News

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.

• iPhone 13 sees up to $224 Renewed Premium discounts at Amazon from $658 all-time lows
• Fitness-ready Beats Studio Buds return to all-time low with rare $60 discount to $90
• Fitbit’s new Sense 2 and Versa 4 smartwatches hit second-best prices from $155

Update: LEGO’s new A-Frame Cabin is now available for purchase for $179.99 for VIP members.

Today, the LEGO Group is showcasing its latest Ideas creations that arrives in the form of the A-Frame Cabin. This model has been in the works for years now, and is finally seeing the light of day as the latest kit to arrive on store shelves with over 2,080 pieces when it ships next month.

SIGMA today is announcing what it is calling the “world’s first and only 10x ultra-telephoto zoom for mirrorless camera systems,” the 60-600mm f/4.5-6.3 DG DN OS Sports Lens for E- and L-mounts. Designed to be the “one essential lens,” you will be able to take distant landscape shots all the way to tight wildlife and sports pictures all without changing lenses. Stabilization is important, especially in telephoto photography, and this SIGMA lens comes with six stops of optical stability on the telephoto end and an additional stop when zoomed all the way out. Be sure to keep reading below the fold to learn more.

Synology is now officially launching its latest NAS, bringing some of the more prosumer features we’ve seen with previous high-end releases to an even more compact form-factor. Packed into a 2-bay design, the new Synology DS723+ arrives with an optional 10GbE NIC, dual M.2 NVMe slots, expansion unit support, and plenty of other functionality typically reserved for higher-end models.

Newegg is launching a new high-performance Windows laptop this week with the Acer Predator Helios 300 SpatialLabs Edition, which features native 3D viewing support. The SpatialLabs function here allows you to view 3D content without glasses or anything else, making it a unique computer to pick up heading into the new year. Sound intriguing? Let’s take a look at everything Acer and Newegg have to offer 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 popular M2 MacBook Air returns to all-time lows from $999 (Save $200)
• Samsung’s latest Galaxy Watch 5 land at second-best prices starting at $230 (Reg. $280+)
• Anker’s latest MagGo MagSafe power banks for iPhone 14 on sale from $35 (Reg. $50+)

Journey has now announced the latest addition to its MagSafe charging stand lineup with the new Rapid TRIO 3-in-1. While it certainly isn’t the first 3-way charging station we have featured, nor is it the first model from Journey, but the new Rapid TRIO 3-in-1 does have some interesting and unique tricks up its sleeve. Ready to deliver up to 15W of power to compatible devices and now seeing the solid 20% price drop during the launch phase we have come to know and love from the brand, be sure to head below for a closer look and the discount code. 

After first being revealed last month, today the LEGO Group is finally shipping its annual Lunar New Year sets. For 2023, we have a pair of festive builds which come packed with all of the fanfare and traditional Chinese designs we’ve come to expect from the yearly releases. This time around celebrating the Year of the Rabbit, we break down the new kits now that they’re available for purchase.

A pair of brand new Universal Audio microphones are now ready to land in your studio. UA has long been a staple in the recording industry, delivering some of the best and most sought-after interfaces solutions on the planet, and the company has more recently has begun to offer up some equally compelling microphones, ranging from USB options right through to high-end XLR models. It has now announced the launch of its new premium modeling mics known as the Sphere DLX and Sphere LX. Head below for a closer look. 

Last year, an unexpected but extremely popular collaboration was announced with the Pokémon Company tapping the likes of Squishmallows to bring some of its iconic characters to the fun plushie medium. If you know anything about either brand, it’s that releases don’t stay on store shelves very long, and so anyone hoping to bring one of the Pokémon Squishmallows to their beds or collections has largely been out of luck. Today that changes, as GameStop has refreshed stock on both Pikachu and Gengar plushies.

OLIGHT, a popular EDC pocket flashlight manufacturer, today is announcing its latest addition to the lineup with the Baton 3 Pro Max. This portable flashlight features a large built-in rechargeable battery, comes with a magnetic charger, and dishes out up to 2,500 lumens of brightness. Should you pick one up? We’ve spent the past week or so with the OLIGHT Baton 3 Pro Max to help you make that decision.

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.

• iPhone 12 series all on sale from $340 in 1-day Woot refurbished sale (Up to $559 off)
• Nomad launches 30% off+ warehouse sale on open-box iPhone 14 leather cases and more
• Google’s latest Pixel Buds Pro hit $105 in Geek Squad refurb sale (Orig. $200), new at $170

While we are big fans of the Nintendo showcase events that deliver advance looks and details on upcoming games, there’s a special Xbox Direct on the horizon now, too. While it might not be quite as extensive as the Xbox summer showcase that launched in lieu of E3 last year, the upcoming Developer_Direct event is set to give folks a look at some big-time titles headed to the platform in the coming months. Head below for more details. 

CASETiFY today is launching its latest collection of new iPhone cases – this time rejoining up with the likes of Disney. Marking the fourth time that the two brands have joined up to deliver some magical Apple accessories, this time around the collaboration is bringing Mickey and Friends to iPhone 14 for the very first time.

After launching its latest lineup of gaming headsets last September, Skullcandy is now teaming up with a brand you probably wouldn’t expect. The limited-edition Skullcandy x Doritos SLYR Multi-Platform Wired Gaming Headset and Dime 2 True Wireless Earbuds take the gaming headset and earbuds you’re probably familiar with and reimagine them to feature some Doritos flare. Make sure you keep reading below the fold to find out what makes these unique and how you can rep them come next month.

Over the past few months, I’ve started taking a look at transparent charging tech as the trend picks back up from the early 2000s. At the top of the list of accessories that embody those nostalgic design cues is one of the latest releases from Shargeek, with its Shargeek STORM2 Slim power bank. Delivering more than just a slick, transparent design, the portable charger also comes outfitted with an eye-catching 130W output to charge all of the gear in your Apple setup away from home.

The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles have now landed on iOS and Android in a major way with the release of Shredder’s Revenge on mobile. Unveiled by the beat em’ up pros at publisher/developer Dotemu back in March of 2022, Shredder’s Revenge embraced the golden era of TMNT games with just enough modern enhancements to deliver on what made the classic games so beloved while introducing them to a whole new generation of gamers. And now you won’t have to lug around your Switch to enjoy the best Turtles game in years as Netflix is now delivering it to its subscribers for FREE on both iOS and Android devices. Cowabunga! Head below for more details. 

It’s time to take a look at the new Spigen MagSafe charger as well as its very first price drop. Spigen remains one of the more affordable and sought after accessory makers for Apple gear (and Android devices to some degree) in the third-party space. Its covers regularly land in our best iPhone case roundups and now sit atop our picks for the best budget-friendly solutions of 2022. Before covering the launch of its new 3-card MagSafe wallet, we were impressed with our hands-on time with its iPhone 14 case collection during review, much like its previous-generation magnetic puck-style charger, but now it’s time for the new MagFit Spigen MagSafe charger. Head below for a closer look. 

ROCCAT, the Turtle Beach-owned PC gaming peripheral company, is announcing a brand-new 60% keyboard for entry-level setups. Sporting an ultracompact design and membrane-style keys, the Magma Mini from ROCCAT is perfect for those who want a premium experience without breaking the bank. It features IP33 water resistance, an Easy-Shift+ button, AIMO RGB lighting, and more. Sound intriguing? Keep reading to learn more.

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 Studio Display refreshes your Mac workstation from $1,500 (Save $99+)
• Apple Watch Series 7 is now a better value from $260 (Orig. $399) in 1-day refurb Woot sale
• New all-time low takes 34% off Jabra’s latest Elite 5 ANC earbuds with Google Fast Pair at $99

It’s time to take a closer look at the new SanDisk portable SSD, officially known as the PRO-G40. The SanDisk portable solid-state drive lineup is easily one of the best and most popular out there. Previously headlined by the generation 2 Extreme and Extreme Pro variants, the Western Digital brand updated its offerings last fall with new SanDisk PRO-G40 – one of the fastest models yet with its usual rugged sensibilities and modern spec sheet. We have been lucky enough to go hands-on with the new PRO-G40 over the last few weeks to give it a run for its money and detail the experience for prospective buyers down below. 

As the LEGO 2023 lineup begins coming into clearer view, we’re getting a better idea of how the summer wave of sets will look. Today we’re able to report on the names of eleven different LEGO Ninjago summer sets, all of which will be dropping in the latter half of the year.

More Xbox Oreo cookies have arrived. The sweet classic cookies and creme treats are coming to Xbox and your snack pantry. Taking to the official Xbox Wire today, Microsoft has announced a new campaign to “Unlock Playfulness” with new special edition Oreo cookies. These aren’t just the Xbox-themed sweet snacks seen above; there are fun in-game goodies that come along with the six embossed custom designs, as well as what Microsoft is describing as “real-world prizes.” 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 are available.

• Apple’s beloved and compact iPad mini 6 now back in stock with $99 discount to $400
• Start the new year with Google’s Pixel 7/Pro smartphones on sale from $499 (Save $100+)
• DJI’s just-released Mini 3 quadcopter sees first discount to $499 in cert. refurb sale (Orig. $559)

Best Buy today is announcing a new change to its rewards program to help it get an edge over Amazon Prime to start 2023. Normally in order to score free shipping at Best Buy, you’ll need to exceed the $35 minimum purchase threshold to have your package arrive at no additional cost. Now the retailer is nixing the minimum all-together, offering its My Best Buy subscribers no-cost delivery on everything.

Last week, we shared a look at the upcoming LEGO Disney BrickHeadz that’ll be kicking off the 100th anniversary series when the 4-pack drops next month. But as we originally reported, it looks like the LEGO Group and Disney have plenty more in store with a lineup of new summer 2023 sets. As the official wave of the collection, we’re getting a better idea of what to expect with nine confirmed sets so far.

As more rumors come out on what to expect from the 2023 LEGO lineup at large, 9to5Toys today can confirm a report that has been circulating this week on the future of the company’s collaboration with SEGA. Come this summer, everyone’s favorite blue blur is going to be getting the brick-built treatment once again in a lineup of five LEGO Sonic sets due out in the summer of 2023.

With CES 2023 well underway, Panasonic is announcing the latest additions to the LUMIX mirrorless camera lineup, the S5II and S5IIX. This time around, Panasonic has implemented Phase Detection Auto-Focus into these cameras thanks to its newly developed 24.2MP full-frame sensor, which makes these cameras great for photos and videos. On the video side of things, the new imaging engine allows these cameras to provide 4:2:0 10-bit 6K (3:2)/5.9K (16:9) and unlimited 4:2:2 10-bit C4K/4K recording capability. Another unique feature here is the ability to apply a LUT in-camera which is loaded from the SD card and can apply to videos and pictures, and you can even live stream while applying the LUT in real-time. Keep reading below the fold to learn more about these new LUMIX mirrorless cameras.

Have you heard of Loona yet? She is a smart pet robot that has now garnered millions of dollars in backer funds on crowdfunding sites and has already started shipping to early investors. It seems as though tech companies have been starting to push smart home robot tech more and more over the last few years, not unlike the many learning and coding bots we have seen out there and the upcoming Amazon Astro household helper, but Loona is taking a slightly different and more adorable approach here. Coming in the form of a little robotic puppy, she is looking to become your new best friend and help out around the house too. Head below for more details. 

Ring has become something of the name in smart home security, and now for the New Year is looking to extend that reach even further. Debuting its very first dash camera, the new Ring Car Cam debuts with the same stable of features you’d expect from its at-home releases and is now available for pre-order with some savings attached.

Today, GIGABYTE officially announced its CES 2023 lineup of laptops featuring up to the 24-core 32-thread i9-13950HX processor and the 175W TGP RTX 4090 graphics card. These laptops are among the most powerful that GIGABYTE has ever made, and should allow both gamers and creators to work or play from anywhere as if they had a desktop with them. Sound intriguing? Keep reading to learn more.

Amongst all of the other reveals now that CES 2023 is officially underway, Anker is also getting in on the showcase by offering up a look at a suite of new releases. Launching all throughout the coming year, the company has a wide range of releases including everything from new workstation docking stations to chargers, microphones, and more.

Today at CES 2023, Razer is announcing a slew of new gaming-focused products. Leading the way is a new lineup of Razer Blade laptops, with refreshed sizing all around as it now sports either a 16- or 18-inch display. Plus, the Leviathan V2 Pro is the “world’s first beamforming sound bar with head tracking technology.” Having recently tried out both products at CES 2023, here’s what all you can expect from Razer’s latest gaming lineup.

After launching its Squares LED wall pixels last fall, Twinkly is attending CES 2023 and unveiling its latest addition to its application portfolio, the Twinkly Entertainment Hub. Aimed at content creators and gamers, the Entertainment Hub will allow Twinkly lights to seamlessly synchronize with audio and visual content to create an immersive experience in your home. It’s nice to have your lights making patterns on your wall, but imagine if they synced with your games and screen. Make sure you keep reading below the fold to learn more about this new application from Twinkly.

A new casino arcade machine is ready to go all-in. Arcade1Up is bringing a little piece of Vegas home from CES 2023 this year with the announcement of its new Wheel of Fortune Casinocade Deluxe. Taking on the form of the brand’s popular 3/4-scale stand-up arcade machines, the new Wheel of Fortune cabinet brings home a special spin on the classic game show alongside a host of casino experiences in one of the more unique models in the lineup. Head below for a complete breakdown of the new Wheel of Fortune Casino arcade machine. 

Back in October, the LEGO Group announced how it would be partnering with Wizards of the Coast in order to bring the popular role-playing game Dungeons & Dragons to life in brick-built form. Today we finally know just what that collaboration is going to look like, as the results of the LEGO Ideas contest have now come to a close.

As announced on the official Xbox Wire today, Microsoft has now unveiled a new Xbox Series X bundle. Available for pre-order right now, the new package is officially known as the Xbox Series X and Forza Horizon 5 Premium Edition Bundle. And as the name suggests, it delivers Microsoft’s flagship home gaming console with a copy of Forza Horizon 5 Premium Edition alongside the plethora of goodies that version of its impressive racing title includes. Head below for a closer look and more details. 

Rachio – a leader is smart yard care products – is introducing its new Smart Hose Timer at CES 2023. The brand is best known for its intelligent sprinkler controller systems, most recently the Rachio Smart Irrigation Controller, as well as the smart analysis and weather tech it makes use of, but it is now delivering a similar setup to a much wider potential user base. The new Rachio Smart Hose Timer allows folks without a built-in irrigation system (or something of that nature) to leverage much of the technology and convenience the brand has been developing for years now and at a much lower price point. Head below for a closer look. 

OWC is heading to Vegas for CES 2023 with its new Thunderbolt Dock. Known as the OWC Thunderbolt Go Dock, it is described as a first-of-its-kind solution delivering an 11-port hub to expand the I/O potential of Thunderbolt and USB-C compatible Macs, PCs, iPads, Chromebook, and even Android devices. Designed for professionals, students, and content creators alike, the Thunderbolt Go Dock is looking to streamline your setup with an integrated power supply without the limitations of a bus-powered dock alongside its usual higher-end and robust build quality. Head below for a closer look at the new OWC Thunderbolt dock. 

Update: Both of LEGO’s new Botanical Collection sets are now available for purchase. That includes the Wildflower Bouquet at $59.99 and the Dried Flower Centerpiece at $49.99.

Having quickly become one of the most popular LEGO themes for older builders, the Botanical Collection is now being expanded into 2023. Today, we’re getting a look at two new kits that join the other builds from the series and branch out into some eye-catching new directions. Both the LEGO Wildflower Bouquet and Dried Flower Centerpiece will be hitting store shelves next month as the theme’s latest kits.