Accessory

Google’s parent company Alphabet is said to be deep in negotiations to buy fitness wearables company Fitbit. Fitbit had indicated late last month that it was interested in a sale of the company and it looks like it might likely end up either as part of Google’s product lineup or as a standalone Alphabet backed brand.

The Arduino MKR WAN 1310 developer board can bring LoRa connectivity to projects without requiring continuous mains power. The board is just 67.6 x 25.0 mm and integrates an ARM Cortex M0+ processor. The MKR WAN 1310 is available to order now for €33 (~US$37).

NVIDIA now stocks the new Pro and non-Pro variants of the SHIELD TV on its official site. As projected, the latter is a 4K streaming stick with HDR 10. Both new Android 9.0 devices support Dolby Audio, can access GeForce NOW and have Google Assistant built in.

The "Mi Watch" is the likely name of Xiaomi's next wearable. The OEM has indicated that it is to be released on November 5, 2019, alongside the Mi TV 5 and Mi CC9 Pro. This new product is also projected to be a Wear OS device.

Apple's AirPods are currently projected to gain a Pro version soon, thanks to a recent slew of leaks and rumors. The latest of these may indicate that they will finally launch in colors besides white for a change. Furthermore, it is even vaguely possible that they will match those of the iPhone 11 Pros.

The Apollo Max is a new 10000mAh power bank that, according to its maker ELECJET, integrates the emerging graphene standard as a battery material. This, it is claimed, gives it an "unbeatable charging efficiency of 96%". This new product is currently available as a reward on its Indiegogo campaign page.

The consumer-grade security development group Nok Nok Labs has unveiled its new SDK. It asserts that it is the first such app software capable of conferring FIDO-based authentication on smartwatches. This, then, may help users depend more on their wearable for more functions typically carried out on a phone.

The Canon RF lens series has now added its 9th and 10th members, in the form of the 70-200mm F2.8L IS USM and 85mm F1.2L USM DS products respectively. The former is described as the most compact device in its class, whereas the latter debuts the novel feature of Defocus Smoothing. The OEM asserts that either would be an asset to those with EOS R or RP cameras.

Tolino has released three new eReaders. Strictly speaking, they are not new, though. Instead, they are rebranded Kobo devices but pre-loaded with Android rather than Kobo's in-house software.

In our opinion, keypads should complement keyboards while gaming or be able to replace them completely. The Tartarus series of compact gaming keypads have a long tradition at Razer, and now the company has released one with analog optical switches. The Tartarus Pro is available to purchase now for US$129.99 and comes with free shipping.

Recently, Amazon may have accidentally spoiled the launch of the NVIDIA SHIELD TV Pro, an upcoming update to the 2017 streaming machine. A new leak indicates that the OEM has indeed prepared a 4K HDR streaming stick as well as the usual full-scale box. It apparently has 8GB in internal storage, whereas the SHIELD TV Pro has 16.

A firmware update pushed out to Google Home and Google Home Mini smart speakers earlier this month has been bricking devices, leaving them completely unresponsive. Google has acknowledged the problem and promised a resolution in the near future. Unfortunately, the tech giant is apparently not replacing out-of-warranty devices.

LG has revealed that the G8X ThinQ will be released for sale in the United States on November 1, 2019. This phone is a variant of the OEM's 2019 flagship designed to work with the new Dual Screen accessory. Both devices also have US starting prices and the scope for promotional deals already.

A press kit for the Fujifilm X-Pro3 digital camera, which includes many renders of the device, has already been shared on Twitter. The X-Pro3 is scheduled to be officially launched on October 23, but like every good piece of tech equipment nowadays, many of its details have already been leaked online or guessed at.

The Boudica offers a bright visual experience with per-key RGB lighting and additional strip lighting across the edges of the keyboard. It's a lot of flash for not a lot of auxiliary ports or features considering the $120 USD asking price.

The full details of the technical specifications for the Zeiss ZX1 camera have been published. The renowned German manufacturer announced the device back at the Photokina trade event in 2018 with availability originally scheduled to start with chosen dealers in early 2019. However, the camera has failed to materialize on the market thus far.

A new study into user attitudes towards wearables found that health tracking is the most popular use of this electronics category. 36% of those polled reported concerns that these functions may not live up to reality, however. 10% of the respondents also said they worried about data security on these devices.

Razer is getting into the wireless earbuds market, according to news from China. The earbuds and their accompanying charging case look like a hybrid between the Apple AirPods and the Samsung Galaxy Buds but adorned with the gaming company's logo. The earbuds, which seem to be sold under Razer's Hammerhead branding, are available to buy now for CNY 799 (~US$113). There is no word yet whether they will be sold outside of China, though.

DeX is Samsung's proprietary facility that converts one of its Galaxy flagships into a desktop PC on connection to a monitor. One environment supported by the mode in Android 9.0 (Pie) is GNU/Linux. Unfortunately, its beta program will come to an end with the roll-out of Android 10.

Olympus has unveiled its newest Micro Four Thirds digital camera, the OM-D E-M5 Mark III. This mirrorless unit is based on a 20.4MP Live MOS sensor and a TruePic VIII Image Processor. The OEM asserts that it also packs a wide range of features into a relatively compact form-factor.

Fitbit has expanded access to its Spotify app to the first-generation Versa and Versa Lite. The Ionic fitness watch is also included in this update. It enables these wearables to manage playback and podcasts on the music streaming platform, and to control other devices that can use the same.

1More is the ODM responsible for Xiaomi's audio wearables. However, it also releases these products under its own brand. The latest of these are truly wireless earbuds with active noise cancellation (ANC).

Netgear has rolled out its latest mesh Wi-Fi system consisting of a base and one or more satellite units. The new Orbi Dual Band Mesh Wi-Fi System also features the latest Wi-Fi 6 (802.11 ax) standard for speeds up to 1.2 Gbps.

Apple’s wholly-owned subsidiary Beats has launched an all-new Beats Solo Pro range. Effectively the Beats Solo 4, the all-new design also brings improved audio performance as well as active noise cancelling to the Solo line for the first time.

Google also announced its new Nest Wi-Fi home product at the 2019 Pixel launch event. It consists of scalable router and point units in various muted colors. A single 802.11s router covers up to 2200 square feet of space each, whereas each point doubles as a smart speaker.

The Nest Mini is a new Connected Home devices launched by Google at its latest live event. It is a smart speaker with integrated Assistant functions and touch controls. It is now up for pre-order at a price of US$49.

Google unveiled its second-generation Pixel Buds at its 2019 'Made By' event. They are truly wireless products that, as the OEM claims, have been designed to be as compact and streamlined as possible. Nevertheless, they are rated for 5 hours of battery life, or 24 hours from their charging case.

Nikon has launched the new and expansive NIKKOR Z 58mm f/0.95 S Noct lens. This product name may sound familiar as it has been chosen to honor an iconic lens of the past. The new S-series lens has manual focus and an aperture of up to a whopping f/0.95.

The Google Pixel 4 series launch is almost upon us, with the company expected to announce at least a Pixel 4 and Pixel 4 XL. While the two devices will feature more cameras than their predecessors, a new leak highlights some absentees too. In short, it seems that Google is going the way of Apple, which undoubtedly will disappoint Pixel fans.

Skullcandy has released Vert, a new set of Bluetooth wireless earbuds. Unlike most products in this category, however, they are not of the typical "neckbud" form-factor. Instead, the buds are linked to a dial-like clip-on module, which may fit in better with pursuits needing heavy gloves or helmets.

Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Active 2 has been on the market for a weeks but its special Under Armour Edition has been MIA until now. The Apple Watch Nike challenger has finally hit the market in the US with its global rollout also underway

Turtle Beach has released the Atlas Edge, a new USB adapter for any conventional wired headset. It is intended to enhance any headset connected to it with an in-house panel of software called Control Studio. This suite is designed to convert audio through the Atlas Edge into a "full panoramic 3D audio experience".

The Mi Band is a popular fitness wearable series worldwide, albeit with one potential drawback: many units sold outside China come without NFC. Its maker, Xiaomi, will reportedly address this deficiency in its next generation. This device is also now said to be more durable and sophisticated that its predecessor.

Sony has launched its latest alpha-series flagship, the a9II. This new 24.2MP premium unit is distinctly pitched at professional photographers in sports reporting and other fast-moving fields. It is designed for continous shooting while still delivering top-flight auto-focus and auto-exposure.

The blog ChargerLab claims to have found that some wireless chargers are being restricted to 5 watts (W) of power while iPhones are placed on them with the new iOS update, whereas the same devices could deliver 7.5W under the older software version. However, this apparently does not affect those brands that are sold in the Cupertino giant's stores.

Along with its (impressively varied) new PCs, Microsoft also introduced its first-ever true wireless earbuds today (October 2, 2019). These Surface Earbuds are capable of noise-canceling and voice-activation features. However, they are also designed to carry out tasks such as slide-switching and translation during PowerPoint presentations.

The Surface Pro 7 has finally stepped up to USB type C support. Otherwise, it remains a 12.3-inch 2-in-1 with advanced Pen features and a refined Type Keyboard attachment. The Pro 7 starts at US$749 and ships from October 22, 2019.

LG has unveiled new products called the Tone+ Free earbuds in its home country. Unlike the OEM's earlier similar products, these wearables are completely wireless and come in a charging case like the AirPods and other similar devices. They come in black or white and are available for pre-order from now.

A new registration of Microsoft's with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) hints at a new accessory that could be launched tomorrow in conjunction with the Surface 7 line. It is a wireless charger with a 300 milliwatt capacity. This is also more evidence that the next Surface Pen may go with the same device.

One of two cameras that GoPro has announced today, the GoPro Max replaces the GoPro Fusion 360 as the company's premier 360° action camera. The GoPro Max features 16.6 MP 360° and 5.5 MP sensors and costs US$499.99. GoPro is offering a complimentary 64 GB SanDisk Extreme microSD card with pre-orders, which will ship on October 15.

On cue, GoPro has taken the wraps off the successor to the Hero 7 Black, aptly named the Hero 8 Black. The new action camera features a 12 MP sensor that can shoot in up to 4K at 60 FPS or 1080p at 240 FPS. The Hero 8 Black supports HyperSmooth 2.0, TimeWarp 2.0, 1080p live streaming and four lens modes ranging from 16 mm to 39 mm. The Hero 8 Black is available to order now for US$399.99, and GoPro is including a 32 GB SanDisk Extreme microSD card with pre-orders. Pre-orders will ship on October 15.

The enthusiast headphones will work on consoles and PCs alike and will come with one full year of Tidal Premium for a limited time. The manufacturer is promising 30 hours of battery life with its 50 mm Nanoclear speakers.

There is only one day to go until GoPro unveils its next action cameras, but advertising materials, packaging and pricing of the Hero 8 Black have appeared online. The leak even details some of the accessories that GoPro will sell with the successor to the Hero 7 Black too.