Gadget

The Sony WF-1000XM4 launched for US$279.99, but the premium earbuds can be picked up for as little as US$178 during this year’s Black Friday deals. Available at a discounted price in either colour, the WF-1000XM4 supports the high-resolution LDAC codec and lasts up to 8 hours between charges, among other features.

RingConn has started selling its eponymous Smart Ring on crowdfunding website Indiegogo. Available from US$149, RingConn boasts that its Smart Ring outperforms the Oura Ring 3 in every aspect.

Released less than a year ago, the Yeedi Mop Station Pro is a 3-in-1 robot vacuum and mop cleaner with dual-power spin mopping and 3000 Pa suction. The package also includes a self-cleaning station. The ongoing promotion pushes the US$799.99 price down by 30%, so those interested can grab this autonomous house cleaner for US$559.99.

FOSSiBOT has launched its F2400 portable power station for pre-order in the US and Japan. The gadget has a 2,048 Wh battery which you can recharge via a wall outlet or solar panels. The device has a maximum power output of 2,400 W with 16 ports, including 100 W USB-C and 18 W USB-A outputs.

Nanoleq is currently crowdfunding for the Oxa breathing wearable, which it claims is a world first. The gadget can provide real-time data for health metrics such as your breathing depth and speed. You can use the accompanying app to practice breathing techniques which could improve your health and well-being over time.

Apple markets the latest AirPods Pro as delivering improved sound quality, long battery life and superior noise cancellation than the AirPods Pro 1. However, new independent tests have determined that Apple has made strides in reducing Bluetooth latency between generations, which should make the AirPods Pro 2 better suited for gaming than previous AirPods.

Google has shaved a quarter off the MSRP of the Pixel Buds Pro as part of its Black Friday promotions. Now available for US$149.99 in all colours, the Pixel Buds Pro supports ANC, Bluetooth multipoint and a 5-band EQ, among other features.

The Apple AirPods Pro 2 is available at a US$50 discount during Black Friday promotions. Only available in one colour, the AirPods Pro 2 are still full price when ordered from Apple directly.

A new sleep staging algorithm has been revealed by Oura. The latest technology, which will be available via the Oura Ring, uses movement, temperature, heart rate and HRV data collected by the wearable to monitor your sleep quality. The algorithm's output matches results from polysomnography by up to 79%.

Corsair has launched the TBT200 Thunderbolt 4 Dock, which can be used with Mac, PC and Chromebook devices. The gadget has ten ports, including four Thunderbolt 4 ports and a 15 W USB-C port. The device supports connection to two 4K HDR displays and receives up to 96 W power.

Anbernic has started selling another gaming handheld. Arriving as the RG505, the device relies on the Unisoc Tiger T618, 4 GB of RAM and an OLED display that measures 4.95-inches across.

Bose has outlined plans to upgrade its QuietComfort Earbuds II. Already billed as offering the world's best ANC, the QuietComfort Earbuds II will soon be capable of aptX Lossless, one of two new Qualcomm sound platforms.

Xiaomi has launched the Wireless Switch Bluetooth Version in China. The device has three programmable controls, which you can use to control single or groups of smart home gadgets. The small white button must be connected to a Bluetooth mesh gateway and can also be used as a doorbell.

An Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign for the AirTulip Sleep smart headboard has begun. The gadget has an integrated air purifier and can push warm or cool air over your bed as you sleep. The company suggests the benefits of the smart headboard include reduced snoring and night sweats for higher quality sleep.

One-netbook has started selling an Intel Pentium Gold 8505-powered version of the ONEXPLAYER mini. Sold with a 1200p display and in two colours, the ONEXPLAYER mini also has 16 GB of LPDDR5 RAM, 512 GB of storage and a 48 Wh battery, among other features.

Lenovo has previewed the YOGA Paper again on social media. In a series of pictures posted to Weibo, Lenovo has confirmed the device's design, several features and a few accessories.

Huawei has introduced a new pair of smart glasses in China. Sold as the Vision Glass, the smart glasses can reproduce giant and colour-accurate virtual displays thanks to Micro OLED displays.

VIOFO asserts that its latest A139 Pro records "real" 4K HDR video, unlike many dash-cams marketed with that spec. It is also equipped with Night Vision 2.0 powered by up-to-date tech from Sony and "upgraded" Wi-Fi, as well as the front, rear and in-cabin view support that ride-sharing customers and drivers in particular may find welcome.

The Bigme Galy has reached Kickstarter, where it sells for US$540. Offered with an 8-inch colour E Ink display, the Bigme Galy also runs Android 11 and supports active pen input, among other features.

Apple finally brought 128 GB of storage to the Apple TV 4K with the 2022 model. While the most expensive Apple TV 4K also supports Ethernet and Thread networking, tvOS 16 currently prevents it from accessing more than 64 GB of storage. The current tvOS 16.2 beta does not address this bug, either.

TinyCircuits has introduced the TinyTV 2 and TinyTV Mini, successors to the three-year-old TinyTV. Available for US$49 via Kickstarter, the pair should start shipping in March 2023 in a choice of two colours each.

Higole has brought another unusual mini-PC to market. This time, the company has introduced the Gole1 R, a Rockchip RK3588-based device that has a 5.5-inch built-in display for running Android 12, Linux or Ubuntu.

Pre-orders have opened for Orange Pi 5, the company's latest single-board computer. Equipped with 4 GB of LPDDR4 RAM, the Orange Pi 5 also features the Rockchip RK3588S chipset. At launch, the Orange Pi 5 supports OrangePi OS, Android 12 and Debian 11.

Apple has released numerous firmware updates for its various AirPods and Beats earbuds. As well as updating headphones too, Apple has issued a new update for the AirTags, which have now reached firmware version 2.0.24.

BenQ has released its W1130X 1080p projector in China. The gadget can throw images up to 200-in (~508 cm) in size with up to 2,300 lumens brightness and a 120 Hz refresh rate. You can connect to the device via USB-A and HDMI ports, and the projector has a pair of built-in 5 W Trevolo speakers.

StreamView has released the Nokia Streaming Box 8010, building on the older Streaming Box 8000. While the pair have similar model numbers, the Streaming Box 8010 contains significantly more memory and an upgraded ARM chipset to power Android TV 11.

The Philips Hue Festavia smart string lights have been revealed by Signify. The product will launch on November 15 in Europe and the US, in time for the holidays. Intelligent features of the lights include the ability to choose a color or color gradient, a Sparkle effect and music syncing via Spotify or Samsung SmartThings.

360 Smart Life is currently crowdfunding for the Botslab M20 robot mop via Indiegogo. The company claims the gadget is unique due to its four rolling mop pads, which can exert up to 10 N of pressure for a deeper clean. The robot has a self-cleaning and drying dock and can be controlled with Amazon Alexa or Google Assistant voice commands.

Wonder Tech Lab is currently crowdfunding for the SwitchBot Blind Tilt, a gadget that turns your regular blinds into smart ones. The adapter enables you to control your blinds with a smart app or voice assistant and open them at a specific time or to a precise angle. Plus, a solar panel helps the battery to last longer.

Xiaomi has revealed the Mijia Smart Desktop Dishwasher S1, which is now available to pre-order in China. The gadget has an AI smart wash, assessing the dirtiness of your dishes and optimizing the water level accordingly. The compact device takes up around 0.19 m² (~2.05 ft²) of space on your countertop and can wash up to 39 items simultaneously.

LG Display has presented the Stretchable display, which it claims offers 20% stretchability and a 100 PPI. Currently a prototype, LG Display hints that the display technology could be used in fashion, gaming, wearables and vehicles.

Xiaomi has unveiled the Mijia Pulsator Washing Machine 10 kg in China. The top-loading device can wash up to 45 shirts simultaneously, with ten cycles on offer, including a 15-minute quick wash. Plus, a smart water-saving mode will weigh the load and optimize the wash to reduce water consumption.

Xiaomi has unveiled the Mijia Thermostatic Kettle 2 Pro in China. The gadget has variable temperature control with 1 °C (~2 °F) accuracy and various boiling modes, which you can set using a built-in dial or a smartphone app. Plus, the 1.7 L (~57.5 fl. oz) kettle works quietly with a noise output of 45 dBa.

Although it was released more than two years ago, the iRobot Roomba j7 robot vacuum remains a popular choice for automated house cleaning. With a global rating of 4.3 out of 5 on Amazon after more than 900 user ratings, the Roomba j7 is now down to US$349 thanks to a massive 42 percent discount.

Retroid has introduced a new version of the Pocket 3. Sold as the Pocket 3+, the gaming handheld has a 4.7-inch display, a Unisoc T618 chipset and 4 GB of RAM but only features the outdated Android 11.

A Kickstarter crowdfunding campaign for the NiKOTA META-2000 portable power station will shortly begin. The gadget has 4G/5G connectivity via a SIM card or network cable. You can use the device to power up to 13 devices simultaneously with a maximum power output of 2,300 W. The power station has a 2,016 Wh capacity and recharges fully in 1.1 hours.

Xiaomi has unveiled the Mijia Outdoor Power Supply 1000 in China. The power station can deliver up to 1,600 W power across 13 ports, including 22.5 W USB-A, 100 W USB-C and 1,600 W AC outputs. The gadget has a 1 kWh battery which can be recharged to 80% in 1.5 hours or fully in 2.5 hours.

LILYGO has introduced the T7 S3 ESP32-S3, a developer board that supports Arduino IDE, MicroPython and PlatformIO. Equipped with the ESP32-S3-WROOM-1-N16R8, the LILYGO T7 S3 ESP32-S3 also has a USB Type-C port and supports LiPo connectivity, among other things.

An Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign for the RingConn smart ring will shortly launch. The wearable monitors heart rate and blood oxygen level and can also track your skin temperature. Plus, the device can last for up to seven days on a single charge, with the charging case providing over three months of life.

SmartWings is currently crowdfunding for its Nano smart blinds. The products are customizable, with Bluetooth and Thread connectivity and support for smart home ecosystems such as Apple HomeKit and Amazon Alexa. Intelligent settings include blind opening or closing with sunrise or sunset, opening to a set position and linking multiple units to be controlled as one.

Huawei's Petal is its in-house alternative to Google or Apple Maps, developed for the first-party HarmonyOS UI. The OEM has just unveiled a new and "powerful" 3D real-world feature for the app, touted to confer hyper-realistic "digital world" based on a given location. It requires new GPU applications and techniques, as well as enough photos of the place in question.

The PowerCombo Pro 40W is the latest release from the brand Baseus. It has debuted as the latest in a line of power accessories that is a combination between a power brick rated for up-to-date gallium nitride (GaN) charging technology and a power strip. To this end, it has full AC outlets in addition to USB type-A and -C ports.

YUNMI has launched a crowdfunding campaign in China for its VIOMI Portable Graphene Baseboard Electric Heater with Simulation Flame. The gadget has a built-in humidifier, which is used alongside LED lights to generate a fake flame. The device can provide up to 2,200 W power for temperatures up to 35 °C (~95 °F).

The EdgeBox RPi 200 is an Industrial Edge Controller available in four configurations. Based on the Raspberry Pi Compute Module 4, the EdgeBox RPi 200 has plenty of I/O, several Industrial Protocols and plenty of connectivity options.

EZVIZ has launched the DB1C as a new option for those interested in a teched-out doorbell. It is compatible with 2.4Ghz/5Ghz Wi-Fi, which can stream FHD video to a user's personal device. The new smart home component also has AI that can tell when there is a human in front of it, so as to avoid blowing the same device up with unnecessary or inaccurate alerts.

Gendome will shortly begin an Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign for its Home 3000 portable battery backup. The device has a 3,072 Wh capacity and up to 6,000 W surge power. You can power multiple devices simultaneously via various ports such as AC, 140 W USB-C and wireless charging pads.

SEGA has finally started selling the Mega Drive Mini 2 in Europe. Also available as the Genesis Mini 2 in North America, the newer retro gaming console is smaller than its predecessor but contains more games to boot, like Sonic the Hedgehog CD.

Lenovo has presented a new Gallium Nitride (GaN) USB Type-C. Sold as the Thinkplus Lipstick, the compact charger is powerful enough to recharge laptops, smartphones and tablets at up to 100 W via USB Type-C Power Delivery.