Trevor Daugherty

Chances are, you’ll be doing some traveling this holiday season. Or perhaps you have someone on your gift list that is a regular puddle jumper. Below you’ll find my top-picks for either scenario that will keep all your devices organized and operating at peak performance.

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In what seems to be an annual tradition, LEGO remains amongst the top of this holiday’s most wanted items. Star Wars kits have received the most publicity leading up to Christmas due to the movie’s impending release. But around here, we’re big fans of LEGO’s Architecture sets. The latest addition to its line-up allows builders to re-create famous skylines from around the world. LEGO will be kicking things off with three different cities featuring iconic buildings from each locale. Full details below.

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We’ve seen iOS-connected coffeemakers before, but they’ve usually come way of crowdfunding projects that don’t always make it off the ground. An established veteran in the world of java is making waves with a new top-of-the-line model that is capable of crafting over 100 different drinks. The De’Longhi PrimaDonna Elite puts an entire coffee shop at your fingertips. It focuses on a user-friendly experience that allows coffee-fiends to personalize nearly every detail of their drink and save new creations for later.

Its iOS-connectivity is sure to spark the interest of Apple users. While the price tag may scare some away.

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Microcomputing enthusiasts have been the beneficiaries of falling prices and companies like Raspberry Pi putting more resources into its products over the last year. This is due to increased interest from consumers and crowdfunding platforms like Kickstarter that have added mainstream visibility.

A few weeks back Raspberry Pi Zero launched as a $5 alternative to its Model B microcomputer. Today, we’re seeing a new system launch on Kickstarter that is affordable and brings some standout features to the table. The Pine A64 has a quad-core processor and is capable of 4K video, amongst other things. At a fraction of the Model B’s price, it’s already turning heads amongst the microcomputing community.

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Finding the right stocking stuffer present can be a chore. We’ve all experienced and seen the disappointment that comes with a poorly chosen gift. No one wants that back scratcher or ugly tie that inevitably finds its way into your hands each year. Below you’ll find a handful of practical gifts that are going to get the job done and not end up in the junk drawer.

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I don’t mind mixing it up in the kitchen. But to be honest, it would be nice to have a personal chef. That’s not likely to happen any time soon. While there are some products that can help me make a meal, there aren’t many options out there that will be do it for me. Insert Moley. A new start-up that has created a full-on robotic kitchen with an iPad-like interface and eyes on revolutionizing food prep. Think iRobot meets Guy Fieri…

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We’ve been inundated with smartwatches and wearables over the last year. Now, 2015 is coming to a close with one more new release. This morning, the Omate Rise Standalone Smartwatch for iOS and Android launched on Indiegogo. In just a few hours it has doubled its initial goal and is beginning to sell out of inventory.

You see, Omate differs from many crowdfunding projects that go on for weeks and even months at a time. This campaign is set to conclude before the end of the week with just over 1,000 units available. With a $199 price tag, it’s no surprise that backers are snatching Omate up while the campaign is still live. More details below.

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After a long wait, Minecraft and Nintendo are finally getting together on a Wii U version of its wildly popular block-building third-person game. After hitting nearly every console over the last four years, Minecraft is rounding out its offerings. This won’t be a stripped down version either, Wii U gamers will have access to six of the most popular texture packs plus another 16 expansion options. Full details below on the release and more.

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Perhaps you’ve seen these two-wheeled self-balancing vehicles that are landing on must-have lists this holiday season. They go by a few different names: smart board, hoverboard and even OXBOARD. No matter the title, these nifty slimmed down versions of Segways are taking the country by storm.

Razor has taken notice. The popular scooter manufacturer is entering this space of the consumer market with its Hovertrax Smart Scooter. Razor recently acquired the rights to this product and is racing to make it available in time for the holiday season. The product was first announced a few weeks back and now its availability has officially been detailed. We’re already beginning to see listings pop-up as retailers are expecting significant demand for this toy. More details below on Razor’s latest release.

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Much like every other room in your house, technology has slowly crept into our kitchen. It’s not a surprise that manufacturers are taking note of this trend when it comes to cookware. Nearly every standard appliance is available with some sort of Wi-Fi connected feature set. Add sous vide to that list, as well.

Anova Culinary has refreshed its popular sous vide Precision Cooker. It has added Wi-Fi in an attempt to increase convenience, while staying ahead of the competition. More details below.

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Your music streaming options are nearly endless these days. The same can be said about the speaker market in general. From compact to oversized, Bluetooth or Wi-Fi and nearly everything in between, there’s something for everyone. So how do you re-invent such a crowded category?

The Sugr Cube has an idea. Based around Wi-Fi connectivity and touch controls, this compact square block of wood is loaded up on features. After a successful round of crowdfunding, Sugr is ready to launch to the general public.

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Update (12/9 3:45pm): Apple has unexpectedly shut down this week’s App Store freebie a full 24 hours early.

Update (12/3 3:50pm): As expected, Apple has now officially chosen Monument Valley as the new App Store Free App of the Week.

Monument Valley for iOS has gone free for the first time since it was released back in July of 2014. This popular vertical puzzler was Apple’s 2014 “Game of the Year”. Rated 4.5/5 stars all-time. Take Princess Ida on a wandering journey through “mysterious monuments, uncovering hidden paths, unfolding optical illusions” while she tries to stay safe from the Crow People.

Don’t feel left out Android users! Monument Valley is free for you too via Amazon Underground.

Full description and a trailer below.

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If you’re anything like myself, there are plenty of electronics in your life that are in need of daily attention. Power outlets and nightstands get crowded quickly as we juice up our phone, wearable, tablet, laptop and more. While we regularly bring our readers USB-equipped power deals, sleek all-in-one solutions can be tough to come by.

MiTagg first made a run at our nightstand back in the Spring with its Power Station Lamp. Today, its back again with a smaller and sleeker rendition that even includes USB-C. This is the NuDock Mini.

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Microsoft has announced its December Xbox Live Games with Gold promotion. There will be five games all together that will be available next month. Whether you just grabbed a new Xbox One or still rolling with a Xbox 360, there’s something for everyone. Head below for full details.

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Hopefully you were able to score a new PlayStation over the Black Friday weekend. Now it’s time to stock up on games: there is no better way than by using Sony’s PS Plus program that delivers free titles each month for members. Head below for December’s notable freebies.

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Amazon has announced its Cyber Monday intentions, shortly after we got wind of other major retailer’s plans for next week. The online giant will be offering an additional eight days of deals with new listings popping up as quickly as every five minutes. All of this will go down at Amazon’s official Cyber Hub. Of course, we still have Black Friday ahead of us, you can see all of Amazon’s intentions for the end of the week here.

We’ll be tracking all of the price drops as they occur throughout the day. Be sure to give us a follow on Twitter so you can see the latest news as it happens. Head below for a full list of Amazon’s publicized deals.

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Update (11/24 5:30pm): Amazon has now released its strategy for Cyber Monday as well.

While we haven’t even made it to Black Friday yet, a handful of big-name retailers have already released Cyber Monday details. We have ad scans and details on deals from Best Buy, Target, Walmart and Toys R Us. In some instances, deals are already available.

So while your eyes are likely set on the top deals for Black Friday (and we don’t blame you), take a few minutes to peek at what Monday will offer. But first, be sure to follow us on Twitter so you’re certain to get the latest deals as soon as they come in.

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Mohu – makers of consumer-favorite over-the-air antennas – has entered the “world of high-end” audio. Yes, you read that right. Mohu has released the BeBox, a $499 portable sound system with a built-in Android tablet.

Leaning heavily on its experience with Android’s operating system learned from Mohu Channels, the antenna-gone-speaker manufacturer feels that it can compete in this space.
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Leica is one of those iconic brands that serves as a symbol nearly as much as it executes its function. The German optics and camera manufacturer has been cranking out stunning designs for nearly 170 years. From a sexy set of binoculars to limited edition cameras, Leica continues to impress with old-school styling and top-of-the-line technology.

However, one wouldn’t call Leica an affordable brand by any stretch of the imagination. So when it announced its lowest-priced M Series camera, our ears perked up.

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The Microsoft Store has announced its Black Friday sale that is set to launch next week on Thanksgiving Day. There are deals on Beats headphones, Xbox games/accessories, plus fitness trackers, PCs and more. We already detailed Microsoft’s Xbox digital games sale that launched this morning for Gold members, but gamers will find more deals here as well.

Head below for a full round-up and analysis.

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Black Friday has come early for Xbox Live Gold members. Microsoft will be discounting a number of standout titles next week (Nov. 24-30), but Gold members can start saving today and are eligible for additional savings off the sale price. This isn’t your run-of-the-mill promotion either. There are some big names in this sale including: NBA 2K16, Forza 6, Mortal Kombat X and others.

Head below for a full list of deals available in Microsoft’s Xbox Store Black Friday promotion.

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Well, it was bound to happen. Finally every smart home New Toy of the Day has converged into one product. D-Link’s new Komfy Smart Home Device is a combination surveillance camera, light switch, temperature and air quality monitor that pushes out all the usual notifications if something goes awry.

So why is this notable? Honestly, there is some merit to having one product that does it all, as opposed to the mismatch of different brands and mediums for keeping your whole home connected. More details below.

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By now, you’re surely familiar with Amazon Prime and all of its benefits. While two-day shipping is particularly handy from one of the internet’s largest retailer, sometimes another site just has a better deal. That’s where ShopRunner comes in.

This subscription service provides fast two-day shipping from hundreds of online retailers. If you’re an American Express card holder, you may already have access to this service. Either way, you can grab a month of free 2-day shipping right now. Head below for more details.

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While there are plenty of deals coming your way with Black Friday next week, Verizon Wireless is opting to share the love now. Much like last year, Verizon will be offering its customers free data and other goodies leading up to Thanksgiving. You’ll be able to get 1GB of additional data on qualifying plans through your next billing cycle plus a $5 iTunes credit, 30-day free trial to Pandora One and more.

Head below to learn how to claim your goodies!

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Apple TV, Roku players, Fire TV sticks and a handful of other streaming devices are invading our homes. Despite the different ecosystems, most of these set-top add-ons carry out the same task and are limited to a handful of streaming services. While TiVo has made some strides in bridging the gap between online and traditional content, it still isn’t perfect.

Instead of introducing another streaming aggregate, a startup by the name of GENII has developed a new media player, called CAST, that collects feeds from all your sources and combines them in one location. The kicker? You can stream those sources to other rooms in your house or to your friend’s living room as long as they also have a CAST. Sounds too good to be true, right?

GENII says its perfectly legal.

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We get it. Drink more water. Turns out, it’s still pretty hard to do. A new product from Mark One has its eyes set on increasing your daily water intake. The $99 Pryme Vessyl tracks your drinking habits and reminds you throughout the day to increase your intake until you’ve reached your designated goal for the day.

It’s not as simple as that, Mark One has developed a proprietary algorithm that figures out how much water is needed to help you perform at your peak. The Pryme Vessyl already has one believer: Apple. More details below.

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We’ve been scouring Black Friday ads for weeks, bringing you the best deals on HDTVs, iPads, Apple gear, gaming consoles, streaming players and more. Now it’s time to declare the hottest deals of this year’s shopping season. Below you’ll find our top 10 deals across every product category.

We present, the Best of Black Friday 2015:

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Update (11/18 9:30am): Old Navy’s Black Friday ad has now been released, find our top deals below.

We’re just over 10 days away from Black Friday and the holiday shopping season is in full swing. Over the last few weeks we’ve been covering all the latest ad leaks, deal news and announcements leading up to the big day. Our “Best of Black Friday” round-ups have broken down all the top deals across a number of different product categories: HDTVs, Apple products, iPads/Tablets/e-readers, games and more.

Today, we’re looking at Black Friday ads from Lowe’s, Old Navy, Menards, Cabela’s, and others. Down below you’ll find a full breakdown plus ad-scans from each retailer.

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Update (11/21 11:45am): @Michael_Suit, @Oren3530, and @Rickvdl25 are our winners. Thanks for entering the giveaway!

It’s been a busy couple months for mophie. The popular iOS and Android accessory maker, famous for its juice pack battery cases, has introduced its slimmest iPhone offering to date plus a slew of external power supplies.

Today, we’re partnering with mophie to giveaway three juice pack reserve iPhone 6/s Battery Cases to three lucky 9to5Toys readers. Head below for more details and to learn how you can win one for yourself.

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It seems like everyone has a wearable these days. Apple Watch is a favorite amongst fanboys and Fitbit appears set for a huge holiday season, with Black Friday deals throughout many of our ad leaks. But what about those that would prefer a more classic look as opposed to the techie flavorings that are so popular right now?

What Watch out of Switzerland has an answer to that question. Its Bluetooth-connected watches are coming to the United States and are worth a look. With classic and modern stylings, plus iPhone/Android connectivity, these new timepieces are set to make a splash.

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iPads, tablets and e-readers are amongst some of the best Christmas gifts out there. These handheld pieces of technology can open a world of content for a child, grandparent or anyone in between. While Apple’s iPad Air 2 continues to be the cream of the crop in terms of features, there are a number of options from Amazon and others that may be more appropriate for those on your Christmas list.

With nearly every major retailer revealing (or leaking) their Black Friday plans, we can now layout the landscape with decent confidence. Below you’ll find the top deals on iPads, Kindles, and more for Black Friday.

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Built-in Wi-Fi connectivity on DSLR cameras is not a new phenomenon. There are plenty of cameras on the market that currently offer this feature set to consumers. But there are some disadvantages to using Wi-Fi directly with a camera: it can drain your phone and DSLR battery quickly, requires your device to be locked into your camera’s network, and can be limited to a short distance depending on the setting.

Alpine Labs has a plan to improve on that. Its new Pulse remote plugs into the USB port on a number of Canon and Nikon cameras and attaches to the hotshoe mount to add iPhone-connected controls to your DSLR. It has a simplistic interface and design plus it’s low energy connectivity make it particularly noteworthy.

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Black Friday is an ideal time to pick-up a new HDTV, or perhaps this year, a new 4K UHDTV. Most likely, you’re checking out those $100-$300 doorbuster bargains that are perfect as a 2nd or 3rd TV for bedrooms or your kid’s playroom. Aside from deep discounts on Apple products and gaming consoles, Walmart, Best Buy, Target, Sam’s Club and others will all be offering nice sales on top-rated HDTVs.

No matter your needs, there are plenty of options this holiday season. Below you’ll find our top-picks plus information on how to grab one.

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Just a few weeks after launching a new slim iPhone 6/s battery case and power bank, Mophie is back again today with five new external batteries. We’ve seen a lot of power banks in our day – and regularly have deals too – but the new Mophie powerstations use an aluminum shell that, from pictures alone, standout from the pack.

Head below for more details.

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Just when we thought the Roku line-up was set for Black Friday, the streaming media giant has unveiled a new “special edition” model. While the most recent addition added 4K streaming capabilities, this fresh release is focused on one standout feature: price. How cheap? Move over Fire TV, Chromecast and even Roku’s own streaming stick, this thing has you all beat.

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AT&T Wireless offers the UE MEGABOOM Bluetooth Speaker in Black for $226.99 with free shipping. That’s good for $73 off the original MSRP, $59 less than Amazon and the lowest price that we have ever seen in any color. Note: you DON’T need to be an AT&T subscriber to purchase this speaker.

The UE Megaboom was first released back in the spring, collecting a 4.4/5 star rating from 320 Amazon customers. We positively reviewed this speaker, noting that it has “huge sound in a waterproof design with all-day battery life.”

Features include 360-degree sound, IPX7 waterproofing, 100-ft. Bluetooth range and can be controlled via the UE MEGABOOM app. Users can expect a 20-hour battery life from a single charge. A microUSB cable is included for powering the speaker.

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After seeing a long string of Black Friday ads for electronics retailers, one of the major home goods stores has finally leaked. We’re getting our first look at what Sears will have to offer on Thanksgiving weekend.

Sears is breaking its weekend-long promotion down into three events with select items going on sale during the following windows: the first starts on Thursday at 6PM and goes until 1PM on Black Friday. The second portion of the sale goes from 5AM to 1PM (overlapping with the first event), while the third section runs throughout the entire weekend.

You’ll find deals on home goods, tools, electronics and more in the full 64-page ad scan. We’ve picked out the notable sale items and pages from the ad, which can be seen below.

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It’s been a big day for Black Friday ads with Best Buy leaking in the early hours this morning. Tonight, another big hitter has stepped up: eBay. We previously detailed the online giant’s plans to have shoppers vote on top deals. Now, we’re getting our first look at eBay’s offerings for Thanksgiving, Black Friday and Cyber Monday.

We’ve combed through the available listings to pick out the best deals coming your way. Down below you’ll find all the key information, plus a look at the notable screenshots of eBay’s Thanksgiving weekend plans.

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Good news for prosumer videographers: 4K-capable equipment continues to drop in price. After DJI first made a splash with its new stable camera last month, American-based drone manufacturer Yuneec has introduced its own 4K option. Even better news? Its price tag comes in at just over 15% less than its competitor. Head below for more details on the new Tycoon ActionCam from Yuneec.
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