Gadgets

Sony’s Xperia Ear Duo are wireless earphones that keep your ear canal open, so you can still hear the outside world even while the earphones are on. They have touch controls and microphones for playback and your mobile device’s personal assistant.

Caterpillar’s Cat S61 is an Android phone that has an air quality sensor, a FLIR infrared temperature sensor and a laser rangefinder for calculating distance and area. It’s dust-, water- and shock-resistant. It runs Android Oreo and has a USB-C port.

Made in Mind’s Mu One is a USB-C charger that’s modular and incredibly thin. It fits in your pocket even with a plug attached. You can choose and swap between three plugs: US, UK and EU, all of which have foldable prongs.

Sony’s “entry-level” professional mirrorless camera continues to punch well beyond its weight. The A7 III has a 24.2MP back-illuminated full-frame sensor, 5-axis image stabilization, 50-204800 ISO range and can shoot HDR-compatible 4K video.

This gadget combines an AM/FM/weather radio, a 130-lumen flashlight, and a 2600 mAh battery for charging mobile devices. Its radio and flashlight can be recharged via handcrank or solar energy. It also has an ultrasonic whistle for alerting search and rescue teams.

Canon’s new Speedlite 470EX-AI camera flash has a fully automatic bounce function. Point it at your subject and its mechanism will automatically position and maintain the optimal angle for flash bounce. It also has a semi-automatic mode.

Huawei’s MateBook X Pro has a nearly bezel-less 3000×2000 13.9″ touchscreen, made possible thanks to its webcam’s placement. The camera is hidden in a false button in the middle of the row of function keys. It can also be configured with the NVIDIA MX150 GPU.

The S9 and S9+ have a camera that can switch between f/1.5 for low light or f/2.4 for daylight, and can capture 960fps slow-mo video. The S9+ also gets the Note 8’s second wide angle camera. They still have the borderless display, headphone jack and microSD slot.

The ZenBook 13 UX331UN is the thinnest and lightest laptop to have a discrete GPU for gaming, the NVIDIA MX150. It also has Intel’s 8th gen Core i5 1.6GHz CPU, 8GB RAM, replaceable 256GB SSD, two USB 3.1 ports, a USB-C port, a microSD slot and an HDMI port.

The Keyprop is the smallest and simplest phone stand we’ve ever seen. It hangs out right along with the other keys on your keychain, and plugs into your phone’s headphone jack or lightning port to prop it up with ease.

The latest version of DJI’s smartphone gimbal is a steal at just $129. Not only is it way cheaper than the original Osmo Mobile, it’s also lighter and can hold phones in portrait mode. It also has a new zoom slider and an automatic panorama mode.

Wyze Labs changed the security camera landscape with its dirt cheap Wi-Fi security camera, and they’re keeping price bar low with the WyzeCam v2. This version adds motion tagging and improved image sensor and audio amplifier.

The guys over at iFixit are the leading experts on tearing down new gadgets, splaying their guts open for all to see. They pay their bills by providing tools and docs for those who want to repair their own gear. Motherboard went behind the scenes to learn about their business.

Unlike other arcade controllers, the Mixbox has mechanical keyboard directional keys instead of an analog joystick (or buttons). It uses Cherry MX key switches and Sanwa Denshi buttons. It works with the PS3, PS4 and PC.

Massdrop and audio specialist NuForce collaborated on a pair of in-ear monitors that focus on affordability and comfort. The EDC3 has three balanced armatures per ear with a slight focus on the mids. It comes with two cables and five sets of ear tips.

Portable espresso machines often use pumps or screws to push water through ground coffee. The upcoming Leverpresso uses a simpler lever mechanism that still lets you control your coffee’s taste. It also lets you make up to two shots of espresso in one go.

MagSafe is dead. Long live MagSafe. Ilovehandles made a spiritual successor to Apple’s inexplicably shelved technology by adapting it for plugs. Tug saves not just your laptop but any device with a plug from damage with its magnetic breakaway connection.

Suvie is a robotic refrigerator and cooker. It keeps ingredients chilled until you tell it to start cooking. It has compartments for veggies, sauces, protein-rich food and starch-based food. There’s also an optional meal subscription with pre-packed ingredients.

The Mycroft Mark II is a voice-operated A.I. assistant. Unlike Alexa, Google Assistant or Siri, it’s open source, which means any programmer can inspect and improve its software. It also won’t sell your data to advertisers, and by default it does not store your voice prompts.

The newest version of Leatherman’s wearable multitool. The Tread Tempo has a water-, scratch- and corrosion-resistant stainless steel watch. Like the original Tread, you can adjust its fit and add or swap tools. It also has Pozidriv and Torx drivers.

Most gaming mice are packed with buttons and scroll wheels. But the Lexip takes a different approach. It has two joysticks – one inside that you control by tilting the mouse itself, and one outside to be used with your thumb. A left-handed version is also available.

Smaller than a stick of gum and weighing less than 0.4oz, Zorloo’s ZuperDAC-S might be the most portable digital-to-analog converter (DAC) ever made. It’s based on the ESS Sabre 9018 and comes with three cables for all sorts of mobile devices and computers.

The sixth generation of Lenovo’s thin and light 14″ laptop now comes with Intel’s 8th gen CPUs, up to 16GB RAM, up to 1TB SSD and optional SIM card slot for LTE connectivity. It has USB-C, Thunderbolt 3, USB 3, HDMI ports, and an SD card slot.

The latest version of GPD’s gaming-focused Windows handheld. The GPD Win 2 has a 6″ 720p screen, a 1.00 GHz Intel Core m3-7Y30 CPU, Intel HD 615 graphics, 8GB RAM, 128GB replaceable M.2 SSD and a 6-hour battery. It also has built-in gamepad buttons.

SanDisk’s Extreme Portable SSD is an external USB-C solid state drive for outdoor photographers and anyone who needs a durable high speed drive. It’s IP55 water- and dust-resistant and can easily be hooked or tied. Available in 250GB, 500GB or 1TB.