News

After our report on the first LEGO Star Wars 2022 set last week, 9to5Toys has now confirmed that yet another new creation slated to launch at the start of next year. As one of the year’s upcoming microfighters, fans of The Mandalorian will soon be able to assemble a miniature version of the bounty hunter’s iconic ship. Head below for all of the details on the LEGO Razor Crest Microfighter.

Update: The LEGO Group has now officially announced the Santa’s Sleigh set, which will arrive on October 1 for $35.99.

After seeing the new Advent Calendars go up for sale at the start of the month, we’re now getting a first look at yet another festive creation. Slated to launch ahead of the holiday season, the upcoming Santa’s Sleigh will be delivering on all of the holly jolly Christmas action you’d expect with Old Saint Nicholas himself alongside four reindeer and a pretty detailed version of his iconic ride. Head below for all of the details on the upcoming LEGO Santa’s Sleigh set.

Update: We’ve now received an official look at the new LEGO Mini Disney Castle, which will be launching on October 1 with a $34.99 price tag.

With the 50th anniversary of Disney World around the corner in October, it looks like the LEGO Group will be looking to honor the celebration with a new set fitting for the occasion. Stacking up to over 550 pieces, the upcoming LEGO Mini Disney Castle will assemble a miniature version of the iconic landmark complete with a hard to find Mickey Mouse minifigure. Head below for all of the details.

You’re reading Tested with 9to5Toys, where we explore everyday tech essentials that make life a bit easier. Browse through our entire guide for all of the latest reviews, and sound off in the comments below if there’s something you’d like to see featured.

GravaStar might not be the most well-known speaker brand out there, but it’s certainly one of the more unique. After seeing a photo of its recent Venus speaker online, I knew I had to try one out for myself, which leads us to our latest Tested with 9to5Toys review. Packed with a futuristic, mecha-inspired design, we’re taking a closer look to see just how eye-catchingly unique the GravaStar Venus Speaker is.

Racing games are a blast. They let you try to pull off all sorts of crazy shenanigans without taking them onto the actual road where it can put your life or someone else’s at risk. Using a game controller can take away much of the realism, however, which is why several companies make steering wheels and pedals. Thrustmaster T248 is the latest to catch our attention, and it takes things even further with an integrated Race Dashboard Display that can display more than 20 different driving statistics. The wheel is parked with a new T3PM pedal set that boasts “thousandth-of-a-second precision.” Continue reading to learn more.

Intel Gamer Days are in full swing right now, and with it comes a slew of discounts across the board in various categories. This includes things like gaming laptops, components, and even giveaways. Most major retailers are taking part in this wide-ranging event, and we’re breaking down the best news from the event in one easy-to-browse place.

TUMI is collaborating with Missoni for a new fall collection that’s spectacular. This 10-piece collection is perfect for all of your fall travel plans and the bold print will make you stand out in style. If you’re not familiar with Missoni, it’s a luxury fashion brand with a signature zig-zag print that TUMI used throughout this collection. Pricing in this line starts at $95 and ranges up to $1,125. Be sure to head below the jump to find all of our top picks from the TUMI x Missoni collection. You will also want to check out our latest guide to the new adidas x Ivy Park Rodeo line here.

JBL is now expanding its stable of Bluetooth speakers and headphones with a slew of its most capable offerings yet. Lead by a new and even more rugged Flip 6 portable Bluetooth speaker, JBL is also rolling out some new party offerings, gaming headphones, and more. Head below for all of the details.

After taking a hiatus through 2021, next year will be seeing the grand return of the fan-favorite LEGO Star Wars Battle Packs. Arriving with an emphasis on The Empire Strikes Back, a new Hoth army builder set will be joining the lineup come 2022. With an assortment of four Imperial minifigures and some other builds, head below for everything we know so far about the upcoming set.

Nintendo Switch Online Game Boy titles are reportedly on the way. Nintendo’s online service is already filled with titles from its classic game systems, but judging by a series of reports this week, including various independent sources close to the matter, Nintendo might very well be announcing the inclusion of Game Boy and Game Boy Color titles as early as this month. Head below for more details. 

Listen to a recap of the best deals and news from 9to5Toys each day at noon. 9to5Toys Daily is available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed. New episodes of 9to5Toys Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes/Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they’re available.

• Best Buy’s annual Labor Day sale discounts Apple gear, Chromebooks, 4K TVs, more
• HomePod mini brings Thread to your Siri smart home with rare discount to $75 (Save 24%)
• Official Apple Watch bands see rare up to 33% discounts: Modern Buckle, Link, more from $29

There’s no denying the importance of audio for gaming. Cues for enemy positions are critical to staying on top of the competition. Turtle Beach’s Recon controller combines quick action buttons with deep audio customization to bring EQ control and SuperHuman Hearing to any wired headset. And it’s only $60. Be sure to hit the video below to see all of the details. 

After launching the popular accessories at the beginning of the year, Anker recently refreshed its MagSafe 5K Power Bank with some additional colors. Arriving in four new styles at the end of last month, we’re now taking a hands-on look at the updated colorways. Complete with all of the MagSafe charging features that have made these a go-to already, head below for a closer look at what the new styles bring into play.

If you’re an iPad power user and find yourself in need of more than a single USB-C port, the new StarTech USB-C Multiport Adapter could be an accessory that’s worth adding to your workflow. It not only replaces the sole USB-C port on the latest iPad Air or Pro devices but also adds AUX, dual USB-A, and HDMI. The HDMI port supports 4K with a 60Hz refresh rate, which is a feat that has also been accomplished by Anker. An up to 100W passthrough charging rate is where this StarTech hub manages to beat out many of its direct competitors, however. Continue reading to learn more.

No Man’s Sky just celebrated its five-year anniversary, and with it Hello Games released the title’s largest update yet. Frontiers, as it’s called, finally lets you run your own alien settlement and become an Overseer. That’s far from the only thing in this update, as there will be prebuilt planetary settlements, “breathtaking” nebulas in space, an all-new base-building grid menu, and much more. So, let’s take a closer look at everything in the No Man’s Sky Frontiers update.

After first reporting on the new alternative color schemes of sets at the start of last month, the LEGO Group is now rolling out the first of these refreshed sets. Entering as a limited-edition release, the new Creator Expert Fiat 500 now comes in a baby blue coat of paint with all of the same retro stylings as before. Head below for all of the details and how you can score one of the blue LEGO Fiat 500 for yourself.

Remember Big Brain Academy for Nintendo DS? Well, a new version is now coming to Nintendo Switch. Taking to its Twitter feed and official YouTube channel this morning, Nintendo has now unveiled the new Big Brain Academy: Brain vs. Brain — it’s new brain-teasing puzzler party game for Switch. This one continues Nintendo’s support of more casual, family-oriented games on its flagship platform with a Mario Party-like experience that is specifically tailored toward brain teasers, puzzlers, and other challenges to get you thinking, just without the colorful Mushroom Kingdom characters. Head below for a closer look and the Big Brain Academy announcement trailer. 

Listen to a recap of the best deals and news from 9to5Toys each day at noon. 9to5Toys Daily is available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed. New episodes of 9to5Toys Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes/Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they’re available.

• Apple AirPods Max drop to the second-best prices yet from $450 (Save $99)
• Here’s another chance to save $149 on Apple’s latest 13-inch M1 MacBook Air
• Apple’s latest Mac mini brings M1 to the desktop with $99 in savings

Earlier this summer I picked up a set of Moment’s iPhone lenses alongside Nomad’s new companion MagSafe case. As cool as they were for taking photos around the house, I’ve been waiting for just the right opportunity to properly test out the iPhoneography upgrades. Last weekend I took a quick trip to the coast of Harpswell, Maine, and it was the perfect chance to put them to the test. Delivering a notable upgrade to my stock iPhone 12 Pro cameras, you can head below for a closer look at just what Moment’s lenses bring to the table.

With so many USB-C hubs and docking stations on the market, it can be difficult to find new releases with uncommon features. The new StarTech Quad Monitor USB-C Dock passes this test with flying colors, allowing Windows, macOS, Chrome OS users to drive up to four displays using just one Type-C port. All four monitors can run at 4K with a 60Hz refresh rate, which is an admirable feat, to say the least. If that wasn’t enough, you’ll also have access to three 5Gbps USB-A ports, one 10Gbps Type-C input, Gigabit Ethernet, AUX, and 100W passthrough charging over the host USB-C slot. Continue reading to learn more.

Today, iBUYPOWER announced a new sub-brand, HYTE. This brand’s first product is the Revolt 3 mini-ITX PC case, which was announced back at CES 2021. The Revolt 3 MK3 and Revolt 3 were designed “with careful consideration for DIY PC enthusiasts, gamers, and creators.” Packing a compact 18.4L form factor, these cases offer those with limited desk space the ability to utilize most RTX 30-series graphics cards and even up to a 280mm All-in-One liquid cooler. iBUYPOWER is offering this as both a DIY PC case, as well as a pre-built desktop, depending on what your needs are. So, what all does the HYTE Revolt 3 case deliver? Let’s take a closer look.

It looks like PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X Cyberpunk 2077 upgrades alongside the promised next-generation Witcher 3: Wild Hunt are still on pace to land in 2021. As per a recent CD Projekt financial report, the Polish-based game developer is still targeting a late 2021 release date for the proper next-generation versions of its two flagship titles. We already knew both upgrades were slated to launch this year, but with all of the delays hitting the industry still, it was becoming harder to believe CDPR could make it happen. However, it, at least, sounds as though both upgrades will hit before the year is out. More details are below. 

September is here along with an array of new reads to pick up. If you’ve already buzzed through August’s Reading Guide, September has an array of awesome reads for this month. Head below the jump to find all of our top picks for this September’s Reading list including thrillers, romance novels, and history reads as well.

To coincide with the new UCS-style LEGO Batman Tumbler, a new minifigure-scale version has just been announced to deliver a smaller version of the iconic vehicle. Assembling much of the same stylings in a smaller package, the LEGO Batman Tumbler showdown set packs two minifigures and will be launching later this fall. Now available for pre-order, you can get all of the details down below.

Listen to a recap of the best deals and news from 9to5Toys each day at noon. 9to5Toys Daily is available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed. New episodes of 9to5Toys Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes/Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they’re available.

• iPhone 12 mini sees rare $300 discount ahead of this month’s keynote
• Apple’s new AirTag Leather Loop sees first discount in various styles from $35
• Save $149 on DJI Mavic Mini Combo and score a new all-time low at $350

September has now arrived, and with it are a collection of new LEGO creations spanning the latest Star Wars kit to massive recreations of iconic football stadiums. Packed with some enticing new minifigures, there’s quite a notable selection of builds this time around. Head below for the full scoop on all of the new LEGO sets available for September, which are now available for purchase.

August was quite the busy month on the LEGO Ideas front, with the launch of the eye-catching Sailboat gift with purchase going live ahead of our first report on the upcoming Home Alone set. But now we’re turning our attention to models that are still hoping to become an official set, headlined by a detailed rescue helicopter, old school camera, and more.

As the popularity of portable power stations grows, we’re seeing more offerings and competition from companies. The Aukey PowerZeus 500 packs a ton of features, and at just $407, it comes in at a more affordable price point than the wildly popular Jackery Explorer 500. Be sure to hit the video below and see all of the details of the Aukey PowerZeus 500.

Kensington has added a couple of new USB-C hubs to its portfolio this week, both of which offer passthrough charging and up to 4K 60Hz connectivity over HDMI. Each model has several features that distinguish it well when pitted against the other. For instance, one turns a single port into six, while the alternate model provides eight. Styling varies as well, with either aluminum or fabric shells to choose from. Both releases join a long list of Thunderbolt and USB-C docking stations that nicely fill out the Kensington lineup. Continue reading to learn more.

Polaroid is expanding its instant camera lineup with its “most creative” model yet: the Polaroid Now+. This new camera brings the analog and digital worlds together like never before. You’ll connect it to a phone with an app that unlocks new creative tools while remaining fully analog to capture anything life throws at you. What all is it capable of? Let’s take a closer look.

Update: The new LEGO Batman Tumbler is now available for pre-order for $229.99 and will be officially launching on November 1.

Marking the third installment of the UCS-style LEGO Batman set, this fall will give fans of the Dark Knight a new massive creation from Gotham City to assemble. Stacking up to over 2,000 pieces, a refreshed version of the LEGO Batman Tumbler will be cruising into the DC collection, complete with two exclusive minifigures and loads of display-worthy details. Head below for all of the details.

Listen to a recap of the best deals and news from 9to5Toys each day at noon. 9to5Toys Daily is available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed. New episodes of 9to5Toys Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes/Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they’re available.

• Save up to $519 on iPhone 11/Pro/Max in Woot’s latest cert. refurb sale, more from $90
• Apple’s Smart Battery cases for iPhone 11 Pro/Max now down to $52 (Reg. $129)
• Google’s Nest Hub 2nd Gen with Soli sleep tracking is down to a new low of $70 (Save 30%)

Today, SimpliSafe is expanding its arsenal of home security offerings with its very first water-resistant camera. Entering with 1080p recording and a 140-degree field of view, the new SimpliSafe Outdoor Cam arrives with a effortless setup, battery-powered design, and integration with the wider range of security offerings from the company. Head below for all of the details.

The new Twelve South StayGo mini is here. The latest USB-C hub from Twelve South is a smaller, more compact version of the original StayGo hub geared toward iPad and MacBook users with a trimmed-down I/O section “that fits anywhere, whether traveling, going from home to office or heading to and from class,” with a lighter price tag to match. Head below for a closer look and more details. 

After a batch of new LEGO sets launched as part of the summer lineup at the start of the month, we’ve been reviewing all of the new Star Wars sets throughout August. Now that the dust has settled on the collection, we’re looking at seven of the builds to see which stand above the others. Head below for a closer look at how all of the new LEGO Star Wars summer 2021 kits compare and to see which is the best of the batch.

Wi-Fi 6 has become the latest trend in networking, and after seeing just about every other player in the consumer and business space branch out to support the standard, Ubiquiti finally joined in on the action. But now that they’re actually available, is it worth the network upgrade? After putting the latest UniFi Wi-Fi 6 access points to the test, we’re answering that question in our latest UniFi Diary piece. Head below for all of the details.

Jurassic World Evolution 2 was shown off during the PC Gaming Show back at E3 2021 in June, but we now have a release date and more information on the title. Launching November 9 for Xbox One, as well as Series X|S, Jurassic World Evolution 2 is now available for pre-order with an additional bonus to those who purchase before it launches. Two editions are being released, with the Deluxe version including “many incredible extras like additional prehistoric species.” So, what all can we expect from Jurassic World Evolution 2, and will it be on Game Pass? Keep reading to find out more.

After Sony announced third-party SSD support and reports of a new PS5 SKU on the way, we now have new details on the not-so upgraded PlayStation 5. After the new SKU was spotted in Australia and elsewhere, select folks have now got their hands on the new PlayStation 5 model to tear the thing up and find out what’s really going inside. A few minor changes were made to the stand base and the like, but it was the drop in overall weight most gamers were interested in. We now know how Sony managed to bring the heft down, but it might not be the upgrade you were hoping for. 

Whenever Apple launches a new product, loads of third-party accessories tend to follow. This has certainly been the case with AirTags, with new offerings constantly popping up left and right. The most recent to come across our radar happens to be the Case-Mate Pelican Protector AirTag Stick-On Mount. This is not Case-Mate’s first attempt at making an AirTag sticker, with an earlier release having launched back in June. As the Protector name implies, this time around, Case-Mate has delivered a much more heavy-duty solution. Continue reading to learn more.

After getting a first look at the upcoming LEGO Camp Nou stadium earlier in the month, there’s now another football-themed set to look forward to. Arriving alongside the Creator Expert landmark later this fall, the upcoming LEGO FC Barcelona Celebration set includes four Barca jersey-wearing minifigures and a re-creation of an iconic location. Head below for all of the details.

Listen to a recap of the best deals and news from 9to5Toys each day at noon. 9to5Toys Daily is available on iTunes and Apple Podcasts, Google Play, or through our dedicated RSS feed. New episodes of 9to5Toys Daily are recorded every weekday. Subscribe to our podcast in iTunes/Apple Podcast or your favorite podcast player to guarantee new episodes are delivered as soon as they’re available.

• Apple’s latest 10.9-inch iPad Air returns to second-best prices yet at $99 off
• Amazon starts the week with latest Echo speakers and displays on sale from $20
• Philips Hue mix and match end of summer sale has rare 15% off lamps, lightstrips, more

Over the last several months, Amazon has banned several popular merchants from selling on its storefront. The move was a direct response to brands that would solicit good reviews from customers in exchange for gift cards, discounts, and more. This reaction affected many product categories, including a variety of innovating GaN adapter manufacturers. Thankfully, two new UGREEN 100W chargers have arrived at Amazon, a move that provides customers with some additional options to pick from. Both units distribute power across four ports, a majority of which are USB-C. Continue reading to learn more.

We first heard about Starfield back in 2018, and then it was really late 2020 before we heard much more about the upcoming title. At E3 2021, Bethesda, now owned by Microsoft, released another new trailer alongside the official release date for the game: November 11, 2022. Well, today, we got our first look at three worlds from Starfield, Bethesda’s first new universe in 25 years, and here’s what we know so far.