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Justin Kahn

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Justin is the Editor-in-Chief at 9to5Toys. For well-over a decade he has covered everything from video games and smart home devices to iPhone and MagSafe accessories, EDC gear, and just about everything in between. A professional audio engineer/producer, he also specializes in home recording, microphones, digital audio, and streaming gear. See something cool out there? Developing the next viral Apple gear accessory? Or just want to talk deals? Contact him directly at justin@9to5mac.com for tips, pitches, and more.

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SteelSeries unveils “the first high-res certified audio systems for gaming”

The folks over at SteelSeries have been the purveyors of high quality gaming peripherals and more for several years now. Everything from gaming headsets to mice, mechanical keyboards and mouse pads, the company has just about everything you could ever need to spec out your gaming room. And today, SteelSeries is unveiling the next generation Artcis headsets for PS4, and PC…
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ECOVACS unveils next generation mopping robot vacuums w/ Alexa voice control

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While Anker has done a great job in the robotic vacuum space, undercutting Roomba and the like, ECOVACS is another one of those companies offering up the technology at a somewhat more affordable price tag. The company’s DEEBOT products cover all your automated vacuuming and mopping needs starting somewhere in the $250 range, give or take.

Today, ECOVACS is announcing its latest lineup of robotic cleaning devices with the next generation DEEBOT products.
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Target now offering free 2-day shipping on thousands of items online

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While it may seem like there are several major retailers vying for our purchase dollars, there is really just one with a bunch of big names constantly on the chase. Amazon and its incredible Prime membership offers a level of value for shoppers that still isn’t matched anywhere else. Not only do the Prime membership perks at Amazon continue to grow every month, but that guaranteed free two-day shipping really can’t be beat.

Retailers like Walmart and Best Buy do have their own member programs with special perks, but the sheer selection of goods and fantastic pricing makes it hard to compete with everyone’s favorite online retail giant. While Target’s REDcard program knocks 5% off every purchase, the national retailer is now introducing free two-day shipping on a massive selection of goods online.
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Today’s Best Game Deals: PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds $18, COD WWII $30, more

In today’s best game deals, Newegg is offering PlayerUnknown’s Battlegrounds on Xbox One for $17.99 using code EMCPSPY65 at checkout. That’s $7+ under the regular price tag and the best we can find.

More game/console deals:

ICYMI: We still have the Xbox One X 1TB Console wth an extra controller, Destiny 2 and GTA V for $500 ($620 value). And Nintendo Switch with Gray Joy-Con for $280 shipped + 15% off eShop credit.

Down below you’ll find more console game deals and new products. Your daily iOS/Mac app sales are on the way!
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Best Console Game Releases for March: Far Cry 5, Sea of Thieves, Kirby, more

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While February and March are usually considered to be among the slower months for game releases, it has been a pretty busy 2018 thus far. Monster Hunter World and the Shadow of the Colossus remaster dropped last month and March will be seeing the next entry in the Far Cry series, Microsoft’s new Sea of Thieves IP and a long, lost Assassin’s Creed title get some new life. And don’t forget about the Devil May Cry remaster collection and Kirby Star Allies for Switch.

All that and more in March 2018’s best video game releases below:
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Sony unveils God of War PS4 Pro w/ complete visual overhaul, pre-order now

Rumors and leaks regarding an upcoming PS4 bundle for the new God of War game have been all over the internet for the past month or more. Considering this is supposed to be the franchise’s return to glory, not to mention one of Sony’s most anticipated and beloved first party franchises, a special console bundle seemed imminent.

And to almost no one’s surprise, a little more than a month before the new game hits store shelves, Sony has now officially unveiled the new Limited Edition God of War PS4 Pro Bundle.
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The new Limited Edition Super Mario Encyclopedia has a trick up its sleeve

Last month we caught our first glimpse of the Dark Horse Super Mario Encyclopedia hardcover book. Spanning the entire history of the series (up until Odyssey that is), the 256-page encyclopedia is filled with information on the series, visuals, concept art, collectible guides and much more.

As we mentioned, Dark Horse has a habit of announcing the special edition version of its products a couple of weeks after the initial debut, much like what we saw with the trilogy of Zelda reference guides and the NES cartridge-style Deluxe edition. Well, as expected, the Limited Edition version of the upcoming Super Mario Encyclopedia book has now been unveiled. And this time, it has a literal trick up its sleeve.
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This iOS/Android-connected hula hoop tracks your workouts, calories and more

Well, we have certainly seen our fair share of unique fitness trackers and body sensor technology. But the folks responsible for VHOOP are taking a bit of a different approach. The new connected fitness device is essentially a smart hula hoop designed to make your workouts a little bit more fun while offering up a broad set of analytics via its Bluetooth connectivity.
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Microsoft unveils new Xbox One S Sea of Thieves Bundle ahead of launch next month

Sea of Thieves is washing onto store shelves in just under one month’s time now. Microsoft is pushing Rare’s upcoming open-world pirate game as the next big exclusive for Xbox One. After running what appeared to be a successful closed beta last month, Microsoft is celebrating the launch of 2018’s first big pirate game with a brand new special edition Xbox One S bundle.
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SanDisk unveils the ‘world’s fastest UHS-I flash memory card’

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With camera laden drones filling the sky and action cameras in just about everyone’s hands at this point, the need for portable and reliable storage is at an all-time high. While cloud-like services are, in many ways, just as viable an option as physical media, there’s nothing like a handy SD card in a pinch when your drives are getting full.

As part of its Mobile World Congress showcase announcements, Western Digital and SanDisk have a number of new SSDs on the slate as well what is being called the “world’s fastest UHS-I flash memory card.”
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FREE

Sony is offering $15 in FREE credit w/ purchases of $100 or more on PSN right now

Sony is now offering a free $15 credit with purchases of $100 or more on PSN. Just spend $100 using your PSN Wallet and you’ll receive an automatic $15 credit on your account there after. This is a great chance to get a bit of cash back on digital pre-orders and well, anything else that might catch your eye on Sony’s digital storefront. 
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Colorware launches new NES-style Pro Controllers and Joy-Con for Nintendo Switch

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Colorware makes a wide selection of bespoke and custom-painted electronics gear for just about all of your favorite manufacturers, as any avid 9to5Toys reader would know by now. That includes everything from a custom Apple Magic Mouse and Keyboard to PlayStation 4 covers, Bose headphones and even Nintendo Switch gear. Needless to say, there’s a little bit of everything for everyone.

Last summer, Colorware introduced a custom-painted set of Nintendo Switch Joy-Con in limited run. The vintage NES style paint job went over well with customers and now the company is tapping into that vintage aesthetic once again for the new Limited Edition 8-bit designs…
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Ghostbusters looking to take on Pokémon Go w/ new AR title for iOS/Android

Suit up and get the proton packs out, the Ghostbusters franchise is looking to tap into the mobile augmented reality success of Pokémon Go. As part of Google’s ARCore announcement alongside the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain, Sony Pictures and Ghost Corps have now announced a new AR Ghostbusters title in development for iOS and Android devices. We have some early details on the game along with the first teaser trailer and some visuals of the new title down below ahead of its release sometime this year.
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Here’s Pad & Quill’s gorgeous new leather iPad Pro case, available now at 10% off

10% off/$108

One of our favorite premium Apple accessory makers is back at it again. Today Pad & Quill is introducing its brand new Heritage Leather iPad Pro 10.5 Case. As per usual, you can expect a particularly close attention to detail, high-end materials and the legendary P&Q warranty. Head below for more details.
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New iRig Keys I/O plug-in enables hardware control over GarageBand and Logic Pro X

Anyone familiar with 9to5Toys and Logic Pros knows how much we like the IK Multimedia production gear. It might not be the absolute best-of-the-best out there, but the affordable price tags, more than capable functionality and seamless integration with our Apple gear puts it atop our list of some of the best in the price range.

Late last year we had a chance to go hands-on with the new iRig Keys I/O hybrid MIDI controller and audio interface. We already found the keyboard to be an amazing pick up for anyone just starting out with music production and even an awesome secondary controller/portable studio for everyone else. Well, today IK announced some new functionality when it comes to direct integration with Apple’s flagship music production software in the form of a new plug-in.
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Sonic and PAC-MAN team up for epic iOS/Android crossover, available now

Bandai Namco and Sega are teaming for a new mobile cross-over promotion. Sonic the Hedgehog and PAC-MAN will be jumping in to each other’s games on iOS and Android. While bringing gaming’s fastest character together with one of its slowest might not seem like the most obvious move, if you ever wanted to zip around a Sonic-themed PAC-MAN maze with everyone’s favorite blue hedgehog, now’s your chance.
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If you like escape rooms, here’s one in a box you can play at home for $30

$30

Generally speaking, Toy Fair New York is dominated by new hardware from the biggest toy manufacturers in the world. LEGO, Star Wars, Mattel, Hasbro and others have all shown new building kits, characters and STEM sets. But now it’s time to look at a new escape room-style board game.

After making the rounds in the crowdfunding space last year, and then finally being picked up by Mattel shortly thereafter, Escape Room in a Box: The Werewolf Experiment is now ready for prime time. The unique board game is taking cues from the increasing popularity of those physical escape rooms popping up in a town near you.
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Here’s the new 256-page hardcover Super Mario Encyclopedia

(Update 2/22 2:00pm): Pre-orders for the Super Mario Encyclopedia Hardcover Book are now down 20% at $23.99 shipped.

Publisher Dark Horse and the folks over at Nintendo have been quite successful with the trilogy of Zelda reference guides. The Zelda Encyclopedia features hundreds of pages detailing the titular hero, the princess of time and Hyrule itself through the ages. Needless to say, it is a must-own for hardcore Legend of Zelda fans and now it looks like Super Mario and friends will be getting the same treatment.
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IKEA shares more details about mysterious upcoming portable party gear lineup

When we first heard about the upcoming collaboration between IKEA and Teenage Engineering, it was a little curious. The boutique electronics/music production products coming out of the Teenage Engineering camp the last several years really didn’t suggest an IKEA feature was on the way. But the company’s intersting sense of minimalism and unique design approach certainly fit in with some of the sensibilities IKEA has always been known for.

The upcoming FREKVENS (translates to frequency) party product line from IKEA and TE is still somewhat mysterious, all things considered, but we did get a nice update and some new imagery courtesy of an official IKEA Instagram post today.
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Here are the amazing Air Jordan III limited edition Xbox One X bundles

Xbox and Air Jordan are teaming up for the first ever official collaboration between the two iconic brands. Over the next few weeks some of the most popular Jordans in history are getting a special re-release in 3 limited colorways. And to make the occasion even more special, Microsoft is creating 3 special edition Xbox One X consoles directly inspired by the design cues from the new shoes.
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Today’s Best Game Deals: Horizon Zero Dawn $24, Dishonored DOTO $15, more

(Update): Best Buy is offering ARMS on Nintendo Switch for $49.99 or $39.99 for GCU members.

In today’s best console game deals, as part of its President’s Day sale, Best Buy is offering Horizon Zero Dawn for $29.99. That means GCU members can grab it for just $23.99. That’s one of the best prices we have tracked, well under Amazon and the best price available.

More game/console deals:

ICYMI: Here is the Best Console Game Releases for February and the Splatoon 2 Starter Edition for Switch brings a 100-page strategy guide.

Down below you’ll find more console game deals and new products. Your daily iOS/Mac app sales are on the way!
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The new Snap Circuits Bric kit adds lighting, audio & moving parts to your LEGO builds

We are pretty excited about Toy Fair 2018 around here. While it may not yield the most interesting and unique innovations in the world of tech the way something like CES does, it’s a chance for us to dive head first into new LEGO kits, Star Wars action figures, and that brand new Hot Wheels/Rocket League cross-over.

Needless to say, some of the hottest toys of the year for children and adults alike will be surfacing over the next few days. And right now it’s time for the latest Elenco Snap Circuits kits…
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