #1 best-seller, over 1,700 shoppers have left a 3.9/5 star rating.
Potensic (98% positive all-time feedback from 3,100+) via Amazon offers its A20 RC Nano Quadcopter for $19.99 when code 30GNPNMZ has been applied at checkout. That’s good for a nearly 30% discount from the going rate and scores you a savings of $8. Today’s price drop is a new all-time low at Amazon. Over 175 pilots have left a 4.4/5 star rating.
Amazon offers the Corsair K66 Mechanical Gaming Keyboard for $49.99 shipped. Typically selling in the ballpark of $75 at Newegg, that’s good for a 33% discount and is the lowest we’ve tracked at Amazon. This keyboard packs Cherry MX keys, a full number pad and a sleek design. Rated 4.4/5 stars from over 200 typists. Head below for more details.
Amazon offers the Neato Botvac D80 Robotic Vacuum Cleaner for $348.95 shipped. That’s good for a $100 discount from the going rate at Walmartand is a new all-time low at Amazon. For comparison, Best Buy has it on sale for $3 more and this is the second lowest offer we’ve seen all-time. Rated 4.3/5 stars from over 200 shoppers.
Today only, Woot offers the Withings Activité Steel Fitness Tracker for $69.99 with free shippingfor Prime members, otherwise a $5 flat fee is applied. Normally selling for over $105 at Amazon, that’s good for a 33% discount and is the best offer we’ve seen this year. For comparison, today’s price drop beats our previous mention by $5 and matches the Amazon all-time low from Black Friday last year. The Activité Steel monitors your sleep, workouts, steps and more. Rated 3.7/5 stars.
Nissan is no stranger to outfitting its rides with tons of over-the-top equipment, and today the company has unveiled the latest addition to its lineup of custom vehicles. This time around, Nissan’s Surfcamp project packs everything you’ll need to camp out and shred some waves.
Nissan’s latest feature-packed custom vehicle is based around a stock model of the TITAN XD outfitted with a 5.0-liter Cummins turbodiesel engine. Serving as an all-encompassing way to camp out and enjoy yourself at the beach, the Surfcamp comes packed with a variety of add-ons that make it way more than just a camper.
Just over two weeks ago, LEGO announced San Diego Comic-Con exclusive Star Wars and DC Superhero kits ahead of the convention slated for later this month. Now with the latest film from the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Ant-Man and the Wasp, now in theaters, LEGO has once again taken to Twitter to announce a new limited edition set starring the movie’s leads.
Bang & Olufsen makes some of the more high-end speakers and sound systems on the market, with many of them sporting the company’s iconic design alongside critically-acclaimed audio quality. And if B&O’s speakers weren’t already premium enough for you, they’ve just launched the Capsule Collection, a series of five limited edition versions fo the company’s Beosound 1. Head below to see how you can get your hands on one of the collection’s speakers.
After showcasing an impressive roster of new titles and details for Super Smash Bros. 5 at E3 2018, Nintendo has continued to supply fans with news as we head into summer. In less than a month we’ve seen a notable new update to Mario Kart 8 Deluxe with Labo integration, new 2DS designs and more. Today, Nintendo has announced that it will be bringing back the iconic Splatoon 2-themed neon green and pink Switch as part of a new bundle due out later this year.
OLEBR Direct (98% positive all-time feedback) via Amazon offers its Apple Watch and iPhone charging stand for $9.90 when checking out with code WDLFPQPJ. Prime members will score free shipping, which is available on orders over $25 as well. That’s good for an $8 discount from the going rate, beats our previous mention by $5 and is the lowest we’ve seen it sell for. Rated 4+ stars from over 60% of shoppers.
Earlier this year, it was reported that LEGO would be focusing its research and development initiatives on introducing a line of sustainable plant-based bricks. While its been a few months since we’ve heard anything on the matter, it looks like LEGO’s projection that the first of these pieces becoming available sometime this year turned out to be spot on. Today, we’re getting a look at the first kit putting the sustainable elements to use.
As of late, there have been a variety of miniature projectors that have made their way to market. The latest of these is from 1byone, a company that has taken to Indiegogo to raise funds to release its new GoSho Mini Projector.
GoSho takes the form-factor of a hand-held cube with metal accents. Alongside its miniature casing, it sports four-hour battery life, the ability to project up to a 200-inch screen, and built-in speakers among a variety of smart features.