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This morning, Sonos has unveiled three new speakers in partnership with Sonance. Following last year’s collaboration announcement between the two brands, today’s releases are meant to pair with the speaker company’s existing Amp. Each speaker in the new Sonos Architectural by Sonance lineup will feature AirPlay 2 compatibility.
As Sonos looks to be extending its reach into more categories than ever before, introducing a trio of in-wall and outdoor speakers is a logical next step. Head below for more details on today’s announcement.
If you’ve got an Alexa device, you likely know that it can play Audible audiobooks with just your voice. This is great as you can have an Echo play an audiobook for your kids as they fall asleep, but there’s no interaction. It’s just Alexa, reading a book to you. Now, in partnership with Choose Your Own Adventure, you can experience an immersive world where you decide every move.
Choose Your Own Adventure allows you to alter your own fate, and where you end up is completely up to you. It’s an immersive experience, and there are dozens of potential endings to your story. Where will you end up?
Ever since I bought fifteen Echo Dots, I have been on the lookout for more ways that I can lean on Alexa for help throughout the day. As with any voice assistant, there are areas in which I find Alexa lacking. One major disappointment that is always on my mind is how some skills do not support multi-room audio. Even with occasional letdowns like this, I am happy with my investment in the Alexa ecosystem and want to share some of tips and tricks that I have learned on my adventure.
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Now that a new month has begun, it’s time to share a new reading list. February has an array of upcoming and exciting books across several genres. Whether you’re looking for a romantic comedy or a thriller, we are rounding up the most anticipated books this month. Head below to find the top picks on our February reading list.
Grovemade has been the name behind some of our favorite Apple-friendly accessories for a while now. The Portland-based brand has slowly increased its offerings in recent years to include a range of desk organizers, Apple Watch bands and more. With simplicity at the forefront, its products are made from locally-sourced materials when possible with a focus on sustainable operations. The new Grovemade Apple Watch Dock continues those trends and features a stainless steel base with a cork topper. Head below for a hands-on look at this new home for Apple’s wearable.
Apex Legends is a real thing. After a series of rumors, early leaks and more over this past weekend, Respawn’s new battle royale shooter will apparently be available starting today. We are expecting the Titanfall developers to begin a full reveal stream at 3pm EST, but we already have some notable details on the game. Head below for everything.
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In-wall smart switches are one of the more economic ways to control your home’s lighting. However, many homes are incompatible with the smart hardware due to requiring a neutral wire. inovelli, a primarily Z-Wave-focused home automation company, has now unveiled its latest product which aims to end this predicament. The new Z-Wave Dimmer Switch cuts out neutral wire requirements while introducing smart notifications, support for up to 11 scenes and more.
When most people think of speakers, you most likely think of either a Bluetooth speaker or surround sound models that don’t look that great. Sure, the sound might be good, but if only you could just hide that speaker somewhere and enjoy fantastic sound. That’s where the Q Acoustics Concept 300 comes in.
The Concept 300 from Q Acoustics brings form and function together in one elegant package. The stunning aluminum and braided wire stand is like non-other, and Q Acoustics’ well-known name in speakers will give you audio quality like non-other.
Last week we detailed LEGO’s partnership with BrickLink to get fans involved in the set creation process. We already took at look at the first half of fan-made sets that would be going up for sale. But today the remaining eight creations from the LEGO AFOL Designer Program have been unveiled, alongside preorders for all 16 builds. Head below to lock in your orders and to check out the upcoming sets.
When comparing DSLRs and mirrorless cameras with smartphones, the beefier devices tend to win in photo quality and performance categories. This is not too surprising since camera tech captures more light and detail with larger sensors and lenses.
There is an area that smartphones have been leading in. It’s the ability to shoot 4K video at 60 fps. Apple introduced this capability in its iPhone lineup back in 2017 with the launch of its 8, 8 Plus, and X devices. Since then, many Android devices have added it, but DSLRs are still lagging behind. With Panasonic’s new Lumix S Series, we are coming closer to that no longer being the case.
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Do you have spring break travel plans ahead? Create a stress-free packing experience with cubes that let you know where everything is. Packing cubes also allow you to separate your belongings into different compartments within your suitcase for easy packing and unpacking once you get to your destination. Many styles on the market let you label each cube as well or have markers on the outside already. Head below to find our favorite packing cubes below.
The new mini Street Fighter II Champion Edition Replicade arcade cabinet is now up for pre-order. The folks at New Wave Toys are now taking early orders on its latest miniature arcade cab with a nice discount and a bonus second player gamepad. Head below the jump for all the details.
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So you’ve adopted Alexa into your home and paired it with some Hue bulbs or smart plugs, but now what? Surely there’s more to the whole home automation trend than just voice controlling your lights. We’ve rounded up five of our favorite unique Alexa-enabled devices to help expand your smart home’s capabilities. So whether you’re looking for some help tidying up around the house or managing your home theater, you’ll want to check them out below.
Back in November, as it does nearly every year, Amazon announced that it would be offering free shipping on all orders throughout the holiday season. This promotion was surprisingly extended through January, making it more attractive for non-Prime members to continue shopping in the new year. Well, those good vibes are over as Amazon has increased its free shipping minimum, effective today. Head below for more details.
If you currently use Iris smart home products by Lowe’s, the company recently announced that it will be shuttering the service on March 31, 2019. Iris has been around for several years, but Lowe’s has decided to shut the service down and is providing refunds to eligible customers. If you’re currently using Iris, keep reading for some of our top recommended alternatives for your smart home.
When it comes to gaming, many folks prefer a keyboard and mouse, but few (if any) actually prefer gaming on a touchscreen. Game controllers are generally the preferred input method, but it can be a jungle out there with many platforms being choosy regarding which devices they will play nice with.
SteelSeries, a company that is definitely a staple in the gaming industry, has taken the wraps off of its latest controller. Stratus Duo aims to be platform agnostic thanks to having multiple wireless technologies which allow it to work on mobile devices, PCs, and many VR headsets.
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Martha Stewart has started a new line on Amazon and it’s not one to be missed. In this collection you will find an array of products including footwear, pet supplies, gardening tools, crafting, recipe books and more. Head below to find some of our top picks from Martha Stewart’s new line at Amazon.
We now have the Nintendo Q3 earnings and things are looking up for Switch. While the Big N has shifted its sales target for the current financial year, its latest hybrid console’s lifetime sales are on track to beat out N64. Its major software offerings last year have left the company in even better financial shape year over year, but it might be a rough 2019 if it doesn’t continue its successful game release schedule this year. All the details are down below.
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Nike made waves earlier this month with the announcement of its Adapt BB self-lacing shoes that are due out in a few weeks. In the meantime, they’ve become social media darlings as everyone from the Duke men’s basketball team to LeBron’s kids have been seen wearing them. But not so fast my friends, there’s more competition on the way. Today we’re getting our first look at the iPhone-connected PUMA Fit Intelligence (or Fi for short) self-lacing shoes courtesy of Bay McLaughlin’s YouTube channel. The question is, as it always is with the shoe game, will there be room for PUMA after Nike made its big splash earlier in 2019? Head below for more.
If you have a GoPro, chances are you’ve seen something about the company’s Plus service. It’s $5 per month and allows you to store photos and videos online at a lower bitrate, ensuring you always have a secure backup of your media. Though, before now, GoPro limited you to around 35 hours of video, which was about 250GB of data. Today, GoPro announced that its Plus service will now include fully unlimited storage at original quality.
Not only is Panasonic’s new HomeHawk FLOOR a strange device, but the debut of said product is also a bit odd. I feel this way because the company is testing the waters through a new Indiegogo campaign. While it is not rare for large companies to test the reception of a new product on a crowdfunding site, it is certainly not a common practice.
The HomeHawk FLOOR’s greatest strength is also its biggest weakness. This is its ability to blend in without making folks feel like they are being watched. While this is a step forward in many ways, it is also a tad creepy.
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If you’re on the hunt for a perfect Valentine’s Day present, Kate Spade’s Gift Guide has you covered. From handbags and jewelry, to apparel and accessories, you can find an array of items for that special someone. Plus, it features price points starting at just $28. Head below to find our top picks from Kate Spade’s Valentine’s Day Gift Guide.
Sony took to its official blog this morning to announce it is expanding PS Plus cloud storage to 100GB for its members alongside the upcoming free games for February.
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Whether its downloading full games or DLC, digital gaming content is becoming a more popular option. Today, Sony has unveiled a new product that takes another step in that direction. In partnership with Seagate, the two companies have showcased the Game Drive, an external hard drive for PS4. Having more room for titles on your console is definitely a plus, but is the new release all its cracked up to be? Head below for the full scoop.
While iRobot is known as one of the biggest names in the robovac game, it’s now expanding to outside your home. After what seems like years of speculation, the brand is officially unveiling its first robotic lawn mower. The iRobot Terra enters an increasingly crowded category in hopes of offering a more affordable alternative to the pricier options out there. Head below for more on the latest from iRobot.
When it comes to converting your home and making it smart, for lighting, there are really just two main options. Smart light bulbs or smart light switches. Though both have more budget-friendly and higher-end options, the switch is generally the more cost-effective solution unless you get a fancy model. Orro is one of those higher-end products and offers an identical design as a normal switch. What makes Orro different? Its specialized software that helps automatically set the lights in your rooms to proper levels.
Orro uses pattern-detection algorithms to customize itself. Through these algorithms, Orro will try to make sure that your lights are brightening and dimming throughout your day as light generally does, either gently brightening or dimming them in the morning and evenings respectively.
Projectors have received a bad rap for a while now. With fierce competition from both major players and newcomers like Anker, we’re seeing companies in the projector market rethink everything. If you’re unconvinced, have a look at the Nebula Capsule which pairs the convenience of battery power and Android OS into a soda can-sized device.
InFocus, a company that’s been making projectors since 1986, has put its best foot forward with today’s announcement of two new projector lines. The IN1100 and INL3100 Series serve two different audiences with the former prioritizing portability and the latter brightness.
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The new 8Bitdo M30 Sega Genesis Bluetooth Gamepad is here. It brings that classic 6-button feel to most of your modern gaming systems but there’s also a new 8bitdo adapter for playing original Genesis consoles with modern controllers as well. Head below for all the details.
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In 1999, LEGO kicked off its series of Star Wars sets with 13 models that would go on to influence the next two decades of releases. In the past few years, the kits have defined the company’s lineup with massive and detailed must-have creations. Now to celebrate the 20th anniversary of Star Wars kits, LEGO has unveiled five new sets that reimagine classic vehicles from a galaxy far, far away. Head below for a closer look.
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Jaybird has today unveiled the latest version of its truly wireless earbuds with the RUN XT. This is a follow-up to the 2017 version which arrived on the scene as the brand’s first cord-free offering. The second-generation model sports a revamped design, fresh colors and a new podcast mode. You’ll find them for the same $179 list price as the original model as well.
While the new Jaybird RUN XT offers a number of intriguing specs, the real question is, can they compete with AirPods? Head below for more.
There are smartphones, smart cameras, smart sprinklers, and even smart thermostats. An area that’s been becoming smarter lately is the nursery, and it’s one of the most important places in my opinion. Motorola is doing its part to help you keep an eye on your young one from the other room with the launch of its Hubble Smart Nursery App, Comfort Cloud baby cushion, and Halo smart baby monitor.
The Hubble Smart Nursery App is an IoT platform that will bring all of your nursery devices together in one place. The Comfort Cloud will give your baby a comfortable place to sleep while tracking patterns based on several factors like heart rate, respiratory rate, body movement, and more. The Halo smart baby monitor gives you a “parent’s eye view” of your child, features IR night vision, two-way audio, motion/audio sensors, and even more.
Turntables have been making a comeback over the past several years. There are loads of options out there that folks love to use for consuming both old and new records alike. While I can understand the appeal of this, I find the bulkiness of most turntables to be off-putting.
By combining a turntable with a slew of other additional features in its latest offering, McIntosh has produced an option that hits not two, but several birds with one stone. By taking this approach, consumers may find themselves more inclined to add a turntable to their home.
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Guys can be tough to shop for and with Valentine’s Day right around the corner it’s time to start thinking of what you’re going to get them. Whether you’re shopping for the workout junkie, the traveler or the homebody we’ve got gift ideas for you. Best of all, each item we have for you below is under $100.
We are just one day away from release, so now is your last chance to get it on the Kingdom Hearts III pre-order bonuses. After nearly a decade of waiting for the next proper installment, you only have about 12 hours left to grab the early pre-order discounts and bonus items at various retailers. All the details are down below.
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The Raspberry Pi Foundation has unveiled its latest release, the Compute Module 3+. Geared towards a different target audience than its normal releases, the new miniature computer forgoes catering to the usual consumer market. Instead, the CM3+ focuses on helping makers and those in the enterprise space employ the device in their own products. Head below for the improved specs including bolstered thermal cooling, increased modularity and more.
Fluance has become a major player in the highly-competitive audio industry with its affordable line of speakers and turntables. Today, it’s expanding its offerings with the new Ai60 bookshelf speakers, a perfect pair to complement your vinyl setup or Mac. At $299, the latest from Fluance is sure to be a compelling option for anyone looking to upgrade their own audio setup. Head below for more details and a full look at specs.
Whether you’ve gone hiking or even just walked around with your camera or binoculars, you know the struggle of trying to keep your gear from getting damaged. One thing I hate when going on trips is trying to keep my camera and lenses readily accessible, yet also safe from swinging around behind me and also just not in my hands. That’s where the Cotton Carrier Skout Sling comes in. It’s built to go across your chest and hold your camera or binoculars and has a patented twist and lock system that makes your gear both easy to insert or remove, regardless of what gear you have.
The Skout is designed to carry things in a fixed position, meaning that you can go biking, hiking, running, or just walking and have no issue with anything moving around. It can handle larger cameras, smaller systems, or even compact binoculars with ease.
Nintendo has a track record for shipping incredible games, many of which cash in on nostalgia since the company still produces follow-up games for series that initially got their start on NES. Metroid is one of them.
At E3 2017, Nintendo created a ton of excitement for its fans when announcing that a new Metroid game was in the works for its Switch console. Aside from providing the name Metroid Prime 4, the company did not share many details. Since then, information about the game has been lacking, with an explanation of why hitting the web earlier today.
Valentine’s Day is less than three weeks away and it’s time to start thinking about what you’re going to get the special woman in your life. Think outside of the box; instead of the the usual chocolates and flowers, get her something she can enjoy all year. Regardless of if you’re single or in a relationship, there are other ladies in our lives who deserve to be recognized, too. That’s why today we are rounding up the top gift ideas to spoil any sister, mom, loved one or friend and show them how much they mean to you.
The new Behringer VOCODER VC340 has now been officially unveiled for NAMM 2019. The company has been hard at work for a couple of years now on creating clones of some of the most sought-after instruments of yesteryear at drastically lower price points. The Behringer Model D recreation seemed to be quite successful for the company and now it’s ready to launch its Roland VP330 vocoder/synthesizer clone in the form of the new VC340. All the details are down below.
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Often when we talk about smart home accessories here at Toys, we focus on the novelty of voice-controlled appliances or multi-color lighting. But there’s much more to our Siri-enabled homes than just party tricks, as leveraging the various devices can offer actual utility in our abodes. One such use case is saving energy, and ultimately money. Head below for our four favorite smart home devices that’ll help you cut back your electric bill.
While AirStream has dominated the camper game for many years from a design perspective, there are a number of startups that are shaking things up in 2019. One such newcomer is High Country Camps out of Colorado which recently showed off its new fifth wheel trailer that looks like a gorgeous mountain retreat on wheels. While the outside seems like a cabin, the interior throws it back to those original AirStream designs with bright colors and natural materials. Head below for more, including a gallery of images.
When it comes to keeping your home secure, there are many options out there. Ring makes multiple video accessories, as does Nest, and there’s even a HomeKit-enabled video doorbell on the horizon. EZVIZ, a smart home security company, recently announced its DB1 Wi-Fi Video Doorbell and DP1 Smart Door Viewer (or peephole replacement).
The peephole replacement is the most intriguing here, as it’s a great way to get security at your home without having to install a new doorbell. Both devices are Wi-Fi connected and offer wide field-of-view.
If you own or have owned a projector, you are likely aware that they tend to have some drawbacks when compared to TVs. A few that come to mind include loud fan noise, dim projections in bright places, and failing lamps.
Panasonic’s new PT-VMZ50 Series takes aim at all of these issues while also managing to deliver it in the “world’s smallest and lightest” form-factor in its class. With the release of its new series, Panasonic may help pave the way for better projectors across the board.
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Freshen up your home for spring with bright and airy designs by Joanna Gaines. Her Hearth & Hand collection at Target just released hundreds of new items that start a budget-friendly price of $4. Whether you’re looking to spruce up your bedroom, living space, kitchen, entry or bathroom, this spring line has it all. Find our top picks from Hearth & Hand’s new Spring Collection below.
Native Instruments has just unveiled the new KOMPLETE KONTROL M32 keyboard, a pair of new interfaces, some completely free software and more. In celebration of NAMM 2019 and just to kick the year off in a big way, NI is releasing some of its most affordable gear to date and deep integration with your favorite DAWs/Native Instruments software. Head below for everything.
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One of the more infamous additions to the classroom throughout the 2000s was the SMART Board, a projector-based accessory that was the bane of so many teachers’ daily lessons. Dell is hoping that its latest school-oriented release won’t be plagued with the same ill-fated legacy. Touting a 75-inch 4K touchscreen panel, the upcoming Dell 75 4K Interactive Touch Monitor focuses on collaboration and boasts a future-proof design.
This morning Olympus unveiled its new OM-D E-M1X mirrorless camera with a number of pro-grade features. Most notable is an upgraded sensor and stabilizer that also allow for ultra-fast shooting speeds. The latest from Olympus arrives with a familiar form-factor, essentially a larger version of the OM-D E-M1 Mark II. Head below for a full look at all of the new features and specs.