News

Update 1/24/24: Nintendo has now announced it will officially shut down the Wii U and 3DS online services by 7 a.m. ET April 8, 2024. 

…as of 4/8, online play and other functionality that uses online communication will end service for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U software. Thank you very much for your continued support of our products.

Get more details right here. 

Nintendo 3DS and Wii U online support is going away for good. We previously reported on the permanent closure of the Wii U and Nintendo 3DS shops, and it looks like online services for both platforms are now on the way out as well. It’s always sad to see the end of an era and Nintendo has now officially announced that “online play and other functionality that uses online communication will end service for Nintendo 3DS and Wii U software.” That means that starting in spring of next year, just about all online action on these platforms using Nintendo’s servers will be no more. Head below for more details. 

OtterBox just launched its new iPhone 15 cases like it does every year. But to pair with Apple’s latest, the company had a little something extra in store with the new watercolor-inspired series. I’ve been daily driving these new Figura iPhone 15 cases recently and have to say that these might just be some of OtterBox’s best.

Plugable today is launching a new Thunderbolt 4 dock. Sporting ten ports to expand your desktop workstation, the new release is seeing a launch discount at Amazon to make for an even more affordable upgrade. It comes complete with full USB4 compatibility, 2.5GbE, and 100W host charging.

It’s time go hands-on with SANDMARC’s beautiful titanium Apple Watch bands. After the release of its more affordable stainless steel variants and just before the launch of its amazing new iPhone 15 cases, SANDMARC unleashed a high-end take on the Apple Watch Ultra bracelet-style strap. And not to spoil this entire review, it’s absolutely gorgeous. Made from Grade 4 titanium and now joining its stainless steel models, head below for a closer look and some hands-on impressions of the SANDMARC Titanium Apple Watch Ultra Band – you’ll also find an exclusive discount. 

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 are available.

• Apple Watch Series 9 steel case styles fall to new $740 lows at Amazon (Reg. $799)
• Jabra’s all-new Elite 10 ANC earbuds with Dolby Atmos see first discount down to $225
• Belkin’s 15W MagSafe 3-in-1 pad with Apple Watch fast charging hits $100 (Save 33%)

The Samsung T-series portable SSDs are some of the most popular pieces of tech around these here parts and the new, next-generation Samsung T9 Portable SSDs have now arrived! Samsung said the new T9 models are its very first portable SSDs featuring a USB 3.2 Gen 2×2 interface with speeds up to 2,000MB/s – that’s nearly double as fast as the T7 Shield we reviewed and still use to this day. Samsung says they feature a “stylish and portable design” built to keep data safe while on-the-go. Now already available for purchase via the official Amazon storefront in 1TB, 2TB and 4TB capacities, you’ll find everything you need to know about the new Samsung T9 Portable SSDs below. 

After the debut of its white model noise-cancelling PlayStation and Xbox Arctis Nova headsets, SteelSeries is back again today with its brand-new microphones for gamers. Officially known as the Alias and Alias Pro streaming microphones for gamers, SteelSeries is touting a purpose-built design here specifically made to tailor to gamers that “get animated, move around their gaming setups and battlestations, shout with unbridled excitement and enthusiasm, narrate gameplay, and tell stories with style and personality.” Both the SteelSeries USB Alias and XLR Alias Pro mics for gamers are now available for purchase, and you’ll find all of the details down below. 

WarioWare is about to make its Nintendo Switch debut. It’s been quite awhile since Mario’s evil counterpart got some time in the spotlight, and now the chaotic character is bringing his unique brand of microgames to the Switch for one of the first times. Head of time, I got a chance to see what all the fuss was about for WarioWare Move It before the title arrives next month.

At IFA this year, intelligent cleaning bot brand Roborock introduced a pair of new robotic vacuums and mops that offer an enhanced and simplified cleaning experience into its mid-range lineup. While the brand certainly does offer some high-end flagship machines with all of the bells and whistles you’ll find just about anywhere, it’s new high-performance Q5 Pro and Q8 Max are looking to land right in the sweet spot for folks that don’t want to get into that $800+ range, but also require something more efficient and intelligent than the basic models out there. Both options are now seeing some serious launch deals to entice early adopters with as much as $220 in savings off the regular price tags and all of the details you need are waiting down below. 

Spigen’s 2023 cover collection debuted shortly after the Apple handsets did, but the brand took everyone by surprise when it revived its C1 collection to deliver the epic new iMac iPhone 15 cases. Featuring a design directly inspired by Apple’s tear drop iMac circa 1998, it delivers a semi see-through approach and a heavy dose of nostalgia for iPhone 15 Pro and Pro Max users. We have now had a chance top test it out hands-on wrapped around the iPhone 15 Pro and are ready to weigh in as part of the latest Tested with 9to5Toys review below. 

Today, at the Overwatch League Grand Finals 2023, we got a first official look at the new map, Samoa. Marking the latest area to join the game, Overwatch 2 will be traveling to the Polynesian island in order to deliver the latest Control map.

After a thrilling sixth season, the Overwatch League comes to a close for 2023. Today, the action ends as the playoffs transition into the Grand Finals. Taking a physical stage here in Toronto, Canada, the Overwatch League 2023 playoffs have boiled down eight teams into an epic showdown between the Florida Mayhem and Houston Outlaws.

The new Casely Beatles iPhone 15 cases launch today and we have an exclusive 30% off using the code below. The brand has become known for its official crossover designs, ranging from the Grateful Dead to models featuring famous works of classical art in tandem with The Met, but today it’s all about John, Paul, George, and Ringo with its latest iPhone 15 Beatles cases. So come together down below with a little help from our friends at Casely to scope out the new Beatles iPhone 15 cases – your guitar won’t be the only thing gently weeping if you let them sell out before you get a chance to bring one home. 

October is here and delivering a fresh batch of new LEGO sets for 2023. Ringing in the year with the largest Star Wars set, we’re seeing the launch of the all-new UCS Venator joined by some more festive creations and more.

Solé Bicycles, a prominent Venice Beach lifestyle bicycle brand, is announcing its new e-24 electric bike. Now available for pre-order, this is the company’s first venture into the realm of electric vehicles, remaining dedicated to its traditional clean and minimalist designs in order to create an environmentally-friendly transport solution that offers both style and performance.

Today, we are taking a closer look at the Oakywood 2-in-1 Headphone Charging Stand. The brand is known for its use of natural materials mixed with robust metal accents, much like the MagSafe stand collection and desk shelf we reviewed previously, and the 2-in-1 Headphone Charging Stand lands on your work surface with much the same attention to detail. I have always been a fan of office and tech accessories with this sort of design approach and thought it was time to see if Oakywood’s 2-in-1 solution is worthy of carrying my headphones of choice. Head below for some hands-on impressions.

Spigen’s iPhone cases have been featured around for years, and for good reason. They provide good quality covers for the price and offer a ton of different style options to meet a wide range of needs without breaking the bank. The new iPhone 15 collection looked to be much of the same as year’s past at launch and, after giving a number of the cases a run since my iPhone 15 arrived, I can personally back up these initial impressions for the latest models. Head below for some more hands-on details and a look at some of our favorite options in the lineup. 

Just before pre-orders on the new PlayStation Portal player are scheduled to hit other retailers tomorrow, Sony has now announced the PlayStation Plus free games for October. While most PS gamers are (not so) patiently waiting for the release of Spider-Man 2, a fresh batch of freebies for PS Plus members will go live beforehand starting on Tuesday, October 3. The collection is headlined by some sci-fi survival horror action alongside peaceful farming simulation and a “dark fantasy reimagining of the Wild West.” Head below for more details on the October PlayStation Plus free games. 

Following the wired MMX 100 and 150 gaming headsets we reviewed last year, Beyerdynamic is now out with its first wireless gaming offering – the MMX 200. Packing many of the features of the USB MMX 150, the 200 adds Bluetooth and cuts the cord for a more convenient gaming experience. At $250, though, it’s up against some stiff competition. Be sure to hit the video below to see all of the details. 

KeySmart has now unveiled its new Apple Find My wallet tracker known as the SmartCard. We have featured the brand around here several times, usually with its key organizers, some of which with built-in tracker tech, and now it’s time to bring some of that location tracking to your wallet. Already sold out on the brand’s official website, you still have a chance to bring Apple find My to your wallet via the KeySmart Amazon listing, but there’s no telling how long it might last. Head below for a closer look at the new KeySmart SmartCard Apple Find My wallet tracker. 

Shure today is launching a new addition to its portfolio of popular microphones. The new Shure SM7dB takes the same beloved design we’ve seen in the past and elevates it with a built-in preamp alongside some other notable improvements.

Sony is now announcing its new LinkBuds S x Olivia Rodrigo Truly Wireless Earbuds, alongside revealing its launch date. Now available for pre-order, these earbuds will include two custom EQ modes that are optimized for listening to Olivia Rodrigo’s albums GUTS and SOUR.

Amongst some of our favorite cases every year, Moment is back with its new iPhone 15 covers. Delivering some of the best iPhonegraphy cases on the market, the latest debuts continue to offer textured designs for added grip, four fun colors, and support for the next-generation T-Series lenses. There’s just one problem keeping these from being perfect…

Today, we’re getting a first look at two upcoming LEGO gift with purchases. The upcoming LEGO Magic Maze will be debuting on October 1, and is joined by the continuation of the popular Houses of the World theme with yet another freebie coming later this fall.

Revealed just last month, Anker launched a new collection of gear in anticipation of Apple’s switch to USB-C for iPhone 15. The new handsets have officially arrived with that universal port in tow, and today, we’re taking a hands-on look at what is now an essential part of my everyday carry. Meet the new Anker Nano USB-C Power Bank.

It is now time to take a closer look at the MUJJO leather iPhone 15 cases. The brand sat somewhere at the top of the heat in the category last year and is once again in 2023. With Apple’s leather covers going the way of the Dodo this year, brands like MUJJO offer up some of the only ways to wrap your new device in a proper leather cover. The same collection we reviewed last year is making a return for iPhone 15 alongside a new burgundy colorway and the all-new Shield model that combines leather and recycled plastic for a more protective option in the lineup. Head below for our hands-on review of the new MUJJO leather iPhone 15 case as part of the latest Tested with 9to5Toys. 

Sony is now offering folks who purchase and active a new PlayStation 5 console a chance to score a FREE game. There’s no real stings attached here and the game selection is actually quite good – it’s not just some cheapy smaller titles, but rather some serious blockbusters from the platform that have released over the last few years. Head below for all of the details. 

Adonit is known around here for delivering its own Apple Pencil alternatives, alongside options for Android and Windows machines, but today it is unveiling its latest, the Note+ 2. An upgrade and enhanced version of its Note+ digital writing utensil, it is described as an “advanced stylus” with three interchangeable tips, tilt recognition for tablet writing, sketching, note-taking, and more. Specifically geared towards iPad users, the new Adonit Note+ 2 Apple Pencil alternative is going up for purchase starting today and you can get a complete look at what it brings to your setup 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 are available.

• Apple’s new iPhone 15 Pro is free on Boost Infinite, no trade in required (Up to $1,000 off)
• Score Apple’s official iPhone 14 Leather MagSafe cases while you can at $35 (Reg. $59)
• Apple’s M1 iPad Air 5 runs Final Cut Pro on a 10.9-inch Retina display from $500 (Save $99)

Anker today is launching the newest addition to its stable of MagSafe power banks. This new release brings a 10,000mAh capacity to a more budget-friendly form-factor, that arrives with in one of four colors with a launch discount attached.

Check out the new Spigen C1 collection – a series of vintage iMac G3 iPhone 15 cases. While we have already detailed the main Spigen iPhone 15 case collection right here alongside some notable launch deals, the brand is reaching back in time to pull some late 90s’ iMac vibes for its new C1 lineup. Heavily inspired by the Jony Ive-designed iMac G3 with the tear-drop form-factor and translucent plastic case, the new Spigen iMac G3 iPhone 15 cases are now available for purchase via the official Spigen Amazon storefront with a solid 20% launch discount using code helloagain20 at checkout. More details below.

Roku today is launching a new bundle to bring some extra value to your home theater. The Roku Express 4K streaming media play will begin shipping next month with a Voice Remote Pro for a more complete TV upgrade.

Govee today is launching its most capable smart home lights yet. Very much sticking to the route we’ve seen in the past, you’ll find a modular design on the new Govee Glide Hexagon Ultra lights that gets amplified with even more light output and an added customization.

iPhone 15 is now here, and shoppers looking to pair their new handset with a leather case are going to be out of luck – at least if they plan on bringing home an official one from Apple. But why would you want to anyway, when Nomad is back with another edition of its popular leather case. Retaining its title of being 9to5Toys’ favorite leather iPhone case, we break down the experience below the fold.

SANDMARC has now unveiled its new leather MagSafe wallet. Anyone who reads my iPhone accessory coverage will know how much I love its leather cases – they were easily my favorite last year and almost certainly will be this year. They deliver wonderful quality Apple gear accessories, exemplified by gorgeous premium materials and it just brought all of that to its brand new leather MagSafe wallet. Now available for purchase with shipping beginning later this week, you can lock one in now with our exclusive discount code down below. 

The Analogue Pocket is getting even better. No, we’re not talking about a new generation or any hardware upgrades. But the popular gaming handheld is getting some all-new editions that mark the latest tech to get in on the transparent trend.

For years now Hallmark has debuted a series of official Nintendo ornaments well ahead of the holiday season and 2023 is no exception. This year’s collection of ornaments is now going up for pre-order featuring designs ranging from Mario Kart characters to Link from The Legend of Zelda, replica NES consoles, and even the beloved Legend of Zelda golden NES cartridge. While most folks would rather not think about decorating for the end-of-year holidays just yet, there’s no telling how long stock will stick around for on the latest releases and these ornaments are frankly good all year round if you ask me. Head below to take a closer look at the new Hallmark Nintendo ornaments and more. 

Aer is out with its latest tech carriers today, headlined by the new Pro Kit tech organizer. The compact cable and accessory organizer joins the brand’s new Pro Brief tech bag for travel, everyday carry, and for heading to the office as the latest entries in Aer’s growing stable of bags to keep your gear organized wherever you might be. Both the new Pro Kit organizer pouch and the Pro Brief are now available for purchase in various colors from the brand’s official site, and you can get a closer look at both 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 are available.

• Bring leather accenting to your iPhone 15 with Apple’s original MagSafe Wallet at $28
• Not sold on Series 9? Apple Watch Series 8 land at best prices from $299 (Reg. $399+)
• Jabra’s just-released Elite 8 Active ANC earbuds see first discount to $180, more

After selling out pretty much instantly when it launched back in July, the LEGO Group is bringing back one of the year’s most popular gift with purchases. The Disney 100 Years Celebration set was a freebie over the summer, and now the company has brought it back. Right now, you can score this unique build for no extra cost on LEGO Disney orders over $100.

Anker this week is now launching its latest Bluetooth speaker. The new Soundcore Motion 300 won’t be officially launching until next month – but we can at least showcase everything new this time around.

One of the year’s more eagerly-awaited Pokémon TCG expansions is officially hitting store shelves today! The new Pokémon 151 collection is fittingly going back to the original wave of cards, with an assortment of new prints for all the original Kanto Pokémon. And to mark the occasion, Amazon is debuting the new packs with some launch day Pokémon 151 deals to help get Trainers in on the TCG action for less.

Totallee is now offering 9to5Toys readers a chance to score an exclusive 15% off all of its new iPhone 15 cases alongside everything else you’ll find on its official Amazon storefront. The brand is a staple around here, is already waiting in our roundup of the best iPhone 15 cases, and is once again offering readers a chance to bring home its latest covers for less. It specializes in ultra-minimalist, clear, and particularly thin covers for folks that want to let that new Titanium shine (there are also options for iPhone 15 and 15 Plus) without any ugly logos to get in the way. Head below for more details and our exclusive discount code.