Trevor Daugherty

If you’re into hardcore first-person shooters (FPS), chances are you’ve had mixed feelings about consoles. The ultimate customized shoot’em up experience comes by way of the PC and its endless list of peripherals. Console users are essentially limited to the controllers that are supplied by Sony and Microsoft, with varying degrees of success.

Gaming accessory maker Hori has come up with a new custom keyboard and mouse setup. The Tactical Assault Commander 4, which brings the feel of a PC setup to Sony’s PS4. Head below for full details. 
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Update (7/24 4:35pm): All the codes are gone! You can still save 50% off by visiting this page.

We’ve partnered with ThnkDev to give away fifty free licenses of its popular Mac OS X utility: QuickRes. We recommended this app in our review and have found it to be a must-have partner for your built-in or external display.

Head below for full details on the app and to learn how you can grab one for yourself. 
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We’ve long been fans of JBL’s Bluetooth speaker offerings and the recently released Charge 2+ and Clip+ were no exceptions. Today the popular audio manufacturer has teased two new speakers via its YouTube channel that are designed for outdoor and on-the-go listening.

JBL’s Flip3 will be a follow-up to the previous generation model while the new Xtreme Portable Speaker has a bigger build for “larger sound”. Head below for full details and videos on both options. 
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It has been a minute since Converse updated its iconic Chuck Taylor All-Star shoes, well, actually 98 years. The popular footwear have been found beneath some of the most important pop-culture figures over the last century, from famous basketball players like Dr. J to former President John F. Kennedy. For nearly 100 years, the design has served itself well since Indiana’s Chuck Taylor first improved the shoe as a Converse salesman.

But times change and your company gets bought by Nike. With the visuals largely going unchanged, Converse is finally bringing some of the technology pioneered by its Beaverton, Oregon parents to the iconic Chuck Taylor All-Stars. 
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Using your own muscles to propel a bike or skateboard is so played out in 2015. We’ve seen the lightest e-bike on the road and now a group of inventors is showing off “the world lightest” electric vehicle of any kind on Kickstarter.

The Stary Board is enjoying massive success after a few weeks, raising more than double its goal in that time. Weighing in less than most newborn babies at nine pounds, this new skateboard promises fast speeds at a low cost. 
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We see a lot of Bluetooth speakers come through for review that typically fall in the $50-$300 range, rarely topping a price mark higher than that. The question is: do higher priced models deliver a superior sound experience to justify spending two or three times as much other options?

Bang & Olufsen is known for its great sounding audio equipment that have beautiful designs but aren’t necessarily the most cost-effective for the average consumer. B&O released the Beolit 15 back in the winter as a new addition to its family of more affordable B&O PLAY audio products. After spending a few weeks with this Bluetooth speaker, it’s time to answer the question of affordability vs. quality. 
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Perhaps you’ve heard of Jet.com, the new Amazon and Walmart competitor that launched nationwide today. With substantial backing and big ambitions, this new service plans on undercutting Jeff Bezos’ company on every product that the startup offers.

Head below for the full detail on this lofty new service’s plan to lower your costs on every item you buy. 
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Chipotle is currently offering up a killer promotion for all you burrito lovers out there: buy one meal, get a second one free:
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Following the success of Raspberry Pi, small simplistic computers are seeing a huge boom in popularity over the last year. Non-traditional operating systems are finding a place in schools and with at home tinkerers looking for a new challenge. From Chromebooks to Ubuntu, more and more consumers are looking for Windows and Mac alternatives.

After being announced last month, Jide Tech launched its Kickstarter campaign for the $30 Remix Mini Android PC five days ago and the response has been astonishing. 
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We have all certainly experienced this dreadful feeling at some point: accidentally catching your iPhone or Android’s charging cord with your foot, sending your device helplessly spinning across the room until it strikes the floor. Apple has long had MagSafe technology as a part of its laptop power supplies, although it may be on its way out, but it has yet to find its way to iPhone or iPad. The same is true of Android devices, we’ve come so far and yet our phones are easily turned into sling shots with an accidental trip of the cord.

Enter ZNAPS. A new Kickstarter project that is bringing the same concept of MagSafe to any Lightning or microUSB charging cable. Based on the response from the Kickstarter community thus far, there are a lot of users that desire this type of connectivity. 
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Best Buy is currently discounting all of its iPhone 6/Plus offerings for Verizon or Sprint by $100 with a new two-year contract. This delivers some of the lowest prices that we have seen in months on Apple’s flagship phones. Simply follow the on-screen instructions to upgrade your existing line or open a new one to receive this discounted pricing.

iPhone 6:

• 16GB: $99.99 (Reg. $199)
• 64GB: $199.99 (Reg. $299)
• 128GB: $299.99 (Reg. $399)

iPhone 6 Plus:

• 16GB: $199.99 (Reg. $299)
• 64GB: $299.99 (Reg. $399)
• 128GB $399.99 (Reg. $499)

Both models are filled with features including a Retina HD display, Touch ID, A8 64-bit processor, 8MP iSight camera, 1080p HD video recording capabilities and Apple Pay.

Alternatively, you can grab an off-contract AT&T iPhone 6 refurb for $460 at eBay. (updated)

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Update (7/25 1:00pm): @Nicky_Rizzles is our winner, thanks for reading!

This week 9to5Toys will be giving away a pair of Grain Audio’s new OEHP.01 Over-Ear Solid Wood Headphones. Grain Audio has been around for awhile, best known for their wooden Bluetooth and bookshelf speakers. Made from solid Walnut, these headphones are the first over-ear offering from this audio manufacturer.

Head below for more details and to find out how you could win a pair: 
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There is a group of entrepreneurs in the UK that have taken to Kickstarter to fund their latest creation with the goal of making your commute easier. Building upon the popular A-bike design from a decade ago, this project is adding electricity to the mix to make that morning journey to work a little more enjoyable. 
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Since Apple Watch was released back in the Spring to varying degrees of fanfare, accessory companies have been rushing to develop and ship their own products for this new timepiece. There have been different levels of quality and styles that charge, hold or store Apple Watch. While the low-end market has been flooded with plastic charging solutions, we have not seen as many options that mix natural materials with Apple’s latest device.

Today we’ll be looking at DODOcase’s $100 Charging Stand for Apple Watch that is made from USA-sourced wood and is handcrafted in San Francisco. 
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Today MOOV is back with a new second generation of its fitness tracker. This update, the MOOV NOW, builds on the original model with a slimmed down design and an updated voice coach that encourages you along the way.

MOOV’s latest offering measures your activity in a three-dimensional way, using multiple sensors that track motion through different planes. Head below for more information and to learn how you can save 40% when you pre-order this new device. 
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There are a few companies that we’ve come across that really standout in our search for the best gear for our readers. One of those is Brooklyn-based headphone manufacturer Grado Labs. We’ve shared their story before, highlighting the attention to detail that goes into every pair of headphones in their handcrafted line of products.

Today Grado has announced a new a line of headphones that pay special attention to the family’s heritage from Brooklyn.
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Bicycling can be dangerous, but thankfully companies are making an effort to improve safety with new technologies. We already detailed a new radar system from Garmin and now a new Kickstarter campaign is improving the bike helmet by integrating turn signals and brake lights into the headgear. The project launched a few hours ago and they’ve nearly hit their goal. 
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The iPhone 6 is one of the most advanced pieces of technology that consumers across the world have readily had access to. It has many advanced features, highlighted by some very strong technical specifications in the area of video and photography.

We’ve all had the experience of attempting to capture video with an iPhone, a sometimes very frustrating venture. Aside from the dreaded vertical shot, iPhone doesn’t necessarily have the best ergonomics for filming. The Lumenati CS1 is a new Kickstarter-backed case that provides your iPhone with much more than protection. It’s a full on Super 8 camera inspired system that controls the start and stopping of your camera, has an interchangeable lens system and many other features. 
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This isn’t your Grandma’s music machine. In fact, it’s unlike any kind that we’ve ever seen before. The limited edition MusicMachine 3 from Maximilian Busser’s MB&F design group is a Star Wars-inspired piece of art that plays some of your favorite theme songs from classic action movies. You have to see it in action. 
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Update (7/20 5:00pm): @tommychen and @mr_avery are our winners – thank you to everyone for entering our giveaway!

In celebration of the 10th year anniversary of microSD cards, SanDisk is partnering with 9to5Toys to give readers the chance to win one of its 200GB microSD storage options. This is the “world’s first” card of its type with that amount of space for storing photos, videos, files and more.

Head below for the full details on how you can win one of these microSD cards for your MacBook, phone or digital camera. 
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Update (7/18 7:30pm): @jamesthomasbyrd is our winner, thanks for entering the contest!

We have highlighted many talented companies, groups and individuals in our Small States series as the artisan subset of American manufacturers has seen a rebirth over the last decade. Not only are there quality goods being handcrafted on a daily basis from Brooklyn to Portland, people are changing their lives around just to pursue a passion of creating beautiful products with their hands.

Erol Chandler is no exception to this movement. After a career that has included two Master’s Degrees, a stint as a middle school science teacher and truck driver, it was time to start a new adventure. At thirty years old and armed with a lifetime of interest in making things by hand, A-Lamp Design was born in Oregon. Now, Erol is taking to Kickstarter to share his skills and bring a little light to everyone’s home. 
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If you’re into wirelessly streaming audio to a set of speakers, your options seem endless. From AirPlay to Bluetooth to Sonos and LG, options abound in this time of less cords and greater convenience. Google recently got into the mix with its Google Cast for audio standard. However, the roll out has been slow and still isn’t available on many products. Google already has audio and video streaming capabilities with Chromecast, but that is limited to TV with its HDMI input.

A nifty little Kickstarter campaign has a plan to bring Chromecast’s wireless streaming capabilities to your speaker system with a dongle add-on. It’s an intriguing hack that seems so simple, you’d wish you would’ve thought of it…
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Most likely you’ve heard about HoloLens by know, Microsoft’s holographic headset that brings digital animations, video and games to life. Although it has recently been hyped for its upcoming role in Minecraft, it has also found a home in academic settings as well. Head below to see the full video on how Case Western Reserve is utilizing HoloLens to bring human anatomy to life. 
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Update (7/14 12:15pm): BuyDig via eBay is sweeting this deal, offering Samsung’s 55-inch (UN55JU6500) 4K UHDTV with the included 2.1-channel soundbar and a $100 Visa gift card for $1,097.99 shipped.

Multiple retailers are currently running a promotion that includes a free Samsung Soundbar (HW-J550) with the purchase of select Samsung 4K Ultra HDTVs. If you’ve been looking to upgrade your home theater system or have been interested in 4K, this may be the deal for you. These are the newest 4K UHDTVs and soundbars from Samsung at some of the lowest effective prices that we have seen. Full terms and conditions below.

This offer is available at Amazon, Best Buy, BuyDig and B&H. Aside from the obvious benefits of 4K (higher resolution, future proofing), soundbars are an excellent way to improve the audio of your new television. As manufacturer’s have slimmed down HDTVs, it has come at the cost of sound. Often speakers are placed on the back of TVs to preserve the thin look, which means your audio is firing at the wall and not at you. If you’re going to make the commitment to a top-of-the-line HDTV, you’ll want a sound system that matches.

These new UHDTVs from Samsung have built-in Wi-Fi for smart functionality, 120Hz refresh rate, 4K upscaling and four HDMI inputs. The soundbar features 320 watts of power, a wireless subwoofer, HDMI input and is available in black or silver.

Pricing:

• 55-inch UN55JU6500: $1,098 (Reg. $1,300) – Amazon, Best Buy, BuyDig, B&H
• 60-inch UN60JU6500: $1,598 (Reg. $1,800) – Amazon, Best Buy, BuyDig, B&H
• 65-inch UN65JU6500: $1,998 (Reg. $2,300) – Amazon, Best Buy, BuyDig, B&H

We also found a few other Samsung HDTV deals today:

• Samsung 48-inch 1080p 240Hz 3D Smart Curved HDTV: $899 shipped (Reg. $1,299) | eBay
• Samsung 50-inch 1080p 120Hz Smart HDTV: $649 shipped (Reg. $748) | eBay
• Samsung 50-inch 4K 240Hz Smart UDHTV: $900 shipped (Reg. $1,297) | eBay
• Samsung 75-inch 1080p 240Hz 3D Smart HDTV: $2,499 shipped (Orig. $3,798) | eBay

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The rush to miniaturize our electronics seems to have come to a head with a new Kickstarter campaign that launched on Monday. So Special Lab’s Dot Bluetooth in-ears raised over 100% of its goal in just an hour and is at nearly 5 times its target after just two days.

So what’s all the fuss about? Well, the self-proclaimed “world’s smallest Bluetooth headset” have a nearly flush design that comes either as a stereo pair or individual mono that includes Siri and Google Now support. The only thing is, you won’t be listening to these all day.
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The inputs on our computers haven’t changed too much over the years. Basically a mouse and keyboard have dominated our interactions with desktops and laptops alike over the last 25 years. There have been varying degrees of new products that have included ergonomic designs or dials that handle one specific input. Now, a new company called Palette is releasing a customizable modular kit with support for the full Adobe Creative Suite, MIDI and even a joystick for your games. 
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The Bluetooth speaker market is flooded, filled with options that promise “room-filling sound” or an ultra portable design that can still bring the noise. The reality is, often times those pledges are not fulfilled, leaving us with another speaker in the closet.

JBL’s latest releases, the Charge 2+ and Clip+, are both portable and splashproof Bluetooth speakers that also promise big sound in a small design. Over the last month, I’ve spent some time with both models and after a big July 4th weekend by the water, I’m ready to deliver a verdict.
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Samsung today has announced that it will be adding a 2TB option to its 850 EVO and PRO 2.5-inch internal solid-state drive offerings. Previously, the largest sized capacity was 1TB for both models, which have been on the market since last year. These new models will ship with a hefty price tag to match the larger storage capacity.
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Update (7/12 9:00am): GoPro’s new HERO Session is now available for purchase directly from Amazon.

It’s been a busy year for GoPro and it doesn’t appear to be stopping anytime soon. Today the action camera manufacturer has announced a new addition to its popular line of products. The new HERO4 Session is 50% smaller than GoPro’s HERO4 Silver camera with a price tag to match.
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Apple is back again with another big sale on iOS games in the App Store. We saw some of these titles on sale through the week and now Apple has officially collected them as part of its “Great Games” sale. Many of these apps are big names that we rarely see go on sale.

The full list of games that have been discounted:

• Halo: Spartan Strike: $3 (Reg. $6)
• Implosion – Never Lose Hope: $5 (Reg. $10)
• Lifeline…: $1 (Reg. $3)
• République: $2 (Reg. $5)
• Thomas Was Alone: $2 (Reg. $5)
• Soccer Physics: $1 (Reg. $2)
• Super Hexagon: $1 (Reg. $3)
• The Trace: Murder Mystery Game: $2 (Reg. $4)

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IGN is now offering Bloons Tower Defense 5 for iPhone/iPod and the HD version for iPad as its free game of the month. These titles typically go for $3 and $5 respectively, with today’s price drop being only the second time the iPhone version has gone free and the first instance for the HD rendition. You can now download this game for free on iOS for iPhone or iPad.

Follow along as the Bloons build towers and try to protect their fortress from enemies. There are three different games modes and four separate skill levels, including a family friendly mode for everyone to play. See the full description below.

Check out our daily game/app roundups for more discounted and free iOS deals including the original Infinity Blade for free, 50% off the new Scanner Pro 6, free downloads of cooking app Green Kitchen ($5 value) and Star Walk 2 is the Apple free App of the Week. You’ll also find this month’s console freebies in our Xbox Live and PlayStation Plus roundups.
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After releasing a new Bluetooth-enabled LED lightbulb last month, Sony is back again today with details on new wireless speaker options for your home. As a follow-up to Sony’s highly-rated previous generation models, these new speakers have a simple and unobtrusive design. However, it’s the price tag and amount of power that really make them stand out. 
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Bicycling is a great activity for getting into shape but it does require a constant awareness of what is going on around you. Serious cyclists have often opted for country roads where there is less traffic and more hills to climb. The downfall is that there typically is not paths or wide shoulders on the road, which means bikes and cars are sharing the same space.

Garmin is setting out to enhance the safety of riders with a new radar system that detects approaching vehicles from the rear. The Varia Rearview Bike Radar and Smart Lights system puts riders in a safer position by alerting both riders and approaching traffic that they will be closing in on each other.
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Sony has announced its free games for PlayStation Plus members during the month of July. It’s shaping up to be a big month with four free games on PS4 across a variety of genres plus others on PS3 and Vita. Free PS Plus games are released on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, so unfortunately you’ll have to wait until July 7th to get your hands on these freebies.

Head below for all the details on which games are going free…
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Olloclip is back on Kickstarter today with a new campaign for its iPhone 6/Plus case and accessory system called Studio. This new case creates a customizable photography system for your iPhone that enables users to add accessories and achieve just the right setup for capturing images or videos.

We have the full details below plus a deal on an alternative to Olloclip’s popular lenses.
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