LEGO has officially unveiled two of its upcoming LEGO Star Wars building sets that are inspired by the Rebuild the Galaxy Disney+ special. Now available for pre-order, both 75389 The Dark Falcon and 75393 TIE Fighter and X-Wing Mash-up sets are slated to release on August 1, 2024. Get more details alongside a closer look with clearer images down below.
We have certainly featured SANDMARC’s leather iPhone cases around here more than once – I have raved about how great they are time and time again, but another place where the brand’s expertise really shines is in the iPhoneography space and its collection of lens attachments. I have recently had a chance to give its 2024 Telephoto 6x iPhone zoom lens a go in person for a few weeks after it debuted in February, and now it’s time to weigh in and give up some hands-on impressions in the latest edition of Tested with 9to5Toys.
We have been featuring UAG’s special brand of ultra-protective iPhone and iPad gear for years. Much it delivers a rugged, almost industrial or even tactical vibe with layered angular designs. And now, just after the brand unleashed its new cases for the M4 iPad Pro and M2 Air models, it’s ready to unveil the latest design for iPhone 15 users. Forged in the fires of the Urban Armor Gear design studios, the brand’s new glass and epoxy resin G10 Monarch Pro case has arrived.
The 2024 summer Prime Day will take place on July 16 and 17 this year. It’s official folks. Amazon has now announced this year’s summer Prime Day dates – the festivities will be kicking off on July 16, 2024 and, as usual, carrying through to end of day on July 17. The 48-hour event is now officially on the books and we will be here working literally around the clock – I’m not just saying that, we literally (almost) don’t sleep at all for two-days – to ensure as much of the money you worked hard to earn stays in your pocket while still being able to bring home some sweet gear. Hit the jump for more details.
There are a lot premium brands out there in the charging space. Anker and Belkin are a couple of our favorites here at 9to5Toys, for example. It’s important to remember that these brands had to start somewhere, and by churning out one great product after another, they slowly made a name for themselves. This keeps us always on the lookout for which brands could be next innovator in the space, and UGREEN keeps catching our eye. One of the most recent examples of this was the new UGREEN 2-in-1 Charging Station. It features a compact, MagSafe-ready charging design paired with an integrated pad for charging AirPods, and an addition USB-C port along the side. Keep on reading to get my hands-on impressions as part of the latest entry to the Tested with 9to5Toys series.
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.
Just after Best Buy announced and launched its Prime competitor Member Deals Days event (it is now in full swing), it was only a matter of time before Walmart surfaced with its own big summer sale. Now officially scheduled to start on July 8 and run through until Thursday, July 11, Walmart is looking to get in on the action with what it is calling “its largest deal event ever.” We will be the judge of that, but it certainly sounds promising.
While wireless earbuds are increasingly popular because of their small size and affordable nature, the water gets murkier when it comes to gaming. Not only do they need to sound good and preferably be affordable, but they also need decent battery life and be comfortable for longer gaming sessions. For those reasons, I’ve only found a few wireless gaming earbuds that I’ve actually enjoyed using. I’ll mainly be talking about the recent ASUS ROG Cetra SpeedNova true wireless earbuds for this review, but I’ll also sprinkle in my experiences with other earbuds I’ve tried over years and what makes them stand out or, more often than not, what makes me put them back in the box. Be sure to hit the video below for all of the details.
Update: The Best Buy Member Deals Days sale is set to kick off at roughly 1 a.m. ET (or very shortly thereafter) with thousands of deals on tech, home appliances, smart TVs, and more.
When it comes to mid-year and early fall deal events, Amazon’s Prime Day remains king, but Best Buy is looking to get aggressive with this year’s summer Member Deals Days sale. Best Buy’s membership program has become more popular over the last year or two, offering notable savings on new releases and even deeper deals during holiday events, not to mention a similar free shipping setup as Amazon Prime, and this year Best Buy will be hosting a week-long event just for Plus and Total members well ahead of the Prime Day festivities to try and ruin Amazon’s fun in the sun.
Today, Satechi is debuting its new Qi2 Wireless Car Charger. Following the launch of its Qi2 2-in-1 and 3-in-1 MagSafe charging stands, Satechi is now set to bring the new 15W charging standard to your ride with its new magnetic car mount. While it’s not the first car mount of its type out of the gate with the new Qi2 charging tech, it is the brand’s first, landing with double the power of its previous-generation offering to reliably accompany travelers on road-trips, daily commutes, and just about everything in between. Now available for purchase directly on the brand’s official site and over at Amazon, be sure to head below for more details and some early hands-on impressions.
Peak Design has made a few changes to its travel offerings, introducing some new Ultralight Packing Cubes that do more than pack, as well as adding new 50L and 80L Travel Duffel options to cover a broader need for space.
Hot on the heels of our coverage of the two newly revealed LEGO Botanical sets by Fnac, we’ve gotten another new reveal from the French retailer that gives us our first look into two upcoming August 2024 LEGO Star Wars sets that are inspired by the Rebuild the Galaxy Disney+ special: the Dark Falcon set alongside a TIE Fighter and X-Wing Mash-Up set. You can get more details and a closer look at these new builds down below.
Summer has basically arrived across the country – it’s time to hit the pool, beach or otherwise – and ESR’s latest waterproof iPhone case has arrived with a discount to ensure you’re covered. While I have never been a huge of those giant bag-looking waterproof pouches for iPhone, some of them offer similar protection at the pool parties and beach with a more sleek design, and the latest from ESR falls in that category. It’s also among the more affordable options out there and you can now land one for under $18 Prime shipped on Amazon. Head below for a closer look.
DJI has released exciting new updates for the Osmo Mobile 6 and Osmo Mobile SE, making the intelligent smartphone stabilizers compatible with various Apple Watch models for remote control.
Nintendo hosted what can only be described as a completely epic Direct showcase streaming event yesterday. After Xbox mostly blew me away, I might have to give the award for best summer gaming showcase to Nintendo this year. The new Zelda Echoes of Wisdom, Mario and Luigi: Brotherhood, Donkey Kong Country Returns HD, and the new Super Mario Party Jamboree were just some of the highlights here – there’s even a new Nintendo Switch Lite Hyrule Edition launching in September. But the real star of the show for many was the, to put it extremely lightly, the highly-anticipated proper reveal of Metroid Prime 4: Beyond (it’s actually real!). And on top of all that, as if that wasn’t enough, there are some serious classics landing on Nintendo Switch Online starting right now from the Zelda and Metroid franchise as well as the N64 hit, Perfect Dark (I played way too many hours of this back in the day). Details below.
We are big fans of the LEGO botanical sets around here and it looks like some new LEGO foliage is on the way to brighten your space – no watering needed. The adorable Tiny Plants set debuted at the tail end of last year (and is currently on sale right here) to expand your LEGO, brick-built greenhouse, but a pair of new set have been spotted via French retailer Fnac resting in blocky vases atop brick-built wooden trays. You can get more details and a closer look at the new 10368 Chrysanthemum and 10369 Plum Blossom sets down below.
I’ve had the pleasure of using quite a few Bluetooth speakers over the years, with some of my recent favorites being the Marshall Kilburn II and Tribit StormBox Micro. So when JBL offered to let me review its new PartyBox 320, I was interested, but not necessarily ecstatic. That started to change once I began digging into the specifications and realized just how monstrous and powerful this speaker could wind up being. My suspicions were confirmed when this 36-pound monster arrived in the mail.
While unboxing the JBL PartyBox Stage 320, I couldn’t help but smile. Looking back, I think it’s because I knew that the size and heft meant that this thing was going to pack a punch. Seeing the actual speaker helped seal the deal too, with loads of easy-to-access controls, plenty of inputs around back, and wheels along the base paired with a handle up top that make it easier to roll it from one place to another. I couldn’t wait to start trying it out, so keep on reading to hear about my experience unboxing, pairing, and using this powerful speaker.
Update: Pre-order this item today, it will ship from September 1, 2024.
Well, brick-built Nintendo fans are in for a serious treat as LEGO just officially unveiled the new Legend of Zelda Great Deku Tree 2-in-1 set (#77092). Combining the legendary Deku Tree from The Legend of Zelda series with an impressive brick-built construction, epic Korok miniature figurines, and mini figs for both Zelda and the Hero of Light himself, the set clocks in at 2,500 pieces and you can get a closer look below.
You know we love our Harber London gear around here – supple, handmade leather carriers and Apple gear accessories that truly stand the test of time. I adore its iPhone 15 pouches, much like its new leather iPad covers, and, perhaps even more so, its leather MacBook backpacks. Well, it also makes gorgeous leather AirTag accessories, but if the price scared you away on the rest of its gear, you might want to close your eyes before you see the list on its brand new handmade leather Luggage Tag for AirTag (even with the 15% launch deal). For everyone else, check it out down below.
Well, what will hopefully be an exciting and uneventful summer Nintendo Direct showcase has arrived. As promised with yesterday’s official announcement, Nintendo is set to host a 40-minute Nintendo Direct to showcase featuring a series of new games and updates on titles headed to Switch through 2024, and you can follow along with us down below.
Amazon’s Blink smart home brand is one we have featured around here for quite some time, delivering a breadth of relatively affordable smart camera systems and video doorbells for Alexa users. After just getting a chance to go hands-on with its latest release, the Blink Mini 2 indoor and/or outdoor solution, today the brand is expanding its offerings on the software side of things. Blink Moments is a new “video viewing experience that automatically combines clips captured across Blink cameras into a streamlined video,” and it will be rolling out globally in the “coming weeks.”
After Samsung opened up a sign-up page for folks to score a FREE $50 credit towards its upcoming 2024 monitor lineup (sorry folks that has come and gone now), it is now ready to officially unveil said monitors. The lineup consists of updated iterations of some of its most popular models, including the new Smart Monitor lineup loaded with AI tech, some sweet Galaxy Watch health tracking integrations, and onboard streaming, the latest Odyssey gaming monitors, and more. Best of all, you can land up to $300 in FREE Samsung credit when you purchase one. Hit the jump for more details on the new models.
Following the official reveal of the 1,506-piece LEGO Icons Lamborghini Countach 5000 Quattrovalvole, which is now set for release on the same day as the new LEGO Bumblebee Transformers set that is directly inspired by the classic 1984 cartoon series, some not so official news of a pair of new LEGO Speed Champions sets are now making headlines. Ready to race through the finish line in summer 2024, the new 76934 Ferrari F40 and 76935 NASCAR Next Gen Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 have been spotted on a French retail site ahead of what appears to be a launch date in roughly two month’s time. More details below.
Just after the reveal of its fantastic Apple Find My Wallet Card Tracker with MagSafe charging, Nomad continued its run on your carry gear with its new leather passport wallet. Once again implementing its Horween leather treatment, the brand spent years developing its new travel carrier, has now launched two different models, and we have had a chance to go hands-on with it to give it a run for its money in the latest edition of Tested with 9to5Toys.
I bought my first smart light bulb well over a decade ago now. Over time, I’ve tried countless brands of smart bulbs, smart plugs to control lamps, and have even swapped out light switches for smart ones. Now my home has a mixture of all those things, and I would have it no other way. I’ve generally leaned on Philips Hue for smart bulbs because they’re one of the most platform-agnostic solutions out there, but the arrival of Matter has changed the game. This paved the way for me to eventually try out a 4-pack of Linkind Matter-enabled smart light bulbs at an incredibly low price. Continue reading for my hands-on impressions as part of the latest entry to the Tested with 9to5Toys series.
Amazon Prime Day is quickly approaching now, scheduled to take flight in about one-month’s time with what is primed to be the biggest deal event of the year thus far. Amazon stepped in this year with a new Big Spring Sale to take us out of the winter months with some solid discount opportunities across just about all major categories, but it wasn’t on the same level as last year’s Prime events, and certainly not what we are expecting for next month’s summer Prime Day sale. These events can sometimes feel like a cash grab, Amazon and the brands it carries just trying to bolster sales, and that is the case, but they are also a fantastic chance to save cash while bringing home the gear and essentials you need for the rest of the year and beyond.
After the brand’s vent model went live earlier this year, we have now spotted the dash and windshield edition of iOttie’s new Velox Qi2 Mini 15W Wireless Charger Car Mount up for purchase. As the name suggests, this release delivers super fast Qi2 charging to iPhone users looking to bring something from one of the most popular brands in the smartphone vehicle mounting game out on the road with them. Now available via Amazon at $55, or $5 more than the Qi2 vent mount, you can get more details below.
Today Insta360 announced the GO 3S, an upgrade to the existing GO 3 action camera that offers improvements in usability and video specs (now shooting 4K). Here’s what comes inside the box and our first impressions of using the camera for the last week.
Just after the reveal of the new Lamborghini Countach 5000 Quattrovalvole and the epic 2,500-piece Legend of Zelda Great Deku Tree 2-in-1 set, the next brick-built release has been officially unveiled with the new Transformers 10338 Bumblebee set. Following the release of the 2022 Optimus Prime kit, LEGO has now delivered on the Autobot action with thew 950-piece LEGO Icons theme Bumblebee. Set for release on July 1, 2024 for Insiders and a few days later on July 4 for everyone else, this is one will carry an $89.99 price tag and you can get a closer look down below.
Father’s Day is this Sunday, and we’re making it a breeze to find the perfect gift for the Dad in your life. We’ve got an array of ideas for the golfer as well as accessories to steal the show of every outfit. Be sure to head below and add these pieces to your cart so that you can give your Dad a spectacular gift this year.
We have been covering and ranking leather iPhone cases around here for years, I have reviewed something like 100 of them alone, and one brand that has been consistently in the short list over the last couple of years is SANDMARC. Anyone who has read my reviews already knows this, and knows it well. Some folks were just not a fan of its Pro Leather models (I adore them), but the Minimal Leather iPhone case variant is here and it’s here in a major way to save the day. This is a really good leather iPhone case, you’ll find our exclusive discount code below, and some of our hands-on impressions of the latest lineup.
Peak Design is another one of those brands that cuts its teeth in the photography space, delivering some of the best and popular camera strap and anchoring systems. But it also happens to make some wonderful tech accessories too, including iPhone cases in combination with the folks at Nomad, one of the best articulating MagSafe Car Vent Mounts I have tested out, and much more. Starting today, much of its existing charging gear is getting a major upgrade in the form of the new Qi2 standard that delivers a powerful 15W of juice to iPhone users and this includes everything from its car mounts to its desktop MagSafe-ready charging stand, and more. Head below for more details on the new high-powered Peak Design Qi2 charging gear.
Just after featuring the brand’s fantastic new Find My Wallet Tracker Card – I love this thing, Nomad has returned to its Horween leather action with the debut of its new Passport Wallet today. After two years of development, the brand feels it has landed on what might very well be the perfect leather passport holder ever made. Nomad is once again leveraging Horween leather from the USA and a number of details and touches throughout to deliver a pair of new Passport Wallet models to join you at the departure gate for your next flight and, judging by the build quality, probably every flight you take for years to come. They are now available for purchase (or will be momentarily) and you can get a closer look down below.
Jabra’s wireless earbud solutions have been in the conversation for our favorite multi-platform solutions for years now, with a steady stream of upgrades and enhancements, but today the new Elite 8 Active Gen 2 and Elite 10 Gen 2 are set to take things to the next level. While you will find updates to the brand’s active noise cancellation tech as well as all-new Natural HearThrough action and some new color options, today the brand is looking to make headlines with what it calls the “world’s first LE Audio smart case.”
Update: GameStop has now admitted it was incorrect about the release date. Nooooooooo, Snaaaaaaakkkkkeeee!
Metal Gear Solid Δ: Snake Eater has to be one of my most anticipated game releases of the year (or ever) – I grew up up playing these games, my X (Twitter) profile pic is a classic image of Snake, and, more importantly, GameStop might have just leaked the release date!!! A new trailer for the game debuted at the epic Xbox Game Showcase over the weekend – it looks incredible – and a new video featuring the game landed on the Konami YouTube channel today announcing the pre-orders (now live on Amazon on PS5 and Xbox, if you’re quick), and it looks like it might be releasing on November 17th! Details below.
Trying to choose the perfect Robot vacuum and/or mop in today’s market can be quite an overwhelming experience. Without extensive knowledge of companies or their designs, it can seem like there is always some new or alternate feature that gets in the way of making any final decisions. If you had asked me years ago which models are best for everyday cleaning solutions without needing to babysit it, I’d likely have said that the big brand robots all sport similar performances – especially in the era of “bumper bots.”
In 2024, however, my sentiments towards preferable models has definitely shifted and solidified around a few key brands that are truly putting out innovative changes with each new robot. One of the most advanced – and absolute favorites that I’ve interacted with – has been the brand new Yeedi M12 PRO+ that I’ve gotten to know over these past weeks. Yeedi has truly outdone itself with this model, and deserves a moment to take a bow for their endeavors here. Below, you’ll find a breakdown of its features, what to expect during setup, as well as my personal impressions alongside a few key tips to keep in mind when installing it in your home (especially because, as amazing and life-changing as this tech has been, it is not perfect, just like every other elevated model worth your consideration).
“Hey, Vera! Grill me a medium-rare rib-eye steak.” This is a simple question and an easy task for Brisk It’s new advanced virtual assistant, Vera. Brisk It, a leading innovator in AI grilling technologies, wowed consumers at the Consumer Electronics Show in January of 2024 with the news of this upcoming launch. Theoretically, you can ask anything, say anything, and cook anything with the help of the Vera AI assistant on any Brisk It grill. It almost sounds too good to be true. This may be the first time you have heard about this brand, but I have a suspicious feeling that this launch may change that. Head below for more details.
The main Summer Game Fest event is now behind us, Xbox hosted hosted a completely epic showcase over the weekend with the new all-digital white Series X and the Galaxy Black special edition model, but now it’s time for Ubisoft. The 2024 summer Ubisoft Forward showcase event is set to go live today with updates on what’s next for one of the industry’s biggest publisher/developers. Everything kicks off at 12:00 p.m. PT/3:00 p.m. ET and we will be following along with you down below.
Today’s Xbox Game Showcase 2024 was loaded with exciting new world premieres and updates on fan-favorite franchises – DOOM: The Dark Ages, South of Midnight, a new METAL GEAR SOLID Δ: SNAKE EATER trailer, the Perfect Dark gameplay reveal, and the Gears of War: E-Day – as well as the official reveal of three new Xbox Series X|S consoles. We spotted leaked rumors and imagery previously on a potential all-white, all-digital Xbox Series X, and we now know it is indeed a real thing. It will also be joined by a new Series S configuration as well as the 2TB Galaxy Black Special Edition Series X. Head below for more details.
While the 2024 Summer Game Fest seemed a far more tame and slightly less exciting event than year’s past, despite some major reveals and patented Keighley world premieres of course, the June gaming events are just starting and next up is Xbox. As we covered previously, Xbox announced its big summer event(s) back at the end of April and that day has now arrived. At the time we correctly guessed the double-feature Xbox is hosting today would be capped off with a Call of Duty: Black Ops 6 Direct but that won’t air until after the main event goes live. It all starts today at 10 a.m. PT/1 p.m. ET and we will be watching along with you down below.
The Bebird Home30S is an all-in-one kit for ear cleaning, observation, and a tool for maintaining overall ear health for the entire family. The brand’s latest system, which features the “world’s narrowest customer-grade flexible otoscope,” is looking to disrupt the at-home ear health space by bringing together a series of technological advancements with a focus on safety, ease-of-use, and convenience into a single medical-grade product designed so that just about anyone can use it. Be it for administering liquid medications for grandma or helping to remove that thing the kids (not so) accidentally got stuck in their ear, among general cleaning and the like, the Bebird Home30S provides real-time visual feedback so you can actually see what’s going on in there with special attention to hygiene, auto-sterilization, and saving cash. Head below for a closer look and a chance to land an early bird deal.
We know it can feel cliche to get Dad yet another grill accessory; however, there are some Dads out there who REALLY REALLY love grilling and cooking outside so we’ve compiled a list just for them. Whether they prefer cooking over the fire or the grill or just sitting on the porch with a smoked old-fashioned while their family cooks them dinner, this list has some pretty stellar ideas in a range of price points. Dive into our Father’s Day foodie gift ideas below.
I’ve made a living using computers day-in and day-out for well over a decade now. Within a mere hour or two of starting work each day, I have been consistently plagued by neck and shoulder aches and pains. I’ve tried working in a mobile manner using a MacBook and iPad to at a desk with monitors mounted at the recommended level for the best ergonomics. Nothing has ever worked, until now, and it’s all thanks to FlexiSpot’s OC4-V2 ergonomic office chair. It’s a new release that’s only been listed on Amazon for a couple of weeks now. I’ve been using it day after day for a week or so and now I’d like to share my hands-on impressions as a part of the latest entry to the Tested with 9to5Toys series.
Okay folks, here we go, it’s time to kick off this year’s major summer gaming showcases with Summer Game Fest, as promised. Summer Game Fest, and especially today’s main event, has quickly become one of the more exciting shows of the season, combining titles across all major platforms from a giant collection of publishers and developers – 55 of them in fact. This is clearly not going to be some small-time show, despite organizer and host Geoff Keighley suggesting it was a lighter year. Either way, we are in for two straight hours of reveals, trailers, announcements, gameplay footage, and, probably, some Hideo Kojima. Head below for more details and to follow along with tonight’s Summer Game Fest show (it kicks off at 2 p.m. PT/5 p.m. ET).
We are no strangers to ENGWE – an e-bike brand with an expansive family of products that can deliver some serious value for riders. Its lineup ranges from models that are built like tanks (this guy pulled a small cabin around with one) to more casual, entry-level solutions for your average rider. But after getting hands-on with various ENGWE options, at least one thing is clear, there’s some serious bang for your buck with this brand. Some of these bikes land at incredibly low prices, the summer sale has arrived, and we have exclusive discounts to drop prices down even further than that now. Straight-up cash discounts combine with a rotating series of weekend flash sales across the month alongside our exclusive promo codes for 9to5Toys readers deliver up to $600 in savings. Head below for the details.
