Accessory

Desalvo Systems has introduced a new version of its Maker Block Raspberry Pi 4 case, which it has machined from a solid block of copper. Appropriately called the Solid Copper Maker Block Case, the case is likely to draw attention with its striking design. However, the use of a copper block is also practical as it supposedly delivers superior passive cooling than many other cases for the Raspberry Pi 4.

The Galaxy S21 Ultra is expected to launch in just 2 colors, as its predecessor did before it. However, the latest leaks suggest that Samsung will add further options throughout the year. Meanwhile, other new tips purport to provide more evidence that it will be compatible with a new S Pen in 2021.

Xiaomi has released a new firmware update for the Mi Band 5 activity tracker. The software has been pushed out to deal with problems with the accuracy of the sleep-tracking function, with a few other minor additions such as extra language support included. It’s likely the update will eventually make it to the international Mi Smart Band 5 variant.

Xiaomi has launched the Mi EBook Reader Pro as expected and has revealed the e-reader’s specifications. Naturally, the Mi EBook Reader Pro is a step up from the non-Pro variant, but at a regular price of 1,299 yuan (US$198) the new Xiaomi device also holds up quite well against the more-expensive Kindle Oasis from Amazon.

Xiaomi has revealed its upcoming Mi EBook Reader Pro, which will be officially launched on Tuesday, December 15. A promo image of the device has been released that shows the electric paper book decked out in black with a touch button on the front. According to the marketing material, the Xiaomi Mi EBook Reader Pro will normally cost 1,299 yuan (US$198).

AndaSeat is a company that lays claim of a history of making racing seats for car-marques such as Mercedes and BMW. Now, it has applied this experience to a new gaming chair called the Kaiser 2. It is described as made using robust cold-cured foam and convincingly leather-like material. It is avaiilable in the US, UK and Australia.

Realme is gearing up to release a new smartwatch into its wearable lineup in the form of the Realme Watch S Pro. The device has already been leaked via the FCC and now Realme India and Europe CEO Madhav Sheth has been continuously teasing the Watch S Pro ahead of its imminent launch. Built-in GPS and a large AMOLED should feature.

The phrase "OLED Provided by Samsung" has been submitted as a trademark by the OEM in question with the European Union's Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). It has led to speculation that this move is part of the company's run-up to CES 2021. It may also simply serve to underpin its position in the relevant market.

The Outlier Air V2 may be Creative's best TWS earbuds yet. Retailing for US$79.99, the earbuds offer a more refined experience than the Outlier Gold without any real compromises. The switch away from the awkward buttons of the Outlier Gold to touch controls is certainly an improvement, but it comes with some drawbacks, too.

Bomaker is not what could be called a household name in the home-theater projector market; nevertheless, it has made some attention-grabbing claims for its product freshly put up for crowdfunding. They include the ability to throw a 200-inch 4K screen up onto a wall just 31 inches away from this device.

The Honor Router 3 offers good looks, fast connectivity and more versatility than many routers that internet companies provide. The Router 3 is not without its issues though, as we have discovered during our time with the device.

The PlayStation Blog recently featured an update on how Hitman 3 will take advantage of Haptic technology on the PlayStation 5's DualSense triggers. With customized trigger recoil and more, Hitman 3 should offer the most immersive Hitman experience, though PSVR could be a compelling reason to purchase the game on the PlayStation 4 instead.

The "Apple TV 2020" is now set to be introduced on December 8, 2020. This event may be an under-the-radar affair, but is touted to unveil a new 4K device with 64 to 128GB storage options. It is now also thought to be powered by an A12Z Bionic SoC.

A lapdesk is a cushioned prop for a keyboard and mouse that might make it easier to use these peripherals while sitting on a couch. nerdytec has announced a second generation of its example of this accessory, the Couchmaster CYCON2. It also has a Cyberpunk 2077-themed special edition.

Google has announced an update for Chrome OS to version 87. This upgrade allows users to see how much battery their Bluetooth-connected peripherals have left for the first time. It also confers the ability to search through open tabs and makes the system more accessible to multilingual users.

The start-up RollingSquare scored a major crowdfunding win with its original inCharge product, a miniature cable that clicks together with magnets to form a keychain for portability. Now, it is back with a new version, rated to deliver up to 100 watts (W) of power when connected to a compatible device.

The Galaxy S21 series is currently touted to launch soon. Their launch is now said to mean the end of support for some older smartwatches or fitness bands from the same OEM, however. They may still work with older phones, though, just not those released after 2020.

GoPro has posted "record-breaking" sales on its website due to its Black Friday/Cyber Monday 2020 event. The OEM also now increased the number of its subscribers to over 670,000, compared to about 500,000 at last count. The latest holiday period has also helped the company to an important milestone.

The new Sharkoon lightweight gaming mouse joins the existing Light² products by adding the "S" to the 100 and 200 which have been around for a while. Its highlights include a honeycomb structure that allows it to weigh just 78 grams, a 6,200 DPI optical sensor, eight customizable buttons, as well as an ambidextrous design.

The pocket-sized dock is compatible with MacOS, ChromeOS, Windows, and Android and it includes a one-year manufacturer warranty.

An earlier tip dropped a strong hint that the successors to the Galaxy Buds Live TWS earbuds would be called the Buds Pro. Now, their certification with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) all but confirms this state of affairs. Meanwhile, another prominent leaker has posted the first renders for these potential accessories.

The TicWatch Pro 3 4G/LTE is a 2020 dual-display smartwatch with standalone cellular connectivity. It is now on sale in Europe, although it is only usable through 1 carrier in the UK, Spain and Germany thus far. It is available on Amazon in these countries from now.

Cambridge Audio's second crack at TWS earbuds is here, and the company has packed in plenty of features despite their compact size. The Melomania Touch has up to 50 hours battery life, Qualcomm aptX support, touch controls, a transparency mode and a High Performance Audio Mode that apparently offers 'hi-fi grade amplification technology'.

Earlier, Eve Devices had hinted that its next product event would be for its long-hyped second-gen convertible PC, the V 2020. Now, the OEM has confirmed that this is the case. It has also teased the device with some specs and pre-order details.

Sharkoon's latest case, namely the TG5 RGB Silent PCGH Edition, comes with damping mats on the top and side panel, as well as special fans designed to keep things as quiet as possible by running at only 800 RPM. The manufacturer's suggested price for this ATX case is 89.90 Euros (roughly US$108).

Xiaomi is preparing to release new Bluetooth wireless earphones in the near future, which may either be called the Redmi True Buds 2 Pro or the more familiar and concise Redmi AirDots 3. The audio device has been spotted receiving its Bluetooth certification. The Redmi AirDots 2 were launched in July 2020 at just 79 yuan (US$12) in China.

Baseus has launched a series of new slim, high-tech third-party chargers equipped with gallium nitride (GaN) technology. One of them is rated to charge 2 devices at up to 60 watts (W) at once. This may make it a good companion for laptops such as the MacBook Pro.

ZTE has launched the Watch Live in its native China. This new wearable is of the Apple Watch-clone variety, although it sells for much less than its clear inspiration. Its maker claims that it packs 24-hour heart-rate tracking, blood-oxygen sensing, sleep-tracking and up to 21 hours of battery life in its square casing.

Zhiyun's Cinepeer C11 gimbal is an accessory with 3-axis stabilization and features such as object-tracking and motion-lapse features. It is also a 4000mAh power bank, thus allowing the user to keep recording for longer. It is currently 44% off its normal US$89 price for Black Friday.

Samsung is rumored to have a new member of its Galaxy Buds series to launch alongside the S21 smartphones in January 2021. Now, a recent certification has revealed that they may be revealed as the "Pros" of their line at this event. This may be due to the inclusion of ANC in this generation.

The start-up Olive Union has put its latest product up for crowdfunding on Indiegogo. On first glance, they are a particularly chunky take on the AirPod-clone TWS earbud. This may be because they apparently pack an "FDA-registered" hearing aid in with typical Bluetooth and audio components. They, for example, purport to exclude background noise to isolate human voices.

HTC might be planning a return to the smart mobile market with new TWS earbuds. These products have been spotted on the database of the Taiwanese regulator NCC ahead of their launch. This leak indicates that these new accessories have a Sony-clone look and can use Bluetooth 5.0.

The ESM 9110 is currently on sale for $33 USD compared to $40 or $50 USD for an authentic Xbox One controller. The unlicensed PC and Switch gamepad comes real close to the real deal and it even integrates LED-lit buttons for extra visual flair.

A recent Sony patent for a virtual reality headset with haptic feedback indicates strongly that the company is working on a successor to the PSVR, despite saying that it had no plans to do so. The patent illustrations indicate that the purported PSVR2 will be far lighter and thinner than the original. But, with no official announcement from Sony, it's up in the air as to when (or if) the PSVR2 will arrive.

Most features that come with the new software update that is rolling out to Samsung Galaxy Watch Active 2 smartwatches in the US were introduced in South Korea last month. The list of changes is long enough and includes solid improvements such as enhanced GPS tracking, voice guidance in a few scenarios, as well as various tweaks and fixes.

The OnePlus 8T Cyberpunk 2077 Special Edition may be a limited run smartphone, but a knock-off case modelled on its design is not. The case sells for CNY 30 (~US$5) too, making it more affordable than picking up the Special Edition model.

Waveshare has put together two kits for the Raspberry Pi 400, the Pi Foundations's new keyboard-cum-computer. The kits are available with 7-inch or 13.3-inch touchscreen displays and start at US$179.99 with the Pi 400 included.

The new UGREEN HiTune product, namely the T1 TWS, comes with a total of four mics (two dedicated for noise canceling), low-latency McSync technology, Superbass mode for improved performance in the lower range of the audio spectrum, as well as a playback time of five hours, all for a regular price of US$35.99.

The two new compact cases from Sharkoon come with stylish looks, optimal airflow, and plenty of space to accommodate tall CPU coolers and long video cards, as well as additional coolers. For both the SK3 and TK4, the manufacturer's suggested prices do not exceed the 50 Euros (roughly US$59) barrier.

Nebula is a brand that has seen success on crowdfunding websites for its portable, compact projectors. Now, it is back with a more conventional launch for its new Cosmos and Cosmos Max products. They are rated for 1080p and 4K resolutions respectively, run Android 9.0 for TV and support HDR-10 with static or active contrast ratios.

ViewSonic has announced new monitors with specific kinds of support for accessibility in content creation. The OEM claims they come with color accuracy certified by Pantone out of the box, and also include color-blindness modes. These 24- and 27-inch displays are also equipped with a USB type C port that can support video, audio and charging.

Although the 6.7-inch display provides enough space for a generous battery, the L-shaped power pack inside the iPhone 12 Pro Max is slightly smaller than the one that Apple used in last year's iPhone 11 Pro Max. However, this year's flagship integrates a massive camera assembly with three sensors and one LiDAR unit.

The 10000 mAh power bank houses individual USB Type-A, Type-C, Micro-USB, and Thunderbolt cables in a neat fashion for easy transporting.

The FX6 is Sony's latest professional cine-grade camera. Despite this designation, not to mention its full array of controls, E-lens mount and top handle, it is rated to be relatively light and compact. Nevertheless, it also still packs tech and features from the OEM's Cinema Line and mirrorless alpha-series cameras.