News

ESR just recently launched its new 3-in-1 Qi2 Charging Stand, and I’ve been using it with my Apple setup for the past week. It might not be the most premium option on the market, but it’s the most affordable way to enjoy 15W speeds with a desktop form-factor, AirPods power pad, and Apple Watch charger.

The Scanwatch 2 is one of Withings’ newest hybrid smartwatches, and it features more information on your health within the Withings app than my Apple Watch provides within Apple Health. Available for $349.50, the Scanwatch 2 can detect potential health problems, assess your respiratory system, and of course, provide you with health and activity metrics. I’ve had mine for about a month, and I have been impressed with everything the Scanwatch 2 has to offer. Keep reading below the fold to learn more.

Baseball fans who love to smoke their meals on Traeger wood-pellet grills, you are going to love this announcement! Traeger is proudly announcing a unique partnership with Louisville Slugger, the official bat of Major League Baseball, with the release of limited-edition Traeger Louisville Slugger Pellets just in time for the very first games of the 2024 season. These limited-edition maple pellets are crafted from the same maple hardwood that is used to create the iconic bats from Louisville Slugger. This partnership brings together barbecue enthusiasts and baseball fans to pay homage to baseball’s history and the togetherness that a classic tailgate barbeque at the ballpark provides. 

Lexar is officially unveiling its new portable SSD for iPhone 15, Mac, and more. After seeing a new PNY release, the next out of the gate in 2024 when it comes to portable solid-state drive solutions is Lexar with its new SL500 Portable SSD. The drive delivers some of the faster speeds we have seen from the latest releases across the product category, as well as being specifically marketed as a solution that supports “Apple Pro Res recording so users can shoot directly to the drive in up to 4K 60FPS with iPhone 15 Pro and iPhone 15 Pro Max.” Hit the jump for all of the details. 

Samsung’s new Music Frame is about to actually debut. The unique speaker was first revealed back at CES 2024 back in January, and now the company is gearing up to begin shipping the quirky new listening device. Ahead of time, you can get a $100 discount when you sign up at this link ahead of time. All you have to do is put down your name and email, and you’ll be able to get an extra $100 towards that new home theater upgrade –no cash down ahead of time or anything else needed.

Backbone is rounding out its iPhone gaming controller grips today by refreshing the Lightning side of its lineup. We first saw the USB-C version get some love last fall, and now those with an iPhone 14 or older can enjoy the same improvements.

Official photos of the upcoming LEGO Dungeons and Dragons Red Dragon’s Tale set (21348) are officially here! Stacking up to nearly 3,800 pieces, the upcoming set celebrates the RPG’s 50th anniversay with six all-new minifigures, a giant Cinderhowl red dragon, and tons of other fiends.

Samsung showed off its new 2024 lineup of TVs back at CES in January, and now the company is gearing up to launch them later this month. In true Samsung fashion, you’ll also be able to save on the new releases before they’re even officially on store shelves. Right now, you can score an extra $100 discount on that future Samsung 2024 TVs pre-order when you sign up at this link ahead of time. All you have to do is put down your name and email, and you’ll be able to get an extra $100 towards that new home theater upgrade –no cash down ahead of time or anything else needed.

Battlefield Season 7 is right around the corner, and like most updates, EA/Dice invited members of the press and creators to take a sneak peek and try out what’s coming up in a “capture event.” While we couldn’t try out everything that will be released throughout the full season, we did get to try the new maps, and most of the new weapons, and get a feel for some of the other core changes made to gameplay coming in Battlefield 2042 Season 7. Be sure to hit the video below to see all of the details. 

After alleged internal specs on an upcoming PlayStation 5 Pro hit the interwebs late last year, a new report is putting more fuel under the fire of what is starting to feel like an all but imminent reveal of the upgraded PS5 Pro. It appears a technical overview document from Sony has surfaced, detailing what to expect from PS5 Pro ahead of what some are suggesting a holiday 2024 launch window. Hit the jump for all of the details on the what might very well be early details on PlayStation 5 Pro and its graphical prowess. 

Back in the summer of 2022, the LEGO Group brought its minifigure customization from retail stores to the internet. Now, it’s back! You can once again build and buy yourself a completely unique minifgure – and this time, LEGO says it’s not going away. 

Update: You can go check out the official photos over in our reveal coverage for the new Dungeons and Dragons: Red Dragon’s Tale set.

While we’re expected to officially get a reveal of the new LEGO Dungeons and Dragons set next Tuesday, I am here to spoil some of the fun. Tonight, the newest LEGO Ideas set has leaked, and now you can get a first look. I’ve been waiting to officially show you this model since it was first approved to be an official kit well over a year ago, and now it’s here!

The annual Steam spring sale is now in full swing with about as many deals on top-tier PC titles as anyone could ever ask for. These seasonal Steam events are a great chance to load up your back catalogue with older titles and indie gems, not to mention scoring some deals on newer releases you have yet to pick up for both your desktop/laptop machines and Steam Deck. Hit the jump for more details. 

The MSI Claw is finally available for purchase. The newest entry into the world of Windows gaming handhelds was first revealed to start the year, and now it’s officially shipping after going up for pre-order earlier in the month.

The LEGO Group’s entire philosophy as a company is to inspire play and creativity. AI, on the other hand, is the antithesis of those kinds of sentiments. LEGO was caught this morning using AI in a character quiz for Ninjago fans to take and has since issued a statement about the messup.

Today, Amazon is adding another seasonal sale to its arsenal – the Big Spring Sale. Kicking off next week, you’ll be able to save on tons of gear – all without a Prime membership.

Fujifilm is launching its latest instant camera. The new Instax Mini 99 isn’t quite as capable as some other high-end releases, but it does offer far more control over your photos than those that have come before it.

The next Pokémon TCG expansion set is being announced today. Just before Temporal Forces officially launches at the end of the month, the company is already turning its attention to the next set of cards – Masquerade. This upcoming set moves its focus over to some new additions to the franchise from the recent Pokémon Scarlet and Violet DLC. Packs are now available for pre-order, too.

Turtle Beach is no stranger to gaming peripherals and even sim equipment with a variety of flight accessories. Now, with the VelocityOne Race, Turtle Beach is entering the racing world. Coming in at $650, VelocityOne Race works on PC and Xbox and comes with everything necessary to hit the track including a direct drive wheelbase, a wheel with paddle shifters, pedals with a load cell brake, and even a button box. But with more competition than ever in the sim racing world, is it worth the price tag? Be sure to hit the video below to see all of the details. 

Amazon is making it even easier for brands to move their product pages over to the online retailer. There’s a new tool launching in the coming weeks that makes it as easy as copying and pasting your website’s link. As you can probably guess, Amazon is using generative AI to make it happen, which opens up its own share of concerns.

The affordable Blink smart home gear ecosystem is getting a brand new piece of kit today with the introduction of the next-generation Blink Mini 2 smart camera. Delivering enhancements across the board over the previous-generation model while maintaining the same simple setup and easy-to-use live monitoring experience, the Blink Mini is launching at $39.99 for indoor use-only and $49.99 for outdoor use when bundled with the Blink Weather Resistant Power Adapter. Hit the jump for more details and some hands-on impressions.

Through the start of the year, the LEGO Ideas team has been holding a contest to pick one of the next LEGO gift with purchase sets. All themed around space exploration, the Exploring the Cosmos contest now has a winner! Invoking some extreme Classic Space vibes, the new Micro Rail Command Center gives us a good idea of what to expect from a future freebie.

Lectric e-bikes has launched its new ONE e-bike. You can read up on what’s new over at Electrek, and here at 9to5Toys we’re set to cover the savings you’ll receive on this all-new debut. The Lectric ONE e-bike is now available for pre-order for $1,999 shipped as a special launch promotion, down from its $2,219 price tag. Jumping on this deal now will also get you $220 in extra goodies thrown in as an additional deal until shipping begins in May, which is when we expect it to return to its MSRP as well. This is the first official discount on this new model as well as the new all-time low going forward. There are two options available – the standard model and then a model with a longer ranged battery for $200 more. Below the fold we break down just how those savings stack up for your new commuting solution.

With the sad demise of the once beloved annual E3 gaming conference came the rise of Summer Game Fest in its place. While many of us have more than fond memories of the (usually) exciting live press conferences from the major publishers and platforms each summer at E3, I would say that Summer Game Fest has started to really take form over the last couple years and put on quite a good show last year. And now, showrunner of sorts, Geoff Keighley has officially confirmed what might very well be the biggest, if not the most universal, gaming event of the year with Summer Game Fest 2024. Head below for the details. 

The LEGO Group has been teasing its upcoming Dungeons and Dragons set for months now. But at long last, we finally know when the kit is coming. Thanks to a super handy countdown on LEGO’s own website, builders will only have to wait until next Tuesday to see the new creation in its full glory.

LG is nearly ready to begin shipping its retro-inspired CineBeam Q projector. The svelte design was first shown off last year ahead of CES 2024, and like many of the products actually revealed at the Las Vegas showcase, is now finally going up for pre-order. You won’t have to pay full price either, as LG has a launch promotion for those who lock-in their order ahead of launch.

Ninja has released countless countertop appliances, kitchenware accessories, drink systems, and outdoor grills and ovens. Now, Ninja is placing itself in a whole new product category with the release of its brand-new FrostVault cooler. With premium ice retention and fridge-temp dry storage, thanks to FrostVault technology, this heavy-duty cooler – available now starting at $199 – has some pretty cool features that set it apart from other coolers on the market.

Aer is a brand we have featured around here a couple times with its range of tech- and travel-focused bags, carriers, and accessory pouches. After coming away impressed with our time testing them out, they have become one of the more easily recommendable options out there for folks looking to a score a new MacBook backpack, EDC pouch, or tech sling – you’ll find them featured in our most recent roundup of the best belt bags and slings. The brand recently updated its lineup with the new V3 Tech Collection and everything is now available for purchase. Scope out the details down below. 

Alongside officially confirming the Super Mario Bros. Movie sequel this past weekend, Nintendo also unveiled the next additions to its Switch Online library. Just after serving up the release dates for upcoming Switch remakes, Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door and Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD, Nintendo took the chance to announce three new classic Game Boy titles for its Switch Online members, including Dr. Mario, Mario Golf, and Mario Tennis, and they are now live. All of the details are down below. 

Govee today is launching a new and improved version of one of the company’s more customizable releases. The new Neon Rope Light 2 delivers the same flexible lightstrip design as the original, just with some improvements like Matter support and an even more bendable build.

Some of you might remember our coverage of the RocketBook Sticky Notes some time ago when they first landed on Kickstarter, but they are back and officially launching everywhere starting today. Rocketbook, for those unfamiliar is a brand best known for its smart reusable writing companions – traditional-looking notebooks that deliver a real pen and paper experience, but with the ability to be wiped clean and used endlessly after you beam your handwritten notes to the cloud, email, or over Apple Messages to a friend. The company decided to take its technology and user experience to the old sticky note format, offering up an “endlessly” reusable mini sticky note with the same digitization potential as the pages of its notebook lineup. Head below for more details. 

Alongside all of today’s Mario Day deals on games, LEGO, toys, consoles, and more, Nintendo has now served up a special video on its YouTube channel with some fun new announcements. Not only did we get the release dates for the upcoming Paper Mario: The Thousand Year Door and Luigi’s Mansion 2 HD, but Shigeru Miyamoto himself made an appearance to talk about the next Super Mario Bros. movie! More details below. 

Mario Day 2024 has now officially arrived with notable deals on Switch consoles, first-party physical Switch games, and much more. The Mario festivities tend to give Switch gamers the best chance in the early part of the year to shore up their Switch game library with many of the best Mario and friends titles, including Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, Super Mario Party, Luigi’s Mansion 3, and more, not to mention a host of deals on third-party accessories, LEGO kits, and and other hardware. This is the place to find all of the best Mario Day deals in one place and we will be updating it through the day as more price drops go live at major retailers across the web. Head below for our 2024 edition of the best Mario Day deals, including games, Switch consoles, and more. Let’s-a Go!

Tomorrow is Mario Day 2024. And ahead of time, the LEGO Group is officially announcing some news from Mushroom Kingdom. Including a first look at some upcoming sets launching this summer, the LEGO Mario action extends past 2024. We’re even getting a reveal of a new collaboration with Nintendo that will be bringing Mario Kart to the LEGO catalog.

Just after the debut of its new sustainable leather-alternative two-sided desk mats, Native Union is expanding its desk collection with its latest MacBook and iPad stand. The brand is best known around here for its unique and interesting design touches, with a focus on clean and minimalist aesthetics, eco-friendly builds, and interesting textural composition, much of which carries over to its Desk Laptop Stand that is now available for purchase in three colorways. Get a closer look at the Native Union Desk Laptop Stand below. 

The newest expansion to the Pokémon trading card game launches later in the month. I got sent some of the new Temporal Forces packs ahead of time, which feature fresh artwork from the Paldea region, new Paradox Pokémon, and the return of ACE SPEC cards.

Satechi is upgrading one of its more tried and true USB-C hubs today. The new USB-C Multiport Adapter 8K V3 debuts with much of the same design as before, just with some improvements for Apple’s latest Macs. A slew of 10Gb/s USB-C slows, passthrough charging, and Satechi’s usual premium aluminum build are just the highlights – the rest we dive into below.

We finally have a first look at the new skins coming in the Overwatch and Cowboy Bebop collaboration. Five new skins will be launching next week when Blizzard brings the iconic bounty hunters and hackers from the hit anime over to the world of Overwatch.

In the run-up to the debut of the new Fallout series – a live-action TV show based on the iconic video game series – Bethesda has now put its new Fallout Series Pip-Boy Die Cast Replica collectible up for pre-order. The series is set to debut on April 11 (you can check out today’s new trailer below) and in celebration, the official Bethesda site has now opened pre-orders on a special new collectible for fans of the long-running game series – it might be the best version of the Pip-Boy wearable we have seen yet too. Check it out below. 

Just as the Mario Day digital game deals go live, Nintendo is readying gamers for the upcoming release of Princess Peach: Showtime! with a FREE demo on the eShop and a fresh new trailer. We have had a chance to play through the first five stages of the game recently at a press event, and now everyone can give the upcoming first-party Nintendo game a try via the eShop. Head below for more details, some FREE pre-order bonuses for the game, and the new overview trailer Nintendo just dropped. 

LEGO today is out with a new Batman set celebrating the 85th anniversary of everyone’s favorite crime-fighting vigilante. Themed around the popular Batman: The Animated Series, the new Batman Gotham City Skyline set takes a display-worthy approach as an over 4,200-piece buildable art piece fit for any Caped Crusader collection.

Today, PNY is announcing its first new portable SSD release of the year with the debut of the RP60. The new solution will join the existing EliteX-PRO and Elite V2 models – a pair of solutions that offer notable specs for the price as highlighted in our previous roundup of the best portable SSDs – with faster speeds and a more rugged feature set. The new PNY RP60 Portable SSD, designed with “creative wanderlusts and on-the-go professionals” in mind, makes its worldwide debut today ahead of its official launch in April. Scope out all of the details on the brand’s new portable SSD release down below. 

Synology today is out with its latest NAS. Well, sort of. The new Synology BeeStation is a local cloud server that takes some of the guesswork out of rolling your own Time Machine backup or online photo reserve.

As promised with an official announcement earlier this week, today’s Xbox Partner Preview Game Showcase is about to kick-off. Xbox hosted its first Developer Direct showcase of the year back January, giving gamers their first good look at the new Indiana Jones game, among other things, but today it is turning its attention to its Partner Preview show. We will be getting about a half hour of “fresh looks” at new games coming to Xbox and Windows and it all starts very soon. Follow along with the show down below. 

After announcing it was bringing Horizon Forbidden West Complete to PC earlier this year – it releases on March 21, Sony has now taken to its official PlayStation Blog to announce the PC version of Ghost of Tsushima. The Director’s Cut of Sucker Punch’s gorgeous samurai-meets-ninja action game is now officially ready to land on PC in a couple month’s time. Sony has been slowly but surely bringing its exclusive titles over to PC battlestations for a few years now and it looks as though that trend will continue through 2024 as the complete version of the critically acclaimed open-world samurai action adventure game is set to launch come May. Hit the jump for more details on the PC features and pre-order details for Ghost of Tsushima Director’s Cut.